Category: Video Gaming

The housewives are coming!

As if suburbia wasn’t a scary enough prospect already, then add some demonically possessed housewives and you get Sam Raimi‘s next horror film. Justin Kroll from Deadline reported that, “Legendary Entertainment, Feigco Entertainment and Ghost House have closed a deal for a feature adaptation of the novel Suburban Hell from author Maureen Kilmer.”

Little is known about the film right now since the project is in its early planning stages, but the inspiration — Suburban Hell — gives plenty of information about what the film might look like. The main plot focuses on a group of suburban housewives who have to deal with the demonic possession of one member of their neighborhood group.

The premise certainly seems to be right up Raimi’s alley with a balance of something horrific juxtaposed against the monotonous day-to-day lives of suburban housewives. Also joining Raimi on this wild trip is talented writer Joanna Calo (The Bear) along with producers Paul Feig (The Office) and Laura Fischer.

As of right now, there is no indication of when Raimi’s film adaptation of the novel Suburban Hell will come to theaters, but we’ll certainly report on any news as soon as it breaks.

If you’re interested in checking out some of Raimi’s work, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is available to stream on Disney+. Doctor Strange has some classic Raimi horror, but if you want just straight spooky, then some of his cult hits like The Evil Dead and Evil Dead II are available to rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.

HBO’s new show based on PlayStation fungal-zombie game The Last of Us (which is coming to PC soon) has had a healthy start. According to HBO, Sunday night’s premiere attracted 4.7 million viewers, both on TV and streaming on HBO Max.

That makes The Last of Us the second most-viewed HBO series debut since Boardwalk Empire’s first episode aired in 2010 (4.81 million viewers), although the gap between second and first place is massive: The first episode of Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon was viewed by around 10 million people on its first night last year. Perhaps it’s unfair to compare even a very popular game series like The Last of Us to anything Game of Thrones: The George RR Martin books alone have outsold The Last of Us and its sequel by tens of millions of copies, and the Game of Thrones finale broke HBO records with 19.3 million viewers when it aired. 

Many of the best board games are geared towards smaller groups of players. So what’s one to do when you have a party or other gathering of fun-loving people in higher numbers? Thankfully, board game and card game makers have not left these scenarios in the cold. If you know where to look, you can find some awesome tabletop experiences that cleanly and elegantly scale up to 10 or even more players, giving everyone something to do.

If you’re seeking a good board game to break out at your next party, these are the best board games for parties and large groups.

TL;DR The Best Party Board Games

Don’t want to read a bunch of words? These are our favorite party board games.

Wits and Wagers

Do you enjoy trivia board games, but aren’t very good at them? If you answered yes, then Wits and Wagers is the game for you. It’s a trivia game, but instead of using your own answer, you bet on who got the right answer. So if a football question comes up and you have no idea how many Super Bowl rings Peyton Manning has, you can bet on your friend who is a huge football nerd. If they get the question right you earn a point. It’s that simple. Because you don’t need to be versed in every topic under the sun, Wits and Wagers is the most accessible trivia game around. There are three versions of the game, with the party and family games having easier questions than the standard version. The party game, as the name suggests, also accommodates more players. You’ll have no reason to go back to Trivial Pursuit after picking up Wits and Wagers.

Codenames

In this approximation of a spy thriller, players are split into two teams, with one player on each team assuming the role of “spymaster.” It’s the spymaster’s job to make their team name the codewords that will earn them points. In any given game, there are 25 available codewords arranged into a five-by five grid, and the spymaster must, without actually speaking the words, use a code phrase to describe what words belong their team. For example, if three of the words are “fence,” “tree” and “door,” the spymaster might say “wood, three” to indicate that three of the words might have to do with wood. Codenames depends heavily on the spymaster to think quickly, and poorly thought-out clues can lead to some hilarious arguments. If you tire of seeing the same codewords after a handful of plays, Codenames has seen severalexpansions and reimaginings since its 2015 release, which can add a great deal of replay value.

Time’s Up – Title Recall

• Players: 3+
• Playtime: 60 minutes

Like all the best party games, Times Up builds a neat twist into a very simple premise, in this case by combining the best bits of pop culture quizzes and charades. You start with a pool of 40 cards showing the titles of famous films, TV shows and songs which are used over three rounds of clues and guessing. In the first round, you can say anything other than the title on the card. In the second, your clue has to be one word. And in the third, it has to be a non-verbal pantomime. This escalating series of restrictions keeps delivering the most hilarious associations that only work because players have an idea of what’s already in the pool after the first round. A fascinating combination of trivia and free-association wordplay, and all fun, all the way.

Snake Oil

Cards Against Humanity has come to dominate store shelves and nearly every online party game recommendation list, but for my money Snake Oil is an infinitely better option. It sticks to a similar formula as CAH, but injects a healthy dose of player creativity. On the active player’s turn, they randomly draw a “customer” card. The other players then take turns pitching a product to that active player by combining two object cards from their hand. For example, if the active player draws the cheerleader card, other players must combine two cards in order to make an item that might appeal to a cheerleader. The sales pitches are the meat of the game, and it’s an absolute blast to watch your friends scramble to sell a “meat bicycle” or a “puppet helmet” to a caveman. In a perfect world, Snake Oil would replace Cards Against Humanity on every game shelf.

The Resistance: Avalon

The original The Resistance was a sci-fi bluffing game in which a pool of players had to discover and out rogue agents. The Resistance: Avalon shifts the action to King Arthur’s court and ups the ante with some new roles and rules to enjoy. Everyone gets a secret role and then loyal knights have to try and complete five quests while keeping Merlin alive. The Merlin player knows who is loyal and who is not, but can’t reveal this without also revealing who they are and painting a target on their back. There are various other named roles with special powers like Percival and Mordred, creating an incredible, escalating soup of paranoia in which players have to stew for twenty or so minutes. After which it’s almost irresistible to deal some new roles and do it all again.

Sushi Go Party!

Sushi Go! Is a simple, compact card drafting game released in 2013 that sold a huge number of copies. Because of its success, Gamewright was able to expand on the formula with Sushi Go Party!, a larger and more varied version of Sushi Go! The gameplay remains largely the same, with players choosing a card from their hand, playing it, and passing the rest to the player next to them. Party! includes several types of cards not in the standard version that mix up your strategy in different ways, and the variable setup means that every game will play out differently. As far as simple and quick party games go, it would be a mistake not to take a look at this one.

Bang! The Dice Game

• Players: 3-8
• Playtime: 15 minutes

The original Bang! was long considered a party game go-to, but one of the major complaints was its length–it was too long for what it was. The dice game version fixes this in a big way, and is now the best version of Bang! you can play. Players are dealt secret roles, with the sheriff revealing themself at the start of the game. Everyone is also dealt a random character card that gives them a unique power. A turn consists of a player rolling five dice Yhatzee-style, then applying the effects to the table, but because nobody is sure of the others’ role, figuring out who to deal damage to and who to heal takes on the form of a logic puzzle. There are different victory conditions depending on your role: the sheriff wins if all the outlaws are defeated, the outlaws win if the sheriff is defeated, and so on. Because of Bang! The Dice Game’s easy ruleset and quick playtime, it’s a great game to play while waiting for the rest of the party to show up.

Telestrations

This is a commercial version of a popular family of games that involve image-based Chinese whispers. You start with a card with a phrase on it and do a sketch to illustrate that phrase. You then pass that to the next player in line who guesses the phrase, writes it down and passes that on for the next player to draw. And so on, until the whole thing comes full circle and you marvel at the garbled nonsense that’s come back to you, and every step in between, complete with ridiculous drawings to delight and amuse. For real party animals, there’s a twelve player expansion pack available to make the chains of nonsense even longer.

Dixit Odyssey

• Players: 3-12
• Playtime: 30 minutes

In 2010, the original Dixit won the Spiel des Jahres, Germany’s coveted game of the year award. Since then, its unique approach to storytelling in games has been expanded on and reiterated nearly a dozen times. Despite all the new content in recent years, 2011’s Dixit Odyssey remains the best version of the game. The concept is simple: each turn one player is the storyteller, and uses a simple word or phrase to describe one of the cards in their hand. Then the other players choose a card from their own hand that they feel best fits the description the storyteller gave. The cards are shuffled and then revealed, and everyone attempts to choose which card was the storyteller’s, who gets points if people correctly guess their card. The rub is they get no points if nobody or everybody guesses their card, so it’s important to find a balance between vague and descriptive when describing the card. Dixit boasts surreal and beautiful artwork that makes the game a joy to experience and discuss, and the reliance on creativity will bring out the storyteller in even your most stubborn friends.

Wavelength

Wavelength brings a new dimension to guessing games by getting players talking about their opinions rather than their trivia knowledge. Each round posits a pair of extremes, such as “straight” and “curvy”. Players take turns giving clues to their teams, which involves spinning a dial in secret to get a point somewhere between these two limits and then trying to come up with a hint to guide them to the right point. So for those clues, if the dial is showing two-thirds toward “straight” a good clue might be “hand-drawn line”. Not only is this a fun, fresh challenge every time but it’s subjective enough to be a real talking point for your party. With cooperative and competitive modes, Wavelength is a great pick across all tastes and ages.

One Night Ultimate Werewolf

The One Night franchise has become nearly synonymous with the term “party game,” and for good reason. It’s simple to learn, encourages a lot of player interaction, and plays in about 10 minutes. At the start of the game, each player is dealt a secret role, and it’s the goal of group to weed out who the werewolves are, unless of course you are a werewolf yourself. Each role has a special ability that help offer clues, such as the seer who can look at some of the roles, or the troublemaker who can switch roles with someone else. Because there’s no 100 percent way to know who is telling the truth, the game depends on your ability to read your friends’ tells. Each game is a chaotic flurry of accusations that will have the table in lively conversation during and after the game. If you want a good idea of what One Night Ultimate Werewolf has to offer, check out this video of a sample game. There are also several different flavors available, from vampires to aliens, if werewolves aren’t your cup of tea. Fair warning if you choose to pick this one up: friendships may be destroyed while playing this horror board game.

When I Dream

• Players: 4-10
• Playtime: 20-40 minutes

Fall asleep and and heed the whims of the dream spirits in this team-based game of clues and storytelling. Every round, one player is appointed the “Dreamer,” and must wear a cloth mask over their eyes. Then, players take turns drawing a card from the dream deck and the “good spirits” attempt to describe the picture using only one word in an effort to get the Dreamer to guess it. The “bad spirits,” however, are able to throw off the Dreamer with inaccurate clues. There are also “tricksters” who can switch sides during a game. What makes When I Dream such a good party game is that it’s so easy to learn and a round is over quickly, giving players the chance to drop in or out whenever they want. This accessibility makes it one of the best options for larger gatherings.

Mysterium

Communing with the dead may not be the first choice of activity when hosting a bangin’ party, but Mysterium proves that it’s one of the best ways to keep guests entertained. As mediums and paranormal investigators, it’s your job to uncover a decades-old murder mystery in a haunted house. The spirit that inhabits the house gives clues to each player in the form of dreams, which help to inform the specific weapon, suspect, and room related to the mystery. Think Clue, but much more abstract. One player, as the ghost, gives each player a card that relates somehow to their specific clues. The ghost in unable to speak, though, so the players are left to interpret the vague illustrations. There’s a ton to love about Mysterium, from its incredible art to debating the meaning depicted on the cards. The back-and-forth between the ghost and other players that takes place at the end of every game is an absolute delight that very few games can match. Who knew a seance could be so lively?

Monikers

• Players: 4-20
• Playtime: 60 minutes

In Monikers–a brand new take on the old Charades-like game Celebrity–you’ll act out a variety of goofy characters like Count Chocula, Drunk Jeff Goldblum, a dead horse, and literally hundreds more. Rounds get progressively more limiting as the game goes on–for example, words and gestures are legal in round one, but you can only use one word in round two, and round three takes away your ability to speak altogether. Because you’ll be using the same cards in every round, you’ll wind up making clever in-jokes with your group as you start to repeat cards. The subject choices pay homage to not only celebrities, but to modern viral memes and videos like David After Dentist and Lady Gaga’s Meat Dress. Shut Up and Sit Down put it quite bluntly in its review: “It’s the most you’ll laugh playing a game.” Truly, Monikers is the be-all-end-all of party games.

Decrypto

• Players: 3-8
• Playtime: 15-45 minutes

In Decrypto, two teams attempt to work out a numeric code by interpreting clues given to them by an encryptor. At the start of a round, four words are randomly assigned to the numbers one through four, and the team’s chosen encryptor secretly draws a three-digit code. Their job is to make the rest of the team guess the code–in the proper order–by giving clues about the words associated with the numbers. It’s a bit like Codenames in that way, but the twist comes thanks to a clever “interception” mechanic that allows a team the opportunity to guess their opponents’ code. This means encryptors must be careful about giving out too much information about their code, making Decrypto a fascinating balancing act that does an admirable job of making players feel like actuals spies.

For more ideas, you can check out the complete other end of the spectrum to find the best solo board games. And if you and your gaming group fancy yourselves to be pretty darn smart, you can test that hypothesis with the best trivia board games.

A new video providing a first look at Forspoken running on PC has been released, along with details on the PC specs and features.

The PC video showcases gameplay and in-game cinematics footage and highlights some of the specs and features that will be available upon release.

Forspoken features AMD FidelityFX Support, options of up to 60 frames per second (With AMD FSR Support), Fast loading times (with Samsung SSD support), 32:9 ultra-widescreen support, full HDR support and customizable resolutions, aspect ratios and graphic features, direct sound compatible device and 7.1 audio (Ambisonics) support, and the ability to play it with either KBM or controller.

As far as PC specs are concerned, here’s what you need to have to run the game:

If you pre-order Forspoken digitally on PC via the Steam, Microsoft, or Epic Games stores, you will receive a Spectra Combo Necklace, Elite Cloak, and Overclock Nails to aid them in their journey through Athia.

Along with the above, Square Enix also announced today it has updated the PS5 demo. The update added button mapping functionality, certain text sizes have been adjusted, the team fixed various technical issues, and locked-on enemies that move off-screen will now remain locked on longer.

The game releases on January 24 for PC and PlayStation 5.

As someone whose only experience with the Persona series lay with Persona 5, I dove into Persona 3 Portable‘s PC re-release with one expectation: it will be old and therefore quite bad. Looking back, was I naïve? Yes. And was I wrong? I’m delighted to report that I was catastrophically wrong.

From what I’ve played so far of Persona 3, I reckon it’s well worth a whirl if you’re a newcomer, or a Persona 5 fan who’s concerned that a game from 2009 won’t be all that good. Not only does it stand on its own as a fun high school mystery with an alarmingly dark undertone, it almost acts as a fun history lesson too.

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A soothing vibe permeates the beginning of Persona 4 Golden. The protagonist isn’t navigating a sprawling Shibuya or the Sangenjaya-inspired streets that lead to Persona 5’s Café Leblanc. Instead, he’s on a train heading in the opposite direction, leaving the crowded city behind to spend a year in the countryside.

First released on PlayStation 2 in 2008, Persona 4 will soon be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation consoles, and Xbox consoles, the latter via Game Pass. It marks a new era for the Japanese role-playing classic, which, aside from a 2020 PC port, has been all but inaccessible to anyone without the PS2 disc or a PlayStation Vita. It’s a foreboding, pastoral adventure, and it strikes an altogether different tone than its urban sequel.

Inaba is nothing like Tokyo. You can easily see everything the town has to offer within a day — or the span of a few in-game minutes. But its slower pace makes the seemingly mundane aspects of rural life all the more compelling. Your connections, both with people and the town itself, are more intimate as a result. And once danger begins to loom in the background, the stakes become more personal as a result.

It helps that the protagonist has a much more grounded backstory than Persona 5’s Joker. He’s not transferred because of probationary action, but because his parents moved abroad for work purposes. His uncle, Ryotaro Dojima, alongside his cousin Nanako, welcomes him with open arms in a cozy home. He isn’t forced to live in an attic, nor is he frowned upon by everyone he meets due to his “criminal” background. If it weren’t for the series of murders and disappearances that transpire right after his arrival, it might have been a pleasant, bucolic escape.

The sinister events come as a shock for the Inaba townsfolk — particularly the students of Yasogami High School. Yosuke Hanamura, the first new party member, or confidant, was especially close to one of the murder victims. This spurs the protagonist, along with Yosuke and several other students, to form a group and investigate.

The team soon discovers something called the “Midnight Channel,” which presages the death of anyone who shows up on screen. Thus begins a countdown on your calendar, a period in which you’ll need to fully explore a dungeon and defeat the final boss before a lethal fog sets in. Instead of exploring the palaces of corrupt adults and shitty political figures à la Persona 5, dungeons here are (mostly) focused on the people close to you.

The palaces of Persona 5 are equal parts extravagant and foreboding, and often contain set pieces and puzzle motifs to break up turn-based combat encounters. Persona 4 Golden’s dungeons, on the other hand, will feel more like the Mementos sections of Persona 5 — procedurally generated labyrinths with intermittent battles. In 2023, they feel a bit monotonous. But by thrusting you into the psychoscapes of your close friends, who are forced to hold a mirror up to their hopes, fears, and goals, Persona 4 provides a more inward-looking experience than its sequel. It’s a cathartic story about self-reflection and honesty.

Image: Atlus/Sega via Polygon

Whenever you’re not delving into dungeons, attending school, or investigating crime, you’re free to spend your evenings and days off however you like. There is a wide array of activities at your disposal, from sports and cultural clubs to a long list of secondary quests. Some are focused solely on increasing your stats, while others, like a few specific part-time jobs, can unlock new Social Links altogether. Oftentimes, you’ll be gaining points toward both progression systems in one go, which results in a synergy that makes for a satisfying use of time.

In the sprawling Persona 5, I’ve skipped activities and even secondary locations entirely. In Persona 4 Golden it’s easier to dedicate time to banal tasks with your confidants. It’s also easier to linger in Inaba’s nooks and crannies, to grow attached to the placid corners where you spoke to a confidant: the fairly plain riverbank where you and Chie practice fighting together; the restaurant you’ve eaten at a dozen times that sells a special bowl during rainy days; or that one table in Junes’ food court where the group champions victories and reflects on past mistakes.

If you missed Persona 4 Golden on PlayStation Vita or Steam, it feels right at home on Nintendo Switch (the version I tried myself). Visuals are crisp in both handheld and docked modes, there are plenty of quality-of-life tweaks around difficulty options and save files, and it runs at 60 frames per second the majority of the time, except for scenes involving fog.

Image: Atlus/Sega via Polygon

Unfortunately, Persona 4’s more problematic content hasn’t been updated or revised in its new iteration. It’s still mired in sexist tropes, and its representation of queer characters remains lacking at best, and harmful at worst. It may be easier to pick up and play than ever before, but its content is still intermittently hard to stomach.

Some people will understandably be put off by all of this. Yet, for all the flaws in its script, Persona 4 Golden manages to mine heartfelt stories from other veins. Persona 5 Royal is a veritable amusement park of side activities that can sometimes be overwhelming. In Inaba, however, having fewer distractions lets you focus on your bonds much more closely. It will take some time to adjust to being away from the city, especially without a smartphone constantly buzzing to let you know where everybody is at all times. But there is no need for one. You’re bound to stumble upon a friendly face on your way to the riverbank.

Persona 4 Golden will be released on Jan. 19 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on Switch using a pre-release download code provided by Sega. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.

Persona 3 released in North America in 2007 on PlayStation 2 and was a mild hit. The dark, teen drama RPG had a niche audience, but those who found the game adored it. The game received a special edition release with added in content in 2008 with FES, and was then re-released a third time for PSP in 2010 with the most added content, but some modifications made to run on Sony’s handheld platform.

Persona 4 followed – again a mild hit – but then Persona 5 came along and cemented the franchise’s reputation as one of the best RPGs ever made. Fans who discovered the series with 5 have wanted to figure out what they’ve been missing out on, and longtime players have been demanding the re-release of 3 so that a larger audience could play what many call their favorite. After arguably too long, Atlus is finally ready to make that happen with the re-re-re-release of Persona 3 on modern consoles January 19.

Join Kyle Hilliard and Wesley LeBlanc as they look at the game’s first true dungeon and chat about perhaps the most controversial Persona game in the series.

For more previews of some of the biggest games of 2022 and beyond, be sure to head over to our YouTube page for NGTs about Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, Fire Emblem Engage, Clive ‘N’ Wrench, Inkulinati, Outer Terror, and more. 

Heads up, Stadia owners: Google’s cloud gaming program is shutting down tomorrow, January 18. The service began issuing refunds for all hardware last November, but if you haven’t received one yet, information on how to obtain one should have been emailed to the Google account used to make the purchase. However, past Stadia Pro subscriptions will not receive refunds.

There’s a silver lining for those of you with Stadia controllers and nothing to use them for. Starting today, you can download an update that will allow your controller to use Bluetooth. However, be warned: this permanently disables wi-fi capabilities, so if you download the update now, you won’t be able to play Stadia games before the shutdown tomorrow. For more details, you can visit the Stadia Help Center.

If you missed the news about the shutdown, last September, Stadia’s VP and General Manager said in a blog post that “while Stadia’s approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn’t gained the traction with users that we expected so we’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service.” 

Stadia’s struggles were no secret. Its first-party studios were shut down just over a year in, with the service being “deprioritized” a year later. While it was an interesting experiment, some experiments are just destined to fail. Rest in peace, Stadia.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Forspoken, the team at Luminous Productions is excited to announce a brand new “Forspoken Collection” line. We’re thrilled to be able to finally be able to reveal this line up!

“The PlayStation Gear Store is excited to be a part of the official launch of the ”Forspoken Collection” – we have been working hard in partnership with Luminous Productions to get these pieces perfect for the community and we hope you all love them as much as we loved creating them.”

– Gerado Riba – PlayStation Global Group Manager Brand Marketing 

Gear inspired by Forspoken’s art direction

We’re excited about how everything turned out – particularly blending the Forspoken logo, added detail, and other various design elements. We love how the in-game inspiration of the designs were utilized to introduce modern aspects from a fantasy world.

While Forspoken is an intricately designed game with tons of surprises and detail, the core concept is “merging modern and fantasy”. The main story – Frey traveling from modern present day to a fantasy world – is a clear representation of this concept. In terms of art concept, we aimed to create a brand new identity of fantastical symbology and merge that with modern sensibilities.

T-shirt Logos and Coins: Gold as the Main Color

In the world of Forspoken, gold symbolizes magical power. Similarly in the modern world we live in, gold and magic have been deeply connected since ancient times. For example, alchemy involves the use of magic to create gold. Plus, economically speaking gold is inherently valuable which will always make it special to humans. We tapped into the magic of gold as a main color in creating the universe of Forspoken.

This new line’s t-shirt and coins let players bring some of Forspoken’s golden magic into their everyday lives.

Jacket: Emblem on Frey’s Pants

Do you recognize the emblem on this jacket? If so, you have a good eye! This emblem appears in-game on Frey’s jeans and is a subtle detail not everyone may have caught. The motif of this emblem is Frey’s right hand, which she uses to wield her magic.

Frey wears the emblem without knowing what it is while still living in modern day New York City, which hints that Athia may have been calling to her for some time. From a design perspective, Frey’s black jeans blend well among the fantasy world’s cloaks and belts. This emblem being on a real-life jacket is a nod to its original home on Frey’s jeans.

Pin Badges: Icons

These icons on the pin badges perfectly represent the merging of the modern age and fantasy. In terms of UI functionality, modern and simple icons are great, but icons also need to stylistically evoke a fantasy feel. We carefully merged these two seemingly opposing elements and designed the icons one by one.

The specific icons featured on the pin badges can also be seen in-game once Frey has discovered her magical abilities. These magic icons were inspired by signs Frey saw in modern New York City as well as her experiences within Athia.

This collection of Pin Badges lets players enchant their lives with stylish designs representing Frey’s most powerful abilities.

Forspoken launches January 24, 2023

Lastly, I’m excited that the day is almost here that I can share the artistic world of Forspoken, which we have been creating for such a long time. The Luminous Productions team and I hope you enjoy immersing yourself in the universe we have created.

Forspoken launches on PS5 on January 24, 2023.

LA is a city known for its influential inhabitants: from silver screen stars to rock ‘n’ roll legends, they all seem to settle right here in Tinseltown. Fast forward to the zompocalypse, however, and most of the movers and shakers are no longer moving or shaking. Or, uh, breathing.

So, I hear you ask, who’s still kicking in HELL-A?

The Slayers

Dead Island 2 features six playable slayers; here’s a little bit about four of them.

Jacob

This Brixton boy and former banker upped sticks and moved to LA to pursue a career as a Hollywood stuntman after the death of his beloved mum. Unflappable in the face of danger, Jacob brings a cool and collected attitude to every situation, no matter how hairy it is. An appreciator of the classics, you’ll often hear Jacob quoting Shakespeare as he rips through a horde of zombies. It’s safe to say this Brit is certainly making his mark on HELL-A!

Amy

An LA native and former Paralympian, Amy now competes at the highest level in the discipline of zombie-slaying. Years of honing her mental and physical abilities has left her with lightning-quick reflexes, iron focus, and a winner’s determination. A skilled and confident mistress of her own destiny, she’s accepted the situation in HELL-A and is even managing to bring a little positivity to proceedings as she takes on the undead across the city.

Dani

County Cork’s own rockabilly daughter. Dani originally made her way across the Pond to live and work in Boston. One icy cold winter later, she decided to relocate to the much warmer paradise of Los Angeles. She may not quite fit in with the influencers and pop stars residing in LA, but since landing in the city, she’s made herself a fixture of the local punk and alternative scenes, and found that joining a roller derby team was the perfect way to let out some pent-up aggression. The zombies won’t know what hit ‘em!

Ryan

This Fresno native’s success as a sexy-firefighter-o-gram and exotic dancer (call ‘The Big Hose’ – ask for Ryan) often sees him under the bright lights of LA. When he isn’t entertaining bachelorette parties by making his pecs dance, he’s devoted to his family. He has an especially close bond with his little brother, whom he raised for many years after their parents passed. Now that the city has gone to hell, his goal is to get back home to make sure his bro is safe. His lifelong pessimism has finally been justified, which is how he’s managing to take it all in stride with an eye-roll and desert-dry sense of humor.

Residents of HELL-A

And hey, while you’re touring HELL-A, keep an eye out! Certified celebrities have been spotted around the city. Former Hollywood leading man, Curtis Sinclair, is said to be still residing in his mansion in Beverly Hills. Apparently, he has enough single malt and cigars on hand to last two apocalypses. We’ve been informed that vlogger and internet prankster, Amanda Styles, has taken to documenting the current situation in HELL-A and is looking for volunteers — both alive and dead — to star in her videos. Jimmy Montana, Star of the long-running police procedural drama “The Badge” and notorious Hollywood-level diva, has been reported to be holing up in a hotel with a group of survivors somewhere in the city. And finally, former lead axeman for the iconic rock group “Gods n Whiskey”, Rikky Rex, is said to be sleeping off a hangover with his partner, Roxanne, after the couple hosted a rager of an evacuation party at their home in the Hollywood Hills.

See You in HELL-A

That’s a rundown of just a few of the faces you can expect to see in HELL-A come April 28th, 2023.

Head to the Dead Island 2 website for more information: https://deadisland.com/

Dead Island 2

Deep Silver

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$69.99

The much-loved zombie saga is back with a unique formula of horror, dark humor and over the top zombie-slaying, spanning an epic pulp adventure.

Dead Island 2 is thrilling First-Person Action RPG, stylish, vibrant and flooded with zombie infection. Explore iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer!

Pre-order now and get the Memories of Banoi pack, featuring two unique weapons, a special weapon perk and skill card.

FEATURES

Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.

Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and tactical (and brutal) options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.

Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogues. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.

Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? Our LA is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2 with dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?

A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling pulp story, to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in LA for a very long (and gory) trip.

DEAD ISLAND 2 DELUXE EDITION

Deep Silver

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$74.99

The Deluxe Edition includes the Xbox and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, two premium character packs, featuring a unique costume and weapon, and the Golden Weapons Pack. Pre-order now and get the Memories of Banoi pack, with two weapons, a special weapon perk and skill card.

The much-loved zombie saga is back with a unique formula of horror, dark humor and over the top zombie-slaying, spanning an epic pulp adventure.

Dead Island 2 is thrilling First-Person Action RPG, stylish, vibrant and flooded with zombie infection. Explore iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer!

FEATURES

Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.

Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and tactical (and brutal) options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.

Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogues. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.

Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? Our LA is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2 with dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?

A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling pulp story, to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in LA for a very long (and gory) trip.

DEAD ISLAND 2 GOLD EDITION

Deep Silver

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$89.99

Dead Island 2 is thrilling First-Person Action RPG, stylish, vibrant and flooded with zombie infection. Explore iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer!

The Gold Edition includes the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, two premium character packs, Golden and Pulp Weapons Packs and Expansion Pass.

The Expansion Pass gives access to two brand new chapters of the story coming after release. Pre-order now and get the Memories of Banoi Pack.

FEATURES

Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.

Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and tactical (and brutal) options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.

Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogues. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.

Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? Our LA is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2 with dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?

A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling pulp story, to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in LA for a very long (and gory) trip.

The numbers are in, and the Nintendo Switch was 2022’s best-selling console of the year in the United States based on units sold, according to NPD. The system that drove the most dollar sales in 2022, however, was the PlayStation 5 due in part to its bigger sticker price relative to the Switch.

For December 2022 specifically, the PS5 ranked No. 1 for dollar sales and the Switch topped the charts for unit sales. Spending on hardware in December grew by 16% to $1.5 billion, while hardware revenue for the full year of 2022 in the US reached $6.6 billion, which was up 8% year-over-year.

The NPD report had no information at all about how the Xbox platform performed in December 2022 or the full year of 2022.

Spending on console games for December 2022 in the US fell by 1% to $5.5 billion, while game sales for the full year of 2022 declined 7% to $47.5 billion. Every segment in gaming content except subscription experienced year-over-year declines. Mobile games specifically saw declines for 2022, with shooter games in particular seeing pronounced dropoffs in 2022, falling by 26% year-over-year.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was the No. 1 best-selling game in the US for December 2022 and the full year. You can see the full top 10 sales chart here.

For all sectors combined, total spending on the video game market reached $7.6 billion for December 2022 (+2%) and $56.6 billion (-5%) for the full year. The NPD said the fact that new consoles continued to experience “supply constraints” contributed to the year-over-year downturn in total sales in 2022, as well as a “relatively light” lineup of new games and macroeconomic conditions.

For its part, Sony believes the PS5 shortage is basically over.

^Check out our preview video of Wo Long, coming to Game Pass soon!

Wo Long Fallen Dynasty is headed to Xbox Game Pass (inc. for PC) on March 3rd, and for our money it’s shaping up rather nicely.

Borrowing its lore from the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, it shares a few common elements with Dynasty Warriors, but with a vastly different, dark fantasy twist to proceedings. It’s also a Souls-like, so players can expect a bleak atmosphere and punishing combat, but again with an added twist: a host of AI companions to help you on your journey.

Wo Long coming do Game Pass day one, and being a high profile title from a very established studio, could make for interesting case study in what happens if a lot of people who aren’t into Souls-type games suddenly have access to one with a very low barrier for entry. For all of Elden Ring’s hype as being the most accessible Souls game to date, forking out seventy quid for it is still a daunting prospect if you’ve bounced off the genre before. But Wo Long could be a route into the genre for many, given that it’s not quite as daunting and can be accessed for a little as two Meal Deals.

We’ll have to see. But, apart from its allure for those resistant to repeatedly getting the snot kicked out of them, Wo Long has plenty to offer the genre’s proponents too, as Sherif explains in the video above. What’s also clear is that Team Ninja is tweaking this thing until the last second to make sure it feels good to play, and that its systems and UI are easily readable or understandable, so the only barrier between the player and success is their own skill and not obtuse game design.

Imagine that!

After putting in some major study sessions and passing its tests in 2019’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem Engage makes the potentially surprising decision to take a purposeful step away from that focus on time management and teaching. Many base activities and socializing aspects with your team are still here, but Engage makes the smart move to adjust its sights back toward the roots of the series by putting engaging tactical combat first and foremost. There’s a reverence for Fire Emblems past that is clear in every aspect of it, even including the spirits of legendary heroes from previous games that power up your team, which match the strategic depth they bring with an exciting visual flair every time they’re unleashed. Its classic good vs. evil story may not reach those same heights of its predecessor, but the Divine Dragon’s adventure still stands tall among its peers – both on its own merits and as a wonderful tribute to Fire Emblem’s legacy.

When Fire Emblem Engage first introduced the idea that twelve rings housed the spirits of protagonists of Fire Emblem’s past, I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical. (According to the story, they aren’t actually the exact same heroes from other worlds – more like incorporeal manifestations that retain the knowledge and abilities of their hero’s journey… or something). From Marth to Ike, Celica to Byleth, and plenty more, these legends will advise you, spar with you, and become your battle companions as you try to collect all 12 rings and defeat the big bad Fell Dragon who wants to corrupt them for nefarious purposes. While it’s fun to see familiar faces, there were also plenty I didn’t recognize, which had me worried about how much of the backstory of these heroes were going to be lost on me. Three come from games never officially released outside Japan, and several more have only been featured on the GameBoy Advance or similar decades-old Nintendo consoles — unless you count their inclusion in Smash Bros. or the mobile gacha game Fire Emblem Heroes.