Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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The Blood of Dawnwalker Makes It “Absolutely Possible” to Skip Everything “If You’re Skilled Enough”
Rebel Wolves has confirmed that players can skip a significant amount of content in their upcoming open-world RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker, and attempt to defeat the final boss after the prologue if they are skilled enough. Lead quest designer Rafał Jankowski stated that while this path is not encouraged for a first playthrough, the game's design allows for it. The Blood of Dawnwalker is set to release on September 3rd for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Resident Evil Requiem’s Zombies Repeat Human Actions Because It’s Creepier, Says Director
Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi explained that the game's zombies repeat human actions to enhance the horror by emphasizing their lost humanity. Producer Masato Kumazawa also discussed the importance of pacing and tension, noting that the absence of zombies can be scarier than their presence. Capcom designed these elements to balance fear and catharsis, which is central to the Resident Evil franchise's identity.
Zelda was Nintendo's answer to "traditional RPGs," Shigeru Miyamoto says: "We wanted the player to interact with the game world using the controller, and conquer dungeons"
Shigeru Miyamoto explained that The Legend of Zelda was developed concurrently with Super Mario Bros. and aimed to be Nintendo's answer to traditional RPGs, utilizing the Famicom Disk System's capabilities for features like name registration and progress saving. He also expressed initial concerns about players knowing how to progress in the original game, a design philosophy that later influenced Breath of the Wild's open-world exploration.
Fellowship shares details of new enemies, new hero, and public testing of its June 22 season
The multiplayer dungeon runner Fellowship is preparing for its third season, Rise of the Heskyr, launching June 22nd. This update will introduce a new enemy faction, a new melee DPS hero named Gunde, and improvements to ability visual effects. Players can participate in a public playtest on May 15th to provide feedback.
Miyamoto felt Zelda 2 “was sort of a failure”, Nintendo saw Link to the Past as Zelda’s real sequel
Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of The Legend of Zelda, considered Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link a failure and a side story, viewing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as the true sequel. Despite its reception, the series continues with a live-action movie and ongoing development.
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred Review – Hateful Things
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred expansion, while featuring improvements and new classes like the Paladin and Warlock, ultimately fails to fully resonate due to pacing issues and a disappointing endgame loop. The story focuses on confronting Mephisto, but the campaign is hampered by excessive dialogue, and new activities like fishing and War Plans feel like superficial additions rather than meaningful content.
007 First Light devs accidentally gave Bond "magic powers" when creating his arsenal of gadgets
Senior Combat Designer Tom Marcham of IO Interactive discussed the iterative process of designing gadgets for 007 First Light, noting that some early concepts gave James Bond "magic powers" which were ultimately rejected to maintain the IP's grounded, modern-day setting. The team aimed to keep gadgets believable within the established Bond universe, avoiding elements that would feel out of place in a non-cyberpunk or far-future environment.
Saros Story & Ending Explained
This article delves into the narrative and ending of the game Saros, offering an explanation of its story. It also briefly touches upon other game-related content, including trailers for Alawon and Subnautica 2, and discusses the future of Xbox.
Wisdom of Nym: Impressions of Final Fantasy XIV’s Trail to the Heavens content (with no story spoilers)
This article provides an early look at the new content in a recent Final Fantasy XIV patch, focusing on a new dungeon, trial, and alliance raid without story spoilers. While the alliance raid is praised for its spectacle and interesting mechanics, the dungeon and trial are found to be mechanically simpler and less engaging than previous content, though they serve their structural purpose within the game.
The 10 best Soulslike games for life-or-death parries, crushing huge bosses, and bouncing back from defeat
This article ranks the 10 best Soulslike games, highlighting titles that excel in exploration, challenging combat, and boss fights. It defines the genre by drawing inspiration from FromSoftware's Dark Souls and Demon's Souls, while also acknowledging games that innovate within the formula. The list includes a variety of titles such as Bloodborne, Nioh 2, Lies of P, and the upcoming Hollow Knight: Silksong, each offering unique takes on the demanding yet rewarding Soulslike experience.
Kiln Review – Half Baked
Kiln, a new competitive multiplayer title from Double Fine Productions, attempts to fuse creation and destruction through a unique pottery system where players customize pots and then destroy them in PvP matches. Despite its intriguing premise and Double Fine's signature narrative flair, the game suffers from unbalanced abilities, a lack of modes, and performance issues on PC, making its gameplay loop tedious and repetitive. The article suggests that while the art direction and sound design are commendable, Kiln ultimately feels like an awkward experiment with a gameplay loop that quickly becomes tiresome.
Resident Evil Requiem Producer Sees DLSS 5 AI Backlash as 'a Positive' Because 'It Meant We Got the Design Right'
Resident Evil Requiem producer Masato Kumazawa stated that Capcom views the controversy surrounding the DLSS AI version of Grace Ashcroft as a positive sign that the original game design was correct. This reaction suggests the company believes the backlash validates their initial artistic choices.
Mouse P.I. for Hire Is a Pretty Face, but Not Much to Shoot For
Mouse P.I. For Hire features an impressive rubber-hose animation art style reminiscent of Cuphead, but ultimately fails to deliver engaging gameplay. While the noir-inspired world and cartoon logic are visually appealing, the combat feels clunky and the game design does not fully integrate its unique mechanics. The review suggests that despite its artistic merits, the game's core gameplay loop is generic and disappointing.
'Nobody's Taking Risks': To Keep Control Resonant Looking Unique, Remedy Avoided Other AAA Games
Remedy Entertainment is focusing on unique art direction for Control Resonant, deliberately avoiding references from other AAA games to prevent an 'aesthetic singularity'. The sequel will feature a wider exterior environment compared to the original Control and an expanded enemy variety. A New Game Plus mode has also been confirmed, allowing players to restart with their upgrades and unlocks.
The Evolution of In-Game Physics from Scripted Events to Real-Time Simulations
The evolution of in-game physics has transformed digital worlds from scripted events to dynamic, real-time simulations. Modern physics engines allow for greater object interaction, destructible environments, and more believable character animations, enhancing immersion and player agency. While technical challenges remain, advancements in hardware and AI-assisted tools continue to push the boundaries of interactive physics, making it a core element of modern game development.
Uproar Over Grace's DLSS 5 Makeover Proves Original Design Was Right, Says Resident Evil Requiem Producer
Resident Evil Requiem producer Masato Kumzawa stated that player backlash against Nvidia's DLSS 5 technology altering character appearances validates Capcom's original design for Grace Ashcroft. He believes the strong reactions indicate the character's successful design. Nvidia's Jensen Huang has stated developers retain control over DLSS 5's output.
"It meant we got the design right": Resident Evil Requiem's producer on the DLSS5 Grace Ashcroft debacle
Resident Evil Requiem's producer Masato Kumzawa views the negative community reaction to Nvidia's DLSS 5 technology, which altered character Grace Ashcroft's appearance, as a positive sign that the original character design was well-received. Game director Koshi Nakanishi also commented on the character's relatability and emotional expressiveness resonating with players. The discussion touches upon the controversy surrounding AI-generated assets in games.
Scar Tries: Emberward
Emberward is a roguelite tower defense game that innovates by combining maze-building with traditional defensive strategies, allowing players to create enemy paths. While its core loop is inventive and engaging with strong polish, the game suffers from limited content variety, balance issues with certain builds, and a less impactful long-term progression system over extended playtime.
Review: Tokyo Scramble (Nintendo Switch 2)
Tokyo Scramble is a survival-horror game exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2, featuring a young girl named Anne navigating a post-earthquake subway crash while evading prehistoric creatures. Despite some narrative and graphical issues, the game offers a tense stealth experience with environmental puzzles and a unique smartwatch mechanic.
It may have taken almost three years, but Diablo 4 finally feels finished to me
The Diablo 4 expansion, Lord of Hatred, has finally made the game feel complete, addressing its initial shortcomings with robust endgame content and a compelling narrative. Significant overhauls to core systems, including a new skill tree that offers more buildcrafting freedom and a revamped tempering system, have transformed the player experience. The expansion also introduces new classes and a crafting system inspired by Path of Exile, concluding the current story arc and making Diablo 4 a worthwhile experience for lapsed players.
