Stellar Blade, the flashy action game from ShiftUp, isn't officially out until late April, but eager players can get their hands on the game as soon as this week. A free demo hits the PlayStation Store this Friday, March 29, and will throw players headfirst into the game's opening moments. To get an idea of what that gameplay looks like, check out the demo trailer below.

Game director Hyung Tae Kim gave a deeper explanation on the PlayStation Blog. He writes, "This first stage will include the tutorial phase to help you familiarize yourself with basic combat features as you explore post-war Eidos 7, a human city now infested by the Naytiba, giving you an early grasp of gameplay mechanics that will serve you throughout the game’s story."

Stellar Blade was quietly in development over the past few years (originally known as Project EVE) before its in-depth feature during January's State of Play event. The game follows Eve, the wielder of the titular Stellar Blade, as she journeys back down to Earth to save the people there from alien and robot attacks. For more on the game, you can take a look at our four-page feature in issue 364 of Game Informer magazine.

Stellar Blade is a PS5 exclusive that launches on April 26. Its demo launches on March 29 at 7 AM PDT / 2 PM GMT.

Will you be checking out Stellar Blade? Let us know in the comments!

Dawntrail, the fifth expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, is coming on July 2. The game is also getting a collector’s edition.  

The $39.99 expansion takes players to the tropical island of Yok Tural and introduces a new storyline, two new playable classes (Pictomancer and Viper), and the level cap raised to 100, among other additions. Dawntrail will be available in all versions of the game, including the newly launched Xbox editions. 

During PAX East this past weekend, FFXIV director/producer Naoki Yoshida unveiled the Dawntrail Digital Collector’s Edition and the goodies-filled physical Collector’s Box. Here’s what comes in each package: 

Collector’s Box ($155.00)

• Dawntrail Special Art Box 
• Expertly Crafted Viper Figure (H 9.65" x W 4.52" x D 5.90"/H 24.5cm x W 11.5cm x D 15cm)
• Adventurer’s Cloth Map (16.53" x 29.52"/42cm x 75cm)
• The Unending Journey Notebook (5.90" x 4.33"/15cm x 11cm)
• Adventurer’s Pen Case (8.26" x 9.44"/21cm x 24cm)

Dawntrail Digital Collector’s Edition ($59.99)

• In-game Item: Ark Mount 
• In-game Item: Garnet Minion 
• In-game Item: Chocobo Brush: Pictomancer Weapon 

While the Digital Collector's Edition and Collector's Box must be purchased separately, a bundle containing both is called the Dawntrail Collector's Edition and runs for $214.99. However, it only contains a game code for the Windows/Mac version of Dawntrail. 

Pre-orders for the standard and collector's edition items begin Tuesday, March 26, at 9 a.m. PT. Doing so at certain retailers grants the bonus in-game items: Wind-up Zidane Minion and Azeyma's Earrings. 

Last week, Dragon's Dogma 2 was released to critical acclaim followed by intense fan backlash. While the game itself is enjoyable to most, it launched with microtransactions that provide in-game currency, as well as a litany of technical issues for some players. Today, Capcom outlined some of its plans to update the game in the "near future," but specifically notes that improvements to frame rate will come in later patches. That said, these quick fixes are still useful.

In addition to general text and bug fixes, there are a few significant quality-of-life improvements. For starters, the Pawn Guild now sells a lot more "Art of Metamorphosis" items, which is how you can change the appearance of a character or pawn after they've already been created. If you're dissatisfied with their appearance mid-game or want to add some changes for role-playing reasons, like a scar or tattoo, this will make that much easier. The Pawn Guild previously only sold two at a time – now, there will be 99.

It also makes it easier to obtain a house, which has significant implications for the flow of the game. The longer you go without staying at an inn or campsite, the more your maximum health deteriorates when taking damage. It's also how you gain the items your pawn might have obtained while adventuring with other players. Early in the game, the main hurdle here is the cost – sleeping in an inn requires 1500 to 2000 gold, while staying at a campsite requires camping kits. However, once you have a permanent dwelling, you can rest and fully heal for free. Making it available earlier in the game will make that early struggle a little easier.

Other than that, consoles will get some graphics adjustment settings (though these are what Capcom says won't significantly impact frame rates), while Steam users get improved quality when DLSS Super Resolution is on, along with a fix for certain low-quality models. 

For more Dragon's Dogma 2, check out our stream archive, where we played the opening hour, then listen to the latest episode of the GI Show.

Have you run into performance issues in Dragon's Dogma 2? Let us know in the comments!