Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Opinion: My Pokopia Towns Look Terrible, But That's Okay
The author reflects on their messy towns in Pokémon Pokopia, contrasting them with the pristine creations seen online. Despite initial disappointment with their own building skills, they embrace the game's imperfect aesthetic as part of its charm and narrative. The article suggests that the game's focus on rebuilding a civilization allows for a more haphazard and personal approach to town design, rather than aiming for perfection.
Valve's Gabe Newell still plays at least one game of Dota 2 "every day" in his 60s, so hopefully he's past the noob phase he was stuck in even "after 800 hours"
Valve co-founder Gabe Newell continues to play Dota 2 daily in his 60s, a habit he has maintained since at least 2011. Newell discussed his ongoing obsession with the MOBA genre, highlighting its compelling PvP sandbox nature and the constant strategic planning involved. He also noted that lessons learned from Dota 2 can be applied to other game genres, including first-person shooters and MMOs.
How 007 First Light's Quips and Quick Wits Make Bond Stand Apart from Agent 47
Narrative director Martin Emborg explains how IO Interactive is translating James Bond's signature wit and charm into gameplay mechanics for 007 First Light. The focus is on making Bond's unique approach to espionage a core part of the player experience, differentiating him from other stealth characters like Agent 47.
Former Dragon Quest director says JRPG icon Yuji Horii taught him the series is "not about the storyline, the…
Former Dragon Quest director Jin Fujisawa shared insights from series creator Yuji Horii, emphasizing that the JRPG franchise prioritizes player experience and surprise over strict narrative. Horii's philosophy focuses on creating novel and unexpected elements that evoke happiness through emotional engagement.
I tested the MSI Cyborg 14 gaming laptop by carrying it for 105 miles through the mountains of Wales
An author tested the MSI Cyborg 14 gaming laptop by carrying it over 105 miles through the mountains of Wales, including ascents of Yr Wydffa (Snowdon). The review focuses on the laptop's portability and performance in extreme conditions, contrasting its capabilities with the challenges of mountaineering. Despite its lightweight design, the laptop's screen visibility was poor in direct sunlight, and its fans were noisy, though generally inaudible over mountain winds.
Control Resonant dev Remedy didn't use other triple-A games for inspiration, because "nobody is taking risks"
Remedy Entertainment is developing Control Resonant, moving the series from the Oldest House to the streets of Manhattan. The team is intentionally avoiding inspiration from other triple-A games to prevent design homogenization, instead drawing from art, film, and nature. The sequel will feature a warped Manhattan, new enemy types, and a continued focus on the Hiss and the Mold.
I asked Saros' art director about the game's obsession with hands, and got a fascinating insight into how…
Housemarque's art director Simone Silvestri discusses the thematic significance of hands in the game Saros, explaining how the motif ties into the central themes of greed and corrupted enlightenment. The visual style, a fusion of neoclassicism and Italian futurism, was developed to complement the game's fast-paced action and narrative.
Crimson Desert devs know combat "became less frequent" the more players progressed, so a new patch adds re-blockades and rematches for 69 bosses
Pearl Abyss has released a patch for Crimson Desert that addresses player feedback regarding combat frequency in the open world. The update introduces 'Rematch' and 'Re-blockade' content, allowing players to re-engage with bosses and stronghold fights to maintain a sense of challenge as they progress through the game.
Marathon (1994) and Marathon (2026) are at opposite ends of FPS history, but playing them at the same time I'm finding they have a lot in common, despite their vast differences
This article compares the original 1994 Marathon with the upcoming 2026 version, highlighting their shared narrative themes and design philosophies despite vast differences in genre and technology. The author explores how both games, from the early days of FPS to modern extraction shooters, utilize environmental storytelling and AI characters to create compelling experiences.
Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (2nd May)
Several Nintendo staff members shared their weekend gaming plans, including playing demos for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Call of the Elder Gods. Other titles mentioned include Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, Pentiment, Blasphemous II, and Alien: Isolation. The article also notes the ongoing Golden Week holiday in Japan and a Pokémon YouTube channel's closure due to copyright strikes.
5 Pokemon that need evolutions in Winds and Waves
This article speculates on five Pokemon that could receive new evolutions in the upcoming games, Pokemon Winds and Waves. It analyzes the current stats and typings of Pokemon like Carnivine, Tropius, Ledian, Swoobat, and Wailord, proposing potential stat boosts, new abilities, and type changes for their hypothetical evolutions.
The Brotherhood Unveils a Terrifying First Look at Their New Survival Horror Adventure Game ANIMAL USE PROTOCOL - GameHaunt
The Brotherhood has revealed Animal Use Protocol, a new PC survival horror game built on Unreal Engine 5. Players control Penn, an intelligent chimpanzee, escaping a dystopian lab with his rat companion Trip while being hunted by a monstrous chimaera. The game blends elements of Alien: Isolation and Amnesia: The Bunker, focusing on stealth and puzzle-solving with a gravity control device. A release date has not yet been announced, but the game will be available on Steam and GOG.
MagicCon Las Vegas 2026: The Hobbit, Reality Fracture and Mood Swings Are Here!
Wizards of the Coast revealed several upcoming Magic: The Gathering sets at MagicCon Las Vegas 2026, including "The Hobbit" on August 14, "Reality Fracture" on October 2, and "Marvel Super Heroes" on June 26. Head Designer Mark Rosewater also unveiled "Mood Swings," a new, faster-paced trading card game launching June 1st for $24.99.
Is League of Legends Toxic? An Honest Answer Backed by Data (2026) | TAG
League of Legends is undeniably toxic, with 70% of matches containing some form of negative behavior, though extreme hate speech is rare. Riot Games has implemented significant moderation tools like GATES and Vanguard, alongside an overhauled Honor system, to combat toxicity. While these measures have improved the player experience, structural issues like team dependency and ranked stakes continue to foster friction, making the game manageable for adult players but requiring defensive strategies.
Far Cry 4 director pushes back against Far Cry TV showrunner calling game stories 'pointless' and executes a drive-by on Alien: Earth 'which turned into a kind of weird Peter Pan gets a dog story'
Far Cry 4 director Noah Hawley is developing a TV adaptation of Ubisoft's Far Cry franchise, stating he will not directly adapt existing game stories. Hawley described his approach as finding the core of a 'Far Cry story,' which he believes is a 'fish out of water' narrative. The article also discusses Hawley's previous work and his comments on the 'pointless' nature of existing game stories, drawing parallels to his adaptation of Alien: Earth.
Miyamoto understands criticism of Peach always needing to be rescued in Mario games, wanted to make up for it in the movies
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto acknowledges criticism regarding Princess Peach's damsel-in-distress role in mainline Super Mario games. He explains that this trope was used to provide clear objectives for players but was intentionally changed for the movies, particularly in the second film where he aimed to explore Peach's character more deeply.
Skyrim inspired Kingdom Come: Deliverance even though Warhorse co-founder once listed "100 reasons that he…
Warhorse Studios co-founder Daniel Vávra, who previously wrote an article criticizing The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, has revealed that the Bethesda RPG was a significant inspiration for Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Studio content director Ondřej Bittner confirmed Skyrim's influence on Vávra during a Reddit AMA, despite Vávra's extensive list of criticisms regarding the game's realism and design.
The Best Browser RPGs You Can Play Right Now - GameHaunt
Hero Wars: Dominion Era is highlighted as the best browser RPG for players seeking fast access, steady hero progression, and engaging team-building mechanics. The article praises its ability to balance convenience with depth, making it stand out from other browser titles like Raid: Shadow Legends and AFK Arena. It emphasizes that the game's strength lies in its systems and team optimization rather than pure action spectacle.
Casually Classic: Six ideas that WoW Classic Plus should totally ‘borrow’ from Turtle WoW
This opinion piece suggests that Blizzard Entertainment should incorporate popular features from the defunct Turtle WoW private server into its upcoming WoW Classic Plus. Ideas include adding new races and class combinations, implementing transmogrification early, expanding guild features like shared vaults and guild quarters, introducing new professions like survival and gardening, adding more leveling challenges, and creating new zones and quests.
Windrose proves that survival games don't have to be difficult to be popular
Windrose offers a more accessible take on the survival genre, eschewing traditional difficulty for a relaxed gameplay loop. Unlike many survival games that focus on realism and harsh mechanics, Windrose provides numerous shortcuts and removes staple survival elements. This approach has proven popular, attracting players intimidated by hardcore offerings or burned out from PvP servers, demonstrating that a less challenging survival experience can be highly appealing.
