Game Informer |
- Sniper Elite 5 Sets Sights On May Release Date
- All About Forspoken's Reluctant Hero: Frey Holland
- I’m Playing Grand Theft Auto V For The First Time And It Lives Up To The Hype
- Game Informer's Top Scoring Reviews Of 2022
- Escape Academy Lets You Unravel Escape Rooms Alongside A Friend
- Everything Announced During Today’s ID@Xbox Event
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Update Enables Trading With Strangers, Two More Mythical Pokémon Coming To Sinnoh
- Tunic Review – A Dyed-In-The-Wool Treasure
- Digimon Survive English Teaser Trailer Highlights The Cast
- New Horizon Forbidden West Patch Improves Visuals, Fixes Quest Progression, And More
- Starfield Developer Diary Discusses The Game's Open World Freedom
- EA Announces It Won’t Hold EA Play Live Event This Year
- Elden Ring Sells 12 Million Copies In Less Than Three Weeks, From Software ‘Expanding The Brand Beyond The Game’
| Sniper Elite 5 Sets Sights On May Release Date Posted: 16 Mar 2022 04:00 PM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Rebellion's latest in its sharpshooting World War II series, Sniper Elite 5 now has a release date, and it's just a few months away. Fans of Karl Fairburne's Nazi slaying adventures will get to play the new installment on May 26 when it releases globally. Along with the announcement, Rebellion has released a brand new trailer which you can conveniently view with your eyes in the video player below. Click here to watch embedded media Along with the announcement of the release date, those who preorder Sniper Elite 5 have a mission locked and loaded for the experience. A new chapter in what Rebellion calls its Target Führer campaign titled "Wolf Mountain" will be available if you buy in before release. A deluxe edition will also be available for the new Sniper Elite which will include the preorder bonus above as well as a season pass featuring even more gory slowmo sniping. In a press release, the additional content rolling out post-launch is described as a "two-part campaign on extensive maps where [players] can arm themselves with an expanded armory of authentic World War II weapons and customize their sniper with new character packs and weapon skins." Yes, the season pass will include those character packs and weapon skins as well. Here's what's confirmed to be included in Sniper Elite 5's season pass:
Sniper Elite 5 will follow series protagonist and fictional war hero Karl Fairburne as he aims to disrupt a Nazi plot called Project Kraken that is set to turn the tide of World War II in their favor. It will release as previously mentioned on May 26 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have access to the game on day one. |
| All About Forspoken's Reluctant Hero: Frey Holland Posted: 16 Mar 2022 03:38 PM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, PC Heroes come in many different forms, and stepping into the role isn't an easy decision. Sometimes it's done out of necessity, while other times, it comes down to a person's honor and virtue. In some instances, even greed and fanfare drive these desires. No matter the reasoning, it takes great confidence and courage to take up the mantle, and sometimes finding those attributes is what makes a hero's journey so interesting. Frey Holland, voiced by actress Ella Balinska (Charlie's Angels), is the lead protagonist of Forspoken. For the most part, Frey is an ordinary young woman, but when she mysteriously gets transported from her home in New York to the magical land of Athia, she has to dig deep to find not only herself but also the strength to save this suffering world from the Break – a malevolent arcane fog which has corrupted people, animals, and the land. For our recent cover story, we chatted with Luminous Productions about how Frey came to life, and she isn't your typical textbook hero. Read on to learn more about what to expect when you step into her shoes.  Trouble AheadWhen Luminous Productions set out to create its leading character for Forspoken, the writers were tasked with crafting a flawed and believable character – someone who felt very human. "When we meet [Frey], she isn't benevolent and worried about others," says writer Allison Rymer. "She's been knocked down every which way and is barely scraping by. We get to join her on a path of self-discovery." Frey spent her early years in the foster care system and has had to grow up fast, fending for herself in New York City. When we're introduced to her, she's at a really low point in her life and feels very alone, with only her cat, Homer, at her side for companionship. "Growing up in Hell's Kitchen has been rough," says writer Todd Stashwick. "She feels no one has her back. She's tough and has been running as fast as she can in New York, for her and Homer." The scars from her past haven't faded, and Rymer says her backstory plays greatly into her identity. "For Frey, growing up in the foster system hasn't been all bad, but it did leave her with a feeling of low self-worth and strong desire to fit in and have a family – which she's yet to find," she says. With no one to turn to except Homer, Frey is not making the best decisions in her life; trailers have heavily hinted she may be on her way to prison. Like any human, she is making her share of mistakes, and many times you won't see her say or do the right thing. "She's a good person, but in these desperate times, she has put herself in bad circumstances," Stashwick explains. "She may have hit a point of no return, physically and emotionally. Frey, at this breaking point, has put herself 'on trial' internally, judging her own life and direction. We extend that metaphor into her story and external situations. So that the hero can rise, she needs to start in a less than heroic place."  Entering The FantasyAt her lowest, Frey just wants out of her current life, but Rymer reminds us, "as the old adage goes, be careful what you wish for." Soon she is mysteriously transported to the fantastical and medieval-looking Athia, where she's imbued with magical powers, facing off against evil sorceresses and dragons. She's also unaffected by the Break's corruption, something she'll discover the reasoning to as she goes on her journey. Nonetheless, it gives her a special upper hand in saving this world, but she's not so quick to jump on board with helping. Similar to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, she just longs to go home. Stashwick calls it "a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" type of story. But even with such a big change of scenery and a lot of turmoil to distract her, Frey can't escape her problems from New York. Stashwick points to the clash between the grounded, modern sensibilities of Frey and the fantastical world of Athia in particular. "Frey's feelings of abandonment and insecurities follow her from New York into Athia," he says. "So even though there are wonderous landscapes, magic, and dragons, she is processing and meeting it with all of her personal issues. She is acclimating to her new reality and enhanced abilities." Frey may have the power to cast magic, but she's not certain she's ready to have a whole world's fate on her shoulders. Nobody ever stuck their neck out for her, so why should she jump to help a group of people she knows nothing about? While there's something inviting about the beauty of Athia, it's also downright dangerous and holds plenty of darkness, adding to her uncertainty and desire to leave. She's also feeling everything on a much more amplified level in this strange land. "Athia is also a very 'grounded' fantasy realm," Stashwick says. "The conditions are harsh, the human drama and problems are just as real as in New York, even if the circumstances are heightened. The stakes now for Frey are more than just her own problems. It's life or death for a lot of people."  The Hero We've GotA lot of the journey will be Frey growing into the role of hero and overcoming her own demons. "Frey isn't totally onboard to be Athia's knight in shining armor from the get-go," Rymer says. "For starters, she's not so sure she wants to do the job or is even capable of it. Secondly, there are some Athians who would agree with her. But as she gets to know some of the people there, she realizes they might just be worth fighting for. And with her powers, she might just be their only hope." With so much on her shoulders, Frey will try to get by any way she can, and humor is often her weapon against the giant plight before her. Both Stashwick and Rymer point to humor as a way people often cope with situations as a way to deflect from the pain. To them, it felt truthful to give Frey quips as she contends with the world's over-the-top moments. "In order to realistically portray a modern woman who has found themselves in such an absurd situation, it was natural that some of her reactions would be humorous," Stashwick further explains. "To self-consciously avoid anything funny would have been a disservice." Rymer is quick to add that while Frey's humor is one of her weapons against Athia's darkest days, she can't use it against everything, and it surely won't save Athia from peril. "It's like armor. Humor protects her – keeps her safe from feeling icky emotions. Like they bounce right off. But yeah, when s--- gets real … Frey's weapon is rendered useless. A joke or two can't protect her anymore – she has to deal with what's happening head-on, and it won't be easy." Frey will face adversity from some unexpected places. For her conflicts, Stashwick teases: "A Hell's Kitchen Gang. The New York legal system. The council of Athia. The evil Tantas. Her own self-doubt. Freaky beasts and a dragon." "Frey will also face xenophobia," Rymer adds. "She is an outsider in Athia. Some people will welcome her, but others, who feel threatened by her, won't. Frey will also struggle with her own insecurities. She's prone to put up walls and push people away."  Facing RealityIn Forspoken, fantasy and reality collide, because they have to, in order for Frey to become the woman she needs to be in her life. While casting big magical attacks and leaping through a fairytale-like world should hold much of the excitement, there's something to be said about watching a character become a different version of themselves. During our interviews with the writers, it's clear they're making a genuine attempt to say something about the human condition. As Rymer says, "Through Frey's eyes, we wanted to tell a story about humanity. How even in the bleakest of times, there can still be hope and kindness. And sometimes it takes a little help to see that — sometimes it takes being thrown into a strange new world." |
| I’m Playing Grand Theft Auto V For The First Time And It Lives Up To The Hype Posted: 16 Mar 2022 02:01 PM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC You know how every time a new story about Grand Theft Auto V's massive sales numbers somehow increase again – it recently surpassed 160 million copies sold – somebody makes the joke, "Who the hell hasn't played this game yet?" Yeah…It's me. I'm the person who hasn't played the game yet, or at least, I was until Monday. Now, roughly 10 hours into Grand Theft Auto V on PlayStation 5, I feel like a fool. Grand Theft Auto V absolutely lives up to the hype, despite my belief that there was no way an open-world game with so many systems and mechanics, now almost a decade old, would hold up this well in 2022. I've always known GTA to be the series of crude jokes, vulgarity galore, and more along those lines. And to be clear, Grand Theft Auto V is very much that, but somehow, it all works. I laugh as I type this because I imagine 99-percent of people reading this are like, "Yeah dude, duh," but if you're someone who still hasn't played this game, let me tell you: play it.  When I booted up the story mode for the first time and saw the visuals, I chuckled. In no way should Rockstar Games be charging for this new-gen version of the game. It should have been an update because, at best, it's simply a 4K/60 FPS patch that makes things look a little better. Despite improved textures and lighting, Grand Theft Auto V still very much looks like a game from 2013. After shaking off the feeling that this enhanced edition should have been free, though, I was able to play a game I can already feel shaping up to be a new favorite. One thing I found particularly striking in Grand Theft Auto V is how immediately authentic these characters feel. Michael, Trevor, and Brad all react and speak to each other how I imagine they would if they were real humans in a world robbing a bank in some remote snowy town. Fast forward to meeting Franklin and his friends, and I find myself constantly laughing out loud at their conversations. They're hilarious and highly engaging. I've already turned down the in-game music's volume a touch to ensure I hear every interaction when driving through Los Santos and I love hearing phone calls come out of my DualSense controller's speaker.  Above all of that, though, the conversations between characters in this game just feel so real. Franklin and his friends relentlessly (and lovingly) give each other crap the same way my friends and I do. Michael's nihilism fits in perfectly with the setup of Rockstar's Los Santos, and while I've only just met Trevor, I'm already floored by Steven Ogg's unhinged characterization. Trevor is nuts, and Ogg plays into that so well.  For me, the dialogue is the driving force of this game. It varies from real and well-written to absolutely off-the-wall, but not in a bad way – the more zany dialogue feels right at home in this glamorized, centralized version of Hollywood. One minute, I'm having a real conversation as Franklin while talking to Jimmy about the faults of his dad. Another minute, I'm playing as Michael listening to a salesman pitch me a new strain of weed that gets Michael so high he goes on a machine-gun fueled rampage to murder dozens of aliens. Every corner I turn, I find something else in Los Santos that catches my attention, be it a new Strangers and Freaks mission, a billboard with an advertisement that makes me cackle, or a street reminiscent of my trip to Los Angeles in 2019. I've played past GTA games, and I adore both Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II, but I figured a 2013 Rockstar game wouldn't deliver an open world designed as well as the latter one, and yet, I'm in love with Los Santos. It's impressive how much Rockstar was able to cram into this city and the surrounding desert a decade ago, and my brain hurts to think about just how big Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be.  Grand Theft Auto V also has some impressively smart writing. For example, as Michael, I walked in on my wife sleeping with her tennis coach. Enraged, Michael decides to get revenge on the coach. He informs Franklin about the situation, and the pair head over to a Malibu-esque cliffside house in a pickup truck. The two tie the truck's tow line to beams holding the coach's house up on the cliff. When they drive away, the beams and most of the house fall down the hill. I loved this scene, but I was thinking to myself the entire time, "This is funny but there's no way a tennis coach owns a house like this." And sure enough, 30 seconds later, Michael gets a phone call from the coach saying it's not his house. In fact, it's the house of another would-be tennis player the coach is sleeping with. I was so satisfied by this twist because Rockstar swiftly and comically answered a question I was asking myself. That level of smart writing has been present throughout my 10 hours in Grand Theft Auto V thus far, and I can't wait to find out what else awaits me in Los Santos.  Does the gameplay, especially the gunplay, feel like 2013? Oh yeah. Are the visual and performance improvements worth the price Rockstar is charging? Nah. Does Grand Theft Auto V hold up extremely well? Yes, very much so. Perhaps it's silly that I'm surprised – Grand Theft Auto V is the best-selling game of all time and one of the most successful entertainment properties ever, after all – but this game's really, really good. I only wished I had played it years and years ago. Anybody else playing Grand Theft Auto V for the first time? Let me know I'm not alone in the comments below! |
| Game Informer's Top Scoring Reviews Of 2022 Posted: 16 Mar 2022 01:00 PM PDT It's no secret that 2022 is off to a raucous start with multiple game of the year contenders hitting within the first couple of months of the year. Even with highly-rated hits like Elden Ring, Dying Light 2, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Horizon Forbidden West building the foundation of exceptional games of the year, there's a lot still yet to release. This list will be your guide to every gaming experience Game Informer considers a must-play in 2022, encompassing the best games you can play on platforms like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC, among others. Below you'll find a list of the top-scoring games of 2021, beginning with the top scorer and going down. Any game that scores between a 10 and an 8.5 makes the cut. Each entry also features a small blurb and a link to the full review. We'll update the list with eligible titles as the year progresses, so be sure to bookmark this page if you ever need recommendations on what to play next. Have fun! 10 Elden RingFrom Software's dark fantasy action RPG offers up an incredible, unforgettable adventure. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC  TunicTunic is a wonderous adventure replete with mystery, discovery, and heart. Read review Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC  Dying Light 2 Stay HumanTechland has crafted a monster of a sequel that is bigger and better in almost every way. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC  Final Fantasy XIV: EndwalkerEndwalker caps off a story over a decade in the making in spectacular fashion and cements it as one of the series' best entries. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac  Horizon Forbidden WestZero Dawn was a great proof of concept, but Forbidden West shows Guerrilla Games still has plenty of thought-provoking and compelling places to take Aloy's adventures. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4  Destiny 2: The Witch QueenBungie has crafted an excellent expansion, but it is squarely targeted at its most fervent players. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC  Gran Turismo 7Gran Turismo 7 serves as a showcase for Polyphony Digital's love of automobile and racing culture, and delivers one of the best racing experiences on the market today. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4  Pokémon Legends: ArceusPokémon Legends: Arceus charts an exciting new direction for the series, while still maintaining many of the core tenets that made Game Freak's franchise so beloved in the first place. Read review Platforms: Switch  Young SoulsYoung Souls may not shatter the mold for beat 'em ups, but its well-designed combat and impressive presentation make it a stand-out. Read review Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, PC
For more of our top reviews from recent years, head to the links below. |
| Escape Academy Lets You Unravel Escape Rooms Alongside A Friend Posted: 16 Mar 2022 12:01 PM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Escape rooms have become increasingly popular over the last decade, but not everyone has one in their area or the time/friends to complete one. Escape Academy brings the concept home as a co-op puzzler. Revealed during today's ID@Xbox showcase, the game comes from publisher iam8bit Presents and tasks players, either alone or with one other partner, to become the ultimate escape artist by unraveling a variety of puzzling locations under a time limit. The reveal trailer shows off locations such as a "mundane" office rapidly filling with gas to something as elaborate as an American Ninja Warrior-esque obstacle arena. Since you control a student attending an escape room-centric academy, you can explore the puzzle-laden campus and meet its colorful faculty members. Co-op is both local and online, with the trailer showing off split-screen gameplay. Click here to watch embedded media Escape Academy arrives this June on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It also launches day one on Xbox Game Pass. |
| Everything Announced During Today’s ID@Xbox Event Posted: 16 Mar 2022 12:00 PM PDT Platform: Xbox One, PC ID@Xbox focuses on indies and other titles. If you missed today's event or are looking for a recap of everything highlighted during it, we have you covered. Here's everything announced during today's ID@Xbox event. Immortality Described as an interactive movie trilogy, Immortality is the latest from Sam Barlow, the creator of Her Story. It's up to you to find out what happened to Marissa Marcel. To do that, you'll be exploring footage from her lost movies. Immortality will hit Xbox Series X/S this summer. Plus, it hits Xbox Game Pass on launch day. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn comes by way of Kepler Interactive and Aurora A4. It's a new open-world, action RPG. Described as an RPG where guns and gods collide, you'll join Nor and her mysterious companion, Enki, on "an epic journey of vengeance, gunpowder, and magic in humanity's last stand." This game, which is developed by the same team behind Ashen, drops on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One sometime this year. Flintlock is a day one Xbox Game Pass title. Cursed to Golf Cursed to Golf is, well, a game about golf. Except instead of beautiful courses filled with luscious greens and natural water features, you'll be up against "insane hazards, otherworldly power-ups," and more. It looks like a great time, despite how cursed it might be. Cursed to Golf is being developed by chuhai labs and published by Thunderful Games alongside Xbox. It will hit PC sometime in the future but a release window was not revealed. Escape Academy Escape Academy is iam8bit's first published game and it comes by way of Coin Crew and Skybound Games. Described as a school where promising students train to become the ultimate Esacpe Room Master, you'll be tasked with playing through more than a dozen "masterfully hand-crafted rooms, designed by experienced experts in the field of real life escape rooms." You can play through all of Escape Academy by yourself, of course, but like a real escape room, you can also play it with someone else via two-player co-op. Escape Academy launches for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One sometime in 2022. Whalefall Whitehorn Games' Whalefall is a "combination SRPG/JRPG set in a high fantasy world inspired by 'The Lord of the Rings,' the Suikoden series, and the Final Fantasy games." Set on the continent of Osfeld, which is divided among territorial lines and shadowed by enormous sky whales, economic and political powers on Osfeld shift every hundred years or so when a sky whale falls to the ground below. "The economic, technological, and military boons from the whales' bodies are considerable, and so is the conflict over their remains," a press release reads. "Players will command the armies of Riverwatch to bring an end to a sinister plot to shoot down the legendary creatures and throw the world into chaos." Whalefall comes to Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One sometime in the future, but a release window was not revealed. Wrestle Quest Developed by Mega Cat Studios and Skybound Games, Wrestle Quest mashes pro wrestling and fantasy RPG gameplay together "in the ultimate pixel powered adventure." Featuring wrestling icons like "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, and more, you'll need to fight against other legends in the ring and beyond it to save the world. Wrestle Quest will be available on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One sometime in the future, but a release window was not revealed during today's showcase. Xbox Game Pass Announcements:
 In addition to the new announcements and Xbox Game Pass reveals, two montages were shown during the showcase, featuring the following games: 
The showcase ended with news of the ID@Xbox Spring Games Spotlight. If you spend $50 on any of the titles below (these are titles showcased during today's event but there are even more in the spotlight), you'll receive 5000 Microsoft Rewards points: 
Are you excited about the games shown during today's ID@Xbox event? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Posted: 16 Mar 2022 10:49 AM PDT Platform: Switch With Arceus Legends and the surprise announcement of the late-2022 Scarlet/Violet versions, it's easy to forget that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl launched last Fall and are still going strong. The Sinnoh region remakes are teeming with content for its dedicated trainers, from special Easter eggs to other fun, miscellaneous gifts. Yesterday, a new Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl update followed suit, enabling trade with strangers. Moreover, two Mythical Pokémon can be encountered and caught for any players looking to fill out their ever-expanding Pokédex. VGC reports that the Global Wonder Station in Jubilife City has finally opened its doors. In the past, an NPC would prevent players from entering the building, stating, "I'm so sorry. The GWS isn't ready yet." And now that players can access the GWS, they'll have unrestricted trading. What does this mean? Well, before yesterday's 1.3.0 update, players could only trade with one another if they both entered the Global Union Room and submitted the same link code. The GWS procures trade points that match traders closest to selected locations. Click here to view embedded media Equally exciting are the two Mythical Pokémon joining the fray. After obtaining a Mystery Gift item, Arceus and Darkrai (seen above) can be encountered. To come face-to-face with Arceus, you'll need a Legends Arceus save file with all the main missions cleared. You'll also need to be registered in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's Hall of Fame while owning the National Pokédex. If these qualifications have been met, return to your room to acquire the Azure Flute. You will summon Arceus once you've traveled to Spear Pillar atop Mount Coronet. Similarly, to meet Darkrai, you'll need the aforementioned Diamond and Pearl accolades as well as a Member Card item "available between the new moons." Head to Newmoon Island and battle the Dark-type creature. To get either one of these Mythical Pokémon, you'll need to have the 1.3.0 update, so be sure to look into that first. Are you still playing and enjoying Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl? Have you caught Arceus and Darkrai? Let us know in the comments below! [Source: VGC] |
| Tunic Review – A Dyed-In-The-Wool Treasure Posted: 16 Mar 2022 10:00 AM PDT Reviewed on: PC Tunic brilliantly captures the feeling of that special childhood title that made you fall in love with video games. Using a virtual simulation of an old-school guidebook, the game masterfully balances telling players almost nothing with giving them all the information they need. The result is a game brimming with genuine, triumphant discovery. With its every pixel stuffed with reverence for gaming as a medium, Tunic revels in its historically inspired design. Players steeped in the hobby's traditions will find following their instincts richly rewarding as they quest through its gorgeous world. Impressively, Tunic also melds the charm of the past with the sensibility of modern titles. As an isometric action/adventure, Tunic has a heaping helping of early Zelda games with generous handfuls of the Souls titles thrown in for good measure. It's a winning combination. Click here to watch embedded media The real-time combat had me tackling foes by watching for offensive openings while keeping a careful eye on my stamina. Every swing, dodge, or block took a chunk of the bar. Mercifully, low stamina never kept me from attacking, but I did take more damage when the bar ran out. The distinctly relaxing music introduces an intriguing contrast to the tough battles, and the 'Chill Beats To Fight To' vibes take the sting out of being viciously cut down. As does the world's simple-but-beautiful visual aesthetic. Dying meant dropping a portion of the hard-earned currency I'd won from my victories. The nice thing about Tunic, though, is that you never lose everything. So, you can run directly back to the spot you died to regain the contents of your wallet, or you can spend what you have left on items to give you an edge. For those turned off by this kind of gameplay, Tunic offers players of all kinds the chance to enjoy its combat system, as the accessibility options include a no-fail mode and the ability to turn off stamina restrictions. The Souls-like combat is intense, but the challenge feels satisfying rather than punishing – though a few later bosses definitely gave me trouble. Each boss has its own feel, with different attack patterns to study, but most play out similarly. An imposing challenger does its best to take you down in a closed-off battlefield; that means no running away from the conflict.  Tunic's fighting is great, but discovery and exploration might be its most impressive elements. Your adventure is linear, but its myriad paths contain branches that split off into more branches and then more still. No matter which direction I went in, the destination was usually noteworthy, with some paths unexpectedly leading me to new objectives or undiscovered, late-game areas. It made the world feel boundless, which is a commendable feat for a game made up of strictly defined pathways. Every route was also packed with things to uncover, and there were an unbelievable number of treasure chests. Many of these were seemingly inaccessible until I noticed an inconspicuously hidden passage or used some clever combination of items to get where I needed. Without resorting to busywork puzzles, Tunic constantly compelled me to feel proud of my puzzle-solving skills. In an amazing display of unintrusive design, the sense of discovery didn't stop once I'd collected my prize.  Some things – like the sword or the very Zelda-esque key items that opened new zones or allowed me to get past obstacles – were self-explanatory. However, others, which I won't spoil, were complete mysteries. One of my favorite moments from the game involved a curiously mundane object that didn't seem to do anything. Later in my journey, a wild idea popped into my head on what it might be for. Thinking to myself there was no way I was right, I tested my theory and was greeted by surprising success. I audibly celebrated my accomplishment, along with the developers' skill in designing a wonderful 'ah-ha!' moment. I wasn't left entirely without guidance, however. Tunic's gameplay is inextricably linked to collecting the pages of an instruction booklet scattered throughout the world. Despite being predominately filled with unreadable glyphs, the nostalgia-inspiring manual somehow contained all the information I ever needed to know about Tunic – if I paid close attention. One page might demonstrate combat mechanics, while another serves as a map, and still another could give a veiled look at the game's narrative. As I uncovered more pages, I discovered there was actually an entire section dedicated to the story. But the snatches of largely incomprehensible text didn't tell the whole tale. Despite its lack of transparency, Tunic still paints a compelling narrative picture that gave me a sense of what was happening but also left a lot of details up to my interpretation, which I enjoyed.  Looking closely at the manual, I quickly realized there were copious, hand-written pearls of wisdom scribbled in the margins. This gave me the sense that I had received Tunic – along with its booklet – from an older sibling, a friend, or a second-hand store and had inadvertently gained access to secret knowledge. I studied the pamphlet's official print as well as the helpful, if obscure, ink-scrawled hints meticulously, and the game constantly rewarded me for it. If I ever got stuck at any point in my quest, the answer was somewhere in the pages. I love when a game includes me, as the player, in its meta-narrative. With this conceit, Tunic invoked my youthful memories of inheriting games and mixed those real-world experiences into the gameplay, making my connection to the game deeper and more personal. While Tunic is an experience I would recommend to any player, the obscureness that makes it uniquely rewarding can also lead to genuine frustration. Mostly, the game is so well designed that it is easy, especially in the beginning, to find answers or check out a different avenue while puzzling something out. But when I got stuck near the end of the game, I couldn't simply run down another path, and my progress slowed to a halt. However, this was a rare exception to the overall sparkling experience. And my frustration gave way to admiration when I discovered the easy-to-miss secret I'd been glossing over had been right there in the booklet the whole time. The developers' attention to detail and the work poured into those collectible pages is remarkable.  I was constantly veering off from the main quest to track something down or look into a newly discovered path, and so it took me about 20 hours to roll credits. Despite that, I know there's still a lot for me to do in the game, and I'm excited to go back in to find every secret and experience everything its aesthetically striking world has to offer. Tunic is a stunning achievement that manages to embody the best of nostalgia while being completely refreshing. It's absolutely a must-play gem.  Score: 9.75 |
| Digimon Survive English Teaser Trailer Highlights The Cast Posted: 16 Mar 2022 08:30 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Digimon Survive has been floating around the digital ether for a few years now, and while there's still no release date in sight, a new teaser trailer introduces us to the cast. Though the video premiered earlier this month during Digmon Con, today's trailer is an English version of it. Digimon Survive is a tactical RPG that stars Takuma Momozuka, a student who gets transported to the Digital World during a school camping trip. He befriends fan-favorite Digimon, Agumon, and sets out to save the world from danger. He's not alone though. A party of fellow youngsters and their respective Digimon partners accompany Takuma and Agumon, who you can meet in the trailer below. Click here to watch embedded media Digimon Survive's battle system consists of turn-based strategy on grid-based playing fields. Outside of combat, you'll engage in choice-driven gameplay that leads to multiple endings, and the storytelling unfolds through a blend of visual novel-style conversations and fully animated cutscenes. It's good to see even small glimpses of Digimon Survive (which was originally slated to launch in 2019) and hopefully, we'll finally get to play it sometime this year. You can find the game on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. |
| New Horizon Forbidden West Patch Improves Visuals, Fixes Quest Progression, And More Posted: 16 Mar 2022 07:40 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 Guerrilla Games is hard at work at making Horizon Forbidden West the best it can possibly be, fixing bugs and progression blocks, improving its visuals, and more. Today, Patch 1.08 went live and like the patches before it, it brings a wealth of fixes to the open-world RPG alongside some graphical improvements. As usual, the patch notes also include issues Guerrilla Games is aware of but still working to fix. "Hello everyone, we've just released Patch 1.08," Guerilla Games writes in the patch notes. "Thanks to everyone who has used the Support Form to share their issues with us. Please continue to do so for any bugs you come across in Horizon Forbidden West." Here are the fixes and improvements live in Patch 1.08: Main Quests
Side Quests
World Activities
UI/UX
Graphics
Performance and Stability
Other
And here are the known issues Guerrilla is looking into: "We are currently looking into several issues reported by the community. Please note that these issues are not yet fixed in this patch, but our teams are investigating them with high priority."
For more, read about Patch 1.07 in Horizon Forbidden West and then catch up on this update that fixes many community-reported issues in Horizon Forbidden West. Read about why Aloy is one of Game Informer's favorite heroes this generation after that. Are you still enjoying Horizon Forbidden West? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Starfield Developer Diary Discusses The Game's Open World Freedom Posted: 16 Mar 2022 07:07 AM PDT Platform: PC Bethesda released the second episode of its Into the Starfield series today. The developer diaries provide glimpses into the game's development with discussions from the designers about what the game entails while sprinkling concept art and even some light game footage. You can catch the first episode of Into the Starfield here. This second installment sees game director Todd Howard sit down with design director Emil Pagliarulo, lead quest designer Will Shen, and lead artist Istvan Pely to discuss Starfield's open-world design and how it gives players the freedom to carve their own path. Accomplishing that relies in part on how players can interact with the game's factions as well as individuals, with the team chatting up Starfield's more sophisticated persuasion system. Check out the full video below. Click here to watch embedded media Bethesda has slowly rolled out information on Starfield over the last several months, but a gameplay trailer remains elusive. If you haven't been keeping up, Bethesda has thus far divulged details of Starfield's lore and backstory and shown off a few locations. All of that has been helpful, but we're anxious to see how it all comes together in-game. Starfield launches November 11 for Xbox Series X/S and PC and launches day one on Game Pass. |
| EA Announces It Won’t Hold EA Play Live Event This Year Posted: 16 Mar 2022 06:30 AM PDT EA has revealed that it will not be holding its usual EA Play Live event this year, which is traditionally an event the company uses to reveal new games and share more info about existing games, typically held during the summer. This news comes by way of IGN, which reports that rather than hosting an EA Play Live event like in previous summers, the publisher will instead reveal more about its projects "when the time is right for each of them." Here's what an EA representative told IGN in a statement sent to the publication: "We love EA Play Live as it's our way of connecting with our players and sharing what's new with all of you. However, this year things aren't lining up to show you everything on one date. We have exciting things happening at our world-class studios and this year, we'll reveal much more about these projects when the time is right for each of them. We look forward to spending time with you throughout the year."EA Play Live events have basically become EA's own E3-like showcase, with the publisher even opting to hold it usually around the same time as E3. It's been doing EA Play Live since 2016. Before the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the event was a live in-person event where players could play things shown during the showcase and more. However, as a result of the pandemic, the event became a steaming one, akin to something like a Nintendo Direct or PlayStation State of Play. This news comes just a few months after word that E3 would not be held as in-person event this year dropped. However, Geoff Keighley's own E3-like event, Summer Games Fest, is happening this year as usual. While waiting to see what EA shows throughout the year, check out the latest footage of its Dead Space remake. Read about how EA pledged total freedom to its studios with game development, including Dragon Age, Titanfall, and more last year after that. [Source: IGN] What EA game are you most excited about seeing more of this year? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Posted: 16 Mar 2022 05:10 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Elden Ring has been out for just 20 days and already, it's sold a meteoric 12 million copies, making it the best-selling From Software Soulsborne game yet. Comparatively, Dark Souls 3 took a couple of months to sell 3 million copies and even years later, as of 2020, it has sold 10 million. That Elden Ring surpassed Dark Souls 3's sales (as of 2020) in less than three weeks is quite the feat. This news comes by way of a new press release From Software released, praising the game for selling 1 million of those 12 million just inside of Japan. Click here to watch embedded media "It's astonishing to see just how many people have been playing Elden Ring," Elden Ring director and From Software president and CEO, Hidetaka Miyazaki, writes in the release. "I'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks on behalf of the entire development team. Elden Ring is based on a mythological story written by George R.R. Martin. We hope players enjoy a high level of freedom when adventuring through its vast world, exploring its many secrets and facing up to its many threats. Thank you for your continued support." Elsewhere in the release, Bandai Namco CEO and president Yasuo Miyakawa refers to Elden Ring as a brand, seemingly hinting that more Elden Ring content could, unsurprisingly, arrive in the future. Miyakawa also says the publisher is looking to expand the Elden Ring brand beyond games. "Much effort was placed into creating Elden Ring so that we could exceed the expectations of our fans worldwide," Miyakawa writes in the press release. "In like manner, we will continue our efforts in expanding the brand beyond the game itself, and into everyone's daily life. We will continue to create enjoyment and fulfillment through entertainment, so that we can come closer and connect to our fans around the world." As for what Miyakawa is alluding to, that's anybody's guess. Regardless, more Elden Ring doesn't sound like a bad thing, does it, Tarnished? The press release also says, "Please look forward to more of Elden Ring as an IP (characters and other intellectual property) in hopes of expanding beyond the realm of games," so it seems very clear that Bandai Namco and From Software have bigger plans for Elden Ring. For more about Elden Ring, read Game Informer's Elden Ring review to find out why we think it's one of the greatest games ever made and then check out this story about how Elden Ring had the second-best launch month sales of any game in the past 12 months. Read about this Elden Ring player that beat Godrick the Grafted with bananas after that. Where are you at in Elden Ring? Let us know in the comments below! |
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