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Obaid Ur Rehman

At Tech4Gamers, I mainly cover new gaming news, leaks, and rumours. Aside from that, I love to write features about my favourite games while inserting my opinion about their different aspects. 

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Grand Theft Auto is a franchise that has existed for over a decade. Throughout the years, Rockstar has developed masterpiece after masterpiece with this franchise, tackling other highly praised games.

Despite their minor flaws, GTA games have never failed to achieve greatness. The GTA franchise has set new standards in the gaming world, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that it’s one of those franchises that is the measuring scale for video game standards.

The most successful Grand Theft Auto games include Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA 5. GTA 5’s success is due to Rockstar’s multiplayer support.

Its player count is still relevant compared to the time of its release. While GTA Online is great, It doesn’t conclude that the game has a bad story mode, which many people disagree with. But I think otherwise.

One of the biggest reasons I think GTA 5’s story mode isn’t as bad as people think is the story itself. Many have criticized the story for not being up to mark. It may not be as good as the other GTAs, but it is pretty decent.

The Characters

The best thing about GTA 5’s story is the characters. All three of the playable characters have incredible arcs. Micheal and Trevor’s backstories reflect the whole story, keeping suspense and thrills going.

Franklin’s character is a youngster looking to enter the gangster world. When these three men with totally different personalities are brought together as a group, their interactions with each other and the effect of their presence on each other’s stories are worth watching. We get to see some hilarious, bonding, and wholesome moments.

Engaging Plot

The plot is simple yet engaging. The whole idea is that Micheal has to come out of retirement and rob some more to pay someone he owes, which leads him to rob the Union depository, which has been the main goal of him and Trevor, along with their old gang, with Franklin and Trevor.

The story felt like an insight into the everyday lives of some bank robbers and thieves rather than a proper story with a proper beginning and end. But it was still interesting to see how one mission led to another, and the story continued.

If we take a rough look at the script, the story may not seem interesting, but due to these three, it had a decent start and became more engaging as we got some twists and turns.

In short, it was a dramatic take on the story, and due to the interesting characters, it was held together pretty well.

Fun Missions

Moreover, the missions in the game also contribute a lot to the story mode. GTA 5’s story mode missions are undoubtedly one of the best in the franchise. From the start, we get action-packed missions that quickly grab our attention.

Even the prologue occurs in a bank where we must rob it and run away from the police. Other than that, we have to ride a bike and land on a train, crash a plane into a cargo plane and hijack it, break into a lab to steal a deadly chemical weapon, and so many more missions, each different from the other.

Interesting Side Missions

Additionally, we get some great side missions. Like the main story missions, these missions provide the player with unique, fun playthroughs.

These missions also have stories and are based on several different parts. Some of these missions can also give you a unique reward upon completion.

My favorite side mission involves performing a series of stunts, such as riding a motorcycle off the maze bank building, racing on the top of Mount Chiliad, and riding an ATV off a cargo plane. You also get to see some weird and hilarious side characters. 

In my opinion, GTA 5 has a great story mode that keeps the player hooked to the game. The story is simple yet interesting due to the characters involved. Other than that, the missions, some of the best in the franchise, are so much fun to play. 

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Ali Rashid Khan

As Tech4Gamers’ Wiki Editor, I dissect gaming products, offering detailed perspectives on a variety of PCMR hardware ranging from the Best Motherboards and CPUs to the Best GPUs, RAM, and PSUs.

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Half-Life: Alyx has certainly set a benchmark in the VR gaming industry for its exploration, interatable environments, realistic approach, and atmosphere, attention to detail, and much, much more. 

Set A Benchmark

The first Half-Life was released on November 19, 1998. It was loved because it had the perfect blend of horror, eerie atmosphere, deep narrative, and smooth mechanics. In short, it has both gameplay and narrative, both of which are crucial.

Half-Life: Alyx truly set a benchmark for VR gaming that is still unbeatable. It presented one of the most immersive VR environments to date. The story-telling, atmosphere, mechanics, puzzles, and exploration make it seem like it’s already the future of VR gaming.

Atmosphere & Lighting

Much similar to previous half-life games, Alyx also captures the same eerie atmosphere and dark environment that is essential for the narrative of the game. The lighting in this game enhanced the mood of each scene perfectly.

For instance, flickering lights in the dark across the streets provided a subtle mood. Similarly, a giant robot blocks the sunlight and casts a huge shadow that envelops our character. Even when robots are destroyed, their vivid sparks drop all over us.

The atmosphere is usually dull to give a truly gritty, rough post-apocalyptic vibe. This vibe is similar to that of Metro Exodus’ Atmosphere. However, viewing it in VR makes it even better.

Interaction with aliens, and alien stickers on the wall illuminate in bright colors that make up for a perfect contrast and balance that is both pleasing and fascinating to watch.

Interactable Environment 

Almost everything you come across is interactable to a point where, if you don’t want to progress further, you can toy around with the objects around you. It is basically a playground for you to explore and play around in.

For instance, there are holdable and throwable pliers and other tools placed on the table for you. The vehicle doors can be swung open or closed depending on the player. There are cartons and barrels placed where you can dispose of the bodies of aliens. 

Throwing a paint bucket from the building makes it leak paint wherever it lands. Additionally, there are fully readable newspapers, food cans, food packets, and other stuff lying around which add to the immersion of the game.

These are optional items and give you an illusion of control and choice which enhance with the immersion of the game. This is one of the reasons why choice-based games are fun to play. 

Realism

Half life perfected the art of making its world seem more realistic and immersive. Half-life: Alyx throws you into a world where the line between virtual and real diminishes in no time.  

The world interacts exactly like in real life which increases the immersion of the game. For example, you can easily hold a soda can with your hands. However, you can not hold a heavy barrel with one hand and it will fall if you do so. It requires two hands to lift.

Another instance is where the guards arrive towards you in the elevator and aim at you, you can try to hold their guns where they will resist. Also, the guards come in, hold your elevator door open, and even shoot at the side if you press the elevator buttons.  

Puzzle Solving

Puzzles in Half-Life Alyx make use of the surroundings which force you to run around and keep your eyes open. They often revolve around manipulating objects, using your Gravity Gloves and the game also hides objects at hard-to-reach places.

Tools are also placed in your environment that can be used to bypass obstacles placed in your way. For instance, to open a certain door, you have to retrieve a multi-tool from a shelf and use it to re-route the power lines, which is a puzzle itself, that bypasses security.

Spatial Audio Design

The sound in this game is extremely realistic as it has a spatial nature to it. If you hold a matchbox far away, you can hear it and if you bring it closer, its sound will increase. Each object has its own sound as in real life which further adds to the depth of this game.

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Abdullah Waseem

At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered. 

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Valorant has garnered a lot of praise but it is more than just a shooting game. Let’s find out how in this article.

Shooter With Agents

Many games revolve around the idea of users selecting various agents or characters that have their distinct abilities. These games include Overwatch 2, Apex Legends, Dota 2, LoL, and TF2. Using these abilities, you can choose to go about using different strategies. 

However, Valorant paired the hero abilities with a first-person tactical shooter similar to Counter-Strike. This ensures that you use agents in the round-based economy system with bomb planting and disposal scenarios.

Agents Abilities

Valorant’s character abilities pose as a unique feat since it feels like playing CS2 but with added abilities. This makes up for interesting gameplay since there is more to the game than only eliminating enemies and engaging in activities regarding C4.  

While some agents have straightforward abilities, agents like Astra require lots of planning and skills to operate. Not only does her abilities take you away from the map, but also requires you to time them correctly in order to get the best results.

Similarly, Yoru is the perfect example of another agent that demands quite a lot of attention while playing. Its fake clone has been the talk of the town since it was released and requires you to use it at the right times to sway your enemies away from you.

Incredible Team-Work

All agents in Valorant are designed in a way that they’re beneficial in both solo and team plays.

Even the characters as simple as Sova, Cypher, Brimstone, and Sage are extremely fun to play because they lead to incredible teamwork. Sova and Cypher are best at gathering intel, that enables other team players to either push or hold the sites.

Apart from the smoke and molly, Brimstone has a stim beacon that enhances the movements of each team player that enters its range. Similarly, Sage is the ultimate team player because of its ability to revive and heal team members. 

Perfect Gameplay

Other than that, team players can use various agents and utilize their abilities in their favor allowing for incredible plays that would easily land them victory. For instance, Sova can throw its dart and gather the intel on the site early in the game.

Sage’s wall can block and accommodate team members that could hold until the enemy arrives. Viper and Harbor can deploy their walls in order to block other entrances. Chamber can hold an angle with its revolver earlier in the game, allowing for early kills.

For pushing, Reyna can blind the enemies without blinding any other teammate, allowing the team to push with ease. Yoru can teleport way past the enemies without facing them directly due to his moveable teleporting ability and gather intel or get early kills.

Similarly, if characters with smoke are equipped, several teammates can collaborate to smoke various spots on the map, allowing for a much safer and coordinated push at a particular site. 

Satisfying Ultimate Abilities

Clove and Phoenix can also use their ultimate abilities to get a second chance even after dying. This can potentially lead to garnering extra kills that could also result in a victory for the team.

Similarly, Sova, Raze, and Brimstone can inflict great damage within a certain radius, enabling players to eliminate multiple kills. Moreover, Gecko and Killjoy can cause enemies to freeze if they’re inflicted, which leads to easy eliminations.

Pressure-Management

The agents aren’t only limited to having various unique abilities but they also have their own distinctive footstep sound. With so many variations being brought into a bomb-disposal shooting game, it’s difficult to manage everything at once.

This causes many players to fold when they are under high pressure, especially in competitive scenarios. Players who tend to master the agents and showcase their stress-management skills are often highly appreciated and looked up to.   

Most-Watched & Played FPS Game

Due to its popularity, it is the second most-played FPS game after CS2, raking in over 760,000 concurrent players. Additionally, it holds the number one spot for being the most-watched FPS game on Twitch, achieving over 25.9M hours watched. 

This is also because of the outplay techniques Valorant provides which is fun to watch.

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Abiyan

At Tech4gamers, I cover all sorts of gaming news. Whether it’s a leak of any upcoming game or an update, an announcement, or a rumour, I like to write about it all. Over the weekend, I sit and write features where I talk about games that I miss or want to see return.

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The only thing better than relaxing at the end of the day while crushing through the levels of your favorite game is to do it with your friends. Co-op games have brought us enormous joy that solo gaming just can not. 

Co-op gaming has been a huge part of my life since the Xbox 360 days of playing Left 4 Dead and other split-screen games. Of course, the implementation has changed and we don’t get split-screen games anymore but the core concept remains unchanged.

I don’t know about you guys, but my day is not completed until I spend a couple of hours cruising through various intergalactic levels of Hell Divers 2 with my squad. Co-op gaming has become an irreplaceable part of my life.

Why We Love Co-op Games

There are a plethora of reasons why one might enjoy spending their time playing co-op games. Down below, I will mention some of them.

Social Interaction

The pinnacle of co-op gaming is the social aspect of it. Players get to engage and interact with new people across the globe with similar interests without having to leave the comfort of their homes.

It also helps introverted gamers to make new friends who would struggle to achieve that in real life. Meanwhile, sitting behind a screen they would have a better chance of socializing successfully.

Skill Development

Playing a co-op game helps you learn skills faster compared to playing solo because you will have a team of people around you with the same objective and you can always learn new tactics and skills from them.

Of course, not everyone in your team will be a better player than you, but as the saying goes, you can always learn something new from someone.

Increased Engagement

Co-op gaming can often be an engaging and immersive experience compared to a single-player story-based title or a multiplayer shooter.

Players are often required to team up and work together to achieve a common goal and prefer the collective interest of the team above theirs.

Support and Encouragement

Unfortunately, for some gamers, the only source of support they have is other gamers. Co-op games have supportive communities that you can join to find like-minded gamers.

Doing so and playing with them would land you great encouragement and support that would not only help you get better at the game but also create a positive environment for the rest of the gamers who need similar encouragement.

Enhanced Communication Skills

If you need to work on your communication skills, then co-op gaming could be a good start. In these games, communication is the key.

You can’t complete some of these games without being good at communication, since these games make you stay in contact with your teammates to be able to complete the objectives.

Diverse Perspectives

Co-op games allow you to broaden your vision by looking at the different perspectives of your teammates. This also teaches players how to tolerate differences of opinion and find a middle ground.

Players are often required to discuss a strategy beforehand that would cater to each playing style and complete the objective while ensuring everyone has a good time.

Teamwork

Co-op gaming teaches you how to be a better team player. The way to excel at these games is by playing them as a team since these games force you to prioritize the team’s collective interest over your one.

The ability to work effectively as a team player will always come in handy in life as well since you are required to do that in almost every organization.

Shared Experiences

Lastly, nothing brings a group of people together better than a shared experience. This applies to the people who served together in the forces, as well as gamers who shared the experience of gaming.

These shared moments also strengthen the bond between gamers fostering a positive experience for the entire community.

My Final Thoughts

Co-op gaming is an excellent way of having a relaxed and immersive gaming experience and making new friends along the way. It also enables introverted gamers to step out of their shells and interact with new people.

Co-op gaming also gets you into a network of gamers who share similar interests, making it easier for you to socialize and expand your circle. 

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Asad Kashif

At Tech4Gamers, I work as a guides expert. My role involves writing about solving different gaming and tech-related topics that pique my interest and that I believe more people should know about. This position allows me to share my insights and discoveries with a broader audience, enriching their gaming experiences with the unique perspectives I bring.

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Mobile Legends is perhaps the most popular mobile MOBA, and for good reason. The game’s been in a genre without many competitors for the last decade. It’s made itself a solid fanbase, and the game’s always trying to invite more players.

This open-arms approach has led to a lot of questionable accessibility decisions to promote the game to a more casual audience. Here’s how lowering champion difficulties is potentially ruining Mobile Legends.

Wanwan’s Dashing Downfall

Wanwan is the first problem that comes to mind. She’s supposed to be a carry that highly rewards skill expression, allowing you to carry any team fight by yourself if you manage to activate her ultimate. On release, this was fine. Originally, the condition for unlocking her ultimate was proccing 4 directional vital points, not 3.

This was an extremely difficult condition, but it made sense with such a game-changing ultimate. She saw a high pick rate in pro play despite her shorter range and was popular among higher ranks. The problem was that for people unwilling to put in the effort to learn her, they’d go through multiple matches without ever using her ultimate.

Moonton addressed this quite poorly by reducing the number of vital points from 4 to 3. While this may seem minor at first, this let Wanwan immediately activate her ultimate and end the enemy team. Since that change, Wanwan has seen neverending nerfs. She’s had her dashes, attack speed, and range nerfed.

Perhaps the biggest change was that she can no longer proc vitals on a hero and then ult another, stopping her intimidating tanks. Her pickrate has been the lowest of any marksmen since.

Assassins With Training Wheels

Learning quick combos and figuring out how to best get into a fight and then get out without getting skilled in real-time is my favorite part of any game. I believe most assassins need to have at least some level of skill required to be effective with them. Even a lock-on instant death sentence like Saber can be countered very easily by the Purify battle spell.

Yin, and later Nolan, go against this completely. Yin’s entire kit seems to go against what it means to be a Jungler. His ultimate that locks himself and an enemy in another realm, much like Mordekaiser’s, actively stops him from getting objectives.

Furthermore, the ability to dash to an enemy and then exit both yourself and a target enemy immediately from battle without any skill requirement is bothersome. It makes extremely selfish players dive in 1v5, get a kill, and then die. This inflates the player’s ego while actively stopping them from improving in the role.

Unlimited Dashes, For Free!

Nolan has a similar problem. On paper he seems like the perfect assassin, having huge burst damage and extreme mobility. Nolan lets you experience the cool moments that come with being good with an assassin, without being good at an assassin.

Unlike Lancelot, you don’t have to constantly hit a new enemy to be able to dash again and again. Even Joy or Benedetta require some effort to be mobile, and a bad player can be punished severely for any mistakes. Nolan, instead, has a dash with an uncondtionally low cooldown.

Only Magicians Need Mana, Right?

My biggest concern is the upcoming change to the Mana system ruining Mobile Legends. Moonton has announced that they’ll be removing Mana entirely from heroes that don’t use magic. While this makes sense lore-wise, it’s bound to break the game in more ways than I can count.

Off the top of my head, Claude can spam his first skill to always be at full stacks. Terizla, with his high early-game damage and spell vamp, would be unbeatable in lane. Natalia wouldn’t have to rush Endless Battle and could build Blade of Heptaseas to increase her early game burst.

It’ll be a dumpster fire of an update if it goes through, and I really hope Moonton rethinks its decisions. If it does go through, though, expect to see me maining Claude for the next few patches.

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Abdullah Waseem

At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered. 

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You’ve probably heard of Detroit Become Human if you love games with deep stories and meaningful choices. It’s set in a near-future Detroit where androids are everywhere but don’t get much respect.

While you journey through this intense world, it’s not just the android protagonists Markus, Kara, and Connor who steal the show. The rough, whiskey-loving detective Hank Anderson‘s transformation from an android-hater to an unexpected ally is one of the most powerful storylines in the game.

Why it Matters: Hank’s journey in Detroit: Become Human is a powerful reminder that even the most hardened hearts can open to change, demonstrating the potential for empathy and connection to heal the wounds of grief and prejudice.

More Than What You See In Hank

When we first meet Hank, he’s like the ultimate washed-up cop. He’s drowning his sorrows in alcohol, barely hanging onto his job at the Detroit City Police Department, and every other word out of his mouth is a slur against androids.

Labeling him as a bitter stereotype is easy, but if you look inside his shell, you’ll see a raw, aching wound beneath that tough exterior.

A Father’s Unbearable Sorrow

Hank’s strong dislike isn’t just about androids taking over human jobs or the creepy feeling they give off. It’s a deep, gut-wrenching response to the loss of his son, Cole. Years ago, Cole had a tragic accident.

He needed emergency surgery, but no human was available to perform it. Therefore, an android had to take care of it. Cole didn’t make it. Hank’s sadness and regret turned into a strong dislike for anything artificial, significantly impacting how he sees life.

Connor, The Android Who Dared to Care

In the middle of these mess steps, Connor, an RK800 model android, is designed to be the perfect partner for human detectives. He’s like everything Hank can’t stand: always looking on the bright side, asking too many questions, and annoyingly polite.

But deep down, Connor wants to figure out humans, especially Hank. He doesn’t let Hank’s grumpiness get to him; instead, he tries to understand and surprises with empathy.

The Kamski Test Was The Turning Point

The big moment in their relationship happens during the Kamski Test. They go see Elijah Kamski, the quirky genius behind the androids. Kamski gives Connor a tough choice: shoot another android (Chloe) or spare it. What you decide here really matters.

If Connor shoots Chloe, it confirms Hank’s belief that androids are just tools. But if Connor doesn’t, Hank sees a glimmer of compassion and empathy, a choice beyond programming and reflecting his lost humanity.

Androids Are More Than Just Programming

Hank transforms slowly and steadily. It’s like he’s gradually realizing that Androids are more than just lines of code. He’s noticing that they can love, fear, and hope. He’s watching them fight for freedom and self-determination. In Connor, he sees a bit of the son he lost, reminding him that there’s good in everyone, no matter where they come from.

The Power of Friendship

Hank’s story is touching because it’s simple – it’s not about big heroics or epic romance but about the quiet power of human connection. Connor doesn’t try to change or fix Hank; he just offers companionship, understanding, and a glimmer of hope in a lost world.

Their unlikely friendship becomes a lifeline for both of them, showing that even in the darkest times, there’s always the possibility for healing and redemption.

Why Hank’s Story Echoes

Hank’s journey in Detroit Become Human shows that even the most broken people can find redemption. It reminds us that empathy and compassion can unite us, no matter our differences. This story also proves how powerful video games can be in entertaining us, touching our hearts, and changing our perspectives.

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Asad Kashif

At Tech4Gamers, I work as a guides expert. My role involves writing about solving different gaming and tech-related topics that pique my interest and that I believe more people should know about. This position allows me to share my insights and discoveries with a broader audience, enriching their gaming experiences with the unique perspectives I bring.

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Vexana, the forgotten queen of necromancy in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), finally received a long-awaited revamp 2022’s Rise of The Necrokeep update. While the update promised a revitalized hero with a fresh identity, it sparked controversy within the Mobile Legends community. The revamp essentially took all parts of her design that tied into necromancy and replaced it with another generic, pretty mage.

From Queen Of Necromancy To A Disney Princess

Vexana never had an engaging kit, so fans weren’t exactly against the idea of a kit revamp. What they did not expect or desire, however, was a complete visual overhaul. She was originally a demonic, ghastly presence that seduced enemies to be her servants even after death.

They took every element from her design that made her a necromancer and replaced it with a generic design that you’d expect to see in a Disney movie. Her demonic black horns? Gone. Her controlling, large claws? Gone. Her menacingly glowing hair, her royal crown, her elegantly eerie fur, the nuances of her deteriorating body under her clothes? All gone and replaced with what fans call a second Odette.

What Made Vexana Unique?

Apart from the design, her kit itself was also very unique. I’ll admit, it wasn’t the best, being the least picked mage in the game. Her first two skills were much like other mages, a cc projectile and a huge aoe damage. Her passive as well, causing dying enemy units to explode, made her an extremely good mage. The problem was her old ultimate, which didn’t bring the same kind of team fight presence as an Odette ultimate or a stacked Cecilion.

The Reasoning Behind The Vexana Revamp

Still, some builds made it work. I reached Mythic with the old Vexana quite comfortably with a one-shot ultimate build. The 7-second long duration of continuous damage was enough to retrigger many item effects such as the pre-rework Thunder Truncheon and certain emblem effects.

The gameplay was straightforward, you play as a normal mage until their carry comes near. Then, you ult them, making them either return to base if they want to survive or killing them regardless of their positioning. Both cases removed them from the teamfight. A single point-and-click death sentence was something that a lot of people just underestimated.

This, however, wasn’t good game design. I absolutely adored playing her because of how fun, but it certainly wasn’t fun for the enemy. Even with 10+ deaths, I had the highest team damage per match. Her game plan revolved around just reaching and ulting the enemy carry, and then dying to the enemy herself. The spawn summoned from the enemy carry would do the rest. It was an extremely non-interactive kit.

What Was Changed In The Vexana Revamp?

A complete revamp usually brings many changes. With a complete overhaul for the design as well, Vexana fans were expecting a completely fresh kit. When the kit was first revealed, however, the fans were disappointed. Her first skill, second skill, and passive were only slightly tweaked, and her ultimate was replaced with an AOE damage and knockup that then summon an Undead Knight to aid you in battle.

The ultimate didn’t really provide much apart from the first instance of damage and the knockup. It took away from her identity as a necromancer and made her yet another control mage. The lack of changes on other parts of her kit showed that there was no need to completely abandon her old ultimate, much less her old design; Moonton just did it to appeal to a newer audience.

Even if the fan reception was bad, her playrate certainly increased. With a more generic playstyle, more players started playing her. An AOE damage and knock up was good for proplay as well, so she started being used more. The revamp wasn’t a complete failure if the main purpose was to get more people to play her, but it completely eradicated what was once Vexana to instead add a new hero to the game.