Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Resident Evil Requiem Switch 2 Review — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
Resident Evil Requiem offers a compelling blend of classic survival horror and action, featuring dual protagonists Grace Ashcroft and Leon Kennedy. The game excels in its first half with tense survival gameplay in a haunted hospital, though the second half shifts to a more action-oriented experience. Performance on the Nintendo Switch 2 is impressive, with visuals and cinematics exceeding expectations, though some minor issues like lack of an FOV slider and a missing Hardcore difficulty are noted.
Indika forced me to confront some of life's toughest questions, and I think it's made me a better person
The game Indika, described as a 'weird nun simulator,' explores dark religious themes and utilizes varied gameplay mechanics. The author found that confronting difficult questions within the game has positively impacted them, leading to personal growth.
Study Finds RPGs Trigger Strongest Post-Game Depression - GameHaunt
A study published in Current Psychology indicates that players of role-playing games experience the most intense post-game depression. Research involving 373 participants found that deep character bonds and long playtimes in story-heavy titles like Kingdom Hearts and Red Dead Redemption II contribute to stronger feelings of sadness and emptiness after completion. The study identified four key signs of this phenomenon, termed P-DGS, including persistent rumination, media anhedonia, difficulty saying goodbye to characters, and the urge to immediately replay the game.
Science Confirms RPG Players Hit Hardest by Post-Game Depression
A new scientific study confirms that players of role-playing games experience the most severe post-game depression upon completion. Researchers, including Dr. Janowicz, attribute this to the deep player agency, character bonds, and immersive worlds inherent in RPGs, which create a strong emotional investment that is difficult to leave behind. The findings validate the long-held community sentiment about the emotional impact of finishing epic RPGs like The Witcher 3, Persona, Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate 3, and Final Fantasy.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach makes an excellent delivery on PC
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach has received an excellent PC port, featuring unlocked framerates, ultrawide support, and upscaling technology. The PC version also includes new gameplay additions like a harsher difficulty option, which enhances combat and environmental challenges. While the core gameplay loop remains similar to the first game, the PC port is considered a benchmark for future releases.
Go Out Of Bounds In Crimson Desert And A Whale Will End You
Crimson Desert features an unusual invisible wall mechanic where players venturing beyond the playable region of Pywel are instantly killed by a whale. This method of boundary enforcement, while not entirely new in concept, is a unique implementation. The game, available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, also features a new update to ease difficulty and ongoing discussions about AI asset usage and the addition of permanent mounts.
Screamer (2026) Review | The Outerhaven
Milestone discusses how their upcoming racing game, Screamer, aims to avoid typical genre tropes with an anime-inspired story mode. The narrative is integrated through in-race characters and customized vehicles, moving beyond simple cutscenes. The game is set to release in 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
Ariana and the Elder Codex Review 📚
Ariana and the Elder Codex is a visually stunning Metroidvania with a charming narrative and a unique magic system that allows for deep spell customization. While the game excels in its art, voice acting, and rewarding exploration, it can suffer from visual clutter during intense combat and could benefit from more varied stage design.
Apex Legends Breach Update Rewrites the Rules of the Outlands
Respawn Entertainment has released mid-season designer's notes for Apex Legends' Breach season, detailing significant character updates for Gibraltar, Wraith, Watson, Octane, and Fuse, alongside a new Hemlok Breach AR. These changes aim to disrupt dominant team compositions and are framed as narrative developments within the game's lore, reflecting the Syndicate's desire for unpredictable entertainment.
Banquet For Fools review
Banquet For Fools is a demanding but rewarding RPG that prioritizes immersion and player effort, requiring active participation through manual note-taking and spell creation. Developed by Hannah and Joseph Games, the game features a unique world with a detailed social structure and engaging real-time combat, though its lack of guidance can sometimes lead to frustrating exhaustion.
Games Inbox: Is Crimson Desert being underrated?
This article compiles reader opinions on Crimson Desert, with some players finding it addictive and a deep sandbox simulation, while others consider it disappointing and barebones. The discussion also touches on other games like Resident Evil, Grand Theft Auto 6, and the practices of companies like Rockstar Games.
Thanks, I hate it: Resident Evil Requiem's terrifying stalker sounds that way because its actor "went through two jugs of milk" as Capcom "wanted a very thick consistency to my spit"
Delanie Nicole Gill, the actor behind the terrifying 'The Girl' enemy in Resident Evil Village, shared a disturbing detail about her performance. Gill revealed that she consumed two jugs of milk to achieve a 'very thick consistency' for her character's spit sounds, as requested by Capcom. This behind-the-scenes information has made the enemy even more unsettling for players.
Screamer – Everything You Need to Know
Milestone's new arcade racer, Screamer, is set to release on March 26th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game blends arcade racing with anime aesthetics and fighting game mechanics, featuring a unique Echo System for managing resources and combat abilities. It also includes a narrative-driven story mode, team-based racing, and customizable multiplayer options.
Crimson Desert Is Better Than Before, Yet These 15 Issues Still Hurt It
Crimson Desert has seen improvements, achieving a "Mostly Positive" rating on Steam, but still suffers from 15 significant issues. These include problems with controller remapping, imprecise interaction prompts, a confusing 'stealing' mechanic, and a UI that requires further overhaul. The article also highlights issues with camera options, cutscene skipping, objective distance display, control toggles, HUD scaling, fast travel restrictions, non-permanent mounts, dragon mount cooldowns, skill tree usability, boss invincibility windows, and artifact management for specific characters.
Damon and Baby Interview Reveals "Arc Universe" Ambitions, Trilogy Hopes, Development Origins
In an interview, Daisuke Ishiwatari revealed that Damon and Baby originated from a picture book concept and evolved from a Metroidvania shooter. He confirmed connections to Guilty Gear Strive and BlazBlue, hinting at an 'Arc Universe,' and expressed hopes for the game to become a trilogy. The title is set to release on March 25, 2026, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Tales of Series 30th Anniversary Interview Reflects on Themes, Designs, Concepts
In a 30th-anniversary interview for the Tales series, Yoshito Higuchi and Kenji Anabuki, joined by Reina Scully, reflected on the franchise's themes and designs. They discussed specific titles like Tales of Xillia, Tales of the Abyss, and Tales of Vesperia, and shared insights into their design process, including testing new titles by recreating characters from previous games.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Anniversary Artwork Makes Players Think an Expansion Is Coming
Capcom released anniversary artwork for Dragon's Dogma 2, sparking speculation among players about a potential expansion. Details within the artwork, such as a message in the Gransys alphabet mentioning a northern region and a character with an unreleased hairstyle, suggest new content may be teased. The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Why Randomness Makes Your Game So Hard to Put Down
Randomness in games, often referred to as RNG, creates excitement and replay value by introducing unpredictable elements like random item drops, surprise events, and unexpected outcomes. This uncertainty keeps players engaged as they chase rare rewards and adapt to changing game conditions, making each play session potentially memorable and unique.
Eterspire acknowledges issues that break its ‘grinder MMORPG’ game loop and the challenge of fixing them
Developer Stonehollow Workshop acknowledges that Eterspire's core 'grinder MMORPG' gameplay loop is frequently broken by issues such as inventory management, gear upgrades, and lengthy travel times. The studio is prioritizing performance fixes while discussing potential solutions for the broken loop, with world design changes being the most challenging to implement.
A Pokemon Pokopia player built a working calculator and the game's not even 3 weeks old: "The countdown to a…
A player in Nintendo's new sandbox game, Pokemon Pokopia, has built a fully functional calculator using in-game elements. This impressive feat of digital engineering, achieved within weeks of the game's release, highlights the creative potential of the title and sparks speculation about future complex creations, such as a playable version of Doom.
