In 2019, No Man’s Sky reinvented itself for virtual reality. Now, nearly four years later, it’s doing so again. With the release of PlayStation VR2, Hello Games has announced Fractal, a free update for No Man’s Sky that overhauls the game’s virtual reality experience on all platforms.

In a blog post published Wednesday, the studio said it redesigned the HUD and user interface in No Man’s Sky to make every interaction within the game feel natural and purpose-built. In practice, that means Hello Games has devised some clever ways for you to interact with your tools while playing No Man’s Sky in VR. For instance, you can access all of your Multi-Tool’s capabilities through a menu embedded into the device. Similarly, you can browse your character’s inventory through a wrist-mounted display they wear on their spacesuit.

PlayStation VR2 users can look forward to a handful of platform-specific enhancements. Thanks to the power of the PlayStation 5, the PS VR2 version of the game features enhanced reflections, denser foliage, higher-quality textures and better draw distances, among other technical improvements. The PS VR2 release also takes advantage of the headset’s signature features, including 3D audio technology and intelligent tracking. Best of all, you can seamlessly switch between VR and standard gameplay whenever you feel you need a break from the headset.

If you don’t own a VR headset, Hello Games hasn’t forgotten about you. The Fractal update includes new content and features for all No Man's Sky players to experience. To start, there’s the new “Utopia Speeder” spacecraft for players to add their stable. Hello Games says this ship is perfect for flying across the surface of a planet at high speed. Additionally, there’s a new expedition that tasks players with rebuilding a solar system. Taking part will allow you to earn a new drone companion for your character, among other items. On the technical front, Hello Games has redesigned the game’s options menu to add new accessibility features. It has also added support for gyro controls on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.

All told, Fractal looks like yet another meaningful update for a game that has evolved so much since its rough launch in 2016. You can download version 4.1 of No Man’s Sky today.

According to a report from Reuters, ChatGPT is listed as the author or co-author of at least 200 books on Amazon’s Kindle Store. However, the number of bot-written books is likely higher than that since Amazon’s policies don’t require authors to disclose their use of AI.

Brett Schickler published on the Kindle Store a children’s book written and illustrated by AI. Although Schickler says the book has earned him less than $100 since its January release, he only spent a few hours creating it with ChatGPT prompts like “write a story about a dad teaching his son about financial literacy.”

Science-fiction publication Clarkesworld Magazine has temporarily halted short-story submissions after receiving a flood of articles suspected of using AI without disclosure, which was reported by PCMag. Although Editor Neil Clarke didn’t specify how he identified them, he recognized the (allegedly) bot-assisted stories due to “some very obvious patterns.” He added that spam submissions resulting in bans hit 38 percent in February.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

The biggest stories you might have missed

• How to find the best gaming console for you in 2023

• A Pokémon Presents event will take place on February 27th

• Apple's 1TB 12.9-inch iPad Pro is cheaper than ever

• Sony’s new midrange headphones borrow some features from the premium WH-1000XM5

• Beats Fit Pro earbuds now come in three new colors

• Samsung's 2023 8K Mini LED TV starts at $5,000

Bungie wins $4.3 million in case against 'Destiny 2' cheat company

The legal fight continues, however.

Bungie has been embroiled in a legal battle with cheat provider AimJunkies since 2021, with both sides slapping the other with lawsuits. Now, the game developer has walked away with $4.3 million in damages and fees after a victory in an arbitration proceeding. However, US District Court Judge Thomas Zilly ruled mostly in favor of AimJunkies last year, deciding Bungie had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove its claim. He gave Bungie the chance to present more evidence – and that copyright infringement lawsuit is still headed to trial. Bungie will use this first victory in its argument during AimJunkies' countersuit, in which it accused the developer of violating its ToS for reverse-engineering its cheat software.

Continue reading.

Microsoft is already reversing some limits it put on Bing's AI chat tools

The company says it will restore long chats 'responsibly.'

Microsoft limited Bing's AI chats early after launch to prevent disturbing answers, but it now plans to restore longer chats. It’s expanding the chats to six turns per session (up from five) and 60 chats per day (up from 50). The daily cap will climb to 100 chats soon, Microsoft says, and regular searches will no longer count against that total. An upcoming test will also let you choose a tone that's "precise" (that is, shorter and more to-the-point answers), "creative" (longer) or "balanced."

Continue reading.

Microsoft will put Xbox games on GeForce Now in an attempt to win over regulators

If the deal goes through, Call of Duty games will come to NVIDIA's streaming service.

During the European Commission hearing over Microsoft's proposed takeover of Activision Blizzard, Brad Smith, Microsoft president, announced the company and NVIDIA have struck a 10-year deal to bring Xbox games to the GeForce Now streaming service. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said: “This partnership will help grow NVIDIA’s catalog of titles to include games like Call of Duty, while giving developers more ways to offer streaming games.”

Earlier this month, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority said the Activision acquisition could result in a "substantial lessening of competition in gaming consoles," and that Microsoft already had a 60 to 70 percent share of the cloud gaming market and that, should the deal go through, it would "reinforce this strong position." In December, the US Federal Trade Commission sued to block the merger.

Continue reading.

'M3GAN' and 'Get Out' producer Blumhouse is moving into horror games

Blumhouse Games will release titles that cost under $10 million to make.

Blumhouse

Horror movie behemoth Blumhouse is getting into video games. The company behind hits like M3GAN, Get Out, The Purge and Insidious is opening a production and publishing division that will work on original horror games for PC, consoles and mobile. “We’re in the scary story business. We do films, we do TV and there is this massive, growing segment in media and entertainment called gaming,” Blumhouse President Abhijay Prakash told Bloomberg. The game publishing division will keep the budgets modest and rather than adapting its own movies into games (something Blumhouse has tried in the past), the company will look for projects that are in development and offer studios financial support and creative insight.

Continue reading.

Microsoft has struck a 10-year deal with NVIDIA to bring Xbox games to the GeForce Now streaming service. The company's president, Brad Smith, made the announcement at a press conference in Brussels, where he, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan, Activision Blizzard head Bobby Kotick and other prominent figures attended a European Commission hearing over Microsoft's proposed takeover of Activision Blizzard.

Smith said that, if the deal goes through, Activision Blizzard games like the Call of Duty series will be available on GeForce Now as well. The publisher removed its titles from the cloud gaming service in 2020. Smith's GeForce Now announcement came hours after he confirmed that Microsoft will bring Xbox games to Nintendo platforms under a binding 10-year deal — and Activision Blizzard titles if the acquisition closes. NVIDIA is now supporting the Activision Blizzard deal, Smith said.

“Xbox remains committed to giving people more choice and finding ways to expand how people play,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a statement. “This partnership will help grow NVIDIA’s catalog of titles to include games like Call of Duty, while giving developers more ways to offer streaming games. We are excited to offer gamers more ways to play the games they love.”

Users will need to buy copies of games from the Xbox PC, Steam or Epic Games stores to play them on GeForce Now. It's not clear when Xbox games will be available to stream through the service, which has more than more than 25 million users. However, NVIDIA said it and Microsoft "will begin work immediately to integrate Xbox PC games into GeForce Now."

The agreement will afford players another way to stream Microsoft's games from the cloud almost anywhere that they have a sturdy enough internet connection. Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming (which requires a Game Pass Ultimate subscription) is the main way to do that. The NVIDIA deal is an attempt by Microsoft to placate regulators' concerns over the Activision takeover by showing that Xbox Cloud Gaming won't be the only exclusive way to stream its games.

Earlier this month, the UK's competition regulator said that the proposed $68.7 billion Activision acquisition could result in a "substantial lessening of competition in gaming consoles" and "harm UK gamers." The Competition and Markets Authority found that Microsoft already had a 60-70 percent share of the cloud gaming market and that, should the deal go through, it would "reinforce this strong position." In December, the US Federal Trade Commission sued to block the merger.

Horror movie powerhouse Blumhouse is getting into video games. The company behind hits like M3GAN, Get Out, The Purge and Insidious is opening a production and publishing division that will work on original horror games for PC, consoles and mobile.

“We’re in the scary story business. We do films, we do TV and there is this massive, growing segment in media and entertainment called gaming,” Blumhouse president Abhijay Prakash told Bloomberg. “The space is hundreds of billions of dollars; we’re in a great position to try and access it.”

As with the film side of the production company, Blumhouse Games will keep the budgets modest. It plans to release games that cost under $10 million to make. Rather than adapting its own movies (something Blumhouse has tried in the past) into games, the company will look for projects that are in development and offer studios financial support, creative insight and the Blumhouse name to slap on their titles.

Veteran game producer Zach Wood — who was recently involved in Prey: Mooncrash and Redfall — will run the creative side of Blumhouse Games. Don Sechler, a former PlayStation executive who worked closely with indie studios, will oversee the operational and financial aspects.

It's hardly the first time that a movie studio has opened a gaming division. Disney used to have one, as did Lucasfilm (which now licenses its properties to external developers). Annapurna Interactive has perhaps set the template for Blumhouse Games to follow, though. The games division of Annapurna Pictures has an excellent track record as an indie publisher, having released the likes of What Remains of Edith Finch, Florence, Donut County, Outer Wilds, If Found..., Neon White, Stray and Sayonara Wild Hearts over the last six years.

There is no such thing as the "best game console," but figuring out which one is right for you is more in reach. There are seven systems that you could reasonably call “current gen,” and others, such as Valve’s Steam Deck, further muddying the waters. Engadget staffers play games on pretty much every console you can think of, and a few that you might not have thought about for a very long time.

For some, nothing but the highest-specced system will do; others just need the cheapest way to play the latest games; maybe you value portability over everything; or maybe you haven’t played in years and are looking for a system for your family to enjoy together. There are endless use-cases for a games console, and that’s why we’ve put together this article.

We’ve reviewed and evaluated every console in here, some more than once, and tried to categorize the “best gaming console” for specific needs. You’ll find 10 picks in here, with all of the big players represented, and two best "high-end consoles," each for different reasons. We hope by the end of this guide, you’ll be much closer to deciding on the perfect console for you.

Best high-end console: PS5

The PlayStation 5 delivers the most stunning graphics and seamless performance of any current-gen gaming console. Sony stuck with the traditional hardware-upgrade cycle for the PS5, significantly improving processing power and visual fidelity over the previous generation, and introducing a new gamepad packed with immersion mechanics. The DualSense, Sony’s latest controller, is a standout feature: It offers intense and precise haptic feedback along the grips, and has adaptive triggers, meaning tension in the R2 and L2 buttons changes as players equip various weapons and tools. This is something that the Xbox Series consoles simply don’t have.

Meanwhile, the PS5 offers a library of console exclusives including God of War: Ragnarök, Returnal, the Demon’s Souls remake, Insomniac’s Spider-Man series, every The Last of Us game and re-release, and a litany of Final Fantasy titles. PlayStation Plus Premium, the highest tier of Sony’s monthly subscription service, adds cloud streaming, freebies and a catalog of games to download at any time. Premium costs $18 a month or $120 annually, and there are cheaper tiers with fewer perks in the Plus ecosystem.

The PS5 may look a little funny sitting next to your TV, but truly, it’s what’s inside that counts. And hey, that’s why companies like dbrand exist. – Jessica Conditt, Senior Reporter

Best high-end console: Xbox Series X

The Xbox Series X is the most powerful gaming console on the market, and together with a Game Pass subscription it gives you an almost endless library of titles to dive into (including launch-day Microsoft releases). While we'd still like to see more exclusives on Xbox, there are major titles on the horizon like Starfield, Redfall and the revamped Forza Motor Sport. PC gamers may also appreciate cross-purchases between Windows and Xbox titles, as well as the ability to stream games from the cloud using Game Pass. Sure, Sony still has a stranglehold on big-budget narrative games, but the sheer wealth of offerings on Microsoft's platforms — including small indies, classic franchises and a ton of great games via EA Play (included with Game Pass for PCs and Ultimate) — is staggering.

It used to be that you'd have to stick with the same console all of your friends are using, but these days the availability of cross-play multiplayer on most titles makes that consideration moot. If you want to play Call of Duty with your friends, it doesn't really matter if you get an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. So the best advice now? Base your choice on the exclusives you'd like to play, as well as the potential subscription benefits. If you want to see where Master Chief goes next, or are just tired of paying full price for first-party games and some indies, you'll probably be happiest with a Series X and Game Pass. – Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter

Best budget console: Xbox Series S + Game Pass

The Xbox Series S packs enough power to play the latest and greatest games, but it truly shines as a semi-portable Game Pass machine. The Series S is a disc-less, compact console that typically costs $300, though it’s frequently on sale for $250 to $270. This little rectangular baby can play games at resolutions higher than 1080p, though it won’t hit 4K, and it’s less powerful overall than the Series X. The Series S also has less storage space than its big sibling, and this is its main drawback.

That’s where Game Pass comes in. A Game Pass Ultimate subscription unlocks cloud streaming on the Series S (as well as PC and mobile devices), allowing players to dive into a large library without downloading anything. Game Pass Ultimate is $15 a month, with the first month for $1. Microsoft has the most reliable cloud network in the business and it’s committed to releasing all of its big new Xbox Game Studios titles on Game Pass day-one. Sony has yet to make such a promise with in-house launches on PlayStation Plus.

Even without Game Pass, the Series S is the cheapest way to participate in the Xbox console ecosystem and it’ll play every game the Series X can. You might just have to delete downloads as you go. – J.C.

Best for local multiplayer: Nintendo Switch

It's a pity that the rise of online multiplayer meant the death of local options for most gaming consoles — that is, except for the Nintendo Switch. Chalk it up to Nintendo's legacy: It's a company that's always prioritized the simple beauty of playing with your friends and family on the couch. Be it four players racing against each other locally in Mario Kart, or diving into an assortment of mini-games in Mario Party, you can have a blast using a single Switch hooked up to a TV. It's a cinch to connect other controllers to let your friends join — something they'll likely have on-hand if they have their own Switch. And since it's a portable console, you can always play against others over local networks, giving you the beauty of being together with friends while also having your own private screen. Just try doing that with a PS5. – D.H.

Best couch portable: Valve Steam Deck

The idea of a portable console that’s primarily used at home might feel counterintuitive, but this is actually how a lot of people prefer to play games, and the Steam Deck helped prove it. The Steam Deck came out in February 2022 and quickly emerged as a popular PC portable for people who wanted to spend time away from their desks, but not their Steam libraries. It’s a chunky handheld gaming console with dual analog sticks and trackpads; standard face buttons, bumpers and triggers; four rear clickers, and a 7-inch LCD touchscreen. It’s big and strangely beautiful, and plays most PC games just fine.

The Steam Deck starts at $400 and tops out at $650, making it relatively affordable in the world of PC portables. The Steam Deck is a little too big and battery-sucking to be a must-have carry-on while traveling, but it’s perfect for cuddling on the couch – with a supportive pillow and power outlet nearby. – J.C.

Best for first time gamers: Nintendo Switch Lite

Nintendo has a history of making tank-like portable consoles, and the Switch Lite is no exception. It's just as fast as its larger sibling, but since it has integrated controls, you won't have to worry about any Joy-cons flying away if it's dropped. The Switch Lite's 5.5-inch screen and smaller frame always makes it easier for tiny hands to hold, something I've found particularly useful as my four-year-old daughter is finally getting into games. There's a wide variety of child-friendly content available on the Switch, but we'd recommend diving into the classic of library Nintendo titles via the console's online service. Kids will ultimately figure out Minecraft on their own, but it's up to the older generation to instill the value of proper platforming with Super Mario Bros. 3. – D.H.

Best for commuting: Nintendo Switch Lite

The Switch Lite is by far the cutest handheld gaming console on the market today and this is just one reason it’s ideal for use in public. The Switch Lite is a tiny, lightweight handheld with a 5.5 inch LCD touchscreen and basic gamepad buttons, and it’s sold in a variety of colorways and special editions. It feels natural to pull out while on the bus, riding the subway, in a waiting room, or just hanging out at a cafe, bar or park. It’s a low-profile portable that offers a library of engaging games from Nintendo and beyond, including exclusive franchises like The Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, Mario Kart, Smash Bros., Bayonetta, Animal Crossing and Kirby.

In comparison to the standard Switch, the Lite model is sturdier for everyday commutes because it doesn’t have detachable controllers and it takes up less space in your bag. It’s also about $150 cheaper than the larger Switch, at $200. – J.C.

Best for air travel: Nintendo Switch

The Switch's hardware may be showing its age, but it's still the best way to get some gaming in during long flights. Having a 6.2-inch screen (or 7-inches with the pricier Switch OLED) in your hands makes it easy to ignore annoying seat neighbors, countless delays and all of the other indignities of air travel. The Switch should also survive for several hours of gameplay, and it's easy to charge for longer journeys. While the Steam Deck may be tempting, it's also so large it'll likely fill up much of your backpack. The Switch can still fit alongside your computer and other gear, and its game library is so vast, you'll never be left wanting for things to play. – D.H.

Best handheld gaming console for nostalgia: Retroid Pocket 3

The Retroid Pocket 3 is an accessible, streamlined emulation machine that’s capable of handling games from the sixth generation down – that’s anything up to the GameCube and PlayStation 2. It can even run some PSP games, apparently, but at this point, you’re just getting greedy. The Retroid Pocket 3 brings classics like Super Mario RPG, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy IX and so many others to modern audiences, and they all look better than ever.

What’s more, the Retroid Pocket 3 is an Android-based handheld gaming console, which means it also works as a hub for cloud streaming through services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This little device is tinier than a Switch Lite and it has a 4.7 inch LCD touchscreen – that’s smaller than Nintendo’s latest handheld but bigger than the screen of a classic Game Boy, for what it’s worth. What’s most astonishing about the Retroid Pocket 3 is its price: just $150. – J.C.

Best console with a large game streaming library: Xbox Series X (or S)

For console gamers, Microsoft's Game Pass subscription has been a revelation. For $10 a month, you can play hundreds of games, including all of Microsoft's first-party software, as well as major titles like Monster Hunter Rise and A Plague Tale Requiem. Even better, Microsoft-owned titles are available the day they're released! Bump up to the $15 Game Pass Ultimate tier and you'll also get access to cloud gaming, which lets you stream select titles to your phone, computer and even some TVs. The sheer variety of content on Game Pass makes it hard to stomach paying full price for a game ever again.

Sony's response to Game Pass amounts to an evolution of its PlayStation Plus service. Its highest-tier "Premium" offering costs $18 a month, and it also gives you access to a large library of titles and cloud streaming. But, Sony isn't adding first-party titles to any PS Plus tier the day they launch — you'll either have to pay full price, or wait until they get added to the rotation. Until Sony caves, having release day access to titles makes Game Pass the obviously better subscription service. – D.H.

Late last year, Microsoft announced that it was "committed" to bringing Call of Duty (CoD) to Nintendo for 10 years if its Activision Blizzard acquisition was approved. Now, president Brad Smith has tweeted that the "binding" 10-year contract has been signed, and confirmed that Nintendo would get the same access to CoD as Xbox.

"Microsoft and Nintendo have now negotiated and signed a binding 10-year legal agreement to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo players — the same days as Xbox, with full feature and content parity," Microsoft wrote in a statement. "We are committed to providing long term equal access to Call of Duty to other gaming platforms." 

Microsoft previously said that it offered Sony a similar deal for PlayStation consoles, and committed to offer the game on Steam at the same time as Xbox — provided the merger goes through, of course.

The deals are all part of Microsoft's efforts to convince regulators allow its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard to proceed. The deal is strongly in limbo right now, as the US Federal Trade Commission has sued to block the takeover, and the UK may require Activision to divest parts of its business for the merger to proceed. 

On top of that, the European Union is reportedly set to join the UK in declaring that the proposed acquisition could reduce competition. To that end, Microsoft reportedly requested a hearing with EU regulators to defend the deal — and that meeting is set for today, according to Reuters. 

The acquisition ran afoul of regulators from the start over concerns that it would cut off Sony's PS5 and other consoles from key games, particularly CoD. Sony vehemently opposes the deal, having called it a "game-changer that poses a threat to our industry." Microsoft has said that Sony's comments were "self-serving" and promised to support Call of Duty on PlayStation "forever."

Two years after indie survival game Valheim became an instant smash hit on PC, it has a console release date. It's coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on March 14th. Valheim will be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers at no extra cost. The game's currently on PC Game Pass too.

Initially built by a five-person team at developer Iron Gate Studio, Valheim sold 5.7 million copies in its first five weeks and it was one of the highest-earning games on Steam in 2021. Players can team up with up to nine of their friends to go hunting, collect supplies, build bases, sail the seas, explore biomes, take down bosses and, of course, go fishing in a procedurally generated Viking afterlife.

Valheim will be available as a game preview on Xbox at the outset. "There's still a lot left to add before the game can leave Early Access," the game's Twitter account noted. Those who dive into Valheim on Xbox will be able to join up with pals who play on PC, as there's crossplay support.

Octopath Traveler 2 is a retro-styled RPG, set in another steampunk-esque fantasy world. Square Enix isn’t reinventing the turn-based RPG for this sequel, instead expanding and (mildly) correcting some of the weaker parts of the original. There are new battle dynamics and moves, a well-utilized day-and-night game mechanism, and shared stories that attempt to convey a connection between the eight narratives. But it’s still a casual one. If Final Fantasy XV was about four best buddies going on a road-trip, then Octopath Traveler 2 is more like an Uber Pool rideshare. There might be friendly small talk, but there’s still not enough of a meaningful connection between the eight protagonists.

Nintendo

Octopath Traveler 2 doesn’t offer any technical graphical upgrades I need to explain, although there seems to be a little more detail to both the sprites and environments. It’s still a pretty game. Half of the appeal is how games like this coax my memories of 16- and 32-bit games.

Having said that, the team behind this series has realized they can play with the scale a bit more: this is the Nintendo Switch, not a SNES. In some of the opening scenes for Hikari the warrior, characters rush past a crowd of 40 or so fighting in a desert. Developers Acquire and Team Asano have amped up the cinematic cutscenes a little more, too. Cameras will pan out and around your characters, as they brood on cliff faces, or as they’re forced to kill their abusive parents.

OP2 tries, only ever so slightly, to convey the idea that you’re on a collective journey. Once you’ve chosen your main character (who will be ‘locked’ into your party until you complete all five chapters of their story), you’ll bump into other travelers. Then you’ll be given the option to play through their origin story, or circle back to it at the local tavern at a time that’s suitable for you.

Nintendo

Occasionally there will be some minor banter elements, called “shared stories” where two characters will share a few scenes together. These often connect stories and offer up some rewards. Still, it’s a little too infrequent – and not enough to get the impression this is a team of heroes helping each other to save the world from various calamities – or become a global dance superstar. (Yes, that’s someone’s aim.)

Osvald, the scholar, starts his journey in prison, accused of killing his wife and child. He’s this game’s defacto black mag,e with an array of elemental attacks. Still, this time, given his gritty backstory, his path actions (abilities and interactions you can make with non-playable characters in towns, and generally any time outside of battles) aren’t your typical black mage traits. One is scrutinize, a risky way of gleaning information from characters, while the other is mug, where you can duel pretty much any NPC you come across, and steal their possessions if you win.

However, with eight characters, many path actions overlap. Castti, an item expert and apothecary, can inquire for the same information you can get from scrutinizing, without any risk – she just has to be a high enough level. Meanwhile, Throné, the thief, can steal during daylight hours, giving the same results of a mugging without the fight.

Alongside those skills, each character also starts with a unique talent, offering battle abilities or passive skills that others won’t be able to use, even after unlocking secondary classes.

Nintendo

Like the original, the battle system comes into its own once you can switch around job roles. To do so, however, you’ll need to find the guild for each job to unlock it. Some are easy enough to find – I came across two of the ‘secret’ jobs entirely by accident – while others are eluding me even now, 60 hours into the game, at roughly level 60 across my party. Where are you, hunter guild!?

More effort has been made to tonally differentiate the eight tales of Octopath Traveler 2 compared to its predecessor. With Temenos the cleric, who works as some sort of blasphemy hunter/mystery solver, gets a few scenes where he’s trying to solve crime scene mysteries. It’s not exactly Phoenix Wright, with all the clues there, twinkling away, waiting for you to walk up to them, but it helps to make the chapters feel different to the others.

Partitio, the merchant, likewise, has a story that feels like some whimsical K-drama, as this entrepreneur makes friends of enemies and travels the world striking deals. He gets an oddly bizarre montage of his final deal striking, hopping on ships and visiting a few secondary characters you probably already forgot. The aforementioned Castii starts the game with amnesia (ah that video game classic), and if there’s anything shared across most of the characters, it’s the sense that most of them are unreliable narrators. Rounding out the cast you have Agnea, the dancer, and Ochette, the hunter. (Not all eight will resonate with everyone, will they?)

Even the final chapters for each of the eight characters only results in a few extra banter scenes. I’m playing through the final chapters for each character, and if it's anything like OP1, this will probably unlock a true final area, dungeon and boss. At this point, I doubt all the themes and story will coalesce into a satisfying conclusion — there’s been some allusions to a ‘shadow’, but that’s true of 90 percent of all RPGs. /I’ll be happy with another challenging boss.

Nintendo

The battle dynamics follow the same formula of the last game: you aim to break the enemies’ defenses through applying elemental and weapon weaknesses. Break them, and they’ll stop attacking — or reset the charge-up to their high damage abilities – allowing you to do increased damage, or carefully heal and prepare for the next part of the fight. Once again, you’ll be able to boost attacks as a battle continues, augmenting damage or extending the length of strengthening spells and other boons.

The sequel adds latent powers, a limit-break styled super attack unique to each character. For some, this allows them to handily perform two actions at once, while others will deal augmented damage or supercharge spells and physical attacks. This was how I found my favorite characters and they seemed to stick around the squad longer. (Thank you for your service, Throné.)

Day and night affect the entire game, and thankfully it’s an easy trigger button that you can tap at any time outside of a battle. There are benefits to fighting during night, depending on the characters. Throné and Temenos offer debuffs and buffs at the start of nighttime fights, although it seems like fights are generally tougher than during the day. You will also come across different enemies depending on the time of day. This transition will also move NPCs around the town, or make them disappear entirely. The music also thoughtfully segues between the two states, which is a nice touch. Yet again, OP2 has a polished soundtrack, filled with orchestral bangers and several battle-theme earworms.

OP2 builds on the strengths of the first game, with lots of non-linear options to the story, with enough of a difference between chapters to break it all up. However, there still isn’t quite enough cohesion between the travelers and the tales they weave.

Octopath Traveler 2 launches on Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 and Steam on February 24th.

After years of rumors, Nintendo is finally bringing Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles to its Switch Online service. The company revealed during its latest Nintendo Direct that games from its early handhelds will be available on Switch today.

The Game Boy titles you can spend the entire rest of your week on include Tetris, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, Gargoyle's Quest, Game & Watch Gallery 3, Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Wario Land 3 and Kirby's Dream Land. You'll be able to play the games with Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket and Game Boy Color screen filters and there's support for two-player local and online play.

As for GBA titles, you can play Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames, Kuru Kuru Kururin, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap today. There's support for four-player multiplayer both locally and online.

The Game Boy titles will be available on the base version of Switch Online. You'll need to plump for the Switch Online + Expansion Pack to access the GBA ones. More titles for both platforms will be added later, including several Zelda titles, Pokémon Trading Card Game, Metroid Fusion and Fire Emblem.

If you like Squid Game but not enough to brave the real-life version, you'll soon have a VR option. Netflix has partnered with Sandbox VR to produce a game based on the Korean TV series, and from "late 2023," you'll be able to enter this gruesome dystopia at any of the Sandbox VR arcades around the world. The game developer has over 30 locations globally — 26 of which are in North America — at the time of writing, which is a much needed rebound after lying dormant throughout the worst part of the pandemic.

According to Sandbox VR, its upcoming experience will have players "transported to iconic Squid Game locations, where they become contestants in a variety of pulse-pounding challenges inspired by the Netflix series." You'll "compete against each other to be the last one standing" — presumably without anyone actually dying. As with all Sandbox VR games, players will be able to immediately rewatch, share and even download a personalized mixed-reality highlight reel.

The San Francisco-based VR company didn't share further details on its Netflix collaboration, but judging by my recent experience with its latest zombie-shooter, Deadwood Valley (pictured above), the upcoming Squid Game title shouldn't disappoint. All Sandbox VR games allow up to six players to roam around freely in each room, while wearing wrist and ankle trackers for full-body motion capture, as well as a bHaptic TactSuit to feel gunshots or zombie scratches. Players also hold a prop weapon that matches the size of its virtual counterpart, thus making these VR games more immersive than they already are.

I'm anticipating the likes of Red Light, Green Light, hopscotch and Squid making their way into the Squid Game VR experience, but I'm less keen on the idea of licking a prop to solve the dalgona candy puzzles.