Games Games Games

Cyberpunk 2077 Devs Will Receive Their Bonuses Regardless of Review Scores

Cyberpunk 2077 Diner shot of character smiling

According to a new report from the Bloomberg, executives at CD Projekt took responsibility for the buggy release of Cyberpunk 2077 and told staff that they will receive their full bonuses no matter how the game is reviewed. Previously, the developers were told they would receive extra pay based on the game's aggregated critical performance represented by Metacritic.

Adam Badowski, studio head and creative director, wrote the following in an email obtained by Bloomerg to the staff: "We initially had a bonus system that was focused on the game's ratings and the release date, but after consideration, we believe that measure is simply not fair under the circumstances. We underestimated the lengths and complexity involved to make this a reality, and still you did everything you could to deliver an ambitious, special game."

While the title currently sits at a 90 out of 100 on Metacritic (which still disappointed shareholders), if it dips below that threshold the game would most likely not meet the original criteria for the bonus pay.

Alongside the bugs that plagued its launch, Liana Ruppert from GameInformer suffered a major seizure while playing the game. This was due to light patterns similar to those used by neurologists to help induce seizures in patients. It was also later noted that the game didn't have a clear epilepsy warning at the start of gameplay, something which has now been remedied.

This same RPG has seen its share of other controversies with reports of transphobia, and crunch culture, as well as the studio also refusing to share information about the game's accessibility. Read up on why we think CD Projekt Red should have confirmed Cyberpunk 2077's accessibility options sooner.

November 19th was the original date that Cyberpunk 2077 should have been releasing. But unfortunately, after going gold, the massively anticipated RPG was pushed back a couple of weeks to December 10th due to developers CD Projekt Red having to finalize as many as nine different versions of the game, specifically fixing optimization issues on current-gen versions.

CD Projekt Red put out a report that states that the studio has already seen a return on its investment on its first day. The report states that the royalties receivable by the company in association with pre-order sales across all distribution channels have exceeded both the total development costs related to the game as well as the marketing and promotional costs that have already incurred or anticipated for the rest of 2020.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. The game is also playable on the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 thanks to backward compatibility.

The post Cyberpunk 2077 Devs Will Receive Their Bonuses Regardless of Review Scores by Allisa James appeared first on DualShockers.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Character Mural Reveals Sephiroth's Cozy Spot Next to Cloud

FF7, FFVII, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Sephiroth, Smash, smash bros., ssbu, super smash bros., super smash bros. ultimate, Switch, tga, TGA 2020, the game awards, The Game Awards 2020

One of the most underrated aspects of a new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter reveal (other than what will the Kirby version look like) is where the new character will show up in the massive character mural. And thanks to Nintendo Europe, the answer to this very vital question has been revealed. Sephiroth, who was announced during this year's The Game Awards, finds himself right next to his arch-nemesis Cloud Strife:

Looks like Sephiroth has found a cosy spot right next to Cloud. pic.twitter.com/m8opSFGQBk

— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) December 11, 2020

While I'm sure that Cloud isn't too thrilled seeing Sephiroth near him, the main villain seems to be more than fine with the arrangement. Meanwhile Nintendo America will be showcasing their latest DLC fighter Sephiroth in a new livestream. The livestream will be hosted by Director Masahiro Sakurai and will take place on December 17th at 2pm PT (5pm ET).

Sephiroth will be the third new character in the second Fighters Pass DLC and the second representative from the Final Fantasy series after Cloud was added in the Super Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U titles. Nintendo also revealed that Sephiroth will be added to the roster sometime later this month. So far, the first two characters in the second DLC pass have included Min-Min from ARMS and Steve & Alex (and an assortment of other characters) from Minecraft.

Sephiroth is now the second character to have made their Smash Bros. debut at The Game Awards after Persona 5's Joker was revealed as the first new DLC fighter at The Game Awards 2018. Naturally, his inclusion was a surprise at that year's award show and paved the way for the rest of the new DLC fighter additions that we have seen come to Ultimate in the past two years. So far that has ranged from familiar Nintendo characters like ARMS' Min-Min and Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses to a few long-requested fan favorites like Banjo-Kazooie and Steve from Minecraft.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can check out our review of the game, in which our Editor in Chief Ryan Meitzler gave it a 9 out of 10 and stated that "with a massive roster, tons of customization, and more fan service than you can ever imagine, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the series in near-perfect form."

The post Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Character Mural Reveals Sephiroth's Cozy Spot Next to Cloud by Allisa James appeared first on DualShockers.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to Receive Sephiroth DLC Livestream, Will Reveal Release Date

Just as before with Steve from Minecraft and Eleven from Dragon Quest XI, Nintendo America will be showcasing their latest DLC fighter Sephiroth in a new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate livestream. The livestream will be hosted by Director Masahiro Sakurai and will take place on December 17th at 2pm PT (5pm ET):

The one-winged angel, Sephiroth from the @FINALFANTASY series, joins #SmashBrosUltimate as a DLC fighter later this month! Tune in at 2pm PT on 12/17 for a presentation from director Masahiro Sakurai all about the DLC fighter, including the release date! pic.twitter.com/zRaZCSZkrn

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 11, 2020

As in previous streams, this one will fully cover Sephiroth's Super Smash Bros. moveset as well as all the brand new content that will come with the DLC fighter pack. I'm particularly excited to see how Sakurai will be incorporating the Safer Sephiroth form, which has become famous after its initial debut during the final boss battle in Final Fantasy VII. Check out the video below, which will showcase the livestream:

Sephiroth will be the third new character in the second Fighters Pass DLC and the second representative from the Final Fantasy series after Cloud was added in the Super Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U titles. Nintendo also revealed that Sephiroth will be added to the roster sometime later this month. So far, the first two characters in the second DLC pass have included Min-Min from ARMS and Steve & Alex (and an assortment of other characters) from Minecraft.

The post Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to Receive Sephiroth DLC Livestream, Will Reveal Release Date by Allisa James appeared first on DualShockers.

Twin Mirror Review — A Pale Imitation

Early on, I got a chance to preview Dontnod's latest adventure game Twin Mirror. It certainly set my expectations pretty high for the final release. While I understood some of my issues with the puzzle-solving aspects during the preview most likely wouldn't be fixed by release, I hoped the story would continue to capture my attention much like Dontnod's previous titles have. Life Is Strange and Tell Me Why told vastly different stories. However, both resonated with me on a human level and offered a series of characters and journeys that I still think about to this day. Meanwhile, Twin Mirror has a personality and story that I will struggle to remember after a month.

Twin Mirror, Dontnod

Twin Mirror's plot setup is the story of Sam Higgs coming back to his hometown after spending years away. Before he left, Sam wrote an article that shook up the small town. It ended up causing the mine's closure, which put a ton of residents out of work. As you might imagine, Sam's relationship with everyone is understandably uneasy when he returns. On top of that, his closest friend Nick passed away under suspicious circumstances while investigating something big happening within the town.

A Dontnod game is not complete unless one of the main characters has a unique ability to guide them through puzzles and story beats, and Twin Mirror is no different. Sam can enter what he calls his Mind Palace. It's a solitary oasis away from the outside world where he can relive memories and experiences. Plus, he's able to reenact scenarios and crime scenes. If that wasn't enough, Sam also sees and hears a more social and sarcastic version of himself.

This other self guides you to make more empathic choices than overly analytical ones throughout the game. Unfortunately, this cornucopia of different ingredients starts Sam on a frustrating journey that's relatively uninteresting and undercuts any tense moments immediately after being introduced.

The presentation of Twin Mirror is its most immense saving grace. This is easily the best-looking adventure game Dontnod has produced. They move away from the style that gives Life Is Strange its charm into a more realistic aesthetic. It's akin to more recent action games like Vampyr and Remember Me. Specifically, the Mind Palace looks stunning in the game's early moments, thanks to a glass-shattering motif they carry throughout the story.

Near the end, there's a section when the games start to go a little trippy. Encounters like these stand out because of all the little details Dontnod includes. It's also worth noting that the build of the game ran smoothly with very little to no hitches. Frankly, I was a bit surprised given how modern adventure games often handle character animation. The only places where the impressive visuals are not great are in the random non-essential townspeople that only appear in the hub town area. Otherwise, the game looks fantastic.

In my preview, I likened the story to early Christopher Nolan films such as Following, Memento, and Insomnia—with a touch of Inception thrown in with the high concept mechanics. At first, the story gears up to follow in those footsteps. Instead, the game paints a pretty substandard tale of a man caught between two worlds. He must choose between his doppelganger's opinions and his need to find the facts while trying to solve a trite murder mystery.

Dontnod sets you up thinking the story's main character may or may not be someone you could trust early on. This drives an exciting and compelling intro. Still, as the narrative continues, these nuances get thrown away for elementary puzzle solving and side characters that barely contribute to the narrative— they are there simply to be suspects in the greater mystery.

With this being an "adventure" game, many of the player's choices are nothing more than trophy and achievement bait. No matter what you choose, it does not affect the story whatsoever. It's not until one late section where your decision matters to earn one of the five possible endings. The mystery and the supposed twist is completely worn territory. If I told you the movie it most resembles, you'd easily guess where they're going.

Having experienced all the game endings, you have no way you can side-step the bad one unless you are deliberately trying to sabotage your playthrough. On top of that, this is also one of the shortest of Dontnod's games I have ever played. My first playthrough clocked in at just about seven hours. When experiencing the multiple endings by replaying two sections, you're getting around nine hours of game. Run time doesn't equal quality. However, it does add to that sense that Twin Mirror doesn't live up to the studio's other output.

My major hangup about this game is that I want it to be better than it actually is. The presentation to tell a well-crafted story is absolutely in this game. Plus, given Dontnod's previous titles, the studio has the capacity to tell an interesting psychological murder mystery. The use of Sam's double could have been fairly interesting if it was woven into the greater mystery. Instead, they seem like two concepts that are at odds with each other when they could have been something more compelling and less cookie cutter.

I really wanted to enjoy my time with Twin Mirror. However, besides its beautiful presentation, the game lacks any of the substance that made all their previous adventure games great. Sam Higgs just isn't an interesting enough character to get behind when most of his dialogue choices are whether he should be a dick or not. Dontnod and their games mean something to the people that love them, be it because of their characters or the themes they inhabit. Where Life is Strange and Tell Me Why soar, Twin Mirror simply flutters in the wind. It's not a bad game, it just feels like so much wasted potential.

The post Twin Mirror Review — A Pale Imitation by Mario Rivera appeared first on DualShockers.

Granblue Fantasy Relink Staff Announces And Explains 2022 PS4 PS5 Release With Djeeta Gameplay

At the first day of the Granblue Fes 2020 on December 12, Cygames finally unveiled a release date estimate for Action RPG Granblue Fantasy Relink – 2022. Not only on PS4, but the promising game has been officially confirmed for PS5 as well. Moreover, Cygames unveiled new gameplay footage for Granblue Fantasy Relink. Alongside the game's main key artwork and new character illustrations from Gran and Djeeta. We detailed everything below.

The first announcement of the Granblue Fantasy Relink segment was the 2022, PS4, PS5 release date. Director Tetsuya Fukuhara explained the online multiplayer will be cross platform. He also acknowledged fans waiting for the game are anxious. As such, he explained all the game's development till that point.

Granblue Fantasy Fes 2020 Relink PS4 PS5 2022

Granblue Fantasy Relink Development so Far:

August 2016: "Project Re:Link" Announcement with a first trailer
December 2017: Gameplay demo premiere
December 2018: Story footage and "Granblue Fantasy Relink" official title reveal
Dec 2019: Multiplayer gameplay reveal

Granblue Fantasy Relink Stages of Development:

First playable: The game is in a playable state so game feel can be experienced
Pre-production: Missing elements are added and improvements are made to problems identified in the first playable build. Core of the game is fleshed out in preparation for Vertical Slice development.
Vertical Slice: A limited amount of characters, maps, items, and features are available, but a small portion of core gameplay can be experienced in near-finished quality. The final budget and development schedule are determined based on the quality of this build of the game.
We're here now – Alpha Version: Various features and resources are either unfinished or using temporary assets, but the game in its entirety is generally in a playable state.
Beta Version: Planned features and resources are fully implemented. Some potential bugs and glitches may still need to be fixed, but the game should be nearing a releasable state.
Master – What they call going Gold in Japanese: Ready for release. Generally 3-6 months before actual release. Day one patches have become common alongside releases to fix any last-minute bugs found in development.

First off, Director Fukuhara admitted Granblue Fantasy Relink was announced too early.

The game's development started in early 2016. Which means it was announced half a year later. Fukuhara added "with how the game industry works, and with the now decided 2022 release date, normally, the game should have been first announced in Summer 2021". Fukuhara apologized multiple times, while comments overall were pretty understanding and grateful Cygames is telling us so much about the game's internal development.

Secondly, the staff explained Blue, a character who was initially supposed to be the protagonist of Granblue Fantasy Relink.

Granblue Fantasy Relink development so far december 2020 Blue

Granblue Fantasy Relink development so far december 2020 Blue 2

Granblue Fantasy Relink development so far december 2020 Blue 3

Lastly, the staff explained what happened since Cygames stopped working with PlatinumGames on Relink

The last part of the Relink segment featured new gameplay with Djeeta. Players can switch any time between being either Gran or Djeeta.

Granblue Fantasy Fes 2020 – Granblue Fantasy Relink Segment

06:04:40: Start of the Granblue Fantasy Relink segment
06:16:51: Relink gameplay with Djeeta
06:23:27: Quest gameplay and boss fight

The Granblue Fantasy Fes 2020 will be ongoing on December 13. You can check out our schedule for the event.

Personally, I was expecting the release date of Granblue Fantasy Relink to be much closer than 2022. Especially when considering what Cygames said at Granblue Fes 2019. However, all the explanations leaves me pretty satisfied, and I'm looking forward to the game.

Lastly, the official Twitter shared a special illustration for Granblue Fes 2020 Day 1:

【グランブルーファンタジー】グラブルフェス2020一日目＆グラブルナイトパーティ―のご視聴ありがとうございました！DOSSSSのメンバーたちも、リモートでフェスに参戦していたようです！
この後も引き続きサテライトチャンネル、そして明日の二日目をお楽しみください！#グラブル #グラフェス2020 pic.twitter.com/bWj3xPwwcK

— グランブルーファンタジー (@granbluefantasy) December 12, 2020

The post Granblue Fantasy Relink Staff Announces And Explains 2022 PS4 PS5 Release With Djeeta Gameplay by Iyane Agossah appeared first on DualShockers.

FIFA 21 — How to Complete the Cristian Ansaldi Player SBC

FIFA 21 is currently in the thick of its annual holiday promo in FUT. This year, the team at EA Sports has changed the name to FUT Freeze; however, the core idea is still basically the same. Each day, players can complete new player SBCs. This year, the players are being given a new position from their base card. Yesterday, we had Marquinhos playing as a CDM, and today brings yet another fun surprise. Give it a look below and then keep reading for some solutions for today's SBCs.

A new contender at RB emerges.#FUTFreeze Player SBC now available in #FUT21 pic.twitter.com/TFirsdWrpz

— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) December 12, 2020

Today's SBC is the Serie A's Cristian Ansaldi. Traditionally a left-winger, he's been moved to right back. This opens up some interesting possibilities as he can now link Lionel Messi's base card into the Italian League. This makes it that much easier to put Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in your team without needing an Icon to make the chemistry work.

But what does it take to unlock Ansaldi? Below I'll share a solution I used based on the players I already have in my club. The key here is to find a cheap Team of the Week player you can slot in, and then pick a league that you can use to get your chemistry. Personally, I used the Bundesliga because I had several sitting in my club and have already finished that set of Icon Swaps. Remember, you need six first-owned players for each major league to complete your Swaps. So, don't get rid of players you might need for that if you can help it. Anyways, see the solution below.

Should you actually do this SBC? I think that mostly depends on your team. Ansaldi is a good card that will cost you less than 100,000 coins. However, I would rather have Bruno Peres' Europa League card. Not only is he tradeable, but that's also a live card. Roma has a decent shot of getting him at least one more upgrade, which will make him absolutely deadly. Ansaldi has that Argentina link, but I may end up passing on this one.

There is also a new puzzle SBC available to complete. I'm not going to post a solution for this one as it's pretty simple. Check your club for minor league silvers and make it happen. Do your best to not buy players off the market. It's just not worth spending much on a Rare Gold Pack.

FIFA 21 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. With all these SBCs hitting each day, now is an exciting time to be playing the FUT menus. If only I could say the same thing about the actual gameplay.

The post FIFA 21 — How to Complete the Cristian Ansaldi Player SBC by Ricky Frech appeared first on DualShockers.

Worms Rumble Review — 25 Years of Armageddon

Any franchise reaching a 25-year milestone is a big deal in the games industry. As of this year, we can add Team 17's Worms series of popular tactical action games and its various spinoffs to that list with the release of Worms Rumble. While it's more of a fast-paced battle royale experience than a traditional Worms game, it still manages to embrace those differences with a lot of fun and chaotic action. Unfortunately, there ultimately isn't enough variety in its game types and modes to keep you glued to it for more than a handful of hours.

When I talk about Worms, the first thought that more than likely comes to mind is a turn-based tactics game on a large destructible map where you control your individual units to be the last worm standing. Worms Rumble is a bit of a departure from that particular formula. While not the first entry in the series to venture into new territory, it is the first to be a largely real-time action game.

No longer are you taking turns to strategically maneuver your worms into offensive or defensive positions. Instead, Rumble has you on a large map covered in weapons while everyone is running around trying to take you out. So if you're expecting a traditional Worms experience then you might be disappointed. It definitely would have been a nice addition to include a mode that resembles that traditional gameplay style. Especially for a 25th-anniversary release.

Fans of the series will also be very happy to know that the weapons that Worms series has always been known for have come along for the ride in Rumble. Everything from the autonomous exploding sheep to the devastating holy hand grenade are present and at your disposal. The weapons are what make this series, so it's nice to see them return in this new format. Their presence just adds to the overall chaos that is assuredly going down on the already very weapon-saturated map. Dispatching an enemy with a strategically placed banana bomb while grappling upwards to make your escape is extremely satisfying.

The biggest addition in this installment is of course the battle royale mode. It's a first for the series and it functions more or less as you would expect. 32 players drop onto the map. The last worm or team of worms standing at the end are the champions. It checks all of the necessary boxes for the genre and generally plays it fairly safe. However, the team still manages to imbue the experience with the signature humor and personality that Worms is known for.

Like other battle royale games, you drop in with only your one melee weapon. From there, you have to quickly stock up or you'll be easy prey for your nearest opponent. But unlike something like Apex Legends or Fortnite, there is very little time to get your bearings. You can quickly find yourself in a sticky situation if you're not adequately armed. And the map being fairly small and contained makes that even more crucial.

worms rumble

Surprisingly, the destructible environments (another series mainstay) also make a return. Being able to blow up walls or platforms to your advantage was not only strategic but extremely satisfying. Especially when you're able to knock the ground out from under an enemy and have them fall to their doom. However, with Rumble, there isn't really any doom for you to fall into, and even fall damage is virtually nonexistent.

Omitting that aspect, which could be deemed as series mainstays, from Worms Rumble feels odd. Unlike the old games, it makes for an experience that is more action than strategy. Previously, your opponents' moves were just as much of a threat to your safety as your own choices. So removing the strategy of having to be mindful of your surroundings does feel detrimental to the experience a bit. The team could reintroduce it with a patch, but it's strange to not include this aspect of the franchise upfront.

Worms Rumble shines brightest when it's at its most chaotic. However, that excitement does fizzle out quickly due to a lack of content and new ideas for the already very packed battle royale landscape. It does capture a similar feel to classic Worms even if it is a big departure. Still, it would have been nice to have a mode that was in the classic turn-based style. After all, that's what made the series so successful in the first place.

This absence does feel like a massive oversight especially for a release commemorating the 25th anniversary of the franchise. Overall, the package is kind of a mixed bag of really fun frenetic gameplay and just as many missed opportunities that could've been something special for longtime fans.

The post Worms Rumble Review — 25 Years of Armageddon by Camilo Olmedo appeared first on DualShockers.

Skyrim, Among Us, and More Are Coming to Xbox Game Pass

Once again I am here to tell you that Xbox Game Pass is by far the best deal in gaming right now. The service is adding a plethora of new games to play in the month of December.

Probably the most notable game on the list is The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition for console. The game will be available on December 15. Even before Microsoft acquired Bethesda, the publisher still had plenty of its titles on the service. But after the acquisition, the Xbox team is looking to bring over all of the games in Bethesda's catalog.

Among Us will also be making its way to Xbox Game Pass for PC on December 17. The hit title coming to the service sounds like a great move on both the parts of Xbox and the developers behind Among Us.

Some other notable additions are Beholder: Complete Edition, Code Vein, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan on PC, Monster Train, MotoGP 20, My Fried Pedro on xCloud, Neovers, and Wilmot's Warehouse. All of these titles will be playable starting December 17.

Farming Simulator 17, Football Manager 2020, and Mortal Kombat X will all be leaving the service on December 30.

I say this every time I write about new games coming to the service, Xbox Game Pass is the best deal in video games right now. Even if the monthly price is too steep, three-month memberships or six-month memberships are always on sale at some retailers. I picked up three months during black Friday for just over $20. Stacking up months during sales has worked for me and saved me some money.

The post Skyrim, Among Us, and More Are Coming to Xbox Game Pass by Grant Huff appeared first on DualShockers.

Cyberpunk 2077 Turned a Profit on Day One

Cyberpunk 2077 V in a car shooting out the window

Cyberpunk 2077 was definitely going to be one of the biggest games of the year in terms of sales. CD Projekt Red's last full-fledged RPG, The Witcher 3, set the world on fire when it released five years ago. Many include that game as one of the greatest games ever made. Of course, the studio's next game was going to have a lot of eyes on it. In fact, there have been so many eyes on it that it turned a profit on release day.

CD Projekt Red put out a report that states that the studio has already seen a return on its investment. The report states that the royalties receivable by the company in association with pre-order sales across all distribution channels have exceeded both the total development costs related to the game as well as the marketing and promotional costs that have already incurred or anticipated for the rest of 2020.

Or as Daniel Ahmad would like to put it. They are profitable on day one.

CD Projekt Red says that its earnings from Cyberpunk 2077 pre-order sales across digital distribution channels have already exceeded the total development and marketing costs of the game.

In other words, they're profitable day 1.https://t.co/XlOT1RFMxN pic.twitter.com/B3LYGCvTeC

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 11, 2020

There was so much hype surrounding this game that I am almost not surprised that the development studio made all of its money back and more on day 1. However, I am surprised just how poorly the game runs on older hardware. The game is so demanding that it almost seems as if they should have shelved it for PC and next-gen systems only. A recent update has reportedly fixed some issues. Though the base PS4 and Xbox One versions will still struggle in comparison to updated hardware.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. The game is also playable on the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 thanks to backward compatibility.

The post Cyberpunk 2077 Turned a Profit on Day One by Grant Huff appeared first on DualShockers.

We Get Our First In-Depth Look At Sephiroth in Smash Bros. Next Week

During The Game Awards this week, we saw the big reveal of Final Fantasy VII's Sephiroth being the next DLC character coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Sephiroth now joins Min Min from Arms and Steve & Alex from Minecraft in the game's second Fighters Pass. Luckily, fans of the One-Winged Angel won't have to wait too long to see what he's all about. Next week the creative mastermind and director of Smash Bros., Masahiro Sakurai, will be having a presentation to show off the new fighter.

Sakurai's showcases are always a big event for Smash Bros. fans and always give a very in-depth look at what can be expected of new additions to the roster. With many references to draw from as far as Sephiroth's history in other games, there truly are plenty of options of what he could bring to the table as far as an impressive and extensive move list.