Now, in a new update to celebrate Undertale's 10th birthday, Fox has admitted that after "factoring [in] the localization and testing," he "doesn't think that the game will be released in the first half of 2026."
"That's not a surprise, right?" Fox wrote. "From last time's updates, you guys have access to exactly how long each step of the development took. Anyway, we don't have any external factors surrounding the release date this time. We'll release it when it's done, and we will continue to update you guys on the progress of its completion. Thanks!"
Fox also took the opportunity to describe exactly where in the development cycle Deltarune Chapter 5 is, revealing that the "early parts" are complete, albeit needing a little polish. The last "40%-or-so" is in a "rough first pass state, and the last 10% is in a prototyping state."
"Probably around 85% of cutscenes have been created up to a first draft state, however, of those at least 20% or so will require more polish," Fox said, adding that regular enemies are mostly done, with at least one programmer already working on the regular enemy bullet patterns of Chapter 6. The "direction of the boss battles" has been decided, and boss attacks have already been planned and completed. The next step is to "arrange the attacks and make adjustments to them if necessary to fit the atmosphere of the battle."
"With Chapter 3 & 4, there were some creative 'hurdles' which made developing parts of the game difficult. How to do the Boards of Chapter 3, how to design the events in Noelle's house, etc.," Fox added. "Once we got past those hurdles and expanded the team, everything went much more smoothly. Chapter 5 was not without hurdles! But... we already passed all of the obvious ones, so there's little to get in our way now! We just need to keep making the game." Only one "main deadline" has been outlined for the rest of 2025, and that's to kick off translation by the end of the year.
The good news is that anyone new to Deltarune still has time to catch up. We thought what we've played thus far is 'Amazing,' awarding it 9/10, writing: "Even though the journey is only halfway to completion, Deltarune's incredible story is already bursting with hilarious charm, unforgettable characters, and an iconic soundtrack that make it worth investing your time in." A "sequel" of sorts to beloved indie RPG Undertale, it has released chapter by chapter starting in 2018, with Chapter 2 releasing in 2021 and the two most recent chapters dropping alongside the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Gearbox has released a new update for Borderlands 4 “to help improve stability for a wide range of PCs.” However, the developer failed to provide patch notes for the update, leading to confusion about what it actually does.
Borderlands 4 launched last week and hit a peak of over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam alone — a figure significantly higher than any Borderlands game released on Valve’s platform. However, Steam reviews are ‘mixed,’ with most of the complaints revolving around PC performance.
In response, Gearbox posted a Borderlands 4 Nvidia Optimization guide on Steam, advising players how to optimize their graphics settings for “better performance and framerates” on PC with the Nvidia app.
Over the weekend, Gearbox posted on Steam to signal the release of a new game update in frustratingly vague terms and with no patch notes, leaving players to try to work out what it did, and if their performance had improved. As the Steam user review rating suggests, results are mixed, but that’s anecdotal evidence at best.
“We hope you're having a blast in Borderlands 4. The team is loving seeing you all shooting and looting your way through Kairos,” Gearbox said. “Today we're releasing a new update to help improve stability for a wide range of PCs.”
"There is no patch notes. Is this really just a blog post for an unhelpful optimization guide?" wondered redditor wtfwasthatdave. "The patch did not fix my crashing issues," added PBKrunch. "Game runs horribly, still runs horribly after the patch and the people saying it runs fine are using both frame gen and super sampling to achieve their 'frames,'" said drummerdude41.
Gearbox went on to repeat its advice to wait 15 minutes before making any performance calls after tweaking settings, saying: “Please note that any time you change any of your graphics settings, your shaders will need to recompile; it may take up to 15 minutes for this process to fully complete.”
“Thanks again for joining us on this journey, Vault Hunters — we're just getting started,” Gearbox continued. “We’re continuing to read your feedback, planning additional updates and will have more details to come.”
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
While the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s White Flare & Black Bolt Elite Trainer Boxes are unfortunately subject to huge price increases due to market conditions, Amazon & TCGplayer have had some price drops from their usual rates — along with Walmart offering you some value for money in bulk.
At Amazon, Pokémon TCG White Flare ETBs, previously listed for $104.49, are now as low as $89.43 on Amazon. To that extent, the Pokémon TCG’s Black Bolt ETB has had price drops on certain listings too, going from $95.49 to $89.87.
Yes, these are still almost twice the MSRP of $49.99, the high demand vs short supply has usually resulted in marked prices going past $100 — making this a good deal by comparison.
You can still check other retailers like Best Buy, which are the main retailers we’ve seen sticking to the $49.99 price tag, but any stock usually goes within a matter of minutes due to scalpers and the auto-buying bots at their disposal.
Meanwhile, if you’re the type of Pokémon card collector who likes to buy as many Elite Trainer Boxes as possible, you have extra money to spend, or if TCGplayer or Walmart run out of individual stock, the latter still has multi-unit SKUs where you’re paying less for each.
Since Walmart’s prices for individual ETBs are even lower than they’ve ever been on Amazon, according to price tracker CamelCamelCamel, we definitely don’t expect availability to last for long.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
Gaming chairs are one of the best investments a gamer can make. After all, during those long gaming sessions, where are you going to sit? While gaming keyboards and gaming monitors can really lift your gaming experience to the next level, none of it really matters if you don't have a comfortable chair to sit in. Our top entry, the Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen, is a perfect example: It's a chair big enough for pretty much any body, and it's comfortable and sturdy enough to sit for hours.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Gaming Chairs:
I've been reviewing gaming chairs for years, and the overall best ones you can buy provide a place to sink into for hours of gaming without fatigue or pain. Including features like customizable lumbar support, adjustable armrests, and a movable headrest to beef up the ergnomics only adds to a more comfortable, distraction-free space to focus on your favorite PC games.
However, there are an excess of options to choose from. To help you out, I've cut this list down to six tested and researched chairs offering solid frames, high-quality material, and all the creature comforts you could want.
1. Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen
Best Gaming Chair
The original Secretlab Titan Evo I reviewed reigned supreme as my top pick since its release in 2022. With the release of the Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen edition, that has officially changed as the new model officially slides into the top spot, and by quite a bit too. Though it might look similar from afar, all it takes is a touch to realize how much better its new leatherette and seat cushion actually are.
In the two years since the release of the original Evo, Secretlab has been hard at work developing its brand new Nanogen Hybrid Leatherette. This new material is much softer and instantly makes the chair more comfortable just by virtue of how nice it is to sit on. In my review, I noted that the only similar material I've felt is Brisa, an "ultrafabric" that's typically found on luxury products. The only gaming chair I've encountered with such a fabric, or that even comes close to the Titan Evo Nanogen and its sweet, sweet suppleness, is the LF Gaming Stealth, a luxury bucket seat that starts at $1,700.
Secretlab also took gamers' feedback to heart about the firmness of its signature cold cure foam. This new model now features a Nanofoam Composite cushion on the seat, providing a layer of softness right out of the box while still providing adequate support for long gaming sessions.
The armrests also see a major upgrade. While they still feature hot-swappable top cushions thanks to their magnetic attachment system, the Nanogen comes with velour-wrapped PlushCell foam arm toppers by default. If you've ever experienced sore elbows from leaning on the arms of your gaming chair, you'll know how important this softness is. Paired with its PlushCell magnetic neck pillow, it's easily one of the most cozy gaming chairs out there. With the optional Ergonomic Recliner add-on, it's the only gaming chair I've ever taken a nap in.
This new model does come at a premium over the original, but it's worth every penny. It's class-leading in every way.
2. Razer Iskur V2 X
Best Budget Gaming Chair
If you want a good gaming chair on a budget, look no further than the Razer Iskur V2 X. Coming in at $300, this chair isn't the absolute cheapest, but it offers premium quality that's made to last years into the future. And if you plan on using it while you stream, its good looks make it the perfect complement to your face cam.
When I reviewed this chair, I was very impressed at how Razer prioritized long-term durability and build quality with this release. Its fabric upholstery is soft but tough with a tight weave to withstand rigorous use. Beneath that fabric and the layer of cushion beneath, there's a rugged steel frame – not the usual low quality fiberboard typical of budget gaming chairs – so you don't need to worry about an untimely break as you kick back to put your feet up. The wheelbase has also been upgraded from the usual plastic to aluminum, eliminating another source of breakage.
This chair is also comfortable straight out of the box with dense but soft cushions and comfy fabrics. It doesn't come with any kind of pillows, so you'll need to pick those up separately if you're looking for a little bit of extra support. But for my back, the integrated lumbar curve did the trick even over long-term gaming sessions.
Can you spend less on a gaming chair? Sure, but around this price, the Razer Iskur V2 X blends exceptional build quality with comfort and style in a way few others do. Even if you have to save up a little more, it's worth waiting on.
3. Haworth Fern
Best Ergonomic Gaming Chair
The Haworth Fern might just be my favorite chair of the year. It combines style with support in a way that few others do, even in the upper echelons of the office chair world. While it doesn't come cheap, it comes with a 12-year warranty, making the Fern an investment in your health and comfort with the level of reassurance only other industry leaders can match.
What makes the Fern special, apart from its uniquely modern sense of style, is its multi-part back support. An intricate grid allows the back to flex and offer support wherever you need it, no matter how you might move, where a second piece shaped like a fern (hence the chair's name) reinforces this support. If you opt for the optional adjustable lumbar, which I recommend that you do, that exists in the center and allows you to fine-tune the experience even more.
Reviewing chairs for a living, you come to expect a lot of customization options, but even I was surprised when I visited Haworth's configurator. You can choose from four different materials for the chair: mesh; digital knit, which has a unique chevron pattern; gradient knit, which, as the name implies, has a color gradient from top to bottom; and leather. There are multiple colors for each of these, and you can customize exactly how your chair looks. Elsewhere on the site, you can tailor the headrest, lumbar, arm type, and even tilt type of the chair, as well as choose between an aluminum base or a plastic base to save a little money.
To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect ahead of my review of the Hawthorn Fern. Lots of chairs look good, but aesthetics definitely don't guarantee comfort or support. The Fern delivers all three in spades. Apart from its appearance, you can customize all the usual ergonomic features, including its 4D armrests, seat depth, recline amount, and tilt tension, as well as the backstop if you'd prefer to lock yourself to a particular sitting angle.
If you are an Xbox gamer, the company even offers a few different options designed around Microsoft, the Xbox, and the Halo franchise. This is a high-end option but absolutely delivers and looks good doing it.
4. Hinomi H1 Pro
Best Mesh Gaming Chair
The Hinomi H1 Pro is the quintessential example of adjustability and customization, offering more adjustments than even some of the most expensive and luxurious office chairs. Its adjustability is its defining feature. While most chairs are designed around ergonomics, the designers have also put an emphasis on versatility and even easy storage. Nearly every aspect of the chair is adjustable in some way. And when you're not using it, you can even fold it up and slide it under your desk to reclaim some of the space in your room.
Hinomi may not be a brand you've heard of before, but don't let that frighten you. It's earned quite a few accolades in its limited time on the market and achieved a high degree of success with its ergonomic chairs, largely based on just how adjustable they are. The H1 Pro is its current flagship model and is designed to support even the longest sitting sessions, whether you are burning the midnight oil at work or playing a marathon session of your favorite esport.
Let's break down its customizations. Starting with the backrest, it's split into two parts to adjust your lower and upper spine. The headrest is adjustable at four different points to ensure it perfectly matches the height and depth of your neck. The chair is able to tilt up to 136 degrees with adjustable tension to achieve the much sought-after floating on air effect. The lower backrest itself is also tension adjustable to make sure it provides just the right amount of support no matter how you may be sitting. The seat can slide in and out, so your back meets the rest at just the right angle and there's enough space between its waterfall edge and the back of your knee. Hidden beneath is a footrest so when you want to kick back with a controller, you don't need to prop your feet up on the printer hiding beneath your desk.
Two of its neatest tricks involve folding, which isn't something I've been able to say about very many chairs, even over years of testing. Often, high-end mesh chairs force you to choose whether you want armrests or not, with little in between. Here, you get 5-dimensional armrests, which offer the typical height, depth, angle, and width adjustments, but when they're not needed, they can completely fold out of the way. As a guitar player, this feature alone makes the chair appealing. But if you're also gaming in a space-constrained environment, you'll appreciate that the entire backrest can fold forward to tuck the chair under the desk when it's not in use.
The chair uses a high-quality mesh material that's breathable and supportive, but some people have reported that they actually find its support too prominent. As always, I suggest trying any expensive chair before committing to a purchase or buying from an online retailer like Amazon, which has a generous return policy. Just be sure to save that packaging. With how adjustable it is, however, you probably aren't going to need it because the Hinomi H1 Pro is designed to meet your body exactly where it's at.
5. Razer Iskur V2
Best Fabric Gaming Chair
While the original Razer Iskur V2 X got the nod for the best budget gaming chair, the full-fledged Iskur V2 is my pick for the best fabric chair. I reviewed the leather version this summer and found it to be exceptionally comfortable and supportive. The fabric version combines all of that with an even more comfortable water-resistant fabric finish.
While the Iskur V2X is a great choice if you're on a limited budget, it does cut a few corners that remain blissfully whole in this more premium version. The lumbar support, for example, is still adjustable, which means you can dial it in to be the perfect match for your body. You also get one of the best neck pillows in the business, 152 degrees of recline, and even more lush cushioning to keep you gaming in comfort all day long.
Side by side with the original Razer Iskur, this V2 version directly answers multiple areas of user feedback. It's a bit less aggressive and exiling, though still has the state-like finish that you'll either love or hate. And the lumbar, while still supportive, is less aggressive. The backrest is precisely contoured to guide you toward the center of its seat, while the bolsters are a bit gentler to give you more freedom with your sitting position.
To be completely honest, when I sat in the original Iskur, I was hesitant about how comfortable its lumbar would actually be. While I enjoyed it, I can say that I definitely enjoy the Iskur V2 even more. The backrest is a definite improvement, as are the changes to the bolsters and cushioning. And did I mention the extra-high armrests? Those are pretty great too for when you're gaming using a mouse and keyboard.
I concluded my review by saying, "The Razer Iskur V2 is a superb gaming chair. It offers the kind of improvements I always hope to see from iterations on existing designs..." and I stand by that completely. This chair is a winner.
6. Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen XL
Best Big and Tall Gaming Chair
The Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen XL is a clear winner for the best big and tall gaming chair. I've been recommending the Titan Evo since its original launch several years ago, but with the Nanogen Edition, the company has taken comfort to the next level (which is also why it's my No. 1 pick for overall gaming chair). The XL version just upsizes that to deliver its comfort to a wider audience.
This version takes everything from the normal-sized version and carries it through. That means you'll get the exceptionally soft, Brisa-like fabric and extra seat cushion, as well as those gloriously plush yet still somehow supportive armrests. If you're a larger person, then you know how important proper back support is, and this delivers that too with its adjustable lumbar support.
It also features full compatibility with the company's different magnetic accessories for the standard Titan Evo XL. There are magnetic pillows and different armrest covers and, though not magnetic, you can also attach the company's new recliner accessory to put your feet up and kick back with the controller.
This chair doesn't come cheap, but believe me when I say that it's worth every penny when stacked up against other gaming chairs attempting similar levels of support and comfort. Secretlab has been an industry leader for a reason, and the Nanogen line is easily the best it has ever produced.
7. Respawn 900 Gaming Recliner
Best Gaming Chair with a Footrest
Finding a great gaming chair with a quality footrest is more challenging than you would expect. While plenty of chairs that come with footrests, they are mostly carbon copies of one another, and very few of them offer the kind of seamless quality as my go-to pick: the Respawn 900 Gaming Recliner.
When it comes to affordable gaming chairs, Respawn has been one of the go-to brands over the last five years or so. That doesn't mean they are cheaply made or poor quality, however. In fact, it has been the exact opposite that has made them such a popular choice among gamers that don't want to spend $500 or more on their gaming throne. I was delighted to find this chair, which not only breaks the mold set by other gaming chairs on the market, but evolves it into a hybrid between a typical racing-style gaming chair and a full-on recliner.
Coming in around $400, this chair features a wide footrest that combines with the seat with a single upholstered layer. It offers separate controls for the footrest, recliner, and backrest, so you can cater your sitting style to your mood with more precision. It's the perfect chair for kicking back with a controller and could even fit into a bedroom or living room without a PC if you count yourself among the console faithful.
This design, which is a racing chair from the backrest up into a recliner from the armrests and seat down, has other benefits that most gaming chairs just don't offer. The armrests are wide and thickly padded. There's a cup holder built into the left armrest and a removable pouch that can be used to store a remote controller, or even some snacks. It's also available in your choice of PU leather or fabric in a number of different styles to match your taste. Of course, such a different design also has some trade-offs. The biggest consideration is that it's not height adjustable and features stationary armrests (like a recliner). Some users have found that it sits too low for their desk. At 18.1 inches, it's about the same as a normal gaming chair in its lowest position.
If you're looking for a middle ground that can deliver for PC and console gaming alike, I think this is a reasonable trade-off. And if you need a little extra height, you can pick up my favorite riser cushion to gain those extra inches to sit comfortably at your desk.
8. Secretlab Titan Evo (Small)
Best Gaming Chair for Shorter Gamers
If you're on the smaller side, many gaming chairs can make you feel like you're swimming. If that describes you, then you're in luck. The best gaming chair, the Secretlab Titan Evo, has a version designed especially for you. It's one of the few major brands to offer a variant specifically dedicated to shorter gamers and offers all of the same ergonomic comfort and durability benefits, as well as the unique sense of style the brand is known for.
It's important to note that this version does not feature the upgrades of the new Nanogen Edition. It follows the same proven design of the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 that I reviewed and fell in love with. I wouldn't be surprised if a Nanogen Edition came out in the future, which would easily take this spot due to the softness of the new material, but that doesn't take away from how good this chair is.
In fact, apart from the additional foam layer on the seat and the new upholstery, nearly all of the same features apply here. My specific pick goes to the SoftWeave fabric version for its added softness and breathability. But even if you go with Secretlab's Neo Hybrid Leatherette, you'll be able to count on four-way lumbar support, soft memory foam arm cushions, and an equally plush magnetic neck pillow that won't push your neck forward and actually enhances its comfort.
It's also a bit cheaper, which is nice, especially if you pick it up directly from Secretlab's website. There, it will only set you back $569 for the fabric version and $549 for the leather. On Amazon, the price is steeper at $659. No matter who you buy from, you can count on a chair that's made to last and comes with a three-year warranty that can be boosted to five years by sharing a picture of your new chair online.
How I Chose the Best Gaming Chairs
In deciding which gaming chairs to include on this list, my first consideration is always which chairs I've personally tested and know are worth including from firsthand experience. We – myself and other reviewers at IGN – test a lot of gaming chairs and will be updating this list with others we test over time. Where that's not possible, we use our extensive knowledge to assess each chair's ergonomics, features, and materials. We also consult expert resources from our colleagues in the field and real user reviews. Finally, we take into account real-world feedback on each company, how well they stand behind their products, and how they support customers in need.
How to Choose the Best Gaming Chair for You
Price: This will probably be the biggest determining factor. Going out with a set budget is helpful, as you’ll find chairs ranging from under $50 to more than $1,000. Cheaper gaming chairs, like the Corsair TC100 Relaxed, still deliver the comfort of more expensive ones. You just need to be prepared to sacrifice features, like 4D armrests or adjustable lumbar support. I’d stay away from anything under $100, especially if the chair makes promises that appear too good to be true.
Design: Comfort is king; nobody wants to spend hours in a seat that causes back or neck pain. Finding a chair that’s the right size for you is essential for preventing discomfort. Luckily, most chairs list their dimensions. You’ll want a wide, well-cushioned seat, a long backrest, and a good range of height adjustability. All that should sit on a sturdy metal frame capable of holding your full body weight. If you’re looking into a racing-style chair with bucket seats, like the AndaSeat Kaiser 3, pay special mind to the bolsters, as they can dig into your thighs.
Materials: For the most part, gaming chairs offer PU leather, fabric, or mesh. PU leather is easy to clean but may not always be super durable, and it gets hot when wearing shorts. Fabric, which is used on the E-Win Champion, won’t be as easy to clean, though it’s less of a heat magnet. Mesh is the most breathable option. However, you’ll lose the cushioned seat and backrest in favor of a suspension system, which can be a hit or miss. The Razer Fujin Pro is one chair that gets mesh right.
Ergonomics: After locking those in, a movable headrest, adjustable armrests, and customizable lumbar support can enhance the chair’s ergonomic, but these features often make the chair more expensive. Other quality-of-life additions, like a tilting or rocking mechanism, also help with relaxation between heated gaming sessions.
Because gaming chairs are glorified office chairs, their main selling points are, frankly, aesthetic. Gaming chairs are often a bit more expensive than comparable office chairs and don't have the same comfort features as seats designed for working in all day. Still, if you love the way that gaming chairs look and you're going for a certain vibe in your gaming den, the best gaming chairs do truly shine. You just might want to look at the best ergonomic chairs if you want something that's truly going to take care of your aching back.
How much should you spend on a a gaming chair?
While you can buy a gaming chair for $80 or less, doing so is just asking for eventual pain. Something inexpensive is usually nothing more than a cheap plastic frame (versus steel) with some thin fabric or pleather upholstery on top.
You can get a quality chair for as little as $200, and that’s the absolute bottom floor of affordability we’d go for. Spending $300 or more will get you access to better options. If your budget allows you to soar a bit higher, more expensive gaming chairs start to come with built-in lumbar support, cooling gel layers, and even more adjustable ergonomics, not to mention RGB LED Kits and more. It all depends on what matters most to you in the long term.
While there are benefits to both, this is a subjective question and boils down to what you're looking for. If you're after looks and the ability to deeply recline, a gaming chair is a safe bet. If you're looking for a chair that places ergonomics first and has lots of adjustments, you'll have more luck with an office chair. It's important to note, however, that there's plenty of crossover between the two. The Steelcase Gesture, for example, would look fantastic on any stream but it's an office chair, through and through. The Mavix M9, on the other hand, is clearly a gaming chair but has the features and adjustments of premium office chairs. Consider what you value most, how long you'll be sitting in the chair, and what adjustments you would prefer. From there, you can find chairs in either category to meet your needs.
What’s the best brand of gaming chair?
Your classic gaming brands like Razer and Corsair have been known to make mean chairs. Otherwise, brands like Secretlab, Razer, and Corsair consistently deliver comfortable, well-built seats that blend comfort and durability across price points. More classic ergo brands like Herman-Miller, Steelcase, and Haworth have begun releasing chairs for gamers too. Though expensive, those chairs are made with the best materials and are full of ergonomic features allowing them to offer superior support and comfort. Be wary of some brands available only on Amazon: The most inexpensive options will most likely be a little janky. It's probably worth it to save up and spend extra on a more notable brand.
Christopher Coke has been a regular contributor to IGN since 2019 and has been covering games and technology since 2013. He is the current subject matter expert for gaming monitors, laptops, and gaming chairs. Since 2013, he has covered tech ranging from gaming controllers to graphics cards, gaming chairs to gaming monitors, headphones, IEMs, and more for sites such as MMORPG.com, Tom’s Hardware, Popular Science, USA Today’s Reviewed, and Popular Mechanics. Find Chris on Twitter @gamebynight.
Television’s biggest night has arrived once again, and with it comes a chance to celebrate the best and brightest talents of the past year’s small screen offerings at the 2025 Emmy Awards — and the most awarded shows of the night are a great example of the excellence in acting, writing, directing, and producing that the television landscape is full of.
The overall TV slate is so good lately that a few shows ended up breaking some awards records during the ceremony. Seth Rogan’s hit new comedy The Studio won a whopping 12 awards this year, including nine at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend — which allowed it to break the record for most wins in a single season. The record was previously held by The Bear, which won 11 awards for its second season during last year’s ceremony.
The new Apple TV+ comedy also surpassed The Bear’s record for most wins in a show’s first season. The FX dramedy won 10 Emmys during its first season, while The Studio blew past that number between both ceremonies.
There were also a lot of incredible acting wins this year, but possibly none more exciting than Cristin Milioti. The underrated actress, who is also an accomplished Broadway performer, won Best Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series for her work as Sofia Falcone in the HBO drama The Penguin. This is Milioti’s first Emmy nomination and also her first win.
Meanwhile, Owen Cooper, 15, became the youngest-ever male Emmy winner, for his breakout role in Netflix mini-series Adolescence. The drama dominated the Los Angeles ceremony, scooping up six trophies, including Britt Lower winning Best Actress in a Drama Series.
The Pitt also beat mega-hits like Severance and The White Lotus to scoop up the award for best drama, with Noah Wyle winning Best Actor in a Drama, but Severance didn't walk away empty handed, picking up two major awards.
Overall, there were nine wins forThe Penguin, including Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup, and five wins for The Pitt, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Katherine LaNasa), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Shawn Hatosy), and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. The Last of Us had one win, for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour).
You can check out the full list of winners from the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards below.
Best Drama Series
Andor
The Diplomat
The Last of Us
Paradise
The Pitt — WINNER
Severance
Slow Horses
The White Lotus
Best Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Shrinking
The Studio — WINNER
What We Do in the Shadows
Best Limited or Anthology Series
Adolescence — WINNER
Black Mirror
Dying for Sex
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
The Penguin
Best Reality Competition Program
The Amazing Race
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor
Top Chef
The Traitors — WINNER
Best Talk Series
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — WINNER
Best Scripted Variety Series
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver — WINNER
Saturday Night Live
Best Live Variety Special
The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar
Beyoncé Bowl
The Oscars
SNL50: The Anniversary Special — WINNER
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown (Paradise)
Gary Oldman (Slow Horses)
Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us)
Adam Scott (Severance)
Noah Wyle (The Pitt) — WINNER
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates (Matlock)
Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters)
Britt Lower (Severance) — WINNER
Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)
Keri Russell (The Diplomat)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Zach Cherry (Severance)
Walton Goggins (The White Lotus)
Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus)
James Marsden (Paradise)
Sam Rockwell (The White Lotus)
Tramell Tillman (Severance) — WINNER
John Turturro (Severance)
Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Colin Farrell (The Penguin)
Stephen Graham (Adolescence) — WINNER
Jake Gyllenhaal (Presumed Innocent)
Brian Tyree Henry (Dope Thief)
Cooper Koch (Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story)
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Patricia Arquette (Severance)
Carrie Coon (The White Lotus)
Katherine LaNasa (The Pitt) — WINNER
Julianne Nicholson (Paradise)
Parker Posey (The White Lotus)
Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus)
Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus)
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba (The Residence)
Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This)
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Jean Smart (Hacks) — WINNER
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This)
Seth Rogen (The Studio) — WINNER
Jason Segel (Shrinking)
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ike Barinholtz (The Studio)
Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons)
Harrison Ford (Shrinking)
Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere) — WINNER
Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear)
Michael Urie (Shrinking)
Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live)
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear)
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) — WINNER
Kathryn Hahn (The Studio)
Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
Catherine O’Hara (The Studio)
Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
Jessica Williams (Shrinking)
Best Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer)
Meghann Fahy (Sirens)
Rashida Jones (Black Mirror)
Cristin Milioti (The Penguin) — WINNER
Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex)
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Javier Bardem (Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story)
Bill Camp (Presumed Innocent)
Owen Cooper (Adolescence) — WINNER
Rob Delaney (Dying for Sex)
Peter Sarsgaard (Presumed Innocent)
Ashley Walters (Adolescence)
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Erin Doherty (Adolescence) — WINNER
Ruth Negga (Presumed Innocent)
Deirdre O’Connell (The Penguin)
Chloë Sevigny (Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story)
Jenny Slate (Dying for Sex)
Christine Tremarco (Adolescence)
Best Writing for a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky (Hacks)
Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Adam Locke-Norton, Eric Notarnicola (The Rehearsal)
Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen, Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere)
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez (The Studio) — WINNER
Sam Johnson, Sarah Naftalis, Paul Simms (What We Do in the Shadows)
Best Writing for a Drama Series
Dan Gilroy (Andor) — WINNER
Joe Sachs (The Pitt)
R. Scott Gemmill (The Pitt)
Dan Erickson (Severance)
Will Smith (Slow Horses)
Mike White (The White Lotus)
Best Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (Adolescence) — WINNER
Charlie Brooker, Bisha K. Ali (Black Mirror)
Kim Rosenstock, Elizabeth Meriwether (Dying for Sex)
Lauren LeFranc (The Penguin)
Joshua Zetumer (Say Nothing)
Best Directing for a Comedy Series
Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Lucia Aniello (Hacks)
James Burrows (Mid-Century Modern)
Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal)
Seth Rogen (The Studio) — WINNER
Best Directing for a Drama Series
Janus Metz (Andor)
Amanda Marsalis (The Pitt)
John Wells (The Pitt)
Jessica Lee Gagné (Severance)
Ben Stiller (Severance)
Adam Randall (Slow Horses) — WINNER
Mike White (The White Lotus)
Best Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Philip Barantini (Adolescence) — WINNER
Shannon Murphy (Dying for Sex)
Helen Shaver (The Penguin)
Jennifer Getzinger (The Penguin)
Nicole Kassell (Sirens)
Lesli Linka Glatter (Zero Day)
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Another week, another avalanche of discounts tempting me to ruin my already sketchy bank balance. I promised myself I’d be strong, but scrolling through these cuts reminded me why I keep caving. There’s just too much quality here to ignore. Scroll and see for yourself...
In retro news, I'm using Brighton the sun's blazing rays to light a 20-candle cake for Mario Party 6, the entry that brought voice control to the GameCube. Along with the bundled microphone that had us yelling at our TV like maniacs, noughties-era-me was also impressed with a dynamic day-night cycle that strategically transformed entire boards every three turns.
Twenty years later, I still remember the chaos of four people gathered around a single microphone, and honestly, that's the kind of couch co-op magic that defined the GameCube era. Just an absolute box of joy (with a convenient handle to boot).
- Pac-Man Championship Ed. 2 (PC,PS4,XO) 2016. Get
Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch
On Switch, TheLegend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a newer spin that continues Nintendo’s tradition of layering innovative mechanics atop Hyrule. I’ve already sunk hours into its puzzly brilliance. Meanwhile, Sonic Frontiers shocked me by proving Sega can finally deliver an open zone world worth exploring. It’s a great example of fan feedback shaping a sequel into something memorable.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (-25%) - A$59.90 An inventive twist on Hyrule's legend, this entry plays with perspective and puzzles in ways that keep the series fresh without losing its magic.
Super Mario RPG (-25%) - A$59.90 Square and Nintendo’s classic collab shines again. A playful blend of platforming and turn-based battles with a goofy cast that still charms decades later.
Sonic Frontiers (-40%) - A$59.60 Sonic goes open-world, sprinting across islands with speed, puzzles, and titanic bosses. A bold, divisive experiment, but one fans should try at this discount.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (-34%) - A$46.30 Still the sharpest alternative to Mario Kart. Beautifully remade, with deep drifting mechanics and an outrageous lineup of characters to keep the chaos flowing.
Civilization VII (-24%) - A$68.00 Sid Meier’s long-running empire builder returns with refinements, new leaders, and endless late-night “one more turn” temptations.
On Xbox Series X, Cyberpunk 2077 is the textbook case of redemption. CD Projekt rebuilt Night City into the RPG we were promised, and its Phantom Liberty expansion earned Keanu Reeves another pop culture foothold. Also, Dead Island 2 has no right being this fun. Its gore tech is absurdly detailed, and I’ll admit I’ve lost time experimenting with zombie dismemberment.
1TB Expansion Card (-30%) - A$215.60 Plug-and-play storage that matches Xbox velocity architecture. Pricey, but essential if you bounce between Game Pass monsters like Starfield and Call of Duty.
WWE 2K25 (-54%) - A$55.00 The squared circle gets flashier each year. A solid roster, career content, and creative tools make this worth grappling with at a heavy discount.
EA Sports FC 25 (-26%) - A$29.00 The artist formerly known as FIFA keeps evolving with better dribbling, presentation, and modes. For under thirty bucks, it’s a golden goal for football fans.
Dead Island 2 (-70%) - A$20.90 Sun-soaked zombie slicing across LA, packed with gore, humour, and drop-in co-op. A guilty pleasure at a fraction of launch price.
Cyberpunk 2077 (-65%) - A$31.40 CDPR’s redemption arc. With Phantom Liberty, patches, and next-gen polish, Night City is now the RPG paradise it always promised to be.
Xbox One
Dying Light 2 Del. (-42%) - A$69.00 Parkour, undead chaos, and branching storylines. Deluxe content sweetens the deal for those keen to survive the night.
Assassin's Creed Mirage (-70%) - A$23.80 A stripped-back AC returning to stealth roots in Baghdad. Sleek, short, and a steal for fans of old-school Assassin’s Creed.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (-60%) - A$27.90 Three platforming classics remade with gorgeous polish. Still brutally tricky, still satisfying when you nail those tricky jumps.
PS5-wise, Ghost of Yotei is obviously dishing the big Tsushima vibes, which makes sense as it’s carrying on Sucker Punch’s love of stylish swordplay. And EA Sports WRC is the definitive rally sim now, especially since Codemasters inherited the license from Dirt Rally. Few games capture mud physics this well.
Split Fiction (-37%) - A$44.00 A stylish narrative adventure that toys with dual perspectives, weaving puzzles and emotional beats into its experimental structure.
Ghost of Yotei (-21%) - A$99.00 A gorgeous new samurai epic with breathtaking visuals, tight combat, and a moving tale. Pricey, but prestige experiences rarely come cheap.
Star Wars Outlaws (-67%) - A$36.00 Finally, a scoundrel-focused Star Wars tale. Explore planets, dodge the Empire, and live the outlaw fantasy at a massive markdown.
EA Sports WRC (-68%) - A$24.00 Dirt Rally devs take the official license for a hardcore sim that nails every muddy drift and hairpin.
Octopath Traveler (-60%) - A$36.30 Square Enix’s HD-2D darling, now on PS5. Turn-based storytelling with eight heroes, beautiful pixel art, and excellent music.
PS4
Batman: Arkham Col. (-59%) - A$34.90 Rocksteady’s trilogy of Batman greatness. Tight combat, iconic villains, and a moody Gotham to glide through.
Mega Man Battle NL Col. (-34%) - A$25.30 Nostalgic grid-based battling from the GBA era. A huge anthology of quirky digital duels.
Katamari Damacy Reroll (-75%) - A$11.20 Still delightfully weird. Roll up the world to rebuild stars, all to a funky soundtrack. A cult gem at a bargain.
PS+ Monthly Freebies Yours to keep from Sep 2 with this subscription
Finally on PC, Titanfall 2 remains a masterclass in FPS design. Its single-player campaign has a time travel mission that’s still referenced as one of the best ever. Pair that with Outward Definitive, a cult-favourite RPG that dares you to survive without handholding, and you’ve got serious value on Steam.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (-65%) - A$34.90 [Use code: AUTUMN ] AC finally heads to feudal Japan. Two protagonists, stealthy intrigue, and samurai drama deliver a dream setting for fans.
Pico Park (-100%) - A$0 Cooperative chaos where teamwork makes the dream work. Free is the perfect price for falling out with friends.
Titanfall 2: Ult. (-85%) - A$5.90 Wall-running, mechs, and one of the best FPS campaigns ever made. Criminally cheap.
A Plague Tale Bndl (-65%) - A$19.40 Two rat-infested adventures, beautifully grim storytelling, and stealth survival gameplay. Sobering, heartfelt, and worth the plunge.
Outward Def. (-88%) - A$7.10 A cult RPG that values survival, co-op, and consequences. Brutal, but rewarding.
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
The whole world may have been waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong’s cocoon to finally crack open, but it sure doesn’t seem to have been burdened by that pressure. This excellent sequel to an all-time great has more than managed to live up to the high expectations I had set for it, standing as both a smart continuation of the original Hollow Knight and a fantastic game of its own. It stays close to the formula that made its predecessor so impressive, but still reshapes, refines, and revamps just about every aspect of it in ways both big and small. Silksong is unapologetically challenging, endlessly creative, and impressively thoughtful across both its gorgeous world and the stories that are told there. The metamorphosis may have taken almost a decade, but this butterfly has emerged as one of the biggest and boldest around.
If you never played Hollow Knight, the main thing you need to know is that you seriously missed out, and may want to go back and do that first. It’s a masterpiece of a 2D platformer, filled to the brim with action, exploration, and oodles of interesting lore. Silksong follows in its footsteps but doesn’t require you to have played the original, though it is certainly enhanced by having done so – both because the story has plenty of great little callbacks and references to catch, but also because it feels like an evolution of what Hollow Knight was doing mechanically. It sticks so close to the original’s style and structure, in fact, that a little bit of the sheer surprise has admittedly worn away. But that doesn’t stop it from hiding mysteries, delights, and unexpected twists all over the place that a Hollow Knight fan like myself treasured discovering.
Regardless, your journey across the brand-new world of Pharloom as the wise and confident Hornet stands on its own merits. Hornet is an excellent hero, taken to this land against her will at the start and then driven to do the right thing for its people once she finds out why. I don’t want to spend this whole review comparing what’s changed from Hollow Knight line by line (we’d be here all day), but the difference in tone with her in the driver’s seat, as opposed to your silent Knight, is a big one, and a decision that largely works to Silksong’s benefit.
Hornet is polite but stern, reserved but not cold, and the top-notch writing throughout lets you get to know her through conversations with a charming cast of bug-based characters I grew to love. They range from adorable to goofy to genuinely touching, with standouts like the singing pilgrim Sherma running that whole gamut over the course of their own personal arcs. The larger story is made more explicit as a result of Hornet being able to talk, clearly spelling out the “why” of this journey and certain key events in a way that really worked for me. I found I was more engaged from the jump here than I am in most games where you have to spend hours in a wiki to understand what’s really happening – though there are still plenty of subtle mysteries hiding in the corners of this world for you to piece together yourself. As with so much of Silksong, it strikes a fantastic balance here.
Hornet is an excellent hero and Pharloom is a fascinating world.
Pharloom is a fascinating place as well: a dying land where hopeful bugs go on a pilgrimage from its lower levels all the way up to the shining peak of a spectacular cogwork city called The Citadel in blind service of their faith – though few actually survive the trek you now inadvertently find yourself on. One of the greatest strengths of games as a creative medium is how they can tie themes and actions together. For example, part of the reason I gave Celeste a 10 back in 2018 was because of how it made you experience Madeline’s struggle to overcome her own personal mountain by making you climb a literal one. Silksong pulls off a similar trick: it’s about being tested and overcoming, about leaving the world a better place than you found it even when that’s hard to do, and about persevering while still making time to give yourself grace in the face of defeat. You don’t need to read a single line of dialogue to feel those themes through the actions you are taking alone.
That’s because, just like Hollow Knight, Silksong will test you. This game is Tough with a capital T – although, the specific word I prefer to use is “challenging,” because it doesn’t just punch you in the face and kick you to the curb for the sake of being hard. It challenges you to overcome obstacles that routinely feel insurmountable at first but are finely tuned to be conquered as your skill, knowledge, and toolset of earned abilities improves. Perhaps an extreme example of this is an area like Bilewater, which has very few respawn benches to rest at and includes some of the most punishing poison water I’ve seen in any game, forcing you to cleanse yourself after falling in it by wasting your precious healing ability while also draining the resource that fuels that ability – a double whammy. I thought this area was unreasonably difficult to navigate when I first tried to force my way through it – but then I took a break, explored elsewhere, and returned hours later with new combat options, items to help mitigate that poison, and a better gameplan that made it a cakewalk.
Pharloom has so many branching paths and optional areas that its roadblocks were able to feel substantial without killing my momentum. If something was too challenging to take down with my current items, upgrades, or skillset, the knowledge that I’d almost always be rewarded for trying another path stopped me from ever getting too frustrated. Rather than slamming your head against every wall you come across, Silksong is best approached by letting it come to you as you move methodically and flow down the most appealing paths you find. Having the map pin system available at launch (as opposed to Hollow Knight, which added it in after the fact) is also a godsend that allows you to keep track of all those out-of-reach ledges and the roads you don’t immediately go down as you explore – and you’re never wasting time by picking the paths that call to you.
I was also routinely lifting my jaw off the floor every time I entered some visually stunning new area, almost all of which had incredible music to match. A vibrant coral canyon filled with flying bugs that look like fish; a blustering snowy peak that had me huddling for warmth; the golden halls of The Citadel itself; and the clockwork innards that power it. Silksong does the thing every great sequel should do: it looks how you remember Hollow Knight looking, but actually makes its predecessor seem flat by comparison. Every dial has been turned up to 11 – there’s more color, more sparkle, and more variety. And whenever I thought I had found the limits of this map, I’d stumble into another new area with its own ecosystem, secrets, and hostile bugs.
Combat rewards patience and spatial awareness over button timings alone.
Those aggressive enemies and brutal boss fights follow the same “go with the flow” philosophy as the areas around them: if you face them like this is one of the more typical 3D action games Hollow Knight clearly takes some inspiration from, you might find yourself having a rough time. But if you treat Silksong as the platformer it really is, staying patient enough to focus on positioning while dodging and getting damage in where you can, then even its most savage enemies will start to melt. It has become a cliche to call combat a “dance” nowadays, but it truly is the best way to describe some of these encounters. Silksong isn’t the most mechanically nuanced action game in the world, but learning an enemy’s patterns as you fall into a rhythm of dodging a swing, dashing in for a hit, hopping to safety, and then repeating really does feel like a bit of blade-based choreography that rewards spatial awareness over button timings alone.
Another reason the haymakers Silksong throws do more to motivate than frustrate is because, in the grand scheme of difficult action games, this one is actually pretty dang forgiving. A lot of credit for that goes to the healing system, which lets you spend Silk (a resource you earn by hitting enemies) to recover a big chunk of health all at once. This might seem like it would incentivize aggression to gather more Silk, but it actually had me playing it safe and prioritizing precision above all else. If I was ever falling behind in a fight, it was always encouraging to know that I could potentially heal back up to full like nothing had gone wrong if I just stayed alive long enough to get a few pokes in. (Of course, that is sometimes easier said than done.)
Silksong’s big fights and the paths between them don’t mess around, but they generally make sure to put this lifeline within grabbing distance as well, leaving it to you to figure out how to reach out and seize it. Bosses have reliable windows to safely heal in, and platforming areas frequently throws weaker enemies at you that are designed to do little more than stock up your Silk, which gives you a reason to fight even these smaller foes – and to do so thoughtfully, because they may not threaten to kill you outright, but taking a reckless hit limits the relief they provide before some stronger foe lurking up ahead. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the areas with that poison water are pretty much the only ones where their more common enemies can respawn while you are still on the screen next to them – developer Team Cherry might test you with tall orders, but the means to meet them are always available somewhere.
As much as I love the way Silksong challenges me, there are some aspects of how Team Cherry has balanced the difficulty that can leave a sour taste in my mouth from time to time. To be clear, I think the tuning is impressively dialed in overall: outside of a couple late-game fights, I beat nearly every boss in a half dozen attempts or fewer, usually taking just two or three tries, which felt like a sweet spot in terms of providing pushback without ever making me want to throw down my controller. That said, it is a little jarring how many enemies and environmental hazards deal damage in chunks of two instead of one compared to the original Hollow Knight, often emphasized by two distinct hit sounds that make it seem like you’ve done something wrong to cause that extra pain. That can result in feel-bad moments even if the “difficulty” isn’t technically out of whack. Health upgrades also arrive so slowly that it’s a little discouraging when your life total is functionally cut in half by a boss that only deals damage in pairs (including just accidentally bumping into them sometimes).
Desperately searching for a bench teeters on the line between thrilling danger and mounting dread.
A similarly rough feeling can be caused by a few areas that put their respawn benches extremely far apart, even turning a handful into “gotcha” traps that savagely pull the rug out from under you when you think you’ve finally found relief. I actually think those traps are hilarious, but desperately searching for a checkpoint when you are first exploring a new area teeters on the line between thrilling danger in uncharted territory and a “what am I doing wrong here?” sense of dread. However, this bench placement isn’t some mistake done without regard; just like a boss has to be learned and overcome, the challenge of the areas that use benches more sparingly is surviving to find one, and finally doing so is as satisfying as taking down any big bug. Silksong is a true-blue platformer at its heart, and mastering its precise movement options across devious, spike-covered obstacle courses was a real treat.
Reaching that mastery is supported by Silksong’s customization options, which expand on the original Hollow Knight and give you more ways to tune your playstyle to your liking. Here you can unlock Crests that change your basic attacks as if you were wielding an entirely new weapon – that might mean swapping the default diagonal downslash for the more vertically direct option provided by the Wanderer Crest, changing to the Beast Crest for a claw-based attack that turns your burst heal into temporary lifesteal, or – my personal favorite – using the Reaper Crest to gain access to wide-arcing attacks that knock extra Silk out of your foes after a heal. There’s not much incentive to swap between these Crests once you’ve found the one you are most comfortable with, but they all feel different enough to provide some genuine playstyle decisions.
The new Tool system that slots into these Crests is also flexible in a way I appreciated. In addition to equipable abilities that cost some Silk to use, all the Tools you find are split into three color-coded categories. Red Tools give you an additional, ammo-limited attack like a throwing knife or mid-air spike trap; blue Tools usually provide some sort of defensive effect like expanded Silk storage or fire resistance; and yellow Tools offer more general support options like making dropped money fly to you automatically or marking Hornet’s current location on your map. This separation is a notable improvement over Hollow Knight’s single-slot system because support effects and combat buffs are no longer fighting for the same limited space, and I was more freely swapping Tools in and out depending on the area or boss I was taking on as a result.
Each Crest has a different balance of the color-coded slots your Tools go into as well, letting you get pretty creative with weird builds that mix and match certain abilities or deprioritize stuff you don’t find yourself using. For example, I often saved my Silk for heals rather than those special abilities, so the drawback of the Architect Crest, which swaps the Silk slot out for a third red Tool, ended up fitting my playstyle nicely for a bit. That said, I do wish the “weapon” styles weren’t permanently tied to a Crest’s Tool slots and passive effects like they are – I would have happily kept using the Architect for its Tool options and unique ability to turn Silk into ammo while away from a bench, but the more rigid, drill-like basic attacks that came with that (while cool) had me returning to the Reaper eventually.
The list of things waiting to be discovered across Pharloom is extensive.
Of course, you have to find all of these different options first, and the laundry list of things waiting to be discovered across Pharloom is extensive. I always try to complete as many side tasks as I can before heading down the “correct” path in games like this, letting myself get distracted by friendly NPCs and the quests they post on boards in the small handful of towns you’ll come across. When I finally reached the end, my in-game timer was at just over 44 hours played and 96% completion. Was that enough Silksong for me? No – I’m still hungry to dive back in and clear off that last 4% (and I already know where most of it is).
There is a bit of a strange bump in the middle of that road, however, as you can “beat” Silksong much faster than what I just laid out. I am going to avoid specifics and spoilers here as much as possible, and if you don’t want to read anything about what “finishing” this game means then you can skip the next three paragraphs, but know this is a big enough deal that it really does feel worth discussing in broad strokes. That’s because the main path is actually fairly achievable if you’re only interested in following the primary quest objective, and the first time I reached the credits was before I even hit the 30-hour mark (and it could have happened sooner than that if I wanted it to). But that initial ending is… mediocre, with an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion to the story that left me more confused than fulfilled.
Based on my experience with the first Hollow Knight, I barely even took this finale seriously, but the trouble is that there’s very little indication you could reach a different one this time around… and you can. In vague terms, doing so requires you to complete a lot of entirely unrelated activities that are framed as completely optional when you run across them. That includes some pretty uninspiring fetch quests that ask you to grind pointless items from specific enemies, as well as one particularly lame one where the required items just randomly spawn in some nearby caves, which is an addition that feels like an uncharacteristic step backwards. You will probably do everything you need to eventually if you are trying to complete all the side stuff anyway, but there is a huge amount of additional content and a stellar alternate ending waiting behind these opaque unlock requirements, and it’s wild someone might miss that because they couldn’t be bothered to complete some boring fetch quest.
This is a similar-ish structure to unlocking the “true” ending of the original Hollow Knight, but the big difference is that the requirements for doing so there were directly tied into your character’s journey of discovery, and the path you had to take was a little more intuitive as a result – here, I was essentially left floundering for a bit as I tried to figure out which checkboxes still needed to be arbitrarily ticked off. Hollow Knight’s alternate ending also only changed the final fight, whereas Silksong conceals what feels like roughly 15-20% of its content behind this false ending. The writing of that conclusion is also great, probably some of the best in the entire story, and it shakes things up gameplay-wise in a pretty delightful way I won’t spoil. I recognize this weird structural decision won’t be a huge deal in the grand scheme of things – all of Silksong’s secrets will be common knowledge soon enough – but it still feels like an odd choice.
That all being said, it is legitimately cool how any two people could take wildly different paths on the way there. It took me 35 hours to find an area a friend of mine found in less than 10, and I unknowingly took such an unusual route to reach Act 2 that I solved a special puzzle area and beat an incredibly fun boss way before I was “supposed” to, giving me access to an entirely different part of The Citadel than I expect most people will initially see. Splintering paths like this are all over the place, and it’s genuinely incredible that Silksong can be approached from so many directions without ever feeling like you are doing something wrong or have gone somewhere you shouldn’t (apart from a punch to the face feeling a little harder than normal).
We've rounded up the best deals for Sunday, September 14, below, so don't miss out on these limited-time offers.
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PlayStation 5 copies of Madden NFL 26 are available for $42.99 this weekend at Amazon. This latest entry brings new updates that make a noticeable difference, particularly when compared to entries of the last few years. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "There’s always room for improvement, but it’s hard to overstate what a leap Madden NFL 26 feels like both on and off the field."
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Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater for $52.38
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is set to finally release this week after years of anticipation. The remake of Metal Gear Solid 3 is $52.38 at Fanatical right now, so PC players can save almost $18 off ahead of launch. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Between its old-school stealth-action gameplay and engaging spy-thriller story, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater largely succeeds as a faithful, visually impressive remake of the 2004 classic."
Last week, 2K Games released the next part in the Borderlands series, Borderlands 4. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it’s time now to benchmark it and examine its performance on PC. For our benchmarks, I used an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 32GB of DDR5 at 6000Mhz, AMD’s Radeon RX 6900XT, RX 7900XTX, RX 9070XT, as … Continue reading Borderlands 4 PC Performance Analysis: Terrible Optimization and Technical Issues→
Last week, we saw Apple TV’s The Studio and HBO Max’s The Penguin coming out as big winners during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Tonight, the winners will be announced for major categories in the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony. Severance and The White Lotus lead the way in nominations, though The Penguin, The Last of Us, and Andor are also predicted to take home a bunch of statuettes.
If you’re hoping to tune in, here’s how you can watch tonight’s awards ceremony live.
When Are the Emmys?
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards officially start at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on Sunday, September 14. The red carpet begins at 6pm ET / 3pm PT, with pre-shows kicking off throughout the day. The event is scheduled for three hours, lasting until around 11pm ET (though it almost always runs a tad long).
Where to Stream the Emmys Live
The 74th Emmy Awards Ceremony will air live on CBS while streaming on Paramount+ Premium. The full ceremony will be available to stream on-demand through any Paramount+ plan the following day.
Presumably to align with the event, Paramount+ is offering 50% off the cost of its annual subscriptions. Until September 18, you can grab a year of Paramount+ Essential for $29.99 (normally $59.99), or Paramount+ Premium for $59.99 (normally $119.99).
Otherwise, the service also happens to offer a seven-day free trial. However that trial is limited to new subscribers to the monthly plan, which doesn’t have any active discounts. For reference, ad-supported Paramount+ plans start at $7.99/month, while the ad-free plan starts at $12.99/month.
Who's Hosting the Emmys This Year?
This year’s awards ceremony will be hosted by stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze. It’s the comedian’s first time hosting the event, where his stand-up special, Your Friend, Nate Bargatze, has received two nominations. Like previous years, the ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Who’s Nominated?
This year’s awards are based on nominations for series that aired between June 1, 2024 and May 1, 2025. You can find the full schedule that led to this year’s nominees on the Emmys' website.
Leading the way in nominations this year is Season 2 of Severance and Season 3 of The White Lotus. We had great things to say about both of these, particularly the latest season of Severance, which Samantha Nelson described as “top-tier science fiction TV” in her review.
I’m personally rooting for Cristin Milioti for her performance in The Penguin. For the full list, you can check out our breakdown of this year’s nominees.
World 1-1. We’ve all run, jumped, and brick-bashed our way through that familiar first stage. It seems so simple and second-nature to us now, but in this modern age of iterative entertainment, it is almost impossible to convey the magnitude of the leap Super Mario Bros. represented compared to everything that came before it. That cabinet, that game, might as well have descended from outer space. Its art, music, smoothness, and most of all, its level design were light-years beyond.
World 1-1 introduced game design principles and a geometry of motion so perfectly calculated that it endures as one of the great works of the art form to this very day. But how was this miracle performed? Well, let us tell you, with the help of its creator, Shigeru Miyamoto.
The closest things to the opening level of the plumber’s first solo adventure up to that point were the stiff-but-serviceable screen-flipping Pitfall! and the gorgeous but terrible side-scrolling Pac-Land. Both were early essays on game design: Pitfall! presented a two-layered jungle with plenty of enemies and obstacles to jump over, but its flip-screen progression, huge non-linear map, strict time limit, and unintuitive treasure placement made it feel more like a puzzle to solve than a world to explore. Pac-Land was simply beautiful to behold and scrolled fairly cleanly in one direction, but the layout of the levels was haphazard and frustrating, and the controls felt maddening.
In comparison, Mario was like exploring a realized, unified, and diverse world. Every step revealed new threats and sights. Leap over enemies or land on them? What’s in those question blocks? There’s a Starman?! Wait, hidden lives? A secret underground treasure room with its own music?! Wait, there’s a FIRE FLOWER?! You can hold B to run or blast turtles with pyrotechnics?! What even is this game????? But in order for all of this madness to be built, it first needed solid foundations, and that’s where World 1-1 really comes into its own — teaching you the basics in the most elegant manner possible.
Super Mario Bros. isn’t nearly as big as it feels. In fact, World 1-1 measures only about 15 screens, including the underground room. It feels much bigger because over two or three screens, the tone of the terrain changes, from the intro section to leaping over pipes to platforming to pits. And yet within that tiny space, you have every power-up in the game, a hidden multi-coin block, a pair of traversable pipes, an invisible 1-UP, two enemy varieties, and a secret fireworks display.
But perhaps the biggest secret of 1-1 is that it’s a school. And the course is Mario 101. In a 2015 interview with Eurogamer, Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka talked about the extraordinary degree of thought that went into the design, beginning with World 1-1’s iconic opening: a tiny Mario facing an empty plane. Then the team considered how to teach the player several skills at once: how to avoid enemies, how to destroy enemies, how question blocks work, and how to tell an enemy Goomba from a helpful mushroom. All three are accomplished within the first steps of this opening level.
“If a suspicious enemy appears,” states Miyamoto, “the player will need to jump over it.” Running forward into the first Goomba just kills you, a lesson a player need only learn once before discovering they’re much safer in the air. Then moving forward, the player discovers some low bricks and question blocks.
“If we have a question block, they might just try to tap that as well,” continues Miyamoto. “If they see a coin, it will make them happy and they’ll want to try again.” Tapping the second block releases a mushroom that slides away, then bounces off a pipe to come hurtling at the character. The low ceiling makes it very hard to avoid, and the mushroom hits Mario, but instead of damaging him, it transforms him into Super Mario. In a matter of seconds, you’ve learned how both rewards and dangers work through the rest of Super Mario Bros.
“We kept simulating what the player would do”, Miyamoto explains. “So even within that one section, the player would understand the general concept of what Mario is supposed to be and what the game is about.” Even small details mattered. The opening screen’s first enemy was supposed to be a Koopa Troopa, but teaching the player the jump and kick movement necessary to overcome one worked less well at the beginning than they’d hoped. So they invented the simple-to-stomp Goomba (late in the game design process, according to Tetzuka) to help players understand the basics first.
Another valuable lesson, holding B to run before a long jump, is taught safely by two gaps later in 1-1. Pointing at this area, Miyamoto says, “Here we are preparing the player for the B-Dash”. He notes that the first gap is a pit with a filled-in bottom, a safe place to experiment and learn about long jumps without risking lives. This jump is followed immediately by a nearly-identical variant, a pit where, if the player falls, they will die, but by applying the skills they’ve just learned, they will easily survive. “By doing that, we wanted the player to naturally and gradually understand what they’re doing”, he continues. “The first course was designed for that purpose: so they can learn what the game is all about.”
Once the player realizes what they need to do, it becomes their game.
Miyamoto further explains that the tutorial nature of early stages usually comes only after the team has crafted more sophisticated levels, so the creators know what skills the players need to develop. “Usually when we have a really fun course, they tend to be the later levels”, Miyamoto confirms. “World 2-1, World 2-2, we create those first and then afterwards come back and create World 1-1. There’s a lot of testing whilst the game is being built. I don’t give them (players) any explanation and just watch them play and see how they do it, and most of the time I think they’ll play a certain way or enjoy a certain part, and they end up not doing that. I think ‘That's not what I intended!’ So I have to go back and use that as feedback”.
The intricately crafted layout creates a satisfying illusion of choice and a constant curve of advancement. Miyamoto sums it up perfectly: “Once the player realizes what they need to do, it becomes their game.”
The level layout is tuned to match Mario’s famous momentum, allowing a skilled player to perform precise jumps, slides, and combinations. An experienced Mario jockey can run forward at the beginning 1-1, squash a Goomba while hitting the first mushroom block, sprint forward, hit a coin block, reverse direction, jump up, catch the mushroom before it hits the ground, and hit the other coin. The team wisely mapped run and fireball to the same button, creating a slight degree of real-world physical dexterity challenge to trading momentum for projectiles. Likewise, the need to hold B to run and press A to jump made long jumps just slightly and satisfyingly more difficult.
Then there’s the music. Unlike most software development teams, the Mario team’s composer, Koji Kondo, was embedded with the developers. The famous Mario theme was composed and edited over and over as the level layout changed to match the pace of the design, and from then on, those few bars of digitized score would never leave our brains again.
And all of this magic was achieved using only the most limited of tools back in 1985. To really understand why Super Mario Bros. works so well, you first need to understand how the NES renders graphics. The animated characters that move around the screen, such as Mario, are sprites, detailed and mobile clusters of pixels. The NES can only handle a few sprites onscreen at a time, so most of the rest of the world, including the ground, platforms, hills, and backgrounds, is made up of tiles and 8x8 blocks. Most of the objects you see in Super Mario Bros. are composed of these chunks. The question blocks, walls, and bricks are all made up of four combined 8x8 tiles, creating distinct 16x16 squares. It’s similar to the process used to build levels in Mario Maker, only more granular. These little tiles were the tools that Shigeru Miyamoto and team worked with to build a masterpiece.
Super Mario Bros is an early NES game, created before advanced memory map chips stretched its graphical capabilities. That meant that to achieve their vision, the Mario team had to push the hardware to the absolute limits of its capabilities. The entirety of Super Mario Bros.’ source code is 40K. That means the entire game, including graphics, fits on about thirteen closely-typed pages. Crammed into that space are 32 distinct worlds, eight boss battles, a second quest, myriad secrets, and a memorable cast of characters.
That restriction meant the design team had to make every bit count, and that led to all kinds of clever tricks to save space. Ever noticed the clouds and the bushes are just the same palette-swapped tiles? Or that the blocks in 1-2 are just recolored blocks from 1-1? Both tricks (and many others) were used to compress space and make room for more features.
Add together the level design, gorgeous visuals, perfect controls, and iconic music, and you have a game that transcends the tropes of older action games. Super Mario Bros. took levels and made them worlds. And Mario just went on from there. World 1-1 to 1-2. An underground kingdom. Then later, forests. Castles. Bridges. Under oceans. Worlds upon worlds.
But none would exist without that very first. Hell, it's arguable that video games as they exist now wouldn’t be a thing if it weren’t for World 1-1. From the most meagre of pixelated tools, Miyamoto and the team at Nintendo crafted a miracle, and one that’s still as fun to play today as it was 40 years ago.
Jared Petty likes writing about how wonderful and silly video games are. You can find him at Bluesky as Bluesky as pettycommajared.
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