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Obsidian Entertainment Fans Have A Lot to Look Forward To

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:22:10 +0000

Avowed is Obsidian Entertainment's next first-person RPG. It picks up the setting from the Pillars of Eternity games but with a new, first-person perspective akin to The Outer Worlds or Fallout: New Veg

There's more evidence that Avowed will be set during Woedica's reign as queen of the gods. Both Pillars of Eternity games, especially PoE 2: Deadfire , were set in fantasy worlds with architecture, clothing, and technology from around the 1500s to 1800s. This included pistols, cannons, and magical bombs. In Avowed 's trailer, the world's architecture and weaponry seems far more medieval, likely indicating that the upcoming RPG will be set hundreds of years before the PoE ga

Pillars of Eternity already has some great unique puzzles. Even small dungeons like the ruins under Cilant Lis have multiroom puzzles that require more thought than Skyrim 's Dragon Claws without being frustratingly difficult. The Cilant Lis puzzle requires the player to investigate a mural showing how the Engwithans bypassed their traps and then follow in their footsteps. Avowed needs to entrust its players with a tough range of dungeon puzzles if every dungeon is going to feel like it tells its own st

Last year, Capcom revealed a mysterious new IP known as Pragmata with a reality bending trailer featuring a protagonist in some sort of space suit. The character was exploring what appeared to be an abandoned city outside of a little girl and holographic cat. Before long, the camera pulls back revealing distorted scenery and buildings, eventually leading to a satellite crashing down and sending the astronaut and little girl to the m

In Eora, the world from Pillars of Eternity , Woedica is the goddess of law, oath, justice, rightful rulership, hierarchies, memory, and vengeance. The trailer's voiceover points to many of Woedica's domains appearing as main themes in Avowed . Turning heroes into queens and kings is naturally connected to the idea of rightful rulership. Even Avowed combat Guide 's title is connected to ideas of oath, obligations, and in some cases vengea

There are lessons that Avowed can learn from all three of these games as a first-person fantasy RPG. There's also enough variation between the games to show that Obsidian doesn't always reliably pull off the best parts of its previous titles in later games. Here's what Avowed can learn from New Vegas , The Outer Worlds , and Pillars of Eterni

In fact, while many consider Avowed to be a threat to The Elder Scrolls' dominance over the first-person fantasy genre, the game is far more likely to put Obsidian in peril if it doesn't end up drawing enough players. Avowed is set in the world of Eora from Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity CRPGs, and the move to the more mainstream first-person format was partially motivated by a desire to attract a broader player base to the studio's critically successful but financially struggling ser

In contrast, the Deadlight dungeon in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire has enemies that are far more logically organized. If player enters the Deadlight dungeon and attacks one of its patrolling guards, they will sound a horn which will turn the entire dungeon hostile. Avowed should take this a step further. The game's NPC AI needs to be smart enough that players can lure enemies between different rooms. If the player kills a group of NPCs and one escapes, that escapee should run to where they know their allies are, instead of hanging around like a sitting duck. Some NPCs could even be making progress through the dungeon themsel

Dwemer ruins tend to be the most expansive and varied in their design, but Avowed will need to do much more than emulate Skyrim 's best dungeon experiences. With evidence that Avowed may be further along in development than fans think, here are just some of the ways Obsidian could redefine the dungeon-diving experience for the next generat

It's worth noting that a ton of highly anticipated games were deconfirmed prior to E3 this year. In an effort to set expectations, games like The Division: Heartland , Dead Island , Hogwarts Legacy , the next Saints Row , and plenty more were skipping the show entirely. While no doubt disappointing for fans, there were still a number of games potentially left to rev

Grounded is Obsidian's big potential release for 2021, but the studio's next step is public too. In the same showcase that Grounded was revealed, Obsidian and Microsoft announced Avowed, a new RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Although Obsidian has said next to nothing about Avowed since then, knowing the setting of the game has gone a long way in helping fans get an image of the game. There's tons of Pillars of Eternity lore already in place that'll surely inform the game, no matter what the story is or how the gameplay differs from the games that precede

However, there were a bunch of major titles, some expected to launch later this year, which also went missing in action at the all digital event. Here are the twenty biggest games to go missing at E3 20

Is Obsidian Entertainment Taking on More Than it Can Chew?

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:52:02 +0000

Woedica seems to have a lot of influence at the time of Avowed , which may indicate where in the Pillars of Eternity timeline Avowed Money Guide takes place. The phrase "when Woedica takes back her throne" is a saying in Pillars of Eternity used to refer to events which would only take place in a perfectly just universe. To the religious or conservative, this includes Woedica once again taking her place as the queen of the g

By sacrificing the souls of thousands of their own citizens, the Engwithans created beings who represented pure ideals. One Wood Elf named Iovara eventually discovered the truth and started an atheist movement. "Engwith built gods from ideals," she said, "and an ideal on its own is a grotesque and vicious thi

It could be possible for Avowed to find a compromise between the class system found in more traditional RPGs and more accessible ones. Class choice could give the player certain abilities at the start of the game which other classes would have to unlock later, for example, as well as affecting their attack power with certain weapons and spells. Some lighter class systems like this can be found in games like Dark Souls , where classes affect how the player starts the game but doesn't stop them from redirecting their specialties as they play m

Based on just how heavily the trailer features Woedica , Avowed may be set during the height of the goddess' power. Woedica may not even be "the Burned Queen" or "the Exiled Queen" yet at all. She only gained those names after the other gods of Eora cast Woedica from her throne, and the fire god Magran burned her. "The Strangler" is Woedica's manifestation on Eora. She is an old woman who wears expensive but tattered clothing, and who supposedly appears on empty roads to strangle those who break their oaths. The Strangler is also said to be supernaturally fast and strong, which could make her a horrifying encounter if she appears in Avow

In many traditional fantasy RPGs, players pick their class at the beginning of their adventures. This determines which stats they primarily rely on. In a typical TTRPG and its closer descendants, for example, a rogue would largely rely on dexterity and intelligence, and would start with an initial boost to those stats. This, in turn, would affect their success with skill checks and in combat throughout the g

Oaths are referenced twice, and the trailer ends with a reference to a crown. Crowns are one of Woedica's symbols, and unlike the other gods of Eora Woedica can be seen wearing a crown in all of her depictions. A crown symbol very similar to Woedica's can also be seen on the banner hanging from the castle in the trailer. While the narrator's identity is unclear, they appear to be describing a history where ruling families gained their power by making oaths to Woedica. When they broke those oaths the deity — also the goddess of vengeance — created monsters like the one the player character is waiting for at the end of the trai

With voiceless protagonists, small cast of voice actors, and large but relatively free-form narrative worlds, the Elder Scrolls games rely on the imagination of the player more than many other major RPG franchises . Small details like being able to sit in chairs, zoom out, and manipulate objects and bodies go a deceptively long way towards allowing players to imagine their own stories in these wor

The process of life, death, and reincarnation in Eora is a part of a natural phenomena known as The Wheel. The cycle of reincarnation goes on forever, but every time a soul goes through The Wheel it can lose a little bit of its essence to entropy. Once in The Beyond, a soul's next life is chosen through a process known as the soul lottery. Not all souls are subject to the soul lottery, howe

Avowed may appear to have a lot in common with The Elder Scrolls , but even Bethesda's games have had huge mechanical differences over the years. One of the biggest changes between Oblivion and Skyrim was the removal of the class system. Skyrim implemented a broadly simplified skill tree mechanic where players improved various stats and unlocked perks through practice. Avowed could differentiate itself by returning to more old-school class mechanics, but traditional classes could come with potential pros and c

Another game that was likely a longshot to be shown at E3 2021, the biggest hurdle Pragmata came up against was another lengthy delay which pushed its already distant 2022 release date a year later into 2023. Still, fans were at least hopeful to learn a little more about the intriguing game as well as maybe view another teaser trailer. While there's still a chance it appears at another event later this year, the game is still so far away that Capcom could opt to simply hold it back a little longer than it originally expec

The Engwithans also used Animancy to create the gods of Eora using the souls of thousands of their own citizens. The gods are sustained by the essence souls lose to entropy while moving through The Wheel. Eventually, the Engwithans had changed the cycle of rebirth so much that The Wheel was reliant upon their machine. During the Pillars of Eternity games the god Eothas attempts to destroy the Engwithan machine. However, there are reasons to think Avowed will take place long before that ev

Avowed, The Outer Worlds DLC, and Everything Obsidian Entertainment is Working On

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:45:13 +0000

The second smart thing about this intro is that it leaves the player character's motivations entirely up to the player. The plot with the Platinum Chip is certainly intriguing, and some players may be driven to find Benny and exact revenge. It's also completely reasonable, however, for players to avoid the man who once shot them and left them for dead, count themselves lucky, and head out the opposite way through the Mojave Wasteland. In contrast the Bethesda RPGs Fallout 3 and 4 make it extremely hard to justify ignoring the main quest, particularly in Fallout 4 where the Lone Survivor believes their infant son has been kidnap

Considered a new take on the New Vegas formula was The Outer Worlds . Set in a distant solar system, The Outer Worlds shared many themes and mechanical similarities with Fallout . It even carved out its own little fandom. However, without Bethesda's engine or the Fallout 3 assets to work with, there were some areas where it fell flat that Avowed will need to av

So many of these huge metaphysical revelations, including the fact that the gods are manmade, come out during the events of Pillars of Eternity . This raises the question of what mysteries Avowed might explore if it is set before these universe-shattering discoveries. In any case, if Avowed is set before Pillars of Eternity but after the fall of the Engwithan civilization , the machine will still be directing the souls of the dead through The Wh

While Avowed is undoubtedly a huge undertaking, Obsidian Entertainment somehow has another project in the works that could be equal to the scale of Avowed, if not greater. Josh Sawyer, design director at Obsidian Entertainment, took to Twitter in August 2020 and noted in no uncertain terms that he's directing his own project and that the project isn't Avowed. Josh Sawyer worked on the Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights series early in his career. More recently, he was responsible for pitching Pillars of Eternity which saw the company get out of a tight financial spot, and went on to direct the two games in that series. He's perhaps most well-known for directing Fallout: New Vegas, a fan-favorite entry in the post-apocalyptic RPG ser

Announced in July 2020, Avowed is a first-person action-RPG that's coming at an unspecified date, and like it looks set to be one of Obsidian's largest projects ever. Avowed was immediately compared to Skyrim , thanks to its fantasy setting and first-person perspective, but Obsidian have a large well to draw from to make it stand out as a more unique title. The game is a spin-off of Obsidian's RPG series Pillars of Eternity, and it's set in the same world. Where Pillars is a classic throwback RPG, Avowed is very much set to take a more action-orientated spin on the world of E

With Obsidian moving its CRPG Pillars of Eternity setting to a first-person RPG, it seems likely that the studio has mainstream accessibility in mind. This could make a non-restrictive class system the best option, giving players a bit of initial direction and a sense of specialization without cutting them off from changing that direction later in the g

At the start of New Vegas , the player character is shot in the head by a gangster named Benny, who steals the Platinum Chip the Courier was delivering on behalf of Mr. House . They somehow survive, however, and wake up in Doc Mitchell's office having been patched up. This opening is great for several reasons. First, it does not prescribe anything about the player character besides a single job they took to deliver a package. Although later DLCs bring back some deliveries from the Courier's past, the game still never establishes anything about the Courier's age or origins, giving the player free reign to roleplay as whoever they'd l

The final likely possibility is Avowed modeling its system after Skyrim 's design. In this case there isn't a class system, but there is a skill and perk system. Aside from differences contingent on race, every Skyrim player starts out the same, and levels up skills depending on what they do more of in the game. Levelling skills unlocks unique perks, such as being able to forward roll while in stealth. Each of these possible systems comes with its own pros and c

Avowed: The Case For and Against Traditional Classes

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:32:29 +0000

The Outer Worlds presents a game world which resembles a traditional Bethesda RPG in many ways. Players find themselves thrown into a non-linear world filled with quests and NPCs, and often find themselves moving from town to town solving mysteries, running errands, and resolving local conflicts. Combat is common between towns, and exploration is encoura

Either way, the fact that Avowed 's gods were inventions of mortals and there is no true higher power that created the universe taps in to a Lovecraftian sense of dread. That dread will likely be infused into Avowed 's plot in a way that the Godhead and CHIM are unlikely to ever play a central role in an Elder Scrolls games. How exactly Avowed plans to handle its story remains to be seen, but the creeping existential unease that hangs over Avowed 's universe will almost certainly be felt, and could be one of the key ways the game's tone distinguishes itself from The Elder Scrolls seri

The trailer for Avowed shows the first-person perspective of a character drawing a magical symbol in the air before summoning a spell into one of their hands. This could hint at some sort of rune drawing system connected to more complex magic mechanics than Skyrim 's. Back in March leaker Tiffany Treadmore suggested that " Elder Scrolls 6 will include new 'Rune Drawing' functionality." While she said this feature was yet to be confirmed, it is likely that both Bethesda and Obsidian are looking for ways to make their first-person magic and combat systems feel like a generational step forward from Skyrim

Although these features mostly add extra opportunities for immersion, sometimes the lack of them directly detracts from player immersion in the game. In Skyrim a player can kill an enemy then drag their corpse out of sight to prevent another enemy from going on the alert. This doesn't come with any special animation like players will find in Dishonored or recent Far Cry games. In fact, the bodies in Skyrim will ragdoll, making them look more than a little silly. Nonetheless, there is an underlying logic, and players are given the ability to engage with their environment in less traditional ways than just combat or dialo

That might be bad news for fans of The Outer Worlds hoping to see the sequel soon, but it could be good news for Obsidian overall. In fact, it seems like Obsidian might be taking its time with its main projects. Avowed was expected by many to make an appearance at E3 2021, and the fact that it didn't could mean that Obsidian is holding off on revealing too much until it's really ready. If the last year has taught RPG developers anything, it's not to build too much hype too early, something Cyberpunk 2077 infamously fell victim to over its prolonged development and controversial, chaotic rele

The Outer Worlds saw Obsidian Entertainment dive into the world of first-person RPGs for the first time since Fallout: New Vegas released back in 2010. Many fans of the developer saw the release of a first-person satirical sci-fi game as a direct aim at Bethesda and Fallout 's spot in the RPG market. With Obsidian's first-person fantasy game Avowed on the way, many now see the studio making a similar move to fulfill the desire Bethesda fans have for a new Elder Scrolls g

Grounded stands out among the list of current projects at Obsidian Entertainment, as it has technically already been released but just in Early Access. It's a survival RPG where players embody a person who has been shrunk and must survive the terror of creatures like bees and spiders in a backyard. Grounded is in early access and has already seen several updates with new content, and this looks set to continue for some time. The unique game has resonated well with gamers and critics alike and will likely be a big focus for Obsidian going forward until and probably after it has received a full rele

There's been much speculation that Obsidian hopes to use Avowed to target The Elder Scrolls ' top spot in the first-person fantasy RPG market. The studio made a similar move with The Outer Worlds , a satirical sci-fi RPG directed by the original creators of the Fallout franchise. Like Skyrim , Avowed is set in a world with a cosmology deeply influenced by Lovecraftian myt

The cosmology of Avowed Secrets is just as bizarre as The Elder Scrolls , and clearly takes some influence from Lovecraft's work. However, the metaphysical side of Avowed 's lore — first created by Obsidian over the two Pillars of Eternity games — has a far more explicit role to play to in the franchise's plotlines. Here's how Skyrim and Avowed connect to Lovecraft, and why fans can expect Avowed 's Lovecraftian influences to have a bigger influence on the game's tone and st

While the Godhead is rarely relevant in The Elder Scrolls games, the fact that the gods of Eora were created by the Engwithans is absolutely vital to the story of both Pillars of Eternity games. While Avowed 's idea of man-made gods ultimately diverges from Lovecraft's idea of the all-encompassing Blind Idiot God, the existential dread that infuses Lovecraft's work is a far more important theme in the universe of Avowed than it is in The Elder Scrol

What Avowed Could Learn From Other Obsidian Entertainment Games

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 03:48:09 +0000

For example, unlike first-person Bethesda RPGs like Fallout 4 and Skyrim , the player in The Outer Worlds has far fewer opportunities to interact with the environment. They can't move corpses or items, sit down in the captain's chair of their ship, or drink water from natural sources. While this might not seem like much, features like these make a world feel far more like an RPG than a FPS by giving the players more opportunities to immerse themsel

Unlike The Outer Worlds , Avowed also needs more enemy variety, and more ways to deal with non-essential NPCs beyond mowing them down in great numbers. The game could also do with a fully fleshed out crafting system. The more roleplaying variety the player is offered in Avowed , the bet

Obsidian's status recently underwent a pretty major change. Although it was once an independent studio, Microsoft acquired it in 2018 , right in the middle of the development of The Outer Worlds. Obsidian hasn't lost any momentum thanks to this change of ownership, though; if anything, it seems like Obsidian is ramping up development. Fans of the studio have a lot to look forward to over the next couple years, between Avowed and Grounded. Based on how many projects Obsidian is stacking up, it's also possible that it's planning even more new games with the help of its new parent comp

This could require Obsidian to make some updates to its engine during the development of Avowed . That being said, the studio can't hope to take on The Elder Scrolls series without first understanding some of the smaller elements that helped bring its huge success. Avowed may be a continuation of Pillars of Eternity , but many fantasy fans buying the game will be hoping for a spiritual successor to Skyrim . If Obsidian is going to take on a giant, the devil will be in the deta

However, this also comes with a cost. Avowed will need to go above and beyond Skyrim if it's going to set a new standard for the genre on the new generation of consoles . Avowed will also need to include the small details that help bring the worlds of The Elder Scrolls games to l

A lot of talk around Grounded involves what it means for future games. It seems to be a good testing ground for things like enemy AI, as Obsidian creates intelligent enemies in the game's wide range of bugs and other animals. Obsidian isn't generally known for survival games like Grounded, either, so the positive feedback it's received on the game bodes well for further Obsidian experiments. Grounded is teaching Obsidian a lot that it can potentially use. While current Grounded updates are focused on polishing the game, odds seem good that even when the game officially launches, Obsidian will have more large-scale updates and additions to offer its player b

As for Final Fantasy , the franchise had a couple of announcements like Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin , but none were on the scale of Final Fantasy 16 . While this highly anticipated game was a big no show at E3, many have begun to assume that it will be included in a potential PlayStation State of Play event sometime this sum

Pillars of Eternity may not be a first-person RPG, but with their shared setting the game most closely predicts the tone of Avowed , and there are still some lessons the new RPG can learn. Pillars of Eternity has a rich lore, a fascinating cosmology, and an in-depth plot. However, its seriousness often left its world and companions coming across as cold and detached. The story can be serious and its stakes high, but avowed money guide needs companions who show warmth like Minsc, the hamster-loving warrior from Baldur's Gate . Without that, Obsidian can't expect players to be as invested in their follow

While The Outer Worlds was split into several space stations and planets, Avowed will be an open-world game set in the Living Lands , a northern frontier. The Living Lands will need far bigger settlements. Although well positioned buildings and posters make locations like Edgewater and The Groundbreaker seem large, as soon as the player begins exploring or brings up their map they'll see just how small the explorable areas are. This is particularly noticeable in the city of Byzantium, where the player can only explore a sliver of the c

Avowed Can Setup The Elder Scrolls 6 for Success

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 03:07:14 +0000

It appears that significant progress has already been made developing Avowed 's dungeons. Fans can only hope that Obsidian chose to keep some of the unique dungeon design found in Pillars of Eternity . It may seem risky to move away from the Elder Scrolls formula , but those risks could be just what helps Avowed step out of Skyrim 's sha

Avowed is set in the same world as Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity CRPGs . In Pillars of Eternity , some dungeons are not designed to be completed in a single run through. In the first game, for example, players come across the 15 story "mega-dungeon" the Endless Paths of Od Nua, which gets progressively more difficult the further the player descends, requiring them to return throughout the story. Avowed could find success combining elements of Skyrim 's and Pillars of Eternity 's dungeon des

Avowed will likely draw a lot of direct comparisons to Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls series at large when it releases. These are likely comparisons Obsidian itself will want to encourage. Avowed is set in the world of Eora , first created for the two Pillars of Eternity games, Pillars of Eternity being an isometric RPG series developed by Obsidian previously. One of the reasons Avowed will see the franchise move to a first-person perspective is that, despite their critical success, the studio's traditional isometric RPGs were struggling financially. By marketing an Elder Scrolls -style game, the studio likely hopes to find more reliable success with its sett

Although Iovara did not believe that the gods of Eora were truly divine, she did not underestimate the power of the Engwithans ' creations. "Woedica may be the most dangerous of the gods" she said. In the end, it was an Inquisition led by the Leaden Key, a shadowy organization of Woedica worshippers, which tortured and burned many of her follow

Avowed should also adopt some of the more dynamic NPC logic found in some of Pillars of Eternity 's dungeons. In Skyrim , players might find a dungeon filled with bandits. As any stealth archer knows, it's relatively easy to pick off Skyrim 's dungeon enemies one by one without the NPCs noticing or meaningfully changing their behavior in response. In the first room of Bleak Falls Barrow , for example, the player can stealth-kill some of the bandits sitting around a campfire, but once the player is fully hidden the survivors will happily return to their original positi

Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed will take the studio's world of Eora from the Pillars of Eternity series while transforming the franchise's format into a first-person RPG. While fantasy fans were quick to draw comparisons between the upcoming game's trailer and The Elder Scrolls series, the Pillars of Eternity universe has some bizarre features that are sure to make it stand

The fact that the main Elder Scrolls series has been dormant for nearly a decade puts the pressure on both Avowed and The Elder Scrolls 6 to solve some of the main criticisms of games like Skyrim . This doesn't just include the game's simple, repetitive combat and spell systems, but the weaknesses of its main narrative, the formulaic similarities between the faction quests, the lack of follower depth, and more. Avowed will take on both the advantages and risks of going first, and will likely attempt to address some of Skyrim 's main criticisms directly, to avoid the greater potential criticism that Avowed adds little to the Skyrim formula ten years

Although contentious in the past, the unique history between Obsidian and Bethesda now presents and opportunity for both studios. Obsidian has the chance to draw disaffected or increasingly impatient Bethesda fans to its smaller-budget first-person RPG projects like The Outer Worlds and https://Reconcavoafrofestival.Com/ Avowed . Bethesda, on the other hand, has the opportunity to look at Avowed when it releases __ for a clear example of the RPG formula Bethesda uses being executed on current-generation hardware. Without Avowed , the last major first-person fantasy RPG for Bethesda to look back on would be Skyrim itself, a game just months away from its ten-year annivers

E3 2019: Fable 4 Definitely Exists - So Why Didn't It Show Up?

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:44:10 +0000

One of the most demonstrable shifts in the way morality systems work now is in the Mass Effect series. While Andromeda's facial animations and other aspects faced major criticisms when it released, most of which were deserved, it ditched the paragon and renegade system found in the first three entries of the series. The newer system, which gave players the option to respond in four different manners rather than just two, was still flawed, but it marked a departure from the standard good versus evil archtypes, attempting to give players more characterization, even if it didn't necessarily succ

Fans had probably given up on the Fable series and that was probably fair as it did seem dead. In the run-up to E3, though, rumors began swirling, with Fable 4 being talked up as leaks emerged. Naturally, there was an expectation, especially with the Microsoft crew informing us beforehand that they would have lots in store at the event. They were certainly telling the truth about that, but we imagine lots of Fable fans were let down by the complete blank.

Escape does seem pretty intriguing as it isn't your regular multiplayer. Players are to form up in teams of three, infiltrate a hive, plant a bomb and then try to get the hell out of there in one piece.

What was possible for open-world RPGs in 2004 versus what can be achieved now is drastically different. There are some exceptions, Morrowind managed to bring a well-realized open world to the Xbox, but Fable, visually, was a far superior game, obviously leading to restrictions in other areas. The core elements of RPGs have remained the same, but morality systems are an exception. For the past few decades, what gamers want out of a morality system has shifted dramatically, and with it, the way that gamers think about a narrative as a wh

There are all kinds of local co-op games on the Xbox Game Pass service, though some are certainly better than others. For those wondering which local co-op games on Xbox Adventure game Exploration Guide Pass are most worth their time, here are the 10 best local co-op games on Xbox Game P

Sandbox titles focused on causing as much chaos as possible are seldom these days. The only games that fulfill that fantasy are Just Cause and Grand Theft Auto , although the latter is more focused on satire.

There are actually a couple of different LEGO games available on Xbox Game Pass at the time of this writing, but LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars is arguably the best of the bunch. The LEGO games have been offering their familiar brand of local co-op action for years now, and while each game is more or less the same, they all have their own little quirks to help them stand apart from one another. Plus, fans can play through LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars on Xbox Game Pass as a refresher while they wait for the release of the upcoming LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga video g

One of the big selling points for the Xbox Game Pass service is the fact that it has all of Microsoft's first-party games, and this includes the entire Gears of War franchise. Every Gears of War game offers local co-op for the campaign, and Gears of War 2 onward also features Horde Mode as well. Players can play through the entire Gears of War saga from the beginning on Xbox Game Pass, all the way up to the most recent main series game, Gears 5 . The games have all aged well for the most part, offering players intense, action-packed campaigns that are a blast to play through in local co

Some may not even realize this, but it's possible to play through Fable 2 in local co-op. The second player takes on the role of a henchman, and they can transfer any gold or items they earn into their own saved game. Admittedly, Fable 2 's local co-op mode does feel a little tacked on, and it doesn't really enhance the main game much, but it's great for just messing around and wreaking havoc across Albion with a fri

Playable on: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, PC

The Arkham series started off on a strong note with Batman: Arkham Asylum . This game toyed with the idea of an open-world formula, before its sequel ended up going all out with this conc

Arkham City might not be one of the longest open-world titles around — especially if players are only going to go through the main story — but the game is still a blast regardless. There's a reason why most people still consider it to be the best chapter in the Arkham tril

That's not always the case, however; be it a short story, small world size, or development oversight, certain open-world titles barely stretch beyond a few hours. Though length isn't necessarily indicative of quality, here are some super short open-world video ga

The short open-world nature of this title allows for a ton of character present across each and every facet of this title. Of course, it helps that A Short Hike also features numerous calming moments that truly add the cherry on top of this short yet delightful experie

5 Metacritic Game Scores That Are Way Too Low (& 5 That Are Probably Too High)

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:00:05 +0000

In between battles, your party of three will travel to various locations that will require some platforming and puzzle-solving to obtain the next artifact. Each character has a special ability that can be used to get past hazards and giant gaps. Vi's "Beemerang" can be thrown to activate switches and cranks as well as gather items that are out of reach. Kabbu can use his horn to move objects and cut through grass. Leif can use his ice magic to freeze water and enemies so they can be used as platforms. Figuring out which abilities need to be combined to traverse Bugaria's harsh landscape was never very challenging, but it still managed to be a fun part of the g

The combat is the most obvious example of Bug Fables borrowing liberally from Mario's roleplaying adventures. The way you attack enemies is dependent upon different timing sequences and button presses. Moves will require stopping an arrow inside of a meter or timing an attack by holding down the joystick until the right moment, and enemy attacks can be blocked by hitting the A button just as they hit you to reduce the damage you suffer. It's all very derivative, but excellent, and Bug Fables throws in enough of its own flair so it doesn't feel like a complete imitat

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is one of the most highly-regarded original Xbox exclusives, offering impressive visuals, a compelling single-player campaign, and a multiplayer mode that was one of the first games to really take advantage of Xbox Live's online multiplayer capabilities. Unfortunately, it's been 17 years since the launch of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge , and besides the game being playable on Xbox One through the Xbox backward compatibility program , it hasn't received much attention from Microsoft. Needless to say, many fans would be happy to see a next-gen take on Crimson Skies that could take advantage of modern graphics and gameplay featu

Yes, it isn't the prettiest and yes, technically speaking it isn't even in the realm of games like The Witcher 3 and Grand Theft Auto. But every game packed into this thing is some of the most fun you'll ever have in any video Adventure game secrets - plus it's offered iconic moments like taking on Elise in Tennis (God I hated h

"Just finishing our final E3 rehearsal here with the team in Redmond. Feel really good about the briefing. Lots to show. We have 14 Xbox Game Studios games in the show this year, more first party games than we've ever had in the show," he'd tweeted ahead of E3 . "Fun times."

One of the more surprising moments during Microsoft's E3 2019 press conference was the announcement of a Blair Witch video game . Based on the blockbuster found-footage horror movie series, Blair Witch benefits from being developed by Bloober Team, the studio behind hit horror games like Layers of Fear and Observer . Featuring first-person psychological horror front and center, Blair Witch looks to carry on the tradition of those titles, and even better yet, horror fans only have to wait until August 30 to get their hands on the g

Aside from minor nitpicks, I found myself smiling from ear to ear playing Bug Fables . Yes, it is definitely coasting on a major wave of nostalgia, but it feels fantastic. It absolutely nails the combat, the visual style, and the general tone and vibe of the Paper Mario games. It's a little awkward in places, but that honestly didn't stop me from enjoying this game immens

Besides the eight horror games listed here, there are two other titles that should get a nod, though they don't necessarily fall strictly into the "horror" genre. One is 12 Minutes , a game where a man is stuck in a time loop where he constantly has to relive his own death , and while it's more of a thriller than a horror game, it definitely stood out as one of the more disturbing E3 2019 trail

An overall score of 85 ain't bad if we're talking games like Fallout 4 or maybe Modern Warefare, but South Park The Stick of Truth is a masterpiece, fan of the show or not. It's one of the best of its genre - something that is on the level of games like Skyrim, Mass Effect 2 and Witche

As for the party management portion of the game, Bug Fables is pretty light when it comes to managing equipment and skills. Instead of individual levels, your entire team levels up as one unit. When you gain enough XP, you can then choose to upgrade your health, your Team Points (which is your MP), or give yourself more Medal Points so you can equip more medals. Medals are your main pieces of equipment as there's no armor or weapons to worry about. These can give you buffs, status ailment resistances, or in some cases, even allow you to use new moves. The RPG mechanics aren't very complex, but it leads to a streamlined experience that still forces you to strategize, as you can only equip a limited number of medals and carry a limited number of healing it

There has been no official word from Microsoft on their reason for not making mention of the title, despite the knowledge all over that it is indeed in the works. But what we can deduce for now is that they simply weren't ready.

Red Dead Redemption 2: 25 Wild Revelations About Arthur and John’s Relationship

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:08:03 +0000

On the other hand, if transportation is fun enough, people will want to drive everywhere instead of fast travel. GTA V already did this so well with its smooth as butter driving and ability to take a cab. People have little reason to worry about this, since the Red Dead games strive to simulate the wild west, and GTA tends to be looser with real

When Insomniac Games announced that they had partnered with Marvel Games and PlayStation to develop an original AAA Spider-Man game it seemed too good to be true. Insomniac was often considered the dream team for a Spider-Man game due to their experience with movement and showcase of how good they could make it feel with their previous release, Sunset Overdr

Rockstar games hasn't let people down since it first entered the mainstream with 2001's Grand Theft Auto III , which ignited a revolution within the industry, shattering sales records and becoming as influential to video game design as it was controversial. Since that seminal release, the studio has continued to top themselves with each new project. The company's most recent release, Red Dead Redemption 2 , improved upon Grand Theft Auto V in almost every

In the midst of Arthur’s final moments, he holds off the Pinkertons and former gang members to allow John’s escape. This leads to a truly brutal fight with Micah Bell, that ends in both men suffering severe wounds. In the end, Arthur’s tuberculosis cripples him too much and Micah gets the upper hand. Depending on the player’s honor level, a series of different dialogues will happen, but one that will always happen is Arthur’s last words to Du

Bighorn Ram: Located at Cattail Pond, New Hanover, hunting this creature will give the player the opportunity to craft the rare Ram Horn Trinket, the Legendary Ram Batwing Chaps, the Legendary Ram Hat, and the Legendary Ram Rifleman Glo

With the introduction of Cleet and Joe, no other words can explain Arthur’s feeling. He can’t stand Micah as is and knows he’s whispering poison into Dutch’s ear, and now two of Micah’s allies are in camp

Once the Saint Denis robbery goes sideways, the gang is literally broken apart and John is taken to Sisika Penitentiary to be imprisoned and hung. And while Dutch shows surprising patience and restraint in getting John out (he most likely didn't even want him out,) Arthur takes action and rescues him from prison. He and Sadie scout the prison using a hot air balloon and proceed to storm the gates, guns blazing. It is this moment that finally reinforces their bond, and the two ally against Dutch and his increasing tyra

The moment Red Dead fans have been waiting for, John’s first appearance in the sequel. After the botched Blackwater heist, the Van Der Linde gang has been chased all the way up into the snowy mountains of the Grizzlies. During the getaway, John is separated from the group, and Abigail begs Arthur to go looking for

Well, Guerilla Games managed to do exactly that when they released Horizon Zero Dawn in 2017. As players took on the role of Alloy, they quickly found that this was a rich and magnetic world that felt ripe for exploration. When a new IP turns into a hit franchise that fans are now awaiting the sequel, it's a truly special event in gam

The original songs, written and performed by legends like Willie Nelson and D'Angelo, are catchy enough on their own, but are now unforgettable after being forever linked to the game. GTA VI should recruit more legendary songwriters and performers to lay down new tra

While many members of the gang were close to Jack, it was Arthur who essentially took him under his wing while John was busy pouting. For example, he takes Jack fishing, talks to him with great affection, and gives him a few life lessons. Jack also leaves Arthur candy after Arthur finds a book. Arthur also scolds John for his neglect, and he shows just as much worry after Jack is taken and given to Angelo Bronte. At times, Arthur was more a father to Jack than J

We learn a lot about John through his relationship with Arthur Morgan. And some of these truths were not easy to see or digest. We also learn more about the Marston family, their backgrounds, their relationships, and the impact that Arthur had on the family and their future. Not only is the prequel setting a great way to establish character and backgrounds, but it's also a great way to expand the scope of the series' thematic webs. Arthur's interactions with the Marston family deepen and strengthen the overall umbrella of Red Dead Redemption 's themes, ideas, and stateme

Legendary Bharati Grizzly Bear: Located in Grizzlies East, Ambarino, this dangerous bear will allow players to craft the rare Bear Claw Talisman, the Legendary Bear Head Hat, the Legendary Bear Roper, and the Legendary Bear C

RDR2 has been out for less than a year, but Rockstar surely must be cooking up their next big game. If we were gamblers, we'd say that next game is Grand Theft Auto VI . Like every development cycle, it is hard to say how they will top their recent masterpiece, but it won't stop any daydreaming about what the title might end up being. The ten entries in this list will look at five things from RDR2 the studio should include in GTA VI , and five things that are better left staying in the old west. For the latter, these mechanics aren't necessarily bad, but they don't belong in the Open World Games Tips world mayhem for which the GTA series is kn

Will Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Be A Pokémon GO Clone?

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:00:36 +0000

As the killer, your goal is to hook the survivors. Once they've been hung on hooks so many times (two or three, depending on how much they struggle), the spider god will come down and take them to some unknown realm. Yi

This new information leaves some wondering if Wizards Unite will be more than similar to Pokémon GO . Perhaps it could be a straight-up copy. Would Niantic really be so bold as to put out the same game with a pointy hat on it? Let's break down what we k

At its core, Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer experience where four survivors seek to escape from an environment while stalked by a killer. Survivors all experience the world through the third-person perspective, which is beneficial for juking the killer, who experiences the game through a first-person perspective and has a slightly larger hitbox than the surviv

Things get less promising, though, when you read the section after Ron's encounter. The dev team states that Foundables can be found anywhere, but that "certain Foundables may be more likely to appear at various types of real-world locations including parks, banks, municipal buildings, college campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, art galleries, and mo

In Dead By Daylight four players must creep around dark and brooding environments to find generators to open a door and escape the Killer, a fifth player who’s goal is to stop them at all costs. It’s a game that relies upon lots of teamwork, planning on the fly, and adaptability as teammates start dy

Though it is a sequel by name, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is not a sequel by nature, taking place in a different city and allowing players to don the fangs of a different vampire. Set in Seattle, players take on the role of a freshly awoken elder vampire, able to choose from four of the vampire clans from the pen-and-paper RPG , with more likely released as DLC following the game's rele

In this heart wrenching adventure game news the player takes control of two siblings who are seeking safety and a cure to the horrible plague that ravages the world. As the older sister you are tasked with keeping your younger brother alive by sneaking around villainous soldiers and solving intricate puzz

Half-Life was undeniably one of Valve's greatest successes , introducing players to the crowbar-wielding Gordon Freeman and Black Mesa, the research facility where he worked. A sequel seemed like it was inevitable to capitalize on the success of the first game, and thus began the troubled development of Half-Life

Pallets can be dropped while you run from the killer that will take them a second to break while coming after you, meaning they'll be slowed down. However, if you're feeling especially brave, you can wait at the pallet for the killer to catch up and if you drop it at the right second, they'll be stunned and have to wait even longer. They'll also look down, so they might miss which direction you ran off

But if you level up your killer and gain perks through the bloodwebs, there will come a point where you can choose to kill the survivor rather than hook them. This will come with a gory animation depending on what killer you picked, and usually they're pretty creat

Only one piece of the gameplay took a while to get used to, and that was the skill checks associated with actions like repairing a generator or healing. One hears a familiar sound that the skill check is about to begin, and then a circle appears on screen with a smiling needle that players must stop with the "L" button within a small range. I missed far too many of these skill checks for the first couple of ho

Some players may be turned off at the idea of buying Dead by Daylight and then seeing several items available for additional purchase as DLC. On the one hand, yes, there is a lot more to spend on in-game, but most players do not need everything. I, for example, love playing survivors exclusively and will purchase DLC for them, but as for the killers, there is nothing more to buy. This will come down to personal preference, and it is merely something to be aware of so as not to face any surpri

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was announced a few months ago, and even with little to go on, many fans suspected that it would be a similar experience to Pokémon GO . Those suspicions were only given more fuel when the development team outlined the game's features earlier this week. Not only is the basic premise the same, but there are also some mechanics that seem directly pulled from Pokémon GO, particularly gyms and PokéSt

The bulk of Wizards Unite 's gameplay seems to revolve around things called "Foundables." These are defined by the game's official website as "artefacts, creatures, people, and even memories" that are for some reason appearing in the Muggle world, aka our reality. Players are part of a special Ministry Of Magic task force on a mission to track down these Foundables and return them to the Wizarding Wo