Ghost of Tsushima Should Be the Beginning of a New Anthology Series for Sucker Punch
Making a new IP is always tough, and it's one of many reasons franchises and sequels are as big as they are in this industry. For developers, the prospect of coming up with entirely new stories, worlds, characters, and mechanics, and then actually bringing those to life through labourious development work is a daunting prospect, especially when the alternative – building on pre-existing ideas and work with possible sequels – can potentially be so much more successful, at least from a commercial point of view.
But often, taking the risk of creating new IP can pay off, and it's something that's happened for Sony as a publisher time and time again. It's something that's happened for them as long as they've been around in the games industry, in fact, but during the PS4 generation, it's been particularly rewarding for them- beginning with Bloodborne, one of the greatest games of all time, then going into the incredibly successful and beloved Horizon Zero Dawn, continuing with Days Gone, which countless fans have fallen in love with, and now, finally, culminating with Ghost of Tsushima.
Ghost of Tsushima, in face, has been an unprecedented success for Sony. With a solid Metacritic score of 83 and with an outpouring of love from the masses, it's clear that Sucker Punch have struck gold with their new game the way they never did with their Sly Cooper and inFamous efforts. Commercially, the game is an even bigger success story. It's debuted on top of sales charts in Japan (where it's enjoyed the best ever launch for a first party PS4 exclusive) and in the UK, while worldwide, the game sold a whopping 2.4 million units in just three days, which makes it not only one of Sony's best performing and fastest selling games ever, but also the biggest debut for a new PlayStation IP ever.
To give you an idea of how ridiculously good those numbers are, the only Sony exclusive games to have had a better launch than Ghost of Tsushima this generation are The Last of Us Part 2, Marvel's Spider-Man, and God of War, which means Ghost of Tsushima is comfortably outpacing the sales of fellow new IP such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone, earlier PS4 titles such as inFamous Second Son and Bloodborne, and even megaton heavyweights such as Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
If there's one thing that years of following companies in this industry – or any media industry – has taught us, it's that Sony are going to want to turn Sucker Punch's newest property into a franchise. Critical and commercial success on this level is hard to come by – the latter especially – and Sony will want to capitalize on that success. And if they do do that, they will be posing some interesting questions to Sucker Punch. What direction could their new IP take with a sequel?
The most obvious way to go would be to just a direct sequel, a Ghost of Tsushima 2 that directly follows up on the narrative threads and characters portrayed in the first game. And that, of course, would be a smart thing to do. Sony's first party efforts put characters and story above all else, and Ghost of Tsushima puts its setting right alongside those two, so the opportunity to take that trifecta of elements and build upon it even further must, of course, be a alluring one for Sucker Punch. But we think there's other, far more interesting things they can do with this series.
Because the biggest strength of Ghost of Tsushima is not its story, or any single character, or even the island of Tsushima. The biggest strength of the game is the ideas that it is philosophy upon- the philosophy that has seen Sucker Punch identifying on dominating factor, one driving throughline, and committing to it so thoroughly that every inch of every aspect of the game works in service to bring that to life. That idea is one that aspires to immerse players in the world of samurai, that pays homage to the romanticized concepts of these legendary warriors, and Ghost of Tsushima works overtime to bring that idea to life. And Sucker Punch have a great opportunity to take even more ideas, to branch out and look at other concepts from across history and around the world, and bring them to life in completely new stories, with completely new characters.
On paper, that might sound a lot like Assassin's Creed – and it wouldn't be the first time I (or many others) have compared Ghost of Tsushima to Ubisoft's open world IP – but what I'm suggesting is different. Sure, Assassin's Creed games have a new set of characters, a new setting, and a new story every time (with the exception of the Ezio trilogy), with each new instalment looking to bring a completely new era of history to life, and on a surface level, the idea of an anthology Ghost series sounds similar. But while Assassin's Creed games differ in those regards, they have a lot of common threads- the core mechanics remain the same. Parkour and light stealth have been at the core of Assassin's Creed for years, while the series also sticks to a larger, central narrative, and though every instalment adds some new wrinkles, every game in the series has had those things in common.
With Ghost of Tsushima and the kind of successors I'm suggesting here, that might not be so possible, because the mechanics in Sucker Punch's new game are intrinsically tied to its central samurai conceit. The combat, the side activities, the way you explore the world, the characters, the world itself- they are all married to the game's ambition of telling a true samurai story. And it's that single-minded devotion to a central conceit that successors should carry forward, not any single mechanic or narrative idea.
During development, the game that Sucker Punch were inspired by the most was Red Dead Redemption 1, owing to how effectively it brought the fantasy of being an outlaw in the old American West to life, and how Sucker Punch wanted to make a game that did the same thing for samurai. The desire to do that is something that shines through in every aspect of Ghost of Tsushima, and the prospect of Sucker Punch taking other historical settings and recreating them with the same devotion is an exciting one.
Maybe with their next game, they could jump forward in time a few hundred years, and make a game about ninjas. Maybe they could make a game about Vikings. Maybe a game about medieval Europe knights. Or hell, maybe flip the script and have us playing as a Mongol soldier. The connective tissue across all of these hypothetical games wouldn't be gameplay mechanics or a larger story, but the single-minded drive to immerse players in these virtual realities.
Of course, that's easier said than done- primarily because of something that I mentioned in the beginning of this piece, bringing us full circle. Every new game in such an anthology series would effectively be a new IP- new mechanics, new world, new story, new characters. That's not an easy thing to work on by any means, and it would be a daunting prospect for any developer in the industry. But given how effectively Ghost of Tsushima immerses its players in its setting and the world of samurai, it's hard not to daydream about similar games that might do the same for other settings.
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.
Hyper Scape is Coming to PS4 and Xbox One on August 11
Ubisoft's sci-fi free to play battle royale shooter Hyper Scape was announced out of the blue earlier this month, and entered open beta on PC shortly afterward, with Ubisoft saying that the game would launch in full and also come to consoles this Summer. Now, they've provided an exact date for when that will be happening.
In a new trailer detailing the full launch of Hyper Scape's first season, Ubisoft have confirmed that the shooter will be launching in full on PC and also coming to PS4 and Xbox One on August 11. When it does, it will also be adding a new weapon called Dragonfly, and a new Hack called Magnet. Season 1 – called "The First Principle" – will also kick off the game's ongoing narrative, which you can follow by reading the in-game comics, and by tracking down a new Memory Shard on the game's map every week.
New limited time game modes are also being added, while new events will also be coming up. Meanwhile, free and premium versions of the game's battle pass have also been confirmed, with the latter being a 100-tier one as opposed to the the 30-tier battle pass during the beta period.
Hyper Scape is currently in open beta on PC until August 2. It'll be interesting to see if the game launches on the PS5 and Xbox Series X later this year (it probably will, especially if it's successful), but Ubisoft haven't said anything about that yet.
Cyberpunk 2077 Beta Invites are Fake, CD Projekt RED Warns
The excitement for CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 is palpable with the release just a few months away. So while it may be tempting to react to any email with a beta invitation, the developer is advising against it. In a series of tweets, it revealed that any beta invites that have been sent out over the past few weeks are "not from us."
It also warned content creators who were contacted by any third party. "If you are being contacted by a third party claiming to be working with us (an ad agency for example), you can assume it's not genuine." Anything sent out will be directly from the official CD Projekt RED address.
Of course, one user couldn't help but ask if there will be a beta. Unfortunately, the developer said there are no plans for this. This lines up with its earlier stance on a playable demo, which also isn't happening due to requiring "a lot of resources and testing."
Regardless, Cyberpunk 2077 is still slated to release on November 19th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC (with support for Xbox Series X and PS5 included). As for when we can expect new information, the next Night City Wire is apparently coming "soon." Stay tuned for any updates.
1/2 If you recently received an email claiming to be granting you beta access to Cyberpunk 2077, it's not from us. Unfortunately, there have been more of these being sent out over the past few weeks. When we contact you via email, it'll always come from @ cdprojektred com address
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) July 30, 2020
2/2 Same goes for content creators. We always reach out directly from @ cdprojektred com domain. If you are being contacted by a third party claiming to be working with us (an ad agency for example), you can assume it's not genuine.
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) July 30, 2020
We do not have plans for that. Sorry!
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) July 30, 2020
Paper Mario: The Origami King – Nintendo Working on Fix for Game-Breaking Bug
Nintendo's Paper Mario: The Origami King may not be the role-playing game that fans have craved for years but it's still a pretty good time. Unfortunately, there's an annoying bug that can halt your progress altogether. Since there's only one save file in the game, players are forced to start over from the beginning.
In a recent statement to Polygon, a Nintendo representative said that, "We are aware of reports about issues affecting some players of Paper Mario: The Origami King. We are working to resolve these issues and plan to address them in a software update. We apologize for any inconvenience."
The bug occurs late into the game when Mario has to give a VIP card to a Toad to enter the Spring of Rainbows. Upon entering inside, if Mario turns around and leaves, the Toad will still demand a VIP card. Unfortunately, with the card now out of your inventory, there's no way to progress. Aside from deleting your save file and starting over from the beginning (the game will auto-save upon leaving the cave so you can't go back to a previous save either).
Stay tuned for more details on when this fix will be deployed. Paper Mario: The Origami King is currently available for Nintendo Switch. Check out some extensive gameplay here or read our official review here.
10 New Games Releasing in August 2020
The infamous Fall/Holiday deluge of titles is nearly upon us, which is going to be even crazier this year with the Xbox Series X and PS5 launching, each with their respective exclusives. Of course, everyone knows that the real madness begins in August so even before all of that, we have plenty of big games to jump into over the next few weeks. From a highly anticipated port to a whole lot of classic returns, here are 10 games worth keeping an eye on next month.
Horizon Zero Dawn (PC)
Guerrilla Games' Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition is coming to PC on August 7th. It would have seemed highly unlikely, if not impossible, that any first-party PS4 exclusive would come to the platform but here we are. Following the exploits of Aloy in a post-apocalyptic future of mystery and Machines, Horizon Zero Dawn sees players exploring the ruins of a massive world. Hunt Corrupted Machines, discover more about the Old Ones or simply bask in the gorgeous visuals. The PC release includes a bevy of graphical options including unlocked frame rates, support for 4K and Ultrawide screens, a bench-marking tool and customizable controls. It even features dynamic foliage and improved reflections for that extra bit of polish. If you're craving a stellar open world action RPG on PC, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition should suit your needs.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Another franchise whose comeback seemed impossible years ago is Flight Simulator. With Asobo Studio of A Plague Tale: Innocence fame at the helm, Microsoft Flight Simulator is looking to make up for lost time. It allows players to fly anywhere in the world with over two million cities, about 37,000 airports (with 40 being handcrafted), and real-time weather and air-traffic data influencing the game. The sheer visual splendor is made possible with Azure AI, Bing Maps and the ACE engine, among other tools. Microsoft Flight Simulator is out on August 18th for PC.
EA Sports UFC 4
EA's mixed martial arts fighting series is also making a comeback on August 14th for Xbox One and PS4. EA Sports UFC 4 features a number of new mechanics like Real Player Motion for revamped clinches and takedowns along with new systems for submissions and ground and pound. Ultimate Team mode is gone but Career Mode has seen revamps as players "evolve" their fighters with five disciplines, choosing friends and rivals, and earning over 1600 new gear pieces. If multiplayer is your thing, new Blitz Battles offer rapid-fire tournaments with rotating rule sets and even lets heavyweight take on flyweights. Truly fair and balanced.
Madden NFL 21
It's yet another year for Madden with Madden NFL 21 out on August 28th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC (with PS5, Stadia and Xbox Series X versions out in Q4 2020). EA Tiburon has promoted features thus far like the stick skill ball-carrier system, fresh pass rush moves and user-controlled celebrations. Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame is more of a journey to the Hall of Fame this time and Madden Ultimate Team is also coming back (for better or worse) along with X-Factor abilities. There doesn't seem to be too much hype but hey, at least you have a year to upgrade from the Xbox One and PS4 to Xbox Series X and PS5 versions. That's something.
Risk of Rain 2
Hopoo Games' Risk of Rain 2 will finally exit early access on August 11th, launching first for PC and coming to consoles later. It's been quite the ride for the roguelite, which surprise-launched for Steam Early Access last year and has since offered new Survivors, stages, bosses and skill variants over time. The 1.0 update promises even more with a new Survivor, the Captain; a new stage on the Moon; and of course, the final boss. One can also expect new items and skill variants along with a server browser for locating custom games.
Project CARS 3
In the midst of great racing titles like F1 2020 and upcoming blockbusters like DiRT 5 and Gran Turismo 7, Slightly Mad Studios' Project CARS 3 is in an interesting position. Arriving on August 28th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC, it promises a revamped Career Mode with 10 car classes, over 200 cars and more than 140 tracks across the world. Graphics hounds can expect 12K resolution along with "best-in-class VR support". Newcomers, on the other hand, are expected to have an easier time with customizable assists. If you need a racing sim to tide you over before the other big names arrive, Project CARS 3 might be worth looking into.
Surgeon Simulator 2
Bossa Studios' Surgeon Simulator seemed ripe for a sequel and while it's taken seven years, Surgeon Simulator 2 is nearly here. Launching on PC via the Epic Games Store on August 28th, it features a new cast of characters and even more insane hijinks. Along with conducting all manner of operations on Bob, players can leverage the new Creation Mode for custom game modes, new levels and much more, which can then be shared online. With four-player co-op support, Surgeon Simulator 2 looks to be a fun time all-around.
Wasteland 3
InXile Entertainment's epic sequel has quite the scope, taking place in post-apocalyptic Colorado and featuring numerous factions, each with their own agenda. Following the demise of Team November, you play as the last surviving Ranger and must survive in the wasteland. This means making choices on who to side with, which quests to pursue and most importantly, who to shoot. Turn-based combat makes a return but there's also co-op support for another player to join. With a reported playtime of over 50 hours and multiple endings, Wasteland 3 is looking to be worth the wait when it finally launches on August 28th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
A Total War Saga: Troy
The Creative Assembly's "Saga" games are typically smaller in scale, focusing on a specific conflict in history. In this case, it's the Trojan War as the forces of Troy battle Mycenaean Greece. But you'll still build up an empire, employ diplomacy, enter duels and wage war with eight different heroes like Achilles. Mythic figures like the Minotaur also appear, though they're more realistically depicted as part of the whole "Truth Behind the Myth" approach. We'll find out if it works or not when A Total War Saga: Troy releases on August 13th for PC via the Epic Games Store. The game will be free on the storefront for 24 hours after launch.
Serious Sam 4
More comebacks are in store as Sam "Serious" Stone returns and while not necessarily ripping and tearing his way through Hell, he will be killing lots and lots of aliens. These include headless Kamikazes, Werebulls, Kleers and new foes like the Belcher, Zealot and Processed. Along with the double barrel shotgun and mini-gun, you also get a chainsaw launcher, a "laser beam of death" and the cannon. Thousands of enemies will swarm the player at once over main missions and side-quests but there's four player co-op to help even the odds. Serious Sam 4 is out in August for PC and Stadia with PS4 and Xbox One versions coming next year.
Nioh 2 – Update 1.11 Adds New Skills, Demon Parade Picture Scrolls
Along with The Tengu's Disciple DLC being available, a new update is live for Team Ninja's Nioh 2. The former brings several new story missions, a new difficulty setting called "Dream of the Demon", new Guardian Spirits and a new weapon called the Splitstaff. So what does update 1.11 offer free for all players?
To start with, it adds a new feature called the Demon Parade Picture Scroll. These will drop from enemies in New Game Plus aka Dream of the Strong difficulty. Upon acquiring the item, Picture Scroll Missions can be played – clearing them will let you equip Demon Parade Picture Scrolls to become stronger. How does this work? You'll need to find out for yourself.
Along with Dream of the Strong enemies dropping these items, you can also acquire them from Bloody Graves and other players via multiplayer. If you want to tackle Picture Scroll Missions with allies, this can be done in Expedition Mode. In addition to this, new Ninja and Onmyo Magic skills have been added along with new hairstyles, body and facial markings in the character creator.
Check out the full update notes in the tweet below for more details. Nioh 2: The Tengu's Disciple is included with the $19.99 Season Pass but can also be purchased for $9.99 separately.
Update 1.11 Patch Notes
Additional Content: "The Tengu's Disciple"
*The additional content, "The Tengu's Disciple," will be available for purchase.
- The new story, "The Tengu's Disciple," has been added. (Completion of the Nioh 2 main story is required to play "The Tengu's Disciple.")
New weapon "Splitstaff" has been added. (Can be obtained from the very start.) - Hardest Difficulty is now available.
- Difficulty setting "Dream of the Demon."
- "Dream of the Demon" can be unlocked by completing "Dream of the Strong."
- In "Dream of the Demon" there are more powerful items / soul cores / scrolls to be obtained, player max level increase, and the limit of the + values in soul matching have also increased.
- New Yokai and Soul Cores have been added.
- New Guardian Spirits have been added.
- New Weapons and Armor have been added.
- New Art of Combat skills have been added.
- New Gestures and Transformations have been added.
New Trophies, Titles, and Play Records have been added.
New special effects and set bonuses for equipment can have been added to the new difficulty "Dream of Demon."
Free Update
- A new feature, "Demon Parade Picture Scroll," has been added.
- Demon Parade Picture Scrolls can be dropped from enemies defeated in missions set to difficulties "Dream of the strong" and above.
- You can play Picture Scroll Missions using Demon Parade Picture Scrolls.
- Upon clearing the mission, Demon Parade Picture Scrolls can be equipped, making it possible to become stronger than before.
- Demon Parade Picture Scrolls are not only dropped by enemies, but can also be acquired from other users through multiplayer mode and Bloody Graves.
- Picture Scroll Missions can be played with others through Expedition mode.
- New Ninja Skills and Onmyo Magic Skills have been added.
- New character creation options for hairstyles, facial markings, and body markings have been added, along with a setting for the bathing action.
Yokai hunters, Update Ver. 1.11 has rolled out! "The Tengu's Disciple" DLC for #Nioh2 is now available for purchase. Read up on all the update information below and we hope you continue to enjoy Nioh 2! #PlayStation4 [Update notes 1/3] pic.twitter.com/0TysOHBCOt
— Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) July 30, 2020
#Nioh2 update notes [2/3] pic.twitter.com/Z4CAy5qWqN
— Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) July 30, 2020
#Nioh2 update [3/3] pic.twitter.com/OxUiD3yFQE
— Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) July 30, 2020
Outriders Developer Working on New AAA Title for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X
Though it has Outriders releasing this year, People Can Fly has announced a brand new title. It will be a triple-A release for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and "streaming platforms." The company's New York studio will be handling the "highly ambitious, groundbreaking action adventure title," though its studios in Warsaw, Rzeszow and Newcastle will be helping.
People Can Fly CEO Sebastian Wojciechowski said that, "There is electricity in the air at People Can Fly. Last year we announced the opening of our New York studio and revealed Outriders for the first time. Today we have surpassed 250 staff and are excited to announce the next chapter in the development of our company.
"Our intention from the beginning has been to expand People Can Fly into a multi-project studio and continue to build a global presence for our brand. We are marking this unique moment with the presentation of PCF's refreshed visual identity. With the launch of the next-generation consoles later this year, we are incredibly excited about the future of People Can Fly and the games industry as a whole."
Along with increasing the size of the New York studio in the next 12 to 18 months, People Can Fly will also open a new startup in Montreal. As for this new project, it will be led by New York studio head David Grijns with Roland Lesterlin as creative director. Lesterlin said that, "It's rare to ever get the chance to work on an original AAA game in today's world, never mind being part of the origination process. We're looking for brilliant and curious people to help us shape the vision of this incredible new world we're building."
As for Outriders, it's currently in development for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia with a launch window of Q4 2020. Published by Square Enix, the third person shooter/looter is set on a planet called Enoch which humanity attempted to settle on. A storm dubbed "The Anomaly" disrupted this but also gave the colonists various abilities and powers.
Outriders will offer some 60 hours of content at launch and the developer says that it's a "full game" at launch. Stay tuned for more details especially with the development team hosting news broadcasts every month.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Datamine Continues to Point to Farming and Cooking Being Added Soon
Since it came out earlier this year, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has had really good post-launch support, from events to new merchants to new activities like diving and swimming. Just recently, it received another new update, and while it didn't add much of note – outside of dreaming and cloud backups – datamining has uncovered evidence of what might be new features inbound for the game in the near future.
Over on Twitter, Ninji has found references to file names that name several vegetables (Sugarcane, wheat, tomato, carrot, squash) that once again suggests that farming might be added to the game. Meanwhile, DIY crafting recipes for cooking and sewing are also referenced in the update's files.
This isn't the first time datamining has uncovered such evidence either, of course. A pretty significant datamine a few months back pointed to cooking and farming as upcoming activities as well, as well as a few other activities and features- most of which (such as swimming, Redd, Lief, and more) ended up coming to the game.
Of course, don't take this as confirmation that these features are indeed coming. These could just be files left over from scrapped builds in the game's code, and might not necessarily be indicative of upcoming content. That said, given the nature of the game's post-launch support up until now, it's quite possible that this stuff will indeed be added to the game at some point.
Either way, stay tuned, and we'll let you know as soon as we learn more.
So, quick summary of hints about possible future things:
– New '35_Gyroid' ItemKind
– New 'VgtTomato', 'VgtWheat', 'VgtSugarCane', 'VgtPotato', 'VgtCarrot', 'VgtSquash' map Fg items
– New bush type (Plumeria)They've also hidden some of the references to sewing and cooking DIYs
— Ninji
B L M / 1312 (@_Ninji) July 30, 2020
Marvel's Avengers – Everything You Need To Know About The Game
Marvel's Avengers is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal, and published by Square Enix.
Development
Marvel's Avengers was first teased as "The Avengers Project" when a teaser trailer of the game was uploaded by Marvel, confirming it to be in development at Square Enix owned studio Crystal Dynamics. Information on the game wasn't shared for over two years afterwards. In June 2019, the game was officially unveiled by Square Enix at their E3 press event.
At their press conference, alongside a reveal trailer for the game confirming Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal as co-developers, a 14 minute gameplay presentation was also shown off, showing gameplay footage from the game's A-Day prologue section. It was announced that Marvel's Avengers would release on May 15, 2020 for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia.
A playable demo of the game was also made available on the show floor to attendees behind closed doors, while Square Enix also unveiled the voice cast for various major characters in the game. Tony Stark / Iron Man is played by Nolan North, Bruce Banner / Hulk is played by Troy Baker, Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow is played by Laura Bailey, Steve Rogers / Captain America is played by Jeff Schine, and Thor is played by Travis Willingham.
It was confirmed that the in addition to its single player campaign, the game would also emphasize a co-op component, and that new playable characters and story content would continue being added to the game following its launch, and would be available for free for all owners of the game. The designs of the central characters were criticized upon the game's reveal, with many feeling that they compared unfavourably to the characters' portrayals in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Character designs – such as with Thor and Black Widow – received some tweaks and adjustments in the following months.
In October 2019, it was revealed that Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel (played by Sandra Saad) would also be one of the playable characters in the game, and would feature as the central protagonist of the story.
In January 2020, Marvel's Avengers was delayed from its May release date to a new launch date of September 15, 2020, with Crystal Dynamics citing needing more time to polish the game as the reason for the delay. It was also confirmed later in the year that Marvel's Avengers would launch for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and that free upgrades to next-gen versions would be available for those who purchased the game on PS4 or Xbox One.
In May, Crystal Dynamics announced a new monthly series of live streams – called "War Table" – through which they would reveal new details on the game in the lead-up to its launch, with the first War Table stream being confirmed for the following month. During the first War Table stream in June, new gameplay footage was shown, while Advanced Idea Mechanics (or AIM) and MODOK were confirmed as antagonists in the game. Information on co-op was also released.
In July 2020, it was announced that betas for the game would kick off in August. Later that month, during their second War Table stream, Crystal Dynamics announced the contents of the beta, while also confirming that Clint Barton / Hawkeye would be the first playable character that would be added to the game as post-launch DLC, along with new story content and missions.
Story
Marvel's Avengers' story begins on A-Day, a day meant to celebrate the Avengers. The Avengers are celebrating the opening of a new headquarters in San Francisco, as well as the unveiling of their hellicarrier, which is powered by a Terrigen crystal. During the ceremony, Taskmaster leads an a terrorist attack on the city. During the attack, the Terrigen crystal causes the destruction of the hellicarrier, resulting in a huge portion of the city being destroyed, as well as the death of Captain America. The Avengers are blamed for the incident and are disbanded.
Five years later, the city has been rebuilt, and is under the control of the organization known as Advanced Idea Mechanics (or AIM), led by the scientist known as George Tarleton. Following the A-Day incident, superheroes and people with superhero abilities – known as Inhumans – have been made unlawful. A Young Inhuman named Kamala Khan discovers her powers, but also uncovers evidence suggesting AIM's involvement in the A-Day incident, leading her to embark on a quest to reunite the Avengers and uncover who the true culprit for the A-Day incident was.
In addition to the playable characters, Marvel's Avengers includes various well known Marvel characters such as Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Hank Pym, as well as various antagonists and supervillains, including the aforementioned George Tarleton (also known as MODOK), the Abomination, and Taskmaster.
Gameplay
Marvel's Avengers is an action-adventure game played through a mission-based structure. It features six playable characters – Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Ms. Marvel, and Captain America – each of whom has their own unique combat abilities and specialities, as well as unique traversal mechanics. Each character has separate progression, gear, and ultimate attacks as well.
Black Widow is a fast and agile character specializing in melee attacks and combos, while also being able to use her baton, gadgets, and pistols. She can also become invisible during combat, or use her grapple ability to quickly move between targets. Iron Man can fly around combat arenas, use repulsor beams, missiles, and various other ranged and melee attacks.
Thor can use his hammer for melee attacks and to fly around arenas, and can also summon lightning to strike foes. Captain America specializes in melee attacks and can also use and throw his shield during combat. Hulk specializes in brute strength and berserker attacks, or weaponize the environment, such as picking up boulders and throwing them at enemies. Ms Marvel can use her extended arms to attack enemies from afar.
Marvel's Avengers features a gear system, with gear being divided based on rarities, and each playable character having unique gear. All gear pieces can also be customized with unique perks. A total Gear Power score represents the characters' current power level based on what gear they have equipped. Each characters' skills and abilities can also be upgraded via individual skill trees. Each character can be customized visually with various different skins, with various skins inspired by several comics throughout Marvel history being included in the game. Cosmetic items can be unlocked in-game or purchased with real money through an in-game store.
The game features a single player campaign which can be played through entirely solo. Story missions from the campaign are called Hero Missions, with Crystal Dynamics having confirmed that the main campaign takes about 10-12 hours to complete. In addition, it also features various co-op missions known as War Zones, in which upto players – each controlling a different character – play together. War Zones missions can also be played through solo with AI teammates.
A decommissioned helicarrier serves as the base of operations for the reassembled Avengers. Hero Missions and War Zones are accessed through the War Table in this hub location, while the helicarrier is also upgraded throughout the game. Players can also access HARM Rooms, which are holographic wave-based combat training challenges with escalating difficulties that yield rewards.
Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.
Madden NFL 21 Wiki – Everything You Need To Know About The Game
Madden NFL 21 is an American football simulation video game developed and published by EA Sports.
Development
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty surrounding when and how the next season of the NFL would begin, there had been some doubts surrounding the nature of a new Madden game in 2020. However, in April 2020, prior to an official announcement being made for the game, Baltimore Ravens quarterback and 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson said that he would be the cover star for Madden NFL 21.
EA confirmed shortly afterward in May that a new Madden NFL game would be released later in the year (alongside a new FIFA instalment). Due to the pandemic, a regular photoshoot of Lamar Jackson for the game's cover was not possible. As such, photographs of the player were provided by the team's official photographer.
It was confirmed that the game would launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on August 28. EA also confirmed that Madden NFL would be coming later to Stadia, making it the first Madden game to launch on Google's cloud streaming platform. It was also announced that Madden NFL 21 would be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X later in the year.
EA confirmed that the game would allow free upgrades to next-gen versions for those who own it on PS4 or Xbox One. However, EA placed certain restrictions in place, with a limited time window for purchasing the game and then for redeeming the upgrade for those who wanted to avail free next-gen upgrades. Following criticism for the decision, EA extended the window, stating that players could upgrade to next-gen versions at any time before the launch of Madden NFL 22 a year later.
In late May, it was announced that Madden NFL 21 would be formally unveiled with a reveal trailer on June 1. However, shortly before that, EA pushed back the game's reveal due to the nationwide protests in the United States following the killing of George Floyd. The game was later revealed in full later in June. Due to Washington Redskins announcing that it would be changing its name to drop the team's controversial moniker, EA announced that the team's current logo and name would be removed from Madden NFL 21 as well, and would be replaced by a generic team name and logo until new ones were finalized, which would then be added into the game later.
EA confirmed that Madden NFL 21 would not feature cross platform multiplayer gameplay across different devices.
Gameplay
Madden NFL 21 introduces several new gameplay mechanics to the series. Instead of a single skill button, skills are now performed via the right analog tick. Skills can be done in combos and strung together, including slides, jukes, spins, and hurdles. The skill stick is used for defending as well, with all pass rush moves and block-sheds now being on the right analog stick.
Defending sees changes in some other areas as well. Tackling animations have been revamped, and are now triggered based on locations, which means defenders adjust their body positions and tackle differently based on where exactly they are on the field. Breakdown tackling has also been added, while dive tackling has been improved as well. Meanwhile, AI has also been improved, with opposition quarterbacks making smarter plays and reacting to players' actions more appropriately.
The solo career mode known as Face of the Franchise returns in Madden NFL 21, this time called Face of the Franchise – Rise to Fame, and is revamped from the previous game. Players begin as a high school quarterback playing in a State Championship. Following that, players spend two seasons playing college football. During college football seasons, players can change their positions from quarterback to wide receiver or running back. After the college seasons, players are drafted in the NFL Combine, where storylines play out across a number of seasons, with players attempting to make it into the Hall of Fame. The Face of the Franchise also features Snoop Dogg and Rich Eisen as characters, both played by themselves.
The Franchise Mode sees changes as well. An expanded Wild Card Playoff round is included, featuring three games for each conference instead of two. X-Factors are also included, with the game also featuring 50 new X-Factors on top of the ones from the previous entry. The game also features a new mode called The Yard, which focuses on NFL Street-style football. New user controller celebrations are also included in the game.
Madden NFL 21's roster of players sees five players in total being rated with the 99 OVR rating. These five players are Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, New England Patrios cornerback Stephon Gilmore, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. The cover star, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, has a 94 OVR rating.
Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.
