Since the invention of the MMORPG genre, developers have repeatedly snatched the big licenses to create an online role-playing game. But which MMORPG has best realized the respective universe? Genre expert Karsten Scholz attempts a ranking.
This is underscored not only by the large number of announcements and releases from 2005 to 2014 inclusive. Developers also invested a lot of money during this time to secure strong licenses that could compete with Warcraft.
Also included are the franchises from film and television or other areas like tabletop, which have become indispensable in pop culture. But which MMORPG has best depicted the respective universe? This is exactly what we want to discuss in this article.
We will focus on the major IPs that originated and grew outside of video games. So you won’t find World of Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls Online, or Final Fantasy XI and XIV here. Instead, you can expect Star Wars, Warhammer, The Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, The Matrix, Star Trek, and other pop culture brands.
What criteria shape the ranking? Our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz evaluates primarily the way in which the respective universe has been implemented in the corresponding game. How well does the MMORPG reflect the lore and perhaps even expand on it? What well-known characters, peoples, and other elements do you encounter? How high is the quality of the dialogues and texts?
It is also important for the ranking that the respective MMORPG is fun or that gameplay, bugs, and other factors do not spoil the enjoyment in the universe. What good is it if a license has been realized in detail, but every fight is annoying?
As many of these factors cannot be clearly quantified, the ranking of course also reflects a lot of personal opinion from our genre expert. So please let us know in the comments if you share the assessments or see certain placements differently.
Through our table of contents, you can jump directly to the sections that interest you:
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Rank 15: Drakensang Online
Developer: Bigpoint | Platform: PC | Release Date: August 2011 | Payment Model: Free2Play | Status: Still active
What do I need to know about the license? Behind Drakensang Online lies the license of “The Dark Eye,” perhaps the best-known pen-and-paper role-playing game from Germany. The adventures from Aventurien have excited fans for over 40 years. Today, numerous novels, board games, and video games accompany the various editions.
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Drakensang Online – Gameplay-Trailer aus 2019
What do I need to know about the game? Drakensang Online was created in the 2010s under the leadership of Bernd Beyreuther, who had already proven twice with his team from Radon Labs that he could develop great games for the universe of “The Dark Eye” – namely with the role-playing games “The Dark Eye: Drakensang” and “Drakensang: Am Fluss der Zeit.”
The problem: When Radon Labs had to file for bankruptcy and was taken over by Bigpoint, they had the rights to the name Drakensang, but not for the license of “The Dark Eye.” The developers were allowed to use the name for their MMORPG, but they had to come up with a completely new world and their own set of rules.
Although the name promises a lot, Drakensang Online has very little to do with “The Dark Eye.” However, taking a look at the game can still be worthwhile. This month, the MMORPG celebrates its 14th birthday. Additionally, a round of looting and leveling can be quite fun if you like hunting monsters from an isometric perspective (like in Sacred or Diablo). And there are still regularly new content updates: German MMORPG plays like Diablo, has been going strong for 14 years, is now starting a new season
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
This weekend, the Raid Weekend featuring Crypto-Groudon awaits you in Pokémon GO. For the first time, you can also get this strong attacker as a Shiny.
What kind of event is this? From Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 6:00 AM to Sunday, September 21, 2025, at 10:00 PM, the Crypto-Raid Weekend will take place in Pokémon GO. During this time, you will have the opportunity to challenge and catch Crypto-Groudon in raids for the first time.
In the past, you could only obtain the powerful monster through Giovanni. This event represents the first opportunity to acquire additional specimens. Additionally, you can get Crypto-Groudon in its Shiny variant. We have compiled what you need to know about the event.
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Pokémon GO: The Season “Stories of Transformation” in the Trailer
All the Important Details About the Crypto-Raid Weekend with Groudon
Where can I find Crypto-Groudon? During the event, you can challenge Crypto-Groudon in Crypto-Raids. If you successfully defeat it, you will then have the opportunity to catch the monster. A variety of arenas will feature Crypto-Raids with the monster over the weekend.
What bonuses are available during the event? In addition to the chance to obtain Crypto-Groudon as a Shiny for the first time, there will be an additional raid pass available at arenas on both days. To receive this, you must have used your current raid pass. If you then spin the disc at an arena, you will receive an additional one.
How do I defeat Crypto-Groudon? The monster is a very strong attacker. You should therefore have plenty of trainers and strong counter Pokémon on your team before you challenge Groudon. Plan for at least 4 trainers and good, high-level counter Pokémon.
Groudon is a Ground type. Therefore, it has weaknesses to Water, Grass, and Ice type attacks. Focus on Pokémon with attacks of these types to successfully defeat Crypto-Groudon. If possible, bring the best counters against Groudon.
Event Ticket: For €5.49, you can purchase an optional event ticket. Here, you will receive 5 additional raid passes at arenas, 50% more experience points, and double stardust for successful raids. If you purchase the ticket in the Pokémon GO webstore, you will also receive a premium battle pass.
This month, there are still many more contents waiting for you in Pokémon GO. These include events, raids, and spotlight hours. If you want to know when which contents are active in the game, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in September 2025 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
After a critical conversation with a tragic ending, two parents are suing OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The CEO is now taking consequences and wants to make his AI “safer” – with potential implications for all users.
In one case in the USA, it is said that a chatbot may have encouraged a teenager to take their own life – including instructions.
Another AI is said to have flirted with minors and subsequently incited them to suicide. Both cases led to a lawsuit against the respective company.
This is what ChatGPT wants to change: Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, writes in a blog post that they want to address the issues of safety for teenagers, freedom, and privacy. More and more people are discussing increasingly sensitive topics with artificial intelligences.
Privacy must be improved accordingly, similar to when one discusses their ailments with a doctor or legal issues with a lawyer. New safety features are being introduced. However, they want to step up particularly in the protection of youths. Specifically, it states:
We prioritize safety over privacy and freedom for teenagers; this [AI] is a new and powerful technology, and we believe that minors need significant protection.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI
Topics like suicide should no longer be discussed with minors. In case of an emergency, they even want to directly inform the parents or relevant authorities if there is an immediate danger.
Note: This article deals with critical topics such as suicide. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can contact the telephone counseling service at 116 123 around the clock. The service is free. You can find further assistance on the homepage of the German Society for Suicide Prevention.
Privacy and safety are always a challenging issue with AI:
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Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
In case of doubt, everyone gets the youth version
Adults should continue to enjoy all freedoms. Altman writes: If an author wants help writing about suicide for their book, that should still be possible. The desire for the AI to flirt more should also remain fulfillable.
Only minors should be protected from such things. In a further blog post, it is explained how the detection should work. First and foremost, parents should be able to use a parental control to set how the AI should behave.
Minor users will be directed to a “ChatGPT with age-appropriate guidelines”. Furthermore, they want to implement a detection: Based on user behavior, the AI should determine whether an adult or a minor is chatting.
In case of doubt, the safe version, meaning the youth version, should always be chosen – and, if necessary and in accordance with local laws, they want to require an ID to verify age: “We know this conflicts with adult privacy, but we believe the trade-off is worth it.”
MeinMMO-demon Cortyn plays a Shadow Priest in World of Warcraft – mainly to annoy others. But they are now taking precautions. Mean.
Those who know me, know that I play Shadow Priests in World of Warcraft. Not just since yesterday, but since I switched from Mage to Priest with The Burning Crusade. Occasionally I also play other classes, but none of them brings me as much joy as the Priest. This is not only due to the very cool Shadow abilities, but also to the small opportunities to annoy my teammates a bit and occasionally blow out their virtual life lights.
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WoW Midnight shows gameplay – All new features
Priests are perfect for trolling
As a Priest, you have several ways to thoroughly ruin someone else’s day (of course in a very loving and teasing way). The best ability is the spell “Faith Jump”.
For years, a simple but effective bringer of death. Faith Jump brings the targeted enemy to the position of the Priest. In theory, the spell is meant to save people who have parked a bit too long in the fire or have no idea where they actually need to run with the current boss mechanics.
In practice, the spell can also be used to pull people into the nearest explosion or just before a knockback effect to the edge of a cliff. Usually, the brief moment of disorientation is enough to get yourself to safety and then watch as the victim flies to their death.
Equally nice is the Switch Blaster, which only works outside of combat but is even meaner. Because you keep the current movement form while swapping positions with the user. So, you stand in front of a cliff, aim at a “running” party member, and use the Switch Blaster – and the character is sure to be history.
An item ended my winning streak
But unfortunately, after many years of successfully attacking the virtual lives of raid leaders, healers, or DPS who catch up to me on the damage meter, my raid has learned and is fighting back. More and more are using the item “Neural Silencer”, which protects the character from exactly such effects. Not only are Faith Jump and the Switch Blaster blocked with it, but also transformations of the character or any other form of (supposedly) negative influence that a character can have on another.
The Neural Silencer is not new; it’s been around for years. But now it has unfortunately spread in my raid group, and particularly mean people even distribute them for free!
Well, it may also be because we are now two Shadow Priests in the raid and the double dose of mean attacks also overwhelms the fastest reacting pro-jumpers, but it makes me a bit sad. After all, that’s one of the reasons why I still play the Shadow Priest even when the rotation brings no joy. And if I have no more joy left, I can just remind our monk of his dark secret…
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Die härtesten Gegner in Diablo 4 lassen sich nicht mehr oneshotten, stattdessen werden sie zeitweise immun. Nach reichlich Kritik aus der Community ändert Blizzard das System jetzt.
Sie haben allerdings nicht einfach nur mehr Leben, sondern auch noch sogenannte Immunitätsphasen. Mal waren die Bosse kurzzeitig komplett unverwundbar, mal verschwanden sie gleich ganz – wie etwa Duriel, der sich unter die Map gräbt.
Die Mechanik wird oft von den Spielerinnen und Spielern kritisiert. Sie meinen: Die Kämpfe werden durch die Immunitätsphasen in die Länge gezogen. Zudem können Bosse die Spielercharaktere oneshotten – andersherum ist es aber nicht möglich. „Glaskanonen“-Builds, die enorm viel austeilen, aber wenig einstecken, haben hier kaum eine Chance. Das könnte sich jetzt ändern.
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Diablo 4 shows the new features in Season 10 in the gameplay trailer
Wer viel austeilt, kann Bosse einfach zerlegen
Was ändert Blizzard an der Mechanik? Die Entwickler erklärten im YouTube-Livestream am 16. September 2025, dass die Immunitätsphasen der Unterschlupf-Bosse im Grunde durch Schilde ersetzt werden. Wer stark genug ist, kann den Boss also einfach erledigen. Für weniger starke Builds bleibt es aber trotzdem eine Herausforderung.
Lead-Designer Ben Fletcher fasste es so zusammen:
Im Grunde haben wir die Immunitätsphasen der Unterschlupf-Bosse genommen und jedes Mal, wenn sie eigentlich eine Immunitätsphase hätten, diese durch ein Schild ersetzt, das Schaden nehmen und das man brechen kann. Wenn du also stark genug bist, kannst du den Boss immer noch einfach zerlegen und direkt weitermachen beim Grinden. Gleichzeitig bietet es aber trotzdem eine spürbare, bedeutungsvolle Herausforderung für weniger starke Charaktere.
Das soll auch für Bartuk gelten, den Boss, den man in den Höllenhorden bekämpfen kann. Auf dem Testserver zur neuen Season besaß er noch eine klassische Immunitätsphase.
Community-Manager Adam Fletcher ergänzte: „Wer ein richtiger Blaster ist, ballert sich einfach durch die Schilde.“ Von dieser Sorte Spieler gebe es in Diablo genug. Man hänge nicht mehr an den Immunitätsphasen fest, es gebe aber trotzdem noch ein kleines Hindernis in Form der Schilde.
Unverwundbarkeitsphasen können erst nach Ablauf von 10 Sek. ausgelöst werden.
Unverwundbarkeitsphasen können jetzt überwunden werden, wenn die Spieler eine gewisse Schadensgrenze überschreiten.
Bei 2/3 und 1/3 Leben erhält der Boss einen Schild.
Der Schild hält 5 Sek. lang an.
Wenn der Boss noch 2/3 Leben hat, beträgt der Schildwert 1/3 des max. Leben des Bosses.
Wenn der Boss noch 1/3 Leben hat, beträgt der Schildwert 2/3 des max. Leben des Bosses.
Brechen die Spieler den Schild innerhalb von 5 Sek., wird der Boss nicht unverwundbar.
Das bedeutet konkret: Mit richtig starken Builds, die ordentlich Schaden austeilen, bekommt ihr von den Schilden nichts mit – oder zerlegt sie in Sekunden. Teilt ihr nicht so viel aus, müsst ihr euch Stück für Stück durch die Schilde kämpfen, bevor ihr dem Boss erneut Leben abziehen könnt.
The CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, wanted to amaze the world with a new tech gadget: a smart glasses that should replace your classic mobile phone. However, during the presentation of the features, the nose bike even refuses simple requests.
With the glasses, you should be able to do everything a mobile phone can do: accept calls and make phone calls, shoot videos and photos – even hands-free. Zuckerberg talks about the “end of the mobile phone”.
Just a glance at objects is enough to recognize them and with a short voice command ask the AI what to do with these things. At least in theory, because during the presentation, it doesn’t work at all.
Things went wrong during the presentation: According to German time, Zuckerberg introduced his new Meta Glasses on Thursday, September 18th, early in the morning around 2:00 AM (on YouTube). A helper was supposed to cook something for him during the presentation.
The idea was to look at a table with ingredients to make a Korean steak sauce, something the user “has never done before.” The glasses initially recognize what is on the table.
When asked how to create a sauce from this, the AI doesn’t respond at all. After a second request, the glasses stiffly claim that the base is already ready and one should rub a pear in.
The somewhat desperate developer asks several times what he should do first – with the same answer: The sauce is already ready. After the third inquiry, he gives up and claims the Wi-Fi isn’t very good (on YouTube, around minute 40:41).
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Why do tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg keep wearing the same clothes?
Meta Glasses recognize hand gestures but refuse calls
Zuckerberg jumps in to help and says: No matter how well you prepare for something, if the Wi-Fi doesn’t cooperate, you just don’t stand a chance. The presentation goes on for a while until Zuckerberg finally wants to present another feature (on YouTube, around minute 52:49).
During the live demonstration, he uses the neural band linked to the glasses on his wrist to compose a text in a chat using gestures alone. It works, albeit slowly, but apparently is intended.
The subsequent call, on the other hand, goes completely haywire: In a desperate attempt to accept his colleague’s video call, Zuckerberg repeatedly gestures with his fingers to make the appropriate sign. Nothing happens.
In another attempt, the AI sweetly (and quite mechanically) reminds him that there is a new call incoming… while the old one is still displayed as “not accepted.” The neural band again refuses to recognize the gesture to accept the call.
Borderlands 4 was released recently. However, many players are complaining about the performance of the loot shooter. A new patch aims to address these issues.
Various improvements have been made to stability. Some crashes were caused by animation states, audio, or collision checks. Additionally, crashes related to the graphics card have also been addressed.
A problem has been fixed where the Reward Center stopped functioning after redeeming certain rewards (Gilded-Glory-Pack).
A bug has been fixed in the “Talk to Zadra” mission, where the objective could fail.
Furthermore, a bug has been removed that told you that you did not own a DLC, even though you were not wearing any DLC equipment.
Lastly, you will no longer find guild glory packs in the regular chests.
In their blog post on Steam, the developers write that they read every player feedback and that their top priority is to improve the performance of Borderlands 4.
You can watch the launch trailer for Borderlands 4 in the video:
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Borderlands 4: Cineastischer Launch-Trailer zelebriert den Release
Borderlands 4 Gives You Skins and a Legendary Item
What are the developers giving to players? Along with the patch, the Break-Free-Pack is going live. Due to players’ achievements in Borderlands 4, such as looting over 700 million items, without even counting the common items, you will receive some rewards:
A vault skin that you can use with Vex, Rafa, Amon, and Harlowe.
In Borderlands 4, just like in its predecessors, it’s all about plenty of weapons, loot, and crazy characters. Therefore, it’s understandable that players have already found an immense number of items to unlock the Break-Free-Pack. If you wanted strong loot within seconds, you can find the guide here: A boss in Borderlands 4 gives you strong loot and can be defeated in just a few seconds.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Throne and Liberty brings the next update to the MMORPG hit from Amazon. This time there are so many new features that it could have been its own expansion.
What kind of update is this? With the free update Solisium’s Awakening, Throne and Liberty will release their next major update on September 18, 2025. We have summarized the key new features for you:
The housing system is being introduced and finally allows you to put down roots in Solisium. You can choose the most beautiful spot from a total of 24 housing locations after completing the Codex quest Home Sweet Home.
A new weapon, the Orb, is being added. This is a magical support weapon that helps you heal and protect your allies.
The hyperboost is available on all servers. With this boost, newcomers and returners can acquire higher tier equipment faster and tackle the latest content without too much grind.
There are several new gathering and crafting skills that are part of the housing system. New skills for gatherers include: logging, mining, fur collecting, and collecting. For crafters, new skills include: woodworking, blacksmithing, weaving, and crafting.
New Tier 3 equipment.
The design manager of Throne and Liberty, Tico, refers to this as “the biggest chapter in the history of Throne and Liberty.” You can find every major and minor change in detail on the official page for Solisium’s Awakening.
In the video, you can see the trailer for the new update of Throne and Liberty:
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The new update of Throne and Liberty brings housing and a new weapon to Solisium
Players are excited about the new update
What are players saying about Solisium’s Awakening? In the subreddit for Throne and Liberty, several players are commenting, eagerly waiting to return to Solisium. One Reddit user writes:
Reading these patch notes after a few months off since the release feels like they are really getting started now! Battlefields, raids, challenging scaling dungeons, housing, new weapons, life skills, and an improved combat feel are great new features. Additionally, I haven’t experienced Talandre yet and am now starting with the fresh hyperboost servers. Looks like I’m going to jump back in.
Other users hope that the hyperboost will attract both veterans back and new players. Some are even more excited than during the previous update for Tier 2.
With such a major update, hopefully some former or even new adventurers will find their way to Solisium to build a nice home or enjoy cozy gathering evenings with their friends. Since the release of Throne and Liberty, it has already lost a significant portion of its players: Throne and Liberty has lost 95% of its players, is no longer the most played MMORPG on Steam.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Dying Light gets a new installment with The Beast. The creators invited MeinMMO to preview the action game. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus is used to suffering in games, but The Beast has really tested his frustration tolerance.
When we received the test offer for The Beast, I didn’t think the new Dying Light would hit that mark. I enjoyed playing the second part, as the mix of brawling, RPG, and parkour is quite fun, even though I don’t like zombies.
Then the spin-off came around, and I thought: Cool, explore a new city, smash a few undead skulls, and enjoy a nice story. Yes, right.
I haven’t finished the game yet, but within the first 10 hours, I have died more often than in my entire playthrough of Dying Light 2. Normally, this would make me want to try harder or out of frustration go to the gym, but The Beast is sometimes just unfair.
Dying Light: The Beast launches on September 18 at 6:00 PM for PC, PS5, and Xbox.
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Dying Light: The Beast shows its mix of open-world and action-survival horror in the trailer
At night, it’s not just harder, it’s really annoying
I know that Dying Light plays with the day-and-night cycle. During the day, a few stoned zombies shuffle through the streets looking like they have a full diaper. A few special zombies or humans mix things up, but that’s it. During the day, you explore. Only at night does it really kick off.
Here, there are tougher enemies, and it’s dark. Really dark. Outside the light cone of the high-performance flashlight, you can’t see anything, and the light naturally attracts enemies – especially the nasty shadow hunters, who, unlike other zombies, can climb.
My first encounter with the night was during a story mission where I had to hunt a new type of zombie. Right from the first clue, a shadow hunter was hanging around and knocked me out. Just three hits, and I’m lying in the dirt. And he was just standing there by coincidence.
Fight? No way. Running is on the agenda.
Normally, I would now head back to the position and punch the undead gentleman with the split jaw right in the face. But that doesn’t work. In the beginning, I’m way too weak for a fight with shadow hunters, and even later, that’s almost impossible. The creatures are tough.
After the second respawn, I learned to simply avoid enemies at night. A fight is not worth it, and dying costs experience points, so I let it be. Right before a save point, I still got caught.
A shadow hunter picked up my trail, and I had to flee. “A hunt begins,” it says, and suddenly half the city is on my tail. The zombies don’t just give up; I have to run until I reach a safe house.
The next one is on the other side of the city according to the display, and after the first three roofs, I have a second hunter on my tail, and another one cuts me off from the front. This whole thing takes about 5-10 minutes, after which I can barely open the door to the safe town hall at the last second.
I don’t mind difficulty, but I would like the option to fight back. Especially since The Beast actually has a perfect way to provide just such an opportunity.
This view at night should actually be a sign to run.
The Beast is the best innovation Dying Light could come up with
The whole point of The Beast is that the main character Kyle Crane has not only developed a certain immunity to the zombie virus as in part 2 but has become a very special creature.
After years of cruel experiments in a secret lab somewhere in the Alps, Kyle has gained the power to transform into a beast, but uncontrollably.
If I take enough damage, deal enough damage, or evade attacks, I enter “beast mode.” In that, I pummel enemies to mush with bare fists or literally rip zombies’ heads off. Doom Guy sends his regards.
Now it’s time to throw some punches!
Unexpected soulslike elements in a parkour game
I can even further improve this beast mode by hunting chimeras and siphoning something from their bodies. Some scientist explains what this is, but what matters to me is: Those are skill points for my beast skill tree.
Chimeras, just like some smaller enemies, are tough foes with move sets and arenas. Things that I’m used to from Dark Souls. Each kind of chimera also has a special strand of this substance that I need to acquire, so it improves me in a specific way. Like the unique boss weapons from… Dark Souls.
The fights themselves, where I have to dodge certain attacks and use small windows of time for a limited number of attacks, also remind me strongly of soulslikes. Something I didn’t expect in Dying Light, but I really welcome it.
Still, The Beast is not a soulslike; it’s still Dying Light, and that is quite evident, although unfortunately not as well as in its predecessor.
So far, every chimera has been associated with a very cool and challenging boss fight.
Strong gameplay with some shortcomings
Primarily, I still run through the city while playing and try to avoid zombies. Fights just aren’t worth it. The meager loot isn’t even worth the durability of the weapons.
A major plus: Should a fight actually happen, there’s a very amusing way to defeat enemies using kicks. If they are on the ground, I can just keep kicking them until they stay down. It looks silly and makes me chuckle a bit, but saves weapon durability.
At the core of the gameplay remains exploration and parkour. Running over rooftops, swinging on poles, and balancing on ledges is what mainly happens all the time. Unfortunately, that feature is somewhat poorly implemented.
Climbing sections, which are often mandatory for quests, drag on because Kyle really sucks. The controls are a bit clunky; climbing sections are often tedious and long, and some facades that Ezio and Altaïr could climb with a fingertip are suddenly not grippable enough for Mr. Crane. My colleague André Baumgartner from GameStar had fewer issues, so maybe it’s just me.
A few more negative points:
The AI is really dumb. When zombies notice me and I crawl under a counter or something, they just stand in front of me and look as if I were a display.
Dialogues are a bit… meager. Sometimes the emphases don’t match the flow of the conversation, and some NPCs react strangely. In one case, a person recognizes me as a hero, even though I just arrived in the city 3 hours ago and asks me for help.
Often I’m forced to do things the way the game wants me to. For example, I’m supposed to clear a cave of zombies. An NPC suggests using explosives. Even then, when I have already burned everything with molotovs – except for the enemies that constantly respawn or are immortal.
Dark zones, the places with special loot, are at least at first always the same: A building you have to crawl into, a handful of enemies, and a door whose lock you have to pick. Behind it, there’s often “surprisingly” a zombie looking at the door frame.
This is how I look at my NicNac’s that rolled under the couch.
The Beast is brutal for the sake of being brutal
What could ultimately be The Beast’s downfall is the dedicated emphasis on brutality. In many cases, there are executions that look like glory kills from Doom. Even the “normal” fights are extremely detailed and show what happens when a sledgehammer hits a skull.
The Beast truly fills the game with such scenes. It’s grotesque horror meant to shock – which doesn’t quite work for me. I rarely feel scared or disgusted, and when I constantly see such brutality, it feels rather monotonous.
The strong focus on brutality and the fear factor at night unfortunately lets cool elements like beast mode and the beautiful environment fade somewhat into the background, resulting in monotony. However, this assessment applies only to me.
Those who enjoy splatter will have their joy here. I quite like the world. Since I live in southern Germany, the setting “somewhere in the western Alps” is not only refreshingly unspoiled but also quite cozy.
There are even a few nice details like an American soldier stationed in Stuttgart or NPCs raving about beer, schnitzel, and potato salad. A craving I can relate to quite well.
So far, the main story is nothing special, and looking at the structure, it seems unlikely to change: It’s a classic revenge story with a few unrelated side quests. Not bad, but definitely not a standout. It’s enough to keep me engaged, but I wouldn’t play the game just for the story. Maybe there’s a big twist at the end; I doubt it based on my experience.
What hits really hard is the environmental storytelling, meaning the stories that hide within the environment. Here, I’ve not only found a few newspaper articles that raised eyebrows but also some scenes that made me swallow:
Together with the gameplay, it’s all rounded enough that I will most likely play through The Beast … eventually. Especially the beast mode and boss fights are quite enjoyable. I just have to bite through the tedious nights.
MeinMMO editor Lydia is used to suffering in her favorite genre. However, a new roguelite on Steam not only wiped the floor with her, but also gave her a stab in the heart.
Roguelites are my absolute passion. I love gnashing my teeth on a boss again and again, becoming stronger with each attempt until he finally falls – only to immediately start the next run with the newly unlocked abilities.
Accordingly, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, which also impresses with its beautiful hand-drawn graphics, immediately caught my attention.
In the new action game, I take on the role of Towa, a priestess of the deity Shinju, who watches over a village of the same name. Along with her 8 allies, the Prayer Children, she sets out to fight against the demon king Magatsu. However, things go horribly wrong, and the Prayer Children are banished to another world, while time stands still in the village of Shinju.
The Prayer Children must now defeat the demon king’s minions, the 8 Magatsu-hi, and transport their mana back to Towa. For a run, we always take two characters: one character, the Tsuguri, we control actively, slashing through the enemies with his two swords. The Kagura, on the other hand, follows us as a supporter.
I have already played Towa in advance, and even in the first few hours, the game surprised me with a feature that I did not expect in an action-packed roguelite: emotional loss.
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Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree: Trailer zum Kampf des Roguelites
In Towa, you pay a price for victory
I initially went into the battles quite unreservedly and tried different combinations between the characters. The game encourages this, as the characters not only have gameplay synergies but also individual dialogues when you rest at the campfire between enemy hordes.
However, this changed dramatically when I managed to kill the boss in my third attempt, who had narrowly escaped me in the first two attempts. The victorious duo conducted a ritual, and suddenly my Kagura Shigin – my sweet, innocent Shigin – was simply gone.
I expected to find him in the village after his victory, but no. At least the mana gained from this allowed me to keep time moving in the village. Here Towa suddenly resembles Pyre, the underrated predecessor of Supergiant’s big hit, rather than Hades.
Even there, every victory meant parting with a beloved character. This requires not only an emotional component but also some planning because suddenly you have to think about who you take into battle.
Oh Shigin…
I do not want to rule out that the characters may return later in the story, but even then they will not find the village they left behind.
For every victory also means that time continues to pass without them: children grow up and follow in their parents’ or masters’ footsteps, and the young, pretty teacher suddenly has the first gray strands in her hair.
Normally, the bosses are my favorite part of such games. There is hardly a better feeling for me than finally defeating a mighty opponent after multiple failures with that magical run where everything just works.
The euphoria in Towa is also present, but everything comes with a bittersweet note. On the one hand, I am excited after each victory to explore what has changed in the village. On the other hand, I dread the moment when the friendly old lady no longer greets me with candy.
I almost don’t want to defeat the next boss to spend more time with the beloved characters – but only almost, because in the end I can’t help myself, and when I see a red health bar, it has to go down.
After each mini-boss, the landscape changes…… and they are a real feast for the eyes
Whether you are truly standing correctly …
With the combat system, the enjoyment of the game rises and falls in every action roguelite, and luckily Towa has great strengths here. Enemies are tough and forgive only a few mistakes in their short counterattack windows. I often have to change swords, or they’ll simply break.
Moreover, I not only have to keep an eye on my character’s health bar, but also that of the Kagura, who far too often stands in the damage zone when I have already brought myself to safety.
Controlling both characters independently is not an option for me; I’m not ambidexterous enough. If you have a co-op partner, you can however leave them the control of the supporter.
The enemies are variably designed, and each type uses different attacks – however, to be honest, that doesn’t make a particularly big difference because they announce all their attacks with generous red areas on the ground. However, these can quickly get lost among the visual effects of your own attacks.
In fact, I haven’t found any of the enemies to be particularly mechanically challenging in my nearly 15 hours of play so far, which doesn’t mean they are easy to defeat. The bosses, in particular, deal a ton of damage, and if you’re not careful, your health bar can disappear faster than you can say “What’s an alien doing in feudal Japan?!”
Rather than memorizing boss mechanics, it is much more important to pay attention to your own positioning. My greatest successes came from waiting to see where the boss will strike, dashing behind him, dealing massive backstab damage, and quickly zapping out of the danger zone.
Amidst the effects of your attacks, you should keep an eye on the enemy’s damage zone
Fun combat system with a few weaknesses
Eating before a fight in the restaurant or resting in the onsen provides useful buffs and makes the tricky boss fights a little more bearable.
Then there’s the grace system. As a reward, you receive new abilities for the duration of the run after completing several rooms. These come in different rarities and generally mean “more damage plus something else,” such as elemental damage, crit chance, or health regeneration.
To deal with these enemies, various builds are possible, which play very differently. I can go for weapon power or dash through enemies with a dash build. The choice of swords additionally influences whether I chip away at enemies with many small cuts or rely on a devastating ultimate attack.
Especially with the elemental damages, I would have liked a bit more individuality because whether I set opponents on fire or rain lightning down on them didn’t make a notable difference for me in gameplay.
The controls could also have been a bit more precise. In action roguelites, I want to unleash devastating combos on the enemies and get to safety at the last moment. However, Towa requires me to think carefully beforehand if I can risk an attack, as the animation cannot simply be canceled.
Overall, I still found the battles to be very fun and surprisingly challenging.
With the dash build, I drove up the combos but also made myself vulnerable
Fights are only half the battle
Between runs, I explore the village of Shinju as Towa, getting to know the residents and strengthening myself for the next run. Each visit to the village has some residents offering small cutscenes where I learn more about their stories and relationships with one another.
These scenes have a typical anime humor and sometimes drag on too long for my taste. After all, I’m here to beat up demons, not to chat.
Still, I have grown fond of some of the characters, and I loved observing their development over the years. The little screamer has suddenly turned into a moody teenager, and the capitalist cat actually has a heart.
Here, perhaps, dialogue options would have been nice, allowing me to have some influence rather than just listening.
I also spent way too much time in the village with the mini-games, which are actually useful in Towa.
You can exchange caught fish for the different in-game currencies, buffs for your Kagura’s staff, or materials. With those, I can forge, including a crash course in traditional Japanese blacksmithing, where the process is explained step by step. This way, I craft my own sword according to my ideas with bonuses and appearance.
I looked just as proud when I forged the first perfect sword
In the dojo, I prepare my characters for the next journey. Each of the Prayer Children can be used as either a Tsurugi or a Kagura, so you should really reskill regularly if you want to switch a character’s role.
Since the Kagura, as mentioned, often takes a hit, you should prioritize health here. If you’re confident in maneuvering the Tsurugi out of the enemy attacks, you can fully focus on offense here. Additionally, you equip swords for the Tsurugi and magical abilities for the Kagura.
As you progress, more and more systems come into play, so there’s really always something to do. When I defeated the third boss, I actually thought I had slowly seen it all and would now proceed according to the same scheme, but instead, the game really opens up at this point, and somehow I suddenly feel like it’s just beginning.
If you like games like Hades, are into Japanese mythology, or want to be confronted suddenly with the relentless passage of time and your own mortality in a seemingly cute game, you should definitely take a look at Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree.
The roguelite is set to be released on September 19 on Steam, Xbox, PS5, and the Switch, and it already runs smoothly on the Steam Deck. At almost 30 euros, it is, however, a bit more expensive than other genre representatives, and I can’t really gauge yet if it truly brings their almost endless replay value.
Borderlands 4 offers a huge world full of discoveries, but some things are hidden underground. These are abandoned mines of the Buddler, but many are just blocked by red doors and you can’t get in. We will show you how to open the mines.
How do you open the mines? The more diligent you are in exploring, the more likely you are to come across abandoned mines during your journey through Kairos, but when you try to enter, you will be greeted by a red door – access denied.
To open these mines, you don’t need a secret path or a key; you only need the right progress in the campaign.
Complete the mission “Shadows of the Miner” in the Terminus expanse. Once you have done that and unlocked the Buddler’s headquarters, Belton’s Bore, all mines will be open to you. You can now pass through the colorful holograms and move freely.
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Zufälliges Event in der Open World von Borderlands 4 sorgt für grandiosen Loot, doch eine Mechanik frustriert die Spieler
All about the mines on Kairos
What will I find in the mines? Mines are like bunkers, small dungeons that you can find, explore, and loot. At the end of each mine, you will also find a fixed boss that can reward you with even more items if you emerge victorious.
How many mines are there on Kairos? In total, you can expect up to 7 mines, scattered wildly across the map. Each area has at least one mine.
How do I best explore a mine? The problem with the mines is their lack of clarity. They are dark, winding, and the path to the boss is usually hidden. If you discover a mine and get stuck in a room, you should pay attention to the walls.
This is how you see the mines on the map when you discover oneThe entrance to a mine is sealed with a hologramYou should destroy such boards to explore further
Many passages are barricaded with boards that you can then destroy with your rifle or melee. However, there are also ways that lead you over rock crevices or require climbing. It’s best to keep your eyes open and search every corner of every room.
How do I recognize mines? Usually, mines are marked with a symbol on the map. You can find the specific symbol on our cover image.
That was all the important information about the mines on Kairos. Did you accidentally discover a mine during your exploration tours, but the red door blocked your way? Then you now know what to do. In addition to mines, there are also many bosses that you can farm, and one of them is particularly worthwhile in Borderlands 4: One boss in Borderlands 4 gives you great loot and can be defeated in just a few seconds
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
My MMO editor Jasmin Beverungen was able to play Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 a few years ago. Now she had the chance to dive into the dark action RPG again and is thrilled about the grand transformation the game has undergone.
I have been following the development of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 for several years. The title has been delayed several times since March 2020, and there are several reasons for this:
In February 2021, the developer team at Hardsuit Labs had the project taken away from them by publisher Paradox Interactive and handed over to The Chinese Room.
Even before the developer switch, there were layoffs of the lead writer and the creative director. Later, the senior narrative designer followed.
The layoffs led to a creative realignment, including a new main character.
Years ago, I got to play Vampire: Bloodlines 2 and understood the criticism from colleagues. The combat system didn’t feel smooth and I wasn’t interested in the story at all.
Now I was able to take a look at the current version of the RPG for about an hour. I will tell you why waiting until now has been worth it and why the title was my highlight of gamescom 2025.
Start video
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 showcases thrilling gameplay in the trailer
Grumpy Vampire with a Huge Thirst
The demo showcased the beginning of the game. I awakened in the body of Phyre, whose gender and appearance I could choose. Phyre has been asleep for about 100 years and must first come to terms with the American metropolis in which the vampire awakens.
During this, Phyre notices that there is a mysterious voice in his head. It is important to uncover the identity of this voice. We navigate through several buildings and the alleys of the metropolis, which exhibit a truly impressive atmosphere.
Inside the buildings, the light is dim, and everywhere there are broken walls or graffiti. Here I had to squeeze through halls, hide from enemies, and find exits. Inside the buildings, the atmosphere felt threatening to me as I had the impression that danger could lurk around any corner. The interplay of light and shadow added to this, as there were only isolated light sources.
In contrast, while crossing the city many people were present on the streets, giving me the feeling that I was living in a truly bustling city. Here I felt comfortable, even as a vampire among humans. The atmosphere, while not as menacing as in part 1, is livelier.
Your character can be customized with many details.
I found this mood change pleasant while gaming, as it provided not only hours of concentrated and tense gameplay but also some quieter moments.
Phyre himself and the voice in his head also create a contrast between a rough vampire nature and humorous interludes, which I particularly liked. It’s not just about death, doom, and blood, but also about the living.
The game, however, never loses sight of the fact that I am still a vampire living among humans. There is a mask at the top of the screen that functions similarly to the star system in GTA:
If the mask is green, none of the humans suspect me as a vampire.
If I use vampire powers like blood-sucking or levitating, the mask turns yellow and cracks appear. I should proceed with caution now.
If I overdo it, the mask turns red, breaks, and the police chase me.
This makes one feel part of the lively world, but still as a supernatural being that must hide among humans. And this situation impressed me so much that Vampire Bloodlines 2 has become my highlight. But there is another reason for this.
Bloodlines 2 Has Significantly Overhauled Its Combat System
The combat system of Bloodlines 2 has improved significantly compared to before. I no longer felt that the controls were clunky and that some actions were difficult to execute. Phyre did what I told him and used various combat abilities, including sucking the blood of opponents.
Depending on the clan, different active abilities are used and different passive skills are acquired. In the demo, I chose the Tremere clan, as they focus a lot on blood magic and mind control. That’s how I imagine a real vampire.
The abilities fit well into combat, and even the normal attacks are easy to execute. I had great fun slicing through enemies and sucking their blood to trigger even stronger attacks.
However, anyone with a weak stomach should enjoy the game with caution. The attacks are very … bloody. In addition to slashing and kicking, during which blood occasionally splatters, there are also attacks where opponents are literally ripped apart, and a fountain of blood coats the sky.
I am not aware of any option that allows you to turn off the bloody effects, but be warned that the game does not hold back on brutality.
All in all: The additional 5 years of development time have done the game good. Therefore, I am confident that the release targeted for 2025 could finally be met.
In Germany, rents are continuously rising. In Sweden, there is currently a demonstration of how to comparatively easily tackle the so-called “housing crisis.”
The current situation:
Rents in Germany have been rising sharply for months, and available apartments are also scarce. Many refer to this as a “housing crisis” (via Tagesschau.de).
Critics accuse the government of failing to address issues such as the “rent control” measures, which are seen as ineffective and riddled with loopholes. For instance, die Zeit notes that the coalition has not found a solution to the “housing crisis,” rather than reforming the rent control.
Students and many low- and average-income earners now have to spend more than half their income to cover rent.
In Sweden, a project called “Stockholmshusen” is currently demonstrating that there can be alternative solutions. This initiative addresses issues like affordable rents and a lack of housing.
Start video
Students spy on passersby with hidden cameras and AI, find name and address in seconds
Cost reduction and faster approvals lower rent prices
What kind of project is this? The Stockholmshusen project is a large-scale initiative by the city of Stockholm and several municipal housing companies, aimed at quickly, cost-effectively, and affordably building thousands of rental apartments.
The goal is the rapid and affordable construction of rental apartments; currently, around 5,000 units are under construction or already completed (via stockholmshem.se). To implement this, municipal housing companies are collaborating with large construction companies in Sweden.
By employing certain “tricks” and planning methods, construction costs for individual apartments are reduced: expensive basements and underground garages are avoided, and instead, a washing machine connection is installed in each apartment. Alternative mobility solutions like car sharing and bike systems are preferred over an underground garage.
Through serial and modular construction methods, standardization, and focusing on essentials, lower construction costs and therefore cheaper rents are achieved: apartments from the “Stockholmshusen” project can be offered at 20% below the market level in Stockholm.
Another strength of the project: By concurrently processing planning, approval, and construction processes, the time for permits and construction duration is reduced from 8 to an average of 4 years.
We are living in financially uncertain times. Generation Z is resorting to drastic measures to survive and especially to pay off high debts. According to the report, more and more young people are tapping into their retirement savings or selling personal possessions as the cost of living continues to rise, and salary increases are generally absent: Generation Z is depleting their savings, skipping meals, and selling their belongings just to get by
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Path of Exile 2, the developers are constantly meeting the players’ wishes. This time, they plan to tweak the appearance of the characters.
What do the players want? Those who do not want to look like everyone else can purchase skins for real money in the Path of Exile 2 store. The free-to-play game is funded through microtransactions and regularly offers new items. However, fans are still not satisfied with that.
They would like to combine their purchased skins with items from the game. For example, players want to visually wear a heavy plate armor even though their character is actually wearing a fine silk robe. So far, this has only been possible for a limited time. Now, fans are calling for a change.
Here you can watch the trailer for the current season of Path of Exile 2:
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Path of Exile 2 shows Season 2 in the new trailer, brings Act 4 and 3 interludes into play
Developers are already working on it
How do the developers respond to the players’ wish? After Reddit user SteelFaith published his request, other fans quickly joined in to support him. They too wish for better options to permanently change their appearance. But not only players are interested in the system.
The developers also respond to the suggestion of a new permanent “transmog” system. They explain in the comment that such a system is already in the works. It should allow permanent skin transfers from any normal and unique item types and ensure that all items from the cosmetic inventory can be combined with normal items.
When is the system supposed to come? The developers of Path of Exile 2 do not yet know when the new “transmog” system will be implemented in the game. They state in the same comment on Reddit that they do not yet have a date for the feature, but they want to keep the adventurers informed as soon as something is confirmed.
Even though the developers cannot provide a specific date, the player community is pleased in the comments below about the quick response and the fact that the suggestion will actually be implemented.
For those looking for a strong build for Rafa in Borderlands 4, focusing on a powerful shotgun can let you take down bosses with just one shot. But how does it work exactly?
Even though the release of Borderlands 4 was not long ago, more and more strong builds for the 4 classes are emerging, making the Vault Hunters quite powerful characters who can effortlessly take down bosses. You can see 2 of them here:
This is also possible with the character Rafa, as content creator Moxsy shows on YouTube. You just need the right shotgun and the appropriate build.
Start video
Als Kammerjäger greift man in Borderlands 4 am besten zum Wurfmesser
How to build a Rafa build with so much damage?
This is crucial for the build with Rafa: Like many builds with Rafa, this one relies on the red skill tree and the peace cannons. The focus of the build is the legendary shotgun Hot Slugger from Jacobs. Since you will deal your highest damage with the first shot of a weapon, the Jacobs weapon, which only has one bullet in the magazine, is worth it. Additionally, Jacobs weapons cause ricochets on critical hits.
You will deal the highest damage in this build with ricochets and the indirect damage from your peace cannons. The build stacks damage for Rafa, but the source of this high stack is currently unclear, as Moxsy explains in his YouTube video. However, he believes it is due to the elemental damage caused by the build. In his video, you can see how strong the build can perform.
This is how the Rafa build works
The focus of the build is the red tree of Rafa. Moxsy has also tried it with other skill trees, as he explains in his video. However, he is most satisfied with this setup. Important for you as players is to stay in Rafa’s overdrive for as long as possible to gain the perks’ bonuses. This is the status Rafa is in when he activates his action skill.
Moxsy configures his skill tree like this:
Action skill: Peacebreaker Cannons
Red tree:
Sitiar: 5 points
Juerga: 5 points
Instinto: Improvement for the action skill
Maestro: 2 points
El Valiente: 3 points
Asymmetric Warfare: 5 points
Errant Spark: 5 points
Double-Ought Autoshot: Improvement for the action skill
Lateral Plinking: 1 point
Vitriol: 5 points
Barrage: 5 points
Devil-May-Care: 5 points
Temerario: 2 points (ideally get additional skill points from the class mod)
Ardid: 1 point
(Saltado: ideally one point through class mod)
Switching to the green tree:
Midnight Oil: 5 points
That covers all available skill points, and this is how it could look:
Weapons: The focus of the build is the shotgun Hot Slugger, as it activates the many effects you’ve skilled in the tree. You should be able to kill normal enemies during your action skill without problems. If you have Jacobs shotguns with a small magazine, the build can still work. However, the build is fundamentally designed around the legendary Hot Slugger.
When fighting bosses, a Dullahan (Jacobs shotgun that can drop in various rarities) is worth it: With its alternative fire mode, you get buffs on splash damage, which is especially powerful against bosses, unlike the Hot Slugger.
But even without the optimal weapons, you should still deal good damage as long as you use Jacobs weapons with low magazines.
If you’re in the endgame and don’t know how to build Rafa, with Moxsy’s build you definitely have a strong option to work towards. You can find more tips and guides for Borderlands 4 here: Borderlands 4: All guides, tips, and lists in overview
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Stellaris has been one of the most popular global strategy gameson Steam. Now a popular YouTuber has taken it upon himself to bring the entire universe to a standstill with his playstyle – successfully!
Which YouTuber is it and what is his plan? “The Spiffing Brit” is a YouTuber who has published over 720 videos on his channel and attracted more than 4.3 million subscribers. His videos mostly focus on subverting well-known games through exploits or glitches.
Exactly that is what the Brit has done multiple times on a small scale in Stellaris. His latest project was intended to build upon all these experiences and become his “opus magnum.” How? By exploiting the existing game mechanics so that the system of Stellaris ultimately comes to a standstill – and that at the highest difficulty level of the game.
Start video
Stellaris shows the major version update for the ninth birthday in the trailer
Robots instead of Elves? Robot Elves!
How did the YouTuber achieve his goal? One pillar of his strategy relies on the “Robotic Workers,” which immediately supply the player with the building “Robot Assembly Plants.” In this way, one essentially replaces the gradually dying population with working robots that do not have to fear death.
A nice side effect of the new way the game scales the population since one of the recent updates is that the building “Identity Repository” quickly houses thousands of identities, which in turn leads to a substantial increase in job efficiency (plus 3,658 percent).
This provides a huge boost to the entire economy, as well as areas like science. For example, technologies that should actually take 18 months at this point are completed in just 2 months.
The high number of workers does lead to a substantial increase in mineral consumption, but the bonus for job efficiency improves the performance of the so-called Roboticists. In other words: the production of new robots runs like clockwork. The acquisition of certain raw materials could therefore not be better this early in a game.
Already after 2.5 years, “The Spiffing Brit” is able to complete two traditions (Discovery and Mercantile) with all their improvements. This allows him to tackle the Synthetic tradition in year 3, which transforms the founding people into a mechanical species and grants various bonuses for the mechanical population. By the fourth year, this goal is also achieved.
From now on, “The Spiffing Brit” has access to mechanical elf workers, which he can produce in masses due to the enormous job efficiency (which now has a bonus of 5,126 percent). Nice: The new robots can be further improved through mods.
You can check out the full video on YouTube or watch it below:
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What have the developers not considered? Some of the events that can occur during a round now also scale wildly because the corresponding rewards depend on the science points earned per month. Suddenly, one can be greeted with over 16,000 additional science points – that’s practically a new research for free.
Already after 5 years, the game reaches a state where “The Spiffing Brit” produces so much of everything that it cannot all be stored and consumed.
The project goes even more off the rails when the YouTuber gains access to the “Faculty of Archaeostudies.” This supplies players with biologists and minor artifacts, where the number of artifacts depends on the number of biologists. In this case, this meant from the start a supply of 3,000 minor artifacts per month.
Fast forward: In year 12, the capital of the robot civilization consists of a population of 41,000 workers who generate 34,000 research points per month and have practically unlimited access to all necessary raw materials. Even the cheating AI at the highest difficulty level cannot keep up.
How does the end of Stellaris come about? The escalation spiral continues to turn from now on, as not only does the population and job efficiency continue to rise, but also more and more buildings, technologies, and upgrades are added. This leads to:
that all AI species have not the slightest chance in military conflict
that “The Spiffing Brit” can simply outvote all other species in votes within the Galactic Community due to his diplomatic strength
the civilization of “The Spiffing Brit” ranks first with a significant lead
Next, the player activated the “Galactic Nemesis” perk, through which one earns points for evil deeds, allowing further crisis levels to be unlocked. At this point, the actual endgame of Stellaris has not really begun yet.
The YouTuber then followed this path to build a massive fleet, subjugate other civilizations, annihilate stars, and ultimately complete the “Aetherophasic Engine,” which can destroy all stars in the galaxy as well as all life with a detonation.
Exactly that is what “The Spiffing Brit” does to win the game with a score of 3,008,440. His comment under the video: “This recording process cost 1 year of my CPU’s lifespan. I hope it was worth it.”
How does the community react to the project? With over 24,200 thumbs up and more than 915 comments.
jacler04 draws a fitting comparison under the video on YouTube: “Spiff plays Stellaris just as a side note as the Necrons from Warhammer 40K.”
creativehorse7907 comments under the video: “Only in death does your service end… unless Spiff has found a way to essentially implement a form of necromancy in Stellaris and break it.”
Note that “The Spiffing Brit” played Stellaris for the video in version 4.0.4. In the latest version, some issues have been fixed.
A player managed to conquer the toughest mode in Baldur’s Gate 3. But it wasn’t that which impressed the community—it was rather his teammates.
What is the player reporting? The player lowmana_ shows with a Reddit post a photo of himself and his teammates, with whom he played through the toughest mode in Baldur’s Gate 3 in co-op. He himself played as Gale, a Conjuration Wizard, while his teammates played a Barbarian, a Cleric, and a Paladin/Warlock.
“We had some really tough moments and more than just a few close calls,” the player writes on Reddit, “In the end, we destroyed the Netherbrain together and finished everything in style. It was so great to share this journey with my colleagues. We had many great moments, tough moments, and close situations, but after 60 hours, we finally made it.”
The community celebrates the player for this achievement, but less for the victory, rather for his co-op players: “With colleagues … so that is a true achievement,” comments justwatchnn on Reddit.
Here you can see the animated short film for Patch 8 in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Start video
Der animierte Kurzfilm zu Patch 8, dem letzten Update für Baldur’s Gate 3
“Truly one of the best co-op gaming experiences I’ve had in years”
What impresses the community so much? Despite the player’s success and now owning the golden dice, which the team considers a kind of honorary badge, other players simply admire the relationship between the colleagues.
“I can’t even finish the game with my friends, let alone with my colleagues,” writes FarTad on Reddit, to which walee1 points out that you can probably plan better with colleagues, since you know their shifts and working hours (via Reddit).
But it’s not just the planning of the co-op that impresses the community, but how well the colleagues seem to understand each other.
“So THAT is what I call a team-building exercise,” writes RubyTx on Reddit, and even sorcerer777 gets jealous when he hears about such colleagues: “Hey, um, are you hiring? Ha ha ha, that sounds like a fantastic work environment” (via Reddit).
The player who made the post replies: “It’s the best job I’ve ever had, lol. I’ve met some really cool people. NERDS UNITE” (Source: Reddit).
Here you can see the group photo of the colleagues:
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What are the colleagues planning now? Lowmana_ writes in the comments under his own post that he wants to persuade his colleagues to give Divinity: Original Sin 2 a chance after conquering the Honor mode in Baldur’s Gate 3, another turn-based RPG from Larian Studios.
They have said that they would agree to it if lowmana_’s post receives at least 1,000 upvotes. 11 hours ago (from the perspective of the publication of this article), the goal was already reached: “We’re heading into Divinity 2 now, folks” (Source: Reddit).
A co-op campaign in Baldur’s Gate 3 can really bond friends (and in this case, also colleagues)—and the difficulty of the Honor mode provides just the right amount of thrill. This was something the author of this article and MeinMMO editor Caro experienced when she nearly ruined the Honor run with her friends because of a pesky imp: A cursed imp punished my party’s greed in Baldur’s Gate 3 and almost ended our Honor run
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Even before the official release and before Early Access, EA Play subscribers can try EA FC 26 starting today. The trial starts at 2:00 PM, giving you 10 hours of gameplay. We will show you how it works.
What exactly is starting today? Starting today (September 18, 2025) at 2:00 PM, the EA Play trial for EA FC 26 is available.
EA Play subscribers can therefore test the latest installment of the football simulation for 10 hours, whether on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. This allows you to get started even faster than with the Early Access of the Ultimate Edition.
How does EA Play work? This is a paid subscription service from EA. With the subscription, you can access older EA games for free at any time. You can also try trials for new games and thus get a limited early access. This also applies to FC 26.
To play the trial, you do not need to have purchased the full version. After the 10 hours of gameplay, you can still decide whether you want to buy the full version. You also keep the progress from the trial version for the full version.
How much does EA Play cost? With EA Play, you have the option to take out a monthly subscription or an annual subscription directly through the site. Xbox customers receive EA Play as part of Game Pass Ultimate:
1 month EA Play for €5.99 (monthly)
12 months EA Play for €39.99 (every 12 months)
1 month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with EA Play for €17.99 (monthly)
The subscription runs for 1 month from the date of your booking. You can cancel the subscriptions at any time, but you will not receive a refund for any payments already made.
Start video
Deep Dive trailer on gameplay shows 2 different gameplays and numerous adjustments
Play FC 26 with EA Play Trial at 2:00 PM – Here’s how it works
Important note (September 18, 2025, 12:20 PM): So far, we do not know how the EA Play trial interacts with the Early Access of the Ultimate Edition. As of now, the start time for Early Access, which is September 19, 2025, at 12:00 AM, is also displayed to us with an existing EA Play subscription. As soon as we have new information, we will keep you informed.
How do I find the EA FC 26 Trial via EA Play? Once you have completed the subscription, you can access the EA Play catalog on your console or PC. A post from the EA Forum explains how to find the trial version on your console or PC:
For Xbox: Search for EA FC 26 in the Xbox Store and select the trial version there.
Alternatively, you can find it under My Games & Apps > Full Library > EA Play and download it directly.
For PlayStation: Search for EA FC 26 in the PlayStation Store (or go through the Subscription tab). Select the trial version there and download it directly to the console.
For PC (EA App, Origin, Steam):
EA App: Search for the game and click on Download.
Origin: Search for the game and click on “Download the Game”.
Steam: Search for the game and click on “Add to Library”.
For pre-order customers of the Ultimate Edition, the preload for FC 26 has been available since September 17, 2025, allowing you to download the game completely now. For the PS5 version, you should plan for just over 58 GB, for example.
If you have already done the preload for FC 26, you should be able to start right at 2:00 PM.
Things you should also consider: The EA Play trial counts every minute and hour you spend in the game. We therefore recommend that you use the time for games, especially if you are in Ultimate Team. You can take care of everything else via the web app in FC 26. EA FC 26: Web app is now live – Everything about start, login, and content
A gaming PC, according to MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann, can never achieve a state of perfection. And there are several reasons for that.
I myself am an absolute perfectionist when it comes to my PC, which leads to my system being a constant construction site. I am always considering what improvements or adjustments I could still make. Anyone who asks me about my gaming PC in six months will find a different device than today’s – because there is (almost) always something to optimize.
Here are some examples of my recent upgrades:
At the end of 2024, I switched from a midi tower to an ITX system and got myself a new PC case.
In summer 2025, I tested a dozen different case fans to find the ideal set for my system.
Currently, I am considering replacing the still quite loud CPU cooler and am looking for better dust filters that can more effectively catch cat hair. The cable management is also not optimal; a power supply change would bring significant improvements here and simplify many things. Because I could only fit the current power supply in the case with great difficulty.
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In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
Hardware is constantly evolving
Not only from my subjective view is a perfect gaming PC an illusion; this is partly due to the constant development of hardware. Components like CPUs, GPUs, RAM, SSDs, and cooling systems are constantly evolving, making the currently “perfect” state quickly outdated. My Ryzen 7 7800x3D was long considered the best gaming CPU, but the successor is already on the market.
This does not mean that I need a new graphics card every year, as I know my needs and my budget. Therefore, my Ryzen 7 7800x3D and my RX 9070 should continue to serve me well for a few more years.
Benefits of continuous optimization
Nevertheless, continuous optimization offers a clear advantage from an objective point of view: The costs for new hardware are spread over several years. It is more economical to replace individual components like graphics cards or fans than to have to renew the entire system at once. If I replace a few parts every few months – even if it’s just a case fan – I don’t have to limit myself to just the essentials while shopping for weeks.
And this continuous optimization has another advantage: If I eventually do replace components like the processor or graphics card, the retired hardware usually finds its way into my wife’s PC or those of other family members. The components still work perfectly.
Critics might argue that a once-configured and balanced system can also deliver good performance over many years, even if one does not necessarily want to play in the high-end range.
However, I am convinced that a gaming PC will always remain a compromise – between technical currency, personal demands, and the available budget. Therefore, it is never “perfect”, but always adjustable and optimizable.
This is also one reason why I have never warmed up to consoles like the Xbox or PlayStation: The hardware is already outdated as soon as you buy a console.
In Battlefield 6 a new game mode is making fans excited about new innovations.
What kind of mode is this? The fan site Battlefield Bulletin explained the new “Escalation” game mode on X.com. It is supposed to be a 32vs.32 player mode with a total of 7 control points. One team must hold the majority for a certain period of time to gain a point.
The goal is to be the first team to gain 3 points. The longer the fight lasts, the fewer control points are available. This makes the battle become more dynamic and intense over time, as it is fought in a smaller area.
Here you can see how Battlefield 6 looks on PC:
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Battlefield 6: Trailer for the PC version’s graphics
New Competition for Conquest
Why could this mode replace Conquest? The new format resembles the familiar and popular Conquest mode that players have loved for many editions. However, the new game mode will be even more dynamic and larger, as there are more control points at the beginning.
The round time is also exciting. While modern shooters usually try to limit round times to 15–25 minutes, the new format will likely only end when one side has decided the fight. As a result, battles could exceed one hour, depending on how balanced the teams are.
How is the mode received by players? Players are also celebrating the new variant on Reddit. They believe the game mode could be really great. They write on Reddit:
Common_Caramel_4078: “This mode is going to be amazing.”
Drymath: “No time limit? It could be fun if the teams are well balanced.”
FullMetal000: “This is the innovation/risk-taking we need. It already sounds like an absolutely hectic gameplay and in a way an improvement over Conquest. […]
lcaru_s “Is a legendary mode coming here????”
Fans are excited about the new format. They see that the developers have combined the good elements of the Conquest mode with a new idea that convinces.
