Metacritic has compiled a comprehensive ranking of all Metroid games in its database, celebrating the launch of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond after an 18-year hiatus for the Prime series. This list evaluates titles based on aggregated critic reviews, encompassing Prime installments, 2D adventures, and spin-offs. Notable older entries are excluded due to their pre-Metacritic release dates.
Players of Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP can anticipate a complimentary update in mid-December, introducing the community-designed 'Cutie Zombie Hunter' outfit for Juliet. This winning design emerged from a costume creation competition, with more triumphant entries slated for future integration. Additionally, Dragami Games is set to launch end-of-year and New Year promotional offers, providing a 40% reduction on the standard price until late December 2025 in the US and early January 2026 in Europe. Furthermore, a 'Switch 2 Edition' upgrade, offering enhanced frame rates and resolution, is now projected for an early 2026 release after a brief postponement.
Brace Yourself Games has rolled out a crucial compatibility update for their rhythm-based game, “Crypt of the NecroDancer,” addressing crashing issues on the new Switch 2 console. This fix ensures a smoother gaming experience for players on the latest hardware. This follows a trend of several other Switch titles receiving similar updates to enhance their performance on the Switch 2.
Hytale, the highly anticipated game, is set for an early access release in January, but surprisingly, it won't be available on Steam. Hypixel Studios, the developer, explained that this decision is strategic, aiming to avoid potentially negative user reviews during the early development phase, allowing them to focus on community feedback and game improvement without the pressure of Steam's public rating system. This unconventional approach highlights the studio's confidence and desire for a controlled early access environment.
Eidos Montreal, a studio under the Embracer Group, has reportedly undergone another round of layoffs, impacting numerous employees across various departments. This marks the second wave of job cuts for the studio in 2025, following previous reductions and project cancellations. The move reflects ongoing financial challenges and restructuring efforts within the parent company, Embracer Group, which has seen extensive layoffs and studio closures since a major financing deal collapsed in 2023.
Reddit is officially ending its NFT-based collectible avatar program, signaling a significant shift away from non-fungible tokens. Users have until January 1, 2026, to transfer their digital assets to external wallets, or risk losing access to the underlying blockchain data. This move comes as the broader NFT market experiences a sharp decline, with many projects losing value and initial hype dissipating, reflecting a broader trend of skepticism towards the long-term viability of NFTs.
The highly anticipated sandbox survival RPG, Streets of Fortuna, unveiled a new trailer at the PC Gaming Show 2024, promising an intense gaming experience. With Dwarf Fortress co-creator Tarn Adams contributing his design expertise, the game draws inspiration from ancient Constantinople. Players navigate a procedurally generated city, facing challenges ranging from city guards to vigilante justice, while forging their own path to success.
Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core has been recognized as one of the most anticipated games of 2026, featuring a new 'Retcon' character class with time-manipulation abilities. This roguelite spin on the cooperative shooter genre promises upgraded weaponry, new enemy types, and a challenging experience for players exploring deep mining expeditions. The game is expected to launch in early 2026.
David Szymanski, the developer behind the acclaimed retro FPS "Dusk," has unveiled a new turn-based dungeon crawler, "Dungeons of Dusk." Set canonically between the episodes of its predecessor, the game promises bloodcurdling intensity, as showcased in its world premiere trailer during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted. Players can expect a mashup of wild carnage against various enemies, accompanied by a heavy metal soundtrack.
Fullbright, the studio behind 'Gone Home' and 'Tacoma,' is back with a new atmospheric adventure game, 'Springs, Eternal.' This title, led by co-founder Steve Gaynor, merges romance and horror with a retro pixelated aesthetic. Set to launch in 2026, the game invites players to explore the eerie Stillwater Springs resort, uncover fragmented memories, and confront lurking terrors. It promises a unique blend of emotional storytelling and suspense.
Lunacy Studios introduces "The House of Hikmah," an ethereal puzzle adventure game inspired by titles like "Abz" and "Journey." Set in the Islamic Golden Age, players guide Maya through stunning architecture, manipulating matter to solve puzzles across floating islands and grand libraries. The game delves into themes of grief and loss within the Mystic Realm, promising a deeply emotional experience with music by Journey's composer. Expected before April 2026, it's now available for wishlisting.
The beloved MMORPG Guild Wars has received a significant update, Guild Wars Reforged, bringing technical enhancements and Steam Deck compatibility. This revamp, announced at the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, offers veteran players a free upgrade and new players a complete package for $20, featuring improved graphics, audio, UI, and quest tracking, breathing new life into the 20-year-old game.
This guide details the optimal locations and strategies for finding mushrooms in the game Arc Raiders, an essential resource for leveling up your rooster, Scrappy. By understanding spawn patterns and leveraging in-game events like Lush Blooms, players can efficiently gather mushrooms to enhance resource collection capabilities. Specific areas across different maps are highlighted to maximize foraging success.
Discover how to unlock the Scholar and the Undertaker, two new Nightfarer characters in Elden Ring Nightreign's Forsaken Hollows DLC. This guide provides step-by-step instructions, including purchasing the DLC, completing the Tricephalos expedition, and interacting with the Small Jar Bazaar to access these unique new characters with their distinct skill sets.
Grinding Gear Games unveils "The Last of the Druids" update for Path of Exile 2, introducing an innovative Druid class capable of transforming into a dragon. This highly anticipated update, launching on December 12 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC, also brings the "Fate of the Vaal" league and significant system enhancements, aiming to solidify the game's foundation ahead of its 2026 release.
A new steampunk RPG, "The God Slayer," is stirring excitement among fans of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" due to its striking similarities in elemental combat and martial arts. Developed by Pathea Games, this open-world title features an "Elemancer" protagonist who wields fire, earth, wind, and water, echoing Aang's bending abilities. While not an official Avatar game, its combat flow and industrial fantasy setting draw strong comparisons, offering a potential spiritual successor that many fans have long awaited.
The Sims 4 has launched two new Kits, "SpongeBob's House Kit" and "SpongeBob Kids Room Kit," allowing players to integrate the beloved animated series into their game. This release coincides with the upcoming "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants." While some players view these additions as a commercial ploy, others embrace the playful and nostalgic elements. The Kits introduce a range of furniture and decor, some versatile enough for any Sim household, and others distinctly themed for SpongeBob enthusiasts, especially appealing to younger players.
Tencent's survival game, 'Light of Motiram,' faces a legal challenge from Sony, which alleges copyright infringement and calls the game a 'slavish clone' of its 'Horizon' series. Tencent has agreed to halt all promotional activities and delay the game's release until a judge rules on Sony's preliminary injunction request, pushing the release window to late 2027.
Epic Games is currently offering two free titles for its users: Jackbox Party Pack 4 and The Darkside Detective. Jackbox Party Pack 4 is a collection of minigames perfect for social gatherings, featuring titles like Fibbage 3 and Monster Seeking Monster. The Darkside Detective is a comedic point-and-click adventure where players solve supernatural mysteries. Both games are available for a limited time on the Epic Games Store.
Participants are invited to share their opinions on the recent PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted through a brief survey. Completing the survey offers a chance to win an ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming PC, equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor, a 7-inch 1080p IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The survey is open until December 18.
The 'My Pet Dragons' mod introduces over 500 dragon variations to Minecraft, allowing players to tame and train these creatures. Dragons can be found in various biomes, including the Nether, and offer capabilities such as being used as mounts. The mod also integrates new bosses and quests, providing an enhanced gameplay experience beyond simply adding pets.
The Lexar NQ780, a 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, offers aggressive pricing but uses older components like the Innogrit IG5236 controller and Intel 144-layer QLC NAND. While sequential speeds are decent initially, its random 4K read performance is subpar, significantly impacting game loading times. Despite its affordability, this drive struggles to compete with modern alternatives, making its value proposition questionable amidst current memory price fluctuations.
Explore our comprehensive guide for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, offering a full walkthrough to achieve 100% completion. Discover all Power Suit Upgrades, Scan Entries, Scout Bot locations, and strategies to defeat every boss in this highly anticipated game. This guide provides detailed assistance for navigating the game's world, uncovering secrets, and mastering combat encounters.
The annual Microsoft Excel World Championship is elevating its theatrics, transforming spreadsheet competitions into a captivating spectacle reminiscent of wrestling events. This year's championship, held in Las Vegas, featured dramatic wrestler-style introductions for its competitors. The competition pits Excel experts against complex data challenges, with Ireland's Diarmuid Early clinching the title, a championship belt, and a $5,000 prize.
