Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Yakuza Needs to Let Players Scrap with Women, Too
This opinion piece argues that the Yakuza series, despite attempts at portraying strong female characters, ultimately perpetuates misogynistic tropes by preventing players from fighting women. The article criticizes how female characters are often deified or treated as plot devices, highlighting instances in Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth as examples of this problematic trend. It calls for the series to take women seriously as opponents, allowing for true gender equality in its narrative and gameplay.
The Witcher 3 dev says a "designer's job is to create fun, not delete it," which is why CD Projekt Red "raised the stakes" instead of patching out an exploit it could have easily fixed
A quest designer for The Witcher 3, Paweł Sasko, explained CD Projekt Red's decision to add a Chort to deter players from exploiting cow hide farming instead of patching the exploit. Sasko stated that a designer's role is to create fun and escalate gameplay, not remove it. This philosophy also influenced later additions like a Gwent card and an in-game event related to the cow hide trade.
God Of War Laufey’s Director Talks Fan Skepticism, New Ideas, And Phranque The Cube
Ariel Lawrence, director of the upcoming God of War Laufey, discusses the game's focus on Faye, addressing fan skepticism about the shift from Kratos. Lawrence explains the studio's vision for exploring new narratives and characters within the God of War universe, emphasizing Faye's strength and unique combat style. The interview also touches on the introduction of new characters like Phranque and the concept of the 'Everywhen' setting.
Backrooms Director Eyeing A Portal Movie, But He’s Cautious About Adaptations
Kane Parsons, director of the upcoming film Backrooms, has expressed interest in directing a movie based on Valve's Portal game. While enthusiastic, Parsons is approaching the adaptation with caution, emphasizing the importance of respecting the original work. He also mentioned that the sound design in Backrooms was inspired by Portal, and the game series has been a significant creative influence on him.
Review: One Move Away Is More Physics Puzzle Than Tetris Organization
One Move Away is a physics-based puzzle game where players organize belongings into defined spaces, drawing comparisons to Tetris and Unpacking. While the core mechanic of fitting items is engaging, the addition of a car ride survival mechanic in later levels can be frustrating. The game is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and PC.
Realm of Ink Review
Realm of Ink is a roguelite that features fast-paced combat and a deep build customization system using ink gems, curios, and elixirs. While it offers multiple endings and a hub area for progression, the game can be considered on the easier side for the genre, even on higher difficulties, with occasional frame rate drops.
Capcom says it out loud: Pragmata has done so well that it will "consider the possibility of developing it into a…
Capcom is considering turning its new IP, Pragmata, into a series due to its critical acclaim and strong sales of over two million copies within 16 days. The publisher highlighted the game's fresh gameplay, compelling characters, and world setting as key factors in its success. Capcom also noted that Pragmata is a good example of successful collaboration between younger and experienced staff.
Yoshi Filling the Gaps of a Birthday Anthem Guide - How to
This guide for Yoshi and The Mysterious Book explains how to complete the 'Fill in the Gaps of a Birthday Anthem' task. The task involves having Yoshi join a chorus at specific moments during a birthday song, particularly after waking up sleeping characters and during a gap after the phrase 'You should be'.
Yacht Club Games Teases Some "Very Secret Things" In Mina The Hollower
Yacht Club Games developers David D'Angelo and Sean Velasco have teased that players are missing a significant portion of content in their new game, Mina The Hollower. They suggest that some playthroughs only uncover 50-70% of the game's secrets and items, with even more hidden elements yet to be discovered by the community.
Madden 27 Finally Adds The League’s Most Controversial Play (And 52 More Things)
Madden NFL 27 is set to introduce significant gameplay and mode updates, including the controversial "Tush Push" play, improved defensive AI with "Smart Zones," and a revamped "Persona Engine" for Franchise mode to make players more lifelike. The game also features new trench gameplay, timing-based catching, and enhanced presentation elements. Madden NFL 27 will be released in August for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
God of War Laufey – 15 Big Details You Shouldn’t Miss
Sony Santa Monica has revealed new gameplay details for God of War: Laufey, a PlayStation 5 exclusive that continues the story after Faye's death. The game introduces new combat mechanics, including jumping and more agile fighting styles for the protagonist, Laufey. It also features new companions and challenging enemies, with stunning visuals and facial animations.
Marvel’s Wolverine’s Universe Doesn’t Have X-Men as a Group, Spider-Man Might be an Easter Egg
Creative director Marcus Smith confirmed that the X-Men will not appear as a group in Marvel's Wolverine, as the game focuses on Logan and a world where mutants are largely unknown. While the X-Men are absent, characters like Jean Grey and Sabretooth will feature, and the game takes place in the same universe as Marvel's Spider-Man with potential Easter egg overlaps. Marvel's Wolverine is set for release on September 15th exclusively for the PlayStation 5.
Backrooms director says Valve is an inspiration: "Don't make it if there's not a meaningful reason…
Backrooms director Kane Parsons cites Valve's commitment to creating games with a meaningful purpose as a significant inspiration for his work. He praises Valve's philosophy of not making projects without a strong underlying reason, using Half-Life: Alyx as an example of a game developed to explore new technology like VR.
'What was unravelling is suddenly stabilizing': Destiny 2's last update is getting an absurd 71 pages of patch notes, but its story is closing with a shrug
Destiny 2 is receiving a massive final update, 'Monument of Triumph,' featuring 71 pages of patch notes and extensive gameplay changes, including revitalized patrol zones and new abilities. Despite the substantial content, the game's ongoing story is concluding abruptly, with characters suggesting a stabilization of Earth's situation, a stark contrast to the previous narrative's dire state.
Some Assembly Required: Could MMORPGs benefit from computer ‘storytellers?’
This article explores how computer-controlled storytellers, similar to those in Rimworld and Paralives, could enhance the player experience in MMORPGs. The author suggests that dynamic event systems and human Game Masters, as seen in Ultima Online, could break player routines and create more memorable gaming moments. While acknowledging the significant development effort, the potential for transforming stale MMOs is highlighted.
Montech's new shuttered PC case is so odd, I can't decide whether I'm missing the sheer brilliance of it…
Montech has unveiled the F738 Pro PC case, featuring rotating shutters on the front panel that can be adjusted to control airflow. The author questions the necessity of this feature, suggesting that fan profiles in a motherboard BIOS offer a more practical solution for managing airflow and noise. The article speculates that the F738 Pro's design might be more about aesthetics than functional necessity.
Subnautica 2's next region will be its "scariest" yet, but it hides the chassis we've all been waiting for
Unknown Worlds Design Lead Anthony Gallegos shared details about the upcoming first major early access update for Subnautica 2, Update 1.1. This update will introduce a new, "scariest" region featuring the Collector Leviathan and a highly requested chassis, likely the PRAWN Suit. The update also includes improvements to the Biomod system, performance, multiplayer features like emotes and proximity voice chat, and expanded player customization.
GTA San Andreas devs "regretted" adding stealth, Rockstar veteran says: "We ended up stretching ourselves…
Former Rockstar technical director Obbe Vermeij stated that the development team regretted the inclusion of stealth mechanics in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, feeling it stretched the team too thin. Vermeij indicated that stealth was not pursued in Grand Theft Auto IV due to this regret, though experiments may have occurred. He also noted that Grand Theft Auto V did incorporate some stealth elements.
Subnautica 2's first major update "brings back one of the most requested player experiences" and will be…
Unknown Worlds design lead Anthony Gallegos teased that Subnautica 2's next major content drop for its early access version will reintroduce a highly requested player experience, likely the PRAWN Suit. The update will also feature a new region with creatures and resources, aiming to be the scariest the game has been yet, and will include quality-of-life improvements like proximity chat.
Gaming industry pioneer Don Daglow reflects on key moments of his career
Gaming industry veteran Don Daglow reflects on his five-decade career, from early mainframe experiments to pioneering MMORPGs and city-building games. He emphasizes the importance of player connection and fun over technological spectacle, drawing parallels between early interactive theater and modern game design. Daglow also shares insights on industry cycles, the risks of large budgets, and the enduring value of emotionally resonant games.
