Game Informer

Project EVE has not been a project on many of North American gamers’ radars, but today’s video of new gameplay may help to change that. The third-person action game, being developer by Koren team SHIFTUP, showed off a variety of fast-moving and exciting sequences in today’s trailer.

The game sees a female protagonist (presumably the Eve named in the title) as she faces off against an array of warped monstrosities. In one opening sequence, she battles a giant monster attached to a space station before being thrown out into open space. In other areas, we see her moving through a seemingly ruined version of Earth, overwhelmed by parasitic organisms.

Battles look to follow the stylish vibe you might expect in a game like Bayonetta or Devil May Cry, with a big focus on wild acrobatic moves, as well as sequences of third-person traversal. Eve wields a sword in the battles we saw in the trailer, and uses the weapon in a number of eye-catching aerial maneuvers. The creature designs are eye-catching, covered in tentacles and blade-like teeth. It also appears to be a game that isn’t afraid of a bit of impressive setpiece animation, as Eve flips and slashes her way up and across some massive monsters. In another intriguing scene, we saw her moving at high speed down a lengthy tunnel, even as she continued to fight a monstrous foe. In addition to monsters, it seems like Eve will have at least one robotic companion along for the ride, who seems to fulfill the role of advisor about the strange post-apocalyptic world through which she moves.

Turns out that Spider-Man isn't the only Marvel superhero getting the spotlight over at Insomniac Games. During the most recent PlayStation Showcase, Insomniac teased two big announcements. One of those was Spider-Man 2, which will feature Venom as a major character, but the second is a brand new adventure starring none other than Wolverine himself. 

Not much was revealed about the upcoming game other than that it exists, but we did get an idea of the tone it will take. Wolverine has never been the most "amped up" character, and Insomniac looks to be respecting that with our first teaser of its upcoming game. Take a look at the video below to get your first taste of Insomniac's continued adventures into the Marvel-verse. 

We don't have any release date information at this time, this is just a short teaser of what the teams have been working on over at Insomniac, but it is interesting to see the studio branch out even more in the world of Marvel. With so many superhero adventures on the horizon from all sorts of different developers, it's a great time to be a comics fan and an even better time to be a part of the Marvel family. 

During today's PlayStation Showcase, we got a plethora of news to enjoy, including the confirmation of Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Remake and a brand new look at Forspoken, an adventure we haven't heard anything about in some time. Now, we've got an even closer look at what this title will have to offer, including more about the main character known as Frey. 

There are cats, there are weird purple magical portals, there are fantastical castles, and there are brave new worlds. It looks like it has everything that fantasy lovers could want paired with humor, fancy jewelry, and dragons! What more could you want? Check out the trailer at the top of the article to see our latest look at what Forspoken has in store. 

Regarding Frey herself, we learned more about her back in March, but story details were still pretty much under wraps. Now we see exactly what sort of shenanigans Frey will have to endure, including taking on some pretty epic battles and learning how truly massive the universe really is, especially when time is no longer a concern. 

Sony kicked off today’s PlayStation Showcase with a bang by announcing the rumored remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The RPG classic is being rebuilt from the ground up for PlayStation 5. 

The original KOTOR was developed by Bioware and released in July of 2003. Set 4,000 years before the events of the original film trilogy, the game takes place during the Old Republic era of Star Wars with players controlling a character that can align with either the Jedi or Sith depending on the choices they make. It was critically acclaimed for its storytelling and choice-driven gameplay. Today’s teaser trailer doesn’t show much other than an intimidating glimpse of Darth Revan, but that’s likely more than enough to have many Star Wars fans jumping for join.

We’re all buzzing about the Matrix in the virtual Game Informer office after the teasers and trailer for The Matrix Resurrections. Its December release cannot come soon enough. While Matrix fans have waited 18 years for a new entry in the film franchise, it got me thinking about a similar gap since the last time Neo and the other Zion refugees have appeared in a video game. With the exciting revival of such a pivotal series, I’d love to see someone reboot the Matrix in games.

Our only virtual experiences with the Matrix came in the early 2000s during a three-game initiative built around the second and third films in the trilogy. First was Enter the Matrix, a bridge story surrounding the exploits of Ghost and Niobe, tertiary characters to the events of The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions. It was a novel idea to bring games into a cross-media marketing/storytelling format and an experience I remember liking, but I’m sure it doesn’t quite hold up these days.

The car combat genre hasn’t fired on all cylinders since the heyday of Twisted Metal, but Keo may help reignite that stalled engine. The team-focused game pits players against each other in 3v3 matches as they tear up post-apocalyptic battlefields behind the driver seat of absurdly armed vehicles. Since July, the game’s been playable in open beta tests, but it will enter full Early Access later this month. 

Players can choose from six vehicles, dubbed RCVs, and 24 weapons, with more of each hitting the game throughout its Early Access phase. RCVs fall into either attack, defense, or utility categories and sport various combinations of speed, armor, and other factors. Each vehicle has one primary weapon and four swappable guns, two in the front and two in the rear. By collecting currency, you can purchase new loadouts as well as cosmetics to personalize your death machine. 

Keo currently features two modes: Deathmatch and Domination. Deathmatch is exactly what you’d expect, with players scoring points by blasting the opposing team into bits. Domination, meanwhile, tasks players with capturing outposts. During Early Access, the game will also be treated to new maps, an unspecified new game mode, and features such as ranked matchmaking, match spectating, and ultra-widescreen support. 

Microsoft has encouraged us to whip out our wallet and pony up for some hot new controllers based on Forza and Halo, but if you don't have the cash to spare, your old Xbox One controllers still work with the Xbox Series X/S ... and those old controllers are about to get a little bit better. Microsoft is currently testing a firmware update for Bluetooth-enabled Xbox One controllers, Xbox Elite 2, and Xbox Adaptive controllers that offers better cross-device connectivity and reduced latency. 

The update allows for better cross-device connectively by supporting Bluetooth Low Energy. According to Microsoft's Blog post on the topic, "You will be able to play wirelessly on Windows 10 PCs, iOS 15+, and Android devices with Bluetooth Low Energy for remote play from your console or cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on the go. After installing the firmware update, these controllers will remember one Bluetooth host (e.g., smartphone) and one Xbox Wireless host (e.g., Xbox console), so you can quickly and seamlessly switch between previously connected devices with a simple double-tap of the pair button."

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania arrives in October, and today three classic SEGA consoles have been announced to roll into the title. The iconic Dreamcast, Saturn, and handheld Game Gear are all getting their own themed balls. How does it work? Well, it’s sort of like the systems were encapsulated in a ball, straight up. So yeah, you can kind of just look at these super cool consoles that you may or may not own or remember while you zip around. Where and when can you play Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania? The game comes to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC on October 5.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like there’s much else to these classic SEGA systems other than their images, but they do add to an already interesting amalgamation of a roster. For instance, Morgana from Persona 5 is also in Super Monkey Ball for some reason. Collaborations and brand infusions are back in fashion these days as Fortnite, Call of Duty, and many other titanic games get injections from everything from '80s films to the Marvel universe. SEGA definitely looks to be capitalizing on its deep well of nostalgic properties, even if this time those properties are simply old consoles.

Just as it seemed like all the big publishers had gotten their announcements out of their system for the year, Sony goes and does this. Last week, the company announced that we're getting a look at the PS5's future on the latest PlayStation Showcase and today is finally the day!

For such a momentous event, we had to bring out the big guns (and the big man swag). Join The Council of Alexes (Stadnik and Van Aken) as they react live to today's most significant announcements, gameplay looks, and so much more! The showcase starts at 3 p.m. CT, but we'll be live a bit earlier for a preshow where we'll predict what will be at the digital event and read off what you the chat is excited for.

But what will be featured during our look at the future of the PS5? The only thing Sony has confirmed thus far is that PSVR fans will have to wait a bit longer to see what's next for their favorite console-based virtual reality system. 

Bandai Namco has itself a pretty good year. From the gorgeous and mind-bending Little Nightmares II to the anime love letter that is Scarlet Nexus, the publisher has had a steady dose of fantastic titles for fans to play in 2021. But the fun doesn't stop there.Tales of Arise's release is just around the corner, and we have good news for fans of the series: it's real, real good.

The latest entry in the long-running series is a standout with a heartfelt and engaging story that deals with some heavy themes with tact and levity to keep players engaged throughout their time with the protagonists. The game also features a highly satisfying combat system that sees you using multiple characters and their varying abilities to take down the exciting and varied baddies that patrol the world. We at GI have enjoyed our time with the game so much that we want to share the good times with you!

Join Andrew Reiner, Dan Tack, and Alex Stadnik as they take on the mantle of Shionne and Alphen on the latest episode of New Gameplay Today Live! We're kicking off the party a little early this week and starting at 1 p.m. CT. We'll be picking up our playthrough around the second chapter and past what players have seen from their time with the demo for those worried about spoilers.

The Threat Detector in Halo 5 wasn't the most popular, so when players noted that the Combat Sensor in Halo Infinite operated similarly, fans offered their feedback to 343 Industries following the first beta test. Now the studio is offering up an update on how they have implemented said feedback and making a change that will hopefully be for the better. 

Halo Infinite offers a variety of changes to weapons, vehicles, and the in-game radar. A lot of that change has been widely seen as a positive, but many players just weren't feeling the way the radar tracked enemies in the surrounding player only if they behaved in a certain way, like in active combat. Because of that and the overwhelming request for a more classic Halo radar inclusion, the studio has outlined changes it is making based on player feedback, which is exactly the purpose of these early access periods. 

After years of speculation on what the future of The Matrix will actually look like with the return to this fantastical world of philosophy and duality, Warner Bros. has finally unveiled the first official trailer of the upcoming film. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss return to reprise their iconic worlds. 

We had an idea that a trailer was dropping when a small teaser clip was released earlier this week. The hype quickly built up following the initial teaser, which only continued to grow when fans realized there were thousands of video variations depending on which pill was chosen on the movie's official website. With Warner Bros. keeping a tight lid on what the future of The Matrix even is, the first official trailer, seen below, is a lot to unpack despite its short length: 

In the video above, we see Trinity and Neo reunited once more. What's interesting, however, is that they don't appear to be aware of past events, the events that we watched unfold in the original trilogy. There is a clever nod to the red vs. blue pill with Reeves' character taking prescribed medication and when the pair meet, it's as two strangers. 

The LEGO Super Mario universe continues to grow, this time with a new Super Mario 64 Block set to take that Nintendo love to even greater heights. At first glance, you see a simple block — the same block you've seen a million times throughout the franchise. Upon closer inspection, however, you can see an entire little universe hiding within. 

The latest LEGO addition comes at the perfect time, celebrating 25 years of Super Mario 64. What better way to celebrate than with some of the most iconic levels from the N64 experience? Open up the block, as seen in the video at the top of the article, to reveal four different levels to enjoy in real life: Bob-omb Battlefield, Cool Mountain, Peach's Castle, and Lethal Lava Trouble.

Create your own worlds utilizing these different levels, and add it to the ever-growing Super Mario LEGO line already available. But it's more than just a recreation, it's fully interactive. The new set comes with several iconic figures from the series, including Peach herself, and when paired with others like Mario and Luigin, the scene becomes alive in a fun way. 

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Bethesda's online entry in the Fallout series, Fallout 76, got a fresh update today that introduces a whole new kind of worldbuilding. Players still haunting post-apocalyptic Appalachia can explore Fallout Worlds now, which gives you access to Public Worlds and entirely new options to customize the game around your character. Alongside this update, the team released a meaty launch trailer detailing all the ways you can change Fallout 76's world.

A little over two minutes long, the video is stuffed with useful info, chaotic action, and snazzy tunes. The Fallout Worlds update seems to be taking the trailer's "Your world, your rules" pretty seriously. As shown in the footage, players can now set their camp's budget as high or low as they want, turn on infinite ammo for weapons – and this includes no reloads as well – and send enemies flying sky-high by cranking the ragdoll physics up to "nuclear upward force." To emphasize this last point, the trailer creates a veritable ballet of soaring carcasses for your viewing pleasure. 

We’ve been chasing that mantra of “gotta catch ‘em all” for well over two decades. Whether it’s in the mainline Pokémon games, trading cards, or on our phones through Pokémon Go, you always have a way to collect your favorite pocket monsters. Toy collectors may enjoy these new Pokémon figures from Funko Pop! that can be preordered right now.

Joining the Pokémon in Pop form is a cast of gen one favorites. Pidgeotto’s new figure is posed mid-air with its wings spread and talons out. It’s easily my favorite of this new set, but that’s just personal preference. Also available are an adorable Caterpie, Dragonite giving a friendly wave, and an all silver variant of Squirtle to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise.

Want some Sean with your No Man's Sky experience? What about Sean as Sean as a spaceship that looks like Sean? We knew that'd get ya... Now, for those that may be wondering who the heck Sean is, this new No Man's Sky mod is referencing the man behind No Man's Sky and Hello Games himself: Sean Murray. 

Before anyone takes this mod too seriously, it's a joke. It basically puts Murray's head on top of ... well, everything. Including the player's head. Why? Because why not? The world is chaos and this mod is just paying homage to that in the best way possible. You can see even more of this beautiful (horrific) creation in the video at the top of the article, just be warned: the human mind can only handle so much perfection at once. 

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Are you ready for another Injustice experience? Inspired by the games, the upcoming animated superhero movie will see Justice League members once more going toe-to-toe. In a world gone mad alongside Superman after being tricked into killing his lady love, Injustice challenges comic and gaming fans to take a hard look at what happens when our heroes go to war with one another. 

In a new look, courtesy of IGN, the trailer at the top of the article gives us a closer feel at what the upcoming film will have to offer. Inspired by the hit game from NetherRealm Studios and the best-selling DC graphic novel, the Injustice trailer shows off exactly what happens when it's Superman himself that becomes what he despises the most. The real question is, however, is if the world itself can withstand the damage when icons become fallen idols. 

Hideo Kojima is inviting us to take one last look at Death Stranding: Director's Cut before launching on September 24. The final trailer for this re-release is directed by Kojima and ends up being a musical journey through Death Stranding's disturbing world.

The trailer clocks in at just under five minutes, and while giving viewers a brief look at this version's new content, is mostly an exploration of the key moments that shaped the story and characters of the original game.

Kojima doesn't hold back on showing notable moments, so I'm going to throw a SPOILER warning out there for those of you who haven't played the game yet. If you've been thinking about picking up this version, I'd avoid the trailer. If you already played it, and have had many discussions about the baby strapped to Norman Rededus' chest,  jump right in – Kojima's cut is a nice way to relive this wild experience.

The song used in the trailer is "Goliath" by Woodkid. Kojima took to Twitter to discuss just how much he appreciates this artist. "Even when I listened to it again, the edited images came up. I can't get it out of my head," he wrote. "This is the kind of harm that comes from creating a PV with a song I love."

Remember Garry’s Mod? The PC sandbox game where folks have a blast with physics, construction, characters, and just… having fun with just about anything around? Well, it just hit 20 million units sold! Wow! The title may seem slightly dated today as it first hit the scene back in 2006, but folks are still having fun with it. Obviously, tools like the Steam Workshop have been instrumental in keeping the game alive and going over the many, many years that the title has been relevant. In fact, Garry’s Mod is still quite popular. 

Garry's Mod has hit 20m sales! Thanks to everyone who's played it over the last 16 years and counting! pic.twitter.com/zxXQE3wfwM

Two years after its release, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is headed to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 later this month. It’s been more than 20 years since the franchise has graced any model of Sony’s console hardware, so not only is this release big for mech fans, but it harkens an end to the long drought of MechWarrior games on PlayStation.

With this port of MechWarrior 5, all patches and changes made to the game since launch on PC in 2018 and Xbox consoles earlier this year come along for the ride. Also, the Heroes of the Inner Sphere DLC will be available for purchase on the same day. Those looking to play through the campaign’s co-op with friends will be able to share access to the DLC campaign, meaning only one person needs to slap down the price for entry while playing together. This includes those not playing on PlayStation consoles since crossplay is enabled for all platforms.

Following the successful launch of the War of Wakanda expansion, Crystal Dynamics will be adding Spider-Man and the first raid to Marvel's Avengers before the year ends. The endgame is also expanding with a power-level cap increase from 150 to 175. This is all exciting news, but no specific dates were given for any of the additions – all of it falls under a general "fall/winter" timeframe.

Spider-Man will be a PlayStation-exclusive character, and although he'll be added to the game soon, Crystal Dynamics didn't want to say anything about him in a recent Zoom call. I did see an image of him swinging on a web line toward Klaw (the raid boss), but I couldn't make out any of his suit details. Scot Amos, the head of studio at Crystal Dynamics, says that we'll learn more about him closer to his launch and that we may "catch a glimpse of him here and there along the way."

Epic wowed a lot of people when it unveiled Unreal Engine 5 via a stunning tech demo last year. The video showcased a female character exploring highly detailed caves and an ancient temple in a gameplay slice that looked so polished that some hoped it was teasing a project in development. Despite using the character in a second video demonstration earlier this year, Epic has stated that’s not the case, but they’ve given us the next best thing. This mysterious warrior/explorer is now a skin in Fortnite.

Turns out she has a name: Windwalker Echo. That’s about all we know about her outside of the fact that she’s good with a sword and wields some sort of magic, based on what we’ve seen in the demos at least. Her arrival in Fortnite coincides with the release of a new animation demo that once again puts her in the starring role. You can watch it below.

Tales of Arise's review embargo is up, but more time is needed with this expansive RPG before a verdict can be delivered. Our reviewer, Jason Guisao, is deep into the endgame and should have the review up prior to the game's September 10 launch (this Friday). As a little tease, Jason has been raving about the game for a week and says what he's played is "excellent."

Tales of Arise was recently featured on Game Informer's cover as the standout title in an expansive RPG roundup. The "Tales of" series has always been held in high regard, but from the moment Arise was announced, it has looked like something different, an entry that could elevate this series to the next level.

If you want to learn more about Arise before the review hits, Game Informer's Kimberley Wallace recently had the chance to play through the opening act and gives a detailed walkthrough of everything you can expect, including how character bonding is handled. Kim also recorded a video of a boss fight to show how combat has been improved and how player choice is woven into dungeon exploration.

It's acquisition season, folks, with both Xbox and PlayStation making moves towards a new generation of gaming. Following a close working relationship with Firesprite, the team behind The Playroom and The Playroom VR, PlayStation decided that they liked it enough to put a ring on it, officially welcoming the studio into the Sony family as its latest acquisition.

The Playroom first came out back in 2013, a casual experience that offers a variety of AR mini-games to enjoy. If you had a PlayStation 4, you had this game because it was automatically preloaded on those systems. The experience was designed to utilize the PlayStation Camera and the DualShock 4 controller to their highest potential before it eventually made its way over into the realm of VR. With such close ties to PlayStation already, the acquisition of this studio isn't that surprising, but it is an interesting little teaser ahead of tomorrow's showcase. 

MD of Firesprite, Graeme Ankers, offered their own sentiment regarding the acquisition over on the official PlayStation Blog. "Today is an incredibly exciting day for Firesprite as we join PlayStation Studios with the backing of Hermen and the entire PlayStation Family," their statement begins. "We are very much looking forward to the next part of our journey!"

Is your soul prepared? Hellraiser, one of the ancient and revered horror movie franchises, has finally come to the asymmetric horror survival game Dead by Daylight. As the Cenobite, killer players can now chase down survivors with hooks. Of course, the iconic Hellraiser puzzle box also makes an appearance, tied to gameplay mechanics as well as both the survivors and killer try to find it inside a match. Here’s a trailer of Dwight messing around and finding out, much as many have throughout the Hellraiser series.

Like its predecessors, Life is Strange: True Colors is all about making tough, sometimes gut-wrenching decisions that can lead to a variety of consequences. Determining how to handle delicate interactions can be nerve-wracking when you’re doing it alone, but what if you left that decision-making up to a mass audience? If you plan to stream the game on Twitch when it launches later this week, a new extension allows you to do just that.

Crowd Choice allows viewers to vote on how Alex wields her empathy-based powers with two options. Suggestion mode gives streamers a heads-up on where the audience is leaning without giving them direct control. That way, the broadcaster can take the crowd's temperature and either go with the masses or go their own way. The other option, Full Democracy, is exactly what it sounds like. Toggling this mode means the majority vote automatically decides every big moment, for better or worse. 

Halo Infinite is just around the corner (seriously, how is it already September?!), and Razer is getting in on that Master Chief love once more with a new peripheral line designed to celebrate the upcoming release. For those looking to build an all-new setup, or those just looking to spruce things up a bit, here is everything Halo Infinite-related from the new Razer line. 

Halo fans will be able to choose from a few different options regarding the new Infinite line, including a new headset, keyboard, mouse, and Chroma mouse mat. Curious? Here's what you need to know: 

Call of Duty: Vanguard arrives on November 5th, with various opportunities to dive into slices of the game ahead of time via betas, early access periods, and more.

Back in July, the Grand Theft Auto modding community was sent into a panic when the parent company of Rockstar Games, Take-Two, ramped up efforts to take down popular mods. While the company is no stranger to taking down mods that cross that invisible line for the publisher, those efforts seem to have ramped up exponentially over the past year with a more aggressive approach to the modding community. After the popular mod GTA Underground was taken down previously from ModDB due to a DMCA strike from the company earlier this year, the team has decided to pull the mod entirely due to the "increasing hostility" felt from the parent company. 

The modding team behind GTA Underground took to the GTAForums to update their original message from July, stating, "Due to the increasing hostility towards the modding community and imminent danger to our mental and financial well-being, We sadly announce that we are officially ceasing the development of GTA: Underground and will be shortly taking all official uploads offline."

To celebrate the upcoming worldwide premiere of the animated film Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, The Pokémon Company is giving out codes to add the film’s Dada Zarude as well as Shiny Celebi to Sword and Shield. All you have to do is subscribe to the Pokémon Trainer Club newsletter.

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle hits Netflix on October 8. The film premiered in Japan last December after suffering a delay due to the pandemic. The film centers on Koko, a boy who was raised in the jungle by a Zarude. Thus, he grew up believing he himself is a Pokémon. Ash and Pikachu stumble upon Koko and his monstrous caretaker and befriend them, but they’re not the only ones to find their isolated jungle paradise. A team of researchers discover a powerful secret within Koko’s forest and waste no time trying to tear it down to obtain it. Check out the trailer below. 

Everyone's favorite model scientist Salarian returns once more as a nifty new collectible. That's right, Mordin is back, baby, and brings with him all of the feels attached to this precious badass Salarian. Much like BioWare did with its similar Liara and Garrus statues, the latest collectible is limited to a set amount of units, so if you want one? Pre-orders are now live. 

Limited to just 3,000 pieces worldwide, the highly detailed Mordin collectible comes in at just over 8 inches tall and brings with him all of the conflicts we know from Mass Effect 2 and 3. The "conflicted consequentialist" was a powerful addition to the Mass Effect trilogy after first being introduced in the second game as a needed resource in the fight against the Collectors. The STG agent-turned-clinic doctor may be a part of a species with a short lifespan, but his life was filled with brilliant research, catastrophic mistakes, and a heartbreakingly beautiful path of atonement. Now, we can celebrate the iconic character with a penchant for musicals with another collectible tribute, one that doesn't require you to blow up a Krogran infrastructure to enjoy. 

According to a new report, BioWare is looking into possibly reverting to using Unreal Engine for the next Mass Effect, effectively moving away from EA's Frostbite technology. 

The latest report comes by way of GamesBeat and follows shortly after a recent EA listing on its website seeking a technical director for the upcoming Mass Effect adventure, the fifth game in the space franchise. It was spotted in that listing that the requirement was for someone with Unreal Engine 4+ experience instead of Frostbite. 

Speaking with my own source, I was told that a key reason behind considering the switch was Mass Effect Andromeda, the most recent Mass Effect game outside of the recent trilogy remaster. Andromeda ran on Frostbite, an engine known for the creation of beautiful environments, but is notoriously challenging when creating intricate facial reactions within a choice-based adventure. When asked, one source tells Game Informer, "Yeah, it's been something that's come up a few different times, there is a really big focus on the next Mass Effect and doing it right." 

Alan Wake is stepping back into the spotlight (or flashlight?) thanks to the reveal of the much-rumored remastered edition of his surreal 2010 adventure. Alan Wake Remastered arrives later this year and bundles the main game, its two DLC expansions, The Signal and The Writer, and commentary from Remedy creative director Sam Lake. The entire package is shined up to a 4K polish to give fans and newcomers the best-looking version of the supernatural thriller. 

Remedy revealed the game in a unique fashion by posting an open letter penned by Sam Lake to fan community, The Sudden Stop. The enthusiast website covers all things Alan Wake and Remedy as a whole. Thus, the studio decided there was no better place to unveil the game than in front of its most passionate followers. 

"Alan Wake Remastered is the original experience you fell in love with all those years ago. We did not want to change that. But the visuals all around, including the character model of Alan Wake himself and the cinematics, have been updated and improved with some choice next-generation upgrades," explains Sam Lake in the letter. 

Founded in March 1981, Nihon Falcom is one of the oldest active video game studios. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the company helped pioneer the action-RPG genre, shaping both the JRPG industry and PC gaming scene in Japan. These days, Falcom is best known for its iconic Ys and Trails franchises. While only recently attracting more attention in the West, the studio has retained a strong reputation in Japan, often cited alongside juggernaut Square Enix as one of the most influential and distinguished RPG developers. To honor four decades in the business, we chatted with Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo to reminisce about the company’s history.

Nihon Falcom’s roots are very much in the PC scene; the Falcom name even nods to it. For the moniker, founder Masayuki Kato was inspired by Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon, but he changed ‘con’ to ‘com’ to represent the company’s focus on computer gaming. The studio’s first game, Panorama Toh, hit in 1983, with Yoshio Kiya at the helm. Kiya would later go on to create Falcom’s popular and influential Dragon Slayer and Brandish franchises.

I spent the last week leaving my job working in technology and traveling back to my lakeside hometown to deliver mail. It was every bit as uneventful as you might expect.

Lake is a strange game. Built as a story-driven experience, it nonetheless firmly refuses to tell much of a story. It’s an open world where you freely drive a vehicle around, but built-in safety measures keep you from ever bumping into pedestrians or going too far off-road, ensuring you're always a law-abiding citizen. Lake is also about characters and dialogue choices, but the decisions you make are so low-drama as to barely matter most of the time. And yet, against all odds, Lake is also a surprisingly intriguing and amusing affair.

Players step into the shoes of Meredith Weiss, a middle-aged software developer in 1986 who heads back to her tiny hometown to deliver mail in place of her father, who is taking a well-deserved vacation after his years in the postman’s truck. As Meredith, you must deliver mail, catch up with people you haven’t seen since childhood, and find something to occupy your evenings, like reading a book, watching TV, or getting together with a friend.