Gaming

Echoes of Mirror’s Edge, Dishonored and a dream set in Italy I once had can be found in Boars in Rome, an expressive parkour platformer set in dystopian Rome

• Parkour platformer set in dystopian Rome
• Movement includes wall-running and swinging on lampposts
• No release date; a Steam playtest is available

Boars in Rome is an expressive parkour platformer set in a dystopian future version of Rome, where players explore the city’s ruins and futuristic structures. Its fluid movement and evocative setting have drawn comparisons to Mirror’s Edge, Counter-Strike Surf and Dishonored. The game’s description says Earth has been…

How to get the Craquerlure Hunter Mask in The Division 2: Echoes of Central Park

• Find six candle groups at night.
• Use the required emote at each location.
• Defeat the summoned enemies for the mask.

The Craquerlure Hunter Mask is a secret reward in The Division 2’s Echoes of Central Park DLC. Players must find and extinguish six groups of candles across the map, then defeat the enemies that appear to claim the mask. The hunt should be done at night, when the…

NAT settings can affect matchmaking and chat in online games

• NAT type can affect matchmaking and chat.
• Strict connections may have trouble joining players.
• If games work normally, changing settings may be unnecessary.

NAT type describes how a gaming device communicates through a home network, and can affect matchmaking, voice chat and joining friends. A Strict setting may cause problems, especially in games that connect players directly, but a warning alone does not mean anything needs changing if the game works…

Zelda OOT Remake: Win the Treasure Chest Shop game

• Each chest choice is a random 50/50 gamble.
• The Lens of Truth reveals which chest holds the key.
• The first win earns a Piece of Heart.

The Treasure Chest Shop game in the Nintendo Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is difficult because each room offers two chests, but only one contains the key needed to continue. The choices are random, making each pick a 50/50 chance, and choosing…

Path of Exile 2 devs want to solve missing archetypes with its Templar and Marauder classes, and it’ll help Druids too

• Templar aims to deliver a genuine spellsword playstyle.
• The Marauder is expected to introduce axes.
• Both classes are hoped for by 2027.

Grinding Gear Games is developing the Templar and Marauder as the final two of Path of Exile 2’s promised 12 classes. Game director Jonathan Rogers says the Templar is intended to make a true spellsword possible, combining attacks and spells in a way the Druid has not yet…

County of Fortune, now out in early access, is a medieval city builder that asks, why limit yourself to just one city?

• County of Fortune is now in early access.
• Players build and connect multiple medieval settlements.
• Land, resources and local politics shape each town.

County of Fortune has entered early access, offering a medieval city builder focused on developing several settlements across one county. The broader scale lets players shape a connected region rather than start separate cities on different maps, with each settlement growing into a distinct part of the county.…

Path of Exile 2 Shadow class preview: Rogues do it from behind!

• Shadow brings stealth and traps to Path of Exile 2.
• Clones repeat attacks and can amplify damage.
• The class launches with version 1.0 on 11 December.

A preview of Path of Exile 2’s new Shadow class describes a stealth-focused rogue built around setting traps, creating shadow clones and striking before enemies can react. The class adds an assassin-style play experience to the game, with abilities that can combine for large attacks. The writer played…

Helene’s flood legacy, a white dwarf’s double rings and rock’s lasting hits

A couple’s experience in Asheville shows how climate change is reshaping the risks of settling in familiar towns. Astronomers find two debris rings around a white dwarf, while music stories revisit Kate Bush, Cliff Burton and hard rock classics.

Commander Shepard’s Actor Accidentally Immortalized One Mass Effect Race as Steve Buscemi

• Meer’s salarian voice began as a Steve Buscemi impression.
• His early recordings helped shape Mass Effect’s alien voices.
• He expected to voice aliens, but landed the role of Shepard.

Mark Meer, the voice of male Commander Shepard, says an early demonstration helped shape how the Mass Effect alien races sound. His first salarian was a Steve Buscemi impression, and the cadence carried through the series. Jennifer Hale, who voiced female Shepard, said Meer helped define the sound…