Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: 11 Bit Studios
Developer: Odd Meter
Release: May 2, 2024 (PC), 2024 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
Rating: Mature

Indika is bizarre, surprising, and captivating. It made me question its reality almost as often as its titular protagonist, a young nun tormented by the Devil, doubts her faith. This odd adventure from its aptly named developer Odd Meter may lack some design polish, but the fascinating tale at its core instilled enough faith in me to see it through to the end. 

The game unfolds in early 19th-century Russia. Indika is treated as an outcast at her monastery, and, for some reason, she’s regularly taunted by the voice of Satan himself. The story doesn’t delve into how this sacrilegious relationship began, and that’s fine. The Devil is more of a storytelling device; a symbol of Indika’s desire to be a good person, contrasted by her growing skepticism and pragmatism in the church’s rigid viewpoints on morality and sin. This conflict comes to a head when Indika finds herself in an unlikely partnership with Ilya, an escaped prisoner with his own strong religious beliefs. 

As the pair bond over seeking a divine cure for their respective ailments – Indika’s demonic presence and IIya’s wounded arm – the third-person adventure sees them trek through locations such as deserted factories and frozen wilds. Along the way, players solve environmental puzzles and, on very rare occasions, evade threats. The obstacles themselves are respectably designed and varied, often centered on Indika inexplicably operating heavy machinery like a lift to move and stack giant cans or manipulating the massive gears of an industrial elevator. Less enjoyable moments, such as fleeing a pursuing wolf in an annoying trial-and-error escape sequence, appear rarely, thankfully. 

The gameplay becomes most interesting when the Devil’s influence overwhelms Indika to the point the world around her turns hellish red, and the environment is ripped apart into a distorted version of itself. This leads to relatively simple but thematically interesting navigation puzzles as players switch between this hellscape and reality by hitting a “pray” button to find the proper path. These are neat segments that I wish occurred more often than the small handful of times they do.  

Poking around environments leads to hidden collectibles, from religious artifacts to “indecent” publications, that reward points, which manifest as literal giant pixelated gems that appear in front of Indika. This bizarre visual flourish is a wild contrast to the otherwise realistic art direction, and these points level up Indika via a two-pronged skill tree of point modifiers (themed on ideas like Shame, Guilt, and Repentance) that impact the story less literally than it appears. 

 

This is just an example of Indika’s strangeness. Overt video game-y elements such as quirky, chiptune melodies and flashbacks that unfold as playable 16-bit platforming sequences are sprinkled throughout the experience. Whether or not this approach has any thematic significance is unclear (perhaps symbolizing the comparative simplicity of Indika’s childhood), but, at the very least, it gives Indika a surreal and playful charm.

Everything in the game, from the strange people you meet to the weird camera angles to its wild intro cutscene I won’t spoil, gives the game a potent dose of absurdity that oddly works. Indika feels like a black comedy at points, and perhaps that’s the intent. It swings for the fences, and that delightful boldness is combined with poignant commentary about the struggle of maintaining unwavering faith in a harsh, unjust world. Indika’s engaging and, at times, emotional personal journey of self-discovery pulled me to a powerful conclusion that, like most everything else, leaves its interpretation up to the player. 

The result is an adventure that feels thoughtfully conceived, humorous, and depressing all at once, as well as “off” in the right ways. Indika is one of the year’s most affecting and memorable adventures, and its themes will stick with me as I continue to ponder their meanings.

Score: 8.75

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Purchase

Ever since it came to Switch at the tail end of last summer, Vampire Survivors has been my plane game. Sure, other run-based indies like Balatro and Dead Cells, all-encompassing triple-A titles like Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and retro compilations like Sonic Origins and TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection, have shared that title, but I always know that when I need to pass time on a flight, no game does so as effectively as Vampire Survivors. Logically, I know that each run will last, at most, 30 minutes, but for some reason, it never feels that way. And because of that, I look down for what feels like 20 minutes, and when I look up, 2 hours have passed.

I travel a lot, so I play Vampire Survivors fairly regularly. Still, each time I turn on the game, developer Poncle has snuck more into it. New characters, new maps, new ways to customize your experience – I'm continually surprised and delighted by additional features and content the developer has added in the time since I fired up the game. Sure, Poncle puts out free updates on a regular basis, sometimes even as surprises, as was the case last week, but these paid pieces of DLC – each of which cost $2.50 or less – are the tentpole content releases. The latest, Operation Guns, crosses over with Konami's legendary Contra IP in both expected and unexpected ways to deliver the same Vampire Survivors fun we've known with a distinct Contra flavor.

Operation Guns adds a significant amount of Contra content to Vampire Survivors. On top of 11 new characters, 11 base weapons, and 11 weapon evolutions, Operation Guns brings an enormous Contra-themed map called Neo Galuga, which progresses almost in lockstep with how the original Contra (and its recent remake, Operation Galuga) advances. You start out blasting, slashing, zapping, whipping, and otherwise annihilating humans and robots, but as you go further into the map, more sinister threats show that this isn't just some standard Earth-based war. Alien eggs, structures, and enemies slowly join the fray, as do an increased number of robotic adversaries. Just like what happens in the original, the alien and cyborg presence eventually takes over the war, giving Poncle plenty of room to play with the Contra license.

Before I knew it, I went from blasting away foot soldiers to enemies on jetbikes to waves of flying Metal Aliens and snake cyborgs. I loved repeating the same process of leveling up my character and their weapons, but with myriad fun discoverables scattered throughout the Neo Galuga map. Along the way, I uncovered some fun Contra-themed power-ups – like homing missiles – that allowed me to further combat the alien horde.

However, the biggest surprise came near the end of my first successful run on Neo Galuga, as a ticker appeared on the bottom of the screen, telling me that something big was happening in a specific corner of the map. I only had a few minutes to get there, and with denser waves of enemies impeding my path, I was worried I wouldn't get there in time. However, once I did, I was greeted by one of the coolest things I've seen Poncle do with Vampire Survivors. I won't spoil it beyond saying it's a unique encounter that pays homage to an iconic fight with one of the Contra series' recurring enemies. 

Though I've only done a few runs, I'm steadily unlocking new characters and weapons. Most of the new content is clear about how to unlock the next character, which is helpful in unlocking additional weapons. You unlock Bill within the Neo Galuga map, then unlock Lance by evolving Bill's Long Gun, and so on. It's all in service of giving the player a clear route to experiencing all the content that Operation Guns has to offer with as minimal friction as possible. Add on top the Bonus Stage, and the Operation Guns DLC is well worth checking out for all fans of Vampire Survivors, regardless of your Contra fandom.

The wildest part about all of this, as I always tout, is the sheer value of Vampire Survivors. Though the game is often on sale, it never really needs to be; even if you buy the game and all its DLC at full price, you're spending less than $15. It runs well on Switch, which is where I play it, but it's also verified for Steam Deck, hammering home that this is the ultimate plane game. Though Poncle continues to release free updates a year and a half after its initial Steam release, these major tentpole releases excite me for the future of Vampire Survivors.

Will the future hold more crossover content? We've already received collaborations with Among Us and Contra, but words could not describe how excited I'd be for crossovers with even more prominent properties like Final Fantasy or Resident Evil; imagine slashing your way through hordes of fiends in Zanarkand as Lightning before a boss battle against Sephiroth, or exploring Raccoon City as Chris Redfield, taking down low-level zombies before a Nemesis spawns on the map. The Operation Guns DLC even has my imagination running wild with some less obvious crossovers like Street Fighter; so many of those characters have such iconic moves. Starting off with Ryu throwing a Hadoken before evolving it all the way up to a Shinku Hadoken would be a natural progression that could be applied to several of the series' characters. And since Vampire Survivors includes music and remixes from the Contra series, that makes these crossover ideas even more enticing.

This article isn't about speculation or creating a wishlist, though. But that’s what Vampire Survivors' latest DLC inspires. It shows that Poncle is more than capable of giving these IPs the care they deserve while staying true to the Vampire Survivors formula that made me fall in love with the game in the first place. Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns DLC is out now on all platforms aside from PlayStation (that version arrives later this summer when the main game comes to the platform) and costs just $2.50.

For more on why Vampire Survivors is well worth your time, check out our review of the base game right here.

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 1:10 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

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. 

Marvel Studios has cast Ralph Ineson as the planet-eating Galactus for The Fantastic Four. PlayStation 5 players might recognize that name as the voice of Cidolfus Telamon, aka Cid, in Final Fantasy XVI. This casting comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which reports that the production will begin shooting mid-summer in England. 

Ineson, whom you might also know from The VVitch, The Northman, and The Creator, joins a star-studded cast for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first film about Marvel's First Family, which features Pedro Pascal (HBO's The Last of Us) as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Joining Ineson is a female Silver Surfer played by Julia Garner (Ozark).

Paul Walter Hauser (Cobra Kai) and John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich) will also appear in The Fantastic Four, although their roles are currently undisclosed. 

If you've played FFXVI, you already know Ineson has an incredible voice, certainly perfect for the role of a massive galactic entity that devours planets; we can't wait to see what he does as Galactus when The Fantastic Four hits theaters on July 25, 2025. 

For more, read Game Informer's Final Fantasy XVI review, and then read Game Informer's exclusive interview with Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida about lessons learned, Clive's reception, loose ends, and more. Be sure to check out Game Informer's Final Fantasy XVI coverage hub for our exclusive cover story, behind-the-scenes details, video interviews, and more. 

[Source: The Hollywood Reporter]

Do you think Ralph Ineson will make a good Galactus? Let us know in the comments below!

Earlier this week, Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, the team behind last year's Hi-Fi Rush. While each of the four studios affected, which also included Mighty Doom developer Alpha Dog Games and Bethesda support studio Roundhouse Games, released a statement about the closures, Xbox remained silent. 

However, four days later, Bloomberg's Dina Bass interviewed Xbox president Sarah Bond and asked her about the Bethesda closures, to which Bond cited a desire to keep the Xbox business healthy in the long term, even through hard transition periods. 

Here's what Bond said: 

"It's always extraordinarily hard when you have to make decisions like that. I'll go back to what I was saying about the industry, and when we look at those fundamental trends, we feel a deep responsibility to ensure that the games we make, the devices we build, the services that we offer are there through moments, even when the industry isn't growing and when you're through a time of transition. And the news we announced earlier this week is an outcome of that and our commitment to make sure that the business is healthy for the long term.  "With that said, our commitment to having our own studios and working with partners to have games large and small – we're a platform where you can play [Grand Theft Auto], but you can also play Palworld, or you can play Call of Duty or you can play Pentiment, that doesn't change. And frankly, our commitment to Bethesda and the role that it plays is a part of Xbox and everything we do.  "It's actually been pretty fantastic. I don't know if you've gotten a chance to check it out. The Fallout TV show was on Amazon, and it's been great to see people fall in love with that universe but also what it's done for the games themselves, and people going back and exploring everything inside of that. There are some other great things that are coming from our studios later this year. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – I was a big Indy fan growing up – so you should check that out. But really right now, for us and our teams, our focus is on the people impacted and doing everything that we can do to help them through this hard transition."

Bass then asked Bond specifically about the closure of Tango Gameworks after Hi-Fi Rush, which by Xbox's own admitted metrics, was a big success. Bond's answer here was less straightforward – you can read it below in full: 

"One of the things I really love about the games industry is it's a creative art form, and it means that the situation and what successes for each game and studio is also really unique. There's no one-size-fits-all to it for us. And so we look at each studio, each game team, and we look at a whole variety of factors when we're faced with making decisions and trade-offs like that. But it all comes back to our long-term commitment to the games we create, the devices we build, the services, and ensuring we're setting ourselves up to be able to deliver on those promises."

While it's great that Bond addressed these closures at Xbox, it still lacks the clarity you'd expect from one of the biggest companies in the games industry. Neither Microsoft nor Xbox, including Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, has yet to address the layoffs and closures in an official capacity beyond this.

For more, read about how Redfall was reportedly set to receive a big offline play update this month before Xbox shut down Arkane Austin, and then read about how Xbox is reportedly considering bringing Senua's Saga: Hellblade II to PlayStation 5. After that, check out this story about how more job cuts at Xbox are reportedly on the way, and then read about how the company is debating putting Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass alongside a price hike. 

What do you think of Bond's answers? Let us know in the comments below!

It's once again just about time for a new Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion to hit store shelves. Continuing the Scarlet & Violet series is Twilight Masquerade, a set that focuses on the Teal Mask DLC of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet video games. Because of that, players can expect locations, characters, and Pokémon from Kitakami, the folklore-rich area from the first part of the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero storyline.

As such, new Pokémon like Bloodmoon Ursaluna, Fezandipiti, Okidogi, Munkidori, and Sinistcha are all featured in Twilight Masquerade. However, the most common new Pokémon I encountered during my opening of several booster packs sent over by The Pokémon Company was Ogerpon; I pulled several different versions of the grass-type Legendary Pokémon from The Teal Mask. 

Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet – Twilight Masquerade adds 226 cards, including 14 new Pokémon ex cards, more than 30 Trainer cards, and dozens of special-illustration cards. I'll always love Gen I the most, so I was happy to add new cards featuring favorites like Alakazam, Zapdos, Ninetales, and Eevee, but my absolute favorites are the special illustration versions of Applin, Sunflora, and Infernape. I also adore the Hearthflame Mask Ogerpon ex card that I was lucky enough to grab.

You can check out my favorite cards I pulled from booster packs below.

 

 Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet – Twilight Masquerade is available on May 24. For more on the long-running Pokémon Trading Card Game, including other galleries from past expansions, head to our Pokémon TCG hub at the banner below!

Dead Cells developer Evil Empire has delayed its upcoming roguelike, The Rogue Prince of Persia, because of Hades II. Originally due out on Tuesday, May 14, in PC Early Access, Evil Empire has delayed the game to later this month to give potential players more time with Hades II, which is another roguelike that hit Early Access this week (and it's also gracing the latest cover of Game Informer Magazine). 

"So it's been a bit of a crazy week for us," a statement from Evil Empire reads. "It all started when a little game called Hades II released – you might have have heard of it? Seeing as everyone and their mum is playing that game (including our entire team...and their mums), we have decided to let people have their fun with it before we release The Rogue Prince of Persia. 

"We will still be releasing in May and will be back with a precise date on Monday. While we have every confidence in The Rogue Prince of Persia, it's not every day that a game in the same genre as you, which is one of the most anticipated upcoming games of 2024, will release into Early Access a week before you plan to do the same. We are not prideful enough to ignore the implications of that, and we truly believe that this short delay is the best decision for us and our Early Access journey." 

The team says this extra time will be used to polish The Rogue Prince of Persia even more, add "even more cool things," and fix some bugs. It also notes the Day One patch for the game was getting big and this extra time will give the team more time to test it (and lower the team's stress as a result).

Game Informer went hands-on with the game recently and loved what we played – you can read our preview impressions of The Rogue Prince of Persia here. If you're curious how it looks in action, watch this New Gameplay Today all about The Rogue Prince of Persia. For more, check out our discussion with Evil Empire about the difference between a roguelike and a rogue-lite. 

Are you going to check out The Rogue Prince of Persia later this month? Let us know in the comments below!

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, we discuss our Hades II cover story trip to Supergiant Games in San Francisco and Xbox shutting down four game studios, including Prey, Dishonored, and Redfall developer Arkane Austin, alongside Tango Gameworks, the team behind The Evil Within series and last year's critically-acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush. Afterward, we chat about Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo, revealing the company will reveal details about the Nintendo Switch's successor within this fiscal year via a post on X. Before diving into our positive reviews of '90s-survival-horror Crow Country and Little Kitty, Big City, special guest Charlie Wacholz joins us to chat about his Animal Well review, in which he calls Bigmode's first published title "a masterclass in environmental design."

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

00:08:02 - Cover Story: Hades II

00:34:49 - Xbox Shutters Four Studios

00:53:49 - Nintendo Switch Successor Announcement

01:03:12 - Animal Well Review

01:28:21 - Little Kitty, Big City Review

01:35:00 - Crow Country

01:41:45 - Housekeeping

Lightforge Games is indefinitely pausing work on its upcoming RPG Project O.R.C.S. The team has been reduced to a skeleton crew as the few remaining staff members look to determine their next course of action.

In a message posted to the game’s website and social media channels yesterday, Lightforge cites a lack of publisher funding as the reason it no longer has the means to continue work on Project O.R.C.S. To minimize any prolonged struggle, the team decided to immediately pull the plug. 

pic.twitter.com/5D8Fp72J7b

— Project O.R.C.S. by Lightforge Games (@lightforgegames) May 8, 2024

“We’re making this call now so that we can provide support to our wonderful team of devs: providing them with time to stabilize, working together to help folks as they re-enter the job market, and finding new positions to continue our passion for making games," says Lightforge in the statement. 

In the coming days, the team will shut down its Discord and social channels. After that, the remaining staff will “determine what a viable path may be for the project and studio.”

Lightforge was formed in 2020 as a remote-only studio made up of former Blizzard and Epic (mainly Fortnite) developers. According to its LinkedIn page, it hired between 11 and 50 staff members with a goal to "change how the world plays RPGs."

Project O.R.C.S. was Lightforge's first project, first revealed only three months ago in February. The ambitious RPG aimed to combine world-building and collaborative storytelling of tabletop role-playing games with traditional co-op gameplay. Players crafted their fantasy world using a built-in game editor and then embarked on quests within it. It was more or less a "build-your-own Dungeons & Dragons", dice rolls and all, hence why "O.R.C.S." stood for "Online Roleplaying with Collaborative Storytelling”. With the game all but canceled, it's unclear if Project O.R.C.S. will ever see the light of day. 

Unfortunately, Lightforge isn't the only small studio to suffer from the drying well of video game investment funding. Deliver Us Mars developer Keoken Interactive was recently forced to lay off nearly its entire staff for the same reason. The industry has been a wounded state over the past year and a half, with Microsoft shuttering Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin earlier this week and over 10,000 layoffs occurring this year alone. 

 

 

Stray Gods: The Role-Playing Musical, a creative and ambitious attempt to fuse musical theatre with interactive fiction, launched last August, but that's not the last time fans will get to experience that modern take on Greek myth. Announced today at LudoNarraCon, the game is getting DLC called Stray Gods: Orpheus, which follows the titular character through a new adventure. Check out the reveal trailer below.

Orpheus (played by Rent star Anthony Rapp) appeared in the base game, but only briefly, so this expansion will give players a better idea of his backstory and personality. The trailer also features Hermes (played by Erika Ishii), though their exact role in the DLC isn't clarified. The experience is roughly two hours long with six new interactive tracks and features some returning songwriters, including Austin Wintory, Simon Hall, and Montaigne, but also adds comedic musician Tom Cardy to the mix.

As for the plot, the following excerpt from a press release explains what to expect. "When the curtain has fallen and the show is over, who do you go home as?" it reads. "Choose to reject, embrace, or rewrite the stories the world expects of you. Is the mortal world ready for the return of Ancient Greece’s most infamous bard?"

 

Stray Gods: Orpheus hits PC on June 27, with a console release date "coming soon." For more Stray Gods, check out our feature on how it was made. For more Greek mythology, visit our Hades II coverage hub for this month's exclusive coverage.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's release was "disappointing" for the company. He said this during Warner Bros. Discovery's Q1 financial results call, noting its games revenue declined a lot compared to last year, as reported by IGN. 

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was likely never going to perform well for Warner Bros. Discovery's gaming division compared to the sector's revenue last year, which was anchored in the release of Hogwarts Legacy, the best-selling game of 2023 and the first non-Call of Duty game to take that spot in years. Still, as critics and players will tell you, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was a disappointing release from Rocksteady Studios, the team behind the Batman: Arkham series – you can read Game Informer's Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League review here to find out why we gave it a 6 out of 10. 

After Zaslav called the game disappointing, Warner Bros. Discovery chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels added, "Starting with studios, the $400 million-plus year-over-year decline during Q1 was primarily due to the very tough [competition] we faced in games against the success of Hogwarts Legacy last year in the first quarter, in conjunction with the disappointing Suicide Squad release this past quarter, which we impaired, leading to a $200 million impact to EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization] during the first quarter." 

That's a lot of money lost, and given the state of the games industry this year, it's hard not to worry about the status of Rocksteady post-Suicide Squad. With studios closing left and right, and more than 10,000 employees laid off this year in the games industry, it wouldn't be surprising (however heartbreaking) to see Rocksteady go through job cuts. Here's hoping they don't. 

For more about the game, listen to Game Informer's spoiler-filled breakdown of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, and then read about the Joker's debut as a playable character. 

[Source: IGN]

Are you still playing Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League? Let us know in the comments below!

More cuts at Xbox are reportedly on the way, with some staff at ZeniMax getting offered voluntary severance agreements this week. This news comes from a Bloomberg report that says employees across the Xbox organization have been told to expect more cuts. 

These potential layoffs would follow Xbox's decision to shutter four Bethesda studios earlier this week, including Hi-Fi Rush team Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin. As for the staff offered voluntary severance agreements, Bloomberg reports that producers, quality assurance testers, and other staff at ZeniMax are receiving them. 

The publication also reports the reason Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin were shut down this week is that they were in the process of pitching new projects and hiring additional staff for said projects, something suggested by ZeniMax head Jill Braff and Xbox president Matt Booty during a town hall held this week. Xbox and ZeniMax chose to shut these studios down – both in the beginning processes of creating new games – instead of closing a studio deeper in development on projects. 

Elsewhere in Bloomberg's report, which details an internal town hall held at Xbox following the studio closures this week, Booty reportedly described its studios as spread too thin, like "peanut butter on bread," and that leaders across the company felt understaffed. Xbox closed three studios and had ZeniMax Online Studios absorb Roundhouse Games to free up resources. Braff said during the meeting, "It's hard to support nine studios all across the world with a lean central team with an ever-growing plate of things to do. I think we were about to topple over." 

These studio closures follow the January layoffs of 1,900 employees at Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax, which add to the total of more than 10,000 laid off in the games industry just this year. 

[Source: Bloomberg]

How do you feel about Xbox? Let us know in the comments below!

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hits Xbox Series X/S and PC later this month on May 21. However, its release arrives at a rocky period for Xbox, which just shuttered four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush team Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin. As a result, Xbox players have wondered how safe Hellblade II developer Ninja Theory might be after its sequel's release, given Hi-Fi Rush was a "break out hit" for the company but wasn't enough to keep Tango open. 

Perhaps to help boost Hellblade II's sales, Xbox is reportedly considering bringing the game to PlayStation 5, according to The Verge. The publication's Tom Warren writes, "I understand Hellblade II is another game that Microsoft has been considering for the PS5. If that ever happens, at this point, it's not clear if even that would be considered a success." 

Hellblade II coming to PS5 wouldn't be out of left field, considering Xbox has brought previously exclusive games like Grounded, Sea of Thieves, and Hi-Fi Rush to PS5 this year. However, with the launch of Hellblade II happening in just a few weeks, it seems if it does come to PS5, it will be post-launch, which lines up with Xbox's strategy in this realm thus far. 

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hits Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 21, 2024. 

For more about the game, check out the Senua's Saga: Hellblade II PC specs and system requirements, and then read about how Senua's Saga: Hellblade II will be locked to 30 FPS on Xbox Series X/S. After that, read about how the game will have a photo mode at launch. 

[Source: The Verge]

Do you hope Xbox brings Senua's Saga: Hellblade II to PS5? Let us know in the comments below!

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, Switch, PC
Publisher: Bigmode
Developer: Shared Memory
Release: May 9, 2024

Animal Well pleased, surprised, or scared me with something new at every turn as it confidently jumped from one idea to the next up until its conclusion. That novelty lost its luster near the end of its 8-to-10-hour runtime as I treaded the fresh sheen off familiar ground, but it never lost its lively, naturalistically wild heart – even when occasional difficulty spikes compounded that staleness. Still, its tense atmosphere is inherently compelling. Illuminated by dangling lanterns and brought to life with lovingly animated animals and Rube Goldberg-like puzzles but dimmed by an ominous synth tone reminiscent of Twin Peaks’ haunting score, Animal Well establishes itself with a rare, masterful sense of place without missing a beat.

In Animal Well, you play as a little blob who must get home. Similar to other Metroidvania games like Super Metroid or Hollow Knight, your path is anything but linear; you must collect items and powerups that unlock new abilities, which will – sometimes literally – open up new doors.

Starting as a powerless, adorable little blob became a distant memory as I added to my menagerie of movement-enhancing and puzzle-solving tools. These playful tools like a frisbee, bubble wand, yo-yo, or Slinky highlight Animal Well’s madcap nature. Each tool has clever alternate uses that encouraged me to brush up against what I previously thought its barriers were in stimulating ways. Instead of awkwardly rubbing up against the seams of this Swiss Watch of a world, it felt like I was pulling a fast one on the creator Billy Basso – even though he was probably in on my scheme.

 

I first realized the multifaceted power these tools hold when I was fighting off one of Animal Well’s ghosts after setting off some firecrackers to scare one out of a dark room. Normally, you can’t check your map in the dark. But setting off these firecrackers suddenly lit up the room enough for me to check my map. These kinds of immersive touches add layers of flavor and liveliness to its world.

Stretching and going beyond what you thought was possible in Animal Well reveals a wealth of secrets and surprises, like the collectible Secret Eggs. Expanding your ovate arsenal opens up fast travel options and even more game-expanding trinkets. Basso’s love for museums and architecture shines through in Animal Well’s richly realized world. Furnished by bespoke landmarks like tile art murals of rabbits, statuettes of capybaras, and rats running in hamster wheels that power The Well’s mystic mechanisms, these flourishes (sometimes literally) electrify each room.

It subtly balances the right amount of cheek into its surreal vibe, too. At one point, I found myself looking for the next corridor to spelunk. Assuming I’d at least find an egg, I hopped down a large pit. Hitting the ground with an unceremonious “thunk,” I landed near three penguin-shaped shrubs I’d walked past minutes before. Landing at the decoration again after a fall, with the only way back up being a grueling climb, gave it meaning and life. I could feel its developers poking fun at my flightless avatar.

Animal Well hides its fangs in its main character’s powerlessness: there’s no fighting back against the bigger predators that chase you down. Usually, those moments highlight a clever approach to progression. But they sometimes dredge up its greatest flaw. Like many classics of the genre, the only checkpoints here are its save points. With only a handful scattered throughout the map, I spent much time revisiting rooms I’ve already explored top-to-bottom. This would be damning for a game with a worse sense of style, but the act of smelling Animal Well’s roses is so sweet that it’s nothing more than an inconvenience.

Teeming with life, secrets, and charm that surprise and delight, Animal Well held my full, undivided attention. Even in its most trying moments, it left a mark of endearment on me thanks to its absorbing soundscape, distinct yet familiar pixel-based art style, and flexible, mold-breaking approach to exploration.

Score: 9

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Microsoft is reportedly debating putting Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass alongside a price hike to the subscription service. This comes from a new report at The Verge that follows news earlier this week that Xbox was closing some of its Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush team Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin. 

The Verge's Tom Warren writes, "Microsoft has also had internal debates about whether to put new releases of Call of Duty into Game Pass. I understand this is a debate that has been ongoing internally for quite some time, with concerns from some that the revenue that Call of Duty typically generates for Activision Blizzard will be undermined by Game Pass." 

This touches on a potential issues players and analysts have pointed out with Xbox's strategy. After spending billions on acquisitions in recent years, Xbox presumably needs to make more money. However, it's big draw as a platform is Game Pass. Ideally, big new releases and critical hits, like Hi-Fi Rush and Call of Duty games, bring in large swaths of new subscribers, which offsets the loss of full-price sales that happens because of Game Pass. But Game Pass subscriptions have leveled off, with a peak around 2019 to 2021. If Game Pass isn't getting new subscribers, and Game Pass releases hurt traditional sales of a game, it's easy to see why the company might be debating internally about whether or not something like a new Call of Duty (almost always the best-selling game of any given year) should launch on Game Pass. 

Alongside this debate, The Verge's report states Microsoft has also considered increasing the price of Game Pass Ultimate again, noting that this and the Call of Duty discussion are just considerations and might remain that. 

For more, read Game Informer's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III review, and then read about Xbox's June games showcase and the secret (probably Call of Duty-focused) direct happening afterward.  

[Source: The Verge]

How do you feel about Xbox's strategy as of late? Let us know in the comments below!

As part of this month's exclusive coverage of Hades II, associate editor Marcus Stewart sat down with two of the lead developers at Supergiant to bombard them with 78 questions. How many endings does the game have? Could Melinoë beat Kratos in a fight? What's the difference between Chronos, Cronus, and Cronuts? Creative director Greg Kasavin and studio director Amir Rao answer all that and more.

Watch Our Hades II Rapid-Fire Interview:

If you enjoyed the video, consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. For more Hades II, check out the official coverage hub by clicking the banner below.

MultiVersus makes its grand return on May 28, and a new trailer reveals that the Joker is joining the roster. Even better, Mark Hamill is voicing the Clown Prince of Crime once more.

Though we don’t see gameplay, a cinematic trailer sets up a dramatic confrontation (and likely emotional reunion for fans) between Batman, voiced in the game by the late Kevin Conroy, and his archnemesis. 

This marks the first game to feature both Batman: The Animated Series actors together as their respective characters since 2018’s Lego DC Super Villans. Conroy passed away in 2022, and prior to 2024's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, MultiVersus was the final game to feature his Batman performance. Following his death, Hamill had alluded to retiring the Joker role for good. However, dataminers uncovered Joker’s existence in MultiVersus in 2022 and found audio files revealing Hamill’s performance. This means he likely recorded his lines before Conroy’s passing. 

Joker is the first new character to join the existing line-up of fighters, but he won't be the last. We're curious to see who else joins the fray after MultiVersus re-launches on May 28 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. 

With the sun out and the temperature rising, it must be summer. That means it's time to stay cool indoors and watch a litany of gaming showcases airing throughout the season. Highlighted by Summer Game Fest, we've created a schedule listing every notable showcase occurring over the coming months, the date and times they air, and a summary of what they entail. Be sure to bookmark this page, as it will be updated regularly as new events are announced and airdates are confirmed. 

June 4

OTK Games Expo

Start Time: TBA

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Hosted by popular streamer Asmongold, the event will provide a stage for over 40 games and includes sitdown interviews with their creators. 

June 6

Guerilla Collective Online Showcase 

Start Time: 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What Is It: Each year, the Guerilla Collective provides a platform for indie and AA games. The event also serves as an umbrella for other showcases taking place over the week. 

June 7

Access-Ability Summer Showcase

Start Time: 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Host Laura Kate Dale confirmed late fall that the Access-Ability Summer Showcase will make a return in June. The event highlights accessbility-focused titles and features created by disabled developers.

Summer Game Fest 

Start Time: 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The flagship gaming showcase of the summer returns to the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles. Organizer and host Geoff Keighley will take the stage to show off what’s likely to be a litany of world premieres and game updates.

Day of the Devs

Start Time: Immediately following Summer Game Fest

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: iam8bit and Double Fine's annual showcase offers an entertaining bastion for a litany of the most creative, eye-catching, and, perhaps, bizarre upcoming titles in the industry. 

June 8

Wholesome Direct 

Start Time: 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The coziest presentation of the year highlights over 70 artistic, emotionally resonant titles with one thing in common: they'll give you all the feels. 

Future Games Show

Start Time: 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The seasonal event will feature 40 upcoming games in what is being billed as "the most ambitious showcase yet". We don't know what else to expect besides updates on "blockbuster games" and deep dives on in-development titles. 

June 9

Xbox Games Showcase/[REDACTED] Direct

Start Time: 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Typically Xbox's biggest showcase of the year, it's probably safe to expect several hopefully big announcements coming from the publisher's many first-party studios. Immediately following the Showcase is a not-so-mysterious presentation centered on probably, maybe, almost certainly, the next Call of Duty game. 

PC Gaming Show

Start Time: 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: It's the 10th anniversary of the PC Gaming Show, and its celebrating by rolling out over 50 games coming this year and beyond. The batch includes world premieres, exclusive announcements, and more. 

June 10

Ubisoft Forward

Start Time: TBA

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Ubisoft hasn't revealed what it has up it's sleeve, but it's tough not to imagine that Assassin's Creed Codename Red won't appear. Other known titles in its upcoming slate that are likely to appear include Star Wars Outlaws, The Rogue Prince of Persia, Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition, and maybe, if we're lucky, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake and/or Beyond Good & Evil 2. 

Other Confirmed June Showcases Awaiting Dates

Nintendo Direct

Start Time: TBA

How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Nintendo has promised to hold a June Direct focused on games launching in the latter half of 2024. The company also confirmed that the presentation will not mention the Switch successor. 

Future of Play Direct

Start Time: TBA

How to Watch: YouTube

What It Is: The anime-themed indie showcase is a summer staple. If previous years are an indication, expect a Vtuber host, musical performances, special guests, and, of course, plenty of game trailers. 

Upload VR Showcase

Start Time: TBA

How to Watch: YouTube

What Is It: This event is for virtual reality aficionados by virtual reality aficionados. Expect to see the latest and greatest VR and AR titles racing to headsets.  

August 2

THQ Nordic Digital Showcase

Start Time: 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET

How to Watch: YouTube

What Is It: So far, THQ Nordic has confirmed that Gothic 1 Remake and Titan Quest II will appear at its digital showcase. As for speculation, we know it's publishing the remake of Disney Epic Mickey launching this year and the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin. We're curious to see what else the publisher has to show. 

 

Sega has revealed Sonic Rumble, a 32-player mobile platforming battle royale, and it's coming this winter. As is par for the course of battle royale-type games, Sonic Rumble puts 32 players against each other competing on various levels and obstacle courses to remain the last person standing. 

In the reveal trailer, it's clear players control various characters from the universe of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, including Sonic, of course, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Amy, Dr. Eggman, and presumably more. As you play, you collect rings and these are used to customize your characters in special outfits and more. 

Check it out for yourself in the Sonic Rumble announce trailer below: 

There's no release date for Sonic Rumble yet, but Sega says it's releasing this Winter. Given it's a mobile game, it's expected to hit iOS and Android. If you're interested in trying the game out, you can sign up for beta tests right now. 

For more about everyone's favorite blue blur, read Game Informer's Sonic Frontiers review, and then read Game Informer's Sonic Superstars review. After that, watch Game Informer's exclusive video interview with Sonic's Takashi Iizuka about Sega's road to the Dreamcast. 

Are you going to play Sonic Rumble later this year? Let us know in the comments below!

Nintendo has revealed Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, a game designed around speedrunning challenges and more across 13 classic NES games. Set to hit Switch on July 18, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition features more than 150 challenges to complete, and you can compete for top spots on global online leaderboards or with friends. 

Nintendo revealed this compilation title with a trailer that pulls heavy on the Nintendo World Championship nostalgia, with previous winners appearing, footage from old competitions, and more throughout. 

Check out the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition announcement trailer for yourself below: 

As you can see, challenges in the game include reaching the Super Mushroom as fast as you can in Super Mario Bros., defeating the Octorocks the fastest in The Legend of Zelda, and reaching a specified gate as quickly as possible in Metroid. And those are just three of the 150+ challenges available in the game, spread across 13 NES games. 

Each week, you can compete for the top spot in the World Championships Weekly  Global Online leaderboards, or you can compete against up to seven friends in the local eight-player Party Mode. 

"With 'byte-sized' challenges and an automatic rewind feature, you don't need to master entire games to feel like a Nintendo World Champion," the trailer's description reads. 

Alongside today's reveal, Nintendo has also unveiled a Deluxe Set for Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. It includes collectible items, like art cards, a golden NES cartridge, and a physical game card.  

 

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition hits Switch on July 18, 2024. The Deluxe Set will cost $59.99, and the digital eShop version will cost $29.99. 

Are you going to pick this game up? Let us know in the comments below!