Baldur's Gate 3's first patch, aptly titled Patch 1, is officially live. This brings the BG3 version number to 4.1.1.3669438, so make sure you're on the proper version when you play next! It's important to do so because Patch 1 addresses over 1,000 bugs as well as introduces some balance changes and fixes some flow issues while playing.

According to Larian Studios, this patch tackles some visual bugs while adding some more post-launch polish. Enemies should no longer spot you when they shouldn't be able to, and random items should no longer defy gravity and float. Perhaps most importantly, romancing Shadowheart has been fixed meaning those who could not reach the conclusion of romancing her should now be able to. Thank Shar, am I right?

Larian also confirmed that Patch 2 is right around the corner and will feature significant performance improvements.

Finally, we got some more fun stats about player decisions in Baldur's Gate 3 so far. The most played class is Paladin followed by Sorcerer, and the least played is Cleric. Humans and Elves are the most chosen race followed by Half-Elf. On the flip side, Dwarf, Gnome, Githyanki and Halfling are the least played.

Looking through the patch notes, I see quite a bit of love being given to Act 3 which is honestly where it's needed the most. It's great to see Larian putting in the effort to make Baldur's Gate 3 even better when it's already so insanely good.

[caption id="attachment_398869" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Larian Studios[/caption]

Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 1 highlights

Larian has provided some highlights from the Patch 1 patch notes, which we've included below minus the spoilery ones. If you want to view the full patch notes you can do so here.

Showstoppers

• Fixed a bug where listening in on a conversation as Player 1 and then exiting the dialogue prematurely could result in not being able to interact with anything anymore.
• Fixed an issue causing the Reaction UI to not work correctly and potentially block progress in combat if you save the game in the middle of a reaction.
• Fixed loot in corpses sometimes not appearing in multiplayer until an item is dragged onto the corpse.
• Fixed a bug causing you to get a Game Over screen after helping Downed party members.
• Fixed the Helm of Arcane Acuity crashing the game. The condition is now capped to 7 stacks.
• Attacking an NPC during a dialogue after being Downed will now get you arrested rather than giving you a Game Over screen.
• Fixed an issue where characters could get stuck in an infinite falling loop.
• Fixed an issue with Marcus being resurrected by players hitting him with a dual-wield attack - the second hit will no longer revive him.

Story Flow and Logic

• Shadowheart should more easily follow up on her proposed romance moments in Act III.
• Jaheira and Minsc's paths are tied after you save Minsc, so if you've forsaken him, Jaheira should now follow after him.
• Fixed bug that made it possible to break up with Astarion without meaning to.
• The drider will now recognise that you're with him when reaching Moonrise Towers if you start following him in the middle of his route.
• Art Cullagh and Fist J'ehlar no longer get so scared of bears and spiders that their quest breaks.
• The Zhentarim will more consistently use the mines after their allies have fallen back to safety, and will no longer actively try to blow themselves up by checking active mines.
• Minthara no longer references irrelevant topics or passes judgement on companions more than once.
• Fixed the dialogue flow when dating Minthara.
• You can no longer recruit both Halsin and Minthara to camp in the same playthrough.
• Made it less ambiguous that you're starting a romance with Gale when choosing certain dialogue options.
• During Gale's spell-teaching scene, you now have the option to picture a future with Gale that falls somewhere in between kissing him and kicking him in the head.
• Fixed an issue where using non-lethal attacks on Auntie Ethel would still kill her.
• You can now opt to respect the privacy of the bugbear and the ogre outside the Blighted Village again. Don't get in the way of real love.
• Fixed a level design quirk that would allow you to use a spell like Misty Step or Dimension Door to skip part of the main quest sequence in Act II.
• Fixed an issue where the Baldur's Mouth headline about a cute cat could get accidentally overwritten.
• If Wyll isn't recruited, he will now recognise Avatar Karlach and initiate dialogue.
• Throwing a single coin at the beggars will no longer damage them.
• If Dolly Dolly Dolly curses you with the A Clown in Town condition for making her angry while inside the Moonlantern, she will now paint your face. That'll teach you.
• The Zhentarim at the Goblin Camp should now be more tolerant if you approach them.

Balance

• Made gold bounties more generous in several containers across the game.
• Increased players' HP bonus in Explorer Mode from +50% to +100%.
• Fixed the Freecast tadpole power to properly reset on Long Rest. It was creating infinite spell slots and Sorcery Points for sorcerers.
• Arcane Tricksters' Mage Hand Legerdemain now does not expire until destroyed, and does not lose Invisibility on Long Rest.
• You can no longer have multiple Mage Hands active at the same time.
• The Shield reaction can no longer be used while Silenced.
• Fixed not being able to create 5th Level spell slots from Sorcery Points.
• College of Lore bards can now pick which additional skill proficiency they receive. Bards that are already of the College of Lore need to respec to get this choice.
• Made sure proper spell DC is applied during multiclassing.
• Added spells to bards' Magical Secrets feature: Banishing Smite, Animate Dead, Crusader's Mantle, Hunger of Hadar, Revivify, Sleet Storm, Rage of Enfeeblement, Web, Entangle, Hunter's Mark, Sanctuary, Thunderous Smite, Bone Chill, Eldritch Morphic Blast, Fire Bolt, Ray of Frost, Sacred Flame.
• The Club of Hill Giant Strength now increases Strength to 19 and not some puny 15.
• Fixed a bug with ranged enemies reapplying Hunter's Mark constantly, even when not needed.
• Warlocks' Pact of the Chain summons now get to use their Extra Attack more than once.
• Fixed NPCs sometimes spotting you even if they're not supposed to be able to.
• Fixed an issue where multiple rolls trigger if you walk along the edge of a cone of vision.
• Danse Macabre ghouls will no longer kill you when you Long Rest.
• If you make a successful Saving Throw against a poison, you will now gain immunity to that specific poison for 2 turns.
• Meenlocks are now immune to the shadow curse.
• Helped Minthara remember how to use her weapons.
• Enabled trespass warnings for any additional characters that trespass after the first instead of immediately triggering combat.
• Fixed NPCs attacking outside of their turn when combat starts during forced Turn-Based Mode.

Usability

• Fixed dialogue notifications, like approval ratings and roll results, disappearing too early.
• The Launcher will now remember whether you chose DX11 or Vulkan.
• Fixed the incorrect amount of gold being displayed in all UI menus if the amount is too large.
• Fixed spells like Hex randomly shifting in order, causing you to misclick if you're moving and clicking around intuitively.
• Fixed players who are merely listening in on a dialogue being able to skip lines - only the speaker can now do this.
• Fixed an issue with Camp Supply values for the second local player in multiplayer if they joined during a game. Long Rests will, alas, no longer cost nothing.
• You can no longer interact with another player's inventory (e.g. send multiselected items or use their items) if their inventory is locked.
• Fixed the critical hit text sometimes not appearing.
• Improved the performance of the minimap when new map markers appear or old ones disappear.
• Dyed armour will now appear in the right colour in the Level Up screen.
• Halsin's Wild Shape tooltip will now correctly call him a cave bear.

Visuals

• Fixed the modesty filter not working on dragonborns.
• Fixed earrings on tiefling female strong character models.
• Added a Controller Style option, which allows you to override which controller's icons are displayed.
• Fixed an issue causing the clown makeup to not only not appear on Lae'zel's face when applied, but also remove her characteristic tattoos and makeup.
• Invoke Duplicity now works as an identical copy of your character. And they're not naked.
• Fixed a leather helmet, a metal helmet, and the Helmet of Smiting floating on some character models.
• Lae'zel's underwear will now more accurately reflect the colour of dyes used on it.

Cinematic Scenes

• Made fixes to kissing scenes with the Origin characters across the game, for example to make sure physical contact is made properly, to account for shorter races, and to account for uneven ground.
• Fixed items like mugs and newspapers floating in the air during dialogues - the characters holding them were correctly hidden but the items themselves weren't. Ghosties begone!
• Fixed Scratch's position so you can try to get that ball out of his mouth. Whether he'll let you have it is another matter.
• Lae'zel no longer floats up and down during your dialogue where you discuss dating.
• Fixed some cameras that couldn't contain the force that is Astarion in a dialogue with him at night at camp. Also tweaked and added facial expressions where needed.
• Fixed a camera position when Karlach hugs you for the first time after getting her upgrade.
• Fixed the mind flayer not appearing in the cinematic dialogue with Dror Ragzlin if you manually trigger the dialogue.

Loot and Trade

• Traders who stock dyes now also stock dye remover.
• Made Lady Esther available to trade with after you've completed her quests.
• Fish vendors now have more fish to sell. That new bait must be doing the trick!
• Popper the kobold at the circus now sells more oddities.
• Lady Jannath will now have artsy items to trade.
• Skeletons around the Selûnite Outpost no longer have fresh food in their inventory.
• Lohse's portrait is now reachable, chief.

Misc

• Updated the credits and reformatted them into two neater columns.
• The Digital Deluxe DLC's D:OS2 bard songs are now also granted to companions as well, instead of just player avatars.
• All the extra bard songs from the Deluxe Edition will now be available even if you use Lohse's Lute of the Merryweather Bard from the Deluxe Edition.
• DLC rewards will no longer get removed if you load a save with that DLC not installed. Any rewards that were removed due to this will be restored.
• Steel Watcher idle sounds no longer take up streaming bandwidth.
• You can no longer climb the Shambling Mound.
• Optimised the walking bounds of Glut so that it navigates the world and the battlefield better.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 1 is here with over 1,000 bug fixes and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Just one day after the official release of Baldur's Gate 3, Larian Studios released Hotfix #1 for the RPG. This update officially brings the version number of BG3 to 4.1.1.3624901. The hotfix focuses on bug fixes, performance updates, and preventing crashes and progression blockers.

The hotfix takes aim at some particular sections of the massive RPG, just after its big launch yesterday. Hotfix #1 for Baldur's Gate 3 hits some dialogue hitches and crashes, as well as multiplayer quirks and more. Notably, it also addresses a dice rolling issue, where fast and furious re-attempts would result in failure.

Furthermore, Larian has found the origin of the pesky issue that has been affecting saves. Apparently, the culprit had to do with cross-saves with the PlayStation 5 version of the game. Because the PS5 version doesn't launch until September 6, Larian has disabled the cross-saving system for now to prevent the issue and will fix it later. (This shouldn't affect in-game or Steam Cloud saves.)

Also, some of the patch notes contain spoilers which we have chosen to omit for now. If you want to see the full patch notes including spoilers, you can do so here. For the rest, here are the Baldur's Gate 3 Hotfix#1 patch notes for the August 4 update.

Baldur's Gate 3 Hotfix #1 patch notes for the August 4 update

CRASHES AND BLOCKERS

• Fixed possibly getting stuck in a dialogue in the first confrontation with a major boss.
• Fixed a rare issue where player character states would not update properly after dying.
• Fixed a crash that could occur related to one of Astarion's cinematic dialogues in the endgame.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when loading an old savegame while at Last Light.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when using the brain reader in the Colony.
• Fixed an issue that could cause you to get stuck in a loading screen when loading a savegame after dying.
• Fixed a blocker during Character Creation preventing you from progressing if you chose a Zariel tiefling as your Guardian.
• Fixed a potential crash triggered by the light system.
• Added an error message to prevent crashes being caused by mods when starting the game.
• Disabled Larian Account cross-saves temporarily to solve an issue blocking loads and saves. Steam cross-saves are unaffected.
• Fixed a startup crash with the Steam API.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when quick-loading a game while a container or corpse was open for looting.
• Fixed a crash that could happen if an item unlocked a spell for a game entity without stats.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when switching a race or a class in Character Creation.
• Fixed potential crashes that could occur when closing screens like the options menu or when ending dialogues.
• Fixed a potential crash when an enemy tries to use the Motivator during combat in the Steel Watch Foundry.
• Fixed a blocker that could occur if you choose to attack the Emperor during a dialogue after you side with him.
• Fixed a crash in PhysX.

MULTIPLAYER

• Players will now correctly join cinematic dialogues that require all players to be present if they were listening in previously.
• Fixed an issue that allowed players to listen in on private dialogues using the context menu.
• Fixed an issue causing players to get stuck and not be able to join a dialogue if someone else is already in a dialogue.

GAMEPLAY

• Fixed hair physics on drow and elf male strong body types.
• Fixed an issue causing phase spiders to skip their turn in combat if they're standing on a web that's been destroyed.
• Fixed an issue with dice rolling, where retrying could cause the roll to fail if you were applying bonuses and clicking really fast.
• Duplicate spells no longer appear on followers' hotbars and you can no longer customise their radial menus. (Important to note: followers are not companions or full party members.)
• Fixed Dark Urge randomisation in Character Creation for non-white dragonborn characters.
• Fixed an issue preventing you from interacting with Withers in one of the camp locations.

UI

• Fixed issues in cinematic dialogues when listening in.
• Fixed an issue causing the character models for half-orcs, dragonborn, and half-elves to not update correctly when unequipping armour in the character sheet.
• Fixed some issues with prepared spells during Level Up, when multiclassing.
• Hid the version number during dialogues.
• Fixed splitscreen cinematics showing sampling garbage.

AUDIO

• Fixed audio issues with grunts, shouts, and moans across gameplay and cinematics.
• Fixed a line being cut off when speaking to the Restless Myconid in the Underdark.
• Removed a clicking sound during the credits.
• Fixed audio levels in a dialogue with Mayrina in the Lower City.

ENGINE

• Fixed a bug causing textures to appear in bright, neon colours.
• Fixed a splitscreen issue causing characters to remain invisible after a dialogue ends.
• Fixed an aspect ratio issue when FSR is active during splitscreen.
• Fixed surface texture details not updating when changing Texture Detail in the game video options.

CINEMATICS

• Fixed characters looking in the wrong direction in a dialogue with Mizora.
• Fixed the Emperor turning backwards in an endgame cinematic.
• Fixed a camera issue with the deep rothé.
• Fixed camera and lighting issues with the strange ox at Last Light.
• Fixed a blank screen in the cinematic when you put on one of Auntie Ethel's masks.
• The nautiloid crash scene will now play even if your avatar is dead and a companion used the transponder instead.
• Fixed an issue with clipping characters in a cinematic dialogue in the Colony.
• Fixed the avatar's head popping into place in a dialogue in the Colony.
• Fixed Cazador's staff disappearing in a cinematic dialogue.
• Fixed a camera that was zoomed in too far on a wolf.
• Fixed Lae'zel's head popping in a dialogue with Vlaakith.
• Fixed Orin and her victim clipping into an altar.
• Fixed a blocked camera in the dialogue with Lunkbug and Laridda.
• Fixed companions disappearing the morning after the Dark Urge gives into a particular Urge.
• Fixed lighting issues in a scene with Z'rell at Moonrise Towers.
• Fixed Araj's hands clipping when talking to her in the Lower City.
• Fixed some companions being visible in the background of dialogues where they shouldn't be.
• Fixed Ketheric's corpse standing back up in an idle pose.
• Fixed a blocked camera in the dialogue with the ogres at the Blighted Village.
• Fixed Raphael popping during the dialogue with the orthon.
• Fixed camera, audio, and character movement issues in the dialogue with the monk's amulet.
• Fixed a looping animation in the cinematic dialogue with the Brewer.
• Fixed half-orc hirelings clipping when speaking to the pale individuals in Fraygo's Flophouse.
• Fixed male halfling Dark Urge's hand clipping through his body when lying down.
• Fixed lighting issues in the endgame cinematic.
• Fixed Jaheira having jittering and popping hands in a dialogue in the Lower City.
• Fixed a repeating animation on the submersible.
• Fixed Wyll looking in the wrong direction when recruited.
• Added reactions to the player character's face when talking to the ox in Last Light.
• Fixed clipping between two Zealots of the Absolute in the Colony.
• Fixed popping issues with Cazador in several dialogues with Astarion.
• Fixed some issues with where characters are facing, animations, and cameras in the final combat cinematic.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 Hotfix #1 is out now, fixing up several bugs and crashes appeared first on Destructoid.

New Uniques, Legendary Aspects, and more

Diablo 4's season 1, Season of the Malignant, is just around the corner. We already knew the first season planned to bring some pretty big changes, but with the Diablo 4 version 1.1.0 patch notes releasing on July 18 we can now see the full scope of the update. Alongside the release of the patch notes, you can also now download Patch 1.1.0 on all platforms. The update is 9GB on PC and 11GB on consoles.

First and foremost, six new Unique items—including one Uber Unique—and seven new Legendary Aspects are in the update. Each class will receive its own new Unique alongside the Ahavarion Spear of Lycander, a super rare drop Uber Unique Staff from World Tier 4. The staff grants you a random shrine effect for 10-20 seconds after killing an Elite enemy. This effect can only occur once every 30 seconds.

Furthermore, there are a ton of bug fixes and overall gameplay updates. There are some pretty big quality-of-life updates here including Altar of Lilith unlocks and Map discoveries being account wide. Support has been added to the PC version for the PS5 Dual Sense controller. Experience gains, gold drops, and item drops have been increased across the board.

Finally, all of the classes have had a balance check resulting in some nerfs and buffs. Most of this stuff will have to be playtested to get a full idea how the changes will play out, but at a glance it looks like a rough day to be a Rogue and a disappointing day to be a Sorcerer.

[caption id="attachment_392308" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Activision Blizzard[/caption]

Diablo 4 1.1.0 patch notes for July 18th update

This is a big update with a ton of patch notes. You can view the full list of patch notes here. If you want to see the exact changes, we've included them below.

New Unique Items and Legendary Aspects

New Unique items and Legendary Aspects have been discovered in Sanctuary. Use them to enhance your characters in the Eternal or Seasonal Realm. These Unique items can be obtained from World Tier IV and the Legendary Aspects can be obtained from any World Tier.

6 Unique Items

General

• Ahavarion Spear of Lycander (Uber Unique Staff – World Tier 4): Gain a random Shrine effect for 10-20 seconds after killing an Elite enemy. Can only occur once every 30 seconds.

Barbarian

• Azurewrath (Unique Sword): Lucky Hit - Your Core Skills have up to a 20% chance to Freeze enemies for 3 seconds and deal 0.75-1.5 Cold damage to them.

Druid

• Fleshrender (Unique One-Hand Mace): Debilitating Roar and Blood Howl deal 0.5-1.0 damage to Nearby Poisoned enemies.

Necromancer

• Lidless Wall (Unique Shield): Lucky Hit - While you have an active Bone Storm, hitting an enemy outside of a Bone Storm has up to a 5-25% chance to spawn an additional Bone Storm at their location. Each of your active Sacrifice bonuses increases the chance by 25% and the total number of additional Bone Storms you can have by +1.

Rogue

• Eaglehorn (Unique Bow): Penetrating Shot has a 30-80% chance to fire an arrow that bounces off walls and scenery. Hitting enemies from behind with Penetrating Shot will make them Vulnerable for 3 seconds.

Sorcerer

• The Oculus (Unique Wand): Gain the effect of the Teleport Enchantment for free. When you Evade using Teleport Enchantment, you are taken to a random location.

7 New Legendary Aspects

General

• Audacity (Utility Aspect): When there are at least 5 Close enemies, Stun them for 2-4 seconds. This can only occur once every 20 seconds.
• Craven (Mobility Aspect): You gain 20-40% increased Movement Speed when moving away from Slowed or Chilled enemies.

Barbarian

• Ancestral Charge (Offensive Aspect): Charge calls forth 4 Ancients who also Charge, dealing 50-100% of normal damage.

Druid

• Subterranean (Offensive Aspect): Poison Creeper’s active also casts Landslide in a circle around you. Earth Skills deal 10-20% increased damage to Poisoned enemies.

Necromancer

• Gore Quills (Offensive Aspect): Blood Lance will consume Blood Orbs to also conjure lances from them. Each additional Blood Lance deals 20-50% of normal damage and prioritizes targeting un-lanced enemies.

Rogue

• Pestilent Points (Offensive Aspect): Every third cast of Puncture is Poison Imbued with 100-150% of normal potency.

Sorcerer

• Searing Wards (Offensive Aspect): After spending 200-100 Mana your next Firewall is free to cast and will destroy incoming Small Missiles.

Bug Fixes

Accessibility

• Made various improvements from an accessibility perspective—primarily, many fixes to the Screen Reader where it failed to read specific elements.

Challenges

• Fixed multiple issues where specific Challenges wouldn’t provide the proper rewards or could not be completed.
• Fixed multiple issues where certain Challenges could be progressed through unintended means.
• Fixed multiple issues where players could gain progress for certain Challenges through the actions of other nearby players.
• Fixed multiple instances where activities that should count towards the criteria for some Challenges were not counted.
• Fixed an issue where players would not receive notifications for when one of their friends completed a Challenge.
• Fixed an issue where Feats of Strength were not accounted for when calculating Challenge completion percentage.
• The Feat of Strength, Final Slayer of the First Mother, now requires you to slay the Level 100 Pinnacle boss solo. The Silence is Hellish challenge remains unchanged.
• Fixed an issue where The Feats of Strength, One of the First and Earliest Experience, did not display all the titles they rewarded.

Cooperative Play

• Fixed an issue where the camera wasn’t functioning properly when players were far apart in Local Co-Op.
• Fixed an issue where NPC conversation boxes would overlap if multiple Local Co-Op players talked to the same NPC at the same time.
• Fixed an issue where the Rogue's Inner Sight would only fill up for one of the players in a Co-Op session.
• Fixed an issue where the Dark Potential challenge would be granted to both players when either player completed it, regardless of the other player's progress.
• Fixed multiple instances where quest progress would not properly synchronize, or quest progression could be blocked for Local Co-Op players.
• Fixed multiple issues that occurred during cutscenes for Co-Op players.

Dungeons

• Fixed an issue where the player would not be able to receive enough animus to progress through the Hallowed Ossuary dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Stone carving in the Fallen Temple capstone dungeon would duplicate.
• Fixed an issue where the Monster Regen affix in a Nightmare Dungeon would also affect structures in that dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Goatman and Shambling Corpse enemies would continuously respawn in the Forsaken Quarry dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Sentinel enemies would not have weapons in the Bastion of Faith dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Bastion of Faith dungeon could sometimes not be completed.
• Fixed an issue where the player could respawn behind a barrier in the Fallen Temple capstone dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the map for the Crusader's Cathedral dungeon was incomplete.
• Fixed an issue where the Curse of Indolence and the Curse of the Weak would stack even while the player was dead in the Fallen Temple capstone dungeon.
• Fixed multiple instances where the Fog Door could not be progressed through in some dungeons.
• Fixed an issue where the Monster Thorns affix in Nightmare Dungeons was reflecting Physical damage, it will now properly reflect non-physical damage.
• Fixed an issue where Blood Boils would not properly spawn in the Kor Dragan Barracks dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where Traps would deal more damage than intended.
• Fixed an issue where level scaling in the Level 100 Pinnacle dungeon was inconsistent.
• Fixed an issue where the Awakened Glyphstone wouldn’t spawn if the party leader left the dungeon before the dungeon was completed.

Gameplay

Barbarian

• Fixed an issue where the number of enemies to defeat for the Barbarian Class quest Masters of Battle was not displayed.
• Fixed an issue where Iron Maelstrom could be cast more than 3 times rapidly casting War Cry.
• Fixed an issue where stacking the Berserk Ripping, Skullbreaker, and Anemia aspects would allow the player to deal extreme amounts of damage.
• Fixed an issue where the outer edge of the quakes granted to Hammer of the Ancients via The Aspect of Ancestral Echoes was dealing far more damage than intended.

Druid

• Fixed an issue where Earth skills and the Pulverize skill would consume two Overpower buffs simultaneously.
• Fixed an issue where the bonus effect on Blood Howl from Nighthowler's Aspect would apply twice to Wolf companions but not at all for Ravens.
• Fixed an issue where Provocation passive stacks wouldn't update properly after adding more points to it.
• Fixed an issue where the automatic transformation from Insatiable Fury would cause the Ursine Strength key passive to not proc consistently.
• Fixed an issue where the Enhanced Pulverize buff would not remove itself while in town.
• Fixed an issue where seeking Tornados produced by Stormchaser's Aspect would not deal damage.
• Fixed an issue where Ravens' passive damage did not improve after the skill was upgraded.
• Fixed an issue where Rabies would deal no damage while standing very close to an enemy.
• Fixed an issue where Stormclaw's Aspect allowed Shred to do extreme amounts of damage.

Necromancer

• Fixed an issue where Necromancers could not obtain daggers from the Purveyor of Curiosities.
• Fixed an issue where the Necromancer’s Minions would have their life bonuses deactivated while in town.
• Fixed an issue where Bone Spear cast through Chilling Wind from an Elite enemy would increase the number of generated Echoes for that cast.
• Fixed an issue where Enhanced Bone Spear could cause erratic movement.
• Fixed an issue where cancelling Blood Mist when it's already off Cooldown would immediately recast it.

Rogue

• Fixed an issue where Shadow Step wouldn’t trigger the Aspect of Uncanny Treachery if the target was killed.
• Fixed an issue where Advanced Penetrating shot would not knock down other players in PvP play.
• Fixed an issue where Twisting Blades would not come back when the ability killed a Bloated Corpsefiend enemy.
• Fixed an issue where the Dash skill would not move the full distance if targeting an enemy while using a controller.
• Fixed an issue where the Eldritch Bounty Paragon node granted bonus resistances incorrectly.
• Fixed an issue where Rapid Fire had an extra arrow VFX that behaved erratically.
• Fixed an issue where the Awakened Glyphstone wouldn't spawn for Rogue players using Improved Barrage.

Sorcerer

• Fixed an issue where the Firebolt Enchantment effect did not contribute to the Combustion key passive.
• Fixed an issue where the passive stacks generated by Align the Elements could partially reset in an unexpected way.
• Fixed an issue where casting Deep Freeze would prevent the Ice Shard Enchantment effect from triggering.
• Fixed an issue where Aspect of Control was applying its damage bonus 3 times for Staggered bosses.
• Fixed an issue where the Gravitational Aspect was appearing weaker on two-handed weapons or amulets.
• Fixed an issue where the Enchantment effect for Chain Lightning had no visual tracking bonus and could also unexpectedly drop off.
• Fixed an issue where Incinerate would immediately cost 30 mana when cast in addition to the consistent channeling mana cost. Incinerate now properly only costs mana as it is being channeled.

General

• Fixed multiple instances where players could unnaturally teleport during boss encounters.
• Fixed an issue where a chest in the Western Ways could be interacted with infinitely.
• Fixed an issue where the Eriman NPC couldn’t be interacted with in certain situations.
• Fixed an issue where otherwise breakable objects in the world would not be broken when evading through them.
• Fixed multiple instances where the player could avoid damage from bosses if they positioned themselves in a specific location.
• Fixed an issue where Forged Relics could not be interacted with.
• Fixed an issue where monsters with a Cold, Bleeding, Burning, or Corruption affix would freeze players in 1 hit in Nightmare Dungeons with the Cold Enchanted affix.
• Fixed an issue where Cold Enchanted monsters froze players more often than intended in higher World Tiers.
• Fixed an issue where a chest could spawn that would provide infinite loot.

Helltide and the Fields of Hatred

• Fixed an issue where the player could be damaged by the Helltide firestorm while standing in Jirandai.
• Fixed an issue where enemies resurrected by Shamans would continuously drop Aberrant Cinders in Helltide.
• Fixed an issue where Chain Lightning could bounce infinitely between the caster and other player characters standing in a Fields of Hatred town.
• Fixed an issue where Crackling Energy could hit other players in a Fields of Hatred town. (We know, shocking!)
• Fixed an issue where players could not see other players that they should when re-entering the Alzuuda Fields of Hatred Zone.
• Fixed an issue where certain areas in the Fields of Hatred would be incorrectly flagged as a Town, rendering players unable to cast Skills while still being able to be damaged.

Items and Aspects

• Fixed an issue where the Cost reduction bonus from the Ring of Starless Skies could unexpectedly drop off.
• Fixed an issue where the Aspect of the Protector would trigger its barrier effect after destroying a breakable object.
• Fixed an issue where the Ring of Misfortune had incorrect stats.
• Fixed an issue where the Ember Staff weapon didn’t apply the bonus damage to Crowd Controlled enemies, which is inherent for all Stave-type weapons.
• Fixed an issue where any character menu interaction would reset the bonus granted by the Inner Calm aspect.
• Fixed an issue where the Maximum Life affix on the Mark of the Conclave quest item was scaling improperly.
• Fixed an issue where Aspect power would also increase when upgrading an item at the Blacksmith.
• The level requirement for Sacred Items will now cap at level 60.
• The level requirement for Ancestral Items will now cap at level 80.
• Fixed an issue where the Mother's Embrace Unique Ring did not trigger properly with several abilities.

Monsters

• Fixed an issue where items of higher power than intended were dropping from rare monsters.
• Fixed an issue where the Warg's jumping attack dealt no damage when passing through the player.
• Fixed an issue where the Pitiless Gur monster would endlessly run around in circles.
• Fixed an issue where the lightning-enhanced Champion Goatman would fail to deal damage to the player.
• Fixed an issue where monsters with the Suppressor Affix would be immune to damage from abilities that started initially outside the immunity circle (Ex: when a Barbarian started a Whirlwind cast before getting within proper range of the Suppressor monster).
• Fixed an issue where clones of a monster with the Suppressor affix could also have the Suppressor affix.
• Fixed an issue where Treasure Goblins would behave erratically if initially engaged from a long distance.
• Fixed multiple other issues where monster behavior could not perform properly and could be exploited in some cases.

Quests and Events

• Fixed an issue where the progress bar could not fill during the Caravan Under Siege event.
• Fixed an issue where the Putrid Remains enemies could remain idle during the Defiled Ground event.
• Fixed an issue where Champion enemies could not spawn during the Ancient Obelisk event.
• Fixed multiple issues where using Traversals could cause Elite and Boss monsters to disappear during multiple events.
• Fixed an issue where Radiant and Greater Radiant chests would not spawn when completing the Fearful Bones event.
• Fixed an issue where the Cursed Chest event could not be completed.
• Fixed an issue where the Defiled Ground even in Hawezar would have a respawn point much further away than intended.
• Fixed an issue where unique drowned enemies spawned during events in the Forgotten Coastline could be invulnerable to damage.
• Fixed an issue where the Suppressor Monster Affix's effects would be active on containers and furniture inside the dungeon during the Remnants quest.
• Fixed an issue where the player could teleport through the Ancient Gate and block progression during the Storming the Gates quest.
• Fixed an issue where progression could be blocked during the Flesh and Blood quest.
• Fixed an issue where quest dungeons did not reset if the associated quest was abandoned.
• Fixed an issue where the quest tracker would be missing if the player re-entered the game during the Picking Through the Bones quest.
• Fixed an issue where not enough monsters would spawn to fulfill the requirements for completing the Hungering Necrolyte's Cache quest.
• Fixed an issue where an enemy was missing when progressing through the Lost Archives dungeon during the Legacy of the Magi quest.
• Fixed an issue where the Immemorial Inscription could not be read during the Augury of Bones quest.
• Fixed an issue where the player character couldn’t face to speak to an NPC when initiating dialogue for multiple quests.
• Fixed an issue where the ghost body of Bakira could remain visible after being defeated during the True Potential Rogue class quest.
• Fixed an issue where outside party members could influence the progression of the Bad Blood quest.
• Fixed an issue where the player could be blocked from reentering the boss’ area after dying during the fight against Elias in the Piercing the Veil quest.
• Fixed various other issues where quest progression could be blocked.

User interface and User Experience

• Fixed an issue where the mini-map didn’t accurately depict the game world during the The Blind Eye quest.
• Fixed an issue where the map was incomplete for the Loch Raeth region in Scosglen.
• Fixed an issue where a portion of the map was invisible in the Exalter Terrace dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where the Mad Bomber title would not display for enemies encountered through the Whisper of the same name.
• Fixed an issue where articles in the News Feed could not be opened using Mouse & Keyboard.
• Fixed an issue where the You have cross network play enabled message was being sent to chat each time a campaign quest objective was completed.
• The Cult Leader Paragon passive no longer appears above hostile Minions in PvP.
• Fixed an issue where the bonus from the Ballistic Aspect displayed +0 to skills instead of +2 on the bonus bar.
• Fixed an issue where Sigil sorting was inconsistent between Inventory and the Stash.
• Fixed an issue where the Social tab on the Action Wheel editing window would be skipped when navigating on Controller.
• Fixed an issue where the amount of gold would not properly display when trading gold in large quantities.
• Fixed an issue where item comparison numbers would be inaccurate if the item in question had a Gem socketed that granted a stat that was also present on the base of the item.
• Fixed an issue where images would not properly load in the News Feed on the main menu.
• Fixed multiple issues with Map Pin functionality.
• Fixed multiple issues where Quest and Whisper markers weren't displaying properly.
• Various improvements to the consistency and clarity of Messaging, Skill description, and Tooltips.
• Various other UI and UX Improvements.

Miscellaneous

• Fixed an issue where the Completion music for defeating Avarice could start playing before the boss was defeated. (Always confirm your kills before celebrating, wanderers)
• Fixed an issue where players couldn't send Battle.net friend requests to friends playing on console.
• Fixed an issue where players could confirm if Hardcore mode was enabled after logging in with a new character.
• Fixed an issue where players that haven't unlocked a higher World Tier could be invited into a higher World Tier party.
• Fixed an issue where players couldn't transfer leadership of a Clan.
• Fixed an issue where the sender of the party invite would not be informed that the invite failed due to incompatibility with campaign prologue progress.
• Fixed an issue where Nafain's spear would duplicate in the cutscene where the player picks it up.
• Fixed an issue where Meshif's camel made no noises.
• Fixed an issue where there was no sound when Lorath kicks Meshif awake.
• Various other Improvements.

Loading Screen Updates

We've added more dynamic loading screens with the release of Season of the Malignant. This includes adding more assets to the loading screen, such as your player character.

Gameplay Updates

General

• Altar of Lilith Unlocks are now account wide.
• Map discovery is now account wide.
• Whispers will no longer reward Sigil Dust.
• Overall loot quality has been significantly improved for Silent Chests.
• The channel time for the Leave Dungeon ability has been increased from 3 to 5 seconds.
• We have generally reduced the tendency for many monsters to move around in combat, so that melee characters don't have to chase down their enemies as much.
• Added PS5 Dual Sense Edge Wireless controller support for PC.

World Tier

• World Tier II has had the following bonuses added:
  • Bonus Gold: Increased from 15% to 20%.
  • Monsters now drop 15% more items.
• Level scaling inside dungeons and most overworld territories has been adjusted in World Tiers III and IV. Monsters will begin to trail behind the player in Level after a certain point (up to a maximum of 5 Levels behind). This change does not affect World Bosses, Legion Events, Fields of Hatred, Helltide, or Nightmare Dungeons.

World Tier III Example:

• If the the player's Level is below 55, the monster's Level is 55.
• If the player’s Level is 56-60, the monster’s Level is 55.
• If the player’s Level is 61, the monster’s Level is 56.
• If the player’s Level is 62, the monster’s Level is 57, etc. (from this point the monsters will always be -5 until World Tier III's max monster Level of 70).

World Tier IV Example:

• If the player’s Level is below 75, the monster’s Level is 75.
• If the player’s Level is 76-80, the monster Level is 75.
• If the player’s Level is 81, the monster’s Level is 76.
• If the player’s Level is 82, the monster’s Level is 77, etc. (from this point the monsters will always be -5).

Experience

• Reward experience for completing Whispers in World Tiers III and IV has been significantly increased.
• We are adjusting bonus experience rewards for killing monsters that are a higher Level than the player.
  • Pre-Season of the Malignant bonuses:
    • 1 Level higher: +15%.
    • 2 Levels higher: +20%.
    • 3+ Levels higher: +25%.
  • Post-Season of the Malignant:
    • 1.5% bonus per Level up to 10 Levels.
      • Ex:
        • +1 level: +1.5%.
        • +2 levels: +3%.
        • +10 levels: +15%.
• We are also adjusting experience rewards for monster Level offsets for higher World Tiers.
  • Current World Tier Level offsets
    • World Tier II: Up to +3.
    • World Tier III: Up to +10.
    • World Tier IV: Up to +100.
  • We are changing this to
    • World Tier II: Up to +3 (Unchanged).
    • World Tier III: Up to +6.
    • World Tier IV: Up to +10.
  • For Example:
    • You are Level 1. Your friends bring you to World Tier IV and leave you at the entrance of a dungeon. They start killing Level 100 monsters.
      • Prior to Season of the Malignant, you get:
        • (Level 100 Monster XP) * (1 + 25%)
      • After Season of the Malignant, you get:
        • (Level 11 Monster XP) * (1 + 15%)

Helltide

• Helltide monsters are now 3 Levels higher than the player instead of 2.
• The Tortured Gift of Mysteries chest has had its cost increased to 250 Aberrant Cinders from 175.
• All interactable objects in Helltide zones now have a small chance of dropping Aberrant Cinders.

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No more random flatlining

Ah, Cyberpunk 2077. What a road you've been down. From one of the most disastrous launches in recent gaming history to an enjoyable dystopian RPG from the people that brought us The Witcher. CD Projekt Red has been doing what it can to make its open-world title the product it should have been at the start, and the latest update has been rolling out.

Patch 1.63 for Cyberpunk 2077 comes with a host of tweaks and fixes, as all good patches should. In this instance, particular attention has been paid to some of the game's quests. For example, there's been a fix for the "All Along the Watchtower" and "I Walk the Line" missions, in which V could randomly flat line.

There's also been some fixes for some of the side quests (known as "gigs"), including "Guinea Pigs," "Bloodsport," "On a Tight Leash," and more. The patch also puts a band-aid on some issues with the UI and makes improvements for DLSS Frame Generation, specifically for those running the game on AMD processors. The patch notes on Steam give a better idea of just how much has been fixed for version 1.63.

It's clear that Cyberpunk still has a few problems, but then what release doesn't these days? Hell, Skyrim is still one of the most popular RPGs of the last decade, and that title's so loaded with bugs that it's pretty much become a meme at this point.

Alongside these changes, many of you are anticipating Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC, which is set to release on September 26. There's also a follow-up that CD Projekt Red announced in 2022, but that's far off into the future. Hopefully, CDPR has learned a lot from Cyberpunk 2077's notorious launch before diving into sequel development.

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Time for one last run

Just over a year after leaving early access and fully releasing, Rogue Legacy 2 has received its final major update on consoles. The Swan Song update is now live on Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms, about a month after the same content was made available for PC players via Steam.

The free and rather meaty new download features three new game modes, four new subclasses, and over 100 tweaks and bugfixes. Though this is expected to be the final content drop, Cellar Door Games intends to continue providing bugfixes and stability patches as needed.

[caption id="attachment_381942" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Cellar Door Games[/caption]

Offering a more traditional roguelike experience

One of the new game modes, True Rogue, seeks to challenge those who mastered the game by creating a traditional roguelike and entirely skill-based experience. In this mode, players have just one life and play as a randomly chosen class with the Contrarian trait. You start in a random biome and upon beating the boss will teleport to a new random biome. The biomes themselves are smaller and have more Relic Rooms and Curio Shoppes. Runs in this mode are short and sweet and designed for a single-sitting.

Additionally, three new Fabled Weapons have been added to this update. The three weapons — Mjolnir, a hand puppet, and a surfboard — assure each class now has one Fabled Weapon in the Soul Shop.

Another big feature is the introduction of Dreams. Dreams are unique experiences similar to Scar Challenges that allow you to play out the fantasies of the most iconic characters in the game. It's important to note, however, that Dreams do not count towards earning certain achievements.

Finally, players now the ability to add custom localizations as well as an improved system for speed runners. You will now be able to create custom seeds specifically for speedrunning, and there are ways to validate them.

Now that Rogue Legacy 2 is complete we can once again start asking for some sort of Playstation release, right?

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Repairing a fallen society

Naughty Dog continues in its efforts to roll out patches for its disappointing PC port of The Last of Us Part I, with each new update bringing it closer and closer to the quality expected of the Californian studio. The newest patch, Version 1.0.4.0, released yesterday with another fistful of fixes.

Looking at the patch notes, it seems that this particular update focuses on CPU/GPU compatibility, while optimizing the PC edition of the dramatic remake for the Steam Deck platform. Graphics in general have been improved at lower settings, (water no longer appears as a black void), while an array of random crashes and U.I. bugs have also been eliminated, including one which saw the game report a critical error occasionally when skipping cutscenes during loading.

Mush Room for Improvement

For all of you Achievement fans, the busted "It Can't Be for Nothing" achievement should now pop, while non-English speaking players will be pleased to hear that multiple corrections have been made to language errors in the menus and in-game subtitles. Naughty Dog ends the notes by reiterating its commitment to improving The Last of Us Part I's PC port in the coming weeks and months.

"We at Naughty Dog and our partners at Iron Galaxy are closely watching player reports to support future improvements and patches. We are actively optimizing, working on game stability, and implementing additional fixes which will all be included in regularly released future updates."

The Last of Us Part I is available now on PS5 and PC/Steam.

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Cash on Delivery

It's time to take the money and run and gun, as Infinity Ward is prepping a new update for its popular battle royale title Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, which sees a return for the frantic heist mode, Plunder. The mode is scheduled to go live on all platforms today, alongside a new, bug-smashing patch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSasrsV9jAo&ab_channel=PlayStation

One of the initial two modes that launched with Call of Duty Warzone back in 2020, Plunder tasks teams of players with snatching up bags of cash and transporting them to a central drop-off point, while simultaneously defending their horde from the sticky fingers of the opposing team members. It's a frenetic running battle that can turn on a dime, and requires strong synergy, efficient movement, and, as always, a precise aim. Warzone players will no doubt be pleased to see the challenging side-game return.

In addition to Plunder's comeback, Infinity Ward has released an update to both Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare 2 proper, featuring an array of bug fixes pertaining mostly to errors in the U.I. and HUD systems. In regards to CoD gameplay itself, the new patch adds more ammo caches to the Zaya Observatory in multiplayer map Ground War, and reduces the number of available lasers for the arsenal-running Gunfight mode. You can check out the full patch notes over on the official Call of Duty blog.

Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Especially for Ewe

Massive Monster has launched its previously announced update for Satanic Sheep Scarer Cult of the Lamb — The massive update, available now on PC and console platforms, brings a flockful of bug fixes, balance tweaks, new features, modes, and enemies to the award-winning roguelike-cum-cult-simulator.

Titled "Relics of the Old Faith", the update adds a brand new post-game storyline, along with new Crusades, additional Sermon upgrades, new "Heavy Attacks", 13 new character encounters, 16 new minibosses, and a whopping 37 new relics. This is just scratching the surface of the additional content, which also tosses in several new enemies, combat room traps, and Followers — all of which look set to provide even the most-hardened cult leaders with newly darkened adventure.

https://twitter.com/cultofthelamb/status/1650545386577354754?s=20

In addition to this array of content, Relics of the Old Faith adds a tweaked Dungeon Gauntlet mode known as Purgatory, as well as a delightful Photo Mode, which lets you capture the unique and distinct visuals of Cult of the Lamb from all manner of angles, not just the standard 3/4 top-down view. These photos can also be adjusted with all manner of filters and comical stickers, which will look just darling for your pamphlets for new disciples.

On the accessibility front, the update offers a Dark Mode for the menu screens, as well as the option to switch off the blue filter in the building menus. A High Contrast font option is now available, as are fonts that will provide easier reading for Dyslexic players. New lighting controls include the ability to switch off screen flashing, and to switch between day/night visuals on a whim.

Releasing in the summer of last year, Cult of the Lamb won over an army of fans with its cute visuals, ultra-grim undertones, and deep roguelite action. With this new update, the title is perhaps better than ever before, and will not only give The One Who Waits' devotees new reason to return to worship, but will also help to bring those curious players, yet to experience this twisted title, to the... ahem... flock.

Cult of the Lamb is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

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Enough of your ghostly shenanigans

Capcom has released a new update for its smash-selling remake Resident Evil 4, bringing with it a selection of bug fixes that, among other things, removes the previously published "key item" glitch, and also, (unfortunately for some) puts a stop to a sneaky wall-walking hack.

The new patch, available now on PC and consoles, features fixes to several platform-specific problems, including visual rendering problems on Xbox Series X/S, incorrect subtitling on PlayStation, and the removal of a bug that would render the game incompletable due to a rare bug that would occur while trying to obtain a key item during Chapter 12 of the game — You can now swing your knife with reckless abandon. This patch also tweaks the dead zone properties of the Xbox analog sticks.

But the update also removes the ability for the player to utilize a hack known as "Scope Warping" — A trick that allows Leon to glitch through certain walls while using the scope on his sniper rifle, or occasionally the iron sights on any weapon. The Resident Evil speedrunning community, savvy as they are, had already been using this glitch to fine effect in their efforts to complete the mission as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, once the game has been updated, this option is no more. It seems that launch builds will need to be acquired should the community wish to utilize the glitch in their future speedruns.

Resident Evil 4 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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I'll miss you, Ms. Marvel

Marvel's Avengers is a game that should have run for a decade. A games-as-a-service title attached to arguably the biggest IP in the world, it had to potential to be a gargantuan hit. I remember seeing the Avengers Academy booth at E3 and how Square Enix went all out trying to get people excited about this game. And yet, for a myriad of reasons, Marvel's Avengers didn't resonate with players. This is why today, a little more than two-and-a-half years after it first launched, the game is getting its final content update.

As explained in January, Update 2.8 will be the last content patch for Marvel's Avengers before official support ends later this year. The patch unlocks the marketplace, adding nearly all MCU and non-MCU-inspired outfits, nameplates, takedowns, and more to every player's Hero Card. Costumes that are earned through gameplay or purchased at the Cosmetic Vendor will still need to be earned and purchased. Anyone who has earned at least one trophy or achievement before April 1 will be gifted the Iron Man Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, which turns Tony Stark into a kick-ass War Machine. The developers have also announced all players will receive this new Black Panther skin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7SNsLFui4M

If you have any unspent credits, those will be converted to in-game resources once you update the game. Additionally, Hero's Catalysts and Fragment Extractors have been removed from Marvel's Avengers and replaced with a permanent 1.5x multiplier on Fragments and XP.

That about covers the biggest details of the Update 2.8 patch, but there are a lot of small fixes you can read about on the official patch notes. If you're a fan of the game, I'd suggest checking out that link as there is a lovely thank-you message from Sandra Saad, the voice of Ms. Marvel.

If you want to give the game a go now that all the microtransactions have been removed, Marvel's Avengers is available on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra. As a reminder, official support for Marvel's Avengers will end on September 30, 2023. The game will still be playable after that date has passed, but players should not expect any more updates or patches beyond that date.

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What, indeed, is up, Doc?

Player First Games has released a new update for its fun and chaotic crossover fighter MultiVersus, but fans hoping for new stages, characters, or balance updates will have to keep waiting, as this update seems purely focused on bug fixes and hit/hurtbox tweaks.

The new update, available now on all platforms, includes a handful of fixes for various characters, including hitbox improvements on Iron Giant, bug fixes on Garnet, stat tracker fixes on LeBron, and down special fixes for Morty. Unfortunately, there's little more in the way of gameplay tweaks, character balancing, or additional characters, stages, or fixes. This has seen players getting more than a little shouty on social media. Something which never, ever happens in gaming communities.

Launched in open beta in July 2022, MultiVersus got off to a magnificent start. Millions of players dove into its free-to-play, Super Smash Bros.-style shenanigans in local, online, and tournament scenes. The following weeks and months would see the arrival of new characters and stages, including DC Comics' anti-hero Black Adam, edgy cartoon stars Rick & Morty, and Gremlins' Stripe and Gizmo. But things have been very quiet for the past four months, with the November 2022 arrival of Marvin the Martian representing the most recent major content update the fighter has received.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvborgKG7fw&ab_channel=WarnerBros.Games

Now, of course, it should be reiterated that MultiVersus is in open beta mode, and as such, there is probably much going on behind the scenes in regard to the fighter's actual release. After all, there were inklings, (albeit unofficially) of some cool characters supposedly lined up for the roster. These included DC Comics' villain Joker, as well as movie characters such as Beetlejuice, The Goonies, and even The Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West.

The Warner Bros. IP catalog, which includes DC Comics, Mortal Kombat, The Lord of the Rings, Looney Tunes, and main other popular worlds and characters is, on paper, a gold mine of roster additions.

Fighting game communities are flighty and brutal mistresses: Hard to build, hard to maintain, and most certainly hard to recall, once their interest has wandered elsewhere. Hopefully MultiVersus — which is a fun scrapper — will be able to resurrect the excitement of its launch months, At this stage, MultiVersus needs "an event": Either an official launch date, a fresh front end/U.I. update, or a "Roadmap" (ugh) of incoming content. The shrinking player community needs evidence that the fighter has a future, and is not on the road to getting insta-canned by the Money Men, like so many free-to-play hits before it.

MultiVersus is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

Related: All MultiVersus Voice Actors Listed on PrimaGames

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Version 1.03 available now on PC and PlayStation

Team Ninja has released an update for its recently released adventure Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty — Available now on PlayStation and PC, Version 1.03 takes a first pass at several issues bugging players on both platforms.

First and foremost, the new update tackles camera control problems that have been a frustration for many PC players, especially those playing on mouse & keyboard. An additional fix improves support for various graphics cards, and eliminates an issue that was rendering some resolutions unselectable. On both platforms, minor tweaks allow guest players to skip cutscenes, so you won't be waiting around for your running buddy along with general stability and framerate improvements.

Check out the full patch notes in the tweet below. An Xbox edition of the update will launch "soon". Team Ninja notes that it will continue to investigate player feedback on the title, with further updates planned for the coming months. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms

https://twitter.com/WoLongOfficial/status/1633452586597752832?s=20

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Now you can be insulted on a whole new platform

Sony has released the latest firmware update for its princely gaming platform PlayStation 5 (PS5) — The 23.01 update is now available to download to the console, weighing it at a little over the 1GB mark.

Perhaps the most notable addition here is the long, long-time coming integration of the Discord service, which will let PS5 users sync their current Discord accounts to the PS5 console, offering up new ways of communication with friends, enemies, and new enemies. The PS5 Discord service will also allow for game invites, party chat, and even screen sharing. Thus, it will be a useful tool for anybody who frequently plays with friends, or likes to make meandering, half-interested conversations while gaming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2sHOKZCYkg&t=1s&ab_channel=PlayStation

In addition to Discord, the new update offers up a fistful of new technical features. These include a 1440p Variable Refresh Rate option (provided you have games and displays to support such an option). The DualSense controller can now update wirelessly, and PS5 to PS5 data transfer can now be made over Wi-Fi (ah wouldn't).

In a neat touch, Game Capture can now be activated by voice, allowing players to simply call out "Hey PlayStation, capture that" for an instant recording of recent gameplay, without having to break their flow fiddling through menus. This tool is particularly cool if you're somebody who frequently shares clips online. I still feel weird talking to my console. But then, I feel weird talking to anyone.

This just scratches the surface of the new update, which also includes an improved Screen Reader, revised folder filters, and new library options for PSVR 2 titles. For full details on Version 23.01, check out the official patch notes over on the official PlayStation Blog.

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I really, really miss Sheva

Here's an odd but not unwelcome occurrence, Capcom has quietly updated the Steam/PC edition of its survival horror sequel Resident Evil 5. The new patch, now available to download on the Steam platform, adds split-screen local co-op, removes Games for Windows Live, and stomps a few bugs.

Originally released in 2009, Resident Evil 5 saw former S.T.A.R.S. operative Chris Redfield head out to West Africa, investigating a potential Bio-Organic weapon sale, led by terrorist Ricard Irving. Teamed with BSAA operative Sheva Alomar, the duo soon find that this case goes far deeper than mere weapons sales, and will bring Chris face-to-face with some welcome, and very unwelcome, faces from the past.

He also punches a boulder to death.

This Steam update is a long, long time coming, and the removal of Games for Windows Live support eliminates a frustrating hurdle in playing the game. Of course, the Resident Evil series has long moved forward from its heady, tank-controlled, RE5 days, but for those who still enjoy running through the entire franchise with pals, then this new update contemporizes the release for future efforts.

Now, if we can just see to giving Sheva her grand franchise return, that'd be just peachy.

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It's all over for Crab Armor

This week will see rainbow shooter Splatoon 3 launch a brand new season of carpet-ruining action, and Nintendo is preparing to get the game warmed up for the coming chaos with the launch of its Version 3.0 update, which will be made available for download today.

Splatoon 3 Ver 3.0 is a huge update filled with balance tweaks, bug stomps, and various other under-the-hood adjustments in order to ensure that the arena shooter is ready to rock come March 1, when the "Fresh Season 2023" receives its global launch. The update features the addition of a huge arsenal of standard and special weaponry, ruleset changes, and support for Inkopolis DLC owners.

https://twitter.com/SplatoonNA/status/1626219936992600066?s=20

Players who have purchased the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass will be able to travel between Inkopolis and Splatsville via a new train, which can be boarded at Inkopolis square, offering new hangout spots and stores. Speaking of stores, Fresh Season 2023 will see the arrival of a whole new catalog of cosmetic purchases — including new gear, decorations, splashtags, stickers, and emotes — for a grand total of 126 items.

The new season will also see the addition of two new stages: the Aztecian Um’ami Ruins and the ocean-set galleon, The Manta Maria. Splatoon 3's current stages have also been reviewed by the developer teams, with changes made to terrain, distance, and verticality, typically to reduce long-distance "Hail Mary"-style shooting. Thus, you might want to revisit your favorite stages and adjust your typical map tactics.

The above is literally just scratching the surface of the extensive patch notes, which feature tweaks to player connectivity, point scoring, individual weapon balancing, bug fixes, and changes to Salmon Run, Tableturf Battle, and even the Lobby and general U.I. Be sure to set aside some time to pick through the details, so that you won't be taken by surprise when you dive back into the messy world of Splatoon for the coming months of colorful chaos. See you in the ring, squid kids!

Splatoon 3: Fresh Season 2023 kicks off on March 1.

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No more one-shot kills for Hog mains

Overwatch 2 is a constant balancing act of buffing and nerfing heroes as the meta changes, and the character on the chopping block this time around is none other than everyone's favorite hook-wielding heavyweight, Roadhog. He was known for his hook-shoot-melee combo that could kill players in one shot, which I knew all too well as a Mercy main.

The Overwatch 2 devs said that "these changes aim to reduce the frustration of dying in one shot immediately after being hooked and pulled by Roadhog," while also reassuring players that his hook is still a "powerful utility to forcibly reposition enemy players." The full details of Roadhog's nerf are as follows per the official patch notes:

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Ready for all you weekend warriors

Load up on paint, and bring your friends, as Nintendo has released its hefty Version 2.1.0. update for its messy multiplayer shooter Splatoon 3. Now available to download on Nintendo Switch, the new patch brings a laundry list of balance tweaks, bug fixes, U.I. polishes, and much more.

It's difficult to know where to start when an update has this much coverage... There has been an array of buffs and nerfs to many tools in the Splatoon 3 arsenal, from damage, to spread, to ink consumption, to fire rate. The Dynamo Roller, Jet Squelcher, Sloshing Machine, Aerosprays MG & RG, and Nautilus 47 have all been tweaked, for better or worse, while sub-weapons and gear skills such as Angle Shooter and Ninja Squid have also seen minor overhauls.

"A lot of the adjustments to main weapons were made to lessen the impact on some of the weapons from Splatoon 2 where the increased performance of the gear ability was negated in Splatoon 3," says the development team of the rebalancing. "Regarding changes to Ninja Squid, while mitigating the issue where players would lose sight of each other when shooting at each other from a relatively short distance, we’re also intentionally maintaining the way to approach opponents with longer ranges."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ODI00fgeS0&ab_channel=Destructoid

"We reduced the amount needed to fill special gauges for some weapons and within that group strengthened some frequently used short-range weapons to increase player options," continues the notes. "We increased the amount needed to fill special gauges for some weapons and within that group curtailed somewhat the tactic of using sub weapons and special weapons to attack from a distance. We also made some adjustments to increase the manifestation of special weapons."

In addition, an enormous litany of bug fixes and gameplay tweaks have been made to a variety of Splatoon 3's modes, including multiplayer, story mode, and the famous Salmon Run. These fixes range from score errors and environmental bugs, to certain stages becoming incompatible with certain weapons, and exploits that were allowing players to go out of bounds.

For the full list of all changes in Splatoon 3 Version 2.1.0. visit the official Nintendo website.

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The Moira mains are delighted, though

Moira used to be one of the most reliable picks among the lineup of Overwatch's healers. Her abilities aren't difficult to use which makes them viable for players of all skill ranges, plus she has great survivability and can deal good damage when it's needed. When Overwatch 2 dropped, however, Moira took on a new life with the five-player teams, and most will say these changes weren't for the best. A whole host of players decided they were tired of healing and wanted to use her as a glorified damage dealer. This is where the DPS Moira controversy began, and it's only snowballed from there.

Fast forward to now, and Blizzard released some new patch notes announcing a buff to the notorious Irish scientist. Now "dealing damage with Biotic Orb now restores a small amount of Biotic Energy," or for laymen like me, when you deal damage with the purple ball it regenerates some of the yellow healing stuff you spray on your teammates. I guess the idea is that since players are going full DPS Moira anyway, they might as well make it easier to give your teammates more healing.

https://twitter.com/PlayOverwatch/status/1611142281775484928

I'm fairly skeptical that this change is going to be good in the long run, but that might be my knee-jerk reaction to hearing about another Moira buff. I want to say I trust that Blizzard knows what they're doing, but as of late my confidence in them has been waning. It'll be a waiting game to see how this buff affects play, and whether the devs will have to come back with a nerf in the near future.

These patch notes also detail the new Greek-themed arcade event Battle for Olympus, the new competitive season starting on January 10, and other balance changes for characters like Junker Queen, Zarya, and Brigitte.

[Featured Image via Blizzard Entertainment]

Related: Overwatch 2’s hopelessly broken Competitive matchmaking spells disaster for its live service future on Gampur

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Update 1.24 brings balance tweaks and bug stomps

Developer Arc System Works has released a new update for its gorgeous anime fighter Guilty Gear Strive, bringing with it balance tweaks, bug fixes and, most notable of all, crossplay support between console and PC editions of the game.

Players on PS4, PS5, and PC can now all step into the ring against one another, as well as converge in lobbies, spectate each other's matches and replays, view player profiles, and even check out the delightfully dioramic "Digital Figure" creations of their brethren. Additionally, PlayStation and PC players can also share the extremely useful "Combo Maker" mode with each other, helping all players to grow their pugilistic potential on all platforms.

The meat-and-potatoes of the update — at least for competitive players — lies in a litany of balances tweaks made to Strive's cast of characters, as well as smaller adjustments to mechanics such as the Tension Gauge, proximity striking, and overall damage scaling. It seems that the rebalance as a whole has been more about "everybody coming up" rather than higher-tier characters "going down". You can check out the changes to your favorite gear over on the official blog.

On a technical front, Update 1.24 also brings with it a litany of tweaks and adjustments across the board, from U.I. and menu issues, to audio fixes, and the stomping of a variety of bugs that would crop up in online situations. A new "Report" feature has also been added, allowing players to call out toxic behavior via another player's "R-Code" (profile). Players can also now choose to both mute and block troublemakers, which should help to keep the locker room a little more cheerful.

Adding crossplay to Guilty Gear Strive will only help to prolong the life of the title into 2023 and beyond. This action widens the player pool and offers up the opportunity for greater battle experience across the board. It is assumed that the incoming Xbox port of Strive (scheduled to launch in spring 2023), will only bring more players into the fold, ensuring that the top-tier fighter will continue to hold its own against incoming releases such as Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8.

Guilty Gear Strive is available now on PlayStation and PC platforms.

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Big changes are ahead

Like any live service game, Overwatch needs constant maintenance — not only to add new content, but to just fix all the stuff they have in there already. When the whole point of the game is to have a bunch of overpowered heroes fighting it out, it's easy for certain characters to get a little too overpowered in the process.

Players are looking forward to seeing some new maps and the rebalancing of heroes like Sojourn and Bastion, and of course, the real star of the show this time around is the new Tank hero, Ramattra. There's a whole lot of new info in this huge start-of-season patch, so let's see if we can't simplify and find the most important bits.

A new hero

With this update, Ramattra is now a playable character in the game. He won't be available in the Competitive pool for the first two weeks of Season 2, but he's available for us all to fight over in the Quick Play queue. Ramattra has a pretty long list of abilities, so if you're at all interested in trying him out, I'd recommend checking out our previous report to get a sense of his powerful kit.

Plenty of other heroes got some balance changes as well, including Doomfist (he probably had the most changes to his kit), Junker Queen, Bastion, Sojourn, Symmetra, Tracer, Ana, Kiriko, and Mercy.

Damage hero passive update

This one's a bit tucked away in the patch notes, but it's one of the more significant changes this time around: the damage role passive no longer gives players a movement speed bonus, and will instead increase the reload speed bonus from 25 to 35%. It's a smaller tweak, but it affects the majority of the hero roster, so it's worth noting for sure.

Map pool

Players have been itching for some new maps, and Blizzard is definitely delivering on that front. Not only are we getting an entirely new location in Shambali Monastery, but we're also seeing some new time-of-day reskins of old favorites like Blizzard World, Nepal, and Oasis.

As expected, there are also fixes for the plethora of bugs that have been plaguing the game. Some of the more notable changes include a fix for an issue that caused some players to lose competitive challenge progress, a fix on the Busan map where players could get stuck, a fix for the geometry on Colosseo and Esperanca that allowed players to contest the payload without being seen, and heroes can no longer take damage from their own abilities while on the other side of a friendly barrier. Of course, there's plenty of other stuff going on under the hood, too, if you're interested in checking it out.

With this being the first big update since Overwatch 2's release, I'm pretty pleased with the offerings so far. It all looks good on paper, at least, with those hero rebalances and other fixes, but as always, it'll take getting in-game and playing around for a while before deciding how effective the changes actually are. The only hero I regularly play who had any changes was Mercy, and I don't really care about her getting more ammo for her pistol in the grand scheme of things. So, all things considered, it could have been worse.

This is gonna sound silly, but even over a whole new hero, the change I'm most excited about with Season 2 is the new maps. I'm excited to see the return of some old favorites of mine (Blizzard World is a particular point of interest for me as a theme park enthusiast), and even a time-of-day reskin can make the whole map feel entirely fresh.

Don't get me wrong, Ramattra is an exciting new addition to the hero roster, but I can't help but feel that Blizzard's character design is getting a bit bogged down with too much noise, especially when it comes to the ever-growing hero kits. As I said, it'll take a few days of playing around to reach a final verdict. I'm just happy that my unjustly-doled-out ban that I earned from disconnecting to the servers too many times has finally lifted. See you in-game!

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Nintendo taking player feedback 'seriously'

Today sees the launch of the first major update for Nintendo's Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but while Update 110 will add some new features to the juggernaut-selling Switch releases, those plucky trainers hoping for a hefty run of performance improvements are, sadly, going to be left wanting.

The core element of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Update 1.10 is the addition of Ranked Battles, which will allow players to fight for glory within the confines of the Battle Stadium of Paldea. This new, seasonal-based mode kicks off today with Series 1, allowing trainers to chase the rank of Pokemon Master through showdowns with their fellow players — using the cache of critters they have tucked away within their respective Pokedex. In addition, special events and tournaments will be held on a regular basis as the season progresses.

However, in regards to improving Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's heavily publicized technical issues, Update 1.10 only promises a handful of undisclosed "bug fixes". In an additional statement published alongside the official patch notes, Nintendo said that it was aware of the performance issues that are being suffered by the millions of players who picked up one (or both) of the games during launch week, and that it is working on improvements to the games — noting that it was taking player feedback "seriously".

Released on November 18 exclusively on Nintendo Switch, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet sold over 10 million copies within the first three days of release, making it Nintendo's biggest launch of all time.

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You Will Get Wet

Nintendo has announced that it will be launching a major update for its global hyper color shooter Splatoon 3 tomorrow, November 29 — The Version 2.0.0 update will add a variety of modes, items, stages, and other features to the smash-selling Nintendo Switch release.

So, what's on the agenda? Well, first and perhaps foremost, Splatoon 3 Version 2.0.0 will add the returning "X Battle" mode. This allows players of S+0 ranking or higher to compete for the much-vaunted "X Power". Participating players will be auto-slotted into one of two leagues dependent on their home territory: Takoroka Division for Japan, Hong Kong, S. Korea, Australia, and New Zealand; and Tentatek Division for the Americas and Europe.

Once players are assigned their division, they can take part in X Battles across modes such as Splat Zones, Tower Control, and Rainmaker, while earning X Power in conjunction with their wins and losses. (X Power will be separately tracked across each mode). Much like its appearance in Splatoon 2, X Power and X Battle is sort of an "endgame" league for top-tier players, allowing for the slickest Squid Kids and Octolings to truly shine. This new form of league ranking will launch on November 30, resetting with each fresh season.

In addition to X Battle, Splatoon 3 Version 2.0.0 makes several changes to both Ranked Mode and Salmon Run. Players now can voluntarily reset their rank once per season, whereupon the system will automatically assign you the lowest ranking tier as designated by your online play statistics. In addition, some of the point values needed to achieve certain ranks have been increased.

Salmon Run introduces the new "Big Run" events, which will see huge flurries of Salmonoids swimming upstream every few months. During these events, Salmon Run battles will award players with special rewards and exclusive items. More details are to be expected as the first Big Run approaches in early December. And speaking of Salmon Run, some of the boss characters and weapons have had a balance tweak. A new Salmon Run map — Marooner's Bay — is also being added to circulation.

For all your shopping needs, a new catalog will be added to the in-game store, packed with over 50 new items including new gear, titles, Splashtags, decorations, stickers, and emotes. Back out in the arena, players can fight it out on two new stages — Brinewater Springs and Flounder Heights — and paint up a storm with three new main weapons, 10 alternate loadout weapons, and 13 new Tableturf Battle Cards. A huge round of rebalancing has also been applied to the Splatoon 3 arsenal.

Alongside this huge litany of balance tweaks to main weapons, specials, and subs — as well as bosses and ranks — the developer has released a mammoth list of bug fixes. In fact, the rebalancing features in Version 2.0.0 is far too hefty to be fully disclosed here, but you can find a full list of patch notes, (along with a full explanation of the changes to Salmon Run and X Battle), right here on the official Nintendo site.

Splatoon 3 is available now on Nintendo Switch. Chill Season launches November 30.

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Raceway to Recovery

Sonic Team has released that first major patch for its recent release Sonic Frontiers — Rolling out on PlayStation now, Version 110 addresses numerous issues with the so-so adventure. Similar patches for other console and PC platforms are set to follow in the near future.

The patch notes are, oddly, only available via the Japanese Sonic Frontiers Twitter. But, thanks to a translation by UpdateCrazy, we know that Version 110 includes fixes for a variety of in-game problems, including UI and map optimization, fixes to audio issues, performance improvements, and fixes for numerous fatal crashes. The new update also cleans out a bug that would cause the Chronos Island boss to randomly disappear upon retry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfr4kK8phZ4

Sonic Frontiers launched on November 8 to a mish-mash of reviews and divisive fan praise. While some found the new adventure an interesting and unique new take on the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, others were ostracized by repetitive gameplay and a dull, somewhat miserable environment. Much of the fanbase sees Sonic Frontiers as a positive step for the dice-roll franchise, however, and hopes that it represents a new dawn for a series that has had its fair share of terrible releases.

There is still work to be done to bring Sonic Frontiers fully up to speed, (pun fully intended), and Sonic Team lead Morio Kishimoto has raised a few eyebrows with his comments that he sees the game's grand worldwide launch akin to a "global playtest". Despite this, Kishimoto points to the new title as a landmark moment, reinventing the long-running franchise for a brighter future.

Sonic Frontiers is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

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Speed Demons

Atlus has released a brand new update for its stylish Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, Soul Hackers 2 — Now available to download on all platforms, the new patch adds four new demons to the mix, and includes several new abilities to help slim down that all-consuming time-grind.

The new "Dash" toggle will although players to control Ringo at a much-accelerated rate, helping her to negotiate the monster-infested labyrinths with speed, and even performing her standard "slash" in double-quick time. This new speed increase can also be applied to battles themselves, with a "Speed Up" toggle allowing for quick and easy carvings in face-to-face encounters. Hopefully, these two new additions will make grinding for XP less of a chore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw5GhQxUiVg

Four new demons have been added to the Soul Hackers 2 roster via this new update. The demons are the fiery Aitvaras, the stoic priestess Isis, the frankly bizarre Neko Shotgun, and the hyper-iconic Pixie — depicted in her original Devil Summoner form. It should be noted that acquiring these new demons does not count toward the in-game Registration Percentage of the Demon Compendium, nor its associated achievements or trophies.

Finally, a small run of tweaks and bug fixes should improve loading times across the board, while other changes streamline the shop experience, and include new preventative measures to stop button mashers from accidentally selecting the wrong options while plowing through the game's many menu screens. Huh, an update that asks you to take your time AND speed up.

Soul Hackers 2 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Prepare for the coming of the God eaters

Today sees the long-anticipated arrival of one of the biggest sequel's in gaming history, as Sony Santa Monica's magnum opus, God of War Ragnarok, launches on PlayStation platforms — And while Fathers and Boys everywhere will be eager to stand up against the coming wave of armageddon, the developer has suggested that you take a moment or two to download the sequel's day one patch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

The God of War Ragnarok V2 patch features over 100 tweaks and fixes, relating to the epic title's UI, combat, controls, visual elements, dialogue, accessibility options, menus, and much, much more. There are also specific stability fixes for both PS4 and PS5. You can check out the huge list of fixes via the official patch notes, though be warned that SSM suggests that the tweaks feature minor spoilers pertaining to abilities, creatures, and questlines. The update should download as soon as you install the game.

God of War Ragnarok is the follow-up to the stellar 2018 release, God of War. The new title follows the continued adventures of an aging Kratos and his brave but somewhat inexperienced son, Atreus, as they face the coming of Ragnarok — the fabled event said to bring death and destruction to a number of gods and figures of power, while bringing chaos to the world and its climate. Quite what role our heroes will play in this event, and how it ties into the lives of their allies and enemies... Well, we'll have to just play the game to find out.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms. Check out Chris Carter's review right here.

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Little Goody Two-Shoes himself

It's sure been a busy gaming year for Evil Dead's premier deadite slayer Ash Williams, not only has the chainsaw-bedecked smart-ass received his own brand new video game, but he is now joining the star-studded roster of Epic Games' juggernaut battle royale release, Fortnite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-23660L8hAY

Ash, boomstick and all, is one of several additions to Fortnite's annual Halloween event — the amusingly titled "Fortnitemares".  This celebration of everything spooky and ooky kicks off across all platforms today, bringing with it themed maps, modes, characters, and weapons.  There will be a selection of free seasonal cosmetics dolled out to all players who partake in the event, with Ash Williams, Rick & Morty character Queen Summer, and the Meseeks — all arriving as paid DLC.  Look at Ash's cute doe-eyes.

Additionally, keep your eyes peeled for some Gothic-looking "Alteration Altars" that will be springing up around the island, as visiting one will grant your character some limited-time werewolf powers! Cursed players will be granted new "Howler Claw" attacks, as well as a lofty double jump ability and heightened animal senses, which will allow you to track your nearby opponents with ease.  If you hear a heartbeat on the soundtrack, then watch out, as it means one of the lycanthropic beasties is onto you.

Players completing an array of Fortnitemare Quests will also unlock fun weapons and gear, including the pumpkin launcher firearm, bone-based Back Bling, and skeletal gliders. New spoopy outfits are also available from the Fortnite store, including the very cool Sinister Glare and Undying Sorrow skins that were designed by contest winners @Dreowings and @kitsunexkitsu respectively.  All in all, there's a lot of scary stuff going on in the world of Fortnite, so fans should ensure that they get into the spirit of the season.

Fortnitemares kicks on today, October 18 and will run until November 1. For full details on the new update, check out the official Fortnite blog.

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Tom & Scary

Warner Bros Games' fun platform scrapper MultiVersus has received a fresh update, bringing with it a selection of gameplay tweaks, some spooky-ooky Halloween content, and a brand new character in the form of the vicious and malevolent gremlin, Stripe.

Version 1.04, now available on PC and console platforms, sees Stripe join the star-studded roster as one of Season 1's additional characters. Wielding a chainsaw and crossbow, the Assassin class fighter will utilize speed and power in lieu of health and defensive abilities. The little bastard is a pretty frightening opponent, and Gizmo better ensure that he's stocked up on flaming Tippex to take this punk down.

And speaking of frightening, the new update includes a selection of Halloween-themed Elite skins for some of the MultiVersus roster. These include a Mummified Reindog, a super-cute Witch Velma, vampire skins for Tom & Jerry, Frankenstein Iron Giant, Calico Cake, and creepy Black Lantern variants of DC Comics heroes Superman and Wonder Woman. They all look pretty awesome, to be honest, and can be picked up for between 800-1500 Gleamium each.

In addition to the skins, MultiVersus will be holding a special Halloween event between October 15 and November 15. During this time, all players can earn "Candy" in matches, which can be saved and spent on various creepy emotes, stickers, and avatars. If there's nothing that takes your fancy, then the accrued Candy can be exchanged for Gold in the MultiVersus store. The Mummy Reindog skin can also be purchased via Candy, though it will take a hefty 3000 pieces.

Under the hood, the new update contains additional balance tweaks and bug fixes. Perhaps most notably, the player will now receive a Move Decay penalization after three consecutive uses of an attack (down from four). Player First Games hopes that this will encourage more experimentation in character combo routes. You can check out the full Version 1.04 patch notes (and Halloween costumes) right here.

MultiVersus is available as a free-to-play beta on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Great Scott! Maybe?

That TV show that caused some totally normal people to smash up a Mcdonald's is seeing new representation in Player First Games' brawler MultiVersus. Rick Sanchez, of popular Adult Swim series Rick and Morty fame, is now available to purchase in-game, joining his grandson Morty, who was added to the roster back in August.

Both mad scientist and troublemaking grandpa, Sanchez will be bringing his laboratory skills to the battlefield as a Mage-class fighter. Choosing the far ground as his ideal point of attack, Sanchez utilizes a number of ranged abilities in order to work over the opposition from afar, and is even able to beat a hasty retreat thanks to his use of reality-bending teleportation portals, which operate in a similar fashion to Bugs Bunny's tunnels. In addition, Sanchez is also able to summon up to three Meeseeks to both attack and distract the opponent, or launch characters high into the sky with his "Fart Bomb" attack.

https://youtu.be/OQlu-t9vJ1k

Launching alongside Rick is Version 1.03 of MultiVersus, which brings with it a selection of bug fixes and in-game balance tweaks. These include improved load times on PS4 and Xbox One, and the switching out of Wonder Woman for Shaggy as a reward for Tutorial completion. Additionally, a somewhat less welcoming tweak sees an extension of the Mastery track, which means players will have to play for around double the usual amount of time to reach level 15 with their character.

In regards to balancing, several buffs/nerfs have been applied to many of the roster's characters, including Velma, Shaggy, Tom & Jerry, Wonder Woman, Arya Stark, and others. You can check out the full patch notes over on the official MultiVersus website. The development team has previously noted that it is currently focusing more on the game's underlying engine than devoting its time to roster balancing — Multiversus is still in beta, after all.

Rick Sanchez is now available to purchase in MultiVersus at the cost of 3,000 Gold, 700 Gleamium, or 1 Character Ticket. He will be followed later this season by further DLC characters. These include the troublesome Gremlin, Stripe, and DC Comics anti-hero Black Adam. Dataminers have previously found evidence of other, yet-to-be-announced characters, which you can read about in our previous article.

MultiVersus is currently in free-to-play open beta on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Just keep punching, Apollo...

Nexon and Arc System Works have released the first "major" balance update to their fun but somewhat outrageous fighter DNF Duel — and, to the surprise of both nobody and everybody, it seems that the utter mayhem that is the colorful anime fighter is set to continue, with little in the way of sensible action.

Version 106 brings with it only a handful of changes, mostly targeting the very powerful wind mage Swift Master — arguably the most troublesome fighter in a roster filled with troublesome fighters. Also feeling the sting, albeit mildly are the dashing and deadly Hitman, the hard-punching Striker, and the up-close-and-personal Grappler (who honestly needed buffs, not nerfs).

And... erm... that's pretty much it. The rebalance features a slew of changes for Swift Master, and one-to-three changes for three other characters. The DNF Duel community has reacted to the balance update with both a little confusion and a little apathy — clearly expecting far more in the way of character rebalance efforts in the hyper-aggressive fighter. But nope. That's your lot for this round, it seems.

While this might be something of a controversial statement, I "get it." Nexon wants DNF Duel to be an oppressive fighter, it wants players to perform devastating combos with relative ease, and it wants its class-based roster to feel incendiary at worst and overpowered at best. This is, in essence, the distinct identity of DNF Duel, and while it can sometimes make for a frustrating experience online, it is ultimately the chaotic path that the title chooses to walk. Personally, I'm fine with it. And I got destroyed on stream. But I do think that maybe ArcSys could stand to put the roster under the microscope a little more.

DNF Duel is available now on PlayStation and PC platforms.

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Hard Times for some Warner Bros. icons

Today sees the arrival of the first official season of content for Warner Bros. Games scrapper MultiVersus. Ahead of the season's official kick-off later today, developer Player First Games has released new patch notes detailing the first major MultiVersus rebalance since entering open beta three short weeks ago.

As expected, and of little surprise to anybody, overly-dominant characters such as Adventure Time's Finn, The Iron Giant, and Warner Bros.' main man himself, Bugs Bunny, have all felt a hefty smack of the nerf mallet — mostly in the form of increased recovery times and/or slower startups on these characters specials. The troublesome Taz continues to see his Tornado moves overhauled, with the developer noting that is will be paying particular attention to the rowdy one's behavior going forward.

This simple-but-genius video by Monkey D. Lenny encapsulates my feelings toward this news.

https://twitter.com/MonkeyDLenny/status/1559011176276787206?s=20&t=be6RtJopxAYsTA3YiuZzTQ

At the other end of the spectrum, Arya Stark has been retooled to make her combos a little less finicky and to make the character easier to play in an overall sense. Wonder Woman, who has struggled since launch, has been gifted with some cooldown reductions, as well as a faster startup on her Projectile Shield special. These new balance changes have been made in preparation for a full overhaul of the entire roster's hit/hurtboxes. This core element of the game's mechanics is currently under scrutiny at the studio, with a full redesign expected at some point in the near future.

In addition to the patch notes, game director Tony Huynh has noted that a brand new character will be revealed later today. Who could it be? While you wait for the new superstar to make their presence known, you can check out the full MultiVersus patch notes over on the official website.

MultiVersus open beta is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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