Immersive Sim
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1666: Amsterdam early access review - Assassin's Creed creator's latest is buggy and sometimes bewildering, but there's real ambition too
1666: Amsterdam, the latest game from Assassin's Creed creator Patrice Désilets and Panache Digital Games, is ambitious but buggy in its early access state. The game blends open-world investigation and combat across three time periods, featuring witchery and a unique approach to exploration that draws parallels to immersive sims, though its combat and technical issues detract from the experience.
Blending Deus Ex with Escape from Butcher Bay, Deficit is one of the best-feeling indie immersive sims I've played—even if the stealth system needs serious work
Deficit, an upcoming immersive sim from Item42, offers a highly physical and satisfying combat experience reminiscent of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, with impactful melee and reactive environments. While the game draws clear inspiration from Deus Ex, its stealth mechanics are currently problematic and require significant improvement. Despite these issues, the demo is playable and showcases strong potential for the full release.
No Law was one of the most exciting games I saw at Gamescom year: a cyberpunk immersive sim that solves one of Deus Ex's biggest problems
No Law is an upcoming first-person immersive sim set in a European-inspired cyberpunk world, developed by Neon Giant. The game aims to address long-standing genre issues by rewarding larger objectives rather than small tasks, allowing for diverse playstyles. Players control Grey Harkner, a retired military man drawn back into conflict, in a city that blends futuristic technology with aged architecture and persistent greenery.
A multi-month delay for Deus Ex turned into a huge payoff for one of its best characters, says designer Harvey Smith
Designer Harvey Smith shared how a multi-month delay for Deus Ex significantly improved the game by allowing for expanded character development, particularly for the NPC Gunther Hermann. Initially, Hermann had a minor role with no closure, but the extra time enabled his integration into key missions and a more impactful narrative arc, ultimately enhancing the overall player experience.
This Horror Game Is Having A Dino Crisis Of A Different Sort
The indie horror game Athanasia, featuring dinosaurs and immersive sim elements, will launch in Steam Early Access for PC on October 19. Developed by Momentum Games and published by Black Lantern Collective, the game traps players in a research facility overrun by time-traveling dinosaurs, with hints of a more sinister threat.
ONTOS: This Horrifying, Tantalizing Thriller Feels Like an Immersive Sim for Puzzle Gaming
ONTOS is a forthcoming sci-fi thriller that blends immersive sim elements with puzzle gameplay, focusing on player choice and exploration. Players control Aditi, who investigates a mysterious moon resort and confronts philosophical questions through intricate, often grotesque, experiments. The game emphasizes tactile interaction and allows for multiple solutions to its challenges, promising a deeply engaging experience.
Xbox Gamescom 2026 Day Two: 19 Games and Announcements You Need to Know About | Invision Game Community
Xbox's second Gamescom 2026 showcase highlighted a diverse range of upcoming games, emphasizing discovery over blockbuster reveals. The presentation featured new titles like Rogue Fortune, PUBG: DED.NET, Cassette Beasts 2002, and Militsioner, alongside updates for established franchises such as Dune: Awakening, Planet Zoo 2, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Many of these titles will be available on Xbox Game Pass, showcasing the breadth of experiences coming to the Xbox ecosystem.
Run, Hide, Lie: Militsioner Is Coming To Game Pass
The surreal first-person immersive sim Militsioner is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2027, launching day one on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. Developed by TALLBOYS and CRITICAL REFLEX, the game tasks players with escaping a city while avoiding a colossal policeman. Militsioner will feature player choice and a dynamic world that reacts to player actions.
Militsioner: The Surreal Immersive Sim Featuring a Colossal Policeman, Coming to XBOX Game Pass in 2027
The surreal immersive sim Militsioner, featuring a colossal policeman, is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Game Pass in 2027. Players will navigate a mysterious town under constant surveillance, with gameplay focusing on creative escape methods and moral choices. The game will also support Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing play on both console and PC at no additional cost.
No Law is An Immersive Sim With a Small But Densely Layered City Where You Can Kill Any NPC
Neon Giant's upcoming immersive sim, No Law, will allow players to kill any NPC, with permanent consequences for their actions and the game world. The game, launching in 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, emphasizes player agency and offers multiple approaches to gameplay, including hacking, stealth, and combat within its densely layered city of Port Desire.
Militsioner is a Stealth-Based Immersive Sim About Escaping From a Giant Policeman
Developer Tallboys and publisher Critical Reflex announced Militsioner, a stealth-based immersive sim where players must escape a giant policeman. The game, revealed during Gamescom 2026, will feature sneaking mechanics, an in-game economy, and a dialogue system. Militsioner is slated for release in 2027 on PC and Xbox Series X/S, and will be available on Game Pass day one.
D&D, LEGO, and mounting ennui: Our biggest games from Gamescom 2026
Several outlets expressed disappointment with the Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live showcase, finding many announcements to be uninspired or lacking substance. While games like Lego Skylines, No Law, and Afterworld garnered some interest, the overall impression was one of "mounting ennui" and a reliance on familiar tropes. The event's format was criticized for prioritizing short, flashy trailers over meaningful game reveals.
Next big D&D game fully revealed with a lengthy gameplay trailer
The next major Dungeons & Dragons game, Warlock, has been fully revealed with a gameplay trailer showcasing its immersive sim-inspired action. Developed by Invoke and published by Wizards of the Coast, the open-world RPG channels influences from games like The Darkness and Infamous. Warlock is set to release next year and will be available on PC via Steam.
Why GTA Games Are A “Stab In The Heart,” But Also Amazing, For Ex-Dishonored Dev
Former Dishonored developer Raphaël Colantonio views Grand Theft Auto games as a "stab in the heart" for immersive sim enthusiasts, praising Rockstar's surface-level simulation and sandbox execution while lamenting the lack of lasting consequences for player actions. He contrasts this with games like Skyrim, where choices have meaningful, long-term impacts, and expresses his personal preference for deeper player agency over GTA's mission-instance approach. Colantonio looks forward to Grand Theft Auto 6 to see how Rockstar pushes its instant simulation further.
Synths, impossible physics, and an "erotic experience with a PS5 controller" - the side projects of game devs are a reminder creativity is undimmable
This article highlights the undimmable nature of human creativity through the lens of game developers' personal side projects. Despite industry pressures, developers are pursuing diverse creative outlets, from interactive fiction and VR experiences to physical art and hardware experiments, demonstrating a persistent drive to create for its own sake.
Dishonored was a last-ditch effort by Arkane Studios after years of fruitless contract work, according to the game's co-creator: 'I think we had four months of money left'
Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith revealed that the game was a last-ditch effort for Arkane Studios, which was facing financial collapse with only four months of funds remaining. The studio had been taking on various contract work, but ultimately decided to focus on their passion project, which became a critical and commercial success. This experience solidified Smith's belief in pursuing creative passion, a principle he is applying to his new studio, Black Pony Immersive.
"Do questions like that create a self-fulfilling prophecy?”: Dishonored director Harvey Smith on the fear of asking if immersive sims are dead
Dishonored director Harvey Smith, alongside fellow leads Ben Horne and Ricardo Bare, discusses the current state and future of immersive sims. Smith questions whether the constant questioning of the genre's viability creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, while Horne emphasizes focusing on creative vision rather than chasing trends. They acknowledge the success of titles like BioShock and Deus Ex, and Smith pushes back against the notion that first-person games don't sell.
Former Arkane vets' new studio isn't going to try 'trend chasing', and in hindsight, thank God
Harvey Smith and Ben Horne, former Arkane developers, have founded a new studio called Black Pony Immersive. They aim to avoid chasing industry trends and instead focus on creating immersive sim games that excite them and their target audience, citing the continued cultural and financial success of titles like BioShock and Dishonored as evidence of the genre's viability.
"Arkane was about to go under" before it committed to Dishonored, former lead says: "We had 4 months of…
Former Arkane Studios lead designer Harvey Smith revealed that the studio was close to closure before committing to the development of Dishonored. The studio was working on multiple projects with dwindling funds before refocusing on the immersive sim, which became a critical and commercial success. Smith has since co-founded a new studio, Black Pony Immersive, to continue making single-player immersive sim games.
Deus Ex and Dishonored designer Harvey Smith has a new studio making immersive sims
Harvey Smith, known for his work on Deus Ex and Dishonored, has co-founded a new studio called Black Pony Immersive. The studio aims to create immersive simulation games and features veteran talent from Arkane Studios, Insomniac Games, and Epic Games.