Hunting for Secrets

There’s an interesting dichotomy in play with Clair Obscur’s environments. Though many previews note their linearity, they also highlight the different rewards, optional encounters, and more to be discovered off the beaten path. With Sandfall Interactive not providing a mini-map, there’s only one thing to do: Sweep every nook and cranny of these environments to uncover everything. And with how gorgeous they look, it doesn’t feel like a task at all.

Mastering the Art of Parrying

With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice serving as an inspiration, I’m keen to see how the parrying works out. Not just because timing-based defense is fun (see: Paper Mario) or because the counters look extremely hyped. There’s also the thrill of facing a new enemy and learning their moveset, initially stumbling but quickly dominating once you’ve got the timing down.

Playing on Higher Difficulties

Learning enemy patterns and mastering the art of parrying becomes all the more enticing because Clair Obscur has a higher difficulty (Hard Mode). The parry and dodge windows seemingly become smaller but they’re much more essential to survival. How punishing will it be? Will enemies have newer attacks to compensate? If you’re in for that kind of challenge, it’s enticing to think about.

Exploring the Overworld

Speaking of gorgeous, there’s the overworld. While you traverse the “levels” from a third-person perspective, they’re all tied together via the overworld map. It’s standard RPG fare, but the presentation is something to behold. “Diorama” is the word used, and it really conveys an almost light-hearted yet adventurous scale, especially given the relative size of the characters to the environment.

Sea and Air Travel

While exploring on foot is interesting enough and opens up several unique avenues, it’s the other modes of traversal that excite me. Various trailers have teased crossing water bodies and flying through the air. These are seemingly tied to Esquie, which the official site notes is “able to soar through the heavens and dive deep beneath the sea”. He’s also noted as “lazy” and “born at the dawn of time.” How his story unfolds is something to look forward to, but the added exploration certainly doesn’t hurt.

Wandering Into Higher-Level Areas

Even without air and sea travel, you have a significant amount of freedom to explore the overworld of Clair Obscur. That also means wandering into dangerous areas, which are higher-level. You’ll get a warning, but if I want to run in and test my admittedly subpar skills, nothing is stopping me.

Fighting Optional Bosses

One such location is Abbest Cave, and I’ve spotted some content creators going head-to-head with what seems to be its optional boss – the Chromatic Abbest. Its attack patterns look easy enough to discern, but they involve tons of parrying/dodging, and one hit deals massive amounts of damage. I’m hoping this is only the tip of the iceberg and that there are numerous other optional bosses to fight (and reap rewards from).

Embarking on Side Quests

Interestingly, Sandfall Interactive hasn’t spoken too much about the side content in Clair Obscur. It takes 30 hours or so to finish the main story but the side content is seemingly the same amount, which means 60 hours for everything. Exploring levels, finding useful items, venturing into higher-level areas and challenging optional bosses are a few things, but what about any potential side quests? Whatever the case, I’m hoping they veer into truly bizarre directions befitting the setting.

Building Bonds

Various previews have confirmed that you can set up camp on the overworld, which allows for the usual – adjusting character stats, unlocking new skills, and even playing music on a gramophone. However, I’m interested in speaking to different party members and learning more about them. What is Lune’s deal? What kind of dark past does Sciel have? I don’t know if these mysteries will unfold through campfire chats, but the interactions thus far look enticing.

Learning More About the Gestrals

Aside from the expedition and whatever hostile creatures roam the land, you’ll also run into the Gestrals. They’re described as “a group of friendly beings who enjoy the thrill of battle and view competition as a form of meditation,” per the official website, and one of them, Monoco, even joins the party because, to quote, “the prospect of combat” entices him. If the rest of the Gestrals are as charismatic (and bloodthirsty), I’m interested to see what role they play.

Fight the Merchant

As another example – Noco, a Gestral merchant encountered during your travels. You can buy items like Chroma Catalysts and Colour of Lumina, which is straightforward enough. However, you can also fight him. Why? Besides the fact that it unlocks another item for purchase, well, why not? How many other merchants could you take on in combat, and what benefits could they offer?

Experimenting With Pictos

As you progress through Clair Obscur, there are different weapons and Pictos to equip. The latter is interesting because it provides passive benefits like increased Free Aim damage, a chance to Burn on Free Aim shots, and applying Defenceless for one turn with your Base Attack. However, there’s also something called Luminas, which you have limited points for, which seemingly lets you apply a Pictos effect without equipping it in a slot. This is all based on preview footage so we need more details on how this works, but it could open up a lot of potential builds.

Making Broken Builds

To further that point, one of the most important things is the range of skills and how they’ll synergize with different builds. I want to make some truly broken set-ups for each character, and given how characters like Maelle can have 200 percent increased damage ready on demand, there must be ways to tap into that and potentially break the game.

Replaying the Story in French

If replaying the game on a higher difficulty to test your parrying timing and skills isn’t enough, there’s another reason – the French cast. Alongside an incredible assortment of English talent, Clair Obscur also features many famous French actors voicing its characters. On top of adding a more authentic flavor to the experience, it’s always endearing to see how the performances differ. Who knows? The French dub may even be superior in several ways.

Solving the Mystery of Renoir

Last but not least, I want to know about Renoir, played by Andy Serkis. How has he grown so old, especially in a world where humans at a specific age are slowly dying out? Without getting into spoilers, why does he become involved with the expedition? The official website says he’s “relentlessly driven and myopic in his quest to save his family,” but that “His grit masks deep pain, desperation, and fear of loss.” Interpret that as you’d like but he’s ready to sacrifice for the sake of victory, whatever the price may be. Here’s hoping the core mystery behind him is as compelling as Serkis’s performance will doubtless be.

Roster

At launch, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves features 17 playable characters. A good chunk of the roster carries over from Garou: Mark of the Wolves, including B. Jenet, Gato, Hotaru, Rock, Terry, Tizoc, etc. However, some newcomers include Preecha, a Muay Thai fighter trained by Joe Higashi, and Vox Reaper, an assassin and apprentice to Grant. You also have Fatal Fury stalwarts like Mai Shiranui and Billy Kane, and even Kain R. Heinlein, previously a boss, is playable for the first time.

The Wildcards

While all this sounds just fine, SNK announced two more characters which can only be described as out of left field. These include footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who arrives in South Town and immediately sets about schooling opponents with kicks and energy balls, and DJ Salvatore Ganacci who, as you probably guessed, can use his voice as a weapon (and swim in mid-air). Imagine if they end up being the meta.

Stages

While you’re still fighting on a 2.5D plane, City of the Wolves features some returning classic stages. Freight Express is a homage to Terry’s stage from Fatal Fury 2 and Garou, though some new faces adorn the rock in the background, and Tizoc’s Universal Arena looks better than ever. You can also look forward to IP Space Center, Yuri’s Fitness Club (seemingly inspired by Yuri’s Art of Fighting 2 stage), and much more.

Training

Training Mode, as you would expect, lets you practice with various customizable settings. You can measure damage, impact frames, and more while fine-tuning your commands and combos. And of course, it’s possible to enable matchmaking in the background while you practice.

Just Defend and SPG

Just Defend and T.O.P, now known as S.P.G., return. As in Garou, the former is meant for correctly timed blocks (and there’s even Hyper Defense for combos). Both are beneficial for cooling down the REV Meter, slightly recovering health and potentially cancelling into an attack.

S.P.G. is a mechanic that activates at a certain point in your health bar, which you can set before a match. It lets you unleash REV Blows for massive damage and shrugging off incoming attacks. You also deal more damage, allowing for a strong starter or comeback if you’re on the ropes.

Ignition, Redline and Hidden Gears

Super moves, known as Gears, also return and depend on your Gear gauge. In Arcade Style, Ignition Gears are activated with one bar while Redline Gears require two (and deal more damage). If you really need to turn things around, there’s also the Hidden Gear. Available only during S.P.G., it spends both bars and executes a devastating attack.

REV System

The REV System is brand new to the franchise and SNK titles in general, dictated by a meter at the bottom of the screen. It allows for executing the previously mentioned REV Blows, REV Arts (which are stronger versions of Special Moves), REV Accel for chaining REV Arts and REV Guard which prevents chip damage and also gives a bit more breathing room.

However, if the meter is in the Overheat stage, your guard meter can be broken, causing temporary stun, and you won’t have access to any of the REV moves. It’s very much akin to Street Fighter 6’s Drive Gauge, but fits pretty well.

Episodes From South Town

Further adding to the Street Fighter 6 comparison is Episodes From South Town. Like World Tour, you’ll explore Central City (and Second South, based on the official trailer) and challenge various other fighters, gaining experience, levelling up and learning skills. The biggest difference is that you can play as a roster member rather than a custom fighter.

Arcade Style and Smart Style

The era of multiple control styles is here to stay and Fatal Fury is hopping on the train. It offers two control schemes – Arcade Style, which functions as your standard control scheme, and Smart Style, a more streamlined set-up for easily executing combos. The differences are interesting because Smart Style lacks a lot of the nuance of Arcade. You can’t brake or feint at all; Hidden Gear isn’t available; and Super Moves will consume the entire meter.

Cosmetic Customization and Jukebox

Expanding on cosmetic customization is the ability to color a character’s eyes, hair, clothing, shoes, and more separately. You can select different textures, adjust their sizes, add a specular effect, and more. Want Hotaru to have yellow tiger print paints? Go for it. The Jukebox is also available and seemingly includes all the songs from past Fatal Fury titles if you want to revisit the classics.

Online Modes

As for online modes available at launch, you can look forward to Casual Match, Room Match and Ranked Match. The latter allows for customizing connection speed and whether you want to enable cross-play while Room Match allows for customizing a room based on the number of members, region, privacy settings and more. The UI also helpfully outlines rank, win-loss record, and winning streaks.

Rollback Netcode and Cross-Play

Fans of Garou had to wait many years for features like rollback netcode and cross-platform play. City of the Wolves includes both, which means you can take on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC players at launch. Impressions for the netcode have been generally positive with the overall quality receiving praise after past betas, though there are a few matchmaking issues. Of course, how this will all perform at launch remains to be seen.

Full English Voice Acting

One of the biggest new features in City of the Wolves relates to the voice-acting. This will be the first Fatal Fury title with English voice-acting, and the first SNK title in years to receive the same. Even if the purists will stick to Japanese, it still says a lot about how seriously SNK is marketing this to the world.

Post-Launch Characters

We already know that Ken Masters and Chun-Li from Street Fighter are joining the roster, seemingly in exchange for Terry and Mai appearing in Street Fighter 6. But that’s not all. The first post-launch DLC character is actually Andy Bogard, who arrives first this Summer (with Ken out shortly after). Joe Higashi is next this Fall, followed by Chun-Li in the Winter. Wrapping up Season 1 is Mr. Big, who debuted in Art of Fighting as a boss. He’ll join the roster in early 2026.

PC Requirements

PC players need 60 GB of storage space to install the game, though an SSD isn’t mandated. Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB) or AMD Radeon RX 580 (4GB). The recommended requirements include a Core i7 8700 or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, and an RTX 2070 or Radeon RX 5700 XT. Not too shabby, though the graphical quality and resolution that each provides are unknown.

It’s been in early access since June 2023

That’s quite a long time, one-and-three-quarter years developer Far From Home have been remodelling Forever Skies. In that time, the aeronautical survival adventure has received 34 updates to become unrecognisable from its earliest iteration. Resource extracting tools, more methods to safely store and prepare toxic food, recycling stations, a broader selection of airship modifications, plus inventory management overhauls and boons to locale variety the brief highlights of a wealth of changes included in Forever Skies’ 1.0 release.

Release date, platforms, and price

Forever Skies is coming to PC via Steam and PlayStation 5 on April 14^th, 2025. Priced at $29.99 on Steam and $34.99 for the base game on PlayStation. There is a Deluxe Edition pre-orderable for PlayStation users, with 5 unique airship decorations, 5 PSN avatars, and 72-hour early access included for an extra $5. Also of note: PS Plus subscribers can pre-order right up until the 14^th of April release date for 20% off.

What it’s about

Returning to Earth hundreds of years after a mysterious ecological catastrophe blanketed the planet in toxic smog, you’re a scientist pursuing a rumoured cure to the infection rendering Earth unhabitable to humans. You’ll explore rusting ruins, scavenge supplies, scan materials, and enhance your hi-tech airship on a mission to bring the last remnants of humanity out of interstellar limbo and back to their home planet. Mystery behind Earth’s environmental disaster plus the happenstance of prior return expeditions are story beats to unlock throughout your journey.

Developed by an experienced team

Wroclaw-based Far From Home are the team behind this one, and they’re a talented bunch with a wealth of experience working on a host of well-known titles. Between them, the Polish developers are bringing expertise from the Dying Light series, The Medium, and Outriders. If there’s ever a marker for the quality of a game, it’s the experience the team behind it are bringing to the table.

Airship customization

Early on in Forever Skies, you’ll procure the carcass of an airship lying in wait following the failure of a prior expedition. It won’t stay bare for long though; this airship evolves into more than your mode of transport. As more modules and apparatus are added, the airship becomes your laboratory, your workshop, your home. With a host of customisations – from new rooms, furniture, and decorations – the airship becomes uniquely yours. A word of warning though: Forever Skies is a perilous experience. The integrity of your airship, as you probably expect, must be maintained.

Airship maintenance

And on that note, it isn’t just the hull of your airship that’ll need to be patched up following mid-air debris collision or an overzealous approach to your latest abandoned radio tower. No, it’s engines demand fuel – which, thankfully, can be extracted and fabricated from material debris floating through the air – your scientific gizmos require batteries, your air balloon requiring helium. There’s plenty in terms of airship maintenance to keep you occupied during excursions.

Science

You’re a scientist, so naturally scientific discovery plays a huge part in Forever Skies’ progression. Not long after acquiring your airship you’ll be instructed to research and fabricate – via an onboard 3D printer – a scanner. With this scanner you can accumulate information on numerous bric-a-bracs littered across the elevated platforms and dishevelled windfarms explorable via your airship. Rusty turbines, crumbling building material, floating tumble weed, and this knowledge can be fed right into an onboard research station, providing the knowhow to 3D print fuel, cooking appliances, quality of life improvements, airship components – anything, really, to enhance your experience above Earth’s sickly green clouds. Blueprints ascertainable throughout the world provide extra means to craft something integral to survival and discovery too.

Survival mechanics

You’ll need to maintain the integrity of your body as well as your airship, and that means managing hunger, thirst, health, and energy levels. The latter can be easily topped up during quieter moments by having a lie down, whilst health – at least during the game’s demo – is only affected by high falls and can be replenished via collectable health kits. Hunger and thirst are the killers, and this being a toxic world as you can expect the collectable food and drink can be harmful if not cooked or purified respectively. The means boiling moths and filtering water collected from putrid pools should be your top priorities for research and crafting.

Survival activities

We’ve alluded to this already, but the bulk of your activity throughout Forever Skies will be in picking Earth’s elevated ruins clean. Mechanical parts, batteries, health items, these will provide the meat for yours and your airship’s bones. An especially useful gizmo for scavenging is an airship mounted turret which can extract building materials such as metal and glass via transparent laser beam, raw materials required to craft the game’s smorgasbord of items.

You can descend to the Earth’s surface

Eventually, that is. At first, your body and your protective clothing can’t withstand the effects of Earth’s noxious fog, but with enough scientific know-how you’ll get there. Upon the planet’s surface, you’ll encounter strange flora and fauna; plant life which has adapted to the harsh climate and creatures which have forged their own survival. It’s a strange world below the dust, and it’s here, perhaps, where viral antidotes can be sourced.

Combat

Yes, Forever Skies will feature combat. As is typical of games of this genre, the abandoned environment uninhabitable to humanity has birthed hostile life, and it’ll be down to you to wield a range of firearms to protect yourself. Via previews, the team at Far From Home have shared images of mantis-like creatures that’ll provide threat. More enemies – maybe even rival factions – will make an appearance. The gameplay loop currently is rather calm, so there’s a question as to whether this game needs combat. If it’s done without being too intrusive, it could prove welcome.

4-player co-op

One of the community’s most asked for features during the game’s early access period launched on December 9^th and will be available upon launch. In fact, footage of players working together to procure resources has featured prominently in gameplay shared thus far. Building airships, exploring, and plain surviving will be enjoyable in squads of up to four.

Post-launch roadmap

There’s a hefty roadmap, or, rather, a flight plan, of post-launch updates confirmed for Forever Skies. Coming summer 2025 is an update to airship expansions, whilst a substantial content update is slated for late-summer, early fall. Coming in December 2025 will be a seasonal update – snow perhaps?

PS5 demo currently available

Right up until the game’s launch on April 14^th there is a demo for PlayStation players available directly from the PS Store. The demo covers at least the first hours’ worth of play – acquiring an airship, laying foundation for the narrative’s mystery, exploring a range of creaking platforms above the green clouds. For PC players, well, there was once a demo available on Steam, but this is currently unlisted.

PC requirements

At a bare minimum, to run Forever Skies on your PC you’ll need an Intel Core i5-7600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 processor, RX 580 8GB VRAM, Intel Arc A750, or GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GPU, and 12GB RAM. Recommend specs as per the game’s Steam page include an Intel Core i7-7700k or Ryzen 7 3800X, RX 5700-XT, Intel Arc A770, or GeForce RTX 2070 GPU, and 16GB RAM. No matter your setup, you’ll need 31GB of storage space.

SCREEN

Let’s get started with the basics- the screen, which brings several upgrades. For starters, the Switch 2’s screen is larger than the base Switch model’s by a noticeable margin, going from 6.2 inches to 7.9 inches. Meanwhile, where the Switch 1’s screen outputs at 720p at most, the Switch 2 will be capable of 1080p output. It also touts support for VRR and 120 FPS gameplay.

MAGNETIC JOY-CONS

We’ve gotten used to how the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons detach and slot back in over the last several years, but Nintendo is changing things up with the Switch 2. Unlike the Switch 1’s Joy-Cons, which would slide into (and out of) rails on either side of the tablet, the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons will attach to the tablet magnetically. To detach them, players will have to hold down a new button close to the trigger, with Nintendo providing assurances that the magnetic controllers won’t just separate and fall off by themselves.

MOUSE FUNCTIONALITY

Here’s another major change you can expect with the Joy-Con 2 controllers, and one that leaks had actually talked about for a while. The new controllers feature sensors on their side, which will allow you to simply turn either Joy-Con sideways and use it like a mouse on a flat surface. The Switch 1 boasted three different play styles in handheld mode, console mode, and tabletop mode, allowing you to seamlessly and instantly swap between them. The Switch 2 is adding mouse mode to that list.

C BUTTON AND GAMECHAT

Another major (according to Nintendo, at least) new feature being introduced with the Switch 2 is the new C button, which is tied to the new GameChat feature. Pressing the button will bring up the GameChat menu, which will let you voice chat (or video chat, if you have the requisite accessory) with other players while playing your own game. Sadly, GameChat will be available exclusively to NSO subscribers past its open access period (which runs until March next year).

MORE JOY-CON CHANGES

Nintendo has improved the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons in other areas as well. One of the most common criticisms for the original controllers continues to be the tiny size of the SL and SR buttons, which Nintendo has directly addressed by expanding their dimensions a tad. The Switch 2’s analog sticks are also larger, while the company has also offered assurances that stick drift issues – a major problem with the Switch 1 – will be less of a concern with the new console.

PRO CONTROLLER CHANGES

As you would expect, the Switch 2 will also have its own new Pro Controller for players to purchase as an accessory, and it, too, will come with several changes. The aforementioned C button will of course be featured, in addition to an audio jack, something that is glaringly missing in the otherwise excellent Switch Pro Controller. Additional, the Switch 2’s Pro Controller will also feature new GL and GR buttons on the grip that you’ll be able to program and assign to whatever inputs you wish.

4K CAPABLE

From a tech and hardware perspective, the Switch 2 is going to be Nintendo’s biggest generational leap since the GameCube. The Switch 1 was an outdated piece of kit even back when it launched in 2017, but the Switch 2 is going to be a completely different story. Nintendo has, for instance, confirmed that the console will be capable of outputting games at a 4K resolution, something that is completely impossible on the Switch.

SUPPORTS RAY TRACING AND DLSS

That the Switch 2 will use Nvidia’s DLSS is something that rumours have been claiming for several years, going back far enough that they were initially tied to the fabled and nonexistent Switch Pro. That is now officially confirmed, in case you were wondering how the Switch 2 is 4K capable after all, given that its specs would put it below even the Xbox Series S in terms of pure, raw numbers. Meanwhile, in addition to DLSS, the Switch 2 also features ray tracing support.

3D AUDIO

We’ve spoken plenty about the many visual enhancements we can look forward to with the Switch 2, but its upgrades don’t end there. On the audio side of things, on top of louder and higher-quality speakers, the Switch 2 also touts support for 3D audio in both console and handheld mode.

SWITCH 2 EDITION GAMES

The upcoming next-gen console’s greater hardware capabilities will obviously mean better looking new games, but even existing existing Switch 1 titles are going to benefit. It’ll ultimately be up to each publisher’s discretion, but for several, you can expect what are being called Nintendo Switch 2 Edition releases, which are basically Switch 2-enhanced versions of Switch 1 titles. The upgrades, pricing, and what have you will obviously vary from game to game and developer to developer.

STORAGE

As you’d expect, the Switch 2’s internal storage is also significantly more substantial than the Switch 1. The latter launched in 2017 with 32 GB of internal storage, but its successor will tout as much as 256 GB- though Switch 2 titles are, of course, going to weigh more than Switch 1 games. The console’s storage will also be expandable, but regular microSD cards will no longer be supported, with new microSD Express cards instead being required.

BATTERY

Given the more powerful hardware of the Switch 2, it comes as no surprise that the console’s battery life is taking a hit. Where the Switch 1 can last anywhere between 4-10 hours on a full charge depending on your usage, according to Nintendo, the Switch 2’s battery life will range between 2 to six-and-a-half hours. In terms of charging time, however, Nintendo estimates three hours for a full charge, which is about the same as the Switch 1.

DOCK

Similar to the tablet itself, the Switch 2’s dock will also be different from the Switch 1’s. At 4.5 inches tall, 7.9 inches wide, and 2 inches thick, it’s somewhat larger the the Switch 1’s dock, which is 4.1 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide, and 2.12 inches thick. Unlike the original base dock, the new one will will also have an ethernet port for those who wish to directly plug in a LAN cable.

GAMECUBE TITLES ON NINTENDO SWITCH ONLJNE

Fans have been hoping to see GameCube titles being added to NSO’s library for a while now, and that is finally set to happen starting June 5- but only for the Switch 2. Switch 1’s Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription includes games for the NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. On the Switch 2, on top of all of that, subscribers will also get GameCube games, with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur 2, and F-Zero GX set to be there day one, and more (including Luigi’s Mansion, Super Mario Sunshin, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and many others) arriving later.

PRICING CHANGES

This is the big one, and unfortunately, not for the right reasons. The original Switch launched in the US at a price of $299, but the Switch 2 is bringing about a steep increase. Nintendo has announced a price of $449 for the console, though with the tariff-shaped clouds looming large, there’s a good chance that thar price is going to increase before the console has launched, at least in the US.

Let’s do this the sane way and take things step by step, because the DOOM timeline, like many other gaming franchises out there, can drive you up the wall if you let it sneak up on you. Let’s start with what we know with a hundred percent certainty. We know that DOOM: The Dark Ages is going to be a prequel to DOOM (2016), which means it’ll be the earlier game in the series’ chronology that id Software has developed since soft rebooting it with the aforementioned title nearly a decade ago.

“Soft reboot” is, of course, the operative phrase here, because DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal are still very much set in the same continuity as and tied to the older DOOM games. In fact, as confirmed explicitly in DOOM Eternal, the Doom Slayer, the protagonist of the new games, and Doomguy, the old DOOM titles’ protagonist, are one and the same. That was obviously that many had already widely assumed but it was never outright officially made clear until Eternal confirmed that, yes, the Doom Slayer is the same guy who fought through the forces of Hell in the original DOOM, DOOM 2, and DOOM 64.

Of course, that raised some entirely new questions- at least for those who were looking for all the pieces to fit together perfectly where the timeline was concerned. DOOM 64 ended with Doomguy deciding to stay behind in Hell and fight against what he had come to see as his mortal enemies in Hell’s armies. An unspecified time skip later (which may or may not amount to roughly 20 years), DOOM (2016) begins with the Slayer locked in a sarcophagus and being awakened on Mars to fight back against invading forces from Hell. So how did he go from where he was at the end of Doom 64 to where he finds himself in 2016?

Whether we will get that direct tie between those two points with DOOM: The Dark Ages, which a significant portion of the series’ fans are obviously desperately hoping for, remains to be seen, though one thing that we do know is that The Dark Ages is not going to directly lead into 2016. You may have assumed that the game would explain how exactly the Slayer winds up sealed in that sarcophagus, but it turns out that question isn’t something that id Software intends to answer just yet. In an interview with PC Gamer, game director Hugo Martin revealed that DOOM: The Dark Ages won’t end with the Slayer being sealed, with id Software leaving the door open for more games in the series’ medieval arc. Whether we will get direct sequels to The Dark Ages that continue to fill out that window in the DOOM timeline isn’t something that the studio seems to have concretely decided yet (or if they have, they’re obviously not willing to publicly speak about it), but either way, The Dark Ages isn’t going to lead directly into DOOM 2016.

The question, then, is how heavily it will tie into the pre-soft reboot DOOM titles. Will the game be clear about how the Slayer’s story picks up from where it left off at the end of DOOM 64, for instance? We’d imagine The Dark Ages won’t focus on that specific too heavily, because at the end of the day, id Software might not want to make the older titles required reading for the new title’s story to be understood- not least because the studio is billing this as a great starting point for newcomers to the series, and because of the greater emphasis being placed on story and storytelling this time around (at least in comparison to what has usually been the status quo with DOOM). Either way, fans will surely be hoping for at least some of the narrative to talk about connections to the past titles. After all, DOOM Eternal did just that, so why shouldn’t The Dark Ages?

One older DOOM game that we can more or less safely assume The Dark Ages will not tie into is DOOM 3. That game’s placement in the DOOM timeline is perhaps the biggest question mark related to the series right now, but most seem to agree on DOOM 3 being its own separate branch of alternate reality, which means it is, for all intents and purposes, not part of the discussion. Maybe id Software one day figures out how to change that in a way that doesn’t feel forced or convoluted- or maybe that just isn’t something that the developer is concerned with, at least for the time being.

Connections to the new titles will obviously be much more prevalent and prominent. Across DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, we’ve learned a lot about the world of Argent D’Nur, about its denizens known as the Argent, about the elite soldiers known as the Night Sentinels, about the Doom Slayer’s time there, about how he became a legendary warrior when he joined the world’s fight against the invading armies of Hell. DOOM: The Dark Ages is set to focus on that part of the series’ lore, of the Slayer’s fight, and we’re quite excited about it.

Not only are we going to witness the war between Hell and Argent D’Nur – which we know ended with the latter’s defeat, and much of the planet being sucked right into Hell – we are also going to get to see the Night Sentinels in action, and we’re going to get to learn more about how the Doom Slayer turned into the widely feared and revered legend and hero of an ancient war that he is known as in the series’ present day.

Presumably, the final game of this medieval story arc – however many games that ends up being – will end with crucial events that are already known in the lore- the Night Sentinels being betrayed and destroyed, Argent D’Nur being defeated and subjugated by Hell, and the Doom Slayer being captured and sealed. How The Dark Ages itself will end is a bigger mystery, though what it is promising with its focus on Argent D’Nur, an ancient part-medieval-part-futuristic war, and the Doom Slayer growing into his legend is exciting enough in and of itself. With id Software touting a bigger focus on storytelling than in past DOOM titles, we’re more than a little curious to see how The Dark Ages fares in terms of delivering on those promises.

Additional Updates and Fixes

The PS5 version brings some cool new features which will be available to all platforms. Most notably, whips get two new abilities: ‘Open Season’ and ‘Sleight of Hand’. Open Season causes a kind of debuff which renders foes more susceptible to attacks, while Sleight of Hand conveniently disarms opponents, flinging their weapon right to Indy. And since the game’s December release, there’s been three updates fixing up a long list of bugs and issues, ensuring a glitch-free experience for first-time PS5 players.

DualSense Functionality

One of the things that differentiates the PS5 from other consoles is the tactile feel of its DualSense controller. This is something Machine Games is making sure to harness with its upcoming port. Not much has been said regarding specifics, but the PlayStation Store page does indeed highlight that DualSense vibration effect and trigger function are supported. Going off of other games with DualSense support, we can expect haptic feedback that changes with terrain as well as dynamic resistance levels with the triggers when  shooting different guns and priming a well-aimed grenade.

PS5 Pro Enhancements

You’re especially happy if you’re an Indy fan with a PS5 Pro since some the great visual updates exclusive to high-end PCs will translate the advanced Sony console. While Bethesda has been rather hush-hush concerning specific PS5 Pro enhancements, we know via the PS Store that this Indy adventure has the ‘enhanced for PS5 Pro’ label and will most likely harness things like PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), advanced ray tracing, and (fingers crossed) a 120 FPS option.

PS5 Editions

There are three editions for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5. The standard edition comes in at the standardized $69.99 price and only includes the game. The $99.99 Premium Edition includes access to the future story DLC titled ‘The Order of Giants’ as well as a new Temple of Doom outfit and a digital artbook. The modern trend of including early access play in higher tiered editions continues here as Indy’s foray onto the PS5 allows access for premium edition buyers. But that’s not the cream of the edition crop. There’s also an expensive $189.99 Collector’s Bundle giving players a bevy of physical goodies. This bundle includes an 11 inch globe that hides a secretive storage compartment, in addition to a leather-bound adventure journal, and the all Premium Edition content.

Pre-order Bonuses

Regardless of edition, any PS5 version pre-order includes a new Traveling Suit outfit for Indy to wear and a whip. These two items are purely cosmetic and it’s unlikely they’ll become available through the store at a later date for those who didn’t pre-order.

Release Date and Early Access Times

And there’s not much time left to secure a pre-order since the game releases April 17^th which falls on a Thursday. Early access begins two days before the official release date, so Premium Edition players can look forward to playing it on April 15^th.

Is a Microsoft Account Needed to Play?

While it’s not confirmed whether or not PS5 users will need a Microsoft account to play Indy and the Great Circle, previous Xbox exclusive games as well as the upcoming Forza Horizon 5 indicate that it’s likely. That said, some of Microsoft’s single-player offerings didn’t require a Microsoft account sign-in (neither Hi-Fi Rush nor Pentiment required it), so we’ll have to wait and see if this particular single-player adventure does.

Disc Versions Require Internet Download

Unfortunately, we do have confirmations that disc versions of the game require an internet download in order to play the game. Bethesda’s images of the highest-priced Collector Bundle states in the fine print that a disc is still included, but “internet connection is required to download game and content”.

Voice Talent

As for the game itself, there’s quite a lot to love. Any Indiana Jones project has to have top-tier voice talent in order to succeed, and this game nails that aspect. Troy Baker surprisingly sold us on his Indy voice. It’s charming and personalized, yet still has that Harrison Ford identity. Indy’s partner in uncovering the Great Circle mystery happens to be a woman named Gina Lambardi, who is excellently portrayed by actress Alessandra Mastronardi. The main villain is my pick for best performance though. Emmerich Voss is the perfect Indiana Jones villain and actor Marios Gavrilis captures his creepy and deranged personality too well.

Exploration

One distinction this game has to other’s in the genre is the first-person perspective. This heightened immersion allows for more intricate exploration and problem solving. Indy uses a camera and journal to jot down hints and notes as he explores the game’s diverse environments. The diegetic UI with Indy looking at his journal maps and whatnot really add to the immersion of stepping into his shoes as an explorer. And the game is teeming with collectibles around well-hidden nooks and crannies, giving players a compelling reason to go off the beaten path.

Wide Environments

This emphasis on exploration is owed in large part to the game’s wide environments. Exploration is satisfying because there’s just a lot of open space to wander around through. That said, this is still a fairly linear adventure, at least in story terms. Plenty of set piece moments and cinematics dot the game’s progression, but its accompanied by a wealth of slower paced exploration in wide areas.

Stealth

The game’s more methodical pace exemplifies itself perhaps most of all in its stealth. A large portion of combat strategy revolves around sneaking up to enemies for a silent knock-out. Routing past patrols and sneaking around guarded zones is a big part of this Indy adventure and it’s done really well thanks to excellent level design and smooth controls.

Combat

But there is visceral combat in this game too, though it’s not your traditional Machine Games high-paced shooter. Instead, combat in The Great Circle revolves around found melee weapons, Indy’s whip, and a limited amount of small firearms. The famous whip is used to great effect here, being employed to stun and disarm foes.

Oodles of Melee Weapons

Since ammo is so scarce throughout the game, you’re often relegated to picking up random melee weapons through the environment. There’s a lot of wacky objects used for melee here: oversized flyswatters, pipes, pots and pans, and much more. But there’s one trusty melee weapon you always have access to: your fists. The game has a big emphasis on brawling, and while it can be somewhat sloppy, there’s something satisfying about KO’ing Nazis in the face.

Game Length

It’s good that the game has such variety in its gameplay because it has an average run time of around 25 hours. Howlongtobeat has an average completionist playthrough sitting around 38 hours and a rushed story run taking 15. This makes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle one of Machine Games’ most lengthy titles, giving PS5 players with an Indiana Jones craving plenty to dig into and explore.

Whether it’s the racing genre or open-world games as a whole, it’s widely considered one of the very best, reaching more than 10 million players in its first week of release. PS5 players can finally see what all the fuss is about but more importantly, they can benefit from many of the same features, tons of post-launch updates, and much more. Here are 15 things you should know about Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 before picking it up.

Developed by Panic Button

Panic Button is responsible for the PS5 port and though the name might not be immediately familiar, it’s worked on some pretty impressive ports through the years. These include DOOM Eternal on the Nintendo Switch, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, and even Forza Horizon 4 for the Xbox Series X/S. It’s still partnering with Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios for the PS5 release, so a top-notch port should be expected.

Open World Setting and Size

Unlike Forza Motorsport, the Forza Horizon series is open-world, which means going wherever you want and discovering content in the wild (like Speed Traps, Barn Finds, etc). With that in mind, Forza Horizon 5 offers the series’ biggest map to date and since it’s based on Mexico, there’s an extensive array of biomes and weather conditions to experience. Some of the latter are also new to the series, like massive dust storms that you can drive into.

New Horizon Adventure

While previous Forza Horizon titles started with a single Festival Site and saw you establishing others, Forza Horizon 5 takes a different approach. The big Horizon Adventure begins at the Main Stage but each Festival Site now focuses on a different activity like street racing, cross-country racing, and more. They each offer separate Chapters with unique characters, quests and rewards, so you can focus on a single activity for hours if you so desire.

Accolades

However, progressing through and unlocking subsequent Chapters requires completing Accolades. These are objectives which encompass pretty much everything in the game. Completing specific Accolades unlocks numerous additional cars while contributing to your ultimate goal – reaching the Hall of Fame. It’s a flexible path and feeds into the option to focus on specific activities, though if you’re a completionist, some will put you to the test.

Expansions

Whether you’re finished with the base game or need a break from its 130 hours of content (for completionists, of course), you can engage in two expansions. Rally Adventure and Hot Wheels. The former adds new cars and rally events while the latter offers the Horizon Hot Wheels Park with fantastical tracks (complete with loop-de-loops), the ability to design your own Hot Wheels tracks, and even more new cars.

Post-Launch Updates and Changes

Starting from November 2021, there are years of updates, hotfixes and free content additions for Forza Horizon 5. These include new Horizon Tour events, Horizon Stories (and co-op support), Accolades, Speed Zones, cars, body kit presets, Midnight Battle, the Horizon Mixtape Station, and tracks – it’s…a lot, and that doesn’t even cover all the changes and improvements made to existing systems like EventLab.

Cross-Play (But No Cross-Save)

Cross-play will be available at launch, allowing Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC (both the Microsoft Store and Steam), and Xbox One players to play together. Unfortunately, cross-save will not be available, though leaderboard scores are synchronized to the same Microsoft account.

Horizon Realms Update

Coinciding with the PS5 version is the release of Horizon Realms, an update which sees the return of 11 limited-time tracks. Players can dive into each through Skill Mode, where you’ll compete to earn the highest Skill Score and unlock new Badges, and Free Mode, which allows for casually unlocking new Accolades and playing with friends. There’s also the brand new Stadium Track and the Horizon Stadium Circuit, which acts as a permanent race route.

New Accolades and Car Rewards with the new update

With the hundreds of cars and Accolades available, what are a few more for free? Horizon Realms will now have its own Accolades tab with 60+ Accolades to earn, many of which are new. As you complete them, you can earn four new cars – the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto, the 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, the 2018 Lotus Exige Cup 430 and the 2022 Hennessey Mammoth 6×6.

DualSense Support

What would Forza Horizon 5 on the PS5 feel like without DualSense support? Thankfully, players can look forward to Adaptive Trigger support. This offers a “higher fidelity feel of wheel slip, threshold braking, and surface changes,” according to the port’s official FAQ.

Leaderboards and Synchronized Festival Playlist

Horizon Realms launching for PS5 on the same date as other versions isn’t the only example of content parity. The Forza Support Team also confirmed that the Festival Playlist is synchronized across all platforms. You can thus access the latest series at the same time as other platforms and, as seen with Horizon Realms, also play all the past content. And yes, leaderboards are also the same across all platforms.

Access to All User-Generated Content

It’s also worth noting that any user-generated content, regardless of platform, is universally accessible. Those on PS5 can access all content created and shared from EventLab 2.0 but anything they create is also playable by Xbox and PC players. So on top of all the past updates and expansions and the latest Horizon Realms update, PS5 players have a glut of player-created content to sort through.

Performance and Quality Modes

As with the Xbox Series X version, the PS5 will feature two graphics modes – Performance and Quality. Officially, the former runs in 60 frames per second while the latter is 30 FPS, but we know that the Series X version runs at dynamic 4K and 60 FPS on Performance and native 4K/30 FPS on Quality.

PS5 Pro Support

The same two graphics modes exist on PS5 Pro and here’s where things get interesting. Quality Mode includes ray-traced reflections during Free Roam and races while Performance offers “increased visual fidelity” at 60 frames per second. Finer details like the resolutions, improved graphics, use of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, and more have yet to be confirmed.

Mandatory Microsoft Account

As good as this all sounds, there is a slight caveat to playing Forza Horizon 5 on the PS5 – you need a Microsoft Account. Similar to Sea of Thieves, you must link your PlayStation Network account to the same. While you can always unlink it later, the game will remain tied to the same Microsoft account.

Graphical prowess isn’t the source of the studio’s confidence though. Sure, Clair Obscur looks incredible, but Broche and his team – wearing influence from Soulslikes, out of FromSoftware’s oeuvre like Sekiro – are certain they’ve crafted a distinct combat experience. Narrative, character-driven action is Expedition’s beating heart, but it’s battling is its body’s nourishment: vibrant, free-flowing, energising.

It was during Broche’s previous experience when he conjured up the ideas comprising Clair Obscur’s narrative framework. Expedition focuses on a populace desperate to halt their eradication by enemies whose cruelty looms oppressively in view of prosperous citadel Lumiere. The stage is set for some bitter skirmishes, experienced through the eyes of oppressed protagonists.

Once you get into it, you’ll quickly discover there’s an RPG heritage imbuing Clair Obscur’s combat. It’s turn-based in nature, so anyone who’s dabbled in RPGs will be rightly familiar in the ebb and flow of Expedition’s fighting. There are, however, extra elements which reframe Clair Obscur’s combat with asymmetrical lightness of touch. Real-time actions which add distinct flavour.

Amongst these are defence minded dodges, parries, and jumps to evade enemy attacks, each executed via time-based button presses. Especially precise dodges and parries result in perfect variations, gifting chance to unload potentially damaging counterattacks. Better still, if you successfully parry an attack aimed at your entire party, the whole squad will retaliate with an awe-striking, choreographed counter. Visual spectacle and ultra-high damage.

There is risk versus reward in parrying versus dodging, of course, with the risk heightened by numerous tough enemies who manoeuvre unpredictably to attack in off-kilter patterns. You’ll have to study their moves, ala FromSoft, in order to successfully deflect or evade every landing blow. Even on normal difficulty, the window for precise response is tight, so it’ll take some practice to truly get into the groove. The combat’s real-time swagger continues with a free-aim ability which can be used not unlike Horizon’s Aloy to shoot enemy weak points, wipe off chunks of their health, or immobilise or eradicate opponents altogether.

There’s depth to the combat’s turn based flipside too, with each character in your party capable of melee attacks in addition to the free-aimed range attacks. However, crucially, your characters need to amass Action Points if they’re to use their ranged ability, and landing blows is the best way to do this. Action Points themselves, according to Sandfall Interactive co-founder François Meurisse in conversation with GamesRadar at Games Developer Conference, are a further point of differentiation between Clair Obscur: Expedition and other RPGs. Meurisse explains that the idea is that the players accumulate points to put towards skills rather than more established magic or mana points in other games of the genre.

These skills are distinct to each character’s arsenal too and rely on building a specific attribute (also unique to each character). Grizzled expedition leader Gustave uses his skills to fill an Overcharge meter which he can spend to unleash a devastatingly powerful attack. Mage-like Lune wields elemental attacks which leave Stains upon her enemies, the effects of these consumed by subsequent attacks to boost damage alongside other effects.

From these two characters alone and this brief explanation of their skillset we can see already the kind of over-powered synergies players can concoct between party members. Lune leaves a stain; Gustave unloads an overcharged attack. We haven’t even mentioned the youngest of the trio Maelle, who joins the party later. Her skillset – when built over subsequent turns – seems especially potent.

See, she has three stances which she can freely switch between: an offensive stance to boost damage at the cost of defence, a mirror image defensive stance to increase resilience for a reduction in attacking power. Her piece-de-resistance however is her Virtuose stance which, should an opponent’s defences be whittled down enough or should one of Lune’s stains leave them elementally weakened, can eliminate them in a spectacular attack dealing 200% more damage.

There will be plenty of unlockable abilities for each character too which should provide a host of imaginative, and thoroughly gratifying, ways to take down enemies the deeper the expedition goes.

The characters you’ll command throughout Expedition are complex, emotionally nuanced, damaged, yet relatable. They exist in a world where their population is slowly being whittled down to zero. Gustave, for one, has had to suffer the recent trauma of seeing his 34-year-old love interest die. In fact, during Clair Obscur’s demo Gustave happens upon the bodies of his fellow expeditioners, with his anguish bubbling just beneath the surface spilling into an act of desperation and desire for suicide.

It’s Lune who stops him, her being the more pragmatic of the pair, essentially making clear that their mission will likely see them both dead before its culmination and that should either one of them die, they’re duty bound to continue regardless. The pair spend much of their time together quarrelling, both unable to see each other’s point of view, equally valid they both are. However, within the emotionally charged script are lighter moments. Shared laughter, banal conversation, that sort of thing, the more laidback moments examples that these characters deeply care about each other’s survival, alongside providing the perfect counterpoint to heavier moments of desperation and fear, emotions that make up the bulk of the character’s journey.

It’s another refreshing distinction in Clair Obscur’s favour in that these characters are written and performed with emotional gravitas. Too often in JRPGs characters act like foolish people and often make silly mistakes that are not to be expected from them. Expedition’s participants are adults’ scorn by generations of loss, dwindling hope, and trauma, and this is reflected in their actions and behaviours. So, we’re assuming Clair Obscur will deliver mature characters and will avoid the one dimensional route that so many games follow these days.

Topping off the superb action and wonderfully composed characters is a vibrant, thoroughly imaginative world in which the game takes place. Levels here meld high-art fantasy with the phantasmagorical, a highlight in the gameplay shared thus far being a realm seemingly underwater, with fish swimming through the air and seaweed waving in invisible currents.

Also of significance is Clair Obscur: Expedition is not open world. Instead, these levels are linear in design, with secret routes and hidden areas sure, but these biomes are curated experiences. From gameplay shared thus far, the game seems like it’ll be for the better than players aren’t free to take in the narrative, action, and exploration at their own pace. There’s an important purpose driving the motives behind each character, and Sandfall Interactive have opted to portray their odyssey at a pace they feel is most suitable.

Sandfall Interactive are right to be confident. Clair Obscur: Expedition looks fantastic and should end the year as one of the biggest games released. It’ll be nothing short of a Lumiere-sized tragedy should it fail to find an audience.

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.

WHAT IS IT?

If you believe, as we do, that you can never have too many Metroidvanias- rejoice. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a 2.5D sidescrolling Metroidvania action RPG that also incorporates Soulslike elements. Set in a dark fantasy world, according to writer Brian Mitsoda, the game takes inspiration from Castlevnia and Berserker. “Personally, one of the things that drew me to the project was the strong Castlevania influence, as that’s one of my favorite games series of all time,” Mitsoda told Xbox Wire. “The dark fantasy elements reminded me of Berserk, and there was also a bit of traditional folk tale and fairy tale influence.”

STORY AND SETTING

Mandragora is set in the fantasy realm of Faelduum, whose peace is oh-so-predictably being threatened. Chaos comes in the form of mysterious and unknowable tears in the fabric of reality, created by a parallel plane of existence known only as Entropy. Through these tears, all manner of dark forces and horrifying creatures are leaking out into the reality of Faelduum. Players play as a warrior known as the Inquisitor, who embarks on a quest to defeat the forces of Entropy.

PLAYER CHOICE

How much emphasis Mandragora is going to put on its story in the grand scheme of things remains to be seen, but interestingly enough, it will be one of several areas where it will offer players control over their own experience. Speaking to Xbox Wire, writer Brian Mitsoda confirmed that the game will allow you to impact the story with dialogue choices. He said, “We let the player define who the Inquisitor is with their dialogue and story choices, so the main character’s fate isn’t set in stone.”

WORLD AND EXPLORATION

Touting itself as a Metroidvania experience, Mandragora is unsurprisingly focusing quite heavily on exploration. The game touts a vast and varied world with over 75 locations, according to its developers, randing from forests, deserts, and mountains to dark caves, formidable cityscapes, dangerous swamps, and more. According to the developers, players can expect plenty of secrets, treasures, mysterious characters, and more.

CLASSES

When creating your Inquisitor, you’ll be able to pick between one of six different classes, each enabling very different playstyles. The Vanguard will be focused on melee combat, two-handed weapons, and heavy armour, while the Spellbinder will specialize in chaos magic and one-handed weapons. There’s the Flameweaver class, which, as its name suggests, will focus on fire magic and attacks, and the Nightshade class, which duel wields daggers. The other two classes that will be available, on whom details are scarce, are Vindicator and Wyldwarden.

COMBAT DETAILS

As we touched on earlier, the Soulslike genre is one of several that Madragora is taking cues from, which, of course, will come through in its combat gameplay as well. Light attacks, heavy attacks, dodges, blocks, and a stamina bar will be crucial, as will paying attention to a diverse roster of enemies and their different attacks and movesets. Meanwhile, similar to Diablo-esque action RPGs, you can also expect an emphasis on a variety of abilities and managing cooldowns.

PROGRESSION

Multifaceted progression mechanics to allow players maximum control over their build is another area where Mandragora seems to be putting quite a bit of its focus on. Players will find a wealth of loot and gear to equip, on top of which you’ll also use the progression currency known as Essence to upgrade your stats and passive buffs. Additionally, a large skill tree will also provide additional options.

LENGTH

Everything that we’ve learned about Mandragora gives the impression of a larger and more expansive game than many may expect. Sure enough, that will apply to its runtime as well. According to Primal Game Studio, the game will feature a main story that can take over 40 hours to wrap up, which presumably implies an even longer runtime for those who are diving deeper into the game’s optional content.

MUSIC AND AUDIO

Primal Game Studio has collaborated with plenty of eye-catching talent for Mandragora’s development, by the look of things. In addition to aforementioned writer Brian Mitsoda of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines fame, the studio has also worked with GReek musician Christos Antoniou (a.k.a. Septicflesh) and the FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague for the game’s soundtrack. Meanwhile, the game also features full English voice acting.

DIFICULTY OPTIONS

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is taking plenty of inspiration from Soulslikes, but it where accessibility and approachability are concerned, it seems to be taking a different tenor. The game will feature a range of difficulty options, with players being allowed to set sliders for enemy health, enemy damage, and player stamina between 70 percent and 100 percent.

NEW GAME PLUS

With RPGs that offer the level of flexibility and customization that Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree seems to be touting, repeat playthroughs with carried over progress are a big draw for many. Thankfully, Mandragora won’t disappoint here. The developers have confirmed a New Game Plus option will be available, so you can start repeat playthroughs without erasing your character’s progression.

DEMO

If you’re intrigued by Mandragora but want to get first-hand experience of the game’s offerings before deciding to commit, thankfully, a demo option is available. Available only on Steam, the demo gives players glimpses of the game’s combat, progression, setting, exploration, and story.

PC REQUIREMENTS

For those who wish to play Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree on PC, luckily enough, the game’s system requirements are quite modest. On minimum settings, for instance, the game will require either an i5 6500 or a Ryzen 5 1400, along with either a GeForce GTX 1060 (with 6 GB VRAM) or an RX 480, as well as 8 GB of RAM. Meanwhile, on recommended settings, the game will need either an i5 7600k or a Ryzen 5 3600X, along with either a Geforce RTX 2070 (with 8 GB VRAM) or an RX 6600 XT, and 16 GB of RAM.

PRICE

When Mandragora launches not long from now, players will be able to jump in at a fairly reasonable price. The action RPG will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store) for a price of $39.99. A Digital Deluxe Edition with a handful of bonuses and additional cosmetics will also be available for $49.99.

A “BELIEVEABLE” EXPERIENCE

Let’s sign off with this one, because for those looking for a different twist to a familiar genre, this particular aspect of Mandragora might catch the eye. Speaking with the Epic Games Store blog, lead game designer Gabor Szabo explained that the developers’ goal is to create a “believable” experience with the action RPG, in the sense that the world and the things in it would behave and react the way you would expect. “Our goal was to create a believable experience,” Szabo said. “So if you see a dumb monster—a zombie, for example—it will not escape, it will not run from you. It will act as a target dummy, for example. But if you encounter a skilled assassin—an enemy assassin—we, as a player, expect it to behave like it’s a skilled assassin. So it will jump, it will roll behind you, it will try to punish you for your mistakes.

“So that was our goal when setting up different kinds of AIs. That is also true for the bosses. We have some huge, powerful but stupid bosses, which can kill you with one hit, but they are very dumb so you can easily outsmart them. Of course we have smart bosses [who] try to kill you in any way possible.”

No Man’s Sky

Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky might not have started life on the best foot forward, but it has quickly grown into one of the best space exploration games on the market over the course of many significant updates. No Man’s Sky features a huge open world filled with all sorts of planets to discover and things to do, and the VR edition adds another layer of immersion to it all – making it the definitive way to experience what it has to offer.