We're back with a brand new Now Playing. Our team is playing a bit of everything this month, which isn't a surprise with our diverse roster of contributors who jump in each month. We have the latest FPS, celebrated indies, roguelikes, and AAA masterpieces. No matter what we're playing, we want to share with you and maybe send you down the path to try something new. Let us know in the comments what you're playing and what news has you excited for the future!

Charlotte Huston

Battlefield 6

I found myself rather intrigued by the prospects a new Battlefield game would potentially have to offer. I’ve always had a love for the FPS genre, and we haven’t really seen the genre’s flagship IPs shine in recent years the way they did in the late 2000s or early 2010s.

Those who aren’t familiar with the FPS genre are likely confused about why Battlefield has captivated so many in its launch. It’s been a long time coming for a franchise such as Battlefield to return to glory, to deliver an experience that players truly want. I was hoping Battlefield 2042 could’ve been that game, but it unfortunately had its own fair share of issues while also losing the plot on what makes the Battlefield IP so lovable. Perhaps it sounds simpler than it actually is, but that stellar sandbox-y immersive gameplay fans want from Battlefield does not cater to taking notes from Call of Duty’s Operator format in the way 2042 attempted.

As much as the two franchises get compared, any FPS fan will tell you that the two games play quite differently. Whereas Call of Duty is known for very fast-paced arcadey gameplay, Battlefield prides itself on playing objectives alongside team cohesion. Now was the right time for Battlefield. This moment in time is the perfect instance for Battlefield to truly nail what their fans want, and they were successful in doing that. Interest in Call of Duty has reached an all-time low, with the franchise cannibalizing its own identity with out-of-place collaborations. The average FPS fan does not want to see animated characters running around in their games. They want a game that invokes the feeling of being grounded in reality; the “mil-sim” experience, if you will.

When a game like Battlefield 6 releases in a state where it provides exactly what FPS fans are starved for, you get a game that blows up the way this one does. It’s beautiful to see, and it’s an absolute blast to play. I’ve always been a casual fan of Battlefield, so you won’t get a nuanced breakdown of what’s different in the gameplay from me. The game is enjoyable, and that’s all that matters. It feels wonderful to have a Battlefield game we can consider great once again. We should be rooting for Battlefield and even Call of Duty to be great.

Call of Duty is feeling clear pressure, as evidenced by the Black Ops 7 beta. Activision is finally giving in and rectifying long-standing fan complaints about the series. When there’s steep competition in a genre, we get better games out of it. The winners here are the consumers, who have higher-quality games that they can enjoy. It’s what we want from AAA shooters, and I’m very happy to see Battlefield doing well for that reason. I’d happily recommend giving it a shot if you are looking to hop back into one of these types of games.

B. Cantrell

Dead Cells

OK, I’ll admit it: I’m obsessed with Dead Cells. I’ve bought it on almost every platform I own. The only major frustration for me is the lack of cross progression. With a game this deep, progress ends up scattered across devices, and my hard-earned unlocks stay trapped where they were earned. Cross-platform saves would be a godsend. Of course, the smart move is to stick with one version for the long haul, and for me, that’s on the Switch. Because, you see, Dead Cells is very much a long-haul game.

By sheer hours alone, it sits near the top of my library, and even after six years of playing it still finds new ways to surprise me. By far, the main thing keeping me hooked is the razor-sharp combat. This is pure action, with every slash, arrow shot, and firebomb feeling visceral. I just love the way busted-up baddies burst into smatterings of crunchy pixel-art confetti - it never gets old.

Kills matter too, because enemies drop glowing orbs, which are the currency for permanent upgrades, so you’re incentivised to fight hard and clear every room (unless you're attempting a speed run, of course). Biomes are procedurally generated, and you choose different routes each time, so layouts, mobs, and secrets keep shifting. The roster of levels is huge, too, from toxic sewers and sunset ramparts to haunted shipwrecks and gloomy castles with vampires; there's always something new to see.

Have I gushed about the combat enough? No? Well, here's some more. Enemy encounters are fast and fluid, playing out like a Doom-esque dance of two-dimensional combat chess. You weave sword strikes, projectiles, and tossed grenades while dodging and sliding around hazards. On higher difficulties, it becomes a high-stakes ballet. When it clicks, it feels incredible. But when things fall apart, you usually know why, which makes heading back in for just 'one more run' an easy choice.

The epic boss fights really seal the deal, too. Every few biomes, things build up to a frantic test of everything you’ve learned on the run so far. One mistake can end it all and send you back to the start, which makes endgame victories feel like glorious fist-pumping wins. Another aspect I love: beating the final boss is only the beginning. Boss Cells (rewarded after completing a successful run) let you raise the difficulty for bigger rewards. Each Boss Cell added throws down tougher enemies and new hazards, but also higher-tier loot.

That moment I realised that finishing my first run was only a warm-up blew my mind. Years later, I’m still discovering new weapons and hidden rooms I’ve never seen. Dead Cells feels fantastic to play and offers depth and replayability in equal measure. For me, it's easily one of the best action roguelites ever made.

CJ Wilson

Keeper

Keeper had my interest based on my experience playing many of Double Fine’s previous games, like Psychonauts, Costume Quest, and Stacking. It’s very much a narrative game with some straightforward puzzles to solve. The gameplay largely revolves around you controlling a sentient lighthouse while also moving a bird who opens doors or turns levers to progress to the next level. While there is no spoken dialogue, the game makes you care about the friendship between the lighthouse and the bird as they make their way towards a mountain. The visuals feature some gorgeous landscapes with psychedelic effects that make Keeper stand out from the games I normally play. As something you can play on Xbox Game Pass, I highly recommend you play it if a short, calming narrative experience interests you.

Ryse: Son of Rome

This is an underrated game that I have played several times now, but I just finished it yet again on my Series X on Legendary difficulty. It’s always fun to replay a game that you enjoyed before, and I just wanted to get more achievements after playing some newer releases this year.

Dispatch

I finished playing Dispatch earlier this week, and I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and gameplay. I laughed out loud many times as I went through each episode. I appreciated the management sim elements of choosing which hero would work best for a given scenario and seeing the synergies formed among the heroes you create. Certain emotional narrative moments will definitely stick with me for a long time, along with the tough choices I made along the way. I definitely would want to replay it to see what the other choices would look like and see if there are any meaningful changes within the story. Dispatch is certainly a game that I see being one of my favorites for this year.

PJ Walerysiak

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Silksong delivers on every expectation I held in my heart and mind. The combat is far more varied and feels more difficult than its predecessor. Its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack enhances both story and environment. And speaking of the story, the narrative threads are woven more tightly throughout every location, every interaction, every item. Yet it doesn’t forcefully drill into your head with its storytelling. It all feels delicately connected yet reactive to your influence. You can see the web and touch the web, even change the web. In short, I’m consistently admiring Silksong’s narrative design; in a word, I’d describe it as thoughtful.

I love how small interactions over time can develop the environment or NPCs, as well as a player’s fondness and understanding of them. It is remarkable how those relationships have the potential to be radically altered in a single moment. I particularly enjoy playing Hornet’s Needolin for every NPC after exhausting their standard dialogue. Each sings a unique song, with words they would not share otherwise. Their tune, their message, gives you an intimate glimpse into their culture and soul: Sometimes it’s funny, and sometimes it’s profoundly sad. Yet it is always an enriching and thoughtful coda from Team Cherry.

Fallout: New Vegas & The Outer Worlds 2

I’ve been on an Obsidian kick lately. I’m lumping these two games together since I’m not particularly far in either at the moment. This has been a good year for Obsidian. Avowed is an excellent experience, and one I’ll miss since I cancelled my Game Pass subscription – though I’m eagerly waiting for a Steam sale.

In the meantime, I decided to buy New Vegas on PC and play through it for the first time since 2010. Then I just couldn’t help myself and bought The Outer Worlds 2 as well. It’s great fun so far, making me consistently chuckle at its hilarious writing. It feels very cool to see that Obsidian has kept its core DNA active and alive over the decades.

New Vegas encourages an immersive role-playing experience, constantly offering ways to utilize your chosen skill choices through gameplay mechanics or dialogue. It wants you to commit to a character choice, rather than being a Jack-of-all-trades. The Outer Worlds 2 follows suit, jamming every conversation with skill-related options and presenting various ways to utilize your abilities (as long as they’re leveled up appropriately). Both games wind up feeling very rewarding while simultaneously instilling in you a yearning to build an entirely different character next time.

Between these two games, I feel spoiled. The writing in each is great. Their stories have me captivated and entertained. Both do a good job of signposting where you need to go to progress the story, but neither ever tells you how you should do it. You have the agency to choose, which is what a good immersive RPG is all about.

Bryan Finck

Ghost of Yotei

My main gaming endeavour over the last month has been the fantastic sequel from Sony's first-party studio, Sucker Punch. I'm not quite done with it yet due to the fractured nature of my available playtime, but I'm guessing that the end is near. I've loved the fresh story, enhanced and expanded combat, and the multiple relationships that heroine Atsu develops with the various NPCs in and around Ezo. I think it might be padded out a bit too much, but I've rarely felt that any of the activities are dull or repetitive. The visuals are absolutely stunning, a true testament to the power of the PS5, and I'm constantly staring at the horizon and the incredible level of detail in every corner of the world. Make sure you don't miss this one!

Possessor(s)

I reviewed the new side-scrolling Metroidvania from developer Heart Machine Games over at Seasoned Gaming, and really enjoyed my time with it. Combat and traversal are quite enjoyable, with a wide variety of tools available to aid your destructive tendencies and keep things fresh even after many hours. There is ample reason to chase 100% completion, plumbing the world for all its secrets and goodies. The story made me want to keep playing, and there were plenty of late nights spent just wanting to see what was in the next area because the game simply looks fantastic.

A big thank you to our writers for dropping by and to all our loyal fans for being here to check it out! Be sure to tell us what you're playing in the comments, and check back next month for more of what our team is getting into. 

Dead Cells has quite a few bosses for players to throw themselves against. They’ll always bookend an area, acting as the guardian to the next one. As long as you can beat them, you can continue with the current run and possibly even finish the game. In this Dead Cells The Concierge guide, we’re covering how you beat the first boss in the game. This is one that every player will come up against more than any other. We’ll show you what it’s capable of, and even provide some tips about how to beat it quickly.

What is The Concierge?

The Concierge is the first Tier 1 boss in the game. It’s always going to be the first boss you take on. You’ll be fighting it on the Black Bridge, which is the only area in which it appears. Luckily, this area is purely a boss arena. You won’t be fighting any other enemies here in addition to it.

Attacks and Strategies

Now, let’s cover the types of attacks that you’re likely to see from this, the first boss in Dead Cells, The Concierge. We’ll also briefly cover how you can avoid them or defend against them. This is tough because it’s so early on in the game, but there are certain things you can do to make your life easier.

Stab

This attack is exactly what it sounds like. The concierge is going to wind up for a period and then stab directly in front of itself. This move can actually be blocked, parried, or dodged. Use whichever workaround you’re most comfortable with. Overall, this isn’t the toughest boss, so dodging every stab attack won’t cost you a lot.

Fire Strike

This move sees the first boss in Dead Cells, The Concierge reach up and smash its hand into the ground. Flames will then spread out either side of it and fill the arena. If you’re caught by the flames, you’ll take damage and then continue to take damage over time from the fire. You can only dodge this attack by jumping over it. There’s no other way to get around it. Every time you see it coming, make sure you jump. If you don’t, you’re asking to take damage.

Leap

For this move, the boss crouches down and then leaps at the player. It’ll damage you on contact, so you need to be getting away from it and where it looks like it’ll be landing. Luckily, you can block, parry, and dodge this attack. You can also avoid the attack by crouching, but only when the boss is at the peak of the attack. dodging any earlier or later will still see it land on you and deal some serious damage.

You should look for this attack after a Fire Strike. It’s the most common time for the boss to use it. If you see the boss smash down for a Fire Strike and then crouch, you know that you need to dodge a Leap attack next.

Finally, this attack can also be used after Aura of Laceration has been cast. This is an aura that we’ve outlined below. All you need to know for sure is that if the defensive tactic has been deployed by the boss, you’re going to take damage from its Leap attack. You can decrease the likelihood of a Leap attack by remaining close to the boss, though you’ll need to be dodging a lot more Stab attacks as a result.

Defensive Measures

The boss has a couple of defensive moves that it might deploy during your fight. This all depends on how quickly you can dispatch the enemy. We’ll cover each of them below and provide some useful information to help you cope with them.

Shout

This move happens every time the boss reaches a certain level of HP. It’s a move that indicates that it’s shifting into the second phase of the fight. During this phase, the boss will be a lot more erratic and aggressive. It’s best to focus on dealing the most damage possible during this secondary phase, otherwise you stand a chance of dying very quickly.

The Shout itself is loud and will stun you if you’re in range of it. It’s hard to tell when the boss will do this, but if you see it approaching about half HP, use ranged attacks to get it down the rest of the way. Hopefully, this will result in you being out of range of the stun attack. Interestingly, this attack won’t stun Biters or Turrets, though neither will be able to attack the boss whilst it is performing the Shout attack.

Alongside the Shout attack, a forcefield is activated that protects the boss from any incoming damage or status effects. This is a way for it to negate whatever you might have applied to it in the first phase of the fight. It levels the playing field for the second phase and forces you to set up all status effects once again.

The only way to get out of the way of this move is to be far away from the boss. If you notice that it’s about to Shout, run as far as you can. This should get out out of the shield it generates, and prevent you from being stunned. following this move, the boss will typically perform Aura of Laceration, the move below.

Finally, if you’ve stunned the boss right before it should have used Shout, you’ll have a window of a few seconds to get away from it. The Boss will always use the Shout move though.

Aura of Laceration

This move sees the boss charge and generates a red aura around it. If you touch this aura, you’ll take damage. you can roll through the aura, but you need the correct timing. You need to roll through the boss and out the other side. If you don’t, you’ll take damage.

Finally, this move can also be used with Leap. It’s a powerful combination that deals even more damage than Leap on its own.

Best Strategy

This is the first boss in the game. When you first start playing Dead Cells, it might seem like a challenge. After a few runs though, it’ll be so easy that you can probably get through it without taking any damage. The key is to use the right weapons and strategies against it. Of course, these are all randomized, so you can only use what you come across in the current run.

Our advice is to ensure that you have a good trap on you by the time you face this boss. Traps will hold the boss in place. If you have a rare one, it might even apply status effects that freeze the boss or cause damage over time. Try to pin the boss at one side of the arena. This way, when it uses Fire Strike, you should have a long run on one side of it to leap over the fire. Traps also prevent the boss from performing the Leap attack, which can completely ruin a strategy.

With this in mind, it’s also good to have a turret or some way or dealing damage over time to the boss. This will ensure that the boss is getting hurt, even while you’re not dealing damage directly. (Xanax) It makes dodging more justifiable since the fight will still be over quickly.

Dead Cells The Concierge Lore

This boss is Castiang, the prison warden. He used to be in charge of managing the prison guards and all those who came in and out. One day, he received secret orders from the King to stop controlling those who entered the prison. Instead, he was to keep everyone inside, even if they’d finished their sentence. He then publicly posted these orders, asking for all infected to come forward. The King scolded him for this.

Later, the King asked Castiang to prevent all infected and prisoners from leaving via the bridge. It’s unclear if these people were guilty of any crime, but there’s no evidence that they were. He was also instructed to use force whenever necessary.

It’s implied in the game that Castiang was taking bribes to deliberately ignore the King’s orders. It’s thought that he took these bribes to support his lazy lifestyle.

Overall, the first boss in Dead Cells, The Concierge, was a nasty piece of work. He deliberately ignored orders, and made others do his work whenever possible. This led to his ultimate downfall, because those he was meant to keep inside the prison ended up causing more trouble that he expected.

The post Dead Cells The Concierge Boss Guide | Beat him First appeared first on The Centurion Report.