Remedy Is Hard At Work On Next AAA Game As Studio Growth Continues And Control Surpasses 10 Million Players

Despite fans (it’s me, I’m fans) begging for a full, new Alan Wake game, Control scratched that itch expertly with its unique storyline and surprising connections to Remedy Entertainment’s previous adventures. As Control surpasses over 10 million players, the studio is already heads-down on a new AAA journey with Epic Games. Even better? The success of the first Control and its DLC has paved the way for a new “bigger budget” Control story that is currently in its concept phase. 

Remedy provided insight into the current status of the company and what the future looks like for the road ahead in a recent investor’s meeting. In the meeting, it was disclosed that the studio continues to grow to suit the evolutionary needs that the team needs. At this current time, the team at Remedy consists of over 300 developers working to make the next AAA game a ride that fans of the studio won’t forget. At least, that’s the hope, but Remedy has a pretty solid track record that they can pull it off.

Also in the call, it was revealed that Control has a “formidable audience” now that it has surpassed an impressive 10 million players, making the bid for a continuation an easy sell. Now that the studio has a bigger budget for the next step in Control’s journey, the creative teams are working hard on what’s next in the game’s concept phase. 

What’s not in the concept phase is a mysterious new AAA title that Remedy is working on with Epic Games. The studio reports that a new title is in full production, which is where the increase in studio size comes in handy. Unfortunately, we don’t know what sort of title this new game will be, but we do know that it is in the works and officially on the way. 

It’s amazing to see the team spread their wings further and the success that Control had. Control offered a story that was easily enthralling with a combat system that was unforgiving and enjoyable to master. With twists and turns at every bend, the narrative spun into so many incredible directions, it will be interesting to see where the team takes this world next. 


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[Source: Remedy]

Castlevania: Grimoire Of Souls Coming To Apple Arcade

Originally announced way back in 2018, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls originally saw a soft launch on mobile in Canada in 2019, before being discontinued in that region in late 2020. At the time, for those who could access it, it garnered enthusiasm for its loyalty to the visual and musical palette of the established series. Still, it was criticized for some of its in-game microtransaction elements. Today brought word that the game is coming back on Apple Arcade, this time minus those disliked in-game purchase options.

Apple’s announcement doesn’t detail other changes coming to the game, but Castlevania fans have reason to be optimistic. The side-scrolling action game features character designs from Ayami Kojima and music from Michiru Yamane, who were intimately involved in early and iconic projects within the franchise. Playable characters include a cavalcade of familiar faces from franchise history, including Alucard, Simon Belmont, Charlotte, Shanoa, and Maria.

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As mentioned, the brief game announcement doesn’t detail much more about the project, other than its exclusive presence on Apple Arcade. As such, it isn’t easy to know how much this iteration of the game has in common with the earlier project that never came to the United States. However, that earlier soft launch included some intriguing features, including the opportunity to complete quests in cooperative play with a second player, as well as separate multiplayer modes for up to four players. Story-wise, that first incarnation of Grimoire of Souls opened through the point-of-view character of Genya Arikado, who learns of magic grimoires that hold details about the sordid history of Castlevania. Along with help from heroes from across that history, the task became to enter those grimoires and slay the monsters within.

It would be surprising if this new Apple Arcade version of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls strays completely from that earlier version, but we won’t know for sure until the game gets closer to launch. Release date info is limited to “coming soon” for right now, but previous Apple Arcade announcement timings suggest we shouldn’t have too long to wait – likely on the scale of weeks or a couple of months rather than years.

New Pokémon Presents On The Way With New Look At Pokémon Legends: Arceus

We’ve got a new look at Pokémon Legends: Arceus coming soon, as confirmed by the Pokémon Company. The upcoming showcase will be centered around a few different pocket monster adventures, including Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, and the open-world Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The upcoming Pokémon Direct will be going down later this month on August 18 at 9 a.m. ET. 

The Pokémon confirmed the news on Twitter, giving hopeful trainers a heads up on what they can expect. The video presentation will focus on the aforementioned three titles, which is perfect since we haven’t heard anything about what’s next from the company since last February. 

Both Diamond and Pearl will be launching later this year on November 19, with Pokémon Legends Arceus releasing several months later on January 28, 2022. For longtime fans of this franchise, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl aren’t totally new experiences. Instead, they are “brilliant” remakes of the original Diamond and Pearl versions from back in 2006. While the Pokémon Company promises that the story from the original games has been faithfully reproduced, it does promise current-gen upgrades and revitalizing changes to the colors, the graphics, and other unique surprises when venturing through the Sinnoh region. 

For those trainers that are just itching for a brand new adventure, Legends Arceus is where it is at. This game takes the Pokémon name even further into the realm of RPG adventures. Players will be tasked with going out into the wild and complete this region’s very first Pokedex. Legends aims to tap into the wild adventurer within trainers, giving a new way to experience a beloved franchise.


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Pokémon Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies: The Coolest Cards We Pulled From Boosters Packs

The latest entry in the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s Sword & Shield series releases later this month with Evolving Skies. This new expansion focuses on dragon types, Galarian forms of the Legendary birds best known from the Kanto region, and Eevee’s various evolutions. In total, Evolving Skies boasts more than 200 new cards, including 18 Pokémon V, 15 Pokémon VMAX, 24 trainer cards, a new Special Energy Card, and more cards that use the new Single Strike and Rapid Strike mechanics.

The Pokémon Company sent us a bunch of booster packs for the Pokémon Trading Card Game: Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies set. We opened the packs to see what we could pull. While we’ve seen the Legendary birds from Kanto’s Galarian forms appear in a recent expansion, I loved collecting the new versions of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. As someone who loves the Eeveelutions, I loved the ones I pulled, but was disappointed I didn’t get any of the Gen 1 forms. My overall favorite card in this expansion is the Gyarados VMAX, which I wasn’t lucky enough to get, but I was thrilled to see some of the other full-art Pokémon V and VMAX cards emerge from the booster packs I opened.

You can check out the full gallery of my favorite cards I pulled from the new Evolving Skies expansion below.

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Pokémon Trading Card Game: Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies has a global release date of August 27. For more on the Pokémon Trading Card Game, check out the hub below.

A Deep Dive Into Black Panther’s Debut In Marvel’s Avengers

Marvel's Avengers

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal
Release:


(PlayStation 4,
Xbox One,
PC,
Stadia),
(PlayStation 5,
Xbox Series X/S)

Rating: Teen
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC

Next week marks the release of War for Wakanda, the largest content drop Marvel’s Avengers has received since it launched in 2020. Ever since it was announced in Crystal Dynamics’ 2021 roadmap for the game, it has been the entry many players have circled on the calendar as the primary destination. We haven’t had a chance to go hands-on with the new expansion quite yet, but we did get to see it in action and speak with the team to learn more about Black Panther’s introduction to the game.

Marvel's Avengers

Wandering in Wakanda

In addition to adding new story campaign missions in the new Wakanda biome, players can also look forward to exploring the area to find iconic Wakandan locations like Shuri’s Laboratory and the Wakandan War Room in the Royal Palace outpost. New enemy types, two named villains, drop zones, and villain sectors round out the expansion to give players more content than any previous addition to Marvel’s Avengers.

My video tour of War for Wakanda showcases the first two missions of the single-player story campaign, as well as the Birnin Zana outpost. After a brief cutscene giving the backstory of Wakanda and its source of Vibranium, we hear Zawavari plead with T’Challa to reopen the borders so he can help in the ongoing fight against AIM. However, it might not be necessary for Black Panther to re-enter the world to take part in the fight, as Ulysses Klaue has brought the fight to Wakanda.

War for Wakanda

Klaue enters Wakanda in search of Vibranium, and it’s up to the Black Panther to disrupt his plans to bleed the isolated nation of its most precious resource. The jungles of Wakanda are lush and beautiful, but Klaue’s forces aren’t exactly respectful to the natural splendor. Their first appearance features them setting charges to explode. Thankfully, Black Panther arrives just in time and prevents the explosives from detonating. 

After a confrontation with the mercs, the player takes control of T’Challa as he roams through the jungles. Black Panther is nimble, with ample jumping and wall-running capabilities. T’Challa may not be as talkative as his quip-ready counterparts like Tony Stark, but Christopher Judge (best known as the current voice of Kratos in God of War) delivers the Black Panther’s lines with conviction. 

War for Wakanda

“We were thinking of who our T’Challa was: We knew we wanted him to be older, a more experienced king, a more experienced Black Panther, and we had this wishlist of actors who we thought, ‘We want that caliber. These people won’t say yes, but that’s what we’re going for,'” writer Hannah MacLeod says. “And Chris Judge was number one. We were like, ‘There’s no way he’s going to do it,’ but that’s what we were looking for. But we were like, ‘Maybe we’ll ask. I mean, you never know! The worst he can say is no,’ and then he said yes! And I lost my damn mind.”

As T’Challa arrives on the scene, we get our first glimpses of him in action. It turns out Black Panther is just as quick in combat as he is in transit. By pouncing and parrying, Black Panther shows he is more than capable in battle and looks to be a ton of fun in fights. Combining ranged and melee attacks, Black Panther eliminates a group of enemies with the agility of the big cat from which he takes his name.

War for Wakanda

Throughout Wakanda, corrupted Vibranium clusters pop up, a result of Klaue’s mining of the resource. While Black Panther doesn’t know exactly what the cause is right off the bat, he knows one thing: the corrupted spires must be destroyed to prevent them from spreading. The next sequence has him taking on several enemies while trying to destroy three of these clusters. After completing this combat sequence, T’Challa activates a shortcut to the heart of the city, where he hopes to meet up with Okoye and Shuri. Along the way, he encounters loot chests, secret tunnels, and a ton of scenic vistas. Unfortunately, he returns to a city under attack and doesn’t exactly receive the welcoming party he was hoping for.

Without going into too much detail beyond this point, T’Challa continues working with his fellow Wakandans to uncover the mystery of exactly what Klaue is up to. As you play through, you not only get a ton of banter between the characters but also lots of backstory about the nation. I left my video demo excited to see where the story goes from here. It also quickly becomes apparent that while Black Panther is certainly the star of this expansion, this is still a game about the Avengers.

War for Wakanda

“It’s sort of, what are the themes of Wakanda that we wanted to explore, and then how does T’Challa fit in with the rest of the Avengers?” MacLeod says. “Whenever we’re adding new characters, our discussion always is, ‘What were they doing before A-Day? Where were they on A-Day? And then what was their reaction to it?'”

Prior to the events of Marvel’s Avengers’ main story, T’Challa was in talks with Captain America about potentially forming an alliance with the Avengers, but after A-Day, where Captain America was thought to have been killed, the King of Wakanda severed talks and closed the borders. “The one person that he trusted – the designated adult in the group – was gone, and so they thought they were better off protecting themselves and closing Wakanda’s borders,” MacLeod says.

Marvel's Avengers – War for Wakanda

Showing Its Klaue

Wakanda is impressively detailed and distinct from any other biome in the game, but for players who are tired of fighting endless AIM employees and robots, the highlight is the opportunity to take on some new enemy types. “The benefit of it being a games-as-a-service and something we can continually update is we can look at new mission designs, new objectives, and add ways to vary that play experience for people,” senior game designer Scott Walters says. “With the enemies, we get to introduce new combat requirements that change how the fight plays out. […] We wanted to add new enemy archetypes to the Wakanda mission. It made sense because there was a new villain who has his own faction, his own recruits underneath him.”

The primary characters T’Challa faces in War for Wakanda are the Klaue Company, a band of mercenaries with abilities players haven’t seen before. These enemies don suits of corrupted Vibranium, which can become unstable if they deal a chain of successful hits. When this happens, they take less damage, and hit reactions are downgraded. The Bruiser carries around a huge ax, while the Strategist is a support enemy that deploys small drones around the battlefield to buff other mercs in the area. Meanwhile, some sonic-themed mercenaries have an ability called Sonic Aura, which protects the shielded merc from projectiles and melee attacks. Standard mercs with guns also help round out the roster of enemies you take on.

War for Wakanda

On top of those enemies, players can look forward to facing off against two new named villains. While everyone knew Klaue was going to make an appearance since the first trailer, another villain players will recognize from both the comics and the MCU shows up. Crossbones, a brutal adversary who has history with multiple Avengers, joins the fight alongside Klaue.

“I think what’s really fun about the sheer amount of Marvel villains on our roster is we get to really dig into what would be the most interesting twist and turn from what we’ve done previously,” MacLeod says. “Crossbones has some of the most iconic comic dialogue ever because he just enjoys himself so much, but he’s also got some interesting tricks up his sleeve. There’s always a lot of discussion of who we think our villains should be. Klaue doesn’t really get his hands dirty in the same way as other villains might, so we needed him to have a character who would have no problem with that.”

Marvel's Avengers

Fit for a King

Black Panther is one of the most dynamic characters on the Avengers. Not only is he fast and powerful, but his skill tree allows him to perform acrobatic abilities to take out enemies. “When we started looking at the design for what his movement and his combat was going to be like, we knew we really wanted to capture that very agile, acrobatic nature of his combat, and still celebrate the strength and power that his has,” senior game designer Scott Walters says. “We looked at reference footage from the movies, we looked at reference comics. We had Gui Dasilva, who was the stunt double for Black Panther in the movies, come in and do motion capture for us.”

Whether you’re spamming the light attack button to perform a series of spinning and somersaulting strikes or launching that enemy into the air and slashing away at them, King T’Challa’s move set empowers you to take on all challengers easily. He can even pounce on human-sized enemies and hold them down while beating them up. 

War for Wakanda

On the ranged side of his skill tree, you toss daggers, which can be upgraded to be heat-seeking, piercing, or rapid-fire. However, the real powers come into play with Black Panther’s intrinsic skills, which involve the kinetic energy capabilities of his suit. By blocking incoming attacks, he builds up the intrinsic meter. Using the energy in that meter, he can perform powerful finishers, unleash a blast of energy that knocks back enemies and increases damage for 10 seconds, or use devastating heavy attacks.

Once you get into Black Panther’s heroic abilities, he starts to shine. With beads that let him heal allies and stun enemies, his support heroic is versatile. His assault heroic constructs an upgradeable Vibranium spear that can pierce and pin targets. Finally, his ultimate heroic summons Bast, the panther protector, to attack enemies on the team’s behalf.

War for Wakanda

The Road Ahead

Crystal Dynamics’ foray into the Marvel Universe received praise for its single-player story content. However, the multiplayer portion, where the studio hoped would sustain the game for players long term, has been harshly criticized over the course of its first year. To the team’s credit, it has continued adding new content and various improvements to the title over its first 12 months, with story content alone now topping the 25-hour mark. But it remains to be seen what will be the tipping point or tentpole content release that could bring a large community of regular players back into the fold.

To this point, players have received various free content releases, including Kate Bishop’s Operation: Taking AIM, Hawkeye’s Operation: Future Imperfect, and the Scientist Supreme’s Cosmic Cube event. The most anticipated content players still have to look forward to following this release is the PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man, which still does not have a release window beyond “2021.” Besides that, players will still have the new Patrol mode and a new Omega Level Threat, but Crystal Dynamics isn’t quite ready to talk about anything except what was already announced.

War for Wakanda

War for Wakanda is available on August 17 at no additional cost for all players of Marvel’s Avengers. If you’ve been out of the loop on the game, you can check out our breakdown of the 2021 content roadmap here to see what has been added recently, or see the full list of all playable characters in Marvel’s Avengers here.

Axiom Verge 2, Back 4 Blood, and James McAvoy Interview | GI Show

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In this week’s episode of The Game Informer Show, we discuss a handful of games we’ve been digging recently, including Axiom Verge 2, Back 4 Blood, Eldest Souls, Dodgeball Academia, Golf Club Wasteland

We also have an interview with actor James McAvoy who is in the upcoming indie game 12 Minutes about a man caught in a timeloop, trying to prevent the death of his wife. McAvoy talks about the recording process as well has his history playing video games – in fact, he shares one story about how he had to melt a disc copy of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, because he was staying up late playing the game instead of preparing for work. For more on 12 Minutes, be sure to read our interview with Willem Dafoe

It’s a full show, but we make time for another fantastic round of community emails. So please join John Carson (@John_Carson), Matthew Miller (@MatthewRMiller), Brian Shea (@BrianPShea), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), and Ben Reeves (@Benjaminreeves) for a new wild and ever-entertaining episode!

Thanks for listening! Please make sure to leave feedback below and share the episode if you enjoyed it. You can watch the video above, subscribe and listen to the audio on iTunes or Google Playlisten on SoundCloudstream it on Spotify, or download the MP3 at the bottom of the page. Also, be sure to send your questions to podcast@gameinformer.com for a chance to have them answered on the show!

Our thanks to The Rapture Twins for The Game Informer Show’s intro song. You can hear more of their music on their website.


To jump to a particular point in the discussion, check out the time stamps below:

00:00:00 – Introduction

00:02:45 – Eldest Souls

00:08:41 – Dodgeball Academia

00:15:47 – Hades Next-Gen

00:18:37 – Axiom Verge 2

00:32:00 – Back 4 Blood Beta

00:41:50 – Death’s Door

00:44:08 – SplitGate

00:51:08 – Community Email

01:35:47 – James McAvoy Interview | 12 Minutes

Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle – New Gameplay Today

Click to watch embedded media

Publisher: Marvelous Games
Developer: Cygames
Release:

Rating: Teen
Platform: Switch

Are you ready to become the very best, the best there ever was? No, it’s not a game about taking care of an electric rat, it’s the latest card game RPG, Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle. It’s kind of convoluted how we got here but basically, Shadowverse is a digital card game that’s been around for quite some time (we did a test chamber on it back a long time ago) and the game got an anime. And then anime was the basis for the game we’re looking at today. At least, that’s how I think it happened.

Either way, Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle is a Switch exclusive that won’t let you down if you’re looking to conjure up some of the magic of yesteryear when card-based RPG titles were all the rage, all the way back to Magic: The Gathering’s Shandalar. While you can pretty much assume that the story is going to take you through tiered-competitors and a lot of forgettable dialogue, the core concept of upgrading your deck, trying different strategies, and competing to increase your rank while doing quests and collecting cards is a tried-and-true blast.

In recent years, card-based RPGs for the big licenses have been few and far between, with the occasional Yu-Gi-Oh! Offering coming into the picture. Shadowverse: Champions Battle will undoubtedly whet your appetite for the actual free-to-play card game, but it stands solid on its own with plenty of cool strategies to employ and fun anime animations for slamming into an opponent with a big dragon. It’s probably even cooler if you’ve seen the associated show, but alas I have not. You get to play as a multitude of different factions and work up decks as you like, and even go online to spar with other players.

You can make huge dragons fast with Dragoncraft, count your opponent down to doom with Havencraft, bid the dead to do your bidding with Shadowcraft, and more. If you want to go galaxy brain you can boost up your spells with Runecraft or beat yourself up for potent buffs with Bloodcraft! There are numerous options to explore each with a ton of cards to play around with, and the progression through the world – a traditional JRPG school with friends tale involving big tournaments and stadium play – works well here.

Check out more on this episode of New Gameplay Today!

 

Back 4 Blood Open Beta – GI Live

For years, fans of Valve’s iconic zombie-slayer Left 4 Dead have been begging for a return to the franchise. While Back 4 Blood may not have everything players have asked for, developer Turtle Rock Studios has shown over its previous alpha and early access beta tests that they have their finger on the pulse of what makes the PVE slaughter of the undead so satisfying. If you missed last week’s beta, you’re in for a treat, as the Back 4 Blood beta is returning to consoles and PC for one last time before its October 12 release date later this year.

Click here to watch embedded media

To celebrate this one last showing, Liana Ruppert, Marcus Stewart, and Alex Stadnik are stepping into The Cleaners’ shoes and blowing through the undead live for your viewing pleasure. We’re kicking the show off at 2:30 p.m. CT exclusively on Twitch, so be sure to come through, say hello, and kick your feet up as the crew tests out Left 4 Dead’s spiritual successor. 

Still interested in Back 4 Blood? We have you covered here at Game Informer with a ton of excellent content. Fans of the written word should check out Brian Shea’s great preview of his time with the early access beta and Liana’s PSA about what players should know about the early tech test. If video is more your cup of tea, be sure to watch our previous stream where we take on the undead in the game’s first act and test out the new PVP mode! Thanks for watching and we hope you enjoy the show!


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Hideo Kojima’s Post On P.T’s Anniversary Kicks Up PS5 Game ‘Abandoned’ Rumors Once More

BlueBox Game Studios’ mysterious PlayStation 5 title Abandoned continues to be at the epicenter of conspiracy theories. Many believe, and not without merit, that Abandoned is secretly a Hideo Kojima game while others are sure it’s something related to Silent Hill. Though studio head Hasan Kahraman has plainly stated in the past that Abandoned is its own game, in no way related to Kojima, Konami, or Silent Hill, that hasn’t been enough to assuage fan theories. Following an additional Konami link was previously discovered, kicking the proverbial hornet nest once more, surrounding a Konami-sponsored podcast, it’s now a Hideo Kojima post itself making waves in this particular whirlpool. 

Today is the anniversary of P.T., the now-canceled interactive teaser for Silent Hills. The cancelation of this project upset many in the gaming community, as well as those working on it. The hope has always been that some day it would make a comeback, and some are convinced that Kojima’s latest tweet may be another piece of this very confusing puzzle. 

The latest tweet in question, seen above, is an image of Murder In An Abandoned Amusement Park by Yuki Shashindo. It took about two seconds before the replies noticed the word “abandoned” in the title and then immediately connect the post with the illusive PS5 game. When looking through the thread, there are a plethora of responses centering around the coincidence of the media recommendation and the tie with the BlueBox title. Some see this as proof that the game is connected to Hideo Kojima, whereas others just mentioned that this whole rabbit hole is making their head hurt. I’m in the latter camp, because this is just odd. 

Even though Kahraman has vehemently denied that Abandoned is related to Kojima or Konami, another recent teaser seemed to contradict that directly. At least if you read into the comment section. BlueBox tweeted a new image for Abandoned with a blurred background of an older man with an eyepatch, not unlike in a certain Metal Gear series, with blurred text in the background that many believe reads “Welcome to Silent Hill.” Then we were supposed to get a tech demo and the day of its expected arrival, it was delayed for a patch to go through. What’s interesting is that there doesn’t appear to be any patch listed on PlayStation 5 in connection with the Abandoned app. Usually, if a patch or update is in progress, a patch tracker will list information about when it’s supposed to go live. The studio mentioned an update was coming to fix the reason why the highly anticipated teaser was delayed again, but nothing is showing up. Now, this could be explained through certification submission protocols, though the timing still feels off. If it were a certification issue, it’s more than likely that it would have been picked up before the update was slated to go live. 

See? The plot thickens, you can make these things up. Abandoned is without a doubt one of the greatest mysteries in gaming right now, but this entire rabbit hole-like situation does bring up a major concern for me. Abandoned seems to be promising a lot with such a small team and a team that we don’t really have any history with for comparison. Where my concern comes in is that the speculation-driven hype surrounding the elusive PS5 game will place deep-rooted expectations on what Abandoned even is, and these expectations will likely be impossible to reach because the very experience itself isn’t what people are assuming. It will be interesting to see what the road to launch looks like, especially if the past month is any indicator. As more and more “connections” are found, the more and more damage could be witnessed when whatever this project is eventually releases. 

And if it does end up being Silent Hill or a Kojima project? Then well done. Personally, I’m of a mind that this is an elaborate social experiment made to weigh in on the leak and rumor culture of entertainment. Both on the community side and media side, incorrect leaks and assumptions are everywhere at all times of day. What if this really is just a social experiment to shed a light on that? The tinfoil hat is on folks, but hopefully we’ll get answers soon. 


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This Week At Bungie – 8/12/2021

Frostpunk 2 Is Coming And It Takes Place Decades After The Original

Frostpunk, the bleak yet well-received survival game, is getting a sequel. 11 Bit Studios has announced that Frostpunk 2 is on the way and task players with once again braving a frigid hellscape. The catch is that this time it’s set 30 years in the future.

The age of coal has ended and now oil has become the frozen society’s most sought-after resource. Not everyone is on board with this direction, and those who are have become embroiled in faction wars and other conflicts. Like the first game, Frostpunk 2 blends city-building, survival, and choice-driven gameplay by putting you in the shoes of the leader of a struggling city. You’ve got hungry mouths to feed and not enough warmth to go around so it’s your job to make tough decisions in the type of politics that will net the best results. Ruling with an iron fist may have resources pouring in but will your people resent you? Does a more benevolent approach paint a picture of political weakness in the eyes of rival settlements? 

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While Frostpunk 2 retains many of the elements of the original, 11 Bit Studios says they’re aiming to make “more than a straight-up sequel”.  According to the game’s co-director Jakub Stokalski, “Frostpunk 2 builds on the conflicts of its predecessor – survival vs human values, life vs the arctic frost. But most importantly, it adds a new layer that is present in many aspects of the game – be it politics, be it society, be it technological progress – the conflict between humans and their nature”

We scored the original Frostpunk an 8.75 out of 10 with former Game Informer editor Matt Bertz writing that “Rarely does an interactive experience keep me awake at night wrestling with big decisions. Frostpunk did this on multiple occasions and made me feel squeamish when forcing edicts upon society instead of building consensus. Extraordinary circumstances call for desperate measures, and all I can do is ask for forgiveness from those trampled by my headstrong approach.” 

Frostpunk 2 is planned to launch for PC only for now, but the first game eventually made its way to consoles so chances are good that this will too. It currently has no release window.


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Talking 12 Minutes With Willem Dafoe For 12 Minutes

Even five years after its promising premiere at PAX East in 2015, we still can’t wait to get our hands on 12 Minutes. The premise behind this inventive indie game is simple, you are a man stuck in a 12-minute time loop, trying desperately to prevent the death of your pregnant wife. But, in the middle of dinner, a police officer arrives and accuses your wife of murdering his father. Your wife dies during the ensuing struggle and no matter how many times you relive the scenario, the situation always ends in tragedy. The concept is strong, but so is its all-star cast: James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. We talked to Dafoe and 12 Minutes’ director Luis Antonio about how this little indie game got such an impressive cast and how the narrative evolved throughout development.

To start, can you set up the game a bit. Where did the original idea come from?
Antonio: My goal was to explore the concept of accumulated knowledge. How would it be if, in a game, you have this information that keeps accumulating. I realized the most interesting aspect is actually not only the factual things of knowing key codes and how to access someone’s computer, but the knowledge that people have about each other. It became more of an intimate story about relationships and uncovering things that you know about other people, and how you as a player deal with that information, since the game itself never tells you what to do. It’s all set in an apartment. There’s the husband and the wife, then there’s the intruder who comes in and disrupts the evening. From that moment on is the unraveling of the stories of these three characters and seeing the layering as you as you go through each loop, learning more about them and their dynamics.

How did you get involved, Willem?
Dafoe: Basically, Luis pitched the game to me. I’ve done some work on games and I like doing voice work. I like many things, but voice work is very special because it’s very freeing and often you’re joining a project that someone has been with for a long time, and they’ve really developed it. In the case of Luis, he walks you through what he wants to see and then you basically use all you have at your disposal, using your voice, to help him see that. It’s kind of a call and response game between the director and the actor that I enjoyed. Just practically, you’re calling for different situations, so you have to have some flexibility. Sometimes you’re working psychologically, sometimes you’re working purely sonically, and sometimes you’re responding to things that he needs to accomplish in the game. It’s a very immediate and very loose kind of collaboration. And I enjoyed it.

You mentioned that you’ve done other games. Beyond: Two Souls is probably your highest profile release. What keeps you coming back to games? Is there something about them that intrigues you or scratches an acting itch you don’t get elsewhere?
Dafoe: I don’t know that I keep on coming back to it. I do lots of stuff, but you know, when someone comes to you with a passion project that has an interesting aspect as far as its structure and how they’re approaching it, you get inspired by that and you try to help them realize it. I also got to say, the time loop stuff is a little bit of a mind bender, that doesn’t quite tickle me, but I do like the idea that the more knowledge you get, the more you realize what you don’t know. Also, there’s something basic to the game that when Luis talks about accumulated knowledge, if you’re awake, and if you’re really playing the game in a full-blown way, it’s interesting to see that it’s reflective on your behavior and your way of thinking.

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What was it like working with David Cage? Was it different?
Dafoe: A lot of people respond to that game. I mean, of course it was different, and the difference was that [for 12 Minutes] we were basically recording wild, and also the fact that this is a top shot, and it’s quite a bit different how it’s rendered. With David Cage, we were doing mocap stuff, so we were generating material for the computer people to build the characters. Here we were basically working with our voice, and we aren’t doing it to picture. While we’re doing the physical stuff, so you have the breath and the exertion and the emotional quality, you aren’t actually performing it. With Beyond: Two Souls, we were performing everything in mocap.

How would you describe this character that you’re playing in 12 Minutes? What makes this character tick?
Dafoe: You know, I don’t know. I play situations. He’s an intruder. That’s what he’s called. Some of his story is revealed, and depending on how the player plays the game, he’s a different person.

Antonio: It’s tricky to reply to that question without spoiling a lot of the story.

[Dafoe laughs]

Okay, sure. So is that all you want to tease for now? Play the game and find out?
Dafoe: Well, I think I said more than that.

Antonio: No, no, no, no, that was a very elegant answer. But it’s very true. Because it’s a lot about learning about these characters and their motivations, so asking their motivation is kind of …

Okay, we can move on. Did the character change or evolve through development or once Willem got on board?
Antonio: It definitely changed. Like, until I met Willem and he voiced the character, I never saw the character. As Willem said at the start, the characters were tools to tell a narrative, but once there was a voice behind it, and some problems have to be solved when two actors are interacting, and they’re bouncing off each other, I think that’s when the character came to life. Until then, I never saw them, really.

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Do you feel like you brought something special to this character Willem?
Dafoe: You know, you show up. There’s very little way that you can prepare for it. You’re basically working wild with your voice. You know basic scenarios. You know basic intentions of the characters. But it’s instant collaboration. It’s not like traditional performing where you’re presenting your body. You have nothing to hold you down, so you’re totally fluid. You go into that room, and you go wherever your feelings take you and where the director guides you and where the other actors send you. I guess that’s going back to your question about what’s attractive about it. It’s a very loose and lively way to approach things. You don’t really make choices, you react, and you work in many different ways. You stand inside and you stand outside it. You get an opportunity to play with lots of variations, and that’s great fun. When you have that kind of flexibility, and you’ll have that kind of freedom it’s interesting, because when you’re just doing a voice you can be anything. You can be a talking whale, you can be a 500 pound drag queen. You can be anything.

So you’re telling me that this character is secretly a whale? Is that what I’m hearing?
Dafoe: [Laughs] Sure, go with it.  

Have you gotten the chance to play the game yet, Willem?
Dafoe: I haven’t. I think it’s not finished. Is it?

Antonio: It’s practically finished? Yeah, I would say it’s very soon.

Dafoe: I must confess. I love working on these things but I’m not really a game player. When my son was growing up, many years ago, I remember many fierce Sonic the Hedgehog games, but that’s about as deep as I go.

Were you actually working with Daisy Ridley and James McAvoy? When you recorded were they in the room?
Dafoe: They weren’t in the room. It was pandemic times, so we were on Zoom. They were probably in the UK and I was in Rome. I will say that they were both on board before Louis talked to me about the game. They were a real plus, because they’re both very good actors, and that let me know the quality that they were looking for, and I thought it would be fun to play with them. In fact, I did a movie with Daisy, and she’s terrifically talented, and she’s very smart and sweet and a fun person. I must confess that James and Daisy being in it was something that attracted me to this project.

Do you feel like games challenge you in a way that you don’t get from other acting roles?
Dafoe: As you can imagine the audience doesn’t see you. Since you’re doing just the voice, it’s different. It’s not better, it’s not worse. When you’re putting everything into your voice, it’s a kind of intensity and a kind of concentration that I really enjoy. With all performing, there’s that balance between really putting yourself out there in kind of freefall but also you have to develop another awareness of other elements. There’s a minimum of technical elements in this. Rather than shooting, there’s not the kind of camera awareness or marks or things that sometimes can help you but can also restrict you. You’ve got a mic in front of you and basically, you’re just closing your eyes and letting it rip.

I’m good at letting it rip.
Dafoe: There’s something fun and fluid and freeing about that, for sure. It’s fun to do, because it’s so mercurial, and also you have someone whispering in your ear like Jiminy Cricket, who’s telling you “Go this way. Go that way. We need more of this. Come on, lean on him. Back off.” They’re whispering in your ear, and you’re trying to manifest those things with your voice. You’re not showing it, you’re trying to imagine it, and have it come out through your voice. That’s a kind of alchemy that is beautiful.


For more on 12 Minutes, be sure to read our hands-on preview or see how it placed in our list of exciting indie gems.

Full QuakeCon 2021 Event Schedule Revealed, A Digital Event All Can Attend

As a result of COVID-19, QuakeCon 2021 will be another all-digital event this year, and we’ve got the full schedule to see what’s in store for the road ahead. While we do miss in-person events, the good news is that the live-streamed event is purely focused on the digital space, which means no one has to miss out on certain aspects of what QuakeCon has to offer. That includes the puppies. Yes, we said puppies. 

QuakeCon will kick off at 2 p.m. Eastern on August 19 and following the Welcome Message opening stream, there will be a plethora of “fan-focused” panels for Bethesda and id fans to enjoy. We’ll learn more about what is in store for the future while also reflecting back on some iconic game anniversaries. This is Todd Howard’s moment to shine and talk about Skyrim some more, and honestly? We love to see it. 

For those interested, here is what the full schedule looks like for next week’s festivities: 

QuakeCon 2021 Schedule

Thursday, Aug 19 

  • Welcome to QuakeCon 2021 with Pete Hines & Erin Losi: 2 p.m. ET 

  • Celebrating 25 Years of Quake with id Software and Machine Games: 2:05 p.m. ET – Kevin Cloud and Marty Stratton from id Software and Jerk Gustafsson from MachineGames discuss the impact and legacy of the original Quake on its 25th anniversary. 

  • Deep Dive into Deathloop with Arkane Lyon: 2:30 p.m. ET – Arkane Lyon gets fans … looped in … on the details of the upcoming PlayStation 5 console exclusive Deathloop, including a special discussion about multiplayer.  

  • Fallout 76: Making Appalachia Your Own with Fallout Worlds: 3 p.m. ET – Join members of the Fallout 76 development team as they discuss how the game is evolving and take an in-depth look at our upcoming Fallout Worlds Update.  

  • Inside the Award-Winning The Elder Scrolls Online with ZeniMax Online Studios: 3:30 p.m. ET – Matt Firor and Rich Lambert take fans inside ESO and discuss the great additions to the game and what new players can expect from the award-winning MMO.  

  • Reliving the Opening of Skyrim with the Creators from BGS: 4 p.m. ET – Hey you! You’re finally awake. Celebrate Skyrim’s 10th Anniversary and watch the opening moments of Skyrim as the creators discuss insider stories and relive memories from development. 

  • DOOM Eternal Studio Update with Marty and Hugo: 4:30 p.m. ET – id Software’s Marty Stratton and Hugo Martin bring fans up-to-date on everything happening with Doom Eternal. 

  • ANZ – Fallout 76 End-Game Guide: 11 p.m. ET 

  • ANZ – Fallout 76 – Playing with UFC Middleweight Rob Whittaker: 12:30 a.m. ET 

Friday, Aug 20 

  • UK – Fallout 76 – UK Stream Team Build-a-Thon: 9:30 a.m. ET 

  • UK – Let’s Talk Quake with Digital Foundry: 10:45 a.m. ET 

  • Deathloop Meets its Makers: 2:15 p.m. ET  

  • WeRateDog’s Matt Nelson and Pete Hines Rate Dogs & More: 3:30 p.m. ET 

  • Code Orange vs Quake Music Video Debut: 4:15 p.m. ET 

  • Alienware – Fundraising and Raising Heck with Anna Maree: 5 p.m. ET 

  • The Elder Scrolls Online – Dungeon Speed Run Competition: 6:30 p.m. ET 

  • Exclusive Musical Performance by Trivium: 8 p.m. ET 

  • Skyrim – 10th Anniversary Interactive Fun Run with Gus Johnson: 9:00 p.m. ET  

  • ANZ – The Elder Scrolls Online – Mates of Oblivion Dungeon Runs: 12:30 a.m. ET 

  • ANZ – The Elder Scrolls Online – MissMollyMakes An Epic Banquet: 1:45 a.m. ET 

Saturday, Aug 21 

  • UK – DOOM Eternal – ‘Prayer vs Slayer’: 9:30 a.m. ET 

  • UK – ESO – Through Flames of Ambition with the UK Stream Team: 10:45 a.m. ET 

  • Doom Eternal Battlemode Community Bonanza!: 2:15 p.m. ET 

  • Fallout 76 – C.A.M.P. Love It or Nuke It: 3:30 p.m. ET 

  • Quake World Championship Grand Finals: 4:45 p.m. ET 

  • The Elder Scrolls Online – Live Art Creation: 6:30 p.m. ET 

Just like years prior, there will also be more charity initiatives represented, as well, which brings us to one of the most important parts of QuakeCon: The puppies. Once more, fans will be able to grab exclusive Catloop and Pugcubus apparel that aids in reading money for Dallas Pets Alive and Four Paws, two organizations that aims to foster safe animal adoption. During the last live event for QuakeCon, there was even a pit of puppies you could play in to take one of those cuties home! 

Equally important in the charity realm is the effort to raise money for organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)NAACP Legal Defense and Educational FundThe Trevor Project, and UNICEF USA

There will be loot to earn with free in-game goodies like an exclusive QuakeCon-exclusive Doom Eternal Slayer skin, Crown Crates for Elder Scrolls Online, and new cosmetics for Quake Champions. To learn more, check out the official QuakeCon website right here to join in on the fun. 


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Diablo 4 Director Among Three No Longer At The Studio Following Activision Blizzard Labor Abuse Allegations

Amidst the ongoing investigation following details from a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) concerning reported toxic workplace conditions, three more high-profile developers have departed the company. Game Informer has confirmed reports that Diablo 4 game director Luis Barriga has joined Jesse McCree, a lead designer, and World of Warcraft dev Johnathan LeCraft in leaving the company. 

“We can confirm Luis Barriga, Jesse McCree, and Jonathan LeCraft are no longer with the company,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said in response to a request for comment following a report that broke on Wednesday night.  “We have a deep, talented roster of developers already in place, and new leaders have been assigned where appropriate. We are confident in our ability to continue progress, deliver amazing experiences to our players, and move forward to ensure a safe, productive work environment for all.”

The three employees have been removed from the official Blizzard press page and the studio’s work assets, such as Slack and the internal directory. Barriga has been with the company since 2005 and has worked on several notable IPs under the Blizzard umbrella, most recently Diablo 4. McCree joined the company simultaneously as Barriga and has even had his name included in Overwatch as an official character. McCree was one of the developers named in the infamous “Cosby Suite” controversy, which you can learn more about here

Other removals have already occurred, including former Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack and HR lead Jesse Meschuk. The latter was another developer seen in the photos that surfaced about the Cosby suite and the now-public group chat surrounding it.  

In related news, Kotick released a statement last week addressing the concerns but seemingly skating around the demands listed in a public letter to leadership. That letter was followed by a company-wide walkout of Blizzard employees, a walkout supported by an open letter from Ubisoft employees that have been faced with similar instances noted within the California lawsuit. To learn more about the proceedings thus far, including details listed in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, please review our previous coverage here


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Spec Ops: The Line Director And Nine Inch Nails Guitarist Open New Studio, ‘Cosmic Horror’ Game In Development

Cory Davis, the creative director and designer of Spec Ops: The Line, is forming a new studio alongside Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck. Davis has a long history in the industry, including additional credits on Monolith’s F.E.A.R. and Condemned franchises. Finck worked with Davis on the indie horror game, Here They Lie. The new studio that the two are creating is called Eyes Out.

Left to right: Cory Davis, Robin Finck.

Robin Finck has provided music for a few titles himself, including Observation and Noct. In an emailed press release, Davis recounted his first fateful meeting with Finck:

“When I was finishing up work on Here They Lie, Robin wandered into our studio and I felt a very strong connection to his open, creative view of existence, and the power of music. We instantly started working on some prototypes I had in development at the time and together we launched straight toward something unexpected. Robin’s vibrant and boundless approach to the creative process drives our work far beyond my previous experience. It’s such an exhilarating trip to venture into the darkness together.”

As per its mission statement, Eyes Out is committed to creating atmospheric, digital experiences through the “imaginative use of audio and visuals.” The studio is already working on a single-player “cosmic horror” game with environmental storytelling. 

Cory Davis’ Spec Ops: The Line was well-known for its unexpected finale and nuanced perspective on PTSD in a genre that prioritized shooting mechanics over narrative. In his review, Matt Bertz was a little more critical of the game. Still, he noted its lasting impact, “Spec Ops makes an admirable attempt to inject morality into a standard shooter experience. The narrative unravels at the end and the controls are subpar compared to the top-tier competitors, but the journey into madness is unlike anything I’ve played before.”

Hopefully, Davis and Finck successfully meld their expertise when Eyes Out’s first IP launches.


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Shin Megami Tensei V Unveils New Bethel Trailer

As is often the case in Shin Megami Tensei titles, the fate of the world is at stake and caught in a tug-of-war between the forces of good and evil. And, if other games in the franchise are anything to go on, perhaps other factions and philosophies as well. Often, your choices during the game lead to various different ending states. Shin Megami Tensei V looks like it’s probably going in this direction as well. We won’t have too long to wait until we are making those big choices, as the game is set to land on the Switch on November 12. Today, a new trailer hit that you can check out below.

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While you can pretty much set your watch by Shin Megami Tensei games and their core formulas, we’ve already seen some shifts in direction for V. Still, today’s trailer gives us a peek at some things that look like they’re playing it close to the established franchise roots. A look at a classic unit from the series, the Archangel, is available in detail from a screen here and we see plenty of the staples in play. We’ve seen all those abilities before, so we know for sure that the famous “one-hit kill” abilities like Hama are going to be around to dish out some pain – be sure to get protection for your allies and yourself!

The press-turn system is back, so be ready to exploit the elemental weaknesses of your enemies, and be sure to craft a well-tuned group of demons that won’t have extreme vulnerabilities. Yes, demonic negotiation is back! You’ll have to sweet talk, bribe, and intimidate the many enemies you meet on the journey into your service. And then you can sacrifice them and combine them to create new and terrifying creations full of incredible moves! Yep, this is SMT alright, and November can’t get here soon enough.

Are you looking forward to Shin Megami Tensei V? Let us know in the comments!

Destiny 2 Season Of The Splicer’s Conclusion Is A Perfect Picture Of Duality, Pain, And New Beginnings

Destiny 2’s Season of the Splicer has finally reached its end, and not only did it bring chills and tears, but it also brings hope for the franchise’s future. The latest season did more than bring new game aspects into the shooter, such as the Expunge and Override events, transmog, and much-needed Stasis tweaks in PvP. It also continued what Season of the Chosen beautifully laid out: a story that transformed the online adventure’s weaknesses into strengths and provided Guardians with a tale that has as many twists as it does heartbreaks. 

Warning: Massive spoilers lay ahead for the Splicer epilogue, so I recommend not reading past this point if you have not played it yet. 

We’ve previously talked about the quiet strength of The Crow in this season and the feels-heavy turning point in the current season’s narrative concerning a certain Saint-14. Still, the epilogue of Splicer truly did the story justice while expertly teasing a tumultuous time ahead with the upcoming Witch Queen expansion. But like in my earlier deep dive about Saint’s awakening, I can’t help but be in awe of where the game is now despite its rough launch and vaulting of half of its content. On paper, that should be a pretty massive nail in Destiny 2’s coffin, but instead, it has been a rebirth that makes me more excited than I have ever been about what’s next. 

If you’ve followed literally any of my news coverage about the game this season, you know I’ve been mad suspicious about Osiris, and the epilogue vindicated my suspicions. But first, let’s go back a little for some background information: For those who are still here and haven’t worked their way through the latest season yet, Splicer centers around the Fallen and hacking the Vex network. When humans offered shelter to House Light Fallen within the Last City, Lakshmi-2, the leader of Future War Cult, couldn’t let go of prejudices and her own suspicions. She thinks that bringing the Fallen into the fold will result in disaster, a calamity purposefully perpetuated by the displaced Fallen. It’s been exciting hearing her back and forth. Saint-14, the lover of Osiris, initially echoed her suspicion. Still, Osiris’ compassion and desire to do good in the world, as well as Saint’s own interaction within the Last City, offered a chance for him to open up his worldview and put him on the path of letting go of his ignorance. After speaking with Mithrax throughout the season and learning how Guardians are monsters to them like the Fallen are to the Guardians, the characters reached an understanding in a moment of honesty and vulnerability. Unfortunately, FWC’s leader wasn’t swayed, and she paid the ultimate price. 

Earlier in the season, Minthrax spoke to Osiris’ lover and told him the Eliksni tale of “The Saint,” a Guardian that killed swaths of Fallen, even children, with no mercy and of the fear that the name brought to his people, we saw a different side to our own people. We saw the hidden nature that everyone has within them: the potential to be the villain, despite intentions. The potential to be wrong. Honestly, the way this entire interaction went down was incredibly raw and made my heart clench much in the same way that Season of the Chosen did. Seeing Saint murder with abandon, seeing how the Fallen perceived that act of violence, only further humanized this species within the Destiny universe. While Saint himself did not respond immediately, the scene sets up the story’s future in a breathtaking manner. An evolution that, when paired with the fact that many important NPCs in the Last City are hearing Savathun’s song, made me feel that we – as Guardians – were screwed beyond compare. After the epilogue, I’m now convinced I was completely right.

The ending of Splicer saw one more adventure into the Override event, this time following a broadcast where Lakshmi declared that the Future War Cult herded the Fallen in the City to take them out once and for all. And – plot twist – Osiris helped her. The end of the broadcast cut off abruptly with Saint’s cry out, leading our Guardians out into battle once more. Like the parallel witnessed at the end of Season of the Chosen, another parallel can be seen here. In the talk seen between Minthrax and Saint earlier in the season about Saint’s past with the Fallen, he can be seen standing over an Eliksni and readying the final kill shot. In the epilogue, the same positioning can be seen with Saint-14 and another Fallen, but instead of a weapon, he offers his hand in help instead. When Minthrax tried to get Saint to see it was a losing battle to get him to safety, the Titan proudly declared that “You are my people” and stood firm.  

When I say this moment made me cry and gave me chills, I’m not kidding. As humans, we’ve all had those moments of gut-punching growth where it feels like our entire world has been ripped out from beneath our feet, only to realize later that where we landed is a much better place than where we were before. That’s growth, that life. Seeing Saint’s own growth, his acceptance of change at becoming his higher self is inspiring. It’s relatable. The ongoing narrative of Splicer, much like Chosen, even spaced out the story in a way that fit the live-service formula, providing meaning to the grind and the new events. And don’t even talk to me about the later Expunge missions where Savathun is directly talking to us. Not our Guardian, but us the player. If you’re interested in my tinfoil hat conspiracy theories about that one, I dove into that here

As a bonus, we got to see Holiday, Zavala, and Ikora all kick all of the ass alongside one another once more, and it was epic. Ikora’s smirk when she let out her inner fighter was nothing short of perfect, and seeing Holiday sight down her weapon with the skill that we all know she has? Beautiful.

The epilogue wasn’t just a moment of growth and a heartwarming display of rediscovering compassion. We know this is going nowhere good with Savathun walking freely in the City. That foreboding sense of what’s next increased tenfold when Osiris can be seen overlooking the battle, even as Saint’s fear is heard over not being able to find his partner. When I saw the calm look on Osiris’ face, a character known for his kindness and benevolence, my heart sank deep into my belly, and I just knew. I know my theory has to be correct: he has to be who Savathun is hiding within. While that’s not confirmed at this time, I can’t shake the feeling that this is what the next season will center on. Savathun’s disguise will be revealed, but what happens then? Can we find the real Osiris? Is he dead? Or, am I wrong, and it’s someone else entirely? That remains to be seen, but we know that Bungie is hosting a special showcase on August 24 that promises to reveal all.


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Schmooze Some Weapons In Boyfriend Dungeons – New Gameplay Today

Click to watch embedded media

Publisher: Kitfox Games
Developer: Kitfox Games
Release:


(Switch), TBA (PC)

Platform: Switch, PC

Admit it, you’ve looked at a finely crafted sword or dagger before and thought to yourself, “Self, that’s a sexy weapon.” While the thought may have just been a fleeting appreciation – don’t lie, it’s a safe space here – Kitfox Games’ latest adventure, Boyfriend Dungeon, doesn’t let your dreams just be dreams. It also just so happens to be that these weapons turn into smokin’ hot romance options. Today, we’re diving in with no shame, taking a closer look at the world of Boyfriend Dungeon and the love that can be found at the end of a very pointed dagger. 

The premise of Boyfriend Dungeon is simple: Person meets weapon. Person accepts weapon turns into a human. Person dates weapon. Person dates all the weapons. A perfectly fine weekend, if you ask us. Playing as a character that has left home to find themselves, you’ll come across a variety of different people to learn more about. Some of them will feel platonic, which means more friends in your corner, while others will capture that fancy with an intense fire. And when you’re not schmoozing on epic dates and sipping on fine wine, you’re defeating deadly monsters in the … mall. These are no normal foes, either. These hungry foes come in the shape of old-school flip phones, VHS tapes, and other nostalgic throwbacks. It’s a wild ride and one that doesn’t take itself too seriously while also showing the beauty of human connection. And if you happen to meet some cuties throughout your adventure? Well, the more the merrier. 

So join Alex Stadnik, Dan Tack, and Liana Ruppert as they dive into the hidden magic of Boyfriend Dungeon. There’s talk of boning, turning down d-bags, and just chatting about what a charming rogue lite this is. So come hang out and join the fun before checking out Boyfriend Dungeon for yourself on Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch, as well as Xbox Game Pass!


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Nier Reincarnation Is One Of The Best Console-Like Games On Mobile

Historically, most mobile games have been seen as casual experiences known for streamlined controls, inviting color palettes, story-lite loops, and dreaded thirty-second ads. Classic arcade and puzzle titles – remember Temple Run? How about Candy Crush Saga? – continue to flourish on the small(est) screens because they aren’t massive timesinks with rigorous learning curves. However, more involved genres like battle royale and RPGs have been topping the Android and iOS most-played charts in recent years. Lengthy narratives and skill-based gameplay loops have come in console/PC-ports like Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile. Nier Reincarnation, however, employs a happy medium. Heartfelt plotlines with striking visuals, Keiichi Okabe’s mesmerizing score, unintrusive microtransactions, and simple, but rewarding, combat controls establish Reincarnation as one of the best console-like games on mobile devices. 

I recently talked with the creators behind Reincarnation leading up to its launch last month. When asked about the biggest challenges that development studio Applibot faced when bringing the console-based franchise to phones, co-director Daichi Matsukawa noted the importance of staying true to what made previous entries so captivating.

“There are certain elements that make a game feel like it belongs to the Nier series, such as a beautiful atmosphere, subdued overtones, and immersive and beautiful background music,” Matsukawa said. “As these elements are present in the previous Nier games, we were really picky about getting them right. I got an impression of softness from the previous title, Nier: Automata, so we made various adjustments to Reincarnation to ensure that you get that same gentle or soft impression from playing or watching it, like when you touch the screen or watch the characters move. Often, it wouldn’t be easy to properly execute those elements with a mobile device’s specs, so it was challenging to figure out how to resolve that. But I think we were able to include those elements, and I’m glad about that.”

Indeed, Reincarnation is a continuation of Replicant/Gestalt and Automata’s morbid, existential motifs. Washed-out grays, bright whites, and murky darks replace the vivid color schemes that most mobile games are known for. This is intentional because Reincarnation is nothing if not devastatingly melancholic.

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Instead of starring as a vengeful warrior or an elite android, you roam the never-ending corridors and spiral staircases of a temple-prison, called “The Cage,” as the young, amnesiac “girl of light.” A floating ghost named Mama tags along for the ride, providing status reports (like Grimoire Weiss and the pods) as well as motherly advice when needed. Together, you activate wispy totems called “dark scarecrows” to progress through The Cage’s many layers. There are many terminologies to parse through and comprehend, but, ultimately, Reincarnation’s subject matter is about death, grief, and atonement. 

These three themes are most prevalent during “Weapon Stories.” Once you click on a dark scarecrow, the third-person camera gives way to side-scrolling, picture-book sequences recounting ancient lineages. A fully-voiced narrator provides welcome context for any on-screen events – from two sisters hunting boar in a lush forest to a soldier guarding the makeshift gravesite of his fallen prince. Despite their brevity, each monologue bursts with emotional turmoil – you know, the good stuff! At first glance, these tales appear unrelated to one another; merely, stand-alone accounts with no direct connection to the girl of light’s odyssey. But as I continued navigating the inner recesses of The Cage, this couldn’t have been further from the truth. It was impressive to see how the different characters intersected with one another in increasingly important ways.

When I asked creative director Yoko Taro where Reincarnation fits into the entire Nier timeline, he expectedly said, “That’s all a secret.” And when I bit off more than I could chew by inquiring about any possible hints towards the next chapter in the series, he humorously responded with, “This is a secret, too. I’m starting to worry if the interviewer won’t lose their job … ” Needless to say, you must hop into Reincarnation to unearth the answers to these questions, but, take it from me, the journey is absolutely worth the heartbreak that awaits.

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At the end of a prospective Weapon Story, you take to gorgeous battlefields with three party members, or “summons,” to defeat waves of enemies using appropriate elemental weaknesses. Each summon is beautifully realized and has a preferred weapon type. For instance, my mechanical cowboy shines with a revolver in his hand, while my soft-spoken, boyish mage appropriately contributes more value when equipped with a staff. Basic attacks are automated, but, like ATB gauges in Final Fantasy, you wait for powerful skills to charge so they can be chained for bonus damage. Creature designs leave a lot to be desired, which is shocking considering the artistic pedigree of the Nier series. Nevertheless, the split-second action means you’ll often decimate these foes in record time – if your “total force” (average of your summons’ power levels) is high enough, of course. 

Enhancing weapons and summons is key to success while completing main and subquests. You get a bevy of materials and currency – some of which are practically indiscernible from one another – after completing objectives and logging in. You can exchange these materials for specific items, use them to create stronger loadouts to defeat tough adversaries, or try spinning the invisible lootbox roulette wheel. Unfortunately, according to in-game ratios, lady luck is only on your side two percent of the time. “From a player’s perspective, I think there might always be a negative impression of gacha, no matter how much we try to make it different,” Matsukawa said. He would go on to emphasize the following: 

“One of our core concepts of this title is to deliver a gameplay experience that is akin to a console game, so there are different design elements we’ve incorporated to achieve this, such as a level design that allows for you to play the game without having to pull gacha, as well as running various campaigns for an opportunity to obtain characters. Our theme is to build a Nier game that people will want to play for a long time, so as we go into live operations, we will strive to implement content and updates that allow for players to take their time, play bit by bit, and really enjoy the experience.”

And this is where Nier Reincarnation creates a space for itself above other contemporary mobile titles. The allure of acquiring a 2B summon is hardly ever in the forefront of my mind because it’s neatly tucked away behind extensive menus. Advertisements don’t break immersion at timed intervals, and a chunk of gems are obtainable from simply playing the game. At one point, I even accumulated a whopping 12,000 gems from routine tasks like grinding. Regardless of platform, plenty of titles are notorious for excessive, disruptive marketing. Reincarnation often looks and feels like a seventh-generation console game blended seamlessly with a portable device’s intuitive, accessible controls. 

“There are still lots of players in the world who have yet to play a Nier series title, so our hope was that we could reach these people by offering this on the mobile platform,” executive producer Yosuke Saito told me. Based on the hundreds of hours pre-registration players and post-launch community members have already clocked in, Reincarnation looks primed to garner the same level of success as the Nier games preceding it. 


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Dreamscaper – New Gameplay Today

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Developer: Afterburner Studios
Release:

Platform: Switch, PC

Dreamscaper is out now for PC and Switch. What is Dreamscaper? Well, it’s a roguelike romp through, as you probably guessed by the title, dreamscapes. As the character Cassidy, you’re tasked with navigating both the dream world and what appears to be the waking world as you unravel mysteries and acquire a ton of various unlockables. Dreamscaper is part of the more recent wave of roguelikes, decidedly in the roguelite camp, meaning that the player is constantly unlocking new things to find on runs and also gaining permanent power boosts. 

While you only have one “life” to live each time you dive into dreams, you’ll come back bolstered better than ever before. The more you play, the more builds you have to unlock, discover, and combine, syncing together powerful melee attacks, ranged firepower, and magic dream abilities. Dreamscaper also offers a rather newish concept in the roguelite genre that you can turn on or off, an ability known as lucid dreaming that makes you just a bit harder to take down every single run, assuring that you’ll continue to make progress at a good pace even if you can’t master each boss fight or room configuration.

Dreamscaper offers players a multitude of tools to explore including a parry system for deflecting enemy attacks, including projectiles right back at foes. Don’t feel like parrying? You can perfect dodge your way to victory with the right timing. While it may seem there are a ton of abilities on deck when you begin, you’ll eventually get comfortable weaving together huge combos of both defensive and offensive-oriented fare for great effect, able to topple bosses that were once intimidating with blazing speed and finesse.

Check out more in this episode of New Gameplay Today as we walk you through the surreal, enchanting dreamscapes of… Dreamscaper! Have you taken to any of the recent action roguelikes? How about old ones? What’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Everything You Need To Know About Today’s Nintendo Indie World Showcase

Not to be outdone by Microsoft’s ID@Xbox presentation yesterday, Nintendo held another installment of its Indie World showcase today. The 20-minute video was jam-packed with hotly-anticipated titles, several of which are launching today. If you don’t have time to watch the presentation, consider this round-up a quick snapshot of everything the event had to offer. 

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, a funky game heavily inspired by Jet Set Radio, will be a timed Switch console exclusive and it’s launching in 2022. 

Toem is a wholesome photography game set in a beautiful black and white hand-drawn world coming to Switch and PC this fall. 

Loop Hero was one of our favorite games during the first half of 2021, and it’s making its much-requested move to Switch this holiday. You can read our review of the PC version here

Far: Changing Tides, the seafaring sequel to Far: Lone Sails, comes to Switch as well as other platforms and PC in early 2022. 

Necrobarista: Final Pour serves as a Director’s Cut to 2020’s Necrobarista that adds new story content and remastered visuals. It also features a new studio mode that allows you to create your own stories and dialogue. It lands on Switch later today as a timed console exclusive

Toem

Garden Story, an adorable game where you play as a grape that we recently featured in our list of most anticipated Zelda-likes, gets a surprise launch today as a timed Switch console exclusive. 

The dating sim meets dungeon crawler Boyfriend Dungeon comes to Switch later today. It’s a trip, and you can read our extensive preview of the game to find out why. 

Hold on to your butts because Axiom Verge 2, the long-awaited sequel to the acclaimed Axiom Verge, is coming to Switch…today!

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is a match-style puzzle game that was announced a while back, but now we know it’s coming to Switch this holiday. Furthermore, scanning Shovel Knight amiibo summons a fairy helper for assistance. 

Islanders Console Edition is a procedural island city builder with a chill atmosphere releasing today as a timed Switch console exclusive

Metal Slug Tactics was one of our most pleasant surprises to emerge during this year’s E3 season, and the colorful strategy spin-off is heading to Switch after previously being confirmed for PC. It also got a 2022 launch window. 

Tetris Effect: Connected, the multiplayer spin on the beloved Tetris Effect, makes its long-awaited jump to Switch on October 8

metal slug

Metal Slug Tactics

Astroneer makes the journey to Switch in January 2022

Hundred Days – Winemaking Simulator pours a new glass on Switch this holiday

Slime Rancher: Plortable Edition comes to Switch today, giving you plenty of time to prepare for next year’s sequel.

LumbearJack, a game about using your axe to recycle trash as a happy bear, makes its Switch debut in 2022. 

Curious Expedition 2 is a turn-based narrative roguelike arriving to Switch later today. 

Gang Beasts brings its silly brand of multiplayer to Switch this fall. 

Eastward

The gorgeous Eastward closed things out with a confirmed release date of September 16. It will be a timed Switch console exclusive and stars two characters exploring a ruined yet gorgeous pixel art world inspired by 90’s Japanese animation. You can read more about it in this previous round-up


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Life Is Strange: Remastered Collection Delayed To 2022 To Alleviate Additional Pressure On The Team UPDATE

Life is Strange: True Colors is just around the corner, and while the team over at Deck Nine is working on Alex’s story, as well as the Wavelengths DLC that stars Steph Gingrich, the studio did announce a delay for the Life is Strange: Remastered Collection. 

Deck Nine offered an update on the Life is Strange series in a recent social media post, including confirmation that Life is Strange: True Colors will arrive on September 10, with the Wavelengths DLC slated for a September 30 release. Life is Strange: Remastered was originally expected to launch around the same time, but Deck Nine wants to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its team, which is incredibly important. To do just that, the decision has been made to push back the Remastered Collection to sometime early 2022. 

Deck Nine via Twitter

In recent years, hidden studio culture has been slowly coming to light. We’re seeing it now with the Activision Blizzard lawsuit. We’ve seen it with other studios like Rockstar Games, Riot, and Ubisoft, and we’ve even seen worrisome reports from indie studios, as well. Now, more than ever, teams must look out for one another to promote safe and healthy work environments. Not just in games but all industries. Though it’s easy to be a little disappointed when an anticipated title is pushed back, it’s better to take care of those crafting these adventures than to burn out the experience totally. Whenever the Remastered Collection arrives, we’re excited to dive back into the journey of Max and Chloe once more. 

UPDATE: The Nintendo Switch version of Life is Strange has also been pushed back: 

To learn more about the world of Life is Strange, be sure to check out our True Colors hub here to learn more about the newest protagonist and the darker side of empathy. 


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Axiom Verge 2 Review – Lost In Another World

Publisher: Thomas Happ Games
Developer: Thomas Happ Games
Release:

Reviewed on: PC
Also on:
PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch

Thomas Happ’s 2015 Axiom Verge is a triumph of both singular vision and nostalgia. The scope of that project was astounding, as it was accomplished almost entirely by a single person. That release also earned its reputation as the most Metroid-like game ever released that didn’t actually bear the name. Years later, the sequel is more confident in its strides away from that core inspiration, but it remains no less impressive in size and breadth. Players can anticipate a lengthy and thoughtfully crafted adventure through gear-gated paths and an elaborate science fiction narrative. But, Axiom Verge 2 is also a game that skirts the line between demanding patience and inducing frustration. The pacing lacks some of the big moments that might lend structure and excitement, and the many interconnected corridors begin to blend into a long and confusing blur.

Protagonist Indra Chaudhari is an eccentric billionaire hoping to track down her missing and estranged daughter. Her search takes her to an abandoned Antarctic research station and a cargo elevator that opens into an entirely different world governed by bizarre physics, technology, and history. Only the most fervent followers of Axiom Verge lore will detect the connective tissue to the first game. Still, alternate universes and the nature of consciousness are concepts very much at play. The story flirts with themes of identity and the question of what makes us human, but even with some sophisticated ideas, I was a bit let down by the story. One significant beat early in the plot offers a surprising shift in the narrative and gameplay direction, but much of what follows lacks the revelatory follow-through I hoped to find.

If there’s a reason to play, it’s to marvel at the immaculate level design and the clever upgrades that open up new paths for exploration. The character improvements are intriguing, from navigating a remote drone through tiny openings to exploding into a swarm of nanites to knock down a boulder. The most exciting aspect to exploring is the overlay of an entire second world on top of the first, and both have slightly different geometries and upgrades to track down. Puzzles often take advantage of this dual-world dynamic, demanding you think in multiple dimensions. The experience is trippy and often satisfying in its challenge.

New ranged and melee weapons are upgradable for some added kick, and a skills progression system allows further arsenal improvement, health expansion, and more. There’s even a hacking tool to upgrade, providing the chance to open particular locked doors or turn aggressive enemy technologies into allies. Even though the upgrades and weapons are fun, the combat never takes off. Individual enemies often feel like nuisances rather than a challenge. Several large optional monsters are scattered across the map, but overcoming them rarely demands great skill. And in an unusual twist, given the genre, the game has only a couple of encounters that you might term as bosses, and even those lack depth.

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The gradual unlocking of the Axiom Verge 2 map leads to several enjoyable moments of discovery. Many of the hidden paths and locked-away improvements made me smile.  Unfortunately, I found those moments of progress and discovery unevenly paced. Just as I began to get in the flow of exploration and the map opening up, I would hit a wall. The massive size of the map, usually a thing I’d celebrate, suddenly became a barrier to my enjoyment as I slowly backtracked through dozens of rooms, looking for a newly opened space. The map is hard to read and contains few clear indicators for blocked paths or the location of unreachable items.

Along with the odd absence of meaningful boss encounters or story beats, the sprawling map gave me a sense of aimlessness and consistent confusion. Without a doubt, some of that vibe is inherent to any game inspired by the likes of Metroid. But here, I found the sensation overwhelming, sometimes taking me out of the otherwise pleasant rhythm of discovery and exploration.

Nonetheless, even when Axiom Verge 2 left me frustrated, I never lost the sense of its intelligent design and mind-bending premise. With these first two games, Happ has laid the groundwork for a particularly weird and captivating fiction, and we’ve only just scratched the surface of its secrets. While I hope I don’t have to wait another six years to play Axiom Verge 3, I’m fascinated enough to have a controller at the ready for its inevitable return.

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Score: 7.75

Summary: Striding more confidently free of its Metroid inspirations, Axiom Verge 2 is a worthy successor, but it takes patience to fully enjoy.

Concept: Explore an alternate dimension of winding corridors and forgotten technology in this mostly standalone follow-up

Graphics: The pixel graphics are evocative and colorful, but that stylistic choice has a cost, especially when trying to read the map

Sound: The novel soundtrack draws harmonies from various world music traditions while mixing in a healthy dose of punchy synth sounds

Playability: The ramp-up of new abilities and gear is steady, but a game this focused on exploration needs more tools to manage navigation

Entertainment: Clever level design and consummate world-building are great fun, even if the pacing and exploration sometimes lead to frustration

Replay: Moderately High

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Boyfriend Dungeon Launches On Nintendo Switch Today, So Go Out There And Woo Some Weapons

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If you read our earlier preview about Boyfriend Dungeon, then you know we found it just as entertaining as it is weird. But weird is sometimes good, and Boyfriend Dungeon does weird very well. For those itching to woo some fancy weapons that coincidentally happen to be hot love interests, now’s your time to chase those dreams because it arrives on Nintendo Switch today. 

This game is perfect for those who enjoy games like Dream Daddy, and it starts by allowing you to create your character. The character creation is bare-bones, but you can choose basic options like hair colors, pronouns, and general vibe. Once your character looks the way you want, it’s time to get out there and fight some dunj in a world where even the simplest weapon can be more than it appears. What a crazy coincidence that they all also happen to be ridiculously hot. 

“During my time with the game, I met three of the weapons alongside a few other dating options, and I loved how each person felt wholly unique,” I mentioned in our preview of Boyfriend Dungeon. “Too often, with games like these, there’s the trap of trying to present the “ideal” love interest. The original vision gets convoluted with either a copy/paste formula for characters or completely disrupting the game’s cohesion. Boyfriend Dungeon keeps it simple, pulling from popular ‘types’ and putting a creative spin on them. Even the characters I didn’t have any personal interest in were still entertaining to talk to, and I felt like they had a lot to offer this world with their unique perspectives, weapon abilities, and text chat style.”

The romance simulator arrives on Nintendo Switch today, August 11, and is also set to launch on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC sometime later this year. To learn more about the latest Kitfox Games adventure, check out our dedicated game hub right here


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Engage In Sci-Fi Nerf Gun Battles In Nerf: Legends

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Publisher Game Mill Entertainment has pulled the curtain back on Nerf: Legends, a new sci-fi first-person shooter based on the popular Nerf toy line. The game arrives sometime this October and offers a more PG spin on a traditionally mature genre. 

IGN broke the news earlier this morning, and the reveal trailer (posted above) shows off the real-life Nerf weaponry you’ll be using to blast adversaries in the face. 15 different Nerf guns based on the company’s Mega, Ultra, and Elite lines are at players’ fingertips. However, the guns fire laser darts instead of the traditional foam darts, and you can collect power-ups such as seeker, freeze, and magnetic darts. Weapons can be customized with various offensive perks and you can outfit guns and your character with cosmetic skins. 

Nerf: Legends features a single-player campaign that pits players against an army of evil robots across 19 levels. Areas include a fortress spaceport and jungle. Meanwhile, multiplayer modes include 4v4 team battles and an eight-player free-for-all mode. Nerf: Legends supports crossplay across all versions. That would be PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

In other popular-license-turned-popular-game-genre news, Game Mill is also publishing the Super Smash Bros.-style Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, also slated for this year. You can read more about that announcement here


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Axiom Verge 2 Launches Later Today

Axiom Verge was a true sleeper hit when it launched back in 2015. Solo designer Tom Happ’s love letter to classic 2D Metroid games inundated its audience in a world brimming with creepy, sci-fi creatures while maintaining that nostalgic NES/SNES aesthetic. Axiom Verge 2 was first announced during a Nintendo Indies Showcase in 2019. So, it’s fitting that the anticipated Metroid-like would premiere once again. The sequel looks even more intense than the previous entry.

The journey to Axiom Verge 2’s eventual release hasn’t been without hardship: we posted a delay announcement earlier this year. And despite this unfortunate news, the game is still slated for a worldwide launch in just a few days. Joe Juba excitedly reported that the sequel looks to build upon the foundation that the first Axiom Verge established in nuanced ways, “Axiom Verge wasn’t a mere imitator; it built on a solid foundation with its own signature elements. A heady sci-fi story and mind-bending meta elements put a contemporary twist on the familiar formula – and with Axiom Verge 2, players are about to learn even more about this series’ unique identity.”

The first game chronicled the aftermath of a failed experiment. The main character, Trace, awakens after the catastrophe and joins forces with a species of gargantuan robots. Bryan Vore reviewed Axiom Verge and awarded it a rare 9.75 concluding his review with:

“Throughout my time with Axiom Verge, I was constantly excited to explore strange worlds, gain game-changing powerups, and fire off a new gun for the first time. Almost everything you pick up feels meaningful, unlike collecting overabundant missile-capacity expansions that you don’t even need. I heartily applaud Tom Happ’s first solo effort. It’s incredible that he was able to nail every component of game creation in one package. I’ll wait as long as it takes for him to build a follow-up. When everything works this well, why let someone else get in there and screw it up?”

Hopefully, Axiom Verge 2 lives up to the hype when it drops for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC later today.


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