Dying Light 2 Stay Human is Looking Like an Exciting Sequel

Zombie fans rejoice! Dying Light 2 is finally almost upon us. After years of starts and stops and endless speculation about the sequel to one of the better zombie games of all time we can now finally expect Dying Light 2 Stay Human to drop on December 7th this year – assuming it isn't delayed again. But with how much Techland has been talking about Dying Light 2 and how much information we currently have about the game it does seem like it's truly about ready to come out of the oven, so even if we do get another delay, it probably won't be a very big one. All that said, with everything that we know about Dying Light 2 at this point there's plenty of reason to think it's not only going to be a worthy successor to the original game in just about every way, but it could also, very easily, end up being one of the biggest games of this year if not the biggest. Techland's open world action survival zombie game terrorized us and opened our minds to what we could expect from a zombie game back in 2015. the open-ended nature of the level design, The Mirror's Edge style traversal, and of course the combat being just as customizable as it was visceral, were all things that made Dying Light an instant classic, and despite the rather long wait we've had for the sequel, it's hard to not be excited about it.

There are a lot of things that make up the Dying Light experience but one of the bigger ones is obviously the parkour traversal. Dying Light 2 is promising to not only bring that back but effectively double it, with twice the amount of moves you can do as you move about the world. This includes an astounding 3000 unique animations, which hopefully aren't just visual in nature but also help the traversal feel more versatile and fluid. With all of the different types of ledges, walls, and other surfaces that you'll be dealing with as you move about, and of course all of the different angles that you can hit those things at, it makes sense that Techland would want to move the number of animations up to a much higher degree, but 3000 does sound like a lot – even in light of that.

I don't think the point of knowing that is to look super closely at every little animation, though. Ideally, this is just something that subtly makes moving around the world of Dying Light 2 just feel more real, which isn't exactly something the first game struggled with, but of course an improvement would still be much appreciated. Some of this might just be out of utility as well, seeing as the game will have more surface types and traversal tools like an improved grappling hook and makeshift bridges to contend with. So how this all shakes out is certainly going to be interesting to see. Given that the parkour challenge modes were some of the more fun parts of the post-game content for Dying Light, I suspect a good portion of this long wait we've been experiencing since 2015 has been geared towards expanding and perfecting the traversal so this will be one of the major elements of the game I'll be looking at once I get my hands on it.

Of course, perhaps the more striking element of Dying Light's gameplay was its combat. As one of the few games to really get first-person melee combat right, it did much more than that and actually had one of the better combat systems of the last generation by adding in a good amount of customization and a satisfying skill tree that always made you feel like you were progressing in a meaningful way. As far as I can tell from the information that's been released at this point it seems like Dying Light 2 is more or less sticking to the script on that while adding in a bit more complexity with enemies changing up their tactics on you mid-fight, requiring you to alter your approach on the fly at times. Jump kicks, melee weapons, environmental objects, and projectiles all look outlandishly satisfying to use and that's mostly because they seem to have taken a conservative approach with modifying the first game's combat, and mostly left it in place. That said, you can choose to emphasize in different areas including mobility, brute force, and a more technical skill set that seems more geared towards taking full advantage of the game's expanded crafting system. It looks like they're doing each area of expertise justice with a lot of experience to be gained in each of them, so no matter how you choose to upgrade your character in the game, you're going to have plenty to do and learn.

While the story of Dying Light was pretty good all things considered, it still purposely took a back seat to the traversal and the combat and was very linear in nature. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, but it does look like Dying Light 2 story has gotten a lot more attention this time around with branching narrative paths that are chosen by you deciding who to side with among the cities 3 main factions. Depending on which faction you align yourself with, you will have access to different safe zones and different technologies to aid you in other situations, and can also hinder your progress in certain respects, so choosing wisely with who to help and who to screw over is going to be a big part of the experience.

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Last but not least of course is the zombies themselves. While it's only been about six years since the last game came out, within the context of the story it's actually been closer to 15, so of course the zombies that we got used to in the last game have mutated into different things now and have very different rules in some cases. The basic rules of the day and night cycle are still in place, and that means lesser, weaker enemies are out during the day while the more imposing creatures come out at night. But within those rules we're going to see a lot more variety. A larger number of enemy types especially at night will be a sight to behold in Dying Light 2, with enemies that are much stronger and faster then what we're used to from the first game. On top of that, Techland has said that individual enemies will have a different set of AI priorities than enemies in a group, which might remind you of something a little game called Days Gone tinkered with as it differentiated individual encounters with freaker hordes. They haven't gone into a lot of detail on what that exactly will mean but the fact that they brought up that particular point really raised my eyebrows because that could lead to a lot of variety with enemy encounters and keep us on our toes much more than the previous game – which is saying a lot.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is really looking to be a true sequel in every sense of the word. While many sequels these days come out and largely rest on their laurels by rehashing what the last game did, it really does look like Techland is having none of that. Assuming their new game is going to be everything that they're cracking it up to be, it does look like it's shaping up to be a real successor to a game that is already great, and that's a recipe for success if I've ever seen one.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Riders Republic Delayed to October 28th

With Rainbow Six Extraction being delayed to January 2022, it was looking like Riders Republic would fill the gap left in September. Sadly, the development team at Ubisoft has confirmed a delay, albeit from September 2nd to October 28th.

In a new blog post, the team stated that it couldn't wait for players to try out the coming beta but will use the extra development time to "fine tune the experience and give you another chance to jump in before launch and provide feedback." More details will be shared soon, most likely on the content that the beta will offer. This is the second delay that Riders Republic has suffered, as it was originally slated for February 2021.

While it wasn't explicitly stated, the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in this latest delay. Numerous other titles have faced delays to 2022 recently like GhostWire: Tokyo and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. At the very least, Riders Republic is still looking to launch this year. It's currently slated to release for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay in the coming months.

Rainbow Six Extraction Delayed to January 2022

The season of delays has come around once more and this time, it's Ubisoft's titles that suffer. Rainbow Six Extraction, previously set for September 16th, has been delayed to January 2022. In a new blog post, the development team noted this to be a "full-fledged AAA experience that changes the way you play and think about cooperative games."

As such, it's looking at "Embracing the opportunity to take additional time to bring this vision to life in the way it deserves in January 2022. We are confident this will ensure Rainbow Six Extraction is the immersive, cooperative, and thrilling experience we set out to create, and the one you aspire to play." This isn't the first time that the co-op title has been delayed. Announced in June 2019 as Rainbow Six Quarantine, it was originally looking at an early 2020 release.

This quickly fell through and it was subsequently delayed to fiscal year 2020/2021, which ended on March 31st 2021. A year later, Ubisoft revealed plans to release the game between April 2021 and September 2021. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the project's supposed large scale, have likely played a part in this latest delay.

Rainbow Six Extraction is currently in development for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

Hackers Are Threatening EA By Releasing Parts of Previously Stolen Data

Last month, a number of hackers claimed to have stolen a significant chunk of EA's private data which included code for its in-house Frostbite engine as well as the source code for FIFA 21. Now the hackers have released a chunk of the stolen data on a forum, Vice reported.

The hackers are now threatening to release more of the stolen data, unless EA pays the requested ransom. The released data reportedly has references to tools related to the Origin storefront and The Sims. A spokeperson from the company believes that the stolen data doesn't have anything to do with player privacy, hence the company isn't planning on co-operating with the perpetrators.

EA is allegedly working with Federal law enforcement offcials instead, to solve the issue. Another infamous hack at CD Projekt Red also took place earlier this year, with hackers claiming to have stolen source code of the Red Engine as well as internal documents. CD Projekt's hacked data has reportedly been sold, following an auction for the same.

Sony Is "Closely Monitoring" Nintendo's Switch OLED Pricing, Analyst Claims

An analyst by the name of Hideki Yasuda has claimed that Sony is monitoring Nintendo's pricing for its newly-announced Switch OLED model. In a report featured in The Japan Times as reported by Nintendo Life, the analyst claims that Nintendo Switch's OLED's success could set a precedent within the industry, giving other manufacturers incentives to tap into pricing mid-life console upgrades at a higher price. 

According to the report, producing a Switch OLED model only costs $10 more for Nintendo which should net the Kyoto-based giant a $40 profit on each sell. Nintendo is pricing the OLED model higher than the console's base variant, even though its a mid-life upgrade with identical computing hardware. Of course, this has reportedly been noted by Sony who is closely monitoring the situation. 

The consistently high demand for the Switch has allowed Nintendo to keep its pricing the same as launch. Thus, it makes sense that Sony might eventually want to tap into the same strategy, since the PS5 has proven to be the fastest selling console in US history. 

Netflix May Be Partnering With Sony For Its Game-Streaming Platform, Data miner Claims – Rumor

A data miner by the name of Steve Moser has unearthed a number of interesting information about Netflix's newly-announced game streaming platform from its iOS app. The data-miner claims that Netflix might partner with Sony in the future for its platform, and that the platform has an internal codename of Shark.

The dataminer has unearthed an image of Sucker Punch Studios' Ghost of Tsushima, as well as two DualSense controllers from the Netflix mobile app. There's also an image of a Shark fin, which suggests the internal codename for the project. He also shared an image of the logo, which reads "N Game."

Of course, all of it isn't confirmed at the moment, so best to take it with a grain of salt. However, the prospect of Sony partnering with Netflix to allow streaming of its first-party games is equal parts interesting and intriguing. More so, given the fact that Sony already has its PlayStation Now service that just received a batch of new games.

Path of Exile: Royale Returns With New Features and Improvements

Starting out as an April Fool's Day joke in 2018, Path of Exile: Royale – a battle royale variant of the action RPG – is making a comeback. It's currently live for the next 48 hours with Grinding Gear Games featuring it every weekend after the launch of the Expedition League. Of course, the developer has made several improvements and changes to provide a better experience.

The map itself has been completely revamped; 90 skills have been added to the mix, including low level versions of skills that only become available in later acts; and there's a custom skill tree. Regardless of what class the player starts with, they can take any passives from this skill tree with the interface now occupying the left side of the screen, letting you keep an eye out for any danger. If you happen to win, then you'll unlock a new feast decoration for your hideout. Winning more matches sees the decoration becoming bigger and more extravagant.

While Path of Exile: Royale will be around for the next weeks, there's no guarantee that it will be a mainstay so get in on the action now while you can. Path of Exile: Expedition, the newest expansion and League, launches July 23rd for PC and July 28th for consoles. Stay tuned for extensive patch notes next week.

Metroid Dread Map Improvements Include Markers, Icon Highlighting, Hints, and More

Exploration and backtracking are core pillars of any Metroid game (or any good Metroid game, at least), so it goes without saying that it's crucial for any new mainline entry in the series to have good map functionality. In a new Metroid Dread Report, the game's development team focused on this element in particular quite a bit, talking about the various improvements being made on this front in the upcoming Metroid Dread.

"Where previous maps used a simple cell-based view, this new map has become a more detailed navigational tool that can show things like differing terrains," the developer writes.

"Since the Metroid series of games is all about exploring, it was clear to us that the map—the foundation of exploration—would be an important thing for us to focus on. This new map is powered up from previous, traditional maps in terms of look and function, which we think will make exploring the world feel even smoother than before."

So what exactly can you expect in terms of map improvements? You can place up to six custom markers on the map now, which will also appear on your minimap, while the map itself also allows you to zoom in and out. The minimap can also be expanded during normal gameplay by pressing left on the d-pad. There's also icon highlighting, which will let you highlight and view the same type of icons across all area maps. Additionally, the map now also contains hints for hidden items, with glowing spots on the map hinting at nearby secrets.

You can check out a few screenshots of the game's map below.

In the previous Metroid Dread Report, the development team spoke about the game's biggest hook, the stalker enemies known as E.M.M.I. robots, and what players can expect from them in terms of their abilities and variety. Read more on that through here.

Metroid Dread launches for the Switch on October 8, the same day that the Switch OLED comes out. Though Metroid Dread will serve as a conclusion to the five-game arc of the 2D Metroid saga, it will also set up future stories.

You can take a look at gameplay footage from Metroid Dread through here, here, and here.

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Steam Deck Supports Variable Rate Shading, Ray Tracing

Valve's Steam Deck has been a hot topic since its sudden announcement and it's not hard to see why. The handheld PC offers a quad-core custom APU with a Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 architecture with 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512 GB with its NVMe SSD. While it's touted as running games in Medium to High settings, you can also expect features like ray tracing and variable rate shading (VRS) to be supported.

This was confirmed by Valve's Pierre-Loup Griffais with IGN (from 6:40 onwards) who noted that hardware also supported DirectX 12 Ultimate. Also, since the operating system is based on SteamOS, players can also utilize their favorite mods with games. It also doesn't hurt that other storefronts like the Epic Games Store are accessible (with founder Tim Sweeney praising Valve's handheld initiative).

Reservations for the Steam Deck will open soon in limited regions, namely the United States, European Union, Canada and United Kingdom. Consumers must have a Steam account and made a purchase before June 2021. The price starts at $399 for 64 GB eMMC storage and goes up to $649 for the 512 GB NVMe SSD model. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Xbox Series X/S Outsold PS5 in the US in June 2021

The Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch were the best-selling consoles of June in the United States, as revealed by the NPD (via GamesBeat). Both consoles come out on top in different respects. While the Nintendo Switch sold more units, the Xbox Series X/S has it beat in terms of dollar sales, which is down to the fact that the Xbox Series X is much costlier.

The Xbox Series X/S saw a boost in sales following E3, and dollar sales for the console in the month have set a new record for Xbox platform dollar sales, beating a record previously let in June of last year. The Nintendo Switch, meanwhile, remains the best-selling console of the year to date in the United States, in terms of both dollar and unit sales.

The PS5, meanwhile, is still suffering from stock shortages, but continues to sell at an impressive rate, all things considered. It is still the fastest selling home console in the US to date.

Overall, hardware spending in the US for June stands at $401 million, 112% more than June 2020, and the highest total since June 2008's $617 million. Year-to-date hardware spending stands at $2.3 billion, up 45% from June 2020.

On the software side of things, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart topped the charts, while Mario Golf: Super Rush and Scarlet Nexus also enjoyed solid debuts. Read more on that through here.