Exploration
Ongoing coverage on Exploration.
Latest coverage
How Sands of Aura Brings Soulslike Combat and Sandsea Exploration to Xbox
Sands of Aura, a dark fantasy action RPG, has launched on Xbox Series X|S, featuring soulslike combat and sandsea exploration. The console release includes new targeting assist and compass UI systems, along with combat and economy balance updates to refine build experimentation. Developed by Chashu Entertainment, the game emphasizes meaningful exploration, character progression, and flexible buildcrafting.
Lysward Gets Its First Demo, Letting Players Brave Umbra’s Harsh Desert Right Now
Snowcastle Games has released the first public demo for their desert survival adventure game, Lysward. The demo allows players to experience the opening act, focusing on exploration, crafting, survival mechanics, and the use of Amri magic in the harsh world of Umbra. The developer, known for Earthlock and Ikonei Island, is exploring a new direction with Lysward's emphasis on isolation and environmental challenges.
Xbox Partner Preview: March 2026 – All the Announcements from Our Amazing Partners
The Xbox Partner Preview showcased 19 upcoming games from third-party developers, including world premieres of Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish, Alien Deathstorm, and Artificial Detective. Many titles, such as Stranger Than Heaven and Hades II, will be available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The event also provided updates on DLC for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and revealed release windows for numerous other games across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud.
Crimson Desert’s Darkbringer might be the best sword in Pywel, and here’s how to get it
This guide details how to acquire the Darkbringer, a powerful two-handed sword in Crimson Desert. Players can find this weapon early in the game by exploring the northern Pailune region, specifically the White Wastes Sanctuary, and locating it near a giant skeleton without needing to defeat any enemies.
Easy Delivery Co. Surprise Drops On Game Pass
Easy Delivery Co. has been surprise-released on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox consoles, and Nintendo Switch. The driving and exploration game, which debuted on PC in 2025 to positive reviews, features understated storytelling and a focus on atmosphere. It is available for purchase or included with various Game Pass subscriptions.
How to Get Frostcursed Armor Set in Crimson Desert
This guide details how to acquire the Frostcursed Armor Set in Crimson Desert. The set, consisting of five pieces, is found in the northern Demeniss region of Pywell during Chapter 5. Specific locations and methods for obtaining each piece, including the Helm, Cloak, Gloves, Boots, and Armor, are provided.
10 Crimson Desert Tips New Players Need to Know
This guide provides 10 essential tips for new players of Crimson Desert, covering combat, resource gathering, and exploration. It highlights advanced techniques such as precision jumping for stamina-free climbing, holding the attack button for auto-combos, and using skills like Force Palm for efficient mining and tree felling. The guide also offers advice on saving keys, utilizing the Deer Hat for hunting, and strategically using poison arrows and special moves.
Crimson Desert might be an open world jumble of loose ends, but I can't resist its sexy towers and ghost trains
Crimson Desert's open world is visually striking, featuring numerous impressive towers and landmarks that draw the player's attention. While the game excels at creating a sense of wonder through its environments and draw distance, the article suggests that the actual content and quests found in these locations may not always live up to the visual promise, potentially leading to a feeling of missed opportunities.
Crimson Desert: Air Travel, Fast Travel, and Exploration Tricks
Crimson Desert's vast open world of Pywel necessitates efficient travel and exploration methods. This guide covers air travel, fast travel, and other tricks to navigate the enormous map effectively.
Replaced Interview – Inspirations for Art Style, Ranged and Melee Combat, Exploration, and More
Sad Cat Studios' Yura Zhdanovich and Igor Gritsay discuss the inspirations behind the art style for their upcoming game, Replaced, citing titles like Octopath Traveler and Limbo. They also delve into the game's core themes of humanity and AI, the balance between combat and exploration, and the cinematic approach to its action platformer gameplay. The game is targeting Xbox Series X/S and PC, with an average playtime of around 8 hours.
How To Solve The Secret Chamber Of The Golden Plains In Crimson Desert
This guide details how to solve the Secret Chamber of the Golden Plains puzzle in Crimson Desert, located in the Demeniss region. Players must find clues from a mural and match symbols to specific livestock or crops to unlock the chamber and receive the Memories of Prosperity consumable.
Damon and Baby Review - Somewhere, Someday, They'll Fatalize
Damon and Baby is an action-adventure game from Arc System Works that blends satisfying gunplay, layered exploration, and RPG progression, though it is hampered by uneven storytelling and frustrating quality-of-life issues. The game features a tense checkpoint system and rewarding exploration, but suffers from inconsistent pacing, intrusive technical quirks, and clunky inventory management. Despite its shortcomings, the PC version offers flawless performance.
Adrift Review
Adrift is a meditative driving game set in a dystopian future where players control a trucker delivering unstable fuel. The game focuses on memorizing routes and enjoying the journey through captivating, empty landscapes. Despite some frustrating bugs that can cause players to fall through the world, Adrift offers a relaxing and immersive experience with a well-suited soundtrack.
The Stream Team: The end is nigh for Planet Crafter
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie is nearing the end goal of terraforming her world in Planet Crafter, with the primary remaining task being to populate the planet with more mammals. She plans to explore any remaining unvisited areas and uncover hidden ruins before deciding whether to leave the planet with her original companions or forge a new path.
RuneScape Dragonwilds sets Dowdun Reach – and dedicated servers – for March 31
Jagex announced that the RuneScape Dragonwilds update, featuring the new area Dowdun Reach, will be released on March 31st. This update emphasizes exploration and combat within a densely packed fortress environment, with dedicated servers included, though fishing content has been delayed to April.
Opinion: Is Winds & Waves Just 'Pokémon: Tears Of The Kingdom'?
This opinion piece speculates that the upcoming Pokémon: Winds and Waves games will draw heavy inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, particularly in its exploration mechanics. The author theorizes that players will be able to traverse land, sea, and sky using various Pokémon abilities, similar to Link's powers in Tears of the Kingdom. The article also touches on potential puzzle integration and the evolution of the Pokémon series' open-world design.
Escape By Spoon Announced
Paiband Game Studio has announced Escape By Spoon, a new first-person mining and exploration game. The title, inspired by classic cartoons, is set to release soon on PC via Steam.
Crimson Desert Guide – 15 Best Early Game Tips and Tricks
This guide provides 15 early-game tips and tricks for Crimson Desert to help players navigate its massive scale and complex mechanics. It covers advice on mini-games for earning money, efficient bounty hunting, utilizing exploration mechanics like Blinding Flash, managing stamina, and the importance of fast travel points.
Crimson Desert can be overwhelming—do this one thing in each new city to make your life much easier
Crimson Desert can be an overwhelming experience for new players due to its numerous systems and vast world. To make navigation easier, players are advised to ring the bell in the tower of each major city upon arrival. This action clears the fog of war for the entire region and reveals points of interest, significantly aiding exploration.
How to get to Florindale in Crimson Desert
This guide explains how to reach Florindale in Crimson Desert by completing the 'Unreachable Village' quest. Players must intentionally get sleep-darted by the Pororin Patrol three times to trigger the questline, which involves retrieving a relic from a giant tree man.
