Game Informer

Game Informer

Call Of Duty: Vanguard Teaser Trailer Promises An August 19 Reveal

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 05:54 PM PDT

Activision has unveiled a teaser trailer for the upcoming Call of Duty title, Call of Duty: Vanguard. The trailer indicates a return to WWII, and lets people know where and when this whole reveal is going down.

As has been the case for several Call of Duty reveals now, the action is going to have an integrated component inside Call of Duty: Warzone. Players won't have to wait long, as the reveal is scheduled for this Thursday, August 19, at 10:30 a.m. PST.

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Unveiling a WWII setting for Vanguard isn't all too surprising, as it's one of the most oft-used settings for shooters in general, but it does raise plenty of questions that we're sure to have answers to soon. How will this title work so soon after Call of Duty: WWII? Will there be a complete structural change and reboot? Or will we see some of that DNA in the new title?

More importantly, how will WWII-era gear impact Warzone? Cold War and Modern Warfare seem to mesh fairly well together inside the battle royale arena, but an M1 Garand might be a little out of place. Well, probably not, this is of course a mode where Billy the Puppet from Saw can play tunes in a truck while he rolls down a zombie-laden block… So I'm sure that however they implement it, it will make a lot of sense. But will it be integrated at all or will it be something new? After Activision rolled in the last two games into Warzone, it seems like it would make sense, but we'll have to see.

For other savvy onlookers, there might be other hints in the trailer, but I wouldn't spend too much time scouring for hints or clues – the reveal is only a few days away! I'd ask you to post what you think about it in the comments, but they're still probably not working. But maybe they will be!

Pokémon Presents Watch Along With Game Informer

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 05:29 PM PDT

It's been many long months since we've heard a peep from The Pokémon Company about its upcoming release schedule. We've bided the time by snapping our way through lively jungles and beautiful coral reefs and watched the Pokémon Legends: Arceus trailer far too many times to count.

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That patience is finally about to pay off for fans of the iconic series, as The Pokémon Company is finally pulling back the curtain on the mentioned above mysterious open-world title and the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes as part of the Pokémon Presents digital event.

Where there's a Poké event, you know the fine folks at Game Informer will be there. We're watching the Pokémon Presents stream live with you! Join The Council of Alexes (Van Aken and Stadnik) and the one and only Brian Shea as they start your morning off the right way and react to all the biggest reveals, gameplay glimpses, and whatever else we have in store.

The show begins on August 18 at 8 a.m. CT, but we'll be going live 15 minutes earlier with our preshow to discuss our hopes and dreams for the event.

Speaking of that, if you can't wait for another second for more Pokémon content, then you're in the right place. We listed our predictions and hopes for Pokémon Legends and the Diamond/Pearl remakes earlier this week. Also, our own John Carson has created his spicy list of the 25 best Pokémon from the fourth generation of games. Thanks for watching, and we hope you enjoy the show!

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Time-Travel With The Help A Giant Magical Squid In Kraken Academy

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 03:23 PM PDT

We all know the first day of school can be anxiety-inducing. There are new subjects to learn, new classmates to avoid looking stupid in front of, and perhaps it's an unfamiliar building entirely. What if you had to relive that first day again and again? Moreso, what if you had to do it to help a giant, magical squid save the world from peril? You may have enrolled in Kraken Academy, a, shall we say, quirky adventure game coming next month.

You are a fresh-faced student who kicks off the school year by getting blessed with time-travel abilities by a magic kraken. For whatever reason, it wants you to sus out an evil mastermind known only as the Traitor. The problem is that this Traitor could be anyone at school. To smoke them out, you'll need to gather info on the students and faculty and then use your time powers to restart the day, learning more information as you accumulate knowledge about their routines and behaviors. Sound familiar? Pinpoint the Traitor, and you'll have rescued the world from an unknown calamity.  

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Your mission is easier said than done as your school isn't exactly ordinary. Among other oddities, it plays home to cultists, ghosts, and man-eating crocodiles. You know, high school. On the bright side, there are plenty of extracurricular activities in the form of clubs. You can assemble a rock band by joining the music club, tackle physical challenges in the sports club, or show off your artistic talents in the art club. There are also sidequests, such as going to parties and helping a janitor take down a crime syndicate. Once again, high school!

Kraken Academy draws its absurdity from '90s comedy anime, and it certainly looks far from boring. When it launches September 10 for PC via Steam, Humble, and GOG at $17.99 with a 20% discount during launch week, you can find out yourself. A Steam demo is also available from now until launch day. 

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Library Of Ruina Might Be The Best Game You Sleep On This Year – Don’t

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 02:41 PM PDT

Project Moon's Library of Ruina had its official release a few days ago, hitting Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One via Xbox Game Pass and Steam. The Game Pass release is probably the best thing that could have ever happened to this gem, ensuring some degree of visibility. While the legions of fans that examined the game during its early access period could have told you it's awesome, discoverability is always incredibly important for indies. Library of Ruina features enthralling enemies, enchanting music, progressively more complicated mechanics and options, and a really dark, weird tale that ebbs into everything else about it. This journey into the bizarre is refreshing, revitalizing, and reinvigorating. Still interested? Let's go.

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Library of Ruina is a sequel to another Project Moon game, Lobotomy Corporation, which you also may not have heard of. In Lobotomy Corporation, you manage a facility similar to the one from The Cabin in The Woods in a simulation experience that often goes horribly, horribly wrong. In the Library, however, you play as librarians holding receptions for guests. These receptions are elaborate turn-based battles that include both cards and dice, so they're pretty badass if you want to get nerdy. There have been many comparisons of Library of Ruina to other deckbuilding fares like Slay the Spire and Monster Train, and while these are excellent games to be in the company of, it's important to stress that Library of Ruina is a completely different beast. While it shares critical deckbuilding elements, it's not a roguelike and plays more like a traditional RPG with a ton of options and elements that unlock over time, choices for you to make, and builds to explore. But I will say this – Library of Ruina is definitely a game you should play if you like the aforementioned titles.

Guests that you defeat can be turned into pages and books, which boils down to cards and character templates. Put in an easy-to-understand fashion, you can take on the core aspects of foes you beat, sort of like character skins after you acquire their book. If I beat a cool swordsman who excels at slash damage and has unique sword skills, I could equip his book on a character and have access to all those associated skills. If I feel like swapping, I can toss another book on at any time. Instead of featuring a level-up system, Library of Ruina opts to challenge players by drip-feeding new book options as you unlock progressively more difficult level tiers. While this starts quite simple, you can eventually even put books inside books to make a core character with tons of passives from multiple personas and a tailored deck to match. And we're just getting started.

You can take as many as five characters into battle at once as you get later into the game, and you can construct a unified vision or a crew that can handle multiple situations. Maybe the best call against a giant single target is to stack burning cards and dish out damage over time. Maybe you want to shatter opponents before they can even attack with blazing ranged attacks. Or build charges, play cards that get better if your deck is single copies only, or many, many other strategies. You take on numerous boss battles shaped more like puzzles than the normal fights you encounter along the deckbuilding journey. These start off fairly easy but get much more challenging, forcing you to think about every incoming attack or to play in different ways, like giving you targets to protect, avoid, or manage during the course of a demanding battle.

Defeating bosses ties into yet another mechanic (yes, this game is absolutely fantastic for lovers of systems and mechanics) where your emotional level builds up over battles and gives you access to incredibly powerful effects that often come with risk/reward aspects to play around with. There's a ton of other factors to consider in combat in terms of speed, counterattacks, and more, but honestly, these things are best to discover as you play through.

The world of Ruina is incredibly dark, disturbing, and weird. I say this in the best possible way. While the game earns its Mature rating and is definitely not for kids, the trappings of Ruina are absolutely enthralling, from the moving backgrounds to the incredible soundtrack. Boss battles in this game can be jaw-dropping and surprising. Chances are, you'll be checking out the soundtrack when you're not playing as well. It features some incredible tracks by Mili, whose talents you may have heard earlier this year in Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights. Screenshots don't do the game justice, and watching battles play out remains mesmerizing hours and hours into the experience.

That said, the game does not do a great job of onboarding players in its initial hours. There are many systems in play, and the opening may not successfully relay all the various things going on to the player. It can seem quite confusing at first; I was quite a few hours into the game before I started to understand how certain abilities worked. Early on, it can be daunting just to figure out how to use pages to get to the next area or start a random encounter. Stick with it. After a bit of time, things eventually start to fall into place, and you'll be swapping books across your teams in seconds. But it does require that learning process from the player before it achieves immersion, so count on a slower start before the hype train leaves the station.

There's a ton to discover, explore, and experiment with in Library of Ruina. If you like card games, turn-based RPGs, deckbuilders, or just cool games, check it out!

What Comes With Ghost Of Tsushima Director's Cut And Ways To Buy Or Upgrade On August 20

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 02:07 PM PDT

Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut releases in just a few days on Friday, August 20. If you're like me and loved playing the original release on PS4 last year, you probably want to know what's in this new version and how to upgrade to it. Well, I've dug up all of the pertinent information; all you have to do is read about it. How about that?

While the PlayStation 5 already runs a version of Tsushima that boosts its performance beyond the previous generation's capabilities, the Director's Cut brings more than just a new coat of paint. Jin Sakai will be making his way to Iki Island, a neighboring landmass to Tsushima fraught with the Mongol invasion. There's a whole new campaign set on Iki and plenty of new places ready to be explored.

That's not all! Here's everything that comes with Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut:

  • The complete Ghost of Tsushima game
  • Iki Island expansion
  • Ghost of Tsushima: Legends (a free co-op mode for the original game)
  • A "Hero of Tsushima" skin set
  • A "Charm of Hachiman's Favor" in-game item
  • One Technique Point
  • Digital mini art book
  • Director's Commentary

Let's take a moment to spotlight that last bullet point. Having a commentary feature in a game of this size doesn't happen often and is doubly interesting when the subject matter focuses on actual history. In this Director's Commentary, the creative team of Sucker Punch brought in a Japanese historian to discuss the differences between the studio's portrayal in-game compared to the real-life places and events.

For those looking to play Ghost of Tsushima for the first time, your path to the game is simple: buy the full Director's Cut for $59.99 on PS4 or $69.99 on PS5. Those who preorder the full package through PSN get access to the original game immediately. But those who own the base game already must go about things a little differently. Here's the pricing for upgrading to this new version through the PlayStation Store:

PS4 upgrade to the PS4 Director's Cut – $19.99
PS4 upgrade to the PS5 Director's Cut – $29.99
PS4 Director's Cut upgrade to the PS5 Director's Cut – $9.99

Keep in mind, while you can preorder the full version and the PS4 upgrade right now, any upgrades relating to the PS5 version will become available to purchase on August 20 when Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut launches. Enjoy your adventures in Tsushima and Iki this weekend and beyond, and never forget to pet those foxes! 

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BioWare Teases Citadel Replica Collectible To Celebrate Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 01:32 PM PDT

The Mass Effect Legendary Edition breathed fresh life into a franchise that inspired one of the most passionate fanbases to date. While many longtime fans boarded the Normandy once more, many newcomers joined the wild ride against the Reapers for the first time. As BioWare continues to work on the next Mass Effect and Dragon Age 4, the studio did tease something cool for collectors. If you love collecting gaming memorabilia as I do, then this Citadel replica tease might be right up your alley. 

BioWare has partnered with many collectible companies through the years such as Gaming Heads, First 4 Figures, and Three Zero and it looks like now it is partnering up with a different company to bring the Citadel to life. For those that may need a little refresher, the Citadel is the heart of galactic society in the Mass Effect universe, a central hub that is vital to important mass relays. It is also home to Council business, a small elected group of different races meant to represent their people as a democratic voice. It also played an important role in taking down the Reapers, which makes this new collectible an interesting new addition. 

Years ago, BioWare teamed up with Dark Horse to bring a Reaper to life with a Sovereign replica and then later offered several iterations of the Normandy, Commander Shepard's ship. As the new BioWare Store continues to beef up its wares, it looks like the heart of civilization is the next up to be detailed and ready to sit pretty within your home. There's just one catch: we don't know what it looks like or how much it costs. Yet. 

The studio shared a tweet from Idea Planet Launch to tease the "first-ever Citadel replica" and offer a way for interested fans to sign up for updates. For those interested, you can fill out a short form here to be updated when the full reveal takes place. If it's like previous high-end collectibles celebrating the BioWare-verse, expect this to be in limited quantity, though we don't have any more information than that it's on the way at this time. To learn more, check out the official website for the new collectible right here. 

Want even more Mass Effect goodness in your life? Of course you do! Be sure to check out our dedicated game hub here for interviews with the devs, features on the different aspects of the trilogy, and even some cool mod recommendations! 

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Madden 22 (Xbox Series X) – New Gameplay Today Live

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 11:54 AM PDT

We're nearing the end of summer, and the football pre-season is finally underway. This also means that the next installment in the long-running Madden franchise is around the corner. Madden 22 has a lot to prove as the series' second title on next-gen platforms. The MUT mode will likely bring back serious competitors, but gameplay tweaks, new stadium interactions, and Franchise changes could be the difference-maker this time around. 

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On this episode of New Gameplay Today, the incredible Alex Stadnik and Jason Guisano will be going head-to-head on the gridiron, discussing their experiences with the Madden IP as well as our thoughts on the new game. So if you're a fan like me that desperately wants Madden 22 to be a revolutionary shift for future sports games, then swing by at 2:30 CT! Let's talk football. 

"New spectator animations deliver a stronger sense of realism and presence, and the remastered crowd sound makes those big moments in games feel more impactful," said our own Brian Shea about his early impressions. "Not only that, but the modifiers that the new momentum meter and home-field advantage add give appropriate boosts most of the time. Improved blocking makes the running game more effective, and I like the increased catching responsiveness for the passing game."

If you're looking for even more gaming goodness, you can also head over to our YouTube page to catch up on other interesting adventures like Action Arcade Wrestling and our Pokémon Presents Predictions. 

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PSA: Full Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers Soundtrack Is Now Available On Spotify

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 10:27 AM PDT

Playing a video game and falling in love with it is a phenomenal experience, and that same journey can be made even better with a powerful soundtrack to go with it. For Final Fantasy lovers, many of the mainstay soundtracks have been available on Spotify for quite some time now, but finally (finally) the six glorious hours of musical perfection that the Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers OST brings to the table is finally added to that list. 

Whether you want to dive into some of the calmer songs to zone out to or want to get in the zone with tracks like Landslide, the choice is yours! 88 tracks are yours to enjoy for those that want to jam out through Spotify, which you can get started on doing just that with the playlist shared below: 

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Composer Masayoshi Soken is a musical genius, to be very frank, and I can't recommend this soundtrack enough. While I'm still relatively new to this game, it's a struggle trying to juggle so many MMOs, the sounds of this online experience are beyond compare. Whether you're on the move or still working from home, this is a nice way to keep that gaming love moving even when outside of the game's world itself. 

Want more Final Fantasy musical goodness? There is a lofi tracklist available on Spotify, as well, courtesy of Square Enix. We also have some of our favorite lofi gaming channel picks here too, if interested! 

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Free Guy's New Movie Posters Draw Inspiration From Animal Crossing, Doom, GTA, And More

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 10:22 AM PDT

Ryan Reynolds' new movie Free Guy opened exclusively in theaters this weekend and beat U.S. box office expectations with a haul of $28.4 million. Going into release, experts predicted this video game-inspired movie would likely bring in around $20 million. Despite the ongoing pandemic, it soared beyond that, showing a sliver of renewed interest in returning to theaters.

Free Guy tells the story of a bank teller named Guy (Reynolds) who is content in life until he learns he's a lowly NPC character trapped in a video game. Guy then tries to rewrite his role into the hero, and that's where the fun begins.

Originally slated to open in theaters in July 2020, Free Guy's release was pushed back indefinitely by 20th Century Studios and Disney when theaters shut down during the pandemic. The box office haul is encouraging, but it's a far cry from what big-budget summer blockbusters usually bring in. Black Widow, The Suicide Squad, and many of the season's biggest films are opening both in theaters and on streaming services, making their financial successes difficult to gauge.

The marketing team behind Free Guy clearly is having a blast diving into the video game world for inspiration for movie posters and photo shoots. A Warthog from Halo Infinite was on the red carpet for the premiere with Reynolds, and eight different game-inspired posters were released on Facebook recently. 

The posters are beautifully created and insert Reynolds' character into Animal Crossing, Mega Man, Doom, Among Us, Grand Theft Auto, and more. You can see all of them in the gallery below:

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Free Guy has a "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an even higher audience score. So if those awesome posters didn't already convince you, maybe now's the time to check out Ryan Reynold's new film in theaters (wear a mask and social distance, of course!). 

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Hellraiser Is Coming To Dead By Daylight, New Killer Available Now In PTB

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 10:07 AM PDT

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Following the recent news that the Stranger Things license is expiring this year for Dead by Daylight, the team over at Behaviour has announced another horror icon joining the extensive lineup of crossovers. Enter: Hellraiser. We've already got our first look at what the latest DLC will have to offer now that a new killer has hit the game's Public Test Build.

The first teaser for the upcoming chapter debuted a few days ago (seen in the video at the top of the article), but the latest social media tease goes a little more in detail. The Public Test Build, or PTB for short, is available and brings more than just the usual bug fixes. Included in update 5.2.0 is a new killer, the Cenobite. Cenobites are extra-dimensional beings known from the Hellraiser series, brainwashed into torturing humans for all time. This makes it the perfect addition to Dead by Daylight. 

Also included in the update is Large Text Settings, which is a feature that many players have been asking for concerning more accessibility settings. For what else is new, check out the latest PTB patch notes below, courtesy of Behaviour: 

Update 5.2.0: 

Features

  • Added a new Killer - The Cenobite
  • Match Results - When players leave a Trial with a Limited Item (Example: The Nemesis's Vaccine) they will now be notified that they do not get to keep it. It has been consumed by The Entity.
  • Large Text Settings - The players can enable this option to enlarge all texts in the HUD, increasing readability.

Content

The Nemesis Update:

  • Movement speed while charging Tentacle Strike Tier 3 increased to 4.0m/s (was 3.8m/s)
  • Shattered S.T.A.R.S. Badge effect duration increased to 60 seconds (was 30 seconds)
  • Iridescent Umbrella Badge effect duration increased to 30 seconds (was 15 seconds, but was erroneously displayed as 12 seconds)
  • Ritual of The Nemesis reduced to reaching maximum Mutation Rate one time (was 4)
  • Various bug fixes and improvements to address performance issues on the Family Residence, Sanctum of Wrath and Midwich Elementary School.
  • Blood Lodge, Dead Dawg Saloon and The Game maps are re-enabled
  • Updated a variety of survivors' hair and facial hair cosmetics.

 

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue that caused The Executioner's rear to be too flat when having "The Corrupted" outfit equipped.
  • Fixed an issue that caused a specific hook blocking navigation when a Survivor is hooked on it in Hospital map
  • Fixed an issue that caused the killer to body block the basement when standing at the door frame in the main building of the Blood Lodge
  • Fixed an issue that caused Meg "Jewel of the party" very rare outfit multiple clipping with her body
  • Fixed an issue that caused Meg "Jewel of the party" very rare outfit skirt misshapen when performing various action
  • Fixed an issue that caused female survivors to be missing an animation when stepping on a bear trap with the Calm Spirit perk equipped.
  • Fixed an issue that caused survivors to perform the falling animation when walking down some stairs in the Raccoon City Police Station map.
  • Fixed an issue that caused survivors to float and fall to the ground when cleansing some totems.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the durability bar of toolboxes to appear red when sabotaging a hook.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the walking animation of the Nemesis to be missing when in spectator mode in a custom game.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Victor to be able to pounce on survivors while Dead Hard is being used.
  • Fixed an issue that may cause survivors to remain stuck in a window when downed by the Trickster's knives while vaulting.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the Doctor's Shock Therapy and Static Blasts not to negate the Oblivious effect.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the sound notification for the Tinkerer perk to be too low.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the Coup de Grace perk icon to remain lit until all generators are done instead of until all tokens are used.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the hook count and the generator count to overlap each other when spectating a custom game.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the pause menu to open and close constantly when holding the Escape key during a match.
  • Fixed an issue that caused player names with a # symbol to get truncated in the HUD.
  • Fixed an issue that caused save file problem.
  • Fixed an issue that caused survivor to receive an incorrect benevolent emblem.

Known Issues: 

The team also shared known issues that they are prepping to fix with the next update, including the inability to remove Survivors from chains, new Rank Crest images, animation glitches, and more. To see what else is new in the PTB, check out the full patch notes right here. 

We don't have a release date for when the full DLC becomes available outside of the testing area, but more will be revealed soon. For now, PC players can get in on the action a little early and report any areas they feel could be improved before Hellraiser officially arrives in Dead by Daylight. 

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To Succeed In Splitgate, You Must Embrace The Silly

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 09:59 AM PDT

I'm not afraid to say that I enjoy silly gimmicks. For example, racing games generally don't interest me. However, when you toss in some Koopa shells, loop de loops, and Waluigi? You got me. When I play Super Smash Bros., I want all items turned on and to play on the wackiest stages available. If you align more with the "Fox Only/No Items/Final Destination" style of play, I'm more impressed by how you manage to make an inherently silly game boring more so than by how many frames you can read. 

The same applies to shooters. Sure, I can enjoy standard multiplayer titles like Call of Duty or Halo, but they rarely hold my interest long-term, especially if I don't have friends to entertain me. "Do the same stuff you did in the campaign but less interesting and with real people who behave like gremlins?" No thanks. It takes something extra special/weird to keep me on board, which is why Splitgate has recently tickled my fancy. 

Splitgate is a free-to-play arena shooter reminiscent of Quake and Halo that also gives you a Portal gun. Yes, you can create portals that function identically to those found in Valve's acclaimed puzzle series. The difference is you use them to find creative ways of shooting people in the face. You may remember when it launched in beta on PC in 2019. Since then, the game has been revamped and recently landed on consoles in a new open beta that has proven to be incredibly popular. 

I finally joined the fun last week, and, as a Portal fan, I was immediately on board. The portal mechanic works great and adds an entertaining and thoughtful layer of strategy to what would otherwise be a decent-but-not-amazing arena shooter. It's been a blast figuring out what heavily trafficked spots to create windows of death for me to snipe through. I also get way too much enjoyment out of shooting portals underneath opponents' feet and watching them fly out of a wall somewhere. I couldn't care less about everything around the edges, such as Splitgate's obligatory battle pass and cosmetic unlocks. Weaponizing portals to outmaneuver and outsmart other players is all I need to get my jollies. 

Even though I'm getting my kicks, it seems many of the players I've faced are either still adjusting to Splitgate's learning curve (fair) or are falling into their shooter comfort zones. In at least half of the matches I've played, most players don't bother using the portals at all. Once again, it's like playing Smash Bros. with that overly competitive player. The one who insists on maintaining the "purity" of the experience while I'm arguing with them on why every player deserves copious Smash Balls and assist trophies. 

The difference now, though, is that while that straight-laced Smash player will probably wreck me harder without having my toys to fall back on, you're at a serious disadvantage by not using the portals in Splitgate. I'd wager the best pure player would still have problems dealing with someone who has mastered portal jumping as it really creates all sorts of zany moments and strategies you don't see elsewhere. It's sort of like playing Fortnite if you're a good shot but suck at the building mechanic. Speaking from experience, pure gunplay only gets you so far before you come across someone just as capable with a firearm but who can also erect the Taj Mahal in seconds to protect themselves and snipe you from above. 

I've demolished portal-resistant players in ways that often feel unfair because I've embraced the silly. Like, I seriously messed them up, and that's strange for me because while I'm an above-average shooter player, I would never consider myself anywhere close to top-tier. Splitgate makes me feel like those savants who maintain permanent residence atop the leaderboards by rewarding my inborn desire to play games as creatively as possible. That's an eloquent way of saying that it pretty much rewards being a chaos-loving idiot.

So if you're planning to play Splitgate, my advice to you: loosen up your tie, mess up your hair, and remember that there's more than one way to skin a cat. You can also use a portal to send it off a cliff or something. So get wild and use that portal gun! It's more fun, and I probably won't end you as often. 

Splitgate is currently available in open beta on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The full launch is scheduled for sometime this month. 

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Ratchet & Clank Bundle Announced For Rocket League, 120 FPS Update Coming To PS5 Tomorrow

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 09:39 AM PDT

Rocket League, like other popular live-service games, is known for its crossover content drops. After a successful launch on PlayStation 5, gaming's favorite lombax and tiny bot are taking the main stage in Rocket League. In addition to some Ratchet & Clank-inspired vehicle skins (pictured above and below), starting tomorrow, PlayStation 5 owners will be able to drive around their favorite arenas fluidly in 120 FPS.  

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According to a post on the official PlayStation blog, to get the Ratchet & Clank content, all you have to do is log into Rocket League on a PlayStation console. You'll acquire a decal, Negatron Collider Boost, Clank Balloon Topper, and a Ratchet Balloon Topper. Psyonix product and content strategy director, Jeremy Dunham, stated, "We're big fans of Ratchet & Clank here at Psyonix and it's one of PlayStation's most iconic franchises," Jeremy said. "That's why teaming up with Insomniac to make cool content for the PlayStation community was both a thrill and a privilege to work on!" 

In addition to tomorrow's crossover, new video quality settings are also coming to Rocket League for PlayStation 5 owners. You can choose between the traditional quality and performance options for better graphical fidelity or smoother gameplay. The details are as follows:

Quality:

  • 4K resolution at 60 FPS with HDR 
  • HDR requires HDR10 compatible display and HDMI 2.0 cable or better
  • 4K capable display required to experience 4K. If a 1080p display is used, the game will render at 1080p supersampled from 4K

Performance:

  • Game runs at 2688×1512 resolution (70% of full 4K) at 120 FPS with HDR 
  • Game UI runs in 4K 
  • 4K capable display required to experience 4K UHD. If a 1080p display is used, the game will render at 1080p supersampled from 2688×1512
  • HDR and 120 FPS require a compatible display, as well as Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable

Rocket League Season 4 is here and comes with a Starter and Standard Pack as well as a new PlayStation Plus pack that includes animated decals, boosts, toppers, and wheels. You can claim these rewards from the PlayStation store on August 24. With a bevy of new premium content in the Season 4 rocket pass as well as a new map, Deadeye Canyon, there's a lot to be excited about in the coming days.

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Co-Op RPG Brawler Young Souls Arrives On Stadia Today, Other Platforms This Fall

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 09:19 AM PDT

Young Souls impressed us when it was revealed in 2018 and if you're a Stadia user, you can play the co-op title beginning today. Developed by 1P2P, the beat em' up RPG dungeon crawler stars two teenage orphans who battle through a world of monsters to rescue their adoptive father. 

The game stars Jen and Tristan, who have been abandoned by their parents but are eventually taken in by a kind scientist to live a relatively normal life in a small port town. Life gets flipped on its head, though, when their father figure vanishes and the twins discover a strange portal inside his estate. When they step through it they're transported to a world of goblins and monsters, including a variety of fearsome bosses. Jen and Tristan are scrappy, though, and have no qualms about laying the smackdown on these beasts to find their missing not-papa.  

At night the siblings battle their way through perilous dungeons, but once the sun rises they spend the day prepping for the next excursion. That means getting in a good workout at the local gym and buying trendy clothes because you have to dress for the job that you want, not the one that you have. Or something like that. Watch Jen and Tristan kick all sorts of butt in the new trailer below. 

Click here to watch embedded media

If you're not a Stadia user but think Young Souls looks rad, you can pick it up this fall when it comes to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. You can learn more about the work that went into designing the game's fearsome bosses by checking out this PlayStation Blog post. 

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Stranger Things Fans Beg Netflix To Renew License For Dead By Daylight Before Removal

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 08:00 AM PDT

The team behind Dead by Daylight confirmed earlier this week that Nancy, Steve, and the Demogorgon are leaving the game's store this November as the Stranger Things DLC prepares to leave the horror survival adventure. The loss of DLC is tied to the expiration of the license obtained to make this crossover happen, but fans are begging Netflix, the company that owns the Stranger Things name, to renew the license before it's too late. 

The Dead by Daylight crew confirmed that Stranger Things content would be leaving this November in a recent blog post, including the full removal of the Netflix-inspired map. To compensate, however, the studio is heavily discounting content related to this particular DLC. That being said, any Netflix post made on social media since the announcement has been plagued with fans (respectfully) begging Netflix to reconsider letting the license expire. 

A good example of this banding of Stranger Things fans can be seen on a recent post about Brand New Cherry Flavor, where the Dead by Daylight comments can be seen aplenty. "RENEW YOUR CONTRACT WITH DEAD BY DAYLIGHT PLEASE," proclaimed Twitter user @14Mex in one response, followed by a series of crying emojis. Another user added a collage of screenshots from the game's DLC and the show itself with the caption "Justice for Stranger Things license and future content." More can be seen in the responding thread, largely asking not to let Stranger Things fall away from the hit co-op game. Netflix hasn't responded, but there is hope! 

Expiring licenses are nothing new, but sometimes the content is just too good to let go of. Dead by Daylight is no stranger to incredible crossovers and bringing some of our favorite horror adventures to life in a creative new way. The team over at Behaviour Interactive even managed to make a K-Pop star terrifying in his own right with the latest expansion following other phenomenal mashups like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Still, fans have managed to make the impossible happen before; maybe that collective plea won't fall on deaf ears. 

It's important to note that those that own these characters will still be able to play as them, they just won't be available to purchase anymore. The level, however, will be going away for good unless something changes. To learn more about Dead by Daylight and all of its DLC through the years, be sure to check out our dedicated game hub here. 

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Take Your First Look At Star Wars: Visions, The New Disney+ Anime Series

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 07:47 AM PDT

Click to watch embedded media

The first trailer for Lucasfilm's Star Wars: Visions anime series was released today, along with casting details for all nine episodes. This series is exclusive to Disney+, with all episodes hitting on September 22. Disney describes each of these original stories as "shorts" but did not provide details on how long each will run.

Lucasfilm partnered with seven different Japanese anime studios for this series. The animation houses of note are Production I.G., Science Saru, Kinema Citrus, TRIGGER, Studio Colorido, Kamikaze Douga, and Geno Studio.

Most of these stories introduce new characters, and the trailer also hints at new Force powers, vehicles, and weapons. The footage is absolutely stunning and appears to open up the entire Star Wars universe to new possibilities both with the stories and their visualizations.

For the English voice cast, Temuera Morrison reprises his role as Boba Fett, and is joined by an eye-opening cast of familiar names. Here's the entire cast breakdown for each episode:

The Duel: Brian Tee (Ronin), Lucy Liu (Bandit Leader), Jaden Waldman (Village Chief)

Tatooine Rhapsody: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jay), Bobby Moynihan (Geezer), Temuera Morrison (Boba Fett), Shelby Young (K-344), Marc Thompson (Lan)

The Twins: Neil Patrick Harris (Karre), Alison Brie (Am), Jonathan Lipow (B-20N)

The Village Bride: Karen Fukuhara (F), Nichole Sakura (Haru), Christopher Sean (Asu), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Valco), Andrew Kishino (Izuma), Stephanie Sheh (Saku)

The Ninth Jedi: Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Simu Liu (Zhima), Masi Oka (Ethan), Greg Chun (Roden), Neil Kaplan (Narrator), Michael Sinterniklaas (Hen Jin)

T0-B1: Jaden Waldman (T0-B1), Kyle Chandler (Mitaka)

The Elder: David Harbour (Tajin), Jordan Fisher (Dan), James Hong (The Elder)

Lop & Ochō: Anna Cathcart (Lop), Hiromi Dames (Ocho), Paul Nakauchi(Yasaburo), Kyle McCarley (Imperial Officer)

Akakiri: Henry Golding (Tsubaki), Jamie Chung (Misa), George Takei (Senshuu), Keone Young (Kamahachi), Lorraine Toussaint (Masago)

Disney+ turned the heads of most Star Wars fans when The Mandalorian debuted in 2019, and should keep them glued to the streaming service for years to come with a huge slate of upcoming projects. Along with the recently released (and great) The Bad Batch, the future holds series for The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rogue Squadron, Ahsoka, Rangers of the New Republic, The Acolyte, Lando, A Droid Story, and the third season of The Mandalorian. You can learn more about Star Wars: Visions at Lucasfilm's official site.

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Xbox Game Pass Adding 9 New Games, Starting Today

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 07:41 AM PDT

Even more Xbox Game Pass titles are joining the ever-evolving library, this time adding a little more Star Wars into the mix alongside a few mind-bending adventures like Twelve Minutes. For those interested, here are the new Xbox Game Pass games being added this month. 

Before going into what's coming soon to Xbox Game Pass starting today, here's what you need to know about the subscription service. The Xbox Game Pass library continues to change with new titles being added and others leaving to make more room. These additions include day-one launches of hit games to indie darlings that deserve a little love. This particular membership allows Xbox fans a chance to have instant access to an eclectic library without having to shell out $60 for each experience. There are also two options available, the standard Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate. The standard service is $9.99 a month, whereas Ultimate costs $14.99 and includes Xbox Live for free. This means in addition to the Game Pass library, and Ultimate members will also get the free monthly Games With Gold grabs, as well as special discounts on certain adventures. 

Now, onto the new games arriving to Xbox Game Pass, including Cloud titles for mobile and tablet players: 

What's Coming To Xbox Game Pass: 

  • Humankind, PC - Today
  • Need for Speed Heat, Cloud - Today
  • Star Wars Battlefront II, Cloud - Today
  • Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Cloud - Today
  • Recompile, Cloud, Console, and PC - August 19
  • Train Sim World 2, Cloud, Console, and PC - August 19
  • Twelve Minutes, Cloud, Console, and PC - August 19
  • Psychonauts 2, Cloud, Console, and PC - August 25
  • Myst, Cloud Console, and PC - August 26

Other Games You May Have Missed:

  • Boyfriend Dungeon, Cloud, Console, and PC - Today
  • Library of Ruina, Cloud, Console, and PC - Today

Xbox Touch Controls Additions: 

  • Hades
  • Bloodroots
  • Farming Simulator 19
  • Going Under
  • Need for Speed Heat 
  • Peggle 2 
  • Psychonauts
  • Wasteland 2
  • Wasteland 3
  • Wasteland Remastered

What's Leaving - August 31:

  • Blair Witch, Cloud, Console, and PC
  • Double Kick, Cloud, Console, and PC 
  • NBA 2K21, Cloud and Console
  • Stranger Things 3: The Game, Cloud, Console, and PC

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This Borderlands Cosplayer Brings "The Fall Of Handsome Jack" To Life In Incredible Cosplay

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 05:30 AM PDT

The cosplay community is one that I will never fail to be in awe of. The sheer love and dedication that goes into crafting our own spins on some of the most beloved characters in games, movies, and TV is both impressive and inspiring. What's also inspiring is this Borderlands cosplayer's take on the "Fall of Handsome Jack" because I was sure this was a screenshot at first glance. 

The cosplay account is actually a duo, Mary and Feinbobi, a couple that usually cosplays together when bringing their love of gaming to the forefront. The pair has even done a few Borderlands cosplays together, but this one is solely focused on the villain we hate to love and love to hate: Handsome Jack himself. 

Mary and Feinobi Cosplay

I've covered quite a few of this couple's cosplay conquests in the past and have been following the pair on Instagram for a few years now. Watching how they manipulate makeup and special effects, paired with expertly laid out lighting and setting the scene, has been an incredible ride. While I don't think I have the patience to ever get to their level of skill, it's always amazing to see what new creative visions they come up with next. And this Handsome Jack cosplay? Almost enough to make me feel bad for the character. Almost. 

Mary and Feinobi Cosplay

The photos captured by Aleksander Photography only add to the magic of this particular Borderlands tribute, creatively using lighting, shadows, and angles to set the scene. It's a beautiful tribute even if there isn't a Butt Stallion in sight. 

Interested in seeing more from this cosplaying duo? Check out their Instagram page right here! You can also shop around in their Etsy store too if you're feeling that cosplay itch too. 

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Dragon Age: Origins Was Almost A Multiplayer Game Likened To Star Wars: The Old Republic

Posted: 17 Aug 2021 04:46 AM PDT

Dragon Age: Origins is the first entry into the fantasy BioWare RPG series, but did you know it was almost a multiplayer game? Origins gave fans an incredibly immersive storyline, introducing us to the world of Thedas for the first time, as well as some of the best characters known in gaming. That being said, the entire Dragon Age: Origins experience could have been something completely different, which inspires a spiral of "what could have been" while also offering a healthy dose of "Phew, glad plans change."

In a recent interview with TheGamer, Jay Turner, a writer for the first Dragon Age game, opened up about one of the prevalent pitches for what this game would eventually become. "The big [change] was a multiplayer mode that was cut sometime in the middle of development," Turner told the site. "There was celebration in the streets at that point because multiplayer was causing all sorts of problems for single-player, and those of us focused on the story got a lot of resources and freedom back."

Dan Trudge, the creative director for the first game, added that there were many decisions cut, as with any game, but that the decision to move forward without multiplayer was one of the "most important" ones made during this time. This decision allowed the teams to move forward with their single-player vision in mind and the freedom to flesh out these characters and narratives without crossing streams with the more complicated multiplayer components. 

"We were going to do a multiplayer version, and we didn't really have enough time," Tudge continued, furthering Turner's comments about the problems associated with crafting a multiplayer experience at this time. "There was a large chunk [of the team] that wanted to cut multiplayer, but the previous leadership couldn't make the decision - they wouldn't make the decision. So I said no, we're cutting multiplayer; it's gone. I remember Ross Gardner, the lead programmer, was like, 'Once this is cut, it can't ever come back.' He was in the office next to me - he must have told me 50 times, 'You can't change your mind on this,' and I'm like, 'Yeah, I know.' I said, 'No, it's cut.' We trimmed quite a bit of the game, if you can believe it, because the game is ginormous. We dropped a couple of origin stories. Once we all got working together, it really was a magical team - the best team I've ever worked with, ever, in 25+ years."

According to the duo, the multiplayer in mind was more in line with what fans know of Star Wars: The Old Republic, an immersive world built with co-op in mind. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, the goals that were the focus for multiplayer were a bit too much for the engine to handle, and making it the experience they wanted to make would have cut into the single-player components of the Origins storyline. David Gaider, a former BioWare writer responsible for some of my favorite gaming characters to date, added that the teams working on Origins were pretty divided. Some wanted an all-multiplayer experience, whereas others wanted single-player only. But just because it was cut from Dragon Age: Origins doesn't mean all of this talk about multiplayer was for naught. Nope, producer Kevin Loh told the site that the ideas surrounding Origins' multiplayer inclusion eventually became the "backbone" of Star Wars: The Old Republic's dialogue system, which was pretty great. 

To read the full interview, I highly recommend checking out the full story here. It's interesting to see what could have been. Games always have a million and one different cut concepts that never made launch, and it's wild to think how massively different some of our favorite experiences could have been had one decision been made differently. 

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