Genre: Role-playing (RPG)
What a huge step forward since the first one! The dual world concept is fantastic and executed really well - transitioning between realities feels fresh, and exploration is way better this time. Difficulty feels a bit artificial at times and I questioned balance more than once. Combat is varied, flexible & satisfying (if a little bit floaty). Boss battles are often really artistic and often memorable. Mixed feelings linger, but it’s definitely worth a play.
As far as non-FromSoft soulslikes go, this is the real deal. It’s not doing anything revolutionary, but it has enough compelling new ideas, and a level of polish that elevates it beyond its otherwise decent contemporaries. It also commits so hard to Timothée Chalamet Pinocchio Bloodborne that you kind of forget how silly that actually is.
An interview with Bandai Namco EU CEO Arnaud Muller might hint that the upcoming Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is set “to release soon”. No release date has been provided - ‘soon’ could mean anything - and it might just be presumptuous phrasing by the author, but… let’s gooo!
Supergiant has provided an update on the much anticipated Hades II. Early Access is set for Q2 2024, and a limited technical test is planned. Much like the first one, major updates post-launch to expand content and story. Can’t wait.
Let’s get it out of the way: the game has fun moments. The visual and sound design are great, the music is really nice, and of course there’s lots to do. Unfortunately… none of it is revolutionary - far from it - and it has many, many problems (not helped by Todd still telling sweet little lies). I wish the experience was more freeform and seamless, because the overshadowing of dated systems & what it could have been are hard to look past.
Continuing their recent press push, we got another look at Black Myth: Wukong, in a new official trailer. Game looks gorgeous, super creative and really fun - can’t wait.
A new trailer for the Phantom Liberty expansion to Cyberpunk dropped, and in spite of the base game’s flaws (and not to encourage the same hypetrain mistakes again), this looks pretty fun! Credit to CD Projekt for reworking fundamental stuff, not ‘just’ expanding the world: all players will get the Cyberpunk 2.0 stuff, whether they purchase the expansion or not.
Ol’ mate Todd Howard took to the stage to talk, of course, about Starfield, which releases in two weeks. There was also a live action trailer, which personally I always think are kinda odd.
I was ready to bounce off, intimidated by its depth and pacing, but this game is truly something else. Great writing, VA, world design and more than anything, an obscene level of player agency.