Game Informer

Dragon Age 2 did many things right – and many things wrong – but one thing that stands out the most to me is the tragedy that is Hawke. In many stories where there is a hero at the heart of the tale, that hero goes through Hell and back to become a shining beacon of triumph and prosperity. For Hawke, however, each win came with ten losses behind it, ultimately leaving them to be one of the most heartbreaking protagonists in gaming to date. 

When we first meet Hawke in Dragon Age 2, they are a humble farmer from Lothering whose life is suddenly upended due to the ravaging Blight seen in Dragon Age Origins. Escaping a simple life alongside their mother, Leandra Amell - a former noble that left the "good life" behind to find love with her apostate husband, Malcolm - and their two siblings, twins named Bethany and Carver, the first loss ends up being one of many. When escaping the hordes of monsters thirsting for destruction, Hawke and their family experience their second loss following the death of Malcolm some years before. Depending on which playable class the player chooses, either Bethany or Carver will be crushed to death by a vicious ogre. It's a startling way to begin any game, but what's worse is this is one of the easier horrors that this family will face. 

We all have that friend. The person in our lives that always insists that art is subjective whenever they throw out some wild take about sports, movies, or video games. I bet you even have a few spicy takes yourself. They say hot takes are the spice of life, and we're here to celebrate those brave and bold Game Informer community members who are willing to share with us some of their wildest opinions on the world of video games.

Welcome to Heat Map, a new segment straight from The Game Informer Show. Join The Council of Alexes (Stadnik and Van Aken) as they go through the GI community's most divisive and spicy opinions and judge them on a scale from basic bell pepper up to Carolina Reaper. 

So you want to make a Dead Space remake, EA? That's great! It's a beloved horror franchise, and honestly, we were all getting worried that you had forgotten about it. But can we trust you to recapture the magic of the original, because some of us still haven't gotten over Dead Space 3's release. To make things easier on developer Motive Studios, we compiled a list of five things that the Dead Space remake must nail to succeed.

Think horror first

Dead Space has an extraordinary sci-fi world, and the original game was full of incredible action, puzzles, and set-piece moments. However, horror is the most essential aspect of Dead Space's identity. The original Dead Space nailed the isolating atmosphere of films like Alien and Event Horizon. Whether we were dodging the writhing tentacles of a baby necromorph, stopping to listen to the creeks of a massive derelict spaceship, or running through an engine room in a panic as alarms drowned the sound of approaching enemies, the original Dead Space played our heart like a fiddle. You probably can't repeat all those tricks and expect the same results, but we'd love to see you try Motive.

There’s a widespread stigma attached to mobile titles that has pushed them to the bottom of the popularity charts for years … at least when compared to PC and console experiences. Of course, there are exceptions. Pokémon Go and Clash of Clans, for example, have proved games on the smallest screen are more than just microtransaction-heavy propaganda or digitized tabletop adaptations. Like other extensive catalogs, Apple Arcade is filled with games that raise the bar – from experimental JRPGs to ported blockbusters. Try out the ten gems listed below if you’ve got an iOS device and want to break into the mobile scene.

As we already covered in a previous look at Marvel's Midnight Suns, you play as The Hunter. This all-new hero is sought out by an all-star cast of Marvel characters and awakened to help fight off the evil entity known as Lilith. But why is Lilith so important that she requires the combined powers of Marvel's most powerful heroes in addition to an ancient, legendary warrior? We spoke to the team at Firaxis Games to learn more about the menacing villain.

Lilith was once a warrior of light as a member of a race called The Blood. She is a descendant of the Elder Gods and fought the forces of darkness alongside her sister, Caretaker, for thousands of years. During the late 1600s, Lilith sold her soul to a corrupted, evil Elder God named Chthon in a moment of weakness.

"Your best villains, in their mind, they're not evil; they're doing something for good, but her motivations for her fall are actually very personal and very tragic," director of narrative Chad Rocco says.

DokeV has been kicking around for the better part of two years, but the trailer at Gamescom (which you can watch below) was the first time I laid eyes on it. At the time, I could only describe what I saw as a fever dream but looking closer at this mystifying game reveals a promising mix of open-world adventuring, Pokemon-like creature collection, and exciting arena battling. DokeV even has a bit of Monster Hunter DNA in there, which piques my interest even more. What's been shown so far has an infectious energy, and each element seems playful and fun. Granted, there's not much information out there about the game, but I think DokeV is worth keeping an eye on in the coming months.

Two days after announcing there would be no upgrade between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West, Sony is changing course and will now offer an upgrade for free. The announcement was made today on PlayStation Blog by Jim Ryan, the president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

In the statement, Ryan says "Thursday was to be a celebration of Horizon Fobidden West and the amazing team at Guerrilla working to deliver it on February 18, 2022. However, it's abundantly clear that the offerings we confirmed in our pre-order kickoff missed the mark."

The change comes after PlayStation fans highlighted comments Ryan made that the upgrade path between PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 would be free. In a 2020 interview with the Washington Post's Launcher, Ryan said that Sony has "an upgrade path for PS4 users to get the PS5 versions for free" and that it's about "people having choice."

For Yakuza fans excited to get their hands on the spin-off Lost Judgment, the latest adventure's release is just around the corner. For anyone looking to scoop up a few extra goodies, Sega has just revealed a roadmap of DLC as well as the different editions available to purchase alongside pre-order bonuses. 

Which Lost Judgment edition should you get? 

The game's launch is slated for September 24, with an Early Access period set for September 21. There are three versions of the game to purchase, including the Digital Deluxe and Digital Deluxe versions. There will be even more content post-launch for those who opt into the latter two options, including new stories. 

Dragon Age Origins is the first game in the iconic fantasy BioWare series, and for many, it is the most enjoyable. What was not enjoyable was Isabella's design in the first game – especially compared to the sequel. In Dragon Age 2, the fiery pirate became the very definition of a "glow up." For those who prefer the more personalized style of Dragon Age 2's Isabella, this Dragon Age Origins mod gives you what you want. 

Created by modder 'GirlStandStill' over on Nexus Mods, this Dragon Age Origins mod does exactly what it promises: it imports the model of the devil-may-care Isabella from Dragon Age 2, bringing her into the first game to replace her original, more generic-NPC look. 

Personally, I love this. Isabella is one of my favorite characters in the Dragon Age-verse. She's overcome so much to become who she is, but she still has room to grow when we meet her in Dragon Age 2. Don't we all? Romancing her is one of my most favorite memories from this series because that is when you truly see her growth and get to watch her learn to trust others again and trust her own voice. I found that great to see, and she's a beacon for many of the other companions, including Fenris, making her a treasured character.

If there is one thing Epic Games is good at regarding Fortnite, it's making each season go out with a bang. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7 has focused heavily on aliens, so the final blowout will be Operation: Sky Fire, one final mission against invaders. 

"With the Mothership’s sights set on the Imagined Order’s secret base at Corny Complex, Slone has hatched a plan to end the Invasion once and for all," says Epic Games about the upcoming season-ender. "You’ve answered her calls, worked as an undercover agent for the IO - now it’s time to infiltrate The Last Reality and put a stop to the Alien’s occupation."

It's all going down at 4 p.m. ET on September 12, challenging players of the battle royale to sneak aboard the mothership to send one last message: "Stop it, please." Just kidding, that's not the message, but if it's anything like previous seasonal enders, it's sure to be a wild ride. 

Epic asks players to join the servers about 30 minutes before the start time so that everyone that wants to take part, can. Those interested can join the ending of season 7 with up to 16 friends, which should ensure that nobody gets shot in the dome for trying to stop the aliens. 

One of my favorite games from the last few years is Farm Together, a relaxing cooperative crop-raising experience with no fail states or reasons to panic. Intermarum's upcoming Workshop Simulator looks to deliver a similar gameplay vibe, only instead of tending to fields; you're restoring vintage items. The developer describes this gameplay as an "idyllic, comfy, and relaxing experience."

Slated to release exclusively on PC on October 26, Workshop Simulator gives you the tools to clean up, disassemble, rebuild, and paint items that hold meaning to your family. You'll be working with your grandfather, who will tell you stories about your family with each new item that is pulled out of the attic.

The amount of time and care you put into each item is entirely up to you. You can make them look new again, completely change their color, or just hide the most serious damage to make them presentable.

The Life is Strange franchise is known for its ability to tell thoughtful and emotional stories with a dash of the supernatural, and developer Deck Nine's latest entry in the series looks to continue that tradition.

Marvel's Midnight Suns brings together disparate members of the Marvel Universe into a supernatural adventure. This quest to save the world features Iron Man, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Wolverine, Blade, Doctor Strange, and Ghost Rider, plus a few lesser-known heroes like Magik and Nico Minoru. However, players see this icon-riddled adventure through the eyes of The Hunter, an all-new hero designed by Firaxis in collaboration with Marvel.

Working with Marvel to create a brand new hero was a dream come true for the Firaxis Games team, but they needed to make sure The Hunter could stand up next to the other iconic characters in the Marvel Universe. "There's a specific way that Marvel heroes become heroes, and there's a specific way that Marvel villains become villains," creative director Jake Solomon says. "You can't just wave a wand and say, 'Oh cool. The Hunter exists now.' We had to think about what is the backstory, why do they have meaning in this setting, why would all these characters with all these powers [recruit] them to potentially lead them in this fight? If we make them central, it has to be authentic to this story and why the other heroes would look to The Hunter as an equal."

Hideo Kojima definitely marches to the beat of his own drum, and that's why so many in the gaming community love him. While he's been hard at work on Death Stranding: Director's Cut and pouring his heart out about his love for him, the game creator took to social media once more to share a pitched game starring his bestie Mads Mikkelsen that was so far-fetched, the actor thought it was a joke. 

Kojima took to Twitter to share a tale of what it almost was. Or, what he wanted to be "almost was"? Anyway, he mentioned that he has had "a number" of ideas centering on Mikkelsen, including one for a game tentatively called Mads Max. Get it? Because his first name is Mads? 

I have a number of ideas that I want to create with Mads as the main character. I once explained one of them to Mads. He listened intently, but when I told him the title, he broke his face. He seemed to think I was joking. I was serious, though. The tentative title was "MADS MAX"

Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are reportedly coming to Nintendo Switch as part of the hybrid console's Online library. New hardware, same great memories. 

In a recent report from the good folks over at Eurogamer, an inside source has confirmed to the site that this era of gaming is finally making it onto the Nintendo Switch Online library. This report follows hot on the heels of a podcast earlier this week that claimed the same. When Game Informer reached out to our sources, we were simply told they were "on the way," though no date was offered. 

The Nintendo Switch Online service is another subscription option for gaming, and it opens up the Switch experience to even more games to enjoy, heralding from times of the past for players to reminisce over. With so many amazing adventures on Nintendo's earlier handheld platforms, we're excited to see which titles are making the cut into this generation of video games. 

Update: Crysis Remastered Trilogy launches October 15 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. The enhanced bundle packages Crysis Remastered along with spruced-up versions of Crysis 2 and 3. 

On PS5 and Xbox Series X, the games can run at up to 4K/60 fps and sport improved lighting and high-resolution textures. The PC version features ray tracing and the option to lock the framerate or run it at max settings.

Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a digital-only release priced at $49.99. Crytek is also selling Crysis 2 and Crysis 3 Remastered separately for $29.99 each (with physical Switch versions coming later). As previously reported, the re-releases are campaign-only; each game's multiplayer modes are not included. 

Original Story: Crysis Remastered Trilogy is launching sometime this fall. The package includes last year’s modernized version of Crysis as well as remasters of Crysis 2 and Crysis 3 to run on modern consoles and PC. The bundle is the result of a development partnership between Crytek and Saber Interactive.  

Do you sit within the ven diagram of Xbox fans who love Far Cry, are excited for Far Cry 6, and have yet to purchase a Series X? Or maybe you already have a console and just want a decorative version to put on a shelf. Whatever your reason, Microsoft is giving away a custom box themed after Ubisoft’s upcoming open-world epic.

The coolest thing about the console is that it doesn’t even look like an Xbox. Modeled after an electrical box outfitted with a gas canister to form what appears to be a makeshift jetpack or bomb, the only elements that gives away its true form are the glowing power button and matching themed controller. Of course, the console comes with a digital copy of the game as well as some unspecified Far Cry 6 swag. If all of that sounds up your alley but you’re thinking “Too bad I don’t own a television to enjoy it all” Microsoft is tossing in a Samsung NEO OLED TV into the mix. The only thing missing is charmingly menacing (or menacingly charming?) Giancarlo Esposito hand-delivering the entire package. 

Call of Duty Season 5 continues to roll along with some substantial additional content updates and announcements, with most landing next week on September 9. However, the biggest is clearly a new operator skin that lets players live the dream of becoming Judge Dredd and dispensing some justice on the enemy.

Marvel's Midnight Suns looks to be an outlier in a world where superheroes typically occupy third-person action games or open-world adventures. The latest game from developer Firaxis games is a tactical RPG that pulls from some of the lesser-known corners of Marvel while also allowing players to step in the shoes of a wholly original character in The Hunter. But how will players be controlling some of Earth's Mightiest Heroes? 

Join Ben Reeves, Brian Shea, Alex Stadnik, and Alex Van Aken in a podcast pullout from this week's Game Informer Show as our panelists discuss their hands-on time with the game! We dive into a ton, including the newly announced card system players will use to save the world. 

Goliath: Playing With Reality is a VR film experience narrated by Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton that explores mental health, schizophrenia, and a connection to gaming. A deeper experience that thrusts the viewer into a new world, one unfamiliar to many, providing a unique perspective on the weight of mental health. It's also an uplifting media that celebrates the positive impact of the gaming community. 

The VR film features heavy themes and is directed by Barry Gene Murphy and May Abdalla. It's a 25-minute interactive experience that allows VR users to explore the mind thoughtfully and respectfully. Narrated by the Hollywood actor, Goliath offers a unique look into the mind of a man that has been cornered into isolation due to his schizophrenia. He spent a good portion of his life in solitude until he discovered the connective powers of multiplayer games, opening him up to a new world of human interaction, kindness, and friendship. 

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, the podcast crew discusses their Marvel's Midnight Suns hands-on reactions, Far Cry 6 preview impressions, news surrounding the upcoming Dead Space remake, and returning to Destiny 2: Season of the Lost after last week's announcements about The Witch Queen expansion. Later in the show, we react to the community's hot takes about games like Metal Gear Solid 5 and Uncharted 4.

This month's cover story revealed that Marvel's Midnight Suns is the upcoming card-based strategy RPG from Firaxis, the studio behind the beloved XCOM series. The game's necromantic themes and dark narrative separate it from Marvel Games' other offerings, and after playing it ourselves, the game feels very promising.  

The name Savathûn is everywhere, both inside Destiny 2 and out of it. Following Bungie's The Witch Queen expansion reveal back in August (Hive Guardians, what?!) and Season of the Lost bringing the Destiny 2 community to the best place it has been since launch, there is a lot of lore Guardians are catching up on. It's no exaggeration to say that Savathûn has been a driving force of the events of Destiny fiction for years, acting as the trigger or catalyst for many of our Guardian's most involved strikes, raids, and other missions. Because of that, some may need a little refresher on the lore surrounding the central character of the upcoming expansion. With so many returning and new players, here is the biggest deep dive you'll find on who the Witch Queen truly is. 

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time for another Game Informer livestream on Twitch. Join us at 2 p.m. Central as we go fast – very fast – in Sonic Colors: Ultimate. 

The original Sonic Colors raced to the Wii and DS in 2010. While Sonic’s 3D outings had a less-than-stellar track record up to that point, Colors became the rare exception as one of the better-received entries during the hedgehog’s dark days. The game launches Sonic to outer space, where he teams up the Wisps, colorful aliens enslaved by Dr. Eggman that bestow a variety of fun abilities. One Wisp can turn Sonic into a ricocheting laser beam while another morphs him into a powerful drill. Eight cool powers combined with a fun blend of 3D and 2D platforming formed a winning formula that got Sonic back into the good graces of lapsed fans (for a little while at least). 

If you missed Colors back in the day, the Ultimate edition launches September 7 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. It remasters this gem with 4K resolution graphics and 60 fps performance. While it may not correct every flaw of the original, it’s the best way to play one of Sonic’s more beloved adventures.

Fans of Aloy can't wait to dive into her newest adventure with Horizon Forbidden West on the horizon and now the team at Guerilla Games are sharing the different editions of the game that they can purchase for some extra loot. The only caveat is that the Standard and Special editions do not come with a free PS4 to PS5 upgrade option. To make things easier, here is what you get with each of the versions available now to pre-order. 

What do you get when you pre-order Horizon Forbidden West? 

There are four options available to purchase: Digital Deluxe, Special, Collector's, and Regalla. Here is a breakdown of what's in each: 

Digital Deluxe: 

The cross-generational Digital Deluxe edition comes with the following items: 

Wizards of the Coast has begun the grand unveiling of the first of two fall sets for Magic: the Gathering, ushering a return to the gothic horror-inspired Innistrad. With Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, the plane's denizens are welcoming the Harvesttide Festival, a central event to the set with card art depicting rituals of the festival. Our prior visit to the plane left the day and night cycle in disarray. Now, as the days pass and the Harvest Festival approaches, the nights have been growing abnormally longer, perfect for the horrors that go bump in the night to stir again. 

Midnight Hunt is back to being full of werewolves, vampires, zombies, and other terrifying creatures, instead of the Eldrazi threats from the last visit. A few mechanics have been revived (some with a new spin!), and the graveyard is a focus again in this morbid setting. Here's a look at what to expect in Innistrad: Midnight Hunt:

In the second half of the 21st century, unusual occurrences rattle planet Earth. Nexuses, casting off mystical energies and sonic waves, have bestowed new and exciting divine powers to certain special humans, now known as the Espers. At the same time, Miracles – strange floating objects in the sky – are summoning an influx of monsters, which are attacking the cities they hover above.

Get ready for the striking audio-visual experience and superheroic characters in the world of Dislyte. Pre-register now!
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Sony has confirmed its new PlayStation Showcase 2021 broadcast, scheduled for next week while offering small insight into what fans should (and should not) expect to see. The latest PlayStation event will be going down on September 9, 2021, at 1 p.m. PDT. 

Teasing a new look "into the future of PS5," the latest showcase promises to be around 40 minutes long and will provide players with updates on PlayStation Studios, a few updates from beloved developer teams, and what the holiday period is shaping up to look like. Then, post-show, Sony confirmed that there will be deeper dives into some of the things shown with the studios themselves. 

One aspect of the showcase that PlayStation fans should not count on seeing is anything to do with Virtual Reality. Sony promises that the future of PlayStation VR, PSVR 2, will not be featured in next week's event, but that there are "plenty of great PS5 games" to talk about instead. 

On September 15, ILMxLAB is releasing the final episode of Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge for Oculus Quest. Titled Last Call, this episode explores a variety of stories, giving players a deeper look at the inner workings of Batuu, the chance to see Ady'Sun Zee grow into a Jedi Knight, and a bounty to settle through the mechanical eyes of IG-88.

This feared bounty hunter is voiced by Rhys Darby, known for his work on Yes Man, Flight of the Concords, and as the pilot in the Jumanji movies. He also brought Russell to life in Half-Life: Alyx. You can see IG-88 in action in the trailer above. As you can see, this droid can quickly lock onto targets and packs quite the arsenal. IG-88 is tasked to explore the moon of Nar Shaddaa and track down his target, Boggs Triff.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns was first announced during Gamescom 2021 – it's also the latest game on the cover of Game Informer Magazine. Developer Firaxis Games is known for its tactical turn-based XCOM series, and Midnight Suns’ combat loop will follow suit, albeit with a few surprises. A new gameplay trailer delved into the loop that players can expect when the game launches. You’ll utilize decks of cards to defeat adversaries with flashy hero abilities.

A new looter shooter has entered the stage. Korean developer Nat Games released some footage yesterday that showcases jaw-dropping visuals and explosive cooperative combat. There are even some obvious sci-fi and fantasy inspirations throughout. Project Magnum (working title) might not have a release date. Still, based on its first official trailer, the RPG/third-person shooter combines visual and mechanical aspects of prevalent titles like Final Fantasy and Destiny.

Korean MMORPG Lost Ark won’t be launching stateside later this year, as announced during E3 2021. Smilegate and Amazon Games are pushing the release into early 2022 to allow ample time to address gameplay and performance feedback from the technical alpha held in June. Doing so gives the teams breathing room to get the game where it needs to be without overworking the designers. 

A lengthy statement posted on the game’s official Twitter account revealed that while the full launch is pushed back, a closed beta will take place November 4 through 9, giving players another chance to dive into the world of Arkesia. Those who purchased the game’s founder's pack will have access to the beta. Everyone else will have to sign up on the game’s website. Check out the initial announcement trailer to see the game in action. Just ignore the parts that say it's coming "this fall." 

What would happen if Superman turned evil? This is the frightening scenario that Injustice explores. We first played through this dark story in NetherRealm's fighting game series and then read an expanded version of it in DC's limited comic book run. On October 19, you'll be able to watch heroes try to stop the Kryptonian god through the release of the Injustice animated film on UHD, Blu-ray, and through various digital streaming portals.

A few days prior to release, DC is debuting footage at this year's DC FanDome livestream event, which will also give us deeper looks at the forthcoming Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League games – both are just as dark in tone as Injustice.

This animated film is directed by Matt Peters (Justice League Dark: Apokolips War) with a screenplay by Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush). The story unfolds through a vast cast of characters, many of which may not see another day.

Here's who is in the film:

Microsoft revealed its freebies for the month of September earlier this week, now it's Sony's turn to show off which games it is giving away for free. Every month, PlayStation Plus members get a small selection of free titles to download, and they're yours to keep as long as the PS Plus membership remains active. Whether you're looking for a run-and-gun-type adventure or something a little lighter, here is the free PS Plus September 2021 free games lineup. 

PS Plus Free Games For September 2021

• Overcooked: All You Can Eat
• Hitman 2
• Predator Hunting Grounds

The new batch of freebies arrives on September 7, though I would be amiss if I didn't suggest Overcooked. It may sound silly, but this game is ridiculously fun and surprisingly competitive. With its whimsical aesthetic and high-stakes gameplay, there is more to Overcooked than what meets the sunny-side up eye. 

The 2021 Tokyo Game Show kicks off on Thursday, September 30. Like many in-person conventions have done over the last year and a half, the event will be an entirely digital affair and will feature 44 programs livestreamed over the course of four days. 

Presentations from Xbox, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Capcom, Konami, miHoYo, and more will livestreamed nearly every hour. You can visit the event’s website for full descriptions of each event, but here’s the rundown of what will be shown and when. Companies that haven’t yet revealed the nature of their presentation are labeled as “undecided”. Keep in mind that the times listed are Japan local, kicking off in the morning and running into the evening. 

September 30

• 10:00: TGS Online Opening
• 11:00: Keynote: We’ll always have games.
• 12:00: GameraGame Now Tokyo Game Show 2021 Special
• 1:00: SNK - King of Fighters XV Special Program (English）
• 4:00: SK Telecom Game Show
• 5:00: Team Madness Games - It's Mealtime! Presentation
• 6:00: Microsoft - Xbox Live Stream​
• 7:00: Konami - New information to reveal for Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel along with updates across key titles
• 8:00: Spike Chunsoft Special
• 9:00: D3Publisher Live broadcast
• 10:00: Capcom Online Presentation
• 11:00: IzanagiGames - Yurukill Special!

October 1