The Steam Deck has been something of a revelation for PC gaming. This powerful ?device allows you to play your PC games on a portable screen, allowing for an experience more akin to something like the Nintendo Switch.

This is all well and good, but some PC games ?require the pinpoint precision of mouse-and-keyboard input. That's why we're taking a look at the 15 best Steam Deck games, so you know which titles are worth playing on your portable PC device. All of the following games are marked "Steam Deck Verified," meaning you can guarantee a solid experience with these selections.

15. Phasmophobia

Hunting ghosts with friends, what could be more fun? Despite still technically being in Early Access, Phasmophobia is arguably the best game in its genre. You're placed on a map, which can be as small a??s a suburban house or as ?large as an entire prison, haunted by a ghost.

There are 24 different ghost types, each offering up three types of evidence to help you and your friends decipher what they are. You find this evidence using various types of ghost-hunting equipment, from spirit boxes to EMF readers. It's not entirely that simple, as these ghosts will drain your sanity before hunting and killing you. Phasmophobia is a blast, an??d we recommend playing with friends.

14. Diablo 4

Blizzard's long-awaited follow-up in its iconic ARPG series was worth the wait. Diablo 4 follows the same general gameplay loop as previous iterations, defeating ??powerful enemies throughout dungeons while collecting hordes of loot to upgrade your build.

While technically an RPG, Diablo 4's quests and storyline play second fiddle to the game's unique brand of chaotic action. There's nothing quite like melting swarms of demons while finding a rare item that takes the havoc up a notch. Some might recommend a mouse and keyboard for Diablo 4, but you can def?initely do just fine on a S??team Deck.

13. Balatro

Balatro isn't your standard card game. There's almost too much complexity to sum up in a few sentences, but the gist of it is this: it's a roguelike deck-builder where you must score points by playing poker hands against blinds. W??ith these points, you can upgrade your deck and buy joker cards, which affect the game in various ways. It's absurdly addictive and puts an impressive spin on a classic card game.

Given the nature of Balatro's controls, it really doesn't matter whether you play on a regular PC or on a Steam Deck. It plays very well on Valve's portable devices, so if you're looking for a more laid-back Balatro, Steam Deck is the way to go.

12. Portal 2

Portal 2 might be well over a decade old at this point, but it can still kick it with any modern release on the market. With sharp humor, challenging puzzles, and an endlessly replayable co-op mode, Portal 2 remains one of the best video games ever made.

Valve gets so much mileage out of one simple concept: you ?have a portal gun that you can use to open portals around the game world. You must use these portals to solve puzzles throughout each level, most of which are physics-based. Luckily, these puzzles don't require pinpoint mouse precision, which is why this is perfect for chilled-out Steam Deck play.

11. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had its troubles upon its 2020 release, disappointing almost everyone. In the years since, CD Projekt Red has remained committed to making it the best game it can be via countless patches and the sublime 2023 expansion, Phantom Liberty.

At long last, Cyberpunk 2077 is (almost) everything it was hyped up to be, and it runs great on the Steam Deck. With engaging characters, powerful RPG choices, and the staggeringly beautiful open world of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 is a game you can really sink your teeth into nowa??days.

10. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

If The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth isn't the best roguelike ever, then I don't know what is. Straight from the brain of Super Meat Boy developer Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth sees you fight through procedu?rally-generated dungeons against some of the most terrifyingly-designed monsters you'll ever see in a video game.

As you progress, you collect items on each floor. This contributes to your build, but not every item complements one another. This means you're constantly making important choices about what?? to pick up and what to leave behind. Each run is permadeath, resetting you right to the start if you die while progressing through the floors. Because of the randomized floors and items, it might be one of the most replayable games ever made.

9. Dave the Diver

How many games do you know that can blend the action-adventure and restaurant simulator genres seamlessly? There's not many, let me tell you that much. Dave the Diver is one such title, and it's undoubte??dly one of the best games on the S??team Deck.

Dave the Diver is split into two gameplay ?sections. During the day, you dive into the sea, collecting ingredients from the ocean floor while fighting sealife with your harpoon gun. Later in the evening, you use these ingredients to run a sushi restaurant, improving its reputation through good food and service. All of this is complemented by a gorgeous pixel art style, resulting in a game unlike anything you'll have played before.

8. Resident Evil 4

2023's Resident Evil 4 m?ight be the best remake in the series to date, and that's a high bar to clear. The g??ame sees the return of Leon Kennedy, who is tasked with rescuing the president's daughter, Ashley. You're faced with hordes of the undead throughout your adventure, which tops the 2005 original in just about every way.

Its graphics? Stunning. Its controls? Modern. The story? It has a tighter pacing this time around. And that's before we even get to the atmosphere, which is the real star of the show in the Resident Evil 4 ?remake. It's absolutely dripping with tension, which carries over even on the small screen of the Steam Deck.

7. Skyrim

13 years after its launch, and there's still nothing that quite evokes the same feelings as Skyrim. It's a classic RPG in every sense of the word, with one of the most detailed open? worlds you'll ever explore, even after all this time. Interesting questlines and memorable characters are the tip of the iceberg in Bethesda's magnum opus.

On PC, Skyrim modding takes things to another level. Nexus Mods has almost 100,000 mods to download for the game, so the question is: can you mod Skyrim on Steam Deck? Yes! It's a bit more hassle, but it's certainly possible, meaning you can bring Skyrim up to modern standards on your handheld device.

6. RimWorld

Ludeon Studios' RimWorld is a far deeper game than it seems on the surface. At first glance, it appears to be just another construction and management simulator. Simply put, it isn't. RimWorld gives you numerous starting scenarios, where you must attempt to survive and escape from a procedurally gener??ated planet.

To make every playthrough unique, it employs the use of an AI storyteller, which can make decisions on the fly to affect proceedings. You can choose from various storytellers, each of which will change its behavior based on various parameters. Want something intense? Go with Randy Random. Want a more traditional narrative? Cassandra Classic will make that happen. The third is Phoebe Chillax, which offers a more laid-back experience. It's this storyteller feature alone that elevates RimWorld above every other game in the genre.

5. God of War

2018's God of War finally arrived on PC i??n 2022, breaking Santa Monica Studio's masterpiece free from its PS4 restraints. The game tells a powerful story between Kratos and his young son, Atreus, and ?their journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye, at the highest peak in Jötunheim.

Its hack-and-slash gameplay is similar to previous God of War games, yet the combat still manages to feel distinctly modern. That's an achievement in itself. Just everything, from the impeccable score from Bear McCreary to the awesome world design, comes together as a full package to make God of War one of the best Steam Deck games.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

How will CD Projekt Red ever top The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? The culmination of an epic trilogy, this title is an extraordinary RPG, with impactful choices to be made even in the smallest of moments. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features some of the most well-written side-quests you'll ever see, as well as two fantastic expansions in Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.

For a 2015 release, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds up extremely well from both a visual and gameplay perspectiv??e. The combat still feels very fluid, which is why it remains one of the best Steam Deck games you can play after almost a decade.

3. Stardew Valley

There's a reason life-simulation fans are still returning to Stardew Valley almost nine years after its release. Concer?nedApe's game strips the formula back to basics but does everything it attempts just about perfectly.

There's farming, fishing, building, mining, socializing, romancing, and even combat - it's a pretty simple life in Stardew Valley. If you enjoy life-simulators, there's a good chance you've already played this game. If you haven't, there's a good chance Stardew Valley will convert you to the genre.

2. Elden Ring

Elden Ring is not for the impatient gamers out there. This open-world RPG by FromSoftware will test the limits of your patience, punishing you with sweet, sweet death over and over again. It's a classic Souls-like, defined by nigh-impossible bosses and frustratingly infrequent checkpoints, but with a bigger scale than anything the studio has ever attempted before. The satisfaction from victory in Elden Ring will have you jumping for joy.

Given that many would recommend Elden Ring with a controller anyway, I feel safe saying the game works great with the Steam Deck joysti??cks. Go forth and explore the Lands Between from the comfort of your own couch.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Top spot was only ever going to Baldur's Gate 3. Larian's 2023 CRPG is an instant classic. With deep customization, fun combat, brilliant companions, and a gripping narrative, Baldur's Gate 3 is a game we'll all be playing for many years to come.?? I could wax further lyrical about its epic world, engaging quests, and a staggering level of freedom, but I reckon you get the picture.

Baldur's Gate 3 feels made for the Steam Deck in many ways. The turn-based combat l??ends itself well to the joystick controls, and the slow-paced gameplay in ??general makes it perfect for kicking back on the couch and playing at your own pace.

The post 15 Best Steam Deck Games appeared first on Destructoid.

God Of War Ragnarok's PC port followed Sony's largely disliked strategy of requiring players to already have or create a PSN account to link to Steam in order to run. Luckily, we just learned from VGC modder iArtorias came to the rescue by creating a mod called NoPSSDK. It adds a smal??l library that strips the game of its unnecessary PSN requirement.

Sony's strategy could, on paper, make sense for multiplayer games. Still, this measure proved disastrous as it caused Helldivers 2 to lose a devastating amount of players who lived in areas not covered by the PSN's reach. Sony ended up reverting that decision, but a lot of damage had already been done to the confidence we all had in Sony. Concord might have sadly been doomed from the sta?rt, but it also had this feature whose innate cumbersomeness certainly didn't help it gain any favor among PC-only players.

This is an especially strange move since we're talking about a single-player experience. Ghost Of Tsushima, the other big PlayStation title recently released on PC, didn't feature this requirement and did just fine. At a time when even EA is starting to let its upcoming big releases roam free on Steam, Sony should totally be taking the hint.

The mod has only been out for a few hours,?? but it has already been downloaded over two thousand times, in case you're wonder?ing how much everyone dislikes this feature.

You can now play God Of War Ragnarok on PlayStation 5, and on PC via Steam, and you can download iArtorias' quality of life improvement mod right here at Nexusmods.

The post God of War Ragnarok mod ??fixes the dumb PSN requirement from PC version appeared first on Destructoid.

A few days ago, Sony let God of War Ragnarök run free on Steam, nearly two years after its deb?ut 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 PlayStation Network acc?ount.

The modder says the download is a "tiny librar?y that fully strips the PlayStation PC SDK runtime requirement," afte??r 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, like getting stuck on account linking threads, but iArtoriasUA has since patched the issue. Regardless, as future patches roll out, it's worth noting Sony may introduce or change require??ments 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 pleased with the game, there have been a few?? comments regarding S??ony'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.

The post God of War Ragnarök mod removes Sony’s PlayStation Network requirement appeared first on Destructoid.

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 quali??ty.

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 1??440p 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 strike a balance without too much loss of qual??ity.

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 settings. On the c??ontrary, 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.

The presence of acclaimed exclusives is something every ?single PlayStation —no matter if they are home consoles or portables�has had in common since the heydays of the ??PS1. But which among the brand's current catalog can be considered the best?

For all looking for certain hi??ts, here are the 10 best games that are to this day only officially available on either PlayStation consoles ?or services.

10. Infamous 2

• Release Date: June 7, 2011
• Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
• Where to play: PlayStation 3. Can also be streamed on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via the PlayStation Plus
• View buying options

A direct sequel to the 2009 hit, Infamous 2 continues the story of bike messenger turned superhuman Cole MacGrath,?? as he must prepare for his fateful encounter against the entity only known as The Be??ast.

A title that screams the early 2010s for all of the right reasons, Infamous 2 wears its comic book inspirations proudly. The game also fea??tures significant upgrades in visuals when compared to the previous title, all while maintaining both its signature choice-based narrative style and high ?degree of freedom when in combat or traversing.

9. God of War III (God of War III Remastered)

• Release Date: July 17, 2015 (Remastered) / Originally released on PS3 on March 16, 2010
• Developer: Santa Monica Studio
• Where to play: PS3 (Original) / PS4 and PS5. Also available for streaming on PC via the PlayStation Plus App (Remastered)
• View buying options

The most brutal entry in the original God of War trilogy, God of War 3 brings to players exactly what one? would expect from it, as Kratos hacks and slashes his way through Olympus in ?search of the objects of his revenge.

I consider God of War 3 to be a must-pick for those only knowle??dgeable about the Norse saga, as seeing Kratos completely submersed in his rage?? helps segment how much the character grew. As an extra, the game features both the definitive version of the Greek saga's combat and some of the most jaw-dropping boss fights in gaming.

8. Vagrant Story

• Release Date: February 10, 2000 (PS1)
• Developer: Square Enix (Square)
• Where to play: PS1, PlayStation 2, PS3, and PlayStation Vita.
• View buying options

A PlayStation 1 classic long overdue for at least a remaster, Vagrant Story follows Riskbearer Ashley Riot ?in his quest to find the cult leader Sydney Losstarot. Little does he know that the mission will lead to revelations regarding both the kingdom he swore to protect and himself.

A dungeon crawler at heart, Vagrant Story pairs the known excellence of Final Fantasy Tactics and XII's writer Yasumi Matsuno with an unforgiving combat system and ?a deep weapon and equipment crafting mechani??c. Keep in mind, however, that mastering the latter will demand a lot of commitment.

7. God of War II (God of War II HD)

• Release Date: March 13, 2007 (PS2) / November 17, 2009 (PS3 via the God of War Collection)
• Developer: Santa Monica Studio
• Where to play: PS2, PS3, and PS4/PS5 (via the PlayStation Plus Premium Classics Catalog). Also available for streaming on PC via the PlayStation Plus App
• View buying options

If God of War can be seen as the tale of Kratos' ascendance, God of War 2 t??ells the tale of his ??downfall, as the Ghost of Sparta must ally himself with unexpected forces and search for the powers of the mythical Sisters of Fate to get his revenge on Olympus.

Even if its narrative can be seen as bland (a feat shared by most of the main installments in the Greek saga), GoW 2 refines the formula introduced by the first game and increases its sc??ope to a larger array of mythos. Just make sure to bring a spare controller, as t??he game requires a merciless amount of button mashing.

6. Final Fantasy XVI

• Release Date: June 22, 2023
• Developer: Square Enix
• Where to play: PS5
• View buying options

The latest numbered entry in the Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy XVI puts players in the role of Clive Rosfield, the firstborn of the Duke of Rosa?ria, who embarks on a quest for revenge against the Eikon responsible for the death ??of his brother.

Developed by the core team responsible for the revitalization and success of Final Fantasy XIV, FFXVI brings ?to the table a new spin to the franchise through a more mature tone and an action-focused approach to combat. Even if novel in many ways, the title is seen by many as both a celebration of the franchise's history and a return to form.

5. Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)

• Release Date: February 6, 2018
• Developer: Bluepoint Games
• Where to play: PS4 and PS5. Also available for streaming on PC via the PlayStation Plus App
• View buying options

A faithful remake of one of the most celebrated and influential games in history, Shadow of the Colossus (PS4) retells the tale of Wander, a boy who travels to the Forbidde?n Lands in the hopes of br?inging a young girl back to life.

Although the original is dear to many given its feel and how its mechanics and concept influenced hundreds of releases, I decided to go with the remake as it succeeds in ??bringing the experience to a new generation while also keeping its soul intact and respectfully improving many of it's shortcomings.

4. Demon's Souls (PS5)

• Release Date: November 12, 2020
• Developer: Bluepoint Games
• Where to play: PS5. Also available for streaming on PC via the PlayStation Plus App
• View buying options

In Demon's Souls, we take on the role of The Slayer o?f Demons after they arrive in Boletaria, a once prosperous kingdom that was immersed in an endless fog following its king's deal with? the entity only known as the Old One.

Released as a launch title for the PS5, Bluepoint Games' remake of FromSoftware's epic manages to flawlessly translate it to a new graphical engine, which resulted in what I consider to be the best-looking Souls game to date. Although its core gameplay might feel barebones for those used to the enhancements made by Elden Ring, Demon's Souls is the de??finitive version of the title that starte??d it all.

3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

• Release Date: June 12, 2008
• Developer: Kojima Productions
• Where to play: PlayStation 3
• View buying options

The final chronological chapter in the main Metal Gear Solid series, Guns of the Patriots, tells the final chapter of Snake's saga, which many consider the best game in one of the most acclaimed gaming franchises. The reasons for that? Its solid gameplay, cinematic but just as impactful narrative, and how its graphics still stand tall to this day. The latter is even more impressive if we consider how the game debuted in th??e early years of the PS3.

Unfortunately, since its departure from the PlayStation Now catalog (now featured as part of the Premium tier of the PS Plus), only those who own a PS3 can play it. To see our impressions of the game on release, don't forget to check out our Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Pa??triots revi??ew.

2. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

• Release Date: February 29, 2024
• Developer: Square Enix
• Where to play: PS5
• View buying options

For many —myself included�the favorite for the title of Game of the Year 2024, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues Cloud's story and presents across-the-board refinements compared to its predec??essor. The latter is seen above all in its facial animati??ons, broader take on combat, and massive open world.

By directly tackling some of the core and more delicate themes of the FF7 story while also expanding it through connections to the ever-growing compilation, FF7 Rebirth does justice to the source material and? pairs it up with tens of hours of new cont??ent.

1. Bloodborne

• Release Date: March 24, 2014
• Developer: FromSoftware
• Where to play: PS4 and PS5. Also available for streaming on PC via the PlayStation Plus App
• View buying options

Bloodborne mixes FromSoftware's high-quality storytelling with a gothic feel and a more dynamic and high-risk approach to combat. That is then paired with a heavy dose o?f Lovecraftian insp?iration, which makes the game feel unlike any of its siblings.

The only bad thing one?? can th??ink of saying about the game is related to how it is not possible to play it officially at a stable frame rate. That is also the main reason players continue to ask for either a native PS5 port or for an official PC debut.

The post The 10 best PlayStation-exclusive games to ?play right now appeared first on Destructoid.

While the PlayStation 3 had undeniable jewels such as Demon's Souls, Infamous, and Dark Souls, it's hard to compare the console to its older sibling, the masterful PlayStation 2. The PS2 was home to a library of classics we still can't seem to stop remastering or porting, and while the PS3 certainly delivered later in its life, it wasn't until the PlayStation 4 that we saw a more consistent life cycle ?of irrefutable classics.

The PS4 marked the return of the?? PlayStation in full forc?e and, with it, one of the best video game catalogs in the history of Sony's systems. If you're a little late to the party, or just want to make sure you've hit the highlights, I've got a list rolling covering some of the best PS4 games you should play.

10. Horizon Zero Dawn

I remember audibly gasping when I read that Horizon: Zero Dawn was coming out in the same week that Nintendo released The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. I thought there was no? way in hell that Guerrilla's new IP stood a chance against Nintendo's Zelda-driven behemoth. I was very wrong and on more than one front.

Horizon: Zero Dawn became PlayStation's �not just the PS4's �highest-selling first-party title ever. It currently sits at over 24 million units sold, just seven million shy of BOTW's numbers. Not bad fo??r a new IP. Even more importantly, it more than turned out to deserve the hype as it expertly mixes tight combat mechanics, exploration, movement, and astonishing visuals.

9. Ghost Of Tsushima

I imagine the pitch for Ghost Of Tsushima was just someone saying, "50% of the team voted for Samurai, and 50% voted for Ninja, so let's just do both.", as that alone would've had me sold. This game is a miracle. Making a GTA-s?cale game about the path of the Samurai must be quite the undertaking already, so making one that also included satisfying, fluid inspirations from Ninja seems imposs??ible.

Luckily, Ghost Of Tsushima ended up the closest we'll likely ever get to Red Dead Redemption 2 with blades, bows, and Ninja secrecy. It's a masterful game that lets players approach all sorts of scenarios in whichever way ?they choose, and the only guarantee? is that they will never forget their experience.

7. Spider-Man

It was back in '04 that Spider-Man 2, the game about the movie, would inexplicably rock my world. It was the first to implement "realistic" web-sl?inging and swinging mechanics. No lon??ger being able to stick your webs to clouds made a world of difference for me, and I'm not alone in remembering it fondly.

Lightning only struck again nearly 15 years later, when Marvel's Spider-Man outdid my favorite superhero game of all time. The new Spider-Man essentially learned all the lessons from the classic, built upon them, and even added a bunch of new stuff ?to create one of the best superhero games ever made.

*If you, like me, aren't too keen on the weird infatuation Peter Parker has with the police in this game, then consider just playing Miles Morales or Spider-Man 2 on the PS5 �or the original Spider-Man 2 on the PS2.

5. God Of War

After a stellar trilogy and a few possibly canonical games that also ruled, the Norse Mythology-inspired God Of War sequel had some dangerously big shoes to fill. GOW was a mix of many things. There was the more personal father-and-kid dynamic from The Last Of Us, the Dark Souls-inspired combat, and the over-the-shoulder perspective from Resident Evil 4, but it pulled them all off like a total pro.

Though not original in itself, it's a unique mix of many element??s that just work, and that naturally resulted in one of the most solid games of its era.

6. Death Stranding

I'll be the first to admit that Death Stranding let me down big time when I first played it. The plot varies from overcomplicated to nonsensical, and a lot of the actors feel like they're just there because Kojima really like?s their beautiful Hollywood faces, There's also the more action-oriented gameplay mechanics feelin??g almost forced in to appease anyone longing for gunplay.

Outside of that, however, Death Stranding has the guts to ask players to beco??me errand kids and actually pul?ls it off by making the movement fun, the challenges dreadfully comical, and providing a vast, open world for introspection and mystery.

Death Stranding is a game like no other, the rare experience where you see that someone's authorial vision, wacky as it might be, take center stage. Though I maintain that Death Stranding went overboard on many as?pects, I believe it's better to h?ave high-budget games taking similar risks than not.

5. Persona 5

Sadly, the PS4 felt a bit lacking in terms of Japanese RPGs, but Persona 5 is so good that it nearly filled that void by itself. Don't get me wrong. We also got FFVII Remake, which masterfully played with its formula, but P5 was a marvelous trifecta of old, new, and great.

Though it features a combat style similar to what we'd previously seen in many times before in many other RPGs, Persona 5 never fails to tinker with the classic formulas to come up with top res??ults, even for this already usually stellar series. The cast of characters and soundtrack are also legendary, but that should come as no surprise.

4. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

I considered Uncharted 4 for this spot, but, back in its day, this was the true next-gen Uncharted experience. Uncharted 4 looked better than anything before it, but it was, essentially, just another Uncharted game?? �one? filled with unnecessary changes to its established canon, even.

Lost Legacy gave us a fresh new start with two beloved characters in a now wide-open world for players to explore. Though I'll never stop loving the other entries in the franchise, it'll be hard to go back after Lost Legacy.

3. P.T.

P.T. isn't a retail release, but it's only version of the project, so the demo counts. Even if it weren't, I'd probably still try to come up with a reason to put it on this list, as it's simply one of the best horror experiences of all time—not limited to ??just the PS4. It was also one of the most bizarre, surprising reveals in the video games industry, with its 2014 Gamescom reveal sending e??veryone into a detective frenzy to uncover the who or what was behind the demo.

Though it features arguably simple gameplay mechanics, P.T. offers players first-person horror like no other game. It is also, or was, completely free. We might never get anything of the sort again, as Konami pulled the demo from the store years ago after the project was canceled. So, either cherish your PS4 that still has it installed or never let other??s forget that it was once a thing—like I'm doing right now!

2. Dreams

And if Ghost Of Tsushima allows you to be both a Ninja and a Samurai, Dreams allows you to be anything. Dreams is the game version of that very Reddit-like "I'm a gamer, I don't have a life, I have many" meme. It invites players to play a wide range of games made in Dreams and, if they are daring enough, or not satisfied with what was on the catalog, to make their games via the very user-friendly Dreams toolkit.

Dreams wasn't just a game but both a collection and a factory of great games. Sadly, Media Molecule has since stopped support for Dreams, though its community remains as strong as ever.

1. Bloodborne

This was my placement for Bloodborne as soon as I finished it, and it only got more cemented as time went on. What FromSoftware started with Dark Souls, it has perfected here. Bloodborne is t??he perfect mix of challenging gameplay with action fun. It has the best world ever devised by FromSoft, and one of the best, darkest, and most engrossing stories I've ever seen in a game. I'd recommend it to anyone with a strong stomach because of all the gore, yes, but also because of the choppy frame?rate.

I love it so much that I'd be totally down for a sequel, but I'd be perfectly happy even with a remaster that adds nothing other than a better fr??amerate.

The post Top 10 best PS4 games appeared first on Destructoid.

GOG has announced that you can expect Sony's PC ports of God of War and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection to come to the storefront. A launch date hasn't been given yet, though you're encouraged to check o?ut GOG's Halloween sale as you wait??.

Sony started its push to put more of its games on PC a few years ago. Typically, they launch on Steam and then arrive on GOG a little later. This was the case with Horizon Zero Dawn which hit Steam in August 2020 before arriving on GOG in November of the same year. Similarly, Days Gone was ported to PC via Steam ??in May 2021, and it only ar?rived on GOG in October this year.

Sony's PC ports have had varying quality. Horizon was well-received, while The Last of Us Part 1 was a bit more of a disaster. Fortunately, players using GOG won't have anything to worry about when it comes to God of War and the Legacy of Thieves Collection, as both games had successful launches on PC.

God of War (2018) is a soft reboot of the series. In addition to bringing back Kratos, his son Atreus is introduced which brings out a different side of the Spartan warrior. The Legacy of Thieves Collection offers the best of modern Uncharted, bringing you Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy in a single package.

Sony's not done with PC ports just yet. The biggest one to look out for is Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition which is set to launch in 2024 and will feature the base game along with the Burning Shores DLC.

The post God of Wa?r and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection coming to GOG 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-p?layer campaigns that will take your breath away. Here are 10 of the 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, there are oddly placed puzzles, and the harsh overtones of Kratos' personality repelled me. However, this new rebo??ot-quel with Kratos as a father is a game changer. The way Kratos 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 of graphics, however. This sci-fi game features two engaging platforming heroes trying to save the multiverse from Dr. Nefarious and company. Most of the g??uns on offer pack a punch, like the Shatterbomb, while other weapons turn your enemies into cute objects like pixels with t?he 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 child, 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 shoot them in the correct spots. What's even scarier, pe??rhaps, 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-bui??lding 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 ve??rsions. 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 with a chapter that introduces Yuffie into the mix that you ca?n'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 else 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 to capture ??my interest 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 r??ight now appeared first on Destructoid.

They've got a friend in you

Sometimes you need a friend to succeed against the greatest foes. Just like Woody & Buzz in the Toy Story films, you can also have g??reat companions in gaming.

They'll guide you to the ne??xt location, give your character moral support, or sometimes even support you in battle. Here are the best companions in gaming history, ranked.

10. Midna (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

[caption id="attachment_374779" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

The most memorable companion in The Legend of Zelda series is Midna. Her cheeky nature intrigues you as she gives a sly grin whenever you question her motives. That laugh is still in the back of my head too, even though I played Twilight Princess over a decade ago. Seriously, Nintendo, bring Twilight Princess HD to the Switch already.

She also helps Link turn into a wolf and take out foes in one fell swoop. Whenever the emotional track "Midna's Lament" plays, you also remember the moments in which the character is on the brink of death. You care about the character and want to make sure sh?e's safe. That's a sign of a great companion.

9. Donald & Goofy (Kingdom Hearts)

[caption id="attachment_374913" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

As you'd expect from Mickey's best pals, Donald & Goofy are extremely loyal to Sora. They were tasked with following the key in the first game and have since grown a strong relationship with the keyblade wielder. Goofy surprisingly acts as the voice of reason in the group, giving the teenager advice, while Donald becomes the irrational-but-kind comedic relief. They're extremely helpful in the games, healing Sora whenever he's in trouble or teaming up for powerful attacks like Trinity Limit and Duck Flare, among others. They're even looking for their lost friend in the Kingdom Hearts IV reveal trailer within the darkness of Hades' Underworld.

8. Pey'j (Beyond Good & Evil)

[caption id="attachment_374915" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Ubisoft[/caption]

One of the best companions in gaming that very few have heard of is Pey'J. He's the uncle of the protagonist Jade in Beyond Good & Evil. He's a charming little pig that provides humor along the way as he encourages Jade to follow through on her plans. Without a father, Pey'J becomes that figure for her, providing valuable advice to the heroine. He's also a technical whiz, building elaborate boots that lift him off the ground and help Jade solve puzzles. Play Beyond Good & Evil and realize how cool Pey'j is in this game.

7. Sully (Uncharted series)

[caption id="attachment_374916" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screens?hot via PlayStation's YouTube Channel[/caption]

Someone that's always been there for Nathan Drake through thick and thin is Sully from the Uncharted series. Seeing potential in the youngster, Sully practical??ly raised him to become a treasure hunter from when Nate was a teenager. During Nate's adventures, Sully has hilarious banter with the protagonist as he keeps up with the death-defying platforming ahead, despite his age. He's very loyal and treats Nathan Drake like a son. Their relationship is very sweet, and this comradery makes Sully one of the best companions in gaming history.

6. Atreus (God of War series)

[caption id="attachment_374922" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

The father-son relationship in the Norse-era God of War series is impeccable. Before Kratos teamed up with Atreus, he was ferocious, blunt, and, quite frankly, lacking in depth. However, as the relationship grew between Atreus and Kratos, the walls of his stoicism began to crumble. He finally began to care about the well-being of someone's safety, and it showed another side of the Greek god. It strengthens further in God of War: Ragnarok as Kratos learns to give his son more freedom and lets Atreus become who he wants to be. The natural progression of this father-son dynamic?? is astonishing and should be praised. Other than the story elements, Atreus? is helpful with setting up attacks for his dad and can cause damage with his bow and arrows.

5. Kazooie (Banjo-Kazooie series)

[caption id="attachment_374925" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Super Smash Bros' YouTube Chan?nel[/caption]

There are few other platforming duos that are more iconic than Banjo and Kazooie. In the Nintendo 64 era, they were the bee's knees as Kazooie helped the bear climb tough hills and glide across Treasure Trove Cove. The speech between the characters is endearing, even though Kazooie can be irrational from time to time. They also appeared as an exciting duo character in the Super Smash Bros. series. Hopefully, one day, Microsoft will finally remake Banjo-Kazooie or e??ven develop a new entry for the Xbox Series X and S. Let's cross our f??ingers.

4. Ellie (The Last of Us Part 1)

[caption id="attachment_374928" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

There is a reason why Ellie is featured on the front of the cover rather than Joel. In The Last of Us Part 1, she is a key component of why the game has connected to so many fans around the world. This companion, like Atreus, grows throughout the adventure as she begins ?to trust her father figure and is trusted to wield a gun to protect herself. Through her funny humor and sharp wit, Ellie is a great counterpart to Joel's furious nature. They work together as a duo so well, which makes the sequel devastating. By the end of the game, we truly believe how much Joel cares for Ellie due to the horrendous acts he pulls against the Fireflies to save ?her.

3. Clank (Ratchet & Clank series)

[caption id="attachment_374929" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

Clank is a quirky robot that stands (or hangs on) by Ratchet's side (or back). With his goofy laugh, the robot offers funny remarks about Ratchet's adventures. The two play off each other well as Clank provides the brains of the operation, while Ratchet is the brave warrior taking out waves of enemies with his cavalcade of guns. Their friendship is believable, and both the lombax and the robot go out of their way to help each other. Sometimes, it's even to their detriment, as we see in Rift Apart. 

2. Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog series)

[caption id="attachment_374930" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Sega[/caption]

Despite his young age, Tails is a genius inventor that helps Sonic in every way he can. Their friendship is endearing and has led them to many adventures, especially in the original Genesis/Mega Drive trilogy. One of the coolest moments is when Tails pilots the Tornado and escorts Sonic in Sky Chase Zone. In Sonic Heroes, he also helps Sonic and Knuckles fly thro?ugh the air and land on the other side of hard-to-reach platforms. Sonic and Tails' friendship is like the hedgehog looking after a little brother; it's adorable. Tails is easily one of the best companions in gaming.

1. Luigi (Super Mario series)

[caption id="attachment_374932" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Mario's longest companion and brother, Luigi, has always been by his side. As a fellow plumber, he has assisted Mario through many levels, fought goombas with his brother in the portable RPG series Mario & Luigi, and win tennis games as a duo. He was also successful in saving Mario in Luigi's Mansion, despite his huge fear of ghosts. While Mario and Luigi don't have the depth of Joel and Ellie's relationship, they are inseparable in the hearts and minds of many Nintendo fans around the world. Luigi's shy personality matches well with Mario's brave and upbeat quirks. It's evident from the movie adaptation of t??he series that Mario and Luigi are an?? amazing team in the final battle against Bowser.

The post Top 10 best companions in gaming history, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

It's over

It's 2023, and there's next to no interest in the El?ectronic Entertainment Expo. E3 has been canceled. The exhilarating conferences are over. The epic moments are over. The hilarity of bloopers on stage is over. E3 is a trade show that was? like Christmas for video game fans, and, sadly, it appears to be all gone.

Still, there once was a time when essentially everyone in the gaming community came together and looked forward to the exciting games ahead. It was an event I've always wanted to go to, but I just missed my opportunity. It's something I'll always regret, but at least the VODs of pa?st streamed conferences are memorable. Here are 10 of my favorite E3 moments from the event's history.

Miyamoto's Master Sword entrance

//youtu.be/uXrsK8ICp8E?t=63

One of the most iconic E3 moments comes from the creator of The Legend of Zelda Shigeru Miyamoto. This is the first true time I saw the memorable game designer. His enthusiasm and grandiose pose as Link with the Master Sword is still special to this day. It's been implanted into everyone's memory and is part of E3 history. The crowd was on their feet, exhilarated for the announcement and to see Miyamoto present. You can tell how much passion he has for the project in this video. That personal connection between the developer and the crowd is far more effective than a Nintendo Direct these days. I miss it.

Reggie’s body is ready

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gc5cuekQto

Cheesy humor is usually a miss at E3 shows. It leaves all of us gritting our teeth. When former Nintendo of America chief operating officer and president Reggie Fils-Aimé said, "My body is ready," however, it was endearing. With no hesitation, Reggie said the line and made us enthusiastic for a plastic board; it felt so human from such a corporate presentation. It reflects Nintendo's willingness to get weird and connect with its fans. Now, it's a part of Reggie's legacy at the company and in fact, the line was cheered at E3 2012 when he referenced back to it five years later. It's one of the best E3 moments just ??from how funny it is.

The PlayStation conference orchestra

[caption id="attachment_372255" align="alignnone" width="1200"] S?creenshot v?ia PlayStation's YouTube Channel[/caption]

As PlayStation was nearing the end of its spectacular E3 conferences, the company began to include a fantastic orchestra to coincide with its grand announcements. God of War was announced with a live orchestra led by Bear McCreary. It builds the tension of the announcement and set the stage for Kratos' new Nordic setting. As a lover of video game music, I appreciated the focus on the grand God of War theme. Music is an important element of games and can raise the stakes in action sce??nes or make us connect to an emotional scene. In this instance, the orchestra gave every trailer a gravitas that wasn't there before. It felt grander. It's a feeling that hasn't been replicated in the pre-packaged, digital State of Play streams.

Other performances like the musical introduction to The Last of Us Part 2 by Gustavo Santaolalla and the flute performance from Cornelius Boots for Ghost of Tsushima are also special moments we remember from E3.

Wii Music Catastrophe

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM2DCflkA6s

Sometimes, the best E3 moments are not always the most successful. There's the grand orchestra performance from PlayStation, but you can also watch the spectacular failure of Wii Music's demo on stage. It's hilarious as you see Miyamoto and other Nintendo staffers playing music awkwardly with the Wii remote and nunchuck. The drummer is also weirdly psyched. His drums alongside the made-up musician group play an offbeat version of the 1-1 theme from Super Mario Bros. It sounded pretty awful. Even I, a kid? at the time, thought this was dreadful, and looking back, it's b??ecome one of the funniest blunders in Nintendo's history. Even the best have their slip-ups.

Konami's embarrassing E3 presentation

//youtu.be/l1vmrMAqeWM

Unfortunately, there are no words to describe how laughably awful K?onami's E3 2010 presentation is. It has to be seen to be believed. There are Mexican wrestlers who go off-script and almost choke out the presenter. There's a "so bad it's good" script that brings a smile to your face. An awkward man is staring deeply into the back of another prisoner's skull with intensity. And there's some abysmal dancing with a Kinect game.

It's arguably the worst E3 presentation of all time, but it's so hilarious that you can't miss it. It makes me somewhat resent the polished and clear messaging that a pre-recorded show pr?ovides. I loved the unpredictability of live E3 presentations, and there's a human element that is lost from the scripted affair of today's live-streamed updates. The excellent supercut by Crowbcat is the best w??ay to watch the Konami presentation. All you'll say is WOW.

Kojima's return

[caption id="attachment_372260" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via PlaySt?ation's YouTube Channel[/caption]

One of the most groundbreaking entrances in E3 history is Hideo Kojima's return. After having issues with Konami and being reportedly forbidden to appear at The Game Awards for his award for Metal Gear Solid V, Kojima's E3 2016 entrance is amazing.

The grand orchestra played "Brothers in Arms" from the Mad Max: Fury Road movie just for him. Furthermore, he walks down a simulated white staircase with his company's logo behind him. Kojima's the man during this entrance, just like The Rock entering a WWE match. I'm not a Kojima fan and even I was hyped as hell after the drama the developer went?? through.

He then followed through with the announcement of Death Stranding, a tra?iler th?at intrigued his fans and left more questions than answers (which is expected from a Kojima game).

No, you're breathtaking

[caption id="attachment_372261" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Xbox's YouTube Channel[/caption]

You know it's a big E3 moment when it gets shared across social media and outside of the gaming bubble. During Xbox's E3 2019 conference, Keanu Reeves stepped out, following the reveal that he would play Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077. There was already hype surrounding the game. Everyone in the audience was ecstatic that a charismatic actor like Reeves is in the cast. It was also a rare surprise, as big reveals can be tough to keep under wraps headed into E3.

Someone in the crowd said that Keanu Reeves was breathtaking, and Reeves replied in a cool manner, "You're breathtaking!" It was so personable and made us love Reeves even more than we did before. It's a moment that was shared millions of times throughout the world. Unfortunately, Cyberpunk 2077 didn't launch in ??the best state, but his major role as Johnny Silverhand is certainly one of the game's biggest strengths.

The charisma of Kevin Butler

//youtu.be/LwPWN3Ul6U8

During the PS3 era of gaming, there were few other marketing icons as charming as Kevin Butler. Jerry Lambert's character was silly, charismatic, and spoke well as the most popular wrestlers in the WWE. He was the pseudo-corporate personality that helped bring the PS3 to strength. He helped advertise the important price drop to $299 and ma??de consumers understand "it only does? everything."

His E3 2010 speech is a flurry of gags. For five minutes, he spoke about our love of gaming. He tells us about having a ridiculous huge TV in a tiny one-room apartment and staying up until 3 a.m. for a trophy that isn't real (but is). The crowd was so into it. It was also hilarious how he made fun of Ubisoft's elaborate Just Dance routines.

The PS4 used games video

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ht-0Hne4EU

There is a reason why I keep relating the WWE to E3 press conferences. There's not?hing more special than having a connection with your fans, and PlayStation absolutely was the face (hero) of the conflict against the heel Xbox. In 2013, there was fear in the gaming community. The ??Xbox One wasn't going to let you share physical games, and games had to be authenticated online. PlayStation gave their rival a one-two punch during that E3.

In a short 22-second tutorial video on how to share your games, PlayStati?on simply had Shuhei Yoshida pass a game to Adam Boyes with the latter saying thanks in a funny tone, looking at the camera with a smile. It is still hilarious to this day and has been viewed over 19 million times on YouTube since. It shows how PlayStation was in tune with its audience in those days.

The announcement of used games support also made the crowd go crazy during their press conference alongside the $100 cheaper price for the PS4. It felt like PlayStation won the generation before it even started. PlayStation was on top of the world with games people cared about (excluding Knack) and thankfully??, no word of any cable TV integration that Xbox ??had a weird obsession with.

Davide Soliani tearing up over Miyamoto speaking about Mario + Rabbids

[caption id="attachment_372269" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Ubisoft's YouTube Channel??[/caption]

99% of the time, E3 feels so corporate. Marketing takes precedence over the event. As a result, when there's a genuine human element though, it stands out. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle director Davide Soliani teared up as Miyamoto spoke about his?? game during Ubisoft's conference. It was such a special moment. Miyamoto shouted him out on stage, cutting to the shot above.

"I said, 'whatever you do, don't make a jump game or a Mario platformer'" said Shigeru Miyamoto. "Try to make a Mario game that has never ?been made before." Soliani and the team at Ubisoft did that and succeeded. Miyamoto called it great during the Ubisoft conference. And it gave us a rare and unscripted moment of genuine human emotion, reflecting the passion that has always been tucked away at the heart of E3.

The post Let’s take a look at 10 of my favorite E3 moments appeared first on Destructoid.

B for big business

Way back in the year 2008, my first ever front-page post for Destructoid asked if ultra-expensive, realistic-looking AAA games were where the industry was going. Flash forward nearly 16 years later, and most of the enduring, popular new intellectual properties since then haven't come AAA at all, and instead hail from what you might call "B budget" developers. Human Fall Flat, Five Nights at Freddy's, Genshin Impact, Among Us, Fall Guys, Fortnite, Vampire Survivors, and Rocket League are just a few of th?e non-AAA games that went on to find big, sustained audiences since then.

The list of games like this to both launch well and continue to perform well is a lot l??onger than the list of new, multi-million-dollar, AAA franchises that achieve the same goals i?n a similar timeframe.

We don't know how much all these "B budget" games cost, but we can guess that if Fortnite originally cost $300K to produce, the likes of Among Us were likely much less. Player Unknown's Battlegrounds, one of the most played games of all time, started off as a fan mod fer cripes sake! And some of the few new AAA IPs that did manage to take off in the last decade largely found their footing thanks to goodwill built up from their developers' work on less-than-AAA budgeted games. Elden Ring would have never taken off without diehard Souls fans, Cyberpunk 2077 wouldn't be anywhere without the loyalty of fans of the original Witcher games, and so on.

From that perspective, the days of single-player, hyper-realistic games with long expensive cutscenes or other barriers to actual gameplay could be over. Some of the most well-known games in the world in 2023 aren't trying to muscle attention away from casual shoppers in brick-and-mortar stores like Toys 'R' Us or GameStop. They are games that make for great "Let's Play" videos, are fun to share screenshots or stories about on social media, stream well, and can be picked up and played by a wider au??dience.

It doesn't always take a lot of money to make them.? So why doesn't AAA make more games like that?

[caption id="attachment_368574" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image credit No Breaks Games[/caption]

The AAA culture bubble

AAA gaming, like most media cultures, exists in its own insular little world. Human Fall Flat sold 40 million copies since its release in 2016, but despite the fact that it's clearly the kind of game that makes a lot of people really happy, you can be sure that it never, ever had a chance of winning one of Geoff Keighley's Game Awards. Those prizes will inevitably go to a game that either attempts to be like a serious Hollywood movie, and/or involve some "auteur" talent from outside of games, like Norman Reedus or George R.R. Martin. When it comes to cute, silly, gleefully game-y games like Human Fall Flat, AAA executives are quick to handwave their success away. T??hey're seen as flukes, and their succ??ess is perceived to be based entirely on luck.

The fact that they do a better job ?than most AAA games at engaging the average player? is largely ignored.

This leads to a weird sort of risk aversion where AAA devs feel like they need to spend a massive amount of money to assure that, regardless of what trends are happening at that moment, that their game will be "objectively superior" to the rest. And I get it. It's much harder to predict which quirky, highly accessible game will be the next one to become a phenomenon. But it's also likely that it won't be a AAA game with realistic graphics and a focus on a big, complicated single-player story, because no game like that has sold more than 30 million copies in a long time. GTAV was probably the last one to do that, and it was released a?? decade ago.

[caption id="attachment_368571" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image credit Krafton Inc.[/caption]

It's not as though the risk of AAA games with a big marketing budget selling absolutely nothing isn't there. The capacity to bomb is still strong. AAA titles like Forspoken and The Callisto Protocol are two recent examples. Their AAA publishing, budget, and marketing efforts failed to make them hits. While they never had the potential to be the next Tetris or Minecraft, they don't even look poised to become "cult hits" like No More Heroes. Moving forward, we can guess that all-new, single-player-focused, big-budget IPs will be more and more of a lose-lose proposition. For AAA, there will always be a ceiling for success, marked by a line where the enthusiast market ends, and the mainstream market begins. But there is no bottom to how hard they can fail.

The irony is, the same factors that limit how big AAA games can get are the same factors that make them appealing to publishers. It's much easier to be a big fish in a relatively small enthusiast market than it is to try to swim in the blue ocean against massive mainstream hits like Roblox or League of Legends. And, for now, AAA still has the power to craft a niche culture where only t??hey have the resources to make games that will be perceived as "important".

[caption id="attachment_368580" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image credit Rockstar Games[/caption]

Maintaining dominAAAnce

I was laughed off of the internet once for theorizing that home console controllers have become increasingly complicated over the years in order to push away players who are more likely to criticize AAA games. I can see how that might sound paranoid, but just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. Just look at the amount of hate people have gotten for s??uggesting that tough boss ?fights be skippable, or that games should always have easy modes. The level of venom that the Wii and the DS received for valuing "casuals" was wild to witness. AAA marketing had worked for years to instill a weird pride in people for playing difficult, complicated games, and with that pride came the urge to shame anyone who took a different road.

You'd think that AAA publishers wouldn't want to create an audience that repels potential new customers from getting into gaming, but as many politicians know, winning elections isn't abo??ut getting everyone to like you. If using divisive, mean-spirited rhetoric pushes 50% of voters away so much that they don't even want to think about politics, but also excites 30% of the remaining people, then that only leaves 20% of the population who may vote against you.

And in AAA, every vote costs at least $60 to cast, making the barrier to entry much higher than voting in most of the world's political elections. Expensive to make, expensive to buy games do even more to alienate any reviewer who may consider playing a GTA or CoD? game for review and say, "It's too long, div??isive, or meanspirited."

If the only people play?ing your games are the ones who are predestined to love them, then you've already guaranteed a win.

[caption id="attachment_368584" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image credit InnerSloth LLC[/caption]

But that can't last forever, especially with something as awesome as video games. Eventually, people are going to find them and love them, no matter how much you try to alienate them. As a result, the urge from the old guard to fight back can lead to some pretty strange comments. You see something similar happening in the film industry, where directors who love making movies about real people will complain that superhero blockbusters aren't "real cinema". What they're really trying to say is, they preferred the days when the movi??es they loved to make were also the movies that the industry valued the most. They want to continue to be the ones to establish what "good" and ??"bad" movies are, so they can continue to easily get financing for the kinds of movies they like making.

If controlling the standards for quality in your medium is the #1 way to avoid risk in any art industry, you can bet your sweet bippy that AAA will do its darndest to exercise that control. That's why Bethesda's Hi-Fi Rush was such an anomaly. The game was a huge hit, despite not being a typical AAA game. In fact, that's exactly why it did so well. It was a massive breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale market filled with g??ames aiming for the same sa?fe, AAA goals.

But if Bethesda and other AAA publishers continue to make that type of game, they are going to implicitly admit that?? you don't need a ton of money to make something really popular. The emperor's new high-res, ph??otorealistic clothes will be off, and they'll have to compete with other publishers and developers on a much more even playing field. It's enough to give your average AAA CEO low-budget nightmares.

[caption id="attachment_368591" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image Credit Sony Santa Monica[/caption]

Delaying the inevitable

Just like fossil fuel companies that desperately want to keep their good thing going until either electric cars, government regulation, (or the planet Earth itself), says that the party's over, AAA publishers really don't have much reason to embrace the truth right now. If the vocal minority online, which is still made up of millions, keeps believing that they are number one, it will keep that FOMO feeling alive in those with enough disposable income to splurge on a $60 or $70 title just because it got a lot of reviews/awards/buzz online. As long as they maintain their stature with the loudest voices in the enthusiast market, then they are go?ing to keep making plenty of money.

That said, I think it's inevitable that their brand of game will eventually lose the capacity to even appear "important" to anybody. AAA games in long-running franchises like God of War, which appeal to both older players like me and the kids who care about AAA gaming history, are going to continue to do well for at least another decade. It's not a coincidence that these games tend to be about aging parents and their up-and-coming, game-loving children, because that's exactly who's still buying them. Eventually, the generation brought up on disc-based home consoles will hit their 60s and 70s, leaving the Minecraft-loving ta??blet and phone gaming generation to fully inherit the medium.

By 2050, the cu??rrent style of AAA games will look "retro" at best, like how N64 games look to us now.

And, by then, making realistic-looking games will be as cheap and easy to do as it is to use art-generating apps today. The games that win the popularity contests will be the ones that give people the opportunity to work out their stress and live out their fantasies in the most novel and interesting ways, regardless of how much money was put into them. It could be that The Last of Us may really end up being?? one of the last of the single-player-focused, story-heavy, AAA-budget franchises that will appeal to anyone but the most diehard of video game fans.

The post Why don’t ‘AAA’ publishers put out more ‘B budget’ games? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 1/01 to 01/07/2023

-Queen of Philosophy wonders what's next for the God of War series.

-TheBlondeBass writes a retrospective about all the games he completed ??in 2022 and a personal update as wel??l.

-Taterchimp ranks all the games they played in 2022.

-TroyFullbuster celebrates game randomizers and writes about why you ??shoul??d give them a try.

-Virtua Kazama details his hopes and expectations for Virtua Fighter in 2023.

-Dinokaiser does a deep dive into Midgard (1998)on the PC, an early 3D Act??ion-RPG with a unique history.

-Taterchimp has some recommendations for great board games f??or bo?red gamers.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VII and Soul/Gospel music.

�strong>PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy IX and traditional Irish Music.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum? for random? discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, not just this week, but for the entirety of 2022. We really do appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks to Lord Spencer for their tireless work in ensuring that they are reca?pped weekly for their appearance right here on the front page.

As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party for the discourse of 2023, (and there will be discourse), then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week. We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy this year, and for that, we apologize. We hope we can?? encourage someone?? more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What would you like t??o see happen next for God of War? 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 will ??be shared closer to t?he mode's actual release.

//twitter.com/SonySan??taMonica/status/1??605971630609539073

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 f??un out of the game when the New Game Plus ro?lls out.

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

Football sim fends off Call of Duty to take coveted spot

Statutory body GfK has released the final UK Chart placings before Christmas, revealing that Electronic Arts' football sim FIFA 23 is officially 2022's Christmas No.1, at least in regard to physical game sales??.

Riding high on a wave of World Cup fever, FIFA 23 successfully fended off advances from both Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Sony Santa Monica's God of War: Ragnarok in order to retain its number one position for the coveted Christmas weekend. For many years now, the battle to be the star atop the Christmas Tree has been waged between the FIFA and Call of Duty franchises. FIFA has now taken the spot on 10 separate occasions, while Call of Duty has racked up a still-impressive nine.

FIFA 23 represents the series' final release to receive official branding from the football regulatory body FIFA. As of the next release, the mega-selling franchise will be rebranded as EA Sports FC.

Elsewhere in the charts, the only new physical release was Square Enix's Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, which made a modest debut within the Top Ten at number eight. As is always the case during the holidays, the remainder of the Top 20 is packed out with Nintendo Switch releases, including Pokemon Scarlet & Violet at numbers seven and five respectively, Minecraft Switch at number nine, Nintendo Switch Sports at number six, and the ever-present Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at number four.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: December 17, 2022
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 23 �Electronic Arts
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II �Activision
3. God of War Ragnarok �Sony Interactive Entertainment
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe �Nintendo
5. Pokemon Violet �Nintendo
6. Nintendo Switch Sports �Nintendo
7. Pokemon Scarlet �Nintendo
8. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion - Square Enix
9. Minecraft: Switch Edition - Nintendo
10. Just Dance 2023 - Ubisoft

U.K. Video Game Charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post UK Charts??: FIFA 23 sees EA take ano??ther Christmas No.1 appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't change the channel, boy

Looks like Kratos is officially heading to streaming. Amazon Prime Video has put in an order for a God of War series, based on the popular games.

Deadline reported earlier this year that Amazon was in negotiations for a God of War adaptation, and now it looks like that's bearing out. The God of War series will have Rafe Judkins from The Wheel of Time on as showru?nner, with Mark Fergu?s and Hawk Ostby writing.

Via Deadline's writeup on the news,? it sounds like the series will follow Kratos after he's left the Greek pantheon behind and ventured to Midgard. PlayStation Productions will be teaming up with Amazon Prime Vid?eo to adapt the series, adding to the growing list of Sony's adaptations.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0u_kAWLJOA

Outside of streaming, God of War hasn't been doing too shabby in the video game department either. The recently released Ragnarok just picked up a decent number of trophies at The Game Awards 2022, and it seems like the follow-up to 2018's God of War has been a highlight of the year for Sony.

//twitter.??com/PrimeVide??o/status/1603089353093353473

Many more adaptations to come

Sony is keeping the adaptations moving, though. The Last of Us is set to premiere next month on HBO. And the company has series in development for Horizon Zero Dawn and Twisted Metal too, with potentially more rumored to be on the way.

Really, there's no shortage of video game adaptations on the way. Series like Arcane, The Witcher, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners have all shown what kind of reach these adaptations can have. We'll see just how they all pan out in the next f??ew years.

The post God of War series or??der locked in for Amazon P?rime Video appeared first on Destructoid.

A few ideas for the video game fan on your list.

I have a confession to make. I love buying gifts for people. Birthdays, Secret Santa, weddings, you name it, I look forward to the challenge! And the reason is that I used to be an absolutely terrible gift giver. I once gave a? grown man a box of tea bags and a USB bracelet that ended up being too small to fit around h?is wrist.

I?'m still embarrassed by these gifts, but I've learned my lesson. I've been on my gift-giving game ever since. Now I'm here to help you! You're already moving in the right direction by pinpointing a favorite hobby. Here are 10 gift ideas to get you thinking about the gamer in your life.

1. Gaming Chairs

Gaming can be very hard on the back if you have the wrong chair. Sit?ting in one ?position for hours hurts, but gaming chairs are made with this in mind. Many of them come with lumbar support and neck pillows to get the proper spinal curve. Also, they can be adjusted to get the best angle on the screen. There are plenty of chairs to choose from, and the price range is just as varied.

Secretlab chairs are high quality and the price reflects it. They have great reviews, a few options that take height and weight into consideration, and there are opportunities for designs beyond just black or gray. You can also find chairs with great reviews for half the price though. For example, this Nokaxus gaming chair has?? great reviews and would be a big improvement over a typical swivel chair.

2. Backbone

The Backbone is a great gift f?or the multi-tasking gamer. While it isn't a co??nsole itself, it enables your phone to become your on-the-go gaming device. The Backbone uses your phone's power instead of batteries, and it doesn't store any games. Instead, players access their cloud library on Steam, PlayStation, or Game Pass to pick up where they left off.

Because you need strong service for uninterrupted gaming, it may not be the best for the daily commute. But when you need to walk away from your console or computer, it's a great way to get back in the game. You can read Destructoid's Backbone tech review for more information on this nifty device!

3. Beyond the Console

While the person on you??r list may have all of the games and consoles they need, helping them invest in quality gaming peripherals can be a fantastic gift. Gaming peripherals are things li?ke headsets, keyboards, and mousepads. In this case, you really do get what you pay for. So even if your gamer already has a mouse and keyboard, they may not have the good stuff.

The Logitech MX Master 3S mouse is ergonomically built, fast, precise, and easily connected to multiple devices. It also has a reputation for lasting a?? long time. Mouse speed and precision are really important while PC gaming, so a good mouse is well appreciated.

Similarly, the keyboard can get worn out quickly with key combos and hours and hours of use. There are a ton of choices for gaming keyboards, but it will all depend on your budget. The Razer Turret wireless keyboard and mouse combo is pretty cool with the retractable, magnetic mouse pad, but you can also try out the Razer Huntsman V2 Optical keyboard. Just read reviews and look specifically for gaming keyboards. They are usually built to be quieter and more resistant to being wor??n out.

4. Steam Deck

On the higher end of gaming gifts, the Steam Deck is a very generous gift. The handheld console just became readily available to purchase in 2022, but the reviews have been positive. Having a Steam Deck is like having a Nintendo Switch, but bigger and with pretty much your entire Steam libr?ary on the go. There are three price tiers based on storage space, with the cheapest being $399 at the time of writing. It's great for gamers with?? hectic schedules.

5. Games (But the easy way)

If you know what games are on your friend or family member's wishlist, then buying a $60 game makes sense. But instead of taking a gamble, buy the gift of games the easy way: gift cards. Steam frequently has huge sales on games. Instead of buying a specific title that your recipient may already have, the Steam gift card can be saved to take advantage of sales, dumping a bunch of games into the cart for great prices. You can find physical cards at Best Buy, Ta?rget, and more, but you can also purchase digital gift cards to send directly through Steam.

A Game Pass subscription is another great way to gift multiple?? games. Game Pass is a cloud-based subscription service for Xbox console and PC gamers. You can buy a Game Pass gift card from places like Best Buy, Target, and GameStop for a certain number of months. During that time, players will have unlimited access to the game catalog and even opportunities to play new games the day they are released.

6. LEGO

LEGO is not just for kids. It's more popular than ever, and there's really a lot to choose from. Video game characters, like Pikachu, are fun for any age. This Bowser LEGO set is perfect for Super Mario fans. There are even LEGO sets that aren't based on any particular characters, but just the act of gaming. This Nintendo Entertainment System Building Kit is perfect for those lifelong gamers looking to be a little nost?algic. It's hard to go wrong here because, if nothing el?se, it's just a fun activity.

7. Christmas Sweaters

The "ugly" Christmas sweater has come roaring back, but it ?really isn't ugly anymore. Holiday sweaters have now become a way to be funny or showcase your nerdy interests at Christmas parti?es. So treat your favorite gaming nerd to a cool sweater that they can wear every December!

This Halo-themed sweater is the perfect amount of too much. It says "Happy Halo-days," and boy, do I  love a good pun. On the other hand, this Skyrim sweater from Jamestees ??is so pretty, I would p??robably wear it all winter.

8. Cookbooks

For gamers with an interest in cooking, entertainment cookbooks are a fun gift idea. The recipes are usually accompanied by stunning pictures of all the food you may or may not end up making. The dishes will usually tie into the game in some way, so some of them can be pretty funny. For example, the Fallout Cookbook will guide you through "radiation-free" deviled eggs and the "Desert Salad" from Fallout: Las Vegas.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the God of War Cookbook. This collection of recipes and game art is as serious and detailed as the game. The recipes are divided by the nine realms with a bonus "in-bet??ween realm" for various spice mixtures. Even if you never end up making any of it, it's still lovely to look at.

9. Artwork and Artbooks

In the same theme of choosing aesthetic over utilitarian gifts, artwork and art books are fantastic. Try to find out what games they like the aesthetic for the most and then searching on sites like Etsy or Redbubble. These two sites in particular usually have nice wall art pieces.  For example, these Elden Ring canvas pieces on Etsy would look really nice above the couch.

In a similar vein are art books. These tomes are generally full of beautiful illustrations and behind the scenes info. They make beautiful additions to bookshelves or make a great coffee table book. You can find an art book for most popular games online and at bookstores. The Final Fantasy Ultimate Archive has multiple volumes. And The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: C?reating a?? Champion has hundreds of pages of designs, interviews, historical info, and even sketches from?? Takumi Wada!

10. Around the House

Subtly adding video game references to your everyday life is so satisfying. I love making adulting nerdy. When you start going down the internet rabbit hole, you will start seeing little things that are useful around the house but 100% gamer-approved. Like this Zelda key holder on Etsy carved out of wood! You can attach your keys to the rings and not only ha?ve a pla?ce to store your keys but also have a cute keychain when you're on the go.

Coffee mugs and bar glasses are another solid way to bring the games to daily life. It's also really easy to find video game-themed mugs and glasses. Etsy will have some of the more unique items, like this hefty Witcher medallion mug. But you can find plenty of cheaper opti??ons online or in stores like Target.

Of course, these suggestions here are just that. Suggestions. So use them as a jumping-off point or as ?a quick grab guide. But whatever you end up giving, it's always the thought that counts. I??f you pay attention to the people you love and make a personal link between them and the gifts, odds are you will make them happy this holiday season.

Related: The 15 best gifts for Dungeons & Dragons fans on The Mary Sue

The post 10 great gifts for every? gamer this holiday season 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 my money plans have al??ready 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.

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 beat?ing l?aunch records for every single first-party game in PlayStation history, dating right back to the brand's debut in 1994. That's a meaty feat.

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

?//twitter.com/PlayStation/status/1595432230750674945?s=20&t=qSazuZ38JJ6L0vCuhO6bzg

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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 says 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 has 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.

The post Sony Santa Monica Studio is currently ‘spread out on a lot of different things’ appeared first on Destructoid.

God of War 2 is still the king, and I think a lot of you agree

God of War has been around for 17 long years, and with Ragnarok still fresh in everyone's minds, we figured it was worth taking a look at a?? few of the best games in the series.

Here's a list of the top three God of War games to date!

3 - God of War Ragnarok (2022)

I've had access to God of War Ragnarok for weeks at this point: which is solely a statement on how much I've been absorbed with it, and nothing more!

Ragnarok is a fantastic modern action game that builds upon a a lot of what the 2018 laid down, while adding its own twists, turns, and character moments. There are some points that feel rushed, and give credence to the suggestion that this Norse story should have been a trilogy:?? but it does stick the landing, and has a few undeniably useful quality of life/mechanical upgrades that make it easy to get into. Plus, the postgame is extremely smooth in terms of its segue, and it's been really fun to "mop up" the rest of this packed game.

I suspect that the specific placing of God of War: Ragnarok and God of War 2018 will be the most? contentious part of t?his list: we'll see how it plays out!

2 - God of War (2018)

God of War 2018 had the unenviable task of re-introducing (not rebooting per se) the franchise to the general public, and God of War fans as a whole.

Amazingly, the team managed to do just that and not only surpass expectations; but keep the continuity from the prior games. To me that's arguably the biggest achievement in a sea of pointless and cynical reboots, as the creatives had to bring Kratos into the modern era while keeping his rage, violence, and general aura alive. Bringing a son into the mix was the perfect way to do that, and God of War 2018 serves as a great?? blueprint for how to handle companions in games and?? not make them feel like an escort quest hinderance.

All of the babble and exposition when walking around makes God of War extremely replayable too; and when checking it out before making this list, it easily justified its inclusion?. I don't think it gets enough credit for how much pressure it was under to deliver.

1 - God of War 2 (2007)

History has been extremely kind to God of War 2, as it's still living rent free in the pant??heon of all-time action greats, even this far removed from the PS2 era.

While God of War 3 will make it on a lot of top three lists: I found it to be overly bombastic at points, and drawn out with a few of its environment/level choices. God of War 2 on the other hand is a nonstop thrill ride and accomplishes everything it sets ou??t to do.

Like many top tier action games, I hold anything that can give you a good mix of humanoid and monstrous boss fights in high regard. Devil May Cry gave us faceoffs against Vergil. Ninja Gaiden had the Spider Clan. God of War 2 has Perseus, Icarus, Zeus, and Theseus: while throwing out iconic creatures like the Kraken.

It enhances what came before it with the impactful, but surpassed original God of War, and it provides one of the most all-encompassing fantasies of immersing yourself in (tearing apart) Greek mythology that the series has ever given us. While most of the franchise is tethered in Greece (including the spinoffs), God of War 2 was the one that really nailed it, and felt ??like a "greatest hits??" of the time period.

The post The top 3 Best God of War Games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

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 t?hat SSM suggests t??hat the tweaks feature 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 go??ds 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 setting?s 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 manageable, 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 accessibility, and it's awesome to see other studios following suit.

Settings as detailed as these may seem excessive to some, but each on??e 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. Ther??e'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 a??lso 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, struggling with his violent past. I was investe??d 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 you'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 walkin??g and talking and exposition, which is k??ind of required given the larger scope and universe-sensitive stakes. 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 and Atreus: either together or apart. There's some backstory that the team held from the 20??18 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 [Leviathan] 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 p?laystyles with skill tree and gear changes.

Combat is s??till 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 series (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 system, and a few extras after completion wi?ll potentially double that number.

Mechanically, it's easy to tweak?? things to your liki??ng 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 accessible 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 hel??pers, albeit with a bit more depth).

The father and son dynamic is still an emotional throughline, with Mimir sometimes acting as the reas??onable 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 this 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 pl?ucked from the original game, which th??e same 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 w?ith 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 sto??ry 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 with next.

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This God of War: Ragnarok ad is the wildest thing I've seen in a while

Sony is known to go pretty full out to promote their games, and with the game's release just over a week away, they've pulled out all of the stops for God of War: Ragnarok. Thei?r?? newest ad features none other than the likes of famed actor and director Ben Stiller dressed up as Kratos himself, alongside Lebron James and John Travolta.

The premise of the ad is that Kratos and Atreus father/son dynamic is something that all parents can relate to, and so Stiller is hosting a kind of God of War-themed parenting support group. He?? discusses his own struggles in relating to his son, and attempts to help James and Travolta connect with their children, too. By the way, those are actually all of their real children shown in the short, which is pretty cool if you ask me.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQH0YK1rGVc

Kratos' newfound difficulties with fatherhood have been a meme since the first game in the God of War reboot series came out back in 2018, so it's a smart move for Sony to lean into that. Is it weird to see Ben Stiller in a Kratos outfit? Yeah. Am I confused as to why they chose Ben Stiller, Lebron James, and John Travolta of all people to be the faces of their marketing campaign for God of War? Absolutely. Is this whole thing k??inda cringey? I'd ??say so.

At this point, they have to know that Ragnarok is going to be one of the biggest launches of the year, so at least Sony seems to be having fun with it. It's kind of a pet peeve of mine to see games taking themselves too seriously, so I still prefer this to some edgy skit about how God of War is going to redefine gaming or whatever.

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"The short answer is yes. There is a way to do it…it’s there in the game."

God of War Ragnarok transmog (read: the ability to customize the look of your gear without losing its stats) is in! The news comes straight from the game's official Discord, where a developer Q&A confirmed it.

While the Q&A was conducted over voice, MP1st managed to get the full transcription, where combat lead Mihir Sheth spilled the beans on God of War Ragnarok transmog:

Q: "Since we’re talking about armor. I like to look good, alright everyone at the studio knows this about me. Fashion first for Kratos, of course. I know one of the request for 2018 was the ability to maybe have the stat?s you want, but you know, give Kratos the runway look you want. So this? is a question from SpiritWolf and a lot of other people; Will there be an armor transmog system?"

Mihir Sheth: "The short answer is yes. There is a way to do it…it’s there in t??he game."

The answer is a bit cryptic, and it's unclear w??hether or not it's going to be a free-for-all anything goes model (where you can just toggle it), or if it needs to be unlocked/requires a reagent?/consumable of some kind. Either way, it's confirmed in some form.

At this point with any AAA game with gear, transmog is not only a highly-requested feature, but expected. Games are even adding it after launch because of how many people are requesting it.

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Producer Cory Barlog shared his frustration

A situation that led to God of War Ragnarok being leaked has led to a full confirmation ??of said leak from the game's producer (Cory Barlog), a bit of venting, and a public warning.

As Barlog points out, a retailer has broken street date and sold God of War Ragnarok roughly two weeks before the November 9 release date; leading to posts online about the game, including screens, and down the line, potentially spoiler-r??elated content. Consider this your warnin??g!

Here's a full recap of Barlog's sentiments on Twitter over the weekend:

"You know, right now, I can really understand the benefit of having just an in??staller on the physical disc. Smh. A retailer selling the game nearly TWO WEEKS before release. just so disappointing. Sorry to everyone that you have to dodge the spoilers if you want to play the game fresh. completely fucking stupid you have to do this. this is not at all how any of us at SMS wanted things to go. To be clear, I was expressing my frustration in the first tweet. not advocating for that at all. Not the future i want as a gamer or dev. just so beyond frustrated. Feel terrible for the team. This whole ordeal is incredibly stressful for us all. Mental health break time."

On the bright side, for Sony, God of War as a whole is a pretty impenetrable franchise that people?? will buy regardless. By that same token, it's also so massive that a leak was almost inevitable: though several weeks early is not really the norm in many cases.

The big takeaway for everyone: be careful if you want to avoid spoilers?!

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Blockbuster sequel launches November 9

It's been quite some time since Sony put together a special bundle for one of its upcoming releases, but the industry giant is preparing to do just that with the launch of one of 2022's biggest releases, God of War Ragnarok, which will be bringing its skull-crushing chaos to? PS4 and PS5 November 9.

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

The new God of War Ragnarok PS5 bundle will include a disc-based edition of Sony's shiny white baby, along with a standard controller and a digital download of Sony Santa Monica's highly anticipated sequel. The price for the new bundle is yet to be disclosed. A little bafflingly, this bundle will not include the recently announced God of War DualSense controller, which will b??e released as a separate standalo?ne accessory.

The bundle was revealed as part of a new "Next Gen Immersion" trailer, which spotlights God of War Ragnarok running on the powerful PS5 platform. It should be noted that Ragnarok is a multi-generational release, so PS4 players will be able to pick up the new game for their platform of choice. Given how much the 2018 original made my PS4 sound like a Boening 747 was about to land, I dread to think how much the grand-looking ?sequel will get the black boxes sweating.

God of War Ragnarok launches Nov?ember 9 on PlayStation platforms.

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The highly anticipated sequel is almost here

It's hard to believe that God of War: Ragnarok was only announced two years ago, but Sony's Santa Monica studio has been hard at work since then. The sequel has been one of the most anticipated games of recent memory, ??and it's looking pretty good based on the most recent story trailer we got during a State of Play.

Now the studio has announced that God of War: Ragnarok has gone gold, meaning they have sent off the final version of the game to get ready for its release on November 9. It's a huge step for ?any game developer, and it's even more impressive for a game as ambitious as we know this one to be. Here's hoping they have at least a bit of time to celebrate before continuing work on patches and bug fixes.

//t?witter.com/SonySantaMonica/status/1578415056215330817

Ragnarok is set three years after the events of its predecessor, and picks up at the end of Fimbulwint??er giving way to the apocalyptic Ragnorak. Kratos and his son Arteus are trying to find a way to prevent the event from happening, all while wra??pping them up in the family drama of the Norse gods. The game looks gorgeous, and it promises to deliver on some exciting new gameplay mechanics. Plus, it's fun to get a new take on the Norse pantheon after the MCU version has reigned supreme for so long.

Players have lots to look forward to gameplay wise, as Kratos is getting a revamped battle axe and access to his classic chains weapons. There're also gonna be some new elemental attacks, specifically fire and ice charged attacks, and shields and parries will a??lso play a role. Basically, get ready for all the hack-and-slash, axe-throwing goodness we know and love, but also with some upgrades.

I know I'm looking forward to Ragnarok, and with only a few short weeks to wait, I'll be here b??efore we kno??w it.

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Pre-orders open on September 27

We aren't yet at a point where Sony is slinging game-themed PS5 consoles like in the PS4 days, but at least God of War fans are getting a special controller variant. Announced during this afternoon's State of Play, Sony will release a God of War Ragnarok DualSense controller for PS5 on November 9, 2022 �the same day Ragnarok is out on PS4/PS5.

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

The white and blue DualSense controller has a bear and wolf insignia to represent Kratos and Atreus, according to Sony. It's a nice contrast to the lighter Starlight Blue model.

Funny enough, for a split second, I thought this was going to be the State of Play's closer, which goes to show how low my expectations tend to be for these showings. Instead, the controller tidbit just led into our fullest-yet look at God of War Ragnarok's story with a new trailer, and yep, it looks awesome. The weight of the story is finally sinking in.

I've got too many of these gamepads as is (three, somehow!), but I'm sure this will sell out fast. Pre-orders for the God of War Ragnarok DualSense begin on September 27.

A price hasn't ?been listed yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit of a premium over the $70-$75 tag for the current DualSense colorways.

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One big change deals with the triangle button

God of War combat is about to get a lot more interesting by the time Ragnarok rolls around, a new Game Informer cover story has revealed.

So combat and mechanical changes are always on the table for an action sequel, but lead combat designers Mihir Sheth and Denny Yeh had a chance to shed some light on what that actually means for God of War Ragnarok recently. "Playing with your food" is still a staple concept, which stems from an old adage from God of War creators, where Kratos enjoys crushing his opponents and often revels in it. Atreus will also step things up now, ??and is referred to as a  "powerhouse."

But the biggest alterations clearly deal with Kratos, who will have access to his classic chains [Blades of Chaos] and the relatively recent battle axe [Leviathan Axe]. In what is called a "misleadingly small change" according to Sheth, the God of War combat system will give the triangle button more to do. As they remind us, pressing triangle in the last God of War entry while the axe was already in your hand did nothing (its chief purpose is recalling the axe when thrown); and using it while wielding the chains swapped to the axe. Now, the triangle button has been wholly shift??ed to "weapon signature moves," which conjure up elemental attacks.

Fire and ice are talked about out of the gate??, with two specific examples, "frost awaken and whiplash," which have the typical fire and ice properties of immolation and frost. Shields are also touched up, with a parrying mechanic at the forefront and a red glow that showcases the right moment to strike for t??he Dauntless Shield, and a Stonewall Shield that doesn't have that same parrying capability (but offers better protection, at the cost of becoming "increasingly unstable" after blocking numerous attacks).

In all, the team really didn't need to change much. God of War mostly nailed everything already, so some tweaks to the action to "plus things up" in Ragnarok so to speak are ideal.

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