While the genre isn't as prolific as it once was, beat-'em-ups still tend to follow in the mold of Final Fight and Streets of Rage: You're a muscle-bound mayor or a martial arts expert or occasionally a mutated turtle, and you roam the streets left-to-right beating up punks and punching trash cans to find turkey dinners. Absolum, the latest from veteran studios behind Streets of Rage 4, promises a fresh roguelike twist alongside an inventive original fantasy setting, and the result is a remarkable blend of influences and mechanics that left me wanting more.

Absolum is the first original franchise from Dotemu and its co-developers, Guard Crush Games and Supamonk, and it's immediately clear that the studios have thought deeply about how to breathe new life into the classic formula. While you do still move from left to right taking on bands of assorted enemies as you go, the newly-coined "rogue 'em up" variation means you're expected to fail out of levels and progressively build up your strength, all while discovering branching paths and quests. Imagine Golden Axe meets Dead Cells.

The Golden Axe comparison extends to the setting, which is refreshingly fantastical for this genre. Absolum takes place in the world of Talamh, where a magical catastrophe has led to an imperial crackdown on all sources of magic and wizards who wield it. The Sun King Azra is on a brutal campaign to conquer every magical land and snuff out the practice. You're part of a small band of resistance fighters following a mysterious and ethereal mystic Mother who uses a forbidden form of magic. While many fantasy stories can get bogged down in too many proper nouns, the little I've seen so far strikes just the right balance of introducing a few fantasy concepts to pique curiosity without overwhelming the player with loads of lore.

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Indulge in dishes from across the galaxy with Starfield: The Official Cookbook. Featuring recipes inspired by in-game cuisines like Bart’s Chili and Midnight Delight, it’s an interesting way to bring the Starfield universe into your kitchen. The entire book was designed in collaboration with Bethesda, and its recipes are brought to life with colorful images and step-by-step instructions to help you whip up the perfect meal. Starfield: The Official Cookbook releases on April 29, and preorders are now open.

Publisher Insight Editions sent GameSpot an early look at a few of the recipes, which you can check out and try for yourself at the bottom of this story.

Starfield: The Official Cookbook $35 | Releases April 29

The hardcover cookbook spans 192 pages, covering everything from quick bites and beverages to intricate meals perfect for an elaborate dinner party. Many of the recipes are manageable regardless of skill level, thanks to instructions that walk you through the entire process, along with quick highlights that tell you how long each meal will take to prep and cook. The cookbook even calls out dietary considerations when necessary--such as when a dish is gluten-free or vegetarian.

Preorder at Amazon

Created by Cassandra Reeder--author of The Video Game Chef--and Jim Festante--a writer with bylines at Syfy, Comedy Central, and Dark Horse--Starfield: The Official Cookbook has some serious talent behind it. So whether you're an avid foodie or a dedicated member of Constellation, it's bound to be an entertaining read.

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Given the sustained success of Monster Hunter World, we can't say we're shocked that Monster Hunter Wilds is a hit out of the gate. It's already Capcom's fastest-selling game after only a few days, and that popularity is having an unexpected side effect. Apparently Monster Hunter Wilds players in Japan have been very eager to get some cheese naan after their characters ate the dish during the game.

Via Automaton, Monster Hunter Wilds players in Japan have been sharing posts on social media about their newfound appreciation for the Nepalese and Indian flatbread with melted cheese stuffed inside. The game itself has plenty of food options for the characters to enjoy, but one of the scenes set in the Kunafa village seems to have set off this craze for cheese naan.

Salam Namaste Tokyo, a Nepalese restaurant in Japan, has even shared an amusing video about what happens when an order for 99 cheese naans comes in. During a subsequent post, the restaurant expressed gratitude to Monster Hunter Wilds for the uptick in sales and noted that employees had to run to the supermarket to buy more cheese.

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Bethesda has announced what's next for Fallout 76, and the next major update for the online game is coming soon. Fallout 76 Season 20: Glow of the Ghoul arrives March 18 as part of the Ghoul Within update. This long-awaited update allows players to become ghouls for the first time.

"Glow of the Ghoul is all about the Ghouls. This theme is for the mutated, the irradiated, the glowing and the feral of the wasteland," Bethesda said in its announcement.

In addition to allowing players to become a ghoul, the new update adds a variety of toxic-waste-themed items for players to use to deck out their C.A.M.P.s. This includes the "Unfortunate End" nuclear waste tank, the "Mini Nuke Stein," and the "Goo-Tub."

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Full Metal Jacket 4K Steelbook Edition

$30 | Releases April 29

Preorder at Gruv

Stanley Kubrick's legendary wartime movie Full Metal Jacket will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2027, but if you don't feel like waiting that long to revisit the classic film, a new 4K Steelbook Blu-ray edition will launch on April 29 for $30, and is available to preorder through Gruv.

Full Metal Jacket 4K Steelbook Edition $30 | Releases April 29

The Full Metal Jacket 4K Steelbook Edition features a 4K restoration of the film overseen directly by Warner Bros. and includes a standard Blu-ray version and a digital streaming code. It comes in a striking steelbook cover that features Private Joker (Matthew Modine) with his signature "Born to Kill" helmet. It also inherits several of the special features from the previous standard Blu-ray release, including

• Full Metal Jacket: Beyond Good and Evil documentary
• Commentary by Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onoforio, R. Lee Ermey, and critic/screenwriter Jay Cocks
• Theatrical trailer

Preorder at Gruv

Hailed as one of the best films of all time, Full Metal Jacket explores the brutal boot camp training that US Marine recruits went through before being shipped off to war and the dehumanizing effects of combat. The movie is well-known for R. Lee Ermey's legendary performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, a foul-mouthed drill instructor who improved many of his lines on the spot, and several other memorable moments that helped Full Metal Jacket earn critical acclaim.

If you're looking to build a collection of Kunrick movies, the famed filmmaker's work is easy to find on Blu-ray. Most of his movies have become cult hits over the years, and you can pick up classics like A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, and Spartacus at a discounted price from Amazon. You can check out a list of more Kubrick Blu-ray deals below.

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Firaxis is focused on quality-of-life improvements with Sid Meier's Civilization VII, resulting in a previously announced in-game event being pushed back to a future date. As such, it's not included alongside the new patch rolling out today, which brings UI improvements and the reintroduction of cross-play between PC and consoles to the strategy game.

Called Update 1.1.0, the Civilization website notes that the planned Natural Wonder Battle event has been "postponed to a later update." Instead, Firaxis is using this patch to address player feedback. That includes "UI adjustments," major alterations to "the Modern Age's Cultural Legacy Path and Victory," and a "balance pass on several Mementos." The Bermuda Triangle will also be a new discoverable natural wonder.

Civilization 7 - Ideologies Guide (Democracy, Fascism, And Communism)See More

Civilization VII quality-of-life fixes have been targeted by Firaxis even before the strategy game's full launch (there was an early-access release). Last month, the developer released a patch that took aim at text issues and missing leader portraits. Looking ahead, it's currently scheduled for Civilization VII to receive Update 1.1.1 on March 25, featuring further UI improvements as well as AI adjustments regarding scouting and settling.

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Acclaim, an iconic game publisher from the 1990s behind series like NBA Jam, has been revived as an indie-game publisher.

Acclaim was founded in 1987 and made a name for itself in many ways. It was known for licensed games, ranging from NBA Jam to Justice League Task Force, being the console publisher for arcade classics like Mortal Kombat, and its wild marketing stunts promoting games like Turok: Evolution and Shadow Man: 2econd Coming. After several high-profile flops like BMX XXX, Acclaim filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and had been defunct--until now.

Companies like Striker Entertainment, Ridge Partners, Global Force Entertainment, VaynerFund, and JET Management have all come together to revive Acclaim as a game publisher that will "support indie developers and reignite classic franchises." It plans to provide funding, marketing, and PR support for any independent developers it works with. This new version of Acclaim is following in Atari's footsteps; Atari has also revitalized itself in recent years and reimagined classic titles like Breakout and I, Robot.

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It's become all too common in the video game industry for small developers to shut down if their game isn't deemed a success after its debut. Unfortunately for Studio Fizbin, the decision to close its doors can't even wait another two weeks for the release of its final game, Reignbreaker.

Via Game Developer, Studio Fizbin founder Alexander “Pepe” Pieper shared the news on the company's official site. According to Pieper, the end of Studio Fizbin is happening in part because the dev team doesn't have a new project to work on after Reignbreaker is finished. Studio Fizbin's parent company, Thunderful, is also drastically cutting back on its internal development. Consequently, Studio Fizbin will be closing its doors after an 11-year run that included titles like The Inner World, The Inner World: The Last Wind Monk, Say No! More, Minute of Islands, and Lost at Sea.

However, Studio Fizbin will remain open long enough to ensure that its new roguelike action game, Reignbreaker, is "going to be the best game we've ever released." Following the game's debut on March 18, Studio Fizbin will provide post-launch support for Reignbreaker while helping its employees find new job opportunities in the industry.

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A reliable insider has revealed supposed new details on the Call of Duty game coming in 2026, and it sounds like the title could be notable for a number of reasons.

According to TheGhostofHope, who has accurately leaked previous information about the Call of Duty series, 2026's Call of Duty game is Modern Warfare IV from Infinity Ward and a network of other Activision studios. This would be a sequel to 2023's Modern Warfare 3.

The leaker claims COD 2026 will not be available on PS4 and Xbox One and will have a "traditional" user interface similar to older entries in the series.

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A Gears of War collection is reportedly going to be announced this summer with a PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S release. Gears of War: E-Day also reportedly is targeting a 2026 release window.

According to leaker ExTas1s, Microsoft is reportedly going to reveal a Gears of War collection during the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase in June. While the exact games in the rumored collection are unknown, it's likely going to at least include the first three, although the spin-off Gears of War: Judgment could be part of the package too. The leaker doesn't have any information about a Nintendo Switch 2 port.

Gears of War: E-Day was reportedly aiming for a 2025 release, but it's now apparently slipped into next year. Microsoft is reportedly having the Gears of War collection fill in the release calendar this year as E-Day isn't ready for launch yet. However, the leaker said that there's a slim chance that it could still make it out the door in 2025.

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Capcom has announced that Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 8 million copies in three days, a new record for the company. This is the fastest-selling game in Capcom's history, surpassing the previous record-holder Monster Hunter World by a sizable margin. When it first launched several years ago, Monster Hunter World reached five million sales in three days and has so far reached 25 million lifetime sales. Monster Hunter Wilds still has some way to go to reach and possibly surpass that number, but with extensive post-launch plans in place, it has a fighting chance to do so.

According to Capcom, several open betas, a big marketing push, and the broad appeal of Monster Hunter Wilds have helped it reach this milestone, and the company remains "firmly committed to satisfying the expectations" of players. On Steam, Monster Hunter Wilds has set a record on that PC platform by reaching the top five for concurrent players, with 1.3 million people on March 1, 2025. The other top four ahead of Monster Hunter Wilds are PUBG, Black Myth: Wukong, Palworld, and Counter-Strike 2.

Overall, the Monster Hunter franchise is the second-best-selling Capcom franchise of all time, with Resident Evil still holding the top spot. Even with Wilds adding 8 million more sales--and counting--to the franchise, Resident Evil holds a significant lead with 176 million sales in total for the franchise. It's not too surprising, given that the franchise launched several years before Monster Hunter and it has more games in its library.

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The Mobile World Conference: Barcelona event kicked off this week, and amidst several new tech reveals from dozens of companies, one of Samsung's divisions had an interesting concept for the potential future of portable game consoles. Essentially, Samsung envisions a scenario where bulky game consoles can be made more portable, using foldable-screen technology to fold them up and make them easier to carry around.

Samsung Display--a branch of the company that develops screen technology that other firms can purchase for their devices--showed off a Switch-like device at MWC: Barcelona (via CNET), demonstrating how a console could be made smaller by simply folding it in half. There are of course potential issues to watch out for that are common to foldable devices, as screens can only be folded so many times before they develop a signature crease, but the idea behind this concept design makes for a fascinating glimpse at what could be.

Samsung Display shows off some crazy new concepts at MWC 2025.
✅ Flexible Briefcase: this cabinbag unfolds into an 18.1" tablet
✅ Flex Gaming: a 7.2" gaming console with a foldable screen
✅ Next-gen OCF OLED panel that allows for a 5,000 nits peak brightness in a 10% window,… pic.twitter.com/XBUHE5pbJ1

— Alvin (@sondesix) March 3, 2025

While current devices like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and the upcoming Switch 2 don't have a foldable screen, these companies could adopt this technology for future hardware. For now, it looks like the best way to carry around a portable games console will be to invest in a carrying case for it. The other alternative is to go retro, as older devices like the Game Boy, Nintendo DS, or the PlayDate are more pocket-friendly in design.

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Konami has announced a brand-new entry in the fabled RPG series, Suikoden. It's called Suikoden Star Leap and it'll be on iOS and Android. Star Leap is free-to-play with microtransactions, and it's the first Suikoden game since 2012's Suikoden: The Woven Web of a Century, which was on PSP but never released outside of Japan.

The game follows a silent protagonist who's the son of the village chief, Hou. One night, the village is attacked. The hero, along with his friends Hisui, Shirin, and Shapur, embark on a new journey to restore peace to the village once again. Like every Suikoden game, Star Leap has 108 recruitable characters and the rest will be revealed at a later date.

Star Leap also sees the return of pixel-art graphics, like the first two Suikoden games had, and breaking away from the 3D models of the previous three games.

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The witches couldn't wait to finally move to the fabled Grimoire Groves: A forest, which - according to old myths - is a home to magical creatures and plants! But as the witches arrived at their new home, they immediately noticed that something was off. Only a few plant creatures were still around, and the forest spirits were missing. Though a shocking revelation, not all is lost. With a little dedication, investigation and magic, the witches might just be the ones to restore the Grimoire Groves to the lush forest it once was! Become a masterful witch as you grow cute plant creatures with your magic in this cozy rogue-lite dungeon crawler. Craft powerful spells and items, discover new plant types, befriend magical creatures, and restore the magical forest.

Discover the color of your soul and what lies beyond the river of death in a strange land. Accompany a mysterious celestial Raven who deemed you worthy of slaying the mind dragon. AN UNCONVENTIONAL ARPG where you battle enemies through musical encounters while being accompanied by a Raven who promises you to retrieve your voice if you slay the mighty Mind Dragon!