Even thoughHalostarted as a fairly straightforward story, over the years the franchise quickly has become steeped in a deep mythos that contains lore, history, and many side stories. The games have had varying levels of accessibility for fans depending on players' knowledge of not just past games, but novels, short stories, comics,web series, and more.But with the next game in the franchise,Halo Infinite, developer 343 Industries says that it is staying conscious of that, making sure that hardcore fans have something to grab onto in the game’s story while keeping it accessible and understandable for new and returning fans....

Quick Links Phineas Nigellus Black, the great-great-grandfather of Sirius Black, appeared a handful of times in theHarry Potterseries, but there was only a glimpse of him in the film adaptations (portrayed by John Atterbury). InHogwarts Legacy, however, he plays a much more prominent role (voiced by Simon Pegg). Inthe video announcement on X, Pegg described the character: “He’s not noble. He’s not brave. He’s just a self-interested fool.” Though Phineas is dead by the time the events ofHarry Potterunfold, his portrait proved to be quite helpful on multiple occasions — thus, suggesting that there was much more beneath his abrasive, painted exterior....

Hogwarts Legacyachievement statistics have revealed that there are players who not play long enough to hit max level in the game, but don’t bother actually spending their talent points.Hogwarts Legacy’s leveling system is designed to reward players more for quest completion and conquering challenges as opposed to winning in combat, with truly dedicated players able to hit level 40 by doing just about everything there is to do in the game....

Over on the PlayStation Blog, Guerrilla Games has provided all-new details regarding the machine enemies ofHorizon Forbbiden West. Among this new information is an increased lethality to these metal creatures and how the player will survive battles against them on a regular basis. Guerrilla has shown off some of these beasts already in pastHorizon Forbidden Westgameplay trailers such as the “fast and agile Clawstrider and thedeadly mammoth-like Tremortusk.” This Tremortusk has a body completely covered in guns that also uses different elemental attacks as well as its armored tusks....

Every mission inReady or Notis a life-and-death situation for everyone involved. Every door can lead to loss of life, whether it’s on SWAT’s side, the suspects, or innocent civilians. Perfect execution is mandatory to prevent this, and when every objective is accomplished, it’s time to pack things up and go home. However, not every mission goes smoothly, and sometimes, retreating is the best course of action. This may not have muchvalue when playing co-op, but those inReady or Not’ssingleplayer Commander mode need to know how to end a mission even when there are still things to be done....

There are severalquality game releases this July, some already out, and some not out soon enough. One release to keep an eye on isRocket Arena. A bit off the radar compared to something likeGhost of Tsushima, it’s worth a look for anyone interested in arena shooters. Rocket Arenais the latest product from EA Originals, EA’s indie production project. Coming out in two days (July 14), it features 3v3 matches where every fighter uses a different rocket launcher variant....

Initially launching in 2012, hack-and-slash zombie gameLollipop Chainsawsaw mostly positive reviews upon its release. While somecritics sawLollipop Chainsawas more of a mixed bag, that didn’t stop the stylish action experience from getting a cult following. Following Juliet Starling, a cheerleader who finds herself in the middle of a zombie outbreak at her high school, the game was praised for its charm, wackiness, and originality that made it so popular with fans....

The Kaito FilesDLC forLost Judgmentreleases in just under a week. Anyone who owns the ultimate edition ofLost Judgmentwill get this DLC for free, but it can also be purchased separately for $30. While Takayuki Yagami is the series’ protagonist, Masaharu Kaito is a fan-favorite supporting character who will be playable for the first time in this expansion. Lost Judgment’sKaito has two unique fighting styles, Bruiser and Tank, and SEGA had earlier released a new trailer showcasing the Bruiser style....

Summary In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, a world full of iconic locations, inhabited by a vast array of races and cultures, one stands out due to its unique charm, the Shire. Amidst all the great kingdoms, forests, and mountains, the Shire remains a sanctuary of tranquility and peace. Home to the Hobbits, the small and unassuming creatures who serve as the protagonists of bothLord of the RingsandThe Hobbit, the Shire stands as more than just a scenic landscape....

Madden 23has hit store shelves, which means that a brand newNFLseason is also on the horizon. This is an exciting time of year as NFL fans are given a renewed sense of excitement considering the fate of their favorite team has yet to be decided. Despite theMadden NFLtitles often receiving mixed critical reception, for better or worse they’re the only NFL simulation gaming experience fans have. RELATED:Awesome Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do In Madden 23...

Fans ofMinecraftwere likely excited to learn of the 1.6.20 Bedrock update, which would not only offer adjustments and fixes, but also included the addition of new,vicious Piglin Brute mobs. However, those who are playing on the Nintendo Switch may have noticed that the update isn’t working as expected. Minecraftis over ten years old now, but the fans just can’t put it down for long. Continuous updates to the title and the sandbox gameplay inspiring seemingly never-ending creativity just keeps players coming back, and new content was likely to only boost that further....

Monster Hunter Risewas released for Nintendo Switch in March 2021, with a PC port coming out in January 2022. The base version of the game features a total of 46 Large Monsters, including variant Apex Monsters as well as ones added via DLC updates. However, those are not all the Monsters that will feature in the game. Related:Hardest Monsters In Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (& Their Weaknesses) The game’s first expansion pack,Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakadds a plethora of new Monsters for players to fight....

Earlier today, NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive announcedMortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, which is an upcoming story expansion that will introduce new storylines and three new playable characters in the form of Fujin, Sheeva, andRoboCop. Moreover,Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermathis set to launch on May 26th, but it is important to know that the DLC expansion won’t be free. Players who are interested in getting the additional story and playable characters inMortal Kombat 11’s upcoming DLC will have to make a separate purchase that will cost them $39....