Dreams will offer a ‘limited’ $30 early access release on PS4 this spring

Creation tools minus some features and finer details [Update:Dreams Creator Early Accessis now available on the PlayStation Store.] After an encouraging beta last month that helped bring “ingenious and wonderful” creations to life, Media Molecule is prepping a new phase forDreams, a PS4 game designed to let players “make their creative mark on the world from their living room.” The next step isCreator Early Accessthis spring. The developers say they’ve “scratched our chins and tried to figure out the best way to put the game in the hands of our most enthusiastic dreamers and allow us to continue crafting and polishing it for everyone....

July 31, 2025 · 2 min · 390 words · Natalie Hernandez

dTunes editor’s week, day 9: Joseph Leray

[dTunes is a community-organized blog showcasing the musical tastes of Destructoid’s users. For two weeks, the editorial team is commandeering the series because, hey, we like music too. To further expand your horizons, make sure to check outthe dTunes blog.] If you were to ask people about folk music, they’d probably look at you funny. This is the 21st century, right? A few people might drop some names like Gillian Welch, Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Drake, Steve Earle, or Emmylou Harris, and maybe even Old Crow Medicine Show or Nickel Creek or theO Brother, Where Art Thou?...

July 31, 2025 · 6 min · 1228 words · Cheryl Espinoza

Dyscourse free update ‘Indie Island’ out now

Formerly known as ‘Indie Plane Crash’ DuringDyscourse‘s Kickstarter campaign, the team at Owlchemy came up with a cool idea: take the basic idea of a bunch of weirdos stuck on a desert island and use indie game developers instead. They are probably still weirdos. It was then dubbed “Indie Plane Crash;” now it is called “Indie Island.” The free add-on is available now to both Kickstarter backers and latecomers alike. Players take on the role of Emily Park, an unknown game developer on her way to the Game Developers Gathering....

July 31, 2025 · 1 min · 165 words · Cassandra Smith

Enter the House of the Rising Sun in Wolfenstein: The New Order launch trailer

…And God, I know I’m one We’re turning the bend now ever-so-quickly to May 20, whenWolfenstein: The New Orderis finally releasing, so I’ll finally stop talking about it and play it whenever I can purchase it, and so you can put the anticipation to rest if you’re just as excited as I am. I can’t help that it’s so interesting. It’s Triumph of the Ill up in here with the German version of “House of the Rising Sun” and this trailer that finally shows off a little more of B....

July 31, 2025 · 1 min · 134 words · Ann Powell

Final Fantasy XIII: Female characters’ looks come second

The obvious joke response to this headline would be something like…’yes, it’s the guys’ looks that come first.’ Final Fantasy XIIIdirector Motomu Toriyama says Square Enix’s female character design starts first with their personalities, and then they work on looks. “With Yuna fromFinal Fantasy X, we started with the back story of a summoner that fights against Sin,” Toriyama told Famitsu. “But for Lightning inFFXIII, our initial concept was just for a ‘strong woman’ — it was personality-based instead of plot-driven....

July 31, 2025 · 1 min · 205 words · Joseph Graham

First Vice trailer unveils a Christian Bale unrecognizable as Dick Cheney

Give his potbelly an Oscar this instant Watching Adam McKay, one of the men behind Funny or Die,Anchorman, andStep Brotherstransition to more politically charged films has been fascinating. you’re able to see the early stages in the end credits of theinfographic-heavy end creditsofThe Other Guys, culminating in Oscar gold for his filmThe Big Short. McKay is following it up withVice, a biographical film starring Christian Bale as former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney....

July 31, 2025 · 2 min · 300 words · Jason Hanson

Gaming bundle helps replace stolen developer equipment

17K euro stolen from A MAZE A couple of weeks ago an indie games festival called A MAZE was held in Berlin. The festival featured a whole host of games on show, as well as talks fromLeigh Alexander, Rami Ismail, Nina Freeman, Terry Cavanagh, and several other well-known industry names. Unfortunately, the event was not all smiles and rainbows. Around 17,000 euro of equipment was stolen from the venue during the event, leaving many of the people who made the event possible out of vital equipment they need for work....

July 31, 2025 · 1 min · 174 words · Antonio Neal

Gears 5 turns Horde mode into a hero shooter

Wave goodbye to traditional horde Horde mode is going to have a different feel whenGears 5launches in early September. Character selection is no longer a cosmetic preference; it’s a strategy. During today’s Inside Xbox at gamescom, developer The Coalition debutedGears 5‘s Horde mode. The biggest evolution is that it functions akin to a hero shooter. Each character has their own Ultimate ability. For instance, Kait has a cloaking maneuver, and JD can call in air strikes....

July 31, 2025 · 2 min · 224 words · Martin Martinez

Hands-on preview: Vexlands carefully balances relaxation and adventurous exploration

Few things are more fun to me than cute, relaxing survival games likeVexlands. Sure, I’m all for epic medieval fantasy adventure games and complex puzzle games here and there, but sometimes, I just want to sit back and chill for a few hours. I was first introduced to aVexlandspreview during a stressful time when I desperately needed relaxation. Going into it, I was familiar with its mix of casual survival mechanics and its more adventurous sides with dungeon-crawling elements and the overworld’s cursed lands....

July 31, 2025 · 4 min · 820 words · Donald Mahoney

Here are some of the best video games released at the end of a console’s life cycle

A nice bouquet of late bloomers I like to cling onto my consoles for dear life (as shown by my recentPS3 buying guide). I’m a little wary of anything new, I like what I know, and I’m incredibly tight-fisted when it comes to shelling out for new tech; this all means I’d much rather spend my hard-earned cash on games for the consoles I already have, rather than saving up for a new one – ahem Switch ahem....

July 31, 2025 · 6 min · 1150 words · Kevin Garcia

Hotline Miami 2 level editor beta hitting next month

Happy murder maze designer It’s been a little while since we last heard about the“almost ready”level editor forHotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. But good things come to masked murderers who lie in wait and our patience has finally been rewarded. Developer Dennatonhas announcedthat the level editor beta will hit the Steam version (and only the Steam version) on December 10. According to the announcement, the level editor will be open to everyone (no need for an invite) and all the content will be available from the start....

July 31, 2025 · 1 min · 195 words · Audrey Wright

How to get Chillet Ignis in Palworld

Of all the Pals in the entirety ofPalworld, Chillet has become a fan favorite since the game released. Now, with the release of the Sakurajima update, Chillet has a new and much more pink variant — Chillet Ignis. Chillet Ignis is a Fire and Dragon dual-typePalwho is equal parts hard-hitting and adorable. To find them, you’re going to have to travel to the new island of Sakurajima, where it spawns in select locations around the Cherry Blossom forests....

July 31, 2025 · 2 min · 237 words · Brandon Ferrell

How to stealth kill using Petrificus Totalus in Hogwarts Legacy

No need for a hidden blade here When I came across the stealth kill section inHogwarts Legacy, I laughed out loud a bit. There had been some rough tussles up to that point, and there are Dark Arts at play here, but this is something else. Here’s how to unlock Petrificus Totalus inHogwarts Legacy. How to unlock stealth kills inHogwarts Legacy That’s a phrase I never thought I’d have to write!...

July 31, 2025 · 2 min · 322 words · Kimberly Rivera