This week, we’ll help you sharpen your stellar blade, harvest XP in Final Fantasy 16, find great gear and adaptations in Another Crab’s Treasure, and more. Read on!  

We’re heading into the fifth month of 2024, and naturally, we have a full calendar of days and weeks of fresh new games to dig into. This month we’re looking at the anticipated sequel to Ninja Theory’s Hellblade, the return of Paper Mario, World of Goo, and yet another game that lets us play as a cat in a big city. And that’s just skimming the surface. - Claire Jackson Read More

There are over 30 side missions for you to accept in Stellar Blade, the new PS5-exclusive character action game from South Korean developer Shift Up, each with their own outcomes and rewards. Some are simple fetch quests, while others are multi-part affairs that see Eve impacting the lives of other characters. One, however, is an objective that, no matter what you do, will always be refused. What gives? Well, if you were just as confused as I was, don’t worry. I’ll explain what’s going on with the “Secret Request” side mission. - Levi Winslow Read More

Final Fantasy 16 streamlines many of the RPG elements typically seen in the Final Fantasy series, but you’ll still need to grind to max out Clive’s stats. Initially, this looks like a daunting task. And as of The Rising Tide DLC, you’ll have two more ability sets to master on top of an expanded level cap of 110 (or 60 outside of Final Fantasy mode, a special difficulty available only in New Game +). - Timothy Monbleau Read More

Stellar Blade, the Nier: Auotmata-ish PS5 character action game, has a bunch of chests to unlock that give you all kinds of sweet rewards, from healing items to gold to crafting resources. Many of these chests require that you input a sequence of buttons in an allotted time limit, while others need a passcode to open. There’s one in Xion, the game’s main hub world, that’s like this, demanding a passcode before unlocking. It’s called Aaron’s Locker and, truth be told, you may already have what you need to get the chest opened. - Levi Winslow Read More

Stellar Blade, the PS5’s upcoming action game where you get to play as a cute lady (feels good, right?), has had a demo out since March 29. Perhaps you’ve been playing it? Whether you’ve been enjoying it or found it too cumbersome at first, it’s always a good idea to brush up on some basics again. - Claire Jackson Read More

Are you playing Another Crab’s Treasure and wondering which shell is the best one? They all have their utilities, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all shell, but Another Crab’s Treasure does have one that comes pretty damn close, and you can unlock it relatively early on if you play your cards right. The valve shell, which has no relation to the creators of Steam, is an exceptionally powerful shell that boasts great defense, and eventually, a great offense too. Here’s how to get your claws on the valve shell as soon as possible. - Moises Taveras Read More

Another Crab’s Treasure is a bright and wonderfully challenging soulslike that’s out now. In it, you can learn multiple techniques that make combat a touch easier, and some of these are super moves called Adaptations. While you’ll collect most of the game’s Adaptations by simply going around and fighting both mandatory and optional bosses, there’s one that’s tucked away behind a fun encounter in one of Another Crab’s Treasure’s opening areas. - Moises Taveras Read More

In our review of PS5-exclusive action game Stellar Blade, Kotaku’s Levi Winslow praised the action, but found it lacking in certain areas like platforming. While the game has had its fair share of silly controversy in recent days, it definitely makes for a fun time for those who enjoy action games. Read on for tips for how to get the very best out of the game. - Claire Jackson Read More

At the end of The Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy XVI, you’ll have to go toe-to-toe with Final Fantasy’s iconic sea serpent: Leviathan. Like its predecessor, Echoes of the Fallen, The Rising Tide is already more challenging than the base game, and Leviathan kicks the difficulty up yet another notch. Not only is this a four-phase boss battle, but you also have to use Ifrit throughout the entire encounter. This means there are no special builds you can use to cheese this one; it’s just you and your skills against the monster. - Timothy Monbleau Read More

Shortly after getting tossed out of the Gold Saucer in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the party will find themselves in need of breaking out of the Dustbowl, also known as Corel Prison. To do so, you’ll have to get some feed for your chocobo to participate in a race. Part of that quest will have you finishing off random tasks in the area. One such is the “Swindling Seminar,” where you must hear out a bunch of NPCs and figure out who is telling the truth. - Claire Jackson Read More