Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PC
Publisher: Edigger
Developer: Imagine Wings Studio
Release: May 7, 2024

Everyone can empathize with waking up late at night and sitting in agony as your brain forcefully makes you relive a traumatic, embarrassing, or heartbreaking moment. Our past is with us forever, and how it manifests in the present is a toss-up from day to day. With My Past, the debut game from developer Imagine Wings Studio, attempts to blend those feelings with platforming-puzzle gameplay and does so excellently. The result is a therapeutic five-hour adventure I'll be thinking about long after today. 

After being startled awake at 3 a.m. by her past, an unnamed blue-haired girl goes on a journey through her labyrinth mind, which is holding her back. This translates to six distinct chapters of gameplay, each with a unique theme in narrative and mechanics. The first introduces you to her "Past," the throughline mechanic with which With My Past shines. Your past is just you, but two seconds prior. If you walk forward and jump, two seconds later, it will too. With My Past playfully builds upon this in its opening moments as it teaches you the ropes, but by the end of the game, I was pulling off moves that bent my brain in all directions.

As you progress through each chapter, With My Past introduces new mechanics, like a Kiwi fruit that lets you teleport to your past's location or a way to solidify your past and climb on top of it to reach new heights. It's hard to describe how unique this mechanic plays in With My Past because it's genuinely unlike anything I've played in a puzzle game, but Imagine Wings Studios excels at adding new layers to its depth each step of the journey. I'm reminded of 2018's Celeste, which does the same, incorporating narrative elements into the game's mechanics. 

On that same note, With My Past is more vague than Celeste's journey of transformation and self-love, instead allowing players to graft their own past onto the protagonist here. But it works well. As on-screen words that tell the story dive into self-hate, the ways our past bubbles up at the worst times, and the loneliness sometimes felt even when surrounded by love, I found myself thinking about my past, and it was wondrous to watch how With My Past suggests tackling those issues through gameplay. 

 

Your in-game past transforms from a mysterious specter, to an enemy on the hunt, to an ally you must reckon with and understand as a part of what makes you. And it does so while With My Past serves up great puzzle after puzzle. A handful of the 150+ challenges left me more frustrated than satisfied, but a skip option allows players to keep the story moving along. My only real dissatisfaction happened in the game's final (and only) "boss" fight. Perhaps I missed the point, but in an otherwise cohesive experience, it felt unattached to everything else I played through. 

Void of voice acting, with a minimal soundscape coloring the protagonist's steps, With My Past's score does the talking here, and the result is one of my favorite scores of the year. It's grand, sweeping, and almost feels more at home in a movie theater than coming from my desktop screen, but the game's music is as integral to this journey as the story and its puzzles. 

I began With My Past yesterday on a whim and finished it later that afternoon with an aching smile on my face; that "hurts so good" type of smile. With My Past is a short but powerful burst of emotional storytelling on top of excellent and intuitive puzzle design. With few misses, it's an impressive reminder of the power of games and how savvy developers can blend storytelling into how we play.

Score: 9

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The success of Marvel Snap rolls on, as does the seasonal structure of the free-to-play, deck-building card-battler from Second Dinner. Recent seasons have been themed after corners of the Marvel Universe, like Avengers vs. X-Men or Thunderbolts, but this season leans a bit more into the Marvel Multiverse with Blink and the Exiles. This season, titled "A Blink in Time," introduces five new characters, two new locations, and more.

The new characters joining the game in A Blink in Time are as follows:

• Blink (5 Cost, 7 Power)
  • On reveal, swap the last card you played with a higher-cost card from your deck.
• Nocturne (3 Cost, 5 Power)
  • You can move this once. When this moves, replace its location with a random new one.
• Sage (3 Cost, 0 Power)
  • On reveal, +2 power for each different power among all other cards here.
• Namora (5 Cost, 6 Power)
  • On reveal, give +5 power to each of your cards alone at another location.
• Sasquatch (6 Cost, 10 Power)
  • Costs 1 less for each card you played last turn.

 

On top of those all-new characters joining Marvel Snap collections, there are two new locations: Panoptichron, where cards that didn't start in your deck get +2 power, and Cancun, where power at that location doesn't count toward winning the game. New albums featuring Dan Hipp and Rian Gonzales also further incentivize Variant collections by rewarding items themed after Werewolf By Night, Silk, and Iron Lad. Finally, we know the dates of the Series 5 releases of this season. Baron Zemo and Nocturne get their Series 5 release on May 7, Sage arrives on May 14, Namora on May 21, and Sasquatch on May 28.

Marvel Snap's May season, A Blink in Time, kicks off today. For more on Marvel Snap, check out Charles Harte's opinion piece from when the game originally arrived on mobile devices.

To wrap up our exclusive Star Wars Outlaws cover story, we're publishing a 15-minute video interview with Massive Entertainment's Alice Rendell, senior narrative systems designer on Outlaws, and Lead Systems Designer Matthieu Delisle, wherein we learn about the sorts of encounters players can expect to experience while interacting with the game's Reputation and Wanted Systems. Please enjoy the video, which you can watch below.

Exclusive Interview: Inside Star Wars Outlaws' Reputation System

Subscribe to our YouTube channel if you enjoy this interview and want to see more like it! Lastly, visit Game Informer's exclusive coverage HUB to learn more about the making of Star Wars Outlaws.

Xbox is closing Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and more under Bethesda, according to IGN. Alpha Dog Games, which is behind last year's mobile Mighty Doom, is being closed as well, according to the report. Roundhouse Games is also affected, but it will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online team ZeniMax Online Studios. 

Tango has confirmed the news online, with a thank you to its fans: 

pic.twitter.com/KhhqgR902g

— Tango Gameworks (EN) (@TangoGameworks) May 7, 2024

Arkane Austin has followed suit, confirming the news online as well alongside word that players who purchased Redfall's Hero Pass will be eligible "to receive the value of the upgrade." Here's the studio's statement: 

Signup here https://t.co/wb1R4m4emj to receive details on how eligible players can receive this credit. pic.twitter.com/69Os17kpQ8

— Arkane Studios (@ArkaneStudios) May 7, 2024

These closures arrive after Tango delivered the extremely well-received Hi-Fi Rush last year a few months before Arkane Austin released Redfall, which unfortunately didn't pan out as expected, with both critics and fans disappointed in the first-person vampire shooter from the studio behind the Dishonored series. 

IGN learned of these closures in emails sent to staff by Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty, where the executive cited reprioritization as the reason for the closures. Here is the email, in full: 

"Today, I'm sharing changes we are making to our Bethesda and ZeniMax teams. These changes are grounded in prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games and beloved worlds which you have nurtured over many decades.  To double down on these franchises and invest to build new ones requires us to look across the business to identify the opportunities that are best positioned for success. This reprioritization of titles and resources means a few teams will be realigned to others and that some of our colleagues will be leaving us. Here are the changes going into effect: Arkane Austin – This studio will close with some members of the team joining other studios to work on projects across Bethesda. Arkane Austin has a history of making impactful and innovative games and it is a pedigree that everyone should be proud of. Redfall’s previous update will be its last as we end all development on the game. The game and its servers will remain online for players to enjoy and we will provide make-good offers to players who purchased the Hero DLC. Alpha Dog Studios – This studio will also close. We appreciate the team’s creativity in bringing Doom to new players. Mighty Doom will be sunset on August 7 and we will be turning off the ability for players to make any purchases in the game. Tango Gameworks – Tango Gameworks will also close. We are thankful for their contributions to Bethesda and players around the world. Hi-Fi Rush will continue to be available to players on the platforms it is today. Roundhouse Games – The team at Roundhouse Games will be joining ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS). Roundhouse has played a key role in many of our recent game launches and bringing them into ZOS to work on The Elder Scrolls Online will mean we can do even more to grow the world that millions of players call home. With this consolidation of our Bethesda studio teams, so that we can invest more deeply in our portfolio of games and new IP, a small number of roles across select Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will also be eliminated. Those whose roles will be impacted will be notified today, and we ask that you please treat your departing colleagues with respect and compassion. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted in today’s notifications and through their transitions, including severance benefits informed by local laws. These changes are not a reflection of the creativity and skill of the talented individuals at these teams or the risks they took to try new things. I acknowledge that these changes are also disruptive to the various support teams across ZeniMax and Bethesda that bring our games to market. We are making these tough decisions to create capacity to increase investment in other parts of our portfolio and focus on our priority games. Bethesda remains one of the key pillars of Xbox with a strong portfolio of amazing games and thriving communities. As we look to the future, there is an impressive line-up of games on the horizon. In 2024 alone we have Starfield Shattered Space, Fallout 76 Skyline Valley, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, and The Elder Scrolls Online’s Golden Road. As we align our plans and resources to best set ourselves up for success in this complex and changing industry, our teams across Arkane Lyon, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, MachineGames, ZeniMax Online Studios and the Bethesda publishing and corporate teams will be well-positioned to build new IP, explore new game concepts, and expand on our existing franchises."

Game Informer has reached out to Xbox and Bethesda for comment and will update this story if it learns more. 

Arkane Austin is one half of the Bethesda-owned Arkane Studios, the other half being Arkane Lyon. Both studios often work together on Arkane games, but Arkane Austin led the charge on titles like Redfall and 2017's Prey while Arkane Lyon is behind 2021's Deathloop and the in-development Marvel's Blade game. 

Arkane Lyon studio director and Marvel's Blade creative director Dinga Bakaba posted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after news of Arkane Austin's closing hit the internet to explain his frustration and sadness: 

"This is absolutely terrible," Bakaba writes. "Permission to be human: to any executive reading this, friendly reminder that video games are an entertainment/cultural industry, and your business as a corporation is to take care of your artists/entertainers and help them create value for you." 

He continues, "Don't throw us into gold fever gambits, don't use us as strawmen for miscalculations/blind spots, don't make our work environment darwinist jungles. You say we make you proud when we make a good game. Make us proud when times are tough. We know you can, we seen it before." 

You can read Bakaba's full thread below: 

This is absolutely terrible. Permission to be human : to any executive reading this, friendly reminder that video games are an entertainment/cultural industry, and your business as a corporation is to take care of your artists/entertainers and help them create value for you.

— Dinga Bakaba (@DBakaba) May 7, 2024

Tango released Hi-Fi Rush as a surprise "out today" game during an Xbox Developer Direct in January of last year, and the game recently came to PlayStation 5. Before Hi-Fi Rush, Tango released Ghostwire: Tokyo, and outside of those two games, it is perhaps best known for The Evil Within series. 

These studio closures join a string of other disheartening 2024 closures and layoffs, which now total more than 10,000 in just the first five months of this year. 

Last week, Take-Two Interactive closed Rollerdrome studio Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games alongside major layoffs to its indie-publisher Private Division label. That same week, we learned Deliver Us Mars developer Keoken Interactive had laid off nearly its entire staff. 

Elsewhere in the year, EA laid off roughly 670 employees across all departments, resulting in the cancellation of Respawn's Star Wars FPS game. PlayStation laid off 900 employees across Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and more, closing down London Studio in the process, too. The day before, Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games announced it laid off 90 employees. 

At the end of January, we learned Embracer Group had canceled a new Deus Ex game in development at Eidos-Montréal and laid off 97 employees in the process. Also in January, Destroy All Humans remake developer Black Forest Games reportedly laid off 50 employees and Microsoft announced it was laying off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams, as well. Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees in January, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees. 

Lords of the Fallen Publisher CI Games laid off 10 percent of its staff, Unity will lay off 1,800 people by the end of March, and Twitch laid off 500 employees. 

We also learned that Discord had laid off 170 employees, that layoffs happened at PTW, a support studio that's worked with companies like Blizzard and Capcom, and that SteamWorld Build company, Thunderful Group, let go of roughly 100 people. Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive also reportedly laid off 45 people, too. 

[Source: IGN]

How do you feel about these closures? Let us know in the comments below!

Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind last year's Alan Wake 2 and 2019's Control, has canceled Codename Kestrel, its "premium cooperative multiplayer game." The game, which was being co-financed and co-published by Tencent, was in the early concept stage, according to Remedy, with only a small team working on it. 

The studio says it canceled Codename Kestrel to focus on other games it's developing in its portfolio, noting that because of this cancelation, its other projects will get "experienced developers reassigned from Kestrel."

Plus, Remedy says planned investment and the need to recruit additional employees for Kestrel is removed with this cancelation. 

"Codename Kestrel showed early promise, but the project was still in its early concept stage," Remedy CEO Tero Virtala writes in a press release. "Our other projects have advanced well and are moving to the next stages of development, and increasing focus on them provides us with benefits. We can reallocate talented Kestrel developers to these other game projects, and many of our support functions get additional focus on their operations. This is yet another means to ensure that our game projects continue advancing well.  "I want to thank our Kestrel development team. Though we decided to discontinue the project for wider Remedy benefits, our team has done good work and provided us with valuable learnings. I also want to thank Tencent for their partnership so far. They have been very professional and supportive."

Codename Kestrel, as a project, began in November 2023 as a reboot from an earlier Remedy project codenamed Vanguard. 

This cancelation arrives just a couple of weeks after Remedy's latest update about its in-development games, which is where the studio said Codename Kestrel remains in the concept stage. It's also where Remedy revealed the Control 2 team is focused on finalizing the proof-of-concept stage and that Max Payne 1 & 2 Remake are expected to enter full production in Q2 of this year. You can read that update here. 

Do you think Remedy is making the right call by canceling Codename Kestrel? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated story, 5/07/2024:

Nintendo has released its latest round of financial results, this time for the end of Fiscal Year 2024 (which ended in March). The Switch has surpassed 140 million units sold, further securing its place as the second-best-selling console in the company's history, and Nintendo has also revealed it will announce the Switch successor by March 2025. 

Despite great numbers in this round of financial results, Switch software is down roughly 5% compared to the same time frame for Fiscal Year 2023. Nonetheless, its games are still selling well comparatively in the wider market. With the latest numbers on Switch software, here's Nintendo's most up-to-date list of its best-selling Switch games: 

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 61.97 million units
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 45.36 million units
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 34.22 million units
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: 31.85 million units
5. Super Mario Odyssey: 27.96 million units
6. Pokemon Sword and Shield: 26.27million units
7. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: 24.92 million units 
8. Super Mario Party: 20.66 million units
9. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: 20.61 million units
10. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe: 17.45 million units

The original story continues below...

Updated story, 5/09/23:

Nintendo has released its latest round of financial results, this time for the end of Fiscal Year 2023 (which ended in March). While the Switch has surpassed 125 million units sold, both hardware and software sales for the platform are down. 

Overall, hardware sales are down 22.1% while software sales are down 9%. 

With recent releases like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Splatoon 3, and more, here's Nintendo most up-to-date list of its best-selling Switch games: 

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 53.79 million units
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 42.21 million units
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 31.09 million units
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: 29.81 million units
5. Pokemon Sword and Shield: 25.82 million units
6. Super Mario Odyssey: 25.76 million units
7. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: 22.10 million units 
8. Super Mario Party: 19.14 million units
9. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe: 15.41 million units
10. Ring Fit Adventure: 15.38 million units

The original story continues below...

Original story, 8/03/22: 

Nintendo released its latest round of financial results, this time for Quarter 1 of the 2023 Fiscal Year, which accounts for April, May, and June of 2022. In it, the company revealed that the Switch surpassed 111 million units sold but, despite that, overall sales are down. 

In terms of hardware, sales are down 22.9%, with Nintendo citing the ongoing semiconductor shortage as why. Software sales are down too, declining 8.6% this quarter. However, while 8.6% is a sizeable drop, Nintendo still moved 41.41 million units in Q1 FY23. It also revealed its top 10 best-selling Switch games, with many having seen increases since the last round of financial results earlier this year. 

Here are the top 10 best-selling Nintendo Switch games as of June 2022: 

• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 46.82 million 
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 39.38 million
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 28.82 million
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: 27.14 million
• Pokemon Sword/Pokemon Shield: 24.50 million
• Super Mario Odyssey: 23.93 million
• Super Mario Party: 18.06 million
• Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Pokemon Shining Pearl: 14.79 million
• Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu!/Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee!: 14.66 million
• Ring Fit Adventure: 14.54 million

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had the biggest jump in this list, selling 1.48 million units this quarter. According to Nintendo, new 2022 releases are also selling well. Nintendo Switch Sports sold 4.84 million units, Mario Strikers: Battle League sold 1.91 million, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land sold 1.88 million units, making it the second-best selling Kirby game of all-time. 

For more, read about Nintendo's latest financial results released earlier today and then check out this list of every NES, SNES, N64, and Sega Genesis game available on Nintendo Switch Online. After that, feast your eyes upon all the new Pokemon from Scarlet and Violet revealed in today's Pokemon Presents showcase. 

Are there any Switch games on this list you haven't played yet? Let us know which ones and why!

Nintendo has revealed the Switch has surpassed 140 million units sold, further securing its current place as the second-best-selling console in the company's history. This news arrives at the same time Nintendo has revealed it will announce the Switch successor by March 2025, meaning there's still some time for the Switch to catch up to Nintendo's best-selling console: the Nintendo DS. 

Since the last financial results call, the Switch has sold an additional 1.96 million units, bringing its grand total up to 141.32. That keeps it in second place, only behind the Nintendo DS' massive 154.02 million. It's possible the Switch surpasses the Nintendo DS, especially considering the Switch will likely continue to sell even once its successor is released, but that's a big 13 million-unit gap to close. 

Elsewhere in the financial results, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has hit 20.28 million units sold, Super Mario Bros. Wonder has sold through 11.96 million, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe another 6.79 million, and Pikmin 4 3.33 million. The fiscal year ending with March 2024 was a strong one for Switch software, selling 163.95 million units in Q1 through Q3 of Fiscal Year 2024. However, compared to the same quarters for Fiscal Year 2023, Switch software is down 4.7%. 

With the Switch successor on the horizon, that number will likely be way up this time next year. 

In the meantime, read about the Nintendo Direct happening next month, and then check out Game Informer's top 10 Switch games. After that, check out this list of the Switch's best-selling games. 

Do you think the Switch will surpass the Nintendo DS? Let us know in the comments below!

Nintendo will reveal the Switch successor within the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2025. However, the company says there will be no mention of this successor during a Nintendo Direct it is holding in June; this Direct will instead be focused on the games coming to Switch in the second half of 2024. 

While this isn't the first hint of a Switch successor from the company, it is the most direct and comes from the same financial results where we learned the Switch has sold an additional 1.96 million units since the last one, bringing its total up to 141.32 million. Software has reached 1.235 billion units. 

"This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo," the company's announcement reads on X (formerly Twitter). "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation."

This announcement follows industry reports from earlier this year stating the Switch successor was targeting a March 2025 release date. That could still be the case given Furukawa's reveal, but given the timeline, Nintendo could also announce the successor that month, meaning we likely wouldn't have it in our hands until later that year. Only time will, though, but at least we now officially know that by this time next year, we'll know what the successor to the Switch is. 

For more, read about how Nintendo reportedly demoed the Switch successor to developers at Gamescom last year, and then check out Game Informer's top 10 Switch games. 

What do you hope to see from the Switch successor? Let us know in the comments below!

Hades II has launched into Steam Early access, and it’s also Game Informer’s next cover story (which launches on May 14).  Whether you’re a returning fan or a newcomer, it may take a few runs to get your bearings as Hades II sports new progression systems, resources, and new layers to existing mechanics. It can be a lot to dig into, given the game more or less tosses you into the deep end without context for how things work, at least initially. Instead of spending several runs figuring things out, here’s a short, spoiler-free primer explaining some core new features to get you going on the right foot. 

What Are Ashes? 

Ashes are a currency used for unlocking Arcana cards. They serve a similar purpose as Darkness from the first game. They often appear as a reward for completing a room, but you can also purchase more from the Wretched Broker’s shop. 

What Are Arcana Cards, Grasp, And Psyche?

These are unlockable character perks found at the Altar of Ashes, located in The Crossroads. Fans can draw a similarity to the Mirror of Night from Hades 1. Examples of Arcana card effects include gaining two health points every time you exit a location or starting each run with 200 gold. Arcana cards require spending a certain amount of Ashes to obtain (and some require an additional resource). Cards consume portions of your Grasp. 

Grasp of the Arcana (or just Grasp for short) is a meter dictating how many Arcana cards a player can have active at once. Every Arcana card consumes a certain number of Grasp bars. If the Grasp meter has 10 bars, then equipping cards that consume 5, 3, and 2 bars would max it out. If you’re a Transistor fan, this system is similar to how managing Functions worked in that game. 

By spending a large amount of Psyche, another currency obtained by completing rooms, you can increase the limit of your Grasp. For example, instead of having only 10 bars, it could have 12 or 16. This way, you can have more cards active or use more powerful cards that consume a larger portion of Grasp. 

What Are The Purple Bones?

This is another resource/currency called Ancient Bones. It’s a reward for completing encounters and is primarily used to purchase resources from the Wretched Broker’s shop. 

How Do I Mine Ore, Fish, And Compel Shades?

During runs, you’ll come across metal ores prompting you to mine. In the first area, Erebus, you’ll find piles of silver crescent moons, for example. Additionally, certain shades prompt you to “compel” them, and you’ll also encounter fishing holes. 

These situations require one of Hades II’s Gathering Tools. Mining ore requires a pickaxe, fishing holes need a respective rod, and compelling shades require a magical tablet. You gain Gathering Tools at the Cauldron, but you’ll still need to trade specific resources to unlock them fully.

How Does The Cauldron Work? 

The Crossroads features a giant cauldron situated in front of Hecate. This is where you’ll bring resources/currencies gathered during runs to perform “incantations,” which are permanent upgrades for The Crossroads and general quality-of-life perks. 

For example, one incantation summons the Wretched Broker, allowing him to permanently set up shop in the Crossroads. Another unlocks the aforementioned Gathering Tools. One incantation even allows you to view the recipes for other incantations in the menu (before unlocking this, you can only view these recipes at the cauldron itself). One particular incantation is called Fated Intervention; without spoiling, prioritize unlocking this one. It likely won’t have an immediate effect, so be patient. 

One incantation that becomes available early (that you should unlock as soon as it does) is called Divination of the Elements. It allows Melinoe to perceive the elemental affinities of Olympian boons. 

What Are Elemental Affinities?

Olympian boons now have one of four elemental properties tied to them: fire, water, air, and earth. After unlocking Divination of the Elements, you’ll see small icons indicating each element on every boon you encounter. Demeter’s frost-based boons are generally (but not always) water types, while Hestia’s tend to be fire. 

The elemental affinity matters because there are now boons that can only be used if you possess enough boons of a certain elemental type. One may require you to have three wind-based boons in exchange for a powerful ability, for example. This adds another layer of strategy to selecting boons, as you’ll be torn between chasing a long-term investment or short-term power gain. 

Hades II is available now in Early Access on Steam and in the Epic Games Store. Be sure to check out our cover story hub below for exclusive Hades II stories and videos throughout the month. 

Hades II now available in Early Access. Yes, for real. Like right now. Why are you still reading this? Go play it, you've got some gods to kill/flirt with/buy things from/etc!

However, while you're waiting for it to download on PC, why not check out Game Informer's slew of exclusive Hades II content available right now because Supergiant's first sequel is gracing the next cover of our magazine:

• Hades II Cover Reveal
• Beating Hades II's second area and boss fight | New Gameplay Today
• Our Exclusive Hades II coverage hub

If you're hopping into Hades II today, which is now in Early Access after a quick bout of recent technical tests, you can purchase it on Steam or Epic Games Store for $29.99. 

🌒HADES II is HERE !!🌘

Experience the bewitching sequel to our god-like rogue-like, now available in Early Access.

🌜Steam: https://t.co/MwAiwL8ZeW
🌜Epic Games Store: https://t.co/bKD6BvLhw6#HadesGame #Hades2 #DeathToChronos pic.twitter.com/jXhqctKj95

— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) May 6, 2024

Are you hopping into Hades II today? Let us know in the comments below!

Hades II, the much-anticipated sequel to Supergian's excellent roguelike, is entering Early Access today and is on the cover of Game Informer Magazine with incredible original art by acclaimed artist Jen Zee. Join Alex Van Aken – who visited Supergiant for the cover story and has played Hades II extensively – and myself for a look at the game's second area and boss fight. Spoilers ahead if you want to experience the locations and enemies for yourself, but otherwise, enjoy this New Gameplay Today episode!

This second area in Hades II is called Oceanus, an underwater realm Melinoë uses to bypass the armies of Chronos, the game's antagonist and Titan of Time. Oceanus is generally more difficult to navigate than Erebus, the first area, due to explosive hazards, more powerful ranged enemies, and darting schools of swordfish. The level culminates in a musical boss fight against a rock band of sirens led by Scylla, a well-known sea monster from Greek myth. Scylla sings while her keyboardist and drummer back her up. Despite sharing one health bar, the individual monsters can be stunned and knocked out of the fight, muting the appropriate instruments in the active music track.

See Oceanus And The Scylla Boss Fight In Action:

Head to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

This month, Hades II graces Game Informer's cover. After playing several hours of the Early Access build (which is publicaly available as of today), we traveled to Supergiant Games' studio in San Francisco to interview several of the core team members – creative director Greg Kasavin, studio director Amir Rao, art director Jen Zee, composer Darren Korb, and voice actor Logan Cunningham – to get the full story of the game's creation. The cover story reveals why Supergiant decided to create its first sequel, how it chose a new protagonist in Zagreus' sister, Melinoë, along with her mythological origins, and how the team is changing its approach to early access and the content it has planned for the future. It also features an in-depth breakdown of Hades II's new features and our impressions of the game so far. 

We want our cover story on Hades II to be a celebration of the game and a peek behind the curtain at Supergiant, with the hope that anyone who reads it will have a more exciting and informed experience when they play the much-anticipated sequel. If you're a fan of the original game or this new installment, we suspect you'll read about what we learned and discover even more about what makes the franchise so special.

The stunning cover art is an original piece by Supergiant's famed artist, Jen Zee. It depicts Melinoë, princess of the Underworld, as her mentor, Hecate, gazes at the moonlit horizon. 

Other features appearing in issue 366 include an interview feature with Digital Eclipse's Chris Kohler about how the studio conceived its Gold Master Series consisting of The Making of Karateka and Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story. Nolan Good discusses the history and continuing legacy of the long-running MMO, Final Fantasy XI. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, editor-in-chief Matt Miller visited Wizards of the Coast to preview its upcoming set of new rule books aimed at evolving the tabletop game. Wesley LeBlanc flew across the globe to Seoul, South Korea, to get an in-depth look at Nexon's upcoming free-to-play looter shooter, The First Descendant. For soon-to-be graduating students, cash in that success with your parents using our annual graduation gift guide. In addition, we have previews for titles including Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, The Rogue: Prince of Persia, Monaco 2, and Still Wakes the Deep. 

Not a print subscriber yet but want this issue? Well, you're in luck! Subscribing today – or within the next few days – will net you a print copy of this issue! You can join the ranks of the Game Informer print subscribers through our new standalone print subscription! Just head here to sign up for either one or two years at a fraction of the cost of buying the issues individually! You can even gift a print subscription to your favorite gamer!

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO THE PRINT MAGAZINE

You can also try to nab a Game Informer Gold version of the issue. Limited to a numbered print run per issue, this premium version of Game Informer isn't available for sale. To learn about places where you might be able to get a copy, check out our official Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, BlueSky, and Threads accounts and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. Click here to read more about Game Informer Gold.

Print subscribers can expect their issues to arrive in the coming weeks. The digital edition launches on May 14 for PC/Mac, iOS, and Google Play. Individual print copies will be available for purchase in the coming weeks at GameStop.

 

Ghost of Tsushima, the hit 2020 PlayStation-exclusive samurai game, rides onto PC on May 16, and ahead of the game's launch there, developer Sucker Punch Productions has revealed players will not need a PlayStation Network account to play through the game's single-player story mode, as reported by VideoGamesChronicle. However, a PSN account will be required to play through Ghost of Tsushima's multiplayer Legends mode, or if you want to use the new PlayStation PC overlay to acquire trophies and more. 

This follows news from last week where PlayStation announced (and later walked back) that Helldivers 2 players will soon be required to link a PSN account to their Steam account, leading to widespread anger in the game's community. It seems Sucker Punch is looking to get ahead of this by revealing its PSN plans ahead of the game's launch in 10 days. 

Thank you for your feedback.

Just so you are aware, A PSN account is required for Legends online multiplayer mode and to use PlayStation overlay. It is not required to play the singleplayer game.

— Sucker Punch Productions (@SuckerPunchProd) May 3, 2024

If you're unfamiliar with Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, it's a standalone multiplayer experience that allows you and up to three other players to fight enemies in special missions, defeat waves of foes, and complete raids. A PSN account will be required to play Legends, but if you want to play through the game's story (and Iki Island expansion), you won't need one. 

Ghost of Tsushima hit PlayStation 4 on July 17, 2020, before launching on PlayStation 5 with a Director's Cut on August 20, 2021. This is the version of the game hitting PC in 10 days on May 16, 2024.

For more about the game, read Game Informer's Ghost of Tsushima review, and then read about why the Director's Cut of Ghost of Tsushima is a must-play for fans. 

[Source: VideoGamesChronicle]

Are you going to play Ghost of Tsushima on PC? Let us know in the comments below!

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When Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope – then simply known as Star Wars – hit theaters in 1977, it changed cinema. The grand scale, eye-popping visuals, and relatable cast of characters made it an instant classic and established the IP as one of the biggest of its time. However, it was its sequel, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, that demonstrated that not only was creator George Lucas’ magnum opus more than a one-off fluke, but he had established a universe ripe for expansion. Read more...

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, special guest Niki Grayson (Giant Bomb, If You're Driving Close Your Eyes) joins Alex and Charles to discuss the wild mix of intellectual property featured in Funko Fusion, the best LEGO games, our time playing the Hades II Technical Test, and Game Informer's Tales of Kenzara: Zau review. Lastly, we've been catching up on new releases and ongoing games, including Fortnite's collaboration with Avatar: The Last Airbender, Halo Infinite, whimsical rock-climbing in Surmount, and No Rest For The Wicked.

Watch the Video Version:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Charles Harte (@ChuckDuck365), Niki Grayson (@Godsewa)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Matt Storm, the freelance audio editor for The Game Informer Show, edited this episode. Matt is an experienced podcast host and producer who's been speaking into a microphone for over a decade. You should listen to Matt's shows like the "Fun" And Games Podcast and Reignite, a BioWare-focused podcast.  The Game Informer Show – Podcast Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

10:40 - Hades II Technical Test

17:55 - Funko Fusion

33:50 - Fortnite and LEGO Fortnite

45:40 - Halo Infinite

49:10 - Tales of Kenzara: Zau Review and 2024 Metroidvanias

01:03:30 - Dabbling in Surmount and No Rest For The Wicked

💾

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hits Xbox Series X/S and PC this month, and while we know this sequel will be locked to 30 FPS on consoles, PC players will be able to tap into higher frame rates. Ahead of the game's May 21 launch, developer Ninja Theory has revealed the PC specs and system requirements for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II and to play the game at its best, you'll need quite a powerful system. 

If you're familiar with Ninja Theory's work, you likely already know it pushes the envelope with technology so it might not come as a surprise your PC will need to do the same. But if you're new to this team, or just want to check if you're ready for the game later this month, we've got you covered. 

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II PC Specs And System Requirements

Below is a chart released by Ninja Theory detailing everything you need to know about running Senua's Saga: Hellblade II at its most demanding, recommended specs, and even at the bare minimum. And as you can see, it's a game that requires a lot of power (click the image to enlarge). 

Hellblade II hits Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 21. 

For more, watch the latest Hellblade II trailer here, and then read about Hellblade II's photo mode and what to expect from it at launch. After that, watch this Hellblade II gameplay trailer. 

Is your PC prepared to run this game? Let us know in the comments below!

Update, 5/6/2024:

PlayStation will not be requiring Helldivers 2 players to link their Steam accounts to PlayStation Network accounts following widespread backlash from the game's community. This follows days of turmoil amongst players, leading to Helldivers 2 on Steam dropping from a "Mostly Positive"-rated game to "Mixed" for all reviews and "Mostly Negative" for recent reviews. Even the first Helldivers started receiving bad reviews as a result of this, according to developer Arrowhead Game Studios' CEO Johaan Pilestedt. 

"Helldivers fans – we've heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update," a post made today on X (formerly Twitter) reads. "The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward. 

"We're still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we'll keep you updated on future plans." 

Following this news, Pilestedt took to X to thank PlayStation for the change while noting how impressed they are with the Helldivers 2 community. 

Firstly, I am impressed by the willpower of the @helldivers2 community and your ability to collaborate. Secondly I want to thank our partners and friends at @PlayStation for quickly and effectively making the decision to leave PSN linking optional. We together want to set a new… https://t.co/2rayksgH1v

— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 6, 2024

With this change not moving forward, the Helldivers 2 community can hopefully return to killing bugs and automatons in the name of democracy, with no need for linked accounts or review bombing. 

The original story continues below...

Original story, 5/3/2024:

Developer Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment have announced that Helldivers 2 on Steam will soon require a PlayStation Network account to play. All new players from May 30 will have to link their Steam account to a PSN account, and all current players will have to do so by June 4. 

Up until this point, a PSN account was not required to play Helldivers 2 on PC via Steam, and with the sudden switch-up, players have taken to the game's Steam reviews to express their frustration. Admittedly, the game's rating is still "Very Positive," with roughly 80% of user reviews falling into this category, but that 80% is lower than it has been in the weeks prior. And now, if you look at the game's recent reviews, you'll find plenty of negative ratings over the required PSN account change. 

SIE says due to "technical issues at the launch of Helldivers 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire." That expiration begins on May 6 for new players and June 4 for current players. 

While frustration is understood, it's important to note a PlayStation console is not required to create a PSN account – creating one is free and can be done online, no PlayStation 5 required. SIE encourages players to do so ahead of the June 4 change. 

"We understand that while this may be an inconvenience to some of you, this step will help us continue to build a community that you are all proud to be a part of," the announcement reads. 

For more, read about the Democratic Detonation premium Warbond that drops into Helldivers 2 this week, and then read about how the latest Helldivers 2 update increased the level cap, added blizzards and sandstorms, and more. Check out Game Informer's Helldivers 2 review to find out why we think it's a must-play game. 

What do you think about these changes? Let us know in the comments below!

XDefiant, the free-to-play first person shooter starring factions across Ubisoft's catalogue of franchises, finally has a release date and it's out very soon. Ubisoft announced today that XDefiant drops onto PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via Ubisoft Connect) on May 21. 

This is the day the XDefiant preseason will take begin, giving players a chance to enjoy the shooter before its official first season begins. This release date reveal follows various betas and tests for the game, which at one point, resulted in the game getting indefinitely delayed last year. 

"Thank you to everyone who participated in the Server Test Session," an XDefiant blog post reads. "It was exciting to see all the love for the game and the great feedback that was shared. Coming out of the test, we are excited to say that we will launch our Preseason on May 21 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Preseason will last 6 weeks before going into our seasonal cadence." 

As for that seasonal cadence, Ubisoft has already outlined the first four season, which together will encompass the game's Year 1 roadmap. You can check it out below: 

As for what to expect in XDefiant's preseason, there's a lot of content on offer, and it's all free: 

Factions

• Echelon (Splinter Cell)
• Phantoms (Ghost Recon Phantoms)
• Cleaners (The Division)
• Libertad (Far Cry 6)
• Dedsec (Watch Dogs 2, after unlocking or purchasing)

Maps

• Arena
• Attica Heights
• Dumbo
• Echelon HQ
• Emporium
• Liberty
• Mayday
• Meltdown
• Midway
• Nudleplex
• Pueblito
• Showtime
• Times Square
• Zoo

Modes

• Domination
• Hot Shot
• Occupy
• Escort
• Zone Control

Ubisoft says a new Ranked Mode Practice Playlist will be live in the preseason, too, giving players a practice go at the game's upcoming ranked mode where players battle it out in 4v4 competitive matches. This playlist will include 4v4 versions of Domination, Occupy, Escort, and Zone Control. 

All rewards earned during the previously held Server Test Sessions and Insider Sessions will be available at launch in the preseason. 

Here's another look at what to expect in XDefiant's 6-week preseason:

For more about the game, read Game Informer's XDefiant impressions after going hands-on with the game, and then check out this XDefiant New Gameplay Today for a look at how it plays. 

Are you hopping into XDefiant later this month? Let us know in the comments below!