Latest news with #Dexerto
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Tales of the Shire receives mixed reviews as critics cite weak story
Tales of the Shire, the latest cosy life simulation set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, has received a wide range of responses from critics across gaming publications. While the cooking and fishing mechanics have been highlighted positively, the broader gameplay experience has drawn criticism for its lack of depth and engagement. Jessica Filby of Dexerto described the game as 'a confusing cozy game,' pointing to its strong cooking and fishing systems but found much of the remaining content uninspired. 'Despite fantastic fishing and cooking mechanics,' she noted, 'Tales of the Shire often struggled to hold my attention.' Travis Northup from IGN delivered a more critical perspective, describing the title as 'one of the most disappointing cozy games' in recent memory. He argued that most mechanics are 'shallow' and felt the core gameplay loop offered 'tedious repetition with very little payoff.' While he acknowledged some 'humorous writing' and a comparatively more robust cooking system, Northup concluded that these were outweighed by technical issues and underdeveloped features. Kate Harrold, writing for Radio Times Gaming, offered a more tempered assessment. While she found many of the game's elements 'half-baked,' she praised the effort to include companion planting in gardening and utensil-specific meal preparation in cooking. However, Harrold maintained that the game 'lacks wow factor' and questioned its ability to stand out in an already competitive genre. Emma-Jane Betts of GamesRadar+ credited Tales of the Shire for its faithful use of Tolkien lore and innovative community-focused progression. Yet, she also found its gameplay loop stagnant, noting that 'Bywater feels stagnant after a good few hours,' and the game lacks long-term engagement despite its initial charm. Overall, while critics appreciated the atmosphere and some mechanics, the consensus suggests that Tales of the Shire delivers a limited and uneven experience.
Express Tribune
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Wuchang Fallen Feathers launches with layered combat, divisive bosses and deep build experimentation
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has launched to a wave of reviews highlighting its fast-paced combat and layered systems, while also noting challenges in its difficulty balance. Polygon's Austin Manchester noted that the game's clash mechanic, allowing players to hit through enemy attacks while deflecting damage, made him feel as powerful as the bosses faced in-game. Manchester highlighted the weapon variety and skill tree, praising the 'layered combat system with engaging playstyles' while noting boss difficulty could be uneven. Dexerto's Nathan Warby described Wuchang as 'a bone-crushingly difficult experience,' praising its deep Skyborn Might system, which rewards precise dodging to power special moves. However, Warby found some sections more frustrating than challenging, citing surprise hazards and occasional difficulty spikes. IGN's Mitchell Saltzman commended Wuchang's 'best-in-class skill tree' and flexible build options, stating the system allowed for meaningful experimentation. Saltzman praised its interconnected level design and fast-paced combat but noted some later boss fights provided limited openings for damage, reducing the satisfaction of perfect dodges. Android Police's Tomas Franzese shared a contrasting view, stating that while Wuchang 'understands what works about Soulslike,' it 'flies a little too close to the sun.' Franzese found the relentless bosses and lack of co-op systems led to a frustrating experience, adding that for players who prioritise fun over challenge, Wuchang may not resonate. Despite mixed views on its pacing and difficulty, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has sparked conversation among Soulslike fans and reviewers alike for its approach to combat depth and experimentation, positioning it as a notable addition to the genre in 2025.
Al Bawaba
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Fake Labubu dolls 'Lafufus' are taking over China's market
Published July 20th, 2025 - 08:33 GMT ALBAWABA - The hype for Pop Mart's Labubu dolls is still on the rise. However, with a product's popularity comes knockoffs sold for less than a fraction of the original's price, and Labubu dolls have also fallen victim to bootleg copies. According to Dexerto, "Lafufus" recently witnessed a surge in production, leaving the market flooded with fake Labubu dolls, which made tracking down authentic Labubu dolls difficult. Additionally, vendors and stores are selling "Lafufs" for as low as $10, a tempting price tag in contrast to Pop Mart's original, which costs a hefty $30 per doll (excluding scalper prices and dolls with different rarities and editions, which can cost up to $5000). While Labubu dolls were first launched in 2019, the viral dolls only gained traction recently when Blackpink's Lisa was spotted with one attached to her bag. Moreover, celebrities such as Rihanna, Post Malone, and Dua Lipa also caused an explosion in the dolls' popularity after endorsing them. Labubu knockoffs called 'Lafufus' are flooding the market, with people spending thousands of dollars on dolls that are actually worth less than $10 China's government seized over 46,000 fake dolls to try and fight counterfeiting — Dexerto (@Dexerto) July 19, 2025 Lafufus usually differ from Labubus in terms of quality, appearance, and packaging, as reported by fans of the product. However, similar to other products on the market, some fake versions have become hard to distinguish from the original. For fans worried about whether they bought a fake Labubu, fellow customers urged individuals to check the product's packaging for Pop Mart's logo and an official scannable QR code to avoid mistakes. According to The Economic Times, Chinese authorities took legal action against "Lafufu" dolls, seizing over 46,000 of them due to warnings regarding black market exploitation and violations of the original IP, Pop Mart. However, China's efforts to seize fake Labubu dolls weren't enough, as many fans still prefer purchasing counterfeit products, especially fed-up parents getting constantly nagged by their children for the viral doll. While the issue regarding Lafufs exists, Labubus's success made its founder, Wang Ning, one of China's youngest billionaires. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Squid Game Fans Spot Sneaky Final Season Easter Egg And They're Stunned
Squid Game fans have spotted an interesting detail pointing towards the show's ending in its very first season. The hit Netflix drama premiered in 2022, and while it was originally only conceived as a one-season show, it was later renewed for two more by the streaming giant. And right before the final instalment began streaming last week, viewers noticed an intriguing Easter egg that indicated when the show would come to an end. In the last episode of season one, Gi-hun is seen checking his balance using a very unique debit card after surviving the titular games. A close-up on this card revealed its expiry date as 06/25 – the very same month that Squid Game would eventually be coming to an end. Squid Game episode 1-9, 'One Lucky Day'Date: 9/17/2021 (985)What's that expiration date!? — Saul 🏴☠️ (@uptownsaul) June 24, 2025 👀 — Stevie 🔮 $XRP (@EsotericKang) June 24, 2025 gihun's card is going to expire around the same time as squid game ending??? — cheri (@reinmyhrt) June 13, 2025 I can't believe I never noticed this OMG 😭 — 𝑀𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝐾 🌙☀️⁵⁵ ⁴⁵⁶ (@MadisonK_64) June 14, 2025 how do you guys notice these 😭😭 — Nei Nei ║ FUNNY little FEARS. 💫 (@portamiabailar) June 14, 2025 In Squid Game Gi-hun's 45.6 billion won gold card will expire on the same month and year the show ends — Pubity (@pubity) June 20, 2025 Gi-hun's ₩45.6B card in 'SQUID GAME' expires on the same month & year the show ends. — Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) June 20, 2025 In Squid Game Gi-hun's 45.6 billion won gold card will expire on the same month and year the show ends — Dexerto (@Dexerto) June 20, 2025 OMGGGGGGGG — 👧🏻💜 #FreeImranKhan #FreePalestine (@thisisikura_) June 27, 2025 Cool detail for #SquidGamehttps:// — The Culture Circuit (@CultureCircuit1) June 21, 2025 The third and final season of Squid Game premiered on Netflix on 27 June, becoming the first show to ever debut at number one in all 93 countries which have access to the platform. Season three also set a new record for the most global views in a three-day period in Netflix's history. Although creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has made it clear that the current Squid Game saga is now over, he has teased that the door is open to spin-offs, follow-ups or even a midquel in the future. There are also rumours that a US remake with David Fincher at the helm is on the cards, while reality competition Squid Game: The Challenge is expected to return to our screens later in the year. All three seasons of Squid Game are now streaming on Netflix. There's Good News And Bad News For Anyone Still Hoping For Squid Game Season 4 Squid Game Director Reveals Truth Behind That Truly Wild Season 3 Finale Cameo Squid Game Creator Makes Intriguing Elon Musk Comparison
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Fortnite: Over 1 million players still active on game every month, details here
Epic Games' Fortnite has managed to stay on top of its competition in 2025, even as player activity shows signs of cooling off since the game's massive peak last year. The battle royale game averaged just over 1.15 million active players in June 2025, according to That's a recovery from May, which saw the lowest average since mid-2023. The figures may not look huge compared to the game's record-breaking days, but they are still enough to keep Fortnite ahead of many other battle royale titles. Fortnite has millions of registered players(Unsplash) Throughout 2024, Fortnite often pulled in around 2 million active users a month, as per Dexerto. But by early 2025, the energy began to shift. January averaged around 1.8 million players, before sliding down through March and April. Still, June saw a small but notable bump - likely due to Chapter 6 Season 3's superhero-themed update. Also read: Fortnite confirms new Squid Game map for Reload mode: Release date and what we know so far Fortnite's November 2024 record According to Dexerto, the game hit its highest peak on November 30, 2024, during the Remix Finale event. That day, more than 14.3 million people logged in at the same time. Over 44 million played across 24 hours. The event, which closed out a throwback season and paid tribute to Juice WRLD, brought global attention and gave Fortnite one of its most successful months ever. Since then, the numbers have dropped. Even so, the community remains engaged, and the game continues to perform strongly month after month. Still ahead of the pack Despite the dip, Fortnite is still doing well in the Battle Royale pack, per Counter-Strike 2 registered 1.07 million average players in the past 30 days. Apex Legends trails behind with just over 100,000. Others like Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty report even smaller numbers. Fortnite isn't just surviving - it's still setting the bar. With Epic rolling out more collaborations and seasonal updates, the second half of 2025 could still hold plenty of momentum for the title. FAQs Q1. What was Fortnite's peak player count? A1. On November 30, 2024, Fortnite hit 14.3 million concurrent players and 44.7 million daily users. Q2. Which games are Fortnite's top competitors? A2. Its main competitors include Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and Counter-Strike 2. Q3. Why did Fortnite see a drop in 2025? A3. The decline followed the post-event dip after the Remix Finale and less engaging seasonal updates.
