Game Informer |
- Two New Hypnospace-Related Games Are Coming To Jog Your Nostalgia
- Tales Of Arise: There Are No Plans For A Sequel
- New Overwatch 2 Concept Art Displays Possible Battle Pass
- Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition | New Gameplay Today
- Heavenly And Hellish Monthly Merch Is Coming With The Unboxing Of Isaac
- Game Studios Show Support For Ukraine
- Persona 5 Royal Review – Revealing Its True Form
- TimTheTatMan Chats About Streaming And The AT&T Annihilator Cup
- Learning To Play – A Guide To Help Your Little Ones Get Into Games
- Return To Monkey Island Announced With Series Creator Ron Gilbert Involved
- PlayStation Reportedly Lays Off Nearly 90 Employees In North American Offices Due To ‘Global Transformation’
- Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review Discussion - Is It Worth Buying?
- Blue Box Game Studios Addresses Abandoned Cancellation Rumors
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl: How To Get Darkrai Mystery Gift
- Elden Ring: Starscourge Radahn Buffed After Accidental Nerf Last Month
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte Is A Pixel-Flavored Beverage Coming First To The Metaverse, On Sale IRL In May
| Two New Hypnospace-Related Games Are Coming To Jog Your Nostalgia Posted: 05 Apr 2022 08:00 AM PDT Publisher No More Robots and developer Tendershoot held a Hypnospace Next presentation today, revealing what comes next for the Hypnospace Outlaw series, and it's not one but two new games coming this year. Click here to watch embedded media First is a spiritual successor to Hypnospace called Dreamsettler, set in an alternate reality in the early 2000s. In Dreamsettler, you'll play as an internet private detective trying to solve problems for other users on the Somnius Sleepnet Systems. There will be all kinds of familiar references while surfing this shifted reality version of a burgeoning time for the web. You'll experience an early version of social media, listen to alternate-reality genres of music, and explore a version of the 00s internet that's much like our own but with some abnormalities. Although, No More Robots hints it will get weirder as it gets even darker. Click here to watch embedded media Also announced is Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer, a spinoff of sorts from the original Hypnospace outlaw starring ZANE_ROCKS_14, or Zane Lofton as he's known in the fictional real world. In 2022, 37-year-old Zane, who is now a manager at a DollarSaver, finds a game he made when he was 14 called Slayers X. Naturally, he decides to rerelease his boomer shooter (its very Doom-like) in 2022 with some upgrades. Both games are slated to release sometime this year and will be coming to consoles and PC, but neither title has a date yet. Are you looking forward to playing these Hypnospace Outlaw spinoffs? Let us know in the comments! |
| Tales Of Arise: There Are No Plans For A Sequel Posted: 05 Apr 2022 07:27 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Tales of Arise is a great game – it's one of Game Informer's highest-reviewed games of 2021, with us giving it a 9.25 out of 10. For that reason, it's easy to imagine a sequel or follow-up to it, even though it does end quite nicely, all things considered. However, it doesn't sound like one is in the cards. In a new interview with Edge magazine, Tales of Arise producer Yusuke Tomiwaza said that a sequel isn't happening, as reported by GamesRadar. Tomiwaza alluded to the team developing Arise in such a way that a sequel wouldn't be necessary, citing that he hoped the story would be complete "with a good aftertaste" when players roll credits, eliminating the need for a sequel altogether. Click here to watch embedded media Tomizawa continued, citing that the studio wants "to continue to take on the challenge of…acquiring new fans for further expansion of JRPGs," and that in order to do that, "we need to come up with a cutting-edge flagship title that builds on the success of Arise, while also providing an opportunity to rediscover the history of the series." As GamesRadar points out, a lack of a sequel to Arise isn't necessarily the worst news ever for fans because as fans of the series likely know, we're probably just a few years away from another Tales game. Having been around for more than two decades, with 17 mainline games in it, it's safe to say another Tales game is likely on the way. While waiting for that, read Game Informer's Tales of Arise review and then check out why it's on Game Informer's list of the top 10 RPGs to play right now. Read about this stylish Tales of Arise and Scarlet Nexus crossover after that. [Source: GamesRadar] Do you want a sequel to Tales of Arise? Let us know why in the comments below! |
| New Overwatch 2 Concept Art Displays Possible Battle Pass Posted: 05 Apr 2022 06:46 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC We're likely years away from playing Overwatch 2 in full, but Blizzard recently revealed that it's "decoupling" the sequel's PvP and PvE, which means we might get our hands on at least one of the game's core experiences. However, in the long wait, there's been plenty of Overwatch 2 information shared by Blizzard, such as word that Bastion will be wildly different in the sequel or how Doomfist will be a tank hero in it. Thanks to some new concept art from Jayson Kirby, a former Overwatch UI designer, we have our first hint at a possible battle pass for Overwatch 2, as reported by Attack Of The Fanboy.  As you can see in the shot above, the screen very clearly has an option that says "Battle Pass." Clicking that option would likely bring you right to the main battle pass hub for Overwatch 2, where you might find things like challenges, tiers, unlocks, and more. Of course, this is all speculation as Blizzard has not yet revealed anything official about a battle pass in Overwatch 2. It wouldn't be surprising, though, as more and more games are creating them to give players something to work toward constantly. There's an option for a "Shop," too, which would fit alongside a battle pass. Like Fortnite's Item Shop, players can earn skins and more by leveling up in the battle pass, but perhaps they can buy something they specifically want outright in the shop. Of course, this kind of goes against the grain of Overwatch's loot box system, but perhaps Blizzard is dropping that in favor of a battle pass. Or maybe the studio has found a way to mix them. Only time will tell for now. In the meantime, read about how McCree has a new name in light of ongoing Activision Blizzard lawsuits, and then check out this story about Blizzard's decision to drop the standard PvP count to 5v5 in Overwatch 2. Read about this new map – Monte Carlo – in Overwatch 2 after that. [Source: Attack Of The Fanboy] Do you want Overwatch 2 to have a battle pass? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition | New Gameplay Today Posted: 05 Apr 2022 06:00 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC In recent years, Square Enix has been porting a portion of its hallowed JRPG library onto modern consoles in a plethora of ways. Titles from Final Fantasy, the Mana series, and more have found their way onto consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, providing an excellent history lesson to those who want to understand the foundations of contemporary RPGs. Chrono Cross is next on the list, and on this episode of New Gameplay Today, we're taking a look at the fan-favorite title and letting you know how The Radical Dreamers Edition holds up. Click here to watch embedded media Join host Alex Stadnik and JRPG-expert Kim "KStar" Wallace as they take you on a tour of the game's remastered opening hours. They highlight all the changes Square Enix has implemented, including graphics switching, speeding up gameplay, and so much more. They also chat about the visual improvements of The Radical Dreamers Edition and whether or not newcomers or veterans will enjoy this return to the beloved series. Finally, they also discuss some of the technical issues they've run into. While the game is playable, the frame rate takes noticeable dips from time to time, and both Kim and Stadnik noticed the game can be stuttery during their hands-on time with the Switch version. Is it enough to derail the experience? You'll just have to watch our New Gameplay Today to find out. If you're excited for Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, you don't have much longer to wait, as Square's latest remaster releases on April 7 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. For more previews of some of the biggest games of 2022 and beyond, be sure to head over to our YouTube page for early looks at Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong, Forspoken, and so much more! Thanks for watching today's video. |
| Heavenly And Hellish Monthly Merch Is Coming With The Unboxing Of Isaac Posted: 05 Apr 2022 12:00 AM PDT Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac creator Edmund McMillen is making a subscription program that will deliver monthly boxes of Isaac merch. The Unboxing of Isaac is the name of the service McMillen is introducing alongside Maestro Media, the company behind the tabletop game The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls. The Binding of Isaac fans can expect all kinds of goodies in the monthly package, including shirts, artwork, stickers, and each box contains three new cards to use in the tabletop game. In a press release shared with Game Informer, we have the contents of the first three months and the themes associated with them. It also shares a quote from McMillen about why this subscription box exists. "The most requested merch item during the Kickstarters was t-shirts, and although we did some, we really wanted to push it and make a series of bold and creative Isaac-themed merch that fans will love," says McMillen. "You asked and we listened!" Here's what subscribers can expect in the first three boxes: May: Dogma (art by @orisghost) "Something whispers through the TV static... The Dogma pack starts us off with a bang, a highly-requested t-shirt drawn by a prominent Isaac artist Orighost! This Dogma pack comes with three on-theme Four Souls cards: Christian Broadcasts, Static and Dogma v2! This pack will also come with a holographic sticker of the shirt design." June: Rainbow Blight (art by @ahoyvisualart) "It's time to get cute! This Rainbow Blight shirt designed by Ahoy celebrates all the cutest and coolest items in Isaac! How many can you name? This pride-full package includes three fabulous Four Souls cards that will make your friends gag: 3 Dollar Bill, Glitter Bombs and My Little Unicorn! This box will also include a sticker sheet featuring art from all of the most colorful Four Souls cards!" July: The Horsemen! (art by Jimbo Phillips) "The Four Horsemen are finally here just in time to celebrate summer! This retro shirt design was done by the iconic surf/skate illustrator Jimbo Phillips, you don't need big muscles to attract babes or hunks at the beach anymore! This box comes with the usual sticker based on the shirt's image as well as three on-theme Four Souls cards: Cube of Meat, Cube of Meat and Cube of Meat!"  Shirt art for May, July, and June Starting in August, the themes and contents of the bundles will remain a mystery until the start of that month, but Maestro promises more great The Binding of Isaac art from McMillen and other artists such as Tom Bunk, Daniel Shaw, Jimbo Phillips, Angela Ho, Sr Pelo, and more. The Unboxing of Isaac can be purchased in three different ways.
If you're looking for a monthly dose of new The Binding of Isaac merch in your life, you can sign up at theunboxingofisaac.com right now. |
| Game Studios Show Support For Ukraine Posted: 04 Apr 2022 03:43 PM PDT Russia openly attacked and invaded Ukraine on February 24 after weeks of mounting tensions between the two countries, with hundreds of Ukrainian citizens reportedly killed by bombings and Russian militia as a result. As the world watches this historical and terrifying event unfold, efforts have begun to aid civilians and organizations on the ground floor and those displaced, like the Ukrainian Red Cross. Many of these efforts have come from studios within the video game industry, some in the form of charity drives, others with public displays of support for Ukraine. Game Informer will continue to update this story. Fortnite Epic Games announced that from March 20 through April 3, all proceeds from its popular battle royale, Fortnite, would be donated to humanitarian relief for people affected by the war in Ukraine. — Fortnite (@FortniteGame) March 20, 2022 One day later, the Fortnite Twitter account revealed that Fortnite players had already raised $36 million.
Update: As of March 22, Fortnite (and its players) have raised $50 million in humanitarian relief funds to support people affected by the war in Ukraine. Update: As of March 25, Fortnite, and the Fortnite player base making purchases in the Fortnite Item Shop and elsewhere, have raised $70 million in humanitarian relief funds to support people affected by the war in Ukraine. Update: As of April 4, which is the last day that Epic Games is donating Fortnite proceeds to Ukraine humanitarian efforts, the Fortnite community and Xbox have raised $144 million.
Wargaming World of Tanks developer Wargaming announced on April 4 that it will be leaving Russia and Belarus. The publisher-developer studio also revealed that after conducting a strategic review of business operations worldwide, it has decided "it will not own or operate any businesses in Russia or Belarus." "Effective March 31, the company transferred its live games business in Russia and Belarus to local management of Lesta Studio that is no longer affiliated with Wargaming. The company will not profit from this process either today or going forward. Much to the contrary we expect to suffer substantial losses as a direct result of this decision. We will be completing the operational transition with all due speed while remaining in full compliance with all laws and ensuring the ongoing safety and support of our employees. During the transition period, the live products will remain in Russia and Belarus and will be operated by the new owner. Wargaming has also started the process of closing its studio in Minsk, Belarus. We will be providing as much severance and support as possible to our employees affected by the change. Despite the magnitude of this decision, we as a company are confident in the future of our business and are committed to delivering quality games to our players."All In! Games Chernobylite developer The Farm 51 and its publisher, All in! Games, announced a new DLC pack for Chernobylite on March 21. Titled Chernobylite Digital Charity Pack DLC, the total net income from this DLC will be donated to the Pure Heart Foundation, "a non-profit charitable organization established in 2013 that works with underprivileged communities focusing on humanitarian aid and youth projects," according to a press release. The Pure Heart Foundation is distributing donated humanitarian and medical aid to those in need, including hygiene products, nappies, baby food, phones, sleeping bags, and medicine. The charity pack will be available from now until March 14, 2023 on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. It costs $3.99 and more details about it can be found here. Humble Bundle On March 18, Humble Bundle announced its Stand With Ukraine Bundle. Running through March 25, with over 120 games, books, and software, 100% of this bundle's proceeds will be donated to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. Games include Back 4 Blood, Metro Exodus, Fable: Anniversary, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, The Long Dark, and more.  More details about this Humble Bundle can be found here. Square Enix Square Enix, the publisher and developer behind the Final Fantasy franchise, announced on March 14 that it has donated $500,000 to The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to support the people of Ukraine affected by Russia's ongoing invasion of the country, which has resulted in war. — Square Enix (@SquareEnix) March 15, 2022 Riot Games On March 5, Riot Games, the publisher-studio behind Valorant and League of Legends, announced that from March 5 to March 12, all proceeds from battle pass sales for Valorant, Legends of Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics, and Wild Rift, as well as the new Bee skin line in League of Legends, will be donated to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and the surrounding region. In addition to player-supported fundraising, Riot announced it would be donating $1 million across three humanitarian efforts:
On March 9, Riot Games revealed that it and players of its games had raised more than $3 million to date and as of March 29, the total raised is $5 million. Bandai Namco Bandai Namco, the publisher behind titles like this year's Elden Ring and more, revealed on March 11 that it would be donating roughly $848,000 to Save the Children in support of Ukraine. "The Bandai Namco Group has decided to make a donation of 100 million yen to Save the Children in support of their humanitarian cause for people affected by the crisis in Ukraine and seeking refuge outside the country. We hope that the people and communities affected by this crisis will be able to return to peaceful days as soon as possible." — Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) March 11, 2022 Niantic Niantic, the studio behind games like Pokemon Go, revealed on March 10 that its games are no longer available for download in Russia and Belarus as a response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Plus, gameplay for Niantic's titles has been suspended indefinitely in Russia and Belarus. "We stand with the global community in hoping for peace and a rapid resolution to the violence and suffering in Ukraine. Niantic's games are no longer available for download in Russia and Belarus, and gameplay will also be suspended there shortly."
Nintendo Nintendo is the latest company to halt sales and shipments of its products to Russia amidst its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Joining the likes of Microsoft and PlayStation and dozens of other game studios, Nintendo has suspended all shipments to Russia for the "foreseeable future" as of March 10. Still, the company did not say this was in support of Ukraine like most publishers and studios have, as reported by IGN. The publication reached out to Nintendo to ask if it'd be providing a message of support for Ukraine, and a Nintendo spokesperson said, "We would like to express our concern for all those affected by the conflict." "We have decided to suspend shipping all Nintendo products to Russia for the foreseeable future," Nintendo told IGN. "This is due to considerable volatility surrounding the logistics of shipping and distributing physical goods." This news comes days after Nintendo placed the Russian eShop into maintenance mode, which prevents users from buying digital games, effectively suspending all sales and downloads in the country. As IGN points out, this wasn't necessarily done in support of Ukraine either, at least not directly and publicly. Nintendo said its payment service no longer processed Russian Rubles, forcing the eShop to close temporarily. On top of all of this, Nintendo delayed Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp yesterday due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It did not announce a new release date for the game. PlayStation Sony Interactive Entertainment announced on March 9 that it is suspending all sales and shipments of both hardware and digital goods in Russia amidst its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Joining the likes of Microsoft and Nintendo and dozens of other studios and publishers who have done the same, PlayStation is showing its support for Ukraine by effectively cutting Russia off from its services and titles. SIE called for peace in Ukraine in a statement to The Verge alongside this news. "Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) joins the global community in calling for peace in Ukraine," a spokesperson said. "We have suspended all software and hardware shipments, the launch of Gran Turismo 7, and operations of the PlayStation Store in Russia." This spokesperson also said that Sony announced a $2 million donation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the NGO Save the Children to support those affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Necrosoft Games, Itch.io, and More Than 700 Developers – Bundle For Ukraine Necrosoft Games and Itch.io, a digital games storefront with a focus on indies, announced a Bundle For Ukraine on March 7 that will be live until March 18 and with it, 100% of proceeds will be split as donations to the following charities:
This bundle comes at a minimum "cost" of a $10 donation and donating at least $10 (although you're free to donate however much more you'd like) will get you nearly 1000 products like digital tabletop RPGs and books, as well as games. "The people of Ukraine are under attack," Itch.io writes. "As game developers, we want to create new worlds, not to destroy the one we have. That's why we've banded together to present this charity bundle to help Ukrainians survive this ordeal and thrive after the war ends. This cause has resonated with creators around the globe, to the extent that our bundle contains almost 1000 games, tabletop RPGs, books, etc." More specifically, this bundle includes almost 600 digital games, 300 analog tabletop RPGs, and dozens of "asset packs, books, zines, and comics, soundtracks/music, and a host of other products." Epic Games Epic Games announced on March 5 that it has suspended sales of its games in Russia as a result of the country's unprovoked attack and invasion of Ukraine. This news comes by way of GamesIndustry.biz, which first reported that not only have sales of Epic Games' titles been suspended in Russia, but in-game purchases are no longer allowed as well. However, Epic Games alludes that it is not ending all of its services in Russia in a Twitter statement. "Epic is stopping commerce with Russia in our games in response to its invasion of Ukraine," the official Epic Games Newsroom Twitter account writes. "We're not blocking access for the same reason other communication tools remain online: the free world should keep all lines of dialogue open."
Activision Blizzard Activision Blizzard has suspended all sales of its games, both physical and digital, and associated in-game microtransactions in Russia as a result of its unprovoked attack and invasion of Ukraine, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz. The publisher, by way of President and COO Daniel Alegre, announced this to employees via its own internal messaging system before publishing the statement on its own website on March 5. In the statement, Alegre revealed the suspension of sales in Russia and said its priority remains the safety ot its employees, especially those currently affected by what's going on in Ukraine. "The company is matching employee donations 2:1 to organizations providing immediate relief in the region," Alegre writes. "Together, we have raised over $300,000 in this effort. Next week, we plan to add additional charities to choose from for consideration and also will raise the company matching limit from $1000 to $10,000." You can read Activision Blizzard's statement, in full, below:  Sad Cat Studios Sad Cat Studios, the Belarus-based team behind Replaced, released a statement of support for Ukraine on March 4, making it clear that it is a studio against war. "We are a Belarusian studio and we want to make it perfectly clear: we are against war," the statement released on Twitter reads. "We condemn Russian aggression towards Ukraine as well as Belarusian government's involvement in that aggression. There is absolutely no excuse for [the] war and suffering which is unfolding right now. Our team has endured the rallies against dictatorship in Belarus in 2020 – one of us have been injured, one arrested. Now one of our own is caught amidst the chaos of war, defending his country, and we are incredibly proud to have such courageous people on our team. That being said, we have ultimately decided to focus on [the] well-being of our team as well as relocating."
Remedy Entertainment Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind Control, released a statement on March 4 in support of Ukraine, revealing it has donated 50,000 euros to the Red Cross to help victims of war. "As Remedy Entertainment, we all stand united in our support of Ukraine," Remedy Entertainment writes in its statement. "To help the people of Ukraine and alleviate some of their suffering, we have donated 50 thousand euros to the Red Cross to help the victims of war. We have given direct support to all our Ukrainian employees, and we are prepared to take action to aid their families and loved ones back home. We are also providing support to our Russian employees, who are appalled by this brutal war. We do not blame those who are not responsible. We do not usually make public statements about world events, but the completely unjust invasion of Ukraine by the Russian regime has shocked and touched us all. We hope that peace will win."
EA EA, the publisher behind sports franchises like NHL and Madden NFL as well as games like Battlefield 2042, announced on March 4 that it has stopped sales of its games and content, including virtual currency bundles, in both Russia and Belarus. Here's EA's pic.twitter.com/vsZuQtYmX6 — Pokémon (@Pokemon) March 3, 2022 " target="_blank">statement, in full: "We continue to be shocked at the conflict that is unfolding in Ukraine, and join so many voices around the world in calling for peace and an end to the invasion," EA writes in the blog post. "We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Our primary concern is the ongoing safety of those in the region, particularly colleagues and partners, and we are seeking to understand how we might best help them further beyond our programs that are already in place. We have made the decision to stop sales of our games and content, including virtual currency bundles, in Russia and Belarus while this conflict continues. As a result, our games and content will no longer be available for purchase in our Russian region storefront on Origin or the EA app, including through in-game stores. We are also working with our platform partners to remove our titles from their stores and to stop the sale of new in-game content in the region. As this deeply troubling situation evolves, we're continuously reviewing the steps we can take. In addition to changes to our EA Sports FIFA and NHL games, we are actively evaluating other areas of our games and operations, and will update with any further actions."Microsoft On March 4, Microsoft announced in a blog post that it was suspending sales of its products and services in Russia as a result of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. This presumably includes Xbox-related products like consoles, official accessories, and more, considering Microsoft owns Xbox. "Like the rest of the world, we are horrified, angered, and saddened by the images and news coming from the war in Ukraine and condemn this unjustified, unprovoked, and unlawful invasion by Russia," Microsoft president and vice chair, Brad Smith, writes in the blog post. "We are announcing today that we will suspend all sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia. In addition, we are coordinating closely and working in lockstep with the governments of the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, and we are stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanctions decisions. We believe we are most effective in aiding Ukraine when we take concrete steps in coordination with the decisions being made by these governments and we will take additional steps as this situation continues to evolve. Like so many others, we stand with Ukraine in calling for the restoration of peace, respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, and the protection of its people."This news from Microsoft comes just days after Ukrainian vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly called on Sony and Microsoft to cut off Russia from its respective online gaming services immediately in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sony has not made a public stance or released a statement in regards to this war at the time of this writing. Bloober Team Bloober Team, the Poland-based studio behind The Medium and other titles, announced on March 3 that it is pulling its digital store pages from Russia and Belarus. "As the Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues, killing defenders and civilians alike, we at Bloober Team have decided to stop selling our titles in Russia and Belarus across all platforms," Bloober Team writes in a press release. "We've been working with our partners to put the games down from the stores in these countries – the ban coming into effect first on Steam. Our hearts are with the Ukrainian people and this is one of several steps we're currently taking to support them. We understand that our decision might affect many Russian and Belarussian players who are not involved in this invasion, but we strongly believe that every step that can help stop this war is worth taking – this includes showing full solidarity with the Ukrainian people both with words and actions, as well as creating pressure on the Russian and Belarussian public opinion. We believe a global joint resistance can help make a difference. We want to be a part of a world that doesn't turn a blind eye to warmongering. And we won't stay neutral when human lives are at stake."The Pokémon Company On March 3, The Pokémon Company released a statement in support of Ukraine on Twitter, pledging to donate $200,000 to its partners at GlobalGiving. "The growing crisis in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, which continues to cause the displacement of families and threaten the safety of children, is heartbreaking. The Pokémon Company International is making an immediate donation of $200,000 USD to our partners at GlobalGiving to provide humanitarian relief. The nonprofit will efficiently direct the funds to community-led organizations supporting families and children affected by the crisis."
Devolver Digital Perhaps the most forward show of support for Ukraine, Devolver Digital, the publisher behind this year's Sifu amongst others, kept it simple with the following on March 3:
As you can see, Devolver Digital also includes links to charities people can donate to in order to help those in Ukraine. John Romero John Romero, the famed co-creator of Doom II, announced on March 3 that he released a new level for Doom II and that 100% of the revenue from it will go to the people of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Red Cross, and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund. Click here to view embedded media "One Humanity is a new level for the 1994 id Software release Doom II created by John Romero to support the people of Ukraine and the humanitarian efforts of the Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund," Romero's website reads." 100% of the proceeds go toward these support initiatives. One Humanity is Romero's first Doom II level since the release of the original in 1994. The .WAD contains a readme text file as well as the external mod data. Players must have an original copy of Doom II and a modern source port to play one Humanity." You can read more about Romero's charity effort here. GSC Game World GSC Game World, the team behind S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, released a new video on March 3, detailing its current struggle in game development as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. GSC is based in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, which has been heavily bombed and targeted as a site for Russian takeover since the invasion began on February 24. In the video, the studio announced that it would be putting Stalker 2 development on the "sidelines" so that it can focus on keeping its employees safe during this conflict. Click here to watch embedded media Here's what was said, in full, in the video: "The previous week, we were editing the video about our motion-capture studio. We wanted to show how the cutscenes were created. Took time to watch videos, write scripts, and speak with actors. The previous week was ages ago. On the 24th of February, Russia declared war on Ukraine and sent rockets, tanks, and soldiers to our homeland. Our country is forced to fight for existence again. Seems like this is the price of freedom. This video is our answer to [the] 'How are you guys?" question. Now we are striving to help our employees and their families to survive. The game development shifted to the sidelines, but we will definitely continue, after the victory. Glory to Ukraine."Avalanche Studios Group Avalanche Studios Group, the team behind the Just Cause series and Contraband, released a statement of support for Ukraine on March 2. The studio revealed that it has donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "We strongly condemn the ongoing invasion of Ukraine," Avalanche writes in the statement. "Avalanche Studios Group is home to 44 different nationalities, including valued colleagues from Ukraine. In the face of this brutal and unprovoked war, we stand with them and their families, our partners and peers, and the entire people of Ukraine. To help alleviate some of the immense suffering, we are donating to the tireless humanitarian efforts of the UNHCR."
Unity Unity, a video game engine development company, released a statement of support for Ukraine, including how it's going to donate money to Ukrainian publishers and others, on March 2. "Unity stands with the people of Ukraine," Unity writes on Twitter. "Here's how we're helping to support those affected: Internally, our employees are directly supporting four international humanitarian charities focused on helping the people of Ukraine with a triple-matching commitment from the company and our leaders. As of March 1, Unity and our employees have committed over $623,000 to supporting Ukraine." Unity also launched two initiatives on the Unity Asset Store, and you can read more about those below:
Plarium Update, 3/10/22: Plarium has pulled its games from app stores in Russia and Belarus until further notice. It has also stopped accepting Plarium Play & Plarium.com payments in Russia and Belarus as well. Original Story: Raid Shadow Legends developer, Plarium, which is based in Ukraine, announced on March 1 in a new blog post that it has more than 700 employees sheltering in place throughout Ukraine and that its priority is the safety of its team. Plarium also revealed that it has donated $500,000 to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society alongside links and instructional help for people who want to help and get involved. You can read the statements, in full, by paging through the gallery below: Click here to view embedded media Ubisoft Ubisoft, the publisher and developer behind franchises like Far Cry and Assassin's Creed, released a statement on March 1 to show its support for its teams and the people of Ukraine. Here is the statement in full: "We are devastated and heartbroken by the tragic events taking place in Ukraine," Ubisoft writes. "Many Ubisoft team members call Ukraine home, and the thoughts of the entire Ubisoft community are with them, their loved ones, and all those affected by this war. Our top priority is to take care of the safety and wellbeing of our teams and their families. Over the past months, Ubisoft has been closely monitoring the situation, and our primary focus has been the security of our teams. As events escalated in mid-February, Ubisoft recommended all teams take shelter in a place they considered safe. To support them as they made these difficult decisions, each team member was provided additional funds to help cover exceptional costs and paid their salary in advance to account for any potential disruption to banking systems. Last week, when the unthinkable became a reality, Ubisoft worked to reinforce our support and assistance from our colleagues in Ukraine. We have set up alternative housing in neighboring countries where our colleagues and their families can take shelter if they wish and are able to do so. To stay closely connected to all our team members, Ubisoft has created dedicated hotlines to provide them with personalized support and aid. We have also put in place an emergency communication system to ensure we are able to keep in touch with our colleagues in all circumstances. We stand by our teams in Ukraine and will continue to adapt and reinforce our support as the situation evolves. Many people in Ukraine, including children, are in dire need of humanitarian support such as medical supplies, shelter, and food. Today, Ubisoft is donating a total of 200,000 euros to the Ukrainian Red Cross and Save the Children to help meet the urgent needs of the Ukrainian population. To all our Ukrainian community and everyone affected by this war, please take care. We are with you."Embracer Group Sweden-based video game media holding company, Embracer Group, has an extensive video game catalog consisting of titles like Saints Row, Dead Island, Kingdoms of Amalur, and more than 250 more. It released a statement on Twitter on February 28 to show its support for Ukraine. "Millions of people are experiencing unthinkable hardships in Ukraine," Embracer Group writes on Twitter. "The Embracer Group has decided to donate one-million US dollars for humanitarian aid to support those impacted through esteemed organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, SOS Children's Villages, and ACT Alliance among others. In addition, our Group CEO, Lars Wingefors, will match this donation with another one-million US dollar pledge to support our employees and contractors who are directly impacted by this crisis."— Embracer Group (@embracergroup) February 28, 2022 People Can Fly People Can Fly, the studio behind last year's Outriders, released a Twitter thread on February 28 showing its support for Ukraine, promising to donate 1 Polish zloty ($.22 USD), up to 1 million, for every Polish zloty donated by others to Polska Akcja Humanitarna, a Poland-based humanitarian organization that delivers aid to countries that need it. "Hard to find the right words," People Can Fly writes on Twitter. "We are deeply saddened by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. At PCF, we firmly stand against war and any form of violence. We are doing our best to take care of our Ukrainian team members and their loved ones."
Techland Techland, the studio behind the recently-released Dying Light 2, released a statement of support for Ukraine on February 26. It's also going to be donating roughly $225,000 to Polska Akcja Humanitarna, a Poland-based humanitarian organization that delivers aid to countries that need it. "The ongoing war in Ukraine has left us devastated and heartbroken beyond words," Techland writes on Twitter. "In the past few days, we've been focusing on ensuring our employees and their families are safe and receive support. We've also joined the efforts of the Polish gaming community in supporting our neighbors from Ukraine by donating 1 million PLN to Polska Akcja Humanitarna – an organization that provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by the conflict. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine."
Crytek Crytek, the studio behind the popular Crysis franchise with an office based in Ukraine's Kyiv capital, released a statement on February 25 to show its support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict happening there. "Kyiv has been home to one of the Crytek studios for the last 15 years," Crytek writes in the statement. "Our focus in Crytek has always been that people come first, so the safety of our colleagues and their loved ones during this uneasy time has been paramount to us. We have been following the situation closely for the past few weeks and have been in close contact with the studio to do what we can to assist during this difficult time. We are deeply saddened by the current events, and our thoughts are with our team as well as all Ukrainian citizens."— Crytek (@Crytek) February 25, 2022 CD Projekt Red Cyberpunk 2077 and Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red, which is based in Poland, released a statement of support for Ukraine on February 25. In it, the studio pledged to donate roughly $225,000 to Polska Akcja Humanitarna, a Poland-based humanitarian organization that delivers aid to countries that need it. "The recent invasion on Ukraine, our friends and neighbors, left us shocked and outraged," the studio writes in a tweet. "In solidarity with all victims of this act of aggression, the CD Projekt Group has decided to support humanitarian aid efforts by donating 1 million PLN to [Polska Akcja Humanitarna]."
Raw Fury Raw Fury, the publishing label behind titles like Sable, posted a statement of support for Ukraine on Twitter on February 24. "Overnight, millions of Ukrainians have fled their everyday lives stolen away from them because of circumstances entirely out of their control," Raw Fury writes in the statement "Houses lost, families separated, and the atrocity of war surrounding the neighborhoods they call home. War devastates all it touches, and this is a time when we all need to come together as a community to help. One of the tenets of Raw Fury is that we treat humans like humans, and when conflicts like this arise, it is more important than ever that we show empathy for each other. Raw Fury stands behind the citizens of Ukraine and we will be donating to the Ukrainian Red Cross to help support the victims of this war. We urge you all to help by donating so that aid can be made readily available for those in need."
Vostok Games Vostok Games, the studio behind Survarium, posted a show of support for Ukraine on February 24 in the form of a picture of the Ukrainian flag with the hashtag "#StandWithUkraine." — Vostok Games (@VostokGames) February 24, 2022 Frogwares Frogwares, the team behind The Sinking City and the Sherlock Holmes game franchise, tweeted on February 24 that it cannot stand by while Russia attacks its homeland, denying Ukraine of its sovereignty. "We can't just stand by," Frogwares writes on Twitter. "Russia attacks our homeland and denies the sovereignty of Ukraine. We are trying to stay safe, but this is war, there are no two ways about it. We call on everyone to force Putin to withdraw from our lands. #StopRussianAggression."
Bungie Bungie, the developer behind Destiny 2, announced on February 24 that it will donate 100% of the proceeds of the first 48 hours of its Game2Give drive to humanitarian aid efforts in response to ongoing conflict as a show of support to Ukraine.
11 Bit Studios 11 Bit Studios was one of the first studios to not only outright call Russia out, displaying public support for Ukraine and its efforts to defend itself, but it also started a charity drive on February 24. It put This War of Mine, a staunchly anti-war game developed by the studio, on sale on consoles and Steam, and 100% of the profits made during this sale are going to the Ukrainian Red Cross. On March 3, 11 Bit Studios announced that it was donating nearly $700,000 to Ukraine. The studio also released this statement alongside its original drive, which details how the Poland-based studio feels about the ongoing conflict:  Game Informer will continue to update this story. |
| Persona 5 Royal Review – Revealing Its True Form Posted: 04 Apr 2022 02:25 PM PDT Reviewed on: PlayStation 4 When it launched in 2017, Persona 5 represented the next evolution of the Persona formula. Persona 5 Royal amplifies the stellar turn-based combat and masterful social mechanics, as well as the complex systems surrounding them. But it also adds new characters, story arcs, and a meaty post-game palace that ventures even deeper into the world's lore to deliver the definitive way to experience Persona 5. The gameplay loop of the original remains intact: You hunt for corrupted individuals, infiltrate dungeons based on their personalities, and battle through tons of enemies – all while going to school and developing relationships with various confidants. Connecting with people from all walks of life, learning their stories, and strengthening your bonds remains rewarding from both a character development standpoint and in the way these relationships give you useful perks. If you haven't played Persona 5 before, this is the perfect way to start. Click here to watch embedded media Even if you did play the original release, Royal gives you plenty of reasons to return. In addition to restructuring the way you level up your relationship with Akechi, leading to more meaningful interactions with this important character, Royal adds Kasumi and Maruki, two all-new confidants. While I like the stories of both characters, I especially love the bonuses they give along the way: Kasumi increases your HP and gives you an awesome dodge ability for when a shadow is about to ambush you, while Maruki raises Joker's maximum SP, which comes in handy during lengthy palace infiltrations. Kasumi and Maruki offer humorous and heartfelt interactions, and while Kasumi eventually joins your party as a full-fledged Phantom Thief, that doesn't happen until the new post-game palace. While I'm disappointed she isn't in your party for the vast majority of the game, her constant presence in the story means you're already familiar with her when the time comes. That new palace and its surrounding arc serve up an interesting look at the weird way the world works following the events of the original conclusion, and offers puzzles, dungeon elements, and is unique from the other palaces in the game. I was initially worried that the addition of a new final boss battle would take away from what made the original finale special, but without spoiling it, this new end boss delivers a climactic and cinematic endcap to your journey as the Phantom Thieves. Click here to view embedded media In the 100 hours leading up to that post-game content, I loved revisiting the original palaces with their minor additions. Joker now has access to a grappling hook, which lets him swing to new points in palaces to find hidden treasure chests or the new collectible Will Seeds. Each palace's three Will Seeds are often hidden behind grappling sequences, puzzles, or difficult battles, but if you collect all three and bring the resulting item to a new character Jose in Mementos, you earn valuable accessories to equip to your characters. While they all give you powerful perks or moves, my favorite was one that buffed an ally's next magic attack to an extreme degree; I can't tell you how many times that move helped me turn the tide of battle. As you progress through the story, you also accumulate Showtime moves, team-up attacks that play out through funny, over-the-top cutscenes that also have the capacity to get you out of hot water if you're in trouble in a palace. Revisiting the memorable battles against palace rulers is made even more fun as they now have additional forms that play off the themes of their sins. Since the palaces are based on the cognitions of the palace rulers, I loved seeing how they incorporated the bosses' transgressions and twisted views in unique ways. While each of these forms adds something exciting or compelling to the way the battles play out, one boss battle operates on a time limit, and Royal's version adds additional dialogue and a new form without adding time to the clock, leading to frustration. Regardless of that one misfire, thanks to these additions, the palace boss battles are overall better than those in the original game. With so many additions and improvements, Persona 5 Royal is an improved version of what was already one of the best RPGs of the last decade. Whether you've been itching to enjoy the Phantom Thieves' journey again or looking to experience it for the first time, Royal wears its crown well. Score: 9.25About Game Informer's review system Concept: Get the Phantom Thieves back together for this director's cut of Persona 5, which includes new characters, gameplay mechanics, and areas Graphics: The visuals haven't changed from the initial release, but even three years later, Persona 5 still oozes style and visual flair Sound: One of the best soundtracks of the generation is supplemented by new tracks that diversify and strengthen the musical offerings. The new voice actors slide seamlessly into place with the already excellent cast from the original game Playability: With complex social systems and superb turn-based combat already present, Royal adds gameplay enhancements great and small Entertainment: While new characters and a new post-game palace are the biggest selling points, the tweaks and improvements make this the best way to experience one of the best RPGs in recent memory Replay: Moderately high |
| TimTheTatMan Chats About Streaming And The AT&T Annihilator Cup Posted: 04 Apr 2022 01:06 PM PDT All April long, the AT&T Annihilator Cup is happening on Twitch, featuring a host of popular personalities and a wide variety of games. Twenty high-profile streamers take on five wildly different game experiences to earn points, from fighting to asymmetrical horror to FPS action. The event is live each Friday on the official AT&T Twitch channel. Also, it is definitely going to be interesting to see streamers that are well-versed in their genres of choice tackle games that might be way outside their expertise, like Street Fighter or Dead By Daylight. Click here to watch embedded media We caught up with Annihilator Cup competitor TimTheTatMan for a quick chat about the tournament, his career, and more!  So, the Annihilator tournament. Tell me what it is, why you're excited about it, and why you're participating! Well, I'm excited for the Annihilator tournament because it's a good opportunity for me to show just how good I am at a wide variety of games. You know, I play a lot of Call of Duty, but I'm here to show people that I can branch outside of that. And I can, you know, dominate in that as well. Which game is going to be the biggest challenge for you? I think the biggest challenge will be Dead by Daylight for me. I've seen it. I understand the concept behind it. But I'm also like, kind of a scaredy-cat to be honest with you so I don't usually play the horror games. So that one could give me a run for my money a little bit. Obviously, you're really well versed in FPS - what other genres are you into outside of that? Well, you know I grew up playing Counter-Strike on computer and also played a ton of Call of Duty on Xbox, so you're absolutely right; the FPS is like my main forte if you will. That being said, I've ventured into MMORPGs, I played a lot of, you know, that kind of game growing up, World of Warcraft; I played that a ton, but you're right when it comes to what I enjoy. So you're big into Call of Duty: Warzone. If you could change one thing about Warzone, what would it be? There are so many things popping in my head, I would do one thing – I would change this personally: Try to have just a little more frequent...changes to the map or stuff like that, or like a new gun more...more frequently. Fortnite, I think it's kind of spoiled me in that regard, to be honest with you. Fortnite's gotten really good at just constantly updating the game. It's just really important to keep things fresh at the end of the day. How did you get into streaming and content creation? It's so funny because so much has changed over the years. As far as I think why? Like a lot of people look at streaming now, like a lot of people look at it as money, right, like a job. And I mean, years ago, man, I was working. I was working full time. I would watch Twitch, right? And I'd watch streamers – almost a decade ago. I would sit there and I go to work, and I watched some streamers. And I used to think like, "man, that can be such a cool thing. You know, I wish I could do that." And at this time, people weren't even making money. It was just kind of like, there was a very limited handful of people that are actually surviving off [it] in streaming. And I decided that I was going to give it a shot. I built a computer. The first thing I really streamed was Call of Duty Duty Black Ops II, so you know, makes sense that I'm still in Call of Duty content creation. And I just started doing it for fun. Literally, it was just something on the side when I got home from work. And it just took off from there? I would come home and stream for typically like two to three hours at night after I got off my shift. And then I'd take the weekends off and just kind of chill with friends. And so that was kind of how it all started for me. And it was just a hobby. That was it because there wasn't really hardly anything, as far as money in it. You know what I mean? And I started doing it while still working full time, so I was basically doing 45 hours a week at work and 30 on the side with streaming. And eventually, I ended up making more on the side than in my full-time thing. Have you ever thought about making your own game? No, because I know the amount of work that goes into that man, it's, you know, the amount of team[s] and the stuff that they got going on trying to make these massive video games. That's not my stuff, man. I'm a pretty laid-back guy. You know, ask me again in 10 to 15 years. Maybe I'll be in that space on some level, right? |
| Learning To Play – A Guide To Help Your Little Ones Get Into Games Posted: 04 Apr 2022 11:50 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC How old should your children be when introducing them to video games? What are the best titles to teach them how to use a controller? Are there games that both a youngster and adult will find equally enjoyable? As a father of a nine-year-old daughter, I get asked these questions frequently by people with children of their own, and I always stumble with my response as I try to recall the route I took to acclimate her to games. Most kids want to play games at an early age, yet there aren't many resources out there that help parents and guardians find a safe and rewarding gaming path for their kiddos. I hope this new reoccurring All Ages section helps people find solutions to their children's gaming needs. This month's section focuses on teaching kids how to use a controller first. The games that accomplish this task also help them navigate 2D and 3D spaces. I'll offer suggestions for cooperative games, the best non-violent options, genre entry points, and more in the months ahead. If you have questions or want to explore specific topics, drop me a letter at reiner@gameinformer.com with your thoughts. My efforts to get my daughter into the console gaming space were not easy. Her frustrations with using a controller for the first time were made worse by the fact that a good number of licensed children's games are downright awful and don't appear to take their targeted age group to heart. That said, we found a handful of games that are fantastic entry points. Here's where to start.  The First GameI'm guessing most of you have visions of your child playing one of your all-time favorite games as their first. Just know that that playthrough won't go well at the age of three or four, but it will make for a great photo that you can cherish forever. Once you get the pictures out of the way, I recommend docking a Switch to your TV and having your child's first game be Super Mario Maker 2. For years I suggested parents try the original Super Mario Maker with their kids, delivering results. Many of these kids developed the base skills needed to open the doors to the entire gaming world. Why did I choose the Mario Maker series over the other more popular Mario games? Most video games are violent, even kids' games. Nintendo's historic Mario franchise is viewed as one of the best family-friendly series out there, but it, too, is violent. The plumber uses his boots to squash turtles and torches other critters with fireballs. Mario also plummets to his death, and his battles against Bowser are always intense. With Super Mario Maker 2, you can remove all of that violence and create the perfect starter experience for your child. That's the rub, though: You have to make it yourself. Using the game's creation tools, you can create levels free of both violence and death. No enemies. No pitfalls. Just simple running and jumping exercises, from left to right. These stages teach your kid how to run, jump, and use items in safe and fun ways. With a deep well of creative options, you can essentially create an endless number of stages that help your child learn how to use a controller. Given Mario's simplicity, just a couple of buttons are used, and you have the choice of either the analog stick or directional pad. Your youngster should get the hang of the gameplay reasonably quickly and will be ready to move on to other games in a matter of days or weeks.  Playing TogetherTaking the controller from your child to show them how to do something can lead to frustration on their end. The better approach is to be in the game world with them, where you can communicate and use your character to show them the moves. 2013's Ibb & Obb from developer Sparpweed is a great example of how this can work. It also serves as a nice continuation of Mario's sidescrolling gameplay within puzzle-based levels that you and your kiddo will have to solve together. The first 20-percent of the Ibb & Obb's puzzles are easy to solve and don't require much in terms of dexterity. The game gets harder and more complicated as it goes, but by then, your child should be well versed in the movements and thinking required. Ibb & Obb can currently be played on PC and Switch. It delivers light violence in the form of enemy obstacles but is fairly safe in that regard. After spending time with this game, your child should be ready for the more mature platformers like Super Mario 3D World and Yoshi's Crafted World. Staying on the theme of Switch – the all-around best machine for kids and families – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a fantastic entry point into exploring 3D space. This is another game that you can play together, but you won't necessarily have a hand in guiding your child's movements. Don't worry, the game does that for you through options called Smart Steering and Auto-Accelerate, which are on by default. The game essentially plays itself. Your child can freely manipulate their racer's movement and speed, but should they get stuck, the game will auto-correct for them when they stop pressing buttons. With a wide roster of characters from other well-known Nintendo franchises, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a nice conversation starter that gives you a moment to talk to your child about The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, Donkey Kong, and Animal Crossing games. Planting the seed about these top-tier franchises is a good thing, as you'll likely play them in a couple of years.  Minecraft is another excellent entry point into three-dimensional worlds, as it allows you to create a safe environment for you and your child to interact with. The controls are rather complex, however, and onboarding can take time. With my daughter, our first month of playing Minecraft together consisted of her having limited input. We made a zoo together. I handled the construction of the facilities, and she figured out which animals would go into the habitats. I filled her inventory with eggs that spawn animals. We would run around the world, open doors, and place animals where she felt they belonged. After a month, she tested her hand at building, and within a matter of weeks, was a wiz at it, being able to create elaborate houses and structures with ease. Do the kids enjoy Where's Waldo books? If you don't mind getting fingerprints on your TV, Hidden Through Time offers a similar interactive experience. You can either hand the controller over to your kid to find their own secrets or have them point to what they want you to interact with on the TV. The levels in Hidden Through Time grow in size, change historical themes, and have plenty to look at, making for a spirited time sleuthing with the little ones. One of the most relaxing cooperative games I've ever played is a simulator called Farm Together. Released on Switch, PC, and playable on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, Farm Together is a great option for kids that may teach them a thing or two about counting and money management, but don't read into that as a roadblock. Kids can freely plant crops, build houses, and emote away without worry of finances. Farm Together has no fail states and is all about having fun with family and friends. Up to 16 players can be on the same farm, working on it together. During the pandemic, Farm Together has been a wonderful way to connect with other families for some game time.  If They Can't Read, Don't Play TheseMost of "Best Video Games for Kids" lists I see online recommend Pokémon and Animal Crossing. Both of these options require children to be fluent readers. I would avoid both of them until your child is roughly seven or eight years of age. If you play them before they can read, the experience will likely be miserable. With your kid holding the controller, you'll have to sit over their shoulder and read all of the text that appears on screen. I tried this with my daughter, and it didn't go well. The look of boredom on her face said enough, and her tapping the button to skip the text I was trying to read made the game practically unplayable. Your best move is to avoid having a bad taste associated with these beloved franchises and wait a few years until your little one is old enough to read. I would also hold off on Roblox for reading purposes, but also due to the uncertainty that comes from trying out new games. There are thousands to choose from – most created by the Roblox players themselves – and you never know what you will get. Yes, Roblox's visuals scream of kids, but it isn't a fully curated experience for children, and there are many pitfalls that they can be subjected to, like inappropriate adult-themed content, microtransactions, and player abuse. For Roblox, I'd wait until your child is six or seven, and you'll want to be around to monitor the gaming sessions until you feel comfortable letting your child play unsupervised.  If You Don't Mind A Little ViolenceOne of the big challenges parents face is sheltering their children from specific themes and violence. A Disney movie could suddenly turn disturbing, or a birthday present from a relative could produce a Nerf blaster or Lego set filled with swords and guns. It's hard to avoid all forms of violence, especially in video games. If you don't mind the cartoon variety, TT Games' long-running Lego series is fantastic for cooperative play. There's a steep learning curve for controller input – such as holding down or rapidly tapping a specific button within a set period of time – but the experiences are always fun and rewarding. I'd avoid Lego Worlds, given the content is fairly confusing. I highly recommend starting with Lego Marvel Superheroes, Lego Harry Potter, and any of the Star Wars titles. Speaking of, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga's release is right around the corner and could be a great jumping-on point for your family. |
| Return To Monkey Island Announced With Series Creator Ron Gilbert Involved Posted: 04 Apr 2022 09:22 AM PDT Monkey Island's long hiatus is finally coming to an end, and its creator is returning along with the series. In collaboration with Devolver Digital and Lucasfilm Games, Terrible Toybox is developing Return to Monkey Island, a new pirating adventure starring Guybrush Threepwood. Industry legend and Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion creator Ron Gilbert runs Terrible Toybox and will be involved in this new franchise entry. Click here to watch embedded media Return to Monkey Island will act as a direct sequel to Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, picking up where the 1991 point-and-click adventure left off. The series' floundering hero, Guybrush, will be voiced again by his original actor, Dominic Armato. Monkey Island has previously had a string of revivals over the years, with Telltale taking a crack at the series with Tales of Monkey Island in 2009 and Special Edition remasters of The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2 around the same time. We still don't know about Return to Monkey Island other than what's shown in the trailer above, but there is a release window set for this year. We'll be sure to report more as information is released on this project in the coming weeks and months. |
| Posted: 04 Apr 2022 08:52 AM PDT Sony PlayStation has reportedly laid off nearly 90 employees in its North American offices. This news comes by way of a new report from Axios, which writes that most of the cut positions were in the sales and marketing departments of the company. As for why, PlayStation leadership reportedly cited a "global transformation" of the company's sales and business operations in the U.S. and elsewhere. The cuts, which have not been publicly disclosed by Sony or its PlayStation arm, happened last week, one laid-off employee told Axios. More specifically, documents reveal Sony PlayStation is ending its "merchandiser" team in the U.S., with roles like PlayStation Representatives and more terminated. These employees were often responsible for going to brick-and-mortar stores to sell PlayStation products and educate employees there on those products. Multiple retail marketing jobs were cut as well, according to Axios. One worker laid off told the publication that they felt the company could have done more to find laid-off employees alternate jobs within it. They also said they were disappointed PlayStation had not told the affected departments sooner than they did. [Source: Axios] |
| Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review Posted: 04 Apr 2022 08:00 AM PDT Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a massive game, consisting of roughly 400 playable characters, nine movies to journey through, and more puns, jokes, and sight gags than even Jar Jar Binks can handle. Developer TT Games has been making Lego games for a long time, and this ambitious project shows this studio at the top of its game, delivering brick-smashing fun and wonderfully absurd Star Wars humor from start to finish. While nailing the little moments, the immense scale of the project appears to have been too wide for TT Games to harness, as some of the content is uncharacteristically dull or uneven. The perfect example of this experience bouncing between highs and lows occurs on the planet Ahch-To, where Luke Skywalker retreats to close himself off to the Force in The Last Jedi. In this desolate location, TT Games throws in a silly porg joke wherever possible, and makes Luke Skywalker hilarious to the point that he hums his theme song as he tries to ignore Rey. We also learn Luke has set up a sizable operation to harvest green milk from this island's space walruses. All of this content spins Star Wars' lore in delightful ways, but the journey to it is often a slog, pushing the player to do little more than run great distances from point to point. Along the way, there's little to see or do, and the few diversions that do pop up on Ahch-To lack either the creativity or complexity found within the game's proper levels. The bulk of side content, which is a big part of this experience, mostly comes up short, despite delivering fantastic rewards, like more playable characters. Click here to watch embedded media For the first time in a Lego Star Wars game, the galaxy can freely be explored when planets are unlocked by completing episodes. TT Games' artists did a phenomenal job recreating these planets; each is teeming with life, vivid details, and plenty of fan service. Tatooine's sprawling Mos Eisley spaceport is densely packed with aliens and vehicles and feels distinctly different than a desolate location like Hoth. All of these locations blend realistic backdrops with clever brick creations that players can interact with. The atmospherics and lighting found in many of these places are particularly impressive. The haze that accompanies Leia's meeting with R2-D2 on the Tantive IV looks fantastic, and smaller details like a lightsaber's vibrant glow reflecting off surfaces – including the plastic head of the character wielding it – is another nice touch. The Skywalker Saga is at its best within the condensed, story-focused levels, which hark back to this series' earlier designs. Hunting for minikits and kyber blocks is fun, often pushing the player (or couch co-op duo) to solve puzzles or break objects to reveal new paths. These stages are worth replaying when more character classes (such as the Sith) are unlocked. Some minigames are overused, such as R2's terminal hacking, but the moment-to-moment gameplay flow in these levels is smooth and delivers fewer roadblocks than in other Lego Star Wars titles. On the note of R2's hacking, you can earn an upgrade later that allows you to pay to bypass them.  Strong focus is applied to combat, featuring all-new lightsaber techniques and cover-based shooting – both disciplines get the job done in enjoyable ways. Neither offers much depth, but their simplicity works for the conflicts, allowing stormtrooper platoons to fall quickly. Carefully placed headshots knock their helmets off, and yes, you can wear them! Jedi can also through their sabers and use the Force to hurl objects at enemies. These mechanics get stretched out in boss battles and push the player to sew in evasive maneuvers to dodge attacks like Darth Maul's rage-filled charge. Even unlikely characters like BB-8 or C-3PO are capable of combat and are fun to control. Some stages offer vehicular play to bring Star Wars' intense space battles to life. I had a blast piloting an X-Wing in the Death Star's trench and the Millennium Falcon in an asteroid field. Most of these conflicts lack difficulty, yet deliver plenty of excitement when chaotic storms of TIE fighters encircle your vessel. Along with the characters, there are plenty of ships to unlock.  The best part of The Skywalker Saga is the pursuit of unlocking all the characters. Given how big the adventure is, this is a dizzying proposition, but thankfully, you won't feel like you are digging for a needle in a haystack when looking for a specific character you want. You can exchange well-earned studs for clues that lead to character locations and unlocking requirements. Studs can also be spent to enhance skills and unlock new abilities for the different character classes. I like the newfound depth that TT Games has applied to the tried-and-true Lego formula. Despite being periodically uneventful, the Skywalker Saga is a thorough and fun examination of all three Star Wars movie trilogies. It delivers the same sensation of being overwhelmed as opening a Blu-Ray collection of films and not knowing which one you should start with. The player can bounce between trilogies and veer off a story path at any time to explore the galaxy far, far away. Some discoveries may be as dull as sand, but others may deliver something great, like Babu Frik as a playable character or seeing what Kylo Ren's bedroom looks like. Score: 8 |
| LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review Discussion - Is It Worth Buying? Posted: 04 Apr 2022 08:00 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Since 2005, LEGO has partnered with Star Wars to create some zany fun for fans of a galaxy far, far away, and that paring finally continues in 2022. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is almost here, and we're showing off some new gameplay and discussing our review thoughts on developer TT Games' latest wacky adventure. Click here to watch embedded media Join Andrew Reiner, the game's reviewer, and host Alex Stadnik as they take you on an opening tour of the game. We travel to the first moments of The Phantom Menace, A New Hope, and The Force Awakens to give you a sense of how the game will play over the different trilogy entries. The combat gets an upgrade in The Skywalker Saga with everything from Obi-Wan's lightsaber feeling great to throw to Leia's blaster feeling smooth as you zoom in on the soon-to-be doomed Stormtroopers. On top of combat, we also discuss the huge character count, how puzzles are implemented, and whether or not this is the LEGO Star Wars title you've been waiting for! Want to know more about LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga? Be sure to check out Reiner's full review, where he says: "Developer TT Games has been making Lego games for a long time, and this ambitious project shows this studio at the top of its game, delivering brick-smashing fun and wonderfully absurd Star Wars humor from start to finish. While nailing the little moments, the immense scale of the project appears to have been too wide for TT Games to harness, as some of the content is uncharacteristically dull or uneven."If you enjoyed this review discussion, be sure to check out our similar videos, including breakdowns of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Elden Ring, and Horizon Forbidden West! Thanks for watching, and we hope you enjoyed today's video. |
| Blue Box Game Studios Addresses Abandoned Cancellation Rumors Posted: 04 Apr 2022 07:29 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5 Blue Box Game Studios revealed Abandoned, a PlayStation 5-exclusive survival horror game, in April of last year and since then, it's been on a ride, and not a particularly great one. After people began to speculate that Abandoned was actually a new Silent Hill game, Blue Box definitively shut the rumors down. Then, some began to speculate that somehow, Hideo Kojima was behind Abandoned and Blue Box – Blue Box was seen as "BB," like the term used throughout Death Stranding. Despite Blue Box saying it was not associated with Hideo Kojima, the studio leaned into it, posting an image of a hidden face with a very Metal Gear Solid-esque eye patch. Blue Box reiterated that it was not associated with Kojima and a few days later, people spotted another tie between the famed director and the studio. Things subsided for a few weeks and then Blue Box posted yet another thing that caused people to further speculate on the Blue Box-Kojima connection. Since all of this, Blue Box's playable Abandoned prologue has yet to be released as promised in Q1 of 2022 and speculation that Abandoned had been canceled began to rise. However, in a new statement from Blue Box, the studio has addressed these cancellation rumors. Here's what it says, in full: "Dear Community, "Recently, we have been bombarded with requests and questions regarding the development status for Abandoned. In regards to the latest rumors regarding Abandoned being cancelled, our response to this is that these rumours are false. We are working on the reveal via the Realtime Experience app and online channels along with the Prologue of the game. These were initially planned for Q1 2022 but unfortunately, we aren't ready yet as we have underestimated our development roadmap. Therefore we have delayed the reveal and the release for Abandoned: Prologue. We will release Abandoned: Prologue when it's stable, good, and ready. "We are aware of your frustration and we deeply, sincerely apologize for this. We will continue to work on the game and we will notify you when we are ready. "Our sincere apologies."For more about the game, be sure to check out Game Informer's Abandoned hub. Are you excited for Blue Box's Abandoned? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl: How To Get Darkrai Mystery Gift Posted: 04 Apr 2022 06:46 AM PDT Platform: Switch Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are still receiving plenty of love from The Pokémon Company, Game Freak, and the remakes' developer, Ilca, and much of that love comes in the form of Mystery Gift distributions. There was a Mystery Gift event back in December that offered players statues of the games' starter Pokémon and others like the mythical Shaymin event back in February. Now, it's time for a new Mystery Gift and this time, it's a member card for the mythical Darkrai. However, in order to get it, you'll need to have reached the endgame of the remakes.
"The Member Card item will be given as a gift between Friday, April 1 and Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (JST)," an official blog post reads. "After obtaining the item by selecting 'Get via Internet' from the Mystery Gift feature in-game and fulfilling specific conditions – such as entering the Hall of Fame and obtaining the National Pokédex – players will be able to go to Newmoon Island, where the Mythical Pokémon Darkrai can be found." As noted above, if you're wanting to get Darkrai in the Sinnoh remakes, you'll need to act fast as the Darkrai Mystery Gift Member Card is live for less than a month at this point. Be sure to pick it up before May 1 to add it to your Pokédex. For more about Pokémon, read about Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, which are coming to Switch in "late 2022." After that, check out our running list of every Pokémon confirmed for Scarlet and Violet, and then read Game Informer's review of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Are you going to pick up Darkrai this month? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Elden Ring: Starscourge Radahn Buffed After Accidental Nerf Last Month Posted: 04 Apr 2022 05:57 AM PDT Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Elden Ring has been out for less than two months and already, it's received a number of updates and patches to add additional NPC quest steps, new NPC icons on the in-game map, nerfs and buffs to popular weapons and abilities, and more. In an update last month, infamous boss Starscourge Radahn was nerfed. Some of his attacks were less frequent, it seemed, but more noticeably, his attacks didn't do near as much damage as pre-patch Radahn. However, it turns out this nerf was unintentional because in a new update out today, From Software calls it a bug that's now been fixed. Click here to watch embedded media "Fixed a bug in the balance adjustment of the boss 'Starscourge Radahn' in update 1.03, in which the power of some attacks was unintentionally reduced," the patch notes read. As you can see, From Software is very clearly referring to the Radahn nerf as unintentional and also a bug that was never meant to occur. We haven't yet fought Radahn since this update, but we're excited (and scared) to see what the fight is like now. It's important to note that today's update is an update to a previously-released patch: Patch 1.03. As a result, this update does not do anything else for Elden Ring – it simply fixes the Radahn balance and that's it. For reference, Patch 1.03 was released in March and this update is live as of today, April 4, 2022. For more about Elden Ring, read Game Informer's Elden Ring Beginner's Guide, which features nine essential tips and tricks for new players, and then check out this guide on how to beat every boss in Elden Ring easily. Read about these unused Elden Ring files that seemingly point to a cut in-game bestiary after that. Are you excited to take on this rebalanced Radahn? Let us know in the comments below! |
| Posted: 04 Apr 2022 05:00 AM PDT Coca-Cola has announced the latest in its line of Creations soft drinks, a gaming-themed "pixel-flavored" beverage called Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte. In collaboration with lifestyle and gaming organization PWR, Byte will be introduced first to the metaverse, with its real and drinkable version coming in limited quantities in May. The virtual version of Byte will come first to an "individually created Fortnite Creative experience" called Pixel Point. This island created by PWR features four "sensory inspired multiplayer mini-games" named The Castle, The Escape, The Race, and The Tower. Pixel Point and the promotion of Byte have no official connection to Fortnite or Epic Games. To try out Pixel Point right now, enter this Fortnite Creative code: 8565-0287-3178 Additionally, an augmented reality game can be accessed at the Coca-Cola Creations site that will feature a virtual leaderboard to compare completion times on social media.  Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte will be available in very limited quantities starting on May 2 and can be purchased through the Coca-Cola Creations site. Byte will be packaged in 12-ounce cans and sold in packs of two, which Coca-Cola says one is for consuming while the other can be safely collected. The release of Byte follows the release of a flavor called Starlight, and Coca-Cola promises more limited-edition Creations throughout the year. |
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