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Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has gone gold, meaning it should be all but ready for its release on July 18. Developer A44 (Ashen) has also released the game’s PC specs and 20-minutes of raw gameplay footage.
The upcoming "Souls-lite" fantasy action game stars elite soldier Nor Vanek and her furry fox-like companion Enki on a revenge quest to kill the gods of their world. She wields an arsenal of melee, firearms, and magic that can be chained to create stylish combo attacks. Nor Venek also has special traversal abilities to navigate the world, which is being besieged by the angry deities.
We last saw Flintlock during the Xbox Games Showcase a few weeks ago, but you can check out 20 minutes of new gameplay footage in the video below. Set during a later stage of the game, a synopsis adds context to the footage: "Join Nor and Enki as they prepare to step into the deserts of Wanderer’s Rest to take on the personal guard of the god Dukmar. With an entire army hunting for her, Nor will need all of her skills to make it to her eventual destination - the City of Sibyl, where she hopes the gods’ true intentions will finally be revealed."
Here are the game's minimum and recommended PC specs:
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn launches on July 18 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It's also launching day one on Xbox Game Pass.
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Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has gone gold, meaning it should be all but ready for its release on July 18. Developer A44 (Ashen) has also released the game’s PC specs and 20-minutes of raw gameplay footage.
The upcoming "Souls-lite" fantasy action game stars elite soldier Nor Vanek and her furry fox-like companion Enki on a revenge quest to kill the gods of their world. She wields an arsenal of melee, firearms, and magic that can be chained to create stylish combo attacks. Nor Venek also has special traversal abilities to navigate the world, which is being besieged by the angry deities.
We last saw Flintlock during the Xbox Games Showcase a few weeks ago, but you can check out 20 minutes of new gameplay footage in the video below. Set during a later stage of the game, a synopsis adds context to the footage: "Join Nor and Enki as they prepare to step into the deserts of Wanderer’s Rest to take on the personal guard of the god Dukmar. With an entire army hunting for her, Nor will need all of her skills to make it to her eventual destination - the City of Sibyl, where she hopes the gods’ true intentions will finally be revealed."
Here are the game's minimum and recommended PC specs:
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn launches on July 18 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It's also launching day one on Xbox Game Pass.
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After The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reinvented the series in 3D and became its new gold standard, Nintendo followed up with a surreal sequel in Majora's Mask. Set two months after the events of Ocarina, Link finds himself transported to an alternate version of Hyrule called Termina and must prevent a very angry moon from crashing into the Earth over the course of three constantly repeating days. Majora's Mask's unique structure and bizarre tone have earned it legions of passionate defenders and detractors, and one long-time Zelda fan is going to experience it for the first time to see where he lands on that spectrum.
Join Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard today and each Friday on Twitch at 1:00 p.m. CT as they gradually work their way through the entire game until Termina is saved. Archived episodes will be uploaded each Saturday on our second YouTube channel Game Informer Shows, which you can watch both above and by clicking the links below.
If you enjoy our livestreams but haven’t subscribed to our Twitch channel, know that doing so not only gives you notifications and access to special emotes. You’ll also be granted entry to the official Game Informer Discord channel, where our welcoming community members, moderators, and staff gather to talk games, entertainment, food, and organize hangouts! Be sure to also follow our second YouTube channel, Game Informer Shows, to watch other Replay episodes as well as Twitch archives of GI Live and more.
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Developer Don't Nod Entertainment has delayed its upcoming two-part narrative-driven adventure game, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, to early 2025. As for why, the team wants to give its spiritual cousin, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, some space to shine later this year.
Lost Records was originally due out in late 2024, which is also when the next Life is Strange is set to launch. Instead of competing with Life Is Strange, a series that Don't Nod created with the first Life Is Strange and continued with Life Is Strange 2 before Double Exposure developer Deck Nine took over with 2017's Before the Storm and 2021's True Colors, the studio decided to push to 2025.
"We've made the decision to move the release dates of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage to early 2025. We know you're all excited for both Lost Records and the new Life Is Strange game, and we wanted to ensure both have adequate space to shine. The wait will be worth it."
We've made the decision to move the release dates of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage to early 2025. We know you're all excited for both Lost Records and the new Life is Strange game, and we wanted to ensure both have adequate space to shine. The wait will be worth it! pic.twitter.com/PH1O7z3uUy
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure launches October 29, and now, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, which will be released in two parts, will launch sometime early next year. Both games are set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, the crew discusses our recent trip to Bioware for our Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover story, our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review, PS5-bound multiplayer shooter, Concord, a new battle royale from former League of Legends developers, atmospheric horror title Still Wakes the Deep, Dustborn, Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and even more! It's a packed show, y'all.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join us 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
00:02:42 - Cover Story: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
00:21:48 - Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Review
00:42:20 - Concord Preview
00:59:04 - Supervive Preview
01:11:59 - The Plucky Squire
01:24:37 - Magic: The Gathering – Assassin's Creed
01:35:01 - Still Wakes the Deep
01:45:52 - Dustborn Preview
01:55:06 - Luigi's Mansion 2 HD Review
01:58:26 - Housekeeping
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As BioWare prepared to show me the character creator for Dragon Age: The Veilguard in its Edmonton, Canada, offices, I expected something robust – it's 2024, character creators have come a long way, and Bioware has a rich history of good customization. Despite my expectations, I was not prepared for how robust it actually is in Veilguard. Robust enough, even, that BioWare used it to create most of the NPCs in the game, save for mainline characters like companions. Setting hyperbole aside, it is a staggeringly rich creation system, and I look forward to seeing player-created near-replicas of celebrities and monstrous creations that'd be more at home in a horror game.
But I'm also looking forward to the community's reaction to the Dragon Age series' best character creator yet. At the heart of it is inclusivity, Veilguard game director Corinne Busche tells me before letting me guide her through creating my own character.
As is usual, there are four races to choose from: Elves, Qunari, Humans, and Dwarves. After selecting Qunari, Busche pages through various presets, explaining the game allows for more detailed looks at each and the ability to choose pronouns with she/her, he/him, and they/them separately from gender, select different body types, and more. You can view your character, referred to as Rook in-game, in four different lighting scenes at any time, including The Veilguard's keynote purple hue, a bright and sunny tropical day, and a gothic night.
I joke with the team that after spending upwards of an hour creating my Dragon Age: Inquisition character in 2014, I immediately restarted the game after seeing him in the first cutscene; the in-game lighting made my hair color look terrible amongst other issues I had with my Inquisitor. Veilguard creative director John Epler says the team is aware of countless stories like that with Inquisition and its green-hued character creator, adding BioWare worked hard to squash that concern in Veilguard.
Head and body presets can be selected individually and customized to your liking with 40 different complexions that include smooth, rugged, youthful, and freckled skin tones, skin hues ranging from cool to neutral to warm, undertones to those skin tones, and even a melanin slider. Busche tells me BioWare relied on consultation to represent all people authentically. There's a Vitiligo slider (where you can adjust the intensity and amount of it) and sliders for your forehead, brow, cheeks, jaw, chin, larynx, and scalp. You can select your undergarments, with nudity as well because "this is a mature RPG," Busche adds, and use the "Body Morpher" to select three presets for each corner of a triangle and then move a cursor within it to morph your body or head into a mix of these presets. It's an impressive technology I'd like to see adopted in other games.
I can keep going: You can adjust height, shoulder width, chest size, glute and bulge size, hip width, how bloodshot your eyes are, how visible cataracts are, the sclera color, how crooked your nose is, how big its bridge is, the size of nostrils and the nose tip, and there are as many sliders, if not more, for things like Rook's mouth and ears. On ears alone, I see you can adjust asymmetry, depth, rotation, earlobe size, and even add cauliflower ear to your Rook. Busche says makeup blends modern stylings with the fantasy of Dragon Age with more than 30 options, including eyeliner intensity, color, glitter, eye shadow, lips, and blush.
Tattoos are just as customizable alongside options for scars and paint. Tattoos, scars, and paint are very culturally relevant to some lineages, BioWare tells me, with unique tattoos for elves, for example. You can add tattoos to Rook's face, body, arms, and legs, and you can adjust things like intensity, too.
Im most impressed, however, by the hair options on display; there are a ton, and as someone with long hair, I'm especially excited about the fun selections I can make. You can finally dye your hair with non-traditional colors, and it's gorgeous. EA's Frostbite engine uses the Strand system to render each style fully with physics. "The technology has finally caught up to our ambition," Dragon Age series art director Matt Rhodes says.
After customizing all of that and selecting our Qunari's horn type and material (of which there are more than 40 options to choose from), it's time to pick a class out of the Rogue, Mage, and Warrior – read more about Veilguard's classes here. Since we built a Qunari, we went with Warrior. For the penultimate step of the character creator, at least during the demo BioWare shows me, we select a faction. Out of the six options, we select the pirate-themed Lords of Fortune.
"Rook ascends because of competency, not because of a magical McGuffin," BioWare core lead and Mass Effect executive producer Michael Gamble tells me in contrast to Inquisition's destiny-has-chosen-you-characterization.
"Rook is here because they choose to be and that speaks to the kind of character that we've built," Busche adds. "Someone needs to stop this, and Rook says, 'I guess that’s me.'"
Ready to begin our Rook's journey, we select a first and last name and one of four voices out of English masculine, English feminine, American masculine, or American feminine options. There's a pitch shifter for each voice, too, allowing you to tweak it to your liking further.
Don't stress too much about locking in your character creations before beginning the game – the Mirror of Transformation, which is found in Veilguard's main hub, The Lighthouse, allows you to change your physical appearance at any time. However, class, lineage, and identity are locked in and cannot be changed after you select them in the game's character creator.
From here, we're off to Minrathous, and you can read more about that famed city in our cover story, which is available here.
For more about the game, including exclusive details, interviews, video features, and more, click the Dragon Age: The Veilguard hub button below.
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As BioWare prepared to show me the character creator for Dragon Age: The Veilguard in its Edmonton, Canada, offices, I expected something robust – it's 2024, character creators have come a long way, and Bioware has a rich history of good customization. Despite my expectations, I was not prepared for how robust it actually is in Veilguard. Robust enough, even, that BioWare used it to create most of the NPCs in the game, save for mainline characters like companions. Setting hyperbole aside, it is a staggeringly rich creation system, and I look forward to seeing player-created near-replicas of celebrities and monstrous creations that'd be more at home in a horror game.
But I'm also looking forward to the community's reaction to the Dragon Age series' best character creator yet. At the heart of it is inclusivity, Veilguard game director Corinne Busche tells me before letting me guide her through creating my own character.
As is usual, there are four races to choose from: Elves, Qunari, Humans, and Dwarves. After selecting Qunari, Busche pages through various presets, explaining the game allows for more detailed looks at each and the ability to choose pronouns with she/her, he/him, and they/them separately from gender, select different body types, and more. You can view your character, referred to as Rook in-game, in four different lighting scenes at any time, including The Veilguard's keynote purple hue, a bright and sunny tropical day, and a gothic night.
I joke with the team that after spending upwards of an hour creating my Dragon Age: Inquisition character in 2014, I immediately restarted the game after seeing him in the first cutscene; the in-game lighting made my hair color look terrible amongst other issues I had with my Inquisitor. Veilguard creative director John Epler says the team is aware of countless stories like that with Inquisition and its green-hued character creator, adding BioWare worked hard to squash that concern in Veilguard.
Head and body presets can be selected individually and customized to your liking with 40 different complexions that include smooth, rugged, youthful, and freckled skin tones, skin hues ranging from cool to neutral to warm, undertones to those skin tones, and even a melanin slider. Busche tells me BioWare relied on consultation to represent all people authentically. There's a Vitiligo slider (where you can adjust the intensity and amount of it) and sliders for your forehead, brow, cheeks, jaw, chin, larynx, and scalp. You can select your undergarments, with nudity as well because "this is a mature RPG," Busche adds, and use the "Body Morpher" to select three presets for each corner of a triangle and then move a cursor within it to morph your body or head into a mix of these presets. It's an impressive technology I'd like to see adopted in other games.
I can keep going: You can adjust height, shoulder width, chest size, glute and bulge size, hip width, how bloodshot your eyes are, how visible cataracts are, the sclera color, how crooked your nose is, how big its bridge is, the size of nostrils and the nose tip, and there are as many sliders, if not more, for things like Rook's mouth and ears. On ears alone, I see you can adjust asymmetry, depth, rotation, earlobe size, and even add cauliflower ear to your Rook. Busche says makeup blends modern stylings with the fantasy of Dragon Age with more than 30 options, including eyeliner intensity, color, glitter, eye shadow, lips, and blush.
Tattoos are just as customizable alongside options for scars and paint. Tattoos, scars, and paint are very culturally relevant to some lineages, BioWare tells me, with unique tattoos for elves, for example. You can add tattoos to Rook's face, body, arms, and legs, and you can adjust things like intensity, too.
Im most impressed, however, by the hair options on display; there are a ton, and as someone with long hair, I'm especially excited about the fun selections I can make. You can finally dye your hair with non-traditional colors, and it's gorgeous. EA's Frostbite engine uses the Strand system to render each style fully with physics. "The technology has finally caught up to our ambition," Dragon Age series art director Matt Rhodes says.
After customizing all of that and selecting our Qunari's horn type and material (of which there are more than 40 options to choose from), it's time to pick a class out of the Rogue, Mage, and Warrior – read more about Veilguard's classes here. Since we built a Qunari, we went with Warrior. For the penultimate step of the character creator, at least during the demo BioWare shows me, we select a faction. Out of the six options, we select the pirate-themed Lords of Fortune.
"Rook ascends because of competency, not because of a magical McGuffin," BioWare core lead and Mass Effect executive producer Michael Gamble tells me in contrast to Inquisition's destiny-has-chosen-you-characterization.
"Rook is here because they choose to be and that speaks to the kind of character that we've built," Busche adds. "Someone needs to stop this, and Rook says, 'I guess that’s me.'"
Ready to begin our Rook's journey, we select a first and last name and one of four voices out of English masculine, English feminine, American masculine, or American feminine options. There's a pitch shifter for each voice, too, allowing you to tweak it to your liking further.
Don't stress too much about locking in your character creations before beginning the game – the Mirror of Transformation, which is found in Veilguard's main hub, The Lighthouse, allows you to change your physical appearance at any time. However, class, lineage, and identity are locked in and cannot be changed after you select them in the game's character creator.
From here, we're off to Minrathous, and you can read more about that famed city in our cover story, which is available here.
For more about the game, including exclusive details, interviews, video features, and more, click the Dragon Age: The Veilguard hub button below.
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Developer Aspyr Media and publisher Lucasfilm Games have revealed that an enhanced edition of 2002's Star Wars: Bounty Hunter will launch on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC this August. More specifically, it hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC (via Steam) on August 1, and it brings with it updated visuals and controls and a new skin that harkens back to the original game's most infamous easter egg.
In the reveal trailer, we get a look at the graphical improvements Aspyr has implemented in Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, but the game still retains that 2002 PlayStation 2 and GameCube charm. This re-release follows a limited PlayStation 4 physical run that launched back in 2019.
Check out the Star Wars: Bounty Hunter announcement trailer below:
If you're unfamiliar with Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, you play as Jango Fett throughout the story, which itself is a prequel to Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
In the original game, there was an easter egg message that said, "Cash in all bounties to play as Boba." However, cashing in all bounties did not let you play as Boba. To make good on that original promise from 2002, Aspyr media has included a Boba Fett skin in Star Wars: Bounty Hunters you can use after completing the game's campaign.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter hits PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC on August 1.
Capcom has revealed Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, a remaster of the Xbox 360 game that first launched in 2006. Though the once previously Xbox-exclusive game has since made its way to PlayStation and PC platforms, it remains unclear which platforms this remaster is coming to. And there's no word on when to expect the remaster either.
Revealed with a short 47-second teaser trailer, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster looks great, almost more like a remake than a remaster. It's unclear if this is a remaster of the original 2006 game or the HD version of Dead Rising that launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC back in 2017. Regardless, we're stoked to head back into a zombie-infested mall with journalist Frank West whenever this remaster launches.
Check out the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster teaser trailer for yourself below:
Are you excited for Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster? Let us know in the comments below!
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The one and only Elden Ring expansion we're getting, Shadow of the Erdtree, launched last week and thousands of Tarnished went to the shadow realm to take on dozens of new enemies, bosses, and more. Now, just a few days later, developer From Software has released a new patch for the game that should make Shadow of the Erdtree a bit easier.
Now live, Calibration Update 1.12.2 targets the scaling of the attack and damage negation given to players with each Shadow Realm Blessing upgrade. Here's what's changed:
The attack and damage negation has been increased for the first half of the maximum amount of Blessing enhancements, and the second half will now be more gradual.
The attack and damage negation granted by the final level of Blessing enhancements has been slightly increased.
This patch should apply automatically like any other Elden Ring update but if it doesn't – the Calibration Version listed at the bottom right reads "1.12.2" if it has – select "LOGIN" and that will apply the latest version of the game.
The only other thing this update contains is word from From Software on a confirmed bug where the raytracing settings of Shadow of the Erdtree are automatically enabled (if you've previously loaded save data from previous game versions), which is causing framerate issues for some players. If you're encountering said issues, check to see if you have raytracing on or off in the game's system graphical settings.
The one and only Elden Ring expansion we're getting, Shadow of the Erdtree, launched last week and thousands of Tarnished went to the shadow realm to take on dozens of new enemies, bosses, and more. Now, just a few days later, developer From Software has released a new patch for the game that should make Shadow of the Erdtree a bit easier.
Now live, Calibration Update 1.12.2 targets the scaling of the attack and damage negation given to players with each Shadow Realm Blessing upgrade. Here's what's changed:
The attack and damage negation has been increased for the first half of the maximum amount of Blessing enhancements, and the second half will now be more gradual.
The attack and damage negation granted by the final level of Blessing enhancements has been slightly increased.
This patch should apply automatically like any other Elden Ring update but if it doesn't – the Calibration Version listed at the bottom right reads "1.12.2" if it has – select "LOGIN" and that will apply the latest version of the game.
The only other thing this update contains is word from From Software on a confirmed bug where the raytracing settings of Shadow of the Erdtree are automatically enabled (if you've previously loaded save data from previous game versions), which is causing framerate issues for some players. If you're encountering said issues, check to see if you have raytracing on or off in the game's system graphical settings.
As part of the character creation process for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, players will have to select both a class for their player-controlled Rook and a faction. After customizing much of your Rook's body, including things like a Qunari's horn type and material, for example, with the hundreds of options available in Veilguard, it will be time to pick said class.
There are three classes to choose from: Rogue, Mage, and Warrior. As the names suggest, each features a unique combat system and plays differently as a result. Though you’ll be performing things like light and heavy attacks using the same buttons, what those attacks do varies based on your class. For example, a sword-and-shield Warrior can hip-fire or aim their shield to throw it like Captain America, whereas a Mage can use that same button to throw out magical ranged attacks – read more about the combat of Veilguard in Game Informer's exclusive feature here. Plus, as you spec out these classes and unlock their individual specializations, the differences will only grow even more stark.
The Rogue has access to three specializations. The Duelist is the fastest of the three, with two blades for rapid strikes; the Saboteur uses tricks and traps; and the Veil Ranger is purely range, sniping enemies from afar with a bow.
The Mage can utilize necromancy with the Death Caller specialization; Evokers wield fire, ice, and lightning; and the Spellblade uses magic-infused melee attacks.
The Warrior can become a Reaper, which uses night blades to steal life and risk death to gain unnatural abilities; a Slayer, a simple but strong two-handed weapons expert; or the Champion, a tactical defense fighter.
While these specializations don't matter upfront – you class into them via the skill trees you progress through the game – it's nice to see the potential of each class before you choose it.
For the penultimate step of the character creator, at least during the demo BioWare shows me, players select a faction. The Grey Wardens return, joined by other returning favorites and new additions like the Antivan Crows, the Mourn Watch, the Shadow Dragons, the pirate-themed Lords of Fortune, which is what I chose in my demo for the current Game Informer cover story, and the Veil Jumpers.
Each faction has unique casual wear, which is worn in specific cutscenes when the character isn't donning armor, and three unique traits. The Lords of Fortune, for example, gain additional reputation with this particular faction, have increased damage versus mercenaries, and perform takedowns on enemies with slightly less effort. Veilguard game director Corinne Busche says this faction selection, which ties into your character's backstory, determines who your Rook was before, how they met Varric, why they travel with Varric instead of their faction, and more.
"The message of The Veilguard is you're not saving the world on your own – you need your companions, but you also need these factions, these other groups in the world," creative director John Epler tells me. "You help them, they help you now."
He says BioWare wanted to avoid the trope of needing to gather 200 random resources or objects before helping you save the world. Instead, the team aimed to create factions that want to help you but have realistic challenges and problems in front of them so that narratively, it makes sense why you help them in return for their help when the time comes.
"Gameplay-wise – each of our classes has a specialization, and each of them is tied to a faction," Epler continues. "But beyond that, each faction has a [companion] as well as [people we're calling agents, ancillarily] who exist as the faces of these factions. We didn't want to just say, 'Here's the Grey Wardens, go deal with them.' We wanted characters within that faction who are sympathetic, who you can see and become the face of the faction, so that even if there are moments where the faction as a whole may be on the outs with you, these characters are still with you; they've still got your back."
If you find yourself unhappy with your lineage or your class, you can change them using the Mirror of Transformation, found in the main Veilguard hub, The Lighthouse. You can also change your Rook's visual appearance there, too.
For more about the game, including exclusive details, interviews, video features, and more, click the Dragon Age: The Veilguard hub button below.
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As part of the character creation process for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, players will have to select both a class for their player-controlled Rook and a faction. After customizing much of your Rook's body, including things like a Qunari's horn type and material, for example, with the hundreds of options available in Veilguard, it will be time to pick said class.
There are three classes to choose from: Rogue, Mage, and Warrior. As the names suggest, each features a unique combat system and plays differently as a result. Though you’ll be performing things like light and heavy attacks using the same buttons, what those attacks do varies based on your class. For example, a sword-and-shield Warrior can hip-fire or aim their shield to throw it like Captain America, whereas a Mage can use that same button to throw out magical ranged attacks – read more about the combat of Veilguard in Game Informer's exclusive feature here. Plus, as you spec out these classes and unlock their individual specializations, the differences will only grow even more stark.
The Rogue has access to three specializations. The Duelist is the fastest of the three, with two blades for rapid strikes; the Saboteur uses tricks and traps; and the Veil Ranger is purely range, sniping enemies from afar with a bow.
The Mage can utilize necromancy with the Death Caller specialization; Evokers wield fire, ice, and lightning; and the Spellblade uses magic-infused melee attacks.
The Warrior can become a Reaper, which uses night blades to steal life and risk death to gain unnatural abilities; a Slayer, a simple but strong two-handed weapons expert; or the Champion, a tactical defense fighter.
While these specializations don't matter upfront – you class into them via the skill trees you progress through the game – it's nice to see the potential of each class before you choose it.
For the penultimate step of the character creator, at least during the demo BioWare shows me, players select a faction. The Grey Wardens return, joined by other returning favorites and new additions like the Antivan Crows, the Mourn Watch, the Shadow Dragons, the pirate-themed Lords of Fortune, which is what I chose in my demo for the current Game Informer cover story, and the Veil Jumpers.
Each faction has unique casual wear, which is worn in specific cutscenes when the character isn't donning armor, and three unique traits. The Lords of Fortune, for example, gain additional reputation with this particular faction, have increased damage versus mercenaries, and perform takedowns on enemies with slightly less effort. Veilguard game director Corinne Busche says this faction selection, which ties into your character's backstory, determines who your Rook was before, how they met Varric, why they travel with Varric instead of their faction, and more.
"The message of The Veilguard is you're not saving the world on your own – you need your companions, but you also need these factions, these other groups in the world," creative director John Epler tells me. "You help them, they help you now."
He says BioWare wanted to avoid the trope of needing to gather 200 random resources or objects before helping you save the world. Instead, the team aimed to create factions that want to help you but have realistic challenges and problems in front of them so that narratively, it makes sense why you help them in return for their help when the time comes.
"Gameplay-wise – each of our classes has a specialization, and each of them is tied to a faction," Epler continues. "But beyond that, each faction has a [companion] as well as [people we're calling agents, ancillarily] who exist as the faces of these factions. We didn't want to just say, 'Here's the Grey Wardens, go deal with them.' We wanted characters within that faction who are sympathetic, who you can see and become the face of the faction, so that even if there are moments where the faction as a whole may be on the outs with you, these characters are still with you; they've still got your back."
If you find yourself unhappy with your lineage or your class, you can change them using the Mirror of Transformation, found in the main Veilguard hub, The Lighthouse. You can also change your Rook's visual appearance there, too.
For more about the game, including exclusive details, interviews, video features, and more, click the Dragon Age: The Veilguard hub button below.
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Deadrop studio Midnight Society has terminated its relationship with co-founder and streamer Guy Beahm aka Dr. Disrespect. It did so after looking into allegations surrounding Beahm that emerged over the recent weekend regarding his 2020 Twitch ban.
On Friday, June 21, former Twitch account director of strategic partnerships Cody Conners said on Twitter, "He [referring to Beahm] got banned because he was caught sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product. He was trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon. The powers that be could read in plain text. Case closed, gang." Conner replied to his own post on X (formerly Twitter) and said, "No one made the wrong decision, f*** him and his boys."
He got banned because got caught sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product. He was trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon. The powers that be could read in plain text.
Though Conners didn't name Beahm, who was previously banned from E3 and suspended on Twitch after livestreaming from a public bathroom in 2019, it was clear that he was referring to the streamer. Beahm even replied from his Dr. Disrespect account, saying he knows it's a "hot topic" but that it "has been settled, no wrongdoing was acknowledged and they paid out the whole contract." He then tweeted separately, "Listen, I'm obviously tied to legal obligations from the settlement with Twitch but I just need to say what I can say since this is the f***ing internet. I didn't do anything wrong, all this has been probed and settled, nothing illegal, no wrongdoing was found, and I was paid."
Back in 2020, when Beahm was suddenly banned on June 26, Twitch shared little of the reasoning behind the decision. It released the following statement, "As is our process, we take appropriate action when we have evidence that a streamer has acted in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. These apply to all streamers regardless of status or prominence in the community." This ban happened shortly after Beahm signed with Twitch (again) for reportedly an eight-figure sum, as reported by The Washington Post.
Following this ban, Beahm told The Washington Postweeks later he still didn't know why Twitch "effectively voided his contract" with the ban. A year after the ban, Beahm sued Twitch and roughly a year after that – so about two years after the ban – he and Twitch settled. At the time, Beahm posted a photo on March 10, 2022, with a paper he signed that read, "I have resolved my legal dispute with Twitch. No party admits to any wrongdoing."
"On Friday evening we became aware of an allegation against one of our co-founder's Guy Beahm aka Dr. Disrespect. We assumed his innocence and began speaking with parties involved. And in order to maintain our principles and standards as a studio and individuals, we needed to act. "For this reason, we are terminating our relationship with Guy Beahm immediately. "While these facts are difficult to hear and even more difficult to accept, it is our duty to act with dignity on behalf of all individuals involved, especially with fifty-five developers and families we have employed along with our community of players."
Though Midnight Society doesn't say anything too specific, it did look into the situation following Conners' reveal, spoke to parties involved, and decided then (after previously assuming Beahm's innocence) that it was terminating its relationship with the streamer.
Though Beahm hasn't acknowledged the Midnight Society situation, people that tuned into the Dr. Disrespect stream happening when the studio posted its statement think they can see the moment he sees the news live on-air. Here's a clip from Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach:
You can see the exact moment Dr Disrespect appears to find out that Midnight Society is dropping him, or some other seemingly bad news related to his Twitch ban allegations.
He had just defeated Bayle The Dread and went to look at his phone after fast travelling to Scadu Atlus pic.twitter.com/CwgPSVYCXc
Considering Beahm's Twitch ban was settled in court with the Amazon-owned streaming service, there's a good chance we don't learn about the sitaution as there are likely legal obligations stopping either party from sharing further details.
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<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://ift.tt/rU3JAGa" width="800" height="447" alt="Dr. Disrespect Twitch Allegations Deadrop Studio Midnight Society Fires Him" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p><a href="https://ift.tt/3xMkVIt> studio Midnight Society has terminated its relationship with co-founder and streamer Guy Beahm aka Dr. Disrespect. It did so after looking into allegations surrounding Beahm that emerged over the recent weekend regarding his 2020 Twitch ban. </p> <p>On Friday, June 21, former Twitch account director of strategic partnerships Cody Conners said on Twitter, "He [referring to Beahm] got banned because he was caught sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product. He was trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon. The powers that be could read in plain text. Case closed, gang." Conner replied to his own post on X (formerly Twitter) and said, "No one made the wrong decision, f*** him and his boys." </p> <blockquote class="tw-align-center twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">He got banned because got caught sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product. He was trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon. The powers that be could read in plain text.<br /> <br /> Case closed, gang.</p> — Cody Conners (@evoli) <a href="https://twitter.com/evoli/status/1804309358106546676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <p>Though Conners didn't name Beahm, <a href="https://ift.tt/cj9FW0B was previously banned from E3 and suspended on Twitch after livestreaming from a public bathroom in 2019</a>, it was clear that he was referring to the streamer. Beahm even <a href="https://ift.tt/Gota4Oq> from his Dr. Disrespect account, saying he knows it's a "hot topic" but that it "has been settled, no wrongdoing was acknowledged and they paid out the whole contract." He then <a href="https://ift.tt/2a1dnwL> separately, "Listen, I'm obviously tied to legal obligations from the settlement with Twitch but I just need to say what I can say since this is the f***ing internet. I didn't do anything wrong, all this has been probed and settled, nothing illegal, no wrongdoing was found, and I was paid." </p> <p>Back in 2020, when Beahm was suddenly banned on June 26, Twitch shared little of the reasoning behind the decision. It released the following statement, "As is our process, we take appropriate action when we have evidence that a streamer has acted in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. These apply to all streamers regardless of status or prominence in the community." This ban happened shortly after Beahm signed with Twitch (again) for reportedly an eight-figure sum, as reported by <a href="https://ift.tt/vKD6Y2T Washington Post</em></a>. </p> <p>Following this ban, Beahm told <em><a href="https://ift.tt/oOAz6MZ Washington Post</a> </em>weeks later he still didn't know why Twitch "effectively voided his contract" with the ban. A year after the ban, Beahm sued Twitch and roughly a year after that – so about two years after the ban – he and Twitch settled. At the time, Beahm posted a photo on March 10, 2022, with a paper he signed that read, "I have resolved my legal dispute with Twitch. No party admits to any wrongdoing." </p> <blockquote class="tw-align-center twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Moving on. <a href="https://t.co/aA4KfHOSK2">pic.twitter.com/aA4KfHOSK2</a></p> — Dr Disrespect (@DrDisrespect) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrDisrespect/status/1502004274993131525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p>During this sequence of events, <a href="https://ift.tt/bCFqiwG also launched a new triple-A studio with Call of Duty and Halo veteran game developers</a> called Midnight Society. After Conners' reveal about Beahm on Friday, Midnight Society apparently assumed his innocence but began speaking to parties involved. After doing so, it decided to terminate its relationship with Beahm. Here's the studio's full <a href="https://ift.tt/CuYNoei> on the matter:</p> "On Friday evening we became aware of an allegation against one of our co-founder's Guy Beahm aka Dr. Disrespect. We assumed his innocence and began speaking with parties involved. And in order to maintain our principles and standards as a studio and individuals, we needed to act. "For this reason, we are terminating our relationship with Guy Beahm immediately. "While these facts are difficult to hear and even more difficult to accept, it is our duty to act with dignity on behalf of all individuals involved, especially with fifty-five developers and families we have employed along with our community of players." <p>Though Midnight Society doesn't say anything too specific, it did look into the situation following Conners' reveal, spoke to parties involved, and decided then (after previously assuming Beahm's innocence) that it was terminating its relationship with the streamer. </p> <p>Though Beahm hasn't acknowledged the Midnight Society situation, people that tuned into the Dr. Disrespect stream happening when the studio posted its statement think they can see the moment he sees the news live on-air. Here's a clip from <em>Kotaku </em>reporter <a href="https://ift.tt/fDibCWu Gach</a>: </p> <blockquote class="tw-align-center twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">You can see the exact moment Dr Disrespect appears to find out that Midnight Society is dropping him, or some other seemingly bad news related to his Twitch ban allegations.<br /> <br /> He had just defeated Bayle The Dread and went to look at his phone after fast travelling to Scadu Atlus <a href="https://t.co/CwgPSVYCXc">pic.twitter.com/CwgPSVYCXc</a></p> — AmericanTruckSongs9 (@ethangach) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethangach/status/1805357542786449698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <p>Considering Beahm's Twitch ban was settled in court with the Amazon-owned streaming service, there's a good chance we don't learn about the sitaution as there are likely legal obligations stopping either party from sharing further details. </p>
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From Software games have garnered a reputation – alongside the rest of the Soulslike subgenre – for delivering difficult, punishing experiences that reward persistence with an unparalleled thrill of victory. The latest release, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, has attracted attention and, in some sectors of the fan base, controversy for how punishingly difficult it is. The week before the expansion's release, we sat down with From Software president Hidetaka Miyazaki to talk about the notion of difficulty and how the passionate fan base has surprised him over the years.
The Soulslike genre, particularly From Software games, puts an emphasis on death as part of the gameplay experience. When you fight a challenging enemy, it may feel insurmountable, but by taking a studious and persistent approach, players can recognize patterns, develop skills, and, sometimes, with a little luck, pass the trials to progress through the game. "I think of all of the different ways I want to be killed as a gamer and as a player, and thinking about the difficult curve and certain challenges that we placed in front of other players is something that, as a gamer, I just hoped or wished would exist as an experience," Miyazaki says.
The difficulty and the unknown build a certain level of tension, contributing to a feeling of dread that some players can't get enough of. Not knowing what's around the corner, then the feeling of seeing something you couldn't imagine in your wildest nightmares provides the level of surprise that From Software hopes to achieve with each passing encounter. To achieve this, Miyazaki takes on much of the level-design responsibilities to ensure that players feel that tension in appropriate ways.
"The entire genre from Demon's Souls all the way to Elden Ring – the so-called From Software Soulslikes games – I have always taken a very heavy involvement in stage design and level design because I want to create those exact experiences," Miyazaki says. "As a player walks through this world, I know that they have a very fragmented understanding of the lore, the surroundings, the type of monsters, whereas I don't. So, the map and level design are supposed to serve as this guide in a way to help players pick up more information and piece together what they think that world is. That is the reason why I level design myself: to make sure that those moments aren't lost. And yes, it's a very time-consuming process, but [fans recognizing the level design intent] makes it worthwhile."
But Miyazaki knows that many of the games he creates are inherently difficult, but the dedicated players of the genre always seem to rise to the challenge. "There is certainly a lot of surprise, especially when watching content from really, really good players," he says. "We design certain experiences with the intent of, 'Oh man, I'm sure they're going to have a tough time with this,' but somehow, these players are able to overcome all the obstacles with their skill. With regards to difficulty, I know we get a lot of credit for saying, 'Yeah, our games are difficult,' but it's not a matter of simply cranking up the difficulty. It's doing so fairly."
"When players are killed, and they can understand why they were killed in an instance, and it feels justified – 'Okay, yeah, that makes sense' – that's the game design we're trying to achieve," Miyazaki continues. "I know a lot of players out there are probably going to disagree: 'What are you talking about?! This game doesn't make sense! What the heck!' But we try to make sure that there is a learning curve and a feedback loop that the players are able to extract from that they can then bring into the next attempt. We believe in difficult games, but not games that are unjustly or unfairly so. But, of course, there's still room for improvement on our side, as well."
With Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree available now (read our review here), the Soulslike and From Software community is back to debating the merits of the developer's difficulty. But regardless of the debate, history has shown that players will eventually adapt to this new level of challenge and defeat the seemingly undefeatable. From Software has shown an unprecedented level of mastery in understanding how to create content for its community, so while some players may currently feel like Shadow of the Erdtree is too challenging, it will be interesting to observe how that sentiment swings once those same players get more time with the expansion under their belts.
Remakes tend to be more exciting than remasters because the improvements often go beyond mere bumps in resolution or framerate. At best, studios reimagine classic experiences in exciting new ways, sand away rough edges, and somehow retain the intangible x-factors that made fans fall in love with these titles in the first place. At the very least, remakes offer a great way to play antiquated or less accessible experiences on modern hardware.
The remake boom has been in full swing in recent years to the point that it’s starting to get tough to keep track of all the projects in the works. Thankfully, we’ve gathered as many of the announced remakes (not remasters) that we could find and gathered them in one neat list, arranged chronologically by release window. This will be an evolving list that will be updated as new remakes are announced and released, so be sure to keep an eye on it over the coming months.
Riven
Release: June 25
Riven: The Sequel to Myst is one of the most beloved PC games of the '90s, and the original masterminds at Cyan World are rebuilding it from scratch. The team even reached out to an existing fan-driven remake, The Starry Expanse Project, to incorporate their efforts into the title. Sporting remade, fully explorable 3D environments, modern controls, and VR support, we're optimistic this return trip will be worth the wait.
Silent Hill 2
Release: October 8
Bloober Team is reviving Silent Hill 2 with a modern coat of paint. The minds behind Layers of Fear and The Medium may not have the greatest critical track record, but hopefully, working with an established (and better) template will yield more positive results. It would be nice to have a good, modernized version of Silent Hill 2 after the less-than-stellar HD port from 2012. Silent Hill 2 will come to PC and PlayStation 5 as a timed console exclusive.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
Release: October 24
First released in 1993, the Super Famicom RPG is getting a full 3D glow-up. The update includes rearranged compositions by SaGa composer Kenji Ito (as well as the original versions), English and Japanese voiceovers, and enhancements to its turn-based combat. For fans, the remake retains Romancing SaGa 2's signature nonlinear storytelling and choice-driven dialogue.
Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake
Release: November 14
HD-2D is becoming an increasingly popular template for reviving classic JRPGs. It worked wonders for Live A Live, and Square Enix is giving Dragon Quest III the same treatment. Despite the number, the game is a prequel to Dragon Quest I and II and is the first chapter of the Erdrick Trilogy. The remake sands off the rough edges of the NES classic with modernized features and adds new narrative elements.
Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
Release: 2024
2011's Epic Mickey was a cult favorite of the Wii, but its gameplay flaws held it back from becoming a true Disney classic. Developer Purple Lamp is transferring the adventure to a new canvas to paint a prettier, more appealing picture in Epic Mickey: Rebrushed. This full remake reworks the Wii motion controls to a contemporary setup and gives Mickey new platforming moves and abilities for his magic paintbrush. The Wasteland has been reimagined and looks better than ever, thanks to the improved graphics.
Gothic
Release: 2024
2001's Gothic is getting a faithful glow-up that looks to reintroduce the RPG to a new audience. The combat system and control scheme, a criticism of the original, has been reworked to feel modern and, most of all, playable. Developer THQ Nordic Barcelona even released a playable teaser to obtain feedback and ensure it's on the right track. As 20+ year-old game, Gothic has been a tough game to revisit on PC, making this remake all the more welcomed.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Release: 2024
Months of rumors proved true when Konami revealed it was remaking arguably the most beloved entry in the Metal Gear series, Snake Eater. Boasting, as Konami put it, "cutting-edge graphics and 3D audio," this new version will faithfully retell the story of Big Boss' origin. Best of all, the iconic theme song is back in full force.
Until Dawn
Release: 2024
Although it doesn't feel like it, Until Dawn is almost nine years old. That means it's officially old enough for a remake, and that's exactly what's happening to the hit horror title. The previously PS4-exclusive game is being rebuilt for PS5 and PC by UK developer Ballistic Moon (with guidance from the original developer Supermassive Games). In addition to making an already great-looking game look even nicer thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the gameplay has been refined, and the adventure features new environments, new collectibles, and re-cut narrative sequences.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
Release: 2025
If you wind up loving the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III and want more, Square Enix has you covered. Dragon Quest I and II are getting the same treatment. Best of all, both remakes will be packaged together as a single release.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Release: 2026
Development has been rocky for The Sands of Time’s impending remake, to say the least. Besides the game’s reveal garnering backlash from fans due to its unimpressive graphics, it has been delayed twice: first by two months, then indefinitely. In hindsight, it’s wild to think we were supposed to be playing this in January 2021. In May 2022, Ubisoft announced it had moved development from its fledgling Indian studios back to Montreal, where The Sands of Time was first created. While it's unfortunate that Ubisoft Pune/Mumbai couldn’t bring the remake together, we’re excited to see if Ubisoft Montreal can reapply the same magic.
Front Mission 3
Release: TBA
Nows that the remakes of Front Mission 1 and 2 are out in the wild, all that's left is the 3rd game, which, if you're a North American fan, was likely the first one you played as it was the first entry to launch outside of Japan. Like the previous two remakes, Front Mission 3 is heading to Switch exclusively at launch and features improved visuals and controls.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Release: TBA
The reveal that arguably the best Star Wars game ever was getting a much-needed remake had fans raising their lightsabers in celebration. Unfortunately, the game’s development seemingly succumbed to the dark side after reports surfaced that progress had stalled, and work on the game has switched hands from Aspyr Media to Saber Interactive. The game went radio silent for a long period until Embracer Group sold off Saber, prompting the studio's CEO to confirm that KOTOR is "alive and well". We hope that's the case and look forward to eventually seeing the remake in action.
Max Payne 1 and 2
Release: TBA
In April, Remedy Entertainment pleasantly surprised the gaming world when it announced it had struck a deal with Rockstar Games to remake Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. Remedy sold the IP to Rockstar in 2002, but the two are partnering to revive the gritty crime series that popularized Bullet Time. The project, which will combine both games into a single title, will be made by Remedy, with Rockstar footing the bill on development and publishing, and target current-gen consoles and PC.
Splinter Cell
Release: TBA
It might not be a new entry, but a remake of Sam Fisher’s first outing is better than nothing after years of waiting. Ubisoft Toronto sits at the helm of the project and plans to rebuild the game from scratch using the Snowdrop Engine while maintaining the classic stealth elements. Outside of recently losing its director (on good terms), it’s unclear how development is faring or when we’ll get to see this fresh spin on the franchise.
The Witcher
Release: TBA
CD Projekt Red’s litany of upcoming projects includes a full remake of the first Witcher game. It’s being built in Unreal Engine 5 by developer Fool’s Theory (with supervision from CD Projekt veterans) and is said to be very early in development. The Witcher, released for PC in 2007, isn’t the easiest game to revisit due to its age and lack of console ports. Now that Geralt and friends are mainstream draws, newer fans can finally experience the adventure that started it all.
Which remakes are you looking forward to playing the most? Let us know in the comments!
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