Since its release in 2022, Elden Ring has continued to top the ch?arts across PC and consoles, and you can now pick it up at a discount i??f you're on Xbox or PlayStation.

Ahead of the festive season, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware's mercurial hit is having a handy discount on the Amazon s??tore. While the digital version has no discount as of writing, you can save your hard-earned money while adding a physical disc to your collection. Let's take a look at how much you can potentiall??y save by taking advantage of the deals.

Elden Ring PlayStation deal

Typically, Elden Ring costs $59.99 to purchase on both PS4 and PS5. This is the Standard Edition, which doesn't include the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. However, you can save more than $10 by buying it ??from here. The deal gets sweeter for th??ose on the PS4, who will have to spend only $39.88.

For PS5, you'll have to shell out $49.94, which is still less than the regular price. While the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition is also available for purchase, you'll have to shell out the full cost of $79.99. Since Elden Ring can be pretty tricky to get into if you have never played a soulslike, it's better to get the Standard Edition. While Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is d??efinitely worth its price, you can always add it to your collection as a standal?one purchase later.

Elden Ring Xbox deal

If you're on the green side of consoles, worry not. Instead of having to spend $59.99, Xbox Se?ries X|S users can pick it up for $49.68. Unfortunately, there's no such deal in place for those on the Xbox One. Fo??r now, the savings are only available for current-gen Xbox console users.

Despite being two and a half years old, Elden Ring continues to win the hearts of gamers all over the world. It has everything yo??u'll want in a video game - great single and multiplayer experience, challenging combat, and an immersive world. Miyaza??ki's masterpiece has won several awards since its release, and you can expand your adventures with content from the DLC.

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Black Myth: Wukong has dozens of boss??es that you’ll fight one after the other in what feels like an ongoing gauntlet, but which of them is the hardest? Breaking it down, here are the ten biggest foes standi?ng in your journey to the West.

The hardest bosses in Black Myth: Wukong

This list may have spoilers if you have yet to beat the game. There are also bosses that you may have miss??ed if you did not fully explore the game.

Tiger Vanguard

The Tiger Vanguard is a highly aggressive boss who quickly narrows the gap between you and him.? It’s hard to play defensively against him, ??as he’ll constantly be punching you, lunging at you, or tackling you with his weapon. 

On top of that, he has the Rock Solid parry move that can stagger you and set you up to die if you fall for it. You have to respect his moves and wait for an opening. Encountering him really amps up the difficulty in Black Myth: Wukong.

Whiteclad Noble

The Whiteclad Noble is one of the earliest bosses on this list who will give players a run for their money. He has a lot of ra??nged and delayed attacks that can really ruin your flow and oftentimes throw you off. There’s also the whole poison aspect of the fight, so now you have to worry about damage-over-time (DoT) killing you.

To make matters worse, he’s one of the few bosses in the game who has a second phase with a wh??ole new life bar. It’s all about patience and avoiding the delayed attacks in both phases so you can kick his face in and move on in Chapter 1.

Captain Lotus-Vision

Captain Lotus-Vision was such a headache that he got nerfed. Jokes aside, this boss tests you on dodging projectiles because this bos?s has plenty of that. There’s more dodging than actual combat in the fight, which is a shame because it's visually cool.

However, the problem with fighting Captain Lotus-Vision is that you have to deal with the camera bugging out and the madness buildup from the Pagoda Rea??lm. The boss itself isn’t annoying, it’s the mechanics out of your control that are.

Yin Tiger

The Blacksmith, Yin Tiger, makes the other tiger bosses in this game seem like a pushover. He’s even faster, more agg?ressive, and has a lot of counterplay against the Destined One i?n this duel. 

He can absorb your attacks? with his defensive stance, powering up his blade. He can then reverse that damage onto you and almost one-shot you. He teleports and zips around constantly, so it makes locking on tough. Lastly, he’s heavily resistant to the Immobilize spell, so hitting him once when he’s affected will break him out of it.

Scorpion Lord

The Scorpion Lord is fast, aggressive, and covers a lot of ground with each of his attacks. He does not respect your space and you have to act accordingly with it. Pair that with the fact that most of his moves will inflict Poison Bane on you, so you’re constan?tly dodging, receiving DoT, and struggling to drink your gourd.

Once you see his claw or tail glowing, you better be ready to dodge tho??se moves in particular. Those will sting (literally). 

Yellow Wind Sage

The ??Yellow Wind Sage is going to be a hard roadbl??ock for many people’s first playthrough of Black Myth: Wukong. A lot of his moves have these small delays and secondary effects to them, so it’s hard to actually ti??me your dodge??s correctly. His staff has a ridiculous range so it’s hard to keep your distance.

Not to mention, when he? starts conjuring up the sand tornado all around, everything is harder to see. He gets more aggressive and can combo you?? into a quick death. Sure, you can use the Wind Tamer to negate most of that, but the fight itself is still quite a headache.

Lastly, that kick is the bane of my existence. It happens so quickly that I always get comboâ€??™d into that animation as he recites that he’s beyond mercy toward his master and that he, the “foul disciple, has bested the monkey once againâ€?

Yellow Loong

The Yellow Loong is like the way harder version of the Cyan Loong who you figh??t on Turtle Island from Chapter 3. Everything he does inflicts Thunder Bane on you, the ground in this arena is so uneven, and the space you have for th??is fight is very small. 

This guy sucks. He’s the amalgamation of all the annoying things you may have encountered so far in Black Myth: Wukong turned into one epic fight. Delayed moves, sudden thrust attacks, and punishing AoE make this boss an easy top pick for the? hardest bosses.

Yellowbrow

The actual Yellowbrow fight is just a painful experience all around. Every time he coats himself in gold, you have to build up your focus and use a charged attack to dispel it. Think of this fight as going up against ??Captain Lotus-Vision but with more BS all around.?? 

The constant teleporting, the keep-away tactics he pulls, and how he trivi?alizes your spells make this boss a nightmare. So much happens in this fight that, if ?you even let your guard down for half a second, it’s a wipe.

Erlang Shen

Erlang Shen from the game’s prologue is the secret final boss after beating the base game and is now back with a bunch of other moves to kill you. He was easy in the prologue because you had infinite health and mana, but here, it’s a true test of e??verything you l?earned on your first playthrough.

He’s fast, has ranged attacks, and performs so many combos that it’s hard to know when it’s your turn to hit him. You can’t get too greedy as he can easily c??ounter you. Also, all that flying he does turns ??a lot of this fight into mastering dodging and stamina management.  

The only saving grace of this ??fight is that his phases are still on the same?? life bar. Everything after the initial encounter on Mount Mei is pure spectacle.

The Great Sage's Broken Shell (Final boss)

While Erlang Shen is technically the true final boss, Th?e Grea??t Sage’s Broken Shell has true final boss energy. Having all of your abilities amped up to 11, this hollow shell of the Monkey King has range, big damage, elemental buildup, and many animation locks. 

You basically have to play the first phase of this fight perfectly so that you have (hopefully) enough heals for the second and fin??al phase. On top of that, you can even have your heals stol??en from you, giving him a free few heals along the way. 

This is the fight where?? you want to use your best build and give it your all because the huge increase in difficulty is quite dramatic.

While there may be other bosses who probably should have been up here who didn’t make the cut like the Wandering Wight or the Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master, these are significantly harder. Most other tough bosses in th?e game are light skill checks or stat checks, but all of these are both.

The post The ten hardest bosses in Black?? Myth: Wukong, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

United Label and Odd Bug Studio have announced that Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter, the sequel to their 2021 action-?RPG, will be released in February 2025 fo??r PC and consoles. This is technically a delay from their planned 2024 release, but only slightly.

For some reason, rodents make the best fantasy protagonists, as proven by Redwall and Ghost of a Tale. Writing for Destructoid at the time, Chris Moyse gave the first Tails of Iron a 7.5 in a review laced with praise, calling it “one of the year’s most distinctive RPG experiences.�/p>

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter moves the action far to the north. You play as Arlo, “heir to the Warden of the Wastes.�The game is a sidescrolling, soulslike, dark fantasy game. After the F?rog/Rat war, Bats rise up as a threat. Arlo has to travel the northern wastes in an? effort to “Hunt down giant beasts. Unite disparate clans. Upgrade your settlement. And discover a terrible secret of blood and crown…�Rad.

Moyse’s review got me interested in Tails of Iron, but I have to be honest with you: it occupies this spa??ce that is high enough to make me consider buying it but low enough on my priorities where I’m not sure I’ll ever play it. The side-scroller genre is so packed these days. I can barely even look at a game with “metroidvania�in the description. I don’t hate these types of games; it’s just that I’ve played so many of them throughout my life that it’s hard to get excited. I don’t have time between games that have seized my attention anymore. Once I finish one, it’s onto another. Though, truly, I’m often playing multiple games in tandem; alternating between them.

What I’m saying is that Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter looks great?. You should play it, and then I’ll live vicarious??ly through your experience.

Tails of Iron 2?? releases in February 2025 for Xbox On?e, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC.

The post R??odent-positive action-RPG Tails of Iron 2 releases in Februar?y appeared first on Destructoid.

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

What are Focus Points in Black Myth: Wukong?

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

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

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

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

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

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

When finishing Chapter One of Black Myth: Wukong, you're given the Craving Eyes relic, ??and a choice to pick between three permanent buffs for your character. If you're wondering which of the three you should choose, then you've come to the right place.

Which buff should you choose for Craving Eyes in Black Myth: Wukong?

To add a little clarity, you're given this choic??e right after completing Chapter 1, just after the cutscen?e. The relic you obtained from defeating the Black Wind is Craving Eyes, and it comes with three character-defining benefits that can significantly impact your build.

• Opportune Watcher - Increased Focus gain after consecutive successful Light Attacks
• Eagle Eye - Unveiled Strike has a massively reduced cooldown if it lands
• Keen Insight - Massive increase to your Critical Hit Damage

All three choices are incredibly impactful, and it's easy to under why it's such a hard choice. However, based on my experience with RPGs, and Black Myth: Wukong in general, I recommend running Opportune Watcher over all th?e other two. The reason is simple: Consistency.

Eagle Eye, while strong, has the significant drawback of having a Mana cost in order to use the ability. This means, that after e??nough uses, you won't be able to use Unveiled Strike again unless you rest at a Shrine. This is rather lackluste?r and about as far from consistent as possible.

Keen Insight, on the other hand, provides a big bo??ost to your CRIT DMG, which is very strong, but only if you have the CRIT chance to make use of it. Without enough C??RIT, this upgrade hardly does anything. It, also, is not consistant.

Finally, we come to Opportune Watcher, an upgrade that gives you a constant supply of Focus Points to work with, all a??t the cost of simply attacking the enemy. I recommend it because there are no other activation requirements, and it is always active. It allows y??ou to use your Heavy Attack combos more often, which means more damage.

Can you respect Craving Eyes in Black Myth: Wukong?

At present, there’s no way to respec Craving Eyes, so whichever path you choose will be permanent for now. Thankfully, each option offers unique strengths, so no matter which direction you take, you'll be well-equipped for the challenges ahead. While there's no respec feature yet, it’s poss??ible this could change with future updates. I'll keep you informed as more information becomes available.

The post Whic??h talent should you pick for Craving Eyes in Black Myth: Wukong? appeared first on Destructoid.

Resolute Counterflow is an extremely helpful and core mechanic in Black Myth: Wukong, but the description given in-game makes it a little confusing to understand. It took me a moment of trial and error to pick up the move, so allow me to save you a little tim?e and explain how it works, so you can perform it as needed.

How to use Resolute Counterflow in Black Myth: Wukong

First, Resolute Counterflow's entire purpose is to give you an out during your attack string. Enemies get really aggressive later on in Black Myth: Wukong, and sometim??es simply dodg??ing the incoming attack is not enough.

To use Resolute Counterflow, you first need to gather enough Focus Points, as the move requires you to have at least one. When you have one, to perform the move, you first need to begin your Light Attack string. In the middle of it, pressing Heavy Attack will allow you to perform Resolute Counterflow, which looks like a downward strike. The move interrupts everything you were doing pr??ior, effectively making it a cancel move; a benefit in a pinch.

More importantly, the 'counter' part of Resolute Counterflow comes from perfectly timing the activation of the move with an attack that would otherwise hit and deal damage to you. This?? results in a significantly more powerful attack that will deal more damage and inflict ??more poise damage on the enemy. You'll know if you did it right when your character is glowing red during the attack animation.

A successful Resolute Counterflow counter prevents you from taking damage from the attack you countered and any attacks that would normally land during the animation. This move is especially useful during boss fights, as many of Black Myth: Wukong's bosses have long attack strings, making it difficult to get hits in wi??thout it.

The post What is Re?solute Counterflow in Black Myth: Wukong? appeared first on Destructoid.

While Black Myth: Wukong may?? not be a traditional Souls-like, it shares enough challenging elements—such as its demanding difficulty level—that choosing your early stats and talents wisely is crucial for a smoother experience.

If you need a little guidance on which stats to take starting out, here's everything you need to know about early game stats and talents in Black Myth Wukong.

Best Early Game Talents in Black Myth: Wukong

There are many interesting abilities and talents you can invest in early in Black Myth: Wukong, and you might be interested in doing so because of that. However, Black Myth: Wukong is a fairly difficult game and it really doesn't pull its punches the further you progress. To that end, the most important stats you should take are the ones that boost your survivability and ability to evade enemy attacks. Health,? stamin?a, and evasion are what your early points should be focused upon, not damage.

With your first six points, I highly recommend investing in the Robust Constitution talent under the Foundation-Survivial tree. That talent boosts your health by a decent margin an?d will allow you more room for error. More room for error means more options to adapt.

After that, I recommend going for Deft Evasion in the Foundation-Stamina tree. This?? talent considerably improves your ability to avoid enemy attacks, allowing you to cancel your early Light attack combo into a seamless dodge. This is important because, later on, you won't be able to just sit there and Light attack enemies to death.

Under the same tree, you should invest at least one point into Simian Agility, Endurance, and Everlasting Vigor. These talents enhance your mobility, but the primary reason to invest in them is that they are prerequisites for unlocking Composure. This ??talent allows you to continue your Light attack combo string even if you dodge during it. You can be far more aggressive when attacking because you no longer need to be concerned about br?eaking your attack chain.

The last early-game Talent you should consider taking is Exhilaration, under the Staff Stances tree. This talent improves your Health recovery when consuming a Focus Point, which makes it a great way to heal with??out using a charge of your Gourd. This doubles as a benefit, as taking at least three points in this tree earns you a second Focus Point.

While many of these Talents are not the most interesting and are largely passive, it's important to get the survivability concerns out of the way so that you can actively take the more 'fun' Talents and stats without concern of dying all the time. Hopefully, this helps your adventure in Black Myth: Wukong.

The post Best early game stats in Black Myth: Wukong appeared first on Destructoid.

Black Myth: Wukong is a new action-RPG that should appeal to those who are keen on Souls-like games, particularly Sekiro. In fact, it looks as though plenty of people have already got a taste for it, as the numbers show Game Science's new release is really blowing up ??on Steam.

Despite only coming out today, Black Myth is boasting some staggering numbers on SteamDB. At the time of writing, the game has registered 2,151,942 players within the last few moments, and it's going up all t??he time. That's to say nothing of the PS5 figures.

To put that into perspective, Elden Rings's peak concurrent player count on PC was 953,426 about two and a half years ago. Even more mind-blowing, it's beaten this year's smash hit Palworld, which, at its highest, registered ??2,101??,867 concurrent players, according to SteamDB.

Woah-kong!

God I love a pun. Anyway, over two million players within hours of release means Black Myth is currently the second-most played game on Steam. The only thing that's ahead of it is PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, which had a record of 3,257,248 players over six years ago. Counter-Strike 2 looks l?ike small fries compared to these numbers.

Given what we're currently seeing �seriously, Wukong's concurrent player count keeps going up literally as I'm writing this �it's almost certain that the game is going to smash PUBG's figures. By the time this gets published on the site, that may already have happe?ned.

For something that, to some, appears to have come out of nowhere, Black Myth: Wukong is easily going to be the talk of the town. Its gorgeous visuals and lean toward Chinese mythology are evidently things that have tickled a lot of people's fanci??es.

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Bloodborne The Board Game is a faithful and run adaptation of the hit video game, and comes with four expansions to add even more Yharnam adventures. Here are all of the Bloodborne The Board Game expansions, ranked.

Pleas?e note that I will be excluding kickstarter exclusive expansions from this list, as ?it would be unfair to rank them alongside the commercially available ones. For any completionists out there, your only hope is to get them second hand, I'm afraid.

1. Forsaken Cainhurst Castle

The Forsaken Cainhurst Castle expansion for Bloodborne The Board Game is one of two expansions that adds two new campaigns and a side chapter ??that can be integrated into any other campaign in the franchise. However, the theme, choices, and the inclusion of my sweet darling ?boy Alfred, this one takes the top spot.

After playing the first chapter of Forsaken Cainhurst Castle, the players will have a choice in pic?king a side in an ancient conflict. This will dictate the following narrative and conflicts, although both? paths are interesting and fun to play.

Traversing the complicated and interestingly constructed tiles of Cainhurst Castle was fun in itself, and the peculiar and haunting quests that must be completed allowed for a gripping and thematic experience. Although the general roster of enemies aren't the most interesting of all the Bloodborne The Board Game expansions, I found the narrative, quests, and layo??ut to be the most enticing.

Th??e?? bosses are also awesome, with both Annalise and Martyr Logarius posing some serious threats in their fights. Upon completing one of the campaigns, I instantly wanted to play again on the other side. The extra side chapter is also something I keep hoping to come across in every other game I play.

2. Forbidden Woods

Like Forsaken Castle Cainhurst, Forbidden Woods comes with two full campaigns and a side chapter that can be played in any other Bloodborne The Board Game campaign. The murky and dangerous woods provides a great change of pace, and the enemies here are likely my favorite in all of the?? expansions.

The terrain tiles here really makes me feel as though I'm in unwelcome and mysterious territory, and the venomous and foul enemies are both a dread and a joy to fight. My friend and I only just managed to get past chapter one after passing all our other games with relative ?ease.

Although the theme and narratives I never found quite as interesting as in Forsaken Cainhurst Castle, this expansion stuck out to me a little more during p??lay. CMON nailed the environmental and immersive element of traveling the awful woods without any idea of what's to come next.

The bosses here are great, although I dreaded the forsaken giant board much, much more. As with Cainhurst's side chapter, I looked forward to playing the Forbidden Woods side chapter in all future campaigns.

3. Chalice Dungeon

The Chalice Dungeon expansion for Bloodborne The Board Game adds a huge deal of content and provides two new ways of playing the game. With a whole new tile set, new hunters, and many new enemies, the Chalice Dungeons of Yharnam will prov?ide exciting and toothier one-shots.

The goal in these sessions are simple. To work with or against other players to find the dungeon's boss and eliminate it. With five new bosses and seven new enemies, as well as being compatible with any assortment of bosses and enemies from other campaigns, the Chalice Dungeon allows you to go all-in with the exciting action that Bloodborne The Board Game provides.

Additionally, traps will provide additional challeng??es, which the PvP mode will only further exacerbate. Engaging in awfully tense and dreadful fights as you work your way to the boss never gets boring and is always personal.

Some of the bosses here are simply incredible, and the tile? sets are the coolest of the?? lot, in my opinion, anyway.

4. Hunter's Dream

The Hunter's Dream expansion for Bloodborne The Board Game adds an extra fourth chapter that you can add to any existing campaign. With the hunt being over, you and your party return to? the dream, but for something to be quite amiss.

This extra chapter is full of great surprises and fights, including a secret fight that can only be earned through being rigorous with your questing. Through this chapter, you'll be fighting other hunters and will be traveling to The Workshop at its clima?x for answers.

I had a great time playing this expansion, and the extra hunter minibosses can be added to any other chapter for an emergent surprise that will get you a tough but rewardi??ng fight. This is something I incorporate into all future chapters, as it's fun, challenging, and certainly daunting.

As much as I love the Hunter's Dream expansion for Bloodborne The Board Game, it doesn't quite have the replay-ability of the above expansions, but is a personal strong recom?mendation. It does have enough interesting events for you to want to play a second time, however. But that's ??all I'll say.

With these Bloodborne The Board Game expansions explained and ranked, all you've got to do now is pick one to h??ave a fantastic game night.

The post All Bloodborne The Board Game expansions, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Echo Knight is by far the most difficult boss encounter in No Rest For The Wicked for numerous ??reasons. No matter which is preventing you from bringing him down, this guide will help?? conquer this seemingly insurmountable foe.

How to beat the Echo Knight boss fight in No Rest For the Wicked

One of the biggest reasons Echo Knight is so difficult is because he is at the tail end of the Cerim Crucible, meaning you have to learn the fight o?n th??e fly, or risk being sent back to the beginning on death. There are a few things you can do to make your next encounter with Echo Knight much easier.

Make use of Health gained on Damage Dealt

Regardless of your ??build, Echo Knight does massive damage with most of his attacks. His attacks are relentless, designed to pressure you to make a mistake. Taking even one hit from him is enough to disillusion you from victory, often causing fatal cascade mistakes when you attempt to heal. Enter Health gain on damage dealt, an incredibly potent stat that allows you to heal yourself for significant amounts, cuttin?g out the need to use consumables unless the situation grows dire.

This stat provides you a compet??ent, safe way to sustain yourself without having to hunt for breakpoints in Echo Knights assault. It is best used with a fast weapon, but make no mistake, if you're using a slow two-handed, you should still aim to use it anyway.

Make use of the Blink Rune ability

If you've used Blink before, there's a high chance you weren't impressed with its performance. It does ?not teleport you far, and its cost, while not expensive, takes away from your Focus bar. At first glance, it is unremarkable. However, it has a very powerf?ul mechanic attached that is not obvious.

The Blink Rune ability allows you to break enemy tracking. What does this mean? When an enemy begins their attack animation, a significant portion of it will follow you no matter where you move. This is why you must make use of the iframes (Invulernablity Frames) in your dodge roll. Uniquely, using Blink during an enemy attack animation will prevent it from following y??ou, allowing you to walk away from it easily.

This is especially strong against Echo Knight (especially during Phase 2) because his attacks all have incredibly long animations. Using a Blink during any of his attacks will break his tracking, giving you several seconds to deal large amounts of damage to him without risk of retaliation. This works against all of Echo Knight's attacks, including his homing sword combos in Phase 2. Best of all? Blink can be slotted into any weapon with an open slot, and does not require a specific build. Just make certain you use Blink after an attack has started, otherwise it won?'t be disjointed.

Strategically place Echo Knight's Fire Patches

One of Echo Knight's most deadly attacks causes him to spawn blue fire patches under your feet in rapid succession. These patches persist for a long period once they are out on the field and exist to limit the amount of movement you can do while fighting. What's more, if you touch one of these patches for even a moment, you'll suffer a large amount of Plague damage?? and will be immediately afflicted with the Plague DoT (Damage over time), which also does a lot of damage. Needlessly to say, don't stand in the fire. These patches are bad news and can end your run if they end up all over the battlefield.

However, because Echo Knight spawns the fire patches at your feet, you have some agency to control where they end up. Instead of running around in a panic, aim to keep the fire patches gathered on the outskirts of Echo Knight's arena. Ideally, you want to keep them all bunched in a corner, but just placing them around the outside gives you enough room to maneuver. Even better, once placed, move to the opposite side of where they are so your?? back is never to them. Echo Knight wants to kill you. He will come to you. Do??n't let him box you in.

Don't stand directly in front of Echo Knight

Echo Knight's most dangerous attacks come from his lightning-fast spear thrusts. He does them in rapid succession and they deal large amounts of damage but can be avoided if you position yourself well. Echo Knight will only use his spear thrusts if you're directly in front of him. So, don't be. Attack from his sides, or back, but never stay in front of Echo Knight for long. If he uses his spear thrust combo, focus on evasion (Blink, dodge away) until you can reposition away from him. Getting out of his range will cause him to end the combo early.

Be Aggressive against Echo Knight

Aggressive is often thought to be the las??t thing you want to be in a difficult ?boss encounter, especially in a Souls-like. Ironically, in such games, aggression tends to be the secret key to victory, because if you're dictating the terms of the fight, then the boss becomes fodder. I can confirm that this is the case for Echo Knight as well.

Echo Knight has a Break bar under his health that fills up every time you hit him?. Filling this bar will cause him to fall, giving you a chance to deliver some ??painful blows. After a few seconds, it fills back up, and he's back on his feet.

Now, imagine he is about to use his fire patch mechanic. You recognize it and shatter his Break bar just before he gets even one of his casts off. You just canceled one of his most dangerous mechanics, and now you won't have to worry about it. Even if he does manage to cast once, having one fire patch in the field is way better than having six. Aggression is the key to victory?? against Echo Knight, and with the above-mentioned tools (Blink, Health on damage dealt), you should?? have no problem keeping him pressured.

The post How to defeat Echo Knight in No Rest For The Wicked (tips and tr??icks) appeared first on Destructoid.

When gearing up in No Rest For the Wicked you want to look for gear that best fulfills the various needs of your bu?ild. However, there are several stats that you always keep an eye out for regardless of the type of character you're making.

Strongest Gear Stats in No Rest For The Wicked

The gear grind is the universal standard in ARPGs, and despite its Soul-like gameplay, No Rest For the Wicked is no exception. As such, the best stats you'll find on ge?ar tend to fo??cus on improving your overall damage, or your survivability in a big, impactful way. Here are the ones you should look out for.

Attacks deal % Extra Elemental Damage

Many weapons you'll find will come with a stat line that grants you some random element as a percent extra damage on hit. This is a massively impactful stat as a high percentage roll of this stat (20% or higher), adds a significant amount of damage to every one of your blows, greatly improving your damage per second (DPS). With this stat, you can roll extra Heat, Cold, Electric, or Plague as extra damage. The amo?unt you get is random, so you'll have to hunt down a god roll? for maximum power gains.

Health Regeneration

This stat is relatively common on Epic rarity (purple) items you'll come across while farming gear. Health Regeneration slowly restores your missing health over time, which is rather useful due to the limitation of having to craft your own healing consumables at all times. This regeneration will never save you in a pinch, but it will help you cut down on the overall healing consumables you're using. Most importantly though, Health Regeneration stacks with itself, mea??ning if ??you have multiple pieces of gear with the stat, you'll passive regeneration health faster.

Gain % Health on Damage Dealt

With this stat, every time you land a successful attack on something with a health bar (even wildlife), you'll gain a percentage of your health back every time you land a hit. The percentage is the random portion of it, so you'll want to hunt god rolls to make significant use of this stat. Like Health Regeneration, you can stack this stat to increase your overall health gain. Finally, the health gain is based solely on your successful hits, meaning this stat is far more powerful with a fast-hitting weapon, over a slow one.

Gain % Focus on Damage Dealt

This stat functions t?he same as the one above, only for the Focus bar instead. This stat is also just as strong, as, with a high enough percent roll on a piece of gear (typically a weapon), you can effectively spam your Rune abilities as long as you're landing hits. Just like with the Health Gain stat, the faste?r your weapon, the more potent a stat this is.

Gain % Health on Block

Functionally, this stat is identical to the two mentioned above, only instead of needing to deal damage, you simply need to block an attack instead for its effect to activate. When blocking with a shield in No Rest For The Wicked, you'll still take some damage if your Armor Value is too low for the attack. With enough armor and this stat, however, you can forgo all damage, and cause blocking to heal you instead. This is major for any build that makes u?se of a shield.

Gain % Focus on Block

Naturally, the same stat is just as useful on a shield, but for Focus generatio??n instead. If your build?? relies heavily on Rune-based abilities, then using a shield with this stat is a great way to make sure you can use your Rune abilities as actively as you please.

Poise Defense Increased by %

Poise is your ability to ignore enemy blows while launching your own without interruption. If a??n enemy attacks you and your Poise stat is too low, the attack will interrupt you. With high enough Poise, you can swing through your enemies' attacks, shrugging them off as y??ou crush them under your heel. Typically, attacks with a 'Charge-Up' mechanic tend to have high innate Poise. However, faster attacks, such as ones done with daggers, tend to have very little normally. Additionally, heavier armor has more Poise, meaning this stat is best on said armor since it is a percentage increase.

Damage Dealt Increased by %

This stat is self-explanatory ??a??s it simply boosts all your damage when you have it. Oddly enough, I've found this one to be extremely rare even after roughly 70 hours of playtime. Even so, this is a big one to keep an eye out for for obvious reasons.

Focus Gained Increased by %

Not to be mixed up with Focus on damage dealt, this stat acts more like a multiplier for your overall Focus gain. You naturally gain Focus when dealing damage, but you also gain Focus when using Rune abilities such as Channel. This specific stat boosts the amount of Focus you'd gain about the stated percentage of the base gain from any given ability. ?So, if you get a base 13 Focus from one swing, and you have a piece of gear that grants 'Focus Gained Increased by 23%', you'll be getting 16 Focus per swing instead.

Healing Effects Increased by %

This stat boosts the total base effectiveness of all sources of healing you can o?btain. This includes consumables, Rune abilities, 'Health Regeneration', and even 'Health Gained by Damage Dealt'. With enough of this stat, your most basic healing functions can restore you to full, effortlessly. It functions exactly how I explained above with 'Focus Gain Increased by %', only with health healing instead of Focus gain.

Which Gear Stats to Avoid in No Rest For The Wicked

Most of the above-mentioned stats come only on Epic rarity gear, which comes with the additional caveat of a negative stat. This stat line works entirely to weaken your character and must be paid attention to, as some negative stats should be avoided at all costs. You know you're looking at a negative stat when the stat line is entirely red.

Damage Taken Increased by %

When wearing a piece of gear with this stat, you'll flat-out take increased damage. This amount can be minor, or could massive. Either way, you ?should work to avoid this one if you see it?, as it lowers your survivability.

Experience Loss on Damage Taken

As it states, if you take any source of damage, no matter what it's from, you'll lose experience. Awful. Avoid at all costs unle??ss you're already at max level.

Health Decreased by %

Gear with this negative stat flat out reduces your maximum health by the stated percentage. This is awful unless you're?? godly at avoiding damage. If you're not, avoid this one like the plague.

Stamina Decreased by %

With this negative ?stat equ??ipped, you are effectively reducing your ability to swing your weapon, dodge attacks, and perform any other functional ability to act. Once again, avoid this one if you see it, regardless of the other stats.

The post Best Gear Stats in No Rest For The Wicked appeared first on Destructoid.

If you've been playing No Rest For the Wicked, there's a g??ood chance you ran into a man named Finley locked in a cell within the Nameless Pas??s. Any attempt to open his cell is blocked by the need for a certain Quarry Guard Key, so if you haven't found it yet, here's where you can.

How to get the Quarry Guard Key in No Rest For The Wicked (Map)

Unlike most other keys in No Rest For The Wicked, ?the Quarry Guard Key is rather hidden and well out of the way. The key is located in a hanging cell above the prison where Finley is imprisoned. As the cell is hanging, there is no tra?ditional method or pathway that will allow you to reach it. Instead, you'll need to do a bit of climbing and careful platforming to reach it.

First things first, if you haven't already, make your way over to the circular prison ward in Nameless Pass. You'll find it toward the end of the pass, just before reaching the imperial encampmen?t.

Once you've reached the prison area, make your way onto the ruined wall, like you're going toward the imperial encampment. Transverse the path, following the broken wooden bridge south until you reach a high-reaching vine wall leading toward the encampment.

Climb this vine wall and at the top, you should see a campfire where you can sit down and cook food. From here, follow the rocky path directly south of the campfire. It is a narrow path so watch y??our footing or you'll die and have to s?tart this process over.

Continue following the rock path until you reach what appears to be a dead end. Look to the right of the endpoint and you should see a rock slope. Very carefully slide down this slope to a small rocky platform below it. Note that you cannot see this platform until you begin sliding down the slope. Once more, if you mes?s this up, you will most cer??tainly die and have to begin anew.

From here, you should see a thin wooden path leading to a broken prison cell with an item at its center. Drop down on the wooden path and follow it into the cage. Loot this item and you'll have obtained the Quarry Guard Key.

Now all that's left for you to do is return to Finley's prison cell and free him from his shackles. Finley is a special vendor that only appears in Sacrament at certain times, but I assure you this harrowing platforming excursion was worth the ??trouble.

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Souls-like games seem to be more popular than ever. One of the newest additions to the genre, Lies of P, had a very successful launch back in September—and now, the project's director has confirmed a Lies of P sequel is on the way.

Game director Ji Won Choi broke the news in a newly released director's letter video. He began by thanking fans for their enthusiasm and reiterated that the game broke the million copies sold mark f??ollowing its September 19 launch. He then stated that the team's "highest priority is developing the DLC and working on our sequel."

The director confirmed that the game's next patch should be arriving in November. Wit?hin it will be balancing to the Weapon Assembly System, as "certain blades and handles were not meeting expectations."

Ji Won Choi also mentioned that the team a??t Neowiz Games is aware that some players were having problems with the early difficulty of the game. The upcoming patch will make the Rising Dodge Ability a default skill that players can select to help alleviate any early struggles. In addition to that, Polendia will now sell two additional quartz from the first state of his shop.

The November Lies of P patch will also include free cosmetics to look forward to. Alidoro's costume, including his mask, is being added, as is the Alchemist's Hat and a pair of glasses. To provide more character customization, an extra facial accessory slot is being implemented so both glasses and hats can be worn at the same time going for?ward.

In late September, a collaboration between Neowiz Games and Team Ninja saw a pair of Lies of P weapons being introduced into the world of Wo Long Fallen Dynasty. The director's letter confirmed that t??he duo will work together once again for another collaboration, with details coming a bit further down the line.

The Lies of P soundtrack is officially on the way, too. The team is working? to deliver it "as swiftly as they?? can". It will feature over 60 tracks in total, which incorporates nearly all of the game's music.

As the video wrapped up, Ji Won Choi stated that Neowiz is "fully dedicating ourselves to the development of the DLC" and revealed the studio is actively hiring to bring the project to fruition. It was then that Choi teased the game's upcoming DLC again, saying he "secretly sneaked sketches" for viewers to enjoy. You can see the pair of concept art screens below. It will have to hold fans over until more details on the Lies of P sequel or the upcoming DLC trickle out.

The post Lies of P director announces sequel, teases DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Developed by Neowiz Games and Round8 Studio, and released on September 18, Lies of a P is a soulslike that has managed to stand out in its oversaturated genre by offering a unique take on Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio. Devel??opers have revealed that the game has already sold a million copies globally.

This achievement comes with relatively good critical acclaim, and it currently has "Very Positive" user reviews on Steam. Commenting on the milestone in a press release, Neowiz CEO Seungchul Kim stated that "this incredible milestone for Lies of P proves the potential of Kor?ean console games on the global stage."

Both South Korean studios should be very proud of their success, though it did not come easily, and Kim reveals that "the Lies of P project was a challenging endeavor for Neowiz and Round8 Studio." There were also a few minor controversies along the way, including the removal of an anti-cop sign in the game.

Developers are just beginning to enjoy the fruits of their labor, as the game has also received some notable award show nominations. This includes a "Best Visual Design" nomination at this year's Golden Joystick Awards ceremony.

The post Lies of P has sold a million copies appeared first on Destructoid.

Update: Lords of the Fallen Review

Lords of the Fallen is brutal. I mean like, really brutal. I fully intended to have beaten the game and written a full review in time for release. But according to a recent tweet by the developers, there are 30 bosses in total. Which means I have...uhh...a few more to go. And for the record, I'm no Soulslike newbie. I've Platinumed most games in the series, and at least beaten those I haven't. But like I said, Lords of the Fallen is hard.

Of all the bosses I've fought so far, I've had varied feelings all across the board. Some have been incredibly fun, with well-thought-out mechanics. Some of them felt a bit "Tank and Spank", so to say, not requiring too much extra effort. And then others have been so incredibly frustrating. And don't try and tell me to "Git Gud", I swear that's not the issue here. A few encounters just have over-the-top or even unfai??r m??echanics.

I already knew I would have a tough time with one of the earlier bosses, The Congregator of Flesh. The colossal abomination inflicts poison damage, which is my Achilles heel. The encounter takes place in an already limited area, which is not ideal given the sheer size of this creature. But the beast also has a flurry of attacks from nearly every angle. A claw swipe, a backhanded swipe, a ground slam, a body slam, a head slap. And if you manage to gain some ground, don't be surprised if the creature charges or leaps on top of you. All while each attack i??nflicts poison. It was a challenging encounter, which at times felt like I just h?ad to brute force through the chaos.

But despite the frustration, after downing ?the Congregator of Flesh I felt accomplished and excited to pu??sh forward. Fans of the genre will recognize this feeling.

Lords of the Fallen (PC, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox X|S)
Developer: Hexworks
Publisher: CI Games
Released: October 13, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Reboot Initialized

The original Lords of the Fallen (2014) was the first Soulslike game I actually completed in its entirety. For me, I had an easier time getting into it than Dark Souls at the time because of its more direct storytelling. It wasn't until I played Bloodborne the following year that I came to appreciate FromSoftware's style of storytelling, and went back to—and fell in love with—the Souls series. So when I heard news of Lords of the Fallen returning? in the ??form of a reboot, I was super excited.

So far it feels like a proper reboot, with mostly upgrades in place. Visually, the world of Axiom is absolutely beautiful. The decision to make this a current-generation-only title was a good one, by far. The lighting effects create some insanely realistic landscapes. Early on you'll reach a very detailed castle, which is quite a sight on its own. But the way the sunlight bounces through cracks in the crumbling walls is just pure art. Lords of the Fallen is o??ne of the more visually appealing titles I've played.

All the staple Soulslike features are here. Dodging, blocking, Vestiges (bonfires) to rest at and spend your Vigor (souls) to upgrade stats. Hexworks doesn't try to hide their inspiration for Lords of the Fallen, but rather em?braces it. However, the game seems faster as a whole. From movement to combat, things just feel a bit zoomier, if that makes sense. As a result, dodging feels like the intended defensive strategy here as opposed to blocking. Parrying exists, but I often found it more worthwhile to just do??dge out of the way and get some hits in.

There is one thing missing from the original that really bums me out, though. In Lords of the Fallen (2014) there were special weapons that could be obtained by defeating bosses while also completing certain challenges during the fight. Fo??r example, the first boss would drop a Greatsword for defeating him. But if you could defeat him without taking any damage, he'd drop a special version of the Greatsword that had slightl?y higher stats and a special ground tremor attack.

From Axiom...

One of the new systems in Lords of the Fallen intertwines death with the world. When you are alive and well, you are in Axiom??, the realm of the living. But on another plane of existence is the realm of the dead, called Umbral. You have a magical lantern that grants you access to Umbral. With this power, you can enter the realm of the dead to reach inaccessible areas, and then return to Axiom once you find a Vestige. The Vestiges are locations where previous Lamp Holders have died. Once found, they can be activated which turns them into a checkpoint spot where you can rest and allocate your Vigor.

The two re??alms also come into play when dying, as well. In more traditional games in the genre, death causes you to drop your Vigor/souls/unspent experience. Then you have to make it back to where you died in order to retrieve what you dropped.

In Lords of the Fallen, dying sends you to the Umbral realm, with your Vigor dropping where you died in the realm of the living. You'll have to navigate the Umbral realm and find a Vestige to return to Axiom in order to reclaim your Vigor. If you die again whil??e in the Umbral realm, you'll permanently lose your dropped Vigor and respawn at the most recent Vesti?ge.

It's a ?different system for sure, but I'm not completely convinced it enhances the formula in any way. I've probably been more perturbed by it than anything, but ma?ybe that will change by the time I have reached the end.

...to Umbral

I've encountered a handful of bugs so far, but nothing game-breaking. Also, I feel it's important to point out that Hexworks has been releasing pretty frequent patches throughout the pre-release period. I've had my hands on Lords of the Fallen for less than a week and have already seen several updates come through that have noticeably improved my performance on PS5 as well as fixed? some bugs I personally encountered.

On a related note, the audio has been a bit hit-or-miss so far. Typically audio cues are vital to certain boss mechanics in these sorts of games. But in most cases, there's just a lot of sounds going on all at once. Sometimes I'll even expect there to be an audio cue so I know a certain mechanic is coming, and then it just...doesn't...and I get smacked and die. And I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but som??e of the audio just feels off. Executing a parry, for example, feels very underwhelming. It literally sounds like someone hitting a Tupperware bowl with a wooden spoon. An unenthusiastic *Thwop*, if you will. It feels out of place, to say the least.

My time with Lords of the Fallen so far has been mostly positive. But I can't help but feel some of the newer systems don't add much good to the game. Mixed with the sometimes unfair mechanics and difficulty of specific boss encounters, it's definitely hampered my experience a bit. However, overall Lords of the Fallen is a polished Soulslike game, which is never a bad thing. I still have a fair bit to play through, so there's a lot of opportuni?ty for the scales to tip one way or the other!

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

The post Review in Progress: Lords of the Fallen appeared first on Destructoid.

Upcoming gothic-themed title The Last Faith will release worldwide on November 15. The dark and visceral Metroidvania and Soulslike hybrid from developer Kumi Souls focuses on methodical combat in a dark yet beautiful 2D world. As has become standard in the genre, The Last Faith will feature intense boss fights that are challenging yet rewarding. Of course you can draw parallels to games like Dark Souls. But, with the 2D art style, it actually reminds me a lot of Salt and Sanctuary or Blasphemous 2.

Welcome to Mythringal

Wow, what a trailer. It looks like it will be a pretty intense venture through the city of Mythringal. As seen in the trailer, The Last Faith gives players access to an arsenal of melee weapons, spells, and even firearms. The bosses look diverse a??nd intricate in the?ir attack patterns. It's par for the course for these kind of games, but I already know I'll be getting frustrated during some of these fights. In a good way, of course.

Those wanting to check out The Last Faith beforehand can access an extended demo that is available now on Steam. In the demo, players can experience early parts of The Last Faith.

The last Faith releases digitally worldwide on November 15 on PC, PlayStatio??n 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and N??intendo Switch.

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I remember when Demon’s Souls was released back in 2009, there were many people who called it a market-unfriendly game. There were pushes to get people to buy it just to experience this supposedly brutal and novel take on action RPGs. Flash forward 14 years??, and it’s one of the biggest sub-genres in the industry.

On one hand, I love Demon’s Souls and most of the games that FromSoftware followed it up with. On the? other hand, my favorite games to play are the ones I haven’t played before, and a lot of the Soulslikes that followed stick a little too close to the formula for my case. It’s something that nags at me. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but at what point does it cross into plagiarism?

Lies of P is one of the slickest Soulslike games that I’ve seen follow in FromSoftware’s wake. On the other hand, it’s also one of the most derivative, and? I’m having trouble reconciling those two competing perspectives.

Lies of P (PC, PS4 [Reviewed], PS5)
Developer: Neowiz
Publisher: Neowiz
Released: September 18, 2023
MSRP: $69.99

Lies of P is based on The Adventures of Pinnochio by Carlo Lorenzini. It’s not a story that I’ve internalized, so most of the referen?ces are lost on me. I get the basics. It takes place in the ostentatious city of Krat, where its prized automatons have gone berzerk and, with the aid of a mysterious disease, have killed most of the inhabitants.

You play as one of Gepetto’s puppets, who is unique in being ab?le to break the rules that most other pu??ppets are supposed to be bound by. In a unique storytelling angle, there’s a lot of weight put onto breaking these rules. The game visibly hesitates when the protagonist is presented with an unavoidable lie or conflict with a human. These are difficult concepts to give any impact to in video games, so this is a rather unique way of bringing them back around and making them meaningful.

However, much of the storytelling is incredibly similar to the Souls series, and Bloodborne in particular. It’s hard not to feel deja vu when you speak to a person through a lit window that you only became aware of due to their coughing. Likewise, I absolutely cannot believe how similar the NPCs act compared to the ones in the Souls series. Their mouths are poorly animated, as the Lies of P does not change perspective?? to zoom in on them during dialogue. They’re largely locked in place. And they speak in this hushed tone; a perpetual indoor voice. It feels stolen.

Verbatim

It’s not the aesthetical choices never bleed into other games, but Lies of P feels like it has lifted things wholesale.

It’s telling how quickly I settled into gameplay, relying only on my familiarity with FromSoftware’s formula. The campfires and torches are replaced by “Star Gazers.�The estus flask mechanic is practically carried over wholesale. I think the list of things that Lies of P does differently is much shorter than the t??hings ??it copied.

I also find it interesting that, with Elden Ring, FromSoftware has iterated on its world design to a point where I find it unlikely that they’ll go back to the classic Dark Souls method of interconnected pathways. Lies of P is, therefore, carrying that torch. There are ladders to extend and doors to unlock to allow one to more easily bypass the riffraff they already waded through. Probing the nooks and crannies of the world results in additional loot. It doesn’t help that the Victorian aesthetic evokes Bloodborne’s gloomy world.

There’s no multi-player, h?owever, which is fine by me. The note system was helpful once upon a time, but every time I pick up one of those games now, it feels like most of the player notes are just tiresome jokes and nonsense. Weirdly, though, you can still summon spirits to assist you during boss battles. However, these are AI controller dummies, and I found they were mostly just useful in distracting the bosses while I repeatedly jammed my saber up their butts. It’s a weird half-measure.

Honest to a fault

I wouldn’t say I’m not enjoying Lies of P so far, but what I’m trying to get across is that I’m conflicted. The video game industry is extremely susceptible to falling into trends, so something that follows an existing formula is hardly rare. Most recently, I’ve been sorting through a glut of Banished-inspired city builders. It usually doesn’t phase me.

However, usually, when a game follows after a popular title, the intention is to build on that foundation. The developer often brings their own spin to a property. It often feels that they felt something was missing from a beloved title and seek to add their own personal spin on it. That’s not something I feel with Lies of P. Someone saw Bloodborne and felt like the market could use another Bloodborne.

On the other hand, Lies of P is at least well-executed and enjoyable. It quite often falls short of its influence, but it’s still enjoyable in its own right. If you’re a fan of the Souls title and are hungry for another competent take on the formula, this fits the bill. For me, I’m still hoping to find a spark of novelty buried in there. I want that one moment where I finally understand why I should be playing this alongside or instead of Bloodborne. Right now, I feel like I would be better off replaying Bloodborne. Once I finish solving the puppet problem, ?I’ll let you know if that has cha?nged.

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

The post Review in Progress: Lies of P appeared first on Destructoid.

Bullshit Artist-ry

Publisher Neowiz has tightened up the release window for its upcoming steampunk soulslike, Lies of P, and now expects?? the intriguing-looking adventure to launch on PC and consoles in Augus?t 2023.

Developed by South Korean studio Round8, Lies of P is the latest in a long line of adaptations of the Pinocchio story, and sees a puppet mechanoid endeavoring to find his lost creator, Mr. Geppetto, who is located somewhere within the dark, overbearing, Belle Epoque fictional city of Krat. Utilize Pinocchio's mechanization to adaptively combat your oppon??ents, while twisting elements of truth in order to further your goals, survive the hunters, an??d reunite with your "father".

You can check out the action in the new trailer below, courtesy of IGN.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v??=tzIRmo??BkWRI&ab_channel=LiesofP

Appealing to me on a variety on conceptual and aesthetic levels, Lies of P is one of my most anticipated titles of the year. While I'm not yet entirely sure of its quality, the world, characters, style, and interesting use of the Pinocchio lore have piqued my interest, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing whether Round8 has successfully created a worthy entry to the rapidly over-stuffed Soulslike genre. While "August" is not exactly a release date, it's the ??closest to a definitive launch we've had...

.??..Provided, of course, that so??meone isn't fibbing to us.

Lies of P launches August 2023 on Pl?ayStation, PC, and ?Xbox platforms.

The post Lies of P will begin spinning its tall tales t??his August appeared first on Destructoid.

Get Very Metal this winter

Epic Games Store is continuing its rollout of free video games for each and every day of the holidays, today's offering �still available for a few more hours �is dark action RPG Mortal Shell, which all users can download direct from t?he EGS dashboard.

Developed by Cold Symmetry and launched on PC and console platforms in 2020, Mortal Shell is fantasy adventure that takes extreme pride in its highly challenging, melee-focused combat. Inspired by the much-loved Dark Souls franchise, the development team set out to make a similarly toned adventure w??here every single swing of the blade mattered, where life and death rest on the edge of one right (or wrong) decision in the heat of battle, and where swift adaptation to each enemy is the key to ?victory.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSs0_PBGiLs&ab_c??hannel=?PlayStation

In Mortal Shell, players can inhabit the bodies (or "mortal shells") of the deceased, gaining access to their skills, weapons, and abilities. As such, the combat in the game has a natural evolution, as the player passes from body to body, learning new skills on the fly and adapting to the reconfiguration of their offensive and defensive maneuvers. Mortal Shell received plaudits on release for its smart combat and compelling challenge, with many noting that its unabashed love of the FromSoftware titles was readily apparent, with some reviewers noting that it felt like playing Dark Souls for the first time all over again.

Mortal Shell is available to download for free from Epic Games Store. It is also available on Pl??ay?Station, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

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But where's Lupin III?

Nacon has announced the arrival of a new DLC expansion for its robo-revolutionary RPG Steelrising �T Cagliostro's Secrets story expansion is available to purchase now on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X, pri??ced at $14.99. The new gameplay can be accessed once the player has completed the "??Bastille" mission.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbfkLMOqw-o

Cagliostro's Secrets throws a little more heavy metal action in the divine Aegis' path. The DLC includes a new area, Hôpital Saint Louis, which features a new questline and several brand new enemies, along with variants on some of Steelrising's already established mechanical nightmares. In addition, the DLC drop adds five new weapons to our girl's arsenal of death, and includes several brand new side-quests that can be found and completed in Steelrising's other districts.

While Steelrising was not quite the gemstone it might have been, I still found it a gorgeous-looking and very challen?ging adventure, that rose above its budgetary shortcomings thanks to its classy visuals and in-depth combat mechanics. While certainly not for everyone, the ambitious adventure is a sign that, as a developer, Spiders is gr??owing with each successive release, and I hope that a future sequel could really deliver upon the game's compelling premise.

Steelrising is available now on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

The post Delve into Cagliostro’s Secrets in new Steelrising DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

As long as yer boy's lyin' nose

One of the more intriguing titles on my (and many others) watchlist is Round8 Studio's Lies of P �this gothic retelling of the famous tale of Pinocchio is currently in development for PC and console platforms, and p??romises a dark-yet-faithful take on the story of the puppet child and his endeavor to become human.

Publisher Neowiz has taken the bold step of releasing a huge gameplay showcase, which features no less than 40+ minutes of Lies of P in action. The video spotlights the opulent but miserable architecture, grim splendor, and frightening oppr??ession of the city of Krat, the backdrop to our young hero's quest. Pinocchio must battle violent automatons, engage with what remains of the local community, and harness the power of falsehoods in order to come face to face with their ultimate destiny with humanity.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjGo-l34m18

As you can see from these two videos, Lies of P has chosen to embed itself within the Soulslike genre, with deliberately paced gameplay and challenging, rhythmic combat. Pinnochio has access to a wide?? array of tools and weaponry with which to defend himself and, being a doll, is capable of replacing and upgrading components of his own body to better stand up to the?? challenges that lie ahead of him.

And, speaking of lies, Pinnochio must also weaponize truth and dishonesty in order to reach his fate. During his journey, Pinocchio's moral fiber will be repeatedly tested, with his ability to speak both truthfully and untruthfully reflected in the outcome of his tale, changing the fates of himself and those around him. How effective this mechanic plays out in the final game remains to be seen, but I can't be but hugely intrigued by almost every element of Lies of P, from its characters and world to its grim adaptation of a classic fable, married to the uncompromising Soulslike genre.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mNB4pp1zjg

I can't wait to check out Lies of P for mysel?f. Until then, just remember, W??hat Would Geppetto Do?

Lies of P is currently in development for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms with a launch scheduled for 2023. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pa?ss from day one.

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Liberty, equality, fraternity... or death

Paris. 17?89. The Renaissance was so very long ago... Did it even?? happen?

Looking around the fallen capital, one would fairly assume not. The City of Lights, a place celebrated for its art, invention, culture, and architecture now resembles The Gates of Hell, a vision soon to be crafted by Rodin himself. The streets are awash with blood and bodies �innocent civilians, rebellious conspirators, and even the king'??s own army lying in miserable piles of broken flesh.

And the king himself? This citywide massacre is his doing, the heart of his capital t??orn in two by a seemingl?y unstoppable army of robotic soldiers. Far from being the loyal guardians and entertainers of Paris, as initially designed, the automaton army has instead become her oppressor, stalking the cobbled streets and killing those who would stand against the bereaved monarch with extreme prejudice. Starving, scared, and cowering within their own homes, the city's populace has neither the weaponry nor the knowledge to take on The Clockwork King's footsoldiers, let alone flee the city for safer ground.

But there is one hope. One automaton that is not under the command of King Louis XVI but is, ironically, guided by his own lady wife, Marie Antoinette. She is the Queen's ??personal bodyguard, built to withstand the most brutal of assault, outfi??tted with a devastating arsenal of weaponry, and blessed as one of the only automatons in France to possess anything close to free will.

She is Ae??gis, and she is come to open the p?urple testament of bleeding war.

Steelrising (PS5 [reviewed], PC, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Spiders
Publisher: Nacon
Released: September 8, 2022
MSRP: $49.99

Steelrising is French developer Spiders' first title since colonial RPG GreedFall, which launched to middling praise back in the fall of 2019. Much like that title, Steelrising focuses on an alternate retelling of another specific moment in human history �namely the French Revolution, which waged its bloody, class-based warfare in the late 1700s. Steelrising takes the framework of this tumultuous, world-shaping event and uses it as a backdrop to tell its o??wn fictional tale, blended with a phantasmagoria of anachronistic technology to create a fictional retelling of these dark days of cake and h??ead severings.

In Steelrising, players step into the delicate chassis of Aegis, a high-?level automaton who serves as bodyguard to Marie Antoinette, currently residing in "protection" (see "relative captivity"), at the Chateau de Saint-Cloud. Aware that the streets of Paris are torn asunder, Queen Antoinette orders Aegis to travel into the heart of the capital and find her creator, Eugene de Vaucanson, who may hold the key to stopping the increasingly unstable Louis XVI and his batt??alion of automatons. Automatons that are already leading a campaign of death and violence throughout the capital.

Politics is politics, however, and every actor on this stage has a part to play. Queen Antoi??nette, King Louis, Vaucanson, the members of the Estates General, the mysterious Comte Cagliostro, and, of course, the sublime Aegis herself �who will emerge the victor when the gears finally stop turning?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-pii4ZK6wg

Rise of the Robots

For all intents and purposes, Steelrising is a Soulslike �its gameplay typified by map exploration; deliberate, brutal combat; the accessing of stat-building checkpoints; and the mastery of both alchemic weapons and long-winded attack animations in order to w?in the day, whether stood against the lowliest of guard bots or most terrifying of titans.

Strangely, however, the chosen genre does not synergize wholly with the universe Spiders has created. There is an ever-present impression that the developer should have crafted Steelrising as a straight action-adventure, akin to Horizon: Zero Dawn, or the Batman: Arkham series.

While Steelrising does offer a solid and capable Souls experience, some of its brilliant conceptual capability is certainly lost in its slow-paced, measured, and deliberate approach to world traversal and in-game action. By choosing to jump on the, shall we say, Soulswagon? Steelrising leaves some of its own potential on the table, wearing the Souls genre in an admirable, but ill-fitting fashion. One wonders what might have been had Spiders chosen to go with a diffe??rent vibe for the chrono-bending adventure.

Still, while I do think that the world and its engine do not entirely sync, it must be noted that Steelrising is most certainly a fine? �and p?retty darn classy �adventure title in its own right.

I love my 18th Century Goth Robot Wife

When your protagonist is an indebted roboservant, you run the risk of alienating the player due to a lack of charact?er relatability. Blank-gazing automatons?? can feel a little flat, after all.

Fortunately, Aegis is a marvel of design, as achingly beautiful as she is painfully deadly, with a surprisingly engaging personality despite her dry, staccato line delivery. Aegis is no 2B of NieR fame �her gears and cogs crunch and grind as she runs, ?her engine sputters and chokes, and her v?ocal tone is reminiscent of the "What is this thing you call "'love'?" lore of old-school sci-fi. But despite �perhaps because of �her fundamental flaws, we like her. We like her very much. Additionally, a selection of customization options allows us to tune Aegis' design. This includes her skin tone. An important touch, even for automatons.

As Aegis, the player journeys through several quarters of Paris, each defined by its own style, atmosphere, and variety of intriguing �and very dangerous �enemies. The automatons themselves are a veritable circus of iconic 18th-century design, from rickety, inelegant, sword-swinging guards, to fanciful trumpet-playing clowns, frightening feline scouts, and bulbous, heavy-hitting giants. In typical Souls fashion, each of these enemies is a le??gitimate threat to Aegis, and must be close??ly studied for its vulnerabilities, so that our girl may strike hard, fast, and with finality.

Evening the odds, Aegis can head into battle with a variety of bladed and blunt weaponry including swords, polearms, chains, fans, and mallets, as well as firearms and rudimentary explosive devices. Each weapon has its own range of weak, fierce, and charged fierce attacks, as well as special sk??ills including aerial strikes, parries, or shielding options. In addition, "Anima Essence" (XP) can be spent on increasing a given weapon's statistics, or on upgrading Aegis herself, affording her a stronger moveset, better armor, elemental resistance, or fine-tuning for her offensive and defensive animations.

Ultimately, the player is encouraged to build "their" Aegis, from her abilities in battle and her aesthetic presence, to her internal build, weapons of choice, and her deci??ded?ly dapper robo-fashions.

Fetch the WD-40

As I noted in my review for another mid-budget Soulslike, Thymesia, control and combat are the beating heart of the genre. The core of any given example's gameplay experience. In this regard, Steelrising is, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. It is solid, but it is not great. It is precise, but it's not polished. Controls can feel a little sluggish at times, and even unresponsive on occasion, while the game's lock-on system, (which is a "Must Use" feature), can be woefully unreliable and cost me more than a few lives. Aegis, by design, is balletic chaos, a finely-honed machine of death that moves with all the grace and beauty of a dancer, but this wondrous design simply isn't reflected in Steelrising's mechanics.

When cornered, or when fighting several opponents in close proximity, Aegis is less Battle Angel: Alita and more Metal Mickey, stumbling between PoVs while the camera dawdles behind a nearby hedge. Steelrising's combat works. It's solid and it serves. But it falters under pressure, with lock-on fumbles, spinning camerawork, or obstacles posted frustratingly just out of frame aren't on a player's side. As a rule of animatronic thumb, Steelrising's combat mechanics are acceptable, but in a genre that requires scalpel sharpness, they need a little tweaking, lest Aegis break down like yer boy Moyse on ?Twi??tter last week.

Perhaps hoping to corral players who do not sport the required Souls Sadist Streak, Steelrising features a clever "Assist Mode" option. This feature can be used to fine-tune the difficulty to your own personal level, with sliders available for enemy damage and endurance regeneration speed, as well as an option to retain all unbanked XP on death. I found that the Assist Mode offered excellent training wheels while I got to grips with Steelrising's function �switching it off once I'd cleared the first chapter. Steelrising also features three console modes, tuned for Performance, Resolution, and Graphics. I ch?ose Performance for my playthrough (and for these screenshots) because I like it ??when video games play.

Oh, there is also a ??toggle for "Hat Visibility," which I want to see in every single game from ??now on.

Eyeful Power

Steelrising looks marvelous. From shadow-strewn woodland, mud-filled ghettos, and palatial estates to the carnage of The Bastille itself, Spiders' masterful eye for exterior locations �honed in the equally attractive GreedFall �is in full effect here. Sharp lighting, shadow, and other effects bring each location to life, while smartly shifting moods give each quarter its own distinct vibe. One moment you're taking in the opulence of The Lourve, and the next you're headed to Luxembourg, where the game goes full horror. In addition to the environmental design, clever concepts such as the Horseless Carriage, the "Vestal" chec?kpoints, and Aegis' death-dealing weaponry will please steampunkers.

Add to this Steelrising's cavalcade of memorable and disturbing automatons, (yes, of course there are arachnids), and there's no doubt that both historical concepts and slick visual design are assuredly Spiders' strong points. This is a studio of ambition. An ambition that often outweighs budget, mind, but ambition nevertheless. Even when Steelrising disappoints, it works to win back the player with a creepy new enemy, a haunting vista, or a satisfying in?strument of destruction �ready and waiting to be brought down on the noggin of a sleazy conservative bastard.

Steelrising, ultimately, plays tug-o-war with the player, repeatedly swinging between "alright," "good," and "great" on an hourly basis. Some of its design is disappointing, such as the clunky menu system, a genuinely funny mechanic whereby Aegis converses with NPCs through closed doors (likely due to a lack of character models), and an emphasis on rooftop traversal with a character that... well... isn't exactly Ezio Auditore. Most shockingly of all, Steelrising lacks a French dub, meaning that the dialogue proffers London East End accents for its peasants, while the arist?ocracy relies on the time-tested "half??-language" gimmick:

"Mon Dieu, I do not know what it is that we shall do next, c'est fini!"

"Calm yourself, Maitre, maybe this automaton will adiez nou."

So, here we are on jour du jugement dernier, and where does Steelrising stand?

I've personally been looking forward to this title since it was first revealed in the summer of 2020, and while I will admit that the final product is not quite the game I was hoping for, I still found it an enjoyable and challenging action RPG, despite its disappointments. We're not looking at your newest Souls obsession here, but Spiders has made a solid and agreeable title. Anyone with an interest in Steelrising's classy aesthetic and interesting take on history will enjoy guiding Aegis to h?er rise to glory, standing proud and tall over the aimless meat bags that make up the human race. Vive la robolution!

Though slightly wanting when compared with its Souls contemporaries, Steelrising still offers up challenging combat, inventive enemies, and an attractive and atmospheric take on 18th-century Paris at a time of great upheaval. Much like its previous release, GreedFall, you can see Spiders' ambition, passion, and talent at play here, and while the final product is not quite the success it could have been, Steelrising's?? robot revolution is still worth i?ts weight in cake.

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

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(But only three people have completed it)

Bandai Namco and developer FromSoftware have proudly announced that their punishing fantasy RPG, Elden Ring, has surpassed an incredible 16.6 million sales since its initial launch on in February of this year. The recent sales figure was featured in the publisher's most recent financial report, as featured by Japanese site Gamebiz.

Launching February 25 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms following a hugely hyped development period, Elden Ring absolutely delivered the high-fantasy, high-difficulty, deep-lore adventure expected by the FromSoft fan community. The beneficiary of high critical praise and extremely positive word-of-mouth, Elden Ring has found itself spinning in the drive?s of both FromSoft veterans and newcomers alike �well en route to being one of 2022's best-selling and plaudit-winning releases.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOrtKh8Vv3g

Elden Ring sees players take up the mantle of a fully customizable warrior, who journeys through a dark, open-world universe filled with both steel-swinging opponents and truly nightmarish monsters and demons. As the protagonist progresses through The Lands Between, they will encounter numerous allies and enemies, as they evolve their mastery of mag??ic and combat �all building toward an encounter with the indomitable Queen Marika and the capturing of the realm-conquering title of Elden Lord.

Considered one of the best-reviewed video games of all time, Elden Ring received 10/10 scores from numerous gaming outlets, (including right here on the good ship Destructoid),. This praise has played no small part in the staggering sales achieved ove???r the past six months. How much higher this number climbs over the remainder of 2022 remains to be seen, but the winter award season will likely bolster the overall sales figure some distance.

Elden Ring is available now on Pl??ayStation,?? PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Secret of Nevermore

In my four decades of gaming, there have been very few 'new' genres, and even fewer that have proven to have lasting staying power. Aside from the phenomenon that is Battle Royale, there is probably only one 21st-century-birthed gen?re that has proven itself with consistent and cemented success with developers, player communities, and cash registers: The Soulslike.

A sub-genre of RPGs, Soulslikes generally feature grim, deep lore, an emphasis on exploration, build-heavy protagonists, and a typically gloomy, gothic aesthetic. Oh, and they're also hard as nails. And yet, despite their punishing difficulty, steep learning curve, and joyless demeanor, the Soulslike genre has enraptured a huge community of devotees, won over by FromSoftware epics such as Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, and one of the finest releases of the year to date, Elden Ring.

Capitalizing on the current craze from hard 'n' heavy hack 'n' slashers, indie out OverBorder Studio and British publisher Team17 have tossed their own night-black cape into the gloom, with the arrival of their own take on the Soulslike, Thymesia. With a dark, nightmarish aesthetic, a despondently topical tale of an unstoppable pandemic, and teeth-clenching, merciless difficulty, Thymesia ??makes no bones about its desire to be the next challenge for sadistic fans o??f the genre mercy forgot.

Thymesia (PS5 [reviewed], PC, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: OverBorder Studio
Publisher: Team17
Released: August 18, 2022
MSRP: $29.99

Thymesia, (a ?Greek derivative for "Memory"), is set in the despairing Kingdom of Hermes, a once thriving community now awash with plague, calamity, and death. Into this sorrowful city strides Corvus, a mysterious young stranger suffering his own affliction, that of total amnesia. Not long after picking their way through the body-strewn streets, Corvus enters the palace walls only to find themselves on the business end of a right royal beatdown. In the aftermath of defeat, our hero awakens in the tranquil-yet-gloomy everglades of Philosopher's Hill �cared for by a very young girl, wise beyond her years, Aisemy.

Within this framing device, Corvus must revisit the events of their recent life, piecing together the actions and reactions that brought them to Hermes' diseased gateway. Along the way, they must gather small and subtle fragments of information to help their new compadre put together the lore of the land, the conception of the plague, and the actions that brought a relatively peaceful city to its kne?es. Should they attain total recall, then Corvus and Aisemy may discover more than just the falsehoods of their own legacies �they may uncover the answers to ending the?? epidemic altogether.

A punishing action RPG, Thymesia wears its influences so broadly on its steel-coated sleeve that it's frankly ridiculous not to call it out immediately. Thymesia is not only a Soulslike, but it has gone to great lengths to be as reminiscent as possible of its bigger-budgeted, larger-scale brethren. Every box is ticked, from the game's overall dour demeanor, to its beacon-lighting save points, steel-clashing combat, extra large boss battles, lengthy "single line" health bars, and, of course, slow-fade red writing whenever birdy hits the bricks, (althou?gh here "Memory Interrupted" rep??laces "You Died").

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ftSU5zlQA

Under the watchful eye of their young friend, Corvus embarks on a series of "Recalls," essentially embodying their own adventures i?n real-time. These adventures see Corvus recall the events that brought the kingdom to its knees and saw our beak-faced pal draw a big ol' blank. What this translates to, gameplay-wise, is a series of mini-mapped adventures, that see Corvus explore various areas of Hermes and battle it out with the infected locals, the decaying remnants of th??e king's army, and more than a fair share of nightmarish monsters and mutants.

As is the wont of the genre, every enemy in Thymesia is a legitimate death threat, with even the most Ray Harryhausen-looking skeleton carrying the ability to blast Corvus out of the memory bank and back into the cold emptiness of his own brain. Combat, from the lowliest grunt to the mightiest boss, is a matter of pattern recognition, precision evasion, and expert parrying. You know this, of course you do, because you know the Soulslike score. Importantly, OverBorder Games knows that you know, and wastes little time setting th?e metaphorical dinner table �throwing you into a pit of misery and raining axes onto your dome in a matter of seconds.

Corvus is equipped with a? dagger for parrying, and a saber to lay wounds on their opponent. In addition, the hero's razor-sharp talons can be used to keep those wounds open, with combat coming down to a tight formula of Saber strikes to damage armor, Claw strikes to reduce health, and smart parrying to open up the enemy's defense. The enemies also have specials, that can only be parried via smart acrobatics or the throwing of mythic "Raven Feathers." Unfortunately, this last mechanic is very poorly implemented, ??with feather-tossing effectiveness proving such a coin toss, that it's almost always better to hit the skids and live to fight another round. Hopefully, this can be improved in a later update.

As well as the old one-two, Corvus can use their mastery of plague control to "Reave" weapons from his opposition. Upon their defeat, Corvus can use a charged talon attack to essentially "steal" a spiritual version of the enemy's axe, scythe, spear, broadsword, bow, or any other skul??l-splitter. Using "memories" (XP) gathered from battle, (and from piecing together their fragmented past), Corvus can level up not only their attack, defense, and acrobatic abilities, but also apply various effects to their Plague arsenal, enabling co?mbos, air assaults, floor sweeps, and earth-shattering ground pounds.

As you might expect, Thymesia ain't easy, and newcomers need to be wise to the combative structure that is the core of both this release and the genre itself. Importantly, however, the combat is never unfair, and is merely a matter of patience, wits, reactions, and experience... Oh, that said, the "Varg" boss has a painfully unfair unblockable, which is pretty much the only time ?that game had me clucking my tongue in true "That's Bullshit" fashion.

A game that places its core action above all other factors, it is vital that Thymesia's combat is both solid and appealing. And I'm pleased to report that it is. A meaty challe??nge designed to punish the arrogant and the impatient lies herein, while box-ticking grinders will get a kick out of gathering all of the Plague Weapons, digging out the memory remnants, and experimenting with the game's potion and alchemy mechanics. This array of build opportunities lends some sense of variety to Corvus, which somewhat makes up for the protagonist's complete lack of visual customization.

While it may seem that this review has been overly focused on the fighting, it has to be noted that this is by design. Thymesia, as a low-to-mid-budget title, doesn't have too much in the way of opulence on offer. The cast is incredibly slim, there is no voice-acting or narration, and the Kingdom of Hermes feels somewhat compact when compared to the gargantuan labyrinths that genre fans will be used to. Thymesia's tale is conceptually interesting but ultimately accounts for little more than picking up a hell of a lot of notes. These clues form a tale of conspiracy, classism, and the alchemic arts, but without the necessary tools to dramatically deliver upon ideas. Thymesia does offer ??multiple endings depending on how much of Corvus' memory is restored, so 100%'ers will be in their element.

Thymesia is undeniably hurt by its limitations, but OverBorder Studio has worked within those same limitations to deliver a short, sharp, and impactful gameplay experience. The visuals are adequate, the special effects are impressive, and the highly cinematic score punctuates the action very well indeed. Importantly, Thymesia is rock solid from a technical standpoint, running (on PS5) at an extremely steady frame rate and spotlighting its action with?? a reliable, smart, and unobtrusive camera.

Taking feedback from the early demos, Overborder has improved control response time, all but eliminated camera drift, and ironed out several other issues pertaining to the game's combat. If the first demo didn't work for you, know that many of the problems have been addressed. Today, Thymesia plays very cleanly, a?nd feels good while doing so, ensuring that the only ??thing you'll need worry about is getting a dagger or three in the spleen.

I have zero doubt that right now, somewhere on the internet, somebody is writing "A Poor Man's Dark Souls." And while it is, frankly, impossible not to view Thymesia as a lower-budgeted version of its blockbuster brothers, that easy soundbite is doing the title an injustice. Those yet to dive into the Soulslike genre should consider giving this new release a crack of the whip, as Thymesia works well as an "onboarding" title for those who fancy dipping their toe into blacker waters but are perhaps not ready to smother themselves in the hundred-hour epicness of a Bloodborne or an Elden Ring. Conversely, genre veterans who are willing to compromise with Thymesia's shortcomings will find several hours of sic??k 'n' satisfying action adventure lies in wait.

Thymesia isn't shy about its influences, an admittance that helps and harms the title when inevitably compared to its legendary brethren. But any Soulslike fan who is willing to look past the budgetary shortcomings will find this modest monster masher a fine way to spend a gloomy weekend. While Thymesia is certainly l???acking in some key departments, the solid control, satisfying combat, moody atmosphere, and compelling challenge are still well worth crowing about.

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

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