Game Informer

Last week, Google announced it plans to shut down Stadia on January 18. One of the less-discussed casualties of the news was that Tequila Works’ Gylt, a horror adventure game and the first Stadia-exclusive title, would disappear entirely. Thankfully, that won’t be the case.

Tequila Works has confirmed that it plans to make Gylt multiplatform in 2023. It doesn’t specify which platforms the game will become available on, but it’s a relief to know that one of Stadia’s few original gems won’t be lost to history. 

🎃 We bring terrific news: GYLT is going multiplatform in 2023! More info to come in the upcoming months.https://t.co/ON1pbiGsB9 pic.twitter.com/2sWdseym2G

Sony announced its new gaming loyalty program, PlayStation Stars, back in July, and the service is now live in North and South America. PlayStation users can sign up for the free program, but there’s one big caveat.

PlayStation Stars allows players to earn points and digital collectibles by completing “campaigns,” which range from completing small objectives while playing games to larger monthly challenges. Any PlayStation player can join Stars; you don’t need a Plus subscription. 

Completing campaigns also raises your Star Status, a leveling system consisting of four ranks. Everyone begins at Level 1, but doing things like purchasing games from PSN or earning a certain number of trophy rarities raises this level, increasing the quality of rewards you earn. 

Digital rewards, which Sony confirmed are not NFTs and cannot be resold, include models of old PlayStation consoles and characters from first-party titles. You can also redeem points to use as funds for your digital store wallet and to purchase DLC. Points remain available for 24 months after earning them. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Warner Bros. Games Montreal
Release: October 21, 2022
Rating: Teen

Gotham Knights launches in just a couple of weeks, and Batman fans have been excited – and trepidatious – about the Bat clan’s big family adventure. To find out how the project is shaping up, I took a trip to Warner Bros. Montreal to play two hours of the game. I spent time-fighting crime as all four characters, explored Gotham’s open world, and took down criminals alongside a co-op partner. I also chatted with the dev team to uncover more nuggets about what the adventure brings to the table. Here are some general hands-on impressions and intriguing fun facts I learned about the Gotham Knights as the march towards its October 21 launch draws near.

Bandai Namco has released a new trailer for the new-gen release of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot alongside news that it hits PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in January. 

More specifically, Kakarot comes to new-gen consoles on January 13, 2023, meaning we're just a few months away from this re-release. To accompany today's news, Bandai Namco has released a new trailer showcasing some of DBZ's most iconic moments alongside some comparison clips between the PlayStation 4/Xbox One version of Kakarot and the upcoming new-gen update. Unsurprisingly, it looks a lot better. 

Check it out for yourself below: 

Kakarot on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S features updated visuals that look even better than the original release and 60 frames-per-second gameplay. If you already own the game, you can upgrade to the new-gen version of Kakarot for free. 

This new trailer also teases what's to come in the game's second season pass. The first DLC is called Bardock: Alone Against Fate, and it's a new story arc. Two more story arc DLCs are in the season pass as well. Plus, Season Pass 2 owners will get a cooking item that increases HP and Ki defense. 

While waiting for January, read Game Informer's Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot review to find out why we think the game is flawed but still highly enthralling. 

Dynasty Warriors developer Omega Force and EA revealed Wild Hearts last week, giving players a glimpse of what's to come in this new beast-hunting game. 

Similar to Capcom's Monster Hunter series, the central draw of Wild Hearts is the massive creatures and how you successfully hunt them down. You craft new weapons and armor along the way, growing stronger and stronger with each hunt, as you attempt to rid the land of Azuma of these beasts. The reveal trailer released last week gave some quick glimpses of what that looks like, but a new gameplay trailer showcases seven minutes of Wild Hearts gameplay. 

Check it out for yourself below: 

For more about Wild Hearts, be sure to check out the reveal trailer from last week. 

Are you excited about Wild Hearts? Let us know in the comments below!

Bayonetta 3 is Game Informer's next cover story, and during our interviews with Platinum Games we asked if the months-long rumor that Bayonetta's English voice actor in the first two games, Hellena Taylor, was stepping away from the role in the upcoming entry. Taylor cryptically hinted to fans last September that she may not return in Bayonetta 3, saying she wasn't "at liberty" to elaborate further when fans pressed the issue. Platinum confirmed to us that Taylor does not reprise the role. Instead, the Umbra Witch is brought to life by veteran performer Jennifer Hale.

“Various overlapping circumstances made it difficult for Hellena Taylor to reprise her role,” says game director Yusuke Miyata. “We held auditions to cast the new voice of Bayonetta and offered the role to Jennifer Hale, whom we felt was a good match for the character. I understand the concerns some fans have about the voice change at this point in the series, but Jennifer’s performance was way beyond what we could have imagined. I’m confident that her portrayal of Bayonetta will exceed our fans’ expectations.”

Hale is a prolific voice actress with numerous video game credits. She's perhaps best known as the voice of female Commander Shepard in Mass Effect, but her roles include Samus Aran in the Metroid Prime series, Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Ashe in Overwatch, and Rivet in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.  

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Playstack Ltd
Developer: Stubby Games
Release: November 3, 2022

We have teamed up with PQube, MassHive Media, and Wonacott PR to offer you, our wonderful readers, physical copies of the life sim RPG Potion Permit. We have five copies available for PlayStation 5, and 3 copies of PlayStation 4. 

About the Game:
The town of Moonbury has always been wary of the advances of the outside world, preferring to rely on their traditional methods of healing, until one day, when the mayor's daughter falls ill, and the local witch doctor can do nothing to help her, they are forced to look outside their small community for help.

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Release: October 4, 2022
Rating: Teen

Overwatch took the gaming world by storm when it launched in 2016, thanks to its well-balanced roster of unique heroes and terrific objective-based, first-person-shooting gameplay. The game’s popularity endured through the years thanks to a wealth of new content like characters, maps, cosmetics, and game modes, adding to the terrific foundation. However, once the content dried up for Overwatch, the public interest followed shortly afterward. Overwatch 2 represents the re-emergence of one of the top multiplayer games of the last generation, delivering a 5v5 format, a free-to-play structure, and a ton of new content. The result is an action-packed and enjoyable progression of the beloved hero-shooter franchise, but one that feels less revolutionary and more iterative than expected.

Your host Wesley LeBlanc is joined by Game Informer editor Marcus Stewart to discuss Nier Automata: The End of YoRHa Edition, a new version of the game exclusive to Switch. The two discuss how the game runs and looks on Switch, how the experience holds up five years after its original release, and whether Nier Automata is still worth playing all these years later. 

While Nier Automat has, over the year, hit PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as PC, it has yet to reach a Nintendo platform...that is until this Thursday, October 6, when The End of YoRHa Edition is released. As for what to expect, this new edition of Nier Automata includes the following:

• Nier Automata base game
• All previously released DLC
• New costumes exclusive to Switch

If you're wondering whether Switch is the platform to play this on for newcomers, or if you're wondering whether this new release is worth a replay, we have you covered in the latest New Gameplay Today, which you can watch below. Enjoy!

The year 1985 contained so many cultural touchstones: Queen’s legendary Live Aid performance, Coca-Cola’s infamous New Coke release, the first-ever WrestleMania, and much more. Likely the most crucial moment to readers of Game Informer was the debut of the Nintendo Entertainment System.

The NES pulled the burgeoning industry out of the “video game crash” and introduced countless iconic characters and franchises. It seemed like every hit property received a game at the time. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Top Gun, DuckTales, Dungeons & Dragons, American Gladiators: the list goes on and on. However, one iconic brand shockingly never made the transition into a NES game.

Garbage Pail Kids, which also debuted in 1985, was a trading card series that mixed the cuteness of the hit Cabbage Patch Kids dolls with outrageous, funny, and compelling grossness. The images featured kids barfing, losing limbs, and getting zapped by lightning, to name a few. Word of mouth spread on playgrounds like wildfire, and teachers and parents were quick to ban and condemn them. Naturally, this made GPK wildly popular.

If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now learn all about Bayonetta 3. Following the cover reveal, our digital issue is now live to subscribers on web browsers, iPad/iPhone, and Android devices. Individual issues will be available for purchase this afternoon.

You can download the apps to view the issue by following this link. All of these digital options are included in a PowerUp Rewards Membership.

Nearly four years after its reveal, Bayonetta 3 is finally on the horizon and graces Game Informer’s cover this month. Platinum Games’ long-awaited threequel doesn’t rest on the laurels of its beloved predecessors. Gaming’s favorite witch has new tricks up her sleeves in the forms of Demon Masquerade and Demon Slave, letting players utilize their demonic minions in combat in new, kaiju-sized ways. If one Bayonetta wasn’t enough, a multiversal storyline introduces several variants that bring their unique brands of flair. At the center of this crisis stands newcomer Viola, the second playable character and rookie Umbra Witch, who serves as a mysterious key to the game’s events. 

I took a trip to Nintendo of America headquarters to play Bayonetta 3, tearing through portions of the opening hours as Bayonetta and Viola. In addition to sharing our hands-on impressions, I interviewed Platinum Games’ top brass via email, including game director Yusuke Miyata and supervising director Hideki Kamiya, to get the skinny on Bayonetta 3’s long development and answers to the burning questions surrounding its gameplay and story. Our beautiful cover art features Bayonetta flaunting her Demon Masquerade ability by channeling the power of Madama Butterfly, who appears on the back cover in her full, demonic glory. 

CD Projekt Red has pulled back the curtains on its game development pipeline, revealing a brand new Cyberpunk game, multiple new Witcher games, and even a new IP. 

This news comes by way of the studio's investor call today, in which the studio revealed Orion, the codename for its next Cyberpunk game. Not much else was revealed, but CDPR says Orion "will take the Cyberpunk franchise further and continue harnessing the potential of this dark future universe." 

Up next was The Witcher. CDPR has revealed that its next Witcher game, which was announced earlier this year, is being developed under the codename Polaris. The studio says "it is the beginning of a new saga" and that it aims to release two more Witcher games after Polaris, creating a new AAA RPG Witcher trilogy. 

EA and Motive Studios have released the first official gameplay trailer for the upcoming remake of Dead Space. 

The studio has been slowly releasing new information and video clips of this remake in its behind-the-scenes showcases focused on things like the game's sound, visuals, or something else. But today's trailer marks the first time we've seen this much official gameplay at once and it looks great. Terrifying, of course, but great. 

Check out the official Dead Space remake gameplay trailer for yourself below: 

And here are some high-resolution screenshots from today's trailer: 

The first batch of Xbox Game Pass games to come during the spookiest season of the year have been unveiled. A Plague Tale: Requiem headlines the line-up, accompanied by fellow new title Scorn along with Chivarly II. Read on to find out what’s coming and what’s leaving Game Pass in the coming week, and check out our linked reviews for each title.

What's Coming To Xbox Game Pass

Chivalry II (Console, PC, Cloud) – Today

Medieval Dynasty (Xbox Series X/S) – October 6

The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (PC) – October 6

The Walking Dead: Season Two (PC) – October 6

Costume Quest (Console, Cloud) – October 11 | Our Review

Eville (Console, PC) – October 11

Dyson Sphere Program (PC) – October 13

Scorn (Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud) – October 14

A Plague Tale: Requiem (Xbox Series X/S, PC, Cloud) – October 18

Nintendo has revealed the first look at its upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie. 

Don't get too excited just yet – this first look isn't a trailer. But it is a new image showcasing our first look at the famed plumber in the Mushroom Kingdom of this movie, which is being made by Minions studio Illumination Entertainment. This image accompanies the announcement of a Nintendo Direct happening this Thursday, October 6, all about the movie. Nintendo specifically points out that there will be no video game news, however, so don't expect anything more than Super Mario Bros. 

Tune in at 1:05 p.m. PT on 10/6 for a #NintendoDirect: The Super Mario Bros. Movie presentation introducing the world premiere trailer for the upcoming film (no game information will be featured).

📽️: https://t.co/I868SmSpV2 pic.twitter.com/hqlO0SfLbe

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 4, 2022

Here's a better look at it, too, courtesy of the film's first poster:

Sony might be interested in helping produce movies and television shows based on From Software games. 

This news comes by way of a new interview between Reuters and PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst, in which Hulst explains PlayStation's investments into its PC and mobile efforts as of late, as well as its recent investment into Elden Ring developer From Software. According to Hulst, "further investments in areas that will strengthen the expansion on to PC, on to mobile, and into live services" is definitely a possibility for PlayStation. 

However, more interesting to From Software fans perhaps is Hulst's answer when asked about Sony's investment in the studio. 

"You should think of collaborations on the game development side first and foremost, but it's also not unthinkable with our PlayStation Productions efforts that we explore opportunities," he said. 

Bloober Team has announced that its 2021 psychological horror game, The Medium, is getting a TV adaptation. 

The studio announced this in a new blog post today, as translated by Bloody Disgusting, which reveals Tomasz Bagiński, an executive producer for Netflix's Witcher series, and Bloober Team's own Piotr Babieno will oversee the show. 

"Both the film industry and the video game industry are close to my heart, and I am very happy that there is finally an opportunity to bring them both together," Babieno writes in the blog post, according to Bloody Disgusting. "The story we told in the game was appreciated by players, and now more people will be able to hear about it. The latest hits of streaming platforms based on games such as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners or Arcane have shown that this is the perfect time for such productions." 

Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Canada
Release: September 30, 2022
Rating: Everyone

Much like my Liverpool fandom over the past 20 years, I vacillate between happily obsessive and begrudgingly bewildered with FIFA. Like Liverpool, when FIFA works like a well-oiled machine, play on the field is beautiful, slick, and drives my football-loving brain to elation with dopamine hits. However, FIFA 23 feels like FIFA 22, which was similar to FIFA 21, with additions ranging from mildly impactful to invigorating.

FIFA has focused on one facet of soccer for years: the attack. It’s almost arcade-like when you feel how quickly and smoothly players change pace from a controlled dribble to a sprint. Cross-field balls behind defenders for a winger to rush onto are exhilarating. The much-debated trick stick is hard to master, but even a couple of flicks can launch an audacious stepover or the famous Maradona spin to beat a defender.

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch, PC
Publisher: Toukana Interactive
Developer: Toukana Interactive
Release: April 28, 2022 (PC), September 29, 2022 (Switch)

Once you get past its bizarre name, Dorfromantik offers simple, relaxing sessions of tile-matching puzzle goodness. Connecting hexagons to build pretty landscapes offers the thoughtful strategy of a city-builder to provide a stimulating yet overwhelmingly Zen atmosphere. 

Fans of the board game Carcassonne should quickly grasp Dorfromantik's concept of drawing random tiles and finding high-scoring – and aesthetically pleasing – ways to place them on the field based on their scenery. Tiles only fit next to those with corresponding edges; railroad tiles connect with railroads, rivers merge with other bodies of water, and so on. Creating expansive forests or sprawling villages reward more points, and I enjoy the challenge of finding optimal ways to make pieces fit. Completing sections of the map and watching boats sail across my pretzel-like waterways is a small but satisfying touch because of how it brings my model cities to life. 

Dead Space fans will finally get a new look at gameplay for the upcoming remake of the first game. The game’s official Twitter account announced that we’ll see this footage tomorrow at 8 a.m. Pacific/11 a.m. Eastern on the game’s YouTube channel. 

Trailer tomorrow. Tune in at 8am PT for the first official look at #DeadSpace gameplay.

🔴: https://t.co/n9sLvsOLJS pic.twitter.com/b9GEoOZfEf

A remake or remaster of 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn is reportedly in the works alongside a new Horizon multiplayer game. 

This news comes by way of MP1st, which reports that its sources tell the publication that this remake/remaster will feature an improved lighting system, overhauled textures, better animations, and character models more in line with those of Horizon Forbidden West, Zero Dawn's sequel that released back in February. However, MP1ST notes that its sources didn't say whether this was a "built from the ground up" remake or a remaster – it might fall somewhere in between for all we know. 

According to MP1st, one of the project's big focuses (ha) is bringing Forbidden West's accessibility features over to Zero Dawn, something Sony did with The Last of Us Part II and Part I. As far as gameplay changes go, the publication says its sources say those will be mostly quality-of-life improvements. It also says it's unclear if this remake/remaster will be at the scale of The Last of Us Part I or something lesser. Only time will tell. 

Rowing Blazers, a New York-based clothing brand, has announced a new line of Sonic the Hedgehog apparel. The collection draws inspiration from Sonic's aesthetic from the 1990s, with graphics inspired by art from the time. 

Those who are interested in the collection can look forward to clothing items like a cotton sweater with Sonic's image, a zip-up polar fleece, heavyweight rugby jerseys, a French terry loopback hoodie, cotton tees, and mesh shorts. The line also includes baseball caps, canvas tote bags, a necktie, and a hand-embroidered Sonic patch for blazers and other clothing items.

You can see a gallery of some of the items in the collection below.

This week on All Things Nintendo, we go light on news and heavy on impressions and reviews. First, Wesley LeBlanc joins the show to chat about some quick news items and give his review of Shovel Knight Dig. Following that, Marcus Stewart joins Brian as the two cover a ton of games, including Overwatch 2, Nier: Automata, Railgrade, Dorfromantik, Tinykin, Let's Build a Zoo, Tunic, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion.

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)

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!

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, special guest Brenden Groom from the Pass The Controller Podcast joins us to chat about our Shovel Knight Dig review impressions, E3 returning next June as a segmented business and consumer show, and finally, whether or not HBO's The Last Of Us needs to differentiate itself from the games. 

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes), Brenden Groom (@BeGroom)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday for a chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: Switch, PC, iOS
Publisher: Yacht Club Games
Developer: Nitrome, Yacht Club Games
Release: September 23, 2022

The second I began Shovel Knight Dig, it felt like returning home. As someone who hadn’t played most of Shovel Knight’s post-launch DLC, the last time I touched this series was nearly a decade ago. Gaining control of the titular character immediately felt familiar, and my old Shovel Knight habits returned to greet this new take on the series, led by developer Nitrome this time. The moment-to-moment experience plays excellently, in part because it’s more Shovel Knight with some well-designed gameplay twists. However, the game’s venture into roguelite territory feels inessential and so light-stepped that it didn’t convince me it needed to be a part of this ever-expanding genre. Still, Shovel Knight Dig is more Shovel Knight, meaning retro-game and platforming enthusiasts will find great enjoyment throughout. 

Google has revealed that its cloud-streaming games service, Stadia, will shut down early next year. 

More specifically, Stadia will close down its platform and end its online servers on January 18, 2023. After that, you won't be able to access the Stadia service in any way. As for your games and hardware, Google is offering refunds "for all Stadia hardware purchases (Stadia controllers, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, and Play and Watch with Google TV packages) through the Stadia store," according to an FAQ posted by Google today. It seems like the only aspect of Stadia that won't be refunded are Stadia Pro subscriptions. However, you "will be able to continue playing your games in Pro without further charges until the final wind down date." 

If you are hoping to get a refund for your hardware, Google says "most hardware purchases...made directly from Google" will not require you to return your hardware. The company intends to have the majority of refunds processed by Stadia's January 18 shutdown date. 

The Stadia Store and all its functions have been turned off so you will not be able to make any more Stadia-related purchases or in-game transactions. 

The Entropy Centre, an upcoming Portal-like sci-fi puzzle game coming from new studio Stubby Games, will be released this November. 

More specifically, it will hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on November 3. This news comes after a showing during the June Future Games Showcase, with The Entropy Centre's trailer garnering more than two million views in just 48 hours, according to a press release about today's news. To celebrate this November release date, Stubby Games has released a new trailer. 

Check out The Entropy Centre release date trailer for yourself below: 

As you can see, The Entropy Centre continues to look great. For more about the game, check out this reveal trailer and then watch this gameplay trailer for a look at what you'll be doing in The Entropy Centre. 

Are you excited for The Entropy Centre? Let us know in the comments below!

<p><img src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2022/09/29/b5f47a70/score_header.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Scorn Release Date moved up" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>Publisher Kepler Interactive and developer Ebb Software have revealed that Scorn's release date has changed, moving up one week earlier in October. The game will now release on October 14 instead of the <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/xbox-games-showcase/2022/06/12/scorn-emerges-from-the-dark-for-new-trailer" target="_blank">previously announced October 21</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>As for why, the team doesn't say. However, a new teaser trailer released today is titled, "You've waited long enough," so perhaps the studio simply wants to get this game into players' hands sooner.

<p><img src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2022/09/22/416ce4e6/gearguide_349_webhero.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>Whether you’re heading across the country and into a new dorm room, across the neighborhood to a familiar school, or just looking to gear up for the fall, we’ve got a curated selection of tech, toys, tabletop games, and more to delight and engage the fun. Snag a gift for the student in your life, or just look into something as a reward to yourself for making it through the hot summer. We won’t tell. <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2022/fall-buying-guide" target="_blank">Read the full story...</a></p>

PlayStation has revealed the October 2022 PlayStation Plus games for next month: Hot Wheels Unleashed, Superhot, and Injustice 2. 

All Premium, Extra, and Essential PS Plus members can add these games to their libraries and download them starting next month, on October 4. You'll have until October 31 to add them to your library. As for September's games, which are Need For Speed: Heat, Granblue Fantasy Versus, and Toem, players have until October 3 to add them to their libraries. 

Here's what PlayStation has to say about each game: 

Hot Wheels Unleashed

Collect, build and race in this fantastic arcade sim based on the Hot Wheels universe. Earn new vehicles then take them to the track to race side by side with friends in two-player split-screen, or face up to 12 opponents in online challenges. One you’ve raced, why not try and build your own course? Create amazing layout inside and outside the track editor. Ad loops, special boosters, obstacles and special elements to make an incredible amusement park for your races, then share your creation online for other players to try. 

Skull and Bones has been delayed again, this time to March of next year. 

It was originally due out in 2018 but then delayed to 2019. It was delayed to at least March 2020 after that, but things went quiet and the game missed that window. Then, in May of last year, Ubisoft announced that Skull and Bones would release sometime between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. And now, it's slipping out of its November 8 release date, which was only just announced back in July, into a new March 9, 2023 date. As for why, the team cites a need for more polish and balancing.

Kotaku's Ethan Gach says sources say the teams working on Skull and Bones are burnt out. According to Gach in his Kotaku story, the latest technical test for the game ended on September 19. One source involved with the test told Kotaku that gameplay was more refined than in previous tests but that progression needed work as it still felt too shallow. Gach writes that this is a concern shared by multiple sources close to the game's development. 

Here's what Ubisoft has to say about the delay: 

Electronic Arts and Koei Tecmo have revealed Wild Hearts, a new Monster Hunter-like game coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC next year. 

More specifically, this EA Originals title will be released on February 17, 2023. This news comes by way of the game's reveal trailer released today. In it, we see a lot of monster hunting action. The game seems to take place in a mythological land filled with large and dangerous beasts. You'll need to craft better gear to take on tougher monsters, eventually taming the otherwise wild area. 

Check out the reveal trailer below: 

As you can see, Wild Hearts looks great, especially if you're someone who's a fan of Capcom's long-running Monster Hunter series. 

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch, PC
Publisher: Devolver Digital, Lucasfilm Games
Developer: Terrible Toybox
Release: September 17, 2022

"I'm Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate!"

Between the moment Guybrush uttered this iconic line in Return to Monkey Island and our reintroduction to familiar characters like used ship salesman Stan S. Stanman and Cobb, with his "Ask me about Loom" badge, I was already shrouded in a haze of nostalgia. And you would be eating all these up, too, if you're a Monkey Island fan. The thing about Monkey Island enthusiasts is that we can talk your ears off about what makes the series so unique. It's the earnest naivety of its pirate hero Guybrush Threepwood and the series' whimsical and self-referential humor. But most of all, it's that one absurd puzzle you'll need to crack within the original Secret of Monkey Island: the sheer hilarity of transporting an ultra tart blend of a pirate beverage called grog across an island without melting its mug and incinerating your hands along the way.

Overwatch 2 players new to the series will have to unlock the original characters, meaning that cast won't be available on day one. 

This news comes from a new Overwatch 2 blog post, as reported by Destructoid. In it, Blizzard says a consistent piece of feedback it has received is that new players feel overwhelmed by Overwatch's hero pool and various modes. As such, the team has implemented a new First Time User Experience, or FTUE, designed for Overwatch 2 players who have never played Overwatch. 

The new FTUE addresses that feedback directly. In phase one, players will need to unlock the game's modes and chat functions – this happens "rapidly," Blizzard writes in the blog post. Then, in phase two, players will unlock the original Overwatch heroes by playing "approximately 100 matches," according to Destructoid. It's important to note this is just for the original game's heroes – new heroes will be unlocked through Overwatch 2's battle pass system. 

There are Pokémon designs like Charizard that make me go, "ooo yes, very nice" and there are others like Voltorb that make me go, "oh, why do you exist?" There's also a rare third class of Pokémon I call "weird lil things" when I see them and Wiglett, a new Pokémon joining the Pokédex in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, is that class' newest member. 

Today, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company released a 3 and a half minute video highlighting Wiglett, its similarities to Diglett, and how it's just different enough that it is an entirely new species, rather than a regional variant. As such, this new Diglett-like Pokémon is called Wiglett. It looks like a worm, lives in the sea and on the beach, and seems to stick together with other Wigletts. Check it out in Serebii's video below: 

I'm most excited to see Wiglett's evolution, if it evolves at all. But hopefully, I'll see that in another trainer's party because I'm not sure Wiglett is a sure bet for mine. 

During our recent interview with Overwatch's Vice President, Jon Spector, we asked the executive a few additional questions about developing sustainable revenue streams for free-to-play games. Titles like Fortnite and Warzone have popularized collaborations with major brands like Dragon Ball Super, Attack On Titan, and Snoop Dogg, so I was curious if the Overwatch team would consider it. 

"We've seen some really fun examples out there of games working with other brands or other games," Spector says. "I'm a big anime nerd myself. I think it's super cool when I see Naruto appear in Fortnite. I don't even play Fortnite, but that's awesome. And as we look at the Overwatch 2 space, those are things that we're interested in exploring. If and when we do that, one of our key values is to do it in a way that feels like a great fit for the Overwatch franchise." 

He continues, "So we've been more focused on those collaborations as the stuff we might be interested in doing. And less on the ads-in-our-game type stuff."

Update, 9/27/22:

Rick Sanchez from the hit TV show Rick and Morty will be available as a playable fighter in the free-to-play platform brawler, MultiVersus, today. He joins his in-show sidekick, Morty Smith, in the game who was added to the roster last month. 

The official MultiVersus Twitter account has released a short video showcasing a breakdown of Rick's moveset and class type. His moveset includes the following:

• Yeah, Fart Bomb!: Throw a fart bomb, hitting enemies upward.
• Meeseek and Destroy: Summon a Meeseeks that runs forward, uppercuts, or readies a golf club. 
• Basrick Portal Theory: Aims and summons a max of two portals

Who's ready to get rickety-rickety-wrecked, Son?! Rick joins #MultiVersus TOMORROW! pic.twitter.com/r3h7lpBoQY

— MultiVersus (@multiversus) September 26, 2022

The original story continues below...

Update, 8/12/22:

Reviewed on: Xbox One
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: tinyBuild
Developer: Splashteam
Release: August 30, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

Tinykin smartly blends platforming and puzzle-solving with the minion management of Nintendo's Pikmin series. Players control a flea-sized astronaut who travels from his home planet to Earth to trace humanity’s true origins. The explorer’s journey takes him to an ordinary home occupied by sentient insects who worship a mysterious deity. To return home, the astronaut must assemble a rocket by gathering ordinary household objects with the help of small, adorable aliens called Tinykin. As a fan of “little person in a big world” experiences, Tinykin’s premise and world drew me in, and its gameplay satisfied me until its conclusion.