Game Informer

Game Informer

Final Fantasy 16 Producer Naoki Yoshida Says The Game Is Near The End Of Development

Posted: 29 Apr 2022 05:27 AM PDT

Final Fantasy 16 Producer Naoki Yoshida Says The Game Is Near The End Of Development

Final Fantasy XVI is nearing the end of development, according to producer Naoki Yoshida, but there's still no word on a release date for the RPG. 

Oddly enough, Yoshida's reveal about the development of FFXVI doesn't come by way of any usual channels like Twitter, a press release, or a development update video. Instead, it comes by way of a new Yoshida interview in a free magazine currently being given away at Uniqlo stores in Japan, as discovered by Twitter user alverich_ff14 and translated by Video Games Chronicle.

The free magazine is meant to tie in with a collaboration between Uniqlo and Square Enix, in which Uniqlo is selling 16 different t-shirts, each based on a one of the 16 mainline Final Fantasy games. 

"Development of the latest title, Final Fantasy XVI, is in its final stages," Yoshida says in the magazine. "Final Fantasy XVI aims to integrate the story and the gaming experience into a single player game. Unlike online, which portrays multiple players simultaneously, Final Fantasy XVI focuses on the individual. This makes the story more immersive. It's a very dense story. As an adult, I learnt about society and said to myself, 'reality is not as easy as a video game.' I hope that those who once left Final Fantasy will remember how exciting their passion for video games was back then." 

As noted by VGC, Yoshida said in October of last year that Square Enix was nearing the final stages of development and during a Tokyo Game Show livestrem earlier that year, he said that FFXVI's development team was working on finalizing the final side quests for the game. In December of 2021, Yoshida said FFXVI news would be coming in spring of 2022. That news still hasn't come yet, unless this free magazine is what he was referring to, but last month, a new Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary website was launched and it teases that we could be getting information on upcoming titles soon. 

While waiting for more news about FFXVI, read about how FFXVI has an "expansive" skill tree and then read about how FFXVI could get an easy mode. Check out Game Informer's ranking of every mainline Final Fantasy game after that. 

[Source: Video Games Chronicle]

Are you excited for Final Fantasy XVI? Let us know in the comments below!

Drafting The Best Games Of 2017 | GI Show (Feat. Joe Juba)

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:35 PM PDT

best games of 2017

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, special guest Joe Juba joins the podcast crew to compete in a video game fantasy draft comprised of the incredible games released in 2017. Heavy hitters like Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Persona 5, and Nier Automata are quickly scooped up, but surprises await as your hosts attempt to craft the best possible roster of game releases. Expect many shenanigans and some twists in this pre-recorded special episode! 

Follow us on Twitter: Alex Stadnik (@Studnik76), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), John Carson (@John_Carson), Joe Juba (@JoeJuba)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join hosts Alex Stadnik and Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from all around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Mass Effect: Dark Horse Unveils Beautiful Reaper Sovereign Ship Replica Now Available For Pre-Order

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 01:54 PM PDT

Mass Effect: Dark Horse Unveils Beautiful Reaper Sovereign Ship Replica Now Available For Pre-Order

If, at any point, while playing through the Mass Effect series, you've thought to yourself, "I really wouldn't mind a replica of the Reaper Sovereign ship," then today's your day. 

That's because BioWare and Dark Horse Direct have unveiled a new 14-inch Reaper Sovereign ship replica, and it's beautiful. What's more, it's available for pre-order now for $299.99, and if it's something you just have to have, you should act fast because there are only 1000 of them in total. Pre-orders are expected to ship sometime between November of this year and January 2023. So if you buy one, you don't have to wait too long to have it in your hands. 

 

"Reaper Sovereign has landed on Eden Prime after 50,000 years and is reigning down planet-shattering destruction," Dark Horse's description reads. "This spectacular replica is made of polyresin and crafted by the masters at Gentle Giant Studios. At 14 inches tall on an 11-inch diameter base, this statue will have you re-experiencing this iconic moment from Mass Effect." 

Gentle Giant Studios is responsible for the sculpting, prototyping, and paint of the replica, which is made out of polyresin, and you can only order a maximum of two. While waiting for yours to arrive, read our breakdown of the reveal trailer for the next Mass Effect game, which was announced in 2020. After that, read about how the next Mass Effect could revert back to using Unreal Engine instead of EA's Frostbite, and then check out the latest teaser for the next Mass Effect. 

Are you going to pick up one of these replica Reaper ships? Let us know in the comments below!

Hands-On With Bugsnax Expansion The Isle Of Bigsnax

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 01:02 PM PDT

Bugsnax Isle of Bigsnax DLC

The oddly lighthearted and heartfelt adventure Bugsnax launched November 2020, making it one of the first games many played on PlayStation 5, which was released the same day. Nearly a year later, Young Horses, the game's developer, announced during a Sony State of Play the game would be getting a new DLC. Called The Isle of Bigsnax, the expansion will be free for players who already own the base game. On top of a fresh story, which should take three to five hours to complete according to the creators, fans can expect a slew of new content. And while it's aiming to release in the first half of 2022, we got an early hands-on look at the game at GDC.

Adding hours of playtime to the original game, Young Horses announced players would receive their own in-game dwelling to renovate. Now you can feel like part of the Grumpus community. The hut begins as a glorified pile of sticks. But, by completing requests from fellow villagers, players gain access to options for furniture, paint, decorative items, and even an upstairs. Many of these received objects reflect the giver. The exercise-obsessed Chandlo may offer players a weightlifting trophy, while Snaxburg's Mayor Filbo might gift an adorable stuffed Grumpus.

New players are shown to their new abode right after entering Snaxburg for the first time. However, returning players get a tour of their shack upon talking to Filbo and find their mailboxes already stuffed with retroactive rewards for any requests they've unwittingly completed. The developers at Young Horses explain the pile of new tasks and objectives should give players a good reason to continue exploring Snaktooth island and engaging with its inhabitants.

Keeping this goal in mind, Young Horses' latest expansion will also introduce hats for your favorite scrumptious Snax. Did you ever wonder what happened to the head adornments of your Grumpus companions after they take on a Bugsnax form? Well, it looks like the island's tasty residents got them, and it's up to you to track them down. More than just a simple and silly cosmetic feature, players have to earn each hat in a scavenger hunt-like search. Hats can be found on certain Bugsnax in the wild, and capturing them grants access to a new cap. There are around 25 in total and include a chef's hat, witch's hat, and Chandlo's "Snax" baseball cap. The developers hope this gives players a fun challenge that makes revisiting previous locations worthwhile.

The Isle of Bigsnax

I got a chance to go hands-on with the upcoming DLC, and, from what I've played so far, the expansion will be another merry romp through a strange world. The Isle of Bigsnax gives players more – and bigger – Bugsnax, content that builds on the original experience, and a chance to dive deeper into the relationships and story from the base game.

The demo begins just before the point of no return in the initial story and sets me on a beach with the muscle-bound Chandlo, scientific Floofty, bone-carrying archeologist Triffany, and spiritual Shelda. The titular island has appeared in the middle of the ocean, and, having made it to the beach, we are now out of range from the rest of the villagers. The experience boasts numerous puzzles, and most are built around my arsenal of unusual gadgets. The first puzzle asks me to bridge a gap by lighting a torch. In another instance, I discovered several mazes with moving pillars and winding corridors too small for any Grumpus to fit into. However, it was perfectly sized for my ball-bound Strabby, which I guided through the obstacles to hit a door-opening switch.

Players can also look forward to several larger-than-life Bugsnax encounters. My first new sighting, a giant Bunger, sends Chandlo flying into a pile of jars that just happen to contain dust that makes Bigsnax smaller. But even slimmed down, the creature still needs to be stunned to catch. So, I grab the tripwire and then feed my prize to the weakened Chandlo, giving him the strength to go on.

The team then sets up camp, and the story begins to take shape. This archeological adventure may uproot accepted beliefs about Mother Naturae, who Shelda worships, as the jars of Bugsnax-catching dust was found at her shrine. At the camp, I have a choice between four different quests. However, I'm instructed to follow Triffany's storyline for this preview. She has me work my Snax-guiding magic to open a few blocked-off areas. This includes one puzzle that triggers a boulder-like Bigsnax to pop out at us, a nice Indiana Jones reference that highlights the game's humorous tone.

I encounter plenty more Bigsnax in my short adventure, though I don't have any handy shrink dust to capture them. Each enlarged Snax takes on an entertaining form, like a sentient celery stick that carries separate, chocolate-looking critters on its back. I saw lobster made from macaroni noodles that loved cheese. And one of my favorite new Snax was called a Millimochi, made of a group of frosty treats lined up to create a multi-snack creature.

The Isle of Bigsnax is aiming to come out April 28. Including the hut, hats, and fresh adventure, the new content is about 80 percent as big as the original game, according to the developers. So, if it took you 10 hours to finish the base experience, it may take around 8 hours to explore everything the super-sized expansion has to offer. 

Top 10 Indies To Play Right Now

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 12:01 PM PDT

Top Indies To Play Right Now Tunic Death's Door Inscryption Hades

The indie moniker describes a game made by independent creators, i.e., those not under the umbrella of a major publisher. That could mean anything from a solo developer working on a debut title to critically acclaimed teams releasing self-published works. While these games have been around as long as the industry, their popularity surged in the early 2000s. This was partly due to new digital distribution and crowdfunding options, which presented opportunities for some would-be game makers.

Though many of gaming's best-loved indies belong to this early era, independently made games reached a whole new level of mainstream attention in the following decades. There are so many launching every day now it can be difficult to keep up. So to help, this list explores the most recent titles that have enthusiasts excited. Appearing in no particular order, the games below represent the new kids on the indie block worth checking out.

Norco

PC

Earning comparisons to another well-loved indie, Kentucky Route Zero, Norco is a thoughtful, funny, intense, and surreal look at life in the Deep South. Throwing issues like unbridled greed and American society under a microscope, the innovative point-and-click adventure is brought to life with gorgeous pixel art and poignant writing. Players step into the shoes of Kay, whose brother has gone missing following the death of their mother. While searching for her sibling, Kay discovers that her mother was researching a significant discovery before passing away. Following the threads of that project and looking for her brother leads Kay to unravel a strange mystery through swamps filled with oil refineries and fading suburbs. | Our Review

Tunic

Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

A green-clad fox wakes on an idyllic beach, yawns, then heads off on an enigmatic adventure. The beginning seconds of Tunic give the player a small hint of what to expect from the fantastic game. Its simple visuals, tranquil music, and adorable protagonist create an enchanting atmosphere, while the many mysteries at the title's heart drive Tunic to be one of the best games of the year. Sharing many aspects with another of 2022's great titles, Elden Ring, this indie is all about taking a step back and letting the players find their own way. Tunic overflows with singular puzzles and magnificent moments of discovery, many of which are aided by Tunic's exceptionally designed, in-game instruction booklet. These helpful collectible pages not only offer practical help but also infuse the game with the best kind of nostalgia. | Our Review

Weird West

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

A tall tale told by developers with games like Dishonored and Prey under their belts, this wild take on the West earns its name by bringing players to some weird places. How weird? Well, of the game's five main protagonists, two of them are a pig-man and a werewolf. So, pretty weird. Life on the frontier in this recent indie can be hard. You might worry about fending off vicious desperados one day while confronting a cannibalistic jailer the next. Its twin-stick mechanics work wonderfully for shoot-outs, and the physics system lets you take creative approaches to problem-solving. Find yourself outnumbered? Look for a box of ammunition to shoot; the contents will go flying at any enemies in the vicinity. All of this is bolstered by an intriguing story that manages to thread all the desperate main characters together.  | Our Review

Inscryption

PC

Even if deckbuilding games are not your typical cup of tea, don't miss out on Inscryption because of its apparent genre. There is a lot more going on here below the card table. Starting out as a prisoner in a strange cabin, you find yourself in a horrific fight for your life against an inhuman opponent. The only way, according to your captor, to get out of this situation alive is to beat him at an unusual game. With the wild gleam in his eyes – the only thing you can really see in the dark room – the monster across the table from you lays out the rules for a contest that falls somewhere between Dungeons & Dragons and Hearthstone. Except you can tip the scales in your favor by pulling out your own teeth, and losing is a death sentence. The mesmerizing strategy game comes bundled with a narrative that goes in wildly unexpected directions. | Our Review

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC, Mac

Chicory: A Colorful Tale exemplifies indies' remarkable ability to generate unique experiences. The game, made by a group of independent creators including Wandersong developer Greg Lobanov, works as a coloring book. Brush in hand, you set about painting the world and its inhabitants with color. Besides giving players the creative freedom to tint the environment to their hearts' content, the artistic implement ties into the game's practical mechanics. Glowing inks light the way in dark caves and coating particular types of foliage shrinks them down to size, clearing the way for the hero. But Chicory's narrative, the reason you have the brush to paint with at all, is also uncommon. It thoughtfully explores hard-to-tackle mental health themes like depression and imposter syndrome. | Our Review

Unsighted

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Can you save the ones you love from becoming mindless monsters before time runs out? That's exactly the question this pixelated sci-fi game puts to its players. Acting as the automaton Alma, you watch as the world's supply of Anima dwindles. Ravaged by war with humanity, Arcadia's robotic residents need Anima to maintain sentience. Without it, they will transform into machines capable only of brutal destruction, killing those around them with no remorse. However, the game's clock is always ticking. If you can't save everyone in time, who will you allow to fall into madness? The unfolding narrative changes depending on who you save (or don't), so your every decision alters where the game goes. On top of this, Unsighted has laudable, hectic action to keep players on their toes. | Our Review

Sable

Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Adding to the growing list of games that shy away from combat, Sable offers players the chance to explore a vibrant desert landscape, taking whatever road or quest that strikes their interest as they play. The intriguing concept solves the problem many games' narratives face. Why, if your main quest is so important, would you step away to help the world's inhabitants with their relatively unimportant concerns? In Sable, you play the titular character who sets off on a ceremonial journey to discover themselves. If you have a primary goal, it's to collect masks by helping people. When you're ready to finish your expedition (and the game), you return home to select one of the masks you've gathered to represent your future identity. Before making that decision, the game encourages you to wander a truly stunning and unique environment on your customizable hoverbike. | Our Review

The Forgotten City

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

There's only one rule in The Forgotten City: Don't sin. On the surface, it sounds like a good deal; lead a good life and live forever. However, the punishment for breaking the single tenet is death – not just for you, but for every single resident living with you. The difficulty of this puzzling time-loop adventure is figuring out how to make sure everyone is following the rule without running afoul of it yourself. Does stealing medical ingredients to save a life constitute a sin? As a modern-day traveler that just happened to drop into the ancient Roman community while exploring an ancient ruin, unwrapping the politics of this millennia-old city is challenging. And getting to the bottom of the mysterious edict may take more time than you have until someone breaks the golden rule. | Our Review

Hades

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Initially coming out in 2020 (though it released on Xbox and PlayStation consoles the following year), Hades is one of the "oldest" indies on this list. Despite the myriad marvelous titles that have hit shelves over the past few years, we just couldn't keep from giving a shout-out to this hell-raising game. A rogue-lite set in the ancient Greek underworld, Hades follows the story of Zagreus. This errant heir to the realm seeks to fight his way out of Hades and discover the truth behind what happened to his mother. Developer Supergiant Games was already known for its stellar titles before Hades' release, like Pyre, Bastion, and Transistor, but the studio's latest game is arguably its most successful. | Our Review

Death's Door

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Death's Door developer Acid Nerve is a two-person team based in the UK that managed to produce one of the best games of 2021. Besides the killer artwork and deadly combat, Death's Door also manages to deliver a soul-snatching story. Working as a reaper crow, it's your job to make sure newly deceased spirits pass on. But things go off the rails when your latest assignment goes astray, upsetting the balance of the universe. Your mission to set things right sends you down an unexpected path, one that leads to unraveling an enormous conspiracy embedded in the heart of your own death-managing organization. The compelling narrative is backed by impeccable, fast-paced gameplay that earns it a spot on this list. | Our Review

Did we miss any of your recent indie favorites? Tell us about them in the comments! And if you're hungry for more top games to play right now, click on the banner below to get your fill.

Balan Wonderworld Director Yuji Naka Filed Lawsuit Against Square Enix, Reveals He Was Removed Before Its Release

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 11:30 AM PDT

Balan Wonderworld Director Yuji Naka Filed Lawsuit Against Square Enix, Reveals He Was Removed Before Its Release

Balan Wonderworld was a disappointing game for most, especially for a game from Yuji Naka, the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog. 

Now, Naka has taken to Twitter to reveal that not only was he removed as the director of Balan Wonderworld about half a year before its release in March of 2021, but that he has also filed a lawsuit against the game's publisher, Square Enix, for doing so. He says now that proceedings are over and he's no longer bound by company rules, he's speaking out about what happened to him, as translated by Twitter user Cheesemeister3K. 

"I think it's wrong of Square Enix not to value games and game fans," Naka writes on Twitter, according to Cheesemeister's translation. "According to court documents, I was removed as the director of Balan Wonderworld for two reasons. It was done by the producer, head of marketing, head of sound, managing director, and HR. First, when a YouTuber's arranged piano performance of the game music was released in a promotion instead of the original game track, turning the composer into a ghostwriter, I insisted that the original track be released and this caused trouble.

"Second, according to court documents, [Naoto] Ohshima told producer [Noriyoshi] Fujimoto that the relationship with Arzest was ruined due to comments I made wanting to improve the game in the face of Arzest submitting the game without fixing bugs. Also, in an email to Ohshima to Fujimoto, he wrote: 'I just told the staff about the demo delay.' When I told them, 'This was prod. Fujimoto's decision. Let's do our best for him,' the staff applauded and cheered. This was unexpected, and I was moved. The staff's been down lately, but their spirits have been revived. Thank you very much. All of us on the staff will work hard. So the schedule wasn't up to me, but the producer, yet the schedule being tight was the producer's doing. Something was off." 

Naka continues, stating that in releasing an original game, it was wrong to put out an arranged track with promotional materials. He felt that the game music everyone could hum to were the original tracks, not arranged pieces made by someone other than the composer. 

"I believe that every effort must be put in to make games the best they can be until the very end so that game fans will enjoy what they buy," Naka continues on Twitter. "It wasn't right to, without discussion, remove and completely disassociate from the project a director saying so. Retweeting, liking, etc. on SNS and such was banned, so I don't think Square Enix values game fans. There were many comments and wonderful illustrations about Balan Wonderworld, and I'm really sorry that I couldn't react to them. 

"Myself, I'm truly sorry to the customers who bought Balan Wonderworld in an unfinished state. From this point onward, I will be able to react to posts tagging me or directed only toward me on SNS and such. I believe that when making games, asking for fixes in order to make something good should be a given, and if that's not possible, it should be talked over, but it looks like they can't. I don't think they value games." 

Naka points to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as an example. He says that two weeks before finalizing the game, it was changed so that as long as you have at least one ring, you won't die. This wouldn't have happened if he weren't allowed to improve the game to the very end, Naka says. 

"Improving a game until the very end is what being a game creator is all about, and if that's not possible, something's wrong," Naka writes, according to Cheesemeister. "I asked my lawyer to negotiate my just being able to comment until the end of production, but their refusal led me to file suit. I think that the resulting Balan Wonderworld and the critical reception it received have a lot to do with what happened. I'm really disappointed that a project I worked on from the start turned out this way.

"I personally regret that Balan Wonderworld was released to the world in an unfinished state. I wanted to consider all kinds of things and release it as a proper action game. I don't think that Square Enix and Arzest value games and their fans." 

It's unclear what the result of Naka's lawsuit was, but he's clearly able to speak publicly about Balan Wonderworld now, something he says he wasn't able to do before. 

[Source: Yuji Naka on Twitter, translated by Cheesemeister3K on Twitter]

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Officially Confirmed

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 10:25 AM PDT

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Officially Confirmed

Activision Blizzard has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is the next title in the franchise. 

Surprising nobody, especially considering that the company had previously revealed that this year's Call of Duty would be a sequel to 2019's Call of Duty Modern Warfare reboot, a new teaser dropped on Twitter today revealed not just the title, but the logo for this sequel, too.

It is important to keep in mind what is going on within Activision Blizzard at this time regarding ongoing allegations about the work culture. The ongoing lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against the company is over reported toxic workplace culture. The bulk of the suit focuses on "violations of the state's civil rights and equal pay laws," specifically regarding the treatment of women and other marginalized groups. To learn more about the proceedings thus far, including details listed in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, please check out our previous coverage here.

You can check it out below:
 

As you can see, there's really not much to glean from it. It sounds very Modern Warfare-y and looks very Modern Warfare-y, too, but it doesn't reveal much about the actual game. Perhaps there's something to be made out of the muddled voices playing during the trailer, but it's likely that this teaser is just setting the stage for a bigger reveal in the coming weeks or months. The Call of Duty account that tweeted out the teaser does say, "The new era of Call of Duty is coming," so perhaps the company believes this game will shake up the franchise in a big way. 

It wouldn't be surprising because Infinity Ward's 2019 Modern Warfare reboot did just that for the series, especially in its rollout a few months before Call of Duty: Warzone. Plus, 2019's Modern Warfare is still regarded by many as the best Call of Duty in recent years. With Infinity Ward working on Modern Warfare II, fans are likely excited to see what this sequel looks like. Sadly, there's no telling when the next look will be but if it's like Call of Duty reveals in years past, we could be weeks or even days away. Only time will tell.

In the meantime, read about how a sequel to Warzone is expected to drop this year and then check out this story about how Call of Duty will reportedly skip 2023. Read Game Informer's Modern Warfare review after that. 

Are you excited for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II? Let us know in the comments below!

Rogue Legacy 2 | Game Informer Live

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 09:49 AM PDT

Now that Rogue Legacy 2 has gone 1.0, I'll be touring its finished state today on Twitch at 2 p.m. Central. 

Rogue Legacy 2 has been in early access for a couple of years, building upon its predecessor's fun – and challenging – roguelite formula. You still control members of a warrior bloodline who must battle through a procedurally generated castle rife with dangers. Every death gives you a new character you can outfit with helpful/strange genetic traits, from dealing increased attack damage to farting every time you perform an action. 

Watch on Twitch!

Look forward to watching a fun stream as I'll likely be sending an entire generation of warriors to their doom. Our review will arrive in the coming days, so be sure to read our review in progress for editor John Carson's current thoughts on the game. 

If you enjoy our livestreams but haven't subscribed to our Twitch channel, know that doing so not only gives you notifications and access to special emotes. You'll also be given entry to the official Game Informer Discord channel, where our welcoming community members, moderators, and staff gather to talk games, entertainment, food, and organize hangouts!

This War Of Mine: Final Cut Expands The Anti-War Title For Modern Consoles Next Month.

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 09:45 AM PDT

11 Bit Studios' celebrated anti-war game, This War of Mine, is getting revamped and expanded for a re-release on modern consoles.

Dubbed the Final Cut, the game, in which players manage a party of civilians surviving in a war-torn city, is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S –including Xbox Game Pass – on May 10. It boasts a 4K resolution and a readjusted UI. Content-wise, it includes the locations from the base game and introduces a new character, quests, and events. 

Additionally, the three DLC narrative episodes, This War of Mine: Stories, will be available for purchase separately on PS5/XSX. This War of Mine: Complete Edition is a bundle containing Final Cut and Stories if you want everything.  

11 Bit Studios, based in Poland, states that the ongoing Ukraine/Russia conflict is the motivator to re-release This War of Mine and repromote its anti-war messaging to a new group of players. The studio recently raised nearly $700,000 for Ukrainian civilian aid by heavily discounting the previous versions of This War of Mine. 11 Bit CEO Przemek Marszal says in a press release: 

"The message and themes existing inside of This War of Mine have, unfortunately, become brutally vivid and relevant in recent months. We believe it's especially important to educate people on the realities of war right now, while its horrifying reality has become a daily struggle for people that are close to us. We're proud that recent This War of Mine fundraising helped us create a wave of spontaneous help for war victims in Ukraine, and we hope we can further spread our antiwar message with This War of Mine: Final Cut."

For more on This War of Mine, check out our review of the original 2014 release here. You can also catch up on how the game industry has helped assist those affected by the war in Ukraine here. 

What You Need To Know About Disney Dreamlight Valley

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 09:00 AM PDT

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Mac
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Developer: Gameloft
Release: 2023
Rating: Everyone

Every year millions of people around the world flock to Disney theme parks for the experience of spotting beloved characters and taking in the aesthetics and rides that let them relive their favorite films. The wonder and excitement of stepping into a Disney-infused world is unmatched – a childhood rite of passage and way for adults to recapture a part of their younger selves. 

Gameloft wants to bring that feeling into the gaming world with its recently announced free-to-play game Disney Dreamlight Valley. The life-simulation adventure game lets you create your own avatar and design your own world, where you'll interact with iconic characters and find nods to the Disney and Pixar classics in the items and structures around you. I recently saw a demo for Dreamlight Valley and chatted with the team behind it, and it has a lot of potential. Here's what you need to know about the experience that's launching sometime in 2023 for all major consoles, PC, and Mac. 

It's Split Into An Adventure Game And Life Sim

You can think of Disney Dreamlight as a hybrid experience. You have the main narrative path where you discover why the world fell into darkness and its inhabitants lost their memories. Every objective you complete provides a picture as a hint to guide you in piecing together what happened. This also includes discovering why you're the chosen one to bring this world from its desolate state into a thriving landscape.  

"We have that whole overarching meta-narrative where the player is discovering their purpose and saving the valley," explains senior product marketing manager Claire Llewellyn. "They also have the storyline around building friendships with characters for the story arcs. And thirdly, they also have the whole realm story arcs to discover –  the adventure aspect that they're going on."

While engaging with the main story, you can expect it to play much like an adventure game, with mysteries and puzzles to solve. Gameloft compared it to LucasArts games like Monkey Island and Indiana Jones. From what we saw, various portals to Disney and Pixar worlds exist, and you'll have tasks to complete within these to restore characters' memories and bring them back into the world. For instance, we had to locate some hidden items and move trash piles to get the goods to repair Wall-E. Once we did this, we not only unlocked new story clues but Wall-E was brought back into our world as a character living out their own life in it.

The other part of the game is the life simulation aspect. Think of a cross between The Sims and Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon. You are very much cleaning up this world and unlocking various biomes, such as a meadow and beach, which will advance the main story. Gameloft says it will take between 40 and 60 hours just to unlock all these areas in the game.

In addition, you're also putting your own mark on it by designing it as your place. You have your own avatar you can customize and a house you can decorate as well. Activities litter the world for you to engage in, such as harvesting crops, mining materials, fishing, taming animals, and even designing your own clothes. Cooking and crafting recipes are aplenty, so you're always working toward creating something new to either give as gifts or use to decorate the world. 

Every Disney Character Has A Unique Story Arc

Gameloft drew inspiration for the game by challenging its team to think, "What would it mean to be living next door to Disney characters?" Beyond the main narrative, the team crafted unique stories for a multitude of big-name characters, who will casually walk around your world as you unlock them through the main story. Speaking with characters every day should net you new dialogue, and they all have their own A.I. schedules and behaviors. A bonus? Gameloft is also working with Disney's voice team, so the voiced dialogue feels true to the characters.

Inspired by RPGs, every character also has a friendship level to showcase your bond and progress in their personal storylines. In my demo, Goofy asked for help finding his missing fishing rod, a nod to the character's love for the activity. Once we located it in the world, our friendship improved with the anthropomorphic dog.

Every new friendship level you reach with a character gives you perks, such as new objects or decorations. You can build your friendship faster by giving characters gifts, so crafting items or cooking dishes for them is to your benefit – just keep in mind everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Once you reach certain friendship tiers, you get more of the unique story Gameloft crafted for the character. 

There's Customization Galore

Part of the experience is obviously about expressing yourself and putting your unique touch on the world. You're always evolving the landscape, taking it from a dark desolate place to a vibrant populous. Watching various Disney and Pixar characters move into your world is a big highlight, but so are all the new items you can unlock and craft that exude the Disney spirit.

So far, the game has 1,000 decoration items, allowing you to create everything from a Monsters Inc-themed living room to a Little Mermaid-centric bathroom. Part of making your own avatar is creating your own individuality with your clothing. Gameloft wanted players to express themselves as Disney fans just like you see people at parks with their attire. You can design or purchase your own outfits, focusing on unique hats, masks, glasses, and more. In my demo, I saw everything from a winter Buzz Lightyear jacket to Elsa's iconic blue Frozen gown. 

A photo mode allows you to share your fun creations and experiences with others, but the game is still being worked on, so time will tell if Gameloft adds a feature for you to visit other friends' worlds or download their designs.

"We have many plans for multiplayer interaction, but at the Early Access launch, we won't have this kind of interaction yet," says game manager Manea Castet.

Monetization Is Still In Flux But More About Cosmetics

With any free-to-play game, this is always the burning question, and it's something Gameloft is still figuring out. However, the team was adamant that microtransactions would focus more on cosmetics.

"We made sure the monetization side of the game is being built during Early Access with our players to make sure that they like it," Castet says. "The strategy now is to make sure it's all about customization. We will have a system to unlock new outfits and new decorations that you can speed up with real money if you want. There is no way to speed up your gameplay, speed up your progress, or unlock a new area by spending real money."

During the game, you will earn currency by doing different things in the world and reaching certain milestones but you cannot spend real money to unlock it. This currency can then be used to do things like increase inventory space and buy new decorations.

Early Access Is Helping Shape The Game

With all the Disney worlds and characters at its disposal, Gameloft has a lot of content to draw from and sees the game as having a long tail. Early Access will merely be the start of what's in store. 

"At Early Access, we're going to have four doors [to Disney and Pixar realms] unlocked," Llewellyn confirms. "We're going to be unlocking additional doors for free for players. There's a lot more coming and a lot more IP from Disney and Pixar that we're going to be adding in the months and years to come."

Those who want an early taste of the experience can play it in Early Access this summer. Here, Gameloft will be monitoring the community feedback and learning more about what you want from the game as it builds the final version of it. You can join Early Access by purchasing a Founders Pack or by being an Xbox Game Pass member. As an early adopter, you'll earn exclusive in-game awards, which will carry over when the full game releases in 2023. 

For more information, visit the official website. 

Purchase

Rogue Legacy 2 – Review In Progress

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 08:34 AM PDT

After nearly two years of being playable through early access, Cellar Door Games has fully released Rogue Legacy 2. I've been grinding away at finishing the rogue-lite sequel but haven't bested its toughest challenges yet, and I don't feel comfortable bestowing an official score on it until I do. However, I have poured well over 30 hours into Rogue Legacy 2 and have some thoughts to share about it in the meantime.

Once again, you control a bloodline destined to adventure into a procedurally generated castle to slay the bosses within. Every time an heir dies, you're given the choice of three (or more) new adventurers from the next generation equipped with inherited genetic traits that make every heir unique. These traits could buff attack damage at the cost of a reduced mana pool or maybe give an heir irritable bowel syndrome, which causes that heir to pass gas regularly when jumping or dashing. Sometimes gigantism runs in the family, making an heir's stature quite a bit larger than the average character. Traits can drastically change playstyles, while others might be humorous distractions designed to bring a smile to your face. 

Rogue Legacy 2's core loop is a lot of fun, just like its predecessor. There were many times I felt Rogue Legacy 2 was sticking too close to the contents of the original, only to realize many of those aspects I thought were direct rehashes are actually new or significantly expanded. For example, while present in Rogue Legacy, classes are entirely different now and add significant changes in gameplay that I especially enjoy. An heir's class now determines which weapon and skills they are equipped with, giving every class a playstyle and identity. 

The most basic class, the Knight, comes with the classic Rogue Legacy sword in hand and has a shield that can deflect attacks in a pinch. On the other hand, the Ronin uses a katana that can be aimed in diagonal directions and uses an ability to slash and teleport the character in whichever direction you aim. Those are straightforward compared to the Bard, who creates music notes that can be detonated by spin kicking them, or the Boxer, who can gain combo points, increasing damage with each hit and unleashing a deadly finishing blow. Exploring every class, of which there are many, drives a lot of the fun on every run. I love finding new synergies between weapons and traits that I didn't consider hours before. 

Between runs, you'll be taking the gold you've earned from your prior generation and investing it into building a castle, which doubles as a skill tree to make each family member more capable. Here, you can increase stats like health, armor, mana, critical hit chance, and unlock new classes for future generations to inherit. While building the castle and buffing your characters is the main progression system for the game, it's easily the biggest problem I have with Rogue Legacy 2.

The number of skills to unlock and invest in was manageable at first but quickly grew out of control as I unlocked more. Many options become repetitive, such as having three or more health-increasing options that all give the same HP boost, making so much of it feel unnecessarily padded. Yes, you are improving your chances at a successful run with every upgrade, but the benefits gained become painfully minimal when the gold costs become far too expensive in the late game, where an hour-long run can sometimes net one or two minor increases to armor or dexterity. It should be empowering and fulfilling to upgrade the castle after a long, lucrative life, but that has rarely been the case in my experience.

Expect a challenge if you dive into Rogue Legacy 2. I've had many a run end far too soon by a brutal room of enemies getting the best of me and have thrown generation after generation of my heirs at the six big Estuary bosses. So far, the bosses are difficult but fair and can be taken down with careful planning and talented platforming. However, for those who may want to tweak the challenge separate from the skill tree, Cellar Door Games has implemented a menu it calls "House Rules," which lets you change all kinds of settings to make the experience more enjoyable and accessible. I appreciate any time a developer introduces ways to make granular changes in different aspects of a game so more people can see it through to the end in their own way, so kudos to the Rogue Legacy 2 devs for taking to time to make it happen here.

Despite my gripes with the upgrade system, I've been having fun with Cellar Door's new game and have been consistently surprised by synergies and new room layouts I'm discovering as I near the end of my playthrough. If you like or love Rogue Legacy, and have been holding out until early access ended, wait no longer. Rogue Legacy 2 is a bigger and better version of the original's formula and has kept me playing for "one more run" more times than I'd care to admit. Be sure to check back soon for my full review in the next week or two.

The Quarry: Supermassive Games Reveals It Has 186 Different Endings

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 07:55 AM PDT

The Quarry: Supermassive Games Reveals It Has 186 Different Endings

Supermassive Games' next foray into horror, The Quarry, the studio's spiritual successor to Until Dawn, is due out June 10. As we creep closer to the release date, more and more information about the title has come to light. 

Much of that comes by way of IGN, as The Quarry is this month's feature IGN First game, and in a recent interview with director Will Byles, who also directed Until Dawn, it was revealed that The Quarry has 186 different endings. That's quite a lot, and it sounds like players will be able to play through The Quarry dozens of times without having the same experience.

Here's what Byles had to say in regards to developing a game with nearly 200 endings: 

"Those stories, as you kind of branch through, go wide and they start to come back in again. It's kind of like the story itself is the variation, not always just the end. We worked out 186 different endings for these characters. Not just alive or dead [but] a whole variation of things like what could happen to them, but the stories that can happen are massively varied." 

Continuing, Byles says big choices in the game are denoted as Path Changes. These drastically affect the game's outcome, whereas smaller choices simply color the characters you're playing as or change the context in which someone else talks about your characters or how they feel about them. You'll also see a pop-up on the screen that tells you how your actions affect someone. 

To manage so many endings, Byles says separating the game's characters in classic horror fashion makes it much easier because if something happens to someone that's alone, it doesn't affect everyone else, for example. However, he says that killing someone is binary – they're either alive or dead. The choices that don't result in death make the branching of The Quarry's narrative so exponential, Byles reveals. 

We don't have to wait long to check out some of these 186 endings because The Quarry hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on June 10. For more, read about how Supermassive Games wants to avoid problematic tropes in The Quarry, and then check out this story about how you can beat The Quarry without pressing a single button. Watch the first 30 minutes of The Quarry after that. 

Are you excited about The Quarry? Let us know in the comments below!

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Event With ‘Exciting Reveals Of New Gameplay Info’ Happening Next Month

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 06:58 AM PDT

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Capcom has announced that it will hold a "special event" stream for Monster Hunter Rise next month. 

More specifically, the special event stream will be about the game's upcoming expansion, Sunbreak, and it will begin at 7 a.m. PT/9 a.m. CT/10 a.m. ET on May 10. It will be streamed on the official Monster Hunter Twitch channel and according to the announcement tweet, will feature "exciting reveals of new gameplay info, monsters, and more." As for how long it will run, that remains unknown. 

A teaser trailer for this digital event, which you can watch above, reveals a few more tidbits of info. 

"Get ready for a brand new trailer, more monster reveals, much-awaited info about new Hunter actions, and additional game features," the trailer reads.

As you can expect, director Yoshitake Suzuki will be presenting during the showcase. Not much else was shared about this event but fortunately, you don't have to wait too much longer to learn more about Sunbreak because the event begins in less than two weeks. 

In the meantime, read about Sunbreak's confirmed June release date and then check out the previous Sunbreak reveal that highlighted new monsters and locations. Read Game Informer's Monster Hunter Rise review after that. 

Are you excited for Monster Hunter Rise: Daybreak? Let us know in the comments below!

Xbox And Bethesda Games Showcase Announced For June

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 06:05 AM PDT

Xbox And Bethesda Games Showcase Announced For June

Microsoft has announced that an Xbox and Bethesda games showcase will be held this summer. 

More specifically, the showcase will air on June 12, beginning at 10 a.m PT/Noon CT/1 p.m. ET, and will feature "amazing titles coming from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and our partners around the world." 

As for what to expect, the showcase will focus on games that will soon hit Xbox Series X/S consoles and PC. However, these showcases have been known to surprise-reveal new titles early in development, so it wouldn't be surprising if games with no release date are showcased. 

"The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will include everything you need to know about the diverse lineup of games coming soon to the Xbox ecosystem, including upcoming releases to Game Pass on Xbox and PC," the Xbox Wire post reads. 

Nothing else was revealed besides some links to social and streaming channels where you can watch this showcase. There's no mention of specific games, the runtime of the event, or anything like that. However, with Starfield set to release on Nov. 11, there's a good chance we finally get a deeper look at what this game is. Only time will tell, though. 

Are you excited about this showcase? What games do you hope to see? Let us know in the comments below!

Exo One Hits PS5, PS4 This Summer With 120 FPS And DualSense Haptics Support

Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:50 AM PDT

Exo One Hits PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 This Summer With 120 FPS And DualSense Haptics Support

Exbleative's Exo One, which became popular for its sci-fi zen-like nature when it hit Xbox consoles and PC last year, is coming to PlayStation consoles this summer. 

Announced over on the PlayStation Blog, Exo One creator Jay Weston shared the news alongside a new trailer for the game and word that it will feature support for 120 FPS gameplay and DualSense haptics feedback. Exo One will hit both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 this summer, but an official release date has not yet been revealed. 

"Hi folks, I'm stoked to be able to tell you all that Exo One will be landing on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 this summer," Weston writes in the blog. "Exo One began five years ago with a relatively simple idea about using gravity as a movement mechanic, and gradually grew into something strange and special, inspired by my love for sci-fi cinema and games that moved me emotionally. I'm super excited to see it find a new audience and reach new technical heights with this PS5 port.

"In Exo One, you'll embark on a journey beyond the solar system, discovering everything from terrestrial deserts to dreamy gas giants as the pilot of an alien probe. Glide and roll across the landscape, controlling gravity itself to reach colossal speeds and exhilarating heights. You'll ride thermal updrafts into boiling cloud formations, careen down hillsides, and launch off mountain tops, all the time drifting toward the shining blue beam on the horizon." 

Weston says they designed the game as a "meditative focus on travel," and in playing it, that's quite clear. The game does have some moments that could be described as stressful but at the heart of Exo One is a generally laid-back, zen-like traversal through beautiful sci-fi environments, with an extreme focus on simply moving forward, however you can. That's why Weston designed the game with no timer measuring your progress, or monsters or enemies to fight, too. 

 

With Exo One coming to PS5, it brings 120 FPS gameplay to the experience, so long as you have a high refresh rate TV that can handle it. Additional features include haptics that reflect the terrain and weather of each planet on the PS5 DualSense controller. Weston says players will feel the wind resistance on the controller's trigger while gliding through winds and updrafts. Plus, different terrains have different vibrations associated with them. One type of terrain might result in "steady pulsations" while another might give a "stronger, shakier vibration," Weston writes in the blog post. The faster you go, the stronger the vibrations, too. 

Are you excited to play Exo One on PlayStation 5? Let us know in the comments below!
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