Summary PlayStation’s most recent State of Play was full of things I’m keen for, which isn’t a feeling I’ve had from a video game showcase in a good long while. Digimon Story: Time Stranger continues to be a solid 90 percent of all I can think about, and Hirogami, Tides of Tomorrows, Sword of the Sea, and Sea of Remnants all look fantastic, too. But there’s one trend I’m slowly becoming burnt out on that State of Play went all-in on....

Three former executives atUbisoft—Thomas François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux—have been handed suspended prison sentences after being found guilty of sexual and psychological harassment. The trio enabled a troubling internal culture at the studio in the years between 2012 and 2020; described by former staff members as a “boys' club above the law.” The specific incidents detailed in the case include forcibly trying to kiss colleagues, coercing them to do handstands in skirts, and lighting a subordinate’s beard on fire....

If you’ve ever played any kind of multiplayer title, especially one involving PVP, you’ll have no doubt encountered griefers. You know the type: players who don’t get enjoyment from winning like a normal person, but instead like to make themselves feel good by continually annoying others. After yet another instance of being spawn camped in an FPS game, we’ve decided to console ourselves by picturing thenine circles of hell from Dante Alighieri’s The Inferno, and deciding which one these different types of griefers belong in....

I stood anxiously on the edge of the field, walking back and forth as the gaggle of athletes prepared for the tense race ahead. This is the Japanese Derby, one of the most serious bouts of equestrian sport in the entire country, and here I was ready to clutch gold for the first time in my career. But only if my shining star, Special Week, is able to capitalise on her training to come out on top....

Don’t be afraid to admit it. We all played games we shouldn’t have when we were young. Either we snuck them past our parents, made up some elaborate lie about how they were fine to play actually. Maybe your parents just didn’t care, or felt you were mature enough for it. Some variation of all that, anyway. For me, I played a lot of games. The PS2 was the console that defined most of my childhood, and I had nigh 100 games on it, more than I reasonably had the time to play between school and homework....

There are plenty ofgreat video game heroeswho battle villains and stop their evil schemes. Or at least, that’s how it usually goes. Sometimes, the villains' actions and plans aren’t the main problem, though. Occasionally, it is the hero who has ruined everything, and they’re forced to clean up their own mess. Typically, this happens accidentally. They make the wrong choice, kill the wrong person, or are tricked into doing something bad....

Lush and lovingly crafted,Pioneers of Pagoniais one of the most enchanting city-builders currently in Early Access. Even in the game’s prelaunch state, it’s hard not to get pulled into its world of mist-shrouded islands and plucky explorers. I spoke with some of the team at Envision Entertainment to find out what went into creating this lovely world. These Magical Islands Pioneers of Pagonia is led by foundational German game designer Volker Wertich, the creator of The Settlers and SpellForce, among others....

The battlefield shakes with seismic reverberations with each of the Saturnine Dreadnought’s mammoth steps. As Space Marine fights Space Marine, brother fights brother, the towering presence of a war machine inspires confidence in its Legion and terror in their foes. The walking sarcophagus raises its enormous Heavy Plasma Bombard, its coils glowing as it prepares to fire. A flash of light, an ear-splitting boom, the deafening silence that follows. The centrepiece of anyHorus Heresyforce and the star of the new Saturnine box, the Saturnine Dreadnought ushers inWarhammer: The Horus Heresy 3rd Edition....

Death Stranding 2is now out and, like the original, there’s a lot more hiding beneath the surface than you might initially think. True, you’ll still be hauling cargo between cities. True, you’ll still be facing oil ghosts that want to eat you and then explode. Butthis is a Hideo Kojima game, which means there are always going to be mysterious people to meet and new gear to unlock. If you’re not intentionally doing a little exploring and extra homework for settlers, you’re going to miss a whole lot of fun bits....

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33offers you almost endless possibilities when it comes to building your team. While some characters might have more skills focused on supporting your partners rather than dealing damage, you’re able to turn anyone into a DPS menace. However, Maelle might be one of the clearest examples of a party member who was born to hurt enemies. If you’re wondering how much damage you can do in a single turn in Clair Obscur, you need to have Maelle in your team and be sure to have some specific Pictos and a specific weapon....

Quick Links Planetary Samples are necessary for key upgrades inThe Alters.There are only a handful in the entire game, and finding them requires tracking down and following Interal Trails with the Luminator. The task is further complicated by the fact that the trails often go off the beaten path, climbing walls that you can’t follow, and forcing you to find other ways around to pick up where you left off....

Quick Links The Holy City of Aratum is the fourth chapter ofDoom: The Dark Agesand acts as a pretty sizable departure from the first couple of stages. For one, we’ll be riding around on a dragon. Which, you know, isprettyneat. But more importantly, the stage is fairly open-ended. You’ll need to destroy four Hell Carriers, but you can choose the order in which you tackle them. There are also two completely optional islands you can land on and explore....

Quick Links If you’ve exhausted the main Cyrodiil map inOblivion Remastered,and you want toexplore every crevice of the Shivering Isles,you can do that for the Taxonomy of Obsessions side quest. Taxonomy of Obsession is a collection-based side quest that requires you to collect over 25 ingredients and four beasts from across the Shivering Isles. Mirili Ulven is a Dark Elf researcher who loves to categorize everything around her, and her current research is focused on the plants and animals you’ll find in the Shivering Isles....