Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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I know an obvious way to go for the next mainline Zelda game - Reader’s Feature
A reader suggests that the next mainline The Legend of Zelda game should evolve beyond the Breath of the Wild formula by focusing more on complex storytelling and combat mechanics. While acknowledging the series' strengths, the author proposes incorporating more RPG elements and a deeper narrative, drawing inspiration from titles like The Witcher 3.
WRUP: Eliot is missing edition
The Massively OP staff and community share their weekend gaming plans, with mentions of City of Heroes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Final Fantasy XIV, and Warframe. Several staff members also discuss games or media they were disappointed by after high expectations, including Guardians of the Galaxy and the original Halloween film.
Seeking Open-World Closure
The author reflects on their journey to finally finish Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, discussing the appeal of their vast open worlds and compelling narratives. Despite the games' demanding nature and occasional frustrations, the author finds the experiences rewarding and resonant, appreciating the depth of their storytelling and character development.
Diskutera – Vilken metroidvania ska din kompis börja med?
This article discusses which Metroidvania game a friend who has never played the genre before should start with. The author highlights Castlevania: Belmont's Curse as a strong contender, noting its recent positive reception and its ability to hook players.
What are we all playing this weekend?
Several members of the team share their weekend gaming plans, including finishing Assassin's Creed 3, trying DayZ Badlands, and exploring horror titles like Haunted Paws. Others are diving into Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, introducing friends to Factorio, or developing a text adventure.
WoW: Forever Just Changed The Math On What Race To Play In A Big Way
Blizzard Entertainment has significantly overhauled racial abilities in World of Warcraft: Forever's beta, shifting focus from weapon-specific buffs to critical strike chance and improving previously lackluster abilities. These changes, including adjustments to Tauren, Dwarves, Orcs, and Skyborne, aim to provide more player freedom in race and weapon choice ahead of the game's November 4 launch.
Jeff Kaplan discusses indie dev, his post-Overwatch life, and fixing Legend of California’s busted ladders
Jeff Kaplan, currently working on the Wild West survival game The Legend of California with his studio Kintsugiyama, discussed his transition from Blizzard Entertainment and the game's development. He expressed a preference for not being the public face of a game and finds indie development freeing, despite facing fiscal realities. Kaplan also confirmed his disconnection from Overwatch and highlighted that fixing issues like the game's ladders is a positive sign for The Legend of California's progress.
Civilization-liknande Humankind 2 har fått en gameplay-genomgång
Amplitude Studios has provided a gameplay overview for Humankind 2, detailing improvements based on player feedback. The sequel will feature a greater emphasis on culture with unique era-specific customs and an 'Adaptations' system that allows cultures to develop traits based on their environment. Humankind 2 is slated for release in 2027, with an Insider program offering earlier testing opportunities.
“We Couldn’t Do This Right Out of the Gate”: MTG Team Talks Darkhold Destiny And Creating A New Marvel Character
The Magic: The Gathering team discusses the development and design of the Marvel Darkhold Destiny expansion, highlighting the strategic timing of its release and the introduction of a new original Marvel character. They explain how the set balances familiar Marvel elements with Magic's gameplay, including the return of the Arcane mechanic and a focus on spellcasting.
Ahead of Persona 6, former lead devs say every Atlus JRPG "changing to reflect the times" is key – and should give players "something to draw on as they go on to live their lives"
Former Persona leads Katsura Hashino, Shigenori Soejima, and Shoji Meguro discussed the core elements of the JRPG series, emphasizing the importance of reflecting contemporary times and creating impactful experiences. While these insights may not directly apply to Persona 6, as Hashino is now leading a different team at Atlus, they offer a glimpse into the series' enduring design philosophy.
Penguin Colony review - the least expected Soulslike you'll play, and a cracking parody of Lovecraftian empires
Penguin Colony is a unique Soulslike parody that uses penguins to offer a critical distance from Lovecraftian themes and imperialistic narratives. Developed by Indigenous team Origame Digital, the game playfully subverts genre expectations, including Soulslike elements like boss battles and lore delivery, while featuring janky but charming penguin movement.
Laying a boozy trap for a vampire lush in Witcher 3 is one of my favorite quests, but it also shows the missed…
The author highlights "The Oxenfurt Drunk" quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as a favorite, praising its eccentric nature and the potential for more engaging investigation mechanics. The piece suggests that The Witcher 4 could benefit from deeper, player-driven deduction systems, drawing inspiration from games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Elden Ring.
The Netflix series Drive to Survive inspired Star Wars: Galactic Racer
Matt Webster, head of Fuse Games, stated that the Netflix series Drive to Survive was a key inspiration for Star Wars: Galactic Racer. The game aims to capture the off-track drama and rivalries seen in Formula 1, incorporating paddock interactions to balance the high-intensity racing.
Valve roll out Steam Achievement Sets in beta, splitting up games’ perpetually growing trophy masses into DLC and season buckets
Valve has introduced Steam Achievement Sets in beta, allowing developers to group achievements into DLC, seasonal, or other categories. This feature aims to help players manage their completion progress more effectively, especially in games with ongoing content updates, and also includes an overhauled achievements page with improved filtering and comparison options.
The Last of Us directors used to say "nobody" was making "character-driven survival action games" like them – just don't tell that to Resident Evil
The Last of Us directors Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann previously stated that "nobody" was making "character-driven survival action games" like theirs. While Resident Evil existed, Druckmann argued it lacked character focus, being "campy, over-the-top violence." The article notes that the genre has since become more populated with titles like The Plague Tale, Dying Light, and Days Gone, and that even Resident Evil remakes seem to have learned from The Last of Us.
Games Inbox: Was the GTA 6 launch trailer the last one?
Readers discuss the Grand Theft Auto 6 launch trailer, with some feeling it revealed little new information and expressing concern over Rockstar's marketing strategy. Other topics include the generic nature of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's advertising, the challenges of adapting video games into movies, and frustration with Sony's refund policy compared to Steam's.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Went Through a Slower Dark Souls-Style Iteration During Development
Evil Empire's Ben Laulan revealed that Castlevania: Belmont's Curse underwent several development iterations, including a slower, Dark Souls-inspired version and one too similar to Dead Cells. The final game strikes a balance between respecting the Castlevania IP and modern gameplay. The title is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
Call of Duty is Getting a New Sub-Franchise After Modern Warfare 4, Says Chief Marketing Officer
Activision's Chief Marketing Officer Tyler Bahl revealed that a new Call of Duty game is in development to establish a new sub-franchise, aiming to innovate beyond the legacy of Modern Warfare and Black Ops. This announcement follows criticism of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's rapid release and confirms that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will conclude the current Modern Warfare storyline. Sledgehammer Games is speculated to be leading development on the new sub-franchise.
GTA 6’s Launch Trailer Analyzed – Here’s What You Need to Know
The launch trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 offers a detailed look at the game's narrative, characters Jason and Lucia, and the open world of Leonida. It highlights the massive budget dedicated to music and showcases realistic destruction and action sequences, fueling anticipation for the November 19th release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (2026) Multiplayer – 15 Essential Details Before You Buy
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (2026) will feature a multiplayer experience focused on grounded realism, enhanced gunplay, and extensive customization. Key new features include redesigned movement systems with more versatile maneuvers, an overhauled mantling system, the removal of hipfire bloom for increased skill-based accuracy, and rebuilt weapon handling that reacts to the environment. The game will also integrate Operators and Killstreaks into Create-a-Class, launch with 33 weapons and over 500 attachments, introduce Apex Attachments for significant weapon behavior modification, and offer objective-based Killstreaks. New modes like Kill Block and Combat Outpost for Ground War are also detailed, alongside two distinct Prestige paths.
