Game Informer

Game Informer

Scavengers Studio Suspends Creative Director In Response To Abuse Allegations

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 03:28 PM PST

Scavengers Studio has issued a response to allegations that went public earlier this week, citing a predatory and toxic work involvement centering around creative director Simon Darveau and his then-romantic partner CEO Amélie Lamarche. 

The original report by GameIndustry.biz detailed a dark side of the company (substantiated by conversations with nine current and former employees of Scavengers Studio), with many of the problems allegedly starting from the top with Darveau. In an environment that was teeming with creativity and excitement over games like Darwin Project and Season, the article revealed that the studio's culture was tinged with toxicity, with complaints that women have been specifically targeted under the Scavengers umbrella. 

From sexual harassment to physical assault, the allegations against Darveau and his partner are severe, so much so that the creative director has been suspended and the studio itself has issued a statement. 

"Following the toxic workplace allegations brought forward in the media, Scavengers Studio wishes to apologize for the  harm caused," reads the official statement from Lamarche herself. "Allegations such as these are serious, and we are committed to doing better for our employees, our fans, and our partners." 

Upon hearing of the allegations against the creative director, the company held an emergency meeting with the Board of Directors to discuss what to do from here. While a larger plan is in the works to see how this escalated unchecked and what the culture will be from here on out, the team did detail a course of action effective immediately: 

  • Simon Darveau is indefinitely suspended from all responsibilities within the company and from the Board of Directors.
  • An external auditing firm will conduct an independent workplace assessment and audit of our culture and practices.
  • Daisy Lilly Best, currently Director of Operations, is appointed as Chief Operating Officer and will be reporting directly to the board of directors for the duration of the audit to ensure complete transparency and accountability. 
  • The audit report will be shared in its entirety with the team and presented by Daisy to the board for further actions to be taken.

The statement continues, saying "To ensure a transparent, fair and unbiased process, I offered to temporarily step down from my role as Chief Executive for the duration of the audit. I will remain available to support the studio's normal course of business. 

"In the meantime, we ask for the community's patience and understanding as we go through this process. The Season team has poured their hearts into the project. We have full confidence in their creative direction and will continue to support the amazing work of our talented team."

The original report by GameIndustry.biz reveals abuse that dates back to 2018 (so far) with instances of verbal and sexual assault, public degradation and objectification of Scavenger-employed women, and even a recorded moment where Darveau was allegedly drunk at a holiday party in 2019 and groped several women employees in full view of the company. One of the women groped during that time says that she resigned from the company the following Monday. 

Regarding the alleged relationship of Darveau and Lamarche, the employees that spoke with GI.biz stated that there was always a concern about a conflict of interest. Given that there was no effective HR department set up during this time, there was no real avenue for employees to express those concerns, especially when many of these women described Darveau as someone who had "lots of charisma" and because of that, he "gets away with a lot." One employee even went so far as to say that Lamarche was even worse because "She covered up a lot of what he did and what he does." 

While it's good that immediate steps are being taken and accountability is there, how a culture like this is cultivated for so long is a much bigger issue. We've seen this time and time again, most recently with the Me Too movement that Ubisoft publicly went through back in Summer of 2020. How does this level of abuse keep happening? Can people safely speak up? These are questions that this industry cannot hide from, and as similar reports abuse continue to surface, we must work to confront them directly. 

[Source: Scavengers Studio]

Here's What's Staying (And Leaving) In Destiny 2 Before Year 4 Ends

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 01:53 PM PST

Destiny 2 changed a lot with Beyond Light, but what other changes are on the way before the end of Year 4? Bungie recently outlined what Guardians can expect to stay and what they can expect to leave in a recent developer update, including the status of Wrathborn Hunts, what's happening with Crow, and more. 

Seasonal content comes and goes, that's nothing new, but the fear of missing out can always strike, especially for returning players that may have taken an extended sabbatical. So let's talk about what is staying until the end of Year 4 from the current Season of the Hunt, and what's leaving at the end of this season. 

What is staying until the end of Year 4: 

  • Story missions will be able to be launched from a node in the Director. 
  • Wrathborn Hunts 
  • Adored quest will continue to be available. 
  • Crow's vender screen on Tangled Shore. 
  • Hawkmoon Exotic quest and Master activity. 
  • Seasonal Seal and Warden Title. 
    • Seasonal Seal must still be earned by the deadline on the Bungie Rewards page. Due to an issue blocking the Triumph we will be adjusting this deadline. 

What is leaving at the end of this season: 

  • Crow's Bounties 
  • Messages from the Field 
  • Seasonal Artifact 
  • Season Pass 

With a few more expansions on the way and tons of undisclosed plans players have yet to learn about, the shift of content is now more important than ever before. Bungie knows that this has created a little weirdness for the current season and what that means when the cycle renews once more. Since the Season of the Hunt was designed using the old model in the beginning, the changes going forward are a little different than usual, but that's a big reason why the studio says that Crow (formerly known as Uldren) is sticking around a little longer than expected. 

Bungie continued its latest update, saying "You may see other anomalies involving Crow in Season 13 as he'll be moving to a new destination while also remaining on the Tangled Shore to enable Season of the Hunt content tied to his inventory. Season 13 should avoid these rough edges as its content has been designed from the outset to remain throughout Year 4."

For those that played Season of Arrivals, you may remember those delectable Umbral Engrams. Though those left for awhile, they are also back, allowing for Guardians to roll for the stats they want with certain weapon and armor pieces. Because the reception to Umbral Engrams was so positive, Bungie decided to tweak them a little more based on that feedback before bringing them back in full force for Season 13 and beyond. 

"While the new Seasonal activity will always provide the fastest path to earning new rewards, we want to ensure that regardless of how you spend your time in Destiny, Umbral Engrams allow you to chase new rewards," the studio added. 

Similar to how Umbral Engrams worked in Season of Arrivals, the drops are varied in a way that players can work with to get the rolls they want. For those that are looking to farm these to their heart's content, here are the easiest ways to do just that: 

  • Patrols
  • Strikes
  • Crucible
  • Gambit
  • The Ordeal
  • Public Events
  • Blind Well
  • Nightmare Hunts
  • Exo Challenges
  • Empire Hunts
  • New Seasonal Activity 

To learn more about what else is on the way for the future of Destiny 2, you can check out the latest blog post right here. 

Tomb Raider Series Coming To Netflix

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:59 AM PST

Tomb Raider is an iconic franchise in the game industry, and has already spun off into other media like movie adaptations, novels, and comics. Lara Craft is about to expand her reach even further, since Netflix just revealed its plans for an upcoming animated series starring the adventurer.

The popular streaming service will be the home of the show, which is being made by Legendary. However, unlike many cross-media adaptations, this series will follow in the same continuity as the games; it takes place after the events of the recent rebooted trilogy, rather than being its own standalone Tomb Raider universe.

https://twitter.com/NXOnNetflix/status/1354461071067627520

It may seem surprising at first, but an animated show could be a natural fit for Lara and her particular brand of exploring. The potential for stylish actions scenes is high, and the animated format can show off grand, exotic locations without the high production costs of actually filming in those places. Plus, it provides a way to continue Lara's story by putting the narrative front and center.

For now, Netflix has not released any images or trailers that could give eager fans an opportunity to figure out where the show is going with its plot or characters, but that is bound to come as the (as-yet-unrevealed) release date draws closer.

The announcement of the Tomb Raider series is just the latest in a string of video game adaptations from Netflix. The biggest success in this category has been The Witcher (which has a second season on the way), but viewers have also been enjoying the well-received Castlevania anime.

There's also an animated version of Dragon's Dogma, but even as a huge fan of the game, I can't really recommend that one.

What are your thoughts on the potential of the upcoming Tomb Raider animated series? Are you excited to watch it? Do you need to know more? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Harmonix Details New Fuser Update And Teases Upcoming DLC

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 10:52 AM PST

Fuser

When Harmonix's music-creation/blending game Fuser launched last year, I was delighted by the diverse song library and the intuitive gameplay that enabled me to create unique soundscapes made up of parts from popular songs of the last several decades. The foundation Harmonix laid with Fuser is strong, but today, the music-centric studio announced its 1.3 update, a list of artists for future downloadable content, and a free demo for players to check out.

The new 1.3 update adds new Live Set events. This new recurring in-game event gives players a new challenges to strive for with leaderboards and prizes for reaching higher tiers. The new update also adds additional options for Freestyle co-op, including the ability to adjust how many rounds and the length of rounds for public sessions. 

Fuser is also adding a new Hot Clips tool, which lets you preview a disc before dropping it onto your turntables. This new mechanic is said to essentially add a fifth loop to players' mixes. If you're overwhelmed by the amount of music options already in Fuser's library, Harmonix is adding new sorting functions, as well as the option to browse mixes that players have liked through their profiles.

Fuser

In addition to addressing various bugs players have found, the 1.3 update also adds separate calibration profiles for Switch players in docked and handheld modes, several U.I. improvements, and other quality-of-life updates. On top of those improvements, Harmonix is throwing streamers a bone by allowing sharing through the native console share functionality, as well as a way to select only monetizable songs for streaming to avoid getting strikes against their accounts.

Harmonix also announced some of the artists of the next wave of downloadable content players will be able to add to their libraries in the near future. The next wave includes music from 24kGoldn, Bebe Rexha, Bell Biv DeVoe, BLACKPINK, DaBaby, David Guetta, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, iann dior, Imanbek, Jason Derulo, Marshmello, Shaggy, Shawn Mendes, Sia, Usher, and more. 

Fuser

Fuser launched on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on November 10, playable on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S through backward compatibility. For more on my thoughts on Fuser, check out my review. If you'd rather figure out if Fuser is for you on your own, Harmonix today released a demo on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and Steam. The demo gets you up to speed on core gameplay mechanics and allows you to make mixes using eight of the full game's songs including Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy," Smash Mouth's "All Star" and Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow."

Magic: Legends Open Beta Begins In March

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 10:35 AM PST

Magic: Legends graced the cover of Game Informer a while back, and now we have the date when all aspiring wizards and summoners can get into the mix. On March 23, PC players can jump into an open beta. On console? No worries, the game is still launching on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC later this year.

If you're on PC, you can get in on March 23 and start whacking away at classic Magic: The Gathering adversaries, make friends with planeswalkers, and craft yourself a powerful deck of summons and spells! One of the coolest things we had a chance to check out during our cover story trip was an overarching artificial intelligence "Director" that changes the pace of the game as you go to create intensity. Crushing the enemies too hard? Expect things to get harder as elite spawns come to ruin your day, but there are added rewards for the challenge. The ever-shifting risk-reward cycle that this director can conjure up based on how you and your friends are playing is an ambitious and interesting addition to the ARPG space, and I can't wait to try to break it in a bunch of different ways.

But before you go about trying to game the system, you'll need a deck. Yes, Magic: Legends utilizes cards from Magic: The Gathering to bring the action, but it's much more fast-paced than a cerebral tabletop face-off. Your deck constantly cycles through options, and you can build it any way you like, forming synergies with your selected planeswalker. There's even PVP if you want to take on other players for rewards, but much of what we have seen so far boils down to open-world style maps, campaign experiences, and bite-sized "ordeals" which give the players a quick goal that leads to a boss battle. Ordeals are gameplay-oriented get in, get loot, get out runs which are perfect for small blocks of time solo or with your crew.

Never played Magic: The Gathering? Interested in how the classic card game translates into the fervor of the ARPG? Check out a new deckbuilding video from Cryptic that helps explain just how deckbuilding works in this new take on Magic: The Gathering.

Click here to watch embedded media

 

Learn About The Delicious Demolition Of Destruction AllStars

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 10:31 AM PST

Destruction AllStars

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Lucid Games
Release:
Platform: PlayStation 5

PlayStation and Destruction AllStars studio Lucid Games have released a seven-and-a-half minute State of Play video for the frantic and colorful title, giving you a solid idea of what to expect when the game is released next week.

Players choose from 16 distinct characters known as AllStars. Each character has their own unique abilities, as well as signature hero vehicles. You have access to three different vehicle types: one focused on speed and drifting, one focused on handling and agility, and one focused on plowing through the crowd through sheer brute force. Don't get too attached to these vehicles, however, as the common vehicles are meant to be destroyed; developer Lucid Games wants you hopping in and out of vehicles often, mixing up the vehicular gameplay with the on-foot parkour action.

As you evade enemies, wreck vehicles, and collect items on the field, you charge your hero ability and hero vehicles to unleash moves like leaving a trail of fire everywhere you run or drive or going invisible to catch opponents off guard.

Destruction AllStars

Your mission in Destruction AllStars is to enter a vehicle and cause as much destruction and carnage as possible. While ramming another vehicle with your vehicle is the most obvious way to accomplish this, you can jump on top of a vehicle while you're on foot to either take over that player's vehicle or destroy it. 

At launch, Destruction AllStars delivers four game modes. Mayhem, which can be played single-player, is all about causing as much chaos as possible. Carnado is an 8v8 team-based mode tasks you with earning gears by destroying or stealing your opponents' vehicles before banking them by driving your car into the carnado, destroying your vehicle in the process. Stockpile is another team-based game centered on collecting gears, but you also need to focus on controlling the three banks in the arena. The final mode is Gridfall, a deathmatch of sorts, where each character has a set number of lives and the last person standing is the winner.

As you play, you unlock costumes and cosmetics to customize your AllStars and their rides. Using in-game currency, you can buy character skins, character emotes, vehicle emotes, and shouts. The in-game currencies include AllStar Coins, which are earned by playing online and earning experience points. Alternately, you can purchase Destruction Points using real money in the PlayStation Store. Destruction Points will also be earnable later this year by way of completing daily and weekly challenges.

You can watch the State of Play video, which also goes into depth about the in-game challenges, in its entirety below.

Click here to watch embedded media

Destruction AllStars will be released on PlayStation 5 on February 2. Best of all, if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can add it to your library at no additional cost.

Control, Destruction AllStars, And Concrete Genie Are February 2021's PlayStation Plus Games

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:38 AM PST

If you're one of the lucky ones who has been able to secure a PlayStation 5 in the early months of its lifecycle, your PlayStation Plus subscription is about to reward you. Not only is February's PlayStation Plus lineup giving subscribers the definitive version of Game Informer's 2019 Game of the Year, Control, but it's also adding an all-new PlayStation 5 game to your library on day one, as well as an often-overlooked PS4 gem with a touching story and clever puzzles. 

As previously mentioned, the February 2021 PlayStation Plus lineup kicks off with Remedy Entertainment's Control: Ultimate Edition. This version, which is cross-generational (meaning it works on both PS5 and PS4), includes the critically acclaimed base game, as well as the two expansions: The Foundation and AWE. If you're unfamiliar with Control, you step into the shoes of Jesse Faden, a women who travels to the Federal Bureau of Control in New York to search for answers about her past. However, right before she arrives, a mysterious force known as The Hiss invades, wreaking havoc on The Oldest House. Jesse must obtain and master newfound power as she steps into the role of the Director and attempts to fight back the Hiss invasion and uncover mysteries about what it is and how it's connected to her. The PlayStation 5 version utilizes the various features of the DualSense controller, and offers a 60 FPS performance mode or a 30 FPS graphics mode with ray-tracing. To learn more about Control, check out our coverage hub from when the game graced our cover in 2019. 

Next up is Destruction AllStars, an all-new demolition derby game exclusive to PlayStation 5. This 16-player online multiplayer game delivers four game modes (including the single-player Mayhem mode) that task you with causing as much chaos behind the wheel as humanly possible. If your vehicle isn't up to the task of pleasing the crowd, you can leave it behind and utilize your character's parkour skills to get the job done. Each character has distinct abilities, as well as a unique vehicle for you to master. 

Rounding out the February 2021 lineup is Concrete Genie. This adventure game from Pixelopus puts a magic paintbrush in your hand and tasks you with cleaning the polluted town of Denska. Once you clean the pollution away, you can use your Living Paint to create genies who use their powers to help you solve puzzles and escape the bullies that are chasing you. You can also throw on a PlayStation VR headset to enhance the experience.

Control: Ultimate Edition is available on both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 from February 1 until March 1, while Concrete Genie is available for PlayStation 4 during that same time frame. Concrete Genie is playable on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility. Destruction AllStars is available on PlayStation 5 from February 2 to April 5. Those who have thus far missed out on January's PlayStation Plus games (Maneater for PS5, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Greedfall for PS4) have until February 1 to add them to their library.

[Source: PlayStation Blog, Thomas Puha on Twitter (1), (2)]

Official Modding Tools Come To Cyberpunk 2077

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:27 AM PST

CD Projekt Red has released its first set of official modding tools for Cyberpunk 2077. Although fans have been modding the game themselves for a while now, these tools come straight from the source and offer, at the very least, a solid foundation for reshaping Night City into whatever form players see fit. 

The toolset itself isn't the most robust, but CDPR says it will be "continuously updated" as future patches roll-out. It's a lot of technical mumbo jumbo, so knowledgeable modders can take a look at the tools themselves and download them here. As previously mentioned, players have already taken upon themselves to mod their own additions and fixes to Cyberpunk 2077. That includes adding new hairstyles, a third-person perspective, and the ability to romance Judy as Male V.

This news comes after CDPR released the first of two major patches for Cyberpunk designed to improve stability among a myriad of other issues. The second big update is scheduled to drop sometime in February. The studio also offered a temporary fix for the Takamura conversation bug. CDPR has been in repair mode since the game launched in December to mixed reviews, with some loving the game's design and narrative but decrying its poor performance, especially on last-gen hardware (which the game was marketed for). CDPR already has two class action lawsuits on its hands because of the problems. Still, between this news and the tease of DLC, it seems like the team has begun to transition to supporting Cyberpunk with content instead of just repairing its existing state. 

I can only assume having official tools will make the modding process easier, but those of you more tech savvy than I can smarten us up in the comments! Meanwhile, check out our reviews of Cyberpunk 2077 on PC and last-gen consoles. 

Hitman 3 Sales Have Already Surpassed Development Costs One Week Post-Launch

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 08:29 AM PST

In less than a week, Hitman 3 is already profitable and sales have officially surpassed that of development costs for the latest IO Interactive game. 

Agent 47's return was both glorious and chaotic at the same time, launching to stellar reviews but a plethora of server issues. Now that things are a bit more stable, players of the stealth assassination game are diving right in and most are loving every moment. 

"We have been really happy with the Hitman 3 journey," IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak said in a recent interview with GameIndustry.biz. "It has been a labor of love between our fans and everyone at the studio. As the developer and publisher, we are immensely proud that we can say Hitman 3 is already profitable. We have recouped the total project costs in less than a week. That puts us in a really good place and allows us to confidently move forward with our ambitious plans for future projects."

Hitman 3 is a massive hit for IO Interactive, and not just for its reception. This game is the first full title to be completely self-published by IO and to see such a success from that release is a big deal for the company. 

Abrak also told the site that being able to self-publish entirely gave the team a focus that was previously missing, making it easier to deliver a game that fans could love and truly enjoy. 

After speaking to the game's marketing a bit, the CEO added "We demand of each other that our games are hand-crafted, meticulously detailed and unique. At this point, we'd be doing our community a disservice if we delivered anything less than that. They're used to us setting a really high bar for quality and memorable experiences, so we keep that mentality at the front of our mind, not only for Hitman but also our future projects."

To read the full interview, you can learn more about the road to launch right here. You can also check out some of our own gameplay while learning valuable tips with our beginner's guide, courtesy of our own Alex Van Aken. 

New Skyblivion Video Shares A Closer Look At Quests And Progress Made So Far

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 08:26 AM PST

Skyblivion

A new Skyblivion video is here showing off even more progress on the impressive fan mod project that we've been raving about. The latest look at the status of this passion project gives fans a chance to see some working quests in action while showing off quite a few beautiful landscapes we'll be able to enjoy. 

For those that may be new to what Skyblivion is, it has been in the works for years and has had a steadily growing team passionately working to make it a reality. A project in the works with the blessings of Bethesda, this is one of the most ambitious fan mods out there for the Elder Scrolls franchise, and one that has earned the admiration of many PC players.

What Skyblivion does is modernize The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion using Skyrim assets, essentially recreating the older Elder Scrolls entry within a newer setting as seen below: 

Click here to watch embedded media

The video above runs for approximately 20 minutes, and shows off some of the most recent work done while working on Skyblivion. The video also shows off some of the more creative work done on this project, including a crafty new cavern design and a shiny new interface for players to enjoy. 

As for the quests, the new video shows off some of the functioning storylines that are playable now, including one called Revenge Served Cold from the original Oblivion experience. While the quest itself isn't the most intricate, the video's purpose is to show that it's functional and that it looks a heck of a lot prettier with this overhaul. 

The progress made so far on Skyblivion is breathtaking and makes us even more excited for the full launch of the mod that has yet to receive a set in stone release date. To learn more about the project and how hard these volunteers are working, you can check out their official site here.

New Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch Console And Pro Controller Revealed

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 08:05 AM PST

A new Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch console and Pro controller have been revealed, getting RPG fans even more excited for the latest entry in the beloved beastie-hunting franchise. 

The latest celebratory system comes with a bold Magnamalo emblazoned in gold on a black backdrop with similarly themed designs on the rear of the console. The Joy Cons as well have similar designs, though in black with gold accents on the thumbsticks alongside the Pro Controller that also has that golden touch. 

Nintendo revealed a few new images showing off the Monster Hunter tribute, scroll through the gallery below to see the designs for yourself: 

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

 

                                                                                                            

The Monster Hunter Rise bundle includes a download code for the new game plus the Deluxe Kit DLC and other non-specific bonus content. The system and Pro Controller itself will be launching on March 26, the same date as the game, making the launch of the latest Monster Hunter title even better. 

As for the game itself, Monster Hunter Rise is an all-new hunting experience specifically designed for the Nintendo Switch. The upcoming adventure provides an all-new take on the monster-tracking experience with the introduction new mechanics such as the Wirebug, a wire-based grappling action that allows players to traverse dangerous or rocky terrain at high speeds, in addition to the new hunting partners called Palamutes.

The Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch console, Pro Controller, and the game itself make their grand debut on March 26. What do you think about the latest rendition of the Switch? A must-have, or are you going to pass? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! 

Persona 5 Strikers Trailer Shows Off Phantom Thief Combat Abilities

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 08:00 AM PST

Set six months after the conclusion of Persona 5, Persona 5 Strikers reunites the Phantom Thieves of Hearts for an all-new adventure. Rather than focusing on Tokyo, Persona 5 Strikers expands the adventure to include a road trip to various regions across Japan. Not only is the scope of the journey expanded, but the combat is completely different from the turn-based fare of Persona 5. 

This time around, the Phantom Thieves traverse dungeons and encounter Shadows, triggering action-packed, hack-and-slash battles. However, the turn-based inspiration carries through to Persona 5 Strikers, as Joker, Ann, Ryuji, and company can still summon their Personas for pause-and-plan sequences that stop the action while you navigate the menus. Just as each character has their own Personas with unique abilities, each member of the Phantom Thieves has their own special abilities and affinities.

Today, Atlus released a new trailer highlighting some of the combat abilities of the Phantom Thieves. Whether you're talking Ann's ability to use fire attacks or Makoto's nuclear affinity, so much of Persona 5 Strikers' combat relies on exploiting enemy weaknesses to trigger Follow-Up opportunities and All-Out Attack sequences. You can see the team reunited and battling it out with Shadows in the new trailer below.

Click here to watch embedded media

Persona 5 Strikers hits PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC on February 23. However, you can access the game starting on February 19  if you purchase the Digital Deluxe edition. This bundle comes with a digital art book, a digital soundtrack, a behind-the-scenes video showcasing the making of the music, and special background music from past Persona games. 

For more on Persona 5 Strikers, check out my early impressions of my time with the game here. If you've missed the boat on Persona 5 to this point and want to start at the beginning, the enhanced re-release Persona 5 Royal is the way to go (even if Strikers serves as a follow up to the vanilla version). To learn about that game, you can read my review, or check out associate editor Jason Guisao's opinion piece on why it's a game worth playing – even if you already experienced the original.

Meet Full Circle, The New Studio Making The Next Skate

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 08:00 AM PST

EA answered years' worth of prayers when it announced the return of the Skate franchise last July. The reveal offered no trailer, gameplay, concept art, or much of anything because the game was very early in development. How early? Well, as of today, EA has announced the formation of a new studio that will helm development of the next Skate game.

Meet Full Circle, a Vancouver based team led by Daniel McCulloch, formerly Head of Xbox Live at Microsoft. Fans will be pleased to know that Deran Chung and Cuz Parry, who helped create the Skate franchise and worked on all three mainline games, make up the creative leadership on the new title. "We're so stoked to be back working on Skate," says Chung and Parry in a press release. 

McCulloch offered his own statement as well: 

"The fans wished Skate back into existence and we want them to feel involved in the process from development to game launch and beyond. We want them to feel like they are a part of Full Circle. We're all about having fun and making great games that people want to play with their friends. And, we're looking for more developers to help us build compelling worlds for players to explore."

Full Circle is still staffing up with positions open for designers, artists, and engineers among other jobs, so if you are skilled in such things, go apply and help make Skate happen faster, darn it! Still, Full Circle seems like it's off to a solid start. Unfortunately, this also signifies that the new Skate is further away than fans may have realized. But, after spending over a decade waiting with little more than hope and a prayer, at least fans have something tangible to look forward to now. While you're waiting you can satisfy your Skate cravings with our Replay episodes of Skate 2 and Skate 3. 

What do you think of the new team and what are you looking for in a new Skate game? Sound off in the comments!

The Medium Review – Grave New World

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 06:00 AM PST

Click here to watch embedded media

Publisher: Bloober Team
Developer: Bloober Team
Release:
Rating: Mature
Reviewed on: PC
Also on: Xbox Series X/S

With our five senses, we perceive a great deal of the world around us. But what if another world exists behind the one we see? What if a second reality sits just behind the façade of our experiences? And, what if this reality is full of spirits we cannot see and cannot touch, who brush past us on a daily basis? Bloober Team attempts to explore this mysterious spirit realm with its puzzle-filled horror adventure, The Medium. Sadly, Bloober Team's vision for an unseen reality isn't that exciting to look at.

Marianne is a supernatural medium who can talk to the dead, but when she receives a mysterious phone call summoning her to a derelict hotel on the outskirts of Kraków, Poland, her talents are truly tested. When Marianne arrives at the resort, the only inhabitants she encounters are tormented lost souls and an invisible monster who forces Marianne to wrestle with her past. The Medium's narrative starts with a lot of promise, but quickly loses steam. Marianne doesn't have much of a personality, and is little more than a cipher to move the plot along. Moreover, certain details are hard to follow, and The Medium's few interesting twists (near the end of the game) feel unearned.

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It's unfortunate that The Medium's narrative doesn't shine, because a solid story may have pulled me through its uninspired gameplay. As Marianne communes with the dead, she is occasionally tasked with solving simple puzzles, such as rerouting the power to a car lift or finding the missing pieces to a broken mirror. Sadly, only a small handful of these puzzles ask the player to look for clever solutions. For example, I enjoyed paying attention to clues in my environment to decipher the passcode for a locked door, but most of the time I felt like I was completing grunt work, hauling random items from one end of the environment to the other so I could place them back where they obviously belong.

The Medium's one unique element comes from how it handles the spirit realm. At designated points in the story, Marianne inhabits both the real world and the spirit world at the same time. During these sequences, the screen splits in half to show Marianne's location in each realm. A room that is blocked off in the real world might be open in the spirit realm, which encourages you to carefully explore both realities and find a way forward. This is a neat idea, and I enjoyed manipulating objects in one realm to affect the other. But even in the spirit realm, most puzzles boil down to returning objects to their proper place. The spirit realm is also incredibly drab, and its overtly grotesque design diminished my enthusiasm for crossing realities. I love good, creepy atmosphere, but The Medium's environments are simply grotesque environments formed of human-like skin, not terror-inducing locales.

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Like a lot of modern horror games, The Medium forgoes traditional combat mechanics in an effort to amplify the scares – but this doesn't do enough to turn up the tension. The Medium sets the stage for several chilling moments, but often fails to deliver. For example, Marianne occasionally encounters a powerful beast that forces her to either run or hide. These moments seem thrilling at first, but the monster is so easy to evade that it quickly stops feeling like a threat. The stealth sequences are particularly disappointing because they are so linear that there is never any question on where you need to hide; these moments are more like trials in patience as you wait for the monster to move on so you can creep forward to the next hidey-hole. 

Some of the best horror games of the last decade have offered combat-free frights. After all, abandoned buildings are scarier when you can't push back against the shadows. However, The Medium's lack of combat highlights the challenge of letting atmosphere and puzzles carry a horror experience. The idea of exploring split realities is neat, but Bloober Team needed another gameplay hook to hang its hat on, because this horror show is a bit shallow.

Score: 6.75

Summary: This is a horror game with more tedium than tension.

Concept: Marianne is a spiritual medium who can commune with the dead, but when she receives a mysterious call from the past, she has to contend with her personal demons

Graphics: The backgrounds are well detailed, but the art design is bland, and the simple facial animations don't always match the dialogue 

Sound: Eerie ambient effects amplify the creepy atmosphere, but the generic soundtrack did nothing for me

Playability: The Medium is fairly straightforward. Most of the puzzles simply require that you run across the environment and find the right item to open the next area

Entertainment: This is a horror game with more tedium than tension

Replay: Moderately Low

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New Gameplay Today - Bowser's Fury

Posted: 27 Jan 2021 06:00 AM PST

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Bowser's Fury is a brand new Nintendo Switch game that comes included with the upcoming release of Super Mario 3D World. This new adventure features free-roaming gameplay that fans of Super Mario 64 or Odyssey will love, especially since Mario will be working with Bowser Jr. to help subdue an island-sized Bowser that's wreaking havoc on Lake Lapcat.

Nintendo fans old and new can look forward to playing Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury when the game releases on February 12, 2021. If you enjoyed this early glimpse at new gameplay of Bowser's Fury, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch previous episodes of New Gameplay Today. 
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