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Hotfix 1.12 is now available on PC! This update addresses the vulnerability that could be used as part of remote code execution (including save files): - Fixed a buffer overrun issue. - Removed/replaced non-ASLR DLLs. pic.twitter.com/LAkBfVpnXf

In addition to today’s IGN FIRST feature, where Monster Hunter Rise Director Yasunori Ichinose explains how the Nintendo Switch entry will make the series even more approachable to new players, we have one more surprise for you! We are proud to exclusively reveal some of the concept art for Rise’s Somnacanth and Aknosom weapons and armor. Check them out in the gallery below!

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There is an obvious Japan-inspired setting for home base Kamura Village and the mission maps, while many of the new monsters are inspired by Yokai, or ghosts and spirits from Japanese folklore. However, Ichinose tells us that the game’s equipment design has also been inspired by a wide range of cultures outside of Japan too.

Take for example the Aknosom armor and helmet, whose designs were obviously derived from Western knights. However, Ichinose tells us that the people of Kamura Village have implemented their own culture into this armor as well. Take a close look, and you might notice that the material of the armor is textured like folded origami paper, blending Western design with Japanese traditional textiles.

The Somnacanth armor was inspired by Middle-Eastern fortune-tellers and assassins. The hood creates a mysterious atmosphere, and Ichinose explains that the glowing blue parts are a key feature of the Somnacanth’s design.

Timecodes:

• 00:00:00 Welcome! Crazy Nintendo Switch numbers
• 00:11:55 Nintendo's rumored Netflix projects
• 00:23:00 More news!
• 00:40:45 Games out this week
• 00:44:40 What we're playing
• 00:58:44 Question Block!

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A Monstrous Standard to Live Up to

EVE Online, the popular spacefaring MMO, just witnessed its biggest and most costly battle in the game’s history, setting a Guinness World Record in the process. “The Massacre at M2-XFE” cost two of EVE Online’s biggest factions an estimated total of $378,012. The battle was part of an ongoing universe-spanning war that's cost $700,000 in total.

On December 31, 2020, 5,000 players EVE’s PAPI and Imperium factions collided in the game’s M2-XFE region near a “Keepstar” (a sort of extra large space station) when PAPI forces began firing upon docked Imperium ships. Earlier in the day, a lone Imperium pilot managed to disable a “cyno jammer,” allowing the Imperium to bring in additional reinforcements.

The ensuing battle lasted approximately 14 hours, with both factions losing supercapital ships (the largest kind in-game, roughly the size of seven Empire State buildings) at a relatively equal rate. Fighting only ceased when EVE was scheduled to go offline for downtime maintenance.

Of the 1,304 Titan ships that participated in the battle, a whopping 257 of them were destroyed. PAPI forces lost a combined 130 Titans while the Imperium lost 122. Among all classes of ships, PAPI lost a total of 1,810 ships while the Imperium lost 1,596.

We are deeply saddened to tell you of the passing of Robert A. Altman, our Founder and CEO. He was a true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together. He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human being. pic.twitter.com/FZFsVtHc5t

After decades of vampires hogging all the spotlight in the World of Darkness, I've been drooling over the prospect of a good Werewolf: The Apocalypse game to showcase my favorite side of that fantastic universe… but it might be a couple decades more at this rate, because Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood is an unambitious swing at video game-ifying the beloved tabletop roleplaying game of fangs and fury that originally got me into that hobby. If it can’t make transforming into a massive beast and ripping your enemies limb from limb fun, what are we even doing here?

Few things are more important to a 3D action platformer than having movement that’s both fun and responsive, and Blue Fire takes that fact to heart. Its assortment of agile abilities not only look great in action, but also offer the kind of precise control needed to overcome its demanding enemies and obstacles alike. While there’s a bit too much reliance on retreading familiar ground by the end, its array of treacherous yet addicting challenge rooms had me happily running, jumping, and dashing through them again and again.

At first glance, Blue Fire bears resemblance to what Hollow Knight might be reimagined in a 3D space. It’s got plenty of familiar ideas: quickly dashing between platforms in an all-but-abandoned kingdom full of dark monsters, piecing together your mysterious tiny warrior’s purpose in the world, and striking at foes while bouncing off their head with repeated aerial slashes. The few scattered survivors that aren’t trying to kill you will often have small tasks to undertake instead – quests that are actually tracked in your log, which is something I’ve always wished for in games with sprawling worlds like this one. You can even find and equip Spirits (Blue Fire’s take on Hollow Knight’s Charms) to modify and enhance your abilities to a near-ridiculous degree.

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Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge