Game Informer

Get ready, achievement hunters! Epic Games is rolling out its achievement program this week on a handful of games available in the Epic Game Store. Dubbed Epic Achievements, this system takes familiar parts from other platforms and melds them together.

Epic’s achievements are a bit of an amalgamation of what Xbox and PlayStation have for their digital rewards. Each game has a total of 1000 XP you can earn by playing, with more given upon completion. Every achievement gives a certain number of XP, and that amount determines the ranking of the award. Here’s the breakdown:

• Bronze = 5-45 XP
• Silver = 50-95 XP
• Gold = 100-200 XP     
• Platinum = 250 XP

Earning 1000 XP in a game will get you that coveted Platinum achievement, which slaps an additional 250 XP onto your Epic Games profile. The experience gained goes into a profile leveling system, kind of like what Sony does with PlayStation trophies. There’s no word on whether any of these achievements or levels grant any perks for in-game content, game discounts, or recognition outside of bragging rights between friends, but it’s nice to have included on Epic Games’ launcher.

Since the dawn of PC mods, Thomas the Tank Engine’s menacing presence has loomed large in unexpected places – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Resident Evil Village, even the Mass Effect franchise. With this at the forefront of its mind, one developer set out to create a horror experience all about escaping the clutches of a humanoid locomotive. The helpless player must board their train, reconnect disjointed tracks while traversing a creepy landscape, and fire away at their multi-wheeled pursuer with a mounted minigun. Two Star Games’ Choo-Choo Charles brings our Thomas the Tank Engine nightmares to life. 

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“Surrounded by wonder, touched with dread” is a line from Jett: The Far Shore’s holy writings. These scriptures guide Mei, the protagonist, and seep into every aspect of the game. Conveniently enough, the quote is an apt description of my time with Jett, and not always for the best reasons. Some narrative moments reach high points, though the title’s tedious gameplay always brought me crashing back down.

We’re about a month away from the launch of Shin Megami Tensei V’s November 12 launch, and what better way to celebrate than to get more glimpses at the game? Today, we have exclusive info and screenshots that show off the demons you’ll encounter and what’s awaiting you in Da’at, an alternative, post-apocalyptic Tokyo.

I can’t help but be drawn to Steph Gingrich. Like many fans, I loved her when she first appeared in Life is Strange: Before the Storm as a passionate dungeon master and gifted artist. Chloe Price might have said it best in her journal when she wrote that she couldn’t tell if Steph was the coolest or nerdiest person in Blackwell. That’s part of Steph’s charm and appeal; she completely indulges in her interests without caring what other people think. 

When Deck Nine brought Steph back for True Colors, she reached a new level of awesome, still completely throwing herself into roleplaying, but also pursuing her passion for music by working in the record shop and DJing for Haven Springs’ local radio station. The new Wavelengths DLC serves as a True Colors prequel to bridge the gap between Steph moving to Haven Springs after the events of the original Life is Strange and Alex Chen’s arrival in the small Colorado town. Deck Nine once again excels with witty and relatable writing, while finding intriguing ways to involve the players in Steph’s story that do justice to her personality and interests.

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Accessibility in games has been a rising topic over the past few years, and rightly so. The more people can play games, the better. Companies are adding in all kinds of options and modes to make games more accessible in various ways, but finding out which games have the options someone may be looking for isn’t always easy. DAGERSystem is looking to change that with a database that makes finding accessible games an easy task.

DAGERSystem’s Accessible Games Database has all kinds of searchable options to help locate specific features you want in a game. The database lets you filter games that cater to various auditory, color, visual, and fine motor features and gives a list of recommendations based on your needs. Each of these categories has targeted sub-categories of accessibility options to find which titles support the particular need of a given player. Even when looking at one game’s suite of options, click on any of them to populate a filtered list of all matches on the database with that same or similar accessibility.

Everybody’s favorite pair of Avatars have finally been confirmed for the roster of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, just days before release. Both Aang and Korra will be bending all kinds of elements against the likes of Ren and Stimpy, Danny Phantom, and Patrick Star.

While Aang can utilize bending techniques for all four basic elements in the show, his moveset in Nick Brawl focuses on what he knows best: air bending. Aang is suited to aerial combat using these bending techniques and excels at mid-air combos and incredible mobility. Some highlights of his light and strong moves include his Strong Up attack “Rising Wind Kick,” which propels Aang into the sky diagonally, and his light neutral “Staff Spin” can hit surrounding enemies on either side of him. Aang’s Air Strong attacks make him float a little, so they’re good to use while trying to get back to a platform safely.

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Evening Star, a team made up of developers responsible for Sonic Mania, has announced it’s working on an original 3D platformer. It’ll be the debut title for the studio, which formed in 2018 and is led by creative director and Sonic Mania’s marquee designer, Christian Whitehead.

There are only a few small clues as to what the game entails. One of them is a silhouette on the blog post announcing the game, which hints at a shorter character with a long tail with either a bow or perhaps a heavy object at the end of it. Or maybe it's just a yo-yo, as some users have theorized. The game is being made using the studio’s proprietary Star Engine, which the team says specializes in rendering non-realistic, stylized 3D games. Whatever this platformer is, it appears to be very early in development; the team has job postings for a 3D Artist, Engine Programmer, Gameplay Programmer, Level Designer. Evening Star also states it’s looking for a publisher. 

Whitehead and his crew released Sonic Mania back in 2017, and it was heralded as the best Sonic game in years (check out our review). The idea of any follow-up from the people responsible would be exciting given that game’s quality, but a 3D platformer sounds especially fitting. It will be fun to watch this game slowly take shape in the coming months and years.

Founded in 2002, Turtle Rock Studios got its start working on the Counter-Strike and Half-Life series alongside Valve. However, the studio truly made its name through its first all-original game, a cooperative zombie shooter called Left 4 Dead. Valve was so impressed by the project that it acquired Turtle Rock in 2008 and released the game later that year. Left 4 Dead was a smash hit for the developer, and both paved the way for the co-op shooting genre and contributed to a zombie explosion in gaming.

Following the studio’s split from Valve in 2009 (where Valve retained the Left 4 Dead IP), Turtle Rock began work on what would eventually become the asymmetric multiplayer shooter Evolve. Valve put out a second Left 4 Dead developed in-house, and countless other studios replicated the formula to varying results. Still, few captured the magic of that first Left 4 Dead. Now, the studio that popularized the genre is back with a new effort that not only carries on the tradition of its most popular game but expands the formula in new directions.

Ever want to know how long you’ve been jamming on a game? Xbox users are one step closer to readily available information as part of the console user interface. The feature is still in testing, but certain Xbox Insiders can use the feature with a new update, which is still in the testing phase.

Xbox consoles enabled for Alpha updates as part of the Xbox Update Preview program should see the UI update today. This update brings some bug fixes and a new Guide menu feature to see how much time you’ve been spending playing a game, along with other game-specific statistics. Here’s where to find the new Stat’s page, according to a blog post from Xbox:

“Check out the Game activity tab while playing a game and see not just the classic Achievements list, but also a newly added Stats page that tracks things like playtime and more, depending on what game you’re playing.”

SNK used Tokyo Game Show as the perfect stage to debut the next two fighters for next year’s King of Fighters XV. Newcomer Isla and returning combatant K’ join the roster of 39 fighters vying to see who's the best in the world. 

As previously mentioned, Isla is a graffiti artist that is brand-new to the world of King of Fighters. She’s clearly too-cool-for-school by spending half of the time fighting with her hands in her jacket pockets, letting her kicks do the talking. Sure, she busts out the fists when necessary but Isla also settles for conjuring floating hands to attack opponents up close and from afar. Yes, that means she can quite literally throw hands. Watch Isla in action in the gameplay trailer below.

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Meanwhile, K’ (actually pronounced “Kay Dash”) is a fighter dating all the way back to King of Fighters ‘99. He’s an augmented human spliced with genes from KOF’s main character, Kyo Kusanagi. Thus, he serves as a darker version of the series’ poster boy and has the power to manipulate fire. He’s also kind of a jerk. Watch him set his opponents ablaze in the trailer below. 

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If you’re a Bandai Namco fan, it's time to start saying your goodbyes to the red, orange, and yellow logo that has graced titles such as Scarlet Nexus, Tales of Arise, Little Nightmares II, and countless other hits. The company has unveiled a new corporate logo alongside a new mission statement: Fun for All Into the Future.

The new logo adopts a more, shall we say, minimalist philosophy. The company's name is penned in a simple black font situated within a thick magenta border shaped like a speech bubble.  According to a press release announcing the change, the speech bubble specifically signifies the brand’s potential to connect with its audience while also tipping a cap to manga culture. Bandai Namco states that while the old logo represented the fusion of Bandai and Namco, the new one better fits the spirit of their new purpose. 

Square Enix is leaning on the creator of the Active Time Battle (ATB) system from Final Fantasy to create a new, unique RPG experience set to come out in two weeks. Hiroyuki Ito, known for ATB and directing Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age, leads this minimalist dungeon crawler called Dungeon Encounters.

Dungeon Encounters tasks players to explore grid-based labyrinths where, along the way, you’ll find allies, fight monsters, and earn abilities. Traversing these barren maps look to be a big part of Dungeon Encounters. Each square you move is counted, with total map completions rewarding ability points. Abilities can strategically shift enemy or player placements in the dungeon to dodge a conflict or travel to a hard-to-reach segment of the gameboard.

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Combat plays out with, you guessed it, the Active Time Battle system. Adventuring in the mazes, you’ll come across a variety of characters to add to your party. The trailer above shows off a ton of potential friends take along grid spelunking. These party members aren’t exclusive to humanoid adventurers but also include a sword-wielding dog, a panther, and my favorite so far, a sizeable Totoro-like character named Sir Cat.

Bloober Team has most recently became known as the studio behind The Medium and Observer, but it all started with its Layers of Fear franchise. The studio announced during Tokyo Game Show that it is returning to its roots with a third game in the series slated for 2022.

The new game remains untitled for now but is being made in Unreal Engine 5. A teaser trailer establishes an unsettling atmosphere while ostensibly showing off the game’s presumed graphical fidelity. 

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Square Enix’s Tokyo Game Show presentation provided a chaotic new look at Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin. A beefy new trailer delivered confirmation that Team Ninja’s wacky spin-off/prequel to Final Fantasy 1 arrives on March 18.

The new trailer shows off more the game’s action-heavy combat as Jack and his fellow warriors of light, Ash and Jed, are joined by a new party member named Neon. The foursome is on a journey to kill Chaos, employing a flashy moveset of melee and magic attacks to get the job done. Today’s trailer provided additional story teases and revealed some of the strange personalities you’ll encounter during your journey. One of them is a pirate. In addition to today’s video, Square Enix is planning a dedicated Stranger or Paradise livestream for October 2.

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Splatoon 3 made a splat during last week’s Nintendo Direct, reaffirming its release next year while giving a peek at the campaign with the return of mammals to the world. Nintendo is keeping the information momentum flowing on Twitter with some new screenshots and details about two new special weapons to use in battle.

First is the Crab Tank, an armored walking tank that allows for added mobility and defense while doling out ink sprays against the opposing team. Here’s Nintendo’s description of the new weapon:

This is the Crab Tank! When piloting this multi-legged vehicle, you can attack with a powerful rapid-fire gun and a cannon with a wide blast area. You can also turn into a ball to move around faster than crab walking.

This special weapon turns an Inkling into a shadowy warrior called a Zipcaster. With tentacles that stretch way out and stick to walls, you can zoom around and cause mad chaos! To conceal your identity, when the ink runs out, you'll be returned to where you first transformed. pic.twitter.com/Q68IQ00PpD

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Dying Light 2 Stay Human’s release early next year is creeping ever closer, and every month that passes, we get more details about the game through developer Techland’s Dying 2 Know video series. In today’s episode, we get a closer look at parts of The City players will traverse, and a peek at recording the score at Abby Road Studios. But Techland left one surprise at the end of the video, introducing an important new character in Dying Light 2.

Lawan is that new character played by the one and only Rosario Dawson (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Daredevil, Sin City). Dawson describes Lawan as “a warrior of sorts. A very tough woman who is fighting her past and looking to seek revenge on the people who wronged her.”

Sherlock Holmes doesn’t get by on his keen observation skill and his wits alone. As evidenced in the new trailer for Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, the world-famous detective has to take a more physical approach at times to escape a hairy situation with his life intact.

Sherlock may not always resort to violence, but he’s a capable combatant at his formative age in Chapter One. Using his well-trained eyes and incredible perceptive skills, you can slow time in combat to pinpoint enemy weaknesses and environmental hazards that can be useful against enemies in a fight. Every hit hurts this young Sherlock a lot, so utilizing every dip, dodge, and dirty trick like his powder-spewing snuffbox is critical to surviving encounters.

While you can put your dukes up against enemies, sometimes you need a little more firepower than some flashy fisticuffs. Using pistols in a fight, Sherlock can shoot off protective armor before dealing the finishing blow, whether to restrain and arrest a culprit or kill them outright. A non-lethal approach is considered canonical, though the option is left open to permanently take an enemy down in a pinch.

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We're back with another scorching episode of The Game Informer Show! This week, we're breaking down our launch impressions of Amazon's exciting new MMORPG New World and discussing what we think of Netflix purchasing Night School Studio, the developers behind Oxenfree and Afterparty. That's not all though, as our amazing crew of Dan Tack, Kimberley Wallace, and Jill Grodt are here to chat about Sable, NBA 2K22, and get a little wild during another fun round of community emails!

Follow the crew on Twitter: Alex Stadnik (@Studnik76), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Dan Tack (@DanTack), Kimberley Wallace (@kstar1785), Jill Grodt (@Finruin)

Amazon Games released New World on Tuesday, and like much of the internet, we can't seem to put the game down. Shipwrecked on an otherworldly island, the game asks you to explore its lush environments in search of food, minerals, and the myriad of crafting components you'll need to truly thrive. Of course, you'll have to fend off droves of supernatural beasts from your bounty of resources, which offers plenty of white-knuckle encounters. Mix all that with an engaging PvP system that tasks players with not only fending off invaders and capturing new land but also pushes you to interact with your fellow server-dwellers—socializing in an MMO? What a concept! 

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There are many mysteries still left to uncover in Aeternum, so join Dan Tack, Alex Van Aken, and Prima Games' Jesse Vitelli as they bound forward into this new MMO's third day of live service. We're kicking the fun off at 2 p.m. CT exclusively over on Twitch, and we want to see you there! Join us to get your questions answered about Amazon's entry into the legacy MMO space and see if the game may be for you.

The annual Game Awards hosted by Geoff Keighley returns as an in-person live event on Thursday, December 9. The event will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and will be live-streamed for free across over 40 streaming and social platforms. Last year's event was an online-only affair that, despite the limitations, managed to garner record-breaking viewership. 

Details are still scarce about who or what will be at the show other than the return of The Game Awards Orchestra. Expect plenty of world premieres of new titles, musical performances, and as well as free playable demos for upcoming titles. For you streamers, The Game Awards fully supports co-streaming. Given that we’re still in a pandemic, additional health and safety protocols will be shared in the coming weeks for those planning to attend in person. 

After years of making critically acclaimed remakes of PlayStation exclusives, Sony has finally brought Bluepoint Games officially into the PlayStation family. Announcing the acquisition on the PlayStation Blog accompanied by an announcement video on Twitter, Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst welcomed the new studio. 

“With each of its projects, Bluepoint has raised the bar on console-defining visuals and gameplay, and the studio’s vast expertise in world building and character creation will be a huge plus for future PlayStation Studios properties,” Hulst said in the blog post about what Bluepoint brings to Sony’s portfolio. 

Introducing the next member of the PlayStation Studios family… pic.twitter.com/mRDLD5KwDM

As Tokyo Game Show takes off today, publisher Prime Matter pulled the curtain back on the first gameplay footage for Gungrave G.O.R.E. The sequel to the dormant Gungrave franchise has been in the works for some time, and if today’s video is any indication, its bloody brand of over-the-top action seems to be coming along quite nicely.

The trailer below provides an extended look at the previously shown cinematic trailer, revealing new scenes before transitioning into footage of anti-hero Grave doing what he does best. That is, mowing down undead targets using his twin pistols and weaponized transforming coffin. Gungrave G.O.R.E. looks absurdly frenetic, which likely couldn’t make fans happier.  

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Capcom’s Tokyo Game Show presentation this morning was all about Monster Hunter, showcasing new additions coming to existing games like Monster Hunter Stories 2 and Monster Hunter Rise. However, all eyes were on the significant expansion for Rise next summer, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.

The Sunbreak segment introduced us to Director Yoshitake Suzuki, who has been simultaneously leading the development of the upcoming expansion and the updates for Rise since release. He introduced the new mystery monster from the Sunbreak trailer as a new Elder Dragon called Malzeno, but that’s all the information the devs were willing to spill on the headlining wyvern.

We were also treated with additional information on Sunbreak and what players can expect when venturing into its content. Suzuki confirmed Sunbreak will bring Master Rank hunts to the game, giving hunters their most daunting challenges yet. After completing the final Hunter Rank seven story mission, Players will leave the cozy village from Rise and embark on a journey to a new hub area. We don’t know much about this new base, but Suzuki promises the team will share more information in the coming months.

In August, we interviewed renowned electronic artist Joel “Deadmau5” Zimmerman about his upcoming project in Core, a creative space where designers can make their own video game experiences with an emphasis on multiplayer interactivity. Called Oberhalsi, the multiplayer world is slated to be a place where listeners can discover new music, interact with one another, and play games. To celebrate Oberhalsi – and in collaboration with a number of game designers/fans – over 130 dystopic virtual worlds were created for the music video of the hit single “When The Summer Dies.” The top ten selections from around the globe were ultimately chosen to be showcased as backdrops for the song. You can watch the video below.

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Monster Hunter Rise finally rides to PC via Steam on January 12. The port takes advantage of its powerful new home with a host of graphical and performance improvements to make it the best version of the best-selling Switch title.

Rise on PC features 4K resolution graphics, an ultrawide display option, and uncapped framerates. Gameplay has been optimized for mouse and keyboard and even includes voice chat, making multiplayer sessions a lot more sociable. The PC port also bundles every piece of DLC to have arrived on the Switch version up to the end of November, which would include collaboration goodies such as the upcoming Ghost ‘N Goblins event. Capcom also confirmed that the Sunbreak expansion will launch on both the PC and Switch versions of Rise next summer. 

Monster Hunter Rise is about to get spookier before going supersonic. Capcom announced during its Tokyo Game Show Monster Hunter Spotlight that two new collaborations are in the works, first with Ghost ‘N Goblins: Resurrection and then Sonic the Hedgehog. 

On October 29, hunters will soon have the materials to create layered armor based on Ghost ‘N Goblin’s hero, Arthur. Besides making your hunter resemble the chivalrous knight, the special event features music from the game, including the classic theme song.

Sometime after that, Sonic the Hedgehog celebrates its 30th anniversary in style by crossing over into Monster Hunter. While it’s not the first time the two franchises have collided – a similar collaboration took place in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – Capcom promises this mash-up will be even grander. However, it didn’t have any details to share regarding what the collaboration entails. 

God of War: Ragnarok is one of Sony's most anticipated releases. The sequel to the 2018's megahit was initially teased about a year ago, and we initially expected Ragnarok to release sometime this year. However, in June, Sony confirmed that the title was getting pushed to 2022. Several factors likely led to this delay, but Kratos' voice actor Christopher Judge recently took to Twitter claiming responsibility. 

https://twitter.com/iamchrisjudge/status/1443434928385843209 https://twitter.com/iamchrisjudge/status/1443436861867708419 https://twitter.com/iamchrisjudge/status/1443438179193798659

In reality, it's hard to say that Judge was entirely responsible for Ragnarok's delay. Voice actors don't know every detail in a game's production pipeline, and factors such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic also likely played a part in Sony's rescheduling. Even so, it's interesting to hear Judge's perspective on the matter. We're glad to hear that he's doing better these days. The actor brought a lot to Kratos' personality, and we're happy that he'll be returning for Ragnarok. 

Microsoft kicked off the first day of the Tokyo Game Show with a presentation that included the news of Scarlet Nexus hitting Xbox Game Pass today and the expansion of Xbox cloud gaming to other regions. While those are big announcements, the publisher also sprinkled looks at upcoming indie titles in the works. If you’re someone who is always on the hunt for games off the beaten path, here’s a look at some upcoming lesser-known games slated to hit the console in the coming year. 

The Good Life, the bizarre photography mystery game by Deadly Premonition mastermind Hidetaka “Swery” Suehiro and his team at White Owls, has a demo on Xbox Game Pass available now. The crowdfunded game recently got a release date of October 15 after several years of development and multiple delays. The demo is good news for those wary about the title after its bumpy development cycle, and Xbox fans can rest even easier knowing it’s launching to Game Pass on day one.

The Good Life stars Naomi, a New York photographer who visits the British town of Rainy Woods to investigate why it’s known as “the happiest place on Earth”. She needs a big scoop in order to repay a massive debt, and she gets more than she bargains for when she discovers Rainy Woods has an unusual secret: when the sun goes down, its residents transform into cats and dogs. Solving this mystery involves taking photos and collecting clues. You’ll also work to repay your debt by taking odd jobs and saving money, which you can also use to source up your home and garden. You can also ride sheep because why not? 

In addition to Xbox, The Good Life is also coming to PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC. A demo will also be available during the Steam Next Festival on October 1. 

Today, Mircosoft announced that Xbox Cloud Gaming is expanding to four new countries: Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and Australia, starting on October 1. 

Microsoft's service allows users to play games remotely over the internet on their PC, tablet, or smartphone. The service launched in the U.S. around this time last year and has only continued to expand since. Xcloud users stream over 100 games from the cloud, including Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Minecraft Dungeons, and Dragon Quest 11 S: Definitive Edition. The service is a great way to experiment with games quickly, allowing for great game discovery, as you can easily try out a game within seconds and see if you like it without waiting for a download. 

Xbox Game Pass gets a dose of anime action, supernatural murder mystery, and a tank driving goose. Bandai Namco’s stylish action RPG Scarlet Nexus headlines a batch of new titles hitting the service today, which Microsoft announced during its Tokyo Game Show presentation this morning. Game Pass subscribers now have a chance to check out one of the year’s best action games. 

Scarlet Nexus comes from the makers behind the Tales series and is set in a dystopian “brainpunk” world. You control one of two protagonists, each with their own separate campaigns and both blessed with powerful supernatural abilities and part of a task force of similarly gifted individuals. Bizarre, extradimensional creatures known as the Others have invaded Earth, and it’s up to you to stop them in their tracks. In his 8.75 out of 10 review, senior editor Dan Tack described Scarlet Nexus as a “stylish and compelling fantasy that's all about the combat.” Bandai Namco also hinted that it has additional cosmetic content to the game “coming soon.”

Complications due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Delta variant of the virus have caused the cancellation of another gaming event. This time, it was the culmination of this year’s online Evolution Championship Series, commonly known as Evo, which was set for an in-person event this November. The cancellation announcement came in a statement on the Evo website and later on Twitter. You can read the complete statement below.

  The goal of the Evo Showcase is to bring together the best players from around the world in a live, in-person format. Due to the continuing complications of COVID-19 and the spread of the Delta Variant we have made the tough decision to cancel the Evo 2021 Showcase.

The players invited to participate in the Evo 2021 Showcase represent many of the best fighters in the world. We’re incredibly saddened to cancel the event. The Evo team will be contacting each player individually to recognize their efforts. We remain dedicated to Evo’s mission of celebrating the FGC, and will continue to work towards the return of the big, live events that you expect from us.

 

We are currently in the beginning stages of the holiday window, the time in which, traditionally, most of the year's biggest blockbuster releases hit store shelves and digital storefronts. This year's holiday window promises a ton of big releases that we're all eagerly anticipating from franchises like Halo, Far Cry, and Metroid, but we can't ignore the looming leviathan that is 2022.

Ikumi Nakamura’s mother didn’t want her to work for Capcom. As she tells it, early in life, Nakamura saw a feature on the making of Resident Evil. In it, the game’s creators gather at a bar to drink and talk about the development. Nakamura’s mind was made up. She wanted to be a game developer. She wanted to work with the people she saw on screen. Nakamura’s mom was less impressed.

“I saw it, and I told my Mom, ‘Oh my God, I want to work with them,’” Nakamura tells Game Informer via translator. “And my Mom’s like, ‘No, don’t work with them. They’re just drunk, old men. Don’t do that!’”

Nakamura didn’t take her mother’s warning to heart.

Nakamura’s first job in the industry was at Capcom; she was an artist for its internal team, Clover Studios. That job meant a lot to her, personally. Aside from being a fan, Capcom’s games were something Nakamura bonded over with her father, which offered a personal connection to the work.

During and since, Nakamura’s had a hand in developing several cult-favorite video games, including Ōkami, Bayonetta, and The Evil Within series, working for Platinum Games and Tango Gameworks after Capcom. But for the majority of her career, she was relatively unknown within, and certainly outside, the game industry. That is until E3 2019, when her presentation for Ghostwire: Tokyo thrust her into video game stardom – thanks in no small part to her outgoing and offbeat personality. Nakamura has since become a social media favorite, befriending prominent game developers such as Sony Santa Monica’s Cory Barlog.

Every month, PlayStation Plus subscribers reap the benefit of a handful of free games to go along with the other perks of the service. Since the launch of the PS5, one title has been dedicated to the new-generation console, and the trend continues moving into October.

October’s selection of free PlayStation Plus games brings an eclectic trio of titles to owners of PlayStation consoles. Covering genres from shooters to sports and fighting games, this batch of games hits plenty of interests.

Free PlayStation Plus Lineup For October

Headlining the month of freebies is World War II shooter/strategy game Hell Let Loose. Boasting massive 50v50 battles, Hell Let Loose will be making its debut on PlayStation 5 with this PlayStation Plus promotion. Those looking to pick up a golf game following this past weekend’s Ryder Cup event can look no further: PGA Tour 2K21 is the first of two PS4 games slated for October’s PS+. Rounding out the list is one of my favorite fighting games from the previous generation: Mortal Kombat X. If you haven’t played this over-the-top, violent fighter yet, you have one of the best story modes in fighting games awaiting you. Not to mention some great, gory action just in time for the spookiest month of the year!

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Opening day for the NHL is just around the corner, and hot on its heels is the October 15 release date for NHL 22, which provides the best way to put yourself into the on-ice action. Today, EA Vancouver gave us an extensive look (27 minutes to be exact!) at what to expect from the gameplay in this year's edition, which adds X-Factors and new abilities such as being able to reverse a hit or brace for it. 

The footage, which you can watch above, breaks down the changes to passing/receptions, how the Frostbite Engine enhances the gameplay, and the impact of the new stick physics. Outside of the beta, this is the most substantial look we've had at the game in action, so it's a good watch if you want to see how the new features look on the ice and hear explanations from the developers about their vision for this year. 

The NHL 22 blog also further highlights how the gameplay is different this year, which includes strength and body positioning playing a bigger factor in puck possession alongside an all-new deflection system that offers more variety in the ways you can trick the goaltender, from subtle stick flicks to more skillful moves that pivot and pull a puck back against the grain.