Exploring the depths of a procedurally generated planet with your buddies has never felt better than it does in DRG, and we all know that a quick stop at The Abyss is in order after a successful dig. Dwarves tossing around some “rock and stone” after tossing back a few ales and dancing the night away is always on the menu, and we may finally have an official theme song for our upcoming adventures.

Powerful riffs, booming bass, and thunderous drums roar from Wind Rose in the single “Rock And Stone,” lovingly named after the iconic phrase uttered from the mouth of the dwarves in Deep Rock Galactic. Whether you’re giving a Rock and Stone after a successful dig, or use it as a rallying cry to let your friends know that you’re not giving up in the face of adversity, it’s a powerful phrase for players to hear. Something that Wind Rose completely understood when undertaking this rather mammoth task.

If you’re familiar with the source material, “Rock and Stone” does a phenomenal job of bringing this Deep Rock Galactic collaboration to life. Even if you’re not a Deep Rock devotee just yet, this may be the final push that you need to take to the caves of Hoxxes IV. If you’re hoping to check out the video and the song for yourself, you’ll find the full music video below:

I think the best part of this whole track is that it isn’t as cringy as one may expect. When I think of people creating music based on video games, my mind can’t help but think of the admittedly meme-worthy Minecraft videos from yesteryear, but I can’t deny — I would happily blare this while driving down the freeway without a care in the world. I really hope this shows up in the in-game jukebox in a future update. FOR KARL!

The Once Human’s Terms of Service Controversy Explained

As of the time of this writing, Once Human is currently sitting at a ‘Mixed’ rating on Steam with just under 5,000 reviews. Many players have mentioned concerns over the game’s terms of service. To be fair, there are some interesting items that NetEase will have access to, including:

• First and Last Name
• Title
• Prefix
• Email Address
• Telephone Number
• Messaging Accounts
• Postal Address
• Date of Birth
• Age
• Gender
• Country/Region
• Government-issued ID (Passport, etc)
• Debit or Credit Card Details
• Account Details
• Billing Address

Related: How to Redeem Rewards in Once Human

Much of this information is par for the course, including credit card details when microtransactions are in the picture. But players have highlighted an issue with Starry Studio accessing government-issued IDs. There are a few reasons in particular that they could use an ID—let’s say, for age verification purposes—but players are seemingly not happy about that.

While the terms of service are huge in many games, it seems that Once Human has struck a chord, especially considering the need for things such as ID and even nicknames on social media.

NetEase Responds to Concerns

If you’re interested in seeing what NetEase had to say about the terms of service controversy, you can find their full Discord message below:

“We wanted to take a few moments to discuss data privacy.

NetEase takes our users’ data privacy very seriously and adheres to the data privacy principles such as data minimization, purpose limitation, and transparency.

For example, we would only collect government-issued IDs for the following reasons: where the local laws require us to do so (such as for a specific promotion), when the identity of a user’s parent must be verified to obtain consent for their child (if required by applicable child protection laws), or when the user wishes to correct their age information (again, if such verification is required by law). In any case, the ID information is deleted immediately after we have fulfilled the purpose for collecting the ID information in the first place.

Similarly, we may ask our users for additional information such as social media account usernames, names, and address in user surveys that users voluntarily participate in. Users are free to provide as much or as little information in these user surveys, if they choose to respond to the survey at all.

In the spirit of transparency, we have indeed included the type of information that we may collect (which may not be the case if the users aren’t accessing the specific functionality), the purpose for which we collect the data, and how we process the data in our privacy policy. Our privacy policy also clearly states how you can exercise your rights to manage your personal information by contacting our in-game customer services. We have recently revised our privacy policy with the aim to improve clarity and transparency, which will be published soon.

We have heard your concerns and will continue to improve on how we describe our data privacy practices. If you have any specific questions or concerns after your review of our privacy policy, then please feel free to contact us.”

Likewise, Once Human has stated in their terms and conditions that this is in compliance with the Know Your Customer and age verification requirements for the online gaming sector, as instituted by the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. With that being said, it’s well worth reading the terms of service yourself.

Is Once Human Stealing Your Information?

Now, one thing to consider about NetEase is that Once Human complies with Chinese laws. As per AP News, children are only allowed 1 hour of online play per day, which could be part of this verification process. And looking through the Steam forums for Once Human brings up talks of the CCP and your information being given to them, or that the game is being used as a Crypto-mining scheme that is running multiple programs in the background while you’re playing the game.

There are no verified instances of Crypto-mining or any sort of issues regarding the ID systems, for what it’s worth. Once Human is a fantastic free-to-play experience, but you’ll have to use your own judgement when it comes to deciding to play or not.

Once Human is available to play now.

It Is Happening Again

The Exit 8 VR throws you directly into its world without a single note of instruction. I pushed forward, watching a single businessman walk down the hallway, holding a cellular phone in his left hand and a briefcase in his right. Posters adorn the wall to my left, and some doors to my right. I was confused — the bright fluorescent lights of this seemingly uninhabited hallway pierced directly into my eyes. I look around, and push forward, taking a few turns and ending up right back where I started.

At the end of the hallway, I notice a sign that gives me a few instructions and my main takeaway is this — pay attention to everything and let nothing pass by me. After seeing the Exit 0 change to Exit 1, I knew I was on the right track, but I quickly began second-guessing myself. Was this here last time? Wait, did this thing change ever so slightly? As I continued pushing forward, I kept an eye on my Exit number, watching it slowly increase. Then, everything went south as I must have missed a small detail that wasn’t like the others.

The Exit 8 VR is a pattern recognition game mixed with psychological horror. As I examined the world around me slowly changing or staying the same, I began to learn what made the game tick. I got too arrogant, too cocky, and would see a great run come to an end due to me not paying enough attention to the smallest changing details.

For the sake of spoilers, I will not say what any of these anomalies are — I went into the experience completely blind, and strongly suggest doing the same if you decide to try this one out. Some are extremely obvious, and some are small details that could be easily overlooked. It’s an extremely interesting way to deal with the idea of horror, making every moment unknowingly much more tense than it should be.

The goal is simple — avoid anomalies, and exit via Exit 8. If only it was that easy.

Visual Fidelity Is Fantastic on Meta Quest 3

Since The Exit 8 VR takes place in a single area, it can put excruciating detail into the smallest of objects. Virtual Reality, especially on standalone headsets, can sometimes suffer from visual deterioration that makes the experience appear muddled and much less immersive than its flat counterparts. However, The Exit 8 VR on Meta Quest 3 looks phenomenal.

If The Exit 8 VR had lost the visual clarity in its VR port, the experience would not have been anywhere near as impactful as it could have been. Posters are clear and easily readable, the singular man walking down the hallway is visible at all times with high levels of detail, and just looks great all around. Bringing the world into VR worked out surprisingly well, and I was even shocked to see the detail on my virtual hands.

In a game all about pattern recognition, visual clarity may have been one of the most important parts of the experience, and it’s nailed perfectly. Not to sound generic, but it felt exactly as if I was plopped into the hallway that I was exploring instead of just playing another video game.

Sound design is also another strong suit of The Exit 8 VR. The monotonous humming of the electricity filled the air around me, breaking up the sterile and somewhat serene feeling of this liminal space. While there isn’t much noise overall — the footsteps of the approaching or retreating man repeatedly making his way through a neverending hallway is the main source of noise — it’s executed well. Even playing without headphones, a specific type of anomaly was easily detectable because of the clarity of the sound.

The Exit 8 VR Doesn’t Overstay Its Welcome

While The Exit 8 VR may be terrifying, it’s also rather short. All in all, once I picked up on the anomaly patterns, I was able to complete a playthrough in about 20 minutes. To be fair, it took me longer than that to finally start putting the pieces together to realize what sort of hellscape I had found myself in. When I finally escaped, my experience came to a close a little more than an hour after playing.

Repeated playthroughs are encouraged, thankfully — but some of the initial shock factor may have worn off by this point. That doesn’t mean that this is a title that shouldn’t be picked up, however. Its unique blend of horror, mixed with its interesting setting and general premise is enough to freak out even the most dedicated of horror aficionados. Pair this with its price point — roughly $7 — and it’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon or two. Consider putting a friend who knows nothing about the experience inside of this world and watching their world come crumbling down around them, perhaps.

To be completely upfront and honest, I hadn’t heard anything about The Exit 8 until I was approached with this review opportunity. What started as an obtuse walking simulator through the halls of a Japanese subway building quickly turned into one of the most tense experiences I’ve had in quite a while. While the horror isn’t as in your face as some of the genre’s giants, it’s a memorable and worthwhile experience that I’m glad I got to partake in. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be scanning every room in my house when I enter it now, either.

Verdict: Recommended

The Exit 8 VR will be available on July 11, 2024, on Meta Quest. A code was provided for the purpose of this review. Reviewed on Meta Quest 3.

With four different editions to choose from, players will have a different cover athlete gracing them, with Jayson Tatum on the standard, A’ja Wilson on the WNBA Edition, the dynamic duo on the All-Star Edition, and eight-time All-Star Vince Carter on the Hall of Fame Edition. There’s even more exciting news to share — we’ve got a first look at some of these athletes in-game to share with you.

Alongside the reveal of the cover, 2K Sports has sent a first look at Jayson, A’ja & Vince in-game for a first look at NBA 2K25. While the NBA 2K franchise has always led the world of sports video games with its graphical fidelity, this year looks to push them further than ever. It’s somewhat uncanny how realistic these characters look now.

Related: When is NBA 2K25 Coming Out?

As per the official press release for NBA 2K25, fans playing on PC can rejoice; visual fidelity, content, and settings will be on par with the Xbox Series & PlayStation 5 versions of the game. You can read the official statement below:

• For the first time in the series, NBA 2K25 introduces mode parity between PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with the exception of Crossplay support. Players on PC with compatible specs will now benefit from the enhanced realism of ProPLAY^TM technology, and the ability to compete in modes such as MyNBA, The W, and in The City. Crossplay will only be available on New-Gen consoles.
• With NBA 2K25, players will forge a dynasty in MyCAREER, compete in new MyTEAM modes, and, for those on New-Gen platforms, players will also experience an added sixth era in MyNBA, a more compact and interactive City, along with the chance to cement their G.O.A.T. status in The W. 
• In addition to new updates in MyCAREER and MyTEAM, players on Current-Gen will experience an all-new Neighborhood metropolis to explore where they will complete quests, earn rewards, and eclipse their rivals

It’s about time that PC players could look forward to the latest and greatest version of their favorite sports game, and it seems that NBA 2K25 is shaping up to be the best installment yet.

NBA 2K25 will be released in 2024.

What Is Xbox Error 0x87DD0033?

If you’re unlucky enough to have encountered the Xbox error 0x87DD0033, it means that there is likely something running amuck in the Xbox servers. While there is a chance that this is likely caused by something beyond your control, we can still check out a few different sources to verify and extinguish any flames of doubt that may be burning in your mind.

According to the official Xbox Support Page, error 0x87DD0033 is due to a connection issue or a server outage. It’s safe to say that we are more in the latter than the former at this point, but let’s see what we can find out together.

How to Diagnose Xbox error 0x87DD0033

There are a few different ways that we can go about diagnosing this error and verifying if it’s truly a server outage, or something going on with your connection. The first thing we’ll want to do is to check the following sources:

• Xbox Live Server Status
  • A detailed listing of all Xbox online services
• Xbox Support X Page
  • An officially run support channel on X (formerly known as Twitter)
• Downdetector
  • A community page where players can list any errors that they are encountering

Related: Is Xbox Live Down? How to Diagnose, Fix & Get Back Online

You’ll want to check these sources first to see what may be going on. As you can tell, on June 2, 2024, around 3:00 pm EST, the official Xbox Support page posted this message for their viewers to see:

This means that currently, there is a confirmed server issue. We’ll just need to be patient as we wait for follow-up messages from the Xbox Support network as to when we can expect our consoles to be able to access the internet again and function properly.

This error is tricky, unfortunately, as it more or less makes our Xbox consoles into paperweights until they fix the issues that they are having. For example, I can’t even currently sign into my Xbox Series X, so I can’t even watch a show or play any games that are stored on my console.

How to Fix Xbox error 0x87DD0033 When No Issues Are Detected

If you’re viewing this article and none of the steps above have proven to be fruitful, there are a few steps you can take to get yourself back online. The first thing that you’ll want to do is reboot your console. You can do this by holding down the Xbox Guide button on your controller and pressing the option to restart your console.

While you’re waiting for your system to come back online, unplug and replug your router/modem to refresh your internet connection. Once both your console and your internet connection have rebooted properly, you can try once again to sign back in.

And that’s everything you need to know about the unfortunate Xbox error 0x87DD0033.

Is Xbox Live Down Currently? How To Fix Xbox Error 0x87DD0033

Not being able to get online can be a horrifying feeling, especially if you’re just trying to sign into your Xbox to play games, watch shows, or anything in between. In this article, we’ll be detailing all of the steps you should take if you’re hoping to get back online, and to find out if it’s your console and internet connection, or if it’s something else entirely. Please follow these steps to see how to get back onto the Xbox Live network.

Players attempting to log into the Xbox Live servers, as of the time of this writing, are being hit with a “Try again in a while” error, and we’re hoping to help get you back online and gaming.

Check the Official Xbox Server Status

One of the first things that you should do is check the official Xbox Server Status website. Not only can you find out if Xbox Live is currently facing outages, but you can also check the status of several other Xbox-related items. As of June 2, 2024, things are showing all well on the Xbox side, but there are a few other places you should check before diagnosing possible internet issues.

Check the Official Xbox Support X Page

If you’ve got an X (formerly known as Twitter) account, you should quickly follow the official Xbox Support page. While they focus primarily on their platform, they will also provide updates to other popular titles such as Destiny 2 and Rainbow Six Siege. As of the time of this writing, the official Xbox Status page has not put out any notification regarding Xbox issues. Don’t fret – there is one more place we can check to verify and ensure that it isn’t our connection.

You can also use your account to reach out directly to the Xbox Support and official Xbox pages to let them know you are encountering an error. The more people that are reporting that Xbox Live is down, the faster they may be able to deploy a fix. I already know I’ll be reaching out to them shortly, as I can’t log on myself, either.

Related: Is Teardown on Xbox Game Pass?

Check the Xbox Live Downdetector Page

Sometimes, we may need to rely on the community to let us know if they’re running into the same kinds of issues that we are. The Xbox Live Downdetector Page currently has a massive spike of users reporting issues with their Xbox Live account, with many players reporting that they cannot even sign into their accounts currently.

You can create a free account on Downdetector to let other players know that you are having an issue with your Xbox Live account, which should hopefully prompt Microsoft to take quicker action.

If All Else Fails, It’s Time To Troubleshoot

It appears, that as of June 2, 2024, at 3:00 pm EST, there is an issue with Xbox Live. If you’re having issues beyond this point, days into the future perhaps, it may be time to give your console a quick restart and reboot to ensure that it isn’t something with your account or internet access.

You can power down your console fully by pressing and holding the Xbox guide button and selecting Restart Console. While your system of choice comes back online, reboot your modem/router by pulling the plug on the back, waiting for a few minutes, and plugging it back in. This should get you back online. If it does not, however, it may be time to reach out to Xbox Support to let them know what is going on.

And that should be everything you need to know about the state of the Xbox Servers.

The past few Chapters of Chainsaw Man have been some of the wildest to date, but it seems that fans are more viscerally upset with how the friendship between Denji and Nayuta has come to a close. While they have had nearly 50 chapters together, it seems that their friendship may be finished.

It appears that Denji just got served a horrifying plate of relaxation once Barem called out the final plate, seeing Nayuta’s head served down a sushi line. Does this mean that he just got done eating one of his closest friends, or is Barem not that cruel? It’s hard to say at this point, but there is one thing we can say — this makes Chapter 168 look like nothing.

Related: Chainsaw Man Chapter 169 Recap & Spoilers

As we can expect after seeing something so horrifying, fans are making waves on social media about this tragic ending to a beloved character. Seeing Denji consistently slammed for shock value has become rather depressing lately, and I’m scared to see what’s going to happen to him next.

Even seeing how some of his worst enemies react to this is disturbing. Katana Man is one of the worst offenders when it comes to treating Denji like a piece of garbage, but maybe he’ll finally loosen up on our favorite little guy in the future after seeing something this tragic happen.

Fujimoto must love the idea of making their readers as depressed as possible, and I must say, it’s working like a charm. The past few chapters of Chainsaw Man have been impressively bleak, so we can only hope that Denji gets a win soon, or it may be over for him. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to be sick.

Chainsaw Man is available to read on VIZ, and available to watch on Crunchyroll.

It’s Time To Go On An Ooting, Mama and Papa

Spy x Anya: Operation Memories put me directly into the shoes of the smallest member of the Forger family – Anya. Running around the world of Spy x Family is a joy in itself, but gazing upon it with the whimsy of a mind-reading child is quite adorable.

The general gameplay loop revolves around a few particular tasks – interacting with Anya’s family and friends to earn points, and snapping photos of Super Cool! objects to fill up her diary, participate in mini-games to earn a variety of credits, and play dress-up with the Forger family. Mixing and matching outfits to go on different Ootings (outings, for the uninitiated) provided me with boosts to the different currencies that I could obtain.

I needed to get PP to get new outfits and items for the Forger family, and Eureakas to participate in a variety of different mini-games. These games range from a simple cooking game, where Anya and Yor would work together to make dinner, to hanging out with Bond while exploring the skies in a dream sequence. Every minigame offered a variety of difficulty settings, ranging from Peanut to Chimera, but they’re never too difficult – the game wanted me to take it easy, and provided a simple challenge regardless of the difficulty I picked.

Going on the Ootings is one of the most fun parts of the game, even if they are a bit simplistic overall. Getting to explore unique scenery while also speaking with the Forger family and supporting characters is a cute way to help Anya have the best journal ever, and provides super-fans the chance to experience the world that has been built around these characters.

And don’t worry – both Yor and Loid get their own unique mini-game, with Yor’s feeling like a simple Devil May Cry-esque hack & slash, and Loid getting a stealth-based game, akin to Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid. They’re both fun but could have used some extra depth to make revisiting them all the more exciting.

It’s Like Pokemon Snap, Only With A Telepathic 5-year-old

The main part of the experience of Spy x Anya: Operation Memories, however, is the photography section. During the main story, I could encounter a variety of Super Cool! Objects, all signified with a large, red arrow to point me in their general direction. During these segments, I had about 15 seconds to focus the camera, find the perfect angle, and snap a picture at the right time to get a memory worth bragging about.

No matter if it was Anya groggily walking through the house to introduce herself to a houseplant, or spending time at the fountain in the park during an ooting with the family, each of these interactions are most elegant in their own way. As I filled up Anya’s journal with a variety of new snapshots, I could pick and choose the best photo to use as my final choice.

How would a game all about photography work if it didn’t have crisp and clean visuals, though? Spy x Anya: Operation Memories does a faithful job of recreating the look and feel of the show, with great character models, a complementary color pallet that feels just like the anime, and a variety of environments to explore. While I do wish that there was more freedom overall, the locations that I could pick and choose from were varied enough to keep the experience from feeling stale overall.

One of the best parts regarding the overall visual style is how expressive each of the characters is, especially during cutscenes. Spy x Family isn’t afraid to morph its characters’ faces into a variety of hilarious expressions, and they’ve been translated well in a 3D space. Yes, before you ask, the face is also included here.

These photos gave me Eurekas, which then allowed me to participate in the aforementioned mini-games to help to round out the, admittedly, reptitious day-night cycle. Starting off the day, I could go to school, come home to eat dinner and prepare for a good night of sleep. There is enough charm here to keep things engaging until the end, but I do with that the cycle was expanded upon further to make it a little less redundant overall.

The Style & Charm Are Here, But The Music Is Another Story

Spy x Family has some of the best music in the anime scene at the moment, no matter if it’s just the opening theme or just the general moments in between. Unfortunately, this is one of the spots where Spy x Anya: Operation Memories tends to drop the ball. Repetitious musical numbers pepper the slice-of-life moments, and nothing here on the musical side of things is all too memorable.

Those hoping for an English dub may walk away disappointed, as there is currently no option to toggle between Japanese voices and English voices. Plenty of fans have spent hours watching the Forger family in English, and I wish this experience was dubbed for those who wanted it. However, the Japanese voice actors deliver a solid performance and it doesn’t feel phoned in – it feels just like an episode of the anime in that regard.

Since the general gameplay takes part mostly in these slice-of-life moments, I grew weary of hearing the same tracks over and over again after a while. They’re not bad, per se, but I wish there would have been a bit of extra variety peppered in to keep things from feeling a bit too samey in the long run.

Some of the mini-games, on the other hand, have absolute bops for soundtracks. A particular favorite would have to be the Dodgeball mini-game, which makes it feel like a do-or-die situation, even if it isn’t that serious. These tracks are easily the highlight of the game, even if the Go, Bond, Go! mini-game recycles the same voice lines far too often not to be at least a little obnoxious.

I was genuinely surprised to see a slathering of Multiplayer options available to participate in, as well. My wife is a big fan of the franchise alongside myself, so getting to jump into fun little games like Peanut Bowling together is quite refreshing. It helps make this package feel more than the sum of its parts and offers a nice bit of replayability to enjoy together.

One thing to note for prospective buyers, as well – Spy x Anya: Operation Memories does expect it’s players to have a pretty in-depth knowledge about its world and characters. Make sure that you’re caught up on at least the anime before jumping in, as players new to the world of Spy x Family may not immediately catch some of the more sly references in the game.

Spy x Anya: Operation Memories isn’t the most in-depth experience that fans can partake in, but it offers a nice slice-of-life simulator that puts them smack-dab in the middle of their favorite show. Interacting with Loid, Yor & Bond is always a joy, the mini-games are rather entertaining, and the ability to explore some of the world that has been so carefully built since 2019 is a joy. It’s a whimsical and jovial experience for fans of manga and anime to experience, but I can only wish there was a bit more to the overall package.

Verdict: Recommended

Spy x Anya: Operation Memories is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch & PC. A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PlayStation 5.

During the ongoing discussion about the recently announced Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition, Ubisoft decided to slyly reaffirm the fact that Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development. While there are still some issues going on at the studio producing this anticipated sequel, it’s great to know that we may eventually get to see Jade in the newest generation of consoles.

Related: Best Double Barrel Loadout in XDefiant

While a point-blank Tweet may not have the same impact as its E3 2017 reveal trailer did, knowing that the teams at Ubisoft haven’t forgotten about the countless fans that have been waiting on any information regarding Beyond Good & Evil 2 is a step in the right direction.

With multiple live events showcasing upcoming games coming and going without a single whisper of information regarding Beyond Good & Evil 2, plenty of fans – myself included – imagined that this title went from Vaporware into the bin. This type of confirmation, as small as it may be buried within the replies regarding a remastering of the original game in the series, has reignited a spark in my heart and a small glimmer of hope that it can live up to the lofty expectations that have been put upon it. We can only hope that the game is as big and ambitious as it was first announced to be – otherwise, we may need to wait for Beyond Good & Evil 3 to fill those massive shoes in 2074.

Apparent Elden Ring Lord itzCBD recently just completed his 8th playthrough of the game. This is an impressive enough feat, but he did it back to back with the same character, a Wretch, without dying a single time in his playthroughs. No leveling, no dying, nothing. Just complete domination through and through.

This isn’t the first time that itzCBD has accomplished the seemingly impossible, either. In December 2023, he was also the first person in the world to complete a full hitless Dark Souls 3 Boss run using only his fists. You can catch the replay of the final moment of that run right here.

It appears that itzCBD is attempting to go down in FromSoftware history like other memorable players, such as the much beloved “LetMeSoloHer“, who rose to fame by fighting one of the most difficult bosses in video game history on his own over, and over, and over again.

No matter if you’ve determined that games like Elden Ring aren’t for you, or you’ve been trying to master the game while preparing for the massive DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, this is one of the most incredible events in the history of gaming and deserves to be celebrated as such.

Releasing on November 14, 2024, players can finally jump into one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, completely built from the ground up. If you’ve been keeping your eyes on this one for a while, you already know how absolutely stunning it looks — I’m already beyond ready to sink countless hours into this one.

At the end of the announcement trailer, there was also another surprise waiting for fans — Dragon Quest I & II are also getting the 2D-HD treatment and will be available at an unknown time in 2025. Bringing the entire Erdrick trilogy into this new era sounds like a dream come true for Dragon Quest fans.

Now with the latest in the series and the starting point of the franchise soon to be available on the Nintendo Switch, there’s no excuse not to jump into the Dragon Quest franchise. Now we can only hope that some of the other 2D Dragon Quest games or even the 3D games make their way to the Nintendo Switch in the future. I would love the chance to play the Journey of the Cursed King on the go on something besides my 3DS.

No matter what, the chance to jump into Dragon Quest III, as well as the first two entries in the franchise, with this gorgeous overhaul is a dream come true for fans around the world. No matter if this is the first time you’ll be jumping into the Dragon Quest franchise, or you’ve been a fan since the early days of the NES, this is a fantastic way to finally experience it.

Dragon Quest III 2D-HD Remake will be available on November 14, 2024, on Nintendo Switch.

It’s Dangerous To Go Alone, Take This!

Blade & Sorcery has been on the market since 2018, receiving a steady supply of content updates throughout its development. With the final version 1.0 release, a bevy of new options have been added to the game, but the biggest new feature has to be the included story mode. It’s a great introduction but plays it rather safe with a variety of fantasy tropes that lead to an exciting yet not very memorable experience. However, that’s not to say this isn’t a fun new addition — I was always excited to engage a variety of foes with the fantastical weapons that I could scrounge up near me and find unique ways to bring their life to an end. It essentially serves as a tutorial for the main package through and through, with other modes taking the limelight.

I was given a massive sandbox to explore, and following along with notes scattered throughout the world, I slowly learned the ropes of what makes Blade & Sorcery one of the most interesting packages on the market. Within the first few minutes of setting down in this new land, I was engaging in combat, swimming, jumping, climbing — the whole nine yards. As my first time experiencing what this physics-based combat simulator had to offer, I was immediately impressed. Silly ragdolls combined with brutal combat, with the occasional bit of platforming mixed in for good measure? Sign me up. As I progressed and began learning new skills, and even putting my physical body into new predicaments while getting more engrossed in what was happening around me, I kept falling deeper and deeper in love with the experience.

The main story takes roughly 7 hours to get through, give or take some depending on how much exploration happens in between story beats. While I had immediate access to the Sandbox mode, I decided to play through the main story first. However, the Sandbox mode is where everything clicked for me and made Blade & Sorcery all the more interesting.

It’s Time To D-D-D-D-Duel

Much like its Early Access counterpart, the main attraction here is the ways you can tweak and mess about with everything, creating the ultimate Sandbox that has kept me occupied for hours on end. Not only do you have complete access to the main story map, which prompts a recommendation to play through the story mode to avoid any spoilers, but you also have complete access to a variety of locations in which you can cause chaos.

Bringing up the Spawn Map is as easy as a single button press, giving complete control of the world around you. I was able to spawn dummies or enemies, change how the world around me reacted, and tweak nearly every part of the experience to my specifications. The unparalleled freedom of fun can only be improved upon with the plethora of mod support that Blade & Sorcery offers. Over the years, I have seen a variety of videos about this particular game, with players tweaking the game into something otherwise unrecognizable.

That’s where the main appeal of Balde & Sorcery lies, and I know I’m not alone in that thought. Over the years since its Early Access release, the appeal of the game has continued along the same path — not only give the player unrivaled access to pure hand-to-hand combat and let them feel like an unstoppable warrior but also give them the tools they need to continue having fun and make it into a community.

Thankfully for those worried that Version 1.0 would suddenly outgrow its roots, the modding category is still prominently featured on the main screen, giving immediate access to its abundance of modding tools. There is no pressure to jump into the story mode or any other mode — I could create the ultimate Star Wars game of my dreams from the start. A loving message from developer WarpFrog even states that the game wouldn’t be what it is today without the love from the modding community, and it just shows how much it means to them.

Virtual Reality Isn’t Without It’s Faults

While Blade & Sorcery is easily one of the quintessential Virtual Reality experiences I can’t recommend enough, it doesn’t come without its flaws. While VR has advanced plenty over the years, there is bound to be some jank here and there. No matter if it’s the somewhat iffy detection when trying to climb up the side of a cliff face or watching your weapon bend the head of an opponent in unnatural ways, some may initially be put off by these types of events.

Myself, I love it. The impressive physics-based nature of the adventure laid out before me felt like nothing else on the market, and no competitor could naturally touch it. Sure, during my initial hours, I may have been groaning when I would miss a step while climbing, but I adapted and slowly became the champion the game knew I could be. There was a steep learning curve to get used to how everything reacted to me because it was just a little off from how it would be in real life. But, once I learned the ropes — both literally and figuratively — it felt like second nature. I was slowly becoming the “Ye Olde Johnathan Wick” that Blade & Sorcery knew I could be all along.

That being said, there are some slight issues that I encountered during my playtime, the first being the Spawn Book. Some of the fonts are rather small, making it slightly difficult to pick things such as origins for characters. It feels nitpicky, but when the pros outweigh the cons by this much, you need to have a few bones to pick here and there. The only other main gripe I had during my playthrough was learning the initial navigation, but that slowly came with time. While letting players have access to Sandbox mode straight away is a great option, maybe a list of available game modes at the start could make things a little more user-friendly.

Overall, if you’ve purchased a VR headset and haven’t gotten your hands on Blade & Sorcery, make sure that you add it to your wishlist straight away. It’s an incredible experience and can provide years of entertainment without nickel-and-diming you the way many other experiences will. It’s pure, unadulterated fun and easily one of the most impressive VR titles ever made.

Verdict: Strongly Recommended

Blade & Sorcery is available now on Steam & Meta Store. A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC VR via the Meta Quest Store. Blade & Sorcery: Nomad is available directly on the Meta Quest Store and will be receiving a Version 1.0 patch at an undisclosed time in the future.