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We Spoke To The Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Team About The Brutal Combat And Living World

Matthew Zimmari — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 19:58:36 +0000

Ahead of the news that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is bringing its release date forward, we had the opportunity to get a hands-on preview of the game including an interesting side quest for Henry in the town of Kuttenberg. Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, the Global PR Manager for Warhorse Studios introduced the game to us, and after our time with the game we had the opportunity to sit down and talk all things KCD 2.

Just like Henry’s story itself, Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s origins is pretty significant – with a successful Kickstarter campaign bringing the game to life. Did you envision from the start the legacy that would be created from that?

TOBIAS: Absolutely. I mean we envisioned the original game, we didn’t envision the success that would be there! Honestly there were two sink or swim situations; one was the Kickstarter – if that would have failed then we would have shut up and just gone. The second was the actual release of KCD – because the press were reacting well, but those that we had already hooked in the Kickstarter were our main audience – we didn’t know at the time how regular players would receive the game.

I can remember the time when we were traveling to our publisher back in the early days, in Munich where they had their head offices, and we were in the car talking to our CEO doing guesses like “one million copies, is that the same thing, will we sell it? And if so, maybe in the first year or half a year”. Nobody would have guessed that within a week we had hit the million, and then within a year it was the second million. We believed in the game and we knew it was good and put our trust in it, but we didn’t know it would bring this much success.

Unlike so many other games that focus on adding fantasy elements to their games, KCD:II is grounded in history and realism. What is it like bringing inspirational and historic places such as Kuttenberg to life?

T: Oh, it’s amazing. But not only for us – what I find fascinating is that KCD is more – and I don’t mean to sound arrogant in this way – but it’s more than just a video game. For Czech Republican people, it feels more like a cultural export kind of thing: when the city of Kuttenberg found out that we would set KCD: II in their town, the mayor who played the first game was absolutely shitting kittens – he was like “Okay, okay, breathe everyone!” He wanted to be heavily involved, they wanted to fill up their tourist information stands with KCD merch and pictures and stuff.

When KCD: II was announced, it was on the public news in the evening, and on public broadcasts – I mean, imagine BBC would talk about the new English game or whatever, we’re like that’s not happening anywhere else! But this is just a side effect of the game; we want to make a game that is telling a story which is based on events that really happened. So the effect that it had or the side effect is that it had all of these cultural aspects of it.

Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg’s Czech pronunciation) is still a wonderfully medieval city, but we had to take it back to 1403 – so it really is a lot of work, and if you actually think about it, it’s more work than if you create a fantasy world.In a fantasy world you can create whatever you like according to what you need, where we have to create things the other way around, with the elements that already exist.

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Henry’s journey in the first game is immense, and so was the world-building that we got to see. KCD:II is set to be so much bigger, with around 80 to 100 hours of gameplay; how do you balance the expectations of returning players while making it accessible for new players as well?

T: Very good question. KCD:II is an absolute evolution of the first game, right? So this in itself should already – hopefully please the expectations of the fans of the first game. They want more of the same but to make it better, and that is exactly what we did – more of the same, but made it way bigger.

So everything you know from KCD was transferred to the second game and improved – the learning curve wasn’t as steep as it was before, it should be more accessible and just more enjoyable, and the package should feel more rounded without having to dumb it down or making it too easy to digest for everyone.

It’s still a special game that does things differently to most other games – we don’t drag you by the arm through the game, it still requires you to think about the situation. [The preview we played] was just a tiny side-quest; we told you that you had to steal a sword, but how you do it is totally up to you, there’s no visual hints, no GPS or whatever, you have to make your own way.

For the newcomers its still just a very deep roleplaying experience with knights and castles, and that’s pretty much everything they need to know; we want to make sure nobody feels out of place or that they’ve been left out of something. The beginning of the game focuses a little bit on what happened in the first game, not too much because it’s not all that relevant. We tell you “here’s you, here’s your best friend, this is your current task, good luck and have fun”. The rest comes from either Henry being haunted by his nightmares which will slowly tell you what happened, but 90% of the people you’ll meet will be absolutely new.

Following on from this, the NPCs in the game have been said to be totally unique with their own lives. How hard was that to implement, and how important was it to the team to do so?

T: Really, really very hard because the city itself has a thousand NPCs or so, but there’s a huge amount of people who all go through daily cycles – not everyone has their name or whatever, so at some point its very hard to just have them all be unique. But we have a very good technical system for clothing and for looks and hair and so on, so at least they look different – some of them will have names and some of them are really important for the game.

The baseline we crafted already in KCD where the NPCs have daily cycles is actually beneficial – and placed into the RPG system it is tricky for development because everything can mess with it. So if the character wakes up in the morning and washes themselves then goes to work, after work they might go to the pub. When they go to the pub they might get tipsy, and when they get tipsy they’re easier to pickpocket, so you can wait for them to come out and you can try to pickpocket them easier or whatever.

The quest you played today – you had to steal the sword. If you went to the location during the day, all the doors are open; but everyone is there and awake, and they are all roaming around, so stealth gameplay will be harder. But if you enter the location during the night, the doors are locked, but its easier to move around because everyone is asleep or not around. The daily cycles are there not to be abused, but for you to work with them and use them to your advantage – if you try things during the day and fail, you can try again at night. Or you can poison their food, they all die, but then another NPC will not like that you killed people. So they definitely have an impact on the game.

We’re pressed for time, so our last question: Mastery of weapons is in the hands of the player, and this time around there are even more weapons to master, including more ranged weapons such as crossbows. With an already deep combat system, what was it like fine-tuning it this time around?

T: Combat was the biggest feature from KCD that got reworked the most – but when I say reworked, we didn’t change the basis of it. It’s still similar to the first game, swordplay with different attacking zones, but we tried to make it more accessible for the players, so that the learning curve wasn’t as steep as it was before.

The weapons should all feel differently, and play differently. If you take the sword, that’s for the master sword fighter if you’re that kind of person – it has all the deep mechanics and intricate combat styles. But if you feel like you do not want to invest the time into sword-fighting, you don’t have to – you can use the mace or the axe. They’re not worse weapons, they excel at other parts of the game, but they play differently – the axe is something you just whack the enemy in the head with.

Instead of the ‘star’ that’s in front of you (referring to the attack mechanic from KCD) with four movement directions, you only have three or two, or even one. It’s really an RPG question that you as a player decide and work out what works for you. The alchemy system as well, if you use it, you can create great advantages out of it – spread poisons on your weapons, make yourself stronger and so on.

We definitely had a ball playing through KCD:II’s preview mission, and true to Tobias’s statements, none of us played the mission in the exact same way. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is shaping up to be a journey of epic proportions, and we can’t wait to see it when it launches in early 2025.

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Games Coming Out In December 2024 That You Should Be Excited For

Brodie Gibbons — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 22:32:24 +0000

Season’s greetings, the holidays are finally upon us.

Of course, for us Australians, that means crushing heat and a frantic rush to buy Christmas gifts, but it also means we can take refuge inside and play a few games while sitting underneath the air conditioner.

It’s also a good opportunity to get through your backlog before Grandma, with misguided love in her heart, gifts you a monstrously discounted copy of Gollum, leaving you to smile and nod like Bart receiving Lee Carvallo’s Putting Challenge.

But I digress, here are the games we can look forward to in December.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle

Release Date: December 9

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered

Release Date: December 10

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Marvel Rivals

Release Date: December 6

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Nikoderiko: The Magical World

Release Date: December 6

Platforms: PC

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind

Release Date: December 10

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP

Release Date: December 2

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete

Release Date: December 3

Platforms: iOS, Android

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

Release Date: December 3

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer

Release Date: December 5

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

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Resident Evil 2

Release Date: December 10

Platforms: Mac, iOS

The Finals

Release Date: December 12

Platforms: PlayStation 4

On Your Tail

Release Date: December 17

Platforms: PC

Botany Manor

Release Date: December 17

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

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Amazon’s Black Friday Sale Is Now Live And Here’s The Best Gaming Deals

Shannon Grixti — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 00:32:58 +0000

Amazon’s Black Friday sale has now kicked off in full force and there’s a bunch of great games on hardware and accessories well below what we’ve seen before.

You can shop all the best deals HERE we’ve rounded up the best deals below as well:

HARDWARE

GAMES

CONTROLLERS

DualSense Controllers

Xbox Controllers

Nintendo Switch Controllers

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The PlayStation 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro Is The Perfect Celebration Of PlayStation’s History

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 03:29:43 +0000

I’m often too busy writing (or making videos) about games, that I don’t often to think about the important part that they’ve played in my entire life, whether it be playing the NES as a young age of 3-4, to countless school holidays spent playing Goldeneye and Mario Kart 64 on the Nintendo 64, but no console played a more important part in my life than the PlayStation 1.

As the youngest sibling of three, it was my first gaming console that was mine, and it took my love of gaming to a whole new level. One that was less about casually playing with older family members and more about it being an escape for myself, playing through my favourite platformers such as Ape Escape and Crash Bandicoot, and I didn’t really think about about how much that actually impacted the rest of my life up until this point quite as much as it had.

When Sony said that they’d be sending me the 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro, obviously I was excited, but I didn’t expect it to be the full circle moment that it was, making me really reflect on the impact that gaming has had on my life both personally and professionally, and it was this console that originally started it all.

It was bittersweet making this content knowing that so many had missed out, but I took it as my duty to show every aspect of this console as a celebration of PlayStation that we could enjoy in together.

@shannongrixti

The PlayStation 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro is the perfect celebration of PlayStation’s iconic history #Gifted #PS5Pro #PlayStation30thAnniverary #PS5 #PlayStation5Pro #PS5Pro30thAnniversary #PlayStation #PlayStation5

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The outer box of the console features all five PlayStation consoles debossed on each side, starting with the PS5 Pro on the front, the PS3 and PS2 on the sides and the PS4 on the back, leading up to the PS1 on the top of the console, which you need to open to pull the outer sleeve off.

That reveals a more modern PlayStation with the 30th Anniversary logo on top with the PlayStation 30th symbols all over the box, with this one then lifting off to reveal the PS5 Pro in all of its glory, complete with the signature light grey colourway, the OG retro PlayStation logo and the 30th Anniversary on both the bottom of the faceplate, and etched onto the wings (no number for this one).

That’s just the beginning though as behind this is a massive box that has illustrations of all five consoles on it, that houses all the goodies that come with the console. I won’t go into all of the details as the photos and videos speak for themselves, but each item is a celebration of the original PlayStation.

The first item is a poster which I believe there’s 30 different variations of – I quite like mine as it’s got the original PS1 and the PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary.

Both the DualSense and DualSense Edge are the iconic light grey with darker grey accents and the coloured PlayStation logo, with the DualSense Edge also having a matching case and there’s a DualSense charging station (exclusive to this bundle) that matches these perfectly.

You also get a grey vertical stand and for those wanting to get a disc drive to turn your PS5 Pro into a physical console, there’s a disc faceplate in the box as well. Even the manuals and cords are in their own little branded box with little logos on it.

If all of that wasn’t enough, there’s a PlayStation goodies box which has some absolutely incredible items in it. The first is a PS1 inspired USB-C cable clamp that matches with the light grey USB-C PS 30th cable and really completes the console look (I hope this sees a wider release) as well as a PlayStation bubble sticker, paper clip and a set of four PlayStation symbol cable ties.

All of the items in the PlayStation 30th Anniversary range are incredible, celebrate PlayStation’s history perfectly and full of little details, so I hope a bunch of you managed to get something, just to feel the nostalgic gaming magic, if noting else.

The 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro was provided by PlayStation.

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Miniatures Is A Beautiful Collection That Presents Big Issues Through The Perspective Of A Child

Brodie Gibbons — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:59:15 +0000

Miniatures is a sublime collection of short, interactive stories from Other Tales, a small developer that likes to dabble in the otherworldly eeriness of what lurks at the periphery of the known. The more impressive feat is how the team tackles such serious subject matter and frames it through a child’s perspective.

Having the player unlock a keepsake chest, and handle four curios that plunge them into strange tales is an oh-so-curious premise, and I love how open some of these short stories are to interpretation. I’ve managed to pluck and pull at meanings I’m sure no developer intended, but that’s what art is—inflammation of thought and provoking us to ponder on the things we can’t fully reason with. There are big familial issues at the heart of Miniatures, and they’re, clearly, the source of some pain for those behind it.

A sea shell, a screwdriver, a small stone lizard, and a moth patch each serve as catalysts for small, ten-or-so-minute vignettes about life’s challenges.

The House of the Moon, while being about an absent mother, had me thinking about my inverse childhood that saw me grow up without a father figure and how long I obsessed with what was wrong with me, rather than what was wrong with him. Of course, that’s an extremely personal, specific use case to me, but the fact a brief peering through someone else’s lens can draw that out once again speaks volumes to how accessible, albeit strange, Miniatures is as a collection.

Of the four, I do love Familiar the most. It’s a tale as old as time about a flat-pack cabinet that threatens to tear a family apart, to the point they hide it away once it’s together for fear it’ll collapse, leaving the evil presence within to envelope them. It’s also the best argument for each of Miniatures’ tales having its own bespoke art style, as the creepy undertones are punctuated perfectly through the crude, scratchy illustration, and each scene break’s violin screech.

It’s truly artful and feels like a worthwhile indictment of IKEA, whose only value in my household is cheap hot dogs.

Miniatures is, without doubt, an hour well spent. It’s to the point that I’ve been ruminating on these quirky, little accounts far beyond their runtime and I felt there was a small amount of healing done, as I managed to retrospect parts of my past specifically and, with some relief, put them to bed.

Miniatures is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile right now.

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All The Major Announcements From The Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct

James Berich — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:42:12 +0000

While Blizzard didn’t hold a BlizzCon this year, it has still gone all out to make sure its presence is felt this November with a bunch of announcements.

The first of its kind, the Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct broadcast was held this morning. It featured updates on practically everything related to Warcraft, though another franchise also managed to get a look in.

There was a whole bunch shown in the 45-minute presentation, so let’s get to it!

Warcraft and Warcraft II Are Getting The Remaster Treatment

The remasters will boast brand-new, hand-drawn visuals. You can swap between both on the fly as you want too. Both games have been given minor quality-of-life changes like health bars and mission select screens, to help them feel a bit…well…modern. Warcraft has modern controls, including right-click moving and speed improvement. Warcraft II will also include full multiplayer functionality, and legacy custom maps will be compatible with the remaster. Both games are out now.

Mists Of Pandaria Classic Was Revealed

The reveal was less than surprising given how the Classic rollout has happened so far. Regardless, the direct showed off a new cinematic featuring the most fearsome and cuddly denizens of Azeroth. It’s out in 2025.

Housing Is Coming To World of Warcraft With The Midnight Expansion

It’s called Midnight, which we knew already, but the teaser looks to be insinuating that we’ll finally be able to buy and live in our very own house. The expansion will form the second part of a new trilogy that began with The War Within. No release date has been announced.

Patch 2.0 Brings Heaps Of New Features To Warcraft III: Reforged

The update is free of charge to all existing owners of Warcraft III: Reforged and includes overhauls to lighting, environments and UI. All the assets have also been given the uprez treatment and, if they’re not your vibe, you can choose which assets will look like the new style and which will look like the old style. You can grab the update right now.

The Next Mini Set For Hearthstone Is None Other Than Starcraft

It’s the first time Blizzard has explored another world outside of Azeroth this deeply and the biggest set that Heart. The cards will hail from all three factions – the Zerg, Terran and Protoss – and each has a hero to represent them: Kerrigan, Raynor and Artanis respectively. There’s even a murlock dressed in Terran armour which is cute. It’s out in January 2025.

Arena Is Getting A Big Overhaul In Hearthstone

The arena is getting split into two distinct types of play. The first is the normal arena, which features shorter and quicker rounds. The underground arena, on the other hand, has longer matches with a much more “rogue” style of matchmaking. You can be matched with anyone on the underground, so it’s important that your deck is built to perfection before you head there. There are separate rankings for both and the major changes are expected to hit Hearthstone in the first half of 2025.

The Next Year Of Hearthstone Is Three Expansions And Lots of Dinosaurs

The first expansion, Into The Emerald Dream, will focus on a druid conflict long requested by fans, while The Shrouded City will focus on the mighty dinosaurs of the crater. The final expansion of the year will have players exploring time and multiple realities.

Warcraft Rumble Is Coming To PC

While you can log in to the game right now to earn some cool first anniversary goodies, the PC beta begins on December 10th, just a month away.

A Reminder That The Reven Charity Pet Pack Is Available For Two More Months

As detailed last month, the pack is officially available until January 7th, 2025, and purchases of the pack will support CureDuchenne.

A 20th Anniversary Edition Of World Of Warcraft: Classic Resets Things For Those Wanting Something Fresh

The update will bring with it all new fresh realms. They’re launching on November 21st. Everyone starts fresh, you don’t need to rush to Level 60 and it’s the best time to jump into WOW Classic if you missed it in 2019.

Blizzard Detailed The 2025 Roadmap For Both World of Warcraft and Classic Players

There is a HEAP of content coming for those playing on either of the experiences or even both.

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LEGO Horizon Adventures On Nintendo Switch Runs Pretty Damn Well

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 10:57:44 +0000

Performance on Nintendo Switch in 2024 has been a mixed bag, and if there’s one game I didn’t expect to run well it’s LEGO Horizon Adventures, which is a stunning and fairly complex looking game to the point that it has two graphics modes on PS5, so my expectations on Nintendo Switch were low. Booting into the game you’re greeted with the iconic PlayStation intro (which is weird to see on the Switch), but for the most part, it’s largely the same game that is on PS5, which is good news.

I’ve played through a good chunk of the game over the last few days and I’m happy to report that you’re getting a very decent visual experience on the Nintendo Switch. It’s running at 30FPS obviously, and when playing on TV, it runs at a noticeably lower resolution than it does on the PS5, but for the most part, all of the density in the world, the fantastic lighting and the vibrancy all come across to the Nintendo Switch version.

The other part that really surprised me was the load times, which can also be a massive problem on Switch, but they’re fairly instant here, obviously not quite as rapid as the PS5, but still fairly snappy for a game which is important for a game that has you going between levels fairly quick.y

Just like on the PS5, the game has local co-op and online co-op as well, so it really is the full experience that you’re getting, which we were hoping for given it’s $89 (on Amazon) but you can never be too sure with what you’re getting on the Switch these days.

As far as the game goes, you can read Ewan’s review of the game here, but it does feel more at home on Switch, given it does feel to be aimed at younger audiences. I can really see this resonating with Switch gamers more than those loading it into their PS5.

In his review, Ewan gave it a 6.5/10 and said: “In many regards, LEGO Horizon Adventures accomplishes what it set out to do: it effectively summarises the story of Horizon Zero Dawn into an approachable all-ages adventure. However, in simplifying the mechanics of Horizon Zero Dawn, they have omitted what makes Horizon and LEGO games special. The Horizon world has been lovingly reimagined in LEGO but overly basic combat and a lack of interactivity hold it back. LEGO Horizon Adventures is salvaged somewhat by a gorgeous art style, a fun retelling of the story and well-executed cooperative features, but the pieces don’t quite all click into place.”

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The Monster Hunter Wilds Beta Left Me Extremely Eager To Play More

Harry Kalogirou — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:34:29 +0000

If there’s one thing that’s become clear to me after spending some time with Monster Hunter Wilds’ open beta, it’s that Monster Hunter is changing. Not just in the way that there’s new combat mechanics, weapon changes, and monsters – but in a manner that’s uprooting the foundations the older games have been built on.

Where Monster Hunter World captured the hearts of many new players by modernising CAPCOM’s timeless formula, Wilds is seeking to do something new with it. It’s a bittersweet sensation as a longtime fan, but one I’m happy to embrace if this snapshot of Wilds is what we can expect with the full game.

If Monster Hunter Rise is reminiscent of a bygone era of Monster Hunter, Wilds is a confident embarkation into the ideas brought to the series with World. After character creation and a quick story introduction, you’re let loose into Monster Hunter Wilds’ living world. The ecosystem of the Forbidden Lands feels alive. This sentiment also rung true in World, but Wilds feels like it goes so much further in this regard. Monsters roam around in packs, endemic life is scattered through different environments, and a dynamic weather system is constantly shifting the environment.

The seamless nature of this environment is also found in Wilds’ general structure. There’s no longer a need to return to the Gathering Hub post-hunt, you can remain in the open world, looking for the next target that’s unlucky enough to happen upon you during your travels. It a fluid, no frills gameplay loop that’s somewhat blurred the line between preparing for a hunt and actually undertaking it. Part of me misses that regimented structure of old, it feels odd to not return to base as you work out your next hunt over a meal, but it also isn’t a bad change. It’s a different kind of Monster Hunter experience.

If there’s one thing that feels more familiar, it’s the combat and weapon design. The core roster is here, most of which fulfill the promise of their distinct fantasies with some fun new additions. The bow feels particularly great to use, with a focus on new movement options that makes for a high-octane dodge centric playstyle that keeps you in the fight and dishing out damage.

The big new addition in Wilds is the introduction of the Wound and Focus systems. By holding the left trigger, you’ll enter Focus, making it easier for you to target a particular area of the monster. Eventually, these areas will become wounded, which are highlighted red while in Focus mode. Wounds take more damage from your regular attacks, much like tenderising from Iceborne, only you don’t have to commit to refreshing every few minutes. These wounds can also be exploited with Focus Strikes, giving you access to certain weapon mechanics and devastating attacks that will often knock a monster down at the cost of removing the wound.

It’s a fun expansion on the tenderise idea introduced in Iceborne but it does feel shallower in these early hunts when compared to other combat additions in recent Monster Hunter titles (rest in peace, Wirebug). It’s easy to fall into a loop of creating a bunch of wounds and immediately using a Focus Strike for big damage or a free knockdown. It’s nice to have something to work towards in regards to unlocking the full potential of your weapon in a hunt, but I hope there’s more thought and deliberation on how to best use Focus Strikes to maximise the damage you get from a wound.

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One thing I’m not so torn on is the monsters. Even in the small selection that the beta brings, there are some really fantastic new designs and ideas here. The lumbering Doshaguma combines the bear-like tendencies of Azuros with the hulking size of Goss Harag and the Chatacabra feels like a monster from early Monster Hunter in all the right ways. My undisputed favourite is Rey Dau, a new flying wyvern that conjures up thunderstorms and makes use of electricity with lethal efficiency. I simply can’t wait to see what else the game has in store in this regard, as there’s some real highlights here.

It’s also remarkable how much is packed into this world when you’re exploring. The slinger makes a much welcome return from World, now allowing you to nab resources and activate endemic life from a distance on top of its usual functionalities. It feels great to set off a Paratoad at just the right moment as you hit it from a distance with your slinger, or to knock monsters loose as the clamber on top of unstable terrain. The size of the map here also isn’t an issue thanks to the Seikret – a bipedal bird wyvern you can ride ala the Palamutes from Rise.

While I remain skeptical of the longevity of certain combat additions in Monster Hunter Wilds, I’ve come away from my time with the beta impressed and eager to play more. This is an undisputed evolution of Monster Hunter, one that feels more experimental and risky than any that’s come before it. It’s strange after pouring so many hours into Rise and Sunbreak over the last few years, but I’ve little doubt that my playtime for Wilds will come to rival other recent Monster Hunter titles.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches on the 28th of February, 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design

Shannon Grixti — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:00:38 +0000

Whilst what we can tell you about the PS5 Pro is still super limited, I can talk about the actual hardware now, and after a handful of days with the PS5 Pro on my entertainment unit, I’m a massive fan of the design with the hardware blending the best parts of both consoles.

Love it or hate it, the original PS5 and all of the accessories that have released for it have such a strong design style that PlayStation has really pulled over the PS5 Pro in a more futuristic and premium way. The console has the same height of the original PS5 console but pulls over the four plate design (as well as the thinness) of the PS5 Slim with an even more distinct middle section that resembles racing strips, of the triple tier that the PS4 Pro incorporated.

A major difference when it comes to the faceplates is that they’re all matte on the Pro whilst the Slim had a mix of two glossy and two matte, and this is much appreciated on the Pro.

I actually really prefer this design and I think it looks less awkward than the single strip between the PS5 Slim. Overall, whilst not as small as the Slim, it still feels a lot less of a behemoth, and comparing it to the original PS5, which I’ve been picking up a lot over the last week, it’s a lot lighter, and feels a lot less thicker, which is impressive given the output.

Just like on the PS5 Slim, on one side under two of the faceplates, there’s not a lot to look at, but on the other side, you have a PS5 disc drive slot which has a very simple single connector that allows the disc drive to slot in super easily, and on the top plate on that same side you have the empty SSD slot that accompanies the larger internal 2TB SSD.

As part as ports go it’s an identical array to what was on the Slim with two USB-C ports on the front (no more USB-A like the original PS5 on the front), two USB-A ports on the back, an ethernet port, HDMI and power, with the relevant cables as well as an original DualSense controller in the box.

Exactly with the PS5 Slim, there’s two horizontal plastic legs that plug into the console which I much prefer to the original PSs5 stand that would slip and slide with the console in horizontal mode. If you’re wanting to put your PS5 on the vertical position, there’s a $50 stand that you can buy, that isn’t necessary in order for the PS5 to stand up, but it does look fantastic if you’re someone who has your PS5 on display.

Outside of this, there isn’t a heap to talk about when it comes to the actual physical design of the PS5 Pro. It’s an extremely nice looking console and carries on the very clear design aesthetic that has been strong throughout this whole generation, so stay tuned to see how the inside of the console builds on the foundation that PlayStation has laid so far.

The PS5 Pro launches on November 7th. You can grab it from Amazon for $1,199.95 HERE.

The post The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design appeared first on Press Start.

Games Coming Out In November 2024 That You Should Be Excited For

Brodie Gibbons — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:27:16 +0000

With the scary season in the rearview, we can now look to November as we draw ever closer to the busy holiday period.

Although it isn’t as busy a month as October was, I do feel as though November is exceptionally well-rounded with big games coming from all of the big three with LEGO Horizon Adventures, Mario & Luigi Brothership, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 standing out as big highlights.

And, of course, we’d be remiss to call out S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. The plight of this team is well-documented and for them to be rounding the corner and launching a game with all they’ve endured is huge.

Let’s see just what we can look forward to in November.

LEGO Horizon Adventures

Release Date: November 14

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5

Cheapest Price – Amazon – $99 (free delivery)

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Release Date: November 19

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S

Mario & Luigi Brothership

Release Date: November 7

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Cheapest Price: Amazon – $68 (free delivery)

Slitterhead

Release Date: November 8

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Metal Slug Tactics

Release Date: November 5

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Release Date: November 21

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch

Nine Sols

Release Date: November 26

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The post Games Coming Out In November 2024 That You Should Be Excited For appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To MachineGames About Crafting An Authentic Indiana Jones Video Game

Brodie Gibbons — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:58:51 +0000

During our hands-on session with the upcoming MachineGames title, and Xbox exclusive, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, we were fortunate enough to get a few minutes to chat with the game’s lead designer, Zeke Virant.

Formerly of Avalanche Studios Group, Virant has been with MachineGames since 2020. We chatted about what went into making an authentic Indiana Jones experience, how that differs from Wolfenstein, and how the PlayStation port came to be.

How important to Machine Games was nailing the tone of the Indy films through strong audiovisual presentation? It feels like it could literally slot into place between films.

Nailing that tone, character, sound, visuals, I mean we have the blueprints from, of course, all the movies. It’s just something that inspired us. You listen to it, and it sounds so good, John Williams’ score sounds so good, you hear the sound effects, you see the way they do lighting and colour arrangements, it’s a beautiful movie and it’s masterfully done.

So nailing that was always the ambition, I feel like it’s been quite straight forward in terms of achieving this. Once we had the audio, the visual, and the gameplay to where it was, we knew we had to add some humour to the combat for it to actually feel like Indiana Jones. If he’s having a conversation, it’s not just a back and forth, there needs to be an argument, he needs to be stubborn or grumpy.

I think we know the movies so well, we know the characters so well, I think it’s been pretty easy and natural to get into that zone and we’ve been there for a couple of years now.

How has the collaboration with Disney or LucasFilm been?

So we’ve been closely collaborating with LucasFilm Games throughout the whole development process, and they’ve been invaluable in terms of getting us footage, resources, and all sorts of archival stuff to work with to help make the game much more authentic.

Did you ever toy with the idea of making the game third-person outright?

Always first-person. I mean, MachineGames make first-person games, it’s in our DNA, it’s what we do and it’s what we know how to do.

The idea is not an Indiana Jones game, you are Indiana Jones. And with first-person it gives us so much more hands-on to be able to pick up everything and to be able to solve puzzles and if I hit some guy in the face, I can see him go slackjaw and all over.

It’s a much more intimate experience and we never had any doubts that this was the right way to go.

There have been plenty of other games inspired by Indy that have come and gone, Uncharted and Tomb Raider to name a couple. Was there any pressure to differentiate yourself from those?

No, I think as soon as we started working on it we were very confident as a developer. I mean, obviously with the Wolfenstein games and with the pedigree of a lot of the staff being from Riddick and The Darkness, we make very unique games in the first-person style.

Us doing a MachineGames adventure game did not make us feel any pressure, nor was there a need to compete with them. This is very much our own thing.

I feel the game finds the right balance of adventure and action. Coming from something action-oriented like Wolfenstein, was it hard to strike a balance with some quieter tomb raiding?

So, when we started developing Indiana Jones, starting from the beginning, there were a lot of new things that we needed to try and develop.

Having these new systems, working with puzzles, and things like disguises, having more of a narrative built in to create a larger cinematic experience overall as a starting point and starting, from the get-go, creating these systems made us realise: “Okay, we’re creating something different.”

Of course, there is the idea that we’d be “stuck” in Wolfenstein with too many guns, but we were so focused on these other systems, and getting the hand-to-hand right—melee was not something you’ve seen in Wolfenstein really—required a bit more time than the guns. We’ve already proven we’re good at guns.

We mostly focused on the “non-Wolfenstein” parts.

We’ve obviously been able to see Fieldwork and other Mysteries during our hands-on, what other things in terms of side content can we expect to lure us from the critical path?

As you say, the Fieldwork and Mysteries are one aspect, but there are all sorts of traversal puzzles as well. There are little places you can crawl into and I think, just in general, we designed the levels so there are multiple paths and there are keys you can find and in those secret areas you might find a book.

There are also relics you can find in each of our sandboxes there are a number of ancient relics you can collect, and comic books you can look for. Generally, there are a lot of collectibles so every area is chock-full of stuff to look out for.

It seems there’ll be plenty of opportunities to stealth through sections and keep out of view, are there any instant-fail missions or does the game give you the opportunity to go loud if you can’t remain concealed?

We really try to give the player a lot of choice in combat, so instant fail in stealth is not something we’d ever want to do.

Guns blazing is not always the best tactical thing, but it can be a good last resort. If you’re up against the wall and you need to make an escape, I’ve been saying we’re not so much “run and gun” but “gun and run away”. That’s how we’ve been approaching a lot of it.

I like that you can screw up stealth and be really scrappy. You can pick up weapons, fight, and then run away, use your whip, you have a lot of tools at your disposal so you can save yourself from getting beat up.

Has a PlayStation 5 SKU always existed for the game or did that come about late in the piece?

So Microsoft came to us. We started to have the discussion about bringing this to other platforms, we were super-duper excited to take that on. So that was something that came a bit later on, but we’re excited to get to as many players as possible.

As it has been a source of conversation for other Xbox first-party releases, what frame rate are you targeting for the Xbox Series consoles?

We’re targeting 60fps for launch.

The post We Spoke To MachineGames About Crafting An Authentic Indiana Jones Video Game appeared first on Press Start.

Things To Try Day One In Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6

Jake Barros — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:13:54 +0000

The highly anticipated next instalment in the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 6, is almost here, and ahead of its launch this Friday 25th October, we thought we’d add to the hype with some of the exciting new things to try and check out in the game, straight from Treyarch’s very own mouths.

For all the new mechanics, maps and modes coming to Black Ops 6 in general, you can check out our articles here on Omni Movement, Zombies & Warzone.

Zombies

Round-based zombies is back! And who better to get the hot tips of new things to try in this fan favourite mode than from one of the main guys behind BOPS6 Zombies himself, Kevin Drew, Associate Director of Design at Treyarch.

We had a chance to speak to Kevin at the COD Next event in Washington DC earlier in the year, and quizzed him on some of the must tries for players jumping into Black Ops 6 come launch, whether they’re veterans or newcomers to the game.

First off the rank was the new Directed Mode coming to Zombies, which will be the perfect avenue for first-time Call of Duty or Zombies players, as well as those who want a more relaxed approached to the normal chaos and mayhem the mode provides. Kevin spoke to how Directed Mode will give players a whole new way and feel to play Zombies, stating:

“It’s two big things. It’s one, actually guiding you through the entire main quest, which is usually like something that’s very cryptic and hard to discover; most people end up going online to watch tutorial videos on how to do this thing. The other thing is this time pressure of the rounds are just escalating, right? So you just kind of feel that pressure. And so this mode guides you all the way through, and it also gates the rounds as you progress. So until I get to the pack of punch, it will loop at round three.

And so, you can kind of just chill and kill zombies at your own pace and that was an element from Outbreak we wanted to bring over. And then, you know, you complete the first main step, now it goes up to round five, round eight and then at any point you can kind of like, if you feel underpowered or you died and got revived and I need to earn some points, you can just keep killing zombies and, you know, go to jug…get yourself set up again and continue.

So we’re really excited about it, we think it’s a nice alternative. What’s also really cool is now that we have this, we can make the standard mode a little bit closer to Black Ops 3. For example, we’re going to like turn off prompts and key lines at launch, so the Easter egg hunt, or the main quest hunt is going to be, hopefully, a little bit longer and long term fans will be more happy.”

Alongside Directed Mode comes other new ways to play such as the addition of 3rd-person in Zombies. With players having the ability to toggle this option on or off, Kevin said, “It’s nice to have that awareness of zombies coming around from all sides, for a game mode that generally is a little tight. And of course, just seeing yourself doing the new omni movement is also really cool, it’s a nice way to showcase it.”

Other surprise and delights for players will come in the way of the living world itself. Kevin mentioned that players will be immediately pleased by the storytelling in the world, by simple aspects never really experienced in Zombies before, such as a zombie coming out of the trunk of a car, or bursting out of a second floor motel room. But of course it’ll be the classic Easter eggs that’ll be the most fun for players, Kevin believes, saying “I think when you dive deeper like the Easter eggs, it’s gonna be what really surprises and delights, like we got some fun Easter eggs in there and we’re waiting for people to discover.”

We couldn’t walk away from our chats with Kevin without asking him his go to perk and loadout choices, and maybe the more fun weapons for players to check out:

“My go to perk is Deadshot Daiquiri first, because that is aimed down sights to the head. And so I just like favour that over everything else and then surprisingly I like pistols, just ’cause they’re so fast. So I can just kind of…I’m such a console gamer, like I’m just like, you know, ADS and I just snap, snap, head, head, head. Very satisfying. I’m a big, Cryo Freeze fan for the ammo mod too. Just the ability to like slow down zombies and do more damage is like, I like the crowd control. And then my field upgrade, Dark Flare, ‘cause I love that more powerful, but smaller use for the like penetrative beam, just like sweeping, obliterate the area.”

“In terms of weapons and wonder weapons, the Jet Gun is a beast! I think I like Beam Smasher though, cause I like to keep my mobility high. I like to be able to run around. The Beam Smasher is a very satisfying weapon, that’s the Terminus Wonder Weapon. And it’s just like this penetrated beam that just like dissolves zombies as you target guys. And it’s also when you reload it actually does a blast and it has an alt fire that stuns like a radius of zombies and actually weakens them to the beam. So it’s got this nice combo element, so that’s my answer. They’re all fun. It’s so fun making Wonder Weapons.”

Multiplayer & Warzone

We were also able to spend time with Yale Miller, Senior Director of Production, and Matt Scronce, Associate Design Director, from Treyarch to chat more on the Multiplayer, and some what Warzone, experience, and the must tries for players jumping in on launch day.

Of course the big one is omni movement, and if launch day will be your very first time jumping into the BOPS6 world and trying out the new movement mechanic, then Yale and Matt had some key pointers for you to try out. The major one being trying out the map Skyline with the new omni movement, with Matt stating,

“Skyline, that’s a great example of where level design and gameplay comes together. And we’ve got that balcony above the pool. And it’s like, well, what if I could dive from this balcony into the pool? And then what if I do a backwards dive into the pool whilst shooting back at an enemy?” Yale followed up with, “I think the biggest impact is going to be how people approach staircases and different situations, doors, all those kinds of things. I think it’s going to be more about how players use the movement versus the maps changing. I think more players will eventually and more of our level designers will play more and they’ll start to design little things. There’s definitely nuances. I think Skyline is a great example.”

Another feature that some players may forget is even an option to customise now is the HUD, with the addition of HUD presets. There was a lot of debate amongst the Treyarch team about what HUDs to use and which works best for BOPS, with the guys mentioning,

“We literally like, looked at all the HUDs we’ve ever done, all the HUDs that have ever been in the franchise, HUDs in other places, and there was literally debates about like, oh, what about this one or this one? We also do a thing at the studio called Team Dev Match, where people talk and they like basically do little projects, little game jams. And so it’s in some of that debate, it was debating like which HUD is better.”

In the end, the final decision came from the simple notion of letting players choose for themselves, and thus, HUD presets were born:

“Part of it was like, let people play the way they want to play, and like, I don’t think there is a best HUD, I don’t think that exists, because players have different opinions, so, and it’s so important to what people do, so, giving people the option, I think there’s gonna be a bunch of options in the beta, I don’t think we will ship with all those options, and I think some of the options that will be in the beta will change based on what we see, and then I think once the game comes out, we’ll start to see, and like, we’ll hear from the community like, I really want this version or why doesn’t it do this with those. I think it’s something that can evolve. So I think making the HUD just like everything else simple, easy to read, but then giving players the choice to customise, I think is important.”

Of course, during our time with Matt and Yale we did try to throw in some cheeky questions on post launch content to see what answers we could get from them (not too much as predicted), but they still had some things to say,

“We’ve got a bunch of cool post launch things planned, obviously things we can’t yet talk about, but yes a lot of cool stuff for Season 1, 2…obviously there’s big news in the spring for all of us and things that are coming out. But yeah, there’s gonna be maps, modes, gear, gadgets all those things, all the way through.”

With our final questions to the guys obviously being the most important question of all…

Jake: Is Prop Hunt coming to Black Ops 6?

Matt: I hope so…

Jake: Is that a little wink that won’t be picked up by audio?

Yale: *laughs* Ah!

Matt: Again…we went through every Black Ops game and said, what are the best Black Ops game modes?…

Yale: …We have data too. So like, we like, look at what are the modes that people play a lot? What are the modes that maybe not as many players play, but that have really devoted fans…and some of those modes, like a prop hunt, may be high on the list of things that we want to bring very soon.

Jake: Noice!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches today on PC, PlayStation and Xbox (including on Xbox Game Pass Day One for Ultimate subscribers).

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We Spoke With Devolver Digital Founder Graeme Struthers About Their Big Fan Label And The Aussie Scene

Brodie Gibbons — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 01:56:57 +0000

This past week at PAX Australia, not only did get to check out a heap of great looking indies, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Graeme Struthers, one of the co-founders of Devolver Digital.

You’d likely know the publisher from their off-the-wall pressers which have been a staple of June for the last handful of years, however the Devolver Digital journey is one that dates back fifteen years.

After breaking out with Hotline Miami, the publisher has gone on to enjoy great success in the indie scene, particularly with some of our homegrown talent having let loose games like Cult of the Lamb and The Plucky Squire.

Although Devolver has been around for a long time, things really break out with Hotline Miami, a game designed to inflame and provoke with its hyper violent action. Do you think this was the birth of the Devolver “attitude era”?

GS: Maybe externally, yes, that possibly was the thing that got us more noticed than we had been up until that point. Inside, no. It sounds a bit strange to say it like that, to us it was just a cool game we were working on with Dennaton.

Sometimes it’s with hindsight you can look back, even until recently we’d all forgot about the issue here until PlayStation updated the game and put it on PlayStation 5 and it brought things back.

There’s a great sense of humour about Devolver Digital, in fact its core to the company’s identity at this stage, where did the idea come from to be the most unserious publisher there is?

GS: It’s not an idea, it’s who we are I’m afraid to say. We all think we’ve got the best jobs going and we actually get to do the things we love doing so I think that maybe comes through.

I don’t think you can take what we do too seriously. We work hard, and we do what we do.

But games should be a fun art form, right?

GS: They should be. And also, when you come to these events and you meet the people who play the games…

Or people who are getting married at your booth.

GS: People that are getting married at our booth, yes, it’s quite playful.

I do love the showcases year in year out, featuring Nina Struthers, how far in advance do you have to start pulling those crazy productions together?

GS: I’m not making this up, I’ve no clue. I don’t know if people would believe me, but I don’t see them until you see them. I kind of steer away from it, whenever it’s talked about internally.

But I know that Robbie and Nigel will be having ideas now for what they’re going to do next year. But, to some extent, I guess they must be aware of what’s happening in the general industry, as well.

It’s quite topical often, I think.

Obviously it’s been a challenging year for a lot of publishers and studios out there, what is the metric for success at Devolver especially when dealing with often bespoke, indie experiences?

GS: I don’t know, let’s use a good example from this year with Children of the Sun. That’s a game that’s been in development for nearly four years from a solo dev, Rene. And not only was he doing that, he was doing things on the side while working on the game.

So, for us, the fact that the game has come out and it’s making money means that he’s making good money, which means he gets to go again.

That’s the kind of thing I think we get excited about is that developers become independent, and there’s many people we’ve worked with who’ve gone on to do really, really well.

We kind of think we work for the developer rather than the other way around.

Devolver has been tremendous at helping launch new developers to new heights, this includes our own Massive Monster and All Possible Futures—we even see Cult of the Lamb’s presence here today as a feature for the con—how enriching is it to be a part of these team’s journeys?

GS: Where we are now, PAX Australia, I think we started coming here back in 2017. This show’s been really kind to us, in terms of fans, but we’ve also met a number of developers. We’ve already released, I think, four games whose origin is here and have another two in development.

This is a really good event, and we love to come here.

They say you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, but are there any games Devolver passed on way back when that you went on to regret?

GS: Oh yeah, oh yeah. One game, Astroneer, was pitched to us, I dunno, ten years ago. It was one of those ones where we generally thought: “Yeah, this is pretty cool, but we’re not sure we understand this.”

We never had any pretense of knowing the world of live service and we passed on it, partly because we didn’t really have the money, which made us a little bit nervous.

Seven years later, we acquired System Era Softworks. And in between times we’d see them at events and the exchange would be “How’s it going?” “Really well.” “Great.”

There’s three, or four, others that have gone on to be huge. But we talk about this a lot, we don’t know, we only know that we want to be involved and be apart of this game’s journey, but we didn’t know if that’s game’s going to blow up.

Licensed games aren’t what they used to be, what was the driving force behind Big Fan?

GS: When you talk to some of the developers you work with, and we ourselves as game fans, we ask: “If you could work on anything, what would it be?”

And we got into that conversation with a few devs, like what if you could get the He-Man license, those were the conversations we were having a couple of years back, but we didn’t think of that as a business.

Then we had a subsidiary called Good Shepherd, and it was just struggling and it didn’t really have an identity. So we got a new guy in to run it, Lincoln Herschberger, and then suddenly a lot of those conversations started to come back.

We’ve got a load of indie devs, and we really like the idea of working on IP. Creating original content is its own challenge.

We also looked at game IP that we could bring back, like Monkey Island. We came out of that and thought the idea strong enough to create a label. Next week, we announce one of the projects* and we’ve got a few more there we’ll be talking about in the near future.

* This game would go on to be Tron: Catalyst, developed by Mike Bithell, in partnership with Disney.

It feels like Devolver and Big Fan both still occupy largely what is an indie/AA space, is there a reason you felt the need to draw a line between the two?

GS: I think so, I think we see Devolver as a company that can do eight, nine, ten games a year. Push beyond that and I feel it becomes almost too much, like we’re just around all the time.

And Big Fan is its own label, has its own crew, they have their own editorial view on what they want to do, so we’re excited. But then it also allows them to do maybe three, or four, things a year and then over time build that up to six, seven, eight.

What’s one IP you’d love to work with?

GS: Me? So, if I could get anything? Vagrant Story was a game published by Square right at the end of PlayStation One.

I love that game, and I’d love to come back to that universe. And I’ve tried, I actually knocked on the door of Square Enix but I didn’t get an answer.

So Vagrant Story would be mine.

Your DICE Europe bio suggests you’ve put considerable time into unearthing London’s best beer, had a chance to put any effort into our local brands yet?

GS: Oh, yeah, I love it here. I’m a coffee fan so you’ve got that, and the food here is fantastic.

And you’ve got lots of good beer, I’ve just tried Pacific Ale at the moment.

Have you had a chance to wander the show floor and scout for any future Devolver gems?

GS: We’ve seen a few bits and pieces, our head of development is here, one of our senior producers is here. So they’ve been out and about.

We, ourselves, went to Play Now with VicScreen, that was awesome. We’re quite a small industry, as publishers we’re all quite matey, and I think we all saw things there where I wouldn’t be surprised if three, four, five things get picked up.

It’s just a really vibrant scene in the industry.

The post We Spoke With Devolver Digital Founder Graeme Struthers About Their Big Fan Label And The Aussie Scene appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At The October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview

Brodie Gibbons — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:57:18 +0000

This morning, Xbox held another Partner Preview, which is geared generally at showcasing Xbox’s third-party partnerships by providing updates on things we already knew about as well as a few surprises.

For those who didn’t want to get up around the 4AM AEDT mark, here’s a round up of everything that was shown.

FBC: Firebreak Is The Multiplayer Game Set In The Control Universe

Coming out sometime next year, FBC: Firebreak was announced and is the long-awaited multiplayer game set in the shared universe occupied by Control and Alan Wake.

It’s set to serve up a three-player co-op experience and, even better, it’s coming to Game Pass.

Chronos: The New Dawn Is A New Horror Game From Bloober Team

Silent Hill proved to be quite the redemption arc for Bloober Team, who’d had middling releases up until it reassured the world they’ve got the goods.

Their next game, Chronos: The New Dawn, delves is a haunting sci-fi world and promises a little time travel flavour, which I love.

Subnautica 2 Is Getting An Early Access Release Next Year

I didn’t sea this one coming. After finding plenty of success with the original, it was perhaps always a given we’d see a sequel to Subnautica.

The game is coming to early access next year for Xbox Series X/S, PC as well as launching on Game Pass.

We Got A Great New Look At Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

There’s more of these kinds of games now than I can count, and their names are so similar I’m just kind of befuddled.

But alas, it’s another action-RPG soulslike that has staggeringly nice art direction, titanic bosses, and a delicious looking stagger mechanic that should help it shine amidst a lot of company. It’s set to launch next year and is a day one Game Pass release.

Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii Is More Skull & Bones Than Skull & Bones Ever Was

During this morning’s Xbox Partner Preview, we got a pretty good look at the new Like a Dragon game’s naval combat that’ll make you feel like Captain Jack on the high seas.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches February 21, 2025.

Visit The Lake House Next Week With New Alan Wake II DLC

Just in time for Halloween, this Alan Wake II DLC certainly appears to be darker than the Night Springs content we got back in June.

Phasmophobia Is Set To Spook Up Your Halloween

After being an online co-op fixture throughout the pandemic years, Phasmophobia is set to launch October 29th for Xbox consoles and spook your All Hallow’s Eve right up.

Wheel World Looks Wheelie Good

If this game doesn’t make you want to just hit the open fields on a mountain bike, I don’t know what will. Along with its distinct animation style, Wheel World is set to feature plenty of bike customisation as you set off to save the world.

Get set to pedal early 2025.

Mistfall Hunter Is A PvPvE Extraction RPG, Can That Be Right?

With a melding of genres that is surely the first of its kind, Mistfall Hunter is set to have all of the Nordic-inspired creatures, loot, and third-person action you can handle when it launches next year.

Eternal Strands Looks Like The Spiritual Successor To Immortals We Didn’t Know We Wanted

With towering foes to topple and elemental magic buzzing at your fingertips, Eternal Strands looks like a fantasy action game to watch. Despite its name, it does not belong in the strand sub-genre of games popularised(?) by Kojima.

It is, however, coming to Game Pass at launch early next year.

Edens Zero Is A New Manga-Inspired Action Adventure

Look, this is a blind spot for me, however the streets are saying this has been a long time coming and vibes are, generally, pretty good.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire Looks Like The Cat’s Meow

With its old-timey Disney, but strictly not Disney, look, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is right up there on lists of games I can’t wait to get my hands on next year. It’s supremely stylish and moves to the beat of jazz.

Blindfire Seems Like A Shot In The Dark

Out in game preview today, Blindfire is actually a pretty novel concept. By competing with others in poorly lit arenas, you’re expected to keep an ear to the ground in an attempt to survive.

Animal Well Is Out Now On Xbox

The little indie that could, and a personal contender for Game of the Year, Animal Well is out today for Xbox consoles.

The post Everything Announced At The October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview appeared first on Press Start.

The Best Looking PAX AUS 2024 Indie Games That You Need To Wishlist

Brodie Gibbons — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 23:45:45 +0000

With another PAX Australia in the books, we’d be remiss to not spotlight many of the special indie games we got to try out on the show floor. Developers come from near and far to seize their moment at the nation’s biggest consumer event for video games.

In years past, we’ve enjoyed looking at games like The Dungeon Experience and darkwebSTREAMER, however with neither of those games present, it left the floor open for a select few to steal focus.

Here are the coolest indies I saw while walking the PAX Australia show floor.

Key Fairy

Key Fairy was damn near close to my game of show, thanks in large part to its alluring hand-drawn art and penchant for folkloric pacifism.

It’s one part bullet hell action-adventure, one part Undertale as you avoid enemies, reap their fallen stars, and talk them into submission. A very strange, fascinating project that’s very Devolver Digital-coded, which means it speaks to me.

Wishlist here.

Corporeal

I absolutely adored the brief handful of minutes I got to spend with Corporeal, a paranormal mystery game where you’re piecing together a haunted photo album after you’re left as the sole survivor of unexplained events during the nineties in New Zealand.

Squat Ops is a fascinating collision of ideas, taking the espionage action of Metal Gear Solid and marrying it to the fitness-focused player input of something like Ring Fit.

Using either a webcam or a pair of AirPods, the game recognises every body weight squat you execute and converts your burnt calories into movement for Hart, the game’s protagonist.

This is definitely one to look out for if you’re hoping to tone your legs and ass while getting your game on.

Speaking of that ass, get it over here to wishlist.

Me, You and Kaiju?

There’s nothing more fun than frantically flailing your arms in a VR headset, so why not destroy a city while you do it! Developed by Sleepy Coast Games, the game allows you to take the reins of a giant kaiju throwing cars, trees and anything not bolted down at a team of four military opponents whose main goal is to blow you up.

With helicopters, tanks and tactical vehicles, take down the kaiju before time is up in order to save the city from destruction.

Wishlist here.

Box Knight

Corporate life is a major drainer. I know, I’ve been there. But when your toxic workplace has turned the average employee into a creature set to wreak havoc, it’s your job to put them back in their place.

A roguelike developed by We Made A Thing Studios, you’ll don armour and weapons made of the finest cardboard as you delve deeper into the office as you seek the CEO, attempting to dethrone them and restore order to your mundane workplace.

Not only can you wishlist here, there’s a demo for you to try out right now.

Beyond These Stars

Almost reminiscent of Terry Pratchett’s DiscWorld, you land on the back of a majestic Space Whale, seeking a symbiotic relationship as you build a city and travel through the endless void of space.

You’ll seek to manage the needs of your ‘Peeps’ while maintaining your relationship with Kewa, constructing living spaces and seeking out more resources as your population expands. You’ll also meet strange new lifeforms along your journey, who will open up opportunities for advanced technology and abilities to trade.

Your co-existence with Kewa is key to continuing both of your journeys through space.

Wishlist here.

The Drifter

If John Carpenter, Michael Crichton and George Miller got together in the 80s and made a point-and-click game, you’d end up with The Drifter, a thrilling experience developed by Powerhoof.

As the drifter Mick, you bear witness to a violent murder and then pursued into your death, only to reawaken moments before you are killed. As you seek to clear yourself from being framed for murder, you’ll be haunted by your past and by the sense that something from the other side returned with you when you came back to life.

Wishlist and give the game a go right here.

The post The Best Looking PAX AUS 2024 Indie Games That You Need To Wishlist appeared first on Press Start.

The Coolest PC Tech We Saw At PAX AUS 2024

Shannon Grixti — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 23:30:45 +0000

PAX Australia 2024 is gone for another year, and it felt like PC tech consumed even more of the show floor this year, with every PC manufacturer going head to head to try and create the most over the top PC with it being guaranteed that an NVIDIA RTX 4000 series GPU would be at the core of that build.

@shannongrixti

There was some insane tech at PAX AUS 2024 including an Alien PC, some crazy monitor setups, a gigantic human sized keyboard and more NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs than I could count #NVIDIARTX #PAX #PAXAUS #PAXAUS2024 #PC #Aftershock #Nvidia #Gaming #Tech #RTX

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

ALIEN ROMULUS PC

Without doubt one of the coolest PCs on display was the Alien Romulus PC built by Afershock. Featuring a Gigabyte RTX 4090 Aorus Master, this PC was equally scary as it is cool.

MASSIVE KEYCHRON KEYBOARD

I’ve always been a big fan of Keychron and the booth that they had at the show this year was constantly full and really cool to see with clickable keycap key r ngs as well as a gigantic Keychron keyboard that was fully functional.

MSI X MONSTER HUNTER RANGE

One of the coolest pieces of tech that I saw was without doubt the 20th anniversary Monster Hunter range over at MSI. In particular, the full PC build complete with an MSI Monster Hunter case, motherboard, liquid cooler and a custom 4060 Ti all with stunning red colouring and a Rathalos design.

COOLER MASTER SHARK X

Cooler Master once again had one of the cooler builds with the Sneaker X once again on show, but Shark X took things even further. It could be spotted from a mile away with it standing super tall and full of RGBs. It has an RTX 4070 Ti in it.

CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 6 PC

One of my favourite PCs on the show floor was the Call of Duty Black Ops 6 custom PC at Corsair’s booth to go with all of its upcoming peripherals. It was built by absolute legends Gear Seekers and had one of the only RTX 4000 series Founder’s Edition cards that I saw on the show floor which is a sexy centrepiece for any build.

MEDUSA PC

Aftershock really stole the show and seems to up the anti with every year, but one of the coolest pieces on display was this Medusa PC that brought a new level of awesomeness from every angle.

ARCADE CABINET PC

A PC that doubles as an arcade cabinet is absolutely genius, and everyone on the show floor thought so as well, as every time I walked past it, there were people lining up to have a go.

FLIGHT SIM RIG

The only thing better than one gigantic curved monitor is three of them strapped together to create a flight sim rig of epic proportions.

FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE PC

Final Fantasy XIV Online was all over PAX this year, and Aftershock celebrated it with a fantastic custom PC that was locked behind a glass cabinet.

The post The Coolest PC Tech We Saw At PAX AUS 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To Valve About The Steam Deck’s Aussie Arrival And What It Means For Future Hardware

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 22:57:27 +0000

Ahead of the official announcement that the Steam Deck would be arriving in Australia, I had the chance to talk to Steam Deck Designers Lawrence Yang and Jay Shaw as well as Hardware Engineer Yazan Aldehayyat about the arrival, why it took so long and what it means for the future.

Obviously, my first question had to be about why the Steam Deck took so long to come to Australia and why now was the right time. It was fairly clear that the team wanted to get this right from day one including bringing the same line-up that’s available in other parts of the world.

“Australia was always on our list and had to make sure from a certification standpoint and the answer is really boring. It just took until now to get everything lined up, so we needed to have logistics and shipping and a third-party logistics partner and all of that lined up before we could ship officially here. and now we can. If it could have been sooner, it would have been sooner” said Yang.

Naturally, I next wanted to know about if the intention was to always sell it through Steam as previously Valve has partnered with retailers such as EB Games to bring products such as the Valve Index to Australia and it was pretty clear that the team wanted to do this correctly the first time for future hardware.

@shannongrixti

The Steam Deck is finally coming to Australia and here’s a quick look at the gorgeous 1TB OLED model #SteamDeck #SteamDeckAustralia #SteamDeckOLED #Tech #Steam #Valve

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

“We wanted to be able to sell it through Steam. And part of that is that we’re hoping that the investment we put into the infrastructure would allow us to sell future hardware in Australia much faster. We just want to do it once and do it correctly and pave the way for future things.” said Aldehayyat.

“Now that Australia is part of our hardware shipping regions, now that we’re all set up, it’ll be for all of our future hardware as well.” continued Yang.

Australia has been known to have some differences when it comes to selling product at retail so I wanted to know why it did take so long to come dow nunder.

“it’s not super exciting or novel. It’s mostly like we had some financial due diligence to do just to make sure that from a duties and tax and everything standpoint that we’re set up to be able to legally operate and sell hardware here. And then once that was done, it’s finding a partner to warehouse, receive, ship, take returns, ship to all of our other, like between our factory and the customer, and get all that set up and tested.” said Yang.

“And even more boring details, like the warehouse, the partner that we found here, is like their system is set up slightly differently. So we had some work on our side to plumb things through so that if you order on Steam, it’ll go through and the order shows up in the right way. Not super exciting.” continued Yang.

Whilst we’ve seen a huge influx of PC handhelds since the Steam Deck released some years ago, the one thing that still stands above is the overall user experience and how good games run as well as the battery life which is still well ahead so I wanted to know a little bit more about that.

“I think the biggest thing is the tight relationship the hardware and the software guys have. We do a lot of testing and optimising and also our relationship with AMD. Since we have a custom chip, we have a lot of levers we can pull and a lot of very specific changes we can ask for. We really do own the entire stack all the way down to the firmware, to the software, which is something I think is unique about Valve and Steam Deck, but kind of hard to emulate, for sure.

The hardware is also still being improved as well with Valve continually pushing out updates that bring major improvements to the hardware, for instance the upcoming 3.6 update that will improve the battery life of Steam Deck LCD by 10-15%.

“We are continuously investing in, even, like, first-generation Steam Deck LCD. So we’re constantly pushing software updates, firmware updates, all the improvements that we’re able to get out of the old OLED, we always try to port it back to the LCD. So we have SteamOS 3.6 coming out soon. It’s going to have, depending on this game and depending on this scenario, like 10 to 15% extra battery life for LCD. said Aldehayyat

And there’s also more changes coming up that I think it’s a little too early to speak about, but I think battery life is not something we feel like we’ll ever be done with. We’re going to constantly be trying to improve that because we think it’s going to carry forward to future models also.” continued Aldehayyat.

I wanted to ask about other launchers on Steam Deck as that launchers like Xbox Game Pass feel like the only reason that people may be tempted away from the Steam Deck.

” So Game Pass is interesting. We have a good relationship with Microsoft and they took steps to make sure that Xbox Game Pass via web is as good an experience as they could make it.They made tutorials and stuff for that. We really want people to be able to treat a Steam Deck like a PC. And so we offer the desktop side. We add features so that you can add games to Steam and you take advantage of Proton, so you can run Windows executables through Proton. So we do what we can to stay out of the way and let people do what they need to do. I think that’s where we are right now.” said yang.

Lastly, I wanted to know how far and wide the vision is for Steam Deck, as Valve has released a lot of hardware in the past that has released to varying degrees of success, but we haven’t often seen follow-up iterations, and it’s very clear that this is different.

“We’re working on future generations of this. Steam Deck is kind of the culmination of everything we learned making hardware up to that point with Steam Controller, Steam Machines, Valve Index and Steam Link And so we took all of those things that we learned and said, OK, here’s Steam Deck as one package. And in the same token, we’re going to take the learnings we have from Steam Deck and move it forward to future new hardware as well. So we have things that we’re not talking about today.” said Yang.

The Steam Deck is launching in Australia in November starting at $649 for the 256GB LCD version with the OLED 512GB version costing $899 and the 1TB OLED version costing $1,049. You can find out more information HERE.

The post We Spoke To Valve About The Steam Deck’s Aussie Arrival And What It Means For Future Hardware appeared first on Press Start.

Anya Chalotra On Acting, Gaming, And Representation In Unknown 9: Awakening

James Wood — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 14:00:41 +0000

Anya Chalotra wants to escape. Still brushing off the early UK morning start, the star of Netflix’s The Witcher and the upcoming game Unknown 9: Awakening sits on a couch entirely too big for one person and patiently waits for our slight audio delay to catch up between questions about life as an actor, her Indian heritage, and the modern-day plight of being Perceived. Softly dancing around answers with consideration, changing thoughts midway and picking up another thread plucked from the air, Chalotra admits to being pulled to massive fantasy worlds in a potentially subconscious bid to escape our reality.

Whether it’s the physical form to be wielded in her extensive acting career, the existential trap of social media, or even the weight of representation in media, Chalotra brings herself in her entirety to Unknown 9: Awakening as we unpack what that means for the soon to be released action-adventure romp.

Can you tell me a bit about your history with video games?

Anya Chalotra: I first became interested in video games and delved into that world when I got Witcher and I got Yennefer because it was such a big game with such a big following. So I played that then. Before that, I played Mario Kart with my family *laughs*. But I’ve always been quite fascinated by them. And especially in COVID, I’ve noticed how huge it has become (and) I never thought I’d see myself in a video game. That’s incredibly exciting.

I can imagine. Can I quickly ask, who did you play Mario Kart?

Anya Chalotra: I think I was Luigi! Who did you play?

I’m always a Peach girly. But tell me how your involvement with Unknown 9: Awakening came about?

Anya Chalotra: The opportunity presented itself, and I grabbed it because it was something that, honestly, I wanted to do. I think maybe I was manifesting it or something. I work with my body before anything else and I’ve always been inspired by Andy Serkis in Planet of the Apes. So I fantasised about being an ape in that because I desperately wanted to use my body in that way *laughs*. And, obviously, Haroona isn’t an ape, but I got a chance to do motion capture and learn on the job because I had no experience before. And there was a lot! Everyone around me was a lot cleverer than I was when it comes to motion capture. So I just learned from them. And I know a lot more now than I did. That’s for sure. I’ve learned a lot.

Are you able to talk a bit about how acting and using your body in that way for something like a Netflix series or on the stage is different from what done now with mocap for a video again?

I thought it’d be a lot more different, to be honest, because I just thought it’d be more technical. But you still are interrogating the same depths of truth in the story, in the scene, in the character. We worked with the director who pushed us to find the best version of truth. And we did take after take after take. It was very similar to being on set but the thing that was different was the freedom I had to explore. I don’t have that on set. I had no makeup, and I didn’t have to fulfill the expectations of costume. And that’s not how I approach it in film and TV, I use it to my advantage and often it builds character building for me. But when I am stripped back, everything has to come from a really vulnerable, true, authentic place. And I want to carry that in every medium now…find that play, that play, because only in that can you access everything.

Unknown 9 feels quite unique in the video game space because it highlights a culture that we don’t often get to see represented in mainstream titles. Was the authenticity of Indian representation important to you while making this game?

I am half Indian, South Asian. It’s funny when I get a role, I’m either one or the other, one half of myself or the other half. But in every role, I bring both. In this role, I very rarely get to lend that side of myself to a role because of the way I look. So it was so lovely to be able to explore that in Haroona and to be with a lot of British South Asian actors on this job as well. And to work with them, it was just wonderful to have that. In any fantasy or any world with another dimension…why wouldn’t you want many voices to create that world? So I’m very proud of being in this game because of how diverse it is and the culture that we’re celebrating in the way this world has been crafted and the way it looks. And at the heart of it, Haroona, who is this Indian woman who…when I play an Indian character, I often feel the weight of family, ancestors, behind everything they do. Especially in Haroona. I wanted to make sure that every choice was about something bigger.

I was reading your Vogue India profile from last year, and you talked about how, I think it was in 2019, you got a chance to get over to India and meet some of your extended family. Does getting to show them a character like Haroona mean a lot to you? Is it a surreal experience to be able to bring something like that into your family and your heritage?

AC: I know when I watch anything with an Indian woman in it, I was heavily influenced by it…I was brought up Indian with those core beliefs and values. So when I watch an Indian woman represented in a really whole way, in a really full way, it ignites a fire in me and I can’t quite explain, but it’s warm and I’m proud. And with characters like Haroona, you’ve got such a considered character here. Such thought has gone into why she is who she is and why she makes the choices she makes. And I’m excited for my nieces and my cousins to play this game. They’ll be to play someone that looks and thinks like Haroona and will have, hopefully, the same feeling.

What’s your favourite thing about Haroona and did you bring much of yourself into the character?

AC: My favourite thing? I think she’s funny! I think she’s funny because she’s got bigger fish to fry. Cut the faff. She just shuts people down with a look, no words. She’s witty…and yeah, I mean, a lot of it has come from my instincts. And then I’ve been challenged by the circumstance and the situation in this new world, these new rules. I trusted in the fact that the people who originated this story and gave her life, trusted in me to do that. And I just go.

With Unknown 9 and with The Witcher as well, you maybe inadvertently gravitate towards these epic fantasy franchises. Is it a genre that really works for you, or did you just fall into these things?

AC: I don’t think you can just fall into anything *laughs*. I think there is something in you, maybe I’m just calling out to just not be in the real world. Maybe people see in my eyes that I’m desperate to escape. Maybe that’s it. I don’t know. I like to believe things happen for a reason.

Something I’ve read about you is that you’re not hugely into social media. As a person coming up through the Hollywood system that’s an interesting position for you to be in. Do you find that with the whole video game side of social media, have you become more aware of it or is that something you have still have no desire of being a part of?

AC: I’m still figuring it out. I know that I feel better off social media. And I know that when I’m on social media and I’m aware of the people who are very aware of me, I stress out a bit. It doesn’t make me feel very good. So I try and stay off it. I’m very aware of the gaming community on social media and how big that is and how much of an impact that has had on my life. But in general, social media, I struggle with.

It’s a strange tension, isn’t it? Between being perceived in ways you want and don’t want. And you’re obviously someone who throws yourself wholeheartedly into the art that you make. So to have that part of you so open and so out there versus maybe the way people want to engage with celebrities these days…

AC: Yeah! Because I pretend for a living, I also find myself pretending, even though I don’t mean to, on my Instagram. Why am I doing that? What’s going on? Because I suppose whatever you put out there is a version of filtered truth, it has to be to keep private. So what’s the point? Because it’s then taking up all my time.

As someone relatively active on Twitter for his job, yes, I fully agree! But most importantly, what are you most excited for people to see in Unknown 9?

AC: The whole thing. Because it’s so much thought, so many voices have gone into this. And I think the characters at the heart of it, I know Who these characters are, what all the actors have done to bring them to life. And I think if you don’t feel it, if you don’t align with a Haroona and you don’t maybe like her as a character, because it’s possible! Then you’ve got these really vivid characters to align yourself with too. It’s a very interesting world. And the visuals as well. They’re insane. I can’t imagine anything like it in a game. This culture. The representation of the world. I answered that terribly, but all of it.

Not at all, your answers have been wonderful. I got to play a couple of hours of the game a couple of weeks back and one of my biggest takeaways from it was just how nice it was to see an entirely different world represented in a game in a way we don’t really see all that often. More often than not, we’re playing the white hero who comes into these cultures and ransacks and shoots off on their way. And to see it from an entirely different perspective has been really refreshing.

AC: Yeah, that’s how I feel. Ditto. That’s my answer *laughs*

Unknown 9 Awakening releases on October 18th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The cheapest copy is currently $79 from Amazon.

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War Game: The Making Of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Is Essential Viewing

Brodie Gibbons — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:59:28 +0000

Although the common outcry from gamers suggests it’s often best to separate video games and real-world politics, sometimes outside forces cause the two to collide with such spectacular ferocity that it’s unavoidable. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine brought war to the doorstep of GSC World, developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, including its upcoming sequel Heart of Chornobyl. The conflict birthed undoubtedly the most difficult chapter in the game’s development.

War Game: The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a sobering documentary in that it practically places the game’s development aside to focus unflinchingly on the price paid by these men and women to simply do their jobs. It spotlights the dogged determination to survive, whether that meant escaping missile fire and finding relative safety near the western border of Ukraine or remaining behind to don fatigues and bear arms to defend the homeland. It’s utterly staggering to get a sense of the sacrifices made.

There are so many heartbreaking revelations within this feature. I’m unlikely to forget images of people huddling together for warmth after Russia targeted their power plants and grids, the pictures of all of the displaced children, or the everyday people of Ukraine answering the call to fight—which sometimes meant gathering en masse, as signed off by the ministry, to craft molotov cocktails, which might be the most video game ass thing in this doco. But as distressing as all of it is, it all comes back to unity and how these atrocities galvanised this team rather than breaking them.

To uproot and move on is a tough thing, particularly for a people so intrinsically tied to their home and culture. To shift an entire studio from Kyiv, with bodies numbering in the hundreds once families were accounted for, then having to “rebuild” in Prague to get on with work is a Herculean task. But it’s clearly one husband-and-wife team Ievgen and Maria Grygorovych, the studio’s CEO and the game’s creative director respectfully, were up to. In fact, it was their intuitive preparedness around the looming conflict that saw charter buses parked out the front of their studio all day and night awaiting the inevitable.

Andrew Stephan’s ability to focus on the issues that matter and not anchor this feature down with video game minutia obviously is in service of the human story here, and with Power On: The Story of Xbox under his belt, I do feel as though Microsoft believe they’ve unearthed a capable director in Stephan. The one thing I can’t help but draw attention to might be the apparent use of AI-generated art to aid parts of the narrative where cameras might not have been rolling, for obvious reasons. I compartmentalised it to not allow it to detract from the narrative at hand, but it felt an off choice.

What I learned watching War Game is that whether S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 meets its expected launch in November or not, the fact that this team has pressed on and displayed such unwavering strength and resilience is achievement enough. While I’ve no doubt critics, and series fans, will have their say once their hands are on the sticks, the fact this game exists at all is a miracle.

It’s so uplifting to watch this team share their experience speaking into a camera lens through tired, glassy eyes, and each of their stories prove inspiring and critical to their studio’s survival, whether through staunch leadership or lionhearted service. War Game is essential viewing because although it does touch on the trials of game development, its primary goal is to give flowers to a team who have fought like hell and covered themselves in valour in the pursuit of their art, as well as our entertainment.

And they deserve the whole bloody garden.

With the war effort in Ukraine still ongoing, donations can be made to the official charity fund set up by Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

War Game: The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was produced in partnership with Xbox, the documentary can be found on either the Xbox or GSC Game World YouTube channels.

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Kill Knight Is An Aussie Made Indie That Mixes Doom And Hades In A Metal AF Way

Brodie Gibbons — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 04:10:35 +0000

Out of Port Melbourne’s own Playside Studios comes Kill Knight, one of the most metal games I’ve played this year.

It blends the twitch, ultra-responsive arcade-movement of something like Hades with the pulse-thumping gunplay of Doom, setting it all within an eldritch hellscape made up of five increasingly horrific layers that’ll challenge your will to survive.

The most impressive thing about this isometric-action game is how it adds fold after fold to its surprisingly deep combat systems to create what is an ultimately exciting experience.

As you come to master movement within the game, you’ll begin to understand the importance of remaining within the zen state of the “killstream” while executing enemies with a meaty active-reload mechanic that can, depending on the coup de grace you choose, replenish your heaviest ammos, draw in loot around you like a black hole, or overpower your guns leading to a temporary buff to time-to-kill.

The game is so moreish, and I appreciate that it isn’t necessarily a “roguelite” in the sense that it’s random.

In the layers I’ve played so far, enemy spawns are deliberate and consistent, leading to the learning that’s necessary for success. The first goal is surviving a layer, the next goal is climbing the leaderboards, before ultimately attempting to one-combo a full layer: an eye-watering task and not for the faint-hearted. The game presents you with objectives throughout that, when toppled, unlock new equipment that’d otherwise be gated behind a hefty blood toll, so satisfaction also comes with playing with the loadouts.

The cherry on top of it all is definitely the game’s audiovisual presentation which captures the suffocating sufferance that comes with being a desecrated corpse in an abyss. It mixes lo-fi, minimalist aesthetics of the 90s with dread-soaked brutalism and the soundtrack rocks.

Kill Knight is a tremendous surprise and feels like an appropriate kick-off for a jam-packed October.

Kill Knight releases on October 3 for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.

The post Kill Knight Is An Aussie Made Indie That Mixes Doom And Hades In A Metal AF Way appeared first on Press Start.

Games Coming Out In October 2024 That You Should Be Excited For

Brodie Gibbons — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 05:22:26 +0000

October is the spookiest month of the year, without doubt.

We’re subjected to pumpkin spice lattes, the thawing process for Michael Buble’s holiday onslaught begins, and it’s capped off by Halloween, the year’s most bone-chilling holiday. As it turns out, October is also going to be home to plenty of new, exciting game releases that should help you forget the brooding horror that pervades the month. I’m talking about games like Silent Hill, A Quiet Place, and Clock Tower to keep the creepies at bay.

Let’s take a look at exactly what’s coming over the next month:

Biggest October 2024 Game Releases

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Release Date: October 31

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89 (free delivery)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Release Date: October 25

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89 (free delivery)

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

Release Date: October 31

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5

Sonic X Shadow Generations

Release Date: October 25

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price – Amazon – $69 (free delivery)

Until Dawn

Release Date: October 4

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89 (free delivery)

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Silent Hill 2

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $99 (free delivery)

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $99 (free delivery)

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Release Date: October 17

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $68 (free delivery)

Alan Wake 2 DLC – The Lake House

Release Date: TBC

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Neva

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Fear the Spotlight

Release Date: October 22

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Throne and Liberty

Release Date: October 1

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Kill Knight

Release Date: October 3

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Mechwarrior 5: Clans

Release Date: October 3

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game

Release Date: October 4

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Disney Pixel RPG

Release Date: October 7

Platforms: iOS, Android

To The Moon

Release Date: October 8

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Europa

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch

Starship Troopers: Extermination

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Transformers: Galactic Trials

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Undisputed

Release Date: October 11

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Just Dance 2025 Edition

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

New World: Aeternum

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Squirrel with a Gun

Release Date: October 15

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Age of Empires Mobile

Release Date: October 17

Platforms: iOS, Android

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead

Release Date: October 17

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed

Release Date: October 18

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Unknown 9: Awakening

Release Date: October 18

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Date Everything

Release Date: October 24

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

Release Date: October 24

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Clock Tower Rewind

Release Date: October 29

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Release Date: October 29

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Post Trauma

Release Date: October 29

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered

Release Date: October 31

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Batman: Arkham Shadow

Release Date: October 22

Platforms: Meta Quest 3

The post Games Coming Out In October 2024 That You Should Be Excited For appeared first on Press Start.

Every New Razer Product Announced At Razercon 2024

Shannon Grixti — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 17:59:15 +0000

Razercon was back for another year this year, and this time, it was all about new innovative products with haptics featuring in a big way in several new products including the new Razer Freyja gaming chair topper as well as the Kraken V4 Pro.

RAZER FREYJA HAPTIC GAMING CUSHION

Building on the haptics gaming chair that Razer showed off as a prototype earlier this year, Freyja is designed to go over the top of your chair and allows you to feel multi-directional haptics through six advanced haptics motors which are programmed to follow the direction of whatever is happening on screen, so for Hogwarts Legacy, it totally changes based on the direction of the spell for instance.

Developers will be able to release enhanced haptics with games such as Hogwarts Legacy, Final Fantasy 16, Snowrunner and Silent Hill 2 being a few of the already announced games.

I got to go hands-on with Freyja a few weeks ago, and it really adds to the immersion. It takes a little while to get used ot initially, but as you sort’ve forget that you’re sitting on a vibrating vibrating cushion, you really settle in and feel immersed in your game. Stay tuned for the full review.

I got to spend some time with the insane new Razer Freyja haptics gaming cushion a few weeks ago. Full review soon ???? @RazerANZ pic.twitter.com/U8DCl0JQBR

— Shannon Grixti (@shannongrixti) September 28, 2024

Razer Freyja releases in Australia today and it’s available to order on Razer’s website for $549.95 AUD.

RAZER KRAKEN V4 PRO WIRELESS HEADSET

Building on the Kraken V4 and Kraken V4 X, the Kraken V4 Pro features built-in Sensa HD Haptics technology with games such as Final Fantasy 16, Hogwarts Legacy, Stalker 2 and Silent Hill 2 all set to take advantage.

Much like other high-end headsets that have been released by other manufacturers, the Kraken V4 Pro will include an OLED Control hub that will allow you to tweak audio sources and settings on the fly.

It will allow connectivity over four options: HyperSpeed wireless, Bluetooth, USB and 3.5mm allowing you to mix and toggle between PC and PlayStation without interruption.

The Kraken V4 Pro has a HyperClear Super Wideband retractable microphone and it has patented Razer TriForce Bio-Cellulose 40 mm Drivers and THX Spatial Audio that allow for clear and realistic positional audio.

The Razer Kraken V4 Pro releases in Australia today and it’s available to order on Razer’s website for $649.95 AUD.

RAZER LAPTOP COOLING PAD

The Razer Laptop Cooling Pad is an intelligent cooling solution for 14-inch to 18-inch laptops. It features smart fan control, an airtight pressure chamber and three magnetic frames which will allow it to support a wide variety of laptop. It has a high-velocity 140mm fan that circulates cool air that is trapped within the airtight seals.

The stand uses smart cooling technology to automatically adjust the span feed based on temperatures of key components to allow for an optimal noise performance without having to tweak things too closely.

The stand includes remappable buttons for controlling fan speed and RGB lighting as well as three USB-A ports on the back so you can use it as a hub

The Razer Laptop Cooling Pad releases in Australia in Q4 and it’s available to order on Razer’s website for $219.95 AUD.

RAZER BLACKWIDOW V4 PRO 75% KEYBOARD

This one was announced a few weeks ago, although technically made up the Razercon 2024 announcements. It’s a new 75% keyboard that has an OLED display with a command dial that has up to 100 customisable modes. It offers up to 2100 hours of battery life in power saving mode, and true 4K HZ wireless and Bluetooth 5.1 support (for up to three devices).

One of the key features is a gasket-mounted plate that allows for flexibility as well as a plate foam that help for a cleaner sound profile when typing as well as a tape-enhanced PCB for absorption.

It’s available now on the Razer website for $499.95 AUD.

RAZER SYNAPSE 4

Razer announced that it is releasing Razer Synapse 4 after a year of beta testing. It allows for a 30% increase in processing speed and allows gamers to easily create macro creation, control settings and install drivers much more efficiently.

It also introduces a modernised user interface for simpler navigation, and will be backwards compatible with Synapse 3 devices and also retain Synapse 3 features such as Razer Hypershift and Rapid trigger as well as Advanced Macros.

Synapse 4 also allows users to enable Razer Snap Tap to enhance responsiveness between two selected keys, as well as 1 DPI step adjustment.

The post Every New Razer Product Announced At Razercon 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

Apartment Story Is A Clever Mix Of Crime Thriller And The Sims

Brodie Gibbons — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 03:05:20 +0000

Over the course of the past week, I’ve spent a little bit of time with a game called Apartment Story, the first title from Glasgow based indie studio Blue Rider Interactive.

A large portion of the game, penned and directed by studio founder Sean Wenham, takes place within an apartment flat and resolves around Arthur, a regular dude who’s just living his until a ex-roommate by the name of Diane visits, setting in motion a gritty, crime-thriller about three entangled lives and a smoking gun.

Spent a bit of time with Apartment Story over the last week. It’s billed as a “feature-length” indie about three people, how their lives and pasts intertwine, and a gun that changes everything. pic.twitter.com/Z54dBsABV1

— Brodie Gibbons (@brodie_dg) September 26, 2024

While these narrative beats come about across the course of a few rainy days, the moments in between centre on the player trying to keep Arthur’s head above water. The game incorporates life-simulation mechanics, very similar to The Sims, to let the player prepare and eat meals, shave and shower, or slope off for a crafty spliff and wank if the moment calls for it.

It’s a game that’s marketed as “feature-length” and that’s about right, my run lasted about an hour and a half. It does lack some polish and it’s a little rough around the edges in terms of handling and how certain sequences unfold, but it’s certainly a novel application of both life-sim concepts and self-care sensibilities that I think justifies both the time you’ll take to see Arthur’s story out and its very modest price point.

You can find Apartment Story on Steam by clicking here.

The post Apartment Story Is A Clever Mix Of Crime Thriller And The Sims appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2024 Stream

James Berich — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 10:55:48 +0000

Xbox have opened the Tokyo Game Show with their very own broadcast this year, previously promising updates on projects from Xbox Game Studios, Activision, Blizzard and Bethesda. While we got a look at all of those things, a few other reveals found their way into the broadcast as well.

The show lasted forty minutes, so let’s jump straight into the announcements that were made during the broadcast.

The Show Opened With Another Metal Gear Solid 3 Trailer But It’s Spoilery If You’ve Not Played It Before

The trailer focused on the game’s prologue, the Virtuous Mission, which leads into the events of the main game. Some other key moments made their way into the trailer too, though if you’ve never played this game before I wouldn’t watch this trailer. The game is still without a date so I assume it’s due out in 2025.

My Hero Academia Is Coming To Overwatch In A Crossover Event

The collaboration will see a few characters get skins inspired by the popular anime. The content will be dropping on October 17th.

Age Of Mythology Retold Is Getting A New Expansion

It’s called Immortal Pillars and looks to incorporate other types of mythology that weren’t previously in the original game.

StarCraft Remastered and StarCraft 2 Are Coming To PC Game Pass Later This Year

Both the campaign and multiplayer aspects of these games will be updated and they’ll both be available on PC Game Pass later this year, on November 5th to be exact.

Tanuki: Pon’s Summer Is A Cute And Charming Brand New Game From A New Team

The game has you playing as a whimsical raccoon who must deliver mail on his BMX to try and save as much money as he can before the big festival in a months time. You can also make sushi. What more could you want?

Threads Of Time Is A Brand New RPG With A Very Unique Art Style

The game seems to tell a tale across many different time periods and mixes a pixel art style with modern visuals, not too unlike Octopath Traveler and the like. It looks good.

Another Katamari Damacy Game Is Finally Rolling On To Xbox

It’s been a while, but We Love Katamari is finally on Xbox and is even part of Game Pass. It marks the first time the series has been on Xbox since Reroll four years ago. Oh, and it’s out today.

We Got Another Small Look At Fragpunk

Look, it’s not for me, and this genre is just…I don’t know…..but it’s made by a group of passionate people I guess. There’s a beta coming soon too if you want to try it.

Yet Another Metaphor: ReFantazio Trailer Has Hit, And A Demo Is Out Now, Too

The game is looking stylish as hell and the demo is quite substantial, allowing you to carry over progress in to the main game from the prologue.

Gust Gave Us A Better Look At The Next Atelier RPG

It’s an alchemy RPG, as are the other ones, and I’m sure this is a vibe for someone. It is the first time in a long time (maybe even ever) that the Atelier games have been on Xbox. It’s still on track for release in March 2025.

ASURAJANG Is Coming To Xbox

The game looks like a dire League of Legends-esque experience and League of Legends was already pretty dire. I’m sure it’s for someone. AsuraJang Rumble is what it’s called and it’s coming to Xbox.

We Got A Gameplay Trailer For The New Bleach Game

I feel like all my friends talk about One Piece and I’m sick of hearing about that, so it’s nice to see Bleach back again. It could be a 3D arena fighter, though, like all of the anime games seem to be. It’s called BLEACH: Rebirth of Souls, and it’s due in early 2025.

Synduality: Echo Of Ada Finally Has A Release Date

If you questioned my use of the word “finally”, then we’re on the same wavelength. The game has you scavenging planets in fully customisable armed vehicles. It’s due out on January 24th in 2025.

Cats and Dogs Are Coming To Fallout 76 If That’s Something You Wanted

While they mentioned cats and dogs initially, I feel like they only confirmed that cats are coming to Fallout 76 at the end of 2024. Maybe dogs will come too. Who knows.

Konami Gave Us More Of A Look At The Suikoden Remasters

It feels like an eternity since this was announced so it’s nice to see it finally coming together. The collection includes both games and is due on March 6th 2025.

The Next PixelJunk Game Was Shown And It’s Out Today

You control sentient tetris blocks, or something, and try and fit yourselves through all kinds of weird environments. The game utilises a stitchy art style and is called ALL YOU NEED IS HELP which I think seems appropriate. You can play it with your friends too. It seems odd but PixelJunk games are always good. It’s also on Game Pass.

Bokeh Gave Us Another Look At Slitterhead

The concept is really good but the game is still looking a bit rough, but it does look better than the previous showing. Toyama created both Gravity Rush and the original Silent Hill so I have a lot of faith in him and his team. It’s still on track for release in November this year.

Another Game Was Shown And It’s Called Starbites

The game features a Toriyama-esque artistic style and has you competing in turn based battles while inside a mech. I’m not sure about this one but it’s giving SandLand 2.0, not that that’s a bad thing. Oh and it takes place on a planet called Bitter……

Some More Gameplay Of The Dragon Quest III Remake Was Shown

The game is looking like a massive improvement over the original – it’s still on track for release in November.

A Whole Bunch Of Square Enix Games Are Coming To Xbox Including Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster

Trials of Mana, Legends of Mana and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster (which includes Final Fantasy I through VI) are available on Xbox starting today. The Mana games are on Game Pass while Pixel Remaster is for sale today. All three trailers for the games are shown above.

The post Everything Announced At The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2024 Stream appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At The September 2024 PlayStation State Of Play

James Berich — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 05:00:12 +0000

It feels like only yesterday that Sony announced the PlayStation 5 Pro, but it’s been almost two weeks, and one question remains: Where are the games? Sony seeked to answer that question (kind of) with this weeks State of Play, which was slated to give updates on over 20 games for both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 from around the world.

They delivered on their promise, so, without further adieu, here’s what Sony announced at their September 2024 State of Play.

The Ghosts Of Tsushima Sequel Was Finally Revealed

The trailer featured the same strong and stylish visuals that we have come to expect after playing the original game. It’s called Ghost of Yotei and it’s out in 2025.

Horizon: Zero Dawn Is Being Remastered For PlayStation 5 and PC

It’s out on October 31st. It will feature a similar upgrade deal to what The Last Of Us Part 2: Remastered had which is nice since you can grab the original for like $14 from a retailer.

The Show Opened With The First Content Drop For Astro Bot

The update is free and will include five new online speedrun levels and ten new bots to rescue, including characters from Helldivers and Eve from Stell Blade, though the Eve Astro Bot already has more personality than the actual Eve. The update is out later this year.

The Midnight Walk Is A Brand New Puzzle Platformer That Includes VR2 Support Too

From the developers of Lost In Random, it’s a game that’s been made entirely out of clay. It’s playable on the PS5 but also has full support for PSVR2.

We Got Our First Proper Look At Gameplay Of Hell Is Us

The game looks like yet another Dark Souls clone albeit with some more involved puzzles and strange faceless men. Spooky.

The Metro 2033 VR Game Is Coming Along Nicely And Out Pretty Soon

The game is really well suited to VR, having you navigate the claustrophobic and dark tunnels of Russia. It’s out on November 7th and it’s called Metro Awakening VR.

A Sequel To Archeage Was Announced And It’s Imaginatively Titled Archeage Chronicles

The game is an online action RPG that’s set fifty years after the original. We’ve pivoted from Dark Souls clones to God of War reboot clones now. Dynamic. It’s out in 2025.

Palworld Is Coming To PlayStation And It’s Maybe Even Sooner Than You Think

The trailer looked pretty rough, as does the rest of the game so many months on, but it’s out on PS5 today.

The Two Lunar RPGs Are Being Remastered For New Consoles

The collection brings together LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete along with the usual remastered bells and trimmings – improved visuals, audio and quality of life improvements.

A Free Update For Shredder’s Revenge Is Out Today And Adds New Characters

The update adds Mona Lisa and Mondo Gecko as playable characters. It’s out today and it is free too. And there’s a nice addition of remixed tracks from guest artists too.

The Fantasian Enhanced Port Finally Has A Release Date

The game is a fundamental revamp of the original Fantasian, which was initially only available for Apple Arcade. It has a unique visual style built from photographs of real miniatures, which is cool. It’s out on December 5th.

Sonic X Shadow Generations Is Getting A Movie Pack With Keanu Reeves

The pack includes levels based on key moments from the upcoming Sonic 3 film and they even got Keanu Reeves in to spit some lines for Shadow too. It’s out on December 12th but it’s included with the digital deluxe edition.

We Got An Extended Look At Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The game is a different direction for the series but I think I’m still keen for it. Perhaps. It’s still on track for October 31st.

We Got Our First Trailer For The Final Alan Wake 2 DLC

The DLC looks to be firmly leaning into the horror angle, as expected, and will be more substantial than the Night Falls DLC. You also play as Estevez, played by Janina Gavankar, which was cool but also expected as well. It’s out in October.

We Got Our First Look At The Newest Hitman Trilogy On PlayStation VR2

It’s out in December and includes all the content from HITMAN, HITMAN 2, HITMAN 3 and full dual wielding.

Both The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Games Are Getting The Remaster Treatment

While this was leaked yesterday, it’s still nice to see these games playable today. They’re being remastered by Aspyr and they’re out on December 10th.

A Release Date For Fear The Spotlight Was Revealed

It’s out on October 22nd and will be the first in a batch of many games coming from Blumhouse. It’s a horror game that uses a similar style to older PS1 games.

Towers Of Aghasba Is A Video Game

It’s entering early access on PlayStation 5 in November 2024. It’s an action-adventure game with building elements, an incredibly underserviced genre.

LEGO Fortnite Is Getting Splitscreen Co-Op AND A Fancy New Dualsense

Pre-orders will open on October 3rd.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Now Has A Release Date

It’s hard to tell, but I think the game is scrapping the overworld from the last game. It looks better than previous Dynasty Warrior games but I don’t think it looks particularly different either. Its out on January 17th.

Monster Hunter Wilds Got Yet Another Trailer And A Release Date, Finally.

It’s looking good if not a bit choppy. I like Snow. It’s out on February 28th which is exciting because now Capcom can do something else after that.

LEGO Horizon Adventures Has A Release Date

The trailer showed us a bit more of the adventure as well as the weird rollercoaster you get when you buy the digital deluxe edition. And costumes based on other PlayStation brands, which is cute. It’s out on November 14th.

A Stellar Blade Update Is Coming

Continuing the trend of adding substantial and insightful content to the game, you’ll be able to take photos of Eve in the new photo mode. There’s also gear from NieR Automata being added to the game later this year.

Three New DualSense Colours And Console Covers Were Announced

The collection is called the Chroma Collection and is comprised of Indigo, White and Teal colourways. Preorders open October 3rd.

Mark Cerny Showed Up To Chat The Same Stuff About PS5 Pro Again

The trailer showcased a whole bunch of games we already knew about along with some other heavy hitters like Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4.

The post Everything Announced At The September 2024 PlayStation State Of Play appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To The Warcraft Rumble Devs About What’s Coming To The Game

Camilla Wolfe — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:03:03 +0000

Season 7 of Warcraft Rumble is well underway with new units, events, boards and more.

During our recent adventures at Blizzard HQ in Irvine, California, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Art Director Jeremy Collins and Senior Game Designer Brendan Farrell from the Warcraft Rumble development team to chat about the current state of the game and what’s new this season. In particular, we learned about the most recent addition to Rumble’s ever-expanding collection of minis: the Cenarion family.

When designing the Cenarion family, the Blizzard team wanted to give players lots of new strategies to explore but also wanted to bring in some of the magical forest vibes familiar to World of Warcraft players who have explored the home of the Cenarion Circle, Moonglade. We asked the developers to tell us a bit more about the concept of Rumble families at large:

Brendan Farrell: When the rumble first started, there was only one family, and we had a collection of only five or six minis. A lot of them are still in the game, like the Gnoll, the Gryphon Rider, the Troll, and the Kobold – they were the original family. As the game started more built out and we built more of these minis we felt it would be appropriate to have them these sort of buckets. In classic World of Warcraft, there’s Alliance and Horde, and we thought there’s more variety here. There’s more room for strategy and building out these different armies so that’s where the first five families came from. We had Alliance, we had Horde, Blackrock, Undead and Beast. There is so much in the Warcraft universe to pull from and put into Rumble, and I feel like we’ve only tapped 2% of what could be.

Philosophically, whenever we’re thinking about adding a mini or a family to the game, we’re thinking firstly, what’s missing in terms of the World of Warcraft lore, what haven’t we yet represented? Then what does the game, and what do players need strategically? What family or minis would add to the diversity that is already there? Rather than just tuning existing minis, buffing and nerfing, we’d rather introduce new tools to shake up the meta.

That’s kind of where the idea of Cenarion came from. We asked, ‘What is missing from our kit?‘. Cenarion is all about sustainability, building these big pushes, and using the duality of the Druid. Almost all of the Cenarion minis have some sort of utility; they can do more than one thing. Cenarion was a pretty common request from a lot of the team and a lot of the players. Even if they didn’t ask for the family by name, they asked for a lot of the characters that would easily fit into the Cenarion family.

Jeremy Collins: With a phone, you have a limited amount of screen space, so it’s very important to us in Art to make sure that at a glance, you can see a unit and know who that unit is. A lot of the gameplay is joyful chaos; something good is happening in this lane, but something bad is happening in that lane, and you’re constantly jockeying your attention between different places – because of that, we are very intentional about making sure that the characters we design have only have two or three major colour blocks so that when you’re in the middle of the battle and you see green and red, for example, you know that it’s the Warsong Grunt. We don’t want to overcomplicate the design of things.

One of the most exciting aspects of any Warcraft Rumble update is the introduction of new minis. It’s always fun to see familiar and often beloved residents of the Warcraft universe adapted to Rumble and turned into a mini via a process that the developers unofficially refer to as ‘Rumble-fying’. With the addition of several new Cenarion family minis this season, we asked Brendan and Jeremy to tell us about the process of Rumble-fying and some of the minis they’ve had the most fun with over the years.

JC: The first really Rumble-fied character we ended up making was the Kobold. There’s just this magical moment when you’re creating a mini where you’ve talked so much about the design, you’ve created so much concept art, but the character isn’t modelled yet. Somewhere along the pipeline we write the script for the character and then we’ll record it in a VO session and for me, it’s that moment when the mini really comes alive.

We had this amazing voice actor who played Invader Zim, who played the Kobold, and he just started going ‘money, money, money‘ and all the stuff you hear in the game right now, and it was a moment for me where I was like ‘oh my God, this character is real now’. Then, once you pair that up with the model and the animation and the rig, and everybody adds their piece, it’s just this edifying experience.

Here are some of the recently Rumble-fied Cenarion minis you can add to battle this season:

Cenarius

The Cenarion family is named after one of Rumble’s latest leaders, Cenarius. He’s a demigod with an Area of Effect (AoE) healing utility for allies and an AoE root for crowd-controlling enemies. He’s all about control of the battlefield, sustain and buying time to build pushes.

Deploy Cost: 5 Gold
Health: 600
Healing: 28 health every 1.5 seconds
Damage: 120
Root Duration: 3 seconds
Traits: Brambles, Tranquility, Elemental, Resistant, Healer

Onu

If Onu looks familiar, it might be because you’ve already fought him in Darkshore. However, you can now add him to your mini collection. Onu is going to open up a lot of new strategies and play styles with his unique kit. Despite his slow movement speed, he supports other minis that push ahead and protect him while offering a mobile deploy zone for friendly minis. This deploy zone blocks enemy deploys, grants double damage on the first attack and even persists for a short time after the towering tank’s death.

Deploy Cost: 6 Gold
Health: 3000
Damage: 190
Traits: Safe Arbor, Tank, Vulnerable

Ancient of War

“The designers were like ‘oh, we need a tank character, but we have this cool idea where you have to spend your gold to play it – you can spend a little of it or you can spend all of it, and depending on how much you spend, the size of the tank gets bigger or smaller,’ and we were like, ‘That’s a great idea’. There are characters in Warcraft that can fit that mould. You don’t want to see a thin, spindly character in that role because, visually, it doesn’t work, and that’s how we ended up going with the Ancient of War,” – Art Director, Jeremy Collins

Ancient of War is a tank with some interesting mechanics; its physical size, health pool and attack power is determined by the amount of gold you have on hand to spend summoning it. It can be utilised in battle in a few ways, to drive a strong push or as the last later of defense, making it a flexible and versatile mini to add to your collection.

Deploy Cost: Consumes all current Gold
Health: 850 (1 Gold) – 3770 (10 Gold)
Damage: 60 (1 Gold) – 267 (10 Gold)
Traits: Surge, Tank, Armored

Moonkin

The Moonkin is a ranged damage dealer useful in single and multi-target encounters. It alternates between a single strike and an AoE attack, similar to the Chimaera, but the Moonkin will typically pursue the same target until it dies.

Deploy Cost: 4 Gold
Health: 450
Moonfire Damage: 165
Hurricane Damage: 80
Traits: AOE, Elemental

Bog Beast

The Bog Beast is a low-cost tank, and in addition to its good looks, this mini gains a 30% boost to all healing received, making it a hardy unit that can maintain a push during dicey encounters.

Deploy Cost: 3 Gold
Health: 1100
Damage: 165
Traits: Tank, Resistant

Warcraft Rumble is free to play and available on Android and iOS devices.

The Author of this article travelled to the USA as a guest of Blizzard.

The post We Spoke To The Warcraft Rumble Devs About What’s Coming To The Game appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To World of Warcraft: The War Within Devs About All Things Khaz Algar

Camilla Wolfe — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:01:30 +0000

During our time in Irvine, California, visiting Blizzard HQ, we had the opportunity to sit down with Associate Design Director Maria Hamilton and Lead Prop Artist Jordan Powers to chat about World of Warcraft’s latest expansion, the War Within. In particular, we learned about the expansion setting, the brand-new zone of Khaz Algar. We discussed the development team’s goals, design processes and what to expect when players descend and discover the incredible expanse below the Azeroth’s surface.

For new and returning players, can you introduce the new Zone and how it fits into the existing World of Warcraft and the new expansion, the War Within?

Maria Hamilton: So, Khaz Algar is this area off the coast of Pandaria and Kalim Dor, sort of in the southwest corner of our World Map. It has been isolated for a very long time. A very, very long time.

The first creatures we meet in Khaz Algar are the Earthen, who we’ve met before. These Earthen have been isolated; they’ve been here since they were given edicts and told by the Titans what to do before they left. Since they left, these Earthen have been trying to follow the Titans’ instructions as faithfully as possible, but time has caused their society to fracture a bit. There are Earthen who want to follow the Titans, but there are some who want to do their own thing, and there are others who are just frantically trying to keep the machines going, and they are struggling as a group.

So, the Isle of Dorn is the first Zone with the City of Dornogal, and we will be mainly based out of there.

Jordan Powers: The Zone directly beneath Dornogal is the Ringing Deeps, and this is the first step that players will take underground as they venture deeper and deeper into the War Within. This is a beautiful zone; openings in the cavern ceiling unleash these God Rays and make these beautiful cenotes into lush mineral pools and whatnot.

It’s a cool juxtaposition next to the heavy industry that takes place here, where the Earthen have their big Titan machines.

We encounter a variety of cultures and characters down here. Of course, one of the returning fan favourites is the Kobolds. They’ve been around since World of Warcraft Vanilla, and fans are going to be really excited to dig deeper into the stories that we have woven for them.

Directly beneath that is Hallowfall.

MH: Hallowfall is pretty cool because the Ringing Deeps are a little tighter and resemble more natural caverns, but as you come into Hallowfall, it’s just this huge, vast cavern that opens right up; you can barely see the boundaries of the walls.

A huge crystal embedded in the ceiling projects down shining light but occasionally goes dark. When it does, it becomes very dangerous and horrible things come out of the endless sea stretching into the distance.

The airships are one of the most notable things as you enter this Zone. You have to wonder why there are airships so far underground – which is good because we want you to wonder and ask questions here.

In Hallowfall, you’ll find the City of Mereldar, where the Arathi live and where they have been engaged in this ongoing war with the Nerubians. The Nerubians have been attacking non-stop, and the Arathi have been trying to push them back, but the Arathi are few, and the Nerubians are many, so it has been a serious battle for them, and they are getting worn down and getting tired.

From there, we go down into Azj-Kahet.

JP: Azj-Kahet is really the big pay-off that fans have been looking for in regards to the Nerubians, an older race that we encountered back in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

This is their civilisation and their city that we get to explore, so there are a lot of cool opportunities for us to not only give a nod to the ones that we encountered in WOTLK but also shed new light on how they live as a society, the different echelons of their culture. Things that we weren’t able to explore in previous expansions, we are able to explore now.

It is a vast city that feels otherworldly and has dark elegance. It’s full of fun, cool stories and lots of creepy crawly things, and we think players will be really excited to explore this place.

When designing the new expansion, where did you start, and what were your goals from the beginning?

MH: We’re in the first chapter of the World of Warcraft Worldsoul Saga, so we’re setting things up for that larger story arc. We’re also telling a story within the War Within that should feel and be satisfying by its conclusion.

The first thing we thought about is ‘what are the important pieces that we need to see using that runway and across the entire Saga?’ What were the cultures? What were the creatures? What art kits would we need? How would we build this descent into the Earth?’

There was a lot of pre-production creative thinking and visual development, which included some amazing art made by our artists. Sometimes we have one idea and somebody will show up with a painting and we’ll be like ‘oh, nope! We want that, that’s better!’ and there was a lot of that going on as we talked about how we would build this out and where we wanted to have our moments of surprise and delight. I can tell you that vista, as you come into Hallowfall for the first time, we have a painting of that, and when we first saw it, we went, ‘Let’s do that!’.

Early on, there was a lot of inspiration and conversation about narrowing down the story and figuring out what kind of structure we wanted. For the art processes themselves, they do a 2D map, and once they like the layout, they’ll go to 3D, and then it gets artsy and fancy. Jordan can tell you about that.

JP: Everything we do in World of Warcraft is a team effort. It’s a very creative and collaborative process, and a lot of those early talks that Maria mentioned start with a lot of ‘hey wouldn’t it be cool if…’ and ‘Yeah, it would be cool if…’ and then we explore that.

Our amazing visual development team creates these beautiful concepts that fuel our discussions about what we’re doing and where we’re going and the themes and stories we want to tell.

When designing a new continent, do you already know how many Zones you want to include?

MH: We experiment a bit. We tend to target a certain amount, but sometimes it doesn’t feel right. A couple of our Zones, during early development, change size or parts of one might get moved to another one when there are times that we go, ‘That’s an amazing space, but you know what, this other area needs it more’.

Now that we have Skyriding, we have to consider how players traverse space and how quickly they can do so because that also contributes to how long or deep we want the zone to be.

Generally speaking, it’s not so much a count of zones as it is a

Dragonflight was huge, the largest we have ever done, and it was pretty hard to fill all that space. We’ve been trying to find the right sizes to make it exciting and fun to fly through, but at the same time, we need to fill it with interesting activities.

JP: From an art perspective, it’s a very organic process. We have different biomes that we want to fit into each Zone, but there are times when we plan for a certain number or types of biomes in a Zone, and it’s really cool, but it feels too cramped, so we’ll pull it aside for another Zone or see if we can use the same themes to balance out a different area.

Can you tell us more about the process of designing the defining elements and unique visual essence of each Zone?

JP: We have broad strokes whenever we’re designing things. We have a big picture of what we’re trying to achieve collectively. As the World Art Team, we make a list of biomes and a bestiary of the types of creatures that occupy each of them.

How did the Isle of Dorn become the introduction point for the War Within?

MH: We wanted to start you with something more familiar because we want you to be increasingly surprised as you go down.

Isle of Dorn is the most normal of our Zones, and when we go down to the Ringing Deeps, you are maybe surprised by the lush greenery and the cenotes – you probably expect the heavy industry, but it’s still interesting and exciting because it’s Titan Works and that’s cool. Then you go down to Hallowfall, and it’s like, ‘What is going on here?’ it’s very surprising, with airships and ocean and crystals that change colour. It’s weird. When you go down to Azj-Kahet and it’s like ‘Wait a minute, there’s a spider city down here that’s been hidden for a really long time?’

We were intentionally going for a more familiar to less familiar vibe and an increasing feeling of danger as you go down.

What about your personal favourite areas or experiences and elements in those areas?

MH: Oh wow, how do you choose? It’s like picking a favourite child.

JP: For me, it’s got to be Hallowfall. Mereldar is so cool, there’s giant DaVinci-esque machinery going on, there are airships, there is a lot of lore for players to discover and Easter Eggs that we’ve sprinkled throughout the art to support those bits of lore. Every area of New Mereldar just feels lived in, it feels alive and I think that’s a real triumph. I’m really proud of that.

MH: I really like Hallowfall as well, but I’ll go with Azj-Kahet. In Azj-Kahet we have this concept of a city that has built upon itself for generation after generation after generation. As you go down underneath the City, you see the decaying ruins of what was there before and I like that feeling of ancient past and danger down there. It’s not great for people who are afraid of spiders – though we do have an arachnophobia mode – there are places where there are just holes that creepy things come out of, and there are pits you can fall into where there are spiders. It’s just a hit of creepy horror and I think the artists have done a phenomenal job in creating that atmosphere.

We have these blooms, odd, almost alien-looking flowers down there, that are interesting shades of magenta that go well with Nerubians. When you think of Nerubians, you think of purples, magentas, burgundy, and those kinds of colours, so we’ve got that in the foliage as well, and I really like the vibe.

There are some beautiful places in what is essentially a terribly creepy place.

The World of Warcraft development team is notoriously on the pulse of community feedback. Have you had any particularly interesting or unexpected feedback so far?

MH: You’re right; we’re listening to feedback very much. We do a great deal of collection of that and it gets sent out in regular reports to our team so that we can get both anecdotal statements people are making as well as a variety of statistics around different things, for example ‘a lot of people are dying in this spot, it seems like trouble’ or ‘not many people are taking this path, they’re taking that path’ and other things like that that are very helpful to us.

We expected the big reaction we’re getting for the Hallowfall and its crystal. We’re enjoying hearing people geek out over moments in Ringing Deeps. The Kobold Village in particular, has inspired a fair bit of feedback because of course, it’s all about candles and wax, so the idea that there are big brutish Kobolds with bigger candles and the Candle King has a snuffer that he carries around to snuff out people’s candles.

I don’t know if I was expecting people to be so enthused about Azj-Kahet to be honest. It’s creepy, and that’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but players seem to really like it.

When the story takes you through there, we’ve got some humour that I think helps lighten the mood a little bit, which is good because there are some very scary optional stories there, too.

JP: From an art perspective too, we always try to keep a pulse on feedback. One of the big things we’re mindful of when we get these reports that Marie mentioned is player navigation. Often, we’ll work on a Zone for an extended period of time so we’ll have the luxury of knowing where everything is, but players don’t always have that, so we get feedback to brighten certain assets or make landmarks easier for players or more distinct. We always try to be mindful of those sorts of things and address feedback where we can.

MH: One really good example is that our Zones are stacked, and because it’s contiguous, there isn’t a load in between. Sometimes, when you’re trying to go up or down, the transitions between Zones are less clear than you might expect, and it might not be obvious where exactly you need to go to leave a Zone. For this expansion, we had to improve our map so that it was easier for players to look at it and know how to transition between different Zones.

World of Warcraft: The War Within – Earthen

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World of Warcraft: The War Within is available now via Battlenet for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. You can access World of Warcraft and WoW Classic, including Cataclysm Classic, Season of Discovery, and Hardcore Realms with a single subscription. Purchase the War Within separately to journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds of Khaz Algar, investigate the malevolent plans of the Harbinger of the Void, and deliver justice upon the servants of the Shadow.

The Author of this article travelled to the USA as a guest of Blizzard.

The post We Spoke To World of Warcraft: The War Within Devs About All Things Khaz Algar appeared first on Press Start.

Aussies Don’t Seem Convinced About The PS5 Pro Yet For A Number Of Reasons

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 05:05:52 +0000

The PS5 Pro was announced this morning, and whilst everyone was expecting a higher cost and the a disc drive likely missing in the box, the announcement and subsequent reaction was a lot more extreme than expected.

In case you missed the news, the PS5 Pro will offer improved graphical fidelity, ray-tracing and frame rates with a 2TB SSD and Wi-Fi 7, it will cost $1,199.95 AUD ($699 USD) with the disc drive being available separately for $160.

Will you be buying a PS5 Pro day one?

Aussie price and release date: https://t.co/j0Lp4sVz2P

— PressStartAustralia (@PressStartAU) September 11, 2024

We asked our readers whether they were going to buy one on day one with the three pre-determined responses being yes, no or that more information is needed (performance/trade offers etc). With over 1,700 responses: 10% said yes, 77.4% said no and 12.4% said they needed more information.

Interestingly enough, I asked the same question a week ago when it was very clear a PS5 Pro reveal was imminent, and the responses were very different with 31% saying yes, 51% saying no and 18% saying it depended on the price, with majority of the latter clearly moving more into the no space.

Before PS5 Pro Announcment

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Before PS5 Pro Announcement

Overwhelming, the feedback this morning is in three key areas:

The price coming in at $1,199.95 (or $1,360 with a disc drive) marking the first time a console has ever been more than $1,000 in Australia
The console not having a disc drive in the box with Australia still being very much a physical market and there being fears about the clear move to a digital future
PS5 Pro performance improvements not yet being clear from game to game with the last mid-gen refresh (PS4 Pro) justifying its existence with clear selling points such as 4K/HDR compatibility

Obviously the first point is unlikely to change outside of price drops + potential trade deals, the second point people will relax on as you can buy a disc drive separately and third one will hopefully become clearer over time as admittedly it’s hard to do in a presentation (and a super short and highly technical one at that).

It’ll be interesting to see how the next 8 weeks or so play out, in terms of what we new games we see revealed and how the public perception continues to change over time. This was never going to be a console that the overwhelming majority picked up day one, but the reaction has been fairly negative this morning.

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro has been officially revealed with a 2TB SSD, Wi-Fi 7 support, up to 45% faster rendering and PlayStation AI upscaling technology #PS5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation5Pro #PlayStation

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

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Astro Bot Honours PlayStation’s Most Neglected Franchise In An Incredible Way

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 11:57:53 +0000

For those that have been following Press Start and myself over the last decade, you’ll know that I’ve been dying for a new Ape Escape game. It’s easily my favourite franchise and it started a love for platformers and all-things PlayStation for me, and Astro Bot, kind of scratched the Ape Escape itch, but also left me wanting more.

SPOILERS BELOW

At the end of each world in Astro Bot, you take on a boss battle in which you generally find a PlayStation character (much like the rest of the game), but unlike finding regular cameo appearances, these are PlayStation Heroes that then take you to their own level where you actually get to play as that character and be in that world for an entire level.

Whilst you can find all of those here, it’s the first one that nearly knocked me off my chair. It’s a level called Apes on the Loose where you have to catch 10 cheeky monkeys as Spike. At the start of the level, Spike throws you the iconic net as well as the Monkey Radar and then you go through the level as you would any other Ape Escape level.

You wild both your iconic net that is now mapped to the R2 button complete with adaptive trigger functionality, and the Monkey Radar which similarly has clever adaptive trigger functionality and pulses as you get close to a monkey. This is used be used to find monkeys that are hiding all over the stage with their iconic little quirky personalities and names.

The whole level isn’t super long, but it really feels like it elevates the Astro Bot experience. It feels like other levels in the game, but equally feels as though you’re playing an Ape Escape game, and whilst I’ve replayed it more than a few times in the last week, it did leave me wanting a new Ape Escape game even more if I’m being totally honest, but it’s nice to see PlayStation acknowledge the franchise again.

Astro Bot releases on September 6th. The cheapest price is currently $89 with free shipping from Amazon with the DualSense controller also available for $124.95 HERE.

@shannongrixti

Astro Bot is a phenomenal platformer but it’s the PlayStation hero levels that take it to the next level #AstroBotPS5 #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #DualSense

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

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Releasing FANTASIAN Neo Dimension Feels Like Closing Two Loops For The Legendary Hironobu Sakaguchi

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:57:27 +0000

“Since I was ready for this to be potentially my last game, I wanted as many players as possible to be able to get their hands on it.”

It’s always quite surreal to have the opportunity to speak directly to the people responsible for some of my most cherished games and gaming memories, especially as I’ve slowly made my way through creators like Yoshinori Kitase, Tetsuya Nomura and Naoki Yoshida – names that undoubtedly mean a lot to a full-blooded Final Fantasy fan. It’s something entirely different though, meeting a fabled creator after what they once believed was the end point of their career, in some ways.

Having been a fan of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s work through my first exposure to the Final Fantasy series and then eventually his efforts as the founder of Mistwalker after departing from Square Enix, the reveal of FANTASIAN Neo Dimension earlier this year was great news, personally. Without a lot of access to Apple devices, 2021’s FANTASIAN being exclusive to Apple Arcade has kept it out of reach for myself and I’m sure many others, but I was interested to know how this entire journey started and how much of the game’s existence is owing to that first Apple Arcade version.

“Well, this is going to go back quite a quite a bit, but I would say turn the clock back about 40 years ago, I had my first Apple II computer, and on the Apple II computer, I played games such as Wizardry or Ultima II, and I was just shocked by what was possible through computing and video games,” Sakaguchi-san explains. “And it was those games that I would say brought me into the video game industry in the first place.”

“Fast forward to more recently, and I was approached by Apple Japan, who said, ‘Hey, we’re launching this new platform called Apple Arcade, and we’d love to work with you to make a game together.’ And that conversation was the very, very start of how FANTASIAN came to be.”

By his own admission, this couldn’t have been a more fitting place to create and release what was to be the very last project that Sakaguchi would helm in his 40-year career. I shouldn’t have been surprised, either. Looking at FANTASIAN with its novel twists on classic RPG systems, rich cast of well-rounded characters and astonishing visual style where real-world dioramas are scanned in to form the game’s backgrounds, it’s all emblematic of a man with four decades of ideas ready to spill onto that final canvas.

“When I was making FANTASIAN, I was prepared for this to be my final game. And I think that was the stance or posture I had going into it, my first game, or my first computing experience being with Apple, and then the last game I create, also being on Apple platforms, I felt had this very poetic ending to it, but here we are with FANTASIAN Neo Dimension, and of course, we’re adding a few upgrades to the game as well. Part of that reason being, I think, as you mentioned yourself, Apple Arcade as many countries as it can touch, it also does limit some players from being able to access the game. And since I was ready for this to be potentially my last game, I wanted as many players as possible to be able to get their hands on it.”

Usually these PR-arranged developer interviews are a fun bit of fluff, so I wasn’t expecting the great Hironobu Sakaguchi to spend much of it musing about FANTASIAN’s importance as his once-final project. Here we were though, with the man largely considered the “father” of Final Fantasy describing how this game represents the closing of more than one door. As perfect as a pin this all would’ve been to put on a career inspired by that early Apple device, as it turns out that wouldn’t be the end of it. FANTASIAN Neo Dimension’s launch on a swathe of new platforms wouldn’t be possible if Sakaguchi-san hadn’t reopened another door entirely – the one to the offices of Square Enix, where his career in video games largely began.

“Not sure if you’re familiar, but I’m a huge Final Fantasy XIV fan, a very heavy player, if you will,” he admits. “And through, of course, my past industry connections and experience I was connected with the producer of Final Fantasy XIV, [Naoki] Yoshida-san, and when we got to talking, he was very excited by the prospect of taking FANTASIAN and bringing it to more players, which is when it came to be that Square Enix would be publishing the console version of FANTASIAN Neo Dimension.

“So there are almost two loops, I guess you could say, that we’re closing here. My gaming career starting with Apple and ending on Apple Arcade. And likewise my career starting at Square Enix, leaving and now coming back to Square Enix, to publish this game.”

Having visited the Square Enix offices in Japan myself, and being able to picture the very same doors that Sakaguchi-san will have walked through on this victory lap nearly two decades in the making, I had to imagine that it was a surreal experience both for him and the staff there who’ve either already had the pleasure or grown up on the man’s games.

“It’s obviously been a long time since I parted ways with Square Enix, almost 20 years, I want to say. And the team members, of course, have come and gone. Some of them are still there. But I recall when this project looked like it was going to happen, I went to the Square Enix building. Of course, I myself was a bit nervous, in the elevator. And I think the other people in the elevator perhaps recognized my face, so they were all frozen. Maybe thinking, ‘What’s this guy doing here?” he joked, a smile cracking beneath a moustache almost as synonymous with Final Fantasy as big swords and bigger birds. “But when I got to my floor and people started to warm up, I had a very, very warm welcome. People were open to me coming back into the building.”

And while there may have been initial nerves around the reception at Square Enix, trust had already been built with Yoshida-san, so much so that Sakaguchi was willing to take on feedback around his original vision for FANTASIAN, resulting in some of the marquee new features that are coming in Neo Dimension – like voice acting.

“Originally, to be quite frank, I didn’t think the voices were necessary. I’m one of those creators who likes to create. I think that perhaps the characters and the text speak for itself. But producer Yoshida said ‘No, it’s really important to have voices in a game.’ And he convinced me, and having played it now with voices on, I could see, and I think it’s really good how it all came together,” he admits.

“The characters always had certain emotions or dialogue ideas, but how the voices can depict that, I think it made them a lot more dense, in a way, and they captured more of the nuance of different scenes and different relationships between characters. So I think overall, having a cast and having it be voiced adds a livelier element to the game that it didn’t have previously.”

It’s a similar story for the game’s difficulty settings, which are new to this version and come following more than a little criticism from players on Apple Arcade.

“When going into FANTASIAN, I thought this could potentially be my last game that I developed. So in terms of the game design and balance, actually, it was the two programmers and myself who worked on it. We didn’t have a game designer or game planner, as you will, present. So the programmers and I got into developing a lot of the balance, the adjustments, the combat mechanics. I think we got really into it, and the three of us have certain tendencies. So I think the difficulty felt a little high,” the 61-year-old admits.

“But now with this collaboration with Square Enix, many more players are potentially going to get their hands on the game, and we needed to open it up. So I went for a different balance, where it felt good, rather than optimising it for how I thought players would want to see it. I wouldn’t say we necessarily just simply made it easy – it’s been adjusted in a way that I think players can get the most amount of fun out of it, and not necessarily skewed too much in both my and the programmer’s direction.”

As exciting as it is to hear the fruits of his collaboration with new figureheads like Yoshi-P though, Sakaguchi-san’s work with the legends of Square never really ended, the creator still frequently working with other icons like the preeminent musician Nobuo Uematsu. Before Square Enix was even in the picture, Uematsu-san’s incredible compositions graced FANTASIAN’s score in its entirety, and even before I’d played the game myself it’s a soundtrack that’s a constant in my library, easily one of the renowned composer’s best ever works. And like the game as a whole, it was all about returning to those beginnings and what first inspired these creators in their earliest efforts.

Sakaguchi names 1982’s Blade Runner, and in particular the score from Greek electronic musician Vangelis, as a favourite amongst both himself and Uematsu. This became a direct inspiration for the sounds of FANTASIAN, with the two deciding to bring the score’s synths to the foreground a little more than the other instruments, resulting in this almost bitcrushed baroque soundscape that genuinely feels like the final form of what we heard from this pair’s foundational work. It’s the kind of output that could only come from a combination of liberation and letting go, almost mirroring Sakaguchi-san’s path to FANTASIAN as Uematsu himself prepared to call this his final, full composition.

“For months on, I think he’s been open about saying that this is the last game for which he is going to compose the entire soundtrack,” Sakaguchi explains. “You know, I think given his age and the amount of stamina and energy he has, it would be tough to again compose 30-40 tracks for a game.”

“So all of that considered, we wanted to return to our roots.”

And so that’s where we are, now. Not at the end, but back at the beginning. It’s hard to imagine a better send-off for Hironobu Sakaguchi than FANTASIAN might have been, but even harder to think of a better way for the creator to realise he’s not done yet than to be working with many of the folks he once inspired. Even if they’ve really Square Enix’d that “Neo Dimension” subtitle onto the end of it. I guess FINAL FANTASIAN was too on the nose.

Oh, and I was handed a Nintendo Switch with a preview build of the game running on it to try the new features out for myself. It looks great, sounds great and seems to play well, in case you were wondering about that. I opted to put it down pretty quickly, though. After hearing Sakaguchi-san reflect first-hand on the journey that brought him to FANTASIAN, I think it’s only fair I see his game through from beginning to end.

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Don’t Forget To Collect All Four Special Bots In Astro’s Playroom Before Astro Bot Comes Out

Shannon Grixti — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 05:22:52 +0000

PlayStation has been adding in a bunch of little easter eggs into Astro’s Playroom since Astro Bot was revealed and as of today, all four of them are there for you to collect. We don’t know exactly what role these will play in Astro Bot yet, but we do know that there will be a special celebration inside Astro’s Playroom before they make the journey over to Astro Bot on Friday.

You can find guides for all of the special bots which includes a Bloodborne bot, Returnal bot, Gran Turismo bot and Ape Escape boat (GOAT).

Bloodborne Bot (Hunted Down trophy)

Head to the very beginning of the GPU jungle level, the Renderforest area
Follow the path up to where there are some trees and a huge log with two caterpillar enemies circling around it
Just behind the log is a Bloodborne bot swinging his sword around, go behind him and stand in the shrubs
A secret platform will open up behind you with the Maria bot you need to rescue
Now, head up onto the big log, defeat the enemies and open up the path in the middle
Follow this path along the trees until the last tree platform
One the far side of this trunk you’ll see a small clock, stand in front of it and pause your game
A mysterious screen will pop up with a date, enter 24-11-2015 (the original release date of Bloodborne’s The Old Hunters DLC)
You’ve free the Maria bot!

Returnal Bot (Deja Phew! trophy)

Warp to the Deep Dataspace section of the SSD Speedway level
Play through this section until you reach the area where Astro obtains a ball shooter from a chest
Don’t get the shooter just yet, instead look just to the left and you’ll see a swirling vortex out in space
Stand on the small ledge facing that vortex and jump forward (you’ll be fine!)
A platform will appear and catch you, containing the Selene bot
Once that’s done, go back and pull the chest containing the shooter out of the ground
Play through this first bit of the shooting section until you get to a room with dangling lights and a bunch of enemies
You can kill the purple enemies if you want, but don’t kill the green slime ones
Instead, go past them and up the steps, then turn back and walk along the top of the area
Along these narrow walkways you’ll see a tiny astronaut doll
Go and stand on/by the doll and let the green slime enemies hit you with their projectiles
You’ll die and respawn with Selene freed!

Gran Turismo Bot (Grand Tourist trophy)

Warp to the first area of the Cooling Springs level, called Bot Beach
Take the slide down to the main area and head to the small pier straight ahead to the right
Here, you’ll see a green inflatable star – stand on it and you should hear a chime
You’ll do to do this for three other inflatable stars, in the correct order (see the images below)
Upon standing on the last one, the trapped bot will appear
Now, head around to the opposite side of the wind tunnel to where you are
Here, you should see a blue shell. Hit it, and underneath is a small steering wheel
While in front of the wheel, open the map menu and move your cursor around the map in the exact sequence pictured below. If done correctly, you’ll be hearing a bunch of car noises
Once that’s done, your bot will be freed!

Ape Escape Bot (No Escape! trophy)

Warp to the first stage in Memory Meadow, Gusty Gateway
Go to the first checkpoint where there is a controller cable tight-rope
Go back to the start of the level and look to the left of the archway to spot some cables
Pull the cables to reveal a canister with a tiny net inside
Carry this canister up to the first checkpoint and go to the round corner behind the bush
Stand on the rounded corner and look for a blue glow in the clouds
Toss the canister at it to reveal the Ape Escape bot
You now need to go to the point in the level where there is a PS1 controller cloud and jump up the rock wall
Charge hit the tree with grapes in it to drop bananas
Go back to the Ape Escape bot and you’ll then need to perform a series of dances with the below buttons;
- Up – The Floss
- Left – The Carlton
- Right – The Travolta
- Down – Irish Line Dance
If you fail, you’ll need to go back to the get the bananas, otherwise you’ll get the final bot in the Ape Escape bot

Astro Bot releases on September 6th. The cheapest price is $89 from Amazon.

The post Don’t Forget To Collect All Four Special Bots In Astro’s Playroom Before Astro Bot Comes Out appeared first on Press Start.

Games Coming Out In September That You Should Be Excited For

Brodie Gibbons — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 03:31:50 +0000

Although there doesn’t seem to be anything releasing on the twenty-first night of September, it’s hard to not get juiced up in general for the month that Earth, Wind and Fire popularised through their disco-rock beats. While there are new releases to be excited about in September, it does seem as though the month’s theme is making the old new once more.

Ports, remakes, and the return of a popular point-and-click classic tell the story and set the tone for a relatively big month.

Let’s take a look at exactly what’s coming over the next month:

BIGGEST SEPTEMBER 2024 GAME RELEASES

Astro Bot

Release Date: September 6

Platforms: PlayStation 5

The Cheapest Price: Harvey Norman – $88

Pick Up The Controller Here: $124.95 (no deposit required, free delivery for Prime members)

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Release Date: September 26

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $68

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Release Date: September 9

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89

EA Sports FC 25

Release Date: September 27

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89

The Plucky Squire

Release Date: September 17

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

Release Date: September 19 (digital)

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Sumerian Six

Release Date: September 2

Platforms: PC

Starfield: Shattered Space

Release Date: September 30

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S

The Casting of Frank Stone

Release Date: September 3

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions

Release Date: September 3

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

Release Date: September 24

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Cheapest Price: Amazon – $89

Prison Architect 2

Release Date: September 3

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Age of Mythology: Retold

Release Date: September 4

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection

Release Date: September 6

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

El Paso, Elsewhere

Release Date: September 6 (digital), September 20 (physical)

Platforms: PlayStation 5

NBA 2K25

Release Date: September 4

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Elder Scrolls: Castles

Release Date: September 10

Platforms: iOS, Android

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP

Release Date: September 12

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

Release Date: September 12

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Wild Bastards

Release Date: September 12

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Demonschool

Release Date: September 13

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Funko Fusion

Release Date: September 13

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Final Fantasy XVI

Release Date: September 17

Platforms: PC

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Release Date: September 17

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged

Release Date: September 19

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

God of War Ragnarok

Release Date: September 19

Platforms: PC

Frostpunk 2

Release Date: September 20

Platforms: PC

Ara: History Untold

Release Date: September 24

Platforms: PC

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports

Release Date: September 27

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

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Here’s An Early First Look At The Astro Bot DualSense Controller

Shannon Grixti — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 01:53:50 +0000

Astro Bot is finally coming out next week, and with it is the next limited edition DualSense controller which is all about everyone’s favourite little robot.

This is a special controller for a few reasons. The first is that is a matte all-white design, which differs from the original white DualSense controller with a full white faceplate, white analogue sticks and white shoulder buttons as well.

There’s also little carved out sci-fi lines in the controller which is an extra nice touch to make it look a little different from the original DualSense controller.

The other differences are even more special though. There’s the blue accents all over the controller with the buttons all having blue icons, and these really nice blue metallic grips that didn’t quite come through in the official photos, but they’re a lot more reflective than expected.

Obviously there’s the iconic Astro eyes on the touch pad and whilst they don’t move, it’s still a really nice touch that well reflects the controller that you see in-game. There’s also a little Astro logo on the back of the controller as well.

At the time of writing, the only place to still be stocking the Astro Bot controller is Big W. It’s sold out everywhere else and you can grab it HERE. Traditionally, these don’t come back in stock once they do sell out. If you’re after the game, it’s cheapest on Amazon for $89 and you can grab it HERE.

The post Here’s An Early First Look At The Astro Bot DualSense Controller appeared first on Press Start.

Helpful Tips That I Wish I Knew Before Starting Star Wars Outlaws

Harry Kalogirou — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 07:09:42 +0000

Star Wars Outlaws is a big, big game. Comprised of countless systems that all entwine to create an open-world scoundrel fantasy not often seen in Star Wars games. Because there’s a load to wrap your head around in the initial hours, it’s easy to forget or not even notice key mechanics and systems that can make your experience all the more enjoyable. Here are the things I wish I knew before starting Star Wars Outlaws.

Eating At Diners Unlocks Powerful Treats For Nix

I’ve spoken previously about how Nix is quite the unsung hero in Star Wars Outlaws. Kay’s little critter can do just about everything you need him to. From distracting enemies to pickpocketing unsuspecting Imperials, Nix has a wide array of applications in many facets of the game. One thing the game doesn’t outright tell you, is that Nix can be equipped with different treats to give him new abilities to support Kay.

These aren’t small abilities, either. Che Mosska, which can be found on Toshara, gives Nix the ability to kick grenades away from Kay. While you can always reposition for the same effect, Star Wars Outlaws gets quite frenzied when the combat ramps up. Keeping track of different enemy types, your health, adrenaline meter, and weapon heat means there’s a lot to juggle in the moment to moment gameplay. Equipping Nix with the Che Mosska treat means you can take grenades off of that mental stack, letting you focus on dealing with your adversaries in skirmishes.

Another one of these treats, Duradan Soup, allows Nix to distract multiple enemies at a time, albeit at a shorter range. This is a very powerful ability in stealth for obvious reasons, and goes to show how far these treats go in shaking up playstyle and your approaches to stealth and combat. These treats are acquired by eating at the different diners on each planet, all of which have you doing a cute little quick time event where Kay and Nix share a meal, ultimately unlocking the treat for Nix.

Completing Jet Kordo Vaults Nets You Some Powerful Gear

Introduced towards the tail-end of the Toshara main missions, the Jet Kordo vaults are abandoned vaults filled with resources and gear pieces with powerful passive abilities. Gathering Holodiscs through various means will reveal landmarks of interest on different planets. These landmarks will lead to frequencies that can be used with the Holotracker to track down the hidden vaults.

Finding and looting these vaults nets you Scoundrel gear. These pieces are the highest tier of rarity for gear, bringing powerful bonuses to benefit Kay in and out of combat. The Scoundrel Belt, for example, increases Kay’s Bacta Vial and grenade carrying capacity, increases the recharge speed of the Stun Shot, and contributes to the set bonus that gives an increased window for super cooling, with the first shot after a successful super cool dealing double damage.

On top of that, you’ll also get insight into the story of Jet Kordo and his team as they assemble to undertake their own heist. It’s entertaining stuff that mirrors Kay’s own journey, and following it through to the end is an engaging side story to invest in as you explore the galaxy. Opening the first vault on Toshara will also let you find Miyuki Trade League caches, which are scattered all over the place and are filled with useful resources and components.

Prioritise Unlocking Experts To Expand Kay’s Skillset

Instead of opting for a traditional Ubisoft skill tree progression system, Star Wars Outlaws handles things a bit differently. Kay’s core progression comes in the form of Experts, nine unique characters who excel in particular areas Kay isn’t so adept in. These Experts cover everything from slicing and melee brawling to shooting and handling your speeder.

A good chunk of these Experts are completely optional, making some of Kay’s most useful skills missable. The earliest example of this is Aila Bren , The Slicer, who can drastically improve Kay’s hacking abilities. Not only does it give you access to unique skills to circumvent certain aspects of the slicing minigames, but also lets you craft concussive smoke bombs that can knock a bunch of enemies out of commission – particularly handy when you’re trying to stealth.

THE BEST PRICE IS CURRENTLY AT MIGHTYAPE FOR $75

The main story will often give you an Intel Chain to follow so you can locate said Expert. Often they’ll take you offworld, into orbit or to other planets entirely. It’s well worth investing the time in unlocking these Experts to get a jump on these skills earlier and work on unlocking them as you progress through the main story.

Exploring Outposts and Bases Leads To Powerful Upgrades

If you get a head start on unlocking Experts, it’ll also come in handy to explore outposts and bases to loot all of their caches. These can net you resources, gear, and most importantly, crafting components. These components are often needed to upgrade your blaster and unlock some of the best Expert skills.

The map will mark how many caches have yet to be looted in an area, so you can keep track of anything you might be missing in a given area. The game will also give you the general location for certain components, so if you’re hunting a specific part for a skill, you can mark that location on your map and hunt down the caches until you find it.

Clearing out these outposts as you find them won’t just help with Kay’s credit count and general crafting resources, but will often mean you already have the components required to unlock some of the best skills from the game once you find the related Expert. This will help a bunch, especially in stealth sequences where you can’t get caught. It’s also just really handy to build up a surplus of crafting resources and Credits so you can bolster you traversal, stealth, and combat capabilities.

Reading Data Pads and Notes Often Leads To Treasure

While data pads and terminal logs often lead to lore and narrative tidbits in these kinds of games, Star Wars Outlaws uses these chunks of narrative to also point you in the direction of some treasure. Even if you don’t want to spend the time reading these entries, interacting with them will mark relevant points of interest on your map. It’s also really rewarding to stumble on a piece of information related to treasure meant for someone else, only to steal it for yourself.

You can also listen in on conversations in cantinas and bars to similar effect. Criminals will often converse about how they’ve left packages in orbit or have hidden them somewhere on the planet, leaving them ripe for the taking if you want to make a move on them. It pays to listen and look in Star Wars Outlaws, quite literally.

The post Helpful Tips That I Wish I Knew Before Starting Star Wars Outlaws appeared first on Press Start.

A New COD Warzone Experience Is Coming Alongside Black Ops 6 With Nuketown And A Bunch Of Other Changes

Jake Barros — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 18:20:46 +0000

Probably the most anticipated news to come from today’s COD Next event, was the announcement of the all new Call of Duty Warzone experience launching alongside Black Ops 6.

Apart from the addition of the new Omnimovement system in Blacks Ops 6 making its way across to Warzone as well (which you can read about here), a ton of new map, weapon, perk and inventory information was revealed.

WELCOME TO NUKETOWN

The new Warzone resurgence map is the birthplace of Nuketown, Area 99. Having been a top secret government facility built in the 1950s nestled and concealed from the public in the unforgiving Nevada desert, Area 99 was the answer to the team’s question of how to bring Nuketown into the Warzone experience.

The map, which centres around its main POI, Reactor, has 10 key locations in total for players to land with their squad, with each location telling a story of how Nuketown came to be. Whether that’s at the Cooling Towers, Test Site or Mannequin Factory, players will enjoy hunting down the easter eggs to the origins of one of Black Ops’ most iconic maps.

Updates to the map experience and gameplay mechanics have also been made, like more fluid zipline and ascender access, faster usage of stims and redeploys, the addition of new perks to support movement style as well as the ability to gain infinite tac sprint in multiple ways.

PERKS HAVE BEEN REWORKED

The team has had a hard look at the current perk system and the way in which players are using them (or not), and have brought about a new way to play when it comes to perks.

The idea has been to increase each perks individual value, with some underused perks now being combined with others, to give what we think is some crazy, maybe even OP, combinations – one of which being the perk combination of Tracker and Combat Scout (gasp!)

In a nutshell, perks have now been honed in to suit play styles much more, like movement, or awareness, or survival etc. and will also be seeing the return of the pick 3 system. There are 18 perks for players to choose from in total with 5 of those perks being brand new. A lot of new things here, yes, but the ability to gain your perks in game remain the same – either by the way of obtaining your load out from a drop, or by specialist perk packs.

There will also be the new lootable perks system, with 6 ground loot perks in play. These are Veteran, Dexterity, Tracker, Cold Blooded, Tempered and Alertness – two of which are ground loot exclusives.

WARZONE WEAPON INTEGRATION

What good are perks though, without the right weapons to wield? The revamped Warzone will see the Black Ops 6 loadouts being the featured weapons in game, with the added note that players’ weapon builds will now be part of a global system – meaning that if you build and save a weapon loadout in Warzone, it will save across to all game modes! Eliminating the need to potentially build the same arsenal out in Multiplayer and then again in Zombies. Hooray.

Oh and did we mention doors will also now be able to be opened by shooting at them?

It was also revealed that two new kill streaks will be coming to Warzone, being the Care Package and Sentry Turret. This does mean that the Mosquito Drone and Guardian will be getting yeeted out of the game though. *pause for applause*

The goal this time around for Warzone and weapons is for each season to have a healthy meta, so be sure to test those weapon builds and combos pre-season 1 to be ready to go.

WILDCARDS ARE HERE

That’s right, wildcards are coming to Warzone Day 1, and will act as a significant loadout modifier for players. Players will have the ability to access and equip wildcards during a match, which may prove gaming winning or survival necessary depending on the situation. Overkill (the ability to equip two primary weapons) and Gunfighter (the ability to equip up to 8 attachments) are just a couple of examples of what players can expect from Wildcards in Warzone.

GOODBYE BACKPACKS

It’s out with backpacks and in with the OG inventory system. A new satchel mechanic will now assist players with expanding armour and ammo amounts, not to mention a dedicated melee slot. Which brings us to that infinite tac sprint mentioned. When players have their knife equipped (holding the melee button to bring it out), they’ll have an infinite supply of tac sprint at their disposal.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

We couldn’t leave without mentioning some of these planned Season 1 quality of life updates coming to the new Warzone, because some are just REALLY good:

Weapon rarity outlines
Pick up Self Revive whiled down
Downed enemies don’t trigger High Alert
Pinging loot triggers a navigational ping
Firing Range Improvements like stats & faster dummy respawn

All in all, the new and improved Warzone is sounding like a welcomed addition to the Black Ops 6 revamp of the Call of Duty franchise, with a plethora of new and returning features that players have been asking for. And we’re for one pretty keen to jump into what is sure to be one hell of a time.

Call Of Duty Black Ops 6 launches on October 24th. You can grab it for $89 from Amazon HERE.

The post A New COD Warzone Experience Is Coming Alongside Black Ops 6 With Nuketown And A Bunch Of Other Changes appeared first on Press Start.

Here’s Why Call Of Duty Zombies In Black Ops 6 Is A Big Improvement

Jake Barros — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 17:33:39 +0000

COD Next has finally given Call Of Duty fans the official reveal they’ve been practically biting brains for, Zombies

As we already knew from our last COD adventure, round-based Zombies in the Call of Duty franchising is making a triumphant return in Black Ops 6, allowing players to once again face off with friends against the decaying hordes of the undead through surviving increasingly difficult rounds by upgrading weapons and equipping ammo mods and perks to come out victorious…and alive (mechanically speaking though either, by reaching a new high round PB or by exfilling).

The gang at Treyarch also showed off during the event some of the wild gear and gadgets players can use to carve their way through the zombie crowds. We’ve listed some of the new weapons and ammo mods below:

The New Wonder Weapon – Thrustodyne M23

A Jet Engine that pulls in zombies from afar to rip them to shreds.
It never breaks, but players will need to manage overheating for optimal use.
The Thrustodyne’s emergency alt fire will absolutely annihilate all zombies in its path.

Melee Macchiato

Looks and feels as cool as it sounds.
Essentially replaces a player’s gun with one lethal punch.

A New Field Upgrade – Dark Flare

A brand new high damage attack.
Dark Flare deals lethal shadow damage to zombies.
It essentially generates a high powered beam.

New Ammo Mod – Shadow Rift

This is a new crowd control ammo mod.
It deals shadow damage.
It has the chance to teleport enemies away, but some of them will reappear from portals above falling at high speeds to their final demise.

Gobblegums

The gobble gum system has been simplified into specific types.
All rarities of which will be earnable by playing.
Players will be able to create packs of 5 gums, and store up to 3 unique gums on their persons.
Gobblegums will only be consumed when activated.

Another exciting announcement for the world of COD Zombies, was the reveal that for the first time ever players will be able to switch between first and third person at anytime. So for those who may want a new way to play, or highlight the new omnimovement system also coming to Zombies, this will be the perfect option.

Other announced improvements to the overall Zombies experience coming to Black Ops 6 was the newly added shared door buy (allowing players to split the bill as it were), the ability to toggle Pack-A-Punch camos and change your field upgrade mid-match, as well as the means to switch Gobblegum packs at any time.

Treyarch also noted that the game over experience will vary depending on how players’ games come to an end, with the addition of Game Over outros. This means a custom cinematic will play players out, dependent on their actions that led them there.

More interestingly, a Directed Mode will be coming to Zombies post launch, as a way to reveal the Zombies main storyline and plot to players who are wanting a more guided experience through the dark lands. In this mode, players will get a little more hand holding and direction compared to the normal ‘figure it out’ vibe, as well as having rounds be a little more paced out, allowing more time for upgrading and gear finding needed to advance through the lore.

Bring all this together with the two new Zombies maps, Liberty Falls and Terminus, it’s looking like Call of Duty Zombies fan will be left feeling alive and well fed come October.

Call Of Duty Black Ops 6 launches on October 24th. You can grab it for $89 from Amazon HERE.

The post Here’s Why Call Of Duty Zombies In Black Ops 6 Is A Big Improvement appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At The August Double Nintendo Direct

James Berich — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 14:50:43 +0000

For the first time, maybe—we’re not sure—Nintendo has held an Indie World presentation and a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase together. The total runtime for both shows was around forty minutes, and, as promised, there was no mention of a Nintendo Switch successor tonight.

But there were some cool announcements, so without further ado, here’s everything announced overnight at both presentations.

ALL OF THE AUGUST 2024 INDIE WORLD AND NINTENDO DIRECT PARTNER SHOWCASE ANNOUNCEMENTS

MYSIMS IS HITTING THE SWITCH IN THE SERIES MUCH OVERDUE DEBUT

It’s revoltingly titled the MySims Cozy Bundle and it’s out on November 19th. The bundle includes both MySims and MySims Kingdoms.

THE RELEASE DATE FOR THE MARVEL VS. CAPCOM COLLECTION WAS FINALLY REVEALED

The collection includes five fighting games and two beat-em-ups that have been previously unavailable for some time, including the Marvel vs. Capcom games. Each of the games features new rollback netcode and training modes. It’s hitting all platforms in September, with physical copies being available in November.

YAKUZA KIWAMI IS COMING TO THE NINTENDO SWITCH

It’s out on October 24th later this year. Hopefully the other games will follow suit if this one does well enough.

PIZZA TOWER IS FINALLY LEAVING ITS PC PRISON AND ITS OUT TODAY

The game is often touted as a fantastic spiritual successor to the Wario Land games, and features a 90s-inspired Nickelodeon-esque art style. It’s out today, which melts my mozzarella.

A TETRIS COLLECTION IS COMING IF THAT’S SOMETHING YOU’VE BEEN WANTING

There’s at least nine different Tetris games included and a brand new Time Warp that mixes gameplay styles from all the other games. It’s called Tetris Forever and it’s out this year.

STAR OVERDRIVE IS KIND OF LIKE HI-FI RUSH IN A WAY BUT NOT REALLY

You can customise your hoverboard and fight with a keytar kind of weapon. It’s kind of cool and open-world. It’s a timed exclusive for Switch but it’s out in 2025.

GOAT SIMULATOR 3 IS SURPRISE RELEASING ON THE NINTENDO SWITCH TODAY

It looks…..not as good as other versions but still playable which is nice. There’s 2 player local and co-op too. A physical version is out in November.

THE ORIGINAL STALKER TRILOGY IS COMING TO NINTENDO SWITCH IN NOVEMBER

It’s looking…..interesting visually. But the fact these are even running on the Switch at all is a miracle. Amazing work from the devs here. All three are out in November.

PATRICK STAR IS GETTING HIS OWN GAME FINALLY BUT IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

The game is one of those “funny” weird physics games where Bikini Bottom is your sandbox. It’s out in October.

A THIRD FITNESS BOXING GAME IS COMING THIS YEAR

There’s new trainers to train with and you can change their hairstyles too, if that is relevant to your interests. It’s out on December 5th.

CAPCOM REVEALED YET ANOTHER KILLER FIGHTING GAME COLLECTION

The collection includes eight fighting games that have previously been unavailable elsewhere – some including the Capcom vs. SNK games, Power Stone games and Plasma Sword. They’re great gems from the Dreamcast era of Capcom. The collection will feature netplay and training modes, as with other Capcom collections. It’s out in 2025.

WE GOT A CLOSER (BRIEF) LOOK AT CUSTOMISATION IN DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D REMAKE

There will also be exclusive content not seen in the original game. It’s out on November 14th.

A NEW ATELIER GAME IS COMING WITH A BRAND NEW PROTAGONIST

It’s looking pretty rough visually but if this is your thing, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this. It’s out in early 2025.

THE SUIKODEN REMASTER FINALLY HAVE A DATE BUT THEY’RE LONGER AWAY THAN YOU’D THINK

The remasters will include a whole bunch of quality of life improvements, including increased battle speeds. They’re out together in March.

THE NINTENDO DS CASTLEVANIA GAMES ARE FINALLY MAKING THE JUMP TO OTHER PLATFORMS

All of the games that were on DS are included, as well as some arcade classics from the series storied history. It’s out later today.

WE GOT CONFIRMATION THAT CIVILISATION VII IS COMING TO SWITCH DAY-AND-DATE WITH THE OTHER VERSIONS

Not my jam but I can appreciate this. It’s out in February.

TALES OF GRACES f IS GETTING THE REMASTER TREATMENT

There were definitely better Tales games to remaster to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the series but it’s fine, I guess. It’s out on January 17th 2025.

WE GOT SOME FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S UPDATES FOR SWITCH PLAYERS

Help Wanted 2 is coming to the Switch later this year. The Ruin DLC is also coming to Security Breach later this year too.

A BRAND NEW RUNE FACTORY GAME WAS ANNOUNCED

It’s called Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, and it’s a bold reimagining for the series, apparently. It’s out in 2025.

A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEMED EXPANSIONS ARE COMING TO BALATRO

Dave The Diver, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, Among Us and Vampire Survivors themed cards were announced to be coming to Balatro, which is easily one of the most addictive games I’ve played this year. It’s called the Friends Of Jimbo update and it’s out later today and FREE.

THE TEAM BEHIND GRIS SHOWED US A BETTER LOOK AT THEIR NEW GAME

As announced previously, it’s called Neva, and it’s a beautifully put together game that has you and your wolf fighting enemies concurrently. It’s looking pretty nice, and a bit more involved than Gris which is always good. It’s out on October 15th.

MOTH KUBIT IS A WEIRD HORROR CORPO SIMULATOR INVOLVING BUGS

The game is a horror tinged game in which you play as a moth as he works his way up in a corporate bug world. It’s a real genre-bender. It’s out in 2025.

THE NEXT COFFEE TALK GAME IS GOING TO TOKYO

The previous two games allowed you to speak with customers in a coffee shop with the occasional opportunity to create cool latte art. This time, it’s obviously taking place in Japan, which is a nice twist. It’s due out in 2025.

SEA OF STARS IS GETTING A NEW STORY EXPANSION

It’s called Throes of the Watchmaker and will give the main cast new jobs and abilities in a new story centered around a cursed circus of thoughts. It’s a free and hefty update available in 2025.

POWERWASH SIMULATOR IS GETTING A SHREK THEMED EXPANSION

It’s a paid update with more than five new locations themed around Shrek. It’s out later this year. Their licensing skills need to be studied.

MORSELS IS AN ODDBALL ROGUELIKE THAT LOOKS ADDICTIVE AS HELL

You’ll be able to use a rotating roster of characters to conquer each run and min-max your benefits. It’s out in February 2025 and it’s by Annapurna so it’s gonna be good.

THERE’S A GAME WHERE YOU CAN….ERR…DATE EVERYTHING

If you want to get with a couch then maybe you can too. If that’s your thing. Tee hee. It’s out in October.

PEGLIN IS AN INTERESTING TAKE ON THE PACHINKO EXPERIENCE

It’s described as a roguelike Pachinko inspired experience. It’s not for me, I’m afraid. But it’s out today. Thank god.

WOBBLY LIFE IS COMING TO SWITCH LATER THIS YEAR

It’s an open-world physics sandbox with both online and local co-op. It’s kind of cursed but I can see how it could be enjoyable. It’s out in December.

PICO PARK 2 IS OUT TODAY SO THERE’S NO TIME TO GO BACK TO PICO PARK 1

It supports anywhere from two to eight players online or locally. There’s also a fucked up difficulty mode called DARK MODE if you so wish.

THE BEST VERSION OF SHOVEL KNIGHT IS COMING TO SWITCH NEXT YEAR

The game is a souped up port of the original Shovel Knight, featuring 20 playable characters, quality of life changes and seamless online multiplayer. It’s out in 2025.

EUROPA IS MAKING THE GRACEFUL GLIDE TO NINTENDO SWITCH SOON

It’s a chill adventure game that has you exploring the remnants of a fallen civilisation. It’s out on Switch in October, but there’s a free demo out now.

CUISINEER IS COOKING UP A STORM ON YOUR SWITCH NEXT YEAR

My friend streamed this once. I think. It blends together the rather done-to-death roguelike genre with a restaurant management simulator. You might not know this, but this is how your local KFC operates. It’s out on Switch in January 2025.

ON YOUR TAIL HAS A RELEASE DATE SO YOU CAN BE ON YA WAY

You play as animals getting to know each other in a seaside village. I promise you there’s more to it. It’s out on November 21st later this year.

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Age of Mythology Retold Is Impressive But Flawed With A Controller

Steven Impson — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:59:00 +0000

There have been attempts to bring real time strategy to a console, which relies on a controller without a direct pointer or anywhere near as many keys as a computer keyboard. Some like Halo Wars scaled down the complexity of it’s game systems to account for the controller as primary input. Age of Mythology takes a different approach. Retold rather maintains the full complexity of the PC-only original game while finding a way to cram it all into the inputs provided by a standard Xbox controller, and it works better than I expected.

Some of the most interesting new features I found when playing on console were that for certain common commands you can now tell the game your intention and it will take care of the detail for you. As an example, you can choose to select a villager, give them a command to build a structure. They’ll complete it and then wait for your next order. Alternatively you can select a building and place it. The game will grab a nearby villager who will work on the structure until it’s finished then return to whatever they were doing beforehand. You maintain full control of what you build and where, but takes some of the micromanagement out of your hands.

In a similar vein, you can manage your resource collecting by simply telling the game what you want to collect. You are given a radial menu of smart presets designed for different stages of the game or specific goals. Stuff like gathering more gold in later stages of the game or more wood when you’re focused on expanding your navy. Once selected, any idle villagers under your control will assign themselves to collecting resources according to the ratio you’ve specified. You can manually specify the ratio of wood, food and gold too if none of the presets meet your specific needs. I love the way Retold lets you communicate your intent and have it faithfully carried out, as it lets me focus on the things I love most about Mythology like military management and town design.

These features make playing on a controller way more manageable, but are so useful in how it lets you focus on the aspects of the game you enjoy most that I’m going to keep using them even when I get to play the game with a good old mouse and keyboard.

Outside of these smart automations, there’s still a *lot* in a game like Age of Mythology to map to a controller. There is nothing I found I couldn’t do compared to a mouse and keyboard, but the limited inputs on a controller mean that things get very complex very quickly. Your commands are found in layers of radial menus. Hold LT to show a command menu, select Buildings and you’ll see a series of building radial menus from which you can select the building you want and then finally place it. The aforementioned villager automation options are behind a LT + RS combo. Your God powers are behind LT + X. The menu that appears when you pull LT is dependent on the context. It will show a different menu depending on which unit or building you have selected, or whether you have nothing selected. In order to have a place for all the options that would normally be accessible with a mouse pointer on a controller, things get super complicated.

This complexity can be intimidating. Even as someone with a great deal of experience with the genre, I found that I struggled to map what I wanted to do to the commands on the controller that would let me do it – especially at first. I found things got more manageable as I got used to the controls, but even several hours in I found myself whiffing my inputs because I didn’t realise I had a unit selected or just couldn’t remember the specific button combo to get the menu I wanted.

Commanding your army involves some smart shortcuts, but I often found myself simplifying my strategy because I just didn’t want to do more complex battle commanding with the controller. You can select your entire military with the left d-pad, or specific portions of it with LT + a d-pad direction. When I play strategy games on PC I’ll often assign subsets of my army to different command groups based on their function. One for slower siege weapons, one for cavalry, and so on.

Command groups are difficult enough to manage that I just found myself relying on commanding my entire military as a single group. It works fine for simpler skirmishes, but is definitely not ideal. Even the options to select just ranged units or just cavalry with the d-pad while nice additions, select *all* of that unit type. Units waiting at your base will gradually come traipsing to the front. Complex management is absolutely possible, don’t get me wrong, but I found that even with the thoughtful shortcuts it felt like the controller was holding me back from putting my plans into action.

For all it’s faults, it’s impressive that the team managed to find a way to map the incredibly complex options of a computer based real time strategy entirely to a controller. They’ve made smart additions to controls and overall gameplay options that help manage complexity regardless of how you play. While impressive, I still don’t find that a controller is a first-class input method for this game. It’s manageable for base building and simple skirmishes but gets in it’s own way as the game becomes more complex.

It’s a fine way to have a nostalgic dip into an old classic, but I’ll be sticking to my desk when I can.

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Firewalk Studios Is Terrified But Confident About The Launch Of New IP Concord

Ewan Roxburgh — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 12:59:29 +0000

Today, Firewalk Studios releases Concord – an ambitious PlayStation first-party multiplayer hero shooter. A new IP on debut, Concord represents another string in the bow of PlayStation’s live-service push, contending with the same scepticism faced by those before it.

Yesterday I interviewed the team at Firewalk Studios, checking their temperature mere hours ahead of release. There’s an understandable sense of nervousness and excitement.

I ask how they’re feeling with Concord, the culmination of years of hard work, soon out there in the world.

“Terri-fident,” jokes Jon Weisnewski, the Lead Character Designer on the game. “Confident and terrified,” he elaborates upon being asked how they’re feeling with the launch upon them.

Claude Jerome, Firewalk’s Lead Gameplay Designer, agrees. He adds, “It didn’t feel real to me until I sat down to play with real humans at home on my couch with my little snacks, playing against people doing strategies we’ve never seen before.”

I was eager to hear more about the feedback they’d received from players, particularly during the Beta period where it felt initial interest waned. I was pleased to hear about several quality-of-life improvements.

“We have little things like join in progress and leaver’s penalty,” began Claude, “[and] we added the firing range, practice and solo experience.” Those are welcome additions; it’s challenging exploring a character’s abilities in the throes of a match.

Thank you to everyone that took part in the #ConcordBeta!

Before you officially board the Northstar next month, we wanted to answer some of your most common questions during the beta! pic.twitter.com/b9VFb2FGXn

— Concord (@PlayConcord) July 24, 2024

However, I feel it doesn’t address some of the key concerns surrounding the game, notably how it stands out in contrast to Overwatch or this year’s Marvel Rivals.

It’s nearly impossible to talk about the game without drawing parallels to other properties — Guardians of the Galaxy being another from a character and narrative perspective. I was eager to hear more about its unique selling point from the minds of those crafting it.

“The cool thing about this game to me is that there’s so many layers,” says Kim Kreines, the Director of IP at Firewalk. Kim references her love of trading card games and her past experience working with Magic the Gathering.

She identifies the moment in which she unlocked Concord’s ‘Crew Builder’ as being the moment she “started to realise what these brilliant game designers had setup,” nodding towards Claude opposite.

The ‘Crew Builder’ allows you to assemble an assortment of the game’s 16 ‘Freegunners’ — and any unlocked variants of a character — for you to select in a match. Concord actively encourages you to switch characters between respawns to build up buffs (called ‘Crew Bonuses’) that are carried from one character to another cycling through your crew.

There is a similarity to trading card games I hadn’t appreciated until now: like Magic the Gathering, sometimes a late game clutch requires you to play the right cards first.

“I can see where I fit into my team,” continues Kim, “at the same time I’m strategising about my own personal gameplay, I’m also strategising about my team’s gameplay and balancing that out.”

She continues with an example of this in action. “I play as Daw so I can plant a dome and get my healing pad out for my team, but before I play Daw I know I have to get the crew bonus that gives me a faster reload.”

Keeping each match dynamic leaves me astonished the game is balanced. Interestingly, I’m informed that wasn’t entirely a concern.

“I’ll be frank, we didn’t set out to keep them balanced,” admits Jon about the game’s cast of characters. “I think a big part of Concord’s identity is leaning into the asymmetry… we just wanted to find interesting player personalities, interesting collections of like, a loadout, like a weapon and some abilities that felt like an identity.”

The world of Concord at this point factors in. “What’s their personality type,” Jon says they queried upon blueprinting these characters. “Who’s the human or the alien or the robot that embodies that combat style,” they would then ponder according to Jon.

“Once we built them up and we had these strong identities, then it was like ‘okay, this character is definitely too strong,’ so we’re gonna bring that down,” laughs Jon. A little bit of balancing is still necessary in the end.

The characters are central to the experience, as you’d expect in a hero shooter. But the vignettes are a little different to what we’ve seen previously, particularly in that they’re released weekly. I wondered what the logistical challenge would be.

“We’re really lucky to have an awesome production crew on the vignettes,” says Kim, dodging the question a little.

“The thing I’m most excited to do with this IP is it all comes of gameplay: all of our stories, all our characters — all of everything.”

“The vignettes you’ll notice tend to focus around what is happening in the game, what the player experience would be, the characters and worlds you’re seeing,” explains Kim.

Of course game development is an incredibly collaborative effort, but at this point, I’m impressed at how the work of Kim, Jon and Claude combines in terms of character, combat and story. It’s an ambitious and no doubt costly exercise, but I hope Concord’s longevity is such that we get to see it play out.

Indeed the different playstyles of the characters, and the motivation to switch between them, are interesting design elements to me (that I praised in my impressions of the Beta). However, I’m still apprehensive about the game’s ability to pull people away from the competition, and ultimately build the community it needs to enjoy a long life as a live-service game.

“A big thing for us is that we knew from the beginning that we want the player experience to feel very complete,” explains Kim adding, “and the experience they have from season to season, as they grow with us, to feel like we’re all on this journey together.”

The same rationale explains Concord’s pricing strategy. Whilst the free-to-play model is common in the genre, Firewalk Studios and PlayStation are charging $60 for the game here in Australia.

“At launch, everyone’s got everything,” highlights Kim, “all 12 maps, all 16 characters.”

Claude elaborates, adding, “There’s lots of different shapes and ways these games can be put together and when we looked at our game, we looked at all the options; the viability of bouncing between characters, the depth of the variance, the maps, the modes, all the different things that make that core experience.”

“We just felt like they were all necessary.”

“There’s no way we can sort of see those things not exist in tandem with each other,” noted Claude.

I have no issue with the price for entry. I would rather that then the piecemeal alternative Claude describes in which the player base is fragmented.

That said, a player base is needed first before you can fear it becoming fragmented. It’s a difficult balancing act offering people a quality experience that commands their attention, at a price they’re willing to pay. I don’t envy the hard task Firewalk Studios has embarked on.

Prying people away from games can be tough. Communities can be ironed on having invested considerable time and money in the game of their choosing.

“I think it always comes back down to these deep, asymmetric characters with gameplay that makes you feel like you’re truly embodying the character,” suggests Claude. With all the characters available at launch, he teases, “We can push the meta in interesting ways without having to wait for other characters to come out — there’s all these different things we can do with that strategy layer.”

Jon picks up on the shifting meta of the game over time, saying the systems they’ve designed “with the long view in mind.”

“These are systems that are capable and ready to withstand a whole bunch of new injections of new characters, variants, maps, modes — every injection of content that we’re going to be offering in this game… that I think will be really exciting long term.”

I was curious too how far ahead they’re working given new seasonal content has been teased to April of next year already.

“Really far ahead actually,” laughs Kim.

“Sometimes uncomfortably far ahead,” says Claude with a smile.

“I say that because we also want to leave room to adapt to what players are finding value in and what they’re finding they want to attach to.”

“We want to pay attention to that and we want to grow this with the community,” promises Claude.

“We’re working on even Season Four content right now,” Kim interjects. “We have so much that we’re excited to unveil both from a storytelling perspective and a gameplay perspective,” she adds, referencing the Season One content dropping much sooner in October.

As they all tease, the launch is supposedly just the beginning for Concord. But first impressions matter. Concord’s story may be defined by its first day.

Based on my conversation with Kim, Jon and Claude at least, I hope to see the full extent of their vision realised.

There’s a promise of more surprises to come and we’ve seen games gain momentum over time, but Concord’s fate ultimately rests in the hands of the community it can galvanise.

The game’s now available to all, so it will be an interesting one to watch.

Stay tuned for our own thoughts coming soon.

The post Firewalk Studios Is Terrified But Confident About The Launch Of New IP Concord appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At The Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 Event

James Berich — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 20:04:27 +0000

It’s hard to believe we’re almost two thirds of the way through the year already. But we are, so you’ll have to deal with it. And Geoff Keighley is back for his sixth Opening Night Live. The show was a packed two hours that detailed a lot of games coming throughout 2024 and beyond.

ALL OF THE GAMESCOM OPENING NIGHT LIVE 2024 ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE MAIN SHOW OPENED WITH THE REVEAL OF BORDERLANDS 4

Hopefully, it does better than the film. The trailer wasn’t gameplay, but we know the game will take place on an all-new planet. It’s coming in 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

RAVEN SOFTWARE SHOWED US AN EXTENDED LOOK AT THE NEW CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 6

The gameplay demo focused on a mission that takes place in Washington in 1991 in the main campaign. It’s looking like discount James Bond. I think. It’s still on track for release on the 25th October later this year. Don’t forget you can play the beta later this month.

DYING LIGHT: THE BEAST IS A NEW STANDALONE ADVENTURE

It’s called Dying Light: The Beast. It sees Kyle Crane returning from the original game in a new adventure set within the world of Dying Light. You can expect a new world to explore, around twenty hours of gameplay and more. No release date was confirmed just yet.

TROY BAKER TALKED US THROUGH SOME NEW INDIANA JONES FOOTAGE BECAUSE HARRISON FORD DIDN’T WANT TO

I am a big sucker for any adventure that’s globe-trotting though. So they’ve probably got me here. It’s out on December 9th 2024 and it’s coming to PlayStation 5 in 2025.

THE SHOW CLOSED WITH A NEW MAFIA GAME WITH A NEW TWIST

It’s called Mafia: The Old Country and we’re going to get a better look at it in December. Eh.

CAPCOM SHOWED OFF THE FIRST GAMEPLAY FOR THE KING OF FIGHTERS GUEST TERRY

He’s out for Street Fighter 6 on September 24th.

THE NEW SCI-FI DARK PICTURES GAME WAS REVEALED IN THE PRESHOW

It’s a sci-fi adventure that looks to take heavy inspiration from Dead Space and The Thing. It’s out in 2025 and looks to star James Bond / The Marvels’ Lashana Lynch.

A GOAT SIMULATOR REMASTER WAS REVEALED IN A GREAT TRAILER MAKING FUN OF REMASTERS

The game was revealed in a pretty funny trailer that mocked all the average ports or remaster efforts of the past few years. It’s out this year for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. It’s also launching on Game Pass too.

WE GOT A JUICY LOOK AT THE NEW PERSONA 3: RELOAD DLC

While it’s faithfully adapting the Aigis episode of the original Persona 3, there’s also going to be a challenge battle against Joker from Persona 5. It’s still on track for release on September 10th.

ANOTHER BRIEF TRAILER FOR THE NEW DRAGONBALL GAME WAS SHOWN

There’s lots of energy beams and flying men screaming at each other. So it’s an authentic Dragonball experience. It’s still on track for a release in October.

A FALL GUYS-LIKE (?) CALLED KING OF MEAT WAS REVEALED

What a name. It’s an online co-op game for up to four players. So I guess it’s not a Fall Guys-like at all. Sorry about that. You can sign up for a playtest now.

A NEW STUDIO SHOWED OFF THEIR NEW ACTION GAME WITH A “””COSY””” TWIST

It’s called Lynked: Banner of the Spark, and the developers have described it as a co-op action hack-and-slash with elements of a roguelike and base building. It’s also being touted as a “cosy but highly kinetic” action game. Whatever the fuck that means. It’s out for PC on October 22nd through Steam Early Access.

DONTNOD SHOWED OFF MORE OF THEIR FOLLOW-UP TO LIFE IS STRANGE

As previously announced, it’s called Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. You play as four high schoolers as they forge bonds through their punk band and an unexplained event that will forever change their lives. It’s out in early 2025.

WE FINALLY GOT ANOTHER LOOK AT ARC RAIDERS AND IT’S LOOKING MIGHTY DIFFERENT

It’s a third-person PvPvE action survival shooter. The tone and vibe of this trailer are quite different from the previous one, and despite being revealed so long ago, it’s coming sometime in 2025.

WE GOT AN INCREDIBLY COOKED TRAILER FOR INFINITY NIKKI

It’s an MMO of sorts and is described as the “coziest open-world game.” Great. If you want to try it, there’s an open beta coming up.

WARHAMMER: SPACE MARINE II GOT ANOTHER (VERY BRIEF, ALMOST POINTLESS) TRAILER

Hmm. It’s out next month after a whole year delay last year. The game itself is looking pretty great, though this trailer is not much to get excited about. Harry got to play it recently and loved it, so get excited.

THEY’RE STILL TRYING TO FLOG PATH OF EXILE II WITH YET ANOTHER TRAILER

I guess Diablo shit the bed so there is still an opportunity or this game to sweep in and capture that audience. The game officially hits early access on November 15th 2024, which is nice. Save the date.

THE DUNE MMO IS COMING ALONG NICELY WITH A MORE REALISTIC LOOKING GAMEPLAY TRAILER

I’m not sure how this will do as it feels like the Dune ship has passed, but this could still be good. The game occurs in an alternate reality where Paul was never born. There’s lots of copters and sand and worse. Which is what Dune is about. It’s out in early 2025 for PC, though console ports are coming at some point later too.

TARSIER SHOWED US THEIR BRAND NEW GAME THOUGH IT’S A BIT FAMILIAR LOOKING

While Supermassive works on Little Nightmares 3, Tarsier are working on a new game that looks pretty much like another Little Nightmares game anyway. Interesting. It’s got some funky looking monsters and is apparently darker than Little Nightmares. It’s called REANIMAL and there is no date yet but it’s co-op which is fun!

THE NEW GENSHIN IMPACT TRAILER SHOWED OFF….SOMETHING BUT IT’S ALSO COMING TO XBOX

I’m glad there is something to keep those fans busy. It’s out on Xbox in November too. Very dynamic.

CAPCOM ROCKED UP TO SHOW OFF YET ANOTHER MONSTER HUNTER WILDS TRAILER

The game is coming along nicely and is playable for the first time at Gamescom this year. The game is looking like a huge step up from Monster Hunter World, which is exciting. You would think they’d bloody date this by now but it’s still on track for 2025.

I PERSONALLY GOT TROLLED BY A TRAILER FOR LARA CROFT COMING TO NARAKA: BLADEPOINT

She’s hitting the game next week. At this point, though, I just want to see the new Tomb Raider. Seriously.

MAI SHIRANUI WAS REVEALED TO BE COMING TO THE NEW FATAL FURY GAME

Just look up her sprites from the old games and you’ll realise why she’s so…..famous. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is out on April 24th 2025.

A THIRD MONUMENT VALLEY GAME WAS ANNOUNCED, AND IT’S EXCLUSIVE TO NETFLIX

It’s looking effortlessly stylish and clean as you’d expect. It’s launching on the 10th December this year and, yes, it’s exclusive to Netflix Games. The first two games are also hitting the service throughout the year.

FIRAXIS UNVEILED THE FIRST GAMEPLAY FOR CIVILISATION VII

It’s apparently the biggest Civilisation game ever made. It’s out on February 11th 2025.

XBOX REMINDED US THAT STARFIELD EXISTS WITH A TRAILER FOR A NEW SPACE BUGGY AND A DATE FOR THE FIRST EXPANSION

Perhaps it should’ve been there from the start, but I guess I shouldn’t complain. It’s part of a free update that’s out now. They also revealed that the Shattered Space expansion is out on the 30th of September.

TWO NEW HEROES WERE ANNOUNCED FOR MARVEL RIVALS

Both Captain America and the Winter Soldier were revealed for the game. I’m surprised they weren’t there already, but they round out an already great roster of heroes to play as. The official launch date is December 6th and all heroes will be unlocked at launch. COOL.

A NEW SERIES CELEBRATING VIDEO GAMES WAS ANNOUNCED

It’s a series developed by Blur Studios and Deadpool director Tim Miller. Described as an adult animated series with stories set within the world of beloved video games like Armored Core, Pac-Man, Sifu and Unreal, the series hits Prime in December.

THE TOWERBORNE GAMEPLAY LOOKS PRETTY SNAZZY

It’s a fast and frenetic action RPG that’s playable with friends. It’s out in 2025.

YET ANOTHER KINGDOM COME DELIVERANCE II TRAILER LOOKS GOOD BUT ALSO QUIETLY DELAYED THE GAME

A much more extended look at the gameplay is coming later this month, but the game has been quietly moved from a 2024 release to February 2025.

ZENLESS ZONE ZERO IS STILL TRUCKING ON WITH A NEW VIDEO

I have no idea what this means but it’s edgy and cool.

THE FIRST GAMEPLAY FOR BATMAN: ARKHAM SHADOW WILL MAKE YOU WANT A META QUEST

The game sees Batman up against the Rat King and the same directional combat system as seen in previous Arkham games. It’s out in October later this year, and only on the Meta Quest 3.

THE NEW GAMEPLAY TRAILER FOR LITTLE NIGHTMARES 3 LOOKS SOMBRE BUT CUTE

Supermassive are making this one now, and it will feature co-op multiplayer too. Kieron got to play this a year ago, but we still don’t have a date for it.

HERDLING IS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE I DON’T THINK I’VE DONE IN A VIDEO GAME BEFORE

You basically play as somebody as you herd yaks or something across a mountain. Very demure.

PETER MOLYNEUX HIT THE STAGE TO SHOW OFF HIS NEW GAME

It’s an entirely self-funded game that brings together many people from the closed Lionhead Studios. I think there’s potential here, but you know what old Pete is like. It’s kind of like a tower defence game mixed with elements of Fable mixed with elements of Black & White. Mm. It’s called Masters of Albion.

THERE’S A SQUID GAME….GAME COMING TO NETFLIX

I don’t know if this is what the original creator had in mind when he made the series but I guess it works as a concept. It’s out “soon” on Netflix.

YET ANOTHER UNKNOWN 9: AWAKENING TRAILER BRINGS THE INTRIGUE

You know, I just love a good video game, especially a live-action hybrid. The ambitious action game is scheduled for October this year.

THE GAMEPLAY FOR THE FIRST BERSERKER: KHAZAN LOOKS EPIC

It’s looking pretty incredible, though I am growing a little bit weary of these soulslikes. It’s out in early 2025, but there’s a technical test in October.

YET ANOTHER FARMING GAME IS COMING BUT THIS ONE TAKES THINGS TO SPACE WOW

[for some reason there isn’t a traile for this on the internet]

You and your friends can manage a farm together, have picnics and….err…vacuum vegetables together. It’s called Floatopia and it’s out in 2025.

The post Everything Announced At The Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 Event appeared first on Press Start.

Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Preview – Whipping It Good

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 20:00:55 +0000

It’s a big year for video games that occupy a chronological space within the arguable peaks of some of George Lucas’ most iconic works. Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws is just on the horizon, for one, but the other big AAA video game venture into the realm of Lucasfilm couldn’t be further in how it adapts its chosen property – and that’s MachineGames’ first-person action adventure, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

With Indy having a starring role at this year’s Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase, I was treated to a peek at this latest look at the game ahead of time, accompanied by commentary from the studio’s Jerk Gustafsson and Axel Torvenius. And after nearly an hour behind-virtual-doors with the two, along with a healthy heaping of game footage, I’m more convinced than ever that MachineGames was the right choice to bring an Indiana Jones video game adventure to life.

The studio always seemed like an odd choice for this property, the fun of shooting at Nazis being maybe the strongest link between the two, but there’s an increasing sense now that MachineGames’ ambitions and abilities lie far beyond what we’ve seen in the recent Wolfenstein games. Straight off the bat, we’re treated to a very familiar situation – Indy has just discovered a mysterious relic in a cavernous, sandy temple and subsequently sets off a deadly trap. Seamlessly switching from a third-person cutscene to an intimate, first-person gameplay viewpoint, it’s a remarkably-effective setup to the fantasy that the team is trying to sell. The tombs, the traps, the tantalising brain-teasers and tense stand-offs – everything that makes an Indiana Jones matinee caper iconic seems to be completely intact here.

Set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, a decision which we’re told came straight from executive producers, Todd Howard, and is a deliberate attempt to capture the franchise at arguably its highest point, The Great Circle sees Indy, along with investigative reporter Gina Lombardi, roped into a globe-spanning chase after a mysterious force that’s hunting down a series of ancient relics for a sinister plot. Our preview didn’t spend too much time further explaining the logistics of why we’re here, but gave us enough to know we’ll be seeing a huge number of varying locations from the Vatican to the Himalayas in search of hidden crypts and faces new and old.

Moreso, our sessions focused on what MachineGames is doing to ensure players feel like they’re Indiana Jones, authentically, while still imparting on the game its own stamp and style. Perhaps the most surprising thing, for me, was learning that the split between action and adventure in this game is so weighted toward the latter that the team actually considered giving it the genre moniker of “adventure-action” or even “MachineGames-adventure.”

To that end, a vast majority of the gameplay we saw featured everything other than the shooting and in-your-face action you’d normally associate with the studio’s output, instead looking deeply at more cerebral gameplay pursuits. Two big, key ingredients in this recipe are Indiana’s journal and camera, which serve more than cosmetic function in this game and are crucial tools in the daring archaeologist’s belt. This is a game where players will be encouraged to really pay attention to their surroundings, whether that’s snooping through an enemy base or trying to solve cryptic riddles in ancient temples, and taking photos and recording details in Indy’s journal are important steps in that process. I love a good mystery or environmental puzzle to solve, so seeing gameplay footage of Indiana snapping pictures of important objects and filing them into his journal as clues really lit a fire in me.

As MachineGames explained it, properly engaging with the environment in the game in ways like this also feeds into a progression system that affords players “Adventure Points” to spend on special skills, which are first discovered in collectible books, providing plenty of incentive to pore over and catalogue absolutely everything you come across. Though it’ll be a linear adventure, players are going to have regular opportunities to strike their own path and look for hidden secrets, side objectives and more throughout the game’s distinct chapters – and the team confirmed that the completionists among us will be able to scoot back to any previous areas to clean up at any time.

Of course, combat will definitely still play a crucial role in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and the same attitude towards freedom in exploration and traversal rings true here. MachineGames wants players to decide how they approach potentially-deadly human encounters, whether it’s using their wits to get around unseen (or just unbothered), go in loud with all the firepower at their disposal or outmaneuver their enemies. Indy’s iconic whip comes into play here, of course, allowing him to whip weapons out of hands, subdue aggressors, swing to a quick getaway and more. One of my favourite details, which seems to be tied to one of those unlockable skills, saw a downed Indy able to avoid a game over screen by crawling over to his fedora lying on the ground and triumphantly re-seat it on his head for a second wind – brilliant.

If I have any early reservations after seeing this chunky preview, it’s the way the game cuts between first and third-person cameras when doing things like climbing or swinging – it just looks a little jarring, though until I can get hands-on I can’t say for sure if that’s the case when actually playing the game. Otherwise, visually, it looks an absolute treat with a clear reverence for the source material accompanied by MachineGames’ mastery of the POV and dynamic, visceral action. Presenting the game (mostly) in first-person, as the studio says it, not only leverages its existing experience but puts players right up against these intricate puzzles, discoveries, environments and characters and it certainly looks fantastic.

If the full game can live up to the early promise shown in these bits of gameplay we saw ahead of time – running the full gamut of a true Indiana Jones adventure from solving ancient puzzles to making death-defying getaways, tangling with bad guys and respectfully admiring the beautiful face of a young Harrison Ford – I think MachineGames could have one of the most exciting ever video game adaptations of a Lucasfilm property on its hands.

The post Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Preview – Whipping It Good appeared first on Press Start.

Diablo IV: Vessel Of Hatred Hands-On Preview – Unleashing The Spiritborn

Camilla Wolfe — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 17:30:54 +0000

The first major expansion for Diablo IV launches on October 8th, 2024, and ahead of the official release date, we learned everything there is to know about Vessel of Hatred and the expansion’s new class, The Spiritborn.

Recently, we had the exclusive opportunity to visit Blizzard HQ in Irvine, California, for an in-depth, hands-on session with the Spiritborn and Vessel of Hatred. We came away incredibly eager to get into the new expansion when it goes live later this year.

Introducing the Spiritborn

Despite a widespread demand for adding a classic sword-and-board class like the Paladin or Crusader from previous games, the developers at Blizzard have chosen a different and distinct path. Committed to pushing the boundaries of the iconic Diablo universe, they’ve introduced the Spiritborn, a class that promises to imbue the critically acclaimed game with fresh combat, gameplay dynamics, visuals and more.

Originating from a mysterious and ancient civilisation deep within the perilous jungle region of Nahantu, the Spiritborn are apex predators, deeply connected to the spiritual and natural elements of the region they call home.

During our hands-on session, we were free to explore Nahantu through one of four pre-built level 30 Spiritborn characters.

Welcome to the Jungle

Almost right away, I was struck by how different the environment felt compared to the existing Diablo IV aesthetic. Whereas Sanctuary has long been characterised by its brooding, blood-red hues and oppressive gothic architecture, Nahantu envelops players in an environment defined by its rich, vibrant greenery. The jungle is a sprawling tapestry of dense foliage, towering ancient trees, and a labyrinthine network of overgrown paths. The sunlight that filters through the thick canopy creates dappled patterns on the forest floor and exposes the thicket, teeming with exotic and unfamiliar flora and fauna.

It’s undeniably distinct from the base game’s familiar dreary ruins and hellish landscapes, offering a novel and attractive backdrop for the game’s next narrative-driven chapter.

Early Gameplay

The Spiritborn class operates around the unique concept of Spirit Guardians. Players use the Spirit Hall to choose a primary and a secondary Spirit, each offering distinct abilities and passive skills. For example, choosing the Jaguar as your primary Spirit imbues all your skills with Jaguar attributes and grants a passive ability that deals additional damage with every fourth direct hit. The secondary Spirit provides supplementary passive benefits; the Centipede, for example, can heal a percentage of your maximum life for each recently poisoned nearby enemy.

The versatility of the Spiritborn class is genuinely exciting and impressive. You can select the same Spirit for both primary and secondary roles or mix and match between the four available Spirits. Regardless of your choice, you can still integrate abilities from all four Spirits into your skill customisation, allowing for countless build possibilities. This customisation opens up extensive opportunities for players to experiment with different skill combinations and synergies, potentially reshaping meta gameplay and PvP strategies.

My three-hour exploration with the Spiritborn began with the pre-configured Jaguar build, but my curiosity soon led me to experiment with other Spirit Guardians. Each dungeon and challenge provided a new opportunity to visit the Skill Tree, testing various Spirit combinations to see how they could be tailored to suit my playstyle and any upcoming battles. The depth of customisation available encourages players to continually refine their approach, especially when gearing up for significant encounters. I had the most fun with one particular configuration: a build centred around the Jaguar as the primary Spirit and the Centipede as the secondary Spirit. This combo offered a dynamic and powerful playstyle that perfectly suited my natural affinity for fast-paced, intense melee combat with the added bonus of area-of-effect capabilities and enduring damage over time.

With the Jaguar as my primary, my Spiritborn became a relentless force in close-quarters combat, utilising a suite of abilities that delivered rapid, repetitive and increasingly damaging melee attacks that reflect the Jaguar’s hallmark speed and ferocity. Unleashing a flurry of violent swipes, the Jaguar’s unique passive ability further enhanced this aggressive style with the fourth direct hit with a Jaguar skill triggering additional slashes, dealing 100% of the damage of the previous four strikes. This effect ramped up the damage output and created a visually striking chain of attacks that felt as satisfying as it was effective.

I paired the Jaguar with the Centipede as my secondary Spirit, which introduced a complementary layer of tactical depth and created a different spectacle, introducing glowing auras and eerie creepy crawly visuals to the screen. One of the standout features of the Centipede is its ability to inflict lingering poison damage. Using the Centipede’s skills, I could lay down venomous fields that poisoned enemies over time, gradually sapping their health as they remained in the affected area. This increased my overall damage output and facilitated more strategic engagement. Watching enemies stumble into my toxic traps, I felt more in control of the battlefield than with the chaotic intensity of the Jaguar alone. This approach allowed me to deal significant burst damage while wearing down enemies over time, making it highly effective in solo bosses and large encounters. It delivered a thrilling and dynamic gameplay experience that kept me engaged throughout the session, and I couldn’t believe how quickly three hours had passed by the time it was over.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is already proving to offer a new flavour of D4 gameplay, brimming with new gameplay potential. The Spiritborn’s new suite of mechanics offers a fresh and dynamic experience that’s sure to give the game a shot in the arm when it arrives in October.

Spiritborn is exclusive to Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, available October 8th, 2024 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC via Battle.net or Steam.

You can check out our full review of Diablo IV here, where we scored it a massive 9/10 by saying, “Diablo IV is an unquestionable win for Blizzard and one of their foundational franchises when it needed it most. An unrelenting commitment to vision, redefined Sanctuary, never-ending player progression, and excellent boss fights are just a few of the reasons Diablo IV isn’t held back by uneven pacing and recycled content.”

The author of this post travelled to California as a guest of Blizzard.

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Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 Is On Tomorrow So Here’s When And Where To Watch In Australia

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:44 +0000

August is flying by, dear readers, and while that’s a fairly haunting revelation considering I can’t remember experiencing seven full months already this year, it’s also an exciting one because it means we’re very close to another big, annual gamescom Opening Night Live showcase.

This year’s event, which as usual represents the kicking off of gamescom in earnest, will take place tomorrow morning and will be co-hosted by organiser and stage enthusiast, Geoff Keighley, as well as talented esports and event host, Eefje Depoortere.

Keighley has already begun teasing what we’ll see on the ONL stage and dropped his traditional hype trailer, so below is a rundown of what there is to know so far – including when you’ll be able to tune in to the livestreamed event from your local time zone. Check it out:

Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024

When Can I Watch Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 In Australia & New Zealand?

Gamescom Opening Night Live is taking place on Wednesday, August 21st at 4AM AEST. Here’s how that shakes out around the nation:

4.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
3.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
2.00 AM AWST (Perth)
6.00 AM NZDT (Wellington)

Where Will Opening Night Live Be Streamed?

You’ll be able to watch the gamescom Opening Night Live showcase as it happens on the official gamescom website, as well as YouTube, Twitch and right below on this page when it goes live:

What Games Will Be Shown During Opening Night Live 2024?

Geoff Keighley has so far confirmed we’ll get new looks at games like Marvel Rivals, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, Dune Awakening, Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, the next game from Tarsier Studios, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII and no doubt plenty more.

Some of the companies confirmed to be at gamescom itself include 2K, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Capcom, EA, Konami, SEGA, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Xbox and more so there’s a lot of potential there.

Naturally, we’ll be bringing you coverage of the event with announcements as they happen and a round-up of everything shown after it finishes.

One thing we do know – there won’t be any Hollow Knight: Silksong.

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Funko Fusion Hands-On Preview – All Figured Out

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:00:20 +0000

When my partner and I, both enjoyers of video games and other nerdy exploits, made the decision to move in together, I was sure to express my immense aversion to owning and/or displaying any Funko Pop! figures. I’m not a monster though, so finding out they quite liked the gargantuan franchise of ~~future landfill~~ vinyl toys based on every possible brand in the world meant that I was willing to compromise. A year later, and with curiously more of them in the house than I initially remember, I think I’ve been worn down, and nothing is more evident of that than my excitement for Funko Fusion.

In case you’ve somehow missed it before now, Funko Fusion is to the world of Funko Pops what the Traveller’s Tales-developed LEGO games are to the Danish house of plastic bricks. It’s more than a loose comparison, too, with developer 10:10 Games’ founded by veterans of TT Games back in 2021. So the format is there – an action-adventure platformer set in recreations of beloved fictional worlds, rendered in the style of a highly marketable real-world toy empire – and so is the talent to both capture that same spark and also give it a fresh spin, backed by an immense new trove of IP.

Funko Fusion differs in a few key ways, though. For starters it’s set in a self-aware, overarching universe where Funko Pops are seemingly born in a Wonka-like facility that connects them to all the various universes of the IP they belong to. This means the game isn’t simply out to recreate established storylines from these licenses, like most of the LEGO games, but instead is telling its own (admittedly loose) story that takes players on a whirlwind tour of each world – think LEGO Dimensions without the added plastic, ironically. After being dropped straight in the game’s hub world and given the keys to two of the main universes, one based on Jurassic World and the other on Hot Fuzz, I’m honestly still a little murky on the exact details but the gist is that an evil version of Freddy Funko is attempting to take over the worlds and it’s up to players to travel through each one and put a stop to the invading forces.

Funko Fusion is also not shy about being a full-on third person action game with a much more “adult” focus than the LEGO titles. Guns are your primary weapon of choice in as many of the scenarios as I’ve seen, and there are healthy heapings of blood and plastic decapitations – not to mention the inherent mature nature of franchises like Child’s Play, Shaun of the Dead or Invincible. From the moment I stepped foot in the Jurassic World level and was tasked with ~~killing~~, sorry, putting to sleep a bunch of rampaging dinos and what I can only assume are inter-dimensional ninjas, it became clear that this experience strikes a very different tone.

To my surprise, the gunplay and action actually feels quite good, too. The shooting is solid and satisfying, and each Funko character is equipped with a slightly different accompaniment of weaponry and moveset to keep things fresh. You can also find plenty of other guns and gadgets in chests around the place, with a particular favourite of mine being a gun that launches sticky, explosive ice-cream cones. You’ll also need to make good use of melee moves with certain enemies that are impervious to bullets or need to be worn down to a vulnerable state first, which helps to mix things up.

Shooting plastic baddies isn’t all the game is about though, and thankfully there’s quite a bit of substance to each of the worlds for those of us that love to explore, find secrets, solve puzzles and collect shitloads of stuff. Predictably, you’re encouraged to smack just about anything in sight to reduce it to vinyl, which makes for the game’s major currency, but there are plenty of hidden goals and other bits to collect in pursuit of fully completing each area. Just in my initial couple of hours with the game I spotted plenty of opportunities to return to puzzles or obstacles with tools gained in later worlds, adding incentive to keep coming back.

Unlike the LEGO games though, where this design was tied to specific characters and their abilities, Funko Fusion asks you to “mould” new gear unlocked via blueprints, that you can then produce at any relevant kiosks using your collected vinyl. Early on I had access to things like bounce pads to reach high spots and batteries to power doors and mechanisms, and it already feels like a pretty elegant way to incorporate the Funko theme into a flexible and rewarding system of progression.

While the Jurassic World level was quite action-heavy and had me exploring the fairly large park grounds, fighting angry dinosaurs and freeing captive ones, Hot Fuzz made for a pretty big change of pace that speaks to this game having a nice bit of range. Here, I gained the ability to mould a blacklight camera and used it to follow a police swan (brilliant) around the town of Sandford, checking out crime scenes and hacking into cameras to open gates, Watch Dogs-style. Any concern that the folks at 10:10 would simply throw me into new franchises and worlds and ask me to shoot things each time went away at this point, and I’m hoping that rings true once I get to explore even more of them in the full game. Both Jurassic World and Hot Fuzz had an impressive density of playable space too, with plenty of indoor areas to bust into and tantalising hidden goodies, just out of sight or reach, around every corner.

Of course, so much of the appeal of this game is going to come from the huge amount of IP within and the constant parodies, references and sly nods aimed squarely at fans. Naturally, there’s tons of it here and you can really get the sense that the team has spared no expense in filling every possible area and moment with gags based on each property. The worlds, especially Hot Fuzz’s, feel shockingly authentic and detailed in spite of all of their inhabitants being huge-headed plastic dolls, which is a feat in itself in my eyes. If you’re the kind of person that gets a kick out of pointing and exclaiming at the telly when you see something you recognise, you’re certainly going to have a sore arm at the end of this.

10:10 has seemingly done the smart thing here and really put the onus on players to direct their own fun, laying down what seem like fairly basic core objectives in each world that are there just to guide you to the next shiny Funko crown (used to unlock the gates to new worlds) and encouraging you to constantly stray in search of other gameplay. I’m hopeful that the variety and momentum keeps up over the duration, especially with how much stronger the Hot Fuzz level feels over Jurassic World. The coolest moment for me by far has just been making my way around the Wonder Well hub area and being able to look down through each floor with its own themed look and decor – after all, where else could you stand at the gates to Jurassic World while peering down into an English village and then yet another completely different world beyond that?

Based on just a few hours of play, Funko Fusion definitely seems like it has the right stuff to please a mix of gamers, whether you’re in it for the endless barrage of IP worship or the solid action and collectathon puzzle-platforming. If the thought of a Funko Pop! is enough to make you roll your eyes, I doubt it’s going to set them back straight, but so far I reckon it’s made of just the right bait to hook the crowd of millennial gamers it’s clearly angling for.

Funko Fusion launches on September 13th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with PS5 and Switch versions arriving in November. You can pre-order it here.

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This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 04:11:55 +0000

With August in full swing, this week’s schedule of releases feels like it might serve as a nice break for some folks, with the only notable AAA launch being a new entry in the Madden NFL franchise, although among the indies launching in the coming days are some pretty exciting releases including I Am Your Beast, Phantom Spark and Arco.

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (AUGUST 12 EDITION)

EA Sports Madden NFL 25

Release Date: August 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Isn’t it Madden-ing that we have to wait a year for each new entry in the NFL series? For more on-pitch glory, more throwing and kicking off the ball? The plays? The helmets? Can you tell I’m unfamiliar with this sport and franchise??

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse

Release Date: August 14th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

If you missed Telltale’s pre-The Walking Dead output, you missed some great capers with the iconic duo of Sam & Max, but the good news is you’ve got another chance at them with this newly-remastered version of 2010’s five-episode finale, The Devil’s Playhouse. This was probably my favourite of Telltale’s S&M trilogy, so I’m keen to relive it.

Wishlist it here.

I Am Your Beast

Release Date: August 15th

Platforms: PC

If the demo was anything to go by, I am destined to be terrible at this game. But after feeling Badass circa 2001 in El Paso, Elsewhere and just plain Bad in Clickolding, I will forever place myself in Xalavier Nelson Jr and Strange Scaffold’s capable hands when it comes to unique, short-form video game experiences. This one’s a little bit Predator, a little bit Hotline Miami and kind of a bit XIII. I think I should be excited about the violence and leaderboards but I’m mostly into kinetic typography.

Wishlist it here.

Release Date: August 12th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Cult of the Lamb’s Unholy Alliance update finally adds local co-op play to the game including new twists on existing minigames, new options in combat, co-op crusades and a heap more. Along with the new gameplay features there’ll also be new gear, buildings, follower content and other fun stuff. Best of all, it’s a totally free update for owners of the game!

DREDGE – The Iron Rig Expansion

Release Date: August 15th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, PC

Another big update is on the way for one of our favourite games of 2023, this time adding new mysteries to the game’s world along with new items, gadgets and more. With sinister undertones, naturally.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Hands-On Preview – A Wrathful Return

Harry Kalogirou — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 12:59:47 +0000

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine was a smash hit commercially and critically. It served up a deliciously brutal power fantasy that appealed to mainstream audiences and longtime fans alike. Despite the success and a cliffhanger of an ending, Space Marine’s future remained uncertain when THQ filed for bankruptcy in 2013. Warhammer would continue to chug along in the games space, delivering unique experiences across a wide array of genres but fans have been clamouring for another third-person action game in the vein of Space Marine.

More than a decade later, Space Marine is back under Focus Entertainment’s supervision. Developed by Saber Interactive, Space Marine 2 is a direct follow-up to the first game. And after some hands-on time with the continuation of Captain Titus’s story, I’m pleased to report that it’s shaping up to be one hell of a good time.

My session kicked off by launching me straight into the game’s fifth campaign mission – Voidsong. After his imprisonment and demotion on charges of heresy, Captain Titus has joined the Deathwatch, an order of Space Marines dedicated to hunting and exterminating alien threats. After the Tyranids invade the Imperial controlled Recidious System, Titus and his Kill Team are dispatched to fight against the Xenos threat.

Pre-order here for $99

As Voidsong is about the midpoint of the campaign, the Tyranid invasion is in full swing on the planet of Avarax. The Xenos swarm clouds the skies, covers rooftops, and flood through streets in a bloodthirsty frenzy. Their corpses pile up on the streets to be incinerated while viscera cakes the nearby architecture. It’s grisly, gory stuff that sells the threat that the Tyranids pose and nails that grimdark atmosphere that 40K is known so well for.

While Space Marine 2 handles its treatment of the Tyranids with the utmost care, it’s clear that the focus here is on Titus. A fallen hero among Ultramarines, he’s constantly reminded of his actions on Graia a century prior. His squadmates, Brother Galadriel and Brother Chairon are naturally sceptical about Titus’s supposed heresy. It’s something that clearly weighs heavily on Titus’s shoulders, one that drives him to reclaim his former glory and honour.

If you’ve played the first game, it’s a captivating angle to explore in the midst of a Tyranid invasion. Stoking the flames of conflict even further is the presence of Chaos in the Recidious System, insinuating that there are deeper machinations at work underneath the surface. It’s this rich sense of place and exploration of what makes Space Marines tick that has me eager to see how the rest of Titus’s story unfolds.

If there’s one thing that Saber Interactive are striving for in Space Marine 2, it’s to elevate the power fantasy that Relic Entertainment categorically nailed in the first game. The most obvious improvements come in the Tyranids themselves. While the first game offered plenty of Orks to demolish on Graia, the number of Tyranids present on-screen at any given time is honestly mind-boggling. It’s clear that Space Marine 2’s swarm technology is an extension of Saber’s previous efforts in World War Z, a natural fit for a threat like the Tyranids.

It means that Space Marine 2 does feel noticeably different from the first game. The core of it is still there, arming you with melee and ranged weaponry to unleash the wrath of the Ultramarines onto unrelenting hordes. The sheer number of enemies you’ll face down at once echoes the feeling of Warhammer’s own Vermintide and Darktide games. You can’t mindlessly jump head-first into a group of Xenos and hope to come out unscathed, you need to wait for your opportunity and manage resources effectively.

It’s a more mindful and considered gameplay loop that still offers the same kind of power fantasy when you engage with it properly. New to Space Marine 2 are some defensive mechanics in the form of dodging and countering. Executing perfect variants of these manoeuvres opens enemies up for swift and brutal counterattack, either through a brief window for melee damage or by unleashing a devastating critical shot which feels incredible to pull off. Heavy attacks still stun larger enemy units, opening them up for an execution that regenerates armour in combat.

The most impressive thing about this slice of Space Marine 2 is the mission itself. With a runtime just shy of an hour or so, Voidsong took me through hordes of Tyranids, the forces of Chaos and two distinct boss fights. It felt like there was so much to see no matter where I looked and frequent weapon drops allow you to change up your equipment quite regularly. My only concern at this point is that the cinematic flair of parries and dodges might get old after more time with the combat, given how integral they are when fighting larger units.

The other half of this preview build comes in the form of Operations. These are smaller missions focused on cooperation and replayability between a group of three Space Marines. There’s a total of six classes to play around with here, each offering their own set of equipment and unique abilities. The Assault class, for example, kits you out with a Jump Pack and Thunder Hammer, letting you take to the skies and come crashing back down in meteoric fashion. The Sniper, on the other hand, is more focused on cloaking and long range play as you take down your targets from far.

The two Operations I got to play echo a similar level of quality to Voidsong, offering endless waves of Tyranids and plenty of spectacle to behold. The first is set in the jungles of Kadaku, where we had to arm a bomb and detonate it just at the right moment for maximum efficiency. The other saw my squad hunting down a Hive Tyrant to deal a hefty blow to Xenos forces. While I didn’t get to see each difficulty level in this slice of the game, I have no doubt that the highest tiers will require a high level of cooperation and communication.

Operations aren’t just a neat idea for a coop mode, though. They position themselves as events happening around the main campaign, with Titus and other key characters chiming in to deliver objectives and exposition. It helps make the conflict in the Recidious System feel like a war being fought on multiple fronts, Titus and his squad aren’t the only Space Marines fighting back the overwhelming Tyranid forces. It’s really fantastic stuff and a mode I suspect I and many others will sink countless hours into.

The main reason for that is the way progression is set out. Completing Operations nets you experience to spend on upgrading your arsenal and kitting your classes out with more unique skills, gearing you up for higher difficulty runs. On top of that, there’s a hefty amount of cosmetic customisation to play around with here. Each class can be equipped with new gear, colours, and accessories to show off your favoured Space Marine Chapters in glorious fashion. It feels like much has been borrowed from Vermintide and Darktide in that sense, which is a very good thing.

The other thing that floored me with Space Marine 2 is just how gorgeous it is. The first game had a bit of an issue with visual variety as it almost exclusively takes place on Graia. Much of that is remedied here, with Kakadu and Avarax alone offering distinct explorations of different visual aesthetics within the 40K universe. This is before seeing any of the third planet, Demerium, in-game, which looks to be the most visually striking of the three.

It feels like I’ve only had a taste of what Space Marine 2 has to offer, but I couldn’t be more excited to jump into the full game. I’m raring to see how Titus’s story unfolds, what other spectacles lie in the rest of the Operations, and to get into the fray of the game’s multiplayer mode, Eternal War. What I’ve played of it so far absolutely rips in a way that 40K and few other games manage to. It feels surreal to playing a sequel to Space Marine after all these years, let alone one that’s looking like it’s going to deliver in spades when it launches next month.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launches on September 9th. Pre-order it here.

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This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:47:33 +0000

Here we are, in the first full week of August, and ahead of a month that promises at least a AAA banger or two, this week is a little more skewed towards the indies – and some especially exciting ones, too. After having just been blessed by the likes of Thank Goodness You’re Here! and The Garden Path, fans of the quirky and creative can look forward to future bangers like The Crush House, SteamWorld Heist II and Cat Quest 3, among others.

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (AUGUST 5 EDITION)

The Crush House

Release Date: August 9th (10th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Film and produce 1999’s hottest reality TV show: The Crush House! Select a crush-worthy cast, satisfy voracious audiences and keep the show on air to uncover the sinister secrets behind this darkly comic thirst-person shooter.

Download a demo here.

SteamWorld Heist II

Release Date: August 8th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Join Captain Leeway and his ragtag crew as they uncover the enigmatic menace threatening the Great Sea. Equip and upgrade your crew for turn-based gunfights packed with ricochet action and engage in real-time naval combat. Get ready to aim, plot, and plunder in this uproarious Steambot adventure!

Read our preview here.

Creatures of Ava

Release Date: August 7th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Let your empathy guide you as you play an exciting action-adventure, creature-saver game. Understand and tame the creatures of Ava and let them lead you through a variety of ecosystems – all in the hopes of saving the planet from a life-consuming infection.

Cat Quest 3

Release Date: August 8th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

In Cat Quest III you play as a purrivateer in a freely explorable 2.5D open-world swarming with Pi-rats. You can sail the seas in your ship for treasures galore! But prepare for peril, as the Pirate King aims to hunt you down…

Download a demo here.

Omochapon

Release Date: August 8th

Platforms: Switch

Set in a Japanese mall, Omochapon is a 3D puzzle platformer incorporating casual light-hearted gameplay with adorable characters. For each new toy unlocked, players gain abilities to explore the world and find new companions with the goal of escaping to the outside world.

From first-time developer ShawnTheMiller, Omochapon is a wholesome title incorporating capsule toy culture and casual gameplay mechanics!

Pepper Grinder (PlayStation/Xbox Release)

Release Date: August 6th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Pepper Grinder is an action-packed 2D adventure blending traditional platforming with an alternate drilling mode that allows you to dive in and out of the earth like a dolphin swims through water.

Deathbound

Release Date: August 8th

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

Star Wars Outlaws Hands-On Preview – A Different Side of Star Wars

Harry Kalogirou — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 22:00:17 +0000

When you think about it, it’s pretty wild that we’ve yet to see a truly open-world Star Wars game until now. The space-faring nature of Disney’s behemoth transmedia franchise goes hand-in-hand with exploration and non-linearity in a way that few IP do. Being able to venture through planets from all corners of the Star Wars canon while you contend with the Empire and the galaxy’s seediest forces sounds like a surefire hit. It’s an ambitious prospect that can be taken in so many different directions, one that Massive Entertainment is looking to break into.

When it comes to Star Wars, the conversation is so often dominated by the eternal conflict between light and dark, good and evil, Jedi and Sith. Star Wars is arguably at its most interesting when it explores the impact that conflict has on the galaxy and those that call it home, the citizens kept firmly under heel by the might of the Empire and the scoundrels who revel in the chaos of their rule. This is the space that Star Wars Outlaws occupies, and I was lucky enough to get a lengthy hands-on with Massive Entertainment’s take on this universe.

The first chunk of my preview session took place in the opening hours of the story. After a job gone wrong, protagonist Kay Vess and her cute little partner in crime, Nix, crashland on Toshara – an all new planet designed in collaboration between Massive and Lucasfilm. With a hefty bounty on Kay’s head, the duo set out in search of freedom in a universe under the iron grip of the Empire. Setting the story of Outlaws between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi means the Empire are at the height of their power, which is made immediately apparent.

Instead of being met with help or sympathy upon exiting their crashed ship, the Trailblazer, Kay and Nix are quickly thrust into a shootout with some bandits. This serves as a quick introduction to the Adrenaline system, where Kay generates Adrenaline while in combat. Once full, you can activate Adrenaline Rush, where you slow down time and mark targets for a swift dispatch similar to Splinter Cell’s Mark and Execute mechanics. It’s a slick and thematically fitting ability that always feels great to use without cheapening encounters.

After the skirmish, a local mechanic offers to fix up the Trailblazer for a price, so Kay and Nix head to Mirogana City in the hopes of getting some work from a local Syndicate underboss. As much as I’d like to say the speeder bike ride over was uneventful, that would be far from the truth. I was ambushed again by bandits, as if they’d been lying in wait. A high-octane chase ensued where I was ducking and weaving blaster shots, threading the needle between obstacles until I could activate Adrenaline Rush to send the bandits careening into Toshara’s rugged terrain.

It’s exhilarating stuff that really reinforces just how lawless Toshara is. The Empire is here, but little is done about conflict not involving them outside of Mirogana, even less if the local Pyke Syndicate is involved. This is a sentiment that reverberated through the rest of my time with Outlaws. You’ll often come across bandits and raiders trying to rob Empire outposts or locals who’re minding their own business, and rivalling Syndicates can be found trading shots while they implore Kay to take their side. It all serves to make Kay and Nix feel like a small part in a much larger criminal underbelly that thrives under Empire rule.

The lawlessness of Mirogana City’s outskirts is juxtaposed by the city itself. Primarily occupied by the Empire and the Pyke Syndicate, Mirogana is subject to restrictions and oppression no matter where you go. Empire security checkpoints monitor the locals as they go about their days and the Pyke Syndicate have their own muscle guarding territory. It oozes atmosphere and vibes that only this kind of Star Wars story can.

Kay and Nix’s introduction to Mirogana also paints them as inexperienced bounty hunters on an unfamiliar world. They’re clearly out of their element and overconfident, leading to a quick dismissal by the local Pyke underboss, Gorak. Their efforts don’t go unnoticed, though, and instead they pick up work from a local broker named Danka. The job is simple – infiltrate Gorak’s private base in Mirogana and steal some information that he’s keeping under lock and key.

It was here that I got my first real taste of stealth in Star Wars Outlaws. At first, I found it unwieldy and awkward. I was stumbling from cover to cover desperately avoiding enemy sightlines and patrols while searching for Gorak’s base. It was only once I started making use of Nix, that things started to click for me. Nix is quite the crafty little fellow. At Kay’s order, he can grab items, distract guards, activate devices, and even attack enemies. Using Nix to distract a patrol allows Kay to sneak up behind them for an easy takedown or move past them entirely.

You still have to think about how you move through these restricted areas, though. One decision I’m not a huge fan of, is that detection in any of these restricted areas boots you back to the entrance. There’s no opportunity to smooth talk or shoot your way out of a confrontation and it feels jarring to be hit with a black screen and then have to retread your steps as if it never happened. It’s especially odd given the focus that Star Wars Outlaws places on Kay’s reputation with each Syndicate and how actions can impact your standing.

After reaching the Pyke Stronghold, the restriction is lifted and stealth is no longer a necessity. Gorak’s base lies at the far side of the stronghold, barred by an energy barrier powered by two generators. In trademark Ubisoft fashion, I equip Kay’s Electrobinoculars to scope out and mark patrolling enemies. After some more stealth to thin the numbers a bit, I send Nix off to trigger an explosive barrel, the alarm sounds, and a firefight ensues.

It’s clear what kind of influence Massive’s time on the Division games has had on Star Wars Outlaws here. Shooting is scrappy in all the right ways. It feels like a veritable scramble as you take potshots from cover and send Nix out to grab weapons more lethal than Kay’s own blaster. Repositioning behind new cover as enemies try to flush you out, only for you to cleanup the fight with a well timed Adrenaline Rush. These elements in combination with an active reload mechanic really deliver on the fantasy of being a resourceful scoundrel in combat.

One other small element that I really enjoyed during this mission was the minigames. Terminal Slicing and lockpicking each take form in distinct little puzzles. The first is almost identical to Wordle, providing simple but straightforward headscratchers that feel rewarding to solve with a much higher overall attempt count. The latter is a rhythm minigame, where you need to listen for clicks in the locks and press a button in time with them. They never overstay their welcome and are always a nice way to break up the pacing of combat and stealth.

The final piece of the puzzle for this mission comes right at its conclusion. Gorak’s terminal reveals that there’s a traitor in the Pyke Syndicate looking to overthrow him, and Kay is given a choice over what to do with it. You can give it to Eleera of the Crimson Dawn, another crime Syndicate on Toshara in conflict with the Pykes, or you can take it to Gorak himself to get in his good books. I chose to hand over the info to Eleera, growing Kay’s standing with the Crimson Dawn.

This reputation system is what lies at the beating heart of Star Wars Outlaws. Kay and Nix, like any bounty hunters, live and die by their reputation within the galaxy’s criminal underbelly. Being in good standings with a Syndicate means you can access their restricted areas freely, gain access to new blaster skins, landing zones, and more. Being in bad standing means the inverse, even getting to the point where hit squads will be sent after Kay and Nix in the open world. It’s a fantastic system that impacted countless times during my roughly four hour hands-on.

The most impressive thing about this is that Massive have designed it in a way that implores you to make decisions that benefit Kay and Nix as opposed to pledging loyalty to one faction. I constantly found myself bouncing between the Pykes and the Crimson Dawn based on how I perceived the outcome would impact the pair. Their endearing relationship is what makes you want to see these two reach their dreams of unfettered freedom and solace from the reign of the Empire, a feeling that translates nicely into this system.

It was at this point that I decided to dive into some of Toshara’s open world offerings. Considering this is one of five planets in Star Wars Outlaws, Toshara’s overall size is pretty astonishing. Darting around its orange-hued landscape on Kay’s speeder bike feels fantastic. It has a weight and sense of resistance that sells the highspeed nature of these vehicles. Ramps are dotted about Toshara’s world like they’re going out of fashion, giving you plenty of opportunity for air time as you explore.

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It helps that there’s a lot to move between and do in Toshara. Aside from dynamic world events that happen as you stumble across them, there’s many secrets to uncover as you find notes and clues in Mirogana and its surrounds. One note I found spoke of how typical it is that someone’s partner had hidden their stash behind a waterfall in Jaunta’s Hope. I investigated said waterfall only to find another note, saying the stash had been moved to a nearby abandoned building because the waterfall was just too obvious. It was a funny moment of storytelling that made me chuckle as I made my way over to the cache’s new location.

The real standout of the open world stuff is Intel Chains. These are as they sound – bits of info you can find that lead to certain people or places, only to lead you to the next until you reach an endpoint for that Intel Chain. They feel suitably on-brand for a Star Wars experience like this and almost always present worthwhile rewards. One Intel Chain I completed led me to discover a speeder bike Expert, who can eventually help Kay to upgrade and improve her own speeder bike.

Speaking of which, the Expert system in general is a neat idea. Each one pertains to a different element of Kay’s capabilities. From hand-to-hand combat and shooting, to Slicing and speeder bike traversal. Finding these Experts allows Kay to unlock new abilities within each of these areas, like being able to do a bunny hop on your speeder bike. It’s a small detail, but the way that this is contextualised reinforces Kay and Nix’s relative inexperience and sells the idea of leaning into professionals of different trades to improve your own skills. I only had access to three Experts in this portion of the build, but it seems like there’s a whopping eight of them in total.

The last thing I did during this portion of the hands-on was another story mission that took Kay and Nix into space on their newly repaired ship. Once I got used to controlling it, piloting the Trailblazer felt second nature in its fluidity and handling. The spectacle of viewing Toshara from its own orbit is also beautiful and it was surreal to think I was on its surface just moments earlier. This mission also pivots away from getting amongst the Syndicates and instead has Kay and Nix meddling with the Empire as they board an Imperial fuel station.

What follows is another stealth section, only this time it’s through the pristine and glistening halls of the Empire’s signature architecture. Stormtroopers and Imperial Officers patrol colossal hangers filled with TIE Fighters and Imperial cargo ships. Much like Toshara, it’s visually mesmerising, a complete and faithful recreation of some of the most iconic visual aesthetics in Star Wars. The mission concludes with another choice between Syndicates, followed by a dogfight in Toshara’s orbit, echoing the same exhilarating scrappiness found in grounded combat.

After three and a bit hours on Toshara, I got to move over to Kijimi, seen most recently in Rise of Skywalker. Kijimi’s recreation is honestly absurd considering how little there was for Massive to go off of. Its appearance in Episode IX was fleeting, but the detail and artistry on display here is sublime. If nothing else, it’s another signifier that Massive have a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars and its worlds. It has me excited to see what else they have in store when it comes to planets like Tatooine and Akiva.

The section of Kijimi I got to explore is much smaller than what I saw on Toshara, but just as densely packed with detail. Secrets lie in many corners of Kijimi City, most of which is occupied by the Ashiga Clan. The Empire presence feels less overbearing here than in Toshara, but that doesn’t mean that most of its inhabitants aren’t under surveillance. The aforementioned Ashiga Clan is everywhere, hunting for Crimson Dawn loyalists who seek to wrangle control from their Queen.

While all of this bodes well for the the full release of Outlaws next month, I did find that the overall experience is a bit rough around the edges. There’s still a day one patch to come but I did see a number of visual bugs and some general jankiness while getting lost in the open world. Thankfully, Outlaws’ other production values are top notch, elevating the art direction of these fantastical worlds with a raw graphical output that feels like it’s making the most of current gen hardware.

Even though I got to play almost five hours of Star Wars Outlaws, I’ve come away from my hands-on feeling like I’ve barely scratched the surface. There are still many planets to explore, Experts to uncover, and Intel Chains to reach the end of. There are many other elements of the game I haven’t touched on here. It feels ambitious in every sense of the word, fuelled by a passion and love for the IP that isn’t dissimilar to what Respawn have done with the Jedi games. It’s carving out its own identity amidst a plethora of unique takes on this galaxy, and I can’t wait to jump back in for more.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

Harry was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this preview.

The post Star Wars Outlaws Hands-On Preview – A Different Side of Star Wars appeared first on Press Start.

Here’s How The Reputation System Works In Star Wars Outlaws

Harry Kalogirou — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 21:59:37 +0000

During my almost five hour hands-on with Star Wars Outlaws, it became clear to me that MASSIVE Entertainment’s first foray into the space opera epic is densely packed with systems and mechanics. That probably doesn’t come as a surprise if you’re familiar with their work on the Division games. Their design harbours a similar penchant for long-term, game-wide progression that is woven into many of the moving parts of these shared world shooters.

The pivot to a single player experience has fundamentally shaken up how MASSIVE approaches these foundational ideas in Outlaws, though. The most present of which is undoubtedly the Reputation system. As bounty hunting scoundrels, Kay Vess and Nix live and die by their standings in the criminal underbelly of Star Wars. It makes sense narratively, but how does it translate into a system influenced by gameplay and player choice?

WHAT IS THE REPUTATION SYSTEM AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Reputation system is what measures Kay’s standings with each Syndicate in Star Wars Outlaws. Your current standings can be viewed under its own dedicated tab in the menu, which is quite handy given how much you’ll be checking it. Every Syndicate starts in poor standing at the beginning of the game, but they will shift between the good and bad ends of the spectrum constantly if my hands-on time is anything to go by.

There’s a few ways that I saw this happen during my time with the game. The most immediate way you see Kay’s reputations change is through main story missions. Three of the four I played in this preview build were bookended by making a decision between two of the game’s four main Syndicates. You might be contracted to do a job for the Crimson Dawn to get dirt on the Pyke Syndicate, but ultimately decide to take the info into your own hands and hand it off to the Pykes instead. In a situation like this, you’ll gain reputation with the Pykes, but lose reputation with the Crimson Dawn.

These reputation gains and losses aren’t limited to main story missions, though. They also pop up in side quests, open world encounters, one-off quests from job boards, and more. Not all of them result in losing reputation also, meaning there’s always opportunity to gain better standing with one Syndicate without falling out of favour with another.

HOW DO STANDINGS IMPACT THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF STAR WARS OUTLAWS?

Being in good or bad standings with any given Syndicate impacts Star Wars Outlaws in a few different ways. For starters, it should be mentioned that you aren’t just in good or bad standings. Each side of the spectrum has two stages, so you can go beyond simply being liked or disliked by any given syndicate. Poor standing lies right in the middle of the spectrum, effectively serving as a sort of neutral level where Kay is neither hated nor favoured.

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There are a couple of different ways I saw this manifest in my own good standings with the Crimson Dawn early on in my session. Most immediate was a swanky new skin for Kay’s blaster and access to faction-specific vendors that you usually can’t access. Perhaps most impactful is the ability to enter Syndicate controlled territory with no repercussions. This means access to new items, treasures, and even influences how you approach certain missions.

The trade-off for my good standings with the Crimson Dawn meant that the Pyke Syndicate weren’t particularly fond of me. They’d shoot at me on site in the open world, would immediately halt any trespassing within their territory if caught, and restricted access to their specific vendors. While I wasn’t able to see for myself how these boons and banes change as your reputation gets better or worse, director Mathias Karlson elaborated on how much impact the system has at either end of the spectrum.

“We really tried to hook it into as many aspects of the experience as possible. For example, let’s say you’re being chased by Imperials for whatever reason on Toshara and you happen to cross into the territory of a faction that thinks highly of Kay, they might join and help you fight them off. Some of the game’s most exclusive rewards are found within the Reputation system. Some of the territory even has landing pads that you can only use when you’re in the highest standing with that Syndicate.”.

He continues by talking about the other side of the spectrum; “On the flipside, the really really bad side, you become Wanted. Syndicates will send squads out to take you down and you have to contend with being prey in the open world until you’re able to get your standings in better graces.” It paints a picture of a galaxy where Kay and Nix are a small part of a much larger and dynamic criminal underbelly.

When it comes to narrative Karlson reinforced that while you will feel differences, they really want Outlaws to be a Star Wars story first and foremost. Ultimately it’s about Kay, Nix and their crew, suggesting that your reputation standings won’t have an impact on how the narrative of Outlaws unfolds and concludes when it comes to core story beats.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE IN THE BEST STANDING WITH ALL SYNDICATES AT ONCE?

While I mentioned in my hands-on preview that it feels like MASSIVE have carefully designed the Reputation system to feel like it ebbs and flows as you progress the main story, Karlson did reveal that it is indeed possible to completely max out your reputation with all Syndicates. “A lot of the time you’re facing binary decisions, but there are ways to gain reputation with one Syndicate without sacrificing your standing with another. Having max rep with all the Syndicates is very very hard. I’m sure people will figure it out, they’re always better at the game than we are. It’s part of the fun and will happen for different players at different times.”.

This means for the completionists out there, it will be possible to get all Syndicate-related cosmetics and unlockables, alongside any faction quests locked behind certain reputation thresholds. It’ll no doubt add a lot of replay value and game time onto an already chunky experience for those who want to see everything.

WHO ARE THE FOUR MAIN SYNDICATES IN STAR WARS OUTLAWS?

As mentioned previously, there are four key Syndicates in Star Wars Outlaws, each operating on different planets and in conflict with each other. Some of these are factions you may recognise from other Star Wars media, while others have been created by MASSIVE for Outlaws specifically.

The first group I encountered on Toshara was the Pyke Syndicate, a group I’m sure any Star Wars diehard will be familiar with. Their most notable appearances are in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and The Book of Boba Fett. They’re known for having near-complete control over the production of raw spice, which is used to create a powerful drug. In Star Wars Outlaws, they make shady deals with the Empire to maintain control over Toshara.

In direct competition with the Pyke Syndicate on Toshara are the Crimson Dawn. Formerly lead by Darth Maul, the Crimson Dawn have also appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and played a role in Solo: A Star Wars Story. They’ve been a part of many a conspiracy throughout the galaxy, even waging a secret war against the Empire during Darth Vader’s rule. My time with Outlaws suggests that the Crimson Dawn prefer to operate in the shadows, sowing chaos from unseen corners away from prying eyes.

Another group with a strong distaste for the Crimson Dawn is the Ashiga Clan. This is an entirely new syndicate found primarily on Episode IX’s Kijimi. Their design is very inspired by Japanese culture and their power structure is based around a hierarchical Melitto hive. It’s a novel concept that we haven’t seen in Star Wars and adds further context to why Kijimi is considered a haven for thieves.

The final piece of the puzzle is the infamous Hutt Cartel. A name that’s bound to be familiar to anyone who’s even remotely familiar with Star Wars, the Hutts grew to power in the Outer Rim through smuggling and countless other illegal activities. While I didn’t see much of the Hutts on Toshara or Kijimi, you can bet your bottom credit that they’ll be very present on Tatooine, with Jabba the Hutt confirmed to be making an appearance in Star Wars Outlaws in the base game as well as a Season Pass-exclusive DLC mission.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

Harry was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this preview.

The post Here’s How The Reputation System Works In Star Wars Outlaws appeared first on Press Start.

Nix Is The Perfect Companion In Star Wars Outlaws

Harry Kalogirou — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 21:59:13 +0000

A Star Wars protagonist simply isn’t a Star Wars protagonist without an adorable little sidekick. Whether it’s a droid like BD-1, R2D2 and BB-8, or an alien like Grogu and Babu Frik, Star Wars has a history of including these endearing characters in their casts. Next in line to join this menagerie of little guys is Nix, Kay’s merqaal companion and partner in crime. After four and a half hours with Star Wars Outlaws, it’s clear that Nix brings much more to the table than his lovable personality and is sure to be a hit with players for a number of reasons.

Nix’s Abilities Compliment Kay’s Perfectly

My early hours with Star Wars Outlaws had me trying to navigate stealth sections and failing miserably. I found it tricky to stay out of enemy line of sight while sticking behind cover as I moved towards my objective. These stealth sections often take place in the restricted territory of crime Syndicates, which means getting caught boots you back to the entrance of whatever area you’re exploring. There’s not a heap Kay can do on her own to distract patrolling guards and get by undetected.

I quickly discovered that the key to these stealth sections lies in using Nix’s toolset in tandem with Kay’s. You can send him out to distract patrols with hilariously endearing animations. He’ll either dance in front of them, be a general nuisance, or play dead in the most dramatic way possible. Regardless of which act he chooses, it opens up a brief moment of opportunity for Kay to sneak past or take the patrol out with a swift takedown. It’s quick, versatile, and incredibly seamless to use once you understand how the system works.

When things inevitably get loud, Nix is useful in more aggressive ways. You can send him out to attack combatants, which sees him eagerly dashing his way over to the marked target as he pounces on them. It frees Kay up to deal with other threats, or better yet, keeps said target occupied for Kay to swoop in with a well placed shot or melee attack. Nix can also run out from behind cover to grab more heavy duty weapons for Kay to use if her blaster just isn’t cutting it.

Another piece of the puzzle with Nix that you can use both in and out of combat, is his ability to interact with the environment. You can send him out to disable alarms, set off explosives, cut power generators, grab treasure, and more. You see this primarily through light environmental puzzle solving in the overworld where he can fit through small spaces to open the way forward for Kay. It’s all designed in a way that you always think about how Nix can interact with and impact the different situations you find yourself.

Nix’s Relationship With Kay Makes For A Unique Dual Protagonist Setup

Star Wars Outlaws isn’t just a story about Kay with Nix as her sidekick. Narrative director Navid Khavari talks a bit about this during a panel, elaborating that the story of Outlaws is a dual protagonist tale, one that has its dynamic shaken up by the introduction of other characters like ND-5 (the hot robot). This sentiment echoes throughout the core hook of Outlaws. Kay isn’t just fighting for freedom of her own, but also for Nix, who’s clearly been with her for some time at this point in their story.

They have an unspoken synergy and understanding of each other that reinforces the scoundrel fantasy. An early example of this is when Kay approaches a local Pyke underboss in Mirogana named Gorak for work. As a newcomer to Toshara, Kay is quickly dismissed by Gorak, who tells her to come back once she’s made a name for herself. During the tense verbal skirmish, Nix cuddles up to Gorak, subtly slipping an expensive looking ring off his finger in the process. Aside from it being genuinely funny, it’s a reminder that the two are always looking out for each other.

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It feels similar to that of Cal’s relationship with BD-1 in the Jedi games. You want to see these two overcome the odds they’re faced with in tumultuous situations even if they’re the ones that got themselves into the mess. It also helps that Nix is absurdly cute in everything he does. The way he trills and emotes in response to different situations is incredibly expressive, lending the critter a level of personality that’s hard to achieve when limited to behaviours and sounds.

The Voice of The Clone Troopers Voices Nix

A large part of why Nix succeeds at this is thanks to a fantastic performance from Dee Bradley Baker. For the unfamiliar, Baker is most well known in Star Wars for voicing Captain Rex and clone troopers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. That’s pretty wild to think about, but it makes sense given Baker’s prior tendencies to give life to other animals and creatures in cartoon and live-action productions.

Dee Bradley Baker’s expertise in finding the voice of numerous creatures and critters means he’s a natural fit when it comes to voicing Nix. In a panel with the voice talent behind the core cast of Outlaws, Baker talked about how he would try to understand how Nix would react to different events in cutscenes and in-game. Once he’d figured it out, he’d work with the narrative team to bring it to life and Nix is suitably animated to convey the emotion further via body language.

It’s testament to how many parts of a development team have a hand in bring even a small character like Nix to life. It’s remarkable to see how Baker has interpreted the character and his behaviour in any given situation. It felt like I saw so many sides of Nix during my time with Star Wars Outlaws, but I’m sure there’s much more to see when the game launches in full next month.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

Harry was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this preview.

The post Nix Is The Perfect Companion In Star Wars Outlaws appeared first on Press Start.

The Most Exciting Game Releases In August 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 06:49:41 +0000

Usually I start one of these articles with a corny little joke about how I can’t believe it’s a month in the year and then it turns out it’s actually a much later month in the year, but this time around I’m not going to do that because I genuinely wrote June at least three times today at work before realising it is, in fact, July. And worse, it’s nearly August.

Ignoring that crisis for just a moment, a new month incoming means it’s time to once again look at what there is to get excited about for the next page in everyone’s calendars. And August is a sneakily big one with a bit of a quieter start followed by a big ol’ AAA climax at the tail end.

Take a look at what’s coming in the month ahead:

THE MOST EXCITING GAME RELEASES IN AUGUST 2024

Star Wars Outlaws

Release Date: August 30th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The Cheapest Price: $75 at MightyApe

Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.

If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.

Read our extensive coverage of the game here.

Black Myth: WuKong

Release Date: August 20th

Platforms: PS5, PC

Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology. The story is based on Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. You shall set out as the Destined One to venture into the challenges and marvels ahead, to uncover the obscured truth beneath the veil of a glorious legend from the past.

Visions of Mana

Release Date: August 29th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The Cheapest Price: $94 at Amazon

Visions of Mana is a brand new title in this series revolving around the sacred sword and mana. The protagonist Val and his childhood friend Hinna, the newly appointed Alm of Fire, set off on a journey to the Mana Tree. This game’s iconic vibrant and vast semi-open field contains adorable yet ferocious monsters, allowing you to enjoy swift three-dimensional battles using the power of the Elementals.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Release Date: August 29th

Platforms: Switch

The Cheapest Price: $68 at Amazon

A student has been found dead! His head was covered with a paper bag with an eerie smiling face drawn on it—much like the victims of Emio, the Smiling Man—a killer of urban legend who is said to place such a bag over his victims’ heads.

As an assistant private investigator, you are tasked with helping police solve this crime, which is reminiscent of a series of unsolved murders from 18 years ago. Has a serial killer returned, or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the Smiling Man story, or the origin of it?

Concord

Release Date: August 23rd

Platforms: PS5, PC

The Cheapest Price: $49 at Amazon

Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.

Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.

Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

“Thank Goodness You’re Here!” is a comedy slapformer, which unfolds over time as the players’ exploration and antics leave their mark on the strange town of Barnsworth. With each completed odd job, new areas of the town open up, stranger and stranger tasks become available, and the clock ticks towards our salesman’s big meeting. The town’s colorful inhabitants are brought to life with vibrant hand-drawn animation, fully voiced dialogue, and wall-to-wall double entendres.

The Crush House

Release Date: August 9th (10th AEST)

Platforms: PC

The Crush House is THE reality TV sensation of 1999, and it has a new producer: you! Playing as new hire Jae, take your camera into the show’s iconic Malibu mansion and keep viewers glued to their screens by filming all the drama, romance, and tension that erupts. But fail to keep your audience entertained and you may suffer a fate worse than death: cancellation. Choose between twelve eccentric personalities and find your four-person cast for each season’s run. Mix and match conflicting personalities or complementary attractions and watch as tensions run and sparks fly. Catch the best stuff on camera and watch your ratings soar.

World of Warcraft: The War Within

Release Date: August 26th

Platforms: PC

Anniversary Collector’s Edition available here!

Throughout the ages, mighty heroes have risen to defend Azeroth. Now, at the dawn of a new saga, the darkness calls from the very heart of the world.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

In this classic third-person action-adventure, you’ll become Jango Fett, Prime Clone of the Grand Army of the Republic, hired to capture a deranged Dark Jedi. Experience the legendary Bounty Hunter fantasy set before the events of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Face off against foes and maneuver through acrobatic battles in this adaption optimised for today’s consoles and hardware.

SteamWorld Heist 2

Release Date: August 8th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

All is not well on the waves, a crisis is brewing. A water crisis! Mysteriously, this precious resource has turned deadly, corroding metal limbs and mechanical hearts.

Take charge as Captain Leeway joined by his ragtag crew of Steambots to uncover the enigmatic menace threatening the Great Sea.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland

Release Date: August 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, NES, PC

When Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil see a commercial for the new Reptar video game, they pretend that they’re in a video game of their own. Through the power of imagination, the babies transform Tommy’s house into a video game world full of action, excitement, and adventure. Toggle between beautiful 8-bit and HD art and select your favorite baby in this neo-retro platformer!

Cat Quest 3

Release Date: August 8th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Play as a swashbuckling purrivateer in this 2.5D open-world action RPG set in a fantastical pirate-themed world – the Purribean – an archipelago swarming with Pi-rats searching for the Northern Star – a long-lost mythical treasure. Alongside your trusty spirit companion, set sail through the Purribean in your very own ship! But beware, the seas are dangerous, and a meow-tiny is nigh as the hordes of Pi-rats under the order of the Pirate King hunt you down…

Madden NFL 25

Release Date: August 13th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

The Cheapest Price: $89 at Amazon

Hit like you mean it with FieldSENSE powered by BOOM Tech. Experience how the new physics-informed dynamic tackling system unlocks realistic collisions & new gameplay animations on both sides of the ball. With a reengineered Hit Stick, perfect hit indicator, a new Ball Carrier Balance System, and physics-driven dives, trucks and stiff arms, timing has never been more important as each interaction reflects true-to-life motion and physical outcomes.

Dustborn

Release Date: August 20th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Dustborn is a single-player, story-driven action-adventure game about hope, love, friendships, robots…and the power of words.

You play Pax: exile, con-artist, Anomal — with the ability to weaponize language. Looking for a new life and a way out, Pax has been hired to transport an important package from Pacifica to Nova Scotia, across the Justice-controlled American Republic. Sounds like a legit reason for a road-trip, right?

World of Goo 2

Release Date: August 2nd

Platforms: Switch, PC

A powerful company has re-branded as an environmentally friendly, sustainable, green, clean, Goo processing non-profit.Help them collect as much Goo as possible. But what do they really want? Explore a new story spanning hundreds of thousands of years and watch the world change. Be careful! The world is beautiful, but it is dangerous. Guide as many Goo Balls into the exit pipe of each area as you can. …but what’s on the other end of the pipe?

Bare Butt Boxing

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: Switch, PC

Fight in completely unregulated alien boxing bouts and punch out players online in BARE BUTT BOXING, a chaotic multiplayer brawler with physics-based characters.

Tombi!* Special Edition

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

As the titular Tombi, you leap, bite, and throw your way across stunning 2.5D landscapes on a quest to overcome a deplorable cadre of nefarious pigs. Along the way, you’ll explore ancient relics, discover fascinating characters, unlock thrilling quests, and unearth hidden treasures. It’s a platforming adventure that perfectly fuses linear and nonlinear gameplay styles.

*Tomba! if your copy was pirated from overseas.

Creatures of Ava

Release Date: August 7th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse

Release Date: August 14th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The last game in the episodic Sam & Max trilogy, beautifully remastered! When Max stumbles upon a mysterious toy that allows him to glimpse the future, the Freelance Police unwittingly arouse the attention of a host of villains hellbent on acquiring the magical Toys of Power. To prevent the Devil’s Toybox from falling into the wrong hands, Sam & Max must face their most frightening adversary yet: the power of Max’s mind.

I Am Your Beast

Release Date: August 15th

Platforms: PC

Hunt the military-industrial complex across stylish comic book micro-sandboxes in this fast-paced covert revenge thriller FPS from the developers of El Paso, Elsewhere.

Akimbot

Release Date: August 29th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

In this 3D, action-adventure platformer, play as Exe, an outlaw robot with his unexpected sidekick, Shipset, as you blast your way through armies of robots, control spaceships and forge your own path on a mission to save the universe from impending doom! Set in a sci-fi world where only robots exist, travel the galaxy and experience non-stop robot mayhem and explosive action!

The post The Most Exciting Game Releases In August 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 01:32:50 +0000

Here we are, already about to transition to August, and ahead of a month that promises at least a AAA banger or two, this coming week is a little quieter. That’s not to say there’s nothing good on the way though, with some very exciting smaller launches like Thank Goodness You’re Here!, World of Goo 2 and The Garden Path on the way alongside a couple of re-released hits in Star Wars: Bounty Hunter and Tombi! (or Tomba! depending on your geography).

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JULY 29 EDITION)

Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Tombi! Special Edition

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

World of Goo 2

Release Date: August 2nd

Platforms: Switch, PC

The Garden Path

Release Date: July 30th

Platforms: Switch, PC

A slice-of-life sim about the joy of gardening, designed to be picked up and played in short and sweet bites. Whether you’re fishing, growing, trading, or making new vegetable friends, a wonderful and wistful adventure awaits when wandering The Garden Path.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Closer the Distance

Release Date: August 2nd

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Closer the Distance is a slice-of-life sim that tells a deeply emotional story about the connections between family and friends in the face of tragedy. Unearth long kept secrets, repair strained relationships, and help your loved ones move on.

Bare Butt Boxing

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: Switch, PC

Fight in completely unregulated alien boxing bouts and punch out players online in BARE BUTT BOXING, a chaotic multiplayer brawler with physics-based characters.

Space for Sale (Early Access)

Release Date: July 30th

Platforms: PC

Explore alien worlds, befriend their wildlife, and build the home of your clients’ dreams! Solo or with a friend, use your wits and trusty tools to survive harsh uncharted biomes. Gather, craft, discover secrets, and rise to the top of the space property biz!

Minds Beneath Us

Release Date: July 31st

Platforms: PC

Embark on a thrilling Sci-Fi journey in a futuristic Asian city in MINDS BENEATH US. In a society fully automated by advanced AI, you’re ensnared within a foreign body, accompanied by its original owner’s subconscious. Together, face impending challenges and confront an uncertain destiny.

Sword of Convallaria

Release Date: August 1st

Platforms: PC, Mobile

A Fantasy Tactical RPG revitalizing the beloved Japanese turn-based & pixel art genre. Collect & train a roster of mercenaries, customize your squad, and use your own strategy to save the nation of Iria. Journey through a world of plot twists where every choice you make will reshape your destiny.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 02:33:58 +0000

Here we are, coming toward the pointy end of July 2024 already, and this week is chock-a-block full of some pretty exciting indie releases to suit a wide range of tastes from fans of old-school survival horror to inventive puzzles games, VR trips and slightly sexy ramen-based warfare.

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JULY 22 EDITION)

Earth Defense Force 6

Release Date: July 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, PC

The year is 2024 AD. Mankind has won the long battle against the unknown invaders. The enemy Primers are now gone and peace has returned to Mother Earth. However, the population has shrunk to 10% and the world was on the verge of collapse. The survivors fought against the remaining threats while trying their best to continue their recovery. Three years passed in the year 2027. In a new world without hope, the time has come to once again resist the fate of the Earth.

Conscript

Release Date: July 23rd

Into The Wild With Diablo IV’s New Class: Spiritborn

Camilla Wolfe — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:59:42 +0000

Last week, we had the pleasure of joining the Diablo IV team at Blizzard HQ for an exclusive Class Preview Event. During our visit, we got to hear directly from the game’s leads, enjoy hands-on experience with the Vessel of Hatred expansion and learn everything there is to know about the highly anticipated new class, Spiritborn.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Vessel of Hatred is Diablo IV’s first expansion and continues the main title’s narrative. The expansion is centred around the story of Mephisto, one of the three Prime Evils, known as the Lord of Hatred and who also happens to be Lilith’s father. Set in the Torajan Jungles, players will be led to the southernmost parts of Sanctuary to explore a familiar location in an all-new way. Kurast, one of the expansion’s primary locations, was also featured in Diablo II, but according to developers, decades have passed since players have seen this ancient city, and a lot has changed since then.

Introducing Spiritborn

Vessel of Hatred introduces an all-new class to the Diablo franchise that intimately ties into the unique themes of the new expansion. This new class, known as the Spiritborn, is a distinct melee class that combines an array of martial arts with spectacular spiritual evocation to produce a dynamic, high impact and fun combat experience unlike anything Diablo has seen before.

The Spiritborn are an ancient people native to the jungle region of Nahantu who have been called to endure the Trial of Mist, a gruelling days-long test of intrinsic skill and fortitude. Young Nahantu natives begin this trial in the hopes of learning to open their “sight” and becoming Spiritborn, but due to the dangerous nature and intense demand of the tasks involved, only a few succeed. During the Trial, the Spiritborn experience a consuming metamorphosis, shedding their past selves in exchange for passage to their Spirit Realm self, believing that their spirit will be reborn as a powerful animal guardian.

When discussing the origin of the Spiritborn, associate narrative designer, Eleni Rivera-Colon shared that the Vessel of Hatred development team drew inspiration from many different world cultures. Their goal, explained Rivera-Colon, was to build a distinct community-based culture that felt fresh.

Spiritborn Gameplay

Agile and adaptable, the Spiritborn is an energetic and powerful class that uses glaives, polearms and quarterstaffs to shift between physical and elemental attacks and abilities, using Vigor as its primary resource. A key component of the Spiritborn’s skillset is their ability to call upon Spirit Guardians that can transcend the veil of the Spirit Realm and impact the battlefield with dramatic and visually stunning powers.

The Spiritborn embraces four ethereal Spirit Guardians that influence and tailor their unique playstyle:

Jaguar: Utilising hyper-aggressive fire attacks, the jaguar is characterised by repeated, high-speed blows that ramp up in lethality. The jaguar’s incarnate skill is Ferocity which is a stacking buff that increases attack speed and can reduce cooldowns.
Gorilla: The gorilla excels in physical attacks and defensive skills, shrugging off incoming damage by focusing on mitigating and blocking abilities. The gorilla’s incarnate skill is Resolve which can be stockpiled to provide additional damage reduction.
Centipede: The centipede focuses on poisons and debuffs, draining the strength from its goes with poisoning damage over time and disruptive crowd controls.
Eagle: The eagle offers high mobility skills and lightning-based attacks. Its mechanical focus is increasing movement speed and amplifying evade.

Described by game designer Bjorn Mikkelson, the Spiritborn class fantasy is heavily driven by martial arts and the underlying virtues that each of the Spirit Guardians represents. These two concepts are naturally intertwined with one another with the virtues of the Spiritborn community manifesting as unique Spirit Guardians, and those Spirit Guardians subsequently influencing the fighting style of the Spiritborn who summons them. This, said Mikkelson, is a direct reference to real-world martial arts, the various fighting styles and the idea of redirecting energy in different ways to enhance combat.

The all-new Spirit Hall enables players to select a primary and secondary Spirit Guardian from the above. Each selection offers a unique Spirit-based bonus and the ability to customise the combat, mobility, and visual thematic style of your Spiritborn character. You can further individualise your Spiritborn character with new legendaries and unique associated with the new class.

Spiritborn is exclusive to Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, available October 8, 2024 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC via Battle.net or Steam.

The post Into The Wild With Diablo IV’s New Class: Spiritborn appeared first on Press Start.

Star Wars Outlaws Is Nostalgic For The Franchise’s Legacy

James Wood — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:59:23 +0000

“Commitment and experience.”

Star Wars Outlaws Lead Systems Designer Matthieu Delisle muses as we sit in the MASSIVE Entertainment offices and unpack Star Wars’ next big video game step. While the galaxy far, far away has gifted us with cinematic multiplayer shooters, Jedi-power-fantasy adventures, and even a stray dogfighting sim, Outlaws is set to become the first truly open-world game set in the stars. It’s been a long time coming and, in a sense, it’s not surprising that a Ubisoft studio is the one to step up to the plate.

Outlaws is taking a little bit of inspiration from all corners of Star Wars gaming. A swashbuckling action adventure that takes MASSIVE’s shooter heritage and transplants it into an original tale of a scoundrel, her dog, and her ship, Outlaws is finally gearing up for release. With two days spent with the team in their hometown of Malmo, Sweden, we’ve already unpacked our complicated feelings on the narrative of Outlaws but unsurprisingly, a production of this scale requires many certain points of view.

A New Lens, An Old Hope

So much of what makes Star Wars work, whether you realise it or not, is the feel of it. One of the largest franchises in cinematic history, an empire all its own, built around a very specific vibe that delicately balances nostalgia and contemporary visual language. It’s a hard enough tone to achieve in traditional mediums, as Lucasfilm’s pivot to StageCraft technology The Volume has turned some audiences off due to its lack of tactility. Others still scrunch their nose at the Sequel Trilogy’s sharper contrasts and cooler colour palette. New is hard, old is gold, and MASSIVE is keenly aware of this.

The Lens Project is, on its face, a remarkable bit of game development magic. Taking the team’s familiarity with the Snowdrop Engine and blasting the hinges off, The Lens Project is an extensive and all-encompassing push to ensure everything you see in Star Wars Outlaws looks and feels like Star Wars. A painstaking replication of the Ultra Pan Vision 70 Lenses used to film the original trilogy, The Lens Project uses a combination of lens flares, vignetting, lens breathing and about a dozen smaller touches to give the image the same textured warmth of the original films.

And honestly, it looks tremendous, a true achievement in aesthetic composition and emulation that gives Outlaws a tangible cinematic vibe absent from many AAAA gaming experiences. There are few better places to experience the impact of this effort than the cosy sound editing room tucked away on the upper floors of the MASSIVE office, and in here we glimpsed one of the game’s many cutscenes. In it, Kay and Nix are fleeing enemy fighters in their ship and between the lens effects, extensive mo-cap, and Wilbert Roget II’s bombastic score, Outlaws becomes nearly indistinguishable from a modern Star Wars film.

The thing about feel though is that it’s guttural and there’s a deep irony in the directors being eyed for inspiration including J.J. Abrams. A somewhat underrated journeyman, Abrams helmed arguably the biggest return to form Star Wars had seen with 2015’s The Force Awakens, an ostensibly new tale in the galaxy that sought to recapture the feeling of Star Wars through a series of expensive emulation techniques. It also looked tremendous, hailed as an authentically Lucas experience due in large part to its aesthetic touchstones.

But time has been…interesting to The Force Awakens. As we pushed deeper into the new wave of Star Wars stories, many began to consider the film’s dedication to nostalgic comfort a detriment to the new trilogy’s vision and somewhat indicative of broader creative stagnation within the franchise. Rogue One, another of Outlaws’ major influence points, skirts these same criticisms due to its gestures toward violent maturity but still exhibits many of the same retreating comforts of Abrams’s work and Outlaws now follows suit.

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON FOR $89

And it does begin to hit you just how funny it is that the night changes, that we’re now a decade out from The Force Awakens’ nostalgic glow, two from the Prequels experimental digital efforts, and nearly fifty years since A New Hope began this cycle. Here we still are, warping digital light and matter in admittedly wonderful ways to make sure this Star War, developed by a diverse and vibrant team, feels the way the franchise is remembered rather than how it could be envisioned for the future. Maybe it’s not fair to ask this of a game of this scale, perhaps the stakes are too high even for a scoundrel, but The Lens Project is as much an immaculate monument to comfort as it is to inertia.

Lucas Strikes Back

Outlaws is of course making its own mark on the Star Wars visual vernacular, a combined effort of aesthetic layering and original art direction. Sitting down with Associate Art Director Marthe Jonkers and Lead Concept Artist Samuel De Vos, we began to unpack the myriad influences, pressures, and joys of getting to truly create something new within the galaxy.

“There was a lot of inspiration from pets! I think it’s a very emotional connection that we would like the player to feel and that goes back to that relatability…not only with Nyx, but also other wildlife that we see on Kijimi, for example, but also the vehicles,” De Vos excitedly explains, “I look at the Trailblazer, and the only pet that I had was a turtle and it was fun to see that that also came back as a main inspiration for the Trailblazer. But the goal is really to go with the original trilogy methodology of designing because we really want to be respectful to the time period within the Star Wars timeline.”

Picking up where De Vos left off, Jonkers continued, “A lot of the sixties and seventies design was definitely inspiration for this, as well as it was for the Original Trilogy. And (things like) Samurai movies and Spaghetti Westerns, we really try to dig into the same sources of inspiration that George Lucas would have had when he was creating the universe for the Original Trilogy.”

Pursuing the same influences as Lucas is always a double-edged lightsaber though and has landed some of the original ideas in Outlaws in a strange place. On the one hand, the game is overflowing with fun and creative designs; Kay Vess is head to toe a gorgeous addition to the galaxy, with massive hair and a popped collar, the art department poured themselves into her design and it has paid off dividends. Likewise, the love of pets is evident in Nyx’s every feather and move, and more broadly, the wildlife we’ve seen glimpses of on planets like Kijimi is captivating and cool as shit. A giant creature that appeared to be one part owl, one part bat eyed me off with its singular eye in the streets and I got a little kick out of seeing a new animal in this far-off place.

Elsewhere on Kijimi though, the newly crafted Ashiga Clan returns to the original sin of Star Wars. Lucas was not particularly shy about his influences, the films were effectively a hodgepodge of other properties and, crucially, real-world cultures. Science fiction broadly has an issue with this, with Western creators lifting elements of Asian and MENA art and customs to craft “alien” aesthetics. Star Wars has been guilty of it since inception (still plucking away for shows as recent as The Mandalorian), and Outlaws, in its Lucas reverence, does the same. The Ashiga are shamelessly Samurai coded, right down to the brazenly promoted “honour code” and broader race traits.

Poke your head into Star Wars fan spaces and you’ll find no shortage of praise for the Ashiga already, their striking insectoid designs and gold-plated armour do make for a compelling identity after all, but much like The Lens Project, it’s a strangely retro-minded bit of design impulse. Outlaws seems full of other incredible work of course, the touted war between syndicates is pulling in many different factions from Solo’s Crimson Dawn to The Clone Wars’ Pykes. And they all look so well realised, which makes for a strange contrast with the game’s other less-considered aesthetic choices.

A MASSIVE Open World

MASSIVE is, unsurprisingly, keenly aware of its heritage and place in the wider gaming industry. With roots in tactical games sprawling all the way back to the late 90s, MASSIVE was pulled into the Ubisoft gravity well in the twilight years of the aughts and quickly put to work on what would go on to become Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Forging ahead under new leadership, the studio would go on to helm the wildly successful Tom Clancy’s The Division titles and last year’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, titles they say have uniquely prepared them for handling Outlaws.

“What we mean by open world is this full spectrum experience of activities and ways to interact with the world, including climbing and driving and flying and talking to people in cities,” Lead Systems Designer Matthieu Delisle explains as we discuss why it’s taken the industry this long to produce a truly open-world Star Wars game, “And to that degree, I think that it’s partially tech, like being able to go from ground to space to hyperspace and down again, but it also takes commitment and experience to be able to do that. We have, and Ubisoft have, a lot of experience in how to build open-worlds, and the engine was ready for it as well.”

The first Star Wars game made outside of the infamous agreement between Disney and EA, Outlaws shares some DNA with the incredible Star Wars Jedi: Survivor but is angling for a distinctly Ubisoft flavour of open-world. When I flagged that invoking such an idea is to gesture toward many years of discourse around the genre and its proliferation and somewhat untenable expansion under Ubisoft, Delisle (understandably) opts for diplomacy that would make a Republic senator blush.

“We really started with, what does this game need to make you feel like you’re living in Star Wars and being a scoundrel?…and it’s evolved from there. And of course, we’re going to use some mechanics and inspirations from other games. Sometimes they’re from outside of Ubisoft, sometimes they’re from inside Ubisoft. I think it’s really an inverse of how we really think about it. We really don’t think about a template or a way of making games in a pattern. We think about, what’s this fantasy and how do you do it? We had decided it is an open world and so obviously, with open-world comes some expectations of what you’re supposed to be able to do in it.”

Outlaws will likely meet many of the expectations your mind conjures when you hear “Ubisoft open-world Star Wars game.” Streamlined RPG systems and player-driven exploration combine to make for a familiar, but approachably comfortable, loop as Kay scours the galaxy for lessons on how to be a better scoundrel, parts to upgrade her modular blaster and ship, homesteads to defend from raiders, and of course, syndicate missions and quests. We’ll have extensive thoughts on these systems soon enough, but the action verbs being used to describe the Outlaws experience are expected but not wholly unwelcome.

Kay Shot First

And while these systems have become somewhat standardised in the genre, MASSIVE’s shift from tightly tuned shooter to narrative-driven action has given the team a chance to stretch its legs. “It was certainly a challenge, and we went through some different ways of approaching it, but we needed to stay true to what a scoundrel is, and a scoundrel has their sidearm and a bunch of other tools to get through trouble,” Delisle explains, “But for the gunplay, we knew we still wanted variety so we worked with Lucasfilm to invent a new type of blaster that can switch out modules on the fly and turn into different types of firing experiences…so built into that gun, and accessible through the workbench on the Trailblazer, is pretty broad-spectrum shooting experiences. Then you add on top of that, that we really want you to grab weapons from enemies as well, we really took the opportunity with a Sci-Fi title to go a little bit further than we’ve ever done on The Division and give you shooting experiences that you could really only do in Star Wars.”

And it is a blast to mow down a Stormtrooper before dodge rolling to nab his heavy repeater and turn it loose on his fascistic little buddies. With Nyx roaming to blow up barrels and Kay’s slight frame struggling to control the beastly weapon (a deliberate friction to reflect her relative lack of experience with weapons beyond her own), there’s a clarity of vision between system and idea. This is Outlaws at its best, a synergistic design ethos born from allowing developers of all disciplines to interact during the creative process, building play spaces and interactive means fitting the narrative and vice versa.

Lead Gameplay Designer Fredrick Thylander and Senior Systems Designer Alice Rendell are riffing on this effort with me toward the end of my visit. “Once the project landed on that scoundrel fantasy, there was so much to play with in terms of what you can do, like playing Sabacc (Star Wars poker) or playing arcade games (Outlaws features possibly the first depiction of a video game inside a Star Wars video game)” Rendell enthuses as Thylander concludes, “We have a game that’s lucky in the sense that it is very rich in terms of the different verbs. You can talk to people, you can sneak in, you can slice, you can pick locks, punch people…it was more about finding what we think is the most fun rather than working around constraints.”

Constraints is an interesting note to linger on, as Outlaws feels simultaneously supported by Lucasfilm Games and free to have charted its own path through the galaxy and reverentially cloying and shy. The enormous compound of a building that houses the MASSIVE team (a converted textile factory that towers on an unassuming corner of Malmo) is a maze of small rooms, desks and shelves crowded with Original Trilogy memorabilia and Ralph McQuarrie prints. A shrine built around Han Solo in carbonite adorns a corner and you get the impression that Outlaws is exactly the kind of Star Wars experience this team intended to make.

Between the adaptable systems, mostly charming character and world design, and raw nostalgic energy of The Lens Project, Outlaws has a holistic sense of very specific comfort to it. Loaded though it may be, so far Outlaws is undeniably a Star War through and through.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

The PS2 classic returns once again, sans questionable vibrating peripheral but avec a whole new way of immersing yourself in the hypnotic, synesthetic journey of sights and sounds from Tetsuya Mizuguchi.

Get it here.

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Concord Beta Impressions – A Hero Shooter For All

Ewan Roxburgh — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:47:51 +0000

Concord’s first beta weekend has now wrapped. The hero shooter is the first from new PlayStation first-party studio Firewalk and was being testing by those that have pre-ordered the game or subscribed to PlayStation Plus ahead of its release next month. Although doubtful it would resonate, I’ve come away seriously impressed by PlayStation’s latest foray in their much-critiqued live service strategy.

Of course Concord comes hot off the heels of the blockbuster success that was Helldivers 2, I like many other curious players dove in to see if the PlayStation could start a streak of addictive multiplayer titles. Trepidatiously, I fired up the game, but several hours later left pleasantly surprised to find Concord building upon the hero shooter genre with tight mechanics and an interesting cast of characters.

At face value, Concord appears a mere amalgamation of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Destiny’s Crucible, Overwatch and Valorant. I’d argue instead it cherry picks the best aspects of these games, creating something that feels bigger than the sum of its parts. The floaty shooter mechanics characteristic of Destiny lend themselves well to the map design and introduce verticality to each gunfight. Many of the heroes — or “Freegunners” as they’re labelled in Concord — have familiar perks and abilities to Valorant, demanding frequent use of them to control the battlefield with a time-to-kill nearer to Overwatch.

I thoroughly enjoyed the several hours I spent over the course of the weekend with the game. Ducking in and out of hot zones to heal in a moment of reprieve creates tense one-on-ones whilst open central locations lead to frantic team-against-team clashes. Coordination with your team is essential; lone wolves will get mopped up comfortably with rare exception.

Unlike other games in the genre, in which you typically “main” a single character, the game rewards actively changing up your hero. Playing as a character in a match then applies its perk to any other character you later select. Start as Jabari with reduced recoil and that same perk will carry over to each other Freegunner you later chose in the same match. Likewise, then play as a character that reloads upon dodging, and that perk will also be added to any and all future picks. It’s a neat system that rewards switching up your character and experimenting with different combinations.

Given the game encourages you to cycle through characters, the head-to-heads are always changing, affecting your strategy as a team. Adjusting for what your opponents do and which portion of the map attracts the most fighting factors into your decision making. In one match, a Roka (the airborne, rocket launcher-wielding Freegunner) racked up 24 of the 30 required kills in a match, yet we pivoted and still clutched a win fending them off with the shield-carrying Emari.

You quickly unlock the ability to customise your crew of 12, assembling a different roster with variants of the same character should you have collected them. Lennox was the first character for whom I unlocked a variant, with different perks on each. I could play as Lennox twice in one match, but still add different perks to my pool for the duration of the game. It’s a system not well explained by the game, which is devoid of any playable tutorials at this stage.

The hero characters themselves are all quite unique, with the typical range of offensive, defensive and healer archetypes. There’s 16 in total, an almost overwhelming amount at first. You get your head around them reasonably quickly, but a training area to experiment, or at least a reminder of their abilities on the pause screen, would be a welcome addition. As too would be an in-game scoreboard, although it was a little refreshing not to be worrying to much about my stats mid-match.

Playing through your crew in the one match keeps each game feeling fresh despite the limited maps and modes available in the beta. In the beta there’s just a playlist of team deathmatch and kill confirmed (or Trophy Hunt as they call it), and another with search and destroy and hardpoint-style modes. The later two offer no respawns, and prevent you from selecting the same character again having won a round, making for some competitive games.

The maps themselves are again very emblematic of the kind you would encounter in Destiny’s Crucible or Overwatch and Valorant, with a variety of different sci-fi stylings giving each a unique look. They each have different focal points, but otherwise maintain a consistent three-lane design with plenty of flanking opportunities. There’s often a little verticality involved too, all heightening the need to work as a team covering all angles. Opponents can be quickly dispatched with a coordinated pincer movement flanking both sides.

My gripes with the game come mostly down to the spawns as they currently exist, and the movement of some of the characters. Sticking with your team is vital, which is difficult if you’re killed and spawn on the opposite end of the map from your allies. As a tank, you move incredibly slowly, making you an easy target to get picked off if you teammates are wiped at the wrong time and leave you exposed. Some adjustments to spawn and movement speed of the tanks wouldn’t go amiss.

Otherwise, the balance feels pretty solid right now. Whilst I’ve encountered Roka absolutely dominating a match, my squad managed to counter and contain them on numerous occasions. I’ve heard others complain about other characters which might actually indicate the balance is pretty reasonable. It would look to me that, played right, each Freegunner can be useful.

Performance wise, the game is also pretty slick. Environments were sufficiently detailed and visual effects popped, all without any slowdown in the 60 FPS managed on the PlayStation 5. There was a handful of connection hiccups, my friends list refused to load, and some button presses on menus seemingly refused to register, but that’s all very forgivable in a beta assuming its fixed up by launch.

I’m eager to see at launch how the world of the game is expanded upon. Perhaps even more ambitious than the likes of Overwatch and Apex Legends, the team at Firewalk has committed to weekly cutscenes expanding the story of the game. The two cutscenes present in the game look stunning and are well written, borrowing heavily from the tone of Guardians of the Galaxy, but didn’t do enough to grab me at this stage. Humour and set pieces may add some appeal in the short term, but the sooner we see some drama and character development injected into the narrative of the game, the more compelling it will be.

Disappointingly, there’s nothing setting up each match embedding it into the world other than text indicating you’re up against a rival crew. The same cutscene played on repeat loading into a match would get tedious I know, but I felt it was a missed opportunity to ground each session in the world.

The beta also didn’t give much sense of progression with a level cap at level 14. XP is awarded for completing daily and weekly missions, with some bigger event style challenges tied to more consequential rewards like character variants. Cosmetic unlocks are not tied necessarily to the characters you play as, making it perhaps quite a grind to get different skins and accessories for your favourites. It a common formula, but no less annoying.

All said and done, at this stage I’m left to wonder if I would recommend Concord at a $60 It’s hard to tell purely from the content available in the beta, but I’m optimistic I could come launch. More modes, deeper progression, a fleshed out story, adjustment of the spawns, tweaks to character mobility and a final polish all appear achievable. The game’s not far off the mark, and the end result would be a polished, feature rich experience worth the price and deserving of my time.

As for who I might recommend it to, Concord ought to have broad appeal. The game feels much more approachable for those that have dabbled in hero shooters but grew intimidated by the complexity of the meta. The core mechanics of hero shooters are still present, but cycling through characters makes for a changed pace I think most would enjoy. It’s well-rounded, nicely polished, with a generous assortment of unique but balanced characters.

But I’ve been here before. Of late, both The Finals and XDefiant absorbed a decent amount of my time before they were sidelined in favour for the latest hotness. There’s a step up in quality I think Concord brings in comparison to those two games, but only time will tell if it has a stickiness that surpasses them. We will have to wait to see but for the meantime, sign me up for more.

The post Concord Beta Impressions – A Hero Shooter For All appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 02:46:51 +0000

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

SCHiM is a game about jumping from shadow to shadow in a relaxing and lively environment. This 3D platformer takes elements of light, shadow & animation and adds them directly to the gameplay, delivering an experience that you will only find in SCHiM.

Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Flow gracefully through a colorful, hand-drawn 2.5D action platformer inspired by Japanese folklore. Engage in acrobatic aerial combat, unlock powerful mystical abilities, and explore an interconnected world of myth as you seek to unravel the mysteries of your origin.

Nobody Wants to Die

Release Date: July 17th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Lose yourself in the dystopian world of New York, 2329; immortality comes at a price that someone has to pay. In this interactive noir story, lead the investigation using advanced technology, as Detective James Karra who risks it all in pursuit of a serial killer targeting the city’s elite.

Darkest Dungeon 2 (Console Release)

Release Date: July 15th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch

Darkest Dungeon II is a roguelike road trip of the damned. Form a party, equip your stagecoach, and set off across the decaying landscape on a last gasp quest to avert the apocalypse. The greatest dangers you face, however, may come from within…

Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield

Release Date: July 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Discover pulse-pounding stylized parkour action as you run, jump, smash, and slide through an afro-futurist-inspired kingdom. Enjoy a single-player or two-player local cooperative mode and experience the story of two brothers and their unexpected return to their lost kingdom.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate

Release Date: July 17th

Platforms: Switch

When Splinter is kidnapped by Shredder, mysterious portals simultaneously appear across NYC. With April and Metalhead analysing recovered artifacts for clues, the Turtles battle to recover their father from the clutches of the Foot Clan. However, as the gang gets ever closer to Splinter’s otherworldly location, an even greater threat lingers in the shadows…

Hot Lap Racing

Release Date: July 16th

Platforms: Switch, PC

Awaken Your Inner Champion! Hot Lap Racing is a simcade racing game where you can experience the history of motorsports, from GT to Formula 1. Race against your friends and compete against players locally or online for the championship.

Gestalt: Steam & Cinder

Release Date: July 16th

Platforms: PC

Inspired by 16 and 32-bit classics, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder fuses tight 2D platforming and exhilarating combat with an engrossing, twist-laden narrative in a stunningly handcrafted steampunk world.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

Star Wars Outlaws’ Teams Created Whole Bibles Of Research To Build Its Worlds

James Wood — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 01:52:39 +0000

We recently had the chance to spend two days at Massive Entertainment’s studio in Malmö, Sweden, playing Star Wars Outlaws and speaking to the team behind the project to get an understanding of what’s going into the game and how it’s all coming together.

You can read our first big feature piece from the trip here, and there’s more to come, but below you’ll find a full transcript of one of our chats, in this case with Associate World Director, Cloe Hammoud, and Art & World Director, Benedikt Podlesnigg, where the two revealed the immense amount of worked put into crafting the game’s locales – including entire bibles of research on Star Wars’ enormous universe and history.

Some comments have been edited for clarity and readability.

The first open-world Star Wars game! Can you walk me through how you built these play spaces to keep them in line with the tone and feel of the films?

Cloe Hammoud: We had a very fruitful collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, which allowed us to nail the authenticity. We thought we knew Star Wars, but you start to be very humble when you actually create content for this franchise, making sure it can be as timeless as the ship or vehicles they (Lucasfilm) created. We did a lot of research. We did a lot of style guides as well to be able to understand, for example, the Imperial shape language, what they were using in their compounds, and what was not allowed in terms of materials or even lighting, for example. So all of these different elements allow us to be as truthful as we could be but we were also eager to add a little bit of new things. And it comes down to having this good balance of new locations, but also iconic locations. I think what also is interesting is the cinematic realism… and making sure the game feels as well a bit like a movie.

Benedikt Podlesnigg: I think it’s taking a step back and looking at it as the big picture. Every single element comes together. It’s not just the Star Wars aesthetic, it’s not just the science fiction or the fantasy elements. It’s the camera, the feel, capturing that original movie vibe with a modern twist. You’ve seen in Rogue One where they did that on the movie side and that creates this entire feeling. One of the most important steps is not to be self-referential. You’re not referencing Star Wars with everything you do, but you’re actually referencing the things that inspired, or the time that inspired, the movies when you create any props or characters or anything. So making sure you create something fresh that is new and not just building on variants of what is already there.

Speaking of, you folks got to create a whole new moon for Outlaws in Toshara. My understanding is that in the lore this is a place that evolved separated from the Republic so does that distinction give you more license to create an aesthetic that does differ from the rest of Star Wars?

BP: The planet Toshal is a large gas giant that Toshara circles around and that creates a very turbulent atmosphere in the space region. Whenever a ship jumps in, if you don’t know how to navigate this very scientific gravitation current, you would have a hard time. You see that in space with a lot of shipwrecks, a lot of broken down ships that are fairly old. Then it gives you the freedom to do a lot with the elements on the surface. If the surface then is like, ‘Oh, they’re settlers that manage to navigate those, but it’s still very hard to get there’ so they might have a time where they can thrive and build up their society. So we created this whole culture around the Toshari (the locals) and here you see all these connections of the space debris in the sky. They use that as building material, so that’s why there’s a lot of metallic buildings on the surface. So they repurposed these materials because there’s very little raw materials that are useful on Toshara because of the Ambrein. And ambrein is, as we designed, is not necessarily useful and that’s why nobody needs to mine it. It doesn’t have value necessarily. Those are these connection[s], that you get to design really something that feels very coherent and very consistent in the approach.

CH: We push a lot the world-building and we create a lot of documentation, not only for the team to understand how to realise and execute things, but also making sure Lucasfilm understand our intentions, and we create a whole backstory for the planet, for the people that live there, for all of these different ingredients, natural materials, but also architecture-wise, to make sure we create something that feels very consistent, and we can create micro-stories on this, create a quest, or an expert has a specific story to tell to Kay and Nix. That’s something that feels very unique.

Toshara or otherwise, we’ve heard that each planet in Outlaws will have some form of city to better facilitate the underbelly/crime world experience no matter where the player goes. How did you go about differentiating these cities so that it didn’t just feel like that repeated open-world content that I think a lot of players are probably a little bit tired of at this point?

BP: Every city has differences… you take Kijimi, it’s on the mountain. It’s very hilly. It’s literally on the summit of a mountain where all the buildings were built with the material of the mountain itself versus on Tatooine, it’s more widespread. It’s more flat. There’s more lower buildings. Akiva was very interesting because Akiva is only described in the books. We read through the books and we did a fantastic job on marking everything out and doing all the research on that. You pick some elements out. For us, it was the water, the rain, how the society deals with that element so the locals are very prone to know when it will start to rain. So as soon as you see somebody running, you will probably know that it will be going to be raining, that’s one little detail.

CH: I think they are all different from one another. I don’t think it was a conscious thing of how we need them to be different, I think we just created different cities. We wanted to create different things, whether it’s in terms of architecture, but also, for example, people will have different clothing because it’s a different types of weather. You will find different crime syndicates, so different opportunities related to vendors, what type [of] items you will be able to buy. There are many different things, and we wanted to translate that. I think players will definitely feel like, Okay, I’m in a new space, a new place. And it’s a different local culture.

Which is such an integral part of the Star Wars film fantasies too of course, but on an open-world scale you have so much more space to fill in and fewer unseen corners of the galaxy than ever before. What went into filling in side streets and homes to make players feel as if they’re truly able to explore the galaxy far, far away?

BP: We spent a lot of time really thinking about every location, especially not just cities, but the open world. We created detailed maps where we know exactly what is happening here and what is happening over here. Or this is a movie location, but looking at it through all sorts of material is like, Okay, how does that connect to this and what could be there? There’s a lot of heavy research going on. Cloe created amazing World Bibles. I wish we could release them as books.

CH: That would be great to be able to publish these materials. I think the gamers will be able to see a glimpse of the thought process that went into that, and many mood boards as well. We also thought about what type of sounds that will be in this environment. For example, if it’s an Imperial hangar, you would hear that type of noise. I think that helped us really paint a picture of, okay, what this space and their functions, how it’s been just used on a regular basis by people.

BP: Knowing the things that might not even be on the surface level that you will see in the game, but that we know about. Like the history of a place, the when, where, and what questions. Answering these for us helps tremendously to recreate all these extra parts of the city.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

James was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this coverage.

The post Star Wars Outlaws’ Teams Created Whole Bibles Of Research To Build Its Worlds appeared first on Press Start.

Star Wars Outlaws Is A Rebel Without A Cause

James Wood — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 23:59:58 +0000

Ubisoft has a type and it’s probably not the one that just came to mind for you. While the proliferation of open-world tropes and checklists can be, loosely, laid at the feet of the global mega-publisher, Ubisoft’s actual type is far loftier. I’ve spent a lot of time with developers working under the Ubi banner, in different corners of the globe developing wildly different projects, but the one consistent thing among all of them is a raw, unbridled passion for the idea of the next Ubisoft game. No matter the genre, there’s a consistency of enthusiasm and idealism around whatever Ubisoft project is up next. MASSIVE Entertainment, operating out of Malmö Sweden with a network of support studios at their back, has an idea of an idea.

It’s often said that working on the Star Wars IP is a dream come true. The people who were kids wearing out a VHS of Empire Strikes Back; the (now despondent) millennial who thinks the prequels are fine but, really, it’s The Clone Wars that did it right; even the new kids on the block sporting cheesy canon novels and calling their dogs Kylo. Cast your net as wide as you want and you still couldn’t possibly encapsulate every flavour of Star Wars fan and MASSIVE has thrown their net with evident gusto.

This has manifested as Star Wars Outlaws, a new story set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi that follows a young woman, Kay Vess, and her axolotl-bird-dog Nix as the two navigate the thorny underbelly of the galaxy. Pitched, extensively, as the “scoundrel” experience that fans of Star Wars’ roguish bounty hunters and Spice runners archetypes have always craved, ratcheted up to eleven through the first truly open-world Star Wars game to hit the market.

Across two full days spent with the team, we sat through hours’ worth of presentations and talks about the vision for Outlaws. Breaking bread and cracking cold ones over talks of favourite films and franchise fatigue. Roaming offices adorned with collages of Nix and a stray BB8 unit guarding a whiteboard full of secrets (doodles of aliens and printed memes). Everywhere you went, you got the impression this is a game being made by people with a deep reverence for Star Wars. By the fans, for the fans. Six words that will give you a feeling about this, one way or another.

Criminal Minds

Kay Vess is on top of the world. Perched atop her speeder bike, skidding against nothing in an anti-gravity BMX without the wheels kind of way, she surveys a sweeping vista that nestles comfortably between Americana frontier and fantastical alien plain. An unknown species of bird flocks overhead, the sun is low but in just the right way to bathe the land in a golden, picturesque glow. The world is opening up before her, all Kay needs to do is…go.

“I go back to the idea of Kay being one of us. I think there’s something to someone who’s on the ground, not part of that larger galactic battle, that just felt very universal” Outlaws Narrative Director Navid Khavari tells me as we reflect on the described image above, a sprawl the team uses as a tonal genesis for Outlaws. It preceded hours of information about Kay and the world around her, but the core idea the team keeps hitting is that of the scoundrel fantasy, a role in the Star Wars universe almost exclusively filled by high-profile men, until now. For Khavari and the team though, designing Kay was primarily focused on the universal power fantasy.

“I think we really just approach it from the perspective of who Kay is. It’s about keeping focus. What are we trying to tell here? This is a story of someone who’s grown up with nothing, is scraping by to survive, who is taking on jobs and maybe not doing so well with them…and essentially ends up with this bounty on her back,” he explains, Outlaws primarily about Kay’s volatile relationship with the crime syndicates leading up to one last job that is going to set her up to finally live free of the galaxy’s push and pull. “That’s what we were focused on, is how does a character like this grow and change? How do we keep them relatable as well?”

A big part of that relatability seems to have emerged from Kay’s actress, Humberly González. “You write the game throughout the whole development process, really. You have multiple recording sessions, and you get to hear things in-game with the character and really hear the character’s voice as you’re writing it,” Khavari continues, “…that really makes it come to life and find its own little place and Humberly brought so much character. I think it helped a lot.”

It isn’t hard to see why González made such an impression on the team; born in Venezuela, the actor/director got her start in the critically acclaimed Orphan Black but has since worked with Ubisoft on multiple projects including last year’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Watching her work in behind-the-scenes footage for Outlaws, her energy and presence is infectious, and playing the game, she has the exact kind of charisma required to fill the fabled shoes of Star Wars’ outlaw archetype.

F* The Empire**

But my mind caught on a detail in Kay’s backstory, her home planet of Canto Bight, one of the newer additions to Star Wars canon introduced in the divisive second instalment of the Sequel Trilogy, The Last Jedi. In the film, and indeed in Outlaws, Canto Bight is a world defined by decadence– an Outer Rim haven for wealth, gambling, and excess, the planet is a breeding ground for scum and villainy the likes of which Star Wars rarely bothers tackling. It is a deeply political component of the film and Kay’s scoundrel fantasy is, at least so far, being pitched as coyly apolitical.

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON FOR $89

“I think our focus was what’s organic when you think of where Kay comes from and what she’s experienced,” Khavari explains when asked about how growing up in such an environment will impact Kay’s views, “This is a moon in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t know about the Jedi. She doesn’t know much even about the Empire. She just knows that they’re in charge. That evolution is more about, ‘wow, okay, their reach goes quite far’”. The reach in question seems to be largely focused on the game’s Wanted system, a riff on the escalating levels of chaos associated with violent or disruptive actions done by the player in any given location. Each raised level will bring more of the Empire’s goons down on your head, resulting in iconic foes for Kay to run and gun with.

It’s a cool system but not the kind of implementation of the galaxy’s wider ideologies I was hoping for and Khavari, considered and evidently passionate, seems to clock this. “We definitely want to leave some room for players to find out some more when they play on August 30th. But I think especially that perspective, and that’s what I’d really hammer home, that perspective of, ‘I’m not a rebel. I’m not one of them. I’m definitely not one of the Empire. How do I find my place in the galaxy?’ was crucial to her story, and that’s something she’s going to be discovering as she goes.”

“It’s really that thing of Kay representing all of these people and beings across the galaxy who are just trying to survive. They can’t afford to worry about the fate of the galaxy and whoever is in control because that doesn’t really matter to them,” he continues, “They’re so busy with their own personal life and so on. That’s what has shaped Kay a lot and why she doesn’t really have aspirations to do something greater or anything like that. It’s a cutthroat galaxy, and she’s just looking out for herself in it. Kay is not a political operator, she’s a scoundrel” he concludes.

There’s something to this, the idea of following a character throughout the Star Wars galaxy whose apathy toward its wider machinations is fuelled by the harshness of her upbringing on such a place as Canto Bight. The Last Jedi itself dabbled in this concept, leaning harder into a nihilistic take on it, but rarely has a Star War seemingly declared itself so uninterested in a perspective on the galaxy’s issues. Outlaws, with its hyperfocus on the rollicking power fantasy of being a scoundrel, may or may not find room to expand on this choice throughout its runtime. But when working with elements of Star Wars that pivot around the galaxy’s nastier edges, it’s at least interesting to note how avoidant the marketing material has been to acknowledge the dissonance.

“It All Comes Back To Lucas”

It isn’t fair to say that this lack of perspective is something that the rest of Outlaws exhibits, but between the impressive technical achievements of the Snowdrop engine and the clear and present love for all things Star Wars within the team, you start to notice things. MASSIVE have moved mountains to best emulate the visual language of the films, or more specifically, some of them. Working their way from George Lucas’ original works all the way to the fan favourite 2016 Rogue One (itself an emulation of a fabled house style), MASSIVE’s vision for Outlaws is evidently one of comforting familiarity, down to the finest detail.

Over the next month, we’ll be taking a deep dive into some of the ways this was achieved but even at a glance, you can clock the level of care. The game sports a slick 21:9 cinematic ratio, which is entirely optional but having played with it both on and off, feels essential to moment-to-moment framing and shot composition. Elsewhere, Outlaws is using real-time colour grading and a small army of lens effects to keep the image perfectly balanced between modern fidelity and nostalgic glow. Likewise, the game’s sound has been kept as authentic as possible, the team going so far as to record using a Nagra 4.2 recorder, the same type used back in the 80s, for analogue warmth.

These efforts sprawl across Outlaws’ impressive scope in myriad ways. Nearly sixty-two thousand lines of recorded dialogue, half that again in specifically alien dialects. MASSIVE’s pedigree with shooters (the team’s work on The Division series certainly a different beast to Outlaws, a change they described as a pointed shift in power fantasy tone) layered with their desire to have Kay’s arsenal feel narratively appropriate and humble. Dozens of real-world locations scouted and referenced to craft the game’s half-dozen explorable planets including a wholly new creation, the rustic moon of Toshara.

“Toshaal is like a large gas giant that Toshara circles around and that creates a very turbulent atmosphere in the space region. Whenever a ship jumps in, if you don’t know how to navigate this very scientific gravitation current, you would have a hard time. So you see that in space there are a lot of shipwrecks, a lot of broken down ships that are fairly old. It gives us the freedom to do a lot with the elements on the surface.” Outlaws’ art and world director Benedikt Podlesnigg excitedly explains as we unpack what MASSIVE could do with an original planet in the Star Wars galaxy, “So we created this whole culture around the Toshari where you see all these connections to the space debris in the sky. They use that as building material. They repurposed these materials because there’s very little raw materials that are useful on Toshara because of the Amberien.”

It’s one of MASSIVE’s cooler choices, heavily modelling Toshara after the windswept plains of Tanzania, right down to foliage dispersion and raw geography. The Star Wars of it all comes from the Amberien, a striking substance the colour of a sunset that ripples through the rockface of the planet and will undoubtedly play a role in things to come. Along with an expansive Tatooine map, the exotic rainforests of Akiva (shoutout to the Aftermath books, what a deep cut), and the snow-covered city streets of Kijimi (Rise of Skywalker jumpscare), Outlaws won’t be short of frontier fantasies to roam and sketchy underworld locations to skulk through.

Out Gun, Out Run, Outlaws

What Outlaws isn’t though, is overwhelmingly big. Ubisoft’s feature and size creep has reached untold levels in recent franchise material like the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, but MASSIVE says they’ve learnt the right lessons from fan reactions. In a conscious counterpoint to the expected, Outlaws has been crafted with intentionality and focus as guiding principles, giving the player something of a goldilocks situation with explorable locations, craftables, outfits, and collectables but without succumbing to bloat, allowing the team to streamline the narrative and overall pacing. Likewise, while Kay’s relationship with the different crime organisations can be somewhat pushed and pulled through your choices to help or hinder, the story won’t deviate from its intended endpoint.

We’ve already had a chance to go hands-on with Outlaws at Summer Games Fest and running through these missions again with the MASSIVE team offered some interesting insight. There’s a lot of talk around the action verbs of the game (pointedly “climb” and explore”) and the kind of emotional co-op provided by running missions with Nix at your side (the little goober can distract guards, scan for them, be fucking adorable etc), but the actual act of playing Outlaws is disarmingly familiar. A distant cousin of the Uncharted clamber and shoot experience, Outlaws is a cinematic vibe piece first and foremost in these early missions, the team’s aesthetic efforts on full display while the gameplay takes a relaxed, backseat approach.

Across space battles, wrecked ship exploration, and stealthy heists, Kay and Nix broadly control smoothly and without much (intended) friction. There’s a lot of nuance to unpack around these instances in the weeks to come but there is an undeniable level of enjoyment raised by simply being in a Star War. Planets will each house established settlements to ensure no matter where you are, you can play in-universe mini-games, bet on Fathier races, or try your hand at Sabacc. These spaces have been painstakingly considered by Associate World Director Cloe Hammoud, who tells me of entire design bibles for each planet that she got to develop with Lucasfilm. “We push a lot the world-building and we create a lot of documentation, not only for the team to understand how to realise and execute things, but also making sure Lucasfilm understand our intentions,” she explains, “We create a whole backstory for the planet, for the people that live there, for all of these different ingredients, natural materials, but also architecture-wise, to make sure we create something that feels very consistent.”

Having spent some time aimlessly wandering the streets of Toshara’s main settlement, this approach has paid off for the team. Most corners house a neat little thing to smile at, a reference or point of intrigue to be followed. At one point I accidentally roamed beyond the bounds of the demo and while I can’t talk to what I saw, I can say it made me genuinely feel something. The lights and sounds of that mythical galaxy far, far away are inherently magical for countless people and seeing it realised with such precision and care here is captivating, if not always mechanically compelling.

Fans will be eating good, basically. As MASSIVE walked us through the overarching design principles of Outlaws, touchstones of Star Wars productions were hit with the expected reverence. A world that feels lived in and tactile? Bringing everything they do back to Lucas? Characters and locations from across the pantheon of Star Wars movies, comics, books and more? It’s all here, and all smoothed into the mould of an approachable, open-world action adventure. Imagine the warm charm of Lucas’ original films with the refined cleanliness of The Mandalorian and you’re at the doorstep of Outlaws.

A Long Time Ago, And Even Further Away

And what a familiar stoop it is. While Outlaws has the makings of a potentially unique take on the Star Wars galaxy, with its female-led exploration of the underworld and freeform take on spaces typically reserved for linear design schools, the vibe around the game is oddly bullish. Draped in reverence for a vision of the galaxy crafted decades ago by a goofball with a love of matinee cinema, ten bucks, and a dream, MASSIVE’s massive development apparatus bent around this specific creative reference point feels like a calculated effort to rock the boat as little as possible.

In a sense I sympathise; Star Wars fans are vocally resistant to change, the comfort zone established by Lucas in the 70s and bottled, to varying degrees of success, by Disney is potent and bountiful. There’s a reason efforts like The Last Jedi draw ire while Rogue One flourishes. When crafting a new tale in the galaxy, especially one with a woman of colour at its centre, the choice to pamper audiences as much as possible is tactile but undeniably valid. Two days with MASSIVE was enough to feel the genuine Fan vibes in the building and Outlaws reflects this shared perspective between developer and player.

But Star Wars also thrives with change. Lucas’ blueprint is hallowed, yes, but it’s only a part of a wider cultural tapestry the franchise has since grown to reflect. The best part of the Disney expansion era has been the varied stories we’ve gotten to see told in these stars; Jedi Survivor’s examination of the Jedi Order, Andor’s hardline rebuttal to apolitical indifference, The Mandalorian’s (initially) streamlined Western romp, Visions finally giving creative license back to cultures Star Wars has liberally “lifted” from for decades. There’s palpable excitement to be mined when Star Wars is allowed to grow, to have a perspective.

There’s a metric freighter load of talent in the halls of MASSIVE, and across the globe running support, but we’ll have to wait until next month to find out if Outlaws has more on its mind than a scoundrel fantasy. It will undoubtedly be fun, there’s joy and comfort in a chill romp between a plucky kid and her weird space dog, and the craft is genuinely quite impressive. But while Kay Vess might be speeding toward that golden horizon, Outlaws seems largely unconcerned with what could actually lie beyond it.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

James was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this preview.

The post Star Wars Outlaws Is A Rebel Without A Cause appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To Star Wars Outlaws’ Narrative Team About Shaping Kay’s Journey

James Wood — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 20:46:23 +0000

You can read our first big feature piece from the trip here, and there’s more to come, but below you’ll find a full transcript of one of our chats, in this case with Narrative Director, Navid Khavari, and Associate Narrative Director, John Bjorling.

Some comments have been edited for clarity and readability.

I don’t think it’s unfair to characterise Star Wars fans as being fairly passionate about what they like and what they don’t like. Did you look to the franchise’s history and audience reactions when you were designing Outlaws?

Navid Khavari: Not really, to be honest. It’s interesting because we’ve got this question a few times and I think the thing about it is when you’re starting out, it’s so top secret, and it’s such a small group that’s working on it that you’re really just focused on how do we tell a Star Wars story within this era? And within the underworld and the scoundrel like Kay?

I think if you start thinking too much about those things, it’s very hard to do your job. You’re setting up expectations, and there’s maybe a cloud of ‘who are we pleasing?’

For us, I think it was really just super focused on telling a scoundrel story. We’re introducing a new character in Kay and multiple characters like ND-5 and Nix. The wonderful part is that era of the Original Trilogy has been written about in the movies, and the underworld angle has been touched on in comic books, but not in games and not in films. It gave us a really blank slate to have a lot of fun.

John Bjorling: I think it was very much about us building a team and working on something that we felt passionate about, that we believed in. I think that that was the only real way to do this, to have that self-reflection rather than worrying about possible perceptions of things.

NK: It was really key that we have lots of Star Wars fans on the team, too. You also have your internal gut checks of things that keeps you true.

You’ve talked before about how Star Wars is wonderfully indebted to tropes. It’s part of the DNA of the franchise, especially with the scoundrel. Did you find when writing Outlaws that there was an awareness of these tropes? Do you think that Kay being a woman who’s playing a scoundrel this time instead of a traditional Han Solo type, does that change how you write that archetype now?

NK: I think we really just approach it from the perspective of who Kay is. It’s about keeping focus. What are we trying to tell here? This is a story of someone who’s grown up with nothing, is scraping by to survive, who is taking on jobs and maybe not doing so well with them and failing at that, and essentially ends up with this bounty on her back. That’s what we were focused on, is how does a character like this grow and change? How do we keep them relatable as well?

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON FOR $89

I go back to the idea of Kay being one of us. I think there’s something to someone who’s on the ground, not part of that larger galactic battle, that just felt very universal. I don’t think necessarily that was top of mind, but I think it came about very organically in terms of how we’re developing the character. Then what’s interesting is once you start casting, and we brought on some fantastic actors like Jay Rincon for ND-5, and obviously, Humberly González who plays Kay, they bring such great personality and breathe life into your characters as well, that you start looking at the writing, you’re looking at what you’ve developed, and you’re saying, Okay, wait a second, how we can incorporate Humberly[‘s] flavour and approach to Kay?

You write the game throughout the whole development process, really. You have multiple recording sessions and so on. You get to hear things in-game with the character and really hear the character’s voice as you’re writing it. I think that that thing really makes it come to life and find its own little place. Humberly brought so much character, I think it helped a lot.

I would also say that I think one of the really important things for that matinee adventure tone that we wanted to emulate and approach from the Original Trilogy, it is also that sense of a character that is thrown into the deep end of the pool but is still optimistic about being able to make it to the other side, really. I think that that, if anything, is probably the one scoundrel character aspect that just feels so universal. Everything else is very much like, plucked from case specific story and character.

JB: She’ll always think she can pull it off. Even if everyone’s telling her no. Even if she’s ultimately lying to herself. But Nix knows! (laughs)

So you’ve decided to have Kay’s origin story be on Canto Bight, which is to my mind and probably Rian Johnson’s, a very political planet in The Last Jedi. You’ve talked about this being an everyman’s story, more of an overarching view of the galaxy but will Kay’s politics and reaction to something like the Empire and Imperial threat be something that evolves over time throughout the game, or has it really been put on the back burner for this?

NK: It’s a good question. I think our focus was on what’s organic when you think of where Kay comes from and what she’s experienced. Within Canto Bight, this is a moon in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t know about the Jedi. She doesn’t know much even about the Empire. She just knows that they’re in charge. That evolution is more about, wow, okay, their reach goes quite far.

She’s going to be encountering things like the Wanted System, for example, where, okay, now she isn’t just dealing with the Canto Bight police. She’s dealing with an extremely powerful force that has taken charge of the galaxy. I think there’s an evolution in that sense.

I think we definitely want to leave some room for players to find out some more when they play on August 30th. But I think especially that perspective, and that’s where I’d really hammer home, that perspective of, I’m not a rebel. I’m not one of them. I’m definitely not one of the Empire. How do I find my place in the galaxy was crucial to her story, and that’s something she’s going to be discovering as she goes through.

JB: It’s really that thing of Kay represents all of these people and beings across the galaxy who are just trying to survive. They can’t afford to worry about the fate of the galaxy and whoever is in control because that doesn’t really matter to them. They’re so busy with their own personal life and so on. That’s what has shaped Kay a lot and why she doesn’t really have aspirations to do something greater or anything like that. It’s a cutthroat galaxy, and she’s just looking out for herself.

NK: Kay is not a political operator. She’s a scoundrel. That’s super important for us to get to find.

I’m personally a pretty big Sequel Trilogy defender so seeing two of those planets beautifully realised in the game has been a really nice treat. Can you talk a bit about what you find thematically interesting about somewhere like Kijimi?

JB: Kijimi is really cool because, of course, you only see a glimpse of it, really, in The Rise of Skywalker. Then the sourcebooks that have been released, with Pablo Hidalgo expanding some of the stuff in some of the books. But we really felt like there was a lot of room between the Dai Bendu going to Kijimi and what you see in the Sequel Trilogy, especially through an underworld angle.

What we’re looking at there is almost like a criminal dynasty in the Ashiga Clan and how they are, because you don’t see them in Rise of Skywalker and it’s curious what happens to them. But that pretty big story of this criminal empire and what happens when they get challenged by a very powerful competitor and so on. With us going deeply into the underworld in this game, it was so cool that we could go to these different planets and [ask] what’s the underworld angle here? Really, Kijmi is about this conflict between two criminal syndicates and Kay getting caught a little bit in between.

NK: Even having Qi’ra from Crimson Dawn, who appeared in Solo as well, it was so exciting to know that she’s going to be part of this story and her perspective during this period. I think having those major players that maybe exist beyond the Original Trilogy, it just opens up new avenues of storytelling.

When writing someone like Qi’ra, because it is a pre-established character, both through the movie and the comics as well, how do you go about putting your characterisation onto someone who’s already been established?

NK: You want to be truthful to not only how she was written, but the performance from Solo, you want to honour the cadence. So little things of just how she talks, how she presents herself. Then once we nailed that, everything else comes organically. I think the approach to characters that have been established, what’s new comes in terms of how they react to the characters you’ve crafted originally. How Qi’ra perceives someone like Kay… that’s where you learn not only something new about Kay, but you’re going to learn something from them, their perception of the galaxy and their perception of what’s going on.

JB: I do think that Qi’ra is a really exciting example as well, because first we only really saw her in Solo. Then, of course, we’ve had this big comic event with Crimson Reign… then the Crimson Climb book came out that filled the gaps a little bit in that moment in Solo where they’re separated. But I think that all of them, all of these stories are bringing in nuances to Qi’ra that we’ve looked at and seen how that fits in with us. I do think that the way we look at it, Qi’ra, she’s at a very specific moment in her time during Star Wars Outlaws, and we try to, as much as possible, stay true to that. But also that it’s ultimately Kay’s journey and what does her meeting with Qi’ra look like?

Alright here’s a weird one to wrap things up. The internet really loves ND-5, are you aware of people’s reaction to the droid and how did that feel for the team internally?

NK: If anyone tells you they saw that coming, they are lying. I just love that people are excited about the character. When we were at the announcement, we were seeing the reaction, and then I was looking at ND-5, and I was like…okay, yeah, I can see it. I think it’s just exciting, right? You can work on a Star Wars story. You never know how people are going to react to [it]. That was actually a really fun surprise.

JB: I think people who liked ND-5 with what we’ve shown so far, I think they’re going to love him even more once they play the game. He’s such a huge part of Kay’s journey as well. It’s about them really getting to know one another and growing together in a way. But yeah, he does carry a lot of scars, both emotional and physical.

Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Amazon has pre-orders available for $89 with free release day delivery for Prime members.

James was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this coverage.

The post We Spoke To Star Wars Outlaws’ Narrative Team About Shaping Kay’s Journey appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 05:19:38 +0000

This week is seemingly a big one for unique and well-loved smaller titles to make their way to Xbox consoles, with the likes of Neon White, Tchia and The Case of the Golden Idol all hitting Microsoft’s boxes (and all on Game Pass, no less). In terms of brand-new joints, I’m very keen to finally see Anger Foot out there, the release of Infinite Inside for VR fans, plus Spin Rhythm makes its debut on PS5 and PS VR2 – an Aussie effort well worth checking out if you somehow haven’t by now!

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JULY 8 EDITION)

Anger Foot

Release Date: July 11th (July 12th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Developed by Free Lives (Broforce, Gorn, Terra Nil), Anger Foot is a lightning-fast hard bass blast of kicking doors and kicking ass. In this relentless first-person kicker you’ll crash through the caffeine-fueled fever dream of Shit City, putting the boot to a menacing menagerie of merciless gangsters.

Unleash the world’s deadliest feet on a colorful cast of anthropomorphic enemies, clearing out slums, sewers, and skyscrapers as you grab new weapons, unlock new sneakers, and upgrade your powers in absurd and wonderful ways.

Spin Rhythm XD (PlayStation Release)

Release Date: July 9th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, PS VR2

Spin Rhythm XD is a homage to classic arcade rhythm games with a modern aesthetic and soundtrack. Match colours and beats, spin, tap, flick and flow through the juiciest beats in the universe.

Once Human

Release Date: July 9th (July 10th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Once Human is a multiplayer open-world survival game set in a strange, post-apocalyptic future. Unite with friends to fight monstrous enemies, uncover secret plots, compete for resources, and build your own territory. Once, you were merely human. Now, you have the power to remake the world.

KAKU: Ancient Seal (1.0 Release)

Release Date: July 12th (July 13th AEST)

Platforms: PC

An Open world Action adventure combining exploration with puzzles and dynamic combat. Go on a journey across a sprawling continent as Kaku, a boy tasked to restore balance to the land. Brave the four elemental regions with the help of Piggy, his powerful companion and conquer their lords.

Infinite Inside

Release Date: July 12th

Platforms: PS VR2, PC VR, Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro

Enter the impossible and enchanting world of Infinite Inside, an innovative puzzle game that seamlessly blends VR and MR gameplay with an immersive narrative experience.

Can you solve the puzzles and reveal the truth about the society, the legacy of the Plinth, and ultimately, your own place in this mystical world?

DROS (Switch Release)

Release Date: July 12th

Platforms: Switch

DROS is a dark fantasy adventure where you’ll swap between a small gooey creature and her human bounty hunter shell. Explore freely through 40 unique diorama-like levels filled with strange characters, intricate puzzles, hidden rooms, and ancient collectibles.

Neon White (Xbox Release)

Release Date: July 11th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Neon White is a single-player speedrunning FPS where you can sacrifice your guns for godlike parkour moves. You are White, an assassin handpicked from Hell to compete with other demon slayers for a chance to live permanently in Heaven. The other assassins seem familiar, though…did you know them in a past life?

The Last Alchemist

Release Date: July 12th (13th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Solve alchemical puzzles by transforming and combining Essences. Craft items, tools and machines. Explore the enchanting world, gather peculiar resources, and befriend the Agari, adorable mushroom folk who will help you find the cure for your mysterious disease.

Lifeless Moon (Console Release)

Release Date: July 9th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Lifeless Moon, the spiritual successor to the popular 2014 indie title Lifeless Planet, is a 3D platformer that puts you in the center of a mysterious Moon expedition. This new adventure, inspired by classic science fiction, plays as an Apollo-era astronaut who finds themself in the aftermath of an old 1970s experiment: an oddly familiar desert town… on the moon.

Ark of Charon (Early Access)

Release Date: July 9th

Platforms: PC

Build a mobile fortress on the back of a giant and mysterious walking Tree and embark on a journey in this merge of tower defense and colony simulation.

The Case of the Golden Idol (Xbox Release)

Release Date: July 9th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Mayhem, magic, and murder most foul! Examine clues and use your powers of deduction to solve the twisted mystery of a family’s cursed inheritance and a series of grisly deaths in this point-and-click detective adventure game.

Tchia (Xbox Series X|S Release)

Release Date: July 11th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S

Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago as you explore a physics-driven sandbox. The Xbox version includes the game’s latest update which includes eight new soul melodies, new outfits, and additional perks for wearing matching cosmetic items.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

The Biggest Game Releases Still To Come In 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 01:47:12 +0000

It’s hard to fathom but here we are, at the midway point of the year 2024. Congratulations and I’m sorry.

With that in mind, and an already-juicy six months of incredible video games behind us, we wanted to take a quick (see: very long) look at the rest of the year ahead. Spoiler alert: There are still loads of exciting major video game releases to come in the back half of 2024, especially now that Summer Game Fest season is done and dusted and we know more than ever. If you scroll down, you’ll see what we reckon is a pretty comprehensive list of the heavier hitters on the way, including when they’re dropping, what platforms you can play them on and where to pick up a cheap retail copy.

If you notice anything missing below there’s probably one of a few reasons. This list based entirely on games that are confirmed to be coming in 2024, either with an actual release date or a some kind of a stated window for launch this year (before you come for me about Snake Eater not being on here), and for the most part are “major” titles. Blockbusters, AAA, AA, whatever you want to call them. Rest assured that we haven’t forgotten all of the fantastic indie releases coming this year – we’ll call those out separately in the future.

The Biggest Games Still To Release In 2024

Click the headings below to be taken straight to those sections:

Games releasing in July
Games releasing in August
Games releasing in September
Games releasing in October
Games releasing in November
Games releasing TBA 2024

Games Releasing In July 2024

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Release Date: July 2nd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Sure, Dawntrail’s not a new game, but it might as well be as far as Final Fantasy XIV fans seem to consider it. The fervour for this expansion is huge, and it’s easy to see why. A sea-faring journey to a sunny new continent, new character classes, a new playable race and a long-overdue, major graphical update all feature in this massive expansion.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak

Release Date: July 5th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Another quietly popular series that I’m yet to dive into, The Legend of Heroes (and specifically the Trials sub-series) has quite the passionate following. If it’s anything like Nihon Falcom’s other cult RPG series, Ys, I can understand why. Maybe this will be the one to bring me in. Maybe I’ll decide investing dozens upon dozens of hours into yet another RPG in 2024 is a bad idea. Who knows?

Zenless Zone Zero

Release Date: July 14th

Platforms: PS5, PC, Mobile

Ignoring for a second that the acronym for this title is “ZZZ,” Zenless Zone Zero looks every bit the exciting, flashy action RPG that fans of Genshin Impact would hope for. I always find I jump onto these free-to-play HoYoverse joints early on and then fall off once I’ve had my fill, but I can see myself getting invested in this one if the world and characters are as interesting as they look.

Nobody Wants to Die

Release Date: July 17th (July 18th AEST)

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

A futuristic, neo-noir detective game running on Unreal Engine 5 that echoes the qualities of games like What Remains of Edith Finch, Firewatch, and Observer sounds like a winning formula. Nobody Wants to Die will supposedly offer different outcomes and endings based on player choices, and most of all looks like it’s going to have one hell of a compelling world to take in.

You can read our hands-on preview here.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

A44 Games, the folks behind the fantastic Ashen, have supposedly likened Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn to something between the modern God of War games and Elden Ring. I very much like the sound of that. The game promises an open world that reacts to your progress, exciting action RPG combat with both melee weapons and firearms. There’s also a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater-esque scoring system for being especially stylish and acrobatic in combat, which gets an automatic thumbs up from me.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest pre-order: $47.95 at Amazon

Combining the fun of NES Remix with the speedrunning antics of the historic Nintendo World Championships, this new package will cut together over 150 challenges that pull from bite-sized chunks of retro NES titles like Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, and Metroid. You’ll even be able to compare your best times with others around the world to prove who’s best at very specific, carefully-curated bits of games from a 40-year-old console.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

Release Date: July 19th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Elden Ring meets Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater not enough of a genre mash? How about a game by Capcom where you fight Japanese “yokai” in tower defence gameplay that our own James told me is like “Pikmin mixed with Fat Princess”? Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess couldn’t be more confounding to witness, but from everything I’ve heard it’s actually a joy to play, so there’s a good chance it stands out as a surprise hit this year.

Earth Defense Force 6

Release Date: July 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, PC

Rocket-wielding exosuits. Giant creepy-crawlies. The year 2027. Each as unbelievable as the last, but all featuring in the latest EDF game, which is also being touted as the largest in the history of the series. Hell yeah.

Games Releasing In August 2024

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland

Release Date: August 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The cheapest physical pre-order: $64 at Amazon

I definitely couldn’t have predicted one of my most anticipated games of 2024 being a completely new, side-scrolling Rugrats platformer, but there’s just something about this game that I’m picking up on. Maybe it’s the faithful visuals hitting me with a ton of nostalgia for a childhood classic, or maybe it’s the fact that there’s a whole “8-bit” version of the game layered underneath that you can switch to at any time and even ships on a playable NES cartridge if you want it.

You can read our hands-on preview here.

Black Myth: WuKong

Release Date: August 20th

Platforms: PS5, PC

People are really excited about this one, as disappointing as it is to know that the leadership over at Game Science doesn’t exactly inspire faith in the industry. As far as the actual product goes though, expect visually-stunning fights against huge and inventive bosses pulling from Chinese mythology and classic Chinese literature like Journey to the West.

Concord

Release Date: August 23rd

Platforms: PS5, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $57 at Amazon

Just when you thought the world wasn’t ready for another multiplayer 5v5 online shooter starring a roster of memorable misfits in a rolling narrative, along comes another! Concord does look like it has the chops to be a mainstay, at least, with a very Guardians of the Galaxy vibe and the promise of a heap of free live content and new cinematics every week.

Visions of Mana

Release Date: August 29th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $94 at Amazon

Another exciting series revival, Visions of Mana should be a pleasant and incredibly vibey new RPG for series fans and newcomers alike. It’s being developed with all of the hallmarks of the Mana series in mind, while also bringing modern touches and some truly gorgeous visuals to the mix.

You can read our hands-on preview here.

Star Wars Outlaws

Release Date: August 30th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $89 at Amazon

Star Wars fans that also happen to enjoy video games have been eating pretty good recently with the likes of Respawn’s Jedi series, but this new venture from Ubisoft is particularly exciting because it marks what is the first modern “open world” adventure based on the franchise. It’s also got blasters and cute, furry sidekicks. So good things all ’round.

You can read our hands-on preview here.

Games Releasing In September 2024

Age of Mythology: Retold

Release Date: September 4th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

I think I may have come to the party just a bit too late for the likes of Age of Empires or its sequel, but Age of Mythology absolutely had a grip on me back in high school.

You can read our hands-on preview here.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Release Date: September 5th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $79 at MightyApe

It feels like it’s been gestating for an age now, but STALKER 2 (yeah, I’m not doing all of that punctuation) is finally nearly here. The long-awaited sequel is promising to delivery another massive, non-linear journey through the post-apocalyptic wastes of The Zone, where danger lurks around every corner and every decision you make matters. I’m already shitting myself.

Astro Bot

Release Date: September 6

Platforms: PS5

The cheapest pre-order: $89 at Amazon

Even before getting my hands on it recently, I could have told you that Astro Bot was more than likely going to be a favourite for me this year. After playing it, I’m absolutely convinced of that fact. Team ASOBI is working on something truly special, you can ready more about it in Shannon’s preview and interview, as well as my own piece here.

Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2

Release Date: September 9th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $99 at Amazon

I never played the original Space Marine (or any of the diverse range of Warhammer video games, to be honest), but it was clearly a fan favourite given the excited reception to a sequel finally arriving this year, over a decade later. It definitely looks like a good time, too. I don’t want to compare it too hard to Gears of War but… yeah, it definitely reminds me of Gears of War. Only more colourful and unserious.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

Release Date: September 12th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

With no new Forza Horizon game on the, err, horizon, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown might just prove to be the next best thing for those looking for a new open-world racing game this year. Set in a “fully recreated” Hong Kong, it’s setting out to “reinvent” the massively multiplayer racing genre with a focus on the passion for cars and player immersion.

Funko Fusion

Release Date: September 13th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $89 at Amazon

What do you get when some of the folks behind the iconic LEGO games get given the reins to an entirely different, and even more license-rich collectible property like Funko Pops? Apparently, something much more violent than you’d think. If you’re down to see your favourite characters from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World shooting at the Five Nights at Freddy’s animatronic abominations or Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs squaring off against the Battlestar Galactica, you’ll find that here.

God of War Ragnarök (PC Release)

Release Date: September 19th (September 20th AEST)

Platforms: PC

A fantastic sequel to a fantastic game, brought to more players by a publisher that’s (mostly) done a pretty good job at launching PC ports of its hugely-popular AAA titles. Sounds good to me!

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

Release Date: September 24th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Epic Mickey remains one of my favourite Wii titles, with Disney seemingly giving Warren Spector (of Ultima and Deus Ex fame) a decent amount of creative room to tell a new story with the world’s most beloved cartoon character. It was a great game that largely holds up, and Purple Lamp did some very good work on remastering SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom recently, so I have high hopes here.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP

Release Date: September 25th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Look, maybe this game isn’t one that needed to come back, but maybe RePOP will be the game to finally remind a lot of us (myself included) that Grasshopper Manufacture doesn’t always hit. I don’t know, I’ve never attempted to go back to Lollipop Chainsaw after enjoying it at a time in my life when I though straight, white man was all my fate had in store. I’m excited to find out the exact degree to which I was wrong about that.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Release Date: September 26th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest pre-order: $68 at Amazon

Also available: Nintendo Switch Lite Console – Hyrule Edition – $339

Ignoring for a second that Zelda’s new stint at being the hero of her own series has given her a magic furniture-arranging wand over a sick sword and shield, this game looks absolutely wonderful. The abilities that Zelda does have seem ripe for some very exciting puzzles and combat situations and most of all I’m just happy that bestie is finally getting the recognition she deserves.

REYNATIS

Release Date: September 28th / October 4th (ANZ)

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

This is one for the TWEWY tragics and everyone who still laments the loss of Final Fantasy Versus 13 or wishes that Verum Rex was a real game. It’s got the style, the neon-soaked Shibuya streets, flashy and fast-paced combat. A criminal over-abundance of belts and zippers. Everything you could ask for.

Games Releasing In October 2024

Silent Hill 2

Release Date: October 8th

Platforms: PS5, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $99 at MightyApe

It feels like the remake of Silent Hill 2 has been coming for decades (obviously it’d be weird if we were waiting for the remake for longer than the original has been out, but you get me). Bloober Team is yet to prove that it has the chops to handle something as revered as Silent Hill 2, but what we’ve seen of it so far looks somewhat promising. I think?

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

Release Date: October 11th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $99 at Amazon

Budokai is back, baby! Bringing it back to the days of thrilling battles between the most powerful beings in the world, before the rise of eSports when some fighters were simply broken and you fought your mates to pick them, Sparking! Zero is looking to be the unserious Dragon Ball fighting game that we’ve needed for years now.

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Release Date: October 11th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $99 at Amazon

I genuinely have no idea what’s going on this game or what to expect from it, which is about the clearest indication I can think of that it’s going to be another ATLUS banger. Despite the classically-inspired setting and tale of monarchs and magic, it somehow looks like it’s going to be 100% more stylish than the recent Persona games. So, yeah. Sign me up.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Release Date: October 17th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest pre-order: $68 at Amazon

You’ve just been bumped to second place at the final post as the game hands your spouse two bonus Stars. One of them was for moving the most spaces, an act entirely reliant on chance. Bullshit. Bitter, you lash out at them by revisiting a private conflict from earlier in the day, in front of your friends. The room goes silent, you partner included, and the mood shifts dramatically from that point on. You become increasingly aware of your own self-inflicted ostracisation. Some awkward small talk is made as your friends attempt to salvage the situation, but no more games are played. They say goodbye to only one of you as they leave. There are 110 new mini-games, the most there’s every been in a Mario Party title!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Release Date: October 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $89 at MightyApe

I’m not sure why they’re trying a sixth time when it feels like they got it right pretty early on, but everyone loves Black Ops, right? This one’s going to have a new movement system that the studio wants you to believe is so revolutionary it’ll rewire your brain, and I don’t think a AAA video game developer has ever steered us wrong before.

You can read our preview of the game’s campaign here and multiplayer here.

Sonic X Shadow Generations

Release Date: October 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $69 at Amazon

What’s the only possible way that SEGA could have improved on the worlds-colliding 2D and 3D Sonic the Hedgehog romp that was Sonic Generations? Adding in the Ultimate Life Form, obviously! Shadow the Hedgehog arrives in this jazzed-up redo of one of the better-received “modern” Sonic titles, complete with his own brand-new story campaign and new gameplay features.

You can read our hands-on preview here.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Release Date: October 29th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $74 at MightyApe

Max is back! This brand-new entry in the beloved Life is Strange series is going back to its origins with Max Caulfield once again in the leading role. This time, a sudden tragedy causes her powers to morph into new, allowing her to traverse between alternate realities – just the thing she’s going to need to solve a murder mystery in her timeline and outright prevent it in another.

You can read our preview here.

Games Releasing In November 2024

Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Release Date: November 7th

Platforms: Switch

The cheapest pre-order: $68 at Amazon

The boys are back! The Marios, brother, are off on a brand-new adventure in a series that’s been dormant for far too long and finally seeing a home on Switch just as the console starts to wrap up its life cycle. I’m so bloody excited for this, you guys.

Empire of the Ants

Release Date: November 7th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Remember SimAnt? No? Well, you’ve missed out big time. I’m never a huge fan of actual bugs in my actual vicinity, but seeing them in documentaries or represented in video games, with their weird bodies and unknowable thoughts, always manages to fascinate me. Empire of the Ants is a strategy game where you command ants (naturally) and build your colony, form alliances with other bugs, defend your turf and more amid a stunning, photorealistic depiction of life at ground level. I cannot wait.

Slitterhead

Release Date: November 8th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

At first I wasn’t sure what to expect from Slitterhead, the new game from Silent Hill, Siren and Gravity Rush creator, Keiichiro Toyama. After all, where do you go from there? Turns out, the answer is basically to do all of that at once, and the game looks appropriately bonkers and all the better for it. Everything about the most recent trailer makes me want this game in my hands now, but thankfully the wait isn’t too long.

Avowed

Release Date: November 12th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Desperately waiting for your Elder Scrolls 6 fix? Can I tempt you with a high fantasy role-playing game made by the same folks who did Fallout: New Vegas and then went on to recapture the formula in an entirely original universe with The Outer Worlds? To be fair to Obsidian, Avowed absolutely looks like its own thing, and the comparisons to Bethesda’s RPGs are probably unfair, but honestly this game somehow gives me a lot of Oblivion feels and I really need that right now.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake

Release Date: November 1st
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $84.95 at Amazon

One of the most widely-beloved entries in the sorely underappreciated Dragon Quest series is getting a new chance to shine with a HD-2D makeover that pays respect to the original while looking absolutely gorgeous. It’ll naturally feature plenty of gameplay improvements and added quality-of-life features too, hopefully making it the definitive way to play this classic.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Release Date: November 15th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

The cheapest pre-order: $89 at Amazon

Assassin’s Creed is finally heading to feudal Japan and it only took multiple other developers to beat them to the punch. Lateness aside, it’s clear that this game is going to benefit from launching well into this generation – the world looks huge, gorgeous and teeming with life and players will have two distinct and exciting protagonists to choose from with their own unique style of play.

Release Date: TBA 2024

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

I know, I know, there are too many “cosy” games these days. But this one has hobbits! And actually looks rather lovely with some novel ideas and shockingly in-depth cooking and farming mechanics. Nobody can say they’ve seen or read LotR and doesn’t want to visit the Shire.

You can read Brodie’s preview of the game here.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

Release Date: TBA 2024

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Pretty neat that we’re getting both a Deck Nine-produced Life is Strange game and a wholly new title from the DON’T NOD Life is Strange team in the same year. I honestly don’t know a whole lot about this one yet but it definitely has the right vibes.

Metro Awakening

Release Date: TBA 2024

Platforms: PS VR2, Meta Quest, PC VR

The idea of a Metro game in VR actually makes so much sense, and will no doubt scare the shit out of me at multiple points. PS VR2 owners also need a win, so hopefully this one turns out to be an entry worthy of the excellent mainline titles.

Batman: Arkham Shadow

Release Date: TBA 2024

Platforms: Meta Quest

A new Batman: Arkham game? So soon after the disaster that was Suicide Squad?? You’d better believe it. Only, this one’s not being made by Rocksteady and it’s not a “proper” Arkham game at all. Rather, it’s a Meta Quest 3 VR exclusive set within the Arkhamverse that pits Bats against rats. Rats!

Suikoden I&II HD Remaster

Release Date: TBA 2024

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

The full title for this one is “Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars,” which is more than I’m prepared to say. Except for just now. It’s odd this collection hasn’t already launched after being announced all the way back in 2022, but here we are. Hopefully it’s not far off because these games slap.

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post The Biggest Game Releases Still To Come In 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

Indie Games Still To Come In 2024 That Deserve A Spot In Your Wishlist

Kieron Verbrugge — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 01:01:50 +0000

It’s hard to fathom but here we are, at the midway point of the year 2024. Congratulations and I’m sorry.

With that in mind, and an already-juicy six months of incredible indie games behind us, I wanted to take a quick (see: very long) look at the rest of the year ahead. Spoiler alert: There are still loads of exciting indie joints to come in the back half of 2024, with small projects from tiny teams right up to more ambitious efforts from slightly larger studios still doing it independent.

A couple of things to note about this list. Firstly, yes, describing a game as “indie” comes with different connotations depending on who you ask – the below list no doubt includes some games being published by larger labels, so it was more about the teams themselves. You won’t find any “AA” or “AAA” here, though (there’s another article for those).

I’ve also tried to only include games that where a release target of 2024 is explicit, so if there’s anything that seems obviously missing it could just be a case of too much ambiguity there. The good news with that is there are so many more amazing-looking indie games slated for 2025 and beyond. And for clarity’s sake, the game descriptions below are all official ones from the studios or publishers, as much as I’d love to have personally gushed about each one below it’s a lot of games for one little me to write about.

And hey – if you’re an indie dev and you see something incorrect here or think I should add your game to the list, let me know!

Exciting Indies Still To Release In 2024

Ark of Charon

Release Date: July 9th

Developer: Angoo Inc.

Platforms: PC

Build a mobile fortress on the back of a giant and mysterious walking Tree and embark on a journey in this merge of tower defense and colony simulation.

Wishlist it here.

Anger Foot

Release Date: July 11th (12th AEST)

Developer: Free Lives

Platforms: PC

Anger Foot is a lightning-fast action FPS where the only things harder than your ass-kicking feet are the ass-kicking beats.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

CLICKOLDING

Release Date: July 16th

Developer: Strange Scaffold

Platforms: PC

The man in the corner of your hotel room wants you to click something. He wants to watch you click it.

Wishlist it here.

Flock

Release Date: July 16th

Developer: Hollow Ponds

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Flock is a multiplayer co-op game about the joy of flight and collecting adorable flying creatures with your friends. Soar through beautiful landscapes, seeking out rare and elusive creatures to add to your flock.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield

Release Date: July 16th

Developer: Aerial_Knight, BetaJester

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

SCHiM

Release Date: July 18th

Developer: Ewoud van der Werf, Nils Slijkerman

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus

Release Date: July 18th

Developer: Squid Shock Studios

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Wishlist it here.

Dungeons of Hinterberg

Release Date: July 19th

Developer: Microbird Games

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Space Prison

Release Date: July 19th

Developer: Wooden Alien

Platforms: PC

Survive the galaxy’s toughest prison and rise to the top of a space gang! Explore, fight, craft, trade and learn convicts’ stories to escape the facility. Space Prison is a turn-based tactical survival game with deep strategy and social RPG elements.

Wishlist it here.

Cataclismo

Release Date: July 22nd

Developer: Digital Sun

Platforms: PC

From the creators of Moonlighter, Cataclismo is a real-time strategy game about building castles brick-by-brick and defending humanity against swarms of horrors. Design fortresses, optimize production in the citadel, train and deploy a wide range of troops, and make impactful tactical choices.

Wishlist it here.

Conscript

Release Date: July 23rd

Developer: Catchweight Studio

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

During the First World War, a lone French soldier must navigate twisted trenches, scavenge for limited supplies and solve complex puzzles – all whilst fighting for survival in the midst of mankind’s most brutal and horrifying conflict. CONSCRIPT is a new take on classic survival horror.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

The Star Named EOS

Release Date: July 23rd

Developer: Silver Lining Studio

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Weyrdlets

Release Date: July 23rd

Developer: Weyrdworks

Platforms: PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Été

Release Date: July 23rd

Developer: Impossible

Platforms: PC

Wishlist it here.

Thrasher

Release Date: July 25th

Developer: Puddle

Platforms: Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro

THRASHER is a mind-melting arcade action odyssey and visceral audiovisual experience. With the wave of your hand, guide a magnificent space eel through breathtaking and unsettling landscapes. Swoop, dash, and thrash to defeat wild bosses in the ultimate race for survival.

Pre-order it here.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure

Release Date: July 25th

Developer: Furniture & Mattress

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC, Netflix

Find your way in a world of breezy, thoughtful puzzles, along a charming journey of self-discovery.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

The Garden Path

Release Date: July 31st

Developer: carrotcake

Platforms: Switch, PC

Wishlist it here.

Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Release Date: August 1st

Developer: Coal Supper

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is an absurd comedy slapformer set in the bizarre Northern English town of Barnsworth. As a traveling salesman, take the time to see the sights and meet the locals, who are very eager to give you a series of increasingly odd jobs…

Wishlist and download the demo here.

World of Goo 2

Release Date: August 2nd

Developer: 2D BOY

Platforms: Switch, PC

Use living liquid creatures to build bridges, grow towers, terraform terrain, and fuel flying machines. The world is beautiful, dangerous, and evolving.

Wishlist it here.

Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss

Release Date: August 1st (2nd AEST)

Developer: Sarepta Studio

Platforms: PC

Uncover the mystery of Thalassa, a first-person psychological drama set under the sea. Ill-fate has fallen on your former crew and friends and it’s up to you to find answers onboard the wreckage. Experience the melancholic underwater journey of human stories facing life and loss.

Wishlist it here.

Eden Genesis

Release Date: August 6th (7th AEST)

Developer: Aeternum Game Studios S.L

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Creatures of Ava

Release Date: August 7th (8th AEST)

Developer: Inverge Studios

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

SteamWorld Heist 2

Release Date: August 8th

Developer: Thunderful Development

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Wishlist it here.

Cat Quest III

Release Date: August 8th

Developer: The Gentlebros

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

The Crush House

Release Date: August 9th (10th AEST)

Developer: Nerial

Platforms: PC

Wishlist and download the demo here.

I Am Your Beast

Release Date: August 15th

Developer: Strange Scaffold

Platforms: PC

Hunt the military-industrial complex across stylish comic book micro-sandboxes in this fast-paced covert revenge thriller FPS from the developers of El Paso, Elsewhere.

Wishlist it here.

Farewell North

Release Date: August 15th

Developer: Kyle Banks

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Restore color to the desolate islands of Farewell North, an atmospheric journey where you play as a border collie on an adventure with your human. Explore land and sea, uncover hidden paths and free wildlife to bring color back to her world, while revealing an emotional story about saying farewell.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Dustborn

Release Date: August 20th

Developer: Red Thread Games

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Ragtag crew? Check. Musical gear? Check. Tour bus and robot driver? Check. Stolen package? Check! Embark on a perilous road-trip across a Divided States of America. Use the power of words to shape relationships with your crew, get out of trouble and reach your final destination.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Tactical Breach Wizards

Release Date: August 22nd (23rd AEST)

Developer: Suspicious Developments Inc

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

In Tactical Breach Wizards, you lead a team of renegade wizards in kevlar through turn-based battles to unravel a modern conspiracy plot. Combine their unique spells in clever ways, or rewind time to try every crazy plan you can think of to punch a Traffic Warlock through a 4th story window.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Squirrel with a Gun

Release Date: August 29th (30th AEST)

Developer: Dee Dee Creations LLC

Platforms: PC (Consoles Spring 2024)

Squirrel, meet gun. As the neighborhood’s most obnoxious rodent, develop a knack (and a love?) for crime and mayhem in pursuit of golden acorns in this nutty sandbox shooter and puzzle platformer. Fight tooth, claw, and gun to escape a secret underground facility and defeat the Agents.

Wishlist it here.

Parcel Corps

Release Date: September 3rd

Developer: Billy Goat Entertainment Ltd

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Ditch the 9-5 and embrace the high octane life of a freelance bicycle messenger! Forget the job security, stable salary, and basic workplace rights less cool jobs offer while you ride along walls, grind rails, and startle pigeons on your way to corporation-toppling domination.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

What the Car? (PC Launch)

Release Date: September 5th

Developer: Triband

Platforms: PC

An absurdly silly adventure full of racing, laughs, and unexpected surprises. Roll, sprint, jump, fly and sneeze your way to victory on the racetrack and beyond!

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Wild Bastards

Release Date: September 12th

Developer: Blue Manchu

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

The spiritual successor to the award-winning game Void Bastards, Wild Bastards is a roguelike strategy shooter with heart-pounding FPS action, mod management, and a tactical campaign. Saddle up and lead the most notorious outlaws in the galaxy.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Phoenix Springs

Release Date: September 17th

Developer: Calligram Studio

Platforms: PC

Lose yourself in the mystery of Phoenix Springs, a modern point-and-click set in a striking neo-noir world. It begins with an investigation: find your brother Leo. You already know where it ends.

Wishlist it here.

UFO 50

Release Date: September 19th

Developer: Mossmouth

Platforms: PC

UFO 50 is a collection of 50 single and multiplayer games that span a variety of genres, from platformers and shoot ’em ups to puzzle games, roguelites, and RPGs. Our goal is to combine a familiar 8-bit aesthetic with new ideas and modern game design.

Wishlist it here.

Copycat

Release Date: September 2024

Developer: Spoonful Of Wonder

Platforms: PC

A narrative-driven game about rejection, belonging and the true meaning of home. It follows the story of a newly adopted shelter cat who becomes the victim of an elaborate plan when a jealous, stray copycat steals her place in the household.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Fruitbus

Release Date: October 2024

Developer: Krillbite Studio

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

A journey of flavors and friendships awaits you in your cozy, customisable food truck! Forage for fresh ingredients to create your own menu, then feed tummies and souls with home-cooked meals. Change the world, one apple at a time.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Antonblast

Release Date: November 12th

Developer: Summitsphere

Platforms: Switch, PC

ANTONBLAST is a fast-paced explosive action platformer that’s all about destruction. Play as the enraged Dynamite Anton (or his cranked-out coworker Annie) and use your Mighty F’n Hammer to demolish bizarre worlds, tussle with screen-filling bosses, and steal your Spirits back from Satan!

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Polygon Treehouse

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

You’re shipwrecked on a lost mythical island. As backpacker Alex, you must befriend the forgotten gods of Greek mythology and restore their memories. Explore the dynamic island and its story sandbox to build new friendships, solve the mystery and save the gods.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

ODDADA

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Sven Ahlgrimm, Mathilde Hoffmann

Platforms: PC

A tactile music maker with endless freedom to play! Use gadgets, gizmos and funky melodic toys to piece together a hand-crafted music track. Share what you make! Unlock new instruments! ODDADA!

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Dead Static Drive

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Reuben Games

Platforms: Xbox, PC

Dead Static Drive is Grand Theft Cthulhu. An indie survival-horror game following a nightmarish road trip across a 1980s Americana. Evade police. Equip yourself and those close to you, and follow your own moral code. Learn how—and who—to trust. And learn it fast, the monsters are gaining on you.

Wishlist it here.

Tiny Glade

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Pounce Light

Platforms: PC

Tiny Glade is a small relaxing game about doodling castles. Explore gridless building chemistry, and watch the game carefully assemble every brick, pebble and plank. There’s no management, combat, or wrong answers – just kick back and turn forgotten meadows into lovable dioramas.

Wishlist it here.

Bloomtown: A Different Story

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Lazy Bear Games, Different Sense Games

Platforms: PC, Consoles (TBA)

Bloomtown: A Different Story is a narrative JRPG mixing turn-based combat, monster taming and social RPG set in a seemingly pleasant 1960s Americana world. Join Emily and her group of friends to save their cozy town from the demonic creatures that live in the hearts of its residents!

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Hyper Light Breaker

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Heart Machine

Platforms: PC

Enter the Overgrowth, a new realm in the world of Hyper Light. Play alone or with friends to explore open worlds, create new builds, rip through hordes and overcome the Crowns and the Abyss King.

Wishlist it here.

Afterlove EP

Release Date: Q3 2024

Developer: Pikselnesia

Platforms: Switch, PC

From the creator of Coffee Talk and What Comes After, comes a slice-of-life adventure set in modern Jakarta about love, loss and finding your own way forward. Step into the shoes of Rama, a young musician struggling to move on with life after the death of his girlfriend, Cinta.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

High Elo Girls

Release Date: Q4 2024

Developer: Split Fate Studios

Platforms: PC

High Elo Girls is a Visual Novel set in the esports scene where you play as the latest recruit for a new all-girls team. Can you help your squad achieve their true potential, or will you only squander your own?

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Post Trauma

Release Date: Q4 2024

Developer: RED SOUL GAMES

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Post Trauma is a horror game inspired by genre-defining classics of the past decades. Play as Roman, a middle-aged train conductor trapped in a terrifying twisted reality. Explore the unknown, unravel mysteries, and try to survive the unspeakable horrors that lurk in these threatening surroundings.

Wishlist it here.

Mexico, 1921. A Deep Slumber

Release Date: Q4 2024

Developer: Mácula Interactive

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Immerse yourself in an emotional and intriguing narrative adventure video game about the awakening of a country.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

The Gecko Gods

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Inresin

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Explore a mysterious island as a tiny gecko. Complete ancient puzzles, effortlessly climb cliffs, and eat bugs as you make your way across an island civilization lost to time.

Wishlist it here.

Baby Steps

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy

Platforms: PS5, PC

Play as Nate, an unemployed failson with nothing going for him, until one day he discovers a power he never knew he had… putting one foot in front of the other.

Wishlist it here.

The Mermaid Mask (FKA The Mermaid’s Tongue)

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: SFB Games

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Magnus Mortuga has been killed. The captain of the world’s strangest submarine, he was found in a locked room with an ancient stone cauldron – unsealed and opened for the first time. How did he die? Was it a curse? Perhaps one of his eccentric crew? Or does the bizarre truth run even deeper..

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Symphonia

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Sunny Peak

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Awaken an expansive musical realm in this non-violent and poetic platformer. In Symphonia, you’ll use the power of your violin coupled with your platforming skills to gather an orchestra to bring the musical machinery of the world back to life.

Wishlist it here.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Odd Bug Studio

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Embark upon a vast, snow-ravaged kingdom in Tails of Iron 2, sequel to the critically acclaimed action-RPG. As Arlo, heir to the Warden of the Wastes, adventure through harsh northern lands, home to giant beasts and ragtag bandits, in an epic quest to overcome an ancient, blood-starved evil.

Wishlist it here.

Neva

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Nomada Studio

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Experience the moving tale of a young woman and her lifelong bond with a magnificent wolf as they embark on a thrilling adventure through a rapidly dying world.

Wishlist it here.

Holstin

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Sonka

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

A psychological survival horror game set in an eerie, isolated 90’s Polish town consumed by an ominous presence. You’ve come looking for answers, but everyone seems possessed by something foul. Explore the festering town, interrogate locals and fight ungodly manifestations to get to the truth.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

Bye Sweet Carole

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Little Sewing Machine, Meangrip Studios

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Bye Sweet Carole is a narrative-horror game inspired by the greatest animation movies and created by Chris Darril (Remothered series). Follow the last known trail of Carole Simmons and discover what is happening in the eerie Bunny Hall…

Wishlist it here.

Skate Story

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Sam Eng

Platforms: PC

Ollie, kickflip, and grind your way through the ash and smoke of the Underworld as you take on a seemingly impossible quest. Skate fast to destroy demons and save other tortured souls on your journey from a fragile beginner to a hardened skater.

Wishlist it here.

Release Date: TBA 2024

Developer: Lightbulb Crew

Platforms: PC

A mysterious force of power transforms you and other highly attractive people in your area into superheroes and villains! TEXT, DATE and FIGHT your friends and enemies alike.

Wishlist and download the demo here.

The post Indie Games Still To Come In 2024 That Deserve A Spot In Your Wishlist appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 23:56:54 +0000

We’ve officially ticked over to the back half of 2024, and the video game release cycle has appropriately given everyone the opportunity this week to breath, catch up and start working on those tax returns.

Unless, of course, you’re into anime twinks and/or grinding for dopamine with strangers on the internet because not only is the hugely-anticipated new Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy XIV out this week but HoYoverse is dropping a new banger in Zenless Zone Zero and The First Descendant is out – though the most I know about that game is it’s got outfits that would make Stellar Blade blush.

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JULY 1 EDITION)

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Release Date: July 2nd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Blue seas, clear skies, and boundless possibilities await in Dawntrail, the newest expansion pack for the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY XIV Online! Explore uncharted territories with familiar faces as you discover new tribes, confront formidable threats, and expand your horizons as hope’s light dawns once more.

The First Descendant

Release Date: July 2nd

Platforms: PS5, PC

The First Descendant is a next-generation third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter featuring high-quality graphics created in Unreal Engine 5.

Players become a Descendant whose mission is to combat alien invaders – The Vulgus who crossed dimensions over 100 years ago and brought with them the devastating Colossi and destruction – for the survival of humanity and to protect Albion and the continent of Ingris. Players will encounter spectacular stories of forces fighting over the Iron Heart as they grow stronger through various missions and raids.

Zenless Zone Zero

Release Date: July 4th

Platforms: PS5, PC, Mobile

Zenless Zone Zero is an all-new 3D action game from HoYoverse, here to provide a thrilling combat experience. Build a squad of up to three and begin your assault with Basic and Special Attacks. Dodge and Parry to neutralize your opponents’ counterattacks, and when they’re Stunned, unleash a powerful combo of Chain Attacks to finish them off! Remember, different opponents have different traits, and it would be prudent to use their weaknesses to your advantage.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak

Release Date: July 5th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Between law and chaos lies the dawn of adventure in The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak! Follow the spriggan Van Arkride as he takes on a case that will change the fate of the Calvard Republic…as well as his own. Will forces from the shadowy organization known as Almata bring chaos to the nation, or do Van and his allies have what it takes to stop them?

Resident Evil 7 (Apple launch)

Release Date: July 2nd

Platforms: iPhone 15 Pro/iPad and Mac with M-series chip

Fear and isolation seep through the walls of an abandoned southern farmhouse. ‘7’ marks a new beginning for survival horror with the “Isolated View” of the visceral new first-person perspective. Powered by RE ENGINE, horror reaches incredible heights of immersion as players enter a terrifyingly new world of fear as they fight to survive.

Bleak Faith: Forsaken (Console Launch)

Release Date: July 5th

Platforms: PS5, PS4 Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Explore the last remnants of civilization in this vast, unforgiving, and interconnected world and go on a journey like no other in the soul crushing, dark, oppressive world of Bleak Faith Forsaken.

Fate Seeker II

Release Date: July 4th

Platforms: PS5

The Ink-Stained Judge’s Pen, the Sword-Wielding Youth,supreme Mastery,reaching the Peak of Martial Arts. Traverse the expansive martial world, embark on a journey through a martial art cultivation system renowned for its boundless flexibility and liberty.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

The Most Exciting Game Releases In July 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 04:19:01 +0000

The beginning of a new tax year is upon us, and although we’ve just coming off of the month of “Gaming Christmas,” July looks to be doing well to keep up the momentum.

While this coming month isn’t stacked with major, AAA game releases, there’s a huge amount of exciting indie stuff as well as some love for online RPG fans with the arrival of Final Fantasy XIV’s hugely-anticipated Dawntrail expansion and the launch of HoYoverse’s new joint, Zenless Zone Zero.

Take a look at what’s coming in the month ahead:

THE MOST EXCITING GAME RELEASES IN JULY 2024

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Release Date: July 2nd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: Switch

Secure yours at Amazon for $47.95 with pre-order price guarantee.

Bring the excitement of the Nintendo World Championships into your own home with the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition game! Test your speedrunning skills in over 150 challenges from across 13 different NES games. Aim for the best time in Speedrun Mode, compete for a spot on the global online leaderboards in World Championship Mode, or gather up to 8 players in local Party Mode. With “byte-sized” challenges and an automatic rewind feature, you don’t need to master entire games to feel like a Nintendo World Champion!

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

Release Date: July 19th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

A new tale of the Kami awaits… Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a unique Japanese-inspired, single player Kagura Action Strategy game.

Nobody Wants to Die

Release Date: July 17th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Lose yourself in the world of New York, 2329, where immortality comes at a price that someone has to pay. Following a near-death experience, Detective James Karra takes an off-the-books case from his chief with only the help of a young police liaison, Sara Kai, to assist him. Time reveals all as they risk everything in pursuit of a killer, uncovering the dark secrets of the city’s elite.

Zenless Zone Zero

Release Date: July 4th

Platforms: PS5, PC, Mobile

Anger Foot

Release Date: July 11th (July 12th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Anger Foot is a lightning-fast action FPS where the only things harder than your ass-kicking feet are the ass-kicking beats.

Spin Rhythm XD (PlayStation Release)

Release Date: July 9th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, PS VR2

Spin Rhythm XD is a homage to classic arcade rhythm games with a modern aesthetic and soundtrack. Match colours and beats, spin, tap, flick and flow through the juiciest beats in the universe.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak

Release Date: July 5th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

From Independent games studio A44, makers of Ashen, comes an explosive Souls-lite, where Gods and guns collide in a battle for the future of humanity.

The Door to the Great Below has been opened unleashing the Gods and their armies of the Dead. The lands of Kian are besieged, the city of Dawn is on the brink of destruction. It’s time for the Coalition army to fight back. Embrace vengeance, gunpowder and magic as you embark on an epic journey to defeat the Gods, close the door and retake the world.

Flock

Release Date: July 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Flock is a multiplayer co-op game where players take on the role of flying shepherds, each tending to their own unique herd of adorable flying creatures. The game is an ode to the joy of flight and discovery. Starting with a small herd of hover-sheep, you nurture and fly them toward fresh, untouched pastures. Along the way, you will discover the secrets of the beautiful uplands and its wild creatures.

Dungeons of Hinterberg

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC

Earth Defense Force 6

Release Date: July 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, PC

Conscript

Release Date: July 23rd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

SCHiM

Release Date: July 18th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

SCHiM is a game about jumping from shadow to shadow in a challenging and lively environment.

A schim is a soul and spirit of an object, thing, or living being. Everything in the world has one. A schim should NEVER be separated from their thing! This does happen to your schim, this schim who is attached to a human being is separated from him early on in the game. Can you get back to him, and help other characters and schim in the world along the way?

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure

Release Date: July 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC

Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield

Release Date: July 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Aerial_Knight’s We Never Yield is a stylized, action-packed, and aurally captivating experience that pushes players to navigate obstacles and enemies in both intense single-player and two-player cooperative modes. Players can control both characters simultaneously in single-player mode for an extra challenge! Heart-racing beats guide the heroic brothers through the game’s deadly and daunting environments as they race through a fallen kingdom featuring a variety of challenges throughout.

The Garden Path

Release Date: July 30th (August 1st AEST)

Platforms: PC

The First Descendant

Release Date: July 2nd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

The First Descendant is a next-generation third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter featuring high-quality graphics created in Unreal Engine 5.

Été

Release Date: July 23rd (July 24th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Weyrdlets

Release Date: July 23rd (July 24th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Release Date: July 17th

Platforms: Switch

In Splintered Fate, brace yourself for fast-paced, roguelike action where no two runs are the same. With randomised power-ups, room layouts, and boss modifiers, the excitement never ends. Take control of all four Turtles, each wielding unique powers, and team up with friends for bodacious co-op gameplay. Explore iconic NYC locations, upgrade your Turtle powers, and prepare to face off against formidable enemies.

The Star Named EOS

Release Date: July 23rd

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Rawmen: Food Fighter Arena

Release Date: July 23rd (July 24th AEST)

Platforms: PC

The post The Most Exciting Game Releases In July 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 02:56:48 +0000

We’re already nearly into a new financial year, and although I’d assume most of us are busy toiling away in Elden Ring’s huge Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, there’s still some life left in June when it comes to new game releases.

The headliner this week is Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, a newly-minted Switch version of a sequel previously trapped on the Nintendo 3DS. James wrote about his early impressions here, calling it a modest but still gorgeous and playable update to a game that many may have missed. Continuing on the re-release trend is Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition, which is finally launching after numerous leaks and rumours.

As far as brand-new content goes, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio is bringing us Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble this week, and Melbourne’s own Summerfall Studios is launching a very exciting DLC for Stray Gods, titled Orpheus.

Take a look at what’s coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JUNE 24 EDITION)

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

Release Date: June 27th

Platforms: Switch

The best deal: $68 at Amazon with free release day delivery for Prime members.

Investigate an array of mysterious mansions full of spooky specters as you solve puzzles and seek out the missing shards of the Dark Moon. Help Luigi master the trusty Poltergust 5000 to suck up ghosts, illuminate the dark, and uncover mysteries in this remake of the 3DS entry in the Luigi’s Mansion series.

Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition

Release Date: June 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Rediscover the cult classic in a special edition celebrating its 20th anniversary. Embark on this epic adventure in up to 4K, 60fps with improved graphics, controls and audio. Explore the anniversary gallery, and discover more about Jade’s childhood in the new treasure hunt.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble

Release Date: June 25th

Platforms: Switch

The best deal: $59 at Amazon with free release day delivery for Prime members.

AiAi and the gang are back in the first all-new Super Monkey Ball game in over a decade. For the first time in series history, up to 16 players can now battle it out online across multiple game modes! Hungry for more? Grab your favorite bunch and slip into a wonderfully crafted story either locally or online in Adventure mode. Featuring over 300 ways to customize your character and their Monkey Ball, along with a new Spin Dash technique, you can bounce, tilt, roll, and now dash past the competition in style as you aim to become Top Banana!

Stray Gods: Orpheus

Release Date: June 27th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Play as Orpheus in this brand new story for Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical! Orpheus’ story is arguably finished – until Hermes brings him back to the world of the living. With their help, you’ll guide Orpheus through the depths of mortal decision making – who to date, what to hope for, what instrument to rock out on…

Starring Anthony Rapp (*RENT, Star Trek: Discovery*), and written by David Gaider, Stray Gods: Orpheus is a comedic feature length experience that history buffs, hopeless romantics, and rock stars alike can enjoy.

Tchia (Switch Release)

Release Date: June 27th

Platforms: Switch

Tchia is coming to Nintendo Switch! Get ready to explore a vast archipelago inspired by New Caledonia! Inspiration was taken from the rich and varied local landscapes, cultures, music, languages, folklores, and traditions to create a fictional world and to tell a universal story that anyone can understand and enjoy.

Riven (Remake)

Release Date: June 25th (26th AEST)

Platforms: PC, PC VR, Quest

Created by the legendary indie developer Cyan Worlds and based on the smash-hit original released in 1997, Riven has been lovingly revisited by its key original visionaries to expand the epic narrative of the Myst universe.

This brand-new, re-imagined, and expanded version of Riven offers a deeper story, new captivating visuals, and a journey that stays true to the original release while also expanding on Riven’s breathtaking world.

Graven (1.0 Launch)

Release Date: June 25th (26th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Action, mystery, and a chance for redemption await you in the gritty first-person action-adventure GRAVEN. Explore a dark fantasy world as a wrongly convicted man of faith. Battle the horrors of humanity, the wilds, and beyond using armaments, magic, and the environment.

Frogun Encore

Release Date: June 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Guess who’s back? Frogun returns with more frog-grappling action in Frogun ENCORE, a dashing standalone expansion/sequel to indie hit FROGUN! Join a now-older Renata and Jake in a trek around the whole world to prevent the return of Beelzebub.

Exo One (PlayStation Launch)

Release Date: June 27th

Platforms: PS5, PS4

Get it cheap on Amazon.

On the anniversary of the Jupiter disaster, an alien signal transmits construction blueprints for an alien craft, which humanity builds, called Exo One. Master a truly alien traversal system and navigate through enigmatic and desolate alien landscapes. Control gravity itself and build momentum to reach colossal speeds and exhilarating heights.

Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate

Release Date: June 27th

Platforms: PS5, PS VR2, PC

Step into the unknown and embark on an epic, time travel adventure, completely re-imagined for the next generation of VR. Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate is a remake of the award winning, critically acclaimed VR time travel adventure game – Wanderer. Leave your passports at home, there’s no telling where you’ll go and who you’ll become as you venture back through the ages and unravel the mysteries of time.

Until Then

Release Date: June 25th

Platforms: PS5, PC

In a world still recovering from catastrophe, Mark Borja and his friends navigate the joys and woes of another year of high school. Wake up in a typical teenage bedroom, practice piano, race to meet homework deadlines, and build (and burn) relationships, as you reminisce about the daily insecurities of high school life.

That is, until a fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark’s life. People disappear and memories prove unreliable. Uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure and race to unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To PlayStation’s Team ASOBI About How Astro Bot Builds On Astro’s Playroom

Shannon Grixti — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:43:46 +0000

After playing Astro Bot last week, I also had the chance to talk to Nicholas Doucet, the Studio Head and Creative Director of Team ASOBI, about Astro’s journey through virtual reality, being a massive part of the PS5’s launch, and how Astro’s Playroom inspired the team to create something larger in Astro Bot.

After working on Astro’s Playroom which was a big part of the PS5’s launch, was it immediately clear that the team wanted to expand on that in a full priced AAA game?

Nicholas Doucet: It was planned that if Astro’s Playroom was well received, we’d go on and make a bigger gamer game. With Astro’s Playroom, the desire was to introduce Astro to as big as an audience as possible as well as introducing all of the features of the console and taking the chance to do that 25-year history tribute.

There were several goals, but one of them for the team was to prove to ourselves and to get feedback from people as to whether Astro could stand on its own feet as a platformer. And since it went quite well, then we validated it and we’ve been working on it for three years now.”

Astro Bot is even more of a PlayStation celebration than Playroom. Did you speak about whether you’d double down on that or move away to establish Astro as his own thing when starting development?

ND: Yes it was a big discussion in fact. We are trying to establish Astro and his own universe so it has to be able to live by itself, so that was one of our big focuses to ensure that everything that we do mechanically would work and be fun even without the PlayStation coating.

But then we also felt that there was more that we could do with PlayStation, so why not, right? It’s about the case of having more cake and eating it too, so last time it was a big focus on the hardware with some cameos, this time we went much deeper into the characters, so in total we have over 150 cameos.

The PlayStation collectibles seem to differ in the sense that each level has a theme. Is every level was based on a franchise in terms of the characters that you collect?

ND: We tried to do sets, so you saw Ratchet and Parappa in the two levels, so you’ll usually find characters that are connected.

What liberty do you have with other IPs that are aligned to PlayStation but not owned by PlayStation?

ND: I’ll talk about the PlayStation Studio IPs first. We get so much love and support from our other studios including Santa Monica Studios, Insomniac and Naughty Dog and some of them are really iconic characters such as Kratos. They really understand that making a platformer is also very hard, so the support we get not only for the characters but the DualSense functionality is great.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but there’s 150 cameos, but if you start looking at secondary characters within the PlayStation Studios, there’s a lot of secondary characters, so Uncharted for example, there’s a lot to pull from.

Playroom was designed to show off the DualSense controller and the features. Was there any kind of pressure with the gadget design in the sense that every gadget would need to be tied a DualSense feature and did that influence the designs?

ND: Yes it did, but that pressure came from ourselves. We wanted to be balanced and rounded and show off the five main features of the DualSense, the triggers, the touchpad, the haptic feedback, the speakers and the microphone, so we pushed for that. We worked with the mechanical team in Japan who designed the controllers. They understand what features have legs, and then its our job to tailor the experience.

With Playroom, it was experiences that were largely separated, so you’d do play some platforming, then you’d do a minigame for climbing and then you’d go to platforming, where now it’s all integrated into the platforming. We didn’t want Astro Bot to feel like it was full of minigames, so it’s all blended into the core which is a jumping game.

So for instance, the dog booster gadget, the booster is something that has to work in 3D so that you can run, jump, hover and boost, so the second we do that, it means that the core controls which is moving and jumping, has to be protected, so for instance the touchpad is harder to reach, so those are the things we took into consideration, but before you arrive in a level, you’re not platforming, so we utilise the gyroscope for instance because it doesn’t get in the way of platforming.

There’s 80 levels and it’s obviously a lot longer than Playroom. How do you keep that feeling fresh throughout the whole experience?

ND: Just throughout the levels, you see that the gadgets are quite different. When you chart out the game, our goal was to make every single planet feel unique. There’s also different sizes of levels, so the challenge levels whilst shorter, obviously are longer in the sense that they’re difficult.

I know it’s not your decision, but Astro’s Playroom was one of the best pack-ins, if not the best pack-in in history, and obviously this is on the other end as being a full-priced title. Did that put any extra pressure internally?

ND: Our focus was on making the best possible game that we could and then all the pricing is a bigger discussion, and it’s not quite a full-priced PlayStation game, it’s a little bit less.

Astro Bot launches on PS5 exclusively on September 6th. It’s available on Amazon for $89.95 with free shipping HERE.

The post We Spoke To PlayStation’s Team ASOBI About How Astro Bot Builds On Astro’s Playroom appeared first on Press Start.

All Of The June 2024 Nintendo Direct Announcements

James Berich — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:23:11 +0000

There was a HEAP of announcements so let’s get straight into it because I quite frankly could not keep up and it was a pretty good showing.

ALL OF THE JUNE 2024 NINTENDO DIRECT ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TRAILERS

The Direct Closed With Our First Look At Metroid Prime 4 And It’s Looking Great

I never thought I’d see the new Perfect Dark and Metroid Prime in the same month. It’s called Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and it’s out in 2025. It’s looking way better than I’d hoped and, as predicted, it looks like Sylux is back with some cute little Metroid pets. I’d love to feel a Metroid on my face. What. Bye.

The Year Of The RPG Continues With A Brand New Mario & Luigi Game

It’s wild to think it’s been nine years since the last Mario & Luigi game. While not much was revealed, it is being described as a seafaring adventure. But it’s not Wind Waker. I don’t know why I felt the need to bring that up. It’s called Mario & Luigi: Brothership and it’s launching on November 7th 2024.

The New Zelda Finally Lets Us Play As Zelda And It Looks Cute As Ever

It’s called The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. It uses the same art style as the recent Link’s Awakening remake, but looks to transpose the Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom design sensibilities into that classic 2D Zelda style. Amazing. You’ll be able to play as Zelda with her special staff on September 26th later this year.

The New Mario Party Game Was Announced And It’s Easily The Biggest One Yet

It’s called Super Mario Party Jamboree and it features heaps of modes, online 20-player modes, some returning boards from older games and more. It looks to be the biggest Mario Party ever. I bagse Shy Guy. Bitch. It’s out on October 17th.

We Got More OF A Look At That Nintendo World Championships Game

Challenges from the original NES versions of Zelda, Metroid and Super Mario Bros. were shown off. You can even play off against ghost data of other players. This isn’t for me but I appreciate that it exists, as always. The game is still on track for release in July (that’s next month).

A Brand New Fairy Tail Game Is Coming

The first game was pretty popular but had a print run of about twelve copies, so it’ll be nice for fans to get more of their Fairy Tail fix. It’s out towards the end of this year, but no date was confirmed.

Fantasian Is Finally Making The Jump From Apple Arcade

The original game was released in two parts for the Apple Arcade. Neo Dimension brings together both parts, a full English and Japanese voice over track and new difficulty options. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a turn-based RPG from the team who created and designed the original Final Fantasy games. You can expect it out before the end of 2024.

A Downloadable Update Will Add Basketball To Nintendo Switch Sports

This new downloadable update will allow players to take on each other in two-on-two matches using motion controls. You can also compete with up to three other players in a separate mode called Five Streak Battle.

A Brand New Indie Art Game Was Shown

The game is a 2D adventure RPG that’s set inside a mysterious gigantic spaceship. You play as an android exploring a world where machines have gone rogue. It’s out in 2025.

There’s A New Disney Illusion Island Update Coming

It’s called THE MYSTERY IN MONOTH and you’ll solve a mystery. As you’d expect. I’d also wager it will take place in a place called Monoth. It’s a free update and it’s out today, if my gripping description hasn’t sold you on it.

Hello Kitty Crossing, Um, I Mean, Hello Kitty Island Adventure Was Announced

Customisable characters, an open world, and pals to befriend. What’s not to love? It’s a Switch-timed exclusive in 2025.

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports Was Revealed But I’m Not Sure

It’s from GameMill so I’m not sure about this one. But there’s four arcade-style sports and four-player local co-op. It’s out this year.

Even More Among Us Updates Are Coming As Always

It’s a free update, and it’s out today. Yes.

Farmagia, A New Cool Game(?) Was Announced

It’s out on November 1st.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Is Coming Back…..Again…..

This is beyond disappointing, our boy deserves so much more. But it includes all of the 3DS content too, which is nice. It’s out in January 2025.

The Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Was Finally Shown Again And Dated

It’s looking great, utilising that trademark HD-2D art style that Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy both employed. It’s out on November 14th.

But A Dragon Quest I and II HD-2D Remake Was Also Announced

This one is out in 2025. It was at the end of the last trailer, so just scroll up if you don’t believe me. xox

We Got A Better (?) Look At Funko Fusion And It’s Going To Be Your Next Guilty Pleasure

It’s a game where you play as Pop Vinyls in many different worlds. It looks better than I thought, honestly. It’s still on track for release in September. It’s okay to admit you are looking forward to this. We’re only human.

A New Denpa Men Is Coming If You Were Wanting That

It’s free and it’s coming to Nintendo Switch first. I know one (1) person this appeals to in a past life. But good for them. It’s out in July.

An Unexpected Metal Slug Auto Battler Is Coming Today

It’s a tower defence game that features simple controls perfect for newcomers. It’s out today too. Wow.

Darkest Dungeon II Is Also Coming To Nintendo Switch

It looks good and better than the first, IMHO. It’s out on July 15th.

More Games Are Coming To Nintendo Switch Online Including A Rareware Favourite Of Mine

The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (with Four Swords) and Metroid: Zero Mission are both coming to the Nintendo Switch online service today. Additionally, both Perfect Dark and Turok are also coming to the service in their original N64 forms. The games will all allow online multiplayer where the original games supported it. Wow.

There Is A New Phantom Brave Game Coming

It’s a tactical RPG that’s due out in 2025. Looks like it chugs but I am sure they will make it look better before it comes out.

A Marvel Vs. Capcom Collection Is Coming FINALLY BRINGING THE GAMES OUT OF LICENSING HELL

The games were unobtainable for so long, so seeing them returning is exciting. A bunch of side scrollers are included too. And there’s online play. It’s out in 2024.

A Brand New Zelda Switch Lite Was Announced

It’s Gold. As you’d expect. Local release details are forthcoming.

Just Dance 2025 Edition is Coming

I wish they’d pivot to an immersive sim or first-person shooter or something, but I guess this works. There are 40 new tracks. I hope you have strong floors.

That Little Sony LEGO Game Got Another Look-In

We got more of a look at how the game will run on Switch (and it’s how you’d expect). It’s still on track for Holiday 2024. It’s also nice to see online co-op was confirmed for the game too on Switch.

Stray Was Revealed To Be Coming For Nintendo Switch

We got a better look at how the game will run on Switch. It’s still on track for Holiday 2024.

The New Lord Of The Rings Game Ticks All The Cozy Checkboxes If That’s Your Thing

It’s like Animal Crossing, but you’re a Hobbit in the shire. It’s out towards the end of this year.

Capcom Is Bringing The Ace Attorney Investigations Spin-Offs Outside Of Japan, Finally

You’ll be able to choose between the new hand-drawn art style or the older pixel sprites. It’s out in September, and it’s the first time you’ll be able to play Ace Attorney Investigations 2 outside of Japan. Now that all of the Ace Attorney games are remastered, we can get a new one. Right? RIGHT? They’re out on September 6th.

A New Game From The Mind That Brought Us Danganronpa Was Announced

It’s called THE HUNDRED LINE -Last Defense Academy- and it has you at a school defending it for 100 days. I don’t think I’d defend my school for that long but if that’s your thing then go ahead. It’s out on Switch in 2025.

The New SaGa Remake Was Revealed Too, If One Romancing SaGa Wasn’t Enough

If you’ve forgotten, it’s called Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. It’s out October 24th 2024. Dynamic.

The post All Of The June 2024 Nintendo Direct Announcements appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 23:47:03 +0000

We’re already more than halfway into June, and with the Summer Game Fest activities pretty much done and dusted now, it’s back to looking forward to games in the immediate future.

This week, that conversation will be pretty much dominated by the launch of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, which is enjoying about as much hype as a DLC expansion could possibly win itself. There are definitely some other releases worth looking at – Still Wakes the Deep is a new one from the folks behind Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Times & Galaxy looks utterly delightful and #BLUD is like a slightly more violent Cartoon Network show in the form of an isometric action adventure.

But, yeah. Shadow of the Erdtree.

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (JUNE 17 EDITION)

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Release Date: June 21st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Get it cheap on Amazon.

Winner of hundreds of accolades including The Game Awards Game of the Year and Golden Joystick Awards Ultimate Game of the Year, ELDEN RING is the acclaimed action RPG epic set in a vast, dark fantasy world. Players embark on an epic quest with the freedom to explore and adventure at their own pace.

The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion features an all-new story set in the Land of Shadow imbued with mystery, perilous dungeons, and new enemies, weapons and equipment.

Discover uncharted territories, face formidable adversaries, and revel in the satisfying triumph of victory. Dive into the riveting interplay of characters, where drama and intrigue intertwine, that create an immersive experience to savor and enjoy.

Still Wakes the Deep

Release Date: June 18th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Get it cheap on Amazon.

Still Wakes the Deep is a return to the first-person narrative horror genre from The Chinese Room, creator of critically acclaimed games such as Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, and Dear Esther. You are an off-shore oil rig worker, fighting for your life through a vicious storm, perilous surroundings, and the dark, freezing North Sea waters. All lines of communication have been severed. All exits are gone. All that remains is to face the unknowable horror that’s come aboard.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 “Flat Version”

Release Date: June 20th

Platforms: PS5

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is the sequel to the terrifying VR experience that brought new life to the iconic horror franchise. As a brand new Fazbear employee you’ll have to prove you have what it takes to excel in all aspects of Pizzeria management and maintenance. So what are you waiting for?!? Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is now accepting applicants for all positions, effective immediately – VR no longer required!

Rusted Moss (Console Release)

Release Date: June 20th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch

Rusted Moss is a twin-stick shooter metroidvania where you sling around the map with your grapple, blasting your way through witches and rusted machine monstrosities alike. This wasteland once harboring mankind has since fallen, and Fae long forgotten now knock on humanity’s door…

Crab God

Release Date: June 20th (21st AEST)

Platforms: PC

Crab God is an atmospheric underwater strategy game. Guide your Crabling colony through wild ocean depths, and defend the egg of the next Crab God.Restore and protect diverse coral reefs, making a difference in the real world as you progress in-game. Make waves, praise the claw!

Times & Galaxy

Release Date: June 21st

Release Date: June 18th (19th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Fall, collect, undo in The Fall of Elena Temple, an old-school puzzle platformer in which you explore rooms, avoid perils and collect all coins to progress. The catch is you can undo your falls! So don’t be afraid of heights, fall and collect the coins bellow, then undo back up to where you fell from, keeping the coins!

Test your forward thinking and logical skills. Plan your falls carefully, as your undos are limited. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll find yourself unable to restore back to the top, with coins still needing collecting!

Dicefolk (Switch Release)

Release Date: June 20th

Platforms: Switch

Dicefolk is a brand-new deckbuilding roguelike from Tiny Ghoul and LEAP Studios. When a mysterious evil threatens your village, you must set off into the unknown to discover what’s behind it. Recruit chimera, customize your dice, and unlock and equip powerful artifacts to battle your way to victory

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

All Of The Ubisoft Forward 2024 Announcements

James Berich — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 22:58:53 +0000

Can you believe I’ve never stayed up for an Ubisoft Forward before?

They’ve always been a little outside of my timezone. I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, maybe because I can’t think of anything else to write for this intro.

Anyway, there is an Ubisoft Forward happening as I type this. We know there’ll be more Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Star Wars: Outlaws and XDefiant. What else? We’ll have to see.

But without further adieu, here are all the announcements and trailers from the Ubisoft Forward for 2024.

ALL OF THE UBISOFT FORWARD 2024 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TRAILERS

The Show Opened With A Deep Dive Into Star Wars: Outlaws, And It Looks Pretty Solid

The deep dive followed Kay Vess as she tracked down one of the game’s many bounties to the famous Mos Eisley cantina in Tatooine. From one point to another, we see Kay take to space (seamlessly) before taking part in an optional dogfight and then jumping to Tatooine. It looks like it has much more depth and detail than I originally thought. Brodie spoke to the creative director about the game recently. If that’s not enough, you can even read his (always scintillating) insights on the game here, too. Star Wars: Outlaws is on track for release on August 30th 2024.

If That’s Too Long For You, Ubisoft Also Dropped A Shorter Gameplay Overview Trailer Too

The short trailer discusses the lengths Kay Vess will go to to obtain the bounties she’s after, the choice system that’ll be in play and allof the locales that Kay and her adorable little companion Nix will visit.

The First Extended Gameplay Walkthrough Of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Looks Pretty Good

It’s looking mighty fine, and it’s encouraging to see both playable characters play dramatically different roles in the first true next-gen Assassin’s Creed. The deep dive went into how the game will play and showcased all of the new improvements to the engine, making it one of the biggest jumps in the series since Origins. Like Star Wars, Brodie also had a chat to the team behind the game if that interests you. He also played the game and gave his thoughts too. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is still on track for release on November 15th 2024.

Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time Remake Was Dated, But Don’t Expect It Soon

Despite being announced four years ago, the short teaser confirmed the game was coming in 2026. I’m genuinely in shock that it’s taking so long, but at least they’ll get it right. I hope.

The First Season Of XDefiant Was Shown Off And Brings A Whole Bunch Of Maps And Modes To The Game

The new faction being added is called the GSK. They’ll launch with three new weapons. There’ll be one map a month for the season. Capture The Flag is even being added as a mode. It’s out on July 2nd, but the full reveal of the season will be the day before.

The Skull & Bones Team Detailed The Second Season Of The Game And Teased What’s To Come In The Third

There’s a new ship and dramatic opera-loving villains to plunder. Is that the right word? I don’t know. There’ll also be new fleet management options and a new creature – the megalodon – being dropped into the sea somewhere. The third season will also introduce a new 5v5 PvP mode and a sea dragon creature to battle with.

Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown Is Getting Even More Updates

The new updates will add a set of challenges called “Divine Trials” to the game, as well as free updates that are available now, including new amulets and platforming challenges to complete. Their trailer ended with a tease for a new Story DLC called The Mask of Darkness, and that’s coming in September 2024.

The First And Free Rogue Prince Of Persia’s Update Was Detailed

It’s looking great, though the game is still in early access at this stage. The update is called Temple Of Fire and it’s a free one. Dynamic.

We Got A Look At The First Story Expansion For Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora

It’s called The Sky Breaker, and it will see the Na’vi take the fight to a mysterious shadow looming in the sky. It’s out on July 16th.

We Got Even More Updates On The Final Season For The Crew: Motorfest’s First Year, As Well As A Tease Of Year 2

I have no idea about cars, sorry, but the second year of The Crew: Motorfest will introduce a brand new Hawaiian island to the game, for free. There’s other stuff that aficionados will appreciate, too. It reminds me a little bit of Hot Pursuit, I think. It’s coming to The Crew: Motorfest in November 2024. There’ll be an event detailing it all in September.

A New Anno Game Is Coming And It’s Set In A Long Requested Setting

It’s a live-action teaser at this point, but it confirms that the game will take place in the Pax Romana, and for the first time in Anno, you’ll be able to choose your starting province. It’s due out in 2025 for both PC and consoles.

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Gears Of War E-Day Is Banking On New Technology To Drive Home A Darker And More Realistic Tone

Shannon Grixti — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 22:48:19 +0000

Following the Gears of War E-Day reveal, I had the chance to sit down with Creative Director Matt Searcy and Brand Director Nicole Fawcette to hear a little bit more about the game’s inspirations and fire a few questions at them.

E-Day explores the 14 year gap between E-Day and Gears of War 1, allowing the team to bring back series favourites such as Marcus and Dom. The game will definitely feature the iconic Chainsaw Lancer, and we’ll get to see the origin story of that too.

Naturally, a lot of people were surprised to see the team going back to the beginning, and seemingly leaving the continuation of Gears 5 open, so I wanted to know if the main reason for going back to the start was to maybe bring players in who had felt overwhelmed by how many mainline entries and spinoffs had hit the Gears franchise.

“I wouldn’t say that was our main motivation, we really focus on creating a great Gears experience, again by learning through what our fan base likes, and if you like all the things that are there, or great story telling, we feel like we have something for you, so it’s not necessarily that we’re going and trying to find a new audience, we’re kind of growing through ourselves. said Fawcette.

“I think we went, this is the game we wanted to make, and we’re really sure that a bunch of Gears fans are going to fucking love this game. If you’re somebody who should like Gears, and this is a good entry point for you, that’s also awesome, but it wasn’t our primary motivator for it. I think if the game is awesome, for all the reasons that makes Gears more awesome, we will hopefully get some folks who should already be Gears fans, frankly.” added Searcy.

The reveal trailer had nods to the original, but was much darker than what we’ve seen from the franchise before, with both team members saying that this trailer is a great representation of the visual tone that they team are striving to hit.

Everything has been created on Unreal Engine 5, which allows these more believable locusts to be created, and the darker, grittier tone to come to life. I wanted to know if this is the thematically game that the team has made yet, almost leaning into horror.

“It probably will end up being that because, early on in the story, like monsters coming out of the ground is scary, before you realise they’re an army and also recapturing some of that vibe.” said Searcy.

“But it’s also just when you make a game nowadays, and you go to revisit that tone, like the world has moved on. Our cinematic references aren’t the ones they had when they built the first Gears of War. There are much more nuances to how you tell a story that is about soldiers, but also scary things coming out of the shadows. It’s not as simple as it’ll be the darkest game, I think it’s also just when you build the game now, with those same kind of pillars, it’s going to look a little different than it did back in the beginning.” continued Searcy.

As unexpected as it is, I’m so glad that the team is returning to the OG Gears of War characters to tell a story that I think could take the franchise to a whole new level.

The author of this article was flown to the Xbox Games Showcase as a guest of Xbox.

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Blumhouse’s Move Into Video Games Is A Welcome One For Horror Fans

Brodie Gibbons — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:00:48 +0000

There has been something of a resurgence for good, old-fashioned horror of late. It’s a mix of creatives taking bold risks, streamers dedicating their nightly schedules to the genre, and audiences just being hungry for the adrenaline spike that comes with a good scare. Whether it’s exploring liminal spaces, manning a closed-circuit security outpost, or brandishing a shotgun in a game of life and death, variety and bespoke experiences are key to making a splash in a now-crowded space.

That’s why, for me at least, I absolutely welcome the move into video games by Jason Blum, and by extension Blumhouse. The man has prided himself on getting respectable returns on lean production budgets all the while delivering unique horror. And the fact he’s partnering with independents within the video game space to craft smaller, focused experiences that can fill out the Blumhouse Games slate feels like a small lifeline for a hurting industry.

Granted, Sam Barlow, who is partnering with Blumhouse on a joint project with Brendan Cronenberg, enters the arrangement with an already stellar catalogue including Her Story and Immortality. But the same probably can’t be said for the husband and wife duo responsible for last year’s Fear the Spotlight, which is now the first game set to release from Blumhouse in the form of a reworked PC release alongside console versions later this year. For them, you expect the opportunity is everything.

With its re-launch unveiled at Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest alongside many other new titles, Fear the Spotlight still managed to be a standout for me. Based on a twenty-minute demo I went hands-on with at Play Days, it’s very much a tone piece that riffs on the classic horror tropes found in games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.

Interestingly, the game has no combat whatsoever. It instead relies on its stifling atmosphere and puzzlecraft, which has you interact with, and manipulate, items to carve a path through a series of roadblocks. The demo delivered on both fronts as Vivian Singh, a model student, and a friend rebelliously break into her school’s library to evoke the supernatural using a ouija board. The morbid catch is that a fire ripped through the school years prior and claimed the lives of countless students, which contributes greatly to an air of unease.

One of the brief presentation’s most effective moments comes when Vivian, along with her friend Sam, set up four candles around the ouija board. Their short seance screeches to a halt as spirits wreak havoc in the library, upending shelves and snuffing the candles which plunges the scene into darkness. One by one, using the matchsticks in your inventory, you relight them to reveal Sam is gone. I won’t spoil what happens next but rest assured it takes a weird turn that I’ll be absolutely seated for, but it does go to show how effective good horror can be in spite of a smaller scope and presentation that, while back in vogue, harkens back to the nineties.

And novel twists on classic mechanics help stamp something of an identity for Fear the Spotlight. The old guard might have had you manage the main character’s vitality through plants and bandages, Viv’s lung function appears to be the big concern here. Although I didn’t exactly see it in action, instances of her panicked breathing coupled with finding an inhaler of hers locked away in the library office nod to a clever take on the formula.

If the remaining games in the Blumhouse slate can offer bespoke moments like the above, I do believe the future of horror is in safe, genuinely caring, and most importantly sustainable hands. Blum’s infectious excitement when simply announcing these games on stage points to an enthusiasm that’d likely be absent were it anybody else.

In Blum we trust.

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Fallout 76’s Jon Rush On The Game’s Resurgence, Skyline Valley And West Virginian Cryptids

Matthew Zimmari — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:00:09 +0000

It’s wild to think that six years has passed since the release of Fallout 76. I don’t need to remind you what has happened since, but what I do need to flash back to is how the game was received those many years ago – filled with bugs (the non-shootable kind) and feeling as empty as the Wasteland itself. I was pretty harsh on the game at launch, and I’d like to put my hand up and say that I went too early, and that it really needed a chance to evolve.

And evolve it did! After fifty-two patches and swathes of content released over the years, Fallout 76 is almost an entirely different version of the same game. But it’s what we should be expecting from online-only experiences in this modern age of gaming. With one of its biggest content releases about to launch with Skyline Valley, we sat down with Creative Director Jonathan “Jon” Rush to talk more about the influences and changes around Fallout 76’s latest expansion.

So the game launched in 2018, it’s hard to believe that Fallout 76 has been around for six years. As you navigate the highs and lows of the online landscape, is this what you had envisioned for the game six years on?

Jon Rush: As we release updates, our excellent community is so great at giving us feedback – so we take that and see how it weighs in against the future of developments that we want to do. It’s been a learning experience for us along the way; learning what our players like and what they expect, and so using that to shape our roadmap and seeing the commitment that our community has towards the game, I knew the game was going to continue to be successful down the road.

Compared to traditional games where there’s a release supported by DLC, Fallout 76 is a continuous experience living online. Have you seen the game’s content take different turns to what you would have expected?

JR: Kind of, I mean way back towards the beginning there were definitely some surprises. For one, I didn’t think everyone in our Wasteland were going to be super-friendly to one another. So there’s been surprises like that, that we’ve kind of adopted the game around – ‘oh, we have a community of builders that love to build and love to show off what they’re building to other players, and love to invite people to their camps’ – and so underlining that with upcoming features, or features that we’ve already put in is definitely at the forefront.

It’s wonderful to see you have such a sense of engagement yourself with the community. As you are so active on X (formerly Twitter) during Fallout 76’s events, do you get a lot of feedback from players through this as well?

JR: I don’t really use that for feedback, I just use that to have some fun and hop in and play with our great community. As far as feedback from players, we have a really great community team that’s able to parse through the Reddit threads and YouTube videos and whatnot. But I myself am on there everyday, and I’m reading those threads, and watching those videos; I go through every Reddit post, and scour the threads on my own to get feedback. Engaging with the community I just do for fun because I love playing the game.

Skyline Valley is the first major map expansion, going beyond the existing map boundary for the first time. Could we potentially see further map expansions in other directions?

JR: Possibly! I mean it’s amazing how much space is on the borders of our map. For instance; when the game first came out I was watching my son, who was 10 at the time, and he was playing and he was at the Mothman museum. I thought ‘Oh neat, he’s having fun’, and I walked out of the room – I came back five minutes later and he’s running around in this hilly terrain, just trees and rocks and bushes; no buildings or creatures. I asked ‘Dude, where are you?’, he brought up the map and he was way off the map! I was like ‘Wow, we have a lot of space to play with! So I think that’s definitely a possibility of us expanding the map further.

I think what I’ve come to realise with the game, and what we’ve come to realise as a group is when our players get new locations and places to explore, they really want it to be a part of their Appalachia. The “Expeditions” content was fun and good – The Pitt, Atlantic City, people go in there and they want to have fun, but they want to be able to build and influence the space, so giving them the opportunity with Skyline Valley is the right way to go.

West Virginia is home to a lot of history which you’ve incorporated into the game, including Cryptids and creatures of local lore such as the Mothman. What kind of location-based research do you do to discover what content to include?

JR: We want to keep the game feeling distinctly like West Virginia, like bringing in the Fastnacht event. Before this game I hadn’t really heard of Fastnacht before, and now I’m like Captain Fastnacht! *laughing* So any region-specific traits that we can bring into our Appalachia I think makes it more of a genuine experience for players, even if they’re not outwardly familiar with it, there are unique qualities that they latch onto right away.

The cryptids are definitely one of those – when we first started development, I didn’t know what a cryptid was in terms of the name. I knew what Bigfoot was and the like, but I didn’t know they were referred to as cryptids. So looking into West Virginia cryptid lore, there’s a whole bunch of them, like some really weird ones, so we’ve got a lot to play with.

Whether friend or foe, Ghouls have been a mainstay in the Fallout universe. With the introduction of “The Lost” in Skyline Valley, we see a unique take on Ghouls and their abilities. Tell us a bit more about how you developed them for Fallout 76.

JR: So I think of our map as the main character of our game, and so looking at the new region, it’s using the qualities of that region and what that region offers, using the traits of that region to shape the new faction and their abilities. Ghouls are very popular, and we wanted to find a way to bring them into the new story but have them also fit in that environment.

An amazing surprise and a long-requested feature by Fallout fans, we finally get the chance to play as a Ghoul in Fallout 76. What was the influence behind allowing players to become Ghouls?

JR: We wanted to come up with more features for our in-game players. A new player comes in and opens up their in-game map and it’s like a theme park – like Disneyland, where there’s always stuff to do and things to go and see. While there is still plenty for our in-game players to do, we wanted to offer more ways that they can upgrade their characters’ power or play in alternate ways. So bringing in Ghouls which are very popular with players to mainly serve as a vessel for alternate playstyles was the influence here.

The Amazon Prime show Fallout, set in the same universe, was released earlier this year. Could we see any character cameos or tie-ins in the near future?

JR: All I can say is stay tuned!

When the show launched, Fallout fever took over and suddenly everyone became excited about Fallout again. What was it like seeing players returning or picking up the game for the first time?

JR: That was great! I hopped into the game, and I had all these Level 20s and 30s following me around, and they all just want stuff! I’d drop loot at their feet and they’d keep following me around, and I’m launching nukes everywhere which they think is funny – it was good. You know, the show was great, which pretty much goes without saying, but the show really kind of cast a light onto 76 and it reminded people ‘Hey, look, they’re still working on this!’, as we’re about to release our 52nd patch. And so it showed people just how far the game has come, and how great of a game it is now; with people returning that had started at launch who maybe wanted something that just wasn’t there, and came back now having a blast.

I will admit I was one of those players myself, off the back of Fallout 4 I enjoyed my time to begin with but fell out of love after a while with it, to find now that it’s worth getting back into.

JR: It’s fun, yeah! People that have come back and noticed all the additional life on the map – when the game first launched, people coming out into the post-apocalyptic West Virginia to discover the people that used to live there, very open and allowing them to make their own stories. Then we slowly brought Wastelanders in as people are intrigued with the space and the unique things the land has to offer.

Skyline Valley drops for Fallout 76 on June 12th, where you’ll get to explore more of Appalachia and the Shenandoah, including new enemies and events. Be sure to check it out the console or PC of your choice!

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We Spoke To Star Wars Outlaws’ Creative Director About Crafting An Open-World Scoundrel Adventure

Brodie Gibbons — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:06:35 +0000

After the initial reveal for Star Wars Outlaws at last year’s Ubisoft Forward, I got to speak with Massive Entertainment’s Julian Gerighty, the man tasked with helming the game’s creative direction. With a clear passion for Star Wars, we spoke about how they’d bring this particular scoundrel tale to life.

With another year of teases and reveals, and after having some time of our own on the sticks, we were fortunate to speak with Julian once again about Star Wars Outlaws as the team races at lightspeed towards its August release date.

There’s obviously a preconception as to what makes up a “Ubisoft game.” As Star Wars Outlaws doesn’t seem to adhere to that model, was that a focus to differentiate the game from the pack?

JG: Not really, you’ve got to keep in mind that this is a Massive game and it’s from the team that did The Division, The Division 2, and so it’s already very different to the usual Ubisoft formula.

I think we have to be conscious of it, but there was no point where we said: “Let’s be the anti-Ubisoft game.” It’s more that this is the game that makes sense for this scoundrel open-world adventure we’re creating.

What struck me is that parts of Outlaws feels like a space-western, especially with Kay’s Dead Eye ability—I didn’t catch what it was called. Can we expect straight up duels?

JG: I call it Dead Eye too, so you’re not alone. It’s called the Adrenaline Shot or something.

There aren’t duels, but there are scripted situations where you’ll be in stand-off situations but it’s not in the way you’re hoping, it’s not systemic to the game.

On the combat, how can we expect that to evolve throughout? I got the sense that your blaster is your only friend and that you upgrade it rather than broaden your arsenal?

JG: One hundred percent. There are different modules to the blaster that allow it to be an all-in-one. You know, it’s stun, charge, it has explosions. Changing the module will obviously change the impact type of your blaster, but you can also pick up weapons from fallen enemies, whether you send out Nix or collect them yourself.

It creates these moments of opportunity where you’ll find something and you try and use it and once it’s spent you go back to relying on your blaster again.

And clearly if she’s close enough Kay can throw hands as well. How deep is that system, is it similar and you’re able to grab stun rods and things like that?

JG: Yeah, that’s in the video that you’ll soon discover.

Do you feel that Star Wars Outlaws can be approached without a working knowledge of the franchise?

JG: One hundred percent. I think the only prerequisites are that you’re attracted to open world agency and science-fiction. Taking a space ship and going into the stars, into orbit and hyper jumping.

If that doesn’t completely turn you away, this is a great scoundrel, outlaw adventure that isn’t exclusively Star Wars but is very faithful to Star Wars at the same time.

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If someone wanted to get up to speed with where Kay is placed in it all, what would you say is the required reading?

JG: It’s not even Kay’s story, it’s more about the context. And that context is the original trilogy, it’s obviously set in between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, it’s that one year period between those movies where the Empire has just slaughtered the Rebels at Hoth. There’s this power struggle within the galaxy with the Empire gaining more power, more reach, leaving the criminal syndicates to fill the blanks and take advantage of the chaos.

So that’s the context, and it’s the perfect context for this outlaw story. It’s about someone who’s going to weave their way through the different syndicates, that’s the story we’re wanting to tell.

When it comes to progression through the world itself, do the blaster upgrades serve to open up gated areas much like a Metroidvania?

JG: Yes, they do! I don’t think we’re showing any of it here but there are upgrades for your blaster and your speeder that allow you to grow access.

Metroidvania is exactly what we were going for to encourage you to revisit planets and different locations to uncover all of their secrets.

How pivotal to the core experience is the reputation system and how radically can it change your playthrough?

JG: I think, for me, the conception behind it was that even within a linear story having this very personal relationship with each one of the factions creates something where it gives you agency of deciding who you want to side with.

Many of the quests, almost all of the quests, have a dilemma. Do I steal the information and give it to the Pikes, or to the Hutts? Doing that will increase your reputation, it will gain you access into forbidden strongholds and vendors, even more missions and contracts. That’s if you’ve got a good relationship with them, if not they’ll send people after you to keep you from these strongholds and so forth. So it changes plenty of things—your access, your equipment, your loadout, and your approach to different problems you’re going to face in the game.

Say my reputation with the Crimson Dawn is in the toilet, is there content that I’ll miss?

JG: Totally. There’ll be outfits, there’ll be charms, and there’ll be upgrades for your character that you can miss.

Is there a way to double back and revisit some of that stuff?

JG: Of course, even post-credits you’ll be able to experience the open world and you can play around with that reputation system.

Being one of two modern Star Wars video game franchises out there, did you learn anything from Respawn to inform what you’ve done with Outlaws?

JG: I think it’s just admiration for what they’ve done, right? I think they’re one of the best teams in the world and while I can’t say that we took anything from them, they deliver a different player fantasy, there’s definitely just huge admiration. I played all of those games, front to back.

There’s part of the chronically online crowd online who have had quite a reaction to Outlaws and to Kay in particular. Has there been a need for the team to throw their arms around Humberly?

JG: I don’t think so, I think everybody is going to have an opinion. That’s super fine. This game was made with a huge amount of love and passion for the original material.

There are hundreds and hundreds of people working on the experience and I think we’ve delivered a very authentic Star Wars adventure with truly relatable characters, situations, and beautiful recreations of the world.

So the biggest critics are ourselves and I kind of love what we’re doing so I’m happy with the way it’s going.

You can read our hands-on preview of Star Wars Outlaws right here.

Brodie was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this interview.

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We Spoke To Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Director About Finally Bringing The Series To Japan

Brodie Gibbons — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:05:29 +0000

It might be one of a handful confirmed Assassin’s Creed titles currently in development, alongside Hexe, Jade, and others, however none are as imminent as Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the developer’s long overdue first foray into the culture and storied history of Japan.

Following its leak and subsequent reveal last month, we were able to partake in a behind-closed-doors, hands-off presentation on the game.

It’s shaping up to be a mammoth project, sharing more similarities with Valhalla than perhaps any other game in the series, and we were lucky enough to speak with the man with his hands on the wheel, the game’s director Charles Benoit.

I get the sense that, more than any Assassin’s Creed game before that Shadows is taking some big swings. Can you go into some of the things you’re doing differently this time around?

CB: First of all, we’ve got the dual characters, that’s our big thing where we’re able to split the gameplay into two parts. There’s also the dynamic world, also the seasons, so it has a new impact on gameplay but also how you see and unlock missions.

There are also a few new things that play into the stealth, which you would have seen in the demo. There’s the grappling hook, as well as an entire dynamic perception that’s affected by light and shadows. Those are just a few of the things we’ve changed.

I feel through Yasuke I’m validated as a brute force sort of player. I’m no good at keeping to the long grass and hiding. Did the decision to include dual characters stem from story requirement, gameplay requirement, or both?

CB: It’s really both, when we looked at the two fantasies—the samurai and shinobi—both were equally cool for us so we wanted to have both. They come from different places, from different social hierarchies so story wise it makes total sense to have both.

But for gameplay it’s also something I wanted for players to kind of challenge them. Because if you can fight as well as you can use stealth there’s real no consequence to trying and getting caught and so we’re able to push both respective options.

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And what made Yasuke the most compelling lead for a game set in Feudal Japan?

CB: There’s a couple of things. Looking at him, he’s clearly a presence. If you compare him to any other samurai, he stands out and so including him to, again, split up that gameplay experience is one of the reasons.

In terms of story, when we were reading about this character, Oda Nobunaga, there’s a relationship there between the two so it gives one perspective on the events of the game to have one on the side of Oda in Yasuke, and the other in Naoe on the opposite side being crushed by Oda’s tactics.

It allowed us a great perspective on this historical character.

A lot of effort always goes into realising the cultures in Assassin’s Creed games, what lengths did you go to in realising Japan?

CB: From day one we have a historian with us to read up and help pinpoint what’s interesting. She had plenty of expert contacts around the world—and in Japan, obviously—and we’d lean on that to validate and confirm any questions we had about the period.

The last few games paid special focus to their mythologies—Egyptian, Norse, and so on. Can we expect Shadows to take a similar approach?

CB: For now we’re leaving it aside because we feel like the samurai and the shinobi are kind of mythological in some way, the imagery of both are really strong so we didn’t feel like anything else was needed.

I also feel like people are already familiar with the myths of Greece, more so than they’d know of Japan. But you never know, maybe in the future.

One of the complaints people levelled at Assassin’s Creed Valhalla pertained to the game’s content bloat. Was there an effort to trim up the experience and add value to every minute spent there?

CB: So the way we structure the story we give the player a lot of autonomy on what they want to tackle, and in what order. You’ve got the targets you’ll need to pursue on the main path—I obviously don’t want to spoil the story—but it’s up to you to just complete what you want, whether that’s everything or focusing on the storytelling is up to you.

And with so many irons in the fire right now for Assassin’s Creed is right now an exciting time to be a part of the franchise?

CB: Yeah, it’s really exciting to be a part of, especially for Japan.

It’s been a long time coming…

CB: Yeah, and I remember when I first started in the video game industry I saw the first Assassin’s Creed, and I thought: “I want to make this game.” Of course, I was imagining it in Japan all the way back then. So I’m super happy to be working on this project.

Onto the seasons and how they impact the gameplay, to be clear I’m imagining Banjo-Kazooie’s Click Clock Woods here. Can we expect variation in the map to the extent that something might be available in Summer that isn’t quite gettable in Winter?

CB: Using the demo that you saw, I’ll give you an example of some things you might expect. You would have seen there’s a pond you can use to infiltrate. In winter, it’s completely frozen over so you can’t use this and if you run on it you can even slip.

It does change the layout a bit season to season and switches up where you can hide, enemies have different patrols—they also have different behaviours in the winter when it is cold. But yeah, there’s little things where you’re able to use different things in your surroundings.

So is it possible for players to play that mission we saw at different times of the year in different seasons? How fast do the seasons elapse?

CB: Well we’re still tweaking it, but as you play in the background we have a timer similar to the day-night cycle which we divided in these chunks and so it creates the opportunity and possibility for outcomes like you’ve described, depending on the order in which you tackle things.

You can read our in-depth preview of Assassin’s Creed Shadows right here.

Brodie was a guest of Ubisoft with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of this interview.

The post We Spoke To Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Director About Finally Bringing The Series To Japan appeared first on Press Start.

With Skyline Valley, Fallout 76 Is Proving There’s Still Plenty Of Room To Grow

Matthew Zimmari — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 08:00:16 +0000

We currently sit at the second-longest waiting period for the announcement or release of a new Fallout game. The first, occurring in the time when Bethesda purchased the Fallout franchise from Interplay, meant there were ten years between releases – and delivering some significant controversy with a pivot into the action-RPG genre. With Fallout 3 launching in 2008, Fallout: New Vegas in 2010, and then the much-awaited Fallout 4 in 2015, fans were spoiled for choice when it came to exploring the Wasteland and its charismatic inhabitants.

But gaming was evolving, just like the irradiated animals of Fallout’s scarred landscapes. While games were seen as complete packages with the possibility of add-on DLC adventures, the next title would be something that took the series in a new direction, allowing the ability to play with friends or strangers and to deliver narrative and event-based content over time; and we were greeted with Fallout 76. Being Bethesda Game Studios’ first online multiplayer title, there were always bound to be teething issues – and hot off the back of Fallout 4, there was also bound to be pushback and heavy criticism.

Six years ago when Fallout 76 launched, even I was quite harsh on the game at launch but could see glimmers of hope, quoting “Underneath the extremely rough and laggy exterior, Fallout 76 has the makings of a great and entertaining game.” People demanded refunds in droves, with Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission even releasing a statement advising that customers were eligible for refunds due to the game’s numerous bugs and issues.

But even with this negative press and a swathe of issues, the game pushed through, building a community of players who eventually would bring order to the Wasteland and help shape the vision that Bethesda had sought to create. We sit here six years later off the back of some significant triumphs – the first being the Fallout television show on Amazon Prime bringing in over one million players in a single day, and the other being the largest map expansion the game has seen in its run with the launch of Skyline Valley.

“As we release updates, our excellent community is so great at giving us feedback – so we take that and see how it weighs in against the future of developments that we want to do. It’s been a learning experience for us along the way; learning what our players like and what they expect, and so using that to shape our roadmap and seeing the commitment that our community has towards the game, I knew the game was going to continue to be successful down the road.” – Jonathon Rush, Creative Director

To say that we should return to West Virginia off the back of the television show’s success would be to minimise the successes of the game itself, however. Since launch, Fallout 76 has received fifty-two patches and content releases over its lifetime, with Skyline Valley being its 19th major update as well as the first time the game has pushed beyond its current map boundaries. Set before any of the existing Fallout games, it not only serves as a prequel to the games set to come, but allows the developers to explore more historic content from those releases too – the origins of the Brotherhood of Steel and the Forced Evolutionary Virus, as well as cameos from locations in other games such as The Pitt from Fallout 3.

“I think what I’ve come to realise with the game, and what we’ve come to realise as a group is when our players get new locations and places to explore, they really want it to be a part of their Appalachia. The “Expeditions” content was fun and good – The Pitt, Atlantic City, people go in there and they want to have fun, but they want to be able to build and influence the space, so giving them the opportunity with Skyline Valley is the right way to go.”

Built on a map nearly four times bigger than Fallout 4, there was always a chance to push the boundaries of what was out there. It was every kid’s dream playing a sandbox game to go beyond the imaginary boundaries, and now we get an opportunity to do just that. The game uses existing assets that had kept players wondering for the longest time, giving everyone the opportunity to find out more about Vault 63 and the strange inhabitants that reside within. It’s a testament to the evolving nature of the game as well. Alongside Vaults 94 and 96, Vault 63 was set to be opened with the Vault Raids feature that has long since been discontinued in-game.

Through this we encounter the enigmatic Hugo Stolz, and we learn about the Lost, electrified Ghouls with otherworldly voices, glowing eyes and a penchant for violent psychosis. It was bad enough encountering Feral Ghouls before, but this just raises things to a new terrifying level, in true Fallout fashion. But we also get two new public events with this release, one of which brings upon us the Storm Goliaths, giant robots with immense physical power and a knack for spouting historical literature quotes. Fighting these is no easy task, and so you’d do well convincing your friends to return to the wasteland with you. The more the merrier as you take down these giant machines.

Where the dedication from the creative team really shines is the inclusion of more notable locations in West Virginia – venturing into the Shenandoah National Park, and seeing the now-arid vistas of Skyline Drive. This version of Appalachia, full of history and myths, is a character in and of itself, playing host not only to the Wastelanders and Vault Dwellers within, but various urban legends and folklore tales that have come to life.

“The cryptids are definitely one of those – when we first started development, I didn’t know what a cryptid was in terms of the name. I knew what Bigfoot was and the like, but I didn’t know they were referred to as cryptids. So looking into West Virginia cryptid lore, there’s a whole bunch of them, like some really weird ones, so we’ve got a lot to play with.”

With the knowledge that this game still has so much to offer to both new players and existing fans alike, it’s almost hard not to get excited about what the future of Fallout 76 will hold. I still remember jumping in for the first time, fresh off the back of spending so long in Fallout 4 only to be extremely disappointed, like so many other players. But now with renewed interest, I stand at the precipice of my Vault, ready to step back out into the Wasteland and shape my journey in the hope that I can capture that glimmer of a spark that I saw when the game launched. I see the excitement from the creative team, and the effort that has gone into this game over its lifespan, and it’s clear that this game is only just hitting its stride. Now, more than ever, is a great time to be a Fallout fan.

The author was a guest of Bethesda with travel and accommodation covered for the purpose of these interviews and editorials.

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For Avowed Developer, Obsidian, Game Pass Is A “Wonderful Opportunity” To Get Broader Player Feedback

Brodie Gibbons — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:01:27 +0000

Following the Xbox Games Showcase, which featured a brand new story trailer for Avowed, we were fortunate enough to sit down for a quick chat with those who are bringing this Pillars of Eternity spin-off of sorts to life.

We spoke with the game’s director Carrie Patel as well as Matt Hansen, the art director and the man responsible for that key art.

It’s worth noting this was a Q&A setting alongside other outlets therefore opportunity for questions was limited. However, we got to ask about departing from the regular Pillars formula, how player agency looks in Avowed, and whether developing for an audience like the one Game Pass has changes things for Obsidian.

Avowed is looking better and better every time we see it, is the game content complete at this stage?

CP: We are already content complete, we’re just polishing and bug fixing.

Is there a trepidation that moving away from the Pillars of Eternity formula in favour of an action RPG might alienate some of those original fans?

CP: Personally I don’t think so. Everybody has different tastes, right?

We were very heartened by how everybody took to The Outer Worlds, I think folks that enjoyed that style of gameplay and combat are going to enjoy Avowed just as much.

The art direction, for me, has been personally so eye-grabbing and the response to that key art has been enormous. Is that gratifying for you as a creative?

MH: Tremendously so, it felt so good. I mean we took a lot of creative risk with the key art and I was so grateful Microsoft supported that for us. Because at any point they could have been like: “Keep it tame,” right?

One of the things we want to do with this game is embrace the weird of the world and that was a good opportunity to do that. Obviously with the art throughout as well, there’s a lot of commentary on how colourful the game is. That’s been a really cool opportunity to explore a fantasy setting in a non-traditional visual approach.

And you’ve seen this throughout the franchise, Pillars was a very hero-centric, typical Western fantasy. It was very Dramanic, while in Deadfire we moved into more Polynesian flavours. In Avowed we’re continuing that trend by pulling in so many inspirations from world cultures throughout history and it’s a really satisfying process and it’s very satisfying to see people responding to it the way that they have.

What are some examples of player agency or choice that are present throughout Avowed?

MH: That’s a tricky one without getting into spoiler territory, suffice it to say that lots of narrative beats give you a choice where it’ll either have an immediate payoff or a ‘down the line’ pay off.

But also, having subtle instances of that as well. Making decisions you don’t really recognise as critical decisions in the moment that have rippling consequences that kind of surprise you.

CP: One of my favourite moments, and it’s in the early game but I’ll still be kind of vague, is where you’re asked to help out this Aedyran guard—you’re from Aedyr—with something she’s investigating.

So if you say: “I’ll look and I’ll help you,” you can find the thing she’s looking for and then you can choose whether or not to tell her about it knowing that there are going to be consequences for the other person involved in this interaction.

And based on what you do or don’t do there, several hours later, you may come across the results of that choice in a pretty meaningful way, in a crit-path moment for that region. There are little moments that can pay off in big ways, there are big moments that pay off in really big ways, and there are moments where it’s the accumulation of choices you’ve made over the course of the game that can lead another character to trust you, compromise with you, or refuse you outright.

Has developing an RPG like this for Game Pass, knowing it’ll be exposed to potentially millions of players it might not have before, changed your approach to development?

CP: I mean I think every game is its own thing and you have to approach it as its own vision, its own set of goals, its own little creature that you’re nurturing. So for us, I think it’s always just been about making Avowed the best version of Avowed we can, and I think that’s true of all of our games, whether that’s Pentiment, whether that’s Grounded, The Outer Worlds, or Avowed.

We just approach everything trying to understand and grasp what’s the vision and what’s the experience we’re trying to give to the player.

MH: Yeah, I think the real impact of that wider audience comes after the fact. We see the reaction from a much wider swathe of perspectives and people than we normally would and we can respond to for the future and grow that much faster as a result.

And that’s super exciting, going from a tiny library to a giant, metropolitan library, going from a small number of influences to a large number of influences. And you might not go into that library going: “I’m going to check out every book there is!” But coming back to that library a second time—I’m sorry, I’m drawing this analogy and now I’m too far, but coming back to our next game and seeing the experience of so many people who are not “traditional RPG fans” that can become RPG fans if we listen to them and are consciously aware of what they want in games.

We can pick and choose what of those things we want to experiment with, but it’s a really wonderful opportunity and I think it’s unlike anything this industry has had the chance to work within before—that broad of an audience. So it’s been very satisfying. Scary, but satisfying.

What makes Avowed the most mechanically unique game from Obsidian’s roster of RPG titles?

MH: We’ve learned a lot from past ones, that’s the easy answer. But I wouldn’t say it’s the most mechanically complicated, right? If you’re playing Pillars on Path of the Damned difficulty, you need spreadsheets, you need to be min-maxing every decision.

And we didn’t really want to do that with Avowed because we didn’t want to take players out of the action. So unlike Pillars where you can pause the game and think, there’s not that level of complexity but the complexity that does exist exists in a more kinetic way.

I think Carrie alluded to this earlier, that sensation of taking a couple of shots with the pistol, then I’m going to blast into the combat with charge and pull out my broadsword. Those sorts of moment-to-moment decisions become things the player can experiment with, internalise and make a part of their core playstyle and switch up.

There’s a tremendous opportunity for weaving different things together and I think that’s a continuation of how the Pillars franchise has worked. But it’s more of a visceral, moment-to-moment experience rather than a high-tactics approach.

On discussing the scale of Avowed:

CP: It’s going to be comparable to The Outer Worlds. And as with all of our games, it’s going to depend on how much you invest in side quests, how widely you explore, what difficulty you choose.

But roughly comparable to The Outer Worlds is a good way to look at it.

At least that speaks to replayability?

MH: Oh, yes. We’ve drastically expanded the game since we did this but we once had an extended playthrough with the whole team. And without giving specific numbers, I played the game for five times as long as some other people.

I’m like that, I want to go do everything. There’s a wide breadth of time you can spend with it based on how you want to play the game which is one of the things I like about it. Because I’m playing it for work I’m willing to spend all of that time, but I also have a lot in my life that I want to do and this is a game that can also respect that.

Avowed is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2024, and will be available with Xbox Game Pass on day one.

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All Of The Xbox Games Showcase 2024 Announcements

James Berich — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 18:21:37 +0000

Another night, another showcase. Following some pretty packed but relatively quiet presentations from both Sony and Geoff Keighley earlier this week, it was up to Xbox to start this week off right.

Did they deliver? I’m not sure yet, I’m writing this before everything begins, but let’s see where we end up by the end of this.

Hopefully Perfect Dark shows up. Wouldn’t that be nice? Or even Banjo. Please. It’s 1AM. Give a man some joy in his life.

Anyway, here’s all the announcements from Xbox’s showcase.

ALL OF THE XBOX GAMES SHOWCASE 2024 ANNOUNCEMENTS

We FINALLY Saw Some Decent Footage Of The Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake

While it’s still lacking that hazy look of the original, this is looking much MUCH better than previously. This is one of the best games ever, so you all owe yourselves to play it. Especially you, Ewan. Unfortunately, no release date was announced. So it’s probably 2025.

The First Footage Of Perfect Dark Was Shown And It’s Looking Better Than I Expected

The game is looking mighty fine and sees Joanna trying to rescue Carrington in a village. There’s lots of tech and all the great things you’d expect to see in a great spy-fi setting. It hasn’t been dated yet, but let’s hope it’s coming in 2025. (It’s probably not).

We Got A Proper And Longer Look At The New Fable And It’s Looking Authentic

The game looks to be capturing the essence of the original games, which is a bit of a relief. It’s releasing in 2025 and will be available on Game Pass at launch.

A Brand New DOOM Game Was Announced And It’s Going Medieval

I’m genuinely not sure how they’re going to top the sheer amount of variety in the encounters of Doom Eternal, but it’s looking like a might fine romp through the medieval ages. Doomguy even gets a snazzy new shield and a mace. What more could you want? It’s called DOOM: The Dark Ages and it’s releasing in 2025. Platforms weren’t confirmed, but it is coming to Game Pass on release.

The Show Opened With A Trailer And Release Date For The New Call Of Duty Campaign

The trailer featured Bill Clinton and The Prodigy—not two things I thought I’d ever see together. I’m not sure why they opened with this when they had a separate presentation for it soon after, but oh well. It’s looking very dynamic, as always. It’s due out on October 25th and, as previously revealed, will be available on Game Pass on the first day.

We Finally Got A Proper Look At State Of Decay 3 And It’s Very Different To The Other Games

The game looks to have received an upgrade in both scope and scale when compared o the first two State of Decay games and will continue to focus on the human experience and survivorship of those left behind during an apocalypse. Hopefully it moves the series forward. It also wasn’t dated, but it’s coming to Game Pass on release.

EA Teased Our First Look At The Companions You’ll Get To Travel With In The New Dragon Age

It’s looking much better than I expected, if a bit more stylised than the previous Dragon Age games. The game was recently renamed from Dreadwolf to Veilguard and we are still due for a gameplay reveal later this week. It’s out in the third quarter of 2024.

The First Starfield Expansion Already Looks Infinitely More Interesting Than The Game Itself

That art direction is something else and actually feels like an alien world. If you’d forgotten, it’s called Shattered Space, and it’s coming later this year. There’s also new content hitting the game tonight, if that’s your thing.

Yet Another Fallout 76 Update Is Coming If You’re Still Playing It

The new map is a brand new region of Appalachia. You’ll be able to play as a Ghoul soon too. As I’ve always wanted to. It’s out on June 12th.

A Really Unique Looking Fantasy RPG Was Shown From A Brand New Team

The game features a unique battle system that looks to blur the line between real-time and turn-based. And it’s gorey. Love that! It’s called Expedition 33 and it’s out in 2025. It’s also coming to Game Pass on release.

Compulsion Games Rocked Up To Show Us The First Gameplay Of South Of Midnight

The game uses a hyper-stylised, stop-motion look and sees our protagonist Hazel talking to a giant talking catfish in a bayou in a Southern Gothic world. It’s got an immense amount of style, but hopefully, it plays a bit better than Compulsion’s previous game >_>. It’s out in 2025. As expected, it’s on Game Pass too.

Blizzard Showed Us A Flashy CG Trailer For The Next World Of Warcraft Expansion

Elves and shit are cool I think. 26th August 2024. PC only, still.

The Next Content Drop For Sea Of Thieves Was Detailed And Now You Can Be A Meanie To Other Pirates

It’s a good day if you like skeletons with glowing eyes. The new update allows you to officially become a villain and not just do it on the sly anymore. It’s hitting on July 25th.

We Got A Better Look At Flintlock And A Release Date Announcement

The game was previously shown at the 2022 Xbox Showcase and is described as a “souls-lite”, which means….well…I don’t know. It’s out on the 18th of July and while it’s coming to all platforms, it’s launching on Game Pass.

Age Of Mythologies Is Getting A Redux And It’s Looking Fine

It’s a remake of Age Of Mythologies. It’s coming to Game Pass for PC on September 4th.

An Intro Cinematic From The Diablo IV Expansion Was Shown Off

I’m happy for you if you’re a Diablo fan. It’s out on October 8th.

Yet Another 5v5 Shooter Is On The Way If That’s Your Thing

This one is called Fragpunk. Maybe soon there will be enough 5v5 shooters that we can eventually make a game where each of the games can fight against each other in a 5v5 match. It’s out in 2025.

A Cosy Game With A Rat Is Also Coming If That Is Also Your Thing

The music and the art style is super cute. It’s not for me, as you’ve probably guessed, but I like the vibe. Squeak squeak. It’s called Winter Burrow and it’s out in early 2025. And on Game Pass.

A Hipster Bait Game Called Mixtape Was Shown

It’s honestly got the perfect sense of ~~vibes~~ and I think it’ll be fun honestly. It’s out in 2025 and is coming to Game Pass.

A New Flight Simulator Expansion Is Coming If You Want To Escape From The Horrors Of The Real World Again

You can see the aurora borealis. And other stuff too. It’s called the 2024 update, imaginatively. And it’s out on November 19th.

A New Flight Simulator Expansion Is Coming If You Want To Escape From The Horrors Of The Real World Again

You can see the aurora borealis. And other stuff too. It’s called the 2024 update, imaginatively. And it’s out on November 19th.

Elder Scrolls Online Has Been Around For A While Now So You Can Celebrate That If You Want

A majority of the DLC will be free for a bit too. Wow. 10 years. That’s a long time. And lots of expansions. Well done.

Max Caulfield Is Making A Return In An Unexpected Way In A New Life Is Strange Game

It’s a continuation of Max’s story from the original Life Is Strange. She’s solving murders now? Very dynamic and unexpected. It’s out on October 29th 2024 but it will be episodic.

We Got An Even Longer Look At The New Indiana Jones Game With The Simple Name

The game features Troy Baker imitating Harrison Ford as they go on a jetsetting adventure around the world. We also got to see some snowy gameplay, which is cool. Literally. lol. It’s out this year. And on Game Pass.

Some Intense As All Hell Mech Battle Game Got A Look In

You can play as mechs you can customise which also turn into like harrier jets and stuff. This is the type of things you’d say “hell yeah” at, or however that meme goes. It’s not for me but it does look pretty fricking intense so maybe I’ll give it a shot. See how I’ve come around to it already? It’s called Mecha Break and it’s out in 2025, but there is a beta running in August 2024.

Yet Another Action RPG With A Girl Fighting Grotesque Demonic Enemies Was Shown

I’m not sure about this one, but the enemy designs seem cool. It’s called Wuchang Fallen Feathers and it’s out in 2025. It’s also on Game Pass.

Avowed Got A Gameplay Trailer But Still No Release Date Which Personally Perturbs Me

It’s looking better and better with every showing, but I can’t help but feel we should have a date by now. It’s still on track for 2024 and it’s out on Game Pass too.

Rebellion Is Turning The Horrors Of Being British Into A Videogame, Kind Of

It’s a survival game set in a post-apocalyptic Britain from the team who brought us Strange Brigade and all those Zombie Army Trilogy games. It’s called Atomfall. It’s out in 2025.

Ubisoft Teased Us With A Little Bit Of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gameplay

It’s looking great and is certainly carving out it’s own niche amongst all of these Asia-inspired action RPGs. Those black and white takedowns look amazing too. It’s still due in November later this year. You’ll probably be able to see more of it at the Ubisoft Forward tomorrow.

A Nice Chunk Of STALKER 2 Gameplay Was Shown Off And A Release Date Was Finally Revealed

This is really one of those games you need to live in and lose yourself in, but it’s looking mighty fine at this point. It’s out on September 5th and it’s also on Game Pass.

A Whole Bunch Of New Xbox Series X and S Consoles Were Revealed

The console manufacturer revealed a digital 1TB Xbox Series X, a special edition 2TB Galaxy Patterned Series X and a 1TB white Series S.

The Show Was Closed With A Sneak Peek At A Brand New Gears Of War (But It’s A Prequel)

Gears 5 was genuinely good, even if I’ve checked out of the story at this point. But the new game looks to be taking things to a more urban setting. It’s called Gears of War E-Day, but it wasn’t dated just yet.

The post All Of The Xbox Games Showcase 2024 Announcements appeared first on Press Start.

All The Big Summer Game Fest Announcements For 2024

James Berich — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 23:07:29 +0000

There was a HEAP shown this morning at the Summer Game Fest, including some surprises that I was not expecting to see come.

So without further adieu, let’s jump straight into everything announced.

ALL OF THE SUMMER GAME FEST 2024 ANNOUNCEMENTS

LEGO Horizon Zero Dawn Was Announced And It’s Coming To Nintendo Switch

It looks to mix the dense world of Horizon Zero Dawn with the trademark playful LEGO humour that we’ve come to expect. It’s out towards the end of this year for both PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.

Hasbro Is Bringing Power Rangers Back Again But In A Good Way This Time

The game is a retro revival beat-em-up based on the original series but in a similar style to TMNT: Shredders Revenge. It’s called Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind.

A New Harry Potter Game Was Announced And It’s A Quidditch Game

The game features a distinctive artistic style from Hogwarts Legacy and is out on September 3rd for all major platforms. It’s even available on PlayStation Plus at launch.

The Chivalry 2 Developer Showed Off Their New Game

It’s called No More Room In Hell 2. It’ll feature permadeath, eight player co-op and a massive replayable map. It’s expected to be out in October 2024.

Cuffbust Is An Impressive Jail Break Game From One Developer

I don’t know what this is. Weird muppet people working together to break out of jail while making strange noises? It’s a great concept and looks especially fun. It’s out in 2025 but as the developer says, idk tbh.

Ubisoft Rocked Up To Give Us A Tidbit Of Star Wars Outlaws Ahead Of The Ubisoft Forward

The tease showed us some of the worlds that Kay Vess will visit as well as Lando. It’s still on track for August 30th.

Neva Is A Beautiful Looking Side-Scroller Filled With Action Too

It looks like GRIS but with lots of combat (edit: that’s because its’s from the Gris team). It’s called Neva and it’s out in 2025 for all major platforms.

A Brand New Civilization Was Announced, Sorry Brodie, No BioShock For You

The trailer didn’t show much just yet. There’s a gameplay showcase coming in August, and the game is due for release in 2025 for both PC and consoles. And yes, it’s called Civilization VII. Dynamic.

Yet Another Trailer For Black Myth: Wukong Was Shown

I feel like I’ve been talking about this game for twelve yers but it’s nice to see it’s finally coming. It’s out on August 20th for PlayStation 5 and PC. There’s even a monkey man collector’s edition too.

The Developers Of Persona Jumped On Stage To Show Off More Of Their Newest RPG

The game has a job system similar to Final Fantasy, where the characters will transform into over 40 types of jobs (called Archetypes) to do battle. It’s looking mighty fine and is still on track for an October release.

We Got Our First (Albeit Short) Look At Batman: Arkham Shadow

The story trailer showed off the same in a lot more detail. It’s looking pretty good, I dare say better than recent Batman projects. It’s releasing exclusively for Meta Quest 3 towards the end of 2024.

Capcom Showed Off The Next Year Of Street Fighter 6

Terry and Mai from King of Fighters will join Elena and M. Bison for the second year of Street Fighter content. You’d probably be surprised to hear I don’t care about any of these characters, but it’s a great and unexpected slate for the second year of Street Fighter.

A New Co-Op Game Was Shown With A Quirky Artstyle

It’s a co-op roguelike game with a hack and slash style coming to PC. It kind of looks like a Roblox game.

More Gameplay Of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Was Shown

While it’s got a weird name, this is essentially the next game in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. It’s out on October 11th.

Delta Force: Hawk Ops Is Coming Back

It’s a free to play online shooter, but the campaign will retread the events of the Ridley Scott film Black Hawk Down. I’m sure this is for someone. But not me.

We Got A Good Look At Some New Characters Coming In Fatal Fury

B. Jenet is back. Wow. This is the best the series has ever looked. It’s out in early 2025.

Blumhouse Games Came Out Swinging To Announce Their First Slate Of Games

The new publisher showed off six new games, each with a huge amount of variety. The only game they didn’t show was Project C, which is coming from both Sam Barlow and Brandon Cronenberg. I’m excited, and I’m in. The first one is coming in 2024 and it’s called Fear The Spotlight.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Was Given Another Look

It’s looking good but I notoriously did not enjoy the first game. It’ll be exciting to see what Henry does next, though and it does look better than the first game in terms of polish. It’s due later this year.

The First Slitterhead Gameplay Has You Using Your Blood As Weapons

It’s a horror-action game where you switch bodies to do battle with grotesque creatures on the streets of Japan. It’s looking a little janky but I have faith in the mind that brought us Silent Hill, Sirena and Gravity Rush. It’s due out in November.

A Bean Based Action Game Was Shown And You Didn’t Misread That

The gameplay is a mix of third-person and first-person action and looks to really riff off of all the best action games. It’s called Killer Bean and it hits early access later this year.

Climbers Rejoice – There’s A New Game Coming With Great Art Direction Too

It’s called Cairn and the trailer has a frustrated screaming woman and a killer art direction. With Jusant last year and now this, climbers are eating well.

The New Annapurna Game Is Not What You’d Expect From The Stanley Parable Creator

It’s called Wanderstop and it is pretty intriguing. It’s out for PS5 and PC later.

We Got Another Look At Unkown 9: Awakening

The game has you playing as Haroona, a girl from Calcutta who must understand her abilities to manipulate the unseen and enter a hidden dimension called The Fold. It’s looking like a solid and intriguing action adventure.

Yet Another Soulslike Got A Showy CG Trailer

It’s called Enotria: The Last Song. I can appreciate the art and the world but I kind of wish we’d just had gameplay. There’s a demo out now though, which is cool. It’s out on September 19th.

The First Descendent Has A Console Release Date

The game is described by its developers as “the ultimate next-gen looter shooter. Mmm. It’s out on July 2nd.

The Among Us Devs Have Their Own Publishing Label Now And Showed Off Their First Slate Too

While they’re called Innersloth, the label is called Outersloth. The publisher was created to give smaller devs great deals to get their games out there.

…And We Got A Look At The New Among Us TV Show Starring Elijah Wood

It’s an animated series that somehow manages to encapsulate the vibe of the game.

Sonic X Shadow Generations Finally Got A Release Date

The game was already a pretty solid celebration of the 2D and 3D eras of Sonic, but the new Shadow campaign feels like icing on the cake. It’s out on October 25th.

The New Dune Game Explores A Timeline That Never Happened

The open world MMO survival game essentially explores what would’ve happened if Lady Jessica gave birth to a girl, as she was meant to, and never had Paul.

Battle Aces Is the RTS “For Everyone”

The game is described by its creators as a fast-paced free-to-play RTS that’s much more playable than the typical RTS, making it approachable for newcomers.

Season 3 Of The Finals Takes Thing In A Different Direction

The new season, which launches on June 13th, takes players to Kyoto in the 1500s, with new weapons and gadgets.

Physical Editions Of Alan Wake 2 Are Coming Later This Year

Preorders open tomorrow but we’ve yet to see what’s in the editions. Both a physical deluxe and collector’s edition will be coming.

We Got Our First Look At The Night Springs DLC For Alan Wake 2

The three episodes will each feature three different playable characters in what-if scenarios. Even better, it’ll be out in the next 24 hours.

New World Is Finally Making The Jump To Consoles

New World: Aeternum is essentially a relaunch of the game, and is hitting consoles in October now after originally launching for PC in 2021.

More Footage From Dark And Darker Was Shown

It’s an incredibly unforgiving “hardcore fantasy FPS dungeon PvPvE adventure”. You and your friends can essentially delve into dungeons together to find treasure and defeat creatures all while staying ahead of other treasure hunters. It’s free to play and now live for PC.

Capcom Finally Dated Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

The game is an out-of-left-field strategy action game that looks like Pikmin, kind of, but set in feudal Japan. It’s out on July 19th.

We Got An Update On The skate. Reboot

The trailer had Tim Robinon and was bizarre but console playtesting will begin later this year. It’s finally coming, skate fans. I feel for you even if I don’t care myself. How exciting.

We Got A Look At The New Island Coming To Palworld

I’m sure Ewan will be thrilled. The Japan-inspired island will bring with it new Pals, new weapons, new buildings and even dedicated servers for Xbox players.

Valorant Is Finally Making The Jump To Console

Now people can be toxic to each other from their couches rather than their desks. A free limited beta starts on June 14th. You can sign up right now here.

More Epic Gameplay For Monster Hunter Wilds Was Shown

The game is looking suitably epic and unlike anything that the series has done before. I think I’m keen. It’s still on track for a 2025 release.

The Show Closed Out With Phantom Blade Zer0

It’s a semi-open world souls-like that blends the world of steampunk with Chinese martial arts. It doesn’t have a release date yet, but will be playable at many events throughout the rest of the year.

The post All The Big Summer Game Fest Announcements For 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

Every Gaming Showcase Announced For June 2024 With Aussie Dates And Times

Kieron Verbrugge — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 19:00:06 +0000

E3 may be dead and buried, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other huge gaming events and showcases to get excited about this month.

Yes, it’s June already (what?!), and pretty much every big showcase has now been penciled into the schedule, so as usual we’ve put together a handy guide to all of the presentations, streams, events and celebrations happening over the month, including all of the times converted to local time zones and the best places to catch them live.

Take a look at everything you can look forward to below:

June Gaming Showcase 2024 Schedule

PlayStation State of Play – May 31st

8.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
7.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
6.00 AM AWST (Perth)
10.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

The show is happening Friday May 31st for us Aussies (and at a somewhat reasonable time!), and will run for 30 minutes covering 14 PS5 and PS VR2 titles, some of which include PlayStation Studios titles due to launch later this year.

Silent Hill Transmission- May 31st

9.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
8.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
7.00 AM AWST (Perth)
11.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

Konami has announced that a Silent Hill Transmission is taking place and it will bring us game updates, a deeper look at the film as well as new merch.

Summer Game Fest 2024 – June 8th

7.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
6.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
5.00 AM AWST (Perth)
9.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

Geoff Keighley, hero to trailer and sponsored segment enthusiasts everywhere, has revealed the dates for Summer Game Fest 2024, after the event was already confirmed to be going ahead right after it wrapped last year. It’ll once again be held in-person at the YouTube Theatre in Los Angeles as well as streamed live across multiple platforms when it kicks off on Saturday, June 8th, 2024 at 7AM AEST.

Public tickets to attend Summer Game Fest 2024 will be going on sale on May 7th.

???

It's officially official: On Friday, June 7 @SummerGameFest streams live from @youtubetheater in LA at 2p PT / 5p ET / 9p GMT.

A two hour showcase of what's next in gaming.

Sign up now at https://t.co/gO9QVWF4nN for event alerts. pic.twitter.com/5UAiehTPNY

— Summer Game Fest (@summergamefest) March 13, 2024

Day of the Devs – June 8th

Day of the Devs will directly follow the Summer Game Fest showcase and feature the hottest upcoming indies with new announcements, updates and more all thanks to Double Fine and iam8bit.

Devolver Direct 2024 – June 8TH

10.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
9.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
8.00 AM AWST (Perth)
12.00 PM NZST (Wellington)

Devolver will debut a 20-minute presentation on June 8th at 10AM AEST, which it’s claiming will be a celebration of ~~completely made-up~~ iconic mascot, Volvy’s 15th birthday. What that actually means, of course, is we’ll be treated to 20-ish minutes of updates on previously announced games, including some long-awaited release dates, as well as some exciting brand-new reveals.

Metaphor: ReFantazio – “ATLUS Exclusive 2” Showcase – June 8th

11.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
10.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
9.00 AM AWST (Perth)
1.00 PM NZST (Wellington)

Following Summer Game Fest this Friday, watch the “ATLUS Exclusive 2” Showcase at 6pm PT/9pm ET as director Katsura Hashino gives a closer look at the upcoming title.

Future of Play Direct – June 9th

1.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
12.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
11.00 PM June 8th AWST (Perth)
3.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

Future Games Show – June 9th

5.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
4.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
3.00 AM AWST (Perth)
7.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

Check out our teaser trailer for the #FutureGamesShow Summer Showcase on Saturday, June 8

? Over 40 games
????? Partners include @SuperMGames & @Behaviour, @NetEaseGames_EN and @WeAreSecretMode
?? June 8, 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 8pm BST

Set a reminder for when we go live:… pic.twitter.com/gB0CfzSe89

— FutureGamesShow (@FutureGamesShow) May 20, 2024

The Future Games Show for 2024 promises updates and deep dives into new and anticipated titles, exciting special guests, demo drops and more.

Wholesome Direct – June 9th

You’ll be able to catch the Wholesome Direct on June 9th on the official YouTube and Twitch channels as part of Summer Game Fest, at the below local times:

2.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
1.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
12.00 AM AWST (Perth)
4.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

? Wholesome Direct will premiere Sat, June 8
? 9am PT / 12pm ET / 6pm CET
? A vibrant lineup of artistic, uplifting, and emotionally resonant games from developers of all sizes from around the world! pic.twitter.com/E0MFnlnqyo

— Wholesome Games (@_wholesomegames) May 7, 2024

Latin American Games Showcase – June 9th

The Latin American Games Showcase is a platform that strives to increase the visibility of the video games being developed in the LATAM Region and Latin Americans in the World. You’ll be able to watch it on YouTube here.

3.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
2.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
1.00 AM AWST (Perth)
5.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

Women-Led Games Showcase – June 9th

Women-led Games brings recognition to the hard working women in the games industry with a showcase every year showing off all the innovative games coming from Women-led and majority women studios. You’ll be able to catch the Women-Led Games Showcase on June 9th on the official YouTube channel as part of Summer Game Fest, at the below local times:

4.30 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
4.00 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
2.30 AM AWST (Perth)
6.30 AM NZST (Wellington)

Women-Led Games #SummerGameFest Edition will be airing June 8th at 11:30PT!

We're also organizing a steam sale alongside the showcase!
If you would like to submit your game to participate in the sale, please fill out the form here linked below ? pic.twitter.com/bGU1gWb1jA

— Women-Led Games Summer Game Fest June 8th (@womenledgames) May 13, 2024

Xbox Games Showcase – June 10th

3.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
2.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
1.00 AM AWST (Perth)
5.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

The Xbox Games Showcase will feature games from across Xbox’s swelling portfolio of studios including Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda and of course its Xbox Game Studios, along with titles from third-party partners. The follow-up presentation will be a Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Direct dedicated entirely to this year’s entry in the mammoth franchise.

You’ll be able to catch the show at all of the below channels:

PC Gaming Show – June 10th

6.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
5.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
4.00 AM AWST (Perth)
8.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

It's back! The PC Gaming Show returns on Sunday June 9

? 1pm PDT / 4pm EDT / 9pm BST / 10pm CEST
? Join us on X, Twitch, YouTube and Steam
? 70+ games, exclusives and announcements
? Celebrating 10 years
?? Hosts and lots more still to be announced#PCGamingShow pic.twitter.com/IZb2hSGxOx

— PC Gamer (@pcgamer) May 17, 2024

You’ll be able to catch the PC Gaming Show at the below channels:

Ubisoft Forward – June 11th

5.00 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
4.30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
3.00 AM AWST (Perth)
7.00 AM NZST (Wellington)

The show kicks off on June 11th at the ripe time of 5:00AM AEST, and will feature exclusive new looks at the company’s two key upcoming titles, Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Alongside these two, the just-launched free-to-play shooter XDefiant will also make an appearance, and before the show there’ll be a half hour pre-show where Ubisoft will offer looks at some new updates for its live games.

Yacht Club Presents – June 15th

4.30 AM AEST (Melbourne/Sydney/Hobart/Canberra/Brisbane)
4.00 AM ACST (Adelaide, Darwin)
2.30 AM AWST (Perth)
6.30 AM NZST (Wellington)

We're thrilled to announce a special edition of "Yacht Club Games Presents" to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Shovel Knight.

This live-streamed event will take place on our YouTube channel on Friday, June 14th, 2024 at 11:30 AM PT/ 2:30 PM EST. pic.twitter.com/Wu5u4QcmFI

— Yacht Club Games – YCG Presents airs on 6.14 (@YachtClubGames) June 4, 2024

Still To Be Announced Date/Time:

Nintendo Direct

The post Every Gaming Showcase Announced For June 2024 With Aussie Dates And Times appeared first on Press Start.

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Hands-On Preview – A New Leaf

James Wood — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:00:25 +0000

As my extensive three-hour session with Elden Ring’s forthcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion came to an end, a representative from Bandai Namco’s European office asked me how I found it. Instinctively, I replied, “Yeah good- I mean, it’s more Elden Ring”. It’s true, but it was a phrasing I kept turning over in my head as I left the preview and began to sort through my serial killer’s scribbles worth of notes.

Shadow of the Erdtree is more Elden Ring after all, a game that I can confidently skip giving you the briefing on because of its enormity and cultural penetration. But I think in that success, it’s easy to, even unintentionally, become numb to the craft displayed by developer FromSoftware. Few studios have had such meteoric rises and with that comes an expectation of quality that can sometimes dilute the responses to its inevitable arrival. Call it the Tears of the Kingdom effect, but the idea of more of a perfect thing* in this medium can wreak havoc on appreciating the minor miracle of actually having more of a perfect thing*.

Accessing Shadow of the Erdtree is a simple affair. Players will need to have bested Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood before being whisked away from Mohg’s palace. FromSoftware is loosely recommending player level be at 150, though the expansion uses Scadutree Fragments, found by following in the footsteps of Miquella’s golden path, to boost viability within the DLC. These fragments give a flat stat boost to damage dealt and health, requiring one Fragment for one level, two for two, and so on. Similar fragments can be used to level-boost your Spirit Ashes for good measure.

Shadow of the Erdtree frontloads a new ensemble cast of characters, one of whom will quickly give you a literal map to finding more fragments, using crude sketches to match to your overworld map and begin your quest for power. It gives things a nice tactile nudge and serves double time to introduce you to the miserable little merry gang of despots you’ll be travelling the lands with. Best discovered for yourself, I’ll still say I found myself instantly enamoured with this group, their despondency and faith as compelling as their sicko armour sets and cryptic jabs.

The machinations that get you to the Land of Shadow will be unspooled in time but on arrival, there is an immediate and pervasively thrilling redefinition of Elden Ring’s scale and spectacle. Elden Ring often made you feel small, but even between its colossal map and late-game locales, “small” remained somewhat relative. In Shadow of the Erdtree, I felt as if I had trespassed on a forbidden land of giants. There are spaces where this feels quite literal as doors and halls tower over your Tarnished in exaggerated heights, but less quantifiably, there’s something wrong in the Land of Shadows.

ELDEN RING: SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE EDITION (INCLUDES BASE GAME) – $99 WITH FREE RELEASE DAY DELIVERY

Granted, there was plenty wrong in the Lands Between too but here FromSoftware has escalated the sickness, everything from soil to stone to flesh feeling distinctly rotted. Like the unique sweetness of overripe fruit on the edge of spoiling, Shadow of the Erdtree is curdled decadence, the footprints of Miquella’s golden path, and subsequent rising sigils left behind, blooming in contrast.

Much ado has been made of the Plateau moment in modern open-world games, the instance where the player emerges into the world and is subsumed by a vast, playable distance that instils both a sense of adventure and a typically subtextual foreboding. Here, that moment is borderline alien, the pastel greens and fields of Limgrave replaced by muted earth tones and repellent towering cliffsides. I’m lingering on the feeling of this new map because Elden Ring’s primary language is feelings, the way it deploys waves of it like the tide to guide the player through the emotional journey of its otherwise knotted narrative and worldbuilding.

Though arguably Elden Ring’s greatest triumph of feeling is its refined combat loop and it won’t surprise you to learn that Shadow of the Erdtree picks up right where we left off. Packing triple digits worth of new weapons, spells, and gear into the expansion, half the joy of the early hours is stumbling upon unfamiliar swords and fabrics, that small part in the recesses of your monkey brain firing off because shiny new thing. There’s a world in which FromSoftware rests on its laurels here, the bones of Elden Ring’s combat being strong enough to hold up a new adventure with just a few minor additions to weapon skins and the odd incantation.

Shadow of the Erdtree has more on its mind though, not content with being iterative it instead toys with innovation with the introduction of Dryleaf Arts. Kicking the age-old adage that these games are best played without shields into the stratosphere, Dryleaf Arts enables a full-tilt melee build. The initial trailer for the DLC caused an excited uproar among fans when it showed a glimpse of what looked to be a high kick– the full set of moves will make you combust. Difficult to fully master but revolutionary once your feet find the rhythm, Dryleaf Arts fundamentally change the shape of Elden Ring, something I didn’t imagine possible having sunk over two hundred hours into the base game.

A combination of nimble weaving and powerful focused strikes, this build uses a flurry of kicks, punches, and an all-timer Weapon Art to deftly handle both crowds and armoured single foes. There’s also the Red Bear’s Claw, a kind of boxer remix to Dryleaf’s Wuxia style flow, but both push situational awareness and stamina management to new heights. You’re also free to wield these techniques in one hand and deploy magic, weapons, or a shield in the other, but the sense of momentum and freedom granted from leaning in is unparalleled. It’s lacking a proper backstab animation and you can’t apply elemental buffs to your fists (boo), but as I danced across a lakebed with the rotting corpse of a dragon and punched it in the face, I knew they had done something tremendous here.

Elsewhere, the Smithscript Daggers were a surprise delight; essentially magical throwing knives that replenish through a fancy little puff of smoke, these can be whipped out rapidly or charged for a stronger hit, though range is fairly limited. Switching between these and the Dryleaf Arts made for the exact kind of power fantasy you’d imagine. If you’re looking for a more traditional means of engagement though, sword purists will rejoice in the Backhand Blade, a curved sword wielded backhanded that allows for speedy flourishes and comes packed with a Weapon Art that swooshes the player behind a foe for easier backstabs.

I also had the chance to dabble in some new Sorceries and Incantations, the small selection I had on offer ranging from the ethereal (weaving silver strands into reality before they splinter into projectile blades) to the gnarly (the Tarnished convulsing before expelling tendrils from their back to whip and slash at foes). Unsurprisingly, Shadow of the Erdtree imbues all of this with thematic weight and relevance; weapons inlaid with crimson gems signalling the rot and spread of Mesmir (the new big bad) and his flame, or the Shriek of Sorrow harnessing resentment to boost your attack power as the Tarnished wails on the battlefield.

It’s FromSoftware at its best, seeping tone into lore, storytelling into minute detail, a subconscious journey as much as an explicit one. Our few hours in the Land of Shadows began at the plains of the Three Path Crossing, a sprawling graveyard that led to the decrypted Belurat Castle Settlement and the looming Castle Ensis. These spaces are spectacular in a muted way, with immaculate detailing and vibes subdued by ambient weather effects and a prevailing sense of death. This land dwarfs you, the verticality and scale of the main game heightened as to make you feel infinitesimally small but, in following Miquella’s light, never insignificant.

The land is of course peppered with discoverable dungeons and caves, turn one corner and find an automatic crossbow-wielding knight guarding a tomb, turn another and lose yourself in a sprawling system of above-ground waterways. Belurat Castle Settlement is an overwhelming monument to decay, a sprawling city and manor that hides multiple pathways to its beastly guardian boss. The enemy design here is especially wild, with bizarre hybrid creatures and engorged insects emerging from cracks in the ceiling, the collision of the absurd and the fantastical more akin to Dark Souls II than anything else in FromSoftware’s catalogue.

Meanwhile, Castle Ensis is a smaller but far denser legacy dungeon, dotted with embattled soldier camps and erstwhile Raya Lucaria scholars. Its more traditional fantasy architecture belies the expansion’s renewed interest in platforming and verticality with a back entrance to the heavily guarded fortress tucked away among cliffsides and an honest to god climbable waterfall. Again, it’s impossible to explore Shadow of the Erdtree and not see FromSoftware firing on all cylinders, the organic bleeding of oppressive environmental storytelling into rewarding systemic play is a constant joy.

Both landmark locations house their requisite boss encounters too, to somewhat mixed results. Belurat’s lord, a deformed and deranged lion creature with a jaw that makes giga-Chad’s look rounded, leans hard into one of Elden Ring’s few contentious points– Big Guy. Typically adorned with stunning art direction but frustrating mechanics, this boss archetype has developed a less-than-stellar relationship with the Souls community as issues around hitboxes, camera speed, and erratic move sets surround these encounters. It’s a shame, especially contrasted with Castle Ensis’ regal sorcerer knight, a towering but refined foe more akin to Elden Ring’s considered design ethos.

Mileage has always varied on boss meta and will continue to do so here, others in my sessions besting the Lion with apparent relative ease, others still bordering on profanities. But it’s not what I take away from Shadow of the Erdtree. Instead, my mind is still racing considering the implications of a painting I found in a cave, “The Sacred Tower – last moments of death” scribbled below the frame. The sledgehammer use of metaphorical imagery as a creature with a uterus for a head jumped me from a field of golden grass. The huge blue worm dudes who we all assumed would be our friends transforming into… nah, you can see that for yourself.

For now, as if there were any doubt, just know that Shadow of the Erdtree is decadent, mean, and perhaps most importantly, it’s more Elden Ring.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree launches on June 21st and you can pre-order a physical copy including the base game here.

The post Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Hands-On Preview – A New Leaf appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 01:46:27 +0000

Release Date: June 4th (June 5th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Songs of Silence is a strategy game set in a fantasy world threatened by the all-devouring Silence. The game features a mix of turn-based kingdom management, auto battler, and hero development, contrasted with intense real-time battles.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting New Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

Everything Announced At The June 2024 PlayStation State Of Play

James Berich — Thu, 30 May 2024 23:57:34 +0000

Here we are, halfway through the year, with little to look forward to. PlayStation has been pretty adamant that most of the games revealed or shown will run a selection of projects that are releasing before the end of 2024 for both PlayStation 5 and PSVR2. As we will soon find out, that’s not necessarily the case.

As always, a lot was shown today, so let’s jump straight into it.

A New Astro Bot Game Was Shown And We All Pretended To Be Surprised

Previously leaked last week, it’s nice to see it exists for real. There’s lots of sand, and this looks like a great option for people too stubborn to buy a Nintendo Switch. It features the same charming art style as the previous game and many subtle visual nods to Sony’s first-party canon. It’s out on September 6th 2024.

We Finally Got Our First Look At The PlayStation Exclusive Shooter Shooter, Concord.

The in-engine showcase highlighted cinematic footage of two main characters bickering before quickly beginning a shootout in a bar. It looks like a sci-fi spaghetti western. We were then treated to some gameplay footage of all the characters you can play as. The team has promised there will be new cinematics with new story arcs each week. If you forgot, Concord is a 5v5 PvP multiplayer first-person shooter. Mmm. It’s out on August 23rd and there’s a beta running in July.

We Have A Better Idea Of What The Until Dawn Remake Looks Like

It looks nice, I guess, but I still wonder what we’re doing here. The game is rebuilt and enhanced for PlayStation 5 and PC but still doesn’t have a release date smh. Expect it in Q3 2024.

The First Full Gameplay Trailer For Monster Hunter Wilds Was Shown

It looks much better than previous Monster Hunter games, owing to the latest version of RE Engine. There’s even an enemy with It’s still coming in 2025, but if you bring your Monster Hunter World saves, you’ll get some cool cats.

Marvel Rivals Is Coming To PlayStation 5 With A Beta Too

This is that Marvel Overwatch hybrid that the developers wouldn’t let streamers play unless they had nice things to say. Interesting. It does look good though, and I haven’t been told to say that. A PlayStation closed beta is happening in July. There’s even a Scarlet Spider skin(?) exclusive to PlayStation 5 and both Venom and Adam Warlock were confirmed for the game too.

A New Silent Hill 2 Remake Focuses On More Combat And Angela

It’s nice to see the project in full swing finally. It’s out in October, which is appropriately spooky.

God Of War: Ragnarok Is Coming To PC

Wow. Dynamic. It’ll include the Valhalla DLC, too. Jetpack Interactive is handling the port, which will feature unlocked framerates and support for DLSS, FSR, and XESS. As you’d expect from any well-respected PC port, there is Ultrawide support, too. It’s releasing in September later this year.

A Brand New Dynasty Warriors Game Is On The Way

The visuals look significantly upgraded from the previous games, and maybe even the open-world aspect from the last game has been dropped. The combat looks a lot more involved too, but maybe that’s just me. It’s coming in 2025.

A New Platformer Was Shown, Or Something, I Don’t Know

It’s called Infinity Nikki and you play as a girl in a pretty dress who has a weird not-a-moogle in her bike. I don’t know what’s going on but it’s cute, I guess. There is a “test” coming in the third quarter of 2024. That’s all we really know about whatever this is beyond being called an “open-world dress up adventure”. You use certain outfits to earn powerups. So basically Final Fantasy X-2 but without the brand power.

“We Have Elden Ring at Home” Was Shown

The game features some pretty intense-looking boss battles. It’s called Ballad of Antara, and it’s coming in 2025.

PlayStation Confirmed That They Remember VR2 Exists With A New Melee Game

It’s very snowy and features swords and sword-and-dagger combat against a wide variety of enemies, both big and small. It’s called BEHEMOTH and will be released in the third quarter of 2024.

ALIEN: Rogue Incursion Was Announced For VR2

The gameplay teaser was vague, but it had all the right sounds and appropriate wetness to excite me. It was revealed last month but it’s nice to know it’s coming to VR2 at the end of the year too.

We Saw Some More Footage Of Where Winds Meet

The game is an open-world martial arts game that we saw last year. It’s looking nice. I guess.

We Saw More Of Path Of Exile, Again

It’s looking very Diablo isn’t it. The game will feature a couch co-op option, crossplay and cross-progression, which is always nice. It will launch in early access in late 2024.

The post Everything Announced At The June 2024 PlayStation State Of Play appeared first on Press Start.

All The Announcements From The June 2024 Silent Hill Transmission

James Berich — Thu, 30 May 2024 23:45:34 +0000

I’m not sure if Konami is going to make these a regular thing but given how long there is between them I am not sure we can even call them regular.

But regardless, today was another big day for Silent Hill fans, and with Silent Hill: Ascension behind us, things can only get better. Right? RIGHT?

WRONG

Anyway, here are all the Silent Hill based announcements from the latest episode of the Silent Hill Transmission. My hills are well and truly silent.

We Got A New And Longer Gameplay Trailer Of The Silent Hill 2 Remake

The look was very extended, showing off a lot of new stuff we haven’t seen before like Maria, Laura and gameplay from both the streets and the hospital.

The trailer claims the game is faithfully remade in the original vision of the original game, but I’m not sure. It’s looking nice visually though, Unreal Engine is doing good work. It was revealed that the game is releasing on October 8th this year.

Mm. There’s a Digital Deluxe Edition which comes with assorted head masks for James, a digital artbook, a digital soundtrack and two days early access.

We Got An Extended Look Behind The Scenes Of The New Film

Christophe Gans, who directed the okay first film, has returned to basically adapt the story of Silent Hill 2. The behind-the-scenes look is pretty promising, perhaps even more than the remake at this point, but we’ve yet to get a full trailer nor a release date.

Konami Showed Off Some New Physical Merchandise

Pyramid Head is getting his own Nendoroid and a money bank themed around the Dog ending from Silent Hill 2 can soon be bought. And some items from the games are being made as physical collectibles too. What am I even doing here. It’s 7:30am. I need sleep.

And that was it. sorry.

The post All The Announcements From The June 2024 Silent Hill Transmission appeared first on Press Start.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape Preview – Pulling Out All The Stops

Harry Kalogirou — Tue, 28 May 2024 16:00:53 +0000

I feel like this is said at some point every year, but it’s a hell of a time to be playing Destiny 2. Between the best season of the year in Season of the Wish, the fantastic Into The Light free content update, and the imminent launch of The Final Shape, the community feels truly electric. After a time of relative uncertainty following the launch of Lightfall, Destiny 2 once again feels surrounded by excitement and eager anticipation for the conclusion to a decade-long saga. While Bungie have been tight-lipped about The Final Shape’s campaign, I got an early taste of what to expect in a hands-off preview.

One Final Wish

Before jumping into The Final Shape proper, Bungie showed us the finale cinematic for Season of the Wish. While this cinematic has been live since the last weekly reset, it’d be a crime for me not to talk about its significance. We follow Crow as he’s sent hurtling into the Pale Heart after passing through the paracausal portal etched into the Traveler. As his boots hit the ground, he’s immediately met with gunfire, initiating a skirmish between the hunter and his unknown assailant. A short scuffle reveals that Crow’s adversary is none other than the returning Cayde-6, who’s seemingly forgiven Crow for his prior self’s transgressions as they look towards the Witness’s monolithic stronghold in the distance.

It’s a full circle moment that we’ve seen Bungie play with before. There was a similar moment between Zavala and Crow all the way back in Season of the Chosen, and even earlier again through moments in the Halo trilogy. A stroke of narrative genius, setting the stage not just for The Final Shape itself, but also for the conclusion of Crow’s arc stretching all the way back to Forsaken. It’s echoes the same quality writing found in 2022’s The Witch Queen, which was noticeably absent in Lightfall. A confident statement of intent from the team, a sign to buckle in and brace for the journey ahead.

Into The Pale Heart

It’s fitting then, that Bungie played through the first campaign mission of The Final Shape right afterwards. You might expect me to tell you about the Pale Heart and its myriad wonders, but expectations can be a fickle thing. The Final Shape kicks off not in the Pale Heart, but in the portal that ferries us there. While we didn’t see the opening cutscene, we were told that the portal destabilises as the Vanguard leads the charge, causing our Guardian to crash. The rest of the pathway needs to be traversed on-foot as we confront the forces of the Witness.

This pathway between is a preview of the Final Shape itself. Darkness permeates through the environment, the skybox is awash with a deep purples, and the level geometry is a chaotic amalgamation of different environments stitched together in all the wrong ways. It’s ethereal, unsettling, and dream-like in every sense. The Taken have eyes that are coloured a distinct sickly yellow, signifying the Witness’s control over them, some of which are bound to the Witness itself, making them seemingly invulnerable.

It’s only after a few short combat encounters that we meet our first member of the new Dread enemy faction in the Weaver. A darkness empowered Psion that can displace you with waves of Strand that slingshot you towards them if you get hit. It’s a new element to combat we haven’t seen outside of getting sent out of the stratosphere by Cabal Phalanxes. Another notable inclusion is the Nodes of Splendour from Root of Nightmares. These light and dark empowered nodes are used in puzzles similar to those found in last year’s raid. The developers emphasised that The Final Shape’s campaign is another return to deeper, dungeon-like mechanical complexity.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Skipping a little bit ahead, we rejoin the Guardian after making it through the portal. We slowly move through a cave as the Traveler manifests reality around us, emerging into a picturesque grassy area outside of the Last City. The portal looms overhead amidst the lush greenery, and will slowly shrink as you progress the campaign and move away from its origin. As we explore the Last City, we encounter more of the Dread. Namely the Grim, flying bats with guns that can suppress your abilities with a high-pitched screech. Bungie also teased that the Dread have their own expanded lore to uncover in the Pale Heart.

We then stumble upon what’s called a Prismatic Wellspring. A font of focused energy, giving us access to Transcendence so those pesky invulnerable units I mentioned earlier can be dealt with. It’s an early taste of Prismatic’s capabilities before getting the new subclass proper. Prismatic Wells are described as being the result of a collision between the Traveler’s light and the Witness’s darkness, further emphasising that balance between the two is needed for harmony in the universe. After another combat arena with some dungeon-like mechanics in the form of collecting and placing buffs to move forward, we find a larger, more unstable Prismatic Well in the Vanguard Quarters.

This Prismatic Well imbues us with new power, granting us Prismatic as the line between light and dark vanishes. The first loadout you get when obtaining Prismatic is curated for each class, but you’ll unlock more options as you progress the campaign and explore the Pale Heart. Some of the Aspects pulled from other subclasses are changed or reworked to fit better in the context of Prismatic. Stylish Executioner, for example, now procs off of any elemental debuff, not just Void debuffs.

The Guardian walks into the Tower Plaza from the original Destiny, where we’re attacked by the Witness’s forces. Transcendence is now built into your kit for the invulnerable units, but the team noted that there are still Prismatic Wells around the arena to gain access to Transcendence on our current subclasses. This is true for the rest of the campaign, meaning you can play through it without using Prismatic if you so wish. Aside from fighting more of the Dread here, we’re also introduced to the Subjugator, a general of the Witness’s army that uses Strand to suspend you in combat.

It’s the same encounter that was shown in the gameplay deep-dive, but it’s still a thrill to see a Hunter throw out abilities of different elements in combination. It echoes the same high octane loop as Strand, quickly throwing out abilities for unorthodox combos resulting in things we simply can’t do with our current kits. A construct of the Witness watches overhead as we combat its troops, as if it’s studying our new abilities with calculting intent. After the encounter, a Fissure of Light erupts from the ground, signifying that this portion of the Pale Heart has been taken back from the Witness.

This whole section is a real throwback in a lot of ways. Not only is it nostalgic to revisit the Tower of the original Destiny, but it also calls back to the beginnings of Destiny 2. Moving through the Last City to ambush the Red Legion and take back the Traveler from Ghaul is the kind of play space that we don’t see enough within Destiny. It provides a sense of scale and verticality that Bungie nail when they commit themselves to it, and makes for engaging arena design for enemy combat encounters. It has me eager to see how other key environments from Destiny’s past will be redesigned and reinterpreted in The Final Shape.

When asked about how the team decided on what locations would be chosen from our past as locations in the Pale Heart, project lead Catarina Macedo said that areas were chosen to evoke nostalgia; “They’re locations that players who’ve been playing from the start will be familiar with.” She also commented on the difficulty of locking down the final list; “It was really hard to build the list, but the original Tower was a must-have. We asked the team what other things resonated the most over the last 10 years. It’s a love letter from the developers to the players.”

Finding The Way Forward

We then jumped much further forward in the campaign to a strike called Liminality. Described as finding a way forward to the Witness’s Spire after running into a roadblock, this strike is run by Keith David’s Zavala after Lance Reddick’s unfortunate passing last year. David does a wonderful job of honouring Reddick’s legacy while bringing his own flavour to the Titan Vanguard. One notable aspect of this strike is that Savathûn’s forces are also here to fight the Witness, but are still hostile to Guardians. The landscape here is also much more twisted and devoid of life in comparison to the opening mission.

Level geometry is cut into perfect cubes, signifying the effects that the Witness has had on the natural environment. Cut up and organised into inorganic cuboids that make for a cold, calculated, and unsettling atmosphere. We still follow a Hunter here, but one that has more Prismatic options than what we saw earlier. We also get to see the new Arc super in action, letting the Hunter blink between enemies in flashes of blinding Arc energy. They’re also able to show off Gunpowder Gamble triggering off of any ability kill or debuff using Prismatic, leading to the swift defeat of a couple Hive Guardians.

Transcendence is also popped quite a few times here, granting temporary access to a powerful dual element grenade that combines Solar and Stasis to lethal effect. It’s built up by dealing light and dark damage pertaining to weapons and subclass abilities. The team also commented that while there’s no stat to build into generating Transcendence faster, there are ways to spec into it via the subclass itself.

The trend of striking visual design only amps up as we progress through the strike. The environment is riddled with stone statues of hands from different races in the game, as we slowly transition into architecture reminiscent of the Dark City in the Birthplace of the Vile strike. Bungie mention here that the Pale Heart isn’t just a reconstruction of the Guardians’ memories, but also of the ones belonging to the Witness and the Dread. This has some very interesting lore implications not just for this strike, but also for other missions and activities in the Pale Heart.

It all culminates in a fight with a Tormentor called Kataxiia, Tormentor of the Ahamkara. This also has some exciting implications given the Ahamkara skulls dotted throughout the boss room, and having to use Taken Essence to power up said skulls in order to damage the boss. It’s a tantalising tease into the potential of the lore and the story beats we’ll uncover in the Pale Heart, and what they mean for the broader universe.

Shaping Destiny’s Biggest Expansion Yet

If the variety in these two missions alone is anything to go off of, we can expect to see a lot of diverse environments and encounters in the campaign of The Final Shape. The team mentioned that it might be Destiny’s biggest campaign to date, and doesn’t just end with the raid when it launches on June 8th. The Pale Heart also holds many secrets to uncover as you explore, including some of the Prismatic options. The team also talked about how Prismatic has been carefully designed as to not supplant other subclasses, so they’re unsure if more will be added to the Prismatic kit over the year of The Final Shape.

While there’s a lot of focus on what’s new with The Final Shape, Bungie is also looking at providing new quality-of-life inclusions. The buff/debuff UI rework was on full display during the portions we got to see, and paints a promising picture of being more readable and easy to digest than ever. Moreover, there are additional loadout slots coming via Guardian Ranks to accomodate for the new builds you’ll be making with Prismatic. Prismatic will also be entirely unlockable before the raid launches in response to the drip feed of Stasis and Strand in prior expansions.

While there was a lot shown during the hands-off preview for The Final Shape, I still feel like we’ve barely scraped the surface – especially narratively. There’s an unbelievable amount of pressure on Bungie to deliver with this expansion, a 10 year promise boiling down to a single release, perhaps their biggest ever. If what I’ve seen of The Final Shape thus far is an indicator of its wider quality, I suspect that it will go down as one of the greatest expansions Destiny has seen, if not the greatest.

The Final Shape launches on June 5th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series consoles, and PC. Into The Light is a completely free content update that’s available now, and a bunch of previous expansions are also free to play before The Final Shape launches next month.

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The Most Exciting Game Releases In June 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 27 May 2024 02:13:53 +0000

It’s almost ~~February~~ June (??) and while I’m sure most of us are still getting through April and May‘s gauntlet of games, the release cycle does not let up. It’s an especially big one this month with all of the June “Summer of Gaming” showcase action happening, but that doesn’t meant you shouldn’t be paying attention to the launch calendar for the month.

The opening weeks aren’t huge for new releases (save Destiny’s huge The Final Shape expansion), mercifully with most of us set to be glued to livestreams from a range of publishers and developers around the world, but things do start to get exciting deeper in with launches like Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance and fresh ports of Monster Hunter Stories 1 + 2, but then it gets particularly exciting in the back half with Elden Ring’s long-awaited Shadow of the Erdtree expansion which will likely be the last thing I play in 2024.

As usual it’s more than we could feasibly list in one go, so excuse anything missing, but take a look at some of the titles we’re pretty keen for in June 2024, below:

THE MOST EXCITING GAME RELEASES IN JUNE 2024

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Release Date: June 21st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Get the game + DLC on Amazon for $99.

The Land of Shadow.

A place obscured by the Erdtree.

Where the goddess Marika first set foot.

A land purged in an unsung battle.

Set ablaze by Messmer’s flame.

It was to this land that Miquella departed.

Divesting himself of his flesh, his strength, his lineage.

Of all things Golden.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Release Date: June 14th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Get it on Amazon for $89.

Venture back into a post-apocalyptic Tokyo with an all-new storyline featuring new locations, demons, and choices to make in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

Release Date: June 27th

Platforms: Switch

Get it on Amazon for $69.

In this visually enhanced adventure, you’ll visit the chilling locales of the eerie Evershade Valley, a place where until recently, the peculiar Dark Moon hung in the sky. According to ghost researcher Professor E.Gadd, it pacified the ghosts of the valley…that is until one night when the Dark Moon mysteriously shattered!

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Release Date: June 4th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Monster Hunter Stories

Release Date: June 14th

Platforms: PS4, Switch, PC

With refined graphics, full English and Japanese voice acting, a new Museum mode, and content previously released only in Japan, this is the best way to play the first RPG in the Monster Hunter series. Ride On!

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (PS4 Release)

Release Date: June 14th

Platforms: PS4

The vibrant world of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin takes flight on PlayStation 4 for the first time! Hatch, raise, and live alongside monsters as a Monster Rider in this unforgettable RPG set in the Monster Hunter universe.

Still Wakes the Deep

Release Date: June 18th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

1975. Disaster strikes the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Navigate the collapsing rig to save your crew from an otherworldly horror on the edge of all logic and reality.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road

Release Date: June 3rd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Follow the threads of fate that appeared in Necrom, or launch a new standalone adventure in The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road. Explore the West Weald and the city of Skingrad, first encountered in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, play with the nature of magic itself and create custom skills with the new Scribing system, and investigate the return of Ithelia, a brand-new Daedric Prince never seen before in the Elder Scrolls series.

V Rising (PS5 Release)

Release Date: June 1th

Platforms: PS5

Enter the world of V Rising ! Hunt for blood in this dynamic top-down vampire survival action RPG game. Raise a mighty castle that acts as the seat of your power, and remind the world why they should fear the Vampire.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble

Discover a tropical open-world adventure inspired by New Caledonia! Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago with a variety of landscapes, cultures, music, and folklore. Use Tchia’s Soul Jumping abilities to take control of an animal and object or jam out on a fully playable ukulele!

Rusted Moss (Console Release)

Release Date: June 20th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch

#BLUD

Release Date: June 18th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Slime Rancher 2 (PS5 Release)

Release Date: June 11th

Platforms: PS5

Slime Rancher 2 is a sequel to the award-winning, smash-hit original that has been enjoyed by over 15 million fans worldwide. Continue the adventures of Beatrix LeBeau as she journeys to Rainbow Island, a mysterious land brimming with ancient technology, unknown natural resources, and an avalanche of wiggling, jiggling, new slimes to discover.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage (iOS Release)

Release Date: June 6th

Platforms: Mobile

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING AND TECH BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post The Most Exciting Game Releases In June 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 27 May 2024 00:46:13 +0000

It’s the final week of May, and after last week saw the unlikely duo of Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door go head-to-head, this week is a little more chill with some pretty vibey indies due to launch along with the much-anticipated return of the Warner Brothers-themed platform fighter, MultiVersus.

It might seem otherwise quiet, but make sure you take a good look at everything we’ve listed below (as usual, not an exhaustive list but the ones that most caught our eye) to see if there’s anything you may not have had on your radar:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (MAY 27 EDITION)

MultiVersus

Release Date: May 28th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Ready your pies, grab a sandwich, and sharpen your skills, cause it’s almost time to jump back into the mayhem. Welcome back to MultiVersus, MVPs! MultiVersus is a free-to-play platform fighter with an ever-expanding cast of iconic characters and legendary universes, various online modes, in-game events, on-going content-filled seasons, and more.

The Rogue Prince of Persia (Early Access Release)

Release Date: May 27th (28th AEST)

Platforms: PC

From breathtaking wall runs to daring flips, outmaneuver enemies and free the people from the Huns’ grasp. Master a lot of weapons and explore a big variety of biomes. Prove your worth in procedurally generated levels that make each run unique!

F1 24

Release Date: May 31st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Be One of the 20 with EA SPORTS F1® 24, the official video game of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship. Unleash Your Champion in pursuit of a legacy-defining F1® Career, the mode’s first major update since 2016. Drive like the greatest and feel at one with the car through the all-new EA SPORTS Dynamic Handling, and Ignite your Passion by connecting to your favorite teams and drivers while proving that you have what it takes across new modes and experiences.

Picross S Namco Legendary Edition

Release Date: May 30th

Platforms: Switch

A collaboration between Picross S and the Namco LEGENDARY Series! A second character editor has been added to the Nintendo Switch version of Picross S! Namco LEGENDARY Series characters are now available as Picross puzzles.

Nightmare Kart (FKA Bloodborne Kart)

Release Date: May 31st (June 1st AEST)

Platforms: PC

Race through blood-soaked gothic streets atop one of 12 unique vehicles as you seek answers behind the origin of this nightmare. Wield powerful weapons to reduce your opponents to scrap, slaughter beasts to raise your top speed, perform tricks and drifts to generate Æther to boost, and overcome challenging boss encounters to unlock the secrets behind this terrible dream.

Ripout (1.0 Release)

Release Date: May 28th (29th AEST)

Platforms: PC

burn, blast, and shred space mutants ?

The Co-op Sci-fi Horror FPS @RipoutGame is leaving Steam Early Access May 28th!https://t.co/4p2EQgL6RZ pic.twitter.com/YFxItiYj24

— 3D Realms (@3DRealms) May 16, 2024

Terry wants to launch himself into space using his new car. Doing something this cool and reckless will surely make him the talk of the town. Run, drive and glide through this small journey of big discoveries as Terry works towards achieving this goal.

FLATHEAD

Release Date: May 30th (31st AEST)

Platforms: PC

A simple game of over or under taken to the darkest extreme. Strapped to a machine with a plethora of gadgets, the footsteps of a nightmarish terror approach from behind. Your only hope is to save enough points to pay for your escape before the inevitable.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

MultiVersus Hands-On Preview – A Revitalising Relaunch

James Berich — Thu, 23 May 2024 21:59:20 +0000

It’s been almost a year since MultiVersus closed down what felt like the most prolonged beta ever. It was a shame because I’ve famously advocated for its quality amongst my peers, both online and offline. While it’s always hard to make a platform fighter, especially in the shadow of games like Super Smash Bros., MultiVersus came close. A year after the closure, MultiVersus is back, building upon the strong foundation to provide a proper launch that goes from strength to strength. Having spent some time with the near-final build in a very brief preview, it’s clear that MultiVersus is now poised to be one of the better platform fighting games.

In case you’ve no idea what MultiVersus is, it’s remarkably familiar in fundamentals to Nintendo’s flashy crossover fighter, with four characters entering the arena to duke it out. The damage system in MultiVersus is lifted straight from Smash as well. Every hit increases a damage percentage, and the higher your damage percentage, the higher your character is flung when hit by an attack. Fly far enough, and you’ll be out of bounds and allow your opposing team to score. But that’s where the similarities end, as there’s much to differentiate MultiVersus from its contemporaries.

Arguably one of the first genres to perfect the now much-maligned games-as-a-service model, fighting games have behaved as such before the trendy moniker was coined. It seems fit to reason that MultiVersus is a free-to-play game. It’s immediately apparent that MultiVersus borrows its progression systems from similar experiences like Apex Legends, Fortnite and Fall Guys. Lots of experience to earn, bars to fill and dopamine to harvest. As someone around when this wasn’t the standard of games, I will be forever sceptical about whether this approach could work for a genre close to my heart. But thankfully, after spending more time with MultiVersus in this preview, it feels fair to the player. I had enough earnable and free currency to buy a character after three to four hours of play.

The second central point of difference from other platform fighters is the roster. MultiVersus will launch with twenty-six unique fighters, with more on the way, but they hail from a wide range of franchises from the Warner Bros. Discovery catalogue. Just some of the roster sees Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo, Game of Thrones, Adventure Time and even The Matrix represented in Season 1. And every character is brought to life authentically and recognisably. Velma, for example, fights with speech bubbles, out-loud calculations and idea lightbulbs. Tom & Jerry fight each other uniquely, and those who get in their way will take damage from the fallout. Even Arya Stark can use her Faceless abilities to steal her opponents’ attacks, just like Kirby. The roster is incredibly well put together, and it’s exciting to see what else can (and will) come.

The relaunch and Season 1 bring a few new characters to the mix. They’re an eclectic bunch. First, Banana Guard, unlockable by finishing the tutorial, is a stranger pick from Adventure Time and an excellent pick for newcomers owing to his more straightforward move set. Joker is just as you’d expect – a goofy, long-distance fighter who fights with many gadgets and gizmos. My favourite is Jason Voorhees; however, he fights by suffocating his enemies in a sleeping bag and clapping them in the middle of a bed he summons out of nowhere. He’s the most bizarre inclusion in MultiVersus, but also a testament to just how far the developers are willing to go. No matter how out there, every character is crafted to fit into the game perfectly, even if it feels like they shouldn’t.

The other significant new inclusion is Rifts. Serving as a PvE component of the game, it allows players to earn currency they can spend in-game without having to fight against other players. Rifts act as mini-campaigns, each having a theme and bespoke battles with unique modifiers, too. Every Rift has a boss at the end and will presumably be refreshed with each season. The theme of the current Rifts we got to sample was Digital, owing to the arrival of Agent Smith from The Matrix later in the month, and Horror, owing to Jason.

On each node, there’s usually a fight to take on, but not always. Some nodes offer minigames, while others provide mini-bosses to defeat. It reminds me of a much snappier and faster-paced version of Mortal Kombat 1’s Invasions mode, giving players perks to equip in that Rift to improve their stats. Like everything else in the game, Rifts can be approached with another player, and optional mini-objectives can be completed on each node to keep things interesting.

However, gameplay-wise, MultiVersus still feels the same. The key difference from other fighters of this ilk is an emphasis on teamwork. All characters have abilities that help their teammates but hinder their foes. Velma’s attacks will buff your teammates while damaging anyone they might hit. Reindog, an original character created for this game, can tether themselves to their teammate, pulling them in should they ever be in peril. But anyone who touches that tether, in the meantime, takes damage. It’s a nice design choice that differentiates MultiVersus from similar games.

It’s the sense of team synergy that really sets MultiVersus apart. The best matches I’ve had are the ones I play with friends. Now, being able to take on Rifts together on top of the previously available modes gives me another reason to jump into MultiVersus in my downtime.

Having shifted to a new version of Unreal Engine, MultiVersus looks much better than previously. It boasts rock-solid performance and incredibly consistent art direction, considering how many properties they pull from the Warner Bros. canon. The shift to a newer engine seeks to only future-proof the game, which I hope will have ample opportunity to grow. There are some noticeable improvements here, notably with lighting. Still, things move so quickly that there is not a huge difference that is immediately obvious.

When I wrote about the game in 2022, I complained about the variety of the arenas and the music. That’s been fixed here already, with the inclusion of new levels and music that adds to the variety of the experience. There is truly nothing better than fighting in the Iron Throne room while the Game of Thrones theme blares over your combat. It’s another indicator of the strength of the brands that MultiVersus has up its sleeve. It feels like we’re only a few updates away from battling in Hogwarts or even the Yellow Brick Road.

And that’s where I really have high hopes for MultiVersus. There is great potential to continually build the roster up with a diverse and eclectic cast of characters from a wide range of properties spanning a literal century. The sky really does feel like the limit, but with this relaunch, MultiVersus is doing a good job of convincing me that they might reach it.

MultiVersus is launching on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on May 28th, 2024.

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This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:30:44 +0000

After a fairly quiet couple of weeks on the major platform exclusives front, this week sees Nintendo and Xbox go head-to-head with two wildly different experiences in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. One offers a cutting edge, cinematic adventure and the other mostly offers paper cuts.

Release Date: May 23rd

Platforms: PS5, Switch, PC

This game combines roguelike-style deckbuilding with SRPGs to create an all-new experience! Follow Vel as she leads the Clausewitz Battalion into battle against Fahftania and the Hellmuth Brigade. Collect 100 different cards to build the strongest deck and fight enemies on a map shrouded in mist.

The Glass Staircase (Console Launch)

Release Date: May 24th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch

A frightening homage to PS2 survival horror and Italian zombie movies. Uncover the horrible secrets of the manor as your friends disappear one by one.

Yolk Heroes: A Long Tamago (PC Launch)

Release Date: May 20th (21st AEST)

Platforms: PC

Someone has to protect this realm… is it you? Become a guardian spirit and raise your very own Hero to stand against the Dark Lord.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

The Monster Hunter Stories Duology Has Found New Life On Modern Consoles

Harry Kalogirou — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:00:51 +0000

When Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin launched in 2021, it was clear that CAPCOM had another hit spin-off on their hands. Its novel RPG mechanics and a deceptively simple combat system made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience for series veterans, and an approachable RPG for newcomers. Unfortunately, Wings of Ruin would be hamstrung by its limited platform availability. While the PC version was fantastic, the Nintendo Switch version was and still is riddled with performance issues and slowdown.

The first game is similarly limited by its platform exclusivity. Originally launching on the 3DS in 2016, Monster Hunter Stories was promising beginning for this spin-off series. Despite being well-received, the game hasn’t been freed of its handheld prison, only seeing a high-definition mobile port in 2018. The rapid growth of Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise have brought swathes of new fans into the fold, so it only makes sense that these charming spin-offs receive modernised and readily-available ports.

I’ve spent a good amount of time with both the new Switch version of the original Monster Hunter Stories, as well as the PS4 version of Monster Hunter Stories 2, so let’s dive into how each of them fares in their new homes.

Monster Hunter Stories on Nintendo Switch

Monster Hunter Stories is undoubtedly the game that fans are most interested in. It’s far from a stretch to call this edition of the game a remaster, featuring full voice acting, HD visuals, new content, an in-game museum, and content previously locked to the Japanese version of the 3DS original. Furthermore, this version of the game is going to be available on PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

While I haven’t played the PC or PS4 version of this enhanced port, the Switch version of Monster Hunter Stories is simply fantastic. Gone are the jaggy, pixelated edges of character models and environments, replaced by much more high-definition assets. It closely mirrors the distinct smoothness of its sequel both inside and outside of combat. It really reinvigorates the whole experience from a visual perspective and pulls it in line with the standard set by Stories 2.

I’m also pleased to report that despite sharing a similar level of visual fidelity as its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories runs like a dream on the Switch. While turn-based RPGs aren’t as reliant on high frame rates, it goes a long way when it comes to overall presentation and the flow of combat. It just makes the whole experience feel more complete and well-rounded, while shedding the technical baggage that comes with the restraints of older hardware.

The gameplay here remains completely untouched, which is for the best. The original Monster Hunter Stories is undoubtedly more simplified than its sequel, but there’s a charm to the loop of collecting and training up Monsties to tackle new threats. There’s a real love and attention to detail put into each interpretation of series favourite monsters and how they fit into a turn-based combat structure. It’s an entirely different kind of take on the Monster Hunter world, a take that’s aged remarkably well.

The package is rounded out with the aforementioned Museum Mode and the inclusion of content previously exclusive to the Japanese release. There’s over 200 pieces of concept art, character design, and music tracks that are previously unreleased. It’s just packed with interesting design tidbits and insights into how the team handled Monster Hunter mainstays with a new art direction. The additional content also adds a bunch to the experience, with new Monsties to recruit and post-game challenges to tackle.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 on PS4

While Monster Hunter Stories 2’s port is a less impressive package in totality, that’s because there isn’t much here to improve on. A lot of what I said in my review of the PC version in 2021 rings true for the PS4 version, it’s a sequel that does everything its predecessor did, only better. While it sports the same visual style as the original, the jump in detail across the board meant that the Switch struggled to deliver a consistent experience in terms of performance, limiting platform options to PC for those who didn’t want to put up with the issues.

The PS4 version remedies this, providing a near-identical experience on the PS4 and PS5 to what’s offered on the PC version currently. It might lack the uncapped framerate, but more than makes up for it by holding a steady 60 frames-per-second throughout the whole experience – a far cry from what the Switch could achieve. Again, it isn’t something that’s entirely necessary for a turn-based RPG, but does so much for the moment-to-moment experience and overall game feel.

This is all at no concession to the visual fidelity of Monster Hunter Stories 2. CAPCOM always had a winner on their hands when it came to the art style and direction of the original, but the sequel really takes it to the next level. It’s deeply colourful and wildly varied in its environments, and the attention to detail on Monstie and character models make the game’s presentation one of its strongest elements.

The game side of things is yet again, completely untouched. Offering the same enjoyable turn-based combat and Monstie customisation as the original, coupled with new combat features, weapon types, and a healthy addition of new Monsties to befriend and recruit. It’s undoubtedly the better game of the two, but playing them back-to-back has made it clear that Stories 2 is much easier than the first game despite growing in mechanical complexity.

My time so far with the enhanced ports of this duology has me excited to see newer Monster Hunter fans jump into these charming spin-offs for the first time. It’s always been a shame that each has been limited in terms of platforms until now, but it’s clear that CAPCOM have gone out of their way to improve each experience where possible to make them the definitive version of each game.

Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin both launch on June 14th. The former will be available on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch while the latter will be releasing on PS4, and is already available on PC and Nintendo Switch.

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This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 13 May 2024 04:21:41 +0000

Things are a little quieter on the video game release front again this week, which will hopefully give everyone a chance to catch up on their backlogs (especially after the massive drop of ridiculously-good new indies last week), but that’s not to say there’s nothing coming out that shouldn’t be on your radar. It’s a good week to have your brain broken, if the launches of Athenian Rhapsody, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes or the re-release of Braid have anything to say about it.

Other potential highlights this week include Mullet Mad Jack, a game I’m very excited about and will have a review for up shortly, as well as the Aussie-made Cozy Caravan and the huge PC launch of Ghost of Tsushima!

Take a look at some of the more exciting stuff coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (MAY 13 EDITION)

Fabledom (1.0 Launch)

Release Date: May 13th

Platforms: PC

Once upon a Village… Set in a wholesome fairytale world, Fabledom is the ideal laid back City builder. Enjoy the growth of your settlement, trade and use diplomacy to ally or challenge your neighbors, and most importantly, find yourself a prince or princess and live happily ever after!

Release Date: May 16th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

PO’ed is an adrenaline-pumping space shooter that features gameplay elements inspired by generational powerhouses DOOM and QUAKE. Play as a chef who crashlands on an alien planet infested with extraterrestrial foes. Using a menu of “household” weapons, PO’ed puts your wits and reflexes to the test.

Die by the Blade

Release Date: May 16th (17th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Vanquish your foes with a single strike in 1v1 weapon-based fighter Die by the Blade. Dive into a samuraipunk world and wield a range of traditional Japanese weapons to determine your moveset. Outwit your opponent in intense, tactical battles and master the art of the one-hit kill!

My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery

Release Date: May 17th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Take friendship to new heights and tame the chaotic magic that’s turning the world upside down, in a mystery adventure for one or two ponies!

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This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 06 May 2024 01:18:17 +0000

Release Date: May 9th

Platforms: PC

SAY ANYTHING in this bizarre dungeon adventure where words control everything. Fill in the blanks with text or voice to uncover lost abilities, solve strange quests, and play unexpected mini-games. Use your words to conquer the crypt and unleash a whole new kind of “spell casting!”

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Razer’s Rapid Trigger Mode Is A Gaming Keyboard Game-Changer

Press Start Team — Wed, 01 May 2024 09:00:53 +0000

In intense gaming scenarios, every millisecond matters. Rapid Trigger is powered by the Razer Analogue Optical Switches in the Huntsman V3 Pro line and allows for faster, more precise keystrokes than ever. You can find out more about Rapid Trigger HERE.

As one of the biggest names in the business of gaming keyboard, Razer no doubt knows a thing or two about the needs of every pro gamer when it comes to speed, responsiveness and precision. Whether you’re gunning for a win in a fast-paced, first-person shooter or working your way up to that world-beating high score in a rhythm game, your skill ceiling is dictated only by how fast your equipment can keep up.

That’s why Razer continues to push the envelope, and has done so again with its Rapid Trigger Mode technology, a new and better way to register every frantic mid-game keystroke with frightening speed and precision.

How Razer’s Rapid Trigger Mode Works

Razer’s Rapid Trigger Mode sidesteps an age-old method of keystroke recognition, where each press of a key is registered by the switch travelling past a specific point, and the next press can’t be read until that switch has returned to its reset position.

With Rapid Trigger, switches can actuate and reset at any point in their travel. They no longer have to return all the way back to a fixed destination for the next key press to be made, and instead the switch resets as soon as the keystroke is registered and it starts to travel back to its default position.

In even more clear terms, your keyboard’s key switches don’t need to “bounce” all the way back for you to press them again and still have it register, so you hit them faster than ever. The responsiveness of Rapid Trigger Mode is also customisable, so you can make it incredibly sensitive if you’re somehow hitting keys with superhuman speed.

Rapid Trigger Mode works with pinpoint precision and speed and so it needs the switches to match. That’s why it works on Razer’s Analogue Optical Switches, which have the intelligence built-in to know how far each key is being pressed, rather than a digital switch with only set actuation points.

Because they’re optical, these switches are also more reliable and unaffected by external factors like temperature or interference.

Razer’s Analogue Optical Switches can be found on the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Tenkeyless and Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini. Rapid Trigger Mode comes as a completely free-of-charge update within the Razer Synapse software to enable it on these devices.

How To Set Up Rapid Trigger Mode

Razer’s Rapid Trigger mode comes via an update to the free Razer Synapse software, and updating it is simple:

Ensure you have Razer Synapse software installed (you can find it here)
Plug in the compatible Razer keyboard to your PC
Right-click on the Razer Central icon on your PC’s system tray
Select Check for Updates from the menu
The software will appear and check for updates, if there is a new update, click the button to install it
Once updated, you’ll see a new “Actuation” tab on Razer Synapse. Select the keys you’d like to have Rapid Trigger Mode enabled, and adjust upstroke and/or downstroke sensitivity.

For the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line of keyboards, once set up you’re also able to activate Rapid Trigger Mode without going through Razer Synapse with the hot-key FN + CAPS. The keyboard will then enter Rapid Trigger Adjustment Mode and you can use the arrow keys or multi-function dial to adjust the Rapid Trigger sensitivity. Press the ESC key to exit Rapid Trigger Adjustment Mode and the settings will be stored on the keyboard.

Where To Buy

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Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Hands-On Preview – A Taste of Heaven

Harry Kalogirou — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:59:25 +0000

Shin Megami Tensei V’s original release in 2021 was a bittersweet moment for series veterans. Between an eight year wait since the release of the utterly fantastic Shin Megami Tensei IV and a shift in focus to the rampant success of Persona, it felt like SMT had fallen to the wayside a little bit. The day did come for the fabled fifth entry, though. While SMT V launched with an ambitious new vision for the seminal series and best-in-class combat, it failed to deliver the same narrative heights as its predecessors while collapsing technically due to the Switch’s aging hardware.

These pain points open up a unique opportunity when it comes to ATLUS’s tendency to release definitive versions of their titles. While it’s sporting the usual gameplay additions and quality of life features, Vengeance also frees SMT V of its hybrid handheld prison. Most exciting, is the addition of an entirely new alternate storyline to be experienced separately from the vanilla narrative. It’s a bold and wildly different approach to how ATLUS usually handles re-releases, and my time with Vengeance thus far has left me very eager to play more.

My preview session kicked off from the Tokyo Diet Building in Da’at, which is around five hours in. The first thing I immediately noticed is how much Shin Megami Tensei V is benefitting from modern hardware. Vengeance runs at a buttery-smooth 60 frames-per-second, a far cry from the Switch’s constant drops and stutters. It also looks gorgeous. SMT V’s distinct colour palette is brought to life in glorious fashion in Vengeance, and the much improved cutscenes make it clear that ATLUS made a real effort to take advantage of the PlayStation 5’s graphical output.

THE CHEAPEST PRE-ORDER IS AT AMAZON/BIG W FOR $89 SHIPPED

These cutscenes also weren’t one-for-one with the original game. Despite it seemingly following a similar path to the original, this new alternate storyline in Vengeance peppers new details into story beats that are otherwise unchanged. More time is spent exploring Aogami and his relation to Bethel, and the moral clashing of SMT V’s myriad characters is shown in a different light through Vengeance’s new character – Yoko Hiromine.

ATLUS has a tendency to introduce new characters into their re-releases that shake up the original plots quite a bit. While reception to these has been mixed, Yoko sidesteps any potential issues by being exclusive to the new storyline. As a student of Saint Marina’s girl school, Yoko was taught to exorcise demons and seems familiar with Bethel’s purpose and the war between heaven and hell. Despite having an unforgiving outlook on life, she has brief flashes of sympathy and consideration that make her endearing once you get past her fierce demeanour.

While the ensuing cutscenes discussing the existence of Bethel and its role feel familiar, they give way to an entirely new boss encounter with Naamah of the Qadištu. This new enemy faction weren’t explored much in the segments I got to play, but it’s clear they have a large role to play in the overall narrative. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit regarding this, is that the Naamah fight takes place in modern-day Tokyo, which is an incredibly rare occurrence in the original game and has some interesting narrative implications surrounding the Qadištu.

While changes in the broader narrative have yet to be seen at this point, things quickly shift as I return to Jouin Highschool following Lahmu’s attack. Without spoiling too much, the events of this set-piece unravel in a fashion that is vastly different from the original game. The combination of a new direction, the impact that Yoko has on the narrative, and a desire to explore new themes in Vengeance culminates in an unexpected and exciting turn that I didn’t expect. It had my mind racing with what-ifs, and painted a picture of how Shin Megami Tensei V’s latter half could change and evolve with the impact of Yoko and the Qadištu.

I then got to jump forward to a later point in the game and was dropped into an entirely new area called Shinjuku Gyoen. This was a much less linear affair when compared to what I got to experience in the prior save, with Shinjuku Gyoen echoing a lot of the open-world design of the base game with some new ideas thrown in for good measure. Grind rails can be used to zip around the map, side quests are more frequent, and demons of monolithic size roam the overworld begging to be challenged.

Shinjuku Gyoen is also noticeably different from a visual perspective. Moving away from the hazy yellows and reds of Da’at for cooler blues and purples that leave the whole environment feeling less apocalyptic overall. It’s a beautiful area, and strikingly distinct in comparison to what you kind find in the base game. It also seems to belong to the angels, who attack the protagonist on-sight despite their affiliation with Bethel. It’s clear that the events of the alternate story are what leads the gang here, which is a pretty huge change given we’re still less than 10 hours in.

This is also the point where I got to sink my teeth into more of the gameplay. Combat and exploration are largely unchanged, instead focusing on a few new small additions that improve on the overall experience. The ability to put accompanying characters like Yoko and Tao into your party, for example, add a new level of flexibility and choice when it comes to team building, and the aforementioned grind rails provide a seamless and accessible way to get to some of the more hard to reach areas once you’ve already visited them. It’s all stuff that adds onto SMT V’s already fantastic gameplay loop.

There’s also a bunch of new moves, demons to recruit, Magatsuhi skills that are specific to demon alignments, and so much more. Another thing that jumped out to me in battle was the music. Shin Megami Tensei V already had some of the best beats in the series, but the remixes and new tracks that Vengeance brings to the table are sublime and immediately enrapturing.

Another feature that I really liked the idea of is the Demon Haunts. These are areas accessible via Leyline Founts where your demons hang out. You can chat with them to boost their stats and get a general feel for what they think of current happenings. Aogami can also be spoken to, where he provides a deeper insight into the state of the world and what your goal is. It’s quite a novel idea, and adds a lot to the personalities of your demons and the protagonist’s relationship with Aogami.

There are so many other little details I noticed that I haven’t talked about here. New sidequests (some of which are in Tokyo), Lilith’s omnipresence throughout the narrative, a new Virtual Trainer which lets you challenge past foes, and more. If there’s one thing that’s clear to me after my time with Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, it’s that this is shaping up to be ATLUS’s biggest definitive edition yet.

While it’s impossible to say how it will unfold in its entirety, it’s clear that ATLUS listened to the problems that fans had with Shin Megami Tensei V and are making an active effort to fix them. I was already looking forward to diving back into Da’at, but I’m even more excited after spending some time with Vengeance and everything it brings to the table.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is launching on all platforms on June 14th, 2024. You can find our pre-order guide here.

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The Most Exciting Game Releases In May 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 06:04:36 +0000

It’s almost ~~February~~ May (??) and while I’m sure most of us are still getting through April’s games, the release cycle does not let up. It’s a bit of a calmer month, at least, with some very cool titles on the way but spread out nicely and arguably not as many AAA heavy-hitters to dominate the mindshare for weeks.

It’s an especially good time for fans of indies and more unique experiences, with the likes of Little Kitty Big City, Duck Detective, INDIKA, Crow Country, Animal Well and a bunch more on the way. Plus you’ve got a diverse spread of bigger drops like Endless Ocean Luminous, Hellblade II and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

As usual it’s more than we could feasibly list in one go, so excuse anything missing, but take a look at some of the titles we’re pretty keen for in May 2024, below:

THE MOST EXCITING GAME RELEASES IN MAY 2024

Endless Ocean Luminous

Release Date: May 2

Platforms: Switch

Take a deep breath and plunge into the Veiled Sea, an unexplored region with discoveries that change with each dive. Encounter and learn about over 500 species of marine life – some of which are presumed extinct, or even mythical! What will you find on your undersea journey?

Indika

Release Date: May 2

Platforms: PC

Abiotic Factor (Early Access)

Release Date: May 2

Platforms: PC

Abiotic Factor is a survival crafting experience for 1-6 players set in the depths of an underground research facility. Caught between paranormal containment failure, a military crusade, and chaos from a dozen realms, the world’s greatest minds must survive against the universe’s biggest threats.

MotoGP 24

Release Date: May 2

Biomutant (Switch Release)

Release Date: May 14th

Platforms: Switch

BIOMUTANT® is an open-world, post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu fable RPG, with a unique martial arts styled combat system allowing you to mix melee, shooting and mutant ability action. A plague is ruining the land and the Tree-of-Life is bleeding death from its roots. The Tribes stand divided. Explore a world in turmoil and define its fate – will you be its saviour or lead it to an even darker destiny?

The Rogue Prince of Persia (Early Access Launch)

Release Date: May 14th

Platforms: PC

Jump into this action roguelite installment in the Prince of Persia series as you flow between death-defying platforming and acrobatic combat as the Prince himself. Battle through the capital city again and again with one goal – find a way to save Persia from a Hun invasion wielding dark magic.

Mullet Mad Jack

Release Date: May 15th

Platforms: PC

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (PC Launch)

Release Date: May 16th (17th AEST)

Platforms: PC

Read Only Memories: Neurodiver

This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 01:24:31 +0000

After a pretty big week last week which saw the launches of Stellar Blade, SAND LAND, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, TopSpin 2K25 and heaps more, this coming seven days is mercifully a bit quieter. PlayStation fans are finally getting in on the world of Sea of Thieves, Nintendo’s next Switch exclusive is arriving in the form of Endless Ocean Luminous, and nuns go walking with the devil in Indika.

Take a look at some of the more exciting stuff coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (APRIL 29 EDITION)

Sea of Thieves (PlayStation Launch)

Release Date: April 30

Platforms: PS5, PS4

Sea of Thieves is a smash-hit pirate adventure game, offering the quintessential pirate experience of plundering lost treasures, intense battles, vanquishing sea monsters and more.

Front Mission 2: Remake (PlayStation/Xbox/PC Launch)

Release Date: April 30

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

12 years have passed since the second Huffman conflict. The impoverished People’s Republic of Alordesh has been suffering a severe economic decline ever since the war ended. In June 2102, soldiers of the Alordesh Army rise up and, led by Ven Mackarge, declare independence from the O.C.U. (Oceania Cooperative Union). FRONT MISSION 2: Remake preserves the mature story, strategic turn-based combat, and Wanzer customization options of the original. Enjoy the revitalized classic with updated visuals and new features and enhancements!

Loop Hero (Mobile Launch)

Release Date: April 30

Platforms: Android/iOS

The Lich has thrown the world into a timeless loop and plunged its inhabitants into never ending chaos. In this roguelike RPG, wield an expanding deck of mystical cards to place enemies, buildings, and terrain along each unique expedition loop for the brave hero.

Let Bions Be Bygones

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 14:00:03 +0000

Stellar Blade launched last week to a pretty positive critical reception, garnering an 82 on Metacritic after 118 verified reviews, with our own scoring it a huge 9/10. The game, a debut big-budget console effort from mobile developer SHIFT UP, was always going to land weirdly though thanks to a lead character that recalls the heights of 90s/early 2000s over-sexualised video game women.

And while most people who’ve played or are playing Stellar Blade will happily confirm that the game manages to do a lot of good things besides being a vehicle for anime fuck doll eye candy, EVE has quickly become the poster girl for the same corners of the gaming community that tried to yassify Aloy and went berserk after learning that consulting companies exist. For Stellar Blade, a game about big swords and even bigger tits, and one that proudly proclaimed itself as “uncensored in all countries,” to launch to good reviews and strong sales would seemingly be the vindication the anti-woke gamer crowd was looking for.

Until this happened.

Once word got out that some of the costumes in version 1.0 of Stellar Blade were marginally more erotic than the ones in the game’s launch-day patch, you can bet that things went downhill real fast. As it turns out, SHIFT UP wound up altering a few outfits to add just a touch more fabric here and there, and because the version of the game printed to physical discs and played in its earliest iterations by the press and creators still contained the old versions the cry of “Censorship!” rang out.

At that point it was pretty much bedlam with the offended gamers quickly fact-checking a fictional woman’s wardrobe against early trailers, review footage and whatever else they could find – it even turned out that at least one modified outfit still had its old saucy version show up in the in-game tutorials (I checked this in my own copy of the game as you can see below and it’s true.)

Aussie content creator, game hacker and nudie-detector Lance McDonald spent a good while trying to shore up the facts in this big ol’ thread, concluding that the above example never even made it into Version 1.0 of the game (it appears it was changed between when the tutorial assets were generated and when discs were printed), before eventually reminding everyone that this shit happens all the time and just isn’t worth having a tanty over when there’s a good game to be played.

Sometimes game character outfits are more revealing in early builds of a game but then they get changed a bit for release to be less so. Most of the time we never even know it happened, but in rare cases we find out due to leaks or obsessive freeze-framing of early trailers. https://t.co/xEX74TuMG6

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) April 29, 2024

But what about the developer’s response? SHIFT UP reportedly already addressed the controversy well before it hit its fever pitch, suggesting that it wasn’t strong-armed into “censoring” or changing anything about the outfits, and that despite how last-minute it seemed to be, what’s in the current 1.0.0.2 version of the game is what the studio intended.

CEO, Kim Hyeong-tae, has been quoted as saying at a pre-launch press conference for the game, “I think it’s a result of the Day One patch. We couldn’t prevent people from not connecting to the network. It’s true that the version of the costume was installed in the package before it was finally delivered to users. Erotic doesn’t always mean good. In some situations, there are things that need to be modified to make it work, and there are things that are less arousing or more arousing as a result. These are all intended outcomes. This patch is the final product we want to show you.”

Of course, that was never going to be enough to quell the raging ~~boners~~ storm now surrounding the game on sites like X and Reddit, and prominent grifters like Mark “Grummz” Kern have even started to rally their following against SHIFT UP and Sony with inane campaigns to “free” Stellar Blade. This one’s almost up to 50k signatures, which is wild.

Some folks have reported being able to claim refunds from Sony for being “misled” when making their purchase, so if you’re up for embarrassing yourself on the phone with some poor call centre worker who’s going to have to go home and have the world’s most uncomfortable “So how was your day?” chat, you could certainly give that a go.

And look, nobody likes to feel like they’ve been “cheated” by a game’s early marketing. We learned that with things like the infamous Watch Dogs reveal trailer that looked lightyears ahead of the final product, and the industry’s kinda self-policed its way into making occurrences like that less common.

But a studio deciding of its own volition to rethink some costumes that, let’s all admit, have no value outside of some 40-year-old dudes creaming their trackies in the middle of a boss fight against a giant monster with a chainsaw head, shouldn’t be this big of a deal. Doubly so when this isn’t some days-later reaction to complaints about too much skin – in fact it all seems pretty quiet on that front, from where I’m standing – but something devised ahead of time.

Some folks worry that things like this could open the doors for studios or publishers to tinker with your purchased games after the fact, and while I don’t personally feel all that concerned about it, I understand why the thought upsets people. I just don’t believe that’s the situation here (maybe more will come to light in the days to follow and I’ll be wrong, and that’s okay.)

Besides, it could be worse. I’m really enjoying my time with Stellar Blade so far and have already pumped 20 hours in since launch, but the censorship in my copy of the game has run absolutely rampant:

The post What’s Going On With Stellar Blade’s “Censorship” Controversy? appeared first on Press Start.

DreamHack Melbourne Has Brought A Bigger And More Diverse Show For 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 06:34:59 +0000

Walking back through the doors at Rod Laver in 2024 as a regular at past DreamHack Melbourne events, the energy is already tangibly different. Despite being on its third go around, it almost feels like a fresh start with a broader focus and much, much more than just esports – especially if you’re a veteran or budding content creator. Head of product for the event, Ben Green, was eager to stress that last point as soon as we walked in the door bright and early on Friday morning, declaring that content creators were easily as important to DreamHack as esports. There’s a reason this year’s Creator Lounge has gone from a capacity of 20 to around 350.

It’s immediate as soon as the crowds start to filter in that this isn’t just a weekend to go watch your favourite teams play League or CS2 – though there’s obviously plenty of opportunity to do that with the ESL Challenger going off all weekend and the LCO Grand Final on Sunday – this is a true gaming festival. Cosplay, tabletop gaming, LARP, expos and giveaways, arcade machines, LAN, speedrunning, dancing, it’s all been gathered here into one spot and in celebration of both the folks who create and the communities that rally around them.

And “creators” means artists too, with a huge focus in on supporting local artists in a number of ways. Walking around the arena, the work of timtamart can be seen welcoming attendees into the venue, offering direction to all of the fun activities and generally adding some great local flavour. Artist Alley’s had a massive upgrade too with a massive increase in floor space and nearly 100 artists displaying and selling their work. The event had also made it clear early doors that AI art was out, making it easy to know what you’re seeing and taking home hasn’t been cooked up by nefarious means. Traipsing through Artist Alley with a friend on the first day, I can’t count on two hands the number of times I exclaimed, “Wait, there’s more?!” as we rounded each turn.

The halls of Rod Laver and its surrounds simply feel busier and more full this year overall. Where I can recall a good amount of downtime just doing laps of bare walkways in previous iterations where the arenas – and the event as a whole – were more dedicated to competitive gaming, there’s almost no excuse this time to not be engaging in something. The decision to move the “expo” of PC and hardware brand booths, collectible shopping and of course fridges full of free Monster Energy, into the floor space of Rod Laver Arena feels like the right call as well. Sharing space with the streaming and content creation areas in the Centrepiece building made for a lot of crossover of noise and crowds that didn’t really work, and the vendors in the expo have taken the opportunity to really dial up their loudspeakers and RGB lighting to take advantage. The arcade/bar area that precedes it is a nice spot to hang out, as well.

Easily my favourite feature of the expo thus far though, is something tucked away at the very back of Centrepiece, behind all of the speedrunning and PC gaming, behind the streaming booths and tabletop games. Last year, this exact spot held an enormous Monster Energy booth complete with a cacophony of noise and lights. This year, it couldn’t be further from that, as a dedicated “Cozy Corner” (we’ll talk about the spelling later, DreamHack). Here, you’ll find beanbags aplenty along with bookshelves, an on-site coffee shop and a small setup that some people were playing Stardew Valley on. Others had brought their handhelds, or were just sitting, sipping and soaking in the quiet. If I could’ve spent all day there, I very much would’ve. Every busy gaming convention needs a Cozy Cosy Corner.

It doesn’t end when the arena doors shut at 7PM, either. Once again bringing that true “festival” vibe, DreamHack Melbourne 2024 has already given us some pretty special after-hours events. Friday night saw the return of the Trash Taste Tour, a hit last year that came off the back of the podcast’s other activities in Australia but this year was orchestrated entirely for DreamHack. And then tonight’s entertainment is set to bring us a national first with the hololive production x DreamHack Melbourne 2024: Down Under concert, the biggest 3D concert in the southern hemisphere thus far. I don’t know about you, and maybe you’re one of the dedicated fans that bought a guaranteed spot, but I’m going to be heading over nice and early to make sure I don’t miss a seat in this one.

And look, perhaps you’ve attended yesterday and/or today and know all of this already, or perhaps you’d held out this long and now you’re hovering over a single day pass for tomorrow. There’s still a heap of exciting stuff to check out even if you missed the first two days – Sunday’s 11AM panel on the links between gaming/streaming and mental health sounds hugely important, and that’s followed by what should be an excellent turnout in the Extreme Cosplay Gathering Qualifier. There’s also a huge “DreamHack Trivia Extravaganza” presented by the wonderful Ben Sorensen, if you’re up for it. I’m a punter like anyone else, and not here to sell tickets, but certainly if you’re curious to see what DreamHack is bringing to Melbourne this year and for many years to come you can find them right here and get in on the tail end.

Most of all, and it’s something that rings true every year and at all of these events no matter the content, DreamHack Melbourne has been a wonderful source of companionship and community for those lucky enough to attend. Whether supporting your favourite creators and watching them in panels or out in the thick of it making content, cheering on your favourite players, going to cosplay meetups, buying locally-made art or just enjoying the weekend with friends, DreamHack 2024 has easily been the most diverse and welcoming line-up of activities for gamers and creators of all kinds. Here’s to the years ahead!

The post DreamHack Melbourne Has Brought A Bigger And More Diverse Show For 2024 appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 04:27:41 +0000

Things are starting to pick back up again this week, especially for PlayStation and Switch owners who are being treated to some long-awaited releases of banger games like Grounded and Planet of Lana, along with the PS5/PS4 release of Dave the Diver (which is coming to PlayStation Plus Extra!).

In terms of new titles, we’re getting the very handsome-looking Harold Halibut as well as Moon Studio’s early access launch of No Rest for the Wicked, and Final Fantasy XVI fans have a huge DLC expansion to look forward to with The Rising Tide. VR fans are in for a treat, too, with Soul Covenant dropping as well as the VR version of Umurangi Generation, which is an absolute must-play.

Take a look at some of the more exciting stuff coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (APRIL 22 EDITION)

Stellar Blade

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PS5

Pre-order here and save $15

Engage in blisteringly fast combat as you slash a path through the remnants of Earth in an all-new action adventure on PS5®. Unleash graceful yet brutal attacking combos, unlock new moves and weapon upgrades, and face epic boss encounters that will challenge both brain and brawn in equal measure.

Unravel a gripping human fate story, with mature themes, a thought-provoking narrative and emotionally-charged revelations from beginning to end.

SAND LAND

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Pre-order here and save $20

In this action-RPG, players will find a nostalgic and heartwarming world created by Akira Toriyama, where you will become the main character Beelzebub. Learn how to control his powers and lead your company of heroic misfits exploring the legendary world of SAND LAND. Beware of the many dangers that populate it: between bandits, fierce wildlife, and the Royal Army, reaching the spring won’t be easy! Use your tact and imagination to develop tanks and other vehicles that will help you navigate this vast land, using a wide array of part combinations.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

Release Date: April 23rd

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC

Embark on a poignant single-player story shaped by actor Abubakar Salim’s own experience with grief, discovering how love gives us the courage to press on after devastating loss. Wield powers from the Sun and the Moon to defeat restless spirits in rhythmic combat and become a worthy Nganga: a spiritual healer. Discover a rich universe with untold lore of chaos and order and journey through mystical 2.5D realms awash with color and depth, emboldened by multi-award-winning composer Nainita Desai’s enchanting original score.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Release Date: April 23rd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Pre-order here for $64

Prepare for a meticulously crafted turn-based JRPG with gorgeous 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds. Create your ideal 6-character party and choose from more than 100 unique heroes to join you through the war-torn continent of Allraan. Manage your town and recruit companions to gather resources, expand production, and develop new facilities to aid in your campaign. Confront foes in strategic one-on-one duels and intense war battles that will shape your story.

Read our review here.

Manor Lords (Early Access Release)

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PC

Manor Lords is a strategy game that allows you to experience the life of a medieval lord. Grow your starting village into a bustling city, manage resources and production chains, and expand your lands through conquest.

Inspired by the art and architecture of late 14th century Franconia, Manor Lords prioritizes historical accuracy wherever possible, using it to inform gameplay mechanics and visuals alike. Common medieval tropes are avoided in favor of historical accuracy, in order to make the world feel more authentic, colorful, and believable.

Fallout 4 (Current-Gen Release)

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S

ICYMI: The Fallout 4 free next-gen update lands on consoles and PC April 25th! https://t.co/lFnD4X5Q3o

? Performance and Quality Mode
?? Stability improvements and fixes
? PC widescreen support
? Steam Deck Verified
? Free Creation Club Content pic.twitter.com/JrJDqdn9tW

— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) April 19, 2024

Bethesda Game Studios is releasing a free Fallout 4 update for download on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

This free update includes native applications for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, Performance mode and Quality mode settings, as well as stability improvements and fixes. Experience up to 60 FPS and increased resolutions!

Fallout 4 players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will also receive a free update with stability improvements, login and quest fixes .

SaGa Emerald Beyond

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, PC, Mobile

The latest standalone entry in the SaGa franchise, SaGa Emerald Beyond, brings together the very best elements of the beloved series to offer each player their own unique gameplay experience.

Make use of glimmers and combos in battle; meet a diverse cast of races, including monsters, mechs, and vampires; and experience your very own story, created through your choices and actions.

Another Crab’s Treasure

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch PC

As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell, and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.

Designed to be an approachable experience for newer soulslike players as well as provide a challenge for hardcore fans, Another Crab’s Treasure offers something for any level of skill or time commitment. Assist options are provided for those seeking a less frustrating experience, and gluttons for punishment can use those same options to make the game even harder.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin (Console Launch)

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch

Blast, slice and shred through your enemies in this hardcore FPS inspired by the icons of the ’90s, powered by the legendary Quake-1 Tech. Taking place in a realm left to rot, take up arms, unearth long-forgotten secrets and hunt down the Guardians of the Old World.

Phantom Fury

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PC

Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison is back in this highly interactive mix of first person action and road movie adventure. Embark on an adrenaline-fueled journey around the USA. Use an enormous arsenal of weapons and skills to battle treacherous soldiers and vile mutants, all while trying to save mankind.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants

Release Date: April 23rd

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch PC

Pre-order here for $48.

Re-experience the 2017 arcade classic with 3 additional stages and 6 additional boss battles! Take control of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello or Raphael in this classic beat-em-up inspired by the cult favorite Turtles in Time. Play with your friends through local co-op and dominate the Foot Clan to foil the Shredder’s maniacal plan.

TopSpin 2K25

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Pre-order here and save $20

Travel the world as an up-and-coming pro, go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in tennis, and take Centre Court at Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, the US Open, and the Australian Open as you strive to become a Grand Slam® Champion in MyCAREER.

Play as tennis legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams, or serve up smashing highlights as Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Frances Tiafoe, Andre Agassi, and others. Choose from over 24 playable pros and unleash their explosive power and clever finesse against other players locally or online.

Age of Water

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Age of Water is a new online adventure game set on a post-apocalyptic Earth completely covered in water. Sail through storms, fight and trade, capture other people’s boats or build your own, extract resources from the bottom of the ocean, reveal the secrets of the Age of Water world.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

Release Date: April 28th

Platforms: Switch

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron HD Remaster is a third-person melee action game developed by crim Co. Ltd. Players will assume the role of Enoch who must harness his natural combat skills to master a range of powerful and Heavenly weapons under the guidance of the watchful Archangels. This remastered version is fitted with full HD support, improved framerate, optimized loading, general optimization, and more for modern platforms.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board!

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: Switch

THE ANIME DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA TURNS INTO A BOARD GAME!

The iconic landmarks from the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, such as Mount Fujikasane and Asakusa, will appear as boards! Roll the dice to advance through the squares! The board has a daytime and nighttime period. During the day, you will play events and mini-games to prepare for the night, where you will be searching for demons to defeat – aim to become a great Demon Slayer swordsman!

The post This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

Everything You Need To Know About Generation Games, Sydney’s Brand-New Gaming Expo Happening This Weekend

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 01:50:57 +0000

Whether you’re retro, competitive, tabletop or anything in-between, you’ll find it all at Generation Games, Sydney’s premier new gaming event. Book your passes now for April 20th and 21st at the International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour. Tickets and more info here.

The first-ever Generation Games is nearly upon us, taking place this weekend at the International Convention Centre Sydney. This brand-new event promises to give Sydney-siders and visiting fans of everything gaming the ultimate convention experience with a truckload of stuff to see and do, whether you’re into modern video games, retro classics, tabletop RPGs and card games or just love interacting with everyone in this huge and diverse community.

With so much on, we’ve put together a primer on just what Generation Games is about, what you can expect from the show, and importantly how to get there and get in.

When And Where Is It On?

Generation Games is happening this weekend on the 20th and 21st of April, 2024, and will take place at the International Convention Centre Sydney in Darling Harbour, open to ticket-holders from 9AM to 5PM each day. Tickets will also be available at the door!

ICC is well-located no matter what mode of transport you use to get there. It’s a short walk from Central or Town Hall stations, has its own bus and light rail stops, and is surrounded by secure car parks. Being a Darling Harbour location, ferries and water taxis are also a great option. You can find out more to help plan your trip on the ICC Sydney website.

What’s There To See And Do?

There’ll be a huge amount of exciting stuff happening at Generation Games, from playable console and retro games, to indie showcases, tabletop tutorials, heaps of merch and other goodies to buy and some pretty neat interactive features. Below is just a taste of what you’ll find when you head in this weekend:

D&D Epic: Generation Games D&D Epic – The Grand Tapestry is set to be Australia’s biggest ever game of Dungeons and Dragons. Taking place over the entire weekend of Generation Games 2024, 160 Adventurers playing over 40 sessions will quest together in a shared world, where the decisions, successes and failures you experience in your session affect the future generations of heroes in later rounds.

Taking part in D&D epic will be free, registrations are open right now and filling up fast so head here if you’re keen.

Indie Dev Zone: Generation Games’ Indie Dev Zone will spotlight some fantastic local indie developers and their games, with the chance for attendees to play and chat about them with the creators. Some of the games you’ll be able to play include The Godfeather, Which Way Up: Galaxy Games and Dolven. You can take a look at what’s coming on the Indie Dev Zone page here.

Similarly to the Indie Dev Zone, the Tabletop Gaming Developers Australia Space will feature passionate local tabletop developers showing off their own projects. Take a look here.

Community Zone: The Community Zone will be a dedicated spot where everyone can come together with their communities. Strike up a fireside chat about your favourite games, join the cosplay meetups and snap some photos, or just rock up and make some new friends. There will also be a special spot decked out with beanbags for some light BYO handheld gaming. You can find out more about the Community Zone here.

Tabletop RPG Zone: Dungeons and Dragons NSW will be in attendance, running learn-to-play one shot adventure sessions for budding D&D players who want to dive into the game for the first time, as well as some higher-level one shot adventures for the experienced players. Find out more here.

Trading Card Games: Check out some fantastic TCG action with games like Magic the Gathering. Receive guidance from seasoned players, play in the Commander Free Play area, and if you’re confident you can enter sealed tournaments to win prizes.

Find out more about the TCG action at Generation Games right here.

Dr Pickles Tattoo Mystery Hole Experience: Yes, it’s exactly how it sounds. Brave attendees will have the opportunity to put their arm in a mystery hole where the end result is a tattoo. If you’re game, you can learn more right here. Naturally, this one’s 18+ only.

Side Quests: Sign up and set off on a free Side Quest with Epic Armoury. Search for real-life NPCs, acquire gold coins for completing quests around the show and then exchange these fake coins for real prizes.

Just Dance Stage: Open for free play all weekend, dance as a group, or show of your skills solo.

Retro Gaming Zone: The Retro Gaming Lounge will have a collection of retro gaming consoles to try out all weekend, from NES to N64, Sega Mega Drive to Atari 7800 and more.

Freeplay – Consoles, PC, VR and Tournaments: A mix of consoles and PCs will be available for freeplay across the weekend! Try out a PS5, Xbox, Switch or MSI gaming laptops with some of the latest games. Free-to-play tournaments will also be taking place in the Console Freeplay area across the weekend, and there will be VR free play available courtesy of Entermission Sydney. Find out more about that right here.

Speedrunning: Watch some of the Speedrunning showcases featuring of Australia’s top speedrunners across the weekend, and try your hand at some speedrunning in the retro gaming area with Pikeblue with prizes to be won for the fastest times.

Paint & Take Miniatures: Free paint & take miniature sessions available to take part in over the weekend thanks to Aetherworks!

Merch: A range of exclusive Generation Games merch will also be available. You can take a look at the products and designs that’ll be on offer here.

…And Heaps More! Make sure you visit the Generation Games website for up-to-date information on everything that’s happening during the show.

Where Are The Tickets?

Tickets to Generation Games are available right now, and can be found here. Early bird pricing for single-day and weekend passes can be found below:

Saturday

Child Admission – Early Bird – $22.50
General Admission – Early Bird – $42.50
Family Bundle – Early Bird – $107

Sunday

Child Admission – Early Bird – $22.50
General Admission – Early Bird – $42.50
Family Bundle – Early Bird – $107

Weekend

Child Admission – Early Bird – $37.50
General Admission – Early Bird – $67.50
Family Bundle – Early Bird – $172.50

A Day 1 Edition Pass is also available for $119 which includes the following for 1 person (adult or child):

General Admission for Saturday and Sunday
Exclusive Generation Games Lanyard
Exclusive Generation Games T-shirt
Exclusive Generation Games Tote Bag
Complimentary cloaking at the Generation Games Cloak Room

The post Everything You Need To Know About Generation Games, Sydney’s Brand-New Gaming Expo Happening This Weekend appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To Final Fantasy XVI’s DLC Director About Rising Tide’s New Locations, Powers And Fearsome Eikon Battle

Harry Kalogirou — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 12:59:20 +0000

Almost a full year after release, Final Fantasy XVI is about to introduce its final Eikon in the legendary summon Leviathan. While notably absent from Clive’s conflict with Ultima, XVI’s second piece of DLC – The Rising Ride – is looking to explore exactly what happened to the Leviathan and its Dominant. We got to talk with DLC Director Takeo Kujiraoka about bringing the serpentine beast to Final Fantasy XVI, its potential narrative impact, how it changes up Clive’s combat capabilities, and more.

Echoes of the Fallen takes place before the final confrontation with Ultima in the base game. Can we expect the same of The Rising Tide? And if so, is there a possibility that Clive having all the Eikons might impact the final confrontation with Ultima?

Takeo Kujiraoka: Yes, The Rising Tide quest unlocks at the same point in time as Echoes of the Fallen. However, it will not change the final battle with Ultima or the ending.

Why did Ultima ignore Leviathan in the main game?

The story in The Rising Tide does address this point, so that’s something I hope players will look forward to uncovering.

There are a few reasons why the DLC doesn’t change the ending. First, we didn’t want to create an ending that people would have to buy DLC to reach. Second, Kazutoyo Maehiro, the scenario writer for the main game, surely chose to leave some parts of the ending up to the player’s imagination intentionally. It wasn’t for us to disregard and overwrite that.

Of course, I do understand what players were hoping to see – but as the director for the DLC, I decided it was more important to preserve the concepts in the original FINAL FANTASY XVI narrative.

Although this isn’t quite the same, the DLC does present an answer to the question of what might happen to Clive once he obtains the powers of all the Eikons – which is something else I think you can look forward to.

I’m sure taking each Eikon and developing an appropriate fight with them was difficult given their scale and capabilities. What are some of the challenges surrounding developing an Eikon fight with Leviathan given its sheer size and water-based powers?

TK: Personally, I think that serpent-like creatures are quite difficult to use as a base for huge enemies in action games. Their ever-changing shape creates problems with collision detection that can end with player characters getting caught and trapped between collision boxes. So, instead of having these enemies freely moving about the battlefield, a lot of games will simply bury their bodies in the ground, leaving only the head exposed.

And so, a lot of games have these sorts of enemies half buried in the ground or make them immobile.

But from past FINAL FANTASY games, wouldn’t you say that it’s pretty well established to see Leviathan move like it’s swimming through the sky?

For FINAL FANTASY XVI, we initially explored having Leviathan coming out of the ground, but I thought, “Nope, this won’t do!” And so, we switched to having it able to move around the arena – the way it is in the final DLC.

Thanks to the hard work of the team, I think we’ve created the most active Leviathan yet, so you can look forward to meeting it yourself!

It also seems that The Rising Tide takes place in a locale separate from Valisthea. Will we be able to explore this new location and engage in side content or will it be more linear like Echoes of the Fallen?

TK: There are four field areas in the main game. The Rising Tide will add another field area on the same scale as those.

This new area features a settlement where people live, sidequests, and strong foes on the same level as notorious marks.

There’s also some completely new side-content that wasn’t found in the main game, similar to a treasure hunt. In amongst the beautiful scenery, we’ve packed in quite a lot for you to do – so I hope you’ll enjoy adventuring in this new setting.

Each Eikon in the base game is remarkable in how differently they play and how they expand Clive’s skillset. What kinds of abilities do the Eikon powers of Leviathan grant Clive and what kind of playstyle do they focus on?

TK: The Eikonic abilities of Leviathan are characterised by a specialisation in long-range attacks. Clive wears Leviathan on his arm, using it like a gun. Clive is more of a melee-type character, but the Leviathan abilities have been created in a way that fits his fighting style surprisingly well. Although I’m sure that each and every player has a set of abilities that they think are the best, the Leviathan abilities are compelling enough to make you want to break apart and rebuild your loadout. I hope players will enjoy experimenting with different combinations that use the new abilities.

The Eikonic feat, Serpent’s Cry, is particularly extravagant – just like Odin’s Arm of Darkness, all available actions change completely while using the feat. The roll action that can be triggered with R1 is particularly useful, and it feels great to use it to move around the field. Leviathan’s abilities give combat a completely different feel.

One of the things players enjoyed most about Echoes of the Fallen was the increase in difficulty from the base game. Can we expect the same kind of increase in The Rising Tide? Is there the possibility of another superboss like Omega?

TK: We also felt like the increased difficulty in Echoes of the Fallen was received well, so we’ve set The Rising Tide at about the same level.

The bosses that you’ll fight as Clive have a different kind of strength to Omega – the kind unique to humanoid bosses. You’ll need to pay close attention to how your opponent moves and make sure you determine the right time to pull back, or you’ll find your HP worn down in mere moments by fierce chain attacks. So, watch out!

The battle against Leviathan, where you’ll be controlling Ifrit, has also been balanced to be quite challenging. The Eikon battles in the main game were kept at a slightly lower difficulty to allow players to focus on the story. But as The Rising Tide is going to have the final Eikon battle, it may be quite tricky to beat unless you make full use of all of Ifrit’s abilities.

Even if you lose, levelling up Clive and getting stronger weapons and equipment will affect Ifrit’s strength as well – so don’t give up, and take on Leviathan again!

The post We Spoke To Final Fantasy XVI’s DLC Director About Rising Tide’s New Locations, Powers And Fearsome Eikon Battle appeared first on Press Start.

This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 06:59:55 +0000

Take a look at some of the more exciting stuff coming this week:

GAMES RELEASING THIS WEEK (APRIL 15 EDITION)

PERISH (Console Release)

Release Date: April 15

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

In PERISH, players step into the shoes of Amyetri, a corporeal spirit condemned to the shadowy existence of Purgatory. Their mission? To end their suffering by undertaking the Rites of Orpheus and conquering the Chthonic deities blocking the path to Elysium. Survival in PERISH requires more than just brute strength; players must navigate diverse landscapes, from scorched cliffs to volcanic foundries, each fraught with peril and populated by merciless enemies drawn from Ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian mythologies.

Dave the Diver (PlayStation Release)

Release Date: April 16

Platforms: PS5, PS4

DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, singleplayer adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole. Read our review here.

Harold Halibut

Release Date: April 16

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Harold Halibut is a handmade narrative game about friendship and life on a city-sized spaceship submerged in an alien ocean. Join Harold as he explores a vibrant retro-future world in his quest to find the true meaning of ‘home’.

Planet of Lana (PlayStation And Switch Release)

Release Date: April 16

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch

A planet that used to be a place of undisturbed balance between human, nature, and animal has now become something else entirely.

The disharmony that had been in the making for hundreds of years has finally arrived in the form of a faceless army. But this is not a story about war. This is a story about a vibrant, beautiful planet –and the journey to keep it that way.

Kill It With Fire 2 (Early Access Release)

Release Date: April 16 (April 17 AEST)

Platforms: PC

Arachnophobia. The Game. The Sequel. Take on the arachnid menace alone or with friends in full campaign co-op. Wage the arachnid war across time and space and exterminate every last spider across the multiverse, or jump into Spider Hunt PvP and play as the eight-legged menace for the first time!

Grounded (PlayStation And Switch Release)

Release Date: April 16

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch

It’s time to get Grounded! A sprawling universe is yours to discover, filled with opportunities to explore, build, and survive in the backyard in this immersive cooperative survival-adventure game. Choose to venture alone or join forces with up to three friends online, with cross-platform play connecting players globally. Brace yourself for epic battles against hordes of giant insects, and navigate the backyard’s dangerous marvels.

No Rest for the Wicked (Early Access Release)

Release Date: April 18 (April 19 AEST)

Platforms: PC

From Moon Studios, the award-winning developers of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps comes No Rest for the Wicked, a visceral, precision Action RPG set to reinvent the genre.

Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide

Release Date: April 18

Platforms: PS5

An unmarked letter arrives at the hideaway containing a request most curious: the Dominant of Leviathan, long lost Eikon of Water, is in need of rescue.

To heed this call, Clive and his companions must journey to Mysidia—a hidden land under a blue sky—where they will uncover the tragic history of a forgotten people.

Sker Ritual (1.0 And Console Release)

Release Date: April 18

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

An intense round-based zombie survival FPS, play solo or co-op. Shoot your way through relentless waves of vicious horrors with high-octane objectives, upgrading steampunk weapons, collecting Celtic God powers, and surviving the onslaught of the Quiet Ones.

Soul Covenant

Release Date: April 18

Platforms: PS5 (PS VR2), Quest, PC

From the core members who brought you the SOUL SACRIFICE series a VR Narrative Action JRPG depicting a fierce battle between humanity and machines! The game depicts the conflict between the artificial intelligence ruling over humanity under the pretext of governance, and the enhanced humans who resist it, featuring a high level of immersion that will make the player feel one with the protagonist.

Umurangi Generation VR

Release Date: April 18

Platforms: PS5 (PS VR2), Quest

Umurangi Generation VR is the VR version of the critically-acclaimed post-apocalyptic photography simulator Umurangi Generation.

Umurangi Generation is a creative sandbox photography simulator set in Tauranga Aotearoa, where you are an avid photographer working as a courier for the Tauranga Express.

Document the world, its bleak state, and its residents through the lenses of your camera.

Age of Water

Release Date: April 18

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Become a sea captain on a post-apocalyptic Earth completely covered in water and go on an adventure in a huge open world. Sail through storms, fight and trade, capture other people’s boats or build your own, extract resources from the bottom of the ocean, reveal the secrets of the Age of Water world.

ArcRunner

Release Date: April 19

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Embark on a journey through ‘The Arc’ in this stunning, cyberpunk-themed action roguelite. Immerse yourself in adrenaline-pumping gunfights, utilising a varied array of cybernetic weapons. Navigate each zone strategically, making pivotal decisions on augmented upgrades for enhanced power between levels to eventually confront tough end-of-level bosses.

Ready, Steady, Ship!

Release Date: April 19

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Grab a buddy for this chaotic couch co-op delight. In Ready, Steady, Ship! you’ll chaotically assemble the most efficient conveyor belts to keep the goods flowing out of the factory! Use various tools and equipment to overcome the ever-increasing challenges and goods the factory throws at you.

The post This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases appeared first on Press Start.

We Spoke To Producer Masaru Oyamada About How Visions Of Mana Is Bringing The Franchise To A New Audience

Kieron Verbrugge — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 06:09:30 +0000

It’s wild to think that it’s been well over 15 years since the last mainline entry in the Mana franchise. That’s long enough for plenty of folks to have played video games all their life and still missed the most recent one. Of course, Square Enix has dropped plenty of ports, remakes and mobile titles in the time since, but Visions of Mana represents a pretty momentous occasion as a proper, original console release.

I recently had the chance to go hands-on with a small chunk of Visions of Mana, seeing first-hand how the team is bringing this franchise back into the forefront and how it fares against more modern efforts in its genre peers. After getting some time with the game (which you can read about here) I was also lucky enough to be able to chat to series producer, Masaru Oyamada, to further discuss the game’s development, ideas and how the series has evolved in the near-15-years since the last mainline title.

Note: Minor elements of the below discussion may have been edited slightly for clarity.

What’s it like to create a brand-new entry in the Mana series after almost 15 years?

When we first started development it was really half-and-half between, just excitement at being able to make something new and also a little bit of fear at that pressure, but as the development’s gone along, and now we’re in a good state and we’re ready to show it to the world, I’m just really filled with excitement. It’s looking really good.

I’m looking forward to the release, definitely, and seeing what people make of it.

How do you see the public perception of the Mana series right now? How do you hope that this release is going to affect that?

That’s a really difficult question to sum up, but I think certainly that with the way the series has gone, the fact that the originator of the Mana series Mr. Koichi Ishii has left and been away for such a long time now, and we haven’t had a new game in the series for quite a while, I do imagine that a lot of the fans in the series are getting a little bit fed up. They do want to see something new.

I’m very happy to see what’s happening with the series since I joined as Series Producer in 2014. We’ve gone through a number of remakes, remasters, the old titles with Collection of Mana, Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, and every time we release a new game or bring back one of the old games in the series we see more and more people supporting the series, more and more fans out there. I think that culminated somewhat with Trials of Mana when we re-released that version, that was really well received. I saw a lot more fan support and a lot more passion for the series out there after that game. So I think we’re in a good place with that now and the fans are hopefully a bit more satisfied.

When you first started approaching development on Visions of Mana, what were some of the core themes and ideas that you wanted to make sure were carried across from the previous games?

Since the original games made by Mr Koichi Ishii I think there has been a very strong theme in terms of the stories of the Mana games and they’re very much about meetings, partings and the way that people grow after experiencing those events. So that’s a very strong theme.

Then if you look at more specific elements in the game, I think, there are very much the core classic elements that have to be at the center of any Mana game. You’ve obviously got the Mana Tree itself, you’ve got the Sword of Mana, and you have to have a story which revolves around them in some way or another. And then going a bit wider into the rest of the world and how the game looks and the monsters, those really distinctive monster designs that Mr. Ishii made back in the day. They really have to be there in terms of the visual identity. I really wanted to prioritise those elements and have those at the core of Visions of Mana as well.

And then finally if we look at the gameplay system, the mechanics of the game itself, in some ways the Mana series has been quite disparate in terms of the actual gameplay mechanics and the systems. It’s a series that tries to take on new challenges with every game. So the actual gameplay systems in the previous titles have been quite different. Personally, I really like what we did with Trials of Mana, I think that was very well received by the fans as well. So clearly it was kind of the direction that people wanted to see it going. And so I very much set that as the baseline in terms of where the game will be developed and evolved from. Also on top of that I wanted to go back over the series and take some elements from the individual titles that I thought were really good, pick out the best bits and put them into Visions. And also try out completely new and exciting things as well, but the base for that was very much Trials of Mana.

Elaborating on that a bit, how would you say you prioritised pleasing fans of the old games while also trying to bring in a new audience?

We do want to please both kinds of players and have it as an experience which will really resonate with both sides. In terms of the original Mana fans, the old fans of the series, what we strived to do there as an approach, a philosophy, was to make sure that whatever part of the game they’re playing, it really felt like a Mana game. It had that essence. It had that core from the titles that they had in the past and to really look at each element of the game in that sense. So they feel like they’re playing a Mana game.

In terms of the newcomers though, I think what we felt was really important for them, was to make the game accessible, really easy to get into and play and not complicated. To reduce the barriers, really. So we looked at various other games on modern hardware and how they approach these kinds of things. Obviously, there’s a lot of competition out there, so we saw what the other games are doing well, in terms of that ease of entry and accessibility. We used that to inform our choices on things like the controls, for example, the general feel of gameplay to make sure that there wasn’t this barrier to stop people getting into it. It wasn’t overly complicated.

Something that the series has always done well is have a really quirky, really interesting cast of characters. What can you tell me about the main cast in Visions of Mana?

I think you’ve seen three of the main party in the demo that you played. The first one is the main character Val. He’s what’s called a Soul Guard. Essentially his childhood friend, Hinna, she’s been selected to be the Alm, a very important ritualistic position and his job is to obviously guard her on her journey that she has to go through in that role. So, I mean he’s not just a bodyguard, there’s a lot more to him as a character and he really has that determination to see the journey through to the end and protect his friend.

Val was really made to feel like a heroic protagonist character. He has to be that cool, classic hero. The way he plays as a character had to have that good balance between attack and defence. You just feel like he’s a really capable and really heroic character. So, that was very much the perspective we took when designing him.

The second character you’d have played would be Careena. She’s a young girl from the Dragonfolk race. She’s from a place called The Veil of the Wind and she’s accompanied by a small, white dragon creature which may be familiar to people who played the series in the past and they come as a team, they fight as a pair in the game.

Essentially, she’s more of a support character. She uses her abilities to help the other party members. I think the main draw for Careena will be to see all the cool actions she does in combination with her little dragon, Ramcoh.

The final member of the party you would have seen is Morley. Who’s a feline character and a swordsman. He’s very fast, he’s got very high attack power as opposed to a more defensive fighter. He’s kind of a slightly trickier character to play. He’s harder to master. He can do some really cool stuff when you know how to use it, though.

We put a lot of effort in to really try and make sure that those three characters very much feel like very different people, the way you control them and what they do, and that there’s not much overlap. And there’s obviously more characters available to choose from in the full game, and we hope players have a lot of fun with that.

Speaking to how some of those mechanics develop over the course of the game, I got a sense that there might be a lot of opportunity to return to previous areas and open up new paths as you get new powers. Is that right?

You seem to have a very good understanding about how it’s structured! Yeah, that’s exactly right.

The world itself, the locations and the areas you’re going to be visiting and exploring are that much bigger and more expansive than we’ve had in previous Mana games. But the exploration side of that really needs to be fun and exciting. We’ve done a lot to make that a really enjoyable part of the game. So just like you said there’ll be, for example, a powerful enemy that you may see in the area or on the horizon, and maybe you can’t take on that enemy yet. So that’s something you have to get more powerful to come back and defeat later. Or there’ll be puzzles scattered around the world, things that you need to use different Element Vessels, different abilities to unlock. And you can do these things between quests as a little break from the main story and just go out and explore, really. So there’s lots of those kinds of exploration elements and puzzles and fun stuff to do while you’re looking around and exploring this great world.

Talking about side content, do you have a rough idea of how long it will take people to play if they’re on the main path or if they’re trying to do everything?

We’re right in the middle of the final tweaks and adjustments of the game and that can affect the play volume quite a lot. So it’s very difficult to give a specific answer now, as that may well change over the next couple of months. What we’re aiming for here, what we’re definitely going to achieve is, it’s going to be equivalent to most of the RPGs you see out there, nowadays. A solid chunk of gameplay, it really is going to be a satisfying experience. Even just playing through the main story, that’s going to be equivalent to a lot of the games you’ve seen in recent years. If like you said, you play through everything, you’re a completionist, you’re trying to do all the puzzles and all the side quests etc., it’s going to be a very long gameplay experience in that sense. There’s a lot of fun in the game though, so don’t worry about that.

One thing from the demo that I really wanted to ask about, is I was picking up a lot of something called Grizzly Syrup, and I really want to know what that is because it was everywhere.

[Laughs] That’s something we haven’t revealed yet. I can’t tell you the specifics about it today, but it is one of those things I mentioned that’s part of the exploration, something you’re going to go around the world collecting. And I think people who played the past games in the series may have a little bit of a hint of who wants this kind of stuff and who it points to appearing later on. Uh, I’m just going to leave it there. But yeah, it’s something you collect and you’ll find out later on who’s looking for it? How is it important? But I’m not going to tell you today.

I look forward to being able to answer that for myself eventually! Lastly, the Pikuls, the rideable, wolf-like creatures in the game. Where did the idea for those come from?

That one was actually designed directly by Koichi Ishii, the father of the Mana series himself. He designed that all on his own. I basically asked him, I said, “Well, we’ve got this massive world now, it’s a huge place to explore. We’ll need some kind of transport. What can we put in here?” And he came up with that idea, so it’s all him. Amazing.

Thank you so much for talking to me. I really enjoyed what I played in the demo so I’m looking forward to playing the full game!

Thanks as well. You brought up some great questions and I really enjoyed talking about the game. We’re going to do our best to push through to the end and get the game out, so you can expect great things and look forward to it!

Visions of Mana is slated to launch for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC later this year.

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6 Vaults That We Hope Turn Up In The Fallout TV Series

Brodie Gibbons — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:37:25 +0000

Although it’s been well noted that Fallout’s showrunner for the Amazon series isn’t exactly setting out to please the ardent fans of the long-running video game franchise, it isn’t going to stop said enthusiasts from speculating on what aspects of the series might make their way to the silver screen.

So often I find myself lost in the worlds of Fallout whether it’s California, the Mojave Desert, Washington D.C. or West Virginia with those famous “Country Roads”, they’re intoxicating places to spend hundreds of hours roaming like the wasteland nomad you’re cast as.

The series’ trailer suggests it takes place, at least partly, in a post-apocalyptic California, though it’s not known whether Lucy, a dweller who leaves the safety of her Vault, will be pursued to the farthest reaches of the show’s lawless land by the ghoulish bounty hunter played by the venerable Walton Goggins. If the show ventures beyond California, it has an opportunity to pluck bits and pieces from Fallout’s bottomless lore and include some of the weirder, social-experiment Vaults that turned their denizens loopy—at best.

Here are six of the most outlandish Vaults that we’re hoping turn up in the Fallout television series.

Vault 11

Like many of the vaults that’ll appear on this list, Vault 11 served as a Vault-Tec conducted social experiment to test the inhabitants’ resolve and conformity. This particular one, however, had a rather grisly end.

Once a year, dwellers were made to nominate one of their own to partake in a ritual sacrifice to prevent the Vault’s computer from eradicating the entire population. Although these decisions were arrived at diplomatically at first, it was really a simple test to see whether the inhabitants would value human life, as well as their own morality, above the vault’s dire handbook. Abstaining once would have spared the entire population and unlocked the door, setting them free to the wilds.

That’s, of course, not what happened though. Nominees were routinely killed off annually until a power struggle between The Justice Bloc, a faction that formed within the vault, and the overseer led to a coup that saw only five survive. A mixture of shellshock and newfound solidarity led to them defying the vault’s guidelines and accepting the consequences of inaction, which ironically was their freedom—though most of the group took their lives seeking atonement.

Vault 12

After learning that the country’s remaining vaults had already been sealed, the people of Bakersfield fled desperately for their local fallout shelter in hopes of securing refuge for themselves and their families. The vault’s door worked, more or less, as intended: it couldn’t hold the radiation at bay as it did the raiders.

Painfully, the surviving population were transformed into ghouls. Years later, many of the inhabitants would leave for the wastes while those remaining founded the city of Necropolis—I’d say the name was on the nose except, well.

Vault 15

A social experiment vault that forced groups from three distinct ideologies to live together. To prolong the exposure to other ethnic and religious groups, the opening of this vault was delayed by several decades.

The friction between the groups led to the formation of three raider gangs made up of exiled dwellers who left en masse with vital equipment after the vault’s doors eventually opened. Those who remained, on the other hand, went on to found Shady Sands, the capital of New California.

With California being at least the series’ opening setting, I think it’s entirely possible Shady Sands is paid a visit by the vagabond protagonist—so perhaps a recap of the vault’s failure is on the cards.

Vault 21

Fallout: New Vegas is regarded as one of the best entries in the franchise and it’s for good reason. Its characters, quests, and lore stand out as some of the most thought out and considered in Fallout’s storied history.

Vault 21 is particularly fun because, in keeping with the City of Sin, it was created with equal opportunity in mind outside of conflicts and problems being solved through gambling. The only arbiter in these cases is Lady Luck herself and if she isn’t on your side, you stand to lose big.

In his resurrection of the Vegas strip, Robert House would claim ownership of this vault in a drawn out game of blackjack. After he secured the deed, he ordered it to be filled with concrete save for a couple of its upper levels where a hotel would be established as another source of income to buff New Vegas and its burgeoning economy.

Vault 92

Like pretty much all of the vaults on this list, this one suffered a rather bleak end so for it to show up in the series would require a bit of a revision at the very least.

“Set up” as a haven for the brightest musical minds to preserve musical talent through The Great War, in reality this vault studied the subliminal implantation of messaging into the minds of dwellers through white noise.

After a spate of mental breakdowns and murders as a result of the subtle mind control, the vault was left in ruins with half its population fighting for life against the other half, who’d gone mad. Nature would, for the most part, reclaim this vault after the project ceased to be and it became a haven for wildlife, mutated and otherwise.

Vault 118

This one kind of just feels less like a social experiment and more like a facsimile for what the greater reality is, as ten ultra-wealthy inhabitants are granted absolute and total authority over a much larger, impoverished population of a few hundred working class.

The “experiment” never really made it to full flight, however, after construction of the facility was abandoned completely due to lack of funds, presumably due to their misappropriation.

Remaining members of “Group A” were compelled by Dr. Riggs, whose research for General Atomics in the field of advanced robotics was noted, to explore the transference of their brains into Robobrains to give themselves the best chance of surviving the Great War to come.

All episodes of Fallout premiere on Prime Video on April 11th. Find out more here.

Images: Fandom/Bethesda

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This Week’s Most Exciting Video Game Releases

Kieron Verbrugge — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:49:10 +0000

It’s another somewhat quiet week for new video game releases this week. But while I’m sure most of us are plenty appreciative of the time to keep plugging away at games like Dragon’s Dogma 2, there are some pretty top-notch smaller efforts dropping that are definitely going to be worth a look-in, including a new joint from Devolver Digital as well as the console debut of a much-anticipated simulator sequel!

Take a look at what’s coming:

Games Releasing This Week (April 8 Edition)

Spirit City: Lofi Sessions

Release Date: April 8th

Platforms: PC

Spirit City: Lofi Sessions is a gamified focus tool, set to a soothing lofi soundtrack. Discover and collect Spirits, customize your cozy virtual space, and facilitate your real-life tasks with a collection of handy features designed to improve concentration and ease stress.

Find it on Steam.

Children of the Sun

Release Date: April 9th (10th AEST)

Platforms: PC

On a deadly road trip into darkness, control the path of a single bullet and unleash a fury of vengeance on the sinister cult that ruined your life in this tactical puzzle-shooter.

Burning with anger, THE GIRL wages a one-woman war against THE CULT, taking them down cultist by cultist, bullet by bullet, until she reaches her true target: THE LEADER. Along the way she will unravel the dark truth about this mysterious order and the atrocities committed by them in the name of their master.

Find it on Steam.

Gigantic: Rampage Edition

Release Date: April 9th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

GIGANTIC: RAMPAGE EDITION is a premium and definitive release of the original 5v5 MOBA Hero Shooter, GIGANTIC, that provides a dynamic and exciting team-based multiplayer experience for fans of both genres. Choose from a diverse roster of unique heroes, each with a set of upgradeable abilities, and team up with four other players to control objectives and take down the opposing team’s mighty Guardian, all while protecting your own.

Botany Manor

Release Date: April 9th

Release Date: April 11th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch

Dive into an emotionally charged story set in the serene backdrop of Moonglow Bay, in this relaxing, slice-of-life fishing RPG!

Take on the role of a rookie angler, driven by the final wish of your beloved partner, as you navigate through the challenges of a town on the brink of bankruptcy. Equipped with only your journal and trusty rod, embark on a journey to uncover the secrets hidden beneath the waves of Moonglow Bay.

Let’s! Revolution! (Console Release)

Release Date: April 11th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch

Rise up in Let’s! Revolution!, a roguelite puzzle mashup that builds on the classic rules of Minesweeper with procedurally generated mazes and turn-based tactics.

Dive into the beautifully illustrated and hand-animated world of Beebom in this debut game from award-winning animation house BUCK. The original score and sound design by Antfood brings Beebom to life as a vibrant sonic world.

The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered (PlayStation/Switch Release)

Release Date: April 12th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch

The allure of treasure. The promise of adventure. The call of destiny. Regardless of your reason for coming to Avalon, one thing is for sure: there’s more to this island than meets the eye. What story will you write within the bounds of this mysterious island?

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Invincible Season 2: Even More Shocking And Exciting Moments From The Series So Far

Press Start Team — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:28:49 +0000

After an earth-shattering betrayal, and in the face of apocalyptic threats, Mark discovers new allies and wrestles with his greatest fear – that he might become his father. The final episodes of Invincible Season 2 are streaming now on Prime Video. Watch it here.

Note: Spoilers for Invincible Season 2’s currently-available episodes to follow.

It’s hard to believe it’s already almost time to say goodbye to Invincible again. After a massive first season of the Amazon Prime adaptation of Robert Kirkland’s comic series of the same name, season 2 of Invincible came to us in a “one-two-punch” fashion. If you’re curious about which parts of the first half of season 2 we found most shocking, we of course have you covered right here, but with the backend of the show’s sophomore run coming to a close, we figured now would be the perfect time to reflect and revel in the chaos of episodes five through seven before the season finale drops later this week.

In Invincible, we follow the arduous superhero journey of Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), the titular Invincible, as he navigates the highs and lows of using his alien heritage to defend Earth against all manner of threats. Following season 1’s shocking turn of events that saw Mark, and the rest of humanity’s finest heroes, betrayed by his father, Omni-Man (J. K. Simmons), season 2 has pumped the breaks and instead given us a season focused on the daily dramas of our now expansive ensemble cast. There is still a fair share of explosive moments (we’ll get to those, don’t worry), but season 2’s shocking moments rocked us for their emotional depth as well as their bombastic action.

Nolan’s Grief

At the time of writing our first Invincible season 2 list, we hadn’t had a chance to see the concluding episode of part 1 so you’ll forgive us for taking this moment to yell from the rooftops about its most shocking choice. In the closing episodes of Invincible season 2 part 1, Mark, and the audience, were shocked to discover that Omni Man had returned and was now living a new life on a planet of insectoid aliens known as the Thraxans. It was hardly the reintroduction we imagined and Invincible’s answer to our questions was a shockingly poignant montage, and subsequent plotline, that focused heavily on Nolan’s grief. Having comatosed his own son in the name of his Viltrumite mission, Nolan found himself completely adrift in the galaxy. Too conditioned by his mission to stop but too horrified by his actions to continue, we wrapped the first half of the show’s second season with a sympathetic, if wary, look at the broken heart of the show’s scariest antagonist.

We opened on a quietly reflective montage in which we see Nolan, having fled Earth so fast his son’s blood literally burned off his hands as he breached the atmosphere, adrift in the cosmos to the dulcet tones of Nick Cave’s “Avalanche”. The show has a long history of using licensed music to great effect, but this scene culminates in Nolan seemingly ready to end it all, letting go while hovering near a massive blackhole that threatens to be the one thing that could finally take down Omni-Man. Instead, he is interrupted by a Thraxan ship in danger, saving the aliens aboard in an act that rekindles something deep inside the former hero. The following plot is so packed with revelations and touching moments (from Nolan’s turn against the Viltrumites to the introduction of his new son) that it’s easy to forget just how dark things had gotten for Nolan.

The Missile Room Beatdown

But okay, let’s say you’re looking for something a bit brasher for your shocking moments from season 2 part 2. Well, look no further than the gut-wrenching turn of events for the B-squad of Guardians who, during what they imagine to be a routine takedown of some C-tier villains, are brutally overpowered and suffer one of the worst beatdowns the show has ever made us witness. Everyone’s favourite scaly folk, the Lizard League, get it into their heads to break into a nuclear missile facility and hold the United States at ransom with their ill-gotten new toys. It’s such a basic set-up for an easy win for the Guardians, with Rex Splode (Jason Mantzoukas), Dupli-Kate (Malese Jow), and Shrinking Rae (Grey DeLisle) being the only heroes left on Earth while Mark and co head back into space to deal with some loose threads from season 1’s Martian plotline. Never would anyone, including the heroes, imagine just how bad things would turn when the fight with the Lizard League kicked off.

What starts as your typical mid-episode action break quickly sours as this new Lizard League, under the guidance of King Lizard, proves far more formidable than expected. Komodo Dragon in particular causes three of the show’s more shocking moments in quick succession; the untimely death of Dupli-Kate, overpowered and unable to produce more versions of herself in time, the horrific crippling of Shrinking Rae, who Komodo eats and crushes inside his massive form even as she tries to break free, and finally chomping Rex’s hand clean off, only then stopped by its residual explosive energy. We were completely stunned by this turn of events, the show never being shy about surprise violence, but this instance was truly shocking. It all culminates in Rex taking a bullet to the head, though thankfully his thick skull means he’ll fight another day, though forever changed by this mission gone awry.

Allen!

We bloody love Allen. Seth Rogan’s affable, one-eyed goober of an alien rocketed to fan favourite status back during season 1 but after the fantastic “This Missive, This Machination!” episode that claimed a whole spot on our previous most shocking list, we collectively held our breath waiting to see if he would survive his encounter with the Viltrumites. In the aftermath of the missile room beat down, we cut to a post-credits scene as Allen, last seen having his life support turned off by secret-Viltrumite Thadeus (the goat, Peter Cullen) , waking up in a healing tube. As he fumbles his way out of the pod, we’re reintroduced to the lad now sporting a huge muscular frame and newfound powers unlike anything he had before.

But the most shocking moment of his return was yet to come as it turns out this was all part of a risky plan by Thadeus, who calculated the odds of Allen’s mutation without the support of the life-saving machines. In one of the funniest moments of the show so far, when asked why he would do this, Thadeus literally rips the beard from his face, revealing the classic Viltrumite moustache and proceeds to tell Allen he is but the first step on the road to a full-blown rebellion against his own people. With a now super beefed-up Allen on his side (who we see later in the season absolutely dominating a Viltrumite, go off king), the pushback against the series looming threat is seemingly starting to take shape. Maybe sometime soon we’ll get to see Allen, Invincible, and the recently turned Omni-Man take up arms against the Viltrumites. We can only hope, at least. But for now, it’s just so damn great to have Allen back.

“I can’t live in your world”

Six little words and a whole spiral of emotions begins. Throughout both seasons of Invincible we’ve watched Mark Grayson try to have it all— the good grades, friends, family time, hero stuff, and of course, love. It’s the classic superhero quandary, how do you possibly maintain relationships while at any moment you could be called upon to save the world? For Mark and his long-term girlfriend Amber (Zazie Beetz), the answer was always to just try their best and take it from there. But as season 2 part 2 comes to a close, one of its most shocking moments saw this power couple finally call it quits in one of the show’s most emotionally mature moments yet.

Having told her the truth about his identity already, much of season 2 has focused on how both Mark and Amber feel as if they are failing one another in some way. For Mark, he can’t be there for her, and for Amber, she feels increasingly small in his newly expanded world (well, galaxy really). After some angsty back and forth, it seems as if these two kids are gonna be alright, having found a pocket of time for just each other. But this is Invincible, a show without easy answers and even rarer happy endings. When date night is interrupted by the arrival of yet another Viltrumite who threatens to kill Amber, the last threads of their relationship finally unravel and a bruised and beaten Mark returns to Amber’s dorm room as the two fall into a heap on the floor having decided enough is enough.

Invincible is often heralded as tackling the superhero genre with a deft touch and this scene, along with Nolan’s slow turn back toward his own humanity, solidifies season 2 as the show’s most mature yet. While Mark initially tries to bargain his way to a happy relationship, Amber snaps into focus, explaining that in Mark’s life she has no agency or control and that her sense of self has been lost. It’s a beautifully shocking moment, a totally raw look at the emotional toll of being “the girlfriend” in these stories, warts and all. Love isn’t enough sometimes, and as Amber puts herself first, so too does Invincible in Mark’s life, one of the few remaining shreds of his normal existence giving way and setting up Invincible to go new and exciting places in seasons to come.

The final episodes of Invincible Season 2 are streaming now on Prime Video. Watch it here.

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The Most Exciting Game Releases In April 2024

Kieron Verbrugge — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 07:38:16 +0000

It’s almost ~~February~~ April (?) and while the last month has been absolutely stacked in terms of big-name releases, things are starting to calm down just a little bit.

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing new to play though, with a heap of exciting stuff coming up in the month ahead. Whether you want to slay in style with Stellar Blade, get dusty in SAND LAND or jump on any of the numerous existing titles making their way to consoles like PlayStation and Switch for the first time this month, there’s a bit here for every one.

Take a look at some of the titles we’re pretty keen for in April 2024, below:

THE MOST EXCITING GAME RELEASES IN APRIL 2024

Turbo Golf Racing (1.0 Launch)

Release Date: April 4th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

An action-packed fusion of racing and golf. Traverse across a diverse range of courses, using your car to skilfully putt your ball in the hole. Face off against 7 opponents in Race mode, make every shot count in golf mode, or test your skills against the clock in Time Trials.

C-Smash VRS (Meta Quest Launch)

Release Date: April 4th

Platforms: Meta Quest

Producer and publisher RapidEyeMovers and developer Wolf & Wood have expanded their acclaimed VR hit C-Smash VRS, with new game modes and features and are excited to announce the game’s arrival on Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets. C-Smash VRS combines the very best of racket sports with block breaking 140+ stylish levels, iconic graphic design, and hypnotic original music. Players move, dash and duck, performing intense shots and power smashes while racing against time, either solo or with a friend.

Spirit City: Lofi Sessions

Release Date: April 8th

Platforms: PC

Botany Manor

Release Date: April 9th

Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Welcome to Botany Manor, a stately home in 19th century England. You play as inhabitant Arabella Greene, a retired botanist. Explore your house and gardens, filled with research, to figure out the ideal habitat of forgotten flora. Grow each plant to discover the mysterious qualities they hold…

Children of the Sun

Release Date: April 9th

Platforms: PC

In this tactical third-person puzzle-shooter you assume control of one bullet, guiding it through increasingly complex and challenging levels to kill cultists, trigger traps, and reshape the environment. Every shot counts and ruthless precision is rewarded. Taking down THE CULT is deeply satisfying; doing it with style even more so.

House Flipper 2 (Console Launch)

Release Date: April 10th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S

It doesn’t matter if you’re a makeover veteran or if you’re only starting out – you’ll feel at home in no time! House Flipper 2 introduces new mechanics and revamps the ones from the original game. The good old hammer, the trusty paint roller, and the sturdy mop, all await your return! The new visuals make our fixer-uppers look crisp as never before!

Broken Roads

Release Date: April 10th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Born of a love for traditional computer role-playing, Broken Roads provides a rich, engaging narrative in which players make their way across a desolated future Australia. Blending together traditional and all-new role-playing elements on top of a classless system offering nearly unlimited character development options, Broken Roads presents players with an original morality system: the Moral Compass. This novel design sees dialogue options and questing decisions influence, and be influenced by, a character’s philosophical leaning.

Moonglow Bay (PlayStation/Switch Launch)

Release Date: April 11th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch

Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Eastern Canadian coastline in the 1980s, Moonglow Bay invites you into an emotionally charged story within a tranquil slide-of-life fishing RPG. Step into the shoes of a rookie angler, compelled by the final wish of your beloved partner, as you navigate the trials of a town on the brink of bankruptcy. Whether braving the waters solo or teaming up with a friend in drop-in-drop-out local co-op, immerse yourself in cooking your daily catch and selling flavourful recipes to upgrade your shop, gear, and fishing boat.

Another Crab’s Treasure

Release Date: April 25th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Stellar Blade

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PS5

Pre-order the physical copy here.

Unravel a gripping human fate story, with mature themes, a thought-provoking narrative and emotionally-charged revelations from beginning to end.

SAND LAND

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Pre-order the physical copy here.

TopSpin 2K25

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Pre-order the physical copy here.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board!

Release Date: April 26th

Platforms: Switch

THE ANIME DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA TURNS INTO A BOARD GAME!

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron HD Remaster

Release Date: April 28th

Platforms: Switch

Sea of Thieves (PlayStation Launch)

Release Date: April 30th

Platforms: PS5, PS4

Sea of Thieves is a smash-hit pirate adventure game, offering the quintessential pirate experience of plundering lost treasures, intense battles, vanquishing sea monsters and more. Dive in with this revised edition of the game, which includes access to digital bonus media.

Dave the Diver (PlayStation Launch)

Release Date: April TBA

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC

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