Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Planet Of Lana II: Children Of The Leaf Review - A Cinematic Odyssey
Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf is a cinematic puzzle-platformer that excels in its storytelling and visuals, though its gameplay mechanics remain largely unchanged from its predecessor. The game features a compelling narrative with mysteries to unravel, particularly in its latter half, and introduces new platforming abilities for Lana. While the underwater puzzles and a slower first half detract slightly, the overall experience is a wondrous journey with a satisfying, cliffhanger ending that teases a potential sequel.
Roblox And Minecraft Players Don't Really Care About "Traditionally Good" AAA Games, Study Finds
A study by data firm NewZoo suggests that players of Roblox and Minecraft are less interested in traditional AAA games with high-fidelity graphics. These players are more likely to engage with popular live-service titles like Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Call of Duty, indicating a shift in player preferences away from graphical realism.
Silent Hill and Siren Creator Keiichiro Toyama’s Bokeh Game Studio is HIring for a New “Large-scale Project”
Bokeh Game Studio, led by Keiichiro Toyama, is actively hiring for a new large-scale game project, their second major title following Slitterhead. The studio aims to create original and distinctive games, emphasizing creative expression. Development is in its early stages, with the team looking to expand from 35 to at least 51 members.
Grand Theft Auto VI Logo Sparks Scale Speculation Among Gaming Community
The logo for Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto VI has sparked speculation within the gaming community regarding the game's potential scope and scale. Players are dissecting the logo's design choices, viewing them as clues to the development priorities and creative direction of the highly anticipated title. This intense community analysis highlights the significant anticipation and investment surrounding Rockstar's next major release.
Overwatch Vet's New Game, The Legend Of California, Won't "Starve The Player" Early On
Jeff Kaplan, former Blizzard veteran and director of Kintsugiyama studio, has shared new details about their upcoming game, The Legend of California. The first-person shooter multiplayer game aims to quickly immerse players in its core mechanics, such as shooting and exploration, without prolonged periods of simple tasks. The game will launch in early access, with developers emphasizing community involvement to refine the experience before its 1.0 release.
Remothered: Red Nun’s Legacy – Stormind Returns to Close the Survival Horror Trilogy
Stormind is returning to the Remothered series with Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy, the final installment of the trilogy, set to release in 2026. The game will be a standalone experience set 20 years after the previous titles, featuring new gameplay mechanics like melee combat and a 'Hypnosis Mode' for puzzle-solving. It is planned for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Expedition 33 Wins Yet Another GOTY--See All The Winners From The 2026 Game Dev Awards
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was the big winner at the 2026 Game Developers Choice Awards, taking home Game of the Year, Best Visual Art, Best Narrative, Best Audio, and Best Debut. Blue Prince also received multiple awards, including Best Design and Innovation. Don Daglow was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Rebecca Ann Heineman received the Ambassador Award posthumously.
Mythic Hop Online! Brings Idol Fantasy Gaming to Steam
Mythic Hop Online! is a new Steam game that blends idol culture and streaming fantasy with combat elements. Players control Mei, a protagonist whose journey involves being an idol streamer while navigating a world with "sharp edges" beneath its cute aesthetic. The game explores the intersection of digital personas and real-world consequences, offering a fresh take on character design and narrative in the indie gaming space.
CoD Warzone’s new Blackout-inspired mode has been in development for ‘about a year and a half’ in an effort to ‘shatter the stagnation’ of battle royale
Call of Duty: Warzone's new Black Ops Royale mode, inspired by the original Blackout, has been in development for about a year and a half. This mode aims to combat "stagnation" in the battle royale genre by introducing new mechanics and a focus on looting, while developers consider future integration of player purchases. The new map, Avalon, is also slated to eventually replace Verdansk.
Blue Prince Review - Twisted Voxel
VGChartz's Mark Nielsen highlights Blue Prince as a potential candidate for Most Innovative Game of 2025, contrasting it with the trend of developers relying on safe formulas like remakes and sequels. The game is praised for introducing fresh concepts not previously seen in the gaming landscape.
2026 Game Developers Choice Awards winners announced
The winners for the 2026 Game Developers Choice Awards have been announced. Several titles were recognized across various categories, including Best Audio, Best Debut, Best Design, Innovation Award, Best Narrative, Best Technology, Best Visual Art, Social Impact, and Audience Award. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince were among the most nominated games.
Greedfall The Dying World Director Jehanne Rouseau Talks Prequel, New Combat, Player Freedom & More
Greedfall: The Dying World Creative Director Jehanne Rousseau discussed the upcoming game's prequel elements, new combat mechanics, and focus on player freedom in a pre-launch interview. The discussion covered various aspects of the game's development and design.
Split Fiction's final level concept was originally meant for the whole game
The final level of Split Fiction was initially conceived as a concept for the entire game, but its mind-bending and world-blending nature proved to be more effective as a concluding experience rather than a core gameplay mechanic throughout.
Games Inbox: Who will win out of PS6 vs. Project Helix?
Readers discuss the potential competition between the upcoming PlayStation 6 and Microsoft's Project Helix (likely the next Xbox console), with concerns raised about pricing, naming conventions, and the potential impact of simultaneous releases. Other topics include the effectiveness of game age ratings, the future of the Battlefield franchise, and the perceived arrogance of Microsoft's console strategy.
Kirby Air Riders almost brought back the old City Trial map, Sakurai explains why it didn’t happen
Director Masahiro Sakurai revealed that the Kirby Air Ride development team considered reviving the City Trial map from the original GameCube title. However, the team ultimately decided against it due to the tremendous cost and effort required to implement the classic map.
Split Fiction's final level concept was originally meant for the whole game
The final level of Split Fiction was initially conceived as the core concept for the entire game. However, the developers ultimately decided that its unique mind-bending and world-blending mechanics were better suited as a climactic finale rather than a recurring element throughout the experience.
Destiny 2 Swaps Combat for Cameras in New ‘Postcards from the Frontier’ Challenge
Destiny 2 has launched a new community event called 'Postcards from the Frontier,' encouraging players to explore and capture screenshots of in-game environments instead of engaging in combat. This initiative, organized by Bungie, shifts focus to the game's world-building and visual design, mirroring a growing trend of screenshot culture in gaming. The event also coincides with updates to the New Player Guide, particularly concerning buildcrafting basics.
Former EVE Online developers are building a society simulation MMO where your character keeps playing even after you log…
Klang Games, founded by former EVE Online developers, is creating Seed, a society simulation MMO where player characters remain persistent even when offline. The game features player-run societies with complex economies and governance, drawing parallels to EVE Online's player-driven drama. Seed aims to be more approachable than EVE Online, appealing to both strategy and simulation players, with a mobile app planned for checking in on characters.
Ghost of Yōtei’s World Feels Bigger Than Tsushima Thanks to Clever Tricks, Says Art Director
Sucker Punch Productions' art director Joanna Wang discussed how Ghost of Yōtei's world was designed to feel larger than Ghost of Tsushima through clever visual tricks and environmental design, rather than actual size. The studio experimented with mechanics like rock climbing, inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but ultimately decided against them to maintain the 'wandering ronin' fantasy. Ghost of Yōtei was released exclusively on PlayStation 5 in October 2025 and has received positive reviews.
Resident Evil 10 – 5 Ways It Could Build on Requiem
This article discusses potential improvements for the next mainline Resident Evil title, Resident Evil 10, drawing lessons from Resident Evil Requiem. Key suggestions include moving away from Raccoon City, refocusing on stealth gameplay over action, evolving level design with more backtracking and verticality, featuring more of the supporting cast like Ada Wong and Jill Valentine, and concluding the 'The Connections' storyline.
