While for the most part, Marvel Studios has been the undisputed leader of the comic book movie phenomenon, there is one piece of the puzzle where the MCU is lagging behind the DC universe: female representation. While Patty Jenkins is hard at work directing the second Wonder Woman movie, Marvel has yet to debut its first standalone movie about a female hero or feature a female director behind the camera.
That will change with Captain Marvel's release in 2019. Starring Brie Larson, the upcoming MCU entry will be co-directed by Anna Boden--she's co-directing with longtime collaborator Ryan Fleck--marking the first time a woman has been even partially at the helm in the MCU. According to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, though, this is just the beginning. GameSpot sat down with the MCU boss to find out when to expect news of more women directors being hired for upcoming films.
"We've got announcements that we'll be making at some point revealing that," Feige tells GameSpot while promoting Ant-Man and the Wasp. That particular film is already a step forward for Marvel, as it's the first time a female hero has been included in the title of an MCU movie--and GameSpot's Ant-Man and the Wasp review makes it clear that she's the true star of the film.
While Feige doesn't say when the announcements about having more women behind-the-camera will come, chances are those developments will play a big role in the MCU after Avengers 4. Following that film, all that's been announced are sequels to Spider-Man: Homecoming and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
After those, though, Feige previously spoke to GameSpot about the importance of evolving its movies and characters to keep them fresh. Just as important to him, though, is the evolution of those making the movies.
"To me, it's always actions are much more important than words, and showcasing the types of movies we're making and the types of people making those movies," he says. "And I think we've learned beyond a doubt that when you surround yourselves with different types of people, and people who don't look like you, and people who haven't had the exact same experiences than you, creatively things start to get very interesting, and very new and unique."
In the meantime, if unique is what you're looking for, Ant-Man and the Wasp is about as far a departure from Avengers: Infinity War as you can get. The latest MCU adventure hits theaters on July 6.
While the 90s was a decade of immense growth for the gaming industry, 1998 was the year that pushed the medium further than it had gone before. From the rich competitive experiences of StarCraft to the revolutionary storytelling of Metal Gear Solid, several games--some of which became watershed moments for the industry--would go on to set the standard for what games are capable of, and what they continue to strive for.
In this gallery, the GameSpot staff will be taking a look back at the biggest games of 1998 that made their way to the Western market, and the impact they left on us in the 20 years since their respective releases. This includes the likes of Xenogears, Resident Evil 2, and the original Half-Life, and our Game of the Year of 1998, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Here's a selection of games--in order of their respective releases--that made 1998 an amazing year. And if you want to see the biggest games that turned 10 this year--and for last year as well--be sure to check out our respective features for both.
Resident Evil 2 (January 21, 1998)
For me, Resident Evil 2 is one of the strongest survival horror games of all time and, even today, the way it ebbs and flows between building tension and delivering overwhelming jolts of action is incredibly effective.
As a teenager, I was excited at the prospect of seeing the horrors I experienced in Resident Evil's Spencer Mansion spill out into a metropolitan city and, in that respect, the game delivers from the very outset. As rookie cop Leon Kennedy, I was forced to battle through Raccoon City's streets, where a catastrophe had struck and now groaning undead stumbled around looking for flesh to sink their teeth into.
Amidst getting to grips with the awkward controls I watched someone get devoured by a zombie and found myself having to battle a group of them in a very small gun store that was, unhelpfully, mostly empty. Though it was only five minutes from the moment you take control of Leon to when you arrive at Raccoon City Police Department, I still remember how nerve-wracking it was, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I had to take a breather once I reached safer grounds. Unlike the first Resident Evil's subdued start, the sequel opted for a high-octane opening, and that sense that had no qualms with pushing me into the deep end without any notice is something that gnawed at me throughout.
Once I reached RCPD, things got much worse. What I really loved about Resident Evil 2 was that it took something that I associated with safety and security--a police station--and filled it with horrifying dangers that were lurking around every corner. There was something incredibly unsettling about that, much like the idea of a monster in a closet or under a bed is to a child. The violation of a safe space is a very potent tool for horror fiction, and Resident Evil 2 used it well.
Resident Evil 2 is a game that I keep coming back to. Sometimes to relive moments like meeting the Licker for the first time, other times to simply wander its echoey halls and soak in the tense atmosphere. It's a game that really stuck with me in 1998, and continues to occupy my thoughts all these years later. | Tamoor Hussain
Final Fantasy Tactics (January 28, 1998)
Final Fantasy Tactics originally caught my eye in an issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly. Fresh off of Final Fantasy VII, I was hungry for another PlayStation RPG, and was instantly taken in by Tactics' colorful presentation. Steeped in an era when publishers focused so heavily on 3D games, those screenshots made me nostalgic for the days of 16-bit sprites, and for Final Fantasy games with a touch of medieval flair.
Up until the game's release, I had never really experienced a turn-based tactical game. I had, however, played and enjoyed Ogre Battle on Super Nintendo. When I realized the dream team behind that game--Akihiko Yoshida, Yasumi Matsuno, and Hitoshi Sakamoto--were the creators behind Final Fantasy Tactics, my hype levels were off the charts. Awash in more advanced-looking games, my friends thought I was nuts.
Sure enough, my anticipation was justified. Final Fantasy Tactics delivered one of the most complex and dramatic stories I'd ever encountered in a game, with the power balance of a kingdom threatened by subterfuge, powerful religious artifacts, and leaders driven to madness. To add to the intrigue, the story was presented as a series of events that had been wiped from the history books by the ultimate victor in an effort to hide the truth from future generations. Who, or what, were they afraid of? Final Fantasy Tactics expertly unravels the answers.
As it was in 1998, Final Fantasy Tactics remains excellent today. The story hasn't lost any of its appeal, but it's the complex job class system and deep tactical considerations that draw me back in time and time again. I've put hundreds of hours into multiple playthroughs, and all it takes is a new set of soldiers and a different mindset to make everything feel fresh. Final Fantasy Tactics is my favorite game of all time, and one of the few games I plan to continue playing for the rest of my life. | Peter Brown
Xenogears (February 11, 1998)
While it doesn't have the widespread recognition of some of its JRPG contemporaries, Xenogears is a cult classic whose legacy and influence continues to this day. Its narrative, couched in what a first appears to be a stanard anime mech setup, brings weighty themes of philosophy, psychology, and religion that many games even today can't match.
These were risky themes to explore in a video game back in 1998, but it's these choices that ultimately made the game stick with so many people. It's also an excellent JRPG in its own right, using the Active Time Battle system seen in games like Chrono Trigger as a basis, but stands out with its Deathblow mechanic. Learning button combos, not unlike the way fighting game combos work, activates special flashy moves that are satisfying to pull off. Infamously, Xenogears' second disc is unfinished, the story told through cutscenes and narration with little gameplay. That might have ruined the experience of most games, but Xenogears still stands strong due to how compelling and memorable its first disc is.
We never got an official sequel to Xenogears, but its legacy lives on in both the Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles series, which continue its narrative ideas and themes. For longtime JRPG fans, Xenogears is a legendary game, one with a weird history worth remembering. | Jean-Luc Seipke
We always knew ninjas were cool. They flip out, they kill people, and they fight all the time. That's what they were spending most of their time doing in video games, and depictions of ninjas in games like Strider and Ninja Gaiden basically had them doing that. But that ain't historically accurate! Enter: Tenchu Stealth Assassins, a game set in feudal Japan that made you embody the true role of a ninja as a covert agent and focussed on espionage, infiltration, guerilla tactics, and killin' folk without being seen.
With Thief and Metal Gear Solid to follow later that year, 1998 turned out to be a defining time for the stealth genre.
I have distinct memories of playing Tenchu with my buddy, as we each took turns trying get through levels, running across rooftops, executing cool stealth kills like amputating someone's arm or slitting their throat, and getting into sloppy sword fights when we were caught. And we got caught a lot. This was the first ever 3D stealth game, so there was a lot of rewiring that needed to be done in our brains. Combat was possible but clunky, so there was a big motivation to learn how to be real ninjas.
And who could forget the cool items? Tenchu was the game where I first learned to love grappling hooks, a vital tool for infiltration and getting the drop on enemies. There were shuriken, of course, but I mostly remember having a ball the first few times we managed to trick a guard into walking on top of caltrops or eat a poisoned rice ball we left on the ground.
Tenchu's immediate sequel was pretty good, but the series slowly declined in quality after that, with 2009's Tenchu: Fatal Shadows being the last we saw of the series. There are a few rumors floating around that the upcoming From Software game is a Tenchu reboot, and personally, I'm dying for that to be true. With Metal Gear Solid basically out of the picture, we need another Japanese studio to give us their take on stealth systems, and what better vehicle to do it with than one of the other stealth masterpieces from 1998? Just do a better job than Thief did. | Edmond Tran
StarCraft (March 31, 1998)
Blizzard was onto something in the real-time strategy genre with Warcraft and Warcraft 2, but at that point, none of the developer's previous games reached the heights of Starcraft. This science-fiction twist to the RTS foundation introduced more than just a new aesthetic. The nature of balancing imaginative units from the three main factions (Zerg, Protoss, and Terran) led to a wildly popular competitive scene. Strategies ran deep and high-level matches almost played like a game of Chess.
I used to rush home from school to play custom games with friends and burn hours tinkering with the endless match customization and user mods. This kept Starcraft constantly fresh and the never-ending one-upping of each other made everyone a better player. We couldn't just master one strategy and hope that'd get us to victory; what would be your follow-up strat if that lightning fast Zerg rush didn't work? My friends and I learned to adapt to new situations in every match.
It wasn't just a revolutionary competitive aspect that made Starcraft an iconic game; the surprisingly deep lore in single-player fed into the fanfare and attachment to the three factions. A little backstory went a long way for characterizing the relationships between the Zerg, Protoss, and Terran. Even to this day, StarCraft remains one of the most played games overseas. The recent Remastered version also keeps the spirit alive with gameplay untouched, which is a testament to the greatness of the original StarCraft. | Michael Higham
1080 Snowboarding (March 31, 1998)
Growing up in the midwest, winter sports were huge for me and none of them had more appeal than snowboarding. I wasn't great at it, admittedly, but I had fun while I was doing it. But what does one do when all of the snow is a distant memory melted away by the sweltering heat of the summer season? You stay inside and play video games in the air conditioning of course!
I was spending a few weeks during the summer at my grandmother's house along with a few of my cousins as we did for the past couple of years, so this was nothing new to us. We had all brought games with us that we were looking to share with each other and one of my cousins brought along a quirky snowboarding game with a catchy soundtrack, and I was instantly hooked. We all stayed up late into the night playing multiplayer in match races and trick attack events, and it was some of the most fun I can remember having playing a local multiplayer game.
Fortunately, for nostalgia's sake, 1080 has been re-released on Nintendo's virtual consoles a few times and I have been able to play it pretty easily recently. While I still have a good time playing now and I still "work my body" to many of the certified bangers on it's soundtrack, I can admit that there have been many better snowboarding games since 1080. It did a great job of paving the way for games like SSX and many others that I also still play even today. | Ben Janca
Panzer Dragoon Saga (April 30, 1998)
When Sega launched the Sega Saturn in North America, it simultaneously released Panzer Dragoon. It was a fairly standard on-rails shooter where you rode on the back of dragons, but the world it was set in made the action feel special, like there was a meaningful purpose behind your actions. Not one to leave a good game without a sequel, Sega would refine this formula for Panzer Dragoon Zwei shortly after.
But when it came time to say goodbye to the Saturn, Sega decided to go all in: Panzer Dragoon Saga would be one of the last games released for the system outside of Japan, and would be a full-blown RPG spanning four CDs. It was unfortunately also produced in notoriously low numbers--the current estimate is mere thousands of copies, rather than tens or hundreds of thousands. I watched from the sidelines, intrigued but without a Saturn at the time of release.
Fast forward to today, and Panzer Dragoon Saga is one of the most expensive games for the system, costing hundreds of dollars even for loose discs without the case. Though Sega would go on to develop another on-rails shooter in the series for Xbox (Panzer Dragoon Orta), people still clamor for a taste of Saga. The sad truth is that the game may never be resurrected. The original source code is confirmed lost, and the series lives on only in the hearts of nostalgic fans and curious onlookers. There was an attempt to create a spiritual successor to the on-rails games for Xbox One in Crimson Dragon, but due to an unfortunate reliance on Kinect, the revival didn't satiate the desires of the target audience. | Peter Brown
Gran Turismo (May 12, 1998)
Racing games hadn't really captured a realistic approach to driving before Gran Turismo. In 1998, the progenitor to Polyphony Digital's iconic franchise pitched itself as "the real driving simulator" and it played like nothing else before it. Over one hundred licensed cars filled the roster and each one handled differently. For the first time in video game driving, we had to think about a car's drivetrain to get a grip of its handling, which also changed how you approached the twists and turns of each track. The type of tires, suspension, or gearbox your car used were all factors in how it performed. The rear-wheel Dodge Viper I worked so hard to buy later in the single-player campaign is nothing like the front-wheel Honda Prelude at the start. And I can't forget about that turbocharged 941 horsepower Nissan Skyline GT-R with a red/green bodykit I used for endurance races.
So many small touches added up to a bigger experience. As a young kid, my mind was opened to car customization and car tuner culture. I quickly learned about how a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust system were the initial steps to boosting your car's horsepower. I even looked into what port polishing meant and tinkered with gear ratios for different types of race tracks. My love for Gran Turismo caught the attention of my 3rd grade teacher who thought I'd be a car mechanic or professional race car driver when I got older. She was somewhat right.
Gran Turismo set the stage for the simulation racing genre that we now see with games like Project Cars and Forza Motorsport. However, the magic of perfectly executing hairpin turns with a car you put so many credits into with the original Gran Turismo still hasn't been matched. | Michael Higham
Banjo-Kazooie (June 29, 1998)
Two years after Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie arrived. As another 3D platformer, it was in danger of being thought of as a Super Mario 64 clone. But its graphics--which utilized more detailed textures than Mario 64--and distinctly more cheeky attitude helped it stand out at the time. While its graphics aren't impressive anymore, its large, detailed worlds filled with secrets and collectibles still stand out.
I was five years old in 1998, so I ended up playing Banjo-Kazooie with my mom. She'd tackle the harder sections--Rusty Bucket Bay's underwater Jiggies in particular, which I still don't like doing without her--and I'd take notes in crayon. We had a notebook for Brentilda's facts about Gruntilda so we'd be ready for the quiz at the end, and for the Tiptup Choir memory game in Bubblegloop Swamp (which was hard for me to follow). We played and replayed it, finding new things each time until we'd collected every Note, Jinjo, Jiggy, Honeycomb Piece, and even Mumbo Token.
I still replay Banjo-Kazooie at least once a year. The XBLA version saves the Notes you collected each time you leave a world, but I still remember having to start from zero after every death or having left to do something else. I'm still challenging myself to be faster and more efficient each 100% run I do. 20 years later, even though I know where every collectible is, I still feel like I'm finding something new each time. | Kallie Plagge
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (August 21, 1998)
Tactical military shooters on PC weren't all too surprising by the mid 2000s, but in 1998, the original Rainbow Six laid the groundwork. Author Tom Clancy painted a fairly plain and bleak picture of international relations and counter-terrorism with his book titled Rainbow Six, for which the game was based on. However, it was the ideal premise for an FPS where danger and death waited around every corner. Each move you made had to be carefully telegraphed and planned even before starting a mission, which was both intimidating and invigorating. Setting waypoints on a blueprint map determined the pace of a mission, but was ultimately vital for whether or not you'd accomplish your objectives.
With a roster of operatives that made up Team Rainbow, different capabilities had to be taken into account. For one, you couldn't go into any room guns blazing, let alone without anticipating enemies given that one or two bullets could mean the death of a squadmate. Before opening a door, you had to consider breaching or commanding a squadmate to toss a flashbang before moving in and lighting up the room. Throw in the factor of hostages, and I felt even more tension than simply taking down terrorists.
I hadn't had that sense of fragility in a modern shooter before Rainbow Six, a breath of fresh air after countless others that served as power fantasies. Many would shy away from its time-consuming, unforgiving nature, but it's how the game carved its niche and influenced the likes of Ghost Recon, Operation Flashpoint, and SWAT 3. | Michael Higham
Mega Man Legends (August 31, 1998)
When you compare Mega Man Legends to the other entries in Capcom's action-platformer series, it kind of comes across as one of those weird experiments that a franchise undergoes in order to stay relevant. But in truth, Mega Man Legends offered one of the series' most heartfelt and charming stories, while also letting players explore the world as Mega Man at their leisure.
I played this game often back in middle school, and I found myself sort of entranced by how optimistic and cheerful the game was. Despite it taking place in a ruined earth post-flooding, Legends' tone is remarkably upbeat, with a similar vibe to a Saturday morning cartoon--making for a largely welcoming atmosphere throughout the many towns. Playing as Mega Man Volnutt, likely the most chipper and endearing incarnation of the blue bomber, you'll explore the ancient ruins of the old world to unearth their lost secrets. As an adventure game first and foremost, the game tasks you with exploring your surrounding, interacting with several townsfolk, while also fighting off rogue-robots and Tron Bonne's army of comical and somewhat incompetent Servbots (think proto-Minions).
Truth be told, I have fonder memories exploring old ruins and interacting with characters in this game compared to Ocarina of Time--which Legends predated by several months. It saddens me that we'll likely never get another Legends game--even more so that the second game ended on a cliffhanger, but I'm glad that the series tried something a bit different. Who knew you could have so much fun kicking a can down a street playing as Mega Man? | Alessandro Fillari
Parasite Eve (September 9, 1998)
Parasite Eve acts as a sequel to the novel of the same name by author Hideaki Sena, but this first entry for the game series felt truly unique in its time. Squaresoft (now Square Enix) hadn't gone down the M-rated route before, but didn't waste time showing you what this game was about; the opening scene depicts an opera crowd bursting into flames, which was absolutely horrifying considering I was a kid at the time. Everyone burns to death, except Aya Brea (you, a green NYPD cop) and the performer who transforms into a supernatural monster,, kicking off this paranormal thriller. This is also where you jump into the unique blend of action and turn-based RPG.
Aya resorts to traditional firearms to take down terrifying creatures, and you control her from an isometric angle and inspect environments. However, combat works in a turn-based manner with magical "Parasite Energy" capabilities thrown into the mix, and world exploration taps into a traditional RPG structure. Think of it as Resident Evil meets Final Fantasy. As an early fan of both franchises, it was an incredible feeling to see those two worlds collide.
The dark, dingy rendition of New York City always gave me chills, but the phenomenal presentation and hybrid RPG gameplay pushed me to overcome the intimidation. Needless to say I loved Parasite Eve, so much that I actually battled through the 77 floors of the Chrysler Building in the new game plus mode and fought the secret boss. | Michael Higham
Spyro The Dragon (September 9, 1998)
I'll always remember the first time I played Spyro The Dragon. It was on a PlayStation Underground Jampack demo disc I bought for my oldest brother as a Christmas gift. The moment I booted it up, I was quickly enamored by its fantastical world populated by dragons, gnorcs, and all sorts of mischievous creatures. Spyro was an appealing protagonist, who was unlike any I had encountered in any 3D platformer up to that point; after all, who didn't love dragons as a kid? Furthermore, Spyro was a joy to play as: I loved ramming into unsuspecting enemies, roasting sheep with his fire breath, and gliding across large chasms. Unfortunately, I was only playing a demo of the game, and after a half year of replaying the same levels over and over, I could only bare so much not experiencing the full game.
Luckily, I had a friend in school who happened to own a copy of Spyro the Dragon. In exchange for my copy of Crash Bandicoot 1, he allowed me to borrow it for a couple weeks. I played the game to death within that brief span of time, trying to awaken as many dragon statues as I possibly could. Given the constraint of my situation, I eventually had to resort to the game's level select code to experience all that it had to offer. When my time with Spyro the Dragon finally ran out, I was gutted. As a seven-year old with very little money, I couldn't afford my own copy, and any ambitions to purchase it were eventually squashed when games--like Metal Gear Solid, Ape Escape, and Spyro's eventual sequel, Ripto's Rage--were starting to draw my attention. It wasn't until recently that I actually purchased the first Spyro the Dragon for my own collection.
To this day, the game still manages to hold up thanks to its quirky visuals and diverse level design. While future entries in the series would iterate upon its best qualities in more meaningful ways, the first still holds a special place in my heart. I'm crossing my fingers that all these rumors about a Spyro the Dragon HD collection are real. Speaking from the Spyro-loving seven-year old still within me, it would be a dream come true. | Matt Espineli
Pokemon Red and Blue (September 28, 1998)
Yes, Pokemon's 20th anniversary was technically in 2016. But 1998 was the year Pokemon came to North America and Australia, setting off a global phenomenon that is still going strong.
Kanto is a tricky region, filled with annoying Zubat and unforgiving stretches with no Pokemon Centers in sight. The games have since gotten easier, but looking back, we all figured out how to become Champions in Red and Blue somehow. There's just something about that first journey that's never quite left our consciousness, whether it was the fervor over finding the first-generation in Pokemon Go or the excitement about Alola variants of those Pokemon in Sun and Moon. These were the games that got us talking, got us trading, and created lifelong fans, and it's worth celebrating their 20th a second time just for that.
I admittedly played Red and Blue late. The anime and card game arrived in the US in '98, and my neighbor got me hooked on the cards almost immediately. But as a five-year-old girl, I straight-up did not realize that it was acceptable play games on a Game Boy. I watched the anime religiously until Crystal, the first Pokemon game where you could play as a girl, came out, and then I fell in love with the games and went back to the first generation only to find that those games were for me, too.
Though it didn't seem that way to me at first, Pokemon is special because it really is for everyone. A young kid can jump in and figure the game out and catch all the Pokemon they possibly can, and a more experienced RPG player can find a surprising amount of depth to its systems. You can collect all the Pokemon and only use the strongest in battle, or you can train your favorites just because they're cool or cute. It's cliche, of course, but Pokemon is a world where you can do anything as long as your have your friends with you--and it's been that way since the very beginning. | Kallie Plagge
Fallout 2 (September 30, 1998)
Ok, really talk: I'm 25 years old so Fallout 2 came out when I was 5. It was only when Fallout 3 had been announced that I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and played though the original games.
While computer RPGs of old feel slower, demand more from the player, or have some archaic systems, the best still hold up in their writing, world building, and role playing. In this regards Fallout 2 held up incredibly well for me.
It's with Fallout 2 that the series' post-apocalyptic world really hit its stride. The residents of the wasteland formed full on organizations like the New California Republic or the Enclave, which is made-up of the remnants of the old United States Government. Talking with this faction, learning their ideals and goals, is a major part of the game and plays into the reputation system. It's here in Fallout 2 that the familiar Fallout iconography in Fallout 3 and 4 are defined. Affecting the outcome of the wasteland in both small and large ways feels significant thanks to the game's massive variety of endings. For my money Fallout 2 still stands as the best-written game in the whole series.
The disbandment of the original studio, Black Isle, along with Bethesda taking the reins of the franchise left people worried there would never be a true successor to Fallout 2. However its legacy lives on in Fallout: New Vegas, which is in many ways a direct sequel to Fallout 2, and in games like Wasteland 2 that to deliver hardcore gameplay and dense RPG mechanics. | Jean-Luc Seipke
Metal Gear Solid (October 21, 1998)
1998's Metal Gear Solid wasn't Hideo Kojima's first game (Metal Gear or otherwise) but it was the game that made him a household name. Though meager, the 3D capabilities of PlayStation allowed him to inject a new grade of storytelling into his team's work, and with great attention paid to frame composition and character dialogue, Metal Gear Solid paved the way for a new grade of cinematic storytelling in video games.
Despite owning and enjoying the original Metal Gear on NES, I somehow didn't realize that Metal Gear Solid was shaping up to be the milestone game we know it as today. But, all it took was one lazy afternoon at a friend's house for me to realize what a fool I'd missed: Metal Gear Solid was something new; something that I wouldn't soon forget. It struck a tone that was both serious and absurd, and offered the most refined stealth gameplay on consoles to date. I was immediately drawn to the wide array of tools available to Solid Snake, and of course, the over-the-top cutscenes and codec calls.
While impressive, Metal Gear Solid's filmic qualities were but one piece of the overall puzzle. The stealth-focused action game also delivered numerous memorable boss encounters, beit the fight against the memory card-reading Psycho Mantis, or the calculated and exacting Sniper Wolf face off. These larger-than-life antagonists propped up our equally over-the-top hero, not unlike the villains in classic Bond films.
Metal Gear Solid was also the debut of Liquid Snake, Solid's clone-brother. This revelation laid the foundation for a tastefully convoluted storyline that would become the basis for future Metal Gear Solid games, and the fact that Liquid masqueraded as a previously known character for most of the game--presenting himself as Master Miller--was an excellent twist in its own right.
Metal Gear Solid remains enjoyable today, twenty years after its debut. It's no doubt rough around the edges in some respects, and future Metal Gear Solid games have added layers of new mechanics that make the original look primitive in hindsight, but there's no denying that Kojima and his team were on to something special way back when. | Peter Brown
Grim Fandango (October 30, 1998)
It all started with a demo disc my dad received with one of the '90s PC gaming magazines. On that disc was a demo for a 3D adventure game called Grim Fandango. It let you play a small section from the first year of the game. After my first playthrough I was hooked! I had lost count of how many times I beat it and my father had definitely noticed.
I came home from school one day to find the full game on our family computer desk and I installed it without hesitation. I played until I woke my parents up at four in the morning and they sent me to bed because I had school in 3 hours. This continued until I had gotten to the end of the game, and a moment I'll never forget. I had gotten up early, knowing I was close to the end of the game. I was not prepared for what I was about to experience. For the first time in my life a video game had made me cry.
I had just finished watching the last cutscene and the credits were rolling as my dad came out of his room and he saw me sitting in front of the computer with tears on my face. He asked me what had happened and if I was alright but all I could do was sit silently as the names scrolled by. Eventually I looked at him and said "I am glad they have a happy ending, but I feel sad because I feel like they are gone." That was when it hit me, the time I had spent with the 55 characters on my 4 year journey made me look at all of them as weird, virtual friends that I cared deeply about.
I love that I can visit all of my old friends in Grim Fandango Remastered and everything is as wonderful as I remember it. I will never forget the impact Grim Fandango had on me. It is still one of my favorite games of all time. | Ben Janca
Crash Bandicoot Warped (November 4, 1998)
Warped is Crash's third adventure, but it was the first one I played. I've never forgotten the first time I grabbed Aku Aku and heard that signature "oogah boogah!" stinger...or when I almost immediately lost that mask and got cartoonishly chopped in half by a dorky-looking knight.
It's humor like this that makes Crash Bandicoot's platforming stand out from the crowd. Challenging jumps can only take a platformer so far: it's the personality I remember, not the layouts of every level. That personality extends to the game's bosses too. Warped is the first time we encounter the flamethrowing Aussie Dingodile, and he's impossible to forget.
Warped marries this goofy tone with genuinely great level design. The six worlds are full of courses inspired by the Great Wall of China, Ancient Egypt, and even a crazy techno future. Developer Naughty Dog also managed to nail the actual gameplay in these levels too, more so than it did with the first two Crash games. Mechanically, things just feel right, whether you're leaping over gaps, racing on motorbikes, or steering a submarine. If you were to revisit the trilogy now (the N. Sane collection will do nicely), Warped would stand tall as the Crash that looks, and more importantly, plays best. | Tony Wilson
Half-Life (November 19, 1998)
The original Half-Life is a game that was known for its innovative and exciting storytelling. Without ever breaking from its first-person perspective, it gave what would be an otherwise by the numbers FPS alien-invasion story a surreal and weirdly personal experience. It's the one game I wish I could have experienced in 1998.
The first time I saw Half-Life was in an issue of Next Generation magazine. Those pictures were taken from an early version of the game which ultimately wouldn't see the light of day. Back then, Gordon Freeman looked more like a bulky lumberjack--complete with a full beard--stuffed into an even bulkier yellow diving suit. It looked dorky, it looked cheesy, but I loved it. During the late 90s, my parents owned a rather basic PC that could go online, read email, and play the occasional videogame--but Half-Life wasn't one of them. Plus, I was only 11 years old and had no business playing a gory video game.
Years later, I was able to get my own PC and play the game in all its glory, just in time for Half-Life 2 to release. While it took me awhile to play it--and it really didn't age all that well at the time--I was still engaged and blown away by how well put together the experience was. Even with a rather abrupt ending, playing Half-Life was a great time. One that felt even more satisfying because of how long I had to wait for it. | Alessandro Fillari
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (November 23, 1998)
The first thing I remember thinking after playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the first time was, "What the heck...why can't I jump!?"
I didn't quite trust Nintendo to actually know when I'd want to jump. I imagined inadvertently running off cliffs or falling into water, but the context-sensitive leaping in Ocarina just worked. When I ran for a ledge, I had to momentarily turn off that internal 2D gaming instinct that wanted to push a button, any button. But once I got the hang of it, not being able to jump felt incredibly natural. It has since become so ingrained that being able to jump at will in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild caught me off guard.
That's a weird thing to call out for a game that had an immense impact on the action-adventure genre. Ocarina was the next chapter in what has always been my favorite franchise, and I still remember the rousing musical score, the screen-filling bosses. And the water temple...I'll never lose those mental scars from the water temple.
But I'll also never forget how Ocarina of Time changed up the narrative for the entire world of Hyrule, introducing a larger backstory for Ganon and a more powerful, self-reliant version of Zelda. Ocarina of Time elevated The Legend of Zelda from what was a solid, interesting part of Nintendo's pantheon into the gaming essential today that everyone should experience at least once. And most importantly, it taught me that, even if it seems counter-intuitive and uncomfortable, you can trust Nintendo to turn seemingly quirky design ideas into something extraordinary. | Justin Haywald
Thief: The Dark Project (November 30, 1998)
Thief: The Dark Project completely opened my eyes to what a video game could be. It showed me how avoiding conflict could be as heart-pounding as engaging in it. It was the first game that made light and sound important--stay hidden in the shadows, be careful what surfaces you walk on. Watch guard patrol patterns closely, and move only when necessary. It was a game that rewarded you for going out of your way to leave your enemies be, or at worst, use non-lethal techniques and hide the body--a habit that I've carried with me till this day.
Its optional tools and multiple solutions taught me to think about things in different ways. If I forgot to bring lockpick with me, I could track down the guard with the key, or maybe I could use a rope and find an entirely different solution to the problem. I could use elements like water to douse torches and create a more advantageous situation for myself, or even use it to clean up the blood of an unfortunate mistake.
Playing Thief and seeing these kind of possibilities was a real mind-expanding moment, and it's surprising to think that was twenty years ago. It's hard for me to think of many examples that have had the same level impact on me outside of the Dishonored series (though Deus Ex, Hitman, and Prey scratched some of those itches). It was way ahead of its time, defined what a good stealth game should be, and birthed some genuinely forward-thinking, innovative ideas. Thief and its immediate sequel, Thief II: The Metal Age, are seminal games that should never be forgotten, deserve far more acclaim, and should absolutely be replayed if you have the chance. | Edmond Tran
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (December 3, 1998)
Growing up as a fan of Star Wars, I was always drawn to the various ships and warcraft on both sides of the Empire/Rebel conflict. While there was a time when I could enjoy games like X-Wing vs Tie Fighter on PC, the limited first-person cockpit views made me feel oddly detached from the sci-fi contraptions I'd long admired.
But when Factor 5's Rogue Squadron appeared on Nintendo 64, I was all in. The fast-paced flight sim let me marvel at the vehicles I loved while piloting them, too. I got to drive a snowspeeder and take down AT ATs on Hoth, and fly an X-Wing on during the Jade Moon mission, blowing up enemy bases under a blanket of stars. Rogue Squadron made me feel like an active participant in the Star Wars Saga--something no game until that point had actually managed.
Though the action is somewhat tame by modern standards, revisiting Roque Squadron today is a reminder of how much the best Star Wars games owe to developer Factor 5's first attempt. It also highlights how much better the team got at their craft. They would go on to develop Rogue Squadron II and III for Gamecube, which, if we're honest, are far and away more impressive, and definitely worth your time if you've got the equipment to boot them up. | Peter Brown
Baldur's Gate (December 21, 1998)
When it comes to classic Western role-playing games rooted in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Baldur's Gate is the first thing that comes to mind. We've had Dragon Age: Origins, Divinity: Original Sin II, and Neverwinter Nights since then, but the influence of Baldur's Gate is abundantly clear. BioWare was still in its early days, but the developer laid the foundation for computer RPGs with deep character creation and hefty player agency through dialogue options to keep you engaged.
Baldur's Gate represents one of the biggest challenges with my time playing cRPGs; wrapping my head around its complex systems and overcoming the worry of min-maxing. And when I was able to overcome that, I found myself hacking and slashing through its sprawling maps and numerous locations. It's a party-based RPG, but its story revolves around you and is heavily conveyed via text. Baldur's Gate is sometimes intimidating for those who are turned off by having to read, but controlling your fate and cleverly commanding your companions throughout Sword Coast made even the less exciting parts worth working through.
A re-release called Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition came to PC in 2012, and although it has its fair share of shortcomings, it's still the most accessible way to revisit one of the most important RPGs ever made. | Michael Higham
One of Microsoft's strengths when it comes to Xbox One is its commitment to backwards compatibility. New backwards compatible games are being added all the time. As with the latest bunch--Assassin's Creed Liberation HD and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter--these are routinely announced by Major Nelson on Twitter at 9 AM PT on Twitter, although there's no particular schedule for how many are released (if any) on a given day.
Even in lieu of any specific schedule for new additions, the past few years have seen the list of backwards compatible games grow quite long, and it can be extremely difficult to find those that are worthwhile. Not only are there 400+ Xbox 360 games that can be played on Xbox One, but more than 30+ original Xbox titles are also supported.
Beyond the consistent rollout of games, Microsoft has publicly made it clear that backwards compatibility is a real priority for the company. "I see games as an art form," Xbox boss Phil Spencer said last year. "Console games can get lost when hardware generations go away. It can become more challenging to play the games of our past ... There's something to be learned from experiencing what I played as a kid. There's good business there for the content owners, but as players, it's nice to be able to understand how our art form has progressed."
Spencer subsequently made it clear that backwards compatibility is--despite reports suggesting it's ignored--a feature that people do use. He wrote off data that said otherwise and pointed to an example of strong sales for an old Call of Duty game when it was added to the service: "I think the best signal we had so far is when Black Ops II landed and that month it hit NPD's Top 10 that month for game sales. An Xbox 360 game that's years old, that shows that people care."
The feature has only gotten better with the release of the Xbox One X, as it offers much sharper visuals in these old games; some even have specific enhancements on top of a resolution increase. But whether you play on an X, an Xbox One S, or even the standard Xbox One, you're treated to a feature that is currently unmatched by both PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
While not providing access to everything available on Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, the supported backwards compatible games from the two include classics ranging from expansive RPGs and thrilling adventures to XBLA gems and old arcade games refined for the big screen. Among these are all-time greats like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the Mass Effect Trilogy, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion to name a few. But if you want a challenge that's faster to jump into, the likes of Ikaruga or Super Meat Boy will do the trick.
To help you parse through the giant list of supported games, we've compiled a list of our personal favorites to highlight which backwards compatible titles are worth your time. If you want to pick something out yourself, you can peruse the entire list of Xbox One backwards compatible games. Which Xbox One backwards compatible games do you love the most? Are there any games would you like to be added in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
Alan Wake
Unfortunately, Alan Wake has been removed from all digital platforms, which includes the Xbox Store. However, if you can snag yourself a physical copy of it (or already own it digitally), then Alan Wake will take you on an adventure that you won't soon forget. Set in the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls (and taking significant inspiration from the television series Twin Peaks), Alan Wake features the titular character taking a vacation with his wife, who hopes the break will help her husband with his writing block. Things quickly take a turn for the worse, as Alan's wife disappears, and he's forced to confront the darkness that shrouds Bright Falls and ultimately question his own sanity. It's a compelling narrative that'll have you aching for a proper sequel. Thankfully, the two DLC story expansions are now free, so you'll at least have something to tide you over. | Mat Paget
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Desmond Miles' trip through time ended with Assassin's Creed III, and Ubisoft's follow-up title put players into the role of a nameless Abstergo employee. It was a clean slate for the franchise, offering a great point for new players to jump in without having to start from Altair's story. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag steps back from the grand ideologies of the Assassins and Templars, as well as the convoluted Those Who Came Before storyline, to deliver a relatable tale of one man's quest for redemption. Edward Kenway isn't all that different from a young Ezio; he has a good heart but he's brash and selfish. Over the course of Black Flag, Edward grows from a greedy pirate into a humbled hero. The inclusion of both traditional assassination missions and new naval combat along with the lush islands and open seas of the Caribbean made for one of the best games in the franchise. | Jordan Ramee
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Rockstar constantly refines its open-world action games, which we've seen through the Grand Theft Auto series and Red Dead Redemption. But the one that always stands out to me is Bully, because it traded gratuitous violence and adult stories for the rough-and-tumble fisticuffs and hijinx of a rambunctious high school. I vividly remember the theme song that plays while walking Bullworth Academy, rushing to make it to class on time, and scrapping with the bullies in missions to become the most respected student on campus. Bully expands beyond that with loads of fun mini-games, silly characters based on high school stereotypes, and an expansive open world. While it may be a bit wonky in terms of controls and technical performance compared to modern games, everything it does right comes together for a game worth playing today. | Michael Higham
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Countless so-called Metroidvania games have drawn inspiration from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, but more than two decades later, few can approach its greatness. It evolved the well-established Castlevania series in numerous ways, offering a non-linear castle to explore and RPG-style progression while maintaining the satisfying side-scrolling action of earlier titles. I came to it years after its original release and still thoroughly enjoyed it, and it's something that I still routinely find myself booting up. Exploring Castle Dracula is one of the great pleasures in gaming, and it's a testament to its design that fans of the game still have its layout memorized so many years later. I'll spare you a reference to the twist in case you've managed to avoid it all these years, but whether you're a fan of more recent Metroidvania-style games who missed out on this progenitor of the genre or someone who's never dabbled in these types of games, you owe it to yourself to see why Symphony of the Night is regarded as an all-time classic. | Chris Pereira
Crackdown
Despite initially being written off by many as "that game with the Halo 3 beta," I was immediately taken with the concept of Crackdown--an open-world game where you play as a superhero special agent who can pick up and throw cars or leap over buildings. A decade later, the fairly basic set of goals you're given leave something to be desired, but the core gameplay remains extremely fun. Hunting down agility orbs and dealing with villainous gangs is still tremendously satisfying, particularly with a friend online. Its cel-shaded art style still looks good, and with backwards compatibility introducing some impressive Xbox One X enhancements to the visuals, Crackdown is a game that's well worth picking up. | Chris Pereira
Dead Space
Let's face facts: there's practically no chance that EA will bring back Dead Space, at least not as we know it. While it's sad to think that one of the most intriguing sci-fi horror series out there has been pushed to the sidelines, the fact that Dead Space is backwards compatible on Xbox One is at least worth celebrating. I know, it's also on PC, but if you're in a console-only household, Xbox One is the only current-gen console you can look to. And why should you play Dead Space? In short: it's a spooky-as-hell third-person action game with fantastic art direction, and features one of the coolest "guns" in gaming. The enemies you face are drastically distorted humans with malformed and elongated limbs that make great targets for your Plasma Cutter--a maintenance tool that fires energy beams, making it an equally effective sidearm. Dead Space manages to juggle cool tech and a scary setting unlike any other game out there, and if you haven't tried it in the past, you really should if you have an Xbox One at home. | Peter Brown
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 kicked off the series' modern era and helped cement Bethesda Game Studios' reputation as a leader in the field of open-world RPGs. The open-ended structure allows you to freely roam a post-apocalyptic wasteland (so long as you can survive) and seek out stories in the most unlikely and dangerous places. The dialogue choices are numerous, allowing you to shape the story and your character with a great amount of freedom, staying true to the series' RPG roots. Likewise, despite the shift to a first-person perspective, Bethesda implemented the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, better known as VATS, to allow for strategic menu-based combat. It was an unusual mechanic but one that quickly gained favor for how it effectively bridged the gap between Fallout old and new. Fallout 3 was hugely ambitious at the time of its release, and persists as one of the all-time great open-world RPGs 10 years later. | Peter Brown
Fallout: New Vegas
Obsidian has the magic touch when it comes to RPGs, and Fallout: New Vegas is a prime example. The vast brown deserts of Nevada might not sound very appealing, but New Vegas shines through incredibly clever writing and masterful quest design. Vaguely aligned factions and active societies fill the world with distinct charisma. I'll never forget the high-class casino that acts as a front to a secret bourgeois cannibalistic society and the reveal of Mr. House's true identity while overlooking the entirety of New Vegas. Quests like these are plentiful, and they're surrounded by such intricate lead-up and dialogue sequences that plant genuine curiosity in your head to see them to the end. Fallout can easily drop in swing tunes and old-time jazz for a great soundtrack, and it's all the more fitting with the Vegas theme. But since this is a post-apocalyptic wild west, classic country-western songs diversify the tracklist and are burnt into my memories of trekking the dangerous deserts with a big iron on my hip. | Michael Higham
Far Cry: Blood Dragon
While I've personally grown tired of the franchise formula that was established with Far Cry 3, the one post-Far Cry 2 game in the series that I'm still quite taken with is Blood Dragon. The spin-off infuses Far Cry 3's gameplay with a dystopian '80s flavor. Despite being set in 2007, the game boasts a unique look, as it's essentially made to imitate the way '80s movies tended to imagine the future; there's fog everywhere, with neon colors and lasers paired with a matching synth soundtrack. You play as a stereotypical action hero named Rex "Power" Colt, who's voiced by Terminator and Aliens star Michael Biehn. It's all very over-the-top, satirical in nature, and it pairs quite nicely with Far Cry's gameplay. Blood Dragon's distinct enough to make it worth a try even if you find the Far Cry games somewhat rote. | Chris Pereira
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
If I had to pick a favorite Grand Theft Auto game in the series, I will always point to San Andreas. As a sort of ode to '90s hip-hop culture and satire of Southern California street gangs, San Andreas was an odd reflection of home. Sure, it's a GTA game, violent and absurd overall, but the way characters talked, the music that played, and just the way the city streets looked were all too familiar. In addition, Rockstar layered some light RPG elements that made the streets of Los Santos feel more lived-in. Sometimes I wouldn't even do missions, and instead hit the gym or shop for clothes.
Of course, San Andreas includes an expansive open world beyond Los Santos with Las Venturas, the Vegas stand-in, and San Fierro to imitate San Francisco. Some of the mission designs are dated and the shooting mechanics aren't refined like modern entries, but San Andreas is still a ton of fun and has a unique personality that few games can match. Carl Johnson (CJ) still stands as one of the best GTA characters, ever. | Michael Higham
Halo: Reach
After Halo 3: ODST took a detour from John-117's story to focus on the mission of one squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, Halo: Reach took that same format of working within a squad and reapplied it to a group of Spartans. Taking place prior to the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, the story of how the planet Reach fell is a rollercoaster of empowering firefights and emotional sacrifices. It was Bungie's last Halo title before handing the reins over to 343 Industries, and it shows. Halo: Reach takes the best online multiplayer and single-player campaign elements that Bungie spent perfecting over Master Chief's original trilogy and combines it into one incredible game. I'll still boot up Halo: Reach from time to time, and the servers for SWAT are still loaded with thousands of players waiting to vote to play on Sword Base. | Jordan Ramee
Hitman: Blood Money
Before the 2016 franchise revival, Hitman: Blood Money was the peak of Agent 47 hijinx. At its core, Blood Money succeeds because of expertly designed missions; everything from creating a specific atmosphere for each level to weaving all the variables that can play out were on point. So many clever assassinations stand out to me, like loading a prop gun with real ammo that's supposed to be fired during an opera play or strangling a target with the handy fiberwire during mardi gras wearing a big yellow bird costume. This is where Hitman got its dark sense of humor, and it breathes life into an otherwise stoic assassin.
Because it nails down the Hitman formula that's been refined with the recent entry, Blood Money has aged well and very much feels like a modern game. It's a little less forgiving and doesn't have the slew of interesting challenges from 2016's game, but Blood Money has some of the series' most memorable missions--and they remain just as fun today. | Michael Higham
Ikaruga
Japanese developer Treasure has another game on this list that's also a vertical-scrolling arcade shooter, but Ikaruga's reputation is unlike any of its peers'. Where so many games of this type bank on nuanced mechanics and subtle differences to standout in the eyes of enthusiasts, Ikaruga's big mechanic is so well known that it's gone on to inspire other developers who make games in entirely different genres. I'm talking about the black-and-white color switching mechanic, which both gives you the ability to absorb incoming enemy shots of the same color and alter your affinity to impart greater damage to enemies of the opposite color. Getting to the end of a stage in a game with one-hit deaths is challenging enough, but if you are after the top spot on a leaderboard you also have to know how to maximize your score by chaining together attacks as the appropriate color. It's tough, but Ikaruga is also a beautiful game that showcases an amount of maturity that feels unique compared to the rest of Treasure's output. While it's not everyone's cup of tea, Ikaruga is still an easy game to appreciate. | Peter Brown
Jet Set Radio
Jet Set Radio is a series that Sega may never bring back, but at least the HD port of the original Dreamcast hit is playable on Xbox One. It combines rollerblading and graffiti in a goofy cel-shaded metropolis, and apart from its sequel (which sadly isn't backwards compatible), there's no game like it. Jet Set Radio's expressive characters are only matched by the eclectic soundtrack that ranges from hip hop to Japanese rock, and it's so beloved that the lead composer, Hideki Naganuma, is regularly berated on Twitter to bring the series back, despite simply being in charge of music. Its reputation hasn't faded in 18 years, and if you don't know why, you owe it to play it and find out for yourself. | Peter Brown
Mass Effect Trilogy
BioWare's famed trilogy is defined by choice, and you'll make hundreds across all three games. Some of these decisions will be incredibly difficult, even heart-wrenching; I've spent many an evening thinking through the possible moral ramifications of my decisions. The trilogy really begins to show your impact when choices you made in the first game snowball into increasingly dire situations across the next two entries. I've only played the original Mass Effect once, but poured close to a thousand hours into the second and several hundred in the third. Each title is a masterpiece in its own right, and the latter two are mechanically sound third-person RPG-shooter hybrids that still hold up years after release. Mass Effect 2 is my favorite video game of all time, mostly because it's the best interstellar dating sim on the market. Over the course of three games, you'll fall in love with these characters and the rich sci-fi universe of Mass Effect. | Jordan Ramee
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Most people love Metal Gear for the series' stealth-centric games, but that doesn't mean the action-packed Rising should be ignored; far from it! Not only does it manage to fit right into the timeline and (in a roundabout way) the series' overall attitude, it is an excellent action game that, like Bayonetta and Vanquish, perfectly showcases why Platinum Games is so beloved. The standout feature of the blade-based combat system is Raiden's ability to literally slice through enemies--a process you can control, lopping off limbs or bisecting torsos with laser accuracy. It's an impressive feat of programming, and a unique mechanic that (as far as I know) has never been truly replicated. Worry not if you've always been turned off by Metal Gear's confusing storyline. Rising is all about over-the-top katana mayhem, and when it does make an effort to tell a story, it delivers goofy melodrama that anyone can appreciate. | Peter Brown
Mirror's Edge
When Mirror's Edge released, the gaming world had never seen anything like it. First-person platforming was practically a no-no, but EA DICE proved it's possible under the right set of circumstances. The trick, at least the one that made Mirror's Edge such a revelation, was to simplify pathfinding by using clever visual cues and implement contextual animations to create a sense of flow. In one stage you will leap across rooftops, wall run, smash through windows, and slide under enemy fire before taking the aggressor out. It's basically Parkour: The Game. While its sequel, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, tried to go for a more open-world design, the original game is focused enough to be tackled in small sessions, which also encourages you to attempt run after run through a single level, chasing your best times and most stylish performances. It's an endlessly cool game that may never get old. | Peter Brown
Ninja Gaiden Black
The original Ninja Gaiden reboot was something to behold back in 2004. As one of the fastest and most challenging action games of its era, Ryu Hayabusa's revenge mission where he fights ninjas, demons--and pretty much everything in between--was a knockout when it came to delivering thrills and moments of white-knuckle challenge. I'll even admit that I earned the lowly title of Ninja Dog on occasions, which was Ninja Gaiden's not-so-subtle way of saying 'git gud' back in the day. The game consistently delivered fast-paced action, and in the months after its release, it managed to get even better. As one of the early games on the original Xbox to use downloadable content, new weapons, monsters, and challenges were eventually added in, making the game even more of a stellar title. This culminated in the release of Ninja Gaiden Black, essentially the definitive edition of the core game. While Ninja Gaiden (2004) was remade again in the form of Sigma on PS3, I still think of Black as the best way to play Ryu Hayabusa's gory and over-the-top descent through the demonic underworld. Even after the releases of Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising, and several installments Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden Black hasn't lost its touch, and it still stands still one of the greatest action games ever made. | Alessandro Fillari
Panzer Dragoon Orta
I've always had a deep respect for Sega's strange shooter series Panzer Dragoon, and the last entry, Panzer Dragoon Orta, remains a stellar tribute to its bizarre world. The series' otherworldly presentation--along with its own fictional language--gave it a sense of depth and wonder that felt all its own. While much of the series had its home on the short-lived Sega Saturn, 2003's Panzer Dragoon Orta was released on the original Xbox, showing a noticeable visual and technical upgrade over its predecessors. Diving back into the game after all these years made me appreciate how much thought and craft went into the game, which has held up spectacularly. Along with a wealth of hidden lore and concept art to find, it also comes with an unlockable version of the original game--which stands as one of the greatest game rewards of all time. If you're at all curious about the Panzer Dragoon series, Orta is the most accessible point of entry, and it still brims with that sense of otherworldly wonder that the series is all about. | Alessandro Fillari
Peggle
Peggle has received a sequel you can and should play on Xbox One, but more Peggle action is still a good thing. Fortunately, the original game is playable through backwards compatibility, and it holds up nicely. The basic Peggle formula--a sort of take on pachinko and pinball, but with tremendous sound design--is still as delightful as ever. You launch balls into a board filled with pegs and various obstacles in the hopes of hitting them and removing them from play. Finishing a round hilariously causes "Ode to Joy" to play as your ball sails across the screen one last time in slow motion, but the euphoric build-up of sound effects when you pull off an exceptional shot is one of the most satisfying experiences I've ever had in a game. | Chris Pereira
Radiant Silvergun
Remember Sega Saturn? While not a powerhouse in the US or Europe, it found great success in Japan where arcade ports were plentiful. One of the most well-known Japanese-exclusive Saturn games is Radiant Silvergun, and thanks to Microsoft's effort years ago to pump up the Xbox Marketplace with Japanese games, westerners finally got an official release on Xbox 360 and can still enjoy the game on Xbox One today. The most notable feature of this vertical-scrolling shooter is the large number of weapons you can pick from, which differ more in behavior than you might expect. Like many games by developer Treasure, Radiant Silvergun is a technical showcase (for its time) that also manages to be a great game with timeless appeal. | Peter Brown
Rainbow Six Vegas 1 and 2
In between its old-school tactical shooter phase and the current competitive multiplayer focus, Rainbow Six took a trip to Vegas and balanced its military sim roots with some more approachable shooter gameplay. Both Rainbow Six Vegas 1 and 2 captured the gaudy spectacle of the city's nightlife with bright lights and rows of slot machines, which often served as cover from enemy fire. I've had so many memorable multiplayer matches; taking cover and having the camera switch to third-person, rappelling down skyscrapers to crash through windows, or turning upside down on a rappel line to pop shots are a few of the amazing moments in competition. Servers are still online, so if you can get a group of dedicated players to play a few matches or terrorist hunt missions, you're guaranteed a great time. | Michael Higham
Red Dead Redemption
Of all the games that are backwards compatible on Xbox One, Red Dead Redemption tops the list as the most exciting. When it was added to the program earlier this year, not only did people finally have a way to replay one of the best games of the last generation on a current-gen console, they also got the option to play it in 4K on Xbox One X. This open-world western proved that Rockstar Games is capable of more than just Grand Theft Auto, and with the sequel on the way, now is the perfect time to see why Red Dead Redemption is such a big deal. | Peter Brown
Saint's Row: The Third
Saints Row was always a little silly, but The Third is clearly the point where Volition realized the franchise could no longer compete with Grand Theft Auto and chose instead to double down on the ridiculous. Saints Row: The Third is non-stop parody of open-world action games and pop culture references, and I love every second of it. There's something positively magical about playing as a loud-mouthed crime boss who's weaving between traffic on her motorcycle to save her friends from a ticking time bomb as government soldiers try to stop her while Bonnie Tyler's "I Need a Hero" plays over the radio. All of which occurs in what might be the most normal level in the game. Saints Row: The Third also does a good job recapping the events of the previous two games and introduces franchise favorite Kinzie Kensington, so it's a nice jumping on point if you're looking to play Saints Row IV or Agents of Mayhem. | Jordan Ramee
Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned was a match made in heaven for me. The quirky Suda 51 brought his comedic writing chops and teamed up with Resident Evil 4 director Shinji Mikami and Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka to make a shooter that, at the time, felt more like a Resident Evil 4 sequel than any game before it, including Resident Evil 5. The buddy-demon hunter adventure saw Garcia Hotspur and Johnson, the trusty skull sidekick that also turns into a number of different guns, venture into Hell to rescue Hotspur's love. There is quite the variety of enemies, levels, and crude jokes. While a sequel is what I truly want, I'll gladly play through it again for the umpteenth time to revisit it all. | Mat Paget
Skate 3
The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series may go down as having the "best" skateboarding games of all time, but none of them capture the sport quite like the Skate series does. And while the first two Skate games had a more structured campaign the open-world skateboarding sandbox of Skate 3 is still as fun to flip, grind, and bail in as it was the day it came out. Tackling a specific spot over and over again in Skate 3 mirrors what real-life skateboarding is like, though I can actually pull off a darkslide or a benihana in Skate 3. And with its surprisingly breathtaking 4K enhancements on the Xbox One X, I can't recommend it enough. | Mat Paget
Spec Ops: The Line
Six years after release, I'm still reeling from the emotional fallout of Spec Ops: The Line. This unsettling game tackles the mental and emotional cost of war, and its moral quandaries stick with you long after you've put the game down and had a good cry. Despite having third-person shooter mechanics that are okay at best, Spec Ops: The Line kept me playing. Long after it forced me to kill innocent civilians, I was frantically shooting enemy combatants in a desperate attempt to justify my own in-game atrocities. But war doesn't work that way. I don't think I'll ever forget what white phosphorus does to a person, and if you play this game, you won't either. | Jordan Ramee
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a gaming classic, and it was one of the best-written stories in the Star Wars canon prior to Disney neutering its relevance. The game utilizes similar combat, squadmate recruitment, and morality mechanics that BioWare would eventually use for both Mass Effect and Dragon Age: Origins. The game lets you fulfill your fantasy of living as a Jedi or a Sith, as you explore a galaxy far, far away, four millennia before the events of A Phantom Menace. I loved exploring ancient Tatooine and Kashyyyk on the Jedi path, but not nearly as much as seeing brand-new planets, like the ancient Sith homeworld Korriban, or flirting with Bastila. | Jordan Ramee
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords is one of the best Star Wars video games of all time. Although its gameplay is largely untouched from its predecessor, KOTOR II implements elements of grey to the previously black or white morality system. New lightsaber styles also add a level of strategy, and there's twice as many people you can try to smooch. My favorite Star Wars droid, HK-47, also returns from the original KOTOR, and he continues to deliver unparalleled levels of sarcastic murder puns and sass. Despite its removal from the Star Wars canon, if you love Bioware's RPGs and the adventures of a galaxy far, far away, you need to play this game. Its incredible narrative will hook you in 15 minutes. | Jordan Ramee
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Prior to The Clone Wars animated series, the only hint that the clone army was more than a faceless batch of characters was Star Wars: Republic Commando. This video game moved past the uniform helmets to reveal each clone had their own personality, likes and dislikes, and skill set. I fell in love with the troopers through Republic Commando, and the clones have remained my favorite Star Wars characters ever since. Taking the lead of Delta Squad as the dependable Boss and directing the demolitions expert Scorch, computer-savvy Fixer, and weapons specialist Sev offered a more tactical experience than 2004's Star Wars: Battlefront. New enemy types and weapons keep the game fresh across its three different locations, and the story is one of the best in the Star Wars Legends universe. | Jordan Ramee
Super Meat Boy
Super Meat Boy has become something of a reference point for games that have come after it--and with good reason, as it's an exceptionally well designed game. It's a tough platformer where death can come at any instant--and you will die many, many times. And as heartbreaking as those deaths can sometimes be, it's invariably your own fault; SMB offers extremely tight controls and a deeply satisfying wall-jumping mechanic (made all the better by the way Meat Boy leaves behind a trail of meat wherever he moves). With hundreds of levels and numerous secrets to uncover, there's a lot to enjoy here. But most importantly, playing this original Xbox 360 version means you get to enjoy the brilliant original soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky that's missing from SMB's most recent re-releases. | Chris Pereira
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
Capcom managed to do a lot of awesome things for Street Fighter V, but Street Fighter IV is still relevant for a lot of fighting game fans due to its massive roster and years' worth of competitive refinement. Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition marks the penultimate upgrade for the game, but you can also download the Ultra Street Fighter IV DLC to convert it into the ultimate version of the game on Xbox One. Whether you are a serious competitor or a casual fighting game fan who just likes to mash out a few combos with friends on the weekends, SFIV has loads of great characters to experiment with, and tons of personality to keep you entertained along the way. | Peter Brown
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind takes me back--to six-years-old Aiden. Even though I was far too young to be playing such an intense RPG, and 90 percent of the story went right over my head, I couldn't help but get utterly consumed in how fantastical and insurmountable Vvardenfell seemed. Maybe it was my child-like wonder, or maybe it was just Bethesda's magic. At the time, I hadn't really played anything like it, and boy were the giant mushroom houses and terrifying Cliff Racers just as cool as kicking tail during Lara's Tomb Raider adventures. Morrowind was the first RPG that really made me fall in love with the more serious and immersive side of gaming, and even though its graphics haven't aged particularly well, it still holds that obnoxiously special place in my heart that I can't let go of, a place where I forge my own story, and escape into some far-off land. And, you know, knock the daylights out of some cultists. That too. | Aiden Strawhun
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
"Stop right there, Criminal Scum! You've violated the law!" Once you get past the potato faces, Oblivion's hyper-saturated graphics really are something special. Oblivion also took a lot of the annoying mechanics in Morrowind and made them just a little bit better. Any race could wear any armor, birthsigns could be changed, vampirism was part of the main game, the list goes on. One minute you have the incredibly lush, almost ethereal expanses of Cyrodiil, the next, there's an actual demon invasion. It's a wonderful contrast that I don't think the other Elder Scrolls games quite capture, as they're dark and morose, and somewhat brooding--but Oblivion is brimming with energy and color. | Aiden Strawhun
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
The beautiful thing about The Witcher series is that if you're looking to hop into the latest entry, you don't need to play the previous titles. However, they do add a considerable amount of context to the expansive cast of characters, and particularly to every one of Geralt's relationships. The Witcher 2 is a mostly on-rails, linear RPG. That doesn't stop it from being an incredible, dramatic, and enticing adventure, however. The world is detailed and lush, as you'd expect from the series, and the choices you make throughout the story determine some pretty major outcomes. Just make sure to spend some time between story missions to smell the roses--er, the monsters, rather. | Aiden Strawhun
Viva Pinata
Rare's output under Microsoft has been uneven, but one bright spot shines above the rest. Viva Pinata is a sweet refuge from the norm--a sim that defies easy categorization. It bears a lot in common with farming sims like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley. Instead of standard livestock, though, you're raising up beautifully designed candy-animals with punny names like "fudgehog" and "chewnicorn." The look is distinctly family-friendly, but under the surface the gameplay is surprisingly deep. I lost many nights to converting "sour" pinatas, facilitating my animals' feeding and mating habits, and even managing the food chain. (Some pinatas eat others, you see.) I'm partial to the first, but the semi-sequel Trouble in Paradise is mostly a revision for the better. Either way you can't go wrong, and they're both available on Xbox One. | Steve Watts
GTA V wants you to blow things up in GTA Online this Independence Day; it's offering tons of deals on themed items, along with businesses you can buy. This is also the week when anyone who signed up for Rockstar's Guest List last week will get to reap the rewards, meaning you'll get an extra GTA$300K just for logging in.
From now until July 9, you'll be able to get 40% off the "Independence Day-themed" content below. As always, the items come with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek humor.
Vapid Liberator--40% off
Western Motorcycle Company Sovereign--40% off
Musket--40% off
Firework Launcher and Fireworks--40% off
Star Spangled Banner Horns--40% off
Patriot Tire and Patriot Smoke--40% off
Stars n Stripes Facepaint--40% off
Independence Day Clothing, Haircuts, Masks, and Outfits--40% off
MOC Liveries--40% off
Independence Day Mk II Weapon Liveries--40% off
If you signed up for the GTA Online Guest List last week, you'll also be able to get your first round of exclusive rewards. The first rewards are the Orange Wireframe Bodysuit and GTA$300,000. There will be more rewards in a week's time; from July 10-16 you'll be able to get a Pink Wireframe Bodysuit and an additional GTA$100,000. If you're looking to get a little more cash, Rockstar has extended Double GTA$ payouts on all Smuggler's Run, Special Cargo, and Bikers Sell Missions.
Rockstar is also offering tons of deals on businesses, ahead of its upcoming Nightlife DLC, which will allow you to design, staff, and run nightclubs in the game. For the time being, you'll be able to get 50% off the following:
Hangers--50% off
Executive Offices--50% off
Special Cargo Warehouses--50% off
Biker Clubhouses and Businesses--50% off
You'll also be able to get 40% off all facilities, as well as 30% off the Mammoth Avenger and renovations, Mobile Operations Center and renovations, Vapid GB200, Grotti X80 Proto, and the Imponte Ruiner 2000 (both Buy It Now and Trade prices). GTA V's Nightlife Update is due to release some time this month.
By Anonymous on Jul 03, 2018 11:53 pm We learned more about Code Vein ahead of its release date on September 14 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, while someone has created PT for PC.
Steam's Summer Sale for 2018 is live and ongoing. Valve recently launched the annual promotion, which takes the form of the Steam Intergalactic Summer Sale. You likely already know the basics of what to expect: It offers significant discounts on countless games. That spans everything from big-budget, triple-A games to lesser-known (but nonetheless excellent) indie games. According to Valve, there are more than 10,000 on sale. So many options can make it downright overwhelming to browse Steam's store.
Rather than have to wade through countless pages or rack your brain for the games you forgot you wanted to buy, we've rounded up a selection of worthwhile games that you should consider buying before the sale ends. And to be more considerate of your wallet (or not), we've provided recommendations that fall at or under $20. We've asked GameSpot's staff for their favorite deals, and we've come up with a diverse selection of games across multiple genres.
The Steam Intergalactic Summer Sale, like recent sales on the platform, is relatively straightforward. No longer are there any daily and flash deals, as well as voting; an aspect that many found exciting, but was ultimately difficult to follow and unkind to personal bank accounts. The new shift does make shopping easier, as you can now purchase a game without the worry of it becoming heavily discounted at the latter end of the sale.
This sale does feature one fascinating new feature, which is where the "intergalactic" aspect in its name comes in. Steam's homepage allows you to jump into what's called the Summer Saliens game. It's a browser mini-game where you travel to planets and save various games that have been abducted by aliens. You'll earn XP and unlock new abilities. It may be simplistic, but you should still check it out, as doing so can earn you the much sought after Steam trading cards (if you're into that). In addition, defending certain planets enters you to win a corresponding game for free, with your odds increasing as your Salien stays on the same planet for longer.
The Steam Summer Sale runs from now until July 5, so be sure to purchase the games you want sooner than later. And there's even a variety of anime on sale too. If these deals aren't enough and you want even cheaper deals, check out our recommendations for Steam sale games under $5. Be sure to let us know your picks for worthwhile deals, as well as what you plan to pick up, in the comments below.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is a long-forgotten gem from the PS1 era, which was also made available on PC. An early example of a 3D metroidvania done right, the game won my young heart with its haunting gothic style, clever combat mechanics, and distinct premise. I'll always remember the impact the game's intro cinematic and opening areas had on me. Its grim narrative and intriguing characters are some of the most memorable I've experienced in gaming.
The game puts you in control of Raziel, a vampire lieutenant turned soul-sucking wraith after being betrayed by the tyrannical vampire lord Kain. Brought back to life by a mysterious benefactor known as The Elder God, Raziel must embark on a journey to exact vengeance against his former king.
Soul Reaver's world of Nosgoth, a desolate and broken kingdom populated by all manner of mutated vampires, remains haunting and atmospheric. The vampire weakness-focused combat is still a creative and entertaining system to dispatch foes. In addition, the game is rich with fascinating locations to explore and secrets to unearth. Soul Reaver is well worth your time, and at as cheap as it is right now, you have no excuse not to own it in your Steam library.
If my ramblings are enough to compel you, the game's various sequels are also on sale, which you can purchase piecemeal for incredibly cheap (minus Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain). Do it and become the soul-sucking wraith you were always destined to become. -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Devil May Cry fans often give DMC: Devil May Cry a bad rap. In the lead up to its release, many found its drastic shift in art direction disagreeable. And when it released, some found its mechanics less nuanced and complex than that of its predecessors. But after playing through it myself, I could never fully get behind this sentiment. As a massive fan of the franchise, I found DmC: Devil May Cry's high-flying combat exhilarating despite not being as precise. Its mechanics fueled by the addition of Angel Mode and Devil Mode opened up Dante's offensive possibilities, which kept me constantly engaged in experimenting and refining my technique. And the game's story--while nowhere nears it strongest suit--made for an entertaining new take on the series' classic mythos.
Whether you like it or not, DmC: Devil May Cry still manages to be a worthwhile entry in the tenured action game franchise. It may have taken risks that didn't fully pay off in the end, but what's on display is a fantastic action game well deserving of the Devil May Cry name. And at just below $10/£10, you should absolutely give it a shot, or even a second chance. -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Agents of Mayhem - Total Mayhem Bundle | $16.05 / £13.21 (72% off)
Agents of Mayhem takes Saint Row IV's pure insanity and cranks it up to 11. Canonically taking place after the Gat Out of Hell "recreate earth" ending, Agents of Mayhem is a story of bad vs. evil. I loved the diverse range of personalities, races, and sexualities that compose the lovable rogues that make up MAYHEM, an organization set on destroying the evil terrorist group known as LEGION. My favorite agent is Daisy, an ex-roller derby girl with a knack for cussing, drinking, having sex, and handling heavy weaponry, but I also loved the the queer logistics officer Friday, storytelling ninja Scheherazade, and loud-mouthed Safeword (who's this universe's version of Saint Row's Kinzie Kensington). -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
Where EA's SimCity (2013) dropped the ball, Cities: Skylines picked it up, and it ran. It ran far, wide, and it's never stopped, even to this day. The city builder has positively delivered everything that anyone has ever wanted out of this kind of game, and has seen a steady stream of expansions over the past three years. But even if you're just interested in trying the vanilla experience during this Steam sale, Cities: Skyline's incredibly accessible modding options, and its amazing community will give you more than enough content to gorge on. There's a lot of joy to be had in city building and management games, and Cities: Skylines is the definitive game in the genre. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
If the recent release of Dark Souls: Remastered hasn't gotten you to try out From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki's fantastic Souls series, maybe the heavily discounted Dark Souls III will. Dark Souls III takes the dilapidated world of the Souls games and adds new lands to discover, a quicker pace to the combat, and plenty of upgrades to the multiplayer, all while maintaining the strong world and level design that has made the series stand out so much. While I don't personally find the game to be as strong of an entry into the series as Dark Souls or Bloodborne, I could not put this game down when I first picked it up. For players looking for a rewarding game with challenge, I could not recommend the game more. -- Dave Klein, Video Producer
Dead Cells takes the DNA of Dark Souls, Castlevania, and a heavy dose of roguelike to create something that's more than the sum of its parts. This addictive and thrilling side-scrolling adventure boasts a bevy of tense moments, challenging bosses, and satisfying combat.
The core of the game is based on growing with each run, as every failure brings new lessons to learn, items to unlock, and points to take with you into the next life.
With a huge array of weapons, skills and playstyles, Dead Cells is a game that epitomises the "one more try" style of play. After your first few deaths, you'll be hooked and hungry for success. -- Dave Jewitt, Video Producer
If you haven't played 2016's Doom reboot yet, now's a good time--publisher Bethesda announced a sequel, Doom Eternal, at E3 this year. This new Doom is self-aware in its intensity, with its high-octane demon-slaying madness backed by an over-the-top metal score. It's both a return and an homage to the corridor shooting of the series' past, but modern touches also make it feel like a step forward for the series. As a bonus, the classic Doom levels hidden in each mission are both fun to find and provide the perfect amount of nostalgia. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
I'm usually not a huge fan of roguelike games, but something about Everspace just kept dragging me back for more. Stressing over every jump between sectors, while trying to simultaneously circumnavigate challenging fights and monitor my fuel cost, kept me constantly on edge. The mindless humdrum of outfitting a new vessel would quickly replace every frustrating death, and I'd promise myself I'd get a little bit further on my next excursion. I enjoyed solving the overarching mystery in the main storyline, but Everspace's tight controls and hectic dogfights were what drew me into its quiet beauty. -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
About 15 minutes into Forgotton Anne, I was curled up on the couch and weeping, after mistakenly profiling an illegal immigrant as a terrorist and getting him killed. Forgotton Anne never gave me a chance to catch my breath, though, and continued to dole out emotional punches. This adventure-platformer threw me into a role I've never played before: an officer who enforces border control. Anne must squash a rebellion that threatens her and that of her master, and the player chooses whether or not she goes about that task with any mercy. I'll admit, I was fooled by the pretty Studio Ghibli-style art into thinking this would be a game for kids. I was so wrong. -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
There's a good chance that, by now, you're one of the incredible number of people who have bought Grand Theft Auto V. If not, this is as cheap as it's ever been, making it easier to buy a copy for you and a few friends. And you'll want to play with friends, because there aren't many games like GTA Online and its heists. These multi-part missions that have you working in tandem with friends (or strangers, if you're less fortunate) are among the most fun I've ever had with a multiplayer game. Dodging a military jet in your biplane until you can pick up your friends who are breaking someone out of prison makes for an unforgettable, tense experience. GTA 5's single-player remains enjoyable, and buying it on PC gives you access to mods, but this is well worth the price of entry for GTA Online alone. -- Chris Pereira, News Editor
An iconoclast is a person who destroys a religious image or symbol, and that's the exact role you take on in this indie Metroidvania title. I didn't find Iconoclasts' puzzles or platforming segments to be all that challenging, but the game makes up for these faults with dozens of intense boss battles, a wonderful cast of characters, and a nuanced narrative. It's been a while since a video game's story really made me stop and think about the consequences of my in-game actions, and whether I was playing the role of the hero or the villian. Despite the protagonist's silence, Robin also makes for a fantastic hero, whose adorable emotes and expressive poses convey her helpful yet naive nature. -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
From the creators of FTL comes hands down, one of 2018's best games. Into the Breach is tactical strategy boiled down to its purest elements, with completely transparent mechanics that let you know exactly what the enemy is going to do next, and what effect your hypothetical actions will have before you make them. This alone makes every single turn a satisfying brain-churn that has you poring over all the game's exciting and multi-faceted cause-and-effect systems. With dozens of unique mechs, it's a sincere joy to experiment and replay Into the Breach again and again and again. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition | $9.99 / £7.49 (50% off)
When pressed for time and trying to explain what makes Ori and the Blind Forest so special, I tell people that it's a Meat Boy-Metroidvania--intense platforming balanced against exploration and wonder. It gets the point across, but the reality is that it's so much more than that. The gorgeous art style and animation mix with fine-tuned controls that make the whole experience feel smooth as silk. The fable-like story is a resonant one about empathy and love. It's one of the best games to have come out in the last few years, and absolutely deserves more attention before the sequel arrives in 2019. -- Steve Watts, News Writer
I sincerely hope you're skipping this entry because you've already played and finished this game, because Papers, Please is one of my favourite games of all time. It's a modern classic where premise and mechanics marry together beautifully with difficult moral choices, strict consequences, and an unavoidable imperative for self-gain. You play an immigration inspector on a politically tumultuous Eastern European border, charged with inspecting and cross-referencing documents, controlling the flow of people, and correcting following protocol above all else. Hidden amongst civilians are spies and terrorists, but also sympathetic stories of innocent people caught by the riptides of war, trying to hang on to a semblance of life. Where does your loyalty lie: To the job that's keeping your family fed, to the greater good, yourself, or potentially, something else? How far are you willing to push your moral compass? Paper, Please is a masterpiece through and through, and it makes stamping passports feel like the most satisfying feeling in the whole world. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Prey is arguably one of the most underappreciated and overlooked games of 2017. It captures so much of what I love about immersive sims, particularly in its environmental storytelling--emails, notes, and other personal items weave the stories of who was on the space station before everything went wrong, and piecing things together takes careful attention to detail. Each part of the station also presents you with multiple ways to solve a problem, be it getting past an enemy Typhon or getting into a locked room, and all those things combined make traversal and exploration rewarding. The new DLC is just one more reason to pick Prey up while it's on sale. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
I've put around 300 hours into Stardew Valley between the PC and Nintendo Switch versions, and it's become one of my favorite games I've ever played. I'm a big proponent of the Switch version now, but if you don't have one or prefer playing on PC, now's your best chance to try it out. Stardew Valley is everything I ever wanted Harvest Moon games to be, and it's made even better by its complex characters and surprisingly heavy themes. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is a game where you get out what you put into it--and there's a lot to discover. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
On its face, a game like SteamWorld Dig shouldn't have worked, much less warranted a sequel. A modern-day rogue-like Dig Dug, SteamWorld Dig carried an oddly relaxing gameplay loop: burrow your way underground, find some loot, come back up and spend it on upgrades, repeat. Its sequel, SteamWorld Dig 2, improves on the predecessor in every way, offering better upgrades, more character customization options, and challenge rooms for the truly enterprising spelunker. Sometimes you just want more of a great thing. -- Steve Watts, News Writer
The masters of grand historical strategy, Paradox Interactive, released their ambitious spacefaring 4X game Stellaris a couple of years ago, but if you haven't played it yet, you're definitely better off coming into it now. As is typical, the Swedish developer has improved the game significantly with free updates and meaningful expansions over time and addressed many concerns. Beginning with a single planet, you'll expand your empire, discover new galaxies, inhabit new worlds, meet new alien races, and see where your interactions with them may lead. Stellaris is certainly a complex 4X game, but like other Paradox titles, once you begin to internalise it, gain momentum, and appreciate the myriad nuances to its systems, you'll probably never think about playing anything else for a good, long while. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
I hope no PC devotees out there will get upset when I say that one of the most innovative tactical strategy games of the past decade was born as a console game, and is anime as hell. Valkyria Chronicles puts some strange twists on its alternate version of World War II, but that doesn't deny the fact that its battle system is unique and fun. You plan and order troops in a turn-based fashion with a top-down strategy phase, but then need to personally move an ordered troop or vehicle in a real-time third-person mode and line up their shots. It may sound arduous, but it's incredibly satisfying and exciting to actually do. Its beautiful watercolour art direction has aged very well, and with Valkyria Chronicles 4 coming out on PC and consoles later this year, you might as well see what the fuss is all about. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
If you're a fan of over-the-top action games and you haven't played Vanquish, then you haven't lived. Directed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, the magnum opus of PlatinumGames' resume contains incredibly fast-paced shooting with an emphasis on movement. Equipped with a high-tech battle-suit with jet-boosters, you'll charge head-first through bullet-hell scenarios, gunning down robotic foes as you constantly dodge, vault, slow-down time, and famously, butt-slide at great speed. It's one of the most invigorating actions games of the past decade, and it has a dedicated command to smoke a cigarette. You owe it to yourself to play Vanquish. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
The Witcher 3: Game of the Year Edition | $19.99 / £13.99 (60% off)
If you ask me (and many others who have played this remarkable action RPG), The Witcher 3 is the best game of this generation. It's huge, gorgeous, well-written, mature, and exceedingly fun to play. The dark fantasy world it's set in is perfectly rendered and unlike any other you'll find in all of games. Despite its sense of finality, here's hoping it's not the last game we'll get to play in this world, with these characters. It's a great ride. -- Chris Reed, Commerce Editor
The Purge movies have always been about the 1% versus the 99, the privileged against the underprivileged--the rich trying to exterminate the poor by pitting them against one another while sitting safe in fortified ivory towers. In the previous three movies, that theme served as the core, beneath a veneer of fantastically stylized violence, with gangs of roving murderers draping their cars with Christmas lights and donning exaggerated masks over preppy school uniforms. In The First Purge, that thin surface of fantasy is gone, leaving only a crude, gratuitous, vaguely exploitative movie about the government openly and mercilessly exterminating poor people.
Like The Purge: Anarchy, the second in the series, The First Purge wants to suggest that, with scattered exceptions, normal people aren't inherently violent enough to Purge. They need a push, and that shove comes from the New Founding Fathers of America, the government that, in this movie, just recently emerged as the third option in America's two party system and seized power from Republicans and Democrats alike. The First Purge explains how the NFFA was able to pull it off: Much like the politicians in power today, they exploited people's fear. The movie spends an opening montage citing a grab bag of real world social unrest, from the Black Lives Matter movement to a housing crisis worse than 2008's.
Now, it's time for an "experiment" that Marisa Tomei's Dr. Updale, a scientist working with the NFFA, promises will give the American people the outlet they need for all their hate, anger, and aggression. There's an unintentionally silly scene late in the movie when Updale, seeing the actual results of her "experiment," utters dramatically, "What have I done?" It's unclear what results she was expecting from this whole thing.
The movie centers on a handful of characters on New York's Staten Island, the isolated site of this first, experimental Purge. (Through their public representative Arlo Sabian (Patch Darragh), the government issues some hazy explanation about the island's demographics being representative of the country as a whole, but behind closed doors the NFFA readily admit they just want to kill poor people.)
Dmitri (Y'lan Noel) is a drug kingpin who wants to keep his neighborhood safe while protecting his product and his business. Nya (Lex Scott Davis) is his ex-girlfriend, a conscientious protestor who opposes the experiment. Her little brother, Isaiah (Joivan Wade), was supposed to get off the island, but secretly stayed behind to get revenge on Skeletor (Rotimi Paul), a violent drug addict who attacked and humiliated him. These characters and those surrounding them--every single person the movie follows during the experiment--are non-white, while almost everyone actually causing violence during the Purge is white.
Early on, there are isolated scenes of NFFA officials interviewing Staten Islanders about their pent up rage, then offering them monetary compensation for remaining on the island and actively participating. The government implants them with tracking devices and issues them high tech contact lenses that will record the night's events so the results can be broadcast to the world. Glowing red, green, or blue in the darkness, these contacts are one of the movie's only creative aesthetic liberties, although they often verge on looking silly.
But when the would-be Purgers throw block parties instead of tearing one another apart, the NFFA sends in militaristic bands of mercenaries dressed in the regalia of the KKK, white supremacist biker gangs, and masked, Nazi-like soldiers. At times, The First Purge is hard to watch, and not in the fun way that horror movies are supposed to make you hide behind splayed fingers. Whatever thin veil of subtlety this series ever possessed is gone from this movie, murdered by flocks of heavily armed drones the New Founding Fathers of America sent to make sure the citizens of Staten Island "participated" in the experiment.
The First Purge doesn't hesitate to mirror real world events, and never to its benefit. At one point, off screen (thankfully), a group of white mercenaries disguised as a biker gang guns down dozens of black, hispanic, and Asian people huddling for safety in a church--something that more or less happened in real life just three years ago. Later, white soldiers rampage through a towering housing project, systematically, inhumanly slaughtering the hundreds of non-white people inside, room by room and floor by floor. There were points in The First Purge I could have been watching last year's Detroit, a movie about the real life terror inflicted on black people by white cops during Detroit's 1967 12th Street Riot. That's not imagery you want to evoke lightly, yet The First Purge uses it readily, in between scenes of cackling homeless ladies setting traps in alleyways and Dmitri's gang members eagerly arming themselves to the teeth.
When Nya gets her foot caught in a trap and attackers burst from a grate nearby, hands scrabble furiously at her crotch. Running away, she yells behind her, "P***y grabbing motherf***er!" Somehow, despite being completely out of character, that line is predictable, too. It's the exact kind of low-hanging fruit this movie hungrily plucks, scene after scene.
There's nothing fun or thrilling about watching white people dressed up as real world hate groups efficiently murdering innocent victims. The Purge series' veneer of fantasy is gone. It's too on the nose, and it knows it. That The First Purge is a prequel means the people we see suffering in it are doomed to at least another 25 years of annual violence and oppression, a fact you'll be acutely aware of as the dawn breaks on the first experiment, the few survivors limp down the street, and the tastelessly summoned Kendrick Lamar song "Alright" ("Alls my life I had to fight…") thumps into life over your theater's speakers.
2016's The Purge: Election Year ended on a hopeful note. That movie tried to mirror the real world too, but the real life politics it mimicked turned out much differently than the film's. In 2018, we could have used a movie where, for once, the good guys won. The fact that series creator James DeMonaco, who's written all four entries and directed the three before this, chose to give us a prequel instead is empirical evidence that he may be out of good ideas.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 is getting several updates this year. EA unveiled a roadmap that details when players can start seeing content drops. The first update is free and out now. It launches a new Hero Starfighter mode and patches Hero gameplay, map layouts, and a few other quality-of-life improvements.
Hero Starfighters is a new multiplayer mode that pits two teams of four against one another. Every player spawns as one of the Hero ships for their side. When a player is killed, they can no longer pilot a Hero ship and have to spawn as a standard fighter, interceptor, or bomber. Standard ships have unlimited lives. Teams win the round when all opposing Hero ships are destroyed and the game goes to whichever team wins three out of five rounds. This new mode will also offer a swifter way for players to level up any of their Hero ships.
The rest of the Hero Starfighter update addresses content that's played on the ground. Hero characters that use a lightsaber can now turn their weapon on and off at the press of a button, and blocking blaster bolts with a lightsaber will now consume stamina. Ewok Hunt is back with a few tweaks to gameplay. Jetpack Cargo is now available on the Great Temple Yavin 4 map. Extraction is once again available as an Operation, but only for the month of July.
Almost every existing hero, hero ship, game mode, and map is getting an update. The full patch notes can be viewed on the Star Wars Battlefront II forum, but here's a list of the more notable updates:
Sullustan appearance has been added to the Resistance and Rebel version of the Assault class
Players can swap their appearances pre-round
Daily quest system now gives three quests per day instead of one, and the daily quests reward per quest has been reduced from 1000 to 500
On Strike, Objective Delivery Zones are now visually represented in the world
On Hero Showdown, there are new HUD elements that show the health of team members
Star Wars Battlefront 2 is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Assassin's Creed Liberation HD is a home console port of the formerly Vita-exclusive title. A spin-off of Assassin's Creed III, Liberation is set in Louisiana and casts players in the role of Aveline de Grandpre, the series' first female protagonist. The HD version boasts upgraded visuals and audio, but it otherwise features the same content as the Vita release. You can read more about it in GameSpot's Assassin's Creed Liberation HD review.
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, meanwhile, is one of Xbox 360's earliest shooters, first launching for the console in 2006. It received widespread acclaim on its release, earning a 9.2/10 in GameSpot's Advanced Warfighter review for its tactical gameplay and (at the time) stunning visuals. "Even those who don't necessarily like shooters may want to at least try the game out, as GRAW represents the best of what a tactical shooter can offer and can serve as a useful graphical benchmark to judge other games on the console by," we wrote.
If you still own a physical copy of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, you can pop its disc into your Xbox One and begin playing. Likewise, if you already own a digital copy of Liberation HD or GRAW, you'll find it waiting automatically in the Ready to Download section of Xbox One's My Games and Apps area. You can also buy either of the new BC games digitally from the Microsoft Store.
Xbox One's BC library has grown steadily ever since Microsoft first introduced the feature back in 2015. It now features more than 400 Xbox 360 titles and more than 30 original Xbox games. You can see everything that's available in our full list of backwards compatibility games, and for recommendations on what to play, check out our gallery of the best Xbox One backwards compatible games.
With 2007 raising the bar for what games are capable of, 2008 maintained the momentum that the previous year had, and left us with some fond memories. It was packed with a wealth of high-profile sequels to some of the biggest franchises, including Grand Theft Auto, Fallout, and Metal Gear Solid. In addition, there were notable debuts from unexpected gems, like the EA-produced big-budget survival game Dead Space and indie darling Braid, which each proved influential in a variety of ways. Many of the games in 2008 continued to push the boundaries of gaming, offering experiences that were substantial and memorable in their own right.
The GameSpot staff is taking a personal look back at some of the more notable games of 2008, and the impact they've had in the ten years since their respective releases. While some of these games became the stepping-stones for something greater--and others have since fallen into obscurity--the impression they left on us is undeniable, and are worth recognition for their tenth anniversary.
Here's a selection of games--in order of their respective releases--that made 2008 a year to remember for us. And if you want to see the biggest games that turned 10 last year, be sure to check out our feature covering the biggest games that turned 10 in 2007.
Burnout Paradise (January 22, 2008)
Vehicular free-roaming games had existed long before 2008, but none had so eloquently blended urban racing with automotive slaughter like Burnout Paradise. In a time when quest-loaded open-world adventures on consoles were about to hit their stride, Burnout Paradise was a rare 40-hour non-RPG that warranted the time and attention of completionists like myself.
Today's racing market--dominated by Need for Speed, Forza, and Codemasters games--skew toward realistic car performance regardless if you prefer arcade or sim controls. Upon firing up Burnout Paradise today, I'm reminded of how its car handling has more in common with Sega arcade games of yore than with more recent racers--titles that are tied to their respective franchise goals of realism and authenticity. Burnout Paradise never had to worry about that, especially when your audience expects quarter-mile-long leaps over cliffs and destructive car chases that can stretch halfway around its 26 square-mile map.
The game's density of goals ensures that the moment you tick off a mission box, you're just blocks away from starting another. The next quest might even come to you, whether a high-value target happens to drive by or someone challenges you to an online match. And the fact that the online servers are still up--rare for a 10-year-old racing game--is a testament to its following and resiliency. Much larger drivable worlds have sprouted up in the last ten years, but none have managed to replicate the happy and balanced marriage of speed and ruination quite like Burnout Paradise, much to the dismay of fans who long for a successor. -- Miguel Concepcion
No More Heroes (JPN December 6 2007; US January 22, 2008)
Killer7 on GameCube was the beginning of a continued fascination with the Goichi Suda (Suda 51) for me, but No More Heroes was the game that sparked that interest and set it aflame. It struck at a high point for Wii software; Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3 were still fresh in our minds. But No More Heroes stood out because of how abrasively different and boisterous it was, at least on the surface level.
Protagonist Travis Touchdown had a raucously ambivalent attitude and an unhealthy obsession with anime girls, and he set out on adventures that were entirely self-serving, involving copious amounts of slaughter and blood. Suda and Grasshopper Manufacture seemed like they were purposefully going out of their way to be lewd on a characteristically family-friendly console. You had to take a dump on the toilet to save your game. You needed to shake your controller vigorously, and suggestively, to charge your beam katana. Double entendres and bad words were doled out like free candy.
It was easy to see all that and dismiss No More Heroes as straight-up crass. And though its combat and the open world had some great ideas, they were admittedly repetitive and bland in the long run, which might not have helped its broader perception. But once you looked just past the facade, there was something extraordinary about No More Heroes. The game's attitude housed unique twists that satirised and denounced conventional storytelling structures, and the whole nature of video games and geek culture in general. At the time, I found it completely fascinating.
Ten years later, there's a laundry list of things that don't fly as well. And though No More Heroes 2 was great, the rest of Grasshopper's output has mostly missed the mark, especially as our culture and video games have developed. But No More Heroes is still a defining moment for games in my eyes, so I'm hoping that the return of No More Heroes for Switch, Travis Strikes Back, will use its intriguing game-within-a-game setting to positively revitalize its satirical spirit. -- Edmond Tran
Rez HD (January 30, 2008)
When Rez debuted on Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade as Rez HD, I was vaguely aware of it--the Dreamcast version never launched in the US, but reading about the Trance Vibrator accessory as a young teen ensured I'd never completely forget the game it accompanied. Early 2008 was still a time where any new XBLA release was an obligatory purchase, and so I somewhat blindly picked up what would go on to become one of my all-time favorite games.
My immediate impressions were underwhelming--sure, it had an interesting look and some stellar music, but the basic gameplay conceit of highlighting enemies and launching attacks seemed exceedingly simple. As the minutes went by, I cranked up the volume higher and higher and noticed how the music was morphing based on how I was playing. Stats presented at the end of a stage detailing the percentage of enemies or power-ups I was able to collect tapped into my competitive side. By Area 4--home to one of the greatest songs in any video game--the level of intensity and synesthesia-esque sensation provided one of the truly memorable experiences I've ever had with a game.
The ensuing spiritual successor, Child of Eden, offered this to some extent, but it couldn't totally recreate what made Rez special. I found myself returning to Rez HD even years later, believing it to be too niche to ever receive any remaster treatment. Cut to almost a decade later, and Rez Infinite shows up to leverage not only modern graphical technology, but also add a VR mode (which justified a PSVR for me) and a new stage (Area X) that provided a greater level of freedom. Now, a full decade-plus later, I still routinely take the game for a spin, and although I dispatch many of its enemies through sheer memorization, it remains quite unlike anything else. -- Chris Pereira
Devil May Cry 4 (February 5, 2008)
Capcom's popular Devil May Cry series is in a class of its own when it comes to delivering fast-paced action and thrills. As an admirer of the series since the first, I've always had a soft spot for the devil-hunting mercenary Dante and his crazy antics. As the Street Fighter of the action genre, DMC is a spectacle to behold in the hands of a skilled player. And while I was never one of those players who was able to juggle multiple enemies at once and execute style switches in rapid fashion, I still found enjoyment from watching other players make magic happen. The DMC community found a lot to love in Devil May Cry 4, and watching what the top players posted online was just as fun as playing the game itself.
When Devil May Cry 4 was announced, Capcom showed brief footage of the game's new main character, Nero, a younger and more gung-ho brawler with a demonic arm that could yank enemies from afar. While I wasn't so keen on this new guy at first, I grew to love his style after getting my hands on him, and he ended up complementing Dante's class-based mechanics. While the community, and its connectedness, came into its own with the fourth game, this particular title was also a bit of a letdown compared to the prequel DMC3. The game featured far more backtracking, and less overall content compared to previous games, which made it the most repetitive of the series. Having said that, DMC4's combat mechanics are incredibly responsive and refined, offering the best action of the series.
Not long after, the community went into meltdown when Ninja Theory's DmC: Devil May Cry reboot was announced--and despite the odds, it ended up being one of the strongest games of the series. Still, the fans kept DMC4 alive and well over the last ten years, and even showed the same enthusiasm for the recent Special Edition release. I'd often revisit the game over the years, and while its blemishes are still noticeable, I can't help but smile at all the cheesy bits and pump my fist when I pull off a slick combo. It's been a while since OG Dante's last outing, and with the rumors of DMC5 happening, now seems like a good time for the devil-hunter and his protege Nero to move on and experience something new. -- Alessandro Fillari
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (JPN January 31, 2008/US March 9, 2008)
Since the debut of Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64, I've become hooked on the franchise. Smash Bros. Melee was my favorite game in the series--and one took over my college life. My friends and I would play the game for hours on end, even skipping classes, just so we could get another match in. When Smash Bros. Brawl was first announced for Wii, I knew I was going to pick it up. As the roster was being revealed, I became more and more excited to get my hands on it. This was going to be the largest Smash roster to date with 35 characters, and the idea of playing as Snake, Sonic, Wolf, or even the Pokemon Trainer had me giddy with excitement.
Once the game came out, however, my reaction wasn't quite as positive towards the changes made. The characters felt a bit "floatier" and as such didn't feel as fluid as Melee did. The game also introduced a tripping mechanic that I felt took away the competitive feel that Melee had established. As time went on, I did change my tune as I grew to enjoy the game more for what it was. While the new mechanics weren't necessarily to my liking, the game at its core was still undeniably fun, and I've come to appreciate the game for its distinct style and charm. -- Gajan Kulasingham
Valkyria Chronicles (April 24, 2008)
Console tactical strategy games, specifically those with settings grounded in reality, have a special place in my heart. The same could also be said of that part of the mid-'00s Sega that was killing it with new franchises: Yakuza, Bayonetta, and Valkyria.
Valkyria Chronicles, the brainchild of the directors behind the Sakura Wars tactics series and the celebrated RPG Skies of Arcadia, remains a beautiful debut. Its seemingly timeless art style, a superb execution of cel-shaded polygons to evoke pencil-drawings and watercolors, is still gorgeous. The setting, a somber, anime-influenced take on Europe during the early stages of World War II, still feels distinct. It tells a sincere story with relatable characters about citizens forced into war to protect their homeland. And its strategic combat system, which mixes top-down, turn-based strategy with third-person, real-time action, is still unique, robust, and satisfying to use.
Its sequels, while competent, never quite lived up to the original for me. The PSP failed to capture the beauty of the visuals, the strategy system felt like it was getting unnecessarily complex, and the stories they told started to get too ambitious and unrelatable for me. Every time I played a new Valkyria Chronicles game, I would inevitably hit a point where I would go back and start another run of the original.
Valkyria Chronicles was remastered for PS4 and PC recently, and it's very much a game that has held up after ten years. It's the only game worth playing or revisiting in anticipation for Valkyria Chronicles 4, due for release in 2018. The upcoming sequel is set in the same timeframe as the original game, so here's hoping Sega remembers what made the first game so special. -- Edmond Tran
Grand Theft Auto IV (April 29, 2008)
Playing the Grand Theft Auto series felt something like a rite of passage back in my day. When GTA III first came out in 2001, I was a freshman in high school, and this game captured the interest of my fellow students. It was the game that every kid played, even when their parents told them not to. I'd eventually plow through GTA III, savor the '80s bliss of Vice City, and stew in the expansiveness of San Andreas--just enjoying the many ways to explore and cause chaos. When Grand Theft Auto IV came around, it was not only the first game on new hardware--showing off new visuals and more convincing storytelling--it was also the first GTA game I played as an adult.
While the previous three games and PSP spin-offs featured a connected story, IV started from scratch. Set in a newly designed Liberty City, it ended up feeling like a reboot for the series. Taking on the role of an eastern-European immigrant named Niko Bellic, the game told a surprisingly subdued and somewhat understated story about an outsider trying to fit in. One of the great strengths of the series is its strong focus on satire, more specifically its critique of American consumerism, greed, and lust for violence. While I caught some of the references and humor in the previous games when I was younger, I'm not ashamed to admit that many of the other critiques flew over my head. While the satire can sometimes have the subtlety of a sledgehammer, many of its jabs at American culture were successful at hitting its mark.
Over the course of the game, GTA IV would grow a bit crazier with its escalating story, but it never quite reached the full-blown absurdity of its predecessors. And you know what? That's OK. If anything, the new approach to storytelling made for far more convincing and impactful sequences, which include the infamous bank heist mission, Three Leaf Clover. While GTA IV didn't have as much to do as its predecessors, it did possess a number of ideas forward looking ideas, such as additional playable characters in the following DLC campaigns, a fairly developed online mode, and a mobile phone that yielded opportunities for side-events. All of which would set the stage for what would be core mechanics in GTA V. Still, I have some fond memories of exploring Liberty City. And I wonder to this day if Niko Bellic is still alive and well in the GTA's world. -- Alessandro Fillari
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots (June 12, 2008)
I never swore at a game as often I as did with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. All the swearing was positive, though; every time there was a callback to a previous Metal Gear game, I couldn't help but react with an ear-to-ear grin, an expletive, a fist pump, or some combination of the three. My eyes grew when I saw the Hind-D wreckage, a callback to the first Metal Gear Solid that was all the more poignant since you never saw the ship crash in the original game.
The worst and best thing about MGS4 is how it cannot be appreciated on its own. Its variety of finely tuned combat mechanics and its dark theme on the proliferation of paramilitary companies are overshadowed by the abundance of exposition to serve and please its long-term fans. To a newcomer who has no context, hearing Big Mama utter, "That's my boy!" to Old Snake sounds like simple encouragement. To a fan, that line is loaded with 50 years' worth of lore, suddenly connecting two characters who never appeared in a game together prior to MGS4. I get a lump in my throat every time I hear it.
MGS4 also exists to tie every major loose end Hideo Kojima unleashed since the original Metal Gear. Resolutions ranged from forced to graceful to inexplicable and many of us fans ate it up, even if we blamed plot issues on nanomachines. In a market where franchises like Halo and Gears of War can potentially outlive its fanfare and leave unresolved narrative threads, it was unreal how many storylines MGS4 resolved. Metal Gear Solid 4 is fan service in its purest form, the likes of which we might never see again. -- Miguel Concepcion
Battlefield: Bad Company (June 23, 2008)
It was a decade ago, but I remember playing the Battlefield: Bad Company beta back in early 2008. I didn't have much experience with previous games in the franchise, as they were focused around PC and I was primarily a console gamer. Right away, from the first match I got into, I remember the multiplayer taking my breath away and showing me something I'd never seen before. Using the power of the Frostbite engine, basically everything in the world could collapse and disintegrate, in turn opening up the battlefield in new and exciting ways. No longer could someone camp in a hideout and live to tell the tale. Just blast them away. Seeing a building collapse and crumble completely changes the way you think in a multiplayer shooter. No area is safe. Danger lurks at every turn. Watching the battlefield change around you as a match progresses afforded a level of dynamism that I hadn't experienced before.
When the game was officially released, however, it was the campaign that really made Battlefield: Bad Company stand out--and it remains one of my favorite Battlefield games to this day. It was the first title in the series to feature a real campaign, and its characters were some of the more memorable and dynamic ones I can remember in a military FPS. The story was praised for its humour, which was a refreshing change of pace from military games that came before it. A sequel was released in 2010, and it was similarly excellent. While I do also enjoy the mainline Battlefield series and logged many hours on Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 1 (sorry, Battlefield Hardline), I think the time is right for the Bad Company sub-brand to return. The newest rumour is that 2018's Battlefield is Bad Company 3, and I could not be more excited. -- Eddie Makuch
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (July 10, 2008)
When Persona 4 first released, it didn't get much recognition. Sure, it had its hardcore fans, but this JRPG released on the outdated PS2 was overlooked. Only in the years following its release was Persona 4 recognized as one of the greatest RPGs on the PS2, if not of all time.
A unique element to Persona is its balance of participating in everyday life while simultaneously dealing with supernatural elements that make up its more traditional RPG gameplay. Participating in every day of a full calendar year lets you experience the daily life of a Japanese high schooler and get an intimate familiarity with the characters. The game focuses heavily on your party member's personal struggles, mirroring what many teenagers go through. Back in 2008, I was the exact same age as the main character, and I was able to see many of my own insecurities represented in the game. In a medium where power fantasies and fantastical heroes are the norm, to see a group of characters go through the same anxiety I had right then created an attachment that no game has ever been able to match.
In the decade since its release, Persona 4 has gotten the recognition it deserved with numerous spin-offs and an enhanced remaster for the PS Vita, which would be my recommended version to play. Its sequel, Persona 5, has made vast improvements to the series formula and a cast of characters that stand on their own. But as great as that game is, it's still no Persona 4 for me. The circumstances in which I played Persona 4 will never be recreated. It was there in a time when I needed it, and that's why it's one of my favorite games of all time. -- Jean-Luc Seipke
Braid (August 6, 2008)
Jonathan Blow busted onto the scene as a prominent independent game developer when Braid released in 2008, and for good reason. It was one of the early hits that thrusted indie games into the mainstream via Xbox Live Arcade, but Braid turned out to be much more than that for those who connected with the game's themes and gameplay. Braid plays like a 2D side-scrolling platformer but mixes in the ability to reverse time that affects objects and enemies in clever ways. In your effort to piece together protagonist Tim's past and search for a mysterious princess, you rack your brain to solve the numerous puzzles and execute perfectly timed jumps onto platforms and atop enemies. If you happen to fall to your death, just reverse time and try again in a matter of seconds.
As you progress through Braid, the layers of lessons learned along the way stack, and you're constantly challenged to use what you know in new ways. Keys tucked away in hard-to-reach ledges unlock doors to make it through levels, but the collectable puzzle pieces paint the picture of a man who lost control of his personal and professional life. The sparse, yet affecting story is arguably one of Braid's strongest aspects.
Storytelling in independent games was still in a sort of infancy in 2008, but Braid set an example for how smaller games can tell bigger stories. The overarching plot is open to interpretations, even with the extensive post-game texts, but in its final moments, Braid subverts expectations to leave a lasting impact. What starts out lighthearted becomes increasingly foreboding as to earn the final twist and completely flip your interpretation of who you thought Tim and the princess were. A beautiful soundtrack that borrows elements of traditional Celtic folk music to drive home the heartfelt journey further supports Braid's tale. -- Michael Higham
Too Human (August 19, 2008)
Too Human isn't necessarily something worth going back to, and it also wasn't exactly praised as a worthwhile game when it released in 2008. It turned out to be a fairly middling third-person action RPG, and in the words of GameSpot reviewer Kevin VanOrd, "It will lift you up only to continually let you down." Too Human tells the story of Norse mythology in a dystopian sci-fi setting, but its threads are wholly incomplete. Regardless, the systems made for fun combat scenarios, and co-op highlighted those moments. So, why is Too Human worth mentioning? Developer Silicon Knights and Epic Games (makers of Unreal Engine) went into one of the more wild legal disputes in modern gaming history.
Silicon Knights first sued Epic for "failure to provide a working game engine" in July 2007. However, Epic struck back with a counter-suit a month later claiming that both parties were fully aware that features of the engine were still in development and that Silicon Knights violated the license agreement by modifying the engine and sharing technology with Sega. It wouldn't be until five years after Too Human's release that the case would be resolved; In 2012, Epic won the suit on grounds that Silicon Knights committed "copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of contract." As a result, Silicon Knights was ordered to destroy all its tech and code that was derived from Unreal Engine 3 and give Epic access to company devices to make sure this happened. This meant that any unsold copies of Too Human (and other titles using UE3 tech) had to be destroyed as well.
The studio went defunct after filing bankruptcy two years later. Luckily, if you really wanted to play this lacking action RPG, used copies are out there for cheap despite the obliteration of copies and its code. It may have been more or less erased from the games market, but the circumstances in which Too Human existed is a story that left a more lasting impression than the game itself. -- Michael Higham
Dead Space (October 20, 2008)
The first Dead Space was a bold and unexpected move from publisher Electronic Arts, which was not typically known to dabble in survival-horror games. When I first watched footage of the game on GameSpot back in 2008, it seemed like an Alien-inspired Resident Evil 4 clone, but as I watched further, I was quickly enthralled by its chilling atmosphere, sleek UI, and inventive combat mechanics. As an avid fan of survival-horror games, I knew I had to play it; but after spending all the money I had on Metal Gear Solid 4 and a DualShock 3 controller that year, I was flat-out broke. Luckily, my brother's friend had a copy I could borrow.
I have fond memories of my first playthrough of Dead Space; its setting and atmosphere affected me in ways I find hard to forget. I often remember how frigid the USG Ishimura seemed, which felt amplified by the chilly weather outside during the time of year I was playing. A cold sweat covered my hands as I tightly gripped my controller, anticipating how I'd strategically dismember the next necromorph waiting to ambush me. I even recall consciously avoiding playing the game at night; the darkness I'd glimpse through my room's shutter blinds seemed like endless black voids, which made my trek through hallways into the unknown feel all the more haunting.
Dead Space was a terrifying survival-horror game like no other in 2008. To this day, the game remains one of my all-time favorites in the genre. While its sequels don't quite live up to its brilliance, don't let that deter you from jumping into this one. It's well worth it for the gruesome frights and action-packed dismemberment. -- Matt Espineli
Far Cry 2 (October 21, 2008)
Today, the Far Cry series revels in allowing its players to explore exotic open worlds in over-the-top fashion--oftentimes with hilarious results. However, there was one game that did something a bit different, telling a story that was tonally unlike the original PC game and its console oriented spin-offs featuring a super-powered Jack Carver. As the first sequel, and also first true open-world game of the series, Far Cry 2 gave off a sense of weight that's still left an impression on me. Focusing on the exploits of a foreign mercenary in the African wilderness, you're quickly caught up in a brutal faction war while on the hunt for an infamous arms dealer named The Jackal--who actively sows the seeds of chaos in the isolated country. Oh yeah, and the main character is slowly dying from malaria.
Instead of the B-movie schlockly tone of its predecessor, Far Cry 2's story focused on the hardships of a country caught in a civil-war, offering some of the most harrowing and even nihilistic moments of the series. FC2 would go on to set standard for open-world action in a the series, such as invading enemy bases and taking on missions with your AI buddy character in tow, and it did it in a way that expressed a level of earnestness that the series hasn't seen since. The sequel also added in a stark difficulty spike due to its focus on realism that made the previous games feel like they were on training wheels. In a lot of cases, I was gunned down after forgetting that weapons often jam, and that enemies are far more cunning than in the average FPS.
To say that Far Cry 2 sticks out from the rest of the series would be an understatement. Its silent main character has to deal with the reality of existing in a space where the political conflict forces civilians into the crossfire, with many of the most important characters--the ones that can actually stop it all--weighing the cost of their lives over a pile of conflict diamonds. I'd often wonder if I was making this place worse by trying to carry out my own mission, like I was the lever for an ever-turning meat-grinder. At the time of playing this game, I was still in college, and one of my classes brought up the subject of the systemic disruption of Central and Northern Africa's society from outside influences. It didn't take long for me to understand where Far Cry 2 was coming from after its bleak conclusion. And that's really something I haven't really felt from another game since. -- Alessandro Fillari
Fallout 3 (October 28, 2008)
Having a video game, movie, or book set in your city is not uncommon, but when you're presented with a post-apocalyptic version of a town you know, the imagery takes on new weight. As a kid growing up in Maryland, I had innumerable school field trips and other excursions into DC, so seeing a bombed-out version of the US capitol immediately grabbed my attention. Museums I had visited, streets I had walked, buildings where my own father had worked--these were shown in a post-war light that rendered them both familiar and unrecognizable.
A setting can only get you so far, and that's where Fallout 3's incredibly engaging story and mechanics come into play. An RPG providing you with guns and improvised weapons is nothing new, but the brutality here makes them feel that much more powerful. Mad Max was clearly an influence on Fallout 3, and it shows in the combat and the amateurly constructed weapons you take into battle. It was definitely one of the goriest games of '08--and your view of the blood splatter got almost too close for comfort thanks to the game's VATS system.
Outside of combat, your actions and dialogue choices could completely change the course of the story. These branching paths weren't new--BioWare had already done it a few times--but choosing a side is a theme that carried forward into both New Vegas and Fallout 4, growing in scope each time. The open-endedness of quests also blew my high-school mind. On a second or third playthrough, I stumbled into Raven Rock hours before the story had intended me to, effectively cutting the main quests in half. You wouldn't know any better if it were to happen on your first experience, but having been through the game before, I was amazed that it allowed for such exploration. To this day, exploring every interesting-looking corner of the map is a habit I happily cannot break. -- Tony Wilson
Call of Duty: World At War (November 11, 2008)
Call of Duty: World at War is my favorite COD game. It's almost certainly not the best--its campaign could not match the thrills of its predecessor, Modern Warfare, and its multiplayer was a little unbalanced--but it's my favorite, because it brought so many of my friends together.
I was still in school in 2008, and a large portion of my friends group had bought PS3s and Xbox 360s, so I frequently had a dozen or so friends online at the same time, all playing the latest Call of Duty. Luckily, World at War was also the first in the series to include Nazi Zombies--the perfect, ridiculous mode for a group of teenage boys to bond.
We bought all the map packs, played every night, and had an amazing time doing so. As Call of Duty got bigger and we got older, people started dropping off, foregoing Black Ops or Modern Warfare 2 in favor of, I don't know, alcohol or something. Despite this, World at War will forever be cemented in my memory as a magical time in my life, where socializing was frequent and easy, and included pack-a-punched weapons and exploding zombie heads. Doesn't it just bring a tear to your eye? -- Oscar Dayus
Mirror's Edge (November 11, 2008)
The original Mirror's Edge was a critical hit when it landed in 2008, but sadly, its striking presentation and unique gameplay didn't translate to commercial success. Nevertheless, soaring stories above city streets from one alabaster rooftop to the next was a thrill no other game could match, and for many of us, our memories of Mirror's Edge feel just as fresh today as the day we made them; neither time nor an open-world sequel could make us forget the first time we took a leap of Faith.
I came to Mirror's Edge during my first year covering games, back when I was an assistant video producer. I had the simple job of capturing gameplay video of EA's experimental parkour game, but what began as a routine capture session grew into a short-term obsession, and a long-term appreciation for Mirror's Edge's unique accomplishments. Far more for my own satisfaction than my manager's, I couldn't rest until I'd perfected the few levels I set out to capture. Run after run, I continued to identify and fix flaws in my approach, and take advantage of new opportunities that revealed themselves to my ever-more trained eye. I was already impressed by the first-person platforming and the clever ways one high-flying maneuver connected to the other, but after coming to grips with how Mirror's Edge worked, I was able to define my own approach to virtual parkour, and appreciate it on an entirely different level.
I look back on Mirror's Edge as a game that was far ahead of its time, but one that came at the right time for me. Whether or not the sequel from a couple of years ago proves that the concept was nothing more than a one-hit wonder, I'm okay if EA puts the series to bed indefinitely. I don't need a new Mirror's Edge, I only need the Mirror's Edge that struck a chord with me, the unsuspecting player, ten long years ago. -- Peter Brown
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (November 13, 2008)
It had been four years since I was introduced to the world of Azeroth, and Blizzard's MMO wasn't showing signs of slowing down, especially after the release of its first expansion, The Burning Crusade. Even after defeating Illidan Stormrage, I was definitely not prepared for what was around the corner with the game's next expansion, Wrath of The Lich King, which gave me and everyone else a shot at Arthas still sitting high atop his frozen throne.
Once I managed to wait through the server queue and the crashes, I was finally ready to take my Night Elf Rogue, Philanthropy, and board the boat from Stormwind to the Borean Tundra. I didn't realize it at the time, but more was changing than just the expansion for me. I ended up transferring servers later that week.
This expansion ended up being one of the more interesting times in my Warcrafting career. The biggest changes were leaving my guild of 300+ active members (we had two 40- raids back in vanilla; it was nuts), transferring to a different server, and undergoing a faction change/realizing my full potential and becoming the world's edgiest Undead Rogue. It was a whole new experience that showed me a side of World of Warcraft I didn't know existed. Even with all the changes I still had a great time clearing through dungeon and raid content with the new friends I'd made.
I still look fondly back on late-night runs of Naxxramas, defeating the Old God Yogg-Saron in Ulduar, and eventually getting taken out by the Lich King and watching Tirion Fordring steal our kill. It's these memories and many more that make me realize just how great Wrath of the Lich King really was. It was the height of the game's popularity for a reason. -- Ben Janca
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (November 16, 2008)
Many remember Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe as the game that toned down the series' iconic violence, but when it launched in 2008, it gave the series its groove back. Sure, fatalities and over-the-top gore are an integral part of the Mortal Kombat formula, but this was the first time in years where I felt like I was playing a classic Mortal Kombat. It was still on a 3D plane, but for the most part, it felt like those first three games. As a Scorpion player, I was ecstatic to see the return of back, back, low punch (only '90s kids will remember this). Additionally, seeing some of my favorite superheroes stand in for some of my favorite Mortal Kombat characters was an absolute treat--Batman used his smoke bombs and disappearing act as if he was Smoke, while The Flash tripped up his opponents with his Kabal-like speed.
In addition to the excellent fighting gameplay, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was the first to feature NetherRealm's trademark story template. For those who aren't familiar, it's basically a movie in which you take part in a couple dozen fights with gameplay and cutscenes transitioning seamlessly between each other. It kicked off a period in which NetherRealm not only made my favorite fighting games, but also some of my favorite single-player experiences. On top of that, it's used the story template in every one of its games since and has even pushed other fighting game developers to follow suit with cinematic story modes now being featured in games like Street Fighter V, Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, and Tekken 7.
The Mortal Kombat series may not have regained all of its footing until 2011's simply titled Mortal Kombat, but it was Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe that planted the seeds for that comeback. And despite NetherRealm putting out four arguably better fighting games since then, I'll still go back from time to time to play a few matches and remind myself of how it all started. -- Mat Paget
Focusing on the trials of four unique protagonists--a biker, a vietnam veteran, a college student, and a retail salesman--the group would travel through several zombie-infested cities that offered randomized encounters thanks to the game's AI director. While players came in expecting a fun co-op zombie-shooter, my friends and I ended up getting an intense online bonding experience. Playing through Left 4 Dead's stages, which switched up set-pieces depending on your performance, resulted in us watching everyone's back closely to ensure we were in good shape. Because if it wasn't the AI zombie horde that got us, it'd be the cunning special monsters controlled by enemy players, such as The Smoker, a hacking and wheezing undead, who'd tangle survivors with its tongue and drag them into a dark alley to be swarmed by other zombies.
By far, the most iconic level of the series is No Mercy. This first stage was the most pure and representative of what people can expect from the game. Starting out on the roof of an apartment building, you'd slowly work your way down through its many rooms to the streets below. Your only hope for survival is a helicopter located on the rooftop of a nearby hospital. Making it there alive would be an exercise in teamwork and patience, while also keeping a quick finger on the trigger. For me, Left 4 Dead wasn't really about the action in a zombie shooter.
Rather, it was a more affecting and tense experience to see if you could work well with others under pressure--something I still admire about the game to this day. -- Alessandro Fillari
A new sale on Xbox One and Xbox 360 games is live on the Microsoft Store. You can find the full details here, but we've sorted through the offers and selected the highlights below. Note that some of the deals require you to have an Xbox Live Gold subscription, while others are available to everyone. The sale ends July 9, so don't wait too long to purchase any games that catch your eye.
For starters, there's a big sale on Mega Man games. With the 11th core installment in this long-running franchise coming out later this year, now's a good time to catch up on the these older Blue Bomber games. Mega Man Legacy Collection, which contains the first six games in the series, is on sale for $6. Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 completes the main series, with installments 7-10.
The throwback 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee is on sale for $13 this week. Song of the Deep is Insomniac's take on the Metroidvania genre, and it's on sale for just $4. If you want to know what happens when you combine Metroidvania level design with pinball, you can scoop up Yoku's Island Express for $15.
Sports fans who can peel themselves away from the World Cup long enough to play a game can pick up FIFA 18 for $20. Or, if you'd prefer a vehicular take on soccer, you can grab Rocket League for $10 (it's also free to play this weekend on Xbox One and Steam).
We have more highlights from this week's Xbox One and Xbox 360 sale below. Now get out there and save some money.
Bandai Namco released a new story trailer for the company's upcoming action-RPG Code Vein. The trailer focuses on Mia Karnstein, one of the Revenants who can accompany the player throughout the game as a "buddy." These Revenants, vampiric humans who gain power in exchange for lost memories and a lust for blood, have their own quest lines and stories. Moments in Code Vein's story can change depending on which Revenant the player chooses to travel with and help.
As the player journeys through Vein, which has collapsed beneath the Thorns of Judgment and been overrun with The Lost, they'll begin to discover how the world fell into such a sorry state. Vein is a dark world that will challenge player's skills, much like Dark Souls, which is also published by Bandai Namco.
Code Vein's new trailer primarily catches us up to speed on who Mia Karnstein is. Her motive for fighting is to protect her younger brother Nicolas, who appears to suffer the same affliction as the other Revenants. In the trailer, we also get to see Mia fight with her rifle and bayonet against The Lost, as well as her long metal stinger that's unique to her character.
Though it hasn't been confirmed if The Lost, former humans who lost their humanity, are simply Revenants who have given up too many memories, such an explanation might explain why Mia is traveling through Vein. Perhaps she is seeking a cure for her younger brother before he becomes like the monsters she's forced to kill.
Code Vein is scheduled to release on September 27 in Japan and worldwide on September 28. The game is launching on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Talking to Chris Zimmerman, Sucker Punch co-founder and programmer on Ghost of Tsushima, it's clear his latest game is a dream project that's given purpose to his innate passion for Japanese history. The upcoming PS4 game is based on an actual 13th-century Mongol invasion that serves as catalyst for the fictional hero's transformation from quintessential samurai to scrappy shadow warrior.
According to Zimmerman, Sucker Punch has gone to considerable lengths to study the island of Tsushima and understand its past, and he believes eagle-eyed historians will appreciate the numerous authentic touches throughout--details so subtle as to be lost on the average player, but details deemed important nonetheless.
As jazzed as Zimmerman is about these efforts, he's also confident that it's worth taking creative liberties to make Ghost of Tsushima as relatable as possible. Thanks to comics, games, and movies, people have an idea of what samurai are supposed to look like, and this is what Sucker Punch is aiming for. Think the characters we've seen thus far are wearing authentic 13th century samurai armor? Not so, according to Zimmerman.
In the excerpt from our E3 2018 interview below, Zimmerman further explores the reasoning behind the team's selective commitment to fact, and identifies some aspects of the game that have been moulded to fit mainstream expectations of samurai.
GameSpot: What's the balance of historical accuracy in Ghost of Tsushima?
Zimmerman: The way I think about it is: we're going to deviate from historical truth, we just want to do it intentionally. A lot of the support we get from our friends from Sony in Japan, and our Japanese friends in Sony US, and all the cultural consultants we've assembled to help us do this stuff, is to make sure we don't deviate accidentally. There are things we are going to do that are different and we want to choose those wisely.
There are places where we're really pretty true, right? Like if we're putting birds in the game, they're Japanese birds. Brad Meyer, our sound lead, took a trip to Japan to capture the actual sounds of things in nature… It's an awesome game to work on because it lets us do this cool stuff. So, stuff like that is going to be perfect, like the statues that you see in the temple, in the demo, those are actual 13th-century statues.
And then there are things where, well, there's some stuff where the consultants help us not make mistakes. If anyone asked that question, I probably gave the example of us rewriting that scene, with Jin and Masako, when they meet. Originally we wrote it as, "Hello, Jin." Ryuhei, our producer, said, "Yeah, Japanese people don't say that. She would just say, 'Jin.'" Little stuff like that, just to make sure that if you're a Japanese speaker or if you're Japanese, you don't snag on stuff.
In terms of how they fought, what they wore, it doesn't match your expectations. So we're not sticking exactly to the historical truth of Kamakura-era samurai. It's gonna be a little different.
I asked him another one today, I was like "Ryuhei, in the English version the horse is named Nobu--a Japanese name--[so]why is it that when we did it in Japanese they changed the name?" He said, "Oh, we didn't change the name, you just don't give horses names in Japan; that's an American thing." So when he calls the horse, [Jin] says, "Hey, over here," and the horse comes. He doesn't give him a name.
Things like that are going to fly over most players, and that's okay. Knowing that we're trying to get that stuff right, and knowing there are people that notice and appreciate that the Kanji are actual 13th century Kanji, that actually is why we're doing it. I think people not necessarily seeing those details or realizing the lengths we've gone to to make sure it's true at where we want it to be true, they still benefit because it just adds a level of coherence to the whole thing, that it's not made up.
The challenge for us, making a game, in an original story but taking place in a real historical time, is making sure we're telling a story that people can relate to, you know, that they can empathize with. So when we are deviating from this historical truth, we are doing it to stop you from snagging on stuff.
If you have an idea about what samurai look like or how they act or how they think we're going to give that to you. Most people's idea is really based on an idea of samurai which is really more of a 16th-, 17th-, 18th-century idea of samurai; 13th century, historically, is pretty different. In terms of how they fought, what they wore, it doesn't match your expectations. So we're not sticking exactly to the historical truth of Kamakura-era samurai. It's gonna be a little different. The armor that you see him wear, it's not 13th century armor. It's more warring states period armor. Because, honestly, the 13th century armor is pretty jarring looking, it's not what you'd expect. It's really boxy. It doesn't look aspirational. And we wanna make sure that what we give you is your fantasy of what being a wandering samurai is.
How do you manage the realities of fighting with a Katana while making a video game that's not Bushido Blade?
We tried it both ways. The truth is, if you ever pick up a katana and you actually hold it in your hands, you realize how dangerous it is. It's sharp, and it's kind of scary to hold one. If you get hit with a katana for real, unless it's just a nick, the fight's over. True, historic fighting styles are built around that idea. The ancient fighting style expert that comes and helps us, and does mo-cap, has been really helpful in helping us find that balance, where there is a historical basis to how you move.
The movement style for Jin, when he's fighting, is actually pretty grounded, and wasn't necessarily what we would have done to begin with. He helped us find the right style and to identify what in the movement of the characters makes them feel like samurai, and what do we do with the mongols, who move very differently--he's also an expert in ancient mongolian combat, by the way--so that also helped us make sure that you can feel the difference in this clash of cultures show up in the fights that you have.
But, there are things that Jin does when you're fighting that no samurai would ever do. He does spin strikes, which are fun, they're very showy, they are completely… you would never do that [in real life]. You would never turn your back. There are things that he does even right now that we may continue to edit as we look for that balance. We'll see if we can find the best of both worlds, where it's as real as it can be while still being a video game.
We've tried versions of the game where it's all one-hit kills, and it's not as much fun to play. It's not just about your expectations of what a samurai is, which are really more formed by watching movies than by careful academic study. It's also, whether people know it or not, people's experience playing games--samurai games, fighting games, or whatever sort--your expectations are kind of set by that. So we have to play within that set of expectations to make you [think], "I feel like a samurai!" You don't want it to be jarring, you want it to be natural. There are so many natural barriers between you and this time-machine experience that we're going for, that we have to be careful to take all the barriers that we can get rid of and get rid of them.
Fortnite: Battle Royale has gained another new mode, as the Playground LTM (limited-time mode) is now live. The mode first launched a few days ago, but was taken down soon after due to server problems. Thankfully, the issues have now been resolved, and the mode is available to play on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.
Unlike previous limited-time modes, Playground is intended to be a "low-pressure environment" that acts much like a private server. It allows players to explore the map and play around with up to three friends, free from the risk of being eliminated by other people.
Each Playground match lasts for one hour, and the storm circle won't begin closing in on the map until 55 minutes have passed. Friendly fire is enabled, although players will respawn immediately unless eliminated by the storm. There's also much more loot to find.
Meanwhile Fortnite has another content update available now. It adds the Drum Gun for Battle Royale and Stink Bomb for Save the World, as well as special American-themed cosmetics in celebration of the United States' Independence Day, July 4.
Finally, Season 5 of Fortnite is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 12, at 1 AM PDT / 4 AM EDT / 9 AM BST / 6 PM AET. In the meantime, players can still complete this season's challenges to level up their Battle Pass and unlock any remaining rewards. If you need help completing the challenges, be sure to check out our full Season 4 challenge guide.
It's July, which means we've finally hit the second half of 2018. Summer usually has a reputation for being a rather dry period for exciting games, but this month looks to have some interesting titles to keep you busy during the warm and sunny days. In the month of July, there's a surprising amount of remasters and re-releases looking to find new homes on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One--which includes Sonic Mania Plus and the cleverly named Red Faction: Guerilla Re-Mars-tered Edition. While remasters and ports are common, July certainly has them in healthy abundance.
Along with these remasters, we also have the first-time releases of Octopath Traveler and The Banner Saga 3, which should keep RPG and strategy fans engaged for quite sometime. For a more in-depth look at all the most notable games coming this year, check out our more detailed list of releases here.
Octopath Traveler (Nintendo Switch) -- July 13
Set for release on July 13 for the Switch, Octopath Traveler is Square-Enix's long-awaited return to classic 2D RPG gameplay that fans have been yearning for. With a visual style that recreates those familiar old-school graphics for the HD era, you'll band together a party of heroes, level up, and do battle with bandits and other monsters in a world of myth and mystery.
Sonic Mania Plus (Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One) -- July 17
Coming almost a year after the original release, Sonic Mania Plus plans to offer new and returning players alike the purest form of classic Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay. Coming to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One on July 17, Sega's next big return to traditional Sonic action will include new levels, more secrets, and two additional characters in the form of Mighty the Armadillo, and Ray the Flying Squirrel--both of whom have been long absent since their appearance in the arcade-only release of SegaSonic the Hedgehog.
The Banner Saga 3 (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One) -- July 24
Starting out as a Kickstarter success story, The Banner Saga series has grown from crowdfunding hopeful to a game series with a passionate following. With the third installment now approaching its release, the developers behind the punishing RPG aim to give the main story a fitting conclusion, while also offering far more challenging battles and tough decisions to make in order to stay alive in the harsh environment.
We learned more about Code Vein ahead of its release date on September 14 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, while someone has created PT for PC.
No comments:
Post a Comment