Affectionately known to fans as “Sad Robot,” Solemn Simulacrum has seen play in plenty of artifact decks forMagic: The Gatheringsince its debut in 2003’s Mirrodin set. Four might seem like a lot to pay for a 2/2, but Solemn Simulacrum offers card advantage upon entering and leaving the battlefield, and there’s no shortage of ways to interact with its status as an artifact. When a card becomes as iconic as Solemn Simulacrum has, there’s no question that it will start to make appearances on promo cards, limited editions, and even the occasional set reprint....

For a long time now, Pedro Pascal has been a global darling. Ever since starring as Oberyn Martell inGame of Thrones, his profile has risen to become the star of several major film and television franchises, including Star Wars, Marvel, and The Last of Us. Pascal is everywhere, and there are many reasons to admire both his acting work and direct approach to political activism. After starring in the likes of The Mandalorian, Gladiator 2, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and countless other high-profile productions, Pascal has become a household name who has bled into our social media feeds at every turn....

Rumors have pointed toResident Evil 9being an end to the series' arc so far. Trusted leaker Dusk Golemhas saidthat “RE9 is going to be a ‘Conclusion’ game, but also a game of ‘New Beginnings.’ [with] major status quo changes within the universe; it’s being treated as the ‘End’ of the story that started with RE1 (or REO timeline-wise), opening the series up for different kinds of horror stories.” That knowledge made the game’s appearance atSummer Game Festa little jarring, at least at first....

Quick Links Warhammer 40,000: Darktideis, for many, the introduction to the lore ofthe 40k universe. While the game does a good job at setting the tone and establishing the idea of the world, there are decades' worth of lore that you obviously can’t throw into a single video game. With the addition of the new Arbites class, players may have questions about the new faction vying for imperial control of Atoma, as well as just why the Arbites have decided to throw their lot in with the Inquisition....

CD Projekt Redhas made no secret of the fact thatThe Witcher 4won’t be with us anytime soon. The last word we heard on the matter is thatit won’t launch any sooner than 2027, which isn’t surprising, given thatits reveal trailer was purely cinematic. So, it came as a surprise whenwe got what looked a whole lot like a gameplay trailer at the State of Unreal showcase. Then,CD Projekt Redclarified that it was a tech demo, so this is more aspirational than it is an accurate demonstration of what we’ll be playing....

Clockwork Revolutionhas one of the most interesting ideas I’ve seen in a triple-A game in years. And yet, if you just watched the first four minutes of itslengthy five-and-a-half minute trailerat theXbox Games Showcase, you’d have no idea. And let’s be real, viewers typically decide if a game is for them within the first few seconds of a trailer, often for fairly arbitrary reasons. Maybe they don’t like Clockwork Revolution’s first-person perspective, or it looks too much like something they’re already planning to play (likeThe Outer Worlds 2), or they’re not into steampunk, or they still haven’t forgiven developer inXile Entertainment for allowing players to solicit the services of a goat sex worker inWasteland 3....

People aren’t happy about theNintendo Switch 2launch price. It’s so expensive thanks to a number of factors, whether it be the power of the internal hardware or Nintendo doing what it can to pull back a profit in the face of ableak global economic picture. Certain first-party exclusives, likeMario Kart Worldalso retailing at $80 has players debating whether the upcoming console is going to be a success at all, or whether it risks ending up a Wii U-esque failure that has to claw its way back from the jaws of irrelevancy....

Special-edition consoles aren’t a particularly new thing, but we’re starting to see more and more of them as companies look for ways to entice buyers with the promise of a unique collector’s item. Consoles kitted out for a fan-favorite franchise are common, but sometimes non-gaming brands will collaborate to make an unexpected product that gets attention and sales. Not every limited edition becomes a high-ticket item, but a few can sell for thousands after their run ends, usually due to a combination of rarity and fan excitement....

Summary Games with great writing stand out from the crowd, elevating everything else about the game for the player and garnering critical acclaim as well. Writing is undoubtedly celebrated, but are writers? You might struggle to even think of many games where you play as a writer, with one obvious exception. There are more than you might think, and they deserve their time in the sun. If video game writing can be celebrated, so can playable writers in games....

A good mechanic will make or break aMagic: The Gatheringcard. Some of these abilities are baked into the game, found across most sets and many different themes, while others are a bit rarer, only appearing in a set or two or in other products like Commander. No matter what your favorite mechanic in the game is, some are without a doubt the best you can find. Between free spells, protection from your opponents, and rewarding gameplay, using cards with these mechanics will guarantee a fun time....

Quick Links Being another open-world Survival Crafting game in the live-service genre,Scumshares a lot of its gameplay aspects with other games, but it also has a ton of unique elements. After launching this game and selecting the server you prefer, you’ll be thrown out of a parachute, and the first thing you’ll have to do is land safely on the ground. Things only get harder from there since you arrive in a massive unknown world with nothing but your clothes, which you have to get rid of soon after....

Trench Crusade is only getting bigger.Mordheimcreator Tuomas Pirinen and Diablo artist Mike Franchina’s niche creation has snowballed into a violent religious sensation. After being quietly passed around hobby circles in hushed whispers for months, the Kickstarter raised over $3 million and players across the world are printing and assembling their forces, intent on either assaulting or defending the gates of Hell. Pirinen recently hinted thatTrench Crusade will get plastic kitsbefore too long, bringing the tabletop game even closer to the ravenous masses....

Quick Links As soon as you startTainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon, you will find yourself in a prison cell, typical, and you have no idea who you are or why you’re there. However, shortly after, you find yourself getting freed and saved by a random unknown man who helps you escape. This man is Caradoc, but he is only a messenger for the real head of the operation, Orrin. You carry on with the game normally, not paying much attention to this until you finish Act 2....