MeinMMO editor Jasmin is currently enjoying her lunch break and evening after work with an exciting Anime. The series originally started in 2025, but she is only just now getting around to catching up on it. She somewhat regrets this.
The lunch break is the perfect length to watch an episode of an anime. But I also enjoy watching new anime series in the evening. One staple for me is Detective Conan, as the series is perfect for watching in the background.
What I also appreciate about Detective Conan are the riddles and thriller elements. However, it is a long-running series that is still ongoing even after more than 30 years.
I am currently watching an anime that will conclude with one season and also contains exciting riddles. This series actually premiered last year. But I’ve only just become aware of it.
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The anime Gnosia lets you puzzle over who the monster is
Among Us as a Colorful Anime
The anime Gnosia can best be described as a sci-fi thriller. It is based on the story of the eponymous social deduction game on Steam and encompasses the complete narrative, even featuring a true ending.
The main character, Yuri, awakens without memories on a spaceship. He realizes that he is not the only person on board.
Among the crew are Gnosia.These are shape-shifting beings that take on human form and want to eliminate the crew.
Every day, the crew must discuss to put one person into cold sleep. If the Gnosia are caught, the other human crew members win with their lives.
Gnosia felt reminiscent of Werewolves in Space or Among Us. Although there are no tasks that the crew members need to complete, the principle is otherwise very similar. Each day, one person is chosen. During the following hyperspace jump, the Gnosia will take a person and kill them.
However, the game doesn’t end after one episode. There are several episodes with different rounds that are explained within the narrative.
As time goes on, more roles are added, making the game trickier and more exciting. For example, the engineer can check which identity lies behind a crew member. The doctor, on the other hand, can check the frozen body to see if it was a human or a Gnosia.
What I love about the anime are the different, colorful characters with quirky personalities. I can immediately remember each character and understand how they tick. From a “fully tattooed” lady to a dolphin in a spacesuit, there’s all sorts of creativity.
The anime gives us enough time to form a complete picture of them. Because it is important for the narrative that we learn more about them. I have rarely seen so many characters in one place with such a strong memorability.
Since the anime is based on the complete game, there will likely not be a second season. New episodes of the anime are still being released weekly. But once the first season is concluded, you can start a short anime that tells a complete story.
The series is therefore perfect for those who don’t want to start a lengthy long-format anime like Detective Conan. If you want to read more anime recommendations with a short episode count, you can check out the following article: 5 great anime for the next, way too short weekend
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In WoW Classic, even the slightest negligence can lead to doom. This is especially true when playing in Hardcore mode with Permadeath. Many Sauercrowd streamers have lost their characters. MeinMMO shows you 8 mistakes they made in the video – so you don’t have to.
What is the new video about? In our latest video on the MeinMMO YouTube channel, we look at 8 mistakes that have already cost the streamers of the Sauercrowd event characters in WoW Classic Hardcore.
Here’s what mistakes you should absolutely avoid in WoW Classic:
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These are the mistakes you should avoid: While modern MMORPGs – including today’s WoW – guide their players more, that is not the case with WoW Classic. The game explains very little, and especially newcomers will have to find their way around it at first.
Some of these mistakes can be easily avoided if you are careful:
Caves quickly become death zones for new characters.
Negligence, for example, if you are distracted by something else, will be punished.
Fall damage is a final boss, and Murlocs are no joke (even if they look like one).
In some places, WoW Classic is simply unfair, or the mechanics cause an undeserved death. Both become all the more painful when you lose a character because of them.
What is Sauercrowd actually? It is an event in World of Warcraft, launched in December 2025 by Twitch streamers Metashi12, HandOfBlood, and Papaplatte.
Over 200 content creators are on a mission to complete the “Molten Core” raid as part of the “Sauercrowd” guild. They play WoW in the Classic version and additionally in Hardcore mode. If a character dies, it is lost forever.
MeinMMO editor-in-chief and MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz was recently a guest on GameStar Talk to discuss Sauercrowd and the great WoW renaissance. You can find the video on the GameStar Talk YouTube channel
With so many streamers, something new happens all the time in the Sauercrowd universe. To stay on top of the highlights from the last days, we summarize them in one place. You can find the overview on MeinMMO: Sauercrowd: The most important highlights of the last days at a glance
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Subnautica 2 is currently the most wished-for game on Steam. But why is that? MeinMMO answers the question.
What kind of game is it? Subnautica 2 is the announced successor to the survival hit Subnautica and its corresponding DLC Subnautica: Below Zero. The Subnautica games take players into the depths of oceans on alien planets. Most of the gameplay occurs below the surface of the sea.
In the first Subnautica game, players crash-land on an alien planet in a huge spaceship. Gradually, it becomes clear that the aliens on the planet are largely extinct. The cause is a virus that has spread throughout the planet.
Players are not only focused on survival but also on finding a cure for the virus, as the protagonist is infected as well. Subnautica is not just a survival game; the depth of the seemingly infinite ocean creates a true horror effect.
How successful is it? Looking at the wishlist ranking on Steam, the first place is quickly clear: Subnautica 2. On SteamDB, the game has over 260,000 followers. But what is the reason for this?
MeinMMO has looked at the many factors that contribute to the desire for Subnautica 2 and provides an assessment.
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Subnautica 2: The first gameplay trailer for the survival hit on Steam
The Most Wished-for Feature in the Most Wished-for Game: Multiplayer
Subnautica 1 was already a hit with players in its early access state. However, the biggest criticism was that there was no multiplayer. Players could only explore the depths alone, unless they used a mod.
The second part, however, promises this from the start and likely ensures that even more players are looking forward to Subnautica 2 than before.
New Technology, New Gameplay, New Story
The “wow-new” effect is also present in Subnautica 2. After players had only the first part and one DLC to experience survival horror for years, they naturally look forward to something new or “fresh”.
While Subnautica was built on the Unity engine, Subnautica 2 is based on the Unreal Engine 5, which can deliver even more. Additionally, it can be gleaned from the trailer that while the gameplay is broadly the same, it has definitely received an update.
Lastly, Subnautica 2 offers a new world and a new story, the secrets of which await discovery.
Subnautica 2 offers a new planet to explore.
Delays and Waiting Times Increase Desire
Often, one wants what one cannot have. Subnautica 1 was released in December 2014, which is 12 years, and thus a long time in which more and more fans have found their way to the franchise, while also giving more room for anticipation. Subnautica 1 has a positive rating of 97% on Steam.
In July 2025, it was announced that Subnautica 2 would be postponed from 2025 to 2026. Developer studio Unknown Worlds announced that the delay is due to the lack of refinement (via unknownworlds.com).
This news that the game is essentially playable likely increased the anticipation among upcoming players even more. This inconsistency between the developer studio and the former developer generates attention that leads to even more waiting players.
A DLC That Is Not a Sequel
With the release of Subnautica: Below Zero in 2021, players were excited to explore more within the Subnautica franchise. The DLC received a slightly lower score of 93% positive ratings on Steam compared to the first part.
Negative reviews on Steam mainly criticize the small map and the many land sections when compared to the first part. It was not a sequel to Subnautica, but “only” a DLC. This raises expectations for the second part, which would come with a real upgrade.
An official release date for Subnautica 2 is not yet known. However, it is clear that the game, just like its predecessor, will be released in early access.
There are plenty of really good roguelites on Steambut one of them has particularly caught the attention of MeinMMO author Ody. And not just him: 96% positive reviews speak for themselves.
The game is called Brotato, and it’s crazier than it sounds: A spaceship from the potato world crashes on an alien planet. The only survivor of this disaster is Brotato – the only potato that can handle 6 weapons at the same time.
Now we have to fight against hordes of aliens, using everything we can … get our … fingers (?) … on. The game has directly grabbed me with its absurd premise and has kept me fighting as a potato for a hefty 150 hours so far.
Brotato is one of the best roguelites you can play on Steam, and it comes at a pretty low price. Normally, it’s only 4.99 €. Until February 25, you’ll even pay less, just 2.99 €. So it’s definitely worth picking up.
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Brotato: The Trailer for the Full Release on Steam
Simple gameplay concept executed really well
At its core, Brotato is a rather simple arena shooter, but that’s what makes it so good. It’s a simple yet challenging game that has been polished to a high shine. Before each round, we select our potato. Currently, there are 49 different ones.
The various potatoes essentially form classes and come with their own bonuses. However, most of them also have some strong disadvantages. Here are a few examples:
The Hunter is particularly strong with ranged weapons thanks to his higher range at the beginning and deals more critical damage, but he is more fragile.
The Vampire becomes stronger the more damage he has taken – but he can only heal himself by defeating enemies.
The Golem is generally very tough but can’t heal at all during a round.
At the start, you only have the basic potato available for selection, and you unlock the rest. The basic potato has no strong bonuses or disadvantages. Your potato is shaped by items, which you find in chests that you pick up from the ground during a round. Or you buy them in the shop with materials that defeated enemies drop. By the way, you can also find new weapons there.
The items in the shop are always randomly selected. From experience, I can say that it’s more likely to see weapons in the shop that you already have. If you combine two weapons of the same level, they level up and become stronger.
The variety of unique weapons and items is already huge, and new ones are always being added. Just recently, with the “Paws & Claws” update, pets were added, creating an entirely new item class. Even after 150 hours, I keep discovering new items.
The Steam reviews for Brotato also speak highly of the game. Out of over 100,000 reviews, 96% are positive:
“Nice game to play casual while doing other stuff, like talking to friends about all kinds of topics etc.,” says Steam user Glühwein in his review.
“There is no way I’ve played this game for 143 hours,” writes PirateButtSlam in his review, and he’s right – now it’s over 200 hours.
“Playing this game is easy. It’s like riding a bike.. Except the bike is on fire and you’re on fire and everything is on fire and then you’re back to the beginning,” says Steam user Jakap in his review.
It took only 2 weeks during which the Warlock was available in Diablo 2 for the community to find a way to skill him into an absolute machine. A YouTuber shows how he turned the class into an immortal god because of its abilities.
How to make the Warlock immortal? In the 2 weeks during which players can use the Warlock in Diablo 2, a great trick was already proven to make the class even more powerful. The YouTuber Coooley dedicated himself to the Warlock to find out how much the class can really withstand.
After much complicated experimenting, he finally stumbled upon a method that sounds too simple to be OP. But it turns the Warlock into an immortal god through a specific skill build. And that is only through two specific aspects: his demons and his Blood Oath.
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Blizzard presents the new Warlock class for Diablo 2, Diablo 4, and Immortal in the cinematic trailer
Demons as loyal bodyguards take no damage to their master
How does the synergy between the demons and the Blood Oath work? The Warlock has a skill through which he can bind a demon to himself. This means he can bind pretty much any demon he meets in the game. The second skill, Blood Oath, ensures that the damage dealt to the Warlock is redirected to his demon.
For every point invested in Blood Oath, the amount of damage transferred increases by 2% – and this goes up to a maximum of 99% before the skill can no longer be leveled up.
Although you can only invest 20 points in Blood Oath, you can stretch the skill to nearly ridiculous heights through charms and other equipment.
What equipment Coooley used for this trick is explained in more detail in his video on YouTube, which you can see here:
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How can a demon survive for so long when it has to take so much damage? Coooley has a solution for that too: You simply need the right demon. The Pit Lords from the Plains of Despair have immunity to almost everything, be it magic, fire, lightning, cold or poison damage. It doesn’t even have to be a “good” demon. As long as it is immune to all damage, it cannot perish from the redirected damage of the Warlock either. They simply take everything in.
In Fallout, there is a constant power struggle in the Wasteland. The following 7 factions have particularly distinguished themselves in the games and the Amazon-series, but which one is the strongest?
How was the ranking created? For this list, we looked at seven of the largest factions and groups from the world of Fallout. In addition, there are numerous smaller associations that, overall, play a rather secondary role.
We will examine what makes each faction so powerful and what influence they have had on the Wasteland. The placements are clearly subjective and based on the author’s opinion.
If your list differs from this ranking or if you urgently miss a group, feel free to write it in the comments at the end.
And now onto the Wasteland of Fallout.
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The official trailer for Fallout Season 2 takes us back to the apocalypse
This being has developed a god complex and transforms countless humans into super mutants thanks to the FEV virus. The newly formed kind is to be led by the Master, and there are to be no conflicts among them.
This plan did not succeed, but the Master still wields enormous power due to its army of super mutants. They are immune to radiation.
Special units like the Nightkin operate from the shadows. The Master is supported by the cult “Children of the Cathedral”, which recruited further humans for transformation into super mutants. The only problem for this faction: Super mutants are sterile, thus reproduction and the long-term existence of the Master is impossible.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Despite the good start of Battlefield 6, players are frustrated with the problems of the shooter. A favorite mode among fans seems to be forgotten, but they do not want to accept that.
Which mode is it? On Reddit, fans are currently upset about the little love for the Battlefield mode par excellence: Rush. The concept is simple and fun. One team has to defend two stations, while the other has to attack and blow them up with explosives.
If the attackers succeed, they move on to two new stations until they eventually win. The defenders win if they bring the attackers’ tickets down to 0. The game mode is therefore somewhat the action-packed variant of the typical Counter-Strike mode and has always been an important mode for players.
However, in the latest installment, the mode is not getting enough attention, as players explain.
You can watch the trailer for Season 2 of Battlefield 6 here:
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Battlefield 6: New cinematic trailer prepares for Season 2
Treated poorly
What about Rush? Looking at the current discussion, there are only a few players who are happy with the new mode. The contributor on Reddit writes:
“I have NO idea why Dice has decided to abandon Rush with their relentless desire for close combat in BF6. It makes no sense. It’s not even included in the multiplayer menu; you are forced to choose between Rush and Breakthrough unless you want to conduct a custom search. And on the brand-new map, Rush can’t even be played? … Dice, please give Rush some love.”
Other players agree with him. Many believe that the developers are currently focusing too much on the demand for large maps for Conquest and simply forgetting the Rush community. As Reddit user kosmokramr explains: “They have failed with Rush in this game. They probably see it as a double Breakthrough mode, but Rush was a fantastic game mode back then.”
Has Rush really been forgotten? Looking at the roadmap for Battlefield 6 on EA.com and searching for “Rush”, you find 0 entries. However, the words “Conquest” and “Breakthrough” are also not found there.
The developers of Battlefield do not really discuss the future of various game modes in their roadmap. Only the time-limited game modes are discussed there. Whether Rush will return to focus on the larger maps in the future is therefore unclear. However, it seems plausible that the developers are concentrating on the currently arguably larger fan wish for bringing larger maps into the game.
Last chance for preparations for the next expansion of World of Warcraft. We will reveal how to optimally start with the new addon.
Hard to believe, but true: In less than a week the new expansion World of Warcraft Midnight will launch – at least if you pre-ordered the Epic Edition. Then on Friday, February 27, we will return to Quel’thalas to defend the Emerald Forest against Xal’atath and her forces.
But regardless of whether you start on February 27 or wait until the official launch on March 3: To ensure you have the perfect start with the new expansion, you should prepare a little bit. Because there is hardly anything more annoying than realizing on the day of the new expansion that you first have to deal with a lot of other stuff. To free you from that, we have here a list of tasks for you that you should already tackle – then nothing stands in the way of the Midnight launch.
Select a MMO video…
Distributing Talent Points and Learning Class Again
Not only with patch 12.0, but also with the following smaller patch 12.0.1, the classes in World of Warcraft have changed massively – especially the talent trees. If you haven’t logged in for a long time, you may notice that your talent points have been reset.
Many abilities from back then no longer exist, and there are numerous new talents that you will need to get used to.
So that you have no clue how your favorite class actually works on the day of the Midnight launch, take an hour beforehand to familiarize yourself with the class or at least your chosen specialization.
Talent points have been reset – redistributing them takes a little time.
Redistribute your talent points, adjust your action bars accordingly, and try to get a feel for your character’s rotation. It might also be worth reading a small guide to better understand the changes to the class.
If you want, you can certainly prepare more extensively to have one specialization for questing and another for dungeons – but that might be a bit too much preparation.
Setting Up the Interface
A major change in Midnight is the removal of many beloved interface addons. Although it primarily concerns addons that intervene in combat, a few cosmetic addons have also been affected.
Therefore, you should plan some time to adjust your interface with all the new options that World of Warcraft now offers by default. There is a built-in version of “Boss Mods” with a handy overview of upcoming boss abilities, an internal damage meter, and new ways to customize enemy nameplates.
You can customize the interface extensively – take the time for that.
Since WoW only plays smoothly with a solid interface, it may be worth investing a few more minutes here to have a clean, ready-to-use user interface afterwards. Once you have made a setting, it is best to save it and activate it on your other characters as well.
Cleaning Up the Inventory
It’s a tedious topic, but for many it’s always a problem at the start of a new expansion: the inventory.
While the space in the bags increases with every expansion, somehow junk still collects that you “definitely still need at some point”.
The bitter reality is: No, you will never need it again. The little fun items that you have had in your inventory for years but whose charges are so precious to you that you don’t even use them can simply go in the trash or to the bank.
If your inventory and bank look like this – clean up. Urgently.
For some, it’s hard to let go of old items, but set yourself the following goal: You should have at least 100 slots (preferably more) free in your inventory before starting the new expansion. Otherwise you will have to manage your inventory every half hour, get pulled out of the quest flow, and spend all the time playing inventory Tetris instead of enjoying the new story and fresh content.
The same applies, by the way, to your bank slots – both personal bank and guild bank. Take a close look at which items will still be useful in the future and which items you are only holding onto for nostalgic reasons, even though they have long since become part of the revamped transmog system.
Get rid of all items for which you have no clear use anymore. You surely won’t regret it for items that you haven’t used in two years or longer.
More tips are available on the next page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Diablo 4 it is about the eternal war between the angels of heaven and the demons of hell. The world of mortals, Sanctuary, becomes the scene of bloody conflicts. Fans now believe: Actually, the cruel demoness Lilith was the only one who really had a plan for humanity.
This is what Lilith is about:
The demoness Lilith is the daughter of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred. Together with the angel Inarius she created Sanctuary and its inhabitants, the Nephalem – from whom later humans emerged.
Lilith is, in a sense, the “mother” of all humans and thus all those characters we have embodied since Diablo 1. It was she who preserved us from annihilation by Inarius, when he saw a threat in the Nephalem and wanted to destroy them.
In the story of Diablo 4 Lilith and Inarius return as central adversaries. Both are omnipresent in the trailers and lore, and the entire plot of the game revolves around their conflict.
What is Lilith’s plan? Lilith intends to use both the Nephalem and the humans for her own purposes. Her trademarks are manipulation and seduction – she is a master liar who knows how to lead “simple” humans astray.
Her goal was to forcibly return humanity to its original Nephalem strength through extreme suffering and the absorption of Mephisto’s power. If she had absorbed her father’s power, she would control hatred instead of being dominated by it. Thus, she wanted to secure Sanctuary as an independent fortress against heaven and hell – with herself as the absolute ruler.
And fans are now debating whether that might have been the best solution after all.
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Blizzard summarizes the story of Diablo 4 in the video
“Lilith was right. Bring her back”
This is what fans are saying about Lilith’s plans: In a thread on Reddit the community is currently discussing Lilith’s plans. The user GlassCuttingQueer claims in his post that Lilith was the only one who truly cared about Sanctuary and humanity. His conclusion: “Lilith was right. Bring her back.” So far, over 1,600 people have agreed with him.
A detailed explanation is provided by the user Drakyl-Skies on Reddit:
Lilith wanted to escape the “Great Game” between heaven and hell. As the Worldstone is shattered, humans could reclaim their birthright as Nephalem. But this only works if they are put under extreme pressure. Waiting for a natural development would simply take too long.
If Lilith had absorbed Mephisto, it would mean that Diablo and Baal could not risk battling her alone in Sanctuary.
Lilith wanted to restore the Nephalem to full strength so that neither hell nor heaven could ever invade again. And without an evil “daddy” (Inarius) sealing their powers again “because they threaten heaven”, there is no reason why Sanctuary cannot become what it once was: a refuge for godlike beings and their mother.
His conclusion: “Lilith’s entire story arc was about providing an answer to a problem that no one liked. But no one had a better idea. People would rather wander in the dark and hope for a better solution than face the process that would undoubtedly kill many but promised guaranteed safety […]”
Fans warn: Lilith is a master of manipulation
Does everyone see it that way? By no means. Many users point out that Lilith, as the queen of succubi, is a born manipulator. The user Tesdey reminds us that she pursues her goals at the cost of countless human lives, leaving a trail of death everywhere and stirring hatred in people. This only brings the Eternal Conflict to Sanctuary even more. For many, she is merely another powerful demon who abuses humanity for her own purposes.
Even Tubtubsz warns against seeing her as a misunderstood heroine. Those who view Lilith from the succubus perspective quickly recognize that she could reveal her true intentions as soon as Sanctuary is subjugated, turning completely against it and attempting to rise to the new “Supreme Evil”.
That her first impulse was to kill anyone who was not strong enough for her goals convinces many fans that her concern for humanity was not sincere. Moreover, it remains completely unclear what a Sanctuary under her total rule would really look like.
What is your opinion on this? Was Lilith’s plan the only right way? Or was it right to fight her as an antagonist in Diablo 4?
The current top comment in the thread with over 900 upvotes is from Mountain_Compote_200. He states that the creator of the post was obviously seduced by a real succubus. That players side with the evil demoness and discuss whether she might actually be the good one in the whole story is not a new phenomenon: A player wants to worship Lilith from Diablo 4, but fans explain: She’s not that nice
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The first raid of Sauercrowd takes place on February 22, 2026, and the raid leadership currently has to find replacements daily for scheduled level 60 characters that have died. On Friday afternoon, it caught 3 Twitch streamers all at once.
Where did the accident happen? A visit to the dungeon Stratholme went terribly wrong. A group from Sauercrowd had started an event there where you deal with numerous monstrosities within a confined area.
The event has a fixed timeline: gradually, each monstrosity runs towards the players, which can definitely be fought in the entrance area of the zone. If the group is quick, individual monstrosities can be pulled to the group in between, shortening the event.
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WoW: Guild loses 30 characters on a hardcore server – And it wasn’t even a boss fight
A consequential “Come with me”
What did the Sauercrowd group do? The paladin tank of the group, Julijones, led the inexperienced WoW players Kiba, Noway, Mahluna, and KdrKitten away from the entrance to the right side of the area: “Come with me, around the corner.”
While the team stayed near the wall of houses, they accidentally pulled multiple monstrosities at once. The undead apply a stackable poison effect on players, cause unpleasant damage, and summon small slimes.
The hit points of the Sauercrowd players plummeted. The inexperienced healer of the group was visibly overwhelmed. The tank activated Divine Shield when he was in trouble to prevent his hardcore death. However, he temporarily gave aggro to the opponents to warlock Kiba, who died first.
In the end, only Noway and Mahluna survived the dungeon. KdrKitten was able to drink a Potion of Stoneform and press Alt+F4 to log out of WoW, but the timing wasn’t right. Their priestess was caught before the logout was completed.
Julijones had neither Light of Elune nor potions available, leaving no option for an emergency escape. But he did everything possible to ensure that the others made it safely out of the dungeon.
An analysis of the situation can also be found at FalganWoW on the YouTube channel or the following:
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How did HandOfBlood react to the situation? Hänno was just flying in WoW Classic when the death notification of Kiba came in (source: Twitch). Immediately, he realized: A warlock is now missing for the first raid. Then he noticed that an entire dungeon group was involved.
The first glance at Julijones’ stream left him shaken: “Please don’t tell me they tanked with a paladin. Please, I can’t take this anymore.” HandOfBlood refers to previous incidents and discussions that arose because Sauercrowd participants wanted to play specializations that are far too weak or difficult to play in WoW Classic.
The paladin tank in WoW Classic struggles with mana and aggro issues compared to the warrior and lacks important tools like a taunt spell to effectively gain threat from opponents.
Once Hänno understood that three scheduled teammates for the Sunday raid had to be replaced, he got to work immediately. He called Metashi, spoke repeatedly with Falgan, and the first replacement players could already be found without significantly weakening the second raid.
On one hand, the feral druid from Nicistemmler will strengthen one of the melee groups of the raid. On the other hand, vader_tv_official will take over the vacant healer spot. According to Reddit, the priest from Tehkex is said to be in talks for the third slot.
It’s time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in 5 Minutes.” We summarize the most important news about the best genre in the world. You can expectthe raid schedule of WoW Midnight, Sauercrowd, and a successful indie MMORPG.
On the official WoW website, almost daily new information about WoW Midnight is appearing – for example, about the loot hunt, the new zones, the raid schedule, or the new depths. It starts on March 18 with the Void’s Pinnacle and Dream Rift (Normal, Heroic, 1st LFR wing). On March 25 it continues with Mythic, 2nd LFR wing, and Story mode. On April 1 the 3rd wing of Void’s Pinnacle and the final raid March on Quel’Danas (Normal, Heroic, and Mythic) follows. On April 8, LFR and Story mode of March on Quel’Danas will conclude the raid series – you can find the details at blizzard.com.
If you want to pass the time until Aion 2: Gameforge announced this week the first content update of 2026 for Aion Classic with Ignite. Included: the new Phoenix class, a modernization of the early gameplay experience, and the new zone Teva. You can find information on all this at gameforge.com.
What else has happened? We at MeinMMO had the opportunity to conduct an interview with a developer of World of Warcraft in Berlin. In conversation with Joanna Gianulis (Senior UX Designer), who has worked a lot on the housing of World of Warcraft, the main topic was exactly this: the player housing and social features.
With update 49 and season zero, you can buy many different new mounts with your earned gold. You can find all information about this at elderscrollsonline.com.
From February 26 to March 12, 2026, the princess festival will be held in Final Fantasy XIV. You can find all the information on finalfantasyxiv.com.
The Twitch streamer LostKittn is participating in the Sauercrowd project but tragically died twice during the leveling phase of WoW Classic Hardcore. Now she celebrated an emotional happy ending.
In the right MMORPG, you can spend hundreds of hours (and much more). And so you don’t have to spend hours trying out games in search of it, MeinMMO shows you in a new YouTube video now 12 MMORPGs that are worth it in 2026 – and for whom.
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The developers of Albion Online introduced a new feature from the upcoming update Realm Divided II with the faction battle standards this week, which will be released on February 23, 2026. You can find the details on albiononline.com.
The management of Daybreak and Enad Global 7 celebrates noticeable growth with the MMORPG classics DC Universe Online, Lord of the Rings Online, and Dungeons & Dragons Online throughout 2025. The momentum is also expected to remain positive in early 2026 (source: enadglobal7.com).
By the way: Dungeons & Dragons Online is preparing for the 20th anniversary celebrations. What the developers have planned for the party you can find on ddo.com.
EVE Online has received an update this week plus several hotfixes. Highlights include the beta of the Aura Guidance feature (an AI assistant designed to help new players). You can find the patch notes on eveonline.com.
RuneScape is adjusting the early player experience with a new update to improve onboarding, iron out inconsistencies, and optimize the feeling of progress. You can find the details on runescape.com.
A small update has gone live for Lord of the Rings Online, fixing issues with the new UI scaling. The patch notes: on lotro.com.
On February 20, 2026, Patch 1.2 for Pax Dei was released, focusing mainly on crafting, recipes, and UI improvements. However, many other areas receive countless fixes. You can find the long patch notes on playpaxdei.com.
Star Trek Online has received a new content update titled Corruption. Look forward to seeing Captain Ezri Dax again. You can find the launch trailer on YouTube and below. Details about the update can be found on playstartrekonline.com.
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Although Aion 2 is free, many players are still reaching for their wallets and subscribing to the MMORPG. The reasons for this are tragic.
The old-school MMORPG Eterspire has received a new update for its early access version. Patch 68.0 brings a new island with fresh content, the Sunscar Canyon as a new zone, and performance improvements. You can find the patch notes on Steam.
DreamWorld is a new sandbox MMORPG set to release on March 10, 2026. The developers focus on crafting, exploration, survival, and battling epic world bosses. A playtest is currently running on Steam.
The Kickstarter campaign for the MMORPG Epitome is still running for almost a week and is close to 500,000 euros. The minimum goal was 85,897 euros.
In the second half of 2026, Ragnarok Online Zero is set to be released globally. This is a classic version of the original Ragnarok Online, which has never been available in the West in this form (source: mmorpg.org.pl).
A new Asian mobile MMORPG called Eternal Sword Pact has been launched. You can find the download and more information on apple.com or on play.google.com.
The Legend of Khiimori is starting soon in Early Access on Steam. Therefore, we wanted to know why even non-horse fans should take a look at the game. The developers explain to us in the interview that there is much more behind it than “just a new horse game”.
What kind of game is this? The Legend of Khiimori is a new game with open world and survival mechanics, launching on March 3, 2026, in Early Access on Steam. The game puts you in the role of the Mongolian courier Naara in the 13th century.
The gameplay primarily revolves around your loyal horses, which require regular care in the form of food, water, and affection, but also delivering precious goods, crafting items, building a network, and exploring wild biomes. There is supposed to be a storyline, which, however, will not be part of the Early Access.
What makes this exciting for non-horse fans, we asked the developers in our interview.
Select a MMO video…
“I would also be very sorry if you could just take any horse and master all difficult missions and terrains with it”
What makes the game exciting even for non-horse fans? Your success largely depends on your planning: changing weather conditions, challenging biomes and terrains, and threats from wildlife require strategic action and good planning. With the help of a detailed map and waypoints, you must smartly map your routes, choose the horse suitable for the circumstances, and equip yourself with the necessary gear in the settlements.
It is also important to load the saddlebags evenly so that neither goods nor horses come to harm. Here too, you must pay attention to accepting the suitable quests to be successful.
By exploring the game world and taking on various tasks, you will train your animal’s skills and build a bond with it. Breeding horses and trading in the settlements play a role, as does catching and taming wild horses, with various breeds and coat colors available.
That’s why choosing a horse is so important: According to the developers, the stats of the horses play a significant role and offer a lot of potentials for those players who enjoy a certain grind:
The comparison is this: The horses you have to choose from can be compared to your weapons in a shooter or cars in a racing game. You don’t take the Ferrari to drive over a mountain. You don’t take the shotgun to carry out an assassination. The same applies to our horses. You have different animals that have different strengths and skills, which are trained to varying degrees. You breed improvements into them and train them.
Thus, “horse variety” is not just about “I think it’s cute,” but has very significant mechanical importance. I must choose my horses so that they are strategically sound. I have to pick the right horse to complete a certain mission or cross a certain terrain.
[…]
Accordingly, it is not enough to simply choose the prettiest horse. Let’s put it this way: those who place great value on the aesthetics of the horses must specifically breed for that look in combination with the desired stats. It is, therefore, very much a part of the gameplay to connect aesthetics and abilities.
I would also be very sorry if you could just take any horse and master all difficult missions and terrains with it.
Alice Ruppert, Consultant for Marketing and Horse Accuracy at Aesir Interactivein an interview with MeinMMO
Nevertheless, it should also be possible to accomplish everything with your “favorite horse” and face a different challenge. Because what the animals lack in their stats, one must compensate for through crafting and various items, as Game Narrative Designer Nikolas Hilz explains to us. One must be creative, but the systems also allow for it.
The reputation of your protagonist Naara also plays a role, and as your notoriety grows, you can unlock more recipes, horses, items, and more challenging missions between the settlements.
If you want to go into the desert, you need a horse that can withstand heat.
Horses as an important mechanic, but not the sole focus
Although much in The Legend of Khiimori revolves around horses, Communications Manager Adriano Nicolosi quickly points out that it is anything but just that: “It plays an important role, but in that setting, it doesn’t seem like you have to do ‘horse things’ all the time.”
This is also because, in addition to the courier quests, there are many things to discover. There are also many secrets to uncover in the surroundings and supernatural challenges you must also face. If one wishes, they can also venture into hunting and participate in trading.
In addition, many new features are planned to be introduced during Early Access, such as fishing or falconry, as well as horse racing. Therefore, various features and content will offer excitement even for those gamers who have nothing to do with horses per se.
The Legend of Khiimori is therefore not only aimed at those who care about horses but also at players who value mechanical depth, the feeling of wild adventures, a certain grind, and strategy.
The best counters against Mega-Gardevoir in Pokémon GO in the guide. We show you the best attackers and movesets. With this, you can defeat the boss in Mega Raids.
What is Mega-Gardevoir? The Mega Evolution of Gardevoir belongs to the Psychic and Fairy types, just like Gardevoir.
When does Mega-Gardevoir come? You will find Mega-Gardevoir on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM in Mega Raids of Pokémon GO. The monster is part of the global GO Tour 2026.
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Defeating Mega-Gardevoir in raids – With these counters
Zamazenta (Crowned Shield) with Metal Claw and Behemoth Bash
Zacian (Crowned Sword) with Metal Claw and Behemoth Blade
Necrozma (Dusk Mane) with Metal Claw and Sunsteel Strike
Shadow Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
Mega Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
Mega Lucario with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
Necrozma (Dawn Wings) with Metal Claw and Moongeist Beam
Shadow Dialga with Metal Claw and Iron Head
Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
Eternatus with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
Mega Gengar with Lick and Sludge Bomb
Shadow Excadrill with Metal Claw and Iron Head
Shadow Overqwil with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
Black Kyurem with Shadow Claw and Freeze Shock
Nihilego with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
Shadow Chandelure with Hex and Shadow Ball
Mega Beedrill with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
Mega Banette with Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball
Lunala with Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball
Mega Rayquaza with Air Slash and Dragon Ascent
Weaknesses of Mega Gardevoir: The Pokémon belongs to the types Psychic and Fairy and has weaknesses against Poison, Ghost, and Steel. So focus on attacks and Pokémon of these types in raids to defeat Mega Gardevoir.
Is there Shiny Mega-Gardevoir? Yes, with luck you can catch a shiny version of Mega-Gardevoir in Pokémon GO.
How many trainers are needed? If you have the top counter Pokémon and they are at a reasonably high level, you can defeat Mega-Gardevoir with two players. With lower levels but strong counters, you should rely on more trainers.
You can already prepare for the raids and put your team together. This way, you can ensure that you always start the battle with your best team. Additionally, you can save some time in each raid lobby you participate: This way you keep track of your raid teams and save a lot of time.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The best counters against Mega Garchompin PokémonGO in the guide. We show you the best attackers and movesets. With this, you can defeat the boss in raids.
What kind of Pokémon is Garchomp? Garchomp comes from the fourth generation of games and has the types Dragon and Ground. In its Mega Evolution, it retains these types but is significantly stronger.
When does Mega Garchompappear? You can find the boss at the GO Tour on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM in the game’s Mega Raids. Here we show you the best counters against Mega Garchomp and which types it is weak against (type effectiveness).
Start video
Pokémon GO shows its new season in the trailer
Defeating Mega Garchomp in Raid – With these counters
White Kyurem with Ice Fang and Ice Burn
Black Kyurem with Dragon Tail and Freeze Shock
Mega Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Breaking Swipe
Mega Guardevoir with Charm and Triple Axel
Mega Garchomp with Dragon Tail and Breaking Swipe
Eternatus with Dragon Tail and Dynamax Cannon
Primal Kyogre with Waterfall and Avalanche
Shadow Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche
Shadow Weavile with Ice Shard and Triple Axel
Mega Abomasnow with Powder Snow and Weather Ball
Baxcalibur with Ice Fang and Avalanche
Shadow Articuno with Frost Breath and Triple Axel
Mega Glalie with Frost Breath and Avalanche
Shadow Mewtwo with Psycho Cut and Ice Beam
Shadow Garchomp with Dragon Tail and Breaking Swipe
Shadow Kyogre with Waterfall and Avalanche
Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche
Kyurem with Dragon Breath and Glaciate
Galarian Darmanitan with Ice Fang and Avalanche
Mega Salamence with Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor
Weaknesses of Mega Garchomp: The Pokémon belongs to the types Dragon and Ground, making it susceptible to Dragon, Ice, and Fairy. Especially Ice attacks are particularly effective. So in raids, focus primarily on attacks and Pokémon of these types to defeat Garchomp.
Is there a Shiny Garchomp? Yes, you can catch a Shiny Garchomp in Pokémon GO. We show you in the graphic how the shiny version looks:
How many trainers are needed? With the best counters at a high level and some luck, you can defeat the boss alone. With lower levels, but strong counters, you should rely on more trainers.
To complete the raids quickly, groups with many participants are advisable. It’s best to rely on the party power or team play feature. Then you can double the damage of some of your charge attacks. Also, remember to organize your raid teams before the battle, to save some time.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The best counters against Mega Pidgeot in Pokémon GO in the guide. We at MeinMMO show you the best attackers and movesets. This way you can defeat the boss in Mega Raids.
What kind of Pokémon is Mega Pidgeot? Mega Pidgeot is the temporary evolution of Pidgeot. The Pokémon originates from the first generation of games and is of the Normal and Flying types.
When does Mega Pidgeot appear? You can find the boss at the global GO Tour 2026. It will be waiting on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM in Mega Raids. Here we show you the best counters against Mega Pidgeot and which types it is weak against (type effectiveness).
Defeating Mega Pidgeot in raids – With these counters
White Kyurem with Ice Fang and Ice Burn
Black Kyurem with Dragon Tail and Freeze Shock
Regieleki with Lock-On and Thunder Cage
Shadow Raikou with Thunder Shock and Wild Charge
Shadow Electivire with Thunder Shock and Wild Charge
Shadow Rhyperior with Smack Down and Rock Wrecker
Shadow Magnezone with Volt Switch and Wild Charge
Zekrom with Charge Beam and Fusion Bolt
Xurkitree with Thunder Shock and Discharge
Mega Manectric with Thunder Fang and Wild Charge
Shadow Rampardos with Smack Down and Rock Slide
Thundurus Therian with Volt Switch and Wildbolt Storm
Is there a Shiny Pidgeot? Yes, with a bit of luck you can encounter a shiny Pidgeot after the raid. You can recognize it by its gold-yellow body.
Pidgeot normal (left) and as Shiny (right)
How many trainers do you need? Mega Pidgeot can already be defeated with two players if you have strong counters at high levels. However, we recommend bringing a few more trainers.
Before you face the boss, you should already prepare and organize your teams in advance. This way, you always have your best team ready and can also save some time in each individual raid lobby you are participating. You can find more about this in our tips for organizing raid teams.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
There are also a large number of pocket monsters you can encounter in Pokémon Pokopia. MeinMMO lists all confirmed Pokémon up to now.
To shape the island in Pokopia as you like, you need the help of other Pokémon. They can teach you new abilities, but only after you have prepared a nice habitat for them and they move to your island.
There are different pocket monsters across several generations. MeinMMO lists all confirmed pocket monsters so far. We have categorized the Pokémon according to the Pokédex and generation.
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Start video
With Pokémon Pokopia, Nintendo mixes two of its most popular franchises for the Switch
All Pokémon from Pokopia as a List
Generation 1 (Kanto)
Bulbasaur
Ivysaur
Charmander
Charizard
Squirtle
Wartortle
Blastoise
Pidgey
Pidgeotto
Pikachu
Clefairy
Vulpix
Jigglypuff
Oddish
Paras
Parasect
Golbat
Diglett
Meowth
Persian
Sentret
Golduck
Arcanine
Quagsire
Abra
Alakazam
Machop
Gloom
Weepinbell
Victreebel
Farfetch’d
Seel
Onix
Voltorb
Exeggcute
Hitmonlee
Hitmonchan
Chansey
Scyther
Electabuzz
Pinsir
Magikarp
Lapras
Eevee
Vaporeon
Jolteon
Flareon
Snorlax
Dratini
Dragonair
Dragonite
Generation 2 (Johto)
Hoothoot
Noctowl
Spinarak
Pichu
Cleffa
Wooloo
Wattrel
Blissey
Marill
Bayleef
Espurr
Umbreon
Scizor
Skarmory
Porygon2
Riot
Magby
Larvitar
Tyrranitar
Generation 3 (Hoenn)
Treecko
Lotad
Wingull
Ralts
Makuhita
Azurill
Chinchou
Minun
Anorith
Gulpin
Surskit
Swablu
Castform
Generation 4 (Sinnoh)
Piplup
Prinplup
Empoleon
Shellos
Gastrodon
Drifloon
Mime Jr.
Rufflet
Mimikyu
Lucario
Shaymin
Glaceon
Generation 5 (Unova)
Chandelure
Excadrill
Ferrothorn
Trubbish
Garbodor
Zorua
Picochilla
Shellos
Shaymin
Skelabra
Dratini
Milza
Generation 6 (Kalos)
Greninja
XY
Dedenne
Flotzel
Volcarona
Generation 7 (Alola)
Rowlet
Mimikyu
Generation 8 (Galar)
Grookey
Rufflet
Meikro
Urshifu
Dragapult
Duraludon
Generation 9 (Paldea)
Sprigatito
Pamo
Crimanzo
Nigirigi (Curved Form)
Gierspenst
Keep in mind that the list can expand from time to time. You can use it, for example, to check off which monsters you have already seen or which have settled with you. But maybe you don’t enjoy collecting at all, but rather building with friends: Pokémon Pokopia: Co-op and Multiplayer – This is how the team mode works
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A user wants to destroy their old SSD, but they drill the hole in the wrong place. Generally, it is safer to open the SSD first or securely delete the data directly on the PC.
A user reports on Reddit that an employee of theirs wanted to destroy the company’s storage media containing important data. This often includes sensitive data such as emails, photos, videos, documents, saved passwords, and account information that one does not want to throw away. In doubt, a user might find the old SSD in the trash along with the stored data.
To destroy the data, the employee drilled through the old SSD with a drill in this way to destroy it. The problem: While drilling, they missed the SSD’s circuit board and only damaged the housing of the SSD. The SSD and the data were not harmed by this.
Start video
Why is RAM so expensive? The current situation explained in 2 minutes
Drilling through old storage media multiple times or simply opening it once beforehand
For hard drives (HDDs), it is generally sufficient to drill through the disk inside multiple times. This destroys the data storage, making data recovery almost impossible.
For an SSD, one must specifically damage the circuit board with the memory. Household SSDs, which you can buy at retail stores or on Amazon, are usually housed in a plastic casing secured with a handful of screws. Often, a screwdriver is enough for you to access the SSD’s circuit board and subsequently destroy it.
Instead of physical destruction, one should usually delete their data directly: For HDDs, multiple overwriting with random data or special programs that perform the deletion are recommended. For SSDs, a so-called “Secure Erase” is the recommended way to irretrievably delete data. Afterwards, the deleted SSD can still be destroyed or resold.
The Netflix series of One Piece gradually introduces all the actors in their roles. Currently, the mentor of reindeer Chopper is revealed, for whom fans might have envisioned a different casting.
Which actress is it? Katey Sagal takes on the role of Doctor Kuleha. Many of you might know her as Peggy Bundy from the TV series Married… with Children. But she also appeared in series like Sons of Anarchy.
However, with one of her latest roles, she becomes part of the One Piece universe. She plays the mentor of reindeer Chopper and appears on Drum Island.
The Netflix team is currently promoting her role on X. There, the creators state that there are only 2 options under which a patient would leave her care: either completely cured or dead.
In the meantime, both the post on X and a thread on Reddit have garnered numerous comments where fans share their opinions on the casting of Dr. Kuleha.
Start video
Netflix shows in the new trailer for One Piece the many new villains of Season 2
There can only be one Dr. Kuleha in One Piece
How is she received by fans? Under both posts, numerous comments accumulate, with users finding the casting once again perfect. Wapol was so popular among fans that he evolved from an unloved villain to a hot guy.
Many users particularly find it impressive that the actress is now 72 years old. Nevertheless, she is simply “badass” and would fulfill the role perfectly. This fits with previous roles, as fans also find those to be perfectly cast.
Who would fans have liked to see instead? Fans have always wanted to see Jamie Lee Curtis in the role of Dr. Kuleha. In the end, it didn’t become the community’s first choice.
However, as one user writes on Reddit, Jamie Lee Curtis’ busy schedule wasn’t so bad in the end. After all, they found a perfect replacement in Katey Sagal.
Particularly sweet: Curtis seems to still be following One Piece. On her own Instagram profile, she has posted Sagal as Dr. Kuleha with the caption: “Oh yeah!” She clearly looks delighted about the choice of her fellow actress and shows no envy or regret.
Dr. Kuleha is a loving mentor to Chopper in the anime series, even if she does not always show it. We are curious to see how this relationship will be portrayed in the Netflix series. In the anime, even a single shirt shows how much she loves and supports her student: Fun detail in One Piece: Dr. Kuleha shows with her t-shirt how much she supports Chopper
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In many games today, substantial money can flow in. A developer has spent a proud 437,000 euros on his own game, even though he could have gotten everything for free. But why did he do that?
Which developer is it? The Japanese developer Yoshiki Okamoto was previously part of Capcom and worked on games like Street Fighter 2. In 2013, he released the mobile game Monster Strike (capcom.fandom.com).
What is Monster Strike? In this game, a team of monsters is created and launched in individual rounds using a slingshot mechanic. The monsters bounce off opponents or walls, causing hits. In Monster Strike, orbs can be purchased with real money to obtain new monsters through a gacha mechanic or to continue a failed quest.
According to Pocketgamer.biz, Monster Strike has generated approximately 6.81 billion euros in revenue over 11 years.
Just like Monster Strike, the new Arknights: Endfield is a game with gacha mechanics, although with different gameplay:
Start video
Arknights: Endfield presents its gameplay mix in the colorful action trailer
The developer could have spent 0 euros instead of a fortune
Why did the developer pay so much money? In an interview with the Japanese site Sponichi, Yoshiki Okamoto talked about his career and about Monster Strike. He mentioned that he spent 80 million yen on his own game.
This corresponds to approximately 437,000 euros. But according to him, there is a good reason for this. Okamoto says the following about his strange expenditure: “One must understand the impression that people who spend extremely large amounts of money have. I do this to verify that the one who spends the most does not become dissatisfied.”
Why could he have received the in-game items for free? A Japanese X-user wondered why he did not use admin rights to obtain the items. Yoshiki Okamoto has a simple answer for that: “I know that there are administrator rights. But if I were to use them, it would be difficult to understand the feelings of the users.” (via gamesradar.com)
Gacha games like Monster Strike are becoming increasingly popular. Recently, on January 22, 2026, the game Arknights: Endfield was released, which also contains gacha elements. However, there was a mistake right at the release, where players were repeatedly charged money: New action RPG illegitimately charges players – Developers now respond
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
MeinMMO demon Cortyn has finally ventured into the horror world of Silent Hill f. An experience that should have been done much sooner.
My relationship with horror movies and games is quite ambivalent. On one hand, I love horror films with blood, creepy monsters, and disturbing terror. On the other hand, I am extremely susceptible to horror. When I am alone in my apartment and have just watched a really dark horror movie at night, I feel uneasy, check every room, or decide: “Now I have to stay awake until dawn.”
Start video
Silent Hill f: Excellent Horror in a New Dress
Maybe I have a small flaw because I watched some horror movies way too early as a child, which I later thought: I should have waited another 5 to 10 years.
But on the other hand, I like the unsettling feeling of uncertainty and am always thrilled when a medium like a game manages to evoke strong feelings – whether positive or negative.
I enjoy horror while also suffering from it. It’s a bit like overly spicy food. Somehow it’s wonderful, at least I tell myself that while my eyes water.
That’s exactly why, after many years, I finally dared to tackle the “Silent Hill” series. Firstly, because I never quite got around to it, and secondly, because I heard from many people that “Silent Hill f” on PlayStation 5 is a pretty good entry point into the franchise.
To make it short: Even though the year is still young, this has been my most intense gaming experience so far, giving me sleepless nights. This was not only due to the horror but also to the captivating story.
The story of Silent Hill f
Without spoiling too much, just the basic premise of the game: In Silent Hill f, you travel to Japan in the 1960s. You take on the role of the young woman Hinako, who is conversing with her family in her hometown and later wants to talk to all her friends again.
But during this seemingly casual conversation, fog rolls in, and one of Hinako’s friends is killed in a rather gruesome way: bloody blisters form all over her body, which then burst to make way for roots and vines that sprout from her body. From there, a network of reddish plants begins to spread throughout the village, forcing Hinako and her remaining friends to flee.
It starts quite harmlessly – a conversation among old “partners” – childhood friends who have always looked out for each other.
It quickly becomes clear that these plants are not the only things that have changed: Nearly all the other inhabitants of the village seem to have disappeared – instead, disgusting and disturbing monsters wander through the city.
In the role of Hinako, we try to reconnect with our friends while simultaneously solving the mystery of what has happened to the village. Oh yes – and “survival” is also a task. Just as a side note.
The fascination of helplessness
I have played quite a few stealth games. Whenever the goal is not to be detected, I find myself in quite a bit of tension.
At the beginning, this is also the case in Silent Hill f. Because with the first few monsters you encounter, you are simply at their mercy. Without any weapon, the only option is to dodge and flee.
I have seldom felt so “charged” as in the first hour of Silent Hill f. Even the first enemies, which later become “standard adversaries,” move in such grotesquely unnatural ways and appear so disturbing that my fingers practically clenched around the controller.
This creepy puzzle drove me to the brink of despair.
The feeling of panic and fear that I felt was simply real. I knew, of course, that I was playing a game – but the intensity of the first hour of gameplay is unique and completely captivated me.
The feeling of helplessness changes almost immediately once you have a weapon in hand. This often takes the horror out of games, and that was also the case in Silent Hill f. As soon as I could bash monsters with a metal pipe and defend myself, it wasn’t so bad anymore – at least I thought so.
But weapons in Silent Hill have a clear limit in terms of durability. After 4 or 5 beaten monsters, most weapons break and become unusable.
This creates a whole different kind of pressure. Because you know that you can beat every monster – but should you? Because weapons aren’t available on every corner, and who knows if you might suddenly be defenseless when the weapon breaks.
Therefore, you must continually weigh: Do I really want to engage in this fight? Or do I sneak around the monsters?
You don’t want to encounter him in the dark. But you will.
A similar problem arises with the various (partly absurd) puzzles. Because if you answer a puzzle “incorrectly,” there is often a small fight as a punishment. The more often you fail at a puzzle, the more the durability of your weapon suffers – a kind of countdown on attempts before you are simply at the mercy of the monsters.
Overall, I found the combat system on normal difficulty to be a bit too easy once you got the hang of it. Once you knew the attack patterns of the enemies, it was relatively simple to counter them correctly and to take them out almost immediately. It might be worth it to adjust the difficulty upward as the game progresses.
Monsters straight out of a nightmare
I especially have to praise the monster design in Silent Hill f. I want to be honest: Until now, I primarily knew Silent Hill from the “Pyramid Head” from memes or Dead by Daylight, and I found him not scary, but rather silly and funny. That’s why I had always regarded Silent Hill a bit dismissively – completely unfairly.
The monsters in this Silent Hill are all disgusting and disturbing. A few examples:
Human dolls with distorted faces that move erratically and contort in ways that humans never could.
Giant, female creatures that apparently consist of several pregnant women with countless bellies, all giving birth to new monsters every few seconds while screaming in agony and writhing across the floor.
Childishly laughing piles of flesh that almost playfully hop towards us, while you realize their body consists of countless faces, all screaming in panic or almost lovingly chuckling as soon as they spot us.
Hinako is part of mysterious, ancient rituals. Screaming servants encounter her repeatedly.
What initially seems only disgusting and disturbing is, however, firmly part of the story. Each creature has meaning in the game world. Every single being has significance, which is connected to the story. This is even more true for the damned creepy boss enemies – but I would rather remain silent on these, as you experience them best yourself.
Little sounds that drive me insane
In parts of game journalism, there is a saying: “If you can’t praise anything else about a game, then praise the music and sound.” Honestly, I have always found that extremely silly, and since Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, we all know how much music and sound can carry a game or make an already good game a worldwide hit.
It’s similar with Silent Hill f, which simply has fantastic sound design. Especially with a surround system (or a suitable headset), the atmosphere becomes so much more intense. You hear the tiniest sounds from various houses, quiet rustling in the grass behind you, or the soft, fleshy smacking of creatures lurking around the next corner. In addition, there’s a “static crackle” in the sound design whenever you risk being discovered by a monster – even when you haven’t even seen the creature itself.
The guy with the fox mask is always friendly and helpful. But why does everything warn against him?
This sound is also deceptive and gives a sense of false security. Because it can only be heard from monsters that are actively moving. When enemies are lying in wait and, for example, hiding around a corner, there is no sound – and you run straight into the next jump-scare. However, they never feel annoying, but usually cause things to escalate very quickly and you have to adjust your combat strategy in a flash.
A creepy story that is hard to grasp
I believe Silent Hill f was the first game I ever played where absolutely every found document, every newspaper article, and every letter was significant and important to understand the story or puzzles. Not a single lore item feels useless, and every letter contains one or more pieces of information that are important to fully grasp the plot.
I will also be honest: After the first playthrough, I was confused. The game didn’t give me enough answers to really understand everything. I had a rough idea of what most story points meant, and a revelation towards the end also made it clear that circumstances in the game could have quite a different meaning than I initially thought.
There, someone took “to take a slice off” a bit too literally.
But then something became evident that is probably part of many “Silent Hill” games (at least that’s what I’ve been told): You have to play the game multiple times. Because after the first playthrough, it becomes quite clear that you could not have understood everything, and further playthroughs reveal new aspects, viewpoints, and details.
This doesn’t feel artificial or inflated at all, but rather cohesive and fitting. Cutscenes are different on the second playthrough, characters have new dialogues, and through your own actions, you can change some critical points that then cast new light on (seemingly) familiar content. Sometimes it’s just small details in sequences, like something in the background or a new sound – sometimes they are completely new cutscenes that strongly influence the ending.
By now, I have completed the fourth playthrough of the game and have experienced the story in full. Therefore, I conclude: Silent Hill f is nothing less than a masterpiece, and I finally understand why some have raved about this series for so long. The horror and creepiness are strong, but it is mainly the profound, emotional, and disturbing story that will stay with me for years to come.
Fans of traditional Japanese horror will get their fill here. This is also a game that can be enjoyed very well as a spectator – especially if the partner has a better knack for horror and you prefer to snuggle under a blanket and simply watch. Because the story already makes the experience worthwhile.
If you haven’t given horror games or specifically the “Silent Hill” series a chance yet, I can highly recommend Silent Hill f. It’s a dark, complex story with plenty of creepy revelations along the way and a combat system that rewards clever strategy while continually inducing panic. For me, it was the perfect entry into the series – and I can hardly wait for the release of the next installment, Silent Hill Townfall.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
