Group passwords are the backbone of Elden Ring's multiplayer scene. Whether you and our friends are playing the game's box-standard multiplayer mode or using one of the many incredible mods fans have made to trick ??it out, you'll need passwords to explore the Land Between as a team.

Luckily, group passwords are much more than a way to join a group for cooperative multiplayer or PVP. Many Elden Ring?? group passwords significantly buff the number of Runes you get when you defeat one of the game's shard-bearing bosses. Some of these passwords give you a boost of up to 5%, so you and your friends could end up squeezing a few more le?vel-ups out of the game's most epic bosses.

Specific passwords also come with other effects, including unique summon signs, varying amounts of bloodstains, and the chance to run into hostile phantoms. Here are some of the best co-op codes in Elden Ring.

How to use group passwords in Eldren Ring

After popping open the menu and selecting Multiplayer, you can press Triangle on PS4/PS5 to change your password Settings �from here, you can enter a Multiplayer Password or a Group Password. Th??e latter is your ticket to scoring more Runes.

You can input up to five group passwords during a session, but you don't have?? to fill every slot. Having multiple group passwords active can lead to strange results, so think careful??ly before you input co-op codes.

Popular Elden Ring group passwords

At the moment, I'm using these five Elden Ring group passwords:

• "SEEKERS" â€?VaatiVidya
• "straydmn" â€?r/EldenRing
• "FEXTRA" â€?Fextralife Elden Ring Wiki
• "fcb" â€?FightinCowboy
• "Koopy" â€?r/TwoBestFriendsPlay

Before I could finish filling out all five entries, my Rune buff was already active. Here's the status icon (it looks just like the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot with an up arrow):

You'll al?so notice that your character has a golden glow while the effect is active.

While group passwords only need to be typed once (and you can?? change or remove them whenever with no penalty or restriction)?, they won't automatically carry from one character to the next; if you've got a bunch of alt characters, you'll need to fill out the passwords again for each individual tarnished.

This is probably something I should've looked into before finishing Elden Ring, but I guess? that's what subsequent playthroughs are for! I've been dominating the living room TV with this game, so I should cool it for now. (The keyword being "should.")

For further Rune farming, check out this late-game guide.

The post Best Elden Ring group passwords appeared first on Destructoid.

The path through Baldur's Gate 3 is fraught with adventure, romance, peril, and plunder. It can seem a bit daunting, at first blush. Plus, for those who haven't played Dungeons & Dragons or even a CRPG like this in a while, there's a lot to familiarize yourse??lf with. You might need some tips.

While I wouldn't call myself a D&D 5E expert, I've followed the Early Access of Baldur's Gate 3 for a while and, at the time of this writing, put a solid chunk of hours into the launch state of BG3. It's a massive, complex g??ame with a lot of interlocking systems and little quality-of-life tips that, even if you are told them once, you might forget ten hours down the road??. Well, that's why I'm here.

This is my bundle of tips for newcomers, and a handy reference for seasoned players. Whether it's a keyboard shortcut or an inconspicuous toggle, these are some tips I've kept noted and on-hand throughout my playtime in Baldur's Gate 3.

Highlight interactable items

My biggest quality-of-life tip for Baldur's Gate 3 is to simply hit Le??ft-Alt more often. Pressing this key down high?lights all the interactable objects in an area. It's pretty handy, whether you're outdoors in a busy environment or in the deep, deep depths of the Underdark.

More than that, though, it helps you get an idea of where to go next. If a gate is blocking your path, Left-Alt might highlight the lever you're overlooking. Or maybe there's an important note on a table you didn'??t notice. (To be fair, there are a lot of notes, and a lot of tables.) Any point at which you feel you haven't exhausted all options, hit that highlight button and poke around again.

Stealth-walk together

Sneaking around can be effective in Baldur's Gate 3, if you manage to execute it. Stealth attacks can get the drop on enemies, taking them unaware and giving you some advantage in a difficult encounter. That said, you'll want to make sure the whole party is on board wi??th your plan.

While Larian implemented an auto-jump feature, that has companions automatically jump after your lead character if it's a safe leap, you'll need a special key for group stealth. Hitting Shift-C on the keyboard will put the whole party into sneaking-around mode. Keep in mind that this works with groups, too; so if you've stealthed one character after splitting the party and want to rejoin the group without raising the alarm, you can Shift-C before sendi?ng the main contingent over to link up.

Use turn-based mode to handle sticky situations

We've all stumbled into something unexpected once, twice, even four times before in Dungeons & Dragons. So when the traps and explosions start flying in this game, my tip to you is to use Baldur's Gate 3's Turn-Based Mode to simplify th?e decision-mak??ing process.

[caption id="attachment_394987" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

While you explore Baldur's Gate 3 in real time, there is always the option to hit the big, round button on the right-hand side of your RPG taskbar to swap into Turn-Based Mode. This institutes a turn-based structure on time, having the world and your own party act in roughly six-second increments or so. It might seem strange at first, but it's actually incredibly useful for precisely skirting around traps or obstacles,? as well as sneak?ing around certain foes.

Hide helmets in the inventory screen

Whether you're a fan or detractor of funny hats, sometimes a scene gets a little intimate and you want the wizard hat to stop harshing the vibe. Whether the pointy cap stays on or not, there are options for those who want unobscured views of their Baldur's Gate 3 party.

While you ha?ve the party equipment screen ??open (TAB by default), you can hover the helmet slot in each members' equipment. You'll see a tiny icon appear above the box, which you can toggle. The settings are either On, Hide During Dialogue, or Hide. With this, you'll never have to endure a wizard hat ruining the mood again. Unless, of course, that is the sort of vibe you're looking for.

You can swap difficulty at any time

Baldur's Gate 3 can be pretty tough at times, and I wouldn't be surprised to see those less familiar with CRPGs hit some early walls in this game. There are three difficulty settings in Baldur's Gate 3, ranging from the story-driven Explorer to ?the combat Aggro Crag of Tactician.

The nice part is, you're not locked in to any of them. At any point during your campaign, you can open your Options menu and swap the difficulty to another level. This makes it very easy to throttle your Baldur's Gate 3 difficulty experience to your own particular taste. Bosses may have imposing spells and powerful equipment, but they don't have what you ?have: an Options menu.

Camp when you can

For those who haven't played much Dungeons & Dragons, you might not get why ??camping is so important. That's cool. I'm here to tel??l you: use the camp, and use it often.

First and foremost, it's your source for a Long Rest. These Long Rests will, if you have adequate supplies, restore your health and resources to full, and many spellcasting classes need to rest to restore sp?ell slots for more spell-slinging. Long Resting also restores your Short Rest counter; you can do two small, immediate Short Rests between each Long Rest, like daytime naps. For some classes, this even refreshes a few (though not all) of your resources.

Secondly, the camp is where a lot of interpersonal story happens. Nighttime event?s often advance party members' plot lines forward. And if you see someone with an exclamation point over their head, that means they have something new and/or important to say to you. These are the companion moments that are very worthwhile, so make time to ??set up camp every so often to keep the story moving at a decent pace.

[caption id="attachment_394992" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

On top of all t??hat, you will eventually have an NPC named Withers join your camp. Aside from being one of my absolute favorite NPCs in the game on personality alone, Withers also gives you some crucial boons. You can speak to him to r??ecruit hireling (custom characters you can class out to fill party spots), bring fallen party members back from the dead, and reclass and respec your own characters. There's a lot of good back at camp.

Check the items in your inventory

While the previous Baldur's Gate 3 tip was for the D&D novices, this one's for the CRPG novices: check your inventory.? Seriously. Pay attention to items you get. See if you can interact with them. Move them around, examine them, see what makes them tick.

[caption id="attachment_394990" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

It might sound mundane or silly, but the number of times I've picked up some?thing useful, like a tip for my current predicament, and not realized it was there until much later is slightly embarrassing. Reading notes, interacting with objects, and even opening those pouches and backpacks you pick up is extremely useful. Larian's tucked a decent amount of information away behind those interactions.

Save those Inspiration rolls

Every now and then, you'll do something really neat or interesting, and be rewarded an Inspiration die. In tabletop, this is how DMs can reward clever players. In Baldur's Gate 3, it feels like a mixt??ure of that and discovering an easter egg.

[caption id="attachment_394832" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

I??t's extra helpful because Inspiration can give you a second chance at missed rolls. Let's say you hit a Dexterity check that needs a 10 to clear, and your final tally is a 9. Using an Inspiration roll will give you a do-over. That's pretty valuable, even if you're just saving and reloading on failed rolls anyways. We all know each other does that.

ABS (Always be saving/shoving)

This is a two-fold Baldur's Gate 3 tip: ABS. For one part, that stands for Always Be Saving. Save often, especially after you win a tough roll or finish a fight. You don't want to botch a roll, get slammed off a cliffside, reload and be forced to win an arduous battle all over again. Yes, I am speaking from experience. You have tons of save slots and a quicksave option, so make use of them, e??specially since the autosave isn't so ??lenient.

But you also want to ABS: Always Be Shoving. More specifically, always use your bonus actions. Each turn, you can move and act. But you can also undertake a bonus action, which can range from chugging a potion or using your class proficiency to take an extra swing, to just plain shoving someone. If you've got an option, use it. Worst-case scenario is you gain nothing, and best case is knocking someone prone or? down a chasm. Which leads me to my last tip...

Use the environment, control the crowd

The Divinity: Original Sin lineage is alive and well in Baldur's Gate 3 co??mbat, which puts a similar emphasis on interactions. This means environments can become rapidly dangerous, to your advantage or disadvantage. Characters can be ?shoved into bottomless pits, grease can be set ablaze, and ice can knock you on your butt like you're in a fail compilation.

With an angr?y enemy barging?? down your door, you might want to just start blastin' at them. But frequently, the environment can provide an advantage, putting up obstacles and disadvantageous ground to impede their offensive. Seriously, Grease can get you through a lot of early encounters. And spells like Entangle can make hazardous areas for foes.

The post 10 useful tips for venturing forth in Baldur’s Gate 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

The path to victory begins here

If you picked up Street Fighter 6 today, then chances are that you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all of th?e characters, modes, mechanics, control systems, and more. It's understandable, fighting games are not easy. In fact, they're one of the hardest and?? most skillful genres in the whole of gaming. Always have been.

Victory isn't a matter of learning the biggest combo and performing it over and over again. It's a long road of building upon yourself, learning the intricacies of the characters, learning what to do, and �equally as important �when, where, and why to do it. But while I will never claim to be a fighting game expert, I can at least help you to start finding your feet, and the rest is up to you and ?y?our patience.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_3cIvwbo98

Below are several individual guides written for Destructoid, but collated here for your reading pleasure. They focus on the new mechanics of Street Fighter 6, specifically the Drive Meter, while also? taking a look at instances such as Burnout, and offering advice on characters that you should check out. None of these guides explain How to Win Online, no guide can tell you that, regardless of its "shocked face" thumbnail.

Winning comes as a result of playing better moment-to-moment. Learn to do that, and winning follows automatically. Wishing you luck on your journey with Street Fighter 6. This article will be updated over the coming weeks as more guides are added. Don't get disheartened,?? go at your own pace, and understand that losing is part of improving.

But do accept the hardest pill to swallow in fighting games: You have to put in the practice.

Street Fighter 6 Mechanics Guides

• Five characters beginners should check out
• Drive Impact, explained
• Drive Reversal, explained
• Drive Rush, explained
• Drive Rush Shortcut, explained
• Drive Parry, explained
• Burnout, explained
• How to Taunt
• How to perform Screw Piledriver consistently
• How to change your controls in Battle Hub

World Tour & Other Guides

• How to Change Your Appearance
• How to Deepen Masters Bond/Gift Guide
• How to Earn More Zenny
• Voice Actors & Cast List
• Fighter Coins Explained

The post Here’s are our guides to mechanics and more in Street Fighter 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Choose Your Fighter

Capcom's Street Fighter 6 has been unleashed on the public, bringing with it a roster of new and familiar faces with which to begin your journey to the top of the world... Or at least the top of your street. Every new Street Fighter brings in a squad of new and returning players, ready to lock horns in offline and online competitio??n, and hoping to get a few good rounds under the belt in the early going.

Street Fighter 6 has launched with 18 World Warriors, all of which are, at least from first impressions, fully viable characters. But whoever you fancy taking into battle, there are, as always, several faces that will be particularly good at getting you up and running in the early going. Now, it is important that you play as a character that you vibe ?wi??th. After all, you wanna roll with someone that you dig.

But whether is the rapid-fire excitement of Kimberly, the dangerous complexities of JP, or the stance-based combat of Chun-Li that appeals to you �You would do well to spend some time with the following five characters, especially if you're starting out your Street Fighter journey. The road to victory begins at the Character Sel??ect screen, so consider taking a look at these ?Fab Five Fighters.

Here are five good c??haracters for beginners to explore, presented in no particular order.

[caption id="attachment_382259" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Luke

The final fighter of Street Fighter V, and the poster boy for Street Fighter 6, Luke is considered the all-rounder of the new generation, and is extremely capable at long dist??ance and up-close-and-personal. Luke mixes speed, ability, and technique to provide dangerous tools in all situations.

Luke's Sand Blast projectiles are easily executed and cover a lot of ground, while his Flash Knuckle attacks will help teach you combo and juggle skills. Luke also has reliable air attacks, whi??le his Avenger sequences allow you to close the gap quickly without having to master the Drive Rush mechanic just yet.

He's also a?? PMC asshole, but let's try not to hold that a??gainst him.

[caption id="attachment_382251" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Guile

The original Family Man is an extremely powerful character in the right hands. For the beginner, however, the Street Fighter veteran is key in teaching charge mechanics. Guile's Specials are relatively uncomplic?ated, while his solid defense keeps his game plan fairly basic. Boom 'n' Kick, Boom 'n' Kick.

Playing Guile not only starts you off with an easy-to-understand, but rock-sol??id moveset �as well as an education in Charge timing �but if you choose to stick with Mr. USA, you will soon see how his initial simplicity evolves into brick wall defense and hugely damaging and reliable offense. Keep your distance, toss out Sonic Booms, and Flash Kick leaping opponents. It's a technique as timeless as the series itself, and will help you learn solid defense and anti-air abilities.

[caption id="attachment_382261" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Lily

Newcomer Lily is definitely a little different from your average Street Fighter all-rounder. The young Thunderfoot Tribe warrior does not have any projectiles, but teaches a??n excellent crash course in aerial maneuvers and long-range pokes. Spending some time with Lily will help you understand the all-important game of footsies, and being able to understand how important gauging reach is by eye.

Use Lily to explore attacking your opponent while staying just out of r??each. Then progress to learning how to cancel long-range pokes into her fast-activating special moves. Lily also has a range of command throws, so you can practice both jumping and dashing into grabs, then learn how to retreat t??o arm's length for continued prodding and poking of your prey.

[caption id="attachment_382252" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Zangief

In Street Fighter 6, Zangief is perhaps more powerful and dangerous than he has ever been �Able to cause unfathomable amounts of damage from his range of throws, while also afforded new moves to help him close the distance on fireball-tossing opponents, playing with Zangief will teach you patience in defense, and how to build a smothering offense. His Screw Piledriver and Russian Bear G?rab will also train you in the ways of half-turns and 360 inputs.

With Zangief, stay calm at long distances, and learn how to use Block and Parry to ??fend off projectiles. When the time is right, utilize his leaping dropkick (Hold HK in air) and Rolling Wheel Kick (Forward + HK) to approach your opponent, before bringing a fast end to the fight with his staggering catalog of pro-wrestling maneuvers. Zangief will teach you patience and execution, while making every hit count.

[caption id="attachment_382253" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Ryu

As solid as he has ever been, Ryu remains the core of Street Fighter, as much as he is the core of fighting game genre itself. Ryu's toolkit is great, dealing offensive and defensive capabilities at long distance, close-up, in the air, and against airborne opponents. There is a reason he is The Icon of Street Fighter, and age has only fine-tuned his timeless ??skills.

Use Hadoken, (along with its Denjin powerup), at long distances, while training your anti-air skills with both Shoryuken and his standard Down + HP strike. Practice canceling low attacks into Tastu in order to gain ground and corner the opponent, while mastering canc??eling his command normal, such as Forward + HP, into Shoryuken. Ryu's Supers are also snugly related to his Specials, making him the best character for practicing Supers, either raw or in the middle of combos.

Ryu makes for a perfect training buddy when it comes to learning every aspect of Street Fighter. From footsies to anti-airs, low attacks into Specials, Specials into Supers. Whichever character you choose? to walk the path of the warrior with, learn Ryu �either as your main character or on the side. Playing Ryu will teach you universal skills that will be vital to ?evolving your game.

The post Five characters Street F?ighter 6 beginners should check out appeared first on Destructoid.

Turnaround is fair play

[Update: This is a previously publis??hed guide tweaked for launch day. Get this tech down.]

The Street Fighter 6 demo might have be fairly limited in terms of its characters and modes, but that didn't stop the highly dedicated Fighting Game Community from already delving into its secrets and mech?anics �Case in point: This Drive Parry shortcut, that could prove vital in Versus play.

Street Fighter 6's Parry mechanic allows players to perform ??essentially Perfect Defense against any incoming attacks, by holding MP + MK together. However, once in Parry state, the player can then instigate a dash cancel ("Drive Rush") by tapping forward tw?ice. This allows for a fast turnaround and advance after blocking long-distance moves such as projectiles and supers.

However, some players have discovered an alternate way to activate Drive Rush, that actually reduces inputs from three (Parry, Forward, Forward) to just two. While several players have discovered this new trick, it has been mostly popularized by fighting game content creator Maximillian Dood, who demonstrated the technique live after discovering it seemingly by accident during a stream??.

Here's how it works: Instead of inputting Parry (MP + MK) and then dashing (Forward, Forward) whilst holding the buttons, players can instead input Forward, and then input Forward and Parry together �This will result in an instant Drive Rush, coming out on frame one, while also reducing the inputs necessary from three (Parry, F??orward, Forward) to two (Forward, Forward + Parry).

I have tried this trick mysel?f and find it works consistently.

It should be noted that this technique is best used for gaining ground when not defending. If there are attacks headed your way, then you'll want to Parry them first before instigating?? the dash. But if you're simply looking to suddenly gain ground �Either at the start of a round or for a surprise attack �then this new method is definitely quicker off of the mark.

Street Fighter 6 is now available on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. You can check out our review right here.

The post P??layers discovered a neat Drive Rush shortcut in Street Fig??hter 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

At least you'll know why you fell over

Ahead of the launch of Street Fighter 6, not to mention this weekend's open beta, Capcom has premiered a new series of video guides, giving newcomers a bit of a crash course on the new seq?uel's characters and mechanics, so you'll know what to expect?? come Fight Friday, (My words, not theirs.)

The first video, which you can check out below, offers an overview of the beta's two control systems �Classic and Modern �As well as giving a brief overview on SF6's Drive system, which is the core of the new sequel and a vital part of the frenetic moment-to-moment gameplay. As we've covered before, (at great length), Classic controls represent the typical six-button format that has been the standard controller type for Street Fighter for generations, while Modern controls maps all characters' special moves to a single button, at the cost of some n??ormal attacks and a little damage.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjsAsj1IPcM

The Drive system, which once again we have covered in detail, is the metered system that dictates the offensive and defensive capabilities of every player. This meter can be spent on OverDrive (EX) moves, flawless parries, and the devastating, armored Drive Impact attack. Spend too much Drive and you'll end up in burnout, several hampering your movement and defense. As such, SF6 is focused around risk and reward, spending Drive meter when it really matters, while conserving/replacing some for those clinch moments. Check out the Street Fighter 6 guid?e for more details, and I'll ca?tch you in the ring this weekend.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD??eOYJbg_zo&ab_channel=StreetFighter

The second video, which was released just this morning, looks at the Battle Hub: Essentially SF6's living lobby system. It is in here that you can challenge players to fighters, build your avatar, do some shopping, get some practice in, or even play some old Capcom classics, such as Magic Sword, in the Game Center. There are a lot of sil?ly litt??le features available, so be sure to explore when not kicking names and taking ass.

The Street Fighter 6 open beta takes place on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X from May?? 19 through May 21.

Street Fighter 6 launches on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox plat?forms? on June 2.

The post Capcom launches short vi?deo guide series ahead of Street Fighter 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Spoiler-free tips for every Octopath you’ll travel

Octopath Traveler 2 is finally here, devoid of the three-hour time limit that impeded us before. I said it was looking like a treat for RPG fans, and I remain confident in that assertion.

Octopath Traveler 2 is much more than another dose of the first game. While commonalities are here (for better or for worse), there are many new skills and secrets that firmly break the mold set by Octopath Traveler. In fact, you could miss some crucial features if you intend to play this exactly like its predecessor. Octopath Traveler 2’s open ended structure is all about the joy of discovery, so you don’t have to follow a perfect path to enjoy the game. Still, if you like to optimize your progress (since you play RPGs and clicked this article, I’m guessing you do), there are a few?? key?? tips you should know about. Below are my favorite finds.

[caption id="attachment_365236" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Agnea is an SP battery

One of my cornerstone strategies from Octopath Traveler involved the Thief class�Steal SP and Share SP skills. It was so easy to tear through random battles using my most powerful abilities while Therion topped off everyone’s magic. The Thief class is stripped of these skills in Octopath Traveler 2, which made me worried this strategy became obsolete??. Fortun??ately, that isn’t the case.

The Dancer Agnea might not have Share SP in her kit, but she arguably ?has something even better: NPCs she re??cruits with her Allure Path Action grant additional effects to her Dancer skills. The moment you finish her prologue, you can find a villager in the southwest corner of Cropdale who restores a small amount of SP as a Dance Session perk. This makes every dance restore 40 SP to the target, letting you easily top off heavy hitters like Hikari and Osvald. Flamechurch also houses an apothecary that ups that amount to 75 SP per cast, so look out for her!

[caption id="attachment_365235" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Protagonists are split into complementary groups of four

If you played the demo, you know Octopath Traveler 2 gives all characters brand new Path Actions that only work at night. While this ups the total count of Path Actions to 16, they all boil down to four effects: Gett?ing items, obtaining info, knocking out NPCs, and recruiting followers. Some NPCs will only appear at certain times of day, so you’ll be forced to use night or day actions specifically to interact with them.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, you likely noticed that the protagonists are split into two groups on opposite sides of the world. This is no accident. With the way Path Actions are mixed and matched, using travelers from one side of the world guarantees access to all four possible effects regardless of? the time of day. This can be immensely helpful if you initially want to focus on one core part??y but don’t want to miss out on any quests along the way. That said, you can absolutely mix and match travelers from the east and west. There’s some amazing combat synergy you won’t want to ignore, like Agnea topping off Osvald’s SP.

If you need to decide between an eastern or a western party, both have pros and cons. The west party members veer towards a generalist playstyle, relying harder on Path Action?s and jack-of-all-trades base kits. The east party has more defined party roles,?? and their base talents emphasize traveling at night. Each are strong, so pick whoever appeals to you the most.

[caption id="attachment_363855" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

You can get a secondary job really early

One of the biggest surprises about the demo was the easy access to the Inventor class. This can be found on the Eastern New Delsta Highroad near Throné’s starting town. Check out our guide here for more details.

This is a great find for the early game. The inventor class will give its user bonus stats in addition to making Swords and Axes equipable. I personally stand by Partitio being a great candidate for Inventor. He benefits from both added weapon types, and Changeable Catapult gives him a party-wide attack that his kit natively lacks?. Secondary jobs can be reassigned at any time, so give Inventor ??to whoever needs it most on your team.

[caption id="attachment_365234" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Optimize your sales with Partitio

Speaking of Partitio, the Merchant class is unsurprisingly good at buying and selling things. This was true in th??e first game, but there are some added mechanics that make Partitio worth strategizing around.

Partitio’s new night Path Action is Hire, which allows Partitio to pay NPCs and recruit them. NPCs recruited by Partito come with exclusive “Merchant Talents�that give various money-related benefits. The most notable effects in the early game are wholesale discounts on purchases and bonus money from sales. By strategizing around Partitio’s followers, you can save a? ton of money by purcha??sing items with a discount and holding sellable items until you have a follower with an ample sale bonus. Even if you aren’t actively using Partitio, it’s easy to get a decent follower for him without spending too much. Which conveniently brings us to our last point...

[caption id="attachment_363882" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Visit the black market

For an early game power boost, there’s a not-so-hidden set of shops located in the New Delsta Flats (north of where the Inventor job is). Near the northern side of the map, you’ll see a torch lit during the night where a group of NPCs will gather. This is the black market, which we’ve discussed in more detail here.

As I’ve tested this further, I’ve noticed four possible iterations of the black market: one shop keeper with bogus items, two shop keepers with accessories and defensive equipment, another two shopkeepers with Soulstones and bottled dusts, and three shop keepers with a spread of items, weapons, and armor. T??hat last set is the one you’ll want to look out for, since you can score some powerful weapons for your lead attacker. I found that rapidly cycling through the day and night cycle will also reroll the market that appears. In other words, peruse the black market as much as you want.

Secre?ts like these aren’t mandatory to progress, but they're well worth the time to check out. Stay tuned as we learn more about the game and uncover every corner of Solistia!

The post 5 early game tips for Octopath Traveler 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

A few helpful tidbits to get your head around Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap recently went into early access on mobile platforms and PC, and it's been creeping its way into every social feed. I've seen players who rarely get hooked on a card game seeking out some Marvel Snap tips, deck advice, or ??just sharing bizarre board states.

I, too, have been deep in the Snap mines. This isn't my first rodeo, as I've spent a decent chunk of time in games like Hearthstone and Artifact, and dabbled in card games like Magic: The Gathering. Heck, Geralt of Rivia and I dominated Novigrad in Gwent.

With that in mind, I thought I'd provide some helpful tips for players new to the game, or maybe even new to the ideas in Second Dinner's card game.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNuq6E3enZQ

Play the lanes

A big difference maker between Marvel Snap and something like Hearthstone is?? the three-lane board. Winning means having more power in two of the three available locations in play.

It's crucial to think about that in the early-to-mid stages, as you and the opponent are still posturing for control. If one lane is out to an early le?ad, you don't need to cement it just yet. Likewise, take advantage of some cards' ability to boost other lanes to get a two-for-one effect. Tunn?el-visioning on one location can make it tough to come back in others.

Take some measured risks

In turns one through three of Marvel Snap, the l?ocations reveal themselves one-by-one. They'll each have effects, that can help or hinder, do nothing, or ??radically alter the way you play for control.

So an easy Marvel Snap tip I have for early game is to take some measured risks on those unrevealed locations. ?Say turn one reveals Ruins, which does nothing, or is a location with an immediate, one-time effect. It might be better to play for a ?different locale, on the off-chance that controlling it will garner some benefit.

Inversely, i?f there's a good locale on turn one like the Baxter Building or Mu?ir Island, play for it. Read the board and see where you could develop some early momentum.

Count to four

This Marvel Snap tip is fairly straightforward. Each? location, barring special ci??rcumstances, can only hold four cards.

It's easy to forget this and get caught up dumping low-cost cards in, then watching as a single turn-six Hulk slams through all your one-cost drops. Don't leave spaces open for no reason, ?but be mindful of overcrowding a spot early and losing the chance for larger power sw??ings in the later turns.

Additionally, watch your opponent for this. So many time?s I've been able to flip a point, or make an educated gu?ess on their other plans, because of an overcrowded locale.

Consider the curve

If you're a Hearthstone veteran, or really most card games, you're probably familiar with the concept of a "mana curve" or another, similar term. Cards in games like Marvel Snap are metered out by how many resources y??ou have to play them each turn. Hulk may bring a lot of power to the table, but it's going to take six energy to play him; it's a way of balancing power.

It also means that Hulk will usually only be playable on turn six. (Again, barring special circumstances, and heaven knows Marvel Snap has some of those.) When building a deck, take into consideration how playable every card will be, and when. Stacking a ?deck with 4, 5, and 6-cost cards can come back to bite you, as those cards need to leave your hand to do anything.

The way I like to think about it is, what do I want my draw odds to be? I want a good chance to draw into some 1 and 2-drops, and less chance to get stuck with 5's and 6's in my hand. Start there with y??our deck bal?ance, and you'll find yourself spending fewer turns playing nothing.

Tinker with your deck

On that note, please don't just keep running the basic Deck 1 forever. Marvel Snap encourages you to make a new deck as ??part of its onboarding Recruit pass, but continual tinkering is beneficial in many, many ways.

It helps you start to identify pain poin??ts. If you notice you're not playing a certain card from your deck very often, swap it for something that might see more play. If you get a new card with a cool ability, like Odin's ability to re-proc all On Reveal abilities in a location, build a new concept around it. Trust me, it's fun, especially in the case of Odin.

This will also give you a chance to level up cards, which is the main progression path in Marvel Snap. While cards don't gain any stats or gameplay effects from boosting u??p the cosmetic ranks, those do boost your collection level, which gives you more cards and resources. Swap in new cards, bounce between lower rarity variants, and create entirely new decks to keep the collecti?on growing.

Retreat is sometimes an option

Look, I may be trying to give you some good Marvel Snap tips and advice here, but it's time for an admission: I'm a serial snapper. I love to hit the "snap" button and up the ante on others, and I can rarely resist snapping back?? when my opponent does. (Winning as the return-snapper is electric.)

Learn from me. Learn from my mistak?es. Don't be afraid to cut and run if the win clearly isn't going to happen. You might lose some levels, bu??t not as many if you stayed or snapped back. A retreat is fully viable, especially if you don't want any big setbacks as you climb the ranks.

Play what you like

Ever?yone has a favorite build or hot new deck they're running. Don't worry too much about that.

While there are certainly builds and a meta will, I'm sure, emerge around this game, I've found I enjoy Marvel Snap most when I'm playing how I want to play. I like finding a cool synergy and making it work. I like finding?? out that I can use cards like Armor and Ni??ghtcrawler to bend the rules of the arena.

Cyclops is a favorite X-Men character of mine, and in Marvel Snap, he is simply a 3-cost 4 Power drop. No abilities. No flash. But I try to make Scott Summers shine anyways. I'm convinced it's because of the massive, catas??trophic optic beam he emits when you drag him onto the field.

The point is, have some fun. I've found that even the best-laid plans can fall apart, and the most directionless ideas can suddenly become winning strategies with the right mindset. Play what you like, and curse the game every time it pop??s up the "add five rocks" location.

Marvel Snap is in early access on iOS, Android, and PC.

The post Marvel Snap: Some helpful tips for newcomers appeared first on Destructoid.

Here's a tip to make "Gotta Catch 'em All!" easier

As a 3D platformer fan who loves scooping up collectibles, Tinykin is such a breezy time.

Playing as a shrunken explorer in a gigantic bedroom with insect citizens just living their lives, you're constantly on the lookout for glowing bits of pollen to collect and new (Pikmin-like) tinykin creatures to command. For folks like me, it feels like a continuous brain massage. The game's sense of progression is so fast, you're usually just seconds away from finding something to pick up. It maintains t??his pace the whole way through its six-hour run. That is until you start nudging your way toward 100 percent completion.

Without spoiling anything, Tinykin has two main collectibles �pollen and tinykin �and there isn't a radar or ability to help sniff them out. You've got to scope out every inch of every room from every conceivable angle; this stuff?? can be really tucked out of view.

If you're playing casually, you shouldn't run into progression-bl??oc?king bumps in the road. It's pretty much go-go-go all the way through, without the need to hunt obsessively.

But if you're after the "Gotta Catch 'em All!" trophy or achievement for finding every tinykin, you'll need to put on your explorer's cap and get to work. It took me 10 hours t??o do it all, and one bit of community info saved me a lot of trouble in the home stretch.

[caption id="attachment_342683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{With hundreds of tinykin eggs to hatch, it's easy to gloss over some.}[/caption]

It's best to get all of the pollen first

On the pollen front, YouTuber WheatYT has a playlist of full-level playthroughs.

So if you're just missing a handful of pick-ups, and you swear you've looked absolutely everywhere, some of these fast-forwarded guid??e videos can do the trick.

My real concern was finding every tinykin. This is trickier �unlike pollen, which has a known total for each level, there isn't a tracker for tinykin you're missing. As such, the "Gotta Catc?h 'em All!" trophy and achie?vement can be nerve-wracking. It was my last one.

**Spoilers below**

There are six main zones in Tinykin, and ??the idea of going back through them all ??again �not knowing which ones I'd already fully finished, and which ones were still incomplete �was less than ideal. Thankfully, some players have numbers for us to work off of.

You can't see how many tinykin you're missing, but you can see how many tinykin you've currently got (in the pause menu). Pink, gree?n, and yellow tinykin will stick with you, but? red and blue tinykin complicate things �they are "used up" in puzzle-solving.

[caption id="attachment_342682" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Checking how many tinykin I've got left after doing everything in the City of Sanctar.}[/caption]

How to figure out which tinykin you're missing

After you've finished the story and you've done everything except the "Gotta Catch 'em All!" challenge, you can reference these tinykin "final totals" from ItsGamer FURY and AusFinalBoss on TrueAchievements to see which levels still have tinykin to find:

• Transidor Crossing â€?30 pink, 8 red, 25 green, 12 blue
• City of Sanctar â€?41 pink, 22 red
• Foliana Heights â€?26 pink, 17 red, 30 green
• Waters of Balnea â€?40 pink, 24 red, 22 green, 37 blue
• Lands of Ambrose â€?42 pink, 22 red, 20 green, 10 blue, 86 yellow
• Celerion Park â€?42 pink, 8 red, 30 green, 21 blue, 60 yellow
• The Last Refuge â€?0 (4 red used to progress the story)

If you've done everything in a given level, your red tinykin total should perfectly match these numbers �there are finite obstacles to explode with the little fellas. So if you've "??used up" every red tinykin you possibly can, you'll be left with the numbers shown above.

Blue tinykin are used to form chains of electricity, and since there's wiggle room to be less than perfectly efficient when forming a stretched-out line, you may use more �or less �tinykin than other players. That said, the blue tinykin you've "used" will be exactly where you left them in the level, so you can look at your pause menu total, then manually tally up the rest of them that are out in the world all electrified and stationary.

If your pause menu figures are different, then you should search that specific level??.

Thankfully, I was thorough with the little blue guys. I was missing three red tinykin in Celerio??n Park, and ended up finding them before too long thanks to this info.

It would be nice to see Splashteam patch in a tinykin tracker, so players know precisely which levels to revisit, but if that never happens??, at least there's a way to math things out.

The post How to figure out which tinykin you’re missing appeared first on Destructoid.

How to build a beautiful island and, also, profit

The latest update for Final Fantasy XIV went live yesterday, bringing a host of new content. Part of the update is the Island Sanctuary, a cozy and deceptively deep island living simulator. It can seem overwhelming to start, but I've got some tips to help you get your Island Sanctuary up a??nd running.

While it's easy enough to unlock, the list of things you can do quickly piles on. Don't worry, though. I've spent ro?ughly the last 24 hours tearing through the mode, figuring things out along the way.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5vqrKfADW4

If you want to figure it out for yourself, no worries. This isn't intended as a de facto starter guide or anything. Rather, these are some little ways I've found to both maximize profit and pleasure on the Island Sanctuary in Final Fantasy XIV.

Without further ado, let's run them down.

Save your blue Cowries

This might be the biggest piece of advice I can give in my list of tips f??or the Island Sanctuary. Blue Seafarer's Cowries are one of the two island-specific currencies, alongside green Islander's Cowries. These function as the main currency of Island Sanctuary, as Gil will not buy you anything here. (You can, however, make stuff to export, but that's all a bit further down the road.)

Seafarer's Cowries can be traded in for the special Island Sanctuary duds once you've built up your Cozy Cabin. I would implore ?you to hold off on that, however.

Blue Cowries are also the currency used for a number of other expansions. This includes? making your crop fields and pastures larger, expanding to new build sites, and even funding foraging expedition??s. Saving a little now will save you a lot of waiting in the long run.

Build a second Workshop

As part of the tuto??rial sequence of quests, your helpful Mammet friends will help you build a Workshop. This fills one of your two available building sites, and you might b?e tempted to leave that second plot open for a different building.

Plopping down a s?econd Workshop here was invaluable for me though, as it essentially doubles the p??otential output of Workshops. Workshops eat up resources that you've gathered and export them as final consumer products, which then net you more Seafarer's Cowries.

Establishing an early bevy of?? production means netting more Cowries in the long run. This makes it easier to work towards building up your Island Sanctuary faster.

Utilize Efficiency

Speaking of Workshops, make sure you pay attention to how you sche?dule out your Workshops' output. As your island helpers explain, Workshops will produce more if they continually produce items in the same family.

An early way to maximize this is to have a Workshop alternate between making Potions and Firesand. Both fall under the Concoctions category, so they'll pick up an Efficiency bonus. The ?same applies to Foodstuffs, Woodworks, Accessories; anything that shares a category can carry it forward.

Keep an eye on deficits

One helpful tab in the special Island Sanctuary menu is the Material Allo?cation menu, which shows you stats on what your Workshops need. Each real-world day is a Season, broken int??o Cycles.

There are tabs on this menu that let you see what materials are needed for the current Cycle, current Season, or both Current and Next S??eason. They also let you see how many Island Sanctuary resources you have stockpiled, and if there are any deficits.

This last number is crucial. It's basically a shopping list fo?r every time you run out to gather more supplies. Before you return home to do more, it's always worth opening this tab to ensure there aren't any deficits, especially if you're spending those resources on crafting and upgrading too.

Mounts can get you anywhere, fast

One nice part about the Islan??d Sanctu?ary is the ability to essentially have Perma-Sprint on, making running between resource nodes a little less time-consuming.

Say you know you need Island Copper Ore, though. A good spot for farming that is all the way in the bottom-right corner of the island. One Island Sanctuary tip? I actually got from a friend is that not only are mounts usable, but they go real, real fast.

Just hop on your mount and marvel at the Mach-5 speeds you reach. Seriously, your?? face may melt. No Chocobo was meant to go this fast.

Find a good loop

While mounts will get you to a place fast, I also highly recommend just getting in ??the habit ??of picking things up as you run along.

Eventually, you'll be venturing out only for certain items?. At this point, it's good to find a loop. Resource nodes will respaw?n with more to gather after a set amount of time, so finding a good loop like the copper one can make for better farming than running around, looking for the right resource.

Build the landmarks

Landmarks are different from other early buildings, like Workshops or Granaries, in that they don't produce anything themselves. Rather, they prov?ide passive benefits.

That said, you should make sure to build these when you can. Establishing a landmark doles out a hearty serving of Island XP, crucial for ra?nking up the Island Sanctuary, and adds passive effects.

Plus, why wouldn't you want a tree fort? (Feel free to choose what you want, by the way. From what I'v?e seen so far, the difference between early landmark options is purely cosmetic.)

Keep an eye out for rare animals

While you can catch and tame?? a bunch of the wildlife on the island, the?re are special spawns that only happen at certain times or under certain conditions.

Given we're only about a day into this new patch, players are still figuring all the particulars out,?? myself included. I've already got one special version, an Ornery Karakul (a.k.a. black sh??eep) in my Island Sanctuary pasture. I've also seen a few special spawns, like a Gold Beak, that I could not capture yet due to not having a high-enough level net.

It's unclear at this moment what the benefit of these are, but hey, at the very least, they look ??cool. It's a great way to show off when your friends visit you?r Island Sanctuary.

Take in the sights

Yes, the Island Sanctuary can be slowly and gradually transformed into a humming, healthy machine for constant Cowrie production. But as Tataru n?otes, the pursuit of profit doesn't necessarily exclude the potential for finding some relaxing peace on the island either.

As your island grows, you'll add more vistas to visit, beautiful areas to explore, and tons of natural beauty in the?? wilds. So for my final Island San?ctuary tip, I recommend you take some time between gathering runs to just hang out on your island. It's a great place to take a load off, put on your favorite Orchestrion roll, and /gpose away.

And for all that island gathering, I highly recommend a second monitor with some good shows or videos on in the background. Maybe some of Sakurai's new YouTube content?

The post Some helpful tips for starting out with Final Fantasy XIV’s Island Sanctuary appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't let maps and bars get in the way of your perfect shot

I've been slowly whiling away the hours over the last few weeks with Xenoblade Chronicles 3, a fun and incredibly scenic RPG. And this week, I picked up a little trick that I wish I had known about from the get-go: a shortcut for easy, HUD-less Xenoblade screenshots.

In most games, I tend to be a screenshot fiend. Part of that is, well, part of the job; if I know I'm going to want to write about something later, having a bevy of good screenshots is useful. But I also like to catalo?gue my journey, remembering specific moments, lines, and vistas from throughout my time there.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has some good camera options, including one that lets you essentially go full-on first-person mode. But Nintendo of Europe tweeted out this handy tip that changed my Xenoblade screenshot life for the better. If you press the L and R buttons s?imultaneously,? you can easily snap a screenshot without the heads-up display.

//twitter.com/NintendoEurope/st??atus/1559132800028233729

After seeing this, I went directly into my game and started trying it. And indeed, it's basically a macro. The game dips out the HUD, snaps a screenshot, and re-ups the display. It's startling how well this wo?rks in real-time; I was a little worried I'd have to give it a bit of lead time, but no, it happens pretty darn fast.

A photo album of adventure

Now I've been revisiting all the places I blew through in my early hours of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to get new screenshots. Capturing some of the massive landscapes, beautiful views, and colossal s??ights ma??kes for a fun diversion from the main plot.

It helps that Xenoblade Chronicles 3, on top of being quite a good game, is also a very scenic game. It feels like Monolith Soft ekes incredible views out of the Nintendo Switch, and now, I've got a?? great tool for preserving them without too much ??fuss.

The post PSA: Xenoblade ??Chronicles 3 has a handy shortcut for HUD-free screenshots appeared first on Destructoid.

A word of warning for completionists

Ghostwire: Tokyo has begun regularly popping up in PlayStation Store and Steam sales, and given the less-than-stellar reception it got at launch, plenty of people are only now cracking into this supernatural action-adventure game. I'm one of them! I recently finished the story, but try as I might, I cannot shake this game off. I refuse to delete Ghostwire: Tokyo from my PS5 until I finish out my 100% completionist goal, and there's one annoying issue standing in my way: slow-spawning parades, known in-game as Hyakki Yako.

Consider this a friendly heads-up that may or may not come? in handy one ??day.

Without getting too deep into the actual story, a big part of the game is saving stranded souls in Tokyo after a supernatural event �240,300 souls, to be exact. You don't need to rescue everyone, and you'll eventually g??e??t tools to make the initial (phone-booth-depositing) collection process less of a chore. Many of the spirits are found out in the open, whether that's on the sidewalk, on rooftops, or in alleyways. The open-world map is broken down into easier-to-manage zones that track how many spirits you've accumulated. That said, even if you get 100% in every area, your work isn't done.

Some spiri??ts are found underground (which you can thankfully revisit later in the game), some are trapped in randomly-appearing Containment Cubes (which you can free by defending them from an enemy onslaught), and some poor souls �arguably way too many �are tied to the frustratingly rare Hyakki Yako events. They're a pain to find.

[caption id="attachment_336828" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The white whale at last.}[/caption]

Strolling along the (wonderfully deta?iled) city streets, stumbling across a parade of umbrella-holding fiends, and getting pulled into a f??ight �it's a cool idea!

The problem is, Ghostwire: Tokyo doesn't do a particularly good job of explaining up front that you'll want to engage with these parades as often as possible. The crowd can look intimidating from afar, so unless you have a gamer's sixth sense, it's easy to outright avoid them in your open-world exploration until you're in post-game cleanup? duty.

I didn't set out to collect every spirit, but Ghostwire: Tokyo became a fun, not-too-stressful podcast game for me, and things snowballed. Now I'm just missing about seven thousand spirits, but they're all tied to the Hyakki Yako, and they sure are tricky to find when you need them most. If you're thinking of picking up Ghostwire: Tokyo, keep an eye?? out for parades the whole way through. That'll help cut down on mindless grinding later.

[caption id="attachment_336860" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{One possible spawn location for the parades in Ghostwire: Tokyo.}[/caption]

Where to look for the parades

Some players have tried to brute-force the parades into appearing by fast-traveling to known locations again and again, but it's kind of a losing battle. From everything I've seen online, the parades have a real-time-based spawn rate, and there are a number of confirmed locations to check out. I've had the best luck semi-casually running up and d??own the main streets rather than trying to be super meticulous with a checklist.

This wouldn't be such a big deal if there were more events in Ghostwire?? to keep you occupied, but after a certain point, the combat stops evolving, and the world feels static.

[caption id="attachment_336841" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Fighting the parade-goers on their turf.}[/caption]

On the Ghostwire subreddit, a player named GeminixDragon had similar advice:

"I found the easiest way to get them to spawn is to walk up and down the large streets that spawn them from one end to the other twice, until I hit the fog or it becomes a smaller street. Usually traveling north to south and back (except t??he street under the overpass south of Kuo shrine which goes east to west) and if they don't spawn then, move to the next spawn point in th?e order you first found them, walking along the large streets when possible. Doing this I managed to get five of them to spawn in two and a half hours. I did not fast travel but rather walked everywhere."

Officially, Bethesda says the "Hyakki Yako will reappear after a set interval of time �even with reloaded save files." The developers recommend that p??layers "explore Tokyo or dive into some missions for ??a while and the event will return after a little while."

Is it worth the? grind? Not really. But that??'s not going to stop us.

Ghostwire: Tokyo isn't the (horror) game I thought it would be �and it feels either too trimmed down or too bloated, depending on how you look at it �but ?I admire the cultural attention to detail a whole lot, and that has made it worthwhile. It's a game you play for?? the setting �the all-out vibes �more than anything. Not a bad price-slashed pickup.

As more curious players check it out?? over the years, I hope this tip helps.

The post Don’t skip the parades in Ghostwire: Tokyo or you’re in for a slog appeared first on Destructoid.

Shrine like a Star

Natsume Inc's long-awaited sequel Pocky & Rocky Reshrined ?finally hit PS4 and Nintendo Switch platforms last month, bringing with it nostalgic visuals, great gameplay, and som??e classic, old-school adventure. It was well received by both critics and fans, for the most part.

While players heaped praise on the franchise's auth?entic return, many were left understandably frustrated by Natsume's baffling decision to lock the game's multiplayer modes, only accessible once the player has completed Story Mode and bagged themselves 10,000 in-game coins. A bizarre choice, frankly, given Pocky & Rocky's natural propensity for co-op action and its fun cast of new characters. To this day, critics and players have been re?ndered utterly confuddled by the user-unfriendly decision.

Perhaps realizing the error of its ways, Natsume has released a new cheat code that will allow you to jump into the co-op action with your buddies immediately, (spotted by Japanese video game fan Gosokkyu/GSK).

All you need do is arrive at the Pocky & Rocky Reshrined main menu and enter the following inputs:

• Left, Left, Left, Left
• Right, Right, Right, Right
• Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right

Once you complete this sequence, the auto-save symbol should appear. Now you can access the Free Mode, giving you access to the full roster of characters, and two-player co-op. While I understand that purists might suggest that the multiplayer mode is a "reward" for finishing the game, it was simply a foolish move to lock such an intrinsic part of the Pocky AND Rocky experience away from the player base from day one. Still, it's a very cute, very fun, and very challenging ??sequel. Well worth a look.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is available now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

The post How to unlock Pocky & Rocky Reshrined multiplayer from the start appeared first on Destructoid.

Can't Cat-ch Me

When I cracked into Stray for the first time, I didn't think I'd have to worry about how best to zig-zag, j??uke, and even "drift" as a cat �but when a covete??d trophy is on the line, everything's on the table. Half an hour of failed attempts and several slow-mo guide videos later, I've finally gotten Can't Cat-ch Me, a simple yet deceptively hard trophy.

It's one of the earliest trophies/achievements you can (theoretically) get in Stray, but I'm here to say that it might be best to save it until after you've finished the game. It could put you into a sour mood if you try to for??ce it, so don't let it gnaw away. Com??e back later.

**Spoilers below**

[caption id="attachment_335683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The hungry Zurk horde.}[/caption]

In the second chapter, there's a tense chase sequence on the city streets wit??h Headcrab-esque creatures called the Zurks. They'll scurry, leap, and glom onto your cat, and if you don't shake them off quickly enough, that'll be the end of this journey. Try again.

In a puzzle-solving adventure game that is o?verwhelmingly chill, these little creeps are very threatening. They're relentless, as they're me?ant to be, and that works well in the context of the ruined city's story. But when it comes to this trophy, the struggle is real.

• Can't Cat-ch Me: Complete the first Zurk pursuit without being caught.

The chase sequence is about a minute long �how hard could it be? I feared the two-hour speedrun mo?re than anything else, but that seems way less stressful by comparison; there's room for error, at least. Here, you have to memorize every rushdown and pray.

That's your home!

In general, zig-zagging is the play. But sometimes, it's best to strategically run into a group of Zurks and swerve at the last second. Other times, you might need to take a wide swing from one wall all the way to the other, to draw out certain Zurk leaps. It's not so much avoiding coming into contact with them as it ?is making sure they don't land on top o?f you.

??Of course, in practice, it feels like devious RNG is pulli?ng the strings.

Are you too good for your home?

Here's a successful Can't Cat-ch Me run from Stone Edge Gaming:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0o695DxlH8

And another from PowerPyx:

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

Visualizing it can help.

If you're going for the Can't Cat-ch Me trophy in Stray, I would recommend rebinding the run input to something comfortable (not the default R2 on PS5), just in case you're stuck? here for a while. Other players recommend increasing the sensitivity, but I kept it as is.

Misery loves company

A few reactions from other Stray players to help ease the pain:

• "This is purely on random luck."
• "Took a solid 45 minutes, sometimes zig-zagging works sometimes they get you no matter what."
• "This trophy really makes me wonder why we trophy hunters do this to ourselves."
• "Stray isn't free if you want the platinum. It costs at least one controller."

Good luck. You can do it!

The post A surprisingly tricky trophy is driving ??Stray playe?rs up the wall appeared first on Destructoid.

Making the most of Ms. Chalice

There are significantly harder challenges to topple in Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course t?han the Pawns, but for such a seemingly simple fight, I sure struggled with these leaping maniacs. Just... parry their heads 'til they fall off. How hard could it be? Well, it's a frantic? scene, doubly so in co-op when you're trying to stay on the same page amid the chaos.

As it turns out, there's a faster (and potentially easier) way to beat the Pawns in Cuphead, and it would've been nice to know before I took on the all-in-one-go King's Gauntlet.

The strat: Playing as Ms. Chalice, it's possible to double-jump, bounce off a falling pawn's head with?? her forward-dashing parry, then?? gain enough height to reach the top of the screen and continue the parry combo until it's checkmate, better luck next time.

//www.reddit.com/r/Cuphead/comments/w1lt6r/beat_the_rooks_without_tou????ching_the_ground/

Here's a demonstration from Reddit user ERROR1010101010 (ignore the mislabel; they were "tired"), as well as a similar 10-second clear from Sarojam on YouTube. Again, you'll wa??nt to be Ms. Chalice �she's got an aerial advantage over Cuphead and Mugman.

I tested out the method, and sure enough, it's pretty slick. It took a handful of attempts to pull off �I struggled to keep track of Ms. Chalice up top �but it ?can work, and when it does, it's a super-fast clear. With practice and good positioning, it's repeatable.

It's been fun to talk about facing Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, yet I feel like the King's Leap bosses haven't been discussed as much. Did y'all steamroll them? The chaotic Pawns and the just-get-on-with-it-already Knight? were the hardest of the pack for me.

By the way, did you rebind the controls? I could never finish Cuphead with the (pr?etty baffling) default dash/dodge input. I need that to be? R1 or else.

The post There’s a better way to beat the Pawns in Cuphead, and I wish I would’ve known appeared first on Destructoid.

The more XP you earn as different classes, the more passive bonuses you'll accumulate

A big part of Rogue Legacy 2 is figuring out which permanent upgrades best fit your individual playstyle, and there are a ton of directions to go on the Manor upgrade path. That said, there's an early purchase �the Sage Totem, which unlocks Mastery bonuses for all of you??r classes �that you should prioritize be?fore you get too far along.

This upgrade lets you "learn from your ancestors' past mistakes and gain permanent bonuses for dying," which might not sound fun, exactly, but it's worth it.

Here's our guide to Mastery levels and why they matter in Rogue Legacy 2.

First off, unlock the Sage Totem

[caption id="attachment_319436" align="alignnone" width="783"] _{Where to unlock the Sage Totem.}[/caption]

With the Sage Totem unlocked, you'll find the character chilling in your home base, slightly above and left of Charon's boat. N??ow it's time to get some big XP gains, not just ??gold.

When you slay enemies in Rogue Legacy 2, you'll earn experience points, and XP funnels into Mastery. You'll keep playing like norma??l, but when you die �it's more a "when" than a??n "if," isn't it? �you'll see the XP pile up on the end-of-run recap screen.

[caption id="attachment_319450" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Ranking up a Knight at the end of a Rogue Legacy 2 run.}[/caption]

Don't play as the same few classes forever

Here's the cool part: every class has its own Mastery rank, and every time they level up, they'll unlock a passive bonus. In the examp?le above, my Knight earned +10 Equip ?Weight.

There will be classes you click with and others you don't quite get. It's worth making the rounds in Rogue Legacy 2, though. The permanent bonuses earned from Mastery levels affect everyone, so it pays to be a Ba?rd or a Ranger at least some of the time.

Your future heirs will thank you!

Stat bonuses when you level up a class

• Knight and Valkyrie: +10 Equip Weight
• Barbarian and Boxer: +1% Vitality
• Ranger and Ronin: +1% Strength
• Duelist and Assassin: +1% Dexterity
• Mage and Gunslinger: +1% Intelligence
• Chef and Astromancer: +1% Focus
• Dragon Lancer and Pirate: +1% Armor
• Bard: +1.5% Spin Kick Damage
• All classes: +2 Rune Weight

There is a ca??p on Mastery rank, but you can increase it in New Game+.

How to see your Mastery levels for all classes

[caption id="attachment_319439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Don't forget to check in with the Sage Totem from time to time.}[/caption]

It took me way too long to realize this (I must've done it super early in my playthrough and then completely forgot to look again until, umm, New Game+2...), but you can chat with the Sage Totem at your camp to see all of the classes' Mastery levels all in one place?.

[caption id="attachment_319442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Mastery bonuses really stack up to become meaningful.}[/caption]

Raising the Mastery level cap

This might be getting ahead of things, but it's worth knowing early on that if you do max out your Mastery rank for a certain class, you'll eventually be able to bump it back up and continue the grind. Without spoiling too much, you can unlock the Soul Shop in town (in the building next to the Sage Totem) and spend Soul Stones on even more permanent upgrades. One unlock, Limitless Potential, increases the Mastery cap for all classes.

[caption id="attachment_319468" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{You'll regularly visit the Soul Shop once you start getting into New Game+ and beyond.}[/caption]

If you're in need of more blue orbs, play the Scars of Erebus challenges to earn Bronze/Silver/Gold medals (here's a fantastic guide on unlocking Scars), or beat bosses on higher New Game+ difficulties. Rogue Legacy 2 is a grind in the best way.

The post P??lay every Rogue L??egacy 2 class for Mastery stat bonuses appeared first on Destructoid.

An easily overlooked ability helped me clinch it

The more I sink into Kirby and the Forgotten Land, the more I love it �and it already left a strong impression after the first few worlds. I'm nearing 100%, and I can't stop now. If you're working toward that goal and haven't quite been able to survive the Ultimate Cup Z in the colosseum, I've got a sm??all tip that ?might make all the difference; it did for me!

Like prior Kirby games, it's relatively smooth sailing on your first run through the main story �but the post-game "boss r??ush" content ??isn't afraid to push back hard.

I really respect that duality, as it makes Kirby feel approachable yet deep. I also think Kirby and the Forgotten Land, specifically, will put a magnifying glass on the series' longstanding design principles. If you've kept up with games like Planet Robobot and Star Allies and survived their fiercest challenges, you know the drill. But this Switch title is going wide.

In case you missed it, Kirby has a perfect dodge

Case in point, without even realizing it until it was too late, I went through basically all of the main quest without dodging. Flash forward to the post-game, and I'm now in a place where I use this move constantly �dodging is so ridiculously powerful? as a way to avoid?? damage and also dish it back out with last-second "perfect dodge" counter-attacks.

You might be thinking, "Wait, that's the tip??? Just dodging? I already knew that!"

I'm saving the real tips for below the spoiler gate, but I was curious if anyone else accidentally overlooked Kirby's dodge for way too long. Just in case you're reading this article and you haven't picked up on it yet, you can dodge by holding one of the triggers (I personally find the L button most comfortable) and then tapping the left analog stick in your preferred direction. There's a very generous window in which Kirby won't take damage while escaping, and if you wait to dodge until just before a ??hit w??ould land, you'll get some slow-mo �and a chance to counter-attack. Try it out! Punish 'em.

**Spoilers below**

[caption id="attachment_315603" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The Ultimate Cup Z is a boss rush with 12 fights.}[/caption]

Okay, so, Ultimate Cup Z �it makes the Ultimate C??up seem l?ike a cakewalk!

It's a back-to-back boss rush featuring 12 battles against phantom versions of Kirby and the Forgotten Land'?s beastly baddies, and there are minimal healing items between bouts, so you have to avoid death by a thousand cuts. The multi-phase true ??final boss is a doozy.

If you're at this point, you've finished the main story, gotten through the remixed levels in the post-game Isolated Isles: Forgo Dreams realm, and survived the boss fight against Morpho Knight. Let's just take a moment to process that gosh, this game goes places.

My best bet ??for finishing Ultimate Cup Z the first time was a multi-pronged approach.

Give yourself the best odds against this boss rush

[caption id="attachment_315599" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{Don't underestimate Deep Sleep's boons.}[/caption]

• Make sure you have the Deep Sleep ability ready to go at Waddle Dee's Weapon Shop. You can find the blueprint in the Burning, Churning Power Plant level, then use Deep Sleep whenever you need it back at the town. It can give you an attack or speed boost, but the most useful perk for colosseum purposes is a second HP bar.

[caption id="attachment_315605" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{Swallow your pride and bring a Maxim Tomato.}[/caption]

• Get some extra breathing room with a Maxim Tomato to-go order from the Waddle Dee CafĂ©, and save it for an emergency. If you need a quick 100 coin top-up, I'd recommend the fishing mini-game (unless you're bad at it, which, fair enough).

[caption id="attachment_315602" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{A beautiful weapon with a beautiful moveset.}[/caption]

• The go-to weapon for Ultimate Cup Z is the Morpho Knight Sword, especially its upgraded form (a costly fee of 2,500 Star Coins and 5 Rare Stones). Not only does the sword hit hard, and have an even better dodge, but it also slightly heals Kirby after landing a string of strikes. This can add up and give you more room to recover from mistakes while you're still perfecting phantom bosses' alternate movesets.

[caption id="attachment_315601" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The Morpho Knight Sword's homing attack in action.}[/caption]

• If you already knew all of these pointers, here's an overlooked tip that helped me beat Ultimate Cup Z: the Morpho Knight Sword has a ranged homing attack. While holding a trigger (again, I prefer using the L button), also hold down the B button and let go â€?Kirby will be circled by phantoms, then they'll chase after the boss. In fights like Phantom Forgo Dedede, Phantom Sillydillo, and the final phase of Chaos Elfilis, this ability is a godsend. You can whittle them down from a safe distance.

[caption id="attachment_315598" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{The final phase of Chaos Elfilis is a war of attrition.}[/caption]

• Generally, it's smart to play it safe until you're confident. Instead of trying to go HAM on a boss 100% of the time, learn their attacks, then punish them with a perfect-dodge follow-up. It's a balance, and it pays to know exactly when to go all-in.
• You're probably on top of it already, but if you're short on Star Coins or Rare Stones needed for Copy Ability upgrades at the weapon shop, here's a list of present codes.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the first time I got through Ultimate Cup Z in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, I had just one HP left �and so did Chaos Elfilis. Without Morpho Knight Sword's homin??g attack, I wouldn't have made it. Talk about a sigh of relief.

If you're struggling, you can get there too. I had my doubts, but the closer I got, the more determined I became. Now I can beat this arena without sweating bullets, which I never would've expected given how badly my first attempts? went. Practice paid off.

[caption id="attachment_315604" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{No matter how you reach it, this victory feels so freaking good.}[/caption]

Now that I'm just trying to unlock the final dozen or so capsule figures (and Morpho Knight Kirby is honestly OP), I'm finding the colosseum to be an oddly relaxing grind. It's been a blast learning all of the boss attacks and figuring out how ?to shave seconds off the clock.

All around, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a game of the year contender �they did it!

The post Tips for clearing ?Ultimate Cup Z in Kirby and the Forgotten Land appeared first on Destructoid.

What is your wisdom?

Basilisks can be a real pain, but Elden Ring players are doing what?? they've always done: f?inding humor in suffering. Enter the Basilisk of the Rot, a surprisingly helpful meme.

The big-eyed basilisks are back in Elden Ring, and they're as keen as ever to chase you down in a pack in the most precarious places. If this isn't your first FromSoftware rodeo, you know what to expect �death. Either you strike them all down when you get the chance, or they overwhelm you until you're left cursed?? (or in this case, Death Blighted).

Except this one! As the meme goes, a tarnished hero approaches an all-knowing basilisk, and the beast hops up on a ledge and kind of just?? chills there, offering its insight.

I saw one of these images the other week on Reddit and didn't think much of it. But the more memes I come across, the more I think they're... actually pretty helpful? Your results will vary �that goes for essentially every facet of the Elden Ring experience �but ??I bet you'll pick up something new. If nothing else, the basilisk's stupid f?ace still cracks me up.

//www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/twtgug/if_youre_pla?nning_to_visit_the_roundtable_hold/

See what I mean? I never thought to sell my runes to Hewg, the resident blacksmith. As elaborated by Reddit user _MrMaster_, this method "isn't that big of a difference in speed but it ??does overall help with efficiency because the sell screen tells you exactly how many runes each type gives you. Very fast to do the math and sell down to the proper amount for your next stat point, rather than keep popping them and tapping around to different types and popping them all individually (by type) to get the right amount."

More easily digestible nuggets of Elden Ring wisdom from the Basilisk of the Rot

//www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/tsl9b??n/the_amount_o?f_times_this_has_saved_me_from_myself/

//www.red??dit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/tx0m0y/basilisk_of_the_rot_imparts_wisdom_for_spell/

//www.reddit.com/r/MemeTempla?tesOfficial/comments/tsgazi/basilisk_of_the_ro??t_elden_ring/

//www.reddit.com/r/E?ldenring/comments/ttlg1u/my_god_basilisk_if_only_i_had_known_before_13??0/

//www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/c?omme??nts/tt33kl/thank_you_basilisk_very_cool/

//www.reddit.com/r/Elde??nring/comments/tvk41c/basilisk_of_the_rot_what_is_your_wisdom/

//www.reddit.com/r/Eld??enring/comments/tvrgf3/heres_a_qui?ck_tip_for_any_newer_players/

Want to make your own image for a coveted bit of internet glory? Here's the template for the Basilisk of the Rot meme courtesy of Reddit user TsukasaKun. Knowing is half the b??attle �and grinding can get you the rest of the way. I hope these point??ers help out.

The post The Basilis??k of the Rot has surprisingly useful Elden Ring tips appeared first on Destructoid.

Line up a sneaky shot, and fire away

Whether it's due to one-hit kills, crazy attack combos, or annoying minions, if an Elden Ring ??boss is enough of a pain in the ass, honor goes out the window. A win is a win.

While I take a few weeks to recharge and either roll a new character or dive into New Game+ with my bloody dex build, I'm living vicariously through other players' mischief �and it's been a blast. A hilariously straightforward cheese method for one of the later optional bosses in Elden Ring captured my?? attention toda??y. It's weirdly nostalgic.

The clip �captured by Reddit user H3NRY-56 �is as light on spoilers as one can probably get given its place in Elden Ring. The scenery might come as a surprise, so look away if you're feeling cauti??ous, but the footage shows the end of the cheese strat, not the actual setup, and you'd have to squint to even see what this boss looks like. You ?can peek!

With that said, **spoilers below**.

//www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/tq5t8m/couldnt_beat_commander_niall_so_had_to??_do_the/

I struggled quite a bit with Commander Niall as well, but while plenty of us leaned on our MVP spirit ashes to survive this frosty boss, H3NRY-56 just stocked up on arrows and played it extremely safe with the "ultimate cheese." After poki??ng around Castle Sol, they found a perfect perch with long-rang??e access to Commander Niall �just the tiniest opening �and they got to work with a bow. That's it! That's the whole plan. But it's kind of crazy that it's possible. Exploration can pay off in unexpected ways.

If you actually want to try this cheese on Commander Niall, you can see the setup in this video from Black Sheep Gaming Studios. Again, bring lots of arrows.

This strategy reminds me of Dark Souls players tossing bombs onto the Capra Demon before stepping through the boss's fog gate, which also ruled. That split-second ?d??og dodge still freaks me out and/or frustrates me to this day, depending on the run.

As Elden Ring matures, it?s content is exhausted, and the community gets bored enough to find exponentially funnier and cheesier methods, we're going to see some wild shit.

The post This Commander Niall fight is peak Elden Ring che?ese appeared first on Destructoid.

Get an early start on Star Coins and Rare Stones

Pretty early into Kirby and the Forgotten Land, you'll rescue enough Waddle Dees to unlock a password exchange building called Waddle Dee-liveries. (This game is too darn adorable.) With the right password, Kirby will get a little present delivered to his home, and there are quite a few codes floating around. It's sort of like the Mystery Gift online feature in the Pokemon series, except you can cash in a bunch of stu?ff ri??ght off the bat.

As compiled on Reddit, here are Present Codes to get you started:

• CLEARDEMO â€?Star Coin x300
• NEWADVENTURE â€?Star Coin x300, Rare Stone
• MOUTHFULMODE â€?Star Coin x100, Car-Mouth Cake
• KIRBYMICROSITE â€?Star Coin x150, Attack Boost
• KIRBYGAMESTOPCAN â€?Star Coin x150, Maxim Tomato
• BRAWLINGCOLOSSEUM â€?Star Coin x500, Attack Boost
• FIRSTPASSWORD â€?Star Coin x100
• KIRBYSTORY â€?Star Coin x300
• KIRBYTHEGOURMET â€?Rare Stone, Car-Mouth Cake
• THANKYOUMETAKNIGHT â€?Rare Stone x3
• KIRBYNEWSDESK â€?Star Coin x150, Energy Drink
• GAMENEWS â€?Rare Stone
• THANKYOUKIRBY - Star Coin x1000, Rare Stone
• ADVENTUREGUIDE â€?Rare Stone
• KIRBYADVENTURECALI â€?Star Coin x300 and food items x4
• ICONELEMENTS â€?/em> Star Coin x300, Kirby Burger
• THIRTIETH â€?Rare Stone x1, Car-Mouth Cake
• CRYSTALSHARDS â€?Star Coin x150, food items x2, Maxim Tomato
• NEWWORLD â€?Star Coin x150, Car-Mouth Cake
• MUSICFEST â€?Star Coin x300, Maxim Tomato