11 years after its debut, Far Cry 4 now runs at 60 frames per second (fps) on PlayStation 5.
As spotted by gael_74 and posted to the Far Cry 4 subreddit, the update history for the game states that Version 1.08 introduced "support 60 FPS on PS5 console."
So, if you've yet to play it, now would be a good time to give Far Cry 4 a try. Featuring one of the series' best antagonists, Pagan Min, Far Cry 4 plonks you into a vast and colorful open-world, the vertical landscape of the Himalayas not "just a pretty backdrop, but a playground that encourages the player to fight, hunt, and explore."
"Far Cry 4 has weak characters, but its campaign, co-op, and competitive multiplayer feature incredibly fun freedom," we wrote in IGN's "great" 8.5/10 Far Cry 4 review.
Far Cry 4 is the latest in a line of PS4-era Ubisoft games to receive a retrospective upgrade over recent years, such as Assassin's Creed Syndicate and Assassin's Creed Origins. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's left Far Cry fans in the subreddit clamoring for more of the same, hoping the 60 fps treatment will also soon be applied to other fan-favorite Far Cry titles like Far Cry Primal and Far Cry 3.
The update did come a little too late for some, sadly: "You are kidding right. I just platinumed the game, like, three days ago," lamented one unlucky player.
Last month, Ubisoft created a subsidiary company based on its Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six brands, with a €1.16 billion (approx. $1.25 billion) investment from Chinese megacorp Tencent.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
The fast-paced alternative to the old guard of card battlers is a great starting point for curious card players, but it might just get its hooks into you for the long haul too.
As the wait goes on for more Grand Theft Auto 6 news following 2023’s Trailer 1, one former Rockstar developer has said he wouldn’t release any more trailers before the game's release date.
Rockstar released GTA 6 Trailer 1 to record-breaking viewership in December 2023, but it hasn’t released a single asset since. The year-and-a-half wait for more information has fueled increasingly bizarre conspiracy theories about when Rockstar will release GTA 6 Trailer 2.
But former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij, who worked on the series up to 2008's Grand Theft Auto 4 before leaving the company nine months after launch, said if it were up to him he wouldn’t release any more trailers for GTA 6.
“If it was my call I wouldn’t release any additional trailers,” he tweeted. “There is more than enough hype around VI and the element of surprise is going to make the release only bigger as an event.”
Then, in response to one user who wondered whether Rockstar might announce the GTA 6 release date and nothing else, Vermeij replied: “It would be a boss move.”
Would Rockstar actually do something like that, though? By naming the first GTA 6 trailer as GTA 6 Trailer 1, the suggestion is that more numbered trailers will follow. Plans change, of course. Perhaps this one will come right down to the wire, and Rockstar would rather focus on getting GTA 6 out the door this year than on a trailer it knows will be analyzed to within an inch of its life.
Vermeij revealed that Rockstar decided to delay GTA 4 in July 2007, just three months before its original October 16, 2007 release date, and suggested "decision day" for GTA 6 will be similar.
"Only at that time did it become clear we were going to miss the deadline," Vermeij explained. "I’m guessing decision-day for VI will be similar. Fingers crossed for Take2’s August earnings report."
In an interview with Bloomberg in March, Zelnick was asked straight up: why is GTA 6’s release date such a carefully held secret?
“The anticipation for that title may be the greatest anticipation I’ve ever seen for an entertainment property," Zelnick replied. "And I’ve been around the block a few times and I’ve been in every entertainment business there is.
“We want to maintain the anticipation and the excitement. And we do have competitors who will describe their release schedule for years in advance. And we found that the better thing to do is to provide marketing materials relatively close to the release window in order to create that excitement on the one hand and balance the excitement with unmet anticipation. We don’t always get it exactly right, but that’s what we are trying to do.”
Mike York, who worked as an animator at Rockstar New England for six years helping to build Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 before leaving the company in 2017, said on his YouTube channel that Rockstar is playing up to the conspiracy theories, deliberately avoiding saying anything about the game or when Trailer 2 will be released in order to fuel even more speculation within the community.
“They're reaching and pulling and trying to come up with these really cool theories to decipher when the next trailer will be,” he said of fans.
“Specifically Rockstar, they're very secretive about what they do, and this is a really cool tactic because it creates allure and it creates mystery and it creates people talking about it without them having to do anything. The more they're silent the better it is, because the more people will be antsy and want to talk about it and have this feeling of not knowing what's going to happen.”
York went on to say that Rockstar is likely resisting pressure from its army of fans to announce the GTA 6 Trailer 2 release date for this exact reason.
“They could easily release the trailer date and be like, ‘Hey this is when the trailer's coming out,’ but they don't do it. And they don't do it on purpose because it's a really, really good marketing tactic. If you think about it, it creates these really cool theories.
“This brings the fans together. This is a really cool way to get fans to talk about your game when you’re not releasing anything yet, in-between the times.
“All these theories are great. They only create hype, they create talk, they create mystery behind the games.”
Zelnick’s quote also suggests that GTA 6 Trailer 2, assuming it exists, won’t be released until we’re closer to the game’s actual release date in fall 2025, assuming it’s not delayed. If that’s true, it may be some time before we get another look at the game.
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.
This article contains spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 side content. It does not spoil the main story.
Thanks to its astonishing, utterly absorbing story, I found little time for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s side content. For two dozen hours I stayed true to the mission and pushed onwards towards my goal of defeating The Paintress. Not that I could see much else to do; optional regions and objectives seemed few and far between. But upon reaching the final phase of the story, in which you unlock the ability to fly around the overworld map, my assumption about side content was proven totally wrong. This world is so much bigger and more impressive than I realised.
Soar up into the clouds and you’ll find scattered floating islands, each one home to the likes of a gladiatorial arena, casino, crimson forest, or something stranger. Push beyond the boundaries of the main continent and you’ll discover hidden doors, wild platforming challenges, and elaborate mazes. And, deep below the ocean surface, there’s the hardest boss of them all. Yes, there’s what seems like an entire other game beyond the main path, much of which is designed to be Expedition 33’s endgame. Clair Obscur isn’t solely a story-focused experience, at least not for those who dare to continue.
Developer Sandfall Interactive has taken an economical approach to side quests (understandable, considering the studio's small size.) You won’t find any of the sprawling side stories that make games like The Witcher 3 so beloved. Most of the optional regions are small – some are even a single ‘room’ viewed from a static camera, designed to evoke the pre-rendered backdrops of PS1-era Final Fantasy more than offer any kind of exploration value. For the story-hungry, there’s precious little beyond the dozens of Journals that recount the trials of failed expeditions before you. Small but nonetheless interesting lore drops (such as, for instance, the origin of the Nevron enemies you face throughout the story) do, on occasion, make the side content narratively richer, but this is not a pursuit for anyone expecting the same grand story ambition as seen in the main quest.
Instead, Expedition 33’s MO for side content is gameplay-driven. But while it’s all built on the same core concepts as the main campaign – simple exploration, turn-based combat encounters, and character buildcrafting – the activities available certainly have a very different flavour. For the most part, it's all designed to push those foundational ideas as far as they can possibly go. Exploration becomes trickier thanks to labyrinthine environments that require puzzle solving to progress, while incredibly powerful bosses demand both full mastery of the combat system and deep understanding of how to assemble your characters' stats, abilities, and equipment.
If you’re a fan of the Japanese RPG grind, you’ll be in perfect territory here.
As with the main story, there’s space made for both the enigmatic and eccentric. Random doors found in both levels and the overworld will transport you to the Manor, a grand house filled with locked rooms. Each new door found breaks the seal on one of those rooms, granting access to the collectables inside. Opening up the whole house is naturally the goal, but there’s more hiding within its halls. A series of secret levers in the dining hall triggers moving architecture, which not only grants access to a hidden passageway, but also suggests there’s more concealed in the Manor than it first seems.
Stranger still are the Gestral-populated regions, where sentient paintbrush-like creatures ask you to solve quirkier problems. At the Flying Casino, for instance, a Gestral holed up inside refuses to speak to any human – overcome that issue and you’ll be rewarded with one of the more humorous costume options. Similarly, heading to the Gestral beaches will see you rewarded with swimsuits for your team (sure to become “fan favourites”, I’m sure), but you’ll need to succeed at a bit of running and jumping to net them. Some of the time that’s reasonably easy – a race through a basic obstacle course, for instance. But one beach asks you to climb an impossibly tall tower of precariously balanced junk, a feat that demands patient and precise platforming, not least because a single slip-up sends you right back to the start.
Combining ideas from those aforementioned regions is the Painting Workshop. A monochrome realm hanging within an abyss, you must carefully navigate its pathways made of canvases and picture frames in order to approach an ominous sculpture. Finding the Workshop’s multiple entrances in the overworld will allow you to complete the sculpture and trigger a boss fight against the Lampmaster, a horrifying mass of arms, lamps, and a huge sword that requires you to solve a light puzzle between combat rounds. You fought this monstrosity much earlier in the game, but this version is substantially harder.
That difficulty doesn’t just apply to the Lampmaster – it affects Expedition 33’s side content almost universally. Abandoning the beaten path early on only to discover a boss clearly designed for the endgame is one thing, but it's another to arrive at the endgame and still feel totally underprepared. It quickly becomes clear that high-level challenge is very much the philosophy by which many of the activities live by.
High-level challenge is very much the philosophy by which many of the endgame activities live by.
The Dark Gestalt Arena and the Endless Tower are classic JRPG-style battle gauntlets, asking you to succeed through a number of increasingly difficult fights. Meanwhile, lurking around the overworld are a variety of incredibly powerful adversaries, such as the ethereal Serpenphare floating around the sky islands to the north, or the titan-like Sprong that wades through the ocean. Even after you break through the 9,999 damage limit, inflicting pain on these creatures demands incredible skill and persistence. There’s no cheat code to bypass this – dropping down to story mode difficulty does little to augment your chances against them. These bosses demand that you put in the effort to train, improve, and refine your characters. In many instances, you’ll need to respec and reconfigure your team in order to focus on a boss’s weakness and bolster your defences against its specific attacks (suddenly it makes sense why you pick up so much respec currency during the campaign). If you’re a fan of the Japanese RPG grind, you’ll be in perfect territory here.
Because of this, Clair Obscur’s endgame feels very much like its own experience, rather than the more typical “mopping up” of side quests that happens in an RPG’s twilight hours. I may have started my journey through it at level 50, but that’s effectively level 0 when it comes to the challenges that await. My approach has been to return to the campaign’s starting point and systematically complete each optional area I missed or avoided, which has created a more approachable challenge gradient. What was once a near-impossible task, marked with red “DANGER” text on the UI, is now an easily surmountable one. Completing challenges in this order will help elevate me to the right levels needed to take on the endgame’s true trial; another major boss who lurks deep beneath the ocean within the pages of Renoir’s Drafts. From what I understand, you need a party of level 90 characters to stand a chance against him. Right now, reasonably fresh out of the story’s finale, it feels like there’s a whole second game between me and it.
As I emerged into Expedition 33’s endgame, I was struck by the same feeling I had when I dived into the Depths that hide beneath The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Hyrule. All those sky islands, all those new lands, and all those ocean whirlpools signalled a wealth of extra things to do. I was also transported right back to my youth, when defeating Sephiroth was far from the conclusion of Final Fantasy 7 for me. Clair Obscur has its own versions of the Emerald and Ruby weapons, the Gold Saucer Battle Square, plus several of its own ideas on top. If you’ve truly fallen for Expedition 33, especially the combat and RPG stats side of things, then its side content and challenging endgame are an absolute must. Be sure to check out our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 guide if you need any help along the way.
At $4.50 per screen protector, that's a fairly good offering when compared to the $40 Nintendo is charging for its case and screen protector set.
This amFilm set is designed specifically for the Switch 2, so no concerns there, with a slim 0.3mm profile that’s meant to be barely noticeable once applied. Application is meant to be super easy as well, taking up to 30 seconds to complete.
amFilm also says the protector won’t interfere with the Switch 2’s display clarity, promising 99.9% screen transparency to keep visuals looking sharp and colors intact, alongside a 9H hardness rating, which helps it stand up to scratches, scuffs, and minor knocks.
Each pack includes two protectors, which is useful if one gets damaged or if you want to keep a spare on hand. You’ll also find everything needed for installation: a microfiber cloth, cleaning wipes, hinge stickers to help align it properly, and a straightforward setup guide.
Just keep in mind that this specific protector is only compatible with the Switch 2 — not the OG models. amFilm does sell a version for the Switch OLED screen, too, if you're still hanging on to it.
Good news, Sam Fisher fans: Ubisoft has confirmed it still remembers Splinter Cell exists by adding Steam Achievements to 2013's Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
Ubisoft said: "Agents, we are pleased to announce that Steam Achievements are now available for Splinter Cell: Blacklist!"
The achievements will be "retroactively earned for the accomplishments already completed in your game," although for that to happen, you need to boot up the game at least once. "Once synced, the previously unlocked Ubisoft Connect achievements will be automatically unlocked on Steam," the team added.
As well as taking the time to add achievements that can be "retrospectively earned," the developer chose not to add the additional 19 online achievements available on consoles to ensure people can still 100% the game on Steam.
The stealth-action series is set to sneak back into action with a remake of the classic first game in the franchise, Splinter Cell Remake. We still don't know very much about it other than the new version will be built from the ground up using the advanced Snowdrop engine.
“20 years later, we can look back at the plot, the characters, the overall story of the game [and] make some improvements — things that might not have aged particularly well,” said creative director Chris Auty at the time. “But the core of the story, the core of the experience will remain as it was in the original game.”
Last month, Ubisoft created a subsidiary company based on its Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six brands, with a €1.16 billion (approx. $1.25 billion) investment from Chinese megacorp Tencent.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
We still don't have confirmation that the game based on Akira Toriyama's fan-favorite anime and manga series is coming to Switch 2, but a now-deleted tweet from the Saudi General Authority of Media Regulation, spotted by the Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit, proves otherwise.
"Experience the fighting action in the latest game Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. Available on Nintendo Switch 2, featuring 3D battles and storylines that change based on your choices," the tweet said before it was taken down, confirming it had secured a 12+ rating.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series and raises it to whole new levels, boasting "an incredible number "of playable characters, each with signature abilities, transformations, and techniques.
We gave it 7/10 in the IGN Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero review, saying: "Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a final flash from the past, sometimes to a fault, but the feeling of traveling back to a simpler time when games didn’t have to be balanced or competitive to be fun is still a good one."
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky
Players keen enough to pre-order will secure the Night & White Pack, which includes two costume sets — Night Spectre and White Spectre — as well as the Vermillion War Club axe and the Glistening Red Mercury Skill Upgrade.
Developer Leenzee Games has also confirmed Wuchang: Fallen Feathers will be available in both a standard and deluxe edition, with the latter offering four costumes — each one including five costume pieces — four weapons, and one Skill Upgrade item on top of the base game.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Deluxe Edition Extras:
Tiger of Fortune Costume
Draconic Resurgence Costume
Soul Ritual Robe Costume
Overlord’s Regalia Costume
Watcher’s Gaze (Sword)
Dragoncoil Lance (Spear)
Eternal Sovereignty (Dual Blades)
Moonlight Dragon (Sword)
Skill Upgrade Item: the Blood of Changhong Skill.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a Soulslike action-RPG set in the land of Shu during the dark and tumultuous late Ming Dynasty. You play as a mysterious warrior afflicted by a horrific feather disease, who uncovers hidden secrets and battles supernatural enemies in an ancient empire teetering on the edge of collapse.
We enjoyed what we played of it earlier this year in our Wuchang: Fallen Feathers first hands-on preview, writing: "I only caught a small glimpse at Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, but I already feel pretty good about its chances at being more than just another soulslike to add to the ridiculously overflowing pile. The movesets are intricate and interesting, the RPG mechanics seem deep and offer a lot of freedom (even if I can’t claim to understand some of them fully), and the boss fights gave me a serious run for my money that’s rare these days. All that’s already got me pretty excited to play more."
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
There will “never” be another Back to the Future… anything, its screenwriter has insisted.
Speculation ramped up after the co-creators of Cobra Kai, the TV series follow-up to the Karate Kid movies, discussed a possible Back to the Future TV series.
But Bob Gale, one of the screenwriters of the Robert Zemeckis-directed Back to the Future trilogy, has insisted there is no future for the franchise.
“I don't know why they keep talking about that!” he told People. “I mean, do they think that if they say it enough times, we're going to actually do it?”
“I mean, it's like they know in every interview people say, ‘Oh Bob, when is there going to be a Back to the Future 4?’ Never. ‘When is there going to be a prequel?’ Never. ‘When is there going to be a spinoff?’ Never. It's just fine the way it is. It's not perfect, but as Bob Zemeckis used to say, ‘It's perfect enough.’ ”
Of course, this is Bob Gale talking here, and the might of Hollywood, if it was so inclined, would probably have the final say were it to greenlight a Back to the Future revival. But executive producer Steven Spielberg would need to give it a thumbs up, and according to Gale, that’s unlikely.
“If the juggernaut of corporate America or corporate international mishigas says, ‘If you don't agree to this, we're going to kill your children,’ alright, well, no, we don't want our children killed,’ ” he joked.
“But Steven Spielberg, of course, he's got to sign off on it too. And Steven, just like Steven won't allow another E.T., he totally respects the fact that we don't want any more Back to the Future. He gets it and always stood behind that. And thank you, Steven.”
Gale’s comments here are in keeping with his previous responses to questions around a potential Back to the Future revival. In February, Gale issued a harsh message for fans hoping for a Back to the Future 4: "People always say, ‘When are you going to do Back to the Future 4?' And we say, ‘F**k you.' "
The original arrived in 1985 and sees high school student Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) accidentally sent back in time by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). It went on to become one of the most iconic sci-fi films of all time, and spawned two sequels.
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.
Nightcrawler writer-director Dan Gilroy is on deck to write the script, based on an initial draft from Top Gun: Maverick screenwriter Eric Warren Singer. Gilroy has more recently been busy writing multiple episodes of the Star Wars series Andor, which was created by his brother, Tony.
Miami Vice is a hugely influential NBC police series, created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann, which ran for five seasons between 1984 and 1989. The show, which featured Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as Miami detectives Crockett and Tubbs, remains highly esteemed for reinventing the idea of what a TV series could look, feel, and sound like.
The series was previously adapted for film in 2006 by Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral), starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell.
Further details are light at this stage, although it is apparent that Miami Vice will not be the next project the Top Gun: Maverick and Tron: Legacy director helms, following the release of Kosinski’s F1 this June.
Fortunately, this should give Kosinski plenty of time to figure out which Ferrari he needs to find.
Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.
505 Games has revealed the official PC system requirements for WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers via its Epic Games Store page. So, let’s see what PC system you’ll need in order to run this new Souls-like game. PC gamers will at least need an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 with 16GB of RAM and … Continue reading WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers Gets Official PC Requirements→
There’s something uniquely satisfying about nabbing a top-tier game for a fraction of RRP. Whether you’re chasing nostalgia, itching for a new adventure, or simply padding out your library, I've got discounts that deliver the goods. From sweeping RPGs to inventive indie darlings, there's a little something for every taste. Get 'em before they're back up to awful old regular price.
This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I'm celebrating the 34th birthday of Super Mario Bros. 3, the pinnacle of the NES' library. My most vivid memory of this is sitting in a HOYTS movie theatre and getting my mind blown during its unveiling in the climactic tournament of The Wizard (think: a 100 min Nintendo infomercial). Two years of tortuous waiting later, I scored a copy and was forever lost to its secret pipes, warp whistles, and peerless platforming action.
Nintendo Switch fans should jump at Octopath Traveler (60% off, now A$35), a game famed for its “HD-2D” art style, which sparked a whole wave of similarly styled Square Enix projects. Meanwhile, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen (83% off, now A$6) is a cult classic whose day-night cycle challenges are going to give you grief in a good way.
Xbox Series X players can lock into Disco Elysium - The Final Cut (70% off, now A$17), a genre-redefining RPG whose lead writer actually based the game’s world on a tabletop campaign he ran for 15 years. For something punchier, Robocop: Rogue City (80% off, now A$17) even has Peter Weller reprising his iconic role, complete with dry, deadpan one-liners custom-recorded for the game.
Over on PlayStation 5, Resident Evil Village (60% off, now A$21) continued Capcom’s revival hot streak with the towering Lady Dimitrescu (a vamp directly inspired by Japanese urban legends about "hashaku-sama"). Meanwhile, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection (A$51) brings back some of the wildest crossovers in gaming, including the first-ever Marvel fighting game to feature Chibi-style characters.
Finally, PC adventurers can snatch up Battletoads (90% off, now A$2), a modern revival of the famously difficult '90s beat-'em-up that once had players breaking controllers in frustration. Or hop aboard Halo: The Master Chief Collection (75% off, now A$14), where developer 343 Industries lovingly added Halo 3: ODST as a fan-requested bonus after early rocky launches.
Sonos doesn't discount its popular speakers very often, so it's a wise investment to jump on a good sale when you see one. Right now, Amazon and Walmart are offering one of Sonos' best speakers – the Arc soundbar – for only $599 after a hefty $300 off instant discount. This speaker appears to have been discontinued and has been replaced by the new Arc Ultra. It's currently sold out on Sonos' website and unlikely to come back except maybe in their Refurbished section.
Sonos Arc Soundbar for $599 ($300 Off)
The Arc was Sonos' flagship soundbar until the recent release of the Arc Ultra, which retails for $1,000 and hasn't seen any discount since its launch. The premium 45" soundbar houses eleven precisely engineered internal speakers (three tweeters and eight midwoofers). It's also Dolby Atmos ready with two dedicated height channels. The Arc can easily be paired with other Sonos speakers and subs without any technical know-how (simply follow the instructions on the app), which is why Sonos is often recommended for anyone who wants great sound without the hassle typically associated with AV setup. Other nifty features include an ambient light sensor, HDMI eARC, capacitive touch controls, WiFi, and more. The Sonos Arc also has a built-in microphone so it can accept voice commands.
The new Arc Ultra is actually worth the price premium
Although the new Arc Ultra looks similar to the Arc and even has mostly similar dimensions (the Arc Ultra is 1.5" wider, 0.4" shorter, and 0.4" shallower), the internals have undergone a significant upgrade. The Arc Ultra packs in fourteen speakers, including seven tweeters, six midwoofers, and an all new Sound Motion four-motor dual-membrane woofer. Aside from bigger, cleaner bass, the Arc Ultra does a much better job separating voices and improving dialogue clarity. It also has Bluetooth built-in, which the Arc strangely lacked.
See more soundbars we recommend
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Legend of Zelda may be one of Nintendo's most storied and popular video game franchises, but did you also know there's a vast library of books you can check out? From a wide variety of manga to lore encyclopedias, these books make the perfect gift for the Zelda fanatic in your life. Or if you just wanted to spruce up your own bookshelf, we got you covered.
Amazon's April book sale might be over, but many of these are still available at a discount for the foreseeable future and make for great gifts.
The Legend of Zelda Manga
Penned by Akira Himekawa, the Legend of Zelda manga span almost the entire history of the games, with major manga series based on many of the mainline titles like Ocarina of Time and the Minish Cap. These are great for people new to manga wanting to dip their toes in, or die-hard fans of the games looking for deeper world building. All of these stories are available individually, but if you're a collector, you can get some of them in various collected box sets.
The 11 volume Twilight Princess Manga has its own boxed set, which includes the complete story and a poster. Additionally, the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past manga by Shotaro Ishinomori is a great quick read that's also available.
The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedias
If you're in the mood for something a little more educational, the Legend of Zelda encyclopedias are the perfect place to get a deep dive into Hyrule's lore, culture, and different races. The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia originally released in 2013 and gave fans the first officially established timeline. If you're unfamiliar, for years fans have meticulously speculated about a branching timeline that began in Ocarina of Time — one branch where adult Link defeats Ganondorf and one where he doesn't. It's a pretty interesting bit of lore that explains some of the settings in later and past games.
The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia and Art & Artifacts offer even deeper looks at the universe, and include detailed breakdowns of the different items, characters, and enemies, as well as exclusive interviews with developers.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Creating a Champion is an over 400 page companion to the 2017 game. It contains countless design artwork and concept art, a look at the history of Hyrule, and interviewers with key developers.
The Legend of Zelda Guides
Thanks in part to the internet, they just don't quite make video game strategy guides like they used to. These days, older guides from publishers like Prima Games and Brady Games have become steeply priced collector's items. There is, however, one massive hardcover official guide for 2023's Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that is currently available on the Nintendo Switch. This almost 500 page guide covers everything you need to know in the game, from every Korok location and cooking recipes, to dungeon solutions and boss fight strategies.
Of course, you can also find all of that information in IGN's guide to the game, but this physical copy is a great addition to your shelf.
Flexispot is running its Spring Sale with up to 60% off the brand's most popular standing desks and ergonomic chairs. We like Flexispot because it offers quality electric standing desks with all the features you'd want at a fraction of the price compared to other more well-known models. We rated Flexispot's highes- end model, the E7 Pro, the best overall standing desk of 2025. I've been using a Flexispot desk for years now and wouldn't pay more for a "better" desk.
Featured in this article
You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. For more information on each product and why they are worth your consideration, read through below.
The E7 Pro is the creme de la creme of Flexispot's standing desks. It's recent released so it isn't nearly as heavily discounted as the other models. Currently it costs $399.99 (normally $599.99) for the base only and desktop surfaces start at $80. The E7 Pro features the best build quality of the three listed here, and it certainly shows with a weight capacity of a whopping 440lbs. Flexispot claims the motor for the E7 Pro is superior to the standard dual motor setup you'll find in the E5 and E7 and other brands, offering smoother and faster movement. You also get more cable management options included than even the E7. The Flexispot E7 Pro comes with the same 15-year warranty as the E7 on all metal, mechanical, and electrical parts and components, including the motor.
Flexispot C7 Ergonomic Chair for $229
The Flexispot C7 offers a ton of features that are typically reserved for much more expensive chairs. This includes an automatically adjusting lumbar system, adjustable seat depth, adjustable armrests, adjustable seat tilt, adjustable headrest, 128 degrees of recline, and more. There's a newer C7 Max chair available starting at $450 which features a thicker seat cushion, greater recline adjustability, and 5D armrests, and the option to add a built-in footrest.
Flexispot E5 Desk starting at $199.99
The Flexispot E5 desk is, in my opinion, the best value electric standing desk while still offering all the premium features you'd want. Right now it costs $199.99 (normally $379.99) for the base only and desktop surfaces start at $80. The Flexispot E5 is the least expensive model featuring dual motors, which are preferred over a single motor because they can support more weight (in this case 287lbs max) and they last longer because the stress is evenly distributed. The desktop is supported by a double crossbeam structure so that your surface is evenly supported to prevent any sagging. Most standing desks in this price range only have legs with a two-stage column, but this one features a three-stage column, which supports a greater vertical range (in this case 23.6" to 49.2"). An anti-collision feature, a must-have in all desks, will stop the desk when it detects obstruction of the motor. Finally, the keypad controls offer three memory presets and a timer to remind you when to swap sit/stand positions. The E5 comes with a 10-year warranty on all metal, mechanical, and electrical parts and components, including the motor.
Flexispot E7 Desk starting at $299.99
The E7 currently costs $299.99 (normally $499.99) for the base only and desktop surfaces start at $80. For an extra $140, the Flexispot E7 offers better build quality, a higher weight threshold, more included accessories, and a longer warranty. The lifting capacity has been upgraded from 287lbs to 355lbs. Aesthetically, the legs look more professional, with laser-welded seams, powder-coated finish, and no visible holes. The advanced keyboard has been upgraded with an LCD display, more memory presets, a built-in USB charger, and a child-lock function that's a necessity for those of us with inquisitive toddlers. The E7 also comes with a built-in cable tray under the desk to stow away all of your messy wiring. Finally, the Flexispot E7 boasts an increased 15-year warranty on all metal, mechanical, and electrical parts and components, including the motor.
Flexispot E7L L-Shaped Desk starting at $499.99
An L-shaped desk is the best way to take advance of room corners that are otherwise hard to utlize efficiently. Fortunately, Flexispot makes an L-shaped variant of its E7 desk, with the frame starting at $499.99. You'll only need to add $80 to get a 63"x47"x24" chipboard desktop surface included. The desk boasts a triple motor system (one for each leg) with a maximum weight capacity is 330 pounds and a height range of 25" to 50.7". The keyboard features a digital display, four memory presets, a built-in USB charger, and a child-lock function. Like the E7, the E7L includes a 15 year warranty.
Consider getting a desk frame here and the desktop surface elsewhere
I have three standing desks. One of the standing desks included a desktop, however for the other two desks I sourced on my own. For one of them I purchased a massive 74"x26" maple veneered countertop from Ikea for $199. For the other one I purchased a 48"x25" solid wood countertop from Home Depot and finished it myself. There are more options available where you could save money, opt for a better quality material, or both. Just remember to abide by the weight limitations.
How does Flexispot compare to other brands?
I can only speak from personal experience. I own a Jarvis Fully, a Vari Ergo, and a Flexispot E5. All three are excellent desks that have caused me no problems whatsoever in the 3+ years of owning them, and that's the point. The Flexispot E5 is considerably less expensive than the other two options, and yet I don't really see where much of that cost is going. For a similar price of a barebones $600 Jarvis standing desk (which is now owned by MillerKnoll), you could get the top end Flexispot E7 Pro and still come out with a few hundred dollars left over.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
It's almost May, but that doesn't mean it's too late to start reading the countless upcoming Spider-Man comics, spin-offs, and graphic novels. For tips on where to read Spider-Man comics online, we got you covered with a quick guide. Once you've found your preferred platform for digital comics, refer back to this guide for everything Spider-Man in 2025.
Ongoing series like Joe Kelly's and Pepe Larraz's The Amazing Spider-Man have just started their new runs, so it's the perfect time to swing in. There are also hardcover and trade paperback collections like the Spider-Man: Gang War Omnibus releasing throughout the year if waiting for monthly single issues isn't quite your thing.
April (Out This Month)
Graphic Novels
Amazing Spider-Man Modern Era Epic Collection: Coming Home by J. Michael Straczynksi and John Romita, Jr., April 29
Kid Venom: Origins by Taigami, April 29
Single Issues
Eddie Brock: Carnage #3 by Charles Soule and Jesus Saiz, April 23
The Amazing Spider-Man #2 by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz, April 23
Predator vs. Spider-Man #1 by Benjamin Percy and Marcelo Ferriera, April 23
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5 by Christos Gage and Eric Gapstur, April 23
May
Graphic Novels
Miles Morales: Spider-Man Vol. 6: Webs of Wakanda by Cody Ziglar and Marco Renna, May 13
Venom War: Zombiotes/ Venomous by Cavan Scott and various creators, May 20
Single Issues
Free Comic Book Day 2025: Amazing Spider-Man/ Ultimate Universe #1 by various creators, May 3
All-New Venom #6 by Al Ewing and Carlos Gomez, May 7
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #13 by Stephanie Phillips and Paolo Villanelli, May 7
The Amazing Spider-Man #3 by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz, May 7
Miles Morales: Spider-man #33 by Cody Ziglar and Marco Renna, May 14
Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse #1 by Mat Groom, Kyle Higgins, and Luciano Vecchio, May 14
The Spectacular Spider-Men #15 by Greg Weisman and Andres Genolet, May 14
Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 by Marc Guggenheim and Kaare Andrews, May 21
The Amazing Spider-Man #4 by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz, May 21
Eddie Brock: Carnage #4 by Charles Soule and Jesus Saiz, May 28
Predator vs. Spider-Man #2 by Benjamin Percy and Marcelo Ferriera, May 28
Spider-Boy #19 by Dan Slott and Paco Medina, May 28
Ultimate Spider-Man #17 by Jonathan Hickman and David Messina, May 28
Venom: Original Sin #1 by Clayton Crain, May 28
June
Graphic Novels
Spider-Man: Legend of the Spider-Clan by Kaare Andrews, Khary Randolph, and Skottie Young, June 3
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider Vol. 2 - Unraveled by Stephanie Phillips and Paolo Villanelli, June 10
Spider-Man by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, June 17
Single Issues
All-New Venom #7 by Al Ewing and Carlos Gomez, June 4
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #14 by Stephanie Phillips and Paolo Villanelli, June 4
The Amazing Spider-Man #5 by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz, June 4
Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #1 by Deniz Camp, Cody Ziglar, and Jonas Scharf, June 4
Eddie Brock: Carnage #5 by Charles Soule and Jesus Saiz, June 11
Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1 by Al Ewing and various creators, June 11
Spider-Girl #1 by Torunn Gronbekk and David Nakayama, June 11
Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse #2 by Mat Groom, Kyle Higgins, and Luciano Vecchio, June 18
The Amazing Spider-Man #6 by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz, June 18
Miles Morales: Spider-man #34 by Cody Ziglar and Marco Renna, June 25
Spider-Boy #20 by Dan Slott and Paco Medina, June 25
Spider-Man & Wolverine #2 by Marc Guggenheim and Kaare Andrews, June 25
Ultimate Spider-Man #18 by Jonathan Hickman and David Messina, June 25
July
Graphic Novels
Spider-Boy Vol. 3: The Dragon's Challenge by Dan Slott and Paco Medina, July 1
Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 2 by David Michelinie and various creators, July 8
Agent Venom Omnibus by Rick Remender and various creators, July 15
Amazing Spider-Man: The 8 Deaths Of Spider-Man by Joe Kelly and various creators, July 22
Spectacular Spider-Man Omnibus by J.M. DeMatteis and various creators, July 29
Single Issues
Solicitations not yet released.
August
Graphic Novels
Symbiote Spider-Man Omnibus by Peter David and Greg Land, August 12
Spider-Man: Gang War Omnibus by Zeb Wells and various creators, August 19
Single Issues
Solicitations not yet released.
September
Graphic Novels
Spider-Man/ Deadpool Modern Era Epic Collection: Road Trip by Robbie Thompson and various creators, September 2
The Spectacular Spider-Men Vol. 3: Strange Love by Greg Weisman and Andres Genolet, September 2
Amazing Spider-Man Modern Era Epic Collection: Big Time by Dan Slott, Fred Van Lente, and Humerto Ramos, September 23
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3: Family Business by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto, September 23
Carnage Modern Era Epic Collection: Carnage U.S.A. by Zeb Wells, Cullen Bunn, and Clayton Crain, September 30
Predator Vs. Spider-Man by Benjamin Percy and Marcelo Ferreira, September 30
Single Issues
Solicitations not yet released.
October
Graphic Novels
Eddie Brock: Carnage Vol. 1 - Killing Me by Charles Soule and Jesus Saiz, October 7
Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider Modern Era Epic Collection: Gwenom by Jason Latour and various creators, October 14
Venom Epic Collection: Planet Of The Symbiotes by Larry Hama and various creators, October 28
Single Issues
Solicitations not yet released.
November
Graphic Novels
Miles Morales: Spider-Man / Deadpool - Pools Of Blood by Cody Ziglar and Luigi Zagaria, November 4
Spider-Boy Vol. 4 by Dan Slott and Nathan Stockman, November 11
Spider-Girl Modern Era Epic Collection: Family Ties by Tom DeFalco and Pat Olliffe, November 18
Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 5 by Brian Michaeld Bendis and various creators, November 18
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider Vol. 3 - Uncharted by Stephanie Phillips and Paolo Villanelli, November 25
Single Issues
Solicitations not yet released.
December
Graphic Novels
Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1: Get Back Up by Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz, December 9
Spectacular Spider-Man: Lo, This Monster Treasury Edition by Stan Lee and John Romita, Sr., December 9
Miles Morales: Spider-Man Vol. 7 - God War by Cody Ziglar and Marco Renna, December 23
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