FF7 Rebirth Demo, Helldivers 2, And More Of The Week's Essential Tips

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We’re just days away from the launch of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and if you’re still (somehow) on the fence about diving into one of 2024's most anticipated games, the PS5 demo is a great way to get a taste of what’s in store. We’ve put together several guides on what to do in Rebirth’s Junon region and how to make the most of combat. We’ve also got some fresh intel on the satirical FPS Helldivers 2. These are the week’s standout tips and guides.

As much as I love Persona and have gladly sunk hundreds of hours into the many entries in Atlus’ series of RPGs, a lot of other people actually respect their time. That means they likely haven’t played or finished a Persona game. Thankfully, Atlus made 2022’s Soul Hackers 2 for people who want to experience the joys of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei but who don’t have dozens of hours to spare. The title has been a part of Xbox Game Pass but is leaving on February 29. If this was a Persona title, that timing would mean you shouldn’t even bother getting started with it. But in this case you can—and should—finish Soul Hackers 2 before it leaves Microsoft’s subscription service. - Willa Rowe Read More

A graveyard with one big tomb in the center

Obsidian Entertainment, the developer responsible for sprawling RPGs likeFallout: New Vegas, released its medieval murder mystery title Pentiment in November 2022. A smaller and more reserved title compared to the rest of Obsidian’s catalog, and an expertly written story that offers the player choices in how they navigate an intricately designed Bavarian town and the murders happening in it. It’s a game that takes risks and that, according to director Josh Sawyer, wouldn’t exist without Game Pass alleviating the need to make a profit on direct sales of the game. While Pentiment was received well by critics, it was overshadowed by bigger releases like God of War Ragnarok. But now, thanks to Xbox releasing the game on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch starting today, nobody has an excuse not to play this underrated gem. - Willa Rowe Read More

Barret, Tifa, Cloud, and Aerith stand outside of a mine.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the upcoming mega-RPG that continues the remake of one of the greatest games of all time, is out on February 29, 2024. Thanks to an update to the game’s demo on February 21, fans can travel around a portion of one of its open-world environments: Junon. While progress in this part of the demo will not carry over to the main game, understanding everything that’s on offer here can serve as an essential primer for the full-blown game. - Claire Jackson Read More

A Helldiver looks at another Helldiver whose face is covered by a black screen.

Helldivers 2, the third-person co-op experience that’s surging in popularity on Steam and PS5, is a really good time in spite of a couple of technical hitches. One of the more common frustrations is a stubborn black screen that sometimes confronts players upon launching the game. While the screen may go away after a few minutes, some users report it taking way longer than it should. - Claire Jackson Read More

Before you even set off to scale Mt. Nibel with Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s demo, there are a number of settings you should consider tweaking. While many of the base settings are fine to leave alone, some, like the graphics option, really demand your attention before you dive in (yes, we still recommend the Graphics setting over Performance, even after the update. We’ll explain why). - Claire Jackson Read More

A man is screaming on the screen of a Steam Deck while soldiers move through a jungle in the background.

Third-person co-op shooter Helldivers 2 has been a runaway hit on PS5 and PC. As it’s available on Steam, you may have wondered whether or not Helldivers is kind enough to let Steam Deck users in on the fight for democracy. I’m happy to report that, minus a few caveats, Helldivers 2 runs very well on Valve’s nifty handheld. In fact, with the Steam Deck’s unique control scheme, the game is arguably better than it would be on a standard gamepad. - Claire Jackson Read More

Scions of the seventh dawn standing in front of a big crystal

After over a decade of waiting, Xbox players can finally play the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. The game was previously only available on PC and PlayStation, but starting today Xbox gamers can take part in an open beta. If you have never tried out Final Fantasy 14 then you will be able to make an account and join in on the open beta, which includes all content up to and including the Stormblood expansion. While you won’t need to pay for a subscription during the open beta, the final release (which we still don’t have a date for) on Xbox will require both a Final Fantasy 14 and Game Pass subscription. - Willa Rowe Read More

Sephiroth holds out his impossibly long sword.

A fusion of real-time reaction speed and tactical decision-making, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s combat system is both speedy and strategic. If it’s been a while since you’ve played 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake, or if you’re jumping into Rebirth as your first modern FF7 experience, this guide will help you gain control of the game’s sometimes hectic combat system and its many layers. - Claire Jackson Read More

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