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L’esprit de l’escalier BetweenAgainst The Storms’ critters,Manor Lords’s perfectoxen, and nowCataclismo, Hooded Horse’s roster ofstrategygames share a common thread that many guard-the-village-em-ups can fatally overlook: they present a civilisation that’s worth protecting. Even if the fallen culture you’ll defend against waves of gribblies offers fascinatingly few concrete details on its origins, there’s a lithe and impressionistic otherworldliness and use of colour in Cataclismo’s art that evokes unearthed layers of history. Also, everyone is just so gosh darn likeable, with their foppish hats plopped atop stretched bodies, and dialogue that remains resolute, chirpy, and eager, even when you’re click-marching these poor folk straight to their deaths....

Will it give the map a boost? I’ve not playedCounter- Strike 2in yonks, but I know a big update when I see one. That’s right: Valve have added some new crates just outside of counter-terrorist spawn, near bombsite A. This means that players can now use these boxes to hop from CT up to catwalk with little fuss, where previously you’d need to use your teammates' heads as a springboard. What does this mean as a layperson who sort of plays the game sometimes?...

Squash petting as yet unconfirmed Readers, something actually magical has happened! I’ve spent a non-zero amount of time this week compiling a wishlist for potentialStardew Valley-likes that also let me keep pets. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to play, but I knew I was burnt out on both stabbing and shooting, and wanted something light and colourful with a solid loop that I could veg out (pun intended) with at the end of the day....

Plus roughly 100% more evil Happily, if you hadn’t already registered to take part in the beta, you now have more time to sign up. Scroll down a bit on theRPG’sSteam pageand click the ‘Request Access’ button. The other upside is that they’ve have taken the opportunity topost a blogdangling the details of some tantalising changes, much like a delicious bar of soap-on-a-rope. Wait. What. No. Soap is not for eating, say spoilsports Larian....

How to defeat the Fire Prelate and clear Fort Laiedd in Elden Ring Are you looking for an Elden Ring Fort Laiedd walkthrough?Just finding Fort Laiedd is half the challenge, as this fortress is well-hidden on the far western side of Mt. Gelmir. Once there, don’t be intimidated by the burly Fire Prelate guarding the place; he’s not quite as dangerous as he looks. ThisElden Ringwalkthrough will help you survive Fort Laiedd, defeat the boss, and help you find the hidden NPC within the fort....

How to reach the Lake of Rot and survive the Scarlet Rot buildup Trying to make your way through the Lake Of Rot in Elden Ring?The Lake of Rot is notoriously difficult to find, and thanks to itsScarlet Rotstatus effect, even harder to traverse. As long as you know which coffins to rest in and what obelisk buttons to press, you’ll clear this treacherous lake in no time. ThisElden RingLake Of Rot walkthrough will help you survive the Lake of Rot and its annoying Scarlet Rot affliction....

Fight your way through Leyndell, the Royal Capital, and find Godfrey in Elden Ring Looking for an Elden Ring Leyndell walkthrough?Leyndell is the Royal Capital of the Lands Between and home to the first Elden Lord: Godfrey. Although you’ll be treated to magnificent views of epic statues and golden towers, Leyndell is full of sad commoners, creepy trumpeters, and other unpleasant surprises. ThisElden Ringwalkthrough will help you survive the Leyndell Royal Capital and find its boss....

Obtain the Dancing Blade Of Ranah and Dancer’s Armor in the DLC Looking for the Dancing Blade Of Ranah weapon in Shadow Of The Erdtree?As one of the best weapons in theShadow Of The ErdtreeDLC, the Dancing Blade Of Ranah is perfect for a dexterity-based character build. This Curved Sword comes with an inherent slashing attack called Unending Dance, which can easily overpower some of the toughestShadow Of The Erdtree bosses....

Obtain the hand-shaped Fingercreeper Spirit in the DLC Looking for the Fingercreeper Ashes in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree?This massive, multi-fingered Spirit summon doesn’t deal the best damage, but its ability to follow you around while casting healing spells may certainly come in handy. As one of the more uniqueSpirit Ashesin theShadow Of The ErdtreeDLC, it’s a good idea to collect the Fingercreeper Spirit when you have the chance....

It’s possible, with Xbox Cloud Gaming First, though, let’s get an awkward question out of the way: Why can’t the Steam Deck just play Game Pass games locally? It can, after all, be Shanghaied into running rival game platforms like theEpic Games LauncherandBattle.net, so why not the Xbox launcher that Game Pass uses on Windows desktops? Steam Deck Academybrings together all our guides and explainers on getting the most out of your Steam Deck, no student loans or sweaty dormitories required....

I’m hooked One of the most memorable moments ofMetro Exoduscomes from a standoff with a giant catfish, who you have to avoid for a while (along with the cultists who worship it) before going “fishing” using an entire human corpse as bait. I didn’t expect to see any rival catfish appearing in games after that, but now that I think about it - why not? They’re a naturally freaky animal, perfect video game antagonists....

Need a hint for Connections? Read our guide for help with Connections #408 This guide is for a previous day! Looking for today’s solution? Check out theConnections hint and answers for Thursday 12th December! Want a hint for Connections today?Piggybacking off the monumental success of daily puzzle gameWordle, the New York Times has another fantastically popular word game out now. It’s calledConnections, and if you haven’t played it before, now’s the time to start....

Here are all the outcomes to devouring the Draconic Essence in Shadow Of The Erdtree Wondering if you should devour the Draconic Essence in Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree?As you advance through theDragon’s PitinShadow Of The Erdtree, you’ll come across a region known as The Jagged Peak. This treacherous area is full of Dragons and Drakes and is also home to the Dragon Communion Priestess. During her questline, you’ll have the option to’devour the Draconic Essence'....