Game Informer

Dice’s Battlefield franchise is beloved for combining large-scale warfare with strikingly immersive realism – from suppressive fire blur effects to total map destructibility. Battlefield 2042 is slated to stand triumphantly on the shoulders of its successors by reconstructing the series’ most important gameplay pillars with the added  help of next-gen technology. Sure, futuristic firearms and legions of heavily-armored vehicles are a sight to behold, but what about snaking tornados stripping glass windows from skyscrapers? Or impossibly massive sandstorms enveloping the land in thick layers of dirt and twigs? In Battlefield 2042, you can use dynamic weather to your advantage to take down enemies or make speedy arena rotations. 

Battlefield 2042 takes players into the near future in a world ravaged by the most profound refugee crisis known to man. In this world space, players will become  Non-Patriated, also called Non-Pats for short. Non-Pats are farmers, engineers, soldiers - they are the survivors, they are the fighters that don’t fight for a flag. They fight for the future of the known world. While combat-ready specialists are a part of that, this is less of a military regime and more of a fight for what those think is right. An interesting spin, but still with the high-tech military gear.

2042 does things a little bit differently for this gen, eschewing the usual single-player vs. multiplayer component, and instead offers players a hybrid experience. When I first learned that there was no single-player, I was bummed, but the more I learned about 2042, the more I understood what the vision was going into this new game. On the online side of the equation, DICE is pushing this shooter to the limit by upping the player count to 128 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. PS4 and Xbox One players are downsized to 64 to preserve the experience, though the studio promises that the lower player count will not impact the game’s overall style and feel. 

At long last! Following numerous rumors and Bad Company 3 disappointments, the next step in the Battlefield franchise has been revealed. Introducing Battlefield 2042, an FPS experience set in the near future that challenges players to become something called a Non-Patriot after a refugee crisis overtakes what we know to be everyday life. 

Non-Patrioted, or Non-Pats for short, aren't just your standard soldier. They are the engineers of the world, the humble farmer, the impassioned teacher. They can be anyone, they can be you. They don't fight for a flag or for a company, they fight for the future, a future you can be a part of with this new experience that offers new game modes, much larger maps, and literal tornadoes that you can run from or use to your advantage. 

The reveal trailer starts off with a bang - literally - as we see an armed team get blown off of a cliff edge, only for some to impressively stick the landing expertly. From weaponry to the different vehicle types, our first look is nothing short of exciting, and an incredible pivot from the previous release seen in Battlefield 5. 

A recent job posting seemingly reveals that Naughty Dog is working on a standalone multiplayer game, a first for the Last of Us studio. The first Last of Us game had a pretty nifty multiplayer component, but it looks like Naughty Dog is working on something wholly unique with a standalone title. 

As spotted by the folks over at VGC, several new job listings share a little insight into what the studio is working on, namely posts for a Gameplay Scriptwriter and Level Designer. The "newest adventure" states that it the "studio's first standalone multiplayer game." Naughty Dog has offered co-op adventures in the past, as mentioned with the first Last of Us game previously, but this looks to be something completely different. 

It looks like the gaming company isn't looking to abandon its narrative roots with this move either. Both listings show a desire to integrate powerful storytelling, the kind Naughty Dog is known for, into its in-progress multiplayer experience. This is abundantly clear with one listing in particular that reads, “We’re seeking to bring the same level of ambition and quality of our signature, story-driven games to this unique multiplayer project. This is a rare opportunity to make an impact in your discipline and craft an experience that will be enjoyed and shared by millions of players around the world.”

E3 has always been video games' biggest event, and despite the expo being an entirely digital showcase due to the pandemic, we're as excited for it as ever. Not only is the beloved trade show in the spotlight over the coming weeks, but so is the independent Summer Game Fest hosted by The Game Awards creator, Geoff Keighley. Because the pandemic has thrown the industry into an unprecedented year for game development, we don't know quite what to expect from the announcements.

Will there be more games than previous years? Has the pandemic caused even more delayed games than we already know? We're in for a couple of wild weeks of game announcements and news, starting on June 10th with Summer Game Fest.

We gathered a handful of Game Informer editors to discuss some of the games and hardware announcements we could possibly see. Here's what the staff thinks will be unveiled:

Arcade1Up has enabled game room enthusiasts to build mini arcades in their homes with a line of classic machines devoted to some of the most beloved quarter-munching games of all time. The company already offers cabinets ranging from Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter to NBA Jam and Ms. Pac Man, but today Arcade1Up announced another beloved Konami brawler will be joining its existing lineup as The Simpsons arcade beat-'em-up is joining the catalog.

Largely known by fans as The Simpsons Arcade, the brawler originally released in arcades three decades ago in 1991. The game lets you choose to play as Homer, Marge, Bart, or Lisa as you fight your way through Springfield in order to save Maggie. Much like Konami's other popular arcade beat-'em-ups, the original Simpsons arcade cabinet allows for four-player simultaneous co-op play.

We've reported a ton in the past about the problem of crunch, an issue that hurts many industries. So when a good story comes out about it? Yeah, we want to celebrate that. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is out now and the game boasts impressive review scores across the board. With such an impressive game, a title that our own Andrew Reiner says is the first true show of power for PS5 systems, the amount of work that went into its creation has been a source of interest. With crunch being a continued problem in this industry, alongside many others, several devs are coming forward celebrating that Insomniac Games created this epic adventure without putting the team's mental state at risk. And you know what? That's pretty awesome. 

It all began when Insomniac game designer Grant Parker took to Twitter to share the review hub for Ratchet saying that he appreciated people "sharing this positive." He added, "I can't speak for anyone on the team but myself, but I didn't crunch once. 40h weeks the whole time. It is possible to work on a great game [without] suffer." 

For those that have a PlayStation 5, a new PS5 update is rolling out today that tackles the usual performance enhancements. It also includes adjustments to the DualSense controller, and it looks like that firmware update tackles the battery issue players have reported. 

PS5 System Update 21.01-03.20.00

For those expecting a big flashy update, we've got some bad news. Outside of the DualSense, this one is pretty standard. It's so small, that Sony didn't even release official patch notes on the web. So why are we writing it? Mostly because of the DualSense. 

When booting up the PlayStation 5, a new update message can be seen. It says the standard jargon of: "This system software update improves system performance." Which, really, could mean absolutely anything or nothing at all. Still, PlayStation users took to Reddit fairly quickly to drop a few specifics, including how the update targets the DualSense battery issue. For a while now, PS5 players have reported a bug with the controller's battery indicator. We're testing this out for ourselves, and we'll update this article if we find anything that may have been missed with this update. 

Pre-E3 has begun with Summer Game Fest kicking off the festivities with tons of game reveals and celebration. For those that love a good zombie tale, Evil Dead: The Game is on the way. Based off of the movie, the Evil Dead game will have gameplay revealed later this week, and we've got our first look at Cheryl Williams before we get the full showcase. 

The Twitter account for the upcoming game teased an image of Cheryl in a very Friday the 13th / Dead by Daylight fashion. With the traditional red font and vacant stare, this teaser is just the tip of the iceberg before we see the full gameplay reveal on Thursday, June 10. 

Ash’s little sister is back for revenge

Here’s your first look at Cheryl Williams in Evil Dead: The Game

Get ready for the unveiling of Evil Dead in action. The official first Gameplay Video will be world premiering this week Thursday June 10 exclusively at the @summergamefest. pic.twitter.com/4SdMRb1WFu

The Battlefield series holds a special place in the hearts of first-person shooter fans, and for good reason. Whether it's developer DICE pioneering jaw-dropping levels of destruction or expanding multiplayer lobbies into the hundreds, the seminal series remains FPS royalty. But while the last few years have presented turbulent waters, fans are hoping the storms will start to settle starting today. To kick off the E3 2021 fun, EA is looking to turn the tides by taking the digital stage to reveal the next step in the Battlefield series.

We, unfortunately, don't know a ton about what we're going to see today. With the first substantive look at the game, though, we're hoping that means a look at next-gen gameplay, but only time will tell. While you can't bet on what we'll see today, you can count on Game Informer to be there to watch along with you. The Alexes (Van Aken and Stadnik) are taking over for E3 2021 and we'll be right along with you to bring the hype, give you our spiciest takes possible, and react live to all the big news from the day. We'll be going live at 8:45 A.M. CT for a little preshow action to discuss DICE's iconic series and our hopes for what Battlefield 6 will bring. 

It's finally that special time of year again. E3 2021 is in the air and we can't wait to see what some of the biggest names in the video game industry have in store for their legions of fans. But one does not celebrate such an occasion with a casual 15-minute chat.

We dedicated a whole special edition of The GI Show to give our clairvoyant predictions about what the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo, and more have to surprise us when E3 (and Geoff Keighley) open their digital doors to the masses. Will we see anything from huge tentpoles such as The Elder Scrolls VI or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2? What will PlayStation's presence entail? How are we going to contain ourselves when Halo Infinite comes on screen? Only time will tell.

The wait for E3 week (weekend? Month? How do we quantify this anymore?) can be excruciating, but we have just the remedy to tide you over. Join Alex Stadnik, Liana Ruppert, Marcus Stewart, and new-hire John Carson as they dish on what they think will go down during gaming's biggest events!

Panic’s Playdate handheld had a big coming out party today with a video update that showed off its first slate of games and revealed its price/pre-order date. One of the most exciting announcements was the news that Lucas Pope, acclaimed creator of Papers Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, is making a new game exclusively for the bite-sized handheld. 

During the video Pope showed off a brief snippet of a game called Mars After Midnight. He describes the game as “less death, more laughs” and something he wanted his kids to be able to enjoy. The gameplay scene is set at an anger management meeting for cyclops, with a sign advertising the session taped to a letter slot-style door.  

When something knocks on the slot, Pope turns the Playdate’s analog crank to flip the slot open, revealing a curious monster on the other side. A new monster appears each time he opens and closes the door, showing off their goofy designs. Meanwhile, Pope uses the d-pad to pan the camera in different directions. There’s a hint of 3D depth to panning, as the camera slightly rotates instead of simply moving up/down, left/right on a flat plane. You can check out the demonstration yourself in the video below, beginning at the 7:35 mark. 

In May 2019, Panic, the publisher of Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game, revealed it was developing its own gaming handheld, the Playdate. This cute device made waves for its sunny yellow color, unique analog crank, and the simple yet charming graphics of its all-digital software. It’s been a while since we heard anything about it, but Panic ended that silence today by airing a video chock full of updates for the device where it showed off its first slate of games, a big accessory, as well as its price and pre-order window. 

Games make or break any platform, and Playdate's initial library consists of 24 original games, a collection Panic dubs Season One. These games consist of titles designed with inventive mechanics that take advantage of the system's unique features, such as its crank (which is a form of analog stick). Every game in Season One is free, and owners will receive 2 games per week over 12 weeks. You can check out some of the games in action in the presentation below (at the 3:35 mark), but Panic prefers to surprise owners by not sharing any details about the games, title included, until they hit the system. 

One of the perks of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, other than the rotation of free games and day one additions, is the inclusion of Xbox Live. That being said, Microsoft has added a few more perks since the membership's birth, including offering up a trial for Disney Plus in the past. For those feeling some FOMO over all of the Marvel hype over the Disney subscription service, Team Green has just announced that it is bringing back the Disney Plus membership trial for those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. 

The latest offer is back starting today, giving Xbox fans a chance to enjoy classic Disney experiences as well as new shows to binge-watch. Wandavision, The Mandalorian, Winter Soldier, there are so many. With Loki also dropping this week, the Disney Plus envy is real. For those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you don't have to sit on the sidelines; you can watch along with the rest of the Marvel fans. 

Even though the Dungeons & Dragons movie has been delayed for a new 2023 launch date, the latest film adaptation is well underway. With a few of the casting decisions confirmed so far, including Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, and Michelle Rodriguez, we've got a new look at the big screen take with new Dungeons & Dragons movie on-set photos. 

As spotted by Comicbook's Christian Hoffer, images from the D&D flick have begun popping up online. While not fully decked out set photos, it is interesting to get just a small taste of what the upcoming movie experience will have to offer tabletop fans. Check out the photos below to see a small glimpse into the 2023 film: 

We wonder what symbols are on these banners. Amaunator's holy symbol? pic.twitter.com/IM3r4FawRL

— Forgotten Realms Wiki (@FRWiki) June 7, 2021

Baldies and head tattoos are popular among this group, whoever they are. pic.twitter.com/IT5gqqeFJS

The Capcom E3 2021 showcase lands on June 14, and the company has given fans a sneak peek at what they can expect to see during the live stream event. We've got more Resident Evil Village on the way as well are more on Monster Hunter. Check out our first look at what's ahead in the new video from Capcom below! 

E3 2021 kicks off next week, but the fun has already started earlier this month with first looks, teasers, and Summer Game Fest with Geoff Keighley. Capcom's stage time will kick off on June 14 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific and will feature The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Monster Hunter Rise, and Resident Evil Village. Will there be more shown not teased in the update from Capcom? Possibly! But for now, here's what we've got on the horizon: 

Crisbell is a special girl. The machinations of fate have granted her the power to manipulate time. She’s now able to peer into past and future versions of her world at will, which she’ll put to great use trying to protect everyone she loves from a potentially dark future. Joined by her talking frog pal Matias, her warrior companion Christian, and other colorful allies, Crisbell embarks on a journey to rescue her fairytale kingdoms from an impending threat. After all, time is of the essence. 

Cris Tales is an upcoming RPG from Colombian developers Dreams Uncorporated and SYCK and publisher Modus Games. The indie game takes inspiration from classic titles such as Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI with its turn-based combat and world design but adds an interesting wrinkle with its time-manipulation mechanic. Players can send enemies into the past or future, which affects each foe in different ways that can be both beneficial and harmful. Join Alex Stadnik, Marcus Stewart, and Jason Guisao as they take a look at this promising and beautiful role-playing adventure. 

What do we say to the god of rumors? "Not today." At least that's what Bandai Namco did when rumors began to swirl out of control that Scarlet Nexus would be an Xbox Game Pass addition at launch. Could the game come to Xbox Game Pass? Absolutely, but Bandai wanted to set the record straight that it wasn't happening on day one. 

Microsoft has been surprising fans lately with what does and doesn't make the cut for Xbox Game Pass. The most surprising move was when Team Green added MLB The Show 21 to the evolving subscription service, so seeing speculation around what's next is easy to get swept up in. However, when rumors started gaining traction that Bandai's newest RPG would be making a launch day debut, the company quickly offered some clarification. 

"We have no plans to bring Scarlet Nexus to Xbox Game Pass at this time and are excited about its launch on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC on June 25," said a Bandia Namco representative in a statement to VGC. 

While crossovers in games are nothing new, Fortnite is arguably the king of mashups in the gaming space. With so many hints in the battle royale adventure pointing towards some form of alien invasion, Epic Games has seen the Mass Effect hype and said, "we've got aliens too!" for Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 7. Just kidding, it's not related to Mass Effect, but I had to do it for those angry at how much I talk about it. Hi! 

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7 sees an explosive attack on the world we've come to know and love, and following the invasion comes a border of aliens bent on destruction. Not one to take an attack lying down, the Imagined Order under the helm of Doctor Slone pushes back against this mystifying new enemy in between fishing, emotes, and landing that sweet headshot.

As with any season, there is new gear to unlock. The Battle Pass also offers new Outfits that are unique to Fortnite and based on other entertainment properties. Since we're talking crossovers, let's break down what players will see when they dive all-in.

Earlier this month, Bungie teased a new piece of artwork for a future Destiny 2 expansion with The Witch Queen. Though a small image, it set the Guardian community alight with excitement over the implications that we're heading to Old Chicago. So what is Old Chicago, and why are players hyped about its return? Let's break it down. 

First things first, let's look at the render itself. You can see a few small tweaks to the Hunter helmet in the below image, changes seen from the previous tease in earlier concept art. You can also see the luscious backdrop behind the focal character. While it could be argued that the backdrop looks like it could potentially be EDZ or Nessus, most players are pretty convinced that this means we're going back to Old Chicago to the swamplands. The swamps of Old Chicago have been mentioned in the past through the series' evolving lore, but it's never been a physical place that Guardians could visit. But that could be changing. 

There is already a lot of hype regarding the upcoming Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart game, but fans have truly begun to lose their minds when PlayStation confirmed that there are a few crossovers happening within this universe. Most notably? Sunset Overdrive, a game that was previously an Xbox exclusive, but now that Sony owns the studio behind it - Insomniac Games - anything goes. 

Insomniac Games first teased the Sunset Overdrive crossover on its social media with art depicting Fizzie, the drink from the game's mascot, getting sucked through a portal into the Ratchet & Clank universe. Then, other PlayStation titles started doing the same: 

Oh no..... @FizzieSays will not be happy about this. Quick! Double-check your profanity filters!! @PlayStation @insomniacgames #RatchetPS5Takeover #PlayStationStudiosFamily https://t.co/nUrw2JjXb1

Dragon Age 4 is poised to take fans of Thedas where they have never been within the video game franchise: Tevinter. While the associated novels and comics have taken us deep within the underbelly of power-driven mages and a society built on the backs of slaves, the games themselves have only skirted this expansive location through characters met throughout the franchise. We were introduced to Fenris in Dragon Age 2, an escaped slave that teased the horrors his kind-faced at the hands of blood magic-wielding magisters. We were later enthralled by Dorian Pavus in Inquisition, an Altus on his way to becoming a magister; a compassionate character bent on making his countrymen see where they have gone wrong while learning key lessons about his own problematic upbringing. He was also the victim of an attempted blood ritual, by his own father nonetheless, due to Tevinter’s scorned eye on homosexual relationships. In the same game, we also met Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi, a transgender soldier stuck in the middle of slavery and the elite, a class abandoned by common kindness, again chased out for being anything other than what Tevinter wants a citizen to be.

A new Mass Effect Legendary Edition update is here and fixes some of the more unusual issues players were having. Issues like Trophy glitches, pre-rendered cutscene darkness, and more. 

While the Legendary Edition is far less buggy than the original trilogy (big 'ol head Shepard from Mass Effect 2, anyone?), that doesn't mean it was perfect. Some players reported issues with the Paramour or Kill Count tracker achievements/trophies, while others noted headset connectivity issues. BioWare announced its plans for a patch to fix many of the reported bugs, and now that update is ready for all to enjoy, including a few PC-specific tweaks that are needed in order to fully enjoy the Normandy (and Garrus) once more. 

Mass Effect Legendary Edition update - June 7, 2021

For the full patch notes, courtesy of BioWare, see below:

General

If you've been interested in trying out Google Stadia and recently purchased or own an Android OS TV, June 23 is a date to circle on your calendar. That’s the day that the streaming app finally becomes available on a range of compatible TVs. 

In just a couple of weeks, you’ll be able to access the Stadia app on the following devices: 

• Chromecast with Google TV
• Hisense Android Smart TVs (U7G, U8G, U9G)
• Nvidia Shield TV
• Nvidia Shield TV Pro
• Onn FHD Streaming Stick and UHD Streaming Device
• Philips 8215, 8505, and OLED 935/805 Series Android TVs
• Xiaomi MIBOX3 and MIBOX4

You can read more details about how to get Stadia set up on your TV by reading Google’s blog post. Google says the list of TVs will expand over time. For Android TV OS devices not listed, you can still access Stadia via the experimental support feature. Keep in mind that this feature is still under development so it may not work perfectly on every display. Of course, Stadia is also accessible on PC via browser as well as on mobile devices, including iOS. But if you prefer to game the old-fashioned way, it’s good to know you’ll be able to stream the games of your choice on more televisions. 

Chernobylite, a survival horror RPG, has been in Steam Early Access since October 2019 but its full release is just around the corner. Developer The Farm 51, the creators of Get Even, share a haunting new trailer establishing the dark tone of the game’s narrative ahead of the game’s summer release. 

As Igor you’ll explore the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Pripyat, Ukraine searching for clues regarding the disappearance of his fiancee, Tatiana, 30 years prior. It’s a dangerously radiated area that Igor is, unfortunately, intimately familiar with; he’s a former employee of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which famously melted down in 1986. The new story trailer, narrated by Tatiana, acts as a warning of sorts to players about the dangers that await and about the nature of time, which may not be as linear as we think. 

16 years is a lot of time by any metric, but especially in the world of video games. The industry has dramatically changed since the original release of Psychonauts and our standards for platforming in games along with it. But fear not, for developer Double Fine has been hard at work trying to ensure Psychonauts 2 will be up to the challenge of competing with 2021’s contemporary platforming experiences. Here’s how Raz’s new adventure will take the best parts of the original experience and modernize them for a new era of games.

One of the ways Double Fine wants to make an impact with Psychonauts 2 is in the game’s combat. While there’s plenty to love about how the original title handled fights between Raz and The Censors, the development team wants to create a more fluid experience with psi-abilities at the focus.

“So we have a really dedicated combat team and a really dedicated player powers, like psychic powers, team, and they're pretty autonomous, in a way,” Tim Schafer tells us. “They pretty much are playing and iterating and testing the game and making a lot of improvements. The goals that we set were, we want to have psychic powers be more useful in battle, [and] combat. In the first game, you mostly punched everything, I think.”

Dying Light 2 Stay Human has been in the works for a long time. Choice-based gameplay footage dropped last month, satiating the fandoms’ years-long hunger for zombie-slaying parkour. For players that are still diving into the first game, there’s more content incoming. The Dying Light: Hellraid DLC is getting a new Story Mode as well as a bevy of additional features.

In Dying Light: Hellraid, the world takes a dark fantasy spin where medieval blades are your go-to weapons. The new Story Mode, called The Prisoner, is a free update that can be experienced solo or cooperatively. Players will trek into the demon-infested Ba’al’s Temple to track down a powerful mage named Lucius and free him from the clutches of the evils lurking in the shadows. New locations can be explored and a new skeleton enemy type,  equipped with hulking shields, stands in the way of your journey to freedom. The gameplay trailer is reminiscent of Elder Scrolls, which might be an exciting new experience for any Western RPG fans that have been raring to play something new. 

Back in February, Ubisoft indefinitely delayed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. Fans of the series were likely hopeful that this week's Ubisoft Forward might shed light on the game’s status. Unfortunately, Ubisoft has confirmed that the remake will not be making an appearance.

Ubisoft confirmed the news via Twitter (as sighted by Fanbyte) stating that while the game is making “great progress” it’s not ready to pull the curtain back on it again just yet. 

On the (sort of) bright side, the statement confirms that the remake is projected to launch sometime next year. A bummer, but it's good to know that we shouldn't expect the game this year. Check out the full statement below.

There have been rumors that Ubisoft was planning a name change for Rainbow Six Quarantine following our real-life quarantine situation due to COVID-19. With Ubisoft Forward just a few days away, the studio has confirmed the new name with a brand new video. The new title? Rainbow Six Extraction. 

Ubisoft released a brand new teaser trailer debuting the new name, talking about the latest co-op shooter experience in the Tom Clancy universe. Small game teasers can be seen in the video below, as well as a message from the team. 

Rainbow Six Extraction is a co-op experience that will have Operators try to survive an alien threat. This no-man-left-behind experience takes a much darker turn than that of Rainbow Six Siege and is all about communication with your team in order for the best chance at survival. 

We don't know much about Rainbow Six Extraction, but we will have more information soon with Ubisoft Forward kicking off E3 2021. To learn more about the full E3 schedule coming up, you can check out our previous coverage here. 

Summer Game Fest 2021 kicks off this week and it looks like 2K and Gearbox Studios have something new to show fans. The studio that gave us the hit Borderlands franchise has been hard at work on a new IP and it looks like we'll be getting our first look on June 10. 

Geoff Keighley, the creator and host of Summer Game Fest, took to Twitter to tease the new reveal. "Prepare for the reveal of a new adventure from Gearbox and 2K during Summer Games Fest," reads the below tweet. The big reveal is going down on June 10, though you can see the full schedule right here for everything going down over the next two weeks. 

Prepare for the reveal of a new adventure from @GearboxOfficial and @2K during #SummerGameFest Kickoff Live on June 10! 🔥 https://t.co/WMXopnCE4j pic.twitter.com/zb52zmZhKK

The trailer for Palworld shows monster collecting and plenty of tender moments with them, and then things get super dark. Developer by Pocket Pair, Palworld is slated to release in 2022, and is an open-world survival game with multiplayer, crafting, farming, and most important of all Pal collecting. Pal are the creatures in this world. Comparisons to the Pokémon games are easy to make...until the guns come out.

The trailer shows a human character petting a dog-like Pal in front of a cozy fireplace setting, and a few sequences of her running through the wilderness with it. We also see Pal being used to water plants, blow fields, and light campfires. Tucked into these joyous shots are clips of the character running and gunning with an assault rifle. She's apparently mowing down Pal poachers. In a faq on Palworld's Steam page, Pocket Pair makes the combat sound optional: "Palworld is a game about living a slow life with mysterious creatures "Pal" or throwing yourself into life-and-death battles with poachers."

Logan Paul, YouTube ... something, went back into the ring with yet another fight for public adoration, though this time he went up against Floyd Mayweather. The fight itself drew the curiosity of many, but the true star of the spectacle was the Charizard Pokémon card Paul decided to don as part of his outfit. Pokémon cards always have the potential to be wildly valuable, but it looks like this highly publicized match took that monetization potential to ungodly levels. 

The Pokémon Charizard card the YouTuber entered the ring with was special in its own right, a first edition mint-condition 10-grade version of the evolved fire starter. Because of its condition and edition, this Charizard iteration was already pretty darn valuable, but that value was elevated even more due to the Mayweather match. 

The match was arguably pretty lackluster (or maybe that's just us), but Pokémon is nifty, so there is that. With only a handful of these cards available, it's easy to see that the demand for this particular Charizard is high. Wearing it during a high-profile match like this made it even more so—all for the Pokémon. 

Shirley Curry, also known as Grandma Shirley, is an 82-year old gamer that has become a beloved part of the gaming community ever since her YouTube channel made its big debut back in 2015 and since then she has been dubbed our beloved grandma in all things RPG. With countless hours of walkthroughs footage of her streaming, she's an intricate in the Elder Scrolls franchise, unofficially. She means so much to the community that fans have been rallying for her to be in Elder Scrolls 6 as an official character! While we anxiously await Elder Scrolls 6 news, one Skyrim mod gives us some of that Shirley love a little early. 

The Grandma Shirley mod is simply called Shirley - A Skyrim Follower Mod and does exactly what the name implies. "Shirley Curry, the beloved Skyrim Grandma, finally comes to the game as a follower you can recruit," reads the mod's listing. "She'll join you on your adventures, but don't expect her to simply carry your burdens! She's got more personality than all the vanilla followers combined, and we're sure she'll be a great companion and a friend. And a grandma!" 

Cyberpunk 2077 launched to a plethora of bugs and failed to deliver on the promises made pre-release. The launch was such a surprise that Sony even delisted the game shortly after its release from the PlayStation Store. Since then, numerous patches have gone live to correct the state of the game and make it more in line with the expectations put forth by CD Projekt RED, but a lot of those frustrations early on are coming roaring back following a leaked internal video montaging all of the glitches that this game offers. It also shows off running footage of the game's protagonist taking to the streets of Night City in third-person, a perspective that the community was very sad to see left on the cutting room floor. 

Following the confirmation that Far Cry 6 would not offer an Arcade Mode, which means no more map editor, fans of the Ubisoft franchise are diving back into this creative feature with older titles. One Far Cry 5 player got in touch with their nostalgia by faithfully recreating GoldenEye 007 and to say it's impressive would be a massive understatement. 

The dedicated recreation of GoldenEye007 comes by way of YouTuber 'Krollywood'. They took their love of the 1997 shooter and made it tangible using Far Cry 5's map editor, completely rebuilding the N64 classic from the ground up. The YouTuber told Kotaku that this was no easy endeavor. This recreation took almost three years to make and over 1,400 to see this project come to fruition. That's impressive in its own right, doubly so for me because I give up after an hour of trying to make a dinky house in Minecraft. So. There's that. 

Not long after a horror movie creator brought forth evidence that Capcom stole his designs for Resident Evil Village (which is also referenced in the lawsuit detailed below), another artist is coming forward saying that the studio stole her properties for the Resident Evil and Devil May Cry franchises. 

In a new lawsuit filed last week, artist Judy A. Juracek alleges that Capcom stole many of her copyrighted photos to use in both franchises, including environments and the Resident Evil 4 logo. The lawsuit has been filed citing stolen use of her copyrighted photography that can be seen in her book called Surfaces. In this book, Juracek shared over 1,000 photos of various textures. The purpose of Surfaces, released back in 1996, is to provide "visual research" for architectural designers for educational purposes. While designers can use images for her book, there is a process that requires anyone that uses her property to contact her before doing so. In her lawsuit, she states that Capcom never made contact with her regarding her photographs. 

The Suicide Mission, as you've probably guessed from the name, is an important story step in Mass Effect 2. Commander Shepard spends all of their time throughout the game to prep for this mission, including the upgrades we talked about in our general mistakes to avoid piece from earlier last month. That's only the first part. The second part requires some critical thinking because you'll need to allocate roles to your squadmates before rushing the Collector Base. Failure to pick the right person will result in key characters dying. Mass Effect doesn't play around with consequences. Luckily for you, I've played this game well over 30 times, so I've got your back. 

We treat some video games as one-and-done experiences but others we can’t get enough of even after the credits roll. No matter what new experiences fall into our laps, there are certain games we find our way back to again and again, either to find new secrets, to improve our skills, or simply because they offer a warm blanket of familiarity. So what games have we, the Game Informer staff, completed the most times? Read on to find out and feel free to share your most played games down in the comments! 

Marcus Stewart

Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Playthrough Count: 30-35 (or more)

I don’t replay games very often, especially as I’ve gotten older. That’s due to both shrinking free time and an increasing disposable income to buy more games. That’s not a flex. I was a broke kid, so once I got my first job at 16 and could finally buy my own stuff, I began valuing new experiences more than revisiting old ones, even those that I absolutely adore. As a kid, things were different. I generally didn’t get new games, or anything for that matter, until the end of the year for Christmas and my birthday (which is in November). Thus, I replayed games ad nauseam and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 saw more return trips than anything else. 

Scarlet Nexus finally arrives later this month. To get players primed and ready, Bandai Namco released a new explainer video that serves as an in-game synopsis of the game’s dual protagonists, the monstrous creatures known as the Other, the super-powered OSF, and more.

The eight-minute trailer dives into the history and abilities of Psionics, humans born with special powers. The world is being invaded by plant-like aliens called the Other, and the only ones that can stop them are the OSF, an elite military unit consisting entirely of Psionic individuals. Two of its members are Scarlet Nexus’ leads: Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall. Both OSF soldiers share the spotlight but you can only play as one of them at a time. That means you’ll need to play Scarlet Nexus twice to get the full story. Check out the video below for a breakdown of each character’s combat styles in what’s likely the final big primer before the game releases.