Game Informer

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• New Exclusive Shin Megami Tensei V Screenshots Show Off Demon Negotiations and Fusion
• A Bee Almost Ruined The Beginning Of Skyrim
• Crown Jewels – Breaking Down The New Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Trailer
• Boyfriend Dungeon Review – To Woo Or Not To Woo, That Is The Question
• Predicting Every Elden Ring Boss
• Cyberpunk 2077’s 1.3 Patch Address Myriad Of Issues And Adds Free Content
• Hisuian Sightseeing – Breaking Down The New Pokémon Legends Arceus Trailer
• Rainbow Six Siege Adds New Resident Evil Skin Where Players Can Transform Into Leon Kennedy
• 2022 Video Game Release Schedule
• Goodbye Volcano High Pushed To 2022
• El Shaddai Gets PC Launch Date And Bonus Goodies
• Twelve Minutes Review – Stuck In Hell
• Does Fortnite's New Imposter Mode Take Among Us 'Inspiration' Too Far?
• New Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Nintendo Switch Lite Console Revealed
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Trailer Shows Off New Gameplay Features
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Will Offer Character Customization
• Pokémon Unite Coming to Mobile This September With Sylveon and Mamoswine Joining The Battle
• Strange Discs Will Appear In Pokémon Go's Skies Soon, More Galar Region On The Way
• New Pokémon Legends Arceus Gameplay Revealed Showing New Growlithe Form And Revamped Combat
• Dying Light 2 Showcase Confirmed For Gamescom 2021 And Will Focus On Parkour, Combat, And More

New Exclusive Shin Megami Tensei V Screenshots Show Off Demon Negotiations and Fusion Posted: 18 Aug 2021 09:00 PM PDT Publisher: Sega Developer: Atlus Release: November 12, 2021 Platform: Switch The Shin Megami Tensei series has been an RPG standby since the early '90s, captivating gamers with its dark storylines, philosophical dilemmas, and recruitment mechanics. Now a new generation of gamers can see what the cult series is all about thanks to a new mainline entry hitting on November 12 for Nintendo Switch. To show you what's in store, we'd provided exclusive looks at Shin Megami Tensei V in the lead-up to its launch. Today, we have some more screenshots, which focus on negotiation, demon fusion, and the skill and stat-building features to show off. They also showcase some more intriguing characters you'll meet on your journey. Let's dive right into the gameplay. Just like in previous games, you turn enemy demons into allies. Every demon has its own quirks and personality types, but Atlus says to also expect some new behavioral patterns and moon phases, particularly new and full moons, to affect their temperaments. The screenshots below also showcase the different types of demon fusion: special, reverse, elemental, and create your own demon. Visiting Sophia in the World of Shadows allows you to create more powerful demons, whether you're fusing 2-4 demons together for special fusions, or using elemental fusions to upgrade or downgrade to another demon within the same family.  In addition, you have some extra ways to add skills and improve the stats of your party. Essences – spiritual cores imbued with the powers of demons – can be found as you explore the parallel world of Da'at and interact with the demons there. Fusing these with the protagonist lets you customize his skills and affinities to your liking, but you can also use them on your demon party members to adjust their powers.  While exploring Da'at, you will also come across Glory, a manifestation of divine dignity. When you visit the World of Shadows, Glory can be spent to obtain Miracles, which are powerful abilities that alter the laws of nature. According to Atlus, they provide a variety of skills that can assist you in battle, negotiations, demon fusions, skill potentials, and even stat-building. You can get a look at all of these gameplay features in the gallery below.  Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                                Lastly, we have several characters to spotlight. Our gallery begins with the mysterious Shohei Yakumo. This man will be a thorn in the protagonist's side as he advances through Da'at. We don't know his true motives or allegiance, but he calls himself an exterminator of demons and parters with Nuwa, a demon herself. Speaking of Nuwa, she's up next in our gallery. This goddess that appears in Chinese mythology has worked with Yakumo since he was young, and she confronts the protagonist without warning or mercy. Archangel Abdiel gets our next spotlight, as she's in command of Bethel's main branch. Atlus calls her stern, uncompromising, and fervently devoted to God. She won't take kindly to anyone standing in the way of Bethel's plans and will defend God's order at all costs. Before we go, how about seeing one of the 200 demons you'll meet during your adventure next? Take a look at beast Loup-garou. Atlus says to expect the classics, but several new demons will also appear, designed by Masayuki Doi, who has worked with Atlus since Persona 2: Innocent Sin. The last character in this gallery is Sophia, who you visit in the World of Shadows when you want to participate in demon fusion or spend Glory. Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                                And, that covers our latest look at Shin Megami Tensei V, which launches November 12 on Nintendo Switch. We'll keep you posted on new details for the game as we get them. What do you think so far?

A Bee Almost Ruined The Beginning Of Skyrim Posted: 18 Aug 2021 03:13 PM PDT Let's be real; the beginning of Skyrim was iconic. Riding in on the cart towards your execution and the "you're finally awake" line has essentially become the new Rick Roll when it comes to memes. Not only was the scene itself pretty awesome in its own right, but the fade to black effect only to end up in the Skyrim cart has become a steadfast joke to put into TikTok videos, trailers, and other gags that point towards the game with a thousand releases. Little did we all know that one tiny bee almost ruined it all.  Nate Purkeypile, a former developer who worked at Bethesda for Skyrim, dropped this little nugget of truth over social media talking about the various issues this one scene gave the team. Nowadays, bugs in Bethesda games are nothing new. In fact, even the studio pokes fun at itself for some of the more oddball glitches found in its engine, but in this case? It was an actual bug that caused things to go awry. Purkeypile opened up about the beginning sequence and how the smallest things can cause everything to go off the rails.  See the issue with that cart ride is that it's not just a cart on rails. That cart is physically simulated. Why you ask? Good question. So anyways, this meant that all kinds of things would cause the cart to start to freak out and fly off the road. — Nate Purkeypile (@NPurkeypile) August 17, 2021 In a lengthy thread, the former Bethesda dev talked about the cart ride and how it's not a simple cart on the rails, it's physically simulated, and the "why" behind why it went completely off course is kind of hilarious. If the road was too bumpy or the physics were not quite right, there were a million and one ways that this one simple scene could go sideways, causing the cart to "freak out and fly off the road." "Maybe somebody accidentally put a rock too close to the road. The cart had a path it wanted to follow, but that doesn't mean it was a path it COULD follow. Big difference," Purkeypile added, equipped with a smiley face.  Where things get weird is at one point, the cart was doing what carts do until all of the sudden it started to shake uncontrollably before it eventually just shot right up in the sky "like a rocket ship." "Something was telling that cart to just f*** right off and to get off that road. The thing is, it wasn't happening every time." He then said that no one knew what the culprit was at the time, though it was later discovered that there was a bee in the game that couldn't be picked up. "It turns out there was another bug where the bee in the game couldn't be picked up. So then some potions couldn't be made. That bug got fixed. Only the type of collision put on the bee didn't just let it get picked up. It also made it collide into things." Basically, this means that the bee was seen in-game as an "immovable force of nature," and since the bee read that it didn't want the cart to move, then it couldn't move the way as intended. And that's how you get cart rocket ships, apparently. He ended his thread with one important lesson: "So game development is hard. Every time you fix one thing, you might be breaking another. This is especially true about open-world games. Yet, that interplay of all the systems is what ends up making them all super interesting." So there you have it. When something goes wrong, it's probably the bees. But we should probably still save them anyway because bees are important.

Crown Jewels – Breaking Down The New Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Trailer Posted: 18 Aug 2021 03:03 PM PDT Click to watch embedded media Publisher: The Pokémon Company Developer: Ilca, Game Freak Release: November 19, 2021 Platform: Switch Hello there! It's so very nice to meet you!  Welcome to the world of Pokémon!  Your very own tale of grand adventure is about to unfold.  So begins the coming-of-age journey that every installment in the Pokémon gameverse is known for. 15 years have passed since Diamond and Pearl's original release. The Brilliant and Shining versions are slated for a Fall release, and today's Pokémon Presents stream revealed a bevy of new and classic mechanics. I've gone through every frame of the trailer – at 0.25 playback speed, no less! – to relay all of that juicy pocket monster info back to you. If you're looking to catch them all for the umpteenth time, you won't want to miss out on the biggest revelations from the event: Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                               Eye Candy Gen IV's Sinnoh is based on Japan's Hokkaido island. Much like its real-world inspiration, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's continent is teeming with wildlife and breathtaking environments. Sure, we've always known that ILCA and Game Freak were prioritizing graphical quality, but just look at some of the traversable areas on display – Floraville's multicolored blossom fields, god rays falling warmly over your hometown of Twinleaf, squeaky-clean, reflective surfaces like the tiled flooring in Professor Rowan's lab, and wrinkling bodies of water as far as the eye can see. It's safe to say that this is going to be a very good-looking revamp. Dress The Part You might not be a fan of the cutesy chibi character art, but don't worry, you're going to like the way you look while roaming the biomes of Sinnoh. I guarantee it. Get fitted for some athleisure wear (the obvious choice for would-be trainers) or purchase clothes for specific weather conditions. The "Cyber Style's" lime green trim from the trailer is a bit tacky, but I think it might grow on me. Pokéball customization or "Capsule Decoration" is also back with more accessible, responsive options/controls on Switch. With the updated visuals, the effects that trigger when you throw a ball look way fancier than the DS versions of the game. This begs the question: which sticker(s) will you choose? Battle Buddies The Pokémon Presents trailer showcased a lot of cosmetic content, but what about the actual meat of the game; what about the battles? Well, as you might have already expected, the action, at least on a visual level, looks polished. The loop of turn-based combat and elemental effectiveness, however, remains appropriately the same. As usual, you'll run into hobbyists and amateur trainers hiding in the tallgrass and patrolling high-traffic routes as well as ensemble mainstays like your rival, various gym leaders, and Pokémon connoisseurs like Cynthia. What's more, your furry (and not-so-furry) friends can travel with you outside of their Pokéballs. I can't imagine that running around the dense port city of Canalave with a Dialga or Palkia would go over well with the townsfolk and local authorities.  Oh? Tired of whooping the CPU's butts? Enter the Union Room to trade with or confront strangers that are likely so much better than you.  Prepare For Trouble! Team Galactic serves as the primary antagonists of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. And despite the game's upgraded visual design, they still look like total dorks. Can You Dig It? Ah, yes, the Underground (now called the "Grand Underground") from my childhood playthroughs of Diamond and Pearl. I recall chiseling away at unstable caverns, searching for rare materials and fossils, and decorating my base for friends to see what new ornaments I bought. The Grand Underground takes this glorified nostalgia a step further by adding Pokémon Hideaways - sectors that contain a bevy of wandering, and exclusive Pokémon up for grabs. The statues that you place in your hideout can cause certain species to spawn, so I'd recommend swapping out your decorations as often as possible! The Show Must Go On If you've played other Pokémon entries, then you know all about contests. In Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, these shows are fully-rendered spectacles that go beyond the static sprites you might remember from the old games. Now, you can watch your favorite Pokemon dance to music in rhythm games or show off some exhilarating moves to work up the crowd. I know what I'll be doing for a few dozen hours.   Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl launch for Nintendo Switch on November 19. You can grab one of these https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/08/18/new-pokemon-brilliant-diamond-a…; target="_blank">themed Switch Lites on November 5 if you're fast enough. Also, be sure to check out our https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2021/08/18/hisuian-sightseeing-bre…; target="_blank">Arceus Legends Trailer Breakdown. If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Boyfriend Dungeon Review – To Woo Or Not To Woo, That Is The Question Posted: 18 Aug 2021 02:25 PM PDT Publisher: Kitfox Games Developer: Kitfox Games Release: August 11, 2021 (Switch), TBA (PC) Rating: Teen Reviewed on: PC Also on: Switch Visual novels are nothing new, but they flourished in the late nineties as an offshoot of Japanese adventure games. More of an interactive experience than the usual gameplay, these titles center around a journey where the player chooses between several story routes, effectively shaping the narrative. This genre is also known for its bursting romance simulators, though in recent years the medium has started to cater to a wider player base beyond the usual target audience. Boyfriend Dungeon puts a roguelike spin on the genre and weaves a compelling storyline with a comedic twist reminiscent of games like Dream Daddy. In the latest Kitfox Games adventure, you craft your character by choosing your hairstyles, clothing, pronouns, and other basic tweaks with a limited character creation tool. Once done, players travel to Verona Beach to get a fresh start on life with the support of the player's mom and their cousin Jesse. Your room inside your cousin's old digs opens up a new world of possibilities, a world that happens to be filled with people that can turn into weapons. The visual novel twist? They are all ridiculously hot. The story is more than its romantic ties. It's about facing personal fears and learning more about yourself and opening up to those around you, even when looking for simple friendship. I felt like I had more to do within Boyfriend Dungeon than the usual visual novel niche, particularly with player choice regarding the cast of characters and the dungeon-crawling gameplay style. Boyfriend Dungeon mixes in roguelike gameplay, making it more than just an interactive novel. As far as roguelikes go, this is pretty forgiving. The action is simple and repetitive. Dying has no real penalty, you simply leave the Dunj (which is a mall crawling with monsters in the form of old cell phones and VHS tapes) and wake up back in your apartment. There is also the additional option of the Shield in the menu settings, allowing a defensive buff when in the heat of battle, which should help players looking for an easier time.  Throughout this journey, you choose your weapon ally, discover hidden locations, find tucked-away safes full of loot, and take moments between rounds to squeeze in a little extra one-on-one time with your love interest. The setup is cute, but limited in variety. Until you reach the bottom depths, each level looks exactly the same and the enemy types are repetitive. To counter this redundancy, you can swap out your weapon before each level, allowing for new conversations and combat strategies. For instance, running with a dagger is pretty fun for the upper floors while the enemies are still at an average level and not too overwhelming. On the other hand, something more powerful like Jonah's axe is a good pick when you're going down into the deeper levels where meatier enemies lurk. My favorite weapon was Leah, who is a hammer, because we share a love of karaoke but she also just kicks a ton of butt when it comes to getting cornered mid-fight. As you progress, there are more instances of enemy encounters that switch up the enemy types. The true Boyfriend Dungeon experience lies within the game's characters. The mainstay romance options include Sunder, the bad boy with a secret, and Valeria, a woman with a free spirit and a checkered past. There are also splintering flirt options, those met throughout the course of the game but not included in the "main cast" of love interests. There are men, women, and non-binary potential romance options to get to know without the pressure of getting lovey-dovey. Unlike many games in this space, Boyfriend Dungeon won't punish you for favoring one character over another, you can choose them all or none at all! And if romance is not your thing, Boyfriend Dungeon allows players to remain friends with the characters they meet, alleviating any pressure to make the "right choice." Each character has their own deeper story to uncover. Some storylines are light-hearted, while others tackle "real" subjects such as betrayal, the longing to belong, and the continued process of growing as a human. Not every storyline hit a home run, but each character is unique and easily relatable. I instantly connected with characters like Valeria, and I enjoyed watching her journey of re-learning how to trust again, both platonically and romantically. Kitfox does a great job keeping that relatability believable despite the game's premise.You can give gifts to the characters you treasure the most, listen to one another's stories, and get to know each other in true visual novel style through dates and battling out those Dunj monsters.    At the beginning of the game, there is a content warning that notifies players about the sorts of topics covered in the game, including elements of stalking, harassment, and what it means to consent. With that warning in place, some have felt that this warning wasn't enough, in particular with one particular character that immediately feels off. As the story progresses, his responses become more and more possessive and it's clear that you have a stalker on your hands. You can't block his in-game text messages, you can't stop him from popping up to ruin dates, and you can't really rebuff him other than stating clear boundaries like telling him to stop if he says something too uncomfortable. Though I wish there was more of a realistic way to deal with this character, I didn't feel that his presence in the game hurt it. In fact, I felt the opposite. I despised him as a character but I did appreciate the element he posed: not everything is sunshine and roses and you can't always control who sees you when you put yourself out there. He added complexity to the Boyfriend Dungeon story that gave the friendships and relationships forged in the game more meaning while providing the perfect juxtaposition to what healthy bonds look like. Even if I still want to block him into oblivion.  Overall, Boyfriend Dungeon is an enjoyable experience for fans of both roguelikes and visual novels. I like that it gives you the option to make the adventure live up to the romance simulator hype, or just meet some great characters to become friends. Boyfriend Dungeon offers a charming gameplay experience despite its simplistic mechanics and redundant enemies. With more characters teased for the future, I can't wait to dive in to see what's next. If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!  Score: 7 Summary: Fight some monsters, woo some swords, and embark on an adventure of self-discovery and fun. Concept: Fight off monsters in roguelite arenas with weapons that turn into people, and find love in romance and friendship Graphics: The character designs and art style are simplistic but colorful, filled with calming pastels and vibrant neons to bring the adventure to life, whereas in combat it takes on a more chibi-like look Sound: A playful soundtrack filled with indie artists beautifully contrasts the low-key sounds and narration of the characters Playability: The combat mechanics are obviously designed with controllers in mind, but exploring the surrounding area is easy Entertainment: The story pairs real human experience with comedic levity, offering depth to the game that should appeal to story lovers and roguelike fans Replay: High Click to Purchase

Predicting Every Elden Ring Boss Posted: 18 Aug 2021 02:00 PM PDT From Software titles feature some of the best bosses in gaming, putting the player against what seems impossible until they work out a solution. That can be upping stat points, calling in a friend (or making a new one!), or simply learning when to dodge, parry, or roll. If you're like me, it often involves lots of rolling. From Souls to Bloodborne to Sekiro, we can look at what bosses Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at From Software have come up with over the years to perfectly (and highly scientifically) predict exactly what bosses we'll see in their upcoming open-world take on the Souls formula. I can't wait for the wild ride next January. What can we expect to see? Warning: Potential spoilers from all From Software games ahead. One Hidden Ultimate Dragon Boss Early screens and footage indicate that the world of Elden Ring has multiple dragon opponents, possibly roaming the open world looking for a snack. However, From has a fairly interesting history with these giant winged monstrosities. Yes, we can almost certainly expect to see a dragon on a bridge somewhere, and it's going to breathe fire on the bridge and burn unexpecting travelers. That's a given. But historically, there's also a good possibility that a bigger, tougher dragon that could be missed is hidden behind a "takedown and discovery."  Kalameet and Midir were both handled this way, with interactions you had to complete in a non-boss scene to get them to head to their respective arenas. While we don't know if Elden Ring will have any DLC for sure right now, if this boss is coming, it may be located with the rest of the super huge optional and rowdy dragon titans of the past. If Midir is any indicator around where From is locating its current-gen Dragon Gods in the boss hierarchy, we can expect this boss to potentially be the hardest boss in any From software game to date. Sorry, Isshin.  Click here to watch embedded media The Terrible Twosome Ever since Ornstein and Smough (or the Maneaters before them), From has loved to make encounters more challenging by adding numbers to the equation. Dodging one boss is tough, but dodging more is much harder, especially with how persnickety the camera can be at times. Maybe one gargoyle isn't an issue. Maybe one Ruin Sentinel isn't that bad. Well, why not more? A battle that puts players against multiple gargoyles might happen here, though I'm guessing it will be more in theme with Elden Ring's runic world and be spirits that come to life one after another for that particular battle, similar to a mix of Four Kings and Belfry Gargoyles. On top of the "hey, let's spawn multiple targets and get 'em!" we can expect a battle made more difficult due to dealing with two or three opponents at the same time, perhaps interacting with each other in thematic ways like The Throne Watchers and Throne Defender or the aforementioned O & S.  The order in which they are beaten is likely to factor into their actions and moveset. This one might even be mixed with the next category for an encounter like The Twin Princes of Lothric or the Witch of Hemwick. The Fake Out From has absolutely loved the "hey, you think you won, but you didn't, here's the real fight." trope throughout the years, and it has never been better realized than The Gargantuan Ape in Sekiro. You can watch YouTube for thousands of reaction videos, but essentially I hope we only get one of these encounters in Elden Ring so that the impact stays hot. If you expect every boss to come back to life with new attacks and an electrifying soundtrack, it loses some of its surprise. While the Ape may hold the throne, Sister Friede is a better fight overall and keeps the player guessing through three entire boss battles rolled into one. We can count on one of these to happen, and probably with a badass that's pretty tough to take down even in the first phase.  Sword Curse Impaling Armor Remember the Penetrator? Maybe not. How about the Pursuer? Animated armor suits with a big sword that impale the player and then throw them for a lethal long-range grab are lots of fun. Early screens indicate that a one-armed valkyrie-type might be their successor in Elden Ring, complete with an attack that may curse or afflict the player if it doesn't instantly annihilate them. Get ready to scream as your hitbox registers a big connect with this one when you appear ten feet away and get thrown into a poison swamp. But at least this boss will probably be super freaking cool. What if they take the Pursuer theme to the next level here? Something half-baked in Dark Souls II was the fact that the Pursuer would sort of actually pursue the player. With an open world to work with, maybe this character actually hunts the player. That would be awesome and super intense if they could pull it off! Invisible Snow Scythe Woman From Crossbreed Priscilla to Sister Friede (the best boss in all of Souls), From loves to give some of the leading boss women massive freaking instruments of death. With Priscilla and Friede, the recurring "actions in the snow giving away the location of the enemy despite their invisibility" mechanics are also present. A scythe-wielding, somewhat invisible boss in the snowy mountain lands that you can see their footsteps, hear their movements, or witness the kicking up of snow to locate them before they slice you in twain is definitely going to happen here. The Final Boss: Player-Sized With A Dynamic Moveset If we look at final bosses, especially recent ones like Isshin, Gael, or even Gehrman/Orphan, they tend to be the size of the player. Massive beasts are a sure thing to take down, ones that we can roll left or into over and over and stick with pointy things. However, the really scary bosses are often the same size as the player and play by some special rules. The fight will probably start normally, with the boss having several telegraphed but deadly melee combos and high mobility. Once we get the health bar down to 75% or 50%, that's when all bets are off, and they'll begin using ranged weaponry on top of an enhanced phase one moveset. Gael's hyper fire handbow and Isshin's powerful pistol are likely to be echoed here in some fashion, though I doubt it will be the same type of weapon – perhaps a satchel of speedy daggers. Hell, poison daggers, let's really up the ante on this one. And then phase three, when they're at say 33% or so, will unlock hyperspeed and giant, unpredictable area-of-effect blasts. This is the phase where we're going to be gulping down all those consumables we save up over the course of the game. Interestingly enough, I think the difficulty of the final encounter hinges on whether or not there is a planned DLC. If there's going to be DLC, the final boss can traditionally be a very reasonable or toned-down encounter similar to Gwyn or the Soul of Cinder. If there's not going to be DLC, it will be an Isshin-tier villain. Am I actually saying we can predict whether or not there will be DLC based on the final boss difficulty? Yes. Yes, I am. The Gimmick Boss With Something In Their Arena That Kills Them Storm Ruler. Legends have told of this weapon for centuries. They say you need to charge it up, and then you can take down everything from massive flying stingrays to angry, huge giants. Count on a (somewhat) impossible boss that can be defeated by a conveniently located item glistening in the room. Maybe they'll throw a wrench in the gears this time and have it be a bit more byzantine to get to the special item, like maneuvering Micolash's maze in Bloodborne. Hopefully, From leans in here and uses the Storm Ruler again as the key item to keep the theme really going. Click here to watch embedded media The Legion With Only One Real Target Deacons of the Deep, the Royal Rat Vanguard, Celestial Emissary, the list for this category is long. Essentially, the player is faced with a ton of targets that probably all look very alike. The lesser units respawn if killed, forcing the player to focus on the critical target or lose a war of attrition, or perhaps balancing things out for a longer but less intense encounter. What shape this takes in Elden Ring is unknown, but the setting is rife with possibility, and this is a favorite From trope, so I expect to see it for sure in some form. Some variants on this encounter include Rom the Vacuous spider, where the big target is easily identifiable rather than blending into the pack but still featuring an endless supply of dangerous minions. The Shell Game Teleporting Mage The Fool's Idol. The Crystal Mage. Prepare to face a barrage of bolts or magical blades as you attempt to find the right target in a sea of clones. Maybe the "real one" has an identifiable attack or something in the arena that can help you identify it. Still, you'll probably have to use pillars or architecture as cover as you survive a hail of spells. Of course, after you find it, you only have a brief period to do damage before it teleports and spawns more clones to play the game again and again, so make those hits count while you can! The Really Freaking Big Thing That Rests On A Ledge This boss is so freaking big, you can't see all of their massive form most of the time, and they don't even fit on the screen! From the Old Iron King to High Lord Wolnir and even Midir's pre-boss stage, this boss will likely be bested by rapping their hands sternly as they place them down to peer intently at you before breathing something dangerous on you. Click here to watch embedded media The Tutorial Boss It all has to start somewhere, right? Before players can level up or advance, there's often something nasty in the way. This varies greatly between games, but often there's a sort of checkpoint boss or large enemy that has some variables to defeating. Sometimes, you're not really supposed to beat this boss on your first encounter. Other times, you need to beat it to proceed with the game. What flavor this takes in Elden Ring is unknown, but its existence is almost a sure thing. What boss archetypes are you predicting to see in Elden Ring? If comments are back working again, let us know there!

Cyberpunk 2077’s 1.3 Patch Address Myriad Of Issues And Adds Free Content Posted: 18 Aug 2021 01:22 PM PDT CD Projekt Red is still righting the ship that is Cyberpunk 2077, and its latest patch plugs up some more gameplay, performance, and stability leaks while also tossing in some free, albeit small, pieces of content. Patch 1.3, the follow-up to the substantial 1.2 update, is now live for all versions of the sandbox RPG and aims to make the wild ride across Night City a lot smoother.  Upon downloading the patch you'll be treated to three new pieces of content. First up is an alternative appearance for Johnny Silverhand, which you access in the settings tab under "Additional Content." You also get the Rare/Iconic quality multilayered syn-leather Deltajock and Luminescent Punk jackets. After completing the mission "The Ride" and receiving Viktor's message, you can find these jackets in V's apartment stash. Lastly, you gain access to the Archer Quartz "Bandit" vehicle, which you can either buy or earn as a reward depending on your choices after finishing up the "Ghost Town" job and getting a message from either Dakota or Rogue.  In terms of improvements, some notable changes include: Improved the minimap's zoom level when driving, so that it's more zoomed out and easier to navigate Added a button that allows reallocating the distribution of Perk points on a character's skill tree Fixers will now message V to offer a car for purchase less often Added a filter for quest items in the Backpack It's now possible to upgrade crafting components in bulk Added a comparison tooltip for cyberware That's just the tip of the iceberg, so I encourage players to read the full list of patch notes for the complete breakdown of fixes/updates made to specific quests, overall balancing, the presentation/UI, and more.  Cyberpunk 2077 launched in a pretty poor state last December, with the PC version proving to be the most stable build while the game was largely a mess on last-gen consoles. The title only recently returned to sale on the PlayStation Store after Sony pulled it last year due to quality concerns. CD Projekt Red has been through the wringer over the last nine months or so, dealing with internal workplace disputes, class-action lawsuits, and even falling victim to a major cyberattack. Things seem to have somewhat settled down (for now), so hopefully, the team can continue to focus on shining up Cyberpunk as much as possible while also preparing the native PS5/Xbox Series X versions. If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Hisuian Sightseeing – Breaking Down The New Pokémon Legends Arceus Trailer Posted: 18 Aug 2021 01:00 PM PDT Publisher: The Pokémon Company Developer: Game Freak Release: January 28, 2022 Platform: Switch After months of lacking new information on Game Freak's upcoming Pokemon title, we finally got a fresh look at Pokemon Legends Arceus! From new locations to new Pokemon, ways to get around, new battle strategies, and more, here's a breakdown of what we learned from today's trailer: Smoother Pokémon Animation! The trailer begins with a shot of Bidoof and Starly wandering on a hill, and while this screenshot doesn't convey it, these Pokemon are moving at a much higher framerate than in the announcement trailer. It's a huge improvement technical improvement right out of the gate!  Beaches and Buizels We caught a glimpse of this bay in the previous trailer, but the family of Buizel and Floatzel is new. There's also a disconnected archway, a distant bluff, and islands sitting in the background waiting to be explored. The clouds peppering the sky give texture to the scene as the sky fades into a potential storm on the horizon.  Snowy Peaks and Crouchy Sneaks Our first glimpse of a snow-covered portion of Hisui begins with a trainer creeping behind some Swinub and Piloswine, two stalwart ice Pokémon in their natural habitat. Due to its original positioning on the Diamond and Pearl map, this winter wonderland is possibly at the North end of the island, though we don't know how Sinnoh's climate has changed over the years.  We also get a look at fan-favorite Gardevoir and a pair of Raltz taking a stroll near an icy river. From the looks of things in the trailer, evolved Their pre-evolutions may often accompany pokemon. Time Of Day And Weather Affect Which Pokémon You'll Find Clefairy is said to have come from the moon, so it's quite an apt scene to have them basking in the moonlight. Pokémon Legends Arceus will feature day and night cycles, as well as different weather conditions as you roam the lands of Hisui. Depending on what time of day or the weather is like will determine which Pokémon will appear in an area. Places like the beach may see different herds of Pokémon like Shellos and Gastrodon rolling though when the weather turns to rain like in the shot above. New Pokémon Are Introduced The Land of Hisui may one day become the Sinnoh region, but in the bygone years, there existed Pokémon we have not yet been familiar with. Above is the first new addition to the Pokédex: the majestic Normal/Psychic Pokémon named Wyrdeer, an evolution to Stantler.  Next, we met Hisuian Growlithe, a Rock/Fire variation of the best pupper from Kanto. The hairmut on its head is made of a fragile stone that can break in battle. Needless to say, we are very excited to see what Hisuin Arcanine looks like, as it wasn't present here. Joining Growlithe with a new Hisuian form is Hisuian Braviary, a Flying/Psychic-type. Its first appearance in the trailer is after catching a trainer leaping off a mountain, where together they soar away. This Pokémon can be used to fly through the skies of Hisui, making travel from place to place a breeze.  Our final new Pokémon revealed is an evolution to Basculin, which becomes the Water/Ghost Basculegion. Keeping with the tradition of strangely dark Pokémon stories, this fish is filled with the souls of other Basculin who couldn't survive the trek upstream and uses these spirits in battle. Like Hisuin Braviary and Wyrdeer, Basculegion can be ridden by trainers.   A Look At The UI Throughout the trailer, we can see the user interface displayed in the bottom corners of the screen. On the left, there are three icons: one that looks like a cell phone – odd for a game set in the distant past – which can be accessed by pressing the minus button, an item menu set to up on the d-pad, and down will get you to a journal (possibly your Pokédex).  The interface on the right corner is where you cycle through which Pokéball to throw at wild monsters or which Pokémon you have on hand to initiate battles. In this photo above, the trainer is choosing to fight the Hisuian Growlithe with a Vulpix. The other Pokémon in the party are Bidoof and Starly. It's a big change from previous Pokémon games but should give the player a more immersive catching and battling experience. A Mysterious Rift And Rage-induced Pokémon During the trailer, a void is ripped in the sky where bolts of violent energy emerge and strike the ground below. Following the event, we're shown wild Pokémon with glowing red eyes, an obvious sign not to confront them unless you're absolutely prepared. We get shots of Ursaring, Luxray, Gyarados, and Probopass, sometimes tied up in a battle with the player's Pokémon, but mostly chasing and attacking the trainers themselves. This is the first time in the series where trainers are physically participating in battles. Though the characters in the trailer are only shown using items or tossing Pokéballs, the crimson-eyes monsters can make contact and damage the player in some way. When the Luxray above connects with the trainer, the screen darkens around the edges of the screen. We're looking forward to finding out more about these special Pokémon and what is causing them to be enraged. It's Not All Wilderness Despite the focus on the open wilderness of Hisui, there are also towns to explore. Here we see the main drag leading to a large building emblazoned with the symbol of Galaxy Team, an organization you're working for to complete the first Hisui Pokédex. Looks and sounds pretty similar to Diamond and Pearl's Team Galactic... Also in the towns are smaller buildings like this hairstylist. Game Freak hasn't tipped its hand quite yet on what kind of customization features this game will have, but my money is on this business being the place to go to switch up your style.  Out in the world, players can find camps where they can presumably rest up their team and access items or other Pokémon.  Big Changes To Battles Pokémon battles, as you know them, have changed, and we get a quick look at one of those changes in the form of Strong and Agile Style moves. During combat, when selecting which attack a Pokémon will use that turn, you sometimes choose to make it Strong Style or Agile Style. Choosing Strong Style will increase the damage of the attack at the cost of speed.  Inversely, Agile Style with up the speed of attacks while reducing the strength at which they hit. Adding to the transparency of battles is a list on the right side of the screen displaying the Action Order. As seen above, choosing Strong or Agile attacks will update the now visible Action Order and allow the player to plan out their future turns. Characters And Your Starters Because the land of Hisui is the past version of the Sinnoh region, you may see some familiar-looking faces on your adventures. Standing out the most is the ancestor to Diamond and Pearl's Professor Rowan, Commander Komado. This purple-hatted fella is Professor Laventon, a member of Galaxy Team's Servey Corps. He's the one looking to create a complete Pokédex for the region. And this is Captain Cyllene, a strict leader of the Survey Corps. We'll learn more about these characters as we venture through the story of Legends. From the fine folks at Galaxy Team, you'll be given the choice of which Pokémon to take on your adventures. Mixing up the options from the typical Sinnoh starters, you have Oshawott, Cyndaquil, and Rowlet to choose from. A great combination of Pokémon from throughout the generations!  And those are the big beats from the new look at Pokémon Legends Arceus. You can watch the full trailer right here to see everything in motion. We're just a few short months away from when it releases for Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022. What else are you waiting to see in this game? Are there features, Pokémon, or characters you'd like to see profiled on the lead up to release? Please let us know in the comments, on social media, or in our new Discord!  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Rainbow Six Siege Adds New Resident Evil Skin Where Players Can Transform Into Leon Kennedy Posted: 18 Aug 2021 12:09 PM PDT Click to watch embedded media Rainbow Six Siege is no stranger to bringing some interesting crossovers into the game with unique skins. My favorite to this day is probably the Pickle Rick mashup, but for fans of Capcom's Resident Evil series, the latest skin tribute might be right up your alley. Leon Kennedy, a prominent character in the horror franchise, is crashing the world of operators as a new skin for Lion mains, following in the footsteps of another mainstay character earlier this year.  Joining the Resident Evil fun with the latest crossover is Leon and his cosmetic pack comes with unique headgear, Leon's uniform, weapon skins, and more for the operator Lion. The face itself appears more Lion than Leon, but the uniform is spot-on. Lion also got a little bit of a makeover, getting more of a Leon-esque hairstyle to go along with his sweet new digs:  Looks like we got a rookie joining the team! The "Leon S. Kennedy" Lion Elite Skin is available now in Rainbow Six Siege. Get it today and showoff your EE-ONE-D skills in your new Leon S. Kennedy uniform, headgear, weapon skin and more! pic.twitter.com/NuXwW8m0Np — Rainbow Six Siege (@Rainbow6Game) August 17, 2021 Called the Lion Elite Set, the newest skin pack comes with a stylized new Victory animation, the iconic Leon Kennedy outfit, a special new charm, LFP86, 417, V308, P9, and SG-CQB weapon skins, and a new Drone gadget skin.  Prior to Leon's arrival, Jill Valentine joined the party as a new skin for Zofia back in March and it looks like even more tributes could be on the way. For now, we've got Leon to enjoy if that's your fancy.  In other Rainbox Six Siege news, Ubisoft announced another new operator coming to the game, one that comes equipped with bulletproof shields and the power to reshape maps. Osa is a Croatian attacker that is known for being a bit of an engineering mastermind and brings yet another strategic layer to the R6 meta. For those that are interested, she is also the first trans character for the competitive shooter. To learn more, you can check her out in all of her tech-loving glory right here.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

2022 Video Game Release Schedule Posted: 18 Aug 2021 12:00 PM PDT If you're wondering what games are coming up in 2022, we've put them all in one convenient location. This list will be continually updated to act as a living, breathing schedule as new dates are announced, titles are delayed, and big reveals happen. This should help you plan out your next several months in gaming and beyond. As the gaming calendar is constantly changing, we highly recommend you bookmark this page. You'll likely find yourself coming back to this to find out the most recent release schedule for the most anticipated games across PC, consoles, handhelds, and mobile devices. If you notice that we've missed something, feel free to let us know! Please note that games will not get assigned to a month until they have confirmed release dates. Elden Ring January Elden Ring (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – January 21 Pokémon Legends Arceus (Switch) – January 28 Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous March Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) – March 1 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl April S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl (Xbox Series X/S, PC) – April 28 Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown September Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 22 Starfield November Starfield (Xbox Series X/S, PC) – November 11 Horizon Forbidden West To Be Announced A Plague Tale: Requiem (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) Arcadegeddon (PlayStation 5, PC) Astroneer (Switch) Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, PC) Blood Bowl 3 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (Switch, PC) Company of Heroes 3 (PC) Crossfire: Legion (PC) Cyber Knights: Flashpoint (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android) Demon Throttle (Switch) Destiny 2: Lightfall Diablo Immortal (iOS, Android) Dolmen (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) EA Sports PGA Tour Earthlock 2 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) Evil Dead: The Game (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Far: Changing Tides (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis (iOS, Android) Forspoken (PlayStation 5, PC) GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon (Switch, PC) GhostWire: Tokyo (PlayStation 5, PC) God of War (2022) (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4) Goodbye Volcano High (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC) Gotham Knights (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Gran Turismo 7 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4) Grid Legends (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Hogwarts Legacy (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Horizon Forbidden West (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4) I Am Jesus Christ (PC) Instinction (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC) Kerbal Space Program 2 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Lab Rat (Xbox Series X/S, PC) Life is Strange Remastered Collection (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) LumbearJack (Switch, PC) Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (Switch) Metal Slug Tactics (Switch, PC) Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC) Phantom Abyss (PC) Planet of Lana (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time Remake (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Project Triangle Strategy (Switch) Rainbow Six Extraction (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Read Only Memories: Neurodiver (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Redfall (Xbox Series X/S, PC) Replaced (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) Rogue Lords (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch) Rune Factory 5 (Switch) Salt and Sacrifice (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4) Scars Above (PC) Sea Of Stars (PC) Sifu (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC) Skull & Bones (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Slime Rancher 2 (Xbox Series X/S) Somerville Splatoon 3 (Switch) Stranger Of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Stray (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC) Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) The Callisto Protocol The Chant (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) The Invincible (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) The King of Fighters XV (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PC) The Last Oricuru (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel (Switch) The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Trek to Yomi (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) Two Point Campus (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Untitled 2022 Sonic Game Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) Voidtrain (PC) Volcanoids (PC) Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (Xbox Series X/S, PC) Wizard With a Gun (Switch, PC) « 2021 Video Game Release Schedule

Goodbye Volcano High Pushed To 2022 Posted: 18 Aug 2021 09:56 AM PDT Goodbye Volcano High was one of the most eye-catching console exclusives from the PlayStation 5's reveal presentation. The coming-of-age story centers on high school teenagers dealing with the pressures of advancing to the next stage of their lives. They also happen to be strange, dinosaur-esque creatures. We still don't know a ton about it, and that might remain the case for a bit longer because the intriguing narrative title has been delayed to 2022. Developer KO-OP tweeted a message announcing the delay, explaining that pandemic-related challenges and the fact that the game's story has been rebooted are the two primary factors for the change in release timing. The team also states that they want to avoid crunching to get Goodbye Volcano High out the door sooner. You can read the team's message below. Goodbye Volcano High stars Fang, a student and musician coming to terms with their final year of school and all of the changes that lie ahead. They're joined by their best friend and bandmate, Trish, and other colorful characters in a story about coping with the end of an era and figuring themselves out before it's over.  Check out the reveal trailer if this is your first time learning about the game.  Click here to watch embedded media The game never had a concrete release window beyond "2021", so the setback probably won't sting as much as some of the other delays to occur this year. You also have to respect that the team is willing to overhaul its storytelling to ensure quality while also not overworking its employees to do so. We can't wait to eventually see more of Goodbye Volcano High when it launches for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

El Shaddai Gets PC Launch Date And Bonus Goodies Posted: 18 Aug 2021 09:30 AM PDT Earlier this year, we found out that 2011 cult-favorite El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is heading to PC. After a couple of false alarms regarding its release date, we know that the game comes to Steam on September 2.  A new trailer also revealed pricing as well as extra goodies such as additional story content and more.  If you missed El Shaddai during its launch, the beautiful and bizarre game is best described as a third-person action platformer with a wacky story inspired by the apocryphal Book of Enoch. You play as the book's namesake, Enoch, and you're searching for seven angels to prevent a catastrophic flood. The game was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 but was never ported to PC (or anywhere else, for that matter). That's been unfortunate because while it's a weird game, it's also quite good, which makes its move to Steam exciting for both fans and curious newcomers.  Click here to watch embedded media The Steam version will include a post-game digital novel called Lucifer's Fall. Publisher Crim is also releasing a digital artbook with over 90 pages of illustrations and a 61-song soundtrack. El Shaddai's standard version will cost you $39.99, though the game will be discounted to $32.39 during the first two weeks of sale. You can also grab the art book for $13.99 and the soundtrack for $24.99. If you'd rather have everything in one package, a $78.97 Deluxe Pack includes the game, art book, and soundtrack and will also be discounted to $39.25 in the first couple of weeks.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Twelve Minutes Review – Stuck In Hell Posted: 18 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT Click to watch embedded media Publisher: Annapurna Interactive Developer: Luis Antonio Release: August 19, 2021 Rating: Mature Reviewed on: PC Also on: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One Getting stuck in a narrative time loop game is a unique sort of hell. On the one hand, being stuck creates a connection between mechanics, story, and player engagement rarely possible in video games; like your protagonist, you're trapped, both caught in a never-ending cycle you are unable to break. On the other hand, the experience can be frustrating when you want nothing more than some shred of progress. So goes Twelve Minutes, a fascinating game that unravels its story 12 minutes at a time. The beginning of Twelve Minutes is immediately captivating. Arriving home to your small apartment, your wife has made your favorite dessert. It's a special night because, as you sit down to eat, she reveals she's pregnant. You're going to be a father. But then comes a knock at the door. A man claiming to be a police officer accuses your wife of murdering her father eight years ago. He says he's looking for a pocket watch belonging to her father. She insists she didn't do it, but the cop wrestles both of you to the ground. In an act of utter police brutality, he begins choking you, but at the moment of death, you wake up at your front door just a few minutes earlier. The evening continues to repeat itself. What do you do next? Twelve Minutes is a point-and-click adventure game, and so you point and click your way around the three-room apartment, trying to convince your wife of the time loop, stop the police officer from killing you, and unravel the mystery at your front door. Solid writing and great performances by James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe carry the game for its roughly six-hour runtime. Dafoe, in particular, plays an excellent and scary villain who's both deadly and aggressive, amplifying your sense of urgency through each loop. Click here to watch embedded media Progress comes down to memorization and experimentation. Memorization works better in the long run. If you can remember the location of each key item in the apartment and the core questions that need answering, you can make solid progress through each run, discovering new revelations as you get better at the puzzle. However, mechanically, the game never goes quite as far as I wanted. My hair-brained schemes and experiments – such as trying to pour a glass of water on the hardwood floor inside the front door to trip the cop – were not recognized by the game. There are very exact solutions to each puzzle, such as show this photograph to this character, and only then can you unlock the dialogue tree you need. The game expects you to figure out these solutions exactly as it wants you to, which can feel limiting when you want to experiment with the environment. In and of itself, this isn't a bad thing, but when you get stuck, you feel trapped in your own time loop. Each run through the game lasts just over 10 minutes, which feels like a harsh time restriction when you can't decipher your next move. The time limit can be frustrating, and each cycle's repeating dialogue becomes very grating. At one point, I spent over an hour repeatedly going through the loop, trying desperately to find the one thing I missed. Every time I tried to be creative with the game, nothing I did gave me any progress. The whole process was infuriating. Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                              The flip side of this experience is that once I found a solution – almost always through experimenting the way the game wants you to, not the other way around – the payoffs were satisfying. At the root of Twelve Minutes is the question: Can you ever really know someone? No matter how close you are, do you know everything there is to know about a person and their past? It's not the most unique story in the world, but by the time I reached the game's finale, I was hooked. When I saw the last shocking and grotesque twist, I felt like the game had earned its narrative payoffs – despite a few plot holes, such as one character's odd gaps in memory. I'm still not sure where I land on the final revelation, but I commend creator Luis Antonio for genuinely going for it and pulling no punches. I think the ending could potentially rub some players the wrong way, so if you can find necessary trigger warnings without spoiling yourself on the story, it's a good idea.   Twelve Minutes is ambitious, both in its narrative and gameplay. It restricts players to its brutal rules, and its tragedies truly horrified me. And while its gameplay never let me experiment as much as I wanted it to – I still wish my cup of water plan had worked – I can't stop thinking about the experience. I don't want to be trapped in the game's time loop any longer, but the entire adventure will stick with me. Twelve Minutes is a case study on a game thinking outside the box, playing by its own rules, and it's a worthwhile experience for that alone. Score: 8 Summary: Twelve Minutes is a captivating, horrifying journey that left us hooked despite some frustrations. Concept: Fight your way through a time loop, trying to figure out why a man is at your apartment accusing your wife of murder Graphics: The top-down perspective and one-apartment setting gives the game a live-stage feel that amplifies the story Sound: Great performances by Willem Dafoe, Daisy Ridley, and James McAvoy sell the story's stakes Playability: Pointing and clicking around your apartment makes up the majority of Twelve Minutes. It's fun mixing and matching different items to find new results Entertainment: Twelve Minutes sinks its claws in from the get-go and doesn't let go until the final, brutal revelation Replay: Moderate Click to Purchase

Does Fortnite's New Imposter Mode Take Among Us 'Inspiration' Too Far? Posted: 18 Aug 2021 08:09 AM PDT Epic Games revealed a new temporary mode for Fortnite, a whodunnit experience that is drawing a lot of attention for the wrong reasons. In many instances, the gaming community will liken an experience like this to Among Us due to the indie game's rocket into popularity over the past year. But does Fortnite's new mode, called Imposter, have one too many similarities to be a coincidence? It seems that way, and the folks behind Among Us feel the same.  Fortnite has been party to numerous crossovers in the past, usually as a collaborative experience between Epic Games and another company. However, InnerSloth was not included in the conversation about Fortnite's Imposter mode, which — by the way — is what the murderer in Among Us is called. When the new mode was announced, the Among Us comparisons immediately began, but it wasn't until I dove in deeper that I realized this was more than simple inspiration; it really is an unofficial crossover. The problem with it being unofficial is that InnerSloth, which is a small indie team, in no way benefits from the new Fortnite mode, whereas Epic Games has everything to gain. At least they did until the Among Us team started to speak out.  Victoria Chan is the community director for the Among Us game, and she took to Twitter to share her disappointment with the new Imposter mode. "It would have been really, really cool to collab here, haha," she said in a Tweet. "Just sad indie hours rn." She added, "Like game mechanics fine, those shouldn't be gatekept, but at the very least, even different themes or terminology makes things more interesting?"  It's okay tho they flipped electrical and medbay and connected security to the cafeteria. pic.twitter.com/XXVsJPpiXn — Gary Porter (@supergarydeluxe) August 17, 2021 Among Us Unity programmer Gary Porter added to the conversation with a direct comparison to the map in Fortnite's Imposter mode and the Skeld map in the indie game. The two share extreme similarities, as seen above. "I haven't been tweeting much recently because I've been working so hard on upcoming content for Among Us," he shared in the thread. "So it feels weird to be compelled to tweet again because of stuff like [Fortnite]." He added, "It's okay, though. They flipped electrical and medbay and connected security to the cafeteria. I wasn't even around for the development of Skeld, and I'm still kind of offended."  Marcus "Puff" Bromander, the Co-founder of InnerSloth, added to the conversation saying that they didn't patent Among Us mechanics because "I don't think that leads to a healthy game industry" but that it's not that hard to put your own spin on something if inspired by another game. "At the end of the day, I'm just gonna keep making the games I wanna make. Everything else is just noise."  This isn't the first time Fortnite has come under fire for being a little too "inspired" by other content, including lawsuits centering around emotes that took from popular pop culture references. With the name of the new mode itself being Imposter, the similarities between the two maps, and the entire way the Imposter Mode was presented to the public, it's hard to deny that it all points towards Epic Games making a critical misstep when being "inspired" by other properties. Indie studios have enough barriers to cross, from funding to resource support, so when a mega-giant like Epic Games makes a move like this, it's difficult and harmful to the studio and other indie teams out there.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

New Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Nintendo Switch Lite Console Revealed Posted: 18 Aug 2021 07:20 AM PDT During today's Pokémon Presents showcase, we got a deep dive into the new and revamped features coming to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, including character customization and Pokémon hideaways. But that's not all that long-time Diamond, and Pearl fans should be excited for. The chief operating officer of The Pokémon Company, Takato Utsunomiya, also announced and revealed the Dialga and Palkia Editions of the Switch Lite.  Embellished with artwork of the two legendary Pokémon, the special Switch Lite is reminiscent of the Nintendo DS Lite Onyx Dialga and Palkia Editions released in 2006. The Switch Lite copies release on Friday, November 5, just a couple of weeks before the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl games launch worldwide. Now, you can travel the lava-infested canyons, sandy seaports, and teeming grasslands of Sinnoh in style. You can get a better idea of what the console will look like in the photo below. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes of the original Diamond and Pearl games launched in the West in 2007. While a few new updates are bound to make the fourth-generation games feel more contemporary, that classic Pokémon feel will still be on display. John Carson put it best: "Visually, both games are getting a graphical facelift. Walking around the routes and towns in Sinnoh isn't going to look like Pokémon Sword and Shield, instead of 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." With Pokémon Legends Arceus slated for an early 2022 release, pocket monster fans have a lot to look forward to. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be available for Switch on November 19. If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Trailer Shows Off New Gameplay Features Posted: 18 Aug 2021 06:57 AM PDT Today's Pokémon Presents presentation put a big spotlight on Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the enhanced remakes of the fourth generation games coming to Switch. Whether you're exploring the Sinnoh region for the first time or you know it like the back of your hand, a bevy of new features aims to make the adventure deeper than ever. The Grand Underground is a unique area chock full of special activities. You can dig up fossils and create secret bases that you can decorate by placing various Pokémon statues. There are also Pokémon hideaways, new areas that feature Pokémon roaming freely, and the monsters you encounter change depending on which statues you place in your underground HQ. Some Pokémon can only be found in the hideaway, meaning you'll want to visit it frequently if you plan on completing your Pokedex. Click here to watch embedded media Capsule decoration allows you to place stickers on Pokéballs, adding a special effect when Pokémon are summoned, such as confetti. You can also change up your character's appearance by donning fashionable outfits.  Want to see your Pokémon bust a groove? Super Contest Shows are rhythm mini-games where Pokémon must dance to the beat for a live audience. Finally, the Union Room is where you'll head to battle and trade with other players in online multiplayer.  Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl launch November 19 for Switch. There's also a Dialga and Palkia-themed Switch Lite launching on November 5.  If you missed today's presentation, be sure to also check out the new trailer for Pokémon Legends: Arceus.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Will Offer Character Customization Posted: 18 Aug 2021 06:53 AM PDT The August 2021 Pokémon Presents showcase offered up trainers a new look at what Legends Arceus will have to offer, including a revamped combat system and some new forms! What was also revealed is the confirmation about a highly requested feature for the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl games, as well. That's right; both Pokémon remakes will have character customization.  While fans were excited about Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl when they were first announced, the community immediately asked about what sort of options we would have for our trainers. Our latest look at the upcoming games confirms that we will be able to play around with how our characters look, allowing fans to easily see themselves in the world of pocket monsters.  Both Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will bring trainers back to Sinnoh, where they will meet up with Professor Rowan to battle it out against Team Galactic. Explore the Grand Underground with its return while also participating in Super Contests while bumping elbows with fellow trainers in the Union Room. All while looking super spiffy, of course. Check out the latest gameplay trailer below:  Click here to watch embedded media The upcoming remakes aim to find the balance between staying faithful to the original adventures we loved while also bringing in new elements to enjoy. With updated visuals and changes seen in the basic movement within the game, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are shaping up to be a phenomenal reason to cave into that nostalgia.  The remake goodness begins when both Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl arrive on November 19, 2021.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Pokémon Unite Coming to Mobile This September With Sylveon and Mamoswine Joining The Battle Posted: 18 Aug 2021 06:48 AM PDT Today's Pokémon Presents kicked off with some updates on the pseudo-MOBA Pokémon Unite. Not only did we get a glimpse at a couple of new playable Pokémon, but a release date was announced for the iOS and Android versions, as well as some extras on all platforms. Starting with the new characters, two new Pokémon will be joining the roster sometime soon. Shown off today were the Twin Tusk Pokémon Mamoswine and Fairy Eeveelution Sylveon. No dates were given for either character's release, and more disappointingly, we didn't see hide nor hair of when Blastoise is set to hit the game. Pokémon Unite is coming to mobile devices on September 22 for both iOS and Android. All three platforms will be able to play with one another through crossplay. Those who have collected the Unite License for Zeraora as a Switch launch bonus can carry the Pokémon over to the mobile games. Also announced alongside the mobile release date is an incentive program for the number of people who preregister for the mobile versions. If 2.5 million people preregister Pokémon Unite, players can collect the Unite License for Pikachu, and if that number reaches 5 million, you can collect the "Special Festival Style" Pikachu Holowear. These bonuses will also carry across all versions of the game. With the recent releases of Gardevoir and Blissey hitting the game today, it's heartening to know Pokémon Unite is keeping up a brisk pace of updates after its seemingly successful launch. Let us know if you're looking forward to playing Pokémon Unite on mobile or which new characters you'd like to see enter the arena. If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Strange Discs Will Appear In Pokémon Go's Skies Soon, More Galar Region On The Way Posted: 18 Aug 2021 06:44 AM PDT Click to watch embedded media During today's Pokémon Presents livestream, Niantic revealed exactly what players can expect from Pokémon Go's Ultra Unlock: Part 3 event. Running from August 20 to August 31, trainers will be able to catch Wooloo, Greedent, Dubwool, Skwovet, and Falinks – Pokémon that debuted in the Sword and Shield games and are a part of the Galar region. Trainers will also have the chance to battle two Sword and Shield favorites in five-star raids. From August 20 to August 26, Zacian will appear in these battles, and will be replaced by Zamazenta from August 26 to September 1. The appearances of these Pokémon are tied to mysterious discs appearing in the sky and are likely a part of a new research task. Niantic teased these rings are also tied to the arrival of Hoopa, a mythical Pokémon from the Kalos region who just happens to be featured on Pokémon Go's loading screen at the moment. Pokémon Go started out moving through the Pokémon handheld games chronologically, but in recent years has moved away from that approach, and is now peppering in different generations liberally. Trainers have already caught five Pokémon from the Galar region, but they are all evolutions of pre-existing critters. That list includes Obstagoon, Perrserker, Sirfetch'd, Mr. Rime, and Runerigus. The newest Galar additions are not tied to any other Pokémon and should be a nice addition to this long-running and still wildly popular game. If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

New Pokémon Legends Arceus Gameplay Revealed Showing New Growlithe Form And Revamped Combat Posted: 18 Aug 2021 06:34 AM PDT The August 2021 Pokémon Presents showcases showed a few new details about the open-world Pokémon Legends Arceus adventure, a storyline with a Feudal spin, and the freedom to explore. With RPG elements woven into the story, the next step of the Pokemon franchise aims to bring a little more adventure back into trainers' lives.  The latest look at gameplay for Pokémon Legends Arceus shows off the various pocket monsters we will encounter, including an adorable first look at the new Growlithe. The visuals are stunning, but the trailer explored the different styles of enemies, fully equipped with menacing red eyes and upped stats to make the challenge of the hunt even harder.  The battle system has also seen major changes, including the strong and agile styles for Rhydon and Crobat. Changes to the battle system have been a huge talking point in the Pokémon community for a long time now, so to see the many changes reflected in Pokémon Legends Arceus is a welcome surprise. Pair that with the element of stealth, and we've got an exciting new adventure ahead.  Click here to watch embedded media One of the most interesting features of the new game is that trainers aren't just in the "gotta catch 'em all" mindset, now players can ride their Pokémon to ride, fly on, or run with. It's an entirely different way to interact with the pocket monsters that we've come to know and love through the years while giving fans even more freedom to roam to their heart's content.  The Feudal Japan stylization of Pokémon Legends Arceus is a nice touch, giving that open-world exploration even more of a beautiful edge when becoming the very best. Going back in time with the franchise is a nice pivot, especially when looking at the recent years for this series. Based on the most recent trailer, Legends Arceus looks like it could be an incredibly peaceful adventure for those looking to explore while still providing familiar gameplay that fans know and love.  Pokémon Legends Arceus arrives on Nintendo Switch this January 28, 2022.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

Dying Light 2 Showcase Confirmed For Gamescom 2021 And Will Focus On Parkour, Combat, And More Posted: 18 Aug 2021 05:57 AM PDT Techland went a mighty long stretch in between news when it came to Dying Light 2, but when the studio opened those floodgates, they opened them up all the way. Once the silence was broken, the inside looks at the upcoming sequel have been coming in a steady stream, and that includes the latest Dying Light 2 developer update with Dying 2 Know episode three. For those interested, here's how you can watch and what's expected to drop.  The latest look at Dying Light 2 Stay Human drops on August 24, at 11 a.m. Pacific. We here at Game Informer will be doing another watch-along, just like we did for the first episode. If you're interested in chatting with us while we check out what's new together, feel free to mosey on over to our Twitch page here during that time! The showcase will be specifically tailored to Gamescom and will even include a few community spotlights like sharing cosplay.  Led by lead game designer Tymon Smektala, the third episode of the Dying 2 Know series will focus heavily on the vital aspect of parkour, which we've seen plenty of since the full reveal. With a ton of freedom for players, the team will dive even deeper into the verticality of Dying Light 2 Stay Human.  We'll also be learning more about the power of Aiden, including how he himself is a weapon beyond the usual gun. But that doesn't mean we aren't talking about guns too! The showcase will discuss some of the inspirations behind the title's weaponry and going even deeper into what it means to live knowing you're already infected.  We've been learning so much about Dying Light 2 Stay Human lately, including how heavily decisions can impact the game - including multiplayer - and how much larger this world truly is when compared to the first entry. To catch up on any news you may have missed, we have this swanky game hub for you to enjoy that includes all of the latest and greatest in Dying Light 2 Stay Human.  If comments are still showing as disabled, a site update is happening on our side that has caused a temporary takedown. We hope to have them back up and running soon so our community can go back to sharing their thoughts with us about everything gaming-related!

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