DualShockers - Features

Ozymandias Solves A Big 4X Problem

Robert Webb — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:15:27 GMT

I'm a big 4X fan, and in my time, I've played and loved some of the best the genre has to offer. From Civilization to Stellaris, to Endless Legend and Age of Wonders, I've played most of the big names and had a lot of fun doing so. There is, however, a problem common to almost every 4X game I've played, some to a greater extent than others, but it's almost always there in some form.

Can We Please Give Rayman His Own Game Again?

Jack Peachey — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 18:01:27 GMT

There's something oddly depressing about the recent trailer for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC 3, where Rayman's return to gaming was finally shown off. Not only is it does it annoy me that the character is finally coming back in a game not at all related to his home genre (platforming), but it's just sad given the context. The poor guy's been reduced to a cameo in his own franchise—with the rabbids originally being characters in a Rayman spin-off. Despite the limbless hero being a platforming star since his 1995 debut, he hasn't had a game (not counting a couple middling mobile titles) since the excellent Rayman Legends—which was ten years ago.

Starfield Probably Won't Have A Demo, And That's OK

Matthew Schomer — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 11:01:27 GMT

In case you haven't been on social media in the past couple days, let me be the first to inform you that we're officially less than a month away from the launch of Starfield. I knew this already, of course, thanks to the handy-dandy release date guide we keep pinned to our front page here at DualShockers. But if you're like me, and you can't tear yourself away from social media FOMO, then this news is no surprise to you, because like me, you've been hit with an absolute deluge of similarly slapped-together one-month-out posts and tweets.

The Fuss Over The Term 'JRPG' Says A Lot About The State Of The Genre

Mohamed Hassan — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:15:27 GMT

Man, I haven't seen the Internet question itself about the use of a certain word since the "one-eyed monster" thing in Xenoblade 2, but yeah, the misuse of the term "JRPG" has gotten out of hand lately. I understand where Yoshi-P—the one who started the discussion in his interview with Skill Up—is coming from. JRPG has been and still is a discriminatory term on Internet forums, and I've seen it thrown around derogatorily many times to refer to those 'quirky weird alien games that aren't Diablo or Baldur's Gate' .... and that's putting it mildly.

Naruto Connections Looks Like It's (Almost) Worth Playing

Aku — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 20:00:27 GMT

2023 continues to be packed with hype surrounding lots of great fighting game announcements, but not all announcements are made equal, as some have missed the mark in drumming up excitement. This was the story for Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, and while that has started to change for the better, the game doesn't seem to be quite there on delivering something that many players will want to dive into.

Baldur's Gate 3's Simultaneous Turns Are The Right Kind Of Chaos

Robert Zak — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 18:01:26 GMT

I’ve got a lot of love for Larian’s past work, but my gods did some of those fights in Divinity: Original Sin 2 drag on. 10 minutes fighting some puny void slugs early in the game was just a taste of things to come, with later battles later in the game taking up whole evenings—literal hours of game time. Don’t get me wrong, Original Sin 2 has a wonderfully reactive, deep, and creative combat system, but even that was starting to bow under the weight of sheer pacing-drain. The problem would only get amplified when playing with two or more people, when you could be waiting a good 10 minutes for your turn.

Across the Spider-Verse Fixes Spider-Man's Most Mundane Story Trope

Yousef A. Zain — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 11:00:25 GMT

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who feels like we're living in a Spider-Man golden age. Among the many original Spider-Man stories being produced lately, the most recent one was absolutely exemplary.

I'm Excited To Play The First Interactive Korean Drama Game

Mohamed Hassan — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 00:15:25 GMT

I sometimes find it difficult to passionately discuss Korean dramas—a large part of my personal pastime—when I'm working for a gaming website. However, that hasn't stopped me from gushing about "The Glory" to our editor Matthew Schomer every time we bump into each other. Fortunately, today I finally have the opportunity to indulge in my side hobby with "Love Too Easily," an interactive visual novel that embodies the essence of a Korean drama, complete with real-life actors, branching choices, and even hidden endings.

Final Fantasy 16 is Proof There’s No Satisfying the Entire Fanbase

Jervon Perkins — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 20:00:25 GMT

Final Fantasy has been growing and evolving continuously for 35 years. The very first sequel, Hironobu Sakaguchi's Final Fantasy 2, was designed to be transformative rather than just iterative, and every major Final Fantasy installment since then has pushed boundaries fearlessly, which has been a driving force behind the series. Each game had its own unique vision in terms of visuals, gameplay, storyline, and musical score, even though there were obvious similarities between them.

Final Fantasy 16's Difficulty Is An Antidote For Anxious Gamers Like Me

Jo Craig — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 18:00:25 GMT

The stigma surrounding easy modes in video games still taints the community like the Blight in Final Fantasy 16. But if there’s one thing I learned from the latest entry in the Final Fantasy series, it’s that playing it safe is a viable gameplay style. Not every gamer, including myself, relishes in the thought of painstaking boss battles after a hard day's work, even if it produces a sense of accomplishment—a validation I can live without.

Being Able To Bang Every Companion In Baldur's Gate 3 Is A Bit Silly

Robert Zak — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 11:01:24 GMT

Baldur’s Gate 3 is fantastic from what I’ve played so far—on course to become one of the greatest RPGs I’ve ever played, in fact. Its evident love of the Forgotten Realms universe, its clever implementation of D&D 5e into a videogame format, its character writing, are all fantastic. But in a game of such breathtaking scope, there are bound to be some little slip-ups here and there, and one of these for me is in the ‘playersexuality’ of the companions.

Star Ocean’s Revival Proves That Fans Do Matter

Jervon Perkins — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 20:00:26 GMT

I’ve been a long-time fan of the Star Ocean series, since my undergraduate days. I discovered the joy of ordering video games through my college bookstore. With limited funds, acquiring Star Ocean: Till the End of Time was a dream come true, and I immersed myself in its captivating gameplay, replaying it countless times and mastering strategies to conquer post-game content.

FNAF: Ruin Foreshadowed Its Ending In The Best Way

Matthew Schomer — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 18:00:24 GMT

I don't think I'm the typical Five Nights At Freddy's fan. While the purists will salivate over the original indie games in the series and hunger for Help Wanted 2 on the PSVR 2, I'm more into games that break the classic trapped-in-a-room mold—games like FNAF: Security Breach, for example.

Final Fantasy X's Al Bhed Language Feels Revolutionary In Retrospect

Mohamed Hassan — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 11:01:24 GMT

Final Fantasy games takes players on adventures to many unique worlds with diverse regions and cultures. The games tell you that each region has it’s own script and writing system, yet present all of them as English or slightly different accents of English. Telling me your game includes multiple languages and writing systems loses its purpose if I cannot fully engage with them, since i'm not really learning anything new beyond my own native bubble (I'm not an English native, but you get the picture).

Wow, Blasphemous Really Had Some Of The Best Bosses In Gaming

Robert Zak — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 18:01:28 GMT

In preparation for Blasphemous 2, I decided to do a deep-dive into the utterly bonkers and arcane lore of the original Blasphemous to remind myself (and, well, figure out for the first time) what the hell it was all about. On this research odyssey, which culminated in me writing a Blasphemous story explainer that took way longer than I thought it would, I watched back some of the great boss fights of the game, and it really reminded me just how impressive, horrifying, and outright brilliant some of these battles were.

Barbie’s Ending Alone is Worth the Price of Admission

Jervon Perkins — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 11:00:26 GMT

This feature contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the Barbie movie.

Star Wars Outlaws Makes The Potential Mandalorian Game Unnecessary

Vlad Mazanko — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:01:26 GMT

Since its initial reveal, Star Wars Outlaws feels like the game Star Wars fans have long been yearning for. Traveling across the galaxy with a trusty droid and a loyal companion on your ‘borrowed’ ship, taking contracts from crime bosses scattered among the stars, finding yourself entangled in unexpected situations here and there, zipping around on speeder bike between settlements on vast planets while encountering intriguing characters with their own challenges along the way( not to mention the ever-present option to hop in your ship and make a hyperspace jump into the unknown).

Yoshi-P Seems Surprised That People Want Final Fantasy 16 DLC. I'm Not.

Matthew Schomer — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:00:26 GMT

Final Fantasy Fan Fest 2023 has come and gone, and it's brought a lot of surprises along with it, from the announcement of Dawntrail, the next leg of the Final Fantasy 14 online saga, to good news for Xbox players, who will finally get their hands on the long-running MMO. But even with all the reveals and fanfare, and the still image of director/producer Naoki Yoshida (more commonly known as Yoshi-P) sleeping in his office that just wouldn't stop popping up on my Twitter feed no matter how many times I'd seen it, there's one thing Yoshida said a couple of weeks ago that's still bugging me.

Persona Could Learn A Lot About Player Choice From Shin Megami Tensei

Mohamed Hassan — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:00:28 GMT

I've always had a nagging feeling about Persona games. Sure, they promote living life to the fullest and being true to oneself, yet they limit the player to numerous scripted events with shallow choices and predictable outcomes. What I would really like to see in Persona 6, or any future Persona title, is a more consequential narrative. It's not like Persona needs to look far for inspo, because its own parent series, Shin Megami Tensei, handles player choice and agency brilliantly.

Is Ubisoft Finally Killing Off Its Love-Hated Open-World Formula?

Robert Zak — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:00:26 GMT

Say what you will about the flat, formulaic open-world design of most of Ubisoft’s games released over the past 5(?) 10(?) years; when the formula you crafted and popularised leads to your company name having a whole genre named after it, then in a cold corporate sense that has to be counted as a success.

This Remnant 2 Boss Broke My Brain

Robert Webb — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 11:01:24 GMT

There are few things quite like a good boss fight. From Ornstein and Smough to Mother Brain to Sephiroth, they're a video game mainstay for a good reason. Given the sheer number of them, it's no surprise that boss fights come in all manner of weird and wonderful shapes and sizes. I've beaten up the Pope, destroyed Mecha-Hitler, and taken down whatever the hell the Vortex Queen was supposed to be.

AAA Games Should Drop At Least One Of The 'A's

Jack Peachey — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:15:24 GMT

We're just getting to the other side of a whole slew of AAA trailers and reveals. Starfield, Spider-Man 2, Star Wars Outlaws, Fable, and many more have all been unveiled or have been given new trailers. All these games look to be sporting the expected bells and whistles of an upcoming AAA release, specifically graphics that border on photorealism. I recognize being habitually stuck in the previous console generations makes me a little behind on these things, but I was blown away at the trailers for games like Star Wars Outlaws, with real-time gameplay that looks better than the cinematics that were coming out a year or so back.

More Games Should Start Like Toem

Jack Peachey — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 20:00:25 GMT

I suppose you've got a good game service when the biggest problem with it is how overwhelming the immensity of its catalogue is. Game Pass has that exact issue, with rows on top of rows of titles to choose from. It's a great issue to have, don't get me wrong, but when trying something new, I often worry I'll bet on the wrong horse and snag a game that drags on too long in the beginning. This happened to me recently with Minecraft Legends, where long cutscenes and a drawn-out tutorial phase killed my investment in the game. It probably would've picked up eventually, given the good things I've heard about it, but with such a library of games to peruse, it did nothing to grab me and make me feel like I wasn't wasting my time.

Spider-Man 2 Looks Like A Movie I've Already Seen Twice

Vlad Mazanko — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 18:00:25 GMT

I remember walking out of the theater in 2018 after watching Into the Spider-Verse, completely overwhelmed by what its creators achieved. Back then, I believed it marked the end of an era of forced adaptations that followed the well-known patterns about one of the most popular superheroes ever, who had already starred in eight movies and countless games. This year, with the arrival of Across the Spider-Verse, that feeling was reinforced, as it proved once again that captivating stories and characters could successfully break away from their past iterations.

Now That Xenosaga Is Canon, Bandai Namco Needs To Remaster It

Jervon Perkins — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 11:00:24 GMT

I’m a big fan of the Xeno series. It started with Xenosaga back when I was an undergrad and continues to this day with the most recent DLC for Xenoblade 3, Future Redeemed. There’s a complexity to this metaseries’ narrative that has yet to capture me the same way. Xenoblade is as close to Xenosaga as fans like myself have come to getting a remaster, and while I had become content with that over the years, the recent “radio scene” in Future Redeemed rekindled my desire like nothing else.

The Crazy Story Of Abandoned, The Game That Never Was

Kyle Knight — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 00:16:28 GMT

It's been a long two years, but if you can cast your mind back to April of 2021, you may recall the internet was abuzz following the announcement of a new horror game that looked awfully P.T-like. It was April 7th, to be exact, and a new PlayStation blog post had just announced Abandoned, a "first-person horror survival shooter set in a highly detailed open world environment", as per the game's director, Hasan Kahraman.

Putting Dion in Final Fantasy 16 Is A Step Forward For LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

Jervon Perkins — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 20:00:30 GMT

For 20 years now, I’ve been playing Final Fantasy games. They’ve become a staple to my life, and not a year goes by that I’m not playing one of the entries, and not just because I’ve been playing Final Fantasy 14 since beta. There are many things I’ve come to expect from the series, including a new compelling story to follow and heroes that will bring up a series of emotions within me.

This Sci-Fi Thriller Game Gives Nolan A Run For His Money

Mohamed Hassan — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 11:00:29 GMT

This article contains spoilers for many of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim's plot.Here's a thing about me. While I appreciate Barbie's candy-colored social commentary, I can't deny that I'm an Oppenheimer guy at the end of the day. Black-and-white scenes symbolizing historical events, and color scenes representing subjective perspectives; the plot is as haphazard and incomprehensible as you would expect from Nolan, but I would argue that 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is no less bonkers in these departments.

Left 4 Dead Weaponizes Your Hearing Into Fear

Marcus Jones — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 00:15:26 GMT

Left 4 Dead has established itself as the zombie co-op game. While its addictive gameplay and memorable characters have set it above so many others, there is one key element that makes it so timeless, and that is its sound design. From sound cues that announce a special infected's appearance to the fantastically freaky music that blasts in your ears as a horde assails you, Left 4 Dead makes your own ears your worst enemy.

Sorry Starfield, But I Only Have Room For One Epic RPG In 2023

Robert Zak — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 20:00:26 GMT

It’s not often that an epic, endlessly deep RPG gets released that threatens to consume our entire being for the next several months—there was The Witcher 3 in 2015, Skyrim in 2011, Elden Ring last year. The rarity of that grand RPG experience is part of what makes it special. It’s something that requires legitimate preparation: forewarning your friends that you may be a ‘bit busy for a while,’ figuring out if you can blag some sick days off work, stockpiling cans of beans in the larder, and setting keyword alerts for takeaway voucher codes.

I Miss Monster Hunter Tri’s Underwater Combat

John Mattison — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 18:00:26 GMT

The Monster Hunter series has never shied away from introducing mechanics that drastically changed things up. Monster Hunter 4, for instance, introduced mounting monsters and jumping to encourage vertical gameplay, which became a staple mechanic in all the games since. One mechanic that didn't quite catch on, however, was the underwater combat from Monster Hunter Tri, and I think it deserves to reemerge.

Final Fantasy 16: Why Bahamut Went Full 'Daenerys Targaryen' On Us

Jo Craig — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 11:01:26 GMT

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Final Fantasy 16 and Game of Thrones

All Hail To The King, The Unsung Hero Of Fallout: New Vegas

Robert Zak — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 18:01:25 GMT

I don’t know exactly what it is, but every bone in my body tells me not to trust a man who’s a walking gimmick. Whether that gimmick is embodying a certain rock-and-roll pioneer or wearing ominous clown make-up, it doesn’t matter. When someone has dedicated their life to being a walking manifestation of something, you just don’t know what they’re really thinking, what they’re really feeling behind their slick veneer.

Play Marvel's Avengers Story Before It's Too Late

Vlad Mazanko — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 16:00:26 GMT

Marvel's Avengers launched at the wrong time. Arriving over a year after Avengers: Endgame, the pinnacle of MCU's connected storytelling, the game found itself at the beginning of both superhero and live-service fatigue. Despite its live-service origins though, the title packs a surprisingly good story campaign. With Avengers leaving Game Pass on July 31, and getting delisted from digital storefronts on September 30, don't miss your chance to play through it before it's gone for good, especially as it's only several hours long.

Yes, Final Fantasy X's Infamous 'Laugh Scene' Was Cringe, But That Was The Point

Jervon Perkins — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:00:23 GMT

This past year saw me revisiting one of my favorite games of all time: Final Fantasy 10. While it wasn’t my first RPG ever (that title goes to Final Fantasy 8), I credit ‘X’ with elevating my love of the genre and making it a lifelong pursuit of mine. There are many reasons why I love it (not least of all my personal queer icon Yuna). There are many scenes that, even today, warm my heart, bring a tear to my eye, or make me laugh out loud.

Diablo 4 Might Prove Diablo 3 Is Better Than Diablo 2

Hodey Johns — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:16:25 GMT

I want to make something clear right away: Diablo 2 is one of the best games of all time and Diablo 3 is a flawed sequel. My goal is not to whitewash the mistakes made in Diablo 3. I also don't want to downplay what makes Diablo 2 so incredible.

I Wish Baldur's Gate 3 Did Origin Stories Like Octopath Traveler 2

Jack Coleman — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:01:25 GMT

Ah, the noble companion. A staple of many RPGs worldwide, but especially ubiquitous in the broad genre known as JRPGs. Anecdotally, if one were to poll players on their favourite character in any given party-based RPG, chances are, they wouldn’t choose the protagonist but rather one of their plucky companions. Players form a strong attachments to these characters, just look at some of the legendary companions gaming has given us over the years. Kreia, Morrigan, Minsc, Garrus (BioWare have made some good RPGs, eh?), Serana, Aerith - the list goes on.

Telltale's Comeback Is A Bittersweet Experience For Me

Wyatt Grondin — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 18:01:23 GMT

I've been was a fan of Telltale Games from way before their breakout success with The Walking Dead. I loved their point-and-click adventures and even their poker games, so to me they weren't a company that came out of nowhere. They were already the kings of licensed games in my book, and I was happy for them that they finally got deep success.

The Stardew Valley Dev's Lack Of Greed Blows My Mind

Joshua Furr — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:01:25 GMT

When I first arrived in Europe, my jaw hit the floor when I found out I had to pay for refills on Coke and to use a public bathroom. Still, that shock was nothing compared to the first time I encountered in-app purchases. The avarice! The unbridled greed! Whenever I get slapped with any extra charges other than the retail cost, I, like my fellow DS cohorts, immediately question the decency of the entire human race and rail against all monetary injustices. However, there is one developer who’s managed to avoid one of the seven deadly sins—an ape, actually.

Why Tears Of The Kingdom Speedrunners Are Duplicating Frogs

John Mattison — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 18:00:27 GMT

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a fantastic game to speedrun, so it's no surprise that many of those same people wanted to do the same for its sequel. Tears of the Kingdom may have a lot in common with its predecessor, but beating it as fast as possible is anything but a familiar experience. The chaos began shortly after the game's release, when speedrunners had already started rapidly juggling frogs in and out of their inventory, multiplying them into a hopping mass of elixir materials.

My Adventures With Superman Is DC At Its Best

Marcus Jones — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 11:01:27 GMT

Superhero media is inescapable, and the MCU is a major player in that field. Seemingly drowning us in an endless tide of tonally similar films, the 'Marvel Fatigue' continues to grow. While DC is certainly not innocent regarding its egregious superhero releases like Shazam, it is certainly pulling up some hits with its animated entries, like the Harley Quinn TV series. But for one particular entry, DC dials that bloodshed down, resorting to a more human, grounded approach. That series is My Adventures with Superman.

JRPG Games Are Leaning Too Much On Turbo Modes Lately

Mohamed Hassan — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:15:26 GMT

There are probably many logical reasons for why JRPGs of the past were the way they were, at least technically. Still-image sprites, random encounters, copy-paste dungeon designs (especially in first-person dungeon crawlers); these were all, in one way or another, creative choices tied to many outdated development constraints rather than what I would call 100% intentional.

It's Time For A Younger (And Less Known) Actor To Play James Bond

Jessica Lemus — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 20:00:28 GMT

Daniel Craig's final Bond film came out in 2021 and since then, there has been heavy speculation about who the next Bond will be. Sebastian Stan was jokingly singled out at the 2022 BAFTAs which almost threw him in a panic, Idris Elba was put off from accepting the role due to 'disgusting racism', and Tom Hiddleston has cleverly answered by dodging the question.

Remnant 2's World Is Total Nonsense, And I'm Into It

Robert Zak — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 18:00:26 GMT

I’m about 10 hours into Souls-inspired third-person shooter Remnant 2, and I have no idea what’s going on. All I know is that I’m having fun, and in what’s such a self-evident thing as to be redundant, that fun really is multiplied when playing alongside pals.

Diablo 4's Cosmetics Shop Is A Boring Kind Of Hell

Matthew O’Dwyer — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 11:00:25 GMT

Diablo 4 has a cash shop, and I’m mad about it! Well, at least that’s how the story usually goes. People have been complaining about the cash shop since the game launched, and I think a lot of good points have been made: Items are overpriced. Items are bundled in a way that makes the pricing even worse. Platinum itself is overpriced.

Why Starscourge Radahn Is Among The Best Boss Battles In Gaming

Robert Zak — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 20:00:27 GMT

I still get tingles thinking about it: that charge across the rust-coloured Wailing Dunes, the somber militaristic opening notes of the boss theme, the distant silhouette of the massive armour containing the Scarlet-rotted husk of the demigod Radahn—once a formidable and well-respected general, now a monster riding a painfully emaciated steed kept alive by unnatural magical means.

I Really Dig Metaphor: ReFantazio's Realistic Take On Fantasy

Mohamed Hassan — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 18:00:26 GMT

In many games and stories, fantasy refers to worlds far removed from our modern architecture and noisy streets. And to truly appreciate fantasy adventures, you must immerse yourself in their make-believe, and ignore the fact that they are not real. But is that enough in this day and age, when so many other genres are dealing with more social and real issues that can actually be inspiring? It may be presumptuous to say, but maybe the fantasy genre needs to step up its game.

The Pikmin Remaster Is All Nostalgia, No Baggage

Matthew O’Dwyer — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 11:00:23 GMT

Pikmin’s re-release on the Switch is a picture-perfect piece of nostalgia It isn’t a remake, but it has been given a bit of HD gloss to bring it into modern times. It’s still your simple game about a cute spacefaring explorer who crash-lands on a strange planet. You still get introduced to the mysterious species, Pikmin, who are all too eager to help you in your time of need.

Flashlight Weapons Suck In Games. Can Alan Wake 2 Fix That?

Robert Zak — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 18:00:24 GMT

Hands-up if you've ever had fun wielding a flashlight (or 'torch,' for my fellow country folk) as a weapon in a game. I'm not talking about literally using it for its designated purpose (creating light), nor am I talking about clonking people on the head with the butt of one, but using the flashlight's very beam to defeat (usually supernatural) enemies.

Across The Spider-Verse Continues The Trend Of Artist Abuse In Superhero Movies

Jack Peachey — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:00:24 GMT

Despite all the talk about superhero fatigue these days (and not without some merit), Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse has surpassed all expectations and is doing absolute gangbusters. Not only is it a tightly-written piece with fresh interpretations of classic characters, but it's one of the best-looking films out there. As an animation nerd, seeing this blend of art directions (mixing 2D, CGI, and live-action elements with a smorgasbord of different pallettes and styles) feels as seminal to me as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? It's genuinely groundbreaking.

Why Is Everyone Treating Sony Like A Major Player In The Activision Deal?

Jack Peachey — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 00:16:23 GMT

I've been following the merger between Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard merger for quite a while, staying up to date on continuing developments such as Microsoft just recently beating the FTC in court, and one thing about this whole situation still doesn't make sense to me. You'd think that the discussion around a merger between Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard would concern, well, Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard. But for some reason, Sony keeps getting brought up.

A Twisted Metal Revival Is Just What PlayStation Needs Right Now

Wyatt Grondin — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 18:01:22 GMT

Sony's been dipping their toes into multimedia with their IP lately. The Last Of Us got a TV show, obviously, but maybe not quite as many people are aware that a Twisted Metal series is right around the corner.

My First Level In Remnant 2 Was Basically Bloodborne, For Better And Worse

Robert Zak — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:40:12 GMT

‘Hmmm, beasts all over the shop,’ I think to myself, as I step out of the rutilant red crystal that transported me into the first proper level of Remnant 2. The damp cobbled streets disperse the light emanating from austere probably-paraffin street lights, discarded carts and carriages line the streets, and a thick gloom hangs over the town that just screams ‘Victorian London.’

How Hollywood Strikes Affects The Game Industry

Barry Ashcroft — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 11:00:22 GMT

We’ve never had it so good. Media is everywhere. It’s on our TV and movie screens, on our billboards, and even on the phones in our pocket. To bring us the entertainment we love takes a team of professionals. We may recognize a few faces, but the majority will be unfamiliar. And that’s before we mention the behind-the-scenes talent we so often forget.

Cassette Beasts is the New King of the Monster-Collecting Games

Robert Webb — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:15:21 GMT

All success stories inspire imitators, and there are few success stories in gaming like Pokémon. Spanning multiple decades, between films, games, books, and anime, Pokémon is arguably the most iconic franchise gaming has to offer. You'd struggle to find anyone under 35 who wouldn't recognize a Pikachu or a Charizard when they saw one.

Shooting In Remedy’s Games Feels Special And Alan Wake 2 Seems No Exception

Vlad Mazanko — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:01:23 GMT

When I think about Remedy Entertainment, I immediately think 'captivating cinematic stories and incredible gunplay execution.' It all began with 2001's Max Payne, and ever since then the studio has become synonymous with these two core pillars, forming the foundation for their subsequent games. Over time, Remedy's approach has evolved, starting with grounded, realistic projects then gradually shifting towards a seamless fusion of spectacular special effect-heavy gunfights enriched with supernatural powers.

Science Shows That Too Much Nostalgia Is Bad For You, So Don't Stew In It

Robert Zak — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, and video games may well be the very best form of media at harnessing it. Pick out a pop culture symbol representing the 80s, and the NES will be in there with MTV, E.T, and The Breakfast Club. Looking back wistfully on the early 90s? Sega Genesis and SNES will be rubbing shoulders with MC Hammer, Michael Jordan, and Seinfeld. Mid-late 90s, you’ll have the PS1 and the N64’s trident controller up there with AOL, Spice Girls, The Matrix, and frosted tips (and let’s be honest, those consoles were better than at least two of those other things).

Exoprimal Feels Like A Game Born Into Extinction

Robert Zak — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:00:20 GMT

Looking back at my hands-on time with Exoprimal, I’m surprised that despite trying to be coy and giving the game the customary benefit-of-doubt you give a game that’s not yet ready for a full release, I expressed a lot of reservations; weightless combat, an awkward solitary game mode, and a general messiness that at best felt like it was only going to appeal to a fairly small subsection of gamers seduced by the promise of mechs and dinosaurs.

The MCU's Blip Opens The Door For Some Great Stories

Frank Martin — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 18:00:20 GMT

Big crossover events are a staple of comic book storytelling. Marvel Comics has been doing them for years. It's a way to tie so many books together into a shared universe and have different characters go through similar struggles. A great example of this is Civil War, an event that rippled through Marvel's entire superhero community with every character, no matter how big or small, still affected by what was happening.

Did Immortals Of Aveum Really Need RPG Mechanics?

Jose Garcia — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 11:01:19 GMT

Immortals of Aveum is an upcoming EA-published single-player action game, which you've probably already heard of if you're here reading this, but just in case you haven't, its main shtick is that's a "magic first-person shooter." It will play a lot like an FPS but with different spells instead of different weapons, as well as other certain fantastical twists in both gameplay and presentation.

The Burning And Sleepaway Camp Are The Most Underrated Summer Slasher Flicks

Marcus Jones — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 00:15:24 GMT

We all know Friday the 13th as the quintessential summer slasher flick. Take the isolation of a campground, mix in some clueless councilors and a hidden killer, and you have a recipe for a classic horror film. Following its release, a whole slew of slasher films were released, all of mostly dithering quality. But from Friday's shadow arose two highly underrated flicks—The Burning and Sleepaway Camp.

Pokémon X And Y Is Better Than You Remember

Aku — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:06:20 GMT

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Pokémon X and Y games. These 3DS titles marked the point in time when GameFreak would be done with 2D sprites and start using 3D models for its main games, and the end result was a pair of games that received some very mixed opinions.

I've Played The Last Of Us Ripoff For Switch So You Don't Have To

Chris Harding — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

During my 12-year career in games media, I've always said "never get personal" when it comes to reviewing games. It's an art form, after all, and all art is art, even that which resembles a muddy fart. I don't believe in putting down on anybody just for doing their job—I know I wouldn't like it if droves of readers/viewers flocked to my latest project just to call it a worthless, pathetic piece of dog shite. Yet, I genuinely think I'd prefer to endure a lifetime of that rather than ever touch The Last Hope - Dead Zone Survival ever again.

Is Final Fantasy 14 Worth Playing In 2023?

Jervon Perkins — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:15:19 GMT

Final Fantasy 14 : A Realm Reborn has been a huge part of my life since the Playstation 3 beta released in 2013. Since then, it’s undergone an impressive transformation, with the developers at Square Enix working tirelessly to address player feedback and make significant improvements across all aspects of the game. Today, it’s a more immersive and visually stunning MMO than ever, with new expansions introducing compelling storylines, new playable races, challenging raids, and a wealth of diverse content.

On The Evidence, The Judge Was Right To Allow Microsoft's Acti-Blizz Deal

Jack Coleman — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 21:00:21 GMT

As many will know, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley recently denied the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. The decision is obviously a divisive issue. After all, at $68.7 billion, the deal is the largest in video game history. However, after hearing the arguments from the involved parties, it's hard to disagree with the Judge on this one.

If Deadpool 3 Can’t Save The MCU, Then It’s Truly Endgame

Joshua Furr — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 20:00:21 GMT

Since 2016, Deadpool has risen out of comic-book obscurity to become something of a movie icon and has been embraced by MCU diehards and casual cinema-goers alike, which is quite a feat. Now, deep in the already problematic rabbit hole of the MCU’s Multiverse with no way of surfacing, I look ahead to 2024’s Deadpool 3 as the light at the end of Marvel’s mediocre tunnel, and one that will hopefully save us all.

Why Did Capcom Leave Co-Op Multiplayer Out Of Dragon's Dogma 2?

Jervon Perkins — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 11:00:20 GMT

As a big fan of Dragon’s Dogma, I have been waiting for a decade to play the next entry in the series, Dragon’s Dogma 2. My love for the game led me to buy it twice on Xbox 360 (including the Dark Arisen expansion), PS3, and then the remastered versions on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. It was a bit of an obsession.

The QTEs In Final Fantasy 16 Kinda Ruin The Boss Fights

Mohamed Hassan — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 00:16:20 GMT

To be honest, I had believed that as a society, we had moved past the need for Quick Time Events in video games. I had thought we moved past prompts that rob players of their agency in critical moments. I had thought we no longer needed to endure interactive cinematic interludes with totally obvious outcomes. And I had thought boss fights in general should reward players for their skilled gameplay and combo creativity, not how quickly they press a button when prompted.

Tears of the Kingdom Reminds Me Why I Gave Up On Breath Of The Wild

Wyatt Grondin — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 20:00:19 GMT

We've all been enjoying Tears Of The Kingdom, not just this site, but humanity as a whole. It's been the least surprising hit of the year, being the direct sequel to the game that made the Nintendo Switch an out-of-the-gate smash hit. It's also part of a long-standing gaming icon who's define many a gamer's childhood, though in my case, Tears Of The Kingdom is the only Zelda game I've currently played front-to-back.

Warhammer Age Of Sigmar: Realms Of Ruin Open Beta Impressions

Jason Moth — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 18:00:19 GMT

Both Warhammer 40K and Warhammer Fantasy Battles have received a number of successful video game adaptations over the years, but the more recent Age of Sigmar setting is yet to provide anything particularly interesting. The tabletop version seems to be doing pretty well, but there's not been a Sigmar video game comparable to the likes of Dawn of War or the Total War: Warhammer series.

Not A Single Film In A Current MCU Slate Excites Me

Vlad Mazanko — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is in rough shape right now, and it's been like that for quite some time. Following Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, our beloved heroes have either left or are on their way out, and so far we haven't seen many exciting new faces stepping up to replace them. This has resulted in an underwhelming Phase Four that lacked focus or any meaningful connections that got us hooked before. What worries me the most though is that I'm not sure if it's going to bounce back anytime soon.

Why Modern Devs Wouldn't Dare To Make Another Trails Into Reverie

Mohamed Hassan — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 20:00:21 GMT

Trails Into Reverie wears several hats within The Legend of Heroes series. It can be considered a sequel, an equal, and a prequel all at once, but never as a functional, stand-alone product. The game is basically so absorbed in its own canon that it becomes impossible to understand a single line of dialogue in it unless you've spent more than 1,000 hours on each of the previous installments (side content included).

Gex Was Great, But The Re-Release Needs To Fix The Dodgy Dialogue

Robert Zak — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 18:00:19 GMT

Well, nostalgia always wins out in the end, and if a 3D platformer like Glover can re-emerge some 30 years after its lukewarm initial release, then there’s no reason why the ever-quipping shades-wearing gecko known as Gex shouldn’t do the same. Limited Run Games have announced that they’ll be rereleasing the first three Gex games, Gex, Gex: Enter the Gecko, and Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. The games will be rebuilt in the developer’s own Carbon Engine, which should get them running swimmingly on modern systems.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's DLC Needs To Copy Sword & Shield's Homework

Wyatt Grondin — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

Pokemon's been shifting away from the "third game" formula for a while now. This change is old enough that I feel I need to explain: Pokemon used to release two versions of a game, and then a year or so later, bring forth a third version that combined elements of the previous two, along with some improvements. Red/Blue (Red/Green in Japan) was followed by Yellow, and the streak went all the way until Black/White saw direct sequels instead.

Diablo 4's Endgame Starts in The Wrong Place

Robert Webb — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 20:00:20 GMT

There's no doubt that Diablo 4 feels familiar. As my colleague Emma Ward points out in her review, the nuts and bolts of the core gameplay feel almost exactly like Diablo 3. That's not necessarily a bad thing depending on your perspective, but in broad strokes, Diablo 4 isn't a particularly innovative title.

I Hope Baldur's Gate 3 Lets Us Customize Our Character Portraits

Robert Zak — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 18:01:19 GMT

In anticipation of what may be my most anticipated game of the last decade, Baldur’s Gate 3, I’ve been playing through Baldur’s Gate 2 (the Enhanced Edition) in multiplayer. One of the things that occurred to me as I was playing (other than how damn good that game still is) was just how important those character portraits are in this game.

Cities Skylines 2's New Traffic AI Should Stop Me Killing My Own People

Yousef A. Zain — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 11:00:20 GMT

Since the last Cities: Skylines 2 gameplay trailer, the team at Colossal Order has been shipping weekly feature highlights and breakdowns to reveal almost every addition and improvement to each section in the game. I've been waiting for this sequel for quite some time, hoping it could erase some of the last one's technical troubles, chief among the dire traffic AI.

Diablo 4 Devs May Be Right In Telling Players To Slow Down And Relax

Jack Coleman — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

It's no secret that people love to grind Diablo. It’s a community filled with dedicated players who optimise builds, speedrun to max level and then ravenously (and sometimes vocally) await new content from Blizzard. It's at the point where the game's Associate Director Joseph Piepiora is suggesting that players "take a break." And you know what? He may be right. At the very least, players should slow down just a little.

Starfield Having Fewer Romance Options Is A Good Thing

Jack Coleman — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:16:20 GMT

Bethesda has cast a wide net when it comes to “romance” in its RPGs. Judging by how the concept has been implemented in the studio’s past titles… let’s just say you wouldn’t accuse Todd Howard of being a hopeless romantic. After all, there’s nothing more heartwarming than purchasing an amulet and marrying the first NPC you see, right?

Ubisoft Really Needs To Stop Pushing The Blockchain NFT Stuff

Jack Peachey — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 18:00:18 GMT

I've never purported to be head of the Ubisoft fanclub, in fact I think gamers have been too easy on them despite the number of scandals surrounding the publisher over the last couple of years. One of these is their ongoing flirtation with NFTs. There are a million experimental blockchain games out there (such as notorious scam Cryptozoo or other MMO cons), but the trend thankfully hasn't been picked up much by the AAA space. Square Enix is attempting something with their Symbiogenesis project and Sony seems to be considering it, but this is all conceptual for now—Ubisoft's actually gone and bit the bullet in regard to mixing NFTs with games.

Resident Evil 4 Solves The Last of Us' Looting Problem

Vlad Mazanko — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 11:00:18 GMT

The Last of Us and Resident Evil share many similarities. Both games place you in a hostile world teeming with infected creatures that you must either kill or evade. To survive, you must scour your surroundings for valuable resources, and there is a distinct difference between the two when it comes to striking the delicate balance between realism and enjoyment.

If "All Publishers” Dislike Game Pass, Why Do They Keep Putting Their Games On It?

Jose Garcia — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 18:00:19 GMT

The FTC trial for Microsoft's eternally pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard undoubtedly revealed a lot of interesting industry information. Most of it was inevitable due to general laws of public disclosure, but some of it, funnily enough, was only made public because someone decided to redact the intended private bits with a Sharpie.

Everyone Is Amazed (And Terrified) Of Rashid In Street Fighter 6

Aku — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:01:20 GMT

It's been known for a while that Street Fighter 6's first DLC character would be Rashid. There's been plenty of speculation about how much of his toolkit from Street Fighter V would carry over and how many new things would be given to him, and Capcom has answered those mysteries by releasing a gameplay trailer just for him. My first impressions of him are ones of excitement and dread for the force that will come.

Sorry, Zelda. You're Not The Sexiest Tears Of The Kingdom Character Anymore

Joshua Furr — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 20:01:19 GMT

Ha! Caught you red-handed! Thought you found a little risqué clickbait, eh? Well, the jokes on you, because this is Dualshockers, not some salacious men’s mag from the early 2000s. We’re classy—most of us—and we’re all reasonably decent human beings who focus on the issues that matter. It’s hurtful that you’d treat this feature as anything other than a very insightful and mature assessment of a fictional character.

Super Mario RPG: Booster Is The Epitome Of Chaotic Neutral

Matthew Schomer — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 18:00:19 GMT

If you're not familiar with the term 'Chaotic Neutral,' here's a very rudimentary rundown. It originates from Dungeons & Dragons, in which everyone and everything you meet is going to have an alignment, or set of characteristics determined by how they interact with others. Alignment is made up of two dichotomies: law vs. chaos, and good vs evil, with a neutral option for both, resulting in a 9x9 grid of general personalities.

Silent Hill Creator's New Game Looks More Action Than Horror, And That's Fine

Robert Zak — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 20:00:21 GMT

It’s a funny thing when a new game studio comes along with an identity that heavily revolves around being set up by ‘the creator of [classic old game that everyone adores].’ So much expectation gets loaded into the studio the moment it goes for that approach, because it immediately taps into the fanbase of said game, suddenly filling us with a ton of subconscious expectation that we might see a true ‘spiritual successor’ to the original game, even if the studio hasn’t directly hinted that that’s what it’s doing.

Diablo 4 Is A Semi-MMO, But It Forgets The Most Important Part

Jose Garcia — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 18:00:18 GMT

Diablo 4 launched to tremendous success financially, becoming Blizzard's fastest-selling game of all time, and though every game has its detractors, it's safe to say that its critical reception was pretty solid as well. There are many reasons to sing this game's praises, but among the criticisms that get thrown out from time to time, there's one that really resonates with me, and it's regarding the game's quasi-MMO nature.

Remembering Bubsy: The Brittle Bobcat Who Just Couldn't Stop Dying

Joshua Furr — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

It occurs to me that I may write about Sonic the Hedgehog a little too often. Just look at my DS track record! But can you really blame me? Sonic’s “cooler-than-thou” attitude just can’t be found in his contemporaries. Mario’s particular style of mustache makes him a too much of an adult to be hip and Link, well, his devotion to Hyrule is commendable, but he’s more stalwart than smooth (and maybe it's time for him to put his feet up for a bit). Is it possible then to manually engineer a character to be as cool as our blue buddy? Maybe so.

Isn’t It About Time Sega Gave Tails A Proper Standalone Game?

Joshua Furr — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 20:00:21 GMT

The life of a sidekick must be a tough one. You’re basically an extension of the real hero; an accessory that can’t function on its own. Seems a bit unfair to me though. I mean, there’s a ton of sidekick stories that I’d love to hear (Buzz Lightyear excluded), like what’s Samwise Gamgee up to these days, or was Chewbacca always Han Solo’s hairy punching bag? But all these pale in comparison to the untold…tail of my favorite fox counterpart, Miles “Prower” Tails.

Players Are Already Getting Creative (And A Bit Smutty) With Photo Mode For Skyrim

Robert Zak — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 18:00:19 GMT

Well, it’s taken us 13 years to get here, but at long last Skyrim has a photo mode. It is, like many of the best things in Skyrim, a mod, but it has the slick UI, impressive feature set, and functionality that you’d want from the feature were it native. You can download the mod over at Nexus Mods.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Completely Burnt Me Out On Open-World Games

Vlad Mazanko — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:00:21 GMT

Ever since CD Projekt Red perfected the action-RPG formula with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt back in 2015, I've been captivated by the open-world games that followed. Titles like Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey, Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghost of Tsushima, and Days Gone have cost me countless hours. This genre was my ultimate escape, offering a blend of traversal freedom, immersive storytelling, and grindy gameplay, usually boiling down to clearing small chunks of map before moving on to the next portion.

Why Smash Fans Are Hyped About The Super Mario RPG Remake

Aku — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:00:20 GMT

The recent Nintendo Direct was packed with great announcements, chief among them for me being the remake for Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. The original 1996 game has been adored throughout the ages as a great introduction to JRPGs. It's also praised for its amazing soundtrack, world-building of the Mario universe, and interesting characters, one of whom is the inimitable Geno, who'll be making the return. That's given Smash Bros fans hope that, at long last, one of their most requested characters may finally make an appearance in Nintendo's brawler.

2023 Is The Best Year For Horror Games In A Very Long Time

Wyatt Grondin — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:01:19 GMT

About every month this year, a big game has completely dominated all conversation. In an interesting yet not unexpected twist, two of those games were remakes of the already beloved Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space. Both remakes got the spotlight due to blowing expectations out of the water, with changes feeling necessary while still keeping the original tones intact. With just these two, I feel it's easy to come to one conclusion: It's been an excellent year, for fans of RE4 and Dead Space.

Starfield's AMD 'Exclusivity' Would Be A Disaster For The Game

Robert Zak — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

If you’re the kind of person who takes joy in pointing at the people who don’t have a thing that you have, then maybe it’s time to reevaluate your life. I do have some faith in humanity still, however, so I like to think that not many people are actually like that, and that concepts like ‘platform exclusivity’ aren’t particularly welcomed by anyone other than the business-heads for whom the term is synonymous with profit.

Diablo 4's Horses Aren't Exactly Thoroughbreds

Robert Webb — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:00:18 GMT

I've never been on a real horse, but I must have ridden dozens, if not hundreds of virtual steeds. From Shadow of the Colossus to Oblivion to The Witcher 3, I've had many worthy equine comrades. Horses in video games have always had my back, and I, and many other gamers, have many fond memories of them. I think some of us have even gotten over the Oblivion horse armour debacle.

Final Fantasy 16's Active Time Lore Should Be In All Future FF Games

Jervon Perkins — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:15:19 GMT

I really enjoyed playing Final Fantasy 12 when it rereleased on the PS4 several years ago. Compared to my first experience from its original run, during which I felt that it was the worst entry in the series, coming back to it felt like a big improvement. In replaying the game, I realized that the story was far more mature and complex than I originally thought.

Why I'm Hyped For Starfield's Mostly Uninhabited Galaxy

Wyatt Grondin — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 18:00:20 GMT

I've been following progress on Starfield for a while, and I'm sure many of you can say the same. It's Bethesda's chance to strut the Microsoft money and a new IP after decades of Elder Scrolls and Fallout, while still keeping those hallmarks that we love about Elder Scrolls and their take on Fallout. Recently, we've hearrd that about 90% of Starfield's planets being devoid of life. This left some people concerned, while others deem this perfectly normal for a spacefaring game.

Are Final Fantasy 16's Highs Enough To Justify The Lows?

Mohamed Hassan — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

Watching the reception to Final Fantasy 16 unfold in real-time is intriguing, to say the least. If I were to quantify it, I'd say that about 10% of fans are currently dissatisfied with the game's new action garb and minimalistic RPG quirks, while the remaining 90% are consistently blown away by every single aspect, including the much-debated side quests.

On The Eve Of Baldur's Gate 3, Baldur's Gate 2 Is The Perfect Appetizer

Robert Zak — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 20:00:21 GMT

Amazon Prime subscribers can grab Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition for free until July 11 via Prime Gaming.

A Black Flag Remake Shouldn't Be An Assassin's Creed Game

Robert Zak — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 11:00:19 GMT

It looks like the penny’s finally dropped at Ubisoft (or, at least, now we know it’s dropped). With its ship-fighting game Skull and Bones seemingly struggling to stay afloat and sinking in development hell, Ubisoft sources have told Kotaku that a remake of the pirate game we actually want, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, is indeed in development.