Spoiler warning!
Earlier this week, we got another look at The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom including a new trailer, new screenshots and some new information. It seems a few other things have also been spotted since then.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
“We’ll see what the future will bring”.
Digital Eclipse might not necessarily be a household name like certain other game studios but the retro specialist has made a name for itself in more recent years with compilations like the Mega Man Legacy Collection, Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration and TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection.
The company has teamed up with iconic Japanese companies previously, so could we see it work on something related to Nintendo’s first-party releases in the future? According to Digital Eclipse’s Chris Kohler, the door on a possible partnership hasn’t closed, and historically speaking there are already some links. Here’s what he had to say during a chat with VGC:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Wilds of Wisdom.
Did you enjoy that fabulous The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom trailer yesterday? Yep, we did too. So of course we’re going to do a bit of a deep dive.
Beyond the landscape of Hyrule, the horse riding, the smoothie-making, and the Waypoints, we’ve spotted a lot of similarities in Zelda’s adventure with both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
To all the brave souls who have ventured into the world of Volgarr the Viking: I swear, I don’t hate you! In fact, I love you! I know the game is challenging, and I understand the frustration that comes with each defeat.
However, there’s a method to this madness. I want to take you through some of the design choices that make Volgarr the Viking II not just a game, but a learning experience that hones skills that I hope will be applicable in your real life.
From the outset, our goal with Volgarr the Viking II was to create an experience reminiscent of classic arcade and platform games – titles that demanded precision, timing, and perseverance. Growing up in a military family and serving in the military myself, I believe in the value of a hard-earned victory – the kind that leaves you with a sense of accomplishment.
One of the core design philosophies behind the Volgarr the Viking series is that failure is a stepping stone to success. Each death is a lesson, each obstacle an opportunity to refine your skills. The game’s difficulty is not meant to punish, but to teach.
By facing tough, pattern-based enemies combined with static handcrafted level designs, players develop a deeper understanding of game mechanics, learn to strategize, and improve their reflexes. This is an actual exercise that trains mental acuity and connection to real-world motor skills. There is a certain amount of pride that comes from overcoming challenges, feeling good and knowing you can take whatever is thrown at you.
I really wanted players to not just see this philosophy in the design of Volgarr the Viking II, but understand it by playing it. At first glance, some of the challenges in the game might feel like they’re difficult for difficulty’s sake, but every aspect has been meticulously crafted to challenge players while fostering their growth. Let me drill down on some examples:
Controls: I wanted to make the controls simple to understand, but they also had to feel tight, responsive, and predictable. That’s the key to giving players the ability to execute actions with precision. Mastering these controls is rewarding in its own right, but also helps develop skills that players can apply to other action games as well.
Pattern Recognition: Enemies and traps follow set patterns. Recognizing and memorizing these patterns hones your observational skills and enhances your ability to anticipate and react. That’s not just a good skill for gaming – that’s a great skill for life.
Limited Resources: Health and lives are limited; weapons, armor, and power-ups can be lost. By encouraging careful planning and resource management, I want to teach players to be strategic, weighing risks and benefits before acting.
No Hand-holding: There are no excessive tutorials or hints in Volgarr the Viking II. That’s so players will learn by doing – exploring and experimenting, fostering a sense of curiosity and independence. It’s about trusting the player’s intelligence and ability to learn through experience. Everything a player needs to know about how to beat the game is accomplished before they encounter their very first enemy. As they play, they will learn how to use these skills at the right times – and that’s incredibly rewarding.
Punishing but Fair: I freely acknowledge that Volgarr the Viking II is tough, but I also believe that it’s fair. Every challenge can be overcome with the right approach; different players may take a different amount of time to discover it, but they will get there. I always want success to feel deserved and motivating; failures are inevitable, but I never want the player to feel that the game is cheating them.
You’ve spotted the common thread by now: Volgarr the Viking II aims to build a more resilient and determined gamer, but also give them skills that can help them when there’s not a controller in their hands. The perseverance required to tackle our game can translate to a greater sense of confidence in facing challenges both in gaming and in life. The repeated cycle of trying, failing, and eventually succeeding builds a mindset geared towards continuous improvement and resilience – and that can be applied to anything. I have found this to be true in my life and, through my games, I hope to inspire others to discover that in themselves, too.
Lastly, we designed Volgarr the Viking II with the hope of fostering a community of players who support and inspire each other. Sharing strategies, triumphs, and even frustrations can create a bond among players, making the journey less lonely and more rewarding. Together, you form a tribe of modern-day Vikings, conquering not just the game, but the barriers to your own potential.
So, to all our players: At the end of the day, video games are supposed to be fun, and I greatly hope you find enjoyment in Volgarr the Viking II. But also know that the challenge is intentional and crafted with care. I do not hate you; on the contrary, I believe in you. Embrace the difficulty, learn from it, and let Volgarr the Viking II be the forge in which your gaming skills are sharpened to perfection. Skål!
Kristofor Durrschmidt is the CEO and co-founder of Crazy Viking Studios, as well as the former creative director of Digital Eclipse’s Bothell studio. In addition to the original Volgarr the Viking, which is celebrating ten years as an indie hit, Kris has worked on over 30games in his career for nearly every major publisher such as Activision-Blizzard , Sega, Nintendo, THQ, Disney, Konami, Capcom, SNK, and more.
Volgarr the Viking II is available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Get both games in the franchise with the Volgarr the Viking I & II Bundle. For more information on the game, check out the official website.
Digital Eclipse
More than a decade after Volgarr the Viking’s chaotic, challenging debut, the barbarian king’s story continues in an uncompromising new form.
Volgarr the Viking II is a hardcore, 2D action-platformer where precision is everything and one false move can spell a brutal death. Players of the original game will feel right at home on this relentless voyage, even with the addition of new power-ups, new forms of magic, new enemy types, and a chest-thumping new soundtrack.
While the sequel delivers the same unforgiving 1980s-arcade level of difficulty as the original, Volgarr the Viking II also (mercifully, begrudgingly) offers modern quality-of-life options such as checkpoints, save states, and an undead mode. You decide how punishing your quest should be – but now anyone can be a viking!
With new and larger worlds inspired by Norse mythology, multiple endings, and a variety of ruthless bosses to conquer, Volgarr the Viking II expands and improves on the original in every way. Draw your sword, don your helmet, and chop your way through this violent viking adventure!
The post Why the Relentless Challenge of Volgarr the Viking II Means I Love You appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is being ported onto last-gen consoles. Developer Respawn Entertainment announced today that PS4 and Xbox One owners will get to play Cal Kestis’ latest journey next month.
The critically acclaimed #StarWarsJediSurvivor is coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on September 17, 2024!
Pre-order now!
Xbox ➡️ https://t.co/wFlNBQefB2
PlayStation ➡️ https://t.co/EduLFc6RMK pic.twitter.com/dhhrrcc4Kh
— EA Star Wars (@EAStarWars) August 6, 2024
In a press release, Respawn confirmed that the PS4 and Xbox One port of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be available starting September 17. EA CEO Andrew Wilson announced last August during an earnings call that a PS4 and Xbox One port of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was in development. Both versions will retail for $49.99, and Respawn touts that these ports will “feature a variety of optimizations aimed at maximizing the hardware capabilities of the consoles.”
In addition, the developer confirmed that a new update for the PC version of Jedi: Survivor will be available “in the coming weeks,” teasing that the update will improve the game’s technical performance and controls while also introducing a slew of quality-of-life improvements. Respawn continues to support the PC version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, panned by players at launch due to performance issues.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was released in April 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Set five years after the events of 2019’s Jedi: Fallen Order, the sequel focuses on Cal Kestis and his friends as they fend off the Empire.
Despite its shortcomings for the PC version at release, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was met with critical acclaim. At the 2023 Game Awards, it was nominated for Best Action/Adventure Game, and Cameron Monaghan was nominated for Best performance for his portrayal of Cal Kestis. Additionally, IGN awarded Jedi Survivor as its Best Action Game of 2023.
In our review of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which we gave a 9/10, my colleague Dan Stapleton wrote: “If Respawn makes a third game like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Fallen Order, it’ll complete the best Star Wars trilogy in 30 years, hands down.”
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only War, unless you don’t have a 64-bit PC with an Intel Core i5-8600K equivalent and at least eight gigs of RAM, in which case you’ll have to, I don’t know, live in everlasting peace, or something. I’m pretty sure not having eight gigs of RAM is heretical, but never fear, you can probably compensate by taking a leaf from the God-Emperor’s book and arrange for a host of dying psykers to pour their brain energy into your motherboard.
All of which is to say that Focus Home have released the system requirements for huge-shouldered action game Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Find them proudly emblazoned across the header image above, and written out for easier copy-pasting in the blockquote, below.
Here be dragons.
A couple of years ago, it was notable when the Switch remakes of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were developed not in-house by Game Freak, but by a smaller Japanese support studio called ILCA. That remake project was actually ILCA’s first crack at being the lead developer on a game, and it soon followed this up early last year with One Piece Odyssey, an original JRPG based on the long-running franchise about wacky pirates. Now this release has finally made its way over to the Switch, and we’re happy to report that it’s made the jump almost entirely intact. Though it’s taken a bit of a visual hit, One Piece Odyssey still proves to be an enjoyable and accessible release that’s a welcome addition to the Switch’s considerable RPG library.
The narrative in One Piece Odyssey is a sort of ‘bottle episode’ that follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates crew after they shipwreck upon a mysterious island called Waford. Shortly after arriving, a mysterious figure takes away their power (cutely represented by everyone dropping from level 40 down to 1) and locks it away in various magical cubes scattered across the island. Even when they recover some of the cubes, the only way they can unlock the power contained within is through diving into illusory worlds crafted from their memories and reconquering trials they once faced, although events play out a little differently this time around because of how ‘fuzzy’ memory can be. The crew thus sets out through worlds based on the memories of some of their greatest struggles to reclaim their power and get to the bottom of what’s going on with this strange island.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The post Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies: Requiem for a Lost Soul – Meet the Terminus Team appeared first on Xbox Wire.
There have been many firsts for Dead by Daylight’s Killer Design team in recent years. The introduction of a third-person camera for a smaller Killer. A Killer with AI-controlled guards. A Power that consists of multiple different spells. Finding new ways to inflict pain and suffering remains an exciting challenge, and the arrival of Castlevania’s Dracula introduces yet another innovation: shapeshifting.
The vile denizens of the woods serve The Dark Lord, and he can take their forms as he chooses. Players can cycle between his Vampire form, his Bat form, and his Wolf form, with each one excelling at a different role.
Vampire form is Dracula’s base form, with the Flaming Pillar being his primary means of damaging Survivors. The attack can even traverse through obstacles, including Pallets and Windows. Wolf Form offers a third-person perspective and reduced mobility, but increases your efficacy at hunting and tracking. Bat Form is Dracula’s most stealthy form, with no Terror Radius and a snappy teleport ability.
Game Designer Jason Guzzo was tasked with bringing the legendary character into The Fog, and designing a Power that honored Dracula’s otherworldly abilities. The Castlevania team at Konami Japan were equally thrilled to see their iconic character come to life in-game, providing their knowledge and expertise at every step.
“Shapeshifting is a vital and unique part of the Dracula experience,” explains Guzzo. “It’s part of who he is, and it’s not necessarily something people focus on.”
Once the team decided on the Power’s direction, it was time to make it functional in-game. Of course, the unprecedented nature of Dracula’s abilities presented a few design challenges, particularly with the animal forms. Not to mention the fact that it would mark the first time this version of Dracula transformed into a wolf. Luckily, the Castlevania team was quick to give their seal of approval.
“There are limitations while designing animal characters,” explains Guzzo. “A bat can fly, but due to the balance of Dead by Daylight, it can’t fly over low obstacles. Unfortunately, that’s a concession we had to make. It takes some getting used to, but we must abide by our internal rules. Having a character that can fly over any obstacle would be entirely game-breaking.”
Building on the foundation laid by previous Chapters, which featured the arrival of a quadruped character (Alien) and a third-person Killer camera (Chucky), the design Team worked fleshing out each of Dracula’s three forms.
“Each form is basically a micro-killer, and we wanted players to use them however they liked, without needing to change if they don’t want to,” continues Guzzo. “On the Survivor side, we wanted facing Dracula to feel like a boss fight, where he can be anywhere at any moment with a tool to use against you.”
The Dark Lord’s forms
Dracula’s forms break down as follows: Vampire, Wolf, and Bat. “Vampire is basically your core form,” explains Guzzo. “He moves at 4.6 meters per second, making him effective at loops and chases. He’s also got the Flame Pillar, which is one of my favorite Killer abilities to use in the game.”
“The Wolf Form moves a little slower, but you have enhanced senses and a pounce attack,” he continues. “When Survivors are sprinting, every so often they’ll drop a Scent Orb. Those Orbs give you information on the direction they’re going, and collecting them grants you a small speed boost. The idea is to simulate a hunt, where a wolf picks up a trail and quickens its pace.”
“We wanted the Bat to be the most effective traversal form, so it moves very fast – 6 meters a second, with extra stealth on top of that,” details Guzzo. “To compensate, the Bat can’t attack or see Survivors, Scratch Marks, and Pools of Blood. The main reason we did this was to balance the endgame, where Bat form was extremely potent at covering both Exit Gates.”
“Bat Form has another cool ability, which allows it to teleport a short distance, including through Vault points and Pallets,” explains Guzzo. “It also invites players to consider their choices. As a Survivor, downing a Pallet may come back and haunt you when Dracula gains a new teleport spot. Dracula players will have to grapple with the same decision, as losing a potential teleport option can hurt you in the long term.”
The end result is a dynamic Power that incentivizes exploration while providing an immersive experience befitting The Dark Lord. It’s also worth noting that the Castlevania icon was designed with new players and Dead by Daylight veterans in mind.
“When we’re working with a beloved licensed character like Castlevania’s Dracula, we want the skill floor to be relatively accessible,” reveals Guzzo. “That way, fans of the franchise can use the Chapter as an entry point to Dead by Daylight and have a fun experience off the bat. We do aim to keep the skill ceiling high, so players who connect with the character can build their skill and find exciting ways to develop it even further.”
Dead by Daylight: Castlevania launches August 27. The Chapter includes a new Killer, Dracula – The Dark Lord, and new Survivor Trevor Belmont.
Lollipop Chainsaw RePop hasn’t suffered another delay but is instead being bumped up nearly two weeks to September 12, 2024.
As reported by Gematsu, developer Dragami Games confirmed the change would affect all versions of the game — PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, and PC — in North America, Central and South America, and Europe.
The previous release date of September 25 came after another delay out of summer 2024 and before that 2023, but as its latest September 12 date is just a month away, it’s likely Dragami Games will stick to this one.
Lollipop Chainsaw RePop is a remake of the original Lollipop Chainsaw which follows high school cheerleader and zombie hunter descendant Juliet Starling as she fights through the apocalypse with her boyfriend’s severed head at her side.
“RePop is a definitive version of the game which leaves the story unchanged, with the focus on quality-of-life improvements and additional gameplay content,” Dragami Games CEO Yoshimi Yasuda said in June.
The game picked up a cult following but in our 5/10 review, IGN said: “Lollipop Chainsaw doesn’t even attempt to differentiate itself from the genre, and most of what it does try new in the realm of its characters and writing ultimately ends up taking away from an incredible-on-paper action game.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
