Detective Pikachu Director Will Helm Beyond Good and Evil Movie for Netflix

Ubisoft's adventure game, Beyond Good and Evil, is getting a Netflix adaptation from Detective Pikachu director Rob Letterman. Ubisoft is also currently developing a long-awaited sequel, Beyond Good and Evil 2 for consoles. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter Letterman's The Beyond Good and Evil movie will reportedly be a mix of live-action and animation. The movie will be produced by Jason Altman and Margaret Boykin under the helm of Ubisoft Film & Television. This adaptation is early in development as the team is still searching for writers. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=beyond-good-and-evil-2-concept-art&captions=true"] Beyond Good & Evil is a cult-classic 2003 video game developed by Ubisoft about a young investigative journalist named Jade who works with an underground resistance movement. The game takes place in the year 2435 on the mining planet of Hillys, which is located in a far off section of the galaxy. Ubisoft is currently at work on a sequel to the game. As for whether or not the Netflix adaption will follow the storyline of the game, not much is known. It could be an adaption of the game's plot or a different story that takes place in the same universe. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/06/22/beyond-good-and-evil-2-gameplay-prototype-walkthrough"] Letterman's directorial debut came with DreamWorks Animation's Shark Tale featuring Will Smith back in 2004. He co-directed 2009's Monsters vs. Aliens before making his first live-action film, Goosebumps, starring Jack Black in 2015. The director is seemingly fusing his talent for animation and visual effects, which is where he began in the film industry, with his live-action directorial efforts considering this Beyond Good and Evil movie will be a hybrid of animation and live-action. Beyond Good and Evil joins a troupe of Netflix video game adaptations. Just yesterday, it was announced that John Wick creator Derek Kolstad is writing a Splinter Cell series for the streaming service. Earlier this month, Netflix announced a Dragon's Dogma anime coming this September. Earlier this year, Netflix released The Witcher, which is based on the same books the Witcher video game series is inspired by. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Animal Crossing Update Makes it Easier to Find New Custom Designs

How to use the latest update's features to find ACNH Custom Designs.

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Is Free to Play, 343 Confirms

Following a leak, 343 Industries has confirmed that Halo Infinite's multiplayer will be free-to-play and will support 120fps on Xbox Series X. Halo's Twitter shared the news, saying "Halo is for everyone. We can confirm #HaloInfinite multiplayer will be free-to-play and will support 120FPS on Xbox Series X. More details will be shared later!" Earlier today, Smyths Toys leaked the news in its listing for Xbox Series X, highlighting the free-to-play news, 120 FPS, and "greatly reduced load times." While we have yet to learn much more about Halo Infinite's multiplayer, we did learn much more about its campaign at the Xbox Games Showcase, where 343 confirmed it will be running at a locked 60 FPS. Halo Infinite will also be more of a platform than a standalone entry, and this move to free-to-play only reinforces that this is what Halo will look like for the foreseeable future. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/halo-infinite-9-minutes-of-campaign-gameplay"] 343 Industries' confirmation of Halo Infinite's free-to-play future follows its open discussion on the community's mixed response on the latest Halo's graphics and visual style, a possible multiplayer beta, and microtransactions. Halo Infinite will be released alongside the Xbox Series X in Holiday 2020, but will also be available on PC and Xbox One. For more, be sure to check out more info on Halo Infinite's villain and story, as well as why this new entry is the perfect jumping on point for those new to the Halo franchise. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can't wait and is so excited he just can't hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Let's Talk About the Halo Infinite Backlash

Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week we're discussing Halo Infinite and the mixed responses to its gameplay reveal, the Nintendo gigaleaks, Ghost of Tsushima, and more. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher

Find Everything in Ghost of Tsushima with Our Interactive Map

Locate Bamboo Strikes, Shinto Shrines, Fox Dens and more without waiting for the wind to guide you with our interactive map of Tsushima.

Anthem Next: BioWare Reveals Changes to Loot and Weapons

BioWare is still working towards a refreshed version of Anthem, dubbed Anthem Next. Today, BioWare Austin director Christian Dailey revealed some updates to loot and gear in his first blog post since announcing his involvement leading Anthem to its next stage. The bulk of Dailey’s new blog post was dedicated to the changes BioWare Austin is trying out in regards to loot and weapons. This includes a more frequent and satisfying loot drop system, as well as a faster power ramp. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-bioware-game-review&captions=true"] Here are some of the changes Dailey outlined in the new Anthem blog post. Respect Your Time

• Increase the frequency of Loot Drops
• Loot is viable more often; All items are better and more competitive, but there’s still a chance of getting something exceptional
• All loot rarities have strategic value throughout progression

Embrace Choice

• You can pursue specific loot without relying on randomness alone; Quests; Specialized Vendors; Unique Loot Tables
• Modify your loot, including rerolling inscriptions and leveling up items

Create a Rewarding Loot Experience

• Loot feels exciting and more noticeable when it drops, and is celebrated when collected
• Rare enemies (aka “walking treasure chests”) create exciting moments to get a burst of loot all at once

Keep it Accessible and Immediate

• Reveal and equip loot right away
• Complete revamp of the equipment sheet – including a detailed stat sheet (not shown)
• The equipment sheet can be accessed from anywhere, allows you to easily see what you have equipped in each slot

Reliability of Equipment and Rewards

• Each item has an inscription “budget”, based on its Power and Rarity
• No more useless items because they were missing must-have inscriptions (see “Increased weapon dmg by +225%”)
• Exceptional items are about getting the exact types of bonuses you want, instead of maxing values on every bonus

Scale for the Future

• Your power cap can be easily increased, and the loot system scales accordingly
• Advanced telemetry data allows us to identify trends and make meaningful balance changes

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=anthem-next-developer-update&captions=true"] The Anthem team in Austin is also exploring ways to make gunplay feel more responsive, and even the efficacy of introducing melee items and builds. New equipments and weapons are also on the way. Dailey stresses that these aren’t easy fixes and that implementing changes will take time. The timeline has also no doubt been affected by the ongoing COVID pandemic. Anthem was released in 2019 and was BioWare’s foray into the live-service space. Unfortunately, critical response to Anthem was mostly negative, which has led to BioWare Austin taking over the project and build an updated version. Other parts of BioWare are currently working on a new Dragon Age title. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Battletoads Release Date Announced

Microsoft has announced that Battletoads will be available on Xbox Game Pass or to purchase on Xbox One and PC on August 20, 2020. The release date was revealed on Xbox Wire alongside a brand new trailer, and it shows more of the game that brings back Zitz, Rash, and Pimple for the first time in 26 years. This newest Battletoads adventure is developed by Dlala Studios, and is supported by series creator Rare. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/31/battletoads-official-release-date-trailer"] For those unfamiliar with Battletoads, it follows Zitz, Rash, and Pimple as they fight of "the Dark Queen and her abominable allies, in action that takes place across a variety of beat 'em up, platforming, and racing stages." The original Battletoads was known for its difficulty, but Dlala is giving players more options in how they want to play. These options include couch co-op and multiple difficulty settings that will "suit everyone from Tadpole to Battletoad." Battletoads features a hand-animated art style and "pays homage to the stylish, self-aware cartoon of the late '90s." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=battletoads-release-date-announcement-screenshots&captions=true"] In our hands-on of the new Battletoads, we said that while it's still tough, it is no longer sadistic, and "It felt like playing as Dante, or pre-fatherhood Kratos, and I mean that in a good way." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

US House Votes Down Amendment to Stop Army Recruitment on Twitch

The House of Representatives has voted down an amendment designed to prevent the US Army from recruiting through video games, with U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) expressing concern at tech literacy within Congress. Ocasio-Cortez filed the measure earlier this month after backlash against the Army's activities on Twitch forced it to suspend activities on the livestreaming platform. The amendment would have stopped the military from using funds to “maintain a presence on Twitch.com or any video game, e-sports, or live-streaming platform.” Ocasio-Cortez opened her statement to the house by quoting the Marine Service, saying, "War is not a game". She continued by pointing out that the majority of viewers on Twitch are below recruitment age for the Army, and that the military was found to be linking to recruitment forms, not educational material on the service. 126 Democrat representatives voted for the amendment, but 103 Democrats, 188 Republicans and 1 Independent voted against it, putting an end to the proposal as it currently stands. Ocasio-Cortez has posted a thread of tweets (below) about the decision, and expressed concern about the level of tech literacy among those in Congress, and how that affects decisions such as this.

Imagine trying to explain to your colleagues who are members of Congress what Twitch is

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 30, 2020

"When our legislative bodies aren’t sufficiently responsive to tech, then that means we don’t have the tools required to protect people", Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "This is partially why companies know way more about you than you may even be aware of - bc it’s legal, and Congress is struggling to keep up." The New York representative did strike a hopeful note, however, pointing out that the majority of House Democrats voted in favour of the amendment. "That’s a really solid start for this being the first time this issue has been brought before Congress," she wrote, signalling a possible intent to bring similar proposals to Congress in future. CNN's Shannon Liao has said that the US Army and Navy have confirmed that they will continue to stream on Twitch. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Halo Infinite: Multiplayer Will Be Free-To-Play, Says Retailer

Halo Infinite will feature a free-to-play multiplayer mode and run at up to 120 FPS on Xbox Series X, according to a retailer listing and other sources. Smyths Toys includes Halo Infinite in its listing for Xbox Series X, saying, "The legendary Halo series returns with the most expansive Master Chief campaign yet and a groundbreaking free-to-play multiplayer experience. Enjoy up to 120 FPS and greatly reduced load times creating seamless gameplay with Xbox Series X." The section in question has now been removed, but the image below shows it in its original form:Both sources for Windows Central and noted Xbox insider Klobrille have since supported the claim that Halo Infinite's multiplayer will be free-to-play. Klobrille adds that the 120 FPS is an aim for Arena mode on Xbox Series X, and that multiplayer will include a Battle Pass system, and feature types of customisation new to the Halo series. We've contacted Xbox for comment. We've heard previously that Halo Infinite's campaign will run at a locked 60 FPS, and the idea that multiplayer would both run and be released in a different fashion to the single-player portion fits with 343's plan for Halo Infinite to become more of a platform than a standalone game in the series. 343 has previously had to counter rumours that the multiplayer mode would not be released at launch, and yesterday addressed criticism of the game's visuals, saying "the team is working as quickly as possible on plans to address some of the feedback around detail, clarity, and overall fidelity." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/halo-infinite-9-minutes-of-campaign-gameplay"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Halo Infinite Developer Addresses Graphics Following Gameplay Reveal

Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has addressed some of the biggest concerns following its Xbox Games Showcase reveal, including graphics, if there will be a multiplayer beta, and how the game will handle microtransactions. The answers to these questions and more were discussed on Halo Waypoint, and 343 came right out and acknowledged the feedback, both good and bad, that followed Halo Infinite's campaign gameplay reveal, beginning with the graphics. Community manager John Junyszek explained that there are "two key areas being debated around the community – overall art style and visual fidelity." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/halo-infinite-9-minutes-of-campaign-gameplay"]

"Based on our learnings from Halo 4, Halo 5, and Halo Wars 2 – along with strong community feedback – we decided to shift back towards the legacy aesthetics that defined the original trilogy. With Halo Infinite, we’re returning to a more ‘classic’ art style which was a key message going back to the very first reveal that garnered enthusiastic and positive responses. This translates to a more vibrant palette, “cleaner” models and objects with less “noise”, though it doesn’t mean less detail. While we appreciate this may not be everyone’s personal preference, we stand by this decision and are happy to see it resonating with so many fans around the world." "The second theme being discussed involves visual fidelity. Negative feedback in this area includes comments around characters and objects appearing flat, simplistic and plastic-like, lighting feeling dull and flat, and object pop-in. We’ve read your comments, we’ve seen the homemade examples of retouched content, and yes we’ve heard the Digital Foundry assessments. In many ways we are in agreement here – we do have work to do to address some of these areas and raise the level of fidelity and overall presentation for the final game. The build used to run the campaign demo was work-in-progress from several weeks ago with a variety of graphical elements and game systems still being finished and polished. While some of the feedback was expected and speaks to areas already in progress, other aspects of the feedback have brought new opportunities and considerations to light that the team is taking very seriously and working to assess. We don’t have firm answers or outcomes to share yet but the team is working as quickly as possible on plans to address some of the feedback around detail, clarity, and overall fidelity. The team is committed and focused on making sure we have a beautiful world for players to explore when we launch."

As for the Multiplayer Beta / Flighting, Junyszek reiterated what 343 head Chris Lee stated last week, saying their plans for a multiplayer beta have been impacted "in large part due to the challenges of working from home during the COVID-19." 343 is not sure a Beta will end up happening, but it is hoping "to have an opportunity for broader hands-on before release." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=halo-infinite-xbox-games-showcase-gameplay-reveal-screenshots&captions=true"] Microtransactions in Halo Infinite were confirmed back in 2018, but Junyszek reassured fans that Halo Infinite "will not include real-money loot boxes." This should come as a relief, especially considering the level of player customization that will be part of Halo Infinite. As Junyszek said, "If you liked the level of armor customization options in Halo: Reach, you will be pleased." There were many other smaller details in this Infinite Inquires post, including the reduction of Kill Barriers and "Return to Battlefield" zones in the campaign to encourage exploration in Halo Infinite's open world, and confirmation that the Battle Rifle (BR75) will be making a return. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/halo-infinite-step-inside-cinematic-teaser"] Additionally, the new grapple hook will make its way to multiplayer, but will function a bit differently and will be available as an item that can be picked up on the battlefield. Halo Infinite will be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in Holiday 2020. For more on the latest Halo game, be sure to check out more details on its villain and story, why there won't be a Halo Infinite 2, and why Halo Infinite will be a perfect jumping on point for new players. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/the-complete-halo-saga-in-22-minutes"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Skater XL Review

Unlike the Birdman’s games – or the one with actual birds in it – Skater XL is a serious and mostly authentic and grounded simulation of skateboarding and it innovates in a truly engrossing way with its nuanced and tricky two-stick control system. There have been times over the last several days when I’ve become deeply immersed in the process of learning a new trick and executing it perfectly on a cool line I’d found some place within the maps. However, playing on Xbox has exposed the fondly-regarded PC version’s secret: it’s heavily reliant on user-made mods to flesh it out. This has left the console version feeling extremely light on content at launch and, combined with some regularly occurring jankiness, the result is something that generally feels more like a tech demo than a complete game. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/2BPw6M0] Skater XL’s controls may initially seem familiar to Skate’s gesture-based brand of analogue stick flicking – and it’s true that there are some rough similarities – but mastering Skater XL’s controls is actually like learning a whole new language. In Skater XL, each thumbstick represents the skater’s corresponding foot. That may sound simple but sometimes it’s a bit like rubbing your belly with one hand while… braiding your own hair with the other. Even a straightforward kickflip requires you to pop the board with your back foot and then execute a properly-timed kick with your front foot. If you chuck a rotation in there, that’ll require one of the triggers. If you want to throw a grab on top of it all, that brings in the bumpers – and all of a sudden you’re squeezing your controller from all angles like it owes you money. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=This%20complexity%20may%20ultimately%20be%20a%20turn%20off%20for%20some%2C%20but%20I%E2%80%99ve%20quite%20enjoyed%20just%20zoning%20out%20and%20trying%20to%20perfect%20some%20complex%20skate%20tricks"]This complexity may ultimately be a turn off for some, but I’ve quite enjoyed just zoning out and trying to perfect some complex skate tricks. Things like this are often a simple button-push away in other skate games but would require a huge amount of practise in reality, and so they do in Skater XL. Overall I get the feeling the goal here has been to build a control system that attempts to mirror the finesse of foot movement that real-life skateboarding requires and, to a certain extent, that has worked. The granular control over grinds is particularly nifty if you move the sticks slowly enough not to trigger an ollie or shuvit. That said, it’s loaded with annoyances, too: the zone on the stick for performing manuals feels a bit too small, you can’t seem to turn more than 90 degrees on the spot without pushing off in the complete opposite direction, and sometimes my skater will bust an unwanted ollie before I’ve let go of the stick.

Tre Cool

During my second morning playing I attempted a tre flip, which in Skater XL requires two similar yet slightly out-of-sync movements with each stick. I couldn’t get it. I just couldn’t remotely nail the timing, and the angles were beyond me. Skater XL was asking my monkey fingers for Moonlight Sonata and all they had to give was Mary Had a Little Lamb. At one stage I even noticed there’s an achievement for performing 10 tre flips in a row. I scoffed. It was never going to happen. But I made a few more attempts, and those few attempts turned into a few more attempts, and a few more attempts after that. Eventually I landed one. Then three in a row. Then 10 in a row. Skater XL’s controls are a bit of a wall to crash through compared to, say, an arcade skate experience like any Tony Hawk game out there, but because they ask you to practise and practise, there’s a quaint loop here that imitates the spirit of the real thing – or, at least, learning a real, physical skill – in a satisfying way. Try. Fail. Try again. Fail again. Try again, succeed, celebrate. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/3fnjqK5]

American Wasteland

That loop, however, is all Skater XL has. There’s no campaign for its four pro skater characters or even a path through its five core maps or the three user-made maps from PC modders that have been curated and added to the console versions. There’s no ultimate goal beyond “go skate.” Each of the maps has a list of challenges you can complete but they feel a bit like a long series of tutorials. This may be enough for skaters who just want to noodle around, bust tricks, and experiment with the video editor, but for those accustomed to more substantial skating games I expect Skater XL may feel a bit like the part of a game you play while you wait for the rest to install. The high school level feels very authentic, there’s a faithful rendition of the West L.A. Courthouse spot, and the downtown L.A. map also features riffs on several iconic spots skaters will likely recognise, but they’re all completely lifeless. No NPC skaters, no moving vehicles, no multiplayer; just you. The visuals and bright and sharp and the menus are clean and unobtrusive, but the visual quality is a little uneven overall. There’s some great detail on some of the surfaces, in particular – like the benches and pillars of the West L.A. Courthouse spot bearing the scrapes and scars of a few thousand 50-50s – but certain things don’t quite stand up to the same level of scrutiny (like shirts clipping through pants or the fuzziness on props like cars). The Big Ramp level is fun in bursts, but there’s no denying that it undermines Skater XL’s focus on making you strive hard to perfect the fundamentals of straight street skating when I can bust out a successful backside 1800 into… a port-a-loo, by accident. There’s big rift between the gritty, harder-than-it-looks urban skating Skater XL wants to celebrate and the fact you can successfully land a double-900 from low orbit on flat ground without your ankles exploding, and then… skate off through the desert. It just doesn’t feel finished. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://ift.tt/2EvYnrH] There’s a halfpipe on the Big Ramp for transition skating, too, but it's unreliable and I find whenever I get into a groove I end up exiting the pipe or landing on the coping unintended and bailing. The bails aren’t particularly great, either; if skaters aren’t freezing their limbs in odd positions they’re regularly clipping through the environment. They can be hard to predict, too; sometimes you’ll pop off the same low rail half-a-dozen times and collapse in an unexplained heap all but once, and other times you can accidentally fall from a freeway bridge and skate away with no hassles. The audio is very good, however, and there’s a nice suite of honest skating sound effects. With the short soundtrack turned off there’s an almost meditative quality to the hiss of rolling wheels and scraping ply.

PSA: You Can Finally Backup Your ACNH Island

How to backup your ACNH save so you'll never lose your island.

Nintendo Release Gaps and the Nintendo Gigaleak - NVC 519

Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat! This week, Casey DeFreitas is joined by Peer Schneider, Brain Altano, and Zach Ryan to talk about the last week of Nintendo. First up, the crew talks about Nintendo franchises we haven't seen in a while. Did you know it's been 16 years since the last F-Zero game? Then, the panel discusses the huge Nintendo Gigaleak that has revealed a ton of new information about old Nintendo games. Plus, hear about Persona 5 Scramble finally getting confirmed for the west and Animal Crossing's save backup services. Finally, we wrap up with one of your listener questions on Question Block. Timecodes!

• 00:00:00 Welcome!
• 00:01:19 Nintendo franchise release gaps
• 00:19:28 The Nintendo Gigaleak
• 00:35:50 Audience Yaps
• 00:44:22 More news!
• 00:48:30 What we're playing
• 01:00:00 Question Block

Games out this week:

• Sagrada, $14.99, Out now
• They Breathe, $3.99, Out now
• Heroes of Hammerwatch: Ultimate Edition, $19.99, Out now
• Kingdom Rush, $9.99, Out now
• Nowhere Prophet, $24.99, Out now

What we're playing:

• Peer: Paper Mario, Carrion, Crysis
• Brian: Carrion, Panzer Paladin
• Zach: Paper Mario, Carrion, EarthBound

NVC is available on your preferred platform!

• YouTube
• Spotify
• Apple iTunes
• Stitcher
• Podbay
• PlayerFM
• Podbean

You can also Download NVC 519 Directly Here

You can listen to NVC on your preferred platform every Thursday at 3pm PT/6pm ET. Have a question for Question Block? Write to us at nvc@ign.com and we may pick your question! Also, make sure to join the Nintendo Voice Chat Podcast Forums on Facebook. We're all pretty active there and often pull Question Block questions and comments straight from the community.

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Logan Plant is the Production Assistant for NVC. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Epic Games Store Finally Gets Achievements and Mod Support

The Epic Games Store is finally getting achievements and mod support. Epic Games Store users have been requesting achievements basically since the launch of the store in 2018 and it seems the feature is finally happening. Epic Games said on Twitter on July 29 that certain games will start displaying the achievements as they're unlocked, but it didn't name which games it's referring to. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-modern-pc-games&captions=true"] "Certain games on the Epic Games Store may begin to display achievements as you unlock them," the tweet said. "This is an early version of the feature and you can expect to see changes & adjustments. We'll have more info to share on achievements in the future, so stay tuned!" Nothing more was said beyond that but the tweet does include a quick video showcasing what an achievement pop looks like in an Epic Games Store-launched game. You can check it out below.

Certain games on the Epic Games Store may begin to display achievements as you unlock them.

This is an early version of the feature and you can expect to see changes & adjustments. We'll have more info to share on achievements in the future, so stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/80dnoLYegV — Epic Games Store (@EpicGames) July 29, 2020

That same day, it was announced that the Epic Games Store would begin supporting mods and that MechWarrior 5:  Mercenaries would be the first game on the platform to support them. "We are extremely excited to announce that MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is the first game to participate in the Beta launch of Epic Games Store Mods," MechWarrior 5 developer Piranha Games said in a blog post. "With this release, discovering and installing MW5 Mods made by the amazing modding community will be easier than ever, integrated directly into the existing Epic Games Launcher." As noted by Piranha Games, the mods feature of the EGS is in beta. It's unknown at this time when the feature will leave beta. Their blog post highlights a few community-created mods that players can expect to utilize for MechWarrior 5. After giving that a look, read about how the Epic Games Store is the first real threat to Steam. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

2K's Non-Simuation NFL Games Will Feature Real-Life Players

2K has announced a partnership with OneTeam Partners and the National Football League Players Association to include "football's most prominent star players" in future NFL 2K games. 2K currently has "multiple football games in development" which will start launching in 2021, and this partnership will allow them to feature "the names, numbers, images and likenesses for over 2,000 current NFL players." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/10/nfl-2k-isnt-really-coming-back-ign-now"] The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 2K President David Ismailer noted that the partnership will bring "the biggest and best stars in football" to 2K's upcoming NFL titles. "We want to give fans experiences that are authentic, memorable and fun, and having a roster of real-life sports heroes through The Players Association and OneTeam is a huge part of delivering on that promise." EA penned a deal with the NFL in December 2004 to make Madden the only series able to use NFL teams and player names, but this partnership suggests that officially licensed players will also feature in NFL 2K games going forward. 2K stated in March of this year that its NFL games will be "non-simulation football game experiences," with titles, developers and release dates to be announced at a later date. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Nintendo Works to Fix Game-Breaking Paper Mario Issue

Nintendo has promised to fix a game-breaking issue in Paper Mario: The Origami King that can keep players from progressing through the story. Light location spoilers for Paper Mario: The Origami King follow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/14/paper-mario-the-origami-king-announcement-trailer"] On Mario and Olivia's journey to the last streamer in The Origami King, players have to collect four stamps for their Spring of Rainbows VIP card in the Shangri-Spa area. After you collect all four stamps from four different hot springs, you gain access to a secret fifth hot spring. However, once you enter the fifth hot spring, the Spring of Rainbows, you lose your VIP pass. And, the other four hot springs will not give Mario a second stamp, meaning it's impossible to regain the VIP pass after you've already used it. If you try to re-enter the Spring of Rainbows, Mario will once again be asked to show his VIP pass. So, if you leave the Spring of Rainbows before you accomplish your objective, you have no way to return to progress the story. Additionally, leaving the fifth spring automatically saves the game, effectively ruining your progress. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=paper-mario-the-origami-king-screenshots&captions=true"] In a statement to Polygon, a Nintendo representative said, "We are aware of reports about issues affecting some players of Paper Mario: The Origami King. We are working to resolve these issues and plan to address them in a software update. We apologize for any inconvenience." Nintendo did not say exactly when this issue will be fixed. So, for now, be sure to stay in the Spring of Rainbows until you accomplish your objective. If you want more details on this game-breaking issue, you can check out Nintendo Unity's video that walks through the process. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/15/paper-mario-the-origami-king-review"] For more on Paper Mario, you can read our Paper Mario: The Origami King review, where we said, "the latest game in the Paper Mario series delivers in some regards, but falls (unintentionally) flat in others." Or, you can read about how Paper Mario devs are no longer allowed to make new characters that "touch on the Mario universe." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

The Top 25 PS4 Games

This is IGN's list of the best games on Playstation 4. With the console's last big exclusives in the rearview and the PS5 fast approaching on the horizon, we thought it was high time to take a fresh look at its library of games. This list was compiled by the entire IGN content team and - after plenty of internal debate - represents what we believe to be the very best that the PS4 has to offer. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/30/the-best-ps4-games-summer-2020-update"] More on the best PlayStation Games and news:

• Everything Confirmed and Rumored about the PS5
• Best PS4 and PS4 Pro Deals and Bundles
• Best PS3 Games
• Best PS2 Games

Please note that PSVR-only games weren't eligible for this list. While we have loved plenty of experiences in PlayStation VR, because there’s a second barrier to entry, and the intention of this list is that you could buy a PS4 and play any of these 25 games immediately, we have chosen to omit them from consideration (if you've got PSVR and need recommendations, though, you should definitely check out our list of the best PSVR games). Lastly, know that not we get that not every game could be included — it is a top 25, after all. And though many of our favorite games have been omitted, know that this list should set you up to have dozens and dozens of hours of fun, no matter what genre you enjoy. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps4-games-summer-2020-update&captions=true"]

25. Nier: Automata

Nier Automata delivers a ridiculously entertaining journey full of awesome ideas that is equal parts strange and beautiful. There are few games like Automata, which bounces between game genres and styles with aplomb. Taking place in a futuristic dystopia, this “action-RPG” offers a roller coaster of different gameplay opportunities, wrapped up in a fascinating story that has many multiple endings that encourage poking into every corner of this engrossing world. There are few games that attempt what Nier: Automata does, and it’s absolutely worth checking out this Yoko Taro-directed adventure.

Read our Nier: Automata review

24. Monster Hunter World

The long-running Monster Hunter series broke through with the 2018 hit Monster Hunter World, which not only impressed us with its rewarding gameplay but also with how accessible the game proved to be. For a series that can take some learning to get the hang of, Monster Hunter World produced a fully realized, expansive world

Read our Monster Hunter World review

23. Apex Legends

Amid the rise of the battle royale genre, Apex Legends manages to stand out, even as a later addition to the fray. Set in the universe of Respawn's Titanfall series, Apex utilizes similar gameplay mechanics which give it a unique edge over other battle royale games. In addition to its faster pace, Apex incorporates the use of specific "Legends" who all have different skills and abilities that create the need for teams to work together and synergize between the different characters. Similar to how Overwatch operates, the roster of different heroes allows players to constantly change their playstyles in order to secure the win. With constant updates and new limited-time game modes being switched in and out, Apex Legends is a high-octane game that constantly leaves you wanting to go for "just one more match.”

Read our Apex Legends review

22. Yakuza 0

Yakuza 0 is the high bar for SEGA's long-running open-world series, packed with an extraordinary amount of things to do and centered around a genuinely compelling crime story. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/05/which-yakuza-should-you-play-first"] Since it’s a prequel, it’s also unburdened by the series’ increasingly intricate backstory and thus supremely approachable for newcomers. While its melee combat may lag slightly behind modern genre standards, Yakuza 0 still hits far more than it misses and is a big, bold and bruising tour through the Japanese underworld.

Read our Yakuza 0 review

21. Tetris Effect

How do you make Tetris, one of the best-selling and arguably perfect games, even better? You add in dazzling light shows, music that reacts to your moves, and one of the most blissfully zen gaming experiences of the generation. Tetris Effect, even without its PSVR component, is a transcendent experience, making a stalwart of the video gaming medium fresh. Its Journey mode includes a couple dozen stages of memorable music, which melds to the blocks you move and place, with backgrounds that, quite literally, take you on a journey from the ocean depths to jungle and desert terrain to the reaches of space. There’s something almost spiritual to the experience, which doesn’t do anything to majorly twist the Tetris formula, but enhances it in a memorably powerful way.

Read our Tetris Effect review

20. Dreams Dreams is unlike anything else: an ambitious project that has been expertly brought to life by Media Molecule, and an audacious experiment in game design that gives you endless ways to enjoy your time with it. An incredible creative suite made up of tools that allow for and encourage ultimate expression, all inside of your PS4. The vast range of experiences on offer via Dream Surfing means that no two sessions playing it are ever the same, offering fresh ways to have fun every time you start it up and see what community creations have popped up while you’ve been away. Whether you just want to create, purely play, or get involved in a bit of everything, Dreams offers it all to you.

Read our Dreams review

19. Final Fantasy 7 Remake

After a long wait, the 2020 remake of Final Fantasy VII revitalizes one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time in a (mostly) successful and engaging way. This new version of Midgard probably isn't just how your brain remembers it looking - it's much better, with a stunning, detailed, and immersive exploration of the steampunk city. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ff7-remake-easter-eggs&captions=true"]   Since part one of 'Remake' (subsequent releases will cover the rest of the original story) takes place entirely within Midgard, Square Enix is able to really spend time with the city's ensemble cast, giving them more nuance and screentime to round out the adventure. And that's on top of its stellar combat system, a marriage of real-time and more tactical, turn-based systems to create something that's wholly unique and a joy to master. Part 2 can't come soon enough.

18. Overwatch

Overwatch is a brilliant multiplayer shooter brimming with Blizzard’s charm and detail, and it’s one that Blizzard has impressively continued to support with new heroes and updates since its launch in 2016. Overwatch earned Game of the Year from IGN in its launch year, sweeping the IGN offices with multiplayer matches after work and at lunches (and sometimes during the workday) that have continued in the months and years since. Blizzard’s rock-solid gameplay allows players in whatever role they play on a team to matter. And Blizzard’s impressive attention to detail has created a rich world of lore that permeates the experience, allowing those who just want a fun multiplayer experience to enjoy the action but offering those who want something more a wealth of character and location information to delve into.

Read our Overwatch review

17. Ratchet & Clank

The iconic PlayStation franchise Ratchet and Clank only got better on PS4 with a beautiful, funny update of the duo’s first adventure. More a remix of the original PS2 game than a straight remaster, there is a gorgeous level of detail to the lombax and robot’s adventure, which also makes some noted story improvements. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/ratchet-clank-rift-apart-gameplay-demo-ps5-reveal-event"] The titular duo’s initial meeting and budding friendship feels more fully formed and smartly written, while the series’ signature humor is in full force throughout. Veldin, Rilgar, and other worlds are beautiful, Pixar-like environments with plenty to explore, and modernizations made to the gameplay make the adventure as fresh as ever. And of course, Insomniac’s signature knack for wacky weapons is on full display in HD, from Mr. Zurkon to the Groovitron. Insomniac has obviously put its recent focus on VR and Spider-Man, but this latest iteration proves Ratchet and Clank has plenty of life left in it.

Read our Ratchet and Clank review

16. What Remains of Edith Finch

One of the most heart-wrenching and visually dynamic adventure games of the generation, What Remains of Edith Finch is a must-play. While a game about recounting the death of each of Edith’s family members by exploring their bedrooms (turned memorial shrines) may sound like a bummer, the creative ways each memory gets explored keeps you entertained while the mystery of how this person died creates eerie suspense that will entice you to keep going. Each remembrance transports you to their stories and subsequent deaths, with moments ranging from playing on swingsets to, quite literally, bouncing between comic book panels. Striking, stylish, and hauntingly beautiful, What Remains of Edith Finch is one of the best experiences to be had on PS4.

Read our What Remains of Edith Finch review

15. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4 is Uncharted all grown up; an examination of what happens when Nathan Drake’s Indiana-Jones-style antics come face to face with his adult responsibilities. It manages to reckon with this and then some, juggling delicate relationship dynamics with ridiculously fun action sequences and breathtaking vistas ripe for exploring and pillaging. Though it gets a little bogged down by an overly long final act, Uncharted 4 is still one of the best action-adventure games of all time, and one of the best PlayStation 4 games ever.

Read our Uncharted 4 review

14. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is without question the most ambitious entry in the Metal Gear series. So ambitious, in fact, that it’s something of an unfinished masterpiece. While a lot of hardcore fans of the series were disappointed by the game’s scattered story, it’s hard to deny that the moment-to-moment gameplay is absolutely phenomenal. On top of rock-solid movement and a huge, sometimes literal, sandbox to explore, The Phantom Pain gives players a huge arsenal of weapons, vehicles, gadgets, and AI companions to approach missions creatively. As always, stealthy tactical gameplay is rewarded heavily, but if a mission goes sideways (or if you’re feeling squirrelly) the game doesn’t punish you too hard for getting get loud and messy. Even if you’ve never played another Metal Gear game, this is a hell of an experience. If the plot leaves you with a big question mark over your head, don’t feel left out. That’s part of the fun.

Read our Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain review

13. Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil fans were begging for a remake of the much-beloved Resident Evil 2 for over two decades. After the original RE1 received its stellar GameCube REmake all the way back in 2002, fans waited, and waited… and waited. When it eventually came, it was everything they dreamed of and more. The Resident Evil 7's RE Engine was reworked into a third-person tour de force, showcasing intensely realistic gore with blood dripping from mangled zombies. Mr. X returned as a force to be reckoned with, its shooting mechanics were pitch-perfect, and terror was palpable throughout. Here’s hoping RE3's remake raises the bar even further.

Read our Resident Evil 2 Remake review

12. Ghost of Tsushima

Sucker Punch's latest adventure is dense with moving stories and striking visuals that make exploring its expansive take on 13th-century japan a joy. Its cast - across the English and Japanese languages - does an excellent job bringing Ghost's complex tale of honor and loss to life, both in its 30+ hour main campaign and all the side quests that eloquently mirror thematic aspects of your main journey. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ghost-of-tsushima-photo-mode-greatest-shots-by-ign-staff&captions=true"] While the stealth may be simple (and enemy AI less than stellar), combat is spectacular – a simple but nuanced exploration of Japanese swordplay that is still fun right up to your very last duel. Add all of this on top of one of the best (and most addictive) photo modes we've seen, and Ghost of Tsushima more than makes up for its late addition to the PS4's library by being one of its best games.

Read our Ghost of Tsushima review

11. Red Dead Redemption 2

Both a stunning technical achievement and a gold standard for video game storytelling in an open-world setting, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games Rockstar Games has ever made, and one of the greatest games ever, period. Red Dead Redemption 2’s world is a sprawling and stunning recreation of the wild west, packed so full of detail and activity it’s almost daunting; getting from A to B is virtually impossible without going off the beaten path to some other distraction. Said distractions are incredibly accomplished, too - side quests, mini-games, hunting, and gathering are all deeply considered parts of Red Dead 2 in their own right. But of course, it’s Red Dead 2’s characters that stick in the memory most: Arthur Morgan, John Marsten, Sadie, Dutch et al are vibrant, multi-faceted characters, their complex dynamics always shifting and changing, even if their trajectories are set in stone. Red Dead Redemption 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Read our Red Dead Redemption 2 review

10. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

While Nathan Drake established himself as a compelling lead over the course of the four core Uncharted games, 2017’s The Lost Legacy proved that the same was true for Drake's supporting cast. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/08/17/uncharted-the-lost-legacy-review"] Lost Legacy moved the spotlight to the unexpected duo of treasure hunter Chloe Frazer and mercenary Nadine Ross, and discovered there is a verve and chemistry in the cast even without Nate. Not only does Lost Legacy open the door for any number of spinoffs that focus on other characters in the Uncharted universe, it features some of the best gameplay sequences the series has to offer. While there’s definitely room for both PS4 Uncharteds on a longer list, Lost Legacy is our favorite - and hopefully we’ll see similar bold choices in the franchise on the next generation as well.

Read our Uncharted: The Lost Legacy review

9.Control

An exceptional third-person shooter with a trippy supernatural twist, Control is not only our Game of the Year for 2019 but stands out as one of the most unique adventures of the generation. The seasoned team at Remedy Entertainment brought their years of experience to bear on one of the coolest ability/weapon sets in recent memory, which made for some of the most satisfying and frenetic telekinetic combat ever put to pixels. On top of its excellent super-powered gunplay, Control features some truly inspired environmental design, its Oldest House a shape-shifting labyrinth-like something from a fever dream shared by Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch. Throughout its monster-filled halls, you'll undertake memorable side quests, hunt for upgrades to your abilities and gear, and hunt down a litany of collectibles that all help flesh out the eerie bureaucracy that's at the center of Control's impossibly unique experience.

8. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Marvel’s Spider-Man is a masterclass in comic book joy, an expertly built world that perfectly encapsulates the child-like wonder of looking up at the looming, inspiring skylines of New York City and the superhero-like triumph of effortlessly scaling the tallest buildings in the Big Apple. It’s a game about Spider-Man made by people who deeply, truly, genuinely adore Spider-Man, from his costumes to his friends, foes, and family. Marvel’s Spider-Man is a gorgeous technical triumph that is utterly sublime to play. One second you’ll be zipping webs above a crowded midtown street, hoisting yourself up into the sunset and flawlessly dashing between giant skyscrapers. The next, dive kicking a thug from a mile in the air, chaining combos between his criminal cohorts, webbing them to walls, and leaping back towards the rooftops without ever touching the ground. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=spider-man-miles-morales-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] The simple act of soaring and flipping through the city is so satisfying and addictive that you’ll likely want to explore every corner of it and nab every collectible before even finishing the story. Once you do decide to settle down and move the narrative forward, you’ll find a heartwarming story of love and loss, awkward adolescence, and tons and tons of ass kicking. Along the way, you’ll unlock iconic Spider-Man suits, take down nefarious villains in gigantic, explosive setpieces, and bask in the realization that the modern comic book movie renaissance that we’re all so gleefully enjoying has finally, finally made its way back to video games.

Read our Marvel's Spider-Man review

7. Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon: Zero Dawn is one of the most beautiful open-world games ever crafted. Grass sways in the wind beneath blooming sunrises while towering cities formed from the ashes of a once prosperous society loom in the distance. And, most importantly, giant, awe-inspiring mechanical dinosaurs outfitted with a terrifying array of pseudo-natural weaponry roam the land, roaring, gnashing, and trampling their prey. When iconic PlayStation developer Guerrilla Games revealed they were pivoting away from the Killzone franchise to make an open world robot dinosaur hunting game starring a warrior redhead outfitted like a space cake dealer at Burning Man, the world was cautiously optimistic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/everything-we-know-about-horizon-forbidden-west-so-far"] The end result, thankfully, was a vast, wondrous, and unique open-world action game with just the right amount of RPG elements that come together to create a brilliant first entry into what we hope will become a pillar franchise for Playstation Studios. Taking down a gigantic boss with an active strategy of well-placed melee strikes and projectiles is one of the most thrilling experiences on PlayStation 4, and looting the shrapnel of a downed robot for much-needed upgrade parts afterwards is equally satisfying. Horizon takes some of the best elements of existing open world games and weaves them together to make something wholly original, wonderfully refreshing and wildly fun.

Read our Horizon Zero Dawn review

6. Grand Theft Auto V / GTA Online

Rockstar’s latest and greatest open-world felony simulator made its debut at the tail end of the last console generation, handily breaking records as the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, so it’s no surprise that it got ported to current-gen. What is surprising, perhaps, is just how much of an upgrade it got in the process. Uprezzed textures, totally overhauled lighting effects and a fully-functional first-person option were just some of the litany of updates and tweaks to the series’ biggest and best game yet. Whether you’re after a sprawling single-player campaign that provides a ruthless skewering of 21st-century American life, or a multiplayer component with years of big free updates and an extremely active community, or just a sandbox where you can do crimes either alone or with friends, Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online really does offer something for everyone. Seriously, is there any other game where you can play the stock market, jump in a Mad Max death card and then trip on peyote so hard you turn into a bird?

Read our GTA V review

5. Persona 5 Royal

A massive, gorgeous JRPG, Persona 5 set a high bar for the genre, and 2020’s Persona 5 Royal re-release pushes that bar even higher. An engrossing adventure brimming with style and flair, Persona 5 sees you navigating school life by day and descending into the corrupted minds of Tokyo’s more villainous citizens by night in order to coerce them away from their corrupt endeavors. The students who make up Persona 5’s ensemble cast leave an indelible mark as they are introduced and further become embroiled in the exploits of the Phantom Thieves. Persona 5 does a great job of balancing the two facets of its gameplay, letting players really dive into the social connections in the real world and allowing those to influence the dungeon exploration and turn-based action of its massive and varied mind palaces. Coupled with a continually engaging combat system, a soundtrack full of earworms, its twisty, wild story, and plenty of additional content on top of the base game, Persona 5 Royal delivers one of the deepest JRPGs of the generation, if not of all time.

Read our Persona 5 review

4. The Witcher 3

CD Projekt Red's sprawling fantasy epic has become one of the most noteworthy games of all time, one that set a new standard for open-world RPGs. With a grim-yet-gorgeous world that stretches across the better part of an entire continent, every corner, cave, swamp or city street of The Witcher 3 has something to discover. It's 60+ hour main story is a great adventure, full of mystery and intrigue that draws from the deep lore of author Andrzej Sapkowski's books, but its Geralt's expertly-crafted side stories, monster hunts and off-beat adventures that really make The Witcher 3 and its two huge expansions truly exceptional. It's a game where you can easily get lost for hundreds of hours and still not see everything it has to offer - but every one of those hours will be absolutely worth it.

Read our The Witcher 3 review

3. Bloodborne

Bloodborne is a brutally difficult, immensely terrifying action horror game that will immediately kick your ass. You’ll spawn, die, and repeat until you throw your controller, swear at your television, and vow to walk away forever. Once outside the dim confines of Bloodborne’s dense, evil, snarling network of contorted beasts, wretched howls, and stark-raving murderous lunatics, you’ll enjoy a quiet, cheerful walk amidst the sunshine in the real world, free from Bloodborne’s punishing ways. But a voice in your head will begin to ring and linger, calling you back, urging you to return, push forward, and conquer. And when you do, you’ll find yourself improved and fueled, patient and energized, ready to tackle it’s gristled, hairy bosses, rotting cathedrals, and wet, corrupt catacombs. Then you’ll die again, but this time you’ll be stronger, wiser, and older and prepared for the foulest of beasts to leap from the shadows and tear you apart all over again. Bloodborne is a horrible, vile world where every reward brings risks and fear is palpable. And while its challenges feel insurmountable and out of reach, your skill and determination will eventually prevail and you’ll press forward through the night. Death is frequent. Frustration is certain. But ultimately, victory is possible, and when achieved, becomes one of the greatest feelings in the world.

Read our Bloodborne review

2. The Last of Us, Part 2

The follow-up to 2013's The Last of Us is the pinnacle of Naughty Dog's storytelling ambitions during the life of the PS3 and PS4. Part 2's ambitious, uncompromising story delivers at nearly every unexpected turn, with character arcs that are poignant, risky, and devastating. Naughty Dog asks you, the player, to do your best to reckon with morally ambiguity in ways that have evoked some of the strongest across the board reactions that we’ve seen from any game, ever. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/14-brilliant-little-details-in-the-last-of-us-part-2"] It's also perhaps Naughty Dog's most mechanically complex game to date, and its stealth and action systems delivers moment after moment that feel like they should be scripted but are instead entirely dynamic. It may be one of the more divisive games of the generation, but it’s also one of the best; an absolute haymaker of a game we still can't stop thinking about.

Read our Last of Us Part II Review

1. God of War

2018’s God of War shows an obvious level of care that went into crafting its world, characters, and gameplay, evolving a longstanding PlayStation franchise into a testament to the power of storytelling in games and making it our choice for the best PlayStation 4 game, period. Every aspect of God of War feels intentional, interconnecting with every other major aspect of the game, making exploring every inch of its world a rewarding opportunity. Everything from the main story to side missions and seemingly innocuous collectibles factor into your understanding of this new Aesir-inspired world and its major players. It somehow never makes any of that feel like a dry history lesson, though, and God of War is constantly making smart, economical use of storytelling. It’s also just such a fun experience, with the new Leviathan axe being one of the most satisfying game weapons we’ve used since we originally picked up the Blades of Chaos back in 2005. Bundled with smart progression, fascinating environments, and an impactful story that offers an insightful exploration of one of gaming’s most notorious antiheroes, God of War is undoubtedly one of the best experiences of the generation as a whole, and a shining example of what the Playstation 4 has to offer.

Read our God of War review

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Those are our picks for the top 10 Playstation 4 games ever - let us know in the comments what’s on your list that didn’t make ours!

How to Get Your Dream Address and Visit Dream Islands in ACNH

Here's everything you need to know about how to dream in ACNH.

GTA Online: Score Double Rewards and Triple Points in Arena War This Week

This week in Grand Theft Auto Online, score Arena War bonuses, double rewards for participating in Survival Series, and a whole lot more.

UFC 4 Preview: How Career Mode Is Evolving

UFC 3’s career mode was its biggest highlight, and with UFC 4, developer EA Vancouver is looking to double down on the mode with a new threefold focus of building confident players, making choices matter, and sticking to the authentic UFC experience.

Building Confident Players

One of the biggest challenges that UFC games face is teaching new players how to utilize the many different facets of mixed martial arts without completely overloading them with tutorials right out of the gate. UFC 4 is attempting to address this by making its career mode the primary onboarding process for the game.

To accomplish this, UFC 4 introduces Coach Davis, a coach you meet during your very first amateur MMA fight who invites you to his gym and introduces you to the fundamentals of MMA. You’ll learn about the various disciplines of MMA, including boxing, kickboxing, jiu jitsu, and wrestling, and after each training session at the gym, you’ll face off against a fighter who specializes in that specific aspect of MMA.

“One of the reasons why we added Coach Davis is because he takes you through the fundamentals in a much more measured [way],” said Creative Director Brian Hayes. “As opposed to trying to create a five-minute opening experience where we show you a hype video and then give you some pop-ups during gameplay to try and teach you all the myriad of controls involved with an MMA game, we decided to make the opening experience the introduction to Coach Davis, you jumping into your amateur career... and then use that experience to be a better onboarding tool to show you boxing, kickboxing, jiu jitsu, and wrestling.”

Making Choices Matter

Choices and consequences are central to UFC 4’s career mode, with your choices being the main driving force behind the direction your own personal story takes you. The career mode is unscripted, so no two players’ journeys will be exactly the same.

Some of the biggest choices you make will be in your training camp. In UFC 4, to improve your fighter, all you have to do is fight. The more you use a specific move, whether it's in training camp or in an actual fight, the more that move will level up in real time. Leveling up a move not only improves its effectiveness, but it also rewards you with evolution points that you can spend on either attribute points or perks that could make you consume less stamina with every attack, give you faster hooks or faster kicks, and so on.

To facilitate this fighter evolution system, you can choose specific sparring techniques in training camp, whether it be Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai, or Wrestling. Each sparring session is specifically focused on the moves related to that discipline, allowing you to best prepare for the upcoming fight. Also, this time around you won’t know what type of fighter you’re going up against just by looking at the fight contract. Instead you’ll have to choose to watch tape on a fighter if you want to know what their attributes are, their top five moves, or their overall style.

The Authentic UFC Experience

The final key focus of EA Vancouver in UFC 4 is to remain authentic to the actual UFC experience. That means that you begin on the amateur circuit, eventually make your way to the World Fighting Alliance (WFA), potentially make your way through Dana White’s Contender Series, and finally wind up in the UFC where your ultimate goal is to become not only a champion, but secure that Greatest of All Time (GOAT) status.

To this end, you’re also given choices with regard to how your journey plays out. You now have the choice to decline fights if you feel like you’re not ready for them yet. You can even stay in the WFA for your entire career and never make the jump to the UFC if you want. Whatever choice you make has a consequence, though. If you decline a fight, the other fighter will drag you on social media, affecting your popularity; if you stay in the WFA, you’ll be able to improve your stats and skills, but you won’t get any closer to completing your GOAT goals; you can respond cordially to fighters and build a relationship that lets you eventually invite them to your gym and learn their moves; or you can taunt them and build hype for your eventual showdown.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=We%20wanted%20to%20make%20character%20choices%20matter%20more%20this%20year%20than%20in%20%5BUFC%203%5D%2C"]

“We wanted to make character choices matter more this year than in [UFC 3],” said Career Mode Producer Raman Bassi. “[In UFC 3], a lot of the champions were set in stone and we built a rival story around them. In UFC 4, we wanted to break that open completely.”

UFC 4 is set to release on August 14 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with EA Access subscribers getting it a full week earlier on August 7.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Mitchell Saltzman is an Editorial Producer at IGN and would be terrible in a fight, but still loves UFC and Mixed Martial Arts nonetheless.   

Football Manager 2021 Is Still Coming This Year, But Later than Planned

Sports Interactive has announced that Football Manager 2021 is still coming this year, but will do so later than planned. Fans have been wondering about the whereabouts of Football Manager 2021 as word on it has been quiet. Studio director Miles Jacobson released a statement today to quell fans' fears on what that silence could mean, saying the game is still coming but will come out "a little later than we'd originally planned." Given the last five mainline Football Manager games have arrived in early November, it seems likely that this was the planned release window for this year's entry. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=21-football-manager-2020-screenshots&captions=true"] "What I can confirm today is that, despite all the problems going on in the world, there will be new Football Manager games released later this year," Jacobson said in a blog post. "They will be delivered a little later than we'd originally planned, but they'll have exceptionally strong feature sets...albeit different to those we thought we'd settled on back in January when I completed my 'dream feature set.'" Jacobson didn't expand on what that dream feature set would have been, nor what features have made it into the final version. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/29/euro-2020-in-football-manager-feat-football-ramble-daily-part-1"] Sports Interactive says it's taken a monumental effort to make Football Manager 2021's release possible this year and has required a lot of flexibility from the team. The game has changed scope on an almost "weekly basis" scaling both upward and downward, but Jacobson says it believes fans will appreciate all of the improvements and new features in this year's game. "Our games will be on more platforms and available on more stores than ever before when they're released later this year but, with regards to features and release dates, it's a little too early for us to talk about the specifics right now. Please cut us a little bit of slack and rest assured that we will once again deliver a set of games that provide hundreds of hours of entertainment and remain the best value for money on the market — and something to help you escape from the real world at the moment, at least for a while." While waiting for the latest iteration in the series, check out our thoughts on last year's game in our Football Manager 2020 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Bulletstorm Dev Announces Next-Gen Action-Adventure Game Led By Just Cause 3 Director

Bulletstorm developer People Can Fly has announced that it is working on a next-gen action-adventure game led by Just Cause 3 director Roland Lesterlin. The game is currently untitled but it will be a AAA "highly ambitious, groundbreaking action adventure title" set to release on next-gen consoles — presumably Xbox Series X and PS5 — as well as streaming platforms and PC. This game is being led by People Can Fly head David Grijns and Lesterlin, who is serving as the creative director on the game. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] "There is electricity in the air at People Can Fly," studio CEO Sebastian Wojciechowski said in a press release according to Gematsu. "Last year, we announced the opening of our New York Studio and revealed Outriders for the first time. Today, we have surpassed 250 staff and are excited to announce the next chapter in the development of our company." The New York-based studio is currently working to hire dozens of new staff members over the next year for this untitled project. People Can Fly will be working with studios in Newcastle, Rzeszow, and Warsaw alongside a soon-to-be startup studio in Montreal. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/28/outriders-preview"] "Our intention from the beginning has been to expand People Can Fly into a multi-project studio and continue to build a global presence for our brand," Wojciechowski said. "We are making this unique moment with the presentation of PCF's refreshed visual identity. With the launch of the next-generation consoles later this year, we are incredibly excited about the future of People Can Fly and the games industry as a whole." People Can Fly is not only busy with this untitled AAA project but it's hard at work on its forthcoming game, Outriders, set to release this holiday season. In the meantime, read about how People Can Fly would love a second life for their Bulletstorm series. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Cyberpunk 2077: CD Projekt Red Says There's No Beta Following Email Scam Attempts

CD Projekt Red has made clear that it has no plans for a Cyberpunk 2077 beta, after scam emails appeared to offer recipients the chance to join one. On Twitter, the Cyberpunk 2077 account made clear that recent emails promising beta access were not legitimate. The developer also made clear that any official communication to fans or content creators would come from a CDProjektRed.com address, never from a third-party.

1/2 If you recently received an email claiming to be granting you beta access to Cyberpunk 2077, it's not from us. Unfortunately, there have been more of these being sent out over the past few weeks. When we contact you via email, it'll always come from @ cdprojektred com address

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) July 30, 2020

It's not clear what the scammers were hoping to gain from unuspecting Cyberpunk fans, but it seems likely that it would have asked for login details for gaming accounts. It goes without saying that you should be vigilant for anyone trying the same in your email inbox. When asked if there were official plans for a Cyberpunk 2077 beta, the account replied: "We do not have plans for that. Sorry!" [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-night-city-wire-episode-1-full-broadcast"] We shouldn't have to wait too long for more Cyberpunk information, even if we aren't getting a hands-on for ourselves – at the end of June, it was said that we'd be getting a second episode of Night City Wire (the game's digital news broadcast) in "just a few weeks". Some of our number were lucky enough to play 4 hours of Cyberpunk 2077, and we offered rundowns of both what the prologue holds for us, and what secrets the open world of Night City holds in its darker corners. Cyberpunk 2077 will be released for Xbox One, PS4 and PC on November 19 (following a delay), and will get a "robust" next-gen upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X in 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-how-2-ign-editors-played-it-differently"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' New Update Has Turned a Glitch Into a Feature

The Version 1.4 Summer Update of Animal Crossing: New Horizons has turned one of the game's most useful glitches into a feature. As spotted by the @ACWorldBlog Twitter account, you can now remove the HUD when using the NookPhone Camera App by clicking in the right analogue stick on your Joy-Con. Earlier in July, a glitch that allowed players to remove the HUD was itself removed, leading to a backlash from fans and content creators, who were using the tweak to capture footage and screenshots of the game without the visually busy elements of the interface. Now they'll be relieved that Nintendo has been listening, and has brought the glitch back into the game as a feature.

The past Camera App Glitch allowing you to remove the HUD has now been added as a native feature in Version 1.4 of Animal Crossing: New Horizons! Simply press in the right analog stick to remove the user interface. Thank you Nintendo!! #ACHH pic.twitter.com/wGC0xVhV0z

— Animal Crossing World (@ACWorldBlog) July 30, 2020

We reviewed Animal Crossing: New Horizons upon its launch in March of this year, scoring it a 9 and calling it "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic." In other New Horizons news, here's the full skinny on the latest content update, which has brought fireworks and dreaming to the game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Is Coming To Steam, VR Support Coming Later This Year

Microsoft Flight Simulator will launch on Steam, and VR support is coming later this year as part of a free update. "Microsoft Flight Simulator for PC will support VR via the HP Reverb G2. This will be available later this fall," head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann revealed during a press briefing. In an accompanying post on the Xbox blog, it was announced that the game will be coming to Steam on launch day as well as Windows 10 and Xbox Game Pass for PC, which is currently in beta. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/30/microsoft-flight-simulator-san-francisco-to-las-vegas-full-flight-gameplay"] Neumann has told Eurogamer that VR support will come to other headsets beyond the Reverb G2 later down the line. "We're going to bring it to all the devices - all the common ones," Neumann told Eurogamer. "It's just going to take a few more months after that." During the same briefing, Neumann described Microsoft Flight Simulator as "an ever-changing, ever-evolving platform" with more features and more planes arriving in the years to come. Following the game's launch, the team at Asobo is "aiming to release something meaningful every month." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=32-of-microsoft-flight-simulators-37000-airports&captions=true"] Free world updates will arrive every two to three months and focus on a specific area of the globe, with custom airports and missions. Free sim updates will address community wishlist features in between. Asobo is also planning paid DLC for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Neumann mentioned helicopters and heliports as a potential focus. Our preview of Microsoft Flight Simulator arrived earlier today - check out why we're calling it "the perfect quarantine game" here. If you're still not sated, check out 6 epic landing challenges from the game that will make any seasoned pilot quake with fear. Microsoft Flight Simulator launches on August 18th for PC. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Seems Like the Perfect Quarantine Game

If you haven't noticed, opportunities for air travel have been a little bit scarce as of late. Sure, it's still possible to fly from here to there, but it's much less desirable than it used to be for obvious pandemic-related reasons. And I definitely miss it. Playing the new Microsoft Flight Simulator has done a lot to fill that gap, and then some, offering up the chance to not only see the Earth from thousands of feet up, but also the opportunity to take control of one of 20 different planes to chart my own courses.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/14/microsoft-flight-simulator-9-beautiful-cities-in-4k60-x019"]

The great thing about Microsoft Flight Simulator and its real-time Bing maps integration is you can hop into a plane and take off from basically any airport in the entire world. At last count, over 37,000 airports, airfields, and even tiny dirt airstrips were available to you. The 30 airports available with the base game are hand-crafted to resemble the actual airports on which they're based as accurately as possible. If you've ever flown into LAX or JFK, you'll probably be astonished at how well they've been recreated here by Asobo Studios. But the 36,970 other airfields are also impressive, even if they aren't modeled on actual architectural blueprints like the hand-crafted ones. For example, my local airport in midcoast Maine is absolutely tiny, with two runways: one just over 1,500 meters and the other just over 1,200 meters.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=You%20can%20hop%20into%20a%20plane%20and%20take%20off%20from%20basically%20any%20airport%20in%20the%20entire%20world."]

The algorithm used to fill in the three-dimensional structures from real-world Bing maps data recreated my local airport to a level such that I wasn't sure if it was generated or built by a programmer. Sure, there are a few smaller buildings missing, and the signage isn't in place, but it's close enough I could actually recognize it when I was taxiing to park.

But that's just my small rural airport. The real joy of Microsoft Flight Simulator has been visiting places I've never been before. I watched a short YouTube video on Hong Kong the other day and when it was over I thought, "It would be cool to fly over Hong Kong at night, I bet." And so I fired up Flight Sim and I did. And it looked incredible. I was able to fly around the city and see the towering skyscrapers lit up with the warm orange hues of halogen and cool blues of mercury streetlights on the patchwork of city streets below. Couple that with the half-moon reflecting off the ocean and a few low-clouds and it was sublime, almost like a low-fi hip-hop beat come to life.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=32-of-microsoft-flight-simulators-37000-airports&captions=true"]

Beyond Hong Kong at night, I visited other places on my bucket list, flying lower and closer than real-life would ever allow. I took off from Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and immediately pointed the nose toward Christ the Redeemer, the massive granite statue looking over the city. After circling around, I radioed the tower and went back in for a landing. The level of detail in the model of the statue is incredible.

I flew a similar sight-seeing tour of the Great Pyramids, coming in lower and closer than any real-life plane would be allowed. I also took a tour of the Grand Canyon, dropping down inside and carefully maneuvering my plane between its foreboding walls.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Microsoft%20Flight%20Simulator%20is%20scratching%20my%20travel%20itch%20while%20letting%20me%20explore%20more%20than%20I%20ever%20could%20on%20a%20commercial%20jet"]

I have to say, Microsoft Flight Simulator is scratching my travel itch while letting me explore and experience more than I ever could simply sitting in seat 24C on a commercial jet. It's almost an addiction at this point. If I'm watching a YouTube video or something on Netflix and I see an interesting location, I make a note to visit it later in Flight Simulator. With no clear end in sight to the stay-at-home and quarantine orders still covering so much of the country and much of the world, Microsoft Flight Simulator let me escape the confines of my small town and explore the world anyway, and for that I absolutely cannot wait for its full release on PC on August 18

 

Paper Mario: Complete Fire Vellumental Cave Guide

Find everything in the Fire Vellumental Cave with this guide.

Hellpoint Review

If you were to create a checklist of what makes a game a Souls-like, meaning it follows in the footsteps of FromSoftware’s massively popular Dark Souls series, you’d get bullet points that look nearly identical to Hellpoint: respawn checkpoints in a labyrinthine world, the loss of all currency on death unless you can retrieve it, slow and methodical combat with light and heavy attacks, as well as challenging encounters punctuated by enormous boss monsters. It’s all here, for better and for worse, but its elaborate sci-fi setting gives it some character of its own and a strong combat system made suffering through the extensive bugs largely worthwhile.

At the very start you’re plopped into a cloned body on a massive space station with zero explanation, left to fend for yourself against demonic entities and godlike beings. That’s the entire plot, basically, which feels like a waste of the potential for this immediately intriguing sci-fi universe. There are some books you can skim over, message terminals to read, and a handful of prompts at control stations here and there to peruse which add some flavor, but the majority of Hellpoint’s storytelling is suggested by its environments and enemies. Much like Dark Souls, it’s a world rich with palpable tension and mystery that lead you to pose questions constantly, even though it seldom gives you answers.' [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/the-first-12-minutes-of-hellpoint-demo-gameplay"] Visually, Hellpoint is quite stunning. When I’d exit a walkway and emerge onto a terrace that overlooks a sea of stars and spiraling colors I’d legitimately just stop and stare for a few minutes. Interiors are similarly stylized with bright, popping colors that contrast the dark and decrepit tone incredibly well. At one moment you could be exploring a nearly pitch-black hallway with enemies lurching at you from around corners and then it’ll feel like you’re walking across the bifrost to Asgard. And yet, despite the dramatic swings in color palettes and lighting, it all feels consistent and cohesive. A lot of love and care clearly went into the world building from a design perspective and it makes me immensely curious to see and learn more – which underscores the lack of a real story, as a side effect. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=A%20lot%20of%20love%20and%20care%20clearly%20went%20into%20the%20world%20building."]During my approximately 20-hour playthrough I kept swinging back and forth between adoring the surreal, occultist-inspired atmosphere and getting utterly frustrated at the sheer lack of direction and communication. More so than is typical for this type of game, the station is an absolute labyrinth of interconnected passages and regions that are dizzying to explore and there’s little to no indication of where you should be going. Granted, it’s more or less standard for Souls-likes to not have a map screen, but here that omission makes Hellpoint seem more aimless than usual. Every single boss I fought, essential item I found, or critical path I discovered, was entirely by accident. Finding a random key card that grants access to crucial new zones five hours later is par for the course. Checkpoints (called Breaches) are scattered everywhere, but you’ve got to use an extremely rare “synchronization” item to open them up for teleportation between one another, so planning out which ones you want to use for fast travel is key. However, it’s basically impossible to do that intelligently without a map for planning. The result is that the fast travel system can’t be relied upon, so I was usually desperately hoping to find a shortcut connecting back to previous regions or just running back through entire zones to retrace my steps. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=265e7679-1e5a-43fd-9229-fd7f3d08b2bf"] Overall, though, I like the way Breaches work more than campfires in Dark Souls because not only do they heal you, but they do not respawn enemies. (Instead, enemies automatically respawn after a certain amount of time.) Because of that, backtracking was usually not as frustrating as in other Souls-likes since I didn’t have to kill the same enemies over and over as much. Breaches also don’t refill your healing item – instead, you recharge that (and your Energy resource) over time by landing melee attacks. It’s a good balance and incentivizes fighting aggressively if you’re close enough to a Breach to just run back and heal really quickly. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Combat%20in%20Hellpoint%20is%20its%20strongest%20aspect%2C%20but%20not%20for%20the%20reasons%20I%20expected."]When you do eventually die (and you probably will, a lot) not only do you drop all of your experience points, but a ghost version of your character spawns in the area to start hunting you down. Your ghost will always be equipped with whatever you were using at your time of death, which can often make it extremely fun and challenging to take down. Once I fell down a pit and died after clearing a big room full of enemies using a new axe weapon, so returning to that room with the addition of my ghost to contend with made it even more difficult than before. This isn’t the first time a game has used a “fight your zombie” mechanic, but it’s certainly something in the back of my mind each time I consider trying out new weapons. Ranged weapons are tricky to use well, but in the hands of a tricky AI ghost they can often be tough to deal with. Combat in Hellpoint is its strongest aspect, but not for the reasons I expected. Moment-to-moment gameplay felt floaty and a bit wonky at first, like the awkward jump mechanic that makes timing leaps across death pits difficult to control – especially compared to the weighty precision of Dark Souls. Even so, Hellpoint’s fluidity eventually grew on me. Dodging is extremely powerful here and happens super quickly, letting you immediately evade attacks and reposition. The biggest annoyance is that getting behind enemies is extremely difficult unless they’re lunging forward since they seem to use the same lock-on targeting you do. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hellpoint-screenshots&captions=true"] A huge part of what makes combat so satisfying is the progression system. Not only do you upgrade weapons at terminals to improve their overall stats and apply mods, but using the same weapon for a few hours will start to unlock special abilities. For example, one of my swords expands in length to do more damage, while my hand axe emits an ethereal glow that doubles as a thrown projectile. There’s a lot of weapon variety, from trusted one-handed melee items and shields to massive hunks of metal and spears, all the way to railguns. Yes, guns – it takes a while to find ranged weapons worth using and to get your stats high enough to fire them well, but they can be very powerful and change the pace of fights enormously. They all use your Energy meter for every shot – even the thrown weapons – so they likely won’t ever be your primary method of attack (since you need melee attacks to recharge Energy) but they’re useful for softening up a target before moving in for the kill. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=There%E2%80%99s%20some%20quality%20creativity%20here%2C%20just%20not%20quite%20enough%20quantity."]There aren’t a ton of enemy types so there’s lots of repetition throughout, but the enemies that do exist are all vastly different. Fighting a hovering alien creature that looks like a giant, enraged beta fish that can shoot lasers is extremely different from going up against a cross-shield-bearing holy knight that can summon laser spikes from the ground to impale you. There’s some quality creativity here, just not quite enough quantity to feel like you’re constantly stumbling across new things. By the end I was just fighting weaker, smaller versions of full-on bosses I’d fought earlier. While I do intend to complete the 10 hours of additional post-game content and extra bosses for a full, true ending, if there are new enemies there I’ll be annoyed they were held back when they might’ve made the main campaign more diverse. A high level of difficulty is a big draw for Souls-like games but Hellpoint isn’t very consistent in that regard. Naturally, the first few zones are extremely deadly and challenging, in part because you’re still learning how combat works, but once things clicked I found the difficulty curve to be choppy and inconsistent, without a steady increase in difficulty. Some of the later boss fights I was able to handle on the first try after dying nearly a dozen times on some of the earlier ones. On the other hand, some non-boss enemies presented a real struggle even at late-game stages due to how frequently you face them and how relentless they can be in their attacks. It’s almost as if Hellpoint could sense my comfort and complacency so it’d come for me extra hard when I least expected it. I relish those fights, but they didn’t feel logically placed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/hellpoint-co-op-trailer"] Co-op works just like it does in Dark Souls, in that you place messages seeking help in the environment where other players can answer, though here those messages are indecipherable symbols and shapes, making them basically useless. You’re also subject to invasions by PvP attackers, or you can directly join a friend’s game using a unique code (or in local co-op). It’s fine, but there isn’t an understandable reason why these sorts of games can’t just have more stable and functional co-op that isn’t convoluted. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Gratuitous%20bugs%20and%20performance%20issues%20make%20it%20feel%20like%20it%E2%80%99s%20struggling%20to%20deliver%20a%20fully-functioning%20game."]The biggest things getting in Hellpoint’s way as it attempts to fully establish itself are the gratuitous bugs and performance issues that make it feel like it’s struggling to deliver a fully-functioning game. At one point when another player joined my session to assist, my framerate tanked into single digits and it felt like I was playing a slideshow. At another, I fell through the floor and everything was invisible other than floating weapons representing me and the enemies. And another time one of my menus was stuck on-screen and wouldn’t close, preventing me from attacking or even quitting out – I had to alt+F4 just to restart from the last Breach I visited. Not to mention the abhorrent texture pop-ins happening right in front of your face, unignorably interfering with the otherwise beautiful scenery. For a real laugh you can also turn off blood in the settings which inexplicably also removes sound effects ridding combat of any visceral impact. But then thrown weapons still would trigger blood splatter, so what even is the (Hell)point? Beyond that, some of Hellpoint’s more interesting features are never really introduced or used in interesting ways. For example, one big idea that is woefully under-explained is the black hole the space station orbits. As it turns out, depending on its position relative to the station (as indicated by the clock-like thing in the top left corner of the screen) different things can happen. For example, sometimes it will cause more or more powerful enemies to spawn, and so on. It would’ve been nice to have some introduction to that concept so I could’ve planned around it, but at the same time the events weren’t a big enough deal that I needed to be aware of it to succeed.