Bandai Namco has released another new trailer and batch of screenshots for Dragon Ball FighterZ. This video focuses on one of the game’s newly revealed characters, the Saiyan general Nappa.
As V-Jump magazine detailed, Nappa has a few unique tricks in his repertoire, which are shown off in the new trailer. The burly Saiyan can plant Saibamen, which will sprout and help him in battle. He can also fire a powerful beam blast from his mouth. You can take a look at Nappa in action below.
Additionally, Bandai Namco has shared a new batch of screenshots for Captain Ginyu, the other new character revealed in the most recent issue of V-Jump magazine. The images show off the flamboyant warrior’s own unique arsenal of skills, such as his signature Body Change ability. You can also see a screenshot of Ginyu Force members Jeice and Recoome fighting alongside Ginyu in battle, similar to the way Android 17 can momentarily join Android 18 for certain attacks.
Everyone who pre-orders gets the Survival Pack. This comes with four gold-plated weapons (bat, sledgehammer, survival machete, and survival spear), two gestures (happy and thumbs-up), four survival scarves (green, blue, pink, and silver), and Kabuki face paint. Additionally, the Survival Pack includes the Mother Base nameplate and the Boxman [The Orange] accessory.
Metal Gear Survive is the first game in the franchise to be released since series creator Hideo Kojima parted ways with Konami. It’s a noticeably different sort of game, set in an alternate reality after the events of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes where you have to deal with what amount to zombies–something Kojima finds odd. It also features cooperative multiplayer as a key component, and is due out for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Assassin’s Creed Origins is the latest entry in the long-running Assassin’s Creed franchise. Unlike past games, which continually pushed the ancestor timeline forward, this entry is a prequel. Set in Egypt, you play as Bayek, a warrior whose struggle against the corrupt forces of the time leads him towards becoming the first Assassin.
With the game’s release date set for October 27 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, we’ve compiled our most important features and gameplay videos detailing everything you need to know about Assassin’s Creed Origins. Check back often as we update this article with our in-depth review, guides, additional articles, and videos.
Features
Unlike its predecessors, Assassin’s Creed Origins is an action-RPG; it sports a multi-faceted skill tree, damage hit points, and equipment with varying statistics. In addition, everything you do feeds into an overarching progression system that steadily improves your character’s strength and abilities over time. For more about the game’s mechanics and story, as well as our impressions of it thus far, check out the features below:
Gameplay Videos
For more on Assassin’s Creed Origins, check out the news stories below.
Usually known for impressive, but short-lived experiences, VR games at their best can be intensely immersive. So when I heard the developers of the superb Metro series were making a VR shooter, I was hopeful that 4A Games‘ stellar reputation for crafting powerful and foreboding worlds would translate well to VR. Arktika.1 doesn’t break the mold, but 4A Games‘ creative strengths are on full display.
Arktika embodies the Metro series‘ grim futuristic feel despite not being a Metro game, taking place in the frozen wastelands of Russia where environmental disasters have reshaped both the land and its inhabitants. Some unfortunate humans have mutated into nightmarish monsters, desperate raiders roam the land fighting for survival at all costs, and you’ve been brought in as a hired gun to protect a remote military outpost from these looming threats.
Arktika isn’t a first-person shooter in the sense of Metro or Doom so much as it is a throwback to classic coin-op light gun games like Time Crisis or House of the Dead. Over the course of about five to eight hours, you’ll lean, duck, and dual-wield a variety of firearms while regularly teleporting short distances to advantageous positions and out of harm’s way. Arktika is not a sedate game, and requires enough room to move from side to side, duck behind cover and pop out to line up your next kill.
There isn’t much enemy variety, but they are different enough from each other to require a solid mix of strategies during any given scenario. Normal soldiers can be shot up fairly easily, while snipers rely on distance and cover, and heavies must be shot in the head to take down.
Arktika’s weapons consist of different types of pistols, from a classic revolver to sci-fi energy guns. Different guns require unique reload gestures, which is confusing at first and sometimes unresponsive, but it feels like a fun throwback to the reloading mechanics of Time Crisis and other similar games. You even holster your guns by placing them on your shoulders. Using Oculus Touch controllers as your weapons and moving your actual body to hide behind cover, engagements are intense, making a successful pistol juggling act feel consistently rewarding.
While the main focus is definitely on gunplay, there are other VR-specific touches as well. Using the Touch controllers, you’ll reach out and virtually grab and pull switches, push buttons, interact with screens, and even solve puzzles. Puzzles include tasks like searching for door codes, accessing terminals, changing fuses, and even redirecting the flow of power to systems by plugging in cables. Most of these elements are really just an excuse to provide a brief respite from shooting sequences and certainly aren’t overly challenging, but succeed in breaking up the gameplay enough so Arktika doesn’t entirely feel like mindless blasting.
The shooting galleries are detailed and full of animated elements that can be used to your advantage with proper timing, like the unsteady motions of trunk lids on old sports cars that can be used for cover. Since the enemy is also smart about using cover, it’s vital to keep moving from point to point to get the best possible angle. Some of the cover is also destructible (like glass walls or crowded shelving), but 4A has designed their sets with a frenetic, active sensibility. The game goes out of its way to force you to make creative shots, leaning out from cover to aim between sweet spots of crowded landscapes. The end result is exciting and even tense action that ensures you’ll stay on the move.
The action is enhanced thanks to the excellent graphics, which offer a terrific sense of depth and scale. Arktika uses the Unreal engine to create one of the most visually impressive action games on Oculus Rift, where even the mission selection room looks cluttered and palpable, and the outside environments, like the abandoned parking lot, show off the apocalyptic nature of the world without needing any exposition.
While Arktika relies heavily on familiar mechanics, it definitely uses the unique powers of VR to create a shooter with a tense atmosphere and exciting gunplay. The mix of excellent graphics and surprisingly intense battles makes this one of the more enjoyable action games available on Rift.
Destiny 2 is a lot more Destiny. The structure is largely the same, as is the mechanically excellent shooting and satisfying loot grind. But there are a variety of changes both under the hood and throughout your activities that make it a significant improvement over the original and a better experience for more than just the most hardcore players.
From the onset, there’s an overwhelming amount of stuff to do. The Red War story funnels you through the four areas you can explore, introducing you to each one as you go. At each destination, there’s a bunch of optional activities to choose from, including story-like Adventure missions, simple loot dungeons called Lost Sectors that lead to hidden areas of the map, and public events and patrols, which return from Destiny 1. Then, as you progress through the story, you’ll unlock the strike playlist and PvP in the Crucible. For a newcomer to Destiny, it can be hard to decide what to do and when.
The Red War story missions are less about plot and more about acclimating you to everything there is to see. You’ll level up at a pretty steady pace, but there are two level-gated missions that essentially force you to complete Adventures and other activities for XP before you can move on. There’s no actual reason for the missions to have level requirements, which can be annoying, but having direction is welcome after Destiny 1’s lack thereof. And aside from netting you XP and loot, the semi-hidden Lost Sectors reward exploration while Adventures are filled with lore and interesting details about the world that fall outside of the scope of the main story. If you’re burnt out on standard PvE, you can switch to PvP to level up, which requires different gear and skills.
The story is enough to serve its main purpose, which is to contextualize the shooting and looting you’re doing through it all. Its villain is a derivative conqueror figure with a hunger for power and destruction, and the save-the-world plot is tired. But you don’t need to know much to get going except that humanity is in danger, and you of all people have the power to help. The story’s strengths lie in atmosphere and side details, like the endearing craziness of the deranged AI Failsafe or the mysteries of the Vex machine race, and that should be fine for the majority of players who see the story as something to rush through in order to reach the high-level „endgame.“ The mournful soundtrack in particular is fantastic, and it carried me through the most basic story beats, even on repeat playthroughs.
Like Destiny 1, there’s a lot of grinding to be done between finishing the story and moving onto the high-level endgame activities like the Nightfall strike and the Raid. And again like in Destiny 1, the shoot-and-loot feedback loop feels fantastic. The gunplay is still excellent, and being rewarded for your efforts with an even better gun is something worth celebrating. The biggest change is how much quicker it is to increase your Light level–now called Power–with minimal grinding early on. The combat isn’t any easier because of it, though, so it simply takes away the Destiny 1-era frustration of running the same few strikes a dozen times before you can move on to literally anything else. Plus, knowing you might get a slightly more fashionable pair of gauntlets from a five-minute public event gives you the kind of instant gratification that will sustain you through to the endgame.
There’s a decent variety of weapons and gear to find, mostly in random drops. And once you know what gear is desirable, it becomes a fun metagame to hope you’ll find it. A favorite around the GameSpot office has been the exotic auto rifle Sweet Business, and though no one has been using it, we had a lot of fun embarking on the quest to get Rat King. You might get lucky and get what you want right away, but for most people, finding a combination of great weapons for both PvE and PvP and gear with abilities that complement them takes some time. As far as customization goes, the Eververse and its microtransactions return, though leveling up after the official level cap grants you the new Bright Engrams that can be redeemed for consumable shaders, emotes, and more (for free). The change to shaders wasn’t popular among fans at first, but making them consumable allows for a greater range of customization on different pieces of armor as well as weapons.
Some activities and areas are more cleanly or interestingly designed than others, and after a handful of hours, you’ll start to identify the ones you love to play again and again and the ones you aren’t as fond of. At least two of the Crucible maps are circular in design and essentially funnel you to your death if you aren’t paying attention, which can get pretty boring; some areas require a fair amount of platforming, which can vary from tolerable to tedious depending on your class. But others are laid out in all the right ways to be memorable and fun to replay, like the Arms Dealer strike that keeps you running from room to room and preserving your heavy ammo for a series of tanks.
Though there’s plenty you can do on your own, Destiny 2 is undeniably better as a shared experience. That can come on many different levels; you can work silently with complete strangers to trigger a heroic public event that gets you all better loot, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, you can coordinate with five friends for hours on end to tackle the Raid. You can also join a Clan, which can grant you a number of passive benefits, like legendary gear, as long as someone in your Clan is meeting certain milestones. On top of that, Destiny 2 also introduces Guided Games, where solo players can search for groups who are short one person and willing to help them through difficult endgame activities like the Nightfall or Raid.
Success through strong teamwork is absolutely the best part of Destiny 2.
Success through strong teamwork is absolutely the best part of Destiny, and the top-to-bottom tweaks and additions in Destiny 2 make it more accessible without dampening your sense of accomplishment. Meeting the level requirement for the Nightfall or Raid and actually completing it are two very different things, and getting in sync with your Fireteam and flawlessly executing a strategy takes a lot of work. The first two Nightfall strikes, for example, both introduced a modifier to the original strike that forces you and your team to coordinate loadouts and stay in constant communication about which weapons and subclasses you’re using. You have to figure that out while also shooting waves of enemies and trying not to die. You’ll most likely fail, but each failure helps you perfect your strategy incrementally, and the process of collectively achieving that goal is immensely satisfying.
At the highest level, the vast and visually striking Raid combines the need for top-tier weapons and gear, picking the correct subclass and loadout based on what your team needs, strong combat skills, and problem-solving as a group. Destiny 2’s first Raid, Leviathan, is very, very difficult, and solving its often obscure puzzles can be both rewarding and frustrating. For the most part, each failure teaches you something new, and the GameSpot Raid team actually cheered when we came up with a solid strategy after going in blind. But there was one section in the middle that we struggled to complete even after we figured out what to do conceptually. Of course, this was after about five straight hours of raiding, so fatigue was definitely a factor–but it didn’t blend the puzzle-solving part with actual execution as well as the previous sections of the Raid.
In true Destiny fashion, if you do something once, you’ll probably end up doing it many more times. The difference with Destiny 2 is in the variety and accessibility of what’s available, which cuts down on a lot of the frustration associated with grinding. And even after you’ve leveled up, there’s still more you can do, from keeping up with daily and weekly challenges to just hanging out with friends. It’s a much stronger foundation than the original had and one that’s enough on its own to keep people coming back week after week.
Editor’s note: Now that Destiny 2 is out on PC, we’ve put that version through its paces in both solo missions and competitive multiplayer matches. The PC version comes with the usual suite of graphic and control options, and ran smoothly on our test PC built around a GTX 1070. We’ve since updated the score to reflect our experience across all available platforms.
Along with a cast of fan-favorite characters, Steven Universe: Save the Light, the upcoming Steven Universe RPG for PS4 and Xbox One, will feature a handful of new characters. Today, Cartoon Network revealed another Crystal Gem who’ll be making her debut in the title: Hessonite.
Described as a „pompous Homeworld commander,“ Hessonite is the Crystal Gem allied with the game’s other original character, Squaridot. Hessonite is the one responsible for stealing the Prism from Steven at the start of the adventure, and she intends to restore into a powerful Gem weapon. You can take a look at the first artwork of Hessonite below.
Like Paper Mario, Save the Light is a 2D RPG that features a turn-based battle system with action commands. Players form a party out of popular Steven Universe characters and must press the correct button at the right time in order to defend yourself against enemies and deal more damage when you attack. You can watch 20 minutes of gameplay footage from the title above.
Steven Universe: Save the Light launches for PS4 in North and Latin America later this month, on October 31. The Xbox One release will follow globally three days later, on November 3. The game will only be available digitally and will cost $25.
IO Interactive has announced Hitman – Game of the Year Edition, which will include the base game as well as all the content released as part of Season One, and a new campaign called „Patient Zero.“ Hitman – Game of the Year Edition will be available digitally for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC from November 7.
According to IO Interactive, the Patient Zero campaign will feature four missions that take place in reworked versions of existing areas, and will have „new dialogue, briefings, and audio tracks.“
„After the routine elimination of a target, a contingency plan to unleash a global pandemic is triggered and Agent 47 must race against the clock to prevent a virus from spreading,“ reads the new campaign’s description. „This four-mission campaign spans different locations in the game, each one re-worked from the original settings with new gameplay opportunities, disguises, characters, challenges, gameplay mechanics, AI behaviour and HUD elements. Bangkok, Sapienza, Colorado and Hokkaido look and feel completely different with a new time of day and new custom music created by the composer for Season One, Niels Bye Nielsen.“
There will also be „new Escalation Contracts, new weapons, new suits, new challenges, improvements to existing features, and new lighting enhancements,“ as well as „a few surprises“ on top of that. Take a look at a list of all the new content below.
Hitman – Game of the Year Edition
Hitman: The Complete First Season
Patient Zero Campaign
Clown Suit and themed weapon: Corky the Clown is back! This fan-favourite from Blood Money returns in Hitman and his red wig, colourful socks and giant shoes look better than ever! Not only does the clown suit look great, but it’s the only way to carry his signature weapon without attracting attention. A New Bat will trigger custom sound and visual effects every time it is used.
Raven Suit and themed weapon: Where tactical meets practical and stylish, you’ll find the Raven Suit. This is the perfect choice for Agent 47’s sniper operations. The Raven Suit is black and charcoal with the finest gloves and pockets for every tool. The Sieger 300 Ghost is a unique ICA variant of the Sieger 300 and the all-black rifle perfectly matches the Raven Suit for high-precision, high-damage long-range engagements. It’s got a supressor, an extended scope with four levels of zoom and the Marksman perk, which allows you to improve your aim and slow time.
Cowboy Suit and themed weapon: The Cowboy suit is steel blue on patriotic white and comes complete with a beautiful set of albino alligator boots, sunglasses and a cowboy hat as pure as Colorado snow. Naturally, the belt buckle is the size of your fist. Accompanying this suit is The Striker; a magnum pistol that packs one hell of a punch. Not only does it have increased damage at all ranges, it also knocks back targets and has piercing rounds.
Three themed Escalation Contracts: We’ve created a new Escalation Contract for each new weapon/suit combination. You’ll be dressing in each new suit and using each new weapon as you complete Escalation Contracts with some brand new complications based on some new gameplay mechanics. We’ve themed these new features with each suit to make for some unique experiences. Each Escalation comes with a new starting location unique to that Contract and all of the Escalations are made up of three stages, so expect the challenge to ramp up quickly–one of the Escalations reaches seven targets, something we’ve never done before in this game. Completing each Escalation Contract will unlock the corresponding weapon to be used in all locations across the entire game, which means that Clown Only, Striker Only runs are now possible.
Elusive Targets in Hitman will also restart in November, which means those who missed the brief window to kill an Elusive Target will get a second chance. „Reactivated Elusive Targets will still be time-limited and if you’ve already completed or failed an Elusive Target, that record still stands and cannot be altered,“ explains IO.
Hitman – Game of the Year Edition will be available for $60. IO is offering those who already have everything from Season One the new content for $20 through the „GOTY Upgrade.“ This can be purchased by „anyone who purchased all episodes individually or previously purchased the Intro Pack/Upgrade Pack combination.“
On November 7, a Hitman patch will also be available and will introduce a number of changes to user-interface, as well as enhancements for Xbox One X. Take a look at the details on that below.
A redesigned UI with a new colour scheme and visual style: A fresh new look across the board and re-organised menus to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
New Contracts Mode features: ‚Trending‘ helps you find the most popular contracts, making sure you can easily find a new challenge. We’re also adding 10 ‚Conditions‘ that will add huge depth to Contracts Mode, such as restricting disguise changes or requiring players to use a specific exit. Anyone who creates a contract will be able to toggle these conditions to set a more defined challenge for their contract.
Major lighting improvements to all missions: New colour grading, readjusted HDR adaptation rules and re-designed skyboxes mean that our locations look more vivid, vibrant and lifelike.
Commemorative Elusive Target Unlock: If you played any of the Elusive Targets we released during Season One, we’re giving you an in-game coin to commemorate your progress and thank you for your support.
Xbox One X Enhancements: A whole host of enhancements are on the way for Xbox One X owners, including options for native 4K and a higher framerate. Specific details to come in a Xbox-specific blog post.
Tobii Eye Tracking support for PC: Enhance your killer instincts with Dynamic Light Adaptation, Extended View and a new special feature added specifically for Hitman. Find more details here.
Various fixes and improvements: Full release notes will be published closer to 7 November. That should be enough time to start thinking about your default loadout for each location.
Bandai Namco has shared a lot of exciting news about Dragon Ball FighterZ today. On top of announcing a release date for the highly anticipated fighting game, as well as an upcoming open beta for PS4 and Xbox One, today the publisher revealed the first details about the game’s DLC character pass.
Following the game’s launch, players will have the option to purchase the FighterZ Pass, which grants access to a slate of DLC characters „at a discounted price.“ The pass costs $35 and gives players access to eight new characters when they’re released. Bandai Namco hasn’t hinted at which characters will be included, but they’ll come alongside their respective stamps and lobby avatars.
So far, Bandai Namco has revealed 18 characters for Dragon Ball FighterZ, including fan favorites like Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Future Trunks, and Android 18. Most recently, we learned that two more villains, Nappa and Captain Ginyu, will also be playable characters. You can see all the Dragon Ball FighterZ characters in our roundup.
Dragon Ball FighterZ releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in the US and Europe on January 26, 2018. PS4 and Xbox One players who pre-order the digital version will get early access to the game’s open beta, though Bandai Namco hasn’t revealed any timing details. Pre-ordering the title also unlocks Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta early.
Following its release in Japan and Europe, Nintendo will soon bring the SNES-themed New 3DS XL to the US. The limited edition console launches in the region next month, on November 27.
Unlike the European version, which was identical to the Super Famicom-themed New 3DS XL that released in Japan, the US version sports a design based on the region’s distinctive purple-and-gray SNES. The top flap looks like the classic console’s Power, Reset, and Eject buttons, while the bottom resembles the SNES’s cartridge slot. You can take a look at images of the handheld below.
The SNES edition New 3DS XL is available to pre-order now on Amazon. It retails for $200 and includes a download code for Super Mario Kart, the debut installment in Nintendo’s popular mascot racing series. The SNES edition New 3DS XL is listed as an Amazon exclusive, though it’s unclear whether the handheld itself or the Super Mario Kart bundle is exclusive to the online retailer. We’ve followed up with Nintendo for clarification.
If you’re more interested in the New 2DS XL, Nintendo will also release a special edition Poke Ball-themed handheld next month. The Poke Ball New 2DS XL launches on November 3 and retails for $160, making it a cheaper alternative for those still looking to pick up Nintendo’s great handheld console.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is the follow-up to 2014’s The New Order. It once again centers around B.J. Blazkowicz and his struggle to overthrow the Nazi regime. This time around he’s trying to set up a second American Revolution with the help of a militant group of resistance fighters.
With the game’s release date set for October 27 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, we’ve compiled our most important features and gameplay videos detailing everything you need to know about Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Check back often as we update this article with our in-depth review, additional articles, and videos.
Features
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus maintains the same action-heavy gunplay of its predecessor. The game features a variety of weapons, most of which can be dual-wielded. New this time around is a cover system to aid your approach in a firefight. For more of our impressions about the game and its provocative depiction of a Nazi-occupied America, check out the features below:
Unlike its predecessor, Destiny 2 will release on PC. Although players have had to wait longer for it, there’s not much longer left now. Destiny 2 doesn’t launch on PC until October 24, and for those of you that didn’t pick it up on Xbox One and PS4, the PC version features a variety of improvements and differences compared with its console counterparts. To help you get an idea of what to expect from the PC release of Bungie’s hotly anticipated sequel, we’ve gathered all of the essential details below. Take a look and you’ll find detailed information on everything from what’s different, to recommended PC hardware specs, and how it works with Blizzard’s Battle.net client.
Unfortunately, if you didn’t try it already, the Destiny 2 PC beta has already passed. For more on the game, check out our Destiny 2 review. We also have tons of Destiny 2 guides, tips, and tricks for those who have already begun playing on consoles or are simply looking to get a head start on how things will work on PC.
Destiny 2 PC Release Date and Differences
The PC version is confirmed to have release date on October 24, while the Xbox One and PS4 versions are already out, having launched on September 6. Bungie has announced the game’s servers will become available at 10 AM PT on October 24, which works out to 1 PM ET / 2 PM BRT / 6 PM BST / and 4 AM the next day in Australia. We’ve spent time with the computer version and have highlighted the key differences with Destiny 2 on PC.
Destiny 2 PC Minimum Requirements and Recommended Specs
While there may be changes made for the final release, Destiny 2’s PC beta brought a list of minimum and recommended system specs. Additionally, Bungie provided a list of hardware for those looking to upgrade their systems, with CPU and GPU minimums and recommendations.
Windows 7 64-bit or Windows 8.1 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit (Recommended)
Hard drive space
68GB available hard drive space
Bungie System Specs Used at Events
CPU: Intel i7-7700k
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti 11GB
Destiny 2 Pre-Loading
Pre-loading for Destiny 2 is officially underway. If you’ve pre-ordered the game through Battle.net, you can download the game now so that it’s ready as soon as Bungie’s servers come online.
Texture Anisotropy (Anisotropic Filtering, up to 16x)
Texture Quality
Shadow Quality
Depth of Field
Environmental Detail Distance
Character Detail Distance
Foliage Detail Distance
Foliage Shadow Distance
Light Shafts
Motion Blur
Wind Impulse
Render Resolution
High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Chromatic Aberration
Film Grain
Destiny 2 PC Control Scheme
The PC version uses a relatively straightforward control scheme, which you can see in the image below. It’s worth noting that the controls are completely customizable.
Destiny 2 Doesn’t Use Dedicated Servers
Unfortunately, the game will use peer-to-peer servers. However, this doesn’t work quite the same as in the previous game; when Bungie explained why Destiny 2 doesn’t use dedicated servers, it noted that you’ll never run into a host migration situation.
Destiny 2 PC Impressions
During our hands-on time with the game, we found the mouse and keyboard support to be a welcome addition. It enhanced the overall feel of multiplayer, though it did seem to make the single-player portions we played easier than we anticipated. You can check out our analysis of the PC beta for a technical look at the game; for further impressions of the PC version, watch the video below.
If you’re hoping the game is dramatically different from the original Destiny, you may be in for a disappointment, but those seeking a refined version of that game will likely be pleased. You can read our impressions of the full game on console in our Destiny 2 review diary and Destiny 2 review-in-progress.
Destiny 2 Uses Blizzard Battle.net
Destiny 2 uses Blizzard’s desktop app. It’s the first game not directly developed by Blizzard to appear on the platform. Activision and Blizzard have changed its name several times recently, but moving forward it will be referred to as Blizzard Battle.net.
Destiny Progress Doesn’t Transfer to Destiny 2
Unfortunately, Destiny 1 power, possessions, and Eververse-related items and currency will not transfer over. While your character’s appearance will not be abandoned in the sequel for console owners, there’s no word if it’ll support any kind of transfer from console to PC.
Bungie’s highly anticipated shooter Destiny 2 is finally here on all platforms; it’s been available on consoles for some time and its PC launch is upon us. Here, we’re collecting the big details to know about, including our review, recent news stories, and all of our major guides.
Destiny 2 Review
„In true Destiny fashion, if you do something once, you’ll probably end up doing it many more times. The difference with Destiny 2 is in the variety and accessibility of what’s available, which cuts down on a lot of the frustration associated with grinding. And even after you’ve leveled up, there’s still more you can do, from keeping up with daily and weekly challenges to just hanging out with friends. It’s a much stronger foundation than the original had and one that’s enough on its own to keep people coming back week after week.“ — Kallie Plagge [Read the full Destiny 2 review]
Guides And Tips
For Destiny veterans, a lot has changed in Destiny 2, while the game will also see many newcomers to the series. Whichever boat you fall in, we have tons of guides to help you figure out where to get started and how to make the most of the endgame.
Starting Out
In-Depth Guides And Tips
Class Guides
Is Xur In Destiny 2?
Yes, the mysterious figure is back as a limited-time, weekly merchant who will sell you a rotating selection of Exotic items. While that basic conceit is the same as in the first game, there have actually been some major changes to the way he operates and where he’s found.
What Systems Is It Available On?
Unlike the first Destiny, Destiny 2 is available only for new-generation consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It’s also coming to PC on October 24. Returning players will get rewards and a nice little memorial.
What Versions Are Available?
Destiny is available in Standard, Digital Deluxe, and a Game + Expansion Pass Bundle. The Digital Deluxe edition comes with a Legendary emote and the Cabal Empire-themed emblem. It also includes the Expansion Pass, which comes with two expansions to be released later. The Game + Expansion Pass Bundle is pretty self-explanatory.
Here are the prices:
Standard — $60/£55/$100 AU
Game + Expansion Pass Bundle –$90/£80/$140 AU
Digital Deluxe — $100/£90/$150 AU
People who pre-ordered Destiny 2 will receive the Coldheart Exotic rifle, the Kill-Tracker Ghost, and the Salute emote.
File Size
According to Destiny 2’s store pages, the game weighs in at 30.9 GB on PS4 and 34.98 GB on Xbox One. The PC version requires 68 GB of free space.
What Is And Isn’t Available In Destiny 2 Now?
Destiny 2’s first Raid and Guided Games are available on console, but those won’t arrive on PC right away. Computer players can, however, play the full campaign and the Crucible multiplayer mode. Here’s the full schedule for when the Raid and other features arrive on PC.
Full details:
The Farm Holds A Really Cool Secret
If you’re willing to take a break from leveling up, the Farm social space holds an intriguing secret that you might have overlooked. [More details and mild spoilers here]
How To Kill Those Annoying Phalanx Enemies
In the original Destiny, defeating Phalanxes usually involved either chucking a grenade behind them, or shooting the tiny bit of arm visible sticking outside their shields. In Destiny 2, they’ve been granted a brand new weak spot, smack in the middle of those shields. Ping that glowing spot with a few shots and the shields retract, stunning the jerks in the process. [Lots more details here]
Known Issues, Technical Problems, And Server Queues
Destiny 2’s release on PC is poised to be big, possibly straining the game’s servers. To allow for a better experience, Bungie used server queues on console and may do so on PC. Ahead of the console release, Bungie warned that players may not be able to immediately access the game. In order to „regulate player population to provide stable conditions for Destiny gameplay,“ server queues can pop up in Destiny 2 just as they could in the previous game. In other words, you may have to wait in line before you can play. Additionally, there are a number of issues to be aware of.
Full details:
Five Biggest Changes In Destiny 2
Launch Is Just The Start
One of the shortcomings of Destiny 1 was that content was not released fast enough to meet players‘ expectations. For the sequel, Bungie is working with outside studios like High Moon and Vicarious Visions to create and release content faster. We know there are two paid expansions coming, and recently, a leak suggested the first expansion is called The Curse of Osiris and will be out in December. It’ll supposedly add a patrol zone on Mercury, a social space, and a storyline centered around Osiris.
Destiny 2 isn’t going to have a Halloween event this year. Bungie community manager David „Deej“ Dague told a fan on Twitter that while there won’t be a Festival of the Lost event this year, it could happen this time next year.
„No, Sir,“ Dague told the fan who asked directly if there would be a Festival of the Lost event in Destiny 2 this year. „We may see it again someday but Season 1 has been about launch and ritual activation. The first event for Destiny 2 is The Dawning.“
A scene from Destiny 1’s Festival of the Lost
Festival of the Lost was Destiny 1’s Halloween event. As part of it, the game’s social space, The Tower, received a creepy makeover, while Bungie added „treats“ in the form of eerie masks and other customization items. Additionally, Crucible matches played out in the dark to give them a spooky feel.
As for The Dawning, this is Destiny 2’s limited-time competition that gives the game something of a wintry makeover. This includes some cool-looking winter-themed cosmetic items, as well as a full set of Dawning-themed armor. Additionally, Bungie is adding ice hockey to The Farm and the ability to throw snowballs at people, instantly guaranteeing that I go back.
If you played Destiny, you’ll probably have very fond memories of riding your Sparrow hoverbike around planets, doing sweet jumps and running over space aliens. If you’re playing Destiny 2, you’ll probably also have a giant hoverbike-shaped hole in your heart after the first few hours. [Note: This article contains spoilers.]
Well surprise! Sparrows in Destiny 2 cannot be unlocked until you complete the main campaign or reach Level 20. Once you complete the campaign, pay a visit to Amanda Holliday in the game’s Tower social hub. She’ll gift you a free Sparrow for all your efforts saving the world, or whatever it is that you did. Congratulations! You now can purchase additional Sparrows from Amanda Holliday at this same location, and can earn them through Bright Engrams or occasionally buy them through Eververse.
If you’re Level 20, you’ll unlock the chance to receive one in a Bright Engram whether you’ve completed the campaign or not. Just cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Once you have a Sparrow, you can rapidly move around with your Fireteam while exploring planets and use its boost to make sick jumps and zip to Public Events even faster. You can give your Sparrow custom colors with shaders, and perform hand signals and tricks depending on whether your Sparrow is on or off the ground.
But until you reach that moment, enjoy the slower pace of walking around planets on foot. You can still hijack enemy vehicles like Fallen Pikes and Cabal Interceptors, which are nice when you can get them, but we recommend soaking up the scenery, smelling the roses, and punching those space aliens.
With Destiny 2 out now, there are many battles and challenges that await Guardians in their fight with the Red Legion. Losing all your gear and reverting back to humble beginnings, you’ll have to rebuild yourself from scratch to stand up to what’s coming in Bungie’s next installment of the shared-world shooter.
Much like its predecessor, there’s more to character growth than simply reaching the max character level of 20. The new Power system–an evolution of the Light system from the previous game–represents the raw attack power and damage resistance of your character Power is determined by the gear you have equipped, and you’ll need the best to keep up with your friends as you tackle the many dangers in the galaxy. In this guide, we’ll highlight the best activities and quests to quickly level up your character, while also looking at how to score the best loot to stay ahead of the game.
The fight with Dominus Ghaul and the Red Legion is one of Destiny 2’s biggest challenge, and while it’ll be tough with a weakened Guardian, the many missions during the Red War campaign will lead to valuable rewards. Simply tackling the many events and objectives during the main campaign will help you get over the rough and humble beginnings of the game–during which you’ll meet a cast of characters that will offer new missions and rewards for your character, which can be used on the tougher missions ahead.
Moreover, many of these allies will give you unique and powerful gear after finishing key story events. During the early missions on Saturn’s moon Titan, Commander Sloane–the New Pacific Arcology faction leader–will provide the first Exotic item of your choosing. Though the gear you’ll find later will overtake its power, you’d be smart to keep this Exotic stashed away, as it can be powered up with infusion–the process of sacrificing a stronger weapon to empower your preferred gear. The general pace of the main campaign is much smoother than its predecessor, which makes the early beginnings fairly brisk for newcomers and veterans alike.
Be Adventurous
When you’re not following the trail of the Red Legion, there are many side-missions and opportunities to dive into while exploring the four planets. While Patrols and Public Events are still present and accounted for–with new additions such as the heroic versions of Public Events–the new Adventure missions and Lost Sectors are an efficient means to gain new gear. Scattered around the map are key locations and sites for activities, which the game will mark and display timers for incoming Public Events–letting you know when the next big public event, and also displaying which areas you’ve already been to.
Scattered around each zone are various Lost Sectors locations, essentially Destiny 2’s take on dungeons. Each instance leads to tougher enemies and chests yielding valuable loot. Many of these dungeons can be tricky to find, but taking the time to track them down will be worth it. Along with the Lost Sectors are the new Adventure missions, which are smaller story missions focusing on the exploits of the various characters on the planet. They’ll take you across the planet, going into the more dangerous and thrilling areas, leading to more loot and opportunities to strengthen your character. After finishing all these Adventure missions, you can report back to the NPC characters in the area to repeat these missions again and collect rewards.
Support Your Local Factions
After meeting each planet’s central faction leader, you’ll unlock a series of missions and events associated with that location. While the various factions in Destiny 1 talked a big game about standing up for what’s right, their leaders stayed in the safety of the Tower, while sending you to do the hard work. In Destiny 2, each of the new factions offers unique rewards, weapons, and gear for sale, and the means to boost your character after completing objectives. While the factions in this game have dropped faction exclusive weapons and gear, such as the likes of Dead Orbit, New Monarch, and Future War Cult–the factions of Destiny 2 are more active with helping out the Guardians this time around.
In addition to doing their dirty work, you’ll eventually come across tokens scattered around the open areas. These are found in region chests, Lost Sectors, loot cases dropped from high-profile targets, and hidden loot caches, and they can be turned in to the faction leader to fill up their reputation meter. After maxing out a reputation meter, you’ll be rewarded with an Engram. Early on, you’d be better off saving these tokens until later levels. From there, the leaders will reward Guardians with Legendary Engrams, which will help boost up your Power level.
Track Your Milestones
Much like the last game, there’s a series of meta-challenges that task you with completing objectives focusing on key missions, multiplayer, and other areas of the game. These directed challenges have evolved into the new Milestone system, which feature more specific challenges like finishing a series of Crucible matches, Strikes, and finishing important story missions. After completing the Red War story campaign, you’ll find that completing these Milestones will be a much more of an important fixture of the late-game grind, resulting in rewards that couldn’t be found by completing the later parts of the campaign.
While starting out, the Milestones won’t be too vital for success, given the many story missions and Adventures you’ll take part in. With that said, there will come a time when doing Patrols and Public Events won’t be enough. Once you hit this Power level wall, which is around the 260 mark, the Milestones will include even more difficult challenges, such as Nightfalls and gaining Glory in Crucible matches. While Milestones can be challenging, the rewards are more than worth the difficulty. Clear through enough Milestones after the campaign and you’ll be ready for Nightfall Strikes and the upcoming Raid.
There’s more to come with Destiny 2 content on GameSpot, be sure to check out various other guides about all things happening in the new shared world shooter. With new secrets and discoveries being uncovered, there’s a lot to still show off in the new worlds you’ll explore in your pursuit for more power and better gear. Check back with us at GameSpot for more tips for returning players, guides to finding all the Lost Sectors, and tips on figuring out which class is right for you.
Golf Story is zany, unexpectedly funny, and mechanically sound. Those descriptors aren’t overly exciting on their own, but then again, the same could be said of what constitutes contemporary RPGs; you fetch things, hit other things, and generally do the bidding of others while your heroism goes ignored. Golf Story is essentially an RPG based on mundane, real-world concerns dialed up to the nth degree, and it’s that relatability that makes it much more charming than it sounds on paper.
It’s a not-so-sneaky homage to titles like Mario Golf considering its central conceit: absolutely everything can be solved with a combination of golf clubs, golf balls, and dogged persistence. That’s where the player-character enters–a man who’s lost half his life to a soul-sucking wife and the general indifference of others–and the fun begins. This is your typical redemption story, but instead of saving the world, you’re trying to simply restore order to your otherwise bleak existence in memory of your father. It’s a small-scale situation, but the the stakes feel enormous.
There’s no way this could go wrong, right?
It’s immediately clear that while golf is (quite literally) the name of the game, it’s not the be-all and end-all of this affair. Just like any RPG, you’ll encounter towns of people who need your help, which usually gets old pretty fast. However, Sidebar Games has managed to keep the pall of boredom away by injecting some local humour into the proceedings. For those lucky enough to be putting their feet up in Australia or New Zealand as they read this, good on ya. The jokes, sly nudges, and the meat pies that are prevalent throughout Golf Story are definitely charming signifiers that people Down Under will be familiar with. While you don’t necessarily need to have watched Kangaroo Jack to get a laugh out of „mate“ being used as an insult, those comedic touches will mean that little bit more to those already familiar with the vernacular.
Every quest-giver is, in some timeline or other, a verifiable idiot. It feels just like helping out the usual flood of gormless peasants, but there’s a lot more to it than bringing hungry villagers some cheese. Ever wanted to be a single mother’s hero by hitting her son in the face with a golf ball? You’re in luck. Ever wanted to command an entire legion of turtles who exist solely to help you get a hole-in-one? What about raising an army of the dead to defeat a grand wizard? Golf Story takes the traditional plausibility rulebook and throws it entirely out the window, and it’s better for doing so. Golf is unlikely to be considered a high-adrenaline sport by the general public, but throwing in quests that are equal parts mid-life crisis and downright diabolical certainly gets you more mileage out of your drive.
Speaking of driving, there’s a lot of it. Most golf games make you play through courses of increasing difficulty as part of your journey to being the very best, and this is no exception. You’ll spend a lot of time on the golf course, doing some combination of driving, chipping, putting, and internally screaming. It’d be a lie to say that there weren’t some holes that had the potential to try the very limits of human patience, but luckily, those were generally spaced out well enough to not be a deterrent. Swings work on a three-click system: pick your club, pick your power, and pick your precision level. It’s a no brainer as to what the best way to play is: toggle your precision indicator until it shows the distance pay-off that you’re looking for, and make sure that you hit it.
There are other factors to consider too like wind speed, slope, and roaming wildlife who will take any opportunity to get their grubby little hands on your balls. Hitting an elusive albatross (three shots under par, not the giant bird) is really only possible if you manage all the above factors successfully, but you won’t be punished for muddling your way through the nine-hole courses and enjoying the scenery if that’s your cup of tea. Putting seems to be an exercise in futility, since it’s difficult to decipher the slope of the green, but nothing’s stopping you from swapping clubs and chipping your ball straight into the hole once it’s on there, so go hard or go home. If you feel like the story isn’t to your liking, then Quick Play mode allows you to subject yourself to round after round of golf on your favourite course, cutting out the middleman. You can change the default conditions of various courses to make things more challenging, and the best part of it is, you can do all of this with a mate for some local friendly competition.
However, there’s a lot of other things to do in Golf Story, and once you master the basics of hitting a ball, you’ll be free to focus on the other things that make it so charming. The game has an arsenal of gaming and pop culture references that it relies on, and recognising each is rewarding in its own way. Without giving too much away, the fact that you’re tasked with solving a supernatural murder mystery in one breath and launched into a Pacman-esque gathering quest the next would keep most on their toes. It’s a credit that the pacing doesn’t suffer from the inclusion of these in-jokes, often taking the form of mini-games, and if you ever get sick of playing golf, you always have these side quests and bad puns to fall back on.
There are some glitches and bugs that make their presence known every now and again, but encountering something of the game-breaking variety is rare. You may find yourself interacting with new areas and being stuck in a background music loop as the player character becomes unresponsive, or more interestingly, you could find yourself in the dark space between one room and the next, unable to leave until you path through the same doorway multiple times. However, Golf Story’s little issues don’t make it a write-off.
It can take a little while for the narrative to ramp up in Golf Story and for you to feel like you’ve really cultivated the skills of a champion, but based on the sheer scope of what the game delivers, there’s likely something for everyone to enjoy whether their shtick is mini-golfing or terrorising delinquents with frisbees. It has successfully captured the trappings of yesteryear’s RPGs, and the witticisms and idiosyncrasies of the characters you encounter are a great palate cleanser between rounds. Switch has had a swathe of indies hit its eShop recently, but if you’re looking for something that’ll give you satisfaction in terms of an interesting story and a rewarding mechanic, then Golf Story is certainly par for the course.
As a big, open-world RPG, Elex shows great ambition. The world of Magalan is a fractured yet beautiful place, having spent the last 150 years recovering from the devastating impact of a comet. It’s not your typical post-apocalyptic world, showing the signs of rejuvenation that makes exploring its heavily scarred, mountainous surface an enticing and occasionally captivating proposition. But despite this, a disjointed story, unresponsive controls, and frustrating combat mechanics consistently suck the life out of Elex, making its 30-hour campaign too arduous to recommend.
You play as Jax, a widely feared former Commander within the Alb faction, the game’s main antagonists. Albs are known for their addiction to Elex, an element that has permeated through the planet since the impact of the comet, which makes them both immensely strong and emotionally void; the perfect soldiers. Driven by their dedication to their leader, The Hybrid, and his directive to gain control of all the Elex in the world, they begin an aggressive reclamation of the planet, waging war on the other factions and building giant Converters to rip the Elex from the ground.
The Alb Directive demands the punishment of death for failing a mission, and when Jax is deemed to have failed, he is put down, albeit unsuccessfully, by another Alb commander who leaves him for dead. Having woken up some time later–a fact that is poorly communicated through the course of the intro–with his armor stolen and the residual Elex gone from his body, Jax begins his search for a new place in the world. The Alb’s savagery is a gripping premise of its own accord, but it never really lives up to the potential of its setup.
Where Jax goes from here is entirely up to you, though you are given a little direction by way of Duras, a Berserker warrior who leads you to Goliet, the main Berserker settlement. Peaceful settlements dot Magalan, as do raider camps, mutants and other assorted creatures who have been transformed into ghastly beasts by the Elex that has ravaged the land.
You can learn unique abilities from each faction, like casting magic or suggestive mind control through dialogue, once you’ve proven your worth. The Berserkers retreat to nature, transmuting Elex into Mana for magic and using it to revitalise the scorched planet, while the religiously bound and technologically advanced Clerics utilise Elex-powered technology built upon remnants of the old-world. The lawless Outlaws live off the scrap of the desert, while all three factions live under the threat of the Albs‘ aggression. Appeasing their needs is no easy feat, though, largely due to the balance of difficulty in the game’s opening chapters.
Starting on the 2nd hardest of the four difficulty levels, it didn’t take me long to wind it back to normal, and then to easy. But regardless of difficulty level I felt hopelessly underpowered, even against enemies that appear early on, so much so that the only way I felt I could make significant progress was to run from as many encounters as I could. However, avoiding combat doesn’t help in the missions where you’re forced to fight.
Feeling under levelled in an RPG isn’t the problem here, rather it’s that there’s no real way around it. Any time I would find a newer, stronger weapon, I’d try to equip it only to be denied by my lack of certain skills. There are five main attributes you can pour your skill points into, and most weapons require you be at a minimum level with at least two of those attributes.
Upgrading weapons feels equally trivial, as doing so also affects their stat requirements and can put them well beyond your character’s capabilities, rendering it a pointless pursuit. This becomes less of a problem in the late game, but it wasn’t until around 20 hours into Elex that I felt marginally comfortable jumping into a standard, open-world encounter.
Even then, there are still some real issues with the game’s controls and combat that present themselves early; something Elex never truly recovers from. Melee combat feels cumbersome, with Jax’s quickest attack requiring a hefty wind up before the swing. The auto-targeting function doesn’t differentiate between friend or foe, and when combined with poor hit detection and slow animations, it causes all manner of problems when fighting next to groups of friendlies. Ranged combat is a little better, but similarly suffers from some problems with hit detection.
Most frustrating is when you successfully hit an enemy with either a melee or ranged attack and it does no damage whatsoever, at least until you’ve hit it three or four times. Initially I thought this had something to do with my stamina meter being drained, but that just stops you from attacking in the first place. I never did work out the precise reason why this happens, but it’s stunningly frustrating as it makes nearly every engagement feel horribly unbalanced, overshadowing Elex’s better qualities.
While character models and faces leave something to be desired, much of the environmental art is incredible. Separated into distinct regions, Magalan is gorgeous. From the green, flora draped lands of Edan and the canyon laced deserts of Tavar, to the volcanic region of Ignadon, the layout of its heavily cracked and damaged surface feels superbly hand-crafted. The details can lead to occasional frame rate drops, especially with lots of characters onscreen, but it’s hard to deny Elex’s wonderful art design. The addition of a jetpack to help you traverse mountainous regions, despite feeling a little clumsy, is also a nice touch.
Some of the inter-factional rivalries are interesting on the surface, with politics between clan leaders and in-fighting providing a bit of fun through dialogue and faction missions, but the overarching narrative rarely proves to go anywhere significant. Some of these missions touch on thought-provoking themes, like the idea that, despite being of the same faction, one person’s morality doesn’t always equate to another’s. Despite the interaction of different factions being a running theme through many of the game’s quests, Elex doesn’t have much more to say on the topic.
The main story quests aren’t quite as interesting, and are riddled with bugs in their presentation. Jax’s back story is slowly pieced together through memories presented as cutscenes during moments of exposition, though the transitions between these are jarring at best, with some cutscenes occasionally not playing at all. Numerous times did I come out of a cutscene only to find the world tearing itself apart and my character falling through the floor, either crashing the game or requiring a full restart and forcing me to replay the same section over again in the hopes that it wouldn’t fall apart.
Elex’s world is no doubt enticing, but the good moments are heavily dispersed among some rough technical problems and odd designs that only serve to frustrate. The game offers an incredibly designed world and the basis of a compelling RPG that disappointingly fails to live up to its potential in almost every way. For a game that relies heavily on its combat for progression, it feels overwhelmingly geared against you, and with the added technical issues and lack of a compelling story to tell, Elex takes the wind out of its own sails at nearly every turn.
Spectacle and showmanship are as vital to professional wrestling as its storylines and in-ring action. Fans will fondly remember a Superstar’s distinctive mannerisms, or the pageantry of a glorious entrance, just as much as a five-star match. WWE 2K18 takes this aspect to heart with a substantial leap in visual fidelity–further complementing developers Yuke’s and Visual Concepts‘ adherence to wrestling authenticity. However, the game’s cosmetic advancements fail to cover up stagnant gameplay mired in technical issues.
WWE’s superlative lighting, character models, and motion captured animations bring each star of the squared circle to life with startling accuracy. And while there are some disparities between the poor saps at the bottom of the card and those at the very top, the gap isn’t as significant as it has been in previous years, with entrances remaining a dazzling highlight. Small details, like stretch marks and surgery scars, also contribute to WWE 2K18’s graphical showcase. Muscles are defined and flex when a Superstar heaves an opponent over their shoulders, veins bulge under the strain of submissions, and even Finn Balor’s demon paint gradually peels off over the course of a match. As a visual representation of the product we see on TV each week, it’s definitely impressive, and this devotion to realism extends to the gameplay, too. This is nothing new, of course, and if you haven’t enjoyed the series‘ methodical pacing and restrictive over-reliance on counters in the past, WWE 2K18 is unlikely to change your mind. This is essentially the same game as it was last year, with a few incremental additions edging the needle closer to the authenticity the series strives for.
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Hot tags have been modified to be a more natural, momentum-injecting part of tag team matches, and a new carry system gives you more options on offence, allowing you to forcefully haul your opponent around the arena and execute a variety of context-sensitive actions with ease. This is particularly enjoyable if you’re playing as a giant like Braun Strowman, since you can hoist smaller opponents over your head and launch them directly out of the ring–which is certainly impactful in Battle Royales and the Royal Rumble. Speaking of which, eight-person matches are also new this year, adding an element of chaos to any over-the-top-rope shenanigans. The only downside is that so many Superstars duking it out at the same time has a negative impact on the game’s frame rate, with the slowdown enough to disrupt your timing on counters.
This isn’t WWE 2K18’s only technical issue either. While the AI is passable at best and dim-witted at worst, there are also myriad glitches spread throughout its various match types and game modes. From Superstars getting trapped inside inanimate objects and being teleported around the arena; referees not counting pins in eight-person tag matches; the Royal Rumble completely breaking due to Superstars failing to appear when their number is called; or the way the Elimination Chamber acts as a proverbial cooking pot for a concoction of ludicrous glitches, WWE 2K18 is a messy experience. Sure, a number of these mishaps are funny, but there are others that actively ruin the experience on a larger scale, whether it’s the game crashing every single time there’s a promo in Universe mode, or the way MyCareer struggles to keep track of your allies and rivals, even forcing you to wrestle yourself in championship title matches. This series has always suffered from its fair share of glitches, but they’re especially egregious and plentiful this year.
Meanwhile, MyCareer still tasks you with creating a character and climbing the ranks of the WWE, however, there’s still no option to create anything but a male wrestler, which is disheartening. Some light RPG elements do at least attempt to spruce up the action in-between matches, and you’re now free to explore the backstage areas, chatting to your fellow Superstars and picking up side quests that will further your alignment as either a face or heel, unlocking specific perks for each. The aforementioned glitches create problems here, however, as you might be asked to cut a promo on Enzo Amore, only to call out Cesaro instead, and then be told backstage that Dean Ambrose knew your plan. It’s a mess, and a struggle to keep track of. These backstage segments are overly lethargic due to the regularity and length of their loading times, which mean you’ll often spend more time watching the game than playing it.
This series has always suffered from its fair share of glitches, but they’re especially egregious and plentiful this year.
Beyond these issues, the writing in MyCareer remains its biggest problem. Even if you excuse the juvenile insults and complete lack of voice acting, there’s nothing here that carries any weight or interest. The writing lacks character and individuality, so it doesn’t matter who you speak to backstage. Bray Wyatt might be an occultist hillbilly with an anomalous promo style, but he’ll still speak with the same verbiage as Seth Rollins, who will in turn sound just like John Cena. And this carries over into the promos, too. These work much the same as they did last year, tasking you with picking from a number of dialogue options, and then trying to maintain a cohesive tone throughout to achieve a high score. The dialogue options aren’t quite as vague as they were before, so it’s easier to craft a coherent promo, but the terrible writing and silent pantomiming rob these moments of any impact. Last year, the promo system felt like a flawed first draft with room to grow, but there’s been very little progression one year later.
MyCareer’s online counterpart, Road to Glory, fares much better than its single-player brethren. By following the real-life WWE calendar, it allows you to take your created character online to compete against others in daily match types in order to earn enough stars to qualify for pay-per-view events. This adds some purpose and impetus to online brawls, and the netcode this year is surprisingly good, with smooth matches and no noticeable input delay, even when you bump it up to a fatal-fourway.
It’s fun seeing everybody else’s created Superstars, but customisation in MyCareer is disappointingly limited by the inclusion of loot boxes. There are no microtransactions in WWE 2K18, so 2K isn’t trying to urge you to part with more cash. But, honestly, that just makes this approach all the more baffling. The vast majority of customisation options, from hairstyles and T-shirts, to wrestling tights and even the vast repertoire of moves, are locked behind these loot boxes. You earn virtual currency throughout the game, and Road to Glory also has weekly loot boxes to unlock, but you’re still at the whim of a randomised draw. If you want a specific beard or a finishing move, you’re just going to have to hope luck falls on your side.
Fortunately, the creation suite outside of MyCareer is as exhaustive as ever, with everything unlocked from the get-go. You can tinker with every single facet of a Superstar’s design and create new title belts, custom matches, and arenas, and download other users‘ creations to, say, fill out the NXT roster with the likes of Adam Cole, Drew Galloway, and Kairi Sane.
WWE 2K18’s in-ring combat is fundamentally flawed, and will be as divisive as it often is. Yet there’s no denying the inherent joy derived from performing your favorite Superstar’s signature moves. Whether it’s cracking your opponent over the head with AJ Styles‘ Phenomenal Forearm, or pounding the life out of Asuka’s latest victim, there are moments of pure pro wrestling enjoyment to be found here. It’s just compounded by too many frustrating issues, disruptive glitches, and a dearth of engaging single-player modes. This series has remained stagnant for far too long, and WWE 2K18 doesn’t change things.
Fire Emblem Warriors brings heroes from the revered Fire Emblem strategy series and drops them onto the chaotic battlefields developer Omega Force’s Warriors games are known for. These knights, paladins, and mages are a natural fit for medieval clashes against swarms of hapless enemies, but their influence on the Warriors formula is otherwise fleeting. However fun it can be in short spurts, Fire Emblem Warriors feels like plenty of other Warriors games before it: a simple joy plagued by repetitive and shallow encounters.
Like more recent Fire Emblem games, you’re introduced to a new pair of protagonists–Lianna and Rowan. Sibling heirs to the Aytolis Kingdom, their land comes under threat with the appearance of an evil dragon and thousands of otherworldly fiends who’ve slipped through a rift in space and time. In a similar fashion, characters from various Fire Emblem timelines (The Blazing Blade, Shadow Dragon, Awakening, Fates, and Echoes) come to Lianna and Rowan’s rescue. It’s a thin narrative that leads to plenty of awkward exchanges and cliche events. And though this may be par for the course for the Warriors series, Fire Emblem games are typically heralded for their captivating stories and deep characters, so it’s hard not to be a little disappointed to see very little of that transition over to this experimental outing.
If you’re at all familiar with the Warriors games, then you already know what to expect as Fire Emblem Warriors follows the formula very closely: Playing as one of the many available heroes, you venture onto the battlefield and slay hundreds, if not thousands, of enemies during a single mission through hard-hitting yet simple-to-execute combo attacks.
Attacks and combos are input via a two-button system for light and heavy attacks, and you have access to a flashy special ability once your damage meter is full. The weapon triangle system pulled from Fire Emblem dictates how effective one character is against another depending on their default weapon, but weighing the advantages of individual face-offs slows the rapid and enjoyable pace of combat. Likewise, the pair up system, where you do your best to create a bond between two characters, doesn’t make this game significantly different from other Warriors spin-offs.
Apart from feeling somewhat shallow, Fire Emblem Warriors plays smoothly, and it’s enjoyable to watch favorites like Chrom, Marth, and Lyndis break free from their turn-based ways to slay massive swarms of low-level enemies in real time. Sadly, not every beloved Fire Emblem character made the cut, with notable protagonists like Alm, Eliwood, Ike, and Roy missing in action.
Given the potential impact Fire Emblem’s demanding nature could have had on the Warriors series‘ straightforward hack-and-slash engagements, the diminished classic mode is another source of disappointment.
In keeping with Fire Emblem tradition, you have the option between “casual” and “classic” game modes, though the rules work differently, eschewing classic permadeath for something a little less punishing. During a casual playthrough, fallen allies are easily revived at certain checkpoints; however, they can also be revived on the classic difficulty provided you have enough gold and other relevant items. In other words, no character is ever truly dead. It’s also rare that you ever need to worry in the first place, as you’re free to switch between any one of the up to four characters you can take on a mission, allowing you to quickly control and heal allies that may be on the verge of death. Given the potential impact Fire Emblem’s demanding nature could have had on the Warriors series‘ straightforward hack-and-slash engagements, the diminished classic mode is another source of disappointment.
The same can be said for your AI partners, who are nearly incapable of autonomy, even when given a direct purpose such as attacking or defending a chosen person or location. They rarely take the most efficient route following your order, and often end up simply standing in place once they reach their destination. With such unreliable partners, you’re ultimately left to do everything yourself as missions unfold.
And because Fire Emblem Warriors is a Warriors game, there are hundreds of enemies on-screen at once. The frame rate takes a notable hit from time to time, almost chugging as the game attempts to render both the enemies you’ve defeated and their replacements spawning into battle. The same issue occurs when characters are introduced during missions in short, voiced cutscenes, causing the game to throttle down to stop-motion like speeds. These performance issues don’t hinder your ability to succeed, but they are obtrusive enough to be annoying.
Fire Emblem Warriors doesn’t radically change the formula of the two-decade-old Warriors franchise, nor is it concerned with attempting to do so. At best, it’s a decent vehicle for Fire Emblem’s characters, a chance to flex their muscles in a new venue without the limitations of turn-based combat holding their abilities back. There are signs of potential left unrealized, and the thought of what a Warriors game with truly dramatic character relationships and permadeath could have been lingers. For now that remains out of reach as Fire Emblem Warriors is yet another collaboration where Omega Force’s tendencies dominate the finished product.
In South Park: The Fractured But Whole, the fantasy theme of its predecessor gives way to the equally popular subject of superheroes, parodying the current state of comic book-to-film oversaturation we see today. This shift is complemented by the change in the combat system, which proves cerebrally satisfying despite the juvenile sight of your main character using flatulence to overpower and outsmart everyone from ninjas to a red wine-enraged Randy Marsh. And when you add town exploration that awards practical character benefits, the resulting game is a delightfully fart-tinged journey that delivers satisfying gameplay and surprising absurdity in equal measure.
Like many South Park episodes, The Fractured But Whole’s story kicks off with Eric Cartman cooking up a self-serving scheme: the search for a missing cat so he can use the reward money to fund a movie franchise for his troupe of superheroes. Yet, this is South Park after all, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that what develops goes way beyond a simple feline rescue. We’re talking about police corruption with Lovecraftian twists and having to stomach debased attacks by pedophile bosses. As you once again play as the New Kid, you promptly join Cartman’s team, Coon and Friends, engaging in a host of bizarre stories that play fast and loose with crude humor and sensitive topics alike.
This is South Park through and through, where outrageous and unpredictable plot developments contrast against the day-to-day goings on of seemingly normal suburbanites. There’s also the typical smattering of references to recent real-life events, from the Black Lives Matter movement to Morgan Freeman running a taqueria. But the game follows the franchise blueprint of lampooning pop culture and society without in-depth commentary, typified by the non-combat difficulty slider where being black is supposedly the hardest setting, and being white is the easiest. It’s an opportunity to present something meaningful left half-realized as a flyby gag.
Seemingly more care was put into the game’s more benign comedic touches, starting with game title itself. ‚The Fractured But Whole‘ isn’t a mere excuse to hide ‚butthole‘ in a game title; it’s also a clever take on Captain America: Civil War, relevant since the game’s story involves two rival superhero teams. The Fractured But Whole is a consistent chucklefest where genuine laugh out loud moments are spread thin, which is forgivable for a playthrough that can last over 20 hours. Thanks to fast travel, completing missions comes at a steady pace, which means you’re only minutes away from a new scene that would warrant a chortle at the very least. That could be Mr. Mackey’s disturbing inquisitiveness about your sexual preferences or the City Wok staff moonlighting as ninjas. And even in the more private settings of a stranger’s bathroom, the minigame of dropping a deuce offers its own flavor of hilarity.
Your arduous rescue mission is filled with hostile encounters against everyone from sixth graders to the elderly. As a welcome change to the precision demands of the Stick of Truth’s RPG-inspired mechanics, Fractured But Whole employs tactics-style combat, prioritizing strategy-driven thoughtfulness over adept reflexes. While those new to tactical RPGs won’t have to worry about the intricacies of terrain effects or improving chemistry between squadmates, you’re nonetheless rewarded for thinking a couple turns ahead. Moreover, the modestly sized combat grids give the initial false impression that only rudimentary battle planning is needed for success. In actuality, these sometimes cramped spaces force you to think carefully on how to efficiently navigate your characters around the field, ideally to capitalize on their powers.
It’s a superbly balanced combat system that values smart thinking while also offering the flexibility of personal preference when choosing your character’s class and abilities. Whether you like supporting and buffing friends or want to be the most powerful tank possible, you can complement your strengths with the many superfriends you amass over time. While it’s a stimulating challenge trying to make a great team, it’s even harder to come up with a bad one. For every hero that has a potent attack that can knock back enemies, there’s a buddy who can heal and buff. Another advantage is the accessibility of craftable health-restoring mexican food. This can turn the bulk of encounters into easy victories, though The Fractured But Whole offers its share of optional encounters above your fighting weight–as measured by your squad’s Might level–not to mention a number of challenging boss fights.
Growing your team’s Might is inextricably tied to every bit of forward progress you make, whether that’s wrapping up a story goal or completing the myriad side quests assigned by familiar townsfolk. From building a follower count on social media via the Coonstagram app or collecting gay romantic manga for Mister Tucker, experience earned through those missions accumulate to increase your levels and unlock slots for Might-boosting artifacts.
As you head to any map-marked objective, the various unexplored homes and businesses along the way are well-peppered with practical crafting items and side-mission collectables. Thanks to a number of quality-of-life conveniences, exploring seldom feels like a chore. Accessible drawers are well-marked with yellow handles, backpacks you’ve sifted through remain open, and when you’ve completed various collection missions, you’re rewarded by the quest giver immediately, saving you the trip to physically hand the goods. These benefits far outweigh The Fractured But Whole’s slight annoyances such as not knowing what attacks in battle result in friendly fire and the tiny font of your app updates.
Aside from exploration and battles, South Park is loaded with environmental puzzles that–while hardly brain teasing–can elicit more than a giggle depending on how a hurdle is overcome. The most challenging obstacles are surmounted by your legendary farting abilities and select friends you can call in for an immediate assist. By combining your flatulence with the flight ability of Human Kite (aka Kyle’s superhero persona), you can reach higher, previously inaccessible areas. Toilet humor transcends to depravity when you fire Butters‘ rodent out of your butt, launching it to reach and sabotage open electrical panels. While The Stick of Truth had its share of gassy gags, this sequel doubles down on farting as an essential multipurpose game mechanic, powerful enough to bend space and time at your whim. Not only does it prove useful in solving puzzles, it’s also invaluable in preventing enemies from using their turn in battle.
Much like The Stick of Truth, The Fractured But Whole can be appreciated as a standalone adventure, accessible to those who’ve fallen off the TV series over a decade ago. Fans who have kept up will appreciate the handful of recent call backs to the show plus at least one timely spoof that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone previous said they would not tackle. And if there’s one aspect of the show that hasn’t changed in its 20-plus years, it is the endearing qualities of the kids‘ reality-breaking imaginations. This is best exemplified in the classic pronouncement that the floor is lava, which is represented by initially impassible red building blocks strewn throughout the town.
Fractured But Whole succeeds as an interactive South Park mini-series, while effectively emulating the show’s current style of adult-targeted entertainment and satirization of political correctness. In other words, it’s consistently amusing and provocative without the edginess the series used to be known for. Both the game’s combat and explorative strengths effectively bridge the many comical plot developments, which range from mildly amusing to downright hilarious. It’s an accomplishment that this game will wholly entertain devoted fans while delivering a heap of jokes that won’t fly over the heads of casual viewers.
Innovating within the bounds of horror’s familiar tropes and rules is a difficult task, but one that The Evil Within 2 handles with grace. Developer Tango Gameworks cleverly introduces old-school horror design within the confines of a semi-open world that ultimately makes for a refreshing trip into a world of nightmares.
Picking up several years after the first game, we find the former detective Sebastian Castellanos in dire straits, still wracked with guilt over the loss of his family and haunted by his last visit into a nightmare version of reality. When a shadowy organization gives him the chance to set things right with his past and rescue his daughter from the dangerous and unstable world of Union, he willingly re-enters the haunting realm despite his residual trauma.
Right from the beginning, there’s a sense of deja vu as Sebastian wanders the eerie and unreal locations in Union. Despite being one of the few survivors from the first game, he oddly finds himself falling for the same tricks and set-ups that the world and its inhabitants lay out for him. While this could be chalked up to a simple retread, much of these instances make a point of illustrating some key differences from this game and the last.
There’s generally more of an adventurous feel compared to the original’s isolated levels. With more side characters to interact with–opening up moments of dialogue that flesh out the story–and optional events scattered around the world, there’s a level of freedom and variety in The Evil Within 2 that was largely absent from the first game. However, there are a few notable sections where backtracking is required, which slows the pacing and sense of progression to a crawl.
Despite this, exploration is consistently enjoyable, rewarding treks to the places tucked away, where you can find details about Union’s history and meet other characters looking to survive the nightmare. With so many little details that add a lot to atmosphere, there’s a clear respect for The Evil Within’s world. The many nods to original game feel more impactful for it, giving a renewed appreciation for Sebastian’s previous adventure.
Compared to its predecessor’s singular levels in unique chapters, The Evil Within 2 possesses a more organic and interconnected set of places to explore–focusing on several large maps with multiple points of interest. While there’s still plenty of mind-bending and perspective-skewing set pieces, such as a tentacle creature with a large camera for an eye, the explorable spaces are the real standout. In many ways, it’s like traversing through a demented amusement park filled with hideous creations, forcing yourself to face past horrors. Adventuring to places not marked on the map often yields valuable resources, and also leads to some surprising encounters with obsessive ghosts and multiple unnerving, fourth-wall breaking events.
It takes more than just going for the head to take out some of the tougher enemies.
Over time, environments descend into chaos when Union inevitably grows unstable, turning a small town into a horrifying and unnerving shell of its former self. Streets vertically upend, and fire and blood exude from places they shouldn’t. The visual design of The Evil Within 2 successfully juxtaposes vastly different settings and aesthetics, and presents them in a bizarre package that illustrates the erratic and unpredictable nature of the world.
While Sebastian felt more like a mere sketch of a hardened and weary protagonist in his first outing, he feels better realized and more grounded in this sequel, giving a certain gravitas to his struggle. Showing bewilderment and confusion throughout the first game, he’s more confident and determined this time, even throwing in some fitting one-liners that poke fun at some of the dangers in the last game. The supporting cast of villains also feel more active in the ongoing events, and have a greater sense of place this time around–particularly with the eccentric serial killer artist who photographs his victims upon their deaths.
The Evil Within 2 successfully juxtaposes vastly different settings and aesthetics, and presents them in a bizarre package that illustrates the erratic and unpredictable nature of the world.
While there’s occasional moments of cheese and humor throughout–such as the inclusion of a goofy shooting range and collectible toys related to other Bethesda games–the levity never feels out of place, which is an accomplishment considering the game’s pervasive macabre atmosphere.
Putting a greater emphasis on the survival aspect of survival horror, The Evil Within 2 demands resource management and bravery in its relatively spacious world. While common enemies are fewer in number compared to the original game, they’re far more threatening alone and can easily manhandle Sebastian. There’s a thoughtful approach to engagement and progression this time around, which means you’ll have to think twice about whether or not to engage a group of enemies. With that said, you have a sizable arsenal of weapons and gear–including the return of the Crossbow with six different ammo types–to take on the enemies as you see fit.
Some encounters will pull out all the stops to prevent Sebastian from making progress.
Throughout his journey, Sebastian carries a communication device, allowing him to keep track of main objectives, along with points of interest and intel on the fates of side characters in the area. How you go about dealing with these characters and exploring is up to you. Similarly, whether you avoid conflict with enemies or take out as many as possible along the way is down to your preferred playstyle. The Evil Within 2 accommodates those that prefer action as much as those that like to be stealthy. Combat is robust, thanks to improved weapon handling and character upgrading that allows you to focus on the specific areas of Sebastian’s skillset to enhance stealth, combat, and athleticism.
Sebastian can return to the safe haven of his mind to upgrade weapons and skills, and review case files and intel on various characters. With the Green Gel collected from fallen enemies–and the new Red Gel that unlocks upper tier upgrades–the core upgrading system has been greatly improved. Going beyond simply increasing damage of melee strikes and stamina length, new special perks can be unlocked such as the ever-useful Bottle Break skill that uses bottles as self-defense items when grabbed by enemies. Along with the expanded weapon upgrade system, using only weapon parts, the systems of progression feel far more nuanced and open.
Sebastian will have to scavenge for supplies and other materials to make up for the lack of ammo boxes and health items. While this may seem like it can make things easy, efficient crafting can only be done at dedicated workbenches, whereas crafting in the field via the radial inventory menu should be done a last resort as it costs twice as many materials. This crafting element adds a bit of a survivalist feel to The Evil Within 2, where you’re scrounging around corners to find materials, all while avoiding packs of enemies looking to pummel you.
Though the game is challenging even on its standard difficulty level, it’s not unfair, and there are options for multiple playstyles. The standard Survival difficulty mode is manageable, and you won’t find yourself hitting a way due to lack of resources. However, the Nightmare mode raises the stakes, featuring slightly altered combat encounters, harder enemies, and fewer resources to find. If you’re up for a challenge of a different kind, the unlockable Classic mode will disable auto-saves, upgrades, and limit you to a finite amount of saves. In addition to extra unlockables for completing the tougher difficulties, the experiences they offer is more in keeping with the true survival horror experience, where resources are hard to come by, and the enemies are deadlier than before.
There’s a clear respect for the horror genre in The Evil Within 2, with a number of references to classic films and games. The game channels that style and tone into combat that feels brutal and raw, stealth that has an air of suspense, and unsettling confrontations with dangerous, otherworldly creatures. The Evil Within 2 doubles down on the core of what makes survival horror games great: the focus on disempowerment and obstacles, and the ensuing satisfaction that comes with surviving a harrowing assault.
Though there’s some occasional technical hiccups that result in some particularly frustrating moments and weird pacing issues, this horror sequel elevates the tense and impactful survival horror experience in ways that feel fresh and exciting. What this cerebral horror game does isn’t totally new, but it rarely feels routine, and offers plenty of surprises. Coming in at a lengthy and surprisingly packed 15-hour campaign, the sequel does an admirable job of ratcheting up the tension and scares when it needs to, while also giving you the freedom to explore and proceed how you want. It’s a tough thing to balance, but The Evil Within 2 does it remarkably well, and in a way that leaves a strong and lasting impression after its touching conclusion.
Survival games challenge you to gain control of treacherous worlds. You typically start with very little, and need to scavenge for supplies and resources in order to craft the tools needed to help you avoid death. Success usually means having enough power to establish yourself in a higher place on the food chain, or hunkering down and building a fortified space strong enough to keep the rest of the food chain out. The Flame in the Flood doesn’t allow you to achieve either of those goals and is a consistently gripping experience as a result.
Set in a rural post-societal America, The Flame in the Flood is a procedurally-generated survival game that focuses on constant movement and improvisation. The entirety of the game’s world consists of a large, overflowing river that has engulfed the countryside, destroyed man-made infrastructure, and isolated parts of the geography, turning them into islands.
The Flame in the Flood’s audiovisual presentation is integral to establishing its strong sense of place. The art direction invokes the aesthetic of a gothic storybook. The atmospheric sound design is ever-present. The rush of the flowing river is refreshing, and the heaviness of the thunderstorms is frightening. The musical score is an excellent array of Americana, ranging from mournful blues harmonica, cheerful acoustic guitar fingerpicking, wistful mandolins, and rough alt-country vocals. Together, they give The Flame in the Flood an aura of both despair and quiet beauty.
Your protagonists are a seemingly immortal dog and a survivor whose main concerns are keeping her hunger, thirst, body temperature, exhaustion, and any major injuries under control. Because the survivor can die from neglecting any of these concerns, players must keep them at bay by either scavenging or by crafting a variety of items using resources obtained from the land. But because of the game’s narrative conceit, you’re only able to scavenge on small islands with severely limited offerings. Finding the right components to create items you need often means exploring multiple islands as you traverse the river on your makeshift raft.
Your raft can be upgraded at marinas, provided you have the right components.
There are two major constraints that make this task both interesting and difficult. The protagonist can initially carry only a dozen items in her backpack, and you’ll only be able to dock at one or two islands in a cluster of many before the current pulls you further downriver. This design is frustrating at first–the impulse to grab every item and explore every area will cause you to waste far too much time and energy rearranging your backpack and paddling against the current. But once you embrace the idea of “going with the flow” so to speak, The Flame in the Flood becomes an engaging exercise of short-term prioritization and impulsive decision-making.
Though it will take a number of failures to understand the ecosystem, learning which items are universally useful and avoiding long-term hoarding are the key to staying alive. For example, keeping uncommon fire-starting materials in order to have a method of staying warm, dry, and being able to build a safe place to sleep is more vital than hoarding food–food eventually spoils, and edible flora is common enough in certain ecosystems to snack on as you come across it. Working out your priorities and having the courage to leave valuable things behind is a stimulating challenge. The Flame in the Flood keeps you on your back foot at all times. This feels like true survival.
Unfortunately, the user interface can prove to be a source of frustration. Essential tasks, like sorting your inventory and getting a broad idea of your current crafting options feel unnecessarily taxing because of the number of steps required. All pertinent information is kept within multiple subcategories accessed from a single screen. Inventory management and crafting existing in separate subcategories, and the recipes for different kinds of craftable items are separated into subcategories under that. Finding out what components are missing for a particular tool can be tedious because of the need to flip between menus and scroll through multiple entries to reach the information. Even after hours of play, I was still wrestling with the menu system, especially when using a controller. In fact, I began switching to mouse and keyboard exclusively for menus to make navigation a little easier.
Sure. I’m cold, wet, starving, exhausted, and lacerated all over. But man, what a view.
But switching to mouse and keyboard is not something I want to do because movement, especially piloting your raft, is far more precise and satisfying with a controller. Travelling to new locations via raft requires deft avoidance of rock formations, remnants of human infrastructure and floating debris. Lightly flowing waters regularly turn into violent rapids, which are as treacherous as they are fun to navigate–impacts are devastating on both your raft’s integrity and your own vitals. Using the last of your stamina bar to push your raft just shy of a large, jagged outcrop is consistently thrilling, and when things quiet down, gently steering your raft through the remains of drowned towns at sunset while a haunting lap-steel melody plays is a sublime experience.
The Flame in the Flood encourages you to put long-term goals aside and live in the moment, to make choices and overcome short-term problems with risky but satisfying spontaneity. Despite the awkward menu system, it’s an absorbing game that lets you experience a journey in the present, and fully appreciate the sights, sounds, and joys of floating down the river in its alluring world.
Update: The Flame In The Flood’s arrival on Nintendo Switch as a “Complete Edition” comes with the mechanical refinements and feature upgrades that have been added since the game’s initial release. These include quality-of-life tweaks to crafting, an insightful developer’s commentary, and more importantly, an alternate dog companion to choose from. While the visual fidelity noticeably lower on the Switch and there are some minor hiccups in performance that aren’t present on other platforms, The Flame In The Flood still remains a unique and absorbing survival game. We have updated the score to reflect our experience with the Switch version. – Edmond Tran, Fri. October 13, 2017, 9:00 AM AEST
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