Five Nights At Freddy’s 2, the sequel to the 2023 film adaptation of the popular horror game, has a premiere date. Freddy Fazbear and friends will return to the big screen on December 5, 2025.

As reported by Variety, Blumhouse Productions announced the date alongside a slate of other upcoming films, including M3GAN 2.0 and The Black Phone 2. It's not surprising to see Five Nights At Freddy’s getting a follow-up. It simultaneously premiered in theaters and on Peacock on October 27, 2023, and still managed to be a massive box office success. Grossing $297 million globally, it became the year's highest-grossing horror film, Blumhouse’s highest-grossing film ever, and the most-watched movie on Peacock for five straight days. 

The tagline for Five Nights At Freddy's 2 reads, "Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there will be no second chances." The sequel’s cast has not been announced, but the original starred Josh Hutchinson and included Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Piper Rubio. Director Emma Tammi is returning to direct the sequel, with FNAF creator Scott Cawthorn and Blumhouse founder Jason Blum once again assuming producer roles. 

FNAF 2 won't be the only video game film arriving in 2025. Mortal Kombat 2, the sequel to the 2021 reboot film, was recently confirmed to release in October of that year. 

After The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reinvented the series in 3D and became its new gold standard, Nintendo followed up with a surreal sequel in Majora's Mask. Set two months after the events of Ocarina, Link finds himself transported to an alternate version of Hyrule called Termina and must prevent a very angry moon from crashing into the Earth over the course of three constantly repeating days. Majora's Mask's unique structure and bizarre tone have earned it legions of passionate defenders and detractors, and one long-time Zelda fan is going to experience it for the first time to see where he lands on that spectrum.

Join Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard today and each Friday on Twitch at 2:00 p.m. CT as they gradually work their way through the entire game until Termina is saved. Archived episodes will be uploaded each Saturday on our second YouTube channel Game Informer Shows, which you can watch both above and by clicking the links below. 

Part 1 - Plenty of Time
Part 2 - The Bear
Part 3 - Deku Ball Z
Part 4 - Pig Out
Part 5 - The Was a Bad Choice!
Part 6 - Ray Darmani
Part 7 - Curl and Pound
Part 8 - Almost a Flamethrower
Part 9 - Take Me Higher
Part 10 - Time Juice
Part 11 - The One About Joey
Part 12 - Ugly Country
Part 13 - The Sword is the Chicken Hat
Part 14 - Harvard for Hyrule
Part 15 - Keeping it Pure

Watch on Twitch!

If you enjoy our livestreams but haven’t subscribed to our Twitch channel, know that doing so not only gives you notifications and access to special emotes. You’ll also be granted entry to the official Game Informer Discord channel, where our welcoming community members, moderators, and staff gather to talk games, entertainment, food, and organize hangouts! Be sure to also follow our second YouTube channel, Game Informer Shows, to watch other Replay episodes as well as Twitch archives of GI Live and more. 

It's a great time to be a Fallout fan, thanks to its excellent Amazon Prime series and the next-gen update for Fallout 4. But it seems like the fallout from this recent boom in popularity hasn't died down quite yet. Thanks to a teaser shared on Fortnite's official social media pages, we know that Fallout will be coming to Fortnite pretty soon

pic.twitter.com/AKjFXVnHST

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) May 17, 2024

The teaser image shows power armor in a cloud of orange dust, accompanied by what appears to be some sort of industrial building. Other than that, there's not much to go on, but we can make educated guesses. For one, Fortnite's current season will end on May 24, so this is the perfect time to tease the skins that might be coming in the next battle pass. And if it's anything like the recent Avatar: The Last Airbender and Star Wars crossovers, we might see Fallout-themed mechanics or areas appear on the battle royale map itself.

It will almost certainly involve some sort of cosmetic pack as well, which could include characters from the games, the Amazon Prime show, or both. Thanks to the teaser, we know power armor will be making an appearance, but it's unclear whether it will be an item to equip in-game or a skin that can be unlocked or purchased.

For more Fortnite news, read about its recent crossover with Billie Eilish, its decision to allow players to block certain emotes, and its huge and mysterious collaboration with Disney.

What are you hoping to see included in this crossover? Let us know in the comments below!

Yesterday, EA Sports College Football 25’s cover athletes and release date were revealed. Today, the game’s first full trailer provides the look at it in action. 

The trailer shows that EA is seemingly going all out to replicate the pomp and passion of college football, with over-the-top team entrances, marching band performances, and mascots galore. It remains to be seen how fun or different the on-field action is compared to its Madden counterpart, but the game at least seems to capture the school spirit. 

EA also released a batch of new screenshots, which you can view in this gallery. 

 

EA Sports College Football 25 launches on July 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. You can learn more about its various editions, pricing, and features here. 

Hades II has taken the gaming world by storm, and I'm not just saying that because it's the subject of our current cover story. But while many have been surprised by the sheer volume of content available so far, it's still in Early Access, so the team at Supergiant will be updating and patching it for the foreseeable future. The first of those patches came today, and it adds a few small quality-of-life improvements.

Our first Early Access patch for Hades II is out now on Steam and the Epic Games Store!! We're very grateful for all the feedback so far, which inspired this first set of targeted improvements and fixes.

🌒Full Patch Notes: https://t.co/HDQRCANrv1 pic.twitter.com/RJO0ayFb8c

— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) May 16, 2024

The first change comes to the sprint mechanic, a feature the original Hades did not have. By holding the dash button, Melinoë will begin to run, making it easier to avoid enemy attacks or cross larger lengths of the map. Several boons also only activate while sprinting, so it's a crucial mechanic for Supergiant to get right. After this first patch, sprinting is faster and it's easier to turn, and related boons have been re-balanced accordingly. Additionally, The Swift Runner upgrade at the Altar of Ashes (which increases sprint speed by 20%) now makes your dash immediately start, so you can escape danger more reliably.

The patch also does a minor overhaul of the resource collection system. As you progress, you'll unlock different tools, like the pickaxe and the shovel, to harvest different types of materials, like minerals and seeds. Before the patch, choosing a tool before a run meant you could only harvest those specific resources until you returned to the crossroads. If you picked up a shovel and encountered a fishing spot, you were out of luck. Now, players can harvest any resource they encounter in a run, but selecting a certain tool just makes its corresponding resource much more likely to appear. Now, a shovel-wielding Melinoë can attempt to catch any fish she comes across, but it's much less likely she encounters one in the first place.

The patch also includes a number of other smaller fixes, which you can read in their entirety here. Just be wary before unveiling those spoiler tags if you haven't made it through the bulk of the game, as they reveal the existence of certain characters or locations you likely haven't encountered yet.

For more Hades 2, check out our coverage hub, which includes a rapid-fire interview with the developers, a tour of Supergiant Games' studio, and our in-depth cover story detailing the making of the game.

Microsoft is reportedly planning to launch this year's Call of Duty on its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, according to The Wall Stree Journal. This follows reports in previous weeks indicating Microsoft and Xbox were mulling over whether or not to launch the next iteration in the franchise on Game Pass, out of fear it might hurt sales. 

After acquiring Activision Blizzard for a colossal $69 billion last year, fans and analysts have speculated about how Microsoft will handle the Call of Duty franchise moving forward. It will obviously be a big draw for Xbox Game Pass, pulling in new subscribers, but most every year, the new Call of Duty is the best-selling game of the year – save for last year, where Hogwarts Legacy took that crown – and a Game Pass launch could affect those sales numbers. 

However, this new report from The Wall Street Journal seemingly clears the air around that topic. 

"Microsoft plans a major shake up of its video game sales strategy by releasing the coming installment of Call of Duty to its subscription service instead of the longtime, lucrative approach of only selling it a la carte," the story reads. 

Of course, things could change so we'll see what happens. It's likely we'll be learning what the next Call of Duty game is next month as part of the gaming showcase summer that includes Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft Forward, and an Xbox Games Showcase followed by a secret direct that is probably focused on Call of Duty.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

What setting do you hope the next Call of Duty takes place in? Let us know in the comments below!

2K will reveal the next iteration of one of its biggest franchises at Summer Game Fest. Fans online are already speculating what it could be, considering some of 2K's biggest franchises are prime for a new game. 

As for when to expect this new game, the official SGF X (formerly Twitter) account says it will be announced on June 7, during the Summer Game Fest livestream that begins at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET. That's less than a month away so we don't have to speculate too long on what this mystery iteration could be. 

2K plans to reveal the next iteration in one of 2K's biggest and most beloved franchises at @SummerGameFest on Friday, June 7. pic.twitter.com/1vyFXE2N4z

— Summer Game Fest (@summergamefest) May 16, 2024

While there are plenty of 2K franchises that fit the bill, our eyes are on three franchises: Borderlands, Mafia, and BioShock. 

The last mainline Borderlands entry – Borderlands 3 – hit PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2019, and with the live-action Borderlands movie hitting theaters this August, a new game would make sense. However, we did just get New Tales From The Borderlands in 2022, if you're looking for something to play through in that universe. 

On the Mafia front, the last mainline entry was Mafia III in 2016, although 2K released Mafia: Definitive Edition – a remake – in 2020. And we know the next Mafia game is in development, too, so it might be time for an announcement. 

BioShock has been dormant since BioShock Infinite in 2013, unless you count the 2016 remasters, and we know 2K created Cloud Chamber in 2019 to work on the next entry in the franchise. It's been almost five years since then, so SGF seems like a great moment to announce the next BioShock. Speaking of, here's what we want in a BioShock 4. 

SGF returns to Los Angeles next month, with the live showcase happening on June 7. For more, check out some of the studios, publishers, and partners to be featured during the event, and then check out Game Informer's summer gaming showcase schedule. 

What do you think this new iteration will be? Let us know in the comments below!

Grand Theft Auto VI's reveal last December sent fans into a tizzy, but its then-distant 2025 release window immediately tempered that excitement. While the launch seemed more in reach now that we’re nearly midway through 2024, it appears we’ll have to wait another full year before playing it.

Publisher Take-Two released its 2024 year-end financial report today (thanks, PC Gamer), in which it states that Rockstar is targeting a Fall 2025 release window for GTA VI. This timing is reiterated in a calendar of the publisher’s upcoming releases, posted below.

Click to enlarge

Regarding GTA VI, Take-Two states, “We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase.” The game is slated to release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. A PC version has yet to be mentioned. 

Grand Theft Auto VI takes players to a modern-day Vice City (the franchise's parody of Miami, FL) and stars two protagonists, a female inmate named Lucia and her still-unnamed criminal male partner. To say anticipation is high would be an understatement; the premiere trailer garnered over 100 million views in only 24 hours, breaking a YouTube record. 

As we continue the long wait for Grand Theft Auto VI’s launch, check out our video of Game Informer’s two resident Florida Men reacting to the debut trailer. You can also read about Take-Two's recent closure of developers Roll7 (Rollerdrome, OlliOlli World) and Intercept Games (Kerbal Space Program 2).

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, we discuss several of the best indie games you might've missed amidst this month's releases. Specifically, we discuss Animal Well's mysteries, revisiting Hades I, Lorelai and the Laser Eyes, Paper Trail, With My Past, Indika, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. 

Watch The Video Version:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes), Charlie Wacholz (@chas_mke)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Matt Storm, the freelance audio editor for The Game Informer Show, edited this episode. Matt is an experienced podcast host and producer who's been speaking into a microphone for over a decade. You should listen to Matt's shows like the "Fun" And Games Podcast and Reignite, a BioWare-focused podcast.  The Game Informer Show – Podcast Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:05:05 - Animal Well

00:18:16 - Hades

00:29:33 - Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

00:38:32 - Paper Trail

00:50:12 - Endless Ocean Luminous

01:01:29 - With My Past Review

01:11:14 - Indika Review

01:24:44 - Killer Klowns from Outer Space

01:31:52 - Housekeeping

Ghost of Tsushima, specifically the Director's Cut, is out on PC today. It's a fantastic game that should be welcomed with open arms as it makes its way to a new platform, but we were specifically curious about how it performs on Steam Deck. The game is not Steam Deck verified primarily because certain features are not supported on Valve's handheld, or other comparable mobile PC game platforms. However, the offline content (the single-player campaign and the expansion) has been specifically adjusted to play well on Steam Deck. You can read port studio Nixxes Software explanation here. And spending a little time with the game shows that the single-player campaign does, in fact, play well on Steam Deck. It's not without its shortcomings – a high-end PC or a PlayStation 5 are still the best ways to play the game – but Steam Deck appears to be a great way to play the game if that's your only option or you want a portable version.

You can check out some gameplay with commentary from myself and Wesley LeBlanc below.

Head to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

Phoenix Labs, the developer behind last year's Fae Farm and Dauntless, has laid off staff and canceled in-development games as part of a restructuring at the studio. Polygon's Nicole Carpenter is reporting on X (formerly Twitter) that more than 100 people at Phoenix Labs were laid off. 

Shortly after Carpenter reported that, Phoenix Labs released the following statement: 

"Today is an incredibly difficult day. After a long period of evaluating how to navigate our economic structure, we have had to significantly restructure the company to pave a path for a strong future. We are reorganizing Phoenix Labs to focus on our best-in-class live service titles, Dauntless and Fae Farm, and serving their communities.  "This unfortunately means canceling work on all other projects at the studio, which will impact many of our colleagues immediately. We are giving notices to everyone whose roles are affected. This restructure has not come easily, and truly has been the last resort to ensure Phoenix Labs can survive, and thrive in the long term. It's impossible to put into words how deeply we value every talented individual who have contributed their hard work and passion to every project at our studio.  "We are doing all we can to help our departing team members in this interim period and encourage any studios looking for incredible talent to speak with the one-of-a-kind people that have been a part of Phoenix Labs' journey." 

Phoenix Labs released its latest game, Fae Farm, back in September, and Dauntless before that in 2019. 

These layoffs join a string of other disheartening 2024 layoffs and closures, which now total more than 10,000 in just the first five months of the year. 

Square Enix announced earlier this week it will begin layoffs as part of "structural reforms," starting this week. 

Earlier this month, Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall studio Arkane Austin. Take-Two Interactive closed Rollerdrome studio Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games alongside major layoffs to its indie-publisher Private Division label. That same week, we learned Deliver Us Mars developer Keoken Interactive had laid off nearly its entire staff. 

Elsewhere in the year, EA laid off roughly 670 employees across all departments, resulting in the cancellation of Respawn's Star Wars FPS game. PlayStation laid off 900 employees across Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and more, closing down London Studio in the process, too. The day before, Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games announced it laid off 90 employees. 

At the end of January, we learned Embracer Group had canceled a new Deus Ex game in development at Eidos-Montréal and laid off 97 employees in the process. Also in January, Destroy All Humans remake developer Black Forest Games reportedly laid off 50 employees and Microsoft announced it was laying off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams, as well. Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees in January, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees. 

Lords of the Fallen Publisher CI Games laid off 10 percent of its staff, Unity will lay off 1,800 people by the end of March, and Twitch laid off 500 employees. 

We also learned that Discord had laid off 170 employees, that layoffs happened at PTW, a support studio that's worked with companies like Blizzard and Capcom, and that SteamWorld Build company, Thunderful Group, let go of roughly 100 people. Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive also reportedly laid off 45 people, too. 

The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone who's been affected by layoffs or closures. 

[Source: Polygon]

Students across the land are donning gowns and readying their cap-throwing arms. If you’ve got a gaming or tech fan celebrating their big accomplishment, it’s likely you may also be looking for a way to congratulate them on their achievement. We’ve assembled a curated selection of tech, toys, tabletop games, and more to delight the new graduate this year. Read more...

EA Sports College Football finally has a release date, cover stars, and two different editions. The long-awaited return to college football hits PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 19.

Gracing the cover of the game’s Standard edition are Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards, Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers, and Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. Check out the Standard and Deluxe covers in the gallery below.

 

The cover reveal comes a day before the game's full debut tomorrow. So far, we know that College Football 25 features 134 FBS schools, and it's being developed by Madden developer EA Orlando. The game was first announced in 2021 following a years-long hiatus for college football games due to the 2014 player likeness compensation lawsuit.

Both editions are now available for pre-order. The Standard Edition costs $69.99 and consists of the base game, Alma Mater and Cover Athlete Ultimate Team packs, and Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item. 

The $99.99 Deluxe Edition includes three days of early access (July 16-18), 4600 College Football Points, Heisman Hopeful/Alma Mater/Cover Athlete Ultimate Teams packs, and the Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item.

Lastly, a $149.99 MVP Bundle includes the Deluxe editions of EA Sports College Football 25 and the upcoming Madden NFL 25. 

Activision, the developer-publisher Microsoft and Xbox purchased for $69 billion last year, has formed a new studio called Elsewhere Entertainment, and it is developing a new "narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise." The studio is based in Warsaw, Poland, and, according to a report from IGN, it is not working on a Call of Duty-related project. 

This studio, which has been formed behind-the-scenes before today's public unveiling, arrives roughly one week after Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall team Arkane Austin. While the company has yet to publicly address the closures directly, Xbox president Sarah Bond said in an interview that the closures were about keeping the business healthy in the long-term. It's why news of this new studio might be surprising, given one week ago, the parent company of Activision was closing studios to cut costs. 

"Built from the ground up, Elsewhere Entertainment is a premier and standalone studio dedicated to establishing an environment that inspires bold and diverse ideas," a blog post reads. "The team's underlying mission encourages everyone to explore and collaborate creatively to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond games. [The] new studio has full access to Activision's resources and tools as it continues to increase production and development. 

"Elsewhere is opening its search for best-in-class talent from across the industry and around the world to help create a state-of-the-art and next generation gaming experience." 

Elsewhere is currently made up of developers with experience working on franchises like The Last of Us, Uncharted, The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, Destiny, Tom Clancy's The Division, and Far Cry. 

What kind of game do you hope Elsewhere makes? Let us know in the comments below!

Summer Game Fest will bring together more than 55 developers, publishers, partners, and more, including the likes of PlayStation, Xbox, and various others. The SGF livestream, which kicks off the multi-day event, happens at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on June 7 from Los Angeles' YouTube Theater. It will feature announcements, first-looks, trailers, and more. 

Ahead of that livestream and the subsequent invite-only Play Days for hands-on gameplay, SGF has unveiled the first wave of partners taking part in this summer's festivities. We've bolded some of the bigger names appearing: 

• 2K
• Amazon Games
• Annapurna Interactive
• Arc Games
• Atari
• Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Blumhouse Games
• Bokeh Game Studio
• Capcom
• Day of the Devs
• Deep Silver
• Devolver Digital
• Discord
• Dolby
• Electronic Arts
• Embark Studios
• Epic Games
• Focus Entertainment
• Funcom
• HoYoverse
• iam8bit
• Indie Angels
• Innersloth
• Ironmace
• Jyamma Games
• Level Infinite
• Magic the Gathering
• Meta
• NCSoft
• NetEase Games
• Netflix Games
• Nexon
• Niantic
• Plaion
• PlayStation
• Pocketpair
• Private Division
• Razer
• Recreate Games
• Riot Games
• S-Game
• Samsung Gaming Hub
• Seasun Games
• Sega
• SNK
• Steam
• Sunblink
• Supercell
• Thunderful Games
• TiMi Studio Group
• Tom Banner Studios
• Ubisoft
• Uncapped Games
• WB Games
• Xbox 

Alongside today's partner news, SGF says it will also stream Day of the Devs: SGF Edition on June 7, immediately following the SGF live showcase. Tickets for the SGF live showcase in Los Angeles are now available for purchase, but if you can't attend in person, it will also stream on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, X, Steam, and a variety of other international partners. 

SGF isn't the only gaming event happening this summer—check out Game Informer's 2024 summer gaming showcase schedule to see what else is in store. 

What do you hope to see during this year's SGF showcase? Let us know in the comments below!

Manor Lords, the medieval strategy city-builder and one of 2024's surprise hits, has surpassed two million copies sold. The game has only been available in PC Early Access since April 26, meaning it achieved this milestone in only three weeks.

Publisher Hooded Horse announced the sales account for Steam, Epic, GOG, and the Microsoft Store (where Manor Lords is also playable through PC Game Pass). The game quickly caught fire, selling 1 million copies a day after launch. Since then, Manor Lords has enjoyed a consistently high concurrent player count, peaking at 173,000 on Steam in its first weekend.  

Manor Lords is being developed by Slavic Games and puts players in the shoes of a medieval lord tasked with building and growing a city. Players manage their city’s community, infrastructure, economy, and defense/expansion, the latter of which unfold as large-scale tactical battles. The intricate social and production systems combined with an ever-changing world (complete with seasonal and weather changes) result in an organic metropolis that players have taken to in a big way. 

Manor Lords joins Early Access hits this year, such as Palworld and Hades II. The game’s 1.0 launch is currently up in the air as the game continues to change and improve based on player feedback. It’s off to a great start, though, and we’re curious to see how it evolves throughout its EA period. 

You will need an internet connection to install Assassin's Creed Shadows, but after that, the entire experience can be played offline, Ubisoft has announced. The company did so after word online spread that Shadows requires a mandatory online connection to play the game. 

Following the reveal of Shadows yesterday, which showcased the dual samurai and shinobi protagonists we'll be controlling in 16th-century feudal Japan, people noticed wording in preorder listings and elsewhere that seemingly pointed to the game requiring an always-online connection. This frustrated fans of the series, especially given Shadows, like its recent predecessors, is a single-player game. However, that's not the case and Ubisoft released a statement today to clear the air. 

"Hey everyone, we wanted to share some of the early information on the upcoming launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, following some questions we've noticed in the community," the statement reads. "Assassin's Creed Shadows will not require a mandatory connection at all times. An online connection will be needed to install the game, but you will be able to play the entire journey offline, and explore Japan without any online connection.  "We are super excited to bring Assassin's Creed to Feudal Japan on November 15 when the game releases, and we cannot wait to show you more along the way." 

As you can see, it's clear Shadows is a game you can play offline, but only after connecting to the internet once to actually install the RPG. 

Assassin's Creed Shadows hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna, PC (via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), and Mac (with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store) on November 15.

For more, check out what we learned yesterday during the Shadows reveal, and then read Game Informer's ranking of the entire Assassin's Creed series.

How do you feel about needing internet to install Assassin's Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments below!

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Arielek
Developer: Arielek
Release: June 10, 2022 (PC), May 15, 2024 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One), May 16, 2024 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch)
Rating: Everyone

Some games provide you with abstract titles that don't fully explain the breadth of the tasks you will be required to complete to reach the end. Please Fix The Road does not suffer from that problem. As you play through 160 bite-sized puzzles, each one simply asks you to do exactly what this game's title says: fix the road, path, sidewalk, or river so that vehicles and animals can reach their destination. But despite the simple premise and casual demeanor, developer Arielek offers no shortage of clever twists on the core concept and, in the process, kept me guessing at what challenges I would face next.

Each puzzle presents a small, charmingly rendered plot of land with at least one broken road. In the lower-left corner, you have designated moves you must make to solve the puzzle. While I initially found this dictation of moves in a specific order restrictive and counter to the more casual experience I expected, it ultimately pushed me towards some incredibly rewarding moments as I likely solved the puzzle exactly as the developer intended. Additionally, it provides breadcrumbs toward the solution; on multiple occasions, I wondered why a certain move was required in a level, only to learn that I was overlooking an important aspect of the puzzle.

 

What starts as a puzzle game where you simply plug the provided tiles where they logically fit quickly escalates to one where you must blow up, rearrange, swap, copy, and rotate entire blocks of land to get characters from point A to point B. Usually, problems are solvable within a couple of minutes; I found some solutions instantaneously. For others, I stared at them for several minutes on end while attempting different solutions. As I reached puzzles numbered in the 80s, 90s, and into the hundreds, that trial-and-error element came more into play as the developer threw increasingly complex puzzles my way.

Thankfully, since the action unfolds on a move-by-move basis, Please Fix The Road gives players an undo button that backtracks to the last action you performed. This is particularly helpful for experimentation. On occasion, when I got stuck, I enjoyed using the hint button, which doles out step-by-step hints but not full-on solutions; if I'm stuck on a particular step, I can receive a hint from the developers about the correct first move I should make. It's helpful without the game just playing itself, even as it completes early moves on your behalf.

It is somewhat frustrating to have the hints play out in sequential order, regardless of any correct moves I had already made; it doesn't matter if I got the first three moves right; the hint mechanic is going to undo all my moves and show me the first move that I already made for the first hint. Thankfully, the vast majority of the time, I relied solely on my own puzzle-solving skills. Some of the puzzles later in the game had me staring in bewilderment at what my first move should be, which can be frustrating but ultimately satisfying once I cracked the code.

The levels are not only well-balanced but well-paced. For each stage that took me longer than normal, an easier puzzle was often right around the corner to help rebuild my confidence. This constant ebb-and-flowing kept me on my toes without killing the momentum I built up as I worked through the many challenges on offer. Completing each puzzle grants extra satisfaction thanks to the fun animations accompanying each solution; from the charming art style, relaxing soundscapes, and gorgeously animated transitions between puzzles, Please Fix The Road's minimalist design conventions appeal to the senses in wonderful ways.

Though the gimmick eventually wears thin and the complexity sometimes outpaces the simple concept by the time you reach the puzzles in the triple digits, Please Fix The Road shows that creativity and clever puzzle design are more important than a robust toolset or wide-ranging player freedom. It delivers a tight, curated puzzle-solving experience that hooks you from the very first puzzle and, through steadily evolving mechanics, delivers satisfaction around every turn.

Score: 8

About Game Informer's review system

Purchase

Ubisoft has canceled The Division Heartland. First announced in 2021, the game was a free-to-play spin-off of The Division franchise developed by Red Storm Studio.

Ubisoft revealed the cancelation in an earnings report, stating,

“As part of Ubisoft’s efforts to streamline its operations and adapt to evolving market trends, there have been further reorganizations within the Global Publishing teams, both at the APAC region, that is not organized into three engagement hubs, and at the central level. Additionally, in line with the increased selectivity of its investments, Ubisoft has decided to stop development on The Division Heartland and has redeployed resources to bigger opportunities such as XDefiant and Rainbow Six.”

The Division Heartland had been quiet for some time after its reveal, including being delayed. It eventually resurfaced with closed beta tests, but scarce updates on its existence caused doubt and confusion among fans. The game was billed as a PvEvP survival action experience with players controlling a Division agent tasked with protecting a small town from enemy factions and chemical contamination. 

Despite the cancellation, we know it doesn't mean the end of the franchise. Ubisoft announced The Division 3 last September, with series creator Massive Entertainment back at the helm. That game currently has no release window. 

Heartland joins an expanding graveyard of canceled Ubisoft projects over the past few years. In January 2023, the publisher canceled its upcoming team-based arena battler Project Q and three other games in development. In 2022, the battle royale Ghost Recon Frontline, Splinter Cell VR, and two unannounced games were also axed. An unannounced sequel to Immortals Fenix Rising was also reportedly scrapped last July. 

After teasing its reveal earlier this week, Ubisoft has officially unveiled Assassin's Creed Shadows with its first cinematic trailer, revealing dual protagonists in the process. As many speculated, Shadows puts players in control of Japan's first African samurai, Yasuke (a real historical figure), and a female shinobi character, Naoe. It will be released on November 15.

This dual protagonist approach isn't too surprising given it's Ubisoft Quebec developing the game – it did the same with Kassandra and Alexios in 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Jacob and Evie Frye in 2015's Assassin's Creed Syndicate – but it's exciting nonetheless. According to the game's PlayStation preorder page, players can, "Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny," confirming you can control both in the story. The trailer also showcases the beauty and scale of the feudal Japan we'll be exploring in Shadows. 

Check it out for yourself in the Assassin's Creed Shadows reveal trailer below: 

Elsewhere in the game's PlayStation preorder listing, Ubisoft says players can explore the "captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes," while adventuring through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments. The changing seasons line seems to indicate the narrative of Shadows could take place over a long period of time, or at least a year. 

As a shinobi Assassin, Naoe uses stealth to avoid detection and agility to confuse enemies whereas Yasuke, a legendary samurai, uses lethal precision and power. You unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character. Plus, as you explore the world, you can create your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across Japan, and different allies will have unique skills to help you accomplish missions. 

"Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base's layouts, decorations, and accessories," the preorder listing reads. 

Here's another look at Yasuke and Naoe: 

 

Shadows is an exciting entry in the sprawling Assassin's Creed series. It's finally bringing players to feudal Japan, something the fanbase has wanted for years and years, and it's the next open-world mainline RPG installment since 2020's Assassin's Creed Valhalla. While last year's Assassin's Creed Mirage was quite enjoyable – read Game Informer's review here to find out why we gave it an 8 out of 10 – it was a throwback to the more linear worlds of the Assassin's Creeds of yesteryear; Shadows is the series returning to its newer open world format that began in 2017 with Assassin's Creed Origins. 

Assassin's Creed Shadows launches November 15, 2024, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S,  Amazon Luna, PC (via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), and Mac (with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store).

For more about the series, head to Game Informer's Assassin's Creed Mirage hub for exclusive behind-the-scenes details, videos, and more. After that, check out Game Informer's ranking of the entire Assassin's Creed series. 

Are you excited for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Let us know which protagonist you're most excited about in the comments below!