Here, we present some of the most striking images around the world this past week.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
A compter de ce vendredi 19 août 2022, les Burkinabè constateront une augmentation des prix des hydrocarbures. Ils devront désormais ajouter 35 francs CFA pour le litre du super, et 30 francs CFA pour le gasoil. Les nouveaux prix à la pompe du litre sont respectivement de 750 et 675 francs CFA.
Le DDO connaîtra également une hausse de 40 Francs CFA par litre sur le prix actuel. Ci-joint l'arrêté conjoint signé ce 18 août 2022 par le ministre du commerce et celui de l'économie et des (...)
A Ouagadougou les prix des produits de grande consommation connaissent une augmentation. Des vendeurs aux clients, la situation devient de plus en plus inquiétante. Nous avons parcouru certains marchés de la capitale burkinabè pour toucher du doigt cette réalité.
Abdoul Ouédraogo est celui que nous avons rencontré à notre arrivée au marché de Toécin à 9 heures. Le regard inquiet, posé sur les produits qu'il est venu chercher, il se demande s'il pourra retourner à la maison avec quelque chose au (...)
Le mardi 16 août 2022, des hommes armés non identifiés (HANI) ont prêché dans la mosquée de Biba, un village de la commune de Yaba dans la province du Nayala, situé à 10 km de Toma. C'était dans l'après-midi, selon des sources locales et sécuritaires.
Ils seraient arrivés dans le village en binômes sur des motos aux environs de 10 h. Ils se promenaient dans les lieux de rassemblement pour dire aux hommes de se rassembler dans la mosquée.
« Ils avaient des armes à feu et des couteaux. C'est dans la peur (...)
Selon les responsables, ce sont une soixantaine d'organisations de la société civile qui font ainsi bloc à travers le Front de libération nationale (FLN) « pour ne pas se laisser berner par des personnes aux intérêts égoïstes ».
Le lancement de cette faîtière, qui a eu lieu ce jeudi 18 août 2022 à Ouagadougou, a été une occasion pour ses leaders pour marquer leur soutien à la transition et mettre en garde contre toutes velléités de remise en cause de la transition.
Face à la floraison des mouvements ces (...)
Dans une lettre adressée au Conseil de sécurité de l'Organisation des Nations unies (ONU), le ministre malien des Affaires étrangères, Abdoulaye Diop, a accusé l'armée française d'être de connivence avec les groupes armés terroristes.
Pour le nouveau commandant de la force Barkhane, le général Bruno Baratz, les accusations sont infondées et insultantes.
« C'est un petit peu insultant de leur part, parce qu'effectivement, nous avons tout fait pour nous battre jusqu'au bout. Même au moment du désengagement, (...)
Elsie Laurence-Chounoune a pris fonction le 16 août 2022 comme Représentante Résidente du Programme des Nations Unies pour le Développement (PNUD) au Burkina Faso.
Avec plus de trente-trois ans d'expérience dans le développement et les opérations, Dr. Laurence-Chounoune a un parcours professionnel très riche au sein du Système des Nations Unies.
Avant d'être nommée dans ses nouvelles fonctions, Dr. Laurence-Chounoune était Représentante Résidente du PNUD à Malabo, en Guinée Equatoriale.
Dr. (...)
La grande famille Zoungrana à Koudougou (Kassoun), Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso ;
La grande famille Yameogo à Koudougou, Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Vavoua(Côte Ivoire) ,
Les familles alliées Oubda, Ouédraogo, Ky, Nanema, Yaméogo, Sanou ;
Les enfants : Hélène, Amos, Edwige, Géraldine, Rosine et Benjamin.
Le corps pastoral de l'église des assemblées de Dieu de Colma, son comité,
L'Association des Servantes de Christ (ASC), le MHEB, la JAD, Le DENAD, Toutes les structures de l'église des assemblées (...)
Le président de l'Assemblée législative de transition (ALT), Aboubacar Toguyeni a ouvert la première session extraordinaire du Parlement, ce mercredi 17 août 2022 à Ouagadougou. Cette session va permettre de relire le règlement de l'ALT adopté au terme de son installation, dans la perspective de la mise en place de la Haute cour de justice.
La mise en place de la Haute cour de justice, voici le principal objet de la première session extraordinaire de l'ALT, en cette année 2022. Un sujet d'un enjeu (...)
Un rapport portant sur les difficultés rencontrées par la caisse de dépôt et de consignation a été présenté durant le conseil des ministres de ce mercredi 17 août 2022. Parmi les difficultés, on retient le manque de consensus entre la caisse et les partenaires financiers tels la CARFO, la CNSS et la Poste. Ce qui crée des difficultés de mobilisation de ressources financières.Les partenaires ayant marqué leur refus quant à la centralisation de leurs fonds au niveau de la caisse. La caisse fonctionne (...)
- Conseil des ministresFace aux différents audios qui circulent et qui appellent à l'extermination de certaines communautés, le porte-parole du gouvernement, Lionel Bilgo, au sortir du conseil des ministres, a invité les médias a œuvrer pour un éveil de conscience des populations sur les risques de division et d'oppositions intercommunautaires face à ces "discours haineux, subversifs et inacceptables dans un pays comme le Burkina Faso, riche et diversifié".
Ne pas se laisser guider par les discours haineux et s'en prendre (...)
On this episode of From Panel to Podcast we dive into last week's books, giving you a rundown of the best stories that you should add to your pull list. We also highlight the comics that are releasing this week and provide insight into why you may want to pick them up.
If you would like to follow us on Twitter: Andrew Reiner (@Andrew_Reiner) and Philip Hoff (@bnow23).
From Panel to Podcast is a weekly show created by two lifelong comic book readers who offer suggestions on which comic books you should be reading each week. Each episode also dives into the latest developments for comics in video games, movies, and television shows. We'll even discuss comic book collectibles and anything we think you should know about that pertains to this entertainment medium.
Be sure to subscribe to From Panel to Podcast on your favorite podcast platform. The show is available on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
High On Life, the upcoming first-person shooter from Justin Roiland's Squanch Games, has been delayed.
Originally due out this October, High On Life will now hit Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on December 13, 2022. It joins various other games delayed this week like Planet of Lana and Evil West, and for a similar reason: the team needs more time to make this game the best it can be.
Here's the studio's statement about the delay, in full:
"We have good news and bad news. Feel free to choose the option you'd prefer to read first; we won't meddle with your free will.
The Good News: High On Life is still coming in 2022! The team at Squanch Games is working hard towards developing the best gaming experience to hit your screens, and a little extra time to squash some bugs never hurts. With that in mind, our new launch date is set to December 13, 2022.
The Bad News: It's a game delay, sorry! Because we're making you wait an additional 6-ish weeks, please accept the linked animation as an apology.
"High On Life will be available via Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows PCs, Day One on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Thank you for your continued patience and support."
As for the linked animation mentioned in the statement above, it's what you can watch below:
While you wait for High On Life, please find this 500 pound, diaper-wearing alien a wife. Please. He won't leave me alone.
— High On Life (@highonlifegame) August 18, 2022
https://t.co/CDfDGJ3m6A
As you can see, it's very Justin Roiland. Enjoy!
For more about High On Life, check out its reveal trailer from the June 2022 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.
Are you excited about High On Life? Let us know in the comments below!
Blizzard released the third Diablo IV Quarterly Update for 2022. Unlike the last one, which focused on the Necromancer class, today's is all about seasonal content and the team's post-launch plans.
The studio says it's aware fans loved Seasons in Diablo II: Resurrected and Diablo III and have asked for even more seasonal support. Diablo IV will feature Seasons, and the first will be available soon after launch. Plus, Blizzard will have a team dedicated to Seasons that will bring players up to four seasons a year, each with major new features, questlines, enemies, legendary items, and more.
"Diablo IV's Seasons are modeled after those of Diablo III," the blog reads. "When a new season begins, all the characters from the prior season are moved to the Eternal Realm, where you can keep playing, leveling up, and collecting loot. To play in the new season, you'll create a fresh character and experience seasonal features and content while leveling up alongside other players.
"This, along with capping paragon points in Diablo IV, ensures that your effort and skill – measured by both dexterity and theorycrafting – determine how powerful your character becomes. It also allows players who missed the last season to participate. This season design requires that all sources of character power come from playing the game, so you will not be able to pay for power in Diablo IV."
Let's break down each section of the blog:
Blizzard says each new season of Diablo IV will be released with a "fresh new gameplay feature and questline that introduces new challenges, mysteries, and possibilities into the level-up experience." Each questline will reveal more of the world of Sanctuary and your character's place in it. These questlines are also where Blizzard gets the opportunity to introduce new characters or revisit old ones.
Blizzard says it "will always be evaluating the state of the game to regularly revitalize older stomping grounds." An example of this is the balance between classes, builds, and powers.
"Diablo is a game that is about creating exciting, overpowered builds, and while we don't want to balance the fun out of the experience, we don't want to create situations in which imprecise tuning squashes creativity," the blog reads. "We will also be constantly adding new legendary and unique items, paragon boards, and glyphs, and more that will continually refresh the meta and create new build opportunities."
The team says it will identify quality-of-life features and polish work that can be done to improve the overall game experience, and it invites the community to vote upon their priority. Blizzard says the team can't always switch to tackle problems immediately, but that "you can rest asured that we will be active in improving the quality of the game experience for years to come."
New live events will crop up with each season of Diablo IV. One example of an event like this might be the warning of an impending invasion of the Drowned, and this may last an entire weekend. Or, maybe a strange peddler will arrive amidst the crags of the Dry Steppes. Blizzard says these live events "provide gateways to new adventures and unique rewards."
"Alongside our major season releases, we see the return of the Season Journey," the blog reads. "Players are pushed to explore Sanctuary anew, earning limited-time rewards with each chapter of the Season Journey that is completed. Completing the Season Journey is quite a feat, with the final step demanding the character overcome an extremely difficult encounter with an especially deadly foe.
"With future Season Journeys, we are regularly adding pinnacle-level difficulty challenges for players to complete, proving their worth and earning unique cosmetic rewards. Like Diablo III, the Season Journey is free for all players. Completing Season Journey objectives also grants progress toward the Season Pass, a battle pass-style progression system that advances the Season Journey, enabling players to earn even more rewards just by playing. The Season Pass has both free rewards (cosmetics, premium currency, and gameplay boosts) and paid rewards (cosmetics and premium currency only).
Blizzard says the game's seasonal passes will recognize player dedication, with greater rewards unlocking as you play more throughout a given season. There will be a single track of rewards with the Free Tiers that are unlocked just for playing the game and leveling up, and there will be Premium Tiers, which provide no in-game power or advantage over other players.
"The Free Tiers of the pass will provide gameplay boosts to all players – things which make the journey of leveling up fresh seasonal characters faster and more streamlined," the blog reads. "In contract, the Premium Tier rewards are focused on aesthetics, providing a huge value in the form of cosmetics and Premium Currency. Many of the rewards embody the season theme, helping players show off their participation in that Season."
Here's more of what Blizzard has to say about the Season Pass:
Blizzard writes in the blog post that its primary design goal for the shop was making sure that buying items felt good, before, during, and after the purchase. It also wants purchases to feel like ones that players want to do rather than ones players need to do. The team wants players to know exactly what they're getting before they choose to buy, with no unpleasant surprises.
"The Shop's cosmetics build on top of the foundation of a huge variety of transmogs from weapons and armors players will find in-game," the blog reads. "It's also important to us that the Shop is grounded within Diablo's world, so our cosmetics are holistic fantasies, the individual components of which can be mixed and matched with transmogs from armors acquired in-game for endless customization options."
Here's more on what Blizzard has to say about The Shop:
The gallery below shows screenshots of Legendary armors earned from playing the game (left) and armor cosmetics from The Shop (right):
"The most important guiding principle behind The Shop and Season Pass is to create something players love, look forward to, and appreciate being part of the game," the blog post reads. "Cosmetics in Diablo IV create new ways for players to express themselves and never provide advantages in-game. Players will experience all the fun of Season, whether they spend anything or not. We intend to continue our dialog with players about The Shop and Season Pass, and we'll always listen and seek out the community's feedback about it. It is our sincerest belief that we can work together with the community to keep Diablo IV a living, evolving world for many years to come."
And that wraps up this Diablo IV Quarterly Update.
What did you think of this Quarterly Update? Let us know in the comments below!
The Entropy Centre is an upcoming first-person sci-fi puzzle adventure game first revealed during the Future Games Showcase back in June. Set to hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC this year, this game quickly grabbed my attention when I first saw its reveal trailer.
It features plenty of Portal vibes, which is always a plus, and a unique premise: turn back time on objects inside an abandoned space station to determine a way to stop Earth and everyone on it from going extinct. If you haven’t yet seen the reveal trailer, give that a watch here. If you’ve already seen that, you’re probably ready to see more gameplay and fortunately, there's plenty to see in this new five-minute gameplay trailer:
Here’s what developer Stubby Games has to say about the game:
“Players join the game’s protagonist, Aria, as she awakens inside the bowels of a colossal space station – The Entropy Centre – in near-orbit of Earth. Two immediate problems face her: Earth has been set ablaze from an extinction-level event, and The Entropy Centre itself appears abandoned and on the brink of imminent collapse. With the aid of ASTRA – a talking gun capable of moving objects backwards in time – Aria can restore the facility’s collapsed bridges, reassemble destroyed pathways, and overcome ingeniously complex puzzles to progress to the core of The Entropy Centre in the hope of surviving this seemingly doomed space station, and, somehow, finding a way home. “The truth behind The Entropy Centre’s imminent collapse, and the Earth’s demise, can be found at the heart of this sprawling facility. But will Aria accept the unfortunate truth that awaits her?"Are you excited about The Entropy Centre? Let me know in the comments below!
Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5
Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher:
Atlus
Developer:
Atlus
Release:
Rating:
Mature
The group of bounty hunters gathers in their favorite bar once more. For the first time, protagonist Ringo pays attention to the lush cherry blossom decoration over the rooftop. Her friends say the real ones are even more beautiful and laugh at the idea of a bunch of Devil Summoners having a picnic and watching the flowers. The friendly mockery leads to a funny yet endearing message: “I think we oughta show Ringo the fun side of being human, don’t you?” Sadly, Soul Hackers 2 doesn’t seem to agree with the sentiment.
Soul Hackers 2 is the sequel to 1997’s Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, an RPG spun from the Shin Megami Tensei series. 25 years later, after games like Persona 5 put the SMT universe in the spotlight, the landscape couldn’t be more different.
Set in the 21st century, two clans of Devil Summoners fight for an ancient power. As a result, Aion, a highly developed artificial intelligence far closer to reality than I’m comfortable with, predicts that doomsday is forthcoming. The only ones capable of preventing it are Ringo and Figue, two personifications of Aion in the flesh. Both can hack people’s souls to bring them back to life and give them a second chance while serving as key pieces to prevent doom.
The premise is interesting, and although the villains don't carry enough weight to stand out, I was invested in the story. Naturally, the pasts of the three characters joining Ringo on her quest intertwine with the larger narrative. There are glimpses about the meaning of mortality around Ringo’s gift, as well as how the soul-hacked choose to act when allowed to settle a long-standing score or recover a bond with a partner. But the most interesting plot points feel rushed without enough room to create meaningful stakes or emotional tolls. As a result, the few moments that stand out feel unearned.
Gameplaywise, Soul Hackers 2 doesn’t offer an incentive to stray off the main path and spend more time in its otherwise interesting world. Side quests are unremarkable and based around revisiting areas that aren’t interesting to explore. The combat is more on par with Persona 5 than Shin Megami Tensei V, offering many upgrades and skills to tailor your experience. Only that it’s far more streamlined, lacking the enticing press-turn mechanic from the mainline games that add turns when you exploit an enemy’s weakness. Instead, doing so adds a stack to the Sabbath, which acts as an all-out-attack at the end of your turn. It makes for a pretty spectacle as the arena is slowly engulfed in a colorful aura the more attacks you can stack. But it also makes for unnecessarily long encounters without much risk. Enemies can’t exploit your party’s weaknesses, either, so you can always just heal up afterward.
Throughout the 30 hours it took to hit credits, I kept trying to latch onto the elements that work. Soul Hackers 2’s saving grace lies in its main characters, each with a distinct personality that often clashes with the rest. Witnessing the group’s growth by putting their differences aside and opening themselves up to camaraderie was a joy. I loved their conversations about freelancing as Devil Summoners as much as the tough chats about the people they lost over a meal or a drink. But there’s not a seat on the table for the player to take it all in.
During that night at the bar, the group wondered if they’d still be alive by the time the flowers bloomed again. And I know that they will because I put in the effort to make that happen. I just wish I was rewarded with a bit more humanity and meaning to my struggles by seeing them create that memory for themselves.
Embracer Group is making massive moves. The conglomerate acquired the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit IPs – more specifically, Middle-earth Enterprises, which owns an extensive collection of “motion pictures, video games, board games, merchandising, theme parks, stage productions,” and the literary works themselves. Moreover, seven studios – Limited Run Games, Singtrix, Tuxedo Labs, Tatsujin, Tripwire Interactive, Bitwave Games, and an undisclosed company within PC/Console gaming have also been acquired. Gioteck, known for its gaming accessories, joined Embracer Group, too. You can see everything in Wario64’s Twitter thread below.
Embracer Group acquires Limited Run Games https://t.co/tZ0IuGeQR6 pic.twitter.com/qn4EpWprN1
— Wario64 (@Wario64) August 18, 2022
The acquired studios have shipped several games, including Shantae, Super Meat Boy, River City Girls, Teardown, Killing Floor, Maneater, Chivalry 2, Snow Bros, Flying Shark, and Gimmick! A lengthy section in the acquisition documents speaks to Embracer’s expanded catalog and reads as follows:
“Strategically the Transactions further strengthen and diversify Embracer’s portfolio with profitable IPs & franchises. In particular The Lord of the Rings, one of the most iconic IPs on the globe, and the entire Middle-earth universe offers significant growth opportunity within PC/console, Mobile and Tabletop games. Middle-earth Enterprises also increases Embracer’s high margin licensing revenues from external partners and creates a platform to accelerate growth in this source of revenue from the group’s vast IP catalog. Tripwire Interactive and Tuxedo Labs, with high quality studios, strong franchises, such as Killing Floor and Teardown, and additional publishing capabilities in North America, solidifies Embracer’s leading position within the AA/A/Indie segment of the PC/Console market. Further, the group consolidates its efforts in asset care and retro gaming with the leading direct-to-consumer publishing brand Limited Run Games, with considerable potential for improved monetization of the group’s back catalog and IPs over time. The acquisition of Singtrix presents new opportunities for music and audio gaming products and Singtrix plans to expand its vocal technology platform into a broad range of new music games, streaming, and mobile franchises. In addition to the five communicated acquisitions today, Embracer has entered into agreement to acquire another company within PC/Console gaming that, for commercial reasons, is not disclosed today.”As for the undisclosed company within PC/Console gaming – who do you think it is? Let us know in the comments below.
Dead Island 2 is arguably one of the most anticipated games locked behind the fiery gates of development hell. The first game dropped over a decade ago, and ever since, zombie-slaying fans have yearned for a sequel. Well, they're in luck. A Dead Island 2: Day One Edition positing was spotted on Amazon with box art, in-game photos, and a 2023 release date. The new info was taken down, but we made sure to grab the images and extra deets for you.
According to the info on the Amazon page, Dead Island 2 will be available on both Xbox and PlayStation consoles. However, current-gen versions of the game don't have web pages yet. The story follows an elite squad that's immune to the infection, meaning we'll be seeing 8-player co-op when the game drops. The full summary reads as follows:
"Several months after the events on Banoi, the United States military has put the Golden State under full quarantine. Now a restricted zone, California has become a bloody paradise for those who refuse to leave their homes and an action-packed playground for renegades who seek adventure, glory and a fresh start. Combining the classic Dead Island elements of immersive close combat, action and role-playing, Dead Island 2 features crazy, never-before-seen handcrafted weapons and over-the-top characters in taking players from the iconic Golden Gate to the celebrated beachfront boardwalk of southern California’s Venice Beach."Players must craft zany weapons like in the first game to defeat the seemingly never-ending hordes plaguing the West Coast. Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios' gory adventure allegedly launches on February 3, 2023 (or at least that's what appeared on the listings earlier today before suddenly disappearing). Hopefully, this date holds up/reemerges as we move into the new year.
Are you enthusiastic about Dead Island 2? Are you skeptical of its existence? Let us know in the comments below!
Inkulinati is a imagiative strategy game first announced in 2020 that brings the distinct art of medieval manuscripts to life. The game unfolds within the parchment itself as players control humans, animals, and mythical creatures to battle it out in turn-based battles that are equal parts thoughtful and ridiculous. Inkulinati has looked promising every time it’s made an appearance, and we can finally see how it's shaping up thanks to an upcoming early access launch.
This winter, players can dive into Inkulinati on Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview. The game puts you in the role of Inkulinati, a being capable of using the magical Living Ink to bring illustrations to life. The irreverent battles unfold within an open book as players command units to strategically slice, bludgeon, and even fart opponents into submission to clear the way and topple the opposing Inkulinati.
In addition to recruiting humans, rabbits, cats, snails, and other critters, you can enlist the aid of real-life literary figures such as Dante Alighieri. Each unit sports its own unique traits with more team members unlocked by playing. Stages promote different playstyles, with some requiring a more tactical approach and others a more aggressive assault. The game features a single-player campaign, and you can challenge friends in 1-on-1 battles.
And for those wondering: yes, this is a different game than Pentiment, Obsidian Entertainment's recently announced narrative adventure game that shares the same artistic influences.
Inkulinati will be available first on Xbox and PC, but a Switch version is also planned with other platforms in consideration. The game will be playable at the Xbox booth during Gamescom next week.
A new interview sheds light on Just Cause developer Avalanche Studio's canceled open-world Iron Man game, rumored to be in the works a decade ago before getting axed in 2012.
MinnMax's Ben Hanson interviewed Christofer Sundberg, co-founder of Avalance, who has since left the studio to start a new company, Liquid Sword. During the interview, Hansen asked Sundberg about the fate of the Iron Man project, which Sundberg revealed as being in development for a year and a half to two years before being canceled due to what he describes as "company politics."
Sundberg reveals that Disney wanted Avalanche to rapidly expand its staff to finish the game under a shortened development timeline. However, he refused, explaining that doing so would have put a massive strain on the studio.
"It was, I was a mess by the end," says Sundberg. "Shortening development time, increasing budgets. We would have to hire 70-80 people to the team that I would have had the responsibility to find a new project for, but the development time was shortened down so much. It would have broken the studio completely if we agreed to that."
He continues by saying, "At the end of a project, when the team is scaling down, that's when you find [a] new project. With one year of development time cut from the original plan, I had one year less to find a new project for a big development team which would have been impossible. And hiring all those developers would have been a nightmare. So it was for the best"
As far as Sundberg remembers, the game was disassociated from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and not tied to Iron Man 3, which was in production at that time. He says the game would have allowed players to "just take off and fly anywhere" and that it had a big focus on melee combat where players could punch characters through walls using Iron Man's repulsors.
The clip is a nice bit of closure given that Hanson, formerly of Game Informer, previously asked Sundberg about the project during an interview for our Just Cause 3 cover story in 2014. At the time, Sundberg acknowledged the cancellation of an unannounced Marvel game but wouldn't confirm the rumors that it was Iron Man-related. So now we know.
Be sure to watch MinnMax's full interview with Christofer Sundberg here, where he discusses his new studio's first project, creating the Mad Max game, and more.
Join host Wesley LeBlanc as he takes you through a demo of Betrayal At Club Low, an upcoming indie with a unique aesthetic and an even more unique gameplay loop. Wesley's enjoyed what he's played of the game so far, and he'll tell you why in today's New Gameplay Today.
Betrayal At Club Low is exclusive to PC and will launch on September 9 on Steam and Itch.io. Cosmo D Studios is the developer who is actually just one game designer: Cosmo D. He's the designer behind games like Off-Peak, The Norwood Suite, and Tales From Off-Peak City Vol. 1. In today's New Gameplay Today, Wesley shows off roughly 20 minutes of Betrayal At Club Low, explaining how its unique dice-rolling mechanic works while highlighting what's so interesting about this strange world and its accompanying aesthetic.
Check it out for yourself below:
For more previews of some of the biggest games of 2022 and beyond, be sure to head over to our YouTube page for early looks at Thymesia, You Suck At Parking, The DioField Chronicle, Recipe For Disaster, Saints Row, Overwatch 2, Diablo IV, and more.
Another one bites the dust. If you haven't noticed, a number of high-profile delays have occurred in recent weeks, with many upcoming games pushed into next year. Unfortunately, the promising sci-fi platformer Planet of Lana joins that growing hit list.
Planet of Lana was first announced at E3 2021 with a 2022 launch window. The game stars Lana, a young girl, and her adorable cat-like companion Mui on a combat-free mission to preserve a serene planet occupied by robots and other creatures from corruption. Developer Wishfully Studios wants this cinematic puzzle platformer to make a big splash, announcing it’s pushing the release to spring 2023 to do so.
As you might know, today we announced that the release of Planet of Lana will be postponed until spring 2023. It was an extremely tough decision to make, but unfortunately a necessary one to ensure that the game rises to the level that the players expect and at the same time ensure a sustainable workload for our team. We hope that you understand and want to thank you for your patience. Your support means everything to us.Planet of Lana will be playable at Gamescom next week, so attendees have the opportunity to see how the game is shaping up first-hand. The title is slated to launch on Xbox consoles (including Game Pass) and PC.
If you're losing track of every big game to slip into 2023, this handy list should serve as a nice reminder.
The team behind Monster Train has been hard at work on their newest twist on the roguelike formula. The studio’s earlier project found players navigating a train on its way through hell, using deckbuilding card mechanics to fight one challenging battle after the next. In Inkbound, the team has held onto the roguelike formula, but almost everything else is going in a new direction.
Players each control a character making their way through a magical world called Atheneum, a place from which countless stories emerge and come to life. Players enter realms defined by books and help to shape and define the worlds and narratives within. Drawing inspiration from isometric RPGs and MOBAs, each player moves through the fictional lands and paints the ground with area-of-effect powers that aim to bring down the creatures encountered along the way.
Inkbound can be played solo or with up to four players simultaneously. In the turn-based tactical battles that ensue, Shiny Shoe is experimenting with an intriguing approach that allows multiple players to act simultaneously.
The focus is on character growth over the course of a given run through new powers and bonuses, but you can also collect glyphs that carry over between your runs; glyphs can be spent in any given session to open up new missions, paths, or other beneficial situations, but there’s also more to spend in a given run than glyphs you can earn, so it’s critical to save those glyphs for a run-through where they’ll make a difference.
Each player can specialize their efforts around a preferred playstyle or experience with an initial class selection, and the classes I learned about were surprising and unusual. The Magma Miner is a heavy melee-oriented brawler who sets enemies on fire. The Mosscloak is a fast-moving fighter specializing in critical hits or fast strikes. The Obelisk carries double shields and, unsurprisingly, helps to tank for the party; the more damage they take, the more this class can dish out. And the Weaver creates threads to enemies that damage and debuff, with a clear drive toward setting up elaborate combos.
Aesthetically, Inkbound’s isometric presentation is bright and inviting, with vibrant color and light usage, mildly cartoony visuals, and a frenetic pace to exploration and combat that keeps the action light and breezy. At certain moments, it reminded me of visual palettes I’ve seen in games like Torchlight and World of Warcraft. In the battles I witnessed during an early demo, characters would emerge into rounded arena spaces in which battles would unfold. Success often came down to a mix of good upgrade selection ahead of the fight and smart positioning while confronting the many monsters that show up.
Whether with card decks or isometric turn-based arena fights, strategy roguelikes live or die by tense decision points, challenging but balanced combat, and clever upgrades that let you overcome seemingly impossible odds. Shiny Shoe has already proven its ability to iterate and build a game of supreme depth and challenge with its last project. Inkbound is still early, but my glimpse suggests the team is applying the lessons it learned and shaping a new project that might be just as fascinating as its last, albeit with a completely different look and vibe.
Inkbound is aiming for release in 2023 on PC.
Gamescom kicks off next week with Opening Night Live, the annual showcase of trailers, reveals, and announcements hosted by Geoff Keighley. The presentation is generally on par with E3 or Summer Game Fest when it comes to delivering significant news, and we now know a few of the major titles that will appear.
The Summer Game Fest Twitter account revealed that ONL will feature world premieres for Sonic Frontiers, Hogwarts Legacy, The Callisto Protocol, and Return to Monkey Island. That usually means we’ll get new trailers for each game, whether they be gameplay, story, or both. Of course, other titles will be shown as well including Dying Light 2’s Bloody Ties DLC and Telltale Games' The Expanse.
Next Tuesday, @geoffkeighley hosts @gamescom Opening Night Live from Germany.
— Summer Game Fest - Returns June 2023 (@summergamefest) August 17, 2022
With world premieres of:
- Hogwarts Legacy
- The Callisto Protocol
- Sonic Frontiers
- Return to Monkey Island
and more to be announced.
Tune in live at https://t.co/OkSQIuOqPG pic.twitter.com/Mz0Gcux1X7
Hogwarts Legacy was recently delayed to February, and this will be our first look at it since its gameplay reveal in March. Sonic Frontiers and The Callisto Protocol both graced Game Informer’s cover the last couple of months, and this may be one of the last big marketing pushes before they arrive later this year. Return to Monkey Island, also slated to launch this year, may get a firm release date as well.
Gamescom Opening Night Live will be streamed on August 23. The two-hour event begins at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human was released earlier this year and since then, the team has continued to pump new content into the expansive parkour RPG. However, that content so far has been related to cosmetics, in-game parkour races, or other gameplay mechanics. Techland has yet to release anything new that pushes the story of Dying Light 2 forward.
That could change soon as Dying Light 2's first story DLC, Bloody Ties, will get the full worldwide premiere treatment at Gamescom's Opening Night Live, which is hosted by Geoff Keighley and airs August 23. To tide fans over until then, the studio has released a teaser trailer that you can watch below:
"What dangers await?" a press release reads. "How can you beat them? What will you get in return? One thing is certain...it will be brutal."
As you can see, the DLC seems to hint at a brutal faction within the City, perhaps one interested in gladiator-style arena combat. Only time will tell what Bloody Ties entails, but fortunately, we don't have to wait too much longer now.
For more, read Game Informer's Dying Light 2 review and then read our interview about the future of Dying Light 2.
Are you excited about this DLC? Let us know in the comments below!
Death Stranding is one of 2019’s best games (in my personal opinion), and it’s one I hope everyone gets the chance to try. Sure, you might not like it, but if it hits, it hits hard.
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 players know that, as the game was PlayStation exclusive at launch. It hit PC in 2020, but you had to buy it outright like any other PC game. Now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members might get the chance to try this Norman Reedus-led adventure across America with their subscription if a new, somewhat cryptic tweet from the official PC Game Pass account is anything to go by.
Check it out for yourself below:
sometimes we just like a good landscape picture #NewProfilePic
— PC Game Pass (@XboxGamePassPC) August 16, 2022
As you can see, PC Game Pass draws attention to the fact that it’s changed its profile pic to that of a familiar landscape. If you look at the profile pic, you’ll see what appears to be a landscape shot from Death Stranding. Now, it could be a different game but like, come on, that’s Death Stranding, right?
All of this is to say that it seems like a formerly PlayStation-exclusive game – mind you, one developed by independent studio Kojima Productions that was funded by Sony Interactive Entertainment – is coming to PC Game Pass, a subscription service that’s a part of the Xbox ecosystem.
Have you played Death Stranding, and if so, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments below!
Kilter Films, Bethesda Game Studios, and Amazon Studios announced in 2020 that a Fallout television series was on the way.
Not much has been revealed about it since then, other than a report from 2021 that detailed the show as a “gonzo, crazy, funny adventure.” However, images from the production’s set have begun to leak online, as reported by Eurogamer, and the show looks true and accurate to the famed video game series.
Check them out for yourself in the tweets below:
My Fallout fanboy dreams are coming true with these set photos from the Fallout Amazon series 😭 pic.twitter.com/2YVubJ1fpH
— LoneVaultWanderer (@LoneVaultWander) August 16, 2022
4) The vault suits look spot-on plus a little bit extra. Notice the blue lines on the sides of the arm and legs. Also, the yellow appears more yellow and less gold, I prefer this. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/FfzDr20AIg
— Tom | Robots Radio Podcast Network (@robots_radio) August 16, 2022
The level of detail on this Amazon Fallout series 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fou1UL1vhs
— ☢️Fallout Films☀️ (@FilmsFallout) August 17, 2022
As you can see, the vault looks pretty spot-on, as do other details like the Vault-Tec logo. Even the vault suits look amazing, although, as the person who snapped that image mentioned, they are a little different from what we’re used to in the games. Nonetheless, my excitement for this series has grown considerably since seeing these images. Hopefully, this same attention to detail has been put into the writing.
There is no release date for this series.
[Source: Eurogamer]
What do you think of these images? Let us know in the comments below!
Evil West, the upcoming third-person wild west action game developed by Flying Wild Hog, has been delayed.
Originally due out this September, the game has now been delayed to November 22, 2022. Fortunately for those excited about the rootin’ tootin’ action of slaying vampires and killing other various (terrifying) creatures, this delay only pushes the game back by about two months. As for why, publisher Focus Entertainment released a statement on Twitter explaining that it’s the result of the team wanting the game to be the best it can be at launch.
Here’s the studio’s statement, in full:
“Dear players, first of all, we would like to thank you for your continued support and patience for Evil West. We are overwhelmed by the incredible reception the game has gotten so far from our trailers and the demo some of you played at PAX East. We are working our very best to achieve our vision of Evil West and to meet your expectations. Evil West releases on five platforms, including multiple generations of consoles. Giving our game more polish is crucial to provide our players with not only good but also lasting memories. That’s something we’ve always pursued. “To ensure that the game reaches its full potential, we have made the decision to delay the worldwide launch of Evil West to November 22, 2022. We understand that game delays may be frustrating, but it’s a necessary step to deliver the best experience to everyone. Thank you again for your awesome support and dedication. It drives us forward and pushes us to create the weirdest, wildest western ride for all of you.”— Focus Entertainment (@Focus_entmt) August 16, 2022
Evil West first premiered at The Game Awards 2020, and it immediately caught my attention. It gave me big Darkwatch vibes, a game I loved on PlayStation 2, and the first gameplay we saw at The Game Awards 2021 last December confirmed those vibes. If you’re looking for more of the game, you’re in luck because, in June, the studio released more than 10 minutes of new gameplay.
Are you excited about Evil West? Let me know in the comments below! Also, if you played Darkwatch, that game was dope, right?
Guild Wars 2 celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, and ArenaNet is celebrating by introducing the MMORPG to a new audience on Steam.
On Tuesday, August 23, Guild Wars 2 will be available on a third-party platform for the first time ever. Since its launch in August 2012, the game has only been accessible through ArenaNet’s proprietary launcher. Guild Wars 2 on Steam will retain its subscription-less, free-to-play model. Additionally, Steam players and those on the original client will play together on the same servers. If you’re a newcomer wanting to catch up on a decade’s worth of content, a $99.97 Complete Edition of the game for Steam bundles Guild Wars 2’s three expansions and all five seasons.
ArenaNet is introducing Twitch Drops. Now you can earn exclusive in-game character outfits, experience boosters, and a special Glowing Purple Mask cosmetic by watching streamers play the game from August 23-28.
“Guild Wars 2 has delighted over 16 million players for a decade with its subscription-free business model, epic collaborative open-world boss encounters, and revolutionary mount system,” said Kendall Boyd, Senior Vice President of Marketing at NCSOFT West. “By launching on Steam, a whole new audience of players who have never had the chance to adventure with us will be able to experience one of the greatest fantasy worlds in gaming. Everyone at NCSOFT and ArenaNet is excited to welcome them into our amazing community.”
Guild Wars 2 has been hailed as one of the best MMOs of its time. ArenaNet has supported the title with seasonal updates and expansion packs, the latest being February’s End of Dragons.
Do you still play Guild Wars 2? Will you be picking it up on Steam to dive in for the first time? Let us know in the comments!
The Knights of the Old Republic remake sounds like it may be running into some trouble, but fans of the original classic BioWare game have reason to celebrate. Celebrated collectibles maker Gentle Giant is prepping a new statue depicting one of the central characters of the original game. Jedi Knight Bastila Shan has never looked better.
The action-posed figure depicts Bastila Shan in battle with a Guardian Droid in the ruins of Dantooine, one of the early sites players visited in the game. The statue is made of PVC, and looks to feature some impressive sculpting and paint work. The yellow-hued double-bladed lightsaber in mid-swing is a particular highlight.
If it’s been a few years since you ventured into the classic Star Wars RPG, Bastila Shan was a Jedi Master many thousands of years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. Among other gifts provided by the Force, she had the rare capability known as battle meditation, which could be used to boost her allies and demoralize her enemies. At one point, she was tortured and turned to the dark side by Darth Malak, and the player is given a choice of how to interact with her – including options to redeem or kill her.
The new statue is steering toward launch in spring of 2023, but pre-orders open in just a few days, on 8/19 over at Gentle Giant’s official site. Suggested retail price is 80 republic credits, or $80 if you prefer your local currency.
Blizzard announced that cross-progression is coming to Overwatch 2, and starting today, you can merge multiple accounts onto a single profile.
With Overwatch 2 set to release on Oct. 4, which is also when the game will replace the original Overwatch, now’s a great time to get all your cosmetics, loot boxes, and more in order. It’s also a great time to merge some accounts so that you can, for example, jump between playing on PC and PlayStation freely. Fortunately, Blizzard made that possible today because you now merge multiple accounts.
“With the launch of cross-progression, players can merge multiple Overwatch accounts to carry progression and in-game cosmetics into Overwatch 2 on a single profile,” a press release reads. “Starting Aug. 16, every player with a linked console account will be prompted at login to identify, select, and confirm the accounts you want to merge. Once you approve, we will prepare you accounts to be merged during the release of Overwatch 2.
“All players will need a battle.net account to play Overwatch 2, regardless of platform. Progress from linked console accounts will be stored on your battle.net accounts, which will share in-game cosmetics and progress across the linked accounts.”
Blizzard says there will only be one opportunity to merge console accounts and that you should double-check which accounts you are merging before you confirm. The studio is aware that there will be numerous questions associated with this news, so the team prepared an extensive FAQ that you can check out here with answers to questions like, “how do I merge my accounts?” and more.
You know we've arrived at the back half of a month when Xbox Game Pass subscribers are treated to a second helping of new games hitting the library. In terms of brand new releases, the stylish brawler Midnight Fight Express launches on the service alongside the Pikmin-like Tinykin. Sam Barlow’s latest FMV adventure game, Immortality, also makes its debut. Speaking of living forever, Ubisoft's underappreciated Immortals Fenyx Rising is swooping in for another chance in the spotlight. Check out the full list of games coming and going this month (spoiler: a lot of good stuff is leaving), as well as links to our reviews for applicable titles.
You can read August’s first batch of Game Pass titles here.
Coffee Talk (Console, PC, Cloud) – Today | Our Review
Midnight Fight Express (Console, PC, Cloud) – August 23
Exapunks (PC) – August 25
Opus: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition (Console, PC) – August 25
Commandos 3 – HD Remaster (Console, PC, Cloud) – August 30
Immortality (Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud) – August 30
Immortals Fenyx Rising (Console, PC, Cloud) – August 30 | Our Review
Tinykin (Console, PC) – August 30
Elite Dangerous (Console, Cloud)
Hades (Console, PC, Cloud) | Our Review
Myst (Console, PC, Cloud)
NBA 2K22 (Console, Cloud) | Our Review
Signs of the Sojourner (Console, PC, Cloud)
Spiritfarer (Console, PC, Cloud) | Our Review
Twelve Minutes (Console, PC, Cloud) | Our Review
Two Point Hospital (Console, PC, Cloud) | Our Review
What Remains of Edith Finch (Console, PC, Cloud) | Our Review
World War Z (Console, PC, Cloud) | Our Review
Last week, a Fortnite tweet announced an incoming Dragon Ball crossover event, with the mythical wish-fulfilling dragon, Shenron, adorning the shared screenshot. At the time, details about content and features were still a mystery. However, a short gameplay trailer released today revealed several collectible items and a Dragon Ball-themed map. You can watch the zany footage below.
According to Gamespot, two bundles touting skins inspired by popular characters will be available for purchase. The cosmetics include Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma with alternate styles, Beerus, and back bling items like Seer Fish, Power Pole, Kamesennin’s Shill, and two new Pickaxes. Nimbus and Space Pod gliders also appear with an anime-themed Kamehameha attack to decimate foes the Saiyan way. Finally, creative maps contain cool locations like Kami’s Palace, Goku’s House, the Room of Spirit and Time, and more.
The description of the event reads as follows:
“Visit the Dragon Ball Adventure Island (available August 19, 2022) to explore locations inspired by Dragon Ball Super, check out select episodes at the Dragon Ball Super Episode Festival row in Discover, visit the new “Power Unleashed!” Tab to complete quests to raise your power level and earn Dragon Ball-related free rewards, drop into the Battle Royale Island and pick up the Kamehameha to blast Goku’s iconic skill and ride around on the Nimbus Cloud (Kintoun).”The Fortnite Dragon Ball Crossover awaits die-hard fans today.
[Source: Gamespot]
Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5
Platform:
PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher:
Private Division
Developer:
Roll7
Release:
My roller skates come to life, whirling loudly on concrete before drowning out to the murderous symphony of shotgun blasts and rocket explosions. I spin to avoid a hail of bullets, latch my skates onto a rail, and then flip through the air, my guns blazing as I perform a flashy trick to bring the crowd to its feet. I hope this run creates a big enough death combo to reach a high score and unlock the next stage, where more powerful weapons and foes await. This is Rollerdrome, a skating-shooter that blends the trick system of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater with the kill chains of Doom 2016 to create an exciting dystopian experience that makes you feel like a god on wheels.
Roll7, the team behind the OlliOlli series, is locked in on every aspect of this game, delivering enticing skating freedom, challenges that require devotion, comic-book visuals that leap off the screen, and a fascinating science-fiction vision stripped right out of 1970s cinema. Rollerdrome is a love letter to James Caan's classic film Rollerball, following the same theme of corporations ruling the planet and using the poor as contestants in a blood sport. Even the skaters' uniforms are similar in design and color. The retro vibe and inspirations work well to create a fascinating backdrop to skate to. When playing Rollerdrome, the comparison points to other games and entertainment are crystal clear, but they unite to create something unique.
The concept of the gameplay is simple: Skate or die. If you stop moving, a sniper will pick you off, or a mech will blow you to kingdom come. You travel the globe to different arenas, each designed like a skate park with a sea of ramps and rails to help you gain speed and soar. You use these playgrounds to earn advantage points to attack militant groups hired by mega-corporations. They are disposable and are here to highlight the skills of the contestants. You assume the role of a rookie named Kara Hassan, who you never get a good look at since her back is always to you and she's wearing a helmet, but her skills are undeniable and, more importantly, great fun to display.
When Kara rips into an area, chaos hits to thunderous applause and doesn't relent until the last body collapses to the floor. Her movements are swift and fluid, and the most significant actions are easy to perform, such as launching off a half pipe or spinning through the air while simultaneously firing a machinegun. Roll7 did a phenomenal job with the controls, making them intuitive to the point that they quickly become muscle memory and don't require much more than a single button press. The timing windows for specific moves are also fantastic, making evading sniper fire not just a cinch but an integral part of the combo system. If you can perform a perfect evade, your point total ticks up.
In the first few levels, I skated with the sole intent of winning and moving on to the next stage. But the game's progression system requires more than this. To reach the second tier of stages, Kara must first complete a specific number of mini objectives. These tasks range from achieving high scores to downing specific enemy types in particular ways. These goals are Pro Skater-like but do lead to some frustration if you don't want to try your hand in the same battles numerous times.
I felt a little frustration in the later levels, yet I adored how the challenges pushed me to find and execute huge combo strings to reach higher scores. The combo meter multiplier only advances on kills, so you must figure out how to reach and kill enemies in a timely order. These foes spawn across the arena, and your ammo reserve only replenishes when you perform tricks, so you are constantly trying to dazzle the crowd or down an adversary. It's a phenomenal mix of two distinct gaming disciplines. The gunplay fits nicely with the skating, thanks to one of the most generous lock-on targeting systems you'll see. The focus is on gaining ammo and timing shots, which is fantastic given your character's breakneck speed and them often being airborne.
The retro sci-fi setting fits the action, but don't expect much from the story. You'll hear voices in the locker room that advance specific plot points and gain more insight into the world through notes and newspaper clippings, but they don't add up to much – all the excitement is in the arena.
Rollerdrome immediately clicked with me, and I ate it all up. As polished and fun as the experience is, it feels like Roll7 is just dipping its toes into the water. I hope this talented studio gets the chance to make a sequel to further flesh out this unique concept with more detail in the story and greater player progression. Regardless, Rollerdrome is a fantastic first foot forward. I adored the campaign gameplay and have a feeling my friend group will use this unique title for late-night scoring competitions.
Join host Wesley LeBlanc as he chats with Game Informer editor Marcus Stewart about Thymesia, an upcoming Victorian-esque Souls-like that hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC later this week.
More specifically, OverBorder Studio's take on the action formula popularized by From Software hits consoles and PC on Aug. 18. If you're the type of person who loves a good Souls-like, or if you've been curious about Thymesia for a while now, you're going to want to check out today's New Gameplay Today. Not only does it feature more than 10 minutes of new gameplay, but Marcus, who's reviewing the game for Game Informer, walks Wesley through what works in the game, what doesn't, and how it's different from the countless others like it in the genre.
For more previews of some of the biggest games of 2022 and beyond, be sure to head over to our YouTube page for early looks at You Suck At Parking, The DioField Chronicle, Recipe For Disaster, Saints Row, Overwatch 2, Diablo IV, and more.
Developer KeokeN Interactive has delayed its upcoming adventure game Deliver Us Mars to next year.
More specifically, the Red Planet sequel to Deliver Us The Moon will no longer be released on September 27 and will instead hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on February 2, 2023. That's a delay of roughly four-ish months. As for why, KeokeN Interactive released a statement alongside the news, citing that the game needs more time to be the best it can possibly be.
"Deliver Us Mars is KeokeN Interactive's most ambitious project to date. The journey that players will take as Kathy Johanson is packed with deeply emotional moments and fraught with danger. It is important to use that this experience is the best it can be at launch. With this in mind, we've collectively made the difficult decision to move the release date to 2nd of February 2023 in order to ensure that we are able to live up to that ambition. "Whilst we understand this news might be disappointing, we are excited for you all to face the challenges of Mars, traverse its hostile environments, and discover the mystery of the ARKs. Your patience will allow us to deliver the best experience we can. In the meantime, we'll be sharing a fresh look at Deliver Us Mars at the Future Games Show at Gamescom with a brand new trailer on 24th of August 2022."An update on the release date of Deliver Us Mars: pic.twitter.com/1SrFqjL3zm
— Deliver Us Mars (@DeliverUsMars) August 15, 2022
For more about Deliver Us Mars, read about its reveal from earlier this year. Read Game Informer's Deliver Us The Moon review after that.
Are you excited about Deliver Us Mars? Let us know in the comments below!
Disney announced that it will hold a Disney & Marvel Games Showcase next month, live from its D23 Expo.
More specifically, the showcase will begin at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 9, and will be hosted by Kinda Funny's Blessing Adeoye Jr. It is set to feature "incredible new content" from Disney & Pixar Games, Marvel Games, Lucasfilm Games, and 20th Century Games. This includes titles like Disney Dreamlight Valley, Marvel's Midnight Suns, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and even a "sneak peek at the upcoming ensemble game from Skydance New Media."
JUST ANNOUNCED: Watch the Disney & Marvel GAMES SHOWCASE on Friday, September 9 – live from #D23Expo 2022! https://t.co/uZcDYdUZKA pic.twitter.com/RJ67ooTR2F
— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) August 15, 2022
You might recognize Skydance New Media as the studio where former Uncharted series director Amy Hennig works as president. Connecting those dots means the sneak peek at the upcoming ensemble game from Skydance New Media is the first sneak peek of Hennig's new game, which she revealed as a narrative-driven, action-adventure game last year.
Considering it's an ensemble game, it could be any number of famous Marvel squads or families. However, it's probably a safe bet to assume it won't be the Avengers since Crystal Dynamic's Avengers is only two years old and still getting updates. We also know it won't be the Midnight Suns, as XCOM developer Firaxis is developing that. I'm hoping Hennig's game is based on the X-Men, but since it's an ensemble game, it could be something like the Inhumans, the Fantastic Four, or even the New Avengers, too. Only time will tell, but fortunately, we have less than a month of waiting to go because the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase airs on Sept. 9.
What Marvel heroes do you hope Hennig's game features? Let us know in the comments below!
Arcade1Up, the team behind the upcoming Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 arcade cabinet we recently played at EVO 2022, has announced NFL Blitz Legends, a new at-home cabinet that features remasters of three games from the popular franchise.
Those three games are NFL Blitz (first released in 1997), NFL Blitz ‘99 (released in 1998), and NFL Blitz 2000: Gold Edition (originally released in 1999), and each will be easily playable in the NFL Blitz Legends cabinet from Arcade1Up, which features a $599 price tag.
“We could not be more excited to bring NFL Blitz Legends to fans who have been waiting years for the return of this iconic game,” Arcade1Up CEO writes in a press release. “Our team spent the better part of the last two years making sure we both honored the games’ past while bringing it up to today’s modern standards with AAA development efforts in partnership with the NFL and FGA, and I think we’ve achieved that in an unbelievable feat of fun, exciting, action-packed gameplay while reengineering the original game.”
Arcade1Up partnered with the NFL and the Football Greats Alliance to “ensure that hundreds of the game’s legends are featured including Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins), Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers), Deion Sanders (Denver Broncos), Brett Farve (Green Bay Packers), Jerome Bettis (Pittsburgh Steelers), Terrell Davis (Denver Broncos), and Cris Carter (Minnesota Vikings)."
In remastering these three Blitz games, Arcade1Up had to tweak some of the tackles and after-the-whistle hits in the games “to support the NFL’s current Player Health & Safety initiatives,” including edits to these moves or outright removal of some. This at-home cabinet will include local multiplayer, of course, but it will also give players the ability to compete online with Wi-Fi multiplayer and leaderboards.
“Build to resemble the iconic NFL Blitz found at retro arcades, NFL Blitz Legends is a five-foot-tall arcade machine featuring NFL legends on the sides of the cabinet,” the press release reads. “The artwork and gameplay also feature retro team logos and uniforms, adding to the authenticity of the gaming experience. In addition to Wi-Fi multiplayer and leaderboard, the arcade machine has a 49-way joystick and 17-inch screen with a light-up marquee, and a branded riser.”
You can pre-order the machine starting today for $599.99 and branded stools representing every team in the NFL today are available for $79.99. The first 1000 consumers to pre-order the machine from Arcade1Up.com will receive a limited-edition NFL Blitz Legends hat as a gift with the purchase.
Are you interested in adding NFL Blitz Legends to your home arcade? Let us know in the comments below!
Private Division, a publishing arm under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella, has signed a publishing agreement with Wētā Workshop to publish the studio’s new Lord of the Rings game.
Wētā Workshop is the VFX studio behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, and in 2014, it founded a video game division. That team is now developing a “new game set in the Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien,” according to a press release. Middle-earth Enterprises has licensed the literary works of the series to Wētā Workshop, too, giving the studio “the broadest creative license to interpret the underlying lore of the books.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Wētā Workshop to publish a game set in such an extraordinary and celebrated universe,” Private Division head Michael Worosz writes in a press release. “The Lord of the Rings IP is home to so many remarkable stories, and no entity is better equipped than the team at Wētā Workshop to create a distinctive, new Middle-earth gaming experience.”
Wētā Workshop’s gaming lead, Amie Wolken, says it's a privilege to create a new game set in Middle-earth, especially one that’s going to be “so different from what fans have played previously.”
“As a fan ourselves, we’re excited for gamers to explore Middle-earth in a way they never have before, and introduce new fans to the magic of The Lord of the Rings,” Wolken writes in the press release.
This new Lord of the Rings game does not yet have a title and is early in development. It doesn’t have a release date either, but it’s expected to launch sometime during Take-Two’s Fiscal Year 2024 (April 2023 - March 2024).
While waiting to learn more about this game, check out the latest gameplay from The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which was recently delayed out of its Sept. 1 release date by a few months. Watch this teaser from the upcoming Amazon Middle-earth TV show, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, after that.
What kind of game do you hope this ends up being? Let us know in the comments below!
PlayStation and Sucker Punch Productions’ 2020 hit, Ghost of Tsushima, is being developed into a feature film with John Wick director Chad Stehelski set to direct it. The movie seems to be early in development, although it did land Takashi Doscher as its writer earlier this year, but we might have some new information about it straight from a recent interview with Stehelski.
More specifically, Stehelski revealed to Collider that the movie might feature an entirely Japanese cast and that the film could be in Japanese. Plus, he says Sony is on board with the idea. Here’s what he had to say:
“[I] think if we did this right, it would be visually stunning. It’s character driven. It’s got an opportunity for great action, great looks. And honestly, we’d try to do it, all in character. Meaning, it’s a Japanese thing about the Mongols invading Tsushima island. A complete Japanese cast, in Japanese. Sony is so on board with backing us on that. I’ve been going to Japan since I was 16. I have a love for the country, love of the people, love of the language. To try to direct not only in my language, but someone else’s and culturally shift my mindset to bring apart that in a cool way that still entices a Western audience.”This sounds awesome, but with the project being so early in development, anything could change. It’s great to hear that Sony’s on board with the idea, though!
[Source: Collider]
What are you most excited to see from the game in this movie? Let us know in the comments below!
Update, 3:08 p.m., 8/15/22
After seemingly leaking by way of an in-game startup screen uploaded to MultiVersus a few hours too early, Player First Games has confirmed that both Black Adam and Stripe from Gremlins will hit the free-to-play stage fighter during its first season. You can check out the official announcement below:
What's better than officially kicking off #MultiVersus Season 1? Announcing Black Adam and Stripe are also coming this season. 😏 You're welcome. pic.twitter.com/vmo3nm8tv5
— MultiVersus (@multiversus) August 15, 2022
With Season 1 now live, you might be wondering when Black Adam and Stripe will hit the game. Player First Games says the two fighters will join the MultiVersus roster "in the coming months as part of Season 1, along with Morty Smith and Rick Sanchez" from Rick and Morty. Morty hits the game on Aug. 23, while Rick will be released later in Season 1. Additionally, new modes will be added to MultiVersus in the months ahead during Season 1, including Classic Arcade and Ranked.
For more details about Season 1 of MultiVersus, head here for a full rundown of the Season 1 Battle Pass, new skins, and more.
The original story continues below...
Original Story, 8:45 a.m., 8/15/22:
MultiVersus finally launched into 1.0 after weeks of beta testing, and while the launch was quite smooth, Player First Games opted to delay Season 1.
However, that brief delay is behind us as Season 1 begins today, and you can check out the patch notes detailing every character buff, nerf, and more here. Alongside today's patch notes, though, came a small leak from Player First Games and MultiVersus itself. Twitter user _FireMonkey booted up MultiVersus and saw a Season 1 startup loading screen a bit too early, as reported by Eurogamer. That's because this startup screen featured two characters not yet revealed for the roster: Stripe, the antagonist from Gremlins, and Black Adam.
Check it out for yourself below:
Slightly Higher Quality image: https://t.co/2QOFC35Wjh pic.twitter.com/idwQgX95Go
— 🎄 Santa Ricky (@_FireMonkey) August 15, 2022
As you can see in the screenshot above, Black Adam and Stripe will be joining the roster sometime in Season 1. Black Adam makes sense – Warner Bros. and DC (and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, for that matter) are in full marketing mode for Black Adam. Stripe, however, is more of a curveball. It's an awesome inclusion but also a somewhat random one.
For more, read Game Informer's MultiVersus review, and then check out this story about the upcoming release of Morty from Rick and Morty. Read about every character buff, nerf, and more in Season 1 after that.
[Source: Eurogamer]
Which of these two characters are you most excited to check out? Let us know in the comments below!
MultiVersus finally launched into 1.0 on Aug. 15 after weeks of beta testing, and now, after a brief delay, Season 1 is upon us.
Set to launch sometime today, Season 1 will feature a healthy dose of content for the free-to-play stage fighter, although exactly what remains unknown. However, we do know that Morty from Rick and Morty will join the roster next week on Aug. 23. Beyond that, the studio says that new modes and content will be added to the game throughout the duration of Season 1.
In the meantime, ahead of today’s Season 1 update, the team has released the Season 1 patch notes, and you can check them out in full below:
+ = Buff
- = Nerf
~ = Change
Note: Attacks callouts reference default controls.
The goal of these changes was to make Arya’s combos be more consistent and successful at lower skill levels.
Bugs Bunny is a bit too safe in everything he does. We’ve given him some additional whiff punish windows to help address this.
Fighting against Finn felt too difficult as Finn felt a bit too safe and could throw out attacks without much fear of a punish due to how quickly he recovered. Hurt/Hit box foundational updates are coming soon, but will not be in this patch.
Shaggy’s Side Special felt a little too unpunishable, so we’ve added a bit of Whiff Recovery.
This is the start of our tornado changes for Taz. We will be continuing to monitor the tornado with extra scrutiny in case additional changes are needed.
Let’s rock, baby! Season 6 of Video Gameography gets stylish as we examine the Devil May Cry series! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be covering the history and lore of Capcom’s premiere action franchise, and this episode takes aim at the lauded yet somewhat polarizing Devil May Cry 4.
Devil May Cry 4 took the series to a new generation of hardware, including Xbox for the first time. That's only one of the many firsts for this entry. Capcom moved Dante aside to place newcomer Nero in the starring role, who brought his demon arm Devil Bringer as the new centerpiece mechanic. Dante wasn't completely shunned, however; players control him during the adventure's questionably designed back half. In this episode, we'll discuss DMC 4's bizarre 2005 reveal, Capcom's reasoning behind Nero's conception, the fan reaction to the Xbox launch, and what it's really like to visit Fortuna's inspiration, Vatican City.
Join hosts Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7) and the returning host of The Great Game Debate podcast Wes Bates (@GreatGameDeb8), as we unpack Nero's big debut.
If you’d like to get in touch with the Video Gameography podcast, you can email us at podcast@gameinformer.com. You can also join our official Game Informer Discord server by linking your Discord account to your Twitch account and subscribing to the Game Informer Twitch channel. From there, find the Video Gameography channel under “Community Spaces.”
Reviewed on:
Switch
Platform:
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher:
Bandai Namco
Developer:
Hyde, Inc
Release:
Rating:
Teen
Gathered after a tragedy befalls our group, I attempt to calm down and plea that we should trust one another. Blood’s been spilled, and tensions are at an all-time high for this lost party of teens trapped in a dangerous land. That’s not quite the scene I had imagined going into Digimon Survive, a tactical RPG by way of a visual novel based on the sometimes-kid-friendly monster franchise. The dramatic dynamics at play are gripping, but the grid-based battles left me snoozing, souring what could have been a compelling, complete package.
As a visual novel, Digimon Survive is an absolute treat, full of beautifully drawn characters and scenery. Each location has well-crafted character staging with camera pans and zooms, giving these places a sense of depth. I’m often put off by the sparse production values of visual novels, but Digimon Survive keeps the flow of conversations visually interesting, enhanced by a partial Japanese voice-over.
You’re put in the shoes of 14-year-old Takuma, flocked by a cast of other young teens trapped in a dangerous world after getting lost on a school trip. Here, each child is paired with a partner Digimon through a mysterious bond that everyone hardly accepts. This unease leads to many difficult situations testing the group’s trust in one another, their Digimon, and some characters’ grip on reality. While the story starts slow, I’m impressed by the depth of the characters and learning the interactions and roles each plays within the group.
Early on, I decided who would tend to take my side, who was prone to worrying, who was headstrong and stubborn, and the people who are difficult or insufferable to deal with. I wouldn’t say I liked many of the characters for a while (or ever), which is great, and why Survive succeeds in its characterization and relationships. Throughout my playthrough, I loved how I had to learn to deal with each character, to tell them what they wanted to hear in a particular situation, or what they needed to be told for the betterment and survival of the group. The fate of these kids’ lives is on the line, leading to an enjoyable tension. Even casual chats can lead to interesting turning points for a character that can drag them back from the brink of being a problem for the team or set them off on an anxiety-inducing path for everyone around them.
Accompanying each kid is a Digimon who appears as the group enters this new dimension. Series mascot Agumon pairs up with you while others like Floramon, Lopmon, Labramon, and Falcomon become tied to the other recurring teens. These creatures play a pivotal role in the story and are linked emotionally with human partners. I’m disappointed by some underwhelming evolutions for the main Digimon, but overall, the interactions between you and the monsters are fun and rewarding. I enjoyed learning how their budding friendships pan out or not, leading to powerful moments in the story that I’ll remember for some time.
Choices made through conversations can and will affect the Digimon and how they evolve, which is especially true with Agumon. Because emotions drive the connection between the partners, if your conversation choices lean towards one of the three traits of wrathful, moral, or harmony, Agumon’s evolutionary tree will shift throughout the game. These options have overarching narrative ramifications as well, making the one cool link between the story structure and the turn-based battles. I appreciate that my journey can have many different effects on my monsters, but the part of the game where evolutions truly matter suffers greatly compared to the visual novel.
Digimon Survive’s tactical turn-based combat is overly simplistic and lacks excitement and strategy. Each Digimon can shuffle along the map grid to position for attacks against enemy monsters. Digimon have a signature move and a basic attack along with up to two additional equipable skills. My favorite part of skirmishes is the management. Using special attacks and assuming an evolved form consumes SP; remaining in base form for any of the main party’s monsters restores the precious resource. The few times I had to juggle stages of evolution to conserve SP for a last-ditch attack were stimulating and interesting. Still, that’s far from the norm when most battles are far from mentally taxing encounters.
Instead of relying on team composition, formations, and strategically interesting attacks, most encounters play out by just getting your team close to the opposition and hammering them with your strongest ability. Sure, there are elemental advantages at play, and depending on whether you attack from the side or rear flank can yield some additional destruction, but simple brute force typically gets the job done. As a result, the part of this game I was most excited about feels like padding and brings down the overall experience.
Battles also allow for additional Digimon to join your party, but the process is a tedious mess. These recruitment opportunities only come from free battles during exploration and require you to use the talk command to start a conversation. The enemy Digimon will ask you a series of three questions, of which you must respond in the way they prefer multiple times to get the chance to ask them to join the team. It’s clumsy and tedious, with many interactions resulting in failure. Despite my wanting to have a cool new Digimon on my team, I eventually decided it was hardly worth the trouble.
I applaud Digimon Survive for being a dark, harrowing, and wonderful visual novel, and subverting what I thought a Digimon story could be. While I wish the combat evolved as much as the surrounding story presentation, it’s not enough to deter someone from seeing the narrative through. Don’t expect a tactical masterpiece, but rather a well-made melancholy tale depicting Digimon in a light they haven’t been in before.
This week on All Things Nintendo, Brian invites fighting game expert and former Game Informer editor Suriel Vazquez to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Street Fighter franchise. The main segment pays homage to the series through a deep dive on the history and impact of the most iconic fighting games, but before that, the two run down the news, including a big breakdown of the Splatoon 3 info dump we got earlier this week.
If you'd like to follow the people from this episode on Twitter, hit the following links: Brian Shea (@brianpshea), Suriel Vazquez (@SurielVazquez)
The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we can celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!
Be sure to subscribe to All Things Nintendo on your favorite podcast platform. The show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:01:38 – First Nintendo Game/Favorite Nintendo Game
00:15:21 – Pokémon Anime Special Coming to Netflix
00:18:32 – New Super Punch-Out!! Cheat Code Discovered
00:22:56 – Kirby's Dream Buffet Details and Release Date
00:25:44 – Fall Guys Sonic Event
00:28:01 – Dragon Ball Fortnite Tease
00:29:56 – Sonic 3 Theatrical Release Date
00:32:11 – Sonic Origins Patches Out Worst Glitch
00:33:33 – Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Arcade1Up Cabinet
00:39:24 – Splatoon 3 Deep Dive
00:56:49 – Street Fighter Franchise Retrospective
02:02:26 – Definitive Ranking: Street Fighter Characters
02:09:35 – eShop Gem of the Week: Treachery in Beatdown City
If you'd like to get in touch with the All Things Nintendo podcast, you can do so by emailing AllThingsNintendo@GameInformer.com, tweeting to Brian (@BrianPShea), or by joining the official Game Informer Discord server. You can do that by linking your Discord account to your Twitch account and subscribing to the Game Informer Twitch channel. From there, find the All Things Nintendo channel under "Community Spaces."
For more Game Informer podcasts, be sure to check out The Game Informer Show with host Alex Van Aken, which covers the weekly happenings of the video game industry, and Video Gameography with host Marcus Stewart, which explores the history of video games – one series at a time! We also have From Panel to Podcast from host Andrew Reiner, covering everything from the world of comic books, including the shows, movies, and games that spawn from them!
Standing here, I realize that this Super Replay will be a cut above the rest because we’ll be slicing and dicing in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance! Join us today on Twitch at 3 p.m. Centralto enjoy two hours of what will be a full playthrough of the cult favorite action game streaming weekly each Friday.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance serves as a sequel/spin-off to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots that puts cyborg ninja Raiden at the helm. Instead of sneaking around in boxes, players eviscerate foes in fast-paced, stylish action courtesy of developer Platinum Games. Since its launch in 2013, Revengence’s action and absurdity have garnered it a passionate internet fandom, but I have a little secret: I didn’t think the game was all that special when I played it at launch. However, years of being inundated with internet memes and being told my opinion is incorrect has inspired me to give Revengece another look. Will I acquire a new appreciation for the game nine years later? How many watermelons will I slice? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
Join me, Marcus Stewart, along with Andrew Reiner and Blake Hester, as we revisit Raiden’s beloved solo adventure. If you enjoy our livestreams but haven’t subscribed to our Twitch channel, know that doing so not only gives you notifications and access to special emotes. You’ll also be granted entry to the official Game Informer Discord channel, where our welcoming community members, moderators, and staff gather to talk games, entertainment, food, and organize hangouts!
Developer Avalanche and publisher Warner Bros. Interactive have delayed Hogwarts Legacy to next year.
More specifically, Hogwarts Legacy, originally due out sometime this year, will now hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on February 10, 2023. The game will make its way to Switch, too, but today's announcement also came with the news that the Switch version will launch at a later date.
"Hogwarts Legacy will launch on February 10, 2023 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The Nintendo Switch launch date will be revealed soon. The team is excited for you to play, but we need a little more time to deliver the best possible game experience."Hogwarts Legacy will launch on February 10, 2023 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The Nintendo Switch launch date will be revealed soon. The team is excited for you to play, but we need a little more time to deliver the best possible game experience. pic.twitter.com/zh0EsOvDb7
— Hogwarts Legacy (@HogwartsLegacy) August 12, 2022
Hogwarts Legacy was originally due out in 2021 before it was delayed to 2022. Now, it's coming in 2023. For more about the game, check out the latest details revealed during a March Sony State of Play, and then read about Hogwarts Legacy's PS5 DualSense features. Read about how controversial Harry Potter creator JK Rowling is not involved with the making of Hogwarts Legacy (although she will certainly be getting money as a direct result of this game).
Infinity Ward has released a TikTok (it’s a new world) that shows some of its developers discussing a new map in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 called Farm 18, as reported by Eurogamer.
The map will probably fall into the medium-sized range of Call of Duty maps, and that’s because it’s one part a level set in an abandoned and overgrown cement factory and another part, Shoothouse, the popular level from 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Of course, it’s not a 1-to-1 recreation, but Infinity Ward says Farm 18’s center, which is a large shoot house, was inspired by Modern Warfare’s Shoothouse.
Check it out for yourself below:
Welcome to Farm 18. Location: [classified]. Shoothouse optional. #ModernWarfare2 #IntelDrops pic.twitter.com/OkZuuwjPXD
— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) August 11, 2022
As you can see, the map looks like it’s going to be a great time. Players looking to play it safe can stick to the outside, using the overgrown brush to conceal them while stalking the level’s perimeter. Those looking for a riskier fight can head into the central warehouse, where they’ll find themselves in the Shoothouse-inspired part of Farm 18.
For more about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, check out the game’s first extended gameplay reveal from earlier this summer, and then read our preview of the game after checking it out in June. Read about the ways to get into the early access betas for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 after that.
[Source: Eurogamer]
What do you think of this map? Let us know in the comments below!
Update, 8/12/22:
The official MultiVersus Twitter account has revealed that Season 1 for the popular stage fighter will begin next Monday, Aug. 15, after a delay to the season was announced last week. Morty from Rick and Morty, who was set to drop with Season 1, will join the roster roughly a week later, on Aug. 23. Also, the team has announced that everything coming to the game in Season 1 will not drop on the same day, citing that new modes and content will drop throughout the season.
Quick Note: Everything we are bringing to you in Season 1 will not drop on the same day. New modes and content will be spread through the life of the Season. We'll continue to share dates on all the fun things to come!
— MultiVersus (@multiversus) August 12, 2022
The original story continues below:
Original Story, 8/4/2022:
The crossover brawler of our dreams, MultiVersus, is the fighting genre's latest prize winner. From Adventure Time to Game of Thrones, Player First Games' debut title is a wacky fusion of legendary franchises that's left fans enamored with the light-hearted art style and Super Smash-inspired gameplay. Sadly, the rising champ's first season and next playable character, Morty (Rick & Morty), have been pushed back. A finalized release date remains unknown.
We want to let everyone know that we are delaying the start of Season 1 & the release of Morty to a later date. We know this might be disappointing for some and want to assure our Community that we are dedicated to delivering new and exciting content that delights players. (2/3)
— MultiVersus (@multiversus) August 4, 2022
Tweets released by the MultiVersus dev team thank players for their continued support and patience while announcing the unexpected news (seen above). You can read the complete statement below:
"A big thank you to everyone playing MultiVersus. It's exciting to see so many players enjoying the game and the launch of the Open Beta is just the beginning. We want to let everyone know that we are delaying the start of Season 1 & the release of Morty to a later date. We know this might be disappointing for some and want to assure our Community that we are dedicated to delivering new and exciting content that delights players. We'll let you know the timing as soon as we can. We appreciate your patience & enthusiasm and look forward to unveiling Season 1 very soon!"Season 1 was initially slated to launch on August 9. For now, you'll just have to keep busy kicking Lebron James' butt. John Carson previewed MultiVersus for us and concluded his findings by stating, "I went into the alpha test of MultiVersus with low expectations. Besides Smash Bros., the big brand mash-up fighters feel hollow and feature underwhelming rosters, but I've come away impressed with what I've played so far. The cast is great so far, and each character brings unique gameplay and mechanics to the fray."
What are your thoughts on MultiVersus so far? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’re playing an RPG, you’re in it for the long haul and want an experience that’s going to immerse you and keep you entertained the whole way through. A genre that is both familiar and constantly evolving, RPGs are often tasked with having the total package. The best ones contain all the key ingredients, masterfully combining exciting combat, memorable characters, larger-than-life bosses, and a gripping storyline.
If you’re looking for RPGs that excel in those aspects, look no further than this list. The following games all share common elements but carve out their own unique path in the genre and promise a narrative-focused adventure full of thrilling encounters around every bend. Listed in no particular order, here are 10 stellar RPGs worth the time and effort. This is an evolving list that we'll periodically update with exceptional titles as they release.
It only took close to 30 years, but Square Enix finally brought over its acclaimed Super Famicom RPG to the west, and it lives up to its hype. The timeline-hopping adventure unfolds as a series of short stories starring protagonists from wildly different eras. From prehistory to the wild west to the far future and more, every story keeps you guessing with its unique narrative and gameplay hooks. You'll set traps to ambush a gang of outlaws, pilot a giant robot, and knock off competitors in a fighting game-style MMA tournament. The best part is seeing how these disparate tales weave together, and trust us; you won't be disappointed. Now, everyone can learn what Japanese players and JRPG fanatics have known for decades: Live A Live is a damn good game. | Our Review
You’re not getting the typical Pokémon journey in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Developer Game Freak is using this time-traveling adventure to play around with the pocket monster formula by emphasizing catching, research, and exploration over battling and becoming a champion. As a capable member of the Galactic Team Research Corps, you’ll venture out into several vast, open areas to catch monsters to fill out the Hisui region’s first Pokédex. Along the way, you’ll discover Pokémon in their natural habitat to catch by tossing a Poké Ball at them or seamlessly start a battle by calling out your own Pokemon. There are plenty of mysteries to discover about the Hisui region, its residents, and the mythical Poké-god Arceus. Legends: Arceus is easily the most unique and immersive Pokémon adventure in years, and one RPG fans really shouldn’t miss. | Our Review
CD Projekt Red’s open-world adventure is far from fresh, but it was such an ambitious and stunning game that it remains the gold standard for RPGs. It delivers in all the important areas: fantastic storytelling, unique characters, memorable battles, and choices with unpredictable consequences, and exciting exploration. And the game has only gotten better since its release with several updates alongside a recent Switch port that allows you to take your journey on the go. Come for monster slayer Geralt of Rivia’s dry wit and impressive battle moves, but stay for Ciri’s rise into the woman she was destined to be. Making difficult choices and watching their effects ripple across this vast open world makes your presence matter in a way few games can mirror. | Our Review
When Persona 5 launched in 2017, it took the series to the next level, enhancing the stellar turn-based combat, refining the popular social elements, and raising the series’ stylish appeal. Leading the Phantom Thieves as the group reforms society and takes down big bads is a blast, especially building your friendships along the way. That being said, Persona 5 Royal is the definitive way to experience the excellent RPG; it adds new characters, story arcs, and a meaty post-game palace, while also offering a climatic and cinematic endcap to your time as a Phantom Thief. Throw in a grappling hook, new collectibles, and fun team-up attacks, and there’s a lot here that strengthens the original, which remains one of the best RPGs of the last decade. Whether it’s your first time meeting the Phantom Thieves or you’re looking for a reason to revisit Café Leblanc, you’re in for a memorable and satisfying ride. | Our Review
The Mass Effect trilogy helped advance the impact of choice in games and proved a personal connection could endear players to the overall experience, but the characters remain the true stars of the show and reason to play. Whether loyal and charismatic Garrus or kind and mysterious Tali, Commander Shepard’s squadmates provided many memorable - and sometimes heartbreaking - moments that came to define the experience through the trilogy. The Legendary Edition allows players an easy way to access and play through the complete three-arc story the way it is meant to be played with all the DLC. The remaster’s upgrades in the visual department are undeniable, and the improvements, especially to the first game, make for a huge difference with revamped Mako controls, better camera angles, and more detailed environments. If you enjoy narrative-driven RPGs, Commander Shepard’s journey will get its hooks in you, guaranteed. | Our Review
Another unconventional, story-driven RPG makes the list, but for very different reasons. Not only is Disco Elysium combat-free, but it also offers a complex world and intriguing narrative. It’s best experienced for yourself knowing very little, but to sum things up: the journey puts you in the shoes of a down-and-out police officer investigating a bizarre murder. Through your actions and dialogue, you veer toward redemption or ruination for your disaster of a protagonist, and the writing is flat-out fantastic. As our review by Joe Juba notes, “... the writing has a particular knack for highlighting beauty amid bleakness.” The Final Cut version brought the experience to consoles for the first time while adding worthwhile content, such as full voice acting and new political vision quests. No two playthroughs of Disco Elysium will be the same, but no matter what, you have quite a different experience here, and that’s part of the charm. | Our Review
As one of the most influential RPGs of all time, it seems everyone has memories of Cloud and his small mercenary team as they fight back against Shinra. However, Square Enix brought a new and exciting layer to this story by not being bound by nostalgia but still tapping into that well. The result is a remake done right - one that brings back beloved characters and revamps the gameplay for modern audiences. Intergrade, which launched this year, is the best way to play the first chapter of this fascinating re-telling of Cloud’s story. Intergrade includes the Yuffie-centric Intermission episode, a photo mode, a new ending cutscene, and some major visual upgrades. There’s a reason why so many people talk about Final Fantasy VII, and there’s also a reason so many are still discussing this remake. Don’t miss out on your chance to find out why. | Our Review
If strategy/RPGs are more your thing, you can’t go wrong with Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Intelligent Systems put more social elements into this entry, and it paid off, especially in giving you a personal stake in the story by being a professor of your chosen house. Having the ability to shape and mentor your allies forges an even stronger connection to them. But it’s the unfolding political war that really holds the intrigue - expect betrayals and bloodshed as you must make difficult decisions of who to align with. The choices aren’t easy, but how the young leaders of the game’s three houses grow and shape the future is where things really take an interesting turn. Succeeding in the against-all-odds battles is a highlight, but you surely won’t forget the relationships you’ve formed and the sometimes devastating turns they take. | Our Review
The most recent game on this list, Tales of Arise, had a tall order to fill: reinvent the long-running Tales series and appeal to a wider audience. While still retaining the franchise’s essence, Bandai Namco evolved the formula in different and interesting ways, bringing in a new visual style, inserting more strategy into the gameplay, and telling a more mature story. Everything you love about RPGs is here: a big world full of discoveries, ridiculously huge and intense bosses, a satisfying progression system, and wonderful character interactions. The action battle system shines with team attacks alongside flashy aerial strikes and last-second dodge bonuses. You’ll help bridge the gap between two warring cultures and make life-long bonds with your party members along the way. | Our Review
The Yakuza series is a great blend of heartfelt and absurd moments, and Like a Dragon doesn’t disappoint there. However, where it really impresses and sets itself apart is with its loveable goof of a protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, and a turn-based RPG with depth beyond throwing your fists around. Up until this point, Yakuza had been an action-centric series, but developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio went all-in with its RPG inspiration to great effect. Ichiban is a diehard Dragon Quest fan, and you bond with party members Persona-style. Among the massive list of side activities, there’s even a “gotta catch ‘em all” system where you collect “Sujimon” for a professor. If that’s not enough, you can swap jobs, becoming everything from a breakdancer to a chef for entertaining ways to take on the enemy. Ichiban’s journey isn’t just about silly minigames and outlandish ways to attack baddies, however. There’s also plenty of emotional and captivating moments as you try to piece together why his former father figure betrayed him. | Our Review
What games on this list do you enjoy? What games would you add that aren’t listed? Let us know in the comments! If you enjoyed this list, be sure to check out our other recent genre lists by clicking on our list hub below.
In a year riddled with delays, Metal Slug Tactics is the latest game to slip into next year. Publisher Dotemu has announced that the tactical spin-off of the popular shoot 'em up needs more time to come together and will launch in 2023.
The tweet, embedded below, doesn’t elaborate more than that. We haven't heard much of a peep about the game since its reveal last summer, making us wonder if a delay was on the horizon.
Marco, Eri, Fio, and Tarma are tinkering away to make #MetalSlugTactics as explosive as possible on release, but the squad needs a bit more time in the shop to prepare for the battles ahead. See you in 2023! @LeikirStudio x @Dotemu
— Dotemu (@Dotemu) August 11, 2022
🎨Artwork by @AngryangryD pic.twitter.com/JRKqpnvUQp
Metal Slug Tactics was one of the pleasant surprises of E3 2021. The game, developed by Leikir Studio, transforms the series’ explosive run-and-gun action into a tile-based tactics experience that retains Metal Slug’s signature style and tone. Although turn-based, units still wield classic Metal Slug weapons and can be improved by unlocking abilities and perks on a skill tree.
We’ll have to wait a while longer to see how well Metal Slug translates to this new template. When it does arrive, it will be available on Switch and PC.
It's been a long week, and I'm ready to blow some steam off by piledriving teenagers into concrete – in a fictional video game setting, of course! Rumbleverse, the new battle royale wrestling game from the creators of Killer Instinct (2013), releases today for free. In Rumbleverse, you equip wrestling moves and stat-boosting consumables like protein powder instead of guns and weapon attachments.
It seems cool, so I'll play it with former Associate Editor John Carson today!
We're going live at 2:00 p.m. Central on our Twitch page, and then I'll upload it to the Game Informer YouTube channel afterward. See you soon.
Developer Massive Monster's Cult of the Lamb, an adorable mish-mash of cute critters and macabre cult-isms, is finally out and it's a great time. You can read about why in my review here. If you're jumping into the game today, I have just the thing for you: some tips and tricks I wish I could have read before starting what would become a 19-hour journey through Cult of the Lamb.
Your followers’ faith in your cult drives everything in Cult of the Lamb. If you fail to keep them fed and happy, or if you decline their sub-quests too much, or even simply neglect to clean up their poop, their faith will drop. Any kind of wrongdoing, neglect, or slight against them, can cause them to lose faith in you. This will be stressful but don’t fret too much over it. In my 19-hour playtime, my cult’s faith hit basically zero multiple times, and I usually only lost a follower or two (they’d steal 10 coins and peace out).
When faith first reached zero, I was terrified – I assumed that’d mean game over, or I’d lose a bunch of my followers, but that’s not what happened. If you run out or have little faith, just focus on getting it back up, and you’ll be okay. Of course, I don’t recommend letting it sit there for a while, but your cult will be alright if it needs to be low for a day or two.
The quickest way to get your cult firing on all cylinders is to create some daily routines. You can perform many faith-building systems in Cult of the Lamb once a day – sermons, inspirations, and more – and you’ll want to get into the habit of ensuring you complete them each day. Typically, while my followers were asleep, I’d clean up the area, gather resources, and get some buildings ready for construction when they woke up.
Upon their awakening, I’d visit each other and bless them (slightly raising their loyalty to me). Over time, you can upgrade your blessings to inspirations, which increases their loyalty even more. You can also preach sermons in your temple daily, which is essential to making your lamb stronger for their upcoming crusade runs through the game’s four main dungeons. There’s plenty more to complete each day, and you’ll want to get it all figured out to ensure you’re upgrading and maximizing your cult’s potential.
When your cult reaches a healthy number of followers, you might feel like you’re all set … but you’re not, for two reasons.
1. To progress through the game, you must get those follower numbers up. There are four main dungeons to get through in Cult of the Lamb before reaching the game’s finale. To unlock the door leading to each, you’ll need a certain number of followers (each door requires more).
2. There are times when you’ll lose followers quickly. They can die of sickness, old age, murder, sacrifices, and more. Plus, at any moment, they might just up and leave your cult altogether, having lost faith in you as a leader. The more followers you have, the better these situations will be!
Lumber and stone are two essential resources your cult can acquire. They’re needed to build basically everything, and you’ll always need them. Even when you’re focused on making things that don’t require lumber or stone, you’ll need to refine these materials into wooden planks and stone blocks to construct bigger and better things. As such, be sure you have followers in the lumber yards and stone mines collecting these resources for you at all times.
I spent a small portion of my time in Cult of the Lamb ignoring gifts, and I regret it because gifts made cult life so much easier for me. You’ll earn gifts on your dungeon runs that typically amount to a special type of necklace. Some of these can increase the devotion a follower creates at the central shrine. Others can increase the speed at which they work for you. The most important one, and my favorite, is a necklace that makes it so that a follower doesn’t need to sleep. You can probably already imagine how helpful that is. A follower that works all day and night? Excellent (albeit morally wrong, but you’re a cult leader after all).
As someone who did this (blade for life), don’t. You will run through the game’s randomly-arranged dungeons many times in Cult of the Lamb, and the starting weapon and the random weapons you might find later in the dungeon will vary. You’ll want to focus on getting proficient and comfortable with each because there’s a good chance you’ll reach the dungeon’s boss without your favorite weapon in hand. And fighting one of the game’s many tough bosses with a weapon you’re not great with will not be a fun time.
Tarot Cards will be crucial in every single dungeon run, and that’s because they’re potent bonuses that can change the tide of your run. You’ll sometimes find Tarot Cards in chests, and in each phase of a dungeon, you’ll almost always come across an NPC that lets you choose one of three to activate for free. Mind you, these bonuses only last for this dungeon run, so don’t grow too attached, but in the late-game parts of Cult of the Lamb, you’ll complete a dungeon with nearly 10 cards activated. Some give you extra health, others speed up attacks or boost their damage, and some can even resurrect you.
What’s more, is that there are other systems in the game that interact with these Tarot Cards. For example, I have a tunic that gives me a diseased heart (essentially health) every time I pick up a Tarot Card, and this made some of the more challenging bosses a breeze, which was nice.
One of my biggest critiques with Cult of the Lamb (you can read my review here) is that it features many cosmetic items for your cult compound but rarely gives you the time in the game’s opening hours to focus on them. Instead, the game pushes you to use your followers to produce resources to empower your lamb further. This is fine – it’s clearly what developer Massive Monster intended – but the sooner you realize this, the better. You need to upgrade as much as you can as fast as you can before focusing on making your cult look nice aesthetically. You’ll be thankful you did.
You’re the leader, after all. I mention this because many of your followers will ask you to do tasks for them to raise their loyalty to you. Sometimes you’ll be asked to feed another follower a bowl of poop. Occasionally, followers will ask you to murder someone or sacrifice them in the temple. If you decline a follower’s sub-quest, you’ll lose 35 faith, but sometimes, this is worth it because, for example, murdering a follower could cost you even more faith. Weigh your options before deciding what you want to do, and don’t feel like you need to do what your followers ask of you every time.
It’s good fun to name your followers after people you know, pets, or characters from your favorite movie or show, and it’s just as easy to spend time designing them to be awesome. However, don’t get too attached to them. Ultimately, because of Cult of the Lamb’s resource management mechanics, you’ll need to view these followers as workers first, friends second.
What’s important is what they can do for you. You’re a cult leader, after all; part of that is being a dirtbag, like it or not. Plus, your followers don’t live forever, and sometimes, sacrificing one for the good of the cult instead of letting one die of old age is worth it. Growing too attached to your followers makes doing so harder.
In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, we return from Las Vegas to talk about our time at EVO 2022 and the event's fighting game announcements alongside special guests Michael Higham (Fanbyte) and John Carson (Former Associate Editor). Of course, that's not all. The Newshound himself, Wesley LeBlanc, shares his Cult Of The Lamb review impressions before the larger group chats about Soul Hackers 2 and Digimon Survive.
Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes), John Carson (@John_Carson), Michael Higham (@MichaelPHigham)
The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday for a chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
Editor's Note: Please welcome Matt Storm, our new freelance audio editor for The Game Informer Show. Matt is an experienced podcast host, editor, and producer who's been podcasting for over a decade. You should listen to Matt's shows like the "Fun" And Games Podcast and Reignite, a Mass Effect podcast.00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:49 - EVO 2022 Recap
00:33:42 - Cult of the Lamb
00:44:12 - Digimon Survive
00:55:39 - Soul Hackers 2
01:06:57 - House Keeping and Listener Mail
Nightingale, the Victorian first-person survival action game, has had its early access launch pushed to the first half of 2023. The game is the debut by Inflexion Games, a team consisting of former Bioware developers, including ex-general manager Aaron Flynn.
In a message posted to Twitter, Inflexion explains it delayed the launch for two reasons. One, it’s migrating the game to Unreal Engine 5. Two, it needs the extra time to ensure it's polished and packed with content before players can begin testing it out. You can read Inflexion's full message below (click the image to enlarge).
Nightingale debuted during The Game Awards 2021 and is a PvE crafting and survival game that can be played alone or in co-op. Players find themselves stranded in a Victorian Gaslamp fantasy world connected by a network of portals. To survive, they’ll have to harvest materials such as wood and ore to construct weapons, equipment, and buildings. Jumping through portals transports players to new biomes such as deserts, swamps, and jungles. Nightingale’s appearance during this year’s Summer Game Fest introduced Realm Cards used to unlock new areas and influence the type of content, such as enemies and resources, they contain.
So far, Nightingale is only confirmed to launch for PC via Steam.
Developer PanicBarn and publisher No More Robots are working on a "comedy open-world RPG" where you save the world with a magic soccer ball. Soccer Story is slated to release later this year for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, Switch, PC, and Stadia.
Your role in Soccer Story begins one year after an event called The Calamity, which apparently has made soccer illegal. A magic soccer ball chooses you to be the so-called Savior of Soccer, a role that will also help heal the world.
No More Robots states Soccer Story delivers over 15 hours of gameplay unfolding through story-based missions and side activities. You'll apparently square off against sharks, toddlers, old-age pensioners, and ninjas as you complete these tasks and solve puzzles using the ball.
In addition to the single-player campaign, Soccer Story features a four-player local multiplayer mode, with each team led by an animal captain.
Soccer Story is not developed by SideBar Games, the team behind the wonderful Golf Story title, but it does appear to draw plenty of inspiration from it, including the name.
Let us know what you think of this surprising game announcement in the comments section below!
For weeks now, leaks and rumors have pointed to a Dragon Ball Z collaboration happening with Epic Games' battle royale, Fortnite. Now, such a crossover has been officially confirmed.
Today, the official Fortnite Twitter account tweeted out an image of Shenron floating high above the battle island with a caption that says, "Speak. Name your wish...8.16.2022." Check it out for yourself below:
Speak. Name your wish…8.16.2022 pic.twitter.com/IloBVI07AY
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 11, 2022
As you can see, it seems Epic Games will finally unveil the Dragon Ball Zcontent coming to Fortnite next Tuesday. As for what to expect, that remains officially unknown, but leaks (and, let's be honest, a solid guess) point to skins of popular Dragon Ball Z characters such as Goku and Vegeta and DBZ-specific pickups too. Only time will tell, but fortunately, we don't have to wait too much longer now.
Prepare your wallets.
Are you excited about this upcoming collaboration? Let us know in the comments below!
Nintendo has released a brand new trailer for Kirby's Dream Buffet that showcases many of the minigames we'll be partaking in when the game hits Switch.
And speaking of Switch, today's overview trailer reveals that Kirby's Dream Buffet is out next week, on Wednesday, Aug. 17. That's exciting, especially considering this game was only just announced last month. The trailer details the main progression of games in Kirby's Dream Buffet, as well as important ways to strategize using Kirby's different copy abilities.
Check it out for yourself below:
As you can see, Kirby's Dream Buffet is shaping up to be an adorably cute time (not to mention, a hunger-inducing one too). For more information about Kirby's Dream Buffet, be sure to check out this story. After that, read this Kirby series retrospective that dives deep into the character's origins and more.
Are you excited about Kirby's Dream Buffet? Let us know in the comments below!
Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5
Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher:
Warner Bros. Games
Developer:
Player First Games
Release:
Rating:
Teen
Warner Bros. has given new studio Player First Games some of its most popular characters to carve out space in the Smash Bros.-dominated IP-crossover-fighter genre. MultiVersus succeeds where others have failed, but it still has some growing to do.
Though LeBron James appears on the roster thanks to his starring role in Space Jam: A New Legacy, the WB roster in MultiVersus doesn’t feel as icky as the roster of that film. Each character is treated with reverence, creating a world where you eventually don’t bat an eye at the fact that Arya Stark from Game of Thrones is stabbing Bugs Bunny.
The tight, Smash-like controls deftly convey the powerful and heavy Iron Giant just as well as the swift and silly Finn from Adventure Time. Just when I thought I had found my main, I started up another character and was always surprised by how unique and interesting they were to learn.
While 1v1 and 4-player Free-For-All are included, everything is built around 2v2 gameplay. Character classes indicate traits at a glance and hint at how teams might gel. For example, Velma can hang back and cover with projectiles and buffs/debuffs, while Superman charges in to pound everyone. You can pair characters that enhance strengths and cover weaknesses, or simply go all in with two rushdown characters; all options are workable in the right hands.
The perks system plays into this directly. Character leveling unlocks boosts to speed, dodging, jumps, and more. It’s smart to match up perks with your partner for a stacking bonus. Superman and Velma both have ice attacks, for example, so you can combo to increase that debuff. Unique signature perks play up character strengths as well. Even in this early state, the team/perk combos are staggering and kept me experimenting constantly.
Despite the strength of the current basic modes, the lack of variety needs to be addressed (and apparently will be soon with an arcade and ranked mode). The limited number of maps cover standard size and layout requirements, but none of them match the creativity and detail of a good Smash Bros. level. It’s neat to volley enemies off a Batmobile in the Batcave, but stages like a generic, empty coliseum and stock grassy field with waterfall left me wanting more.
Online play is fantastic thanks to rollback netcode and a massive cross-platform player base. I never had to wait for matches or deal with lag. Reindog – a new character created for the game – turned invisible a couple of times, but that’s about the extent of my technical problems.
MultiVersus is free-to-play on almost every console and PC, making it easy to access. However, this also triggers microtransaction anxieties. Thankfully, the fair economy provides plenty for players who don’t want to pay. Wonder Woman is free alongside a rotating roster of four characters. An early influx of gold pays for another character so you’re set with 6 of 17 in the roster in short order. The remaining grind is far slower, but not too daunting. And all characters are playable in a practice area. Paid content is limited mostly to cosmetics, instant character unlocks, and the premium tier of the Battle Pass.
The current free and paid mini Battle Passes and daily quests kept me busy throughout my time with MultiVersus. While I enjoyed unlocking content, the need to grind out repetitive bot matches to hit some numbers in a reasonable amount of time can be a slog. Completed seasonal goals annoyingly didn’t clear out for me so I had to dig into the menus and turn past a page of grayed-out items to check my progress constantly.
Living games have the potential to go in frustrating directions, but MultiVersus has a strong foundation. If it can meaningfully roll out content and smooth out its rough edges, this could become a new crossover obsession for years to come.
Note: This review is based on the open beta version of MultiVersus.
Snow Blind, the next installment in the Mortal Kombat Legends animated film series, got its first trailer today ahead of its October release. The new movie tells the origin story of Kenshi, who tags up with Sub-Zero to kombat Outworld's usual suspects and keep the peace (or as peaceful as this universe can get).
The film explores how Kenshi loses his eyesight and trains to become the master swordfighter that fans have loved since his debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Kenshi’s goal: take down a fully cybernetic Kano and his Black Dragon clan. Kenshi has another ace up his sleeve in the form of a powerful ally (?) in Sub-Zero. Some of the characters that appear include Shang Tsung and Kabal and even lesser seen faces like Tremor and Kira.
Snow Blind is the third Mortal Kombat Legends film following 2021’s Battle of the Realmsand 2020’s Scorpion’s Revenge. It will be available on digital storefronts on October 9 and on Blu-ray October 11. Personally, I'm excited to see where it winds up landing on my ranking of every Mortal Kombat on-screen adaptation.
In addition to PlayStation Plus' August offerings of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Little Nightmares, the catalog of downloadable games for Extra and Premium subscription tiers is expanding next week. If you're a Yakuza diehard or Yakuza-curious, Sony has you covered.
On August 16, Extra/Premium subscribers can download and play the following titles (click the links to read our review of applicable games):
While those titles are treated as the headliners, a few more games will also become available on that same date:
If you need a refresher on the differences between each subscription tier, be sure to check out our PlayStation Plus breakdown. Have you upgraded to the Extra or Premium tiers? If so, what do you think about the offerings so far? Let us know in the comments!