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A mid-season patch is coming soon to Destiny 2, and while it has been rumored that submachine guns will have less of an impact in PvE after the update goes live, Bungie says that the weapon archetype isn't being nerfed. Instead, the developer is looking to buff other weapon classes in the patch and will adjust some SMGs with "PvP-focused" changes. "We've got a balance pass coming for primary weapons in PvE in the mid-season patch," Bungie tweeted. "That doesn't include nerfing SMGs, which is something we're seeing a lot of talk about. Just to clarify some of the comments: We are not nerfing SMGs in PvE to bring them into parity with other weapons, we are buffing other weapons. We will be addressing Ikelos and Tarrabah separately with PvP-focused changes." Once the Lightfall expansion went live, a number of tweaks were made to the Destiny 2 weapons pool. Machine guns and heavy grenade launchers were buffed, linear fusion rifles were nerfed, and several Exotics received new perks to help tie their identities further into the reworked 3.0 Solar, Void, and Arc subclasses. Back in October during Season of Plunder, SMGs were tweaked with a number of subtle changes to damage fall-off range, increased base damage for precision frame SMGs, and reduced base damage for lightweight-frame SMGs. While it's an exciting time in Destiny 2 thanks to the arrival of the Strand subclass in Lightfall and weekly missions during Season of Defiance, now is also a somber time for the sci-fi sandbox. Actor Lance Reddick, the beloved voice of Commander Zavala since the start of Destiny, suddenly passed away last week. Destiny 2 players are mourning his loss by paying tribute to the Vanguard leader in the Tower. View the full article

Diablo 4 is the latest iteration of the popular action role-playing game (ARPG) from Activision-Blizzard. Set in the world of Sanctuary, your heroes will need to battle a new threat in the form of Lilith, the Mother of Demons. With classes such as the Barbarian, Sorcerer, Rogue, Necromancer, and Druid, you'll face countless hordes, learn numerous abilities, partake in various activities, and earn lots of legendary loot. Here's our Diablo 4 guides hub to help you with everything you need to know to survive this ravaged world. Diablo 4 guides hubWe've divided our Diablo 4 guides hub into several sections depending on game mechanics, features, and recent developments. The beta and the basicsOpen beta dates and early access - Here's how you can play Diablo 4 early. Connection issues and queue times - Be forewarned that there might be a few problems that you could encounter. Kyovashad city hub - Kyovashad is the capital of the Fractured Peaks region, and it's your first main hub during the first act. How to respec skills - You don't need to worry about skill points as you progress since you'll be able to reset or reallocate points when you want. How to increase World Tiers - You can increase the difficulty mode for extra rewards. How to create and join Clans - Diablo 4 is an online game, which means it's possible to spot various players that are also exploring. Still, you can join a guild if you need backup. Transmog system and dyes/pigments - It's possible to change the looks and designs of your equipped items. Murmuring Obols and Whispering Keys - As you gather Murmuring Obols, you'll be able to exchange the currency for random gear pieces and Whispering Keys. Altar Of Lilith Statues - Here's every Altar of Lilith Statue in the Diablo 4 world to help you unlock permanent boosts for your character. Class guidesClass hub - One of our Diablo 4 guides takes a look at what each class brings to the table as far as their abilities and mechanics are concerned. Necromancer and Druid availability - You'll soon have a chance to pick these two hero classes. Sorcerer - Harness the power of fire, ice, and lightning to lay waste to your foes. Sorcerer skillsSorcerer talentsSorcerer leveling buildSorcerer EnchantmentsSorcerer Stronghold beta gameplay videoBarbarian - Shout, sunder, and strike enemies as you get into the thick of the fray. Barbarian skillsBarbarian talentsRogue - Use melee and ranged weapons, active stealth, and imbue attacks with poison, shadow, and cold. Rogue skillsRogue talentsOur Diablo 4 guides are based on the beta, which runs from March 17 to 20, and March 24 to 27. The game itself will officially launch on June 6. View the full article

When exploring the world of Sanctuary in Diablo 4, there is plenty to look out for. Whether you're searching for your next dungeon or trying to complete an event for extra Murmuring Obols, you will usually never have to go far before encountering your next bit of action. For some players, though, they're not after action. Instead, they're chasing some buffs that will help later on. Namely, players in the Diablo 4 beta have been after the Altar of Lilith statues. This collectible, of sorts, has been highly sought after by players in the beta. Even though we only have access to one major city and its surrounding areas, over 20 Altar of Lilith statues are scattered around the limited map's various regions. As a result, players have been scrounging across the snow and dense forests in Sanctuary in an attempt to find all of the statues. In this guide, we'll show you where you can find every single Altar of Lilith statue in the Diablo 4 beta and explain exactly what they do for your character. All Altar of Lilith statue locationsWhen you discover your first Altar of Lilith statue, the game tells you that there are more out there to find. However, there is no indication as to how many are discoverable in the Diablo 4 beta. According to the map, there are a grand total of 28 Altar of Lilith statues in the beta. There will, of course, be more statues once the full game is released and the entire map is opened up for players to explore. For now, though, there are 28, and players can see where to find each and every one via the map screenshot below. All of the Altar of Lilith statues in the Diablo 4 beta.Usually, the statues will be located along the side of a road or near the tree line. They will often be somewhat hidden, but if you're near one, you will know it, as the statue will be glowing a dark shade of red. Once you find a statue, go up to it and press the interact key to receive the full benefits. What do the Altar of Lilith statues do?Speaking of those benefits, there are a few reasons why players should make hunting down the Altar of Lilith statues a priority. As the game initially explains, each statue will give players a different kind of reward, depending on which one they interacted with. Most of the statues will give players a permanent boost to one of their stats. This usually comes in the form of a +2 boost to any one of their five stats. However, some statues will offer different rewards, such as an increase in the amount of Murmuring Obols they can hold or an HP boost. A majority of the time, though, players will earn a base stat increase. In addition to collecting a stat boost, players will also earn some Renown in the area of the map they discovered the Altar of Lilith statue. Renown is a mechanic that players can level up by completing various tasks in a region on the map. The biggest region in the Diablo 4 beta is Fractured Peaks, and players can see their progress in the Fractured Peaks Renown levels by pressing "M" to open their large map and then pressing "W." The Renown system in Diablo 4 offers players some rewards they can't earn elsewhere. Here, you can see all of the rewards you receive for each Renown. If you have completed a level already, you can claim your reward, which can be anything from gold and XP to a Skill Point or extra Healing Potion charges. The Altar of Lilith statues come into play with this system since each time a player finds a statue, they earn a small amount of Renown for their current area. If players view their map, they can see exactly how many Altar of Lilith statues there are in the map region they're currently in, as well as how many they have found thus far. So if you want to progress your Renown levels quicker, then finding the Altar of Lilith statues is an easy route to take. You can also progress your Renown levels by completing side quests, clearing Dungeons and Strongholds, and discovering Waypoints. View the full article

Diablo 4 lets you strike out on your own, a lone wolf taking out the demonic hordes. Still, given that this is an online game, you might spot other players from time to time. Naturally, it's possible to have a more permanent group. Here's our Diablo 4 guide to help you create or join Clans. Making or joining a Clan in Diablo 4The Diablo 4 Clan system can be accessed by opening the menu. If you wish to join a Clan, you'll need to do the following: Input a Clan name and tag, which can't be changed once you create your group.You may also add a Clan description so people know what your guild is all about, as well as the primary language.Lastly, you can select from various labels such as Casual, Hardcore, PvE, PvP, Leveling, and Social.If you plan to join a Diablo 4 Clan, then it might be better if you already have friends who are also playing. If that's the case, you can input the name in the search box. However, if you're just looking for a random guild, you can select from the language and labels. This will bring up a list of those with an extra slot (149 members and below), and you can send a request to join them. Choose the types of Clans that will get listed based on language and labels.Still, it goes without saying that those with 80 members or more might be tougher to join. This is because those Clans will appear at or near the top of the list, likely causing other players to click on them as they're looking around. If a Clan has too many pending requests already, you won't be able to send your own. As such, our suggestion would be to look for those that have fewer players. Anyway, the Diablo 4 Clan system is just one of the key features that you'll discover as you explore the world of Sanctuary. To learn more, you can check out our Kyovashad city/hub guide. View the full article

The first act in the Diablo 4 campaign takes place in the Fractured Peaks. Early on, you'll be able to visit the region's capital, Kyovashad, which has numerous mechanics for you to try out. Here's our Diablo 4 Kyovashad hub guide to help you with the many features in this city. Diablo 4 Kyovashad hub featuresThe Diablo 4 Kyovashad hub is unlocked early in the campaign. Basically, you'll meet a priest named Lorath Nair while you're in the hamlet of Nevesk. After Lilith's involvement is revealed, you'll travel northeast, eventually reaching the city of Kyovashad. There, you're told to inscribe your greatest sin on a tablet (i.e., fear, anger, pride, greed, or nothing but scribbles). Only then will the gates be opened, and you can continue onward with the main quest. The weapon vendor in Kyovashad has a special item that's part of the main quest.The Diablo 4 Kyovashad hub has numerous vendors that provide different functions and mechanics, and you can see their icons when you open your map. Some vendor types can also be found in other towns/hamlets, not just in Kyovashad. In any case, we list some features that you can discover. Do take note that a few of these might not be available during the beta: Waypoint - Allows you to fast travel to other waypoint locations that you've unlocked. Activating your town portal always returns you to Kyovashad, but you can select a different waypoint on the world map.Healer - Restores your health and potion charges.Alchemist - Used to upgrade your potions, craft reagents, and brew elixirs.Weapon and armor vendor - These NPCs sell generic stuff, usually nothing that's worth your while.Blacksmith - Lets you salvage items for materials, or upgrade them to increase their power.Inn - Has your stash and wardrobe. You can learn more in our transmog and dyes/pigments guide.World Tier Statue - Allows you to increase the overall difficulty and rewards, as long as you meet the requirements. You can learn more in our World Tiers guide.Rings and amulets - This type of NPC sells accessories.Jeweler - Allows you to craft gems and add sockets to items.Stable Master - Used to select a mount.Purveyor of Curiosities - Lets you exchange the Murmuring Obols you've amassed for random gear.Occultist - Can imprint aspects via the Codex of Power, essentially adding a skill-based affix to an item.Kyovashad and other locations in Diablo 4 have sidequests (i.e., blue exclamation point icons). For instance, the one in Kyovashad tasks you with cheering a bunch of guards, which you can complete by opening your action wheel and selecting the Cheer emote.View the full article

Diablo 4 lets you amass countless items as you explore the world and beat up enemies. Some are useful since they boost your character, while others are utter garbage. Still, there are those that might look quite nice, and you probably want to keep their cosmetic effect. Here's our Diablo 4 guide to help you with the transmog system, as well as the dyes or pigments. How to use the Diablo 4 transmog systemThe Diablo 4 transmog system can be accessed via the Wardrobe, which is found in the Kyovashad inn. You'll visit this city early in the campaign. Anyway, given that Kyovashad is the main hub in the Fractured Peaks, it will have this particular feature, though you might also see it elsewhere when you get to visit the hubs/major cities in future acts. As for the designs of each weapon and armor, you won't have access to these by default. Instead, you'll need to visit the Blacksmith. When you mouse over an item, it should say "unlocks new look on salvage," along with a pickaxe icon. These denote that salvaging these gear pieces would permanently save their design for use in transmogrification. Make sure you salvage unwanted gear pieces in case they unlock new transmog options.Anyway, back to the Diablo 4 transmog system and Wardrobe. You'll notice the Appearance tab, which is akin to character creation where you changed your character's face and markings, as well as the Wardrobe tab, which is where we'll make some cosmetic tweaks. Here's the gist: You can change the looks of your headgear, chestpiece, gloves, leggings, boots, mainhand weapon, and off-hand weapon. Again, the transmog options are those that you've salvaged beforehand.You may also choose a pigment or dye among those that are available.The Ensemble section lets you select a cosmetic loadout or combination of sorts. You can change the looks of your character's gear pieces instantly based on each setup that you save.Once you're done, you can toggle a transmog's activation per slot via the inventory panel.You can change pigment/dye coloring and save ensemble slots.In any case, transmogrification is just one of the many features in the main city. You can learn about the others in our Kyovashad city/hub guide. View the full article

Diablo 4, like many action role-playing games (ARPGs), is all about high-risk, high-reward gameplay. You can coast through the campaign in a leisurely manner, or you can make the challenge ramp up considerably, which would net you more rewards. Here's our Diablo 4 World Tiers guide to help you change the difficulty. Diablo 4 World Tiers difficulty modesThe Diablo 4 World Tiers difficulty setting can be selected once you create a new character. Initially, you'll have two options: World Tier 1: Adventurer - For level 1 to 50; enemies are easier to defeat; no bonuses.World Tier 2: Veteran - For level 1 to 50; tougher enemies; +20% XP and +15% gold.Ideally, you'll want to pick Veteran so you can level up faster and earn extra gold. Things shouldn't get too hectic even if you're just soloing, though you can always create or join a clan if you need other peeps to help you out. Power through the grind until you reach Torment difficulty, where you will definitely grind some more.Apart from the above, there are other Diablo 4 World Tier difficulty modes that can be unlocked. There are specific requirements, and some might not be available during the beta. World Tier 3: Nightmare Requirement - Complete the campaign and Cathedral of Light Capstone Dungeon in Kyovashad; must be on Veteran difficulty.For level 50-70; enemies can overcome 20% resistance; +100% XP and +15% gold.Sacred items and Unique items can drop.Nightmare Sigils can drop and help you unseal Nightmare Dungeons.Helltides will appear across Sanctuary.Champions with resistance auras may spawn.World Tier 4: Torment Requirement - Complete the Fallen Temple Capstone Dungeon in Dry Steppes; must be on Nightmare difficulty.For level 70+ players; enemies can overcome 40% resistance; +200% XP and +15% gold.Ancestral items and new Unique items can drop.The Diablo 4 World Tier difficulty modes can be changed via the World Tier Statue in Kyovashad or other hubs. Alternatively, you can change this via the character select menu. In any case, this is just one of the key features when exploring Sanctuary. You can learn about the others in our Kyovashad city/hub guide. View the full article

One of the hero classes in Diablo 4 is the Sorcerer, a traditional spellcaster that can use fire, ice, and lightning. With dozens of abilities, you might be wondering which ones are decent for progression. Here's our Diablo 4 Sorcerer leveling build guide to help you pick the best skills for the campaign. Diablo 4 Sorcerer leveling build for the betaThe Diablo 4 Sorcerer leveling build focuses primarily on area-of-effect (AoE) due to countless enemy mobs that you have to eliminate. Moreover, since we're still at the game's beta stage, character's are capped at level 25. Also, for a more in-depth explanation of each ability, you can visit our Sorcerer overviews regarding active skills, talents/passives, and the Enchantment mechanic. Shock spells like Spark and Chain Lightning, combined with Crackling Energy, provide some much-needed AoE killing power.Basic: Spark (Flickering) - Spark is your spammable spell which can easily bounce off other foes. It's also a means of generating Crackling Energy, little orbs that cause lightning to emanate from your character to hit nearby hostiles. Core: Chain Lightning (Destructive) - Chain Lightning rebounds off enemies and your character, with crits that can proc Crackling Energy, too. Defensive: Frost Nova (Mystical) - Frost Nova is ideal for the Diablo 4 Sorcerer leveling build since it's a key crowd-control spell. Not only will enemies get frozen, but they'll also become vulnerable (i.e., take increased damage). Conjuration: Hydra (Invoked) - The Hydra is something you plop down, as it's a creature that acts akin to an auto-turret. It will rapidly shoot hostiles, and your crits will also increase its crit chance. Mastery: Meteor (Wizard's) - Meteor has a huge AoE radius, made even better by the Enhanced variant. With it, hitting three or more enemies gives a chance that another Meteor will crash down. Ultimate: Deep Freeze - Deep Freeze acts as your emergency button since it makes your character immune for four seconds. Moreover, you'll do additional damage, inflict the chill effect, and cause an explosion when the duration has expired. The Hydra will pelt hostiles with fiery projectiles, and you don't even need to worry about it.Passives: Elemental Attunement - This is mostly to reset the cooldown of Frost Nova (or any other Defensive skill you choose).Glass Cannon - Another viable option for extra DPS, though you also take more damage in return.Static Discharge - This increases the chance that a Crackling Energy is formed when your Shock skills crit.Enchantment: Fireball - Killing an enemy with any skill causes them to explode; this Fireball causes 50% of its damage. In short, every kill leads to an explosion, with more things going "kablooey" due to the proc.Enchantment passives don't require the spell itself to be equipped in an active/castable slot, but you do need at least one point/rank in them. Gear pieces that provide a rank are also considered as unlocks.Diablo 4 is currently in its beta stage. As such, some of the information here may change as we get closer to the game's official launch on June 6. We'll update this guide accordingly. For now, you may visit our class hub. View the full article

The Sorcerer's spells in Diablo 4 make use of different elements. Moreover, the class has a unique mechanic where abilities can provide passive procs. Here's our Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment guide to help you unlock these powerful passive bonuses. Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment mechanic unlockThe Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment slots are unlocked at levels 15 and 30. As of now, we're not sure about the requirement for the level 30 slot given that the beta caps characters up to level 25 only. However, the first slot at level 15 does have a class-specific quest called Sorcerer: Legacy of the Magi. Make sure you're tracking it so that it's marked on your map. Here's the gist: You'll have to return to the southwest of Nevesk. It's basically where you started the campaign.There, you'll meet a Sorcerer named Mordarin, who asks you to retrieve the Forgotten Codex. The item can be found in a nearby dungeon.The dungeon itself has its own reward, though the Forgotten Codex can be looted from marked chest. Clear the dungeon if you want, but you do need to bring the book back to Mordarin.You'll then enter a hut where you have to interact with four braziers. Mordarin will attempt to harness the elements, but he accidentally summons demons instead.After killing the demons, you'll unlock the Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment slot for your level 15 character.Mordarin wants you to pick up a quest item. It's found in a chest in a nearby dungeon.Once you have a Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment slot, you can select any active spell (i.e. non-passive and non-Ultimate) that has at least one rank. This can come from a skill point allocation or, even better, any item that adds a rank. For instance, if you have a random amulet that grants +1 to Teleport, then it's as though Teleport has been unlocked even though you didn't use a single skill point. In any case, go to the Abilities panel and click on Skill Assignment. The bottom section is where you can pick a spell that will have an extra effect enabled. These Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment slots offer amazing boons that are quite different from their usual effects as active skills. Most will even proc regardless of the ability you use to defeat enemies or trigger the effect. A single rank/level for a spell counts as an unlock even if it came from an item's rolled properties. This lets you pick a spell that you didn't put a single skill point into.Basic Skills: Spark - +12% chance to form Crackling Energy when you kill an enemy.Fire Bolt - Additional 48 burning damage for eight seconds after dealing direct damage.Frost Bolt - +15% chilling effect from direct damage.Arc Lash - Stun enemies for 0.5 seconds after you use a cooldown (i.e., dash).Core SkillsFireball - Enemies you kill explode in a Fireball that does 50% of its damage.Ice Shards - Automatically conjured and fly toward frozen enemies.Chain Lightning - Automatically formed whenever you spend 100 mana.Charged Bolts - 40% chance to release Charged Bolts when you stun an enemy.Incinerate - A serpent will Incinerate enemies every 20 seconds.Frozen Orb - Any non-Basic skill you cast has a 20% chance to launch Frozen Orb.Defensive SkillsFlame Shield - Automatically activated whenever you take fatal damage; can only occur once every 120 seconds.Frost Nova - +30% chance to unleash Frost Nova when casting Conjuration skills.Ice Armor - +5% chance to apply Ice Armor whenever you're hit.Teleport - Your evade is replaced by a short-range Teleport with a 17-second cooldown.Conjuration SkillsIce Blades - Every 20 seconds spent in cooldowns will spawn an Ice Blade on a random enemy.Hydra - A five-headed Hydra spawns each time to spend 300 mana.Lightning Spear - +10% chance to create a Lightning Spear whenever you pick up Crackling Energy.Mastery SkillsFirewall - +5% chance to spawn two Firewalls underneath an enemy whenever they take burning damage.Blizzard - A Blizzard will form around you every 15 seconds.Meteor - Lucky Hit; +3% chance that a Meteor falls on enemies.Ball Lightning - Lucky Hit; +25% chance to spawn Ball Lightning whenever you land a critical hit.With only one Diablo 4 Sorcerer Enchantment slot available at level 15, we suggest equipping Fireball. Every single kill you do will cause enemies to explode, which can lead to a chain reaction of explosions due to guaranteed procs. Using the Fireball Enchantment leads to lots of foes going kaboom.Diablo 4 is currently in its beta stage. As such, some of the information here may change as we get closer to the game's official launch on June 6. We'll update this guide accordingly. For now, you may visit our class hub. View the full article

Upon its original release, Resident Evil 4 was nothing short of a revelation for the beloved horror series. Combining pinpoint moment-to-moment action with some of the best set pieces and boss fights of the 2000s, RE4 deserves its reputation as one of the greatest action games of all time. With Capcom's impressive remake coming out this year, the original is still kept relevant thanks in part to the fan-made Resident Evil 4 HD Project, a mod that updates the look and feel of the game to modern standards. It's one of the most impressive video game fan works of all time, and it's all thanks to a small team of dedicated hackers who literally traveled the globe to accomplish their goals. Albert Marin Garau is a longtime Resident Evil fan who dabbles in game modding. Over the years, he made a hobby out of collecting assets that had appeared in many of the series' best entries, including music tracks, textures, and pre-rendered backgrounds. He created repositories of these assets primarily for his own amusement. When he started working on RE4, he realized that many of the game's textures were blurry and low-resolution. However, it wasn't until the first PC port of the game came out that he realized he could simply rip the images from the game. In fact, he could even modify them himself. Now his library had a practical use. "When the first RE4 port came out in 2007, I was really impressed with how moddable the game was," Marin Garau tells GameSpot. "The textures were simple TGA images, which meant I could move from compiling game assets to improving them. I created a texture pack for the game, which obviously pales in comparison to the HD Project." Though his early attempts at improving RE4's visuals came from a place of pure passion, Marin Garau's efforts quickly ran into a number of serious roadblocks. For one, many of the textures had problems with the 3D-to-2D mapping process (UV mapping), which required trial-and-error edits in order to make them look impressive in HD. (Fixing these imperfections, masked by the low-resolution nature of the original, would eventually become the bulk of the texture work of the project.) Like a lot of players, he was disappointed by the original PC port, which lacked basic features such as mouse support and correct button prompts for controllers. When he considered the amount of work it would take to custom-fix all of the HD assets in the game, it just didn't seem worth it. Marin Garau eventually ran into a fellow modder, Cris Morales, who was working hard on the same UV mapping issues that Marin Garau had run into, with slightly more success. Morales was planning to release his own texture pack for the Wii version of RE4, using the Dolphin emulator to patch the game. However, soon after he began work on the project, Capcom announced that an improved PC port of RE4 was in development. Marin Garau and Morales decided to join forces to release a definitive HD texture pack for the beloved game for everyone to enjoy. The outpouring of support from the RE fan community was overwhelming--so overwhelming, in fact, that it totally changed the structure of the project itself. After working on the textures for a year, a co-developer in the community released tools that allowed Marin Garau and Morales to tinker with other aspects of the game as well, including character models, lighting, collision data, and the in-game camera. This allowed the team to imagine a more ambitious undertaking: a project that would HD-ify RE4 from the ground up in its every detail. One that would be measured in years, not months. "Most of the tools that we used were created by our colleague, Son of Persia," Marin Garau explains. "I would tell him the result of my research, and he would make the tools to edit things more easily. But most of the tools were completely created by him from scratch, without any help. We really owe him a lot." From the beginning, Marin Garau had wanted to tackle such a total redesign, but he quickly realized that he lacked the technical knowledge to manipulate certain aspects of the game. Early in the project, he describes spending hours manually editing the game's hex table in the hopes of figuring it out. In retrospect, he now realizes these early efforts were hopelessly inefficient. "I spent two hours moving a candle-flame effect, and I didn't know what the heck I was changing," he says. "I didn't even know what a float point was. Without Son of Persia, I would've been completely lost." Even with the tools, Marin Garau went to unusual lengths to improve Resident Evil 4's visuals. During the development of his original texture pack in 2008, he realized that he would need to obtain the source images used to create the game's assets in order to do them justice in HD. One day, he stumbled on a picture of a door in Google Image Search that he instantly recognized as one used by Capcom. After some research, he realized that Capcom had sourced images from famous castles around Europe, including in his home country of Spain. Marin Garau traveled to Seville and later Wales to photograph all of these locations in person, which included doors, windows, walls, ornamental reliefs, and a particularly large rock. "You can imagine the faces of other tourists as I took photos of a wall or a floor tile by tile," he says. "It took me five years to go to all the places I needed to go in my free time. Traveling to all those places was my favorite part of the project, it made me feel like I had been to all of them before, just by seeing them on the screen. And I would always find more textures than I expected to." Overall, Marin Garau worked on the project for eight years before its original release in February 2022. (Morales contributed much to the project for roughly three of those years, before departing due to personal reasons.) Marin Garau never expected the project to take that long, but he says it just grew too big without him even noticing. He especially thanks the fans who provided feedback on small inaccuracies, as they ultimately made up a large amount of his work. "I'd estimate that the textures ended up being only 40% of the final project," he says. "The rest is 30% model revision, 20% lights and effects adjustments, and 10% for everything else. That's just a guess, of course." Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remake will add more overt horror elements to the game, judging by pre-release materials.When it comes to RE4's status as an all-time classic game, Marin Garau attributes it to the game's raw playability and feel, which stands out even in today's market. He acknowledges that RE4 was indeed a turning point for the franchise--which feeds the criticism that since it's not a survival-horror game, it's not really Resident Evil--but overall, he feels that it had much more of an impact on the wider world of gaming than the series itself. Though RE4 did not invent over-the-shoulder third-person shooters, the genre would become far more popular in the years following its release, with games like Gears of War taking direct inspiration from RE4. Capcom has aimed to turn up the horror elements in its upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake. For his part, Marin Garau plans to enjoy the new version, but he's almost certain that it won't be able to live up to the original in his mind. Still, he feels that there's more than enough room for both games in the series. In terms of future improvements, Marin Garau is planning to release another patch that fixes some minor issues, which he expects to work on this summer. Recent versions of the project have started to include another independent mod called RE4_tweaks, which fixes many of the PC version's bugs and adds impressive new features, including adjustable FOV and ultrawide resolution support, as well as restoring effects that were missing from later ports of the game. Even if you're a traditionalist that prefers the low-resolution textures you remember, RE4_tweaks is well worth a download. Today, Marin Garau works in the gaming industry in a professional capacity--in fact, he's taking a 3D animation course right now, alongside a steady gig. He says he owes his new career to the Resident Evil 4 HD Project and the fans who made it possible. Even now, there's still plenty of work to be done on it. "We're not customer service, but we do what we can when we have the time," he says. "Are we perfectionists? Are we crazy? Possibly both. But either way, I'm fine with it." As a whole, RE4 is one of the most important entries in the storied horror franchise, and a game that's worth playing today under any circumstance. With Capcom's remake bringing a new vision of the game forth, it's great that these dedicated fans have been able to keep the legacy of the original strong for a new generation of players to enjoy. View the full article

Even though Diablo 4 has only just been released in a beta phase, there's already plenty of new content for fans to check out. There's a new open world to explore, skill trees to unlock and test out, and hordes of enemies to kill. While all of this is technically new to all players, Diablo veterans will undoubtedly understand most of what's going around them. However, there are a few brand new mechanics and features in Diablo 4 that every player will have to learn about. One of these new features is an item called Murmuring Obols. Players might notice they have earned some of this mysterious currency, but they may not understand exactly how they got them or what to spend them on. We will illuminate the mystery around the Murmuring Obols so players have one less thing to worry about in Sanctuary. The purpose of Murmuring ObolsCurrently, in the beta of Diablo 4, there is only one use for the Murmuring Obols. Players can visit a Purveyor of Curiosities shop, which is marked by the bank icon on your map, and spend their Murmuring Obols on some mystery items. The items are broken up by category, and the categories are as follows: All weapons for your class (e.g. Sorcerers only see Focus, Wand, Staff)CapTunicGlovesBootsPantsWhispering KeyThe Purveyor of Curiosities is your one-stop-shop for spending Murmuring Obols.Aside from the Whispering Key, players can spend a varying amount of Murmuring Obols for a chance to earn a rare item in each of the specific categories. For example, if you need a new Staff for your Sorcerer character, you can spend 75 Murmuring Obols at the Purveyor of Curiosities shop. Then, you will have a chance to be rewarded with a rare Staff. Note, just because you spend the Obols does not mean you will get a rare item. You only have a chance to be rewarded with an item of that rarity. If you get some bad luck, you will only receive a common item that's likely no better than what you currently have equipped. It's essentially gambling, Diablo 4 style. All of the categories have varying prices, with the armor pieces costing less than the weapons. The shop will only have weapons based on your current class, though, so you won't be able to buy a Staff or Wand as a Barbarian, for example. However, if you're feeling lucky and have been in the market for a new Tunic or melee weapon, then you can take your chances at the Purveyor of Curiosities. As for the Whispering Key, this item is only used to open Silent Chests, which are few and far between on the map. Although, as far as we can tell, the Purveyor of Curiosities shop is the only location that sells these keys. They go for 20 Obols each, and you are guaranteed to receive one if you choose to buy it. Your Obols are displayed next to your Gold in the Character menu. You are able to see exactly how many Murmuring Obols you have in your inventory by opening your Character menu (C on keyboard) and looking at the very bottom of the window. To the right of where your Gold is displayed, there will be a pair of purple circles and a number to the right of them. That number is your current amount of Obols. How to get Murmuring ObolsIf you're in a gambling mood but don't have enough Murmuring Obols for the weapon you want, you can go out and try to procure some in Diablo 4. So far in the beta, the only way to obtain the currency is through in-game events. An example of an in-game event happening in Diablo 4. | Provided by BlizzardThese are marked by large red circles on your mini-map and usually involve you killing enemies for a set amount of time. We have encountered several events during our time with the beta, with one of them requiring us to hold off enemies to save a woman that's hiding under a cart and another killing demons to stop a demonic ritual. After you have completed the event, a treasure chest will spawn in the middle of the event area. Open the chest, and a solid number of Murmuring Obols will appear as loot. The usual reward is around 20 Murmuring Obols along with Gold and other gear pieces and weapons. The events themselves don't take more than a couple minutes, so they're certainly worth completing if you can find them. For more on the new action-RPG, don't miss our Diablo 4 class guide. View the full article

The Rogue in Diablo 4 waylays hostiles by using lightning-fast attacks and nimble movement. Apart from the skills that you can use, there are also talents that provide some boons that synergize with your playstyle. Here's our Diablo 4 Rogue talents overview guide to help you with the perks that you can unlock and select. Diablo 4 Rogue talentsThe Diablo 4 Rogue talents, similar to other classes, use a tier grouping system. You can unlock certain options upon spending some talent points, and a few can also be upgraded further. We've enumerated them below, noting the possible upgrades and connected nodes. Likewise, you'll want to look at each passive's effect. There are those that provide buffs to actions in general, while others are tailored for specific builds. A few are even related to the Imbuement system, where you can infuse abilities with poison, shadow, or cold damage. Core tier/grouping talent options Stutter Step - Critical hits grant increased movement speed.Sturdy - Slightly reduces the damage you take in close-quarters combat. Siphoning Strikes - Heals you for a small percentage when you land crits in melee range.Agility tier/grouping talent options Rugged - Reduces damage taken against damage-over-time (DoT) effects. Reactive Defense - Reduces damage taken when affected by control impairing effects.Concussive - Increases your crit chance against enemies that you've knocked back or knocked down.Rapid Gambits - Your Evade cooldown is reduced when you daze enemies. Trick Attacks - Landing a crit on a dazed enemy will knock them down.Weapon Mastery - Gain a bonus depending on the weapon type that you have equipped: Daggers - Increased damage against healthy enemies.Swords - Increased damage.Bows - Increased damage against vulnerable enemies.Crossbows - Increased critical damage.The Diablo 4 Rogue Weapon Mastery talent confers bonuses based on the weapon that you're using.Subterfuge tier/grouping talent options Agile - Using a cooldown increases your dodge chance. Mending Obscurity - Heal for a percentage of your HP when stealthed.Exploit - Increased damage against healthy and injured enemies. Malice - Increased damage against vulnerable enemies.Imbuement tier/grouping talent options Precision Imbuement - Increase the crit chance of imbued skills.Shadow Crash - Lucky Hit; shadow damage can stun enemies. Consuming Shadows - Generate energy when you kill enemies with shadow damage.Deadly Venom - Increased poisoning damage. Debilitating Toxins - Poisoned enemies deal less damage.Alchemical Advantage - Increases your attack speed for each enemy you've poisoned.Frigid Finesse - Increased damage against chilled and frozen enemies. Chilling Weight - Chilled enemies have their movement speed reduced further.Ultimate tier/grouping talent options Trap Mastery - Increases your crit chance against vulnerable and crowd-controlled enemies when Poison Trap and Death Trap are activated.Aftermath - Restore energy after using an Ultimate skill.Innervation - Lucky Hit; chance to restore energy. Alchemist's Fortune - Non-physical damage has increased Lucky Hit chance.Second Wind - Increased Lucky Hit chance for each 100 energy that you spend.Adrenaline Rush - Increased energy regeneration while moving. Impetus - After moving for a few meters, your next attack deals increased damage.Haste - While above 50 energy, gain increased movement speed; while below 50 energy, gain increased attack speed.Key PassivesThe Diablo 4 Rogue talents also have Key Passives, which are unlocked once you spend 33 skill points. However, you're only allowed to choose one. Momentum - Cutthroat skills gain a Momentum stack if they hit a stunned/dazed/frozen enemy, or if they hit a target from behind. At three Momentum stacks, you gain 20% damage reduction, 30% energy regeneration, and 15% movement speed.Close-Quarters Combat - Cutthroat and Marksman skills grant a 10% attack speed bonus for eight seconds if you hit an enemy at close range. If you gain the bonus from both skill types, you'll deal 20% increased damage versus crowd-controlled enemies.Precision - Marksman skills that crit grant Precision, which adds a crit damage stacking bonus (up to 20%). At maximum Precision, your next Marksman skill is a guaranteed crit with 40% increased crit damage, all while consuming the existing stacks.Victimize - Lucky Hit; dealing direct damage to a vulnerable enemy has a chance to cause an AoE explosion.Exposure - Lucky Hit; dealing direct damage to an enemy affected by a trap has a 25% chance to reduce cooldowns or drop a cluster of exploding stun grenades.Picking the Close-Quarters Combat Key Passive nets you boons if you can take out foes that are near you.Diablo 4 is currently in its beta stage. As such, some of the information here may change as we get closer to the game's official launch on June 6. We'll update this guide accordingly. For now, you may visit our class hub. View the full article

The Rogue is one of the classes that you can choose in Diablo 4. This character is akin to the Assassin, Amazon, and Demon Hunter rolled into one agile combatant. Here's our Diablo 4 Rogue skills overview guide to help you with various abilities that you can unlock. Diablo 4 Rogue skillsThe Diablo 4 Rogue skills can be subdivided into several categories: Cutthroat - Offensive melee abilities.Marksman - Offensive ranged abilities.Traps - Placing down obstacles or crowd-control features.Grenades - Thrown explosives.Additionally, the Diablo 4 Rogue uses energy as a resource, which regenerates over time. Moreover, there's the Imbuement mechanic, where some attacks are infused with shadow, poison, or cold effects to make them deadlier. Likewise, the classes in the game use tiers/groupings for each skill and talent, unlocked once you've spent enough skill points. We list these in the sections below based on connected nodes/upgrades. Lastly, you can take a look at our separate article regarding Rogue talents/passives. Diablo 4 Rogue Basic skillsBasic skills are always available to cast. They deal fairly low damage, but are your bread-and-butter abilities. Invigorating Strike (dual-wield) - Deals damage and improves energy regeneration. Enhanced - Increases the energy regeneration bonus further when you damage crowd-controlled or injured targets (i.e., below 35% HP). Fundamental - Apply vulnerable when you hit a target while you're below 50% energy.Primary - Grants extra Lucky Hit chance; increases when you hit a crowd-controlled or injured target.Blade Shift (dual-wield) - Do a quick stab while moving through enemies. Enhanced - Increased movement speed while active and upon damaging a foe. Fundamental - Moving through enemies with Blade Shift refreshes its duration; the fifth time you do this, Blade Shift will daze enemies (i.e., prevent them from attacking or using skills).Primary - Increases your non-physical resistances and reduces the duration of control impairing effects.Puncture (dual-wield) - Throw blades at a short distance; every third cast will slow enemies; critical hits will always slow. Enhanced - Gain energy when you hit a crowd-controlled enemy with Puncture. Fundamental - Throw blades in a spread arc; if two blades hit the same enemy, it will be vulnerable (i.e., +20% increased damage taken).Primary - Every third cast will also ricochet; critical hits will always ricochet.Heartseeker (ranged weapon) - Fire an arrow that seeks an enemy; increases your critical chance against them. Enhanced - A critical hit gives bonus attack speed; increased if the enemy is vulnerable. Fundamental - Increases crit damage done against the target.Primary - Ricochets to another enemy.Forceful Arrow (ranged weapon) - Fire an arrow; the third cast makes the target vulnerable. Enhanced - Increased crit chance for the third cast. Fundamental - Knocks back non-elite enemies; if they collide with another hostile, they're both knocked down.Primary - Can pierce through vulnerable enemies.Diablo 4 Rogue Core skillsCore skills cost energy. They can be imbued with magical properties via the Imbuement tier, and you'll unlock them once you've spent at least two skill points. Barrage (ranged weapon) - Unleash a spread arrows that expand outwards in an arc; each arrow has a chance to ricochet off an enemy. Enhanced - Ricochets are guaranteed when you hit a vulnerable enemy or land a crit. Advanced - When a Barrage ricochets at least four times, the next cast has increased crit chance.Improved - Every third cast makes enemies vulnerable.Twisting Blades (dual-wield) - Impales a target and causes them to take increased damage while impaled; the blades will then pierce through enemies when returning to you. Enhanced - Increased damage when the blades return to you. Advanced - Reduces cooldowns for every enemy your returning blades hit.Improved - Dazes enemies that are impaled.Flurry (dual-wield) - Do four hits with stabs and slashes. Enhanced - Heals you if the target is crowd-controlled or vulnerable.Advanced - Evading through an enemy will let your next Flurry cast stun targets.Improved - If Flurry hits a vulnerable enemy, all others hit by that cast will also become vulnerable.Penetrating Shot (ranged weapon) - Fire an arrow that pierces through a line. Enhanced - Increased damage for every additional enemy it pierces. Advanced - If you have full energy, enemies that are hit will be slowed and elites will be knocked down.Improved - If you hit at least three enemies, the next cast will have an increased crit chance.Rapid Fire (ranged weapon) - Fires up to five arrows in quick succession. Enhanced - Each subsequent arrow has increased crit chance. Advanced - Increased crit damage if cast after you evade.Improved - Gain energy when you damage a vulnerable enemy.Flurry causes your character to strike an opponent multiple times with your melee weapons.Diablo 4 Rogue Agility skillsAgility skills are all about using the Rogue's own nimbleness and tricks to move around the battlefield. Spending at least six skill points will let you pick from these options. Shadow Step (dual-wield) - Become unstoppable (i.e., remove and prevent all control impairing effects), then backstab a target; movement speed is temporarily increased afterward. This can be imbued. Enhanced - Increases your crit chance against an enemy you damage with Shadow Step. Disciplined - The cooldown is reduced if you damage an enemy that you haven't hit with Shadow Step.Methodical - Stuns enemies that are damaged.Caltrops - Leap backwards and throw caltrops on the ground; slows down enemies; two charges. Enhanced - Enemies take increased damage when they're affected by Caltrops. Disciplined - Increased crit chance against those affected by Caltrops.Methodical - Can deal cold damage and chill enemies.Dash - Dash forward and slash enemies; two charges; can be imbued. Enhanced - Enemies damaged by Dash take increased crit damage. Disciplined - Slows down enemies; dazes them if they're already slowed.Methodical - Reduces the cooldown of charges if you hit crowd-controlled enemies.Diablo 4 Rogue Subterfuge skillsSubterfuge skills, as the name implies, let you use underhanded maneuvers to gain the upper hand. These become available once you've spent 11 skill points. Concealment - Enters stealth temporarily (not removed by taking damage); makes you unstoppable; move through enemies freely. Enhanced - Gain energy when entering Concealment. Countering - The ability you use to break Concealment is guaranteed to be a critical.Subverting - The ability you use to break Concealment makes enemies vulnerable.Smoke Grenade - Throw a smoky concoction that dazes enemies. Enhanced - Those affected take increased damage. Countering - Lucky Hit; those hit with direct damage and affected by a Smoke Grenade will reduce its cooldown.Subverting - The daze effect lasts longer if enemies are already vulnerable, slowed, or chilled.Poison Trap - Place a trap that causes a poison AoE when an enemy moves within range. Enhanced - Knocks down enemies when the trap is triggered.Countering - Chance to reset Imbuement cooldowns when triggered.Subverting - Increased damage to those affected.Dark Shroud - Surround yourself with shadows that reduce damage taken; shadows are consumed when you're hit. Enhanced - Chance for shadows to not get consumed. Countering - Gain increased crit chance when at least two shadows are active.Subverting - Each active shadow increases your movement speed.Diablo 4 Rogue Imbuement skillsThe Diablo 4 Rogue skills that provide Imbuement cause some abilities to gain additional effects (i.e., poison, shadow, and cold). These can be selected once you've spent 16 skill points. Shadow Imbuement - The next two imbued skills deal shadow damage and infect enemies, causing an explosion if they die. Enhanced - Increased crit chance against injured targets affected by Shadow Imbuement. Blended - The explosion will apply vulnerable.Mixed - Affected enemies take increased non-physical damage.Poison Imbuement - The next two imbued skills deal poison damage, as well as a damage-over-time (DoT) effect. Enhanced - Increases the poison duration. Blended - Critical strikes deal increased poisoning damage.Mixed - Lucky Hit; can apply double the amount of poisoning damage.Cold Imbuement - The next two imbued skills deal cold damage and apply the chill effect (i.e., reduces movement speed and a chance to freeze if repeatedly applied). Enhanced - Lucky Hit; chance to apply vulnerable. Blended - Crits can instantly freeze enemies.Mixed - Increased damage against crowd-controlled enemies; doubled bonus against frozen targets.Diablo 4 Rogue Ultimate skillsIn Diablo 4, Ultimate skills are those that truly make a difference, causing tremendous damage or enhanced effects. You may choose only one Ultimate skill after spending at least 23 skill points. Shadow Clone - Create a shadow that mimics your actions, dealing a portion of your base damage. Prime - Become unstoppable temporarily after casting. Supreme - Your clone deals extra damage.Death Trap - Place a trap that's triggered once a hostile moves within range, dealing huge damage in an area. Prime - Enemies are pulled into the center of the trap and explosion radius once it's triggered. Supreme - Reduces the cooldown if the skill takes out a foe.Rain of Arrows (ranged weapon) - Numerous arrows rain down over an area twice; can be imbued. Prime - Imbuement effects have increased potency. Supreme - The second wave of arrows will knock down enemies.Rain of Arrows causes a barrage of projectiles to fall down from the heavens... twice.Diablo 4 is currently in its beta stage. As such, some of the information here may change as we get closer to the game's official launch on June 6. We'll update this guide accordingly. For now, you may visit our class hub. View the full article

The latest Bungie developer blog outlines events coming to Destiny 2, including Trials of Osiris and Iron Banner. Trials of Osiris returns from hiatus on Friday and resets on Tuesday, March 21. Next week features Iron Banner mode, Control, followed by Eruption in Week 6 and Fortress in Week 9. Here's the brief rundown of what the new events introduce to the game. Trials no longer has a Freelance node, so it's only 3v3 Fireteam Matchmaking. New Trials of Osiris rewards include: The Immortal, a brand new 750 RPM Strand Legendary Submachine Gun that utilizes perks like Rangefinder and Killing Wind.Astral Horizon, a Kinetic Aggressive Frame Shotgun. This weapon returns with the Slideshot, Surplus, and Opening Shot perks. Bungie hints that Shot Swap or Elemental Capacitor will also be available as new perks.Starting this season, Trials of Osiris engrams stay with Saint-14 until you decode them. You can't decode Trials engrams from past season with Saint-14, though. You need to go to Master Rahool for that. Iron Banner will run three times each Season starting in Season 20. However, Bungie highlighted that it would focus on the standard Iron Banner modes and variations instead of introducing more right away. It will run three different Iron Banner modes with one for each week. Bungie increased how much reputation players can earn from Iron Banner in the final week of Season 19. It increased multipliers for challenges and gear, and significantly raised how much you can earn from wearing an emblem. Also, you can earn an emblem at Rank 16 starting in Season 20. Hopefully, that means even more players can equip it to earn 50% more reputation. Bungie added two legacy Iron Banner weapons to the loot pool in Season 20: Jorum’s Claw (Pulse Rifle)Bite of the Fox (Sniper Rifle)We have more in-depth information about Trials of Osiris rewards this week in a separate guide. Also, you might want to consider Destiny 2: Lightfall if you're looking for more Destiny content. View the full article

The sudden loss of actor Lance Reddick today has left countless reeling for words, but already memorials are taking place online. Soon after the news of Reddick's passing, Destiny 2 players flocked to the game's hub where the character he voiced for the past decade is still standing and have been honoring his memory and work. If you load into the Tower today, it's very likely that you'll see players gathering around Zavala, kneeling and emoting to pay their respects to their fallen commander. Many members of the community, including Bungie staff, have been sharing their tributes and vigils to Reddick online. Reddick made waves across TV starring in shows like The Wire and Fringe, and is perhaps most recently known for his supporting role as Charon in the John Wick series. In the world of games, he also played Commander Zavala, the stalwart leader of The Last City and its Guardians in Destiny. Zavala has, over the years, grown from a by-the-by commander into a fixture of the game, a fan-favorite character, and a sort of father figure to many, due in no small part to Reddick's incredible performance, which has seen the character through momentous personal highs and lows. Earlier today, Bungie released a statement on Reddick's passing, writing he was, "an iconic presence on screen" as well as someone who "radiated kindness that touched those around him." Since taking the role of Zavala, Reddick had even become a bit of regular in games, reprising his role as Charon in John Wick Hex and most prominently appearing in Horizon: Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. Outside of Destiny, Reddick was also known as a pretty big fan of the game, one who actively played and engaged with its community even when he wasn't explicitly doing press for it. Over the years, Reddick had uploaded many videos to Twitter responding to fan inquiries out of the blue, and even read lines for fans in Zavala's voice just for the sake of it, earning him a sterling reputation with the Destiny 2 community. View the full article