Anyone who liked Shutter Island should take a look at our list where we recommend various thrillers. In these movies, nothing is as it seems and surprises are guaranteed.
What kind of movies are these? Thrillers often create discomfort among the audience. The slight chill becomes even more enjoyable when one suddenly cannot tell whether what is shown is actually happening or just taking place in the minds of the protagonists.
Our list presents you movies that hit this nail on the head. Similar to Shutter Island by director Martin Scorsese, they are anything but feel-good movies, instead playing with different levels to confuse you.
The protagonists usually find themselves in a dark scenario and with the ongoing plot, they begin to doubt their perception. Often, there is a twist at the end that keeps you thinking even after the credits.
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The Game
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Trailer for ‘The Game’ starring Michael Douglas
In this film by thriller specialist David Fincher, it is about a businessman who gets involved in a strange game. He is confronted with his troubled childhood, where he had to witness his father’s suicide.
The macabre game escalates and places the businessman in increasingly dangerous situations. Like in Shutter Island, we have a protagonist who from the very beginning is a victim of manipulation. It goes as far as he eventually loses control over himself. In the end, a beautiful twist awaits the audience.
Memento
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Trailer for the 2nd film by Christopher Nolan: Memento
There is hardly a film character who desperately tries to hold on to their memories like the protagonist of Memento, Leonard, who has a short-term memory that makes it impossible for him to retain memories. As he searches for his wife’s murderer, he has to rely on photos and notes.
The film by Christopher Nolan is uniquely told. There are two narrative threads, one of which runs normally chronologically, while the other runs backward. Thus, we only know as much as Leonard himself knows. We doubt with him whether the information he receives from other characters is really correct. What is real and what is a lie? Since Leonard’s mind cannot provide this answer, doubts about the truth persist.
Continues on page 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the Game Awards, many new games were presented. One of them appears to be the realized dream for cat and MMO fans at first glance. However, some viewers suspect a scam like with The Day Before.
What kind of game is this? The game is said to combine an open world with beautiful cats. The tags on Steam include the MMO tag, indicating that multiple players will encounter each other in the title.
On Steam, the development team of SuperAuthenti describes the title with the keywords “hyper-realism, action, cuddling, speed, islands, fashion, dreams, snow, robots, and plants”.
The trailer features not only the different cats but also various avatars with different pieces of clothing. You will be able to choose between several cat breeds and equip them with thousands of skins.
An artificial intelligence is supposed to determine the behavior of the cat.
The game description on Steam also states that you will take on the roles of both the cat and the human. You can decorate your own home and change your clothing style.
The title has no fixed release date yet but is expected to be available on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Watch.
The description of the game is overall very general and only vaguely hints at what will be possible in the game. Furthermore, the reveal trailer was merely a cinematic trailer and has not shown what kind of gameplay players can expect.
There are further reasons why fans suspect something is wrong with the game. They believe in a second “The Day Before”, where players were scammed in the worst way possible.
Perhaps you can deduce what Catly is from the following trailer:
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Catly: The Reveal Trailer for the Cat MMO
Players suspect a second The Day Before with Catly
Why do fans believe the game is not real? Not only the behavior of the cat but also the entire graphics of the game are said to have been created with artificial intelligence. On the official site for the game, you can find wild clothing items such as a coat with holes, a jacket that looks like a sleeping bag, and a coat made of flowers.
Fans have noticed that the description on the Steam page also contains strange quotes. Well-known personalities like Thomas Vu (Executive Director at Arcane), Akira Senju (Japanese composer), and Ben Brode (Game Director of Hearthstone) are said to have praised the game highly:
This cat MMO is a triumph of innovation and heart and offers a charming world that is a testament to the brilliance of its creators.
Thomas Vu
Many players do not believe that the quotes were actually made by the individuals. Even Pokimane, who initially promoted the game, was convinced by her fans that something is not right with Catly. After the community explained to her that AI is used in the game, she deleted her promotional post on X.
Furthermore, information about the developer is limited. There has been no published game from the developer so far. Among the three employees the development studio is said to have are co-founder Kevin Yeung and social media manager Wency Chao (via RocketReach).
The studio is said to be working not only on Catly but also on Plantly, a counterpart featuring plants. Although the team has yet to develop a single game, they refer to Catly as a AAA title.
A user on X has also discovered that Kevin Yeung is an advocate of NFTs and crypto. Previously, the development studio existed under the name TenthPlanet, which had attempted to develop and market blockchain games. The information is said to have been deleted by Yeung since then.
As part of the Game Awards, Palworld announced a new large content update. A colorful trailer showcases new content. Fans are very excited about it and receive a great Christmas gift.
What kind of update is this? Palworld: Feybreak is the next big update, which will be available for free on December 23, 2024, just in time for Christmas.
New Pals, weapons, buildings, and mechanics, as well as a new faction leader, are included. Some time ago, developer Pocketpair announced that the new area, which will be introduced with the update, should be particularly tough, rough, and mysterious and is supposed to be six times larger than the last island players could explore.
You can find the trailer for Feybreak here:
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Palworld: Feybreak – Trailer presents free update with loads of new content
“I don’t need a gift this Christmas, Pocketpair has already delivered”
How is the update being received? Fans are thrilled by the new trailer. It shows how rough and tough the new area will truly be, as the first half features a lot of close-quarters action.
Although it has not yet been officially confirmed what exactly the update will include, the community is hyped and even more excited for the Christmas season.
In a thread on Reddit, they share their excitement:
User Helldiver-xzoen is excited via Reddit: “I see a revolver, an AK47, a submachine gun, a plasma minigun, and an M1 Garand as new weapons?! LET’S GO!! This is going to be a great Christmas vacation!”
Tharuzan001 writes via Reddit: “I don’t need a gift this Christmas, Pocketpair has already delivered.”
Flodo_McFloodiloo comments via Reddit: “Given the moves shown by the faction leader in the trailer, I hope one of the new game mechanics is an expansion of melee combat.”
Many fans are also looking forward to the mystical theme of the update and hope for many hours they can invest in the new content.
Until December 19, 2024, interested players can snag the title with a juicy 25% discount for just €22 on Steam and start the Christmas holidays directly with the new update.
An unusual incident occurred in The Elder Scrolls Online on December 12, 2024, preventing anyone from North America or Europe from exploring virtual Tamriel for hours.
Update from December 14, 2024: In the meantime, the developers have managed to get the servers back on track for all platforms. There was reportedly no impact on character progression.
What happened? Last night, the servers of The Elder Scrolls Online suddenly became unavailable. Community Manager Gina Bruno shortly explained in the official forum (via elderscrollsonline.com):
“We are currently experiencing an issue where all NA and EU megaservers of ESO and the ESO account page are offline due to a power outage at the data center. We are working as quickly as possible to restore power and will inform you as soon as we have an estimate.”
A power outage? That should be easy to fix, right? Well, as of December 13, 2024, just before 8 AM, the servers are still offline. MeinMMO will keep you updated.
When you can play again, try out the new battlegrounds of ESO!
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Elder Scrolls Online: Conquer the Battlegrounds – Trailer introduces the highlight of Update 44
When can I play ESO again?
What is the current status? Throughout the night, there have been numerous updates from the community manager. In the last post, the Zenimax employee explained (via elderscrollsonline.com):
This time it’s a more extensive update! We are making solid progress, even though there is still a lot of work ahead of us. We expect to continue working through the night to test and bring all live realms back online.
Therefore, we are currently planning to open the NA and EU servers for PC on Friday, December 13, around 10 AM EST/3 PM GMT [Note from the editor: 4 PM our time] and will update the status of the console realms shortly thereafter. The PTS will remain offline over the weekend and is expected to be back online early next week.
We will inform you tomorrow morning about the latest status. We greatly appreciate everyone’s ongoing patience.
In previous statements, Gina Bruno explained that a serious emergency power outage occurred at the data center, during which the standard backup failsafes for several affected customers did not trigger.
This type of outage is designed so that in the event of a fire or flood, the entire power supply is interrupted. The outage now requires a complete hardware restart. The incremental rebuilding is a methodical and lengthy process that involves additional checks and tests.
How is the community reacting to the incident? In the ESO subreddit, the unavailable servers and the updates from Zenimax are naturally a big topic.
FLIPSIDERNICK jokes on Reddit: “This is how the dinosaurs escaped in Jurassic Park, just saying.”
ShingetsuMoon has a positive outlook (via Reddit): “Oof. Yes, it will take a while for them to get back on their feet. Time to catch up on some other games.”
GreatMoloko knows situations like this (via Reddit): “As an IT Director who has been through this before, I feel for these people. It’s going to be a long weekend.”
Technical-Cow-2494 is concerned about their data (via Reddit): “Let’s hope we don’t lose our accounts, take your time, developers.”
A loss of account data or character progression would naturally be a worst-case scenario for players and developers. As soon as there’s an update on this matter, we will keep you informed. In the meantime, you can distract yourself with the most exciting trailers from the Game Awards 2024.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Twitch streamer Erik “Gronkh” Range had to undergo a tax audit that lasted for a year. Now it is finally over, and he can look forward to a large sum that must be repaid by the tax office.
What did Gronkh have to do? Gronkh had to undergo a tax audit where the submitted tax declaration is reviewed. This is usually very cumbersome, as all evidence for the provided information must be gathered and submitted.
It is randomly selected who receives a tax audit and can, depending on the case, take a long time. Tax audits ensure that no taxes have been evaded.
The tax office does this to hopefully still collect taxes. However, it can also occur, as in the case of Gronkh, that the exact opposite happens.
We present Gronkh’s career in our video:
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Gronkh, the man with the voice – Career and life of Germany’s most famous Let’s Player
1 Year Tax Audit for a Six-Figure Sum
Why was the tax audit so cumbersome? In a Twitch stream, Gronkh says that the tax audit lasted a total of one year because the tax office tried to prove something. Gronkh had to search for and submit many documents.
According to him, the tax office did not want the work they had already invested in the audit to be in vain.
What is the result? Gronkh shared the outcome of the tax audit with his viewers on Twitch: “It turned out that I am now getting a six-figure amount back.” (via twitch.tv). The exact number was not disclosed by the Twitch streamer.
Gronkh thanked the tax office with a laugh and said amused: “That was the result of the tax audit. So thank you! That was my Christmas gift for this year.”
The elaborate work and the money that the tax office invested in the tax audit ultimately benefited only Gronkh himself and not, as the tax office might have hoped, the tax authority.
The developer studio “Hazelight” released two of the best co-op games in recent years with “A Way Out” and “It Takes Two”. Now the studio has announced a new title that once again puts your teamwork skills to the test.
What kind of game is this? Split Fiction is the latest game from the developer studio “Hazelight”, known for its great co-op games played in split screen. With “A Way Out”, the developers achieved initial recognition, and with “It Takes Two”, they even won the Game of the Year award in 2021.
Split Fiction will be another co-op game that you can play together with your loved ones – whether online or together on the couch in split screen. Throughout the game, you will need to master various mini-games while fighting your way through different settings.
Split Fiction will be released on March 6, 2025, and completely forgoes the much-criticized features of modern games. “No loot boxes, no microtransactions, no bullshit,” it says in the trailer. The co-op title aims to impress as a game, allowing you to play in online co-op with just one copy of the game.
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The creators of It Takes Two reveal their new co-op game Split Fiction for the first time in the trailer
Constant Change between Fantasy and Sci-Fi
What is Split Fiction about? You play two aspiring writers named Mio and Zoe, who get the chance to sell their latest stories to a large tech company. This company owns a machine that teleports the writers into a sort of digital simulation of their own stories.
However, the writers are trapped in their stories. Your goal is to escape the simulation and return to reality. But to do this, you must overcome various challenges that require different skills from you.
The biggest feature of Split Fiction is the game world and the changing setting. This depends on whether you are currently in Mio’s story or Zoe’s story. One of the writers has written a sci-fi story, while the other has created a fantasy world.
Split Fiction aims to build on the success of It Takes Two. The co-op title was able to convince many players in 2021 because it offered a lot of variety in gameplay. You regularly get new toys to help you battle through the various levels.
Many fans of Monster Hunter Wilds have eagerly awaited the Game Awards. However, no new information was provided. Instead, Capcom made a series of announcements about other new games and another spin-off of Monster Hunter. This approach confuses the community and raises speculation.
Why are fans confused? Due to the nomination of Monster Hunter Wilds in the “Most Anticipated Game” category, players were hoping for new content in the form of a new trailer or fresh information. But even though Capcom had plenty of new input on site, there was silence regarding the highly anticipated title.
Many fans are responding to this decision by Capcom with confusion (for example, via Reddit). Where else would you easily reach so many different people at once with new information and remind them about the release on February 28, 2025? The community senses a missed opportunity and discusses the reasons on social media.
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Monster Hunter Wilds: 20-minütiges Gameplay zeigt Karminwald und neue Monster
The absence of MH Wilds could be a missed opportunity
What reasons do fans suspect? In a thread on Reddit, the community is currently discussing why there was no new information during the event. They express various thoughts:
jolovan writes on Reddit: “To me, this feels like a completely missed opportunity. The Game Awards are THE biggest gaming event and then they decide to show nothing for Wilds.”
Opression_Rod shares via Reddit: “Maybe they will make an announcement next week or so? Maybe they just wanted their own stage? But why? I will start to worry about the state of the game if they don’t announce something new soon.”
Sheepish47 writes concerned via Reddit: “Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if this indicates that the game is being postponed.”
A very understandable reason cited by the community is that Monster Hunter Wilds probably should not steal the spotlight from the other announcements. Most also consider this to be the most likely explanation. Additionally, there is often speculation about a separate event that could occur closer to the release in February.
What has Capcom announced? Instead of bringing new content for fans of Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom introduced their new games Onimusha and a sequel to Ōkami. These relatively smaller brands, according to the community, would have taken a backseat to new information about Monster Hunter Wilds.
Those who generally celebrate the Monster Hunter franchise could look forward to a new season for Monster Hunter Now, the mobile spin-off, and a promo code during the event. So, if you redeem the code “TGA2024” in the game, you will receive exclusive items.
At the Game Awards 2024, a lot of trailers and games were shown that you can play in the future. In addition to big games like The Witcher 4 or Elden Ring, there was also a rather inconspicuous trailer from Capcom that makes MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes quite happy.
Which trailer is it about? Capcom had 2 surprises at the Game Awards 2024. There was no Monster Hunter, but the announcement for Okami 2 and even more bizarre Onimusha: Way of the Sword. If someone had told me that beforehand, I wouldn’t have believed it.
Onimusha started in 2001 with Onimusha: Warlords on the PS2 and was basically a Resident Evil with Samurai. As Samurai Akechi, you had to face Oda Nobunaga, who had gathered an army of demon zombies.
The series has had several sequels and spin-offs and became quite absurd at times. In Onimusha 3, for example, you play a police officer played by Jean Reno in a time travel story. Of course, Oda Nobunaga is the villain again.
The 4th part was released in 2006 on the PS2, but afterwards it was quite quiet. A HD remaster was released in 2019, but it apparently fell short of Capcom’s expectations (via GameRant). The new announcement shows, however, that Capcom wants to show love to their old series as well.
You can see the trailer for Onimusha: Way of the Sword here:
Select a MMO video…
Love for the Past
Why does this make me so happy? Since 2017, Capcom has been highly regarded by players. The 3 major brands of the studio in recent years have been Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter. In addition, Capcom has also tried out fresh ideas with games like Exoprimal or Kunitsu-Gami. This is pleasant for the gaming landscape, even if not always the big hits are included.
They have also shown much more love for the past than other traditional developers. Regularly, collections of old classics like Ace Attorney or Mega-Man have been released. However, these are all brands that are still known. In the past, Capcom had some quirky series that I would love to see return.
The latest announcement shows me that Capcom is quite aware of their somewhat forgotten game library.
With the new Onimusha, Capcom also has to show that they can bring old ideas into the modern age. A Resident Evil clone with fixed camera perspectives would hardly work today. However, the trailer still leaves me quite positive.
The footage from the gameplay reminds me of modern Souls-likes. This fits the dark Onimusha universe and with Nioh they had a similar theme. Of course, one could argue that we don’t need the next Souls-like, but Capcom stands for perfect and well-feeling gameplay.
And just the sound design in the trailer makes me feel positive about it.
Even though it sounds strange: The trailer seems a bit too serious for me. Onimusha and even Resident Evil were often quite silly and exaggerated at certain points despite their serious themes. However, in the trailer, it doesn’t seem like that is present. The trailer shows a rather grounded, mystical world within Japanese folklore.
But I am also quite optimistic that the actual game has more to offer in this area. Resident Evil or Monster Hunter always show quite serious trailers. In the game itself, there are always silly or exaggerated moments that bring a smile to your face and lighten the atmosphere.
I don’t necessarily need Jean Reno as a police officer right now, but occasionally absurd nonsense does some good.
If you’re already bringing back Onimusha and Okami, then you can also bring back 3 other series. Capcom has a great, diverse library of games, and this announcement gives me hope that other quirky series will also return.
I immediately think of the survival horror adventure Dino Crisis or the 3D brawler Power Stone. But what would really bring back my childhood is a new Marvel vs Capcom. But before I get too carried away, I’m just looking forward to diving into the world of Onimusha: The Way of the Sword in 2026. The new trailer for Borderlands 4 also made me very happy: Borderlands 4 probably continues the story that was promised to us 10 years ago
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Currently, a new event after another is starting in FC 25, and this week it’s the brand new Globetrotters Event. What it’s about and which special cards are waiting for you can be found here at MeinMMO.
When does the Globetrotters Event start? The new Globetrotters Event goes live on Friday, December 13th, at 7:00 PM in FC 25 Ultimate Team.
What is the event about? In “Globetrotters”, which means world traveler in English, the stars that have left their mark in various countries around the world are celebrated.
Globetrotter cards are given to professionals who have played in at least 3 countries including their own nation. Since the stars feel at home everywhere, they contribute 2 points each to your overall chemistry for club, country, and league. This way, they can be more easily integrated into your team and may help you play with some more exotic players.
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EA FC 25 trailer shows new features for Ultimate Team
Globetrotters in FC 25 – All new special cards
These new cards are included: Unlike the Ultimate Succession Event from last week, the new Globetrotters promo does not offer any new Icon or Hero special cards. However, that doesn’t mean the Globetrotters cards are weak. Quite the opposite, there are really strong upgrades for Kerr (92), Salah (91), Ronaldo (90), Odegaard (90), or Dembélé (89).
There’s even a strong new special card for Lukas Podolski (87), which offers good speed and outstanding shooting stats.
If you are currently playing Helldivers 2, you have certainly encountered the Chargers. We will show you how to defeat this nasty creature.
Chargers are large and armored opponents that you need to be careful of in Helldivers 2. It becomes particularly tricky when they have an army of adds or when multiple Chargers attack you.
Since fighting Chargers can be a challenge, especially solo, we want to show you a few ways to defeat these creatures even on your own.
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Helldivers 2 Announce Trailer PS5 PC
How to Effectively Kill Chargers in Helldivers 2
This is how you kill Chargers in Helldivers 2: There are various ways to take down a Charger, each effective in its own way.
Dodge, get behind it, and attack its weak point
Aim for the head with strong explosive gear
Break the armor on its legs and shower it with bullets
Additionally, you can use rocks or other objects in the environment. Just run around the object and kite the Charger to potentially create some distance. If the Charger hits a rock with its charge attack, you have a brief window where its backside becomes an easy target.
This is what Chargers look like in Helldivers 2:
A Charger in the co-op shooter Helldivers 2
Shoot the “Behind” Until It Bursts
Kill Chargers with Explosives: You can eliminate Chargers most effectively with explosive gear. Aim for the head of the behemoth. Since September 2024, the Thermite Grenade is a particularly strong weapon against the armored bug. It has received a significant damage buff and is now a great choice against any armored opponents.
Kill Chargers at Their Weak Point: Chargers have a weak point on their rear, on the underside of their body. This weak point is not armored and is particularly sensitive to your attacks. You can exploit this in battle.
The most obvious method is to dodge the charging attacks and then shoot at the weak point when its rear is facing you. Like in a bullfight, ideally, you let the Charger charge at you, then dodge the attack and shoot at the weak point.
Important: When the weak point bursts from your shots, the Charger will bleed out. You do not need to continue shooting it. It will fall over dead shortly after.
Frontal Attack on Chargers: If you don’t want to keep dodging and would rather attack the Charger head-on instead of shooting at its weak point, you should aim for one of its front legs.
As the Charger stomps towards you, choose one of its two front legs and shoot it with a single anti-tank shot or two shots from a railgun. Your heavy fire will break the armor on the shot leg, revealing a new weak point.
Then, you only have to shoot at the unarmored leg with your normal weaponry to defeat the creature in no time without needing to aim for the rear.
At the Game Awards, a new mode for Elden Ring was announced: Nightreign. It is a multiplayer spin-off for up to three players. However, those looking forward to hardcore PvP skirmishes will be disappointed. The new mode takes a completely different approach.
The article was updated on December 13, 2024, around 2:30 PM: Originally, we claimed that Nightreign was a mode for Elden Ring. In fact, it is a spin-off and, above all, a standalone game.
What kind of game is it? During the Game Awards, Nightreign was announced as a multiplayer spin-off of Elden Ring. In it, teams of up to three players must work together cooperatively. The goal is to survive three nights, fight opponents, collect equipment, and finally defeat a final boss.
No matter if you defeat the boss or kick the bucket early: at the end of a run, your collected equipment is lost. If you are victorious, you will at least receive some permanent bonuses for the next round. At the same time, the area where the fighting takes place is constantly shrinking.
This means Nightreign can be described as a kind of rogue-like with elements from battle royale. This may not necessarily be what long-time Souls fans expected – but a certain type of player could have a lot of fun with the game.
GameStar editor Elena Schulz felt the typical tension that the main game is known for while trying out Nightreign. Here you can find her preview on GameStar (paywall).
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Gameplay trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign shows a boss from Dark Souls 3
A race against time
How does the game work in detail? The rounds are started via the so-called round table. There, players can search online for random teammates, or rely on willing friends.
Next, you choose one of eight pre-made characters – your hero from the main game does not have access to Nightreign. The new characters include an assassin, a knight, or a healer. They correspond more or less to the classes from MMOs, and need to be cleverly combined to succeed in the adventure.
Once you’ve chosen a character, you proceed to the first of three gameplay rounds. As a team, you traverse the Limgrave area and fight monsters. The equipment found can be freely used. As usual, you collect runes and level up at the grace sites.
The individual nights are said to last only a few minutes. Accordingly, you must hurry when searching for loot. Important locations such as dungeons or ruins are said to appear in different places each round. The loot will also never be the same, so you must constantly weigh the value of visiting specific locations.
At the end of each night, a boss appears. The team must defeat it to emerge victorious from the round. Those who die beforehand can be revived by their teammates. If that’s not successful, you lose the collected equipment and the game starts over. At least certain bonuses can be carried into the next run – very typical of rogue-like games.
The battle royale in Nightreign is manifested in the fact that the map shrinks with each passing minute. Thus, the area in which you can fight becomes narrower and more dangerous as the game progresses. The finale then features a battle against a final boss.
What type of player is Nightreign suitable for? Nightreign is clearly aimed at team players. Those who stray from the group and do their own thing risk being overwhelmed and killed by enemy groups, without help nearby.
It is quite remarkable that FromSoftware is releasing a multiplayer game with Nightreign. After all, Elden Ring, as well as the other Souls games, were primarily designed for single players. While there has always been the option to summon other players for assistance or to fight them in PvP, it has always been somewhat cumbersome.
Moreover, there are parts of the community for whom defeating these games solo is the only true option. Those who seek help are quickly deemed too weak. Nightreign sends an important message here: teamwork is not only encouraged, it is actually a prerequisite for surviving the new mode.
The actual difficulty level is not expected to change, however. Those worried that the game will be a walk in the park can rest easy. Nightreign will essentially be Elden Ring. So, you will still suffer as usual, just this time accompanied.
Swen Vincke, the CEO of Larian, spoke at this year’s Game Awards 2024 about what makes a truly good game. Shortly thereafter, Baldur’s Gate 3 receives a bunch of negative reviews on Steam.
What is the current situation? Baldur’s Gate 3 has just seen a significant drop on Steam. A thread on Reddit shows countless negative reviews, which apparently come from players in China. The abbreviation “TGA” is mentioned repeatedly in these reviews.
Users suspect that it relates to Larian CEO Swen Vincke’s speech at the Game Awards.
Many gamers agree that the big players in the gaming industry could learn something from Baldur’s Gate 3:
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Middle finger to the AAA industry: Baldur’s Gate 3 was no coincidence
Larian CEO says it’s quite simple to make a game of the year
What did Swen Vincke say? As last year’s winner, it was up to the head of Baldur’s Gate 3 to give the laudation for this year’s game of the year. Vincke used his time to significantly criticize the gaming industry.
The Larian CEO joked that an oracle not only revealed this year’s winner to him but also the lucky winners of the coming years. From the oracle, he also received the almost “stupidly simple” formula to create a game of the year.
Unfortunately, Vincke said, the formula keeps getting lost.
A game of the year, according to him, would be made by developers who create games they themselves want to play.
They created it because it didn’t exist before. They didn’t create it to gain market share; they didn’t create it to serve as a brand; they didn’t have to meet arbitrary sales targets or fear being fired if they didn’t meet those targets.
Furthermore, those in charge prohibited them from stuffing the game with things that are only meant to generate revenue and do not serve game design. They didn’t treat their developers like numbers in a spreadsheet; they didn’t treat players like users to exploit, and they didn’t make decisions they knew were short-sighted. […]
What is the source of the excitement? The sudden anger seems to be the result of a misunderstanding. In some machine-generated sample translations of the reviews, it is mentioned that one does not need to support Baldur’s Gate 3, as the creators don’t care about sales anyway.
It seems that some of the players who bought Baldur’s Gate 3 and financially supported it now feel unappreciated. A Reddit user suggests that the misunderstanding could be due to the live translation of the speech:
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Others suspect that Chinese players might be frustrated that “their” candidate did not win. For the record: Besides the eventual winner, Astro Bot, nominees included Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
It could be that fans understood Vincke’s speech to mean that Wukong was not produced by passionate developers who care about the love for gaming, rather than profits.
In any case, many users are countering with positive reviews. Even more than a year after release, the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3 can still enjoy the loyalty of their community.
In times of mass layoffs and studio closures, Amir Satvat helped more than 3,000 people find a new job in the gaming industry. For this, he was recognized at the Game Awards 2024.
Who is this about? The gaming industry has faced numerous layoffs and studio closures in recent years. Microsoft alone laid off 1,900 people in their gaming sector. During these uncertain times, Amir Satvat is assisting people in finding work in gaming.
Satvat, who entered the gaming industry relatively late and currently works for Tencent, combined his excellent Excel skills with his knowledge of automated web scraping and his own insights into the gaming industry.
This helped over 3,000 people find jobs. For his commitment, he was honored on the night of December 13, 2024, at the Game Awards.
Satvat’s online presence is inspired by the style of Dave the Diver.
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Trailer for Dave the Diver: In the Jungle
What exactly does Satvat do? Satvat originally started in 2022 by creating automated spreadsheets with available job offers and sharing them via LinkedIn. Over time, this developed into a continually growing collection of resources.
This includes, among other things, free offerings for mentors, resume reviews, mock interviews, and career planning. At the Game Awards 2024, Satvat was awarded the first “Game Changers” award, a new prize that aims to recognize individuals who have a positive impact on the gaming industry.
Here are the reactions: When Satvat took the stage to accept his award, there were standing ovations at the Game Awards. In his speech, the “Game Changer” pointed out the 34,000 layoffs in the last 2.5 years.
This would result in an overwhelming loss of experience, Satvat stated. He promised game makers everywhere that they would be “seen and appreciated” and explained: “You can’t make great games without great people.”
You can watch the moving moment here:
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Viewers at home were also impressed by Satvat’s performance and speech. In one of the top comments on YouTube, it reads: “This is an incredible addition as an award. Honestly, this award should sit right next to the GOTY award at the top of the show. […]”
Another writes: “I was really disappointed when the layoffs weren’t mentioned last year at the TGAs. […] Something needs to change, we need to talk about it, and I’m so glad Geoff finally acknowledged us. […] Thank you for speaking about it, Geoff. Thank you for creating an award for Amir. Thank you for giving a voice to the many people whose careers were ended. […]”
On X, Satvat is referred to as a “legend” and “career Santa Claus.” Many users are touched by his speech and agree that the gaming industry needs more people like him who are making a positive change.
Alongside special individuals like Amir Satvat, numerous games were naturally honored at the Game Awards as well. To find out who took home an award, and who gets to celebrate the title of “Game of the Year,” check out MeinMMO: Game Awards 2024: Game of the Year – All nominations and winners at a glance
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Update: The article was updated on December 13 at 3:20 PM. With part 2 of the Wonder Trade event, there are new rewards in the game that we have added.
Collectors can currently snag two new cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket. How to obtain the cards and what other information is important for you can be found on MeinMMO.
What kind of event is this? Players must use the Wonder Trade to obtain exclusive rewards. Through Wonder Trade, you can complete special event missions to receive event shop tickets, which can be redeemed for special items in Bulbasaur and Snow Crystal designs.
In addition to the Wonder Trade, which you can also engage in with friends, special trading opportunities occasionally appear. It doesn’t matter which Wonder Trade you engage in to complete the event missions. However, there are two new free cards to snag in the exclusive event Wonder Trades.
Besides the collecting obsession, TCG Pocket scores with the nostalgia factor:
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Pokémon TCG Pocket scores with pure nostalgia
New Wonder Trade Event with Bulbasaur and Magneton
How long does the event run? The event started on December 6 at 7:00 AM. It will be available for exactly two weeks. The end date is December 20 at 6:59 AM.
What rewards are available? There are two different Wonder Trades that you can participate in:
A bonus trade appears once per hour, which costs no Wonder Stamina. You can choose either Bulbasaur or Magneton, 2 Wonder Hourglasses, and 2 exclusive event tickets.
Significantly rarer is the Chansey trade. Here you must pay 2 Wonder Stamina to have a chance at Bulbasaur or Magneton.
The Magneton and Bulbasaur cards can appear in the free bonus trade in both the old and the event-specific design. In the Chansey trade, you will always find the new designs.
Additionally, there are missions again through which you can earn tickets for items in the in-game shop. The items are designed in the style of Bulbasaur. You can find all items here:
Bulbasaur (Cover) for 3 event tickets
Bulbasaur (Background) for 3 event tickets
Snow Crystals (Background) for 3 event tickets
Bulbasaur (Card Sleeves) for 5 event tickets
Bulbasaur (Playmat) for 10 event tickets
Bulbasaur (Coin) for 5 event tickets
Bulbasaur (Icon) for 2 event tickets
Furthermore, you once again have the opportunity to exchange excess event tickets for Sparkle Dust. Unfortunately, you cannot save them for the next Wonder Trade event.
You can easily collect the 9 event tickets through the free Wonder Trades or the event missions. Here you need to perform Wonder Trades or collect Bulbasaur and Magneton cards.
In Path of Exile 2 there is a problem with the Tinkers Tools on the map Mawdun Quarry. We explain how to obtain the item.
What are the Tinkers Tools? The Tinkers Tools are a quest item in Path of Exile 2 that you should obtain in the Mawdun Quarry. A bug currently prevents players from acquiring the item as intended. However, the quest is not completely broken, and there is a way to actually get the item.
Here you can watch the cinematic intro of Path of Exile 2:
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Path of Exile 2: The Cinematic Intro of the Greatest Diablo Competitor
Obtaining Tinkers Tools despite the bug
How can you obtain the Tinkers Tools? To get the quest item, you first need to go to the map Mawdun Quarry. There, you need to defeat miners to make the item drop.
Even if you have defeated all the miners on the map, the drop is not guaranteed. If you have cleared the entire map, first check the world map to see if the symbol is faded out; in that case, you have completed the quest, even if the item is not displayed.
If the icon is still not faded out, you need to reset the map. To do this, move to any web point and press Ctrl + left-click. A menu will open, showing you all active instances of the map. An instance remains open for 8–15 minutes.
Press Ctrl + left-click to open the instance manager.
Click “NEW” in the menu to generate a fresh map. Defeat all the miners there again. It might take a few runs before you obtain the item. On Reddit, one user reported that they were able to claim the item after their 7th run.
Is the problem already known? Yes, the developers of Path of Exile 2 have now confirmed that there is a problem with the quest item (via pathofexile.com). The bug is being treated with priority and is expected to be fixed in one of the upcoming updates.
The developers clarify that you need to defeat the right enemies for the item; it is not enough to just kill any enemies on the map; they must be the miners. Once you have obtained the Tinkers Tools, you should check out what permanent buffs are available in Path of Exile 2 and ideally grab those as well: Path of Exile 2: All Permanent Buffs and where to find them
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Ryan Reynolds is a huge name in Hollywood these days. In 2024, he celebrated a massive success with the third installment of Deadpool. But even before that, he appeared in countless films. A sci-fi movie with Jeff Bridges is mostly forgotten today and was a big flop – despite its star-studded cast.
Which movie are we talking about? Ryan Reynolds’s career began in 1991 with the series Hillside. Even before the success of Deadpool in 2016, he had roles in comic adaptations. In Blade Trinity, he fought alongside Blade and in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, he portrayed an early, rather hated version of Deadpool.
Three years before his solo Deadpool film, another comic adaptation was released with R.I.P.D.. The best comparison for the film would be Men in Black, only instead of aliens, it’s undead humans who illegally remain on Earth, even though they should actually move on. With Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges, it also had a young-old dynamic, just like in Men in Black.
Universal apparently saw a lot of potential in the film, as the budget amounted to 130 million US dollars. Unfortunately, audiences did not find the film that interesting. It flopped at the box office and is considered mostly forgotten today.
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R.I.P.D – Trailer for “Men in Black with Zombies” starring Ryan Reynolds
The 130-Million-Dollar Flop
How did R.I.P.D. fare? Due to high costs, R.I.P.D. needed to take in a lot of money. In most cases, a film is considered a success when it earns double its production costs. R.I.P.D. couldn’t even recoup its actual budget.
If you look at the numbers on Box Office Mojo, you will see that the film only grossed just under 78 million US dollars. That’s nowhere near the budget.
What could have been the reason? Jeff Bridges is a well-known and good actor, but he has never truly been a box office draw. Ryan Reynolds at that time was also not yet the guaranteed hit-maker he might be today. Deadpool came three years later, and Reynolds flopped with Green Lantern in 2011.
On the same day, Red 2 was released in US theaters. This film targets a similar audience, and Pacific Rim, which also came out in July, added more competition for the favor of moviegoers.
Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that the title of the film R.I.P.D sounds quite cumbersome and doesn’t stick in the mind as easily as other movie titles.
The reviews were also poor. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a dismal critic score of 13% from 103 reviews. Among audiences, it achieves 38% from over 50,000 reviews.
There was even a sequel. Although the film was a major flop, there was even a sequel that probably hardly anyone noticed as it was released only on DVD. In 2022, R.I.P.D 2: Rise of the Damned was released and was a prequel. However, it was rather big trash, as no cast members or even the director returned. Another film aimed to build a large universe but flopped already with the first installment: A fantasy film with Tom Cruise was supposed to start a large universe like in Marvel – But it was a flop
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Fans of the dino shooter Turok must stay strong now: Yes, a new game is coming, and it’s even from the creators of Space Marine 2, well-known developers. However, long-time fans will have to brace themselves for a significant change.
What game is it about? The game in question is Turok: Origins. The game was announced at the Game Awards 2024 and is being developed by Saber Interactive. The studio most recently released the highly popular third-person shooter Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
The Turok brand includes several games and comics. The first video game, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, was released in 1997 for the N64. Apart from the remasters of parts 1 and 2, Turok has been relatively quiet in recent years – at least until now.
Turok: Origins is the first new game in the series in 16 years and will be available for PC on Steam as well as for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. There is also a short trailer that you can see here:
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The Dino-Shooter Turok returns with a new game on Steam and PS5
Hunting dinosaurs with a tomahawk and shotgun
What does the trailer show? Players again take on the role of a Turok warrior. They look similar to what one would envision as American Indians placed in a sci-fi setting: war paint and tomahawks are complemented by plasma rifles and shotguns.
As Turok, you go on the hunt for dinosaurs. These are not realistically portrayed but are highly stylized killing machines. Besides the dinos, an extraterrestrial threat has also been announced that the Turok must resist.
Finally, the developers show actual gameplay. It is noteworthy that, unlike previous games, this is not a first-person shooter. Turok: Origins is played in third-person like Space Marine 2 and features an optional co-op mode.
The decision for third-person makes sense for Saber Interactive: This way, they can carry over the experience from the successful Space Marine 2 into the new game. However, many fans are less enthusiastic about this.
Fans between anticipation and disappointment
How are the fans reacting? In the comments on YouTube, nostalgic memories are mixed with criticism. “Why is it a first-person shooter?” asks DangerVille, who is actually excited about a new Turok game. Many other comments echo similar sentiments.
nathanaelbrown1983: “How can they not make this an FPS?”
Daaaanbanana: “Maybe the fastest I’ve lost interest after an announcement when I saw it’s a third-person shooter with co-op.”
Other voices are even clearer: “This isn’t Turok,” is a common refrain. Nevertheless, there is also excitement for the title that should not be overlooked.
PeterLawrenceYT: “I did NOT expect this! I thought the franchise was long gone! I can’t wait!!”
MellowNello: “They can’t… They can’t do this to me 17 years later, I’m really going to start crying, guys.”
ps.shots.93: “The only game at the Game Awards that made me scream, I can’t wait, LET’S GO!!!”
With Mythical Island, a total of 80 new cards are coming to Pokémon TCG Pocket. One of them is so powerful that it could replace a previous all-rounder card. However, it has a significant drawback.
What is this special card? Among the 80 new cards, there are 5 Trainer cards. One of them is Leaf. This is the female main character from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. She comes from Pallet Town like Blue and is good friends with him.
In Pokémon TCG Pocket, she has the ability to reduce the retreat cost of a Pokémon by 2. This means that 2 less Energy must be attached to a Pokémon to retreat from its active position and be replaced by another.
The new booster can be found in the following trailer:
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Pokémon TCG Pocket: Watch the booster ‘Mythical Island’ in the official trailer
Leaf appears better than another card, but has a major weakness
Which card could it replace? The card X-Initiative can be found in almost every deck. It is an Item card that reduces the retreat cost of the active Pokémon by 1. This makes it weaker than Leaf, which is why a Reddit user even believes that the card will disappear from nearly all decks.
However, in the comments, he is informed that Leaf has a significant disadvantage. Therefore, many believe that Leaf may not be used at all or only be useful in specific situations.
What disadvantage is there? Leaf is a Supporter card. This type of card can only be used once per turn. With powerful Supporter cards like Professor’s Research or Sabrina, which are present in many decks, it becomes difficult to retreat your Pokémon at the right time.
What benefits are there? Leaf can retreat Pokémon that have high costs. One example is Snorlax: It consumes a total of 4 Energy to retreat. But even for Pokémon that have only one or no Energy attached and have at least two retreat costs, Leaf is the optimal choice.
Additionally, there are often situations where none of the other Supporter cards need to be used. Therefore, it is worth considering replacing X-Initiative with Leaf. If you have many Pokémon with high retreat costs, it is advisable to include both cards in your deck anyway.
What do you think of Leaf? Will it be included in your deck? Or do you prefer to rely on X-Initiative? Let us know in the comments!
The developers of World of Tanks are making a new shooter, but this time you will fight with mechs for a valuable resource.
What kind of game is this? Steel Hunters is an upcoming shooter from Wargaming, the developers behind World of Tanks. They describe Steel Hunters as a mix of extraction shooter and Battle Royale, where you control powerful steel mechs called “Hunters”.
In total, you have 7 Hunters to choose from, which you can test in a Closed Beta starting December 13. The mechs are like heroes in a hero shooter and all have different weapons, abilities, and attributes. Some are good for ranged combat, while others resemble heavily armed tanks.
Steel Hunters clearly indicates: While you control steel war machines like in World of Tanks or World of Warships, you should still feel like you’re playing a traditional shooter. You are agile and can use your mobility to outmaneuver your opponents.
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Wargaming kündigt neuen Shooter Steel Hunters an
What makes the game special? The Steel Hunters were created to acquire a valuable resource. As is typical for an extraction shooter, a round begins with you scouring the map, eliminating NPCs, and diligently looting to upgrade your Hunter.
The big difference compared to similar shooters lies in the extraction; here we see the influence of the Battle Royale genre. Now it’s about asserting yourself in ruthless PvP combat against other players.
Only one team can escape with the incoming extraction ship. Teams of different players gather around the extraction point and fight – the last one standing wins.
Steel Hunters will start with 7 different playable Hunters, but that doesn’t mean the shooter will be permanently limited to these 7 mechs. Over time, more Hunters are supposed to be added to the game, continually expanding the gameplay. With these new Hunters, it will also be important to choose the right strategy in battles and to ideally exploit the strengths of your mech.
The creators of Payday are developing a new cooperative shooter. The first gameplay trailer suggests whether the game will also be interesting for Payday fans.
With Den of Wolves, Andersson returns to the theme of “heists.” The shooter takes place in a dystopian future where rich corporations hold power over a metropolis.
The various mega-corporations are both the targets and the clients of your heist crew. You will receive missions from them such as sabotage, kidnapping, or corporate espionage.
Den of Wolves is played in 4-player co-op. While there is no cohesive campaign, there are supposed to be different storylines consisting of various missions. The actual heist is only a part of such a storyline, with preparation, such as obtaining a building plan, also being part of it.
At the Game Awards 2024, 10 Chambers showcased a gameplay trailer for Den of Wolves for the first time. This gives the first impression of whether the co-op shooter will be interesting for fans of Payday.
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Gameplay trailer for the co-op shooter Den of Wolves
Den of Wolves could be interesting for Payday fans – but it may not be
Is Den of Wolves interesting for Payday players? Yes, Den of Wolves could be interesting for fans of Payday 1&2. However, the trailer also shows that, alongside some similarities, there are also significant differences.
This is why Den of Wolves is interesting for Payday players: Payday is characterized by cooperative shooter action while executing a heist, as well as the preparation and planning associated with the heist. We see these gameplay aspects in the first gameplay trailer of Den of Wolves.
Even in the first 30 seconds, we see a member of the heist crew cracking a large, walk-in safe. A few seconds later, the shooter action begins – in first-person perspective. Players must defend themselves against attackers in various situations. Often, they remain in motion with a fully packed backpack, traversing the entered building, usually with other players by their side.
This is why Den of Wolves is not interesting for Payday players: The big difference from Payday 2 is obviously in the setting. The adversaries rushing towards you in the trailer are not guards, police officers, or other law enforcement but rather look like rival gangsters or mercenaries.
Furthermore, the technology used, such as the machine for cracking the safe, is more futuristic than the gadgets in Payday. Den of Wolves is not set in the year 2024 and therefore offers technologies that we do not have today.
