Technologies

Which Death Stranding 2 Edition Should You Buy?

The next installment of Hideo Kojima’s game for the PlayStation 5 is almost here, and you can get your hands on it before it’s released.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will launch on June 26 exclusively for the PlayStation 5, but those who buy a special edition of the game will be able to access it early. The question is, with three special editions available, which version should you get?

Death Stranding 2 is the sequel to legendary developer Hideo Kojima’s 2019 game, and it improves on every aspect of the original, making it a game that anyone who is remotely interested in it should play. The edition you should purchase will depend on how big of a fan you are of the series.

What do the Death Stranding 2 pre-order bonuses and early unlocks actually do?

The digital content that comes with the Death Stranding 2 editions is primarily for cosmetic purposes. It lets players add a little customization to their equipment. The one early unlock that does give players an advantage is the Machine Gun, since it’s a powerful weapon that players wouldn’t usually get until around the mid-point of the game.

What’s in the different Death Stranding 2 editions?

To start, there is the Standard Edition, which retails for $70.

Ordering the Standard Edition of Death Stranding 2 from Sony comes with the same 48-hour early access that all special editions have, which will begin at 12 a.m. ET on June 24 (9 p.m. PT on June 23).

This edition does include some additional digital content:

Quokka Hologram
Battle Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)
Boost Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)
Bokka Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)

Holograms get unlocked the more you play through the game. These holograms can be placed at structures that the main character, Sam, builds and act as a little sign that you were there.

Skeletons are an equippable item, and help Sam physically while allowing him to carry more items. The Battle Skeleton lets Sam do more damage with physical attacks, the Boost Skeleton helps Sam run faster while carrying a lot of items and the Bokka Skeleton helps Sam climb up certain terrains while being more balanced, so he won’t tip over. This content, however, is just a cosmetic color for the Skeleton. It will not unlock the item, since that has to be done by completing missions in the game.

Next, there’s the Digital Deluxe Edition for $80.

The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the 48-hour early access and the Skeleton cosmetics, although in this edition, the cosmetics are gold and not silver. This edition also comes with:

Machine Gun (MP Bullets) LV1 early unlock
Quokka Patch
Chiral Feline Patch
Why Me? Patch

The Machine Gun is a weapon you get later in the game, and it’s a powerful addition thanks to its large magazine filled with bullets. It can also shoot for longer than the Assault Rifle found early in the game. MP Bullets are the standard type of bullets found in the game that can damage humans, BTs and robots.

The patches are for Sam’s backpack. They are strictly cosmetic and offer no in-game advantage.

Then, for the big fans of Death Stranding, there’s the Collector’s Edition that costs $230.

The Collector’s Edition comes with all the digital content from the Deluxe Edition as well as some real-life collectibles in a collector’s box. It includes:

15-inch Magellan Man Statue
3-inch Dollman figurine
Art cards
Letter from Hideo Kojima

All of the specical editions are available to order now.

Should I pre-order Death Stranding 2 for the bonus DLC?

The big reason to pre-order Death Stranding 2 is early access so you can play the game early. The other bonus DLC is nice to have, but not really needed in the game.

Is the Death Stranding 2 Digital Deluxe Edition bonus content worth it?

If you’re looking to get a leg up on the game, being able to unlock the Machine Gun early can be worth the price of the Digital Deluxe Edition.

Technologies

Tinder Users Must Start Logging In With Their Faces, Starting Nationwide

The social app now has new US requirements including face identification to help quell longstanding problems with catfishing and more.

US Tinder users will find a new feature when they open up the dating app starting Wednesday: A mandatory Face Check on their phones will be required before they can log into their profiles.

The Face Check step will begin with a new request to record a video of your face, a more casual version of setting up Apple’s Face ID login. Tinder will then run checks comparing your face data to your current profile pics and automatically create a small face badge for your profile. We already know how it works, because Tinder has already launched the feature in Canada and California before the full US rollout.

The technology, powered by FaceTec, will keep biometric data of the user’s face in encrypted form but discard the scanning video for privacy. Tinder will be able to use the face data to detect duplicate accounts, in an effort to cut down on fake profiles and identity theft.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Tinder’s facial recognition rollout is also made to prevent catfishing, or people pretending to be someone else on Tinder to scam or blackmail them. But that also points to a deeper problem on the rise in dating apps — a growing number of bots, many controlled by AI, are designed to glean personal information or fool users into scammy subscriptions, among other problems.

Tinder’s working against these bots on several fronts, including this Face Check push as well as ID Check, which requires a government-issued ID and other types of photo verification.

The dating app also recently released a feature in June to enable double-dating with your friends, which Tinder reports is especially popular with Gen Z users. If you’re worried about the latest hazards on Tinder, we have guide to safety practices.

A representative for Tinder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Oct. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 23.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Like some weather, memories and I.P.A.s
Answer: HAZY

5A clue: Statement that’s self-evidently true
Answer: AXIOM

7A clue: Civic automaker
Answer: HONDA

8A clue: What fear leads to, as Yoda told a young Anakin
Answer: ANGER

9A clue: Foxlike
Answer: SLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Verbal «lol»
Answer: HAHA

2D clue: Brain signal transmitter
Answer: AXON

3D clue: Hits with a witty comeback
Answer: ZINGS

4D clue: Sing at the top of a mountain, maybe
Answer: YODEL

6D clue: Name of the famous «Queen of Scots»
Answer: MARY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 23 #599

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 599.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle might be Halloween-themed, as the answers are all rather dangerous. Some of them are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Please don’t eat me!

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Remember Mr. Yuk?

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

POND, NOON, NODE, BALE, SOCK, LOVE, LOCK, MOCK, LEER, REEL, GLOVE, DAIS, LEAN, LEAD, REEL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: