EA's New Open World Team Could be Called Neon Black Studios
EA announced earlier this year that it had established a new studio in Seattle, which is working on an unannounced open world action-adventure game under the leadership of Kevin Stephens (who oversaw development of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War at Monolith Productions). That studio, of course, has to be be formally unveiled with a name and a logo and what have you, but it seems we may now know at least what it will be called.
As spotted by VGC, EA has filed trademarks at both the US Patent and Trademark Office and the European Union Intellectual Property Office for "Neon Black Studios", with the trademark mentioning "production of video and computer game software." Unless EA has established more new studios that they haven't yet spoken about, it's very likely that this is the name for their recently formed open world studio.
Of course, in the absence of a confirmation by EA, assumptions is all we have to go on, so hopefully, we'll receive official word from EA on the matter sooner rather than later. Stay tuned, and we'll keep you updated on any new info that comes our way.
Alan Wake Remastered Won't be Announced at the PlayStation Showcase – Rumour
Recent leaks have strongly suggested that Remedy Entertainment is going to announce a remaster of Alan Wake very soon (which would make sense, since it is also strongly rumoured that the developer is working on a sequel as well), and with a major event coming up in a couple of days in the form of the PlayStation Showcase on September 9, many are wondering whether that's where we'll be seeing its announcement. It seems, however, that that might not be the case.
Over on Twitter, VGC's Andy Robinson and known insider Direct-Feed Games have both stated that Alan Wake Remastered is not going to be announced at the PlayStation Showcase. This is not, of course, officially confirmed information, but does make sense, seeing as Sony is billing this as a major event with announcements and updates for upcoming PS5 games in 2021 and beyond- and a remaster might not exactly be the kind of announcement Sony wants at the show.
Former PlayStation man David Jaffe – creator of God of War and Twisted Metal – has said that based on what he knows, people are going to "lose their minds" over the announcements that will be made at the show. Forspoken has a chance of showing up, while leaks have also suggested that the next God of War will be shown off, and that even a new inFamous game could possibly be announced.
That's not a PS show announcement
— Direct-Feed Games (@DirectFeedGames) September 6, 2021
I don't think that's even in the showcase
— Andy Robinson (@AndyPlaytonic) September 6, 2021
PS5 Compression Shrinks Tales of Arise Size by 20 GB
The massive file sizes most games have these days has become something of a nuisance for people these days, as games continue to grow larger and more demanding where storage space is concerned. The PS5, however, has taken some nifty steps forward in this area, with its impression compression having resulted in significantly smaller sizes for games even when compared to the last-gen versions of those same games.
We've seen it happen with several games in the last few months, and the next to follow in line is Bandai Namco's upcoming action RPG Tales of Arise. Pre-loading for the game is now live, and as shared on Twitter by @Helencrownsjr, on the PS4, Tales of Arise has a download size of 57.247 GB, while its size on the PS5 is smaller by a whole 20 GB- 37.201 GB, to be precise. That's a drastic reduction, and sure, a lot of it will be game-specific and specific to how Bandai Namco has handled the game, but the system-level compression deserves to be praised nonetheless.
Tales of Arise launches on September 10 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Tales of Arise Asian version is start pre-load！PS4 version is 57.247GB，PS5 version is 37.201GB @PlaystationSize pic.twitter.com/f6c8k0Oqs3
— Helen Crowns (@Helencrownsjr) September 6, 2021
Was Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction An Underrated Gem?
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is arguably one of the best stealth-action franchises in recent gaming history, which much like its contemporaries has been lost to the shadows for quite some time now. Splinter Cell: Conviction, which was one of the later entries in the franchise, is generally considered to be the most divisive, as some fans of the series consider it to be the black sheep of the franchise and others – one of the best. Context is of the utmost importance here, since Splinter Cell's history has a lot to do with what became of Splinter Cell: Conviction. With Double Agent and Chaos Theory before it, the series had established its brand of stealth as a thinking man's game.
Getting anywhere without a firm understanding of the game's interweaving systems was a death sentence in both of these games, which obviously enough requires a fair bit of trial and error as well as perseverance, both of which were thrown out the window for Splinter Cell: Conviction. For this reason alone, Splinter Cell: Conviction remains a contentious point for fans of the series. However, judging the game on its own merits reveals a number of thoughtful design decisions that all serve to provide a different experience within the Splinter Cell umbrella – which many fans – including myself – have fallen in love with over the years.
For starters, the presentation is a notable step-up from previous entries in the series. As the first Splinter Cell built from the ground up for the PS3 and Xbox 360, the environments and character models look a lot more detailed with high-resolution textures and better lighting. However, a standout highlight is a way in which all relevant information regarding the objectives and tutorials are plastered on the game world itself – which gets the job done without resorting to boring menu screens unlike previous entries in the franchise.
Sam Fisher himself feels great to control, with smooth and responsive animations that serve to make the overall pace of the gameplay faster. Splinter Cell: Double Agent watered down the intricate light and sound meters of Chaos Theory, and Conviction takes it a step further by making Sam more nimble than ever – both in general movements such as crouch walking and moving from cover to cover as well as parkouring across pipes and shimmying across ledges. This does rob the system of its depth with no requirement to manage movement speeds and sound levels at the same time, but works to great effect in the larger push towards making Sam an aggressive panther continually hunting enemies from the shadows.
Guns also feel great to use in Splinter Cell: Conviction, although most of the time you will be relying on the standard-issue silenced pistols and melee attacks for getting rid of goons. The biggest addition to the Splinter Cell: Conviction is inarguably Mark and Execute – which allows Fisher to mark a handful of targets in his line of vision and then click a single button to dispose of them instantly with headshots. A far cry from the previous entries in the franchise, the Mark and Execute is equal parts an integral part of Conviction's combat loop and an entry ticket for impatient gamers to the Splinter Cell franchise.
The AI is also toned down in complexity when compared to previous entries in the franchise. Enemies don't have as complex behavior trees and the difference between guards being alert and indifferent to your presence isn't as blurry as say, Chaos Theory. A silhouette of Sam Fisher appears at his last known position, and you are encouraged to constantly adapt according to the situation and play around with this silhouette and nearby hiding spots to slowly and steadily thin the herd of enemies. This feeling of a dynamic combat system is further exasperated by the fact that there aren't any manual saves, which are replaced by constant checkpoints – meaning you cannot repeatedly save after every small move for the perfect run.
All of this comes together quite beautifully, making Chaos Theory a thrill ride through and through. It's markedly different than the tactical charm of its predecessors, forgoing the stop-and-think approach with a new figure it out as you go approach. Getting through levels without triggering alarms or killing a single entity was an enjoyable challenge in previous entries, but Conviction's multitude of design decisions make this a near-impossible feat for some levels – which further solidifies the intent with which the developers want you to play this game.
The story hasn't been a strong suit for Splinter Cell, which is also true for Conviction. Most games have revolved around conducting espionage operations across a multitude of locations – which is expected from a Tom Clancy game. Splinter Cell: Conviction is a notably more human take on this formula, as Sam abandons the Third Echelon in order to learn more about his daughter Sarah's death which leads him on a bread crumb trail towards a larger conspiracy. It's forgettable, sure – but retains an irrefutable charm thanks to its darker tone which is carried straight on over from Double Agent.
Splinter Cell: Conviction falls prey to most of the tropes that were so prevalent in the seventh generation. A darker tale with similarly edgy characters and higher stakes, scripted set-pieces of breaching through doors in slow motion – and of course, regenerating health. This led many to believe that Splinter Cell: Conviction, in many ways, was suffering from an identity crisis between wanting to be an action-adventure game and a hardcore stealth experience.
There is some truth to that assumption because Splinter Cell: Conviction wasn't originally envisioned as the game as we got in 2010. An earlier build of the game shown to the press during the time was a radically different game, which focused more on Hitman-esque social stealth and hand-to-hand combat. After a mostly negative reception to this build, the developers changed gears mid-development and created the Splinter Cell: Conviction that we know today.
However, the fact that the developers took some bold strides in making Sam Fisher nimbler and establishing this new hide-and-seek nature of stealth is remarkable and deserves quite a bit of praise. That being said, Conviction's brand of stealth wasn't the right direction for the future of the series.
Looking back on Splinter Cell: Conviction today feels like seeing a time-capsule, which is reminiscent of all things wrong with seventh-generation game design in many ways. However, the vigor with which the developers designed the game around evolving Splinter Cell's brand of stealth as a much faster and more dynamic take is what most importantly makes Splinter Cell: Conviction a good game, if not what one hell of a game for some fans.
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.
Valheim – Hearth and Home Update Buffs Two-Handed Axes, Nerfs Bows
Iron Gate Studio released a new video showcasing the changes coming to Valheim with its Hearth and Home update, which goes live next week. This time, the focus is on weapon changes and while pretty much all weapons have seen tweaks, the two-handed axe and bow were showcased. The former is still a slow, hart-hitting weapon but now has a faster windup.
Hits can also cleave through additional foes and stagger them while the alternate attack can knock them back. As for the bow, draw speed has been adjusted and even if you have max bow skill, you'll need to properly draw the string to unleash an accurate arrow. This helps to prevent the sheer machine gun volley that players were able to unleash with no loss in accuracy.
To compensate, stamina will now drain slower while keeping the bow drawn, allowing you to line up distant shots much more easily. Valheim's Hearth and Home update goes live on September 16th for PC. Stay tuned for more details along with detailed patch notes on release.
FIFA 22 – 15 Features You Need to Know
The FIFA franchise has been in a rut for some time now. Over the last few years, each new game has felt more stale than the last, and fans have generally been disappointed with how little the series has progressed., especially in some key areas like the Career Mode. With FIFA 22, however, it's looking like EA Sports is actually making what are looking like major changes that could potentially shake things up in a meaningful way. Ahead of the game's upcoming launch, here, we're going to talk about some key details about FIFA 22 that you should know.
HYPERMOTION TECH
The big new headlining change in FIFA 22 is HyperMotion Technology, which is the name EA Sports has given to what is essentially a complete animations overhaul for the game. The development team recorded motion capture from 11 vs 11 matches, and the data this produced for usage in the game will mean animation improvements across the board. Everything from first touches and sprints to tackles and duels and even off-ball animations has been revamped.
MACHINE-LEARNING USED FOR ANIMATIONS
This, apparently, is a crucial element of FIFA 22's new animations system. The game uses a new machine-learning algorithm, which uses a pool of 8.7 million motion capture frames to write new animations during gameplay in real time. According to EA, this will mean more dynamic, organic, and natural for a variety of situations and interactions. In total, EA says there are over 4000 new animations in FIFA 22.
GAMEPLAY IMPROVEMENTS
Beyond HyperMotion Technology, FIFA 22 is making some other improvements to the on-pitch action as well. AI continues to receive new tweaks and improvements, with both attacking and defending AI promising more personality and awareness of positions and roles. The Match Facts and player performance screens have been revamped with deeper analyses, while EA Sports also promises more physical and kinetic aerial duels. There are also new options while setting tactics that will offer more control, tweaks made to the sprint mechanic, improved ball physics, improvements made to goalkeepers, and more.
MORE IMPROVEMENTS
Meanwhile, FIFA 22 is making other changes as well that, though granular in the grand scheme of things, will still be appreciated by series fans. For instance, big goal moments will, depending on the context of the goal that's been score (like a late winning goal, or a substitute coming on and scoring in a tight match) will see the game reacting appropriately, with new crowd scenes, animations, and cinematography, with even substitutes and managers joining celebrations every now and then. Meanwhile, FIFA 22 will also introduce the new Celebration Camera Focus option. These will allow you to focus on the reactions of your team upon conceding a goal instead of having to watch your opponents' celebrations. Other changes and improvements include faster sprint speeds, more ways of switching players while defending, tweaks made to set pieces, and more.
CUSTOM CLUBS
This is another one of FIFA 22's biggest additions. It's been a while since this was a thing in a FIFA game, but FIFA 22 will let players create their own custom club in Career Mode. You will choose your club's name, its kits, the crest, and even create your stadium, with various customization options not only for how it will look, but also some stuff that will let you tweak its atmosphere to your own liking, like goal songs, crowd chants, and walkout anthems. You'll be able to create your club in any league or any division that is in the game (whichever club you replace will move into the Rest of the World category), and will start out with a group of randomly generated players. From there, you can set your own transfer budget (up to 1 billion of whatever currency you're using) and further build your squad in the transfer market. Meanwhile, you can also set your club's board priorities, though certain priorities (such as domestic or continental success) will vary based on your club's star rating.
CAREER MODE IMPROVEMENTS
Various other key improvements are being made to Career Mode as well, other than being able to create your own club. Various changes are being made to transfers, such as new cutscenes during negotiations, being able to start or stop scouting a player from the Transfer Hub, or transfer announcement cutscenes taking place in stadiums instead of the press room. The Career Mode also has expanded stories that will track personal achievements for the manager and players, such as the number of matches played, goals scored, or personal awards won. These milestones will be celebrated with expanded stories in the Career Mode hub, as well as pre-match cutscenes and remarks during commentary (though the cutscenes and commentary will only be available in the game's PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia versions).
MORE CAREER MODE IMPROVEMENTS
Career Mode is also making some other improvements that don't really impact the mode's structure, but do look like neat additions that will contribute to the atmosphere of matches. Various cutscenes have been added, including new team warm up sequences, locker room moments, teams inspecting the pitch, the groundskeeper making last minute changes, or even the crowd beginning to leave early if your team is underperforming in an important match. Meanwhile, fan tifos in crowds can now show up for any player that has had a long or successful tenure (or both) at the club.
REWORKED PROGRESSION IN PLAYER CAREER MODE
Player Career Mode's structure is also seeing some pretty significant changes, with the biggest shake up being made to the progression system. Your growth as a player will rely solely on gaining XP and levelling up, which is primarily determined by your match performances and training. As you level up, you'll be spending skill points in the skill tree to unlock various attributes, which means attributes no longer automatically improve as you play more. Instead, you'll be able to choose specific attributes and upgrades from skill trees for various categories- physical, defending, dribbling, passing, shooting, pace, and goalkeeping. Meanwhile, as you level up, you'll also unlock perks, which will automatically trigger when certain conditions are met., and at times can even boost not just you, but also your teammates. You'll be able to equip up to three perks at a time, with several different kinds of these available across four categories- attack, defense, goalkeeping, and chance creation. Do remember, however, that progression changes and perks will only be available if you play with a created player. If you use a real player, all of this will work as it did in FIFA 21.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN PLAYER CAREER MODE
Player Career is making several other key changes as well. For starters, you'll finally be able to come on as a substitute. In fact, how well you're performing overall will have a much greater impact on how much you get to play, according to the developers. A new Manager Rating system, which will be impacted by your performances in matches, your progress in training, and how well and frequently you complete match objectives. Though you'll start out as a bench player, improving your Manager Rating will lead to a more cemented role in the squad and more play time. At the same time, if your Manager Rating is too low, you'll be selected less often, and could even be put up for a transfer or a loan. Meanwhile, the aforementioned match objectives have also been improved, and will now be generated dynamically based on a number of factors, such as your playing position, the quality of your time as compared to the opponent team, or what formation your team or the other team is using.
ULTIMATE TEAM
EA Sports is doing some new things in FIFA 22's Ultimate Team as well. One of the bigger changes is an overhauled Division Rivals. Progression here has been improved with ranks, stages, checkpoints, weekly rewards, and more, with each victory, loss, or stalemate in a match directly impacting whether you're moving up or down a stage between ranks (unless you're on a checkpoint, in which case you're guaranteed to not go down, at least). There's also the Elite Division, which, as its name suggests, is the new highest division of Ultimate Team, and where the progression system will change to a skill rating system. Meanwhile, there are also new seasonal milestone competitions that will refresh every few weeks, improved matchmaking, and more.
VOLTA
VOLTA was the big new addition in FIFA 20 after its predecessor concluded the Journey trilogy, but though it's a fun mode in its own right, it hasn't really made a lot of waves in the FIFA community. FIFA 22 is making some interesting changes though. There are new Signature Abilities, which operate on a cooldown and can either give you sudden bursts of pace, significantly increase your shot power, and let you unleash stronger and more effective tackles. There's also a new skill meter, which will have three sections, each worth a thousand points. You'll get points and fill up the meter by performing various skills and actions. Filling up the first level of the meter will give you a 2x goal multiplier, the second 3x, and the third 4x.
MORE VOLTA DETAILS
Other, more incremental changes are being made to the gameplay in VOLTA as well. There are more skill moves, which will now also vary depending on the context of when and how you're using them. There's also two-player celebrations, a retuned skill tree that will now have three separate branches, and Volta Arcade, which is a new free-for-all collection of eight minigames with their own XP and VOLTA Coins rewards. There will be eight minigames, including dodgeball, foot tennis, quick strike, disco lava, team keepaway, and more.
PRICE
The pricing is always a hairy topic for most games these days, especially when it comes to FIFA and EA in general, so it's not surprising that that's true for FIFA 22 as well. The game will cost a regular $59.99 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, but on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, it will cost $69.99. PS4 and Xbox One players can get next-gen upgrades via EA's Dual Entitlement program, but that is only available if you buy the Ultimate Edition, which costs $99.99.
VERSIONS
With FIFA 21, EA made some changes and improvements to the game for its PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions that weren't available on any other platform, and FIFA 22 will also be doing that… in much more significant fashion, in fact. There are various improvements and changes being made to FIFA 22 that will only be included in its PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia versions, some of which we've spoken of here- the biggest, of course, being HyperMotion Technology and all the animation overhauls that brings with it. It's a big bummer for anyone not on those platforms, but especially for PC players, where it's not even like the hardware isn't powerful enough to support the changes.
SWITCH VERSION
For a few years now, EA Sports has been doing the formality of releasing a new FIFA game for the Switch every year, which… isn't really a new game at all. Starting with FIFA 19, each new instalment in the series has been a Legacy Edition, and the same will be true for FIFA 22. What exactly does that mean? Well, the game will have none of the changes and improvements being made to gameplay, modes, or anything else. Essentially, you're being asked to play full-price for something that is identical to FIFA 21 on the Switch in every way except for updated kits, squads, and fixtures (which was identical to FIFA 20, which was identical to FIFA 19, which was identical to FIFA 18).
Call of Duty: Vanguard – Multiplayer Beta Gameplay Leaks, Patrol Mode Revealed
Call of Duty: Vanguard will be having its world premiere for multiplayer later today with gameplay from various outlets to follow. However, it seems gameplay footage for the upcoming beta has leaked, showcasing different Perks like Ghost, Low Profile and Fortified along with the new Patrol mode. Check it out below.
Aside from the presence of World War 2 weapons, gameplay seems akin to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019). Players can double time sprint, which allows for even faster movement, in addition to mounting weapons. As for Patrol Mode, it's a 6v6 mode where teams battle over a constantly moving control point.
Standing inside generates points for your team which will accumulate faster with the more time spent. Team Deathmatch is also showcased on the map Hotel Royal with some nice lighting and destruction. Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer beta will have its first weekend from September 10th to 13th for PlayStation pre-orders. The full game launches on November 5th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt Enters Early Access
Sharkmob's free to play battle royale title Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is available on Steam Early Access, offering all PC players a chance to try out its supernatural combat for themselves. The developer revealed during the recent Future Games Show that it was rebalancing characters and mechanics based on the recent alpha so this will be a good way to test those changes out.
The current goal is to be in early access for a few months with the title still slated to release later this year. Serves will be running 24 hours a day, seven days a week (aside from maintenance days like September 14th). Players can purchase a battle pass during early access, which will help fun development and items will transfer over to the full game when it releases.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt takes place in Prague during a lockdown and sees different Clans of vampires fighting it out for supremacy. Each Clan offer their own unique looks and abilities. Stay tuned for more details and updates on development in the coming days.
Psychonauts 2 Guide – How to Find All Figments, PSI Challenge Cards, Half-A-Minds, and More
Like many 3D platformers, Psychonauts 2 has a number of different collectibles to find. They're spread out over different places like the central Motherlobe hub and Minds with some – like Loboto's Labyrinth – requiring you to return with other abilities in order to collect them. Let's look over all of the different collectible types here.
- Figments – Scattered throughout each location, these appear like rough chalk-like drawings. Easy to find though some may be out of your reach or located in secret crevices. Collecting them allows for leveling up different powers.
- Nuggets of Wisdom – Allow for leveling up different powers like Figments but grant a full rank. They're much less common with only a few in each level and are usually located in secret places.
- Half-A-Mind – Represented as half of a brain, collecting two of these will increase your maximum health. Usually, there are one or two to find in each Mind.
- Memory Vaults – Appearing like pig-shaped vaults, these contain slideshows, often showcasing backstories for different characters. Though not super-necessary to collect for progression, they do provide some additional information on the person's mind. They're also located off the beaten path and in secret locations.
- Emotional Baggage – Provide additional XP, though you'll first need to find their Baggage Tags in order to unlock them.
- PSI Challenge Cards – Located in real world locations, collecting nine and combining them with a Core will provide an additional rank to Raz.
- PSI Challenge Markers – Purchased from the Otto-Matic machines but can also be located in different areas. They bestow a rank to Raz but are fairly well hidden, usually in areas that require specific powers.
- Scavenger Hunt Items – Ever wondered how to get Raz's clothes back from the other interns? You'll need to collect all of the Critical Psychonaut Assets that Norma lists out, which are located in each of the main hubs. Since you won't gain access to all of them at once, they'll take time to collect. Upon collecting each item, you'll also need to complete the game and visit Norma to give her everything.
- Supply Chests and Keys – The former contains Psitanium which can be used to purchase health items, pins and PSI Challenge Markers from the Otto-Matic. However, you'll need to first collect keys to open them with. Any key that you find can be used to open any chest in any level.
To locate all of these collectibles, check out the video guides below courtesy of Game Guides Channel. Psychonauts 2 is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PC. Check out our official review here.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits – An Interview with Voice Actor Tod Fennel
Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been on a lot of people's radars since the moment indie developer Ember Lab first showed it off a while back. Its gorgeous visuals instantly grabbed attention, and since then, with everything that we've seen and heard of it, it's just continued to look progressively more promising. The action-adventure title is edging closer to its launch later this month, but ahead of that, we recently had the chance to shoot across some of our questions to actor Tod Fennel, who plays Taro in the upcoming game, his work on the game, and what he expects from Kena: Bridge of Spirits in general. You can read our interview below.
"As a team, Ember Lab takes their time and is incredibly attentive to detail. As an actor and a writer, I could feel that they set out from the very beginning to not only build an incredible game but tell a very heart centered story."
What can you tell us about your character Taro, and what purpose he serves in the story?
Taro is one of the tortured spirits that Kena as a spirit guide must confront and ultimately help to free from their pain and suffering. He's experienced a great deal of loss and as a result, is suffering from a tremendous amount of guilt, pain and rage.
In pure gameplay terms, what sort of a boss encounter does Kena have against Taro?
I wish I could say more, but until the official release date, all I can say is that it's EPIC.
We don't very often see games take this kind of a human approach to storytelling, where we get to fight against a character but also learn in great detail about what brought them to this point. It's understandable, because that can be an incredibly tricky thing to nail. How does Kena: Bridge of Spirits approach this?
As a team, Ember Lab takes their time and is incredibly attentive to detail. As an actor and a writer, I could feel that they set out from the very beginning to not only build an incredible game but tell a very heart centered story. Each and every character's backstory is well plotted out and has a great deal of depth to it. The cinematics are breath-taking and are like short films in their own right. The game is like a playable Pixar film.
"I was definitely surprised at how quickly and seamlessly the game transitions from a light hearted feel to the intense boss battles."
You've talked before about the kind of intensely emotional story Kena: Bridge of Spirits is going to be telling- can you speak a bit more about that? For instance, what sort of a balance does the game strike between the issues being faced by its characters but taking a more lighthearted approach as well?
I was definitely surprised at how quickly and seamlessly the game transitions from a light hearted feel to the intense boss battles. This is achieved technically through an impressive use of visuals and musical choices. From an artistic perspective, the contrast is a testament to the type of character Kena is, and in my opinion, a commentary on the ideal warrior. Someone who comes from a place of love but can throw down with the meanest and most powerful villains and come out on top. She comes from a place of love and that is exactly what gives her her power.
You've had acting roles in a number of games over the years. How would you say working on Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been different from your other roles, if at all?
Being a smaller company, everyone at Ember Lab was very kind and accessible. They were able to give us actors the time we needed to feel what we needed to feel in order to get the best performances out of us. I also had no idea the level of excitement and anticipation this game would generate at the very start but could feel that something about this game was very special given the depth of the character development.
"I think it's an amazing game that's going to surprise a lot of people."
Ember Lab has a lot of experience with animation, of course, but this is their first game, and it's looking like quite an ambitious project. What has your experience working on it with them been like?
It's been amazing, they've been extremely kind and helpful every step of the way.
What are your overall thoughts on Kena? What do you think will separate it from its competition?
I think it's an amazing game that's going to surprise a lot of people. The depth of the characters, the attention to detail and the visuals will have people begging for a sequel. Fingers crossed!