Baldur’s Gate 3 brings loads of D&D spells to life with scrolls, and you can use them even if you’re not a wizard. Spell scrolls are scattered all over the world in Baldur’s Gate 3, some stashed away in book rows and chests, and some can be looted from fallen foes’ corpses.

Still, though these methods often leave things up to chance, spell scrolls can also be obtained from vendors all over the realm. Whether the plan is to consume the scroll in one use or have a wizard learn it in exchange for some gold, here is every spell scroll in BG3.

Baldur’s Gate 3: All Common Spell Scrolls in BG3

Appearance	Scroll Name	How to Get It
	Scroll of Protection from Evil and Good	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove
	Scroll of Ice Knife	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove
	Scroll of Mage Armor	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Fire Bolt	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Fire Hands	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Aid	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Tasha’s Hideous Laughter	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony
	Scroll of Feather Fall	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Expeditious Retreat	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Scorching Ray	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Bestow Curse	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Chromatic Orb	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Sleet Storm	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Shocking Grasp	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Witch Bolt	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Ray of Frost	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Ray of Enfeeblement	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Ray of Sickness	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Magic Missile	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Fog Cloud	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of False Life	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Sleep	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Charm Person	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate

Baldur’s Gate 3: All Uncommon Spell Scrolls in BG3

Appearance	Scroll Name	How to Get It
	Scroll of Crown of Madness	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove
	Scroll of Melf’s Acid Arrow	Cyrel’s Store, The Risen Road
	Scroll of Enlarge	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Misty Step	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony
	Scroll of Arcane Lock	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Hold Person	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Invisibility	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Speak with the Dead	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Web	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Shatter	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Mirror Image	Cyrel’s Store, The Risen Road Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Gust of Wind	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Flaming Sphere	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Darkness	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Blindness	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of See Invisibility	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Blur	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Detect Thoughts	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Darkvision	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate

Baldur’s Gate 3: All Rare Spell Scrolls in BG3

Appearance	Scroll Name	How to Get It
	Scroll of Vampiric Touch	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn
	Scroll of Knock	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Banishment	Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn
	Scroll of Feign Death	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn
	Scroll of Glyph of Warding	Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Slow	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony
	Scroll of Haste	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Dimension Door	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Fly	Arron’s Store, Emerald Grove Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gatedries
	Scroll of Stinking Cloud	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Gaseous Form	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Conjure Minor Elemental	Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Fear	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Confusion	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Hypnosis	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Phantasmal Killer	Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Evard’s Black Tentacles	Blurg’s Store, Myconid Colony Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Fireball	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Protection from Energy	Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Stoneskin	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Fire Shield	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Ice Storm	Quartermaster Talli’s Store, Last Light Inn Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Wall of Fire	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Blight	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Polymorph	Found in chests and bookcases

Baldur’s Gate 3: All Very Rare Spell Scrolls in BG3

Appearance	Scroll Name	How to Get It
	Scroll of Wall of Ice	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Wall of Stone	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Telekinesis	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Seeming	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Hold Monster	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Flesh to Stone	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Disintegrate	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Eyebite	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Dominate Person	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Cone of Cold	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Planar Binding	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Otto’s Irresistible Dance	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Sunbeam	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Circle of Death	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Invulnerability	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Chain Lightning	Sorcerous Sundries, Baldur’s Gate
	Scroll of Cloudkill	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Dethrone	Found in chests and bookcases
	Scroll of Artistry of War	Found in the Sorcerous Vault by reading a book called The Red Knight’s Final Stratagem.
	Scroll of Bestial Communion	Found in the Sorcerous Vault by reading a book called Caution Before the Seelie.

By knowing where to find all the Spell Scrolls, you can ensure that any of your Wizard builds will function as planned. After all, Spell Scrolls can be used to learn spells on a permanent basis. To do this, select your Wizard character and open your inventory. Then, hover the mouse over the scroll you wish to learn, right-click on it, and check if it’s a spell you can learn. If it is, an option to spend gold and learn it permanently will appear.

All Spell Scrolls Listed by Level

Here are all of the level 1 Spell Scrolls in BG3:

• Animal Friendship
• Burning Hands
• Charm Person
• Chromatic Orb
• Colour Spray
• Disguise Self
• Expeditious Retreat
• False Life
• Feather Fall
• Find Familiar
• Fog Cloud
• Goodberry
• Grease
• Ice Knife
• Jump
• Longstrider
• Mage Armour
• Magic Missile
• Protection from Evil and Good
• Ray of Sickness
• Sleep
• Summon Quasit
• Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
• Thunderwave
• Witch Bolt

Here are all of the level 2 Spell Scrolls in BG3:

• Aid
• Arcane Lock
• Blindness
• Blur
• Cloud of Daggers
• Crown of Madness
• Darkness
• Darkvision
• Detect Thoughts
• Enlarge
• Flame Blade
• Flaming Sphere
• Gust of Wind
• Hold Person
• Invisibility
• Knock
• Magic Weapon
• Melf’s Acid Arrow
• Mirror Image
• Misty Step
• Phantasmal Force
• Ray of Enfeeblement
• Scorching Ray
• See Invisibility
• Shatter
• Web

All level 3 spells in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Animate Dead
• Bestow Curse
• Blink
• Fear
• Feign Death
• Fireball
• Fly
• Gaseous Form
• Glyph of Warding
• Haste
• Hypnotic Pattern
• Lightning Bolt
• Protection from Energy
• Remove Curse
• Revivify
• Sleet Storm
• Slow
• Speak with Dead
• Stinking Cloud
• Vampiric Touch

Here are all of the level 4 Spell Scrolls in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Banishment
• Blight
• Confusion
• Conjure Minor Elemental
• Dimension Door
• Evard’s Black Tentacles
• Fire Shield
• Greater Invisibility
• Ice Storm
• Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
• Phantasmal Killer
• Polymorph
• Stoneskin
• Wall of Fire

All of the level 5 Spell Scrolls in BG3:

• Artistry of War
• Cloudkill
• Cone of Cold
• Conjure Elemental
• Dethrone
• Dominate Person
• Hold Monster
• Planar Binding
• Seeming
• Telekinesis
• Wall of Stone

Finally, all of the most powerful Spell Scrolls in Baldur’s Gate 3, the level 3 Spell Scrolls:

• Bestial Communion
• Chain Lightning
• Circle of Death
• Disintegrate
• Eyebite
• Flesh to Stone
• Globe of Invulnerability
• Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere
• Otto’s Irresistible Dance
• Sunbeam
• Wall of Ice

The number of PC exclusive titles shrinks every year, with more console ports being announced every year. However, there are still plenty of titles that haven’t made the jump to any of the major consoles, either because the developer doesn’t see the need to port the game or because it simply won’t work without the keyboard and mouse control scheme. Here are some of the all-time best PC-exclusive games and why you should play them.

The best PC exclusive games of all time, our top ten picks

While Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all courted indie developers to their consoles over the years, the PC is often where some of the most creative and unique games get their start. Some of these indie hits like Among Us make the jump to consoles, but many remain exclusive to their PC roots.

Endless Legend

It’s one thing to fight against other human nations for domination, but Endless Legends adds a fantasy twist to this formula. Giving you the chance to control elves, orcs, and other fantasy races as you vie for control of the world. Each nation has its own strengths and weaknesses and exploiting those becomes the key to success. The setting is a bit dark and it has a steep learning curve, but once you wrap your head around it, Endless Legend is a great PC exclusive to dive into.

FTL: Faster Than Light

You’re the captain of a ship with a difficult mission – make it to the other end of the galaxy and stop an invading alien armada before it can reach Earth. To do so, you’ll need to recruit other aliens and find parts and fuel on your way to your final confrontation. FTL is a brutally difficult rogue-like, with each playthrough depending heavily on how lucky you get with random encounters. However, that difficulty makes it all the more satisfying when you finally manage to make it to the end and save humanity.

Half-Life: Alyx

We may never get to see the long-delayed Half-Life 3, but Half-Life: Alyx gave us a taste of what that game might have been. Set five years before the events of Half-Life 2, we got to follow the story of Alyx Vance as they attempt to steal an alien superweapon. This game has remained a PC exclusive since its 2020 release partly because it is a VR shooter and is tied heavily to the PC architecture. It may eventually see a release on console VR, but for now, it remains exclusive to PCs.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is one of the most unique MMO experiences you’ll ever play. Instead of offering a set quest list, the game encourages exploration to find the next bit of the story. Along with the unique leveling system, this game can throw even experienced MMO players for a loop at first. However, more than a decade after its release it continues to get excellent story and content updates, maintaining a healthy and active community.

Lost Ark

This is one of the biggest MMO hits of the last year. Lost Ark is a free-to-play MMO that is exclusive to PC. There are multiple classes to experiment with, a deep story to follow, and dungeons to complete as part of your journey to uncover the mysteries of the continent. Once you’ve reached the end game content, you can go back and start again with another class, skipping many of the early missions and starting immediately at a higher level to save you unnecessary grinding.

The Stanley Parable

The Stanley Parable is a game about video games and the infinite choices that they present. Though it eventually got a port that was available for consoles, the original remains one of the best PC-exclusive games of all time, constantly breaking the fourth wall and exploring what happens when you, the player, try to go where the game developer doesn’t want you to.

Total War: Warhammer III

In the grim-dark future, there is only war. Total War: Warhammer is a real-time strategy game set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. This game is hectic, challenging, and fun in equal measure, offering players multiple modes to play through and objectives to complete. The game’s controls can be very complicated at times, making this one that might not appeal to beginners to the genre, but returning fans will find plenty to love here.

World of Warcraft

Nearly two decades after its initial release, World of Warcraft is still one of the biggest names in online gaming. Most MMO players cut their teeth on this massive title and it has remained hugely influential throughout multiple expansions and re-releases over the years. WoW might not be the only name in MMOs anymore, but it is still one of the best PC-exclusive games you’ll find.

Counter-Strike

Despite being one of the oldest games on this list, Counter-Strike has managed to maintain its relevance with seeming effortlessness. It offers a fast-paced and dynamic gameplay experience that is both challenging and rewarding. The game is renowned for its realistic approach to gun lethality. In the competitive environment it creates, each decision can mean life or death, lending intensity and engagement to every match.

Escape from Tarkov

Escape from Tarkov pushes the boundaries of the survival genre by introducing a high level of realism and a multitude of systems. The choices players make are crucial because they determine what resources they bring into each raid, which quests they undertake, and how they engage with enemies. This makes every decision in the game meaningful and impactful.

Starcraft 2

Starcraft 2 provides a rich single-player campaign that immerses players in a compelling story. In addition to this, it offers one of the most polished competitive multiplayer experiences ever made. This diversity in gameplay modes ensures that there’s something for every type of player. The game also brings a sense of nostalgia, as it retains the look and feel of the original StarCraft while introducing new elements. Starcraft 2 has been critically acclaimed and is often featured on live-streaming platforms, indicating its popularity and longevity.

Formerly PC Exclusive Games

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

There is just something about good PC strategy games that doesn’t translate well to console controllers. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is a remake of one of the best strategy games of all time, offering all the in-depth planning that has made this one of the best entries in the long-running series. The mechanics of this game hold up more than two decades after its initial release, so the updated graphics and user interface features only serve to make it better.

Phasmophobia

Ready to get spooky? Phasmophobia is one of the creepiest games you’ll play on PC. Join a group of ghost hunters as you investigate a haunting at a residential home, an abandoned school, or a prison. Track down the ghost’s location and successfully identify it to earn money to buy better equipment. This is one of the most atmospheric games out there, with a great mix of tension and jump scares to keep you uncomfortable throughout.

The Nintendo Switch is unquestionably a massive success for Nintendo, coming off of the dud that was the Wii U. Since this console has many great games that weren’t made by Nintendo, here are the best third-party games available on the Nintendo Switch.

The company has received resounding praise from almost everyone for its hardware and the software available on its platform. What the Switch has now that wasn’t there for the Wii U are third-party offerings.

What are the best third-party games on Nintendo Switch?

Celeste

Celeste is one of the best games to come out in 2018, a year that also saw the releases of God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Monster Hunter World. It is a challenging but straightforward game about a girl climbing a mountain. You play as Madeline as she confronts her anxiety and depression and looks to overcome them. The 2D sprite work is magnificent, and the game has a story that will have any player emotionally invested and addictive and challenging platforming.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

After the great reception that Crash Bandicoot got with his return in the N Sane Trilogy, it was pretty apparent that a new game would eventually be on the way, and It’s About Time might be the best Crash game ever. You play as Crash, Coco, Cortex, and alternate reality versions of Tawna and Dingodile. Outside of Crash and Coco, each character plays very differently from the others, and there is no shortage of content here for completionists. Our favorite inclusion with everything, though, is the new “modern” mode which does not restrict your play behind a lives counter.

Diablo III

Diablo III was initially released in 2012 and is one of the best-selling PC games ever. With all of that said, the release of the Switch version is the first time Diablo can be played on the go, and it might be the best version of the game yet. It runs super smooth, looks great, either docked or in handheld mode, and the dungeon-crawling gameplay is unparalleled in any other game; prove us wrong, Diablo 4. You can also get access to exclusive Switch content with some Legend of Zelda items, including Ganondorf armor and a Cucco pet.

Fortnite

Love it or hate it, Fortnite is another great game to play on the Nintendo Switch. The battle royale phenomenon has complete access to crossplay with all other platforms and controls well enough while in handheld mode to be a viable option for play. Fortnite is the most recognizable game around the world at the moment, and its accessibility is one of its biggest selling points. If you have an internet connection and haven’t tried the game, download it and see if the battle royale scene is for you. There is bound to be at least some crossover in the game that you particularly enjoy.

Minecraft

Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time for a simple reason: it’s a gigantic game with something for everyone. It’s also a great game to play undocked. The only limitation in the game is your imagination. Want to make a city out of stone? Go for it. Want to make a complex system of levers and Redstone for a farm? All of the resources are there available for you. Since Microsoft acquired Mojang and Minecraft, they have been consistently updating the game with new features, biomes, and blocks, and they have even expanded the game onto other platforms with crossplay support. The creator and fan dedication to this game is still incredibly high.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

If you are a fan of Metroidvania games, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is one of the best titles you can find in the genre. The story is heartbreakingly emotional, the art style and music are second to none, and the gameplay has been improved from the original. Ori’s journey will have you engrossed from the opening moments to the ending credits. This game is the complete package if you are looking for something to play after getting through the gauntlet that is Metroid Dread.

Rocket League

Rocket League and the Nintendo Switch were made for each other. The soccer game played with cars runs brilliantly on the hybrid console. It has received a slight graphical downgrade, but it runs smooth and is still a blast to play years after its initial release. Your cars can be customized with tons of designs, toppers, and wheels, and iconic cars in pop culture like the Delorean and Batmobile can be purchased should you decide to support the developers. The game has gone free-to-play and features crossplay functionality so you can play with your friends on any other system.

Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania is a tribute to the blue hedgehog’s 2D origins. While officially published by Sega, the game is developed by a group of Sonic fans who have a history of making Sonic fan games in the past and official ports of the original Sega Genesis games. Mania features a wealth of reworked classic zones with a couple of originals mixed in as well. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are all playable, with DLC giving you access to Ray the Flying Squirrel and Mighty the Armadillo. All characters have unique features that help this game stand out from other Sonic games.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Here’s another 1990s PlayStation icon brought back to the current days. Like with Crash, Spyro’s first three games were completely remade to get them to today’s standards. These levels are more open compared to Crash’s linear design and have so much charm. The characters are cute, and the collectible gameplay will keep you jumping into levels until you find everything. Spyro Reignited Collection is not nearly as tricky as Crash’s games, so it is much more accessible. Once again, the whole collection of three games here is entirely worth the investment.

Untitled Goose Game

Untitled Goose Game is a simple game that sees you terrorize the surrounding community as a goose. You are given a list of tasks to complete, including moving objects, breaking valuables, and generally being a jerk to the humans that occupy the area. As you complete more tasks and unlock areas of the town, you will have plenty of laughs from the game’s laidback personality. Thanks to a new update in 2020, you can also bring a friend along for the ride as a duo of geese and their journey to mildly inconvenience everyone.

Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age

Choosing a mainline Final Fantasy game is always a good decision, and FF12 is no exception. This fantastic game didn’t get the recognition it deserved at its initial release. But as time passed, people started to appreciate this game more. Square Enix even even came out with a new and better version of the game, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. This new version came with a new job system and the famous gambit system that the game is known for.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

If you’re a fan of fighting games and Akira Toriyama’s creations, you should definitely try Dragon Ball FighterZ. DBF, one of the most visually stunning games from Arc System Works, offers fast-paced 2.5D action and truly captures the essence of the franchise. The gameplay, which can be intense at times, feels like a blend of Guilty Gear and Marvel vs Capcom. It requires considerable skill for high-level play. Even without spending hours in training mode, the game’s auto-combos let you enjoy playing with friends and pull off amazing attacks.

Okami HD

Okami HD on the Nintendo Switch is a visually stunning adventure game that immerses players in Japanese mythology. As Amaterasu, the sun goddess who embodies the legendary white wolf, Shiranui, players navigate a world rendered in the high-resolution Sumi-e ink art style. The gameplay is a compelling mix of adventure and puzzle-solving, with intuitive controls that allow players to execute Celestial Brush techniques.

While there is no shortage of great single-player games on a PlayStation console, some people just love to play with their friends. Here are the best free multiplayer games you can play with your friends on PS4 and PS5.

Getting all of your friend group together in a single game that you all put money down on can be difficult, though. With that in mind, you will want to consider downloading a free-to-play title. Some of these are among the best competitive games on Sony’s console.

Best free-to-play multiplayer games on PlayStation 4 and 5

Fall Guys

Fall Guys is a vibrant and charming elimination tournament game. Players, shaped like little beans, compete against each other in five consecutive rounds of pure chaos online. The game is filled with unpredictable clashes that emerge from the mess, making every round a unique experience. The developers, Mediatronic, regularly update the game with new seasonal content and a plethora of cool cosmetic items. If you’re looking for a game that’s as chaotic as it is fun, Fall Guys is definitely worth a shot.

Genshin Impact

One of the most popular online action-RPGs in the world, MiHoyo’s Genshin Impact is still a relevant, fun game to play with friends. Although you might end up feeling weaker if you don’t spend some money in the game, that moment will take quite a while to arrive. Until then, there’s plenty to be enjoyed in the world of Genshin Impact without spending one dime. This is certainly one of the best free PS4 games out there.

Path of Exile

Path of Exile, a prominent online action RPG, is a free-to-play game developed by Grinding Gear Games. It offers players a rich and challenging experience similar to Diablo II. You begin your journey as a castaway in the grim fantasy world of Wraeclast, and over time, you transform into a crusader traversing multiple universes. The game’s sophisticated skill system provides extensive customization options, allowing you to tailor a character that fits your gaming style.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is a battle royale that you can play with up to two other people. The moving and shooting mechanics feel great; arguably, it is the best-feeling shooter on this list. When working together with your team, you will need to scavenge the area for weapons and attachments as you fight off other teams to be the last one standing. Each character has different abilities that can give you a leg up in a battle in certain situations, but the real difference will always come down to your skill.

Call of Duty: Warzone

Warzone is Call of Duty’s second attempt at a battle royale game, but the first time they really went in head first on supporting it. While there is the 2.0 sequel about to come out at the time of this writing, many people have dropped a lot of hours of their life into the first Warzone. Like other battle royales, players will work together in a team to be the last one standing, but this game features the gulag, which gives you a chance to fight for one last chance to come back to the field. We love this spin on the battle royale genre giving you a second chance, and even if you lose in the gulag, a teammate can buy to bring you back. It means you are never fully out of a game until everyone on your team has been eliminated.

Destiny 2

Destiny 2’s base game being free-to-play will give you hours of looter shooter action that you can play with your friends. Unfortunately, you will need to spend some money on expansions if you want to jump into raids and new content with friends who are ahead of you, but if you can find someone willing to run through the main story with you, you will have a great time. Destiny 2 is certainly one of the best free PS5 games you can find on the PS Store.

Fortnite

Fortnite is best known for its crossover appeal. From Marvel heroes to real-world football players, there is such a massive appeal for so many fanbases that it makes sense why this free-to-play title has amassed so many players over the years. Being able to dress up as your favorite media personalities and work with your friends to duke it out in a battle royale is a perfect combination, even if some of the included skins are questionable. Regardless, Fortnite has made its name for a reason and is a great multiplayer game that you can enjoy with friends on various platforms.

MultiVersus

MultiVersus is a platform fighter similar to Super Smash Bros. but featuring characters from various Warner Bros. properties like Scooby Doo, DC, and Rick and Morty. You can team up with a friend and take on random other teams as you duke it out and try to send the enemy off the screen. With such a wide variety of personalities and game styles available here, it is pretty easy to find a favorite to fall in love with as you work to learn how to play them. MultiVersus’ beta was an overwhelming success, and its finished version is looking even better.

Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 is one of the best hero shooters available, and it making the move to free-to-play allows so many more people to hop in and fall in love with this world. Teams of five people work together to eliminate the enemy team and control or move an objective. With over 30 characters available to you without needing to put any money down, this is one of the better games to give a try with your friends as you work through where each person plays best.

Realm Royale

Realm Royale is similar to Fortnite, just without the crossover appeal. Teams of up to four people drop onto a map and fight to be the last standing as a circle closes in, pushing you closer together. The standout difference here is the forging system, which allows you to choose the type of item or upgrade that you receive by purchasing them with shards you earn for throwing away junk you don’t need. If you are looking for a new battle royale that is not Fortnite, you might want to give Realm Royale a try.

Rocket League

Rocket League is a very unique game, playing soccer with rocket-powered cars. Even if you are not a big fan of real-world soccer, you can fall in love with the fast movement of this game as you boost around the area, crashing into others and trying to score goals. Working with your friends to set each other up for easy shots is the best feeling as you reward each other for your teamwork.

Splitgate

Splitgate is the closest game PlayStation owners will have to Halo. The game features many similar mechanics and game modes that feel eerily close to Xbox’s flagship franchise. If you don’t have an Xbox yourself, you can enjoy this game with your friends as you shoot out portals that allow you to get across the map and take out the enemy instantly. The game feels great to play and brings out a lot of the fun that early 2000s players felt in Halo 2, just with a portal mechanic that makes you think differently on the battlefield.

Warframe

Warframe is as close to a Destiny game as you will find that is not Destiny. It’s also one of the best free-to-play games on PS4 and PS5. While most people will probably prefer Bungie’s popular looter shooter over this free-to-play title, Warframe is not a worst version of it. In fact, Warframe is a great game that has only become better since it came out. If you need a break from the usual Destiny experience, or if you just like the idea of being a space ninja, you should definitely try Warframe at least once.

Browser games are a budding game developer’s dream. They allow players to enjoy games from anywhere and on almost any piece of hardware. Find below the 10 best browser games you can play in school!

Even the humblest of laptops can usually support Chrome, meaning you have all you need to enjoy the thousands of online browser games. If you’re looking for a way to pass the time between classes, here are some of the best browser games to play at school.

What are the best browser games to play at school?

When trying to play some of these games at school, the vital thing to consider is how they are hosted. Many schools have blocked some of the largest sites for browser games from their network or disabled the plug-ins that these games require to play, so not all of them might work for you. Fortunately, there are enough games out there, with many games being hosted on mirror sites that are difficult to block, that you’ll be able to find at least one or two that will work for you.

15) Shell Shockers

Shell Shockers is a first-person shooter in which you play as an egg. Like most games of the genre, there’s more to playing it than quick reflexes. Having a good strategy and using the right weapons make a huge difference. Although it’s a simple game, Shell Shockers is fun enough to serve as a distraction while you have nothing better to do.

14) Snail Bob

Snail Bob is a strategy game that presents players with a series of unique challenges. Its gameplay, which combines elements of timing and physics, encourages strategic thinking and quick decision-making. It’s not just about fast reflexes, but also about guiding a snail through various scenarios with a strategic mindset. The game starts off simple, but the increasing complexity of the mechanical traps and the coordination required to navigate them make it an engaging choice for those looking to pass some time.

13) Slow Roads

This game is primarily about embarking on a virtual drive and appreciating the scenery. There’s no competition involved. Instead, Slow Roads offers the pleasure of a simulated, high-speed road trip within a browser game. This in itself is quite remarkable, especially given the decent quality of the textures and physics. The game has enough substance to warrant spending a few minutes exploring it.

12) Prince of Persia

Ubisoft’s flash-based Prince of Persia game is a top pick for browser games suitable for school. It was developed as a promotional tool for the original Prince of Persia game. The game mechanics are straightforward, with the arrow keys directing the character’s actions and the up arrow key enabling jumps. Prince of Persia is a classic that is fun and impressive even decades after it was made.

11) Tetris

Tetris is a classic that challenges players in many different ways. Its simple yet engaging gameplay promotes strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. It’s not just about quick reflexes, but also about planning ahead and making decisions under pressure. Also, it loads quite quickly and any computer can run it, making Tetris a good choice to pass some time wherever you are.

10) Chrome’s Dinosaur Game

We couldn’t leave this game off this list. We’ve all had moments where the internet has gone down, and we’ve been confronted with Google’s little dinosaur friend. It is a simple game where you jump and duck around obstacles to try to rack up the highest score before the internet comes back up and you have to go back to work. You can even play it without being disconnected if you want to get some practice in.

9) BrowserQuest

BroswerQuest looks and feels like EarthBound, but it is a much simpler game to get your head around. You take your character out into the world to explore and seek adventure, seeing what you find along the way. It is an open world, allowing you to explore and play the way you want. There are plenty of hours of gameplay to enjoy, and the controls are simple enough that you can play it quickly wherever you are.

8) Geoguessr

Geoguessr is a great game to test your geography skills. It drops you into a semi-random Google Street View location and asks you to guess what city you’re in. There are some famous landmarks to spot if you know what you’re looking for, but it is a fun game to play with friends or just to see how well you know some of the most famous cities on the planet. Unlike most of the other browser games on this list, this one is at least somewhat educational, so it fits in well in a school setting.

7) Tequila Zombies 3

Sometimes simple concepts work best for browser games. Tequila Zombies 3 is very straightforward. It “borrows” some imagery from The Walking Dead franchise in a game where you drink tequila and kill zombies. The controls are simple, and the art is bright and colorful, so it is a solid choice to stave off boredom between classes. The game has a tongue-in-cheek tone that makes it more entertaining than its basic premise should allow.

6) Pocket Tanks

This game is the perfect browser game because of how simple it is. Just adjust the angle of your tank’s gun and line up the shot to eliminate your enemy’s tank before they take you out. You can play against other people or the computer, though the computer doesn’t offer much of a challenge. Once you get the hang of the physics engine the game uses, you’ll be an unstoppable tank-killing machine.

5) Street Skater

This game is a simplified version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and we mean that as the biggest compliment possible. The basic graphics and controls hide a surprising amount of challenge behind the game. Finding the right timing for jumps and figuring out how different obstacles work are key here. It is easy to get stuck on a level for several attempts, but that makes it much sweeter when you complete it.

4) DarkOrbit Reloaded

This is the second version of DarkOrbit, which is a significant improvement over the original. In DarkOrbit Reloaded, you are a starship captain traveling across the galaxy looking to keep your ship running. You can complete quests and challenges, team up with other players, and choose how you play. There are merchant factions at odds with pirate factions, and you can either pick a side or try to play against each other. There is a lot of freedom here.

3) Linerider

This is a simple game, but it is highly addictive. You just need to build a track for a rider using a simple point-and-click interface. The physics in the game are highly intuitive and allow for some pretty wild builds if you’re creative. There isn’t a plot or any sense of competition in Linerider. Just your imagination and a big sandbox to explore.

2) Metal War Online

This multiplayer game combines aspects of racing and fighting genres with a surprisingly large amount of content. The gameplay runs off of cooldowns, so you can play Metal War Online from your browser with just a few clicks and then go on about your day until the cooldowns complete. The community is what makes this game so special, though. There are hundreds of players to compete against for the top rankings.

1) Slither.io

If you’ve played Snake on your phone before, you’ve already got a good handle on Slither.io. Guide your little snake friend around the arena, pick up pellets of food along the way, and avoid enemies and obstacles. You can customize your snake and use online codes to get free items from the game. It is highly addictive, simple to play, and has far more depth than you’d expect. Slither.io is one of the best browser games you’ll find out at the moment.

One particular pastime in Hogwarts Legacy that creature collection enthusiasts might indulge in is finding and catching every Shiny Magical Beast in the Highlands. Similar to Shiny pocket monsters in the Pokemon franchise, Shiny variants of Beasts are hard-to-find counterparts that vary from their default appearances.

The rare versions of these creatures do not provide different Beast Materials or offer any gameplay advantages. Here’s what you need to know about what every shiny beast color looks like in Hogwarts Legacy, and how to get them.

Where To Catch Shiny Beasts in Hogwarts Legacy

Rescuing a Shiny Magical Beast in Hogwarts Legacy is no different than tracking down and capturing an ordinary Beast in the Highlands. The primary dissimilarity in Shiny Hunting is that the Shiny variants have a much lower chance of spawning.

In other words, the only obstacle keeping you from finding a Shiny Beast is Hogwarts Legacy‘s RNG, which can be annoying but rewarding if you are patient and lucky. One of the primary ways you can quickly distinguish a Shiny Beast from its standard variation is by knowing the unique colors of Shiny’s skin, fur, or feathers in Hogwarts Legacy.

How Many Shiny Beasts are Found in Hogwarts Legacy?

There are 12 different Shiny Beasts that you can find in Hogwarts Legacy. Each of these beasts has its own unique color that distinguishes it from its standard variant. Once you’ve managed to find and capture these rare creatures, you can show them off in a vivarium for everyone to see.

These are all the shiny beast colors you can find in Hogwarts Legacy, and how these beast colors vary from their standard colors.

Shiny Diricawl Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Similar to real-world ducks or chickens, male Diricawls are generally colorful, while the females possess a plain yet light plumage. As a result, it can be challenging to visually separate the white Shiny Diricawl in Hogwarts Legacy from the normal females when glancing from a distance. However, after you get closer, the milky tint of the Shiny version’s white feathers becomes more apparent and easier to differentiate.

Shiny Fwooper Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Next is the Shiny Fwooper in Hogwarts Legacy, an owl-like rarity with white feathers that possess a pinkish tint. When comparing the Shiny version of this Beast with its other common colors, it is effortless to see the differences in hue since normal Fwoopers are typically hot pink or tropical blue. Nevertheless, the bright colors can look the same after nightfall, so it might be best to hunt for this bird during the day. 

Shiny Giant Purple Toad Color in Hogwarts Legacy

One of the easiest Shiny Beast colors to spot in the Highlands is the Shiny version of the Giant Purple Toad. As its name implies, this oversized amphibian is typically a shade of purple. However, a Shiny Giant Purple Toad’s skin is a pale white in an almost albino-like manner, making it extremely easy to notice in dark and dank swamps, regardless of the hour. 

Shiny Graphorn Color in Hogwarts Legacy

The Shiny Graphorn is undoubtedly the most challenging and effort-demanding Shiny Magical Beast to farm in Hogwarts Legacy. The Shiny Graphorn’s ashen, whitish color in Hogwarts Legacy is certainly remarkable but stands a reward that requires your dedication to earn it. The reason is that you must defeat a Wild Graphorn in combat every time before catching it. Accordingly, it took us over three hours and approximately 50+ attempts before we encountered a Shiny Graphorn at its sole Den in the Highlands. 

Shiny Hippogriff Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Similar to the Jobberknoll, the Shiny Hippogriff in Hogwarts Legacy is a stark contrast to its white pearl color. You can instantly recognize a Shiny Hippogriff by its dark, jet-black appearance, regardless of the time of day. 

Shiny Jobberknoll Color in Hogwarts Legacy

The Jobberknoll typically comes in shades of blue, from bright azure to emerald turquoise. On the other hand, a Shiny Jobberknoll in Hogwarts Legacy has charcoal gray plumage speckled with white dots. This Shiny Beast’s breast is white like its default appearance, but the blackish tint of its body makes it easy to spot under sunlight but hard to see after nightfall.

Shiny Kneazle Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Likely the most prosaic Shiny Beast color in Hogwarts Legacy is the Shiny Kneazle, which has a mountain lynx’s light, tannish brown fur. Of course, the creature is still appealing to the eyes, especially how its sky-blue eyes contrast with its grayish-brown hair. Even so, the lack of a vivid, distinguishable characteristic in the Shiny’s appearance makes it hard to differentiate between its standard form.

Shiny Mooncalf Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Speaking of nightfall, Mooncalves are a Magical Beast that you can only encounter after the sun has set across the Highlands. The thin fur of a Shiny Mooncalf in Hogwarts Legacy is a milky white, making it notably easy to identify in the dark of night. As for its sparkly, starlit eyes, the irises of a Shiny Mooncalf remain the same gradient tone of cosmic blue.

Shiny Niffler Color in Hogwarts Legacy

The color of Shiny Nifflers in Hogwarts Legacy is a luminous gray, which can be impossible to distinguish from the bluish aquamarine fur of normal Nifflers under the night sky. Therefore, searching for these platypus-esque critters during the day is an ideal approach. 

Shiny Puffskein Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Conversely, the color of a Shiny Puffskein in Hogwarts Legacy is rather tricky to distinguish from its regular array of fur hues. More specifically, Shiny Puffskeins are light gray in color, with connected patches of white hair across its face. Because there are other light-colored Puffskeins in its default appearance pool, noticing a Shiny variation of this Magical Beast can be challenging, depending on if the lightning of the environment is right.

Shiny Thestral Color in Hogwarts Legacy

Similar to Shiny Giant Purple Toads, Shiny Thestrals in Hogwarts Legacy are noticeably different from their default appearance due to their pale silver skin color. However, this silver shade can sometimes be hard to spot since Thestrals have reflective skin, making it tricky to distinguish a Shiny variant from a female’s pale yellow hue. 

Shiny Unicorn Color in Hogwarts Legacy

One of the hardest Shiny Beasts to catch is undoubtedly the Shiny Unicorn in Hogwarts Legacy, as the horned equine only has a single Den and spawns one at a time. If you plan to catch one, be prepared for a test of perseverance, as it took us around two hours of farming before we were able to encounter one in the Forbidden Forest. Nonetheless, the effort is well worth it if you appreciate the Shiny variant’s gorgeous golden fur.

Before concluding, it is important to note that only one Phoenix can be acquired from a late-game quest in Hogwarts Legacy. Therefore, it was not included in this 12-item list as a potential Shiny Beast. Moreover, the total time it took to farm all these Shiny variants for us was around six hours, but your RNG might be more favorable than ours.

How to Quickly Find Shiny Beasts in Hogwarts Legacy

In Hogwarts Legacy, finding shiny beasts involves a few key steps. First, choose a Den that houses the Beast you’re interested in. Once there, approach each Beast and look for a star sign next to its name, which indicates it’s a shiny. Using Disillusionment can make this process easier by preventing the Beasts from fleeing.

If you don’t find any shinies, capture all the creatures in the Den and leave. Changing the time on your map or using Fast Travel to a Floo Flame and then returning can force the Den to respawn.

Also note that creating a manual save and loading it up can reset the Den, giving you another chance to find a shiny. By repeating these steps, you can increase your chances of finding a Shiny Beast in Hogwarts Legacy.

For those looking to go an an adventure, Baldur’s Gate 3 is full of content waiting to be discovered – but it’s also so packed that most of it is really easy to miss. This guide is a checklist that covers every single Act 3 side quest and secret in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Although there’s no proper BG3 Act 3 quest order to be followed, some quests will interfere with the outcome of others. Also, don’t be fooled by the size of BG3‘s Act 3 map. You won’t be walking miles in the wilderness, but every corner hides a bit of side content. Whether it’s in the form of some letter sitting atop a shelf, a random NPC standing in a park, or a mini-game that hides a legendary weapon.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Act 3 Checklist for Rivington Side Quests and Secrets

Although Rivington is just a small part are in the city of Baldur’s Gate, there’s plenty going on there for players to do. From meeting with Shadoheart’s old acquaintances to dealing with shapeshifting clows, there’s a lot to get done there. Here’s the BG3 Act 3 checklist for Rivington:

Side Quest	Description	Location
Avenge the Ironhands	As you approach Wyrm’s Crossing’s South span, guards halt you. A gnome appears, diverting them. The gnomes need your help.
Welcome Yenna to Camp	Upon entering Rivington, a kid will ask for a meal. Later, she’ll show up at camp.
Lie or Tell the Truth to Ferg Drogher	A man will call out Shadowheart’s name in Rivington. Upon approaching him, he inquires if she really is Shadowheart after all.
Win Akabi’s Jackpot	In the Circus of the Last Days, a djinni has a spinning wheel. Win the jackpot to get a legendary weapon.
Find the Missing Letters	Postmaster Danzo asks you to find missing carrier pigeons and his letters.
Investigate the Suspicious Toys	Investigate Alfur’s basement to find something peculiar in the toys he’s sending to refugees.
Solve the Open Hand Temple Murders	Figure out what’s going on behind the mysterious murder of a priest.
Feed the Mindflayer	You find a newborn Mindflayer in the abandoned windmill. What will you do?
Find the Tressym	Find the missing letters, which are sitting in a Tressym’s nest.
Attack or Absorb the Newborn Mindflayer’s Powers	Inside a windmill’s basement lies a newborn mindflayer, waiting to be consumed or killed.
Deal With the Gnomes	Manip Falcäo wants you to go on a literal headhunt
Find the Wyrmway	An ancient dragon could be a powerful ally, so let’s walk into its lair.
Find the Stern Librarian Ffion	The Librarian has gone missing, and it’s somehow your job to find her.
Find Dribbles the Clown Body Parts	Dribbles the clown has been viciously chopped up and his parts are scattered all over Baldur’s Gate.
Make a Deal with Gortash, or Don’t	Decide whether it’s a good idea to side with Karlach’s biggest enemy.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Act 3 Checklist for Lower City Side Quests and Secrets

The Lower City in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a bustling hub of intrigue and adventure. Players will find a myriad of quests that test their mettle and decision-making skills. This area is not just about combat, but also about navigating complex relationships and uncovering secrets that could change the course of your journey. Find below a BG3 Act 3 checklist for the Lower City:

Side Quest	Description	Location
Find Mol	Mol has been missing for two acts now. Where did this kid disappear to?
Acquire The Gauntlets for Helsik	Helsik is a diabolist that might be able to help you get in the House of Hope, but she needs a favor.
Win the Laff Riot Contest	Apparently, some random guy thinks he’s funnier than you. Prove him wrong by winning the Laff Riot Contest.
Stop Albert’s Dog, Sparky	Albert needs to get to tea time before it’s dark. Help this kiddo by stopping his dog, Sparky, from running all over the park.
Enter Jaheira’s Hideout	Find a way to solve Jaheira’s pin slot puzzle to enter her hideout.
Escape the Iron Throne and Save All Prisoners	The Gondians are in a pretty high-security prison; let’s break them out.
Retrieve Omeluum	The friendly Mind Flayer might be imprisoned in the Iron Throne Underwater Prison. Will you help him?
Solve the Sorcerous Sundries Puzzles	The Sorcerous Sundries hide lots of cool lot, especially for wizards.
Side with Lorroakan or Dame Aylin	Lorroakan wants the Nightsong, but this “relic” happens to be a person living in your camp.
Complete Carrion’s Servant Quest	Help the Carrion’s servants escape or side with the Carrion in this awesome quest.
Free the Artist, Oskar	It’s time to Save Oskar once again, but this time in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Enter the Counting House and High Security Vault	Walk into Baldur’s Gate’s wealthiest building and vault.
Find the Abandoned Cistern and Minsc	Solve this Sewers puzzle to find everyone’s favorite hero: Minsc.
Complete Aid the Underduke	The Guild is an organized clique in Baldur’s Gate, and you’ll help them find Minsc.
Return the Gold to Rakath	Once the gold is retrieved and its holder tracked down, it’s time to return it to its owner.
Make a Deal with Orin and Find the Victim	Orin is one of BG3‘s main villains; should we really be making a deal with her? I mean, what can you do after she’s taken a party member hostage?
Get into the House of Hope	Find a way to get into the House of Hope to retrieve the Orphic Hammer.
Get the Orphic Hammer	Once inside the House of Hope, it’s time to find that exclusive weapon for Lae’zel.
Beat Raphael	No more deals; it’s over. Time for an epic battle with an even more epic soundtrack.
Open the Mystic Force Curtain	Before accessing Raphael’s room, the Mystic Curtain must be removed.
Rescue Hope	After storming into her home, the least you can do is save Hope.
Find the House of Grief	Complete Shadowheart’s companion quest.
Stop the Presses	Either you stop the presses, or everyone will hear about your evil deeds.
Save Vanra	Track down Vanra to help her mother.
Help the Hag Survivors	Find out where the Hag Survivors are hiding to help them out.
Enter Cazador’s Palace	Complete Astarion’s companion quest by defeating Cazador.
Help Astarion Complete The Ascension Ritual, or Don’t	At the end of the quest, decide whether Astarion should follow through with the ritual or be the better person.
Help Kith’rak Voss	Kith’rak Voss wants to help resurrect Orpheus.
Investigate the murders	There doesn’t seem to be an end to these bloody murders.
Kill Sarevok or Valeria	During the Impress the Murder Tribunal quest, a decision must be made: should you kill the villain or a cute flying elephant?
Destroy the Steel Watch	Gortash is invincible with his Steel Watch, so maybe that should be taken care of.
Find Out Who’s the Doppelganger in Camp	Gortash reveals there’s a doppelganger in our own camp. Who could it be?
Avenge the Drowned	Help avenge Holli, one of the Drowned.
Become Illithid or Make Orpheus Become Illithid	A choice must be made: who should become a mindflayer?	n/a
Destroy or Control the Elder Brain	To wield enormous power or to destroy it?	n/a

Baldur’s Gate 3: Act 3 Checklist for Main Quests

Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Act 3 has far fewer main quests than it does side quests. If you’re trying to rush through to the end of the game, here are all the necessary quests you’ll need to complete:

• Get Gortash’s Netherstone
• Get Orin’s Netherstone
• Impress the Murder Tribunal
• Gather Your Allies
• Confront the Elder Brain

That’s it for the Act 3 checklist. If you’re concerned you may have missed some of Act 2’s content, check out our BG3 Act 2 checklist.

Need more advice? Check out Gamepur’s complete Baldur’s Gate 3 guide for battle strategies, story tips, and BG3 gameplay breakdowns.

Bandai Namco’s Tekken series is one of the most popular 3D fighting games ever. With Tekken 8’s heat system, the game might feel a bit intimidating for beginners. Don’t worry, though. Check below the top 10 best characters for beginners in Tekken 8.

It’s never a bad time to start learning the basics of gameplay and the possible character matchups. Of course, if you only want to play for fun, these options boil down to what characters are fun for you, and we’re taking style and aesthetics into account, not just gameplay.

Ling Xiaoyu

While many competitive gamers may disagree, Ling is probably the most player-friendly character in the series for casual play. Her attacks are awkward and fast, she’s hard to hit, and her recovery is quick on basic attacks. So, if you want to spam buttons, her combos are generally plus on hit, so you can get them out safely without fear of losing exchanges. Of course, she’s a cute, stylish character, so outfits for her are pretty great. Don’t get confused, she’s a hard character to master for higher competition, but you should try her if you’re looking for a unique but fun time.

Marshall Law

If anyone is looking to satisfy their Bruce Lee fantasies, Marshall is a must for casual play. His lightning-fast strikes are a sight to behold, and the constant yelling can make your gameplay feel more awesome than it is. Like Ling, Marshall can be difficult to play competitively against pros and online veterans, but if you can figure out his combos and improve your reaction speed, he’s very top-tier overall. Did I mention his outfits are reminiscent of Bruce Lee?

Paul Phoenix

This pick will probably be the first character on the list that everyone can agree with. Paul has been in every Tekken game to date. He’s also simple when executing combos and relentless attacks. He’s also seen in high-level competitive play, so sticking with him is viable if you plan to play at a high level or in tournaments. Usually, he’s dressed in a karate uniform, so don’t mind the angry “Karen” like hairdo he’s sporting for the upcoming eighth chapter.

Kazuya Mishima

Kazuya is the original poster boy for the series, so logically he should be a beginner-friendly character. If we’re being fair, he’s really good for casual play and relatively easy to learn, but he has a few attacks that even pros struggle to use. Even still, he’s a fun character for everyone, including new players looking to get into the series. As for his look, well, you see him right, he’s dressed to kill.

King

King is a change of pace from the others due to his unique look and fighting style. King is a grappler, which means most of his biggest attacks are from grabs and holds. This focus may be advantageous for some players, as the longer animations give your fingers a break. His outfits are always fun and festive, so if you’re into Mexican wrestling attire or just pro-wrestling, we think we may have found the right person for you.

Asuka

Asuka is great for players familiar with other fighting games like the Dead or Alive series. Her main gimmick is the ability to reverse her opponent’s attacks, causing them to take damage. This feature is fun when fighting against button mashers. Asuka’s appearance has changed multiple times throughout the series, but her character is around school age, so the outfits tend to reflect a younger look if you’re into that aesthetic.

Leroy Smith

First introduced in Tekken 7, Leroy returns in Tekken 8 and is already one of the most popular characters in the franchise. He’s known for his “drip,” a modern slang word for his attire, and is accompanied by a cute bulldog to help him get around. Fortunately, he can get around a fight just fine with his quick combos and has an easy-to-use parry for bad situations.

Claudio

Claudio is also a new character that made his debut in Tekken 7. His playstyle is unique amongst 3D fighting games due to his use of projectiles and his link to exorcism. Overall, his attacks are safe and powerful to use, and the amount of damage he can do in a short period is rage-inducing, especially when playing other new players. Outfit-wise, he’s usually dressed in all white to match his exorcist theme, so if you want to play a holy-esque warrior, his aesthetic may fit you.

Hwoarang

A fan favorite, Hwoarang is known for his crazy number of kicks and crazy cool looks. If you like to kick, Hwoarang is the guy for you, with his fast attacks and long-distance pokes. Please keep in mind, he’s not an easy character to master, so once you graduate from beginner play, you should decide if you’re committed to his playstyle, as there are other characters with similar characteristics. Despite Tekken having similar characters with the same playstyle, Hwoarang remains the coolest by a long mile.

Jack

Jack is a unique character because he’s technically been in every entry, but at the same time, he hasn’t. Each Jack model is pretty much the same gameplay-wise, so don’t let the numbering fool you, or make you think it’s somehow faster or stronger than the other models. Gameplay-wise, he’s pretty simple to learn combos with, but his slow movement and wide stature make him easy to hit. As for his looks, well, Jack is always “jacked” and full of massive weaponry that should appeal to mecha and cyberpunk fans alike.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Rocksteady Studio’s long-awaited follow-up to their 2015 game Batman: Arkham Knight brought back several familiar characters, including one that might surprise long-time players: Poison Ivy. 

This Gotham City siren may have met her demise in Arkham Knight, but this mean green fighting machine’s story is far from over. In Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, the revived Poison Ivy is back but in a way that differs greatly from her last appearance in one pretty noticeable way, and no, we’re not talking about her newly green skin. In Kill The Justice League Poison Ivy comes back as a child. 

This opens up a whole new range of possibilities for this beloved character, so we decided to go right to the source and sat down with the multitalented Darcy Rose Byrnes, who voices the revitalized version of this longtime fan-favorite character. She filled us in on some of her favorite behind-the-scenes moments, what’s next for her, and what it was like to shed her “meat suit” and get under Poison Ivy’s skin. 

Darcy Rose Byrnes On Becoming Poison Ivy

Darcy Rose, I know that you had to keep this project a secret for a long time. How hard was it not to talk about being Poison Ivy?

I mean I’m used to keeping secrets. I knew how Desperate Housewives was going to end before it ended, but there was a definitely a level of excitement that came with jumping into a character that was already known to people but that I couldn’t talk about. I remember that I went to a comic book store to get some Poison Ivy comics, and there was a lady there who was like, “She’s my favorite character, I’ll show you all the comic books, I’ll give you all the recommendations,” and I was like, “I can’t say anything, I can’t tell her!” And I was working on Big Shot with Dean Lorey who had his Harley Quinn series, and he’s talking about Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and I was like “Ack! I can’t say anything!”

That must have been tough.

Yeah, but it was exciting though. 

It felt like I was a spy or something. 

Your real voice is obviously quite different than the voice you use for Poison Ivy in the game. How did you find Ivy’s voice?

I came up with that, obviously, for the audition. The moment I found it, it was pretty much locked. They wanted something kind of neither male nor female nor human; just something kind of different and odd. That kind of raspy quality just made sense to me. And obviously younger as well. And then through doing it, you find more levels in the voice. But yeah, I think it was really off of the character design. You get a lot from seeing what the artist created and going, “What does that make me think of?” 

Obviously, Poison Ivy is such an iconic character. Do you have a favorite version of Poison Ivy?

I mean, it’s very self-serving but it’s also true… my version is my favorite because I like the new spin on it. I like that we explore how everyone is expecting her to be this seductress, and literally she’s just a child. She’s under all these expectations, and that’s something that I saw in the media, when [the game] was first announced. In the video game we were [already] recording storylines about that. And it was really fun to get to deep dive through the audio logs and get that feeling of expectations being on her, you know?

Right, right. I know you already touched on this a little bit, but if you could go a little more in-depth about how it felt to tackle this totally new version of such an iconic character.

I think the fact that it was a new version made it a little bit easier because I wasn’t, you know, slipping into someone else’s “meat suit,” to use an Ivy term. You have a little more leeway because it is a new version of this character with a new point of view. There was definitely a level of excitement, of “Oh! I’m part of the club!” that came with stepping into a character that has a history so, so far back that everybody knows. I don’t tend to get daunted very often, but it was kind of funny when I had to ask them who Pamela Isley was and they were like, “That’s you” and it was like “Oh, great right, I read that I remember that now! Cool— I’m method, Ivy doesn’t know so neither do I!” I felt a little bit like, “This is a whole world here,” but that’s exciting as well.

It really is cool that you had all this history and all these expectations, but you’re also coming at this with a fresh slate and getting to kind of shape the new version of this character. I’ve always thought that one of the best things about Batman villains in particular is that they have these big personalities so I imagine that playing Poison Ivy must have been so much fun. Did you have a favorite moment from making the game?

Oh goodness—I don’t think I’ve ever played a character that was so openly psychotic. I’m not someone who breaks very often, but every once in a while, I would read the next line and just go, “HAHA—ok, whew.” Because it would just it would crack me up. I remember, any time I was messing with Penguin, I thought that was hilarious. The little guy I’m always torturing. Trying not to flirt with Tara Strong’s Harley Quinn was difficult. I particularly loved those audio logs where we get those real deep conversations—because a lot of the stuff I said was those really funny one-liners—like, “she’s a nine-year-old, what did she just say?” I don’t know where this was in the game, but I did like a beer ad for it as well in a different voice— “What’s better than the beast with two backs? The beer with two necks!” To this day, I will think of this and just die laughing. And I would scream the most unhinged things as Ivy and it just made me so, so happy.

I really loved the tiny Poison Ivy and Penguin dynamic. That was not something I saw coming, and I thought that was just great, what a weird little duo they make.

I am always up for messing with Nolan North. That’s very, very fun for me.

Was there any one big experience that jumped out at you when you were making this? What was your most memorable moment during the course of recording?

Well, there’s a lot of memorable moments. We continued recording during the pandemic, so I was recording from home in my whisper room—I got the whisper room so that I could keep recording from home—this project really took me through the last few years and everything that’s been going on. But, there was the crying scene where they put the bomb in [Ivy’s] head. We had to re-record it, and I don’t know which take they ended up going with, but the first take was “too real.” And they were like, “It’s too sad! Can we make it..?” and I was like “You want more snot?” and they were like, “Yes.” And it was just, trying to make it funnier and less devastating.

Pretty much any time I got to scream things at people and call people “meat sacks” and it’s hard to remember all the really funny one-liners now since there’s honestly so many of them and it was over the course of so many years

But, yeah, it was also such a different character for me too, so it was really fun too just to get to be unhinged.

We support women’s rights and also women’s wrongs.

I love that! My favorite story though, which I’ve told before and I’ll tell again because it’s hilarious, was I was recording one of the later scenes with Harley Quinn and they gave me my favorite note that I’ve ever gotten in my entire career which was: “Less flirty, you’re still nine.” 

And I was like, “well ok, it’s Tara Strong though—so, I mean—don’t know exactly what you want here? What do you expect of me? But alright, alright, it’s fine.”

That must have been really interesting to get to explore this totally new character dynamic between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Because this is obviously a pretty different place for them, emotionally, than where they’ve been. 

Yeah, I was talking to a friend about it and she was like “well, it’s probably good that she’s a doctor of psychology because that…. That’s going to mess you up!”

I adore their relationship in the many, many, iterations that we’ve seen, and it’s a really fun dynamic so just to put a little wrench in that… and change, like, “backpedal, backpedal, backpedal!” [Harley Quinn’s] line is, “and now you come in fun sized?” 

I love that scene where you are introduced and all the characters kind of do that double take.

That was one of the first things we recorded too, so I always remember that

I got to see the animation too, in records. They would occasionally pull it out and be like, “Do you want to see what we’ve got?” and I was like “Yeah!”

Did seeing the animation in progress ever impact how you did like a take? Did you look at the animation and go, “Oh! Let me try it a little differently now that I’ve seen what they’re actually doing.”

No! Not for this one, not for this character. One project where It would change was Sophia The First. I very often will go off of the character design for the voice, and when I auditioned for Sophia The First, Princess Amber had purple eyes and brown hair and I was like “ok, I think this is how she sounds and she’s definitely going to be an opera singer,” which wasn’t part of the show at that point.

Then when I was cast and they were showing us some of the like intermediate animation, she had light blonde hair, like translucent skin like mine, and blue eyes! And then they settled into the yellow-blonde hair and the amber eyes—but I would be very often doing ADR on that show and I would be doing my “Amber” movements and I would look over at the screen and see that the character was doing the same thing because they would sneak the animators in to draw me while I was recording without telling me!”

One of the animators they’d sneak in was a friend of mine and I was like, “Guys! I could have said hello!” 

But I think for Ivy, she was a character that I pretty much instantly knew who this version of her was.

How much did you know going into that audition? Because I imagine that they were trying to keep this under wraps for that reveal.

Yeah, I knew that it was Ivy. But exactly for what I didn’t know. I think I knew it was a video game—but I remember standing at the mic in Warner Brothers for my first record, and they were like, “Ok, so did they tell you?” and I’m like, “I’m going to assume no.” sS they told me, “Basically the game is Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League and you have to kill all the good guys.” So, I knew the broad strokes that was supposed to be a new Ivy, but how that fit into the bigger picture and what that picture was I [didn’t know] until I was there at the podium.

I’m sure that they’ve got you signing all kinds of contracts and NDAs and whatnot—but can we expect to see your version of Poison Ivy again, or do you think that this is going be it for her for a while?

Well, as far as the larger scheme of things I don’t know what I can say and what I can’t say, but obviously we’re not done with this game, so there’s more for her in this world. We’re not done with her just yet.

That’s great. I’m sure everyone’s really looking forward to seeing her come back. So, you of course are so multitalented—you act, you sing, you dance, you play a variety of cool instruments—what is next for you? What should your fans be on the lookout for?

Well, I have a couple of projects that are coming out that I can’t talk about just yet, but I’m also working on my album! I have it recorded and I’m probably going to be gutting it and replacing songs because that’s the stage that I’m in. I might be showing some of that journey on Patreon, actually, for anybody who likes the “behind the scenes” of music production and being read poetry and short stories and maybe a horror novel chapter by chapter I just did a staged reading of a play I wrote called Juliette Hereafter— a comedic gender-bent adaptation of The Scottish Play. Instead of he who shall not be named wanting to be king of Scotland, it is Shelly McBride wanting to play Juliette in her theatre company’s production of Romeo and Juliette and killing her way to the top of the cast list.

Again, we support women’s rights and women’s wrongs here.

We support women’s wrongs! But yeah, we’re looking at doing a full production sometime this year. Hopefully at Hollywood Fringe, and possibly also in Burbank as well. So, that’s what’s currently on the docket.

Solium Infernum is unlike any strategy game I have ever played. 

This reimagining of a cult classic strategy game is something truly unique in the genre, with its focus on deceitful political games, outwitting and out-maneuvering opponents, and the backdrop of hell without a king, it offers up a truly unique experience no other strategy game has done for me in a long time. It’s got choice, consequence, and a lot of demons, and it’s a blast to play.

Key Details

• Developer: League of Geeks
• Platforms: PC (Steam)
• Release Date: February 22, 2024
• Price: $39.99

Fiendish Fun and a Little Backstabbing

League of Geeks’ previous game, Armello, saw a developer create a new, fresh board game-style RPG with tactics, careful planning, and some moments of wickedness thrown in to mess with other players. For Solium Infernum, these ideas and design choices have been turned up to 11, especially that wickedness part, and it makes for a strategic and unique board game style game unlike any I’ve played before.

The premise for this hellishly good experience is simple: the Prince of Darkness has vanished from hell and left the Infernal Throne vacant and up for the taking. Now, it’s up to you to outwit and outplay your opponents, take the throne for yourself, and claim dominion over hell as its new ruler. To claim the throne, you’ll first need to take on the form of one of the game’s eight Archfiends, powerful beings who each possess different powers and lean towards various styles of gameplay including sorcery, conflict, and the art of diplomacy, all of which offer some distinct gameplay advantages and nuances. 

Along with their abilities, you command legions of troops, use magic, and talk your way through situations in this ash-covered version of hell in synchronous turns, with the order determined by a Regent that changes with each turn. As you do so, you’ll grow in power, unlock new powers, and earn the ever-important Prestige, the primary resource and method by which you claim victory.

The simplest and often most used way of accumulating Prestige is through conquest, capturing the Places of Power, the rather intricate art of diplomacy, and wagers to gain as much as possible before the turn limit is reached. In truth, nearly every action has some way to earn, wager, or lose Prestige, and it’s often the crux of every weighty decision you’ll need to make during a match, and there are a lot of choices to make in this game.

Outside of that, you can crush the other Archfiends in battle or claim Pandemonium, the capital of hell. However, these are more laborious tasks, making pursuing them difficult since they often are far less effective options. If you decide to try that, have a go at it. The game invites a challenge, whether to your friendships or strategic mind.

This will take place in games that can be instant, intense matches that last for a few hours or across days and weeks, thanks to asynchronous multiplayer. Should you choose to play this way, games can be played for a few minutes a day, while the rest of your time can be spent scheming or pondering how your plans will play out or what your opponents are doing. Besides being an interesting way to play the game, it is also an excellent addition for players with less time to play. It invites a different kind of experience than your typical strategy or board game, be that physical or digital.

Add to this a single-player mode, Chronicles, which offers up narrative-driven challenges to complete, and you have quite the foundation for a great entry into the genre.

All of this combines into a good base that shows Leagues of Geeks’ pension for board game design and is only built upon and made all the better by the numerous other mechanics at work, and they are equally well implemented and much more sadistic.

A Game With A Hell-thy Amount of Choice

Beyond its core gameplay and ideas, Solium Infernum is filled with nuanced and layered mechanics and ideas that serve a simple goal: To make decisions that matter, are weighty, and sometimes a little stressful. 

That starts with how you plan each of your turns. Each player begins a match with two order slots, which allow you to take your actions each turn, with the chance to earn more during the game. The order your actions take is also important, as they play out one by one in the order you choose, and depending on how you use them, can make a big difference to how your strategy plays out, like the amount of Tribute you earn, how you deal with combat, or any other aspect of the game. It’s an important factor in your tactics and the first of many.

Archfiends are another of these important choices. Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, Archfiends all feature a unique ability called a Dark Art, a special move that can be used to disrupt, summon, hinder, or buff legions, as well as a unique starting legion and different starting stats in the five powers: Wrath, Deceit, Prophecy, Destruction, and Charisma. Each of these opens up different gameplay options and can be leveled up during a match to help refine your style as you play. Depending on your Archfiend, you lean towards specific play styles, like sorcerers such as Murmur and Lilith, who start with penance for spells, or Astaroth, who is more about aggressive, combat-centric tactics. Archfiends also come equipped with your selection and combination of rings, amulets, and crowns, all of which grant additional buffs or effects to further tailor your playstyle, with each type taking up one or more of your three slots, making what you choose just as important as who.

From there, it’s into the thick of the game where you begin to make the real tough choices.

These decisions and mechanics are best summarised by separating them into two areas: Diplomacy and Conflict. These connect, intertwine, and play off each other beautifully during sessions but are equally their own beast to contend with and use how you choose.

For starters, let’s dip into the hellish bureaucracy that is rife in hell. Diplomacy has been rightly touted as one of the game’s key features, and it’s evident once you get into the game and see it play out for yourself. Much like politics in the real world, most of the options you have when it comes to diplomacy involve belittling and manipulating your opponents with several options. These are to demand, insult, declare, and propose other Archfiends into submitting to you, handing over resources, or getting into a fight, and all have their uses and benefits. Prestige is often your bargaining chip, and whether you aim to discredit, insult, or extort your opponent, you’ll often need to front some of your prestige in the process.

Once you have declared your action, it’s up to the recipient to decide how to react, and from there, several scenarios can play out. Should they accept and take the deformation and demand, they will hand over their resources, your wagered Prestige is returned, and you’ll have to wait three turns before making another diplomatic action against that player. If they don’t, they take your wagered Prestige but now open themselves up to repercussions.

But that’s the more violent side of the diplomatic discussions. It is also possible to propose temporary alliances and more permanent shows of solidarity thanks to emissaries and truces, which can help buy you time, win favor, and eventually persuade others to become your lieutenants and you, their Blood Lord. This sees your new lieutenant hand over all their Prestige at the end of a game, hoping their contributions will help you secure the win and claim some of the glory alongside you.

Then you get Edicts, moments where you’ll need to vote for outcomes that can benefit or annoy you and other players, giving you another opportunity to mess with the game and shift the balance. Lastly, you have Plots, which are randomly generated objectives that provide additional ways to earn Prestige, with the option to do public or private ones, with different consequences and the potential to sow doubt, frustration, and conflict further.

That’s the talking, manipulative side of the coin. The other is much more violent and focused on conquest and conflict, which can be just as rewarding and stressful at times.

When Words Fail

When your words fail, it often comes down to violence to resolve your issues with your other players, and this often takes on the form of Vendettas.

Vendettas are your method of going to battle with other Archfiends and once again involve wagering Prestige against a set of conditions that you set against the affected player. This can be to capture their territories, called Cantons, take their Places of Power, or defeat a number of their legions in a set amount of turns. It’s then down to you to complete that task, win the Vendetta, get your Prestige reward, and revert to being unable to attack and claim enemy Cantons until another Vendetta. Eventually, this can escalate into a Blood Feud, a constant war between the two Archfiends, and ultimately result in one’s destruction.

Here is where Tributes, Legions, and a host more fiendish features come into play. 

Tributes are second to your Prestige when it comes to currencies, as these will be spent and used just as much, only for more violent means. Four Tribute types can be earned through a select action on your turn or through negotiation, extortion, and some more magical means. You’ll be using them to purchase nearly every army and item in the game.

As for what you can purchase, that is a rather robust offering, much like the game’s political system. For starters, you have Legions, your armies that march across hell and capture land and Places of Power. They also slaughter your enemies through combat, which plays out through a ranged, melee, and infernal stage. If you have more damage in these stats and reduce an enemy Legion to zero, you defeat the Legion, gain experience, and promote them to unlock more power and damage. They also come with perks and abilities that further add to their strategic offerings and potential, only amplified by the other elements of conflict.

Beyond their inherent abilities, Legions can be empowered in multiple ways, adding to the depth and decisions the game is already overflowing with. You have Praetors, a powerful leader-like unit you attach to your Legions to provide new perks or make stronger or to use in Praetor Duels, should prefer to refrain from indulging in a full-blown Vendetta with a foe. Artifacts are your items, which, when equipped to Legions, add more to their damage, give new abilities, or provide additional perks to make them better killing machines. Then you have Manuscripts, which improve Legions with more movement and other bonuses and provide other benefits like improving some Archfiend-centric mechanics.

But that’s not all; we also have more layers to this intricate web of systems, including Rituals, which allows you to cast spells to weaken enemies, buff Legions, steal, mess with, and generally affect that game in some way.

Now, it does have the sometimes unpleasant effect of feeling more like work or tipping a little too much into the stressful territory. I had a few moments during my time with the game where I felt lost or suffered from choice paralysis, and the game does give you so much to work with, so it can be daunting. That’s not to say it is bad; the idea of more options in gameplay is undoubtedly more appealing than less, but it is on a razor’s edge at times between being a bit too stressful that might be off-putting for some.

The game is designed for your to screw over your opponents, form bonds, break them, and let your sadistic side out. Everything the game offers you in terms of choice is geared towards those ideals and does so to great effect, even if, on occasion, it dips into being a little too open. Its choices are meaningful and impactful, and with all the layers to how you can play a match, it makes for a great mix of social deduction, manipulation, and witty strategies that I see being fun for a long time.

An Infernal Feast For Your Eyes

For all the great gameplay I’ve been harping on about, I want to say how much I love the game’s style and aesthetic. Inspired by the epic poem Paradise Lost, this version of hell is muted and greyscale in appearance, yet it still splashes in pieces of color and detail, making it somewhat minimal but with impactful accents. 

Character design is equally stellar, sporting that slight cartoon-ish style seen from Armello, only here with the hellish twist of these Archfiends, all distinct and brought to life with great detail and feel and look the part in this version of hell. Legions fare less well in that sense and are rather basic in appearance, though this was my only real gripe with the game’s visuals. As for UI, it sports a dark, stone-like texture, plenty of detail, and hues of red and gold, and for lack of a better term, it looks really moody and cool.

What steals the show is the artwork that you’ll see on all the game screens and throughout the game. Nearly every item in the game, from Ritual Card, Manuscripts, to Legion portraits, is accompanied by stunning artwork that’s equal parts dark and grotesquely beautiful. These include the hellish creatures and soldiers of hell, the Praetors, Artifacts, and items, all of which sport amazingly detailed illustrations full of color and style that are truly a feast for the eyes. I’d often take a moment just to admire them, and they are, without a doubt, some of the best visuals and artwork I’ve seen in a game for a long time. So, aside from the game playing well, it looks pretty great too.

Verdict

I’ll end this review by reinforcing what I said from the start: Solium Infernum is unlike any strategy game I have ever played. At times, it felt brutal, and at others, delightful and wicked, but it always felt like what I was doing was important and impacted the game. Its choices are weighty, your actions have consequences, and the way it makes you tip into your dark side for fun is something I truly enjoyed. Every game and action I knew would be intense and exciting, and all its layers came together nicely to deliver a truly unique experience.

Yes, sometimes it gets a little stressful and can be a bit tedious at times, but that stress was worth the throne.