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Claim Distant Space for free via Steam and keep it forever in your Steam library! Distant Space is a small ... View the full article

Retro tag team beat ‘em up Marvel Comic Invasion finally has a launch date, and two more heroes join the fray: Phoenix and Iron Man. Marvel Cosmic Invasion launches on December 1. Living up to the game’s title, Phoenix is the cosmic alter ego of the X-Men’s Jean Grey, whose telekinetic mutant powers are substantially enhanced by the powerful celestial entity, the Phoenix Force. You’ve probably never heard of Iron Man, but he’s supposed to be pretty cool too. See them in action in the trailer and screenshots below. These latest additions fill out the roster of 15 playable heroes fighting to take down the game’s main villain, Annihilus. Here are the other confirmed characters: Beta-Ray Bill Black Panther Captain America Cosmic Ghost Rider Nova Phyla-Vell Rocket Raccoon She-Hulk Silver Surfer Spider-Man Storm Venom Wolverine Developed by Tribute Games (TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Scott Pilgrim EX) and published by Dotemu (Absolum, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound), Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a co-op brawler with a tag-team twist, as each player controls two heroes they swap between on the fly. The game is coming to current and last-generation PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch platforms as well as PC. You can read our hands-on preview to learn more. View the full article

Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2 Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: PopCap Games Release: October 23, 2025 When Plants vs. Zombies released in 2009, it was a continuation of what PopCap had proven itself to be so good at with games like Bejeweled and Peggle: mechanically simple games with inviting visuals that appealed to everyone. Plants vs. Zombies was arguably its biggest swing by exploring tower defense, a niche genre typically played by strategy fans. The gamble paid off, however, and Plants vs. Zombies was successfully ported to many platforms and remains the developer’s most popular franchise. It may be known as a multiplayer shooter by younger fans today, but the original strategy game has always (easily) been my favorite use of the Plants and Zombie characters. And the remake is faithful to that original game, sometimes to a fault. If you only know the shooter, the original Plants vs. Zombies is a simplified tower defense game where the player defends against encroaching zombies on the right side of the screen by placing a series of offensive and defensive plants on the left. The grid is small, the choices are limited but impactful, and the tone is comedic. For Replanted, the game hasn't been radically redesigned, and I appreciate that. The original game has always been smart, simple, and well-balanced, and that remains true here. In fact, the biggest and most welcome gameplay change is the ability to hasten the action up to 2.5x speed with the press of a button at any time. I love this option and now can’t imagine playing Plants vs. Zombies without it. It makes the waiting in the early part of each match move much faster, and when you hit the late-game of each level, where you have a dozen or more plants firing off at full power, it is incredibly satisfying to sit back and watch the action ramp up at high speed. I also appreciate how the speed can be adjusted with ease. I would usually start at a high pace, slow things down to normal in the middle, and then bump it back up near the end. It makes an already smooth game even smoother. Replanted's deference to the original, however, occasionally reminds us that it is based on a game that is more than 15 years old and was originally designed for mobile devices. Many elements of the UI are outdated and look a little cheap. Selecting units doesn’t feel great, and sometimes I would lose sight of what I was selecting. I also hit some visual bugs, like my wallet not being displayed when shopping in Dave’s store or misaligned layers during gameplay. They’re the kind of bugs that do not ultimately interfere with action, but they are distracting. I had fun playing through the core campaign again, but there is also an impressive number of new, very challenging modes available for those who have mastered the game. Lots of the minigames and puzzle modes from the various versions of the game through the years are also present here, leading to a full suite of offerings if you make it through the main game quickly (which you probably will because it’s good and hard to put down). Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is a great and faithful remake of an excellent, simple, and now classic game. The new animations and character designs are also wonderful, without changing what made them so memorable to begin with. It’s all a pleasant reminder of a different era for PopCap Games and mobile games in general, where monetization rarely extended beyond the premium price of purchasing a game, which allowed the creators to focus on the core experience while keeping it light and simple. Replanted makes me pine for that era, but also grateful that this revisitation of the original game has been handled with such reverence and care. The Switch 2 EdgePlaying Plants vs. Zombies with a controller works just fine (though I highly recommend turning up the cursor speed), but it’s hard not to recognize that the game was originally built with mouse or touch controls in mind. Along with the game finally being available on a Switch platform, the Switch 2 version offers you all three control options without ever having to enter a menu. You can play with a controller, use the touch-screen in handheld mode, or use a Joy-Con 2 as a mouse. And it looks and runs great, making the Switch 2 version, arguably, the definitive version of the game. Score: 8 About Game Informer's review system View the full article

Reviewed on: PC Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: Futurlab Developer: Futurlab Release: October 23, 2025 Rating: Everyone When I was a child, I rushed to get my chores done so I could fire up my favorite video games. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would devote so much time to a game about doing chores. PowerWash Simulator 2 expands on the gameplay and map design of FuturLab’s surprising 2022 hit, creating an experience that is at once arduous, time-consuming, and repetitive. But as I watched the dirt and grime melt away from the various surfaces over tens of hours, I had a constant feeling of satisfaction. Like its predecessor, PowerWash Simulator 2 places you in absurdly filthy environments and tasks you with using your high-powered hose to make the area look as good as new. The career mode spans 38 levels, each focused on jobs of varying scopes, with some featuring multiple stages. Over the course of more than 20 hours of gameplay, I cleaned scooters, bathrooms, playgrounds, gas stations, mansions, airships, and a lot more. Thanks to the improved visual fidelity, I relished the transformation of the environment, though I would have enjoyed more realistic water physics; when you spray dirt at the top of the wall, it doesn’t run down the surface, it just vanishes. Though I played solo for the majority of my time with PowerWash Simulator 2, these missions are made more manageable through co-op with up to four players. Thankfully, this iteration adds shared progression, meaning players who go into another cleaner’s session receive credit for jobs they complete, allowing them to skip that job in their career mode save file. This goes a long way towards reducing repetitiveness as you progress through the career. The gameplay is consistent as you work through the levels, but the jobs are varied and, at times, daunting. I sometimes didn’t realize what I was getting myself into when I said “just one more,” like when I took a job that required me to clean a target-rich carnival shooting gallery. The larger jobs took me upwards of an hour and a half when playing solo, which caused tedium to set in. That sense of tedium, when combined with how laser-focused you need to be, often led me to feel more exhausted than I have with other games when I emerged from a marathon session. This entry adds a ton of new tools at your disposal, including an improved soap sprayer that loosens dirt, a wide area-of-effect surface cleaner, new lifts to help reach higher areas, and additional upgradeable washers and nozzles. I enjoyed choosing the correct nozzle for the range and dirt depth and methodically going from segment to segment until every piece of the larger puzzle was spotless. As you finish an area, it blinks with a dopamine-producing ding, and I appreciate that the threshold for what constitutes 100-percent clean has been tuned; you are much less likely to get stuck trying to find a tiny remaining speck of dirt to finish a job in the sequel. However, on the few occasions when I couldn’t find the final section to clean before wrapping up a job, I could easily pull up the checklist and set a waypoint. PowerWash Simulator 2’s career mode features a narrative told through texts and environmental storytelling. While I was often amused by the exchanges that popped up in the corner of the screen, they were entirely inconsequential to my experience. I was mildly intrigued by the mysteries that unfolded throughout the loose narrative, but I was so focused on the job at hand that I typically would forget there was a story at all until the next beat hit. PowerWash Simulator 2 is a perfect game to play while you listen to music, an audiobook, or a podcast, as the sound effects amount to little more than white noise over the course of any given job. PowerWash Simulator 2 is a very specific kind of game that will appeal to a very specific kind of audience. If you’re the kind of person who spends your evenings watching videos of things being cleaned or organized, you’ll likely enjoy an interactive version of that. However, if you prefer your action heavy or your systems robust, you might find yourself bored or restless. Though I fall more into that latter category, I felt an undeniable satisfaction each time I completed a job, which serves as a highlight to the overall package. Score: 7.5 About Game Informer's review system View the full article

Over 40% of adolescent gamers in the US avoid media depicting women in a "stereotypical and harmful way", according to a new study. Read more View the full article

Ubisoft has announced a "restructuring proposal" for its RedLynx studio. Read more View the full article

Tero Virtala has stepped down as Remedy CEO with immediate effect. Read more View the full article

Microsoft has reportedly hiked up the cost of its Xbox Series X/S dev kits (XDK) from $1500 to $2000. Read more View the full article

12 Welsh game studios have collectively secured over £580,000 (c.$775,000) to "help them to develop innovative video games and immersive experiences for commercial release." Read more View the full article

We are so stoked to reveal that Dragon Quest VII Reimagined will grace the cover of the December issue of Game Informer magazine! Subscribe today to receive this issue when it launches digitally on November 4, with physical issues hitting mailboxes in the weeks following. Like all subscribers, you'll also receive complete access to all our digital archive of past Game Informer issues to explore at your leisure. Today is a very special day for Game Informer, too, because this is the first time ever (somehow) that we've had a Dragon Quest game on the cover in our more than 30 years of history. This issue highlights both Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and, in a feature accompanying the cover story, the history of the Dragon Quest franchise, going all the way back to 1986. This issue's cover image showcases the new and, dare we say, reimagined look of Dragon Quest VII in this new remake from Square Enix. Square Enix worked with a local premium doll maker to create real-life dolls of the protagonist Hero and their accompanying party, and then scanned them into the game. This approach, alongside the team's work to recreate Estard and the surrounding locales to resemble handcrafted dioramas, gives the entire package a cozy and unique look. That's reflected in the cover image below, which features Prince Kiefer, Hero, and Maribel trying to avoid the gaze of a dangerous golem. For the story itself, video editor Alex Van Aken and I traveled to Tokyo, Japan, to visit Square Enix's new Shibuya office, play the game for a few hours, and interview the team behind it. We also interviewed a key figure of this long-running franchise for more than 90 minutes, but you'll have to wait a bit longer to hear more about that! We have plenty more to say when the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined issue launches digitally next month, as we'll be posting exclusive articles and videos all month long, but it's safe to say we had a great time and are looking forward to sharing more about this remake. Be sure to visit Game Informer on November 4 for the full issue launch, where we'll reveal the other features, previews, and reviews appearing in the magazine. Visit us here to subscribe to Game Informer and receive 10 magazine issues each year, physical and digital, delivered to your door. Is there anything particular about Dragon Quest VII Reimagined you hope to learn more about? Let us know in the comments below and we'll take that into account as we continue to plan out our coverage of the game for the month of November. View the full article

The Sims Mobile will be sunset on January 20, 2026, Electronic Arts has announced. Read more View the full article

Rovio has announced layoffs affecting 36 employees in response to Angry Birds Dream Blast underperforming. Read more View the full article

Nintendo has announced a second Kirby Air Riders Direct, and it's happening this week. More specifically, the "Kirby Air Riders Direct 2," as Nintendo calls it, will begin at 6 a.m. PT/9 a.m. ET on Thursday, October 23, and feature roughly 60 minutes of information about the game. Like the first one that aired in August, Kirby Air Riders director Masahiro Sakurai will host the presentation. During the last direct, we learned more about the game's roster, which includes Kirby, Meta Knight, Waddle Dee, King Deedeedee, and many more, the second button players can use in the game, two gameplay modes, and the November 20 release date. As for what to expect during this second direct, it's anybody's guess. Of course, there's still plenty to learn about the game but considering the August direct lasted 45 minutes, we've already learned so much about Kirby Air Riders. Nonetheless, we'll be tuning in this Thursday. What do you hope to learn about Kirby Air Riders during this Direct? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Developer: Team Ninja, Platinum Games Release: October 20, 2025 Ninja Gaiden 4 is about as pure action as a game can get, and it’s a delicious and sometimes exhausting gauntlet of increasingly brutal bouts that test your reflexes, dexterity, endurance, and creativity in exciting ways. It’s a welcome return to form for a franchise whose last mainline entry was well over a decade ago, and its trademark tight controls have never been tuned finer. Platinum Games, which serves as the primary developer behind this entry, nails the distinct feel of Ninja Gaiden’s action to the point that fans would never notice a new developer is at the reins. But the studio behind Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising does bring some fun new ideas, chiefly a new ninja at the helm whose battle prowess exceeds longtime hero Ryu Hayabusa. The story centers on Yakumo, a member of the Raven Clan, the secretive and morally flexible branch of the righteous Hayabusa Clan. This young, prodigious ninja is on a mission to prevent yet another resurrection of recurring nemesis, the Dark Dragon, by killing a beautiful priestess, the vessel of the dragon’s dormant soul. But when the priestess convinces Yakumo that the only way to permanently end the Dark Dragon is by releasing it, they embark on a quest that puts Yakumo and his small team at odds with the man decidedly against the dragon's return: Ryu Hayabusa. Despite a cool premise, the story is nothing to write home about, with predictable melodramatic beats and a hilariously unearned hint of a romance. Thankfully, I don’t play Ninja Gaiden expecting a powerful narrative; the action is the star of this show. What Yakumo lacks in compelling character traits – he’s a one-dimensional, gruff edgelord of an almost comical degree – he makes up for in sheer brutality and finesse on the battlefield. Creating absurd combo chains by swapping through his four distinct weapons creates a frenetic flurry of flashy offense that never ceases to be a treat to execute, no matter how many limbs I lopped off. Each weapon sports a unique playstyle, and good pacing allows players to acclimate to their tools before another is introduced. I love how each weapon fills a crucial hole in Yakumo’s game. His twin swords are a great mid-range option, but a staff is better at ranged crowd control. One delightfully silly projectile weapon excels at zoning and extends combos better than the standard shuriken attacks. Powering up Yakumo’s offense using the new Bloodraven form transforms weapons into more powerful variants that shatter robust defenses and interrupt unblockable assaults. I enjoy strategically incorporating this formidable augment into my offensive strings, and stunning adversaries with a well-timed Bloodraven assault is always satisfying. Ninja Gaiden 4 loves overwhelming players with scores of foes, but filling a meter solves this problem by unleashing a satisfying finisher that instantly kills multiple targets. I can’t think of a better reward for dishing out tons of offense. Make no mistake: Ninja Gaiden 4 is Yakumo’s game. But Ryu Hayabusa is playable, albeit for a handful of underwhelming missions retracing Yakumo’s steps through old levels, including re-fighting the same bosses. Ryu offers a more precision-based style, mixing razor-sharp sword attacks with Ninpo magic and his own variation of the Bloodraven mechanic. Though fun in his own way, I much preferred using Yakumo and am glad Ryu takes a backseat. Regardless of which ninja you control, taking down grunts or creatively designed demonic bosses is such a blast that the half-baked stealth gameplay is incredibly ill-suited. Stealth amounts to nothing more than slowly (and tediously) stepping forward and stabbing easily alerted targets; at least let me crouch if you want me to bother with sneaking. There’s not much to do outside of slicing and dicing, but high-speed rail grind sequences and fast-paced grapple hook-focused parkour segments can be almost as fun as the combat. Although the often lengthy battles can wear out their welcome and need wider enemy variety, and the simple side quests and challenge rooms are uninspired, Ninja Gaiden 4 gives fans what they want: a pure, often arduous test of their ninja skills. This comeback finally washes away the bad taste left by the reviled Ninja Gaiden 3, and I hope to see Yakumo’s legend grow over a new series of stylish action adventures. Score: 8.75 About Game Informer's review system View the full article

Sports Interactive and FIFA have signed a new multi-year partnership to bring official licences for FIFA's "biggest competitions to the Football Manager series, including the FIFA World Cup 26 held in Canada, Mexico and USA." Read more View the full article

Web-based services across the world – including Fortnite, Roblox, PlayStation Network, and more, including major banks – are starting to cover after Amazon Web Services (AWS) went down earlier today. Read more View the full article

When The Outer Worlds launched back in 2019, it features humorous but often sharp writing highlighting the pitfalls of capitalistic ideals and the way markets interact with leaders in power. The Outer Worlds 2 promises even more of that, with a new governing trio fighting for control of the colony of Arcadia, and your Earth Directorate hero somehow in the center of it all. With The Outer Worlds 2 launching on October 29 (or as early as Thursday if you buy the more expensive Premium Edition), we spoke to developer Obsidian Entertainment to learn more about how the team tackled its second bout with space-faring capitalism and whether or not real life plays a role in how it crafts its messages. "Unfortunately, those things haven't fixed [themselves]. I'm shocked," creative director Leonard Boyarsky sarcastically tells Game Informer when asked about capitalism's role in The Outer Worlds 2. "These are kind of unfortunately timeless themes that we have to deal with, and we kind of always deal with it in our games. We've always been involved in themes of power and balance, and it has to do with people having power and what they're going to do with that power, and it's generally not good for the people who don't have power, whether it's the Protectorate, who is full authoritarian and makes no bones about being a complete dictatorship [or] it's Auntie's Choice, which is trying to find this better way of spinning things so you feel like you're working for yourself [...] but you're still basically just helping them out." When asked whether The Outer Worlds 2 reflects changes in capitalistic thought in the six years since the launch of the first game, Boyarsky says Obsidian doesn't try to be that timely. "These are universal themes, and if we time it too close to something going on in the world at a specific time, it gets very dated quickly," he adds. "And again, unfortunately, the bigger themes don't seem to change all that much from recorded history to now. People who have power tend to abuse the people who don't." Though Obsidian says the real-world acquisition it went through – joining Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios – had no effect on the messaging within The Outer Worlds 2, curiously, Moon Man-fronted Spacer's Choice and Auntie Cleo's have merged in this sequel to create Auntie's Choice. This new organization represents the merchants of the game's trio of power, which consists of the aforementioned Auntie's Choice, the monarchy (Protectorate), and the church (Order of the Ascendant). Boyarsky says the idea of this merger actually happened relatively early in the sequel's development. Two narrative designers who worked on the first game – Boyarsky notes they aren't "at the company anymore unfortunately" – came up with the idea of merging Spacer's Choice and Auntie Cleo's. "It was the natural way to go," he says. "To put them together, it made the most sense. They were the ones out of everybody in all of the corporations in the colony; they were the ones who seemed to have the most presence. Putting them together was a no-brainer." He and game director Brandon Adler tease that players will have to see how Auntie's Choice handles its role in this trio of power in The Outer Worlds 2 when it launches this month. Game Informer's cover story for The Outer Worlds 2 is available to read right now if you're a subscriber (and this issue is shipping to mailboxes as we speak). For more about the game, check out the other pieces of exclusive coverage Game Informer has published by clicking the links below: The Outer Worlds 2: 8 Fun Facts About Its First Biome, Paradise IslandThe Outer Worlds 2 Exclusive Gameplay – Paradise Island | NGTYou Can Have Pets In The Outer Worlds 2 And Yes, You Can Pet ThemObsidian Didn't Intend To Have Third-Person In The Outer Worlds 2 But Saw The Desire From FansDoes The Outer Worlds 2 Take Into Account Any Endings From The First Game?Obsidian Entertainment On The Lessons Learned From The Outer WorldsAre you jumping into The Outer Worlds 2 this month? Let us know in the comments below! View the full article

Microsoft has confirmed its "next-gen hardware" is in development. Read more View the full article

This is your chance to play Heart Electric before anyone else. Claim your free Heart Electric PlayTest Steam Key and ... View the full article

Employees from Blizzard's Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble teams have "voted strongly in favour" to unionise with Communications Workers of America (CWA). Read more View the full article

Beethoven & Dinosaur's narrative adventure Mixtape won Game of the Year at the SXSW Sydney 2025: Games Showcase Awards. Read more View the full article

Ever dreamed of being a plumber? Probably not... but now’s your chance! Grab Best Plumber for free on IndieGala ... View the full article

Shadow of the Colossus released 20 years ago today in North America, which is a great excuse to share an interview we performed with its creator, Fumito Ueda, right before the release of The Last Guardian. This interview was originally published on December 5, 2016. Fumito Ueda, the creator behind Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, has been working on The Last Guardian for more than seven years. It was announced in 2009 as a PlayStation 3 game, and in the following years disappeared so far into obscurity that many presumed it had been canceled. It made a triumphant return, however, at E3 2015 where it had hopped generations for release on PlayStation 4. After one final small two-month delay moving the game from its original October release to December, Sony's president of worldwide studios Shuhei Yoshida announced that the game was finally, truly complete. We haven’t been able to play the full adventure yet, but we did get a chance to speak with the game’s venerated creator about his upcoming post-Last Guardian life, some of his favorite recent games, and what time of the day he gets his creative work done. I understand The Last Guardian has gone gold. The game is done. How do you feel about that? Nervous? Relieved? Excited? Fumito Ueda: All the above, obviously. But to be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet for me. It’s not just The Last Guardian where I’m feeling this way once we know that the final master is gone and it’s already in production. Even with the two previous titles, it’s always taken a little while, maybe even a few months, for it to really sink in and for me to really feel that everything has been completed and it’s done and it’s out. So I’m still in that mode right now. What are you going to do following The Last Guardian? Are you going to continue to make video games? Are you going to for a rest for a while? Again, being completely honest here, a long break or recharge moment at least is necessary. Not just for myself but also for the staff who worked on this title. It’s been a very long time, so I don’t even want to think about the next game just yet in a way that it is very active in my mind yet. I think I owe it to myself that I need to take a little bit of a break and recharge my batteries. But there are certainly some ideas floating around in there, I’m sure. Yeah. So I certainly have some ideas. In fact, they’re not just brand-new fresh ideas from recent times. Even throughout development, as you know, there’s been some kind of hold periods that we’ve had or moments where my brain would maybe wander off to think about some new ideas. So they’ve all been sort of stashed away for a while so once I recharge my batteries, I think it would be nice to bring them back from the little box that had been stashed away and I’ll bring those out. Video games, since their inception, have been about explosions and action, but all of your games have maintained a level of subtlety with a focus on emotional storytelling. How have you been able to achieve that? If you were to ask me the question, not trying to paraphrase or rephrase it, but if you were to ask me the question, “Is this just a style of my choice?” Then I would have to say that it’s not. I don’t go in by being very picky about the style of game that I make. My approach is that there are so many games out there that are maybe similarly treated that as a result, I would have a tendency to go in a different direction. On top of that, I’m always thinking about how to make the best out of the limited resources that we have available, and in that condition or in that situation, how can this creation stand out amongst the others. So it’s very much sort of dependent on the environment and our surroundings. To give you an example, if there is a world in the future where there is an abundance of games that have a very similar style to what I make – who knows? I may actually go the opposite direction and make games that are explosive and very much in your face. So, I wouldn’t say there isn’t a possibility of me turning a corner and making that kind of game, but that’s just kind of the natural result that has led me to go in this direction. What are some of your favorite games, from this year or otherwise? Inside is one. Also, Dragon Quest Builders. Obviously in Japan, it’s kind of become a very, very big successful title out here. Can you briefly tell me why you like Inside so much? It’s a little difficult to clearly or properly express this, but I think it’s the fluid controls. There almost like silky smooth controls and it just feels so good. That is not to say that other elements or aspects of the game, the visuals and the level design, they’re all great. I think they did a really fine job with it. But the thing that really stuck with me most is the silky smooth controls. Why is having a partner through the course of a game is so important? You have Yorda in Ico, Agro in Shadow of the Colossus, and though I haven’t played it yet, it seems like Trico serves this role in The Last Guardian. I’ve been making games for about 20 years now. It took me a while to actually get into games, compared to maybe some people who went straight out of college or university. I was around 25-years-old when I entered the industry. And before that, I was striving to become someone, or do work in the arts or film industry. So when I made that transition to games, inside of me I was like, "You know what? I'm changing over medium, going from arts and film to video games. There's something that I must do to prove to myself that this is something only I can do in a video game, that I can only express in a video game, that I can't do in other arts or film if I continue to go down that path." As a result with video games being a media where you can have an A.I. character, have an NPC character, but also have communication with the character and grow relationships or bond with – that's something that cannot be done in film. Maybe as a result of that my energy and focus has gone down that path and that's why you see partner characters in my games. That's not to say that there won't be other elements that I discover that cannot be done in film or other forms of art. If I discover something like that, it might be an element that I may start introducing into my game creations. On the topic of film, at one time there were talks of a Shadow of the Colossus movie. Is that was something you would like to see happen, or does that story function better as a video game? When there were initial talks about a film adaptation for Shadow of the Colossus, yes, there was a sense that I created something that can only be pulled or achieved in a video game. So I was a bit hesitant – I'm not necessarily opposed, but more like, "Hmm, that doesn't sound quite right maybe." But, fast forward to today and although that was a creation that was meant for a video game as the media or chosen platform, now it's more like, "Well that was that. How would you then adapt that into a film? Or how would you create it into something that is consumable just by watching?" If there are continuations or if someone talks about it, I would look forward to how they would try to recreate, retell that story in a film form. How did you stay enthusiastic about The Last Guardian through its protracted development? Were there specific ideas in the game that pulled you through and made you excited over the course of its whole development? We would have to ask our staff as to how they kept their motivation going, but personally I feel that for me what's important is that – to keep my own motivation in creating my own creations going and alive and breathing and motivating myself, I look to being inspired by other creations. Whether they are film, music, or art, anything that their creators are creating or they have created. To inhale what that is, is something that keeps me motivated for my own creations. It’s kind of like feeding into what I view, what I see, what I feel from other creator’s work feeds back into my motivation. Do you feel like your design sensibility has changed over the course of development of The Last Guardian? Have your tastes evolved or changed at all? No, I don't think so. Nothing in particular in terms of this long development period. For me, my design approach or sensibilities have not changed in a direct way. If I were to touch upon being inspired by or influenced, along the lines of the comment I gave you earlier, it's great to see wonderful, amazing work from other creators. They may be inspiring, but they don't directly feed back into my ideas or creations. It really gives me a boost, a motivational boost, for me to continue on with what I'm doing. So that has helped me along the way. Do you always see yourself working on big budget games with grand visions? Or do you want to explore smaller games or maybe virtual reality in the future? At this moment, and I know you didn't ask for any specifics, but I'm not thinking about what the size or the scale or whatnot is going to be for the next ideas or when they're forming to become something. Developing a game is not an easy task. It's very much a combination of hard work, dedication and commitment, and it's a very challenging task to overcome but also fulfilling in the end. Whatever I work on next has got to have that in mind, meaning I know it's going to be very challenging, but at the end of it all it's going to be a very fulfilling experience. I also need to make sure that we can overcome that challenge ourselves. What are your morning and bedtime rituals? Are you a skip and rush to work kind of guy? Or a wake up early and cook a full breakfast before work kind of guy? With confidence I tell you that I'm a night owl. Not a morning person at all. In terms of, not just The Last Guardian but also with the two previous games, any part of storyboarding out ideas and things in my head, pretty much the majority of them have taken place after midnight hours. That's when I get my best work done on my own. So you’re not a, "Fall asleep when your head hits the pillow," kind of guy? No, not at all. For more on The Last Guardian, head here for some of our hands-on impressions, and here to see us play through the game’s TGS 2016 demo. You can also watch us play Shadow of the Colossus in its entirety here. The Last Guardian releases on PlayStation 4, December 6. View the full article

It's another week of The Game Informer Show, and we've got plenty of games to dig into. But first, Bill from NerdNest joins us to discuss his impressions of the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, the latest PC handheld to hit the market. Is it worth the price tag, or is a different portable PC more your speed? Alex, Marcus, and Eric also dig into Ball X Pit, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, Battlefield 6, Bye Sweet Carole, and the early hours of Pokemon Legends: Z-A. It's a packed episode, so grab a warm beverage and get cozy. The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Thursday for chats about your favorite titles – past and present – alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Watch the video version here: Listen to "Xbox Ally X vs. Steam Deck - Which Is Right For You? (Feat. NerdNest)" on Spreaker.Follow our guest and hosts on social media:Bill Fairchild (@nerdnest.tv)Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken)Marcus Stewart (@marcusstewart7)Eric Van Allen (@seamoosi)Jump to a specific discussion using these timestamps:00:00 - Intro / ROG Xbox Ally discussion 50:13 - Ball x Pit 1:12:56 - Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 1:33:43 - Battlefield 6 1:49:24 - Bye Sweet Carole 1:58:21 - Pokemon Legends: Z-A View the full article

Can't stop, won't stop... is what I think publishers and developers are saying this month because what is going on?! There are so many games coming out this month! We're two weeks into October and we've published at least three reviews each of those weeks. We posted reviews for Double Fine's new lighthouse adventure game, Keeper, which reviewer Matt Miller calls a surrealist piece of art with light puzzle elements; we posted a review for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 (a former Game Informer cover game), which reviewer Charles Harte called a letdown but not without its fun; and finally, we published our thoughts on Ball x Pit, which Miller says is a deeply satsifying update to the ancient arcade formula of brick-breaking action. On top of all that, we also covered the week's biggest news, like Witchbrook being delayed to 2026 and 3D Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki's death, posted a preview for Quantic Dream's new multiplayer game called Spellcasters Chronicles, and of course, posted all kinds of exclusives for The Outer Worlds 2. And so, another week has passed. With the end of this week, I've rounded up some video game thoughts from the editors here at Game Informer to help make your weekend gameplay plans a little easier. Without further ado... Games To Check Out This Weekend Dead Or Alive 4 Kyle Hilliard I am not the biggest fighting game fan, but the unexpected one that happened to break through for me was Dead or Alive 4 on Xbox 360. It was an early title for the new console, it inexplicably featured a Halo Spartan as an optional fighter at the height of my Halo fandom, and – arguably most importantly – I was living in a college dorm when it released and it was the easiest multiplayer game to pick up and play with others. Both myself, my roommate, my neighbor, and a few other folks on the same floor, all really got into it. I got skilled at pulling off Ryu Hayabusa’s most complicated moves, and have always loved its satisfying counter system that could get you out of your opponents’ combos and specific moves as long as you knew the right input. To this day, it is still my favorite traditional fighting game, and it was also the last series entry Tomonobu Itagaki directed. I was saddened to hear of his passing and had missed his bombastic quotes over the last few years. I wish his family and friends well and am redownloading Dead or Alive 4 on my Xbox right now in remembrance of his work. Ninja Gaiden II Black Marcus Stewart With this week’s passing of Tomonobu Itagaki, the former head of Team Ninja and mastermind of the modern 3D Ninja Gaiden series, there’s no better time to check out Ninja Gaiden II Black. The original iteration of the 2008 sequel was the last Ninja Gaiden title Itagaki directed, and this 2025 remaster is the definitive version of the game. It boasts improved graphics and performance, plus it restores the gore and upgrade system from the original release (which was heavily altered in the 2009 Sigma version). Itagaki once called Ninja Gaiden II “the world’s best action game,” and while I don't believe that claim holds water today, it’s still a very fun time and a nice warm-up ahead of Ninja Gaiden 4’s launch next week. Pokémon Legends: Z-A Eric Van Allen The first Pokémon Legends reignited my monster-catching fire, so it shouldn't be a surprise that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is clicking with me. I really like the battle city vibes of Z-A; though some may not be keen on a single-city adventure, I've found it to be an interesting new vantage point on the usual Pokémon excursion. Truthfully, my favorite part so far might not even be the new, real-time battle system or the actual monster catching and training itself, but the generally good vibes of Lumiose. The fashion is fantastic, the soundtrack is packed with earworms, and your hotel room in Hotel Z is the most delightfully lived-in living space from an RPG this side of Persona. Any excuse to escape to a new Pokémon frontier is a welcome one, but I appreciate how Pokémon has managed to find an avenue for innovation and a little refresh every so often with its Legends games. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Charles Harte Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a little disappointing, to be honest, but it's not so bad that it isn't worth checking out. The story is more linear than I expected and the open world is sparse, making the two main selling points of an open world RPG tough to swallow. That said, combat and stealth are great, and while the story isn't as malleable as it first appears, the neo noir mystery and a cast of strong performances made it worth seeing through. If you're a huge fan of Vampire: The Masquerade or want a game that's seasonally appropriate, Bloodlines 2 is worth a try. Keeper Matt Miller Double Fine's latest is an artistic tour de force, blending surreal visuals with the mechanics of an environmental puzzle adventure game. The game is best experienced firsthand, rather than having it described. But it's enough to say that you control a walking lighthouse, befriend a giant bird, and that you must journey through a psychedelic alien world of strange creatures. Even if the gameplay doesn't wow you, the gorgeous art and some of the surprises along the way make it a memorable play. Our full review has more. Ball x Pit Matt Miller If you're ready for the next game that will inexplicably hook you for dozens of hours of simple arcade play, Ball x Pit is the obvious choice. Mixing town simulation, Arkanoid-esque brick-breaking, and roguelite runs and progression, the easy-to-pick up gameplay is extremely hard to put down. Each run challenges players to select and upgrade different balls that will bounce around the playfield, poisoning, burning, exploding, or otherwise eliminating the bad guys as they slowly inch down the vertically scrolling screen. Eventually, the onscreen gets incredibly chaotic. Read our full review. Let us know what games you're checking out this weekend in the comments below! View the full article