I’m playing bombastic action RPG Yakuza: Like A Dragon for review, and I’ve not spent quite as much time as I’d like with it to give you the full lowdown. But I wanted to give you some of my first impressions – a little rib in the chest before the big sucker punch.

One thing I’m absolutely certain of already is that Like A Dragon is the most expressive Yakuza of the lot. Not that the previous bunch weren’t comfortable in their own skin, it’s more like they were a little too> comfortable. They stuck so rigidly to what they knew, it felt like they were afraid to shake things up. And that they featured a main protagonist who, as much as I adore him, approached all problems in one of only three ways (frown, punch, or deliver life lesson) held them back a bit too.

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Ahead of its release on PC next month, the horrifically long-named Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition has a free demo you can play right now. It lets you explore the first 10 hours of the turn-based RPG, and all your progress will carry over into the full game if you end up buying it after.

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I’ve been looking forward to Yakuza: Like A Dragon ever since the RPG combat was first shown off. Sure, I thought it was an April Fool’s at first, too, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. There needed to be a clean break between the old protagonist and coolest dad in the world, Kazuma Kiryu, and the new boy in town, with the coolest hair in the world, Ichican Kasuga. And what better way to do that then with a couple of absolutely massive changes.

If you’re unfamiliar with Yakuza, all you need to know is it’s the perfect mix of melodrama and karaoke. And it makes me a very happy boy. And, for that reason alone, I thought it would be nice – given the hell year that refuses to end – to share that joy with you.

So, welcome to LollaYakuza. Obviously the name was the first thing I thought of.

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Hackers have leaked the source code for Watch Dogs: Legion, several reports claim, though it’s not yet clear what is actually out there. A ransomware group claimed last month that they’d breached both Ubisoft and Crytek’s security, and threatened to leak Legion’s source. “Guys, if the goal of the last mission in your game about hackers was the hack of your company, we’ve done it,” the group had taunted. Ubisoft tell us they’re aware of the claims and are investigating.

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Since the release of Apex Legends, Wraith has been considered by many the strongest all-round character in the game, and her strength is largely undiminished heading into Season 7. A high skill ceiling with abilities that can be used to great effect both offensively and defensively, and a hitbox so small it can often seem like she dances between your shots with ease. Our Apex Legends Wraith guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start racking up kills with the Interdimensional Skirmisher herself.

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Remember when Respawn said Apex Legends would launch on Steam on November 4th? Well, that’s not entirely true for folks here in the UK. For us, Apex lands on Steam alongside its seventh season at 4am GMT (a much more convenient time of 8pm PT for our US pals). Fortunately, the free-to-play battle royale is already available for preload on Valve’s store, so at least you’ll be able to have a go of all of Season 7’s exciting new things straight away in the early hours – I reckon the new map is definitely worth staying up for.

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When Apex Legends was first released, Gibraltar was a laughing stock, widely considered the least viable character to use in any match. Now, it’s a very different story, and every match will see several Gibraltars running around, throwing down Domes and Bombardments and making things very difficult for their enemies. Our Apex Legends Gibraltar guide will walk you through top tips and tricks for all his abilities, and much more.

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A lot of people have departed the RPS treehouse this year, but a handful of people have joined, too. Come join me for some very tardy hellos.

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I don’t know about you, but I always dreaded coming home from university for the holidays. After flying the proverbial nest, the walls I grew up in started to feel less and less familiar, and after the excitement and bustle of uni halls it always felt like stepping back into the past. I imagine most people who leave home experience this feeling at some point, an easy sense of guilt that you’re not quite as homesick as you should be.

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In fact, there’s a good argument to make that TikTok ColorPick is the act of watching paint get wetter. Inspired by the effortlessly daft “#guessthepaint” videos of TikTok artist Christian M Hull, Tiny Islands creator David King has created an interactive toy for guessing your own paint without shelling out a fortune at B&Q. Hey, if it’s free and passes the time this evening, it might just be worth a shot.

Take my advice, though – it almost always ends up beige.

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