This article contains major spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. We sincerely recommend you bookmark this page and come back when you’ve completed the game. In the weeks following its release last month, Sandfall Interactive’sClair Obscur: Expedition 33garnered widespreadcritical and commercial acclaim. The JRPG love letter has been praised for its evolution of the turn-based battle formula, its stunning world building, and the part that I fell most in love with, its narrative....

Earlier this year at GDC in San Francisco, Pearl Abyss invited me to take a look under the hood at its new in-house engine, BlackSpace.What I saw was pretty mind-blowing. The studio has developed tech that feels downright futuristic. From small things like hair collision, draw distance, and dynamic weather that have a huge impact on our immersion, to big things like seamless loading, ocean and shallow water simulation, and optimization so good you don’t need a supercomputer to enjoy all of it - BlackSpace is one of the most technically impressive things I’ve seen in my gaming career....

Even thoughDonkey Kong Bananzahas given DK a divisive new design,Nintendohas still managed to pay some respect toRare’s version of the character. When Nintendo first revealed Donkey Kong Bananza, it was very clear to us all that this version of DK was trying to move away from the days of Rare’sDonkey Kong Countryto have a fresh start.Even with DK’s design being so radically different, Bananza still seems to have a lot of love for what Rare did with the series....

Summary Doomhasquite a lot of iconic and terrifying enemies that have been redesigned over the years, with the Cacodemon, Imp, and Cyberdemon all proving to be popular enemies that have withstood the test of time. Another classic that has featured in all the more modern Doom games is the Baron of Hell, though he’s undergone a bit of a redesign in each of the three games we’ve had recently. Doom 2016 is arguably the version of the Baron of Hell that most closely resembles his design in the original games, whileDoom Eternalgave him a bit more of a hellish aesthetic by attaching flaming claws to his… claws, and making him more gray than pink....

Dune: Awakeninghas finally given fans a way to experience what life is like on Arrakis. Fromnever ending sandthat gets everywhere togiant sandworms that appear randomly and swallow you whole, it’s no wonder everyone’s fighting for a piece of this idyllic paradise. While constant conflict is entrenched in the Dune universe, fans of the MMO just don’t want to fight each other too much. The Deep Desert, which serves as Dune: Awakening’s endgame, is an area that’s constantly besieged by PvP battles....

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is conveniently split into three acts, the final of which gives you free rein to explore every area of the map with Esquie’s newly unlocked flying ability. However, just because you’re able to now access all of these areas doesn’t mean you should, as some of these locations should wait until after you level up or even finish the main story. While the level requirements are not strictly enforced, and you don’t need to reach the level cap to have a chance, reaching level 70 or above is still recommended as the baseline for most of these areas....

Magic: The Gathering’ssci-fi Edge of Eternities has successfully managed to stave off accusations of being a dreaded ‘hat set’. With the entire Sothera system and its many planets, species, and cultures to explore, it feels more like the traditional worldbuilding of yesteryear than the trope-heavy reference mush of Karlov Manor or Outlaws of Thunder Junction. It isn’t entirely without its memes, though, as fans have noticed one card is a not-very-thinly veiled reference to lockdown darling Among Us....

Summary The originalAnimal Crossinglaunched exclusively for the N64 in Japan in 2001 before an updated version of the title was released internationally for the GameCube. The charming series follows your character after they move into a new town and do their best to befriend the locals and improve the area’s reputation by cleaning up weeds and investing in new opportunities. One of the most beloved aspects of the Animal Crossing series is the unique villagers who slowly fill up your town and make you fall in love with them with their unique personalities and styles....

Summary FortniteChapter 6, Season 3 was already guaranteed to be a divisive season thanks to its focus onStar Wars, but it’s going to be even more controversial since it doesn’t have any normal weapons or even ammo. Even though we’re afew days away from it being Star Wars Day on May 4, Epic Games and Fortnite have decided tofast-forward the celebrations with a brand-new season themed around the Force. While this isn’t a new occurrence for Fortnite since it’steamed up with Disney and Star Wars so many times, Galactic Battle does take things a step further than before....

Summary Helldivers 2has been pretty quiet recently, with many fans waiting for what Arrowhead has been working on next. In fact, it’s been so long since Helldivers 2 got a big update thatArrowhead had to make a statement on Twitterexplaining that “we are cooking”, and we finally got a taste of that meal witha new Warbond announced today called Masters of Ceremony. Like usual, the Warbond has a couple of armor sets, banners, caps, emotes, and all that good stuff....

Death Stranding 2: On The Beachis only a little more than a week away, and Hideo Kojima will be hoping he has nailed the balance between enjoyment and controversy like he did with the first game. So much so that when early tests of the game came back positive, he went back in and changed the sequel to try and reduce its potential mainstream appeal. We had already heard fromKojima himself that he was disappointed previews of Death Stranding 2were so glowing, as he would prefer people to be split over whether they love his work or not....

Quick Links Ultra Beasts are creatures that come from another world, which are like Pokemon, but different, and inPokemon TCG Pocket, Buzzwole is one of the strongest. Partnered with other Ultra Beasts and the Aether Foundation President, Lusamine, it’s a force to be reckoned with. Buzzwole ex’s biggest drawback is that it can’t use the same powerful attack every turn, but you can neutralize that liability, or even turn it into an advantage thanks to its synergy with other Ultra Beasts....

Quick Links In the harsh, unforgiving world ofRimworld, survival is often paramount. Yet, even amidst the constant struggle against raiders, starvation, and extreme weather, there’s an undeniable allure to personalising your colony and its inhabitants. For those who seek to add a splash of colour and style to their otherwise utilitarian apparel, the Tinctoria plant holds the key. Whether you dream of a coordinated faction uniform, a vibrant wardrobe for your beloved colonists, or simply wish to make a bold aesthetic statement in your interior design choices, understanding how to cultivate and utilise this valuable plant is essential....