Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Why the First Hour of a PC Game Matters More Than Ever
The initial hour of a PC game is crucial for player retention due to the abundance of choices available through digital libraries and subscription services. Developers must streamline the onboarding process, including updates, account setups, and tutorials, to ensure players remain engaged and don't abandon a game before its full potential is realized. Positive first impressions, marked by small victories and natural learning curves, are essential for both player satisfaction and developer success.
VS Studio adds another Tekken veteran as Kohei Ikeda joins as game designer
Former Tekken 8 director Kohei Ikeda has joined Katsuhiro Harada's VS Studio as a game designer, marking his return to working with former bosses. Ikeda previously spent twenty years at Bandai Namco Entertainment before announcing his departure in June. VS Studio, which is supported by SNK, aims to deliver top-tier gaming experiences through collaboration and innovation.
Hume Index – Beta Sign Up | Alpha Beta Gamer
Hume Index is a co-op shooter where players act as special agents battling through unstable cosmic environments. The game features a diverse arsenal, elemental weapon effects, and escalating challenges as the Hume Index increases. A roguelite upgrade system and hidden maps encourage exploration, and beta sign-ups are currently open.
Three Decades In, Tomb Raider Is Swapping Genres for Good
The Tomb Raider franchise is undergoing a significant genre shift, moving away from its action-adventure roots towards RPG-inspired systems in the upcoming title, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. This reimagining introduces features like a skill tree, time-slowing combat mechanics, and a focus on enemy pattern study, diverging significantly from the original games. The development has also faced scrutiny regarding the use of generative AI.
The Blood of Dawnwalker’s Protagonist is “Quite Easy to Kill” During the Day, Says Director
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of Rebel Wolves' upcoming RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker, stated that the protagonist Coen will be vulnerable and "quite easy to kill" during the day due to his hybrid nature. The game, set for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on September 3rd, aims to be a "narrative sandbox" where player choices, even leading to NPC deaths, won't create fail states. Rebel Wolves and publisher Bandai Namco plan to allow save file carry-over into future installments of the planned game series.
The Blood of Dawnwalker – 15 Huge Details You Probably Missed
The Blood of Dawnwalker will feature a 50-70 hour playthrough with a consequence-based story and multiple ending conditions. The game will include dynamic weather affecting gameplay, advanced accessibility options, and quality-of-life features like manual saves. PC requirements are detailed, with no Denuvo, while the Xbox Series X will support 4K and ray tracing, with Xbox Play Anywhere functionality also confirmed.
Phantom Blade Zero Crushes Expectations Yet Again
Phantom Blade Zero was a standout at the recent PlayStation State of Play, showcasing extensive gameplay that highlighted its varied weapons, fluid combat, and intricate world design. Developer S-Game emphasized the game's Wuxia epic theme, with creative director Qiwei Liang detailing the exploration mechanics and challenging permadeath mode. The article suggests that the game's cohesive vision and depth of content exceed expectations, positioning it as a unique entry in the action RPG genre despite upcoming competition.
Marvel’s Wolverine preview and interview - ‘it's not a game for everyone’
Insomniac Games co-director Mike Daly discusses Marvel's Wolverine, addressing online criticism and explaining the game's design choices. He emphasizes that the game prioritizes feeling like Wolverine and telling his story, leading to a more focused, linear experience rather than an open world. Daly also touches on Insomniac's efficient development process, attributing it to multiple game development, strong collaboration, and exclusive focus on PlayStation 5 technology.
Former PlayStation boss says it's "really funny" turn-based JRPGs are so in-demand after he advised Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs not to use the term
Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida finds it amusing that he once advised Sandfall Interactive to avoid marketing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a turn-based JRPG, a genre now experiencing a resurgence. He notes the irony given the game's critical success and the current demand for similar titles, contrasting it with his past advice to steer consumers away from the term.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Developer Reveals the Game Had Dynamic Difficulty to Stop Players From Finishing It Too Quickly
A former Naughty Dog developer revealed that Uncharted: Drake's Fortune featured dynamic difficulty scaling. This design choice was implemented to prevent players from completing the game too quickly.
Review: Isekai Villain (Nintendo Switch)
Isekai Villain offers a unique premise of playing as a villain in a JRPG, but ultimately falls short of its potential. While it incorporates the isekai element well, the villain aspect is underdeveloped, and the gameplay mechanics are standard with a convoluted upgrade system. The game also pushes towards in-game purchases, leaving it with significant unfulfilled potential.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet "might need to be edited" to avoid "another Last of Us 2 situation," former Naughty Dog dev warns
Former Naughty Dog designer Benson Russell warns that the studio's upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, might need editing to avoid the prolonged development issues seen with The Last of Us Part II. Russell suggests Naughty Dog's current six-year development cycle for the new IP is unsustainable and could lead to a similar outcome if not managed effectively.
You can play new, realistic FPS Wardogs for free this weekend
The tactical FPS game Wardogs is offering a free closed beta test from August 21 to August 23, allowing players to experience its realistic combat and unique profit-based progression system. With over one million wishlists on Steam, this may be the last chance to play for free before its September 10 launch.
Arc Raiders' map conditions 'will shift to fit specific regions' peak hours' as part of the latest…
Embark Studios has implemented Regional Map Condition Scheduling for Arc Raiders, adjusting map conditions to align with players' peak hours in different regions. This update aims to make in-game conditions more accessible to all players, regardless of their location or playing habits. The change is part of an effort to improve the live service game's player experience.
Where Winds Meet Version 2.0 Hidden Mountain Review – A Stunning but Buggy Expansion | Invision Game Community
The Version 2.0 Hidden Mountain expansion for Where Winds Meet introduces a visually stunning new region inspired by Mohist philosophy, featuring new combat styles, dungeons, and boss encounters. While the content offers exceptional value and elevates the game with its ambitious design, it is significantly hampered by numerous technical issues, including progression-breaking bugs and inconsistent performance, preventing it from reaching its full potential.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer has some of the best crashes I've seen in a long time, but with custom builds that incentivize checking yourself before you wreck yourself
Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers thrilling crashes and a compelling roguelike structure, incentivizing strategic build customization. Despite a weak narrative, the game excels in its core racing mechanics and the tension of its permadeath system across multiple platforms.
The Witcher 3 devs tried to give NPCs "fear reactions" but it got cut after a few horrifying weeks when "women were just dropping their babies, left and right"
CD Projekt Red developers on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt implemented an NPC fear reaction system that was ultimately cut due to unintended consequences. The system caused female NPCs to drop their babies when reacting to fear, leading to its removal after only a few weeks of testing. This feature was part of an effort to make NPCs feel more alive and reactive to the player in the game's world.
Uncharted difficulty was tuned to "slow the player down if they were too good," says Naughty Dog designer: "We can't charge 60 bucks for a 5-hour game"
Former Naughty Dog developer Benson Russell revealed that the original Uncharted's difficulty was intentionally tuned to slow players down if they were performing too well, to extend the game's perceived length. This dynamic difficulty system was based on average encounter times, with the game becoming harder if players finished combat too quickly. While present in all three original games, the system in Uncharted 2 and 3 was adjusted to better match player skill rather than artificially prolong the experience.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer preview and interview - the next best thing to F-Zero
Star Wars: Galactic Racer aims to be the definitive Star Wars racing experience, combining various vehicle types like land speeders and podracers. Creative director Kieran Crimmins discusses the game's design, its canon-compliant story set after Return of the Jedi, and the inclusion of roguelike elements in its campaign. The game is set to release on October 6, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis includes crafting and skill trees from the Survivor trilogy, and fans already hate it…
The upcoming remake of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will incorporate crafting and skill tree mechanics from the Survivor trilogy, a departure from the original 1996 game. This decision has been met with negative reactions from fans online, who question the implementation of these modern features in a classic title. Developers Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog have stated that players can still opt for a classic dual-pistol playstyle if they prefer.
