E3 2018 Predictions: Nintendo

For the past two years, Nintendo has chosen to focus its E3 presence toward singular games. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild commandeered 2016 in a huge way and Super Mario Odyssey defined the Nintendo booth in 2017. The smart money is on Super Smash Bros. for 2018, but with the Switch's continued success, we're thinking we'll be seeing a whole lot more than just Nintendo games at its booth and during its Direct presentation.

As we have done in years past, we have placed our predictions on a scale of Sure Bet, 50/50, and Long Shot.

Super Smash Bros. Isn’t A Port… But It Looks Like One
The moment the dust had cleared after the Switch's announcement, the first question on everyone's minds (after the confirmation that a new Zelda and a new Mario were on the way) was, "What about Smash Bros.?" We all assumed, and frankly would have been satisfied with a port of the excellent Wii U version of Super Smash Bros., but when the game was finally confirmed in March, we weren't sure what to think. Is this the Wii U Super Smash Bros. with new characters like the inklings from Splatoon and a Breath of the Wild skin for Link? Or is it an entirely new game? Super Smash Bros. Wii U released in 2014, but on the Smash Bros. release timeline, four years is pretty quick for a new entry. The gap between Melee and Brawl was seven years and the gap between Brawl and Wii U was six. That being said, for reasons not yet totally clear, this seems like it's not going to be a port, but we also don't think it will feel dramatically different from the last entry – and we're okay with that. Keep an eye out later in the week for a feature where we break down which new characters we expect to see in the new game.

Probability: Sure Bet

Retro’s Rumored Star Fox Racer Surfaces
Last month, rumors began circulating that Retro's next project would be something surprising. Not a new Donkey Kong Country, Metroid Prime, or a new I.P., but rather a racing game based in the Star Fox universe. Rumors should always be taken with a grain of salt, but there is a lot of evidence surrounding this one, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was a commercial juggernaut on Switch. Of course Nintendo would want more racing games for its console that would fit in that same genre. We're betting we will see this thing – whatever it is – at E3.

Probability: Sure Bet

Amiibo Presence Reduced Significantly
We're not saying we won't see any amiibos at E3, either behind a glass case on the show floor or pictured during the Direct presentation, but we're thinking we will be seeing fewer of them. Retailers like Target no longer have dedicated sections devoted to the near-field communication baubles, and many of the characters (presumably) that will be in the new Smash Bros. already have amiibo figures connected to them.

Probability: Sure Bet

Metroid Prime 4 Gets A Trailer
One of the most exciting announcements with the least amount of information associated with it from E3 2017 was Metroid Prime 4. All we learned last year was it was coming and that Retro was not making it. That was it. This year, we're hoping to see a trailer. We're not even confident it will have gameplay in it, but it will at least give us an idea of the game's art direction and story.

Probability: Sure Bet

Pictured: Fire Emblem Warriors

Fire Emblem Switch Gets A Trailer, But It’s Still Far Away
Another one of Nintendo's patented no detail announcements was a recent one that said, "Fire Emblem is coming to Switch... eventually!" We're thinking we will learn more about that game this year with a trailer, but its release date will be a ways out.

Probability: 50/50

Head to page two for our port predictions as well as our Animal Crossing thoughts.

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Rockstar Reveals Pre-Order Bonuses And Special Editions For Red Dead Redemption II

Our return to the west gallops ever closer. Today Rockstar showed off all the pre-order bonuses for Red Redemption II as well as the various special editions.

Anyone who pre-orders the game will get a war horse and extra health items. Digital pre-orders include a cash bonus that players can use to get better equipment at the star of the game as well as a treasure map.

The special edition (pictured below) will include an exclusive bank robbery mission, new horse, outfits, items that give gameplay bonuses, as well as three free weapons. Those who purchase the ultimate edition get everything in the special edition plus some new outfits and a steel case for the game.

Finally for the big spenders, there's a collector's edition that includes a steel box and a host of physical goodies, including a jigsaw puzzle, playing cards, pin set, bandanna, and challenge coin. You can peep the whole set for yourself down below:

For more on Red Dead Redemption II, check out our latest preview.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/04/rockstar-reveals-pre-order-bonuses-and-special-editions-for-red-dead-redemption-ii.aspx

Lords Of The Fallen Sequel Finds New Developer

Deck 13's Souls-like adventure Lords Of The Fallen was surprisingly good (our review here CI Games), garnering strong reviews and desire for a sequel. Rumors swirled about a possible follow-up. However, the game soon vanished into development hell as Deck 13 moved onto The Surge.

CI Games, the publisher for Lords of the Fallen, has finally spoken up about the whereabouts of the rumored sequel: namely that it existed and a new developer was taking up the mantle. The new developer is called Defiant Studios and operates out of New York City. Chief Executive Officer, Marek Tymiński praised Defiant, saying  "We talked to a number of globally respected studios that had shown a strong interest in making the next LotF, and received several solid pitches. We finally decided to move forward with Defiant because we were impressed with their game concept, production expertise, and the pedigree of their developers."

The sequel to Lords of the Fallen is Defiant Studios' first announced project.

 

Our Take
I never got to try my hand at Lords of the Fallen but people seemed to be pretty into it. Hopefully this sequel will pan out under Defiant's guidance.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/04/lords-of-the-fallen-sequel-finds-new-developer.aspx

Hands-On With Dragon Quest XI's Enchanting World

After announcing last year that Dragon Quest XI would get a North American release, Square Enix has finally confirmed which platforms it's coming to. While many stateside fans have been pining for a Switch version, DQ XI has only been announced for PS4 and PC. It appears the company has no plans for the 3DS iteration to come here either, and seeing as the Switch version has yet to debut in Japan, it's unclear if or when we'll eventually see that one. If you're not keen on waiting for the biggest Dragon Quest adventure to date, however, then you'll be happy to know the PS4 and PC versions are coming packed with extras and the release date is merely months away. We recently went hands-on with the game, which, like past entries, includes British voiceovers for the Western release. We got a good look at party member Sylvando and an intense boss battle.

The demo focuses on a desert area, featuring the kingdom of Gallopolis. Gallopolis is known for its horse races and fearless desert knights. The party visits in search of a mysterious branch that can aid them in stopping a dark force from taking over the world. As soon as I enter the vast landscape, I notice the new dash function. This is a nice addition and makes getting around much faster and easier than it was in the original Japanese version.

 My main quest is to visit a sultan whose son, Prince Faris, is having his coming-of-age ceremony where he must prove himself in a horse race. The prince says he'll convince his father to give us the branch we need if we do him a favor. He takes us to the circus to discuss it in depth, where I find out he can't ride horses at all, begging our hero to pretend to be him for the big race. At the circus, a cheeky character named Sylvando appears. Sylvando is a jester, and a show-off through and through, spitting fire, juggling knives, and cracking jokes. Later when I take the prince's place in the horse race, Sylvando appears as one of my opponents.

Horse racing is a new minigame for the series. The controls are basic: Hold down a button to gallop, press another to slow for turns, and run through green swirls to gain speed and stamina. Win or lose this race, you prove your skills well enough to the sultan, but Sylvando catches on to the farce. Before much more can be done, a giant, yellow, scorpion-like enemy named The Slayer of the Sands is killing knights left and right. The sultan asks Prince Faris to take care of it, and once again he asks for your help so no one can discover his incompetence.

The turn-based Dragon Quest battle system hasn't changed much since its inception. As this boss battle proves, though, it's not about just choosing an attack. You are challenged to use your abilities, magics, buffs, and debuffs accordingly. To win the battle against this vicious beast, I use a balanced strategy, having two characters focus on healing, buffs, and magic, while the others tap into their special abilities. Special abilities can inflict status ailments such as poison or sleep, or have elemental strength. One of my characters has a spell that automatically deals damage when the enemy attacks, which I make good use of, wearing down the giant scorpion to ensure the prince's success. Sylvando is also along for the battle, but the A.I. controls him. He won't reveal his reasons for coming, which I'm sure is explored later in the game.

I won't spoil what happens with the prince's facade, but I will say there's a cool moment that occurs after the battle. If you're a fan of the series or just itching for a classic RPG, Dragon Quest XI should be on your radar.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/games/dragon_quest_xi_echoes_of_an_elusive_age/b/playstation4/archive/2018/06/04/hands-on-with-dragon-quest-xi-39-s-enchanting-world.aspx

Square Enix Ends Premium Mobile Go Series

A lot of major console and PC publishers have had a hard time entering the mobile market with quality titles, but Square Enix seemed to have cracked the code with the well-received Lara Croft Go, Hitman Go, and Deus Ex Go. Unfortunately, it seems like quality doesn't always translate to acceptable profit, and the Japanese publisher is ending further development on the series.

In an interview with PocketGamer, Square Enix Montreal studio head Patrick Naud confirmed that the series has ceased development.

"I have to say no [we're not working on other Go games], I'm sorry," Naud told PocketGamer. "The Go series was a great adventure for us as a studio. We've done the three games, we've seen the wind. The hardest element is making premium games on mobile." Naud went on to say that the mobile market tends not to allow for games that have upfront costs. "Despite the critical success and the great revenue we've had, it's sad to see that our games are only played by a small slither of the population because of the price point. That's such a big barrier for mobile users. A lot of people consume mobile games only and they have all these options, all these games; why should they invest money in this one unless they're very convinced?"

The Go series generally has a puzzle or board game-like setup, taking the well known IPs like Tomb Raider and Hitman and putting their games in extremely inventive turn-based gameplay. The games were sold with upfront costs and few microtransactions and no necessary purchases after the initial buy.

It doesn't seem like Square Enix is giving up on mobile at all, however. In a separate interview with VentureBeat, Naud noted that Hitman Sniper, a sniping game obviously based on the Hitman license, just had its best year ever. Square Enix is planning to go deeper into mobile, not further away, just not with games or monetization like the Go series.

[Sources: PocketGamer and VentureBeat]

 

Our Take
I really liked both Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go, so I find this news pretty disappointing. It's genuinely a shame that quality, premium mobile titles don't have a place in the market.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/03/square-enix-ends-premium-mobile-go-series.aspx

Everything You Need To Know Ahead Of E3 2018

In its current form, E3 is a dark, intimidating cloud off in the the distance, silently lighting up from flashes of lightning as the rolls of thunder rattle our ears a few moments later. It's closer than we realize, however, and as we scramble to prepare for the flood of announcements and hands-on impressions, we decided to publish a roadmap of what's to come so you can make your own preparations.

Game Informer's Coverage Plans
We'll be at the show getting our hands on as many controllers and mice and keyboards as we can, while also shoving our faces into as many VR headsets as is medically acceptable. You can expect plenty of written content on the site and in the issue the following month, but we have other plans as well! We're live-streaming and commentating every conference as they happen. You can watch those on either Twitch or YouTube, or both! Your preference is our preference.

We will also be doing The Game Informer Show every night, June 11 through June 14. You can subscribe to our channel on YouTube to prep of that, or use this link to subscribe using your favorite podcast delivery service. Again, your preference is our preference.

To follow all of our E3 coverage, this link will be your best bet.

Press Conference Schedules
It wouldn't be E3 without press conferences. They may not all be called press conferences any more, but who are they fooling? They're press conferences. Here is when they will be happening in presented in the order in which they will be airing.

EA “EA Play” Press Conference
Saturday, June 9 – 11:00 a.m. PT

Microsoft Press Conference
Sunday, June 10 – 1:00 p.m. PT

Bethesda Press Conference
Sunday, June 10 – 6:30 p.m. PT

Devolver Digital Press Conference
Sunday, June 10 – 8:00 p.m. PT

Square Enix Press Conference
Monday, June 11 – 10:00 a.m. PT

Limited Run Games E3 Press Conference
Monday June 11 - 12:00 p.m. PT

Ubisoft Press Conference
Monday, June 11 – 1:00 p.m. PT

PC Gamer Show
Monday, June 11 – 3:00 p.m. PT

Sony Press Conference
Monday, June 11 – 6:00 p.m. PT

*Sony has stated this year will be a little different from its typical press conference and focus in-depth on four titles: Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part II, and Spider-Man.

Nintendo Direct Press Conference
Tuesday, June 12 – 9:00 a.m. PT

Show Schedule
Last year, E3 opened its doors to the public, and that trend is continuing this year. Here are the hours for the show. Whether you're attending or not, knowing when the show is live can be helpful when tuning in for coverage of the show.

Tuesday, June 12
Industry Pass - 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Gamer Pass - 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13
Industry Pass - 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Gamer Pass - 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 14
Industry Pass/Gamer Pass - 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Extracurricular
There are a number of events happening outside the definition of press conference. Here are some of the big ones.

Nintendo Tournaments and Treehouse Live
Nintendo is hosting a pair of tournaments during E3 on June 11 and 12. One will be an exhibition tournament for the new Super Smash Bros., which we still don't know much about. The other will be the Splatoon 2 World Championship. Nintendo will also be doing lots of streaming from the E3 floor as it has done for the past few years, making additional announcements, showing off gameplay demos, and performing assorted interviews.

Grim Fandango Anniversary Event
In honor of Grim Fandango's 20th anniversary, Double Fine is bringing together the original cast and a full orchestra to do a live read of the game's script.

EA Play
EA's full suite of E3 happenings lasts from June 9-11. It takes place at the Hollywood Palladium, will be open to fans, and EA will be streaming it on its site, as well.

Inside Xbox and Xbox Fanfest
Starting on Monday, June 11 at 3 p.m. PT, Microsoft will be streaming its Inside Xbox show which will include announcements, gameplay demos, interviews, and assorted giveaways. If you're in L.A. on June 10 and 11, there is also a chance you could attend Xbox Fanfest which offers all kinds of opportunities to hands-on with assorted upcoming Xbox Games.

Hideo Kojima and Kong: Skull Island Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts Discuss Creative Process
It's not currently clear when this will take place, but it will be streamed. It's a chance to hear a successful game designer chat with on of his biggest friends, who is also a successful director.

The Big Confirmed Games
We already know a number of the games that will be making an appearance at E3. These have all been announced and will 100% be at E3 2018 in some form.

• Super Smash Bros.
• Tom Clancy's The Division 2
• Skull & Bones
• The Last of Us Part II
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
• Death Stranding
• Spider-Man
• Ghost of Tsushima
• Anthem

The Big Rumored Games
There are a million rumored games that will be appearing at E3, but these are the ones with the strongest evidence behind them.

• Gears of War 5
• Just Cause 4
• Splinter Cell
• Mortal Kombat 11
• Cyberpunk 2077

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/06/03/everything-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-e3-2018.aspx

Dark Souls Firelink Shrine Has Been Rebuilt Using Virtual Lego Bricks

Lego Worlds gives players the opportunity to create whatever their imagination allows and right now Youtuber MythicMarty's imagination is focused on Lordran.

MythicMarty has remade Firelink Shrine, complete with the graveyard full of skeletons mistake that every first time Dark Souls player makes, using the creation tools of Lego Worlds. The Firelink shrine has been recreated in Lego bricks, but MythicMarty even did his best to recreate Dark Souls' combat with the animation-heavy spear weapon in the game. You can check the video out below.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

According to a Reddit post, it took MythicMarty about a month to recreate Firelink Shrine and about three days to add the other Dark Souls aesthetics – the user interface, the the music, the area names – in Adobe Premiere. All in all, it's a hell of a job and speaks highly of Lego Worlds' creation tools.

For those looking for a less brick-filled version of Dark Souls, Dark Souls Remastered is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with a Switch version coming this summer. You can find our review of the remaster right here.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/03/dark-souls-firelink-shrine-has-been-rebuilt-using-virtual-lego-bricks.aspx

Evovle's Dedicated Servers Shutting Down In September

The end of dedicated servers does not mean the end of Evolve, but the game will be affected by the change. The dedicated servers will go offline on September 3 and you can see the full list of changes here. Hunt (ranked) and Stage 2 on PC will no longer be available after that date, leaderboards will be gone, and the in-game store will also disappear.

Peer-to-peer multiplayer will still be available and every in-game purchase (skins, etc.) will continue to be available – you just have to make sure to spend all your currency before September 3. There are plenty more changes that will be resulting, so just make sure to check out 2K's blog for more.

For our original review of Evolve, head here.

[Source: support.2k.com]

 

Our Take
Evolve's trajectory has been a strange one. Pre-release, it was highly lauded by nearly everyone (including us). Once it released, though, it became apparent that organizing the best-game-scenario, like the ones experienced in demos, was difficult and the game suffered as a result. It never quite found the consistent massive audience it needed, which is too bad because there really isn't much out there like it and when you do get into a great match, it really sings.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/03/evovle-39-s-dedicated-servers-shutting-down-in-september.aspx

State Of Decay 2 Receives Much Needed Stability Patch

If you read Jeff Cork's review of State of Decay 2, you know the game shipped with its share of technical problems. Despite this being the issue that needed most addressing in moving from the janky-but-promising first entry in the series to a sequel, Undead Labs still had problems tying it all together in time for the May 22 release date; adding four-player co-op to the mix certainly didn't make this easier. This weekend the studio took the first step toward remedying the issue(s) with a giant, 20GB patch. 

According to Undead Labs, the main issues this patch addresses are increased stability, improved networking interactions for clients, improved network vehicle interactions, and elimination of "out of memory" crashes. As you would expect with a patch of this size, it also addresses a bunch of smaller issues as well that the studio outlined in the patch notes.  

Have you seen improved performance since the patch dropped? Share your impressions in the comments section. 

 

Our Take
Given how starved the Xbox One is for strong first-party games, I'm sure Microsoft hoped for a stronger launch for this title its trying to franchise. But as titles like Rainbow Six Siege have proven in recent years, games with fundamentally interesting ideas can overcome rough technical launches and eventually find their audience. We'll see over time if State of Decay 2 can accomplish the same feat.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/03/state-of-decay-2-receives-much-needed-stability-patch.aspx

Dragon Ball Legends Is Available For Download Now

Dragon Ball legends, the latest video game entry in the mega-popular anime is available for download today for free on iOS and Android devices. Legends is a fast-paced card battling game that pits players against one another with "intuitive one finger controls" and lets them duel each other around the globe.

The major selling point for many fans will be the introduction of three new characters designed by Akira Toriyama himself, the original creator of the Dragon Ball universe.

The game was originally unveiled in March and broke records for pre-registration at Bandai Namco with over 4.5 million users. In celebration, players who start today will get Frieza, Goku, a rare character, and chrono crystals (an item used to call new fighters in). 

(Please visit the site to view this media)

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Korean Ratings Board Potentially Leaks Fortnite Switch Port

On the heels of a revealing E3 pamphlet, more evidence is mounting that Fortnite is coming to the Switch. 

The Korean Ratings Board has rated a specifically Switch-based edition of the juggernaut battle royale game. Yesterday, the same board revealed a rating for PS4 and Xbox One editions of the original Borderlands, another yet-to-be-confirmed announcement. 

[Source: Korean Ratings Board via Pocket Gamer]

 

Our Take
The last few weeks have been a smorgasbord of leaks, which will hopefully be confirmed at E3. If Nintendo has the infrastructure to bring Fortnite to Switch, grabbing a piece of its massive playerbase seems like a no-brainer. 

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/01/korean-ratings-board-potentially-leaks-fortnite-switch-port.aspx

BioWare Teases New Anthem Trailer

BioWare is releasing a new trailer for Anthem that will be out three days before E3, possibly showcasing what will be highlighted on stage during EA's press conference.

A tweet from their official account has a short teaser for the reveal, which will be on June 9.

There is something waiting for us beyond the wall... https://t.co/J0lr4GQrYV pic.twitter.com/iFq4fJARsX

— Anthem (@anthemgame) June 1, 2018

Our Take:
Teasing a tease for a tease seems to the be the nature of reveals these days. It is obvious that Anthem would make an E3 appearance, so teasing a trailer that is basically a tease for the E3 presentation seems like a bit much; similar to how many times I just used the word tease. 

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/01/bioware-teases-new-anthem-trailer.aspx

New Vampyr Trailer Goes For The Jugular

Just ahead of its June 5 release date, Dontnod has dropped a new Vampyr trailer featuring its Victorian setting and lots of neck-biting.

The developer, whose previous work includes Life is Strange and Remember Me, boasts that each unique citizen can be killed or spared by the vampire protagonist. Each action will summarily affect the fate of the other characters, and of London as a whole. 

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Vampyr, despite its infuriating spelling, looks really neat. Dontnod has a great track record in terms of involving storylines, and the combat seems interesting and skill-based. Hopefully this will be a nice reprieve for the dry summer months. 

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed https://www.gameinformer.com/games/vampyr/b/playstation4/archive/2018/06/01/new-trailer-shows-its-fangs.aspx

Celebrate Pride Month With This Free PS4 Theme

A new theme titled "For All The Players" is free on the PlayStation Store today. It features bold rainbow designs on a white background.

The theme's release coincides with Pride Month, which occurs every June in celebration of the LGBTQ community.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/01/celebrate-pride-month-with-this-free-ps4-theme.aspx

New Warhammer 40k: Inquisitor – Martyr Trailer Highlights The Action-RPG's Bloody Gameplay Pillars

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr is coming out next week, and there's a lot to do in the action-RPG. Developer Neocore Games has released a lifeline to prospective players in the form of a new trailer. It highlights the game's biggest (and bloodiest) pillars and also shows off plenty of in-game action.

Take a look at the video below to see the game's combat, upgrade paths, cover system, bosses, and much more.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Look for Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on June 5.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/games/warhammer_40000_inquisitor__martyr/b/pc/archive/2018/06/01/new-trailer-highlights-the-action-rpg-s-bloody-gameplay-pillars.aspx

11 Bit Studios Lays Out Frostpunk DLC Plans

Frostpunk, a harsh survival city sim, turned out to be one of the early gems this year and it looks like more is on the way. A lot more.

Developer 11 Bit Studios wrote up an announcement on its Steam page today, revealing the changes. Here are the biggest takeaways:

• A survivor mode that adds more a bigger challenge to an already difficult game hits in June.
• Eventually players will be able to name their buildings and citizens.
• A new scenario will be coming to Frostpunk sometime in 2018 that brings its own "new story and challenge." 11 Bit says this is the most substantial update it has planned for this year.
• Photo mode is also coming at some unspecified point in time.

11 Bit notes that it has more plans for the game in 2019. You can read the entire announcement here.

For more on Frostpunk, check out our review.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/06/01/11-bit-studios-lays-out-frostpunk-dlc-plans.aspx

Moonlighter Review – Don't Quit Your Day Job

If you’ve ever wondered how item stores in video games manage to stay in business, Moonlighter lets you step behind the counter to find out. As a young merchant named Will, you spend part of your time tending to your shop, and the other part diving into randomly generated dungeons to restock. This straightforward premise initially shows huge potential, but like most jobs, routine sets in and leaves you going through the motions.

Moonlighter isn’t the only item-store simulator out there, but it sets itself apart from the competition with its fantastic retro atmosphere. The pixel art and music evoke a unique retro aesthetic without feeling like cheap nostalgia, which is rare feat. Beneath that alluring presentation is a formula that provides a few hours of simple fun. After exploring a dungeon, you sell the items you collected – a process which requires some trial and error, since you want to set a price that maximizes profits while keeping your customers happy. Then you use that money (and some materials) to upgrade your gear, helping you delve deeper and collect more valuable loot. After that, the cycle repeats as you defeat bosses and unlock dungeons with different visual themes.

At the beginning, I looked forward to spending my nights encountering strange foes and finding artifacts in the randomized dungeon layouts. During the day, I enjoyed the puzzle-like process of finding the sweet spot for pricing when restocking my shelves, with different customer reactions signaling whether the cost is too high or low. After scrolling through my ledger on a particularly profitable day, the urge to take just one more trip to the dungeons was powerful. Even the simple battles were entertaining, using top-down combat that borrows from games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Despite all of its promise, the problem with Moonlighter is how soon the whole concept plateaus. Once the early thrills wear off, you are left to chase rewards that never ultimately pay off. As you craft and upgrade different weapons and armor, they get stronger – but they generally keep pace with enemies’ increasing power, so you don’t feel much improvement. Plus, without new abilities to expand your options, you’re using the exact same moves in the fourth dungeon that you used in the first one. This doesn’t dull the basic fun of combat and exploration in the moment, but it prevents the adventure from evolving.

Once you finish the golem dungeon and catalogue all of its treasures, you move on to the forest dungeon and repeat the same process. The environment and enemies change, but the template doesn’t; you fight through three floors and take periodic trips home to sell your spoils. No puzzles, no tricks – just clearing rooms. At the end of each dungeon, you fight a boss, but even those encounters feel similar. Whether it’s a robot snake or a ball of electricity, the bosses demand little from you other than getting close and swinging your weapon, using potions when necessary.

One interesting wrinkle in your journey is the addition of item curses. Objects you find might have one of these random properties, like breaking after you take too much damage, or destroying an item in an adjacent inventory slot. This adds a layer of management to your looting; you need to think about which items you collect and where they’re placed on the grid, so amassing artifacts isn’t only a question of how much space you have left in your bag. But once you get your treasures home, the routine kicks in again.

Discerning the value of different items feels static. You’re putting a higher price tag on nutritive water than you were on iron bars, but your strategy never changes. Just take a guess, wait for a customer’s reaction, and adjust until you get the ideal response. However, I appreciate how the game remembers the right prices once you find them, which cuts down on the hassle of getting stuff on the shelves.

I wish I could say all aspects of Moonlighter were so user-friendly, but I encountered a variety of different technical problems during my playthrough. Customers not leaving my store (so I couldn’t close up shop), important enemies not spawning, and inconsistent hit detection are just a few examples. The severity varies, but the progress-blocking problems forced me to restart – an act that usually caused me to lose valuable items I had gathered. Frustrations like these put a major dent in Moonlighter’s long-term charm.

With four dungeons to finish and forget in a prescribed order (plus a final boss fight), the repetition makes Moonlighter feel less like one unfolding game and more like the same game four times. The story is barely present, and persistent elements that tie the rogue-lite experience together – like crafting and store expansion – have too little impact to convey a satisfying sense of progress. When viewed on a smaller scale, the accessible combat and simple formula make it easy to pick up and enjoy Moonlighter casually. However, my excitement and enthusiasm were at their highest during the brief window when I didn’t know exactly what to expect next.

 

This review pertains to the PS4 version of Moonlighter. The game is also available now on Xbox One and PC, with a Switch version planned for later this year.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/games/moonlighter/b/playstation4/archive/2018/05/31/moonlighter-review-gameinformer.aspx

GTA: San Andreas, Midnight Club: LA, And Rockstar Table Tennis Hit Xbox One Backward Compatibility Next Week

Following on the heels of GTA IV, Bully, and Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar announced today that three more of its titles would be coming to Xbox One backwards compatibility. Starting June 7, GTA: San Andreas, Midnight Club: LA, and Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis will all be available to play on Xbox One.

Rockstar has said that GTA: San Andreas will be the enhanced version released on Xbox 360, with increased resolution and draw distance, even if using the original Xbox disc. Additionally, both the initial release of Midnight Club: LA and the complete edition (with new tracks, music, and parts) will be available. 

Red Dead Redemption received a native 4K update alongside its backwards compatibility, but so far no similar improvements have been announced for these titles. Regardless, they present an excellent opportunity to enjoy more of Rockstar's catalog.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/31/move-over-red-dead-redemption-san-andreas-midnight-club-and-table-tennis-now-backwards-compatible.aspx

Insomniac Games Teases New VR Project

In a new developer spotlight, Insomniac has teased a new exploration-based VR game on the Oculus. The studio hints at a solution to the issue of movement in an open-world environment, eschewing the typical short-range teleportation system that many VR games currently use. 

The game sounds like it could be a mix of the ambition of No Man's Sky and the quality of world design that Insomniac is known for. Hopefully we will see a hand-crafted open world or galaxy that will allow players to explore and discover and run into the fun and vibrant characters that the studio does so well.

You can see the full video below.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

 

Our Take:
It looks like Insomniac is still fully in support of VR. I am glad to see developers still taking chances and trying to find the full potential of the format. Insomniac has made some amazing games (Sunset Overdrive is my jam) and I want their signature style and creativity to carry over to an open-world VR game.That would be something to get me interested in finally taking the plunge of picking up a headset. 

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/31/insomniac-teases-new-vr-game.aspx

Sonic Mania Adventures Episode Three Shines The Spotlight On Knuckles

As Sega gears up for the launch of Sonic Mania Plus this July, it is continuing its animated short series Sonic Mania Adventures. The first episode captured fans' hearts with a charming animated style and amazing remixes of classic Sonic tunes, and the second and third episodes are no different.

The third episode, appropriately titled "& Knuckles," features the series' red echidna fulfilling his duties as the guardian of the Master Emerald. Come for the Knuckles-focused short, but stay for the awesome reworking of his theme song that'll leave you wondering where you can find the soundtrack to this series.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

To watch the first two episodes of Sonic Mania Adventures, head here for Episode 1 and here for Episode 2.

from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/31/sonic-mania-adventures-episode-three-shines-the-spotlight-on-knuckles.aspx