© Bay12 Games
© id Software
© Western Digital
© Rockstar Games
Article includes descriptions written by Robert Falchi.
If you're searching for your next new game to play, Humble Choice January is now live, and this is the perfect bundle to discover something new! Each month, Humble Choice curates a selection of games for members to redeem. For January 2025, this includes games like Blasphemous 2, Against the Storm, Jagged Alliance 3, and more. This deal will only be available for a limited time, so check out the details below on how you can score this Humble Choice bundle!
This month, Humble Choice includes a total of eight different games that you can add to your library. With a wide variety of genres, developers, and publishers, this is a great way to find a new favorite game. One of the biggest games available this month is Against the Storm, an incredibly high-rated city builder that takes place in a dark fantasy world where you build out a customizable city. There's also Jagged Alliance 3, which we gave a 9/10 to in our review. You can check out the full list of games below:
In addition to these games, you can also score up to 20% off select games on the Humble Store! The longer that you have an active subscription, the more rewards you can unlock. 5% of each Humble Choice purchase also supports a charity that rotates monthly, with January's supporting Make-A-Wish, an organization that works to bring wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Don't miss out on this month's amazing Humble Choice selection!
Against the Storm
In Against the Storm, your enemy isn’t a rival army or an alien threat, but the Blightstorm—a cataclysmic death-rain from above. This dark fantasy city builder blends everything you love about the genre with unique roguelite elements, delivering a one-of-a-kind experience with endless replayability. You play as the Viceroy, a general appointed by the Scorched Queen and tasked with reclaiming the wilderness from the Blightstorm. Lead a diverse group of magical creatures—foxes, beavers, lizards, humans, and harpies—each with unique skills to help build and defend your growing network of village strongholds.
Building and maintaining the new cities you develop across the land is the backbone of the experience in Against the Storm, and that gameplay loop is dialed in perfectly.
Jagged Alliance 3
The tactical turn-based strategy combat fans love about the Jagged Alliance series is back in an exciting new entry. Jagged Alliance 3 takes players to the fictional nation of Grand Chien, a land rich in natural resources but torn apart by deep political divides. When the newly elected president goes missing, and a rogue terrorist organization known as The Legion seizes control, chaos ensues.
It’s now up to you and a massive roster of interesting, memorable, and powerful mercenaries to retake Grand Chien, rescue the president, and restore order. Every decision you make, both on and off the battlefield, will shape the fate of the country. Will you engage in smaller, calculated skirmishes or launch bold, all-out assaults? The president’s family has entrusted these choices to you and your team—failure is not an option!
Blasphemous 2
Platform, parry, and ponder the deeper meanings of good and evil in Blasphemous 2. This Metroidvania side scroller packages exceptional retro-inspired visuals with exciting modern sensibilities in devastating fashion. This story begins after the Wounds of Eventide DLC from the original game, where The Heart announced the return of The Miracle and predicted the birth of a new and powerful child of miracles.
Combat is bombastic and brutal with a wide range of new weapons to obliterate hordes of disgusting enemies. Fight with righteous zeal and unrivaled rage across multiple levels within a non-linear world. The grotesque landscapes and eerie castles ooze with gothic charm and unknown dangers. Fight with justice and strength in Blasphemous 2 today.
Beneath Oresa
Control the field of play and dominate your opponents with style in Beneath Oresa. This fighting roguelike deckbuilder mixes strategy with stylized cellshaded visuals to deliver a dynamic experience unlike any other. As a mighty hero, choose your companion, and deck of cards to win fast-paced missions across a variety of environments where positioning is key. Line up enemies for super attacks, move to avoid their counterattacks, or position the bad guys to knock into each other for double damage! Own the arena with upgradable cards that bend to your style of play, and unique companion skills that magnify your existing techniques. Do you have what it takes to arise victorious in Beneath Oresa?
Fort Solis
Fort Solis offers a refreshing take on the thriller genre with a story-rich narrative, stunning visuals, and all-star voice talent. Roger Clark (Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption II) and Troy Baker (Joel Miller, The Last of Us) headline a stellar ensemble of memorable voice actors, enriching every scene with their gripping and realistic performances.
Descend into the dark and desolate Martian mining base, Fort Solis, and search for a lost crew as protagonist Jack Leary. The narrative is structured into four chapters and is designed to be enjoyed either in one sitting or episodically. Fort Solis aims to deliver an immersive gaming experience through realistic audio logs, surveillance footage, and more. Experience the fear, excitement, and empathy of Fort Solis for yourself.
Boxes: Lost Fragments
Puzzle-solving gameplay in a whole new light. Step into the shoes of a master thief on a job gone wrong in this atmospheric 3D point-and-click adventure. The mission? A seemingly simple heist—get in and get out. But everything spirals out of control when you stumble upon a series of mysterious and powerful puzzle boxes.
Boxes: Lost Fragments is a puzzle-centric title with stunning, unique level design that delivers some of the most perplexing and satisfying puzzles you’ll encounter. Will you escape this formidable mansion, or will its suffocating yet lavish walls trap you forever?
Dordogne
Wholesome games that warm your heart never go out of style, and Dordogne is one of the most charming and heartfelt around. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of Dordogne, brought to life with stunning hand-painted watercolor visuals that exude charm and artistry.
Reconcile your past and present as Mimi, a young adult returning to her childhood village following the passing of her grandmother. Along the way, collect photos, sounds, and scents to expand your personal journal and uncover the secrets of Mimi’s life. Embark on this heartwarming narrative experience today!
The Pegasus Expedition
Survive and conquer the unknown to save humanity in The Pegasus Expedition. With Earth beyond salvation, you are tasked with leading the Zeus Link fleet on a mission to find a new home in the distant Pegasus Galaxy. This story-driven grand sci-fi adventure combines classic 4X gameplay with a compelling narrative. Manage your forces, forge alliances, advance technology, and oversee the economy while making crucial decisions as crises emerge and events unfold.
Strategic planning is the key to success in The Pegasus Expedition. Engage in espionage and all-out war to battle rival factions in a galaxy that feels truly alive. The longer your expedition lasts, the greater the resistance you'll face. Take command of the fleet today and shape humanity's future!
If you're unfamiliar with Humble Choice, this program from Humble Bundle offers a curated mix of PC games each month, delivered in the form of Steam keys. This monthly membership costs $11.99, and you can guaranteed at least $200 worth of games! You can skip or even cancel your membership at any time. Best of all, each month, 5% of your subscription will be donated to a charity. The featured charity rotates each month, with January memberships supporting Make-A-Wish!
TVs may be an investment, but they are one of the most used gadgets in your home. You don’t want to get some cheap screen with lackluster picture quality and a short lifespan just to save a few bucks. Instead, you should look for ways to spend less on the best TV ready for all your gaming and streaming needs. Luckily there are TV deals all year, so you never really have to pay full price for a new TV if you know when to look.
Everyone’s aware of the discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and admittedly those sales often render the most savings if you can score the best deals. However, there are other times throughout the year you can find major savings on the best gaming TVs or quality 4K TVs.
In the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl every year, the biggest TV-watching event of the year, you’ll often enjoy savings. Combine that with most manufacturers releasing new models for the spring, and you'll discover that right now is actually a great time to find a deal on older TVs. That said, there are always more upcoming sales events, like holiday weekends and Amazon Prime Day, on the horizon.
What was once a huge shopping day following Thanksgiving has now expanded into a couple weeks in November for sales on everything you can think of. TVs often have some of the deepest discounts of the year, and it’s one of the best times to look out for one. You’ll find many lower-quality TVs for rock bottom prices, which could be handy for a guest bedroom or kid's playroom. Higher-end and newer models of TVs that came out in the spring are also often discounted, so you’re bound to find a deal suited for you.
Black Friday used to be exclusively for in-store shopping, where you’d see people camping outside retailers like Best Buy and Walmart the night before to score the limited inventory and low prices. There are still some incredible TV deals only for in-store purchases, but they’re mostly just advertised to get people in the store, and the stock will more than likely be gone unless you get there early. If you have a specific TV you’re searching for, just be sure to snag it quickly during these deals in 2025.
Cyber Monday is online shopping's answer to Black Friday. It’s simply when you’ll find the best deals shopping from online retailers. Amazon offers sales similar to Prime Day, which happens in the summer (and now in October), where you’ll find a variety of TV deals that are often available for a very limited time with a small stock. Other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart participate in Cyber Monday, and those stores will also have similar sales in-store.
After the holiday rush comes one of the biggest TV-watching events of the year: The Super Bowl. Many retailers have better TV availability around mid-January and early February, as stock should be back after shoppers made their purchases during the holiday sales events. Therefore, in the weeks leading up to the big game, you’ll see great savings on TVs, including many massive screens. Typically, older models will go on sale first with better discounts, but you can still find a great deal on a newer TV. Right now, we're already seeing Super Bowl deals on Samsung OLED TVs.
Early January is also when many TV manufacturers announce their newest models at the Consumer Electronics Show (See details about CES 2025 for the TVs you can expect to be on sale). That means some stores will be looking to get rid of their stock of older models to make room for the latest televisions coming in spring.
If you’re seeking out a specific brand of television, be it Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, etc., many of those manufacturers release their latest TVs in the Springtime, starting around March and running through Memorial Day weekend. That means you may find deals on the older models of those TVs at that time as retailers want to make room for the new crop. Most manufacturers usually make minimal changes to the older model’s successor, so you won’t miss out on many features if you choose to purchase last year's version.
Prime Day was once an Amazon Prime exclusive sale that started in mid-July to celebrate their birthday, but now other retailers join in with similar deals. Walmart, Best Buy, and a variety of other retailers put on their own sales around the same time, attempting to compete with the online retail giant. Some will even match prices.
Amazon Prime Day generally lasts a few days during mid July and is only for Prime members. When it comes to TVs, you’ll often find deep discounts similar to the sales seen around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, many of the best TV deals are on older models. Be sure to keep your eye on the site, as deals are constantly added throughout the two-day sales event. All-in-all, Prime Day is still not as good as Black Friday when you compare the total number of sales across all retailers.
If you’re desperate for a new TV and don’t want to wait, many retailers will have special sales during long holiday weekends, like President’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. These discounts often aren’t as great, and your TV selection is more limited, but you’ll still be able to score a decent deal on a TV.
The next holiday weekend to be ready for is Labor Day weekend. You can most likely expect Labor Day sales to kick off the weekend before and last through Labor Day itself, which takes place on Monday, September 1.
It’s important to pay attention to the TV release cycle to find the best discounts on TVs, especially if you’re looking to buy the latest and greatest releases. In January, at the massive consumer tech conference, CES, is when many manufacturers will announce their upcoming models. Come springtime, starting around March, those new models start to roll out, with many retailers placing deeper discounts on older models. You’ll still see releases into the summer. If you’re looking to grab one of the newest models, prices often don’t drop until the fall. When you hold out until Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you’ll see the best deals on the latest TVs.
Most of the notable TV brands release updated and new models of their TVs every year. We go over them below:
Samsung has shifted its focus to higher-end models of TVs, and therefore, there's a limited selection when it comes to more budget-friendly options. We don’t see a very big change from last year's lineup, with many new models offering minor upgrades from their predecessors. This crop of Samsung televisions continues promise better brightness, improvements to the mini-LED and Quantum Dot (QD-OLED) backlighting, along with upgrades to their already excellent gaming features.
LG's OLED evo TVs are getting a few upgrades in 2025, including AI features for more personalization and an upgraded "Brightness Booster Ultimate" technology. For gamers, LG's new G5 TV will sport a 4K 165Hz5 variable refresh rate, aiming to decrease lag and frame stuttering.
Hisense continues to make a name for itself in the TV game with its 2025 lineup. Many of their higher-end ULED models now offer a 144Hz refresh rate for a better gaming experience. The 136" MicroLED TV is a stunning, large display that utilizes mini-LED technology to "eliminate traditional backlight limitations."
In 2024, Vizio made a few small improvements to its latest TVs with some added features and better LED performance. They have also removed the top-line P-series model from their roster. You’ll still get to choose from the mid-range M-series and the more budget-minded V-series. If you’re okay with a 1080p resolution and a smaller screen, you can also grab the D-series on the cheap.
TCL made major changes to its TV lineup back in 2024. They introduced Q- and S-series, with their flagship model being the TCL QM8. At CES 2025, TCL announced a new entry-level Mini LED TV: the QM6K. Models are already available at 65", 75", and 85", with smaller size hitting the market later this year.
Yes, that’s right. Last year, Roku, the brand known for streaming devices and putting their smart technology into many other manufacturers' TVs, decided to branch out with its own lineup of Roku TVs. 11 different models range in size from 24 to 75 inches that are all designed for streaming first and foremost. The Roku Plus options will come with the Voice Remote Pro which features hands-free voice commands and rechargeable batteries, while the Roku Select models come with the more basic Roku Voice Remote.
You can get access to the Roku Channel without a Roku streaming device, so you don't need to get a Roku-integrated TV to take advantage of the free streaming service.
If you're ready to shop right now, we keep an ongoing list of the latest TV deals worth shopping. We also have some top budget picks if you aren't necessarily in need of a sale. Below we've detailed some of our favorite cheap TVs you can buy in 2025:
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
When this 18-year AC fan was told he’d be spending time in Shadows, that's exactly what happened. Literally, shadows. My preview build was set darker than an Abstergo CEO’s soul, and a unique quirk of it was a lack of brightness settings. Compounding the issue: my choice to use the nocturnal ninja deuteragonist, Naoe, exclusively.
I was soon tested by bandit ronin, angry samurai, and those big-boned gits game designers love to roll out as Heavies. My greatest enemy, however, was the Stygian darkness around me. Trying to fight silhouetted foes by their UI flourishes and navigating intricate castle battlements using controller vibration braille? Challenging.
It dawned on me that I’d simply have to wait until the sun came up, in-game, at which point my heroine would be less effective because she’d stand out like a tengu’s diamond-studded nose ring.
Be that as it may, I'm glad I soldiered on. Though the overall experience still wasn’t perfect, in full daylight, the considerably delayed and controversy-stricken Shadows shone brighter than I figured it could. Mind you, my expectations were lower than one of Naoe’s underhanded sweep kick executions.
In a minute, I’m going to dive into Shadows’ pros and cons as I see them so far. For now, though, I guess I should provide prices for the diehards willing to make a leap of faith preorder now. If you’re more the type to hang back, synchronise, and get a better lay of the land—like me—then click here to skip the window shopping and get to my continued thoughts.
PS5
Xbox Series X
PC
Preorder any version of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and you’ll receive a bonus quest called “Thrown to the Dogs.” You'll also get the first expansion for free
PS5
Xbox
PC
The gold edition comes with the base game, plus the following:
The digital-only ultimate edition comes with the game itself, plus the following:
The collector’s edition comes with the ultimate edition game, plus the following:
Let me reiterate that a lack of brightness settings was a work-in-progress flub that definitely won't affect you on day one. And, despite my extreme visibility issues, even I could see something about Naoe—she’s just incredibly spry and fun to use. And I mean like no assassin I’ve ever inhabited before (and I’ve Animused them all). She’s brilliant at displacing from bad situations and using her last known location, plus a variety of tricks, to turn any stealth error into the perfect bait-and-switch kill.
The key skill to use for this has got to be her multi-tool rope. I’m introduced to it early on in a non-combat scenario first, which is basically me shooting the shit by scaling Himeji Castle and stopping to pat the odd random tailless cat that I chance upon.
Sadly, this isn’t a manually aimed grapple hook, which makes me miss the granddaddy of the genre, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. What you get instead is a contextual LB icon that constantly flicks on and off in the upper middle of your screen to signify a no-looker attach opportunity. Again, this makes me miss a game—Ghost of Tsushima and its more or less HUD-less approach to everything.
Zipping up castle ramparts with the grappling hook—about 30 feet per fling—is pretty intoxicating too. I wouldn’t say this game has the best climbing in the series, as I abhor how one-button and technique-less it’s been streamlined into, but I’m willing to admit that it’s the most visually impressive upward scrambling I’ve seen. Extremely complex hand grips and body contortions flow from animation to animation as Naoe scurries up things. She even does these nifty little contextual somersaults between rooftop eaves.
All this being said, I did spot some frame rate chugs when I got to the highest altitudes. Presumably because the engine was girding itself to stream in some ridiculously commanding view at the end of my ascent.
I expected the worst when I got up to the apex of this particular 152 foot castle and triggered the big synch point camera pan. To my relief, not a chug was there at all, so I believe it’s probably a tuning problem at this point. I also see no framerate issues when I chuck myself off that roof into a haybale roughly 100 ft below (truly the mechanic that never, ever gets old).
Thanks to my Ubisoft demoers, I’m kitted out with what I believe is some of the best gear available. I’m rocking a “Dragon’s Edge” Legendary Katana, which provides two passive perks and very impressive Weapon DPS, Posture DPS, Ability Damage, and Adrenaline Gain numbers.
I also have a Kusarigama (think: a fun-sized scythe with a chain attached to a chunk of metal) that goes by “Death Whisperer” and a Tanto (basically a short sword). Likewise, the clothes maketh the master assassin’s stats, so I’m decked out in an epic Silent Shinobi Hood and cuirass, which also have large numbers to embiggen my Health, Crit Chance, and Adrenaline Gain.
When it comes to personal growth, this particular Animus system doesn’t feel hugely unique when compared to the last high-tech sofa bed I lounged in. Like Valhalla, we’re grinding XP to earn levels that come with Knowledge Points to spend in Naoe’s six perk trees. They’re named Katana, Kusarigama, Tanto, Tools, Shinobi, and Assassin, and each of them has around 16 or so things to buy.
I’ll start with the katana, my home slice favourite. You’ll want to invest early in the Tidal Wave strike that pings you forward a few metres, bites off 25% damage, staggers the recipient, and can be upgraded to include a second target.
I also adore the pantsings provided by Eviscerate, a gutstab that ends with this lovely Spartan-kick-to-backlip hybrid move. Upgrading it to be used on larger foes is worth it, purely because the base animation will unintentionally look like you’re stabbing them in the groin instead of the stomach of a regular-sized grunt.
Failing any of those techniques, the unimaginative swordsfolk among you can simply invest in Guard Breakers, Momentum Builders that reward comboing with damage, Repeat Dodges that achieve the same thing, Daze inflictions, and those good old-fashioned table-turning counter-attacks on your LB parry.
If crowd control isn’t your bag, I had great success with Quick Strikes. Basically, if you pause after any attack and then tap RB or RT, you can inject two additional strikes into your combo. They seem to cross-up most foes. Or you can just do a Cyclone Blast that lassoes your chain ball into multiple enemies around you. It’s low-damage stuff, admittedly, but the big-boy version of it knocks people back and even slices shrubs and small trees in half. (I’m a sucker for the little details.)
When it comes to the Tanto, you shouldn’t let its diminutive size deceive you into thinking it can’t provide large damage and big fun opportunities. Case in point: the Shadow Piecer ability that turns a thrown Tanto to the face into a follow-up charge where you yank it out at an unpleasant angle. When I upgraded that to gift back 80% of my adrenaline bar, well, everybody got an express delivery Tanto to their melon.
There’s also the highly effective Shadow Barrage ability, which turns a successful dodge into a 20-second, freeform combofest that ends after 7 hits dispensed (or one received). If you’re good enough to chain some kills in there, that’ll up the damage by 5% for more murder. I punch all those numbers into my calculator, and it makes a smiley face.
You should also know that the Tanto is the Little Bread Knife That Could in terms of armour breaking. There are a bunch of perks that have Naoe inexplicably finding the gaps in armour for massive pain. Bonus buckets of blood can be yours if you can perform these chink-finding stabs from behind.
Beyond the three main weapons, I invested an absurd amount of points in my actual Tools of the trade. As an entree, I highly recommend placing yourself atop some balcony edge and then hoiking a “stage 3 enhanced” kunai into somebody’s face for a 400% damage insta-kill.
As you may have guessed, Naoe’s greatest strength is her insane mobility, and Shinobi arts can give her Spider-Man-level skills at doing Peter parkour. On the grappling hook side of things, I was more than up for an Ascension Boost perk for zippier rooftop escapes. Likewise, the Heightened Sense mode, which makes time go molasses for 8 seconds, is pretty ludicrous. It’ll cease when an enemy spots you, at which point the flow state ends and your beating probably begins.
I also found great use in using the Vault technique after an attack deflection—you’ll use the enemy as a mini jumping castle and then capitalising on his discombobulated state that follows. I also saw huge success with a Shallow Water Breathing technique for basically staying underwater forever as a means to crocodile snatch anybody near the water’s edge.
When my time came to an end with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, my impressions were of something familiar that's finally leaning hard into what has always been its most ideal and aspirational form. The original AC blueprint, from its very inception, was really just a Middle-Eastern-flavoured ninja sim. AC Shadows—well, half of it at least—feels like a stealth experience homecoming that’s been ages in the making.
Naoe is my jam, and while this Japanese sandbox isn’t as painterly as the islands of Tsushima and Iki, Shadows has the edge in terms of interesting major metropolitan areas. They're all built around what I consider to be the most satisfying to climb jungle gyms ever built—multi-tier Edo-period fortresses.
I simply cannot wait to scale them for the purposes of springboarding into repeated death-from-above executions (or just insane haybale dives). The new release date of March 20th can't get here soon enough.
Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.
After id Software’s brilliant revival of Doom in 2016 and its even tighter 2020 sequel Doom Eternal, it’d be hard for Doom to soar any higher. So it isn’t. Instead, it’s keeping both feet planted firmly on the ground and bringing the high-speed, high-skill-ceiling first-person shooter even closer to the scores of Hell’s minions in the medieval-tinged prequel, Doom: The Dark Ages.
Yes, the new Doom pivots from Eternal’s platforming and instead literally grounds its combat in strafe-heavy gameplay with an emphasis on power. Sure, the great guns are still there – this is Doom, after all! – and that very much includes the new Skull Crusher that stood out in the reveal trailer. You know, the one that eats the skulls of your fallen enemies as ammunition and spits them back out at the still-living bad guys in smaller, higher-velocity chunks. But The Dark Ages also places a huge premium on your three melee weapons: the default electrified gauntlet, which can be charged up; the flail; and the star of the reveal trailer from last summer, the Shield Saw, which can be thrown or used to block, parry, or deflect. “You’re gonna stand and fight,” game director Hugo Martin said after my demo of the new Doom.
Perhaps it won’t surprise you, then, that Martin says The Dark Ages is inspired primarily by three other seminal pieces of pop culture: the legendary original Doom, Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel, and Zack Snyder’s 2006 classic movie 300 – perhaps not coincidentally based on a graphic novel by Miller.
As further evidence of this, the modern series’s trademark Glory Kill finishing-move system has been unsynced, meaning the fatalities can be performed from any angle on the battlefield and will change accordingly. This is to account for the hordes of enemies that will be around you all the time. Yes, like 300 (and the original Doom), you’ll be surrounded by bad guys in combat bowls that have been significantly widened in The Dark Ages. You can accomplish objectives in any order you want, and wander anywhere you feel like in the levels (which, by the way, Martin says have been shortened a bit where needed to stick closer to his sweet spot of each being about an hour long).
Even better, addressing a criticism I cited in my review of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages will no longer force you to read its story in the Codex. Instead, the story will play out in cutscenes. And the story will “take you to the far reaches of the Doom universe,” id says, with a big story described as “a summer blockbuster event with everything on the line” as your power as the Slayer is coveted by your enemies.
Martin also made a point to emphasize that the development team is focusing on simplifying the control scheme, believing that in hindsight, Doom Eternal made the controls too complex. Martin said the team wanted something that felt intuitive so that when they pressure the player, they’re not reaching for buttons they’re not familiar with. The aforementioned melee options, for example, will be equipped like equipment (meaning, one at a time). Meanwhile, not only will there be more secrets and treasures hidden around, but the economy has been simplified to one currency (gold), and those secrets will focus on furthering your skill progression. Meaning, tangible, gameplay-altering rewards rather than lore deep-dives.
One thing you definitely can deep-dive into, though, is the difficulty. Custom sliders now let you tweak the challenge however you see fit, with adjustments for things like game speed and enemy aggression (and a whole lot more) at your fingertips in the UI.
I also learned a bit more about two standout gameplay sequences from the reveal trailer: the giant 30-story demon mech (called the Atlan) and the cybernetic dragonback riding. They won’t be one-offs, by the sound of it, but you can’t just call in either one anytime you like. Each has a full suite of abilities and even minibosses to battle. Oh, and one more key bit of information: there won’t be any multiplayer mode this time around, as the team wanted to focus all of its resources into making the best single-player campaign possible. Not that Eternal’s Battlemode was bad, but I imagine most players won’t complain.
But for me, someone for whom the original Doom was transformational in 1993, I just keep coming back to Martin’s pivot away from the (very successful!) direction they were heading in Eternal and his renewed adherence to the design principles of that 30-year-old foundational classic as he designed The Dark Ages. “It’s just gotta be different [from Eternal],” Martin said. “Especially if I loved the game. [If] I wanna play a Doom game, I wanna feel strong, but I’m OK with changing what that power fantasy is, especially if that change brings it closer to classic Doom.”
Hearing that has got me more hyped than ever. May 15 can’t come soon enough.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Doom: The Dark Ages was one of the stars of Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct 2025 showcase, with confirmation of a release date, new gameplay footage, and plenty more.
First up, the release date. Doom: The Dark Ages launches May 15, 2025 across Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC. As a Microsoft-owned game, Doom: The Dark Ages launches day one on Game Pass. The Collector’s Bundle includes up to two days of early access.
There is no mention of a release on the just-announced Nintendo Switch 2, although Microsoft is reportedly bringing many of its games to the next-gen console once it comes out later in 2025.
We also have confirmation that Doom: The Dark Ages is single-player campaign only. Both 2016’s Doom and its sequel, 2020’s Doom Eternal, had online multiplayer. So why the change for Doom: The Dark Ages?
Speaking to press ahead of the announcement, executive producer Marty Stratton and game director Hugo Martin explained that the decision to go single-player only was made early so id Software could focus fully on the campaign.
“We made that decision early so that we could really just go all in on the campaign,” Stratton said. “It's our largest, most expansive, most epic campaign ever and we're just really happy with the decision and I think it's been awesome to have the team focused just on polishing and finishing the campaign.”
Martin added that because of the decision to ditch multiplayer, id Software was able to include features in the campaign that it wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. These include sections where you ride a fire-breathing dragon and pilot 30-story high Atlan mechs.
“That's why we were able to put the dragon and the Atlan in,” Martin said. “I mean, these are things we've wanted to do in the game for multiple games now, but couldn't because we had a multiplayer component which we loved, but really it was meant to just focus on the single player campaign and just level up that experience for players.”
IGN has plenty more on Doom: The Dark Ages, including confirmation of the game’s composer. For more, here's everything announced during Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct 2025.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The composer of Doom: The Dark Ages’ soundtrack has been revealed to be Finishing Move, the music production team behind the award-nominated Borderlands 3 and Halo Wars 2 original scores.
Formed by the duo of Brian Trifon and Brian Lee White, Finishing Move has been closely aligned with Microsoft’s games over the past decade, with credits on Halo 2: Anniversary Edition, Grounded, and Microsoft Flight Simulator to their name, as well as recently crafting the score for survival horror The Callisto Protocol.
During Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct, Doom: The Dark Ages game director, Hugo Martin, announced Finishing Move’s creation of the soundtrack, describing it as “a metal soundscape that’s loaded with guitars, medieval vibes, and pure adrenaline.” From the snippets we heard in the newly released gameplay, we can’t really argue with that description as the guitars joyously snarl and spit in time with the Slayer’s ripping and tearing.
The switch to Finishing Move comes after a complicated dispute between The Dark Ages developer id Software and composer Mick Gordon, who wrote the award-winning score to 2016’s Doom revival.
In what began as a question about Gordon’s involvement in the final mixing of its sequel Doom Eternal’s score, the feud grew over time, with the composer pointing accusations of unpaid wages at the developer, and singling out executive producer Marty Stratton for allegedly abusive behavior. Bethesda responded to these claims shortly after, describing Gordon’s version of events as an “unjust account of an irreparable professional relationship.”
Gordon would not work with id Software again, with soundtrack duties for Eternal’s DLC expansion, The Ancient Gods, handed to Andrew Hulshult and David Levy. Fans wondered if they would be the natural fit to handle The Dark Ages’ score creation, but evidently, id has gone in a different direction with Finishing Move.
Doom’s gunplay has always been inextricably linked to its metal soundtracks, with Bobby Prince’s original 1993 score one of the most iconic to have ever been created. Finishing Move will be eager to join the legendary ranks of both Prince’s and Gordon’s score when The Dark Ages releases later this year.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a single-player only first-person shooter campaign that arrives on Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC on May 15, 2025. For more, here's everything announced during Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct 2025.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editorial Producer who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
The collaborative relationship between LEGO and Nintendo, two world leaders in family-friendly entertainment that operate in the adjacent realms of toys and games, began with the 1999 release of LEGO Racers on N64. At least one LEGO game has been released on a Nintendo platform nearly every year since, and multiple Nintendo-themed LEGO sets have been released each year since they debuted in 2020.
The LEGO-Nintendo synergy has persisted through the Switch era, and with the Switch 2 officially due out this year, we’re looking back on the legacy of LEGO on the Switch.
As of January 2025, 17 LEGO games have been released on Switch, from LEGO Undercover City in 2017 to the PlayStation collaboration LEGO Horizon Adventures in 2024. Of the 17 games, seven are LEGO originals and 10 are licensed collaborations with other intellectual properties.
In April 2017, one month after the console’s launch, the series’ first game to hit the Switch was LEGO City Undercover, which is an original LEGO game originally released for Wii U in 2013. It’s based on the LEGO City series of building sets and tells the tale of an undercover police officer tracking an escaped prisoner.
LEGO Worlds is another original game released on the Switch in 2017. Worlds is the most authentically LEGO game available on Switch; it steps out of the series’ usual action-adventure genre into the world of sandbox games (think Minecraft), allowing you to build structures and environments brick by brick.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game is, as its name makes clear, an adaptation of The LEGO Ninjago Movie. The game and movie, both based on LEGO’s own Ninjago line, were released in the U.S. on September 22, 2017. The action-adventure game features eight locations and several playable characters from the movie.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes draws characters and locations from Marvel movies and comics alike, with a massive roster of characters that (probably) includes every Marvel hero and villain you can think of. It’s a direct sequel to LEGO Marvel Super Heroes that ultimately pits you against the time-travelling villain Kang the Conqueror.
The first game is also available on the Switch, though you’ll find it further down this list – it wasn’t ported until 2021.
Another LEGO-Disney collaboration, LEGO The Incredibles combines story beats from both movies, the 2004 original and 2018 sequel. The game was released alongside The Incredibles 2 in June 2018. It features over 100 playable characters, including all five members of the Parr family.
LEGO DC Super-Villains is a LEGO Batman spinoff focused on a collection of villains from the deep history of DC Comics, including The Joker and Lex Luthor. The villains must navigate the internal threat of personality conflict while pursuing the mysterious Justice Syndicate. It’s notably the first LEGO game to center its story around a player-created character.
The LEGO Harry Potter Collection is a compilation of two games: LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 and LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7. The collection includes the complete LEGO Harry Potter experience, pulling characters, stories, and activities from all seven books and eight movies. This collaboration goes hand-in-hand with the many LEGO Harry Potter sets that have released over the last few years.
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame is a movie tie-in that was largely knocked for its lack of originality and innovation. The game blends elements of traditional action-adventure LEGO games with the building elements introduced in LEGO Worlds.
Originally released alongside the movie in 2015, LEGO Jurassic World came to Switch four years later in 2019. It features a 20-level campaign with five levels from each movie that had been released up until that point in time (Jurassic Park 1-3 and Jurassic World). In addition to characters from the Jurassic World movies, you can unlock playable versions of the franchise’s primary directors, Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow.
LEGO Builder’s Journey came to Switch in 2021 after debuting on Apple Arcade in 2019. While most LEGO games incorporate puzzle-solving, Builder’s Journey is all puzzles, all the time. It’s a beautifully designed game that tells its father-son story one geometric puzzle at a time.
First released in 2013, LEGO Marvel Superheroes didn’t come to Switch until 2021. It tells an original story with several of Marvel’s most recognizable heroes – Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Captain America, and others – teaming up to foil the apocalyptic plans of Doctor Doom and Loki.
The definitive LEGO Star Wars experience, The Skywalker Saga features reimagined scenes from all nine Skywalker movies: the original trilogy, prequel trilogy, and sequel trilogy. Within this sprawling collection are over 300 playable characters, 23 planets, and 100 vehicles. Compared to past LEGO games, The Skywalker Saga moves you closer to the action by shifting the camera from a zoomed-out third-person perspective to a tighter over-the-shoulder view. Considering the sheer amount of Star Wars LEGO sets out there, it's no surprise this made for one of the best Star Wars games of all time.
LEGO Brawls is the worst-reviewed game on this list, based on Metascore (46). It’s an accessible, Smash Bros.-inspired fighting game originally released for Apple Arcade in 2019. Brawls features well over 100 minifigures/fighters from over 10 LEGO sets, including Ninjago and Jurassic World.
LEGO Bricktales is an original, puzzle-based adventure similar to LEGO Builder’s Journey, though on a larger scale. The game takes you to dioramas set in jungles, deserts, cities, medieval castles, and tropical islands. Bricktales was made by ClockStone Studio, the developer best known for its Bridge Constructor series.
LEGO 2K Drive, from prolific sports game developer Visual Concepts, is a racing game set in the open world of Bricklandia. 2K Drive is a robust racing game that features street, off-road, and water races; story, single race, tournament, minigame, and free-roam modes; and a custom car-builder that our review called “excellent.”
LEGO Fortnite is a collection of LEGO-themed games housed within Fornite. Epic Games and the LEGO Group have created several LEGO Fornite experiences since the collaboration was launched in late 2023. Among the current ways to play are a survival-crafting game called Odyssey, an online social RPG called Brick Life, and a level designer called LEGO Islands.
The franchise’s latest game is LEGO Horizon Adventures, a collaboration between PlayStation’s Guerrilla Games and English support studio Studio Gobo. It’s a retelling of Horizon Zero Dawn, simplified and sanitized for a wider audience, that leans into the combat and platforming mechanics of LEGO action games before it.
There are currently no new LEGO games announced for the Switch or Switch 2 – or any platform for that matter. However, we expect to see new LEGO games at some point and most (if not all) of those to be released on the Switch and/or Switch 2.
While you wait for news of new LEGO games, you can check out all of our Switch 2 coverage or let us know which Nintendo franchise deserves a LEGO set most in 2025.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
© CD Projekt
© Ao Norte
© Sandfall Interactive
© id Software
© Warner Bros, Rocksteady
© Ubisoft
id Software has confirmed that Doom: The Dark Ages will be officially released on PC on May 15th. To celebrate this announcement, the team has shared a new trailer that you can find below. Doom: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. The prequel will tell an … Continue reading Doom: The Dark Ages Hits PC on May 15th + PC Requirements →
The post Doom: The Dark Ages Hits PC on May 15th + PC Requirements appeared first on DSOGaming.
© Compulsion Games
© id Software
© Amplitude
During today's Xbox Developer Direct, we got another look at upcoming Xbox RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 along with a release date of April 24, 2025.
In a new trailer, we got more info on the game's story, which we're told doesn't focus on good vs. evil. Rather it focuses on a group of complicated, messy people who all are brought together to defeat that which is a threat to all of them. There's a focus on the relationship between the characters, and while it can get introspective, there are also NPCs whose stories and mechanics are somewhat lighter.
As we've seen in past trailers, the UI and battle menus are exceptionally stylish, channeling Persona a bit in their big energy. The world itself is inspired by French art deco style, with art director Nicohlas Maxson-Francombe explaining in a recent Xbox Wire post that he wanted to avoid doing the same kinds of environments he's seen a million times before. "I just wanted to get out of the stuff that we’ve just seen a million times, – science fiction, to space, or zombies, all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to get my head out of there and see what I can try to come up with that was original for me personally."
And we also got a look at unique character mechanics and customization via skill tree in the trailer, and what seems to be a massive colletion of possible equippable passive effects. There are far more details in the same Xbox Wire post about the combat system and some of the characters' specific moves.
It was also revealed that Clair Obscur will follow in the steps of old-school RPGs and have an actual, navigable world map from which you can access various areas and towns. The world map will also include secrets and even hidden bosses.
Clair Obscur was first announced last summer at the Xbox Games Showcase from Montpellier-based Sandfall Interactive and came as a complete surprise to most. It takes place in a world where an entity known as the Paintress "repaints" the world each year, during which time she also paints a cursed number on a monolith that causes everyone of that age and older to turn to smoke instantly and disappear. Every year, that number ticks down by one, with younger and younger generations dying each time. With the number "33" up next, a group of individuals led by a man named Gustave sets out to try and stop the Paintress once and for all in a turn-based RPG with incredibly stylish battles and real-time elements.
You can catch up on everything shown in today's Xbox Developer Direct right here.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
During today's Xbox Developer Director, we saw a new trailer for South of Midnight complete with a release date of April 3, 2025 for those who purchase the premium edition, and April 8, 2025 for everyone else.
South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure game set in a fantastical version of the American Deep South. In the trailer, we saw a good look at main character Hazel's powers, which blend the traditional craft of weaving with magic to allow her to fight, conjure things, and overcome environmental obstacles. As she fights, Hazel "unravels" enemies to destroy them in action combat, and has some elements of customization in her fighting style that can help her counter different types of enemies.
Hazel's story starts with a massive hurricane that seemingly kills her mother, but also gives her the ability to see a magic world beyond the real one that gives her hope her mother might still be alive. As she hunts for her, Hazel will visit different different regions ruled by magical creatures, each one with a different Southern Gothic history that she'll need to heal by collecting their fragmented memories. In the trailer, we got a look at several of these creatures, including a real big bird and a massive crocodile covered in spikes with giant trees going out of its back. A giant talking Catfish acts as a guide for Hazel as she awakens her new powers.
South of Midnight was first announced at the Xbox Showcase in 2023 as a new game from We Happy Few developer Compulsion Games. It reappeared at the Xbox Showcase last year, and we got a hands-off look at it back in November. In an Xbox Wire post today, it's suggested the game will take between 10-12 hours to finish.
You can catch up on everything shown in today's Xbox Developer Direct right here.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
As well as announcing Ninja Gaiden 4, Koei Tecmo has announced a remake of 2008 Xbox 360 action game Ninja Gaiden 2 — and it’s out now.
Announced during Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct 2025, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black shadow-dropped across Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, and with Game Pass on console, PC and cloud today, January 23. For more, here's everything announced during Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct 2025.
Here's the official blurb on Ninja Gaiden 2 Black:
In Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, players assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a deadly ninja who wields the legendary Dragon Sword while embarking on a global battle against a series of formidable foes. The beautiful and bloody remaster utilizes Unreal Engine 5 to significantly enhance the graphic expression, elevating everything from character visuals to environmental backgrounds. In fact, the stages, characters, effects, and lighting have all been completely redesigned and remastered to fully immerse gamers into the story’s dark ninja world.
Gore elements such as dismemberment and blood have also been remastered to enhance the action experience. The high-speed, violent fights play out in brilliant brutality, utilizing a variety of weapons and techniques including Japanese swords, shurikens, Kusari-gamas, and tonfas. Meanwhile, those looking for a more toned-down experience can simply toggle the dismemberment feature on and off in the Options menu.
In addition, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black includes extra elements from the spin-off titles released after the original game’s debut, including the ability to control three additional characters: Momiji, Ayane, and Rachel. The remaster also includes “HERO PLAY STYLE”, a mode for beginners that provides automatic support in the most difficult situations, making the notoriously challenging title more accessible for those who may not be so confident in their action skills.
In a post on Xbox Wire, Team Ninja boss Fumihiko Yasuda explained the decision to remaster Ninja Gaiden 2.
“This simultaneous announcement and same-day release alongside Ninja Gaiden 4 might have caught some people by surprise,” he said. “The biggest reason for developing Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was to address the concerns of core fans who might be wondering, ‘What’s going to happen to Ryu Hayabusa?’ We also wanted to give players something to enjoy as they wait for the release of Ninja Gaiden 4. We chose Ninja Gaiden 2 because it stands as one of the most solid action games in the series. We added ‘Black’ to the title to signal to fans that this is the definitive version, much like Ninja Gaiden Black was for the first game.”
Yasuda continued: "This version is crafted to satisfy both those who played the original and newcomers discovering it as a current-generation action game. We’ve meticulously incorporated some of the additions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 while staying true to the challenge and feel of the original 360 version, including its signature gore and violence. We’ve also adjusted the weapon upgrade system to more align with the original release.”
Team Ninja’s infamously challenging Ninja Gaiden series has a long association with Xbox. The developer’s reboot of the action series launched first on Xbox in 2004, propelling master ninja Ryu Hayabusa into the mainstream. Ninja Gaiden Black, considered one of the greatest action games of all time, launched the following year.
Ninja Gaiden 2 came out in 2008 published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. Ninja Gaiden 3 followed in 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Since then, fans have had the critically panned spin-off Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, and, more recently, Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, a compilation of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge.
Publisher Koei Tecmo revived interest in Ninja Gaiden with the announcement of Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, a brand-new side-scrolling spin-off due out later this year. But the main event is Ninja Gaiden 4, which finally continues Ryu Hayabusa’s story 13 years after Ninja Gaiden 3 came out.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Connexion