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'A Hero': Katie Holmes Leads Tributes to Dawson's Creek Star James Van Der Beek

Dawson's Creek actress Katie Holmes has paid tribute to her former co-star James Van Der Beek, who passed away yesterday aged just 48 after living with bowel cancer.

Holmes, who played the best friend and sometimes girlfriend of Van Der Beek's lead character Dawson Leery, posted a hand-written note on Instagram where she described her on-screen partner as "a hero."

"Bravery, compassion, selflessness, strength," Holmes wrote. "An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art — creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children — the journey of a hero."

Fellow Dawson's Creek actress Busy Philipps also posted to Instagram, where she described Van Der Beek as "one in a billion." Philipps added: "He will be forever missed and I don't know what else to say. I am just so so sad."

Van Der Beek was initially diagnosed with cancer in late 2023, and went public with his condition a year later. Also writing on Instagram, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star Alfonso Ribeiro shared that he had been one of many friends to visit Van Der Beek in recent days to say goodbye, following a "roller coaster" of a battle.

"I was with him through this horrible journey to beat cancer," Riberiro said, describing Van Der Beek as a "true friend, brother and life guide." He added: "His family and friends went on this roller coaster ride. The highs when it looked like he had it beat to the breaking lows of it coming back."

"Rarely am I at a loss for words," shared Dawson's Creek actress Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Van Der Beek's on-screen mother. "Today would be the exception. James, my gracious warrior, you fought a hard battle against all odds with such quiet strength and dignity."

Chad Michael Murray, who appeared in the show in a recurring role, wrote that Van Der Beek had been "a giant" whose "words, art and humanity inspired all of us."

The Dawson's Creek cast remained close following the show's 2003 finale, and reunited for a cancer fundraiser last September — though Van Der Beek was only able to appear via video message due to illness. The event was ultimately hosted by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also has now paid tribute — saying his "whole heart" was with the actor's family.

Van Der Beek is survived by his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their children Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

Image credit: SGranitz/WireImage via Getty Images

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Ranger's Path: National Park Simulator Preview: Pick Up Litter, Snap Wildlife Pics, and Police Permits in This Chill Sim

About halfway through my hands-on demo with Ranger's Path: National Park Simulator, I find myself cautiously stalking an American Black Bear. Using a sixth sense-like ability that'd make one of Assassin's Creed's cloaked killers proud, I prepare to shoot the intimidating beast…with a camera, of course.

If it isn't evident by the game's title, Ranger's Path isn't another open-world stealth and stabbing affair, but rather a cozy outdoor simulator that'd sooner have you protect a wild animal with your life than slaughter it for crafting resources.

But we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

In the spirit of the increasingly sought-after genre that's made everything from house-flipping to power-washing popular gaming pastimes, Ranger's Path is the latest sim to let players live out their real-life job fantasies. But before you can join the respected ranks of the U.S. National Park Service – and earn that iconic, broad-brimmed dimpled hat – you need to customize your rookie ranger in the game's modest character creator.

With my selected female ranger eager to get started at the fictional, Pacific Northwest-inspired Faremont National Park, I'm introduced to Effy Morales, a friendly supervisor-type who gives me the lay of the land via radio. Morales directs me to head to the ranger's headquarters – where I'm to grab my walkie talkie and uniform – but I'm immediately drawn from the critical path by National Park Simulator's postcard-perfect visuals and lush forest vibes. Sunlight realistically filters through trees, casting equally convincing shadows on dirt paths, while chirping birds, buzzing insects, and hovering butterflies do their part to further ratchet the immersion.

Upon pausing at a landscaper dutifully tending to some of the park's beautiful flora, I eventually make it to the headquarters, where a fellow employee's complaints of a jammed printer snaps me back to reality; I'm not a hiker or camper leisurely enjoying the great outdoors, after all, but a park employee with plenty of work to do. That workload includes fixing up the park in preparation for the day's visitors. A broken trailhead sign soon leads to me learning about Ranger’s Path's radial wheel. A quick shoulder-bumper press on my controller brings up a variety of useful tools and supplies, including an axe, saw, litter picker, paint sprayer, and hammer.

I'm immediately drawn from the critical path by National Park Simulator's postcard-perfect visuals and lush forest vibes.

Given the dilapidated look of the trailmarker, I go with the latter, and am introduced to one of Ranger's Path's mini-games. The simple but satisfying challenge has me attempting to match an on-screen prompt, triggering my ranger to successfully hammer away and repair the damaged sign.

That only covers half the task, however, as another straightforward challenge has me wielding the paint sprayer and coloring in an arrow that appears on-screen. With my first true ranger duty successfully completed, Morales suggests I follow my mini-map to the marker in need of repair. But while I'm not looking to tick off the boss on my first day, I am again tempted to stray off the beaten path and take in more of Faremont's natural beauty. Also, I spot an overturned trash can and its discarded contents scattered nearby, a scenario I can't imagine any good park ranger ignoring.

After absorbing a bit more eye candy, including some adorable bunnies crossing my path and a small pond sporting impressive reflections, I equip that litter picker I spotted earlier in the radial wheel. I use the tool to snatch up some plastic bags and empty cans off an otherwise pretty cobblestone walkway.

This task too, while simple enough, also has some extra layers to it. A small recycling icon in the bottom right of the screen must be monitored to track how much space is available in your current trash bag, while the overturned barrel has to be righted before you can empty any of the litter.

Having completed that optional good deed, I continue checking tasks off my supervisor's list. Fixing another sign restores the trail completely, which apparently not only makes the park safer for visitors, but also opens up more of the map, allowing access to previously locked locations. I also tidy up a campsite by repairing its busted-up picnic table and collecting more trash, and later clear a path that's been obstructed by a fallen tree. The latter job requires the saw and axe, but the accompanying mini-games are a bit of a downgrade from the hammering and painting interactions.

Sawing, for example, just calls for mimicking some incredibly simple up-and-down motions with the left stick. Still, while the action isn't particularly compelling, the sound of the tool's teeth aggressively working – and the resulting dust flying off the freshly cut wood – is an immersive touch that adds to the illusion of getting your hands dirty.

My more menial, albeit satisfying, duties are interrupted by an urgent call from Morales – a bear's been spotted nearby, and she'd like me to snap a photo of the beast. As referenced earlier, this objective includes using an eagle vision-like mechanic that highlights objects of interest. Aptly dubbed "Ranger Sense," the ability grays out the world, save for critical items and interactions – like the food chain-dominating animal roaming dangerously close to me – which it turns bright yellow.

The Lexicon is filled with a variety of animals, as well as Flora and Landmarks, that you can access additional intel on by taking more pictures of them.

Leveraging an intuitive camera interface, I'm able to easily photograph the furry friend from a safe distance. More than just taking a frame-worthy picture, the action adds an entry – "American Black Bear" – to my Lexicon. This also introduces one of Ranger's Path's more interesting, and possibly addictive, meta-games. The Lexicon is filled with a variety of animals, as well as Flora and Landmarks, that you can access additional intel on by taking more pictures of them.

For the wildlife specifically, you earn badges by carefully observing animals and catching them performing different behaviors and actions, such as eating, drinking, and resting. Once all badges are unlocked, the animal is added to the Visitor's Center's museum – in taxidermy form – allowing you to work toward filling out a sort of gallery you can visit.

My encounter with the bear represents one of the demo's highlights, but my first interaction with Faremont's human visitors is a bit of a let down. While it's rewarding to witness the camp site I'd cleaned up earlier now bustling with, well, happy campers, policing their permits is less satisfying. On paper, the potentially compelling system sees you approaching hikers and campers, asking to see their permits, then taking action – like booting them out or letting them go about their business – based on the info, such as allowed access, hours, and activities, on their document.

But based on my interactions, there seemed to be little rhyme or reason to the information on the permits, especially in relation to the resulting decisions I made. At one point, I arbitrarily fined a man because I didn't like the fact he was ignoring his majestic surroundings in favor of staring at his smartphone (honestly, I didn't much like his orange turtleneck either) even though he had a seemingly valid permit. Ultimately, the dude didn't seem to care all that much, and I didn't face any sort of consequences. The permit system definitely packs plenty of promise that'll hopefully surface with more polish.

My permit-policing is soon interrupted by another urgent call from Morales – not more wildlife photography, but a lost park patron. Upon locating a panicked man deep in the woods, I used my ranger sense to assess his condition. Based on him suffering from hypothermia and a bruised knee, I chose to administer an emergency blanket and a first aid kit from a selection of options that also includes water. This was enough to ensure the visitor's safety and conclude my first day as a park ranger.

While my workday was done, my Ranger's Path demo still had a bit more to show me. After a good night's sleep – you are required to return to your hut for rest once the sun begins to set – I rose bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and owning a brand new hat. That's right, with my training complete, I'm officially made a Faremont Park Ranger, an honor that's literally capped with that iconic hat worn by rangers. I'm also granted the keys to a U.S. Park Ranger pickup truck, which I eagerly use to take me to my demo-closing destination. It seems the park's Lake Kiku needs some updated documentation, leading me to drive to the beautiful, mountain-bordered body of water and snap some pics, which adds my first "Landmark" to the growing Lexicon.

This final objective doesn't introduce anything new in terms of gameplay, but that's probably not the point. My leisurely drive, through an especially scenic stretch of the park, punctuated by my equally eye-pleasing destination, ensures I'll happily don the hat again, if only to appreciate Ranger's Path's ability to capture the majestic awe of the great outdoors.

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Where to Stream Every Harry Potter Movie Online in 2026

The Harry Potter franchise may have started as a book series, but it quickly became one of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world. With a total of 11 movies, a Broadway play, and an upcoming TV series, there's seemingly no end in sight for the Potterverse.

With the Harry Potter TV series set for an early 2027 premiere date, there's never been a better time to binge all of the movies again. If you're planning yourself a magical little movie marathon, I've got you covered with all of the different places you can stream the Harry Potter movies online right now.

Where to Watch the Harry Potter Movies Online

Every Harry Potter movie is currently available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. You can also watch all of the original eight films with a Peacock subscription. Warner Bros. still holds the rights to the film franchise and will continue to do so unless a deal goes through. It's possible that if Netflix is actually able to acquire Warner Bros. that you'll eventually be able to watch Harry Potter on Netflix, but for now it's still just HBO and Peacock.

Outside of HBO Max, you can also rent or purchase all of the films from VOD platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV. Here's the full breakdown of how to watch the Harry Potter movies online in 2026:

How to Stream Harry Potter Movies for Free

There aren't any free streaming services that are currently offering the Harry Potter movies, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to watch them for free legally. Neither HBO Max or Peacock have free trials available, but you can actually get a Peacock Premium subscription through Walmart+. There's a 30-day Walmart+ free trial available for new subscribers, which includes either Peacock Premium or Paramount+. This will only get you access to the original eight movies as the Fantastic Beasts films are only available on HBO Max.

4K Blu-ray Collection

If you'd prefer to actually own the Harry Potter movies, there's a 4K UHD Blu-ray collection currently available that includes all eight of the original movies in a nice little package. You do need a 4K capable Blu-ray player to actually watch these discs, but you'll no longer be reliant on streaming services to watch them. You can stream them in 4K on HBO Max, but that level of resolution is only available to those with the highest tier subscription.

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AU Deals: Serious Games at Silly Prices Across Every Major Platform

There is a specific sting that comes from paying full price for a game, loving it, and then watching it tumble to pocket change six months later. I know that sting intimately. The upside is I can now tell you, with zero buyer’s remorse left to protect, which of these are actually worth your weekend.

Contents

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m getting an Armacham Black Ops Pyro to light 16 candles on a cake baked for F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. I loved this nerve-shredding (at the time) sequel that continued the supernatural suspense story of Alma “just call me the chick from The Ring” Wade.

The tense atmosphere and jump scares from the original were ramped up with more intimidating enemy types and actual, physical interactions with ol’ Beelzebedhead herself. All talk aside, my most enduring memory of this whole thing was spamming an automatic nail gun to hang dudes like picture frames with 14mm depleted uranium spikes. How did that ammo go out of style?

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Delta Force (PC) 1999. Redux

- Myth II: Soulblighter (PC) 1999. eBay

- F.E.A.R. 2 (PC,PS3,X360) 2009. Get

- Flower (PS3) 2009. Get

- Star Ocean: The Last Hope (PS3) 2010. eBay

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

  • Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak (-84%) - A$12.70 Still the cleanest feeling Monster Hunter to actually play, not just admire. The early hours can overwhelm, but once it clicks you are scheduling hunts like meetings.
  • Sonic Origins Plus (-44%) - A$35.40 Classic Sonic is still about momentum and muscle memory. A few levels remain mildly rude, yet as a nostalgia capsule it mostly earns its speed.
  • Scribblenauts Mega Pack (-90%) - A$4.40 A puzzle game that asks “what if anything worked” and then sometimes regrets it. Messy, clever, and absurd value at this price.
  • Little Nightmares II (-67%) - A$13.10 Quiet horror that trusts atmosphere over noise. A few trial and error deaths sting, but the imagery lingers long after the credits.
  • Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Col. (-67%) - A$13.10 A playable museum where not every exhibit has aged well. Still, throwing pixelated fireballs for thirteen bucks feels historically responsible.

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

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Exciting Bargains for Xbox

  • Borderlands 4 (-42%) - A$69 Loud, colourful, and allergic to subtlety. The humour still swings wildly, but the gunplay with mates remains irresponsibly moreish.
  • Far Cry 6 (-43%) - A$56.70 Yes, it is the Far Cry template again. It is also still good at letting you cause structured chaos for 40 hours straight.
  • Dead Space (-58%) - A$46.20 Clinical, oppressive, and refreshingly confident. It does not shout. It waits. Then it removes a limb.
  • Diablo IV (-73%) - A$30 The loot loop still hooks like it means it. Endgame arguments aside, thirty dollars for this much demon deleting is tidy business.
  • Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (-85%) - A$8.20 Ridiculous, political, and surprisingly tender. The tone swerves hard, yet the shooting remains outrageously sharp.

Xbox One

  • Dying Light 2: Stay Human (-70%) - A$29.60 Parkour first, zombies second, story somewhere after that. When the movement flows, you forgive almost everything else.
  • Darksiders III (-56%) - A$24.10 Leaner and meaner than expected. Difficulty spikes can bruise, but boss fights feel properly earned.
  • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (-56%) - A$30.70 Still the gold standard for remakes. Tight controls, immaculate vibes, and absolutely no time for nonsense.

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

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Pure Scores for PlayStation

  • Street Fighter 6 (-45%) - A$54.90 Deep without being smug about it. Online will humble you quickly, but the systems are generous enough to keep you learning.
  • Mafia: The Old Country (-34%) - A$59 Slow burn crime drama that values mood over mayhem. Not flashy, but it knows exactly what tone it is chasing.
  • Suikoden I&II HD Rem. (-43%) - A$39.70 Political intrigue and 100 plus recruitable characters. Some old school friction remains, but the writing still carries weight.
  • Far Cry 6 (-81%) - A$19 At nineteen dollars the repetition barely matters. You are here for explosions and a charismatic villain, not subtle reinvention.
  • Grand Theft Auto V (-52%) - A$29 You know what this is. It is still absurdly detailed, still massive, and still somehow relevant.

PS4

  • Octopath Traveler II (-47%) - A$44.80 Stunning HD 2D visuals and far stronger character arcs this time. Structure stays familiar, but the storytelling finally sings.
  • Kingdom Hearts All-In-One Package (-49%) - A$63.90 A glorious tangle of Disney, anime hair, and existential angst. Confusing, ambitious, and absurd value for the sheer volume alone.
  • Crisis Core FF7 Reunion (-56%) - A$37.20 Surprisingly punchy combat wrapped around a heartfelt prequel. Side missions pad it out, yet the core story still lands.

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

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Purchase Cheap for PC

  • Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut (-48%) - A$49.30 Patient duels, postcard vistas, and combat that rewards timing over panic. Side content blends together, but the core loop is quietly addictive.
  • No Man's Sky (-60%) - A$35.10 From cautionary tale to quiet triumph. It will not hold your hand, but if you meet it halfway the scale is still staggering.
  • Hogwarts Legacy (-86%) - A$12.50 A lavish wizarding playground that absolutely nails atmosphere. The checklist design shows through, yet twelve dollars feels almost cheeky.
  • Super Meat Boy (-90%) - A$2.10 Brutal, precise, and allergic to excuses. You will blame the game. It will almost never be the game.
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (-85%) - A$13.40 A linear surprise with sharper writing than expected. Combat is fine, but the banter and character work do the real lifting.

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

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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.

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Most of Highguard Studio Has Been Laid Off Says Former Dev, Wildlight Confirms Cuts

Layoffs have hit the development studio Wildlight Entertainment, makers of the recently released multiplayer shooter Highguard. This comes just over two weeks after the free-to-play game's January 26 launch.

Former senior level designer Alex Graner posted on LinkedIn, "Unfortunately, along with most of the team at Wildlight, I was laid off today." While the number of people who were laid off has not currently been confirmed, the studio's LinkedIn page states that its size is/was 51-200 employees.

Wildlight's official X/Twitter account confirmed the layoffs with a statement reading, "Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game."

On BlueSky, Mat Piscatella from Circana (which tracks game sales and engagement) highlighted, "Highguard debuted in the top 10 in weekly active users on US Steam, was top 20 on both US PlayStation and Xbox (Circana Player Engagement Tracker week ending 1/31/26) and yet..." According to SteamDB, Highguard reached a peak concurrent player count of 97,249 on PC via Steam on release day and experienced a sharp decline with only 4,524 players two weeks after launch.

Graner also said, "This one really stings as there was a lot of unreleased content I was really looking forward to that I and others designed for Highguard." While it initially had a 3v3 competitive mode, a 5v5 mode was implemented just days after release due to player reception to the small scale of the original mode. The team revealed a content roadmap on launch day that included updates with new items, modes, and characters each month throughout the year packed into seven separate episodes; it's unclear how the layoffs will affect the studio's plans as of now, but Widllight says it'll continue to support the game.

This story is developing.

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Amazon Launches Its Presidents Sale Early With New Deals Ahead of Valentine's Day

Presidents Day may not be one of the biggest sales of the year, but it is one of the first. Pretty much every major retailer will have some sort of sale this weekend and Amazon has already launched its own. And although the discounts don't look quite as inviting as you'd expect from a Prime Day or a Black Friday sale, right now is still a pretty good time to find some savings.

Amazon has had various sales going on in the lead-up to Valentine's Day, but today is the first day the official Presidents Day sale page has gone live. Some of the featured deals include an Apple Watch, Beats wireless headphones, and various household appliances.

The Amazon Presidents Day Sale Is Live for 2026

Amazon's Presidents Day sale will run from now until actual Presidents Day, which lands on February 16 this year. You'll be able to find all of the discounts via Amazon's official landing page, which can be sorted by all categories to find what you're looking for. The only thing you won't find on this page is a specific tab for coupons. For whatever reason, any time Amazon switches from its regular deals landing page to a specific event one, it always makes its coupons harder to find.

There's a buy 1, get 1 half off sale

One such promotion you won't find featured on this landing page is Amazon's 'Buy 2, get 1 50%' off sale it kicked off earlier this week. That promo includes books, 4K movies, and even some popular board games. It's definitely worth checking out if you're hoping to save on a Valentine's Day gift ahead of Saturday.

Do you need to be an Amazon Prime member to shop the sale?

Unlike some of Amazon's exclusive sales events, you don't need to have a Prime membership to access the savings. You do still need an Amazon account to actually buy anything, but the majority of the discounts are for anyone. There are, of course, still some Prime-exclusive coupons that are only available to Prime members, but those will be clearly marked.

If you want to grab an Amazon Prime membership before you do some shopping, there is currently a 30-day free trial available for new subscribers. There are quite a few benefits to a subscription, but the most important ones are access to fast and free shipping and Amazon's Prime Video streaming service. With Amazon just wrapping up season 2 of Fallout, now is a great time to grab a free trial and binge the whole season while enjoying the shopping benefits.

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The Sabrent 5-in-1 USB-C Docking Station with 100W of Power Delivery Drops to Just $15 After Coupon

If you need more USB inputs than what's available on your PC or laptop, then here's a deal that will provide an instant solution. For a limited time, Amazon is offering the Sabrent 5-in-1 USB-C Docking Station for a mere $15.24 apply coupon code "XFQ47RMD". You're saving 68% off the original retail price. Sabrent's USB hubs have nearly 200,000 user reviews on Amazon with an average 4.6 star rating.

Sabrent 5-in-1 USB-C Docking Station for $15.24

Clip $5 coupon and apply code "R2SN6S9M"

The Sabrent docking station can serve double duty for both data transfer and charging. In terms of data transfer, there are a total of four outputs: two USB-C (10Gbps), two USB-A (10Gbps), and one HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz). All five ports can be used simultaneously. In terms of charging, a built-in USB-C cable delivers a maximum power output of 80W. Note that the hub also has a separate USB-C input that you'll need to use in order to power it and the 80W USB charging cable.

This docking station can be easily stowed away in a bag or backpack, since it's so compact. It's plug and play with Windows, MacOS, ChromeOS, and Linux, which means there are no additional drivers required.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

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Love and Deepspace: Everything You Need to Know About the Virtual Dating Game

Love and Deepspace is a virtual boyfriend game (also known as an otome game) where you play as a character who fights monster aliens while five men fight for her love. It's available to download on iOS and Android and works on the old free-to-play, gacha mechanic. The ultimate aim is to build your relationships with one, two, or all of the men (we listen and we don't judge) by interacting with them, fighting alongside them, texting them, completing their storylines and even… playing with claw machines to collect plushies. It was developed by Papergames, which is also the studio behind Infinity Nikki.

What's the plot of Love and Deepspace?

You know how it goes, a Deepspace Tunnel opens up and suddenly alien monsters are causing havoc. As the main character living in 2034, in the fictional Linkon City, it's your job to battle these alien monsters as part of an organisation called the Hunters Association. The Hunters all wield a special ability called an Evol and yours is Resonance, one that works alongside other Evol wielders' to boost their skills. Throw in a shady biotech company called EVER, an organized crime syndicate called Onychinus, the Farspace Fleet, medical experiments and secrets a plenty, and you've got the storyline that makes the average love story look like child's play.

Who are the men of Love and Deepspace?

There are five potential love interests in Love and Deepspace. Each has a different personality and storyline, but the one thing they all have in common is being obsessed with you. You can choose to focus on just one or play the field, and while they are mentioned in each other's storylines, they don't interact directly. Each has a specific Evol (think superpower) and multiple storylines that take place in both the modern day and in different lifetimes.

Light spoiler warnings ahead, although the non-linear way in which you unlock memories means piecing the storylines together is more of a puzzle than a straight path.

  • Xavier - Fights alongside you as a Hunter, gentle and caring, is actually a time traveller from the future. His Evol is light.
  • Zayne - A cardiac surgeon with a grumpy outer shell but a sweet toothed gooey middle. His Evol is ice.
  • Rafayel - A sensitive, pouty artist who hates cats and is actually one of the last survivors of an ancient race called the Lemurians. His Evol is fire.
  • Sylus - Powerful and strategic, with distinctive silver hair and red eyes, Sylus is the leader of the crime syndicate called Onychinus. His Evol is Energy.
  • Caleb - The main character's adoptive brother, and a Farspace Fleet pilot. Protective and possessive, he was one thought dead, but returned as a Colonel in the Farspace Fleet. His Evol is Gravity.

What are the mechanics in Love and Deepspace?

There are a whole bunch of mechanics in Love and Deepspace, and all of them contribute to your relationship with the different male characters.

Combat

You take on different combat challenges in the storyline to progress, and regular activities like bounty hunts or Hunter training to earn rewards. You're always paired with one of the male characters, and your choice of special attacks will depend on their Evol. Players have the option to set combat to an auto mode where the battle plays out without your input.

Texts and phonecalls

You'll receive texts from each of the men at various points, and you're giving a selection of dialogue options to reply with. As your relationship increases you'll also get phone calls from them to discuss various events or check in. You can also comment on their posts on a Facebook like feed, send them emojis, and poke them.

Physical Interactions

You interact with each of the men in a setting called the Destiny Cafe. You can touch various parts of their body to elicit reactions, feel their heartbeat, or blow on your microphone.

Conversation

In the Destiny cafe you can also prompt them to have different types of conversations with you. You can get them to introduce themselves to your family or friends (a great way to weird your parents out over lunch) or to suggest what you should have for breakfast. Again, the dialogue options are heavily guardrailed so this isn't going to head into AI sexbot territory. Sorry. You can also use the notebook function to ask them to set reminders for you, everything from important dates to tracking your period.

Quality Time

Basically the world's most handsome Pomodoro timers. You can choose to Work, Workout, Study or Sleep for a set amount of time with any of the guys, and you can even do it in AR mode, so that you can reach new heights of comforting delusion by framing them in your real surroundings.

Dates

With Love and Deepspace dates you can go with the guys to try and grab plush toys at a claw machine, play a game called Kitty Cards against them, and go to a photo studio to get video or snapshots with them, or of them. You can style them, change the poses and backgrounds, and they have way more patience than any real life love interest would. In this section you can also update a personal journal with stickers and notes and photos, listen to audio recordings starring them, or access 'Falling for You' videos and visual novels content telling the story of your relationship.

Home

A recent addition, this mode brings a bit of The Sims to Love and Deepspace. You have a house to decorate with new rooms unlocking as you complete activities in the home, and each of the men can spend time with you there. It's kinda cute to see badass Sylus dusting bookshelves because you've told him to do chores. There's a gardening element too, where you can grow flowers that can be used in flower arranging without or without the boy's input, and new blooms can be unlocked by hybridizing the plants.

How do the gacha mechanics work in Love and Deepspace?

Like Genshin Impact, you can buy or earn wishes to speed up your progress in Love and Deepspace, and there's a number of in-game currencies which can be earned or bought.

Here the wishes represent memories with the men of Love and Deepspace, with different rarities and values attached to each. Five star memories, for instance, can be used to experience Each memory can be upgraded with Heartsand and crystals which can be earned by taking part in bounty hunts, or completing tasks and protocores, which are collected through combat.

Some memories are only available during special events, though those events are repeated sporadically to allow you more than one chance to grab specific wishes. Previous events have included a Star Wars style Throne of Eros storyline and Mortality's Tenderness, which has a classical Chinese theme.

Rachel Weber is the Head of Editorial Development at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, Red Dead Redemption 2, and her Love and Deepspace boyfriends.

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