F1 25 is a near-perfect mix of realism and playability that offers much of the drama from the real-life sport and a sprinkling of fiction and, uh, Brad Pitt just becauseTech18:11, 02 Jun 2025This year's game looks better than everIn many ways, writing an F1 25 review should be the easiest of this year’s critical assessments. Codemasters is legendary for its commitment to digital recreations of automotive competition (I’ve been playing its games since TOCA on the PS1 ), and having the F1 licence means it’ll always be cutting-edge in terms of racers, tracks, and more.If you’re an F1 fan, you’ve almost certainly already bought it, and while non-fans of sports games will baulk at paying for a “roster update” each year, Codemasters simply refuses to coast, keeping its foot firmly on the gas and moving from last year’s podium finish to Championship-winning form with this year’s entry.‌Conditions can be treacherous‌Last year’s F1 24 was easily one of the most impressive games to look at on PS5 Pro, and while Codemasters had talked a good game about visual fidelity , I wasn’t sure it would be able to take much of a realistic step beyond.And yet, F1 25 is frequently stunning. In motion, it’s hard to see anything wholly new, but that’s more down to the speed at which you’ll be taking corners of meticulously detailed tracks. Slow things down a tad, though, and you’ll find things a little less sterile than they had been.Whereas F1 24 circuits felt a little too clean at times, there’s a little more dirt here and there, more wear on the track, and even correctly identified tree species in tracks that have been scanned via LiDAR.Article continues belowIt’s likely an ongoing process, with Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka and Imola getting the scanned treatment so far, but it’s an impressive taste of what’s to come and could mean upcoming games look even better.On track, the handling model feels much breezier. You can still crank up the difficulty by leaving the assists in the pits, but cars feel more responsive than ever.You’ll need that, too, because some tracks can be driven in reverse (complete with mirrored pit lanes).‌You can still race, but you'll pick one of your stars to "follow" for the weekendThe crown jewel of this year’s entry, however, is My Team. The mode has always been solid, but lacking in ambition, but this year sees Codemasters really go to town on its underlying machinery.While you’ll no longer be some team owner/driver hybrid superstar like Tony Stark in Iron Man 2, that adds an interesting new flavour to the mode. You’ll start as boss of an existing team or form your own, and then hire drivers, work to improve your car, and try to woo sponsors.‌Because you’re no longer racing yourself, there are more magnanimous decisions to be made about car parts. Research costs time, manufacturing costs money, and then you’re left to decide which of your racers gets the added boost.Consistently upsetting one can see them look elsewhere, while you can plan for next season’s drivers right from the off, making a Lewis Hamilton-esque switch to a rival a pressing concern throughout the year.While much of My Team takes place in menus, they all feel dynamic enough to feel much more enjoyable than you might expect, and while it doesn’t get quite as deep as F1 Manager, it’s still full of potential.‌You can even sneak some star power onto the grid, too, taking the reins of Brad Pitt’s racing team from the upcoming F1 movie , or signing iconic former drivers to build a dream lineup.As an aside, I love that EA is experimenting with things like this in its career modes, especially since EA FC added Icons to its own version. Long may it continue.Konnersport are now vying for titles(Image: EA)‌Another big return this year comes from Braking Point , marking its third instalment. The mode that essentially condenses a season’s worth of drama into playable chunks with a healthy dose of inspiration from Netflix ’s Drive to Survive is back as part of its “one season off, one season on” cadence.It’s packed with sporting cliches and no small amount of cheese, but it humanises a sport that can sometimes feel more focuses on cutting seconds off a lap than it can the drivers doing that work.After years of building a team, Konnersport is finally competing for the Championship, and players can switch between their driver roster to achieve different objectives, and there’s an alternative ending for those willing to commit.Article continues belowF1 25 is the best entry in years, with changes big and small piling up to offer a truly immersive and feature-packed title.My Team will get the plaudits (and rightfully so), but Braking Point’s return and Codemasters’ continued commitment to realism shouldn’t be forgotten.Reviewed on PS5 Pro. Review copy provided by the publisher.‌‌‌

Despite its appearance as just another arcady sandbox game, Deliver At All Costs is shockingly story-minded. So much so, that its constant focus on narrative might deter those just looking for some dumb fun. And after seeing the narrative through to the end, I wouldn’t blame them, given how hard the game tries to be a grand tapestry of storytelling excellence. The adventure is structured into three acts, each with a unique town to explore and complete missions in. One act even features a time skip accompanied by a moment of no return. So even if you just want to ignore story and focus on acing deliveries and causing mayhem in the streets, you still have to go through some cutscenes and narrative progression to unlock the next towns and side missions.   "The majority of the side content in Deliver At All Costs isn’t very enticing." Not that the side missions are worth doing anyway. The majority of side content in Deliver At All Costs isn’t very enticing. The rewards aren’t worth it and the fetch quest design doesn’t warrant the effort. I’d only recommend going out of your way for the side content if you’re already keen on exploring the various maps. The treasure chests and small boxes hidden throughout the game give cash that is used on materials for vehicle upgrades; however, a majority of upgrades can be purchased from the main story mission rewards anyway. I expected to have fun with the vehicle upgrades, but ended up sorely disappointed in their limited application. This is because upgrades cannot be used outside of curated story missions; bummer. Not that the crane attachment or extreme hauling capacity upgrade aren’t fun to play with; they are rather fun, but exclusively used for their particular missions. Again, if you’re expected a zany vehicular sandbox with a lot of options and unlockables, Deliver At All Costs isn’t that. The reason I keep associating the game with sandbox playability is due to its map design. It has an old-school 2D Grand Theft Auto style of isometric driving. In between story missions, you’re given the leisure to roam around town freely. All of your driving and running around is done through a top-down isometric camera angle that gives the environments a nice diorama look to them, and what’s more, you can move the camera between two different angles in case it’s difficult to see something. "Speaking of scenery, there’s a surprising amount of activity going on while you’re driving around delivering stuff." All the unique shops and landmarks of this diorama give off a classic vibe well. Oh, and the soundtrack fits the setting wonderfully. Lounge jazz and instrumental surfer rock accompany your deliveries, and it rarely gets repetitive. Tying it into GTA even more is the radio, with infrequent broadcasts that add flavor lore to the setting. Each town has multiple districts, each with their own theme, which helps vary up the scenery just that much more. Speaking of scenery, there’s a surprising amount of activity going on while you’re driving around delivering stuff. NPCs go about their business, birds glide across the sky, and plenty of vehicle traffic accompany the streets. In fact, there’s often a tad too much activity. Streets are so packed with cars and people that collisions are unavoidable. "NPCs roam the streets and become aggressive when threatened." I like how populated the game is, but it’s tuned a bit too high, getting in the way of enjoyability a lot of the time. Perhaps, it would have been better balanced to up the street traffic the further you get into the game, especially since the towns progress from rural to metropolitan through the course of the narrative. At the very least, there’s an attractive mini-map with well designed labels and indicators. Navigation is aided with helpful arrows showing the way to a mission destination too. But you aren’t merely delivering parcels to a destination in a given time limit; there’s a variety of ways the game mixes up its missions. Part of the game’s initial draw is its physics-based driving, which manifests in hilarious ways. One of the first missions tasks you with delivering a truck full of rotted watermelons. The first step is to bring them to a sanitizer, then you paint them so they look presentable, all while avoiding traffic and trying not to knock them over as they roll around in the back of the truck. It’s one of the enjoyable missions in the game, and one that demonstrates the physics gameplay best. I like how the missions get progressively more wacky and clever as you progress too. You even become a UFO hunter during one late-game job. It’s just too bad the very high traffic and wonky controls hamper the overall experience. "I like how the missions get progressively more wacky and clever as you progress." The driving controls are rather simple. Just aim in the direction you want to drive and hold the accelerate button. It’s the high sensitivity of the acceleration and the hard braking and turning that contribute to a somewhat frustrating experience. The high traffic just further compounds the controls to make for a somewhat clunky driving experience. Vehicles don’t differ in how they drive either, though you really only have the one truck for a large majority of the game anyway, so it doesn’t really make a difference. And the cars aren’t great to look at either. Heck, nothing looks particularly nice in the game, especially the characters. Facial animations are frankly bad and the bland art style doesn’t make up for the graphical shortcomings. What’s worse is there’s still some pretty substantial load times in-between regions, which hurts the flow of the open-world. But the element that gets hurt from graphics the most is the mixed story. It’s hard to take the drama seriously when its presented so poorly. There’s an attempt at cinematic camera angles during cutscenes, but textures are featureless and close-ups of people’s faces are serious PS1 quality stuff. Thankfully, a handful of characters are quite likable despite what their low poly models suggest. Winston’s delivery mates have surprising depth and a good amount of backstory. And Winston himself is a fully fledged personality and someone you can imagine working with. "Winston’s delivery mates have surprising depth and a good amount of backstory." Characters like Norman are instantly likeable while Winston’s arch-nemesis and hardline boss, Donovon, is perfectly punchable. I’m also impressed with a majority of the dialogue writing. Characters speak with a down-to-earth tone and level of informality that makes them realistic, even if they look like untextured Unity assets. Going back to where I started the review, the game goes surprisingly hard on the story axis, but it doesn’t fully land for me. The wacky yet earnest tone is great, but the execution of the plot doesn’t wrap up in a satisfying way. Winston’s mysterious past and the true motives of the delivery company’s executives had so much potential for an intriguing narrative thread. But alas, the finale just kinda falls flat without the payoff that the game was teasing. "The game goes surprisingly hard on the story front, but it didn’t fully land for me." As a whole, Delivery At All Costs delivers a zany and fun, though frustrating, isometric delivery experience with a story that tries a bit too hard. I can easily see this game being a cult classic, but for a majority of gamers, it won’t deliver a truly stunning experience. If you’re looking for a game with a wacky and inventive premise that experiments a bit, and don’t mind gameplay and graphics from three generations ago, give Deliver At All Costs a try and it might just deliver. This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Just a day after its release, FromSoftware announced a crucial patch for Elden Ring Nightreign players who prefer to solo queue. The game's developer posted on X that Patch 1.02 will be released next week, delivering some bug fixes and "improvements for solo expeditions." More specifically, FromSoftware will add the effect of “Automatic Revival Upon Defeat” that allows a self-revival once per night boss battle for solo expeditions. Players will also get more runes, which should provide a more balanced gaming experience when venturing alone. This news of this patch follows several criticisms of the game being poorly optimized when playing solo, versus in a party of three as it was designed for. FromSoftware's titles have a reputation for being difficult, but early reviews pointed out that Nightreign offers poor scaling with certain mechanics, abilities and boss fights that cater towards a full party. Despite the millions of copies sold on the first day, Nightreign holds a "mixed" Steam user review rating thanks to the solo queue issues, along with a lack of communication tools, cross-platform play and less replayability than other Souls titles. For FromSoftware, Elden Ring Nightreign represents a stylistic shift into the roguelike genre based on its best-selling predecessor and it might still be working out some of the kinks. The game's director, Junya Ishizaki, told IGN in an interview that jumping into an expedition as a duo was “overlooked during development” but is something that the developer is looking at and considering for post-launch support. Some players are also having issues with matchmaking itself, where FromSoftware recommends restarting the process to get into an expedition. As for rebalancing for solo play, FromSoftware said that more details about this upcoming patch will come next week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/elden-ring-nightreigns-next-patch-will-make-gameplay-easier-for-solo-players-183644323.html?src=rss

to a T – what a strange thing to happen (Annapurna Interactive) Having your arms stuck in a permeant T-pose leads to a wonderfully surreal narrative adventure, in this new indie treat from Katamari creator Keita Takahashi. Keita Takahashi seems to be a very nice man. We met him back in 2018, and liked him immensely, but we’re genuinely surprise he’s still working in the games industry. He rose to fame with the first two Katamari Damacy games but after leaving Bandai Namco his assertion that he wanted to leave gaming behind and design playgrounds for children seemed like a much more obvious career path, for someone that absolutely doesn’t want to be stuck making sequels or generic action games. That’s certainly not been his fate and while titles like Noby Noby Boy and Wattam were wonderfully weird and inventive they weren’t the breakout hits that his bank balance probably needed. His latest refusal to toe the line probably isn’t destined to make him a billionaire either, but we’re sure that was never the point of to a T. Instead, this is just a relentlessly sweet and charming game about the evils of bullying and the benefits of being nice to people. It’s frequently surreal and ridiculous, but also capable of being serious, and somewhat dark, when it feels the need. Which given all the signing giraffes is quite some accomplishment. The game casts you as a young schoolkid whose arms are permanently stuck in a T-pose, with both stretched out 90° from his torso. If you’re waiting for an explanation as to why then we’re afraid we can’t tell you, because your character (who you can customise and name as you see fit, along with his dog) doesn’t know either. You find out eventually and the answer is… nothing you would expect. This has all been going on for a while before the game starts, as you’re by now well used to sidling through doors and getting your dog to help you dress. You’re also regularly bullied at school, which makes it obvious that being stuck like this is just a metaphor for any difference or peculiarity in real-life. Although the specific situations in to a T are fantastical, including the fact that the Japanese village you live in is also populated by anthropomorphic animals (most notably a cadre of food-obsessed giraffes), its take on bullying is surprisingly nuanced and well written. There’re also some fun songs that are repeated just enough to become unavoidable earworms. The problem is that as well meaning as all this is, there’s no core gameplay element to make it a compelling video game. You can wander around talking to people, and a lot of what they say can be interesting and/or charmingly silly, but that’s all you’re doing. The game describes itself as a ‘narrative adventure’ and that’s very accurate, but what results is the sort of barely interactive experience that makes a Telltale game seem like Doom by comparison. There are some short little mini-games, like cleaning your teeth and eating breakfast, but the only goal beyond just triggering story sequences is collecting coins that you can spend on new outfits. This is gamified quite a bit when you realise your arms give you the ability to glide short distances, but it’s still very basic stuff. One chapter also lets you play as your dog, trying to solve an array of simple puzzles and engaging in very basic platforming, but while this is more interactive than the normal chapters it’s still not really much fun in its own right. More Trending Everything is all very charming – the cartoonish visuals are reminiscent of a slightly more realistic looking Wattam – but none of it really amounts to very much. The overall message is about getting on with people no matter their differences, but while that doesn’t necessarily come across as trite it’s also not really the sort of thing you need a £15 video game, with zero replayability, to tell you about. It also doesn’t help that the game can be quite frustrating to play through, making it hard to know what you’re supposed to do next, or where you’re meant to be going. The lack of camera controls means it’s hard to act on that information even if you do know what destination you’re aiming for, either because the screen is too zoomed in, something’s blocking your view, or you keep getting confused because the perspective changes. As with Wattam, we don’t feel entirely comfortable criticising the game for its failings. We’ll take a game trying to do something new and interesting over a workmanlike sequel any day of the week – whether it succeeds or not – but there’s so little to the experience it’s hard to imagine this fitting anyone to a T. to a T review summary In Short: Charming, silly, and occasionally profound but Keita Takahashi’s latest lacks the gameplay hook of Katamari Damacy, even if it is surprisingly well written. Pros: Wonderfully and unashamedly bizarre, from the premise on down. A great script, that touches on some dark subjects, and charming visuals and music. Cons: There’s very little gameplay involved and what there is, is either very simple or awkward to control. Barely five hours long, with no replayability. Score: 6/10 Formats: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, and PCPrice: £15.49Publisher: Annapurna InteractiveDeveloper: uvulaRelease Date: 28th May 2025Age Rating: 7 Who knew giraffes were so good at making sandwiches (Annapurna Interactive) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

What we've been playing - co-op adventures and unfolding ideas A few of the things that have us hooked this week. Image credit: FromSoftware Feature by Robert Purchese Associate Editor Additional contributions by Christian Donlan, and Ed Nightingale Published on May 31, 2025 31st May Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing. This week Bertie has mixed feelings about Split Fiction, Ed discovers he really likes Elden Ring Nightreign but wants more from it after the campaign, and Donlan appreciates a game unfolding before him. What have you been playing? Catch up with the older editions of this column in our What We've Been Playing archive. Split Fiction, PS5 Split Fiction. I'd quite like to read a dual-perspective fantasy and sci-fi story, actually. Wait, did I just describe Star Wars?Watch on YouTube I've been eager to try this for a while. I was fond of It Takes Two and the reception around Split Fiction has been enormously enthusiastic. Also, I love that there's a studio like Hazelight dedicating itself to making co-op games - not just games that can be played in co-op but games that require it. It's weird that it should be an unusual thing these days, but it is and I'm totally here for it. I like it - I like the game. In parts, I love it, and I think I'd expected this reaction more. The parts I love: its fluidity. This is a colder, technical thing to praise, but it makes the game so invitingly touchable and toylike because of the way it responds and moves. Big tick. Two: the set-up for the game works superbly in that having two writers' stolen stories to choose from, Hazelight gives itself a potentially bottomless source of ideas to hop between without lingering in one for too long. It's perfectly fine for one world to contain only one idea, which many of them do. And who doesn't want to play on a level where you surf around on a sand shark? But what I struggle with also relates to this. There's a thinness, sometimes, to the game; a feeling that ideas are cycled through so quickly they're not given enough time - or developer investment - to breathe or be developed as fully as they could. You kind of skim through them and it can lead to repetitiveness as the game bumps back into ideas it's already used, or a sense of pointlessness as it scrambles to come up with ideas it hasn't used before. Look, overall, brilliant: it's a joyous collection of co-op ideas delivered with tip-top technical nous, and not a small amount of charm and style. But I'm waiting for it - and really willing it - to take off. -Bertie Elden Ring Nightreign, PS5 All aboard the Souls train!Watch on YouTube I've been having a very Soulsy time of it recently. Last week I wrote about how Sekiro was causing me existential fury, and I'm pleased to say I broke through that to finally beat the game and see the credits, and that I don't have to play it any more. In its place, I've been playing another tricky game: FromSoftware's new Elden Ring spin-off Nightreign. Go it alone and it's one of the studio's most challenging games; but with others it's an exhilarating experience, as I wrote in our review. And despite finishing the game for the review, I still want to carry on playing it. I still haven't mastered each of the eight Nightfarers and I'm keen to play it more with friends now it's officially been released. But I do feel the game has finite appeal. Once the Nightfarers are beaten and all the character stories have been completed, Nightreign - as much as I loved it - doesn't have the replayability other multiplayer games do. Yet what FromSoftware has created is so heavily structured, it could easily add more building blocks to extend the game. There's DLC on the way at least but there's potential for a full live-service game of seasonal events on its map, with additional bosses and characters and costumes. It doesn't have to be a free-to-play, microtransaction mess, but just give it some regular support. Nightreign is something I'd happily play for months if it was regularly refreshed. Of course, this would likely be at the expense of whatever big new single-player game Miyazaki is working towards, and there's still The Duskbloods coming to Switch 2 next year to satisfy any lingering multiplayer desires. At the least, I love that FromSoftware has the capability and flexibility to experiment with this sort of spin-off. It might not be to everyone's taste, but it's left me wanting more. -Ed Öoo, PC Öoo. What does that mean in ghost speak I wonder?Watch on YouTube Here's the latest game by the creator of ElecHead, that brilliant and ingenious blend of puzzling and platforming. ElecHead was all about electricity. This time it's all about bombs. At least in the current Steam demo it is. You're a caterpillar who can create bombs, and those bombs? Early on they can send you shooting upwards to catch high ledges. But maybe they can shunt you across gaps too? Uh-oh, what do you do when the walls and ceilings have spikes, and what do you do when there's a big frog blocking your path? The pleasure of a game like this is partly the sense of watching an idea unfold itself, as the designer slowly discovers all the possible consequences and wrinkles and inversions. It helps that the game looks so beautiful and dinky and strange, with those progress-blocking frogs, yes, but also walls that seem to have the folds of brain tissue. I am playing the demo very happily and I suspect I'll replay it many times before the final game is out. It's lovely to be at the start of something like this, where the ideas are new, but the contours of thought behind it all seem to be warmly familiar. -Donlan

Remedy's surreal take on co-op with FBC: Firebreak Game director Mike Kayatta discusses Remedy's approach to multiplayer titles, and how it balances appealing to fans and appeasing casual co-op players Image credit: Remedy Entertainment Feature by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on May 29, 2025 Much like Remedy's narrative-driven single-player games, FBC: Firebreak is a step into the unknown. Not for the player, but for the developer itself. Firebreak not only marks the first time that Remedy has developed a multiplayer game, but it's also the developer's first foray into a first-person shooter. But a project focused on session-based gameplay runs the risk of alienating fans of Remedy's lore-heavy third-person games, while potentially dissuading casual players from checking out its impressive back catalogue if the game doesn't click. Mike Kayatta, Remedy Following a hands-on preview of the game, GamesIndustry.biz spoke to Firebreak's game director, Mike Kayatta, to discuss Remedy's approach to developing its first co-op FPS title. He also explained how the studio balanced appeasing longtime Remedy fans while attracting seasoned co-op players unfamiliar with Firebreak's surreal world. Firebreak is a spin-off of 2019's Control, which follows Jesse Faden – the director of a secretive government agency known as the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC). Its headquarters, known as the Oldest House, is a shifting, paranatural building that holds all sorts of otherworldly entities contained by the organisation. Control sees the Oldest House under lockdown following the invasion of a hostile force known as the Hiss. Firebreak takes place six years after the events of Control, and the lockdown is still in place. Maintaining a balance Right off the bat, there's a hurdle of not overloading players new to Remedy with so much lore that they'll feel like they need to play Control to play Firebreak. As Kattaya explains, the studio prioritised not overwhelming those unfamiliar with its universe and appeasing fans that will be on the lookout for connections to other Remedy titles. "We set the game during a lockdown, which creates a narrative bubble for the FBC that also helps us create a bubble around the world itself," Kayatta notes. "So, if you know Control, then you might be interested in seeing what was going on in the Oldest House six years after the first game. And if you don't know Control, then you can step right into this moment and get a contained experience." Firebreak may be a spin-off, but Kayatta affirms it is firmly set within Remedy's connected universe (RCU) – which links the Control and Alan Wake franchises together. "Of course, we are set firmly within the RCU timeline and canon, so there are connections," he explains. "But we're very focused on protecting Control players who might not want to switch genres to get the 'whole story', and protecting co-op players who might not want to fire up an old game to get the full experience out of Firebreak." By maintaining this balance, Remedy has made a game that potentially encourages fans to step out of their comfort zone while also enticing less familiar players to dive into Remedy's back catalogue if the world intrigues them. Internally, Remedy also faced the task of producing a game in a genre it's not developed for before. Still, it has over two decades of experience in developing narrative-driven, immersive single-player titles, which offered the studio some advantages. "Even though games like Alan Wake and Control aren't all that similar to Firebreak in terms of genre and gameplay, they do all share a focus on immersive worlds and impactful narrative space," Kayatta says. "That sort of thing comes through lighting, audio, world design, and more somewhat direct crossovers. "When we look at what's different [about Firebreak], it's the perspective, the social nature of the game, and driving gameplay through systems. It's a combination of previous work experience outside of Remedy, personal experience as gamers or solo projects, and transference of other practical design skills into a new vision." Kayatta continues: "We do have a lot to learn and definitely face the task and players with a lot of humility, but there wasn't really a point where we felt like we didn't know how to go about something fun." Overcoming development obstacles Remedy also had to contend with approaching the game from a different perspective during the development process. Kayatta says the making of Firebreak differed in "so many ways" compared to Alan Wake 2 or Control, but that overall, every Remedy game release "is a miracle and Firebreak is no exception." "Even things as simple as playing the game suddenly takes three times the number of people," he emphasises. "Lots of typical production processes remain the same, but the rest has been a lot of adaptation and learning on the fly." This included playtests. Remedy has conducted a lot during Firebreak's development, even as recently as a couple weeks ago to test various game mechanics and matchmaking. The game is constantly changing – I'll have a totally different experience playing with friends post-release than I did during my playtest, and the devs were busy polishing things then, too. "Sometimes making games feels like nothing but overcoming obstacles," Kayatta laughs. "Honestly, it's been [like that] every single day. Sometimes it's about absorbing the pain, learning lessons, and pushing through to the next milestone. Other times, it's about seeking help from experts across the studio. Every single game released is a miracle and Firebreak is no exception. "Then, creatively, a lot has been shifting the mindset of what's the most valuable [aspects] to players and learning to let go of the control you have over players when making a single-player experience." Image credit: Remedy Entertainment Unlike Alan Wake 2 and Control, Remedy aren't guiding players through narrative cues. There are suggestions and hints of what needs to be done in a given situation, but players are given much more agency and control over how they approach obstacles with the arsenal they're given. As for the FPS aspect – there are plenty of guns to fire in Firebreak, but it's the 'crisis kits' that are the focal point. "Every single game released is a miracle and Firebreak is no exception" These three loadouts are tailored to a specific skill – one is electricity-focused for field control, another is impact-focused for problem solving, and one is water-focused for manipulating conditions like controlling flames and cooling down team members. Players aren't limited to what they use, either. All three players in a session can use the same kit, or they can plan who will use which kit to maximise the effects of teamwork during a session. The kits are also where Remedy's kookiness shines. Each kit has a tool related to its theme, whether that's a massive wrench or a hydro-cannon. Paranatural items known as 'Altered Augments' can be attached to these weapons, which provide bizarre – and at times chaotic – effects to give players the upper hand against enemies. For example, a paranatural teapot can be attached to the hydro cannon to super heat water globules into molten lava. Experimentation is key Giving players a varied loadout of guns and tools enabled Remedy to make Firebreak something newcomers to the FPS co-op genre could enjoy. This was achieved by providing the ability to adjust components to meet players needs and a progression system that doesn't focus on "power ramping." "Like most games, we front load a lot of the extremely impactful long-term progress, such as unlocking critical gear and abilities," Kayatta says. "And the 'mid-game' (if you want to call it that) is about getting your power up and upgrading what you like to use." Kayatta also clarifies they didn't want newer players to be locked out of the experience when playing with those who are familiar with how multiplayer FPS games work. "[Firebreak] doesn't dwell too long in the 'power ramping' phase and quickly shifts into promoting experimentation and forming playstyles," Kayatta notes. "We've also added things like the resonance system which can let players with access to strong builds actually share those abilities to anyone (so long as they stay close)." Speaking of progress, Kayatta notes that Remedy made it a priority for Firebreak to "feel like a fair experience for everyone" – whether you're playing for long or short periods of time. "For this, we made sure that the longer-term progression focuses more on unlocking options rather than raw power," he explains. "That players can create their own end-game challenges by adjusting threat, clearance, and corruption [levels] to meet their capabilities." Threat, clearance, and corruption control the difficulty of a job, with rewards scaling up accordingly based on the level of challenge. These aspects also enhance replayability – particularly corruption, which enables 'corrupted items' that modify the environment and enemy behaviours. Remedy's approach to microtransactions There's also a perk system that provides unique gameplay effects, which are achieved by levelling up or using in-game currency known as 'lost assets'. Players can also use in-game currency to purchase 'requisitions' – cosmetic items including armor sets, sprays, and weapon skins that have no effect on gameplay. Some requisitions are 'classified' meaning that players will need to spend real-money to unlock them. "We tried to think of ourselves as gamers and what we would want out of a game" When asked why Remedy went down the route of locking only cosmetics behind a paywall as opposed to a pay-to-win system like some other multiplayer titles, Kayatta says the team thought of what they would want out of Firebreak as players. "[This approach] is not a direct response to any particular mechanic or game, but it is different from many that you see in the multiplayer space," Kayatta explains. "Mostly, we tried to think of ourselves as gamers and what we would want out of a game. "Maybe it's a bit of a nostalgia, old man, 'kids-these-days' sort of thing to say, but dang. I miss games like Left 4 Dead 2 where you could just buy the game and play it when you feel like playing it. It felt easier to get friends on board and easier to kick back and enjoy things." Kayatta continued: "I don't like the stigma that comes with multiplayers today. I don't like how guarded I feel when I hear something is going to be supported after release. Support after release should be an awesome, exciting thing. So why, so often, does it make me feel worried somehow?" The future of Firebreak With that in mind, Remedy has implemented a solid roadmap to support Firebreak post-release. It launches with five jobs, with two additional jobs planned for this year and more to come in 2026. "It's always hard to predict the future, especially before we've released the game and gotten the chance to hear from players," says Kayatta. "We know we are going to support the game, we know we want to make it bigger this year, at least. "And going into next year, we want to know what's going to add value for players and do that. Is it more jobs? Could be, in which case that will be the plan. Is it something else? Let's see and then try to do that if it makes sense." "We're a small team with limited resources. We're trying to be super careful about where we put our attention" Remedy is steadfast on putting the players' needs first. All post-launch content will be free, and will be catered to what fans want out of the game they're spending their money and time on. "Ultimately, we're a small team with limited resources," he adds. "We're trying to be super careful about where we put our attention." As for the future of co-op games at Remedy, Firebreak sets a precedent for potential games set around its other franchises. So has the experience of developing Firebreak inspired the devs for similar games in the future? "Oh boy," Kayatta laughs. "The only future on my mind right now is getting Firebreak to players on June 17, then supporting them as best I can. As for anything else, to quote the wise Magic 8-Ball: 'Ask again later'."

Monster Train 2 is a superlative sequel that takes everything that made the first game great and amps it up with smart new systems and even more replayability - here are our thoughtsTech17:09, 27 May 2025Ready to get back on the track?There’s nothing quite like a good roguelike deckbuilder . Whether you’re into Slay The Spire, Inscryption, or Monster Train, you’re not short of options either.So, how does a studio brute force its way into the conversation? By dropping not only a sequel to one of the aforementioned holy trinity , but also by making it possibly the best example of the card-based genre in years.‌Monster Train 2 is that rare sequel that expertly weaves new ideas into the fine-tuned locomotive engine of its predecessor, all while keeping many of the original parts. The result is one of the most moreish games of 2025, and even the last half-decade.‌This time, we're working upwardMonster Train debuted back in 2020, and its appeal came from its much more expansive art style than its contemporary, Slay The Spire’s simpler art direction, as well as the fact that its ludicrously-addictive card-based combat loop works on multiple levels (literally).Racking up the units to protect the top tier of your train added an element of positioning and a layer of tactility to combat, while also providing foes with an opportunity to outplay you.Article continues belowThankfully, Monster Train 2 doesn’t so much change that system as it buffs it to a shine while adding a whole host of small tweaks around it.There's a seemingly infinite amount of build diversityThis time around, your train isn’t headed for hell, but is instead sent speeding into the heavens as you plot your route and pick your battles, unlocking cards as you go and using them to see how long you can keep your violent voyage going.‌That simple change of direction from the deepest depths to the highest heights means you can now pick your crew from angels, demons, and everything in between, and it’s all done with just as much charm (and a little more character) than it was in the first game.Enemies arrive, and you funnel them through your train while protecting the heart of the engine with card-based attacks that you level up and collect over the course of a run. Do you go all out to protect the top level, or aim to wear down the foes at the base level first? Cards can be played on multiple levels, and that means there’s much more choice at play than in similar titles.It may look like Monster Train 1, but there's more going on‌With cards to play, units to assemble, and many of them having unique interactions, it’ll be a long, long time before you’ve seen everything Monster Train 2 has to offer, which will be mana from heaven for anyone still logging into the first game five years after its launch.That’s before we get into more complex systems, too, like which items to grab and when, or whether your equipment cards are best served to power up your own cleaving commuters, or to be dropped onto your foes to debuff them.With primary and secondary factions to choose from, each with their own starting units and customisation options, Monster Train 2 is the kind of game one could feasibly start playing at 9 AM and keep chipping away at until the small hours of the next day. In fact, that’s exactly what happened more than once in my playtime, especially since it’s a model citizen on the Steam Deck.‌We won't spoil the surprise, but the clan variety is amazingWant to hoard gold to be able to splurge on reinforcements? The dragons are your best shout, but you can also use the Underlegion to essentially outnumber your foes with the power of, um, fungus.The Lazarus League, on the other hand, are like a hand grenade that’s just as liable to go off in your hand as it is to do damage to your opponents, bringing units back to life with randomised bonuses that can make or break a run.‌Mixing a pair of these factions together and attempting to essentially break the game’s carefully measured combat system with a mix of random card additions, buffs, and plain old luck is a rush that saw me racking up the runs night after night.Then there’s Endless Mode, which lets you take your custom deck from a winning run and keep testing it. In essence, you just keep going, battling until your Pyre Heart goes out, but with positive and negative modifiers to keep adding more and more layers to its delicious mix of mechanics.The VerdictArticle continues belowMonster Train 2 is a game that will sap your free time if you let it, and if you have a Steam Deck, we’d give it a 6 out of 5 if we could.It really is that good, that addictive, and that fun that we may struggle to go back to the incredible original–high praise, indeed.Reviewed on PC. Review code provided by the publisher.‌‌‌

After more than two decades, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is back! First released in 2002 as a sequel to the critically acclaimed Onimusha: Warlords, this game expands on the original’s exhilarating Sengoku-era adventure by introducing a new story and protagonist — Jubei Yagyu, a samurai on a quest for revenge. 10 years after the events of Onimusha: Warlords, the demonic Nobunaga Oda’s strength has been restored, and his sights are set on conquering Japan, starting with Yagyu Village. When Jubei, returns to find his home in ruins, he sets out to bring Nobunaga to justice. On his quest, Jubei meets four individuals who can ally with and aid him on his journey. Give these allies various gifts to strengthen your affinity with them, have them help you in battle, and steer your adventure to different endings. There are many ways to obtain gifts, including buying them in shops, receiving them from other allies, and by finding them hidden throughout the game. Choose wisely which gifts you give to which ally, as they all have their own preferences. Giving enough of the right gifts to the right ally may even unlock them as a playable character for a portion of the game. We asked some of Capcom’s staff to choose their favorite gift reactions. Keep an eye out for them as you play the game! Ekei Ankokuji is a Buddhist priest, but he loves money, booze, and women, living a life of debauchery. You might think arts and entertainment wouldn’t be his style, but if you give him a huqin or folding fan, for example, he’ll promise to enchant you with a dance, with a wide smile. Magoichi Saiga is chief of the Kishu Saiga Gun Team. Fearless and keen of mind, he has a passion for books. He sounds like the type of guy to appreciate a good history book, but if you give him one by itself, he’ll let you know he’d rather read them all at once. Perhaps it would be best to wait to have a complete set of books before gifting them to him… The youngest ally, Kotaro Fuma, is a ninja serving the Hojo clan in the Kanto region. Gift him something old-fashioned like a Tengu mask, and he’ll swiftly respond that it’s for old people, forcing Jubei to quietly take it back. Oyu is a mysterious woman clad in Western armor. Though she fights alongside Jubei, she often comes off as shady – and not just when she’s apprehensive about your gift choices, in this case, after she’s been gifted The Art of War. Sometimes, giving certain gifts in just the right order will change your ally’s response. Producer Kosuke Tanaka’s favorite reaction happens when you give raw fish and wasabi to Magoichi. Lastly, for Director Motohide Eshiro’s favorite reaction: Some gifts touch on sore subjects, and for Ekei, that would be any gift relating to hair. Try giving Ekei something like a comb or hair oil, and this is how he’ll respond. There are many more items to collect and reactions to discover in Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny. Experiment with different gifts and combinations, and reclaim your destiny in the newly remastered Onimusha 2, out now for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny CAPCOM CO., LTD. ☆☆☆☆☆ 39 ★★★★★ $29.99 Get it now Reclaim your destiny. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny returns with HD graphics and modernised controls to perform issen critical counter attacks and intense swordplay. Play as Jubei Yagyu and make your way through feudal Japan with your allies. This game has additional language support adapted from the original script. Additional features include: – New Gallery mode with over 100 sketches by the game's character designer, Keita Amemiya. – New digital soundtrack selection with all 43 tracks from the original soundtrack of Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny. – Hell mode difficulty. – The Man in Black, Team Oni, and Puzzle Phantom Realm mini games will be available to play at the very beginning. – Auto-save feature and easy weapon switch for improved playability. You can also get a special outfit for Jubei if you have save data from Onimusha: Warlords. To switch Jubei's outfit select Special Features → Jubei's Outfit and select between Normal and Special from the title-screen menu. This will only alter the appearance. Your status will be the same as the armour you equip in-game. This content is also a part of the Onimusha bundle. (Aquire this bundle before June 30, 2025, to receive a limited-time bonus!) ©CAPCOM ONIMUSHA is a trademark and/or registered trademark of CAPCOM CO., LTD and/or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries. Onimusha 1+2 Pack CAPCOM CO., LTD. ☆☆☆☆☆ 7 ★★★★★ $38.99 Get it now Experience the origins of the classic samurai series remastered in high-definition! The first two Onimusha games are now available in 16:9 widescreen format with additional gameplay enhancements such as modernised controls. Onimusha: Warlords The first game in the series features popular actor Takeshi Kaneshiro as both the voice and face model of main character Samanosuke Akechi. Play as Samanosuke as he battles the Demons armed with the Oni Gauntlet bestowed to him by the Oni clan. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Jubei Yagyu returns in this sequel. Voiced by Yusaku Matsuda, Jubei will forge new alliances as he sets out on a quest of revenge with awakened powers of the Oni. *Games also available separately. Please be careful not to obtain the same product twice. You can also get a special outfit for Jubei if you have save data from Onimusha: Warlords. To switch Jubei's outfit select Special Features → Jubei's Outfit and select between Normal and Special from the title-screen menu. This will only alter the appearance. Your status will be the same as the armour you equip in-game. ——————————— Get the Onimusha 2: Orchestra Album Selection Pack limited-time bonus when you obtain the pack before June 30th, 2025, 23:59. Track List: – Truth Of Brave ~Warring mix~ – Truth Of Resolution ~Oyu's Theme~ – Truth Of Edge ~Magoichi's Theme~ – Truth Of Loyalty ~Ekei's Theme~ – Truth Of Desire ~Kotaro's Theme~ *Select Special Features → Gallery → Original Soundtrack to access these tracks from the title-screen menu. Also, get this pack of items to use in-game: – Herb x3 – Medicine x2 – Secret Medicine x1 – Special Magic Liquid x2 – Perfect Medicine x1 – Talisman x1 – Red Soul x10,000 Please note that this content can only be used in Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny. The content will appear after meeting Takajo in the early game. If you have already met Takajo, the content will appear when you select "Load Game". The content listed in the DLC may become available separately at a later date. Character Samanosuke Akechi by ©Amuse/Fu Long Production, ©CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2001, 2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Guest Creator:Takeshi Kaneshiro ©CAPCOM ONIMUSHA is a trademark and/or registered trademark of CAPCOM CO., LTD and/or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Capcom’s remaster of 2002 PS2 hack and slash adventure Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is a classic, though it does show its age at some points—particularly with its fixed camera angles and gameplay that certainly feels more than 20 years old. But it still has plenty of charming characters and replayability.Suggested ReadingThe 3 Best And 3 Worst Korok Challenges In Tears Of The Kingdom Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingThe 3 Best And 3 Worst Korok Challenges In Tears Of The Kingdom Share SubtitlesOffEnglishIf you’re looking for a nostalgic experience, or are playing it for the first time, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny offers a straightforward-yet-healthy runtime for both veterans and newcomers. Like many other adventure games of its era, Onimusha 2 doesn’t take that long to beat, but its branching story paths make it worth revisiting over and over again. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny?A standard playthrough of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny can take about 10 to 15 hours to beat if you’re just focusing on the story and if it’s your first time. It’s quite similar to Capcom’s most notable franchise, Resident Evil, where repeated playthroughs will increase your familiarity, allowing you to beat it quicker on subsequent runs. Speedrunners have completed this game in under than five hours. In fact, the remaster has an achievement for finishing the game within that time.If you want to earn all the Achievements and/or Trophies, you’ll also have to beat the game on Ultimate mode, as well as finish a complete playthrough without enhancing any of your weapons or using any jewels. All of these additional playthroughs can add up to 20 more hours of playtime to the total count. You’ll also need to collect all files and maps for their respective completion achievements/trophies, which can take multiple playthroughs if you somehow miss any of them.Screenshot: CapcomThere are also multiple endings depending on your friendship with various characters like Ekei, Kotaro, and Magoichi. Throughout the game, you can give them gifts in order to raise their friendship levels and influence which ending you’ll get. There’s also an ending for when you don’t give any of them gifts.If you’re a completionist, get ready to spend quite a few hours with Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny. There’s still plenty of time before the next entry, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, launches in 2026. For now, though, join Jubei as he gets his revenge on Nobunaga Oda!Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and Windows PCs.

With so many AAA big-budget games and countless indie games across genres, it’s increasingly rare to see a AA game with a modest budget and scope break through and make waves in the industry. It’s even less common for that game to confidently and consistently emulate a series with the caliber of The Elder Scrolls. With Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, though, developer Questlinehas built a tight, satisfying “Scrolls-like” that effectively captures so much of what makes its influences so great in the context of the dark fantasy Arthurian world of Tainted Grail. While it doesn’t always stray from its influences and is littered with technical issues big and small that frequently took me out of the experience, The Fall of Avalon brings its perilous world to life beautifully, with an impactful story and an expansive open world that show incredible potential for this world and genre. "The main campaign consists of a dozen or so missions, but it encourages you to explore and get stronger on your own between missions, both explicitly and by the fact that you will likely get pummeled by the first enemy you see in the next mission." But while the franchise is new to games, its systems are heavily inspired by existing, successful games, and it wears its influences squarely on its sleeve. The most notable is The Elder Scrolls, as the opening sequence could have been picked directly from a Scrolls game. You awaken as an unnamed prisoner in a jail cell you meet a mysterious figure who helps you escape and find out that you are a chosen one. In this case, you happen to house part of the soul of the long-dead King Arthur, and it’s your quest to collect the remainder of his soul from across the world of Avalon. It’s from here that you’re sent out into the open world to continue along that quest while finding tons of side quests, bounties, and errands to complete in the meantime. Narratively, The Fall of Avalon’s biggest strength is its characters, all of whom are well-written and well-acted. Your ability to talk to King Arthur and hear his perspectives gives a unique spin on a relatively familiar story, and most other characters, from Merlin to a generic shopkeep, will leave you with a memorable one-liner or story. The cast brings you deeper into the world and makes you want to learn more about what’s familiar in this version of the story and what’s changed, and even with the traditional deadpan stares these NPCs can have, they bring key moments to life. The visuals are less enticing and look somewhat dated, although cutscenes are "From a gameplay perspective, The Fall of Avalon is an unbridled western RPG that’s most similar to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. " There are a few shocking moments that were direct results of my decisions, and it’s clear where you can have a major impact on the outcome of the world and its characters, such as a moment where I had to decide whether or not to carry about an assassination. By the end, the campaign isn’t revolutionary, especially for a game in this genre, but there are some exciting moments and a lot of potential replayability that I’m excited to explore. From a gameplay perspective, The Fall of Avalon is an unbridled western RPG that’s most similar to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. You allocate points to various attributes, such as Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity, and your playstyle determines progress for the underlying stats, such as one-handed and two-handed weapons, light and heavy armor, and agility. There’s a ton to explore and find across the maps, particularly with caves and other dungeons scattered around the world, which give you better weapons, stronger magic, and new quests. You have a full suite of swords, bows, armor, magic, and other equipment, as well as your special abilities from King Arthur, and the game offers decent flexibility in making each different weapon feel satisfying and throwing different types of enemies at you that test your skills in different ways. both in the story and in the game. It features a full day-night cycle, and some nights become what’s called the Wyrdnight, meaning that a dangerous fog known as the Wyrd comes over the town and summons strong demons that you can either fight or avoid. Combat feels mostly satisfying, though it’s not always intuitive how to defeat certain enemies, and there are definitely moments where the game’s inherent wonkiness makes it more difficult to tell when an enemy is attacking. I always felt rewarded for exploring or going off the beaten path, though, and the game’s more forgiving encumbrance system and economy made it so that I always felt able to find new and improved gear. With all of this, this game often feels like a tighter version of a western RPG, but it takes influences elsewhere as well. Primarily, The Fall of Avalon may isn’t impossibly long at 25 hours or so to finish, but its structure gives you much more freedom in your progression. The main campaign consists of a dozen or so missions, but it encourages you to explore and get stronger on your own between missions, both explicitly and by the fact that you will likely get pummeled by the first enemy you see in the next mission. The difficulty spikes can be sudden, but the fact that there aren’t too many main quests means that they encourage you to explore and see the world at your own pace in order to level up through side quests or dungeons. The overall difficulty ramps up as you approach the end as well, and particular fights can be frustrating, but I never felt like any part of gameplay was unfair. "Unfortunately, what did mar my experience, and what matched the Elder Scrolls tradition, was the slew of technical issues I encountered playing on PS5." A day-one patch reportedly has smoothed out some of these issues, but it’s disappointing to see a game in Early Access for so long come out with these types of issues. Technical issues aside, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon puts the AA spin on the classic formula of The Elder Scrolls, with its own twists and unique aspects. There is so much to do across the world of Avalon to learn about the dark history of King Arthur and everyone that surrounded him, and the overall narrative is surprisingly engaging for this setting. The freedom offered in gameplay is a refreshing touch that allows you freedom to see and explore the world and fight some terrifying enemies. While technical issues plague the experience, what’s underneath is an incredibly ambitious and generally well-executed transition into games for the Tainted Grail franchise, and it’s an exciting vision for what this franchise and genre can be.  This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.