Category: IGN

It has been 16 years since STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl. That means it’s also been 16 years since I last played a STALKER game. I admired the original but never loved its wonky, ambitious heart enough to explore its two follow-ups. But despite that decade-plus time away from the series, when I sat down to play STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl at gamescom 2023 it felt like I’d never been away. As if reactivating a long-dormant muscle, I found its creeping pace and scrappy gunfights instantly familiar. That’s good news for devout fans of the cult PC series, but perhaps more of a challenge for the potential legion of newcomers that will arrive at launch via Game Pass.

Despite its Unreal Engine 5 base and prominent Microsoft support, the fifteen-minute gamescom demo suggests that STALKER 2 still sits in the ‘eurojank’ category; the colloquial term for eastern European games that are overly ambitious and technically wobbly. This sequel’s animations are stiff, its human faces look like haunted waxworks, the AI struggles to stay smart, and inventory management is fiddly. But in exchange for that you get a Soviet bloc world that feels authentic and layered with opportunity. This demo may have been short, but its small areas featured numerous angles for stealth or action approaches, fun flanking routes, and a variety of side objectives.

My sample misadventure through the rusted carcass that is the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone begins with a rabid dog mauling away at my ankles. The mutt is dispatched by kicking it into an anomaly; the rippling miniature storms that litter STALKER’s world. The dog explodes into a dozen gory chunks, demonstrating that these anomalies are to be steered well clear of. I’m also given some bolts, which can be thrown into anomalies from a safe distance to cause them to erupt and open up a safe path. These storms don’t turn up again for the rest of the demo, but I hope in the full game they fulfil a dual role as environmental hazard puzzles and traps to lure enemies into.

Further down the road I discover a man fighting off more of those mutated dogs. My over-cautious nature sees me blast a hole in the side of his head (why would I trust anyone in this god-forsaken place?), which results in a notification that I’ve failed an optional objective. Thankfully I’m able to reload the demo and approach in a more friendly manner, but this slip-up shows off STALKER 2’s push for realism; NPCs are not safe from stray or purposeful shots, and objectives will change with their fates.

With the dogs dispatched on this fresh attempt, I have a quick chat with the survivor and his injured friend. The conversation really highlights STALKER 2’s graphical limitations; these characters look like Bethesda NPCs from the previous generation and move with a similar lack of grace. Beyond this room, the wider world feels a lot like a cutting-edge PC game from ten years ago; still detailed and sharp in a grungy way that suits the decayed setting, but clearly not of the modern era. Graphics are obviously not a vital part of the experience, but considering its next-gen exclusivity and Unreal Engine 5 foundations, I did expect STALKER 2 to be more of a looker.

The survivors, named Zhorik and Gloomy, turn out to be fellow STALKERs who have been attacked by bandits. Zhorik laments that their attackers have seized the nearby boiler house. I volunteer to take on the bandits, knowing it will be the ideal testing ground for the combat systems. It turns out to be a pretty classic outpost-style location; a building and courtyard arrangement surrounded by a perimeter wall. A gateway provides a direct route in, but crumbling brickwork to the side signals an alternate route in for a stealthier approach. I duck through the hole and behind a large fuel drum, peering beneath it to spy on the patrolling bandits. And then, one slightly fumbled headshot later, I’m thrust into a skirmish that feels completely true to the origins of the series.

STALKER 2’s guns are snappy and punchy in the way you’d expect of firearms that have survived being lugged around a rusting world. But, in an approach that puts them a world apart from weapons in modern shooters, they feel almost entirely unreliable. In Call of Duty, if you shoot an enemy in the head, that enemy is dead, and you even get a visual and audio cue to confirm that. STALKER 2, in keeping with both its predecessor and real life, offers no such feedback. Bullet spread is difficult to predict, and that gets trickier at longer ranges. It makes for tense, dirty firefights with plenty of character and just a dash of fear. There are very few games like this on the modern FPS scene, especially on consoles, and I admire that developer GSC Game World is doubling down on its unique flavour.

But, as with everything in this demo, the good comes with the jank. The bandits are not exactly the sharpest tools in the zone, and spend their time either bumbling in the open or glued to cover. I hope that in the months between now and launch, GSC can sharpen the AI’s senses. This is not to say that they are incapable of being a danger in their current state; I’m unceremoniously gunned down on my first attempt at clearing the camp. This does highlight STALKER 2’s approach to death, though, which resurrects me a few metres outside the boiler house and keeps the world state intact. I’d much rather death send me back to a previous save and allow me a fresh attempt at a challenge.

With the bandits cleaned up, a voice on my radio informs me of an incoming ‘emission’, and advises that I take cover. I sprint through the woods in search of a building and eventually find my way into a shabby cabin just as my Geiger counter goes into overdrive. Through a gap in the roof I watch as the sky turns a vibrant red, pierced occasionally by searing forks of white lightning. My subsequent death amid the unending rattle of radiation warnings signals the end of my short demo, but this concluding moment hints at emissions being regular occurrences that will force you to drop whatever you’re doing and run for your life. I hope the AI is as responsive to these situations as you need to be, because the idea of battles breaking out as characters fight for access to radiation-safe buildings is a thrilling one.

And that’s all I saw. This was an incredibly short and simple demo for what is presumably – based on its predecessors, at least – going to be a fairly complex FPS. I’m left wondering what the bigger picture is, how the systems interlink and overlap, and how flexible its combat encounters are. But what I did learn from this slim sample is that STALKER 2 feels somewhat of a remake of the original game. Not physically – everything here is new. But spiritually and mechanically, this slice felt almost exactly like my memories of the 2007 original.

Heart of Chornobyl’s old-school approach is great news for the original game’s dedicated fanbase, but I’m not sure what it means for more mainstream players who are being coaxed into its orbit by Microsoft’s big Game Pass push. They are likely better served by Metro: Exodus, the other Soviet bloc shooter that – despite being four years old – feels more modern than anything in this demo. But for those with a tolerance for rough edges and a hunger for something that’s unlike anything in the contemporary console space, STALKER 2 could be something to keep an eye on. We’ll need a much more substantial demo to truly know if it’s worth being excited about, though.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.

IGN is on the ground at gamescom 2023 where we’re checking out all the latest and greatest in games in Cologne, Germany. In the wake of Opening Night Live, where we got to see updates for Mortal Kombat 1, Modern Warfare 3, and lots more, we had a chance to sit down with a ton of developers over the course of our multi-day live show.

This article will highlight the biggest and best moments from each day of gamescom. You can find more info on what to expect as gamescom 2023 continues into the weekend, including the awards show and lots more with our gamescom 2023 schedule and how to watch.

gamescom Day 4: The Biggest Announcements

It may be hard to believe, but we are already on day 4 of gamescom. IGN had a ton of games on our liveshow, and we wanted to share them with you so you can see the latest from some of the most exciting upcoming games.

Alongside a new look at Black Myth: Wukong, we also got to see new gameplay and speak to the teams behind other such games as Lies of P, Off the Grid, Sky: Children of the Light and its animated series spin-off, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Homeworld 3, and much more.

Check Out Our Hands-On Impressions of Black Myth: Wukong and Watch 19 Minutes of Boss Battles and Gameplay

Black Myth: Wukong has been making a big splash at gamescom 2023 and we had the chance to not only get our hands on the much anticipated Unreal Engine 5 soulslike, but also share with you 19 minutes of glorious and intense gameplay.

In our Black Myth: Wukong hands-on demo, we said, “It’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting action RPGs of the soulslike era, one with its own fresh approach to challenge, pace, and abilities.

“What remains to be seen is how developer Game Science has approached wider RPG systems, such as character development and leveling up. Should that, plus the level design of further chapters, match up to the quality bar of the bosses we’ve seen, then Black Myth: Wukong will be the success everyone is hoping for.”

Lies of P Gets Another Stellar Showing at gamescom 2023

Lies of P, the upcoming soulslike that is based on Pinocchio and is set for release on September 16, got another great demo at gamescom 2023. We came away very impressed and believe this could end up being an A-class soulslike that could hopefully stand toe-to-toe with FromSoftware’s finest work.

In our demo, we got a chance to check out the King of Puppets boss and some new weapons that will hopefully keep you from a horrifying death.

Off the Grid Is a Satirical Cyberpunk Game Within a Game from Director Neill Blomkamp

District 9 director Neill Blomkamp stopped by gamescom to discuss Off the Grid, a game he is directing that is being billed as a dystopian battle royale. While it promises battles with up to 150 people in its battle royale mode, Off the Grid will also have a 60-hour narrative campaign that will help build out the world.

Off the Grid also got a gameplay trailer at Opening Night Live and it showed the battle royale in action, traversal via trucks, cars, grappling hooks, and jetpacks, and much more.

Sky: The Two Embers Teaser Shows Off the Animated Series Based on Sky: Children of the Light

Journey developer thatgamecompany has revealed a new look and title for Sky: The Two Embers, its upcoming animated series arriving in 2024 that’s based on the world and lore of Sky: Children of the Light.

thatgamecompany CEO and creative director Jenova Chen also stopped by our gamescom studio to talk about Children of the Light, its animated series spin-off, setting a Guinness World Record, and much more.

New Details and Gameplay Revealed for Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a spin-off game starring Kazuma Kiryu that looks to connect Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

At our gamescom studio, Like a Dragon series chief producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto joined us to share new details about the game’s combat, fighting styles, customization, and how its Colossseum battle arena will work. He also reveals why Kazuma Kiryu, who is no working under the codename Joryu, is a lot like Superman.

For more, be sure to check out our preview of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Homeworld 3 – New War Games Mode Adds Co-Op Roguelike Missions

Homeworld is returning for the first time in 20 years with Homeworld 3, and game director Lance Mueller and lead writer Martin Cirulis stopped by our studio at gamescom to share more about what makes this game so special.

One of the biggest revealed was the new War Games mode that adds co-op roguelike missions, and that should make for an even more exciting game when it is released in February 2024.

For more, check out the Homeworld 3 story trailer from gamescom Opening Night Live.

Payday 3 Will Receive Major Content Updates for 18 Months Post-Launch

Payday 3 lead producer Andreas Häll Penninger and global brand director and head of community Almir Listo were on-hand to not only answer all our questions about the upcoming heist game, but also share some brand-new gameplay.

Come listen to them talk about developing in Unreal Ending, working with Ice-T and new mechanics, how they plan on supporting the game with major updated for at least 18 months post-launch, and more.

Project Mugen Offers Spider-Man-Inspired Anime Action

Project Mugen was one of the bigger surprises at gamescom 2023. This free-to-play urban open-world RPG not only looks to be a fusion of Cyberpunk 2077 and Genshin Impact, but it also looks to have players traversing the world in a way that would be right at home in Spider-Man’s universe.

Project Mugen senior marketing director Riten Huang came to IGN’s gamescom studio to talk about the game’s anime art style, its many characters, and share some new combat gameplay.

Tomorrow will be the last day of gamescom and we’ll be hosting gamescom’s Cosplay Contest! Be sure to stop by to find out the best costume, best dress, best built, and fan favorite. We will also be showcasing even more trailers troughout the show.

gamescom Day 3: The biggest announcements

gamescom Day 3 has arrived and we kicked it off by hosting the gamescom 2023 Awards! We also revealed a ton of new trailers, got a closer look at Path of Exile 2, and lots more. Keep reading for a full rundown of everything shown in Day 3 of gamescom 2023!

We hosted the gamescom 2023’s Awards, and Little Nightmares came out on top!

The gamescom awards took place today, and Little Nightmares 3 was selected as Best in Show! Here’s a full list of all the winners.

We also revealed a ton of new trailers

Awards were not the only thing announced at the gamescom awards — lots of new games appeared, too. Here’s all the trailers shown at the 2023 gamescom awards.

We got an exclusive look at new gameplay and images from Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2 appeared at this year’s gamescom. And IGN can exclusively reveal that we saw some new images and gameplay for the upcoming RPG.

The first bit focused on the Druid, which included a narration from Jonathan Rogers, the co-creator of the game. The second piece of gameplay focused on seven minutes the Warrior and the Huntress, which again includes Rogers providing a voiceover describing what is going on in the demonstration.

Grinding Gear Games also shared a ton of new screenshots for Path of Exile 2, which focused on bosses, in-game environments, and spell effects.

We got our first look at Neill Blomkamp’s Off the Grid

We got to see the first gameplay trailer for Off The Grid, a new battle royale third-person shooter directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9). Off The Grid throws players into a covert corporate war between three companies on the tropical, dystopian Teardrop Island. Blending PvE and PvP, you’ll experience hectic 150-player battle royales as a cyberlimbed Zero, fighting to survive while simultaneously taking on a 60-hour narrative campaign. Extract high-value loot and upgrade your body with cybernetic limbs to give yourself the edge to reach the top.

AMD announced two new Radeon RX 7000 GPUs

One of a handful of tech announcements coming out of the gaming-focused trade show, AMD took the stage on Friday to unveil two new desktop GPUs it’s adding to the Radeon RX 7000 series: the RX 7800 XT and 7700 XT. According to AMD, both GPUs are designed for PC gamers who prefer high-FPS 1440p gaming.

Additionally, AMD shared some details on FSR 3.0, which it revealed will introduce a new native anti-aliasing mode. No release date yet for FSR 3, but AMD says the third generation of its supersampling tech is “coming soon.”

We talked to Sam Lake about Alan Wake 2

We sat down with Sam Lake at gamescom 2023 to talk about Alan Wake’s horror inspirations, its need for a little bit of comedy, and not wanting to go neck and neck with Spider-Man 2. Read the full interview here!

We got a closer look at Forza Motorsport

IGN’s Destin Legarie had a chance to check out a demo of the next major installment of Forza Motorsport at gamescom. My colleague described a bit of a new game mode called the Builder’s Cup, describing how it’s a mode where you can obtain XP by racing “as cleanly as possible,” and noted that the demo showed Audis, Mercedes, and BMWs racing each other.

Legarie also notes how the XP is key in Turn 10’s “Level, Build, Dominate” philosophy it has implemented in Forza MOtyorsport. Explaining that the new game mode and its mechanics should help him (and maybe others) learn the ins and outs of a vehicle.

We checked out Deathground, a new survival horror game where you fight dinosaurs

If you are looking for a survival horror game where you’re fending off dinosaurs instead of something like zombies or the paranormal, Deathground might be what you are seeking.

Developed by Jaw Drop Games, Deathground has you playing solo or with a friend as you survive a world that is infested with lethal AI dinosaurs. There’s no word yet on when the game is coming out, but the developer says it’s “coming soon.”

gamescom Day 2: The biggest announcements

The second day of gamescom 2023 kept the momentum going. Some games that made an appearance on day two include STALKER 2, Marvel Snap, and The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. The full list is below.

We revealed exclusive gameplay for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

IGN can exclusively reveal the 13 minutes of gameplay for Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. Yesterday we exclusively revealed the next game in the popular fantasy series inspired by the books by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will be released on October 24, 2023, on PS5 and PC as an exclusive on the Epic Games Store, while an Xbox Series X/S version is targeting an early 2024 release.

We got a new look at S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

Despite the game being pushed back to early 2024, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World appeared at gamescom to share a slew of new gameplay for its upcoming first-person shooter.

Additionally, the CEO of GSC Game World sat down with us to answer all questions we had about the development team and its project. We also shared our first impressions of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s gameplay, which you can watch right here.

CD Projekt Red talked about how Phantom Liberty is the last big update before Cyberpunk 2

My colleague Stella Chung had a chance to sit down with game director Gabriel Amatangelo to discuss the new content coming to the next expansion of Cyberpunk 2077, including a quick look at a new zone called Dogtown.

More interestingly, Amatangelo revealed that Phantom Liberty is the last big expansion fans will see before a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 launches. Check out the full interview here!

We learned that Kazuma Kiryu was always meant to be the dual protagonist in Like a Dragon Gaiden

We sat down with Like a Dragon series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto at gamescom 2023 to get some answers to our questions on Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, including new details about the game’s setting, fighting styles, battle arena, Kiryu’s fashion sense, and more.

Since the reveal of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, many veteran fans of the series have been perplexed by the decision to bring back long-time series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as a dual protagonist. However, Like a Dragon series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto claims that Kiryu’s return has been in the cards for a long, long time.

Second Dinner’s Ben Brode talked about Marvel Snap leaving Steam Early Access

Ben Brode, the Chief Development Officer at Second Dinner sat down with us to discuss Marvel Snap’s PC launch and his favorite deck in the game.

At Opening Night Live earlier this week, Second Dinner announced that Marvel Snap was finally out of Early Access. Last October, the game was released on PC (via Steam), in addition to macOS and mobile devices, but only the Steam version was left in Early Access.

Wayfinder revealed as a new MMO that looks like a fusion between Destiny and WoW

If you’re a Destiny and/or World of Warcraft fan, Wayfinder might be up your alley. This upcoming MMO. IGN sat down with AJ LaSaracina, the director of marketing and engagement for the game. He explained the game’s journey so far and what fans can expect when it finally releases sometime next year.

Project Mugen is a new open world RPG where Cyberpunk meets Genshin Impact

After teasing the game a few days prior, NetEase Games and Naked Rain announced Project Mugen, a free-to-play urban open-world RPG that resembles a fusion of Cyberpunk and Genshin Impact.

Despite no release date, we do know Project Mugen is coming to PlayStation, PC, and mobile devices. Pre-registrations are open now for those interested in giving the game a try.

gamescom Day 1: The biggest announcements

The first full day of the trade show started off strong with new information on Starfield, Alan Wake 2, and RoboCop: Rogue City. Of course, we also saw some great surprises, including a brand-new teaser for the Fallout TV series.

Bethesda showed off the first teaser for the Fallout TV series

During a presentation for Bethesda’s upcoming open-world RPG Starfield, Todd Howard surprised those who attended with a sneak peek at the forthcoming Fallout TV series.

📍 Vault 33
Location: Los Angeles

Fallout, an original series, coming to Prime Video in 2024 pic.twitter.com/tlHh2WutF4

— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) August 23, 2023

The TV adaption based on the popular post-apocalyptic franchise was announced in 2020 and is a collaboration between Bethesda Softworks and Prime Video. However, there’s been comparatively little news on the series. Howard mentioned in the presentation that there will be bigger tease, and Prime Video confirmed the series would premiere sometime next year.

We got to see Starfield’s first mission

We also got to see the first mission for Starfield at gamescom 2023. The first 15 minutes of Starfield follows its showing at Opening Night Live, which include a live-action trailer among other highlights.

The first mission of the game has players on the Argos Extractors Mining Outpost on the Moon of Vectera, mining for ores before wandering in a tunnel alone, where we discover and interact with a weird blue deposit, which leaves us unconscious with a transition into you waking up and commencing the start of your character creation.

We had a chat with Xbox Boss Phil Spencer

Phil Spencer sat down to chat with us about a variety of things: from sharing his opinions on Baldur’s Gate 3, to teasing more Final Fantasy games coming to Xbox consoles, and reiterating that there is no plans to offer a mid-generation upgrade to the Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Circling back to the Final Fantasy comments, we asked him if Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 16, two games that have been big heavy hitters on PlayStation consoles, would ever make its way onto Xbox. While we did not get an outright confirmation, Spencer noting that Square’s previous commitment to Xbox sounds hopeful for RPG fans in the Xbox ecosystem.

Zack Snyder talks Rebel Moon and his ideal game to adapt for the big screen

At Opening Night Live yesterday, we got new details on Zack Snyder’s upcoming sci-fi films Rebel Moon. Part 1, subtitled A Child of Fire, which we already knew will hit Netflix on December 22, but Part 2: The Scargiver, will arrive on April 19, 2024.

At day one of gamescom, Snyder revealed the approixmate runtimes for both films in an interview with us, with both films lasting roughly four hours. But if you are craving for longer run times for both, Snyder did reveal that there are director’s cuts of the films also in the works, too.

More interestingly, Zack Snyder told us that he would love to adapt Gears of War for the big screen, while also mentioning that he is interested in the Halo franchise. While Halo is already being adapted for the small screen with a second season on the way at Paramout+, a Gears ofWar movie and adult animated series were announced last year.

Remedy was on hand to show off 40 minutes of Alan Wake 2

With Alan Wake 2 released in October month, Remedy Entertainment showed off a full chapter comprising some 40 minutes of its horror sequel. The chapter is set in an ominous replica of New York City called The Dark Place. Remedy previously noted that Alan Wake 2 was going to be its first survival horror game.

The Dark Place offers a stark contrast to what Alan Wake fans have previously seen; its roads are populated with oil-spill-like pools od darkness and newspapers litter the streets. Outside of its NYC-infleunced design The Dark Place is filled to the brim with Easter Eggs, including a cameo from creative director Sam Lake, who is already confirmed not to be reprising his role as Max Payne and instead playing another character in Alan Wake 2.

Mortal Kombat 1 devs talk Lore and invasions while addressing the animation criticism

We had a few interviews on day one of gamescom from Netherealm Studios, and they were all about its upcoming fighting game Mortal Kombat 1.

IGN sat down with Netherrealm’s story and voiceover director to discuss the lore and how it has changed in Mortal Kombat 1 as the next main installment serves as a reboot for the series. A separate interview had us talking to Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, where he addressed the criticisms made about certain attack animations featured in Mortal Kmbat 1.

My colleague Mitchell Saltzman published his final preview for Mortal Kombat 1, discussing the new Invasions mode, which he described as an “RPG mixed with a board game.” You can watch the video version of that preview above.

The first 16 minutes of RoboCop: Rogue included a ton of ED-209s

In 2021, a RoboCop first-person shooter was announced. And today, IGN can exclusively reveal the first 16 minutes of RoboCop: Rogue City. The 16 minutes is filled with elements fans of the films can expect, including a gaggle of ED-209s.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria received a PS5 and PC release date

IGN can exclusively reveal that The Lord of the Rings: Return of Moria is coming to PC and PS5 on October 24. An Xbox Series X/S version was previously announced as well, but Indie developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games said that version will arrive early next year.

Star Wars: Dark Forces remaster announced

Nightdive Studios, the developer who previously gave the remaster treatment to System Shock and Quake 2 announced its next project: Star Wars: Dark Forces remaster. It’s in development for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

Turok 3 is also on the way

Alongside a remaster for Star Wars: Dark Forces, Nightdive Studios also announced at this year’s gamescom that Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is also on the way. It’s slated to release sometime between October and December of this year and will launch on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story received a new trailer

Another exclusive IGN revealed outta this year’s gamescom is Son of Nunu: A League of Legends Story. The latest trailer featruures gameplay, a look at the fictional region of Freljord and an appearance from Braum, a champion from League of Legends.

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story does not have a release date (yet) but we do know it will release sometime this fall.

We learned lots more about Hellboy: Web of Wyrd

IGN’s Max Scoville sat down with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Art Director Patrick Martin to talk about Hellboy’s new game, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd.

Patrick and Mike talk to Max about multiple elements of the new game. They discuss the game’s heavy emphasis on melee combat that still includes shooting. More than that, they also dug deep into the game’s rogue-like elements, like Hellboy’s different upgradable abilities and what players could expect to customize from run to run.

We learned how Assassin’s Creed: Codename Jade made the leap to mobile

Assassin’s Creed Jade is the first full game in the franchise to be made exclusively for mobile devices. Playable at gamescom 2023, we took to the level Infinite booth to get some quality time with Assassin’s Creed Jade to see just what the developers were able to achieve on the mobile platform.

What to expect from gamescom Day 4

That’s about it for our recap of Day 2 of gamescom! Keep an eye on this space for lots more interviews, trailers, and announcements as we roll on to Day 3 of gamescom. Tomorrow are the gamescom 2023 awards! Here’s a list of what to expect.

• Mortal Kombat 1
• Lies of P
• Where Winds Meet
• Tekken 8
• Payday 3
• Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
• Sky Children of the Light
• The Plucky Squire
• Black Myth: Wukong

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Journey developer thatgamecompany has revealed a new look and title for Sky: The Two Embers, its upcoming animated series arriving in 2024 that’s based on the world and lore of Sky: Children of the Light.

Sky: Children of the Light is thatgamecompany’s follow-up to 2012’s Journey and is a social adventure that tasks you and your friends to restore a fallen kingdom above the clouds to its former glory. To do so, players will explore seven realms, solve puzzles, fly through the sky, and work together with others to push back the darkness and bring back the light.

As for the new series, we only catch a small glimpse, but it has a striking art style and teases that “a new world awaits.” While the story has yet to be fully revealed, it looks as though the main characters may need to search for a new home after a war or some threat comes to their doorstep. That threat is seen via a striking shot in the rain of a dragon-like creature flying above an army of sorts.

In our review of Sky: Children of Light, we said it is “a breathtaking follow-up to thatgamecompany’s previous hit, Journey, that surprised and delighted me from start to finish with its subtle story of exploration and healing.”

Sky: Children of the Light was recently in the news as it broke the Guinness World Record for the Most Users in a Concert Themed Virtual World with 10,000+ players in one virtual stadium. Soon, it will be going for a second record when it tries to have The Most Players Emoting Together at the Same Time in a Video Game.

For more, check out our recap of the biggest moments of both gamescom and Opening Night Live.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

When it was revealed to the world back in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong set the soulslike community on fire. And with each new gameplay video, that fire burned hotter and brighter. Among a growing crowd of FromSoftware imitators, Black Myth: Wukong stood out thanks to what appeared to be lightning-fast, responsive combat that doesn’t fall into the staple sword-and-board rhythms the genre found its feet with. But that impression has always been based on what we’ve watched. Now, after actually playing 30 minutes of Black Myth at gamescom 2023, I’m thrilled to report that seeing really can be believing. It genuinely does feel as good as it looks.

First, let’s address where Black Myth: Wukong sits along the action RPG spectrum. While it definitely falls under the soulslike umbrella thanks to its punishing centre-piece boss fights and bonfire-like checkpointing, Black Myth isn’t directly comparable to any FromSoft game. It sits somewhere between Sekiro and Bloodborne; it has the relentless speed of the former and emphasises evasive dodging much like the latter. But while the combat encounters pull on some of the same strings as the genre’s established titans, the actual act of fighting feels like its own slick beast.

Much of that comes down to the aforementioned evasions. Your staff-swinging monkey protagonist, based on Sun Wukong of China’s classic Journey to the West story, cannot block incoming attacks. Instead, dodges and leaps are your primary method of avoiding damage. This creates an incredibly kinetic foundation for the combat system, one in which you are constantly running circles around foes. While the lack of a traditional block means there’s not the satisfaction of a perfect parry, the feeling of dashing just before an enemy lands a blow is just as sweet.

The best thing about this speed-focused foundation is that it never feels as if it’s slipping away from you. Black Myth’s controls are incredibly responsive, and that flows from the movement to its stance-based attacks. Switching stances allows you to fluidly mix different strike patterns, from spear-like lunges to a twirling assault reminiscent of Jedi: Survivor’s double-bladed lightsaber. Light attacks build into spectacular heavies that have you pole vault upwards, or even spin on the end of your staff and strike enemies with each rotation. It’s in these moments that Black Myth’s Chinese mythology and martial arts roots really come alive, and each acrobatic feat feels all of your making.

The gamescom demo was split into four segments – three standalone boss battles, plus a longer section with regular enemies and exploration pulled from a dusty, rocky area known as Fright Cliff. Details on those bosses – Centipede Guai, Macaque Chief, and Tiger Vanguard – can be found in our previous hands-on preview, but what I will add is that each provides a wonderful sense of theatre. These are incredibly memorable fights, with smartly designed attack patterns, that take place in absolutely beautiful locations. The brutally fast Tiger Vanguard is especially true of that last point; the brawl takes place in a pool of blood that splashes and ripples with each pouncing movement.

The Fright Cliff chapter is the new showing for gamescom 2023, and it demonstrates that as good as Black Myth: Wukong is shaping up to be, it maybe won’t always be delivering its A-game. The level design leading up to its two bosses snakes through sandy and arid terrain. Fallen Buddha statues lie embedded in the earth, and occasional incense burners mark your journey’s checkpoints. Regular enemies guard each turn and fork in the road; some with shields that make the fight a little tricker, others with giant heads made of stone that can be shattered by using the ‘Smash’ stance that swings the staff like a club. Occasionally a branching path will lead to a dead end, forcing a touch of backtracking.

It’s all perfectly fine, but compared to the aforementioned bosses, I found navigating this area of Black Myth’s world a little action RPG-101. I’ve generally found the architecture of urban environments tells a better story and creates a better path network than rural locations. But I can’t help but think back on natural world triumphs like Sekiro’s Sunken Valley and wish that Black Myth’s Fright Cliff had more of that location’s fun verticality and hazardous paths. You play as a monkey, after all, and so it would have been fun to use his leaping and swinging talents to explore this world in a more dynamic fashion. But as we know from prior gameplay videos, our primate protag can turn into a fly, so there’s every chance that further levels have more engaging layouts and opportunities than those seen in this demo.

Towards the end of the stage the path branches with more purpose. To the left lies a wide open space that makes it immediately obvious that a boss is waiting on the sidelines. To the right is a staircase that leads to a huge set of ominous doors that also make it immediately obvious that a boss is waiting behind them. The space on the left is the stomping ground of the Stone Vanguard, an optional boss made up of boulders arranged in a roughly quadrupedal arrangement. Its front legs slam down to create powerful shockwaves that hurl you around like a ragdoll. As a side challenge, the Stone Vanguard isn’t the set-piece that Black Myth’s main bosses are, but it’s a fun time all the same.

Behind the doors, though, is the real star of the show: Black Loong. Best described as a fifteen-foot-tall pig/dragon/man hybrid, he swings massive electrified batons that crash through the rocks that litter his arena. He’s slower than the previously mentioned bosses but hits much harder, building his attacks into lengthy combos that force you into extended defensive manoeuvres. My favourite of these was a series of lightning pulses that burst outwards from his location in patterns that had to be leapt over or dodged through with an almost rhythm action game-like sense of pace and precision.

Should the beat of those lightning rings pose too much of a challenge, you can use the Immobilize skill to freeze Black Loong in place and prevent him from unleashing the attack. This paralysis ability is just one of many different spells that can be used mid-battle. Rather than the sorceries of FromSoft’s games, these are cooldown-based abilities similar to those seen in the likes of Diablo or the recent Assassin’s Creed games. They take a long time to recharge but work as fun punctuation marks throughout a combat encounter.

As you’d expect, these spells cover a wide range of utilities, from Cloud Step, which temporarily enhances your dodge and sharpens up those evasive qualities, to the Fireblade Wolf; a transformation that turns you into a slightly slower but powerful demigod-like character with flaming glaive and a brand new health bar. My favourite, though, was The Pluck of Many, which summons a mini army of monkey clones that immediately unleash their aggression on your target. Locking a boss in place with Immobilize and then activating those clones provides a healthy burst of damage, and I can see that being a go-to technique in the final game.

It’s always a development risk to reveal your game too early. Such a move can build up years of heightened and unrealistic expectations. But, at least as far as this gamescom 2023 demo goes, Black Myth: Wukong has successfully navigated that risk. It’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting action RPGs of the soulslike era, one with its own fresh approach to challenge, pace, and abilities. What remains to be seen is how developer Game Science has approached wider RPG systems, such as character development and levelling up. Should that, plus the level design of further chapters, match up to the quality bar of the bosses we’ve seen, then Black Myth: Wukong will be the success everyone is hoping for.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.

In most survival games you’re lucky if you have a shelter fashioned from a few sticks and leaves. Maybe a little fire you can use to cook nasty-tasting berries that do just enough to keep hunger at bay. And while Nightingale starts off in a similar way, with little more than a handful of sticks and stones to keep you alive, it’s not long until you’re able to build something altogether more impressive.

Axes are pretty simple to craft early on and are extremely useful for chopping down trees, which can then be turned into logs. Before long you have enough to build a simple log cabin; nothing too fancy, but it provides shelter from both the elements and the local wildlife. It looks quick and simple to make too; although I wasn’t able to play Nightingale at gamescom 2023, the developers did showcase how it’s created a simplified crafting system designed to make building anything – from simple tools to impressive buildings – quick and easy. So much so, in fact, that within a few minutes our base has expanded to include additional rooms and levels, plus crafting benches that enable you to build bigger and better things. Moments later, we’re able to upgrade once again, switching out bland log panels for ornate pagodas. If this is what life is like when you’re on the brink of survival, count me in.

At its most basic, Nightingale is a survival game like Sons of the Forest and Valheim, but that’s doing it a disservice because it’s by far the most stylish and elegant survival game I’ve ever seen. The Realm Walkers are the epitome of Victorian chic and even manage to make an animal skin look great, and the way they use umbrellas to glide from high ledges smacks of Breath of the Wild crossed with Mary Poppins, and it’s wonderful.

Nightingale’s aesthetic is certainly the most striking aspect of the game and its ‘Victorian gas-lamp’ vibe is something that runs throughout. Even though you travel from one dimension to another in the hope of returning to your home world of Nightingale, everything feels like it has a place and fits within the world. Your first encounters are with hostile wildlife that look Lovecraftian, and the Bound – interdimensional beings that live between realms – could easily be from Call of Cthulhu. And there are much bigger threats you’ll encounter too, such as a Sun Giant who we see for the first time in the middle of a swamp.

There are apparently two ways to approach such a beast. You can make an offering, on this occasion a spyglass. If the gift appeases the giant, you’re rewarded with resources. But if not, the giant becomes angry and you either have to flee or fight. Unsurprisingly the sun giant turned its nose up at the meagre spy glass and things quickly took a turn for the worse. The battle I watched was three versus one, the Realm Walkers carrying shotguns and rifles, and beginning the assault on a multi-storey pagoda complete with sniper nests, which they built in the moments leading up to the battle. But a wooden building is no match for a giant that wields the power of the sun, and it’s quickly demolished.

Remedy Entertainment has come a long way since the original Alan Wake released on Xbox 360 way back in 2010. In the intervening 13 years, Remedy has released Control, built up a universe, and fully established itself as one of gaming’s sharpest and most ambitious big-budget developers.

With Alan Wake 2 set to arrive in October, we took a moment to sit down with creator Sam Lake at gamescom 2023 to talk horror instructions, not wanting to go neck and neck, and the need for a little bit of comedy in your horror games. Read on for the full interview, and make sure to check out our hands-on preview as well as our recap of all of our gamescom 2023 coverage so far.

Sam, Alan Wake 2 looks incredible. We got a brand new trailer last night, which really messed me up because it actually took me a bit to figure out what was live action and what was in-game. So bravo. Tell me about how that came together, the decisions behind using real footage and in-game footage. It all melted together. I loved it.

Sam Lake, Director: Thank you. Yeah. We have used different mediums for storytelling in our games in the past and live action in particular, I really, really like using live action. And this time around, we were looking for stylization and ways to integrate it seamlessly into the experience. The Dark Place is this shifting dream reality, kind of a layered place where Alan Wake is churning through these layers and it just felt very suited for switching the medium to keep you off balance. And he’s confused. You are confused. And we are going into seeing some live action and then jumping back into the game and-

You’re trying to keep the audience on their toes a bit there, right?

SL: Well, it’s very much overall survival horror, but the Dark Place experience is very much psychological horror because it’s drawing from his head and he’s been there for ages trying to find a way to escape, write the story to escape. So it’s taking from his story, from his thoughts, from his fears, and everything is in one way or the other, echoing in that way. So this crime in New York setting, walls covered with graffiti and all of that graffiti is coming from…some sort of an echo or a twisted mirror. So it’s full of messages.

He is not doing great. Right?

SL: Yeah…13 years stuck in a nightmare that kind of just keeps on hammering you with all kinds of horrible things and he’s trying to control it, write a story to control it in order to change the reality around him to escape. He has failed for 13 years.

Thirteen years stuck in a nightmare, that’s like public school for me. The interesting sort of spectrum between psychological horror and survival horror, one of them is obviously historically more grounded, especially in video game form. And the other one gets you a lot more crazy and kind of outside of the, “Hey, we’re in the forest and I sort of have an idea what’s happening here.”

Can you tell me about how fun it is to build on those different spectrums of horror? Because I love both of those things equally in film.

SL: Yeah, me as well. And the Remedy team overall, big fan. And that has been our approach through all of these years. Remedy just turned 28 years, a long journey… Pop culture, being fans of many things and just drawing ideas and inspiration out of that soup and horror being one of them. And certainly we’ve kind of had bits and pieces of horror vibe and atmosphere in our experiences, but this time we just wanted to go all in. And different films and books and all, as part of it.

I always feel that a single game is such a big world of its own, that there is room for different tones and different vibes to kind of dig in and discover. We have a lot of comedy in this as well, and I feel that that’s essential to give you a bit of relief and release before we kind of chunk you back in to the horror bits.

The man who leaked the first 40 minutes or so of Bethesda’s highly anticipated RPG Starfield was arrested yesterday – not for leaking spoilers per se, but because of his theft of the game.

As first reported by Kotaku, 29-year-old Darrin Harris was booked yesterday in Shelby County, Tennessee, on a felony charge of theft of property costing $2500-10,000, a misdemeanor charge of theft of property $1000 or less, and another misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana, per information on the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office website. IGN has obtained the incident report of the arrest, which lists the stolen property as “Video Game: Microsoft Starfield unreleased game.”

While it’s currently unclear what further legal repercussions Harris will still have to face, he posted $10,000 bail today, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office website.

The leaked footage first hit the internet on Tuesday, which was taken from a cell phone and posted to Harris’ YouTube account. It was quickly taken down for copyright infringement, but not before spoilers were recorded, screengrabbed, and shared more widely (and they’re still out there, so be careful if you’re trying to play Starfield with as little information as possible).

After some leveled criticism at Harris for how he played the game, as much of the footage involved him struggling to grasp the mechanics, he posted a follow-up video.

“Todd [Howard], no offense man, that’s a good game,” he said at the time. “Perfect timing, about leaving the earth and all that, it’s good stuff. Pretty swell, good moves. They were saying I play like a beginner because I’m not a game expert, I was just trying something out. That’s a good game, y’all don’t want to miss it. Starfield for real.”

The person who leaked the Starfield gameplay on YouTube has uploaded a response video. “Todd, no offense man, that’s a good game.” 😂 #Starfield #Xbox pic.twitter.com/EuwxOhC7BJ

— Rebs Gaming (@Mr_Rebs_) August 22, 2023

Harris’ YouTube and other social media accounts have since been scrubbed of their previous videos, but according to Kotaku, Harris took things further as he began trying to sell copies of Starfield, including the $300 Constellation Edition, on Mercari. While it’s unclear how Harris obtained the copies, or if Microsoft tipped off the Shelby County police about his conduct, he certainly made little secret of his possession of the game.

Starfield hits PC and Xbox Series X/S on Sept. 1 in early access before releasing wider on Sept. 6 – and, if you want more thoughts on the game beyond Harris’, the official review embargo lifts on Aug. 31. For more, check out everything we know about Starfield so far.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Path of Exile 2 is quietly one of the most anticipated action RPGs around. Grinding Gear Games recently took the wraps off its big sequel, in the process confirming that it will be a standalone release. With gamescom 2023 in full swing, we were able to get a much closer at the hotly-anticipated Diablo IV competitor, including a ton of new gameplay.

First up, we have gameplay featuring Path of Exile 2’s Druid narrated by co-creator Jonathan Rogers. The footage features a demonstration of the Druid’s powerful bear form and its various abilities. Check it out!

In addition we got to see two other major classes in Path of Exile 2: the Warrior and the Huntress. Rogers is once again on hands to talk through the two Path of Exile 2 classes and what they have to offer.

Finally, we have lots more screenshots from Path of Exile 2 featuring environments, bosses, and spell effects. Based on the videos above and these new images, it’s clear that Path of Exile 2 has come quite a long way and is more than capable of standing up to its comeptition in the visuals department.

Path of Exile 2 is the sequel to the popular Diablo-style action RPG first released in 2013. It’s known for its huge skill trees, massive amount of content, and its unique economy. Path of Exile 2 was initially an update, but it eventually picked up a number, then a full standalone release. It’s currently slated to release into early access in 2024, where players will be able to play through the entire game.

For more, check out our hands-on preview, where we called it a “gorgeous overhaul of the classic action RPG,” as well as all the rest of our coverage as gamescom 2023 continues.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is a major moment for CD Projekt Red’s big RPG. Aside from a major new story and the inclusion of Idris Elba, it will include a host of major improvements, all of which will be available in the base game for free.

Speaking with IGN, director Gabriel Amatangelo talked about these big changes as well as the creation of Dogtown, the new vehicle combat, and much more. Read the full Cyberpunk 2077 interview below, then go check out the full recap of all the announcements as gamescom 2023 continues!

IGN: Okay, so I want to talk about the levels, because obviously we’re getting into a completely new town and new area in Cyberpunk. So tell me about it. How many buildings can we go into? Are there lots of little secrets hidden around?

Gabriel Amatangelo, Director: Yeah, so Dogtown is ruled by Kurt Hansen and he is a defacto colonel from the New United States and he seized the area and so he rules it with an iron fist, if you will. He’s like a militia leader and he exploits with various different weapons, dealing and trading and other Black Market goods, and some of which the players can get ahold of. So, generally speaking, we wanted it to have an oppressive feel. So you see his militia, his units around, and you are on edge. The communities are ruled strictly, if you will, but at the same time, the NCPD and the corporals are not allowed there, so it’s a place that some unsavory characters escape to, so it’s a rougher area.

Could we be one of those unsavory characters?

GA: Certainly. It’s a role-playing game, after all…I think we talked about a little bit last time, if you start committing crimes or getting out of order in that area, he will send his units after you and it can escalate, escalate, escalate. And they can bring out APCs, vehicles with mounted weapons, so on and so forth.

Vehicle combat is a big addition to Phantom Liberty. How did that influence the streets and the quests of Dogtown?

GA: Yeah, so I mean, as you’re going from location to location, there’s a lot of dynamic events that can happen. For example, I said that he deals with some Black Market goods. There could be some airdrops or some caravans, and you can intercept them, and there’s an emergent encounter that happens from it. And you can get some loot, find some goodies, that kind of stuff. And you can do it on foot, you can do it in your vehicle, pull out an SMG, you can do drive-bys on your bike, and slash them with your Katana blade. And so there’s a lot of emergent activities and events that happen throughout.

August is nearing its end, and you know what that means… It’s time to get excited about spooky season! It’s the perfect time to pick up a variety of horror films, shows, and especially games that you can play all the way to Halloween. Right now, Amazon has a great discount on Resident Evil Village, which is definitely worth adding to your collection if you don’t have it already and perfect for the season.

It’s available for $16 at the moment, which is 20% off its usual price. Head to the link below on Amazon’s website to check out this deal in full.

Get Resident Evil Village for PS5 for $16

From our Resident Evil Village review: “If you have an itch for action-heavy survival-horror, then Resident Evil Village will scratch it like a fistfull of Lady Dimitrescu’s freakish fingernails.”

If you’re looking for even more physical media in the horror genre to purchase, there are several 4K and Blu-ray preorders that are up right now and worth checking out as well. In particular, you can preorder the original Scream trilogy on 4K UHD and Blu-ray, which is set to release on October 3, and The Exorcist’s 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition is also up for preorder, with a release date of October 20. Or, if you prefer a good scary TV show to binge-watch instead, the complete collection of The Walking Dead on Blu-ray is also available to preorder and is set to release on October 17.

These options just scratch the surface of 4K and Blu-ray releases right now, though. If you’re curious to see what else is set to come out over the next couple of months, make sure to check out our breakdown of upcoming 4K and Blu-ray release dates. There, you can find information on 4K re-releases of films and shows, like those previously mentioned, along with information on when theatrical releases will be available to buy in physical formats.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.