A new thread to pull

Another PlayStation exclusive is making its way to the PC soon. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is getting a PC port on October 27.

Sumo Digital's thread-bo??und platformer released for PlayStatio??n 4 and PS5 in 2020, as part of the PS5 launch lineup. Now, it's getting the PC treatment, with some new features in tow.

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

The new port of Sackboy will allow for 4K resolution with a target of 120 FPS, if you've g??ot the hardware for it. The platformer will also support a range of displ??ay ratios, including wider options like ultrawide, or 21:9.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure will also have NVIDIA DLSS2, or Deep Learning Super S?ampling, for those with compatible graphics cards. Variable refresh rate s??upport will also help with all that platforming.

While that's all for higher-end hardware, the PlayStation Blog also highlights lower-end options. It seems like owners with relatively older hardwar?e might still be able to make this game run, albeit at ??lower settings.

The next big adventure

Sackboy is getting some customization options too. A Big Adventure will f??ully support the DualSense controller, so you can get those haptics and dynamic trigger effects, s??ame as PlayStation 5.

Mouse and keyboard will also be supported,?? in ??both gameplay and the user interface. Achievements are included too, as are cloud saves on both Steam and Epic Games Store.

This seems like a good grab for folks who dig co-op in particular, but maybe don't have the newest hardware. As per our review, Sackboy: A Big Adventure seems like a pretty enjoyable co-op platforme??r to blast through with a friend o??r family member.

Sackboy also marks another PlayStation-exclusive game headed to PC. And considering how well these have been going, like with Marvel's Spider-Man and God of War, I'd hope to see more continue making their way over.

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LOOK WHAT YOUR BROTHER DID TO THE DOOR!

Gun Interactive has revealed that upcoming hide 'n' hunt title The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Game, will retain the typical asymmetrical gameplay of titles such as Friday the 13th: The Game and Dead by Daylight, ??but will be switching up the format in regards ??to its teams of hunters and survivors.

Unlike many recent asymmetrical titles, which often see a single overpowered killer chasing down teams of around four to five survivors, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will instead feature three killers vers??us a team of four survivors. The killers are expected to be the three key members of the cinematic Sawyer family: The Hitch-hiker, The Cook, and, of course, the terrifying Leatherface himself.

"We never want to make the same game twice. You either innovate or imitate, and I don’t have to tell you which one makes for a better game," said Gun Interactive CEO Wes Keltner. "Everyone at Gun prefers to innovate and push the genre forward. How do you do this? Well, ??when it came to the design of Texas we knew that 3vs4 was different. All the mechanics and features are built around this fundamental rethinking of asymmetrical multiplayer."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAyQw3GT5GI

The key dynamic of switching up the team format lies in an effort to make the family feel powerful and frightening, while also offering key teamwork dynamics between both killers a??nd survivors. It's interesting as a concept, but will make for some tough balancing. Leatherface is a force to be reckoned with alone by hot-pants-wearing teenagers. Even if they gather together �dude has a fucking chainsaw.

It will be interesting to see how the balance of power is distributed, both among the hapless survivors and among the three individual members of The Sawyer Family. Will The Cook have skills that Leatherface does not? Will Leatherface be harder to bring down than The Coo?k? And will The Hitch-hiker be able to take shit photos and then attempt to scam you out of five b??ucks for the privilege?

One thing's for ?certain, as long as everybody hates Franklin, then it's an?? authentic cinematic experience.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Game is currently in development for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. For further reading on Gun Interactive's mentality behind the title, check out the team's recent blog post.

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$1.3 billion deal under scrutiny

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is to invest??igate the purchase of UK develo??per Sumo Digital by Chinese conglomerate Tencent, in order to ascertain that the transaction does not pose any threat to US national security.

Tencent, who bid to acquire Sumo Digital in July of this year for a hefty $1.3 billion USD, has agreed to?? allow CFIUS to investigate the purchase. Both Tencent and Sumo Digital are cooperating in hopes that it will allow the deal to be finalized once CFIUS completes its investigation. While most of Sumo's own properties are based in the UK, US interest in the merger pertains to Sumo Digital's ownership of various US-based studios and developers, such as Pipeworks Studios.

This is not even Tencent's first dance with the national committee, as the Chinese conglomerate worked with its researchers over its holdings within both Epic Games and Riot Games, in an investigation that took place back in May. Since the signing of the Foreign Inves?tment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 back the previous US administration, CFIUS has launched numerous investigations into the United States business affairs ?with China and other national bodies.

US national security panel investigating?? Tencent's Sumo?? acquisition [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Take a trip back to the Nth Dimension

We have a new '90s platforming hero preparing to make a comeback in the near future. Following on from the Bubsy Bobcats, Kao Kangaroos, and Ty Tasmanian Tigers of the world, Zool �the ninja from the Nth dimension �will return in Zool Redimensioned, a ground-up remake of his origin?al Commodore Amiga adventure.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg4ip2bKNOI

Originally developed by the legendary Gremlin Graphics and released in 1992, Zool was the Amiga's answer to titles such as Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog, with hopes that the gremlin ninja would win over the hearts of platform game fans and become a mascot for floppy-disk-lovin' Amiga owners. While Zool would not quite reach the fame of his console brethren, his adventure was acclaimed on release for its colorful visuals, great sound, and dynamic designs. Gremlin would enter into a marketing deal with lollipop maker Chupa Chups, which saw a nauseating amount of advertising plastered over the title's original release �removed from Zool's later console ports.

Developed by Sumo Digital Academy, Zool Redimensioned has been rebuilt from scratch, packing the original title out with redesigned boss fights, new secrets and stages, alternate game modes, quality-of-life additions such as checkpoints and level selects, and audio/visual enhancements. The Sega Mega Drive edition of Zool will also be included in its entirety for retro-heads. Sumo Digital Academy will work alongside members of the original Zool development team to ensure that this new experience s??tays true to the ninja's '90s roots.

Zool Redimensioned is currently? in development for PC. It i??s expected to launch as soon as this month.

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Newest addition to industry giant's stock portfolio

Chinese holding company Tencent has announced that it has purchased British developer Sumo Group. The mind-melting $1.3 billion (USD) sale sees Sumo Group join T?encent's bulging portfolio of global video game developers and publishers.

Originally founded in 2003, Sumo Group was born out of the closing of French developer Infogrames. Purchased by Foundation 9 Entertainment in 2008, Sumo would eventually go public as Sumo Group plc in 2017. While Tencent already had a stake in Sumo Group, this new deal w??ill give the former full ownership of all of Sumo Group's subsidiaries, including Sumo Digital, (and its five respective UK?? studios), Atomhawk, Pipeworks Studios, and in-house publisher Secret Mode.

"Tencent is pleased to have been an investor in Sumo since 2019, and we view the proposed combination as an evolution of our partnership," said Tencent CSO James Mitchell. "Tencent is a committed inve??stor in the game industry, with a track record of supporting the growth of game studios around the world."

"We hold Sumo's team and the games they produce in high regard, and its strategy and spirit of innovation have underpinned the success of the business over many years. Tencent intends to b??ring its expertis?e and resources to accelerate the growth of Sumo both in the UK and abroad, supporting Sumo in the market for top-tier creative talent, and the UK as a hub for game innovation."

Sumo Group joins Tencent's increasingly long list of studios with which the conglomerate holds minority or majority stakes. Tencent's portfolio includes full ownership of Riot Games, Funcom, Leyou, and Sharkmob; majority stakes in Supercell, Klei Entertainment, Yager Development, and Grinding Gear Games; and stakes of varying sizes in Activision-Blizzard, Ubisoft, Dontnod Entertainment, Remedy Entertainment, Bohemia Interactive, Marvelous, and Epic Games.

Tenc??ent to buy developer Sumo in $1.3 billion deal [GamesIndustry.biz]

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From our sister site The Escapist

The post Hood: Outlaws & Legends – Review in 3 Minutes appeared first on Destructoid.

UK producer adds tenth studio to its portfolio

UK digital marketer Sumo Group has acquired indie developer PixelAnt, adding the Polish outfit to its family of ten-strong studios - although PixelAnt is Sumo's first acquisition from ?mainland Europe.

PixelAnt, based in Wroclaw, will retain the leadership of studio heads and industry veterans Pawal Rohleder and Adam Lasoń, who co-founded the company just last summer. Going forward, PixelAnt will now work exclusively with Sumo Digital on its upcoming releases.

"We’re incredibly excited by the opportunities that being part of the Sumo family offers to PixelAnt," said Rohleder in a press statement. "Sumo has demonstrated a proven commitment to ??each of its studios to give them what they need to make incredible games and hire the best people. We have very ambitious plans in place, and we know that Sumo is going to support us every step of the way."

Sumo MD Gary Dunn also spoke of his pleasure at the new partnership. "In addition to adding supremely talented people to our family of studios in the form of Pawel, Adam, and their team, we now have our first base of operations in mainland Europe, allowing us to tap into Poland’s phenomenal talent pool. As a full-service studio?, PixelA?nt will provide game development services to clients across the world, as well as own-IP opportunities, and will continue to work on Sumo projects."

In addition to PixelAnt, Sumo Group consists of studios The Chinese Room, Lab42, and Red Kite Games, as we??ll as internal developers based out of Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leamington, and Warrington in the United Kingdom and Pune in India.

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Sumo Digital's co-op platformer could slip through the cracks

I'm not about to argue that any of us should prioritize getting Sackboy: A Big Adventure over other PlayStation 5 launch games like Demon's Souls or Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but you know what? It looks better every time I see it. This latest trailer – a story spotlight – fills ??me with feel-good vibes.

Squaring everything away for local multiplayer on PS5 will be a pricey proposition – you would need a ($70) DualSense for everyone since DualShock 4 controllers won't support PS5 games – but there is a silver lining. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is also playable on PS4 as a $60 cross-gen release.

Unlike Horizon Forbidden West or even Miles Morales, I'm not too worried about any potential performance concessions with the PS4 version of Sackboy. (I hope I don't regret that optimism.) For tho??se of u??s with way too many DualShock 4s, it just makes sense to go that route for couch co-op.

Save data for Sackboy will transfer from PS4 to PS5 once?? an update rolls out "shortly after the release of the game," according to Sony. This process ?"will vary title by title for cross-generational games."

The free PS5 pack-in Astro's Playroom will be a nice warmup for whenever I get around to playing Sackboy, but I get the distinct feeling that most?? of us will skip this at launch and circle back later.

Let's use the buddy system: I'll remind you if you remi?nd me – preferably onc?e there's a deal.

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PC and Xbox Series X too

There are enough blades through necks in Hood: Outlaws and Legends that you'll probably get some Assassin's Creed vibes. It's not ?the only?? inspiration you'll find though.

Sumo Digital and Focus Home Interactive are creating a new property called Hood: Outlaws and Legends?. The moody reveal trailer makes it look like a stealthy medieval game with some brutal combat.

There aren't all that many details about Hood yet, but the recently-launched site has a beta signup. Go check that out if you're interested in seeing this ?game in action sooner rather than lat?er.

Hood is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X next year. It seems like a good one ?to kee??p an eye on.

Update: Here's a new tweet from the game's account that sheds a little bit of light on what Hood is aiming for:

Hood: Outlaws & Legends has you competing with rival gangs in intense PvPvE multiplayer heists, s?et in a myth-shrouded and violent medieval world. Coming t??o PS5, PS4, XSX, X1, and PC in 2021.

We are all Outlaws… but some of us will become Legends. pic.twitter.com/cL5uKJ6Dct

— Hood: Outlaws & Legends (@Hood_OL) August 6, 2020

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Hiss, but don't boo

Snake Pass is the perfect storm for "I'll get to it later." It's a novel and cute game with a nontraditional locomotion scheme, that much is good. But, it got middling review scores as the consensus seemed to be that all the snake stuff wore thin before long, like you got the gist of it early on and the game never really built on itself. That's the formula for pa??ssing until it's cheaper.

Well, it doesn't get much cheaper than free. Humble is giving away Snake Pass for the next three days. Just slither on over here and redeem it before 10am Pacific on Sunday June 14.

This is a fantastic confluence of events because Snake Pass is a game I love to recommend, but not one I recommend paying much for. Learning how to be a snake is genuinely satisfying and brilliant. Video games don't often challenge our perception of movement anymore, and having trouble simply sidewinding along the ground is a humbling experience.

But, once you've gotten the hang of it, Snake Pass stretches on for far too long, turning elaborate obstacle courses into giant collectathons. Use this Humble opportunity to see what it's like being a snake and then dip out before the tedium and frustr?ation overwhelm you. 

Humble Freebie Snake Pass [Humble]

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ArachnoFUNbia

Last year I thought Apple Arcade was going to introduce a new frontier for mobile gaming. That might still be true, but there hasn't been much evidence to support the claim. Yes, the service has seen some amazing titles on it, but all the dazzle from its debut has subsided as game releases for the $4.99 subscription service have slowed to a trickle. I haven't thought about it in m??onths -- though I still pay for it -- but this week, it had the only mobile game worth talking about.

Spyder
Developer: Sumo Digital
Available On: iOS

Blanketed in the same swinging sixties vibe that surrounds all great spy entertainment, Spyder casts players as Agent 8, a small, eight-legged robot sent in to do the work most humans are simply too big? to do. The game is divided into a series of missions that send Agent 8 into enemy territory to retrieve documents, stop catastrophes, and occasionally disable a bomb or two. Rather than having a license to kill, this robot has a license to crawl. Players can take it over nearly every surface in the game. Top, bottom, sides; nothing is off-limits to Agent 8...unless it's covered in oil.

Like any good secret agent, Agent 8 has its own set o??f gadgets, essentially making it a gadget with gadgets because yo dawg, I heard you like gadgets. These vary from simple screwdrivers to lasers that cut open vents, but the most important gadget is your ?puzzle-solving skills. While there is a waypoint to guide you through each stage, not every puzzle you encounter will be obvious from the outset. Sometimes you need to stop and think about what you're doing lest you blow the mission.

While the central villain of the narrative is the dastardly organization known as S.I.N., the only enemy you'll face is the game's camera. I don't pretend to think programming a camera for a normal 3D game is any simple task and I can just imagine the laborious effort that went into making Sypder's camera remotely?? usable, but most of my mission failures can be blamed on it not working with me when I needed it the most. Not a horrible dealbreaker as the game is mighty generous with checkpoints, but it's the only blemish on an otherwise seamless experience. Despite the camera woes, touch controls actually work pretty okay here if that's your only option.

This is a but a small example of the enormous potential of the Apple Arcade, something that, arguably, has been tough boast about in the wake of the service's launch. With this game and the recent debuts of Roundguard and Crossy Road Castle, it's slowly crawling its way back into relevan?cy.

Spyder is available for iOS as part of ??the Apple Arcade service.

_{(Premium priced games featured in Mobile Monday were provided by the developer. Free-to-play games were downloaded directly from the App Store or Google Play.)}

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Back on track

It's taken some time, and it feels like we've been talking about it forever, but the green flag has finally dropped on Team Sonic Racing. Sega has relea??sed a final launch trailer in? hopes to get your motor runnin'.

Available now for PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, Team Sonic Racing gathers a bunch of the Sonic the Hedgehog universe' favourite (and not-so-favourite) characters for track-lapping, tag-team action. Team Sonic Racing al??so including local split-screen, online support for up to 12 players and the option to customise your ve-hic-ulls.

Team Sonic Racing is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. You can check out out own Chris Carter's thoughts on the blue blur latest highway jaunt right here.

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Included day one on Xbox Game Pass

It's been a long and winding road to get to this point. Crackdown 3 was first revealed at E3 in 2014. After not hearing much for a few years, it was eventually se??t for a November 2017 release, right alongside the Xbox One X. Then it got pushed to spring 2018. Then it got pushed to February 2019. Some people assumed it'd eventually be canceled altogether.

Crackdown 3 now has a firm release date. As part of its X018 broadcast in Mexico City, Xbox revealed that Crackdown 3 launches on February 15, 2019. That's a week earlier than Anthem and Metro Exodus, which would've posed serious threats to Crackdown's sales.

Accompanying the announcement, Xbox has also shown off a new multiplayer mode called Wrecking Zone. It's a five-on-five deathmatch that takes place in its own dedicated arena. Because this is Crackdown, a lot of stuff explodes and crumbles. That's the whole point, actu??ally. Environmental destruction  T??he sizzle reel makes it look like it could be a good bit of fun.

For anyone who's on the fence about Crackdown 3 -- and probably rightfully so -- remember this is an Xbox first-party game. That means it's a launch day addition to Xbox Game Pass on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. The $10/month subscrip??tion is nearly perfect for occasions such as this.

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It was supposed to arrive this year

Team Sonic Racing was originally slated for winter 2018, but that may have changed based on a booklet distributed at the IgroMir Expo in Russia. According to an attendee the booklet notes that Team Sonic Racing is now due in 2019. It could ??be an error of course which is why we're running this as a rum?or, but either way we've reached out to Sega for confirmation.

There's a lot (literally) riding on Team Sonic Racing. Right now Mario Kart 8 is the king of the kart genre, but given how good Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was back in 2012 (read: better than most Mario Karts to date), ?I have faith that this will deliver.

Six years is a long time for a follow-up and if Sega and Sumo Digital need to wait until 2019 to fully polish it off: so be it. The space could use more competition and concepts like the time-delayed destruction of the brilliant Skies of Arcadia track in Transformed will help keep Nintendo on their toes.

Sonic Characters [Twitter via Nintendo Life]

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Still kickin'!

It has been literally four full years since the reveal of Dead Island 2 and we only know three definite things about it: It's set in California, it has zombies, and it?? somehow hasn't been canceled yet. Here's yet another assurance about the latter point.

Responding to impatient fans about the underwhelming and quiet release of a Dead Island mobile game this week, the series' Twitter account said "What's going on is that it's in development and we won't be showing more until we're ready. Appreciate the wait is painful, but Dead Island 2 i??s still coming.?" New day, but the same old story.

No surprise here, but developer Sumo Digital still has Dead Island 2 listed on its site as one of the titles it's working on. The other prominent and current Sumo game is the oft-delayed Crackdown 3. Neither is necessarily Sumo's fault, though; both were contracted after originally-planned development went sideways. In the case of Dead Island 2, Sumo was brought on after Yager was fired in the summer of 2015.

So, we're seemingly still a long ways away from a proper re-reveal of Dead Island 2, which is something that it absolutely needs considering how long it has been. If that happens -- and it kind of feels like a mighty big if -- expect a flurry of pieces about all the ways Dead Island 2 has changed over the past four years. It has to have changed because a game that started development in 2014 will feel dated as hell??.

But that's all extremely cart in front of the horse. For now, Dead Island 2 still exists ??and that qu?alifies as good news even if it's not particularly interesting good news.

@deadislandgame [Twitter]

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The game is currently half price

Sumo Digital's slithering platform game Snake Pass has a little surprise in store for players today.

Along with a new high-score-chasing Arcade Mode that spans all 15 main levels, there's also a long-awaited icon refresh for the Nintendo Switch version. People weren't too fond of the old one.

Arcade Mode is unlocked on a per-level basis, so if you've beaten every level in Snake Pass, you'll be ab?le to play them?? all in Arcade. The goal is to eat fruit, build up your multiplier, and make it through the gate as quickly as possible. Should you want to start some rivalries, there are online leaderboards, too.

Also, Snake Pass is half price r??ight now if you never got ?around to it.

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CCP Newcastle becomes Sumo Digital's fourth studio

New year, new beginnings. Late last year, CCP Newcastle, the studio primarily responsible for EVE Valkyrie, was set to be sold off by CCP. Now, on the first business da?y of 2018, we know where that team will land.

Sumo Digital announced today that it has acquired what was formerly CCP Newcastle. It's the fourth?? studio for Sumo Digital; three of them are in the UK and one is in India. No financial details about the transaction were shared, but 34 employees are making the switch and Owen O'Brien? will remain in charge of the Newcastle branch.

Even though Sumo Digital isn't quite a household name in video games, it's the type of developer who has played a support role on a bunch of titles. Recently, it has done work on Hitman, Forza Motorsport 7, and LittleBigPlanet 3 (as well as developing and self-publishing Snake Pass).

However, it's the near future where Sumo Digital will likely receive its most recognition to date. It's one of four developers at work on Crackdown 3, and it's the sole studio (that we know about) that's tackling Dead Island 2. There's big stuff on the horizon for Sumo Digital. Now 34 former CC??P employees are along fo??r the ride.

Sumo Digital Takes On CCP Gam?es' Newcastle Studio [Sumo Digital]

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Mamba No. 6

Locomotion is something that far too many video games take for granted. Standard fare for movement is often reduced to holding an analog stick in a direction and you'll get where you need to be. This approach is so ingrained in game design that when something as experimental as Snake Pass comes along, it sticks out as a stark ??reminder of what developers could be doing (not that they all need to be doing it).

There's a certain progression of emotion to playing Snake Pass. First, it's novel. Then, it's brilliant. Then, it's frustrating. Eventually, it's ??an amalgamation of all that other stuff but maybe more tedious than anything.

Snake Pass (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: Sumo Digital
Publisher: Sumo Digital
Release: March 28, 2017
MSRP: $19.99 

The mechanics of being a serpentine and your tactile connection to them are the core of Snake Pass. It's also the absolute best the game has to off?er. Forw??ard movement of Noodle (the snake's name is Noodle) requires holding a trigger and (excuse the pun) snaking the analog stick left to right to simulate a sidewinding motion. The other trigger can be used to grip, a way to cling tightly to whatever obstacle you're coiled around. A face button is dedicated to lifting Noodle's head, a maneuver that often makes just the slightest bit of difference when trying to ascend a ledge.

It's all so goddamn smart. Neatly slithering across the ground is good and all, but weaving through bamboo poles to further stabilize yourself is downright skillful and savvy. There's a learning curve to Snake Pass&nb??sp;and it won't be long until yo?u feel like you've mastered it. You've really got the hang of this Being A Snake thing!

Humility will come swiftly as Snake Pass is a fickle mistress. The difficulty ramps quickly as you suddenly realize that you definitely do not got the hang of this Being A Snake thing. I'm not convinced the obstacles get significantly tougher, though; it seems that they just get bigger, extending the amount of time you have to be proficient at snake stuff. The unforgiving (yet perfectly realistic) physics will probably cause Noodle to eventually lose his grip. Snake Pass' hardest challenges are the ones where Noodle is unsafe the lo??ngest??, not ones that require tricky and clever movements.

The reason for all this snaking is in the name of collectible hunting. Each of Snake Pass' 15 levels has 3 keystones that are necessary to proceed, along with 20 orbs and 5 golden coins. The latter are completely optional. Th?e coins usually are found alongside the hardest platforming in the game, and the orbs are just sort of barely ?off the beaten path. Neither of these are particularly important as they don't tie into a reward of any kind. They're just a pair of statistics to max out on the level select screen.

This leads to Snake Pass' greatest disconnect from a design perspective. Combing the environment for a missing collectible or two is prohibitively taxing given how long it takes to retread areas you've already explored. But, Snake Pass treats these with relative indifference so maybe you should too. Beating?? the game endows Noodle with an ability to see a?ll the collectibles in any given level, but that's probably of little consequence for those who are content just getting through the game once.

Noodle isn't completely alone in this venture. He has a hummingbird sidekick. Doodle (the hummingbird's name ?is Doodle) serves to add some flavor text throughout the adventure, but his more important use is that he can lift Noodle's tail. This can help get him up to a hard-to-reach area, but it might also shift the snake's body in a way that causes him to go tumbling. Tread carefully.

If Doodle is Noodle's greatest ally, then the camera is his gr??eatest adversary. On too many occasions, the view will be just off enough that it's impossible to know which micro-movement is necessary. In particularly perilous situations, you might have both index fingers on a trigger, the left thumb on the left stick, the right thumb on a face button to hold Noodle's head up, and find yourself needing to also move the camera with the right stick. It's irritating, especially when you know you were in position to succeed.

The edge to all those frustrations is eventually dulled, though. You come to accept Snake Pass for what it is, you learn to expect whatever niggling annoyance is going to happen next. It's all easy enough to come to terms with, like Snake Pass is some sort of anesthesia. More than anything, I just found myself wishing it were over sooner; fifteen levels is a lot of ground t???o cover, especially when the game does little to meaningfully vary gameplay.

Snake Pass' legacy won't be any of that negative stuff I mentioned. It'll be remembered as a quirky thing that's an exemplary example of how games can offer non-traditional experiences. And, to be quite honest, I love it for that. I thoroughly enjoyed my first hour or so as I leaned into its serpentine sensibilities. But, Snake Pass' choice of animal is unfortunately fitting as this game ju??st doesn't ha??ve legs.

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

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