Game Informer

Nintendo is the latest company to halt sales and shipments of its products to Russia amidst its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. 

Joining the likes of Microsoft and PlayStation and dozens of other game studios, Nintendo has suspended all shipments to Russia for the “foreseeable future.” Still, the company did not say this was in support of Ukraine like most publishers and studios have, as reported by IGN. The publication reached out to Nintendo to ask if it’d be providing a message of support for Ukraine, and a Nintendo spokesperson said, “We would like to express our concern for all those affected by the conflict.” 

“We have decided to suspend shipping all Nintendo products to Russia for the foreseeable future,” Nintendo told IGN. “This is due to considerable volatility surrounding the logistics of shipping and distributing physical goods.” 

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Also on: PlayStation 4
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Release: March 4, 2022

Gran Turismo has been a gold standard for the simulation-racing genre for over 25 years. The franchise has continually served as a showcase for PlayStation’s latest hardware both from visual and technical standpoints. Gran Turismo 7 is no different in this regard; the racing has never felt more precise, nor have the vehicles ever looked truer to life. However, in the time since that initial entry, the field has caught up to Gran Turismo. This new entry is still an excellent driving simulation, but it’s no longer lapping the competition.

Gran Turismo 7 sets the tone early; this is the sim-racing series at its most self-indulgent. The several-minute-long, unskippable credit-reel chronicling the history of the automobile followed by a long in-game cutscene demonstrates just how serious it takes car culture. While other racing games have taken intentional strides to remove as many barriers to the fun as possible, Gran Turismo 7 has no qualms about doling out the action at its own pace. While this delivery is sometimes too slow in the early goings, once the career mode opens and rubber meets the road, sim racing doesn’t get much better than this.

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Leonard Menchiari, Flying Wild Hog
Release: 2022

Trek to Yomi is a stylish action title that may not have been on your radar before, but its latest trailer during today's State of Play presentation shows off why it may be worth keeping an eye on. 

The game, developed by Shadow Warrior makers Flying Wild Hog, is an action sidescrolling take on classic samurai films. You play as a young swordsman fighting to protect his village and keep a vow to his dying Master. Human enemies aren't the only threat; the trailer shows off spectral warriors, grotesque swamp creatures, and other supernatural elements. The bloody swordplay looks even sharper under the striking monochromatic presentation, a stylistic choice that further evokes the game's cinematic inspirations. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Developer: CyberConnect2
Release: 2022

Revealed as a part of the Sony State of Play presentation today, Cyberconnect2's 2013 fighting game is getting an update with the release of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle R.

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Soleil Ltd.
Release: 2022

Sony’s State of Play concluded today with the reveal of Valkyrie Elysium, an upcoming action RPG that serves as a new installment in the beloved Valkryie Profile series. 

The trailer shows off a Valkyrie slaying all manner of monsters using flashy sword attacks and magic-based offense, including summoning copious amounts of lightning. She does so at the behest of the All-Father in order to prevent the world's destruction by way of Ragnarok. 

The reimagined combat folds in gameplay elements from Valkyrie Profile games such as special attacks and combos. Whether or not you control a party of characters assigned to individual face buttons like the old games or if you only play as this Valkyrie remains to be seen. What is confirmed is that long-time series composer Motoi Sakuraba returns to score Elysium. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Lancarse, Square Enix
Release: 2022

Revealed during today's PlayStation State of Play showcase, The DioField Chronicle's trailer begins with a storybook-like retelling of a war that ravaged a region. The Alliance fought against the Empire and in the end, it seems the Empire was left standing. However, the Kingdom of Alletain remain untouched during the war and now, the Empire is taking them on. The trailer seems to indicate that you, the player, are in control of Alletain and its soldiers. 

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release: October 11, 2022

Are you ready to explore a mysterious fantasy world with magic, mayhem, and lightning-fast action? That's the question a new Forspoken trailer asks players! Featured today in a PlayStation State of Play, the new trailer showcases a ton of action segments, showing off a wide variety of environments, spells, and enemies. Frey must survive against the impossible odds in the lands of Athia, but she'll have plenty of abilities to fight back with. Check out the entire trailer right here:

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release: October 11, 2022

Square Enix has plenty of long-running powerhouse franchises under its belt, from Final Fantasy to Dragon Quest. But every so often, the acclaimed publisher takes a chance on a new idea, and that looks like something we’ll be seeing more of thanks to the establishment of Luminous Productions.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Release: 2022

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection has been announced and it wraps up 13 TMNT games into one collection. 

Revealed during today’s PlayStation State of Play, this collection features remastered versions of classic TMNT games like Tournament Fighters, Turtles In Time, TMNT: The Arcade Game, and more. On top of that, multiplayer co-op action can be found in some of the games, with some featuring online multiplayer too, as indicated by the message at the bottom of the trailer that says PlayStation Plus is required to play online multiplayer. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: Bandai Namco
Release: 2022

Gameplay from Gundam Evolution, a new competitive multiplayer game set in the Gundam universe, was shown today during Sony's most recent State of Play livestream. 

The trailer showed various looks at 6v6 multiplayer matches, featuring a variety of different Gundams from the long-running anime series. According to the trailer, the game will have three competitive modes: point capture, domination, and destruction. 

See Gundam Evolution in action below:

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Koei Tecmo
Release: March 18, 2022
Rating: Mature

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origins launches next week, but if you’re still on the fence after previous trailers as well as a pair of demos, one final demo will become available on PlayStation consoles today.

Like the two previous demos, this one is totally free and can be accessed on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. There's no word on what it entails, but the past two demos let players explore sizable dungeons so it's probably safe to assume this third slice offers a similarly substantial sample. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: 2023

Putting a stunning foot forward with dinosaur weather reports and Exosuit-wearing warriors, Exoprimal looks wild. This new IP from Capcom was announced at Sony's State of Play presentation this afternoon with a trailer showing off its characters and a hint of gameplay.

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: From Software
Release: February 25, 2022

Elden Ring has been out for a couple of weeks and while people continue to shout from the rooftops how much they love the game – Game Informer gave it a rare 10 out of 10 – there are those asking for features found in other games. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: May 7, 2021
Rating: Mature

Sony has announced that it is once again going live with another State of Play, and we're streaming the whole thing. Join Game Informer as we react to all the big news, reveals, and gameplay from today's latest showcase starting at 3:45 p.m. CT!

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Square Enix has created a new YouTube channel specifically for soundtracks and other music from various games and projects the company is known for. 

Brought to our attention by the reporting of Video Games Chronicle, the Japanese game publisher created a YouTube channel called Square Enix Music. The company is hosting several playlists featuring the soundtracks of many of its RPG series and games. Want to listen to the Final Fantasy VIII soundtrack? It's there! In the mood for tunes from SaGa Frontier II? There's a playlist waiting! Even Balan Wonderworld's music can be found on the channel. Kick back and relax to your favorite Square soundtracks, just like I am while writing this article and head-bobbing to the Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release: October 11, 2022

Forspoken’s protagonist Frey Holland finds herself inexplicably thrust out of her native New York City and into the magic-laden world of Athia. To survive until she can find her way back home, Frey must learn to fight, but the game’s combat system shies away from mundane weapons. However, getting through Athia’s dangers means she, and the player, needs to master magical combat.

We’ve been talking about Obi-Wan standalone projects since 2017. And while news surfaced of a TV show dedicated to the wizened Force master, we haven’t seen widely-loved Ewan McGregor don his ceremonial Jedi garb since Episode III (or The Force Awakens and Rise of Skywalker if you’re counting his voiceover work). So, it’s only fitting that Ben Kenobi makes his triumphant return in a new Disney+ trailer amplified by some of the franchise’s most haunting, goosebump-inducing song(s) from the prequel trilogy. 

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The footage from today’s teaser not only employs nostalgia to remarkable effect but also showcases new threats and briefly contextualizes Obi-Wan’s off-screen journey that took place between Episodes III and IV. We get sweeping wide shots of the barren wastelands of Tatooine, the sprawling avenues of Mos Eisley, and the claustrophobic, sterile interiors of Imperial cruisers. A melancholic Obi-Wan says, “The fight is done. We lost. Stay hidden,” as he watches over an adolescent Luke Skywalker from afar. Then, the choral music begins, and we’re at the mercy of the pursuing Sith and the many catastrophes that lie in their wake. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Release: August 20, 2021
Rating: Mature

Ghost of Tsushima Legends is the multiplayer component of Sucker Punch Productions’ samurai RPG, Ghost of Tsushima, and it’s a bonus PlayStation Plus game this month. However, at the time of this writing, if you claim the game as one of the PS Plus titles, you’ll be locked out of the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut PlayStation 5 upgrade discount, as reported by PlayStation Lifestyle.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Teen

The Borderlands franchise has given players four mainline campaigns, a ton of downloadable content, multiple spin-off games, and even an upcoming feature film starring A-list Hollywood talent. But perhaps paramount to those accomplishments are the series’ characters. Along the way, players have met the likes of Claptrap, Lilith, and Handsome Jack, who have captivated players, leading them to wonder what could possibly happen next in the wild world of Borderlands.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Release: February 18, 2022
Rating: Teen

Horizon Forbidden West is a massive game, and if you're still tinkering around in it, the latest update, Patch 1.07, is going to make that experience even better. 

Now live, Patch 1.07 brings with it a ton of bug fixes, some new Photo Mode options, improvements to the game's Favor Performance Mode, and more. As usual, it also includes a breakdown of known issues and status updates of where the team is at to fix them. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: From Software
Release: February 25, 2022

Elden Ring’s popularity and success know no bounds. While most of us are still struggling against early-game legacy dungeons and the bosses that skulk around within them, some skilled (and lucky) few are rushing through the game with relative ease. One such speedrunner beat Elden Ring in under three hours, and they did it convincingly: they didn’t suffer a single death. 

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Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers will have a new classic racing game to enjoy in the form of F-Zero X, which arrives on the service on March 11.

F-Zero X is the sequel to F-Zero and launched on the Nintendo 64 in 1998. The first entry to utilize 3D graphics, it’s perhaps most notable for introducing Death Race, a mode that challenges players to eliminate the 29 other racers on a specially designed course. F-Zero X can be played with up to four players, and the Switch version features online multiplayer.  

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Last month, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask joined the Expansion Pack, and Banjo-Kazooie was added in January. Nintendo has thus maintained a monthly cadence for the N64 library. Although new titles don't arrive in as plentiful quantities as some would like, getting one release a month beats the several-month drought that regularly occurs with the NES/SNES libraries.

In other recent Nintendo Switch Online news, the company just introduced a revamped rewards system for completing specific in-game tasks. You can read all about it here.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Teen

Gearbox detailed the season pass for its upcoming looter-shooter D&D RPG, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands today, and now, the studio has revealed a collaboration with Epic Games and Fortnite. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Teen

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is right around the corner, hitting PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on March 25, and today, Gearbox has detailed its season pass. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Square Enix

It’s a big year for Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series. Not only does this year mark the release of Chocobo GP, a Final Fantasy kart racer, but it marks the release of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, a game that promises to be one of the strangest spinoffs in the series yet. 

However, above all of that, 2022 is Final Fantasy’s 35th anniversary year and Square Enix has created a brand new website to celebrate that and tease information about new games and more. The website is a bit light on content right now, featuring just a handful of messages, a live feed of Final Fantasy Twitter accounts, and a portal to news, but it could be the host of new information about upcoming Final Fantasy games soon. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Warner Bros. Games Montreal
Release: October 25, 2022

Gotham Knights, the upcoming co-op action RPG that puts players behind the masks and cowls of Batgirl, Robin, Red Hood, and Nightwing, will be released this October. 

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: WayForward Technologies
Rating: Everyone 10+

Update, 3/9/22:

Nintendo has delayed Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp indefinitely. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release: November 10, 2020 (Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC), November 12, 2020 (PlayStation 5)
Rating: Mature

Platform: PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: February 14, 2020
Rating: Teen

Evo, the fighting game championship series is taking place this August, and the main set of games have been announced via the Evo Twitch channel tonight. This will be the second Evo tournament since Sony purchased the competitive brand, and hopefully the first time since 2019 that the tourney is played in person.

Evo 2022's main tournament lineup includes:

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Also on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC
Publisher: Bungie
Developer: Bungie
Release: February 22, 2022
Rating: Teen

Destiny enthusiasts had a long wait for this latest expansion, and Bungie rewarded that patience with an outstanding installment. The Witch Queen is one of the studio’s most sophisticated releases, both in terms of storytelling and gameplay systems, and that complexity is especially rewarding to longtime players. That same depth across the breadth of the expansion also means it may be difficult for newer or lapsed players to climb aboard. For those that embrace the full scope of what’s on offer, the Witch Queen has both tricks and treats aplenty.

Destiny 2’s story has been building to this conflict for some time, and I’m impressed with the way that narrative investment pays off as so many of the pieces slot into place. Savathûn is a wily and intriguing villain, and it’s great fun to finally see her schemes brought to light. But The Witch Queen’s more impressive narrative accomplishment is the nuance with which it now treats its characters and plotlines. Prior implications of the universe’s simple light and dark duality get systematically overridden with twists rooted in character motivations and moral quandaries.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Koei Tecmo
Release: March 18, 2022

We're just about at the doorstep of Chaos with the impending release of Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin. And since Jack Garland and friends are almost here, Square Enix has come out and announced the PC hardware specs for the game. While it is a cross-generation title, the requirements listed are surprisingly lesser than one would imagine for a 2022 release. 

Reviewed on: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Square Enix
Release: March 4, 2022

Political storylines are often a reminder of the ugliness that exists in our world. Greed and corruption usually drive the ship, leading those in charge to make difficult decisions about no-win situations. Triangle Strategy represents the worst side of humanity in these instances, forcing you to question if peace is a naive dream and if we can ever get out of the cycle of war.

As a newly appointed leader, that’s up to you to decide. Thought-provoking questions about how to handle horrible situations make Triangle Strategy a gripping experience, while the entertaining strategy combat keeps you coming back to face them. Unfortunately, some stumbles along the way keep Triangle Strategy from fully capitalizing on these appealing aspects, but even so, it offers an engaging experience on and off the battlefield. 

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

Nintendo has released a new six-minute overview trailer for Kirby and the Forgotten Land that further showcases copy abilities, mouthful mode, Waddle Dee Town, and more ahead of the game’s release on Switch later this month. 

With the game set to release on March 25, this new trailer will help tide you over until then, especially if you’ve already put the demo available for Kirby and the Forgotten Land through its paces. It begins by setting the stage for how Kirby even arrives to the might-just-be-earth-but-called-Forgotten Land. He’s sucked up into a terrifying storm cloud and spat back to this new mystical land where he learns he needs to rescue kidnapped Waddle Dees from the ferocious Beast Pack. 

If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now learn all about Forspoken! Following today's 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 later today. You can download the apps to view the issue by following this link. All of these digital options are included in a standard subscription.

The issue launches later this week on our third-party subscription apps, including Kindle and Nook.

Not a digital subscriber yet? Convert your existing print subscription or start a new subscription here.

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Techland
Release: January 27, 2015 (Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3), October 19, 2021 (Switch)
Rating: Mature

Platform: PC
Publisher: Amazon Games
Developer: Smilegate
Release: February 11, 2022
Rating: Mature

Lost Ark was released in Korea back in 2018 and finally came to the West, with the help of Amazon Games, earlier this year. Even though the MMORPG garnered success with solid review scores and popularity, controversy has arisen, urging Amazon to respond to the outcry surrounding Lost Ark's puzzling gender-locked classes and poor female representation.

Platform: Switch, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: March 26, 2021 (Switch), January 12, 2022 (PC)

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is a large expansion hitting the action RPG sometime this Summer, and last December, Capcom promised that news about the expansion would arrive this Spring. It seems that news is coming next week in the form of a 20-minute livestream. 

PlayStation has announced a State of Play presentation for tomorrow, March 9, at 2 p.m. PT/4 p.m. CT/ 5 p.m. ET with a special focus on games from its Japanese publishers. 

This news comes by way of a new blog post released today that says this State of Play will run for roughly 20 minutes. It will highlight games from Japanese publishers, but PlayStation says it will have a few updates from other developers too. Here's the announcement from the PlayStation Blog:

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Teen