Game Informer

Game Informer

Pokémon Unite Review, Early Looks At Tales of Arise And Darkest Dungeon II – GI Show

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 02:42 PM PDT

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In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, we discuss a handful of games we've been digging recently, including Pokémon Unite, Wildermyth, Genshin Impact 2.0, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Neo: The World Ends with You, and Tribes of Midgard. We also talk about our newest Game Informer cover story: Tales of Arise. Then Dan describes his time talking to Red Hook Studios about Darkest Dungeon II.

Pokémon Unite has been one of the bigger surprises and might be a good breakout MOBA for a lot of people. Alex says he "can't put this damn game down. It's a genuinely fun MOBA with a pocket monster twist, and it's probably better than you think." Wildermyth is an indie strategy game that shouldn't be overlooked. We were a little late to the review party, but in his review, Dan said, "If you've always wanted a fantasy Dungeons & Dragons stylized XCOM game, Wildermyth might be exactly what you're looking for." Meanwhile, Neo: The World Ends With You is the long-awaited sequel to the beloved JRPG The World End With You. Kim said, "It captures the magic of what made the first game so special, but it also retains some of its bigger issues and frustrations with difficulty balancing and the repetition of tedious tasks."

It's a full show, but we make time for another fantastic round of community emails. So please join Dan Tack (@dantack), Jill Grodt (@Finruin), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Kimberley Wallace (@kstar1785), and Ben Reeves (@Benjaminreeves) for a new wild and ever-entertaining episode!

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

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

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

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:34 - Neo: The World Ends With You

00:14:56 - Great Ace Attorney Chronicles

00:22:49 -  Wildermyth

00:27:50: Genshin Impact 2.0

00:31:51: Pokémon Unite 

00:41:45: Tribes of Midgard

00:50:18: Tales of Arise Cover Reveal Discussion

01:02:43: Darkest Dungeon II

01:09:36: Community Emails

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Rounding Up Everything In Today’s Annapurna Interactive Showcase

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 01:30 PM PDT

A month after the flurry of events surrounding E3 week back in June, indie publisher Annapurna Interactive put on a gaming showcase of its own. The company's debut presentation was filled with fun game announcements, release date reveals, and a few surprises.

We were excited to see more of several Annapurna titles going into the show and we were not disappointed. Stray, Solar Ash, The Artful Escape, and Neon White, among others, all took the spotlight today with fresh trailers and exciting news to share.  The show even revealed a handful of new indie projects and we may have to update our list of indie games to watch.

If you missed the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, don't worry. We have rounded up all the exciting games and announcements from the show for you. 

The Artful Escape

Kicking off Annapurna's presentation with a bang was The Artful Escape. It's been a long journey for Beethoven and Dinosaur's rock adventure, but The Artful Escape finally has a release date and an impressive, star-filled, cast. Some of the actors lending their voices to the title include Lena Headey, Jason Schwartzman, Mark Strong, and Carl Weathers. The Artful Escape jams out on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC on Sept 9.

Neon White

The creator behind Donut County, Ben Esposito, decided to shake things up for Neon White. Instead of raccoons, you'll find demon assassins taking the stage in this first-person shooter with card mechanics. The main character, White, has days to clear all the other demons from Heaven. If he is successful, he might just get to stay up in the clouds. The new trailer in today's presentation showed off the game's gunplay and relationship system.

A Memoir Blue

Reality and reveries blend together in A Memoir Blue, a new, aquatically-inspired game by Cloisters Interactive. The reveal trailer features a series of recollections that play out in front of Miriam, a champion swimmer. Her childhood memories of one special day with her mother manifest in the game as wonderful, hand-drawn art. These memories blur the line between the character's thoughts and the world around her.

Storyteller

One of the most unique announcements of the presentation, Storyteller challenges its players to create literary masterpieces. This puzzle game will start you off with primary figures of the story, a fitting place for the action, and important themes. It is your task to successfully weave all these elements together.

Solar Ash

Solar Ash is coming out on October 26 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. The cherry-on-top date reveal came after an epic trailer showcasing the game's stunning landscape, intimidating monsters, and speedy traversal. As the second project from the developers behind Hyper Light Drifter, we have some big expectations for this game and Solar Ash's launch is only months away.

Annapurna Interactive Teams Up With Studios For Unannounced Projects

Some exciting things are coming down the pipe from developer Jessica Mak (Everyday Shooter and Sound Shapes), the creators at No Code (Observation) and Outerloop Games (Falcon Age), and brand-new studio Ivy Road lead by Davey Wreden and Karla Zimonja. We don't get to know what the projects are just yet, but you may want to bookmark these names for the future.

Skin Deep

The Annapurna Interactive Showcase gave us a look at Skin Deep's personality-filled gameplay. In Skin Deep, you play as an insurance agent, the kind of insurance agent that shoots guns and hunts space pirates. Stuck aboard a starship filling up with hostile invaders, it is your job to ensure the insurance corporations' valuables are protected.

Platform Updates

Heads up, Gorogoa and Telling Lies are coming to Xbox Game Pass some time in the near future. The Pathless' Steam release is on November 16, and What Remains of Edith Finch is heading to the App store on August 16. Last but not least, I Am Dead launches on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox on August 9, just a few weeks away.

Stray

Stray is set to launch early next year and the team's personalized tour through the game's worn streets will give us plenty to think about in the meantime. BlueTwelve Studio confirmed you will be taking control of the titular stray cat, before offering up a few more hints about the story and gameplay. We don't know what happened to the humans in Stray's setting, but we do know that a helpful drone will join you on your quest to escape the city and rejoin your feline family.

Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye

The final surprise of Annapurna Interactive's presentation turned out to be an Outer Wilds DLC. Called Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye, the game's first and only expansion, will be ready for lift-off on September 28. Today's minute-long trailer sets a creepy mood but doesn't reveal much about what to expect. The DLC is just around the corner, so hopefully, we see more it Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye before launch.

Exploring The Opening Hours Of Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster – GI Live

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:41 PM PDT

All of you lucky Game Informer readers and stream viewers have quite the treat today. Shortly after Dan Tack and Alex Stadnik wrap up watching the Annapurna Interactive 2021 Showcase today, we're going live yet again to play one of this week's big releases: Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster. At around 3 p.m. CT, Associate Editor John Carson and PC Editor Dan Tack will be partying up and venturing forth onto Twitch to show off this classic the way we never got to see in North America.

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Originally released in Japan for the NES on April 27, 1990, Final Fantasy III did not receive a release outside of Japan for over a decade. 1994's Final Fantasy VI on SNES was released in the United States under the name of Final Fantasy III because it technically was the third game in the series to be localized. However, after years of being passed up for re-releases and ports, the true Final Fantasy III was completely remade on Nintendo DS with all-new 3D graphics. This version was ported to PC and Mobile and has been the prevalent version of this game for years. That is until Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series.

These remastered versions of the first three Final Fantasy games are currently available on PC, iOS, and Android devices with IV through VI coming at a later date. Featuring all-new sprite art, remastered music, filters, and more, the original FF adventures can be experienced by old and new fans alike. And because the NES game is the source of Final Fantasy III's remaster, we get to play the game closer to the way it was released back in 1990.

For more on the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series, we recorded an episode of New Gameplay Today which you can watch right here. If you like hanging out with us and our community, please consider joining our brand new Discord server which is currently exclusive to subscribers of our Twitch channel. 

Outer Wilds DLC Revealed With New Echoes Of The Eye Trailer

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:35 PM PDT

Outer Wilds from Mobius Digital is a phenomenal space program adventure that was met with positive reviews and excitement for the future of indies. The universe is constantly evolving, changing, and every mystery reveals ten more just beyond it. Because of this freedom, this exploratory wonder, a new Outer Wilds experience is on the way. During the Annapurna Interactive showcase, a first for the publisher, new Outer Wilds DLC has been revealed called Echoes of the Eye. 

The newest adventure begins with a strange satellite photo that can't be explained and a question emerges: is it better to uncover all of the mysteries that the universe holds, are is some knowledge better left alone? Secrets like who build the alien ruins on the moon and what secrets does the ominous Dark Bramble old. The Echoes of the Eye expansion takes that adventure one step further when the Hearthian space program finds an anomaly that has no tangible traces to the galaxy we know, something new entirely. 

See what Echoes of the Eye has in store with the reveal trailer below: 

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Interested but haven't delved into the Outer Wilds experience yet? "At the end of it all, I admire a lot about Outer Wilds," reads our full review. "The entire world operating on that 20-minute timer is a fascinating theatrical accomplishment of craftsmanship, but I find it more fun to think about than to play. A lot of ideas linger here, some of them beautifully executed, others slipshod and pushing against each other. I love roaming inside the bellies of mysterious planets, but don't like how the urgency of the timer undercuts my exploration. I have left Outer Wilds' galaxy feeling as much exhaustion as satisfaction, but also with a list of several enchanting interstellar moments."

Echoes of the Eye is expected to launch on September 28, 2021 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC players through Steam and Epic Games Store. 

Stray Trailer Shares New Gameplay Details And Slight Delay

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:27 PM PDT

BlueTwelve Studio walked us through its cat-centric game, Stray, during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase today. The new trailer focuses on the game's protagonist and world, including a look at one friendly little drone, and breaks the news that Stray will now launch in early 2022 on PlayStation 5, Playstation 4, and PC.

Though the game seems poised to become an indie darling, probably fueled by the internet's well-documented love of cats, we didn't know much about Stray before today. First shown at Sony's PlayStation event last summer, Stray's announcement trailer communicated two things very well. One, Stray has a cat in it – that sometimes wears a tiny backpack. Two, the game's fearless feline inhabits a grim cityscape populated by mechanical beings. Humanity, it seems – if several graffiti messages in the trailer are any indication – has met with some unkind end. Between the game's intriguing, though foreboding, world and its adorable character, we were eager to see more.

Luckily, today's showcase was happy to oblige. Stray's new trailer explains the game's lead has been separated from its family. Lost and hurt, it makes its way through a hostile and unfamiliar metropolis just trying to survive. The player will experience this through the cat's eyes. Whether it's crossing a lake of toxic sludge or finding a way past whirling fan blades of death, it looks for a while like you'll be left alone to fend for yourself. Until B-12 appears.

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B-12 is a small drone that will let you interact with the mysterious city around you and communicate with the locals. Hovering helpfully above the ground, the drone will aid you with everything from picking up objects to fighting.  Apart from introducing B-12, the trailer shows off a few of the game's puzzles and some rooftop action, giving us a better idea of Stray's moment-to-moment gameplay. We are also introduced to Doc, a handy-looking robot occupied by thoughts of his son, that might have an important role to play in your adventure.

Stray's new 2022 release window is announced near the end of the video. This is a bit disappointing considering the game's initial trailer said Stray would be out in 2021. However, it is not the first game to get pushed out of 2021, and it probably won't be the last. 

Interview: Skin Deep Offers A Weird FPS Experience Where Cats Are In Charge

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:21 PM PDT

What do you get when you have a team that just really wants to make a really weird shooter? A really weird shooter where cats are in charge. That's exactly what the team over at Blendo Games is doing, under the publishing umbrella of Annapurna Interactive, with its newest title called Skin Deep. There's sneezing, there is getting weird stuff stuck to the bottom of your feet, and there is the need to survive while trying to escape a group of pirates after being frozen on a cargo ship by an insurance firm run by ... cats. Yeah. 

We sat down with Brendon Chung, the head of Blendo Games, to talk more about the studio's latest title. Coming off of creating some wild experiences like Atom Zombie Smasher, Thirty Flights of Loving, and more, Skin Deep fits right into the growing library of oddball experiences that are just about having fun. Not every game has to have a billion subplots, not everything needs to be super complicated to be enjoyed. With Skin Deep, it's about having fun, the thrill of a shootout, and not taking life too seriously. 

So what is Skin Deep? It's a world where insurance corporations keep valuables safe, including people, they free you and store you into cargo starships. That's you. You're frozen. Everything is fine and dandy until a group of pirates decide to board the ship and throw everything into mayhem. It's up to you as the player to unthaw and throw yourself into the chaos using weapons and good 'ol fashioned stealth to try to survive in this sandbox. It's goofy but also challenging, providing the perfect blend of gameplay styles to make Skin Deep stand out. 

So where does inspiration like this come from? "I grew up playing a lot of FPS games," Chung tells us. "I got my start making a game by doing maps for like Doom, Quake, Half-Life - things like that. So I've done a lot of FPS stuff, story games like Gravity Bone, but I haven't done anything where you just straight-up shoot people. A traditional FPS game and I love this genre, so I wanted to make it, and I did."

Chung continues, saying, "For me, I am a big Far Cry 2 booster, I just like how games like that play. I kept thinking this is like, playing an FPS for the first time. This is great stuff. So I kind of wanted to play with different ideas of like, what FPS could do like what I've always wanted to see an FPS and like, what are things we could do with a player body? And what are the things that a player's body can be and do and smell like? I just wanted to play with those ideas with questions like 'What are they? What do they felt like this?'"

He also adds that there is one additional component that he hopes players enjoy: "Oh, you can smell those games, which we're very proud of. We have tech that lets you climb into a trash chute and get ejected into outer space. And then when you kind of float out of space and climb back into the ship, there's a big message it says you are smelly, and then you will waft out green smell clouds from your body. And bad guys will smell you and they will track you down by your green smell clouds. And we have different systems for getting yourself clean again. So we're very excited to let people play with this."

The smell component is just one of the many oddities this game has, including the "sneeze system" that builds up when crawling through ventilation shops in an effort to play around with all of the things a body can do in-game. It's pretty interesting, and definitely a unique venture! Check it out in the trailer below to see for yourself how it all works: 

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With Annapurna, as a publisher, doing so much to increase visibility for indies in the gaming space, I wanted to find out exactly how Chung feels about the current spotlight given to independent studios. "I used to work in the AAA space for about five years," he tells Game Informer.  "And then in 2010, I went independent. And I think from my experience, I always feel that whenever I release anything, is just a giant crapshoot. I think sometimes things catch on, sometimes things don't. Like, sometimes I'll play a game that's like, really, really good. And then I'll read a report later that, like, this game didn't really sell very well. I'm like, what:? How did this happen? And I'm gonna be honest, I don't fully understand. I mean, I think part of it is just that there are just so many games out there. And, there's so much free stuff now.  I couldn't play this, this incredibly well-made game that's totally free, and I don't need to pay any money for it."

He adds, "There are a lot of new things happening. There are lots of like, free stuff for game pass stuff or whatever. So I think there's definitely a lot of things to figure out. I think my general approach to making stuff is that some things catch on, some things don't. And because there's just so much stuff out there. Sometimes things just kind of get lost in the wind. I think we're making something really cool. So I'm hoping I think the best I can hope for usually is like I hope this finds the audience of people that like this kind of thing. That was something like funny and lighter and like plays with ideas. But I think beyond that there are some things are sometimes like out of our control, which is a bummer, but I don't know."

We don't mean to alarm you, dear reader, but games are - in fact - hard to make. I know! Crazy, right? But they are! And that's something Chung talks about, as well. "I think that one thing that sometimes doesn't always get through [to people] is that games are hard to make and that when you want to make a game, you have to create each bit, you have to make all the parts of it. I think it can sometimes feel to some people that like, oh, you think I could just make this game in three months and it actually will take you two years, or whatever. But I think sometimes it's hard to understand that. It's not just like putting a puzzle where you put the pieces down, it's more of you don't know where the straight line goes, if it's even a straight line. It's more like a very, very squiggly line of like, 'ok, let's try this.' So it's a lot of different ideas that you first have to try and fail. And then you find the thing that works. And I think when people say yeah, I can make this in three months they might not be wrong, but coming up with all of these ideas and making them work takes a lot longer than that."

Skin Deep will be on Steam only, though future platform releases are being considered. 

Solar Ash Release Date Revealed In Annapurna Showcase

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:16 PM PDT

It's been a little over a year since Heart Machine's second project, Solar Ash was unveiled during Sony's PlayStation 5 reveal event, but the wait for this fast-paced, interstellar adventure is almost over. The game's eagerly awaited release date was officially announced today during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, and it's only a few months away.

Solar Ash's trailer didn't reveal many more details about the game's world or its story but did include one piece of information we've been waiting for all year, the launch day. You'll be able to grapple, weave, and fight your way through the cosmos when Solar Ash comes to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 26.

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Heart Machine's anticipated title was only one highlight of the indie publisher's show today, which overflowed with gorgeous games. Among the visually stunning participants were games like The Artful Escape, a soul-searching rock experience where you play as a musician hoping to make a name for himself despite feeling overshadowed by his famous uncle's legacy. Neon White, a game from Donut County creator Ben Esposito introduced earlier this year, also made a welcome appearance. The first-person shooter meets card game follows the story of a demon assassin plying his deadly trade in an attempt to secure a place in heaven.

If you have missed the latest news on Heart Machine's upcoming title, we last saw Solar Ash back in June at the Summer Game Fest. The footage showed off more of the game's signature skating traversal and some serious combat. June's trailer features a massive, flying example of the world's largest enemies, Remnants, which Rei takes down by rapidly gliding from one weak point to the next. In her quest to save her home from the world-swallowing danger of the Ultravoid, Rei – the game's intrepid voidrunner – will face several of these titanic foes.

Still haven't got your fill of Solar Ash? We have you covered with this look at the game which came out of Sony's State of Play earlier this year. Solar Ash is out October 26 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Storyteller And The Vulnerabilities That Come With Being An Indie Developer

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:15 PM PDT

Daniel Benmergui of Ludomancy is an Argentinian independent game designer that I've respected for a long time because his approach to creation is so unique and explosive in its intent. He has been behind some incredible thought-provoking games like Today I Die and I Wish I Were the Moon, and with today's Annapurna Showcase, he showed off Storyteller, a game that made its first debut back in 2008 but is now ready to be shared with the world. 

Storyteller is a creative spin on the puzzle genre where players have the complete freedom to tell a story of their choosing. Whether it be a comedy or a heartbreaking tragedy, players are given a toolbox filled with characters, settings, and emotions to craft a narrative that can inspire love, revenge, and resonate with the deeper depths of our emotions. Twist a supernatural tale, if that's your fancy, or go the more Shakespearean route; the choice is yours. 

Sitting down with Benmergui, he opens up to us about the more vulnerable side of being a game developer, especially with a tale such as this. There's a lot of himself in this game and with so many years building up towards its release, he admits that the thought of launch day scares him a little. "In the case of [Storyteller], it was very ambitious," he says. "Why don't you make a game about people making stories? It's very difficult to relate it to other things we've done." 

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With the game having been revealed years ago, the buildup towards launch is a double-edged sword. It's exciting, but it has also opened up a few fears regarding the public's reaction, doubly so with him putting so much of himself into the story, creatively speaking. "One of my fears is you," he says. "Was it worth the wait? I don't know, because most people are going to go into the story never having seen a game like this before. So I don't know what's going to happen, and yeah. That scares me."

He also opens up that it's difficult to not put yourself into the things you create as a creator and that the difference between being a AAA dev versus an independent developer gives more edge to that innate fear. "I come from a AAA background and then, if we ship something and people react badly, we can just push that blame up to the top. As an independent creator, that blame falls on me. It's about being extra exposed, you're going to be judged on everything. As an independent creator, you're going t be judged on everything. You have more freedom, yes, but that in itself is also kind of scary, it's like a freefall. I had a team that supported me, but what if that doesn't come across?" 

The vulnerability expressed adds to the emotional depth of the upcoming game. It's personal, it's rooted in majesty and realism in equal measure. It's honest. Storyteller is about telling your own story. We've all had our moments of triumph. Of love and loss. Of fear and victory. Of doubt and contentment. Storyteller allows players to control the narrative, to put themselves into the story much like the dev team did. With the amount of care and passion this team has, including Benmergui himself, I have no doubt that Storyteller will continue on the studio's excellent track record of incredible tales. 

Ben Esposito On Neon White: "If This Is For You, It's Your Favorite Game"

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 12:07 PM PDT

Ben Esposito is not making Neon White for everyone – in fact, even though he admits it's probably not the best marketing move, he says he's trying to make a cult game. He wants Neon White to find players that love it the way he loves the cult games that influenced him, like God Hand, Danganronpa, and El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron.

Put another way, as Esposito said in the game's most recent trailer, Neon White is a game made for "freaks."

On Thursday, during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, Neon White made its latest showing after being announced back in February. But this time we have a better idea of the game itself; how it's played and a bit of the story. You can see its latest trailer below:

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The game centers around the aptly named White, an assassin from Hell fighting demons in an attempt for a new life in Heaven. While on the surface the gameplay looks like an anime-inspired Quake or other similar first-person shooter jump map homage, Neon White's hook and complexity come from its card system and how it affects combat. 

In Neon White, cards are weapons or guns. Depending on what card you have, that's what gun you're using; if you have the pistol card, you're shooting a pistol, and so on. "However, before it's been used up of all its weapon magic, let's say – this is so silly," Esposito admits, laughing. "Before it's used up all its weapon magic, I can at any time choose to discard it actively, which will get rid of the card but instantly I'll be able to do a movement ability. So like the pistol, for instance, lets me kind of do a double jump in the air. The rifle lets me dash forward and kill anything in my path. And so on and so forth. So it's kind of like you're always making that choice, like, 'Do I want this gun? Or is it better for me to move faster here?'"

There's an emphasis on speedrunning in Neon White, and players are encouraged to fight for the best times on the game's global leaderboard. The result, at least judging by the trailer, is a tense game of juggling priorities and quick thinking as you jump around each level blasting enemies. Admittedly, it looks a bit too intense for standard controls and more suited for a keyboard and mouse setup. It'll be interesting to see how and if it works better on one versus the other when the game is released. 

Most people likely caught wind of Esposito from his previous project, Donut County – a cute, relaxing game about a mischievous raccoon. Visually, Neon White stands in stark contrast, borrowing amply from anime (Esposito cites Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Black Lagoon, specifically) but also Japanese games we just don't see as much of anymore – smaller, weirder, and more experimental titles. Shinji Mikami's work in the 2000s, like the aforementioned God Hand and his sci-fi shooter Vanquish, is a big inspiration, Esposito says. He also cites games by Goichi "Suda51" Suda, such as Killer7 and No More Heroes. Neon White's life-sim aspects pull  from the Persona and Danganronpa series, as well as Fire Emblem: Three Houses. All of this is on top of hero shooter elements informed by games such as Team Fortress 2. 

It's an interesting, albeit bizarre at times, hodgepodge of different influences all coming together in a game that looks visually distinct from other games in 2021, while also feeling and sounding nostalgic for fans of Japan's early-to-mid 2000s video game output. And, of course, that's the point. Neon White looks like a game made for that specific audience, even if it's not the biggest in the world.

"Yeah, so I don't know if everyone else involved likes to hear that I want to make a cult game, because financially making a cult game isn't a great idea," Esposito says, laughing. "But I will say, the way I love those games is pretty unique, I think, to games in general. Like, I don't love really perfect games the way I love a weird kind of broken cult game. And what I wanted to do with Neon White was make it so this game is not trying to be for everyone. It's trying to be a game for really specific people. And if it does hit correctly, for those people, it will be their favorite game. That's really what I'm trying to do."

Neon White is set to be released sometime this winter for Switch and PC.

SPONSORED: HyperX Cloud Core 7.1 Delivers Beefy Surround Sound For Gaming Enthusiasts On A Budget

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:00 AM PDT

Money is tight these days, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on high-end personal audio features such as fantastic 7.1 surround sound for your favorite games, or exquisite headphone comfort courtesy of HyperX's very own signature memory foam. The HyperX Cloud Core 7.1 is a breathtakingly good deal for its performance, giving you many high-end features for the comparatively low price of $69.99. Needless to say, this headset is an incredible bargain, especially if you're looking to fully immerse yourself in the latest releases like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or Scarlet Nexus.

There are several core features that make the HyperX Cloud Core 7.1 better than its similarly-priced counterparts, and they're pretty easy to spot! After all, the HyperX Cloud core 7.1 is a super straightforward piece of equipment; what you see is exactly what you get, and what you're getting here is a fantastic piece of gear for gaming enthusiasts on a budget.

It features Virtual 7.1 surround sound, which allows you to experience games with the sheer intensity afforded by 7.1 channels of breathtaking audio. Basically, plugging in a Virtual 7.1 surround sound headset like the HyperX Cloud Core 7.1 is like listening to audio in a movie theatre. The regular set of left and right channels that you'd normally hear in a stereo headset are bolstered by left and right surround channels as well as an additional LFE channel for bassy sounds like explosions and engine revs, meaning that sounds can zoom past you from every direction, including above and underneath you.

This places you directly into the game or movie of your choice. But since everything happens in your headphones, you can enjoy your favorite games and movies in peace – without bothering your neighbors (or your parents!) That makes the HyperX Cloud Core 7.1 perfect to bring with you on airplanes, public transportation, or even your own bed. All you need to do is plug your HyperX headset into the provided USB control box, activate the 7.1 surround sound mode, and boot up your game or movie to experience rich audio, including rich positional audio in competitive games where hearing enemy footsteps can mean the difference between life or death!

The HyperX Cloud Core ensures that you get an Immersive Audio experience with its over-the-ear form factor, closed cans, leatherette earpads for comfort and sound quality, and two whopping 53mm drivers. You're practically ensured fantastic sound isolation that makes outside noises less invasive (I'm looking at you, babies on a plane), and you can bet that you're gonna feel the kick of those drivers when you wade into an action-packed scene in your favorite movie or game. If listening to music is more your style, you're in for a treat; those 53mm drivers add up to a much richer and fuller sound, making this the headset to beat. And for $69.99, you're hard-pressed to find another headset that's as jam-packed with high-quality parts

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Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2021 Watch Along With Game Informer

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 10:50 AM PDT

While it may not have the AAA-clout of a Microsoft or Sony, publisher Annapurna Interactive has been able to translate its understanding of storytelling in cinema and convert it for a more interactive audience. Whether you've realized it or not, the group is responsible for arguably some of the best indie games of the last few years, including Florence, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Kentucky Route Zero, to name a few. But now it feels like the publisher is just getting started with a very exciting slate of new indies just around the corner.

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This brings us to today. Annapurna Interactive is hosting its 2021 digital showcase, and we're going to be there with you live! The show kicks off at 2 p.m. CT, but we'll be starting the fun 15 minutes earlier to discuss what we're excited to see from the day's announcements and trailers. But who's we, and why should you tune in? We've assembled an exciting duo of Alex Stadnik and Dan Tack for the day's festivities, so we hope you'll join us over on Twitch!

In a refreshing change of pace, we do know some of the games we'll be seeing today. Stray, the game where you play as an adorable cat in a cybernetic city, is finally set to make another appearance, and we can't wait to find out what exactly this game is. Developer Heart Machine has also tweeted that fans of the upcoming Solar Ash won't want to miss today's showcase, so it's safe to assume we'll be seeing more from one of my most anticipated indies of the year. Combine those games with looks at Neon White, The Artful Escape, and hopefully some surprises on the way, and we should be in for one hell of an exciting ride. 

Excited about today's showcase? If you love all things Annapurna, we have you covered, as our own Liana Ruppert recently reviewed the publisher's latest title, Last Stop. If that's your jam, she also wrote a companion piece discussing the philosophy behind the game that shouldn't be missed for those interested in diving in.

Stardew Valley And Death's Door: Listening To Games That Take Their Jobs Seriously

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 10:04 AM PDT

I write for Game Informer.

It's a simple sentence, but I'm still wrapping my brain around it. Go back a few years and I would have laughed in your face if you had told me, sitting in my cubicle plastered with video game posters, this is where I would be today. Fittingly, it's a video game that is helping me get used to my new position, the same way it was a video game that helped me start the journey towards it.

Death's Door came out my first week as an associate editor. It had been on my radar, and everyone playing it in the office seemed so excited that I booted it up the night it came out. Late at night the day it came out. It was probably ill-advised for me, a new employee, to stay up playing video games, but I figured my bosses would understand. I was ready for a door, I was ready for death, but I wasn't prepared to be confronted by an eerily accurate depiction of my first career.

The protagonist of Death's Door, a sword-wielding crow, heads into work. He steps off his bus and passes through security on the way to a large room filled with several rows of desks to get his first, soul-fetching assignment. I had never played Death's Door before, but I was already deeply familiar with that commute on public transit, that walk past bored security personnel. I knew that large, desk-filled space with shining stone floors. I even recognized Chandler the Handler's failed attempt at humor. Rather than an action-packed brawl against impossible odds, Death's Door begins with a startling depiction of the office jobs I walked away from.

For nearly a decade before becoming a video game journalist, I worked in various roles across several museums. Not as anything interesting – most of my jobs were either customer-facing or administrative – but I appreciated the work, and every position had its perks. I can only imagine what my family thought when I told them I was going to leave my steady job with benefits to write about video games.

I came to that decision for a variety of reasons, but Stardew Valley wasn't the least of them. Eric Barone's stellar indie hit came out in 2016. As I'm sure many people remember, most of the game takes place on your farm – a piece of overgrown land left to you by your grandfather which you eventually transform into a thriving oasis for crops and livestock. The short narrative at the beginning of the game, however, sees you working for the JoJa Corporation.

Workers type away at their keyboards, packed into their sardine can-like spaces, as you realize you have had enough. You open the mysterious note your grandfather pushed into your hands before his death which turns out to be a lifeline to a new life. Playing Stardew Valley, and watching that scene, I realized I needed a note like that, too. Of course, I wouldn't leave my real-life office job for a few more years, but that's not the point.

The point is video games can be both a reflection of our lives and an inspiration to change them. The ones that really matter, that stick with me like Stardew Valley and – though I've barely started it – Death's Door, let me hide from the world and come to terms with it. So, with a nudge from the virtual realm, I became a video games journalist.

Now, I write for Game Informer.

This Destiny 2 Cosplayer Shares Her Titan Cosplay That Would Have Shaxx Cheering 'YESSSSSSSSS'

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:49 AM PDT

It's no secret that I have a special place in my heart for the Destiny franchise and that of cosplay, so when those two worlds collided with an impressive Titan cosplay, I didn't need much convincing to share this find with the world. One Destiny 2 cosplayer shared her epic Titan cosplay in a women's group I'm in dedicated to the Bungie game, and the moment I saw it I knew Shaxx would be proud. 

The cosplayer in question is Lauren Moolman, but she goes by Loz_Coz. A self-proclaimed wine lover (my kind of girl!), she debuted her most recent cosplay take with one of my favorite weapons: Outbreak Perfected. From the iconic shield that Titans love to the heftiness of the armor itself, her Destiny cosplay is too incredible not to share: 

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A post shared by Lauren Moolman (@loz_cos)

You can see the style options she chose with the various poses, but the lighting in the photos also helps to elevate her cosplay even more. 

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A post shared by Lauren Moolman (@loz_cos)

Big crayon go "swoosh" with her Ult: 

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A post shared by Lauren Moolman (@loz_cos)

She has other amazing Destiny cosplays, as well, including showing some Hunter love with the Mythoclast I still can't get to drop despite over 50 runs of Vault of Glass (I am salty, leave me be): 

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A post shared by Lauren Moolman (@loz_cos)

It's pretty incredible to see the level of talent the gaming community has, especially when it comes to bringing their favorite characters to life. With so much going on right now concerning Savathun and Osiris acting super sus, this community tribute is a breath of fresh air before the panic resumes about where the heck season 15 is going to take us. 

Apex Legends Season 10: Seer’s Abilities Explained

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:39 AM PDT

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We've been talking about Apex Legends Season 10 and its new character, Seer, since earlier this month. We've seen a bevy of trailers that delve into his backstory as a cursed child as well as gameplay footage that shows some of his mystical powers in action. But what can Seer actually do; what is his passive, tactical, and ultimate? Respawn's latest character-focused trailer finally gave us the answers to these questions. Here is Seer's kit explained:

Heartseeker (Passive)

Seer is joining a small selection of recon legends that include Bloodhound, Pathfinder, Crypto, and Valkyrie. What separates the newest character from his contemporaries is how effective he emerges as a tracker. While aiming, Seer can actively see and hear the heartbeats of his enemies within a 75m radius. Like Bloodhound's scan, opponents can be seen through walls and other structures. So be sure to watch your corners as you traverse compounds; Seer could be waiting around the corner with a pre-aimed Mastiff shotgun.

Focus of Attention (Tactical)

Tactical abilities have never been known to outright kill adversaries, but their moment-to-moment implementation in heady firefights can easily create win conditions when used at opportune times. Seer's Focus of Attention is particularly devastating. It might not damage health pools, but it can override actions like healing yourself and reviving downed teammates which, arguably, is just as terrifying. Drones emerge from the heart-shaped jewel lodged in Seer's chest and blasts all other teams in the vicinity, revealing and interrupting them.  

Exhibit (Ultimate)

We've seen this in action countless times, but now we know exactly what Seer's ultimate, Exhibit, does. A large holographic bubble is cast - it seems as if this might have the potential to completely blanket an entire point of interest - and all players that move "heavily" through it (e.g., sprinting) are immediately highlighted for Seer and his team. Can you imagine what kind of chaos could be catalyzed in final circles with Exhibit activated? Only time will tell how Seer fits into the current meta and if his presence might become a common occurrence in public as well as ranked matches. 

Now that we have names and direct explanations for Seer's kit, what do you think about Apex Legends' 18th character? 

Everything We Know About Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:13 AM PDT

Publisher: The Pokémon Company
Developer: Ilca, Game Freak
Release:
Platform: Switch

We're deep into the 25th anniversary of Pokémon and have an entirely new adventure from Game Freak on the horizon with Pokémon Legends: Arceus coming in January of next year. But before that even releases, The Pokémon Company is releasing remakes to the popular DS games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

While we've played these games in the past, what should we expect from the remakes for Nintendo Switch? Here's what we know about the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl so far:

Which studio is developing these remakes?

Game Freak is known to work on multiple games at the same time, but in this case, it's only handing the development of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. In Game Freak's stead, ILCA is taking the reins in developing these remakes. Never heard of them before? ILCA is best know to Pokémon fans as the creators of Pokémon Home, the current storage and self-trading solution for all of the Pokémon games available on Switch and 3DS. The studio has also worked on Nier: Automata and Replicant, Code Vein, and Dragon Quest XI.

Where do these games take place?

Diamond and Pearl introduced the region of Sinnoh, a landmass based on the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido. Along a trainer's journey, they will travel all over the island to collect Gym badges in order to take on the challenge of the Pokémon League and face the Elite Four, a highly skilled group of Pokémon trainers. A defining feature of the region is Mt. Coronet, a mountain range which bisects the island from south to north. Your story begins in Twinleaf Town, where you and a rival receive your first Pokémon. From there, you'll end up in places like the mining city Oreburgh, the series' original wintery area surrounding Snowpoint City, Sinnoh's largest town Jubilife City, and the historic Eterna City.

Which starter Pokémon can I choose from and what should I expect in the Pokédex?

Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl features Piplup, Chimchar, and Turtwig as choices for starter Pokémon, the same three as the original Diamond and Pearl releases. Trailers and screenshots have shown a handful of Pokémon to battle against and catch, all of which already exist within Sinnoh's original Pokédex and National Dex. Monsters shown so far include fan favorites Lucario and Garchomp, along with regional newcomers Kricketune, Shinx, and Starly. Of course, the Dialga and Palkia, the legendary dragons of time and space, are in the game as well.

Sinnoh's original Pokédex included 151 Pokémon, with the post-game National Dex adding even more, including new evolutions of Pokémon from Red and Blue. With eight generations to pull from, there's no telling how many Pokémon we might see in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Why were Diamond and Pearl chosen to be remade?

Up to this point, all previous generations of Pokémon have been remade on Nintendo's handheld consoles. Fire Red and Leaf Green reimagined the original games on Game Boy Advance, Heart Gold and Soul Silver made a big impact on DS, and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire hit 3DS in 2014. Diamond and Pearl have been next in line for a while, and now 7 years after the previous remakes, will finally be in the spotlight again.

Where does Platinum fit in?

We don't know yet. Pokémon Platinum was the third game of the fourth generation and an upgraded version of Diamond and Pearl. It brought along an expanded Pokedex, new story elements, and a new legendary dragon, Giratina, which is featured on the box art. Given the footage shown at the time of the games' announcement, only Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl have been revealed.

How different are these remakes from the originals?

Content-wise, that answer is up in the air. Don't expect the remakes to stray too far off the path of Diamond and Pearl. According to the games' eShop listing, "the original story and the scale of the Sinnoh region's towns and routes have been faithfully reproduced." Visually, both games are getting a graphical facelift. Walking around the routes and towns in Sinnoh aren't going to look like Pokémon Sword and Shield, instead sticking with the top-down camera that Diamond and Pearl were presented in. Originally, these games were build using 2D sprites and had environments using some 3D assets. In the remakes, however, ILCA opted to keep a similar art style of the classic games and translated everything to polygonal models. Characters in the field are small and have a chibi look, but when in battle, trainers and Pokémon are full-sized, detailed models complete with contemporary attack animations.

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When will these remakes be available?

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will launch on Switch November 19 for $59.99 each. Preorders are available at retailers as well as the Nintendo eShop right now.
 

You Can Pre-Order A Playdate Beginning Today

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 08:57 AM PDT

Today marks the day you can reserve a Playdate, the strange yet cute handheld by Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game publisher, Panic. If the device has garnered both your curiosity and your attention, make sure to have your wallet ready in a couple of hours.

Pre-orders are set to begin at 10:00 am PT on the Playdate's website. The system costs $179 and includes the handheld, the first batch of 24 downloadable games (delivered weekly), and a USB-C to USB-A cable. You can also reserve the Playdate covering case for $29 or purchase a bundle with both the case and the handheld for $199.

If you can't be there right when the gates open, don't worry. Panic has already assured customers that it will continue taking pre-orders after today. Those who reserve sooner will get their devices earlier is all. Panic has not yet revealed the Playdate launch date but it's tentatively scheduled to begin shipping later this year. 

If you missed out on Panic's deep dive presentation last month, here's what the Playdate entails in a nutshell. The small device allows players to play simple, downloadable only games on a black and white screen. It sports a familiar button layout as well as a big crank that serves as a form of analog stick. Batches of games, labeled seasons, download automatically to the device at two games per week with 24 original titles in Season One. The titles themselves come from indie developers big and small, with Return of the Obra Dinn creator Lucas Pope working on an original Playdate title.

The Playdate serves as a boutique item meant to offer more novel experiences as opposed to being a "premium" handheld in the vein of, say, the 3DS. It'll be interesting to see how it performs and, of course, how the games themselves turn out. 

Will you be picking up a Playdate? Let us know in the comments!

I Still Haven’t Played Mass Effect Legendary Edition Because I Fear Change

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 07:57 AM PDT

"I can't wait to be an a**hole!" I gleefully thought to myself when Mass Effect Legendary Edition was announced. Bioware's sci-fi series ranks as arguably my favorite video game trilogy ever; however, I've only played through the saga once. I rarely replay games, especially those as beefy as Mass Effect. The larger reason for that, though, is that I consider my single playthrough sacred and the canonical version of the Mass Effect story.

I'm a generally good human being, so I role-played Shepard as if I was in his shoes. I cured the genophage. All of my crewmates survived the suicide run (which I'm still surprised by). I romanced good-girl Tali over that harpy Miranda. If there was an option to talk the Reapers into surrendering peacefully and joining us for a picnic instead, I probably would have chosen it. 

Still, I acknowledge that there's a wealth of renegade content I've never seen, so determining how to approach a return trip was easy. Everything I did before, I'd simply do the hard opposite. Reporters would be punched, friends would perish without a second thought, and somehow, I'd still be the savior of the galaxy despite literally being the worst person. "Excellent," I said in my best Mr. Burns impersonation. 

But as I read feature articles and opinion pieces that reminded me of the amazing character moments I'd largely forgotten about, my tune changed. Memories of my crewmates' wonderful personalities and characterization came flooding back. My heart began to melt, and the realization set in that I will undoubtedly fall in love with these guys all over again and fall back into my goodie two-shoes routine.

But to keep my promise of having a fresh experience, I'd have to shove them to the floor, point and laugh at their misery, and dance on their graves when they bite the dust. I want to do that. Hell, if I'm investing 100 or so hours into replaying a trilogy, I need it to be substantially different for me to justify it. Setting aside all that time just to retread familiar ground feels like a colossal waste of time in my mind. 

So here we are, months after the launch of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and I've been at an impasse. On one hand, I genuinely want to see what a renegade playthrough looks like (and no, I'm not watching hours of YouTube videos to see it). On the other hand, I don't trust myself to not want to turn this into a reunion tour of my previous playthrough because Bioware made its cast too endearing to turn on. 

I do, however, have zero qualms about saving Kaidan instead of Ashley this time around regardless of the route I choose so there's that at least.

Since, again, I don't often replay games, this is the issue I've grappled with while contemplating revisiting stories with narrative branches. Is it more valuable to relive cherished memories or to create new ones within the same experience? There's also the pressure of knowing that whatever I choose will form my predominant memory of the series, likely forever. Or until Bioware does a true ground-up remake for Mass Effect's 25th anniversary or something. 

Movies and TV shows are easy to revisit because it's always the same and, thus, will never challenge my comfort zone. Avatar: The Last Airbender, for example, will forever be one of the greatest stories to grace television (in my humble opinion). But if you gave me the choice to have Aang, say, murder Zuko while rejecting Katara? I'd be curious to see it for the sake of getting something different, but the original plotline is just too good to pass up even if I've already seen it. 

Maybe the problem for me is that some stories are too good to want to mess with, even if you can. I know I wouldn't give a crap about doing things differently if something like Saints Row: The Third had branching narratives (not throwing shade to Saints Row's storytelling ... but it's Saint's Row). But the same hesitation arises when I think about replaying Red Dead Redemption II, another story I absolutely adore, and changing things up. Arthur was also a saint in my original playthrough meaning he, too, would have to fall to the dark side if I want to really see how different things can turn out. I feel yucky just thinking about that.

I don't really have a resolution to this conundrum so sorry if you were hoping for my decision at the end of this. I'm also not suggesting studios make their stories less phenomenal or find new ways of enticing me to play under different conditions. I'm clearly immune to the latter anyway. But since you're still here, I would like to know if you've experienced the same conflict and how you've chosen to address it. What pushes you to mix things up during a replay or to re-do everything as you did previously. Maybe your responses can help get me over this mental block. In the meantime, I'll keep salivating over the atrocities my future FemShep could potentially commit while also weeping about the consequences.

Why Mass Effect Andromeda Is A Better Game Than You Think

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 07:11 AM PDT

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Mass Effect Andromeda took BioWare's space adventure to a brand new galaxy with a fresh protagonist, new alien races, and completely revamped gameplay mechanics. Ryder was just a kid trying to do what was right after the entire world collapsed around them, kind of figuring out things as they go. Unfortunately, the road leading up to launch was rough and an Early Access period, terrible resource allocation, and poor animations at release set the stage for a halt to Andromeda's growth. That being said, it will have some ties into the next Mass Effect, which we've broken down extensively in the past. With Mass Effect Legendary Edition opening up a ton of new players to the BioWare sci-fi RPG, we thought we'd break down some of the overlooked aspects of Andromeda and why you should give it a second chance. 

When people start to talk about Andromeda, a common thing I hear is "it doesn't compare to the trilogy." That's fair, but comparing the entire world scope of a trilogy versus Andromeda - which was just one game that could have been its own trilogy with time to flesh out the world Andromeda built - is not fair.  Andromeda was about laying the groundwork, creating a believable universe that players would want to explore. Pacing issues with Eos and the launch issues were enough to put some off from exploring beyond the first world, taking away the chance to meet some of the more nuanced aspects of what this game had to offer. Hidden gems about the trilogy throughout the whole game, seeing Ryder go from self-doubting dork to major badass, learning the origins of a new species and what that means for life as we know it, that special tie-in with the Memory Trigger sequence, and seeing faces from the original trilogy again? There was a lot more to love than many saw at first glance.

That's where we come in.

So join Alex Stadnik and Liana Ruppert as we dive into the reasons why you should give Andromeda a second chance, especially with all of our Mass Effect Legendary Edition coverage recently. If you're interested in learning more about our deep dive into the trilogy, Andromeda, and the road ahead, be sure to mosey on over to our previous analysis here. After watching some of our highlights that we feel were massively overlooked, sound off in the comments below and tell us all of your Andromeda takes! 

Free New Pokémon Snap Update Adds Three New Areas And Even More Pokémon To Discover

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 06:33 AM PDT

The Pokémon Company has just announced a free update for New Pokémon Snap, giving players even more areas to explore and pocket monsters to discover. For those anxious to dive back behind the camera's lens, the new update is slated to arrive on August 3. Here's what you need to know! 

First things first: new stomping grounds. The coming update will add three new areas for Pokémon to explore, all with the continued Night and Day cycles. The first area is called the Secret Side Path, where players will actually shrink inside the NEO-ONE to explore this adventurous location. Since you and the NEO-ONE are smaller, all of the Pokémon in this area will look massive. So massive that you'll be able to hear their footsteps and their breathing for a more immersive exploratory experience. 

The second new location is the Mightywide River, a water source that provides Belusylva Island with the necessary sustenance to thrive, allowing for a new location for Pokémon to trudge through and giving players more snapshot opportunities. 

The final new location is called the Barren Badlands, a much less cheery sounding place when compared to the above two new additions. The Badlands are a part of Voluca Island, and as you may have already guessed, it's a desert that is absent of anything lush. This location is unique because of the danger it poses, including gushing geysers and poisonous swamps. Because of the danger, the Pokémon found here may be a little tricky, some even hiding underground to keep safe. If you're hunting for that perfect shot here, you'll definitely need to be on your guard. 

In addition to the three new locations, 20 more Pokémon are also joining the roster, which you can see in the trailer below: 

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Our own Brian Shea loved his time with New Pokémon Snap, giving the latest iteration an 8.5 out of 10. "New Pokémon Snap delivers an experience similar to that of the original while expanding on the formula in ways that prolong the appeal of the expedition," he said in his full review. "In the two decades since the first game's release, the Pokémon world has changed in innumerable ways, but the simple appeal of immersing yourself in this universe and taking pictures has remained unchanged."

Ready to dive in? The new Pokémon Snap update will arrive exclusively on Nintendo Switch on August 3. Happy hunting! 

The Ascent Review – Mindless Mechanical Mayhem

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 06:00 AM PDT

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Publisher: Curve Digital
Developer: Neon Giant
Release:
Rating: Mature
Reviewed on: PC
Also on: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One

From the iconic works of Philip K. Dick to the seminal table-top RPG by Mike Pondsmith, fans of the cyberpunk genre are familiar with the theme of characters in search of an identity and purpose. The Ascent suffers from a similar identity crisis in its attempts to pull from dungeon-crawling RPGs and twin-stick shooters, but it never ascends to the heights of either genre. This mindlessly fun co-op experience features bombastic gunplay, engaging cybernetic abilities, and a visually impressive world to wreak havoc in.

The Ascent takes place in the tech-obsessed world of Veles, controlled by maniacal corporations, and players control an indentured laborer who becomes wrapped up in a mystery as they battle for their freedom. While I enjoy the cyberpunk genre, The Ascent's grating narrative contains all my least favorite tropes: incessant expletives, human rights abominations, and a profoundly bleak world. Those tropes aren't inherently bad when handled with nuance, but the main story never dives into anything of substance, making those dark themes more set dressing than meaningful commentary. Combine that with a lot of confusing jargon and lore, and I found myself wanting to skip through dialogue to get back to what the game does best: turning you into a cybernetic warrior.

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Combat is The Ascent's main strength. The moment-to-moment gunplay is exhilarating, with waves of varied baddies headed your way at virtually every moment. Developer Neon Giant also ups the fun with a diverse inventory of weapons and some truly fantastic augmentations and tactical weapons that can send enemies flying. Some of my favorite moments included blowing away corporate goons with a rocket-spitting Gatling gun then finishing them off with a devastating energy punch.

While most of the fights left me satisfied (if not overwhelmed, but more on that later), the combat grows slightly monotonous as the game goes on. Through an upgrade vendor, I started to find my favorite weapons and boost them, which outpowered most loot drops, making them largely irrelevant. That lack of variation also extends to your armor as well.

The Ascent is a shallow RPG experience, with stats that don't always feel purposeful. I was always thankful to have points to boost my health and energy levels, but I found some of the other categories and even the armor inconsequential outside of the generic protection buffs. It's hard to know what specific attacks you're even trying to protect against. I seldom paid attention to attributes such as fire protection because I could usually blaze through enemies with the right tactics and augmentations. That was especially true when playing with others when the onscreen tumult becomes extremely difficult to track.

The Ascent is best experienced in co-op. Up to four players can enjoyably play the majority of The Ascent's 15-20 hour story. The bombastic fights are more manageable with a team alongside you, and the combat starts to sing when you're synched with explosive weaponry and chaotic augmentations.

While co-op is the highlight, co-op play still has a plethora of annoyances. A limited pool of health drops aided in my team's demise, as the number of HP pickups doesn't seem to scale to the greater player count. It is also hard to find your partners in the world as player indicators blend in with the rest of the map. That problem is exacerbated thanks to a surprisingly large play space. My other complaint is how progress is handled. I jumped into a coworker's game for a few hours, only to find my progress was utterly gone because I wasn't hosting the match.

Co-op is the main draw, but solo players shouldn't despair. Half of my time was spent on my own, and I still enjoyed the experience with some caveats. Picking up health is easier alone, but I grew frustrated in many encounters as I was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies ­– it seems that the game was balanced with co-op in mind. These encounters aren't impossible, but you'll have to play smarter and plan your augmentations instead of the normal running and gunning.

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The game's other great strength lies within its presentation. Neon Giant has crammed a staggering amount of detail into the world. Each corner of Veles is disgusting in the best sort of way, with its denizens throwing garbage onto the dilapidated metal plates of the sprawling megacity. The game's lighting is equally beautiful if, at times, a little bit of a neon-soaked strain on the eyes. The camera work is also impressive and moves in cinematic and engaging ways. Finally, the music hits a high mark, with clear callbacks to iconic sci-fi fiction of the past, such as Vangelis' work on the original Blade Runner film.

The world of Veles is worth exploring, but doing so can also be a hassle. I was grateful for the fast travel points, but it still takes too long to get from point to point. I also found my co-op partners and I sometimes had the same objective, but our tracker would occasionally take us in entirely different directions. It also didn't help that we'd consistently run into groups of overpowered baddies that would instantly shred us. Neon Giant does a great job of rewarding curiosity with loot, but I found myself exploring less out of fear of another ambush and a game over screen as time went on.

The Ascent has issues, but those issues don't detract from my overall enjoyment of the game. I won't write my thesis on its commentary on capitalism, but I'll fondly remember my co-op sessions where I tore through this cyberpunk world. That being said, the shallow RPG elements, lack of meaningful narrative, and exploration frustration were constants that really dragged the experience down. Neon Giant has made a solid foundation to build on, and I hope we can see future installments grow into something truly worthy of ascension.

Score: 7.25

Summary: The Ascent delivers mindless co-op fun in a beautiful cyberpunk world that ends up emphasizing style over substance.

Concept: Command a cybernetic warrior through the cyberpunk streets of this twin-stick shooter/RPG hybrid

Graphics: The neon-clad lighting, the sheer amount of detail, and overall visual fidelity is wildly impressive, especially when combined with some beautiful cinematic camera movements

Sound: The soundtrack is a highlight, with clear inspiration from some of the most iconic sci-fi scores in entertainment

Playability: Blasting cybernetic baddies feels excellent when combined with exciting augmentations that can obliterate your enemies in the blink of an eye

Entertainment: The Ascent is a mindlessly fun co-op experience that is easy to pick up and play with an emphasis on quick-hitting gunfights and enjoyable cybernetic abilities

Replay: Moderate

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Beta PS5 Update Adds M.2 SSD Support, 3D Audio Sound For TV Speakers, New Trophy Trackers, And More

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 05:11 AM PDT

Sony's first beta program for the PS5 begins today and brings with it a few key changes to this generation's system that are for the better. Including in the first update is the highly requested M.2 SSD slot as well as a few select UX enhancements, different customization options, and even a new Trophy tracker. The beta firmware update is available for a select group only, including PlayStation players from the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. 

The company notes in its latest update that players only used a supported M.2 to expand the PS5's storage. The requirements for that can be found here. For those that may be a little confused on what an M.2 SSD even is, Sony describes it as a device that is "a high-speed solid state drive medium that PS5 beta users can install to upgrade the storage capacity of their PS5 console or PS5 Digital Edition console (separate purchase required). We recommend verifying that you've received a beta invitation before purchasing a new M.2 SSD."

There is one thing to note, however, and that is that using the M.2 does have the potential to overheat a PS5. According to the requirement update, "Using an M.2 SSD with your PS5 console requires effective heat dissipation with a cooling structure, such as a heatsink. You can attach one to your M.2 SSD yourself, either in a single-sided format, or double-sided format."

Also included in the beta update is 3D audio support specifically for native TV speakers, which will utilize the system's DualSense controller in order to determine the area of impact regarding 3D sound regulation.

Sony is also ensuring that games ont he PlayStation Store and in the in-console library clearly distinct which titles are for PS5 and which ones are for the PS4. The Control Center is also seeing some tweaks, including more ways to personalize controls and message friends from the Game Base. The Friends tab in the Game Base is also getting a few UX tweaks, making it easier to see who is online. 

Regarding the new Trophy tracker, the added change here is that players can immediately access up to five Trophies via the Control Center per game. The latest update is a substantial one, but it won't be available for all. For instructions on how to see if you qualify and to learn how to make sure everything is properly updated, check out the full FAQ sheet from Sony here. 
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