Game Informer

Game Informer

Madden NFL 22 Scouting Feature Details Revealed During Latest EA Play Live Spotlight

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 04:50 PM PDT

Madden NFL 22

With the Madden NFL 22 release date right around the corner for August 20, Electronic Arts wanted to show a little more about the upcoming sports entry with its latest EA Play Live Spotlight showcase. With EA doing its own thing instead of E3 2021, the company has been sprinkling out deeper dives throughout the entire month of July, with even more on the way. First, there was more about Battlefield 2042 and Apex Legends, and then there was the Independent Studios spotlight. Now, it's Madden's time to shine. 

With the frustration that surrounded the current entry in the Madden franchise palpable concerning a lack of new features, the studio wants fans to know that this feedback has been heavily weighted with the newest game. While modes like The Yard, Face of the Franchise, and Madden Ultimate Team return in Madden NFL 22, more features have been added to make the experience more immersive and realistic, especially with coach interactions and field strategy. With this week's Spotlight, the dev team talked a little more about some of the features fans can expect to see, including a closer look at Scouting. 

Scouting won't be available at launch, but this brand new feature will be coming to the game with a live service update dropping in September. Learn all about it with EA Sports' Seann Graddy, Tom Lischke, and Andre Weingarten as they talk about all things Madden with the latest EA Play Spotlight: 

Click here to watch embedded media

Also included in the latest Spotlight seen in the video above is delving into exactly how much fan feedback contributed to the new features and overall approach to the game. That community care is evident with the Staff Management feature and development of the new scenario engine. 

Madden NFL 22 will also offer various improvements to make the ambiance of the latest game more engaging, more reactive crowd behavior more believable, and changes to momentum and home-field advantages. You can learn more about EA Sports' latest Madden-fueled adventure with our full preview here.

The latest Madden journey begins on August 20, 2021, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, and PC players. 

What are your thoughts so far on everything shown about Madden NFL 22? Are you excited for the next entry, or has it been too much of the same through recent years? Join in on the conversation in the comment section below! 

Cris Tales Early Impressions

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 03:00 PM PDT

Cris Tales

Publisher: Modus Games
Developer: Dreams Uncorporated
Release:
Rating: Everyone 10+
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, PC

Cris Tales hits tomorrow across nearly every major platform, and the review embargo has officially lifted. Unfortunately, I'm not ready to deliver a verdict on the new role-playing title, so instead, I'm going to give you my early impressions from the opening hours of this pretty throwback RPG.

The game is undeniably gorgeous, possessing one of the most consistently beautiful art styles I've seen in a long time. Every environment, every enemy, and every party member is stunningly hand-drawn, creating a distinct and eye-catching style that has delighted me in my early travels. The aesthetic is complemented by memorable, fitting music and well-acted, fully voiced dialogue.

While the visuals are definitely an early highlight, I'm also quite enjoying the combat. I love Crisbell's ability to reverse or speed up time in battles, accelerating or removing status effects from enemies. For example, I can move forward in time to make a poisoned enemy die instantly, or reverse time to make them a younger, less powerful version of the enemy I originally encountered. You can also use these powers to play off of abilities of other party members, like moving forward in time to rust a metal shield that your party member attacked with water.

Click here to watch embedded media

While this mechanic reveals itself as a useful tool to the player early on, I'm particularly excited to see how it evolves over the course of my journey. Crisbell and her talking frog companion can also use these time-travel powers to solve puzzles in the environment, even changing the fate of entire towns, but its execution has been rather rudimentary at the point I've reached in the adventure.

I do want to reiterate that I'm still very early in Cris Tales' story, but I'm excited to see how the mechanics that have already been introduced continue to evolve and grow as I make it deeper into the journey. To see the game in action and learn what my colleagues think, check out the episode of New Gameplay Today above! Cris Tales launches tomorrow, July 20, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

12 Minutes Preview – Time Changes Everything

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 03:00 PM PDT

Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Developer: Luis Antonio
Release:
Rating: Mature
Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

The last five minutes of your life have been great. Arriving home, your wife is in a fantastic mood. She asks you to dance around the living room. It's silly, but you do. She's made you your favorite dessert, too. As you sit down to eat, she reveals a gift. When you open it, you're greeted with baby clothes. You're going to be a father. And then there's a knock on the door.

The next five minutes of your life are going to be hell. On the other side of the door is a man claiming to be a cop. He says he has a warrant. You let him in. He accuses your wife of murdering her own father eight years ago. For whatever reason, he's insistent on finding a pocket watch that belonged to your wife's father. Apprehending the both of you, tying your hands behind your back, the cop chokes you until you fall unconscious. When you wake up, you're inside the doorway of your apartment, five minutes ago, as if nothing ever happened. What do you do next?

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Your wife comes out of the bathroom. She's made you dessert. She has a present for you. You tell her about the cop. You ask her why she killed her father. She is insulted and confused. What are you talking about? Five minutes later, the cop is back.

So goes the opening of 12 Minutes, developed by Luis Antonio, starring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. How you progress, largely, is up to experimentation. Playing the first 45 minutes or so, I tried my hand at whatever I could. I called 911. I hid my wife in the bathroom while I tried to stall the cop. In a moment of helplessness, I killed my wife, flushed the murder weapon, and hid in the closet, allowing the cop to stumble upon the body. At every turn, the game reacted to my decisions. Not that it ever did me much good. No matter what I tried, time always reset. I was never solving the puzzle, just finding more pieces.

"12 Minutes never tells you what to do," Antonio says. "So, as things get more and more complex, it's going to be a bit of your own interpretation of how things are going."

Click here to watch embedded media

12 Minutes takes place in one location: your apartment. During my time with the game, loops ran roughly five to seven minutes; five minutes before the cop shows up, a couple minutes after as everything falls apart. Each run gives you more knowledge of the situation, and no run felt like time wasted.

"The small space allows for very quick iteration where if you make a mistake or you want to try something, you have a very small [window]," Antonio says. "You have a very quick answer to your experiment; you're not trying 50 things and then you fail at action 49. You do two actions; you know very quickly."

My time playing 12 Minutes is short, but immediately interesting. Since completing the demo, I've been thinking about what I want to do differently when I play again. If the rest of 12 Minutes can deliver on the intrigue of its opening hour, it could be a unique take on the timeloop genre. Time will only tell. 

Pokémon Go Fest Participants Caught 1.5 Billion Pokémon This Weekend

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 01:39 PM PDT

Pokémon Go Fest returned this past weekend for its 5th year, allowing trainers from all over the world to get out and try to catch 'em all. Participants were able to join the fun from anywhere by purchasing a Go Fest ticket in the app to unlock special challenges and events throughout the weekend. Those who did buy a ticket helped put on a virtual Pokémon concert and were treated to rotating habitats allowing for even more types of monsters to catch than normal.

Obviously, this year's Go Fest was very different from last year's all-virtual event. Niantic decided on a hybrid event this time and threw celebrations in over 20 cities around the world while allowing those who couldn't make it in person or chose to play at a safe distance to work together towards global challenges. Because of this flexible nature, trainers hit some very impressive numbers while celebrating Go Fest 2021:

  • 1.5 billion Pokémon were caught
  • Trainers spun PokéStops 900 million times
  • 23 million raids were completed
  • Trainers collectively walked over 125 million kilometers

Yes, that says 1.5 billion Pokémon. A tremendous feat by trainers, for sure. We'll have to wait to see if whether Niantic decides to keep with this formula or revert back to only local celebrations next year. The numbers above point to huge levels of engagement from the public, and are encouraging for Go Fest being more accessible in the future.

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While I wasn't able to join in the fun, I saw plenty of trainers around downtown Chicago proudly wearing their Pokémon gear and exploring the city to fill out their Pokédex and hunt down a shiny they maybe haven't found yet. Some were even wearing cute paper Pikachu hats. Apparently, a massive inflatable egg was set up in a park nearby for trainers to gather, and now I'm pretty bummed I missed out on the festivities. Hopefully, I'll make it next year!

Did you take part in Pokémon Go Fest this year? What were your favorite moments, and which awesome Pokémon did you manage to catch? Let us know in the comments! 

The Overwatch Summer Games Return Tomorrow

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Are you ready for some Overwatch fun in the sun? The Summer Games event returns tomorrow, July 20, with new skins and is expected to last until August 10, plenty of time to get in some raucous games of Lucioball. That's right, the Lucioball game mode is returning. If you somehow haven't had a chance to play it yet, now's the time. It's kind of like football (soccer) with its own special mechanics, basically lots of zooming around and blasting balls into goals. 

Weekly challenges are in play for players to complete and earn legendary skins. New skins are in the pool here and have been showcased on Blizzard's social channels, if you want a quick look at some of the fashion options that are perfect for summer Overwatch.

Yes, there's a Sprinkles Mei. You heard me correctly. What better way to dish out the cold chill of game wins than with a freaking ice cream-themed Mei? Seriously. No Mac and Cheese ice cream here, but there are sprinkles. Makes you want to just go find an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and load up on a sundae. Or you know, just unlock the skin, whichever comes first.

Another event skin that's sure to be a hit is Poolside Ashe. Fun in the sun, super-soaker style weaponry, and yes, even a freaking pink flamingo hat for BOB are all on deck with this skin. There's a shark charm on the gun too, just in case the other accoutrements weren't enough to have you chasing this skin down.

There are plenty of other skins to look forward to as well, but for Symmetra players out there, you can live the mermaid dream. That's right, there's a Mermaid Symmetra skin. It looks exactly like you probably envision it.

The action all begins tomorrow! While we're still holding out for news on Overwatch 2 all the time, this is a returning event that's always added a bit of summer fun to the standard Overwatch mix, so I can't complain about the addition of sprinkles and sharks. Are you going to be hunting the new legendary skins or kicking around in some Lucioball? Let us know in the comments!

New Tom Clancy’s XDefiant Is ‘Fast-Paced Firefights Meets Punk Rock Mosh Pits’

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 11:15 AM PDT

Today, Ubisoft unveiled the latest chapter in the Tom Clancy franchise: Tom Clancy's XDefiant. A free-to-play first-person shooter, XDefiant is a Ubisoft original with no narrative ties to other IPs like The Division, Rainbow Six, or Ghost Recon (however, there are some direct influences that I'll bring up later). In fact, XDefiant doesn't have a story mode; it's a 6v6 free-to-play multiplayer-only title. In the announcement trailer that dropped today, developers showed off a bevy of gameplay, talked about the cool features coming to the game, and enthusiastically stated that Tom Clancy's XDefiant is "fast-paced firefights meets punk rock mosh pits."

Click here to watch embedded media

XDefiant "combines realistic gunplay with personalized classes." This means that despite having a multitude of customization options that can change the way you interact with teammates and adversaries alike, the shooting mechanics and game feel emerge as the most important aspects of the player experience. As the devs mentioned in the trailer, each weapon and attachment has been fine-tuned to provide differing experiences to match any playstyle. Moreover, no firearm is locked behind any class; you can sprint around the battlefield with your favorite gear at any time. Each player will have a primary, secondary, and a device that can be swapped out while on the respawn menus. 

The available factions have been selected from and inspired by maverick groups in  other Tom Clancy games: the Wolves (Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon), Echelon (Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell) and the Outcasts and Cleaners (Tom Clancy's The Division). Each faction comes with its own unique traits, abilities, and ultra (ultimate). Based on the footage provided, these kits range from healing gas to invisibility cloaks and much more. 

The grittiness of combat is juxtaposed with colorful graffiti-covered maps that evoke the "mosh pit" feeling that the devs were excited about. A press release reads, "XDefiant will immerse players at the forefront of the Tom Clancy universe at iconic locations in the throes of technicolor chaos, with maps mixing indoor and outdoor environments, ensuring smooth gameplay and unpredictable engagements."

The modern and futuristic equipment and sliding physics are reminiscent of the mechanics in competitive, team-based shooters like Warzone and Apex Legends so Tom Clancy's XDefiant might be up your alley if you're a fan of those two games. XDefiant is still in early development, but tests will be available to the public, the first one dropping on August 5. 

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XDefiant will be available for current- and last-gen consoles as well as Stadia with crossplay at launch.

What are your early impressions of the game? Are you planning on registering for the upcoming playtests? Do you wish there was a single-player campaign? Let us know below!

Nintendo Denies OLED Profit Margin Increase, Confirms No New Switch Model Planned

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 10:31 AM PDT

With the Nintendo Switch OLED announced with direct ethernet access in the dock, an improved screen, and other small upgrades, many in the hybrid platform community love the next step for the handheld. That being said, there have been several rumors and reports that have followed up the reveal, including that there is a new model (the long-rumored Switch Pro) still in the works and that the profit margin for the OLED is higher than the standard Switch. Both have been firmly shut down by Nintendo itself. 

Shortly after the reveal, Bloomberg reported that the Switch OLED had a higher profit margin. The original report said that the OLED estimated around $10 more per unit to manufacture, which was correlated to a higher profit margin for the company. Nintendo took to Twitter from its corporate account to immediately deny those claims, saying: "A news report on July 15, 2021 (JST) claimed that the profit margin of the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) would increase compared to the Nintendo Switch. To ensure correct understanding among our investors and customers, we want to make clear that the claim is incorrect." The company later added that the OLED's launch is slated for October of this year and that there are "no plans for launching any other model at this time." 

Where Nintendo goes from here is anyone's guess. Still, it is a popular consensus on the analytical side of the industry that the OLED model is a transient version, not the true next step of the Switch's evolution. We've seen the 3DS evolve into a 2D version that eliminates the 3D option to provide a more financially accessible experience, but we've also seen Nintendo not truly stretch next step potential to its limit. It will be interesting to see what Nintendo decides to do with the Switch following all of the rumors around a possible "pro" version. 

If you missed out on the initial Nintendo Switch OLED reveal, you could catch up on what you can expect from the updated model with our previous coverage here. Our own Alex Van Aken also broke down which features he wished Nintendo included here, as well as Valve's response with its own Steam Deck. 

[Source: GameIndustry.biz]

New Apex Legends Character, Seer, Revealed

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 10:08 AM PDT

The time has finally come for Respawn to start dropping teasers focused on the next character in Apex Legends. Season 10 is just around the corner, and like the other seasons that came before it, we're likely going to get a new addition to the growing roster of playable combatants as well as possible map changes (or, hopefully, an entirely new one!). In a new Stories from the Outlands trailer, the next legend, Seer, was announced. 

Click here to watch embedded media

The short trailer delved into Seer's backstory – his tumultuous, unique birth and eventual rise to power. Seer is born in a dimly lit high rise apartment in an appropriate cinematic fashion as an asteroid crashes into his home planet's moon. His mother bears the moth's mysterious mark, which renders Seer a cursed child when he enters the world. His eyes are glossed over; ghostly white. As the narrator puts it, "Refuse the child's gaze or be undone. Once glance will reduce a mountain to dust." You can watch the origin story above.

By the time the Apex Games have risen to intergalactic stardom, Seer is an adult with years of combat experience. At the center of his chest lies a golden jewel that channels the dormant powers he inherited during birth. At the end of the trailer, we get a sneak peek into one of Seer's abilities – whether it's his tactical or ultimate, remains to be seen. Seer activates his powers, and beams of light emerge from his body in the shape of a moth. He casts the beam at an offscreen enemy, but we don't need to see what happens next to know that Seer vanquishes anyone who stands in his way.

More details about Seer and the other big changes in Apex Legends Season 10 will be revealed on July 22. What updates or meta shifts do you hope to see in the future? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. 

Here Are The List Of Games You Can't Play On Steam Deck

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 09:31 AM PDT

Not long after Nintendo revealed its Switch OLED handheld, Valve came out and said, "hold my beverage of choice," and revealed its Steam Deck machine. A larger and clunkier version of the Switch, at least in appearance, the Valve machine's library opens up far beyond Nintendo's library, giving players a chance to check out games like Baldur's Gate 3 and other library picks from anywhere they choose with the handheld. That being said, not every game is playable on the newly revealed platform, so here is the list of games you can't play on Steam Deck. 

Games You Can't Play On Steam Deck

Before we dive into the "why" you can't play these games on the Steam Deck, let's first look at the games themselves: 

  • Apex Legends
  • Black Desert Online
  • DayZ
  • Dead by Daylight
  • Destiny 2
  • Fall Guys
  • Hunt: Showdown
  • Paladins
  • PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG)
  • Rainbow Six Siege
  • Smite

As a dedicated Destiny 2 player myself, that Bungie inclusion hurts a little bit because I smacked down a pre-order as soon as the broken Steam Store finally opened up the floodgates. While disappointing, there is actually an understandable reason why certain games couldn't make that final stretch. 

Why Can't You Play These Games? 

According to Protondb (via PC Gamer), some games aren't compatible with the Steam Deck because of how they are developed for consoles and how the Deck is Linux-based. Valve did make it to where Windows-based games can run on the Deck, though not everything could be made to work properly. You'll also note that the games listed share one thing in common: online multiplayer experiences. With certain MP games and the anti-cheat software they employ, the choice of going the Linux route is a double-edged sword. That's where the cut games list comes in.

With the above multiplayer games just not doable, that doesn't mean that the library is small. Indie games, PC-only titles, and the majority of your Valve library can be played in the palm of your hand. It's also important to remember that even though these games can't run on the Steam Deck, that doesn't mean they necessarily will be off the table forever. Who knows, maybe Valve will look into a Windows option in the future? For now, let's just focus on the release, which is now slated for Q1 2022 for many that pre-ordered. 

You can learn more about the Steam Deck machine right here. 

Thoughts on the Steam Deck and what it can and cannot run? Sound off in the comment section below, even if it's just to lament the no Destiny compatibility. 

Take-Two Is Taking Down More GTA Mods, Bad News For GTA Modders Scene

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 08:14 AM PDT

Grand Theft Auto has always had a robust modding community, but many of the GTA modders in the scene are finding themselves in Take-Two's crosshairs. While takedown notices have been a thing in the past from Take-Two, especially earlier this year when looking at Vice City, it appears that the company is ramping up the aggression towards Grand Theft Auto mod creators and has been for the past several weeks. 

The latest wave of takedowns has been targeting some of the bigger mod projects out there, including the total conversion mod called GTA: Liberty City. For those that may not know, this mod recreated Grand Theft Auto 3 using Vice City's engine (not unlike Skywind over in camp Bethesda). As spotted by PC Gamer, GTA: Liberty City is no longer listed as available. The same can be said of GTA: underground, the Liberty City Stories ports, and more. 

Djluin via PC Gamer

The modding community has been banding together to track which projects are being taken down and which ones are (so far) surviving. For those interested in tracking this, the GTAForums has been at the epicenter of this particular niche in the modding community, which can be found here. 

Nintendo is another major company that is very much against the creation of mods, though Rockstar, in the past at least, has been a little more lenient. The initial wave of bans mostly targeted either total conversion mods or those that impact multiplayer settings to avoid cheats. Back in 2017 (later updated in 2019), Rockstar tweaked its support page with the below message regarding single-player mods and if those would be exempt from takedowns: 

Rockstar Games believes in reasonable fan creativity and, in particular, wants creators to showcase their passion for our games. After discussions with Take-Two, Take-Two has agreed that it generally will not take legal action against third-party projects involving Rockstar's PC games that are single-player, non-commercial, and respect the intellectual property (IP) rights of third parties. This does not apply to (i) multiplayer or online services; (ii) tools, files, libraries, or functions that could be used to impact multiplayer or online services, or (iii) use or importation of other IP (including other Rockstar IP) in the project; or (iv) making new games, stories, missions, or maps. This is not a license, and it does not constitute endorsement, approval, or authorization of any third-party project. Take-Two reserves the right to object to any third-party project or to revise, revoke and/or withdraw this statement at any time in their own discretion. This statement does not constitute a waiver of any rights that Take-Two may have with respect to third-party projects.

The amendment regarding making new games and content using Rockstar IPs, such as the overhaul mods that provide new content and "importation of other IPs," like the Liberty City and Vice City Stories ports, would not be allowed. This changed wording was not found in the original copy back in 2017 and did explain why certain mods are being taken down in recent weeks. 

There are always talks about Grand Theft Auto 6; it's a minefield of leaks, rumors, and false reports, but the recent aggression towards mods seems to be fueling those GTA 6 fires. A large portion of the GTA community seems to think that this wave of bans is indicative of Rockstar being more protective of the property because of something related to the next Grand Theft Auto. Others think that this could mean a possible remake or remaster could be on the horizon, and that's why the older mods are being suddenly taken down. At this time, we've got nothing but questions, but we're interested in seeing if there is a bigger reason behind the renewed fervor. 

New World Beta Goes Live Tomorrow

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 08:00 AM PDT

Amazon Games' upcoming MMORPG New World goes into a closed beta state this week. In fact, it goes live tomorrow! If you already prepurchased the game, you are guaranteed a spot in this beta phase, which showcases a number of features that we had a chance to try out in a lengthy preview demo session. Over the course of a few hours, we played the Outpost PVP mode and had a chance to dive into an end-game dungeon called an expedition.

Outpost is essentially a game of Domination with some quirks. With three capture locations and two teams, one team seeks to secure the most points and accrue points until victory is achieved. Of course, it's not quite that simple and there are some other elements in play as well during this PVP endeavor. Wildlife and resource nodes are dotted across the map, and these can be used to bolster your cap points with additional defenses. Therefore, you can't just sit around and defend your holdings if you want to have the best shot at winning, you have to actively get out there and grab some tools to help that victory happen. There's also a boss that spawns occasionally that incites the action to pool in one location for a big bonus - kind of like killing Roshan in Dota 2 or Baron in League of Legends.

As a heavy two-handed maul wielding berzerker type, I had no problem running into the center of combat, flattening (stunning) opponents, and generally causing a ton of disruption behind enemy lines. Even when I was just running around in the middle of a pack blocking I was wasting their time and preventing them from moving up on a cap point, so my interactions always seemed useful. The game itself seemed slowed-paced than some other MMORPG offerings like WoW battlegrounds, but that might be what you're looking for.

The dungeon I got to participate in consisted of a ridiculous amount of skeletons and a boss. There were more bosses to be had in the expedition, but that's all the time we had time to get to. Given that my crew consisted of players that had never played New World before, including myself, I'm actually surprised that we got even that much done. In a few underground chambers, we tackled some light puzzles and some wave-based fare before taking on a boss that had fairly textbook MMORPG mechanics, including a buff that kept damage stacking up over time making burst damage important.  We were well equipped going in with loot that was higher gear level than what was dropping, but the purple gear that was dropping seemed fairly generous. Since I had learned how to somewhat play my heavy two-handed mace wielder in PVP, I carried that character template over to this experience, and toyed around a bit with the gemming system that allows you to fine tune your equipment to your playstyle, with perks that let you change your raw damage to elemental or get boosts on slamming into undamaged enemies.

While it's impossible to really get a feel for how a MMORPG is going to feel from a demo session, I left eager to give things a try from the beginning with a low level character so that I can understand how things advance and play better. Starting with everything unlocked in any game can be overwhelming, so having a fully-geared character with all stat points ready to rock didn't really give me a sense of things. We'll see how things go as we head toward the August 31st launch date.

No Skate At EA Play 2021, But Studio Teases 'A Little Something' Instead

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 07:19 AM PDT

Another EA Play showcase is coming up this week following several EA Spotlight events to give a closer look at what the publisher has going on under its proverbial umbrella. Electronic Arts has already confirmed that there will be no Mass Effect, Dragon Age, or Star Wars news, and now the studio behind Skate is also confirming the same. While a bummer, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to show for those that like to kickflip and ollie with the best of them. 

The game's official Twitter account confirmed the EA Play no-show with an opener that is so on brand, it hurts. The letter to fans starts out by saying, "holy @%$*!... it's been a year!?!?" This was referencing when it was confirmed that a new Skate was on the way, meaning a whole year since we've heard anything at all regarding the upcoming game. The message continued, saying: "What have we been up to? Well, we formed a studio back in January, got a bunch of super talented people to join the family, and we've been working hard on the new game. Now, we know many of you were hoping to see more from us this week, but we're not ready for prime time just yet, and we won't be a part of the EA Play Live show on Thursday. It's still early, and we are committed to doing this right, which means it's going to take some time."

The no-show reveal did come bearing some good news, however. The open letter to fans ended with a simple, "[We] are stoked to share a little something with you all tomorrow." Given that this was dropped on Sunday, that means today. While we don't know what exactly will be shown, we know we won't have long to wait. In the meantime, you can expect more on Battlefield 2042 later this week, more on Apex Legends, and a few surprises along the way. Maybe a confirmation of that rumored Dead Space project? 

Are you disappointed that there will be no new Skate news during the EA Play Live showcase? Are you excited about the continuation of the Skate series? Shout out those thoughts in the comments below!

Psychonauts 2 Preview: A Wonderful World Stuck In A Frustrating Game

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 06:00 AM PDT

Psychonauts 2 moves at a mile a minute. At every turn, the game throws something new and unexpected your way, to warp your perception of both the game's universe and your understanding of its mechanics; it constantly moves between different ideas, level designs, and gimmicks. And while we only played for few hours during a recent hands-on preview event, we're hopeful the rest of the package maintains this pace – even if the game doesn't always feel as tight as we want it to.

Saying we "only" had a few hours does a disservice to the plethora of stuff we saw in Psychonauts 2. After playing through four different levels of the game, we were able to see a variety of the story, characters, and different gameplay concepts.

Firstly, we checked out the game's opening. Psychonauts 2 picks up right after the events of the first Psychonauts, released in 2005, as well as the events of the VR exclusive Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, released in 2017. After saving Truman Zannato, the head of the Psychonauts, from the evil Dr. Lobatto, Razputin "Raz" Aquatto has the chance to live out his dream: joining the ranks of this psychic organization tasked with maintaining world peace. His first mission: infiltrating Lobatto's mind and figure out who the villain might've been working with.

A dentist by trade, Lobatto's mind is teeth-themed – and it's truly horrific. Teeth and gums are everywhere as you work your way through the level's various platforming sections, being introduced to the game's cast of characters. This opening level also serves as the Psychonauts's tutorial, acclimating you to the controls and powers before it truly lets you loose.

Dr. Lobatto's horrific teeth-filled mind

After working their way through Lobatto's brain, the Psychonauts deduce they have a mole within their ranks. Their next mission is to identify and stop said mole. Arriving at The Motherlobe, the Psychonauts' headquarters, Raz is introduced to Hollis Forsythe, the second in command of the Psychonauts. Forsythe isn't impressed with the 10-year-old psychic, and rather than allow him on all the top-secret, dangerous missions he dreams of participating in, she relegates Raz to the intern program. Raz's fellow interns give him a humiliating initiation, and he's stripped of his clothes, locked in a closet, and forced to escape. Finding his way out, Forsythe assigns him to the Motherlobe's mailroom. However, upon arriving, he finds that the manager in charge of the mailroom is trapped in a box marked for Zannato. Worse yet, the manager's brain is missing. The only clue is a key found on his person inscribed with the name Lady Luctupos – a casino. The Psychoanuts deduce this is as good a place as any to begin their hunt for the mole.

Hollis Forsythe

Despite saving the head of the Psychonauts hardly a full day before the events of Psychonauts 2, Forsythe forbids Raz – and the other interns, for that matter – to join the Psychonauts on their mission. Instead, she teaches the group about mental connections. Effectively, this is a platforming puzzle where the player needs to connect two thought balloons to form a new idea, and one of the earliest examples of the game marrying its gameplay with its story. While inside Forsythe's mind, Raz changes her mental connections, freeing her of worries and focusing her on making as much money as possible through gambling. At first, Forsythe's mind is representative of a hospital, showcasing her earlier career as a medical professional before her superior stole and plagiarized her work. After Raz's changes her mental state, however, the entire level transitions to a medical-themed casino. 

Combat is also expanded in this section, allowing you to experiment with psychokinetic powers into melee fighting. Bad Ideas throw bombs, which you can pick up using telekinesis to throw around the map. Mental Connection – not too dissimilar from a grappling hook – allows you to zip across the arena and pull small enemies closer to you or vice versa for larger enemies. The combat is involved, though not as precise as you may want – especially when a lot is going on. Numerous times Raz would swing his fists in the wrong direction, even when I was trying to direct him towards an enemy, leaving himself vulnerable to attack. Even then, it's fun to mix and match various powers to see how they affect foes and how you can turn the tides using a well-placed move.

Of the levels we saw in our preview, Forsythe's brain is easily the most visually striking and interesting mechanically. On top of various platforming challenges, once the theme of her brain changes into a casino, Raz also participates in gambling challenges – such as a twisted take on Pachinko and a rigged race between a suite of cards. This is all in an effort to raise the "gazillion" dollars necessary to enter the High Rollers' Club and gain access to Forsythe. It's a fun way to break the pace of the game's standard platforming – which again, isn't always at precise as I wanted. Especially compared to Insomniac's recent Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, which felt incredibly tight in most cases, Psychonauts 2 often feels clunky, and mistimed jumps or leaps in the wrong direction happen frequently. When the level starts introducing enemies into the platforming sections, it feels a bit messy.

Visually, the game is fantastic; worlds are a joy to look at. The story is very well-told and acted, and the music is great. From a presentation stand-point, I have little to complain about from my preview. But playing Psychonauts 2, can be tedious at times, or even laborious as I fought with the controls, trying to get it to do what I wanted.

The entrance to the Lady Luctopus Casino

This was most evident in my second demo world: Compton's Cookoff. Suffering from acute anxiety issues, Psychonauts' founding member Compton Poole's mind is visualized through a cruel game show where contestants compete in a high-stakes gauntlet of various cooking challenges, all in an effort to feed three judges – the heads of the Psychonauts, represented as animal hand puppets. A fun – if gruesome – twist is the audience are all different foods, which you use to make each meal.

It's a fun setup and an interesting way to visualize anxiety, exacerbated by the fact that each round has an ever-shortening time restriction. My problems with the game come back to the platforming never being as tight as I want; getting each ingredient to its designated spot, all while platforming over obstacles and dangers while trying to not let the clock run out, feels laborious after your second or third try because you accidentally missed a jump or threw your ingredient and it went in the wrong direction. There are three of these challenges, each harder and more complex than the last, and it's a slog to get through. Luckily, time running out doesn't reset your progress and only gates you from getting the reward at the end of each run.

The boss fight at the end doesn't fare much better, if only because of unforgiving checkpoints. You're tasked with fighting all three heads at once, avoiding the puke from their too-full bellies, all while helping Compton prepare meals that will further overstuff each puppet until it bursts. To up the ante, occasionally enemies appear on the platform while you avoid the bosses' attacks. This all culminates in a multistage boss fight with a lot to keep track of. In and of itself, this isn't bad. But if you die, you start all the way at the beginning of the fight, and it takes upwards of 10 minutes to make up your progress. God bless the game's helpful invincibility mode, which got me through the fight when I was finally over it. (And for the record: God bless the game's invincibility mode in general for helping people of all skill levels be able to enjoy a game at their comfort, and Double Fine's commitment to accessibility. Get out of here with dumb gatekeeping, nerds. Let people play games how they want to play games.)

Compton's Cookoff

The last level I played, Cassie's Collection, puts players in the mind of, well, Cassie, who is having self-control issues. Cassie's mind is visualized as a library, where words and letters can be platforms and NPCs are hand-drawn storybook characters. The level is fun to explore and makes great use of verticality when trying to get from A to B. Cassie herself is split into three personas, each representing a different aspect of her identity – a writer, a counterfeiter, and a teacher – all of whom you help to take out the fourth and final version of Cassie, a librarian keeping all the personas separate and secluded. The majority of the level is composed of various fetch quests as you track down each persona and gather evidence to incriminate librarian Cassie, all culminating in a giant boss battle where you fight the librarian as she throws various projectiles your way and summons smaller enemies to hinder your progress.

Cassie's Collection

By the time I played through Cassie's Collection, a lot of my issues with the game were easier to ignore, but I think that's because I got good at dealing with the frustrations. While I loved looking at each world and exploring their various nooks and crannies, after a while fighting with the game's controls took its toll; I was less incentivized to go after harder-to-reach collectibles when I could tell it'd be a pain.

My frustrations haven't turned me off from Psychonauts 2 completely; I'm still looking forward to playing the entire game when it's released in August. I just hope that Double Fine can smooth some of the rough edges, bringing the gameplay closer to the fantastic worldbuilding

Psychonauts 2 – New Gameplay Today

Posted: 19 Jul 2021 06:00 AM PDT

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Back in 2005, the original Psychonauts stood as one of the better platformers on the market. Its bizarre yet humorous world is populated with interesting characters and an engaging story, wrapped within a fun use of platforming and creative psychic powers. But platforming mechanics have come a long way since then and fans have been clamoring to know more about what happens to Raz and company since the Rhombus of Ruin VR title.

That all changes this August, as developer Double Fine is set to return to the world of Psychonauts and bring its iconic platformer to the contemporary age of video games. In Psychonauts 2, fans will be introduced to new powers, brains to explore, and a deeper dive into Raz's history as he sets out to save the organization he's dreamed of being a part of.

If that sounds up your alley, then you've come to the right place. Join Blake Hester and Alex Stadnik as they walk you through the latest levels they got to go hands-on with and explain what works and what doesn't in Double Fine's return to the series that started it all. On top of the brand new looks at some previously unseen playspaces, we'll also be highlighting our experience with the new abilities and combat encounters as well!

Longtime fans of the series will have their patience paid off as Psychonauts 2 is set to launch on August 25 for Xbox, PlayStation 4, and PC. If that's still too long of a wait for you and you're needing to know more about Double Fine's next adventure, then you're in the right place. Be sure to check out our cover story on Psychonauts 2, where we show off some of the game's newest abilities, a fresh look at one of the brains players will explore, and how the developer is handling the sensitive issue of mental health.
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