The open beta for the Xbox Series X/S version of Final Fantasy 14 has now started.
02.02.2024 - 09:15 / ign.com
Sweet liberty! One of my favorite PS4-era shooters is back with a whole new perspective and it’s up to me and my friends to defend Super Earth in glorious co-op! After going hands-on with Helldivers 2 for three hours, I’m sold on the bold pivot from the original’s top-down view to the sequel’s new third-person perspective, the appetizing roster of deadly gadgets, and the outrageous comedic tone that expertly channels the low-budget action film vibes that pair perfectly with the developer’s live-service ambitions. I’m a bit concerned at the moment that it won’t have enough content to go the distance long term, with only two enemy factions (so far as we know), procedurally generated levels that can feel a bit one-note, and no real live-service roadmap at launch, but with such a strong, effortlessly fun foundation, it’s definitely off to good start. With all the over-the-top gore and patriotic pageantry of Starship Troopers, Helldivers 2 is the kind of wonderfully silly shooter that me and my friends could easily lose many Friday nights to.
By far the biggest way Helldivers 2 switches things up from the original is by moving to the third-person perspective, and so far I’m pleasantly surprised how well that transition works. I was initially skeptical about the change given how much the bird’s eye view was part of the original’s DNA, but it only took a matter of seconds for my concerns to disappear. Getting closer to the action feels great and allows for some really hilarious moments, like when I accidentally called in an airstrike that took out the rest of my team or when I found myself surrounded by absolutely terrifying robots and used my jetpack to leap to safety. Plus, you get to see the hideous bug creatures and murder-loving automatons closer than ever before, which is a nice bonus – each faction had lots of variety too, from chainsaw-armed androids who slowly closed in for the kill to heavily-armored beetles who charged at me with reckless abandon.
As I fought through armies of lethal insects, I got to try out a whole bunch of helpful gadgets that played a central role in my success. On one mission, I deployed a turret to keep the area clear of hostiles, while in another I threw down a bubble shield to give the team some much-needed cover, and in another I made use of the “guard dog,” a floating robot who followed me around to lay down suppressing fire. Unlocking new toys and communicating with your team to ensure you’ve got everything you might need is absolutely necessary to survival. For example, some enemies are so heavily shielded they can only be put down by explosive weapons capable of tearing through the steel, so you’ll want to have at least one player who can call down the Recoilless Rifle,
The open beta for the Xbox Series X/S version of Final Fantasy 14 has now started.
Bungie has been uncharacteristically generous as of late. At first glance, it seems that Destiny 2 players are eating well. But Bungie’s change of pace doesn’t read like its usual exchange for goodwill — something that especially rings true when looking at the state of the studio.
Seemingly in response to complaints over the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo's graphics, Square Enix has announced an update is coming February 21 with visual improvements that'll apply to the full game at launch.
Though we finally got another look at Bloober Team’s remake of Silent Hill 2 at Sony’s State of Play presentation a couple of weeks ago, we still don’t know when the game will be coming out. PlayStation seemed to confirm the survival horror remake for a 2024 release earlier this year, but with Konami still not having officially given the game a launch window, questions still remain about when the publisher plans to release it.
Just in case you don't know, there's another State of Play broadcast tonight, featuring Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It's probably going to be the game's last big blowout before it releases on the 29th February — which is just over three weeks away! — but will you actually be watching the show?
Released earlier this week, the highly anticipated demo for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gives us a glimpse of the game's opening chapter, in which Cloud recalls the time he and Sephiroth were sent to investigate the Nibelheim mako reactor. We happen to think it's a pretty strong start to what should be a great sequel, bit as always, it's your opinion that we're looking for in an article like this.
Though Destiny 2‘s Season 23 narrative is more or less concluded, there are still some new rewards inbound for the game. Bungie has revealed that a new suite of weapons will soon arrive for pinnacle activities. And players will have plenty of time, even through The Final Shape, to earn them.
Superstar creators Jonathan Hickman and Sanford Greene are teaming up to tell the story of the Marvel supervillain fight of the century as they pit Doctor Doom against Galactus in a one-shot simply titled Doom this May.
Silent Hill producer Motoi Okamoto has revealed that the Silent Hill 2 remake is in the "final stages" of its development, which makes a release in 2024 seem very likely.
Embark Studios dropped a mid-season update for The Finals this week, adding a new limited time event alongside the usual bug fixes and balance tweaks.
If you’ve past the halfway point in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, you’ll likely already have discovered the five timed challenges in the Sacred Archives region. While the first four are mandatory, as you’ll need to complete them to gain one of your Simurgh powers, the fifth optional one is by far the hardest. That’s why we’re going to guide you through it from start to finish in both text and video formats.
Cardy, Matt, and Jesse have been blowing loads up aliens up in Helldivers 2 and having a bloody laugh doing it, too. There's also a big delve into the first couple of chapters of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and whether it lives up to the high standards of Remake. Plus, there's also plenty of time to look back at Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, chat about True Detective: Night Country, natter about The Iron Claw, and break huge chocolate biscuit news.