Nominees for Destructoid's Best Xbox Game of 2020
This, broadly speaking, has been a year of silver linings. It's the only way you can stay sane. If you focus exclusively on all the ways our lives have been upended in 2020, you'll doom and gloom yourself into sleeping 18 hours a day. Everyone has to take the positives and appreciate the things that bring them joy. That's why it pleases me to say: This year, surprisingly and against all odds, was actually pretty fucking fantastic for video games.
You may have heard there are new consoles. That's not a huge point of emphasis here, as Xbox Series X-exclusive titles aren't a huge point of emphasis for Microsoft. Instead, everything works cross-generation while simply running best on Series X. It means that the best Xbox stuff mostly launched earlier in the year. (Despite backward compatibility being such an important Xbox feature, I'm told I can't nominate Forza Horizon 4 for 2020 GOTY.)
It's not a new-gen showcase, but it's mostly an Xbox Game Pass showcase. Nearly everything here (five of the seven games, by my count) are available for Game Pass subscribers to download and play either on consoles, PC, or their mobile devices via cloud streaming. That's what's important to Microsoft. Not how many people buy consoles, but how many people continuously pay to be part of this ecosystem. To its credit, Microsoft has created a value proposition that people want to take advantage of.
To nip it in the bud -- no, none of these games are true Xbox exclusives. Microsoft's commitment to PC support through Play Anywhere meant that Xbox exclusives went the way of the Dodo years ago. Besides Crash, every game here is first-party, on Game Pass, or wrapped up in some sort of exclusivity deal. That's a much better position than past years where the Xbox category was largely "Here's a first-party game or two, and then a bunch of stuff that didn't fit anywhere else but should be represented somewhere."
These are the nominees for Destructoid's Best Xbox Game of 2020:
That super scary horror game from The Game Awards? Yeah, it's apparently set in the PUBG universe
The Game Awards was an exhausting marathon blur of game reveals, ads, and the occasional award. After nearly four hours blogging, I logged off thinking that only one new game actually made an impression on me: The Callisto Protocol.
The Callisto Protocol is described as a "single-player, third-person, story-driven, survival horror game." It has Dead Space DNA as the developer's CEO and founder, Glen Schofield, used to work on EA's renowned horror franchise. The cinematic trailer is simply stunning. It's extremely early and we haven't seen anything in-engine or actual gameplay, but all the pieces look in place thus far.
There's a weird and ill-fitting piece in the mix, though. IGN interviewed Schofield following the announcement, and he confirmed that The Callisto Protocol takes place within the PUBG universe. The tactical shooter battle royale will have a monster-focused horror game that's set in space as part of its official lore.
The business-oriented answer to this riddle is that Callisto Protocol developer Striking Distance is part of the Krafton publishing group who also owns PUBG Corp. Krafton seemingly wants its games tied together, all grouped up under a tidy umbrella. Schofield says "The funny thing is, I came in with this story when I went and met with the PUBG people for the first time and started talking about [The Callisto Protocol] and building a studio. I presented this game to them, and so what we did was we made it fit within the PUBG storyline."
But, to be clear, The Callisto Protocol is set 300 years after PUBG; takes place in a prison in space; is all about monsters; and is definitely a true third-person horror game. The actual connection to PUBG seems tenuous at best. Taking all that into consideration, the only real question on everyone's mind is: Why?
The Callisto Protocol Wants to be The Scariest Next-Gen Horror Game Ever [IGN]
Panzer Dragoon: Remake PS4 physical edition available in a sweet Sega Saturn jewel case
The physical media funsters over at Limited Run Games have announced that they will be producing a short run of physical copies for the PS4 edition of Sega's Panzer Dragoon: Remake.
Wonderful 101 Remastered just got a new cheat code, in addition to the Bayonetta one
In case you haven't been following along, The Wonderful 101 just recently got a special demo and a pair of codes to unlock early content: a whole six months after launch. Platinum vowed to give us some more, and that day has come.
The newest code is "TEAMUNITEUP," which unlocks three characters: Wonder Captain, Wonder Scarf, and Wonder Gramps. This is in addition to "UMBRANGIFT," which unlocks Wonder Bayonetta, and "ANGELSLAYERS," which grants you access to Wonder Jeanne and Wonder Rodin (also from the Bayonetta series).
Remember cheat codes? They're usually just microtransactions and/or DLC these days, but Platinum is having a little fun here. The studio teases that there's going to be seven codes in all, so there's four more to go.
It's a clever little way to extend the life of the game, coupled with the high score nature of some of its modes. It's also on sale on select platforms for a few more hours (including Steam), so read our review and see if it's worth the plunge.
Wonderful 101: Remastered [Steam]
Amidst controversy and furore, Cyberpunk 2077 debuts atop of the UK Charts
Night City's fascinating and dangerous world - inhabited by a cast of intriguing and amoral characters - has been providing an exciting experience for many Cyberpunk 2077 players. However, the slew of undeniable controversies surround CDPR's development process and the title's eventual launch - from technical, critical, employee and consumer standpoints - has gone some way to damping the fire for what was one of gaming's most-hyped releases ever.
Of no surprise, Cyberpunk 2077 debuted in the No.1 spot of this week's UK Charts, becoming the second biggest UK retail release of 2020 - beaten out only by Electronic Arts' soccer sim FIFA 21. While this is an achievement, these numbers generally reflect the sales of the PS4 and Xbox One editions of Cyberpunk 2077, the very same editions that CDPR is currently offering refunds for, due to their shaky technical performance.
Elsewhere in the charts, other blockbuster titles such as Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Sony's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla continue to jockey for both position and those all-important Holiday sales. Over in Nintendoland, sales continue for Switch releases Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and perennial Xmas seller Just Dance 5.
This Zelda: Breath of the Wild mod injects Mario 64 into the mix for one wild combo
Once again the Zelda: Breath of the Wild community shows us that there's more surprises left for the game; whether it's via official content or modding. This particular mod is from Waikuteru, a Breath of the Wild creation guru who we've written about many times.
In a pleasant surprise, it's all themed around Super Mario 64! Dubbed the "Throwback Expansion," the mod even has a little story to back it up: "An unfamiliar voice speaks to Link and asks him to collect a valuable star fragment before monsters do and abuse its power. After Link has picked up the star fragment, he finds himself on a floating isle." Hey, if Link's Awakening is a thing that exists (and has Mario characters in it no less), I can buy this!
Folks will recognize the below video as a take on Whomp's Fortress, featuring the vertical climb and arch-heavy infrastructure. The map will be populated with Breath of the Wild enemies, and tasks players with finding eight red coins. There also seems to be three (or more) star missions in all from a menu selection screen, so this could be a pretty packed mod.
Waikuteru is planning on releasing the mod to the public on December 25.
Hitman 3's dramatic opening sees 47 ply his trade in the Middle East
IO Interactive has released the intro movie for the next entry in the stalwart Hitman franchise. Courtesy of IGN, the tense cinematic sees 47 infiltrate Saudi Arabia, working alongside a fellow shadow-walker, problem-solver... problem-eliminator.
The duo is seen performing reconnaissance on on the controller of a mysterious organization known as "Providence" with which our dynamic duo appear to have some sort of mysterious history. Frankly, it's interesting to see 47 working in the field alongside his fellow "asset," with the video introducing us to one of the few people to stand in 47's presence, and live to tell the tale. Dare we say... a friend?
Hitman 3 will launch January 20 on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Stadia. A Nintendo Switch port - utilizing cloud-streaming technology - is also in the works.
CD Projekt Red has the benefit of releasing a major game once in a blue moon to a roaring applause.
I was hooked from the very first Witcher (which is frankly still some of their best narrative work), and continued on through Geralt's journey into card game-dom. Now, we're fast-forwarding that old fantasy timeline quite a bit with Cyberpunk 2077.
While it's more than adequate at giving us a general look at a dystopian techno-future, a lot of the details are muddled.
Fox gal Yuel joins the Granblue Fantasy Versus roster today
Granblue Fantasy: Versus receives a brand new character today, one who seems sure to be popular with rushdown fans and DeviantArt supporters everywhere. Foxy franchise fan-favorite Yuel is now ready to join the battle, arriving as part of the gorgeous fighter's second season pass.
In Granblue Fantasy lore, Yuel is a daring adventurer, who is constantly distracted from her life quest to discover a thousand-years-old treasure by the people and places that she encounters on her journeys. A very popular character in the Granblue Fantasy universe, no doubt thanks to her teasing, femme-fatale nature, lavish design, and playful attitude, Yuel joins the GF:V roster as a speedy rushdown character, tackling her opponents on ground and in the air with her trademark "Foxfire" swords. Yuel is also equipped with her "Third Dance", a stance that slows mobility but allows for slick counterattacks.
You can check out Yuel in action in this feet-happy gameplay trailer.
Bethesda has a bunch of Fallout 76 quality of life upgrades planned
In case you missed it, Bethesda just launched Fallout 76's free Steel Dawn update, which will conclude sometime next year with a subsequent patch. But they're also working on a ton of upgrades behind the scenes, a few of which we're privy to thanks to a new blog update.
The publisher reminds us that on December 15 the new season will begin, which will include a "Scribe of Avalon" scoreboard (read: a season pass board game-like track to traverse while earning rewards). The entire thing is themed around the "medieval civilization of Avalon," drawing from the Arthurian legend of old. As previously revealed, allies will be a part of this track, including a cooking vendor (who replenishes your hunger/thirst once every 24 hours) and a medical vendor (who can heal you).
But more importantly, those quality-of-life upgrades! Those are coming in January, and are capped off by a full-on stash increase. No strings attached, the plan is to increase it by 50%, to "a maximum of 1,200 pounds." You'll also be able to see stack weights at a glance, and your Pip-Boy can now sort items by stuff that's newly acquired (surprised it took this long given how much junk is in this game), armor, and food/drinks. Also, player vendors are now more discernible on the map.
Beyond that January update, as a reminder, Bethesda may even extend the game beyond the scope of the current West Virginia map in the future. This game isn't dead, folks!
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
Nintendo is running a Direct-like Indie Showcase for Switch this week
We're not off the hook yet, folks! Nintendo has one more stream for us this year: thankfully it's a short one.
Out of nowhere this morning (that's how Nintendo rolls in 2020), we got an email telling us about a new Indie World Showcase that's happening tomorrow. Yep, on December 15 at 9AM PT, Nintendo will strut their indie stuff with another showcase stream, which is going to last "roughly 15 minutes." I know, don't get too excited! You can find the stream here when it airs.
As a reminder, these are fairly low key and generally give us info on games we already knew about, with a few new announcements peppered in. The big headliner for August's showcase, for instance, was the two-player update for Untitled Goose Game. You can also expect a giant sizzle reel for a ton of upcoming games in a rapid-fire format.
Hopefully we'll get something cool to close out the year, then we have time to relax! 2020 has been exhausting.
EA swoops in to acquire Codemasters, overtaking recent bid by Take-Two Interactive
Last month, we reported on how publisher Take-Two Interactive was in the final stages of purchasing developer Codemasters, with the latter having agreed to a non-binding offer from the former which had valued the UK studio at around $6.40-per-share, or roughly $975 million USD.
But, in a sudden and surprising move, Electronic Arts made a last-minute bid this weekend, successfully swooping in and snatching up the studio before the ink has dried on the Take-Two agreement. It is believed that EA put in a late offer at around $7.98-per-share, ultimately valuing Codemasters at around $1.2 billion USD. Codemasters is expected to close the deal in early 2021.
"We believe there is a deeply compelling opportunity in bringing together Codemasters and Electronic Arts to create amazing and innovative new racing games for fans," said EA CEO Andrew Wilson in a press statement. "Our industry is growing, the racing category is growing, and together we will be positioned to lead in a new era of racing entertainment."
Given that Electronic Arts owns franchises such as Need for Speed and Burnout, it seems obvious why the publisher would be interested in bringing Codemasters on board, with the developer having long proven their pedigree with road-rippers such as DIRT, OnRush, and the F1 series. Despite Codemasters' apparent delight at the Take-Two deal, it seems that the developer has now put all of its chips in with Electronic Arts, joining the publisher's already bulging portfolio of studios.
Business, eh?
Games giant Electronic Arts gatecrashes Codemasters takeover [Sky News]
CDPR apologizes for the poor state of Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 and Xbox One, is now offering refunds
CD Projekt RED has offered an apology for the shoddy performance of Cyberpunk 2077 on base PS4 and Xbox One platforms. The apology comes after several days of players sharing videos and testimonies of a slew of bugs, glitches, comparison videos and crashes, spread throughout social media via the hashtag "#Cyberbug2077."
In a statement posted to the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter, CDPR first apologized for not releasing any footage of the PS4/Xbox One versions of the RPG during Cyberpunk 2077's lengthy marketing process, (review outlets were also restricted to only reviewing the PC edition). CDPR then states that it should have "paid more attention" to Cyberpunk 2077's performance on PS4 and Xbox One.
CDPR goes on to note that it currently working on several patches to improve matters. One update dropped just recently, with another expected in a week's time. Further updates will be applied in early 2021. Finally, CDPR is offering refunds for all players who purchased Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 or Xbox One. The developer suggests customers who purchased a physical copy contact their retailer or - failing that - reach out to CDPR directly at helpmerefund@cdprojektred.com. This email address will be open until December 21.
Cyberpunk 2077 launched on PS4, PC, and Xbox One on December 10. Already the most successful PC launch of all-time, the long-awaited release immediately recovered all of its developmental and marketing budget in a matter of days. A PS5 and Xbox Series X edition will launch in 2021.
Call of the Sea is the debut game from Out of the Blue Studios, a Spanish outlet comprised of industry veterans that's dedicated to creating narrative and puzzle titles. Their first product is a marriage of the two genres - a first-person, narrative-driven, adventure-puzzle game that evokes the spirit of old film serials and the Jules Verne Voyages extraordinaires novels that they liberally borrow from. It makes a stunning first impression, but it doesn't take long to realize the developers might have been a bit too eager to show you everything they have up their narrative sleeve.
Worms has been a part of my life since I was a kid.
My first foray into the world of tactical wormy combat was on the Game Boy many moons ago, and my wife and I have been jamming the series together for over a decade. For the most part though, things have been relatively comfortable for Worms. It might get a new gimmick, another theme, a level editor, or more customizations — but at the end of the day, you're inching around shooting guns in a turn-based manner.
This is why I applaud Team17 for experimenting yet again with Worms Rumble, even if it comes up a bit short.
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 trailers premiere DLC characters Kikunojo and Kin'emon
Bandai Namco has released gameplay for two forthcoming DLC characters in its anime RPG/brawler One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4. The videos give fans there first look at the two legendary samurais Kikunojo (Okiku) and Kin'emon.
The beautiful Kikunojo serves as a member of the deadly Nine Red Scabbards, the Kozuki Family's loyal band of samurai protectors. Kikunojo of the Lingering Snow (or simply "Kiku") may appear quieter and more demure than her Red Scabbard brethren, but has mastered her sword to absolute perfection, cutting down myriad opponents who have stood in her way.
Early shmup Markham is this week's Arcade Archives release
This week's Arcade Archives entry sees Hamster return to the dawning age of the shmup genre, as Sun Electronics' formative stellar shooter Markham returns on Nintendo Switch.
Released in arcades way back in 1983, Markham is a very basic horizontal shmup which sees players guide a small ship through a series of mountain ranges, taking out hidden enemy installations en route. Armed with a beam gun as well as a volley of missiles, players take on waves of enemy fighters and powerful - and delightfully retro - UFOs.
To modern eyes, Markham is incredibly simplistic and also a little on the slow side, but it's still nice to see all of these early shmups, all of which broke ground for some of the finest arcades of all time, get another turn in the spotlight. At eight dollars, this is a questionable purchase, but it's nice for completionists to have the option.
Markham is available to download now on Nintendo Switch. Check out the action below, in this video from YouTuber Old Classic Retro Gaming.
It delights me to see Q-Games add more entries to the PixelJunk series, especially a sequel to Eden.
It's arguably not the best of the bunch, but Eden – a minimalistic platformer about catching plumes of pollen to reinvigorate garden landscapes – has long been a favorite of mine. It's a hypnotic experience.
Whether you missed PixelJunk Eden on PS3 and Steam or you simply miss it, period, this is such a great way to close out the chaotic year. Turn on your Switch, pump up the volume, and melt into your chair.
How Hades rejects the illusion of isolation in 2020
Between pandemic lockdowns and uncontrollable fires changing the color of the sky, it's easy to slip into the thrall of learned helplessness. Twenty-twenty has been suffocating, but playing Hades gave me a breadth of insight.
We've all had a rough year isolated from the life we previously took for granted. Maybe you miss getting sloshed at a bar with your pals. Maybe you long for a lost loved one. This year altered the context in which we all live our lives, and now, in that new context of living, Hades provides fascinating parallels to a world forever changed.
Our current world state resembles a hellscape, not unlike the bounds of the Underworld, but nothing stops Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld, from ascending—and neither should anything stop us.
Cblogs of 12/5 to 12/11/2020: Breath of Fire IV, Ratchet & Clank, and The Game Awards
Cblogs Recap: Week 50
-Lord Spencer reviews Breath of Fire IV as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.
-Gamingnerd discusses icy mechanics in video games.
-Black Red Gaming reviews El Hijo - A Wild West Tale on the PC.
-Rabid Walrus writes a guide to working around the Joy-Con drift on the Nintendo Switch.
-Virtua Kazuma writes about the connection between the Yakuza and Virtua Fighter franchises.
-NinjaSpeed looks at next year's major video game anniversaries.
-The Queen of Philosophy opens this week's TGIF open community forum.
Ninja Chowdown is just like a donut: cheap and satisfying
For a little over a month now, I've been on a diet and a fairly restrictive one at that. It's probably not the wisest thing to do during the season of gingerbread cookies and figgy pudding, but, somehow, I've stuck with it for longer than any weight loss attempt before it. I've had to give up a lot of my favorite foods, from chai tea lattes to cheese and crackers, but what I miss most are donuts.
Sweet, wonderful, they-should-probably-be-a-dessert-rather-than-a-breakfast donuts. They used to be the best part of waking up, but now, they're the constant reminder of why I have a gut. Playing through Ninja Chowdown hasn't made their absence from my life any easier.
From developer Dummy Dojo, Ninja Chowdown is a free-to-play auto-runner out now on iOS. It's not an endless runner as the game is broken down into a series of levels that sees the thicc and lovely Donatsu chase down his enemies in his quest to retrieve the stolen Knownut, a glowing golden donut that probably tastes wonderful. Donatsu's journey will take him from city streets to under the sea to volcanic islands and beyond.
Granblue Fantasy Relink is still alive and coming in 2022 to PS5
It has been a while since we've had any news on Granblue Fantasy Relink, the ambitious console role-playing game from Cygames. The partially PlatinumGames-developed title was first announced back in 2017 for the PlayStation 4 before we even knew about Granblue Fantasy Versus, which launched worldwide earlier this year. We've been waiting a while, but it looks like there is still a bit of waiting to do as Cygames announced the title will hit PS4 and PS5 in 2022.
That PS5 version is new, but with everything that's been shown of Relink so far, it was clear from the start this game was destined for stronger hardware. Same goes for that Project Awakening title they showed off back in 2018.
At this year's FES fan festival, Cygames gave updates on the status of Relink, saying it was nearing the final stages of development and turning its attention to asset creation. It also gave us a fresh look at the game, and yep, it still looks wonderful.
Here's how to play Halo's Blood Gulch in Fortnite
Blood Gulch is out in Fortnite! Kinda.
It's not a full-on mode per se like a lot of special events in the past; it's actually buried inside of the "Creative Mode" section of the game. Naturally, it's not nearly as populated as one would expect. Here's how to find it if you're scratching your head.
It's the Podtoid Mailbag Extravaganza
It is the first new episode of Podtoid for the month, and throughout 2020, that has meant opening the mailbag and answering your questions. In the past, we've got a handful of interesting inquiries, enough to make the Goddamn Mail a featured segment in the back-half of the show.
But this week, the community came through with so many great questions that we had to super-size this episode of Podtoid to answer as many as we could. Want to know our thoughts on games from 2020, what we'll do when COVID is over, licensed titles, and more? Then sit back and chillax all cool with Podtoid Episode 469.
Genshin Impact Version 1.2 details new Dragonspine map
Yesterday saw miHiYo finally drop the trailer for Genshin Impact's highly anticipated Version 1.2 update. Said update, which launches on December 23, will add a new map and other content to the mobile and console gacha title.
The new map, "Dragonspine", will represent a perpetually snowy mountain range south of Mondstadt and home to a lost civilization. The freezing temperatures and extreme weather conditions keep travelers and expeditions away most of the time, so those daring to explore the depths of Dragonspine will find new creatures, rare artifacts and items, and a beautiful but hazardous new locale.
Leading the way will be two new characters: the half-human, half-adeptus cryo archer Ganyu, and the young alchemist Albedo. Both of these five-star heroes will be joining the gacha pipe as a part of the new "The Chalk Prince and The Dragon" narrative. Follow these two heroes into battle for the opportunity to lay hands on the legendary sword known as "Festering Desire."
Genshin Impact is available now on PS4, PC, and iOS and Android platforms. A Nintendo Switch port is also in development, with a launch expected sometime in early 2021.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
I cannot tell a lie, I'm feeling a little grotty this morning. And after spending yesterday sweeping up news, (as well as taking care of some fires - not literally - at home), I'm not quite as on-the-ball as usual for this, our regular Saturday soiree into all things gaming. Still, I'm here, and you're here, and I'm really happy for that, so let's get into it.
While I haven't played anything new this past week - having been squeezing out time in recent haunts such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - I did catch up with The Keighleys, which I smartly chose not to stay up until 4 a.m. UK time watching. While there was very little that caught my eye, (though I'm still digging Returnal), I hope some of you found your next gaming obsession. 2021 is already shaping up to be a solid year for games, I hope that you're all geared up for it.
But enough about tomorrow, let's look at today. Share with us the titles that have been keeping you occupied this past week. Perhaps you've been creeping through the streets of Night City, or maybe you're finally getting around to a major release from 2020 that has passed you by. But whatever is keeping you warm and comfortable as these dark winter nights draw in, stop by and fill us in on the scoops, the word on the street, the hush-hush.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
Star Wars: Squadrons is worth revisiting with today's 4.0 update
Motive Studios added the B-Wing and TIE Defender to Star Wars: Squadrons today as promised, along with a server browser, custom matches, TrackIR support on PC, and more cosmetics "that will be rolled out over time through in-game events and Operations." Here's the under-a-minute recap trailer.
And here's the developer breakdown for those two new ships.
B-Wing
- Heavy Gunship playstyle, back-line fighter
- Low maneuverability, relies on boosting/drifting to move and turn efficiently
- High durability and primary damage output, explosive capital ship damage and built-in ion cannons
- Relies on Support/allies to reach capital ships and survive while dealing damage
- Ideal for staying back behind Fighters/Interceptors and laying down heavy fire on enemy ships
- Unique component: Ion Beam
- Deals massive ion damage to capital ship shields and subsystems
- Unique component: Gyro/Aux Control Module
- Allows gyroscopic cockpit roll while holding the auxiliary button, rotating the entire ship around your cockpit. Wing angle determines bomb release angle. Missile evasion is also increased while gyroscopic roll is in motion.
- Also increases ammo count for auxiliaries that use ammo; otherwise, improves auxiliary cooldown rate.
TIE Defender
- Highly adaptable anti-starfighter specialist, front- and mid-line fighter
- High survivability with strong shields but very susceptible to ion weaponry
- Requires frequent, skillful power management and use of boost/drift for ideal performance; poor power management can be detrimental
- Unique component: Advanced Power System
- Gives instant, significant overcharge to the system with max power. If no system has max power, gives weaker overcharge across all systems.
Bug fixes and balance changes were also a major push in Update 4.0. A few points worth highlighting:
- Ongoing server-side matchmaking improvements
- Fixed an issue where PlayStation 5 visuals appeared blurry.
- Fixed an issue where the game would not detect all input devices if multiple were plugged in
- Fixed an issue where the mini-stick input on the Hori HOTAS for Xbox One did not work properly
- Added the option to toggle game controllers between dynamic (default) and static throttle. This option can be used to correct the behavior of the throttle on certain input devices, such as the Hori HOTAS for PS4.
- Reduced the max time waiting in the briefing room from 120 seconds to 90 seconds
- Improved the loading time of the friends list for players with many friends
- Fixed an issue where some players couldn't progress past the objective to "Follow Gunny" in Mission 1
- Individual sub-tiers in the rank ladder now display their SR requirements
Free new content is a pleasant surprise for any EA-backed Star Wars game, especially one that fans are feeling. If you haven't come back in a while, there's also the recently-added Fostar Haven map.
Today's update is intended to be a "final thank you," so content-wise, this is probably it.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla has another major patch on the way next week
After Thanksgiving, I reported on the first big Assassin's Creed Valhalla update by saying "Lotta stuff is broke so there's a lotta stuff to fix." That's still true and it's going to remain true for the foreseeable future. Past experiences tell us that Ubisoft will eventually whip this game into great shape, but it's far from perfect right now.
It gets a little closer in the coming days. Ubisoft has confirmed that Valhalla's 1.0.5 title update should be ready sometime next week:
Windjammers 2 delayed in order to optimize online play
It has been a long, long road to the launch of Dotemu's day-glo sports sequel Windjammers 2. First announced during the summer of 2018, the disc-flinging sequel to Data East's 1994 arcade classic is yet to hit the shelves. Having taken feedback from the recent PC demo, Dotemu has now decided to push the launch of Windjammers 2 into 2021.
"We analyzed in depth all these mixed opinions regarding some stuff including the lack of rollback for the online mode, which was unanimously praised in everyone's feedback," said Dotemu in a statement on Twitter. "We had to do something because Windjammers 2's online mode is also meant to encourage the competitive community to get into the game. We started to fix and add what was necessary. Nevertheless, these changes caused delays and as a result, forced us to postpone the release date to 2021."
"This decision is a tough one and it has serious consequences for all of us but we think it's fair enough if it allows us to give you the Windjammers 2 you expect and you deserve. Windjammers 2 is an ambitious project that we love and that we cannot ruin with wrong decisions that could jeopardize its quality."
Ultimately, this can only be a good thing. As Dotemu states, Windjammers 2's main priority is to cultivate a strong global community of competitive players - after all, the entire reason the sequel is being developed at all is due to the success of competitive Windjammers tournaments at events such as EVO. Thus, peak flow and stability for the sequel's online components are paramount. It's admittedly been a long wait, but hopefully we can all slap on the sunblock and hit the beach soon.
Windjammers 2 is currently in development for PC and Nintendo Switch.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has an extended gameplay trailer with a bit more meat
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a far-future follow-up to Vermintide, and that's pretty much all it needed to get a foot in the door – but gameplay footage, especially with so many CG-only reveals at The Game Awards, is appreciated. After last night's showing, Fatshark released an extended trailer.
This should be a damn good time in co-op. That's it: that's my takeaway. Let me at 'em.
Darktide is going to throw four players (who's calling dibs on the Ogryn?) into a bustling hive city, and unlike the mostly-melee-centric Vermintide, guns are plentiful. I'm curious to see how they balance melee and ranged combat in such a way that both feel powerful depending on the situation at hand.
As much as I fell off Vermintide and missed a bunch of the DLC, I dug the feel of that game. Between the 40K setting, crunchy combat, and the class/gear progression, I'm all the way in on Darktide.
As the trailer says, this is a 2021 release on Steam and Xbox Series X/S – it's skipping last-gen.
Will you make it to the border in escapist fantasy Road 96?
Do you want to get the fuck out of this town? I sure do. But while needs must and pandemics keep me under lock and key, I'll settle for living vicariously through the escapism of Digixart's upcoming adventure Road 96, currently in development for PC.
Set against the backdrop of 1990s Petria - a desert county currently under authoritarian rule - Road 96 is a graphic adventure that will task the player with getting out of town and out of the state, in a wild run for the border by any means necessary. Out on the endless winding highways and rundown rest-stops, players will meet an array of unique characters, making moment-to-moment decisions to stay one step ahead of the authorities, one step away from danger, and one step closer to freedom.
The procedurally generated adventure offers thousands of routes out of Petria, each one littered with strange encounters, terrifying adversaries, and well-traveled companions. With a narrative spun by the creators of dramatic titles Valiant Hearts and Memories Retold, chances are that Road 96 will be an emotionally evocative journey to remember, whichever path you take. Just remember, if you pass Rutger Hauer... maybe just keep on rolling.
Road 96 is currently in development for PC and scheduled to launch in 2021.
There's a PUBG ARG and I'm too L-A-Z-Y to figure it out
Oh, you thought PUBG was just a game about shooting dudes until either you're dead or 99 of them are dead? Wrong, idiot. It's a game where you have to investigate and expose nefarious corporations before you shoot 99 other dudes or die tryin'.
PUBG has a new alternate reality game, which I would've never known had I not received a press release for it (and I still play once a week or so). Apparently it's rooted in last season's Paramo volcano map and now has moved along to the new 1x1 km Haven map. It's about Tythonic "and its ties to a secret military group."
To that end, I'm just gonna show you the whole fake press release we received. It's in the gallery below because it didn't translate well to being used as an in-line image. Everything was too small. It probably has all the clues for everyone to get started. (Don't yell at me for not using dark mode or something; I don't wanna hear it.)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War details 'biggest Black Ops season ever,' starting December 16
Activision and Treyarch Studios have released a slew of new details pertaining to the first season of content for the recently released Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Following on from the dramatic trailer released earlier this week, a new video and graphic details the new paid and free content rolling out in the '80s themed shooter from December 16.
Oh yeah, I already forgot that Mario 3D World is getting a Switch re-release
Nintendo was onto something when they wrote "Meow! Don't forget, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury launches on February 12, 2021!" in the opening line for the below trailer. Yep, I actually forgot!
It could be because it was buried in that giant 35th anniversary Mario stream, or, because it was one of the very few games that wasn't actually coming out before the end of the year. Probably both. Alas, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, a re-release of 2013's Super Mario 3D World with some new content, is still arriving early next year.
Nintendo is indeed reminding us with a new clip, which mostly showcases some old content (who doesn't love that opening salvo of levels with the cat suits?), and teases of what's to come. But mostly, it's the cat stuff that they're selling. Why wouldn't they?! It's gold, Jerry. Selling to cat lovers will never go out of style.
I'll say one thing: they need to get the train rolling on this one. Give us new info!
Scarlet Nexus will unleash electrifying anime warfare summer 2021
Do y'all remember Scarlet Nexus? Bandai Namco's assault-on-the-senses action RPG has been quietly in the works since its debut at E3 earlier this year, with the publisher now confident that it will be ready to engage in inter-dimensional, monster-mashing warfare come summer 2021.
Scarlet Nexus is set on a future Earth, where mankind has learned to harness the powers of the human mind for both right and might. As humanity starts to come to terms with the capabilities of these psionic abilities, a legion of horrifying mutations known as "Others" attack the planet, seemingly craving a diet of human brains. Icky.
Fortunately, Earth has one last line of defense. The OSF (Other Suppression Force) are a young military outfit trained in the use of psychic powers for military purposes. While still in their formative years, The OSF is going to have to learn on the job, as it battles armies of truly grotesque, skin-crawling beasties before we all end up on the menu.
If you're fiddling with Cyberpunk 2077's options, take a look at 'continuous dialogue skip'
One of the first things I do when booting up a new game, especially on PC, is fiddle with the options.
Look, sometimes there might be a useful graphical setting toggled off somewhere, or a useless option toggled on. Cyberpunk 2077 has a ton of knobs on all platforms, but one you should consider using is the "continuous skip" option for in-game dialogue.
It's a simple little thing, but it'll make a lot of the more rote moments go by that much quicker. Normally when you press the "skip" button (defaulted to "B" on Xbox or "Circle" on PlayStation), you'll need to mash it to go through each line of dialogue (which can cause your character to inadvertently and annoyingly crouch if you hit it in-between dialogue). The crouching can be a pain, but more importantly, it can be a real drag if you've died or need to restart a previously-seen portion of the game.
The latter bit is really important, as Cyberpunk's save system is rather restrictive: preventing you from saving during almost every cutscene in the game as well as in combat. So if you find yourself going back through a bit you've already finished, it's way easier to just deal with a smooth continuous skip.
It's the little things!
Destiny 2 is celebrating Christmas again soon with The Dawning
So Destiny 2 just had an ice-themed expansion, which is perfect timing.
Once again, as is tradition since the original Destiny, Bungie is holding their Christmas event: titled "The Dawning." It starts next week and will involve winter decorations (like Engram presents); but it'll also feature a new legendary fusion rifle called the Glacioclasm. Oh, and a new exotic ship that you can upgrade while The Dawning is happening, and customize. Item chasing, here we come.\
In addition to the in-game events and quests, Bungie is naturally adding more microtransactions (Eververse): with three bits (Glee Barrage/Merry Maker weapon ornaments, and the Happy Trails finisher) exclusive to real-money (silver). More sparrows, ghost shells, and ships are hitting the Eververse too, which you can actually earn via bright dust: an in-game currency.
As far as mechanical business goes, Bungie is taking another look at the Warlock's stasis capabilities. If you recall, stasis is the new power/skill tree that was added in with the latest expansion, and it was swiftly hotfixed to lower its power level. Now, the Warlock is getting buffed back up to account for Bungie going overboard with it compared to other classes.
Since Warlock is indeed the best class still (always has been), it's the right decision.
This Week at Bungie [Bungie.net]
Oddworld: Soulstorm has been pushed back to spring 2021
In one of those delay announcements we'd all already accepted, Oddworld Inhabitants has noted that its epic new adventure Oddworld: Soulstorm will not meet its 2020 release window and will now launch on PS4, PS5, and PC (via Epic Games Store) in the spring of 2021.
Originally revealed at E3 earlier this year, Oddworld: Soulstorm is the next entry in the cult Oddworld fantasy franchise, and sees Mudokan hero Abe return for more one-man-warfare against the greedy capitalist pigs that make up the Glukkons and their Magog Cartel.
Following on from the events of 1997's Abe's Oddysee, Oddworld: Soulstorm will tell the next chapter of Abe's revolution, as he wills and leads his people in an uprising against those who would wish extinction upon them. You can check out Soulstorm's puzzle-solving, platforming action in the trailer below, premiered at last night's Game Awards.
Oddworld fans have been waiting quite some time for a new major release within the long-running series, and while delays are always a little disappointing, a couple more months might be just what Oddworld Inhabitants needs to make Abe's latest exodus one for the ages.
The Terry, Byleth, and Banjo & Kazooie amiibo are out in March
We're at the point where I need to start writing 2021. 2021. 2021. 2020 is behind us! And I will for sure write "2020" at some point in January. Best to start practicing now.
In 2021 (nailed it) there are more amiibo coming. Can you believe it?! Nintendo is still making these things, even if they only trot them out every so often for Smash Ultimate out of obligation and a few select other games. To that end, there's still more DLC to clean up.
Enter release dates for Terry, Byleth, and Banjo & Kazooie: three amiibo figures we didn't have a firm window for yet. Yesterday during The Game Awards, Nintendo revealed that the trio would be coming on March 26.
So here's a breakdown of what we know so far. Cat Mario and Cat Peach are coming in February of 2021 to celebrate Bowser's Fury on Switch. Then in March, the Palamute, Magnamalo, and Palico amiibo are out for Rise; with the aforementioned Smash figures out on the same day. Then, at some point, we need Min Min, Steve, Sephiroth, and three other mystery amiibo for the "final" Smash Ultimate fighters.
As a reminder, you can find a full list of every amiibo (with dates!) here.
Nintendo of America [Twitter]
Capcom Arcade Stadium brings these 32 coin-op classics to Nintendo Switch
During last night's Game Awards, Capcom not only announced a "jury's still out" remake of its legendary platformer Ghosts 'n' Goblins, but the longtime publisher also lifted the lid on Capcom Arcade Stadium, a huge compendium of classics from the golden era of the arcade.
Launching on Nintendo Switch in February, Capcom Arcade Stadium will arrive as a free dashboard bundled with 1987 shmup 1943: The Battle of Midway. From there, players purchase three individual packs of games, each containing 10 classics from yer boy Moyse's formative years. Bizarrely, the original Ghouls 'n' Ghosts is a standalone purchase, not included with any of the packs themselves. In all, 32 titles will be available at launch.
All titles featured in Capcom Arcade Stadium will include modern features such as "rewind" options and save state slots. All compatible titles will feature support for local two player action. Additionally, a range of display options and screen filters will be on offer, providing crisp HD visuals or classic old-school CRT vibes. A special "CASPO" league will record your scores, pitting you against other arcade fans from across the globe. So, if you're the best in the world at Pirate Ship Higemaru, it's time to put up or shut up.
Capcom Arcade Stadium will launch in February 2021 on Nintendo Switch.
Sakurai is giving us more Sephiroth Smash info soon, including a release date
Yesterday, Nintendo and Sakurai shocked the world with their Sephiroth in Smash Ultimate reveal. That Mario "murder" sequence was just the best! When I saw it for the first time (yes I watched this trailer more than once) my mouth was agape, but the reveal that he's not actually dead was brilliant. Everything about this trailer, even the brooding edge, was perfect.
But Sakurai isn't the type of person who just posts and ghosts. No, he's going to do one of his signature streaming spiels to tell us about how authentic this fighter is, and it's coming very soon. Shortly after the reveal last night, Nintendo tweeted out the details for an upcoming stream, just for Sephiroth.
It starts on December 17 at 5PM ET, and promises to give us more info on how he works, as well as the release date. We fully expect it to be just like a lot of the other streams, where he'll methodically go over each and every part of Sephiroth's moveset, which giving us live commentary on how everything came together.
We can also expect that the release date will be very shortly after the stream itself, just like the previous DLC stream-to-release cadence. As a reminder, we do have a "December 2020" window for Sephiroth, so he's not going to be delayed or anything.
Nintendo of America [Twitter]
December's Xbox Game Pass headliners are Among Us, Code Vein, and Man of Medan
Yesterday, we learned that Skyrim was joining the Xbox Game Pass family. It was only a matter of time! But this morning, Microsoft shared the full December rundown of what's on the docket for December.
Today, we're getting Mørkredd, but once December 15 hits, the main events start to roll out. Skyrim is coming on December 15, but two days later we're getting Among Us, Code Vein, Man of Medan, and a few other selections. Again, it's an insanely good spread! There's full-on open world RPGs, a party game, an anime vampire action romp, and a horror adventure.
This train is going to keep rolling. Microsoft just re-confirmed a few big Game Pass games the other day, and it will be a huge part of their strategy going forward for this entire generation. I know people who picked up a Series X/S and are basically just rolling with Game Pass, making their way through over a decade of classics. It's a pretty chill way to spend the holidays!
You can find the full list of December Xbox Game Pass offerings below.
Housemarque's Returnal will come blasting into your brain March 19
Housemarque has announced a release date for its sci-fi action/horror title Returnal. As revealed during last night's Game Awards festivities, the bullet-hell roguelike will be letting rip on March 19, exclusively on PS5.
Returnal will tell the story of valiant space explorer and scientist Selene, who crash lands on a strange and nightmarish planet, inhabited by hazardous beings unlike any encountered by humans before. Slain again and again by her grotesque discoveries, Selene discovers that her life is locked in a time-loop, forcing her to relive her close encounters of the worst kind again and again - desperate to find a way to break the cycle and, hopefully, return home.
Housemarque has promised that Returnal will feature thrilling elements of exploration, alongside the Resogun developer's trademark intense, blood-pumping action. Returnal will also take full advantage of PlayStation 5 technology, implementing support for Haptic Feedback, Adaptive Triggers, Tempest Audio and fast SSD load times in an effort to make Selene's journey a thoroughly immersive experience.
Returnal is shaping up very well indeed. I'm definitely looking forward to this one.
In most welcome news, Sega has announced that The Yakuza Remastered Collection will be making the leap to Xbox and PC platforms next month, bringing a double fistful of excellent Yakuza releases to Steam, Windows 10, and the Xbox Game Pass service. Team Yakuza isn't not done there, however, as it also announced that Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will also come drop-kicking onto the aforementioned platforms in March 2021.
Originally released for PS4 in the summer of 2019, The Yakuza Remastered Collection compiles remastered (note: not remade) editions of PS3 releases Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, and Yakuza 5. With the launch of Remastered Collection and 2016's Yakuza 6. Every mainline Yakuza title will finally be available on the PC platform, which already hosts Yakuza 0, both Yakuza Kiwami remakes, and the recently released Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Enough to make protagonist Kiryu Kazuma slightly raise his fists while looking wistfully at the sky.
The Yakuza Remastered Collection will launch on PC via Steam and Windows 10 and on Xbox via Xbox Game Pass on January 28. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will follow on March 25.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut headed to PS4, PS5, and PC March 2021
The weird and wild stylings of Disco Elysium will be oozing their way onto console platforms in 2021. As announced by developer ZA/UM at last night's Game Awards, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut will bring a definitive edition of the open-world RPG to PS4, PS5, PC, and Stadia in March 2021, with Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch ports to follow in summer.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut will see the dystopian adventure upgraded with new voicework, an overhauled UI and control system, a slew of new Political Vision Quests, and new customization options. On PS5, The Final Cut will run at 60 FPS at resolutions up to 4K, bringing the mind-melting and eye-wearing world to life like never before. Best of all, The Final Cut will be offered as a free upgrade to all owners of the original Disco Elysium on PC.
Contest: Win Cyberpunk 2077 and a Johnny Silverhand statue, courtesy of fun.com
In today's contest you can win a copy of Cyberpunk 2077 and this neat Johnny Silverhand statue from fun.com!
I saw something the other day that it's been over 3,000 days since Cyberpunk 2077 was announced. The wait is finally over! Fans of the cybernetic dystopian genre are finally getting their hands on the series, and now you can, too!
We're giving away a copy of the game (your choice for platform) and this awesome Johnny Silverhand statue, courtesy of our friends at fun.com!
The creator of Chulip, Moon, and Little King's Story is working on his final RPG
There were a lot of great announcements during the Game Awards on Thursday, but my favorite of the night wasn't part of the show. It was a simple tweet from the Onion Games account announcing the developer is at work on a new RPG.
What is the game? Who knows, but with Yoshiro Kimura involved, you know it'll probably be something special. In a blog post on the developer's website, Kimura gives a little bit of info on what he and his team are planning. The game will be a sandbox RPG with a world that's full of "irrational events." It will feature the "romantic, fairytale nature of RPGs," which is right in line with everything else Onion Games has developed.
Whatever this RPG turns out to be, it looks like it'll be the last one from Kimura. He promises to see the project through to the end, but recognizes he's getting up there in years and doesn't have the energy he once did. Nevertheless, he ends the post by stating, "I'm going to pour my all into it, and if it all ends with this, then so be it. The adventure starts now."
As a massive fan of Onion Games, I wish him and his team the best in their development.
Declaration of Production: A New RPG [Onion Games]
Here are all the winners of the 2020 Game Awards
Despite what you may think about the show, it is nice to get a reminder of just how good the games have been in 2020. At the Game Awards, the best of the year got their due...you know what, I still can't get over Sephiroth in Smash. That's all that's been on my mind throughout the awards.
Anyway, here are the winners from this year's socially distanced show:
Mass Effect came to The Game Awards just to pronounce itself still alive
I don't know that the next Mass Effect game needed a teaser trailer right now, but here it is, and I'll probably care a lot more about the story implications once I get comfy with the remastered trilogy.
"BioWare is in the early stages of what is on the horizon for the Mass Effect franchise."
Hopes? Dreams? Fears? I'm not even in a mindset to think about that yet. This feels so far off.
Another console franchise makes the jump to smartphones with Just Cause Mobile
Well, this is unexpected. Announced during the Game Awards, Just Cause is coming to smartphones with Just Cause Mobile. The game will feature a top-down perspective, cooperative and competitive multiplayer, drivable vehicles, and more on iOS and Android in 2021.
