February 2022

Wordle appears to be reaching all corners of the world--even inspiring MI6 boss Richard Moore and another British intelligence agency, GCHQ, to exchange posts about the word game on Twitter.

Moore posted about wanting to unfollow people who posted their Wordle results, and GCHQ's official Twitter account replied with a tongue-in-cheek response--a photoshopped "Sorry" in Wordle.

For those who don't play Wordle, the myriad of cryptic boxes flooding Twitter feeds every morning must be a pain to swipe through. However, this can be easily solved by muting the word #Wordle.

One can only imagine MI6's famous fictional spy, James Bond's, response to Wordle. (Would he even have a Twitter account? Can you have a Twitter account if you're a top-secret spy?)

PUBG Mobile has established itself as one of the premier mobile battle royale games, bringing the full PUBG experience to your phone since its launch in December 2017. The last four years have seen a ton of new content hit the game, meaning new or lapsed players might need some help dropping back in.

This guide provides a brief breakdown of each of the game's four battle royale maps, offering the best drop locations and a few other tips to get your PUBG Mobile experience going.

Erangel

Erangel is the original PUBG map, the one that players have been fighting for chicken dinners on since the beginning. It's an 8x8 map with a few city areas separated by vast open land. The southern part of the map is an isolated island area housing a military base, connected to the mainland through two small bridges. If you don't land at the military base to begin with, and the circle doesn't force you down there, it'd be best to just stay away from that area for the entire match.

A few good places to land are:

The Nahobino and their demons are ready to explore the world of Poker. Mobile RPG Dragon Poker will hold a Shin Megami Tensei V crossover event. The event itself will kick off on February 7, 2022 and continue through February 21, 2022.

A teaser trailer was on hand to show off the new cards and creatures available during the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STjFYi2bucw&t

Dragon Poker is a collectible card mobile RPG with elements based on the real-life card game of Poker. Developed by Asobism and first released in 2013, the game has players group up and cooperate in teams of five (or solo with AI companions). They'll work together to try to build the perfect hand and conquer monsters, quests and dungeons. Since Poker is a betting game, players and also bet in-game cash to increase their rewards. Player-versus-player modes also exist and pit decks against each other. New cards can be earned via a gacha-style draw system.

The SMTV Dragon Poker event follows a similar structure to other Dragon Poker collaborations, like 2019's hookup with Mega Man X. Shin Megami Tensei V-themed cards and characters will be available from a special gacha banner. The added units include Nahobino, Amanozako, Jack Frost, Alice, Cú Chulainn, Loki , Cerberos, and Hua Po. Lahmu and Nuwa (aka Joka) appear as bosses of the Special and Challenge Dungeon playable stages.

Check out some gameplay footage of the Nuwa Challenge Dungeon in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XVKS7WkrB4

Dying Light 2, Techland’s latest open-world zombie RPG, has officially launched on most major platforms. You’re probably playing it right now. But maybe you’re getting your ass handed to you in the early levels, like I was when I started the game on normal instead of easy. That’s OK. There are multiple ways to gain…

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Square Enix released details on the next February update for FFXI, and it includes an expansion to the Mog Wardrobe as well as an increase on the Master Level cap. Additionally, The Voracious Resurgence quests and other content such as the Abuscade are getting new rewards and battles. The new update will release after server maintenance on February 11, 2022.

Owners of the Mog Wardrobe premium service will get additional wardrobe slots once the update releases. All players will receive more space to register macros in their macro books, as well as an increase in registerable equipment sets. These expansions will also come alongside a new, improved Mog House menu UI.

Furthermore, the Master Level cap will increase from 20 to 30. Square Enix notes that these new 10 levels will require more exemplar points than previous levels. To this, FFXI producer Akihiko Matsui reveals that the dev team is looking into ways to adjust the EXP grind. Specifically, Matsui mentions that the team may add new places to grind rather than adjust existing ones.

Finally, the Ambuscade is getting new battles in the Normal and Intense difficulties, as well as new rewards for each. The Normal battle features a Corse, and the Intense battle features a Taurus. Completing the Ambuscade will reward players with Corse-themed gear.

Mages will release a second The Quintessential Quintuplets game on June 2, 2022. The full title of the game can be translated to The Quintessential Quintuplets: The Five Memories Spent With You. There will be two versions of the game. The normal version will cost ¥8,580 ($74.50), while the premium version will cost ¥11,800 ($102.40). [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

It is still unclear just what the difference will be between the normal version and the premium version of the The Quintessential Quintuplets game. According to the leak, it will be an adventure game focusing on the characters' graduation trip.

Mages also developed and released the first game, The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬: Summer Memories Also Come in Five. The setting for that one was a deserted island, and it followed an original story. Additionally, the premium edition of that game came with a five-disc drama CD.

After tackling Metroid in Season 1, the second season of Game Informer's Video Gameography podcast moves on to one of the biggest shooter franchises in existence: Halo. It's time to bring Season 2 to a close as we examine Halo Infinite, the most recent entry that served as both a return to form and a dramatic reinvention for the franchise. 

Halo Infinite launched December 8, 2021 (though its multiplayer launched in open beta a month prior). After the mixed reception to Halo 5: Guardians, 343 Industries undertook its longest development cycle yet creating Halo Infinite. 343 Industries clashed over its numerous ideas for the title's direction, and an infamous first showing in 2020 led to Infinite being delayed a full year as it was originally slated as an Xbox Series X/S launch title. The extra time paid off. Halo Infinite launched to largely positive reception, including snagging Game Informer's coveted Game of the Year award. How did 343 pull the nose up? What role does Halo Wars 2 have on the narrative? Where does 343 take the series going forward? Tune in as we discuss those burning questions and more. 

Heaven Burns Red, a new RPG from Clannad and Angel Beats! developer Key, will launch on February 10, 2022. The information comes courtesy of the game's final pre-release trailer, which Key uploaded to its official YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUuv6OErMUc
 
The trailer sets up the premise of Heaven Burns Red. A mysterious alien life form called "Cancer" is attacking humanity, and conquered most of the Earth's surface. With mankind on the brink of calamity, it develops a new weapon called Seraph. Only young women with certain talents are able to wield Seraphs, and those capable are assembled into Seraph Units to go to war against the Cancers.

One such Seraph-wielder is Ruka Kayamori. She's the captain of Seraph Squad 31A, and former guitarist/vocalist for the famous rock band She Is Legend. She needs to balance her duties as a Seraph-wielder with her desire to return to her band alongside her squaddies. The game itself will feature visual novel-style storytelling segments. These will include character dialogue, bespoke event art, and choices. Field exploration segments will allow characters to explore the areas of humanity's last refuge, and 3D battles will show off the characters' abilities against the Cancers.

Check out another trailer from November 2021 showing off character abilities and art from Seraph Squad 31X.

Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2 will release with English, Spanish, and Portuguese audio starting February 13, 2022. The dub will be available on both Funimation and Crunchyroll streaming platforms. Additionally, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2 is set to appear on Cartoon Network's Toonami block.

The final season began airing on January 9, 2022. Some episodes are already available with English subtitles on Funimation and Crunchyroll, as well as the European streaming service Wakanim. In addition to the two streaming services, the English dub will also begin airing on Toonami starting February 12, 2022, at 12:30 a.m. alongside Shenmue: The Animation.

The English dub will feature various prominent voice actors returning to their roles. Bryce Papenbrook will continue to voice Eren Jaeger opposite Jason Liebrecht as Zeke Jaeger, Trina Nishimura as Mikasa Ackerman, and Matthew Mercer as Levi Ackerman. Mike McFarland will also return as ADR director for the final season.

Funimation plans to release a Blu-Ray collection of Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1 starting February 22, 2022. The collection will include bonus content, such as an artbook, outer box, and illustrated postcards. Additionally, Pony Canyon has uploaded the non-credited opening and ending themes for the latest season.

Bad news for all the Stadians out there: A new report claims that Google is trying to salvage its Stadia streaming service by not focusing on video games but instead looking to make deals with companies like Peleton to create playable experiences and online demos.

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Developer miHoYo released a trailer for the new Honkai Impact 3rd Palatinus Equinox battlesuit for Durandal. The battlesuit is set to release alongside the upcoming Honkai Impact 3rd 5.5 update scheduled to launch February 24, 2022. The S-rank battlesuit will have a Guardian and Knight form, which allows Durandal to ride on a mechanical horse named Krishna. Furthermore, the trailer gives fans a brief glimpse into Durandal's life before the events of the game.

Note: The trailer contains major spoilers for Chapter 28 of Honkai Impact 3rd.

The trailer shows Durandal aka Bianka Ataegina watching a vision of her childhood. Titled "Forever True to Yourself", the trailer shows the Kaslana family enjoying a normal day at home. Kiana Kaslana appears as a child with her father Seigfried Kaslana and mother Cecilia Schariac. Towards the end, Kiana uses an umbrella as though it's the Abyss Flower and prompts Durandal to hold it. The Palatinus Equinox battlesuit then appears and Durandal heads into battle.

The battlesuit itself also appeared in a making-of video released earlier this week. In the video, developers at miHoYo went over the Guardian and Knight versions as well as each form's abilities. Similarly, the video also gives some exposition about Durandal's mysterious background.

You can check out the Honkai Impact 3rd Palatinus Equinox Durandal battlesuit trailer below.

Today third-party developers have showcased new assets of their upcoming aircraft add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

We start with MilViz, which lately is having a lot of fun releasing single screenshots of its upcoming aircraft.

That’s quite the tease, but below you can see the A-1H Skyraider in all its glory.

Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games released two new videos about the growing space simulator focusing on upcoming content and more.

The first video showcases the new refueling feature that will be implemented in the next alpha version (3.17), followed by another look at the recently-revealed Consolidated Outland hoverbike.

From the next update, players will be able to use the Starfarer as a KC-135 Stratotanker and get some hot nose-to-nozzle action with other ships in space.

The second video focuses on the work done on the game’s graphics with director of graphics engineering Ali Brown providing an extensive overview of what’s going to happen to the game’s visual and optimization going forward.

Paradox Interactive released a new video about the upcoming major expansion to Crusader Kings 3, Royal Court, which was announced back in May.

The video showcases the free update that will accompany the Royal Court DLC, focusing on court positions and traditions, so even those who won’t buy the expansion are still getting some goodies.

You can watch the video below, alongside the previous one about inspiration, one on cultural divergence, another on artifacts and one on the basics.

Royal Court is going to launch on February 8, 2022, and below you can check out a summary of its features.

Creative Assembly and Sega released a new trailer about the upcoming Warhammer strategy game Total War: Warhammer III.

This time around the trailer focuses on the corruption mechanic and how it has been revamped for the third part of the game.

Every chaos god will have their own corruption, plus a different one for chaos undivided, providing benefits for their followers and maluses for everyone else.

You can check it out below.

If you’re unfamiliar with Total War: Warhammer III, which is coming for PC (including Game Pass) on Feb. 17, 2022.

Yesterday, the world got a new Jackass film. After two years of covid-19, I’ll admit I’m happy to see the old gang back, wild and dumb as ever. It feels like a small piece of normality, one which I’m happy to have in 2022. But back in 2007, following the release of the second film and five years after the show ended,…

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It’s 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic is still a problem. Nobody’s life is what they expected it to be. Which is why now is the perfect time for Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan. The show follows an approaching middle-aged man in his not-ideal job with often idiotic coworkers. He can put on a happy face, but sometimes he’s just barely getting by. Just like us! Except with the juxtaposition of a children’s show star making do, it becomes a bit easier to laugh at the situation. (Even if sometimes it does get a little too real.)

Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan is a slice-of-life show. But it isn’t necessarily one filled with heartfelt, sweet moments. Rather, it’s more about what life might actually be like for people in their 30s. Things aren’t as they expected. Uramichi Omota is a talented gymnast. But instead of doing something in sports… he’s one of the cast members on Together with Maman and tends to handle the exercise segments. Both Iketeru Daga and Utano Tadano hoped to find major roles as singers. But the former failed as a musical actor and the latter couldn’t make it in a variety of other genres like idol or enka. Tobikichi Usahara and Mitsuo Kumatani went to college with Uramichi and also went into athletics. Now? They wear animal costumes and play Usao-kun and Kumao-kun on the show. They’re also all dealing with other issues, like being unmarried, buried in debt, depressed, or immature. They have to be “cheerful,” because it is a kid’s show! But stuff bleeds through! (And is often ironic, given that the failed singers are played by Nana Mizuki and Mamoru Miyano in Japanese!)

My eyes unfocused partway through the trailer for Genshin Impact's 2.5 update. There was some sort of mystical calamity and it was all very dramatic. Then, almost after the real trailer was finished, there was a minute or more of the actual game, as a character gathered herbs in a pretty field at night, mixed a drink, and unlocked some items.

I was immediately focused back in. Update 2.5, "When the Sakura Bloom", will launch on February 16th with three new characters.

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Developers offer free weekends with their games all the time, but it feels more like a trap when the game is The Sims 4. Become immersed in EA's dollhouse creation kit and what awaits you is a world of costly DLC.

But then heck, I like the game and I've only bought a handful of content packs because I liked the look of the kitchen cupboards. So play The Sims 4 for free on Steam this weekend, and buy it at 88% off if you like it.

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Older iPhone Masters take heed: Fate/Grand Order may no longer support the version of iOS on your device. As of February 4, 2022, the game has officially ended support for devices still running iOS version 10.2 and below. If you're playing FGO on an iOS device, you'll need to upgrade iOS to 10.3 or better to continue playing. Further details can be found at this page on the official site.

The announcement of the change to Fate/Grand Order iOS support was first made on January 13, 2022. Prior to the change, FGO required iOS version 10.0 or higher. Given that iOS 10.0 released back in 2016, long prior to the global release of Fate/Grand Order, it's unlikely that even fairly old devices will be completely unable to play FGO. Fate/Grand Order's oldest supported iPhone model, the iPhone 6S, can still upgrade as far as iOS 15, the latest version of the operating system. Meanwhile, Fate/Grand Order supports Android devices running version 4.1 and above. The game works with any version of the OS, including the latest Android 12.

Fate/Grand Order is immediately available on devices running iOS 10.3 or Android 4.1 and above. The game is currently running its Valentine's Day 2022 limited-time event. Aniplex is acquiring the game's development team from DelightWorks, with the purchase wrapping in Spring 2022.