Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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The Baldur's Gate remakes should scrap the original combat system and fully embrace superior turn-based fights
This opinion piece argues that upcoming remakes of Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 should adopt the turn-based combat system popularized by Baldur's Gate 3, rather than retaining the original real-time-with-pause mechanics. The author believes turn-based combat offers a superior, more strategic, and authentically Dungeons & Dragons experience.
Former Forza Horizon Devs Announce Clutch, A “cinematic open-world action-driving game.”
Maverick Games, founded by former Forza Horizon developers, has announced its debut title, Clutch, a cinematic open-world action-driving game set for a 2027 release. The game will feature a strong narrative focus, extensive car customization, and detailed car damage modeling. The studio aims to offer a fresher take on the genre, differentiating itself from the Forza series.
Riot hires another World of Warcraft veteran to get its League of Legends MMO over the line as we approach 6 years since…
Riot Games has hired former World of Warcraft veteran Brian Holinka as principal game designer for its upcoming League of Legends MMO. Holinka, who previously served as lead PvP designer and lead combat designer for World of Warcraft, joins other former Blizzard employees working on the project. Riot co-founder Marc Merrill recently reaffirmed the company's commitment to developing the MMO.
Subnautica 2's no-killing policy isn't because it's 'a game about pacifism', says design lead, but because players would 'master the crappy combat' over anything else
Subnautica 2's design lead, Anthony Gallegos, clarified that the game's no-killing policy is not about pacifism but a design choice to prevent players from mastering combat over exploration. He explained that removing combat encourages players to engage with the world and maintain the intended tension, drawing inspiration from games like SOMA and Alien: Isolation.
Here’s what to watch for in Crimson Desert’s June to September updates
Pearl Abyss has detailed upcoming updates for Crimson Desert, scheduled between June and September. These updates will focus on narrative refinements, improved gameplay for characters Damiane and Oongka, new combat challenges, a rework of the Re-Blockade system, and quality-of-life improvements for trading and farming. Cross-save support for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox is also in development, with DLC planned but details currently scarce.
Crimson Desert Summer Roadmap Revealed - Cross-Save, More Story and DLC | Invision Game Community
Pearl Abyss has revealed the summer roadmap for Crimson Desert, detailing planned updates from June to September. Key additions include new combat challenges, story refinements based on player feedback, quality-of-life improvements for trading and farming, and confirmation that downloadable content is in development. The update also introduces cross-save functionality across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
007 First Light is so visually detailed that a mirror jumpscared me
007 First Light is praised for its stunningly realistic visuals, particularly its reflections, which are so detailed they can be startling. The game successfully blends IO Interactive's Hitman DNA with Uncharted-like gameplay and classic James Bond elements, offering an immersive experience and a compelling story.
Evening Interviews
Unknown Worlds Entertainment's Subnautica 2 will feature a non-violent approach to gameplay, as explained by a developer. Separately, former Electronic Arts developers are launching a new NBA game, lamenting the decline of beloved sports titles.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s Multiplayer Movement Showcased in New Video
Infinity Ward has released a new video showcasing the multiplayer movement options in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage highlights features like sliding, vaulting, and sliding over cars, with design leads emphasizing a natural feel and mastery potential. The game is set to launch on October 23rd for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch, omitting last-generation consoles.
Dark Light: Survivor Early Access Review – Bullet Mayhem
Dark Light: Survivor is an Early Access survivor-like shooter that blends modern technology with fantasy elements, offering a unique twist on the genre. While it suffers from a lack of content and some UI/UX refinements, its core gameplay loop of manually controlling weapons alongside passive abilities is engaging. The game is currently available on PC and is planned for 1 to 1.5 years in Early Access.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Interview – Sci-Fi Setting, Companions, Console Performance, And More
Owlcat Games' Leonid Rastorguev discusses the transition to a third-person action RPG with The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, emphasizing the preservation of core RPG elements like choice and consequence, and deep companion systems. The interview also details the challenges of maintaining the series' grounded sci-fi authenticity and outlines target resolutions and frame rates for various platforms, including new options for the PlayStation 5 Pro.
Halo: Campaign Evolved’s Visuals Might Lack Readability for Players, Says Former Bungie Developer
Former Bungie developer Niles Sankey expressed concerns that the advanced visuals in Halo: Campaign Evolved might negatively impact gameplay readability, making it harder for players to discern enemies and battlefield conditions. While acknowledging he lacks full insight into the development, Sankey emphasized the importance of clear visual communication for tactical gameplay, a strength of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. Developers Damon Conn and Max Szlagor aim to honor the original's legacy while appealing to both veteran and new players for the campaign-only remake.
Mina The Hollower Traps You In The Bayou (To Teach You That You Can Get Out)
Yacht Club Games intentionally designed an area in Mina the Hollower to trap players, teaching them that progression relies on the burrowing mechanic rather than traditional Zelda-like equipment. This approach aims to prevent players from encountering insurmountable difficulty spikes by wandering into areas beyond their current abilities, while still retaining an old-school sense of challenge and discovery.
In 1997, Warren Spector told us the upcoming PC classic Deus Ex was inspired by Final Fantasy, Miyamoto, and 'the…
A 1997 interview with legendary game designer Warren Spector reveals his early inspirations for the upcoming PC classic Deus Ex, including Final Fantasy VII and Shigeru Miyamoto's work. Spector discussed his move to Ion Storm and his vision for a first-person RPG that blended console accessibility with deep simulation, initially planning to use the Quake II engine before ultimately opting for Unreal.
Subnautica 2 Dev Addresses 'Misunderstanding' Around Decision Not to Let Players Kill Predators
Subnautica 2 design lead Anthony Gallegos addressed player concerns regarding the decision to disallow killing predators in the upcoming underwater survival game. Gallegos clarified the developers' intent behind this design choice, aiming to resolve misunderstandings about the game's direction.
How Shovel Knight’s Kickstarter Resulted In Mina The Hollower’s Massive Modifier System
Yacht Club Games' latest title, Mina the Hollower, features a robust modifier system that allows players to customize difficulty, a concept that originated from the Kickstarter campaign for their debut game, Shovel Knight. Originally conceived as a way to fulfill a backer tier promising unique secrets, the idea evolved from a cheat code system into the expansive, menu-driven modifier system seen in Mina the Hollower, offering players meticulous control over their gameplay experience.
The Surprising Factors That Made Mina The Hollower A Game Of The Year Contender
David D’Angelo, lead programmer at Yacht Club Games, discusses the development and design of Mina the Hollower, a game that blends Souls-like challenge with Zelda-inspired exploration. The interview highlights the studio's approach to difficulty options, inspired by cheat codes and player freedom, and their passion for retro game design limitations. D'Angelo also touches on the game's reception and the studio's philosophy on making games accessible while retaining their core identity.
FEAR OF SLEEP REVEALS WEAPONS TRAILER AT MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SCREAM
Signal Decay Games revealed a new weapons trailer for their upcoming survival horror title, FEAR OF SLEEP, during the Horror Game Awards' Midsummer Night's Scream showcase. The trailer highlights the game's combat mechanics, emphasizing physics manipulation, multi-use weapons, and visceral gore. FEAR OF SLEEP is the debut game from Konrad Honey, a former AAA artist, and is set to release in 2026.
Survival Horror Lucid Falls Returns With Another Stunning Trailer
Eldamar Studio has released a new trailer for its atmospheric survival horror game, Lucid Falls, showcasing its Unreal Engine visuals and gameplay mechanics. Players will manipulate gravity, space, and time within lucid dreams to solve puzzles and survive terrifying nightmares.
The Best Part Of 007 First Light Has Nothing To Do With The Gameplay
The author highlights the impressive nightclub scene in 007: First Light as its best feature, praising the realistic lighting, music integration, and detailed crowd animations. This scene is compared favorably to similar environments in Grand Theft Auto Online and Hitman 3, with the author emphasizing the immersive audio-visual experience provided by IO Interactive.
