Category: Games

Multiplayer hack-and-slash roguelite Conan Chop Chop has suffered yet another delay. Instead of launching on February 25, it’s now expected to arrive sometime in “Q2 2020” (between April 1 and June 30) on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, developer Mighty Kingdom and publisher Funcom announced in a press release.

Conan Chop Chop was initially teased as an April Fools’ day joke during last year’s E3 before getting an official announcement trailer. The game is a crudely-drawn rendition of Conan the Barbarian, featuring stick figures instead of a more traditional art style. It’s a solo- and multiplayer romp that seems to share a lot in common with other hack-and-slash titles like Castle Crashers or Streets of Red: Devil’s Dare Deluxe.

Mighty Kingdom said the extra development time will allow the studio to optimize Conan Chop Chop for online multiplayer, as well as add some finishing touches to polish the overall experience. “It’s basically all about getting that final Chop in place,” studio head Philip Mayes said. “This isn’t merely a one-chop game. This is Conan Chop Chop, and that necessitates extra attention to detail.”

Pokemon Home is now available, which means you can transfer Pokemon from old games into Sword and Shield. Currently, you can only transfer Pokemon that are in the Galar Pokedex; however, any regional forms a Pokemon has occupy the same Pokedex number as their normal form, meaning you can get some alternate forms in Sword and Shield via Home even if they weren’t originally available in the Galar region.

This includes Alolan Vulpix and Ninetales, whose original forms are already included in the Galar Pokedex, as well as regular Darumaka and Darmanitan, who gained Galarian forms in Gen 8. Before Pokemon Home, there was no way to get the alternate forms of these Pokemon in Sword and Shield. Once you transfer them in, though, it’s really easy to get more if you know how.

Normally, when breeding a Pokemon with alternate forms, the offspring will hatch as the form native to the region you’re in–so Vulpix will always be normal, because that’s the kind of Vulpix you can get in Galar. Once you transfer in an Alolan Vulpix, though, you can breed more Alolan Vulpix by giving it an Everstone to hold before putting it in the Nursery. This will pass down the parent’s form to the offspring (but it only works if the parent is female or if you’re breeding with Ditto). Below are all the Pokemon with alternate forms you can now get in Sword and Shield. Note that through in-game trades, you could already get regular Meowth, Yamask, and Mr. Mime without transferring them, as well as regular Persian and Cofagrigus through evolution.

Alternate Forms Now In Sword And Shield

• Alolan Vulpix
• Alolan Ninetales
• Alolan Diglett
• Alolan Dugtrio
• Alolan Meowth
• Alolan Persian
• Alolan Raichu*
• Ponyta
• Rapidash
• Weezing*
• Farfetch’d
• Corsola
• Zigzagoon
• Linoone
• Darumaka
• Darmanitan
• Stunfisk

*Alolan Raichu and Weezing are not breedable, but you can transfer them fully evolved into Sword and Shield.

Holding an Everstone will also pass down the holder’s nature to the offspring. If your parent Pokemon from another region has the wrong nature, you can use a Mint–which are available to purchase with BP at the Battle Tower–to change the offspring’s nature after it has hatched. Changing a Pokemon’s nature this way won’t change the Pokemon’s “DNA,” though, meaning you can’t change the parent’s nature and expect the new nature to pass down to the offspring.

For more on Pokemon Home, see our full Pokemon Home FAQ for pricing details, mobile and Switch version differences, and everything else you need to know.

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us was one of the best games of the last decade, so naturally The Last of Us Part 2 is one of the most anticipated games of 2020. Arriving May 29 on PS4, the action-adventure sequel will be one of the last PS4 exclusives before the PS5 takes center stage this holiday season. With a game as big as The Last of Us 2, you can bet that there’s some cool merch both on shelves now and available to pre-order.

We’ve rounded up all of the best The Last of Us Part 2-themed products you can buy. About half of the items you’ll find here are limited-edition, and it’s a safe bet that they will become sought-after collector’s items. You’ll have one more chance to pick up one of those collector’s items tomorrow, February 13 at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET. The Last of Us 2’s Ellie Edition will be restocked at all major US retailers and EB Games in Canada. But you will have to scoop one up quickly–pre-orders for the Ellie Edition sold out extremely fast last year. For more information on all of available editions, make sure to check out our The Last of Us Part 2 pre-order guide.

The Last of Us Part 2 Ellie Edition | $230

The Last of Us Part 2 Ellie Edition is honestly the best purchase you can make if you’re looking for Last of Us 2-themed products. The $230 edition has been sold out for a while, but it will be available again for a limited time at major retailers tomorrow, February 13 at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET. If the last round of pre-orders were any indication, the Ellie Edition will probably sell out in minutes. Here’s what you get with the Ellie Edition:

• Base game and digital bonuses: ammo capacity upgrade, training manual
• Full-sized recreation of Ellie’s backpack
• Embroidered patch
• 7-inch vinyl record with original music
• 12-inch Ellie statue
• Life-sized replica of Ellie’s bracelet
• Collectible steelbook
• 48-page mini art book from Dark Horse
• Set of six enamel pins
• Lithograph art print
• Set of five stickers
• PSN Dynamic Theme
• Six PSN avatars
• Digital soundtrack
• Digital version of the mini art book

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The Last of Us 2 Collector’s Edition | $170

The Last of Us Part 2 Collector’s Edition is the Ellie Edition without the backpack, vinyl record, and embroidered patch. The collector’s edition is hard to come by, but it’s currently in stock at GameStop.

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The Last of Us 2 Special Edition | $80

The $80 Special Edition of The Last of Us Part II comes with the 48-page mini art book from Dark Horse, a collectible steelbook case, PS4 dynamic theme, and six PSN avatars. We imagine the art book and steelbook case will become collector’s items. The Special Edition gives you a way to get a couple of cool pieces of The Last of Us 2 merch without spending three times as much on your copy of the game. The Special Edition is in stock at Best Buy and GameStop.

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The Art of The Last of Us Part 2

The Art of The Last of Us Part 2 will provide both a treasure trove of original concept art and insights from the development team on the process of bringing the sequel to life. Published by Dark Horse, The Art of The Last of Us Part 2 is available in two editions. The standard edition hardcover is available to pre-order for $28 (was $40). A fancy deluxe edition that features an alternate cover, slipcase, and exclusive lithograph is available to pre-order for $81 (was $90). Both editions are 200 pages and will release June 16, roughly two weeks after the game.

It’s worth noting that the Deluxe Edition has been discounted to as low as $54 at Amazon. If you pre-order from Amazon, you’ll get the lowest price offered between the time you place your order and when it ships.

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The Last of Us: American Dreams | $9

The Last of Us: American Dreams is a four-issue comic arc that actually debuted before the original game launched. It’s officially a prequel and serves as a lead-in to the first game. If you’re planning to replay The Last of Us before the sequel arrives, you shouldn’t miss out on American Dreams either. Written by Neil Druckmann and Faith Erin Hicks, American Dreams is a great prequel story that follows Ellie and her friend Rebel. It’s hard to find in print for a reasonable price, but the digital version compiling all four issues is only $9 at Comixology.

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“Ellie with Machete” statue | $100

Last year, Naughty Dog opened up limited pre-orders for an incredible statue of Ellie drawing her bow. Even with a whopping $180 price, the allotment of 500 quickly sold out. Luckily for you, Naughty Dog has sculpted another Ellie statue, this time showing the heroine holding a machete. The $100 8-inch statue is remarkably detailed, and this time around, there is no limit on pre-orders. However, you have to place your order by the cutoff date of March 13 to secure this collectible statue. It’s available exclusively from Dark Horse Direct and will ship between June and September.

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Cook and Becker art prints | $100+

Dutch online print shop Cook and Becker produces museum-worthy art prints celebrating beloved video game franchises. Given the harrowing atmosphere of The Last of Us, it’s no surprise Cook and Becker’s The Last of Us Part II prints are stunning. The prints are starting to sell out–only five of eight are still available–and once they’re gone, they won’t be reprinted. Prices vary from print to print, but they are around $100 unframed and north of $300 framed.

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Logo hoodies

PlayStation Gear has official apparel for The Last of Us Part 2, including two hoodies. You can choose between a black logo pullover hoodie for $50 and a gray zip-up hoodie for $60. Though both designs are rather plain, sometimes understated is better.

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Graphic T-shirts

You have more T-shirt options to choose from than hoodies. Our favorite is the Ellie graphic portrait tee ($23) shown above, but we also really like the green tee depicting Ellie walking carefully through a forest ($23). Though The Last of Us 2 focuses on Ellie, you can also grab a Joel T-shirt. Most of the available shirts are between $23 and $30, but this simple black logo tee is on sale for $10 right now.

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Water bottle | $16 ($35)

This 25-ounce water bottle features the same Ellie portrait seen on our favorite T-shirt. It’s made of stainless steel and has a thermal design that will keep your drinks warm or cool. The Ellie water bottle is currently on sale for $16 (was $35). If you want a larger water bottle, there’s a 32-ounce logo bottle available for $33.

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Stubbins Ellie Plush | $13

Stubbins plushies have a distinct, compact that makes them both cute and kind of weird. This officially licensed Ellie plush is only $13 and would probably enjoy sitting next to you on the couch while you play The Last of Us Part 2.

DOOM Eternal forgoes the traditional DeathMatch multiplayer that DOOM (2016) had (and the original 1993 DOOM invented) and is instead trying something bolder and more original: Battlemode. This 2v1 asymmetrical mode pits two player-controlled Demons (choosing from the Revenant, Archvile, Pain Elemental, Mancubus, and Marauder) against one player-controlled Slayer. The Slayer has to kill both demons before either of them can respawn. It’s an intriguing game of cat-and-mouse, layered with strategy. In the video above, DOOM Eternal director Hugo Martin talks through a round with IGN’s James Duggan playing as the Slayer and two id Software developers controlling the Demons.

We’re covering DOOM Eternal all February long as part of IGN First, IGN’s monthly “cover story” of sorts. If you missed any of our coverage so far, get caught up! And keep checking back all month long for more!

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DOOM Eternal will be released on March 20 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia, with a Nintendo Switch version hitting later.

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Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.

After months of teasing a followup to 2017’s Dark Nights: Metal, DC Comics is finally peeling back the curtain on the next Justice League epic from writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. It’s called Dark Nights: Death Metal, and the DC Universe is about to get its collective face melted off.

Death Metal is a new six-issue series reuniting the entire Metal creative team, including Snyder, Capullo, inker Jonathon Glapion and colorist FCO Plascencia. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at the covers and uncolored interior art from the first issue:

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While Death Metal is a sequel to Dark Nights: Metal, it also builds directly on the fallout of Snyder’s Justice League run and the miniseries Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen. The Batman Who Laughs has triumphed in his war against Lex Luthor, and now he and his corrupted minions – Shazam, Supergirl, Donna Troy, Blue Beetle, James Gordon and Hawkman – rule over a world swallowed up by the Dark Multiverse. And pulling the strings of The Batman Who Laughs is none other than Perpetua, the self-proclaimed mother of the multiverse and perhaps the most powerful villain the Justice League have ever faced.

As Snyder recently teased on Twitter, Death Metal is meant to be a Wonder Woman-driven story in the same way the original Metal was mostly Batman-focused. In this twisted version of the DCU, Wonder Woman and Flash have struck a Faustian bargain to preserve what remains of humanity, while Batman leads an underground resistance movement and Superman is trapped inside the heart of the sun. Only when a mysterious ally emerges with crucial new information is Wonder Woman able to rally the Justice League and take the fight to Perpetua herself. And, naturally, she’s bringing her new Chainsaw of Truth along for the ride.

“I’ve been waiting to do this story since we finished Dark Nights: Metal,” said Snyder in a statement. “As much as it was a complete event, we left some threads hanging there for sure. I’d hoped that if people liked the first series enough, we’d have a chance to set up something bigger, and that’s our plan for Death Metal.”

“For all of us, Dark Nights: Death Metal is about the fun factor,” said Capullo. “Comics should be fun, bombastic, and over-the-top. This series is going to be exciting and jam-packed with great ‘metal-esque’ moments that will make fans lose their minds when they see them.”

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Dark Nights: Death Metal #1 will be released on Wednesday, May 13. The series will continue to ship monthly through November 2020, though it’ll take a brief hiatus in August. DC is also teasing a series of “Metalverse” spinoff issues shipping this summer that expand on Snyder and Capullo’s story.

In addition to introducing The Batman Who Laughs and other nightmarish versions of Batman, Dark Nights: Metal is notable for featuring a rare crossover between the DCU and characters from The Sandman. We’ll be eager to see what Snyder and Capullo have planned for a followup. Let us know what you want to see from Death Metal in the comments below.

Death Metal isn’t the only major DC superhero epic in the works for this summer. A new Batman storyline called Joker War will chronicle what could well be the final battle between Batman and his greatest nemesis. Meanwhile, DC is celebrating Free Comic Book Day with the release of Generation Zero, a game-changing new comic that transforms Wally West into the new Doctor Manhattan. Check out all of IGN’s most anticipated comics of 2020 here.

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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

If you enjoy dying repeatedly while hauling around a big sack of ninja gear, your wait is almost over: Upcoming slash ’em up Nioh 2 has gone gold. Released in 2017, the original Nioh brought developer Koei Tecmo’s signature flair and deep mechanical complexity to the Souls-like mold, garnering substantial praise in the process. The game was also noted for its extreme difficulty, which rivals even that of the Souls series itself. Still, given that Koei Tecmo also produced the likes of Ninja Gaiden Black, perhaps it’s not that surprising.

In our latest preview, Alessandro Fillari wrote that Nioh 2 is shaping up to be similar to its predecessor, with many small improvements and tweaks, including AI-controlled summons to help you surmont particularly tough bosses and a new switch-glaive that transforms like Bloodborne’s trick weapons. “The game is still Souls-like to its core,” he wrote. “It’s the type of experience that can be an acquired taste, leaving some put off with its stoic adherence to the mechanics at work.”

Between 2019’s From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Nioh 2, and Ghost of Tsushima coming later in 2020, we’re living in a golden age for samurai action games. Let’s hope that Nioh 2 can live up to the high expectations that Souls fans are bringing to this hotly-anticipated sequel, which releases March 13.