The amount of content in Minecraft is overwhelmingly large, and players have a wide selection of many different modes and servers. Which type of content do you enjoy the most in this building game? Let us know.
Since its release in November 2021, Minecraft has been considered a gaming phenomenon. With over 141 million active players, it is one of the largest games worldwide and offers its fans tons of content.
This content comes in all shapes and sizes, as one of the great features of Minecraft is the freedom and creative possibilities the game offers to its players.
It can be played in both single and multiplayer
The possibilities for building are virtually limitless
Both PvE and PvP fans can enjoy themselves through numerous modes and servers
For players who love challenges, there is the survival mode and the ruthless hardcore mode
Through modding and self-created maps by other players, nearly limitless possibilities arise. Thanks to the large community, there are MMORPGs, survival horror, story adventures, zombie apocalypse, puzzles, and many countless other genres and worlds.
Thanks to this variety, Minecraft can cater to nearly all types of players, and everyone can find something in the vast amount of content that they personally enjoy the most.
Therefore, we wanted to know from you which type of content you prefer to play in Minecraft.
Here’s how you can vote: You can cast your vote as usual in our poll tool below. You can check off up to three answers and thus create a top 3 of your favorite content in Minecraft.
However, the choice cannot be undone as always:
How about you? Do you prefer a specific type of content in Minecraft, or do you play everything the game has to offer? Do you build yourself, or do you maybe have certain favorite maps from other players that you like to play? Share them in the comments and tell us what you find particularly cool about them.
The notorious Twitch star xQc is known for his reaction videos and his GTA Online roleplay. However, this seems to upset a loud minority of his fans quite a bit. As a result, they flood his chat and now also completely innocent service fan accounts with complaints and trolling. Read here on mein MMO what this is all about.
Who is xQc? Félix “xQc” Lengyel is a Canadian Twitch streamer. He initially started his career as an Overwatch pro, which he had to end early due to lack of impulse control and related rage incidents.
However, his angry demeanor seems to bother his followers little. Rather, he has developed into one of the largest Twitch streamers. As of January 30, 2022, he has 9.9 million followers, and on average about 100,000 people watch him while he streams (via twitchmetrics).
What is the problem? Currently, xQc is mainly seen in the categories GTA 5 Roleplay and Just Chatting. In the latter, he reacts to videos that he watches together with his followers. He has already gotten into trouble for, among other things, streaming the Olympics.
But especially his GTA content bothers a very loud minority of his fans. Because it seems they don’t want to see streams of GTA, especially no casino heists. This has recently been xQc’s specialty, and he apparently tried time and again to rob a casino in the online roleplay.
Angry fans harass fan service account on Twitter
What happened next? To vent their anger, the “fans” posted a lot of complaints in xQc’s chat and also brought in memes of Pepe the Frog, who is painfully crushing his face. This, in turn, has now been largely curtailed by xQc using chat bots and modding.
However, the angry viewers let their rage run free elsewhere. The current victim is an independent Twitter account named xQcOWUpdates. There, loyal fans of xQc regularly post information about his current streams.
But as soon as something from a casino or another GTA stream is visible here, the trolls flood the channel and spam their memes and complaints. Additionally, fans who actually enjoy xQc’s content are harassed.
This has become too much for the channel operators, and from now on, everyone who complains will be banned.
The replies to our tweets have really become a breeding ground for [toxic comments], which is why we published this statement yesterday. It seems that so many of these people have been banned from the xQc chat that they now only come here to spread their hate. We try our best to ignore the shitty comments, but when normal people in our community also become victims of targeted harassment… because they enjoy watching xQc play GTA RP, it bothers us.
How does xQc respond? So far, there has been no statement from xQc regarding the current issue. According to Kotaku, he has expressed multiple times in his streams that games are currently “dog shit” and there isn’t much new to play.
Moreover, he wrote in his chat that there apparently are only complaints here and he doesn’t want to reward this whining with attention.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human is getting free and paid DLCs. But what about microtransactions? You can find all the information about that on MeinMMO.
What are microtransactions? This refers to various content that can be purchased for real money in games. These are usually offered in in-game shops.
These can include a variety of things such as:
Skins for weapons, characters, and various other items.
Emotes
EXP boosters
With the upcoming release of Dying Light 2, some potential players might wonder: Is there something like this in the survival game?
Start video
Everything you need to know about the new survival game Dying Light 2 – with gameplay
Will Dying Light 2 have microtransactions? Developer comments
What is known so far: Developer Techland has not announced any microtransactions so far. However, they have also not been publicly denied.
Therefore, there is actually no reason to assume the existence of an in-game shop. After all, it is an open-world game that can only be played co-op, with a clear focus on story.
Nonetheless, there were long-standing doubts raised by a rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
This rating gives Dying Light 2 a 17+ age rating and notes in-game purchases. So is there possibly a shop with microtransactions after all?
This is what the developers say: In response to a player’s inquiry in the Steam forum (via reddit), a developer from Techland recently responded. It states: “As far as I know, we received this rating because you can buy our DLCs directly from the in-game menu, just like in Dying Light 1.”
Thus, there will indeed be an in-game shop, but it will only offer the DLCs that have already been announced.
While this statement does not rule out the possibility of other content, nothing else indicates that there could be microtransactions.
Dying Light 2 will be released on February 4 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. The game will be released in a modified version in Germany.
In an interview with GameInformer, the Game Director of Elden Ring spoke about the characters created by “Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin. According to Miyazaki, he might be surprised at how these characters were changed for the final game.
What role does Martin play in Elden Ring? The GoT author mostly wrote the backstory, mythology, and lore for the action RPG. This includes, according to Miyazaki, numerous “great heroes”.
His work is more focused on the overarching world and the background of the game and how the story revolves around the Elden Ring.
In an interview with GameInformer, FromSoftware President and Game Director Hidetaka Miyazaki gave a brief insight into the process and what kind of characters the GoT author contributed.
This is what Miyazaki says about the characters: He discusses what kind of figures Martin wrote for FromSoftware and what the task of the Elden Ring developers was in making something out of these figures.
In their original form, he describes these characters as initially more human beings:
When Martin wrote these figures and created the origin story, the myth for the world of the Elden Ring, these demigods were much closer to their original form and perhaps closer to the human form back then, before the shattering, before everything began.
Anyone familiar with previous FromSoftware games knows: When encountering demigods, they are usually not shining angels. There is hardly a character in Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Sekiro that is not at least quirky and enigmatic, usually more creepy to horrifying.
Especially among the bosses, we encounter numerous fallen heroes. For example, Knight Artorias from Dark Souls 1 is a legendary character from the universe.
Fallen kings and queens, knights, and numerous heroes: The games offer many tragic and horrific fates with their characters, mixed with a dose of madness and decay.
Elden Ring turns “great heroes” into horrific monsters
How will this be in Elden Ring? From previous materials, it was clear that it will be no different in Elden Ring. We also know from the story that we will face fallen demigods who became monsters through events in the Lands Between, the world of Elden Ring.
Miyazaki describes it as the developers’ task to take these characters from Martin and turn them into something horrific:
So it was more up to us to interpret this and ask: “How did they become such inhuman monsters? And how did the insane shards of the Elden Ring and its power affect them? So our task was to take these great heroes and transform and distort them into something they were not. […] This process of taking these very human characters with weaknesses, but also these very dramatic, heroic characters and basically breaking them down and making them into these misshaped, grotesque monsters… I personally had a lot of fun with this.
What do we know about the story? Here’s a quick overview with the known information:
The world of Elden Ring is called “The Land Between”.
In the Lands Between, the great Erd Tree, to whose roots the Elden Ring belonged, stands.
The Elden Ring, a mysterious and powerful object, has been shattered into six pieces due to a significant event.
You assume the role of the “Tarnished”, and must reassemble the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord.
To do this, you must depose the current ruler, Marika the Eternal.
Her numerous children are demigods and have grabbed the pieces of the shattered Elden Ring.
They were driven to madness by the power of the pieces, which caused a war in the Lands Between.
Here’s the latest story trailer:
Start video
New trailer provides insight into the story of Elden Ring, the most anticipated RPG at present
Miyazaki himself is apparently very curious about how George R. R. Martin will react to his characters when he sees their transformations in the final game.
Head of Elden Ring believes “Game of Thrones” author Martin might be “a little shocked”.
This is what Miyazaki says about Martin: The Game Director suspects that Martin might at least be surprised by what has become of “his” characters in Elden Ring.
And I believe that if we give Martin the chance to see the game and the characters, he will be a little shocked. When he wrote them, he really imagined something more human, a bit more traditional human drama and fantasy characters. So I hope he will be excited about it.
He also revealed his favorite character in the game, who was created by George R. R. Martin. This character is named Rykard, but Miyazaki did not disclose further details about it.
We will probably have to find out for ourselves in the game what makes this character so special for him. Previous gameplay scenes suggest a lot of monstrous things to expect. Just yesterday, new scenes were revealed: Elden Ring shows new gameplay with optional dungeon and tough boss fight
In Destiny 2, I witnessed a game full of story content but without a fixed plot develop into a sci-fi adventure MMO with an engaging story. However, due to my late entry, there was much that was simply ‘lost’. That’s why content recycling is the coolest thing in Destiny 2, even if you hate it.
To preempt this: Destiny 2 is not a single-player game. It is never truly finished. It exists as a live service game that is constantly evolving. This means I, as a player, am aware that the developer may eventually remove old, unused content that I paid for.
It should at least be in the back of every player’s mind that you don’t really own anything in a live service game and have no claim to it.
Content is recycled or revamped to refresh the game or make room for new content. One thing that I personally completely agree with, because it offers me not only disadvantages, as many players always assume. I think when they talk about the game, they too often equate ‘more content’ automatically with ‘better’.
Shadowkeep brought back the Moon from Destiny 1 reimagined
I certainly don’t want to excuse Bungie and the content vault here, but let’s be honest: The only thing that matters are new, fresh contents. All other things are simply outdated.
When Io, Mercury, Titan, and Mars were swallowed by the content vault anomaly in Destiny 2, I didn’t shed a tear for any of the planets. Mars was a small exception, but only because I often (perhaps too often) used the escalation protocol for my quests. So, it was purely a matter of convenience, and in retrospect, thanks to the ‘Altars of Sorrow’ on the Moon, I never really missed it.
Mars returns changed and recycled with Witch Queen as the first planet
Destiny 2 is now better than it has ever been
Why would I ever want to return to old planets with old settings? I want to rediscover the game over and over again. I want to be driven by Bungie to new surprising locations that I can explore and that captivate me again. That’s why I pay Bungie to get new locations regularly and old content additionally revived, thus recycled.
If that means I have to forgo old content that I don’t play anymore, then goodbye to it. Because to put it clearly:
The old content is literally a waste of time and money
Maintaining many old content is labor-intensive even though they were hardly relevant anymore
The early Destiny was a complete mess without a clear line in the story
If each expansion keeps expanding, you end up with an overwhelming mess that is no longer manageable.
Mercury has disappeared in the ‘Content Vault Anomaly’
That is also the reason why I am glad that these contents are gone, because we now have a far better Destiny 2 than Destiny 1 and Destiny 2 in years 1 to 3. The old maps were all outdated and boring compared to what Bungie has made of the locations now and especially what they seem to still do with Witch Queen.
As it stands now, the content recycling Bungie talks about is a damn cool thing. Because it is dynamic.
Bungie is doing everything right with dynamic content recycling
Through the content vault, Bungie has a tool that, if used correctly, can realize an evolving Destiny universe that many Guardians, like myself, have long wished for.
We already know that we will return to Mars with the launch of Witch Queen in February. I, for one, am very excited to see the old location again.
The best thing is: It will not be the location we know. It has changed, and that within the framework of the current story. So you take something old and make something new, something better out of it. In short: recycling at its finest.
What has happened on Mars in the meantime?
Of course, it took time. Not everyone had an immediate idea of what exactly Bungie meant by ‘content recycling’ and what it would look like. Especially how long it will take for content to come out of the vault again. It has since become clear: The return of old Destiny 1 content is not all that will be recycled and thus revised. So that’s a good sign.
Thanks to content recycling, everyone can now experience the best raids
Bungie has also announced the return of an old raid from Destiny 1 with Witch Queen. That’s also one reason why I personally find content recycling and the interim storage for the old content, the content vault, great.
I certainly know the story and the raids of Destiny 1 from videos and reports. But I have always felt it was a shame that I could never experience the best activities of Destiny 1 on PC myself.
Now I am looking forward to the opportunity to experience these contents. I also think it’s good that they run parallel to the current content and thus not just offer old content. Let’s say, this is only a ‘goodie’ within an expansion. It will even probably, like the raid ‘Glass Chamber’, be free to play for everyone unless Bungie changes something. Anyone who as a Destiny 1 veteran does not appreciate that should find plenty of alternative opportunities.
In the meantime, I would like to state that the removal of content has optimized the gaming experience for me and has, in my opinion, given more value to the existing content.
The Destiny story is as profound as the universe itself
New Light players need more support
There is only one thing I find unsatisfactory, and that is the current support for New Light players. Long-time Destiny 2 players don’t have so many difficulties with this. They know the story and its development to this day.
For new players, the past of Destiny 2 is a gap that is currently not being filled. Due to the removal of content, it becomes incredibly challenging for newcomers to see through everything and understand.
I personally would like everyone who wants to have the opportunity to experience at least the basic story of Destiny in the game and to be able to understand it. There are things that have happened that are quite important for the overall experience. Especially considering that Savathun, the host in the new expansion, as well as Crow/Uldren Sov, have been part of the Destiny story for seven years and are thus relevant.
New players basically have three problems:
Firstly, they really don’t know anything from their introduction mission
Secondly, that everything one could tell them about Destiny 2 is also relevant
Thirdly, that they will never experience the captivating Destiny story effect because, due to the lack of knowledge, much is completely irrelevant to them and means nothing
This leads to many new players not even being aware that they do not know the best stories in the game. I think what new players encounter in the Cosmodrome simply isn’t enough as a starting point in its current form. At least the most relevant parts of the story of Destiny 2 should still be comprehensible to them afterwards. And I hope Bungie will find a better solution for this soon. My idea is a simple timeline in the game that summarizes all events in the universe briefly for them.
What do you think about the dynamic content recycling of content? Do you think it’s good or bad, and especially, why do you think so? Would you buy a game that regularly adds and removes features over time or would you prefer a static game? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO starting on January 30, the special research “Voltoball from the Hisui Region?!” with Hisui-Voltoball will begin. We will show you all the tasks and rewards and how you can catch Hisui-Voltoball now.
What kind of research is this? Right after the end of the Rocket event in Pokémon GO, the new research “Voltoball from the Hisui Region?!” will be available to you. This will start at 10:00 AM on January 30.
Professor Willow will explain the background to you. The highlight of the new special research are encounters with Hisui-Voltoball. This is a new form of the Pokémon introduced by the new game Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Here we will show you all the tasks and contents of the special research.
Update from January 30 at 10:15 AM: The research is supposed to start for you at 10:30 AM.
Update from January 30 at 10:10 AM: Actually, the research should have already started. However, trainers report that Professor Willow has not yet contacted them. We will keep you updated here.
Voltoball from the Hisui Region 1/2
Task
Reward
Catch 10 Pokémon
Encounter with Voltoball
Use 10 berries while catching Pokémon
Encounter with Voltoball
Give your buddy 3 snacks
Encounter with Voltoball
Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the corresponding rewards, you will also receive 3 Nanab Berries, 3 Razz Berries, and an encounter with Hisui-Voltoball.
Voltoball from the Hisui Region 2/2
Task
Reward
Catch 20 Pokémon
Encounter with Voltoball
Use 20 berries while catching Pokémon
Encounter with Voltoball
Land 10 Curveball throws
Encounter with Voltoball
Stage Reward: If you complete all three tasks and collect the corresponding rewards, you will also receive 9 Nanab Berries, 9 Razz Berries, and an encounter with Hisui-Voltoball.
What do we know about the Pokémon? Dataminers found out during the night on Saturday that Hisui-Voltoball is being prepared for its release. There were first images and the contents of Professor Willow’s special research already in the game’s code.
On Friday, January 28, the new game Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released. Players on the Switch can embark on new adventures there. The release of this game included the debut of Hisui-Voltoball. We reported on this on MeinMMO and present you the Electric-Grass Pokémon:
This week, three new MMORPGs were released, each targeting a completely different audience. Additionally, a new patch was released in New World, and ESO announced its next expansion. We summarize all the important news of the week from MeinMMO.
New World has released the new patch 1.3. This brought dungeon mutators and a new equipment level. There were also discussions about hiding player numbers, which we consider unnecessary:
The sandbox MMORPG Fractured is starting a new alpha in February, for which you can register (via Fractured).
The Korean company Webzen is planning a remake of Soul of the Ultimate Nation, originally released in 2006 (via MassivelyOP).
These were the news of the week from the world of MMORPGs at a glance. What was your personal highlight? Did you experience something exciting this week? Or did we forget something important? Let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO and discuss with us.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On January 25, the new Free2Play MMORPG Broken Ranks (PC) was launched. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch has played it for several hours since then and is thrilled. In this article, he explains what makes the game so good, but also where the weaknesses lie.
Broken Ranks is a new MMORPG from the Polish indie studio Whitemoon. In the game, I take on a character who has lost his family and home to the evil Utor. I am one of the few survivors and have received a message that I must deliver to a person on a continent completely foreign to me.
The world features a 2.5D look with beautiful graphics reminiscent of paintings. I control my character in an isometric perspective with mouse clicks.
What is truly special about Broken Ranks is the combat system. In most other MMORPGs, I run through the world and attack enemies either in an action or a tab-targeting system. But everything happens in real-time. Broken Ranks, however, uses a turn-based combat system. Whenever I attack an enemy, I am taken to an external battlefield to take out the enemy or enemies.
This combat system and the type of story, which harks back to the old Gothic games, ensure that I’m currently having a lot of fun with Broken Ranks. A first glimpse into my adventures can be seen in this video, in which I play for about 60 minutes:
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Soft Introduction, Especially for Players Who Don’t Play Role-Playing Games
Right after the installation of Broken Ranks, I experience the first pleasant surprise. Although it’s an indie MMORPG, it has been translated into many languages, including German. Also positive is the purely German server, although most players will probably gather on the EU server.
In character creation, I have the choice of 7 different classes, including classic melee and ranged fighters, fire mages, and druids for healing. The voodoo class also sounds interesting, which according to the official description can take “the will and life force” from enemies.
After choosing the class and gender, there follows a very rudimentary character editor. There are 4 different skin tones, six faces, and a few minor details like pupil or nose size. In terms of level, the editor is slightly better than that of New World, but it is far less detailed than in ESO or Black Desert.
7 classes with detailed descriptions are available for selection in character creation.
After character creation, I’m thrown directly into the beautiful game world and learn about the brutality inflicted on my continent Taern. The admittedly very long tutorial (about 30 to 45 minutes) explains every detail of the MMORPG in detail.
For those who have had no experience with role-playing or even video games before, this tutorial guides them thoroughly.
This can also be somewhat annoying regarding the combat system, as I quickly understand how the action points are distributed exactly, but cannot reallocate them because the game hasn’t yet explained the specifics to me.
What’s cool, however, is that even in the tutorial, you can discover things. There is a hidden quest and several hidden chests from which you can loot gold. My spirit of discovery is therefore awakened.
A Brilliant and Deep Combat System That May Not Please Everyone
Broken Ranks relies on a turn-based combat system. In this, I, as the player, stand on the left side of the screen, and the enemies are on the right. At the beginning of each round, I can decide which attacks and defenses I want to perform:
I have 12 action points available. I can distribute them freely at the beginning of each round.
There are five abilities and three defense options (melee, ranged, mental), to which I distribute the points. Each attack can receive up to 5 points, and each point increases the chance of a hit.
I must constantly decide how many points to allocate to attack and defense. I only have 10 seconds each round.
Attacks are executed in the order of magic, ranged, melee, which also determines which side and which players initiate the combat. However, there is no special feature that refers to my position. Throughout the entire fight, I remain fixed in one spot.
Since attacks consume mana and/or stamina, I must weigh risks at all times. It can indeed make sense to use all five abilities directly, even if the chance is high that one or another action will fail. But if my stamina or mana values drop too low, I may only be able to perform one attack or even none at all in a round. Then it’s wiser to invest all points in a single ability.
It is also possible to invest all points solely into attack. However, there is the risk that I won’t kill the enemy and then will be vulnerable to their attacks.
10 seconds (white bar), 12 points, 5 attacks, and 3 defenses. They form the core of the combat system.
Defense plays an important role, and you also need to learn to read your opponents. Enemies with a crossbow, for example, attack from a distance, while shamans or mages usually attack mentally. However, they have different weaknesses. Some are better hit in melee combat, others better from a distance.
These constant trade-offs and also the time pressure make the combat system really interesting.
Before a fight, I can also set two basic tactics (four tactics as a premium player) so that I do not have to build a set from scratch every time. It’s also important that I constantly sit down to rest so that life and stamina can regenerate. This does not happen automatically outside of battles.
I am also repeatedly supported in battles, whether by companions in the story or by a pet that is unlocked from level 7 onward.
From level 7 onward, a cute dog accompanies me as an archer.
Each class has access to the same basic skills, such as hitting, throwing stones, or freeing oneself from entanglements. Each class also has nine unique abilities, which are unlocked at higher levels and can be improved by up to seven levels with skill points.
Strategy eventually plays a role here too, as you always gain more abilities but only have limited points for them. You must first decide which abilities you want to enhance and whether an enhancement might even be more useful than unlocking a new ability.
With each level, I also receive four points to invest in attributes such as health, mana, and stamina or accuracy and damage.
Overall, the combat system is very easy to learn, but offers much depth and is hard to master, also because you are forced to read the abilities and behavior of your opponents. Since it is turn-based, the system will likely not appeal to everyone, but I am thrilled.
Who is speaking here? Alexander Leitsch is the MMORPG expert at MeinMMO. He has spent hundreds of hours in games like Guild Wars 2, New World, ESO, or Black Desert. He primarily tries out every new MMORPG, including Broken Ranks, where he achieved level 10 as an archer, level 9 as a druid, and level 5 as a voodooist in about 8 hours of gameplay.
Grim Story and Many Details That Remind Me of Gothic
Broken Ranks is a game driven heavily by a story. However, I do not take on the role of a hero; rather, I am mostly a rogue and errand boy. There is often very coarse language and even coarse humor.
Terms like son of a dog or even worse come up regularly. Additionally, the first city is virtually just a huge web of intrigues. Corrupt guards, various underworld gangsters, and a brothel where shady deals are made from time to time.
I perform smaller jobs to make ends meet, and I also have a lot of influence over how the minor tasks and stories end. For example, in an election for the head of a village, I discover that all three candidates are corrupt. One candidate bribes me to help her. Another doubles my contribution if I support him.
In the end, I am significantly involved in which candidate wins or whether I even manage to expose all three as corrupt.
I decide to go for the guy who offered me double the gold – naturally!
Throughout the story, I can make decisions repeatedly.
Not every task ends favorably. For instance, I was supposed to give a healing potion to the farmer Anton, but it turned out to be poison. The other villagers criticized me directly for just trusting a stranger on the street, simply because she offered me gold.
They are right, but hey, I didn’t care about that guy anyway.
A small highlight is that I can also engage in a little number at the brothel around the corner, just like I did in Gothic.
So far, I am absolutely thrilled by the story and the overall game world.
In my first battles in Broken Ranks, I had an occasion where suddenly another player showed up. This happens very easily because whenever you start a fight, another player can simply join the battle with a right-click.
Up to five players can thus participate in a fight together. If I don’t want this, I can simply lock my group, and no one will suddenly appear.
However, I never locked my group and therefore made three nice acquaintances. With one player, for instance, I grinded mobs for about an hour and had a pleasant conversation.
With up to 5 players, you can defeat enemies together.
By joining the fight, you automatically form a group, which in Broken Ranks is quite curious. Only the group leader is visible in the world outside of battle and essentially controls the entire group. As the leader, I decide where we go, who we fight, or whether we rest. The other players have no influence on this and can only leave the group if they disagree with my decisions.
However, the system gets a bit strange when you die. You get resurrected at a respawn point but automatically leave the group. You have to find the group again if you wish to continue questing together.
However, starting from level 25, you can create a guild and then won’t lose sight of each other. There is also a group finder for adventures in the open world and for dungeons.
A crafting system is also present in the game, including gathering spices, plants, and other resources in the open world. However, this occurs without special animations.
When gathering, you just stand around.
Complex Battles, But a Long Way to Go to MMO
After the first hours, I am absolutely excited about the combat system and the beautiful graphics of the game. Both already create anticipation for the next hours of play.
However, I have also noticed some things that somewhat dampen the high feeling. For though Broken Ranks plays more like a single-player game in the first levels than a classic MMORPG. And this will still drag on for quite a while.
While I can already form a group with other players directly in the first city, as mentioned above, real group content takes a long time to become available. The first dungeons are supposed to be unlocked only at level 40.
Until then, I will certainly have to invest 25 hours or more of gameplay. Additionally, you often reach points in the main quest where you first have to level through side quests or grinding. This is not a dealbreaker, as the side stories are also well-written, but it’s still a shame.
Time and again, you must reach a new level first before the story can continue.
Despite this, leveling in Broken Ranks can take quite a while. The maximum level is 140, and currently, it feels like it might take me months to reach it. Although it’s an interesting carrot in front of me, it can also be a dealbreaker for those who don’t have much time for an MMORPG.
Also, the path to max level is further complicated by penalties for dying. Whenever I die, I lose a few experience points and some gold. Generally, I can recover this after two or three fights, but it can also be frustrating.
In a level 7 quest, for example, I have to defeat an enemy who can take me out in round 1 or 2. While his health points do not reset after the fight, I die four times to defeat him, which costs me some experience points.
When you die, you lose gold and experience points.
Another criticism of the game I have not yet experienced myself, but later in the game, equipment can be enhanced with additional levels. Theoretically, upgrades go from +1 to +n, so infinitely high. However, the chance of success decreases more and more. If an upgrade fails, the equipment loses durability. With too little durability, it may even downgrade.
The final bizarre design choice lies in the friends list. It only has space for 7 people. For 5 platinum, you can purchase an additional slot. Platinum is the real-money currency. 50 platinum cost 1.69 Euro, so a slot on the friends list costs about 17 cents.
This is not a dealbreaker, but it is counterproductive for an MMORPG.
As Broken Ranks is a Free2Play MMORPG, it relies on a real-money shop for funding. There you can get a premium buff for 30 days, costing 350 platinum, which is around 8.50 Euros. This is comparable to ESO+ and provides you with:
26% more experience
26% more gold
300 carry weight
Faster recovery
2 new tactics
30% less penalty upon death
A random item every day, including healing potions or teleport scrolls
The somewhat nonsensical increase in friends list slots for 5 platinum.
In the shop, you can also purchase increases to your friends list, healing potions, teleport scrolls, and resets for attributes.
Additionally, there are individual skins that cost between 500 (12 Euros) and 3,500 platinum (almost 50 Euros). However, these skins only offer cosmetic adjustments. Better stats are not available in the shop.
A peculiarity of Broken Ranks is that you can trade or gift platinum to other players. Thus, it is theoretically possible to exchange the buff or store items for in-game currency, provided you can find other players willing to trade.
Conclusion: A Really Great Indie MMORPG with Some Drawbacks
Pros
Deep combat system
Challenging difficulty from the start
Nice graphics
Grim and very entertaining story
Diverse classes
No Pay2Win
Cons
Little MMORPG content at the start
Penalties for dying, which can be frustrating
Deterioration of equipment in endgame
Pointless sale of slots on the friends list
After the first 8 hours of Broken Ranks, I am absolutely thrilled. The game offers a lot of depth and a very entertaining story, which has pleasantly surprised me. Particularly, the Gothic vibes resonate very well with me.
Right from the start, the difficulty level is challenging, and I have to devise strategies. I like that. Unfortunately, there are already noticeable penalties for dying, which I consider a very unreasonable mechanic.
Moreover, some decisions have been made that I do not fully understand, such as the late dungeons or the costs for additional slots on the friends list. A potential dealbreaker in the endgame could be the enhancement system for equipment, but I cannot draw a conclusion on that yet.
Overall, however, Broken Ranks is an absolute MMORPG hidden gem. Hardly any major gaming website or larger YouTuber has noticed the game yet, even though it has many strengths. Since you can play it completely for free, I can only recommend downloading it. Unfortunately, you can only access the game through the official website. There is no version on Steam.
Alexander Leitsch
MMORPG expert at MeinMMO
Alongside Broken Ranks, the new MMORPG Mortal Online 2 was also released on January 25. It focuses on sandbox content and PvP. We’ll tell you how the game is received after its release on Steam:
Only a few weeks remain until the release of the MMORPG Lost Ark in the West. Many have been looking forward to this game for years, and it remains very successful in Korea. We discuss the features of the MMO in the latest episode of the MeinMMO Podcast.
This is the topic: For 3 years, some MMORPG fans have enviously looked towards Korea and Russia in anticipation of the release of Lost Ark. On February 11, the acclaimed Free2Play action RPG Lost Ark from developer Smilegate and publisher Amazon Game Studios will finally be released in Europe.
In the podcast, Leya, Irina, Alex, and Mark from the MeinMMO team discuss the upcoming game, which has been available in Korea for years and regularly delivers tons of content.
While other Asian MMOs quickly die in the West or are only released on mobile, Lost Ark seems to be a strong candidate. In this episode, we talk about important questions such as:
What features does it offer?
What problems does the game have, or could it face after the release?
Here’s how you can contribute: You can actively participate in improving the podcast. If you have feedback such as suggestions or criticism, or just want to submit a cool topic idea that needs to be discussed, then visit our Discord server.
You can also send an email directly to [email protected] and share your thoughts with us. Share your opinion in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On January 27, the new chapter and contents for 2022 were announced for the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. However, fans do not seem enthusiastic. The reasons for this are numerous. MeinMMO shows you the main points.
What will ESO offer in 2022? Next year, as usual, a new trial (for 12 players) and a total of 4 new dungeons will be added with the DLC. The new chapter High Isle will be released in the summer and particularly highlights the Breton people.
This comes with the chapter High Isle:
new area in the Systres Archipelago with High Isle and Amenos
volcano vents as world events (similar to dolmens, geysers, or storm events)
How is the expansion received? In the official feedback thread for the announcement of the 2022 content, there is a very negative trend in player feedback this time. This is shown by the survey from the forum:
More than 50% of players had hoped for something different from the new content. (via ESO Forum)
The post has received 687 votes so far (as of January 29, 2022, 1:50 PM). More than half of the players want something different than what was announced for the new chapter. About a quarter of players have mixed feelings about the new chapter. Only one-fifth of players are looking forward to the new chapter. A Twitch streamer even shaved his head in disbelief over the big MMORPG announcement from ESO.
Of course, there is again a difference of opinion between long-time or experienced players and new players. Therefore, we strive to reflect all parts of the community by mentioning the given reasons. It is often problematic that some changes elicit extremely different feedback, depending on which part of the community you ask.
Nevertheless, a strong tendency can be recognized in the feedback. It is comparably quiet after the announcement stream. After some announcements, there was anxious speculation, and hardly any other topic was discussed when people met in the evening on Discord or Teamspeak. Here are the main reasons for the disappointment.
Start video
Everything you need to know about The Elder Scrolls Online – in 2 minutes
1. The Bretons have no nostalgia bonus
How was it before? Especially with the chapter Greymoor featuring Skyrim and the chapter Morrowind, the nostalgia of players was clearly noticeable if they had played The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and TES3: Morrowind.
The last chapter Blackwood also gained a huge bonus from referencing Oblivion and captured the atmosphere of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. Summerset simply showed us entirely new landscapes that enchanted us.
Elsweyr also showed us new landscapes and brought dragons into the MMORPG, which had already caused excitement in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. The Summerset Isles at least compensated for the lack of nostalgia with new landscapes and content.
What is missing in the upcoming AddOn: The new expansion cannot score with returning areas from previous games. Players must therefore engage with a completely new region.
But variety is likely to be in short supply here. High Isle is expected to offer no landscape that significantly differs from previous regions. From the announcement stream, we already know where the story is supposed to go.
And it sounds far from promising. Fans are now concerned that the expansion, on first impression, contains neither nostalgic elements nor enough new content to compensate.
It seems nobody is particularly excited about Bretons:
What are the classes in ESO and which ones are there? When creating a character, you choose the race and the class. Each class has 3 unique skill lines. At launch, there were the Nightblade, Templar, Dragonknight, and Sorcerer.
In the following years, these were expanded by the Warden and the Necromancer. Each class has certain passive bonuses for group play. However, there will unfortunately be no new class with the new expansion. This is greatly displeasing to players.
Why is this so disappointing: Many players wished for a new class after 3 years and are disappointed that nothing has happened in this regard since Elsweyr. Even with the last chapter Blackwood, some players were a bit disappointed. Back then, there was also no new class.
Nevertheless, the companions from that expansion at least brought real new content and were completely unknown to players at that time.
Many fans likely assumed that there would be another class at the latest in the next chapter.
What players are missing: Many had wished for a new weapon skill line or just any new skill line, as experienced in the Summerset or Greymoor chapters. These are also missing in the new chapter, as far as we know so far.
What are skill lines? Skill lines consist of active and passive skills. The level of a skill line determines which skills can be unlocked.
The maximum level of a skill line is 50, at which point you have reached the max level of that skill line. You level up whenever you gain experience points using equipped skills from that skill line.
4. A minigame for full price?
What does this mean? Comparing the content of High Isle with previous chapters makes it clear that there is simply less content. It has already been announced that the technical conditions do not allow for more.
However, many players feel it is unjustified to ask for full price for this. User ZahardTLC writes on reddit: “Adding a card game is a good thing for the overall game; side content is always welcome… If it is introduced as side content; not as a selling point for an entire expansion.”
Is it really less content? Let’s take a look at what the chapters of recent years and the new chapter have to offer.
Morrowind
new trial for 12 players
new area
new story
new class: Warden
new skill lines: Warden
new PvP mode: Battlegrounds
Summerset
new trial for 12 players
new area
new story
new crafting: Jewelry Crafting
new skill line: Psijic Order
Geysers as world events
Elsweyr
new trial for 12 players
new area
new story
new class: Necromancer
new skill lines: Necromancer
dragons as world events
Greymoor
new trial for 12 players
new area
new story
new feature: the antiquities system
new items: Mythic Items
altered skill line: Vampirism
new skill lines: Siphoning
new skill lines: Excavation
graphics overhaul with new textures
storm events as world events
Blackwood
new trial for 12 players
new area
new story
new feature: companions
Oblivion portals as world events
High Isle (new chapter)
new trial for 12 players
new area
new story
new feature: card game
the existing companion system will be expanded with two more companions
volcano vents as world events
In comparison with previous chapters, it becomes apparent that High Isle seems a bit leaner. Whether that is the case remains to be seen.
5. Hybridization goes too far, could ruin Elder Scrolls feeling
On January 28, the planned combat changes were published in the ESO forum. Opinions are divided. But it is clear that it will simplify the combat system. This might be quite relaxing for newcomers to the MMORPG at first, but could diminish the appeal of the combat system for long-time or experienced players.
The hybridization was initiated especially with the motto “Play the way you want.” For more than a year, steps in this direction have been taken gradually. However, in practice, it leads to precisely the opposite. Instead of creating more diversity, it leads to a meta where every player plays exactly the same.
However, many players are not big fans, as some comments suggest. User VarisVaris writes, for example, in the ESO Forum: “This is the worst thing that could have happened to the combat system of ESO.“
What is hybridization anyway? Hybridization refers to the offensive attributes Stamina and Magicka.
To date, the following changes have already been made to item sets:
Sets that grant Magicka OR Weapon Power now grant both.
Sets that grant Physical Penetration OR Magic Penetration now grant both.
Sets that grant Critical Magicka OR Weapon Hits now grant both.
Stamina DDs have been nearly extinct in the endgame for quite some time. If all damage effects now scale with the highest offensive resource, it could make the choice even more monotonous. Although the hybridization of set bonuses has changed the meta, it has not led to more diversity.
How far should this go? The resources Health, Magicka, and Stamina are long familiar to Elder Scrolls fans. If these values one day have no value anymore, a part of the Elder Scrolls feeling could be lost.
6. Account-wide achievements are very controversial
What does that mean? In principle, it means that your titles and achievements will affect all your characters on your account from now on.
What is the problem here? Account-wide achievements sound good at first. However, this mainly affects new players or players who have only played one or a few characters for years. Therefore, there are some advocates for this. On reddit, user Capowsky writes: “My god, I can finally start playing my alts and not feel a few hundred hours behind. Thank you!”
However, there are also opposing views. Generally, this is a measure that would have been great for all types of players in the first years after the release. After 8 years, some long-time players have put a lot of time and effort into duplicate or multiple achievements.
This is demonstrated by the comment from KinjiroSSD: “I disagree. This nullifies the meaning of rewards. The rewards, such as dyes, are already account-wide, so their usefulness was a proof that the character accomplished something, like a PvP title or Trifecta.” (via reddit)
Since, according to the announcements, titles will also be usable across characters, it will no longer be recognizable whether a particular character has truly completed the associated achievement. On many Discord servers, experienced players are already mocking that they will likely be roaming around with their new level 5 character and their Godslayer title.
Opinions on this are extremely divided. Nevertheless, it seems to be significantly negatively affecting a certain part of the community. Particularly long-time players who have invested a lot of time and effort into achievements across multiple characters may feel very frustrated by the change.
Therefore, it is now crucial how this initiative is implemented. If it only affects achievement points, it could still be a positive feature for long-time players with multiple achievements. However, if it truly impacts every achievement, it could be extremely frustrating for some players.
Additionally, it would no longer be possible to trace which role a particular achievement was completed with. This is especially important for raid groups. Just because someone is a strong DD does not mean they are also a reliable tank or diligent healer.
When will High Isle be released? The release of the new expansion is planned for June 6 on PC/Mac and June 21 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
So there are still a few months to go until the expansion. Whether the players’ fears will be realized remains to be seen.
What do you think of the planned content for 2022 and the changes? Do you find them good or are you rather disappointed? Let us know in the comments.
The building game Blockverse was supposed to be a kind of Minecraft with play-to-earn mechanics and focus on NFTs. In this way, over 1.1 million euros were generated at launch. But shortly thereafter, the game and all contact options to the developers disappeared. Then they reappeared and tried to explain everything. How everything has developed, you can find out here on MeinMMO
What is Blockverse? Blockverse is a sort of unofficial mod of the popular block game Minecraft. However, here you should be able to obtain your items acquired in the game as NFTs. NFTs are digital “items” based on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. They can be bought and sold online, which seems very tempting for some players. Thus, a kind of Minecraft could be run as a “play-to-earn” game, allowing players to earn real money through virtual work.
What happened after the first sale? At the start of the project, the developers mined 10,000 NFTs based on the Ethereum cryptocurrency, which were worth over 1.1 million euros at the current exchange rate (as of January 29, 2022). In addition, there were revenues from secondary transactions, from which the developers also earned shares.
However, as soon as the sale was finished and all tokens sold, the developers suddenly disappeared. The game’s website was dead, the Discord was completely deleted, and there was silence on Twitter as well.
Quickly, the suspicion of a so-called “rug pull” was voiced. In the crypto scene, this refers to a type of fraud where providers simply disappear with the collected cryptocurrency as soon as enough gullible victims have paid for it.
Developers reappear and apologize – fans remain skeptical
What happened next? After three days, during which the angry players of Blockverse had gathered in a new Discord, the developers suddenly reappeared and published a statement via Twitlonger.
According to them, they completely underestimated what additional costs (so-called “gas fees“) and technical problems were associated with such a project. This, in turn, led to an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty, and doubt, which resulted in toxic behavior from the community. In this atmosphere, the team reportedly panicked and deleted everything:
18 hours after the launch, the [fear, uncertainty, and doubt] quickly turned into harassment, threats, and doxxing. The team noticed all of this and panicked, then quickly deleted the Discord server. Everything else was closed to prevent the ongoing harassment that had occurred by then. Even then, the plan was to reopen the server as soon as everyone had calmed down.
There is absolutely no reason for us to permanently abandon the project as all the technical work and infrastructure for the project has already been built up to now. It was actually more work to take everything down than to leave it online, but again, everything was done in the interest of personal safety.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to go back online yet, as the situation apparently has worsened. Although we have delivered everything we promised, we understand why people are dissatisfied with the events, and we feel obligated to keep our fully functioning game online. Therefore, we plan to reopen the game in the coming days (as originally planned) and continue working on phase 2.
How did the players react? The developers claim that they had no intention of executing a “rug pull” and scamming all users. Instead, it was all just a big misunderstanding.
However, many users from the community did not buy this. According to the site PCGamer, which interviewed players on the new Discord of the community, the developers’ behavior is seen as a desperate attempt to salvage the situation. Because the developers apparently left too many traces and are now backpedaling out of fear of prosecution:
We have a kind of “data trail.” We have a Coinbase address that has funded a lot of things and a Cloudflare IP. They thought they had gotten away with [their rug pull], and now they know we have the trail they left behind.
What happens now? The community, which is still interested in an NFT Minecraft, then offered that the developers should just hand over their assets and they would finish the thing themselves.
The developers actually relented and promised to turn over the assets of the project, but still wanted to keep the millions from the NFT sale (in the form of 500 Ethereum). However, the fans want at least 200 Ethereum (approximately 448,000 euros at the current exchange rate) from the sale to continue financing the project.
Most rug pulls can hardly or not at all be refunded, so the community is realistic about what a settlement would look like. We agree that they [the developers] can keep some [of their sale]. We just want enough to operate the project.
Evidently, the operators of Blockverse are also in negotiations with the NFT platform NFTWorlds. It remains interesting to see how the situation develops. If we learn more here, we will keep you updated.
In Destiny 2, there are countless PvE activities and only a limited selection for PvP. However, this mode is considered the best in the famous loot shooter, says MeinMMO author Christos. But what makes the Crucible a savior when the air has long been out of raids and nightfalls?
No matter how many cool and new PvE activities Bungie throws in, the perennial favorite is still the Crucible. The absurd part is that Bungie hasn’t changed anything in this regard for a long time.
Whether it’s the maps that have remained unchanged since Shadowkeep or even removed modes like the duo matches in the Crimson event. Bungie has not implemented any innovations so far, and yet I cannot play Destiny 2 without the Crucible.
Raids, nightfalls, and dungeons are great activities, especially when you want to run them with random players. However, despite that, Destiny cannot keep me satisfied for long. I could set new challenges for myself and conquer the raid with three Guardians, but it’s just not the same as when you face a master in the Crucible.
After three weeks, PvE is boring for me
When the raid The Glassed Chamber made its comeback, I gathered a crew. After 24 nerve-wracking hours without sleep or breaks, we made it to the final boss Atheon.
Unfortunately, the damage back then was insufficient, and we couldn’t complete the raid. However, I enjoyed pursuing a self-imposed goal. It wasn’t about the loot, but about proving that not only streamers or “pros” can achieve it. I only feel such moments during difficult activities or in the Crucible.
Once Day One was over, Destiny 2 once again started the same old routine, grinding through the activities. Every week at reset, three times the raid as well as the nightfall and the remaining activities with powerful loot. And that continues until you hit the power cap. My desire for PvE diminishes after the first three weeks.
I often find myself in the Trials
In the Crucible, it’s different. At some point, you encounter an opponent who is better than yourself. You get scratched and take a few hits. Nevertheless, it motivates you to improve.
In such moments, I put on a serious face, pull out my revered sniper, and end the match with my last word. Sometimes it ends well, but often there’s a setback. However, that’s not a problem, because that tension never decreases. Every Crucible match is a challenge in itself.
Every player uses different weapons and tactics. Of course, most “sweatbacks” fight with meta weapons like fusion rifles. But trying to overcome the meta and battling with “obsolete” weapons is the pure thrill for me. This thrill never diminishes and increases with each match.
I sadly do not find this in PvE in this way. Every match is unique in its own right. My opponents always react differently, and thus the gameplay in the Crucible remains fresh and exciting for me.
That’s why Witch Queen will be the highlight
Bungie announced the return of two well-known maps and the appearance of the well-known Rift mode. I am very excited, as Bungie shows that they have not forgotten the long-neglected PvP mode.
Even if everything is from Destiny 1, it at least offers a bit of variety. Perhaps some non-PvP players will finally see this as an incentive to jump into the Crucible.
What’s missing in the fight against Guardians is simply a wide range of different modes that distinguish themselves. An independent duo mode for pairs or fighting on huge maps with the Cabal sparrows like in Destiny 1 would be modes that could certainly entice one or another player to Lord Shaxx.
Bungie still has a lot of potential left to explore that lies dormant in the Crucible. Therefore, I am curious about what other surprises they may have in store for us, as there are only four weeks left until the DLC release.
What do you think of the Crucible? Do you feel the same way I do when facing a tough opponent, or do you not set foot in Lord Shaxx’s arenas? Let us know!
In a new interview with GameInformer, FromSoftware CEO Hidetaka Miyazaki extensively discussed the upcoming game Elden Ring. One topic was a tradition from previous games that triggers flashbacks for long-time fans: poison swamps.
Who is Hidetaka Miyazaki? He is the president of FromSoftware, a writer, and game designer. He is the creative mind behind the Dark Souls series, Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro.
What kind of tradition is this? Anyone who has played previous FromSoftware titles knows it: swamps. In every single one of these mentioned games, there is at least one swamp. Usually, these are even toxic, making crossing them even more dangerous.
Over the years, a kind of love-hate relationship has developed in the community. A prominent example is the swamp from Dark Souls 1, located beneath the Blighttown, which is considered particularly feared.
These swamps are usually dark and full of dangers. Moving through the muddy areas will reduce your movement speed. Additionally, you will be poisoned if you spend too much time in the mire.
They are generally more feared than liked in the community. Some even hate them. Accordingly, a recent statement by Miyazaki has caused a stir among fans.
Miyazaki on the creation of poison swamps: “It just happens”
This is what the Elden Ring chief said: In an interview with GameInformer , Miyazaki spoke generally about the design of certain areas and regions. He also discussed the feared swamps. The developer remarked:
How the player feels when they encounter this area is another story. While developing the game, I rediscovered my love for poison swamps. I know what people think of them, but suddenly I realize that I’m in the process of building one, and I just can’t help it. It just happens. – Miyazaki
This statement has led to bemused reactions in the community. A particular reddit post with reactions to it has gone viral. Currently (as of January 29, 12:10), the post by user TheVideoGaymer has over 4300 upvotes.
The post humorously questions Miyazaki’s memory and asks: “Is he out of his mind?” Because if he just rediscovered his love for poison swamps, why has there been at least one swamp in each of the 5 FromSoftware games since 2011?
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Some players are even worried that the earlier swamps were only “half-heartedly” integrated, and that Miyazaki is now aiming for the “final form” in Elden Ring. However, there are also players who are looking forward to the challenge and are eager to see what awaits them.
Here are some comments:
AramaticFire: “To be honest … I’m a bit scared of the open-world swamp that is coming our way.”
UnassumingSingleGuy: “Maybe the poison swamps in Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro were only there because it was tradition. I can’t wait to see how terrible the new poison zones are.”
heideggerfanfiction: “I’ve never been so excited to passionately hate something.”
Za_Worldo-Experience: “This is probably the worst post about Elden Ring…”
Thus, there is a mixture of concern, fear, confusion, and anticipation in the comments.
The new swamp might come with a new status effect
What do we know so far about the new swamp? So far, the area has not been seen in any gameplay trailers. Players were also unable to access it during the network test.
However, in the interview, Miyazaki revealed some of the nastiness that awaits players this time. In Elden Ring, there is a new effect called “Scarlet Rot,” which is different from poison or toxicity, and I hope you are looking forward to it. – Miyazaki
In terms of the story and setting of Elden Ring, there is something particularly terrible that exists and persists in this world. I will now say the name so you can look forward to it; it’s called Scarlet Rot: This is something that differs somewhat from poison or toxicity, but I hope you are looking forward to it. – Miyazaki
In what form this disease will be in the game and what role it plays in the story is still unknown. Perhaps it afflicts NPCs and creatures, making them even worse. Such elements would not be new for FromSoftware games.
When does Elden Ring come out? The official release is on February 25. So you can find out for yourself how bad the Scarlet Rot really is and how dangerous the new swamp will be this time in less than a month.
Or perhaps there will be several again? It would be conceivable, as Elden Ring will feature a huge open world with different regions.
Fans are thrilled by performance and transparency of the developers
This is how fans react to the video: The comments on YouTube are very positive. Many commenters are impressed by the performance of Dying Light 2 on the old consoles.
They praise how surprisingly smooth it looks while the game world still feels alive. Most are very satisfied with the quality shown.
A nearly bigger topic is that developer Techland has made a specific video about it at all. In the eyes of numerous fans, this is a positive example of transparency in the development and marketing of video games in today’s time.
Start video
Everything you need to know about the new survival game Dying Light 2 – with gameplay
Why is this so important to them? In recent years, the number of high-budget games that have been released in at least a problematic technical state has increased.
With the still high number of cross-gen titles that have been released on old and new consoles, there are also increasing problems with the versions for Xbox One and PS4.
A prominent example is the RPG Cyberpunk 2077, which performed so poorly on the old consoles that it is still not recommended, and was even removed from the PlayStation Store around its release.
Dying Light 2 is therefore a counterpoint for some fans to opaque releases and an example of open communication.
Caleb 72301: “It’s always nice when a developer has nothing to hide, this game is going to be fantastic.”
Stako: “I never expected this video. Just that puts Techland at the forefront, all video game releases should have such things.”
Diabloical Meek: “So, ladies and gentlemen, this is how you communicate with a community. No shit, addressing concerns, listening to them and giving them what they want. Well done, Techland! Still the only AAA studio I trust!”
meatslaper: “I really appreciate how transparent you are with the old generation. We need to trust some game companies nowadays, after the questionable practices that CDPR has pulled off.”
Scrolling through the comments, you find nothing but praise for the developers. The video was thus a complete success for developer Techland.
What do you think of the video? Are you satisfied with what the video shows? Do you agree with the comments? Are you playing Dying Light 2 on the older consoles?
Dying Light 2: Stay Human is not only set to release on PC and the current consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, but also on PS4 and Xbox One. But how does the version perform on the old machines? Developer Techland has now shown this in a video.
What does the video show? In the gameplay scenes, you can see some combat and parkour scenes from Dying Light 2. A total of four consoles are showcased:
PS4 and PS4 Pro
Xbox One and Xbox One X
Players can see how the game performs on the old consoles and what visual differences exist.
The first comments under the video are very positive, and fans are genuinely excited. But you can see for yourself first:
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How does Dying Light 2 perform on LastGen? Based on the video, precise technical details cannot be given. However, the scenes show a range of situations that you will regularly encounter in Dying Light 2.
Therefore, the video mainly consists of parkour and combat scenes that stress the performance the most.
We do not know the exact frame rates, but at first glance, Dying Light 2 runs surprisingly well on each of the tested consoles. There are no significant graphical errors or performance drops noticeable in the video.
There are certainly differences. It is clear that the versions for Xbox One X and PS4 Pro naturally run more stable and at a higher resolution than the standard versions. At times, sharper textures can also be seen.
Visually, the LastGen versions are likely to lag behind the PC, Xbox Series, and PS5, but that is probably no surprise.
Fans are thrilled by performance and transparency of the developers
This is how fans react to the video: The comments on YouTube are very positive. Many commenters are impressed by the performance of Dying Light 2 on the old consoles.
They praise how surprisingly smooth it looks while the game world still feels alive. Most are very satisfied with the quality shown.
A nearly bigger topic is that developer Techland has made a specific video about it at all. In the eyes of numerous fans, this is a positive example of transparency in the development and marketing of video games in today’s time.
Start video
Everything you need to know about the new survival game Dying Light 2 – with gameplay
Why is this so important to them? In recent years, the number of high-budget games that have been released in at least a problematic technical state has increased.
With the still high number of cross-gen titles that have been released on old and new consoles, there are also increasing problems with the versions for Xbox One and PS4.
A prominent example is the RPG Cyberpunk 2077, which performed so poorly on the old consoles that it is still not recommended, and was even removed from the PlayStation Store around its release.
Dying Light 2 is therefore a counterpoint for some fans to opaque releases and an example of open communication.
Caleb 72301: “It’s always nice when a developer has nothing to hide, this game is going to be fantastic.”
Stako: “I never expected this video. Just that puts Techland at the forefront, all video game releases should have such things.”
Diabloical Meek: “So, ladies and gentlemen, this is how you communicate with a community. No shit, addressing concerns, listening to them and giving them what they want. Well done, Techland! Still the only AAA studio I trust!”
meatslaper: “I really appreciate how transparent you are with the old generation. We need to trust some game companies nowadays, after the questionable practices that CDPR has pulled off.”
Scrolling through the comments, you find nothing but praise for the developers. The video was thus a complete success for developer Techland.
What do you think of the video? Are you satisfied with what the video shows? Do you agree with the comments? Are you playing Dying Light 2 on the older consoles?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
If you ever liked World of Warcraft, you should look forward to Patch 10.0 and the new expansion – at least that’s what the WoW demon Cortyn from MeinMMO believes.
No matter how you look at it, if you associate many beautiful years of memories with World of Warcraft, the last months and also the last expansions have been quite hard to endure. Whether it was the generally negative mood surrounding Battle for Azeroth and Shadowlands or all the incidents surrounding the sexism scandal at Blizzard – none of it looked good.
I am no different. Even though my job is to report as neutrally as possible about the incidents surrounding Blizzard and World of Warcraft, I personally want the game and the developer company behind it to do well – including all the employees there.
But I have hope that it will be different with the next expansion, which will hopefully be announced within the next few weeks. The hints point to a dragon addon – one of the original races of Azeroth and hopefully a story that is a bit “down to earth” compared to the story of Shadowlands.
That one, with its afterlife dimensions and strange locations, while cool, doesn’t fit the flair of Azeroth.
Dragons could be the focus of the new expansion.
The story chaos can only get better
That the story will get better, I am convinced. An important point here is the incident surrounding Afrasiabi. Even if not all the details are known, a lot indicates that the current storyline surrounding Sylvanas is primarily due to the former story chief Alex Afrasiabi. The storyline isn’t necessarily bad; I liked the burning of Teldrassil and also the war that resulted from it.
However, I missed a resolution, a coherent narrative, and the feeling of finally getting some reasonable answers. All of this didn’t happen because Afrasiabi – according to current indications – pushed the story through on his own and then was fired, leaving behind no red thread for the story.
The current developers had to cobble something together from this debris and find some meaningful conclusion in Shadowlands.
It’s no secret that this has worked rather poorly and also alienated the most loyal Warcraft fans. Very few liked that the Jailer suddenly became the big evil behind all the machinations in the Warcraft universe.
At the same time, the Afrasiabi incident also explains a lot. It offers a, admittedly very simple, explanation for why the story of World of Warcraft has not felt right since Patch 8.3. As if everything doesn’t really fit together anymore, important aspects have been forgotten, and one somehow gets the impression that characters are forced into situations that don’t really suit them.
But this also fits wonderfully with the statement of Steve Danuser, the new story chief at WoW, who said in the trailer for Patch 9.2 that this is now “the conclusion of a chapter of the Warcraft saga.”
I initially scoffed a bit at that, but in light of the latest indications, it seems sensible. It also aligns with other statements that Patch 10.0 – the next expansion – will be entirely Steve Danuser’s baby. In terms of story, this probably represents a new beginning or at least a reorientation of the team.
This means in the best case new stories in a world that finally feels like home again, with characters you love.
Will the aspects return to the focus of the story?
Less intertwined systems – less borrowed power
Therefore, I believe, and I believe it wholeheartedly, that World of Warcraft will experience a turning point with 10.0. Not just because the story now comes from a team that hopefully pulls together and the penny has finally dropped, that players no longer want to grind indefinitely. Not only because Blizzard has just “cleaned up” among themselves and fired problematic developers, and not just because after Patch 9.2, a chapter of WoW ends that hardly anyone wanted to see.
That the developers are willing to change something is already shown by Patch 9.2. In the current version on the PTR, they have already moved away from a lot of compulsive grinding. Sure – whoever wants can still farm reputation, but as an optional means, if they want extra rewards. A competitive pressure does not currently exist.
However, there are also a number of things that I don’t see as dramatically as the “loud part of the community”. Whenever I read that “World of Warcraft is dead”, I am confused and raise my eyebrows. Because either these people have never seen a truly dead game or something completely different is happening on their realms and realm pools than on mine.
When I log into World of Warcraft, especially not at 4:00 AM on a Wednesday, I do not have the impression that the game is dead. Whether it’s about “Mythic+”, visiting a raid, PvP battles, or role-play – a group is easily found.
The core of my guild is still there and the capital cities are not deserted. I do not have the impression of a “dead” game. Sure, it’s not as crowded as during an addon release – but it hasn’t been since the implementation of the sharding system.
But I don’t want to just defend WoW in its current state. The ever-new “Borrowed Power” systems have simply been poison over the years. The same goes for the compulsive intertwining of more and more game systems that have created an unwieldy tangle of tasks that hardly any newcomer can navigate through.
As a PvP fan, I cannot just play PvP. I must complete the PvE campaign, level my covenant, farm legendary materials in Torghast, farm legendary recipes from dungeons, grind media and reputation in Korthia, and ideally also visit the current raid for the Shards of Domination.
PvP in WoW – Those who want that must also play many, many other contents.
However, I also think that WoW has produced a lot of good things in recent years. The “Mythic+” system has made dungeons interesting well beyond their original fun factor. The different difficulty levels in raids offer incentives for different groups of players.
But even with these systems, there are enough players who say that this has initiated the downfall of WoW and that anyone who defends this is just clinging to a big bottle of copium. Difficult to comprehend, since these are just options that offer more variety and diversity and appeal to different types of players.
If these contents were solved by other systems, so that only those players who really want to could access them – it would already be considerably better.
More news about World of Warcraft can be found here:
Patch 10.0 sounds good, even without knowing anything about it
The first leaks about the next expansion – whether they are now “legit” or completely made up – at least make me feel positive. It has made me realize that I am still interested in how things will unfold with WoW and that my fundamental interest for a new beginning is still there.
I believe this too because my trust in the current development team is still relatively high. This is not just because of Patch 9.2, but simply because of the feeling regarding Blizzard’s current communication. It seems as if they are pulling together again and pursuing a common idea. I am ready to see a real improvement.
Especially because I truly believe that Patch 10.0 is the last chance for World of Warcraft to become relevant again. The last few years have painfully shown fans and also skeptics that a rule does indeed exist that Warcraft taught us decades ago: No king rules forever.
I believe it is completely legitimate not to return for Patch 9.2: Eternity’s End. It is the conclusion of a story that many simply are not interested in, in a game world full of systems that do not bring enjoyment to many. The patch cannot fix all of that. It is okay to skip it to make a statement and clarify: We don’t want this and we never want to see that in WoW again.
But anyone who has seen World of Warcraft as an important game over the last decades and enjoyed it for a long time should at least approach the next expansion with an open mind and try to engage with whatever comes.
And if the new expansion then really does not please and falls short of all expectations – then WoW has probably really earned to gradually fade into obscurity.
I hope that the developers can convince us of the opposite. I am at least cautiously optimistic. And yes, I am, without having seen a single tangible piece of evidence for Patch 10.0 yet.
The closer we get to the release of Elden Ring, the more the advertising machine gets rolling. Now, numerous new gameplay scenes have been released, showcasing familiar and new areas. This includes a part of the game world that has hardly been shown so far and a boss fight.
In less than a month, on February 25, it will be time. With Elden Ring, the next new game from FromSoftware, the developers of Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bloodborne, will be released.
Now, the colleagues from GameInformer have released a wealth of information and gameplay scenes in two videos, covering various aspects of the game.
The gameplay videos showcase, among other things, boss fights, dungeons, and parts of the open world. Even an area that has hardly been shown so far is included. We summarize the most important information for you.
Spoiler Warning: If you want to know as little as possible before the release, you should not read on.
See here an optional dungeon with a boss fight
This is what the gameplay shows: In the video, we see the player exploring the starting area Limgrave and encountering the dungeon “Castle Mourne”.
This is a “mini-dungeon,” which is part of the optional content in Elden Ring, and there are numerous ones in the huge game world.
However, this mini-dungeon is quite extensive, as shown in the gameplay video:
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First, we see how the player moves and explores the game world on horseback.
First, it goes from high cliffs over a forest area to some fortress towers, until the player finally reaches the entrance of the dungeon.
There, a huge archer is waiting, who needs to be dealt with first.
You can see some passages where the player moves stealthily.
Throughout the dungeon, he encounters several enemies, but also loot.
At the back of the castle, the boss of the mini-dungeon is waiting. (10:09)
This fight is intense, at least judging by the scenes. It is a sort of lion-like beast on two legs that fights with a large sword.
The boss’s name is not visible in the gameplay. However, it shows that he is quite tough. He moves quickly, has a high reach with a sword, and hardly gives the player a moment’s peace.
At the same time, we also see some new moves that players can use in Elden Ring. For instance, he uses an ability to block with his shield and immediately counterattack.
In the comments, the reactions to the gameplay are very positive. Fans are praising, for example, the design of the boss arena, and the anticipation for the game seems to be growing for some.
Several comments also note that the game has apparently improved graphically since the first network test in November. Whether that’s really the case is hard to say.
Around the release, there will likely be direct comparison videos to really determine the difference.
What do you think of the new gameplay? Do you like the design of the optional dungeon and boss fight?
In Pokémon GO the new Hisui form of Voltorb will probably be released soon. You can find it in the new game Pokémon Legends: Arceus. We show you what we know about the release and what Hisui Voltorb looks like.
What’s new? On January 28, 2022, the new Pokémon game: Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released. It features many new contents like the Hisui form of Voltorb. Voltorb itself has been around since the first generation of games with its evolution Electrode. For many fans, it is a big deal that such an old Pokémon now has a new form.
Developing and catching Hisui Voltorb in Pokémon GO – When will it happen?
This was found: On the evening of January 28, the data miners from PokeMiners discovered changes in the game code. They came across the image of Hisui Voltorb and a placeholder for its shiny form.
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There is also an event research related to the new form (via PokeMiners.com). In the research, it says: “This raises the question: Why are the Hisui Voltorb appearing now, after being absent for so long? Have they somehow traveled from the Sinnoh region of the past to the present?”
The text continues: “I have the theory that the breaking of Team GO Rocket’s mysterious door somehow led to these Hisui Voltorb appearing in our time.” The rest of the research has also been leaked, but we don’t want to spoil that for you here.
What does Hisui Voltorb look like? In a trailer for Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the new Pokémon was officially introduced. It belongs to the types Electric and Grass.
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When could Hisui Voltorb be released? It seems that the Hisui Voltorb could appear shortly after the Rocket event in Pokémon GO. This officially ends on Sunday, January 30, at 10:00 AM local time.
It is therefore quite possible that Niantic will use the time on Sunday and Monday to spawn many Hisui Voltorb in the wild or release the special research. These are also the last days of the Power Plant event – thematically, the release would fit perfectly.
On Tuesday, the Lunar New Year event will start and is expected to bring fewer Electric spawns.
Keep in mind that the findings from the research and the images in Pokémon GO are findings from data miners. There is no guarantee that the Pokémon will come into the game in this form. Niantic could change everything, so these discoveries should always be taken with a grain of skepticism.
In the current environment, around the mysterious door and the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a release of Hisui Voltorb would make sense.
Would you be happy about this form in the game? Please share your opinion with us here on MeinMMO in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Does using arm sleeves look extremely silly while gaming? Absolutely, no question. In return, the highlight clips in shooters are very impressive – or even in Minecraft:
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Mousepads are an immensely important part of your gaming setup
What matters in mousepads? The perhaps most important issue that needs to be addressed is the role of mousepads in the gaming setup. Because they not only protect your desk from scratches caused by the mouse – they directly influence how you can move your mouse.
For example, if you apply a lot of pressure on your mouse while aiming, you might not want to buy a soft fabric pad because your mouse could literally sink into it. Especially in particularly sweaty matches, where you sit there grinding your teeth in front of the screen, your mouse movements can therefore be restricted – causing you to miss the headshot.
Speaking of sweating: Regular fabric pads vary in performance depending on the weather. Especially in summer, the higher humidity can give the pad a “mushy” feel, which also affects performance. This affects consistency in aiming, which is a noticeable problem here at Lake Constance.
Is such a purchase a must? Even though I have a lot of enthusiasm for the topic of mousepads, I also have to clearly state that this expensive top solution is not a necessity. Nevertheless, I recommend that every shooter fan pays a little more attention to their mousepad.
In my experience, most players use the first available solution from Logitech, Amazon, or even IKEA. And although none of these pads is directly bad, a conscious decision for a better mousepad can directly improve your performance.
The next time you game, pay attention to your habits while aiming. How do you move, how hard do you press the mouse, how do you stop it? These observations not only make upgrading your mousepad easier – this awareness helps you improve aspects of your aiming that go beyond mouse settings.
There are good mousepad alternatives beyond glass
What alternatives to the glass pad are there? If you want to replace your mousepad but don’t want to reach straight for the highest shelf, there are some good alternatives for every type of player.
Those who want a fast pad should try the Endgame Gear MPC. The Cordura fabric allows for super fast movements and is also water-resistant.
For a good balance, the Cooler Master MP511 is a great solution for a very good price. The performance of the MP511 is comparable to that of the SkyPad.
If you’re looking for maximum control, the G-SR from Zowie is unmatched. However, the pad doesn’t last forever (experts say about 8 – 10 months on average) and reacts ‘allergic’ to high humidity.
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Whether you choose the SkyPad or one of the many good alternatives – don’t underestimate how much difference the right mousepad can make.
If you want to learn what hardware I recommend in the area of controllers, I refer you to another article of mine:
Mousepads are extremely underestimated, but they are incredibly important for shooter fans. At least that’s what Marko Jevtic, shooter expert at MeinMMO, says. Why that is the case, and which mousepad is clearly the best for him, he explains here.
Anyone who has been in the Twitch chat of a shooter pro like Shroud or Dr Disrespect sees the same questions again and again. Which mouse is being used, what is the mouse sensitivity?
I am also interested in such things, but I feel that one accessory in the discussion is often neglected: the mousepad. There’s a lot to discuss. People who have ever ventured into the subreddit of mousepad nerds are overwhelmed by tabular rankings and unbearable, lengthy blocks of explanatory text.
And what can I say? I wrote the linked chunk of text. Between 2019 and 2020, I tried over 20 mousepads, spending nearly 1,000 €. All to find the perfect pad. Because mousepads are more than just a playing surface – they determine how you can move the mouse.
Just as the right sneakers are important when jogging, as they cushion the foot strike and support your movements, mousepads are important for aiming. Ideally, they emphasize your gaming strengths and mask your weaknesses.
About the author: Marko Jevtic has been working at MeinMMO as a shooter expert since October 2021, but he is also deeply involved in the topic privately. As a co-leader of several gaming Discords, he helps players, streamers, and esports professionals alike find the right settings and accessories for shooters.
This results in expertise in all the nuances of the shooter genre. He is in frequent contact with legends of the shooter community like KovaaK (known for his popular aim trainer and also a user of the glass mousepad).
Which mousepad did I choose? The best mousepad I have tried today is the SkyPad 3.0. One thing makes this pad particularly special: It’s completely made of glass. It has many advantages, such as consistently reliable performance and durability.
The SkyPad 3.0 offers perfect performance under all conditions
Why is the SkyPad so good? In the mousepad market, I have tried all the relevant mousepads – from A for Artisan Hien to Z for Zowie GSR-SE. The glass mousepad is the best solution I have found so far because it avoids all these issues. It is also incredibly popular among aim gurus such as KovaaK.
The SkyPad not only performs well, it can also look very nice, as shown here with the mouse Endgame Gear XM1
No matter how high the humidity is, or how hard I press the mouse button – the SkyPad cannot give way because it is made of glass. This ensures consistent performance that I can always rely on.
Particularly impressive is that the SkyPad offers a perfect balance of speed and control. Typical fabric pads are not particularly fast, but their softness makes stopping a movement very easy. Pads made of plastic or the water-repellent fabric Cordura are significantly faster, making it harder to stop efficiently.
However, with the SkyPad, fast movements are both easy and perfectly stoppable. The reason is that the glass is not perfectly smooth. Many fine “sand grains” on the surface are not visible but can be felt with a fingernail. Thanks to these, you have more than enough control over the mouse.
This short YouTube video captures how a (comparatively heavy) mouse glides and sounds on the SkyPad 3.0:
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Also worth highlighting are additional benefits that go beyond gaming:
With dimensions of 40 x 50 x 0.3 cm, the pad is very large. This makes it easier to use slower mouse sensitivities, which in turn can lead to higher precision in-game.
If you crumb at your desk or spill a drink over the glass mousepad, you can easily wipe up the mess without long-term stains. Afterward, you can continue directly because no fabric needs to dry first.
If you have pets, you don’t have to worry about fur getting stuck in the fabric fibers. With a wipe of a microfiber cloth, everything is perfectly clean again.
Fabric pads have a light coating that dissolves over time. This significantly affects performance. The glass pad, on the other hand, does not wear out, and technically never needs to be replaced.
You also don’t have to worry about the durability of the SkyPad. Due to its high weight, it sits stably on the desk, and with normal use, it doesn’t even get scratches. If it does fall for some reason, there’s still no reason to worry, as this official tweet shows:
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What are the disadvantages of the glass mousepad? The SkyPad also has its problems, which I naturally do not want to withhold:
The price is very high. 120 US dollars is the cost of the pad, plus shipping from Denmark. This is steep, but the mousepad is also more durable than the competition.
The movements of the mouse on hard glass cause loud noises, which can be bothersome.
If a hair gets between the pad and the mouse while gaming, it creates a disgusting noise and sensation.
If you don’t have quality mouse feet, they wear out faster than on fabric pads.
On bare skin, there can be a ‘sticky’ effect between skin and glass.
The last point is probably the most annoying aspect of a glass pad in the long run. As a solution, aim gurus use sports arm sleeves when gaming, like those used by professional cyclists. SkyPad sells these on their website as well.
Does using arm sleeves look extremely silly while gaming? Absolutely, no question. In return, the highlight clips in shooters are very impressive – or even in Minecraft:
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Mousepads are an immensely important part of your gaming setup
What matters in mousepads? The perhaps most important issue that needs to be addressed is the role of mousepads in the gaming setup. Because they not only protect your desk from scratches caused by the mouse – they directly influence how you can move your mouse.
For example, if you apply a lot of pressure on your mouse while aiming, you might not want to buy a soft fabric pad because your mouse could literally sink into it. Especially in particularly sweaty matches, where you sit there grinding your teeth in front of the screen, your mouse movements can therefore be restricted – causing you to miss the headshot.
Speaking of sweating: Regular fabric pads vary in performance depending on the weather. Especially in summer, the higher humidity can give the pad a “mushy” feel, which also affects performance. This affects consistency in aiming, which is a noticeable problem here at Lake Constance.
Is such a purchase a must? Even though I have a lot of enthusiasm for the topic of mousepads, I also have to clearly state that this expensive top solution is not a necessity. Nevertheless, I recommend that every shooter fan pays a little more attention to their mousepad.
In my experience, most players use the first available solution from Logitech, Amazon, or even IKEA. And although none of these pads is directly bad, a conscious decision for a better mousepad can directly improve your performance.
The next time you game, pay attention to your habits while aiming. How do you move, how hard do you press the mouse, how do you stop it? These observations not only make upgrading your mousepad easier – this awareness helps you improve aspects of your aiming that go beyond mouse settings.
There are good mousepad alternatives beyond glass
What alternatives to the glass pad are there? If you want to replace your mousepad but don’t want to reach straight for the highest shelf, there are some good alternatives for every type of player.
Those who want a fast pad should try the Endgame Gear MPC. The Cordura fabric allows for super fast movements and is also water-resistant.
For a good balance, the Cooler Master MP511 is a great solution for a very good price. The performance of the MP511 is comparable to that of the SkyPad.
If you’re looking for maximum control, the G-SR from Zowie is unmatched. However, the pad doesn’t last forever (experts say about 8 – 10 months on average) and reacts ‘allergic’ to high humidity.
Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.
Whether you choose the SkyPad or one of the many good alternatives – don’t underestimate how much difference the right mousepad can make.
If you want to learn what hardware I recommend in the area of controllers, I refer you to another article of mine:
Graphics cards are currently very expensive, yet many want to buy a GPU. On Amazon, there is currently a graphics card that is a bestseller, even though it is not suitable for gaming.
Hardware is still scarcely available or very expensive at the beginning of 2022. And this is likely to continue for some time. Just recently, we explained to you why you as a gamer have no chance of buying a graphics card.
Nonetheless, many users want to buy a graphics card. For example, you can purchase the GeForce RTX 3050. Surprisingly, there is currently a graphics card on Amazon that is among the bestsellers, which is completely unsuitable for gaming.
8-Year-Old Graphics Card is Currently a Bestseller on Amazon
Which graphics card are we talking about? The currently best-selling graphics card is the MSI Nvidia GeForce GT 730.
The GT 730 is now 8 years old, but the manufacturer MSI relaunched the GT 730 in the summer of 2021 to at least be able to offer a graphics card in the low-end range. The price is around 70 euros, which is far from the prices that scalpers demand for graphics cards on eBay.
The top 8 among the bestsellers on Amazon. Amazon updates the bestsellers hourly.
How much performance does the graphics card offer? The GT 730 does not provide enough performance if you really want to game on your PC. You can achieve a somewhat decent performance near 30 FPS with the older title Dota 2. Here, the GeForce GT 730 achieves 29.6 FPS in Full HD with maximum details (via computerbase.de).
Basically, you should be aware that you cannot play modern titles with this graphics card. If you need a dedicated graphics solution for home office work (with processors without a graphics chip), then the GT 730 is a sensible option. However, in many games, you will quickly run out of breath with the GT 730.
What is surprising? The surprising thing is that the version with GDDR3 memory is currently a bestseller on Amazon. This is the significantly weaker version, as the version with GDDR5 memory provides a much better performance because the slow memory does not limit it.
GDDR3 vs GDDR5: GDDR is a special type of DDR memory that is mainly used in graphics cards and often has higher clock rates than regular RAM. While GDDR3 offers a maximum data rate of 67.5 GB/s, GDDR5 provides a maximum data rate of 160 GB/s, making it more than twice as fast.
No Better or At Least Cheaper Graphics Cards in Sight
Is there hope right now? There is actually a (very) small hope in the hardware market. Because in addition to AMD and Nvidia, there are also other manufacturers who want to offer graphics cards. One manufacturer named “Innosilicon” wants to sell affordable graphics cards now. What kind of graphics cards these are and whether you can buy them in Germany, you can read here on MeinMMO:
The upcoming survival game Dying Light 2 already impresses more players on Steam than almost all other upcoming games. But why are over a quarter million players waiting for it? MeinMMO explains what lies behind the fascination.
What kind of game is this? Dying Light 2 is the second part of the series, which tells a survival horror story. A virus has wiped out almost all of humanity and turned them into zombies. A classic post-apocalyptic setting.
You play as an infected individual who has not yet transformed. This grants you superhuman abilities, which you now use to help the survivors. Like the first part, Dying Light 2 focuses on parkour, combat, and above all, a lot of story.
We can’t say exactly how many players have it on their wishlist. But at least 270,000 people are “following” the game on Steam alone, wanting to stay updated with information. The wishlist entries are likely even more, especially since Dying Light 2 is also being released on other platforms.
Where does the interest come from? Even though such a massive number of players are interested in the game, many gamers cannot quite comprehend where the interest comes from – especially in Germany.
This is partly because the first part ended up on the index here, meaning it wasn’t simply purchasable. Also, part 2 is only released censored in Germany. Nevertheless, the game managed to build a large fan base. This comes from its unique approach to the genre.
Surviving Without Combat – The Unique System of Dying Light
What makes Dying Light 2 so special: Normally, survival games are all about bare survival, and most representatives of the genre rely on combat and weapons. From improvised knives to swords to modern firearms, there’s everything here.
In Dying Light, you can also fight, but the system serves more as a “last resort”. The safer way is always to escape. The game has a unique, well-defined parkour feature:
Like in Assassin’s Creed, you climb walls and traverse streets in the air.
Roof tops are not only shortcuts but also your frequently used paths, especially at night when the zombies awaken.
With zip lines and makeshift cushions made from trash bags, you ensure relatively safe and quick movement during the death-defying parkour.
You will even be rewarded for parkour in Dying Light 2 and can spend skill points to improve. If you support the factions in the game, they will even build more opportunities for you to move safely through the city.
Depending on which faction you choose, you get more traps to use against zombies or additional zip lines or fall cushions.
You can play Dying Light 2 solo or in co-op with up to 4 players. There is no crossplay at least at launch, and you need to pay attention to the version. The censored (German) and uncensored versions cannot play together.
Some DLCs will be released just a few days after the launch, while others may come months later. We cannot yet say the exact intervals for the new content to be released. At least for the beginning, though, there is already a roadmap:
Unlike other survival games, exploration in Dying Light is therefore not just a feature but a necessity for survival. Only by knowing the city well can you take safe escape routes from zombie hordes.
Is there only parkour? No, in addition to the fast-paced racing segments, Dying Light 2 also relies on a combat system. With DIY melee weapons and a single firearm, you can heat things up for the opponents.
Partially literally, as with mods you can further customize your axes and machetes. Like with parkour, there are also different skills for combat. However, the environment here is also important.
Dying Light 2 has a “contextual combat system”. This means you can use nearby walls or cars to throw your opponents against them or propel yourself off of them. At least in theory – during the test, I was too dumb for that.
In any case, Dying Light 2 fully relies on its world. It is not just another feature but a tool that you can use and interact with. This gives the entire game world more depth and simultaneously emphasizes that humanity has reached a point where it must fight for bare survival – by any means necessary.
Start video
New cinematic trailer shows how hard it is to remain human in Dying Light 2
By the way, we discussed in the new MeinMMO podcast with editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski, editorial manager Gerd Schuhmann, and myself as a survival expert about Dying Light and other … shooters.
Release in February 2022, content for 5 years
When and where does Dying Light 2 come out? On Friday, February 4, 2022, Dying Light 2 will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The Switch version will be slightly delayed but should be delivered “within 6 months”.
You can play Dying Light 2 solo or in co-op with up to 4 players. There is no crossplay at least at launch, and you need to pay attention to the version. The censored (German) and uncensored versions cannot play together.
Some DLCs will be released just a few days after the launch, while others may come months later. We cannot yet say the exact intervals for the new content to be released. At least for the beginning, though, there is already a roadmap:
