Halcyon Days at Taoyuan, a new game from BotanX (based in Hangzhou) and published by CubeGames, combines relaxing gameplay like farming and fishing with the beautiful scenery and traditions of Ancient China. It became available on Steam for PC players this Tuesday, January 20th.
![The algorithm strategically merges hierarchical subtree structures, prioritizing least common ancestors to maintain distance relationships; specifically, the least common ancestor of merged nodes reflects the higher ancestral position within the original trees, ensuring that the output embedding distance [latex]d\_{\alpha}(x,y)[/latex] is greater than or equal to the maximum of the individual subtree distances [latex]d\_{\alpha\_{1}}(u,x)[/latex] and [latex]d\_{\alpha\_{2}}(u,y)[/latex], thus preserving structural integrity during the merge process.](https://arxiv.org/html/2601.15470v1/x1.png)
New algorithms refine metric embedding techniques by intelligently handling outlier data, leading to improved approximations in hierarchical tree structures.
On January 20th, World of Warcraft launched the Midnight pre-expansion update, bringing several changes to the game. A major part of this update adjusted player stats and item levels – a process known as a ‘squish’ – to simplify damage and healing numbers. Additionally, changes to how add-ons work went live. While some add-ons will still function, many will require updates to work with World of Warcraft: Midnight.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds came out in 2025 and was a hit with critics. A key part of what made the game special was the addition of characters from other popular worlds, like SpongeBob, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Minecraft, expanding the gameplay options.
Fans of JJK can easily identify which characters truly shined and which felt underutilized by the author, Gege Akutami. It’s disappointing, especially considering the series began so strongly, to see so many characters not reach their full potential. Later on, the story didn’t give enough attention or satisfying conclusions to many characters, even some of the most important ones, and Akutami didn’t fully develop their storylines.
As a long-time fan, it was amazing to finally see Escape From Tarkov officially launch in November 2025 after all those years in early access! It’s cool to think of it as the game that really started the whole ‘extraction shooter’ thing – you see that style in games like ARC Raiders and Arena Breakout: Infinite now. Even though the launch wasn’t perfect – there was a lot of frustration with server problems and the game got review bombed – it feels like things have really turned around. Battlestate Games is totally focused on adding new content, and the game’s community is still incredibly dedicated. It’s awesome to see it thriving!
The most significant issue with recent Star Wars films hasn’t been the stories or the actors themselves, but the harassment directed at those involved by a vocal minority of fans, often called the “Fandom Menace.” The intense negativity aimed at actors like John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, and creators like Rian Johnson, remains a troubling part of the franchise. As new leaders like Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan take over, simply telling those targeted to ignore the hate isn’t enough.
Many upcoming games are focusing on creating deeply immersive experiences, drawing players into detailed environments like forests and cities. These games span a variety of genres, from scary horror to fast-paced action, and each one strives to offer a unique and visually stunning atmosphere.
Let’s quickly recap the current state of the game before discussing how limiting certain Legendary Pokémon will change things. Right now, the strongest Pokémon are those that can attack quickly and powerfully, like the Swords of Justice, Volcanion, and Magearna. With Mega Evolutions from Pokémon Legends: Z-A still being important, the game emphasizes strong attackers, but players can still defend against them and find ways to counter those powerful moves.
The Dragon Ball Super manga has been paused since the conclusion of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero remake, except for one chapter created from notes by the late Akira Toriyama. When we last saw the story, Gohan Beast was the strongest fighter, and Black Frieza was still at large. With the Dragon Ball Super anime set to continue and follow the manga’s storyline, fans hoped for an update on the manga’s return at the recent Genkidamatsuri event, but no new information was revealed.