Games

We’ve all faced this problem: planning a trip with spotty internet, and worrying about downloading or streaming games. Today’s big games take up a lot of space – a few can fill up the entire storage of the ROG Xbox Ally (512GB) or even the ROG Xbox Ally X (1TB), meaning you have to choose which games to bring. This card solves that problem, offering a significant storage boost specifically designed for these handheld devices.

Man, it’s wild to think Pokemon GO is almost 10 years old – it first came out way back in 2016! It’s definitely changed a lot since then. While it hasn’t always stayed at that initial hype level, there’s still a really dedicated group of us playing. They keep things fresh with new Pokemon, events, and challenges, which is cool. But honestly, lately I’ve been thinking about all the changes, and it feels like not every update has been a win, especially when you’re right in the middle of a seasonal event. It’s got me and a lot of other players reflecting on how the game’s evolved.

I’ve been following One Piece for a while now, and it’s clear that Monkey D. Luffy is the main character and a seriously powerful fighter. In a world packed with strong Marines, pirates, and all sorts of groups, Luffy really sets himself apart. What’s especially interesting is how he’s constantly developing and improving his Gum-Gum Fruit powers over time.

Sadly, a number of great games only received one release and never got a follow-up. Some were even exclusive to the original console they came out on. Here’s a look at some of the best games that never had a sequel, and a few that might be better suited for a complete remake than a continuation of the story.

This year, I played a lot of portable, replayable games – rogue-lites especially – because I traveled quite a bit. From trips to Paris to experience Pokemon Legends Z-A, to the opening of Epic Universe, having the Switch 2 and Xbox ROG Ally X with me kept me entertained and actually made me enjoy some games even more than I expected.

Saros shares similarities with Returnal – like a shifting planet and quick, challenging gameplay focused on dodging attacks – but it’s a standalone experience with its own unique story. While there are subtle nods to Returnal’s narrative and the same actress who played Selene appears in Saros, players can fully enjoy the new protagonist Arjun’s journey without any prior knowledge of the previous game. Saros aims to be more approachable than Returnal through a core gameplay adjustment, hopefully attracting a wider audience to Housemarque’s consistently high-quality work.

I’ve been playing some seriously cool open-world games lately, and what really sets them apart is how they just let you go. Forget those games that hold your hand every step of the way with quest markers and constant tutorials. These ones just drop you in, sometimes with nothing but the clothes on your back, and say, ‘Okay, figure it out!’ It’s totally up to me to learn how to survive, decide what I want to achieve, and then actually do it. Seriously, no quest markers, no help – it’s all on me, and it’s awesome.

Watch out! The Prologue has three important logbook entries that are easy to miss. If you don’t find all three during the Prologue, you won’t be able to fully complete the game.

The Winter Wonderland event is happening now in Overwatch 2! Enjoy returning favorites like Mei’s Snowball Offensive, Yeti Hunt, and Freezethaw Elimination, plus the Mischief & Magic prop hunt. There are also three different reward tracks to unlock goodies. The event runs until January 8th, giving players a little over two weeks to participate and earn rewards.

I feel like some amazing JRPGs never got the attention they deserved, maybe because they were on less popular consoles, or just came out at the wrong time alongside huge releases. It’s a shame, because they’re really good! Finding them now might take some effort, as they aren’t always easy to come by, but I think they’re worth seeking out.