Author: Trafficblast

Magic Legends is a Diablo-like action-RPG based in the Magic universe, and so its traditional colored mana system is joined with specialized classes. Developer Cryptic Studios has unveiled the latest of the five Planeswalker classes, the white mana-based Sanctifier.

The Sanctifier is a long-range support class that can use both healing magic and powerful attacks. Their healing magic can apply to both allied characters and your summoned creatures, and their primary attack is Divine Bolt, which fires holy energy from a distance. The secondary ability Wave of Radiance generates a wave of light that both hurts enemies and heals allies.

Sanctifiers also have a powerful utility ability called Salvation. Each trigger will regenerate health, heal summons, and gain a Devotion stack. Once you’ve used it four times, you’ll get an Angel to fight alongside you with a “Lifelink” ability, which heals you as it does damage.

Each of the five classes will be based on one of the traditional mana colors in Magic. The Sanctifier is the fourth class we’ve heard about, after Mind Mage (Blue), Geomancer (Red), and Beastcaller (Green).

Magic Legends is currently in beta. It’s coming to PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Double Fine is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a Humble Bundle that gets you 23 of the company’s games and collections for a grand total of $9. That’s a ridiculously good value, seeing as purchased separately, they’d ring up to $303. Long story short, you’re getting a discount of 97%.

The games come in the form of Steam codes, though many are also available DRM-free. You can buy in at three tiers, starting at $1. Here’s what comes in each tier.

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=humble-double-fine-bundle”]

Pay $1

Crucially, the first tier includes Psychonauts, one of the most inventive 3D platformers ever made, if you ask me. It also gets you Double Fine Adventure, a docu-series about the making of Broken Age. It’s a fantastic glimpse into what goes into the making of a video game (it’s also on YouTube for free). Finally, you get three Amnesia Fortnight collections, which are basically prototype games the people at Double Fine made during some of their annual game jams.

Pay More than Average

Now we’re cooking. Pay more than the average of the people who bought in before you, and you’ll receive everything in tier one, plus six additional games. These include the aforementioned Broken Age, as well as Brutal Legend, Day of the Tentacle Remastered, Costume Quest, Massive Chalice, and Psychonauts: In the Rhombus of Ruin.

Pay $9

The final tier unleashes an avalanche of additional games, including gems like GNOG, Full Throttle Remastered, Head Lander, and Grim Fandango Remastered. This is, as they say, a good tier.

Bonuses

As a bonus, purchasers of this Humble bundle will get soundtracks for GNOG, 140, THOTH, Everything, Escape Goat 2, Gang Beasts, and Grim Fandango Remastered (that one is especially great, btw). And if you buy in at the $9 tier, you’ll get a free month of Humble Choice, assuming you’re a new subscriber.

All told, this is a whole lot of content for a very low price. The bundle will be available for purchase until August 13. Grab it here before you forget.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Disclosure: Humble Bundle is owned by Ziff Davis, the parent company of IGN. Humble Bundle and IGN operate completely independently, and no special consideration is given to Humble Bundle announcements or promotions for coverage.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

[widget path=”ign/modules/recirc” parameters=”title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article”]

Nintendo has promised to fix a game-breaking issue in Paper Mario: The Origami King that can keep players from progressing through the story.

Light location spoilers for Paper Mario: The Origami King follow.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/14/paper-mario-the-origami-king-announcement-trailer”]

On Mario and Olivia’s journey to the last streamer in The Origami King, players have to collect four stamps for their Spring of Rainbows VIP card in the Shangri-Spa area.

After you collect all four stamps from four different hot springs, you gain access to a secret fifth hot spring. However, once you enter the fifth hot spring, the Spring of Rainbows, you lose your VIP pass.

And, the other four hot springs will not give Mario a second stamp, meaning it’s impossible to regain the VIP pass after you’ve already used it. If you try to re-enter the Spring of Rainbows, Mario will once again be asked to show his VIP pass.

So, if you leave the Spring of Rainbows before you accomplish your objective, you have no way to return to progress the story. Additionally, leaving the fifth spring automatically saves the game, effectively ruining your progress.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=paper-mario-the-origami-king-screenshots&captions=true”]

In a statement to Polygon, a Nintendo representative said, “We are aware of reports about issues affecting some players of Paper Mario: The Origami King. We are working to resolve these issues and plan to address them in a software update. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

Nintendo did not say exactly when this issue will be fixed. So, for now, be sure to stay in the Spring of Rainbows until you accomplish your objective. If you want more details on this game-breaking issue, you can check out Nintendo Unity’s video that walks through the process.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/15/paper-mario-the-origami-king-review”]

For more on Paper Mario, you can read our Paper Mario: The Origami King review, where we said, “the latest game in the Paper Mario series delivers in some regards, but falls (unintentionally) flat in others.”

Or, you can read about how Paper Mario devs are no longer allowed to make new characters that “touch on the Mario universe.”

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN’s weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

This is IGN’s list of the best games on Playstation 4. With the console’s last big exclusives in the rearview and the PS5 fast approaching on the horizon, we thought it was high time to take a fresh look at its library of games.

This list was compiled by the entire IGN content team and – after plenty of internal debate – represents what we believe to be the very best that the PS4 has to offer.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/30/the-best-ps4-games-summer-2020-update”]

More on the best PlayStation Games and news:

• Everything Confirmed and Rumored about the PS5
• Best PS4 and PS4 Pro Deals and Bundles
• Best PS3 Games
• Best PS2 Games

Please note that PSVR-only games weren’t eligible for this list. While we have loved plenty of experiences in PlayStation VR, because there’s a second barrier to entry, and the intention of this list is that you could buy a PS4 and play any of these 25 games immediately, we have chosen to omit them from consideration (if you’ve got PSVR and need recommendations, though, you should definitely check out our list of the best PSVR games).

Lastly, know that not we get that not every game could be included — it is a top 25, after all. And though many of our favorite games have been omitted, know that this list should set you up to have dozens and dozens of hours of fun, no matter what genre you enjoy.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-best-ps4-games-summer-2020-update&captions=true”]

25. Nier: Automata

Nier Automata delivers a ridiculously entertaining journey full of awesome ideas that is equal parts strange and beautiful. There are few games like Automata, which bounces between game genres and styles with aplomb. Taking place in a futuristic dystopia, this “action-RPG” offers a roller coaster of different gameplay opportunities, wrapped up in a fascinating story that has many multiple endings that encourage poking into every corner of this engrossing world. There are few games that attempt what Nier: Automata does, and it’s absolutely worth checking out this Yoko Taro-directed adventure.

Read our Nier: Automata review

24. Monster Hunter World

The long-running Monster Hunter series broke through with the 2018 hit Monster Hunter World, which not only impressed us with its rewarding gameplay but also with how accessible the game proved to be. For a series that can take some learning to get the hang of, Monster Hunter World produced a fully realized, expansive world

Read our Monster Hunter World review

23. Apex Legends

Amid the rise of the battle royale genre, Apex Legends manages to stand out, even as a later addition to the fray. Set in the universe of Respawn’s Titanfall series, Apex utilizes similar gameplay mechanics which give it a unique edge over other battle royale games. In addition to its faster pace, Apex incorporates the use of specific “Legends” who all have different skills and abilities that create the need for teams to work together and synergize between the different characters. Similar to how Overwatch operates, the roster of different heroes allows players to constantly change their playstyles in order to secure the win. With constant updates and new limited-time game modes being switched in and out, Apex Legends is a high-octane game that constantly leaves you wanting to go for “just one more match.”

Read our Apex Legends review

22. Yakuza 0

Yakuza 0 is the high bar for SEGA’s long-running open-world series, packed with an extraordinary amount of things to do and centered around a genuinely compelling crime story.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/05/which-yakuza-should-you-play-first”]

Since it’s a prequel, it’s also unburdened by the series’ increasingly intricate backstory and thus supremely approachable for newcomers. While its melee combat may lag slightly behind modern genre standards, Yakuza 0 still hits far more than it misses and is a big, bold and bruising tour through the Japanese underworld.

Read our Yakuza 0 review

21. Tetris Effect

How do you make Tetris, one of the best-selling and arguably perfect games, even better? You add in dazzling light shows, music that reacts to your moves, and one of the most blissfully zen gaming experiences of the generation. Tetris Effect, even without its PSVR component, is a transcendent experience, making a stalwart of the video gaming medium fresh.

Its Journey mode includes a couple dozen stages of memorable music, which melds to the blocks you move and place, with backgrounds that, quite literally, take you on a journey from the ocean depths to jungle and desert terrain to the reaches of space. There’s something almost spiritual to the experience, which doesn’t do anything to majorly twist the Tetris formula, but enhances it in a memorably powerful way.

Read our Tetris Effect review

20. Dreams

Dreams is unlike anything else: an ambitious project that has been expertly brought to life by Media Molecule, and an audacious experiment in game design that gives you endless ways to enjoy your time with it. An incredible creative suite made up of tools that allow for and encourage ultimate expression, all inside of your PS4. The vast range of experiences on offer via Dream Surfing means that no two sessions playing it are ever the same, offering fresh ways to have fun every time you start it up and see what community creations have popped up while you’ve been away. Whether you just want to create, purely play, or get involved in a bit of everything, Dreams offers it all to you.

Read our Dreams review

19. Final Fantasy 7 Remake

After a long wait, the 2020 remake of Final Fantasy VII revitalizes one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time in a (mostly) successful and engaging way. This new version of Midgard probably isn’t just how your brain remembers it looking – it’s much better, with a stunning, detailed, and immersive exploration of the steampunk city.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=ff7-remake-easter-eggs&captions=true”]

 

Since part one of ‘Remake’ (subsequent releases will cover the rest of the original story) takes place entirely within Midgard, Square Enix is able to really spend time with the city’s ensemble cast, giving them more nuance and screentime to round out the adventure. And that’s on top of its stellar combat system, a marriage of real-time and more tactical, turn-based systems to create something that’s wholly unique and a joy to master. Part 2 can’t come soon enough.

18. Overwatch

Overwatch is a brilliant multiplayer shooter brimming with Blizzard’s charm and detail, and it’s one that Blizzard has impressively continued to support with new heroes and updates since its launch in 2016. Overwatch earned Game of the Year from IGN in its launch year, sweeping the IGN offices with multiplayer matches after work and at lunches (and sometimes during the workday) that have continued in the months and years since.

Blizzard’s rock-solid gameplay allows players in whatever role they play on a team to matter. And Blizzard’s impressive attention to detail has created a rich world of lore that permeates the experience, allowing those who just want a fun multiplayer experience to enjoy the action but offering those who want something more a wealth of character and location information to delve into.

Read our Overwatch review

17. Ratchet & Clank

The iconic PlayStation franchise Ratchet and Clank only got better on PS4 with a beautiful, funny update of the duo’s first adventure. More a remix of the original PS2 game than a straight remaster, there is a gorgeous level of detail to the lombax and robot’s adventure, which also makes some noted story improvements.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/ratchet-clank-rift-apart-gameplay-demo-ps5-reveal-event”]

The titular duo’s initial meeting and budding friendship feels more fully formed and smartly written, while the series’ signature humor is in full force throughout. Veldin, Rilgar, and other worlds are beautiful, Pixar-like environments with plenty to explore, and modernizations made to the gameplay make the adventure as fresh as ever. And of course, Insomniac’s signature knack for wacky weapons is on full display in HD, from Mr. Zurkon to the Groovitron. Insomniac has obviously put its recent focus on VR and Spider-Man, but this latest iteration proves Ratchet and Clank has plenty of life left in it.

Read our Ratchet and Clank review

16. What Remains of Edith Finch

One of the most heart-wrenching and visually dynamic adventure games of the generation, What Remains of Edith Finch is a must-play. While a game about recounting the death of each of Edith’s family members by exploring their bedrooms (turned memorial shrines) may sound like a bummer, the creative ways each memory gets explored keeps you entertained while the mystery of how this person died creates eerie suspense that will entice you to keep going. Each remembrance transports you to their stories and subsequent deaths, with moments ranging from playing on swingsets to, quite literally, bouncing between comic book panels. Striking, stylish, and hauntingly beautiful, What Remains of Edith Finch is one of the best experiences to be had on PS4.

Read our What Remains of Edith Finch review

15. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Uncharted 4 is Uncharted all grown up; an examination of what happens when Nathan Drake’s Indiana-Jones-style antics come face to face with his adult responsibilities. It manages to reckon with this and then some, juggling delicate relationship dynamics with ridiculously fun action sequences and breathtaking vistas ripe for exploring and pillaging. Though it gets a little bogged down by an overly long final act, Uncharted 4 is still one of the best action-adventure games of all time, and one of the best PlayStation 4 games ever.

Read our Uncharted 4 review

14. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is without question the most ambitious entry in the Metal Gear series. So ambitious, in fact, that it’s something of an unfinished masterpiece. While a lot of hardcore fans of the series were disappointed by the game’s scattered story, it’s hard to deny that the moment-to-moment gameplay is absolutely phenomenal. On top of rock-solid movement and a huge, sometimes literal, sandbox to explore, The Phantom Pain gives players a huge arsenal of weapons, vehicles, gadgets, and AI companions to approach missions creatively. As always, stealthy tactical gameplay is rewarded heavily, but if a mission goes sideways (or if you’re feeling squirrelly) the game doesn’t punish you too hard for getting get loud and messy. Even if you’ve never played another Metal Gear game, this is a hell of an experience. If the plot leaves you with a big question mark over your head, don’t feel left out. That’s part of the fun.

Read our Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain review

13. Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil fans were begging for a remake of the much-beloved Resident Evil 2 for over two decades. After the original RE1 received its stellar GameCube REmake all the way back in 2002, fans waited, and waited… and waited. When it eventually came, it was everything they dreamed of and more. The Resident Evil 7’s RE Engine was reworked into a third-person tour de force, showcasing intensely realistic gore with blood dripping from mangled zombies. Mr. X returned as a force to be reckoned with, its shooting mechanics were pitch-perfect, and terror was palpable throughout. Here’s hoping RE3’s remake raises the bar even further.

Read our Resident Evil 2 Remake review

12. Ghost of Tsushima

Sucker Punch’s latest adventure is dense with moving stories and striking visuals that make exploring its expansive take on 13th-century japan a joy. Its cast – across the English and Japanese languages – does an excellent job bringing Ghost’s complex tale of honor and loss to life, both in its 30+ hour main campaign and all the side quests that eloquently mirror thematic aspects of your main journey.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=ghost-of-tsushima-photo-mode-greatest-shots-by-ign-staff&captions=true”]

While the stealth may be simple (and enemy AI less than stellar), combat is spectacular – a simple but nuanced exploration of Japanese swordplay that is still fun right up to your very last duel. Add all of this on top of one of the best (and most addictive) photo modes we’ve seen, and Ghost of Tsushima more than makes up for its late addition to the PS4’s library by being one of its best games.

Read our Ghost of Tsushima review

11. Red Dead Redemption 2

Both a stunning technical achievement and a gold standard for video game storytelling in an open-world setting, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games Rockstar Games has ever made, and one of the greatest games ever, period. Red Dead Redemption 2’s world is a sprawling and stunning recreation of the wild west, packed so full of detail and activity it’s almost daunting; getting from A to B is virtually impossible without going off the beaten path to some other distraction. Said distractions are incredibly accomplished, too – side quests, mini-games, hunting, and gathering are all deeply considered parts of Red Dead 2 in their own right.

But of course, it’s Red Dead 2’s characters that stick in the memory most: Arthur Morgan, John Marsten, Sadie, Dutch et al are vibrant, multi-faceted characters, their complex dynamics always shifting and changing, even if their trajectories are set in stone. Red Dead Redemption 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Read our Red Dead Redemption 2 review

10. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

While Nathan Drake established himself as a compelling lead over the course of the four core Uncharted games, 2017’s The Lost Legacy proved that the same was true for Drake’s supporting cast.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/08/17/uncharted-the-lost-legacy-review”]

Lost Legacy moved the spotlight to the unexpected duo of treasure hunter Chloe Frazer and mercenary Nadine Ross, and discovered there is a verve and chemistry in the cast even without Nate. Not only does Lost Legacy open the door for any number of spinoffs that focus on other characters in the Uncharted universe, it features some of the best gameplay sequences the series has to offer. While there’s definitely room for both PS4 Uncharteds on a longer list, Lost Legacy is our favorite – and hopefully we’ll see similar bold choices in the franchise on the next generation as well.

Read our Uncharted: The Lost Legacy review

9.Control

An exceptional third-person shooter with a trippy supernatural twist, Control is not only our Game of the Year for 2019 but stands out as one of the most unique adventures of the generation. The seasoned team at Remedy Entertainment brought their years of experience to bear on one of the coolest ability/weapon sets in recent memory, which made for some of the most satisfying and frenetic telekinetic combat ever put to pixels. On top of its excellent super-powered gunplay, Control features some truly inspired environmental design, its Oldest House a shape-shifting labyrinth-like something from a fever dream shared by Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch. Throughout its monster-filled halls, you’ll undertake memorable side quests, hunt for upgrades to your abilities and gear, and hunt down a litany of collectibles that all help flesh out the eerie bureaucracy that’s at the center of Control’s impossibly unique experience.

8. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Marvel’s Spider-Man is a masterclass in comic book joy, an expertly built world that perfectly encapsulates the child-like wonder of looking up at the looming, inspiring skylines of New York City and the superhero-like triumph of effortlessly scaling the tallest buildings in the Big Apple. It’s a game about Spider-Man made by people who deeply, truly, genuinely adore Spider-Man, from his costumes to his friends, foes, and family.

Marvel’s Spider-Man is a gorgeous technical triumph that is utterly sublime to play. One second you’ll be zipping webs above a crowded midtown street, hoisting yourself up into the sunset and flawlessly dashing between giant skyscrapers. The next, dive kicking a thug from a mile in the air, chaining combos between his criminal cohorts, webbing them to walls, and leaping back towards the rooftops without ever touching the ground.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=spider-man-miles-morales-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true”]

The simple act of soaring and flipping through the city is so satisfying and addictive that you’ll likely want to explore every corner of it and nab every collectible before even finishing the story. Once you do decide to settle down and move the narrative forward, you’ll find a heartwarming story of love and loss, awkward adolescence, and tons and tons of ass kicking. Along the way, you’ll unlock iconic Spider-Man suits, take down nefarious villains in gigantic, explosive setpieces, and bask in the realization that the modern comic book movie renaissance that we’re all so gleefully enjoying has finally, finally made its way back to video games.

Read our Marvel’s Spider-Man review

7. Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon: Zero Dawn is one of the most beautiful open-world games ever crafted. Grass sways in the wind beneath blooming sunrises while towering cities formed from the ashes of a once prosperous society loom in the distance. And, most importantly, giant, awe-inspiring mechanical dinosaurs outfitted with a terrifying array of pseudo-natural weaponry roam the land, roaring, gnashing, and trampling their prey. When iconic PlayStation developer Guerrilla Games revealed they were pivoting away from the Killzone franchise to make an open world robot dinosaur hunting game starring a warrior redhead outfitted like a space cake dealer at Burning Man, the world was cautiously optimistic.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/everything-we-know-about-horizon-forbidden-west-so-far”]

The end result, thankfully, was a vast, wondrous, and unique open-world action game with just the right amount of RPG elements that come together to create a brilliant first entry into what we hope will become a pillar franchise for Playstation Studios. Taking down a gigantic boss with an active strategy of well-placed melee strikes and projectiles is one of the most thrilling experiences on PlayStation 4, and looting the shrapnel of a downed robot for much-needed upgrade parts afterwards is equally satisfying. Horizon takes some of the best elements of existing open world games and weaves them together to make something wholly original, wonderfully refreshing and wildly fun.

Read our Horizon Zero Dawn review

6. Grand Theft Auto V / GTA Online

Rockstar’s latest and greatest open-world felony simulator made its debut at the tail end of the last console generation, handily breaking records as the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, so it’s no surprise that it got ported to current-gen. What is surprising, perhaps, is just how much of an upgrade it got in the process. Uprezzed textures, totally overhauled lighting effects and a fully-functional first-person option were just some of the litany of updates and tweaks to the series’ biggest and best game yet.

Whether you’re after a sprawling single-player campaign that provides a ruthless skewering of 21st-century American life, or a multiplayer component with years of big free updates and an extremely active community, or just a sandbox where you can do crimes either alone or with friends, Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online really does offer something for everyone. Seriously, is there any other game where you can play the stock market, jump in a Mad Max death card and then trip on peyote so hard you turn into a bird?

Read our GTA V review

5. Persona 5 Royal

A massive, gorgeous JRPG, Persona 5 set a high bar for the genre, and 2020’s Persona 5 Royal re-release pushes that bar even higher. An engrossing adventure brimming with style and flair, Persona 5 sees you navigating school life by day and descending into the corrupted minds of Tokyo’s more villainous citizens by night in order to coerce them away from their corrupt endeavors.

The students who make up Persona 5’s ensemble cast leave an indelible mark as they are introduced and further become embroiled in the exploits of the Phantom Thieves. Persona 5 does a great job of balancing the two facets of its gameplay, letting players really dive into the social connections in the real world and allowing those to influence the dungeon exploration and turn-based action of its massive and varied mind palaces. Coupled with a continually engaging combat system, a soundtrack full of earworms, its twisty, wild story, and plenty of additional content on top of the base game, Persona 5 Royal delivers one of the deepest JRPGs of the generation, if not of all time.

Read our Persona 5 review

4. The Witcher 3

CD Projekt Red’s sprawling fantasy epic has become one of the most noteworthy games of all time, one that set a new standard for open-world RPGs. With a grim-yet-gorgeous world that stretches across the better part of an entire continent, every corner, cave, swamp or city street of The Witcher 3 has something to discover.

It’s 60+ hour main story is a great adventure, full of mystery and intrigue that draws from the deep lore of author Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, but its Geralt’s expertly-crafted side stories, monster hunts and off-beat adventures that really make The Witcher 3 and its two huge expansions truly exceptional. It’s a game where you can easily get lost for hundreds of hours and still not see everything it has to offer – but every one of those hours will be absolutely worth it.

Read our The Witcher 3 review

3. Bloodborne

Bloodborne is a brutally difficult, immensely terrifying action horror game that will immediately kick your ass. You’ll spawn, die, and repeat until you throw your controller, swear at your television, and vow to walk away forever. Once outside the dim confines of Bloodborne’s dense, evil, snarling network of contorted beasts, wretched howls, and stark-raving murderous lunatics, you’ll enjoy a quiet, cheerful walk amidst the sunshine in the real world, free from Bloodborne’s punishing ways.

But a voice in your head will begin to ring and linger, calling you back, urging you to return, push forward, and conquer. And when you do, you’ll find yourself improved and fueled, patient and energized, ready to tackle it’s gristled, hairy bosses, rotting cathedrals, and wet, corrupt catacombs. Then you’ll die again, but this time you’ll be stronger, wiser, and older and prepared for the foulest of beasts to leap from the shadows and tear you apart all over again. Bloodborne is a horrible, vile world where every reward brings risks and fear is palpable. And while its challenges feel insurmountable and out of reach, your skill and determination will eventually prevail and you’ll press forward through the night. Death is frequent. Frustration is certain. But ultimately, victory is possible, and when achieved, becomes one of the greatest feelings in the world.

Read our Bloodborne review

2. The Last of Us, Part 2

The follow-up to 2013’s The Last of Us is the pinnacle of Naughty Dog’s storytelling ambitions during the life of the PS3 and PS4. Part 2’s ambitious, uncompromising story delivers at nearly every unexpected turn, with character arcs that are poignant, risky, and devastating. Naughty Dog asks you, the player, to do your best to reckon with morally ambiguity in ways that have evoked some of the strongest across the board reactions that we’ve seen from any game, ever.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/14-brilliant-little-details-in-the-last-of-us-part-2″]

It’s also perhaps Naughty Dog’s most mechanically complex game to date, and its stealth and action systems delivers moment after moment that feel like they should be scripted but are instead entirely dynamic. It may be one of the more divisive games of the generation, but it’s also one of the best; an absolute haymaker of a game we still can’t stop thinking about.

Read our Last of Us Part II Review

1. God of War

2018’s God of War shows an obvious level of care that went into crafting its world, characters, and gameplay, evolving a longstanding PlayStation franchise into a testament to the power of storytelling in games and making it our choice for the best PlayStation 4 game, period. Every aspect of God of War feels intentional, interconnecting with every other major aspect of the game, making exploring every inch of its world a rewarding opportunity. Everything from the main story to side missions and seemingly innocuous collectibles factor into your understanding of this new Aesir-inspired world and its major players.

It somehow never makes any of that feel like a dry history lesson, though, and God of War is constantly making smart, economical use of storytelling. It’s also just such a fun experience, with the new Leviathan axe being one of the most satisfying game weapons we’ve used since we originally picked up the Blades of Chaos back in 2005. Bundled with smart progression, fascinating environments, and an impactful story that offers an insightful exploration of one of gaming’s most notorious antiheroes, God of War is undoubtedly one of the best experiences of the generation as a whole, and a shining example of what the Playstation 4 has to offer.

Read our God of War review

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Those are our picks for the top 10 Playstation 4 games ever – let us know in the comments what’s on your list that didn’t make ours!

Ubisoft and Netflix are partnering for an animated series adapting the Splinter Cell video game franchise. Derek Kolstad (the writer behind the John Wick movies) will write and executive produce the series.

According to Variety, Splinter Cell has received a two-season, 16-episode order from Netflix.

Splinter Cell had long been in development as a feature film set to star Tom Hardy but the trade says that project is “currently considered inactive.”

The stealth game franchise — which has spawned seven games as well as novels — follows black ops agent Sam Fisher. He has been voiced by both Michael Ironside and Eric Johnson in the games.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true”]

In addition to the John Wick franchise, Derek Kolstad’s credits include Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Quibi’s Die Hart. Kolstad is also scripting the feature film adaptation of the video game Just Cause.

Netflix is no stranger to adapting video games, with The Witcher returning for a second season and a new prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin in the works. The streaming giant is also developing a Cyberpunk 2077 anime and a Dragon’s Lair movie starring Ryan Reynolds.

So who do you want to voice Sam Fisher in the Netflix animated series? Michael ironside, Eric Johnson, or Tom Hardy? Let us know in the comments!

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/18/6-games-that-should-be-netflix-shows-up-at-noon”]

Splinter Cell, the long-running stealth-action franchise developed by Ubisoft, is getting its own animated Netflix adaptation, according to Variety. The first season is in development and helmed by John Wick writer Derek Kolstad.

Two seasons have already reportedly been ordered, encompassing a total of 16 episodes across them. There’s no indication yet if the series will adapt stories from some of the games, or whether series stalwart Michael Ironside will be reprising his role as Sam Fisher. Ironside was last involved with the series in Splinter Cell: Conviction, having been replaced in the most recent entry, 2013’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist. He later returned as Fisher in multiple cameo appearances across other franchises.

Derek Kolstad is no stranger to action productions too. He’s served as a writer on all three John Wick films while also recently providing writing for the Disney+ exclusive Falcon and The Winter Solider. The series was recently delayed after initially planning to launch this August.

This also isn’t the first animated video game adaptation to hit Netflix. Konami’s Castlevania has already been adapted across three fantastic seasons, with a fourth currently in development. Ubisoft also recently helped produce a film adaption of Assassin’s Creed starring Michael Fassbender. It wasn’t as good.

The French publisher has not dipped back into the Splinter Cell well in a long time though, with series protagonist Sam Fisher relegated to cameos in Ghost Recon: Wildlands and Breakpoint, as well as the recently announced mobile game Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad. Although a new Splinter Cell entry has never been officially ruled out, it was missing yet again at the recent Ubisoft Forward stream.

A game-breaking bug is halting players’ adventures 20 to 30 hours into Paper Mario: The Origami King. The RPG’s driving narrative force revolves around Princess Peach and her castle being held in place by enormous streamers atop a distant mountain. It’s up to Mario to rescue the princess from the game’s titular villain by travelling to different locations within the Mushroom Kingdom in order to destroy all five streamers.

As YouTube channel Nintendo Unity recently detailed, a game-breaking bug can destroy a players’ save file on the fifth and final streamer, leaving those affected by the issue with the option to either delete their save and start again or wait for Nintendo to resolve the bug with a forthcoming patch.

Polygon reached out to Nintendo and were told that the studio is currently working on such a fix. “We are aware of reports about issues affecting some players of Paper Mario: The Origami King,” a representative from the company said. “We are working to resolve these issues and plan to address them in a software update. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

If you’re currently playing through Mario’s newest RPG adventure and don’t want to lose hours upon hours of progress, it’s worth knowing how to avoid the issue. As you make your way to the game’s final streamer, you’ll need to grab the Spring of Rainbows VIP card in the Shangri-Spa area. A Toad will take the card out of your possession permanently once you’ve entered the cave for the Spring of Rainbows, and if you progress forward the game will carry on as intended.

If you decide to turn around and leave the cave, however, Toad will treat Mario as though he still needs to give him the VIP card to get back inside. Since you’ve already handed it over and it’s no longer in your inventory, there’s no way of acquiring another one. Paper Mario only has one save file, and the game automatically saves when leaving the cave, so you’re left stuck in limbo with no way to progress.

For the sake of those already affected by the game-breaking bug, hopefully Nintendo’s fix isn’t too far away. It’s a shame, too, because aside from this, Mario’s return to the paper world is a success. The game was awarded 8/10 in GameSpot’s Paper Mario: The Origami King review. “Each piece of The Origami King elegantly fits into its whole, taking its irreverent flair to new heights,” critic Suriel Vazquez said. “The Paper Mario series has recently shown that being clever and being smart are two different things, but thankfully, it’s once again managed to be both.”