IGN

Super Bowl 59 is almost here, and it has all of the intrigue you’d expect from the biggest live event of the year. It’s the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Philadelphia Eagles battling it out for the title. While this is a rematch of Super Bowl 57, it is also the chance for the Chiefs to win a third consecutive Super Bowl Championship.

The Kansas City Chiefs, led by popular quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, are favored to win going into the event. All eyes are on them this year as they hope to defend their legacy. The drama kicks off on Sunday, February 9.

When Does the Super Bowl Start in 2025?

Super Bowl 59 starts on Sunday, February 9 at 6:30pm ET / 3:30pm PT. The big game is taking place in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, the home of the Saints. The Super Bowl pregame show will begin much earlier, so you can tune in starting at 1pm ET / 10am PT for the commentary.

What about the Halftime Show?

If you don’t care about the actual game and just want to tune in for Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show, there is unfortunately not an exact time it takes place. That being said, the first half of the game usually takes around two hours, which would put the halftime show start time somewhere around 8 or 8:30pm ET.

How to Watch the Super Bowl Live

Super Bowl 59 will be airing on Fox in 2025. The Fox Network is available on different TV channels depending on what U.S. city you’re located in. To find out what channel Fox is actually on in your location, ou can use this helpful guide that lists local channels by city. If your TV doesn’t have a built-in antenna, you may want to invest in a good external TV antenna, or check out where to watch the game online below.

How to watch online for free

How to Watch Live in the UK for Free

If you live across the pond, you’ll be happy to know that Super Bowl 59 will be airing live on ITV1 this year. You can also stream it live onlie via ITVX if you plan on watching from your phone, tablet, or computer.

Beyond that, you could make use of one of the better VPNs for streaming to log in to Tubi outside of the U.S. and stream it online. We recommend ExpressVPN for all-things streaming in this regard.

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, February 8, below:

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $44.99

Firaxis has announced a virtual reality version of the recently released Civilization 7.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 – VR is the long-running strategy franchise’s first foray into VR, and launches spring 2025 exclusively on Meta Quest 3 and 3S.

Publisher 2K Games said Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 – VR is developed by PlaySide Studios, which worked on VR games The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Meta Horizon Worlds.

Here’s the official blurb:

In Civilization 7 – VR, the world of Civilization is brought to life like never before. The map takes shape atop a Command Table that lets you peer down from high above or lean all the way in to appreciate the finer details of buildings and units, like a tabletop game come to life. Players will chart a course for their people and engage face-to-face with iconic world leaders around the Command Table, each reacting as you forge alliances or declare war through the Ages.

Civilization 7 – VR is available to play in either immersive virtual reality or mixed reality, and you’ll be able to freely switch between the two at any time. In virtual reality, players are transported to an ornate museum as they look out onto a vista personalized to their leader; in mixed reality, the Command Table adapts to its placement in a player’s physical space. Detailed dioramas can be viewed in The Archives, a room in your museum dedicated to your gameplay achievements displayed in both virtual and mixed reality. In addition to single-player, Civilization 7 – VR can compete to rule the world in online multiplayer matches with up to three other Meta Quest 3 and 3S players.

Firaxis’ 4X strategy sequel is currently available on PC and console to those who paid more for advanced access, and they’re certainly letting their voices be known in Steam user reviews, highlighting issues with the user interface, a lack of map variety, and a feeling that Civilization 7 has launched without a number of features they’ve come come to expect.

Firaxis has responded to this feedback, promising improvements to the UI, the addition of teams to multiplayer games so people can play co-operatively, and a wider variety of map types, among other things.

In an interview with IGN ahead of the release of third quarter financial results, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged that Civilization 7 had received some negative reviews from press and players, but insisted that the “legacy Civ audience” will come around the more they play, and called Civilization 7’s early performance “very encouraging.”

Looking for tips to help you take over the world? Check out our guide to completing every Civ 7 victory, our run down of the biggest Civ 7 changes for Civ 6 players, and the 14 crucial Civ 7 mistakes to avoid. We’ve also got explanations on all the Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings so you know what you’re getting into.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

If you’re looking for DTI codes, IGN’s got you covered! In this article, you’ll find a list of all the active and working Dress to Impress codes in February 2025 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses in DTI, including outfits and accessories like hats, bags, and jewelry.

Active Dress to Impress Codes (February 2025)

Here are all the active Dress to Impress codes in February 2025 and the free rewards you get for redeeming them:

• CUPIDSCLOUD – Cloud accessory, expires March 1, 2025 (NEW!)
• ELLA – Skirt (NEW!)
• 1CON1CF4TMA – Sweater dress
• B3APL4YS_D0L1E – Doll accessory
• MEGANPLAYSBOOTS – Boots
• CH00P1E_1S_B4CK: Streetwear outfit set
• S3M_0W3N_Y4Y: Axe
• UMOYAE: Blue dress
• KREEK: Bear hat
• FASHION: Black and white dress
• LANA: White shorts, shirt, and legwarmers
• LANABOW: White bow
• BELALASLAY: Black jacket with pink halter top
• LANATUTU: White dress
• IBELLASLAY: Red, green, and blonde hairstyle
• M3RM4ID: Orange mermaid set
• TEKKYOOZ: White handbag
• M0T0PRINCESSWAV: Gold crown
• LABOOTS: Black boots
• ITSJUSTNICHOLAS: Black jacket
• ASHLEYBUNNI: Bunny slippers
• LEAHASHE: Sweatshirt and sweatpants
• KITTYUUHH: Black cat
• C4LLMEHH4LEY: Puffy dress and bear headband
• SUBM15CY: Necklace and eyelashes
• D1ORST4R: Bag and bow

All Expired Dress to Impress Codes

Below, you’ll find a list of expired DTI codes that no longer work and can’t be redeemed as of February 2025:

• LNY2025
• YEAROFTHESNAKE
• HAPPYNEWYEAR
• NY2025
• WINTERUPDATE (Was only redeemable between 8 AM – 11 AM PT on Saturday, 14 December!)
• 4BILLION
• CHOOPIE10K
• THEGAMES
• EYELASHES
• REWARD4CLASS1C

How to Redeem Dress to Impress Codes

Follow the steps below to redeem Dress to Impress codes and claim free rewards in DTI:

1. Open the Dress to Impress Roblox Experience.
2. Click on the handbag icon on the left-hand side to open the DTI Codes menu.
3. Enter your code in the “Type here…” field.
4. Check for any spelling mistakes or errors.
5. Click the checkmark icon to redeem the code.

Why Isn’t My Dress to Impress Code Working?

If the code you’re trying to redeem in DTI isn’t working, it’s likely because of one of two reasons:

• The Dress to Impress code is expired
• There’s a spelling mistake in the code

When inputting a DTI code in Roblox, make sure it’s spelled correctly (for example, a capital I isn’t a lowercase l, 0 and not O, and vice versa) and that there are no spaces before or after the code. We’d recommend copying and pasting codes straight from our article to ensure they’re correct as we’ve tested and verified that the codes on this page are working ourselves.

If your DTI code still isn’t working after checking for typos, it’s more than likely expired and can no longer be redeemed in Dress to Impress.

How to Get More DTI Codes

To get more Dress to Impress codes, the best way is to join the official DTI Discord server. While we check for new codes daily, the quickest way to know about new Dress to Impress codes is to follow the Roblox experience’s official Discord server where updates are posted in real time.

You can also check the Dress to Impress X account and the official DTI Roblox Group page.

Are There Any Upcoming DTI Codes?

Currently, we don’t know of any upcoming DTI codes now that the Winter Update is here. We’ll update this once any information on new codes is shared.

What is Dress to Impress in Roblox?

Dress to Impress is a popular dress-up Roblox Experience available on PC, console, and iOS and Android mobile devices. In it, you put on your best outfit to complete a specific theme and walk the runway in a bid to earn votes from other players and become a top model. As you gain votes, you gain ranks and can access more clothing and accessories, so make sure you’re truly dressed to impress!

Streaming Wars is a weekly opinion column by IGN’s Streaming Editor, Amelia Emberwing. Check out the last entry This One Spider-Man Moment Is Key to Marvel TV’s Success.

Variety has reported that Sarah Michelle Gellar is in final talks to reprise her role as Buffy Summers in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival at Hulu. The team announced is currently all women, featuring Nora and Lila Zuckerman to write, showrun, and executive produce, with Chloe Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals) tapped to direct the pilot and serve as an EP alongside the showrunners. Some former EPs will return as well, including Gail Berman, Fran and Kaz Kuzui, and the Dolly Parton. Notably absent is Joss Whedon, who was largely ousted from Hollywood after repeated allegations of his toxic work environment and mistreatment of his actors. But just because he isn’t involved in the property doesn’t mean he won’t see financial gain from the revival.

Every generation may have a chosen one, and this generation hasn’t gotten their dose of slayer goodness yet but I don’t know, y’all. There’s a lot to process here, and I’m worried on several different fronts about Buffy’s return.

Broadly speaking, I am a huge proponent of reboots, remakes, and legacy sequels. I enjoy new spins on stuff that I love. Sometimes they’re successful, sometimes they’re downright awful, but I will always, always give them a shot. Typically with enthusiasm, even! I am not enthusiastic about this Buffy news. I am, at best, trepidatious and, at worst, completely apathetic. I have been waffling between the two since Variety broke the news of the slayer’s potential return.

Obviously, part of that trepidation is the Whedon of it all. Though he may not be creatively involved in the show, he remains the creator of the character. Will he see royalties from the revival, or did he sell the rights entirely? These aren’t questions we have answers to yet, but it remains at the forefront of my mind as we look at the possibility of future slayer outings.

This line of thinking, of course, brings up the longstanding debate of whether or not we should separate art from the artist. From my perspective, I am happy to separate art from the artist on already existing works that were experienced or purchased prior to whatever buffoonery was pulled. My Buffy, Angel and Firefly box sets still sit happily on my shelves. However, separating art from the artist does not mean that we are ethically free to continue to line bad people’s pockets via ticket sales, streaming, or additional purchases. Each person decides where their line is personally, but Joss Whedon will not be getting any more of my money.

The thing is, though, this isn’t where my concerns for a Buffy reboot end. When I found out about the news, my first response was “I don’t have the emotional fortitude for this,” and I didn’t mean it in a fun, fangirl-y kind of way. I am a firm believer in the power of fandom and how it can be used for good. However, it’s not news to anyone that that very power has been used for ill as much as it’s been used for good over recent years. I really don’t know if seeing Buffy Summers back on the small screen is worth dealing with armies of entitled people mad over nothing (read: Whedon’s lack of involvement, a female creative team, stories centering on women, updating the slayer’s story to fit into the current time period, etc.) and making it everyone else’s problem. Sure, it very well could be if the new series is great. But will it be?

This isn’t a lack of faith in the creators. The Zuckerman’s have done admirable work in their tenure ala Poker Face, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and even Suits, and Chloe Zhao has an entire Oscar. Zhao is, admittedly, a weird choice to direct the pilot given her proclivity for longing landscape shots, but hey, I trust her!

I also have a lack of faith in whether or not there’s a story to be told here after the original series petered out. Are we really going to have to spend another indeterminate amount of seasons dealing with failed Spike redemption arcs? Will enough of the ensemble (not you, Nicholas Brendon, Xander died on the way back to his home planet) return to re-spark the magic? Will fans engage with a story where Buffy Summers is basically the new Giles? What more does the Slayer really have to say? It’s too early to have answers to any of these questions. But, at the end of the day, I’m pretty sure the response to news of a much-beloved character’s return should be excitement rather than a simple “I’m tired.”

But, while tired, I do, at least, hope to be proven wrong.

We all want an epic Gaming Monitor that rocks high refresh rates, low response times, and immersive displays. All these features are on my most wanted list, but they also put a big dent in players’ pockets. Today, we’re looking at five gaming monitors on Amazon, ranging from budget-friendly options to premium OLED powerhouses. Whether you’re after an ultra-wide curved display for deep immersion, a lightning-fast esports panel, or a high-end 4K OLED beast, these deals have something for everyone. And with discounts of up to 40%, now’s a great time to upgrade your setup without breaking the bank.

UK Deals: Amazon Gaming Monitor Bargains

From Samsung’s highly rated Odyssey series to the feature-packed AOC Q27G4XD, there’s a lot to love in these offers. Need a budget-friendly 240Hz option? Odyssey G4 is a steal. At the other end of the scale, ASUS ROG Swift OLED offers top-tier visuals and performance for a serious price drop. Let’s dive into each deal and see what makes these monitors worth considering.

Samsung Odyssey G5 LC34G55TWWPXXU 34″ 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor

If you want an ultra-wide curved monitor without blowing your budget, Samsung Odyssey G5 is a fantastic pick. A 34-inch 1000R curve wraps around your vision for full immersion, making it perfect for open-world games and cinematic experiences. 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time mean it can handle fast-paced shooters just as well, while FreeSync Premium ensures smooth gameplay without tearing.

ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG48UQ gaming monitor

For those who want the ultimate in image quality, ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG48UQ is an absolute monster of a gaming monitor. This 47.5-inch 4K OLED display delivers near-infinite contrast, deep blacks, and incredible color accuracy (98% DCI-P3), making everything from fast-paced FPS games to cinematic RPGs look stunning. And with a 138Hz refresh rate and 0.1ms response time, you’re getting an experience as smooth as gorgeous.

Samsung LS49DG954SUXXU Odyssey Smart OLED 49″ Gaming Monitor

If ultra-wide isn’t wide enough, how about super ultra-wide? Samsung Odyssey Smart OLED 49″ takes gaming immersion to another level with its 5120×1440 Dual QHD resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. This beast is basically two 1440p monitors in one, giving you insane screen space for both gaming and productivity. And with 0.03ms response time, it’s one of the fastest OLED gaming monitors out right now.

Samsung Odyssey G4 LS25BG400EUXXU

If you’re looking for a high refresh rate monitor on a budget, Samsung Odyssey G4 is an easy pick. At just £149.00 (down from £249.99), this 240Hz, 1ms IPS panel delivers incredibly smooth performance for competitive gaming. Its NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility ensures a tear-free experience, and the Full HD resolution keeps everything looking sharp without requiring a beastly GPU.

AOC Gaming Q27G4XD

AOC Q27G4XD is one of the best-value 1440p gaming monitors available, now available for £189.00 (down from £249.00). This 27-inch Fast IPS panel boasts a 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, it’s perfect for gamers who want high-speed performance without sacrificing image quality. Adaptive Sync smoothes out gameplay, with HDR400 looking after brightness and contrast for a better visual experience.

Best Buy is offering a great deal on a well equipped Alienware laptop. For Friday and Saturday only, you can get the Alienware m16 R2 RTX 4070 gaming laptop for just $1,374.99 shipped. That’s $500 less than buying it directly from Dell. The m16 R2 is Alienware’s most popular gaming laptop, which isn’t surprising considering its excellent build quality, top-of-the-line gaming prowess, and reasonable price point. The “R2” is the second generation model that was released in 2024; it’s 14% lighter and more compact than its predecessor without compromising on performance.

Alienware m16 R2 16″ Gaming Laptop

There was apparently a real push to get Resistance 4 made by the folks at Insomniac Games, but unfortunately the game never received the green light.

Insomniac Games founder and outgoing president Ted Price is sitting down for interviews now that it’s been announced he’s retiring after 30 years at the helm of the studio. He most recently hung out with Kinda Funny Games for a chat and was asked if there was a favorite game of his that was pitched but never made, to which he gave his answer.

“Yeah, I’ll share one. Resistance 4.”

According to Price, he and the developers “did pitch that one and it was a wonderful concept, and it just in terms of timing and market opportunity, didn’t work out.” He added that the Insomniac team were “passionate about extending the story further because I do believe that Resistance has set up a really cool alternate history base where anything can happen with the Chimera and where they go and what their origins are.”

Resistance is a series of first-person shooters Insomniac developed following their work on the Ratchet and Clank games. Set in an alternate history where aliens invade the UK in 1951. There were three Resistance games made, all for the PlayStation 3 before Insomniac moved on to other projects like Marvel’s Spider-Man and new Ratchet and Clank games.

Price announced earlier this year that he will be retiring from Insomniac Games after over 30 years at the company. He has named Chad Dezern, Ryan Schneider, and Jen Huang as Co-Studio Heads who will succeed him.

Insomniac Games’ most recent title was Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 which just received a PC release, and their next game is set to be Marvel’s Wolverine.

Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.

This is a helpful PSA from us to let you know that PSN is currently down.

According to Downdetector, PSN has been suffering from an outage since at least 3pm PST/6pm EST. The PlayStation Network Service page also shows that all services, from sing-in to gaming to the PlayStation Store are all down.

It’s unclear when services will resume for PSN, but the outage means that this weekend begins without access to some of your favorite games including Marvel Rivals, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and more.

We’ll have an update for when services resume. In the meantime, no other platforms are reporting outages so it appears specific to PSN.

Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.

The first time I lost my mech in Synduality Echo of Ada was on my second sortie, and a lot of things went wrong. I didn’t buy insurance beforehand and I took way too much stuff out with me because I hit the wrong button, and then I chose not to take a moment to repair right before I got into the encounter that killed me. I made a series of avoidable mistakes followed by a bad decision, and this mech-flavored extraction shooter made sure I lost everything I had for it – so it’s a good sign that, after I was done cursing Synduality and then myself, I was immediately excited to try and get it all back. Satisfying combat means going out on a sortie is always tense, but its slow start can really bog down an otherwise great run, and I wouldn’t blame anyone for dipping out before they see the good stuff.

There’s a pretty cool premise: In the far future, humanity has been nearly wiped out by a mysterious blue rain which, in addition to killing humans on contact, makes animals and plants gigantic and aggressive. To survive, society has moved underground and adopted the use of enormous mechs called Cradlecoffins to explore the surface world and gather energy-producing crystals. Your goal: Get up there, get the things you need to upgrade your base and make some cash, and get out before the locals turn your Cradlecoffin into a… gravecoffin?

Cradlecoffins aren’t your traditional mechs. They’re slower than something you’d find in Armored Core – though similarly armed – but faster than the behemoths you’d see in MechWarrior. Ready for a deep cut? They’re actually a lot like the mechs from 2002’s Phantom Crash, which is to say they are a nice balance of being reasonably fast but still heavy and limited in terms of, shall we say, vertical mobility. Armored Core mechs can dunk like Jordan; Cradlecoffins got no ups.

But you’re not out there alone. In addition to your mech, you’ve got a Magus — think a humanoid AI you can fully customize and play dress-up with — helping to guide you when you’re out on the surface by marking objectives on your map, alerting you to threats, and even keeping track of the weather. You can be as normal or as strangely intimate as you want about the creation process (you can bathe them, which is… weird), though it kinda seems as if Synduality assumes you’re more likely to pick a robo-girlfriend than a robo-boyfriend based on the clothing choices available. (Even the AI-controlled Cradelcoffins largely have robo-girlfriends.) There are several different personalities to choose from, including supportive mentor lady; demure, eager-to-please girl; encouraging big brother; and spicy athlete who just wants you to be the best version of yourself. They’re an oddly likeable little crew — I chuckled when my robo-girlfriend essentially told me to stop whining and eat my veggies (read: weeds that we had removed from the base) or she’d beat me up. And since they’re the only companion you’ll have for most of your time with Synduality, their presence is welcome.

In addition to their clothes and look, you can also customize the special abilities and focus of your Magus, whether that’s finding crystals, providing more info about different hostile creatures (called Enders), or giving you the lowdown on the other Cradlecoffins you’ll run into once you pop out on the surface. I liked both the option that’s good at protecting me from the evil rain and the one who has a knack for spotting other Cradlecoffins at range because hearing another potentially hostile player’s engine in this game is stressful, but I appreciate that you can tailor your Maguses (Magi?) to assist you be the best pilot (AKA Drifter) you wanna be.

You’ll run into other players in Synduality’s world, but in my experience, most of them aren’t out there to kill you and take your things. Usually, an encounter means the two of you being very cagey, aiming your guns at each other, until one of you finally uses the wave emote. Then the other returns it and you both go on your way, always facing each other as you retreat like you’re a gunslinger staring down somebody you’re unsure of, because the back of your Cradlecoffin is its most vulnerable point. It’s admittedly tense, as an extraction shooter like this should be, because you’re never more than a single uninsured run away from losing all your things.

The whole “we’re all working together to help humanity” thing sets up that cautious camaraderie, but there is always the danger that someone’s gonna see your shiny shotgun and think “I want that and I don’t wanna work for it.” I’ve exchanged some gunfire with other pilots, but it’s pretty rare early on. It’s very funny when three Craddlecoffins share one of the elevators that bring you to and from the safety of the underground, and very relieving when you’re about to put a sniper round through the back of someone’s Cradle but then notice that they are running with two buddies and your patience probably saved your life.

Of course, another time I saw somebody take a bad fight against some Enders with their back to me while I was above them with a sniper rifle, and… well, I hope they were insured. That was exhilarating and tense and, one day, somebody’s going to nail me and I won’t blame them. What’s that old Hemingway quote? “There is no hunting like the hunting of mechs, and those who have hunted armed mechs long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.” Yeah. Yeah. Admittedly, taking a golden opportunity like this will put you on the Drifter Support Association’s naughty list for a while (and doing it enough will make you a bounty target for other players), but if you go long enough without taking a shot at somebody when you’re only on probation you’ll be fine.

Managing each mission means making a lot of interesting choices. How far from the elevators are you willing to venture? What kind of materials are you looking to collect for your base, and how much are you going to risk to get them? How much ammo will you head out with? What kind of mech? Will you prioritize carrying capacity or defense? All of these choices matter, and you may regret your words and deeds when you’re sitting at low health with no repair kits, far away from an elevator in a world where everything wants to kill you. Knowing what you want to accomplish on a given run, and choosing the right tools to do it, is key.

The stuff you bring back to base can be used to spruce it up, which is good because it starts off as a literal cave covered in weeds. That could mean something simple like adding floors to your living space, upgrading your Item Warehouse so you can store more stuff, or building a Production Space to create your own repair kits. Every little upgrade you manage feels meaningful, and it’s cool to watch your base go from an empty shell to something functional with a lot of different systems to make your life easier.

But this also brings me to Synduality’s biggest problem: the grind. There’s just not a lot of variety here, and the first dozen or so hours have you doing the same thing over and over again: you’ll go out on the same map, head to the same areas to find the upgrade supplies you’ve wishlisted so your Magus can track them, fight the same Enders, deal with the everpresent threat of violence from other players, and then head back to base and do it all again. That’s fine; this loop remains tense, and while fighting Enders loses its appeal after a while because you learn how to deal with them quickly and then just repeat those strategies, the threat of losing all your stuff carries the day.

Again, though, the issue is how long it takes to make real progress. Getting enough of the supplies you need for any given upgrade or to complete a Request (quests that send you to do something specific on the map, like collecting so many of X thing, killing so many of Y Ender, and so on) takes several runs, and a lot of progress early on is hidden behind unlocking the right stuff. Once you do, things really open up, but those early hours can drag.

Even when you do finally get enough materials, you often have to wait for an arbitrary, real-world time gate before your next upgrade goes through, which means you’re stuck either vibing in your base with your Magus in admittedly pretty enjoyable chatting sequences, taking a break to go do something else (like make a sandwich), filling that time with sorties to stockpile resources, or ponying up some currency (either in-game or real-money) to make it go faster.

That said, you’re only ever one run away from something really cool. Once, I had two back-to-back deaths to Enders; the first time I was repairing and a flying Gazer swooped in and ended me before I could react; the second, I got jumped by a group of Chasers. I was insured, thankfully, but insurance takes a while to pay out, and it doesn’t actually replace what you lost – it just reimburses the total cost of those items. I was… upset, to put it lightly. Some of the lost stuff I’d gotten from progressing through Synduality’s battle pass, which meant I didn’t actually have the means to replace it manually yet.

But on my very next run, where I was forced to play small ball with a basic mech that costs nothing to replace, I ran into someone else’s destroyed mech and took everything I could, which got me some parts I’d lost on my very first death and stuff I could use while I waited for my insurance payout. The luck I had early on had mostly been bad, but that was the moment things changed – including my view on Synduality overall, which had been more mixed until that moment. Once you get into the groove it’s a lot of fun, and you can really drill down on what you want to focus on each run, whether that’s finding supplies to upgrade your base, completing requests, or whatever else.

And you never know when you might find something cool. Once, I ran into two downed Craddlecoffins full of loot and grabbed as much as I could, then booked it immediately back to the elevator. Christmas came early. It’s just a shame it takes so long to get to that point – though, to Synduality’s credit, it does try to ease you in and is more friendly to new players than many extraction shooters because of the insurance system and the way it flags people who’ve been hostile to other players. I just wish it opened up for you faster after that introduction.

Synduality does, eventually, give you more to do. You’ll unlock another map with new environments, harder Enders, and more difficult objectives, but that also means more experienced players with better stuff, some of whom will be helpful and some… not. There are also single-player missions which play out like combat gauntlets, and I really enjoyed the ones I played. They’re a great way to learn to deal with other Cradlecoffins in particular. Unfortunately, they don’t give you anything you can carry back with you besides some video and audio logs that explain the lore. These missions are fun, but right now they feel disconnected from the main activity of hunting for resources, and that’s a shame; I just wish completing them gave you money or plans to build some of the mechs you use, or something.

Beyond those there are co-op missions you can do, but since there’s unfortunately no way to squad up with your friends before you head out onto a map you have to team up with players you run into. Joining up with them gives you a new co-op objective — the first one I did asked us to destroy a corrupted crystal protected by lots and lots of Enders who spawned in to give us trouble. The thing with these missions is you’re only squaded up for as long as that objective lasts, so once that crystal was history, our alliance was broken. Neither of us ended up shooting at each other, but we were both pretty wary as we backed away. Like everything else in Synduality, there’s a lot of risk/reward to co-op missions, but you also get a lot of good stuff if you get home alive.

Then there are the microtransactions and battle pass (we live in Hell!) that can speed up the process of getting a better Cradlecoffin (or goodies for your Magus) substantially, which chafes because this is not a free-to-play game. When I lost everything in that first run, I was able to get back on my feet pretty quickly because the code provided by Bandai Namco for this review unexpectedly came with the deluxe version of the battle pass and several level skips. If I hadn’t had that, progress would have been slow outside of regularly completing daily and weekly quests, which award a ton of experience – though at least you’re always making progress towards one and they rarely feel stuck.

Because of that, Synduality feels like it’s made to be played in chunks – but to its credit, the battle pass gives you a decent amount of stuff for free… assuming you don’t then immediately lose all of that stuff to another player. Whether it’s in-game currency or real money, you’ll have to pony up for everything, but Synduality is at least upfront about that, and it does feel like you can make progress at a reasonable pace even if you don’t open your wallet to buy the deluxe version.