Month: September 2021

The weekly update has arrived to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and the September 16 patch notes include some stability fixes for Zombies, but it’s a pretty quiet update for multiplayer as Season 5 starts to wind down.

MP Weekly Playlists

Black Ops Cold War’s featured playlists for multiplayer will include Nuketown 12v12, which is a moshpit of respawn modes with the chaos of double the players. Last week’s Zoo 24/7 and Demolition playlists remain for another week.

Gunfight Blueprints is also in rotation this week, and Double Agent has replaced One in the Chamber as the newest mode in the Party Game playlist.

Zombies

Today’s update for Zombies brings stability fixes related to Trials, joining matches in progress, the Black Chest world event in Outbreak, and enemies using projectiles on vehicles. The item rarity of the LT53 Kazimir equipment has been changed from rare to epic, which is going to help let players better identify the equipment, as previously it was hard to distinguish the LT53 Kazimir from frag grenades and decoys.

The patch notes also advised that players can expect more Season 6 Zombies intel next week. Earlier this week, Treyarch sent out a few photos across various social media channels to tease the storyline and confirm the Ukraine location for the next and final round-based map for Cold War’s Zombies. Players will be familiar with the upcoming map setting if they played Black Ops Cold War’s campaign, as the building in the teaser is the Soviet military training facility in Ukraine that operators Woods and Bell infiltrate in the Redlight, Greenlight mission.

You can find the full patch notes below, as shared by Treyarch.

In other news, Call of Duty: Vanguard’s second beta went live today. This weekend is a crossplay beta for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC players. Here are our thoughts on Vanguard after getting hands-on with the beta.

Call of Duty: Vanguard will arrive on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC on November 5. The release is still on schedule as Activision Blizzard faces a lawsuit from the state of California over harassment and discrimination against women.

MULTIPLAYER

Featured Playlists

• Nuketown 12v12 [NEW] (Also available in Hardcore)
• Zoo 24/7 (Also available in Hardcore)
• Demolition (Also available in Hardcore)
• Gunfight Blueprints
• Face Off 6v6 (Also available in Hardcore)
• 12v12 Moshpit (Also available in Hardcore)
• Party Games (now featuring Double Agent)
• Multi-Team

ZOMBIES

Stability

• Added stability fixes related to joining matches in progress, the Black Chest World Event in Outbreak, zombies using projectiles on vehicles, and Trials.

Equipment

• Changed the rarity of the LT53 Kazimir from Rare to Epic to assist with item recognition.

Featured Playlists

• Outbreak (Endless and 3 Region)
• Mauer der Toten
• Firebase Z
• Die Maschine
• Dead Ops Arcade 3
• Dead Ops Arcade 3: First Person
• Onslaught (PlayStation)
• Onslaught Drive-In (PlayStation)
• Onslaught Diminishing Light (PlayStation)
• Onslaught Containment (PlayStation)

If you’re looking forward to Halo Infinite, there’s plenty of Halo-themed products available, including the newly revealed The Art of Halo Infinite Deluxe Edition. The standard edition of the art book has been available to preorder for a while, but the special edition just went live at Amazon. The Art of Halo Infinite Deluxe Edition is available to preorder for $80.

In addition to the Halo Infinite art book, there are several Halo-themed Razer peripherals up for preorder now, including a Razer Kaira Pro headset and a BlackWidow V3 keyboard. Microsoft is also releasing a special-edition Halo Infinite Xbox Series X bundle, were it so easy to get one, and Elite Series 2 controller on November 15, though preorders have been sold out for weeks.

Halo Infinite releases on December 8, and it will be available on Game Pass that day, too. If you prefer a physical copy, make sure to check out our Halo Infinite preorder guide.

No More Heroes 3 once again puts you into the stylish boots of Travis Touchdown. The punk rock series that started on the Wii has gotten its third and apparently final planned entry, wrapping up the story of Travis’ quest to be the universe’s greatest assassin. True to type, NMH3 presents a gauntlet of crazy bosses to fight your way through to prove you’re the best.

And as a series of boss fights, this game packs plenty of surprises. Lots of the bosses have some kind of unique twist, whether in the story or mechanics. For that reason, we recommend not checking out one of the boss strategies until you’ve actually seen the boss for yourself, so you have that context going in. You’ve been warned! Below you’ll find links to guides for each of the bosses, along with more general tips on how to get started. For more, check out our No More Heroes 3 review.

Beginner’s Guide: Essential Tips & Tricks For Fledgling Assassins

If you’re just starting your journey through No More Heroes 3 you may need some tips to be the best assassin you can be. This guide will walk you through the basics, from why you shouldn’t neglect eating sushi to the simple joys of a perfectly-placed death kick.

Rank 10 Boss Fight Guide

The first major boss fight in No More Heroes 3 is no pushover. Read this guide for tips on how to defeat the sturdy, oversized Mr. Blackhole.

Rank 9 Boss Fight Guide

The second major boss fight is a melee master with some tricky attack patterns. Check out this guide to learn how to take down Gold Joe.

Rank 8 Boss Fight Guide

Your next fight is the mysterious and speedy Native Dancer. But this fight comes with an unexpected twist.

Rank 7 Boss Fight Guide

This boss battle against Kimmy Love is up-close and personal. You’ll be fighting on-stage so get ready to put on a show.

Rank 6 Boss Fight Guide

Your next fight is a deadly game of musical chairs, featuring who else but Velvet Chair Girl. She has some tricky moves in this rhythm mash-up, so read up on how to find the beat.

Rank 5 Boss Fight Guide

This next boss fight is a strange one. You’ll end up fighting Miidori Midorikawa, but only after passing through her labyrinthine Schoolhouse of Horror. Check out how to find your way through the maze and take her down.

Rank 4 Boss Fight Guide

A fight with multiple phases, this one can throw you off by seeming easier at first than it actually ends up being. Read up on how to take down Destroyman (and his associated Destroymen).

Rank 3 Boss Fight Guide

Your fight against Sonic Juice is much different than most other fights. To avoid spoilers, let’s just say it packs a surprise, so click through if you’re having trouble with this one.

Rank 2 Boss Fight Guide

This one is a family affair. Taking down Henry can be tough, especially since he packs a punch both in melee and at range.

Rank 1 Boss Fight Guide

The final ranked boss in No More Heroes 3, FU is is the toughest foe you’ve faced. You’ll need quick reaction time to survive his array of attacks and finish claiming your rank.

Final Battle Boss Fight Guide

Naturally, there’s one more battle to go. The final (actual final) battle against Damon takes another wild twist on the regular gameplay. Check out how to finish him off and complete the game.

The original Ticket to Ride famously helped usher in the board game renaissance of the early 2000s — a glorious and fruitful period that’s still going strong. (Trust me, kids, there was a time when board game options were limited to ancient standbys like Monopoly and Life; those years were boring).

Ticket to Ride: Europe was an early followup that shifted the setting overseas and introduced a few smart tweaks to the gameplay. Now that this standalone offshoot is turning 15 years old, publisher Days of Wonder has released Ticket to Ride: Europe 15th Anniversary Edition, a complete, oversized, and utterly gorgeous new version of the game. And you know what? Turns out this strategy game is still as fun and satisfying as it ever was.

While there’s nothing new here in terms of content, Ticket to Ride: Europe 15th Anniversary Edition represents the definitive version of this game. It includes everything that came with the original, plus all of the expansions. But each physical piece — the board, cards, train pieces, etc. — has gotten a thoughtful, high-quality upgrade. This edition is a sight to behold.

The board itself is huge — it’s basically the size of a bath towel. It measures 38 by 25.5 inches, and it takes up the lion’s share of my kitchen table. It looks phenomenal. While the routes remain the same as the original version, the art is all new, with vibrant colors and much more topographical detail. The board itself is made of thick, high-quality material. I have no worries about accidentally ripping as I fold or unfold it.

This edition is a sight to behold.

Great as that is, though, such titanic dimensions come with a few downsides. The board so big you can’t easily (or at all) reach items on the far side of it. During my play sessions, everyone was constantly asking each other to place train pieces for them or draw cards. This wasn’t a big problem, but it’s worth taking into consideration, particularly if your tabletop gaming space is limited.

The board isn’t the only upgraded piece of hardware in Ticket to Ride: Europe 15th Anniversary Edition. The destination cards are also more colorful, and all of the cards sport more detailed art. Also, the train pieces and train stations are significantly more intricate. Each train color is fully distinct now, illustrating what type of cargo it carries. Brown trains haul logs, for instance, while blue trains carry those newfangled things called automobiles. Each train set is housed in its own great-looking tin.

As for the game itself, it remains unchanged. The board is a map of Europe at the dawn of the 20th century. All of the cities — bearing names from their native era and languages, which isn’t ideal as it can make them hard to find — are connected by various train routes. Your primary job is to claim these routes as your own, based on the destination ticket cards you draw.

This might not sound like a blast, but it really is, in practice. The rules don’t take long to learn, and you’ll discover new strategies as you play. It’s an extremely well balanced game that rewards smart, strategic play. If you’ve played any version of Ticket to Ride, you’ll know basically what to expect.

Basically, if you’re looking for the premier version of Ticket to Ride: Europe, this is it. Each piece looks and feels phenomenal in its own right. When you’re playing, everything comes together nicely. If you have the space and can afford the premium price, this edition is an easy recommendation.

Where to Buy It

Ticket to Ride: Europe 15th Anniversary Edition retails for $99.99, but can often be found for less at various retailers.

• Get it at Amazon – $75.00
• Get it at Walmart – $75.00
• Get it at Asmodee – $99.99

The latest Destiny 2 hotfix, patch 3.3.0.2, is live now, fixing a number of issues across the game and re-enabling the Wormgod Caress and Radiant Dance Machines exotic items. The patch notes were detailed in a blog post, the hotfix has solved an issue where Precious Scars was not restoring the correct amount of shields upon matching weapon kills, resulting in players not healing as much as intended.

The ongoing issues with the Wormgod Caress exotic Titan gauntlets and the Radiant Dance Machines exotic Hunter leg armor have been solved. Bungie has re-enabled both items across all modes after disabling the items due to them being unintentionally overpowered. In PvP matches the Radiant Dance Machines could be used in combination with other items to allow Hunters to build their super meter extremely quickly, letting Hunters use their supers far more often than other classes in a single match. The Wormgod Caress exotic was disabled because it was unintentionally allowing Titans to deal a large amount of damage with throwing hammers.

It also solved a bug where Prometheus Spurs were not consistently spawning combination rifts while rift energy is full. Other changes include Explosive Light increasing damage of rocket launchers by 25% for both impact and detonation, increasing the cooldown of Shoot to Loot to four seconds, and fixing an issue where Danger Zone was not functioning correctly on Rocket Launchers.

All of these fixes and changes come shortly after the launch of Destiny 2’s revamped Trials of Osiris, which were changed to be more rewarding for players across the board. Bungie has already announced that it will be making a number of changes to Trials of Osiris, including making a matchmaking pool exclusively for players who have won at least seven games in a row, since Bungie was seeing a high number of blowout matches.

You can read the full Destiny 2 patch 3.3.0.2 notes on Bungie’s website or below:

DESTINY 2 HOTFIX 3.3.0.2

GAMEPLAY AND INVESTMENT

ARMOR

• Fixed an issue where Precious Scars was not correctly restoring player shields on matching weapon kills.
• Fixed an issue where Prometheum Spurs would not consistently spawn combination rifts on kills while rift energy is full.

WEAPONS

• Increased the effect of both the impact and detonation of Explosive Light on Rocket Launchers to now increase damage by 25%.
• Fixed an issue where Danger Zone was not functioning correctly on Rocket Launchers.
• Increase the cooldown of Shoot to Loot to four seconds.
• This is a temporary measure to prevent shooting a brick that can’t be picked up to trigger the auto-reload.
• Fixed an issue where ammo picked up by players could be quickly shot with Shoot to Loot to get additional ammo.
• Fixed an issue where an interaction between Hawkmoon and Hand Cannon Holster allowed for repeated Paracausal shots.
• Fixed an issue with Ager’s Scepter where a player’s Super wouldn’t drain while in empowered mode.

TITLE SEAL

• Fixed issue where a gilding Triumph could be completed before the base title Seal was claimed.
• Fixed issue where the Wyvern precision kill objective wasn’t progressing as intended.

PLATFORMS AND SYSTEMS

• Fixed an issue where selecting the Beyond Light Deluxe Edition upgrade from the Timeline took players to the full Deluxe Edition page instead of the upgrade page on the Steam store.
• Fixed an issue where Windows 7 users were unable to launch the game due to some incompatible *.dll files.

LOCALIZATION

• Fixed an issue with Japanese translations of a few lore entries.
• Fixed an issue where several languages did not have a description for the Seasonal artifact.

GENERAL

• Fixed an issue where the Xunyou offer was not rewarding the correct items.

There’s a new model of the PlayStation 5 in production, but reports say the revised model doesn’t have better performance than the launch version.

According to Digital Foundry, who has had a chance to test the machine, the new CFI-1100 model has no meaningful differences with the CFI-1000, which was the launch edition.

Sony made some changes to the cooling system in the new PS5, which had some people concerned that the new system might overheat. But in Digital Foundry’s tests, the new system leads to cooler temperatures in some cases, and hotter in others, but it’s always only a few degrees different. And, in all of the tests running software on the two versions of the PS5, the systems performed basically identically.

From a hardware perspective, the system is about 300 grams lighter than the launch model, with the same dimensions. It also makes a small improvement to the stand, making it easier to attach by hand without the need for a screwdriver or coin to screw it in.

So, in the most basic of terms, if you’re worried the new PS5 has already made your launch model obsolete, or you’re concerned the changes to the heatsink make the new PS5 worse, there appears to be no need to worry. The biggest concern with PS5 hardware is still managing to get your hands on it at all.

Elsewhere, the PS5 just got a major software update, allowing users to finally expand their console’s internal storage.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Dead Cells‘ 25th update, “Practice Makes Perfect,” adds a training room and special optional enhancements to make the roguelike easier. The update, which is live now on PC and consoles, aims to make the learning curve of Dead Cells easier for newcomers, without taking away the difficulty fans enjoy.

The new training room allows players to practice fighting any mob they have already encountered in the game. Players can also practice fighting the bosses in the environment they are normally found in order to hone their skills before facing the real deal.

The other new addition is the optional Aspects, which give special one-off powers that make it easier to progress through the game. While an Aspect is active, players can’t unlock new boss cells or flawless boss achievements, so players will need to finish a run without an Aspect to unlock the next difficulty level. The Aspects provide specific bonuses, like Toxin Lover which negates the effect of poison and causes poisonous gas clouds and pools to slowly heal you. Players will need to pick the Aspect that best suits their playstyle.

The update also adds a new function to the map, which shows all of the available paths through a region, but only after a player has traversed through the path at least once before. The Dead Cells “Practice Makes Perfect” update is live now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Dead Cells is also available as part of Xbox Game Pass on both console and PC.

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