‘It fits my grips as well as it ever did his,” mutters the towering but sweet-natured squire Dunk as he holds his just-deceased master’s sword. As Dunk ponders whether to become a knight himself, the camera holds on his face as Ramin Djawadi’s rousing Game of Thrones theme swells, cueing that great things are in store for our protagonist…only to smash cut to Dunk taking an explosive shit beside a tree. This is no grand hero we’re dealing with, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is not going the route that those familiar with the Game of Thrones franchise might expect. This is further established by the show’s lack of an opening credits sequence, with just the series title appearing on its own.
Running roughly 40 minutes, the series premiere – directed by Owen Harris and scripted by showrunner Ira Parker – wastes no time in setting up its main characters and their world, with Dunk meeting co-lead Egg within the first 10 minutes. The chemistry between the characters is instant; actors Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell make Dunk and Egg, respectively, an endearing, dopey big brother-precocious little brother pairing. Their relationship is the heart of the show and keeps the viewer emotionally invested in what is (so far) a fantasy-free trek through Westeros.
Season One adapts “The Hedge Knight,” the first entry in George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novella series. From the get-go, this is a smaller Game of Thrones experience – one without dragons (it’s set in the century between the end of House of the Dragon and the beginning of Game of Thrones) or magic – but the Targaryen dynasty still sits on the Iron Throne, so there is some familiar connective tissue between all the series.
"No homework is required to watch and enjoy A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Since Dunk is but a lowly, aspiring hedge knight, and Egg is seemingly without a home or loved ones, the show adopts a more grounded, unpolished view of Westeros. For now at least, Dunk and Egg are far removed from the prophecies and apocalyptic stakes that mark House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, and the show is liberated from being slavishly tied to those series’ storylines. Without any of their narrative baggage to address, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is free to wander off on its own diverting journey.
This makes the show a great entry point for those interested in venturing into the world of Game of Thrones but who may be daunted by over a decade’s worth of TV episodes and books. No homework is required to watch and enjoy A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but if you have watched the other shows or read any of the books, you should find much to appreciate in this refreshingly scaled down, character-driven series.
Poor Dunk is the Rodney Dangerfield of Westeros; he gets no respect, no respect at all. Whether it’s from the insolent Egg (“Every knight needs a squire. You look like you need one more than most.”) or the whores and lords of Ashford, where he ventures to take part in a tourney, Dunk is mocked for his size, attire, and his very meagerness. Yet he goes on, despite all the slights; he may not be particularly bright or fearsome, but Dunk has spirit and an innate kindness, especially to animals, as he often talks to his horses and prioritizes their care. Dunk, we will learn, has had a hard life, and is used to being counted out, but Egg sees something in him that Dunk himself might not, and is relentless in pitching himself as Dunk’s squire.
In addition to Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell, Daniel Ings delivers a great performance as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, a debaucherous knight with swashbuckler vibes who takes a shine to Dunk. Other notable supporting turns include Tanzyn Crawford as Dornish puppeteer Tanselle, who catches Dunk’s eye; Shaun Thomas as Dunk’s new pal, a good-natured squire named Raymun Fossoway; and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as the steward of Ashmore, who gives Dunk a hard time about joining the games and also has some pretty disgusting habits.
While Tom McCullagh’s production design and Lorna Marie Mugan’s costumes certainly fit with the overall Game of Thrones aesthetic, Dan Romer’s warm score and the bucolic scenery offer a harmony more associated with Middle-earth than a realm known for its Fire and Ice. This isn’t a criticism, just an observation of how this further differentiates A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms from its franchise forebears.
I've spent an unreasonable portion of my life wandering irradiated wastelands. I have shot geckos in the face outside Goodsprings, talked my way out of Legion death squads, and listened to Mr New Vegas whisper sweet nothings through a crackling radio while I hauled my butt across the Mojave. Fallout is not just a series I like. It is a Graceland I return to yearly. So when Fallout Season 2 rolled back into the cultural conversation and casually dropped New Vegas swagger, Shady Sands and old world icons like The Prydwen on a new generation, my first instinct is not nostalgia. It is logistics. How can I get back in, and how cheaply can I get there.
That is where Fallout 76 and its Burning Springs update come in. Yes, the game that once launched as a wonky multiplayer experiment has quietly and steadily become the most literal Fallout theme park Bethesda has ever built. And right now, thanks to frequent discounts, it is also one of the cheapest tickets into the Wasteland you can buy if you long for a companion piece to the show.
Burning Springs is Fallout 76 leaning hard into the series' greatest hits. If Season 2 of the TV show sent you scrambling back to New Vegas footage on YouTube, this '76 update is packed with locations that feel like echoes rather than copies. Familiar shapes, familiar sins, new disasters layered on top.
Take Dino Peaks Mini Golf. Anyone who spent time in Novac knows exactly why giant dinosaurs belong in Fallout. They are ridiculous, they are cheerful, and they are always standing in places where something terrible happened. Dino Peaks is a pre war roadside attraction turned Deathclaw buffet, complete with oversized reptiles that immediately trigger Dinky the T Rex memories. Basically, this is the kind of place Fallout does best. A joke you'll smirk at until something with claws charges you from behind a souvenir stand.
The Chop Shop flips another Fallout icon on its head. Red Rocket stations were once safe havens. Here, it is a raider outpost under Rust Raider control, complete with a diner basement full of bad decisions. Fallout has always loved corrupting its own symbols, and this is a particularly nasty example.
Then there is the Rust Kingdom, which feels like Fallout raider culture distilled into its purest form. Fallout has always loved its gangs. From the Fiends to the Great Khans to every leather clad maniac who thinks spikes are a personality, raiders are the franchise at its most honest. The Rust Kingdom is an industrial hellscape ruled by the Rust King and his Might makes right philosophy. Junkyards, chemical tanks, Deathclaw pens and a domed arena sit at its heart. This is not subtle environmental storytelling. This is Fallout shouting at you with a rusted megaphone and daring you to survive.
Athens is the other side of the coin. A former college town now reduced to a ghost filled husk, it is Fallout doing quiet horror. Football posters peeling off walls. University halls filled with radroaches and ghouls. It taps into the same unease that made places like Vault 22 in New Vegas unforgettable. You're not meant to feel powerful here. You are meant to feel watched and on the edge of continence.
Highway Town serves as Burning Springs social hub, and it understands Fallout town design better than most. Built on the remains of a collapsed highway, it echoes Diamond City and the uneasy neutrality of every trading post worth visiting. Clean water buys peace. Everyone knows the rules. Break them and things get loud. The Last Resort bar anchors the place, with bounty hunting contracts and familiar Fallout busywork that always somehow turns into a firefight.
The Super Duper Mart needs no introduction. If you have played Fallout 3 or Fallout 4, you have looted one of these sad temples to consumerism. Seeing it again in Burning Springs is like meeting an old enemy. Same aisles, same broken promises, same feeling that something is going to jump you near the freezers.
The best part is that Fallout 76 is frequently cheap. Between regular sales, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus Extra, it often costs less than a pub lunch to jump back into the Wasteland. For a series that taught us the value of scavenging, that feels appropriate.
Better yet, Fallout Season 2 reminds the world why this universe matters. Fallout 76: Burning Springs lets you step into something adjacent to that feeling right now. War never changes, but the price of admission certainly does.
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
I did not plan to fall in love with my backlog again, but here we are. This batch of deals sent me digging through games I already adore, ones I bounced off years ago, and a few I absolutely paid too much for at launch. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing time, patches, and good discounts finally align.
Contents
In retro news, we're celebrating the big 25 for cult classics Armored Core 2 and Tokyo Highway Challenge 2. The former was largely unappreciated outside of Japan in its day, though the series is now bona fide AAA with its seventh iteration. The latter—which copped the suckiest EU market renaming since 'Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles'—garnered an IGN 9.3/10.
Donkey Kong Bananza (-19%) A$89 Big monkey, bigger jumps. Classic Donkey Kong energy with modern gloss, plenty of secrets, and barrels flying everywhere like Nintendo never left the 90s.
Mario Kart World (-21%) A$95 Kart racing perfection. You will dominate one race, get blue shelled into oblivion the next, and keep coming back every single time.
BioShock: Col. (-61%) A$35 Three all timers in one neat bundle. Twisted philosophy, unforgettable worlds, and still the best argument for games as art.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (-60%) A$40.30 Mean, moody, and proud of it. Deep combat, demon negotiation stress, and a game that absolutely enjoys watching you suffer.
It Takes Two (-35%) A$39 Co-op brilliance that never stops throwing new ideas at you. Equal parts heart, chaos, and yelling at your partner on the couch.
Battlefield 6 (-22%) A$85 Explosions everywhere, jets screaming overhead, and matches that go gloriously off the rails within minutes. Battlefield feels like Battlefield again.
Borderlands 4 (-51%) A$59 More guns than sense. Fast shooting, endless loot, and jokes that mostly land, especially when everything is exploding.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (-61%) A$23.50 Left 4 Dead energy with grimdark flavour. Smash heretics, shout about the Emperor, and accept that things will get messy fast.
NBA 2K26 (-59%) A$49 Slick presentation, rock solid hoops, and a career mode that will absolutely eat your spare time if you let it.
Grand Theft Auto V (-13%) A$52.30 Still absurdly playable. Three protagonists, endless side nonsense, and a world that somehow refuses to age.
Xbox One
Team Sonic Racing (-18%) A$49 Bright, breezy karting with a teamwork twist. Not Mario Kart, but still a solid time with the right crew.
Halo Wars 2 (-40%) A$29.70 Console RTS done right. Punchy missions, great cutscenes, and Halo lore served with explosions on top.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (-68%) A$29 A slow burn masterpiece. Ride horses, ruin lives, and get emotionally attached to a cowboy you did not expect to love.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (-32%) A$84.90 Swinging never gets old. Two Spider-Men, smoother combat, and set pieces that feel ripped straight from a blockbuster.
Hogwarts Legacy (-65%) A$39 A love letter to the Wizarding World. Even if you are burnt out on Hogwarts, flying around the castle still hits.
Elden Ring (-45%) A$54.90 Beautiful, brutal, and completely uninterested in holding your hand. Every victory feels earned and every death feels personal.
Final Fantasy XVI (-42%) A$49.40 Full action mode Final Fantasy. Big bosses, bigger drama, and a soundtrack that goes hard at all times.
Ghost of Yotei (-13%) A$109 A moody, atmospheric adventure that leans into myth and mystery. Gorgeous scenery doing a lot of heavy lifting.
PS4
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (-70%) A$29.50 Borderlands energy with fantasy chaos. Dice rolls, spell spam, and Tina doing Tina things constantly.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (-48%) A$44.20 Final Fantasy nostalgia distilled into rhythm form. Ridiculous song list and dangerously addictive taps.
Kingdom Hearts III (-75%) A$25.30 Utterly unhinged story, fantastic combat, and Disney worlds that still look incredible years later.
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
Zootopia 2 is now the highest-grossing animated Hollywood film of all time, with a huge $1.703 billion worldwide ($390 million domestic and $1.313 billion international). The Disney film has overtaken Inside Out 2’s $1.7 billion box office haul from 2024. Chinese fantasy film Ne Zha 2, with its astronomical $2.259 billion global box office, remains the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.
Zootopia 2 is now the number nine highest-grossing global release of all time, ahead of 2019’s The Lion King ($1.663 billion), 2015’s Jurassic World ($1.672 billion) and the aforementioned Inside Out 2. Number eight on the list is 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which made $1.921 billion at the global box office.
Disney’s other monstrous money-maker, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is now up to $1.319 billion worldwide after five weekends ($363.5 million domestic and $955.3 million international). Writer and director James Cameron is yet to signal that Avatar 4 and 5 are definitely going to happen, as box office watchers wonder whether Fire and Ash has done well enough to convince the powers that be at Disney to move ahead. The special effects-heavy Avatar films cost a huge amount of money to produce, but they have historically made billions of dollars at the box office. 2009's Avatar 1 remains the highest-grossing movie of all time (not adjusted for inflation), earning a staggering $2.9 billion across several theatrical runs. 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water has earned $2.3 billion, meanwhile, cementing its place as the third-highest grossing film of all time. Fire and Ash looks like it will struggle to come anywhere near to the box office hauls of its predecessors.
Meanwhile, horror sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple appears to be struggling, with $31.2 million from its worldwide opening. Just $13 million came domestically. To put that into context, 28 Years Later, which only came out seven months ago, opened to $30 million from North American theaters alone. While The Bone Temple has great review scores (IGN’s review returned an 8/10), it may be suffering from releasing too soon after 28 Years Later. The hope for Sony will be positive word of mouth fuels a recovery.
Elsewhere, The Housemaid is showing remarkable staying power at the box office, hitting $247.3 million worldwide on its fifth weekend. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried and directed by Paul Feig, The Housemaid is a breakout hit fuelled by excellent word of mouth.
And finally, A24’s Marty Supreme earned $9,838,927 this weekend globally ($5,477,927 domestic and $4.361 million international) for a global total to date of $99.5 million. It is now A24’s highest-grossing movie in North America with $80 million, passing Everything Everywhere All at Once's $77 million.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
We've rounded up the best deals for Sunday, January 18, below. Don't miss your chance to save on these deals!
Borderlands 4 for $39.99
Borderlands 4 is on sale this weekend for $39.99. This weekend is the perfect time to pick up a copy in case you missed the latest Borderlands adventure. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Borderlands 4 gives the series the massive kick in the pants it has needed, with a fantastic open world and greatly improved combat, even if bugs and invisible walls can sometimes throw off that groove."
Mafia: The Old Country for $34.99
Mafia: The Old Country is on sale for $34.99 this weekend at Best Buy, and this is the lowest we've seen this game yet! Set in Sicily during the 1900s, The Old Country follows Enzo Favara on a journey of proving his worth. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Mafia: The Old Country is a conventional but effective return to the linear and tightly story-driven format of the original Mafia and Mafia II, and it boasts a wonderful eye and ear for detail."
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition for $64.99
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was only released in December, and today, you can save $5 off a physical copy of the Switch 2 Edition at Amazon. The latest adventure of Samus Aran takes place on the planet Viewros, and you're given new psychic abilities to utilize in navigating the secrets of the planet. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is an excellent, if relatively uneven, revival that reaches heights worthy of the Metroid name in its best moments."
Pre-Order the LEGO Zelda Ocarina of Time - Final Battle Set
Launching March 1, you can secure this newly announced Ocarina of Time LEGO set today. This set depicts the ultimate final battle at the end of OoT, featuring Zelda, Link, Ganon, and the legendary Triforce. If you're a fan of The Legend of Zelda, this LEGO set is the perfect addition to any shelf, room, or collection.
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 for $58.99
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 released for Nintendo Switch last Fall, and today, you can score this double pack for $58.99 at Woot! These two adventures are some of Mario's greatest, making this a must-own game for any Switch owner. Plus, there's a free update for Nintendo Switch 2 that enables 4K support.
New Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 Up for Pre-Order
Last week, Nintendo revealed the first new set of Joy-Con 2, which feature purple and green colors. These are set to launch on February 12 alongside Mario Tennis Fever, so now's the time to secure a new pair if you're planning on heading to the courts together with friends next month.
Little Nightmares III for $29.83
Little Nightmares III is on sale today at Amazon for $29.83. If you've yet to pick up the latest entry on Nintendo Switch 2, this weekend is a great time to score this co-op adventure on sale.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $46.99
Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games of the decade, maybe even ever. The expansive world and formula that Breath of the Wild introduced was perfected on, with Sky Islands and The Depths adding to an already gigantic world. Right now, you can take home a physical copy for $46.99, which is 33% off the usual price.
The Art of Final Fantasy XVI for $19.79
The Art of Final Fantasy XVI is a 320 page collection of the stylish game's concept, character, weapon, and location art. Each piece by Kazuya Takahashi is included in this book, in addition to concept art from the whole team of artists. With the LOGOS lore book set to release soon in English, this is the perfect companion piece to complete your FFXVI collection.
Digimon Story Time Stranger for $47.59
This one keeps dropping lower! Digimon Story Time Stranger was the long-awaited next entry in the Digimon Story franchise, and it turned out to be a major hit. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Digimon Story: Time Stranger builds on its predecessors to deliver one of the best Digimon RPGs to date. It has a much more engaging story this time around thanks to its clever time travel setup and a charismatic and lively cast of Digimon characters."
Connexion
