Publisher and developer GIANTS Software expands its lineup of virtual farming technology with a new partnership: Vredo, the renowned specialist in overseeding and slurry injection, is now part of Farming Simulator 25, alongside the return of Evers Agro. The Vredo Pack includes 12 state-of-the-art machines, and introduces wild boar roaming the land, keeping farmers on their toes.
Overseeding to Restore Grassland
Traditional Dutch manufacturer Vredo enables virtual farmers to fight the degradation of grassland and restore fields and their yield potential. High-tech machines like the Vredo Agri Twin 580, Agri 290, and Agri Air 290, all part of the new DZ5 seeder generation, allow players to overseed.
Slurry Injection for Higher Yield
Vredo’s slurry injectors do not just restore yield, they increase yield and crop quality by improving soil nutrition and efficiency. Machines like the Vredo VT7138, a high-capacity, three-axle, self-propelled slurry tanker, injectors from the Vredo Profi series, and the mounted Evers Agro Toric 48-672 help farmers take fertilization strategies to the next level.
Protecting Fields from Boar Damage
Alongside new machinery and yield-improvement techniques, the Vredo Pack introduces a new threat farmers need to watch out for: In addition to existing natural events like twisters and hail, wild boar can cause crop damage unless they are distracted. Managing this risk reduces yield impact and adds another layer of responsibility in protecting the harvest.
Farming Simulator 25 is available for PC, Mac, PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Vredo Pack was released separately today on digital channels. A Year 2 Season Pass is available and includes the Vredo Pack, a bonus tractor, and additional content to be released in 2026 – fans save up to 30% compared to getting the content separately. GIANTS Software will also continue to release free content updates and user-generated content on the official ModHub. Visit the official Farming Simulator website.
About GIANTS Software GIANTS Software is a globally operating game developer and publisher headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. Established in 2004, the company is known for creating the popular Farming Simulator franchise. With international teams, including offices in Erlangen (Germany) and Brno (Czech Republic), GIANTS Software develops and publishes simulation experiences worldwide. Beyond Farming Simulator, it is strengthening its position in the genre with Project Motor Racing and a global network of partners and industry ties.
About Farming Simulator With more than 40 million copies of the main series sold worldwide since 2008, the Farming Simulator franchise is leading in its genre. Available on all major platforms, the series features hundreds of authentic machines from renowned brands and offers compelling agricultural simulation with relaxing, family-friendly gameplay. It’s based on the powerful GIANTS Engine – built in-house to provide realistic physics, high-fidelity graphics, dynamic systems and extensive modding support.
The founder of a leading charity helping people with severe physical disabilities play video games says accessible technology is transforming lives by reconnecting players with friends, family and everyday social experiences
March 24th, 2026 – Speaking on the latest episode of the Good Game Club podcast, SpecialEffect founder and CEO Dr Mick Donegan explains how adaptive controllers, eye-tracking technology and personalised gaming set-ups are enabling people with disabilities to play games for the first time.
SpecialEffect are a “catalyst for change,” helping the global games industry to embrace accessibility, with companies such as Xbox and PlayStation introducing adaptive controllers and more inclusive game design in recent years. Now, they are breaking new ground by leading the way on making iOS and Android games more accessible with their mobile versions of their free to play ‘Eye Gaze Games’. “I like to think that we’re just part of this general move to be as inclusive as possible,” says Donegan.
For many players supported by SpecialEffect, access to gaming means far more than entertainment. It restores independence, connection and the ability to participate in shared experiences with friends and family. One player with a progressive condition sent a message to SpecialEffect after the charity helped him return to playing video games with his brother: “Dear SpecialEffect, I’ve just beat my brother five-one at FIFA. Thank you for giving me my life back.”
Donegan founded SpecialEffect after years working with children with physical disabilities and discovering that many were excluded from a major part of modern childhood: playing video games with siblings and friends. “These children were missing out socially,” he says. “They were missing out on the opportunity to learn. They were missing out on the opportunity to face challenges, to solve problems.” SpecialEffect now works with people around the world to create personalised gaming set-ups tailored to each player’s abilities.
“It’s looking at the person, looking at their abilities and not at their disabilities; it’s not what they can’t do, but what they can do,” Donegan explains.
“This is a global challenge,” says Donegan, whose charity received a Special Award at the BAFTA Games Awards in 2024. “There’s over a billion people with disabilities across the planet, and a significant number of those have physical disabilities.”
Good Game Club builds on the success of Jude Ower and Mathias Norvig’s bestselling book Gaming for Good, bringing global voices together to explore how games can be a positive force for people and the planet. The podcast is supported by a strategic partnership with Tencent – together, they share the ambition to highlight the positive impact that gameplay can have on individuals and communities.
The Good Game Club podcast featuring Dr Mick Donegan is released on March 24.
About SpecialEffect SpecialEffect is an award-winning UK charity helping to improve the lives of disabled people across the globe through the innovative use of technology. At the core of this mission is providing greater inclusion through the opportunity to play video games to the best of their abilities.
Developer Storycrop and publisher Okasan’s Recipe have announced the beta version of Voice of Belldona, a sci-fantasy roguelike deckbuilder, will be available on PC via Steam on March 31st.
Blending strategic deckbuilding with a dark, cosmic atmosphere, Voice of Belldona challenges players to shape their builds through high-risk decisions and tactical combat. This upcoming beta introduces new content and gameplay improvements, further enhancing the game’s depth and replayability.
Players will be able to experience the updated content starting March 31st.
When chaos knows no end, what kind of fate will you choose? In a world where the only constant is war, Voice of Belldona draws you into an endless cycle of conflict and survival.In an effort to overcome the turmoil, the people decide to create a little warrior. But this white-haired, god-like entity has a major case of social anxiety?! She turns the once apocalyptic, barren world into a new one filled with races and civilizations previously known only from mythology and fairy tales, and grants the mysterious power of The Source to its inhabitants, including humans.
Voice of Belldona takes place in this fantastic world created by Cheryl and tells the story of her adventures after being unexpectedly awakened again.
Key Features
Expanded card pool: 120+ new cards enable more diverse and powerful deck combinations.
Training & Legendary Blessings: Unlock upgrades and powerful one-time blessings to enhance your stats and playstyle.
New build variety: 50+ new blessings allow for deeper customization and synergy.
New maps and enemies: Explore new areas with stronger foes and hidden stories.
New story events: 40+ events add unpredictability and narrative depth to each run.
New summoned units: Recruit unique allies with distinct combat roles and synergies.
“Wish” system: Unlock new run-altering mechanics with high-risk, high-reward outcomes.
Advanced challenges: Take on harder modes with modifiers like fixed decks and ambush encounters.
Gameplay Overview
Voice of Belldona features roguelike deckbuilding where you build and evolve your deck each run through combat and choices, summon allies to shape your strategy, and control battlefield formations to maximize positioning and combos. With multiple playstyles between aggressive combat and summon-based control, dynamic synergies that grow over time, branching paths filled with events and risks, and procedurally varied encounters, every decision becomes a high-risk choice that can define or break your run as you adapt your strategy in real time.
Voice of Belldona will be available for limited beta access on PC via Steam on March 31st. Join the beta to experience new content early and help shape the future of Voice of Belldona.
Storycrop is an indie developer focused on crafting immersive gameplay experiences that blend strategic depth with rich worldbuilding. With Voice of Belldona, the studio explores a dark sci-fantasy universe shaped by conflict, fate, and the consequences of power, delivering a roguelike deckbuilding experience driven by tactical decision-making and evolving player builds. .
About Okasan’s Recipe
Okasan’s Recipe is an indie game publisher supporting unique narrative-driven projects from creators around the world. The team focuses on bringing distinctive stories, experimental ideas, and emotionally engaging games to a global audience.
Little Nightmares – Broken Promises, the stop-motion animated short film teased at the Little Nightmares Showcase Event last June, has been officially selected for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in the Commissioned Films category and will be showcased during the festival.
Created in collaboration with the International Animation Center Taller del Chucho at the University of Guadalajara – a renowned Mexican stop‑motion studio founded by Guillermo del Toro – the short film reconnects with the original inspirations behind the award-winning Little Nightmares franchise. It embraces a handcrafted stop-motion aesthetic that deepens the series’ charmingly eerie atmosphere.
The short film is directed by Sofía Carillo and Juan Medina. Sofía Carillo is known for Cerulia (2017), the animated short film she directed, animated and wrote, which has received more than 20 international awards. Juan Medina, winner of five Arieles from the Mexican Academy of Arts and Film Sciences between 2013 to 2015, is recognized for the short film Tío (2021) and the feature film Salma’s Big Wish (2012).
Broken Promisesfollows a neglected girl, locked in an attic, who escapes into a dollhouse world full of promises. As she ventures deeper, she begins to uncover the sinister truth lurking beneath its charming facade, a world where every shadow may hide a monster.
BORDEAUX, France – March 23, 2026 – Wartales, the medieval open-world tactical RPG with more than 1MM units sold from developer Shiro Games, conducts chaotic urban combat in its next DLC. Contract: Fires in the Capitalcomes to PC via Steam on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Rally the warband and set out for Isandrin, the imperial capital of Edoran, where tensions between the Legion and the Empire have reached a boiling point. Large-scale unrest threatens to consume the city and the beating heart of the Empire’s power. Every decision could either help pull the metropolis back from the brink or be the tipping point in its descent into anarchy.
Isandrin is a completely different environment from the frontiers Wartales mercenaries typically explore, and combat is only one approach. Tracking down brigands, destroying propaganda, building support for civic institutions, and even performing as a bard all have far-reaching effects, influencing everything from the prices of provisions to the public mood.
Take on new urban battle scenarios reflecting the state of the capital. Stop fleeing criminals before they escape and further destabilize the city, escort vulnerable supply convoys through waves of enemy reinforcements, and fight in the burning streets while rescuing trapped civilians – all in a constantly evolving medieval metropolis.
“Wartales players have always been interested in learning more about the Legion and the inner workings of the Empire, and Contract: Fires in the Capital is sending them straight into the heart of it,” said Quentin Lapeyre, Game Director at Shiro Games. “This is a new perspective for Wartales, where we’ve always been on the fringes of the known world. Isandrin is a more systemic and reactive environment, and the new Chaos system means every choice players make could potentially impact the city’s entire population.”
Wartales – Contract: Fires in the Capital launches on Thursday, April 30, 2026, on PC via Steam for $12.99 | €10.99 | £12.99. The DLC includes English, French, German, Spanish (Spain), Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Simplified Chinese, and Korean language support.
Shiro Games is an independent Bordeaux-based studio founded by video game veterans Sebastien Vidal and Nicolas Cannasse to bring new innovative games to life. Based in Bordeaux, France, the studio released its first project Evoland in 2013 and its acclaimed sequel Evoland 2 in 2015. Shiro Games then launched its popular Viking strategy game Northgard on Steam in 2018, which has gone on to sell more than 5MM units across various platforms as well as Dune: Spice Wars, the spice-infused blend of 4X and RTS gameplay. Wartales is their latest title, with several major DLC additions since its release in April 2023.
New Anime Open World RPG Has Climbed Steam’s Top Sellers Charts Following PS5® and Steam Versions Early Launch on March 16
LOS ANGELES – MARCH 23, 2026 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality games, today announced the grand launch of its new anime open world RPG The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, now available on mobile via Google Play and the App Store.
Following its Early Play release on PlayStation®5 and Steam on March 16, the title has now expanded across all supported platforms that enables players to seamlessly experience the adventure across console, PC, and mobile. The mobile version offers a dedicated interface and UI sizing optimized for mobile devices, and players can freely switch across console, PC, and mobile devices with a single account to enjoy playing.
Players can step into the role of Tristan and explore Britannia, setting out to restore order to a world thrown into chaos by the collision of time and space. The journey can be enjoyed solo or cooperatively with up to five players, including the host player.
To celebrate the launch, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is providing generous in-game rewards. Players will receive up to 59,000 Star Fragments and 90 Regular Hero Draw Tickets. In addition, special launch events will grant further rewards including SSR hero Guila, the SSR weapon Black Flame Wings Lance, an SSR Crafted Weapon Selection Chest, 60 Regular Hero Draw, 10 Hero Pick Up Draw Tickets, and 4,300 Star Fragments.
Additional grand launch celebration events include a special mission event that provides materials to craft two SR Engraved Equipment and one SSR Engraved Equipment, as well as dedicated growth support content designed to help players progress faster. A special Pick-Up event featuring Meliodas is also underway, alongside a limited-time event running until April 8, where players can obtain his exclusive costume “Sacred Treasure: Demon Sword Lostvayne.”
The game has demonstrated strong early performance following its console and PC debut. The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin ranked No. 6 on the global Steam Top Sellers chart shortly after release, reaching No. 1 in France and No. 2 in Belgium, Italy, and Spain. It also secured No. 4 positions in Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands, while ranking No. 5 in South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Thailand. On PlayStation®5, the title has earned a user rating of 4.35 out of 5.
Based on the hit Japanese manga and anime IP The Seven Deadly Sins, which has sold over 55 million copies globally, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin lets players explore Britannia in a vast open world. It features tag-based combat, combination skills, and customizable teams using diverse characters and weapons. Multiplayer elements include forming parties for exploration or teaming up to defeat bosses.
About Netmarble Corporation
Founded in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading global game developer and publisher. Through acclaimed franchises and strategic partnerships with top-tier IP holders, the company delivers innovative and engaging gaming experiences to audiences worldwide. As a parent company of Kabam, SpinX Games, Jam City, and a major shareholder of HYBE and NCSOFT, Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling:ARISE, Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, RAVEN2, MARVEL Future Fight, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.
London, UK, 23rd March 2026 – Darts fans look out, there’s a new game in town next month! Developer Gamitronics and Evolution Publishing are excited to reveal the launch date for their explosive sequel, Darts VR2: Bullseye, hitting Meta Quest, SteamVR and PSVR 2 on 9th April 2026.
Have you ever picked up a dart and known the joy of scoring a 180 or the sorrow of missing that last double? All of that can be relived and more in Darts VR2: Bullseye, the ultimate blend of realistic physics and arcade gameplay.
In front of a roaring crowd in a packed-out arena, take on the challenge of the 501 Mode and try and knock those numbers down as quickly as possible; everyone’s watching! Continuing the high-pressure environments, see how long you can survive in the Zombie Mode, with careful use of some rather explosive darts! Killstreak, on the other hand, adds a thrilling arcade mode where you can never be sure quite how the dartboard will behave next. Or for a more tranquil darts experience, go on a journey in Around the World, it’s just you and the dartboard.
“We’re super excited to finally reveal the launch date for Darts VR2: Bullseye on Meta Quest, PSVR 2 and PC VR,” said Kevin Joyce, CEO Evolution Publishing. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have such a high quality experience as our first title from Evolution, and are looking forward to VR gamers and Darts fans alike picking up their virtual arrows for the very first time. But watch out for the zombies – they bite!”
Darts VR2: Bullseye is filled with non-stop action, from single-player modes to multiplayer tournaments, there’s never a dull moment.
Darts VR2: Bullseye Key Features:
Physics-Based Darts – Finely tuned physics mean the darts behave like darts
Gameplay Modes – Play 501, Around the World, Killstreak, Zombies and more
Online Leaderboards – Compete with players around the world
Tournaments – Create your own or join worldwide tournaments
Customise – Step out in style with new dart liveries, hats, sunglasses and more
Become the ultimate Darts master!
Darts VR2: Bullseye is preparing a simultaneous launch on 9th April 2026, for Meta Quest 3/3S & Quest 2, PlayStation VR 2 and PCVR on Steam. Add to your wishlist today!
About Darts VR2: Bullseye:
Darts VR2: Bullseye is the next evolution of immersive darts gameplay, bringing precision, competition, and casual fun to virtual reality. Whether you’re aiming for the championship trophy, battling zombie hordes, mastering 501 Mode, or just throwing darts for fun, this game has something for everyone.
About Gamitronics:
A pioneer in the world of VR gaming, specialising in simulators and sports, Gamitronics released its acclaimed Darts VR back in 2017 for PCVR gamers. Now, almost 10 years on, the studio has returned to the sport that has captured fans the world over, Darts VR2: Bullseye.
About Evolution Publishing: A specialist within the field of XR, Evolution Publishing has quickly built an enviable reputation for its focus on defining market-leading games and apps that highlight the true power and potential of immersive gaming. Its latest project is the highly anticipated Darts VR2: Bullseye
The long-awaited Early Access update delivers sweeping gameplay improvements and sets the stage for full release on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation
Los Angeles, CA – March 23, 2026 – Wolpertinger Games, in partnership with Wandering Wizard, today announced that Survivor Mercs is back with its most significant Early Access update yet. Following months of behind-the-scenes challenges, the team is ready to unveil Update 0.15 “Final Drill”, a major overhaul introducing new weapons, reworked progression systems, sweeping balance changes, and a host of gameplay, UI, and performance improvements.
The update marks a major milestone as Survivor Mercs enters its final phase of Early Access, with Version 1.0 set to launch soon on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
The release marks a pivotal moment for both the game and its development team, following a difficult period that temporarily brought development to a halt.
“In September 2025, I was hospitalized for over three months due to a sudden decline in my health, bringing development to an unexpected standstill,” said Sebastian, Studio Lead at Wolpertinger. “We went through an incredibly uncertain time, but thanks to the resilience of the team and the continued support from our community, we’re here again. Update 0.15 is a major step forward – and I’m incredibly proud to say that 1.0 is now within reach.”
Update 0.15 “Final Drill” introduces new weapons, including a starting Pistol, early-game Shotgun, and unlockable SMG, alongside a comprehensive progression rework that improves onboarding, clarifies mission objectives, and deepens base-building systems. A full balancing pass across operations, loot, and difficulty further enhances run flow, while new Vault objectives and a reworked Complications system introduce greater strategic depth.
Players can also expect expanded upgrade systems, including new Mercenary synergies, an increased level cap of 300, and deeper weapon and gear customization. These improvements are complemented by upgrades to AI behavior, combat readability, and overall UI clarity, resulting in a more responsive and polished gameplay experience.
Update 0.15 “Final Drill” is available now for both the full game and demo.
Update 0.15 “Final Drill” Key Features
Expanded Arsenal: New weapons including Pistol (starting), Shotgun (early), SMG (mid-game), and most weapons have been buffed, dealing more damage, having longer-lasting effects, or enabling multiple attacks similar to your dash charges.
Progression Overhaul: Improved onboarding, clearer objectives, earlier access to Genome Lab, and new Radar Room for strategic upgrades
Full Balancing Pass: Reworked operations, loot distribution, and difficulty for more consistent and rewarding runs
New Strategic Systems: Vault objectives for rare loot and a redesigned Complications system introducing meaningful trade-offs
Deeper Build Customization: New Mercenary synergy upgrades, expanded weapon (Lv.10) and gear (Lv.5) upgrades, +1 Gear slot, and level cap increased to 300
AI & Combat Improvements: Smarter enemy behaviors, improved Merc positioning, and clearer combat signaling
UI & Visual Enhancements: Refined HUD, improved readability, and expanded VFX and animation polish
About Wandering Wizard Wandering Wizard is passionately committed to championing indie game developers. We provide a platform for fresh voices, revolutionary ideas, and daring experiments within the indie gaming realm. Embracing the inherent risks of indie game development, we partner with creators worldwide to enrich the global gaming community with inclusive, inspiring, and innovative gaming experiences. wanderingwizard.com
Whenever someone thinks of Monster Hunter they generally think of one mission, hunting down a monster to gather its parts and make better equipment to take on the next biggest monster all while the story plays in the background. In recent years the Monster Hunter games have been developing more involved story modes but one that has always embraced storytelling the most is a spin-off that takes the standard gameplay loop and puts a significant twist on it. These are the Monster Hunter Stories games and while they may have been entertaining, they never quite felt like they were given the same level of seriousness or care as the main franchise.
The first entry, originally a DS game, was rather childish in general, while the second that saw a wider release expanded on things a bit but still struggled with finding the correct tone and pacing. Now though, with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Capcom has not only found their footing but also delivered one of the best stories to date set in the Monster Hunter world and one that fans of the franchise will definitely want to experience even if it is far different than the normal hunting fair.
Story
It’s worth noting that hundreds of years have passed since the events of the previous Monster Hunter Stories games, meaning that players will not have needed to play either of the original entries to understand the storyline here, though returning players will instantly recognize references and a certain returning character that appears later in the game. One of the first things that players do in Twisted Reflection is create their very own rider, be it a male or female, and it turns out that rather than being any random child or an inexperienced rider such as previous entries, they end up being the prince or princess of the entire kingdom of Azuria and the sole rider of the long-thought extinct Rathalos bearing striking markings similar to legends.
The Princess (in our case) is the leader of Azuria’s vaunted Rangers division, a group of riders assigned to her with their task being to investigate the Crystal Encroachment that is plaguing the environment. This strange crystal-like spread has eaten up swathes of land and even encased monsters entirely within, leaving numerous monsters endangered or extinct while others have been forced into becoming invasive species, forced out of their homes due to the strange environment. To make matters worse, even monsters themselves have appeared with crystal blights attached to them that drive them feral while unlocking untapped potential, making them dangerous forces that even the toughest Rangers must deal with in pairs.
While Azuria is still thriving mostly due to the Rangers and strong land-placement, the neighboring country of Vermail is on the brink of collapse and ready to go to war to take Azuria’s abundance for themselves. In an attempt to find a compromise Vermail’s princess Eleanor agrees to become a hostage of sorts for Azuria and soon joins the player as an ally, learning the ropes of Ranger school and the unique bond that they have with their “monsties.”
This small peace is shattered when war literally breaks out at the border with Vermail attacking in droves and revealing numerous twists back to back that leave the Princess struggling to figure out what to do next, but the only answer is to venture out beyond the the wall that is not meant to be passed and into a forbidden zone that the kingdom has respected for hundreds of years due to a vow with the Wyverians. Venturing forth into the unknown with only her monsties and fellow Rangers at her side, it is up to the Princess to find a way to save not only both kingdoms by putting a stop to the war but finding the origin of the Crystal Encroachment itself.
In a rather strange way, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is the most mature and adult storyline in the entire series to date. It’s almost as if the storylines grew up and developed with every iteration, the first being for children, the second being for teens and young adults, and now this one placing players right into the dire world where serious events take place, betrayals, dangerous developments occur, and unique plot twists are not only refreshingly surprising but entirely fitting as well. Sure, the game’s side-quests are generally fairly basic, but the core plotline is exceptionally engaging, making players want to progress the story even while they are trying to develop their monsties the best way possible.
It is also worth noting that while the standard side-quests from NPCs are a bit generic, every single one of the player’s Ranger companions will have their own unique story quest as players progress through the game, revealing more about their history, their own unique traits, and even a bit of what they like to do. This adds some extra characterization to the party while also strengthening the team at the same time as completing these side-quests boosts their abilities in combat. Combine this strong companion writing with engaging writing for the main storyline that sets the stakes high right from the get go and players will find themselves hooked right away. It is worth noting that not all of the game is serious, there are still plenty of moments of levity with the Rangers and the team, but joke mascot Palico Navirou is gone now and replaced by a far more responsible but equally likable Rudy. Rudy is treated more like an actual character than a walking joke which is a nice touch for the talking Palico and helps add even more nuance to the team at times.
Gameplay
In many ways Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection feels as familiar as the original two games and incredibly different at the same time. The biggest difference is exploration and the fact that it opens up almost immediately. Unlike previous entries that generally saw players starting with low-grade monsties and have only a minimal amount of exploration abilities, this time around players are thrown right into the fray with the most exploration options available right out of the gate. Between the players’ Rathalos already having the ability to glide, fly, shoot fireballs, roar to stun enemies, and even melee attack to smash walls or trees, players are already off to a great start. Combine this with the Tobi-Kodachi that can also climb walls that are in their party at the start and nearly every exploration ability is unlocked at the start.
Sure, being able to swim, travel through dug tunnels, and more, require specific monster types but this is a great start. Especially since throughout the game players will find that there is plenty of hidden content to find, be it Poogies scattered throughout the world, treasure chests containing decoration gems and recipes, or even monster droppings that reveal more info about their ecology. The various maps in the game all have different ways to navigate around them, be it climbing walls, using wind gusts to fly further, and more to explore and even the maps themselves are broken into subsections where only certain monsters will spawn and eggs can be gathered from dens, though this time around players can have some influence on that.
As with every Monster Hunter Stories game, raising a monstie and having it join your party to defeat other monsters is the key part of the game and fighting alongside a battle buddy, which can be changed at any time now except for personal missions. Players can carry up to twelve eggs with them at a time but doing so will involve entering dens. Dens are scattered throughout the map and range from standard, to rare, to super rare with higher rarity giving eggs unique traits sometimes. Inside of a den players will search a nest and randomly pick up an egg and be given the option to continue searching if they don’t like their pick. Until the player has hatched a specific egg they won’t be told the exact monster that will hatch from it, though if players happen to make a monster retreat into a den then obviously all eggs will be of that monster.
Perhaps one of the biggest quality of life improvements to egg gathering is the fact that egg dens are no longer mini-dungeons scattered with other monsters. Instead they are small rooms filled with materials and with the nest right there and easy to access, making egg hunting a far easier and enjoyable experience. There are rare events that can happen in dens such as having two nests to pull from, extra materials to gather, barrel felynes running around, or even a slumbering monster inside raising the threat level. In fact, players can even have Eleanor cook food to increase the rate of rare events happening, though she can also cook other meals that have half an hour long effects that boost health, experience gain, gathered items, and more, though only one can be active at a time unless it’s a special meal.
One of the new elements introduced in Twisted Reflection is the Ranger’s core mission, habitat restoration. As mentioned before each part of a map is broken into a subzone with specific monsters and there are feral monsters that lay claim to each zone. When players defeat a feral monster the team will not only establish a base there but also be able to release hatched monsties in that zone. Players can release monsties already available in that zone to boost their stats and trigger unique stat increases for further eggs for that species there but the real fun comes from creating “mutant” versions of monsties or element variations such as having a lightning-based Anjanath. The real test though comes from defeating the invasive monsters that come out at night. These battles are more puzzle-like in nature as players are simply meant to drive them away rather than slay them and, when successful, it will reveal a den containing a once extinct monster egg within a crystal shell.
Hatching these extinct monsties and then releasing them back into the wild gives players a chance to then find not only more of that monster out in the field to farm materials but also eggs of it as well, such as a Rathian being the first available. The unique element to these extinct monsters, and a few others are that players can help unlock even more powerful monsters if certain conditions are met. For example, raising the Rathian ecosystem rank to S not only unlocks a difficult Pink Rathian that will roam the land now, but even the deadly Dreadqueen Rathian. These eggs will spawn in similar fashion in dens and can be added to the player’s party of monsties though fighting them out in the wild is another story entirely, especially since some unique monsties players can unlock early game by meeting certain ecosystem conditions can be near end-game level of difficulty. It is also rather neat to release a monster completely random in an ecosystem and see it joining far different types of creatures roaming around, or changing elements entirely thanks to their ecosystem change.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Monster Hunter if there wasn’t plenty of combat but rather than the action based combat of the core-game Stories retains the same turn-based RPG style combat it always has as well as the rock-paper-scissors style combat chart with power beating technique, technique beating speed, and speed beating power. Players cannot directly control their ally or ally’s monstie in combat but they can dictate orders to their own monstie and select their own combat moves. Both pairs of fighters have three “hearts” that are shared between the human and monstie and when they fall in combat one of these hearts is depleted. If the player’s ally is defeated entirely, they will eventually pop back up if players can survive long enough on their own but falling in combat yourself will end the fight.
As is standard, players can make use of a decent number of weapons in the game, with there being six types total tying to the three damage types of slashing, piercing, and crushing. This is handled through charge blades, long swords, bows, gunlances, hammers, and hunting horns. The player can equip three weapons at a time and swap between them to use skills on the fly, especially when targeting enemy weaknesses such as certain elemental weaknesses or body parts. Weapons and armor are crafted from materials obtained from slaying monsters or through blueprints that players can rarely find in treasure chests scattered throughout the land. Similarly, players can bring with them their entire party of six monsties and can swap between them at any time during battle, dictating them to use skills as needed to target the same weaknesses.
That being said, swapping out monsties will reset the “kinship gauge” that will prevent players from riding on their monstie and combining their strength and unleashing a “kinship attack” that is basically an ultimate move, or even a combined kinship attack should their partner also be riding their monstie. A new system called Wyvern Soul also works as a stagger gauge that can make enemies weak for a moment or even topple them to the ground and give players the opportunity to trigger a “Syncro Rush” that will also deal massive damage and boost their Kinship gauge but the monster will stand right back up as a result.
It is worth noting that compared to the first two games in the series, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection does not pull any punches when it comes to combat, almost to the point it can feel a bit cheap at times. The other two entries were mostly about guessing enemy attack types and countering them properly while this time around enemies not only actively use skills that bypass the head-to-head counter system, but also transform or activate extra defenses or offensive skills regularly. Fighting against enemies the player’s own level can be a danger if they aren’t taking advantage of elemental weaknesses and defenses, especially since many monsters can unleash party-wide high damage dealing attacks if they aren’t stopped. This means that players shouldn’t expect an easy win even when things seem to be in their favor. It is nice to note that the game does indicate when enemies are going to be a challenge or are outright above the player’s abilities by displaying a yellow or red icon above their head as they roam the field. Similarly, enemies that are below the player’s level by a decent margin can be slain by attacking them directly while roaming the field or through “instant kills” if they happen to miss an attack or want to try triggering a den retreat.
For those who really want to get in-depth and see everything that Twisted Reflections has to offer when it comes to training their monsties, the options to perform gene modification and even training missions can help boost their abilities or unlock stats and skills. Gene modifications take genes from another monstie and assign it to the chosen place on the player’s monstie, giving it a skill or attack while also potentially offering “bingo bonuses” if it matches the elemental or type of trait, further increasing their strength. Training will give a monstie the ability to venture into an area to boost its stats to match the ecosystem, meaning if a monstie was originally only a C rank with a slight HP boost, having it train in an improved S rank ecosystem can give it a full star HP boost. While not necessarily required, all of these options and ways to train the player’s party make this the most in-depth the spin-off series has ever been and with more monsters than ever before, that is an incredibly impressive feat.
Audio & Visuals
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is an incredibly impressive looking game that takes an anime-esque art style and applies it perfectly to the monsters that everyone knows and loves from the mainstream franchise. The environments themselves are nice and lush, though they can be a bit annoying to explore in some locations, and the character models are handled incredibly well. The designs of weaponry and equipment that players forge is unique and fitting to the series’ overall theme and those that want a little extra style can find DLC to deck out the other Ranger’s with special costumes too. It also really must be said that the kinship skills are truly exceptional as every single monstie in the game has a unique kinship skill that is a blast to behold, with even some of the simplest looking monsties having some rather fancy looking cinematic animations.
The English voice track throughout the game is handled quite well with the voice cast fitting their characters well enough. The emotional weight of the storytelling is believable through their acting and all of the signature monster cries are as memorable as ever. It is also nice to note that Rudy’s voice actress is an incredible improvement over Navirou from the first two games and that the main character is also voiced fully, giving them actual agency in the storyline. The title’s soundtrack features a great collection of background music that varies from location to location as well, helping to keep things feeling fresh.
Overall
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection may not reinvent the core concept that the spin-off has followed since the first two games but it has built upon it exponentially. Not only is the story darker and more engaging thanks to some twists and turns as well as giving the main character a voice. The other Rangers having solid storylines as well help keep the whole group feel engaged as players explore each new location, tracking down and fighting new monsters and rebuilding the ecosystems along the way with combat that is both entertaining and challenging in equal measure. Between these improvements and a gorgeous presentation, anyone that is a fan of the Monster Hunter would be remiss not to check spin-off out.
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Over the weekend, 2K and Gearbox Software shared the Official Character Short for C4SH, the Rogue, a cinematic introduction to the all-new Vault Hunter coming to Borderlands 4 via paid DLC in Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned!* C4SH is the first of two new Vault Hunters coming to the game post-launch via Story Packs.
C4SH the Rogue is a CasinoBot with a new lease on life after winning a magical deck that imbues him with eldritch boons in a high-stakes card game. This would be a cursed trophy for most people, but for a robot who has been able to game the solar system’s casinos and battlefields with statistical knowledge, he finally knows what unpredictability feels like. For the first time, he feels human. This drives him to play nothing safe, always bet on himself, and take as many risks as possible.
In C4SH’s new Character Short “High Roller”, take a seat and buy-in for his retelling of the high-stakes card game that set him down an unforeseen path. C4SH is playable across the entire game, allowing players to experience everything on Kairos using his unique set of skills or dive right into the new Story Pack 1 content via a new menu option, which fast-forwards any fresh Vault Hunter to the new Whispering Glacier map zone at level 13!
Read all about C4SH the Rogue’s unique Traits and Action Skills in the written Character Spotlight, and learn more about Story Pack 1’s wide variety of added content, including new story missions, a new map zone called The Whispering Glacier, new loot, and more.
Borderlands 4 is available worldwide and Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned will launch on Thursday, March 26 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.
*Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is the first of two post-launch DLC Story Packs coming to Borderlands 4. This content is included with Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition and the Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Pack, and is also available for separate purchase. Base game required.
