Hyper Light Breaker is a colorful mix between Risk of Rain and Dark Souls

It was a romantic Saturday evening when I told my partner the seven words every girl wants to hear: “Are you ready to test the GameScent?”

If you think you have a good handle on the kind of games Devolver Digital publishes by now, you’re in for a surprise. The company’s latest game, The Crush House, is unlike anything you’ve ever played.

It’s shaping up to be a surprisingly busy year for pirate video games. Ubisoft finally released its long-delayed Skull & Bones (to middling reviews), while Sea of Thieves is setting its sails for PlayStation later this month. Both of those games are fine options for those looking to do some swashbuckling, but they’re also multiplayer-focused titles that are best enjoyed with a full crew. What options exist for solo players looking for a more story-driven single-player experience?

It’s no surprise that AI was perhaps the biggest topic of discussion at this year’s Game Developers Conference. The emerging technology was all over the convention’s show floor, with massive booths showcasing demos from companies like Inworld. Behind the scenes, Nvidia showed off some even more impressive tools. A Ubisoft-created experience using Nvidia’s Ace microservice turned heads, as it allowed players to speak to NPCs through a microphone and get cogent AI responses on the fly.

When we sat down to chat with Chris Bullock, lead animator on open-world roguelike Hyper Light Breaker at developer Heart Machine, nobody had beaten its GDC demo yet. The show's recent demo was an exciting up-close look at what's quickly become my personal most-anticipated open-world game of the year, and Bullock's comments on some of the game's nitty-gritty details have only deepened my suspicion that it could be the biggest roguelike of 2024 in more ways than one. 

Indie studio Evil Empire is teaming up with a host of other indie developers for a new showcase. Set for April 10 at 5pm GMT, the showcase has been dubbed the Triple-i Initiative, and will feature more than 30 indie games.

You can buy a big selection of FromSoftware games at a discount price when you use the code CHICK15 at eBay right now. This includes the Dark Souls Trilogy (PS4) for £24.61, Elden Ring (PS4) for £28.01, and Sekiro Shadows Die Twice (PS4) also for £28.01. This deal is a great chance to play some of the most iconic FromSoftware games before the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is released.

If you follow video games, you probably know what a “Soulslike” is at this point. The term, used to describe action RPGs that draw heavy inspiration from punishing titles like Dark Souls, has spawned a popular subgenre whose influence can be seen in games big and small. Now, we may be getting a new mutation of that genre thanks toFlintlock: The Siege of Dawn.

Dark Souls can be pretty rough if you're new to the series, forcing you to slam your head against bosses that are essentially brick walls with way too many legs. If you know what you're doing, things are much easier, and you'll struggle to find anyone who knows more about Dark Souls than Twitch streamer Regole, who recently earned himself a new world record by beating not only the first game, but both of its sequels, back to back in under 90 minutes.

Yeah, I think that’s what the implication is but there nothing concrete to know for sure. In all honesty, it may well just be Miyazaki being fast and loose with the lore and in terms of details that even he hasn’t got clear in his own head.

Last year, Nintendo brought Mario back to his 2D roots with a surprise new game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The critically acclaimed platformer was an instant crowd-pleaser thanks in no small part to its namesake feature, Wonder Effects. These power-ups completely transformed Mario’s world, letting its developers experiment with wacky ideas from wiggling pipes to singing Piranha Plants.

With its early access release window set, Heart Machine’s Hyper Light Breaker has received some new pre-alpha gameplay courtesy of Game Informer. Combat is the biggest focus against different enemies, but plenty of exploration is also showcased. Check it out below.