A few days ago, Sony let God of War Ragnarök run free on Steam, nearly two years after its de?but on PlayStation 5. However, there's been a bit of contention regarding the publisher's insistence that players need a PSN account, even if they don't have the console version. Or even the console itself.

Still, trust the modding community to come to the rescue. As spotted by DSO Gaming, Nexus Mods user iArtorias released an unofficial tool for the game that allows PC users to boot up Ragnarök without having to sign up for a PlayS?tation Network account.

The modder says the download is a "tiny library that fully strips the PlayStation PC SDK runtime requirement," after some players encountered problems with the port of the game. They do make it clear that the mod ?is not intended to encourage? piracy, nor does it "touch or modify any original game code."

A quick look at the mod's history demonstrates that it may not be a guaranteed fix for everyone, or at least not a permanent one. A few comments raise issues around sudden curveballs to navigate from Sony, lik??e getting stuck on account linking threads, but iArtoriasUA has since patched th??e issue. Regardless, as future patches roll out, it's worth noting Sony may introduce or change requirements that could result in modded PC copies getting locked out.

Sony strikes again with its PSN demands

At the time of writing, God of War Ragnarök has a Steam review score of "mixed." Indeed, while a lot of people seem ple??ased with the game, there have been a few comments regarding Sony's PSN account requirement.

This is also not the first time Sony has come under fire for this tactic. Earlier this year, it was announced that those who wanted to play Helldivers 2 on PC would also need to connect up a PlayStation Network account. There was quite the backlash from the community, and Sony eventually backpedaled on the idea.

As for God of War Ragnarök, developer Santa Monica recently published Patch 2, with the update intending to fix some issues with Nvidia Frame Generation and Reflex, as well as tweaks to the UI. You can see the full patch notes here. The developer also recently announced that Ragnarök has been verified on Steam Deck.

Whether Sony will change its mind about PC players having to link to PSN remains to be seen at this stage, but we saw what happened with Helldivers 2. For now, you may have to use iArtorias' mod.

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God of War Ragnarok has finally been released on PC. If you??'re about to jump into the game for the first time, take a look ?at these settings for maximum frames per second and quality.

Before tweaking the graphics settings, be sure to check the minimum and recommended PC system requirements to run God of War Ragnarok at different resolutions, including 1440p ?and 4K.

God of War Ragnarok best PC settings for high FPS

For getting?? higher frames, you have to tone down the settings a bit, but the ones we have suggested below should stri?ke a balance without too much loss of quality.

Here are the best graphics and camera settings you can use for high FPS in God of War Ragnarok on PC:

Display

• Display Mode: Fullscreen
• VSync: Off
• Aspect Ratio: Auto
• Frame Rate Limit: Off
• Latency Reduction: Reflex Boost (for Nvidia GPUs)
• Frame Generation: Off

Scaling

• Method: DLSS
• Quality: DLAA

Quality

• Preset: Custom
• Textures: High
• Models: High
• Anisotropic Filter: Medium
• Lighting: Medium
• Shadows: Medium
• Reflections: Low
• Atmospherics: Medium
• Ambient Occlusion: Medium
• Tessellation: High

Graphics

• Screen Calibration: Personal preference
• Film Grain: 0
• Motion Blur: 0
• Reduced Flashing: On

Camera

• Invert Vertical Control: Off
• Invert Horizontal Control: Off
• Horizontal Rotation Speed: Personal Preference
• Vertical Rotation Speed: Personal Preference
• Aim Horizontal Sensitivity: Personal Preference
• Aim Vertical Sensitivity: Personal Preference
• Mouse HorizontalSpeed: Personal Preference
• Mouse Vertical Speed: Personal Preference
• Mouse Aim HorizontalSpeed: Personal Preference
• Mouse Aim VerticalSpeed: Personal Preference

Motion Reduction

• Ambient Camera Sway: 0
• Camera Shake: 0

God of War Ragnarok best PC settings for maximum quality

To get the maximum quality, you simply have to play the game at Ultra setting??s. On the contrary, you can keep V-Sync or mouse rotation and aim speeds according to your liking.

Display

• Display Mode: Fullscreen
• VSync: Off
• Aspect Ratio: Auto
• Frame Rate Limit: Off
• Latency Reduction: Reflex
• Frame Generation: Off

Scaling

• Method: DLSS
• Quality: Quality

Quality

• Preset: Custom
• Textures: Ultra
• Models: Ultra
• Anisotropic Filter: Ultra
• Lighting: Ultra
• Shadows: Ultra
• Reflections: Ultra
• Atmospherics: Ultra
• Ambient Occlusion: Ultra
• Tessellation: Ultra

Graphics

• Screen Calibration: Personal preference
• Film Grain: 0
• Motion Blur: 5
• Reduced Flashing: On

Camera

• Invert Vertical Control: Off
• Invert Horizontal Control: Off
• Horizontal Rotation Speed: Personal Preference
• Vertical Rotation Speed: Personal Preference
• Aim Horizontal Sensitivity: Personal Preference
• Aim Vertical Sensitivity: Personal Preference
• Mouse HorizontalSpeed: Personal Preference
• Mouse Vertical Speed: Personal Preference
• Mouse Aim HorizontalSpeed: Personal Preference
• Mouse Aim VerticalSpeed: Personal Preference

Motion Reduction

• Ambient Camera Sway: 0
• Camera Shake: 0

The post Best God of War Ragnarok PC settings appeared first on Destructoid.

God of War Ragnarok is an impressive graphical tour-de-force on PS5, and it will look even better on PC. Before you pull out that axe and run the game at its highest potential, however, you'll need the proper God of War Ragnarok PC system requirements.

God of War Ragnarok minimum PC specs

To get God of War Ragnarok running ?at 1080p (30 FPS) on Low?? settings, you'll need the following:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel i5-4670k or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6GB) or AMD RX 5500 XT (8GB) or Intel Arc A750
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190 GB available space (SSD required)

It's a hefty step up from the last game, which required a 4GB graphics card and recommended a 6GB one. The game also needs an additional 110GB from the prior entry and that's on an SSD. Hopefully, you'll have the rig to run this epic conclusion to Kratos and Atreus' story (marked as one of the best PS5 games).

God of War Ragnarok PC system requirements - Recommended

To pla??y the game at 1080p (60 FPS) with Medium settings, Sony Santa Monica and PlayStation recommend you have a rig like this:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 Super or AMD RX 5700 or Intel Arc A770
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190 GB available space (SSD required)

How to run the game at 1440p and 4K resolutions

The PlayStation Blog has kindly given us details on what PC specs we'll need to run the game in higher definitions at 60 frames per second. First, the God of War Ragnarok PC? system requirements to play the game at 1440p with High settings, you'?ll need the following:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel i7 7700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
• Memory: 16GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3070 or AMD RX 6800
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190GB available space (SSD required)

To get God of War Ragnarok to run on Performance with 4K at 60 ?frames per seco??nd on High settings, you'll require:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel i7-7700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
• Memory: 16GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti or AMD RX 6900 XT
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190GB available space (SSD required)

Lastly, if you want to experience God of War Ragnarok? with a titan-like PC set up at Ultra settings, 4K, and 60 FPS, you'll need t?his:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel i5-11600K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• Memory: 16GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti or AMD RX 7900 XT
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190GB available space (SSD required)

The PlayStation Blog alsoconfirms that all major graphics card manufacturer technologies will be supported with ??this release, including:

• Nvidia DLSS 3.7 
• AMD FSR 3.1 
• Intel XeSS 1.3 

God of War Ragnarok heads to Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 19. You can get ?the Risen S??now Armor and Tunic if you pre-order the game.

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Sony has collaborated with toy company Spin Master to bring a variety of new PlayStation figurines for gamers to collect. The new figurines are based on characters from Sony’s first-party titles such as God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Aloy and Varl action figures

Sony and Spin Master’s The Shapes Collection has introduced a figurine for Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West. The 6-inch figure has 42 points of articulation and comes with 12 different accessories including multiple face plates and alternative hands, so as to off??er customisation options for look and pose.

The Aloy figurine from the collection is priced at $49.99 on Amazon and is now available for pre-order. Spin Master will start shipping the Aloy figurine in? August.

Images for the Varl action figure have also ?been revealed, but? details on the features, pre-orders, and shipping dates are yet to be unveiled.

Kratos and Atreus action figures

The 6-inch Kratos action figure, based on the God of War Ragnarök game, has 31 points of articulation, and the accessories include Kratos' si??gnature weapons Blades of Chaos and ?the Leviathan Axe.

Alongside Kratos is also the option for a 6-inch Atreus figure. The Atreus figure has 33 points of articulation and the included accessories? include a bow, arrow, and alternative hands for different poses.

Kratos and Atreus act??ion figures from this collection will be available for pre-order in the US via Amazon fr??om July 15 onwards. The action figure will enter the shipping stage in September.

Jin Sakai action figure

The official Jin Sakai 6-inch action figure, based on Ghost of Tsushima, features 32 points of articulation. The accessories include Jin's katana, tanto, mempo mask, and an additional sword. The Jin Sakai figure will also be up for pre-orders in the US via Amazon on July 15, with shipping starting in September.

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The father-son duo Kratos and Atreus are back and better than ever in the upcoming God of War Ragnarok PC release, which will launch on Sept. 19, 2024.

At the PlayStation State of Play 2024 sh?owcase, it was revealed that the game's PC spec will harness the power of NVIDIA DLSS 3.7, AMD FSR 3.1, and Intel XESS 1.3. This cutting-edge technology, combined wi?th "unlocked frame rates" and "super ultrawide support," ensures an extraordinary gaming experience.

You can also play the Valhalla DLC, which will be a part of the PC release, to get more bang for your buck. In this story, you'll experience the journey of Kratos and Atreus as they explore the Nine Realms. The action-adventure game unravels the secrets within Ragnarok's profound lore, which i?s heavily tied ?to Greek mythology.

I've pleasantly enjoyed seeing the God of War franchise take off over the years. I remember the old PS2 days when Kratos was just a brute with a large weapon. Now, he's become a loving father to ?show off his more sentimental side. It's not something I quite expected, but it's welcomed, nonetheless.

Now that the God of War Ragnarok PC release is?? on its way, I'm curious to see when the next entry will debut. But for now, make sure?? to mark your calendars for its Sept. 19, 2024 debut.

The post God of War Ragnarok ?launching on PC this September appeared first on Destructoid.

Good news if you own God of War: Ragnarok; you're getting new content to play whether you like it or not. During the 2023 Game Awards show, a new DLC pack called Valhalla was announced?, and it comes with the hefty ?price tag of "free."

The trailer, as many video game trailers are, doesn't tell us a lot about the new content. We see Kratos on a boat, he spends a few seconds opening a door, and then some enemies get stabbed and slammed. After the trailer, Game Awards host Geoff Keighley called the pack "an adventure that blends God of War: Ragnarok's combat with el?ements inspir??ed by the roguelike genre."

Fortunately, the PlayStation Blog has some supplemental information to help us make sense of what Valhalla offers. This DLC will serve as an epilogue to Ragnarok's story, and that roguelike structure is what you'd expect. Death in Valhalla will bring you back to the area's entrance, but with defeat comes upgrades that change Kratos' abilities and affect V??alhalla itself. Of course, Valhalla itself will offer perks and power-ups that are only good for one run too. Pretty standard stuff,?? really!

Victory in Valhalla will unlock cosmetic rewards for Kratos. Additionally, you can choose from five different difficulty levels each run, with harder settings yielding greater rewards. If you feel so inclined, you can opt to play Valhalla right away without finishing Ragnarok itself. However, since the story serves as ??an epilogue to the main game, you may not want to go this ??route.

Speaking on the decision to make the DLC free, Keighley went on to say "the team at Santa Monica Studio are fans of their fans, and are offering this DLC, God of War: Ragnarok: Valhalla, as a gif?t to the community." Thanks Santa M??onica Studio! I guess we can all see what this DLC offers soon enough.

The post God of War: Ragnarok to receive free DLC Valhalla on?? December 12 appeared first on Destructoid.

With Kratos' vicious past, you wouldn't expect a God of War Ragnarok Lo-Fi video to surface. However, PlayStation and a few musicians, including Alex Moukala, ??have released such a thing, and it's relaxing AF.

Chilling out with Atreus

Atreus, in this video published Thursday, takes the place of the kid studying. As the chill music is playing, he's writing in his journal. The Lo-Fi beats in the background are from popular musician and composer Alex Moukala and Pokari.

"Earlier this year, Sony asked me to create some God of War: Ragnarok Lo-Fi remixes for them," Moukala on social media. "As a massive Bear McCreary fan I was overjoyed and simply couldn't say no!" The composer later said "the whole process made [him] appreciate God of War's soundtrack even more than [he] already did."

The three McCreary songs both Moukala and Polari remixed are: "Huldra Brothers," "Memories of Mother," and the God of War Ragnarök theme. They sound fantastic and are currently powering me through this news sto?ry. The animation is also expressive and slightly chang?es over the span of the 32-minute video. It was drawn and animated by Spud Gun Studios.

Moukala has been busy over the past few years. He's behind the soundtrack for the fan-based Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project and interviewed the Yakuza game composers on his YouTube channel. In the past, he's also turned the macabre Bloodborne music into a dazzling Mario Kart track.

God of War: Ragnarok ??celebrates its one-year anniversary this week. When it was first released, it received cri?tical praise across the board.

"God of War Ragnarok is a fantastic showcase of what this series has to offer, and a sterling example of how it still has life left in it," said our review. "While not everything lands with the sequel from a story perspective, the core of the original is ??preserved, with some new twi?sts and turns still to go."

The post Official God of War?? Ragnarok Lo-??Fi video lets us relax between slaying gods appeared first on Destructoid.

The best PS5 single-player stories and experiences

The best PS5 single-player games make the platform one of the greatest consoles to own today. With exclusives like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and God of War Ragnarok, there are many outstanding experiences on the beloved system. While it's sad that some double-A exclusives like Gravity Rush 2 and LittleBigPlanet 3 have fizzled from PlayStation's priority list, there?? are still grand single-player campaigns that will take your breath away. Here are 10 of t??????????????????????????he best PS5 single-player games you can check out.

Marvel’s Spider-Man series

[caption id="attachment_377150" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

If you're a big comic book fan or just like action games in general, you can't go wrong with Marvel's Spider-Man series from Insomniac Games. Web slinging feels the best it's ever been, evolving the system from the beloved Spider-Man 2 PS2 game and letting you do tricks in the air. Boss battles are immensely important and truly up the stakes of the storyline. Finally, this Marvel version of New York is so detailed as you're beating up foes across the stunning map with a glorious battle system. The follow-up based on Miles Morales is also stellar, perhaps outdoing the original game, with an elevated battle system and intense, drama-filled story. Now's a good time to get into the series as Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is getting a standalone release on PS5.

God of War series

[caption id="attachment_377151" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

If you love single-player games on PS5, you owe it to yourself to play the Norse God of War series. I personally found the PS2 and PS3 entries hard to get into. The action gets repetitive, ther?e are oddly placed puzzles, and the harsh overtones of Kratos' personality repelled me. However, this new reboot-quel with Kratos as a father is a game changer. The way Kra??tos evolves past his violent origins and grows as a person is refreshing. Both of these games act as a fantastic coming-of-age story for his son Atreus as well. The combat takes a slower, more methodical third-person approach. The axe feels satisfying to wield, and the powers Kratos attains over the course of the series make you feel strong. There are plenty of cinematic bosses that amaze you too.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

[caption id="attachment_377154" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart hosts some of the best PS5 graphics, bar none. Reviewers often say this series looks like a Pixar film for a good reason, and I agree. But it's not just a tour-de-force o?f graphics, however. This sci-fi game? features two engaging platforming heroes trying to save the multiverse from Dr. Nefarious and company. Most of the guns on offer pack a punch, like the Shatterbomb, while other weapons turn your enemies into cute objects like pixels with the Pixelizer. The storyline is also impactful and gets surprisingly emotional.

The Last of Us Part I

[caption id="attachment_377155" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

Talking about emotional stories, The Last of Us Part I will leave you weeping. This post-apocalyptic has you play as Joel, a father who lost their chi??ld, and connects with a girl named Ellie as they face the harsh zombie-filled environment. Yes, they're called the Infected (not zombies, per se), but what makes them unique is how they have to listen to the environment to know where you are. It gets creepy as you have to slowly work your way through dark hallways to succeed. Otherwise, they'll come rampaging toward you, and you need your wits to sh??oot them in the correct spots. What's even scarier, perhaps, are the people you meet along the way, and the storyline gets very heavy as Joel and Ellie try to keep themselves alive. It's one of the best PS5 single-player games because of how intense it gets. I haven't even gotten into the impressive graphics, either.

Elden Ring

[caption id="attachment_377156" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]

Elden Ring is a tough S.O.B., but the grind is well worth your time as you defeat tough bosses with a big smile on your face and scale across a dangerous fantasy landscape. I've personally never connected with a Souls game, but for some reason, Elden Ring grabbed me. The open world allows you to explore, challenge other bosses, and level up at your own speed. You can find mysterious areas naturally, get awesome loot, and then attempt to defeat a tough boss once more. That game loop is absolutely engrossing and far better than the linear Souls style as you finally?? have options. You're not stuck with one boss over and over and over again. The world-building is also a strength of the game, with gorgeous scenery and architecture to gaze at??.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

[caption id="attachment_377157" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Eidos Interactive[/caption]

I'll say it. This game is better than the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies. The characters are written so well and are different enough from the Hollywood versions. There's a fantastic character arc for Eidos Montreal's interpretation of Starlord, and you truly feel the connection between all of the members of the group. The script?? is also quite funny. The third-person shooting gameplay is thrilling as you're zooming around foes with your jet boots and instructing the squad on what to do. Bosses also feel like a big deal in this game.

Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade

[caption id="attachment_377162" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

If you need an RPG to play on your PS5, Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade is ready for you. With spectacular visuals, fast-paced yet strategic combat, and an engrossing storyline, this game will grab you from beginning to end. The music is also phenomenal. The Intergrade edition comes w?ith a chapter that introduces Yuffie into the mi??x that you can't play on the PS4.

Astro’s Playroom

[caption id="attachment_377165" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

Want a game that the kids (or your inner child) can play? Astro's Playroom is a wonderful pick. It fully uses the DualSense controller's functionality, such as the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, to make a memorable experience. The platforming is some of the best the PS5 has to offer, as well. Additionally, it references great moments in PlayStation's long history. The best part is that Astro's Playroom is free to download!

Resident Evil 4 Remake

[caption id="attachment_377167" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

This is an almost perfect horror game. Stunning graphics, a creepy environment, an epic story, tough bosses, and stellar third-person shooting gameplay. The puzzles are also a treat in Resident Evil 4 Remake. There's not much el??se to say other than pick this game up.

Horizon series

[caption id="attachment_377550" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

While the sequel, Forbidden West, covers familiar ground in terms of its gameplay, it's still a tour-de-force of graphics. The unique robot-filled post-apocalyptic setting is striking. You also have some stellar performances by Ashley Burch (Aloy) and the rest of the cast. The storyline is also intriguing as we learn bits and pieces about why our civilization failed many years ago. Horizon: Zero Dawn is an incredible open-world game as you upgrade your gear and defeat titanic robots along the way, strategically breaking their parts until they fall. Forbidden West is still impressive, but to me, fails t?o capture my inte??rest as much as the original.

Honorable Mentions

There are some other stand-out titles that didn't quite make the Best PS5 single-player games list. One of them that is likely mentioned in the comments is Ghost of Tsushima. It presents a gorgeous open world inspired by the Mongolian invasion era of Japan. However, it strikes me more as a PS4 game rather than a PS5-specific entry for this list. It has received a remaster with additional content set on Iki Island. Additionally, there's Returnal. It's gained a large fanbase since its release, but can arguably be considered a co-op game, following one of its post-game updates.

The post 10 of the ?best single player games you can play on a PS5 right now appeared first on Destructoid.

It's time for a new game (plus)

The New Game Plus update for God of War Ragnarok is live today, giving players a?? good reason to hop back in if they didn't get enough the first time around. It add?s a pretty decent amount of content for a new run too, from new armor to enchantments and more.

Today's PlayStation blog runs down the specifics, including the basics: this is NG+, so all your equipment, weapons, and skills will carry over from a previous save. This includes the Draupnir Spear, though it comes with a caveat. Sonic and Hex arrows will still require players to reach the point in the story where they become available. Also, areas requiring either the arrows or the S?pear to reach will not unlock until you've reached the main questline's point where they become available. Sorry, still some backtracking.

Kratos' new duds

There's plenty of new things to unlock in a New Game Plus run of God of War Ragnarok, though. The cloak from the o?pening scene has been added as part of the Armor of the Black Bear set, which comes pre-equipped in NG+ runs?.

Or if you want some challenge, you can strip down Kratos with the Spartan Armor, which confers no Perks, Stats, and is locked at Power Level 1. Or you can just transmog the look onto some good armor, to have the best of both worlds. The Ares and Zeus armor return from God of War (2018)'s New Game Plus as well, with new perks. Ar?es gives chances for Health Stones to drop on hit, while the Zeus armor turns Kratos into a glass cannon. The Spartan and Ares armor can be bought at the Huldra Brothers' Shop for Hacksilver, while Zeus Armor will require defeating Gná the Valkyrie Queen and finishing "certain" Remnants of Asgard in New Game Plus.

Additionally, 13 exi??sting armors are getting new color combinations and styles. A new shield, the?? Spartan Aspis shield, will also be at the brothers' shop.

A new cap

In New Game Plus, enemies will become more powerful. But hey, so will everyone's favorite video game father. All Level 9 equipment can be converted into Plus versions for more progression. Additionally, converting equipment will provide a Gilded Coin, w?ith which you can pick up one of the new Enchantments.

The Enchantments will let you mix and match e??ven more, customizing your playstyle and perks for the perfect loadout. Additionally, Burdens offer new challenges, for those who really want to feel the hurt.

Some new Progression Paths also open up?, for more ??stats and rewards.

The expanding arena

The arena in Niflheim is also growing, allowing you to pick either Kratos or Atreus to play as, and free selection of a bunch of companions. (I've omitted them because of spoilers, but you can check the PS Blog for the details.)

New arena fights are in, and even the end??game optional bos??ses are getting some new moves. Add on a new Black and White render mode, and there's a lot to find here in a second run of Kratos and Atreus' wacky, world-ending journey.

The New Game Plus update is out now for God of War Ragnarok.

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Ragnarok wins the most BAFTAs, but Vampire takes the top prize

The 2023 BAFTA Games Awards have concluded, and with a bit of a surprise to close out the night. God of War Ragnarok won the most awards at the show, but the BAFTA Best Game winner for 2023 was a different game entirely: Vampire Survivors.

Poncle's reverse bullet hell (bullet heaven?) game made a surprising impact early in 2022, and seeing it recognized by the BAFTAs is pretty cool. Vampire Survivors spawned a legion of imitators and became an instant Steam Deck hit, and it's nice to see the studio get some recognition for a stellar year, eve?n when up against some heavy-hitters.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HXNxWbRgsg

Those heavyweights still took home hardware, though. God of War Ragnarok received the most accolades of the night, including Performer in a Leading Role for Christopher Judge and Performer in a Supporting Role for Laya DeLeon Hayes. Elden Ring, meanwhile, tallied up two trophies, as did Tunic and Vampire Survivors.

Other winners include the haunting FMV story Immortality, the PlayStation graphical powerhouse Horizon Forbidden West, and a BAFTA Fe??llowship for Shuhei Yoshida, which recogni??zes an individual's outstanding and exceptional contribution to the medium. Here's the full run-down.

2023 BAFTA Games Awards winners

• Best Game: Vampire Survivors
• Game Design: Vampire Survivors
• Original Property: Elden Ring
• Multiplayer: Elden Ring
• Animation: God of War Ragnarok
• Audio Achievement: God of War Ragnarok
• Music: God of War Ragnarok
• Artistic Achievement: Tunic
• Debut Game: Tunic
• Narrative: Immortality
• Technical Achievement: Horizon Forbidden West
• Performer in a Leading Role: Christopher Judge (God of War Ragnarok)
• Performer in a Supporting Role: Laya DeLeon Hayes (God of War Ragnarok)
• British Game: Rollerdrome
• Evolving Game: Final Fantasy XIV
• Family: Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• Game Beyond Entertainment: Endling - Extinction is Forever
• BAFTA Fellowship: Shuhei Yoshida
• EE Game of the Year (public vote): God of War Ragnarok

The post Vampire Survivors takes home Best Game at 2023 BAFTA ??Games Awards appeared first on Destructoid.

Sony Santa Monica sequel leads award charge

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has released its nominee list for the 2023 iteration of its BAFTA Game Awards, which are scheduled to take place later this month �And Sony Santa Monica sequel God of War Ragnarok is leading the way, with a record-breakin??g 14 nominations.

The critically acclaimed, and multi-award-winning fantasy adventure is nominated in the majority of the year's categories, including Best Technical Achievement, N??arrative, Music, Multiplayer, Game Design, Artistic Achievement, and, of course, Best Game. Additionally, Christopher Judge is up for Performer in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Kratos, while Danielle Bisutti is nominated in the Performer in a Supporting Role category for her portrayal of the troubled witch, Freya. It seems h??ighly unlikely that the smash-seller will not walk away without a fistful of gongs �at the very least �come the big night.

Aside from the God of War Ragnarok nomination sweep, plenty of great releases from 2022 are also hoping to take home a coveted BAFTA award. Titles such as FromSoftware's Elden Ring, Guerilla Games' Horizon Forbidden West, Team Asobo's A Plague Tale: Requiem, and Annapurna Interactive's Stray have also all received nominations, alongside smaller-sized hits including Half Mermaid's FMV mystery Immortality, Finji's Tunic, Massive Monster's Cult of the Lamb, and Poncle's compelling mobile title Vampire Survivors.

The BAFTA ceremony will take place on March 30.

You can check out the full list of categories and nominations over on the official BAFTA website.

The post God of War R??agnarok has a record-breaking 14 BAFTA nomin??ations appeared first on Destructoid.

2022's titans keep taking home trophies

The curtain has fallen on the 2023 DICE Awards. And if you wer??e paying attention to all the end-of-year awards as they've rolled out, the outcome may not be too surprising.

The awards, hosted by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, had its membership base of over 30,000 industry members vote on the various categories. Elden Ring walked away with five of them, while God of War Ragnarok snatched seven.

It wasn't just their night, though. Other hits from 2022, including Tunic and Vampire Survivors, got some recognition. And Double Fine Productions' Tim Schafer was recognized for his contributions to the industry with the Hall of Fame award. If you want to learn more about that, I can't recommend the recently released PsychOdyssey documentary about the making of Psychonauts 2 enough.

Still, it looks like Elden Ring and Ragnarok remain the two big titans of 202??2, warring it out for the annual awards. We still have the annual Game Developers Choice Awards ahead of us, as part of GDC, to see if some other games can bring home some hardware.

Here's the full list of 2023 DICE Award winners.

2023 DICE Awards winners

Game of the Year: Elden Ring

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction: Elden Ring

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design: Elden Ring

Outstanding Achievement in Animation: God of War Ragnarök

Outstanding Achievement in Character: God of War Ragnarök - Kratos

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition: God of War Ragnarök

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design: God of War Ragnarök

Outstanding Achievement in Story: God of War Ragnarök

Outstanding Technical Achievement: Elden Ring

Action Game of the Year: Vampire Survivors

Adventure Game of the Year: God of War Ragnarök

Family Game of the Year: Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

Fighting Game of the Year: MultiVersus

Racing Game of the Year: Gran Turismo 7

Role-Playing Game of the Year: Elden Ring

Sports Game of the Year: OlliOlli World

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year: Dwarf Fortress

Online Game of the Year: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement: Red Matter 2

Immersive Reality Game of the Year: Red Matter 2

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game: Tunic

Mobile Game of the Year: Marvel Snap

The post El??den Ring and God of War Ragnarok win big at 2023 DICE Awards appeared first on Destructoid.

Officially fastest-selling first-party PlayStation Studios game

In a piece of news that was perhaps more than inevitable, Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that God of War Ragnarok has surpassed 11 million global sales since it?s initial launch just 12 weeks ago.

"We’re incredibly humbled that God of War Ragnarok has officially sold through 11 million copies!" sta??ted develo??per Sony Santa Monica proudly on Twitter. "None of this would be possible without the support of our fans, so thank you for coming? on this journey with us!"

PlayStation itself congratulated its subsidiary studio on Twitter. Having smashe?d through these numbers in just three months, Ragnarok is now officially the fastest-selling first-party PlayStation Studios title to date.

//twitter.com/Play?Station/status/1620874605211848705?s=20&t=F_l2aT5A7PVSHkZAEIz7aQ

Easily one of 2022's most anticipated releases, God of War Ragnarok is the follow-up to the dramatic and ambitious 2017 God of War "reboot". The sequel follows Kratos and ?his maturing son Atreus as the duo faces down the coming of Ragnarok �The cataclysmic event of Norse lore that is fated to bring death and destruction to the gods. Upon release, the sequel was praised by critics and fans for its suitably operatic storytelling, fantastic visuals, and compelling world of mythological Gods & Monsters.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms.

The post God?? of War R??agnarok smashes past 11 million global sales appeared first on Destructoid.

There's nothing wrong with a little guidance

It’s no secret that games are getting longer and bigger than they ever have been. “Hundreds of hours of content�is now a selling point for some of the biggest AAA titles, and as som??eone who’s already struggling to get through their backlog in a timely manner, huge, multi-week/month endeavors can sometimes be more overwhelming than they are exciting. Take God of War Ragnarok, for example. It’s not a game I really have the capacity to play right now, but my roommate, on the other hand, ju??st finished a playthrough.

We’ve both worked in the industry for a while, so gaming is something of a communal activity in our house. Our shared PS5 is in the living room, so it’s common that we’ll sit together to watch ??the other one play the game du jour. I was able to watch the majority of her playthrough, and I’m glad I did because that game is just so huge, I don’t think I’d have the energy to even make it through the first Realm as of now.

[caption id="attachment_359783" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Sony Santa Monica[/caption]

As a semi-completionist, my roomie was determined to sew up as many of the side quests as possible, but started getting frustrated by the sheer size of the map. Even when the game ?pointed her in a general direction, which isn’t always the case the begin with, she relayed that she was still struggling to find many of the collectibles or side objectives. Further, she said she didn’t want to have to spend extra hours of her playthrough finding o?ptional content because the game was already so long to begin with.

It reached a point w??here she finally threw up her hands and said something along the lines of, “I don’t care anymore, I’m looking up a guide.�I quickly felt the need to reassure her that doing so was just fine, everyone does it, which then prompted a discussion as to why we feel the need to justify ourselves in using these guides in the first place.

No matter the game, guide usage is always valid

When the map covers such a wide surface area, it becomes more and more of an investment �or time-sink �to keep looking for stuff as you go on. Especial??ly when it comes to areas like Ragnarok’s Svartalfheim, which already takes a great deal of time and effort to navigate and simply get to your intended destination, further pursuing anoth??er objective that’s not even important to the plot (which is most of the reason we were invested, anyway) isn’t always ideal. There are plenty of players out there who absolutely adore turning over every virtual rock and finding every last detail, but I think for most players, anything that extends the downtime too far between the game’s ac??tually interesting moments only hurts the experience in the long run.

That’s not to say I’m against the sheer existence of larger-scale open-world? games, but I think there? are some titles out there that strike a really nice middle ground, like Breath of the Wild. The 2017 entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise is already one of the best examples of the genre, but I think? the way it presents its optional con??tent like collectibles is especially compelling.

[caption id="attachment_359784" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Althou??gh no??where near the magnitude of maps in games like Horizon Forbidden West or God of War Ragnarok, the size of Breath of the Wild’s map isn’t insignificant. This is also helped by the fact that Hyrule is ?so chock full of sights to see and adventures to partake in that it feels bigger in comparison. Everything feels open and accessible, and yet the game has so many clever, hidden ways to encourage you toward the quests, i??tems, and encounters that other titles might point you toward by plonking down a waypoint and calling it a day.

Even with all of the great design ch?oices that I think make Breath of the Wild one of the most compelling open-world games of all time, I still looked up guides for that game all the freaking time. There were definitely a few shrine puzzles I got stuck on, and with my terrible sense of direction, there was no way I would ever make it out of the labyrinths without some extra help. I know for a fact that most of the players who got every single one of the game’s 900 Korok seeds didn’t ac??hieve that without peeking at some guides.

With a little help from my friends

Similarly, part of?? what can make such large games feel difficult is not just ho?w big the map physically is, but instead, the amount of depth and possibilities the player can encounter in the gameplay. Take a game like Dark Souls, for example. In discussing this same topic, a friend told me that years ago when he wanted to ??give a Soulsborne a try for the first ti?me, he felt paralyzed in the game’s opening hours because there was just so much he didn’t know or understand. 

There was a ton to learn about when it came to the gameplay loop, the items, and what the game expected from him. There were hordes upon hordes of enemies that requi??red him to painstakingly l?earn their attack patterns and weaknesses. Then there’s the sheer muscle memory of the controls and getting into the rhythm of combat, looting, etc. 

[caption id="attachment_359785" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via FromSoftware[/caption]

So what did my friend do? He ended up putting on a playthrough on YouTube and following along. He told me it felt like playing along with a friend, especially when it came to the player explaining? the strategies he was using and why, and sharing little ti??ps and tricks that could help anyone else get a hang of the genre. I always thought of Let’s Play videos as entertainment foremost �it never occurred to me that I could use them as a tool to help me break through those intimidating early hours. Maybe I’ll have to steal his strategy when I finally return to my save of The Witcher 3 that?’s been sitting with only five hours of playtime.

Video games are about fun, right?

My larger point here is that the bigger games get, the ?more willing I am to use a guide, or any other kind of assistance. For a long time, it felt to me like there was a narrative being passed around in the gaming community that using a game guide made you less of a gamer, or something �like it was a way of cheating both the game and yourself.

The mantra I keep repeating over and over again is that I think playing video games is foremost about having fun, so that means anyone should be able to play a game however they want without fear ??of judgment. As noble as it all sounds, I still have this internalized sense of disappointment with myself when I “give in�and look up the way forward when I get stuck, or the solution to a puzzle when I’m about ready to pull my hair out in frustration. I bet it’s just a matter of pride, seeing as I’m a younger woman who got into games later in life than most people; like somehow if I beat all these games the “right way,�I could finally earn my stripes as a Real Gamer. 

I’m slowly taking steps back into the world of more intensive game systems after a few years of focusing mostly on indie games �in spite of ongoing struggle and sheer exhaustion of fully entering adulthood for the first time, I’m finally putting some new energy into challenging myself to play the kinds of games that I’ve otherwise avoided. The irony in that challenge is that I’m allowing myself to look up?? more game guides. 

[caption id="attachment_357412" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Play how you want

The problem is that a lot of us �obviously myself included �look at guides more as a way of giving up, rather than a tool that we can use to help us enjoy one of our favorite hobbies. In the same way that the perception of not being a “real gamer�unless you beat a game on a harder difficulty has evolved to the point where many titles are including easier story modes and accessibility settings to cater to all kinds of players, the perception of using game guides?? has changed a lot, too.

I think this small moment in the?? midst of my roommate’s God of War Ragnarok playthrough stuck out to me most because it was a reminder that I don’t need to be hard on myself, especially when no one else really cares. Hell, no one even has a way of knowing if I played a game using guides. Just play what you want however you want, because? the people who are going to judge you for it are?n’t likely worth listening to in the first place.

The post I’m using game guides guilt-free from now on appeared first on Destructoid.

Horizon and Elden Ring are just behind Ragnarok in nominations

The nominees for the 26th annual DICE Awards are out, honoring everything the industry had to offer over the last year. From God of War Ragnarok to Elden Ring, there's som??e stiff competition for the top spot.

The DICE Awards, put on by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Scienc??es, will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23 as the end of week-long 2023 D.I.C.E. Summit. Academy members will be able to start voting today, Jan. 12, on which games will receive the big awards.

What's up for grabs at the DICE Awards? Categories include outstanding achievement in anima?tion, art direction, story, audio design, and more.? And there is of course, the top spot: Game of the Year.

The top contenders may not be a surprise, if you've been following the Game of the Year discussions, awards, and deliberations from 2022. God of War Ragnarok leads the nominees by placing in 12 categories, with Horizon Forbidden West at 8 nominations and Elden Ring coming in at 7 nominations. Dig a bit further down, though, and you'll find some other outstanding hits like Immortality, Tunic, and Vampire Survivors.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

I?t's a tough competition this year, but it should be fun seeing who takes home some hardware. Here's the full list of 2023 D.I.C.E. Awards nominees.

26th Annual DICE Awards nominees

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Moss: Book II

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ll
• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Stray
• The Callisto Protocol

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ll - Alejandro Vargas
• God of War Ragnarök - Atreus
• God of War Ragnarök - Kratos
• Horizon Forbidden West - Aloy
• Return to Monkey Island - Guybrush Threepwood

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Metal: Hellsinger
• Moss: Book II

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ll
• God of War Ragnarök
• Gotham Knights
• Somerville

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarök
• I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
• IMMORTALITY
• NORCO

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Teardown

Action Game of the Year

• Bayonetta 3
• Grounded
• Neon White
• Sifu
• Vampire Survivors

Adventure Game of the Year

• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• NORCO
• Stray
• TUNIC

Family Game of the Year

• Disney Dreamlight Valley
• Kirby's Dream Buffet
• Lost in Play
• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• Trombone Champ

Fighting Game of the Year

• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R
• MultiVersus
• Rumbleverse
• SpiderHeck
• THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV

Racing Game of the Year

• F1 22
• Gran Turismo 7
• Need for Speed Unbound

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Citizen Sleeper
• Elden Ring
• Weird West
• World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Sports Game of the Year

• EA SPORTS FIFA 23
• Mario Strikers: Battle League
• MLB The Show 22
• NBA 2k23
• OlliOlli World

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Dwarf Fortress
• IXION
• Marvel's Midnight Suns
• Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator
• Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• Among Us VR
• Cosmonious High
• Moss: Book II
• Red Matter 2
• The Last Clockwinder

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• Cosmonious High
• Moss: Book II
• Red Matter 2
• Tentacula
• The Last Clockwinder

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• IMMORTALITY
• Neon White
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
• TUNIC
• Vampire Survivors

Mobile Game of the Year

• Diablo Immortal
• Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
• IMMORTALITY
• MARVEL SNAP
• Poinpy

Online Game of the Year

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ll
• EA SPORTS FIFA 23
• FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker
• MARVEL SNAP
• Rumbleverse

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarök
• MARVEL SNAP
• TUNIC
• Vampire Survivors

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• IMMORTALITY
• TUNIC

Game of the Year

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarök
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Stray
• Vampire Survivors

The post God of War Ragnarok rakes in the ??nominations for 26th DICE Awards appeared first on Destructoid.

Why is everyone so loud?

Every December, I, like many others, take a look back at the biggest games of the year. Usually, I limit myself to the games that I actually liked, but this year, I dipped my toes into Horizon Forbidden West, a sequel that I don't care for to a game that I don't care for. I also watched a few YouTube videos of God of War Ragnarök. I was going to play it in full, but Horizon Forbidden West put me off of paying full price for sequels to games I dislike (and 2018's God of War left me pretty cold). I just wanted to get a feel for the year's big trends. What I discovered wa??s one major through??-line: distressingly talkative characters.

I am not the first to make this observation. Most people, Destructoid's Chris Carter included, liked Horizon Forbidden West more than I did, but it was critiqued for protagonist Aloy's constant internal monologue. Ragnarök's cast of overly-helpful companions got a shoutout in nearly every discussion of the ?game. Once I was aware of the Year of the Loud Game, though, I started noticing it everywhere.

It's all around us

[caption id="attachment_356215" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 carries the Xenoblade torch by having characters constantly yell their favorite quips at you; Gotham Knights, a game about being a quiet, brooding vigilante, brought back the Totally Natural Citizen Banter that has plagued superhero games for years. Both of these examples are games?? that would have been dramatically improved by just a little more peace and quiet, time to luxuriate in their evocative and interesting settings without hearing "You're on fire, Lanz!" But the trend didn't stop at new releases. N?o, even games that have been blessing our ears for decades saw the addition of full voice acting in 2022.

Both Live A Live and Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion brought great games to modern platforms in pleasant packages, but they also came with new voice acting. Both games are paced around their text-only dialogue, but neither remaster provides significant updates to their scripts to accommodate the newly talkative characters. They both feel awkward, as though voice acting was only included because the games needed more noise, and I spent much of my play time wishing the largely likable characters in both games would just shut up.

[caption id="attachment_356216" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

The??n, I got around to revisiting one of my favorite games of the year. And I was very rel??ieved.

Rise, Tarnished... but keep it down

Elden Ring has a lot going for it. It's got one of the best open worlds in the history of video games, its combat is the natural culmination of the last decade of FromSoftware games, and the ghost horse is very cool. The thing I appreciated most about revisiting Elden Ring, though, was its blessedly silent protagonist. The silent hero is a dying art, and Elden Ring resuscitated it at just the right time.

[caption id="attachment_356217" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]

The Tarnished in Elden Ring is not really a character. That's fine. 2022 had a lot of video game characters who were desperate to prove that they were characters, with a lot of personalit??y and pizzazz, and a lo?t to say. The Tarnished doesn't need the player to know who they are. You can project any story you like onto them, or you can choose not to project anything onto them at all. Crucially, you can choose to simply ignore them.

Most of the games I've talked about here have had really beautiful worlds with lovely music and sound design, all of which is totally drowned out by party members helpfully reminding you to attack the enemy. Elden Ring has no such party. There are speaking characters, but they're not too talkative, and you have to actively seek them out. Elden Ring is full of design decisions that encourage the player to appreciate the artistry of ??the world, the mechanics, the music. The game wa?nts you to experience everything, and its quiet star is central to that ethos.

The post In 2022,?? everyone was chattering except the Tarnish?ed appeared first on Destructoid.

Ragnarok will return

The latest God of War game has been out for a bit now, and players are likely finishing up and watching credits roll over the holidays. And if they wanted a reason to start it all over again, they'll have it later on in 2023 too. Sony Santa Monica confirms that New Game Plus is coming to God of War Ragnarok next spring.

"We know many of you have been asking, so we're happy to confirm that New Game Plus will be coming to God of War Ragnarok in Spring 2023!" the tweet reads. More details wi??ll be shared closer to the mode's actual release.

//twit??ter.com/SonySantaMonica/status/160597163060?9539073

No details have been given as to what the mode will officially entail. The 2018 reboot of God of War also got a New Game Plus mode down the line, so we can extrapolate a bit from that. The previous God of War's NG+ included a difficulty option, a handful of new armor sets and abilities, and some new attack patterns for enemies. It'll be interesting to see how much Ragnarok carries into its own New Game Plus, because the 2018 God of War's version is pretty hefty.

A new father-son adventure

On top of the New Game Plus mode, support has been rolling out steadily for God of War Ragnarok. Recently, Sony Santa Monica added a photo mode into the options. And early patches have hit a sizeable number of tweaks and fixes.

It's Sony's big game for the end of the year. But it's nice to see that Ragnarok will carry on into 2023, too. Hopefully fans get a little? extra fun out of the game when the New Game Plus rolls out.

The post Go?d of War Ragnarok will get New Game? Plus in spring 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Ranking the next generation of buttkickers

[Warning: This article contains end-game spoilers for multiple new titles. You have been warned!]

We're at the stage with a lot of modern action franchises where their original leads, (and their audiences), are old enough to be parents and grandparents. Their creators are often in the same boat, leading them to think a lot about how to pass their legacies off to the next generation. That's part of why we saw Ellie take the lead from Joel in The Last of Us Part II, Indiana Jones team up with his kid Mutt in The Crystal Skull (and maybe yet another kid in the upcoming Dial of Destiny?), Rick's daughter Judith become the co-lead of The Walking Dead in its last season, Dante hand-off leading man duties to newcomer Nero in Devil May Cry V, and so on.

These sorts of "passing the torch" milestones are a? natural part of life, even when those lives are purely fictional.

It's hard to say if and when these "passing the torch" moments will stick. We certainly haven't seen much from James Bond Jr. or Rodimus Prime in a while. But in 2022, there were more than a few games where the next generation o??f action hero took the lead in an effective way. Here are my top five for the year.

Remember, spoilers are present f??or almost ever??y game on this list!

#5: Gotham Knights

When playing a Batman game where you face off against supervillains, the challenge and excitement are baked into the premise. On the other hand, using the world's greatest detective and martial artist to fight a common human criminal can be a little anticlimactic. In order for a game to really make you feel like you are Batman, he's going to have to be overpowered, leading to initial thrills, but at the risk of longer-term malaise. There's no question at this point who would win in a fight between the dark knight and 5-10 random? goons.

By making Batgirl and all three generations of Robin the leads of Gotham Knights, the initial tension factor is immediately turned up a notch. And personally, I've always fou??nd it more impressive (if not a touch less realistic) to see a kid like Damien Wayne beat the crap out 10 musclebound henchmen at a time than to watch his Dad do the same thing.

Gotham Knights lets you do just that, and while the game is definitely better in theory than it is in practice, it's still worth a mention on this lis?t. Let's hope that the next time we see the caped crusaders' sidekicks take the lead they get to star in a title with a little more punch.

#4 No More Heroes 3

This one is a bit of a cheat, as the game originally released on Switch in 2021, but it didn't make it to PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox until this year, so it was new to a lot of people in 2022. It's also a game that will always feel new to me. It's so packed with eye-opening moments, at least for long-time fans. The beheadings, the sudden rap battle, the surprise Smash Bros. mode, and the list of curveballs the game throws at you is downright di??abolical.

And they saved the biggest twist for last. In the post-credits scene, Travis Touchdown's son Hunter and daughter Jeanne suddenly appear. They immediately slice up an alien God and announce that they've come from the future to recruit Travis and his grandson Scott to help them kill the past. It's a real cl?iffhanger! [End Spoilers]

It's also the right direction for the series to head down. In his first appearance in 2007, Travis Touchdown was a spot-on tribute/parody of a ce??rtain kind of vid??eogame enthusiast. Now 15 years later, it makes perfect sense for his descendants to be picking up where he left off, symbolizing today's modern V-tubers and Twitch streamers and whatnot.

It's such a fun idea that I would have ranked it #1 if it weren't for the fact that the No More Heroes series is on indef??inite hold, and there's no guarantee that a game costarring Travis's offspring will ever get made. Fingers crossed they'll at least show up in a badminton game someday.

#3 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

If we've learned anything from the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it's that people ultimately didn't really want to see the continuation of the Skywalker storyline. When Episode 9 revealed that Rey was the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine, effectively untwisting a plot twist from Episode 8, the fandom collectively groaned in uni?son, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in disappointment and were? suddenly disinterested.

Since then, almost all the most popular Star Wars content to be released has barely involved the Skywalkers. Grogu, the wildly popular "baby Yoda" who is actually not related to Yoda at all, is the perfect emblem of what people want from Star Wars today. They still want it to look and feel like old Star Wars, but only on the surface. Under th??e skin, they wa??nt the new leads of the franchise to be their own people.

Ironically enough, that's what the latest LEGO Star Wars game manages to pull off. With an expanded combat system and a more fully cohesive retelling of nine movies' worth of narrative, it's the perfect blueprint for what the future of LEGO Star Wars should look like. I'd al?so argue that the stories of the sequel trilogy work best here, as playing through them in the context of the other six movies, all wrapped together with a cohesive LEGO look, does a lot to make them feel like they belong together.

The option to pick up Gro??g??u as DLC doesn't hurt either.

#2 Bayonetta 3

The future of the Bayonetta series has never been less predictable, with a suddenly announced prequel set for release in a few months, and plans for a n?umbered sequel to the main franchise totally up in the air. That said, Platinum games has made it clear that they want to push the franchise's story forward, and when they do, they intend to have a new lead in the role of Bayonetta.

From the very start, Bayonetta 3 defies expectations around who exactly you'll be playing as. From the very start, we're given reason to believe that the old Bayonetta from the first game may be dead, and the one we play as for the bulk of the game is a more youthful,? pigtailed multiverse version of the character. Later on, it's strongly hinted that this new witch is actually the child Cereza that Bayonetta met via time travel in her first game. And if that weren't enough "passing of the torch" for you, this new Bayo is later dragged to hell, leaving Viola, her daughter from another multiverse, to take on the Bayonetta mantle.

This new potential star of the series is everything the original Bayonetta wasn't. Where "classic" Bayo is a graceful femme who frequently pole dances nude to Frank Sinatra songs, her replacement is a bumbling, butch punk rocker who's big on physical comedy and unrevealing plaid pants. She's actually a lot like Travis Touchdown from No More Heroes, which is probably a turn-off for some Bayo fans, but I personally can't wait to see her take the lead in Bayonetta 4 someday.

#1 God of War: Ragnarok

Full disclosure, I don't like these games at all, but I can still appreciate how masterfully they've established Kratos as one of gaming's best "anti-heroes-turned-grumble-Daddies" ??(Dadnti-heroes?) If you grew up with a grizzled, grumpy Pappa who lost his soul to trauma, a constant state of fight or flight, and life-crushing responsibilities, chances are modern Kratos will remind you at least a little of your?? own Father.

But to be a real successful sire to an offspring, you have to let your kid become the star of their own story. With God of War: Ragnarok, Kratos finally does just that, allowing his son Atreus to be fully playable (at times). Much of the game's story also cent??ers around the boy. The thrust of the whole adventure comes from the revelation that Kratos's son is actually the shape-changing Norse God Loki. That's a lot of responsibility for a home-schooled teen, and the choices between staying true to his Dad and finding his place in the greater Norse mythology brings consistent relatable tension to the father-son dynamic. [End Spoilers].

It's been prophesized for a long time that Kratos will eventually kick the bucket, though his enduring popularity would make that a tough pill to swallow for both GoW fans and franchise owners, who are both enjoying a record level of popularity for the series. That said, if and when Kratos does finally breathe his last baritone, bearded breath, God of War: Ragnarok has ?shown us that there are plenty of places for the series to go without him.

The post The Top 5 “Passing the Torch” action games of 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

Can you even buy a PS5 yet?

2022 has been a pretty action-packed year for Sony's premier gaming brand. And while arguably the first year that saw its two-year-old platform, PlayStation 5, accelerate its sales past the 25 million mark, the past 12 m?onths have still seen a wide variety of new releases squeezed onto its best-selling predecessor, PS4, hardware that simply refuses to go gently into that good night.

Even visual stunners such as Guerrilla Games' Horizon Forbidden West and Sony Santa Monica's God of War Ragnarok were causing the PS4's modest CPU to sweat away, ensuring that the full transiti??on to the ninth generation remains mired in a ??strange limbo. It's a good situation for the players, as the PS4 has an incredible install base of over 100 million users. But, as someone who previously worked retail for many generations, I can't remember a gaming generation that took this long to become mainline.

Still, there were some PS5-only releases, many of which boasted incredible visuals, dazzling effects, and very welcome high-speed load times. All in, it's a pretty good time to be a PlayStation owner. Many new titles are still compatible with PS4, while its bigger brother spearheads the charge into the next half-decade of gaming... Even if the physical console itself is still far, far too large for anybody's TV stand.

Here are the nominees for Destructoid's Best PlayStation Game of 2022:

• Cult of The Lamb
• Elden Ring
• God of War: Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Sifu
• Stranger in Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
• Stray

The post Nominees for Destructoid’s Best PlayStation Game of 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

And I say give it to him

David Harbour is one of my favorite actors right now. He was one of my favorite characters in Stranger Things, and after seeing him in his new Christmas-y comedy action flick Violent Night this past weekend, he cemented his place as one of my favorite actors working today, period. He can do it all -- drama, comedy, and most importantly, the surrogate father trope that been so hot in games the past console generation. Based on his serious nerd cred alone, I'm surprised Harbour's only games credit will be an upcoming horror game along with Jodie Comer, star of the spy thriller series Killing Eve.

There's a chance that all might change, however, because in an interview with Video Games FN, David Harbour shared another game series he dreams of working on: God of War. “I really like what those guys in the God of War universe are doing with my buddy Richard Schiff as Odin," he said. "They sort of mess around with that genre too, and they're always surprising in terms of these gods and they wind up becoming--Thor is a big old jerk and Odin being this kind of older intellectual. I'd be interested in possibly doing some of that.�/p>

Well Mr. Harbour, we would also be interested in you doing some of that. After a series of action-packed roles, he's proved he'd be a perfect fit in both stature and demeanor. Now I'm not advocating for any form on nepotism, but if Richard Schiff is already a friend on the inside, he might be able to get Harbour an audition, at the very least, for any new roles that might arise in the next God of War game.

Seeing as God of War Ragnarok just came out a few weeks ago, we don't have so much as an announcement that another GoW game is in the works, but I'd bet m??y money plans have already been lined up for some time now. Now if they can only get David Harbour involved, I might finally be persuaded to? give the series a second try...

The post Stranger Things’ David Harbour wants a role in the next God of War game appeared first on Destructoid.

Father-son picture day kicks off

God of War Ragnarok is making it easier to snap those perfect shots today. Photo mode arrives in God of War Ragnarok today, as part of a major update to the title.

The v3.00 update adds photo mode, which was confirmed to be a post-launch addition ahead of Ragnarok's release. Today's update adds? the option to open photo mode by pressing the Square button while inside the options menu.

The Sony Santa Monica team runs down the options in a new PlayStation blog, showing how God of War Ragnarok's photo mode will allow for captures in most places. Whether it's overlooking a beautiful vista or in the middle of absolutely annihilating an ancient creature of myth, the?re is time to snap some pictures.

Features include expressions for main characters in various different scenes. I won't list them out here in case you're still playing, as some are a bit of a surprise. But you will have some expression control over chunks of God of War Ragnarok's core cast.

There are also standard options like hiding characters, adjusting field of view or focal length, shutter controls, and filters with controls fo??r fine adjustments.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

Take a picture

Photo modes have become a prominent feature in games over the last generation or so, as consoles have made saving and uploading in-game screenshots easy??. For big Sony games, they've often been pretty solid offerings too.

God of War Ragnarok is, from what I've seen, a gorgeous game with a variety of locales to explore. Basically, it seems like good fodder for photo-snapping. And if you've already bought and beat it, now you've got an excuse to trek back over the Nine Realms all over again. The update is live today for all God of War Ragnarok owners.

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No need to tack on some more tales just yet

Ragnarok has come and gone for the God of War series. And it sounds like Sony Santa Monica Studio is letting the latest Kratos and Atreus adventure stand alone for now, as God of War Ragnarok DLC seems unlikely.

In a spoilercast about God of War Ragnarok over at Kinda Funny Games (thanks for the spot, Eurogamer), director Eric Williams guested to discuss his game. At one point, he's asked about whether DLC is on the way for God of War Ragnarok.

"I don't know man, that?? game is big," said Williams. "I thi?nk we put everything we had into it, so I wouldn't count on it."

While there are updates in store for God of War Ragnarok, adding features like the photo mode, the stance on significant additions isn't too surprising. God of War (2018) didn't receive any extra DLC.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfJ4Km46A-0

Patience, boy

I haven't rolled credits on Ragnarok yet myself, but my understanding is that it's a fairly conclusive story. The sequel is the conclusion to the Norse duology that Sony Santa Monica Studio has created, so I'd be surprised to see any lingering thre??ads addressed? in a DLC update.

Ragnarok is doing well in sales and reception too. And apparently Santa Monica Studio has other things on their plate to take care of, moving forward.

What could those projects be? Well, in the Kinda Funny spoilercast, Williams does mention he'd love to make a Castlevania game. It'd be a sight to see if that ??collab?oration ever does work out.

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5.1 million sales in launch week

While everybody, from developer to media to players, was expecting Sony Santa Monica's epic sequel God of War Ragnarok to light up the cash registers with the fury of Helios, perhaps nobody was quite expecting it to immediately become the fastest-selling launch in PlayStation's entire history, as decreed by the industry giant itself.

Over the course of its debut week, God of War Ragnarok shifted a staggering 5.1 million combined physical and digital copies, not only breaking launch records for the long-running mythological franchise, but also beating launch records for every single first-party game in Pla?yStation history, dating right back to the brand's debut in 1994. That's a meaty feat.

God of War Ragnarok is available now? on PlayStation platforms.  And it seems folks are into it.

//twitter.com/PlayStation/status/1595432230750674945?s=20&t=qSazuZ38JJ6L0vC??uhO6bzg

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This year's Best Narrative nominees have fans buzzing

It's that time of year again -- the Game Awards nominations are finally out. As expected, the year's biggest AAA titles like God of War Ragnarok, Elden Ring, and Horizon Forbidden West dominate in a lot of the major categories, and while it's not controvers??ial to assume that one of those is going to take home the grand prize of Game of t??he Year, it's the Best Narrative nominations that are stirring up the Discourse this time around.

The full list of Best Narrative nominees includes Ragnarok, Elden Ring, Forbidden West, A Plague Tale: Requiem, and Immortality. It's a reasonable-yet-predictable list, but regardless, fans are up in arms about Elden Ring and God of War in particular. There are a lot of different takes going on here, so I'll do my best to try ??and break it down.

Bring on the discourse

A lot of FromSoft fans are really excited to see Elden Ring getting praise for its nonlinear, worldbuilding-focused storytelling. Many are citing that they're used to only seeing games that are very on-rails and cutscene heavy in the Best Narrative category, so they're glad to see some variety in the category for once. I also get the impression that a ?lot of the long-time Soulsborne fans see this as vindication for FromSoft's narrative design as a whole, because while their games have become increasingly known for the quality of their lore, this would be the first time it's being acknowledged on a l?arge scale.

//twitter.com/TheAndyCortez/status/1592340614594??????????????????????????859008

Naturally, we have the reverse side, where many gamers are upset that Elden Ring was nominated for Best Narrative because its storyline -- at least in a traditional sense -- is so sparse within the experience of the game itself. There's an argument floating around that if you need YouTube lore dump videos to understand the story, then maybe that's not the best representation of th??e storytelling potential o??f the medium.

Then there's God of War Ragnarok, the least surprising nominee for the Best Narrative category I might have ever seen. The two sides of this debate harken back to the same two sides of the narrative game debate we have every year, like some kind of age-old blood feud: either linear, cinematic games have merit as game stories, or they don't. Some see Ragnarok as a clear example of how far video game storytelling has come, while others see it as another mindless series of cutscenes without any s??ort of narrative innovation.

//twitter.com/MarioPrime/status/15?9220153??3483286528

Snubs, snubs everywhere

Most of the conversation is consists of gamers giving their hot takes on the two biggest nominees in the category,?? but I'm honestly more concerned with the Best Narrative nominees, or more specifically, the titles that were overlooked despite being some of the best story-driven experiences of the year.

The fact that The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition isn't mentioned at all is honestly criminal. The original version of the game came out in 2013, and it's still cited as one of the best narrative games ever created. It was way ahead of its time as a biting, thoughtful commentary on games, games as art, and art in general. The Ultra Deluxe Edition was just as good -- I ended up giving it a 10 in my review, and it really did feel like the next evolution of The Stanley Parable's pitch perfect ??satire of the games industry, brought forward into 2022.

NORCO, a southern gothic point-and-click adventure set in the lowlands of Louisiana, was easily one of my favorite games of the year. It's a surreal, gorgeous romp based in tons of real-life research, and I genuinely can't think of another game I've played that captures the same vibe. NORCO did get a shout-out from the Game Awards as a Best Indie?? Debut nominee, but I thought for sure it was going to be a contender for Best Narrati?ve as well.

Stray is another title that's gotten lots of love both from fans and at the Awards this year, but I think it deserved a spot in Best Narrative, too. Sure, it's a cute little game where you play as a cat and make friends with robots, but I think it's also one of the most hopeful? and sweet stories about the end of the wo?rld that I've seen in a long ???time -- and I love apocalypse fiction.

Signalis' absence from the Best Narrative category -- or any category at the Game Awards, really -- is the most heinous to me this year. It has some truly creepy, compelling worldbuilding, and uses everything from its visuals/environments, sound design, and gameplay systems to make that story all the more effective. Horror games are usually a tough pill for me to swallow, but when it came to Signalis, I absolutely did not want to put it down.

There are plenty of others that were equally as deserving of a nomination as well, I hear, that I just haven't gotten around to playing yet, like Pentiment, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Citizen Sleeper.

What does "Best Narrative" really mean, anyway?

As some have pointed out, it's hard to discern what "Best Narrative" is really supposed to entail in the first place. With categories like Best Art Design or Best Performance, it's pretty clear what they're awarding, even though those disciplines take just as much hard work and expertise to perfect. The thing about storytelling in games is that it can be implemented in a million different, equally valid ways, so its harder to have a baseline of comparis??on sometimes.

It's not really clear whether the award is supposed to be commending the game's story itself in terms of the quality of the narrative that is? being told in the first place, or commending how that story is part of the game through its narrative design and innovations in storytelling-focused game mechanics. Stories are already so subjective to begin with, having what makes a good interactive narrative be a moving target only muddles the consensus even more.

//t?witter.com/TylerGlaiel/status/1592252249203695617

We don't take the Game Awards seriously, but we also do

Regardless of the criteria, I'm of the mind that most of the categories at the Game Awards specifically are going to be dominated by the shiniest-looking AAA release of the year anyway. I feel like the Game Awards sit in this weird paradoxical space every year. No one really takes it seriously because one, it's ??a meme, but two, the nominations and winners often don't feel like a true reflection of which titles were deserving of recognition. At the same time, it's one of the biggest gaming events of the year somehow, because I guess Geoff Keighley had enough cash and star-powered friends to throw at it that it seems to have the most legitimacy of any other game awards show? It's bizarre if you ask me.

The current system is a mix of fan and industry votes, and the nominations are made by a "voting jury of over 100 video game media and influencer outlet???s." I guess it would make sense that the most-played games of the year would make the list over some that might be more deserving just by sheer numbers alone, but if you ask me, the whole thing could be revised to better reflect players' true feelings. I have no idea how that might be done, but I'm?? sure someone out there who's smarter than me could easily figure it out.

You like what you like

It feels like a messy situation on pretty much every front, because if there's one thing I know for certain about gamers, it's that we can never se?em to agree on anything. I frankly never took the Game Awards all that seriously to begin with, but it's hard to deny their hold on the industry. I think for now I'll just stick to my usual plan -- watch the Game Awards out of morbid curiosity, and look to other institutions to hear about the best games of the year, like the BAFTAs, DICE Awards, or GDC Awards, for example, or even just some of the online gaming publications that I know and trust.

It's easy to fall into the trap of taking awards too ??seriously, either as validation or insult, but it's important to remind myself every so often that my enjoyment of a game is not defined by what anyone else has to say about it except? for me.

The post What’s up with the Game Awards’ Best Narrative category? appeared first on Destructoid.

Ragnarok and roll on to the next one

Sony's Santa Monica Studios may have a few projects under its wing at the moment. In a new interview, Santa Monica Studios' Cory?? Barlog say?s the studio is currently spread out across a lot of different things.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Barlog says Sony Santa Monica Studio is currently "spread out on a lot of different things." The director declines to specify what those are. But as the LA Times points out, there were rumors of a sci-fi project at the studio that was cancelled. Sony Santa Monica has also helped publish games in the past, like Journey.

Santa Monica Studio just launched God of War Ragnarok. the follow-up to the 2018 God of War reboot. And as Ragnarok director Eric Williams puts it, being the God of War studio isn't a bad thing.

“I remember talking to someone from another game company, where they were trying to get me to leave," Williams told the LA Times. "They said, 'Do you just want to be known as the God of War guy for the rest of your life?' That was your big pitch to dissuade me? Because yes, I kind of do.�/p>

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

Ancient myths and new legends

Considering the studio just wrapped one big game, expecting something new right away wouldn't make much sense. The studio ha?s yet to announce its next project, but that's kind of like asking someone who just finished a marathon about tomorrow's run.

Meanwhile, studio has been clear that Ragnarok is the end of the Norse saga for Kratos and crew. Whatever's next seems like it'll be a new step forward in some? way.

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Here are your candidates for the Keighleys

It's that time of year again. The snow is starting to fall, as fall turns to winter, and The Game Awards are just around the corner. Today, The Game Awards revealed its 2022 n??ominees.

The awards ceremony itself will take place on December 8 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA. There will be industry members and a ticket-purchasing audience in ???attendance, for a night of trophies and world premieres.

This year's nominees are led by God of War Ragnarok with 10 total nominations, followed by Elden Ring at 7. It's not all titans though, as some indie projects got some nods too. Immortality and Neon White both picked up three nominations apiece.

Debut Indie Game and Games For Impact have some solid entries too, like Vampire Survivors and Citizen Sleeper. A certain gaming content creator was also recognized, as recently-retired news aggregator Nibellion (a.k.??a. Nibel) got a nomination for Content Creator of the Year.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRmtd9PS-gE

Without furt?her ado, here's the full lineup for this year's nominees for The Game Awards 2022.

Game of the Year

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Stray
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Game Direction

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Immortality
• Stray

Best Performance

• Ashly Burch (Horizon Forbidden West)
• Charlotte McBurney (A Plague Tale: Requiem)
• Christopher Judge (God of War Ragnarok)
• Manon Gage (Immortality)
• Sunny Suljic (God of War Ragnarok)

Best Multiplayer

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• MultiVersus
• Overwatch 2
• Splatoon 3
• TMNT: Shredder's Revenge

Best Ongoing Game

• Apex Legends
• Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
• Fortnite
• Genshin Impact

Best Art Direciton

• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Scorn
• Stray

Best Score

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Metal Hellsinger
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Audio Design

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Gran Turismo 7
• Horizon Forbidden West

Innovation in Accessibility

• As Dusk Falls
• God of War Ragnarok
• Return to Monkey Island
• The Last of Us Part 1
• The Quarry

Best Narrative

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Elden Ring
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Immortality

Games For Impact

• A Memoir Blue
• As Dusk Falls
• Citizen Sleeper
• Endling - Extinction is Forever
• Hindsight
• I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

Best Independent Game

• Cult of the Lamb
• Neon White
• Sifu
• Stray
• Tunic

Best Mobile Game

• Apex Legends Mobile
• Diablo Immortal
• Genshin Impact
• Marvel Snap
• Tower of Fantasy

Best Community Support

• Apex Legends
• Destiny 2
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• No Man's Sky

Best Debut Indie Game

• Neon White
• NORCO
• Stray
• Tunic
• Vampire Survivors

Best VR/AR Game

• After the Fall
• Among Us VR
• Bonelab
• Moss: Book II
• Red Matter 2

Content Creator of the Year

• Karl Jacobs
• Ludwig
• Nibellion
• Nobru
• QTCinderella

Best Action Game

• Bayonetta 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
• Neon White
• Sifu
• TMNT: Shredder's Revenge

Best Action/Adventure Game

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• God of War Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Stray
• Tunic

Best RPG

• Elden Ring
• Live a Live
• Pokemon Legends: Arceus
• Triangle Strategy
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Best Fighting Game

• DNF Duel
• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R
• The King of Fighters XV
• MultiVersus
• Sifu

Most Anticipated Game

• Final Fantasy XVI
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Resident Evil 4
• Starfield
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Best Adaptation

• Arcane: League of Legends
• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
• The Cuphead Show!
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Uncharted

Best Family Game

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• Nintendo Switch Sports
• Splatoon 3

Best Sim/Strategy Game

• Dune: Spice Wars
• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• Total War: Warhammer III
• Two Point Campus
• Victoria 3

Best Sports/Racing Game

• F1 22
• FIFA 23
• NBA 2K23
• Gran Turismo 7
• OlliOlli World

Best Esports Game

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Dota 2
• League of Legends
• Rocket League
• Valorant

Best Esports Athlete

• Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon
• Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok
• Finn "karrigan" Andersen
• Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev
• Jacob "Yay" Whiteaker

Best Esports Team

• DarkZero Esports
• FaZe Clan
• Gen.G
• LA Thieves
• LOUD

Best Esports Coach

• Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi
• Matheus "nzkA" Tarasconi
• Erik "d00mbr0s" Sandgren
• Robert "RobbaN" Dahlström
• Go "Score" Dong-bin

Best Esports Event

• Evo 2022
• 2022 League of Legends Worlds
• PGL Major Antwerp 2022
• The 2022 Mid-Season Invitational
• Valorant Champions 2022

The post The Game Awards 2022 nominees include Ragnarok, Elden Ring, an??d Nibel appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh Boy

Sony Santa Monica's long-anticipated release God of War Ragnarok finally hit shelves last week, and has already smashed all previous day-one sales in the long-running fantasy series �?In fact, the first 24 hours of sales saw Ragnarok shift more copies than its 2018 predecessor achieved in its first week of release.

"God of War Ragnarok will debut at No.1 [in the UK Charts] and is the first cross-gen title in the series," said Gfk's Dorian Bloch in comments made to GamesIndustry.biz. "Day 1 physical sales were already greater than any other full-week launch sales for other titles in this franchise." Bloch also notes that 55% of PS5 hardware sales this past week consisted of God of War Ragnarok bundles.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

Launching on PS4 and PS5 on November 9, God of War Ragnarok sees a world-weary Kratos, accompanied by his fast-mat?uring son Atreus, embark upon another brutal odyssey across Scandinavia, preparing them?selves for the coming of Ragnarok, the foretold event that will bring death to Gods and devastation to the land.

While some critics and fans have criticized the new sequel for its length and some frustrating "hand-holding" NPC dialogue, Ragnarok has received mass praise across the board for its spectacular visuals, compellin?g characters, engaging combat, and operatic approach to storytelling. Clearly more than worth the wait, Kratos and Atreus' latest head-chopping jaunt is clearly in contention for many critics and players' Game of the Year award, and is already set to be?? one of 2022's best-selling releases.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms.

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Prepare for the coming of the God eaters

Today sees the long-anticipated arrival of one of the biggest sequel's in gaming history, as Sony Santa Monica's magnum opus, God of War Ragnarok, launches on PlayStation platforms �And while Fathers and Boys everywhere will be eager to stand up against the coming wave of armageddon, the developer has suggested that you take a moment or two to download the sequel's day one patch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wr0DfV73E

The God of War Ragnarok V2 patch features over 100 tweaks and fixes, relating to the epic title's UI, combat, controls, visual elements, dialogue, accessibility options, menus, and much, much more. There are also specific stability fixes for both PS4 and PS5. You can check out the huge list of fixes via the official patch notes, though be warned th??at SSM suggests that the tweaks fe??ature minor spoilers pertaining to abilities, creatures, and questlines. The update should download as soon as you install the game.

God of War Ragnarok is the follow-up to the stellar 2018 release, God of War. The new title follows the continued adventures of an aging Kratos and his ?brave but somewhat inexperienced son, Atreus, as they face the coming of Ragnarok �the fabled event said to bring death and destruction to a number of gods and figures of power, while bringing chaos to the world and its climate. Quite what role our heroes will play in this event, and how it ties into the lives of their allies and enemies... Well, we'll have to just play the game to find out.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms. Check out Chris Carter's review right here.

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Games are for everyone

Between graphics, overall game design, and storytelling techniques, games have come a long way over the past few years, but the most impressive improvements have come from the new accessibility settings that developers are including in their games -- like God of War, for example. Never before have we seen such close attention to detail in making the interactive medium more readily available to anyone who wants to play, and Santa Monica Studio is helping to blaze the trail with the release of God of War Ragnarok. 

The developers posted an exhaustive blog on the PlayStation website that goes through every possible accessibility setting in God of War Ragnarok, and it's pretty cool to see in my opinion. There are sections in the menu for Vision, Hearing, and Motor Accessibility, as well as Motion Reduction, and the rest of the main menu features well-known settings like Aim Assist, Navigation Assist, and Auto Pick Up, among many others. Honestly, if you can imagine a setting that might make the game more m??anageable, it's probably there, because they really thought of everything with those ??70+ settings.

Santa Monica Studio isn't the only company under the Sony umbrella that is dedicated to making their games accessible. While advancements in accessible gaming have been on the rise for years (the Xbox Adaptive Controller is a great example of this), Naughty Dog's release of The Last of Us Part II was a significant milestone for a AAA studio taking their seemingly endless budget and resources and also putting them towards making the accessibility settings as in-depth and customizable as possible. Part II was lauded for its acc??essibility, and it's awesome to see other studios following suit??.

Settings as detailed as these may seem excessive to some, but each one means someone who otherwise wouldn't be able to play the game at all, or at least have a miserable time with it, will be able to experience the game with all of the joy?? and enthusiasm they deserve. There's a lot that I'm disillusioned with right now in the games industry, but our improvement in accessibility is not one of them.

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My boy was just like me

I typically start off some AAA sequel reviews waxing poetic about how "there isn't much to say that wasn't already said" about an original. But in the case of 2018's God of War, there really is!

It's fascinating that the team kept the original continuity, but drastically changed the formula, and let Kratos grow as a character and a father. The pointed focus on the relationship between Kratos and Atreus helped make the 2018 iteration intimate and relatable. The sequel, God of War Ragnarok, mostly rolls with that premise, but it als??o tries to juggle a ton of extra cast members as it weaves in more stories.

God of War Ragnarok (PS4, PS5 [reviewed])
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Publisher: Sony
Released: November 9, 2022
MSRP: $69.99 (PS5) / $59.99 (PS4)

For me, God of War really snuck up on me. I mean, we knew about it! Sony sounded their marketing trumpets from the mountaintop for this game. But playing it in isolation as a huge classic God of War fan (particularly God of War 2), I was shocked to see the direction that the team had taken with it: making Kratos a husband and a father, st??ruggling with his violent past. I was invested in the universe out of the gate, and there's more than enough good will there to entice me to try a sequel.

Ragnarok continues the adventures of Kratos and Atreus (who is playable at points, complete with his own mini-loadout and skill trees), who are prepping for the titular potentially world-ending event, directly following the conclusion of God of War 2018. Even though y?ou'll miss some emotional resonance and some relationship/dialogue nuances, there is a God of War recap that you can watch from the start.

Kicking off with a low key hutting expedition, Ragnarok doesn't really waste much time. If I could describe the pacing of the story as a whole, it would be moments of urgency bundled with periods of calm. There's a ton of walking and talking and exposition, whic??h is kind of required given the larger scope and universe-sensitive s?takes. You're still traveling between realms this time, and it quickly becomes a road movie.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIQGI36BxDE

Kratos is already a tad more fatherly, but still cold with room to grow. Atreus is older and more capable, but still compassionate, and a direct opposite of his dad in some ways, while still being a chip off the old block. Mimir (the talking head companion you rescued in the first game) is also in the mix, and is as entertaining and loud-mouthed as ever. Some of the most intriguing bits of Ragnarok are found in the arcs dealing with Kratos a?nd Atreus: either together or apart. There's some backstory that the team held from the 2018 edition spliced in, amid all of the new stuff happening.

Combat, a big reason why people gravitate toward this franchise in the first place, is mostly the same: which works for me. There's a dodge, parry and block system on the defensive side, which can be plussed-up through various means like skill trees, to create even more engaging timing sequences. You'll mostly be using your [Lev??iathan] axe and blades [of Chaos], with a third main weapon that I won't spoil here.

One of the big upgrades for the first two weapon types in particular though is the ice and fire synergy. The icy axe and fiery blades can be charged up with the Triangle button, to imbue elemental powers in them and open up more attacks. Like several other action games before it (including DmC? even), you can chip off shields of the opposite type? on some enemy types.

At first, I was worried that the team would go overboard with this system, and have the entire game based around the "opposites" approach. Thankfully that's not the case, and you don't even?? really need to use all of the tools in your toolkit to be successful. There's so?? many options to approach any given fight, and you can tech into certain playstyles with skill tree and gear changes.

Combat is st??ill really punchy, and can often feel like a dance. I never really got tired of throwing an axe into one enemy to freeze it, then turning to beat up another one, then recalling the axe to finish them off. Although a lot has changed about this series combat is still brutal; with some vicious takedowns (triggered by R3 after an enemy is nearly dead) on full display. While I'm not going to spoil any boss fights, a select few are cemented among my favorites in the seri??es (including a callback to the Narcis Prince archetype).

Like the first game, sidequests are often directly tied to the story and the cast, usually after you acclimate to a new zone: without overdoing it and adding a ton of annoying pins to each disconnected sandbox. The main quest is roughly 20 hours (a little more with exploration), and all the sidequests, the leveling/gear syst??em, and a few extras after completion will p??otentially double that number.

Mechanically, it's easy to tweak things to your liking too, to assist on that long ride. There's tons of accessibility presets, including vision, hearing, motion, ??and motor toggles: on top of five difficulties (the last of which (Give Me God of War) can't be reselected if you drop down. There's options for a variety of experiences, and it's one of the most accessibl?e games ever made.

Of course, a soft reset is kind of hand-waved away through fleeting mentions of stuff like the extreme winter "wearing down" some of Kratos' powers, and the fact that Kratos "used" all of the armor provided to him from the blacksmiths Brok and Sindri (who return in the sequel as companions and helpers,? albeit with a bit more depth).

The father and son dynamic is still an emotional throughline, with Mimir sometimes acting as the reasonable impartial uncle. It's still hilarious to see Kratos as the straight act to goofier or lighter fare, and there's some really funny dialogue this time around that leans into that angle. The new additions are fantastic for the most part, as Ryan Hurst is incredible as a tortured Thor, and Richard Schiff really gets?? to spread his wings as the complicated Odin.

And don't forget the banter! There's so much dialogue and lore to take in it's insane at times. It can even reach the cusp of becoming exhausting, as a minor walk to a quest could end up becoming a crucial lore dump. Everyone who found themselves poring over t??his new universe will be stoked.

Before too long though, we get a ton of characters thrown at us, some of which leave a more lasting impact than others. At times, especially mid-to-late game, I felt like this could have actually been a trilogy all on its own, with a little more time to linger on some of the events and moments therein. That same sense of overstaying a welcome can extend to the enemy types in Ragnarok: some of which are plucked from the original game, which the sam??e basic strategic concepts.

It can lead to more downtime, which may or may not gel with how you interact with a God of War game. I appreciated the streamlined and constant growth of Kratos and Atreus' relationship in the first game, but the sequel has a lot of moving? parts, and I didn't connect with all of its cast.

God of War Ragnarok is a fantastic showcase of? what this series has to offer, and a sterling example of how it still has life left in it. While not everything lands with the sequel from a story perspective, the core of the original is preserved, with some new twists and turns still to go. I'm fully on board with whatever Sony Santa Monica comes up wi?th next.

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