August Game Releases, Elden Ring Help, And More Tips

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Unsure of what new games to pick up this month? Still suck on an Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree boss, or a Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail baddie? We’ve got you covered with the best tips of this final week in July. Click through for them all.

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August has arrived. That means a fresh new calendar of game releases, from massive AAA titles to potential new indie darlings.

This month packs not one but two Star Wars games, a new entry in the Mana series, the start of a new World of Warcraft saga, and much more.

Here are the games we hope you’ll enjoy this month. – Claire Jackson Read More

Image: Square Enix / Microsoft / Sony / Valve / Apple / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

Final Fantasy XIV is a remarkable MMORPG, featuring captivating stories, incredible boss battles, and hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of quality gameplay. FF14 is, also, a game built atop the failure that is the 1.0 version of the game, which means you’ll occasionally encounter cumbersome obstacles. For example, playing FF14 on multiple devices involves jumping through more hoops than you’d expect from a live service game. If this is something you’re currently struggling with, let’s go over everything you’ll need to know. – Timothy Monbleau Read More

Screenshot: Square Enix / Kotaku

Few games evoke retro gaming nostalgia quite like Secret of Mana. Released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, this Squaresoft action-RPG is likely to have been the first RPG for many Western gamers. s. Secret of Mana begged to be a memorable experience with its vibrant graphics, memorable soundtrack , and co-op for up to three players. Not only is Secret of Mana one of the most beloved games in the Mana series, it’s so synonymous with the SNES that Nintendo included it as one of the 30 games in the SNES Classic Edition back in 2017. – Timothy Monbleau Read More

Screenshot: FromSoftware / Kotaku

The Dancing Blade of Ranah is a Curved Sword that you can obtain in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. This visually unique sword is a fantastic choice for Dexterity builds due to its top-tier damage and powerful Ash of War, which allows you to dance your way to victory with a flurry of slashes. Very cool. – Billy Givens Read More

Screenshot: Epic Games / Kotaku

The Fourth Pirate Code is a part of The Pirates of the Caribbean Cursed Sails limited-time battle pass. So, you’ll be earning XP that will go towards the normal battle pass and Cursed Gold, which will further The Pirates of the Caribbean battle pass. Each quest you complete is worth 5,000 XP. This guide will detail everything you need to know about completing the Second Pirate Code. – Luis Joshua Gutierrez Read More

Screenshot: FromSoftware / Kotaku

Metyr is the ultimate troll from Miyazaki, and a tough fight to boot. Well, glove. But we’ve got you covered on how to take on this monstrosity of fleshy digits. – Justin Clark Read More

Screenshot: Square Enix / Kotaku

After a long, winding road filled with cutscenes, you’ll find yourself once again tasked with staving off a world-ending threat at the end of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail. In the expansion’s final boss fight against Queen Eternal, you and seven fellow Warriors of Light will challenge Tuliyollal’s greatest threat in a climactic trial. This is the only instance in the Dawntrail main story that does not let you use the Duty Support option, so you naturally may want to know what you’re getting into before entering the Duty Finder. – Timothy Monbleau Read More

Screenshot: FromSoftware / Kotaku

The Carian Sorcery Sword is a Thrusting Sword found only in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. This unique weapon functions as both a sword and a catalyst for using sorceries. However, due to its lack of scaling, its sorceries won’t deal nearly the same damage as a dedicated staff. Even so, it can be a fun option for those who wish to only occasionally use sorceries in niche situations. Perfect for those looking to live their best spellsword lives. – Billy Givens Read More

Screenshot: FromSoftware / Kotaku

The Lizard Greatsword is a new Greatsword that you can only obtain in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. It has fantastic potential for staggering enemies due to its strong Ash of War attack. It also has a very unique aesthetic that is certain to appeal to those going for a specific visual style for their character. Fashion Souls is essential, folks. – Billy Givens Read More

Screenshot: FromSoftware / airbagged / Kotaku

You’d think by now you might’ve learned that nothing good can come of trying to hang out in the Shadow Keep’s backyard, and yet here you are, once again, getting walked down by an armored soldier riding an even more armored giant boar. Commander Gaius isn’t the worst thing blocking your way in the Keep, especially since he’s an optional boss, but he’s capable of doing a disgusting amount of damage if you slip up. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with the info you need to turn that pig into pork. – Justin Clark Read More