So, you like media such as Twin Peaks, the Remedyverse games, and the movie Annihilation but having a hard time quantifying what coherent??ly connects t??hem together? Turns out you're a fan of New Weird, and so am I! To that end, I'll help you learn more about it.

First things first, New Weird is a niche or subgenre of modern science fiction that very much rhymes with the works of David Lynch. It is partially derived from old pulp fiction horror writing, which means?? it shares a whole lot with cosmic horror as well. Broadly, New Weird is "a type of urban, secondary-world fiction that subverts the romanticized ideas about place found in traditional fantasy, largely by choosing realistic, complex real-world models as the jumping-off point for creation of settings that may combine elements of both science fiction and fantasy," as proponents of the niche Ann and Jeff Vandermeer, explain.

New Weird was shunted into the mainstream by China Miéville's Perdido Street Station and Vandermeer's own Ambergris. These novels, in turn, kickstarted a renaissance of "weird" media that we're now seeing proliferate: from Scavengers' Reign to Control, there's a whole h?ecking lot of Weird out there nowadays, which is great. Less great is that New Weird st?arted its life more-or-less as a m?arketing ploy. Thankfully, the weirdness has ??gone far beyond what any marketer might've anticipated in the early aughts, so it lives on as its own thing.

Now, with context out of the way, it's time to talk about book recommendations, because this is how you experience Weird at its most potent. Obviously, the choices I made for this list riff on video-gamey stuff, which means you'll get a deeper exploration of the topics explored in games such as Alan Wake 2 and Control, just to mention a few.

New Weird: 10 of the best novels to read in this (sub)genre

#10: There Is No Antimemetics Division by Sam Hughes

I've long since held the belief that SCP (Secure, Contain, Protect) is effective??ly past its prime, having devolved into an exercise on which writer could best set up a self-ins??ert to defeat the Big Bad of the week and save the world- nay, the universe. Enter Sam Hughes' There Is No Antimemetics Division: possibly the finest piece of secondary writing to ever grace this open-source franchise. A genuinely compelling and engaging SF/Weird novel, TINAD is SCP as you may remember it from back in the day and then some. It's also entirely free, so you can start reading it right this instant.

#9: The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again by M. J. Harrison

If you're chasing that Shadow Over Innsmouth high but just can't find a modern take on the concept, here it is. Harrison's The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again is a uniquely compelling piece of work that actually has a comment to make on the current state of the world. It is also a tale of true cosmic horror and the way a genuinely paradigm-changing world event could snake its way?? into absolute normalcy from a layperson's point of view. Spooky stuff, this.

#8: Borne by Jeff Vandermeer

Though Vandermeer riffs on subjects of ecological horror quite often, his Borne novel is pure biopunk at its core. Borne and all of its related stories (i.e. The Strange Bird, Dead Astronauts) are firmly entrenched in biological post-apocalypse. It's kind of what Fallout would be if it was about bio-tech, rather than nuclear warfare. Add the ominous Company into the mix, a giant flying grizzly bear, and Vandermeer's penchant not to explain what's actually go?ing on in t?he background, and you've got a killer combo.

#7: The Vorrh by B. Catling

Having sadly passed in 2022, Catling delivered a wide variety of remarkable art over this life, and The Vorrh novels are arguably some of his finest work ever. The titular entity is a sentient African forest that's being set upon by the town of Essenwald. A town that has quite literally been torn down brick-by-brick only to be put back together at the edge of the Vorrh. The Vorrh reminds me quite a lot of The Roadside Picnic, except with a more colonialist slant. It's good stuff, though thoroughly uninter??ested in explaining itself to the reader. It's all about the vibes.

#6: The New Weird Anthology by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer

I know, I know, Vandermeer again. This one is notable because it's specifically not been penned by the Vandermeers, however. Instead, it's a remarkably comprehensive collection of New Weird stories that is, in practice, a new reader's best possible introduction to the concept. The later Weird Anthology is more comprehensive than this one, but I recommend starting with this one, instead. You get stories from Clive Barker, China Miéville, and Thomas Ligotti, just to list?? a few, and you're either going to love? or hate the niche from that point onwards.

#5: The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston

Swainston's work teeters on the edge of being fantasy proper, though The Year of Our War and its sequels slip into New Weird proper as you go through them. The main protagonist? An addict immortal who can fly. The main antagonist? A hive of unimaginably alien insects who may or may not want to build a... something into the stratosphere. Everything in-between? Expect an 80-20 split between regular fantasy fare and an insidiously creepy Planescape-tier Weirdness. If you're loo?king for an awesome new series to read, this may be the ticket.

#4: City of Saints and Madmen: The Book of Ambergris by Jeff Vandermeer

Commonly shortened to just Ambergris for obvious reasons, this seminal Vandermeer novel effectively spearheaded New Weird as a concept, and it remains a high mark for the niche. Ambergris has got it all: a race of ominous mushroom people that plot underground, a historical account that rivals some of the stuff Lovecraft himself had come up with, and the occasional breaking of the fourth wall. It's rather hard to read at times, however, thanks to early Vandermeer's choice of prose. This makes it a fair bit more challenging to get into than most other novels ??on this list, but it's a very rewarding piece of writing, regardless.

#3: The City and The City by China Miéville

A Miéville book had to make its way into the top 3 of this list, and I feel that The City and The City is the author's finest work to date. It is also possibly the clearest example of what New Weird is ??all about. This novel is a semi-police procedural following an inspector of the Extreme Crime Squad, Tyador Borlú.

The setting? A fictional East European city-state that occupies the same physical space as an entirely different East European city-state, but whose denizens perceive them as different places altogether. Plus, there may or may not be a third city-state somewhere in there, too. With The City and the City, Miéville explores an idea that might feel downright unthinkable at first but becomes perfectly sensible as you leaf through the pages. The best New Weird novels normalize their weirdness for ??the reader to enjoy, and this book here is a prime example of how this is done.

#2: House of Leaves by M. Z. Danielewski

House of Leaves keeps popping up in lit discussions over and over again, and I'm quite unsure why its Weird elements don't get put into the context of the niche it slots into. Because yes, Danielewski's House of Leaves definitely is a Weird boo??k: both with how it presents itself and when it comes to its subject matte?r.

In the simplest possible terms, House of Leaves is a novel about a transcript of a documentary about a house that may or may not exist. It's a whole thing. Obviously, I recommend reading through the whole thing, but the Navidson Record sub-novel is phenomenally creepy? in its own right, and b?asically the meat of the experience. Do try to get a physical copy of this one, if possible.

#1: The Southern Reach by Jeff Vandermeer

I know I've got a bunch of Vandermeer featured in this article, but his body of work practically oozes Weird: both New, from the early aughts, and not. The pinnacle of Vandermeer's body of Weird works, however, and possibly the best possible way to get a sense of the niche is The Southern Reach.

Originally a trilogy and now a quadrilogy, as of late 2024, with the release of Absolution, the novels Annihilation (yes, the very same that inspired Garland's 2018 silver screen adaptation), Authority, and Acceptance are a veritable celebration of the genre. Each novel is wildly different than the last, from Annihilation's exploration of a hostile, anomalous exclusion zone to Authority's spy-thriller-esque office politics. Yet, they all fit neatly into a grander whole. Most importantly, they're designed to be ?re-read over and over again, each time revealing more elements of the timeline at hand.

The post 10 best New Weird novels to read ??if you like Alan Wake, C??ontrol, and SCP appeared first on Destructoid.

Hey, gamer, are you ready for some $??60 re-releases of old games? I know �?perhaps unironically �?that I am. I love playing games I’ve already played, preferably when they look slight?ly better than I remember. Again, totally sincere here. This is something I do more often than I’m comfortable with.

At the time o??f writing, ve??ry little has been said about what games will be coming to the Switch 2. There will probably be new games, but will there be old ones? Also probably! Nothing has really been announced, but we can speculate. So, let’s do that.

Now, Nintendo has said that the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible, and while they say there will be exceptions, I?’m going to guess this will be a rarity. I’m assuming, perhaps over-optimistically, that most games will still be supported. So, we’re not going to talk about Switch games we want to play on our Switch. Instead, let’s talk about titles that Nintendo hasn’t given a glow-up to that will perhaps be given a second look when the new console comes around.

Chibi-Robo

My heard breaks for Chibi-Robo. The 2007 GameCube title is among the many that I won’t shut up about, but it’s gotten a raw deal. It wasn’t all that popular at launch, to begin with, but then its sequels kind of failed to follow-up on it. Okay, not all of the sequels. Okaeri Chibi-Robo: Happy Richie Ōsōji for the?? Nintendo DS was a pretty faithful a?nd enjoyable sequel, but if you can’t tell by the moniker, it never got released in North America.

Anyway, maybe if more people had a chance to play it, more people would love it. A good way to find out would be a re-release on Switch. Unfortunately, it would be too late for its developer, Skip Ltd., which seems to have disbanded. The key staff from there is currently working on a spiritual follow-up, KoROBO, which is just legally distinct Chibi-Robo. So, I guess worst case scenario, we’ll maybe get KoROBO on the Switch 2.

F-Zero GX

A few years ago, I’d opine Nintendo’s treatment of F-Zero in the same way I would with Chibi-Robo, but recently, the company has remembered that it exists. They’ve put many of the classic titles on their Nintendo Switch Online service and even released a (sort of) new entry: F-Zero 99.

However, many point to the 2003 GameCube title, F-Zero GX, as the best the series has to offer. It’s certainly extra, but then, what else would you expect from the crew that would go on to develop the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series? While a true follow-up would be the best-case scen??ario, a port would also be appreciated. The game deserves more respect.

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

It was long rumored that the two Wii U Legend of Zelda remakes, Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD, w??ould make their move to the Switch. They didn’t. So, we’re still waiting.

On the other hand, if they do decide to port it to Switch 2, I’m hoping that they, at the very least, allow you to undo the desecration they did to the lighting style. The original version had a striking, unique cel shading that evoked the look of a cartoon, which helped support the stylized art. Wind Waker HD sort of smoothed that over, then added a metric tonne of bloom.?? It looks, uh, good. It just doesn’t have the same effect. It felt like an HD fan mo?d, like the art team didn’t really care about artistic intent.

It’s not the end of the world, and I’m not sure if that’s, like, a difficult thing to change. I don’t know how these shaders are implemented. I just know that whenever I think about playing Wind Waker again, I’m left wondering whether I should play the GameCube or Wii U version, and it would be nice to have one witho????ut compromises.

Lost Kingdoms Collection

Armored Core VI reminded a lot of people that FromSoftware made games before Demon’s Soul. And while I’d love a King’s Field Collection�?There’s no but on that sentence, I’d love a King’s Field Collection. But I’d also love a Lost Kingdoms Collection.

The two Lost Kingdoms games were strange RPGs where you used cards to cast magic. Neither was spectacular, but both are unique in their own way. Unique enough that they should be experienced. Unfortunately, they sold about as well as tires made of bread, so not many people tried them out. Relatively speaking. Now’s a good time. People will eat anything FromSoftware touched. In fact, maybe we should bring back Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor.

Battalion Wars

Speaking of Battalions, I’m sure I’m not the only one who loved that strange little Advance Wars spin-off, Battalion Wars. It was this weird in-between of squad-based tactics and real-time strategy. You could take control of any of your units, and the vehicle controls were a bit like Halo’s.

We got a sequel on Wii, Battalion Wars II, but I swear that game is, like, 95% tutorial for some reason. Every level seemed to be a tutorial. That was kind of the Wii for you. In an effort to make things accessible to everyone, they usually made things fun for no one. So, I’d take a coll??ection, but it’s maybe not necessary.

Cool Riders

Cool Riders should just be on everything. But, right now, it’s not on anything. Unless you count arcade. It is an absolutely incredible perversion of OutRun (seemingly having been intended to be titled OutRiders). You choose from a cast of weirdos on tricked-out bikes and fly through a fever dream distortions of places from around the world. It takes the OutRun formula and tweaks its nipples, turning it into a high-speed blur of over-stimulation. You need to play it, that might ?not be an option for you ?right now, so shovel it onto the Switch 2.

Star Fox Zero

Okay, now do it right this time. Star Fox Zero feels like one of the most tragic victims of Nintendo’s need to over-innovate. Or, possibly, it’s specifically Shigeru Miyamoto’s need. So, rather than just being a standard on-rails shooter, it required you t?o aim with the gamepad screen while flying with the stick. It sucked. 

As much as I detested the waggle rolling in Donkey Kong Country Returns, I got used to it in a small way and could live with it. It wasn’t ideal. The dual-screen controls of Star Fox Zero were cement shoes; they sank the whole game.

The game itself is fine. Somehow, I got through it. Even without the dual-screen controls, it wouldn’t be spectacular, but it would be far better than the series has seen since Star Fox 64. So, it would be nice to get an updated version on the Switch 2. The only upgrade needed would ??be the deep-sixing of the second-screen aiming.

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller

Hey, Sega. Instead of making a live service multiplayer Crazy Taxi that no one wants, maybe just re-release the best one. Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller not only included a new level set in a ve??rsion of Las Vegas, it ?also took the better levels from the first two games and edited them slightly to balance them for the new skills in your repertoire.

For extra credit, Sega could ju?st include all the lev??els from all the games. But let’s slow down. Wouldn’t want to distract them from building platforms where they can sell endless skins.

Rule of Rose

It’s tempting for me to put my beloved Chulip on this list, but maybe that’s too predictable. How about Rule of Rose? It’s an incredibly unique take on the survival horror genre during its heyday on the PS2. For its main antagonists, it turns to the real monsters of the world: children. You pl??ay as Jennifer, a young woman who gets tormented by a group of orphans.

Its humanity manages to come through all the abstract weirdness of the game. Beneath the grimy horror is a story far more tragic than it is terrifying. It’s less about monsters, and more about what causes a person to become a monster. And I don’t mean some sort of virus. I mean fear of losing som??ething.

Unfortunately, Rule of Rose had a pretty big setback in the fact that its combat is terrible, even by survival h??orror standards. It’s the hi?t detection that really drags it down. Even if this was improved slightly in a Switch 2 port, it would go a long way in making the game more palatable than it was at its 2006 release.

Metal Max 2 Reloaded

Metal Max is the best series to have barely touched North American shores. To date, of the series�?mainline seven games (not counting remakes), only two have been localized in English (Metal Saga and Metal Max Xeno). I’d take pretty much any out of the series to hit the Switch 2, but Metal Max 2 Reloaded is generally considered to be one ??of the high points of the series.

The games are JRPGs that center around tanks. The acquisition, upgrading, and utilization of tanks. You can always get out of your tank, but �?and I hope this isn’t news �?there are a number of advantages a steel-armored machine of war has over your squishy human flab. Metal Max 2 Reloaded is a DS remake of an SNES game. Yet, despite its vintage, it is an extraordinarily sprawling adventure across a post-apocalyptic world packed to the gills with bizarre monsters. It would be the perfect introduction to anyone who hasn’t experienced Metal Max before.

The post 10 games we want to see get a Switch 2 port appeared first on Destructoid.

It's very self-apparent that nostalgia, specifically, is a crucial aspect of modern gaming. Emulation's been important since forever now, certainly, but it's particularly relevant nowadays, and more powerful than ever before. Games such as Sierra Ente?rtainment's output are, however, often ov?erlooked in this respect. They certainly shouldn't be, though.

Sierra Entertainment's classic adventure games generally released on MS-DOS, Macintosh, and early iterations of Windows proper, and they were all the rage at the time. Though point 'n' click games have mostly gone the way of the dodo in this day and age, even more so than real-time strategy titles have, they used to be the de facto genre for computer gaming.

We're talking top-tier graphics, excellent interactivity, and a usually appropriately wild combo of solid and hammy voice-acting to top it all off. As far as these features go, Sierra Entertainment was the bees' knees for the longest time, and here I've picked out ten of the very best point 'n' click adventures the publisher ever released. Note that you can play many of these games on the cheap via GOG, if you wish to. Alternatives include ScummVM and DosBox if you're feeling more advent??urous! Though, you will need to supply your own original copies of games for the latte??r.

Top 10 best Sierra Entertainment adventure games

While virtually everyone's emulating those pesky Pokey-mans and Excellent Italian Plumbers, be it on the go or not, Sierra's adventures don't come up nearly as often. It's not necessarily hard to see why, mind: these games sport fairly out-of-date tech and no accommodations for modern control schemes. Further, point 'n' click adventures basically need your full and undivided attention, which is a far cry from the simple gameplay of a Pokemon game.

Still, I do genuinely believe you should give Sierra adventures a shot if you're even remotely interested in them. And, oh hey, I've got a list of must-plays ready for your consideration. Do note, however, that unlike the more modern LucasArts adventures, classic Sierra games are not very player-friendly, and it's often possible to lock yo?urself into a situation where it's impossible to progress. Use guides, y'a?ll.

#10: King's Quest 3: To Heir is Human

King's Quest 3 was wild??ly annoying in some respects but also incredibly immersive in others. Graphics aren't the key draw here, obviously, but the sheer ambition and innovation on show in this particular franchise entry were staggering. Players take control over a slave who's about to be sacrificed on his 18th birthday, and the main objective for the first half of the game is to figure out a way to escape.

There is a timed element to King's Quest 3: it's up to you to accomplish all the objectives the wizard gives you and work on your escape plan within th??e allotted time frame. However, you can't allow the wizard to spot you mucking about with stuff you shouldn't touch, so you're always pressed for this resource or the other.

The bit that I personally loved the most about King's Quest 3 was the need to reference the physical manual to actually create various concoctions and cast spells. There's a physicality to Sierra's adventure games that we just don't get in modern titles, and that, in particular, is one of the bits I miss about the old titles. If you end up playing KQ3, I recommend printing out a copy of the manual to go along with it!

#9: Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be A Hero

Quest for Glory was, much like some other Sierra adventure games, a role-playing hybrid. Even though these games generally do fall into the same niche as, say, Gabriel Knight titles, there's a world of difference when it comes to gameplay. And gameplay, specifically, was the driving force behind Quest for Glory's rise to fame.

Crucially, Quest for Glory had multiple puzzle solutions due to its RPG mechanics (i.e., character classes, abilities, etc.), which meant getting stuck didn't happen all that often. Players could choose a Fighter, a Thief, or a Magic User to start things off, but you could still build them up to unlock additional cross-class skills, which could, in turn, be used both in combat and during adventuring.

I specifically remember being flabbergasted when I realized Quest for Glory had the actual passage of time I needed to take into account. To say nothing of having to eat and rest if I wanted my wily Fighter to keep trucking along. Future Quest for Glory titles also allowed you to import your char??acter to continue the adventure, which was ?a real joy!

#8: The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery

Full-Motion Video (FMV) point-and-click games aren't to everyone's taste, and I'm not particularly fond of them myself. Yet, the second game in the revered Gabriel Knight series is just excellent and a perfect showcase of what could've been accomplished in F??MV titles.

Make no mistake, The Beast Within isn't nearly as good as the first Gabriel Knight title was, and it does perform some character assassination along the way. As a standalone project, though, it's very competent and one of those experiences that grow on you if you allow them to. I myself absolutely adore the awkward campiness of it all: they just do not make games like these anymore. As long as you're okay with this type of thing, I cannot recommend The Beast Within enough.

#7: Laura Bow 2: The Dagger of Amon-Ra

While the original Laura Bow game was fairly interesting in its own right, the sequel is easily one of the best Sierra adventure titles. As its title may imply, Laura Bow 2 is all about that 1920s' Egyptology craze, and it?? may well remind you of Poirot's adventures in some? ways. It's an excellent setting and a very memorable story in its own right.

Gameplay-wise, the bits that separate The Dagger of Amon-Ra from other games of its era are the various bespoke gameplay mechanics (though they don't function all that well in some respects), such as eavesdropping and interrogation, as well as the availability of multiple endings. Some annoyances do remain, naturally. The biggest problem with Laura Bow 2 by far is one that comes up often in Sierra adventures: you can lock yourself out of progression by failing to pick up certain items, and the game might not outright state that you would ever need them. Once again, I highly recommend using a spoiler-free guide and the official manual with this game.

#6: Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail

Another atypically mature Sierra game, Conquests of Camelot was a stark and engaging adventure for those of us who played it back in the day. While the exploration of Arthurian mythology was a fairly common topic for games in the '90s, Conquests of Camelot deliberately went against the grain in many ways. The main conceit for Arthur's quest for the Grail is, for example, the curse brought about by the love triangle between him, Guinevere, and Lancelot. It gets brought up rather often to grim effect.

Gameplay-wise, you're gettin??g?? a solid combination of real-time action sequences and bog-standard point 'n' click adventuring. It's nothing to really write home about, but the experience is overall extremely memorable and engaging throughout.

#5: King's Quest 6: Heir Today Gone Tomorrow

King's Quest 6 is one of those games that are plainly wonderful to engage with. There's been plenty of discussion as to which King's Quest is best, but I am very much willing to die on this particular hill. More so than any other KQ, Heir Today Gone Tomorrow is an honest-to-goodness fantasy adventure poised purely to entertain and make its? players happy.

Crucially, KQ6 is relatively easy to beat without a guide, and its almost open-world nature means you can approach the vast majority of its content at any point in time. One of the best memories I personally have with this game is starting it anew and following ?a prolonged playthrough, only to discover that a frankly ridiculous number of its quests are en??tirely optional. I missed them on my first go! This is something we take for granted nowadays, but it was outright unprecedented at the time. And that's without going into the wonderful variety of content you'll enjoy, even without looking for side-quests.

Exploring the Isles of Wonder, Crown, Beast, and t?he Sacred Mountain was an experience like no other, and it comes highly recommende?d.

#4: Space Quest 4: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers

If pure ridiculousness is what you're after, boy, will you enjoy Space Quest 4. As Sierra Entertainment's designated IP for goofy jokes and assorted silliness, Space Quest games are all hilarious. The fourth entry, though, kicks things into overdrive. This is partially due to SQ4's adoption of the tra??ditional Sierra point 'n' click interface. The key twist is that the titular protagonist also gets to smell and taste whatever the heck you wish him to.

This feature, in particular, is used almost exclusively for comedic effects. Let me tell you: the fact ??that Roger's mishaps are narrated by none other than Gary Owens wo?rks incredibly well.

For those who are unfamiliar with?? Space Quest, it's an effective and delightful parody of science fiction in general. In that sense, it's quite unique even in Sierra's remarkable roster, and it's often way better than you'd expect it to be.

#3: Quest for Glory 4: Shadows of Darkness

As a youngling who hadn't yet been exposed to Lovecraftian horror at the time, I was absolutely bedazzled by the vibe and setting of Quest for Glory 4. Certainly, it also helps that the game takes many of its cues from Slavic folklore, which I was quite familiar with. Whereas the prior QFG titles were relatively straightforward fantasy ordeals, Shadows of Darkness amped things by being substantially darker and edgier than we h??ad been used to.

Quest for Glory 4's biggest issue by far was the fact that it wasn't thoroughly tested. It shipped in what many reviewers at the time agreed was an unacceptable state, and this took away from its awesome setting and mythos. Gameplay-wise, it continued QFG's classic RPG/adventure loop with the added bonus of introducing auto-combat for those who preferred to focus purely on adventuring. Dark, creepy, and incredibly memorable, Quest for Glory 4 is a franchise highlight today, even though it really? did need more time in the oven at the time.

#2: Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood

Retellings of Robin Hood's (mis)adventures were a dime-a-dozen in the run-up to Y2K, but I'd go so far as to argue that Conquests of the Longbow remains the best of the video-game bunch even today. Without a doubt, The Legend of Robin Hood is one of Sierra Entertainment's crown jewels. It merits a playthrough, even if only for the awesome amount of research that had to have gone into it, much the same as the case with Conquests of Camelot.

Curiously, whereas Conquests of Camelot was extremely grim in tone for much of its playtime, The Legend of Robin Hood elevates itself beyond mere dreariness. It's a matter of taste which approach you prefer, of course, but Conquests of the Longbow ??fits more neatly with the rest of Sierra's output without being outright zany. A heck of a balance, that.

You're getting some truly phenomenal graphics and some of t??he b?est gameplay Sierra could've mustered back in the day, on top of all the other boons I mentioned above. Plainly excellent, this game.

#1: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

If you're only ever going to play a single Sierra point 'n' click adventure game, it should probably be Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers. The arguable pinnacle of Jane Jensen's rich tenure, Sins of the Fathers is a full-fledged tour de force of all the best adventure tropes.

You've got a likable ?protagonist with a shady past and a world-changing fate, an engaging narrative that keeps you interested throughout the story, and more interactive elements than you could shake a voodoo doll at. T??im Curry lends his voice to Knight himself, adding some levity to an atypically mature narrative that truly stood out among all the other classic Sierra properties. The setting (a "modern" New Orleans as the starter backdrop) helped in this respect, too.

Gameplay-wise, the reliance on tried-and-true tropes continues: Sins of the Fathers' gameplay loop used the arcane action bar for interactive elements. Knight could WALK, LOOK, ASK, TALK, PICKUP, OPEN, CLOSE, OPERATE, and MOVE any given thing at any given time, often to comical effect. Figuring out what it is, exactly, that the game wants you to d?o was a job in and of itself.

Yet, disregarding questionable pacing and a frankly ridiculous insistence on pixel-peeping for item discovery, Sins of the Fathers remains a phenomenal experience in the context of Sierra's output. A real ??showstopper, if you will.

Explore more: See every Sierra game in order on a timeline and share your favorites on Listium.

The post 10 Best Sierra adventure games appeared first on Destructoid.

I technically never stopped playing retro games. When I had my Gamecube, I was still playing games on my SNES. However, around that time, I also bought an NES. The games I got with it �?games like Total Recall and Kid Icarus �?had me convinced that I just hated game?s on the NES. It wasn’t until I was introduced to a couple of games on this list that retro gaming truly opened up to me.

I do believe that games age, but mostly on a technical level. Poor framerates and blurry graphics can make it difficult to return to an early 3D game. Their design, on the other hand, is rarely completely superseded. Video game development really just goes through trends. Right now, there’s a particular style of game that is favored by gamers, but this was different 10 years ago, which was different 10 years b?efore that.

As such, it’s more of a matter of acclimating to the design of the time period, which can be difficul?t if you don’t know where to look. Maybe I can help. The following is a list of games that may provide a gateway into retro gaming. These aren’t necessarily what I consider to be the “best�?games in general, but they’re ones that, if you’re reluctant but curious to try older games, might be a good place to start.

Ms. Pac-Man (1982, Arcade)

Have you never played Pac-Man? Games of the golden era of video games (before the 1?983 crash) can be a little dry for newcomers since they are more about competition through repetition. Whether you’re playing by yourself or challenging others, you’re still doing the same thing repeatedly, building skills, and trying for the best outcome. They tend to lack the progression that helps keep you glued to more modern titles.

Pac-Man is one of the retro arcade titles that are still easy to enjoy today, and that’s partially because, on a surface level, it’s more dynamic and harder to predict. Instead of simply learning patterns and strategies, you’re also decoding the personalities of the four ghosts t??hat chase you.

Ms. Pac-Man is an improvement over the first game in just about every way. There are more mazes, more dynamic ghosts, and a more attractive protagonist. Yum. It’s just too bad it was made without Namco’s permission. Now, because of various rights issues, Namco prefers to pretend it never happened. But we know better. And if you can get your hands on a port of ??it, it’s a great jumping point for getting into the earliest days of gaming.

Also consider: Donkey Kong (1981, Arcade)

The Making of Karateka (2023, Various)

Karateka, on its own, will probabl?y not sway you to play retro games. Originally released back in 1984 for the Apple II, it looks and feels its age. That is to say, it's relatively basic and short. It was a landmark for its time, but it's a bit hard??er to appreciate through modern eyes.

Digital Eclipse's The Making of Karateka, however, puts the title in a new light. It's a digital documentary that supplements the game with behind-the-scenes information and interviews. In this way, it frames Karateka as the result of a journey rather than just being a game that you play. It helps build an appreciation for the industry, the creative process, and the creators who make them.?? There's a story behind every game, and by learning these stories and understanding the process, you can foster a more meaningful appreciation of not just retro games but video games in general.

Also consider: Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (2024, Various)

Punch-Out!! (1987, NES)

The gameplay in the NES port of Nintendo’s 1984 boxing game is so refined and unique that it’s timeless. Outwardly, you might be expecting a competitive boxing title, but Punch-Out!! is actually a much simpler game of pattern recognition and reflexes. It’s a series of battles where you must memorize the tells and movements of a progression of stereotypes until you come out on?? top. Or probably not. I’ve been playing the game for years and haven’t been able to beat it.

If you’re hesitant, there is a less old 2009 version of Punch-Out!! for the Wii. The kicker is that they barely had to chang??e anything aside from the graphics. However, it might give you a taste of what you’re in for.

Also consider: Super Punch-Out!! (1994, SNES)

Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES)

The Super Mario series has long been considered a great entry point for newcomers, not just for the genre but for video games in general. As such, it’s hard to beat Super Mario Bros. 3 when it comes to easing into the?? bygone generation of platformers.

Quite simply, it hasn’t aged like its compatriotrs of the �?0s. Nintendo pulled out all the stops when it came to working around the limitations of the NES, which allowed them to become much more creative with the level design. There’s an endless amount of variety across the worlds, and while the later stages of the game can get pretty difficult, by then, Super Mario Bros. 3 will probably have its hooks in you.

If I have one reservation, it’s that Super Mario Bros. 3 will only superficially help you get into retro games. Mario 3 is sort of in a league of its own. There’s no real way to gracefully go from this to, say, Castlevania, because, while I consider that to be a better, meatier experience, it’s a completely different ballgame.

Also consider: Super Mario World (1990, SNES)

Out Run (1986, Arcade)

Polygonal 3D racing games have largely superseded the quasi-3D raster effect that powered some early racing games like Out Run. The raster method was, after all, a visual trick to give the impression of a 3D environment, and once you can do that for real, you don't need tricks anymore. However, Out Run differentiat??es itself fro??m modern racing games just through its basic concept.

While most racing games are about, er, racing, Out Run is simply about driving. The only thing you're racing against is the clock as you speed down the highway, attempting to reach the next checkpoint before your time expires. There are other cars on the road, but they're merely obstacles. They aren't competing with you. And with a joyful and relaxing soundtrack that sucks you into the experience, it's so much more about vibes than the challenge. Other games have tried the same thing, but none have nailed it quite like Out Run.

The Sega Ages release of Out Run on Switch inc?ludes the option to turn off traffic altogether, making it simply an experience about driving your Ferrari along the scenic route at high speed without a care in the world.

Also consider: Sega Rally Championship (1995)

River City Ransom (1989, NES)

Beat-’em-ups or brawlers are often a safe bet, as the core gameplay of the genre hasn’t really changed much since the beginning. The same is generally true about River City Ransom, as ?much of the gameplay is largely just throwing ?fists and feet at your opponents.

The big difference is that River City Ransom puts you in an explorable city and has you level up by eating food. The only real punishment that comes with death is that you lose half of your money an?d get sent back to the last shopping a?rea. If you’re having trouble in any specific fight, you can always grind out a few coins and improve your stats before trying again.

I often say that River City Ransom is as much about shopping as it is about fighting, and in that way, it’s something of a precursor to the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series.

Also consider: Final Fight (1989), Streets of Rage (1991)

The Secret of Monkey Island (1990, PC)

The point-and-click adventure genre had its heyday in the �?0s, died in the ea??rly �?0?s, was resurrected a few years later, and now has fallen to the side while more narrative and choice-driven adventure titles take the wheel. One of the best pockets of retro titles you can delve into is the Lucasarts SCUMM adventures of the �?0s. I’m speaking on anecdotal evidence, but I feel like these games are a sort of pilgrimage for anyone stepping into retro gaming.

The best place to start with these is 1990’s The Secret of Monkey Island. Technically, it’s a follow-up to games like Maniac Mansion and Zak McKracken, but here is where I feel they hit their stride. The Secret of Monkey Island is funny, s?urprising, and doesn’t lean too heavily on cryptic puzzles. As a warning, these sorts of games can be extremely overwhelming when you first drop in and find yourself inundated with all kinds of interactive distractions. However, if you stick with it for ??a little while, you’ll most likely grow comfortable.

Also consider: Maniac Mansion (1987, PC), Sam & Max: Hit the Road (1993, PC)

Retro Game Challenge (2007, DS)

Sometimes, you need to build up your context for retro games before you can really appreciate them, which is very difficult to do in a modern world full of collections and subscription services. Retro Game Challenge for DS has you transported back to the '80s and the Famicom's heyday. While all the games in this collection are fictional, they were made to represent what was popul??ar at the time, as you advance through the years.

Each game presents a number of challenges ranging from dead simple to a bit off the beaten path, which allows you to progress quickly without needing the skills to completely topple the games. However, the most important part is how it captures the time period. Its depiction of history is more based on the Japanese experience, having been based on the Japanese show GameCenter CX. However, the way it drags you back to the era and immerses you in it through magazine issues and rumors provided to you thr????ough child-version Arino can help build an appreciation of how things were back then.

Also consider: WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ (2003, GBA)

Street Fighter II (1991, Arcade)

Fighting games changed forever after the arrival of 1991’s Street Fighter II, and they haven’t changed all that much since then. Because of this, Street Fighter II plays just as well today as it did in the �?0s.

I’d say it’s impressive that any game got its formula so perfect on the first attempt, but it really didn’t. The original 1987 title relied too heavily on an arcade gimmick where the strength of your attacks relied on how hard you pressed the buttons. As a result, it was quite inaccurate and not all that much fun to play. Street Fighter II, on the other hand??, made incredible use of its six buttons, giving its handful of characters a varied array of moves. 

Street Fighter II was so popular it kicked off a boom in both arcade titles and fighting games in general. The marketplace was quickly swamped with pretenders trying to live up to this game, and admittedly, some did. But while there are flashier, better-looking, and more advanced fighting games to play, it’s hard to deny that the best place to start is with the godfather of them all, Street Fighter II.

Also consider: Yie Ar Kung-Fu (1985, Arcade)

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991, SNES)

It’s hard to do wrong when picking up a Legend of Zelda game (though, I’d at least recommend you stay away from Adventure of Link), but The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is arguably the entry that is most timeless. The NES titles tend to be unfriendly to newcomers, while the N64 games have the early 3D barrier. Link to the Past, on the other hand, contains everything that makes? the series ?great without compromise.

Moreover, it contains colorful graphics, joyful controls, and one of the best soundtracks of the era. Its presentation is downright legendary. There’s very little to complain about with Link to the Past, which makes it the best way to get into ?the series.

Also consider: Chrono Trigger (1995)

Mega Man X (1993, SNES)

The NES Mega Man series is the gold standard of platformers, but they can still be a bit intimidating if you’re new to the series. So, instead of jumping into Mega Man 2 (which isn’t a bad choice, honestly), Mega Man X on the SNES is your best bet for getting into the greater series and this particular flavor of p?latformers in general.

Mega Man X took the? hop-and-shoot gameplay of the classic series and made slight tweaks that had significant repercussions. The simple addition of more ve?rticality in stages changes the flow of the game entirely, and the Blue Bomber’s new dash ability makes everything faster.

But, more importantly, it’s less difficult tha?n most of the classic series. This isn’t simply?? because the bosses are easier or that there’s less instant death; it’s because you have more options to get out of trouble. You have more ways to recover from small mistakes. As such, it’s a great way to ease your way into the platforming genre in general.

Also consider: Mega Man 2 (1987, NES)

Banjo-Kazooie (1998, N64)

Th??e early 3D era of video games is arguably the hardest one to get into. While there was a great deal of experimentation as the industry adjusted to the new dimension, it also came with many missteps, technical issues, and intrusive jank. Some great experiences in that era don’t get the spotlight very often, so learning to adapt to the shortcomings of the time period can be extremely rewarding.

Banjo-Kazooie is one of the few games of its genre that doesn’t suffer from many control and camera issues. Well, truthfully, the camera isn’t great in the original N64 release, but it isn’t bad. It’s fixed in the Xbox 360 HD remaster, so that might be something to consider.

Rare built Banjo-Kazooie on the foundation laid by Super Mario 64. A lot of the eponymous bird and bear’s techniques are almost exactly copied from Nintendo’s exploratory work. However, for their title, the d?evelopers simplified and refined the controls. The result is an extremely beginner-friendly 3D platformer. I??t’s not without its frustrations, but it’s a good starting point for newcomers.

Also consider: Spyro the Dragon (1998, PS1)

Metal Slug (1996, Arcade)

The run-and-gun sub-genre of sidescrolling games is notoriously brutal. They typically require fast reflexes and keen pattern-recognition skills. In a lot of ways, Metal Slug?? is no different. Originally developed for the Neo Geo MVS arcade platform, part of its design is based around eating quarters. As such, there’s instant death, relentle??ss enemies, and tricky boss encounters.

However, this is eased in a lot of console ports. Usually, there’s an option for unlimited continues, which removes much of?? the punishment for death. In this way, it’s easier to appreciate some of the best pixel art to ever hit a CRT screen.

It’s hard to go wrong with choosing a Metal Slug game to start with. My suggestion is to at least play the first, X, and 3. They’r?e generally 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half to complete, so you can burn through all three in an afternoon.

Also consider: Contra (1988, NES)

UFO 50 (2024, Various)

Like Retro Game Challenge, UFO 50 isn't a classic game, nor a collection of them, but a collection of games that pretend to be classic games. The conceit is that you've dug up an old 8-bit microcomputer a?nd fifty games for it. That's it. That's the whole of it. You're unleashed to play through the games in any order and to any level of completion you wish.

The fact that the developers behind the games came up with about 50 unique concepts is a pretty big flex, but the reason it fits so well into this list is that it is essentially a hole, and the best part ??of retro gaming is holes. Sometimes, you discover a design philosophy that you really click with, so you wind up digging into their back catalogue for more of their work. Through that, you discover more and more, which expands your appreciation.

UFO 50 essentially just hands you that. It's a comfortable place to cultivate an appreciation for games and learn the skill of lookin??g beyond your horizon.

Doom (1993, PC)

Okay, I concede. While I initially considered Doom for this list, I decided against it. The reason is that modern FPS games are essentially an entirely different beast from how they were originally. I don't just mean the technical constraints, either. Early FPS games? typically followed a key-hunt formula, where you searched the environments for keys or switches that would allow you to progress further. It was less about killing (though, there was usually plenty of that), and more about exploration (directional awareness, specifically). Modern shooters follow more of a set-piece/narrative?? structure. Even retro-inspired FPS games drop the key-hunt conceit.

So, Doom was great when it was released over 30 years ago, and it's great now. I still prefer its formula more than most modern shooters. If you want to get into the older formula of FPS, this is probably the best game for it (sorry, Wolfenstein 3D), but Duke Nukem 3D might be another good choice. It's fast, it's fun, it's violent, and it values abstract levels that feel g??ood to play over ones designed to simply feel realistic.

I should note that you'd be better off trying out a modern port of the game, such as Doom + Doom II. It's been so long that some folks seem to forget that the original release used a control scheme built around the arrow keys rather than WASD, and didn't have any sort of mouse-look (a lot of modern ports still only use horizontal mouse-look,? which is still better than ??none). If you're feeling brave, GZDoom is the absolute best way to go, but one step at a time.

Also consider: Duke Nukem 3D (1996, PC)

The post 15 best games to help you get into retro appeared first on Destructoid.

The Doom franchise started something of a movement in the gaming industry. Improving upon what made Wolfenstein 3D popular, Doom took things to a whole new level. Quick sequels further cemented its pl?ace as the best FPS shooter of the time.

More than 21 years later, we've seen a franchise that had its ups and downs but always seems to find a new gear and improve upon old formulas. At this point, we don't know exactly what we'll be getting in Doom: The Dark Ages, but we'll sure be there to find out.

Without further ado, here's our ultimate list of the best Doom games, ranked from worst to best.

The top Doom games ranked from worst to best

If you'd like to read a little more about each game, the full, descriptive list of top Doom games follows.

The best Doom games of all time, ranked

10. Sigil (2019)

Sigil is an unofficial expansion containing nine new single-player levels and nine new multiplayer maps. It doesn't count as canon because it's not owned by Bethesda, but it was made by John Romero, the brain behind the original Doom levels, so it counts as canon in our hearts.

While Sigil introduced new weapons, a new story, and even had the guts to incorporate a Baphomet glitch into its plot, it loses points for not being canon (even though it feels like it is). Therefore, we can't reasona?bly place it highe??r than number 10.

Another really cool thing about Sigil is that you can either get it for free or in a luxuriously cool physical format.

• Strengths: This is the original Doom II gameplay at its freshest. It's like an unreleased greatest-hits album.
• Weaknesses: More of the same.
• Bonus: And if you're really into John Romero's work, you can buy his newest Doom II level, One Humanity. The money will go towards helping the people of Ukraine, the Red Cross, and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.

9. Doom (1993)

The game that started it all, and a massive nostalgic kick for anyone who was around to witness it. Despite the technical prowess behind it, Doom was simple and efficient. No big plot, just a bunch of beautiful levels where a man faces insurmountable odds while armed solely with an insurmountability-proof arsenal. On top of its single-player campaign, the original Doom also introduced the concept of the Deathmatch, paving the way for online gaming.

Though not technically 3D, Doom deserves credit for one of the most important moments in gaming history, the eventual shifting of most of the industry aw??ay from 2D. Did we mention? that it was and still is a lot of fun?

Please don't feel bad that we're putt??ing it this low. It's just a statement regarding the series' continuous evolution.

• Strengths: Though severely dated, it's still a hell of a lot of fun. Pun intended.
• Weaknesses: It's over 21 years old and still good. Wait, is that just another strength? Oops.

8. Doom II (1994)

Gaming was very different in the '90s. You could get away with simply giving the same game new levels and calling it a sequel �?and that's exactly what Doom II is. Why fix what isn't broken, right?

This simplicity allowed the Doom franchise to stamp its authority on the genre and start to set the pace. While everyone speculated about a sequel to Wolfenstein 3D, the folks at id Softwar??e were rolling up their sleeves and getting things done.

Doom II didn't really revolutionize the world as the first one did, but it sure kept Doom at the top of everyone's minds.

• Strengths: It has more cool stuff than the original.
• Weaknesses: It's basically just Doom, but no one's complaining.

7. Final Doom (1996)

Despite its confusing name, Final Doom isn't the definitive version of the original Doom. It's an expansion for Doom II that serves as the culmination of the classic Doom games and feels like a massive treat for fans.

Final Doom adds two new episodes that amount to 32 new levels. It's great, but remember, this isn't your classic stroll through Hell. Final Doom is for Doom veterans??, so expect difficulty that comes not just from combat but also from more compl??ex levels.

• Strengths: Higher difficulty. This is the perfect culmination for lovers of the two original games.
• Weaknesses: Don't play it if you think Doom II feels old—or difficult.

6. Doom 64 (1997/2020)

Those who made the strange jump from the PC to the Nintendo 64 back in 1997 found in Doom 64 the graphical improvements that Doom II lacked.

Despite not being an id Software product, Doom 64 is a more than worthy successor to Doom II, a completely new g??ame with a fresh campaign filled with amazing new levels. Anyone interested in this peculiar title will probably enjoy learning that we can finally experience it on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

And if learning about the re-release gets you excited, we have even better news. Players who beat the campaign will gain access to something called "Lost Levels," an awesome new campaign hidden behind the old one. The new campaign rocks on its own but earns extra points by connecting the events of the older Doom games to the reboot from 2016.

Weirdly enough, though, Doom 64 doesn't feature any multiplayer options.

• Strengths: Provides the graphical evolution that Doom II didn't.
• Weaknesses: It's hard to forgive a Nintendo 64 game that doesn't feature local multiplayer.

5. Doom 3 (2004)

There was some serious hype surrounding Doom 3 back then. It had been a while since we got a brand-new Doom game, and it was well-re?ceived, if just ??a little bit disappointing. Instead of feeling like you, the player, were driving the story forward (as in older Doom titles), it felt more like we were being pulled along the story instead.

Still, we get the sense that Doom 3 gave us exactly what the developers wanted to create, and that was a slower and more intimate descent into Hell. Most don't give it enough credit in that regard, but Doom 3 not only mastered dark and creepy sci-fi environments. It also mastered the art of jump scares. Nobody ever puts Doom 3 in a ??"best of" horror games list, but it packed some serious scare?s back in the day—and it still does.

• Strengths: It features beautiful environments and interesting reimaginings of classic enemies, and it gets scary as hell.
• Weaknesses: Weirdly simplistic gameplay for something that looked so far ahead of its time.

4. Doom 3: Resurrection Of Evil (2005)

Doom 3's sole expansion successfully dealt with some of the main game's weakest aspects. Resurrection Of Evil added a few new weapons and special abilities that spiced up the otherwise conserva?tive original.

The most interesting addition is the grabber, a weapon that allows players to levitate and throw objects at enemies—or to simply fling their projectiles back at ??them. While these new additions were cool, they didn't affect the gameplay much.

More cynical minds could accuse Resurrection Of Evil of being no more than an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the gravity gun, but it's more than that. Resurrection Of Evil offers neat gameplay improvements that result in a nice mini-campaign. Also, ROE had to exist because it provides the closure to the story that Doom 3 lacked.

• Strengths: Shows more of Doom 3's beautiful hell realm. A new weapon that allows players to control physics.
• Weaknesses: It's very short. Resurrection Of Evil's use of physics pales in comparison to what Valve had achieved with Half-Life 2's gravity gun.

3. Brutal Doom (2010)

Disclaimer: We know Brutal Doom isn't an official entry in the series. We also know we would be doing such a mod-friendly series a disservice if we were to ignore its greatest mod. Putting the word Brutal in front of Doom might seem unnecessary, but this mod by Marcos "Sargeant M?ark IV" Abenante isn't kidding aro?und.

Brutal Doom doesn't just greatly increase the amount of blood and guts seen in the original Doom. It modernizes its entire gunplay without messing up its beautiful surface. It also adds melee combat, glory-kill animations, stealth elements, and headshots. Don't think this will be a walk in the park, though, as Brutal Doom also makes ene??mies much ??faster and more capable.

• Strengths: It brings the gameplay of the original Doom to new heights—and speeds.
• Weaknesses: It mostly looks like the old Doom if you count that as a problem.

2. Doom (2016)

Though Doom 3 hit many of the right beats, it failed to reach the series' full potential in the eyes of fans. The Doom reboot had a long and arduous development cycle, one that nearly ended with it becoming a Call Of Duty clone. Luckily, cool??er heads prevailed, and we ended up getting one of the best reboots of all time.

The reboot did away with the slow pace of Doom 3, and with that alone, created a completely new thing. Doom was no longer about scaring the player. It was now about the player making Hell itself feel afraid. How did the devs do that? By empowering the Doom Slayer in all sorts of marvelous ways, the new Doom is turned into one of the mos?t fast-paced and brutal shoo??ters ever made.

• Strengths: Doom redesigned as a series of ever-harder arenas was an ace move. Aside from the pistol, all the weapons are extremely fun to use. The game looks gorgeous and runs very well on weaker hardware.
• Weaknesses: The first level of the game only gives players access to the basic pistol. That doesn't do a great job of enticing players for what is to come. We forgive the devs, though, because they give us a Shotgun right at the start of...

1. Doom Eternal (2020)

We're not going to hold it against anyone who puts the Doom reboot above Doom Eternal. It comes down to a matter of preference. Gameplay or plot? The reboot features a better plot in the sense the developers understood nobody cares about the plot in these games, so there mostly isn't one. In the reboot, the Doom Slayer actively disregards learning about important story elements, whereas Doom Eternal makes him fully invested in what's happening, down to giving him a backstory. We're not thrilled about that, especially after Doom nailed the character so well.

Despite the shortcomings?? of the fairly bland plot, the gameplay was brilliant. We got a hook, a shoulder cannon, a dash, an insta-kill sword, and a new replenishment system that made? the game feel more hectic than ever before.

Also, who could forget the Marauder, an enemy in a Doom game that requires players to actually think? The Marauder rocks, not just because it's the most interesting enemy in the history of Doom but because it might pave the way for sequels filled with way more challenging enemies. Doom might never beat the Half-Life series in terms of level design or puzzle ingenuity, but it could further s?urpass its rivals in its approach to combat.

Finally, we also got two expansions that gave us more enemies, more story, but most importantly, more reason to keep playing one of the most fun Doom games ever made.

• Strengths: The most refined and hectic gameplay in the entire series. The most fun arsenal and the best enemies to use it on. One of the enemies, the Marauder, provides the most fun challenge we've ever seen in the series. Absolutely glorious soundtrack.
• Weaknesses: One of the few instances in which a bigger emphasis on plot and backstory doesn't pay off. A sad mistake after they aced the approach to the plot in Doom (2016).

The post Best Doom games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Ticket to Ride launched and won the Spiel de Jahres 20 years ago. Along with Catan and Carcassonne, it is widely considered to have helped push the popularity of modern board gaming. The original title is really easy to pick up, just as easy to teach, and it has enoug?h direct competition for routes to keep it interesting.

But, after 20 years, you’re probably a bit sick of trying to get routes into Miami and Las Vegas. Fortunately, since its launch, Ticket to Ride has spawned an absolute ton of map packs and variants, most of which br?ing new game mechanics as well as alternative maps. Below are the 10 that we feel are the best.

Note that the map collection sets below do require you to have either the original Ticket to Ride or Ticket to Ride: Europe to play them as you need the t??rain cards and trains from one of these games.

1. Ticket to Ride: Rails & Sails

Ticket to Ride is a game all about trains. Except when it isn’t. As the name suggests, Rails & Sails combines trains with boats. First, you can choose from the Great Lakes or the whole world map on the double-sided board. Then, once you’ve picked your destination cards, you split your transportation stock between trains and ships, and you can’t change your mind later. Substantial bonuses and penalties are awarded in this game, and while the original can be considered a bit light, Rails & Sails�?comple?xity may put some people off. It also lasts longer, with a game taking around 90 minutes.

2. Ticket to Ride: Europe

Ticket to Ride: Europe was one of the first standalone variants of the game and it introduced ferries and tunnels as well as stations. The European map is excellent and the new mechanics do add an extra layer but without over-complicating matters. This is still easy enough for beginners to grasp, although the original title remains the best teaching game of the bunch, and you can always add the Europa 1912 expansion for even more depth.

3. Ticket to Ride Map Collection 7: Japan & Italy

Map Collection 7: Japan & Italy includes a double-sided board. In Japan, certain routes are reserved for the Bullet Train. Once a single player claims the Bull??et Train route, all players contribute to the shared project. At the end of the game, points are awar??ded to players according to how much they contributed. There is also a separate inlay for routes that involve the Tokyo subway system. Italy has regions with bonuses for connecting more regions. There are also ferry routes, which require the use of ferry cards as well as standard train cards.

4. Ticket to Ride Map Collection 5: UK & Pennsylvania

The UK side of the UK & Pennsylvania map pack adds a whole new mechanic of technology. Initially, players won’t be able to bu??ild many routes but, as the game progresses and more technology is researched, many options open up. Pennsylvania is similar to the original titles except it incorpor??ates stocks and shares for some light investment action.

5. Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries

Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries is a standalone game that is similar to the original but does add a couple of location-specific mechanics �?tunnels and ferries. To use a tunnel, the ??player flips the top 3 train cards from the deck. If one of these trains matches the color of the tunnel, the player has to pay extra or forego building the route. Ferries require the payment of a set number of wild cards to establish?? the route.

6. Ticket to Ride Map Collection 6: France & Old West

The France board doesn’t have routes between cities. Instead, players turn cards and the routes could benefit anybody at the table. It ramps up the luck element of the game, which some people will appreciate. The Old West map is? the one we prefer here, with players having a starting city. Routes must be built outwards from that starting point rather than anywhere on the board.

7. Ticket to Ride Map Collection 4: Nederland

Nederland is a unique Ticket to Ride map because it incorporates money into the game. When a bridge route is first claimed, the pl??ayer pays a toll to the bank. If another player claims that route, the first player receives the toll fee. Bonuses are awarded according to how many toll tokens players have at the end of the game.

8. Ticket to Ride: London

Ticket to Ride: London is a standalone variant of the game that is especially popular for its brevity with a single game taking around 20 minutes to complete. In L??ondon, players are building bus routes rather than train routes, to complete destination tickets, connect districts, and, of course, get the most points by the end of the game.

9. Ticket to Ride: First Journey

Ticket to Ride: First Journey is almost identical to the original Ticket to Ride, except it scores differently. Rather than adding up routes and calculating the longest contiguous route lengths, the winner of Ticket to Ride: First Journey or Ticket to Ride: First Journey (Europe) is the first player to complete six destination tickets. It’s a simpler system and is designed to keep the a??ttention? of younger players.

10. Ticket to Ride

There’s a reason so many variants and expansions of the original have launched, and that’s because Ticket to Ride was and still is a brilliant game. Despite having a collection comprising some of the latest, greatest, and meatiest board games available, we still reach for Ticket to Ride when we want a simple, enjoyable, chilled family game. If you want to get into titles with greater complexity or added mechanics, Ticket to Ride is the best place to start, and if you want to play the map packs you will need one of the base games so you can use the trains and other elements of the game. And, in a lot of cases, if you have Ticket to Ride, you likely won’t need the versions aimed at children?, unless they are very young.

The post 10 best Ticket to Ride maps and variants appeared first on Destructoid.

Carcassonne is a firm favorite in our house. It was one of the first “proper�?board games my daughter ??learned to play, and it’s my partner��s first pick every time. I like it because I like any game that I can convince them to play without too much begging and cajoling. It’s easy to teach, quick to set up, and the base game takes about 45 minutes to play.

There are nine readily available Carcassonne expansions available. Adding them all at once makes for a hot mess of a game, b?ut they all have ?their benefits and are great in their own right.

Below, you can find all nine major expansions??, ranked by my prefe?rence, although everybody will have their own ideas.

I haven’t included The Catapult because it’s out of print and pretty awful. And you won’t see The River. Although The River is great,?? it’s really only a mini-expansion and usually found in the base game box anyway. 

1. Traders & Builders

We rarely play a game of Carcassonne without including the Traders & Builders expansion. The expansion includes 24 new land tiles, two new player tokens for every color, ?and Goods tokens.

Instead of laying a meeple down, a player can add their builder to an existing road or city they already have a meeple on. If they then expand th?is feature at a later turn, they will get to lay an ?extra tile. 

The pig can be placed, instead of a meeple, in a field where a player already has a farmer down, adding an ?extra point for each completed city in the farmer’s field.

The expansion also introduces goods. Some of the new city tiles have pictures of wine, grain, and cloth. When a person places the final tile to finish a city, they get all the goods displayed on tiles in that city, and points are awarded fo??r the most of each produce.

2. The Tower

Carcassonne involves some player interaction but not too much aggression. It’s quite challenging to mess with another player’s strateg?y. For some, that’s part of the appeal. For othe??rs, there are certain expansions.

With The Tower, players can place a tower base tile. They can then add a tower piece, rather than a meeple??, in later turns. The tower captures meeples within range of the tower, with the range being a number of tiles equal to the height of the tower. Captured meeples can be bought back for 3 victory points or exchanged for another prisoner.

Buyers also get a tower-shaped t??ile dispenser that is more convenient than the bag.

3. Inns & Cathedrals

Inns & Cathedrals adds s??ome passive nastiness to the game. Inns are found on some road tiles and c?athedrals in some cities. These features double the points of the feature if it gets completed. But no points are awarded if it is incomplete at the end of the game.

Players will end up with other players adding inns and cathedrals to thei??r features to make them hard?er to complete.

Inns & ?Cathedrals also comes with a giant m?eeple. The giant meeple doesn’t score extra points but counts as two meeples on contested features.

4. Abbey And Mayor

There are quite a lot of new pieces and ru?les in The Abbey And Mayor expansion and it is one of the more complex expans??ions:

The Abbey tile lets you fill particularly difficult holes and can be a savior for some city la??youts and it scores in the same ??as a Monastery.

Mayors can only be placed in cities, and they score just like standard meeples. However, their power is equal to the number of coats of arms. If there are no coat?s of arms, the mayor is worth 0 meeples, and the city won’t score any points. This can pro??ve very useful in congested cities.

The Barn is a wooden building piece. If you place a tile so that four tiles create a single field in the center, you can place the barn. If there are? farmers already in that field, they are scored immediately and returned to their respective players, but the player with the most farmers only scores one point per completed city. The barn remains until the end of the game and prevents players from placing farmers.

The Wagon can be placed anywhere a meeple c??an be placed, except in a field. It is scored when the feature it resides in is complete and can then be moved to an adjacent incomplete featu??re.

5. The Princess & The Dragon

In The Princess & The Dragon, there are new tiles that move the dragon around the map. The dragon eats any meeples it encounters. The princess protects any meeples in her features and enables you to remove me?eples fro??m her tile.

There’s also a fair??y that rew?ards a point to any meeple in the same tile as the fairy at the start of their turn.

6. Hills & Sheep

Hills & Sheep adds a push-your-luck mechanic to the g?ame.

Once you have a shepherd in a field, you can attract new sheep to the herd by drawing from the sheep bag. If you draw a sheep, it get?s added to the flock. If you draw a wolf, the flock gets eaten, and you score no points. You can stop at any time after you draw a sheep.

7. The Count, Robber & King

The? Count, Robber & Ki??ng includes several mini-expansions, including The River, which is included in most base games now anyway.

By completing a feature where somebody else ??scores points and you don’t, you can place ??a meeple in a large starting city. Later, these meeples can be used to bolster your meeple power in features or deny other players scoring.

The Count can be used to prevent the meeples being moved ba?ck out of the city.

The King and Robber offer bonus scoring fo?r the biggest city and longest completed road. And The Shrine works the same as a monastery but if you place a shrine next to a monastery only the first one completed scores points.

8. Under The Big Top

Under The Big Top adds circus tiles and acrobats. The Big Top gives extra points to any features that are next to it when it moves on. Acrobats can stand on one another’s shoulders and earn bonus points when they form py??ramids. And The Ringmaster works like a standard meeple, except they score extra points if they are near other circu??s tiles.

There are many new rules, especially to determine when the acr??obats can be played, which adds a degree of complexity.

9. Bridges, Castles & Bazaar

Br??idges, Castles, & Bazaar is another collection of mini-expansions. You can play with any number of them, as they aren’t dependent on one another.

Bridges can be placed over other feature tiles to conti??nue a road, although both ends of the bridge must be pl??aced in fields.

Castles can be placed instead of finishing a two-tile, four-point city. The castle doesn’t score points imm??ediately but when a feature is completed in a tile adjacent to the castle, the castle scores the same number of points as the player that owns the feature.

The Bazaar enables the player to start a tile auction after their turn has finished. It’s not the best i??n-game auction feature but so??me people do enjoy it.

The post All Carcassonne’s main expansions ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Engine building board games at their best can be immensely satisfying and incredibly variable, with tons of unexpected outcomes. When you sit down to play, you’ll of course start out with nothing. But as it turns out, with a pair of farmers, a pile of rocks, and a couple?? bars of metal, you too??, can build an empire. In the list below we’ve assembled our picks for the best engine building board games of all time. Every single one of them is a game night staple that’s absolutely worth playing.

What is an Engine Building Board Game?

The hallmarks of this type of board game are simple??. You usually begin with very little to work with, whether it's coins or bushels of wheat or workers. You must then begin working toward victory by gathering resources. The more resources you have at your disposal, the more cards or tiles you can play. These cards and tiles will then either make it easier to gather more, or make everything you have in play more efficient. By the end of the game, you’ll have a well-oiled ma?chine that lets you take incredibly powerful turns.

13. It’s a Wonderful World

The futuristic, dystopian card game It’s a Wonderful World is a modern classic of the engine-building genre. The game takes place over th??e course of four rounds and includes a drafting system that allows you to sabotage your opponent’s systems. Well-timed card placement and resource generation are the keys to a successful strategy. However, you’ll also need to think carefully about which cards you need to discard rather than build. It typically takes less than an? hour to finish a game, and there’s a solo mode.

12. Gizmos

In Gizmos, each player works to design a machine that they hope will win them the top prize at the next Great Scien??ce Fair. When it’s your turn, you’ll have to file designs, build contraptions, or pick up resources from the game’s marble dispenser. With a good arrangement of cards in play, you can quickly pick up steam. It’s easy to learn and looks decep??tively simple, but mastering the game will be challenging for most players. On some occasions, your starting hand can make it tricky to win, and for that reason, it’s just a bit further back on this list.

11. Fantastic Factories

Fantastic Factories is perfect for players looking for a new engine building board game that’s a bit less of a slow burn than the other entries on this list. The theme is straig??htforward and direct, and the card combos are satisfying and easy to trigger. It’s a bit friendlier than your average tabletop title since player interaction is limited, and this can be either a blessing or a curse depending on your preferences. It’s easy to learn and works great for players of all ages.

10. 7 Wonders

Develop an ancient civilization from the ground up in 7 Wonders, and then build a monument to your greatness to claim victory points. The game takes place over three phases. The first is all about mining, logging, and quarrying stone. In t??he ?next round, you and the players to your immediate left and right can use these resources to start assembling armies and attacking enemies. By the final round you might have made a few scientific innovations, or perhaps built a pantheon or palace that people in the future will consider a great wonder.

9. Splendor

If you’re looking for an easier to understand engine builder that’s accessible for all players, Splendor is a great pick. ?You’ll have a set of gems to work with in the first round, which you can use to pick up cards. These cards essentially function as more money for you to stack with your initial gems. The purchasing options are randomized,? and most of the more expensive cards will give you victory points. The first player to 15 points takes the crown. Though it’s on the simpler side, there’s plenty of strategic gameplay.

8. Scythe

The first World War rages on into the 1920s in Scythe, an exceptional alternate history board game of mechs, wor??ker movement, and production. Each turn you’ll need to think carefully about what you’re going to do both now and in the next several r?ounds. If you produce oil, you can upgrade the efficiency of your play mat. If you choose to make food instead, you can purchase bolsters that react to your opponents' actions. With more workers and more resource generation comes increased power and popularity costs. You can also make metal or wood to build mechs and structures. Mastery of this board game takes time, and that’s because there’s so much more here than just engine building.

7. Dominion

The classic deck-building card game Dominion is all about adding fuel to your deck’s engine to ensure that you have efficient draw and coin generation. While it might seem tempting to only pick up victory points for the end of the game, these cards typically slow down your deck. Instead, you’ll need to build a setup with actions and treasures to ensure that you can do something meaningful every turn, whether it’s putting down a string of markets and villages or cursing your opponents. There’s also a ton of great Dominion expansions that utili??ze novel mechani??cs and give you more ways to win.

6. Underwater Cities

Underwater Cities is a building and development-themed board game in which each player aims to effectively transform the sea floor with new civilizations. Science and research are of course essential to success, though you’ll also need to think carefully about where you’re going to put your domes and tunnels. Color-matching card placement will help ensure you get the most out of every turn, but this is often diffic??ult depending on what you have in your hand. Like all the best engine building board games, it’s both complex and satisfying.

5. Wingspan

The bird-themed board game Wingspan is a medium-weight engine and tableau builder that just ab??out everyone will enjoy on game night. E?ach round, you can either play a bird to your mat, lay eggs, gather food, or draw. As you continue to put more cards down, these actions will become significantly more productive, and lead to some sizeable turns. There are ton of different effects to mix and match, because no two birds are alike. With the goal board and the variety of bonus cards available, no two games are quite the same either.

4. Race for the Galaxy

When you win a game of Race for the Galaxy, you’ll feel like you’ve c?onquered the entire universe. That’s because in each game you’re working to b??end an immense network of planets and solar systems to your will with new technologies and social changes. There are seven different phases that can happen in a given round, but each player can only choose one of them. As a result, the possible actions you can take will remain relatively unpredictable. It’s a system that keeps things exciting right up to the very end.

3. Res Arcana

In Res Arcana, the engine you build wil?l quite literally be magical. That’s of course because you and your fellow players are competing mages who have to manage a mix of essences to make artifacts and claim monuments. You’ll know everything about the items you have to work with up front at the start of the game, though the order in ?which you get to use these tools varies. The first player to ten points wins, and with the right engine, you might be able to pick up all these points in a single round.

2. Agricola

Agricola is the ultimate ??farming board game, and perfectly balances worker placement with engine development. Your farmstead has little to offer at the start of the game, but by adding rooms, working in ??the field, raising livestock, and having children, everything will begin to run more smoothly. You’ll have both occupation and minor improvement cards in your hand to aid you, but you can also choose to use the major improvements available on the table instead. The scoring system also gives you plenty of different routes to victory and rewards setups with more variance in production.

1. Terraforming Mars

When it comes to building up a resource generation and card effect engine, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as Terraforming Mars. Each player takes on the role of ??a corporation bent on turning the Red Planet into an industrious civilization that churns out a massive profit. You’ll start by increasing your production tracks with mines, microbes, and monetary investments. By the end you’ll be building space technology on Jupiter’s moons, constructing domed cities, and thawing enough water to c??reate an ocean. When it comes to engine building board games, it’s our top pick.

The post The 13 Best Engine Building Board Games of All Time, ??Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Manhwa's rise in popularity granted its reader base access to a slew of titles, and this demand in turn prompted more narratives to be written. However, it's not all pros. The more seri?es are released, the?? harder it becomes to stand out. And so, common tropes from successful series are frequently adapted, resulting in saturation. Regression manhwa is a good example of that.

Much like tower climbing and transmigration, there is no shortage of manhwa ?utilizing this trope. Certainly, not all of them utilize the trope well �?at least, not enough to be considered masterpieces. As such, her??e are 10 regression manhwa that are worth reading.

Level Up with the Gods

Level Up with the Gods sees Yuwon Kim and his companions face utter defeat against what they call Outer Gods. What's worse is that defeat came after conquering the infamous Tower and uniting the entire Tower's fighting force. But just as they are to lose all hope, one of the Inner Gods �?Kronos �?steps in. He sacrifices himself to?? send one of them back in time. To no surprise, the chosen one is none other than Yuwon.

What makes this manhwa compelling is that despite the? fact the main character is now armed with knowledge of the future, he still has to work hard to alter the future. Not only does?? he have to conquer the tower, but he must do so while preparing for the inevitable grand war against the Outers.

Level Up with the Gods can be read via Tapas.

A Returner's Magic Should Be Special

In A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special, we follow Desir Herrman, one of the last survivors of humanity’s war against the Shadow World. After a decade of relentless fighting, mankind stands on the brink of extinction. Just when all seems lost, Desir is miraculously t?ransported back to his days as a student at Hebrion Academy. Now, with his knowledge of the future, he’s determined to rewrite history, preparing his friends and allies for the?? dark times ahead.

Desir’s story is compelling because of how it blends magic and strategy. Much like in Level Up with the Gods, Desir's knowledge of the future is simply a tool to save the people he holds dear. But unlike the former, A Returner's Magic Should Be Special is a regression manhwa that features a much more?? unique world.

It can be read on Tapas.

My S-Class Hunters

In My S-Class Hunters, Han Yoojin? is nothing more than an F-rank hunter, seen as weak and insignificant. Even his S-Class Hunter brother has abandoned him, leading him to live a miserable life. But just as he is about to be killed in a dungeon raid, his brother sacrifices himself to save him. With his skill that allows h?im to use his deceased teammates' abilities, he defeats the boss monster and earns a Wish Stone as a reward. He then uses the stone to return to the past.

While My S-Class Hunters seems a lot similar to the above titles, its focus is less world-saving and more on saving his younger brother. Furthermore, it puts a lot of emphasis on building character relationships, es??pecially between the overly protective Han brothers.

My S-Class Hunters can be read on Webtoon.

Doom Breaker

Doom Breaker takes place in a world on the brink of destruction, where Zephyr, the last human warrior, faces off against the final nemesis, Tartarus the god of destruction. But just as he meets his end, the gods, who already abandoned the world but found his struggle entertaining, sen??d him back in time for another round. Thrown back to when he was a slave, Zephyr now must work to become stronger than he was, fight back against the merciless gods, and hand Tartarus his backside.

What makes Doom Breaker a great regression manhwa is its high-octane action and Zephyr’s relentless determination. You can witness Zephyr's adventure unfold through Webtoon.

Return Survival

Moving on from dungeons and hunters, we focus on another fantasy setting �?zombie apocalypse. Return Survival is set in a world where zombies have taken over the world. Yohan, the main character, meets his end, but not ultimately. He gets sent back in time, specifically six months before the apocalypse begins. Even though?? he now possesses knowledge of the future, he does not have a system or any superpowers. He can only prepare as much as he can to, hopefully, survive the second time around.

Return Survival can be read via Tapas.

To Be an Actor

Jang Youngkuk has always lived a life of poverty. Even so, his loving mother does her best to support him. Unfortunately, Youngkuk despises her as she reminds him of poverty. Youngkuk aims to hone his acting skills and climb his way to fame and for??tune. When he does, he still actively pushes his mother away. Only after losing her does he realize that fame and fortune does not equate to happiness. As such, he decides to end his life. However, he gets sent into the past instead.

This time around, he vows to live an ordinary life with his mother, but the universe aligns and paves the way for him to be an actor. So, how exactly will he fare in his new life? You can find out via Tapas.

Rescue System

In Rescue System, Kim Soohyuk awakens a system after a tragic incident that allows him to go back in time. With his newfound power, he can foresee disa??sters and is tasked with rescuing people from them. The more he saves,? the better he becomes as a fireman. Now, he must use his newfound ability to save the people dear to him from upcoming perils.

Rescue System breathes a new life to the regression trope in manhwa as Soohyuk does not aim to end monsters but tragedies. While he does become almost supernatural, he isn't all-powerful. What do I mean? Find out by reading Rescue System via Tapas.

Infinite Leveling: Murim

Infinite Leveling: Murim follows Yuseong Dan, a warrior who dies an inglorious death on the battlefield. However, after his death, he is granted an unexpected second chance at life with a mysterious leveling system. Each time Yuseong completes a quest, he becomes stronger, but the tasks he faces are increasingly more dangerous and challenging. Now, Yuseong must use his newfound abilities to avoid repeating his tragic fate and rise as the hero he has always a?spired to be.

Infinite Leveling: Murim interestingly uses a unique combination of traditional martial arts themes with an RPG-like leveling system. Yuseong's progression feels earned, yet his abilities ??remain within the bounds of martial arts.

Witness his martial arts journey by reading Infinite Leveling: Murim on Webtoon.

The Return of the 8th Class Mage

The Return of the 8th Class Mage follows the story of Ian Paige, a once-loyal archmage to the empire. However, his loyalty to the emperor is not only left unreciprocated, he is even betrayed. But before his death, Ian uses time magic to save himself and return 30 years into the past. This time, he is determined to seek vengeance for his t?ragic fate.

As a revenge regression manhwa, The Return of the 8th Class Mage combines devious plotting, magical battles, and serving justice. Furthermore, the series is already completed, so there won't be any cliffhangers. You can read the manhwa's entirety on Tapas.

Tomb Raider King

Tomb Raider King presents a world where mysterious tombs suddenly appear, each housing powerful relics. Jooheon ??Suh, a tomb raider who was betrayed and left to die, is sent back to a time before the tombs appeared. Armed with his future knowledge, Jooheon begins his quest to plunder tombs, gain unimaginable power, and take revenge on those who betrayed him?.

Yet another revenge manhwa, Tomb Raider King will satisfy your thirst for justice. Unlike The Return of the 8th Class Mage, Tomb Raider King does it in a very grand way. Not only that, it's also already finished and is available on Tapas.

The post 10 best regression manhwa appeared first on Destructoid.

If you’re eagerly waiting for GTA 6, you’re probably itching for some open-world actio??n in the meantime. Luckily, there are plenty of awesome games out there to try while you get the hang of the open world games. Each one has its own vibe, whether you’re into modern settings, classic adventures, or something more casual.

What are the best games to play while waiting for GTA 6?

Red Dead Redemption 2

Starting off the list with Red Dead Redemption 2 from Rockstar Games, same developer for GTA 6. If y??ou haven’t played this gem yet, you’re in for a treat. This game sets in the late 1800s, where you play Arthur Morgan, an outlaw trying to survive against the government and deal with the decline of the Wild West. To be frank, you can spend hours playing this game as the side quests are as engaging as the main storyline, plus the attention to detail is insane.

Sleeping Dogs

Next up is Sleeping Dogs. This one flies a bit under the radar compared to some other open-world titles but deserves a spot on your list. It is set in Hong Kong, where you play as Wei Shen, an undercover cop infiltrating the city’s triads. The?? martial arts combat is a highlight here; you’ll find yourself executing stylish moves and combos that make every fight feel cinematic.

Watch Dogs

If you're into tech and find hacking intriguing, you should definitely check out Watch Dogs. The game takes place in Chicago, where you play as Aiden Pearce, a vigilante hacker. You’ll?? be using technology to take control of the city—hacking into cameras, messing with traffic lights, and even stealing info from your enemies. It’s pretty cool how you can manipulate the environment around you.

Far Cry 6

But if you are more into safari and jungle vibes, Far Cry 6 is for you. It takes you to a fictional Caribbean island called Yara, which is ruled by a dictator calle??d Antón Castillo. You will play as Dani Rojas, a guerrilla fighter trying to challenge the dictatorship in the?? Island.

Cyberpunk 2077

Last but not least, Cyberpunk 2077 has made a strong comeback since its rocky launch. This game set in the Night City, wher?e you play as V, a mercenary trying to make his name. Basically, you can configure your body and mind with cybernetics and augmentations in this game. Spoiler alert: if you like K?eanu Reeves, then you should definitely check out his cameo in the game.

The post 5 open world?? games to check out while you wait for GTA 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you love cracking codes, solving mysterious enigmas, or slotting in the last jigsaw piece, then you’ll love the ten puzzle board games we’re highlig?hting in this list. Ea?ch offers an exciting new way to challenge your brain, compete or cooperate with friends and family, and find satisfying solutions to complex challenges. 

10. Ubongo

In Ubongo, players race to complete deceptively simple yet maddeningly difficult puzzles over the course of nine rounds. Each round, you’ll roll a dice to determine which pieces you can use to fill in the shape at the center of your player mat. If you fill in your shape before time runs ou?t, you’ll get anywhere from one to four points. If you finish before the other players, you’ll get two bonus points as well. It’s a classic, easy-to-learn game that’s great ?for all ages.

9. Exit: The Game - The Sacred Temple

The popular ‘escape room in a box�?series Exit has more than a few expansions that are perfect for puzzle lovers, but if you have to pick one, I’d recommend The Sacred Temple. That’s because it includes? four jigsaw puzzles for the players to put together, each of which provides further clues and riddles necessary for advancing the story. You and your team of adventurers are attempting to rescue a professor from the depths of t?he jungle, all while avoiding dangerous looters and preventing them from stealing artifacts. 

8. Azul

Azul is a tile placement game in which each player is assembling a beautiful mosaic for the walls of the Portuguese king’s palace. A scoring system determines the quality of your arrangement; if you can complete specific patterns and sets without wasting too many tiles, you’ll hopefully end up with the most points. You’ll be up against a brand new puzzle each time you play,?? and you’ll also need to watch your opponent’s boards carefully when drafting tiles. 

7. Cascadia

If you enjoy tile-laying puzzle games like Azul, then you’ll also enjoy Cascadia, which tends to be less competitive but more thematically engaging. This time, you’ll be building a habitat for fiv??e types of wildlife and assembling regions where they can live using terrain tiles. Putting together specific groupings of animals and building larger habitats than your opponents will earn you the victory. It might sound simple, but it really gives the puzzle-solving part of your brain a workout.

6. A Feast for Odin

While it may look like a daunting game because of its seemingly countless boards and tokens, A Feast for Odin is actual??ly an exceptional tabletop experience for puzzle lovers. The gameplay balances worker placement with figuring out how ??to fit all the goods you’ve gathered into the space constraints of your Viking settlement. You can do so many things to rack up points, and scoring isn’t too tricky. The solo mode is also great, and you shouldn’t have too much finishing a game within 90 minutes.

5. Spirit Island

Spirit Island is a ??comp?lex yet rewarding tabletop experience in which you’ll defend your island against the Invaders, a corporate group hoping to extract resources from your home and settle there in pursuit of profit. Each player takes on the role of an elemental being whose aim is to protect their island. If you can rid the land of blight, prevent the Invaders from building too many settlements, and avoid the destruction of your Spirit, you’ll claim a hard-fought victory. 

4. Calico

Calico is a cozy, minimally competitive game of quilt patterns and cats. By patching together three tiles of the same color or several tiles of the same pattern, you’ll earn buttons that ??count for points at the end of the game. Each of?? the three cats that you’ll be building your quilt for has a preferred pattern and arrangement, and if you can match these patches, you also pick up points. You’ll need to think carefully about colors, patterns, and the quilt space you have available throughout the game to win.

3. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

The cases in the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective series are perfect for anyone who enjoys the puzzle-solving aspects of?? mystery games. You’ll need to carefully examine period-appropriate newspapers for clues, travel around a map of Victorian Lon??don, and interrogate both townspeople and potential suspects. Deducing the details of the crime and figuring out who has been lying to you all along is an incredibly satisfying experience. 

2. Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

Mansions of Madness is a dark, Lovecraftian adventure in which the players must work cooperatively to explore the terrifying streets and hallways of Arkham, Massachusetts, and rid the town of demonic creatures from the beyond. The game operates with the support of a companion app that includes slider puzzles and other fun brain teasers that each investigator will need to solve when they encounter specific scenarios on the game board. Th?ough these puzzles are usually not too tricky, they’re presented with near-perfect thematic gameplay and atmosphere. They also open up satisfying twists and turns in each of the game’s three story scenarios. 

1. Turing Machine

Turing Machine is a game of deductive reasoning and code-breaking that’s absolutely fantastic for anyone who loves solvi??ng puzzles. The players all have a specific three-digit code that they’re trying to guess and will have? to ask what is essentially an analog computer if the digits they picked are correct. Each player takes numbered overlays that match their guess, stacks them together, and puts them on top of a verifier card to find out if a certain digit is more or less than a certain number. From there, they’ll ask more questions and attempt to deduce the correct combination. Though the game might sound confusing, it’s quite easy to grasp once you’re actually playing it, and it's a blast for adult puzzle game fans.

The post The 10 Best Puzzle Board Games for Adults appeared first on Destructoid.

Board games are brilliant for when you ??????????????????????????want to spend some time losing yourself in another world without that world being inside a screen. However, most of them require other players. That said, there are some brilliant solo space board games out there that you can enjoy on y??our own.

It's diff??icult to nail down great solo board games because they're so subjective. What one person thoroughly enjoys just might not be your vibe, and that's ?okay. But if you want to find something new to play, even if it's by yourself, you're going to have to put yourself out there and try something new. So, while many of these might be new to you, new doesn't always have to be scary. Give each game a chance because you could surprise yourself with which version of the universe you find you like playing in the most.

The best solo space board games

Below, I've got a list of some of the best space-inspired board games with solo campaigns. Each have rich universes for you to try out, but I haven't ranked them because they're all so different. A solo board game is a very pe?rsonal experience, so tread into the great unknown carefully, and ask yourself if this is an experience you'll enjoy without some friends to guide you along the way.

Star Wars Outer Rim

In Star Wars Outer Rim, you play as an underworld denizen. A less than reputable individual who wants to make their mark on the galaxy. You'll travel far and wide, taking on jobs to increase your reputation among outlaws as one of the most feared individuals around. However, war makes for a dangerous backdrop for an already dangerous job, so you'll need to hire famous and infamous Star Wars characters to ?create a rag-tag crew worthy of the reputation you're trying to uph??old.

While Star Wars Outer Rim can be played with up to four people, it also has an AI deck that allows you to play solo. You can pick this box up and play whenever you feel lik??e it, provided you have 2 to 3 hours spare. It's all about building your crew and taking on the most challenging jobs around. Be warn??ed. You'll need to battle other crews as your reputation becomes known around the galaxy, even if that crew is from the AI deck.

Under Falling Skies

Under Falling Skies is a phenomenal solo board game built with a focus on solo play. Each campaign sees the tileset assembled in a new way, allowing for tonnes of ?replayability if you're hooked on it and even more if you play it as much as possible before roping your friends in.

The premise of this game is simple: Aliens have arrived, and they want to conquer Earth. The gameplay is where it gets complex and enjoyable, though. Every roll of the dice allows you to take an action, such as shooting down a ship, but those rolls also let the ships descend closer to the planet. You could reroll but risk the ships getting closer, and you'll need to balance your high rolls because they give you mor?e powerful actions but give the aliens more time to travel.

This is a great small box solo space board game. The perfect type to take with you on a trip where you don't know if you'll have anyone to sit down and play a board game with. That replayability value should see ?you through dozens of games as you work through two or three campaigns before ?you've seen everything it has to offer.

Five Parsecs From Home

Five Parsecs From Home is a solo board game inspired by the worlds of Warhammer 40K, Firely, and Xcom. You control a crew of six characters, one of which is your own, and head out into the galaxy in search of dangerous jobs to earn loot, ca??sh, and a reputation.

You'll need a handful of miniatures to get started, but part of the beauty of Five Parsecs From Home is that you c??an use anything. Chess pieces will do. The game rules aren't overbearing enough that they impact the world and story, meaning you're free to explore each character's background and uncover stories that feel organi?c as you play.

Within t?he rules are tables for loot and levels to help you push through the data-driven elements without getting bogged down by them, meaning most of your time with the game is pure gameplay. While calmer moments play out as you might expect from any TTRPG, combat is more strategic. While?? not essential, I've seen some fans draw out the maps for areas of graph paper so they can fully engross themselves in a battle and be as tactical as possible in every fight.

This is another small box solo board game that's much bigger on the inside. It'll keep you busy for hours and pull you into a universe that's enabled by your imagination. You'll meet memorable characters a??nd barely get out of some encounters alive, and each moment will feel epic.

Dune Imperium

Dune Imperium is one of the most popular board games set in the Dune universe, and it can be played with up to four players or solo by yourself. The more players there are, the more challenging the game be??comes, and while that's not a bad thing, I know more people who prefer the solo experience to the multiplayer.

In Dune Imperium, you strive to gain 10 victory points before your opponents. To do this, you've got to play everyone in the universe off against each other, from the royal houses to the Fremen and the Bene Gesserit. All of this ??plays out with cards, which tell you where you can place your units. Each position has benefits and drawbacks, opening ?up new paths to gain victory points and, ultimately, win.

I like to think of Dune Imperium as more of a grand strategy game. Your goal is to win, and while you may not see exactly how you'll always achieve that, you make the best decisions based on what you control and go after what you want. It's ruthless and requires you to be as harsh as Arakis if you want to succeed. Like in the books and movies, th?is game has no space for weakness or kindness.

Terraforming Mars

In Terraforming Mars, your goal is to completely transform the red planet into a life-sustaining eden. The standard?? game has no turn limit and ends when Mars can support human life, but as a solo player, you've got 14 rounds to terraform the planet.

There's no set path for making Mars habitable in this game. Instead, you take actions that will do one of three things: increase the planet's temperature, increase the oxygen level, and increase the oceans or water on the planet's surface. While every action impacts one of these factors, some will also impact others, so you've got to be careful about what you do to try to maintain bala??nce.

Terraforming Mars is far from a simple game to play, solo or multiplayer. The so??lo turn restriction makes it even more challenging, but it also makes it more enjoyable because you consider every move much more carefully. What I really love about?? the game is the idea that the end of a turn is the end of a generation. One generation of people lived and died during that turn to see your action through, and the next turn is another generation following in those footsteps.

If you like a solo space board game with some real weight behind every move that could see you take days to agonize over decisions, t?hen this is a good one for you. I can see it being a great way to p?ass the time on a work trip or staying somewhere without much technology to hand.

The Search For Planet X

The Search for Planet X is a deduction ??game that requires you to find an entire planet and the two objects closest to it somewhere out in the vastness of space. While the game can be played with others, it uses an app to set the objects you've got to find with every game, and you can ??use that app to enable an AI opponent.

Obviously, locating an object in space is pretty damn difficult, especially if it's this mysterious ?planet that's meant to be a part of our solar system but has only ever been theorized. Thankfully, summits and conferences provide clues based on research the game offers you as a starting point. From there, you've got to study comets, the night sky, the weather, and other planets and figure out where Planet X is hiding.

This game is incredibly replayable. Not only does the planet shift to a new position in space every session, but your view of it changes, too. You start in one season on Earth, which differs from the AI opponent's. This means that the data you're given must be viewed through a new lens so it applies to the position of the stars in your season, adding a new layer to the complexity of identifying a planet somewhere out there amo?ng the millions of twinkling lights.

Core Space

Core Space is the ultimate game of trading, exploration, and survival. Players take on the role of a group of t?raders who have to survive in a harsh universe where The Purge, a race of semi-sentient machines, is harvesting every world and creature on those worlds it can fi??nd.

This is a great solo space board game for those who like the idea of miniatures like Warhammer 40K but don't want to put together an army and paint it. The box has everything you ne??ed to get started, including tiles and miniature models, and you can put your board together from there.

This is a board game you could get lost in for hours, and it has plenty of expansions for you to add if you fall in love with it. Be warned, this is also a time sink, though, so if you're lo??oking for a short sol??o board game experience, try one of the others on this list.

Warp's Edge

The premise of Warp's Edge is what will hook you. Imagine you emerge from warp travel into a fleet of enemy ships. You go in guns blazing, but they're too much for you. Just before your shields fail and you're atomized, the ship's SAVIOR protocol rewinds time back to the moment you emerged from warp space, lase?rs fully charged and all. Now imagine you have a second chance at defeating the fleet, and you know ?its every move.

Pick from one of four starships and battle it out with one of five motherships and their accompanying fleets. You have a limited number of moves, as does the en??emy, so you'll need to time your warps right to dodge enemies and nail those you must fight with lasers before they defeat you. Get to the mothership, blow it up, and save the day.

WArp's Edge is a nice, small solo s?pace board game you can take anywhere. It's also not terribly time-consuming,?? so you could play it at dinner, quickly in the evening, or on your lunch break.

Gaia Project

Gaia Project is a game with a massive scope, in which you take on the role of one of 14 distinct factions and expand your territory, dominate the galaxy, research, and ultimately thrive more than any of the other factions. While this is a board game designed to be played with others, it has a challenging solo experience that utilizes the same core mechanics and ??systems.

Each faction has upgrades you can unlock, and the sprawling galaxy that you explore and conquer is pretty daunting at first but incredibly engrossing once you start to understand how you can set your sights on a location and quite? quickly take it.

The downside to this game is its complexity. It's definitely a barrier to entry, but after you've learned the ropes, it's a joy to work through over the course of hours and evenings. there are over 200 different pieces you can use, and no one is going to hold your hand while you plan your next move, especially in solo mode. If you're looking for something akin to Terra Mystica but with a sci-fi hea??rt, then that's exactly what this is widely regarded as by fans. So hop in.

Escape The Dark Sector

Escape The Dark Sector throws you into?? a brutal story in which your crew's ship has been impounded in th??e detention center of a massive space station. It's effectively just a colossal prison that roams around space, and you can imagine what sorts of people and creatures end up inside a structure like that.

Now, your c??rew needs to use whatever gear and weaponry it can find to escape from this prison cell and then the block. The game's major focus is on atmosphere and storytelling, alwa?ys working to keep you in the dark and feeling as though the environment is out to get you.

Escape The Dark Sector is quick and simple to set up, and most of the interactions rely on dice rolls to determine ?the outcomes of situations. This keeps up the pace as you choose whether to cut a vent, go the long way, stay qu??iet, or attack something in the dark. It's all about your choices and how they impact the story, which is different in every run.

The post 10 Best solo space board games of all time appeared first on Destructoid.

Destiny 2 is one of the most successful live-service games of all time, but not without a cost. To that effect, the game has sunset so much of its content that keeping up with the story has gotten really hard, and I aim to summar??ize its broadest strokes rig?ht here.

Below, you'll find a short but to-the-point explanation of what's gone down in each and every one of Destiny 2's sunset seasons: all 20 of them in total, for now.?? We've got a lot of ground to cover, so no dawdling: let's get to it.

Destiny 2's seasonal stories: all sunset content, summarized

Our story here begins with the second year of Destiny 2 content: the Forsaken-era goodies. These weren't technically seasonal pieces of content as they stuck around for a few years before being fully removed out of the game, but they're still unavailable at this time, which ma?kes them fair game.

Year 2 (Forsaken) - Season of the Forge

The Season of the Forge introduced the Black Armory and Ada-1 to Destiny's lore, leading to the introduction of ??one of the most beloved aesthetic gear styles in the entire franchise. Generally, the impact of Black Armory stuff on the grander lore of the game is fairly minuscule, although Bungie did end up using some of the narrative seeds featured here later down the line. Forge's biggest contribution to Destiny 2, broadly, was the awesome Scourge of the Past ?raid, though it, too, is unavailable at the time of writing this article.

Year 2 (Forsaken) - Season of the Drifter

The Season of the Drifter, on the other hand, came out swinging with the third (alleged) gameplay pillar of Destiny 2: the Gambit. This PvPvE game mode was a tota??l novelty for the game back in the day, and though Bungie has been overlooking it in favour of the Vanguard playlist and Crucible combat, it's still a pretty big deal. Story-wise, the Season of the Drifter was all about the Nine and their strange workings, and we also enjoyed the Reckoning activity to keep things spicy.

Year 2 (Forsaken) - Season of the Opulence

The most popular of the three "original" seasons, Opulence was the highlight of Forsaken's post-launch content for sure. The story of Calus' appeals to the Guardians was fun, for sure, but the Menagerie activity was the real deal. Featuring the downt??rodden Leviathan aesthetic, now focusing on dull metals and dark, grimy marble, this was a striking departure from t?he usual gold-and-purple of the Leviathan proper, and the whole thing was just a stellar way to end the year with.

Year 3 (Shadowkeep) - Season of the Undying

Season of the Undying was the first of a new breed of seasons: featuring a pointed narrative slant and a new seasonal progression system, this set the stage of what we'd be playing for... well, for years afterwards. It wasn't an excellent season, though. Undying was plagued by excessive repetition (thanks to its Vex Offensive activity), questionable loot, and a story that kind of went nowhere. Players helped Ikora build a fancy new Vex? Gate to mount a final assault on the season?al boss, and that was it.

Year 3 (Shadowkeep) - Season of the Dawn

Season of the Dawn, however, was a much better offering in comparison. Heck, even today, it remains a high mark for Destiny 2, as we got to bring back Saint-14 through not only an excellent Sundial activity (brimming with awesome time-defying loot) but also some standout story missions. Another highlight worth mentioning here is the mysterious reveal waiting for us at the end of the Corridors of Time: the death of the Guardian themselves, which remains unresolved to this day. All in all, Dawn showed us what Bungie could d??o with Seasons, and left the players wanting more.

Year 3 (Shadowkeep) - Season of the Worthy

Sadly, Worthy couldn't keep up with the sheer moxie of Dawn. A Warmind-focused story, Season of the Worthy sent Guardians on a mad dash to recover and secure secret Rasputin facilities strewn across the existing Patrol Zones. Some of them, in fact, are still visible if you go out to patrol on, say, the Moon, though you obviously cannot enter the bunker proper. Story-wise, Season of the Worthy focused mainly on Ana and Zavala as they set aside their differences to work for the betterment of humanity. Worthy's biggest mistake was its heavy reliance on bunker clearing, which got very repetitive as time went on. Its biggest win, though, were the massive, ominous tracker displays showing that something pyramid-shaped was fast-approaching th?e galaxy. It was a hoo??t, I can tell you that much.

Year 3 (Shadowkeep) - Season of the Arrivals

Season of the Arrivals is one of the best seasons Destiny 2 has ever had, without the faintest sliver of a doubt. Building onto the content introduced in Worthy, Arrivals made players go b??ack to one of Rasputin's bunkers to delivered on the terrifying promise of Worthy by actually showing off the Darkness pyramids as they invaded our planets. Immense, unknowable (at the time), and deeply terrifying in-lore, they brought about huge changes to various patrol zones and Guardians worked alongside the Drifter and Eris Morn to stifle their progress. At the same time, the forces of Savath??un attempted to do the same, leading to a wild ménage à trois that kept you busy no matter where you went. Sadly, it all kind of fell apart in the next season.

Year 4 (Beyond Light) - Season of the Hunt

After the events of Beyond Light played out, the Season of the Hunt had no hope of substituting what was lost. We lost huge chunks of the game here as the sunsetting played out, and in return, we got a few crummy boss hunts and questionably useful gear. Still, Hunt had a compelling story focusing on the return of a certain prince, which in turn set the stage for The Final Shape years down the line. At the time, though, this was a very poor follow-up to Arrivals, with its narrat??ive being a rare highlight.

Year 4 (Beyond Light) - Season of the Chosen

In comparison to Hunt, Chosen was awesome. Featuring some new core content, the introduction of Cabal Empress Caiatl, and t??he concept of Strike-adjacent Battleground missions, Chosen showed us that something nice was cooking in the background still. Its narrative was centered around the plight of the Cabal as they run from Xivu Arath's Hive, helping explain the species' behavior against the wider backdrop of the Destiny universe.

Year 4 (Beyond Light) - Season of the Splicer

Season of the Splicer was to Eliksni/Fallen what Chosen was to Cabal, but with a more striking aesthetic plastered on top. As the Last City is beset by a Vex-incurred endless night anomaly, Mithrax joins forces with the Guardians to resolve this problem and, perhaps, integrate his House of Light with humanity proper. Splicer's neon-laden activities were fun, its gear was extremely potent, and its story - dealing with immigration and integration - showed up as a high note for the year. All in all, an excellent chapter in Destiny's history.

Year 4 (Beyond Light) - Season of the Lost

Mara Sov made a less-than-triumphant return in the Season of the Lost, which opened up a pretty hefty can of worms now that her brother was kind-of-sort-of-dead but also working with the Vanguard. Lost began the long process of the pair resolving their problems, and activity-wise, it tasked the Guardians with the six-player Astral Alignment to stop Xivu Arath's Hive from emerging from the space between spaces. This was good fun, to be sure, but the highlight of the season was the Shattered Realm, riffing on Metroidvania and Roguelite gameplay tropes to deliver a?? surprisin?gly replayable activity.

Year 5 (Witch Queen) - Season of the Risen

Season of the Risen built on top of Witch Queen in a remarkably engaging way: even though Savathun was now taken out of the picture, her Lucent Hive were still a serious threat. To that end, the Vanguard joins forces with Caiatl's Cabal to deal with them. Enter a whole host of new Battlegrounds, and a side-story o??f the Crow trying to do a good thing, only to very nearly ruin the Vanguard/Cabal agreement along the way.

Year 5 (Witch Queen) - Season of the Haunted

Haunted, too, was rather gre?at when all was said and done. Featuring the grand return of the downtrodden Leviathan, now fully overtaken by Nightmare growths and Scorn enemies, Eris Morn sets up a small expeditionary?? force to try to retake it once and for all and purge Calus from its halls. Those of us who remembered the Leviathan from years passed got a hefty dose of nostalgia here, and we got to enjoy it as an impromptu patrol zone for the whole year, too.

Year 5 (Witch Queen) - Season of the Plunder

Plunder was yet another solid offering in the year of Witch Queen. This seaso??n went all-in on the Eliksni's pirate-inspired past, tasking Guardians with completing six-player Ketchcrash missions, three-player Expedition operation??s, and separate Pirate Hideout boss hunts. Great fun one and all, and with a story to match: Guardians were chasing down the body parts of Nezarec himself, which nobody saw coming at the time.

Year 5 (Witch Queen) - Season of the Seraph

There wasn't much to complain about in the Season of Seraph either, if we're being honest. This would be the grand finale of Rasputin's wider story, pitting him?? against Clovis Bray himself in an unexpected turn of events. Seraph was a stark, dramatic tale that wrapped up with Rasputin sacrificing himself to stop a catastrophe in the making and,?? coincidentally, reveal the truth of Nefele Stronghold: Neomuna.

Year 6 (Lightfall) - Season of Defiance

Season of Defiance was a surprisingly by-the-number seasonal offering, which didn't work in the game's favor following the questionable state of the Ligthfall DLC on day one. Defiance brought with it a new batch of Battlegrounds, this? time dealing with the Cabal's kidnappings of human and Eliksni civilians... for some reason. It was good fun, though it wasn't touched upon in future lore. We did get a lovely callback to Splicer, though, with the hard-as-nails AVALON Exotic quest!

Year 6 (Lightfall) - Season of the Deep

A long-anticipated return to the oceans of Titan, Season of the Deep was a visually striking chapter of Destiny history th??at brought with it a huge list of lore reveals thanks to the presence of Ahsa, the leviathan space-whale. The Salvage and Deep Dive missions were neat, Fishing was a solid change of pace, and the story kept things interesting for way longer than you'd expec??t.

Year 6 (Lightfall) - Season of the Witch

In the Season of the Witch, Guardians helped facilitate Eris Morn's ascension t?o Hive godhood. Yup, that's right: Eris became the Hive God of Vengeance for a little while, fancy chitin and all, and it was about as horrific as you'd expect. It was a great season though, with the Altars of Summoning and Savathun's Spire missions playing into the grander ant?i-Hive efforts of the Vanguard.

Year 6 (Lightfall) - Season of the Wish

Finally, in the Season of the Wish, Bungie resolved one of the most annoyingly persistent mysteries of Destiny 2: the 15th Wish. This Season resolved a great many different stories, from Riven and Ahamkara lore all the way to the relationship between Crow and Mara, this was a satisfying end-cap before The Final Shape hit. The Riven's Lair was solid, but the roguelite The Coil activity was a real joy to play, showing us that Bungie could do something truly special with the game on a long enough timeline. All in all, then, an excellent send-off for the year and a solid kick-off for The Final Shape.

The post All Destiny 2 Seasons and their stories: Here’s what you’ve missed appeared first on Destructoid.

Some of the best Dungeons & Dragons moments come out of solutions that nobody saw coming. Here's a list of the top ten magic items that turn one problem into a diff??er??ent, bigger problem.

10. Gambler's Blade (Lost Laboratory of Kwalish)

Gamblers like to push their luck, and none more so than the adventurer wielding the Gambler's Blade. This sword gives a bonus between +1 and +3 to attack and damage rolls, which can be changed every dawn, but it also applies the same bonus to the wielder's death saving throws. On top of that, it has a curse on it that means a chara??cter won't want to part with it. The idea of throwing in an item that just sits there, quietly tempting a player without the GM having to say a word, is particularly delightful.

9. Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments (Dungeon Master's Guide)

This is low on the list because it's very controllable, but nobody can deny that being able to create objects of up to 10,000 cubic fee??t in size is a dangerous power to put in the hands of excitable adventurers. Even with the restriction that the item cannot cost more than 25 gold pieces, that still leaves a lot of scope.

8. Bag of Devouring (Dungeon Master's Guide)

What if there was a Bag of Holding, but it was actually the maw of an extradimensional monstrosity that will try to eat you if you stick your hand in? The most intriguing part of the Bag of Devouring's description is that any item placed inside that is not animal o?r vegetable matter is spat out on a random plane of existence. Suddenly, the campaign becomes a jaunt across the planes to recover that vital magic item you accidentally put inside an extradimensional monster.

7. Alchemy Jug (Dungeon Master's Guide)

A staple of low-level treasure parcels for the chaotic GM, the Alchemy Jug produces a set amount of a liquid defined by the user. This might seem innocent enough, and acid or poison are doled out only in ounces, but the list of liquids is quite extensive and the amounts generous, including oil, vinegar, honey and beer. The orange and blue jugs from Candlekeep Mysteries add hot tea and soy sauce into the mix. Personally, I don't like to imagine what most of my adventuring parties would do wit??h two gallons of mayonnaise.

6. Bag of Tricks (Dungeon Master's Guide)

This innocuou?s-looking bag has only one thing in it: a small fuzzy object. As soon as a character throws the fuzzy object, it transforms into a random animal from a selection of animals. This creature is friendly, as long as you command it ?to do things, but as soon as you stop, it reverts to its nature and while it might like you, you might also end up with up to three giant elks or dire wolves trampling through the environment and chasing down local wildlife until the next dawn.

5. Dodecahedron of Doom (Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage)

Anyone who starts throwing the Dodecahedron of Doom around is asking for trouble, but that's part of the fun! A great little item for those characters who like to chuck a magical grenade ??into a room and hope that everything will be fine, the Dodecahedron of Doom is a twelve-sided mechanical object that ??can heal, harm, or just glow. The Dodecahedron does not discriminate between friend and foe. Like the die the player rolls for the effect, the magic item cares not.

4. Ring of Three Wishes/Luck Blade (Dungeon Master's Guide)

These items both give player characters access to the notoriously tricky spell, Wish. The Wish spell is a 9th leve??l conjuration that gives very powerful options to player characters. They can negotiate for a larger Wish too, with greater negative consequen??ces if it goes dramatically wrong. These items have the power to reshape reality and propel people through time, and any adventuring party worth their salt is going to use them for all they are worth.

3. Bag of Beans (Dungeon Master's Guide)

This isn't your gran's Jack and the Beanstalk. This bag of 3d4 dried beans might look humble, but even one bean could reshape the?? entire landscape. Dumping the entire bag on the ground makes everything in a 10 foot radius explode with fire. The d100 table of random effects from planting any one bean includes a beer geyse?r, a massive pyramid containing a mummy lord and, of course, the classic beanstalk to the clouds with a cloud giant's castle at the top. It begs the question: what happens if you eat them?

2. Eye and Hand of Vecna (Dungeon Master's Guide)

Artefacts of one of the most famous villains in all DnD, the Eye and Hand of the lich Vecna were all that were left after his climactic battle with his former ally Kas?. Anyone who wishes to attune to these arte??facts must replace their own hand and eye with Vecna's. Attuning to both body parts allows the bearer access to an impressive range of spells, plus fun extra benefits like access to the Wish spell every 30 days and the ability to turn people's skeletons to jelly. Such terrible power comes with a terrible price, however, as the hand and eye attempt to take control of the bearer every time they are used to cast a spell.

1. Deck of Many Things (Dungeon Master's Guide)

Infamous as one of the most chaotic items in DnD, the Deck of Many Things is a deck of magical cards with the power to completely change a campaign's direction. The majority of these decks only have 13 cards, but so?me very special decks have 22. The most common decks of 13 cards still hold the power to change a character's destiny, from tangible rewards like experience points, unusual magic items and a single use of the Wish spell to terrible doom, like your soul being trapped in a soul jar in the possession of a powerful being. The storied 22-card decks can cause alignment shifts, additional levels, and e?ven the ability to change one event in history so it never happened. The Deck of Many Things is a perfect way to shake things up in a stale campaign.

The post Top 10 DnD ma??gic items to cause ch?aos in any campaign appeared first on Destructoid.

The illustrations and aesthetics of board games establish engaging worlds, introduce iconic characters, and bring player ?actions to life. Most importantly, they tell a story, and give the game a real presence on the table. In this list, you'll find a few of our favorite board and card games that feature outstanding artwork and visual design.

1. Parks

Parks is a board game that celebrates the beauty of the United States�?national parks, from the deserts of Joshua Tree to the Everglades of Florida. You’ll play as two hiker?s, coll??ecting memory resources from the places you visit over the course of several seasons. The card art perfectly captures the scenic vistas and iconic sites of each park, so that by the time you finish the game you’ll want to start planning a trip to see all of these places in person. 

2. Scythe

Scythe board game art blends elements of classical landscape paintings with sci-fi mechs and diesel war machines, establishing a 1920s alternate history like no other. Each of the game’s five core?? factions are represented with distinct characters and color tones, and to top it all off, the board itself is simply gorgeous.

3. Canvas

In Canvas, the objective is to create a beautiful painting by stacking a series of art cards. Each of these cards features a bright color p??alette or an abstract detail on a transparent backing, and it seems that no matter which cards you’re ?combining, you can always create a stunning piece.

4. Brass: Birmingham

Brass: Birmingham is one of the top-rated board games on Board Game Geek, and in no small part thanks to its incredible artwork, which goes a long way in establishing its dark and gritty 19th century setting. If you like the aesthetics of Victorian-era industrialism (or simply enjoy outstanding strategy games), Brass: Birmingham is for you.

5. Wingspan

Wingspan has won over many fans with its bright environmental play mats and 170 unique bird cards, each of which features a stunning hand-painted illustrati??on. In this game, it’s your objective to?? attract as many of these birds cards as possible to your water, grass, and forest areas, so that by the end of the game you will have assembled a beautiful collection of wildlife.

6. Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

The artwork on every card in Lord of the Rings: The Card Game brings the fantasy world of Middle Earth to life in grea?t detail. The cavern?s of Moria, peaks of the Misty Mountains, and rolling hills of the Shire are all richly illustrated, as are the faces of the series�?most iconic heroes. The artwork adheres closely to books to ensure an immersive experience.

7. Azul

Unlike the other entries on this list, the beauty of Azul’s aesthetics lies not in its illustrations but in the patterns of its tiles. It’s your role in the game to assemble th??ese tiles to create an aesthetically pleasing wall?? for the king of Portugal, who has commissioned you to decorate his palace.

8. Sleeping Gods

In Sleeping Gods, you’ll play cooperatively as a steamship captain ?and her crew, exploring a vast, dream-like series of oceans and island??s on the search for the totems that help you find your way back home. If you like board games with campaigns and incredible artwork, it’s a great pick. 

9. Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Fantasy Flight’s Arkham Horror card game features dark, gripping artwork that perfectly captures the works of H.P. Lovecraft, whose books have inspired a host of other video and board games. However, the Lovecraftian world of the roaring 20s has arguably never been so well realized as it is in this living card game.

10. Mysterium

Mysterium’s strange, abstract visuals are clues from a gho??st who’s residing in an old manor and wants you to solve the mysterious circumstances of their death. It’s a cooperative whodunnit game like no other where the artwork will help you identify the details of the murder.

The post 10 Board Games Wi?th Incredible Artwork That You Can Play ??Right Now appeared first on Destructoid.

Sony is currently hosting a PlayStation Essential Pick sale, offering plenty of discounts on PS4 and PS5 titles. There are up to 80% discounts on games, with titles such as EA Sports FC 24 available for radically low prices.

EA Sports FC 24 - $13.99 (80% off)

EA Sports FC 24, the football simulation game, marks the start of a new era for EA Sports and their long-running series. During this sale, EA Sports FC 24 is available for $13.99 with an 80% discount on its launch price. For that price, it is a good deal for players who are interested in the game’s offline modes. Those who are? interested in playing the online Ultimate Team mode should avoid this purchase as the game’s Ultimate Team content stream is in its twilight stages, with a new game likely to be announced soon.

Dragon's Dogma 2 - $55.99 (20% off)

Dragon's Dogma 2, the RPG game from Capcom, is a single-player title with narrative-driven action. The sequel game is set in an open world which is four times bigger than its predecessor, with many quests and adventures to embark on. Dragon's Dogma 2 is available for $55.99 after a 20% discount during this sale.

Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition - $43.99 (60% off)

The latest Mortal Kombat game’s Premium Edition is available at a reduced price. The Premium Edition offers the base game and also includes early access to DLC characters, the Kombat Pack, Jean Claude Van Damme skin, and 1,250 Dragon Krystals currency. Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition is priced at $43.99 during the PlayStation Essentials Pic??k sale after a 60% discount on the $?109.99 launch price.

F1 24 Champions Edition - $53.99 (40% off)

EA’s F1 24 is a Formula One racing simulation game, and its Champions Edition is currently up for sale. Players receive 2 New My Team Icons and an F1 World Bumper Pack with this Edition, but its key offerings are the 18,000 PitCoin which can be used to buy in-game items and the F1 24 Podium Pass. Racing game enthusiasts can grab the game for $53.99 (40% off) during the sale.

EA Sports PGA Tour - $10.49 (85% off)

EA Sports PGA Tour, the golf simulation title released in 2023, is now available for just $10.49 after an 85% discount. This is a massive discount, co??nsidering the title was released last year. Interestingly, the Deluxe Edition, which offers an XP bundle and 1,500 PGA Tour Points, is still priced at $84.99 with no discount during the sale.

The Last of Us Part I Digital Deluxe Edition - $49.59 (38% off)

The Last of Us Part I Digital Deluxe Edition offers the remastered version of the game for the PS5. This Deluxe Edition also includes the Left Behind Prequel Chapter, and early unlocks for two skill upgrades, a pistol/rifle upgrade, explosive arrows, Dither Punk Filter, Speedrun Mode, and six free weapon skins. Players can purchase The Last of Us Part I Digital Deluxe Edition for $49.59 on the PS Store during the sale.

Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition - $15.99 (80% off)

Need for Speed Unbound, the latest NFS title, is another title for racing lovers to grab during the Sony PlayStation Essential Pick sale. The Unbound Palace Edition includes 4 new Custom Cars, Palace driving effects, the Stacked Palace clothing pack, Place decals and license plate, and the Tri-Ferg pose and banner artwork. After an 80% discount, Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition is available for $15.99 on the PS Store.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Deluxe Edition - $44.99 (50% off)

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Deluxe Edition, the action-adventure sequel, carries forward the story of protagonist Cal Kestis and the story takes place five years after the events in the prequel game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. PlayStation players can grab the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Deluxe Edition for $44.99 after a 50% discount on the launch price.

The Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Deluxe Edition includes the? base game and the following rewards:

• “Scoundrel�?Cosmetic
• “Rugged�?BD-1 Cosmetic
• “DL-44�?Blaster Set
• “Rebel Hero�?Cosmetic
• “BD-Astro�?BD-1 Cosmetic
• “Rebel Hero�?Lightsaber Set

Batman: Arkham Collection - $5.99 (90% off)

The famed Batman: Arkham Collection, which includes the trilogy of Arkhamverse titles, is available for just $5.99 after a 90% discount. Batman: Arkham Collection includes the f?ollowing three games:

• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Batman: Arkham City

Lies of P Deluxe Edition - $48.99 (30% off)

Lies of P, the soulslike RPG game from Neowiz Games, is also available for a reduced price. If you’re interested in exploring a darker take on the story of Pinocchio while encountering challenging foes, you can give Lies of P a shot.

Lies of P Deluxe Edition, available for $48.99 (30% off), offers t?he base game, ??The Great Venigni’s Signature Coat, The Great Venigni’s Glasses, and the Deluxe Edition Cosmetic Mask.

The post Top 10 deals in PlayStation Essential Picks Sale appeared first on Destructoid.

When I first got into manga, it felt almost taboo or like a style of books I shouldn't be into b??ecause most of my friends 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

Belo??w are the best manga you can read as a beginner. They're not too overwhelming in th??eir content and don't require much prior knowledge 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 a??fter 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. Stories 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 a??t 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 ma??ge 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 whatev??er monsters they find while delving back through it.

This series is part-dungeon adventure and part-cooking show. It's an unexpectedly great combination because you feel like you're learning wh??ile you see this party kill and then cook up fantastical creatures that get featured in games, TV shows, movies, and b??ooks.

10. Look Back

Look Back is a one-shot manga about an elementary school student who, after having her manga published in the school pape??r and praised for her work, finds herself competing with another student in the school who begins publishing 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 a?lso a Netflix show. There are dozens of volumes ??of this series for you to read. As with all manga, starting 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 ex?citing ?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 built 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 blen?ds sci-fi and fantasy within a steampunk world that I find very intriguing. Every page makes you wan??t to dive into the next because you never know what's coming.

The books follow Eren 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 cover?s in your local bookstore, it looks pretty daunting. However, the story itself isn't difficult to unde??rstand 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 because 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 h??as decimated the planet, and a greedy king controls and distributes water. The series follows Sheriff Rao, a Thief, and the king of demons, Beelzebub, wh?o 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 itsel?f, 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 s??tages of life around high school. The most intriguing arc is for Takahashi Hisanobu, who was the school's basketball team hot?shot 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 about 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 superpowers, known as Quirks, but dreams of becoming a superhero. the world's greatest hero sees potentia??l 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 wher??????????????????????????e superpowers are the bog standard basic, and your confusion and ignorance 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 Uz?umaki??, 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 w?ho has become a hero because he's trained 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 migh?t want 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 complete beginner's list. It's a beautifully simple concept of ani??mals mingling with humans in a café run by a polar bear, the best animal in the world.

If you're getting into manga, you should read Polar Bear Café because it's a great example of ??the playful side of the genre. Not all manga is death, fighting, a??nd 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 worked 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 be?ginners to help ease you into the medium appeared first on Destructoid.

At this point in time, Destiny 2 has absolutely no shortage of Raids and Dungeons to choose from, with more being added to the mix on a seasonal basis. It's easy to forget, then, that there's a third important category of challenging content in this game, too: Exotic missio?ns.

Note that I'm not referring to Exotic quests here: we've got too many of those to keep track of in the first place. No, our topic for the day is specifically Exotic missions. The type of stuff that was praised even during Destiny 2's many lulls in content and popularity; those missions that, once upon a time, weren't even announced in the first place.

So, from those legends onward, here's the full and comprehensive list of all of Destiny 2's Exotic missions in the order of their release!

All Destiny 2 Exotic missions in the order of release

#1: The Whisper - July 2018 (Original) / April 2024 (Reprised)

The ultimate blueprint that all the other Exotic missions are compared with, The Whisper came about mostly as a surprise in the early years of Destiny 2's lifecycle. Basically, it all began with a mysterious anomaly appearing on the now-sunset Io, and what came about as a result was a remarkably creepy and parkour-heavy adventure. Its reward? A Taken combination of the Black Spindle and the Black Hammer sniper rifles from the first Destiny. Good times!

#2: Zero Hour - March 2019 (Original) / May 2024 (Reprised)

Zero Hour was the second standalone Exotic mission released for Destiny 2, and it leaned even more heavily into its maze-like structure than the Whisper, which made it a fair bit more challenging on your first try. It, too, was a time-limited ordeal you see. Zero Hour was (and still is) quite special due to its setting - the Tower itself - its penchant to keep players coming back for more - the unique cosmetic rewards - and the coveted Outbreak Perfected. Oh, and TR3VR, too, the loveable bot. You'll meet him soon enough.

#3: The Other Side - June 2019

While The Other Side wasn't quite as iconic as The Whisper and Zero Hour, few things ever were in the context of Destiny. It's a solid mission, regardless: under the tutelage of the now-deceased Emperor Calus, Guardians dive headfirst into the Ascendant Plane to extract none other than the Bad Juju pulse rifle. Cool! What's not so cool is that The Other Side is no longer playable, as of Beyond Light's sunsetting spree.

#4: Harbinger - November 2020

The Harbinger was initially supposed to be a secret Exotic mission tucked away in one of the most often overlooked places in the European Dead Zone region, though it didn't take long for players to suss it out. Its reward? The fabled Hawkmoon handcannon, courtesy of the Crow's slow climb upwards following his Forsaken-era misadventures. The Harbinger is?? currently? sadly unavailable.

#5: Presage - February 2021

Destiny doesn't often foray into full-?fledged horror territory, but when it does, you know it's the real deal. Presage came about as a celebration of this niche, pitting players against one of the first in-game realizations of Darkness proper. The result is an impeccab??ly grim atmosphere with appropriately disturbing lore, and the delightfully chunky Dead Man's Tale lever-action scout rifle. Just a joy to play all around, though the lack of unique enemy encounters does diminish the experience a tiny bit.

#6: A Hollow Coronation - August 2021

Released as part of the Season of the Lost, A Hollow Coronation was a deep dive into the lore of Queen Mara, Uldren Sov, and his Light-infused alter ego, the Crow. This was a solid enough showing, though the mission itself couldn't really hold a candle to the true greats of this category, such as The Whisper and Zero Hour. Still, it's a bit of a shame that the Hollow Coronation is no longer playable, as of the Witch Queen DLC.

#7: Parasitic Pilgrimage - February 2022

The Parasitic Pilgrimage mission is no secret, unlike some other Exotic missions on this list, but it sure is a must-play for anyone unfamiliar with the depths of Hive lore. Parasitic Pilgrimage is all about shoving Savathûn’s Worm into the deviously powerful Parasite grenade launcher. Along the way, you get to learn som?e tidbits about the sorry creature, its history, and the history of the Queen of Lies itself. Good fun, overall.

#8: Vox Obscura - February 2022

While many seasonal Exotic missions did get seemingly permanently taken out of the equation as years went by, some of the notable highlights - like th?e Vox Obscura mission - have been shoved back into the game via the Exotic mission rotator. Good thing, too, because Vox Obscura is a high-octane romp directly through the Emperor Calus' loyalist Cabal to take down a dangerous Psion commander smack-dab in the middle of a heavily protected operating base. Tank combat on the face of Mars? Yes, please.

#9: Operation: Seraph's Shield - December 2022

Operation: Seraph's Shield is one of the few previously-sunset Exotic missions that have been re-released in an updated format. Is it a party trick? The unique Revision Zero Exotic pulse rifle has several different upgrades you need to work through by playing Seraph's Shield. The mission is, therefore, uniquely suited to re?peat playthroughs, taking players through almost half a dozen unique combat encount??ers and puzzle rooms in one go. Solid stuff, albeit hardly revolutionary.

#10: What Remains - February 2023

A Lightfall Exotic quest, What Remains is a visually striking mission that takes players on a mad dash through the Black Garden itself. Though it's not mechanically challenging in the same way that secret Exotic missions were, What Remains is absolutely beautiful and memorable throughout, being one of the relatively few highlights to have come out of the Lightfall DLC proper. Your reward for its completion? The hard-hittin??g Deterministic Chaos machine gun and oodles of Vex/Black ??Garden lore. Who could complain?

#11: The Variable (Avalon) - February 2023

The Variable is,? arguably, one of the hardest Exotic missions we've seen yet, featuring the Vex Network and the appropriately voxelated Vexcalibur glaive as its reward. Neon-laden and about as punishing as it gets in the Master version, T?he Variable pulls no punches in any category, with challenging parkour sections and an extremely aggressive version of Brakion waiting for you at the very end. Great fun on your first go, though you may be hard-pressed to go back for more when all is said and done.

#12: Starcrossed - November 2023

The second Exotic mission set in the Black Garden, Starcrossed plays host to the admittedly middling Wish-Keeper Exotic bow. This mission is a part of the ongoing Exotic mission rotator that's available in Destiny 2 since Season 22, but its reliance on long-ran??ge combat and punishing encounters means m?ost players aren't itching at the bits to replay it. It's a solid offering, to be sure, but even I have to admit it doesn't come even close to the heights of, say, Zero Hour.

#13: Wild Card - June 2024

One of the newest and most narrative-heavy Exotic missions to date, Wild Card takes you on a delightful little side-adventure during the bigger Final Shape story. During it, you'll set up camp with the Crow and Cayde-6, dwell a bit on what this entire schtick means, and do some skeet shooting. The mission is unlike any other in Destiny 2 due to its several time-skips, where the ??overworld changes and delivers new encounters during each of these intermissions even though you're, t??echnically, just playing this one mission in one go. Your reward? The awesome Still Hunt sniper rifle.

#14: Dual Destiny - June 2024

Yet another unique Exotic mission released as part of The Final Shape, Dual Destiny is a secret side-activity that's purpose-built specifically for two players, which is quite uncommon in Destiny 2. Consider it a mini-rai?d, really, as it requires some very good communication and coordination to get through all the puzzles. Not everyone's been a fan of Dual Destiny's precedent-breaking approach to the battle-tested Exotic mission formula, but it's good fun regardless, and the reward - the Exotic Class Item - is well worth the trouble!

The post All Destiny 2 Exotic missions in release order – Listed appeared first on Destructoid.

Fantasy books aren't usually accessible to young people, given their tendency to try and compact a few centuries' worth of fictiona??l worldbuil?ding into a couple of hundred pages. Fortunately, a growing number of fantasy books written specifically for younger readers are helping to bridge that gap.

Young adult fantasy books existed before I was even a glimmer in my parent'?s eyes, but they started to gain popularity around the time I started seriously getting into reading. Nowadays, YA fantasy isn't a niche; it's one of the most popular subgenres of literary fantasy, so I'm here to tell you about the top 15 best books fo?r YA fantasy enthusiasts.

The best young adult (YA) fantasy books

I've cobbled together a list of the best YA fantasy books on bookstore shelves. I'm not a literary agent (at least not yet), but I think the most crucial element of a YA fantasy book is accessibility, so I've ranked the books below from least to most approachable. All these books would be fantastic gifts for a young fantasy reader who isn’t ready for the works of R.R.? Martin or Sanderson, but the higher-ranking ones might become permanent fixtures on their bookshelves.

15. Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Witch and Wizard is the punk rocker ??kid of the YA fantasy classroom, and it proudly wears that fact on?? its sleeve. One morning, Wisteria "Wisty" and Whitford "Whit" Allgood are yanked out of their beds and accused of witchcraft by agents of a fascistic political party that has seized control of their country and launched an all-out war on the arts.

Upon discovering their oppressors weren't lying when they said they had supernatural powers, Wisty and Whit bust themselves out of? prison and join forces with other magical kids to fight the new re??gime and its mysterious figurehead, The One Who Is The One. Witch and Wizard is about as subtle as a flaming ice cream truck, but it's also a gloriously unapologetic celebration of all things youthfully and rebellious.

14. Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom?? Riggs

Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is what happens when you put the X-Men, Mary Poppins, and the collages of photographer Dorothea Lang into a blender. We follow Jacob Portman as he discovers his recently deceased grandfather's ??tall tales of flesh-eating monsters and a secret home for "peculiar children" weren't very tall when both factions drag him into a hidden war that’s secretly raged for decades.

The most unique aspect of Mrs. Peregrin's Home for Peculiar Children is how it incorporates photographs collected by Riggs into the story, turning the book into a pseud?o-graphic novel. Through this stylistic choice and its focus on time travel, the book explores powerful th?emes like the enduring effects of intergenerational trauma and the importance of embracing the present, ideas that are pretty relevant to young people alive today.

13. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

In Gregor the Overlander, alligators aren't the only things lurking beneath New York City. We follow Gre?gor and his younger sister "Boots" after they fall through the apartment building's vents and wind up in "The Underland," a fantastical r?ealm inhabited by giant roaches, talking rats, and a kingdom of pale-skinned, purple-eyed humans.

Collins wrote Gregor the Overlander and its sequels a few years before she transmuted the YA genre into publishing gold with The Hunger Games, but fans of those books will recognize the two series' shared ancestry. Action, suspense, and profound commentary on human nature fill the pages of Gregor the Overlander, proving that Collins knew how to hook young readers long before she created th?e?? nation of Panem.

?12. The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

The Field Guide is a fantastic read for those who grew up foraging through fairy garden??s. When Jared Grace's mother moves him and his siblings to h?er uncle's decrepit estate to escape the fallout of a messy divorce, he uncovers "Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You," a tome that claims the woods around the mansion are full of wonderous and often dangerous, fey creatures.

When Jared becomes the prime suspect in a series of nasty pranks pulled on the res??t of his family, he uses what he's learned from the field guide to track down the creature behind the sabotage and prove his innocence. Mysteries and mischief abound in this endearing ode to the miniature worlds around us.

11. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven takes The Field Guide's basic premise and expands its scope dramatically. When Kendra and Seth Sorenson’s parents force them to spend the summer with their e?stranged grandfather Stan, it doesn't take them long to realize that something's amiss on his isolated property. Fortunately, their fears that Stan's a dangerous psychopath are proven wrong when they learn he's the caretaker of a nature preserve populated by magical creatures from around the world.

Unfortunately, the Sorensons' worst-summer-ever-turned-best-summer-ever turns rotten again when an ancient witch escapes her prison and throws the preserve into chaos. This book, and the five-book serie??s it s??pawned, is full of fun twists and terrifying turns, and you'll want to keep reading to see which one's waiting around the next corner.

10. Artemis Fowl by Eon Colfer

Artemis Fowl asks, "What if a YA urban fantasy protagonist was a criminal mastermind?" and answers it in the most fantastic way possible. Our titular protagonist enacts a daring plan to reclaim his family's lost fortune by kidnapping an elven police officer and demanding the secret magical city she serves to pay hi??m a king's ransom.

The first in the titular series is a suspenseful, character-driven game of wits that constantly leaves you wondering who in this rapidly escalating hostage situatio?n is in the ?right. Combine this with a dash of fey folklore, and you've got a book I'd recommend to young fantasy readers any day.

9. The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

How can you not be interested in a book with a title like The Fairy-Tale Detectives? With their ?parents ?missing, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with their grandmother, Relda, who lives in the portside town of Ferryport Landing.

After an awkward first night in their new home, the girls discover that ??Ferryport Landing is home to all the fairy tale characters they've read about, and their grandmother is a detective who solves whatever crimes plague the community.

8. Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landry

Skullduggery Pleasant puts a delightfully macabre spin on the "ordinary kid stumbles into a hidden magical world" premise. After she inherits her wealthy, eccentric uncle Gordon's fortune and estate, Stephanie Edgely becomes the t??arget of a sinister wizard bent on freeing a pantheon of ancient eldritch gods that once ruled the w??orld.

Luckily for Stephanie, she soon finds herself?? a protector in Skullduggery Pleasant, a magical detective who happens to be a walking, talking skeleton with a miles-long sarcastic streak. Witty prose, memorable characters, and a well-crafted magic system based on names await those who crack open this gift from Ireland's own Derek Landry.

7. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

Northern Lights is one of the most challenging YA fantasy books out there, and that's why it's so great. When her best friend and inventor?? uncle vanish, Lyra Belacqua sets off on a journey to find them, accompanied by her faithful familiar daemon, Pan.

Lyra's quest soon brings her into conflict with the Magisterium, the authoritarian theocracy that governs her world. Like its incredibly likable protagonist, this book isn't afraid to ask hard questions about the blind trust many of us place in organized religion. It is the perfect pick for curious young readers who aren't afraid to challenge the lessons they’ve learned at school, church, or ?home.

6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Few books, let alone YA ones, start on a note more dour than The Graveyard Book. A mysterious assassin kills nobody "Bod' Owens' entire fami?ly within the first few pages. However, fate smiles on the infant, who finds sanctuary in the most unlikely place: the loc?al cemetery.

Under the guidance of the community of ghosts and ghouls that haunt the? graveyard, Bod grows from boy to man in this powerful coming-of-age tale. Equal parts funny, heartfelt, and terrifying, The Graveyard Book is a memorable meditation on what it means to be alive, one that still makes me stop and think about the ??????????????????????????kind of life I want to live.

5. Cemetary Boys by Aiden Thomas

Cemetary Boys is a book about learning? to be comfortable in your skin. Yadriel, a transgender man, longs to become a brujo, a witch who can channel the spirits of the dead. Unfortunately, Yadriel's family and the Latinx community they’re part of are having a hard time accepting his identity.

Determ??ined to prove himself, Yadriel attempts to put the spirit of his recently deceased cousin to re??st. However, he instead channels the spirit of local punk Julian Diaz, who refuses to return to the afterlife until he’s resolved his unfinished business.

Cemetery Boys is as engaging of a supernatural mystery as it is a powerful meditation on the trans experience. Any fantasy reader who’s starting to question their assigned sex will find honest representation and po?sitive reinforcement in the pages of this?? charming LGBTQ+ romance.

4. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone proves that a YA fantasy book can be just as epic as "the classics." Alina Starkov discovers that she's a "Grisha," someone born with the ability to manipulate the elements. Inducted into the ranks of the K?ingdom of Ravka's army, Alina finds herself under the tutelage of" The Darkling," a powerful Grisha who holds an even more powerful secret.

Bardugo is a worldbuilder who rivals Sand??erson, and the world she created for the Shadow and Bone series is one of the finest ever crafted. Of course, Bardugo’s world-building would be nothing but fluff if the story at the heart of the book wasn’t good. Fortunately, a lo??vable protagonist and a compelling focus on Ravka's politics keep this book from falling into the pit that’s claimed so many other YA series-starters.

3. Am Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes is an exercise in suspense. Lala and her family live in the shadows cast by the tyrannical, Rome-inspired Martial Empire, doing everything they can to avoid catching the eyes of those higher on the social ladder than them. All of that changes when Lala's older brother is a?ccused of treason and sentenced ?to death.

Desperate to save her brother, Lala makes a dangero??us deal with a brewing rebellion, infiltrating? the Empire’s most prestigious military academy as a spy. There she meets Elias, the academy's finest student and a silent critic of the Empire’s growing cruelty. This book has romance, political intrigue, and a healthy dose of action to balance out the slower moments.

2. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief is a modern-day epic. We follo??w Percy Jackson, a troubled boy? with ADHD and dyslexia who discovers that he is the demigod son of Poseidon.

After he’s accused of stealing his uncle Zeus�?Master Bolt, Percy embarks on a dangerous quest to retrieve it before a divine civil war breaks out on Mount Olympus. The Lightning Thief’s story is as well-paced as it is well-written, and few characters in fantasy are as relatable as Percy, ??who is a fantastic role model to neurodivergent kids.

1. A Monster Ca??lls ?by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd

Siobhan Dowd tragically passed away before she could finish A Monster Calls, but Patrick Ness refused to let her story go untold. Seven minutes after midnight, a towering monster visits thirteen-year??-old Conor O'Malley and tells the troubled boy three stories, warning him that he, in turn, must tell "the truth" after the final t??ale.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried more than a few time??s while reading A Monster Calls. This book talks plainly, yet beautifully, about the lies we tell ourselves, the pain we all face when we’re powerless to help someone we care about, and the comforting truth that our love for each other will endure long after we're gone.

Read this book. Just read it.

The post Best Young Adult (YA) Fantasy Books, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Board and card games are ?often associated with mechanics more than stories, but these five games are story-rich, inspiring, and appeal to anyone who loves a good tale.

7. The Plot Thickens (Bright Eye Games)

The gameplay elements of The Plot Thickens might be paper-thin, but these games (in Detective, Sci-Fi and Romance variations) are excellent light storytelling games for a group that might be hesitant to start up a story without guidance or to cool down after a more mechanically-intensive game. You could easily mix and match the sets, making a sci-fi romance or detective story, and there are mechanical incentives to connecting your story elements to those played by others, giving a very light puzzle element to the game. Find it at the Bright Eye Games site.

6. Muse (Quick Simple Fun)

Muse is a team party game that combines charmingly weird pictures with problem-solving. One team selects a picture and an action (such as making a non-verbal noise or naming a fictional character) that the other team's Muse must perform to evoke the image on the card. The Muse's team must identify that card from amongst the cards the initial team had, which of course, the Muse has not seen. Muse has variants for simultaneous team play and two- and three-player variants. It accommodates a much higher number of players and the lighter scoring system makes it an enjoyably light game for social occasions. Find it at the Quick Simple Fun site.

5. Once Upon a Time (Atlas Games)

This classic card game is easy to play, quick to pick up, and popular enough to be in its third edition. In Once Upon a Time, players construct a story from a hand of cards with fairy tale characters, events, things, places and aspects. The aim is to get rid of all your cards by incorporating them into the narrative over time, but other players can scupper your attempts by interrupting your story if you get stuck, ramble or describe a story trope they have in their hand already. Once Upon a Time has more mechanical complexity than The Plot Thickens, but it is still a fast and easy game where the rules enable storytelling rather than getting in the way. Find it at the Atlas Games site.

4. Gloom (Atlas Games)

Gloom is a card game with a delightfully dark sense of humour as you play through the fortunes of an ill-fated family and make their lives as horrible as possible. Gloom's striking art style already tells a story, but it also actively encourages players to describe the gruesome details of the family's elaborate deaths. With overtones of Edward Gorey, A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Addams Family, Gloom is sure to make you chuckle and wince at the terrible events you inflict on your chosen family. Find it at the Atlas Games site.

3. Dixit (Libellud/Asmodee)

Originally published in 2008, Dixit is a perennial favorite as a gentle board game with beautiful art and appealing aesthetics that manages to remain fun and relevant without ever becoming too complicated for new players. Players take turns choosing a card from their hand of fanciful picture cards, describe it with a word or very short phrase, and then every other player also chooses a card from their hand that they feel matches that phrase. The chosen cards are shuffled together and players have to decide which they think was the original card. It sounds easy, but the trick is that the scoring rewards just enough ambiguity that almost all of the other players guess the right card. It's an endlessly charming guessing game that requires skill, careful consideration and a poetic mindset. Find it at the Asmodee site.

2. Dead of Winter (P??laid Hat Games/Fantasy Flight Games)

By far the most mechanically-intensive game on this list, Dead of Winter looks on the surface like a survival game, but the excellent writing, evocative characters and innovative crossroads system make this game a delight for anyone who likes to have a little more emotional investment in their zombie apocalypse. Players choose characters from the townsfolk, who range from a librarian to a Mall Santa to someone who has decided he is a ninja. These characters have their own abilities and benefits, making character choices tactical as well as flavorful. The real master-stroke here is the deck of crossroads cards, which cause some kind of development in the overall story of the survivors' colony. Some require you to have specific characters in play, and it's always rewarding when the card of a character you control comes up, even if it forces you to make some kind of terrible choice about the future of the colony! Find it at the FFG site.

1. Call to Adventure (Brotherwise Games)

Call to Adventure is a beautifully realized board game of story-building that any storyteller will find intriguing. The players choose backgrounds, traits and paths for their characters as they proceed through daring deeds, complex dilemmas and eventual triumph…or ruin. The initial character cards are already great prompts for anyone lacking inspiration, and the choice between coherent character and mechanical optimization can lead to some unexpectedly deep moments of characterization. The characters proceed through three acts of events, from bandit attacks to magical discoveries, eventually facing climactic plotlines that would fit into any epic fantasy novel. Each event has two options using different stats and giving different benefits, meaning that you might be tempted to have your noble knight turn to a life of crime as their stats help them achieve those goals more directly. Every time I have played this with any group of people, the emergent story has been compelling, dramatic and full of surprises. Find it at the Brotherwise Games site.

The post 7 board and card games for the s?toryteller in your life appeared first on Destructoid.

The birth of science fiction is considered by some to stretch all the way back to the age of Shelly's Frankenstein. Since then,? there have been some hugely influential writers in the science fiction genre. Here is my personal list, both of the modern age and the old.

Sci Fi writers you need on your bookshelves

Whether you're just delving into the wonderful world of sci-fi or already have shelves straining under Hamilton's epics, there are always a few writers you still need to discover. Take a look through this list to see which writers you may have missed from your collection.

H.G Wells

I may as well get one of the all time greats out of the way, to begin with. H.G. Wells is responsible for some of the greatest works of science fiction literature of all time, with some being adapted for film and radio. His most famous work is no doubt War of The Worlds, but other notable entries include The Invisible Man and The Time Machine.

He was a prominent futurist who predicted many of the technologies w??e have today. He foresaw? the use of the Atomic Bomb, satellite television, space travel, and many other technologies far beyond his time. The granddaddy of science fiction is, without a doubt, one of the most influential science fiction writers.

Essential reading:

• War of The Worlds
• The Invisible Man
• The Time Machine
• The Island of Doctor Moreau
• The World Set Free

Mary Shelly

Although not the most prolific sci-fi writer of all time, Mary Shelley can certainly be considered among the most influential. Taking a look at Frankenstein, published in 1818, we can clearly see the first elements of science fiction in literature. Her opening of the door to fiction, combined with the marvel?s of science, paved the wa??y for the entire genre.

If you're interested in where it all began, Frankenstein is a wonderful work. It is steeped in horror, social observation???, fascination with new and barely understood technology, and the fear of the unknown.

Philip K. Dick

Whereas some of Philip K. Dick's books are essential reading for anyone looking for influential sci-fi writers, some are reserved for completionists. Dicks various works, such as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Scanner Darkly, and The Man in The High Castle, have been adapted into film and TV. Bladerunner, based on Electric Sheep, is widely considered to be one of the best science fiction films of all ??time.

However, Philip K. Dick is a very stylised writer, rarely conforming to traditional narratives or writing styles. This can certainly make some of his lesser-known works a difficult read for the?? uninitiated. This doesn't mea??n you shouldn't delve into his work, though. Once you get over his bizarre approach to narrative, his books will change your perception of reality.

Essential reading:

• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
• Scanner Darkly
• Valis
• A Maze of Death
• The Man in The High Tower

William Gibson

Working through Neuromancer by William Gibson often requires the reader to take a quick minute to remember how long ago the novel was published. This runs true for many of his varied works. Gibson's ability to predict and e?xpand on the future of technology is uncanny. His understanding of just what the Internet and el?ectronic connections would be and the results of it all are still being unraveled today.

For me, Gibson's writing styl??e is everything I want from a science fiction book. He drops you into a world that ?is unexplained, into a narrative already well underway, with concepts you have to learn as you go. The depth and ferocity of Gibson's writing result in a narrative that barely gives room to breathe. It's only once you've put the book down that you realize just how much he has fit into the relatively short stories.

Neuromancer is credited with a lot of what made up the theory behind The Matrix films. He accurately described the internet, cyberspace, meta universes, and international electronic communication way before it was ever ava?ilable.

Essential reading:

• Neuromancer
• Count Zero
• Burning Chrome
• Mona Lisa Overdrive
• Archangel (Graphic Novel)

Douglas Adams

When everything starts a little too bleak and serious on your science fiction bookshelf, take this influential British writer for a spin. Douglas Adams takes the ser??iousness, mostly, out of science fiction and yet still paints a wonderfully rich and vibrant world that will scratch the itch of any sci fi fan.

Although the world of Arthur Dent in Hitchikers Guide to The Galaxy isn't one of intergalactic space battles, and multi-planet politics, the 'trilogy of five' is full of amazing concepts and stories. Each book expands upon the universe created by Adams, producing some truly fascinating characte??rs, and some hilarious situations. There are very few writers in the science fiction genre who have the dry humour and creativity of Douglas Adams.

Essential reading:

• Just start at the beginning of The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy and go from there.

Jules Verne

Many of the books of Jules Verne are read to children as they grow up, or used as educat??ional studies. There is a good reason for that. His works are full of imagination, creativity, and marvel. The worlds of Jules Verne are di??stinctly of years long passed when science was still more or less only fiction.

Verne wrote some of the most gripping and e?xciting adventure stories of his time. Even now, they are considered essential reading for most lovers of literature, with most having delved into at least one. He pushed the boundaries of what science was capable of at the time, resulting in some truly fascinating works of science fiction.

Essential reading:

• Journey to The Center of The Earth
• Around The World in 80 Days
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
• From The Earth To The Moon + Around The Moon

Isaac Asimov

The reach of Asimov's works in both the Foundation and Robots series goes far beyond the scope of his books. The impact of his the??ories? and ideas are implemented in everything from Hollywood to theoretical papers.

His works are remarkably difficult to adapt to screen due to their complexity of concept and theory. However, I consider them essential reading and As??imov one of the most influential science fiction writers of all time.

The Foundation series focuses on a universe that has expanded across the Galaxy. It is a society based on predictions made by a socio-scientist eons before. He created the Sheldon Principle, which was able to predict big events and advise on how to deal with them. The many books, both in the Foundation and Robotics series, tack??le some huge and fascinating issues and subjects. As a writer, he is almost unmatched, and as a social commentator and world bu??ilder, he is among the best.

Essential reading:

• Foundation Series
• Robots Series
• Prelude to Foundation

Arthur C. Clark

There are few writers of his era as good at describing the vast nothingness of space as Arthur C. Clark. His world-renowned book, 2001, A Space Odyssey, was lovingly?? depicted on the big screen by Kubrick, givi??ng image to the amazing science fiction novel written by one of the most influential writers of his time.

Besides this classic, Clark wrote many other novels, often dealing with space travel, alien ships, and first contact. His series of Rama books examines the idea of aliens entering our local space and the implications of their presence. Childhood's End is a fascinati?ng look at the arrival of a seemingly benevolent alien race, positioning themselves above Earth in an attempt to mediate international relations.

Ar??thur C. Clark isn't afraid to write books of vast scale and significance. His narratives can span decades, sometimes resulting in?? catastrophic changes. This scope is what makes him so influential in the science fiction genre.

Essential reading:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Rendezvous with Rama
• Childhoods End
• The Nine Billion Names of God

Margaret Atwood

As an author, she has rooms full of literary awards, and every one of them is well-earned. She can be considered among the best writers in many genres alongside her massive influence in modern science fiction. Some of her most famous works, like the Handmaid's Tale trilogy, have been adapted for TV ??to huge success, and many of her other worlds sit among the best in the genre.

Margaret Atwood approaches her science fiction in a unique and affecting way in both her Handmaid's Tale and MaddAddam trilogies. The verisimilitude she loves to embrace in her work brings the realism of the situations very ??close to home. Atwoods various tales are often seen as sociopolitical observations as well as grip??ping pieces of science fiction. Atwood writes with a gravitas and realism that leaves lasting impressions.

Essential reading:

• Handmaids Tale
• The Testaments
• Oryx and Crake
• The Year of The Flood

Iain M. Banks

The Culture Series, written by Iain M. Banks, flexes his impeccable ability to create a vast and complex universe while still keeping the intricacies of human emotion at its very core. Banks never loses sight of what it is to be human or what we consider to be important. Throughout his Culture Series, he tackles eve?rything from possible galactic destruction to gender-swapping ex-lovers entangled in joint pregnancies. Nothing is outside the scope of his imagination.

Iain M. Banks is a prime example of what is possible when a creative author is given the freedom of science fiction. Few series of books broach quite as many concepts and get quite as experimental as Banks does. He is, for me, one of the most influential modern science fiction writers out there.

Essential reading:

• Player of Games
• Excession
• Use of Weapons
• The Hydrogen Sonata
• Against a Dark Background

Ursula K. Le Guin

No list would be complete without the multi-award-winning science fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin and her enormous influential impact on science fiction. Le Guin has written some magnificent pieces of science fiction, delving deep into a number of complex social and political issues. Her seminal work, Left Hand of Darkness, unpacks the issues surrounding sex, identity, and gender. The Dispossessed, another one of her esse?nti?al books, tackles capitalism, the advancement of education, and the values of freedom, among many other issues.

Ursula K. Le Guin is a writer with real weight to her writing. Her books can be a little heavy for first-time science fiction?? readers, but no fan should be without at least a few of her incredibly important works. She tackles huge societal issues and paints them ??over wonderful science fiction backdrops like few others.

Essential reading:

• The Dispossessed
• Left Hand of Darkness
• The Lathe of Heaven

The post 11 most influ?ential Science Fiction writers of all time appeared first on Destructoid.

Dominion i??s an immensely popular deck building adventure that’s been a hit at the game night table since its release in 2008. The simple yet strategic gameplay and wacky m??edieval theme, along with the opportunity to curse your friends and family, has won over many. However, I’d argue that what truly makes the game great is its extensive catalogue of expansions. 

Dominion: Rising Sun, the 16th expansion for the game, is due to drop in June 2024. In addition, many of the game’s earlier expansions have been updated in recent years with second edition printings. That means you have plenty of options when it comes to picking up a new set of kingdom cards. Here are the 10 best Dominion expansions you can add to your collection today.

10. Dominion: Intrigue (2nd Edition)

Cards in the Intrigue expansion emphasize player choice, which means many of the actions and attacks in the set are more versatile. Secret tunnel and masquerade are standout cards here that offer more advanced strategies. A basic expansi??on, but a good one nonetheless.

9. Dominion: Nocturne 

Nocturne is one of the bigger boxes in the series, adding thirty-three new kingdom cards, boons, hexes, and a few other non-supply cards. It also introduces one of Dominion’s more advanced mechanics- the night phase. Unfortunately, the cards in this set?? don’t mix ?quite as well with the other boxes. However, its theme makes for a fun experience anyway.

8. Dominion: Adventures

The Adventures expansion for Dominion adds events, the page and peasant upgrade track, and the reserve mat. I wouldn’t recommend it as a first expansion, because it plays best when paired with the platinum and colony cards in the Prosperity box. Beyond that, it’s a good buy.

7. Dominion: Seaside (2nd Edition)

Seaside adds duration cards to the game that produce effects immediately when played and at the start of your next t??urn. The s??econd edition is also a significant improvement over the first release, which featured a gamebreaking pirate ship card.

6. Dominion: Menagerie 

Animals and the exile mechanic are the highlights of this box. There are quite a few reaction and d?uration cards here to play with as well, which means you get a little bit of everything when you pick this one up.

5. Dominion: Empires

The best Dominion expansion packs offer completely new gameplay experiences, and Empires certainly represents one of the furthest departures fr??om the core set. Landmarks impl?ement new scoring rules, debt lets you play big turns early, and castles add some extra competition.

4. Dominion: Renaissance

The best new game mechanic in Renaissance is the struggle to keep artifact cards like the flag and the key under your control. Coffers and villagers, which were first introduced in the Guilds expansion, make a welcome return.

3. Dominion: Hinterlands (2nd Edition)

The Hinterlands box adds a range of ‘when gain�?effects to the game, plus a wider selection of reac?tion cards compared to the other expansions. Border village and tunnel are personal favorites. 

2. Dominion: Dark Ages

Trashing cards is the name of the game in the Dark Ages expansion. The new ruins and shelters cards require you to focus o??n cleaning up the rubble that is your deck, which is ??a complex yet rewarding process.

1. Dominion: Prosperity (2nd Edition)

Prosperity is the most essential Dominion expansion because it scales up the size of the game with platinum coins and colony victory cards. Villages become cities, mines become mints, and cellars become vaults. With the cards in? this box you’ll be richer than ever. 

The post The 10 Best Dominion Expansions in 2024, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Personally, I prefer to play Minecraft by myself, but that’s not why you’re here. You’re looking for the best servers to play on, presumably with other people. If that’s not the case, it?’s kind of strange that you clicked on the headl??ine or link.

This is more of a list of popular servers. The best server everyone else likes isn’t necessarily going to align with what you're looking for. Minecraft is a very malleable game, it can be played in a lot of ways. Popularity is also not a great measuring stick for quality. However, if you don’t exclusively want to explore off ?the beaten path, here are some to consider.

10. Minewind

Address: play.minewind.net

Minewind is essentially an expansion of survival mode to incorporate RPG concepts like classes and loot. However, further than that, it also bills itself as complete anarchy. There aren’t really any player rules, so griefing is completely fair game. You’re going to have to be careful, aggressive, or underhanded to actually survive in this cruel version of Minecraft.

9. Havoc Games

Address: top.havoc.games

Havoc Games started out as a server based around the Walking Dead series called The Mining Dead. It’s since become so much more than that, but their?? zombie survival mode still tends to be the main draw, and part of the reason why it still remains popular today.

8. WesterosCraft

Address: mc.westeroscraft.com

Fantasy kingdoms are fertile ground for recreation in Minecraft, and WesterosCraft has taken on the mighty task of replication Westeros from Game of Thrones. Th?e team has been at it since 2011 and have constructed a hearty sl??ice of the fantasy world for exploration.

Speaking of which, WesterosCraft is largely a sightseeing and�?that’s about it. However, if you? want another way of interacting with the world, you can apply to join the team an??d have a hand in building it.

7. Minecraft Middle Earth

Address: build.mcmiddleearth.com

Minecraft Middle Earth (or MC Middle Earth) is similar to WesterosCraft but set in a replica of Middle Earth from The Lord of the Rings. Considering I just went over the concept of this sort of sightseeing server, I’m not sure it’s necessary to explain further. If you want to see a Minecraft representation of the ??walk that Frodo and Sam took ??to dump jewelry into a volcano, this is what you’re maybe looking for.

It’s worth noting that there is a New Player Quiz for getti??ng in. One does not ??simply walk into Minecraft Middle Earth.

6. The Lord of the Craft

Address: mc.lotc.co

Something a little different. The Lord of the Craft is a huge medieval fantasy roleplay server. While its name sounds like a play on The Lord of the Rings, it’s actually not set in that Universe, but rather a more general fantasy setting. Not like the above Middle Earth server that is actually about The Lord of the Rings.

Roleplay can be quite imposing next to more structured servers, and that’s not really any different here. You actually need to apply to ??get access to the server. That may sound inconvenient, but it’s to ensure that those who inhabit the server are familiar with the concepts of roleplay and won’t be disruptive to others. Despite that perceived inconvenience, the server has a very healthy player base, ensuring that the world remains lively at all times.

5. Wynncraft

Address play.wynncraft.com

There are a few servers out there now that turn Minecraft into a conventional MMO, but none have found the success of Wynncraft. There isn’t much? in terms of actual building, but there’s are quests, loot, classes; everything you’d expect from a standard MMO experience. Heck, Wynncraft has an active player count that rivals some of the more main??stream ones.

4. Grand Theft Minecart

Address: topms.mc-gtm.net

Grand Theft Auto but in Minecraft isn’t exactly the most novel of ideas, but one server does it better than the rest, and that’s Grand Theft Minecart. There ar??e guns, cars, a massive map, and ?more importantly: an active developer and playerbase.

3. Piratecraft

Address: mc.piratemc.com

Pirates are cool. I mean, not, like, real modern-day pirates, but the romanticized old-fashioned kind. Those are cool. If you’re interested in sailing the waves of Minecraft, Piratecraft has been ruling the high seas for over 10 years. You can build and pilot your own ship complete ??with functi?onal cannons.

One thing to note is that this is a “tight-knit�?community and isn’t quite the sprawling networks that some of the bigger Minecraft servers tend to be. However, there is almost always an active number of players avail??able to interact with.

2. Complex Gaming

Address: hub.mc-complex.com

Complex Gaming has ruled the roost for quite some time now. Rather than being one simple server, it hosts all sorts of Minecraft offshoots. Prominently, it’s a hotspot for Pixelmon Reforged players, but other mods and even Vanilla Minecraft servers are available.

For these mods (such as Pixelmon), you do require the associated modpacks, but their website can? point you in the right direction to g??????????????????????????et everything you need.

1. Hypixel

Address: mc.hypixel.net

While the server has seen its ups and downs, Hypixel is still near the absolute top of the server heap in terms? of active playerbase. Like Comple??x Gaming, it hosts a tonne of different modes like Skyblock, Megawalls, and Warlords.

Again, sheer playercount isn’t necessarily a marker for quality, ?but there’s a good reason that H??ypixel retains its massive population and has for years. But moreover, if you’re looking to hit up one of the most happening spots, this is it.

The post 10 Best Minecraft Servers appeared first on Destructoid.

The trusty Warframe lander, or landing craft, is an iconic part of the game. From last-minute rescues in story cutscenes to the dancing landers across the loading screen, these little ships get us where we need to go. If you activate an air support charge during a mission, you’ll get to ??use one of the special abilities that comes through unlocking the different landers, though can use it with any lander model you own.

Sadly, some of these are more valuable than others, so we're here today ??to rank the curren??tly available lander air support abilities from worst to best.

7. Carpet Bomb - Scimitar

This ability sends out a line of explosions that deal impact damage between the player and the air support charge. It's fiddly to place and the damage is underwhelming against anything but the very weak??est enemies. This was one of the earliest landing craft introduced, and it shows. It's a shame, because visually-speaking it's one of the best: it has a gorgeous manta ray design, but it's also frustratingly hard to get parts for. Definitely not worth it right now, unless you're a collector.

6. Sentry Gun - Xiphos

A fixed turret is a great idea for an air support ability, but sadly this sentry gun very quickly falls behind in damage and durability, and will survive so little time that it's barel??y worth getting out of the box. While you can buff its damage output with Roar, this lander is only worth getting if you like its aesthetics, and then you should definitely replace its ability.

5. Dreamers - Nightwave

It breaks my heart to put this so low, because I ??love Nora Nightwave, but this lander is pretty middle of the road. With Dream??ers, Nora unleashes a 10-meter-wide wave of sleep and deals a very small amount of damage. While this only lasts 20 seconds, you can target enemies with finishers in that time, but you would probably get more out of Rest & Rage instead. This is one of my absolute favorite landers in terms of look, though.

4. Med-Tower - Mantis

The Med-Tower is the top of the middling options for me, as it provides a tower that sends out an area burst of healing and can be used 25 times. While the healing itself isn't much, it can be useful in specific circumstances and provides an ongoing benefit. The Mantis is?? also a very pretty ship, so keep an eye out for the parts if you like its look.

3. Override - Liset

The Liset is the starting lander, so it's lucky that it also has the strongest ability of the older ships. Override stops alarms and lockdowns across the entire map insta?ntly, and on top of that it p??auses the countdowns on Rescue and Spy missions. It can be a real Hail Mary if you are bad at Spy and Rescue missions, as I am, but it does outlive its usefulness as you get better at the game.

2. Kahl Beacon - Skaut

Who doesn't love Kahl-175 and his underdog buddies? With the Skaut lander ability, you can bring them along for the ride! While they might only stick around for five minutes, bringing in support from thi??s ragtag band is both fun and rewarding. You can augment them with Roar or Wisp’s reservoirs and they scale with the mission’s starting level. They're generally a great bunch of lads.

1. Orokin Eye - Parallax

At the top of the list, Orokin Eye removes the busywork from collectibles, statues and syndicate medallions, as it highlights certain rare resources within a 150-meter radius. Unlike the Golden Instinct Helminth ability, the markers from Orokin Eye persist until all players hav?e interacted with them or they have been removed from the map. The only tragedies of this fantastic ability are that it doesn't recharge fast enough and that it doesn't highlight resource caches.

An extra tip when using air support abilities is that you'll want to level up the Engineering Intrinsic on your Railjack to level 2, which reduces the?? cooldown for your air support charges from 10 minutes to 5. Particularly important for endless missions!

The post All Warframe lander a?bili??ties, ranked from worst to best appeared first on Destructoid.

It's easy to think of the entire fantasy book genre being aimed at children, but? that's just not the case. There are hundreds of fantasy books and series aimed at adults and young adults that will free you from the shackles of grounded reads and help you dream beyond the rules of reality.

I always loved reading fantasy books growing up because they take you away from the mundanity of everyday life. I can't say if the best ones blend real life with their fantasy concepts or not because I genuinely love them all and devoured any sci-fi a??nd fantasy I could get my hands on as a kid. However, there are still plenty of fantasy books to dig into as an adult that you probably didn't come across as a child and make for accessible reads to help you get into the genre.

The best fantasy books for adults

Below, I've listed what I think are the best fantasy ??books f?or adults who want to get into the genre or return to it after a long hiatus of living a busy day-to-day work life. I've tried to veer away from anything too niche but also include a few books that are the beginnings of a really engrossing series, just in case you're hooked after the first page and know you need the next dozen novels.

10. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

To me, if you're looking to read the best fantasy books for adults, then you can't go wrong with anything from J.R.R. Tolkien. Author of the incredible The Lord of the Rings series, he's got a huge backlog of titles for you to delve into if you adore this universe. However, I'd recommend you begin with The Hobbit.

Unlike the movies, this story is fairly short and to the point but extremely gripping. Where the films ?drew out everything they could, the book is well-paced and follows the original Hobbit on his unexpected journey across Middle-Earth. During this journey, he encounte?rs all manner of fantasy creatures, establishing the very foundations of everything we know about fantasy today.

Regardless of whether you've seen the movies or not, this is a fantastic starting point for a journey into fantasy. If you love it, you can continue on into The Lord of the Rings and far beyond. You could try the LEGO game ??if you want to?? experience the book through a new medium.

9. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) - George R.R. Martin

If The Hobbit didn't exist, A Game of Thrones may be the most well-known fantasy book and TV series of all time. It all begins with this first book, where absolutely everything that could go wrong goes wrong. It's the start of an epic saga that sees one family torn apart by greed, and a world that doesn't know it's about to fall to darkness come closer than is comfortable to complete annih?ilation.

The story follows the Stark family as they enter in??to the highest level of society and the fight for the Iron Throne that plays out behind the scenes. No one is safe, not even the king, and there's a threat looming over the world that no one is prepared to even admit exists. Winter.

What I love?? about this first book in an entire series that could all be the best fantasy books for adults is how well it introduces every character, setting the tone for what's to come. You get to know a colorful cast of genuinely interesting people who have all found themselves somewhere in the royal cou??rt that extends around the entire region where it's set. There's political drama on a global and local level and some of the best lines you'll ever read.

Don't go into this if you can't take losing your favorite characters, though. This series as a whole is pretty brutal ??and will absolutely not hold your hand while you grieve. It delves into the darkest parts of the human heart in a world where power is everything, and you must do whatever you can to seek it.

8. The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1) - Stephen King

The Gunslinger is the first book in The Dark Tower ?series, all of which are great fantasy books for adults, but it can be read in isolation and enjoyed without needing to continue through the full set. It follows a lonely character who equates to a fantasy cowboy on a journey of vengeance to find one man. This man has been evading him for a long time and has the ability to twist the minds of those around him, but this cowboy is more than capable of looking after himself.

This book does a fantastic job of sett??ing up the series and makes you fall in lo??ve with some really well-realized characters. Everyone the protagonist has a meaningful relationship with becomes a friend to you as the reader, and you end up missing them when the story moves on.

If you like a bit of dark fantasy but not too dark, this is the perfect book for you. It doesn't require you to read all about tentacled monsters and flying whales, but it does invite you i?nto a desolate world that's intrinsically linked to ours and tells a tale of reluctant fatherhood that will have you rooting for everyone involved as they trudge ever onward.

7. Neverwhere (London Below #1) - Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller, and Neverwhere is one of his most und??erappreciated books. I first discovered it as an audio drama created by the BBC, which is a great way to consume this fantasy book for adults, and was hooked on London Below from that point. the universe feels similar to Fallen London but takes a much more literal approach to its translation of the surface world.

The story follows a young man who innocently helps a young girl one night, only to be transport?ed from Earth into London Below. This underground version of the city twists it in whimsically dark ways that make it feel oppressive at first but also someh??ow welcoming and charming after a while.

It's a fantastic read and a great way to get into the universe. I'd say it's probably better if you have at least some level of knowledge of the city of London because some of the characters and locations and their twists migh??t be lost on you without any.

6. Outlander (Outlander #1) - Dianna Gabaldon

You might know Outlander from the impeccable Amazon Prime show. If not, you're in for a treat once you've read this amazing fantasy book for adults. While ??the series is close to historical fiction, it's all framed through a fantasy tale of a woman falling through time without any real knowledge of how she did it. She must find a way to exist in a time when women hold no power and any woman with an ounce of intelligence is treated as a witch.

I adore the setting for this book and the rest of the series?: Scotland in the 1700s. It takes a beautiful country and transports you to a time when it was as lush and green with a reasonable amount of civilization as it has ever been—before the English came in and ruined it all.

Through this book and the series at larg?e, you'll learn so much about the history of England and Scotland, but it's the love story between Jamie and Claire that will stick with you. Fair warning: pretty much every book has a few adult scenes, so if that's not the kind of thing you're after, maybe skip this one.

5. Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovich

Rivers of London is the first book in a fabulous fantasy series that's intrinsically English and explores folklore in a way I guarantee you've not experienced before. The first book here follows a police officer who, standing guard at a crime scene all night, notices what appears to be a ghost dog. T??his leads him into a world filled with mystical wonder and starts him on a path you don't e??xpect when you join the force.

What I really enjoy about this book and the series at large is how ?it blends folklore into modern life without it ever feeling jarring. If you enjoy this entry, there's so much more for you to dig your teeth into. It's also quite a fresh series in terms of when?? it was published, so it's got loads of modern tropes that will help you really get lost in it.

This series can really bridge the gap between standard fiction and the best fantasy books for adults out there. Autho??r Ben Aaronovich has worked on a number of popular TV shows and is brilliant at b?ringing stories to the table that are self-contained but add to a wider story arc without making you feel like you've missed something.

4. The Drowning City (The Necromancer Chronicles #1) - Amanda Downum

The Drowning City is a fantasy book I picked up in a second-hand bookshop because I liked the blurb and cover. It's hard to tell what the stor?y is from either, and that's partly because it's completely bonkers. It's?? set in a rich fantasy world that's thick with lore from centuries of history. Every event is fueled by something that happened in the past, and it makes the whole thing feel like you're exploring a culture more than reading a book.

What makes The Drowning City one of the best fantasy books for adults is?? how dark some of its subject matter is. Each location is so vivid that I felt like I was walking down their streets or getting pulled into the ??canals by their ghosts. the

I really can't tell you much about this story without needing to add context that will spoil the plot.? What I can say is that you enter the titular location as a newcomer alongside the protagonist and learn all about the magic and politics of the local region as she does. It's so much fun to explore and is part of a trilogy that you could go on to read if you like a bit of dirty fantasy.

3. The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) - Philip Pullman

Before the TV adaptation was created, I wouldn't have included The Golden Compass in this list of the best fantasy books for adults. However, ??I believe that the show opened a lot of people's eyes to how dark the world that Philip Pullman created really is.

In this book, you enter into a world where human souls stand by their side as creatures that can change shape until they hit puberty when they settle into one form. What starts out as a tale of children disappearing quickly morphs into one that spans entire dimensions, leading to a war between worlds that's worthy of Magic: The Gathering.

The best part of this book, in particular, is its characters. Each one is bea?utifully flawed and feels like a firm friend you'll never forget.? The book brings them all to life from mere words on a page, and I think any book that can do that is worth your time, regardless of your age.

2. Carve the Mark - Veronica Roth

You might know Veronica Roth's much more popular work, the Divergent trilogy. T??his follow-up is smaller in size but much broader in scope. It's set in a star system where the people of each planet have different roles within the stellar society and? explores what happens when one society seeks to overthrow and take control of another.

This series only consists of two entries, but they're gripping and explore the fantastical side of sci-fi that sees humanity intertwined with elements of the universe in a way I'v?e never seen explored before or since. That's why they're some of the best fantasy books for adults you could hope to read.

At the heart of the plot is a love story that's probably one of the easiest to understand and identify with, how your weaknesses and strengths can complement someone else's. It's beautiful in its own way?, a small time investment, and a couple of books you won't regret picking up.

1. 14 (Threshold #1) - Peter Clines

I went into 14 expecting to be reading something along the lines of Silent Hill 4: The Room, but I was so, so wrong. While it treads the line between sci-fi and fantasy, I think it fits more into the fantasy genre because it's more of a mystery book about an apartment building and a group of people who all take the oddities they notice about it as a given, and do?n't ask questions. That is until one of them starts poking around and makes a startling discovery.

This book is part of a series that's connected, but you don't need to read in order. That's why I love it. If you enjoy a good my??stery thriller wit??h twists that are so out of this world you'll never see them coming, this is a fantastic book to pick up first.

The fantasy elements lean quite heavily on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. So, if you'd rather avoid the tentacled region of fantasy, give this a miss. I will say that it does a great job of not being anywhere near as vague as some of those old horror novels and won't scare you so much as it will get your adrenaline goin??g. Especially in the final chapters.

The post 10 best fantasy bo?oks for a??dults to get into the genre and inspire your imagination appeared first on Destructoid.

The pre-patch for World of Warcraft Classic: Cataclysm is just ?days away from dropping, on April 30, 2024. Less than a month after that, Classic Cataclysm is slated for May 20, 2024.

That gives players a little bit of time to consider raid comps, gearing up for their leveling zones, or if they're going to level through dungeons, and determine if they might want to choose a different class to level before Classic Cataclysm drops in full. After all, doesn't each expansion ca??use existential crises for players?

With Classic Cataclysm dropping with the 4.3 patch (which was "Dragon Soul" back in retail Cataclysm), things may change slightly once the later raids open up. Composition in raids is also important, and each class and spec has its moments where they might be ahead or behind the whole raid. Player skill should also be taken into acco??unt, but here are some tips to get you started.

Tanks

There are only four options and all tanks are viable; though each brings in their own unique skill sets.

Blood Death Knight tanks have the best self-healing utility, making them viable to ease the burden on healers, and fantastic in solo play. Warriors, on the other hand, have far more versatility and reliability than the others. Paladin tanks are amazing for Area of Effect (AoE). Druid tanks bring in ?some good mobility, utility, and healing as well.

Healers

Like with ??tanks, there are only four hea??ling classes.

Priests are the most versatile healers by ?far, and the most powerful, too. Druids are naturally the best heal over time (Ho??T) healers as that is their specialty. Paladins are great with single-target healing as well as impressive burst damage. However, if played right, they can also raid heal effectively, too. Shamans are good for moderate healing, totems, mana, and decent cooldowns.

Go with Priest if you have any doubts.

DPS (Damage-Per-Second)

The common way to list out DPS classes is both by their class and specialization. These tiers are S, A, B, C, and D, with D being okay but at?? the bottom of t??he line.

S-Tier DPS

Fire Mages, Shadow Priests, Affliction Warlocks, and Survival Hunters are among the top of the pool for DPS classes. They all bring high damage, versati?lity, utility, and decent buffs for raid groups.

A-Tier DPS

Most of the classes will realistically fit into A tier. These include: Demonology Warlock, Balance?? Druid, Frost and Unholy Death Knight, Arcane Mage, Retribution Paladin, Elemental Shaman, and Assassin Rogue. Like S-tier DPS, these all have great damage, along with good cooldowns and survivability, as well as their own various buffs for raids.

B-Tier DPS

Most of the melee fall into this group, with Marksman Hunters being the only ranged. Other classes here are Combat Rogue, Enhancemen??t Shaman, Feral Druid, and Arms Warrior. A lot of these classes are good at burst damage, single target, mobility, and so??me AoE.

C-Tier DPS

These are lower of the chain, but not terrible. Fury Warrior can be good, but it is heavily gear-dependent to be higher DPS, and compared to the other melee classes like Rogue and Feral druids, it has less survivability. Beast Master Hunters and Destruction Warlocks also fall into this tier, but Destruction Warlocks might? struggle with maintaining mana, and Beast Master hunters, while consistent damage, might struggle with keeping up when fights need mobility.

D-Tier DPS

The last two classes that fall here are Subtlety Rogue and Frost Mages. Both of these specializations struggle with damage output, which is very low, as well as their survivability. Howe??ver, Frost Mages are good for solo leveling, but they're not great for end-game content.

With the Blizzard Roadmap showing the path of Classic Cataclysm??, it's a good time to determine if players are going to stay with their chosen mains currently, or if they'll use the pre-patch to level a new main for Cataclysm content and raids.

The post Best Classes for early PV??E in World of Warcraft Class?ic: Cataclysm appeared first on Destructoid.

The Nintendo Switch, much like?? the Game Boy and Nintendo DS before it, carries with it the idea that it's a great console for kids. but there are some amazing games for adults on it that regularly stop us from putting it down for far too many hours.

With that in mind, I wanted to build a?? list of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults to show anyone on the fence about the console that there's plenty? for you to get stuck into the outside of the more powerful home consoles.

The best Nintendo Switch games for adults

Below, I've listed?? out what I believe to be the best Nintendo Switch games for adults. While not all of them a??re exclusively hardcore RPGs, each one has a world in which you can lose yourself.

When I play a game, I want an immersive narrative ?and world I can get lost in for several hours without even touching the main story. My kids, on the other ??hand, want quickfire rounds and a constant influx of new content in levels, items, and mechanics. If it's slow, they're not interested. It's on this basis that I've built this list.

There's nothing wrong with swapping Joy-Cons upon death or having someone watch you carve a fantastical path through an ancien?t world. Many of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults actually play better with someone else by your side. There are so many choices to be made in stories or new equipment to unlock that it pays to have a second head to?? make sure nothing gets missed.

20. Another Crab's Treasure

If you enjoy the Soulslike genre but the visuals tend to give you and your family nightmares, this is a great game to get into. In Another Crab's Treasure, you play a crab searching for their shell, but no one?? seems to want to help.

As a result, you've got to battle strange sea creatures across an Action RPG world that's going to test your mettle with a slew of bosses and tough battles in between. This game really isn't for the faint of heart. Despite the way its visuals paint a picture of a light undersea adventure, you'll emerge from this game dozens of hours later just as battle-scarred and broken as you would from Elden Ring.

19. Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a side-scrolling Metroidvania title with more substance than many games you'll encounter on the Switch. Inspired by the grief of losing a parent, the game tells a deep story of ?a young shaman coming to terms with the death of his father by attempting to subdue three spirits who have evaded the god of death.

It's an emotional tale that's backed up with some fa??ntastic gameplay. Combat is solid and traversal is mostly competent as well, though I had a few issues with it while playing. What I love most about the game is the scale of its world, which is massive and so easy to lose yourself in for up to 20 hours in total if you really want to see and do everything it has to offer.

18. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the best game in the series to date, and the Nintendo Switch version is just as good as any other. It's a classic Elder Scrolls game, starting you off as a prisoner before throwing you into an epic story that sees you travel across the continent of Skyrim during a civil war. Throw in the fact that dragons are being resurrected and terrorizing everyone, and you've got a massi?ve world to lose yourself in.

What I love most about Skyrim, and why I think it's a great game for adults, is just how wide open it is. You can follow the main quests and complete the game quickly, head off in any direction and ignore that story completely, or do a mix of both. Every time I sit down with it, I tell myself I'll complete one more main quest before heading off to do side activities. Of course, all I?? actually do i?s the side content. Sometimes, it's just alchemy, weapon-crafting, and selling all my junk to traders.

There's no end to the number of hours you can spend in the game. It's been updated over the years to include DLC and mods from the community, meaning the initial 400-hour runtime to complete everything is a dot in the distance. You could get a Switch and Skyrim and ?not need anything else for a year apart from food and water. A great game to kick off your time ?with the console.

17. Animal Crossing New Horizons

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you take a trip to an is??land getaway and must work with the locals to create the most attractive little paradise you can. The game is so laid back, though, and the goal I'?ve just outlined is extremely loose. Yes, there are certain stages you'll grow the island through by upgrading it and collecting items for various NPCs, but the overarching goal is to relax.

This game drew in millions of players during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, it sold so well that it be?came di?fficult to get a Nintendo Switch for a while. What I love most about it is how you can spend hour?s, days even, just tinkering wi??th how everything looks. Be it your flower arranging or making short trips to try to convince one of the more than 400 Villagers to join you, there's always something to do. Regardless of what you're doing, you're always immersed and relaxed.

16. Dark Souls Remastered

If you want to get lost in a world with mechanics you'll dream about, look no further than Dark Souls Remastered. This Switch port of the fa??ntastic original is just as good as the home console versions, packing in the expansive world of Lordran for you to tentatively trek acros?s while dying every 10 feet.

I really wish that was an exaggeration. This game is the one that popularized FromSoftware's "Soulsborne" genre. Combat is challenging but fair; the NPCs all laugh in a creepy yet quiet way, and there are tons of bosses to overcome. I've struggled against every boss in the game for longer than I'd like to a??dmit, but there's something about the adrenal surge you get from finally beating one that keeps you coming back. It's euphoric in the moment, but the game is ready to humiliate you all over again as soon as you turn the corner.

The grotesque enemies and incredibly dark world ??make this a game for adults. The lore of the game is? littered about in every item description, and it paints a sad picture of a once-prosperous land that's long been lost to darkness and madness.

15. Super Mario Odyssey

A staple game for any Nintendo Switch owner. Super Mario Odyssey is the console's flagship Mario game, and it's brilliant. The story is pretty easy to smash out if you want to rush through it, but that's not why you should buy it. There are 880 Moons to collect in this game, ??which are akin to the Stars of other Mario tit?les.

Finding these takes dozens of hours and forces you to gain a deeper understanding of how every level works. I loved revisiting levels I thought I'd cleared and knew rather well, only to discover a new type of Moon that was present in every other. Odyssey is continuously sur??prising, and that's rare given the series it's a part of. I thought I'd be done with it long before I was, and I'll never regret my Moon-hunting journey.

14. In Other Waters

If you love exploring strange worlds and can use your imagination, then In Other Waters is a perfect game to lose yourself in. The entire game takes place using an i??nteractive 2D ??UI shown above. You play as a researcher who finds a diving suit and explores ever deeper into this alien ocean. I don't want to spoil anything because the narrative is the whole point of playing, but I do want to encourage you to play because it's well worth your time.

If you have any interest in deep-sea fish, you'll find something to love here. The game focuses a lot on the biology of the alien world w??here it takes place. You're encouraged to scan lifeforms and explore to find all of t??hem, even if they're lurking in the brine pools.

13. Return of the Obra Dinn

It's almost impossible to talk about Return of the Obra Dinn without spoiling it, so I'll keep this short. This is a first-person narrative game where you study a ship that's suddenly appeared. It's intriguing and served as quite a successful follow-up to his previous game, Papers, Please. Don't skip this one if you love a good mystery.

12. Xenoblade Chronicles 1, 2 & 3

The Xenoblade Chronicles games are some of the best JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. The way each story is told is phenomenal, and the worlds are so vast and expansive that it'll quite often feel like you can't see everything that's in ?them.

I recommend playing all three of these games from start to finish just to see exactly what one of the most ambitious franchises on the Switch has to offer. The gameplay has action but still lends itself to those who want to think through every mo?ve, and there's very rarely a moment where you're sat waiting for something to happen or an ability to recharge. These games all thread through each other and connect in interesting ways, too.

That's why all three have to be on this list. You can't start the first game and not see things through to the third. You'll miss the combat system, the characters, and the synergies too much. If it's not the big, beautiful world you're looking for, there's no chance the gamep??lay w?ill be a letdown.

11. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Critically acclaimed upon release, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games ever made, and it's on Nintendo Switch. This is a Zelda game at its heart, with abilities unlocked over time to open up new avenues for gameplay in the world. However, it's also the new standard for open-world games.

As Link, you can go anywhere and do anything immediately after the tutorial. I hopped into it, having never touched the last game in the series, Breath of the Wild, and it didn't harm the experience at all. The story is fantastic, but it's the inviting world that will suck you in. There are signposted side quests, but also those that you'll have to seek out for yourself. Combined with what feels like millions of collectib??les, this is another game that you could own in isolation and never need another one.

10. World of Horror

In World of Horror, you're handed four or five mysteries every time you play a new run and must reach your objective after solving the??m without succumbing to the dangers that have overtaken the local area. This game is spooky, but its got a lot of runtime to delve into. I adore the aesthetics and world-building you get with every new bash at it, and it feels perfectly at home on the Switch despite being an adult game with pretty harrowing visuals.

9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a game that really needs no introduction. As the end of Geralt's (gaming) trilogy, it's the most grand adventure he's ever been on. You play a??s Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher, traveling across a fantastical world in search of his ward, Ciri. The journey is loaded with major plot points and plenty of smaller side quests along the way.

The thing that will keep you fully immersed in Geralt's final foray, though, isn't just?? the story. It's the consequences of your actions. The Witcher is a series well-known for implementing choices quite well, and that's never been better displayed than in this game. Some choices are telegraphed as having massive implications, while others aren't. More choices still will just get you killed, and every single conversation is a lesson in how much you can?? agonize over a decision for an hour at a time.

8. BioShock: The Collection

If you enjoy philosophical questions in your games, then you absolutely must play BioShock: The Collection. It brings together the original BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite. All three are interesting and worthy of being played in their own right. You can ha?ve all three in one package on yo??ur Switch, though.

Each of the BioShock games presents an alternative reality and explores it. What if the greatest minds in the world moved to an underwater city? What if a city lifted itself from the ground to be unshackled by the rules of the world? These questions and more are answered and created as you play. The reason you'll lose yourself in them is bec??ause you'll want to replay them so often. Whether it's testing out Plasmid combinations or just reliving the best parts, you'll never want to put them down.

7. Dead Cells

Dead Cells is one of the best Metroidvania games in recent memory. It was supported with regular, meaning full content updates for years and now stands as a complete package that you don't even begin to master until you're a few hours in. The goal of this game is to escape the ever-changin?g combination of rooms and biomes you must battle your way through for eternity. Helping you do this is a range of randomized weapons and items that make for some truly ingenious combo synergies in combat.

The reason you'll get lost with Dead Cells is that you won't be able to stop thinking about your next run. It's?? not necessarily about beating the next boss. It's about getting the right gear to make your bui??ld and pin that boss in place while it slowly dies without you moving a muscle.

6. Vampire Survivors

You may have heard of Vampire Survivors ?because of its simple gameplay and fairly regular updates and DLC. The thing is, you don't know anything about it until you start playing. In the beginning, you move a slow character around a screen while they automatical??ly fight enemies before dying.

After a few runs, you'll se??e that the gam??e is actually more about the items you pick and choose and how they can help you get to the end of a run. This is true reverse bullet hell. You'll become engrossed by the menus as you pour over every available item and evolution. You'll go from wanting to survive to wanting to beat Death. As long as you have the time to spare, this can become a game for adults that consumes entire weekends.

5. Bayonetta 2 & 3

The Bayonetta series is, in my opinion, better than any Devil May Cry game. While Capcom's fast-paced action series inspired these Switch games, Bayonetta finds its own footing with its main lead, Bayonetta. She's a sass?y witch who can use her hair, which is also her outfit, to summon demons into the world to do her battling for her.

Of course, there's so much more to the game than this. There are weapons and powers to upgrade, various goals to return to older missions to hit, and stories that kee?p on getting bigger no matter how many times you think they've hit the roof. I love these games, and so do most Nintendo Switch owners, which is why you've got to give them a go as an adult if you haven't already.

4. Dave the Diver

On the surface, Dave the Diver is a fishing game in which you catch fish out at sea and then sell them to be eaten somewhere else. But that would be too easy. This game eases you in with that pr??e??mise before showing you the depths to which you'll have to swim if you want to master it.

What makes this game so good for adults are the jokes, the minigames, and the sheer breadth of stuff to do. There's never a dull moment, whether you're uncovering a new minigame scene, hunting down a powerful fish, or cooking up a storm. Dave the Diver has something ??for everyone, making it a great starting point on the Switch.

3. Cult of the Lamb

Cult of the Lamb is a cutesy little action-RPG/management simulator in which you run a cult?? and sacrifice your followers. Its complex systems are easy to learn and will keep you engaged for the entire runtime. There are also fun features that you'll unlock over time that help prolong your cult's existence, such as cult babies.

There is so much cult management to learn that you won't want to stop playing. There's never a dull moment while you're trying to appease the dark gods. Just don't be fooled by the visuals; this is mainly a game for adults, and you'll see why as soon as you start pla?ying.

2. Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1

The first three Metal Gear Solid games are masterpieces. Thankfully, Konami re-released them alongside a couple of classic entries in Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1. This package gives you three incredible stealth games to learn and play through before attempting to master the top-down 2D ones ?that came befor??e them.

With this collection, you have to master sneaking around as a super-spy. It's all about hiding around corners, luring guards to their deaths, and getting stuck in incredibly long cutscenes. Every? game in this collection is a classic in its own right because it sets a respective standard for stealth gameplay, and now you can enjoy them all in one place.

Another nice part of these games for adults is how they reference real-world events. I'm talking about the Cold War and all the various conspiracies surrounding it. The alt-history fiction that's been built for the games? to exist in is grounded yet completely unbeli?evable, with all its theories brought to life.

1. Dredge

If you love fishing games but want some cosmic horror thrown into the mix, Dredge is the perfect game for you. After crashing into a small island community dock, you'll gain a ship and must start ?earning a living by fishing. A??fter a few days, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. Some of the fish are corrupted in odd ways, the people around you have lost their minds, and there's a strange red light in the distance.

Over the course of the story, you'll recover certain items required by an acquaintance. This journey takes you all around the game's world, upgrading your boat and fishing as you go. Every biome is interesting and unique, and you'll end up playing so much that you'll complete it before you want it to be over. Dredge just feels ideal for the Switch.

The post The 20 be???st Nintendo Switch games for adults to lose yourself in appeared first on Destructoid.

While Roblox is often associated with younger gamers, there's a side that caters exclusively to a mature audience. Some titles have even earned age restrictions, a testament to their adult-oriented content. So, if you're seeking the best Roblox games for adults, your search ends here. 

The Poker Parlour

Gambling, a relative rite of passage into adulthood, can now be experienced in the virtual realm of The Poker Parlor. Engage in a classic Texas Hold 'Em game, Roblox style, and strategize your way to victory. The best part? The Poker Parlor&nb??sp;doesn't require Robux for chips, ensuring a worry-free gambling experience without needing in-game currency. 

Crazy Cards 17+

For an exclusive Roblox adult experience, try Crazy Cards 17+. It's similar to the whimsical Cards Against Humanity, often bringing out hilarious scenarios through odd card choices. Judges will select prompts such as "I heard your sister loves..." or "I can't believe you invented..." Then, players will follow up with a response for the chance to win the best answer. Given that it is the adult version, potty mouthers are welcomed through Crazy Cards 17+'s extensive catalog of profanity.

Fantastic Frontier

Not all the best Roblox games for adults are limited to the 17+ bracket. Fantastic Frontier, an action RPG, is a prime example. This game offers an explorative adventure? for players of all ages. Explore a massive map filled with formidable monsters, fishing spots, and valuable loot. While it may not have explicit adult content, its complex gameplay, challe??nging quests, and relatively mature themes make it a game that adult players can truly appreciate.

The Bar/Drinks On Tap

Although Drinks On Tap/The Bar aren't necessarily games per se, they still showcase a unique experience for adult Robloxers. Both titles are restricted to 17+ users and provide a social hangout spot for virtual drink connoisseurs. At The Bar, you can relax and sip the finest drinks or have a stirring conversation with fellow players on Drinks On Tap's outdoor patio. These spots are designed to make you feel welcomed and part of the adult Roblox community. 

Centaura

If you're a Battlefield lover or enjoy shooters, Centauru should be your next Roblox pick. The entry places you and your squadron in the center of an all-out war, where everyone has a part to play. To provide more variety for players, it has various roles, like Medic, Flamethrower, and Mortarman. Centauru is also heavily team-based, making it ??a great choice for those who enjoy cooperative gameplay. 

Dead Silence

Dead Silence, known as one of the scariest games in Roblox, is a title that even adults may find chilling, especially when venturing alone. Dead Silence follow?s the legend of Mary Shaw, a ??dark entity that lingers in the dark-lit halls. As you explore a map packed with countless jump scares, you'll uncover the sinister secrets within, adding to the thrill and suspense. 

Isle

Roblox's Isle presents a gripping survivalist journey, stranding you and other ?players on a deserted island. Whether you choose to work together, turn against allies, or run it solo, the adventure is yours to shape. The treacherous peninsula is filled with deadly enemies, bringing more exciting challenges. Isle is a perfect choice for survivalist enthusiasts, offering an adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

Welcome to Bloxburg

Simulation titles have taken over many adult gamers' collections, so why not add another great entry with Welcome to Bloxburg? Live out an entire life virtually, where you can design a dream house, pursue a career, and establish a family legacy. You could also compare it to The Sims 4, primarily concerning its elaborate building customization and creative storytelling. However, unlike The Sims 4, Welcome to Bloxburg has multiplayer capabilities that allow you to bui??ld entire communities together.

HOURS

Now that we've hit a variety of game genres, let's delve into a unique fighting game. Hours is an excellent entry for adult Roblox players hunting for a thrilling single-player experience. With the ability to manipulate time, you'll face off against waves of enemies, each more challenging than the last. If you're craving even more excitement, Hours' Endless Mode offers a never-ending battle aga???inst advanced AI foes. 

Industrialist

For adult Robloxers seeking a truly challenging experience, Industrialist offers a complex management world. As you navigate the intricate chain-line layouts, you'll build a thriving factory empire. Just like in the real world, toxic pollution will gradually accumulate, and it's up to you to decipher the best methods and strategies. It's a journey that may take hours to fully understand, but the s?ense of accomplishment is worth it.

The post 10 Best Roblox games for adults appeared first on Destructoid.

As one of the premiere survival games of yesteryear that keeps coming back into relevance through sheer persistence and perseverance, Ark: Survival Evolved is a bit of a must-play. Thing is, though, tha??t the base game is just the start, and there's a wealth of DLC to choose ??from, too.

To be a tad more specific, Ark: Survival Evolved has two tiers of DLC to choose from: the map DLCs are free, while the actual expansion packs are feature-rich and content-heavy in most ways that matter. As comparing maps with actual expansion packs is fairly challenging in most senses, that's not what we're interested? in. Instead, below you'll find a more?? in-depth summary of the paid expansion packs' respective feature sets and value propositions, with a dedicated map shortlist featured at the end. Have fun!

Ranking the Ark: Survival Evolved DLCs from worst to best

#5: Genesis - Part 1

Ark: Survival Evolved - Genesis is a standout DLC for the game, in both of its respective parts. Part 1, specifically, massively changed the game by partially pivoting away from the original experience's free-form survival sandbox to dedicated missions. The shift in focus is visible primarily in the way players attain items: they complete the aforementioned missions to earn currency which is, in turn, traded in for blueprints, gear, and other assorted goodies. You cannot grind for these items, and the shift from barebones survival to full-fledged ?sci-fi doesn't help either.

So, Genesis - Part 1 is the worst Ark DLC in our book, but that's not to say it's totally unredeemable. Indeed, this DLC is extremely visually interesting and comes with an immense roster of cool creatures to fiddle around with. So, there's meri??t in playing it for sure.

#4: Scorched Earth

Scorched Earth is infamous for two reasons: the fact that it was a $20 DLC released during the game's Early Access stint, and its introduction of full-blooded fantasy creatures into Ark: Survival Evolved. Remember: before Scorched Earth came out, Ark was far more rooted in "reality," with prehistoric animals that were, broadly, parallel to what we had in the real world. Then, in comes Scorched Earth with dragons, manticores, phoenixes, and more.

The thing about Scorched Earth, though, is that it's perfectly in line with the baseline Survival Evolved gameplay loop. Unlike the two Genesis DLCs, it's a ?solid offering that simply gives you more of a challenge - if you want it. Plenty of var?iety to speak of, too, considering the biome shift.

#3: Genesis: Part 2

Genesis: Part 2 is, in all the ways that count, a direct follow-up to the original Ark: Genesis release, except substantially better. This DLC, too, leans extremely heavily towards Ark's deep??er science-fiction lore, mutant creatures, an?d (arguably) overdesigned technology, but the core gameplay loop is much, much better however you look at it.

As the first Genesis DLC's progression, specifically, was a major point of contention, Part 2 allows players to begin missions from anywhere on the map, use flying creatures to move around the map, and enjoy a wide variety of assorted quality-of-life fixes. In practice, the end result is that you can safely skip Part 1 in lieu of Part 2, provided that you don't care much about Ark's lore, of course.

#2: Extinction

Ark: Survival Evolved - Extinction is the best story-heavy DLC the game has. Its biggest draw is that Extinction takes place on Earth, rather than the Ark itself, which is a phenomenally engaging sandbox to survive in. All the fan-favourite creatures get variants with bumped-up, endgame-tier stats (Corrupted variants), and you can even tame bosses if yo??u're really skilled and/or lucky. Wild? stuff.

The Extinction DLC is also loaded with oodles of handy blueprints and other assorted goodies. Essentially an endgame-tier DLC, Extinction makes it really easy to gear up and stock up on useful gear and dinosaurs, and though it's not too solo-friendly, it remains a high-point for Ark: Survival Evolved's expansion pack lineup.

#1: Aberration

Finally, Ark: Survival Evolved - Aberration is our favorite DLC for the game. Visually stunning, surprisingly well-balanced, and absolutely loaded with PvE content, Aberration encapsulates everything that matters about Ark's endgame in a satisfying and meaningful way. From the terrifying Reapers to the delightful Bulbdogs, Aberration's creature roster is a best-of selection for the game, provided that you can embrace Ark's?? core sci-fi aesthetic, instead of the more grounded early-??game survival vibes.

Aberration also empowers the player in extremely meaningful ways. You get to wield climbing picks, wingsuits, ziplines, hazard suits, and loads more - all necessary to survive the game's final trudge. Aberration's map, too, is a far cry from most anything that comes before, as it's mostly set underneath a dying Ark - in its cave systems and other damp places. Things do go bump in the dark here, and if you're only going to splurge on one DLC for Ark, Aberration best encapsulates all the high-points of the ?game's endgame-tier content.

Ranking the Ark: Survival Evolved maps from worst to best

As you can freely check out any of the six Ark: Survival Evolved maps at your own pace, we felt it was best not to muddle the paid DLC ranking with these bonus pieces of content. Of course, there is a difference in value and quality from the worst free Ark map to the best, and so, our list is as follows:

• #6: Lost Island
• #5: Crystal Isles
• #4: The Center
• #3: Valguero
• #2: Ragnarok
• #1: Fjordur

The reasoning is simple, too. Whereas Fjordur successfully melds the very best features and content of Ark with a meaningfully new and interesting playing field, Lost Island is far too similar to the objectively superior Valguero map to be able to eke out a higher rank. Further, Fjordur doesn't lean too heavily into the game's sci-fi aspects (which you either love or hate, no two ways about it) which allows its core survivalist gameplay loop to be more pronounced. At least, in the early stages of your playthrough. Again, though, we recommend you give these maps a shot if possible, just to see what they're all about. The odds are good that your shortlist of the best Ark: Survival Evolved map??s will differ f??rom ours to some extent, so see how you fare!

The post Best Ark: Survival Evolved DLCs, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

It seems like, no matter what you’re doing, you can’t escape Taylor Swift these days. Whether you’re scrolling through social media, looking for a quick watch, or strolling down the street, there she is. Perhaps it's no surprise then that she's also in demand on Infinite Craft.

There’s even a community of Swifties on Discord and Reddit on a mission to find every single song the pop powerhouse has released, and they’re doing incredibly well. They’ve dozens of her songs, some of them still puzzling (how on earth do you get “with spaces�?on Infinite Craft?), but regardless, the effort is astonishing.

So yes, technically, it’s possible to get most of, if not all, of Taylor Swift's discography in Infinite Craft, but some are definitely easier to manage than others. With that said, I've got an easier sampling here of how to make Taylor Swift songs in Infinite Craft out of more basic word combinations. Just make sure you know how to make Taylor Swift in Infinite Craft before proceeding.

1. Shake it Off

One of the easiest Taylor Swift songs to create in Infinite Craft is 'Love Story'. The only thing you need to worry about for this one is making Taylor herself. Once you’ve done that, simply make Dust, which you get by combining t?he following words:

• Earth + Wind = Dust

Once you’ve made Dust, combine it with Taylor Swift to get ‘Shak??e it Off�?

2. Blank Space

To make ‘Blank Space�?in Infinite Craft, you’ll need to ??combine Taylor Swift and Snow. It's a fe?w more steps, but still another easy one. To make snow, use these words:

Once you’ve got Snow,?? you can add it to Tayl??or Swift for her song, ‘Blank Space�?

3. Bad Blood

To get ‘Bad Blood�?in Infinite Craft, you rather predictably need to make Blood first, which isn’t too? ??complicated:

Once you’ve got Blood, simply combine it with Taylor Swift to get ‘B??ad Blood�?

4. Anti-Hero

Unless you were living under a rock in the Summer of 2022?, you couldn’t escape this hit from Taylor's tenth studio album, Midnights. To get ‘Anti-Hero�? you’ll need the two main ingredients of any comic book �?a Hero and a Villain.

The Hero is technically only used to make the Villain, but you’ll need to make it firs?t:

Once you’ve managed to make?? Villain, s??imply add Villain and Taylor Swift together in order to get ‘Anti-Hero�?

5. Love Story

This classic Taylor Swift song, and a favorite of men wanting to propose to the Swiftie future wives everywhere, can be creat??ed by combining Taylor Swift and most royal-based things.  The easiest way is to combine Taylor Swift with King, though. 

To get King in Infinite Craft, follow this recipe:

Once you’ve made King, simply combine it with Taylor Swift?? to get ‘Love Story?�?

6. 22

There is? an easier re??cipe to make �?2�?than the one I’m going to detail below, but it involves some very questionable steps that I’m not comfortable listing here. This method is convoluted, to say the least, involving a long recipe to make Seven:

Step one: Number 1

Step two: Seven

C?ombine these two together to get the number 1. Onc?e you’ve got that, it’s time to do some basic math:

Now that you’ve got Seven, you can combine it with Taylor Swift for some questionable maths, resulting in �?2�?/p>

7. Teardrops on my Guitar

This one ??is a bit of a challenge, but it can be done in a few stages. To eventually get this recipe, you’ll need two things - Taylor Swift and Prequel, but Prequel itself is not easy to get and should be ??broken down into a few steps.

Step one: Reboot

Once you’ve got these two, combine Crash and System to make Reboot. 

Step two: Movie

Now you need t??o make Movie, which has many different combinations, but this was the easiest one I could figure out:

Step three: Opposite

Once you’ve got these two, combine them to make Movie, ?then combine Movie and Reboo??t to get Sequel. Now we need to make Opposite, which is done using the following two things:

Now combine these to create Opposite, then add Opposite to Sequel to result in Prequel. After this long journey, you’re now free to add Prequel to Taylor Swift for the resulting ‘Teardrops on my Guitar�?in Infinite Craft. Phew. 

The post 7 Taylor Swift songs to make in Infinite Craft appeared first on Destructoid.