Game Informer

Game Informer

Watch 18 Minutes Of Gameplay Of The Souls-Inspired Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 04:25 PM PDT

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a new action RPG from Chinese independent developer Leenzee Games and F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch publisher Bilibili. The game draws heavy inspiration from FromSoftware titles like Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and tasks you with rescuing a country suffering from societal upheaval and a supernatural disease. 

The game takes place during the final years of China's Ming Dynasty where Emperor Chongzhen has hanged himself. The power vacuum his death creates gives rise to bloody conflicts across the country as armies and other forces clash for control, leaving villages helpless to pillaging and wanton chaos. If that's not bad enough, a mysterious and incurable disease known as "feathering" is causing people to grow feathers. Not only does this physically deform those afflicted, but it causes their minds break in unpredictable, often violent ways. 

You control a mysterious female warrior wielding a sword that's almost as tall as she is. She's also equipped with a side pistol (ala Bloodborne) and can equip another weapon such as a heavy ax. Sekiro fans will likely notice design similarities to Sekiro, from its checkpoints to its menu layout, though Wuchang's combat doesn't appear quite as fast-paced. You'll cut down foes ranging from human soldiers to supernatural threats steeped in various Chinese mythologies from ancient cultures such as those of Shu civilization sites Sanxingdui and Jinsha. Leenzee released 18 minutes of alpha gameplay footage, and while the game still looks a little rough around the edges, it provides a nice proof of concept. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has no release window but Leenzee states it's intended to release for PC and current-gen consoles.

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What do you think of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and how it borrows from FromSoftware? Share your impressions in the comments.

Lady Dimitrescu Needs To Be Added To Monster Hunter

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 03:45 PM PDT

Monster Hunter has been a nexus for crossover content from Capcom franchises to surprise collaborations with properties like The Witcher. Today we got confirmation of an incredible new Palamute layered armor that transforms your ridable hunting pup into Mega Man's robotic dog companion. With at least one Capcom collab set for release this fall, I wanted to touch on some characters, weapons, or armor I'd like to see added into Monster Hunter Rise. Beware of spoilers for Resident Evil Village below!

While Monster Hunter World had a few guest monsters to hunt, we haven't seen creatures from outside the series added to Rise yet. However, I think this next Capcom addition could be the perfect time to introduce an exciting new creature to hunt. One that's very different from those we've fought before. When it comes to imposing monsters, Lady Dimitrescu has many of the Capcom bosses kneeling at her feet. Standing at 9'6" tall, she'll tower over any hunters in the field, though a little exaggeration in her height for effect wouldn't hurt.

Her inclusion as a hunting target would introduce a unique gimmick: a humanoid monster. Very few beasts in Monster Hunter get close to the shape of a human, let alone a towering aristocrat. In this form, Lady D can use her sword-like claws to attack and have swarms of insects attack the hunting party. Though this is just one form of Lady D, she can transform into a mutated dragon-like body, much more akin to the Wyverns we're used to taking on in Monster Hunter. If you haven't seen it, it's like Capcom somehow made a more disturbing version of Khezu.

Imagine a multi-phased encounter that begins with Lady Dimitrescu stalking you around the map, taking death-dealing swipes at the hunters in your party. She then brings out her trio of daughters for help before taking her final, disgusting dragon shape for the final act of the fight. Using Parts from the monstrous dragon body could be used to build classic Resident Evil costumes, or even a layered armor set featuring Lady D's white dress and elaborate hat.

But that's just one possible Capcom collaboration I'd like to see, even if it is rather large in both height and scope. Which Capcom characters or costumes would you like to see come to Monster Hunter Rise? Do you like my phased Lady Dimitrescu battle scenario? Let your voice be heard in the comments!

Mega Man's Rush Springs Into Monster Hunter Rise Next Week

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 02:00 PM PDT

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Capcom continues to collaborate within its internal brands, bringing another skin to Monster Hunter Rise. This time Mega Man 11 is the crossover title, offering a new Palamute layered armor featuring Rush. This robotic dog might be my favorite outside addition to the game yet! Check out Rush in action in the trailer below.

Monster Hunter's dev team isn't just slapping skins on characters and calling it a day. Putting the Rush armor on your Palamute transforms it into Mega Man's canine companion, complete with the special moves for which he's famous. Sprinting while riding on a Rush Palamute makes the dog levitate, turning his hind legs into rocket-propelled engines. Likewise, jumping off from him enables a spring animation, just like if Rush were helping Mega Man leap to a high platform. Hunters can even customize his color to make their personalized version of Rush.

These kinds of loving details make what could be a lackluster skin something I'm definitely going to acquire when it releases. Other recent Capcom collaborations include tie-ins with Monster Hunter Stories 2 (which you can read my review of here), Street Fighter's Akuma, and Amaterasu from the whimsical Okami. At least one more Capcom crossover is scheduled for release this fall, but you can get your hands on Rush on September 24. Happy hunting!

THQ Nordic Announces SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 01:11 PM PDT

Earlier this year, THQ Nordic released SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off for the Nintendo Switch, but if you can't stop spending money on SpongeBob games then you might be interested in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake. 

In Cosmic Shake, SpongeBob and Patrick encounter the mysterious fortune teller who hands the pair a container of Mermaid's Tears, which are fabled to grant the wishes of those pure of heart. Unfortunately, SpongeBob and Patrick's enthusiastic string of wishes threaten to rip open the fabric of space and time, and now the undersea goofballs have to work together to rescue their friends and save Bikini Bottom's iconic buildings.

According to THQ Nordic, Cosmic Shake also has the following key features:

  • Unlock classic and new platforming skills like the Fishhook Swing and Karate Kick
  • Don more than 30 F.U.N.tastic costumes like SnailBob and SpongeGar 
  • Travel to 7 distinct Wishworlds like Wild West Jellyfish Fields and Halloween Rock Bottom
  • Experience all the buddy movie banter with SpongeBob's permanent companion Balloon-Patrick
  • Meet all your favorite Bikini Bottomites from the series, voiced by their original actors
  • Enjoy the in-game soundtrack featuring 101 songs from the series, including Sweet Victory

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is "coming soon" to PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Earlier today, THQ Nordic also announced Outcast 2: A New Beginning, Destroy All Humans 2: Reprobed, and Jagged Alliance 3. Which game do you think has the worst title? Let us know in the comments below. 

THQ Nordic Announces Outcast 2: A New Beginning

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 12:30 PM PDT

THQ Nordic has announced a revival of the Outcast franchise with the upcoming release of Outcast 2: A New Beginning. Development started in 2018 with at least ten developers from the original Outcast team onboard, including the director and art director from that game.

Outcast 2 revives ideas from the original sequel that was being planned in 1999/2000. Due to financial issues with its publisher Infogrames, the project was shelved indefinitely. Appeal Studios, the team behind A New Beginning, wants to make a product that feels like a successor to the cult classic. Appeal is looking to implement a non-linear narrative an enticing world to explore.

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Like the first game, Outcast 2 will take place on the planet of Adelpha, and players will step back into the shoes of Cutter Slade 20 years in the future. Due to an accident while escaping the planet, Slade was blipped out of time and found his way back decades later. To keep the world fresh, players will explore a different part of the planet and meet new inhabitants. Combat and movement have been updated, according to THQ Nordic. Outcast 2 is a third-person shooter at heart, with modular weaponry being a focus. However, Cutter will also receive magic-like "Talan powers" and a new mobility-enhancing jetpack.

While we don't have a release date quite yet, THQ Nordic informs us Outcast 2 is nearing the end of its "pre-alpha" stage of development, a good sign we'll be seeing it sooner rather than later. THQ Nordic and Appeal Studios are releasing Outcast 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

 

Outcast is a game that I missed out on all these years but heard rumblings of it over time. Do you have any Outcast memories you'd like to share? How did the game impact you in the late 90s and beyond? Are you excited about the re-emergence of the franchise? Tell me all about it in the comments!

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Crypto Returns In Destroy All Humans 2: Reprobed Next Year

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 12:30 PM PDT

Crypto is back to subjugate the Earth in Destroy All Humans 2! Reprobed, a remake of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox-era game originally developed by Pandemic. Like the remake of the first Destroy All Humans, Black Forest Games is handling the development duties this time around.

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Set in the swinging '60s, Destroy All Humans 2 pits Crypto against the Soviet agents of the KGB as he attempts to capture, consume, and generally kill humanity. Our playable alien antagonist will have a myriad of weapons and gadgets at his disposal to complete missions. Of course, he'll have his trusty flying saucer to wreak havoc on towns and abduct the residents for his nefarious schemes. Other weapons include the Gastro Gun, the Burrow Beast, and the Dislocator, a projectile weapon that bounces enemies far in the air and away from Crypto. Some of the technology at your disposal is being reworked to be more fun and balanced, including the previously mentioned Dislocator and the over-powered Free Love Goggles.

Black Forest promises a more diverse and populated world to decimate. Building the world for this remake wasn't a matter of matching the exact maps from the original, but taking inspirations from the levels of Destroy All Humans 2 and bringing in modern sensibilities and techniques. Reprobed is a lot less flat and features more characters, plant life, and buildings than the original. One thing confirmed but not shown at this time is the return of two-player co-op.

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Destroy All Humans 2: Reprobed will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in 2022. For more alien domination, check out our review of the Destroy All Humans remake here.

Jagged Alliance 3 Brings Tactical RPG Mercenary Action To PC

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 12:30 PM PDT

Jagged Alliance hasn't had a numbered entry in over 20 years, but that changes soon with the upcoming release of Jagged Alliance 3. THQ Nordic announced this new addition to the franchise today during the company's 10th-anniversary stream. Helming this project is the team known for making games like Tropico 5, Victor Vran, and Surviving Mars, Haemimont Games based in Bulgaria.

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Players will control a group of mercenaries brought to the land of Grand Shien to find a missing person. Though, merc missions are never easy. Your characters will have to navigate the region, meet the locals, and learn about Grand Shien and how you'll end up impacting it throughout the game as you adventure. Conflicts play out in turn-based tactical battles where each mercenary in your squad brings their particular sets of skills to the fight. Whether you want to play stealthy, stabby, or with akimbo pistols blazing, there will be many unique strategies to implement.

THQ Nordic initially brought on Haemimont Games to tackle a side project in the Jagged Alliance series. But as the relationship grew, the project changed to being the first proper sequel since 1999. With the lineage of Jagged Alliance established, the team is bringing back past mercenaries to join your squad like Len and Tex. Each merc, old or new, can be leveled up and customized with perks, weaponry, and equipment.

Jagged Alliance 3 is only announced for a release on PC, though we have not learned when fans of the series can expect it. Check out the other announcements from today's THQ Nordic showcase, including Destroy All Humans 2: Reprobed and Outcast 2!

Where does Jagged Alliance 3 rank in the announcements from THQ Nordic today? Are you itching to get back in the field with these mercenaries? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Battlefield 2042 Early Access Begins November 12, Open Beta Launch Still Undetermined

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 10:59 AM PDT

Battlefield 2042's launch was delayed to November 19 which brought into question the launch timing of the game's promised open beta and early access period. Freeman, the game's lead community manager, took to Twitter to address these concerns, confirming that the early access period will now kick off a week prior to launch on November 12.

Early Access allows those who pre-ordered the Gold and Ultimate editions of the game a chance to dive into Battlefield 2042 a week early. Unfortunately, the dates for the public open beta remain undetermined but rumors have pointed to the launch taking place in either late September or early October. 

Battlefield 2042 takes the series to the near future and is set on a version of Earth ravaged by war and the effects of climate change. Catastrophic storms such as tornados dynamically rip through gigantic firefights featuring a staggering 128 players. The game is a multiplayer-only experience and features revamped versions of the Conquest and Breakthrough modes, as well as a new mode called Hazard Zone. 2042 also includes Battlefield Portal, an advanced logic editor that allows players to create their own battlefield matches using maps, vehicles, weapons, and other assets from across multiple entries in the series. 

Battlefield 2042 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Will you be diving into the Battlefield 2042 early access beta and are you excited for the eventual open beta?  Let us know in the comments!

Conquer Middle-earth On Your Phone Next Week In Lord Of The Rings: Rise To War

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 10:36 AM PDT

Net Ease and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment are bringing expansive wars in Middle-earth to the palm of your hands. Now announced to release next week, Lord of the Rings: Rise to War is described as a "Geo-Strategic Seasonal Wargame" for mobile devices.

Rise to War puts players in charge of massive armies and your favorite Lord of the Rings characters to take over swaths of the Middle-earth map. All the stars are here, and they can be your generals in battle. Recruit the likes of Gandalf the White, Galadriel, Aragorn, and Legolas to lead your armies to victory. Each has stats and specified roles like Control or Warrior, so choosing the correct characters for each battle is vital.

Lord of the Rings: Rise to War's map will shift and change with each battle as players and their Fellowships or Warbands take over territory throughout a season.  According to a press release, players can form groups in "a multi-layer Fellowship social structure designed to foster collaborative strategies between players. Based on their choices to side with good or evil, players can form either Fellowships or Warbands with other players and take to the battlefields to triumph over their foes tile by tile."

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Maybe most exciting (to me at least!) is the ability to forge your very own magical ring to provide buffs and advantages in battle. Customization includes which gems or jewels adorn the artifact and even etching an inscription on the inner surface. Check out the developer Q&A video series above that features gameplay and insight from people working on the game.

Look for Lord of the Rings: Rise to War on iOS and Android devices September 23 in territories all over the world, including Europe, North America, Oceana, and Southeast Asia. And if you haven't yet, check out the upcoming Lord of the Ring show coming to Amazon Prime, and a new game starring the ring-obsessed Gollum.

Who would you want fighting by your side against the various forces in Middle-earth? I might like some of those Ents on my side. Let me know in the comments!

Call Of Duty: Vanguard Multiplayer Beta | Game Informer Live

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 09:34 AM PDT

This Friday, we're taking a short break from our Super Replay of Demon's Souls (we'll be back next week!), and instead, we'll be surviving World War 2 in the multiplayer beta for Call of Duty: Vanguard. You can watch us test our mettle against other players on Twitch at 2 p.m. Central. 

Vanguard launches on November 5 and puts players in the boots of special forces operators battling through Berlin. Their mission: put a stop to a mysterious Nazi plan known as Project Phoenix. The explosive story unfolds four of WWII's theaters of battle: the Pacific, Western, Eastern, and North African fronts. While we won't be delving into the campaign, GI editor Marcus Stewart will be dodging (read: absorbing) bullets from other players across the beta's available maps while tinkering with the game's operators. Expect plenty of deaths, but we look forward to having you along for what's sure to be a wild ride. 

To read more about Call of Duty: Vanguard, check out this handy primer. The game is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Sega And Atlus Tease New RPG Announcement For Tokyo Game Show

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 08:24 AM PDT

Sega and Atlus are set to unveil a new RPG during Day 2 of the Tokyo Game Show 2021, which is October 1. We already knew the companies would have the last presentation of the day according to the event schedule, and they're gearing up to conclude the second round of livestreams with a bang. 

The publisher has set up a special website for the unannounced title that plays a Japanese-narrated cinematic of an ink quill drawing three fantastical-looking characters overlooking a scenic cliff. It also shows flashes of different characters and melancholy scenes, such as what appears to be a slain woman. The animation concludes by taking viewers to a homepage that currently has a countdown clock ticking down to the game's reveal at TGS. Translated text of the video's description simply states "This is a teaser trailer for Sega's new RPG, whose information will be unveiled online at the Tokyo Game Show 2021 on October 1, 2021 (Friday)."

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Now comes the fun part: figuring out what this game could be. Given the hype around it, one would assume it's a new IP. Needless to say, it definitely doesn't look like it fits in with Atlus' established series like Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, or Etrian Odyssey based on the artwork. Atlus fans have undoubtedly begun dissecting every possible frame of this trailer for answers, but the rest of us will have to wait a couple of more weeks to learn more. 

In addition to their livestream presentation, Sega's digital booth will highlight games such as Lost Judgment, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, and Sonic Colors: Ultimate. You can catch their offerings and more when Tokyo Game Show kicks off on September 30 and concludes on October 3. We already have some confirmation of what Square Enix is bringing to the show so expect other companies to begin finalizing their line-ups over the next few weeks. 

What do you make of this mysterious RPG? Share your theories down in the comments!
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