September 2022

Hello! With Dorfromantik landing on Switch today, here's a piece from Jay that takes a closer look at landscapes. If you're interested in the Switch port itself, we're running a piece on Saturday.

I can’t ever get my Dorfromantik dioramas to look quite right. Other people seem to be able to make their rural idylls look balanced, organised. Villages and farms are rounded while rivers gently meander. For me, it’s the other way around. Rivers stagnate in huge lakes while houses and fields snake across the landscape in jagged lines.

It chafes particularly because we’re all familiar with the kind of bucolic landscape that Dorfromantik tasks you with making. By placing hexagonal puzzle pieces so that the edges line up – tree to tree, field to field, home to home – you build out these landscapes, and score points for keeping the jigsaw aligned. Every so often a tile will come with a quest, like turning it into a farm with 50 fields, and completing these gives you more tiles. You can play until you run out.

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If you’ve been playing FIFA 23 via the 10-hour free trial that’s part of EA Play and EA Play Pro subscriptions, there’s a high chance that you’ve been hit with the ‘Problem Validating EA Play Subscription’ error. Unfortunately, this appears to be a widespread issue that EA hasn’t managed to fix just yet.

The good news is there’s a relatively easy fix to the problem. It just requires you to dive into a few console-based settings menus.

How to Fix FIFA 23 ‘Problem Validating Your EA Play Subscription’ Error

When it comes to FIFA Ultimate Team, it’s all about getting the most bang for your buck. Players love to take advantage of special promotions, buy and sell like fiends on the transfer market, and grind away for a shot at the game’s best rewards. Yet to aid with all of these features, there’s one simple method that should never be overlooked. So without further ado, let’s break down the Bronze Pack method and how it works in FIFA 23.

Bronze Pack Method Guide for FIFA 23

When it comes to buying player packs in FUT, the odds are not in your favor. Generally, users should avoid using in-game coins to purchase a standard gold pack—or anything higher than that, for that matter.

But let’s stick with the Gold Player packs for this example. For starters, they cost 7,500 Coins. Secondly, there’s a great chance you’re not going to get that type of money back from the pack itself. Which brings us to the Bronze Player packs.

There’s no debate quite like a player ratings debate, and the latest installment of the long-running football series appears to be no exception. This time, it’s Arsenal fans taking exception to what FIFA thinks of them. So what’s all the fuss about? Well, let’s break down all Arsenal player ratings in FIFA 23 so you can judge for yourself.

FIFA 23 Arsenal Player Ratings Guide

Through seven Premier League matches, Arsenal are off to a flying start. They currently sit atop the table with six wins and one loss (18 points) with the third-best goal difference (+10) and third-highest amount of goals scored (17). That may be why some fans have taken offense to the latest batch of ratings.

So to make it easier for all of you, we’ve gathered all Arsenal player ratings in FIFA 23 into this tidy table.

Mantis Blades are easily one of the coolest and best weapons in Cyberpunk 2077. These giant blades extend out the top of your forearms, allowing you to slice and dice your enemies in gory fashion. In this guide, we’ll talk you through how to get Mantis Blades in Cyberpunk 2077, and the best Mantis Blade build to make use of your shiny new toys.

How to Get Mantis Blades in Cyberpunk 2077

Mantis Blades can be purchased from any Ripperdoc in Night City. We found them with Victor, the first Ripperdoc you meet right near the beginning of the game.

Publisher Tilting Point has announced it is bringing three new games to Netflix's game library.

Tilting Point specialises in mobile free-to-play games. Some of its most recently published games include Warhammer: Chaos and Request, Narcos: Idle Cartel, and SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off.

The publisher has now partnered with Netflix to release three games on the platform, with SpongeBob: Get Cooking already available to download and play now.

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Sony has confirmed the release dates of its PlayStation Stars loyalty programme across the world.

The programme launches today in Asia, before being rolled out to the Americas on 5th October and in Europe on 13th October.

We got a sneak peak of how the programme works earlier this month in the State of Play, and Sony has given us additional details today.

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UPDATE: Sackboy: A Big Adventure is now listed on Steam and has been officially unveiled by Sony.

Though not yet available, it can be added to your wishlist and has a release date of 27th October. There's also a pre-purchase bonus of Sackboy costumes based on other PlayStation game heroes: Connor from Detroit: Become Human; Jin from Ghost of Tsushima; Deacon from Days Gone; and Sam Porter Bridges from Death Stranding.

A PlayStation Blog gives all the details, as already revealed by the PlayStation Latin America YouTube account earlier today.

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Knitted burlap creature Sackboy is coming to PC on October 27th, a prematurely released trailer from Sony’s Latin American YouTube channel has revealed. The trailer for Sackboy: A Big Adventure has since been taken down, but by then the boy was out of the sack and its existence was noted on Twitter. There’s been no other official confirmation yet of the game’s release date for PC, or what storefronts it’ll be available from.

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Ubisoft’s much-delayed shanty ‘em up Skull & Bones has been dashed by another four months, pushing its release from November to March 2023. The announcement came as the devs revealed that the game will receive an open beta period in “the near future”. Details of how to sign up for the beta are expected soon.

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Sliders are one of the best ways to adjust the gameplay in a FIFA game. Unsurprisingly, the fan-favorite setting has returned once again, with Sliders in FIFA 23 allowing players to adjust shot speed, pass speed, power bar speed, and first touch control error to name a few. If you’re looking to tailor the gameplay to your preference, you’re in luck, as we’re here to run you through how to use slider settings in FIFA 23 and what they all do.

How to Change Sliders in FIFA 23

From the main menu, go to the Settings option at the very end of the row of tiles. Next, select ‘Game Settings’ and then tab your way over to ‘User Gameplay Customization.’

You’ll now be able to adjust the slider for a variety of things, such as Sprint Speed, Pass Error, Shot Speed, and Injury Severity to name a few. We’ve included a full list of these below.

In Night City, anything’s possible. You can change out most of your body for cyberware, turning you into what is essentially a cyborg. Gorilla Arms are one of the most enjoyable weapons you can get your hands on in Cyberpunk 2077, allowing you to thump your way through enemies with your fists. In this guide, we talk you through how to get Gorilla Arms in Cyberpunk 2077, and the best Gorilla Arms build to get the very most out of them.

How to Get Gorilla Arms in Cyberpunk 2077

Gorilla Arms are a cyberware upgrade for your arms that can be purchased from any Ripperdoc in Night City.

EA Motive's Dead Space remake will "one sequential shot" from beginning to end, according to a new EA blog post.

"From the moment you start the game to the moment you end the game, there are no camera cuts or load screens—unless you die," says senior producer Philippe Ducharme.

"The Ishimura is now fully interconnected, so you can walk from Point A to Point Z, visit the entire ship, and revisit locations you’ve already completed to pick up things you might have missed—that’s all new. It’s now a completely unbroken experience."

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Another year, another release of Skyrim.

The Skyrim Anniversary Edition was released on 11th November 2021 to mark the game's 10th anniversary, as well as a free next-gen update for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Now, almost a year later, that same Anniversary Edition is available on Nintendo Switch.

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Exactly one win and one loss into my time with Ultimate Team in FIFA 23, I have a notification. The little bar in the top-right of the screen strobes to tell me I've completed an objective. Nice! Objectives in Ultimate Team range from simple things like scoring a certain number of goals, to more complex tasks like doing so with assists from specific players or winning dozens of times. They give you rewards, usually in the form of XP that advances FIFA's version of a battle pass, where you unlock more rewards by progressing through the levels. So, completing an objective is expected after a couple games, and generally it's neat.

Only, I haven't completed an objective. I have, after two games and nothing else, completed 26 objectives. And these objectives are scattered across five sub-menus, each of which contains maybe a dozen or so groups of objectives, of which there are again up to a dozen or so objectives therein. Clearing these notifications means navigating through this Russian Doll of to-do lists and individually selecting each one, selecting it again to see the reward, and again to claim the reward. That's not all! The reward, if it's an item or, better yet, a pack, then goes to the Store page, which is an entirely different menu. I have 19 items in the store after clearing and claiming rewards for my 26 objectives, and so, off I go to open them.

Shenmue: The Animation, which got its debut season in February, has been cancelled.

The anime adaptation of the cult classic Sega game was first announced back in September 2020, before being broadcasted and available to stream on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll respectively.

A second season was reportedly in the works before the cancellation, which is likely a part of the wider purge by Warner Discovery of its properties following the merger of the two media conglomerates in April this year.

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The Labor of Love update for Terraria is now live and includes a tonne of new features and improvements.

That includes a new World Seed that turns the world upside down, with players tackling magnifying threats until they reach the Surface. There's also a World Seed that mashes all the others together.

The update is free and includes plenty of bug fixes and small improvements, like tweaks to the void bag, rope interaction, health bars, and more.

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The Kirby Character Encyclopedia is now available for purchase. The book is currently only available in the Japanese language. However, people living outside Japan can also purchase and gain access to the book, which is available for 1,650 yen (approximately $11 with Japanese 10% tax included).

Amazon Japan is selling the book in physical and digital formats—the latter is readable via Kindle. It can also ship the book to countries outside Japan. The digital ebook is also available for purchase on the Japanese BookWalker store.

HAL Laboratory and Kadokawa initially revealed the encyclopedia in July 2022. The companies teased that the book contains information about over 1,000 characters that appeared across all 35 Kirby games released to date. Preview pages of the book confirm that it also includes details from the series' latest mainline entry, Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

The encyclopedia groups the enemy characters into categories like regular enemies and bosses. It also lists the Copy Abilities that Kirby can take from them.

When you pop an ultimate in Overwatch 2, beloved support-turned-damage character Symmetra tells the player that “reality bends to my will.” Anjali Bhimani, the voice actress behind the unforgettable Indian character, just wrote an entire book that aims to teach fans how to be that confident. It’s called I Am Fun Size,…

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Limited Run Games is a business that has found its niche. In our modern digital world, in which many games get download-only releases, the company’s limited edition boxed copies provide a way for fans to enjoy the tactile, tangible pleasure of having a game they love in physical form. Sometimes, Limited Run gives…

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Riot Games is in the midst of trialing a bunch of interesting changes to Valorant over on the Public Beta Environment (PBE) server this week. For starters, as we’ve highlighted in another recent article, Fracture is getting a major overhaul that looks very promising. But the more impactful changes pertain to the reworking of several Agents’ flashes, which, if locked in after this week’s trial run, seems destined to shift Valorant’s meta in a big way — though, as is sometimes the case, shifting it differently for ranked and pro play.

Update: The changes that were trialed on the PBE server and discussed in this article have now officially been locked in by Riot Games. They are set to go live over the next 48 hours; you can check out the full notes for Patch 5.07 here.

Before we go any further, let’s quickly review those changes, which impact four of Valorant’s flash Agents: Skye, Kayo, Yoru, and Reyna.

As if there wasn’t enough controversy swirling around Overwatch 2 and its questionable Battle Pass already, a new update from Blizzard regarding the First Time User Experience (FTUE) has sparked quite a bit of debate among the player base and members of the press alike. Here’s the short version: new Overwatch 2 accounts will not have access to the full roster of heroes when they first get started. Instead, all game modes and characters will gradually unlock as they play, and they should get access to everything in around 100 games or so.

In addition to that, Overwatch 2’s ranked Competitive mode will also be locked until an account has reached 50 wins in Quick Play matches. Previously, players were able to access every mode and character right off the bat when they bought the first Overwatch, and Competitive mode was made available once you hit a certain player level.

There are many things I don’t particularly like about Overwatch 2. In my last beta preview of the game, I got some hands-on time with Junker Queen and noted that she felt a lot more like an offensive DPS-style character rather than a tank, and it seemed that Overwatch, as a whole, was moving more towards being a competitive FPS game rather than a hero shooter. Those feelings still hold true even as I’ve sunk a considerable amount of time with the final build of Overwatch 2 over the past two weeks, but somehow I just can’t seem to stay away.

As always, Overwatch 2’s magic lies in its personality and soul. The original cast made a splash when the game first launched, and the three new heroes help to add even more character to an already rich tapestry of iconic personalities. We’ve already met Sojourn and Junker Queen, and they both feel like solid additions to the overall roster.

My personal feelings about the direction of Overwatch 2 aside, Junker Queen has proven to be a rather fun shake-up to the meta. While Competitive 2.0 has yet to be released, it’ll definitely be interesting to see how teams base their selections around their tank player.

Playing around and countering Junker Queen has been incredibly fun, as you often have to read her movements and try to predict when she’s about to charge straight into your backlines. She creates even more chaos in an already chaotic game, and it often felt like my team had to change up our strategies depending on whether we were facing off against Junker Queen, or a more defensive tank character.

The Sanderson Sisters return with Hocus Pocus 2, but is this a sequel worthy of the Hocus Pocus brand? I mean it’s no secret that the first Hocus Pocus is a cult classic movie, bringing in fans new and old every year. However, it has been nearly 30 years since the original, so there’s always a chance that the movie’s story would be lost in translation for a modern-day sequel. Well, I’m happy to report that the sequel is incredibly deserving of having the name Hocus Pocus and captures almost every bit of magic the original had.

Hocus Pocus 2 takes place 29 years after the original and sees two young girls unwillingly awaken the Sanderson Sisters on Halloween night by using the black flame once again. This, of course, results in the return of the witch sisters, who once again wreak havoc upon Salem in an effort to stay young forever.

Sound similar to the original? Of course it does, and you know what? That’s okay. Hocus Pocus 2 is not meant to be a movie that breaks tons of new ground; it’s meant to be a fun romp back through Salem with the classic trio. This sequel knows what its purpose is and doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, something that allows this movie to have room to breathe and be the movie it needs to be. So let’s get into what exactly makes this movie as fun and magical as it is.

Andor is a limited series on Disney+ that tells the story of Cassian Andor, a spy who helped the rebellion overthrow the empire. This exclusive series diverts from general family adventures and focuses on espionage, political intrigue, and drama between the rebels and the empire.

Andor also continues down the darker, more mature path for the Star Wars franchise. It’s geared towards adult audiences as opposed to being general family fare. This all stems from its connection to the Rogue One movie and darker themes.

Andor’s Connection To Rogue One

This series takes place during the prequel timeline before the movie Rogue One. The origin and backstory of Cassian are further explained in this series. Audiences can witness Cassian’s early childhood and his adult life as he’s recruited into the rebel alliance.

Horror adventure Scorn will now release a week earlier than expected.

Originally set for a 21st October release and shown at this year's Xbox + Bethesda Games Showcase, Scorn will now be out on 14th October.

It's unclear why the date has changed, but there's a mildly terrifying new trailer to go with it.

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A dataminer has found voice lines for the Joker in MultiVersus, leading fans to believe the villain will be one of the next characters to join the list of playable characters.

Those of you with a discerning ear may find the voice very familiar. As a lot of people have pointed out, it sounds a lot like Mark Hamill.

The datamine comes from Twitter user LaisulMV, previously known as AisulMV.

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HAL Laboratory, the developer of the Kirby series, has shut down a fanmade card game featuring supporting character Chef Kawasaki.

The fangame was created and sold by a group called KWSK Karuta. Consider that strike one.

The fangame was called Chef Kawasaki's Micro Bikini Karuta. Consider that strike two.

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Koei Tecmo and EA have revealed Wild Hearts, a new hunting action game set in a world inspired by feudal Japan. And according to the game's official reveal trailer, it'll get its chance soon. Wild Hearts' release date falls on February 17, 2023. Word of the game first dropped during the 2022 Tokyo Game Show. At the time, Koei Tecmo announced that it was working with US-based publisher Electronic Arts to create a new hunting game. It's being developed by Omega Force, creators of the Dynasty Warriors titles and Koei Tecmo's own Toukiden hunting series.

Check out the Wild Hearts reveal trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxcnwH8TPEg

Wild Hearts takes place in Azuma, a fantasy region that is part of the "Far East". The land is imperiled by the rampaging of powerful "Kemono" (Japanese for "beast"). The beasts devastate the wilderness in their struggles over territory, making Azuma unlivable for humans. The Kemono have designs inspired by real and fantastic creatures, including a giant boar that sends roots and branches sprouting out of the ground when it attacks. Another squirrel-like beast is able to grow a blossoming tree with its tail. The wolf-like Deathstalker is covered in frozen branches, and the ape-like Lavaback spouts flaming debris from its hide.

Check out some screenshots from the game in the gallery below.

Sci-fi miniatures sim Moonbreaker launches into early access on PC today, but Brandon Sanderson, the renowned fantasy writer behind the game's story, says he's working on at least ten years' worth of story ideas. Brandon Sanderson is known for his prolific ability to churn out books, but he’s also a fan of games and has been working closely with Moonbreaker’s devs Unknown Worlds to map out where the game’s story will go.

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An exciting new fan-made Quake singleplayer map pack explores the Internet's favourite architectural style, Brutalism. 35 maps offer all sorts of concrete hells, ranging from housing estates and Control-esque facilities to otherworldly ritual spaces and straight-up murderholes. Having spent much of my early thirties skulking around the Barbican, I really enjoyed this variety of Brutalist experiences. And the monstermurder. The monstermurder's fun, too. Here, come admire how pretty the hub level is.

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Sackboy: A Big Adventure was originally released in 2020. Starring Sackboy from the LittleBigPlanet franchise, the game follows in its footsteps, instead offering 3D platforming which differs from the side-scrolling action of the main series.

PlayStation Stars, a free-to-join rewards program Sony announced in July, is being gently rolled out to the whole world—it’s currently live in Asia, will reach the Americas on October 5, and Europe, Australia, and New Zealand will receive the service on October 13. Not as gently, PlayStation might be pushing players…

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Filtering through the Northern American server of Among Us, users will stumble across a variety of oddly-titled lobbies. “HornyRPOnly,” or “SingleGirl,” even “Hrny Bakugo RP.” Inside these lobbies are a multitude of horny gamers, searching for like minded individuals to cyber with. As a 27-year-old looking to play…

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In FIFA Ultimate Team, packs make the world go round. They’re one of the main ways you’ll get new and better players cards to improve your squad, giving you a better chance to win games and, in turn, get even more packs! We told you they make the world go round. The issue is, there are so many different types of these card-based lootboxes that it’s difficult to know what each one will grant you. Here are all pack contents in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team.

Packs are earned by doing all manner of different things in Ultimate Team. The main way you’ll get them is by completing Squad Building Challenges (SBCs), or as rewards for completing seasonal objectives. You can also earn some packs each and every week by participating in Division Rivals, Squad Battles and FUT Champs respectively.

Coins allow you to buy other players or packs as well. As such, you’ll want to finish all of your daily, weekly, and seasonal objectives as quickly as possible to get more Coins and packs.

What You Get in Every Ultimate Team Pack in FIFA 23

There are different rarity packs — Bronze, Silver, and Gold — which determine the rarity of players you’ll get inside. In addition to this, there are Electrum and Mixed Player Packs which can grant a mix of different rarity cards. We’ve broken down all of these below.

You’ll notice for some of the packs below there is ‘small’ in parentheses. These mean that the packs are half the size, containing the same rewards, just halved.