Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Valheim 1.0 review
Valheim's 1.0 release marks the completion of the Viking-themed survival game, which has been in early access since 2021. The game offers a procedurally generated open world with a satisfying progression system, deep crafting, and a unique food mechanic that significantly impacts player stats. Despite minor gripes about inventory management and certain biome designs, the reviewer praises Valheim's enduring magic and cozy atmosphere, calling it one of the best survival games available.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on 5th November
Nintendo announced that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5th. The game will feature new additions such as a "Threads of Time" menu to track story progress and objectives.
Volatility and Difficulty Curves: What Game Designers Borrow From Slot Maths
This article analyzes how game designers borrow mathematical principles from slot machines, particularly variable ratio reinforcement schedules and near-miss mechanics, to create engaging player loops. It explains how unpredictable rewards and carefully tuned difficulty curves, akin to slot volatility, keep players hooked by mimicking the psychological hooks found in gambling.
"Let them work their magic" - Persona series director say Persona 4 Revival's localisation team is integral to the remake's success
Persona series director Kazuhisa Wada discusses Atlus' approach to localizing Persona 4 Revival, emphasizing the importance of the localization team in refining character intentions and dialogue. He highlights how lessons learned from simultaneous global releases like Persona 3 Reload have informed the development process for Revival, aiming for higher quality localizations and deeper character exploration informed by spin-off titles.
"20 players is the sweet spot": Guild Wars 3's action game combat is a first for MMOs, but it doesn't work at traditional raid scale
ArenaNet is developing Guild Wars 3 with a focus on action game-like combat and fluid movement, drawing inspiration from titles like Prince of Persia and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This approach shifts away from traditional MMO raid scales, aiming for a 'sweet spot' of around 20 players for optimal combat experience. The developers are also incorporating lessons from live service games to make the MMO more approachable.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s Combat Feedback Was Inspired by Super Mario Odyssey, Says Director
Onimusha: Way of the Sword director Satoru Nihei revealed that Super Mario Odyssey's accessible yet dynamic action gameplay inspired the combat feedback in the new Onimusha title. Producer Akihito Kadowaki cited the Gundam series, particularly Gundam Versus, for its character design influence. The game achieved over one million sales on launch day, pushing the franchise past 10 million total sales.
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.
