Game Informer

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk perked the ears of many Dreamcast fans when it was revealed last summer. The game is an obvious love letter to Jet Set Radio (or Jet Grind Radio for us westerners), with its graffiti drenched art style, skating gameplay, and an original soundtrack by the series’ composer, Hideki Naganuma. After dropping a brief teaser video last year, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk has resurfaced with a slightly longer (but still tantalizing) look at the game in action. 

The game comes courtesy of Team Reptile, the team behind Lethal League, and looks to capture wholesale everything Jet Set Radio fans love. That includes its cel-shaded art and neo-future vibe; over-the-top, parkour-style skating; and bizarre-looking characters. It’s such a faithful-looking homage that you could probably slap a sticker on it that reads “Jet Set Radio 3” and people would nod and say “yep, that there’s a Jet Set Radio if I ever saw one” Take a look at the new footage below. 

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Game updates have been getting bigger and bigger in recent years and among those behemoth patches is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Warzone front and center. While it doesn't look like those updates are going to be getting smaller anytime soon, it looks like the size is going to be a much bigger problem for PS4 users, at least those that have 500GB of storage, going into season 2. 

Season 2's Cold War update is smaller than usual, coming in at 10.5 GB, but the team at Activision did add a warning that 500GB hard drives for the previous generation of PlayStation may not be enough going forward. "Those who own a standard PlayStation 4 with a default hard drive of 500 GB may need to make room if they have the full versions of Modern Warfare/Warzone and Black Ops Cold War with all modes and packs installed," details the latest blog post.

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The post continues by saying that players with both games installed should go through and delete any unused game content in order for the Warzone patch to go through correctly. The team provided some tips to help players get read: 

The critically acclaimed Subnautica tasked players with exploring an oceanic planet in hopes of surviving, exploring, and uncovering myriad mysteries housed thereon. Subnautica: Below Zero has been in Early Access for more than two years, with updates arriving at a steady clip, but developer and publisher Unknown Worlds Entertainment today revealed that the full version is coming to consoles and PC on May 14.

Subnautica: Below Zero presents players with a similar situation, only this time, you're exploring the dangerous waters below the icy surface of the alien planet. The sequel offers an all-new story with a huge open world to explore with new technology at your disposal as you work to discover even more secrets beneath the surface. 

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Outriders is one of my most anticipated games of 2021. When I first got to get my hands on the game last year, I was taken by the tight and electrifying gunplay developer People Can Fly has a knack for with its work on titles such as Gears of War: Judgement and Bulletstorm. But the fun shooting mechanics weren't the only thing that swayed me. 

This squad-based sci-fi shooter takes a page from the holy book of the Mass Effect series in how it utilizes its character's abilities. Whether you're looking to summon giant blasts of energy or a bullet shield that can send projectiles back at your foes, Outriders gives you plenty of opportunities to experiment with a plethora of awesome abilities.

Flash forward to today and People Can Fly is giving us another taste of their latest title. The developer's new demo is set to launch at 11 a.m. CT and give fans a new look at what they can expect when the full game launches this April.

To celebrate the demo's release, Liana Ruppert, Alex Van Aken, and I are combining our shooter skills to check out what new challenges and additions have been added to Outriders since we last saw it. 

We're pretty excited for Nier Replicant (it's among our top upcoming action games after all), and Square Enix has dumped some fuel on that fire by releasing the polished up version of the game’s opening cinematic. The video showcases the visual and audio enhancements done to the original 2010 cult favorite, giving it a contemporary shine. 

The cinematic, titled "Attract Movie," provides a wild look at what’s to come for those who didn’t import or watch footage of this game when it was a Japanese exclusive. If Nier Automata is your only exposure to this series, you should feel right at home with Replicant’s post-apocalyptic zaniness, including copious giant robots and other strange enemies, mysterious hooded dancing figures, and Emil’s general existence. There’s also that sweet soundtrack. Check it out for yourself below.

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Hot Wheels Unleashed is a new racing game based on one of the most popular toys of all time. Instead of spending hours constructing elaborate tracks and accidentally stepping on that favorite car you misplaced, the new game lets players can skip the busywork and just get straight to racing 

Veteran racing developer Milestone Games (MotoGP, Ride series) describes Hot Wheels Unleashed as an “action-packed, arcade-style racing game." Players get behind the wheel of the die-cast miniature vehicles and race across the iconic, sky-high orange tracks alone in various single-player modes or against friends in multiplayer, both online and in local split-screen. The debut trailer shows off a high-octane, topsy-turvy race. When the camera pans out, it turns out that the big race is actually a small track set up inside of a life-sized garage of sorts. Whether or not the game retains that “little person in a big world” style is unclear, but I personally hope so. 

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Every week, I feature mods as part of our Mod Corner segment to highlight some of the coolest fan creations out there that I can find. Given that I reviewed Among Us and can't stop talking about the sus little jelly bean astronaut game and my undying love for Portal, finding one mod that blends the two franchises was definitely something I couldn't pass up sharing! With this Among Us mod, GLaDOS from the Portal franchise has officially joined the party. 

Unlike the Star Wars Battlefront II x Among Us mod, this won't transform every character into something else. Instead, it brings GLaDOS -- the maniacal AI with a grudge and a hilarious sarcastic streak -- into the world of tasks and murder: 

[OC] I made a bot that can play the game and lie to your face. Meet GlaDOS! from r/AmongUs

Now, we just need a Wheatley added in, because that would be amazing! 

As a part of Pokémon's 25th anniversary celebration (which is officially February 27), The Pokémon Company International is giving us a glimpse into the future of Pokémon games through a 20-minute livestream that starts at 7 a.m. PST tomorrow on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. Following this news, on Saturday at 4 p.m. PST, musician Post Malone is headlining a Pokémon Day virtual concert, in which he will perform a song oddly named "Pokémon 25 Version," which is a cover of Hootie and the Blowfish's "Only Wanna Be With You."

And you don't need to wait until tomorrow to start celebrating. If you boot up Pokémon Sword or Shield right now, you can add a unique version of Pikachu to your ranks that knows the move Sing. Here's how to add him:

Hasbro and Epic Games are extending their product licensing partnership for another five years. The new deal opens the door to new Fortnite merchandise, including figures, vehicles, and role-playing gear.

The original deal only covered outdoor play products and tabletop games, such as the Fortnite-branded Nerf guns and Monopoly game. Now, the popular battle royale will receive a wider range of products in its name. There’s no specific plans announced yet, but Hasbro cited the recent release of the Fortnite x G.I. Joe Snake Eyes: Zero Point Edition figure (pictured above and has since sold out) as an idea of the kind of products to expect from the partnership going forward. Hasbro also promises that new in-game experiences are in the works as well. The press release says that Fortnite's new Hasbro products should arrive in stores this fall. 

“Hasbro ’s expertise in the realm of collectible figure and role play segments has yielded incredibly positive results for our long roster of entertainment based action brands,” said Adam Biehl, SVP GM at Hasbro, Inc. We ’ve had tremendous success collaborating with Epic Games and the Fortnite brand over the past few years, and this expanded product licensing partnership allows us to deliver an amazing lineup of Fortnite inspired toys and collector items that we’re confident fans will be excited to experience.”

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Whether it's Monster Hunter Rise, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny, or the quickly approaching Bravely Default II, the Nintendo Switch is becoming quite the RPG machine. Speaking of that last one, Square Enix's latest entry in the series is poised to entertain players in the mood for an old-school JRPG experience.

For those counting the moments until Nintendo's latest exclusive is released on Friday, we have a treat for you on today's episode of New Gameplay Today. Your gracious host Jeff Cork is joined by the one and only Dan Tack and myself to dive into everything you need to know about Bravely Default II before launch.

First up, we show off the wilds outside of Wiswald, one of the many locales players will explore, and highlight some of the monsters Seth, Gloria, Adelle, and Elvis will battle along the way. Bravely Default II prides itself on putting players through a plethora of battles to prepare them for the harder sections later on in their playthrough. Those fights wouldn't be that fun though if Square hadn't implemented an engaging and deep job system that allows players to mix and match interesting magical and physical abilities.

Krafton, Inc has revealed the next step for the PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds franchise with PUBG: New State. Developed by the PUBG Studio, New State aims to recreate the original battle royale experience and evolve it into a new, futuristic adventure for both new and veteran players on both iOS and Android platforms. 

PUBG: New State is the latest game in the growing PUBG franchise from the original creators of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and will be a free-to-play experience for mobile players later this year. 

“Given the fan support and massive success of the previous games, it is humbling to be able to build and introduce the next game in the franchise that revolutionized the battle royale genre worldwide.” MinKyu Park, Executive Producer of PUBG: New State, tells us. “We want to build on that legacy by creating an experience that pushes the limits of mobile gaming. Watching our team come together to develop a global product has been an amazing experience and we are confident that it will speak to all audiences when it launches later this year.”

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Season 2 is landing right now. While the new update contains numerous new things to explore the game over, perhaps the most interesting is the Outbreak zombies experience. Call of Duty's zombie modes have generally been self-contained, round-based entities that task players with discovering secrets and solving puzzles while fending off the infinite and ever-more-challenging hordes of undead.

As of today, that's all about to change. Outbreak gives players a dynamic open-world zombies mode. Not only will you face off against a voracious tide, but world events and exploration are key pillars of Outbreak, allowing you to use vehicles and take advantage of a huge play space to blast back the blight. Outbreak can be enjoyed with a crew or solo.

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Everybody loves a surprise. Any gamer will tell you that part of the delight in watching press conferences is those reveals you don’t see coming. We’ve seen tears, screams, and tons of other expressions that run the gamut of utter delight to crushing disappointment. As someone who has been in the industry for a long time, announcements usually come with caveats: long release windows, little to no in-game footage, or cryptic messaging that can make what the actual game is more confusing than helpful. 

However, in the last few years, we’ve seen a shift toward shorter marketing campaigns and publishers (for the most part) putting reasonable release windows on games. I hope this continues to improve, with developers and publishers working together to develop smarter ways of presenting what’s in store. One of my favorite new methods for unveiling a game is by having a rich demo available immediately to play, like we recently saw with Project Triangle Strategy. Not only do you feel the rush of learning about this new entity that you had no idea was in existence, but there’s something special about being able to immediately take a test drive. Here’s why I hope more developers take note of this way to introduce a game in the future.

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Ghosts 'N Goblins: Resurrection is Capcom's latest release in the classic 2D action series, bringing back Director Tokuro Fujiwara to lead the charge in reviving a 35-year-long franchise that players first discovered on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Just like the older releases, the game doesn't hold any punches when it comes to delivering a challenging gameplay experience, and that's exactly why Editor-in-Chief Andrew Reiner and Senior Editor Jeff Cork forced me to jump into the proverbial lion's den to try my hand at beating the game's first boss. I died over twenty times in this 36-minute video, but the rest of the crew assured me that my suffering was entertaining for them.

Our very own Editor-in-Chief awarded Ghosts 'N Goblins: Resurrection an unexpected 9.0, saying in his full review:

Electronic Arts and BioWare have confirmed that plans for Anthem 2.0, also called Anthem Next, have been canceled. While this news was not a surprise, especially given how quiet the team has been about its progress on Anthem Next, I can't help but lament the missed opportunity here for an adventure that held a lot more promise than so many gave it credit for. Now that the future of Anthem is forever at a standstill, here are my thoughts on the game, the launch, and what could have been. 

When I first dove into Anthem, it was pre-launch during a press event. There were bugs, but that was to be expected with early access to an online game. While noted in my coverage, it didn't dampen the pure joy I felt when taking to the sky in my custom Javelin that very first time. Anthem has some of the smoothest flight and combat mechanics I've ever seen in a game (and this is a hill I will die on), especially when looking at the detailed animations that showed off a love for the craft from the moment those boots left the ground. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Pyra and Mythra were announced as the latest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighters during the first Nintendo Direct of 2021. Xenoblade fans and newcomers alike were dazzled by the tandem’s flashy offense and ability to swap forms on the fly (or complained that they’re just more anime sword users). For an in-depth look at how these ladies operate, Nintendo is holding a special Direct presentation focused on the two-in-one fighter.  

Henry Cavill has had his hands full with taking on the role of Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's The Witcher series, but it looks like he's already got his eyes on his next project. On the actor's Instagram, he teased a "secret" project he's working on. It didn't take the internet long before that secret was decoded, and what was discovered has Mass Effect fans excited. 

The buffed-up fellow nerd took to his social media account to tease fans with an image that is blurred out except for his face. Either he should know better by now or he was given the go-ahead to intentionally tease the news ahead of a potential reveal, but it was not hard at all to alter the image and see what the blurred text reads: 

        View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Henry Cavill (@henrycavill)

Both 343 Industries (Halo) and The Coalition Studio (Gears of War) are under the Microsoft name, which means a sharing of resources is not as uncommon as many might think. Following Halo Infinite's delay from an Xbox Series X launch title, 343 Industries has been working hard to get the upcoming space shooter up to par. It looks like that as development continues, The Coalition has been tapped in to help. 

A detailed thread from industry insider @Timur222 shows a trail of The Coalition's efforts with Halo Infinite, including the LinkedIn profile of Adam Bodden. Bodden worked at several major studios on a contract basis, including having Halo Infinite listed under the contract of The Coalition from August 2018 to November 2020. Another posting has Hugo Gutierrez Mares listed as a VFX artist working on the latest Halo from June 2017 until December 2020. 

source:https://t.co/gadqWrL3AO

Anthem launched almost exactly two years ago, and the launch was rough. Many fans who saw the potential in the original version have been waiting for BioWare’s “Anthem Next” update to transform the beleaguered game and turn things around (like Final Fantasy XIV or No Man’s Sky). Unfortunately, that transformation will not happen. Today BioWare announced that the Anthem update has been canceled and new development on the game has ceased.

“In the spirit of transparency and closure we wanted to share that we’ve made the difficult decision to stop our new development work on Anthem (aka Anthem NEXT). We will, however, continue to keep the Anthem live service running as it exists today,” reads the announcement from executive producer Christian Dailey.

In short, this means that all of the enhancements and changes the team has talked about in the two years since the game’s launch will never be implemented. No tweaks to the Javelins, no skill tree overhaul, and no Artifact system. Though players can continue to access Anthem in its current form (for now), that form will remain full of unrealized potential.

Adorable Pikachu products are everywhere. Most collectibles manufacturers want a piece of this electric rodent, and have plastered his yellow hide and rosy cheeks on plushies, statues, action figures, and nearly everything you can put on a shelf. Some manufacturers have gotten creative with Pikachu and his ever-expanding herd of Pokémon friends to create collectibles that will make you gasp, both in delight and horror.

In my shopping for Pokémon gifts for my daughter and friends, I've come across a number of items that made me do a double take – but not necessarily because I thought they were cool. As you read on, you'll see what I've deemed to be the BEST and WORST of the Pokémon products you can throw your money at.

BEST
Battle Action Figures

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No, this isn’t another fake title. The third Spider-Man movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is titled No Way Home, and it’s releasing in theaters this Christmas. The film follows up on the events of 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home, which to date was the last Marvel film to be released in theaters prior to the pandemic. 

The film’s official twitter account shared a cute video announcing the news, with stars Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Zendaya (MJ), and Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds) failing to squeeze the real title out of director Jon Watts while taking jabs at Holland’s history spoiling his own films. In a funny bit, the whiteboard revealing the movie's confirmed name is laden with a plethora of fake subtitles (I’m partial to “Aunt May Says No”). You can check it out in the embedded tweet below. 

This, we can confirm. #SpiderManNoWayHome only in movie theaters this Christmas. pic.twitter.com/kCeI8Vgkdm

Do you ever lay in bed at night wondering how to get those old-school Zelda vibes again? The ones where you’re suddenly transported to the Dark World in Link to the Past? Well, Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos probably isn’t going to get you there – but it might conjure up some of those SNES-era adventure feelings. Maybe, just maybe, it might satiate your hunger for a hero's journey until we get some more news on the Breath of the Wild sequel.

Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos released yesterday on PC and Switch, and the features and mechanics on paper are compelling. Concepts old and new come together to create a playful, adventurous landscape to explore. You get to build up a town to scratch your Stardew Valley itch, unlocking classes along the way, use resources that you’re piling up to permanently advance your stats, and explore a big world with a variety of tools and unlocks. It’s kind of like Rogue Legacy meets classic Zelda… and that’s pretty cool. I’ve got a couple hours under my belt so far, and it’s holding my attention admirably.

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Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Resurrection is out soon, giving fans of Capcom’s tough-as-nails platformer an excuse to suit up again. It’s not a remake of the arcade original, its sequel, or various console ports. Instead, it’s a great homage to those classics, drawing heavily from what made them so memorable while providing an all-new experience. In other words, you’re getting a new experience whether you’re a hardcore fan or someone who’s completely new to the series. On the eve of its release, we spoke with series director Tokuro Fujiwara and chief producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi about the original games (and their notorious difficulty), what it was like to revisit the series, and what players can expect from Resurrection.

Many of us remember playing Ghosts ‘n Goblins at home on our NES consoles, but it was released a year before in arcades. Arcade games could certainly be mastered, but let’s be honest – those cabinets weren’t installed from a place of charity. If you could design a game that maintained player interest while also threading the needle in terms of difficulty, you could have something that would get players reaching into their pockets after a game over instead of looking around for something else to play. It’s easy to assume that Ghosts ‘n Goblins was designed to drain quarters from players, particularly since it required two complete playthroughs to see the true ending. Fujiwara says that isn’t the case, however.

Fry's Electronics is an electronics retailer specific to the United States and a staple in select areas around the country. In an abrupt announcement, the company has announced that it is shutting down for good, closing all locations, after 36 years in the business. 

If you go to the website for the store, you'll be met with the announcement instead of the usual wares. The somber update begins, saying "After nearly 26 years in business as one the one-stop-shop and online resource for high-tech professionals across nine states and 31 stores, Fry's Electronics has made the difficult decision to shut down its operations and close its business permanently as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic." 

The shutdown is to begin its gradual process on February 24 in order to safely wind down the business location by location. The gradual closure will allow for the process to be as cost-effective as possible without any additional liabilities and a reduced impact on "customers, vendors, landlords, and associates, and maximize the value of the company's assets for its creditors and other stakeholders." 

Earlier this month, CD Projekt Red shared the unfortunate news that it was hit by a malicious hacking attack that included all of the source code for Cyberpunk 2077, an unreleased version of The Witcher 3, Gwent coding, and "incriminating info." Since then, the data has been sold, and while the company is doing everything it can to halt the spread of the stolen information, including utilizing DMCA strikes, the pulled focus has delayed a substantial update for Cyberpunk 2077 following the title's chaotic launch. 

The studio took to Twitter to relay the news about the delayed update. "While we clearly wanted to deliver Patch 1.2 for Cyberpunk 2077 in the timespan we detailed previously, the recent cyber attack on the studio's IT infrastructure and extensive scope of the update means this unfortunately will not happen," began the announcement. 

It’s not the news we enjoy sharing, but we want to make sure we launch this update properly. Stay tuned for more information as the time draws closer. Thank you for your continued patience and support. 3/3

The topic of banning video games is once more on the table, this time it's Chicago, IL leadership leading the charge. Right now, Representative Marcus C. Evans Jr. has filed documents to make changes to an already-present 2012 law to make it possible to ban violent video games to minors in the state, especially titles like Grand Theft Auto, after a rise in carjackings and overall violent crimes have been noted. 

The notion being discussed falls under House Bill 3531 and aims to ban the retail sale of all "violent video games" for Illinois residents. What constitutes as a violent video game? According to the bill, it's a game that “allows a user or player to control a character within the video game that is encouraged to perpetuate human-on-human violence in which the player kills or otherwise causes serious physical or psychological harm to another human or an animal.” 

According to a recent report from the Chicago Sun-Times, the rate of violent crimes and carjackings as has increased, with 218 reports solely from the month of January alone. The Chicago representatives are claiming that video games like Grand Theft Auto are providing "inspiration" for these types of criminal activities and that banning them would be "safer" for all communities affected.

Fresh off its announcement of its revival of the cult-favorite Xbox game Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, publisher Aspyr Media is back with another modernization of a classic Xbox title. The LucasArts fan-favorite tactical FPS, Star Wars: Republic Commando, is coming to PlayStation 4 and Switch this April.

Star Wars: Republic Commando takes place during the events of the Clone Wars. If you're familiar with the history of the famous galaxy "far, far away," then you know the Clone Wars is the conflict depicted in Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and the Clone Wars film and television show.

Republic Commando has you control an elite squad consisting of four clone troopers who were genetically engineered to be better than your average, run-of-the-mill clones. The campaign takes players across the major fronts of the Clone Wars, including the desert planet of Geonosis and the forested Wookiee home of Kashyyyk.

This PlayStation 4 and Switch version only has the single-player campaign experience, but features modernized controls. Check out the announcement trailer for a blast from the past.

Check 

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You might be thinking that “action” is a hard genre to narrow down when it comes to any form of interactive media, and you’d be right. At the very least, most video games – from first-person shooters to real-time RPGs – fall under the action banner in some shape or form. That's why putting together this list was hard; there are a select few games that made the honorable mentions section at the bottom of the page and many others that aren’t even referenced – a side effect of the immensity of the genre itself. Even so, these are the top 10 action titles that I’m excited to get my hands on in 2021.

The Mass Effect trilogy remains one of the most incredible stories in gaming. The journey as Commander Shepard began with the first game, and from there, gamers were enthralled (but not indoctrinated) by the tale of uniting a galaxy at any cost. Ahead of the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, we sat down with character and environment director Kevin Meek from BioWare to talk a little more about the pioneering first game and how working on this remaster brought back the best kind of nostalgia.  

The first Mass Effect game had very different pacing than 2 or 3, and a large part of that was due to it being a new IP. As such, world-building took priority, and BioWare was still getting a feel for what this experience would ultimately become. Despite being the oldest game in the trilogy, there is no denying that Mass Effect 1 was revolutionary in many ways, and without the care and love that went into it, we never would have seen the following two entries. 

When talking to Meek about his role in bringing the Legendary Edition to life, he talked about his own attitude when approaching projects like this and how that period of reflection reminded him what a gem the first game truly was. 

Just last week we witnessed the return of Nintendo Directs, bringing announcements like Splatoon 3, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, and Project Triangle Strategy. Now, Sony has announced the return of its own Direct-style streams, meaning fans can get ready for an all-new State of Play broadcast this Thursday. 

When Final Fantasy XVI was first announced towards the end of 2020, I was almost positive that the game was a next-gen-enhanced continuation of Final Fantasy XIV’s MMO formula. The visuals were reminiscent of A Realm Reborn’s fantastical art direction and Creative Business Unit III’s involvement spoke for itself. However, the rest of the launch trailer disproved my original assumptions; Final Fantasy XVI is likely going to be a solo, narrative-focused experience similar to fan-favorite, classic Final Fantasy games. Producer Naoki Yoshida practically confirmed this in a recent radio show talk. In fact, the latest installment in the JRPG franchise, according to Yoshida, will come with an easy mode.

The question "Where is Dying Light 2?" has been on many minds since the indefinite delay announcement back in January 2020, and now that same question is back following reports about the culture within Techland and a lack of direction for the choice-heavy sequel. 

In a report from The Gamer, Kirk McKeand spoke with numerous developers at Techland to gauge where the studio is at regarding the highly anticipated launch of Dying Light 2. What he found instead was disheartening picture including a lack of leadership, a lack of direction, and a demoralizing atmosphere. One developer even told the site that "the fish rots from the head" when discussing the more toxic aspects of the studio and its leadership. 

Remember El Shaddai? The surreal 2011 title blended a unique take on stylish action and a dreamlike aesthetic with a narrative heavily steeped in biblical lore. The cult classic has been trapped on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for the last decade, but it’s getting a new lease on life with a move to PC (via Steam).

There’s no release window for the port, but the official announcement says the game is coming "soon." El Shaddai's story follows Enoch, a scribe who tries to save humanity from a great flood by locating seven fallen angels. The story draws inspiration from the Book of Enoch, an ancient bible text that’s widely excluded from most biblical canon. The game’s combat revolves around a unique one-button system that players must time correctly to initiate various combos. Outside of battle, players traverse the colorful, abstract world in breezy, linear 2D platforming. El Shaddai launched in August 2011 to a positive reception, with players lauding the beautiful art direction and unique, streamlined combat. Years later, El Shaddai’s creator, Sawaki Takeyasu, would go on to create The Lost Child, a follow-up of sorts that launched in June 2018.  

Ever since video games became successful, film and television adaptations have been pursued. Whether you're talking the Super Mario Bros. Super Show in 1989, the long-running Pokémon anime, or the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie, the results have been as varied as the games they've attempted to adapt. While Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Witcher season 2 are currently in the works, we now know the latest game to enter the live-action adaptation fray, and it's probably not what you've been expecting. While some fans pine for BioShock on the big screen or new episodic adventures in the Mass Effect universe, NBCUniversal has ordered a new competitive, live-action series based on the classic video game Frogger.

The Super Mario event is headed to Animal Crossing: New Horizons for players to enjoy and it brings with it a ton of unique ways for the two franchises to intertwine. Coins, Warp Pipes, costumes, and more are on the way, but some have been wondering exactly how the Warp Pipes will work in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, especially regarding in-island travel. 

While walking around your island is a fun pastime, sometimes you just have to get to Able Sisters super fast. We get it, we're not here to judge. The Warp Pipes addition to New Horizons will allow players to do just that, zipping around their islands in a much more efficient manner. While we've seen the Warp Pipes in action thanks to the latest Nintendo Direct, the Big N decided to go into a little more detail about how the actual functionality works in-game. 

In a recent tweet, Nintendo opened up a little more about how the Warp Pipes will work in the world of Animal Crossing. It's pretty simple, "Place two Warp Pipes on your island to warp between them, even with one in your home! If you place more than two, the Warp location will be chosen randomly." 

Wizards of the Coast today announced the impending arrival of Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, coming to D&D players on May 18. Older Dungeons & Dragons players will need little introduction to the concept of Ravenloft; the setting saw its inception in an early AD&D adventure module from 1983, before a later boxed set released in 1990 for the second edition of the game. The setting had a much more recent appearance in the well-received Curse of Strahd adventure that released in 2016, but fans know there is much more than Strahd's Barovia to the sprawling horror landscape of Ravenloft.

Like in the original boxed set, the new 5th edition Ravenloft setting takes a novel approach to presenting the the different styles of horror storytelling. Creeping mists surround individual “Domains of Dread” within Ravenloft, including the vampire Strahd’s benighted Barovia, and individuals are sometimes pulled through the mists to new locations. Each domain taps into different angles on horror adventures, and it sounds like we can expect a mix of both established realms, as well as some new surprises.

Hitman 3 launched last month and while we loved it, it certainly didn't have the smoothest launch. Between server issues, entitlements to past campaign content, and other bugs, developer IO Interactive had its work cut out for it in the immediate aftermath of launch. While many of the issues have been assuaged in the month since its January 23 release, IO Interactive has announced its first major post-launch patch that not only address various lingering issues, but adds more content.

First up is the Tactical Turtleneck (pictured above), which is added as an unlockable suit for all Hitman 3 players. Once you unlock it by completing The Final Test again in the ICA Facility, it will be added to your inventory and can be used in any location that lets you choose your starting suit.

The Xbox Games With Gold February 2021 lineup is still available for those interested in the freebies available this month. Still, for those looking forward to what's next, Microsoft has revealed what the Xbox Games With Gold March 2021 lineup looks like. Just like every month, March will offer a select few free titles for Xbox Live and Game Pass Ultimate members to enjoy. Whether you want to become a pirate or fight in the llama apocalypse, here are the free games on the way next month for Games With Gold. 

Xbox Games With Gold March 2021 free games 

The latest lineup doesn't pack quite the punch that the current month has, but it does have a llama apocalypse (so that's cool). While I haven't checked out Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse myself, the fact that it's free gives me an excuse to try out such a wild concept, which honestly sounds weird enough to be awesome. Port Royale is a solid try for those that like a good ol' fashioned pirate adventure. 

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For the full list of available titles next month: