Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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FromSoftware Doesn’t Have an “Intentional” Mantra, Says Hidetaka Miyazaki
FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki stated that the studio does not have an intentional mantra for game development, preferring to pursue what they find interesting to avoid becoming stale. He mentioned that the upcoming game, The Duskbloods, is slated for release on Nintendo Switch this year, with more details potentially emerging at the September 9th Nintendo Direct.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Launches on November 5th
Nintendo announced a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch 2, launching November 5th. The remake features overhauled visuals, modern controls like a dedicated jump button and item swapping, and gyro aiming. New features include a journal called Threads of Time and mic support for playing songs in-game.
GTA 5 left Rockstar feeling "slightly nervous" about Red Dead Redemption 2 as devs worried fans "were going to be bored" by only having one protagonist to play as
Rockstar Games developers expressed nervousness about Red Dead Redemption 2's single protagonist after the success of Grand Theft Auto 5's three-protagonist system, fearing players would be bored. Rockstar North co-lead Rob Nelson revealed that the team questioned if players would want to switch between gang members in Red Dead Redemption 2, a concern that influenced the decision to explore a duo protagonist approach for Grand Theft Auto 6.
Massively on the Go: Scopely sold out players for Go Fest 2026’s Go Fest Finale
The Pokemon Go 10th Anniversary Go Fest Finale, dubbed the Mega Finale, was a significant disappointment, marked by player dissatisfaction with the over-reliance on Mewtwo and the convoluted Mega Evolution system. Scopely's monetization strategies and perceived lack of value in event tickets led to low player turnout and morale, with many criticizing the company's approach as 'milking' the player base rather than celebrating the game's anniversary.
Why The Witcher 3 remains one of the best RPGs of all time
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remains one of the best action RPGs of all time, even a decade after its initial release. CD Projekt Red's upcoming free remaster, which includes graphical enhancements, improved gameplay mechanics, and the new 'Songs Of The Past' expansion, is a generous move that will likely attract new fans and re-engage existing ones. Despite minor flaws like clunky combat, the game's rich storytelling, detailed open world, and high replayability solidify its legendary status.
Why Brutality Is the Key to Making the Ultimate Wolverine Game
This article argues that the key to creating the ultimate Wolverine game lies in embracing the character's signature bloody brutality. It explores Logan's comic book history to support the idea that visceral combat is essential for an authentic portrayal.
Deep in FromSoftware's sicko arc, Elden Ring and Dark Souls boss Hidetaka Miyazaki says "you can't make anything that's as fun" just by following the same old rules
FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki believes that adhering strictly to established rules in game development leads to stale and uninteresting experiences. He emphasizes that focusing on what the developers find interesting has been key to the studio's success across titles like Elden Ring and Dark Souls, allowing them to create unique and fun games.
SPRAWL zero Review – Execute
SPRAWL zero offers an outrageously fun experience that recaptures the spirit of 2000s first-person shooters, featuring fast-paced gameplay, a phenomenal soundtrack, and a charming aesthetic. While it successfully evokes nostalgia with numerous references to classic games like Doom and Halo, its narrative and level design suffer from the same issues that plagued games of that era, leading to confusion and frustrating difficulty spikes.
As Pokemon devs hint that turn-based battles could be a thing of the past, Pokemon Champions lead says they'll…
Pokemon Champions co-directors Kazumasa Iwao and Masaaki Hoshino have discussed the future of the series' turn-based combat. While acknowledging experiments with real-time elements in titles like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, they emphasized that Pokemon Champions is designed to preserve the traditional turn-based system indefinitely. This focus on competitive battling through Pokemon Champions is seen as crucial for the longevity of the classic format.
Why Casual Gamers Are Ditching Browser Games for Squads - Walkthrough, Tips, Review
Casual players are reportedly moving away from browser games due to repetitive gameplay loops and declining retention rates, despite low friction entry. They are migrating towards squad-builder football games, which offer persistent progression and a sense of ownership over their roster. This shift is driven by a desire for deeper engagement beyond the short-term distractions typically found in browser titles.
The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past isn't nostalgia bait - it's a welcome evolution of CDPR's iconic RPG
The upcoming DLC for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, titled Songs of the Past, introduces a new region called Letten and focuses on the character of Dandelion. The preview highlights a new combat mechanic with a chain weapon for Geralt and introduces Lilla, Dandelion's cousin, as a new character. CD Projekt Red emphasizes that the DLC is a genuine evolution of the RPG, not just a nostalgia trip.
'We don't want to create a game where if you know D&D, you're like, Oh, I know everything' — Invoke says Warlock has a lot of 'deep cut' elements from Dungeons & Dragons, but is designed for both new and experienced players to 'live that mystery'
Invoke Studios head Dominic Guay stated that Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons incorporates 'deep-cut' elements from the TTRPG while aiming to maintain a sense of mystery for both new and experienced players. The game, set in the Darkon realm within Ravenloft, is designed to encourage exploration and discovery rather than relying on players' existing D&D knowledge. It is scheduled for a 2027 release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn swings for the Mass Effect crown, but struggles to match my enthusiasm for the TV show
Despite Owlcat Games' pedigree, an hour with The Expanse: Osiris Reborn failed to impress, struggling to showcase its RPG elements and instead focusing on combat and TV show ties. The demo highlighted solid cover shooting mechanics but lacked depth in role-playing choices and character interaction, leaving the reviewer unenthusiastic about its potential.
Sin: Reloaded details huge list of improvements and changes, is 4K 120 FPS on Nintendo Switch 2 with mouse controls supported
Nightdive Studios has detailed numerous improvements and changes for the upcoming remaster, Sin: Reloaded, including gameplay overhauls, added textures, and unused dialogue. The Nintendo Switch 2 version is slated to run at 4K resolution and 120 FPS with optional mouse controls. The game is set to launch on September 24, 2026.
Tormentum II Review | TheXboxHub
Tormentum II is a visually stunning gothic point-and-click adventure game that draws heavy inspiration from H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński. Despite its dark aesthetic, the game features warm characters and surprisingly straightforward puzzles, making it accessible. The narrative offers significant choices that lead to divergent endings, though the writing can occasionally be verbose.
You can play cyberpunk RPG No Law like Dishonored in Night City, or strap grenades to a Roomba and start blasting
No Law, an upcoming RPG from Neon Giant, offers players significant freedom in how they approach objectives and interact with its detailed cyberpunk world. Creative director Arcade Berg emphasizes that there's no wrong way to play, with progression not tied to playstyle. The game features a dense, explorable city with verticality and accessible interiors, allowing for both stealthy infiltration and aggressive combat approaches, with player actions influencing how the city's inhabitants perceive them.
Super Mario Odyssey was a big inspiration for Capcom's latest hit Onimusha: Way of the Sword, director reveals
Capcom's Satoru Nihei, director of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, revealed that Super Mario Odyssey was a significant inspiration for the game's control scheme and tactical feel. He praised Nintendo's ability to create action games that are simple on the surface but dynamically challenging underneath. Producer Akihito Kadowaki cited the Gundam series for character inspiration and Silent Hill f for world design.
The Blood of Dawnwalker’s 30-Day Time System Is Brilliant and Stressful — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
The Blood of Dawnwalker features a unique and engaging 30-day time system where quests, upgrades, and activities consume time, forcing players to make difficult choices. While this design can be stressful and a completionist's nightmare, it adds significant pressure and addictiveness to decision-making, complementing the day/night cycle and Coen's dual nature. Despite a movement bug and some combat issues, the core time mechanic is praised as brilliant.
"You'll be able to engage in these high stakes arms races": Civilization's Arc of Tomorrow update is trying to make the threat of nuclear apocalypse more interesting
Civilization VII's upcoming free update, Arc of Tomorrow, will extend the game's playable timeline into the near future and introduce more elaborate nuclear war mechanics. The update aims to make mutually assured destruction a more engaging late-game feature with a one-turn missile delay and new defensive options. It also adds proxy war functionality through city states and an expanded economic system.
World of Warcraft's Venomous Abyss raid is "what we'd hoped for" from the war on add-ons, Ion Hazzikostas explains
Blizzard Entertainment's Ion Hazzikostas and Paul Kubit discuss the impact of banning combat add-ons in World of Warcraft's latest expansion, Midnight. They believe the change has successfully encouraged more vocal raid leading and human cooperation, aligning with their hopes for the game's progression. The developers also touch on ongoing UI improvements and adjustments to bonus roll mechanics.
