Ninja Theory shows off Hellblade II’s stunning facial animation tech

Almost Unreal As part of this week’s Game Developer Conference (GDC) publisher Epic Games and developer Team Ninja has shone the light on the stunning facial animation tech that will be used to bring life and personality to the characters of long-in-development sequelSenua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Thedemonstration videoshows off Unreal Engine’s “Metahuman” technology, and features the face of actor Melina Juergens, who portrays the troubled Senua in theHellbladeseries. The video begins with an extreme close-up of Senua’s eyes, slowing pulling back as she delivers a dramatic monologue, before finally being lost in flickering flame....

July 9, 2025 · 2 min · 248 words · Derek Franklin

No, The Wolf Among Us 2 hasn’t been canceled

The Wolf Among Us 2has been listed as “Coming Soon” on itsEpic Games Store pagefor so long that it’s not surprising folks are getting noticeably concerned over it. Following a recent rumor that it got dusted, Telltale had to confirm that it’s (yes) still in development. The rumor apparently began on a Reddit thread, where a supposed whistleblower reported that the game was on the brink of cancellation. They wrote thatThe Wolf Among Us 2was “at a critical point” and Telltale may have “no choice but to shelve it....

July 9, 2025 · 2 min · 280 words · Mark Nguyen

Ogle these close ups of LittleBigPlanet’s ICO characters

We’ve known for a little while now thatICOcostumes are on the way toLittleBigPlanet, and any fan of Team ICO’s memorably gorgeous game are likely excited about it. Even more exciting was to stumble uponMedia Molecule’s Flickr pagetoday and discover stunning high res pictures of each of the characters that will be available, including, Yorda, Wander, Quadratus, Gaius, Ico and the sticker pack. Yay! Go have a closer look so you’re able to decide if these are worth your hard-earned green....

July 9, 2025 · 1 min · 122 words · Theodore Gonzalez

Oklahoma tax break proposal snubs mature videogames

An Oklahoma state senator hasproposed tax breaksfor game developers, but only if the games being made aren’t rated M for Mature by the ESRB. Films, commercials and TV projects already get tax incentives in the state with only a an obvious restriction on hardcore porn, but games have thus far been left out in the cold. The new proposal was made by Senator Anthony Sykes, who apparently would rathernotexclude Mature games, which is hypocritical, given the breaks other media get....

July 9, 2025 · 2 min · 260 words · Krista Henderson

Ori creators reveal new Action RPG No Rest for the Wicked

As nice as the usual salvo of remakes and sequels is, it’s nice to see acclaimed developers take on new worlds every now and then. To fill this niche, Moon Studios, the creators ofthe acclaimedOriseries, has revealed a new ARPG calledNo Rest for the Wicked. We can see some vague cinematics at the start, setting the stage for a somber story. However, once the gameplay kicks in, we get a glimpse of an ARPG-style perspective of our protagonist running through some scenery and fighting enemies....

July 9, 2025 · 2 min · 346 words · Paul Allen

PlayStation Store’s Remasters & Retro sale is calling my name

Okay fine, I’ll buy Castlevania Anniversary Collection for $5 Not that you’d know it by browsing the PlayStation Store on a PS5, where deals are weirdly obfuscated compared to the browser-based store (whichitselfis a less-than-ideal shopping experience for deal-hunters), but aRemasters & Retro saleis running on PSN today through Jun 25, 2025. If you’re in the habit of snatching up discounted digital PS4 games, I think you’ll find something. Remasters & Retro sale highlights...

July 9, 2025 · 1 min · 131 words · Brooke Jones

Preview: Tony Hawk 3 + 4 remaster is a great, modern skating experience fit for newcomers and pros alike

TheTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4remaster’sFoundry Demois now available for those who pre-ordered the fresh upcoming version of the classic titles, and I’ve got a chance to take a look myself and see if Activision managed to pull it off. And, as things stand, it seems like it. I came in not knowing what to expect, but wasn’t disappointed Having not been a die-hard fan of skating games as a kid, I didn’t really get intoTony Hawkand similar games as much as some others have....

July 9, 2025 · 4 min · 693 words · Matthew Wilson

PS5 pack-in Astro’s Playroom will take several hours to beat

Expect a lot of nods to PlayStation’s history Astro’s Playroommay very well be the first PlayStation 5 game I end up playing. Not only is the breezy vibin’ platformer free, it’s coming pre-installed, so while some of us are waiting forDemon’s SoulsorSpider-Man: Miles Moralesto finish downloading, it’ll be calling our names. On the flip side, won’t it just be a fleeting experience? After all, it’s a pack-in meant to demo the DualSense....

July 9, 2025 · 1 min · 164 words · Carl Parsons

Review: Astro A50

It doesn’t take much to really improve the gaming experience. Better seating, better lighting, better company, etc. are sometimes all it takes to go from an utterly insufferable trek through your simulated world of choice to a magical journey that will keep you coming back for hours on end. Upgrading your audio setup is often one of the best ways to squeeze every bit of rich detail from a game. Better speakers can kindle a warmer affinity for the creaking, tired breaths of Rapture or give that extra edge over the competition....

July 9, 2025 · 5 min · 975 words · Brittany Franco

Review: ThinkGeek’s JOYSTICK-IT for iPad/tablets

I love gaming on my iPod and my iPad, but I simply can’t stand those virtual analog sticks and joysticks used in so many titles. Sure, I can use them, and I understand that sometimes a game’s design dictates that as the only option. But I always find them either too sensitive or not sensitive enough, and damn it, sometimes I miss the tactile feel of a traditional stick while gaming....

July 9, 2025 · 4 min · 726 words · Christopher Orr

Salt and Sanctuary is suddenly set to come to Switch next week

‘Prepare to die’ is applicable here too Ska Studios’ 2Dlove letter to theDark Soulsgamesis getting another port more than two years after it was first released. This time, it’s coming to the most en vogue system around. Salt and Sanctuaryislaunching on Nintendo Switchon August 2, and it’s priced at $17.99. Ska confirmed to us that this is a straight port of all the content from the PC and PS4 versions. For anyone who’s not so keen on digital wares,Salt and Sanctuarywill also get a physical release during the holiday season....

July 9, 2025 · 2 min · 241 words · Matthew Ramos

Some BioShock Trophies will be unique

Tynan Wales, designer for the PlayStation 3 version ofBioShock, recently rebutted fan response to familiar Trophies in aPlayStationBlogarticle. When Waleslast gave detailson some of the Trophies planned for the game, users were quick to point out that the majority of the Trophies were akin to the Achievements handed out in the Xbox 360 version. This time around, Wales states that sentiment “is not case” and outlines two Trophies unique to the game....

July 9, 2025 · 1 min · 194 words · Paul Johnson

Surprise! Pok?mon continues to dominate in sales

Whilebathroom accoutrementsare certainly one indicator of brand ubiquity, there’s nothing quite like cold, hard sales numbers.Pokémon, that other monster-hunting game series, is still trucking along with no signs of slowing down. In Nintendo’s most recent annual report, the company announced thatDiamond / Pearlhas exceeded 17.57 million in sales;Platinum, 7.43 million;HeartGold / SoulSilver, 11.90 million; andBlack / White, 11.51 million. Now, these numbers are current as of March 2011, which means the games have had a few more months to rack up sales....

July 9, 2025 · 1 min · 150 words · Christopher Lawrence