Game Informer |
- Five Re-releases I Can’t Wait To Play (Again)
- Lawbreakers Deserved Better
- BioWare Teases A New Mass Effect Garrus Statue Coming Soon
- New Gameplay Today – Cyber Shadow
- Hitman Is The Perfect Game After A Long Day
- HBO Max May Have A Harry Potter TV Series In The Works
- BioWare Confirms Dragon Age 4 Is Set In Tevinter
- CD Projekt Red Offers Temporary Workaround For Cyberpunk 2077 Takemura Bug
- Exclusive First Look At Two New Assassin's Creed Valhalla Soundtracks Coming Soon
- Canceled Jade Empire Spiritual Successor Concept Art From BioWare Revealed
- The Resident Evil Village Collector's Edition In Japan Is Special, But It'll Also Cost You $1,800
- Neflix's The Witcher: Blood Origin Reveals First Casting Choice To Play Éile, A Fierce Warrior
- Cyber Shadow Review - A War Of Attrition
| Five Re-releases I Can’t Wait To Play (Again) Posted: 25 Jan 2021 04:15 PM PST When you look at the upcoming games of 2021, you can see that this year is poised to deliver plenty of brand-new experiences. Though many exact release dates remain vague, the months ahead will bring impressive-looking games with the potential to show off what the new generation of hardware can achieve – but that isn't the only exciting thing I see on the release schedule. I am looking forward to new games, but I am equally enthusiastic about the opportunity to revisit some of my old favorites in new forms. After all, as fun as it can be to anticipate the unknown, I also enjoy familiar comforts. This year is looking especially good on that front, with various remasters and updates for games that have already achieved great success and claimed many hours of my time. That isn't going to stop me from playing them all over again, though. Of all the big re-releases of 2021, these are the five I'm most eager to dive back into.  |
| Posted: 25 Jan 2021 04:00 PM PST Games like Doom and Quake shaped my childhood in such a profound way. The run-and-gun shooter type is a go-to for me, almost a comfort genre, and it's a genre that Boss Key Productions' Lawbreakers slid into perfectly. Unfortunately, the launch was anything but successful and the studio behind the first-person shooter faded away into memory. But as we go into a new year and I look forward to seeing what other fresh adventures we can dive into, I can't help but reflect back on how much joy Lawbreakers gave me and how sad I am that it didn't last. What I lovedLawbreakers was released back in August 2017 and its goal was to challenge the more traditional FPS experience by implementing a gravity-defying mechanic that was ridiculously fun. While including some of the more expected features like an objective-based competitive experience, I truly believe that Lawbreakers had something truly special; something that spoke volumes of the passion the team had and the passion of Cliff Bleszinski, Boss Key's co-founder and CEO. The overall setup of Lawbreakers surrounded the idea of two teams of five going toe-to-toe to complete the game's objective. One team played the "Law" aspect of Lawbreakers while the other team — you guessed it — played the "Breakers" role. There were a few modes to enjoy but my favorite was Turf War. Capturing three objective points is a pretty standard formula for this genre but the anti-gravity thrown into the mix made Turf War downright thrilling. With an objective being set to clear as many points as possible until the end of the match, this entire mode was a recipe for one giant mass of delightful chaos. The anti-gravity also made modes like Team Deathmatch uniquely fun. The entire pacing of the game was chaotic and freeform. It offered a lot of freedom to the player in a market where gameplay is more often than not restrictive. It's why I like Destiny 2's PvP so much, being able to manipulate the very air around you for an edge in combat is exhilarating and Lawbreakers nailed this formula down to perfection. The different roles for each faction offered a variety that genuinely kept the experience fresh. Rolling up as a Juggernaut was beyond satisfying, ripping through enemy players like rage incarnate. Being able to just casually throw off players like they were gnats was manically fun. Though obviously slower-moving, I think the Juggernaut was my favorite role to play because the damage was delicious and the destruction was bar none. The Gunslinger was fun, too, and I think a subtle reason why I went back to being a Hunter main in Destiny, and they operated similarly to rogues (like the Assassin role), which is usually my go-to when getting down on some RPG action. Another way that Lawbreakers exceeded my expectations is how dying felt. As an avid Battlefield, Medal of Honor, etc. lover, dying in a match freaking sucks. I feel like a noob, I resentfully watch the kill cam with my teeth grinding dangerously, and I just want to murder out of a place of frustration (in-game — easy there, killer). With Lawbreakers, the very environment was teeming with life and vibrance, and that luster made the act dying more bearable than many other shooters on the market. The roles were allocated evenly and fairly, making death feel less like a failure of skill and more of a strategy misfire. Was that the case? Probably not, I have the precision of a walnut, but the game did make you feel better about those regretful moments of gravity-defying death. Click here to watch embedded mediaWhat went wrongThe game itself was met with positive critical reception, but sales did not reflect that eye in the slightest. What led to the poor sales that eventually caused the game's servers to shut down just one year later? There are a few contributing factors to bear in mind. Firstly, Lawbreakers had a hard time finding its place among other huge releases like Overwatch and the then-dominating battle royale experience PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Despite positive reception, people were just playing other games. Lawbreakers, much like similar games around that time like Battleborn, just couldn't carve out the player niche needed to make it a competitor in a saturated shooter market. Some have contributed the aesthetics of the game to be a reason for its demise, but games like Apex Legends prove that this isn't necessarily the case, because Respawn's battle royale shooter has a very similar style and even similar anti-gravity mechanics on a much lower scale. Another crux was expectations and, let's be honest, pre-launch boasting. Bleszinski has even noted this in the past, having been incredibly upfront about what led to the studio's closure, and even how his own politics became a hindrance when being open about his own beliefs. In an effort to experience similar levels of success games like Warframe and Rocket League had, Bleszinski has stated in the past prior to launch that shipping Lawbreakers was "a marathon and not a sprint," which is true but not within the market that it was released into. When going up against already dominating games in the same genre, a clear strategy to show players what Lawbreakers does differently was key. While the pre-launch trailers did hype up the gravity aspect and gave sneak peeks at a few of the different roles, it's clear in hindsight that a more aggressive push was needed.  The previous goal leading up to launch included maintaining just the right amount of concurrent players to ensure a decent matchmaking experience, hoping that the ease of access would make the game more playable — and enjoyable — for those hopping in a match. With that being a cornerstone of the strategy going into launch, the lower player count and failure to hook newcomers in thrusted everything else off the rails. In a last-ditch effort to bring in new players and to save the studio behind Lawbreakers, Boss Key released its own take on battle royale when Fortnite was just being introduced (at the time, no one predicted Fortnite would become the massive hit it is today) from the team at Epic Games, which was Bleszinski's previous employer. Radical Heights failed to compete against the heavy hitters dominating that particular market, making two titles in a row with low concurrent players and not enough revenue to keep the doors open. Since then, Bleszinski has left games entirely (even though I'd love to see him return, but I understand the desire not to) while Boss Key co-founder Arjan Brussee returned to his former employer at Epic Games. While there were many stories spun from the rise and fall of the studio on social media, Bleszinski launched two games under his own studio and followed his passion. That's something to be proud of. Unfortunately, that passion led him and his team into an already oversaturated market that only became more so in the following years. While Lawbreakers couldn't make it until the end, it's a shooter that I genuinely love and I miss far more than is probably smart. I wish more people would have given it a chance and I wish that it could somehow get a second lease on life. That team did something beautiful and I will always treasure the small amount of time I had with it. What were your thoughts on Lawbreakers and the Boss Key lifespan? Would you be interested in seeing a revival? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below and tell me what you thought of the shooter that dared to defy gravity.
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| BioWare Teases A New Mass Effect Garrus Statue Coming Soon Posted: 25 Jan 2021 01:55 PM PST I'm not Commander Shepard but Garrus is my favorite companion on the Citadel. This glorious Turian can be your best bro or the apple of your eye in the Mass Effect trilogy and to celebrate the upcoming launch of the remaster, BioWare just teased our first look at the upcoming Garrus Vakarian statue coming soon to its store. If you heard a terrifying pterodactyl-like scream, don't worry — it was just me. In its unpainted glory, BioWare showed us our first look at the upcoming Garrus statue. Unlike the previous statue of the same character by Gaming Heads (which has been sold out for years), this particular collectible takes on a more dynamic pose with the renegade Turian ready to prove he's the best shot around. Sure, Shepard may have let him win the shoot-off when hanging out in Mass Effect 3 on the Citadel's skyline, but that doesn't take away from him being a beast when it comes down to sighting through a scope with killer precision.
While no information was given at this time other than a sassy caption with Garrus' favorite catchphrase, the construction of the piece itself looks like it will be handled by the same company that has made most of the previous statues: Gaming Heads. When this bad boy will go live to pre-order is unknown, but it looks like it could be dropping soon and will likely cost between the $370-500 range (judging off of previous statues of similar builds from the same store). Excited to see what the above statue will look like for the full reveal, fully colored? You can check out the BioWare Gear store right here and sign up for email notifications the moment it goes live. Just don't tell C-Sec.
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| New Gameplay Today – Cyber Shadow Posted: 25 Jan 2021 01:33 PM PST  Click here to watch embedded media Through the partnership of Yacht Club Games and developer Mechanical Head Studios, fans of 8-bit platformers have something to look forward to this month. Enter Cyber Shadow, an homage to the ultra-hard games of yesteryear that features all the elation and frustration that comes with titles such as the original Ninja Gaiden and Dark Souls. The game follows Shadow, a cyber assassin who must fight back against a scourge of synthetic enemies and save his clan from complete destruction. As Shadow progresses through the levels, players must square off against increasingly difficult waves of cybernetic foes and new bosses that test the player's skills while rewarding them with new abilities should they conquer the malevolent machines. But brutal combat isn't the only thing genre fans have to look forward to in this pulverizing platformer. Cyber Shadow also features a superb soundtrack that fits the theme of the dark cyberpunk world that will undoubtedly stay with you long after you've shut off the game. On top of that, Mechanical Head Studios' art style is as vibrant as it is dystopian featuring a gorgeous color palette and an 8-bit world teeming with beautiful pixel art. But when you add all those pieces together, does the experience make for a fun trip down memory lane or a frustrating reminder of how punishing games used to be? You'll have to tune in to find out. Join Jeff Cork, Marcus Stewart, and me as we jump into the third level of Cyber Shadow, show off some of the abilities players will gain in the first few hours, and test my speedrunning skills against one of the harder games you'll play this year. Still curious about Cyber Shadow? Be sure to check out our review of the game, where Marcus breaks down what he enjoyed and disliked about Yacht Club Games and Mechanical Head Studios' newest title.
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| Hitman Is The Perfect Game After A Long Day Posted: 25 Jan 2021 12:45 PM PST Increasingly, after a long day of work, the last thing I want to do is play video games. It's a trivial problem to have, to be sure, but playing something like Yakuza: Like A Dragon (a game I love, mind you), sifting through its hours of cutscenes and lengthy battles, or something like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, with its nonstop action, is simply too much for my tired brain. Not to mention I spend 40 or more hours every week talking, writing, and thinking about video games. I like video games fine enough, but sheesh! Enough is enough sometimes. The converse of this complaint is I want something to do. I'm a millennial. My brain may be tired, but it also requires near-constant stimulation. The worst thing I can imagine is doing nothing at all – much less being alone with my thoughts. I'm also highly susceptible to professional guilt: If I'm not keeping up with video games, why is Game Informer paying me? I'm sure a lot of you ask that same question. The Hitman trilogy has become my go-to game to solve all these problems at once. Admittedly, I wasn't all that interested in Hitman 3 when it was released, but after giving the first level a try, I changed my tune and beat the whole game in two sittings. I then bought the Hitman 1 and 2 level packs (a process, it's worth noting, that's far opaquer than it should be, leading me at first to think one purchase would get me all the levels when in actuality it required over $100 in three separate purchases) and have been working my way through those. For the last week, all I've wanted to do is play Hitman. I was up last night until two in the morning playing Hitman 2's Miami level three times in a row, finessing my run until I got it down to just a few minutes.  Hitman excels in a few key areas. First and foremost, the story is unobtrusive. I don't doubt that it's very good, and I'm sure lots of you will tell me why in the comments, which I will not read, but I just don't care about why I'm killing who I'm killing. I just want to do it with as little impediment as possible. Hitman understands this. When you load a level there's a flashy cutscene that sets the groundwork for your targets and the location, but once you're boots on the ground, the game gets out of your way. Unlike Like A Dragon, where playing means accepting reading through pages of dialogue and watching hours of cutscenes, Hitman trusts you to find your own fun within its sandboxes. If you want the story, it's there. It's good, probably, I don't know. If you want to skip all that, that's fine, too. You can get right to playing. Playing Hitman means interacting with a complex beast. Think of it like the inner workings of a clock – all the disparate parts are moving to serve the larger machine. In this case: The hundreds of NPCs, various story missions and intel drops, target routes and behaviors, and general rules of a level all come together to create a convincing simulation of a nightclub, Spanish city, and so on. Agent 47 is not the hero of these simulations, swinging in and causing a scene (unless you really want him to, you can play your own way). He's more like a virus, moving undetected until it's time to strike. Doing so, of course, means contending with a level's different rules, learning to simultaneously behave within them and exploit them to your will. It can be very daunting, but it's never overwhelming. That's an important distinction. When you begin a level in Hitman, your goals are very clear. There is a target (or targets) and sometimes an additional objective you must complete before exiting the level. How you achieve these goals is up to you. The game will offer you no shortage of opportunities, but also, experiment, get weird, push at the level and see what happens. As a participant in Hitman's world, you operate at your own pace. Sure, the level goes through its various cycles, and there are some time-sensitive opportunities, but unlike a lot of games, you're not being funneled through objective after objective without a chance to stop and think. In fact, success often means taking time to stop, consider your surroundings, and act accordingly. Critical thinking and problem solving is always rewarded in Hitman.  And thus, Hitman strikes a remarkable balance between being constantly engaging yet never exhausting. The objectives are simple enough as to not require much exposition to get the player motivated, and the levels are complex-yet-accommodating enough to require the player's attention but never bombard them with stimuli. Never mindless but never overwhelming, Hitman is more akin to a game of Sudoku than it is a game of basketball. Both require thought, execution, and problem solving, but the former gives you time to breathe, assess your surroundings, and move on your own terms. So, after a long, hard day of work, I find myself loading up Hitman more so than anything else. It's the perfect game to bookend my day, keeping my brain active while never asking too much of me. Video games can often be exhausting, requiring immense amounts of player patience, participation, and, most egregiously, time. I simply refuse to give some games hundreds of my hours if they won't respect that investment in meaningful ways. But Hitman does respect that investment, giving me new reasons to play every evening and never making me feel like my time was wasted.
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| HBO Max May Have A Harry Potter TV Series In The Works Posted: 25 Jan 2021 10:03 AM PST After dominating the realms of literature, film, and, to an extent, gaming, the Harry Potter franchise may have its wand aimed at the small screen. If reports are to be believed, Warner Bros. may be developing a live-action Harry Potter series for HBO Max. The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news, claiming sources have informed them that HBO executives have been talking with potential show writers to discuss pitch ideas for what a Harry Potter TV series would look like. Since these are early meetings, there's no confirmation on what the show would entail in terms of plot, cast, or its place within the fiction's timeline. While this sounds exciting, HBO Max and Warner Bros. have denied the existence of the show in a statement to THR: "There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform." As IGN points out, however, "in development" means different things to different people, and spitballing ideas may not be considered a part of active production. If this is true, fans probably have a good wait ahead of them before anything is set in stone. Still, given the franchise's enduring popularity (in spite of the controversy surrounding author, J.K. Rowling), it would surprise exactly zero people that Warner Bros. would be looking at a way to use the IP to bolster the appeal of its growing streaming service. Do we get more of Harry and the gang, another story set during the Fantastic Beasts era, or something new entirely? More importantly, do we get the show before or after the much-anticipated Hogwarts Legacy launches next year? Keeping an eye out for further updates sounds like it'll be an exercise in, say it with me, constant vigilance. What do you make of this news, and what would you want in a Harry Potter TV show? Let us know in the comments! [Source: The Hollywood Reporter via IGN]
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| BioWare Confirms Dragon Age 4 Is Set In Tevinter Posted: 25 Jan 2021 09:17 AM PST Tevinter has officially been confirmed as the location of the next Thedas adventure with Dragon Age 4. While wildly assumed based on the ending of Dragon Age: Inquisition and its Trespasser DLC alongside comics such as Mage Killer, Blue Wraith, and Knight Errant with the anthology Tevinter Nights, this is the first time the studio has actually confirmed the location as our next stop (in a roundabout way). In the newly released BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development book, it's confirmed that Dragon Age 4 (which is a placeholder name at this time) will be taking players into the land of blood magic and empirical grandstanding. This is also the place that gifted us with the glorious Dorian Pavus and Cremisius Aclassi from Inquisition and Fenris from Dragon Age II. In the book, there are several ages that show off Antiva City and the various Crow assassins that have been referenced throughout the trilogy (and first introduced with the Origins companion, Zevran). Also included in the book is the Mourn Watch, a group that guards "Thedas from Occult threats" alongside various pages reflecting Nevarra and The Lords of Fortune just north of Tevinter in Rivain. From Deep Roads treasure hunters to death magic and fringe organizations, Dragon Age 4 is shaping up to be a title that expands beyond the mage and templar struggle, instead diving deeper into how Thedas found itself in its current state to begin with. Recent concept art also showed off a closer look at what we can expect from the upcoming Dragon Age game. The Game Awards also had a nifty new trailer to enjoy, filled with even more artwork and our first look at Tevinter's high-society landscapes and a glimpse at those pesky Antivan Crows. With Nevarra, Antiva, and Tevinter all on the horizon, Dragon Age 4 will be taking fans to the corners of Thedas previously unexplored yet heavily talked about. We might even see the hidden depths of Nevarra with a possible Mortalitassi companion, something we explored in-depth with our previous coverage here. As for the book that this confirmation comes from, the deep dive into the history of BioWare is available now through the official BioWare Store. I purchased mine recently and while halfway through, I feel as though I've barely touched the surface of the studio's evolution and the hidden history behind some of our favorite games. You can get lost in the history yourself with the hardcover book right here for $50. [Source: BioWare via Eurogamer]
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| CD Projekt Red Offers Temporary Workaround For Cyberpunk 2077 Takemura Bug Posted: 25 Jan 2021 09:10 AM PST Last week, CD Projekt Red released a large update for Cyberpunk 2077 that set out to remedy stability and open-world issues that were plaguing the user experience. Smaller tweaks were also implemented that fixed some UI and other visual problems. More importantly, a lengthy series of fixes were aimed at optimizing quests. However, a new issue has emerged that many players report is game-breaking concerning a rampant Takemura bug.
In the story quest "Down On The Street," Goro Takemura – an exiled member of security, banking, and manufacturing conglomerate Arasaka – is supposed to call V so that the mission can begin. The key phrase here is "supposed to" because Takemura's phone call never comes through meaning that the quest can't be activated. This brings the central narrative of Cyberpunk 2077 to a sudden halt. In the recent 1.1 update, this problem was listed as one of the incoming fixes. CD Projekt Red has acknowledged that it is aware of the issue and will get going on implementing a long-term fix. For now, players will have to utilize the workaround offered on the Cyberpunk 2077's support page which you can read below:
While it's not a permanent fix, it is something that will allow players to continue on their adventure in Night City without having to wait for a new hot fix. To learn more about Cyberpunk 2077, including everything that's happened since the action-RPG launched, you can check out our game hub right here. [Source: IGN]
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| Exclusive First Look At Two New Assassin's Creed Valhalla Soundtracks Coming Soon Posted: 25 Jan 2021 09:00 AM PST The music of Assassin's Creed Valhalla was nothing short of stunning and now there is even more to enjoy with two new soundtracks from musical geniuses Jesper Kyd and Sarah Schachner. With a total of 61 new tracks to enjoy between the two options alongside new art as well, the audio stylings of Valhalla are far from done offering up new surprises.  There are two new options to enjoy: Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Sons of the Great North by Jesper Kyd and Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Twilight of the Gods. Interested in learning more? Here's what you need to know about each as well as an exclusive first look at two of the new tracks with Kyd's Nightfall in Wessex track and Schachner's Voices of Fornburg right here at Game Informer. Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Sons of the Great North Ubisoft Sons of the Great North by Jesper Kyd offers almost a full two and a half more hours of musical tracks to enjoy. The BAFTA Award-winning artist has impressive credits to his name, including the phenomenal Ezio trilogy and the original Assassin's Creed game, so the additional tracks to enjoy will feel new and beautifully familiar at the same time. Kyd has also worked on a plethora of other gaming adventures including Borderlands, Darksiders, Hitman, State of Decay, and more. "I'm excited to present the full score of my music for Assassin's Creed Valhalla," Kyd tells us. "The album Sons of the Great North includes 29 previously unreleased tracks with almost 2 ½ hours of music. My score reflects the brutality of the era infused with the spirituality of Norse mythology. The vast outdoor natural environments are supported by authentic live instruments, mixed with a modern electronic approach which gives the score a unique sound, an Animus-infused take on the Viking sound." Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Twilight of the Gods Ubisoft Twilight of the Gods by Sarah Schachner offers 32 extra tracks in addition to her previous work on the original game soundtrack. Schachner has an incredible talent within TV, movies, and games with previous work heard in Assassin's Creed: Unity, Origins, Anthem, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as well as other media such as The Lazarus Effect. "Twilight of the Gods is my full collection of Valhalla music that will take you from the fjords of Norway, through the hillsides of England, and everywhere in between," she tells us. "My score represents the blending of Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon cultures, with hints of Norse mythology woven throughout. I wanted to create a deep and emotional backdrop for Eivor's Journey, and I truly enjoyed immersing myself in the history and learning new instruments along the way." Exclusive first look at two new tracks!As a special tease for what's ahead, Game Informer has two exclusive new tracks you can listen to and enjoy right now! First, we have Kyd's Nightfall of Wessex track: Click here to watch embedded mediaAnd Schachner's Voices of Fornburg's haunting melody in the video below: Click here to watch embedded mediaBoth sountracks will be available digitally via Spotify on January 29! You can pre-save your soundtrack of choice with Jesper Kyd's right here and Sarah Schachner's here. As for the game itself, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available now. To learn more about the Viking adventure, check out our full review here to see what we thought about the latest journey into the world of Assassin's Creed. Feel free to also drop down into the comment section below and tell us what you think about the two new tracks heard above!
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| Canceled Jade Empire Spiritual Successor Concept Art From BioWare Revealed Posted: 25 Jan 2021 08:15 AM PST There is a lot of talk concerning BioWare right now, especially regarding the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, but Jade Empire is another narrative treasure that deserves the same love. While many have been begging for a new Jade Empire game for over a decade, it's not looking likely in the foreseeable future, but we do have at least a glimpse at what could have been with some newly revealed concept art from the canceled Jade Empire sequel. BioWare has mentioned in the past that a Jade Empire sequel is "never dead," but the recent Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development book revealed the now-canceled concept of Revolver, a game that was meant to be the spiritual continuation of the Chinese mythology RPG. We've got another new look at what could have been when BioWare art director Matt Rhodes shared a few pieces of artwork on his Instagram account. View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram Each Instagram post above has numerous art entries per post, showing off villain concept art, shapeshifting, and an almost cyberpunk-esque take on what players loved about Jade Empire. "Beginning its life as a sequel to Jade Empire, Revolver evolved and changed course many times throughout its development," Rhodes wrote in a recent Instagram post. "It was recently revealed in more detail in the book Bioware: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development. To celebrate, I sifted through the archives and blew 15 years of dust off some of my favorite pieces from that project." The canceled sequel isn't something I would have expected as a Jade Empire fan, but it is intriguing nonetheless. The original vision for Revolver was an open-world adventure that took what players loved from BioWare's trademarked decision-making RPG elements and blending that with a non-linear story to lose oneself in. The now-canceled Jade Empire spiritual successor was in full-on development up until 2008 when it was eventually canned so that BioWare could pivot and focus on Dragon Age: Origins and the continuation of the Mass Effect trilogy. The artwork is interesting, but we're curious what you think. It's a big change from the Jade Empire we know and love, are you feeling the direction planned, or would you have rather had a more traditional sequel instead? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! [Source: Instagram via Eurogamer]
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| The Resident Evil Village Collector's Edition In Japan Is Special, But It'll Also Cost You $1,800 Posted: 25 Jan 2021 07:52 AM PST Earlier this month, Capcom gave us an extensive first look at gameplay for the upcoming Resident Evil Village in addition to a detailed showing of the different collector's editions available worldwide. Japan, however, took an already awesome collector's edition and made it even better — at least for those that have $1,800 to spare. The Complete Set Collector's Edition comes with the standard Chris Redfield statue, a commemorative box, an art book, and more but it also comes with a wearable replica of Chris' coat. That swanky style can be yours but it'll cost you, because this particular set retails for $1,800 (or 192,500 yen in Japan).  Capcom This isn't the first time Capcom has done this, especially regarding the Resident Evil franchise. Resident Evil 6 also saw an expensive collector's edition in Japan but with Leon Kennedy's jacket. That set cost players $1,300, which is slightly more affordable than its Resident Evil Village counterpart. While the jacket certainly looks well-made, which equates to a higher price point, it's not exactly the most unique. Leon's jacket was iconic, but this? This is just a grey peacoat. But, as an avid collector myself, who am I to judge? If it makes you happy, you can shoot your shot by nabbing one right here. As for the game itself, the PS5-specific demo is available now to enjoy. As for when the whole adventure releases, Resident Evil Village launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on May 7, 2021. Thoughts on the pricier collector's edition seen above and what we've seen thus far of Resident Evil Village? Shout out those Chris Redfield stan thoughts in the comment section below!
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| Neflix's The Witcher: Blood Origin Reveals First Casting Choice To Play Éile, A Fierce Warrior Posted: 25 Jan 2021 07:37 AM PST Netflix confirmed another new Witcher adventure back in July of last year with a prequel story set 1,200 years before the time of Geralt of Rivia. Now, the streaming company has shared our first look at the cast of The Witcher: Blood Origin with Jodie Turner-Smith (Tom Clancy's WIthout Remorse, The Last Ship, Nightfilyers, Jett, Queen & Slim) taking on the role of Éile. Éile, according to Netflix, is a "fierce warrior with the voice of a goddess" and she's the first character to be revealed from the upcoming series. "The limited series will tell the story of the first Witcher prototype and the Conjunction of the Spheres," according to the series' official description.
The new series is a six-part live-action spinoff to the ongoing main series that was an instant hit for the streaming service. Blood Origin will be helmed by Declan de Barra alongside Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, the showrunner for the original The Witcher show. "As a lifelong fan of fantasy, I am beyond excited to tell the story The Witcher: Blood Origin," mentioned executive producer Declan de Barra said in a press statement when the show was initially announced. "A question has been burning in my mind ever since I first read The Witcher books – What was the Elven world really like before the cataclysmic arrival of the humans? I've always been fascinated by the rise and fall of civilizations, how science, discovery, and culture flourish right before that fall." "I am so thrilled to collaborate with Declan and the Netflix team on The Witcher: Blood Origin," added showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. "It's an exciting challenge to explore and expand The Witcher universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski, and we can't wait to introduce fans to new characters and an original story that will enrich our magical, mythical world even more." With our first casting revealed for Blood Origin and Netflix's The Witcher season 2 back on track, there will be a lot of witchers to toss our coins to in the near future! Are you excited? Thoughts on the latest Witcher reveal? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below!
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| Cyber Shadow Review - A War Of Attrition Posted: 25 Jan 2021 06:50 AM PST Publisher: Yacht Club Games Developer: Mechanical Head Games Release: Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 Also on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Cyber Shadow will kick your butt. Make no bones about it, this retro-inspired action title will chew you up and spit you out, much like the classic Ninja Gaiden series that inspired it. As in the NES staple, the fun comes in trying to overcome that steep challenge. Unfortunately, Cyber Shadow doesn't back up its challenge with gameplay and progression that feels consistently fun or rewarding. For better or worse, Cyber Shadow nails the era it tries to evoke thanks to a faithful 8-bit presentation, stylish animated cutscenes, and demanding difficulty. Armed with a trusty katana, you test your reflexes by slicing through a robot apocalypse in order to free your ninja brethren and rescue your master. Stages are devilishly designed, with seemingly mean-spirited hazards placed exactly where you need to go (or where you land when you slip up), and may as well be giant, pixelated middle-fingers. Making that crucial leap only to be hit by a stray laser and knocked back into the pit you just avoided is nothing short of maddening, and Cyber Shadow is filled to the brim with such moments. It doesn't help that checkpoints are sparse, meaning you must replay long, arduous stretches to reach a new spot to exhale.  Players can ease their journey by purchasing permanent perks for individual checkpoints. These perks include basic health/mana regeneration, but you can also get one of many tools, like a shield, turret, or my favorite: the yo-yo-like swag blade. A few tools, like the slow-firing turret, feel impotent and not worth the money, but others can mean the difference between failure and success. While these upgrades are technically optional, some sections feel nigh impossible without them, and it's easy to find yourself with an empty wallet and no way to purchase help. In some cases, you may have to grind to proceed, but that's neither fun nor entirely feasible, since some areas don't have enough enemies or breakable objects to quickly gather the necessary funds. Cyber Shadow starts simple with only a jump and attack to players' names. That limited arsenal falls flat once the nostalgia wears off (assuming you have fond memories of games of this ilk). Your repertoire eventually expands, but the game takes too long doling out abilities that make basic traversal more exciting, such as a wall-climb or sprint. Hitting a running jump and air-dashing through a foe feels great once you learn to do so, but Cyber Shadow demands players stick it out for seven of the game's ten chapters to get there. Requiring players to endure two-thirds of a punishing game just to obtain skills that belong in every ninja's starter kit does not feel satisfying.  The default control scheme also makes executing certain actions tough. Most abilities are mapped to a cardinal direction on the d-pad/analog stick plus the attack button. This setup works decently enough, but during the frantic platforming segments, it's easy to trigger the wrong ability, like transitioning from an air-dash to a shuriken throw. Given how often you need to change course in a split second, having the d-pad carry so many functions eventually feels cumbersome. Basic actions and sprinting can be remapped (I highly recommend moving sprint to the right shoulder triggers) but actual abilities can't. That's disappointing, since hitting two buttons to launch shurikens feels clunky compared to what a single face button would have accomplished. When things do click, Cyber Shadow can provide solid entertainment. The action becomes more fluid and engaging once you obtain all the abilities. The boss fights are my favorite encounters; they bring the pain but are exciting and feel mostly fair (save for a tedious water battle against a mechanical dragon). There's also decent gameplay variety, including a motorcycle chase sequence and digitized battles inside of computer terminals. Even with such diversions, Cyber Shadow doesn't do much that's surprising, and can sometimes be too tough for its own good. However, those with plenty of patience and an appetite for pain will find fun in this modern throwback. Just be aware that the price of admission may be your sanity, and that's a high price to pay for this competent-but-flawed war of attrition. Score: 7.5Summary: Cyber Shadow will beat you down and has its share of flaws, but solid fun awaits those willing to press on. Concept: Hack and slash your way through a dystopian future ruled by evil robots to rescue your master and free your clan Graphics: The 8-bit presentation looks good, and the cutscenes successfully nail the classic Ninja Gaiden style Sound: Most of the chiptune soundtrack is serviceable but uninspired, though a couple of tracks evoke a feeling of struggle and triumph Playability: The basic controls feel mostly fine, but the game takes too long giving players simple, fun maneuvers like dashing and wall-jumping Entertainment: Equal parts fun and infuriating, Cyber Shadow isn't for the weak of heart Replay: Moderate  |
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