Last spring, I flew to Thailand to visit the set of Alien: Earth, the upcoming FX and Hulu TV series based on Ridley Scott's beloved series. As a horror fan, it was incredible to place myself in the middle of some iconic imagery from the series. A VR game like Alien: Rogue Incursion offers a similar promise: Immerse yourself in the world of Alien in a way no game has previously allowed--natively anyway, as Alien: Isolation does enjoy some player-made VR mods today. But Rogue Incursion can't quite capture the essence of the series for a multitude of reasons, but chief among them is a starring monster who feels suddenly toothless.

Alien: Rogue Incursion is a VR-only entry in the long history of video games based on Alien. Typically, those titled Alien--singular--look to the slow-paced original for inspiration, while those prefixed with the plural, Aliens, go for a more action-oriented take akin to James Cameron's sequel. That's the first oddity of Rogue Incursion. It's not necessarily beholden to this naming convention, but the game has you spraying-and-praying at so many Xenos that it feels more like an action game than the survival-horror experience you might expect.

This is despite the fact that the developers clearly looked toward Alien: Isolation for inspiration, from the look of the androids--which Creative Assembly had introduced to the mythology back in 2014--to the signature movement scanner that you can now physically pull from your inventory in VR. Isolation protagonist Amanda Ripley is even name-dropped at one moment, so it seems Rogue Incursion wants to harken back to its predecessor... until it doesn't.

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Before BioWare released Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, or Dragon Age Origins, it revisited the world of Dungeons & Dragons in 2002 with Neverwinter Nights. In the nearly 23 years since its release, Neverwinter Nights has remained popular with players who have supported the title with fan-made mods. Now, there's a new expansion for Neverwinter Nights called Doom of Icewind Dale, and it's officially authorized by Wizards of the Coast.

Doom of Icewind Dale was developed by Luke Scull, a game developer who got his start as a modder for Neverwinter Nights before joining Ossian Studios and working on the official expansion for Neverwinter Nights 2, Mysteries of Westgate. Scull also established himself as a fantasy author outside of the gaming realm, and he's crafted Doom of Icewind Dale as the first installment of a new multi-part storyline called The Blades of Netheril.

A screencap from Doom of Icewind Dale.Gallery

The story for Doom of Icewind Dale begins around two decades after Neverwinter Nights' campaign with the player's character left for dead and their memories stripped away. From there, players have to reclaim their identity, figure out why they were abducted, and "uncover a sinister plot to unleash a rage-filled godling upon the North."

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Starry Studio has announced that it'll be conducting a closed beta test for cross-save on Once Human. It'll take place starting on February 27 at 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET and ends on March 1 at 3 AM PT / 6 AM PT.

The beta test will only be between iOS and Android platforms, with progress during the beta test being retained afterwards. All scenarios will be available for this beta test, and progression is fully cross-platform with Once Human's PC version. Players on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Starry Studio's launcher, Loading Bay, can use their existing characters for the beta test.

In order to get access to this beta test, players will be invited via survey. Successful applications will receive an invite to the beta test through the player's in-game mail.

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An upcoming game currently featured as part of Steam Next Fest, Fellowship, takes the endgame dungeons of MMOs like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy 14 and turns them into a standalone game--no monthly subscription fee required.

Described as a "multiplayer online dungeon adventure" by developer Chief Rebel, Fellowship looks to more specifically capture the feeling of WoW's Mythic+ difficulty-scaling dungeon system and turn it into a game all its own. Dungeon parties consist of four players: a tank, healer, and two damage dealers. Players can choose from several different heroes in each role, all of which embody classic fantasy archetypes like warrior, paladin, monk, mage, barbarian, and druid.

Just like in WoW's Mythic+ system, players will have a limited amount of time to slay a dungeon's bosses as well as clear out a certain percentage of enemies. Higher difficulty dungeons will have additional modifiers, but will reward better loot upon a successful run, thus enabling players to push even higher difficulty dungeons in the future.

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Stephen King's Graveyard Shift on 4K Blu-ray

$31.49 (was $45) | Releases February 25

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Collectors of Stephen King adaptations can add one of the author's lesser-known stories to their shelves this week. Graveyard Shift, the 1990 horror movie adapted from a short story King penned in 1970, releases on 4K Blu-ray and standard 1080p Blu-ray on February 25. Amazon is offering a 30% discount on both editions, so fans can order Graveyard Shift on 4K Blu-ray for $31.49 (was $45) or just $21 (was $30) on Blu-ray.

King fans will be happy to learn this new "special edition" is packed with bonus features, including interviews with the cast and crew, new audio commentary, and other exclusive content.

Stephen King's Graveyard Shift on 4K Blu-ray $31.49 (was $45) | Releases February 25

The 4K edition also comes with the standard Blu-ray disc, the film's bonus features are spread across both discs. If you don’t need the 4K format, the film is also available as a standard Blu-ray.

Graveyard Shift, the short story, originally appeared in Cavalier Magazine in 1970 before being included in King's excellent story collection, Night Shift, in 1978. Set in a small town in Maine, it focuses on an abandoned textile mill that has just reopened. However, it's quickly plagued by a series of mysterious deaths, with workers being killed in the middle of the night.

The story and adaptation employ similar themes and plot devices as other King tales from that time. The workers discover a haunting subterranean system of tunnels underneath the factory--and what lurks inside could be the culprit for their coworkers’ deaths.

If you're interested in reading the short story first, you can pick up a trade paperback copy of Night Shift for $10.49 (was $18).

See at Amazon Graveyard Shift Bonus Features

Here’s a look at the bonus features that come Graveyard Shift. Note that the 4K edition comes with both lists below, whereas the standard Blu-ray edition is specifically the content on Disc 2.

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Dauntless, the free-to-play Monster Hunter-like from developer Phoenix Labs, will shut down May 29.

In a short and to-the-point statement from the official Dauntless X account, it was made clear the game would not be receiving any new content or updates, and that the game will be unplayable after May 29.

"Thanks to all for being a part of the Dauntless journey," the statement concludes.

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Despite the massive success of Marvel Rivals, the game's developer, NetEase, recently laid off some of the devs who worked on it. Soon after, there were reports about larger cuts within NetEase and the developers under its umbrella. However, those cuts won't affect The Blood of Dawnwalker, the upcoming vampire game from Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz.

Tomasz Tinc, one of the co-owners of Blood of Dawnwalker's developer, Rebel Wolves, shared a message on his LinkedIn account to counter reports that his studio is endangered by any of the upheaval at NetEase.

"I've also read the articles suggesting that Rebel Wolves may be in danger due to the [rumored] situation at NetEase," wrote Tinc. "First and foremost, thank you for all the warm messages and wishes. The development of our game is progressing steadily, and we're facing no financial issues. The Blood of Dawnwalker's production is fully funded, and we work alongside our partners and friends from Bandai Namco, our game's global publisher, to bring the first chapter of the Dawnwalker saga to life. The vast majority of Rebel Wolves' ownership rests in the hands of Konrad Tomaszkiewicz and other studio co-owners, all of whom are employed by Rebel Wolves. NetEase is Rebel Wolves' minority shareholder."

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim launched in late 2011 and it quickly won over players with its superb mix of action and roleplaying elements. However, it was a work-in-progress up to its release date, and Jeff Gardiner--a former senior producer at Bethesda--wouldn't let the game go out the door without personally rebalancing the creatures in the last two weeks before launch.

Gardiner told PC Gamer that he and the designers of Skyrim had a disagreement over how to balance the game. According to Gardiner, the designers were basing the game's balance on an AI predictive model that didn't take into account the way players would actually play the game. So Gardiner took it upon himself to play through the game and rebalance Skyrim's creatures in the limited time they had left.

"I came in and I went through and I played the game with all these different archetypes," recalled Gardiner. "And then would tweak the creatures and the weapons and stuff. Right before it shipped I spent two weeks doing that and was like, 'Well, I hope this is good.'"

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LocalThunk has revealed that Balatro is now on Game Pass for Xbox and PC, along with the fourth Friends of Jimbo pack. This pack includes collaborations with Fallout, Assassin's Creed, and more.

Friends of Jimbo packs are free updates that allow players to change the face cards of any or all suits in the deck. These have no impact on gameplay. In this most recent pack, the eight new crossovers are: Dead by Daylight, Civilization VII, Critical Role, Assassin's Creed, Fallout, Bugsnax, Slay the Princess, and Rust.

See Game Pass Ultimate at Amazon

Previous Friends of Jimbo packs included crossovers with Cyberpunk 2077, Warframe, and Stardew Valley. Balatro's inclusion onto Game Pass is a surprise, as Microsoft already revealed the rest of the games that'll join this month, including Watch Dogs Legion, EA Sports F1 24, and Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader.

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With the arrival of a new Superman movie later this year, the new DC Universe continues to grow on film and television. But what about the video games? According to DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran, DCU games are still in development, but they're still years away from being released.

"We work incredibly closely with [Global Streaming and Games CEO] JB Perrette, who runs that division, and it's really the first time it's ever been this way at Warner Brothers," Safran said to IGN. "James and I sit with literally the guys that run the studios underneath JB, whether it's NetherRealm or whether it's Rocksteady, sit with them and talk about characters and stories that we're interested in and that they're interested in."

It's worth mentioning that there is a difference between a DCU game and a game based on the characters of DC Comics. The DC Universe is essentially the umbrella term encompassing the new shared universe overseen by Gunn and Saffran, which includes characters like the new live-action Superman, the Creature Commandos, and a new silver screen incarnation of Batman who'll be introduced in The Brave and the Bold. To make things slightly more confusing, Matt Reeves' The Batman is part of its own continuity, the, The Batman Epic Crime Saga, that includes The Penguin and an upcoming Clayface project.

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Last year, Activision confirmed that Call of Duty: Warzone's original Verdansk map would return to the free-to-play battle royale in 2025, but the publisher still hasn't provided further details for the map's release. Now, new leaks have surfaced to suggest a more "OG" version of Verdansk, detailing some of the map's main points of interest.

According to known Call of Duty insider "The Ghost of Hope," Verdansk will return with the launch of Season 3. The leaks also suggest that the map will be very similar to the original version that launched back in March of 2020, but the insider does detail a few minor differences.

EXCLUSIVE Details on the return of Verdansk:
- Will launch with Season 3 of BO6
- It is pretty much the OG March 2020 version
- Train Station interior will be closed
- Interior of Stadium will be open BUT roof will be closed
- The Train returns
- No fast travel subway system pic.twitter.com/69aAy79RLS

— Hope (@TheGhostOfHope) February 23, 2025

One of the most notable details mentioned is that Verdansk will keep the Stadium point of interest with the roof intact. This might be a controversial map decision for Verdansk's return, as the original Stadium could often be a frustrating location to traverse. The building was usually plagued with rooftop campers, and it was also a massive structure to try and maneuver around while running from the gas.

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Kaitlyn Dever joins the cast of HBO's The Last of Us for its upcoming season season, playing the role of Abby. Season 2 is wrapped up and set for debut on April 13, and Dever was recently asked to discuss what her last day on set was like. She can't remember, however.

She told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet for the SAG Awards that she "genuinely can't remember" the last day on set, stressing that's the honest truth and that HBO has not forbade her from discussing Season 2.

"It was like a really crazy time. I feel like I was floating through set, truly, so my memory on it is a bit lost," she said (via Bleeding Cool).

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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$138 (was $170) at Amazon | Releases March 7

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The Hobbit Trilogy: Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$160

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Lord of the Rings fans have another chance to add the stunning 4K Blu-ray collector's edition to their display shelf. The Limited Edition Steelbook box set of Peter Jackson's trio of LOTR adaptations is receiving another reprint. This particular set comes with a steelbook case for each film as well as a steelbook slipcase to store them in. Over at Amazon, you can preorder The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Limited Edition Steelbook for $138 ahead of its March 7 release date.

To complete your collection, you can snag the matching Limited Edition Steelbook box set for The Hobbit Trilogy for $160 at Amazon, which is the best price we've seen in many months.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray) $138 (was $170) at Amazon | Releases March 7

This collection is a region-free import that originally released in the UK. The 9-disc box set contains the Theatrical and Extended Editions of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. If you've. never watched the director's cuts, we'd highly recommend it. These lengthier cuts add roughly two hours to the full runtime. All told, the extended version of the trilogy is 11 hours and 22 minutes, whereas the original theatrical version clocks in at 9 hours and 18 minutes. The 4K remasters of LOTR look and sound beautiful, especially if you have a TV and speakers that can take advantage of Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Dolby Atmos 5.1 surround sound.

The Lord of the Rings Limited Edition Steelbook was reprinted and sold last summer for $170. If you're interested in picking it up, you may want to order soon; last year's reprint sold out prior to its August 9 release and was never restocked at launch. It is worth noting, however, that Walmart has restocked the box set, too. Unlike Amazon, Walmart is shipping orders now. That said, Walmart is charging $170, whereas Amazon is offering a nearly 20% preorder discount at the moment.

This is the lowest price yet for the fancy LOTR box set. After it sold out in August, the collection routinely sold for $200 or more on the reseller market.

Note: Preordering at Amazon guarantees you'll get the box set for the lowest price offered between the time you place your order and when it ships. Since Walmart is selling the box set for $170, it's very possible Amazon will raise its price to $170 soon.

Preorder at Amazon See at Walmart The Hobbit Trilogy: Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray) $160

The Hobbit Trilogy's Limited Edition Steelbook includes the Theatrical and Extended Editions of Jackson's three adaptations that form the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. The 6-disc collection supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Dolby Atmos.

Unsurprisingly, this set doesn't ordinarily fetch as high of prices on the reseller market as the matching set featuring Jackson's vastly superior LOTR Trilogy. Nevertheless, The Hobbit's Steelbook box set is often challenging to find for less than $200.

See at Amazon The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Limited Edition Steelbook

Back to The Lord of the Rings: Each of the three steelbook cases features stylized artwork that you'll only find on these editions. Character silhouettes and key landmarks were are set against sparkly gold backdrops. For instance, The Fellowship of the Ring features Frodo, Samwise, and the rest of group beginning their long journey to destroy the One Ring. On the case for The Two Towers, Sauron's stronghold Barad-dur--which is now available as a massive Lego set--is behind a group of Ents, the tree-like creatures from the film. The Return of the King's case features Mordor behind the crouched and extremely determined Gollum.

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Nickelodeon's late 90s and early 2000s era was largely defined by the animation studio Klasky Csupo, and now two of the studio's best shows, Rocket Power and Rugrats, are getting new DVD collections. Whether you’re feeling nostalgic or want to introduce your kids to your favorite cartoons when you were growing up, these two massive bundles are packed with animated goodness. The Rugrats DVD is even more compelling, as the gigantic 36-disc set also includes every episode of the spin-off series, All Grown Up.

Preorders are now open for the two box sets, and preordering at Amazon makes you eligible for any price cuts between now and release. You also won’t pay until the item has shipped. If your kids have already seen every episode of Bluey, consider mixing up their routine with one of these excellent shows from decades past.

Rugrats: The Complete Original Series + All Grown Up (DVD) $149.23 (was $166) | Releases February 28

This 36-disc collection features every episode of the show, getting you over 70 hours of cartoons to enjoy. As a bonus, the bundle also includes seasons one through five of All Grown Up, following the kids as they head off to junior high. If you don’t mind skipping out on All Grown Up, take a look at the standard Rugrats: Complete Series (DVD)--the 26-disc collection gets you all episodes from all nine seasons.

Preorder at Amazon Rocket Power: The Complete Series (DVD) $68.32 (was $76) | Releases March 21

Otto, Reggie, Squid, and Twister might be the most athletically gifted kids in SoCal, capable of biking, surfing, and skating at a level that rivals most professionals. They even had a chance to skate with the iconic Tony Hawk, who made a cameo appearance in season three. This upcoming 11-disc collection captures all of the gang's adventures, featuring 71 episodes spanning over 26 hours. Like the Rugrats collection above, this is a standard DVD format.

Preorder at Amazon

Looking for more cartoons? Here’s a look at some popular shows from Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network that would make a great complement to the above bundles.

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Skyblivion, the fan-made effort to put The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion into Skyrim's engine, is finally nearing completion. TESRenewal, the modding group working on the project, made the announcement in a new gameplay video showcasing some of Oblivion's upgraded cities, but the team said they still don't have an anticipated release date yet. It'll just be sometime in 2025.

"Making games takes time, this goes double for a volunteer project the size of a AAA game that took a team of full-time devs years to make," the group said, echoing a similar statement made in 2023. "Regardless we would like to share today that Skyblivion is in a state where we can promise a 2025 release at the latest. We hope with your support to finish the final steps in completing our dream, maybe even beating our own estimation."

The group does not accept donations for their work and donated proceeds from their 2024 charity livestream to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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The PEGI board has announced that it has reversed its decision to classify Balatro with a PEGI 18 rating and will instead have a PEGI 12 rating. The game has a E10+ rating in North America, making its original PEGI 18 classification in Europe strange.

As revealed in an update on the PEGI website, Balatro's European publisher, Sold Out Sales & Marketing, successfully appealed the PEGI 18 classification. While the board originally classified the game as PEGI 18 due to explaining various poker hands, the more fantastical elements mitigated the "gambling" aspects and brought the rating down to PEGI 12.

Another game, Luck Be A Landlord, also got its PEGI 18 rating reduced to PEGI 12. In this game, players can attempt to pay their rent by using a customizable slot machine and has similar roguelike gameplay elements as Balatro. Since Luck Be A Landlord had no specific gambling skills that could be transferred to the real world, the game was able to achieve its new rating classification.

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The Jim Henson Company's cult-classic sci-fi TV series Farscape ended after just four seasons and a miniseries, but the franchise continued with a number of official graphic novel runs that will soon be collected into two big omnibus editions launching later this year. The Farscape Omnibus Book One and Book Two. Both massive 600-page volumes are available to preorder for $60 each at Amazon, and reserving your order now locks in its preorder price guarantee, meaning you won’t be charged until the books ship, and if either is discounted ahead of launch you’ll be charged the lower price. If you’re looking to add the TV show to your collection, you’ll also find Farscape: The Complete Series Blu-ray on sale for $135.12 (was $220).

Farscape Omnibus Book One (Hardcover) $60 | Releases March 18

The first Farscape Omnibus launches on March 18. It serves as a continuation of the sci-fi series, with the Moya crew facing a new threat after the events of the miniseries episodes that originally wrapped up its TV run. You’ll also get to see John Crichton and Aeryn Sun's reunion. Here’s a look at which comics are included in this massive omnibus:

• Farscape #1-4
• Farscape: Strange Detractors #1-4
• Farscape: Gone and Back #1-4
• Farscape Vol. 2 #1-4
• Farscape: D’Argo’s Lament #1-4
• Farscape: D’Argo’s Trial #1-4
• Farscape: D’Argo’s Trial #1-4

Preorder at Amazon Farscape Omnibus Book Two (Hardcover) $60 | Releases April 22

The second omnibus arrives a month after the first on April 22. Along with second half of the popular Farscape comic book story, you’ll also get the comic spin-off that tells a new story about Scorpius, one of the show’s most iconic villains. Here’s a look at what’s inside:

• Farscape: Red Sky at Morning #1-4
• Farscape Compulsions #1-4
• Farscape: The War for the Uncharted Territories #1-12
• Farscape: Scorpius: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie #1-4
• Farscape: Scorpius: Glorious Basterds #1-4
• Farscape: Backyard Barbeque

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