If you're one of the Star Wars fans who've recently decided that the prequels are worth caring about, you'll probably be happy to know that there's a new prequel Star Wars comic t??elling, among other things, the fate of Watto.

Legacy Of Vader is an upcoming Star Wars canon comic where Supreme Leader Kylo Ren goes on a journey to backtrack Vader's steps. It takes place during the time period between The Last Jedi and The Rise Of Skywalker �a highly unpopular period in the Star Wars continuity �but Legacy Of Vader has an ace up its sleeve. When Kylo goes back to Tatooine, he finds out what happened, or,?? more correctly, what Vader had done to Watto, his and his mother's former slaver.

And, spoile?r alert, it's exact?ly what you'd expect.

RIP Watto, he never made sense in the first place.

I find it hard to care about supposed Star Wars canon that Disney cares so little about that it doesn't even show in movie format, but this will probably appeal to all types of people who have ever come across Star Wars. Watto was always a despicable character so it's hard?? to understand how he never found any serious comeuppance for his actions.

And, the more you look into the character, the less it makes sense. Watto is first introduced as an interesting opponent due to his imperviousness to force mind tricks, but that still doesn't explain his position as a successful slaver. Watto is a weak little critter with no hired goons to be seen. Qui Gon can't trick him into releasing his slaves, sure, but he could have "aggressively negotiated" Watto into releasing Anakin and his mother (and prevent all future bad events in that universe from taking place). Even when ignoring that, it's hard to understand how Anakin, filled with rage after the death of his mother, doesn't look for Watto after slaughtering even the innocent children from the sand people t??ribe who'd taken her. It's a bit strange that he'd only remember to take that detour so long after his first bout of rage, but better late than never.

The first issue of Legacy Of Vader, written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Luke R?oss, will come out on Feb??ruary 5.

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The entire Star Wars oeuvre is replete with lo??re and characters, such that the films alone cannot explore all of it. As such, we have plenty of spin-offs, no?velizations, and video games to fill in the gaps, or at least create new stories from the same universe.

Despite the swashbuckling and lightsaber glory of Star Wars as a successful franchise, one thing it's not really known for is its depiction of blood and guts. Even Luke Skywalker's famous ?hand-removal scene is pretty tame. However, someone has decided to rectify this lack of viscera.

Over on ModDBm, user Cody Cruikshank has brought us something that essentially recreates Dark Forces within the Doom 2 engine. One thing they have added for certain is a healthy dose of gore. The mod itself �currently available in early access �is even called "Brutal Dark Forces," which, ju??dging by the images alone, promises a bloodier and more violent take on the LucasArts title.

No sign of Doom's chainsaw, however

Cruikshank seemingly invites us to "be one with the force and save the galaxy with blood," saying that their mod boasts the aforementioned gore, as well as "remixed weapons, ??brutal enemies, bosses, weapons," and other things.

To that end, it does appear they've essentially created a Doom-esque version of Star Wars: Dark Forces, but with some much-needed bloodshed that's evidently missing from the original 1995 game. Of course, we already did get a remaster of Dark Forces not long ago, but I'm guessing that one downplays much of the ??excessive violence this mod is aiming for.

One thing that's not clear, however, is which port of Doom 2 the mod supports. Given that it has the word "brutal" in the title �not to mention the aquifer of ichor seen in the screenshots �it stands to reason that it may require Brutal Doom in order to run. Either that or GZDoom.

Maybe Dark Forces didn't go down as the best Star Wars game of all time, but I still have pretty fond memories of playing it many moons ago. I'm not sure how I feel about an excessively bloody take on it, but if it keeps me installing and playing classic Doom, I'm all for it.

The post Experience the gory side of Star Wars with this ‘brutal’ Doom/Dark Forces mashup appeared first on Destructoid.

The Dynasty Warriors franchise is synonymous with the high-octane and endlessly entertaining action subgenre known as Musou. And, with Dynasty Warriors: Origins finally releasing next January, it seems that this iconic ??franchise is making a? much-needed comeback.

So, what more can we expect after Origins comes out?

Well, Tomohiko Sho, the head of Omega Force and the producer of the game, certainly has an interesting idea. In a recent preview event, he talked to The Gamer and revealed that he dreams of making Musou spin-offs of two huge western movie IPs: Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. "I am interested in making Star Wars Warriors. It's actually something that popped into my mind after making Dynasty Warriors 3 (...) Lord of the Rings Warriors is something else that I’d really like to make. T??hose are two IP that I dearly love and are dream projects that I hope I can do", said Sho on the matter.

Sho is aware that securing the rights for both movie franchises wouldn't be easy, but it's evident that he has a lot of appreciation for them, so it would be very interesting to see what he and Omega Force could do with them. This wouldn't even be the first time Dynasty Warriors crosses over with other third-party franchises, seeing as Koei Tecmo and Omega Force already made Musou spin-offs of The Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem and Persona, not to mention that they also tackled several non-gaming IPs, like One Piece, Berserk and Fist of the North Star.

Would Star Wars and Lord of the Rings work as Dynasty Warriors spin-offs?

However, every single third-party franchise that has collaborated with Dynasty Warriors is from Japan. Koei Tecmo and Omega Force still haven't got the chance to work with a popular western IP, and both Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings would be the perfect place to start.

Star Wars features a long cast of iconic characters with fantastical powers and unique weapons, from Jedis and Siths to Mandalorians and Bounty Hunters. It even has enemy types that could serve as fodder in a Musou game, like Droids and Stormtroopers, and some iconic monsters that could take the role of bosses, like the Rancor or the Krayt Dragon. So yes, a hypothetical Star Wars Warriors would not only work quite well, it has the potential to be one of the most fascinati?ng and fun entries in the Musou genre.

On the other hand, The Lord of the Rings would also work seamlessly as a Warriors game, since its world and characters are not too different from other fantasy franchises that already had their own Musou spin-offs, like The Legend of Zelda or Dragon Quest. Iconic heroes like Aragorn, Legolas, or Gandalf could be playable ch??aracters, the Orcs could be the main enemy type for pl??ayers to defeat, and creatures like the Balrog and Smaug could take on the role of bosses.

If Koei Tecmo ever manages to secure the rights to any of these two movie franchises, they could end up making some really fun Musou video games that even western audiences who never heard of Dynasty Warriors could enjoy.

The post The producer of Dynasty War?riors: Origins wants to make Star Wars and Lord of the ?Rings Musou games appeared first on Destructoid.

Board gaming can sometimes be a dauntingly expensive hobby, especially when you consider all the expansions, deluxe editions, and miniatures that you can buy. However, you don’t need to spend a ?fortune to assemble an awesome collection of tabletop titles. Every one of the cheap board games that we’re highlighting in this list has unique mechanics and interesting themes that create considerable replay value and guarantee game night fun.

1. Trails

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Discover scenic vistas and explore U.S. National Parks in Trails, a standalone board game based on Keymaster Game’s popular tabletop title Parks. As you move through the wilderness, you’ll get points for spotting birds and collecting natural resources like acorns and rocks. Turn these supplies in for? badges and take a few photos befo??re night falls to pick up the most victory points. The artwork here is particularly gorgeous and invites the players to visit the game’s most iconic locations in person.

2. The Resistance: Avalon

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In Avalon, each player begins with a secret role that determines their allegiance. They must then deduce which of the other people around the table are actually on their team. If you’re on the side of Arthur and his knights, you’ll need to successfully complete quests. Accidentally inviting the baddies to come with you might spell doom. If you’re allied with Morgana instead, you’ll need to stealthily sabotage these quests by convincing everyone of your good intentions and then playing fail cards. As far as social deduction games go, it doesn’t get much better than Avalon. This title works exceptionally ?well for large groups.

3. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

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If you’re looking for a fun cooperative game with plenty of depth that won’t break the bank, then you’ll love The Crew: Mission Deep Sea. It’s a trick-taking card game for two to five players that puts your team on a quest to discover a lost continent. The objective cards upset the basic formula of?? only playing high number cards to win sets and ensure that no two games are quite the same. There’s also a scaling difficulty system, which guarantees that players who love a good challenge will have a great time.

4. Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game

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The classic conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire takes center stage in Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game. Two players face off in a duel-like format. The aim is to cripple each other’s bases and prevent the opponent from purchasing too many powerful cards for their deck. ??Iconic c?haracters from the original trilogy, such as Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, play a key role in the game because of their force-wielding abilities. However, claiming victory requires a more diverse mix of units. As a result, you'll need to put a few rebel troopers, smugglers, and tie fighters into play if you want to win.

5. The Fox in the Forest

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The Fox in the Forest is an enjoyable trick-taking card game for two players with a few interesting twists. The various peoples and mystical beings on the deck all have interesting powers that play??ers can work with. This allows for a healthy dose of strategy but also ensures that the gameplay remains surprising and unpredictable. Also, if you take too many tricks at once, you’ll have to pay the penalty for being greedy. The theme is simple yet engaging, and the illustrations on the cards are elegant and aesthetically pleasing.

6. 7 Wonders: Duel

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There are few engine-building board games that are more accessible and easy to learn than 7 Wonders: Duel. Each player leads an ancient civilization through the ages, developing its economic capabilities, military might, and scientific prowess along the way. To do this, they’ll need to draw and play projects from the randomized, pyramid-like card pool that they share with the other players. A game of 7 Wonders: Duel usually only takes about half an hour, and t??here are a ton of different ways you can score points within that time, which ensures that there’s plenty of replay ??value.

7. One Night Ultimate Werewolf

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For a dramatic game of social deduction and hilarious accusatory conversation, try One Night Ultimate Werewolf. Each player takes on a different secret role in the village and will sometimes get to take action during the brief night phase. When the town awakens, it’s up to the players to figure out who amongst them is an evil werewolf. At the end of the day, the players vot??e on who they should execute. If werewolves all avoid capture, then they win. If just one of them is caught, the villagers win instead. There’s also an app that assists with running the night phase, which prevents someone from ??having to sit out and manage the game from the sidelines.

8. Skull

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The simple yet exciting party game Skull will put your bluffing skills to the test and?? keep yo??u on the edge of your seat. Players take turns placing their tiles facedown until someone decides to bid on the amount of tiles they can turn over without hitting one that’s secretly a skull. The other players can then choose to bid a higher number or let things play out. If the highest-bidding player manages to avoid the other players�skulls, they win points for every tile they turn over. If they are unsuccessful, they’re required to give up one of their tiles instead, which makes bluffing even more difficult for them.

9. Decrypto

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If you enjoy games that require you to guess what your teammates and opponents are thinking, then you’ll love Decrypto. When you set up the game, you’ll place four of the random word cards in your team’s windowed stand so that each word is next to a different number. Then, choose a teammate to secretly read a series of numbers. That player will then attempt to communicate this code to their teammates with word-based clues related to the randomized cards. If you’re ??paying close attention, you might be able to score points by intercepting the enemy’s numerical sequences as well.

10. Bang! The Dice Game

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In Bang! The Dice Game, outlaws and fugitives roam the Wild West, and the sheriff and his deputies have to try and keep them in check. The game’s classic spaghetti western theme never fails to? entertain, and its gameplay mechanics are definitely exciting as well. At the start, you’ll receive both a character card and a role. Each character has a unique power, and each role has a different objective, which means there are a ton of interesting combinations. If you’re an out??law, your goal is to shoot the sheriff. Representing the law instead? You’ll need to eliminate all the baddies with the aid of your deputy. If you’re the renegade, you can only claim victory if you’re the last one standing.

11. Here to Slay

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Recruit fierce heroes, wield magic, and take down mythical monsters in Here to Slay, a thrilling dice-rolling game in which the seemingly endless card combos allow just about anything to happen. The characters you play will let you fight dragons and other strange? creatures, provided you have the power icons?? that match the enemy’s requirements. Your heroes and any modifier cards also make it possible for you to sabotage your friends, which is arguably a big part of why this game is so fun. The artwork and the expansions are, of course, also fantastic.

12. Happy Little Dinosaurs

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Happy Little Dinosaurs is an undeniably adorable card game that’s all about avoiding perilous hazards until you’re the last dino alive. These calamities can be as obvious as falling meteors, but they’re often more comedic. Getting caught cosplayin??g, accidentally running into a shark with legs, or taking a spa day in what turns out to be hot tar could spell doom. To avoid these perils, you might have to break out your meteor cannon or purchase a disaster insurance policy.

The post 12 Cheap Board Games Under $25 That Are Definite????ly Worth Buying appeared first on Destructoid.

Counting down the 10 Best Star Wars games isn't easy, with so many good games out there...

There are dozens of Star Wars games, and weeding out the best of them is difficult. Historically, LucasArts' and now Lucasfilm Games' oversight has ensured that developers and publishers put time and effort into crafting enjoyable Star Wars titles that don't tarnish the IP's reputation.

All the games on this list are some of the best pieces of Star Wars merchandise out there, and I can safely recommend every single one to Star Wars fans. However, not all stars gleam with the same brightness, and there are games on this list that outshine their competition. Here are the ten best Star Wars games of all time, ranked by a few humble fans.

#10: Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)

Despite experiencing arguably one of the worst launches in gaming history (thanks to the game’s ridiculously excessive monetization, severe game balance issues, and an overall lackluster amount of content,) EA's second entry in the rebooted Battlefront series made a surprisingly strong comeback in its short post-launch lifespan. With the removal of pay-to-win elements like burn cards, hero unlocks, etc., and new maps and modes, Battlefront 2 finally redeemed itself in the eyes of casual p??layers and hardcore fans alike.

While EA’s decision to abandon the game so soon after removin?g loot boxes (and reducing in-game monetization overal?l) seemed conspicuous, the developers at DICE did an excellent job redeeming a game that only months before would have been unsalvageable. Unfortunately, this goodwill has not prompted the announcement of a new sequel.

#9: Star Wars: Galaxies

While sadly no longer accessible in its original form, the legacy of Star Wars Galaxies lives on in the hearts and minds of Star Wars fans across the globe. While many other Star Wars games placed players in the action-heavy roles of Jedi, smugglers, and other roles that harken back to the films, Star Wars Galaxies presents you with the opportunity to liv?e in the universe

Social interactions, server-wide roleplay, and collaboration were just as crucial to the gameplay as the lightsabers or an E-11 blaster rifle. Whether you wanted to be a starfighter pilot Wookie, an intergalactic Twilik entertainer, a Bothan medic, or many other combination of species and profession, you could do that. Given the passionate yet relaxed attitude of the game and its player base, it’s a little wonder that Star Wars Galaxies has continued to ??live on in an unofficial, community-run capacity.

#8: Star Wars Episode I: Racer

Whether you played it in the arcades or on a home console, Star Wars Episode I: Racer captures the frantic high-speed energy of sci-fi racing like a few others before or since. The frenetic speed and intensity of each race, combined with aggressive AI bots always more than happy to bump you out of the race, will give your h?and-eye coordination a run for its money.

Whether you’re racing across the desert plains of Tatooine or along the Mon Gazza speedway, you better be prepared for all the twists and turns coming your way or you’ll find your podracing career brought to a sudden, messy end. While the controls?? might be a bit jank, the hilarity of exploding and being reduced to a heap of mechanical rubble as your character’s heavily compressed voice screams in agony is enough to make one burst out laughing with masochistic glee.

#7: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

While a few other Star Wars games let players choose between the light and dark sides, usually from a light or neutral position, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed explicitly explores the darker side in greater depth. The Force Unleashed ??????????????????????????has the play?er take on the role of Star Killer, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, who sets out to prove himself to his dark master.

The hack-and-slash combat system and the detailed physics system allow players to use their lightsaber and the Force in new and unorthodox ways. Star Killer's journey lets you explore a variety of iconic Star Wars locales as they pr??ogress through a captivating narrative about the birth of the Rebel Alliance. With a Nintendo Switch port released just last year, there’s no better time to jump in and unleash the power inside you.

#6: Star Wars: The Old Republic

Given its over thirteen-year lifespan, it’s hard to argue that Star Wars: The Old Republic hasn’t stood the test of time. Where it might lack, such as its merely passable graphical fidelity and generic art style, it mostly makes up for the vast amount of story and gameplay content. Whether you prefer to play solo, fight alongside other players in PVE missions, test your mettle in PVP, or all of the above, you can do so in this title. Including new expansions and updates over the years makes Star Wars: The Old Republic one of the best Star Wars RPGs.

#5: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Respawn Entertainment’s first foray into the universe far, far away, with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, luckily proved to be a smashing success because of the game’s deep story campaign, challenging but ??not necessarily unforgiving boss battles, and invigorating puzzles and platforming sections. While the consulted navigation and chunky performance hold the game back, the ?game soars more often than it falls.

#4: Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

Many Star Wars games to date have allowed players to experience the heroic fantasy of wielding a lightsaber against a wide range of foes. However, few have incorporated lightsaber combat mechanics as intricately as Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.

The fluid responsiveness of the combat system allows players almost limitless options in terms of swing angles and directions, making you truly feel as if the force is with you. While the story-driven campaign is competently told, and its levels provide players with ample challenge, the multiplayer component truly stands out. I've played many Star Wars games, and none have made me feel as much like a Jedi than I did when I was playing Jedi Outcast.

#3: LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

While the title itself now might be a bit inaccurate, owing to the addition of the recent sequel trilogy, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga presents a tempting bundle of content, with a few sprinkles of new content thrown in for good measure. The fresh inclusion of “Arcade Mode�allowed players to engage in 1-on-1 deathmatches with adjustab?le modifiers such as time limits and maximum lives. Likewise, “Bounty Hunter�missions allowed players to revisit previously completed levels to loca?te specific targets as a timer ticked down menacingly.

This enhanced re-release also saw the implementation of a “Power Up�mechanic, where the player could randomly find blue glowing orbs that would multiply their damage output, granting temporary health recovery and boosting their damage output. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is the model example of what a re-release can, and should, offer: A decent number of quality-of-life improvements and just enou??gh bits of new content to sway existing fans int??o recommitting their time and money toward it.

#2: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Even now, almost twenty years after its release, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remains the best single-player Star Wars title to date. While diehard fans can point to m??any contributing factors, the game’s extensive dialogue options left the deepest impression on me. Tied into the morality system (by which players�actions ??would be judged as good or evil,) the player always has to be mindful of not only what they are saying but who they are saying it to.

Choosing the “good�path may not always lead to a “good�relationship with that NPC character. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic clarifies that while both the Jedi and Sith orders may traditionally deal in absolutes, you may find yourself walking a slightly murkier path. Between the stellar voice acting, the richly sophisticated combat system, and the incredible worldbuilding, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remains an out-of-this-world RPG that no Star Wars fan should overlook.

#1: Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)

It’s a little ironic that Battlefront II appears twice on the same list, but in both cases, the selection is easily justified. (This entry is not to be confused with the first on this list, a 2017 sequel to the reboot of the Battlefront series.) While the original Star Wars Battlefront (released in 2004) was a resounding success, its sequel expanded the potential for what players could hope to see in a multiplayer Star Wars game to intergalactic proportions

From its thirty-two-player multiplayer capacity to its drastically improved AI bots, there was, and still is, a lot to appreciate here. The addition of space combat gave veteran Battlefront players something of a new form of gameplay to experiment with, and the strategic Galactic Conquest mode is an addictive war-simulator that tests your resource-management and decision-making skills. Top this off with a surprisingly-enthralling single player campaign that follows the rise of the Galactic Empire through the eyes of your average Stormtrooper, and you've got the best Star Wars game ever made.

The post 10 Best Star Wars Games of All Time, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Even if? recent history might fool you into disagreeing, BioWare is one of the greatest RPG-makers in the video game scene. For a very long time, nobody did better than BioWare, and only time will tell whether the company is currently in the process of r??egaining its mojo.

Let's look at the studio's best games, best attempts, and biggest missed opportunities, and find out where the recently-released Dragon Age: The Veilguard lands in the midst of it all, shall we?

17. Mass Effect: Andromeda

We all know this couldn't be anywhere else. While I don't doubt Andromeda looked good on paper, ??at some point, at least, the end result felt no better than an actual paper cut. Bland plot, unmemorable characters, sometimes downright terrible writing, and that's when you weren't prevented from experiencing those things by so?me wacky game-breaking bug.

Executive meddling made Andromeda the poster boy of mismanagement in games.

If there's one thing Andromeda really had going for it, it was the looks. Andromeda really did produce alien vistas capable of absolu??tely taking your breath away �so long as your character didn't clip through the ground and fall into an endless void.

16. Mass Effect 3

I'm going to start off by saying something nice as to avoid too ha??rsh of a reaction from fans: Mass Effect 3 has great gameplay and ran fantastically well even on my old Xbox 360.

With that out of the way, I was always bummed at how people complained so much about the ending of Mass Effect 3 - beca??use they should've complained about the whole game. Sure, the gameplay was good, but we're talking about BioWare, a company known for proving games can be so much more than cool pew-pew action.?

The plot is just rubbish, likely courtesy of having one of the co-main writers leaving as a response to the studio becoming "too corporate" to fulfill the original vision. The dialogue, the missions, and the entire culmination of the fantastic setup done by the stellar two previous games in the series all went out of the window for inexplicable reasons. You'll never play the game Mass Effect 3 as it should have been, but you might always learn what it could've played out like.

15. Anthem

After the massive failure of Andromeda, Anthem's reveal re-ignited the hopes of a comeback for BioWare. The studio had previously wowed everyone with Mass Effect, so they could totally come up with yet another incredible Sci-Fi IP. The first previews got everyone hyped as Anthem looked gorgeous, but it was all downhill from there. Anthem turned out to be very rep??etitive, not all th??at much fun, and surprisingly empty and light on story �a deadly sin when it comes to a BioWare game.

Anthem wasn't as bad as Andromeda, and it wasn't as much of a let down because it was the first game in its series, but w??e all wanted it to be so much more than it turned out to be.

14. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Yes, feel free to confirm for yourself, BioWare did make a Sonic game for the Nintendo DS. It's an RPG, a type of game where you naturally can't make great use of Sonic's ability to go fast. That, by itself, feels like a hindrance, but I know damn well the good people at BioWare had the capacity to come up with alternative mechanics to make this work, but Sonic Chronicles is no more than a bland RPG wearing ??the face of a popular character.

The most memorable aspect of Sonic Chronicles is Central City, the incredibly ?awful song you can hurt yourself with ?above.

13. Dragon Age 2

The most divisive title in the Dragon Age series, or at least the one most deserving of that distinction. After the massive commercial and critical success of Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2 disappointed players by introducing repetitive combat, removing customization options, reusing the same areas again and again, and limiting the scope of the adventure to a very small patch of land. Everything about Dragon Age 2 felt inexplicably rushed.

Dragon Age 2 isn't terrible, but it's one of the most disappointing seque??ls in relative??ly recent history.

12. Shattered Steel

Few are aware of it, but BioWare began life with a badass mech game. Shattered Steel's action-oriented robot gameplay is the opposite of what you'd expect from a company famous for its talkative and lore-heavy RPGs, but Shattered Steel wasn't bad at all.

Unfortunately, Shattered Steel didn't age all that well, and, without an HD remaster in sight, it's hard to recommend right now. Still, Shattered Steel remains a very curious artifact.

11. Star Wars: The Old Republic

You ought to commend BioWare for challenging World Of Warcraft during the later years of its prime, but The Old Republic proved little more than a courageous attempt.

While it didn't feature any terrible glitches �besides the dance emote that made you invincible, of course �the gameplay amounted to a grindier version of Knights Of The Old Republic. The story ?didn't fare much better, as it went down such an uninspired route that the game at ?some point opted for a soft lore reboot �that also didn't result in anything particularly memorable.

10. MDK2

Though the MDK ??series (short for Murder Death Kill, some say) didn't begin its life via the hands of BioWare??, they certainly improved it.

Shiny's peculiar and very original '90s shooter got even bett??er on the PS2, and felt even more complete with the addition of a few more equally-??quirky characters to our team. This series has been dead for too long, so maybe it's time BioWare picks it back up for a well-deserved refresher.

9. Dragon Age Inquisition

If you ignore the massive tone-deafness of naming the hero's job after one of the vilest institutions in the history of humankind, Inquisition is a pretty good game.

Inquisition fixed the most annoying and disappointing elements of Dragon Age 2's maps, and provided a great early showcase for the power of the 8th generation of consoles. Inquisition was a step in the right direction for the series, and it's also responsible for one of the most hilarious ripoff-related blunders in Hollywood's recent history

8. Dragon Age: The Veilguard

A lot has been said about Dragon Age:The Veilguard, and I'm pretty sure a lot is still to be said. It's one of those games to get caught in the vortex of the grifter sphere, meaning that all matter of relevant criticism will likely be drowned in a sea of complaint??s about vapid crap that YouTubers have?? carefully engineered to generate outrage-fueled clips.

The truth about Veilguard is that it plays great, features awesome new combat mechanics, and a cool new cast of characters. I definitely don't like the weird mid-series shift into a more cutesy art style, but, even then, I? must admit that it doesn't look all that bad. The only thing that really bummed me about this one is the dialogue, which as a whole, is among the mo?st uninspired in the history of BioWare games. Then again, it's going up against some of the all-time greats, so there's that.

7. Jade Empire

BioWare's attempt at a more action-y RPG was a huge suc??cess. The seldom-explored Chinese Mythology setting, the gameplay, and the engaging tale of revenge make this one of Bi?oWare's best games to date.

Sadly, Jade Empire gets overlooked among BioWare's greats, likely because it spent too long as an original Xbox exclusive. That time is past, though, so you have no excuse not to give it a shot, especially if you're into Dragon Age: The Veilguard's modernized combat style.

6. Baldur’s Gate and Baldur's Gate 2

Many of the people comparing The Veilguard negatively to Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 might be unaware that Baldur's Gate only even exists because BioWare brought it?? to life.

Yes, both Baldur's Gate 1 and Baldur's Gate 2 were BioWare titles, and also the games that put the studio on the map. If you're into Baldur's Gate 3, you'll still find a lot to love about BioWare's first big classic. Some of its gameplay elements are dated, sure, though not any more dated than a nice D&D session, and you can totally get the more modernized Enhanced Editions of both BG1 and BG2, so consider giving it a shot!

5. Neverwinter Nights

For the longest ti?me, BioWare made great use of the D&D gameplay mechanics to create fantastic video game experiences. Still, most of BioWare's best?? games don't take place in the actual D&D setting.

If you're looking for a game in the style of Baldur's Gate, a game filled with the modernity seen in later titles like Knights Of The Old Republic, but still in the D&D setting, then you should absolutely give the original Neverwinter Nights a try, as it's the game you can easily blame for unleash?ing BioWare's g??olden age.

4. Dragon Age: Origins

Though it's titled as if it were the tired prequel a studio would make after the main plot of a once-successful series goes too far off the rails, Dragon Age: Origins remains the best and the most endearing Dragon Age game to date.

You'd think that just making Knights Of The Old Republic in a medieval setting with dragons wouldn't be enough to make one of t??he most beloved games of all time, but you'd be wrong. That's because solid gameplay, good art direction, and interesting characters are more than enough to create something special when you already have a great foundation.

3. Mass Effect 2

The first Mass Effect sequel brought in a more interesting cast and did a great job of telling a more emotional tale via some of, if not the best, writing in BioWare history. It also came out in a very playable state, which is only true for 50% of the games with Mass Effect in their title.

Mass Effect 2 proved a step up over its predecessor in all the ways you'd expect out of a BioWare sequel. Still, in a possibly unpopular opinion, I believe it failed to reach the heights of the original by featuring a less epic plot. I believe it also suffers from having gone with a more streamlined mission-based structure that hurts the immersion and the feeling of freedom we got from the original. Still, these should be seen as no more th??an nitpicks aimed at an all-time classic.

2. Knights Of The Old Republic

You'd be hard-pressed to find three games based on a popular movie IP that don't suck, let alone three spectacular ones. KOTOR counts as those three, as it perfectly merges BioWare's excellent D&D combat with one of the best cast of characters and plot ever seen in the Star Wars universe.

If you've grown tired of Star Wars and of modern Star Wars discourse, then you should probably kick back and give Knights of The Old Republic a shot. It's ?over 20 years old now, but, true to the original trilogy, remains as engro??ssing as ever.

1. Mass Effect

Ok, this one comes with a very important disclaimer. I do not, in any way, believe the original Xbox 360 exclusive version of Mass Effect to be BioWare's greatest game. I loved all the promise on display, but the original Mass Effect was a very rough diamond due to its interminable load times and poor perfor?mance issues. The honor of being BioWare's best title belongs to the much impro??ved-upon version that came out on PC.

Mass Effect, though heavily inspired by other great works of Sci-Fi, never failed to feel like its own thing. It also features the quality characters, plot, and writing you'd expect from a BioWare endeavor. And, after finally being optimized, felt fantastic to play, courtesy of all the new and inspired gameplay mechanics worthy of a groundbreaking work of Science Fiction. Mass Effect isn't just an RPG, a shoot??er, a spicy alien dating sim, or even a fun driving and exploration game. It's an experience way cooler than actual space exploration can ever hope to be.

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is turning quite a few heads. The series' newest trailer doubles down on the Goonies-inspired vibes established in the first, confirming this Star Wars series is treading unfamiliar ground. It also dropped some interesting hints on where the series falls on the Star Wars timeline.

The official Star Wars timeline is a tangled chord that's only gotten more twisted since the series started dipping into Marvel Cinematic Universe-style storytelling. Luckily, the trailers and a few comments from the series' creators have painted a pretty clear picture of when Skeleton Crew takes place in Star Wars canon.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew unfolds in a familiar chapter of the Star Wars timeline

Star Wars fans have had questions about Skeleton Crew's place on the timeline since the series' first trailer in August. Scenes of cookie-cutter intergalactic suburbia threw viewers for a loop since we've seen nothing like that in the current canon or the original Star Wars Expanded Universe continuity, now known as Legends.

Thanks to an official statement from director Jon Watts, we have confirmation that Skeleton Crew's events will happen during Star Wars' New Republic Era. This is the same era in which The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka occur. Set roughly five years after Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi, the New Republic era explo??res the early days of the titular galactic democr?acy, particularly its struggle to mend the scars left behind by the Galactic Empire.

Ironically, the day-to-day politics of the New Republic have taken a backseat during the New Republic era. Overhead X-Wings flying Vs and the rumblings of the new Galactic Senate act as loose threads that tie the era's different series together and rarely matter outside the rare individual episodes that incorporate the government's goings-on into their storylines. However, it looks like Skeleton Crew might buck this tr?end by focusing on the lives of New Republic citizens.

Skeleton Crew might cross over with other Star Wars New Republic era shows

Skeleton Crew follows a group of children who accidentally send themselves careening into a far-flung corner of the galaxy on an old ship. On the surface, this premise doesn't exactly scream "crossover." However, the various New Republic Star Wars series coming out on Disney+ have been increasingly crossing wires lately. The Book of Boba Fett effectively became The Madnaolorian Season 2.5 in the second half. Ahsoka, meanwhile, pulled muscles setting up Dave Filoni's upcoming Star Wars theatrical film, pulling in characters from almost every Filoni-lead Star Wars project.

Skeleton Crew reportedly has a budget? of over one hundred and thirty million dollars, so I find it hard to believe that we aren't in for some flashy, late-season denouement that connects it to the web Filoni's weaving. Then again, Star Wars: The Acolyte had an even bigger budget and was standalone. I guess we'll have to wait and see whether ??Skeleton Crew's young explorers are as alone as they think.

The post When does Star Wars: Skeleto??n Crew take place on the Star Wars timeline? appeared first on Destructoid.

Aspyr has announced that the next Star Wars game they’re remastering is the 2000 PS1/Dreamcast game, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles. It’s a real why-?the-hell-not moment, but what a game to have to remaster.

I really did not like the prequel trilogy. When Episode I was released, I was 11 and already a huge fan of Star Wars. I bought the novelization, which was released about a month before the movie hit theatres. I, uh, remember not feeling a whole lot after watching it. Not a massive disappointment, but definitely not what I was hoping for. That feeling has soured greatly since then. However, we did get a bunch of great games out of the deal. I still play Star Wars: Episode I: Racer rather frequently.

There was a massive flood of games that followed the movie’s release, and quite a few of them weren’t very good. Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is not one of those good games. A lot of its problems had to do with control and the actual feel of combat, but those are things that can b??e fixed. I doubt the whole tediousness of the experience can be addressed; that would probably be out of scope for ??the remaster.

However, they are throwing in 13 playable characters and levels unlocked from the start. I mean, that’s not a lot, but itâ€?™s not nothing. They boast modern controls and confirm that 2-player couch co-op will be inclu??ded. You know, at the price of $19.99 you could definitely do worse.

I can dig Aspyr’s crusade to remaster all these Star Wars games, even if they could have picked a better one this time around. I would have even taken Star Wars: Demolition, the somewhat bizarre vehicular combat game that plays a lot like Vigilante 8, being from the same developer. If they want to take Star Wars: Racer Revenge and fix it to live up to the original N64 title, I’d be forever grateful, but I don’t think that game can be fixed by anything smaller than a 12-gauge.

I guess what I’m saying is I hope they keep going, even if their track record for remasters has kind of been all over the place. I mean, somebody has to do it, right? Who else is going to have the guts to remaster Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles?

Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is coming to Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC? January 23, 2025.

The post Aspyr is remastering Jedi Power Battles because apparently we’ve run out of good Star Wars game appeared first on Destructoid.

Deck building is an endlessly engaging and often surprising component of many popular board and card games. There’s so much variability to this type of tabletop gameplay, and whether you’re playing a classic of the genre or trying out the latest and greatest title that utilizes this mechanic, you and your gam?e night group are sure to have a blast. In the list below you’ll find just a few of our favorite deck building card games that you should try out for yourself now.

1. Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure

Deck building meets classic dungeon crawling in Clank!, an engaging card and board game that just about everyone will enjoy. Delve underground, seek treasure, and defeat enemies? to claim loot. Spend cards from your deck to move or fight, and avoid the dragon at all costs. If you escape the dungeon before the game ends, you’ll tally up the points on your artifact and loot tokens, t?hen add that value to the points on your cards plus your remaining gold. If you take too many risks, your opponents can win just by surviving.

2. Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game

The Rebel Alliance’s fight against the Galactic Empire is the perfect setup for a two-player card game duel. You and your opponent will start a round of Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game with a handful of basic characters, ships, and bases. As the game progresses, you’ll add more powerful allies to your de??????????????????????????ck, unlock interesting card combos, and hopefully manage to destroy three of your opponent’s bases. Iconic faces from the original trilogy like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader bring unique, them??atic effects to the table. 

3. The Quest for El Dorado

In The Quest for El Dorado, you’ll need to assemble a team of explorers, sailors, and other travellers to help you cross different types of terrain in the South American jungle. Your goal is to reach the Lost City of Gold before the other players. Each round you can buy cards from the market to make your dec?k stronger and give you more options for traversing the map. The game also offers a variety of board layouts to make the journey easier or more difficult, depending on your preference.

4. Dune Imperium: Uprising

Dune Imperium: Uprising mixes elements of deck building card games with worker placement board games to great ?effect. Every round you’ll send your team of agents to different locations that are either on Arrakis or related to the Landsraad. Then, you’ll reveal the remaining cards in your hand and spend your persuasion points on a new card for your deck. You can also remove weaker cards from your deck thanks to the power o?f the Bene Gesserit. As you continue to amass spice and gain ground on the four influence tracks, your turns will get even more active and exciting.

5. Dominion

No deck building card game list would be complete without the classic, genre-defining title Dominion. This endlessly customizable entry first hit shelves in 2008, and has been popular with tabletop gaming enthusiasts ever since. The goal is simple: end the game with the most victory points in your deck. Unfortunately, these victory points don’t do anything during the game itself, so you’ll need to mix in some interesting treasure and action cards instead. With the release of Dominion Rising Sun, there are now sixteen different expansions that help guara?ntee a different experience every time you sit down to play.

6. Trains

Trains is an easy-to-learn board game that mixes the best elements of the acclaimed Ticket to Ride series with deck bui??lding gameplay. It’s your job as a railroad manager to link together the best transportation network in Japan, and to do so, you’ll need to lay rails, set up signals, and build stations. Unlike other deck builders, you won’t need the aid of additional cards to trash the waste cards in your hand. Instead, you can simply spend a turn to get rid of t?hem.

7. Shards of Infinity

Unlike most other deck building games, Shards of Infinity allows players to upgrade the worst cards in their possession gather than just adding more powerful ones to their deck. However, spending time on this mastery point system might be costly. If your opponent can reduce your health to zero before you reach thir?ty mastery, then it’s game over. Some cards also allow you to play them as soon as you buy them, which also flips the standard deck building formula on its head. The theme is great, and the strategic combinations feel endless.

8. Star Realms

In Star Realms, two players compete to determine whose authority and spaceships hold sway over the galaxy. Your bases and outposts will remain in play and give you fixed effects, while you’ll instead play and discard your ships each round??. Trading for better cards has ??its merits, but you may also want to consider focusing on combat to prevent your opponent from reducing your authority score. Your strategy will change completely from game to game, which means replay value is quite high.

9. Aeon’s End (2nd Edition)

If you’re looking for a deck building board game that focuses on player cooperation rather than competition, Aeon’s End is a great pick. Players team up to hold back the hordes of a horrifying nemesis monster from the deep. When it’s your turn, you’ll spend gems to pick up new additions for your deck and cast spel??ls to deal damage. Unlike other deck builders, you won’t need to reshuffle your deck. When you’re out of cards, instead simply take your discard pile a?nd flip it over.

10. Ascension: Ten Year Anniversary Edition

The classic deck building card game Ascension is a great solo gaming experience that never gets old. Each?? round the players will attack monsters using strength cards and purchase upgrades that appear in later turns. Constructs apply status effects that trigger each round, and cards from the same faction also offer interesting combinations when you play them together. The anniversary edition brings some significant upgrades to the card art, as well as a new play mat.

The post 10 Awesome Deck Building Card Ga?mes You Can P?lay Right Now appeared first on Destructoid.

For roughly three decades, LEGO has been a powerhouse in the video game world. Fans of the line of interlocking plastic bricks have seen titles for computers and gaming consoles alike release throughout the years, each finding their place in what is now a vast LEGO gaming catalog. However it's no stretch to say that not all LEGO games have been created equal.

There are several that have taken this toy-gaming crossover to heights previously unimagined. The Star Wars galaxy, the Marvel and DC Universes, Middle-earth, the list goes on. LEGO and TT Games have truly made the most of the medium, especially in recent decades. A select few of their efforts in particular have proven exceptional, earning their place as the 10 best LEGO games of all time.

10. LEGO Dimensions

For a brief time the 2010s, there was a big push for toys-to-life games which, for those unfamiliar, are exactly what they sound like. You buy a physical toy, there's a base of some kind attached to your console, and when the toy is placed on said base, it could be used in the game. Skylanders, Disney Infinity, and others came and went, with LEGO Dimensions ultimately doing the same. Be that as it may, in the pantheon of LEGO-based games, Dimensions deserves some credit. Even as a vehicle to get kids to spend more money on LEGO and video games simultaneously, LEGO Dimensions truly brin??gs out the level of creativity most know the bran?d for.

There's something undeniably fun about seeing characters and locales from properties like Adventure Time, Beetlejuice, Mission: Impossible, and more cross over in LEGO form. Not to mention, Dimensions is responsible for an incredible selection of physical minifigures that otherwise might not have gotten made. The gameplay may not reinvent the wheel, nor was LEGO necessarily on the cutting edge with the toys-to-life concept, but Dimensions is fu?n enough, and with so many franchises to choose from, there's a lot for pop culture enthusiasts to sink their teeth into.

9. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

Unfortunately in the 2020s, the Pirates of the Caribbean saga is largely fallen out of the cultural zeitgeist. Sure, characters like Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) have their share of fans, but on the whole, the brand is nowhere near juggernaut it was not so long ago. In fact, even though the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, debuted in 2003, in 2011, there was still plenty of buzz surrounding it and its sequels, hence why LEGO began releasing Pirates sets and put out the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean video game.

Even with the diminished mainstream presence of Pirates, the LEGO game based on the first four films is pretty great. Looking to the hub world and interface aesthetic, it's not too dissimilar from previous LEGO titles, but that doesn't mean it's bad. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean offers up a unique selection of main and supporting characters, and the levels themselves are a treat to play through. The fast-paced, swashbuckling nature of the films is translated to perfection, as is their humor. LEGO games are never ave?rse to cracking a few jokes, but they've never felt more at home than in th?is title.

8. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Throughout the 2000s, the Harry Potter films became some of the most widely-adored of their era. Thus, it's no surprise that LEGO got in on the Wizarding World cash cow quickly by releasing sets based on the films. Come 2010, the brand sought to take the young adult fantasy property in a new direction by adapting it in the form of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, which took Xbox 360, P??layStation 3, Nintendo DS and various other popular platforms by storm upon release.

By the time this LEGO Harry Potter game dropped, several LEGO games based on popular franchises had come to pass. Nevertheless, the game manages to stand out from its contemporaries instead of just becoming another LEGO title. Not only does it effectively adapt the first four Harry Potter films, but it features an impressive roster of characters, engaging level design, and one of its most notable features, it's magic mechanics. Through it all, the game does a commendable job of capturing the detail-packed look and whimsical tone of the first half of the Harry Potter Saga.

7. LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game

Numerous LEGO games came before it, but LEGO Star Wars The Video Game is regarded by many as the true beginning of LEGO's reign over the gaming space. Released in 2005 to coincide with the release of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the game takes players through a blocky, simplified version of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. While it may appear quaint compared to the LEGO and LEGO Star Wars games on the market today, there's no denying its place in history. LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game provided a framework for all virtually LEGO games after it.

The lack of character dialogue became a staple of the franchise for many years, as did in-game collectibles like minikits and studs. The inclusion of a hub world, Dexter Jettster's diner, in this case, endured for many LEGO titles beyond it. The heart health system has stuck around for the long haul as well. To put it lightly, one can spend ages listing the contributions LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game made to LEGO games as a whole. Wit?hout it and many of ??its stylistic choices, it's anyone's guess as to what the series would look like today.

6. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

The first LEGO Batman game from 2008 was a standout success. Therefore, it only made sense for its inevitable sequel to raise the stakes and go even bigger. Suffice to say, that's exactly what 2012's LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes does. As the title implies, this adventure encompasses a wider portion of t?he DC Universe, but a larger roster of heroes and villains compared to its predecessor isn't the only way this sequel takes things to the next level.

First and foremost is the revamped hub world, which isn't a mere couple of rooms anymore. When not loaded into a mission, LEGO Batman 2 allows you to explore a fair chunk of Gotham City. You can ride around in the Batmobile, fly around as Superman, or dart through the streets as the Flash if you so please, accomplishing side missions and beating up bad guys. This is also the first LEGO game to do away with the popularized lack of dialogue and occasional mumbles set forth by the first LEGO Star Wars. The added voice acting proved quite an influential creative decision for future games. LEGO Batman 2 was a sizable evolutionary step forward without losing the core identity of the LEGO game series.

5. LEGO Lord of the Rings

LEGO as a brand is no stranger to the world of fantasy, specifically of the sword and sorcery variety. Some of its most adored sublines center on knights, castles, and dragons, after all. So, it was only right for LEGO to eventually take this experience and it's penchant for collaborating with existing properties to create LEGO Lord of the Rings. Alongside a series of sets based on director Peter Jackson's iconic film trilogy, LEGO Lord of the Rings hi??t the vide??o game scene in 2012 too much applause.

Not only is LEGO Lord of the Rings and exceptional LEGO game with fun missions, a bevy of characters to play as, and no shortage of secrets for players to uncover, but it's one of the best Lord of the Rings games ever made, bar none. With the era of confined hub worlds long gone, the game embraces the vast and beautiful landscapes of Middle-earth. Between missions, you're free to explore every nook and cranny, which are packed with details and side activities. It may very well be the most visually breathtaking LEGO game to date, ??and it stands to reason it will hold that title for years to?? come.

4. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

With nearly 20 years elapsed since the last Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, hit theaters, Indy (Harrison Ford) was up for a big screen return. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was set to arrive in 2008, prompting a whole new wave of Indiana Jones merchandise. Naturally LEGO got in on the craze, producing a line of sets based on the then-four movies, in addition to LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. In the wake of three Star Wars LEGO games, it had?? big shoes to fill, and it didn't disappoint in the slightest.

Per the name, the first of two Indiana Jones LEGO games adapts the three original Indy films, and it does so quite well. The landscapes reflect those of the movies, the character selection is varied (or is varied as it can be for a movie line dedicated primarily to people in suits and military uniforms), and the archeology, adventure-oriented gameplay mechanics make for unique puzzle solving. Some of the levels may not perfectly resemble the events of the movies, but for the sake of offering an enjoyable gaming experience, that's nothing to be up in arms about. LEGO Indiana Jones is just all kinds of fun.

3. LEGO Batman: The Videogame

By 2008, LEGO was going full steam ahead with licensed video game adaptations. By that point, three LEGO Star Wars games were in the can, and LEGO Indiana Jones was on its path to gaming immortality. Keeping the momentum going, LEGO set its sights on the world of costume superheroes. With a line of building sets based on his escapades already sending LEGO fans into a frenzy, who better to start with then the Caped Crusader himself, Batman, with the aptly-titled LEGO Batman: the Videogame?

Director Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy was at the halfway point by the time the first LEGO Batman game arrived, but the minds behind it took an interesting approach. Instead of strictly following existing media, LEGO Batman is an amalgamation of various pieces of Batman-centric stories, from comics to films to animation. The result is the quintessential Batman gaming experience. All the heroes and villains one would want are present, the environments feel appropriately comic bookie, and the inclusion of a v??illain story is a nice touch to pad out the gameplay time. It proves lic?ensed LEGO games don't have to stick to someone else's script. They can chart their own course and find unanimous support. Calling it a LEGO classic would be an understatement.

2. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

Thanks to its beloved Batman efforts, many considered LEGO synonymous with DC. At the same time, due to its past with director Sam Raimi's first two Spider-Man movies, many yearned for more collaborations with Marvel. Early in the 2010s, such a LEGO-Marvel deal became a reality, giving fans sets and minifigures based on the comics and flourishing Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much like with other franchises previously, this licensing agreement led to the very first and best LEGO Marvel game, 2013's LEGO Marvel Super Heroes.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes does just about everything right. It features pretty much every hero and villain one could possibly imagine. It has a similar hub world to LEGO Batman 2, allowing players to run about New York City as they please. The story is entirely original, there are plenty of side missions to keep the narrative fun going, and the city is packed with secrets worth seeking out. There's also the inclusion of Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, who finds himself in some sticky situations and needs to be bailed out. All in all, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes takes the best parts of its predecessors and stuffs them ?into one, dare I say, marv??elous, package.

1. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

LEGO games have come a long way since the modern boom that kicked off in 2005. Voice acting is commonplace, open world elements have become the norm, and numerous properties have received time in the LEGO video game spotlight. For as great as newer games are, there's a case to be made that LEGO games peaked a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Yes, all these years later, the best LEGO game remains LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga from 2007.

What is there to say about this game that hasn't already been said? Six movies worth of missions, at the time, the largest LEGO video game roster ever seen, solid graphics, and loads of bonus content. You can even unlock Indiana Jones as a playable character. Is the game more or less a spruced-up combination of LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game and LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy? Yes, but that doesn't diminish how special it was to have all six films, their characters, and hours?-worth of extras in one convenient package.

You might be wondering, can't all of that be said about LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga? To some extent, but there's something to be said for The Complete Saga's light, breezy gameplay and awareness of its limitations. Sometimes less is more, and though The Skywalker Saga is impressive and ambitious, it bites off a bit more than it can chew. It can be a sluggish, tedious affair with its combat, puzzle-solving, and travel, as where The Complete Saga keeps up t?he fun factor remains snappy, and doesn't overstay its welcome. It truly doesn't get any better.

The post The top 10 best LEGO video games appeared first on Destructoid.

In recent years, tabletop? gaming has evolved into a thematic and thrilling experience that’s somehow more accessible than ever. Though everyone is bound to have their favorite tabletop titles, the most popular board games are still those that manage to appeal to all players.

In this lis?t, we highlight ten modern board games that offer interesting new gameplay mechanics, exciting strategic opportunities, and guaranteed fun on game night. 

12. 7 Wonders

Build an empire from the ground up in 7 Wonders, a quick and easy game of strategic?? card placement and resource management. In the early stages?? of the game, your civilization is still young and must gather things like clay, wood, and copper to progress. But over time, you’ll develop military might, invest in scientific advancements, and build monuments to honor your own greatness. 

11. Patchwork

Patchwork is a puzzle board game in which each player’s aim is to put together a complete quilt using uniquely shaped pieces and then acquire the most victory points. Throughout the game, you’ll collect buttons that you can use to purchase more patches, all of which come in different shapes and colors. As the game progresses, you’ll continue to move your token along the time tracker. The earlier you finish your quilt, the better ??when it comes to scoring.

10. Pandemic

If cooperative games are more your style, then you should the immensely popular Pandemic board game a try. You and your fellow players are scientists aiming to stop the spread of a deadly virus. To win, you’ll need to travel across the world, stop outb??reaks, and develop a cure before the virus infects too many populated areas.

9. Sushi Go Party

In Sushi Go Party, your objective is to put together the tastiest meal possible using a mix of rolls, sashimi, nigiri, and other Japanese delights. Each typ?e of food has a different effect when scoring and benefits? from either unique culinary pairings or sets of similar cards. It’s pleasant, portable, and popular with just about everyone.  

8. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

Dive into the depths of the ocean in The Crew: Mission Deep Sea, a cooperative adventure in which the players are collectively looking for the sunken continent of Mu. Everyone has its own personal?? objectives, making each playthrough a novel experience. There’s a great story booklet included in the box and a near-perfect difficulty scaling system that ensures everyone will be up against a challenge that properly manages their skill level.

7. Star Wars: The Deck Building Game

Star Wars: The Deck Building Game is a great tabletop title for two players and utilizes all the best character?s and locations from the original trilogy to recreate the epic clash between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire. Each player starts with a basic mix of cards but can then add their favorite heroes and villains to their deck to build up their power. Destroy three enemy bases before your opponent to claim victory.

6. Sky Team

Sky Team is a cooperative two-player game in which each person takes on the role of either the pilot or copilot and attempts to land a plane together. A balanced axis, the correct speed, and fully deployed landing gear are all necessary if you want t??o make it back to the ground in one piece. Each destination brings its own set of unique obstacles and challenges that match the terrain of the location’s airport in real life.

5. Skull

Skull is a bluffing game in which each player has to stack their collection of skull and flower tiles facedown, then guess how many flower tiles on the table they can turn over without hitting a skull. The person who guesses the highest number gets to flip the tiles, but if they accidentally hit a skull, they lose on??e of their tiles for the next round. It’s a straightforward yet thrilling party game.

4. Sagrada

If you enjoy more abstract, artistic tabletop titles, then Sagrada is a great pick for your next game night. By rolling ?and assembling a collection of beautiful colored dice, you can piece together the best stain-glassed window for the famous La Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona. The picture-perfect patterns and visual appeal of the game will be enough to win over just about anyone. 

3. Carcassonne

If you enjoy classic tile-laying games, then Carcassonne is an essential addition to your game shelf. Players take turns drawing and arranging landscape pieces to build an epic medieval kingdom with roads, monasteries, cities, and farms. It’s amazing how different the map looks each time you play. Carcassonne is a great pick for ??families and suitable for players ages seven and up.

2. Ticket to Ride

In Ticket to Ride, the goal is simple: build the best railway in North America. Longer chains of train cars that link together cities across the map from one another ear??n the most points. The game’s developer, Days of Wonder, has ?also released a substantial collection of expansions and different versions of the base game, so it’s easy to pick the map that interests you most. 

1. Wingspan

Wingspan is an immensely popular board game for good reason. You’ll get to play more than 170 different kinds of birds across the forests, grasslands, and marshes of your player mat, and each of these zones will have a different chain of effects depending on what birds you’ve put there. The variations are seemingly endless, and as a result, there are countless ways to win. It’s easy to lear??n yet difficult to master, perfect for players of all ages. 

The post The 12?? Most Popula??r Board Games For All Players in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

Bacta Vial is an important item in Star Wars Outlaws, as it helps restore Kay's health after taking a few too many shots. You can only carry two Vials initially, but there are many ways to increase the number la??ter in the game.

Bacta Vials are syringe-like containers that heal Kay when her health goes down. In uglier encounters, she may need more than the usual two doses, so here's how to increase your Bacta Vial carrying capacity in Star Wars Outlaws.

How to carry more Bacta Vials in Star Wars Outlaws

There are two ways to increase Bacta Vial?? carrying capacity??:

• Unlock Expert abilities
• Purchase better gear

How to unlock Expert abilities in Star Wars Outlaws

The first way is to progress with the story and come across Selo Rovak, The Mechanic. She is an NPC and you get to interact with her during The Mechanic mission, the one where Waka asks you to gather s?ome parts to upgrade your Speeder.

Selo has six abilities to unlock, out of which you must look for Scoundrel's Pouch (the fifth one from the left) or Outlaw's Pouch (the sixth ability). Once you un?lock th??em, you can carry an additional Bacta Vial and Grenade.

To unlock the Scoundrel's Pouch, you must collect 1x Durafiber Fabric, 8x Coarseweave, and 4x Robuna Leather. And to unlock the Outlaw's Pouch, collect 1x Elastic Durafiber Fabric, 18x Coarseweave, and 10x Polycarbonate.

How to get better gear in Outlaws

The second option to increase Bacta Vial capacity is by purchasing better gear. Remember, these items are expensive, so study up on the best ways to stack up on Credits.

The world of Star Wars Outlaws is huge, and there are a bunch of merchants spread all over. Some of them will have special stock, but to access them, you must work on your Reputati?on Level among all the criminal networks, such as the Pyke Syndicate.

In Mirogana, there's a tailor named Berek Keehro who sells gear. Get the Abelor Survivalist Belt as it increases Bacta Vial carrying capacity by one. It normally costs 1,000 Credits, but my Reputation with the Pyke Syndicate was Good, so I was able t?o buy it for 630 Credits inste??ad. So, maintaining a good Reputation Level comes with several perks apart from getting more jobs.

The post How to increase Bacta Vial ??capacity in Star Wars Outlaws appeared first on Destructoid.

While i??t of course feels great to be the hero and save the day, there are many tabletop games that can be just as fun when you’re embracing a more villainous or morally grey role instead. Tired of thwarting evil plans and feel like hatching ??a few of your own? With the ten board games on this list, you can scheme, sabotage, and backstab your way to victory. 

1. Letters from Whitechapel

Jack the Ripper takes center stage in Letters from Whitechapel, a hidden movement game that centers around the police’s efforts to catch the infamous villain before he can claim his next victim. One of the players is Jack, and has a concealed map and notepad on which they’ll be writing down their movements across London. The other players will investigate sinister crime scenes and try to arrest Jack. If they prevent him from reaching his hideout before he gets to all his victims, they also win. The dark and? gritty Victorian theme makes this board game a gripping experience.

2. Betrayal at the House on the Hill (3rd Edition)

In Betrayal at the House on the Hill, you and your fellow investigato??rs and ghost hunters will explore the dark hallways, creaky attics, and spooky basements of a haunted house. At the start of the game, it would appear that you’re all on the same team. But as you continue to open new rooms and discover the terrifying secrets within, one of your number will turn against the others. If you’re selected as the betrayer, you’ll need to stop the others from leaving the house alive. 

3. Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side

In Star Wars Villainous, players take on the role of one of the most evil characters in the entire galaxy, such as Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or Asajj Ventress. Each villain has its own secret missions and objectives that match the movies and keep the gameplay fresh. There’s still plenty of interaction with heroes like Luke and Obi-Wan, but this time they’ll aid in reducing the strength of your opponent's board. Star Wars Villainous is also one of our overall favorite Star Wars board games.

4. The Others

The city of Haven and its inhabitants stands as the last safeguard against the forces of Hell in The Others board game. It’s a one-against-many setup in which someone at your table will be playing as one of the seven Deadly Sins, in physical manifest. Everyone else works for an org??anization known as FAITH, and must team up against the evil player to save the world from apocalyptic annihilation. 

5. The Resistance: Avalon

Avalon is a game of secret roles and social deduction in which a few of the players at the table will attempt to sabotage the heroes�quests. Classic villains like Mordred and Morgana will be known to ea?ch other, while the others aiding evil, such as Oberon, act as wild cards. The players collectively vote on who will go on the quest each round. If just one evil is amongst the voted-in party, the villain can fail the quest. This can simultaneously make the other players that went on the quest appear suspicious.

6. Dead by Daylight: The Board Game

The tabletop adaption of Dead by Daylight is a surprisingly successful rendition of the original game. The person playing as the killer will ?need to sneak up on the survivors and eliminate them one by one. Everyone else at the table will need to stick together if they hope to survive. Repairing the generators sp??read across the board will open an escape route, and if any of the survivors make it out, they win. Each killer has its own set of unique skills that can make the game unpredictable for the survivors.

7. Not Alone

In the distant future, a space exploration team is shipwrecked on the mysterious planet Artemia and hunted by a dangerous apex predator. In Not Alone, one person will play as the creature, while everyone else will be a survivor whose goal is of course to live long enough to leave the planet. The survivors can attempt to confuse the Creature in its hunting process by putting down place cards. The art here is particularly noteworthy, and the strange, colorful landscapes do a great job of distinguishing the game from the likes of Alien.

8. Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes Them All

Disney has no shortage of iconic baddies, and Disney Villainous brings them all together to create a fun competition in which you’ll find out who’s the most wicked of them all. The thematic ally cards, items, and character boards ensure that playing as each villain is a unique experience. You’ll also have different objectives that match your character and their evil goals from their respective Disney movie. There are plenty of alternate versions of the game that work exactly the same, so you can easily pick the one that lets?? you play as your favorite characters. 

9. Beast

Beast takes players to a mysterious fantasy world known as the Northern Expanse. It’s a land in which wicked, monstrous beasts roam around forests and mountains, attempting to snack on humans. The hunters will need to track down the player who takes on the role of the Beast by venturing out into the wilds, following tracks, and deducing where the enemy creatures will turn up next. The world of Beast is great fun to explore, and contains all kinds of strange beings?? that are brought to life by the game’s gorgeous artwork.

10. Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game

If you’ve always wanted to take control of your very own zombie horde, then Last Night on Earth will be just the ticket. Some of the pl??ayers are heroes looking to escape the horde, and will have their ow??n unique methods of survival. There are several scenarios to play through and each game has a randomized board layout that changes where the heroes will start. The classic, campy zombie movie vibes always make for a great time. 

The post 1?0 Awesome Board Games That Let You Play as the Villain appeared first on Destructoid.

Kessel Sabacc is a mini-game you can play using cards in Star Wars Outlaws. You must learn all the bas??ic rules to get a hold of the game, which comes w??ith many benefits.

Firstly, you can earn Credits �the primary currency across the galaxy. Secondly, winning more games increas?es Kay's fame in the underworld, which can land you ??more opportunities for work, and thereby earn more rewards.

If you're new to Star Wars Outlaws and were overwhelmed during the first Kessel Sabacc in the Shadows of Dec??eit side quest, don't worry; we've got your back with all the rules and how to win.

How does Sabacc work in Star Wars Outlaws?

In Kessel Sabacc, you play against three opponents. There's a buy-in fee and after winning, you earn a Valu?able as reward.

The game involves a deck of two types of cards: Sand (yellow) and Blood (red). The better ??your hands are, the higher your chances will be of winning a game.

How to play Sabacc in Star Wars Outlaws

You have to invest chips to improve your hand and get a pair �known as a "Sabacc Hand". In order to win a round, the difference between the numbers of your cards should be ??closest to zero. The last player with chips in stock will win the game.

Now let's take a scen?ario where Kay has drawn two cards �1 and 1, and the other three players have drawn something such as (2, 4), (1, 3)?, and (2, 2).

The difference be?tween Kay's pair of cards is 0, while the others will have a higher difference. In this case, Kay will win the round. Each match has three rounds in total with each round offering three turns. If you end up with the most coins at the end, you'll win the game.

This is only one scenario we have considered, but there can be coun??tless ??such random occurrences in the game. It's simple �play the game more to get better at it.

What are Sylop and Impostor cards in Sabacc?

Sylop and? Impostor are two wild cards in Sabacc. The probability of drawing them is completely random. Here's how these ?two cards work:

• Sylop Cards: These cards mirror your current card in hand. You can consider them as a jackpot, especially if you have Sand or Blood 1 in your hand. A Sylop Card will simply mirror it and you'll win that round (a Prime Sabacc moment).
• Impostor Cards: Unlike Sylops, these cards (in the image above) come with a risk, as they have no fixed value. Their number is determined at the end of the round using a pair of dice, which also depends upon your luck.

What are Shift Tokens in Sabacc?

Shift Tokens are some items that you can use while playing Sabacc to leverage some abilities to your advantage. You can activate one of these Shift Tokens only onc??e per game, and it has to be used within the three rounds of a match.

The ones I've used so far are:

• Free Draw: Avoid the draw fee in a turn (drawing doesn't require spending coins)
• General Tariff: Other players are taxed 1 chip
• Refund: Retrieves 2 chips

You can unlock 16 su??ch Shift Tokens as ?you progress with the story. You can win some of them Sabacc tables while others are found as mission rewards or Treasures in outposts.

How to win Sabacc in Star Wars Outlaws

To win at Sabacc, you must?? make ?your decisions wisely:

• Try to get a Sabacc hand. This will put you at an advantage almost all the time.
• If you feel you have a good hand, refrain from drawing more cards, and choose the Stand option instead. Drawing cards require coins, and you must keep them at your disposal as much as possible.
• Use Nix to cheat, but make sure it's subtle and the timing is precise. You can use the D-pad to see opponents' hands.
• Use Shift Tokens strategically to gain an upper hand over other players at a table. Use them when the odds are against you.
• If you get cards with 5 or 6, go for a Draw and if you get an Impostor card, keep that instead.

While cheating is allowed, you must keep a check on oppon??ents' suspicion level. If you end up failing at cheating (yeah, imagine!), you will be banned from that Sabacc table temporarily. You can come back and play at the same table later, but only after things have calmed down.

The post How to play Kessel Sabacc in Star Wars Outlaws appeared first on Destructoid.

Credits are necessary resources in Star Wars Outlaws as it's required in almost every aspect. Be it upgrading your vehicles, bribing someone for info, or playing Sabbac, you'd want more of them. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to earn Credits in Star Wars Outlaws.

Credits are the primary in-game currency that serves as the medium for maneuvering through the galaxy's crime syndicates. While some methods are sure-shot ways of earning them, others require?? a little bit of risk-taking.

As you progress through the story, there will be instances when you'd want, o?r rather need, to upgrade your Speeder or Trailblaz?er, Kay's abilities, and a lot more. This is where having more Credits comes in handy. So, how do you earn these resources fast? Let's take a look.

Best ways to earn Credits fast in Star Wars Outlaws

Here are some of the best ways to earn Credits fast in Star Wars Outlaws:

Sell valuables

As you continue playing the game, you'll come across many items that will be located under the Valuables section in your inventory. These items ?include necklaces, rings, voice modulators, and more. You can easily sell them off to a merchant in exchange for Credits.

Selling valuables is one of the easiest ways to get this primary currency but you'd need to keep a lot of them to earn ??in de??cent numbers. You can either pick them up while playing the game, or make Nix steal these items from someone. Just make sure you're not selling off Quest Items.

Complete all types of Quests

Speaking of Quests, the second way to earn Credits in Star Wars Outlaws is simply by completing the Main and Side Missions. It's a no-brainer, but as you progress with the story and complete different missions, you get Credits for getting the job done for different und??erworld criminals.

Also, make sure you are working on your Reputation system for these criminal networks. As you build your prestige, you'll get mor??e optional missions which upon completion will earn you extra Credits.

Play and win at Kessel Sabacc

Kessel Sabacc is a card game in Star Wars Outlaws, which is?? sort of a mini-game. It's risky to mess around with Kessel Sabacc before y??ou've got a grasp of the rules.

However, you'll unlock several cheats in the game's later stages, making?? Sabacc a lot more intere??sting and an easy way to earn Credits. Winning a Sabacc game will reward you with Valuables you can sell for Credits.

Loot Syndicate Vaults

These are the secret Vaults of the three major Syndicates in their region??s, each st??acked with 5,000 Credits plus some custom Speeder paints. Each Vault requires three Keycards to open them. Once you find a Vault, hack the terminal beside it to find the location of its Keycards.

For example, the Mirogana Pyke Syndicate Vault needs the Tizlak's Vault, Gorak's Vault, and Jinnjo's Vault Keycards. This is where your Reputation will come in handy �a Good Reputat??ion can grant easy access to various parts of a region that otherwise would be impossible to access.

The post How to get Credits fast in Star Wars Outlaws appeared first on Destructoid.

Star Wars Outlaws is finally out for everyone on PC and consoles to explore the beautiful open world it offers, featuring Kay Vess as the protagonist in a galaxy far, far away. Amidst ?everything, you mu?st strike a good balance between frames and quality.

Why you ask? Well, enjoying the story at great graphic quality and getting over 60 frames per second is what most players would love. And for a game like Star Wars Outlaws, it makes mo?re sense than ever considering there is so much to explore.

With that said, we have suggested some of the best quality and performance settings for Star Wars Outlaws on PC.

Best Quality settings for Star Wars Outlaws

To get the best quality, it's only natural to set most of the settings at their maximum values. Some aspects such as the Upscaling can be set to Quality instead of Native AA, as the difference won't be noticeable. So, here are the best Quality settings for Star Wars Outlaws:

Video

Display

• Vertical sync: Off
• Display Mode: Exclusive fullscreen
• Resolution: Native resolution of monitor (in my case it was 1920x1080)
• Cinematic display mode: Fill screen
• Monitor refresh rate: Your monitor's highest refresh rate (can be 60Hz, 144Hz, or more)
• Cinematics framerate: Unlocked
• Frame rate limiter: Off
• NVIDIA Reflex low latency: On

Upscaling

• Upscaler type: NVIDIA DLSS
• Frame Generation: On
• Ray Reconstruction: Off
• Upscaler mode: Fixed
• Upscaler mode: Quality

Graphics

Basic

• Chromatic aberration: On
• Film grain: On/Off (personal preference)
• Depth of field: High
• Motion blur intensity: 7
• Camera motion blur intensity: 7
• Per-object motion blur intensity: 7

Advanced

• Environment reflection quality: High
• Fog blur: On
• Microdetail quality: High
• Particle quality: High
• Scatter density: Ultra

Shadows

• Shadow quality: High
• Shadow proxies: On
• Spotlight shadows: Many
• Spotlight shadow quality: Ultra

Detail

• Deformable terrain quality: Ultra
• Lens and cinematic effects quality: Ultra
• Extra streaming distance: 80
• Object detail: 250

Textures

• Destruction quality: High
• Spotlight projection resolution: 512
• Terrain tesselation: Ultra

Raytracing

• Raytraced contact shadows: High
• Raytraced diffused reflections: High
• Raytraced diffused reflections resolution: High
• Raytraced specular reflections: High
• Raytraced specular reflections resolution: High
• BVH quality: High

Volumetric Effects

• Volumetric fog: Ultra
• Volumetric clouds: High

I have tested these settings on an RTX 3060Ti (8GB of VRAM) and I managed to get around 45 to 75 (rarely 80) frames per second when out in the open wo?rld. While inside buildings, there was a slight boost in frames and I managed to get 70 to 85 FPS consistently.

Best Performance settings for Star Wars Outlaws

Coming to our best Performance settings, we will lower most of the settings to medium for a boost in frames. However, th??ere will be a noticeable degradation in quality, but it won't be monumental as some of t??he settings are set to High.

Video

Display

• Vertical sync: Off
• Display Mode: Exclusive fullscreen
• Resolution: Native resolution of monitor (in my case it was 1920x1080)
• Cinematic display mode: Fill screen
• Monitor refresh rate: Your monitor's highest refresh rate (can be 60Hz, 144Hz, or more)
• Cinematics framerate: Unlocked
• Frame rate limiter: Off
• NVIDIA Reflex low latency: On

Upscaling

• Upscaler type: NVIDIA DLSS
• Frame Generation: On
• Ray Reconstruction: Off
• Upscaler mode: Fixed
• Upscaler mode: Balanced

Graphics

Basic

• Chromatic aberration: On
• Film grain: On/Off (personal preference)
• Depth of field: High
• Motion blur intensity: 5
• Camera motion blur intensity: 5
• Per-object motion blur intensity: 5

Advanced

• Environment reflection quality: Medium
• Fog blur: On
• Microdetail quality: Medium
• Particle quality: Medium
• Scatter density: Medium

Shadows

• Shadow quality: Medium
• Shadow proxies: On
• Spotlight shadows: Many
• Spotlight shadow quality: High

Detail

• Deformable terrain quality: Medium
• Lens and cinematic effects quality: High
• Extra streaming distance: 0
• Object detail: 100

Textures

• Destruction quality: High
• Spotlight projection resolution: 256
• Terrain tesselation: Medium

Raytracing

• Raytraced contact shadows: Low
• Raytraced diffused reflections: High
• Raytraced diffused reflections resolution: Medium
• Raytraced specular reflections: High
• Raytraced specular reflections resolution: Very low
• BVH quality: Low

Volumetric Effects

• Volumetric fog: Medium
• Volumetric clouds: Low

On my RTX 3060Ti, I got around 65 to 85 frames per second outside and 90 to 105 FPS inside buildings, consistently. The balance between fr?ames and quality was maintained and all these were tested at 1080p resolution.

If you notice, the jump of FPS from our recommended Quality to Performa?nce settings isn't phenomenal. This means you can tweak the settings to hit a sweet spot in between, without compromising on quality over frames.

The post Star Wars Outlaws best PC settings appeared first on Destructoid.

When news broke that Bethesda was working on a space RPG, it didn't take a genius to figure out it would quickly be turned into a de facto Star Wars game by talented modders.

This happened almost immediately, with plenty of Starfield pl??ayers turning their game into a g?alaxy far, far away. Hundreds of mods can be found that bring the classic Star Wars appeal to Starfield, but?? what if you could only choose 10? These are t??he ones we'd choose.

The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian is a solid start to this list, bringing Din Djarin's armor and jetpack into Starfield. You can grab both the original and Beskar variants of Pedro Pascal's protagonist's armor from the Lair of the Mantis, with modder radicalclownfriend balancing the stats to ensure you don't get a set of busted items too early in the game. If you want to kick off your Starfield / Star Wars roleplay w??ith a bang, this is a great place to start.

Star Wars Aliens

Of all the Starfield mods on this list, radicalclownfriend's Star Wars Aliens will make the most significant difference in making your dream intergalactic crossover a reality. It's a simple concept, introducing many of Star Wars' iconic aliens into the ranks of Starfield's factions, but the effect is sublime. You'll go from meeting a Twi'lek spacer one mom??ent to a Zabrak member of the Crimson Fleet the next, all while playing as a Rodian yourself. New character presets, hairstyles, tattoos, and skin tones make this mod fully customizable, too. 10/10, no notes.

UC Empire

Did something about Starfield's United Colonies rub you the wrong way? Download UC Empire so you don't have to feel bad working against them. This impressive conversion transforms Starfield's most powerful faction into the Galactic Empire, with tons of new outfits placed on NPCs around the galaxy. This mod also opens new roleplay possibilities for evil characters - joining the Galactic Empire feels slightly more sinister than jo?ining the United Colonies, but that's just us.

Star Wars YT-1300 Millennium Falcon 1977

Ever wanted to fly the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy? Starfield's ship-builder not quite cutting it in the vanilla game? Then allow us to introduce electionis007's Star Wars YT-1300 Millennium Falcon 1977 mod. Thi?s awesome creation adds all of the individual pieces you need to put together Han Solo's legendary Corellian freighter, including a build manual so simple even a Gungan co??uld do it. If you fancy putting your own spin on the Falcon, this mod has you covered, with plenty of paint job options available.

AT-ST Enemies

AT-ST Enemies shakes up Starfield's combat in a really interesting way. The base game has a real lack of giant enemies that pose a significant threat, but throw a Star Wars AT-ST into the mix, and things get a lot more interesting. This mod by radicalclownfriend adds seven AT-ST enemies in various locations across Starfield, offering something new challenge for high-level players to take on. The Star Wars skin is just a bonus.

Grand Army of the Republic - Star Wars Clone Trooper Conversion

Grand Army of the ?Republic - Star W??ars Clone Trooper Conversion transforms the United Colonies into the Galactic Republic, inspired by its appearance in the prequel trilogy. Various divisions of the Clone Army are represented in this awesome conversion mod, from the iconic 501st to the fan-favorite 212th. It feels right at home in Starfield - the only downsi??de is that as a U.C. replacer, you'll need to choose between this and UC Empire.

All Trilogy Lightsabers

Come on. Did you really think we were making this list without a lightsaber mod? Our choice is All Trilogy Lightsabers, which adds blades from all nine Star Wars movies, as well as a few TV shows such as The Clone Wars and Rebels. Starfield's melee combat just got a whole lot cooler.

X-34 Landspeeder

After Starfield added land vehicles in the form of the REV-8, it wasn't long before this feature was given the Star Wars treatment. X-34 Landspeeder lets you patrol Starfield's landscapes in Luke's landspeeder as it appears in A New Hope, with a front-mounted gun for good measure.

Freestar Rebels

The Freestar Rebels mod is one of the bigger entries on this list. It transforms the Freestar Collective into the Rebel Alliance, replacing several different outfits to give one of Starfield's factions a fresh coat of paint from a galaxy far, far away. It also includes body morphs, so yes, you can roleplay as Porkins. Use this alongside the UC Empire mod for some true Galactic Civil War action in Starfield.

Aurebesh - Star Wars Conversion

Aurebesh - Star Wars Conversion is a mod you'll spend tons of time not even noticing while it's active. It changes all of Akila City and New Atlantis' text and signs into Star Wars' fictional Aurebesh language, with the end goal being to do this across the entirety of Starfield. It's super immersive, and a must-have in any Star Wars roleplayer's load order.

The post 10 best Starfield Star Wars mods appeared first on Destructoid.

There’s no denying that Star Wars games always draw a big crowd, and the new Star Wars Outlaws is sure to follow this pattern. With a huge open world for you to ??explore??, there’s plenty of gameplay to get excited about.

If you’re as excited as we are to get your hands on Star Wars Outlaws, you’re going to need to? know which platform or console you can play it on. We’ve got the info for you right here.

What platforms is Star Wars Outlaws available on?

These are all the platforms and consoles that you can pick up Star Wars Outlaws for come release day on August 30, 2024:

• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X/S
• Windows 

The game and all of its special editions will be released on all of these platforms simultaneously, so there’s no need to worry about a different console getting a head start on the story before ??you can grab your copy. 

These are also the only platforms on which the game has been confirmed to appear. If you don’t own any of these consoles or a Windows computer, you’re unfortunately out of luck if you want to play the latest Star Wars title.

Is Star Wars Outlaws on previous generation consoles?

No, Star Wars Outlaws will not be released on the previous generation of consoles, including PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. This is likely due to the technical limitations of the older consoles not being able to handle the game. There are other Star Wars games available on the PS4 and Xbox One, like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. 

Is Star Wars Outlaws coming to Nintendo Switch?

No, as of right now, there have been no plans announced to bring Star Wars Outlaws to the Nintendo Switch. While there are a handful of Star Wars games you are able to play on Switch, Outlaws will not be one of them.

The open world of Star Wars Outlaws lets you dive into the universe during the time between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, where you play as Kay Vess. This young outlaw is looking to pay off a crime syndicate and is assembling one of the biggest heists in order to do so. Check out our review in progress?? so you can see if the game lives up to all the hype it’s getting. 

The post All Star Wars Outlaws platforms appeared first on Destructoid.

The best epically long board games offer incredible strategic depth, with satisfying gameplay engines that build over time and immersive thematics that ?you won’t find anywhere else. Oftentimes, they don't even end up feeling like long games simply because they're so much fun. In the best instances, the players will feel as though they’re telling an epic story of exploration, adventure, and conquest. In the list below, you’ll find our picks for the ten best board games that take at least two and a half hours to complete.

10. Game of Thrones: The Board Game (2nd Edition)

Fans of the TV show or the Song of Ice and Fire books will love how well the Game of Thrones board game adapts the geography and storylines of Westeros to create epic battles and court intrigue at the game night table. Conquering castles is the name?? of the game, but to do that, you’ll need to make and break alliances with fellow players and carefully manage your troops. The only reason itâ€??™s a bit lower on this list is because playthroughs can sometimes feel a bit too similar. However, it’s still an exceptional game with plenty of depth.

9. Forgotten Waters

In Forgotten Waters, you’ll explor?e the high seas as an infamous pirate after adventure and treasure. The character sheets are fun to fill out and bring a welcome RPG element to a game that’s otherwise focused on scenario-based gameplay. The entry booklet and the companion app set the stage in each of the six-story chapters, all of which are excellently paced and engaging. Its mechanics are simple, making it the?? easiest-to-learn entry on this list.

8. Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

Mansions of Madness is a cooperative mystery and horror experience set in H.P. Lovecraft’s iconic world. Each player investigator sets out to gather clues and confront evil monsters in the game’s four distinct scenarios. And while I do wish there were more than four scenarios, it’s an incredibly atmospheric game, with each new room you enter feeling dangerous and claustrophobic. There are also lots of fun puzzles that you’ll need to solve via the Mansions of Madness app, whic??h is closely integrated into the gameplay.

7. Sleeping Gods

The incredible artwork and unique exploration mechanics of Sleeping Gods has won the campaign-based game many fans. Here, you and your fellow players will set sail on a steamship across 26 Atlas pages in an attempt to find your way home. The dream-like open world is astonishingly beautiful, with every new island you visit offering something new, whether it's a character, activity, or one of the fourteen collectible totems required for claiming victory. It could be a bit longer, but thankfully there is a sequel.

6. Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game

Even if you haven’t watched the incredible 2004 Battlestar Galactica reboot series, you’ll still find that there’s a lot to love about the TV show’s board game adaption. Cylon agents that look just like humans are hidden in the fleet that’s carrying the last?? hope for humanity, and you or your fellow players could be one of them. If you’re secretly a Cylon, which you might not even find out until the midd??le of the game, you’ll need to avoid suspicion and carry out covert sabotage aboard the Galactica. If you’re a human, your only hope is to reach Earth in time.

5. Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven is a campaign-based dungeon crawler with satisfying character progres??sion mechanics and a rewarding story. While each play session usually only requires about an hour ?and a half to complete, the full campaign can easily take upwards of 150 hours Over the course of those 150 hours, you’ll soon discover that your decisions are critical; they can shape the events of the game in unexpected and exciting ways.   

4. Twilight Imperium (4th Edition)

In Twilight Imperium, you’ll p??lay as one of seventeen unique factions aiming to seize control of the galaxy through political maneuvering, economic development, and military conquest. The players share most objective cards, but there are so many different ways you can accomplish your goals and claim victory. I particularly appreciate that the galaxy map is drawn randomly so that the arrangement of pla?nets, asteroid fields, and other deep-space phenomena demands completely different strategies every time you play.

3. Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

The vast expanses of space await exploration and settlement in Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy. Though it’s still a long game, it’s much shorter than Twilight Imperium, yet it manages to touch on many?? of the same notes without losing much strategic depth. You’ll take contro??l of a species and attempt to build a civilization with a reach as far as the distant stars. Constructing starships, engaging in conflicts with rival players, and gathering reputation tiles are all essential to victory.

2. Star Wars: Rebellion

Star Wars: Rebellion takes players back to the era of the original Star Wars trilogy in a classic, cinematic tale of light vs. dark. The Empire reigns supreme and needs only to find the hidden Rebel base to crush its opposition once and for all. The Rebel Alliance must use its limited resources sparingly and carry out diplomatic missions that unite the galaxy’s systems against the Empire. The thematics of the game are incredible, and with over 150 miniatures included, it’s an absolute must-have for Star Wars and tabletop gaming fans alike.

1. War of the Ring (2nd Edition)

The conflict between the Free Peoples of Middle Earth and the legions of Mordor comes to life in War of the Ring, a faithful tabletop adaption of Tolkien’s books that is often considered to be one of the best war board games of all time. If you’re playing as Sauron, your objectives are simple; you’ll need to gather your troops and conquer as much of Gondor and the rest of the map as possible. If you’re playing as the Free Peoples, you’ll need to stop the spreading forces of evil from taking over before the One Ring reaches Mount Doom. It’s complex, it’s thematic, and it’s undisputedly epic. There's even a War of the Ring Card Game spin-off that's also great.

The post The 10 Best Epically ?Long Board Games To Play in 2024, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Star Wars and Lego have gone together like a glass of blue milk on a hot Tatooine day for 25 years, dominating toy aisles around the world in the process. From supplying collectors with numerous takes on the Millennium Falcon, X-Wings, and Death Stars to taking the gaming world by storm on numerous occasions, the two powerhouse brands have found no shortage of prosperity during their time together. They've even taken over home media and streaming, coming together for numerous Lego Star Wars specials throughout the years. The latest in this long line of offerings, Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy?, seems to be the most thrilling and self-referential one y??et.

The four-part Rebuild the Galaxy miniseries puts the spotlight on Sig Greebling (Gaten Matarazzo), who uses an ancient relic to accidentally rewrite history. What ensues is all kinds of craziness, with Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) becoming a Sith Lord, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) abandoning his Jedi responsibilities to be a beach bum, and more. Along the way, there's plenty of in-jokes and Easter eggs for longtime Star Wars and Lego Star Wars fans to enjoy. The arguable deepest cut in the entire series is the very existence of Sig's ally, Jedi Bob (??Bobby Moynihan), who, despite being unknown to many fans, has a fascinating story and lar?ge preexisting fanbase behind him.

With that, let's travel to a brick-b??uilt galaxy far, far away to ?look back on the lore behind Jedi Bob.

The origin of Jedi Bob

Lego swung for the fences with its original 1999 run of Star Wars products, providing collectors and kids alike with original trilogy and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace sets galore. Thus, the two brands' working relationship continued into the new millennium, hitting another high point in 2002 with the release of more original trilogy sets and those based on the recently released Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. No matter how you slice it, the crème de la crème of the year's assortment was set 7163, the Republic Gunship, as seen for the first time in the aforementioned prequel during the Ba??ttle of Geonosis.

Though Lego was still going through some growing pains with its Star Wars offerings, the first Republic Gunship did justice to its film counterpart. The shape and colors are pretty accurate, and the minifigure selection makes sense...almost. Alongside four Republic clone troopers, two Separatist super battle droids, and a droideka is a Jedi. Not Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson), not Yoda (Frank Oz), not one of the many named supporting Jedi present on Geonosis in the final act of Attack of the Clones. Just a generic Jedi with brown and gray robes, a green lightsaber, a gray beard, and a smile on his fa??ce.

With no name on the box or within the set's manual, in 2009's Lego Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, it was theorized that this random Jedi's na??me is Bob, as fans had speculated previously, and the rest is history.

Attaining meme status

Star Wars fans love few things more than a goofy side-character without a backstory, any real significance to the canon, and a funny name. Thus, Jedi Bob very much fit the bill. In the years since he was introduced, fans have taken to him as a Lego Star Wars icon. His one appearance in the Lego Star Wars line has been celebrated for decades, and as the years have gone on, he has become a pretty sought-after minifigure. Over on the secondhand Lego marketplace Bricklink (where he's designated as merely "Jedi Knight"), new, used, complete, and incomplete ?copies of the original Jedi Bob minifigure go for a pret?ty penny.

Not only has Jedi Bob become an adored symbol of Lego Star Wars and a coveted collectible, but he has also attained meme status within the Lego Star Wars fandom. The Star Wars Memes Wiki gives him a fantastical backstory, painting him as one of the galaxy's most powerful and important Jedi ever. Meanwhile, over on Reddit, specifically r/PrequelMemes, one can find numerous Bob-centric posts. Some do the same as the Wiki and give him a wild history and insert him into the wider Star Wars canon, while others simply shine a spotlight on him, maintaining his relevance as his Lego Star Wars debut slips further into the past.

Thankfully for Bob's sizable fanbase, it doesn't seem the folks at Lego or Lucasfilm forgot about him, hence? why they're going all out for those who've waited decades for his time to shin??e.

Jedi Bob's return to plastic form

Bearing in mind just how loved and talked-about Jedi Bob is among Lego Star Wars enthusiasts, it's no surprise that excitement was high when he was revealed as part of Rebuild the Galaxy. He'd never appeared in Lego Star Wars media before, so the fact that he was finally getting some of the spotlight, with Saturday Night Live icon Bobby Moynihan bringing him to life no less, was awesome news. It has since been revealed that Jedi Bob's miraculous return after 22 years isn't limited to? animation. After all this time, he's back in plastic form as well, ready to take on enemies of all shapes and sizes and, well, rebuild the galaxy one brick at a time.

Tying into Rebuild the Galaxy, Lego has released two sets. First is set 75389, the Dark Falcon, featuring minifigures of Darth Rey, Darth Jar Jar, Jedi Darth Vader, beach Luke Skywalker, Darth Dev, and bounty hunter C-3PO. The other is 75388, Jedi Bob's Starfighter. As the name implies, this is Bob's personal ship, so it comes with an updated version of him, in addition to a Mon Calamari Imperial stormtrooper, also known simply as an Ackbar Trooper, and the droid SR-VO, or SERVO. For just $39.99, you can commemorate the return of a Lego Star Wars legend and get him in min?ifigure form if you're not keen on paying aftermarket prices for the ori??ginal.

At long last, Jedi Bob will return to the forefront of the Star Wars galaxy on September 13, when all four episodes of Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy arrive exclusively on Disney+.

The post Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy’s Jedi Bob, explained appeared first on Destructoid.

Star Wars Eclipse is losing a notable part of its dev team. The game's lead writer, Adam Williams, has left Quantic Dream for new pastures, forming his own studio afte?r nine years with t?he studio.

Williams' resume includes a lead writer stint on Detroit: Become Human before joining the Star Wars project. Announced back in 2021 with a flashy CGI trailer, Star Wars Eclipse promises a new experience set in the galaxy's High Republic era. In the almost three years since, Quantic Dream has been near-silent on the title. This latest update may not be what the Eclipse hopeful have been waiting for.

Williams confirmed his departure from Quantic Dream in a LinkedIn post, announcin?g that his new studio will be "working on something very innovative, very special and, for now, very secret." Although his statement doesn't exactly give much away when it comes to his new project, he does as??sure that news is coming "soon."

What next for Star Wars Eclipse?

Given the radio silence on Star Wars Eclipse, it's difficult to get a read on what Williams' departure means for the game. We have no idea how far along Eclipse is in development.

Even if Star Wars Eclipse is kept under wraps for a while yet, franchise fans have plenty to sink their teeth into. The upcoming release of Star Wars Outlaws should fill that galaxy far, far away-shaped hole in our hearts for a while to c??????????????????????????ome, in the absence of Quantic Dream's project.

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At the turn of the 21st century, there were few cooler things than skateboarding. Getting together with friends and boarding around town, or hitting the ramps and pipes at the local skatepark was the epitome of a good time for teenagers. The gaming world took notice of this pasttime in short order, resulting in the creation of the widely-beloved and highly-acclaimed Tony Hawk's video game series.

Launched in 1999 with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the franchise gives gamers all t?he fun of skating without scraped knees and cracked bones. With a range of professional skaters to choose from, including the legendary Tony Hawk himself, and customization options to make your own, you're able to skate in a host of environments, try out all kinds of moves, and, naturally, pick up som?e fun in-game collectables along the way.

In addition to new areas to skate and cosmetic options, the Tony Hawk's games allow players to unlock new skaters during their playthrough. Most tend to be real-world skaters or celebrities with skating backgrounds, but some are in another category entirely. From pop culture icons to downright weird entities, the Tony Hawk's games are full of bonkers and otherwise unexpected guest?? skaters.

Of them all, here are the 10 strangest, funniest, and coolest guest skaters to roll through the Tony Hawk's series.

10. Neversoft Eyeball

Throughout its time as an active developer, Neversoft Entertainment was responsible for some strong titles. Alongside the likes of Gun and the Guitar Hero franchise is the Tony Hawk’s series as its most notable product. Thus, it only makes sense that one of the developer’s key pieces of iconography, a severed eyeball, made its way into a Tony Hawk’s game. The execution ??of th?is, however, was a bit strange.

A version of the Neversoft eyeball seen in the game's opening, complete with a largely nude, stitched-together human body, is a playable character in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. It's weird, yet its absurdity fits the game's vibe perfectly. To skate as the grotesque eyeball-headed creature, you have a laundry list of things to do first. Complete career Mode all 21 times a???nd get 54 Goals and three Gold Medals with all skaters and it is all yours.

9. Spider-Man

In the modern day, a good portion of the Marvel Comics roster has broken through to the mainstream, but in the 1990s into the 2000s, that amount w??as much smaller. Leading the pack was none other than Spider-Man, who was pop?ular already but became a phenomenon with the release of his first live-action movie. Two years before the film hit theaters, though, the webhead took to the halfpipes.

Spider-Man is playable in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and he returned for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2X. Peter Parker has four different costumes as well, those being his classic red and blue suit, the black and? white symbiote suit, the comic Iron Spider armor, and his Captain Universe look. Achieve 100% in Career Mode with a created skater and the web-slinger will be unlocked.

8. Eddie the Head

One of the most beloved parts of the Tony Hawk’s games is their soundtracks. Each game brings in a blend of rock, metal, rap, and pop for gamers to enjoy while they play. On a handful of occasions, the music selection of certain games has bled over to the gameplay. Case in point, the inclusion of “The Number of the Beast�by Iron Maiden in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4.

Alongside the classic track, the band’s iconic mascot since 1980, Eddie the Head, is accessible as a skater. Additionally, there are a few Iron Maiden-themed decks one can use. Thankfully, the pro??cess to unlock the zombie-like Eddie isn’t too convoluted, but it might take a bit of time. He’s purchasable as “Metal Head�in the Spend Cash section and costs $9,000, so you’ll have to get some? play time in before taking him for a spin.

7. Doom Guy

Seeing characters rooted in video game franchises jump from their home universe to another is nothing new. After all, the Super Smash Bros. series has built an entire gaming saga on the idea. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s not fun or surprising when it happens. This is especially true of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3,?? where an icon of the first-person shooter genre makes a guest appearance.

Believe it or not, Doom Guy of the Doom series fame is playable in the aforementioned Tony Hawk’s title. If you never knew he appeared in the title, that’s probably because you didn’t own the PC version. T??he demon-slaying space Marine is only accessible in that specific version of the game and only unlocks if you enter a cheat code. Type “idkfa�in the Cheat Code menu and you’re ready to rip, tear, and shred.

6. Iron Man

As mentioned, before the Marvel Cinematic Universe came along, only a few Marvel heroes were super well-known. The popularity level of most members of the Avengers paled in comparison to the likes of Spider-Man, Hulk, and Wolverine. Be that as it may, one of those overlooked do-gooders who has since become one of the most beloved in the world managed to score a spot in a Tony Hawk’s game.

Genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist Tony Stark, better known as the Armored Avenger, Iron Man, is a playable skater in Tony Hawk’s Underground. To play as the hero the entire MCU was built on, completing the game’s story mode on normal difficulty is all that’s asked of you. With that, yo??u can pull him away from his world-saving duties and Stark Industries responsibilities to skate around whenever you want.

5. X-Ray

As any skater would tell you, skateboarding is not for the faint of heart. Even the most experienced and skilled skaters can get seriously hurt, be it hitting their head on pavement, taking a bad fall down some stairs, or any other number of horrific situations. Broken bones are far from uncommon in the sport, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 goes out of its way to drive that point home.

In the Xbox version of the aforementioned Tony Hawk's game, a character called X-Ray, who's a literal skeleton, is an unlockable skater. Yes, humble gamer, you can see in real time what kind of impact skating mishaps can have on the human skeletal syst??em, albeit within the game's mechanical limitations. To take X-Ray for a ride, simply complete all objectives and get three gold medals with two skaters.

4. Jango Fett

The Tony Hawk’s game series hit its stride in the early 2000s. From the gameplay to the soundtracks to the fact that skateboarding culture was on fire at the time, there was no better point for the series to unfold. Simultaneously, Star Wars was b??ack at the forefront of pop culture than??ks to the prequel trilogy. So, it’s no surprise that collaborations between the two entertainment juggernauts came to pass.

Darth Maul’s inclusion in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 is well-known, somewhat overshadowing Jango Fett’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 presence. He’s a fun skater to play as, and, much like Iron Maiden’s Eddie, unlocking him isn’t difficult, just a bit time consuming. Purchasing “Star W??arrior�from the Spend Cash section for $9,000 unlocks him and his unique board designs.

3. Wolverine

While the Spider-Man films can take much of the credit for the superhero movie boom of the 2000s, they didn’t make it a spandex and cape-wearing reality alone. 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movies were also hugely responsible, bringing the mutants to the big screen in adventures die-hard Marvel fans and casual moviegoers could enjoy. As this saga got underway, fans could express their love for the X-Men through a Tony Hawk’s title.

Though one would expect a younger, more hip X-Men member like Iceman or Jubilee to do so, it’s actually Wolverine who features in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. How you unlock the adamantium-clawed Canucklehead varies between consoles. For the Xbox, Playstation 2, GameCube, and PC versions, completing all career go?als and achieving gold in all three competitions with two characters unlocks him. As for the Nintendo 64 and the PSX, you must complete a??ll gaps.

2. Shrek

Just as Marvel was beginning to finally get some traction at the movies at the start of the 2000s, so was DreamWorks Animation. The studio was formed in the mid-�0s, but only started to achieve Hollywood prominence at the start of the new millennium. This is largely thanks to 2001’s Shrek and the popularity of its big, green, Mike Myers-voiced title character, who becam??e a cultural icon practically overnight.

In response to enduring ogremania, Shrek 2 released in 2004 to much fanfare, the same year Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 hit store shelves. Shrek himself features as an unlockable skater in the game, and it’s? not much of a c??hallenge to make him playable. Complete the story on easy difficulty and the face of DreamWorks is yours for the skating.

1. The Hand

Evidently, the Tony Hawk's franchise is full of wacky skaters. Some are superheroes, others mascots. There's a little something for ever??yone in regards to characters not rooted in the real-world skate scene. What they at least all have in common is their human form. Each of them have a head, torso, arms, and legs. In this way, one guest skater very much goes against the grain.

What's likely the most bizarre Tony Hawk's secret skater is the Hand. As the name implies, this is a giant, sentient hand with a love for skateboarding, apparently. To unlock this oddball skater in Tony Hawk's Underground 2, all you have to do is complete Story Mo?de on normal difficulty. With that, you can fingerboar??d to your heart's content.

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Star Wars is an action epic between good and evil that spans across systems. It can also be a pretty scary place, though, with awful monstrosities lurking within it. Here are some of the most frightening Star Wars creatures to grace the expanded universe.

Knobbly White Ice Spider

Appearing in The Mandalorian, the Knobbly White I??ce Spiders are a species of awful arachnids that live in the ice caves of Maldo Kreis. They vary wildly in size and have a terrible resemblance t??????????????????????????o deep sea spiders, with long, bony legs and a hanging jaw appendage.

FFear of these spiders is rather rational, and any arachnophobes watching The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 2 "Chapter 10" would have been praying dearly for them never to return to screens again. I t?hink what gets me the most about these spiders are the two eyes nestled just below those scythe-like legs. They caused havoc for Mando and Grogu, and likely some nightmares for the audience.

Decraniated

The Decraniated are humans who have had ?most of thei??r brain removed (hence the name) to become lobotomized servants by order of Dryden Vos, leader of the Crimson Dawn. Although the Decraniated themselves aren't very scary, it's the thought of the process that made them that truly chills my blood.

The worst part, for me, is that the creation of the Decraniated are entirely unnecessary when the droids they're made to replicate exist. This makes the?se poor souls mere artistic pieces. To be murdered and fashioned into a slave as part of a money-making scheme makes my stomach churn.

There are some fates worse than death in Star Wars, and this certainly feels like one of them. The Decraniated appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One.

Irling

Irlings are hive creatures that ambushed the Bad Batch in The Bad Batch ??Season 1 Episode 13. They are light-sensitive and found on Ord Mantell. And when disturbed, they can organize a great effort to rip anyone in their sight?? to shreds.

Like all hive creatures, the Irlings' primary fear factor are the size of their swarms. The thought of hundreds of them catching up to you with the insidious hum of their wings would send shivers up anyone's spine, and the "Infested" Bad Batch episode perfectly encapsulates this.

Zillo Beast

Zillo Beasts are a colossal reptilian species that are virtually extinct. They appeared in an important plot strand that branches between Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch.

Only one Zillo Beast is capable of ravagin?g Coruscant and almost destroying it, thanks to its near-sentience and incredibly tough hides. This creature is so strange and dangerous that the Republic had to bring it down using unconventional methods, instead of using raw firepower. The destructive capabilities of this strange, flailing monster would have been a sight to beh??old if you were in Coruscant.

Exogorth

Exogorths, or Space Slugs, live inside asteroids and can maintain entire ecosystems in their guts due to their gargantuan size that can reach up to 900 meters. The Millenium Falcon gets to see it first-hand in The Empire Strikes Back.

Strangely, the creatures themselves aren't incredibly aggressive, and the?y aren't mindless, as they feel pride for all the life they host in their bellies. However, their very existence as a giant worm floating th??rough space on asteroids are not a sight one wants to behold. Giant space worms slithering in the gaps between the stars is an image that doesn't sit right with me.

Drengir

The Drengir are species of botanical monsters from Mulita who featured in The High Republic stories. These man-eating sentient plants were a threat not just t??o their surroundings, but?? the galaxy.

Not much can threaten the galaxy other than Sith Lords - and even they don't typically go about trying to devour all life. What makes these towering ?creatures worse is that they are a collective mind that can sway the minds of others, even Jedi. With healing abilities that can withstand blaster shots and l?ightsaber strikes, these monsters were rightfully feared.

The Nameless

The Nameless, also known?? as "Force Eaters," are another terrible force present in the High Rep??ublic era.

Although the Nameless didn't pose a galactic threat, they feast on the Living Force, becoming predators of Force-sensitives. The effects a Force-sensitive felt b??eing near a Nameless were devastating, r??anging from hallucinations to death. Force-sensitives have always been powerful, so to see the Nameless poised as a creature capable of hunting them down makes them all the more terrifying.

Mnggal-Mnggal

The Mnggal-Mnggal is an ancient creature tha??t takes the form of sentient grey ooze. This ooze can control other beings, hollowing them out, and also has some shapeshifting and teleportation ?abilities.

What makes the Mnggal-Mnggal so scary is that it were likely around during the time of the Celestials, meaning we really know nothing about it. Note that this creature has only appeared in The Unknown Region, a Star Wars role-playing game, and so isn't canon.

Summa-verminoth

Summa-verminoths are gigantic cephalopod-esque creatures that dwell in the Akkadese Maelstrom, seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Any colossal creature that can "swim" around in the vacuum of space is already terrifying, and the Summa-verminoths are no exception. One of the largest terrors seen in Star Wars, these monsters o??f legend have way t??oo many tentacles.

Starweird

Finally, my favorite terrifying Star Wars beast - the Starweird. Appearing in the canon Doctor Aphra comic series, these ancient beings are incredibly p??owerful and even harder to kill. They were co??nsidered extinct until the last years of the Imperial era.

These creatures resemble gia??nt ghouls that can twist and maneuver in space as t?hey pursue their target. They scream an awful shrill that is agonizing to hear, and even if impaled, they will continue the chase. Their design and ancient features combined with being suspended in space are what makes Starweirds a terrifying presence.

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Undoubtedly one of the greatest entertainment properties in modern times, the Star Wars universe has been taking fans on journeys throughout a galaxy far, far away for almost five decades. Resonating in the young and old, longtime experts and those just beginning their sci-fi odysseys, this fiction staple includes some of the best Star Wars book series for beginners.

It should come as no surprise that the Star Wars book catalog contains an intimidating mountain of storytelling, with over 400+ entries, daunting to even the most seasoned fans. Enter yours truly, an avid Star Wars fan and reader for three decades, who has taken my overall understanding of Star Wars history, applied it with the utmost attention to detail and crafted this ultimate reading list of the best Star Wars book series for beginners.

Darth Bane Trilogy

Best-selling author Drew Karpyshyn penned a masterpiece on the Sith of the Old Republic with the Darth Bane Trilogy. Bane delves into the dark side as he reforges the Sith with the fabled Rule of Two, a mandate stipulating "two there should be; ??no more, no less. One to embody the power, the other to crave it." This titanic shift in Sith philosophy, imposed by Bane, allowed the Sith to survive extinc??tion and plot revenge on the Jedi.

Bane offers a bit of everything to the reader with equal parts action, intrigue, and lore-building. Whether it's his?? quest for ancient Sith holocrons, his deadly rela??tionship with his apprentice, Darth Zannah, or his magnetic gravitas, Darth Bane is a Sith you want to root for.

Ronin: A Visions Novel

Undoubtedly one of the most unique books set in a galaxy far, far away, Ronin: A Visions Novel by Emma Mieko Candon is a splendid beginner read that depicts the titular Ronin and his story in shaping the histories of the Jedi and Sith. Adapting this thought-provoking read from the Star Wars Visions short 'The Duel,' Candon crafts a mysterious alternate reality t??ale with fascinating characters and an esoteric view of the Force, perfectly set in feudal Japan.

Garnering an entry on this list for its wildly imaginative realization of Jedi and Sith beginnings, Ronin proves that Star Wars themes and plots are as diverse as the species in its universe. This story is a testament to the potential alternate reality storytelling has within Star Wars literature. I, for one, hope for more Ronin-esque offerings in the future.

Darth Plagueis

In Darth Plagueis by James Luceno, beginners are given an indelible origin story on the Sith famously referenced in Episode III's 'The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis' scene. Here, readers see Plagueis usurp the role of Master and mold an aspiring politician into the executor of the Grand Plan. By dipping into many fascinating elements of Star Wars, from the shadowy machinations of the Sith to the majestic floor of the Galactic Senate, Darth Plagueis proves its worth.

Luceno poignantly exhibits Plagueis's desire for control over midi-chlorians, the fabled genetic markers of Force-sensitives, and how it spirals into his undoing. Combined with his vivid depiction of Sheev Palpatine's tragic fall to the dark side and the conflict perpetuating the Rule of Two, Darth Plagueis remains an essential read for Star Wars beginners.

Star Wars: Republic Commando Series

Spawned as a tie-in book series to the cult classic, tactical first-person shooter Star Wars: Republic Commando, the Republic Commando series is a nostalgic delve into the Clone Wars/Rise of the Empire era of Star Wars. Following up on a title many consider among the greatest Star Wars games ever produced, the Commando books had to capture t??he 'in-the-trenches' feel of the game, and they delivered.

Written by sci-fi author Karen Traviss, the Commando series follows a group of wayward clone troopers dubbed Omega Squad, coming together as a unit and fighting the good fight against seething galactic conflict. Traviss expertly captures the militaristic boots on the ground, battling as brothers feel that made the Commando game resonate in the hearts of Star Wars fans.

Star Wars: The Dark Lord Trilogy

No Star Wars beginner reading list would be complete without including Darth Vader, unequivocally one of the most iconic baddies to grace literary fiction. Enter the Dark Lord Trilogy, a splendid trio of books focusing on critical moments for Anakin Skywalker before, during, and after the events of Episode III. The final result is a series ??crammed with insightful reading on the Chosen One that takes readers into the most critical stages of Anakin's fall to the dark side and transformation into a Dark Lord of the Sith.

Without a doubt, authors James Luceno and Matt Stover did their due diligence regarding this genre-spanning sci-fi icon, eloquently articulating the conflicting self-doubt raging within Vader as he wres?tles with his role in establishing the Galactic Empire. As a result, Vader's inner angst will become a focal point as he transitions into his role as the Emperor's right hand and sets out to bring his vision of peace to the galaxy. 

The Han Solo Trilogy

A delightful origin series on the galaxy's favorite scruffy nerf-herder, the Han Solo Trilogy gives an integral backstory on Han Solo, detailing the years and events leading up to his appearance in Episode IV. Debuting in 1998, the first book of the trilogy, The Paradise Snare, kicks off this top-notch series?? following Solo from his lowly beginnings as a street urchin on Corellia to his historic Kessel run a?nd all the crazy antics in between.

While the Force users of Star Wars garner the most notoriety, it's the everyday men, women, humans and aliens that feature in the most intriguing stories. A.C. Crispin's intimate look into Han before the original trilogy hits the mark, giving fans an intimate view regarding his ex-lovers, former Imperial connections, procuring the Millennium Falcon, and his enduring friendship with the Wookie, Chewbacca, denoting this as a best Star Wars beginner book series.

Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren

Focusing on the sequel trilogy, The Rise of Kylo Ren is mandatory reading on the future Supreme Leader of the First Order. Charles Soule pens a classic origin series for Star Wars fans, expertly chronicling the factors in Ben Solo's descen??t to the dark side and Kylo Ren's ascension.

Easily possessing the most depth of the sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren's struggles with his lineage were felt by fans. Importantly, Soule captures this tangible conflict, taking readers into Ben's thoughts and artistically detailing the competing forces of light and dark warring within. Rise is a stark illustration of not just Kylo Ren's rise from t??he ashes but also his seizing of his own destiny.

Light of the Jedi

Showcasing the newest continuity of Star Wars, Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule introduces fans to a bright time in the galaxy as the High Republic enters an age of expansion and innovation, hoping to bring its light to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Introducing a plethora of colorful characters, like the wise Jedi Master Avar Kriss and Marchion Ro, the mysterious Eye of the savage Nihil raiders, and complete with an original, creative plot revolving around a hyperspace catastrophe, Light proves itself deserving of its 2021 Goodreads Choice Award nomination.

Indeed, Light offers beginning Star Wars readers a superb introduction as the first entry into the High Republic, presenting it in a vivid, easily digestible format. Light notably shows the Jedi of Star Wars without their traditional Sith opposition, giving beginner fans a re??freshing take on a different era and the Jedi that lit i?ts path.

Star Wars: Ahsoka

Garnering countless fans since her first appearance in The Clone Wars animated movie, the genre-spanning Ahsoka Tano has cemented her place in Star Wars fandom with her youthful, creative spirit, her balanced ebb to Anakin's flow, and her gigantic heart. With that in mind, it only makes sense that this list features Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston.

Taking place shortly after Ahsoka departs the Jedi Order, this fast-paced read follows her efforts to disappear on a planet in the Outer Rim and avoid the horrors of Order 66. In particular, Johnston seizes on Ahsoka's most pronounced traits and brings them to life. Indeed, after a chance Imperial encounter leaves her and her adopted family in the crosshairs of one of Darth Vader's dark-side Inquisitor assassins, Ahsoka must risk it all in this best Star Wars read for beginners.

Heir to the Empire Trilogy

For Star Wars fans in the '90s, the outlook was grim. Almost a decade after the epic conclusion of Return of the Jedi, little had been done to capitalize on this wonderfully imaginative universe. Thankfully for fans worldwide, acclaimed author Timothy Zahn would pen the Heir to the Empire Trilogy, instantly reigniting the eventual Legends continuity of Star Wars.

In this #1 NY Times bestseller, Zahn crafted a genuinely engaging tale, sci-fi space opera at its finest, complete with familiar faces from Episodes IV-VI, perhaps the best blue anti-hero ever, and intrigue until the last page. Surely, offering beginners the ideal mix of force and non-force elements, the Heir series remains a must-read literary piece on Star Wars.

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Spanning from 25000 - 1000 BBY and easily the lengthiest era in Star Wars continuity, the Old Republic is awash with historically significant events and some of the most influential characters Star Wars has to offer. Indeed, boasting characters like Bastila Shan, Darth Bane, and Revan, the Old Republic has understandably received a fair share of the Star Wars spotlight in the last quarter century.

But, while the Old Republic games rightfully garner much of the attention covering this formative time in Star Wars, it's the literary reads that contain a treasure trove of value. Here, hidden within these creative classics, fans can find some of the most engaging characters, themes, and plotlines in Star Wars. Thus, utilizing my decades of source reading, I have identified the best Star Wars reads on the Old? Republic for your reading pleasur?e.

The Old Republic: Revan

Unquestionably, a gem of a read from the literary Godfather of the Old Republic, Drew Karpyshyn, Revan checks in as a best for any fan of the Old Republic. This up-tempo novel tracks the all-time Star Wars video game great after the events of Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and ties directly into the events of the popular MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Most knowledgeable Star Wars Old Republic fans likely hold a special place in their heart for the Revanchist, and Revan encapsulates why. Since debuting in the award-winning Knights of the Old Republic, Revan's trademark mix of light, dark, and the in-between has permeated his lore. Thus, being a memorable entry on the titular character, Revan artistically nails his intricate nu?ance and introduces many legendary shapers of the Old ??Republic to a grander audience.

Lost Tribes of the Sith

Without a doubt, a top read on the Old Republic, Lost Tribe of the Sith boasts the Star Wars sci-fi staples fans have come to love, draped in the historical context of the Old Republic. Following a stranded group of Sith from Naga Shadow's Sith Empire as they crash land on a primitive planet littered with untold horrors, Lost details the many? obstacles the tribe must overcome to survive.

Deftly proving his fluency in the era with Lost, best-selling author John Jackson Miller brings these unconventional wayward Sith to life. Moreover, while conveying their generational fight for survival, Miller illustrates the? stark differences this tribe has with more traditional Sith, simultaneously exacerbating the same call to power all Sith share.

Tales of the Jedi Omnibus

A foundational collection of lore regarding the Old Republic era, the Tales of the Jedi omnibus represents the upper echelon of reading material on this titular subject. This artistic omnibus collects the praised 'Dawn of the Jedi' and 'Tales of the Jedi' comic series in one glorious read. Written by comics legend John Ostrander and former Benedictine monk Tom Veitch, Tales focuses on the bloody beginnings of the Jedi and Sith orders as they carved out their pla??ce in the galaxy??.

Focusing on the most important galactic events of the era, Tales introduces readers to Old Republic legends like Exar Kun, Ulic Qel-Droma, Naga Sadow, and Nomi Sunrider, detailing their exploits in the Old Republic. But, while this omnibus might seem daunting because of its overall length, I assure interested readers that the stories told within serve as the backbone of Old Republic lore and undoubtedly remain among the best Star Wars reads on the Old Republic.

The Old Republic: Deceived

A superbly crafted novel by author Paul S. Kemp, Deceived follows the exploits of Darth Malgus, a legendary Sith of the Old Republic. Beginning with the Sacking of Coruscant, Malgus spearheads the assault, desecrating the fabled Jedi Temple and leaving nothing but carnage in his wake. But, before the Sith Empire delivers the coup-de-grace to the crippled Republic, the Treaty of Coruscant is struck, leaving Malgus ques??tioning his peers' dedication to ending the Republic.

Tenured writer Kemp creates an integral entry into the Old Republic mythos, shedding light on the underlying events surrounding the cinematic Sacking of Coruscant and the Darth at the forefront. Along with the vivid imagery it conjures, Deceived draws high marks as poignant lore on Darth Malgus, notably showcasing his differences from the traditional Darth model and introducing Star Wars fans to this unique Dark Lord of the Old ??Republic.

Darth Bane Trilogy

Full of engrossing anti-heroes and captivating villains, the Bane trilogy ranks as a best-read to fans of Sith, the Old Republic, or Star Wars. Beginning with 'Path of Destruction', award-winning author D??rew Karpyshyn chronicles the life of Darth Bane, from his abusive upbringing on the mining planet Apatros to his galvanizing of the Sith under the Rule of Two, giving readers invaluable in??sight into galactic history.

Here, Karpyshyn brings Bane to life with clear and concise prose, showcasing the progenitor of the Rule of Two as he formulates the Great Plan. Truly, this seminal trilogy encapsulates everything that makes Star Wars so alluring, combinin??g memorable characters with a masterful plot and pacing, crafting one helluva read on the Old Republic.

The Old Republic: Annihilation

Penned by lauded Star Wars scribe Drew Karpyshyn, Annihilation introduces roguish Republic SIS agent Theron Shan in a race against tim??e to thwart the Sith Empire after the Battle of Ilum. Admittedly thrust into the eye of the Sith hurricane, Shan must overcome reservations about his past, his distrust of authority, and bloodthirsty Sith zealots to save the Republic he is sworn to protect.

Annihilation checks all the boxes, providing Star Wars readers with a detailed backstory on the enigmatic Theron Shan, his cinematic parents, and his role in the acclaimed Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. Therefore, when discussing the best reads on the Old Republic, it would be a disservice if Annihilation were excluded from contention.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Vol. 2 Omnibus

The Knights of the Old Republic Vol.2 omnibus follows Jedi Zayne Carrick, of Carrick Station fame, and his adventures traversing the dangers of the Old Republic. Here, collecting issues #19-37 of the hailed Knights of the Old Republic comic series by Marvel, Vol. 2 dives into the thi?ck of the unlucky?? Jedi Carrick's story, seeing him on the run and unable to prove his innocence in a Jedi padawan massacre.

Undoubtedly one of the best reads on the Old Republic, Vol. 2 keys on many of the prevalent issues of the era, like warring Sith factions, the Mandalorian menace, and galaxy-threatening weapons. Here, Star Wars veteran Jonathan Jackson Miller nails the high-stakes nature of the Old Republic, concocting a fast-paced story with a relatable protagonist and delivering a best-read on Star Wars the Old Republic.

Red Harvest

Lastly comes Red Harvest, a top read from the Old Republic era that harkens to zombie-loving fans across the Star Wars universe. As growing unrest settles across the galaxy following the re-emergence of the Sith Empire and the attack on Coruscant, the sinister Darth Scabrous, seeks to co?mplete an an??cient Sith ritual that will deliver him command of an undead army. Yet, hope lies in the gifted Jedi Hestizo Trace, whose unique flora force powers threaten Scabrous's evil machinations.

Courtesy of bestselling author Joe Schreiber, Red Harvest presents Star Wars Old Republic fans a sci-fi space horror read at its finest. Importantly, Schreiber's accentuation of the gory details combined with his expert backdrop choices gives readers a tangible sense of dread. Moreover, as the novel progresses and these ominous feelings build, Star Wars readers are le?ft with lasting impressions that accurately reflect the grandeur and horror ??of the Old Republic.

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The debut season of The Acolyte, the latest Star Wars series to overtake Disney+, is n?early at its end. It has been a long road, but at last??, the show has provided some answers to the many questions it posed early on.

Most importantly, The Acolyte has revealed the main antagonist of the story: the Stranger, also known as Qimir (Manny Jacinto). He's also quite a beast on the battlefield, utilizing his red lightsaber and experience with the Force to strike down seve?ral Jedi i?n Episode 5, "Night."

Of course, there's more to Qimir's victory than mere skill with a lightsaber or knowledge of the Force. His few pieces of armor also proved es?sential to his success, as they managed to deflect lightsabers and prevent telepathic communication in the case of the helmet. That's because Qimir's armor is made of a specific, highly rare metal called cortosis, which, up to this point, hasn't received much of a spotlight in Star Wars canon. It has only come to the forefront in a handful of print projects and is only now making its live-action introduction.

Long before it appeared on The Acolyte, however, cortosis and its applications were thoroughly explored in the Star Wars Legends continuity. Sith such as Darth Tenebrous and Darth Plagueis min??e it for their own gain. It's used during the Clone Wars to aid the footsoldiers on both sides of the conflict, and various weapons are constructed from it to stand toe-to-toe with traditional lightsabers. Suffice it to say that it's pretty important to have?? multiple stories across the Legends timeline.

Additionally, cortosis took center stage during the campaign of one of the most overlooked Star Wars video games to hit the market in the 2000s.

Cortosis is central to the story of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

One of the sequels to the recently remastered Star Wars: Dark Forces, 2002's Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, continues the story of Kyle Katarn as he reconnects with his Jedi side and aids Luke Skywalker in rooting out the Imperial Remnant, as well as protecting t??????????????????????????he reestablished Jedi Academy.

This time, the threat is one of Luke's former padawans, Desann, who seeks to create an arm?y of Dark Jedi? to destroy his former master, his current students, and the entire Jedi Order. During the campaign, it's revealed that, as part of his scheme to do so, he's collecting cortosis.

During the story, it comes to light that gangster Reelo Baruk has been involved in a cortosis smuggling operation. Katarn learns that the Remnant has taken? it over, using it to form armor for its Force and lightsaber-wielding Shadowtroopers, giving them a distinct advantage over Luke and his students. Players even have to battle some of these troops in-game, proving a challenge compared to the less-durable Dark Jedi, the Reborn.

Jedi Outcast is still worth a play-through today

Cortosis isn't unique to Jedi Outcast but is central to its story. It effectively demonstrates how the metal can be used and the threat it can pose if it falls into the wrong hands. While it hasn't been explicitly stated that Jedi Outcast influenced The Acolyte (though the series was inspired by past Star Wars games) regarding its use of cortosis, the parallels exist. In both cases, the Jedi are caught off-guard over their dark side enemies' use of the material and are forced to adjust to the revelation with little time to spare. Thus, with Star Wars canon picking apart elements of the Legends game, perhaps it would be wise to give Jedi Outcast another look all these years later.

Aside from potential canon connections to watch for in the future, Jedi Outcast has a lot to offer. The intriguing story takes players through a range of environments, from military bases to waterlogged valleys. This variety keeps the action fresh, as does the litany of weapons and Force abilities. While a tad repetitive, the overall gameplay is engaging enough, and the side modes like duel and capture the flag are a good time with friends. To top it all off, there are plenty of references to the Star Wars universe and appearances from iconic characters to keep the game fir?mly rooted in the galaxy far, far away.

Is Jedi Outcast the premier Star Wars gaming experience? Probably not. Some would argue that its 2003 sequel, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, is better, but it's far from a waste of time should you pick it up. It's a good play, and, as evidenced by The Acolyte's use of cort?osis, for all we know, it could contain more lore elements that will soon trickle into the modern canon.

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While Star Wars films and television productions garner most of the worldwide renown, the novels offer fans some of the richest, lore-building content this massive entertainment property has to offer. But, consisting of a catalog of over 381 entries, the Star Wars literary universe can seem daunting to the most devout ??Sith amongst us.

Luckily, my love for Star Wars has seen me spend over thirty years arduously poring through the books, compiling a comprehensive canvas of the Star Wars literary landscape. With that in mind, these are the best Star Wars n?ovels for the Sith enthusiast who has ever??ything.

Darth Plagueis

A masterful look into the manipulative Sith duo by James Luceno, Darth Plagueis takes readers into the inner machinations of Plagueis and his apprentice, Darth Sidious. Rife with political intrigue and the constant power struggle inherent betwixt a Sith Master and Apprentice, Darth Plagueis paints a ??vivid and accurate picture of the precario??us nature of the Rule of Two.

Most notably, Luceno articulates how easily ambition and a lust for power can tear the Master/apprentice dynamic apart. Rightfully lauded among Star Wars Sith novels, Darth Plagueis offers a detailed account of daily Sith dealings and fills?? in fu??ndamental lore surrounding these legendary Sith.

Lords of the Sith

For readers looking for a one-off story on everyone's favorite Sith duo, Paul S. Kemp's Lords of the Sith is just the novel you're looking for. Expertly weaving in the iconic Clone Wars animated series?? by utilizing Rebel leader Cham Syndulla as an antagonist, Kemp's tale of assassinatio??n feels right at home in the post-Order 66 Galactic Empire.

Short and packed with hard-hitting action, Lords offers readers unfiltered insight into the combat relationship between Darth Sidious and his apprentice, Darth Vader. Indeed, in place of a Hugo-winning plot, Lords excels using gritty, visceral dialogue, transporting Sith fans into the cave with Sidious and Vader and leaving them with but a tas??te of the dark side power writhing within these Sit??h legends.

Darth Bane Trilogy

Perhaps the proverbial jewel in the Star Wars Sith novel crown, the Darth Bane trilogy represents essential reading for anyone who claims Star Wars Sith fandom. Written by Old Republic savant Drew Karpyshyn, these novels follow Bane from his lowly beginnings on the planet Apatros, his serving during?? the Jedi-Sith War, and culminating with his reforging of the Sith order and enactmen??t of the Grand Plan.

Adored by almost all Sith fans for good reason, the Bane novels flesh out the origins of the mysterious Rule of Two, narrated expertly from the perspective of the titular Darth. Accordingly, after reading the Bane novels, Sith fans are left with a comprehensive understanding of the ?Rule's bloody beginnings and the legendary Sith that started it all.

Dark Lord: Rise of Vader

Readers would be hard-pressed to find a better novel on one of the most iconic faces in cinematic history than James Luceno's banger Dark Lord: The Rise of Vader. Bereft with poignant reading on the Chosen One, the Rise novel takes readers on an ex?plosive thrill ride, focusing on his early years during the establishment of the Galactic Empire.

Notably showing Vader's genre-spanning power and, perhaps more importantly, his myriad of insecurities, Rise gives readers glimpses at the inner turmoil within Vader following the events of Episode III-Revenge of the Sith and the lengths he will go to eradicate it. Complete with an apropos story and recognizable characters, Rise ?checks all the boxes, producing a must-read novel ?for any Sith enthusiast.

Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter

Expertly using the stark contrast between Coruscant's majestic upper levels and the downtrodden, crime-infested lower levels as the backdrop, Michael Reaves pens a noteworthy addition to Star Wars Sith novels. Set shortly before the events of Episode I- The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter pl??ays out as a perilous game of cat and mouse, as Darth Sidious sets his ghoulish apprentice Darth Maul in search of a traitor seeking to d?erail the Great Plan.

Teeming with dark side power, Shadow Hunter commands readers' attention by presenting an enthralling Sith novel highlighting Maul being Maul. Filled with his backstory and introducing a cadre of engaging characters, like aspiring knight Jedi Darsha Assant and information trader Lorn Pavan, Shadow Hunter dese??rves mention for the great Star Wars Sith no?vel it is.

The Force Unleashed

A masterful adaptation of the award-winning video game of the same name, The Force Unleashed by Sean Williams comes highly recommended for any Sith enthusiast. Set between 3-1 BBY, Unleashed provides explicit details surrounding Garen Malek, the secret apprentic?e of Darth Vader, code-named Starkiller. Indeed, per the Rule of Two, Vader would've taken an apprentice when he believed he was nearing the point of usurping the title of Dark Lord of the Sith.

Enter in Unleashed, which covers the in-game events, correspondingly shedding light on the intricacies woven into Garen Malak by his relationships and experiences. Utilizing vivid prose, Williams encapsulates the raw power of the force and persistent internal and external trials faced by the Sith. Complete with grizzled Jedi Rahm Kota, the quirky Droid PROXY, and the morally upright Juno Eclipse, Unleashed captures the same nostalgic-laced feelings of the game, ?coupled with added clarity, resulting in one hell of a Sith read.

The Old Republic: Deceived

Deftly adopting the name of the first released cinematic for the massive MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, which covers the corresponding events surrounding the Sacking of Coruscant, writer Paul S. Kemp pens another must-read Sith novel, Deceived.

Surely, readers can agree all great Star Wars Sith novels feature a powerful protagonist. Deceived is no different, with Darth Malgus proving every bit the engrossing Sith as his more well-known counterparts. Possessing a sturdy code of honor uncommon by Sith standards, Malgus proves to be a pivotal shaker of Old Republic history and Deceived shows precisely why.

Lost Tribe of the Sith

A splendid collection of Sith lore, Lost Tribe of the Sith by John Jackson Miller takes the audience back some 5000 years and details the exploits of a m?aroon??ed Sith crew and their fight for survival. Cut off from the larger galaxy and stranded on the planet Kesh, these lost Sith must overcome dangerous flora and fauna, hostile natives, and their rising ambition if they are to ascend as rulers.

The Lost Tribe stories are a truly unique entry into Star Wars Sith mythos, offering Sith enthusiasts a progressive introspective on an isolated group of Sith over their history. Immediately, readers will notice the stark differences between these Sith and the more Vader-esque variants, but therein lies Lost's appeal. The intricacy with which Miller weaves these differences with the corresponding call to power burning in every Sith's heart validates Lost's place in the Star Wars Sith novel hierarchy.

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Many of us grew up expecting games to have little in the way of a great plot,???? let alone having great plot twists.

The greatest plot twist is that even though games have relatively recently flourished into an artform that can feature splendid storylines and character arcs, great game plo?ts and plot twists aren't that new of a thing. Let's look at the best plot twists in the history of gaming.

Bloodborne is all about aliens

If there's one thing we've learned from nearly 20 seasons of Ancient Aliens, it's that it's nev??er really aliens in real life. In Bloodborne, however, we spend most of the game thinking we're playing Victorian London's version of Leon S. Kennedy as we cull a plague of bloodthirsty humans, but that's not the case at all.

What brought the world of Bloodborne to the brink of ruin is everyone's addi??ction to "old blood." That's not a fancy way of talking about aged blood, but what they call the blood of "old ones," cos?mic entities whose odd bodily fluids humankind is completely crazy about.

In true Lovecraftian fashion, we don't know the cosmic entities' motives. We know that "The Hunt" we conduct in Bloodborne happen?s not to help the people but to suit the needs of the Moon Pr??esence, the great old one pulling all the strings in the Hunter's Dream.

Solid Snake is the bad guys' greatest asset in Metal Gear Solid

Few games teach players a bigger lesson in humility than the original Metal Gear Solid. Hideo Kojima, always the master of deception, spends the entirety of t??he game letting players k?now that Solid Snake is the best spy in the world. He's right regarding Snake's sneaking abilities, but, as Snake himself states at the start of the game, he's a pawn.

The thing is, we see Snake as a ??pawn of the US g?overnment when, in fact, he's unwittingly working for the bad guys. Snake ends up saving the day, but not before giving the terrorists occupying Shadow Moses nuclear strike launch capabilities after his evil brother plays him like a fiddle.

Kain is actually on our side in Soul Reaver 2

We spend the entirety of the original Soul Reaver trying to get revenge on Kain for dooming the main character to an eternity of torment, only for him to escape right ??before we strike the final blow right at the end of the game.

Not too long after Soul Reaver 2 begins, we learn that we'd always b?een part of a greater plan of Kain's, one where the death of the protagonist was never meant a??s a final punishment but as a necessary means to save the world.

Is it a retcon? Well, definitely. The original Soul Reaver was meant to end with Raziel killing Kain and ending the entire story, but the gam??e had to be cut short due to budgetary constraints. That's a good thing because this originally unplanned twist allowed this once-by-the-numbers revenge tale to elevat??e the whole series into something so much grander.

Darth Revan's identity in Knights Of The Old Republic

RPGs love the amnesiac main character trope because players can fill in the huge gap with whatever story they want for themselves, and the writers don't have to bother coming up with a specific backstory for that character. The original KOTOR lulls players into thinking that's the kind of story they're in, but they're later hit with the revelation that their character's memory had been erased by the Jedi. Why? Because you're actually the story's ominous Sith, Darth Revan, and you're being used by the Je?di to secure a weapon you hid in your old life.

BioWare had big shoes to fill when writing a Star Wars video game with a big plot twist, and it deserves the Rebel Alliance's medal for writing what's arguably an even gutsier twist into Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic.

SHODAN returns in System Shock 2

Before GLADoS, there was SHODAN. The evil AI is the main antagonist of the original System Shock, but in the sequel, only the bad memories remain. At a later point in the game, we make a significant deal with a character, only to learn that said character is actually dead and that we'd been played by none other than SHODAN. It's a good moment in the narrative sense, but what sells it as one of the best moments in the history?? of gaming is how it all plays out in real-time.

If you think that's scary, remember that the developers' original idea for the ending of System Shock was to have players t??hink their computer had been taken over by Shodan.

Learning that “the cake is a lie�in Portal

Learning that an AI is actually evil hasn't been a surprising twist for the past, say, 40 years. I mean, I'm pretty sure 99% of AIs �real or fictional �are evil. The thing about the reveal in Portal isn't that GLaDOS seemed benevol?ent the entire time. It's that she spends the entire game acting very dubiously and then is revealed evil in a moment that's equal times cruel and hilarious. There'll never be another evil AI like GLaDOS.

Learning that Wheatley is bad in Portal 2

Portal 2 takes players through a narrative that mirrors many of the beats from the first game, only this time we have an ally named Wheatley. Whe?atley is a bit aloof, but he's very helpful in trying to ??disconnect the evil GLaDOS from the system.

The problem here isn't even that Wheatley is mischievous or straight-up evil. The problem is that he's a dumbass. How dumb, you ask? He was made by the smartest minds in the world to be the dumbest AI in the world. He's very good at being dumb, so it really sho?uld come as no surprise that as soon as the now-deposed GLaDOS makes fun of him for being completely incapable of keeping things tog??ether, he proves her right.

Learning we'd been helping the G Man in Half-Life Alyx

The good people at Valve know that the people demand more Gordon Freeman, and so they have the players of Half-Life Alyx embarking on ?a quest to rescue the main hero of the series from the clutches of the evil Combine.

It's only in the very last scene, where we finally break ?Gordon's apparent prison, that we see the silhouette of a man with a briefcase. What the hell is that? Gordon would never carry such a business-prone item. Well, that's because we'd been tricked into releasing not Gordon but the G Man, the most mysterious �and possibly most villainous �character in the series.

The truth about James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2

If you'd played the original Silent Hill before venturing into Silent Hill 2, you'd likely expect that you'd be visiting a creepy town previously populated by monsters. The good news is that the residents of Silent Hill remain as ??evil as they'd ever been, but they may not be the worst entities hanging around anymore.

The truth about James Sunderland, the supposed hero of the story, is that he's responsible for doing the worst possible thing to the person he loved most. The game doe?sn't reveal him as a villain all along but rath??er as a broken man who might never recover from his guilt.

The meaning of "Would you kindly" in Bioshock

Most characters in FPS games tend to either do as they're told or follow the scent of more enemies to kill. No player has ever complained about either option. In the original Bioshock, we get introduced via comms to Atlas, a polite man who never fails to utter the words "would you kindly" before asking us to do something. You'd think he's just being nice, or that's how people in the '60s era that Bioshock is ?trying to emulate spoke all the ?time, but it is not.

That's because Atlas isn't even Atlas, but a master conman who'd "programmed" the main character to do what he was told, so long as he'd hear the w?ords "would you kindly??" beforehand.

This is not just a great narrative twist but also a fun dig at the speechless and thoughtless main characters usually populating the g?enre.

The mysterious stranger in Tales From the Borderlands

At the beginning of Tales From Borderlands, we find the main characters imprisoned by a masked stranger who accuses them of treason. We then spend most of the game seeing flashbacks that take us up to the moment of their capture. You'd think that witnessing everything that took place beforehand would help us guessing the identity of the stranger, but every new scene ??seems to only make it more difficult.

My rec?ommendation is that you play this underrated gem and see �or guess �for yourself the identity of the stranger, as it's probably the most deviously clever reveal I'??ve ever seen in all media.

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Aspyr has announced that they've been hard at work on a remaster of 2002’s Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. It will be??? released on PC and consoles on August 1st.

When it comes to video games, Star Wars has historically been very hit-and-miss. Actually, that could be said about everything Star Wars, not just the video games. However, the early �0s were perhaps the most inconsistent time for the brand. We got Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (and probably some others I’m forgetting), but between those, we got some of the okay-est Star Wars games, such as Star Wars: Obi-Wan or, well, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter.

It’s not that Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is bad. I’ve heard that some people dig it. However, it kind of played?? like just about everything of that period and stars professional action figure, ?Jango Fett, and his jetpack.

It takes place before Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones and ?follows the bounty hunter as he hunts bounties. The remaster will feature “visual enhancements, improved environmental textures, new dynamic lighting effects, and a new flashlight tool for navigating dark places.�That last feature is kind of hilarious.

Speaking of hit-and-miss, Aspyr has been that with their remasters of the Star Wars series. They haven’t always been bad, but if what I heard is correct, their recent ports of the Star Wars: Battlefront series are so bad they threaten the fabric of reality. I liked when they did Star Wars: Episode I: Racer.

The Star Wars: Bounty Hunter remaster a??rrives on Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One??, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on August 1, 2024.

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It's easy to forget in today's franchise-driven world populated with sequels and spin-offs ho??w many great series have fallen by the ways??ide. Many once-glorious game series fizzle out because of unexpected financial outcomes or because the newer entries just didn't draw the attention of fans.

But some franchises seemingly have an eternal wellspring of hope for ??more. Whether it's a series that resonated with fans long after it mattered on a financial report or a cult favorite that's fallen by the wayside without a sheph??erding figure, these games deserved more and better. These dead gaming franchises have countless fans desperately hoping for their return.

Wipeout

Ask anyone younger than 25 what the name Wipeout stands for, and they'll tell you it's a wacky live-action game show where regular people are forced to run on an obstacle course to avoid getting yeeted into a lake. The correct Wipeout is not only one of the best racing series of? all time but also a generation-defining piece of art.

On top of beautifully dissing cars (or karts) in favor of ships that can blow up their opponents, Wipeout did Sci-Fi aesthetics better than any other game in existence. Even navigating the menus on any of the games in the series feels like visiting a museum of the future, thanks to the game's absolutely out-there art style and music picks �and we're talking about a series that began in the '90s. Even if we don't necessarily need a new Wipeout game,?? we need one that does what this series did ??in the past.

Timesplitters

We miss Goldeneye 007, we miss the good times of Halo split-screen, and we didn't stop having those games because a better game kicked them off the throne to take their place. The kings just died of old age and left no heir to replace them because we just stopped gettin?g great split-screen games.

Whereas the company behind Goldeneye changed completely and Halo made the awful decision of moving away from local multiplayer, the Timesplitters series just died. I'd love a new game in the series, even if the classic multiplayer mode had to be paired with some Fortnite-like Battle Royale mode. It's extremely sad that the best way to experience Timesplitters nowadays is by finding a fully-playable version of Timesplitters 2 inside a vastly inferior game.

Star Wars: Jedi Knight

You can argue that the Jedi series survives with Fallen Order and Survivor, but that statement might hurt anyone who grew up with Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight and Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast. Even though it was obviously based on a very popular IP, the series told its own story and played unlike any other game in existence. The new games are good, but the inspiration that they take from the Souls series prevents them from achieving the uniqueness of the Star Wars games of long ago, and that's a big step down.

It's especially hard to accept that this series is over since it concluded with Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, a game that sold well and that many loyal fans play to this day. Raven Software has been a Call of Duty studio for years now, and is developing the upcoming Black Ops 6, but I can't help but feel like the company hit its peak when making Jedi Outcast. We might never get another game that so effortlessly combines the epic action of Star Wars, the competitive side of Quake, and the personal duels of the Souls series.

Chrono Series (Chrono Trigger, Cross)

While Chrono Cross was disowned by many fans for doing away with Chrono Trigger characters in a rather cold fashion, both games are at least connected by their undeniable quality. Squaresoft never released Chrono Cross outside of the NTSC zone, so I wasn't able to play it until long after its release, and it s??till felt better to play than many of the PS3 games I was experiencing at the ??time.

If Square Enix doesn't want to bring back Chrono Cross because the plot brings back sad memories, then they can just make a direct sequel to Chrono Trigger. We live in the era of the multiverse, so you can just use that as an explanation for why you're throwing away Cross �though I doubt anyone would even care to ask why since they'd be too busy playing Chrono Trigger 2.

Ninja Gaiden

Ok, let's address the elephant in the room: Ninja Gaiden 3 was so bad that it's probably the primary reason they stopped making these, but it's not the only reason. Team Ninja noticed that the Souls series was getting popular, and they knew that they were good at making challenging games, so it did its own take on the Souls genre with Nioh.

I love Nioh, and, despite NG3 committing the worst crime a game in the Ninja Gaiden series could commit (allowing you to chill), the blueprint for great Ninja Gaiden games exists in Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2. This franchise could totally make a comeback as a high-difficulty, character-action-focused alternative to Soulslikes. It's been a while since the last truly great Ninja Gaiden game, and we're talking about a series that only got better with its previous re-invention??. What are they waiti??ng for?

Legacy Of Kain

Though the series' story got a satisfying conclusion with Legacy Of Kain: Defiance, fans know it could stand to get ??a new beginning. I'm stating this because we know Crystal Dynamics tried to continue the series thanks to a bunch of leaked videos of a sequel that looked absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, that project ended up canceled for reasons we'll likely never know.

I can accept that the Legacy of Kain series is perhaps better off left dead if it's not going to have the involvement of series creator and writer Amy Hennig. Still, I can't avoid feeling tempted to want it after witnessing a glimpse of what it could've been.

No One Lives Forever

The name No One Lives Forever might not ring many bells among younger gamers, but it was one of the most popular shooters of the '00s. Back then, if you asked fans of spy shenanigans and the slick '60s retro vibe about the best FPS series, No One Lives Forever and its sequel would?? show up in the conversation??.

No One Lives Forever was one of the most innovative, slickest, and best-looking series of its day, but its day was rather short. Today, the rights of the series have fallen into some sort of supermassive legal blackhole that prevents you from even acquiring the game t??hrough any digital storefront nowadays. Though this situation actually som??ehow lives up to the themes present in the games, it sucks for an entire generation of gamers who will never get to experience this game for the first time.

There's always hope for something, and Night Dive, the studio known for their high-quality remasters of classic games, recently claimed No One Lives Forever to be their "white whale."? Here's hoping th??is one does get to live forever as a remaster.

Panzer Dragoon (Saga)

Panzer Dragoon Saga was Sega's attempt at an answer to Final Fantasy VII, but it just didn't sell well enough. A lot of that has to do with coming out so long after Sega had given up on the Saturn that its print run was only a few thousand. But Saga is an absolute masterpiece, and on top of the insult of never getting a re-release, fans have to deal with the inju?ry of it being one of the most difficult games t?o find.

Anyone who's played Saga knows that the on-rails mechanics of the series made a glorious transition to the?? RPG format. Having RPG battles take place while riding a dragon added an incredible amount of energy and uniqueness to ?the gameplay.

Despite the confusing name, Panzer Dragoon Saga is a single game, not an actual series. Still, it's part of the wider Panzer Dragoon series �which has been mostly dead for over a decade, save for the 2020 Panzer Dragoon Remake. Even if the RPG-inspired Saga doesn't warrant a return, surely we can bring the regular Panzer Dragoon games back. Those kinda rocked, too.

Zone Of The Enders

The original Zone Of The Enders was one of the best titles for showing the impressive graphical capabilities of the PS2, and it was also pretty good as a game. Its sequel, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner, is a much better game in every regard and remains one of the best mecha-action games out there.

It's sad that Hideo Kojima never picked up the series again while he was still at Konami, and it's very unlikely that Kon??ami will ever revive it. Maybe we'll get lucky if Kojima goes on a Twitter tirade about how he actually hated the series and hopes it remains dead forever.

Vagrant Story

Sadly, Vagrant Story never even got a sequel, but it ends on the promise of a mysterious beginning, and we know that its creator was always interested in keeping it going. What makes Vagrant Story spectacular is how it combines elements from regular Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy and the Tactics genre to create an experience that remains ?unique.

Despite massive critical and fan acclaim, poor sales prevented one of the best games in SquareSoft's catalog from getting an official sequel. If you like Vagrant Story, the closest you'll get to a sequel is Final Fantasy XII, which uses some of Vagrant Story's gameplay elements to create one of the most interesting entries in the Final Fantasy series. Sadly, FFXII al?so didn't sell well enough for Square?? to keep making similar games, so it's likely we'll never see anything of the sort again.

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