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Max Out Paragon and Renegade Points With This Exploit in Mass Effect

Posted: 15 May 2021 01:25 AM PDT

Final Fantasy 14 Endwalker Release Date Annouced

Posted: 14 May 2021 08:03 PM PDT

The next expansion for Final Fantasy 14 Endwalker will be released on November 23, 2021. Players who pre-order the expansion will be able to play four days earlier on November 19, 2021. The next major expansion for Square Enix's Final Fantasy 14 MMORP has officially been announced. Along with a new storyline, Endwalker will include two new classes, the healer Sage class and the DPS Reaper class. The latter was announced at the Digital Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest. The release date for Endwalker is considerably later than past Final Fantasy 14 expansions, which have typically been released mid-to late-summer. However, the developers have cited an abundance of content, plus complications with the coronavirus as reasons for the late release schedule. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/15/final-fantasy-xiv-endwalker-official-full-cinematic-trailer"] However, Square Enix and Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida have shown off quite a bit of content for the upcoming expansion. Yoshida premiered videos showcasing new areas and dungeons, plus the brand new class Reaper. This new class is a melee DPS that wields a scythe and can summon a spiritual avatar to aid them in combat. The Reaper joins the other new class Sage, a healer who can attack and heal using flying mechanical knives. As a final announcement, Yoshida also announced another playable character, the male Viera. The Viera is a bunny-eared race in the Final Fantasy world and female Vieras were introduced in the last Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Shadowbringers. Yoshida announced that the developers are planning to release a female Hrothgar playable class also, but the developers were unable to add this in time for the launch of Endwalker. Final Fantasy 14 was released to middling reviews, but starting with a near-total reboot called Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, Square Enix has completely turned around the MMORPG into one of the most popular and critically acclaimed MMOs currently going. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor.

Mass Effect Romance Options and Guide

Posted: 14 May 2021 06:28 PM PDT

Pokemon Snap: How to Unlock Every Secret and Alternate Route

Posted: 14 May 2021 03:20 PM PDT

Mass Effect: Where to Find and Scan All Citadel Keepers

Posted: 14 May 2021 03:04 PM PDT

Why These Modders Are Taking Cyberpunk 2077 Into Their Own Hands

Posted: 14 May 2021 02:46 PM PDT

Rick, a 37-year old from Canada, wanted to fix Cyberpunk 2077's enemy netrunners (the ones who like to hack you in battle). He downloaded a decompiler that let him sift through CD Projekt Red's in-house scripting language, and took aim at some of the bugs lingering in the source code. Rick found a lot more than he bargained for. Apparently, there were a slew of enemy quickhack abilities that, seemingly, never made it into the retail disc.

They had names like "HackDeath" and "HackweaponMalfunction". Rick tested each one out by modifying the game code to use the hack with the name he specified and found some of them worked and some of them didn't. "For some of them the hack part worked fine but the status effect they applied did nothing," he said. "In the case of something like HackWeaponMalfunction, there were four or five different status effects present in the game with names that were variations of JamWeapon, WeaponJamTier2, etc. and I tried them all until I found one that worked." [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/22/cyberpunk-2077-wall-running-returns-through-mod]

Clearly, there was a time when some of the stronger enemies in Cyberpunk were intended to carry a much larger toolbox, full of dastardly feints and cracks that could overheat your firearms or cripple your movement, designed specifically to screw up V's battleplan in every corridor. Rick can understand why CD Projekt Red made the cut. For plenty of gamers, he says, getting constantly hacked by a platoon of giggling androids might be pretty frustrating. But he still wanted to witness Cyberpunk in all of its pre-alpha glory. "I made the mod for other players like me who would like a more challenging experience," says Rick. You can download it right now, on NexusMods. It's called, "AI Netrunners Enhanced.

Thus begins the golden age of Cyberpunk 2077 modding. The most anticipated video game of last year landed like an atom bomb. We watched as the greater gaming community drew battle lines over review scores, surreptitious graphical downgrades, missing features, and eventually, a full-on refund campaign paired with lengthy investigations into What Went Wrong. But, as we reported back in February, the zeitgeist has since moved on. All that's left is a dedicated nation of mercenaries scoping out the neon streets of Night City as, unsurprisingly, an excavation project took hold. Once the game hit PCs and consoles around the world, and it became clear that all of the ideas, visuals, and mechanics showcased during the rollercoaster Cyberpunk 2077 promotional run did not make it across the finish line, modders started building back the mythos piece by piece.

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"I knew something would have to give and nothing would live up to the hype CD Projekt Red cultivated," says a 22-year old modder who goes by Wulfgaardian. "I knew there was going to be a lot of cut content that would inevitably have to be restored with mods. In spite of that, I was satisfied with the game, but of course, it's hard to go back and look at early footage and realize what could have been." [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Wulfgaardian%2C%20and%20his%20partner%20KickingWriter%2C%20pioneered%20the%20restoration%20of%20the%20clothes%20donned%20by%20V%20in%20one%20of%20Cyberpunk's%20E3%20trailers%2C%20which%20didn't%20make%20it%20into%20retail%20code."]

Wulfgaardian, and his partner KickingWriter, pioneered the restoration of the clothes donned by V in one of Cyberpunk's E3 trailers, which didn't make it into retail code. Download his mod, and the protagonist is once again blessed with a pair of thick black boots, a mesh red tank, and a sweaty pair of leather pants bound together by a metal chain -- about as Night City chic as you can get. The only way Wulgaardian and his partner could modify the existing clothes was through hex editing the game files, which took a lot of trial-and-error to see what alterations would actually manifest themselves in-game.

"I had to edit one of many files responsible for handling a certain clothing item's appearance," explains Wulfgaardian. "I could make edits to the colors and textures of different parts of clothing, allowing me to restore the clothing we saw in pre-release material not available in the retail version."

Finally, says Wulfgaardian, he and his partner had access to the V he wanted. They're not alone. As of this writing, the mod has been saved over 10,000 times.  Want the original Samurai jacket from E3 2018 instead? Don't worry, Wulfgaardian has you covered there, too.

[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/20/cyberpunk-2077-play-as-original-e3-v]

That's just the tip of the iceberg in the Cyberpunk 2077 modding scene. Other mods range from quality of life design improvements, (like tighter vehicle handling,) to small, thematic embellishments, (more cyborg-y looking eyes.) This cadre has quickly scrapped Cyberpunk 2077 for parts, and just like the denizens of the universe, they'll happily rebuild the code in any way that suits your pleasure. (It must be said: There are a lot of porn mods.) Wulfgaardian believes that this is, in part, inspired by the fractured state that the game shipped in. He notes that modders have already patched in a number of bug fixes and quality of life improvements left hanging by CD Projekt Red. After all, any PC gamer can now install a fix that streamlines the knotty inventory screen, or a keybinding that adds a "walk" function. Currently, Wulfgaardian believes that this loose network of independent hackers is lapping any attempts from CD Projekt Red themselves to fix 2077's issues, and bringing back honor to the Cyberpunk name.

"Over time, we'll have to see if CD Projekt Red steps up, but right now I believe that it's on us to build back [the game's] reputation," says Wulfgaardian. "Because CDPR is letting this game fade to obscurity the longer they wait to deliver crucial fixes and cut content." [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=%22Over%20time%2C%20we'll%20have%20to%20see%20if%20CD%20Projekt%20Red%20steps%20up%2C%20but%20right%20now%20I%20believe%20that%20it's%20on%20us%20to%20build%20back%20Cyberpunk's%20reputation.%22"]

Of course, not everyone in the community shares his opinion. In fact, Rick says he's mostly enjoyed Cyberpunk, and simply wanted to do some work around the edges. However, nobody can do it like the developers of the game itself can.

"I think people are very excited to add to the game. I think it's a really great setting to make more content in, so I'm excited to see what people come up with," he says. "But I don't think it will be possible for modders to replace what CD Projekt Red has the ability to do, so I'm also really looking forward to the expansions and patches to come."

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game about synthetic indulgence and limitless debauchery. It's set in a city where even the most flippant desire can be quickly consummated by a rendezvous at the body shop. Perhaps it's no surprise that the community has taken those same lessons to heart. Are certain facets of your Night City vacation letting you down? Don't worry, just slap on a fresh few lines of code, and keep it moving.

 [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke Winkie is a writer and former pizza maker in Brooklyn. He's written for Vox, Vice, The New York Times, Gizmodo, PC Gamer, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and wherever else good content can be found.

Resident Evil Village: Treasure Locations Guide

Posted: 14 May 2021 02:09 PM PDT

Housemarque Found Out About Returnal's $70 Price Tag At the Same Time As Everyone Else

Posted: 14 May 2021 01:56 PM PDT

For some gamers, it's been an interesting challenge adapting to the $70 price point for some next-gen games, and that includes the Returnal developers at Housemarque.

According to Axios, Housemarque found out that Returnal would be priced at $70 at the same time as the general public.

Housemarque's marketing director Mikael Haveri shared how internal demos of Returnal continually impressed Sony, who were funding the game. After each demo the studio showed Sony, Haveri says Housemarque "got a little bit more availability to scope it out more and to grow the game."

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These positive impressions led to the scope of Returnal expanding, and subsequently, it became one of the first games in decades to be sold for more than $60. Housemarque's team learned about Sony's decision to price most next-gen games $70 "around the same time as the general public" back in September 2020.

Housemarque's earlier titles, like Resogun or Nex Machina, tended to sell in the ballpark of $20 given their arcade, smaller-scale nature compared to the 3D Returnal.

Despite this lower-priced history, Housemarque was already focused on making Returnal a bigger game than its previous titles after proclaiming in 2017 that "arcade is dead." This was after lackluster sales for Nex Machina, which pushed Housemarque to start venturing into console-scale development.

Housemarque reiterated in the interview that it is focused on bringing "new content and updates and fixes," to Returnal, referencing known issues with save file corruption as well as Returnal not allowing players to save in the middle of a likely multi-hour run. Housemarque has repeatedly made it clear that they've heard fans' comments, but it appears an amicable solution is something the studio is continuing to work on and unable to promise a specific timeline on.

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Despite those issues, Returnal appears to be a huge success for Housemarque, which has previously suffered through lackluster sales of its previous games. Housemarque told Axios that the studio now staffs 85 people, "so we're bigger now than we've ever been."

If you're worried that might change some of the core tenets of Housemarque games, the studio wants fans to rest easy. "Arcade as a core tenet of all our games, the gameplay side of it, that's exactly what we'll bring to the new titles that we make," Haveri said.

 Stuck in Returnal's combat loop? Monsters and traps got you down? Here are 23 things Returnal doesn't tell you to help get you started on the right foot. You can check out IGN's Returnal wiki for more walkthroughs, tips, and where to find secrets. [poilib element="accentDivider"]  Joseph Knoop is a writer for IGN.

Trover Saves the Universe Comic Coming from Skybound

Posted: 14 May 2021 01:45 PM PDT

Rick and Morty isn't the only Justin Roiland project to make the jump to comics. Skybound will publish a new limited series based on Squanch Games' comedic action platformer Trover Saves the Universe. Skybound made the announcement during their latest Skybound Xpo digital event. Trover Saves the Universe is a five-issue series, with Tess Stone (Not Drunk Enough) writing and drawing the first issue. Check out a preview of issue #1 in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=trover-saves-the-universe-comic-book-preview&captions=true"] Here's how Skybound describes the new series:
Welcome to the ICJ—Important Cosmic Jobs—where employees are ranked by their boss, and at the end of each month, the worst employee literally gets the ax. It's…not a great gig. But when ICJ's top eyehole monster winds up dead, the company's most inept (and rival) employees, Klover and Bo, are falsely accused of his murder and hunted by the Space Cops! Now they must clear their names and unravel a conspiracy that reaches the very top…that is, if they don't kill each other first!
"When Skybound mentioned they were interested in doing a Trover Saves the Universe comic with the help of Tess Stone, I knew it was going to be something of high quality," said Roiland in a statement. "Important cosmic jobs is such fertile soil for storytelling, and Tess has successfully expanded it beyond the game's DLC to create a whole new crazy adventure for Trover fans to follow." "Working on this series has been such a wonderful opportunity in more ways than one. Not only do I get to play around in the wonderful setting of Justin Roiland and Squanch Games' Trover Saves the Universe, I was given the chance to build up and fall in love with characters of my own," said Stone. "To be able to have this creative flexibility in a world I already adore and admire seems too good to be true, but here we are! I hope that the series through my eyes can properly display my love for the world and everything within, and I'm so excited to share it with everyone!" Look for Trover Saves the Universe #1 to release in comic shops and digital storefronts on August 4, 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/trover-saves-the-universe-oculus-quest-announcement-trailer-upload-vr-showcase"] Trover fans should also keep their eyes peeled for The Art of Trover Saves the Universe, a new behind-the-scenes book being published by Dark Horse. That book is scheduled to hit stores on September 14. Trover Saves the Universe earned an 8.7 from IGN when it hit PC, consoles and Oculus Rift in 2019. Reviewer Tom Marks writes, "Trover Saves the Universe is a short and sweet VR platformer wrapped in one of the most ridiculous video game stories you'll ever see. Justin Roiland and Squanch Games have done an excellent job of taking the ludicrous, freeform humor of Rick and Morty and molding it around a straightforward but enjoyable 3D brawler – even if it's lacking the complex and well-crafted plots the best episodes of that show are known for." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Here's 23 Things Returnal Doesn't Tell You

Posted: 14 May 2021 12:10 PM PDT

Resident Evil Village: Game Scoop Podcast Reacts

Posted: 14 May 2021 10:33 AM PDT

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing topics like Resident Evil Village, New Pokemon Snap, video game sequels, roguelikes, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions. The music in this episode is from Double Dragon 1 and 2. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

New Animal Crossing Glitch Is so Fun, Fans Want It to Stay

Posted: 14 May 2021 09:51 AM PDT

If you've ever tried to make a relaxing little summer outdoor area in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you've likely experienced the pain of setting up an outdoor pool but not actually being able to sit in it. Despite looking cool and refreshing, pools thus far have only been for looking, not for sitting or swimming. Until now. A glitch in Animal Crossing: New Horizons that has been gaining popularity lately allows players to clip into things they normally shouldn't be able to clip into. Most notably, this includes pools and rivers. Now, many players are using it to do fun activities like host pool parties or go for a swim in the game's rivers. Normally, it's possible to go swimming in the game without glitching anything by purchasing a wetsuit, but this only works in the oceans, and not in rivers or pools. But the glitch isn't just limited to water-based objects. Players are also using it to sit in places they normally couldn't, such as gaps in large items like the big stuffed bears and the teacup ride: It also works with rocket ships and rocking horses, and the cotton candy machine. It's popular enough that one Reddit thread with over 1,700 upvotes has users begging Nintendo to let the glitch stick around so players can keep having fun. Part of this glitch's popularity is connected to how simple it is to do. It only requires an unfinished puzzle item to clip into whatever you want to glitch. Of course, if you want to go for a dip in the pool, do so at your own risk as things can get a little weird: But do know that if you ever get stuck you can call up the rescue service to get yourself unstuck, or just restart the game to be put back at your house. Another component of the glitch's popularity may be that there's been very little "new" in New Horizons lately. Though a May Day event just wrapped up, it was relatively similar to last year's, and there doesn't seem to be much coming beyond some more repeat events. Everyone's hoping we'll eventually see big updates like the addition of Brewster from New Leaf, but Nintendo has yet to confirm the much-rumored and requested coffee shop for New Horizons. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
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