Watch Dogs: Legion – Release Date, NPC Mechanics, And Everything We Know

After a strong showing from Watch Dogs 2, Ubisoft is going back to its hacker-centric open-world formula with Watch Dogs: Legion. We got a pretty close look at the third game in the series at E3 2019, and it looks to expand on the ideas of the games of the past pretty significantly. You’ll still use your amped-up smartphone to hack the planet in every mission, turning security cameras, alarms, weapons, traffic lights, and lots of other connected devices to your whim. But with Legion, Ubisoft is adding a lot of systems that make the world of DedSec feel deeper and more customizable. You’re not just a part of a hacker revolution–you’re building it from the ground up.

Though there haven’t been many more details about Watch Dogs: Legion since E3, we did spend some time going hands-on with the new game, getting a sense of how it handles and how its new NPC-centric character system works. Here’s everything we’ve learned about the game, from its announcement at E3 2019 to now, including when we might expect it to be released. We’ll continue to update this as more information is revealed prior to its release.

What Is Watch Dogs: Legion?

Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs series puts you in the role of a hacker trying to bring down a corrupt government surveillance state. In the first game, set in Chicago, you played Aiden Pearce, a hacker outlaw with the ability to tap into and manipulate ctOS, a city-spanning computer system that surveilled and collected data on just about everybody. The bones of Ubisoft’s open-world game were similar to what the developer has turned out in other franchises–it was a third-person cover shooter that mixed in stealth elements, and in which you also could hop into just about any car to reach various destinations and evade the pursuit of police cars. What Watch Dogs added was the hacking element, which let you change traffic lights to cause collisions and stop pursuers, jack into surveillance cameras to see enemy patrol routes and more carefully stealth your way around them, or set off enemies’ radios or weapons to create distractions.

In Watch Dogs 2, Ubisoft switched to a new character, Marcus, and his group of anarchist hackers known as DedSec. In that game, ctOS had spread to San Francisco, and the hackers were trying to overthrow the system and free the city. It also had a fairly political bent, satirizing tech culture in the city and leaning into a few charged topics of the modern world, such as police violence against minorities and people of color.

Watch Dogs: Legion continues down the path set by Watch Dogs 2. You’re again working with DedSec, but things have gone full-on dystopia. The game is set in a possible future of our current world, taking place in a post-Brexit London that has become a police state as the government has struggled to deal with the fallout from the current political climate. Instead of joining a hacker collective of various characters as in Watch Dogs 2, however, in Legion, you’re building DedSec from the start of the game. You do that by recruiting various non-player characters into the fold. The biggest change in Legion is the fact that every character in the game could potentially become a player character if you do what’s necessary to recruit them, which includes exercising your hacker abilities to learn about their backstories, changing their opinions about DedSec, and completing loyalty missions to turn them to your cause. Any NPC in the city is a potential recruit, and they all have randomized abilities and foibles that can make them assets to your team under the right circumstances.

While most of the hacking gameplay systems from the past two games persist into Legion, it’s the NPC system that really sets it apart.

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How Legion’s NPC System Works

In past Watch Dogs games, your hacking repertoire included the Profiler, a system that let you instantly dig up a little bit of information on passing NPCs and characters you might interact with. That info sometimes gave you gameplay options, like siphoning some funds from a person’s bank account, but mostly was just window dressing to make various folks wandering Chicago or San Francisco seem a little more real.

The Profiler is an essential tool in Legion, however. Every time you use it to scan an NPC in the game, you learn key information about that person. You’ll see their occupation and what they’re currently up to–all the NPCs have jobs and schedules in Legion–as well as their intrinsic traits. A given person might deal significantly more melee damage than other characters, or be adept at hacking. They might also have physical ailments; one elderly character we played at E3 was a great hacker but physically weak, and moved more slowly than our other recruits because of her advanced age. (In the same way you learn about potential recruits, you can also use the Profiler on enemies to learn their strengths and weaknesses ahead of a battle.)

You’ll also receive a little backstory about each NPC you scan and get a look at their opinion on DedSec. The authorities in London consider DedSec a terrorist organization and rail against it in the media, so some people have a critical view of the hackers, while others are more sympathetic to their cause.

In order to recruit an NPC, you first need to raise their opinion of DedSec, which you can do by helping them with their problems you learn about from the Profiler or doing deeds they appreciate in a Robin Hood-like way. Characters also remember negative things about DedSec’s actions, so you’ll need to be careful about what you do and how people see you. As you raise those opinions, you’ll eventually get a chance to complete a specific mission for that character tied to their backstory. One character we recruited at E3 was being blackmailed by corrupt cops, requiring us to infiltrate New Scotland Yard and erase the dirt they had on our would-be DedSec addition. After completing the mission, the guy joined up, which added him to the roster of up to 20 DedSec characters we could have at any given time.

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Character Classes, Perks, And Switching

Once you have characters, you open up a host of other systems related to them. Legion includes three character classes, and when you get a new recruit, you assign them one of your choice:

  • Enforcer, a combat-heavy class for characters who are good at shooting.
  • Infiltrator, a class better suited for stealth and melee fighting, with the ability to briefly become invisible.
  • Hacker, a class that can control London’s police drones and gets a spider bot to help with sneaking around, manipulating computers.

You generally want to choose classes for your characters that align with their intrinsic traits; melee fighters are better as Infiltrators, while characters who can soak up a lot of damage make good Enforcers, and so on. Playing as your character can also level them up to unlock additional abilities and perks over time, so it’s worth investing time in your recruits.

As you recruit characters, you’ll be able to switch to them on the fly whenever you want. Since everybody still has a job and a schedule, characters you’re not playing as will go about their lives in the meantime; when you swap to them, you’ll find them wherever they are in the city. When you’re not using characters, they’re still an active part of the group, however. They’ll chime in on the radio to comment on your missions and actions, and some have passive perks that can affect your gameplay even when they’re not around. In our E3 demo, we found ourselves fleeing police, and got a notification that another character’s passive trait would increase police response times to make it a bit easier to get away. Abilities like that effectively make it feel as if the rest of DedSec is working with you and helping you out, even when they’re not around.

Legion’s Five Stories And How They Work

Legion finds the city of London “facing her downfall.” Various hardships in the post-Brexit era have crippled the government, allowing power-hungry opportunists to take advantage. One such is Albion, a private military company hired by the government to keep the peace, but which vastly infringes on the rights and freedoms of the citizenry. Our time with Legion also suggested there’s some intrigue in the crumbling government itself, with spies and other actors trying to consolidate their power in the chaos.

According to Ubisoft, Legion doesn’t just tell one big story across its campaign; instead, it features five distinct storylines that sound like they’ll work sort of like episodes that you’ll uncover as you play.

“Each of those storylines tackles a variety of topics, from AI and automation and their effect on society to oppression from a private military controlling the city, and obviously playing a resistance with that team is caught up in that,” lead producer Sean Crooks told us at E3. “It’s crucial. It’s very important and critical to the story and the team.”

It sounds like it might be tough to tell a convincing story using a cast of random NPCs, but our time with Legion suggested Ubisoft has a pretty good handle on that idea. When you hit a story cutscene, whatever character you happen to be playing becomes its protagonist, just like when you’re playing the rest of the game. Characters have distinct animations, voice actors, and dialogue lines, so it doesn’t feel like you’re seeing a set of generic animations and lines with your character’s particular appearance added in. That works to help make it feel as though the characters you recruit are the fully fleshed-out stars of the game, even though you can pull them from literally anywhere.

There are other nice touches to go along with the cutscene system. Characters interact with each other and chime in on what’s happening over the radio when you’re not playing them, lending them a little more personality. While you’re in charge of their actions, little touches like these help to make the cast feel more real and alive. Given the fact that a big part of Watch Dogs 2’s success was its solid and well-written cast of characters, Legion’s NPC system initially sounded like it would undercut the game’s ability to tell its stories–but from our time at E3, at least, this doesn’t seem to be the case.

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Combat And The New Melee System

As in past Watch Dogs games, you’ll get into your fair share of gunfights in Legion. Once you recruit a character to your team, they seemingly get some special ops training, because every member of DedSec can handle themselves with a gun, a taser, or a punch to an enemy’s face. Combat is similar to previous games when it comes to guns–you’ll be able to snag both lethal and non-lethal options, taking cover behind objects and shooting around corners or over their tops to avoid taking damage yourself.

One big change to the Watch Dogs formula is a new melee combat system that gives you more options for dealing with enemies. In the past, getting into a gunfight was a pretty sure way to wreck your attempts at stealth, with enemies pouring in to take you down from all directions once you’d opened fire. The melee system solves that problem, giving you a way to dispatch baddies without necessarily tipping off every single person in a building that you’re there.

The melee system is pretty robust, as well. In addition to stealth takedowns, it also includes the ability to dodge and block, and combos you can execute against enemies. You won’t just be slamming the punch button when an enemy turns around and spots you at an inopportune moment–you’ll have to think about how to beat them hand-to-hand.

Is There Permadeath?

With a roster of characters you can recruit from anywhere, it stands to reason that if you can add characters, you can also lose them. Legion includes a system in which your characters can die for good, although it’s more of a risk-reward proposition than a looming threat throughout the game.

When a character takes too much damage, they can be captured by authorities and arrested, requiring you to free them, or they can be grievously wounded and require some time in a hospital. In both cases, the character is out of commission, and if you lose them on a mission, you’ll fail it and have to try it over again with someone new. But there’s also a system that lets you rally from a defeat, at the risk of potentially losing a character to permanent death.

As we saw at E3, if a character takes enough damage that they would be knocked out, you can choose to succumb and let the mission fail, keeping the character alive but incapacitated. Conversely, you can also choose to fight through the pain, giving the character a chance to continue. You get a second chance at completing the mission without losing your progress, but at a serious risk: If your character takes too much damage a second time, they’ll die for good. In practice, that means permadeath is possible, but something you can avoid if you’re willing to repeat missions. Should you be willing to go for broke, however, you might find members of DedSec will fall in battle, never to return.

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Is There Multiplayer?

Yes, there’s multiplayer. As with Watch Dogs 2, Watch Dogs: Legion will support cooperative play online with as many as four players. You’ll also share your progression through both single-player and cooperative modes, so playing with your friends won’t be a setback to your progress when you’re alone.

Crowd-Sourced Music

As with Beyond Good and Evil 2, Ubisoft announced it has partnered with HitRecord, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s media company, to create music for Legion. HitRecord’s deal is that it works with artists to basically crowdsource content. Artists can collaborate through the community to make various works; in the case of music, one artist might write a guitar riff or piano line, while another contributes a different instrument, and so on. Ubisoft contracted with HitRecord for 10 songs that’ll play on in-game radios, with each song earning its creators $2,000, split between collaborators. Their names will also appear in the credits. Creators whose songs aren’t chosen for the game get no compensation.

Will It Be On Xbox Series X/PS5?

Yup. As Ubisoft confirmed in October, Watch Dogs: Legion will be a next-generation console game, popping up on both Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles from Microsoft. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said the game will “take full advantage” of the power of those machines, but of course, we don’t yet know what that means. Legion will also be released on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, for those who aren’t keen on a console upgrade, and on Google’s Stadia streaming platform.

Release Date

Ubisoft originally slated Legion’s release date for March 6, 2020. In November 2019, however, the company announced that it was delaying the game into its 2020-2021 fiscal year, without giving it a new release date. That means as of right now, we can expect Legion to release sometime after March 2020–but we don’t know exactly when.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-legion-release-date-npc-mechanics-and-e/1100-6472425/

Free Game Available For 48 Hours In GOG’s Winter Sale Finale

GOG’s winter sale is winding down, but the digital retailer has a post-holiday surprise for PC gamers. From now until January 1 at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET, tactical RPG Tower of Time is free at GOG. All you need to do to claim the freebie is create a free GOG account.

Developed by Event Horizon, Tower of Time is an isometric RPG that blends fantasy with science fiction in a post-apocalyptic setting. It has a rather interesting setup, as you play as the main character during only the first section of the game. After the introduction, the protagonist sits takes the throne atop of the eponymous tower and watches and influences the group of champions that explore down below.

While you start off with just two champions, you’ll eventually have seven characters–each with their own distinct class and skills–to choose from when assembling your party. Tower of Time’s combat takes place in real-time, but it can be slowed down and even paused. Success hinges on planning your moves in advance.

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Though Tower of Time has a story that reacts to your decisions, you can move through the roughly 50-hour adventure much faster by playing in the combat-focused RPGlite mode. For those who like tough challenges, permadeath is an option.

Tower of Time is the only freebie at GOG, but you still have time to save on tons of PC games during the winter sale. Most notably, The Witcher Universe Collection is available for just $27 until January 5. The bundle includes all three mainline games in CD Projekt Red’s fantasy series, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, and The Witcher Adventure Game.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-game-available-for-48-hours-in-gogs-winter-sa/1100-6472439/

Marvel’s Avengers – Everything We Know About The Upcoming Superhero Game

As 2019 winds down, it’s time to look ahead to 2020 and a whole new year of game releases. Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers is among the many titles already scheduled to be released in the new year; below, we’ve outlined everything we know about the upcoming game.

If you haven’t been keeping track, 2020 is looking to be one of the most jam-packed years for new game releases we’ve seen in a while. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft are all delivering brand-new IPs and long-awaited sequels to fan-favorite first-party series. Third party developers are delivering too, both triple-A and indie. And, of course, there will be new consoles on the market. Marvel’s Avengers will have a lot of competition for player attention in 2020.

Announcement & Reveal

First announced in January 2017 with the codename The Avengers Project, Marvel’s Avengers remained fairly secret for years–the only concrete information revealed was that it was being developed by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal, the same teams respectively behind the Tomb Raider reboot trilogy and Deus Ex series. It wouldn’t be until 2019 that more information would be released: that the game was officially called Marvel’s Avengers. The game was then officially unveiled and shown off for the first time at E3 2019.

Initial reactions for the game were mixed–we here at GameSpot weren’t sure what the game even was upon seeing it behind closed doors. Based solely on the announcement trailer, Marvel’s Avengers seemed to be a superhero game where you played missions as the titular characters in levels that included both button-mashing combat segments and scripted, on-the-rails platforming/flight sections. The trailer released fresh off the heels of the widely popular Avengers Endgame, and some fans weren’t too thrilled with the stylistic choices taken with the Avengers’ new designs. Square Enix went on record saying the designs would stay, but, ultimately, the characters did get updated designs in future trailers, gameplay reveals, and press images.

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What Is Marvel’s Avengers?

It wouldn’t be until Gamescom 2019 that we’d get a better idea as to what Marvel’s Avengers even is. Despite the title, the main focus of the game’s narrative does not actually focus on Earth’s mightiests heroes. Instead, the main character of Marvel’s Avengers is Kamala Khan, the second Ms. Marvel and the first openly Muslim character to headline a Marvel comic. Since her debut, Kamala has quickly become one of Marvel’s most beloved heroes, going on to receive a second comic run under a different writer and feature in numerous animated series and video games. She’s also getting a live-action TV series for Disney+, which will introduce the character to Disney’s MCU.

Marvel’s Avengers primarily follows on the heels of a reworked variation of the Inhumanity storyline, in which countless humans around the world suddenly discover they are Inhuman and develop superpowers. Kamala is one such Inhuman, developing shapeshifting abilities that she can utilize to grow in size and strength. Discovering a plot by the villainous H.I.V.E, Kamala attempts to reunite the disbanded Avengers, who went their separate ways after failing to stop a terrorist attack.

Gameplay wise, Marvel’s Avengers sees you take on missions as different superheroes–primarily Kamala, but you do play as Avengers and familiar faces from the Marvel universe as well–all of whom play differently. This opens up Marvel’s Avengers to different types of gameplay, ranging from high-action flight missions as Iron Man to more Batman: Arkham Trilogy-like stealth and combat sections as Black Widow. As a result, certain missions can only be tackled by specific characters. However, some missions will allow you to replay them with different characters from the in-game roster.

Marvel’s Avengers is being developed as a games-as-a-service title, with additional characters, missions, and cosmetics releasing after the game has launched. The game supports both single- and multiplayer; as well as both off- and online play.

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What Characters Will Be Included In Marvel’s Avengers?

A complete list has yet to be revealed, but, so far, the following characters have been confirmed to be playable in Marvel’s Avengers. Note: Square Enix has teased Hawkeye as a playable character, but has asked fans to “stay tuned” for additional details.

Confirmed Playable Characters

  • Captain America
  • Iron Man
  • Black Widow
  • Hulk
  • Thor
  • Ant-Man
  • Ms. Marvel

The following Marvel characters have been confirmed for Marvel’s Avengers as well, though no announcement has been made confirming whether or not they’re playable.

Additional Characters Confirmed To At Least Appear

  • Taskmaster
  • The Abomination

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When Will Marvel’s Avengers Release?

Marvel’s Avengers is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Google Stadia on May 15, 2020.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marvels-avengers-everything-we-know-about-the-upco/1100-6472437/

Death Stranding: Hideo Kojima And Yoji Shinkawa Break Down A Pivotal Scene

Audio Logs is a show all about the magic of making games. It features the people that design and develop the experiences that we love, telling the stories of how they’re made. Making games is a long and difficult process where passionate people work tirelessly to overcome challenges, all so that we can be moved by unique games. We rarely see just how much care, thought, and attention goes into every element of the games we play, but Audio Logs aims to deliver some insight into that by giving creators a platform to tell their stories. This, we hope, will, in turn, let fans to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the games they hold dear.

In Audio Logs Season One, we delved into the creation of God of War, Dead Cells, Cuphead, Devil May Cry V, the Shadow of the Colossus remake, and Overwatch character Baptiste, as well as looking back at the career of Goichi “Suda51” Suda. Season 2 will be equally as exciting, and we’re starting with a big one!

The first episode of Audio Logs Season 2 is all about Death Stranding, a unique game and one of the most interesting of 2019. Discussing it are none other than legendary game developers Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa, who break down a pivotal scene from early on in the game. The duo lay out how it was created and reveal the thinking behind its direction, as well as detail how individual elements were designed and depicted.

The scene in question was first shown at The Game Awards in 2017 and, in Kojima and Shinkawa’s own words, encapsulates much of the overall Death Stranding experience. It shows Norman Reedus’s character, Sam Porter Bridges, encountering a BT and having to deal with the fallout of the event. This scene is densely packed with information about the science-fiction world that Death Stranding is set in, but it’s all intentionally placed to give players key information and hint at mysteries that will unfold over the course of the game.

Kojima and Shinkawa unpack the scene, pointing out the smaller details that may not be immediately apparent, explaining why they are important and relevant, and telling the stories of how they were created. For fans of Death Stranding–or Kojima Productions’ previous work–there’s plenty of fascinating insight into things such as why Sam is so frequently shown lying down, the reason the suits look the way they do, and different versions of the Odradek. Kojima also delves into some of the inspirations behind the game, telling stories such as how a bug led to one of the creepiest creatures in Death Stranding, and exploring the message he wants to send through the game.

This episode of Audio Logs is available to watch above, and you can also see it on YouTube, where Season 1 is available to watch. Be sure to subscribe to GameSpot on YouTube to see more episodes as they’re released every Sunday. You won’t want to miss it as the coming episodes will be focused on Control, Persona 5 Royal, Gears 5, and a few more surprises.

In GameSpot’s Death Stranding review, Kallie Plagge said it is a “hard game to absorb,” adding that its quirkier aspects “belie an otherwise very simple message” which becomes more apparent in its mundane moments. Moments such as “when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts are “positive without ignoring pain.” She continues: “In fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

Death Stranding was also highlighted as one of GameSpot’s favorite games of the year. “With our present being rife with political turmoil and a general feeling of angst towards our future, there’s a comfort that can be found in a routine and the positivity from others who come from different backgrounds,” said Alessandro Fillari. “Sam’s routine as a delivery man in a post-apocalyptic setting reveals its larger message of hope and perseverance in the face of depressing circumstances, which is a touching message that resonates deeply.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/death-stranding-hideo-kojima-and-yoji-shinkawa-bre/1100-6472436/

Sports Story – Steven Petite’s Most Anticipated Game Of 2020

2020 is almost here, so we’ve asked GameSpot’s staff to share which games they’re looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you’re done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub and our Most Anticipated of 2020 hub.

More than two years after its release, I still regularly think about Golf Story. A Nintendo Switch exclusive developed by Australian studio Sidebar Games, Golf Story spliced Mario sports-style role-playing gameplay with the idiosyncratic humor of Earthbound to create one of the most endearing games I’ve played in a long time. So when Sidebar Games showed off Golf Story’s sequel during December’s Indie World Showcase, Sports Story instantly vaulted to the top of my wishlist.

Though we only have a one-minute trailer to go off of, it’s clear that Sports Story will up the ante when it comes to absurd hijinks. The title gives it away: Sports Story will move beyond golf. In the trailer, golf is well-represented, as is tennis, volleyball, soccer, baseball, and even cricket. It’s also clear that sometimes these sports will mash together in strange mini games like the one shown in the trailer. An NPC pitches a golf ball over a tennis net, and the main character proceeds to smack it with a racket into a soccer goal on the other side. All of these sports will come together in the “Decasportathon,” which will hopefully be as awesome as its name.

Golf Story’s three-click golf gameplay was fun, especially when it strayed away from the traditional in favor of ridiculousness. However, it wasn’t all too complex. While some of the late-game objectives offered a few daunting challenges, the overall simplicity made a decent number of missions feel far too easy, bordering on monotonous. With the sheer variety of activities on display in Sports Story, I’m hopeful that the core gameplay will remain fresh across the entire adventure. It sure looks like Sports Story will mix things up in a big way, as there will also be some dungeon exploration and stealth objectives.

That said, the sports gameplay is only part of the reason why I’m jazzed for Sports Story. Golf Story had a lasting impact on me because of its novel personality and boundless charm. The characters stuck with me. The NPCs that hung out around Golf Story’s country clubs often muttered passive aggressively and told off-kilter jokes. That may not sound pleasant, but the writing teemed with life and even the grouchiest of characters were lovable. To this day, Golf Story remains one of the funniest games I’ve ever played.

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My hope is that Sports Story replicates and expands upon the humor and oddly charming storytelling of its predecessor. The protagonist will once again be taking lessons with his peers–this time at a tennis academy–but the wider scope makes me think that an even grander, more off-the-wall story will be told. Even just from the brief glimpse at the Stardew Valley-esque environments, it looks like the various country clubs and locales will be packed with far more stuff to tinker with, people to talk to, and secrets to uncover. Sports Story doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s expected to launch in mid-2020 as a Switch exclusive, which gives me plenty of time to replay Golf Story a few more times.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sports-story-steven-petites-most-anticipated-game-/1100-6472405/

Dying Light 2: Online Co-Op, Story, And Everything We Know So Far

Techland’s Dying Light 2, the sequel to the open-world zombie-apocalypse game, is shaping up to reinforce the original’s stellar combat and traversal gameplay with a more fleshed out and fully realized world. One of the original game’s biggest strengths was its handling of blending melee combat with slick parkour-based traversal in an open-world overrun by the infected, and it was always thrilling getting in and out of major scrapes with a bag full of loot intact. Dying Light was one of the best games of 2015, and with the next game, there’s a deeper emphasis on having your character play a more prominent role in shaping the fate of the last bastion of humanity left in the world.

As we head into 2020, we figured it’s time to lay out everything we know about Dying Light 2. Since its debut back in 2018, the upcoming sequel looks to do all the things a traditional follow-up sets out to do–build upon the foundations of what was there, tell a new story, and introduce some new surprises. But there’s a bit more going on with Dying Light 2 than we expected, so here’s a quick breakdown of everything we know about the game so far. Once more details are revealed, along with a firm release date, we’ll update this feature for more info.

What Is Dying Light 2?

Dying Light 2 is an open-world action game set in an isolated urban landscape during the zombie apocalypse. You play as Aiden Caldwell, a freelance runner who handles various odd jobs and tasks for the citizens of The City, one of the last human settlements in Europe. Following the events of Dying Light’s post-game expansion, The Following, the former-protagonist Kyle Crane was infected with a new strain of the virus that turns people into the ravenous infected, and he unknowingly spread the disease throughout the world. After the global outbreak, modern civilization came to an end, pushing humanity into a new dark age.

The sequel takes place twenty years later, where the modern world is a thing of the past. In Dying Light 2’s present, advanced technology is scarce, and firearms are hard to come by, requiring you to scavenge parts and piece make-shift weapons together to survive the onslaught of infected, along with enemy factions looking to take what you have left. As you freely explore The City, which is four times bigger than the original game’s world, you’ll be able to take on side-missions, explore abandoned buildings, and make essential choices that will impact the flow of your story. Ultimately, your decisions throughout the settlement will leave an impression on the state of the last human settlement.

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Release Date

As of this time, Dying Light 2 will launch in the first half of 2020 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Techland and publisher Square-Enix hasn’t confirmed the release date at this time, but in a separate interview from WCCFTech, developer Pawel Pohleder confirmed that Dying Light 2 was always planned to be a cross-gen game. In addition to the current hardware, the game will also be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Should You Still Play The Original?

Though Dying Light 2 is a continuation of the original game’s plot, which set the groundwork for the new story, the sequel works as a standalone game on its own. Set two decades later and in an entirely different location, Dying Light 2 sticks with its narrative, with references from the previous game only serving to flesh out a sense of worldbuilding. Still, the original Dying Light is an exhilarating game that’s held up well. If you’re interested in the sequel but haven’t played the original, then definitely give it a shot. With that said, you won’t be at a huge loss if you want to wait for the sequel.

The E3 2018 Debut Trailer

Debuting at E3 2018 during the Microsoft Press Conference, Techland showed off the first look of the follow-up to the 2015 game. Set in a European urban setting, the protagonist fought against several bandits that culminated in important choices that could change the fate of a city’s district, such as taking control of the area’s water supply for selfish benefit. Shortly after the debut, narrative designer Chris Avellone took to the stage to lay out Techland’s vision for the game.

“Dying Light 2 is everything that you would expect from a bold sequel of the first game,” stated Avellone. “A fluid parkour system with improved natural movement, deep and tactical first-person melee combat, and of course, terrifying nights when the infected emerge from the depths of the city to feed on anyone they can find. We invite you to a new vision of the post-apocalypse, an unforgiving reality we call the ‘modern dark ages.'”

What’s New In The Sequel?

The most significant change coming to Dying Light 2 is the new adaptive storytelling. Throughout the game, Aiden Caldwell will rub shoulders with the various factions in The City, and at critical points in the plot, he’ll need to choose whom to side with to press forward. Depending on which factions control the districts of The City, you’ll see changes to the environment that reflect their ideologies. During E3 2019, we saw a gameplay demo that showed off a mission set at a fortified water dam. A faction had moved in and turned it into a safe-haven. While it seemed like a peaceful place, your present task required that you break in and confront the leader, putting you at odds with the group. Choosing to take over the dam will not only claim the territory for your chosen faction, but it will also change the very layout of the district’s map itself. By manipulating the dam’s water levels, certain areas of the map will flood, making them inaccessible. On the inverse of that, other places will see the water drained, which will unearth new places to explore, along with mutated infected that will spread to the city.

Throughout the game, you’ll acquire new abilities and weapons to aid you in your fight against bandits and the more evolved infected. There’s a more significant emphasis on crafting gear, and in some instances, you can build modded weapons that have multiple uses. In the E3 2019 demo, Aiden picked up a special harpoon gun that can be used a mace when you’re out of ammo. Along with that, modded weapons are far more effective in the sequel, but your enemies are also far more capable of taking you down in combat.

According to the developers, the sequel plans to take more cues from role-playing games to give players more choice in the flow of the narrative. With Chris Avellone serving as narrative director, whose previous writing and design credits include the Fallout series and Planescape: Torment, Dying Light 2’s story offers a lot more flexibility when compared to the original’s static plot. This approach will, in turn, create more opportunities to shape the dynamic of The City based on your preferences. In addition to the returning focus on open-world exploration and melee combat, the adaptive narrative adds a new twist that makes the game’s world feel more like your own. In a recent interview, the Techland devs stated that to see the game’s 100+ hours of content, it will require multiple playthroughs of the game.

Will There Be Multiplayer?

Yes, Dying Light 2 will feature co-operative multiplayer for up to four players. Just like the original game, players can have others join their game to take on various missions, activities, and other open-world excursions. As of this time, there hasn’t been any additional info about what you can do in the open-world with other players.

The Extended Gameplay Trailer

At E3 2019, Techland showed off extensive gameplay behind closed doors to press, showcasing a vertical slice of the game’s key pillars for combat, traversal, and storytelling. In the months after E3, the developer released a video of the same demo to the public online. In this video, we saw Aiden freerun across the rooftops to catch up to a truck belonging to a rival faction. This extended clip showcased a lot of the upgrades to melee combat and traversal, both of which feature a greater sense of weight, speed, and flexibility. During parkour traversal, Aiden can run across walls, along with grabbing enemies from perches and use them to break his fall from long drops.

Pre-Order Guide

Currently, there isn’t a set release date for Dying Light 2, nor is there any info on any special collector’s editions of the game. Still, you can pre-order the game at this time on various digital distribution platforms. Check out our pre-order guide to find the best places to go pre-order the game.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dying-light-2-online-co-op-story-and-everything-we/1100-6472407/

Half-Life: Alyx – David Ahmadi’s Most Anticipated Game Of 2020

2020 is almost here, so we’ve asked GameSpot’s staff to share which games they’re looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you’re done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub and our Most Anticipated of 2020 hub.

In 2019, Valve almost gave Half-Life fans what they wanted with official announcement of upcoming prequel Half-Life: Alyx. But when it announced that the next Half-Life game would be a full-length VR-exclusive prequel to Half-Life 2 rather than the concluding story everyone expected, many grew skeptical. I certainly had my doubts at first. After all, I could easily see its exclusivity as a means for Valve to sell more of its recently-released Index headset. However, those concerns were laid to rest with the game’s first trailer. Now I am convinced that Valve is ready to change the way we play virtual reality games, and will shake up the video game industry once again.

Half-Life: Alyx follows the story of Alyx Vance before Gordon Freeman’s arrival in City 17. As fans know, the events of the first game triggered a massive zombie epidemic from a lab experiment gone wrong at the Black Mesa facility. Half-Life: Alyx will most likely fill in the blanks between the first and second game with plenty of surprises up its sleeves–if the spirit of previous Half-Life games is to be of any indication.

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Every detail in the first trailer had me in absolute shock. The game seems to pull from the best ideas that Half-Life 2 introduced while exploring the lingering questions the franchise left us with. But what most excites me about Half-Life: Alyx is the potential in interaction being explored in the game. The truth is, VR has often left me wanting more since I feel that the medium is still several notches shy of true immersion. Based on the trailer, no such concern has been raised, and truthfully, it’s the pedigree that Valve boasted in how Half-Life 1 and 2 radically shifted how we think of first-person shooters has convinced me that VR might be a great choice. I believe Valve’s implementation of VR will be Half-Life: Alyx’s highlight and pave the way for other developers to follow suit. I can already see how the new gloves Alyx uses is bringing gravity gun tricks back into the fray through intriguing-looking combat, and how immersive it might be to peek out from cover or comb through rubble for scarce ammunition. Most of all, I eagerly await and dread the sheer terror I will probably encounter when I turn around just in time to see a headcrab launch itself right at my face.

The early release date is also too much for me to process fully. Here I was accepting that that Half-Life 3 became the gaming world’s favorite meme, and now I’m staring down a March 2020 release date for the only other thing that could get me just as excited. Half-Life: Alyx has its work cut out for it considering the massive expectations fans have from the series, but I’m excited to see what Valve will offer. We at the precipice of a brand new decade of ground-breaking titles, and it is exciting that Valve seems to be cracking its knuckles, eager to get the first shot.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-alyx-david-ahmadis-most-anticipated-game/1100-6472382/

Target Offering Big PS4, Xbox One, And Switch Discounts For Order Pickup Later This Week

The gift-giving season is almost over, but if Santa missed anything from your list you may be able to grab it at a significant discount. Target is offering 25% off select PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games starting Sunday, December 29.

The deal comes from its weekly circular (via Wario64), and applies to select games if you use the store’s online order pickup option. That means ordering through Target.com and then picking your game up through customer service once it’s ready. The ad doesn’t detail every included game, but it does show a few examples: Madden NFL 20, FIFA 20, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Nascar Heat 4, NBA 2K20 Switch, and Just Dance 2020.

Notably, some of those games are actually already on sale at Target for even bigger discounts–particularly the sports games. If you want to pick up Madden, FIFA, or NBA 2K, it’s better to jump on them now instead of later.

This is similar to a deal the retailer offered over the summer, which gave the discounted chunk for online pickup. The move seems aimed at getting users to sample its online pickup option, which some stores are also supporting with dedicated parking spaces so you don’t even have to get out of your car.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/target-offering-big-ps4-xbox-one-and-switch-discou/1100-6472433/

Hollow Knight: Silksong – Jordan Ramée’s Most Anticipated Game Of 2020

2020 is almost here, so we’ve asked GameSpot’s staff to share which games they’re looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you’re done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub and our Most Anticipated of 2020 hub.

So many games have taken inspiration from the mechanics and systems found in From Software’s Soulsborne games, giving rise to the Souls-like subgenre. Without a doubt, my favorite title in that grouping is Hollow Knight, which is scheduled to receive a sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

In Silksong, you play as Hornet–the secondary protagonist of Hollow Knight–in the aftermath of one of the original game’s five endings. Captured and taken to Pharloom, Hornet escapes and decides to figure out why she was brought to the haunted kingdom, making her way up through Pharloom’s many layers to reach a citadel that supposedly has the answers she seeks. Hollow Knight: Silksong is scheduled to release for Nintendo Switch and PC. Team Cherry hasn’t revealed the game’s exact release date, writing in a blog post that Silksong will launch “when it’s ready” and “matches the quality and scale of Hollow Knight.”

So, granted, there’s a chance Silksong doesn’t actually release next year. But I’m not the only member of GameSpot staff making out-there predictions for 2020, and after getting hands-on with Hollow Knight: Silksong at E3 2019, I have faith that the game is far enough in development to potentially launch next year.

The original Hollow Knight is a gorgeous game steeped in some of the best written lore I’ve ever read–the history of the Mantis Tribe and backstory for Hornet’s upbringing being two of many notable standouts. Its combat mechanics are simple enough to grasp but dealing with the attack patterns of certain enemies and bosses in the late- and post-game can get excruciatingly challenging–demanding you to push yourself to jump and slash with near perfect precision. It’s a deeply satisfying game to overcome, both in terms of defeating god-like adversaries and better understanding the history of its fascinating characters, because it so expertly toes the line between frustrating defeat and exhilarating victory.

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And that’s why I’m eagerly anticipating Silksong. Overall, Silksong plays very similarly to its predecessor. You’re still exploring a uniquely stylized and interconnected world, battling a variety of challenging foes, and enjoying a wonderful soundtrack. Everything that makes Hollow Knight great still seems to be in Silksong–which makes sense given this sequel was originally just an expansion for the first game. Silksong is already building on a good foundation.

That said, I’m more curious to see how Silksong’s differences impact the overall experience. Hornet, unlike the unnamed knight from the first game, can speak and regularly voices her opinions, which could influence the overall interpretation of Silksong’s story. Hornet is a lot faster than the knight too–sporting a longer-reaching dash and downward diagonal aerial slash to better reach her targets. She can also heal much more quickly (and can even do so while airborne). Given that Silksong’s enemies are all much faster than the ones seen in the original game, these gameplay changes seem to encourage utilizing a faster, more aggressive playstyle than the one needed for Hollow Knight. If Hollow Knight is Dark Souls, then Silksong seems to be Team Cherry’s Bloodborne.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hollow-knight-silksong-jordan-ramees-most-anticipa/1100-6472410/

Nintendo Switch Sale Discounts Top-Selling Indies

A sale on the Nintendo Switch Eshop is offering solid deals on top-selling indie games. The sale lasts through midnight PT on December 28, so you only have a little while to take advantage. But it’s a great way to catch up on games you may have missed over the year and spend those eshop cards that were in your stocking.

These are all part of the Indie World library of games, which is also the name of this sale. Some highlights of the sale include Ori and the Blind Forest, Cuphead, and the standout puzzle game Baba Is You. Most of the prices are in the teens, though a few go even lower. The arcade shooter (and perfect use of Flip Grip) Downwell is less than two bucks. Two! You can check out the full listing of games and prices below.

This indies sale is running concurrently with another, even bigger Eshop sale. That one discounts a much broader range of games, including Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy, and even some other indies like Bastion and Transistor. On the whole the Eshop is offering some great deals right now so check them out.

Nintendo Eshop Indies Sale

  • Baba Is You – $12 ($15)
  • Blasphemous – $20 ($25)
  • Castle Crashers Remastered – $9 ($15)
  • Cuphead – $14 ($20)
  • Downwell – $1.50 ($3)
  • My Friend Pedro – $14 ($20)
  • Ori and the Blind Forest: Remastered – $14 ($20)
  • Slay the Spire – $20 ($25)
  • SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech – $17.50 ($25)
  • Terraria – $21 ($30)
  • Torchlight 2 – $12 ($20)
  • Unravel Two – $5 ($20)

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-sale-discounts-top-selling-indies/1100-6472431/