Game Informer

While the new trailer for the upcoming expansion of Cyberpunk 2077 starts out with some voice lines from Keanu Reeves, the surprise appearance comes from a newly revealed character. Solomon Reed appears as a new figure played by Idris Elba.

Few concrete details are apparent from the trailer, but the spirit and visual styling of Cyberpunk 2077 remains in clear evidence. We know that Phantom Liberty is built as a spy-thriller set in a new district of Night City and that V somehow works together with the government of the New United States of America, and presumably alongside the newly revealed Solomon Reed.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is set for release in 2023 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

 

At long last, Final Fantasy 16 has a release date. Announced tonight during The Game Awards, Square Enix revealed the game will be released on June 22, 2023.

Following in the tradition of other FF16 trailers, our new glimpse looks great – and definitely expensive. From combat, bosses, story, and world, everything pops off screen – a few short minutes of bombast and spectacle. 

Check it out for yourself below:

Final Fantasy 16 will be a PlayStation 5 console exclusive for six months. 

Publisher CI Games and developer Hexworks have released a new trailer for its upcoming sequel, The Lords of the Fallen, and it's another dark and terrifying look at the Soulslike series. 

Lords of the Fallen was released back in 2014, and GI Games revealed its long-awaited sequel, The Lords of the Fallen, during Gamescom's Opening Night Live back in August. A new trailer showcasing another look at the world of this sequel was released during The Game Awards 2022 tonight, and while it only featured a few glimpses of gameplay, it seems The Lords of the Fallen is shaping up to be a worthy successor. 

Watch The Lords of the Fallen gameplay teaser below: 

The Lords of the Fallen is set 1,000 years after the original Lords of the Fallen, and it's been designed with cooperative play in mind, according to Hexworks. Two players can play together in uninterrupted online play and experience an "expansive RPG experience filled with NPC quests, compelling characters, and rich narrative," according to a press release from earlier this year. 

The Lords of the Fallen will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A release date has not yet been revealed, but it's due out sometime in 2023. 

Are you excited for The Lords of the Fallen? Let us know in the comments below!

Activision has announced Crash Team Rumble, a 4v4 team-based online multiplayer game starring Crash Bandicoot and his furry/scaly friends. The game sees Toys for Bob, the studio behind Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, step back into the developer role for the Crash Bandicoot series, but with a decidedly different approach in tow.

Crash Team Rumble puts players in the shoes of Crash, Dingodile, and the Bandicoot's stable of friends and enemies. Each character has their own powers, personality, and playstyle as they duke it out in 4v4 competitions across a wide array of arenas. The teams compete in a variety of activities to bank the most Wumpa fruit in their drop-off zone while simultaneously defending it.

"We're so excited to unveil our fresh new take on multiplayer in the Crash universe with Crash Team Rumble," Paul Yan, co-studio head at Toys for Bob said in a press release. "Crash Team Rumble has something for everyone – easy pick-up and play for those who just want to jump in, while also providing skilled gamers the opportunity to leverage and master their hero's unique abilities."

You can see the reveal trailer below.

Dontnod Entertainment has revealed their next game: Banishers: Ghosts of a New Eden. While Dontnod is known best for its work on the Life is Strange series, Banishers is an action/RPG, and it might share more in common with the studio's 2018 game Vampyr. For a better look at the game, check out the teaser below.

In the reveal trailer, a man sits across the table from a woman, holding her hand. Another person in the room calls the man a banisher, one who hunts ghosts. Then, the woman at the table dissolves away into a blue light, indicating that she was a ghost the whole time. Afterward, we get a glimpse at what gameplay might look like, with the man and his ghostly companion leaping into battle with an undead creature called a bonewalker.

Outside that brief trailer, we got a release window. Near the end of 2023, Banishers: Ghosts of a New Eden will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Crime Boss: Rockay City was announced during The Game Awards 2022 and though its trailer was light on gameplay, it featured plenty of surprising celebrities. Michael Madsen is playing the titular Crime Boss, Travis Baker, along with Kim Basinger as Casey, Damion Poitier as Nasara, Danny Trejo as The Dragon, Danny Glover as Gloves, Michael Rooker as Touchdown, Vanilla Ice as Hielo, and Chuck Norris.

The game takes place in Florida in the 90s and is a first-person shooter. Little else is known about the game, but it releases on March 28, 2023 for PC (via Epic), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

 

Tonight during The Game Awards, we got a new extended look at The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the upcoming animated movie about, well, the Super Mario Bros.

Check it out below:

The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be released on April 7, 2023. It's being animated by Illumination Entertainment, the production company behind the Minions and Despicable Me series. It stars Chris Pratt as Mario, Jack Black as Bowser, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, among others.

This evening’s presentation of The Game Awards brought us a new cinematic look at Diablo IV. The long-in-development action/RPG is finally nearing release, and we got a confirmed release date this evening. You’ll be able to confront demons to your heart’s content beginning on June 6, 2023.

While the trailer didn’t offer a wealth of new details about the game, it did show off a pretty epic battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell. The forces seem to be led by Tyrael on one side and Lilith on the other side, and two massive armies clash over the course of the battle.

Check out the full trailer for a glimpse of Blizzard’s top-notch cinematic storytelling.

 

Bandai Namco Studios, Bandai Namco Online, and Amazon Games are teaming up to release Blue Protocol, an upcoming MMO action RPG with anime visuals to more territories and platforms, including North America.

Blue Protocol was not announced during the 2022 Game Awards, but up until now, it hasn't been clear if the game would be making its way outside of Japan. During the show, a new trailer for the game was shared, alongside a confirmation that the game would be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in new regions the second half of 2023. Amazon Games also shared that Blue Protocol would be receiving a closed beta early next year.

Blue Protocol will be free-to-play, but will be playable in full for free. Monetization will come from character customizations and other cosmetics. Amazon Games also shared that the game can be played alone, or cooperatively with friends.

Baldur's Gate 3 launches in August 2023, developer Larian Studios announced during tonight's The Game Awards. The announcement arrived alongside a new trailer and details surrounding the game's Collector's Edition.

The Collector's Edition includes a 25-centimeter Mindflayer vs. Drow battle diorama made from high-quality PVC/ABS plastic, an approximately 160-page hardcover art book, character sheets, a cloth map, a tadpole keyring, 32 die-cut stickers, three Magic: The Gathering booster packs featuring characters from Baldur's Gate 3, an oversized metal Baldur's Gate 3 D20 die, and a Collector's Edition certificate. The Collector's Edition will cost $270 and will be limited to 25,000 units worldwide.

On top of that news, we also received a trailer showing beloved characters Minsc and Jaheira's return, as well as the gameplay debut of the City of Baldur's Gate. You can see the trailer below.

Prior to the August 2023 1.0 launch, Larian will release Patch 9, which will include various improvements to the Early Access version, including a new playable class. Details of that will be revealed during a special streamed panel on December 14.

Bandai Namco has released a new trailer for Tekken 8 and it features our first look at gameplay. 

The trailer showcases various Tekken 8 fighters, including series mainstay Jin Kazama. His mother, Jun Kazama, makes an appearance in the trailer as well to tell Jin that together, they'll "cleanse the world of its evil and corruption." 

Check out the Tekken 8 gameplay trailer for yourself below: 

As you can see, Tekken 8 is looking great. The trailer above is mostly focused on teasing details about the game's story, which will seemingly feature Jin and the struggles of his family dynamic (thanks, Heihachi). There are also quick clips of Tekken 8 gameplay, although it's void of the UI that showcases each fighter's HP and other elements. 

Tekken 8 was revealed earlier this year during a PlayStation State of Play held in September. That reveal trailer focused on Kazuya and his son, Jin, and you can watch it here. 

Tekken 8 will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. It does not yet have a release date. 

Are you excited for Tekken 8? Let us know in the comments below!

Joe Madureira, creator of Darksiders and Battle Chasers appeared on stage at The Game Awards 2022 to share details about Airship Synidcate's next game, Wayfinder, which Madureira described as a character-based online action RPG.

The trailer for the game revealed a Diablo-esque cooperative action game featuring character designs in line with Madureira's previous work.

Become a Wayfinder and #ControlTheChaos in endless adventure!

Light the way with friends to shape and control your exploration together in an action-packed, immersive world with story-driven characters! Sign up for the Closed Beta today. https://t.co/hClTLHdVhM @playwayfinder pic.twitter.com/hY0DWqkV2D

— Airship Syndicate (@AirshipSyn) December 9, 2022

Wayfinder is being published by Digital Extremes, the Warframe creator, which will also help support the online components and monetization. A beta for the game will begin next week and you can sign up to participate at playwayfinder.com. The game is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4, and additional consoles will be supported, as well, though Airship was not ready to offer specific confimration.

Death Stranding 2 – the sequel to one of the best games of the previous console generation – was announced tonight during The Game Awards. As you might expect from director Hideo Kojima, it was baffling. 

The trailer begins with Fragile, played by Lea Seydoux (No Time to Die, Crimes of the Future), running from some kind of threat while carrying a BB (a baby in an artificial womb; it's a whole thing) in tow. We then get a brief look at Sam Porter Bridges – the protagonist of the first game, played by Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) – who Fragile tells, "It's time for you to hit the road and start a new journey." Then everything truly goes off the rails. 

Giant mecha vehicles (not too unlike the titular Metal Gears from Kojima's previous series at Konami, Metal Gear Solid). Primary antagonist Higgs dressed like President Amelie Strand and playing an electric guitar. A BB pod full of tentacles. The ominous question, "Should we have connected," casting doubts on the entire objective of the first game – connecting the United States – all quickly flashes onscreen. If it sounds like a lot, it is. Check it out for yourself below:

We're calling it Death Stranding 2, but from the looks of it, the game is actually named DS2. Also, aside from the previously mentioned movie stars, it features Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon) and Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool 2). 

Celeste and TowerFall creator Maddy Thorson and their team at Extremely OK Games teased its next project, Earthblade, last year. Tonight at The Game Awards, we got our first look at what the fantasy platformer looks like. 

From the trailer below, the game seems to adhere closly to the Metroidvania platforming action of Celeste, but there's likely more than meets the eye. Unfortunatley, we won't get to play Earthblade until 2024 and there are no announced platforms as of yet. 

 

A new clip from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League reveals that Kevin Conroy, who passed away earlier this year, will return to play Batman. Conroy made his first appearance as Batman in 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series and has continued to play the character in countless shows, movies, and games. He portrayed Batman in the Arkham games, the series Rocksteady is best known for.

Unlike the Arkham games, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a co-op shooter. Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Deadshot are on a mission to stop the Justice League after supervillain Brainiac corrupts them and forces them to wreak havoc on humanity. While it sounds like a bleak premise, this trailer also gives a good look at the dark humor the Suicide Squad is known for.

Rocksteady also announced that the game would be coming out on May 26, 2023, just a few months from now. This news comes following years of delays and will set it eight years after the studio’s last game, Batman: Arkham Knight.

Star Wars: Jedi Survivor has remained quiet for much of its development cycle, but a leak earlier this week suggested that we don’t have long to wait for the big sequel. That info was confirmed in this evening’s trailer at The Game Awards, so we now know with confidence that the game is targeting a launch on March 17.

The trailer was accompanied by a visit from Cal Kestis himself, Cameron Monaghan. The actor is returning to play the beleaguered Jedi in the sequel, and he was around to follow up after the trailer to discuss his enthusiasm for the game. 

For fans eagerly anticipating new details, the trailer offers a lot over which to muse. We see that Cal looks like a more grizzled and powerful Jedi than when we last saw him training to become a knight. That truth is denoted perhaps most powerfully by the presence of a stubbly beard – a sure sign of force mastery in the Star Wars universe, if ever there was one.

As depicted in the trailer, Jedi Survivor picks up some five years after the adventure described in Fallen Order. Returning companions include droid BD-1 and Cere Junda, but we also meet a new mercenary named Bode Akuna. In one sequence, we see Bode attacking in tandem with Cal, suggesting some sort of team-up dynamic may be present.

Revealed during The Game Awards 2022, Naughty Dog is bringing its recent remake of The Last of Us to PC. Alongside a new trailer for the game, it was revealed the game will be available on March 3.

For more on the Last of Us, Part I, head here.

Kratos voice actor Christopher Judge has revealed that he initially quit when he learned that someone other than God of War (2018) director Cory Barlog was directing God of War Ragnarök. Longtime Santa Monica Studios lead Eric Williams directed the sequel, which released last month. 

Fortunately for all of us, though, Barlog was able to convince Judge that quitting was not the right call. Judge touched on this during his lengthy speech at The Game Awards 2022 after accepting the award for best performance in a video game.

Here's what he said: 

"I think it's kind of common knowledge that we were honored to go to Tribeca after 2018, and when Cory took me outside and said he wouldn't be directing the next one, I literally did quit. I quit. And he said, 'Nah, I vouch for Eric.' And I said, 'Eric Williams better be a beast.' Eric Williams is a motherf---ing beast."

It's unclear if Judge legitimately quit or if he was just using these words to express his initial disappointment that Barlog was not returning to direct Ragnarök. Nonetheless, Barlog vouched for Williams, and now we have Ragnarök, one of our highest-rated games of 2022 here at Game Informer. 

Helping to ramp up an evening of world premieres at The Game Awards this evening, Supergiant Games revealed its newest game. Hot on the heels of the wild success of Hades, Supergiant is doing something it’s never done before: crafting a sequel.

After its previous work on titles like Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre, the studio’s new game takes us back to the roguelike playstyle of the original game, but with a new female lead fighting their way through hordes of enemies.

Instead of Zagreus’ attempted escape from Hades, Hades 2 sees players attempting to descend to fight against the titan named Kronos. The character is dubbed the “Princess of the Underworld” but given the previous game’s nod to Greek mythology, there’s a good bet that this new character has some interesting ties to the big players in that well-known pantheon.

Beyond the intriguing trailer, there’s no word on release date or console platform plans, but we do know to expect new details on Early Access in 2023, and that the game is coming to both Steam and Epic Game Store on PC.

 

Ghost Story Games, the team led by BioShock creator Ken Levine, finally unveiled its first project. It's called Judas, and if you're a BioShock fan, you'll be happy with what you're about to see. 

To say this title follows in BioShock's footsteps would be an understatement. From its industrial sci-fi look to its first-person dual-wielding, superpowered action, Judas sports the familiar trappings of Levine's work at Irrational Games. Ghost Story describes it as a single-player, narrative-driven shooter and provided this tantalizing synopsis:

"You are the mysterious and troubled Judas. Your only hope for survival is to make or break alliances with your worst enemies. Will you work together to fix what you broke – or will you leave it to burn?"

Update, 12/7/2022: Balan Wonderworld director Yuji Naka has been re-arrested on a second charge of insider trading, this time involving the mobile battle royale title Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier. 

Last month, Naka and former Square Enix employee Taisuke Sazaki were arrested on suspicion of buying shares in developer Aiming after learning in advance about the team’s announcement of its mobile game Dragon Quest Tact (see the full original story below). Japanese outlet Asashi (thanks Video Games Chronicle) now reports that Naka and Sazaki are believed to have tried a similar scheme for the reveal of Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier.

Ashai notes that in February 2021, developer Ateam and Square Enix announced a partnership to develop the mobile battle royale title. Naka and Sazaki are said to have known the details of this deal before it became public and bought shares in Ateam in hopes of profiting off a higher stock price stemming from The First Soldier’s reveal. 

In the wake of Microsoft’s ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard, one of the most contentious arguments against it has been Call of Duty’s continued presence on PlayStation platforms. Xbox head Phil Spencer has repeatedly promised that the juggernaut franchise will still appear on its main rival’s platforms, but that hasn’t stopped Sony from touting the loss of the series as anti-competitive to stop the deal from going through. After saying he had no problem keeping Call of Duty on Sony hardware for the long term, Spencer has now extended and formalized that promise to Nintendo and Valve. 

Last night, Spencer announced on Twitter that Microsoft has entered a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty back to Nintendo. In a follow-up tweet, Spencer states the series will remain on Steam as well. Of course, all of this hinges on the approval of the publisher’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which continues to be scrutinized in ongoing approval processes from government regulators. 

Publisher Numskull Games and developer Dinosaur Bytes have released a new trailer for its nostalgic platformer, Clive 'N' Wrench, showcasing what to expect in the Christmas World level of the game. 

This trailer arrives alongside news that the 3D platformer inspired by the likes of Spyro the Dragon and Jak & Daxter will get a retail release in the U.S. and Canada as well as a retail release in a "number of international retailers in February 2023 alongside its European launch." The game will be available digitally as well on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG. Physical releases will include standard and collector's editions on PlayStation and Switch. 

Check out the new Christmas World showcase trailer below: 

Dragon Quest Treasures is a prequel to Dragon Quest 11. It follows the exploits of Erik and his sister, Mia, well before they met up with The Luminary and follows them on their adventure to find treasure, escape vikings, and jump on top of the heads of monsters in order to reach higher platforms. Unlike Dragon Quest 11, Treasures is an action game with open environments and a focus on collecting valuables. It releases December 9 on Nintendo Switch and we will have a review for the game on gameinformer.com soon.

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Release: November 11, 2022
Rating: Teen

On June 27, 1972, Atari, as we know it today, was born. Well, technically, it was born a few months earlier under the name Syzygy Engineering, but the name Atari started life in 1972. I know this and many more interesting facts about the company because of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, Digital Eclipse's love letter to the gaming giant.

Atari 50 is essentially a playable documentary, walking you through 50 years of Atari's games, home consoles, handhelds, and PCs split into five different timelines. Each of the five timelines focuses on a different aspect of the business, with dates sometimes running concurrently. Each one is packed with videos, images, design documents, and more. It's a museum exhibit in a box and a delightful one to boot.

Hey Elden Ring fans, remember those colosseums you haven’t been able to enter since launch? Those doors finally open today, thanks to the arrival of a free PvP update.

Aptly dubbed Colosseum Update 1.08, the previously locked arenas in Limgrave, Caelid, and Leyndell become accessible, hosting competitive one-on-one duels, team battles, and free-for-all fights between players. It’s unclear what you’ll earn for winning other than personal glory, but it’s nice to see the fog finally lift on these mysterious locations. Check out the trailer below. 

This might be the start of a big week for Elden Ring, as it could walk away with the Game of the Year trophy during this week's Game Awards. You can read our review of Elden Ring here.

Microsoft has announced that it’s raising the price of first-party Xbox Series X/S games to $70 beginning in 2023. 

IGN first confirmed the news, with a Microsoft spokesperson telling the outlet that "This price reflects the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles." First-party Xbox Series X/S games such as Starfield, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport will be among the first titles to have the $70 price tag when they arrive next year. The price of Xbox Game Pass appears unaffected, and the Microsoft spokesperson continued by saying, “As with all games developed by our teams at Xbox, they will also be available with Game Pass the same day they launch.” 

Given the increasingly exorbitant cost of triple-A game development, the price rise was only a matter of time. In an October live interview with The Wall Street Journal, Xbox head Phil Spencer said as much when he stated that the company couldn’t keep its products at the same price forever. "I do think at some point we'll have to raise the prices on certain things, but going into this holiday we thought it was important to maintain the prices." 

In Inkulinati, you play a strategy game on the pages of medieval manuscripts. The game was originally announced in 2020 (before Pentiment) and we took a look at it earlier this year. Now, however, we had a chance to go hands-on. Join Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard for a look at this unique game that is surprisingly reliant on the tactical power of farts.

Palworld, AKA “That bizarre Pokémon-ish game with guns”, has a new trailer that puts names to the many cuddly faces that star in this over-the-top adventure.

Meet the Pal, the monsters that roam Palworld’s colorful yet kind of messed up world. These cuddly though often dangerous critters include the seemingly love-obsessed Lovander, grass panda Mossanda, and Tanzee, which is basically Grookey if it possessed a love for the AK-47. Sure, some of them boldly walk the line of being outright copies of existing Pokémon, but these can carry guns, which we imagine is enough of a separation to repel any lawyers. Check out the latest trailer below. 

Since its reveal in 2016, Lost Soul Aside has been one of the most promising and mysterious projects on the horizon. Today, the upcoming action game made its first peep since its last showing in 2021, showing off its frenetic combat and stylish flair. 

Lost Soul Aside began life as a solo project by developer Yang Bing. Its 2016 proof-of-concept trailer impressed many with its triple-A caliber presentation and Devil May Cry-inspired action, including Sony, who scooped up the project as a third-party PS4 exclusive. Bing is now working with a full team, Ultizero Games. Sony announced last year that Lost Soul Aside will come to PS5 as well. The adventure stars protagonist Kazar and his shapeshifting dragon companion, who transforms into various weapons for Kazar to wield. 

Despite being officially announced for years, today’s video is billed as an “announcement trailer” presumably reintroducing the game to newcomers while reminding everyone else that it still, in fact, exists. The gameplay looks as polished as it ever has, though sadly, we still have no idea when we’ll get to play it. 

Fortnite Chapter 4 is here. Following the Fracture live event on December 3^rd, the Herald and her chrome army obliterated The Island, sending chunks flying in all directions across space. Then, the island began repairing itself, forming an entirely new world filled with new locations, weapons, and mechanics. Blindly jumping into an all-new map can be a bit overwhelming, so here’s a list of every change introduced in Fortnite Chapter 4.

Fortnite Chapter 3 has officially come to a close. 

Chapter 3 began last December and now, we officially know Chapter 4 begins tomorrow, December 4. Like with previous chapter launches, Chapter 4 brings with it an all-new map to play on that will be filled with new locations and returning favorites. There's a glimpse of this new map at the end of the Chapter 4 "A New Beginning" trailer, which you can watch below: 

Here's another look at the Chapter 4 map: 

Elsewhere in the trailer, you can catch a glimpse of new skins that will likely be in the Season 1 battle pass such as Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher series, the Incredible Hulk, the Doom Slayer from Doom, and even YouTuber Mr. Beast. 

HBO has released a new trailer for The Last of Us, its upcoming TV series based on the hit Naughty Dog game of the same name. And it looks awesome (and sad...very, very sad). 

The show's first bit of footage was released back in August and slowly, HBO has been revealing more and more about The Last of Us. We've seen Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie in previous footage, but today's trailer gives us our longest look yet at the duo. Both continue to embody the spirit of Joel and Ellie in the games well and you can watch new footage of their scenes in the newest trailer below: 

As you can see, the trailer features a lot more of Joel and Ellie, but it also gives us new looks at clickers, a bloater, and possibly even David (although it could be someone else, like one of David's henchmen). We also see Bill and Frank, and this trailer seems to tease that we'll be getting a lot more of their relationship in the show than we did in the game. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it couple of moments, we even see Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, who voiced Joel and Ellie in the games (shout-out to SlashFilm for catching that):

This week on All Things Nintendo, Brian and Wesley catch up on all the news from the past couple of weeks, including some updates for games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Sonic Frontiers, Nintendo Switch Sports, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Overwatch 2. Then, Marcus joins the show to chat about several recent games that have come to Switch. Finally, Brian, Kyle, and Marcus give their instant and after-the-fact reactions to the second Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer.

If you'd like to follow the people from this episode on Twitter, hit the following links: Brian Shea (@brianpshea), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard)

The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we can celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!

Earlier this year, I flew to Los Angeles to learn about the making of Mina The Hollower, Yacht Club Games’ new Game Boy Color-inspired follow-up to Shovel Knight. Following the studio’s successful Kickstarter earlier this year, Game Informer sheds light on Mina The Hollower’s origins as developer Alec Faulkner’s side project, how he pitched the game to the Yacht Club, and ultimately, how the team hopes to deliver a game as prolific as Shovel Knight.

This multi-part video game documentary, directed by yours truly, debuts next Wednesday, December 7th, on our YouTube channel. Want to support this work? Consider sharing the trailer on your favorite social media platform, watching it with a friend, or purchasing an annual subscription to Game Informer Magazine. If you’d like to share your feedback with me, reach out on Twitter or Instagram.  

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Firaxis Games
Release: December 2, 2022 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC), TBA (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch)
Rating: Teen

The Callisto Protocol, Glen Schofield's spiritual successor to his Dead Space series, is finally out and to celebrate the day, Striking Distance Studios has released a content plan detailing six months of DLC for the game. 

As previously announced, The Callisto Protocol's season pass DLC will feature brand-new death animations, presumably to be featured in the game's new story content. According to this new content timeline, that additional story is expected to release sometime next summer. Before that, though, all players will receive New Game+ and a Hardcore Mode while season pass owners will also get the outer way skin collection, the contagion bundle, the riot bundle, and the aforementioned story content. 

Six months of content coming to The Callisto Protocol beginning Feb 7, 2023, with a free update of Hardcore Mode and New Game+. More details for this and the Season Pass coming soon. pic.twitter.com/43mLjK93IP

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Krafton
Developer: Striking Distance Studios
Release: December 2, 2022
Rating: Mature

Nearly a decade and a half ago, Visceral Games released Dead Space, a now cult-classic survival-horror game inspired by the likes of Alien and The Thing. If you've ever yearned for a return to its mix of sci-fi and horror, or if you want a near-identical experience to Schofield’s first survival horror hit, you’re in luck. Schofield's latest, The Callisto Protocol, veers incredibly close to Dead Space, for both better and worse. Unfortunately, though, it’s far too familiar. There are glimmers of greatness, namely in its opening hours, but what unfolds after is a tiresome and unsurprising eight hours that feel like a relic of the past.

Monster Hunter Rise is embarking on a new hunt on PlayStation and Xbox consoles in January. Its recent expansion, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, will follow suit sometime next Spring. 

The latest entry in the uber-popular series comes to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on January 20. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass for console, PC, and cloud at launch. The current-gen versions specifically boast 4K resolution, 60 FPS gameplay, and 3D audio, among other customizable options. However, a disclaimer on a new trailer states that 3D Audio will come to the Xbox One version in a Spring update. The PS5 port also supports DualSense haptic feedback for ranged and shielded weapons. The game is priced at $39.99 across all platforms. 

Monster Hunter Rise first launched in March 2021 for Switch before migrating to PC in January of this year. Sunbreak made its way to both platforms this past June. In addition to this news, Capcom reveals that Rise has sold over 11 million units since its launch. 

To learn more, check out our reviews for Monster Hunter Rise here and the Sunbreak expansion here.

Neon White is finally making its way to PlayStation consoles, roughly six months after the game's initial release on Switch and PC. 

Publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Angel Matrix announced this news today, revealing that Neon White hits PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on December 13. This fast-paced, speedrunning FPS is well worth your time if you haven't played it yet and you can find out why in Game Informer's Neon White review. 

"Neon White is a lightning fast single-player speedrunning FPS where players sacrifice their guns for godlike parkour moves," a press release reads. "Assume the role of White, an assassin handpicked from Hell, and compete with other demon slayers for a shot at redemption and a chance to live permanently in Heaven. The game utilizes a unique card-based weapon system, bite sized hand-designed levels, and a breakneck soundtrack by Machine Girl to turn players into speedrunning freaks. 

"As players unravel Heaven's mysteries, they will discover the other demon slayers are more familiar than they first appear, and through the visual novel inspired story, they learn it's never too late to seek forgiveness." 

Check out this new trailer released today for the game's upcoming PlayStation debut: