Originally released in 2022, Stray's tale of friendship and a search for home captivated the collective attention of the gaming world and the internet at large. Initially, that was all thanks to its biggest hook — playing as a cat. A nameless, adorable stray that had many charmed before it'd even launched.

Stray's just saw macOS port in December 2023, and has a movie on the way, bringing the tale to the big screen. Though it's still early days, Annapurna Animation's lead, Andrew Millstein, explains that the the game was chosen for adaptation because "it is just wildly popular." In an interview with Swann Martin-Raget from BlueTwelve Studio, Destructoid discussed the world of Stray and what's to come next.

Stray — On the big, the small, and the fuzzy

Destructoid: Stray mostly takes place in Walled City 99. Its cyberpunk aesthetic is beautiful but dystopian, with some inhabitants doubting whether it is even possible to leave the abyss they dwell in. By the end, the game offers a hopeful answer. Was the plan always to make a hope-inspiring game? 

Martin-Raget: What we really tried to do is to not add a moral point of view to the themes we're approaching in the game. We're only showing possibilities through the eyes of a very neutral character without taking sides between good or bad and we let the players decide what to make of it and if they think it's overall a sad or hopeful message.

Destructoid: The game relies a lot on environmental storytelling, and it is led by a protagonist who can't speak. Did you find this style of storytelling a challenge? 

Martin-Raget: It’s definitely a wide-reaching constraint that changes a lot of things in how you approach the storytelling and the world building. But we also found that it opens up a lot of very interesting possibilities and it’s super helpful to “show and not tell” when we want to leave some room for the player’s imagination to fill the gaps. Creatively it ended up being something really inspiring and motivating for us.

Destructoid: As an occasional Mac player, I'm quite pleased that Stray has made its way to the platform, as it is often neglected. What was the motivation for the port? 

Martin-Raget: As game creators, our goal is always to have as many players as possible being able to enjoy our game and visit this world we made with our hearts. So we were really happy to have this opportunity to allow Mac players that are as avid and passionate as the others to experience and enjoy Stray.

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We all know cats have nine lives, but Umbraclaw is on the way to prove they also get successively cooler powers each time they die. The latest side-scrolling action game from Inti Creates (Azure Striker Gunvolt, Blaster Master Zero) is set to launch on consoles and PC on May 30, 2024.

Specifically, Umbraclaw is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A demo is on the way to the February 2024 edition of Steam Next Fest, and you can see how much ass this little cat kicks in the release date trailer below. 

Umbraclaw follows a house cat named Kuon, who awakens in the Soulplane after dying in our world. In order to return home, she'll have to brave this realm of the dead, which has a really cool art style to it. While cats do have nine lives, those lives come and go rather easily. Whenever Kuon takes a hit she dies; simple as that. Thankfully, she has an "Anima Revive" power that can bring her back to life with a new skill each time, paving the way for different play styles and leading her toward multiple possible endings. 

Some of those skills are animal transformation skills like the Crow, Tyrannosaurus, and Elephant (take that, Mario). Kuon can also change into a humanoid form for "full fighting action," switching the focus from enemy avoidance to direct combat. Blaster Master Zero director Satoru Nishizawa is at the helm for this one, and hopefully, it's as fun to play as it is to watch. We'll see how the sampler pans out next month ahead of the May launch. We'll also find out more about the other mystery game Inti Creates is working on During PAX East 2024!

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Whether you simply forgot that the character was coming, or, it snuck up on you (because that's what he does), Solid Snake makes his Fortnite debut today.

We've known the character was coming since the Fortnite Chapter 5 launch trailer dropped in early December. But today, we now know exactly what the tactical espionage expert brings along with him.

With the character's inclusion, Fortnite will also be adding EMP Stealth Camo as a new item. It can render players nearly invisible for a brief amount of time. You can activate it as often as you like, though there is a cooldown timer you'll have to wait through in between uses.

When the EMP Stealth Camo is disabled, an EMP pulse is discharged that will damage nearby shields and bring any vehicles in the area to a screeching halt. You can find the cool new item in chests, on the ground, or by purchasing it directly from Snake himself with gold bars in-game.

Also being introduced to the battle royale is Snake's iconic cardboard box. These empty boxes are littered throughout the island. Some of them may contain special forces NPCs. Others will just be empty for you to take along with you. Just like the EMP Stealth Camo, you can find the cardboard boxes across the island randomly, in chests, or via purchase from Snake.

What Snake skins and items are in Fortnite?

As far as outfits go, we're getting ones specifically for Solid Snake's character. The standard Solid Snake skin is unlocked pretty early by completing page one of Snake's Quests. With it, you get the character's iconic look and can choose to toggle Snake's night vision goggles on or off. Completing page two of Snake's Quests will grant you the Old Snake skin from Metal Gear Solid 4.

Outside of skins, players can earn Snake's Stun Knife Pickaxe, Solid Profile Spray, ! Emote, and ! Banner. There's also an awesome-looking Tactical Advantage Loading Screen that fans are sure to love.

On top of those items, you can also collect the Metal Gear Mk. II Back Bling, Hidden? Emoticon, the really cool-looking Slider Glider, and a Snake Skin Wrap. The requirements of each can be found in the most recent Fortnite blog post.

Today's newest trailer also hints toward Raiden's upcoming inclusion to the Fortnite roster. There have been leaks recently suggesting as much, and the character can be seen towards the beginning of today's new footage as he snipes from afar protecting Snake.

If you have the latest battle pass, sneak on over to Fortnite and start working toward unlocking the greatest spy of them all. Solid Snake Quests end on March 8.

The post Solid Snake heads to Fortnite today – cardboard box included appeared first on Destructoid.

Following some delays, Freedom Planet 2 finally made its PC debut in September 2022, and now it has its sights set on consoles. Publisher XSEED Games announced plans to bring developer GalaxyTrail's sequel to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on April 4, 2024.

In addition to showing off the four heroines of Freedom Planet 2 and their high-speed exploits, the release date trailer previews a brand new mode. When Freedom Planet 2 hits consoles it will come with the oft-requested Boss Rush mode across all platforms, including a simultaneous update on PC. Split into two divisions with 17 boss challenges in each one, Boss Rush mode will be accessible via the in-game Battlesphere when it goes live. Beating the bosses in both divisions will unlock an in-game VIP room full of easter eggs that long-time fans should appreciate.

XSEED has digital releases set for all platforms, with the Switch eShop release offering 10% off pre-orders from now until a week after launch. The PlayStation release will include a bundle of both the PS4 and PS5 versions, and those who opt to check it out on Xbox will be able to take advantage of Smart Delivery to access the optimal version of the game on both platforms. 

I haven't played the sequel yet, but the first Freedom Planet was pretty much the ideal Sonic game I never knew I needed, so I'm psyched for this one to hit consoles. It all makes sense considering the series' origins as a Sonic the Hedgehog fangame by GalaxyTrail founder Sabrina DiDuro. If you can't wait until the console release, you can nab the sequel for the same price of $24.99 on Steam right now. 

The post Freedom Planet 2 zips to consoles on April 4, adds Boss Rush mode appeared first on Destructoid.

WWE 2K24 is strutting down the entrance ramp and headed toward the squared circle. 2K Games announced this morning that the next iteration of the wrestling sim is headed to consoles and PC in early March.

The developer also showcased the theme for the 2024 version of the title. It will revolve around this year being the 40th anniversary of WrestleMania and will showcase the "Immortals" that have made an impact on the event throughout the last four decades.

As highlighted in the Finish Your Story trailer, Cody Rhodes will don the game's cover when it releases on March 8. For the Deluxe Edition, former WWE Women's Champions Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley have earned that honor.

WWE 2K24 will incorporate a bunch of new features to separate itself from previous entries. This year's Showcase mode is entitled 2K Showcase…of the Immortals and will highlight the biggest matches that took place at "the granddaddy of them all" over the last 40 years.

There are four new match types being implemented this year. These include an Ambulance Match, a Special Guest Referee Match, a Gauntlet Match, and a Casket Match. The latter of which can be spotted in today's trailer with The Undertaker doing the dirty work, of course.

The devs say that there will be over 200 wrestlers to choose from in 2K24. They're also promising better animations, "over 90% of facial expressions updated", and the ability to finally transition the in-game camera during live gameplay. As for the dozens of other changes and additions, 2K Games has a full list of what's included on its website.

The WWE 2K series as a whole seems to be on an incline. After the disaster that was WWE 2K20, WWE 2K22 got modest reviews. Then last year, Destructoid gave WWE 2K23 a solid 7.5. Let's hope the series continues the upward trend toward a championship effort.

WWE 2K24 is set to release on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on March 8. The Deluxe Edition will launch a few days earlier, on March 5.

The post WWE 2K24 pins down early March release date appeared first on Destructoid.

You may have noticed that at the bottom corner of your screen in Palworld, there is a string of numbers indicating what version you're playing. Steam and Xbox Game Pass have different versions, and here's why.

A report from Windows Central highlighted comments from Pocketpair reps in the Palworld Discord server. There, Pocketpair's community manager, Bucky, explained a bit about what's going on with the different versions. The problem is that every game's version has to go through Microsoft's certification queue. This is something Pocketpair has no control over, though the team is "desperately trying to speed up," it highlights on Discord.

It's argued that Xbox isn't necessarily "behind," but yet it is. Our list of differences demonstrates that this is the case. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the game on Xbox Game Pass without really noticing you're playing an earlier build.

Until features parity is reached, keep collecting Pals, building weapons, and having fun with this survival game that shocked the world by being one of 2024's first hits.

The post Palworld on Xbox and Steam have different versions – Here’s why appeared first on Destructoid.

It turns out that the idea of "Pokémon with guns" appears to be pretty popular. Pocket Pair, the developers behind Palworld, have announced that their fledgling title is already selling incredibly well.

How well, you ask? Well, the team revealed that sales for the newly released game have already crossed the million copies sold mark - and that was in just eight hours.

Described by the development team as a "monster-catching, survival and crafting game", Palworld just launched yesterday on Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview. It's also available for Xbox Game Pass, though the subscription service isn't typically accounted for in sales figures.

Momentum was strong for Palworld leading up to its release. The night before launch, the game was ranked third on Steam's Wishlist page. On top of that, the hodgepodge project is currently trending on X at the time of this article being published.

I describe Palworld as a hodgepodge project because it seems to borrow lots of different ideas from other notable games. In his recent impressions of the Early Access build, Destructoid's Eric Van Allen noted that on top of there being similarities to the Pokémon series, there are also elements of Breath of the Wild, Rust, Valheim, and Monster Hunter incorporated throughout too.

Again, Palworld will remain in an Early Access/Game Preview build for at least a year according to its Steam page. There are plenty of additions and changes that Pocket Pair plans to implement in the coming months. Amongst them will be new monsters to catch, new areas and dungeons to explore, fresh buildings and items for survival, and more. The development team also noted that they "are also considering incorporating entirely new game systems based on player feedback and ideas."

The post Palworld hits 1 million copies sold in just 8 hours appeared first on Destructoid.

I keep hitting refresh on the SteamDB page of Palworld. Each time I do, the numbers keep shooting up. Despite the fact that Pocketpick's new game has only come out today – in Early Access as well – the numbers suggest it's going to be a big hit.

When the third-party Steam tracking website posted on Twitter/X earlier, it said Palworld had already reached over 110,000 concurrent players. At the time of writing, that number has gone up to 329,563.

The Top Sellers list on Steam shows it's shot to the number two position (behind the Steam Deck, natch). While this isn't too unusual for a brand-new game that's got some hype behind it, it could well be a sign of things to come for the cute, Pokemon-inspired survival game.

What exactly is Palworld?

If you haven't heard of or are familiar with Palworld yet, don't worry. I wasn't until literally two days ago. If you want a nice breakdown of what the game's like and how it plays, a couple of our writers took a quick look at it.

The Steam page has this to say about it:

Fight, farm, build and work alongside mysterious creatures called "Pals" in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!

It has a little bit of everything, from what I can tell. Well, maybe not everything, but certainly enough for most gamers to get into. I must admit, I'm quietly curious myself. To such an extent that I'm currently downloading it through Xbox Game Pass. May as well, right?

The post Palworld is already seeing over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Dead Tomb is a game that can spark your interest before you even start playing it. It’s based on a lost media game, Temporel Inc. Its progenitor was released on the Videoway content delivery system, which means it just disappeared when the service shut down.

Being the most complex game on Videoway, it had its fans, and they went to work remaking it by reverse engineering a recorded playthrough of it. I don’t have any firsthand insight on the Videoway, so I’ll again direct you to Hardcore Gaming 101’s write-up. Fans first recreated Temporel Inc. in Flash, and then Collectorvision created an NES port, which was released a few years ago on a cartridge by Limited Run Games under the name of Dead Tomb.

Now, 8-Bit Legit has released it on modern consoles, which makes the game much more accessible, as it should be.

Dead Tomb (Switch [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, NES)
Developer: Collectorvision
Publisher: 8-Bit Legit
Released: January 26, 2023
MSRP: $4.99

Dead Tomb is a verb-drive adventure game, which is sort of a halfway point between a point-and-click and a text adventure. To interact with an object, you pick a verb from a list. It’s a style of game most famous in Lucasart’s SCUMM titles, such as Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island. 

You play as a time traveler from the future, who gets waylaid on a trip back in time and finds themself in ancient Egypt. You’re captured by Pharaoh Seti I's soldiers, robbed, and dumped in a pyramid. Your goal is to try and find a diamond used to power your time machine and escape.

It’s probably important to set your expectations with Dead Tomb. Maniac Mansion, this is not. It’s a much simpler and more linear experience. It’s not necessarily shorter (though it is quite short), but there is less chance that you’re going to become stuck or have to start over. There’s also far less backtracking involved, so it’s a bit more comfortable than Maniac Mansion, but also less complex.

That’s not entirely a bad thing. In fact, it’s a big part of Dead Tomb’s charm. Depending on your aptitude (and a bit of luck), you might still find yourself wandering in circles, occasionally trying to figure out what verb you need to use on a noun, but there’s usually a feeling of forward movement. Again, that’s going to depend on your adventure game literacy, but I definitely felt some momentum.

Where Dead Tomb can get a bit vexing is figuring out how it wants you to interact with the environment. You build up an inventory, but learning how to use it can be tricky, especially in the beginning. It’s not a matter of going into your pockets, pressing “use,” and rubbing it on something in the environment. Often, once it’s in your pocket, you need to approach something in the environment and select the right verb, at which point it says, “Pour ranch dressing on cheesecake.” It feels kind of backward and unintuitive. Then, by the time you get used to it, you’re done with the game.

While Dead Tomb is not terribly cryptic, there are spots that go against common logic. Early on, there’s a nail driven into the wall. If you try to take it, the descriptive text says it barely moves. You have to try and take it three or so times before it finally lands in your pocket. I don’t think this is the only time I’ve seen such a mechanic (and it only happens once in the game), but it's always interesting to me when a game requires you to fail in exactly the same way repeatedly before you meet with success. Video games have instilled in me the principle that if something doesn’t work on the first attempt, I need to try something else.

On the other hand, you don’t have to worry about death. I mean, you can die in sometimes hilarious ways, but then the game just prompts you to continue, and you start back where you were. It contributes to Dead Tomb being such a brief experience, but I think I prefer it to just repeating puzzle solutions until I get back to where I was.

It also allows you to test out obviously bad ideas just to see your character die.

I keep mentioning this, but it’s the brevity that bothers me most about Dead Tomb. As I said previously, you can complete Maniac Mansion in roughly the same timeframe, but that game has multiple solutions and gives you a variety of characters to put together a team from. Dead Tomb is linear. There’s only one way to solve it. There may have been a secret ending I missed, but I’m doubtful.

It’s certainly a fun game while it lasts. The breeziness of the puzzles and charming but unremarkable soundtrack make it a comfortable experience. I really enjoyed playing Dead Tomb, I’m not sure I’m going to remember the game will stand in my memory quite as much as the history behind it. At least the price for the digital version makes that kind of experience absolutely worth the recommendation.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Dead Tomb appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh, Starfield. We all had such hope for you. You're not a bad game, of course, but there was definitely some lost potential there. Still, you won a Steam award which is nice, and you're kicking off the new year with the game's first major update.

Originally due to come out on Wednesday, Bethesda released a major patch for Starfield to Steam Beta yesterday, which aims to fix a number of bugs. If you take a look at the official website, you'll see exactly what version 1.9.47.0 comes with.

A quick scroll down the list shows there's been a boatload of fixes to the game. There's some general stuff, such as patching out corruptions to save files on PC, improvements to things like reflections and shadows, and some much-needed tweaks to quests and "random encounters."

But is it enough?

Bethesda says this latest update comes with "over a hundred fixes and adjustments" with some quality-of-life shenanigans thrown into the mix as well. The post on the Starfield website also asks fans to keep sharing feedback on the off-chance a particular fix people have been waiting for isn't in this version.

While squashing bugs is always appreciated in games, it's probably going to take a lot more than that for people to start taking an interest in Starfield again.

We've been told by the developer that new implementations and features are coming at some point – including new ways of traveling – so that's something to keep in mind as we barrel on into 2024. But it's tough to say whether any and all improvements will be able to rescue Bethesda's new game from disappearing into the proverbial black hole.

Starfield version 1.9.47.0 patch notes

FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS

ANIMATION

• Fixed player character’s eyes remaining closed instead of blinking in third person view.
• Addressed rare cases where small animation pops could be seen in third person.

CREATURES AND ENEMIESs

• Fixed incorrectly invisible creatures on some planets.
• Fixed an issue that could occur on some enemies causing them to stand instead of falling to the ground.

CREW AND COMPANIONS

• Fixed crew members and companions positioning near the cockpit after fast traveling to the ship.
• Companions: Fixed a possible control-lock when talking to a companion without entering a dialogue while simultaneously trying to exit the ship.

GENERAL

• Fixed an issue that prevented Windows users saving if their username featured certain characters (PC).
• Fixed rare save game corruptions on PC (MSS and Steam).
• Fixed an issue that could lead to a control lock or a crash after loading a quicksave while in the targeting mode.
• Fixed player marker following the camera on the surface map.
• Fixed a rare issue that could prevent access to the main menu on when prompted to “Press any button to Start” (Xbox).
• Body type should no longer reset to default when loading a Starborn save from the main menu.
• Fixed flickering on Neon’s Trade Tower elevator panel.
• Improved the appearance of the Ryujin Kiosk material during nighttime.
• Fixed rare issue with how Cydonia’s panel could display the hours without incident.
• Added Optimizations to cloud syncing of save games (MSS/Xbox).
• Improved how crowds behave when desired target is reserved.
• Fixed an issue that could cause airlock doors to sometimes appear floating in sky when arriving at locations.
• Fixed unintended text appearing on the shipbuilder’s UI.
• Fixed game session not properly resuming from shutdown in Energy Save mode (Xbox).
• Various stability improvements.

GRAPHICS

• Improved widescreen support (32:9, 21:9 and 16:10).
• Added support for stars displaying sun disk geometry.
• Shadows can now be seen on planet rings from planet surface.
• Improved eyes and skin on crowd characters.
• Improved reflection on water.
• Improved contact shadows on character skin (Xbox and PC Medium/High/Ultra).
• Improved contact shadows on character cloth (PC High/Ultra).
• Improved contact shadows on first person (PC Ultra).
• Improved lighting in character generation menu.
• Reduced the appearance of some minor artifacts during cutscene camera transitions.
• Fixed flickering on a number of VFX (Sandstorm, corrosive liquid pools, waterfall).
• Fixed a rare issue where the camera would lock while in handscanner mode whenever watching flying fauna (Xbox).
• Fixed potential control lock when opening a game menu a moment before triggering a dialogue with another character.
• Addressed various shadow popping, flickering and artifact issues.
• Improved the visibility of the sun’s lens flare during sunrise and sunset.
• Fixed a rare issue where foam or grime would not show up.
• Fixed rare flickering VFX that could occur in space (Xbox Series S).
• Fixed rare hair flickering (Xbox Series X/S).
• Fixed occasional flicker on digiframes and TV screens.
• Adjusted the appearance of bloom when activating the handscanner.
• Improved the appearance of clouds during weather transitions.
• Fixed rare cases where alignment of grass and wind could appear disconnected. 
• Reduced bloom intensity effect while motion blur is active (PC).
• Addressed issues with concealment effect not always applying when using the handscanner.
• Fixed visible edge of the ocean in the distance when seen from a very high point of view.
• Fixed rare white flickering dots around characters' hair during cut scenes.
• Fixed a readability issue in the Starmap when using large menu font mode.
• Fixed inventory menu occasionally failing to generate previews when using a mouse (PC).
• Fixed a brief Depth of Field issue that sometimes occurred when aiming, alt-tabbing or leaving a dialogue screen. 
• Fixed occasional lighting transition issues after loading or exiting a location.
• Fixed an issue that could cause intermittent bands to appear in distance fog.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause fog color to appear inconsistent.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause rocks to disappear near the player on the surface of a planet.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when switching to DLSS with dynamic resolution active (PC).
• Fixed flickering and delayed shadows sometimes occurring after unpausing the game.
• Fixed various FSR2 and DLSS artifacts (noise, black dots, ghosting).
• Fixed flickering when using the handscanner with DLSS enabled.
• Fixed initial lighting conditions when landing on a planet.
• Improved lighting at 73 locations.
• Fixed various geometry, texture, and ghosting issues.

OUTPOSTS

• Fixed a rare missing terrain issue that could occur after fast traveling to an outpost near New Atlantis.
• Fixed an issue that could cause bulldozed objects to reappear when returning to an outpost.
• Fixed an issue that caused hazard damage to remain even when the hazard was removed by bulldozing in outposts.
• Fixed an issue where outpost’s cargo links would be removed from the terminal list if connected, disconnected, then reconnected to another cargo link during the cargo ship landing sequence.
• Fixed an issue where weapon cases built by the player in an Outpost would populate with weapons and ammo after reloading the game.

POWERS

• Fixed a rare issue that could cause the Phased Time power to remain enabled.
• Fixed the extreme speed that could occur in zero G when using the Phased Time power.
• Solar Flare Power now accounts for critical hits.

QUESTS AND RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

• Absolute Power: Fixed missing slate in the safe preventing from completing the optional objective “Locate Evidence to Extort Ayumi Komiko”.
• Background Checks: Fixed possible control-lock that could occur if caught by security.
• Derelict Ship: Fixed an issue preventing the player from reaching the pilot seat if they did not have access to advanced locks.
• Drinks on the House: Fixed rare occurrence where the door to Sub 12 could remain locked.
• Echoes of the Past: Fixed Delgado getting stuck at bottom of stairs during "Continue Exploring the Lock" that could occur if The Lock was left during Delgado's history dialogue.
• Echoes of the Past: Resolved an issue that could cause Mathis' and Delgado’s guns to be invisible.
• Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue that could cause data transfer to not start after placing the Data Core.
• Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue where the docking prompt would be missing on the Legacy ship if the player undocked with the Legacy and then reloaded a save before having started the mission.
• Executive Level: Fixed an issue where players could get stuck on a chair in the Ryujin Industries HQ conference room.
• Failure to Communicate: Fixed an issue that prevented the player from finishing the quest if they downed all the members of the defense pact (Alban Lopez, Jacquelyn Lemaire, and Chanda Banda).
• Further Into the Unknown: Fixed a rare crash that could occur when trying to dock with The Eye.
• Groundpounder: Fixed an issue where the door to Lezama could sometimes be locked if the player left the location during the quest and came back later.
• Hostile Intelligence: Fixed blocked doors in the Steam Tunnels room where the Terrormorph transformation occurs.
• Into the Unknown: Fixed a rare issue that could prevent the quest from starting after completing The Old Neighborhood.
• Into the Unknown: Fixed a rare issue where a Temple location might not populate when receiving the “Go to” objective.
• Legacy’s End: Fixed an issue that could prevent interacting with Delgado when he was behind the glass inside in the command center of The Key.
• Legacy’s End: Fixed a debris pile where to player could become stuck while trying to reach the Mess Hall.
• Missed Beyond Measure: Fixed a dialogue between Sarah and Walter not playing at The Lodge.
• No Sudden Moves: Fixed companions not following player during personal quests.
• On The Run: Fixed various issues related to Mei Devine becoming inaccessible the objective updated to “Listen to Mei Devine’s Introduction”.
• On The Run: Fixed a possible control lock when sitting at the table to talk to Jade MacMillan.
• One Small Step: Fixed a rare issue that could prevent Lin / Heller from exiting the airlock.
• Operation Starseed: Fixed a bad view that could occur if the Beagle was boarded after a long idle.
• Power From Beyond: Fixed an issue that caused missing Starborn temples and scanner disturbances that could prevent obtaining all Starborn powers from that universe.
• Rough Landings: Resolved an issue that could occur during the “Meet up with Milena Axelrod” objective that could prevent ships from appearing at the desired location.
• Shadows in Neon: Fixed an issue that could occur when repeatedly using the door to Jaylen Pryce's office before he progressed to Neon Core.
• Supra et Ultra: Fixed a control lock that could occur when entering the Flight Simulator while a guard is attempting arrest.
• Tapping the Grid: Fixed inaccessible junction boxes that could occur after the Hunter attacks the Lodge.
• The Best There Is: Fixed an issue that could prevent objective from advancing when talking to Naeva and Jasmine in the engineering room.
• The Empty Nest: Fixed and issue that could cause Sam Coe’s gun to be invisible when inside Jacob’s house.
• The Heart of Mars: Fixed another location that could potentially prevent recovering The Heart of Mars.
• The Pale Lady: Fixed rare case of inaccessible ship crew log data slate making it impossible to complete the encounter.
• Top of the L.I.S.T.: Phil Hill should now accept survey data for Sumati.
• War Relics: Resolved an issue that could prevent Kaiser from moving to the mission site.
• Where Hope is Built: Fixed a crash that could occur with a specific set of player behaviors.

SHIPS AND SHIP CUSTOMIZATION

• Fixed another case that could cause an asteroid to follow a ship in space.
• Fixed ship hatch being marked inaccessible after swapping to a new home ship.
• Fixed an issue where the ship could end up in an unintended state by simultaneously attempting fast travel during a grav jump.
• Fixed a view issue that could occur when fast traveling during ship targeting mode.
• Fixed an issue that could occur when entering Ship Targeting mode immediately after selecting a Grav Jump.
• Fixed an issue that caused non-functional ladders to appear when the player modified their ship with a Taiyo All-In-One Berth Top A and a Deimos 1x1.
• Fixed an issue where the Legendary ship could take too long to resume firing after the weapons were repaired.
• Space combat should now match ground combat difficulty increase with successive trips through the Unity.
• Fixed an issue where loading an exit save made while docked to a space station could cause names of ships to change.
• Fixed marker not pointing to the current home ship after performing a save/load between different ships.
• Fixed in issue that could cause the Frontier to incorrectly appear if a non-home ship was removed from a landing pad.

SKILLS

• REJUVENATION: Rejuvenation skill VFX no longer replay whenever the handscanner is opened in third person.
• SURVEYING: Fixed surveying challenge progress issue with mineral resource.
• TARGETING CONTROL SYSTEMS: Fixed inconsistencies with level 3 and 4.

WEAPONS AND ITEMS

• Fixed incorrect reload amounts that could occur when consuming a Trauma Pack.
• Fixed FOV and zoom issues with weapon scopes.
• Fixed weapon sound effects occasionally continuing to play after killing an enemy.
• Fixed turret state not being restored properly after and save and load.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the helmet light to not reappear in third person after a save and load.

The post Starfield’s slightly delayed update is now out in Steam Beta appeared first on Destructoid.

Much like with Street Fighter 6 in Season 2, one of the big selling points of Exoprimal Season 3 is the Monster Hunter collaboration that Capcom has been promoting. The new season launches today, and it incorporates a pretty meaty amount of content.

Ryozo Tsujimoto, series producer of both Exoprimal and Monster Hunter, released a developer commentary video breaking down the collaboration of the two beast-battling titles.

The highlight of the new content for most is likely the inclusion of Rathalos. The wyvern is sort of the Monster Hunter mascot at this point. The monster has been in every game of the series and was even featured as a boss and assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Exoprimal players who gather enough monster tracks can trigger a special mission that brings the iconic creature into the game for battle. The flying wyvern will have an exosuit designed after it too.

"So, we designed the Rathalos boss fight in a way that maintains the King of the Skies’ characteristic behaviors while also empowering it with the fortitude to take on 10 Exofighters," Exoprimal director Takuro Hiraoka told us in an interview about bringing Rathalos to Exoprimal.

Other than Rathalos, players can also obtain more of the usual in Monster Hunter style; skins, decals, emotes, charms, and stamps. One of the exosuits being introduced is an homage to another iconic Monster Hunter beast, Rajang. There will be exosuits of Kirin and Nergigante too.

The Exoprimal x Monster Hunter collab is only available for a limited window. You'll have to gobble up everything you can prior to the event ending on February 12. But there is more than just the cross-Capcom content to look forward to.

What else is in Exoprimal Season 3?

Season 3 is broken down in detail on the Exporimal site, but highlights include a new 10-person co-op Final Mission against a new Neosaur: the Neo Triceratops. As well as four new beta variant exosuits to try out.

Also in Season 3 is a new Jungle field location that can be found deep within Bikitoa Island. A new stealth rig is being introduced too which turns players invisible for a limited time. There are a pair of new campaigns on the way this season to be excited for. The Lunar Campaign runs January 31 through February 12 and the Chocolate Campaign will span February 13 through February 29.

Enjoy the new content while you can. Season 3 as a whole will conclude on April 17.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant has been out since September 2023, but it only recently received a demo to entice players who haven't touched the amazing game yet.

The demo gives you a small slice of what the whole game possesses. It's pretty long, so for some, it won't be enough to fully grasp it. Nevertheless, if you were on the fence about this title, the demo should convince you if it's worth your money.

I tried out the demo on the Steam Deck, and it's not different from what you're getting in the full game, which should be good news for completionists. It's also worth mentioning that your progress in your demo playthrough can be transferred to the full game.

The demo comes after it receives a teaser trailer letting players know DLC is on the way, and it'll feature characters, including Servants, servants from the main game.

In my review of the game, I praised it and highlighted how it's inviting to both longtime franchise fans and newcomers. With the free demo, Omega Force has given you yet another reason to try this title.

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At some point today, Bethesda was scheduled to roll out a big update for Starfield, complete with bug fixes a-plenty. However, there's been a slight change to that, as the studio has had to delay the patch, but hopefully not by much.

According to a recent post on Twitter, the team has "discovered an issue we want to address" before the Starfield update can see the light of day. It doesn't say what this issue actually is, but Bethesda evidently needs a little more time before it can be sent out.

However, it doesn't seem as though we'll be waiting too long. The tweet goes on to say that the developer is "aiming to release it later this week," but they'll "confirm timing when we know for sure."

Delays can be good, right?

Considering the patch was supposed to be out today, and we're already on Wednesday, you'd be forgiven for thinking Bethesda might miss the boat for this week. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though.

Microsoft already wanted the release date for Starfield pushed back a few months, presumably so it could be polished to a more suitable standard. What we got was, what some might consider, one of the least buggy Bethesda games in a long time. Though that might not be the flex it initially sounds like.

As for the game itself, well...things aren't going great for Todd Howard's dream project. Over on Steam, reviews stand at "Mostly Negative" for recent scores and "Mixed" overall. There's every possibility Bethesda can make something of a U-turn, but the (now-delayed) update is going to have to be a very good omen of things to come.

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The multiplayer hit The Finals is still receiving new content, this time in the form of an update and a new gameplay mode.

You can expect plenty from the new update as well as, for the first time, a limited-time game mode. In this mode, called Solo Bank It, you compete in a 12-player PvP on a quest to obtain a total of 40,000 Cash wins. Sound like your kind of thing?

The game mode comes alongside update 1.5.0 which features several improvements to make life easier for players. Perhaps most importantly, you get a security update to improve "anti-cheat and fair play." While this is beneficial, it should be noted that Easy Anti-Cheat is the reason why the game can't be played on the Steam Deck.

Update 1.5.0 also brings a store update, balance changes, and bug fixes, which you see more of in the trailer below.

The Finals hit the world stage with a surprise drop at The Game Awards. SteamDB reveals that while the game has had its highs and lows, it maintains popularity with an all-time peak of 242,619 concurrent players in December 2023.

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Movie adaptations of video games have proven themselves to be lucrative when done correctly. Martha is Dead is one of the next titles to get the treatment, and it may be one of the best choices.

Martha is Death is developed by Italian studio LKA, and the live-action movie is being made in collaboration with Swedish film-production company Studios Extraordinaires. Much like the celebrated game, the film is set in World War 2, and it focuses on the sisters Martha and Giulia. What ensues next is a mystery that will leave your mind twisted and your hands trembling.

In the press release, the publisher, Wired Productions, speaks a bit about how fitting Martha is Dead is for a film adaptation, especially due to its "gripping narrative and unique setting" managing director Leo Zullo states. We can expect something a little more special than usual, as the project is being co-directed by André Hedetoft and Andreas Troedsson who specialize in" crafting high-end action, horror, and science-fiction films from original stories and extraordinary games."

Ambition is high for this project, and both Hedetoft and Troedsson wish to create something that offers both "fans and newcomers a cinematic tour-de-force, while staying true to the game’s soul-stirring essence."

Martha is Dead's film adaptation has yet to receive a release date.

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Microsoft is ready to get 2024 rolling. The company has announced that it will host an Xbox Developer Direct on January 18.

Xbox teased several of the projects that we'll be seeing during the January 18 Developer Direct. Amongst them are Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed, MachineGames' Indiana Jones title, and Ninja Theory's Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.

The Xbox Wire shed a few more details on what to expect from the event, including our first real look at Indiana Jones. The Developer Direct will spend about 10 minutes on the project, which includes the first gameplay trailer and details on the title's setting and story.

There weren't really any details given for Hellblade 2's segment. Instead, the Xbox Wire says to expect a behind-the-scenes look at the game courtesy of Ninja Theory. We last saw the title at The Game Awards within an impressive new trailer and a release window confirmed for this year.

Avowed is getting a "deep dive into the gameplay experience" from Obsidian Entertainment. The studio will detail the game's Living Lands and the action RPG's "deep themes, dynamic gameplay, and thoughtful reactivity."

Also at the Developer Direct will be Oxide Games' Ara: History Untold. We'll get a new look at gameplay and features from the history strategy game crafted by veteran developers of the Civilization series.

Xbox also notes that there will be a standalone presentation from Zenimax Online Studios following the Developer Direct. Here you can expect details on The Elder Scrolls Online's 2024 roadmap, including a new zone, storyline, and gameplay features.

The Xbox Developer Direct will stream on Xbox channels on Thursday, January 18 at 12:00 p.m. PST, 3:00 p.m. EST.

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After hitting Early Access back in June 2021, we finally have a date for the initial launch of Phantom Abyss. The trap-dodging asynchronous multiplayer game is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and the Humble Store on January 25. 

Publisher Devolver Digital and developer Team WIBY let the latest announcement loose on Steam. You can see some lightning-fast snippets of Version 1.0 in action in the launch date trailer below.

For those just now seeing what Team WIBY has been working on, Phantom Abyss tosses players into procedurally generated temples with the straightforward but challenging task of retrieving sacred relics. As anyone who has ever traversed even the most modest of temples will tell you, that's just askin' for booby traps. From perilous chasms to temple guards, you only get one chance to survive and make your way through each temple, so you have to choose your relic path wisely. 

The asynchronous multiplayer comes into play as you explore the temples and spot the phantoms of fallen players who have come and gone in that temple before. You can observe the actions and deadly missteps of up to 20 phantoms — including Steam friends and total strangers — and try not to repeat the same mistakes. 

Fortune and glory

It's been a while since we checked the game out for ourselves, and a lot can happen in over two years of Early Access.

Among the updates to look for as we venture into 1.0 are a completely overhauled Adventure Mode, a new Abyss Mode, and changes to Whips. The Abyss Mode was previously known as Classic Mode and acts as the heart of the game, letting players roll the dice to make their way through all four areas of a unique temple to collect the relic waiting at the end.

We can all look forward to failing miserably at it together later this month. 

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It's been a weird trajectory for Starfield. It went from being the most anticipated game of this generation to boring the pants off players to winning a Steam Award (though some are curious as to how that came to be). In any case, it hasn't quite gone away yet, and the modding community is still engaging with it.

One such example comes from user Korodic, who's attempting to put something into Starfield that Bethesda never did. It's mechs. I'm talking about being able to control giant mechs. To be honest, the title of this article sort of gave it away.

The above video shows the current work-in-progress, in which the player can pilot one of these huge machines, rather than them being stationary models, as the developer intended. At the moment, there doesn't seem to be any release date for the mod, but it's worth keeping an eye on if you are still playing the game.

So much potential seemingly wasted

I can't in all good conscience say that Starfield is a bad game. It's just not what people were hoping for. More fool us, perhaps? But the fact that it currently has a "Mostly Negative" score on Steam shows just how far it's fallen since it was released last September.

Of course, the story's not over yet. Bethesda has plans to bring some new elements to Skyrim-in-space. An end-of-year update on the official website suggests 2024 will be Starfield's year.

With updates inbound "roughly every six weeks" starting next month and some intriguing implementations being teased, Todd Howard seems determined to make sure you enjoy the game he's been dying to make for two and a half decades. Come hell or high water.

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There are some solid additions for Xbox Game Pass subscribers to enjoy as we kick off 2024. With the headliners of the month being Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Resident Evil 2.

One title, Close to the Sun, is out now for Game Pass owners. The rest will be spread out through the rest of January. Close to the Sun is a first-person adventure game from 2019 that has a bit of a Bioshock feel to it. It earned a 75 on Metacritic upon release, with critics coming away impressed for the most part with its atmosphere and story.

Following that is Hell Let Loose, which arrives January 4. It's a World War 2 shooter that touts 50 v. 50 battles on large-scale maps. It's a game that demands teamwork, but with a Metascore of 84, it's said to be pretty fun for those who take the time to learn the ropes.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla (the Viking one) comes to subscribers on January 9. Destructoid gave it an "Okay" when it hit in 2020. Also on January 9, there's Figment from Bedtime Digital Games. The indie action-adventure game was received pretty favorably back in 2018.

The line-up continues with Super Mega Baseball 4 arriving on January 11 via EA Play. It's an arcadey alternative to MLB The Show that gets steadily stronger with each iteration. We Happy Few makes a return to Game Pass on January 11, too. But that's also the same day Resident Evil 2 arrives, and if you haven't played, you're going to want to. Chris Carter considered it "superb" when Capcom released it in 2019.

Finally, Those Who Remain arrives on January 16. It's a horror title that earned middling reviews when it launched. And with Resident Evil 2 in the mix this month, it's probably a skip.

Alongside new additions, there are also games that are being pulled from the Xbox Game Pass library. And this month is no exception with some big boys being removed from the subscription service. Grand Theft Auto V leaves Game Pass on January 5. And on January 15, players lose access to both Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden.

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Disney dropped a blog post today teasing what the House of Mouse has in store for fans across the next 12 months. Among the things the company reaffirmed was that Star Wars Outlaws is indeed coming this year.

Oddly though, when the blog was initially published, it specifically stated "late 2024" as the release window for Outlaws. However, a few hours later, the post was updated to remove "late" and now simply lists 2024.

Nothing was really shared on the project other than a vague summation. The blog simply teased that players will "explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new."

We were first introduced to the game when Ubisoft unveiled it during Xbox's 2023 Games Showcase. Set in the time period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws revolves around the underground world of the franchise. You play as an outlaw scoundrel by the name of Kay Vess as she attempts a massive heist alongside her companion, Nix.

Developed by Massive Entertainment, the title features a variety of different forms of gameplay. While it's primarily a third-person action-adventure project, you'll also encounter stealth, vehicular combat, space combat, and more.

The "late 2024" designation may have been removed from Disney's blog, but it's still probably safe to assume that's the targeted window for Outlaws at this point. For whatever reason, Disney and Ubisoft must just not be ready to formally list the game's release date as such. Regardless, there's little doubt we'll be seeing much more of Star Wars Outlaws in the near future.

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It's the beginning of a new year, and despite being a weaker month usually for releases, there's a selection of highly anticipated January 2024 games to look forward to. From intense fights in Tekken 8 to the calmer, puzzle-based Another Code: Recollection, there's something for everyone.

Another Code: Recollection (Switch)

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Price: $59.99
Release Date: January 19
Trailer

It's a delight when a lesser-known game gets another chance on a newer platform. Another Code: Recollection includes two DS and Wii puzzle games (one never released in North America) about Ashley, a 13-year-old girl looking for answers. She's uncovering the truth about her parents as you solve puzzles on the stunning remote Blood Edward Island. There's new voice acting, visuals, and music to make the game feel more modern on the Nintendo Switch.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered (PS5)

Publisher: PlayStation
Developer: Naughty Dog
Price: $49.99 (or $9.99 for the PS4-PS5 upgrade)
Release Date: January 19
Trailer

Naughty Dog, whether you like it or not, is releasing a new remastered version of the PS4 game The Last of Us Part II. Thankfully, it won't be full price. If you have the PS4 game already, the upgrade only costs $9.99.

Despite the apprehension, this game does have a bunch of new features. First and foremost there's the roguelike survival mode called No Return. There will be plenty of enemies in your path, and a return to some familiar settings throughout the series so far. It will be all randomized.

We'll also gain access to the Lost Levels that lets us play early development workings from the game cut from the final product. Another impressive feat is that the game outputs 4K in Fidelity mode, adding higher quality visuals on-screen. Despite it being a remaster, it's arguably one of the most anticipated January 2024 games, due to the series' prestige alone. It's a shame the multiplayer game was canceled, however.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Price: $69.99
Release Date: January 26
Trailer

The turn-based RPG antics of Ichiban and his friends return in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. He'll be exploring Hawaii, battling thugs, and starting up a new village in a new Animal Crossing-inspired side mode. It has also been teased that this could be Kazuma Kiryu's farewell to the series as he's battling cancer. Get the tissues ready if you play this game.

As always, expect some drama and some bombastic comedic moments in Infinite Wealth just like past Yakuza and Like a Dragon games. If you play the last entry The Man Who Erased His Name, you can play a demo right now.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC)

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Price: $49.99
Release Date: January 18
Trailer

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is looking like a promising revival of a beloved Ubisoft franchise. This one's taking a 2D Metroidvania route with astonishing bosses, plenty of time powers to unlock, and exhilarating platforming from what the trailers have shown so far. "The combat system in The Lost Crown is extremely fluid and fast-paced," said our preview. Sargon has a quick light attack, a heavy attack that takes longer to perform but deals more damage, a block, and a dash-style evade."

The combat looks fast and deadly with combos that have you soaring across the sky and crushing your foes to the ground. Hopefully, this game will live up to its potential when it releases on January 18.

Tekken 8 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: Bandai Namco
Price: $69.99
Release Date: January 26
Trailer

The epic fighting game series returns for this generation with Tekken 8. The visuals are enhanced, the stages are destructible, and the new Heat system will heighten each battle greatly. There will be 32 characters at launch.

Tekken 8 looks incredible. "The environments are filled to the brim with detail," said our preview. "The puddles in the New York stage reflect the lights from Times Square’s advertisements, and the lighting from the neon signs stands out sharply on screen."

Unlike many other fighting games at launch, Tekken 8 is packed with content from day one. The story continues six months after the events of Tekken 7 as Jin and Kazuya fight it out in an awe-inspiring clash. There's also the all-new Arcade Quest, which has you playing as your own avatar and unfolding a narrative as we battle it out among a series of arcades. It sounds like a great way to learn the game for newcomers to the series.

Honorable mentions

There are even more January 2024 games to expect, including another fighting game and a new Tamagotchi game exclusive to iOS platforms.

• Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom (iOS) - January 4
• Laika: Aged Through Blood (Switch) - January 11
• Sovereign Syndicate (PC) - January 15
• Bulletstorm VR (PS5, PC, Meta Quest 2) - January 18
• Turnip Boy Robs a Bank (Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) - January 18
• Enshrouded (PC) - January 24
• Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) - January 25
• Under Night In-Birth 2 [Sys:Celes] (PS4, PS5, PC, Switch) - January 25
• Rugby 24 (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC) - January 30
• Palworld (PC) - January

The post Most anticipated games – January 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

Though they're wildly different games on the surface, Alan Wake 2 and Spider-Man 2 are sequels representing massive achievements for their respective studios. In an IGN interview, Remedy's Sam Lake and Insomniac's John McAdam discuss some of the intricacies of game development, and how they dealt with having two protagonists.

Alan Wake 2's story is split between Alan Wake the writer, and Saga Anderson the FBI agent who has been dragged into a twisted tale. In Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker's back but he shares the spotlight with Miles Morales.

According to McAdam, having the two protagonists forced the studio to shift from the original ideas driving the narrative. At first, Venom was going to be a central character that "was going to weave in and out of all the other characters in the story and affect them."

However, with two protagonists to juggle as well, it felt like there was too much going on. Consequently, things had to change. This was mostly driven by writer Lauren Mee who decided that Miles should have his own arc with Martin Li. This change ensured that it doesn't feel like Miles "was not participating in the story because it's Peter who succumbs" to the symbiote.

Lake highlights how dual protagonists complicate the process of building suspense. Typically, you'd "lead the character into a cliffhanger and that's the point to switch." But players have freedom concerning when they switch, so that tool isn't available anymore. Like McAdam, Lake relied on a lot of other writers to get the two character arcs right, including Clay Murphy.

Of course, the challenges that come with having two protagonists aren't limited to narrative. There are also gameplay elements to consider. Though it was tough to include the feature to switch between characters in an open-world game like Spider-Man 2, it was worth it because it's "so freeing for the player."

What goes into creating Alan Wake 2 and Spider-Man 2

The two creatives also discuss how they go about planning these large narratives. Lake admits he takes an old-school approach and relies on a whiteboard. As his theoretical backbone, he uses "three helper structures: the three act structure, the hero's journey, five or seven stages of grief." McAdam has an approach that isn't too different, as he also uses a whiteboard and describes himself as a "structure nerd."

Both creatives also seem quite obsessive in just how detailed and planned their narratives need to be. Lake describes his stories as having multiple layers that begin with a synopsis. But he's usually not satisfied at first, which motivates him to "write a proper treatment that can be anything from 30 pages to 50 pages on the detail level of what is actually going on and happening." This is something McAdam relates to, and he also likes "to do a detailed treatment."

We also get a glimpse into the editing process. Even at the heights Lake and McAdam work at, they still occasionally have a hard time with the editing process and letting go of ideas that they and the team love but might not work for the project.

As Lake explains, you need to be in a mental place where you "bear the fact that things are not locked. And for some people, it's harder and a lot more stressful." McAdams relates, though he admits the following: "one of the things I've learned to embrace as I've gotten older is it's okay if we change things, because if we're changing it, we're changing it for a good reason."

Both Spider-Man 2 and Alan Lake 2 have been well-received and have collected plenty of accolades. At The Game Awards, Remedy's sequel nabbed three awards while Insomniac's project dominated the player-voted PlayStation awards.

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Developer Eyeguys and publisher Santa Ragione released the "treacherous visual novel" Mediterranea Inferno on PC in August 2023, and now it has a date for consoles. The latest announcement has the game hitting PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on March 5, 2024.

Mediterranea Inferno follows the act of Eyeguys' 2020 visual novel Milky Way Prince: The Vampire Star, which tackled similarly weighty themes. You can see some of its idiosyncrasies on display in the console announcement and launch date trailer below.

The story of Mediterranea Inferno kicks off as three young 20-something guys reconnect after a period of isolation that's all too familiar. This is a post-pandemic yarn that reflects collective trauma through the trio of Claudio, Andrea, and Mida, who are attempting to enjoy their Southern Italy retreat.

Along the way you'll get to choose what they do each day, from visiting the local cemetery to relaxing by the pool, soaking in an endless summer that paves the way for insight into their psyches and unlocks hidden fears, obsessions, and the reality of dashed ambitions. 

Coming to grips with inner demons is an inevitable side effect of rediscovery in Mediterranea Inferno, apparently. Creator Lorenzo Redaelli produced hundreds of illustrations for the game along with handling the writing and music, so much like Milky Way Prince, there's a very personal touch behind it all. We have a little ways to go before that March console launch approaches, but in the meantime Mediterranea Inferno is available via Steam and Epic Games Store. 

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There's something shameful I must admit about myself: I'm a native of Miami, Florida. It's where I spent the first 18 years of my life growing up, and even after leaving, I look back on my time a lot.

South Florida was my home, and feeling its vibe is rare unless I visit family. That is, until I saw the long-anticipated trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI. I've watched it more than a few times now, and my only thought is, "Yeah, that's Florida."

Does it capture absolutely everything I associate with the state? No, but for a trailer that's only 90 seconds long, it gets so much right. It also makes me feel represented in a way I don't think any other game has made me feel before.

Recalling my time as a Florida gal

Before I go into what Grand Theft Auto VI gets right about Florida, I want to say something about the state and I say this with love: It's kinda trashy. This isn't to say that everyday life in Florida is just like the real-life stories used as inspiration in the trailer. People are wild everywhere, and it's rare for alligators to end up in your pool. Florida Man is only a thing because the state has incredibly strong public record laws.

When I say Florida, including Miami, is trashy, it is because I mean it literally. One shot in the trailer showcases what I assume is GTA VI's South Beach equivalent feels like a complete fabrication, and only because there isn't trash everywhere. People are gross and, especially on a populated beach, will leave their trash behind.

This applies to the water, because the clearest thing I remember about Florida beaches is the rancid smell coming from them. It was bad enough that I thought I hated the way seawater smelled. The truth was that pollution from varying sources makes the water smell terrible and gives it a murky brown color.

Besides that one little gripe I have? Everything else is on point, even with how the fictional state of Leonida is shown outside Vice City.

Although I left before I was old enough to appreciate Miami's nightlife, the trailer represents its excess amazingly. Miami is a bright city at all hours, and while the plethora of luxury sports cars is noticeable during the day, they glow at night. Even the glimpse of a strip club resembles a very Miami version of excess. It's incredibly flashy in a way that can take attention away from how other parts of Flordia are.

Beyond Miami's glitz, Florida resembles the southern US while remaining unique, and I love how GTA VI's trailer shows this. My favorite part of the whole thing is a shot of an airboat riding through swampland. It's something that took me back to when my family and I took airboat tours through the Everglades.

While something I never cared for, it was wild seeing mudding represented in GTA. The activity constitutes driving trucks through mud in the messiest way possible, and is something a part of my family enjoys doing. It's on a far smaller scale than showcased in the trailer, but the shot stirred some memories in me.

Seeing that helped solidify that I was watching a parody of my home state, and Rockstar hardly needs to exaggerate it. Even with that, it's another decision Rockstar made that makes me feel seen in a game.

Ay dios mío, a game represents me!

I'm not much of a Grand Theft Auto fan, but I'm likely buying GTA VI because of Lucia. While Latino leads like Spider-Man's Miles Morales and Just Cause's Rico Rodriguez exist, they are rare.

This goes doubly so for Latina leads. Outside Far Cry 6's Dani, I can't think of any, and even then Dani's gender is player-chosen.

Otherwise, if Latinas are represented as playable characters, they are always part of an ensemble, like Overwatch's Sombra or Valorant's Reyna. As Americanized as I am, it's a little isolating knowing how underrepresented we are.

Although anyone who followed Grand Theft Auto VI leaks knows Lucia is one of the playable leads, seeing her front and center in the trailer makes her role as a protagonist feel so much more real to me. While the man she's traveling with is probably the other protagonist, the focus on Lucia gives the impression she's the game's real star, and I adore that.

It's cathartic while also sobering, since it reminded me of how little Latina representation there is in gaming. Another point in her favor is that she represents those who lives in Miami. The city is full of Latine people, with many coming from the Caribbean and South America. I myself am Cuban, and I'd bet the same for Lucia, given Miami's high Cuban population. Her specific ethnicity doesn't matter, however, because I'm just ecstatic she exists and isn't a caricature of a Latina.

While I likely anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI's trailer as much as many others, the feelings it stirred surprised me. It made me nostalgic for a place I have cultural and political qualms with. It also made me feel more represented in a game than I think I ever felt.

All Rockstar needs to do now to win me over is add trash to the beaches and have a scene dedicated to how delicious Cuban food is. Only then will Vice City really be home.

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It's that time of year when things start to slow down and everyone settles in for the arrival of winter. For those looking to boost their ranking on Santa's Nice List, PowerWash Simulator is taking us to Santa's Workshop to clean up after a wild elf party.

In an X post made by the PowerWash Simulator account, a gift has arrived for those who wish to clean a bit more. Players on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam can access a new free level on December 14, 2023, and Switch players can get in on the fun on January 8, 2024.

PowerWash Simulator brings Santa's Workshop to life

The level itself is a small but densely packed affair, with plenty of nooks and crannies to blast clean. I hadn't touched PowerWash Simulator since the SpongeBob SquarePants DLC back in June and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it all came back to me. Before I knew it, Christmas had been saved and my trip to the North Pole could be written off as a business expense.

Every one of PowerWash Simulator's offerings, both free and paid, has been an utter delight. Santa's Workshop is no different and offers plenty of reasons to boot up the relaxing title and spray away the gunk.

With the Warhammer 40,000 DLC being delayed to 2024, this bite-sized DLC should hopefully be enough to tide players over. Either way, if you've been wanting a break from other titles or even want to take power washing into the third dimension, PowerWash Simulator has you covered. Just make sure you wear the proper PPE when cleaning Cloud's Buster Sword in the Seventh Heaven Bar.

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To this day, I love getting together with my buddies and having a jam session in Rock Band 4. So when Epic Games announced Fortnite Festival, I was hyped. But upon finding out there wasn't support for our plastic guitars and drums, not so much.

Luckily, Epic Games knows that there are plenty of would-be rockers out there just waiting to jam out in a new way. And the publisher confirmed that for the dozens of us, implementing peripheral support is a "priority."

Within a Q&A style posting on the Fortnite website, the development team addressed several topics. When asked "Does Fortnite Festival support instrument controllers?" the development confirmed that compatibility isn't available at launch. However, the team stated "it's a priority for the team and currently under development. We'll have more to share in 2024."

Epic Games purchased Harmonix (the developers of the Rock Band series and several of the original Guitar Hero games) in November 2021. Fortnite Festival appears to be the lovechild of that marriage.

Harmonix was still an independent studio when they released Rock Band 4 in 2015. At the time, they partnered with Mad Catz to manufacture a fresh set of instruments for the series' fourth installment. But production on those instruments ceased years ago, and now they're very hard to find in the wild or extremely expensive to purchase used online.

Now that Harmonix is backed by a financial juggernaut like Epic Games, the big question is whether the publisher will manufacture a new set of peripherals to sell to fans. Otherwise, anyone who wants to purchase a second-hand guitar, drum set, or keyboard is likely to have to spend a pretty penny.

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It's been a long night of The Game Awards. Many trailers have been shown for upcoming games, but only one can be the final trailer. Capcom has taken that honor this year by revealing the newest installment in the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Wilds.

As has been a recurring theme during this event, we didn't exactly see a ton of raw gameplay in this trailer. We do, however, see a lot of monsters. Also, some sick mount acrobatics are shown off. And before we know it, a title card is thrown on screen. Clearly this is a teaser just to let us all know this game exists, since that projected date of 2025 is still a ways off from now. Feel free to speculate based on the footage we were shown.

After the trailer, Geoff Keighley brought Monster Hunter series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto to the stage. Despite acknowledging that the game is dated for 2025, Keighley asked Tsujimoto when we might expect to play Monster Hunter Wilds. As one might expect, the answer for when we'll play this video game coming out in 2025 is "2025." However, Tsujimoto clarified that we should expect to learn more about the title during the Summer of 2024.

Monster Hunter Wilds will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. This is notable, as the game's predecessor, Monster Hunter Rise, was originally a Nintendo Switch title. The platforms shown indicate that Wilds will be closer in spirit to Monster Hunter World, which will be roughly seven years old by the time Wilds comes out.

I'm interested to see if games like Monster Hunter Rise on the Switch and Monster Hunter Now on mobile devices drives winds up attracting new audiences to Monster Hunter Wilds once it releases. It's certainly made me pay more attention to the series, so we'll have to see if this strategy pays off when Monster Hunter Wilds debuts two years from now.

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Immediately following The Game Awards where Baldur's Gate 3 won the Game of the Year award, Larian Studios released the game on Xbox Series X|S. According to Larian, the Xbox version of the GOTY will include the newly released Patch 5 which is a very substantial update.

Those looking to pick up the game digitally can now do so on the Xbox Store. Physical copies will ship early next year. Even though we knew the Xbox version was on the way, it will surely come as a nice surprise for Xbox gamers to finally get the opportunity to jump into this epic game.

With the release, Baldur's Gate 3 is now officially available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

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Black Myth: Wukong has received a new trailer at The Game Awards, and if you aren't sold on it yet, this may be what sways you.

The trailer shows off impressive visuals, along with some of the enemies you'll be facing. It looks like an adventure and a half with beasts of immense size roaming on the ground, in the sky, and underwater. You of course won't be going into it unarmed, as the trailer gives up glimpses of some of the action-packed sword combat.

The game is inspired by the 1592 Chinese fantasy novel Journey to the West. Though the game seems worth getting excited about, it is not void of controversy, most of it relating to accusations of sexism at Game Science.

IGN reports, "several posts have surfaced from Chinese social media site Weibo, written by individuals from the studio, that contain multiple references to genitalia and sexual innuendos." Furthermore, there have been "recruitment posters by the studio, produced in 2015, which featured images and headlines that point to a culture of ingrained sexism in Game Science."

This has resulted in backlash from the gaming community, but seemingly not enough to stop the game from appearing at The Game Awards. Black Myth: Wukong is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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We'll get to explore Dead by Daylight's world once more through The Casting of Frank Stone, a new title by Behaviour Interactive in partnership with Supermassive Games.

From the brief glimpse of the game the debut trailer offers, we discover we have a mystery on our hands, and like several titles from Supermassive, your choices will shape the story and outcome. You'll be thrust into Cedar Hills where a group of friends uncover the bloody legacy of Stone.

The game seems to be perfectly positioned to take advantage of Supermassive's greatest skills. Its narrative-based, choice-centered structure is something the studio has had plenty of experience with. With franchises like The Dark Pictures Anthology under its belt, the studio's also no stranger to the horror genre.

This time around, the terror centers around the depths of a steel mill in Oregon where the sadistic actions of a serial killer spawn horrors beyond comprehension. If you're looking for something to raise the hairs on your neck, this seems like a title worth checking out.

The Casting of Frank Stone launches in 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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