There are better vacation destinations...

Bethesda Softworks has released a new trailer for Redfall, the cooperative monster masher ??currently in the works at Arkane Studios. The new preview spotlights the titular Massachusetts town, which is currently under siege from a frightening plague of deadly vampiric beings.

This particular trailer is mostly action-free, instead focusing on the many locales wherein our sassy band of monster hunters will ply their explosive tr?ade. From the high street to the local school, movie theaters to woodland areas, museums to farmland �There is no part of the once-beautiful town that has not become awash with the undead and its hapless ??victims. They say the only way out is through, and Redfall is gonna get a whole lot messier before it gets better.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6B5IHYvI9M&t=158s&?amp;ab_channel=BethesdaSoftworks

Redfall will see parties of up to four players gather together their weaponry, gear, and unique abilities in order to outrun and outgun the bloodsuckers. Protagonists Layla Ellison, Devinder Crousley, Jacob Boyer, and Remi de la Rosa are themselves equipped with distinct skills �from incredible feats of ?engineering to powerful psychokinetic abilities �all of which will no doubt come in handy as they ransack Redfall in a serious bout of exorcism, all conducted at the business end of a barrel. Players will be encouraged to adapt their loadout to best synergize their squad against the nightmare horrors that await them.

Following its unfortunate delay, Redfall rem?ains in development for PC and Xbo?x and is now expected to launch on both platforms May 2.

The post Visit the scenic, and somewhat crimson, to??wn of Redfall appeared first on Destructoid.

Squish or be squished in this shrunken backyard survival game from Obsidian Entertainment

After two years in Early Access, it's time to check back in with Grounded now that it's been fleshed out with more bugs to battle and harvest, more impossibly large backyard sights to seek out, and a fully realized story �complete with an eventual ending �to un??cover.

Having only dabbled in the early build, back when there were hardly any threads to follow, I'm surprised how far Grounded ?has come tha??nks to ongoing updates and a big final push for the 1.0 launch on PC and Xbox. Originally, the familiar yet creative-up-close shrunken world was its biggest asset �and it still is to this day. But now, the whole survival loop feels cohesive, with plenty of thoughtful touches you'd expect from a passion project.

Since the game's work-in-progress debut, some players never really left, and they've got magnificent (and painstaking) home base?s to prove it. As for me, I? started fresh with a new save file and got to exploring. Little did I know I'd be in for a 30-hour adventure.

[caption id="attachment_345543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{It's worth repeating that Grounded has an intricate Arachnophobia mode with multiple comfort thresholds.}[/caption]

Grounded (PC [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Released: September 27, 2022
MSRP: $39.99

Even with familiarity from my Early Access playthrough, this is still one of the most interesting worlds I've gotten to know in a survival game, right up there with Subnautica.

Chopping down towering blades of grass and hauling planks like a lumberjack, scurrying through ant tunnel labyrinths with a torch in hand, scavenging for half-buried scales in a koi pond with water fleas nipping at your feet �it's an unforgettable lens for such an established genre. And the more I play Grounded, the more I'm weirded out looking down at my own backyard. What tiny creatures are out there, and just what are they up to?

It's an absorbing game, in other words �the kind you can keep coming back to session after session whether you're "mostly here for the story" or you're ready to settle in and get cozy as a miniature architect. I'm far more in the former camp, and admittedly, Grounded has an overly drawn-out pace at times. But in the end, I'm glad I stuck with it, and I'm ??excited to thoroughly investigate every area, from the toxic trash heap to the children's sandbox to the smoldering spilled grill and creepy crawlspace under the shed.

So much of the game is getting to know the land, its surprisingly ruthless inhabitants, and the resources that'll keep you alive day-to-day and rarer finds that can help you find a way out of this conundrum. With that knowledge base (and smartly positioned hand-made shortcuts), you can cut down on a lot of the back-and-forth tedium. Wiki refreshers help, too. But either way, Grounded is not a game to rush through without pro??per prepar?ations.

[caption id="attachment_345544" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{There's no wasted space, and Obsidian makes the most of its '90s backyard theme.}[/caption]

Early on, I was shocked by how hard-hitting and dangerous Grounded can be, even when I was tr??ying to mind my own business and keep a low profile. The early gam?e is harsh.

With makeshift armor, no permanent stat increases or perk-like Mutations unlocked yet, and a puny "weapon" that big (and even medium) b??oys can shrug off, you shouldn't go picking fights. You've got to be ready to book it??, then bandage up as needed. Spiders are ferocious, of course �more so than any arachnids I've seen in a game before �but the same goes for bombardier beetles, mites, larvae, and mosquitoes, among many other threats. Several foes can even gang up on you, sometimes to a comical degree.

In one-on-one fights, there's a distinct rhythm to bouts, including "perfect blocks" that open up your opponents. Combat is fun once you're strong enough to have more margin of error. Each enemy has a memorable personality and particular "tells" that you can master, which I liked �but skirmishes started to feel less engaging the longer I played. Expect mashy chaos from time to time. There's also ranged combat with bows and a huge assortment of arrow types, as well as bombs. Crafting gear out of your prey is entertaining in that Monster Hunter sort of way, and pieces have different perks and weight ratings. Certain sets are needed for na??vigating fumes and underwater caves.

With more excursions under your belt, a stable place to call home and craft at, and better gear sourced from the bugs you are able to pummel, Grounded gets easier over time. Bless the life-steal weapons. With the exception of a few boss battles (some of which are optional) and a late defend-three-points-and-pray mission that got really dicey, most of my struggles were frontloaded. Things might've been smoo?ther in online co-op, which is the ideal way to play �but I got through it all alone, and with patience, you can too.

[caption id="attachment_345542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{You'll unlock beneficial Mutations just by doing stuff day-to-day. Keep an eye out for a four-leaf clover and a D20.}[/caption]

Thankfully, Grounded has multiple autosaves to fall back on, death isn't the worst (more of an inconvenience), and you can freely save outside of combat. I'd recommend doing so often. It's possible to set a respawn point at (easily built) shelters, and if you're taken out, it's a?? matter of fetching your lost backpack to regain your on-hand items. That said, t??his is an exploration-heavy game with a lot of running around �avoid any repetition you can.

While hunger and thirst ?mete?rs are a consistent threat, for the most part, fresh water is plentiful �just smack a blade of grass to release a high-up droplet �and food doesn't strictly have to be cooked, though roasted aphid is far better sustenance than a handful of plucked mushrooms. If you neglect these needs for too long, an ominous countdown will begin. This timer was only a problem for me once, when I was stranded deep in an uncharted area for story reasons. But generally, out in the open, everything's in reach.

Big picture, the main considerations are scouting out a good central location for your home (or homes), since you'll keep coming back to unload your backpack and craft building-dependent creations, and also maintaining a healthy reserve of materials. Armor and weapons degrade and can be repaired with the right ingredients, but it's possible to strategically? upgrade them (using rare but not finite stones) when they're almost kaput.

It's worth noting that Grounded has three primary difficulties �I'd honestly recommend the lowest, Mi??ld �as well as a Creative build-cool-shit-stress-free mode, Creative with Bugs, and Cu?stom modes with lots of granular you-do-you options. There were times when I thought about bumping my save to a custom game due to obnoxiously aggressive insects and stamina constantly running low, but I resisted; it's a one-way conversion.

If you're struggling, gameplay-based Mutation unlocks are a fun RPG-like touch, and changing your build on the fly can go a long way. You'll also want to smash giant teeth (Milk Molars), which award points to permanently benefit your max health, stamina, hunger/thirst burn rate, and max item stack ?sizes. There's never enough inventory space!

[caption id="attachment_345540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Remember to keep a backup torch in case night falls while you're far from home.}[/caption]

I've gone long enough without getting into the story, ??haven't I? I'll ke?ep it light.

The storytelling gives meaning to your exploration, and it's sufficient motivation to see where things go (there's a "good" and a "bad" animated ending), but the writing is better viewed as a playful, funny, clever bonus than as your sole reason for playing. Expect a lot of audio recordings but minimal interactions with NPCs and some scattered flashback cutscenes �the vast majority of Grounded is everything I've descri?bed up until this point.

Without spoiling anything, I'd say that if you're usually survival-wary and are only interested in Grounded because of Obsidian's well-established name, be cautious. There was enough narrative substance here for me as a survival fan, definitely, but you might not feel the same way. I liked t?he central abduc?tion mystery and the opposing sides.

In the beginning, you'll get clues about several labs with chips you need to recover, and if you're brave, you can go "out of order" �I love t?hat sort of freedom.

Much later, you'll be funneled toward the upper yard, above t?he retaining walls. You can do your own thing as long as you want, but it does pay to ex??plore these labs to the fullest for resources and other goodies. Eventually, the limiting factor was less "where do I go next?" and more "where do I find these highly specific parts to craft a high-tier hammer to smack something and progress the story?" When I mentioned a pacing slowdown, this was it. Even though the next section seemed tantalizingly within reach, getting geared up was a seemingly small roadblock that snowballed out of control for hours. So many errands.

I get it �this is classic survival gating �but in these moments, I longed for a more organic approach, as seen in Subnautica. With quicker traversal (or even a one-way "warp home" ability), there would've been much less busywork in my playthrough. If I could do it all again, I would build more "waystations" to supplement my main base and pick better spots for my staircases that stretched up to lofty biomes. Hauling grass planks can be tedious as a solo player, especially if you don't have the most effi??cient armor equipped.

[caption id="attachment_345539" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{If you're not much of a builder, a utilitarian base will do just fine �don't worry about raids.}
[/caption]

I should say, I love the way Grounded ??handles blueprints �it's a step above most of its peers. You can analyze materials t??o unlock related recipes, sure, but that's not the only way. There are also quests to take on, collectibles to find, and points to spend. With all of these methods in play, it's a steady blueprint rollout that never feels overwhelming.

And while I'm not a builder at heart, it's worth stressing that you could conceivably get into Grounded just for the construction side �it's intuitive, and the backyard sprawl makes for a great setting. To that end, even though I wish combat and traversal ??went a bit deeper given the scope and length of this game, I was so invested in this charming and surprisingly fresh miniature world that I didn't mind too much. There's a certain finesse.

With its 1.0 release, Grounded has so much to discover, and enough of a hook to justify the dozens of hours you might invest. Whether you're an exploration-minded player in search of landmarks and tucked-away treasures, or a castle-building fiend with a vision, you should ideally bring friends along for the ride. Still, playing alone, it was hard for me to walk away from Grounded, even in its slowest moments. I wasn't satisfied with my end-of-game score, so I searched for secrets and kept going, boosting my grade in the process. Even now, there are still m??ore bugs to catalog and, inevitably, squash. Nothing personal!

While Obsidian isn't known for surviv??al games, it ended up making a great one.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Grounded appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't panic, but the floor *is* lava

It's a great feeling to be the good-news bearer when one of your favorite co-op games gets new content and you get to excitedly tell your partner all about it. For those of us who like the puzzle-platformer antics of Human: Fall Flat, there's a new level, Tower, out now on Steam. Including the o??riginal and post-lau??nch stages, it's the 21st level.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkzAQCA4r1o

The name speaks for itself. With such a precarious layout, I'm afraid of my pudgy boy plummeting to his doom, but at least Human: Fall Flat is generous with checkpoints.

"Dreamed up by creative mastermind Fennecai and brought to life by the fiendishly talented David," Tower is the winner of the game's 5th Anniversary level d??esign competition. And right on cue, Curve Games says there is "still more to come."

As usual, console players have to wait

Unfortunately, the console versions aren't in sync with the Steam edition, so PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch players will have to wait to play the Tower level in Human: Fall Flat. That? said, if it's been a while, you might have new-to-you levels ready to ?go.

I recently checked back in and found a couple of levels �Red Rock and Lumber �in ou?r backlog. We blasted through them. Even with overlapping ideas, I'm still having fun.

With 30 million copies sold and more content updates lined up, I'm wondering when, if ever, we'll see a sequel. I'm pretty happy ?with the split-screen performance on a PS5, but it would be nice to see an overhauled sequel that feels more refined. Just a bit.

For now, they're sque?ezing every l?ast drop �and I'm okay with it.

The post Human: Fall Flat has a ne??w Tower level to fumble through with friends appeared first on Destructoid.

It's not too late to sign up for the closed beta

After being pushed back to a late November release, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is gearing up for a closed beta test on PC that will be playable from October 14�6 through Steam and the Microsoft Store. Say no more? Just bounce over to the beta sign-up page, add your email address, and fill out a questionnaire to de??termine your?? eligibility.

Accordi??ng to Fatshark, the beta test will "throw everything but the kitchen sink at you to keep you at bay." This version has "more content? and features" than the prior Tech Test.

That said, you won't get to experience everything planned for the full release of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide ?�the developers are "limiting weapons, maps and missions??, enemy types, and other systems." And the progress you make in these beta sessions won't carry forward, as balance tweaks are likely to come up, leading to wipes.

If you're fine just watching from the sidelines and waiting for the full game, expect to see new footage soon. Per the FAQ, content creators are al?lowed to stream this one.

[caption id="attachment_345250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Try not to get smashed in Tertium.}[/caption]

Carrying the fun co-op action spirit forward from Warhammer: Vermintide means that I'm already on board with Darktide. It's the next step I would've wanted, and ??it doesn't need ??to convince me. The main question is, what kind of character am I going to create?

While the beta test will be limited to PC, Darktide will also be launching on Xbox Series X/S. The PC version is up first (on November 30), with consoles following suit (date TBA).

$40 is the right price

If you haven't heard, Fatshark locked in the price: the standard edition is a budget-friendly $40, and there's an Imperial Edition for $60. The latter includes cosmetic bonuses like a Caducades backpack for human characters, eight weapon skins, four class outfits, and also 2,500 Aquilas (the game's premium currency). You can scope those out on Steam.

In my thirties, I've really moved away from PvP in favor of PvE, which I find less stressful overall. ("Less.") I'm glad games like Darktide are getting the green light.

The post Warhammer 40,000: Darktide beta set for Octo?ber 14�6 with more content appeared first on Destructoid.

A flawed gem returns

While Q-Games is best known for the PixelJunk series, the studio's otherworldly resource-gathering, town-rebuilding, kaiju-stopping game The Tomorrow Children left a?? mark. Assuming, of course, that you were around to catch lightning in a bottl?e back in 2016.

With an online shared-world foundation, this peculiar social action-adventure game le?t players roll into town to pitch in with exploration, hauling, building, and a lot of odd jobs �manual labor was kind of the whole point in this Soviet-themed "alternate future."

Every task felt slow, methodical, and deliberate. But all the tedium ultimately paid off when folks worked together long enough to accomplish bigger goals. The Tomorrow Children was an entirely communal game, leading to memorable player expe?riences (and some chaotic trolling). It was a niche game, but a neat one, and it was sad yet somewhat und?erstandable when Sony shut down the servers. The game needed time to flourish.

Now it's back on PS4 this week thanks to passionate developers at Q-Games, who got the IP rights back from a surprisingly cooperative Son??y Interactive En?tertainment.

The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition (PS4)
Developer: Q-Games
Publisher: Q-Games
Released: September 6, 2022
MSRP: $39.99

I've been wanting to revisit The Tomorrow Children since Death Stranding. I only dabbled in this once-lost game, but I love the idea of teamwork-oriented sh??ared-goal gaming.

Unlike the earlier online-only free-to-play version, The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition is a $40 game with no "grind lessening" real-money purchases to keep it afloat. And instead of a dedicated-server setup, every player starts with their own peer-to-peer town, including the ability to cooperate online with strangers or play offline with AI helpers.

This is an important distinction to make �some of the game's original bewildering nature has been smoothed out, and at least at launch, the co-op vibe isn't exactly the same. Folks? will be initially focused on raising their own town, before hopping around to help out others. While it was interesting (and sometimes frustrating) to have fully shared towns in 2016, in this 2022 incarnation, it's nice to have a bit more ownership; you can rest easy knowing that your personal town won't burn to the?? ground when you log off.

Your first impression of The Tomorrow Children will feel more tutorialized in Phoneix Edition, in a good way, and once you've got the basics, it'll be possible for other players to hitch a ride into your town. You can bounce? around, too �it's a quick loading screen away.

Slow-burn satisfaction

You might be wondering what it is you really do in The Tomorrow Children. Humanity is gone (for reasons that are better felt than described), and to bring back some semblance of the former world, you'll traverse the white quicksand-like Void all around you. As a specialized Projection Clone, you'll dig out giant sculpture-like "islands," find hidden matryoshka dolls, and restore them into proper citizens back at?? base. All the while, you'll stock up on metal, food, wood, coal, and crystals needed to craft structures and maintain your growing town.

While it's a simple concept, The Tomorrow Children can be a tricky game to sum up right.

In many ways, it isn't "fun" in a tradi??tional sense. Progress is slow �especially alone �and many of the pickaxe-wielding mining mechanics are familiar by now. But at the same time, I can't stop coming back for more. As of this review, I've clocked 22 hours.

For some people, even the most exciting "high points" will be too boring. And if that's the case, no matter how much progress you make, or how many fancy new (limited-use) gadgets you acquire to speed up the mundane grind, you aren't likely ??to change your mind. The intentionally limited inventory space will always be a problem, and the drawn-out bus rides fr??om town out to the islands will never be fast enough. Busywork *is the game.*

For me though, these quieter gameplay moments give meaning and weight to this admittedly low-key experience. The Tomorrow Children can be contemplative or a total zo??ne-out game, depending on how you ?look at it. I fall somewhere in the middle.

There are gameplay tweaks and refinements

The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition is essentially the same game as before, brought back to life with key changes to keep it around for posterity. The nitty-gritty tweaks will stand out to the hardcore community, ??but they aren't hugely different from afar.

One of the biggest is that now, island ex??ploration is more methodical �there isn't solid ground, so you'll slowly sink into the Void by default. That means?? you need to make good use of the platform-constructing jackhammer and be extra careful not to tumble off, or use crystals to harden the surface. I liked the stakes. One wrong move is enough, so I couldn't sleepwalk. On the flip side, death isn't too punishing �it's mostly a time-waster.

In my experience, the new peer-to-peer multiplayer works great. You can share your town code with friends, or easily pull up a?? public ??list of towns and hop around.

As before, you'll communicate with emotes at most, but much of the time, players kind of just intuitively do their own thing and then come together to help each other out. (See: Journey.) If the primary player was out fetching resources and dolls on an island, I'd stay back to defend against invading Izverg, repair bombed-out buildings as needed, and deposit busloads of good??s into their specified storage area. Some people seem to hate the sliding-block puzzle mini-game for craft??ing, but I don't mind it, so I'll do that, too.

Even with the smallest of contributions, every step of the way, you'll earn "Toil" that funnels into 1) gear purchases and 2) skill upgrades. There's also a chance to pick up Freeman Dollars for cooler, longer-lasting items on the Black Market. Again, The Tomorrow Children is extremely slow-going, and Phoenix Edition doesn't change that. I was hoping the pricier stuff would be toned down even more than it is compared to the free-to-play days.

As a solo player, it's tough to be as well-rounded as I'd like. Necessities like a pickaxe, shovel, jackhammer, and shotg?un add up, to say nothing of high-impact extras like a missile launcher or the limited-time VoidKa ability boosts. In a group, you can specialize and make the most of your coupons �you can synergize. But alone, I had to play it safe.

AI bots lighten the load

With AI in the mix (whether you're playing The Tomorrow Children offline or in an empty-enough online session), some of the ba?sic tasks will be easier. AI and real players phase in and out as they go about their business. Sometimes, I couldn't easily tell them apart.

But when it comes down to it, the AI will never do anything too bold �more than anything, the bots like to scoop up scraps (in town and on? islands) and they'll hop in a turret to take potshots at flying rays or stomping Godzilla-esque Bankrotz. They'll also repair buildings if you're away, but they aren't exactly in a hurry to do so.

Still, this is a big improvement that helps with pacing. You don't have to babysit every facet of the town upkeep, which?? is great when you're in the groove on an island excursion that's a long bus ride away. You can let certain tasks pile up for a while, worry-free.

For me, the game's tunneling and platform-building exploration is the main draw, whether I'm playing alone or collaborating with others. Q-Games says there are more than 40 islands �I saw too many to recall, including a massive imposing red face, outstretched arms, a cake, colorful floating bubbles, a retro TV set, and a toy robot. These mountainous art installations can also be expanded if you trigger a transparent "monolith"; that said, some require multiple players to activat?e it. If you find every hidden doll, or wait long enough, an island will sink back into the Void. I liked this rising background tension.

There are new tools like a grappling hook, but I ended up wasting too many ??shots by not quite nailing down the firing distance, and my cur?rency was better spent elsewhere. Similarly, I wish the jetpack was within easier reach �some islands are so oppressively vertical that I just had to wait for them to vanish and try my luck with a different area.

To what end?

The first major goal is to restore 50 re??sidents, at which point your town is complete �but you aren't "kicked out" for good as it initially seems. You'll be able to return and keep reaching new heights. I'm now trying to hit a population of 100 as well as upgrade my newly-built Town Hall with loads and loads of metal. What comes next, I'm not sure.

It feels like this Phoenix Edition re-release was less about sweeping improvements and "trying again," and far more about just getting The Tomorrow Children back in players' hands in a future-proof way. So while I wish? that Q-Games could've modernized or expanded certain elements (especially combat, which is often very one-note), I get the scope.

I'm glad? to get another genuine crack at this subversive social crafting adventure game as someone who was there in 2016 but has hazy memories at best. It's not as impactful in 2022, if I'm being honest, but there's also nothing quite like this vibe. I knew I was in for something special as soon as the amped-up music started blaring on my home screen. The visuals still hold up surprisingly well for the most part, and playing on PS5, I didn'??t run into any notable performance issues �just a couple of pre-launch-day crashes at worst.

Offline support and AI bots are enough to make certain fans happy, and while the price is too steep and t??he patient gameplay loop is too niche to recommend to a wide audience, I still want to nudge as many people as possible. I didn't expect to spend more than 20 hours toiling away with this strange game, yet here I am, with no signs of stopping.

Time flies when you're silently helping strangers perform tedious tasks. It?'??s weirdly zen.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition appeared first on Destructoid.

Get ready to move... again

We're in something of a couch co-op revival, with awesome games in the genre out now, including Overcooked, It Takes Two, and Escape Academy. Now, another beloved co-op game is getting a well-deserved sequel in Moving Out 2.

Moving in real life is one of the most stressful things you can do, but in game form, it provides all kind?s of zany fun for you and your friends.

The adorable physics-based moving simulator will get more than 50 new levels and challenges, and for the first time, players will be able to play in online multiplayer with crossplay in addition to the local co-op mode. There will also be a ?whole host of new characters to interact with, and the developers are introducing an Assist Mode ??to "welcome movers of all abilities."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBBlKWjHkTQ

Moving Out 2 was announced during the Gamescom stream today, where we got a first look at the new trailer. All we know so far is tha??t the game is coming in 2023 with no further details on the release date, but it is coming to pretty much every platform, including PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PS5, Xbox Series X/S, an?d Xbox One.

The post Moving Out 2 announced, releasing next year appeared first on Destructoid.

Shoring up the game before the DLC drops

As soon as I heard that the escape-room puzzle adventure game Escape Academy had split-screen co-op, I was in. And even as someone who's not exactly "into" real-world escape rooms, it ended up being a fun, not-too-frustrating time with memorable scenarios like a room with rising water, or a scramble to find an antidote after being poisoned. I'd recommend Escape Academy �particularly after today's update, which includ??es FOV options and a much-n??eeded change to avoid accidental hints.

If you're just here for the field-of-view slider, you can now crank the FOV from 60 all the way up to 120. That also goes for the console versions of Escape Academy �I tested it out on my PlayStation 5 copy this morning. I'll probably settle somewhere in the middle. Y??ou can access this slider from the?? Graphics menu, and you can change it while you're in an escape room, so you can quickly figure out what FOV works best for you.

Coin Crew Games also included a split-screen toggle in online multiplayer, a "hint confirmation," and info about your best grade for each level on the replay board (though it is not retroactive). Considering Escape Academy is getting 10 new levels spread across two DLC drops (with the first, "Escape from Anti-Escape Island," comin?g this fall)??, this is great.

[caption id="attachment_340187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{This game comes alive with a second player.}[/caption]

No more accidental hints

I'll admit, I did accidentally request a hint when I didn't mean to �it was just a button press away! �which was frustrating. Solving everything on your own will lead to a bet??ter grade. Now, post-patch, in order?? to get a hint you'll have to press the button twice.

Apart from bug fixes (which you can see on this Steam page), Escape Academy also has some gameplay- and scoring-related chan??ges to note:

• Increased maximum mouse sensitivity (25%).
• Online partner's mouse cursor is now hidden.
• Changed the grading system to be a bit more harsh â€?we're not grading on a curve anymore!
• Changed key difficulties ratings for some rooms, to better match their actual difficulty.

It's flying under the radar, and a few of the later levels left me wanting, but Escape Academy is absolutel?y worth playing if you have a puzzle-solving partner.

The post Escape Academy quality-of-life up??date adds FOV slider and h?int confirmation appeared first on Destructoid.

Friends and family can play the same world even when the normal host isn't around

The shrunken backyard antics of Grounded shine bright in co-op, as it's fun to build a base together that everyone can enjoy, and, y'know, spiders are just less intimidating when you've got backup. In the home stretch before the 1.0 release of Grounded on September 27, Obsidian announced a Sha??red Worl?ds feature to make multiplayer less of a hassle.

Here's the idea: You'll be able to create a Shared World that lives in the cloud and lets other players hop in even when you aren't around to host it. In other words, less time ?getting everyone's schedule on the same page, and more time s??mashing bugs.

In a forum post this week, Obsidian walked through the work-in-progress Shared Worlds feature and its benefits, s??ome of which aren't immediately obvious.

Standard Worlds can become Shared Worlds

The good news is that you don't need to create a Shared World from scratch �you can convert a Standard World in Grounded into a multiplayer-centric Shared World using the Save / Load menu. And on the flip side, "any Shared World you own or have been shared with can be copied down as a local Standard Wor??ld for you to play on your own."

That means the Shared World system can be used to "share copies of save games with friends," even if you're not the original creator. Or you can take a world from Steam to the Xbox or Windows Store version of Grounded and continue making progress.

In the featur?e's current form, which Obsidian still considers "beta," it's advised that you keep a backup copy in case the servic?e goes offline during testing or any issues crop up.

[caption id="attachment_339980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{[Image Credit: LemonFiavured]}[/caption]

Some limitations to keep in mind

Another caveat is that while you can "own" th??ree Shared Worlds at any given time, you can have up to 50 of these worlds shared with you. One final point to keep in mind: "Shared Worlds can only be played by hosting it as a Multiplayer game."

With all that said, I can see this stuff get?ting a lot of use �it's a more or less "expected" feature of a survival/c??rafting game that supports online multiplayer.

Talk about a pleasant surprise in the run-up to Grounded's late-September launch. My experience so far has primarily been alone �also fun! �??but with this easier multiplayer setup and all of the other new bits and pieces arriving with version 1.0, I'll have to start planning. This game has been somewhat quietly s??immering, but it should be huge.

The post Grounded has Shared Worlds and here’s how they work appeared first on Destructoid.

Launching November 22 on PC and consoles

Ship of Fools is the latest co-op game to catch my eye, and if you liked Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, this "aquapocalypse"-canceling adventure might speak to you too. Sailing ?alone or with a mate, you'll fire off cannons and swat creatures on d??eck.

Team17 and Fika Productions released a new trailer and announced the big day. Ship of Fools lands on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on November 22, 20?22.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARAJ7UJtZ3w

This ??is a roguelite game, so the stakes are high if (when?) your ship goes down. You'll need to make repairs as you go and smartly chart your course on a shifting map screen.

There are "100+ trinkets and artifacts to collect and combo for winning strategies," according to the developers, and different Fools �"the ??only creatures fool enough to brave the sea" �have different abilities. Some of the items I caught in the trailer were dynamite, harpoons, and a snow cone that grants a "10 percent chance o??f Ice" for cannon projectiles. I also think that sand dollars are a particularly cute, on-brand form of currency.

With teamwork, good fundamentals, and likely a bit of luck, you'll take down leviathans like a laser-firing colossal crab. Positioning yourself and your cannons seems? to be key.

It's my deck now, buddy boy

[caption id="attachment_339805" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{You can pick up and reposition cannons as needed.}
[/caption]

If things get t??oo heated, I might start dropping Captain Lee quotes.

I've played plenty of games that fall under this umbrella, but not that many roguelites with co-op at the ??forefront. My tolerance for repetition is much higher when there's another player in the mix, and this seems like an approachable amount of chaos.

Ship of Fools is the first big game from Quebec City-based Fika Productions.

You can wishlist it on Steam if you've got a foggy memory like me, and if you're attending Gamescom, Ship of Fools will be pla??yable at Team17's consumer booth (Hall 7.1/B-040).

The post Ship of Fools is a cannon-?firing c??o-op roguelite game out this November appeared first on Destructoid.

Bounce alone or with friends in a wild new game from the makers of Owlboy

The next game from the creators of Owlboy is as conceptually wacky as it is gorgeous. D-Pad Studio has formally announced Vikings On Trampolines, an up-to-four-playe?r game with co-op adventuring, battling, and boss fighting. Whatever you ??do, don't stop bouncing.

The first trailer debuted today on IGN, and there's a website and Steam page, too.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOJfH_ApAbQ

If this was just a competitive-minded game about knocking opponents off trampolines, I'd still be down. But seeing the king-sav??ing story scenario play out in the trailer, I'm stoked a?bout the wider scope. And I'm just sitting here, staring at this lush pixel art. It's so good.

According to the team, it's possible to play Vikings on Trampolines wit????h one hand. They recommend enjoying your "favorite beverage" while you play, which is sound advice.

One of the big hurdles with co-op or party games is getting everyone on the same page about the controls. Simplifying the inputs �and achieving a simple yet interes??ting game concept �should work wonders. I always dread having to "sell" peo??ple on the idea.

[caption id="attachment_339488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The classic jump rope challenge.}[/caption]

Adventure, Versus, and more

Along with a solo-player-or-co-op Adventure mode, there will be more stages and modes to unlock. The Versus mode seems like it would pair well with TowerFall.

This game doesn't seem "weirdly familiar" to me, but if you have an everlasting memory, it might. (Mine's goldfish-esque.) The concept for Vikings On Trampolines stretches back a decade, and there's even footage of people playing an early version on YouTube.

With this full game reveal out of the way, I hope that means Vikings on Trampolines won't be too far off. After all, Gamescom is right around the corner. A PC release is already confirmed ?for Steam, and D-Pad is also planning to s?upport consoles. I'm in.

The post Vikin??gs On Trampolines looks like an arcade adrenaline rush appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're new to this series, you can still hop in

Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! is this week's free PC game on the Epic Games Store. If you like the id??ea of a cooking simulator you can play?? alone or with a partner, this one's wild �it's set on a roving food truck in the "radically-changed war-torn America of 2042."

After years of not quite breaking into the Cook, Serve, Delicious! series, I recently gave the second game another try and had a much better time handling food orders with a co-op partner on the same couch. So much so, I also picked up the third game on sale, and am now looking forward to the next title from Vertigo Gaming, Cook Serve Forever.

Unlike Overcooked, this game isn't about moving around stage hazards, and you'll have far m??ore control over the types of food you'?ll serve on any given day. Instead of rushing around, you'll sit still and use a bunch of different control inputs to successfully assemble meals �bit by bit, as fast as possible �exactly as the customers specify.

It's overwhelming and stressful. But as you get familiar with the controls, there's consistent logic and muscle memory to keep those orders flowing; you'll be able to build burgers or fry up some chicken with ease. At a certain point, I can kind of stop thinking and just let my fingers do the work. It's ?one of those try-to-reach-zen games.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnQ_RC0xzR8

That said, as one Steam reviewer put it, "I thought this was a cooking game not a stress management game." There??'s a reason I bounced off the series at first.

In some ways, I prefer its calmer, less zany predecessor, but Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! can absolutely be your first CSD game. The?? day-to-day format has improved over time.

You'll have until August 18?? to claim t?he game for free.

Rumbleverse is up next on the Epic Games Store

Next week's freebie isn't a full game �rather, the Epic Store will give out the Boom Boxer Content Pack for Rumbleverse, a just-launched brawler battle royale game from Iron Galaxy. It'??s a free-to-play game, after all, so having the deal be a cosmetic pack (and a 120-minute "Fame booster") makes sense. It'll be claimable from August 18�5, 2022.

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Coming to PC and consoles in 2023 from Dead by Daylight's Behavior Interactive

Building? Raiding? Why not both? Meet Your Maker is a new co-op FPS from Dead by Daylight creator Behaviour Interactive that'll test your cr??eativity and survivability.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPEe1IQ9ZzI

As the protector of the Chimera, "a living experiment created as a last resort to save life on Earth," you'll construct da??stardly bases with enough traps and freaky henchmen to keep the trespassers at bay. On the flip side, you'll also infiltrate other players' outposts �potentially with a friend in online co-op �in hopes of snatching genetic material.

This so-called "Genmat" fuels your progression with unlockable traps, guards, weapons, and suits, so the action and creative sides of Meet Your Maker flow together.

According to the developers, you'll be able to "destroy traps?? and guards for additiona??l building resources and upgrades" while taking on bases. Meanwhile, you'll be rewarded for killing thieves from afar, and you'll "never lose progress or resources by being raided."

Another tidbit beyond the usual modular construction elements: you can "pre-record custom patrol paths" for your guards in Meet Your Maker for a more personal touch. And you can "Prestig??e" your bases "to prolong their lifespan and gain even greater rewards."

Build an outpost, watch replays, and iterate

[caption id="attachment_337943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{A player-made outpost in Meet Your Maker.}[/caption]

At first glance from the reveal trailer, I wasn't feeling the dusty, cyber-mutant-filled aesthetic, but the base-raiding fundamentals do seem fun. It's going to come down to variety, though. Even with great tools,?? user-generated content can be ?hit-or-miss.

That said, the more I dig into the gameplay details, the more interesting it sounds in spite of its familiar-looking world. Coming from another studio, I'd be more skeptical. But I feel like Behaviour will have a good chance o??f getting the fundamentals right and sustaining players' interest beyond launch, which is crucial for any user-content-reliant game.

Meet Your Maker is co??ming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox S?eries X/S in 2023.

[caption id="attachment_337993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{I don't know what that thing is, but I wanna slice it.}
[/caption]

Sign-ups are open for the PC-only playtest

There will be a several-week-long closed playtest (sign up here) starting on August 23 for PC players, but it'll be NDA-bound, so no streaming or sharing. Also, any progress you make or items yo?u unlock in this pre-release build of the game will be wiped.

I would like to formally request that someone make a Cube level. Who's in?

The post Meet Your Maker is an FPS about building and surviving trap-filled bas??es appeared first on Destructoid.

Two years later, it's almost done

It's so easy to love the shrunken-kids-versus-oversized-insects premise of Grounded, especially with Obsidian Entertainment's sense of humor, but no matter how good this base-building survival game looks, many players are going to hold off until early access wraps up. The studio previously quoted September, and has since narrowed it down to a September 27 release for Grounded 1.0 on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

In case you missed the 1.0 trailer during the summer gaming ?show??cases, here it is again.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKYG-Lj0lpQ

According to game director Adam Brennecke, the team is in the "home stretch."

The final early-access update is being tested now. Obsidia?n also noted that "this update will be notably lighter than previous ones as we have been putting most of our focus towards 1.0 work and polish which will be our biggest content release to date."

On top of armor and weapon upgrade changes (which no longer use Quartzite or Leather), balance adjustments, and fixes, there are several new features in Grounded:

• Convert Non-Custom Games to Custom â€?You can now convert any non-custom game into a custom game at any time while playing to be able to tune values on any game as you go.
• Gnat Pet â€?You can now tame and own a bumbling little gnat pet. Pets are also more helpful and less squishy as outlined in tuning changes further below.
• Rest Time-lapse â€?Upon resting, you will see a quick time-lapse of the yard as the 8 hours pass.
• BURG.L Moves! â€?BURG.L has acquired enough chips to remember he can roll his treads to inspect the Oak lab and fulfill his assistant duties.
• Cookery â€?Meals are now crafted at the new Cookery building instead of the Oven.

[caption id="attachment_337353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Swimming in the Koi Pond with tadpoles.}[/caption]

It's a digital-only release

If you're a physical game collector, never say never. For now, though, Obsidian has reiterated that Grounded 1.0 will be a digital-only release in September.

I'm curious (and generally hopeful) to see how things shake out after the slow-and-steady ramp-up. I've enjoyed my time with the early access build, and I hope the story comes together in a satisfying way. Worst case, I ?like the building. And since I last checked in, there's a bunch of new content �on the ground, underwater, and all over the place.

As a survival fan who's not totally burnt out yet, there's a base mechanical allure here, though I know some of you need a compelling story hook, too. With wider plans for an animated series based on Grounded, let's hope all of the pieces fall into place.

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Are you in a party, co-op, or head-to-head mood?

Some of my fondest Nintendo Switch memories were formed with multiplayer (and especially co-op) games, and if you're looking for a group activity, the Nintendo Multiplayer Sale is worth a run-through. There are about 50 discounted games on the eShop, as well as some DLC, and the deals will stick around through August 7.

You can see the ??full list of featured games over here, and I've got recommendations. Th??at said, this is a digital Nintendo sale �??the games are often great, but rarely cheap.

10 games to consider

• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection ($15.99) runs fine on Nintendo Switch.
• Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics ($27.99) is a good bang for your buck if you enjoy board and card games â€?and the AI puts up a fight in solo play.
• Diablo II: Resurrected ($23.99) is here if you want to rekindle things.
• Good Job! ($13.99) is a nice, casual pickup. It's stick-figure chaos.
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga ($44.99) has something for everyone, especially completionists, as it spans nine films.
• Snipperclips ($13.99) and the DLC ($6.99) are a must-play for co-op fans.
• Star Wars Episode I Racer ($7.49) is more than just memes.
• Streets of Rage 4 ($12.49) is a fresh take on the classic brawler vibe.
• Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon ($16.99) is under the radar, but it's expanding.
• Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania ($25.99) is a frustrating, chill, and funny arcade romp all at once. Just be warned that Monkey Target has wonky controls.

A few more suggestions

Please don't spend $35 on 1-2-Switch. It's your money... but don't.

And it's also worth noting that Mario Party Superstars is the good one on Switch �instead, this sale features Super Mario Party ($41.99), which originally c??ame out in 2018 and left some of us feeling empty. For what it's worth, I did enjoy the hyper-realistic meat-sizzling min?i-game. I'd play a whole dang cooking game in that vein. C'mon, Nintendo!

[caption id="attachment_337148" align="alignnone" width="1300"] _{Extreme Wii vibes up in here.}[/caption]

Although I wouldn't recommend it at this arguably still-too-high price, if you're curious about Go Vacation ($34.99), it's an island activity game that's good for a few laughs. Repetition c?an and will sink in, though. Kids might have a better time with?? it.

Finally, I'll always prefer the "everyone's here" appeal of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition ($41.99), but Age of Calamity ($41.99) and the Expansion Pass ($13.99) might show up at the right place and time for you (especially if you're skipping the recent Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes). I could chip away at these Adventure maps fo??r the rest of my life.

You've got until Sunday, August 7 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific to check out the Nintendo Multiplayer Sale. There are huge omissi?ons, but that's how it goes.

The post The? Nintendo Multiplayer Sale has deals on Switch co-op favorites appeared first on Destructoid.

The next game from Richard Hogg, Hollow Ponds, and Annapurna Interactive

Hollow Ponds and Richard Hogg, the creators behind Wilmot's Warehouse, Loot Rascals, and I Am Dead, are back with a relaxing co-op game about the "joy of flight" called Flock. The upcoming PC, PlayStation, and Xbox game made its debut during this afternoon's Annapurna Interactive Showc??ase, and it was my highlight of the stream. It's so pure!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANeJSsV3Js

Unsurprisingly, the art direction is fabulous, as I've come to expect from Hollo?w Ponds.

I'm also into the laid-back vibes I'm seeing so far �the idea is to accumulate a hoard of cute critters as a flying shepherd, and you'll be joined by other players, adding to the coziness. The Steam page mentions online co-op; I'm hoping for couch co-op, too.

According to the developers??, you can "charm" creatures into joining your flock, and with hover-sheep in the mix, you can use wool to make "hats, cardigans, and even socks."

[caption id="attachment_337096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Soaring with other shepherds in co-op.}[/caption]

Flock is coming to PC (via Steam), P??S4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Game Pass.

Another cool game that Richard Hogg worked on, Hohokum, has found its way onto Steam. After seeing Flock for the first time,?? my mind immediately went back to that PS3/Vita-era game about exploring? fantastic worlds. Some found it a bit dull, but I loved it.

Even if they haven't caught on with a massive audience, I really appreciate this team's games. This one??, in partic??ular, seems like it has the right ingredients to resonate.

The post Flock is a co-op? flying game with such a wholesome vibe appeared first on Destructoid.

With free and paid content updates to follow

An open-world fishing game with online co-op could really hit the spot in a "dad game" sort of way, and Call of the Wild: The Angler isn't far off with a planned August 31, 2022 release on PC across St??eam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store.

Along with a short trailer, the creators detailed the game's "launch map," Golden Ridge Rese?rve, which draws inspiration from scenic northwest Wyoming.

//youtu.be/7_yrPWz81-k

If you missed the recent announcement, Call of the Wild: The Angler has drop-in, drop-out multiplayer, which is ideal for maxim??um fishing vibes. Whether it's real or virtual fishing, our p?atience will never be perfectly in sync �so call it a day and pack it in as needed.

"Whether you’re battling the fierce Largemouth Bass, or the hard-fighting Mountain Whitefish, the intuitive casting system in Call of the Wild: The Angler provides an enga??ging and immersive fishing experience. Each species has its own unique behavior and traits?, and will require you to carefully counter their movements as you reel them in. Combined with a system that realistically simulates water temperatures, depths, altitude, and more to determine where fish populations will be, every catch becomes a lasting memory."

What's the catch?

Given the cheap-base-game-with-plenty-of-DLC strategy employed by theHunter: Call of the Wild, it'll be no surprise to see a similar approach for The Angler when the time comes.

On that front, we at least now know the game will cost a (reasonable in theory) $30 at launch. Expansive World?s intends to "deliver memorable new fishing experiences with regular post-launch content updates in close collaboration with the community."

[caption id="attachment_335649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Do you identify with the fisherman or the fish right now?}[/caption]

Call of the Wild: The Angler is "coming soon" to consoles, according to the developers,? but a date isn't locked down yet. The PC version seems to be the immediate priority.

Like some of you, full-on hunting games aren't my ??thing �there's enough hunting in non-"hunting" games, y'know? �but fishing is a better?? fit. There's no shortage of options out there. Co-op support could push me over the edge, and the summer timing is right.

As much of a pain as i??ncremental DLC can be for hardcore fans who want a complete experience, as a more casual player, I might dip my toes in.

The post Call of the Wild: The Angler brings? co-op fishing to PC first in August appeared first on Destructoid.

Play together online with your pals and try not to drive each other crazy

I'm a firm believer that co-op makes just about any game better (or at least more... "memorable"), and for Skyrim fans looking to squeeze every last drop out of the hard-to-put-down game, there's a new co-op mod in town. Skyrim Together Reborn lets you play Skyrim Special Edition (1.6) online with friends on Steam. Think of?? the RP potential!

Following its Friday debut on NexusMods and a weekend's worth of word-of-mouth, Skyrim Together Reborn is nearing 100,000 downloads. The mod community has been down this co-op road before, but Reborn represents a ??fresh start, and people are into it.

"The code has been rewritten from the ground up, since the old codebase was too messy to work with," according to the mod's creators. "This decision has paid off big time, since Skyri?m Together Reborn is significantly better than old Skyrim Together."

Skyrim Together Reborn recommends two to eight players for the "best experience," but there isn't a hard limit "in theory." It's also worth stressing again that you'll need Skyrim Special Edition version 1.6 on Steam to use this mod �"VR, console, Legendary Edition (aka Oldrim), and the Game Pass version are not and will never? be supported."

[caption id="attachment_334433" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Act natural �together!}
[/caption]

The setup and house rules

At the moment, you'll need patience to get everything up and running �not just in terms of setup, but also in figuring?? out what is and isn't allowed. Expect some troubleshooting.

The mod team shared general guidelines for "optimal questing" in Skyrim Together Reborn, which includes quite a few caveats. Big picture, the party leader is thought of as the "host" for the whole Skyrim co-op playthrough, while everyone else who's tagging along is merely considered ??a "guest." So in practice, this primary player will be the one to chat with important NPCs �and loot quest-related items �on b??ehalf of the group.

That said, the other co-op players can:

• Kill quest monsters and bosses.
• Clear quest dungeons.
• Do quest puzzles.

For more information about optionally hosting your own server, head over here.

As for mixing in other mods, it'll generally be hit-or-miss, and it's up to your "discretion." The Skyrim Together Reborn team "cannot make any guarant??ees that these mods won't cause stability issues, play nice with our systems, or that their features will sync."

As it stands, ??"for the best, most stable experience, you should not install other mods."

//youtu.be/7ogIhWUxPyE

Skyrim Together Reborn 1.0 is a "solid base for a lo??t of future expansion," and on that note,?? the ball is now in the community's court �we'll see where it goes next.

Now that the mod is out, the creators are stepping back to focus on other other projects

"We are excited about the future of Reborn," developer Robbe wrote on Reddit.

"With thousands of man hours of work put into the project already, we have done most of the heavy lifting for you. With the mod going open source, it is ??now up to you, th??e community, to step up, and further develop Reborn. The current dev team is very tired, and frankly, is simply interested in branching out and doing other projects."

"We will still be here to guide new developers, review code, and perhaps occasionally implement features and fixes. As for right now though, we need a break. After working on this project for one and a half years nonstop?, I will take a hiatus from the project for a few weeks. The community has all the tools available to them to insta?ll and run Reborn. We are excited to see new people step up, and seeing what the community will do with it!"

I love to see a single-player game like Skyrim become multiplayer compatible thanks to modders' efforts, even if the experience is finicky and caveat-filled. It's a great way to make a familiar experience feel fresh again, and when it all clicks, it has that "Wow, they actually pulled ??it off" appeal. So many mods fail to come together. This one made it.

The post Skyrim Together Reborn, a co-op mo?d for Skyrim Special Edition, is alread?y a hit appeared first on Destructoid.

Curse of the Dead Gods didn't quite grab me, but I'm down to try again

The creators of Curse of the Dead Gods are back with another action roguelite game called Ravenswatch, and th??is time,? you aren't alone �there's four-player co-op support.

Announced this week at Nacon Connect 2022, Ravenswatch will star playable heroes wit??h abilities "inspired by characters from folktales and legends." Right off the bat, we've got the Red Hood, the Pied Piper, Beowulf, and the Snow Queen, with "more to come."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQBlSgRtCyc

On the gameplay front, expect randomly generated maps and character builds to be at the forefront, with iconography and themes plucked from "The ??Three Little Pigs to Norse mythology to One Thousand an?d One Nights," among other stories.

Solo or up to four players

Though solo play is an option, Ravenswatch will likely be at its best in co-op. "To defeat the Night??mare and reach the final chapter, you will need a strong build, focus, and excellent teamwork??," according to Passtech Games. "Increase your fighting power in battles then face the level boss when you feel ready�or when you no longer have a choice."

From the trailer, we can see the Red Hood transform into a wolf, the Pied Piper command a horde of rats, and the? Snow Queen skate around foes on ice. Dibs on the former.

[caption id="attachment_333978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The four heroes revealed so far.}[/caption]

Admittedly, I barely made a dent in Curse of the Dead Gods �it's a tough game right from the get-go �but I enjoyed what I played, and there's a world in which I got really into it for a few months. I feel like Passtech must've learned a lot while making that game, so having a similar but still distinct follow-up in the? same genre sounds ideal. The action looks familiar, but the environments seem much less cramped and intimidating.

(Did any of you try Curse with PlayStat????ion Plus? That's where I got my copy.)

Ravenswatch will debut on Steam Early Access in 2023, with console versions �Nintendo Switch, PlayStation ??5, and Xbox Series X/S �coming later.

The post Ravenswatch, a folktale action roguelite game from the C??urse of the Dead Gods team, has co-op appeared first on Destructoid.

From the team behind theHunter: Call of the Wild

Expansive Worlds is building upon its successful hunting sim theHunter: Call of the Wild with a new open-world fishing game later this year, and while solitude can really fit the serene side of this hobby, sometimes, it's just plain better with friends. In the upcoming PC and console game Call of the Wild: The Angler, you'll be able to fish with 11 other players in online co-op, which sounds all sorts of cozy. Who's the Jeremy Wade? of your group?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QnxwKppyGo

"Call of the Wild: The Angler represents a new vision from our team that goes beyond what you’d expect from a fishing game in a lot of fun ways," said game director said Paul Rustchynsky. "Whether you love the thrill of the sport or the quiet joy of exp?loring th?e outdoors, this is an experience that’s great to enjoy on your own or shared with friends."

The game has customizable reels, lines, floats, hooks, lures, and bait, according to the developers, so you ca?n build out a collection of gear and show off your toys, if that's your style. Or you can be quietly judgy. Aside from hiking and boating, there will be off-road-vehicle traversal, and the fishing gameplay is described as "engaging" yet "accessib?le."

One more confir?mation: online co-op is drop-in, drop-out, which is ideal.

Coming to PC and consoles in 2022

Expansive Worlds and Avalanche Studios Group haven't said which consoles they're supporting with Call of the Wild: The Angler, but theHunter: Call of the Wild is on PlayStation and Xbox �it's actually a part of Game Pass right now too, if you're curious. In terms of PC platforms, though, Steam, the Epic G???ames Store, and the Microsoft Store are a lock.

[caption id="attachment_331047" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{If I can get down with fishing in Far Cry 5, I'll probably like this too.}[/caption]

For more context on theHunter, one Steam user reviewer summed it up as their daily unwinder. "The slower more methodical approach this game requires takes me away from a stressful, fast lane style of life. I find, no matter how my?? day has been??, that getting on this game tends to bring me back down and mellow me out." I'm expecting a similar vibe.

As someone who has thought about getting theHunter on sale, I'm intrigued. Fishing is more my speed �it's one of my favorite "Sure, why not!" activities in games �and I'd be into a polished open-world experience like this with multiplayer. There's no shortage of fishing video games out there, but they can be... dicey. They might look good?? at a glance until you dive a bit deeper with some random guy's YouTube footage and decide ??to bail.

The developers of Call of the Wild: The Angler will have more to share on June 22 during a Twitch stream Q&A starting at 7:00 a.m. Pacific. Bright and e?arly, as is the way.

The post Call of the Wild: The Angler lets yo??u fish wi??th friends in an open world appeared first on Destructoid.

With cross-play support across PC and console

Announced during the extended Xbox Games Showcase this morning, Iron Gate and Coffee Stain are bringing Valheim to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in spring 2023 with Game Pass support, and considering how successful this Viking survival game has been on the PC Early Access side of things, that's ?a fantastic get. Speaking of, development will continue on the PC version as "external teams" handle the Xbox console p?orts.

//youtu.be/vPEGKJlE9LE

In addition to the Xbox port (the first half of 2023 is going to be hella busy for gaming, isn't it?), the companies also announced that Valheim will join the PC Game Pass library in fall 2022. The best part: all three versions of Valheim �Steam,? Microsoft Store, and Xbox �will have cross-play support for co-??op survival. You don't have to make new friends.

"The porting is being done by external teams, so the core team at Iron Gate is still focusing on the Mistlands," the studio tweeted. The new biome update will be more exploration-focused.

"None of this woul?d be possible without the incredible teams at Piktiv and Fishlabs who are continuing to work tirelessly on the Microsoft Store and Xbox ??ports, enabling us to focus on the Mistlands update and our exciting journey through Early Access."

I wouldn't be surprised to see Valheim show up on PS4 and PS5 eventually �I'm expecting a sort of Deep Rock Galactic situation �but nothing to report yet. When it comes to still-in-?development early access games, PlayStation fans can expect ??to wait.

It's been a while since we checked in, but Valheim has cleared 10 million sales on Steam.

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The first big content update is coming in June

Core Keeper, a subterranean survival game with solo and co-op play, could use more content �a lot more. I say that as someone who was hooked on this cave-carving, base-building, exploration-minded setup for a dozen hours, right up until I hit the point at which I felt truly tapped out. I've been wanting a reason to play more, and developer Pugstorm will have one in June �that's when Core Keeper gets its Sunken Sea biome update.

A big part of the game's early appeal is finding your place in this underground world, so having a distinct new zone with "large bodie?s of water and islands" sounds appealing. To make these treks a little smoother, there will be, well, boats. Players won't need to lay down winding bridges to go island hopping. (Though you can still build them in a pinch.)

Beyond the biome itself, Core Keeper's Sunken Sea update also has "more of everything," in that classic S?team Early Access game sense. Pugstorm posted an overview image.

What's new with the Sunken Sea update

[caption id="attachment_321517" align="alignnone" width="1080"] _{The Sunken Sea update has a little bit of everything.}[/caption]

The lack of enemy types stood out during my time with Core Keeper, and it'll be fun to track down �and try and kill �another intimidating Titan boss. Having more plants and rec??ipes will help incentivize the game's farming asp??ect, especially with sprinklers in the mix. As is, my food supply is kind of on autopilot, and any sort of shakeup would help.

In the quality-of-life category, I'm most excited ab?out teleporters an?d map markers.

Even with an extensive railway network, far-out trips, like to Azeos' Wilderness, can really add up. I also think pretty much every game with a map could benefit from some form of markers, particularly a survival crafting game like Core Keeper, which is all about filling in the map �figuring out where every biome generally lives �through exploration.

All in all, this update is what I had in mind for the future of Core Keeper. It's a cool game; it just needs more. If Pugstorm keeps at it, I'm hopeful?? for the full 1.0 launch.

[caption id="attachment_313184" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Multiplayer is one of the main draws right now.}[/caption]

Dedicated servers are now an option

The Sunken Sea update is primed for June?, but first, a note?? on dedicated servers.

"From this moment onwards, players will have the option to operate their own dedicated servers for multiplayer worlds that can be accessed at any time without requiring a host to be in the game. If dedicated servers aren’t your thing, you’ll be pleased to know that in-game player-hosted multiplayer is still available at any time, and this now uses Steam’s networking back end when connecting players �solving many of the networking issues users have been reporting. We’ve also added a new admin functionality that wil??l give players the option to kick people from their worlds across both dedicated servers and player-hosted games.

If you’d like to host your own dedicated server you can do so using Core Keeper’s own dedicated s?erver hosting application, which will be available to run from the Tools menu in your S??team Library."

I haven't dabbled in Core Keeper co-op yet, but multiplayer is one of the main selling points for this so-called "top-down Terraria" experience. Options are appreciated.

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Tough times for bad guys

It'd be hard enough committing misdeeds in the grim 'berg of Gotham City just knowing that one masked vigilante was on your tail... but four? This might be the fate that awaits the rogues' gallery of Warner Bros. Montreal adventure Gotham Knights, currently in development for PC and consoles.

While it has been common knowledge that the Batman: Arkham spin-off would feature co-op support for two players, a recent update to the PlayStation Store listing for the title now suggests that the open-world title may, in fact, support four-player multiplayer. Such a mode would see Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and The Red Hood take to the mean streets a?s a quartet, dishing out fistfuls of meaty vengeance.

Evildoers beware.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8TCfiF7Z2w

Of course, there has been no official word from developer WB Montreal as to whether Gotham Knights will indeed sup?port four-player co-op. Additionally, the four-player co-op, should such a feature exist, might just be specifically tied to certain modes, rather than the main campaign itself. Finally, and more disappointingly, this might be a mere mistake on PlayStation's part. For now, we'll just have to stay tuned to this Bat-Time and Bat-Channel.

Gotham Knights is currently in development for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms with a tentative release date of 2022. Over at Rocksteady Studios, work continues on the repeatedly delayed multiplayer epic Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which is currently expected to release in 2023.

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Not So Groovy

Evil Dead fans are preparing to have their souls swallowed, as next week sees the launch of Saber Interactive gorefest Evil Dead: The Game. Unfortunately, while May 13 will see Ash Williams running riot in Evil Dead on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox, Nintendo Switch fans will st??ill be left twiddling their Boomstick?s.

Already delayed multiple times from its initial 2021 release date, Evil Dead: The Game is finally ready to bring its asymmetrical action to Deadite-mashers worldwide. But while most versions of the new title will be dropping this week, the official website now simply states that the Switch edition is "coming soon." Hopefully, Saber Interactive will have fresh word of the ??port soon, and Nintendo fans can join in the chainsaw-revvin' action.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfZKk7H0CUw

Evil Dead: The Game will pit a team of players against a who's who of Deadite monstrosity, risen from the horrifying pages of the Necronomicon. Franchise fans will be stoked to see characters pulled from all three movies in the original Evil Dead trilogy, as well as the popular TV series Ash vs. The Evil Dead. For those who wish not to play Little Goody Two-Shoes, a selectio??n of demoni?c creatures will be available for your perusal, including Medievil monstrosity Evil Ash.

The action will play out in several locations pulled directly from the franchise, as both humans and monsters use uniques skills, special attacks, and a wide range of weaponry to bring victory to their respective team. Evil Dead: The Game alread??y looks to be packed full of fan-pleasing characters, cameos, and references, so here's hoping that the game?play proves equally as compelling.

Evil Dead: The Game launches May 13 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Yo, She-Bitch... ??Let's Go.

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And now I've hit the point of no return

I was genuinely on the fence about getting LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, but I took a chance that my burnt-out Star Wars fandom wouldn't botch what seemed to be the culmi??nation of TT Games' tried-and-true LEGO collectathon formula. Now, I'm one of three million people zipping around the galaxy in search of near-endless Kyber Bricks.

To my fellow collectible obsessors �to folks like me who love Donkey Kong 64, hold the caveats �this game is pretty sweet. It's the kind of experience you can breezily chip away at for months on end, and it's a near-nightly co-op?? pastime for me at this point.

To put it in perspective, Powerpyx's Trophy Roadmap breakdown marks LEGO Skywalker Saga as a 2/10 on the difficulty scale?? with a 70- to 90-hour P??latinum trophy estimate.

I expected a pleasant enough slow-burn experience as a fan of prior LEGO games like Jurassic World, Lord of the Rings, and Marvel Super Heroes (the GOAT), but I was blown away by the sheer scale of thi??s nine-film jug??gernaut. The whole game could've just been the Free Play hub worlds, and I would've been fine with that; in fact, I might've preferred it.

[caption id="attachment_318760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Surrounded by collectible markers in a fresh Galaxy Free Play planet.}[/caption]

A rocky start on Naboo

You can begin the story on Episode I, Episode IV, or Episode?? VII. But choose carefully.

Running back and forth to NPCs in Episode I without any excitement between beats felt like a bad omen, but the worst segments of LEGO Skywalker Saga won't last too long. On the flip side, the best bits �scenes that clicked with my Star Wars nostalgia �also felt super brie??f. It's fascinating to see what did, and didn't, make the cut. ~So much~ didn't.

When everything was said and done, I ended up skimming certain thick-as-hell wiki entries, which I had zero expectation of doing going into this game. As someone who hasn't really thought about Star Wars since seeing Episod?e IX in a theater, there's mental whiplash. LEGO has been a palatable way for me to reopen some wounds and heal others.

All told, the campaign was a nice main-series refresher, though I'm not looking forward to re-running some of these levels for optional hidden trinkets. Unfortunately, I'm at the point of no return. I've accumulated enough Stuff that I won't be able to leave my save file hanging until everything �everything �is scratched off the ga??me's monstrous checklist.

[caption id="attachment_318758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{If you're aiming to do everything, expect to see this transition A LOT. I always fly toward the center to entertain myself.} [/caption]

Co-op is the way to go if you can swing it

It took quite a bit of convincing to get my fiancée �who isn't into Star Wars and doesn't care for LEGO games �to join me. But she did, so long ?as I stayed one session ahead.

Our joint Episode I excursion did enough damage that I then had to complete the entire res??t of the story on my own so that we'd have access to new, not-yet-100%'d worlds in the Galaxy Free Play mode �she refused to tag along for any other story missions. Randomly exploring open-ended landscapes to find and solve light puzzles, though? We're both hooked. We go through a couple of planets a night now. It's ni?ce!

LEGO Skywalker Saga is easy and only seems to get easier as you go. There's an obscene amount of content with an understandably high amount of repetition. There are only really so many puzzle solutions for the collectible Kyber Bricks with only so many uniquely capable cha?racters to leverage, though I don't necessarily hold that against it.

I'm loving the ability to mostly shut off my brain and still make steady progress night after night. Alone, the core gameplay experience can approach diminishing-returns dull?ness; in co-op, our divide-and-conquer approach works wonders. It's more interesting to split up and earn collectibles as fast as possible. The urgency?? of co-op adds another layer.

Quick aside: If there was a Mos?t Valuable Minifig statistic, Jango Fett would be off the charts for me �his jetpack and upgraded blasters make such short work of so many platforming puzzles and combat challenges. I almost feel guilty skipping 99.9% of the playable cast, but I've got my core crew solidified. Shaak Ti is also locked in.

[caption id="attachment_318756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{We're only (only!) at 67% completion and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.}[/caption]

Free Play is where it's at for collectible hunters

Galaxy Free Play �just running around and grabbing sh??iny pickups �is my preferred way to expe??rience the game. And that's really it. That's the point of this article.

If you're a collectible-minded player who hasn't had the best track record with LEGO games in the past but thinks this one might be different for you (or the timing might now be better), I hope some of these thoughts give you the nudge you need. That said, it's natural to want more from LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. I do have hangups.

The more hours I burn away by grabbing "just a few more bricks," the more I see technical cracks in the foundation with small-but-irri??tating bugs and even random crashes; the more I realize just how thinly stretched some of these sto??ry levels are; the more I wish I could skip takeoff and landing sequences on drawn-out, multi-planet fetch quests.

With respect to the bugs, I am afraid about certain goals, like finding the Wandering Wookie on every? planet, ??somehow wigging out before I wrap them up. I'm trying not to dwell on that fear, though. If it happens, it happens, and I hope the patches are frequent.

Speaking of, for other co-op players' sake, I hope the dev??elopers add horizontal split-screen. It's vertical only right now, which I'm used to, but you very well might not be.

[caption id="attachment_318759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{There's no such thing as too many studs.}[/caption]

Let the post-Elden Ring recovery begin

While it's easy to pick apart so much of LEGO Skywalker Saga critically speaking, weirdly enough, this has ended up becoming the exact right kind of collectathon game I needed to throw myself at after Elden Ring. It's perfectly low-stakes. Comfy, even. There's a lot to like about it, even as an infrequent LEGO player who's (otherwise) tuning out Star Wars at large.

If nothing else, take this advice: before you're in too deep, consider listening to a podcast or music or literally any other audio source every now and then as a shakeup. Otherwise, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will fill your head with unshakable earworms. I hear John Williams fanfare when I go to bed, and the music is still playing when I wake up.

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The first Wonderlands DLC is out on April 21 with an escalating multi-week boss brawl

It feels like Tiny Tina's Wonderlands *just* launched, but fans are ready for more stuff to shoot, and so is Gearbox. The first season pass DLC release, Coiled Captors, culminates in a firefight with an ancient god? named Chums who, uh, looks like a long-lost Street Sh?ark.

//youtu.be/bnEthDGNOIU

If you haven't seen much of Wonderlands yet, you might be wondering what the heck's going on, but this is pretty par for the course �the Coiled Captors DLC looks like a natural extension of the base game in a way that pads out the gameplay without taking big risks. As someone who hasn't hit the level cap yet in their post-story a?dve??nturing, I'm here for it.

How to access the dungeon

By hopping over to Dreamveil Overlook (near Brighthoof) and chatting with Vesper, you'll be able to reach Coiled Captors �and other DLC zon??es �with the Mirror of Mystery.

The premise of the DLC is a "replayable dungeon challenge" with a multi-phase boss, which should slot in nicely into the current overworld-exploring setup of Wonderlands.

"Chums, the elder god, has lost all sense of self and devolved into a rampaging beast after being trapped within a seawarg's body for centuries. The only humane thing to do is put this mad god out of his misery, but one defeat won't be enough: Chums has four powerful forms that will unlock over time, each one stronger than the last."

[caption id="attachment_317704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{"Chums" is such a Borderlands boss name.}[/caption]

It's not just a matter of one-and-done-ing Chums, as the boss' new forms won't all be accessible at launch �there's a weekly schedule. When Coiled Captors rolls out on April 21, you'll be able to face his first form, then circle back on April 28, May 5, and May 12, respectively, to face the second, third, and fourth forms. If you die even ?once, it's a wipe.

Spin the Wheel of Fate

High risk, (hopefully) high reward, right? Back at Dreamveil Overlook, there's a Wheel of Fate to spin with various loot �weapons, gear pieces, and cosmetics �up for grabs in exchange? for Lost Souls, a currency dropped by foes in the Mirrors of Mystery dungeons.

[caption id="attachment_317695" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{There are four DLC chapters in the Tiny Tina's Wonderlands season pass roadmap.}[/caption]

To recap, Coiled Captors is up first on April 21, followed by Glutton's Gamble, Molten Mirrors, and Shattering Spectreglass, which are coming at later dates. All four add-ons make up the Tiny Tina's Wonderlands?? season pass, and that's cur??rently selling for $30.

This content starts at level 13 and scales up, so you don't need to be endgame-ready �which is good for anyone rolling alternate characters. If you're deep into the Chaos Chamber, though, completing Coiled Captors will add "five fresh level layouts and Chums himself to the list of chaotic variables." I've heard grumbles about the Son of a Witch.

I have to say, even all fantasy'd up, Wonderlands is still Borderlands through and through, but I really like this game. It's nice to not ?have to drive around for a change?.

The post Coiled Captors kicks off the Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands season pass appeared first on Destructoid.

Keep talking and the spaceship might not explode

When I first saw Fueled Up, I let out a "Dude, yes!" Some of us are endlessly searching for more couch co-op games with an Overcooked vibe, and this one �a so-called "spaceship recovery game" �has the look. So many other games co??me close but don't quite nail it.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWhleo1rVA4

Fueled Up is about fixing spaceships before they spiral out of control? and prioritizing your to-do list as a solo player or a team. In other words, it's about cutting through the ??chaos.

So what makes this stand out where other (at times very similar) frantic teamwork-oriented games fall flat? A major thing for me is the way characters move �the zippier, the better. These games are often about getting from Point A t?o Point B while dealing with a bunch of detours along the way as "Oh?? shit, no!" surprises pop up. If rushing through obstacles and tackling emergencies feels energetic, not sluggish, then that's a great sign.

It also helps that the wacky sci-fi premise of Fueled Up is larger than life, with an "evil space octopus" in the ?mix alongside threats like aste?roids and wormholes.

[caption id="attachment_316730" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{This ship is a little too... lively for my taste.}[/caption]

Beyond a bare-minimum level clear, players can als??o strive to?? finish "extra objectives." For the sake of replayability, I hope those goals encourage alternate approaches and the criteria for earning three stars (as seen in the top-right) is tough but fair. I want a reason to return, especially if the levels are taking more of a quality-over-quantity angle.

While this is the first time I've heard of Fueled Up's Polish developer, Fireline Games, the studio's previous title, Intensive Exposure, is certainly an eyebrow-raiser.

Fueled Up is launching on PC, PS4, and Xbo??x One in 2022. While I tend to highlight games that have couch co-op first and foremost (since local support isn't nearly as prevalent as we'd like), it's worth noting that this one will have online multiplayer, too. It looks so fun.

There's ?nothing in gaming?? that makes me happier than a lively co-op game. Straight up.

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If you're looking for something new to play after Overcooked, Moving Out, and Tools Up

It's been a winding journey, but Nintendo Switch owners will finally have a chance to play the frantic co-op moving game Get Packed. A new Switch version, Get Packed: Couch Chaos, launches on April 28 with extra mini-games like soccer and a cannon-dodging activity.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxnIwRQ2zqU

Lock me in a room surrounded by a dozen cannons, and I'm gonna freak. The only thing that's missing is a l??ittle Jigsaw puppet rolling up on a tricycle to kick off the fe?stivities.

This game might not look like much at a glance, and that honestly goes double for the Switch edition �but it's actually pretty fun if you're looking to grow your collection of games in the Overcooked, Moving Out, and Tools Up umbrella. I'd rank it somewhere in the middle, at least based on my experience with the PS4 version, which you can read more about here. Interestingly, this is one of those games that got its start on Stadia before showing up on other platforms �Ninte??ndo Switch is the latest (and seemingly last).

Get Packed is fast-paced, a bit loose, and explosion-filled, so when I say that your job is to snatch up valuable possessions and cram them into a moving truck as fast as possible without crashing into teammates, well, expect you??r ideal plans to be quickly derailed.

I dig the game's bleak, unconventional pre?mise. "When a greedy salt mining company takes over Ditchlington, Last Ditch Removals must handle the hostile eviction. With little time and even less caution, your ragtag removals team gets to work rapidly relocating the entire town…leaving a trail of destruction, explosions, and debris in your wake!"

[caption id="attachment_315119" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Mind the forklifts.}[/caption]

The story mode goes to interesting places beyond normal houses, and communication feels necessary. I distinctly remember trying (and failing) to squeeze dinosaur bon?es through some museum doors while a relentless secu?rity guard was on my case.

If you've got a partner (or two, or three), Get Packed: Couch Chaos will be out on Apri?l 28 for $14.99. A word of warning: don't send off the truck prematurely, or your team will revolt.

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PC and Xbox Series X/S release date locked in

It's coming later than expected, but Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has a (probably final) release date in mind: September 13, 2022. The horde-chopping squad action game will initially be playable on Steam and Xbox Series X/S, and on that front, its inclusion in Game Pass w??ill be a big help in convincing thre??e friends to join up for a bit of grimdark fun.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi87A9EK37o

Admittedly, this release date trailer is very subdued. But at this point, many of us are already "in," given the developer's past games. Vermintide was an absolutely amazing co-op vibe for Warhammer fans �and, honestly non-fans, too. I tend to stay in the 40K lane, but I got really into Vermintide 2; the Left 4 Dead-style co-op format can still pack a pun??ch when?? it's veering off in wild directions. Carving through rat-men with pals is a pleasure.

Coming off of the Vermintide series, expectations are certainly high. "Darktide introduces a deep and balanced gunplay to the mix," according to Fatshark. "Master the balance betw??een ranged and melee com??bat as you fight through a slew of enemies, feeling the impact of each swing of your chainsword or blazing gunfire from your lasgun."

Fatshark seems to be going even harder with Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, and I'd put it up there next to Saber Interactive's Space Marine 2 as one of the main Games Workshop adaptations I'm most stoked to see. A new Dawn of War would make quite the trio.

Stick around until the end of the video for a snippet of gameplay, or poke around the Steam page for?? a refresher. Otherwise, see you on Tertium this? September.

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The co-op UI lacks important info at a glance

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands has a glaring issue with the way item summaries are displayed in split-screen co-op compared to solo play, and I hate to see it. In an otherwise pretty fun, comfort-food sort of co-op experience, it's unfortunate that it's a total slog to figure out which loot �aka the driving force of Borderlands �is worth equipping or ditching.

It's kind of hard to fully articulate the issue without visual aids, but I noticed something was off, and I poked around online to see if anyone else was feeling similarly (and if they had figured out a possible workaround; no dice). Other players have called the split-screen UI "infuriating," "tedious and obnoxious," and "nearly impossible to sort things out."

So, if you're wondering if it's weirdly harder than normal to figure out what to equip in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands with another player by your side in split-screen, well, same.

What item summaries look like in solo play

[caption id="attachment_314078" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{It's possible to see what this item does right on the spot without digging into menus.}[/caption]

What item summaries look like in split-screen

[caption id="attachment_314071" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{There are red and green numbers, sure, but what do they specifically mean?}[/caption]

The o??verly vague item cards show up in the player inventory, too.

[caption id="attachment_314073" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{By manually "inspecting" this Infused Bloodstone of Obsession (on the left), I can see what it does.}[/caption]

In order to see exactly what any given item does in split-screen, you'll have to "inspect" it, and then, when you back out, the menu kicks you to the top of the list, rather than leaving you on the item you just inspected. Again, it's far more of a chore than it needs to be, especially in an established series like Borderlands. The vague UI wastes time, straight up.

[caption id="attachment_314076" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{Comparing items in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands should be this straightforward in solo play *and* split-screen.}[/caption]

As one final point of comparison, the screenshot above is what it looks like when you go to equip an item as a solo player in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands �you can see what the numbers actually mean in context, and there's a detailed summary of the item's perks, so it's easy to weigh the pros and cons of t?he new item vs. what you currently have equipped.

Basically, there's no need to hop back and fort?h between menus, as it sho?uld be.

Other players have been submitting their UI ??feedback, and it seems like a ?situation Gearbox Software could (and should) improve in a later update. I hope they do, and soon.

[caption id="attachment_314072" align="alignnone" width="1600"] _{The overworld is a bit goofy in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, but I like it.}[/caption]

In the meantime, I'll keep chipping away at this? game with an hour here and an hour there.

Even with UI flaws, I'm digging Wonderlands more than expected, and it's nice to have an honest-to-goodness split-screen game again. I was worried about how it might run, but so far, on PS5, it's been smooth enough in Resolution mode �for once, Performance mode isn't a??ctually worth the vi?sual trade-off. I always pick the latter, but not this time.

Also, if you're curious, there is an opt??ion for horizontal and vertical split-screen.

You may want to hold off for now, and admittedly, the $70 price tag on PS5 stings. But if Borderlands is your go-to co-op game, Wonderlands might be tough to resist. I couldn't. Sometimes we're just in the mood to sling spells and shoot goblins in the face with an anachronistic SMG, an??d that's okay. A?nd hell, I don't even mind Tina this time!

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Slimes keep on slippin', slippin', slippin'

While it's walking on well-worn ground in the mining/crafting-adventure space, Core Keeper is a wonderful way to spend some time. Okay, honestly, a lot of time.

I recently saw it climb up the Steam charts, with the latest figure topping 500K copies sold. That caught my eye. But more than raw popularity, I was intrigued by the idea of a game with a bit of Terraria, Stardew Valley, and Valheim in its DNA. Those are three beloved titans, and Core Keeper definitely isn't on that level, but?? the comparison kind of fits, alb?eit with an Early Access caveat to contend with. It's not finished �but it's really polished.

Core Keeper (PC)
Developer: Pugstorm
Publisher: Fireshine Games
Released: March 8, 2022 (Steam Early Access)
MSRP: $12.99

Even if we've seen these ideas before in other games, this is still the kind of meandering sandbox that I can enjoy losing myself in. You'll have goals in mind, sure �maybe you want to find a certain ore to craft a certain helmet with a certain perk b??efore facing a boss �but it can be just as easy to pick a direction, any direction, and start tunneling.

It's pitch dark, so you'll need to plop down some torches, keep an eye out for glimmering deposits to crack open, and consult your slowly materializing map?? from time to time.

Early on, I adored this simplicity, even as a solo player. It was ideal for a two-screen PC setup with YouTube or N??etflix playing on the side. Toward the end �and admittedly, in Early Access, there isn't really an "end" �I started to feel tapped out. My character's level-ups were too few and far between, the enemies and biomes beca?me overly familiar, and the trips back out to the edge of the world took too long even with a minecart.

But you know, I enjoyed those first 12 hours. I don't regret playing Core Keeper obsessively.

Like other unfinished or content-strained adventures, the early- to mid-g??ame portions are the highlight. It's best when you don't fully know what you might find in far-out caverns and the XP-based progression system still has that satisfying pace to keep you glued.

Core Keeper awards e??xperience points whenever you do a relevant action (which I?? love), so running around will eventually increase your movement speed, and slashing slimes and creepy crawlers will help bolster your melee might. There are skill trees to invest points in, and that goes for categories like smithing, crafting, gardening, and fishing, too.

You'll start by creating a character with one of several class specialties, though things will even out the more you play, so the choice doesn't carry as much weight as it initially seems to. For instance, I was a Gardener, wh??ich gave me a copper hoe and a watering can right off the bat. If I had known better, I probably would've preferred a wearable light source to complement my hand-held torch, but it is what it is. It all worked out.

A short intro sequence vaguely (but enticingly) introduces your ancient underground surroundings, and it's immediately clear that you'll need to grow some crops to fend off your appetite, build a base to craft battle-ready gear, and search for three boss creatures. The world has a semi-randomized layout, which lends itself well to Core Keeper's tunnel-carving ways. Somehow, punching out holes in the wall is my favorite part. Even though I should be over this gameplay loop? by now, it'?s oddly satisfying here. And it's relaxing.

For me, it all works as well as it does because of the nice audio-visual feedback with each swing, and the moody lighting. Again, Core Keeper is really dark when it wants to be, which is most of the time. But you'll also come across clearings �like a glowing flower-lit river, or a massive chewed-out tunnel that conveniently forms a perfect circle around the game's starting area �and the lighting-fuel?ed atmosphere hits that much harder.

Snaking my way from one clearing to the next was super fun, even if the actual controls (I mainly played on a gamepad) are so simple. If you're the type of player who revels in simplicity, this could be your crafting game. It doesn't get too bogged down with resources or recipes, and the farming/food situation is easy to handle. You also don't have to worry about nagging in-game days or schedules. And there are no NPCs to fret over yet (just a couple of merchants). The main draw is exploration �that's?? the strongest aspect so far.

The melee (and ranged) combat system is fast and hard-hitting, and it gets the job done; I don't really have any complaints. It's more enjoyable than swatting down bats and mummies in Stardew Valley, for sure. And the bosses, which you'll need to physically find (or locate using a scanner), are an adequate challenge. If you die �and you probably will, unless you play super cautiously and are buffed up with cooked meals �then it's just a matter of running back to grab your items off of your headstone. Depending on the circumstan?ces, though, these treks can be long and arduous. So it pays to come prepared.

The main issue right now in the Early Access build, and this goes for combat, base building, farming, and a few other facets, is that there isn't enough variety to sustain a complete-feeling experience. It's a great value at $13, but don't let it overstay, either. Just because you can automate rare scarlet ore mining with a drill, conveyor belt, and a robot arm, that doesn't mean yo??u strictly "need to." It can feel like progress for progress' sake.

Most of what's included feels pretty good �we just need Pugstorm to iterate a bit, balance here and there, and mainly focus on fleshing out the world more. I ended up clearing the three main bosses and then spending a lot of time tracking down the fourth. If you're in that position, honestly, don't push yourself too far. It starte?d to become a slog. There are boss re-summoning mechanics (for grinding), but the endgame isn't here yet.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIYcsYVxzPg

While I have exclusively played Core Keeper alone, one of its biggest selling points is co-op. There can be up to eight players in the online multiplayer mix, which I'd probably save for a later date. I don't necessarily think it's time to go all-in on Core Keeper yet. But if you've got a base-building group who's down to divide and conquer, tr??y it out. Just know that the fun will peter out, and it's best not to try and exhaust every crumb of content bef?ore 1.0.

I'm not convinced Core Keeper can match the quality and scope of ?its best-in-class inspirations, but it's already worth a look in Early Access, and if the rest of the pieces fall into place leading up to the full launch, it'll be fondly remembered. I'm stoked.

_{[This scoreless review is based on an Early Access build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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