Carlos Cadorniga, Author at Hard Drive

Mortal Kombat 1 Roster: Confirmed & Rumored MK1 Characters

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Parker Johnson

Mortal Kombat 1 is the newest game in the Mortal Kombat franchise, and has already confirmed part of their returning roster of characters. One of the most exciting parts of the lead up to any fighting game’s release is speculating which fighters will be on the game’s playable roster. This is especially true of a game like Mortal Kombat 1, where guest characters are almost a sure thing. While no guests have been confirmed yet, here are all of the MK1 playable characters we know about.

Mortal Kombat 1 Roster: All Playable Characters

Coming from the game’s announcement trailer and the official site’s FAQ, here are all of the confirmed returning characters that we know about:

Raiden
Kung Lao
Kitana
Mileena
Scorpion
Sub-Zero
Liu Kang
Johnny Cage
Kenshi
Rain
Smoke
Shang Tsung*

*Shang Tsung is a pre-order bonus exclusive.

The FAQ also mentions that these are “reimagined fighters like they’ve never been seen before,” which seems to imply that even the returning fighters will feel quite fresh and new. Judging by past releases, it seems that more characters will be revealed as we get closer to release. We’ll be sure to keep this guide updated as these characters are revealed.

Confirmed Kameo Characters

In addition to playable characters, there are also assist “Kameo” characters. It’s important to keep in mind that these seem to be characters from an alternate timeline, so being confirmed for a Kameo doesn’t necessarily deconfirm a fighter as a playable character. Here’s the Kameo fighters we know about:

Scorpion
Sub-Zero
Sonya Blade
Kano
Kung Lao
Goro
Jax Briggs
Stryker

MK1 Roster: Rumored Characters

In addition to the characters revealed with the game’s announcement, there are a few rumored characters that could be on the way to the Mortal Kombat 1 roster.

'Mortal Kombat 1' is reportedly the next MK game.

– Targeting a September release
– Reveal "imminent" in the next couple weeks
– Peacemaker and Homelander are potential characters
– Coming to PS5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switchhttps://t.co/cGLN9qZNlb pic.twitter.com/tte9Rc09OU

— KAMI (@Okami13_) May 11, 2023

According to a Tweet, Peacemaker from DC Comics and Homelander from The Boys (now best known as an Amazon Prime series) could be guest characters in the upcoming game. This Tweet got a lot of details correct from the official announcement on May 18, including a September release, the targeted platforms, and the title Mortal Kombat 1 itself. These two guest characters also both make a lot of sense for the Mortal Kombat universe; both are well-known for their brutality, and have had rises to pop culture fame thanks to popular TV series.

On May 19, an Amazon Italy listing seems to have revealed these characters and 4 more will be coming to the game in the first Kombat Pack. Reported by Video Games Chronicle, it appears the first Kombat Pack will feature Quan Chi, Omni Man, Ermac, Takeda, Peacemaker, and Homelander. With this listing corroborating the previous rumor of Peacemaker & Homelander, it seems like an almost sure thing that these fighters will be the contents of the Kombat Pack.

As of writing, these are all of the confirmed and prominent rumored characters on the Mortal Kombat 1 roster. Looking to get the game as soon as you can? Check out our Mortal Kombat 1 pre-order guide to get all the info you need on purchasing the correct edition of the new release.

Mortal Kombat 1 Pre Order Guide & Edition Comparison

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Parker Johnson

Mortal Kombat 1 is the newest entry in the Mortal Kombat series, and pre order for all of the game’s editions will open soon. However, as with many modern game pre-orders, there’s quite a few editions to navigate through, each with their own features and benefits, at a price. Here’s everything you need to know about Mortal Kombat 1 pre orders, including when & where you can pre-order, and what each edition contains.

Mortal Kombat 1 Pre-Order: When Can You Pre-Order?

Mortal Kombat 1 pre orders will open on May 19 at 10 AM PDT (update: it now seems pre-orders will open at the close of the Kommunity Chat with NetherRealm). There’s no news on exactly where these pre-orders will be open. However, it seems safe to assume that pre-orders will open at this time across all major retailers, both physical and digital for all of Mortal Kombat 1‘s target platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store).

Mortal Kombat 1: Which Edition Should You Get?

Mortal Kombat 1 is releasing with three different available editions for players to choose from. Each has their own benefits, and certain restrictions on platform, which are available on the game’s FAQ page. These are the editions that players can choose from.

Standard Edition

The standard edition of MK1 will retail for $69.99, and will be available physically and digitally across all of the aforementioned platforms. The only bonus with this edition pre-order is the playable character Shang Tsung.

Premium Edition

The premium edition will also be available to all platforms physically and digitally, but will retail for $109.99. This version includes the aforementioned playable character Shang Tsung, and the following bonuses:

Kombat Pack
- Jean-Claude Van Damme Johnny Cage Skin
- Six new playable characters
- Five new Kameo Fighters
Early access on September 14 (five days ahead of standard release)
1,250 Dragon Krystals

Mortal Kombat 1 Kollector’s Edition

The Mortal Kombat 1 Kollector’s Edition pre order is a bit more restrictive, as it’s only available physically for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, and will retail for $249.99. Luckily for digital-leaning players, the content in this edition is mostly physical:

All Premium Edition content
16.5 inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE
- In-game skin inspired by the design
Three exclusive art prints
Steel case
1,450 Dragon Krystals in addition to Premium Edition Krystals (2,700 total)

That’s all we know about Mortal Kombat 1 pre-orders. Get your perfect edition and be prepared when both classic and unexpected guest characters clash when the game releases on September 19.

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Clues to the Sky: Where is Watery Bridge?

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Alex Branagan

The Legend of Zelda series is best known for its environmental puzzles, and Tears of the Kingdom is no stranger to this, pushing the sandbox formula to even greater heights with harder riddles, but a certain watery bridge is causing players quite a bit of confusion. Finding the Watery Bridge, Droplet and supposed Land of the Sky Fish mentioned during the Clues to the Sky questline in Zora’s Domain is a little trickier than a simple shrine puzzle, you’ll need to explore and keep a sharp eye out for the answer around the world map. Fortunately, we’ve done the legwork and have the answers right here. Here’s what you need to know the Clues to the Sky questline, including where to find the Watery Bridge.

How to Solve the Clues to the Sky Quest Riddle

First things first: we’d highly recommend completing the “Restoring the Zora Armor” quest before continuing on if you haven’t already. The ability to swim up waterfalls is going to be necessary for access to the upcoming dungeon and makes the Clues to the Sky quest a little simpler.

After restoring the ancient Zora slate with Jiahto, revealing the riddle, and locating King Dorephan in the Pristine Sanctum, you’ll find yourself with a few King’s Scales on hand. As per the ancient riddle, you’ll need to shoot one through a droplet on the Land of the Sky Fish to gain access to the watery bridge.

Land of the Sky Fish Location

The Land of the Sky Fish is found within the Lanayru Sky Archipelago, which you can see to the east of and above Mipha’s court. Take a look at your map and open the Sky layer by pressing up on the d-pad, a suspiciously fish-shaped sky island is what we’re looking for, called Floating Scales Island.

You can access Floating Scales Island in multiple ways. With the Zora Armor equipped, simply glide over and you’ll automatically swim up the island’s waterfall once you make contact. Alternatively, you could also build a flying machine with Zonai devices if you’re feeling particularly creative, or hop on one of the falling sky stones and use the Recall ability.

Where is the Droplet?

The droplet is only visible when facing southwest from the center of Floating Scales Island. Here’s how to find it and uncover the way forward to the watery bridge:

Check your map and plant yourself near the bottom ‘fin’ of the island and face southwest.
The floating sky debris will line up and form the shape of a water droplet when you position the camera correctly.
Equip your bow and then hit up on the d-pad to fuse a King’s Scale to your arrow.
Shoot it through the droplet to reveal the location of the watery bridge.

Where is the Watery Bridge?

In Tears of the Kingdom, the watery bridge is revealed to be in the East Reservoir Lake, south of Mipha’s Court. Shooting through the droplet will complete the Clues to the Sky questline and require you to speak to Sidon and contend with a Sludge Like mini-boss before leaving to investigate the lake together.

How to Access the Watery Bridge

Once you’ve traveled to the lake and met up with Sidon, he’ll offer you a path below to the Ancient Zora Waterworks, where you’ll need to unblock some pipes to raise the water level and activate a Zonai gate. Once you’ve touched the gate, a waterfall will descend from the sky above, granting you access to Wellspring Island and acting as your ‘watery bridge’ to the Zora dungeon.

And that’s everything you need to know about finding the watery bridge, make sure to check out our other Tears of the Kingdom guides and find the Gerudo Heroines Secret Stelae Locations or how to kill Gloom Hands.

Metroidvania Fan Refers to Platformers as Mariosonics

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Kevin Podas

DEKALB, Ill. — Self-professed fan of search-action games, otherwise known as Metroidvanias, Joe Agliato has reportedly begun to see the appeal in more traditional platforming games, which he refers to as Mariosonics.

“It doesn’t have to always be about a sense of exploration,” said Agliato. “Celeste for example shows off what a Mariosonic can be: challenges that truly test your endurance and sense of timing. In that regard you could call Sonic Frontiers a Mariosonic, just… not a very good one. Sure it’s right there in the name, but it’s more about what the label means, not what it says, you know?”

Agliato continued on and stressed that his gaming palette extends further than just Metroidvanias.

“Metroidvanias have a special place in my heart, but I play all kinds of games,” said Agliato. “My favorite Halodoom is Goldeneye, my favorite Chronofantasy is Dragon Quest, and my favorite Harvestcrossing is Stardew Valley. I’m always trying to expand my horizons, try new things, and apply labels to them by mashing up two existing examples that are already popular in the genre. I don’t think it diminishes their individual appeal at all, to be honest.”

Jake Mondragon, Agliato’s longtime friend, chimed in to argue against some of Agliato’s talking points.

“Genres have names for a reason, across all different kinds of media,” replied Mondragon. “Nobody else uses this weird terminology to refer to music, movies, TV, or anything. Oh, what’s your favorite Rollingzeppelin? Your favorite Clockworkshining? Your favorite Simpsonsguy? See? It’s just weird, man.”

At press time, both friends agreed that using the term Soulsborne to refer to any game that has a high level of challenge and a death and rebirth progression loop was highly reductive.

Tears of the Kingdom The Heroines Secret Guide: Stelae Locations

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Parker Johnson

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is filled to the brim with side quests, including Gerudo Town’s “The Heroines’ Secret.” You’ll likely come across this quest in the course of completing the main quest “Riju of Gerudo Town.” Once you enter the shelter in Gerudo Town, you’ll find an archaeologist named Rotana who wants to learn more about seven Gerudo heroines.

How to Complete The Heroines Secret Quest in Zelda: TOTK

Your job is to use the Purah Pad camera app to take pictures of the four stelae that Rotana hasn’t found yet. Luckily, all of these can be found around the shelter. Here are all of the stelae locations in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

All Heroines’ Secret Stelae Locations in Tears of the Kingdom

For the first stela, go into the room marked by the two stelae that Rotana already found. When you enter this room, look to your left to find a pile of destructible boulders (at roughly (-3892, -2994, 0031)). Use an explosive (an arrow-bomb flower fusion would be perfect) to get rid of these boulders. Behind them, you’ll find the first stela. Make sure to snap a picture of it!

Stelae Location 2

Go back to the room where you got the “The Heroines’ Secret” quest from Rotana and (while facing her) head to the left into the classroom. You can’t get a good look during the young class school hours (roughly 11 AM to 3 PM), so come back to the classroom late evening or early morning to get a snapshot of this one for your collection. This stela is a bit broken, but there’s no need to try and put it together. Simply line up a shot with your camera! You’ll know if it’s valid when you see the red exclamation mark.

Stelae Location 3

After you get this snapshot (or if you’re killing time while waiting for hours to pass), continue down the path and go left at the fork in the road. Keep looking to your left, and you’ll see a busted stela with a large sand pile in front of it. Use some sort of wind (Korok Frond Guster, Fan) to blow the sand away.

Then, use Ultrahand to pick up the broken piece and repair the stela. You won’t need to attach it; it simply slots in with the correct orientation.

Stelae Location 4

Break the pots on this shelf to reveal a path you can crouch walk through.

The final stela is a bit tricky to find. Head back to the hub and, when facing Rotana, head to the right path. When you see the prison, head down the short slope to the left of the prison. When you get down here, you should see some shelves to your right. Break the vases in the bottom left shelf.

Now you should have a path to crouch walk under. Go through and use Ascend in the room you emerge in. You’ll find yourself in prison, but also in perfect position for a photo of the last stela. Simply examine the door to be let out of jail, then return to Rotana with your findings to complete the quest!

That’s all you need to know to complete “The Heroines’ Secret!” Enjoy your reward of 100 rupees and additional work. If you’re having trouble making your way around Gerudo Town, check out our guide on how to fix Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower in Tears of the Kingdom!

The 8 Most Anticipated Games of 2023

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Mark Roebuck

Now that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Redcall have been released, we thought it would be a good time to look ahead to the rest of the most anticipated game releases of 2023.

Street Fighter 6

I’ve been saying they should make a sequel to Street Fighter 5 for years! I’m glad someone finally listened to me.

Diablo 4

Easily one of the most anticipated games of the year, Diablo 4 is sure to take hold of the gaming world when it releases next month. Will someone email me and tell me how it turns out? My mom doesn’t let me play devil stuff.

Final Fantasy 16

Do I have time to play the first 15 before this comes out? Lmk in the comments. Might skip one or two of them.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Just kidding!

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Jason Vorheis. Freddy Krueger. Michael Myers. All of these iconic killers and more will be found in this wildly inaccurate adaptation of Tobe Hooper’s seminal 1973 horror film.

Pikmin 4

“No more Mario or Zelda games,” said legendary Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto. “We just do Pikmin games from now on.”

Damn.

Starfield

A recent report from Xbox states that if every gamer in America buys this game, they will have had a “pretty okay” year. Good luck, fellas!

NBA2k24

This year’s game is rumored to have the most extensive MyCareer mode yet, as well as adding even more options and features to the other robust modes, including MyCAREER, MyTEAM, MyLEAGUE, and MyNBA. Also, they’re putting in the 3 point line this year! Very cool!

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Elixir Recipe Guide: All Elixir Recipes

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Tarun Sayal

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the latest installment in the beloved Zelda franchise with many returning Breath of the Wild features, like elixir recipes. In the game, you can make several elixirs, which are potions that grant you various status effects for a limited time. Elixirs can help you survive in harsh environments, move faster, recover stamina, and more. Knowing all of the elixir recipes can make this process even easier.

Making elixirs is simple and fun. All you need is a cooking pot, which can be found in many places around Hyrule, such as campsites, stables, or villages. You also need two types of ingredients: critters and monster parts. With that said, here’s a comprehensive elixir recipe guide to making these mysterious potions.

How to Craft Elixirs in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

To make an elixir, you just need to combine one critter and one monster part in the cooking pot. The type of critter determines the elixir’s effect, while the type and quantity of monster parts determine the duration and potency of the effect. You can also mix different critters and monster parts to create more complex elixirs with multiple effects.

Here is a list of all the elixir recipes that you might find useful in your adventure:

All Elixir Recipes in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Elixir	Effect	Ingredients
Chilly Elixir	Heat Resistance	Cold Darner or Winterwing Butterfly + Monster Part
Electro Elixir	Electricity Resistance	Electric Darner or Thunderwing Butterfly + Monster Part
Energizing Elixir	Stamina Regeneration/Expansion	Energetic Rhino Beetle or Restless Cricket + Monster Part
Fireproof Elixir	Fire/Heat Resistance	Fireproof Lizard or Smotherwing Butterfly + Monster Part
Hasty Elixir	Speed Increase	Hot-Footed Frog or Hightail Lizard + Monster Part
Hearty Elixir	Health Regeneration/Additional Hearts	Hearty Lizard + Monster Part
Sneaky Elixir	Increased Stealth	Sunset Firefly + Monster Part
Mighty Elixir	Attack Boost	Bladed Rhino Beetle + Monster Part
Tough Elixir	Defense Boost	Rugged Rhino Beetle + Monster Part
Spicy Elixir	Cold Resistance	Warm Darner or Summerwing Butterfly + Monster Part
Bright Elixir	Temporary Light	Deep Firefly + Monster Part
Sticky Elixir	Slip control	Sticky Frog or Sticky Lizard + Monster Part

Spicy Elixir

Grants cold resistance. Use a Summerwing Butterfly or Warm Darner with any monster part. This elixir will keep you warm in snowy or icy areas, such as Mount Lanayru or Hebra Peak.

Hasty Elixir – All Tears of the Kingdom Elixir Recipes

Boosts movement speed. Use a Hightail Lizard or Hot-Footed Frog with any monster part. This elixir will make you run faster and climb quicker, which can be handy for exploring or escaping from enemies.

Energizing Elixir

One of the most useful of all Tears of the Kingdom elixir recipes, Energizing Elixir restores stamina. Use a Restless Cricket or Energetic Rhino Beetle with any monster part. This elixir will replenish your stamina gauge, which is used for sprinting, swimming, gliding, or using special abilities.

How to Make a Chilly Elixir in Tears of The Kingdom

Grants heat resistance. Use a Cold Darner or Winterwing Butterfly with any monster part. This elixir will cool you down in hot or volcanic areas like Eldin Canyon or Death Mountain.

Zelda TOTK Recipe Guide: Sticky Elixir

Grants slip resistance. Use a Black Horrible Horn with a Sticky Frog or Sticky Lizard and any monster part. This elixir will prevent you from sliding on slippery surfaces, such as wet rocks or ice.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Guide: How to Kill Gloom Hands

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Tarun Sayal

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a new game in the Legend of Zelda series that features a vast open world, a deep story, and a variety of tough enemies and challenges, including Gloom Hands. The Gloom Hands, or Gloom Spawn, are dark red hands covered in the gloom that emerge from pools of gloom on the surface layer of Hyrule. These enemies are fast, strong, and can inflict gloom on you, which reduces your maximum hearts temporarily. They also respawn if you don’t kill them all at once. This article will explain everything about how to kill Gloom Hands and continue your quest.

How To Beat Gloom Hands in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

There are multiple ways to defeat Gloom Hands in the game. So, let’s break down each method individually and help you beat these monsters.

Get On A Platform and Wait for Them to Disappear

The easiest way to deal with Gloom Hands is to avoid fighting them altogether. If you see a pool of gloom on the ground, stay away or climb onto a platform where the hands cannot reach you. The Gloom Hands will eventually lose interest and disappear on their own, leaving behind Dark Clumps that you can collect. Dark Clumps are useful materials that can be used to craft gloom-resistant armor and weapons or traded with merchants for rupees and other items.

Keep Your Distance and use Ranged Attacks to Kill Gloom Hands in Zelda TOTK

If you have to fight the Gloom Hands, make sure to keep your distance from them. They will charge at you with their deceptively fast speed and grab ahold of you, destroying your hearts in the process with their gloom status effect. To avoid this, use ranged attacks such as arrows or boomerangs to hit them from afar. You can also use your shield to block their attacks, but be careful not to let them surround you or corner you.

Defeat Them All at the Same Time With Explosions

Gloom Hands can be killed, but not easily. The best way to kill them is to use explosives such as Bomb Flower arrows or Bomb Fruit bombs. These weapons will produce area-of-effect damage that will stun the hands and reduce their health quickly. You need to kill all five of them simultaneously, or else they will respawn soon after. If you manage to kill them all, be prepared to face Phantom Ganon, a powerful boss that will appear in their place.

Defeat Each One While It’s Frozen

Another method of killing Gloom Hands is to use Ice Fruit-infused arrows to freeze them. Ice Fruit is a fruit that grows in cold regions of Hyrule that can be used to create ice arrows that freeze enemies on contact. You need to freeze each Gloom Hand when it dies, or it will return to life. This method requires more precision and timing than using explosives, but it can be effective if done right.

Finished with fighting enemies for a while? Check out our guide on how to fix the Gerudo Canyon Skyview Tower in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom!

Blizzard Launches PvE Mode for Overwatch 2

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Jeremy Kaplowitz

IRVINE, Calif. — Blizzard has finally announced the new PvE “Hero Mode” for Overwatch 2, playing the role of the enemy.

“We know fans have wanted PvE in Overwatch 2 and we’re so excited to have finally launched it,” said Overwatch 2 executive producer Aaron Keller. “I know that many fans were expecting to have PvE in the game, but we’ve taken the mode one step further and allowed players to fully experience it outside of the game. That’s right: PvE in Overwatch 2 lives right here on social media. You’re the P and we’re the E, so head to your local Twitter account, find one of our posts, and take fire!”

“We’re so excited for you to discover all the lore we’ve laid out for you,” Keller continued, “from the names and personalities of all our employees, to the home addresses of all of our employees.”

Despite the announcement, fans have been split on the new mode.

“I’m glad they finally added PvE, but I thought the whole point was that it would be in the actual video game,” said Twitter user WidowMater97. “It’s just not the same thing. When I’m in the game, I get to be Widowmaker. But in the real world, I’m not Widowmaker at all — I’m Widowmaker’s boyfriend.”

“I think it’s fucking dope,” said Redditor u/SEND_ME_CROODS This is the best expansion to the Players vs. Blizzard lore since the time we all got mad at them for sexually harassing all those people.”

At press time, a group of Blizzard employees and a group of angry gamers were each trying to push along a payload outside the company’s main headquarters.