GamesBeat’s Dean Takahashi named it while discussing the above studios and how it could also be saved if a buyer emerged. If not, 110 employees could face layoffs. The report is all the more damning because, like Ninja Theory’s Senua, Xbox leadership has marketed State of Decay 3 as a major upcoming title. It even has closed alpha tests ongoing.

Accounting for all of the above, the total number of layoffs could total about 435. Takahashi also mentioned “percentage layoffs” at Blizzard Entertainment and Bethesda, adding to previous reports that the latter is in trouble. Other reports indicated that employees not working on The Elder Scrolls or Fallout would allegedly be made redundant.

Of course, the Communications Workers of America, which represents 3,500+ employees at Microsoft since 2002, decried the same. “Multiple reports in the press indicate that in the days ahead Microsoft may initiate layoffs across its Xbox division, the very people who build its best-selling games. We’re here to say this plainly: those workers will not be traded as disposable,” said CWA District 9 vice president Frank Arce.

But with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma committed to this big reset for the brand, it may not ultimately matter. Given recent mass layoffs at Bungie and the ongoing strike at Quantic Dream, the games industry is set for some dark days.

“PlayStation has long been strongly associated with the idea of playing in the living room. However, in recent years, more users globally have been using personal monitors. In response, we are selling peripherals such as monitors and speakers to break away from the fixed perception that ‘PlayStation equals the living room’ and to broaden usage scenarios,” he said during a Q&A segment earlier this month at the Game and Network Services Segment Small Meeting.

“For the next-generation platform, rather than simply serving as an alternative to PCs, we aim to deliver value that is unique to PlayStation. This includes not only technological advancements but also an expansion of usage styles, enabling a seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.”

That last part sure sounds like a handheld but one more akin to the Nintendo Switch 2, which also functions as a home console when docked. There have been rumors about the same for quite some time now, starting with Sony’s push for Power Saver Mode support on its titles, reportedly for the sake of the alleged PS6 handheld.

Last we heard, the alleged SKU, alongside the “regular” PS6, was reportedly on track to launch in Holiday 2027. It’s also seemingly faster than the Xbox Series S, especially in ray tracing and path tracing.

However, things have taken a turn lately, as leaker Kepler_L2 reported that the alleged Bill of Materials for the PS6 had gone up by almost $200. How this would affect the handheld version remains unknown, but delaying it would apparently be pointless, since the specs have been locked in. With Sony unwilling to sell PlayStation consoles at a “significant” loss, the possibility of a $999 console looms ever closer.

Oh wait.

This year, it feels like every project from the house of Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Splinter Cell is having problems or cutting back to meet deadlines – including new entries in those very same properties. Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe has apparently pulled back and laid off 50 members from its team. Far Cry 7 is reportedly in a stage of development referred to as “Hell,” where things reportedly change every single month. And the less said about that fabled Splinter Cell Remake, which may as well be the stuff of legend at this point, the better.

So what about Ghost Recon, reportedly codenamed Project Ovr? A first-person shooter that seemingly takes after Ready or Not, reportedly promising a darker experience against the backdrop of a fictional war, where squad-based tactics are more prominent than ever? You know, everything that hardcore fans of the series have wanted? Well, sources previously told Insider Gaming that an internal alpha was scheduled for last Fall and if everything went well, it could launch this year.

Fast forward to this month, post-reshuffle and things have taken a rather drastic turn. Insider Gaming first reported that the alpha didn’t meet expectations. “Unrealistic deadlines,” “poor planning and management,” and “directors not listening to feedback” were apparently some of the things thrown around. Unfortunately, the head office has seemingly rejected any other arrangements, aside from reportedly bringing in VP of global creative Julien Sansalone and VP of production Jean-Baptiste Duval. Not to really change how the development team actually works, mind you. Just to oversee things. Presumably, they’re to be the eyes and ears for upper management, providing information on actual progress rather than going simply by whatever the studio says.

Then there’s the most recent report. What’s been done to bring the project back on track? A “cut and greatly reduced” scope, for starters, with “many features stripped.” The sources in question didn’t go into much detail on what exactly was removed, but they apparently vary in overall scale (and potential significance).

Furthermore, details on an internal alpha held last Spring have emerged. Ovr is apparently not “stable at all,” and the game is in a “terrible” state. What about last year’s internal alpha, and plans to shift to the final game within 12 months? I’m theorizing here, but it’s possible that after its organizational overhaul, upper management took one look at the game’s state and decided it was far from satisfactory.

It likely gave the developer time to shape up for another alpha test, and well, these are seemingly the results. Based on that, it’s made changes to ensure no roadblocks in deliverables.

Going back to Insider Gaming’s latest report, a beta is now apparently targeting November. Unfortunately, there’s another problem. Recent layoffs have hit multiple studios under the publisher’s umbrella, including this one, which means those remaining will purportedly have more work on hand. Which apparently means “long days of crunching” for the beta. So if it wasn’t bad enough that the team is working to get the game rolling, that too after abandoning several features, it has even less resources to do it and is under more pressure. Keep in mind that before these changes, some developers apparently expected the project to be outright cancelled.

Why? Because the studio’s management seemingly has no idea what it was doing. This was a concern that emerged with how much freedom these individual Creative Houses would have. But you should think of this as more of the old way of doing things meeting a new approach by management that’s more concerned with cutting costs and actually taking steps to ship the product rather than dilly-dallying.

And while it’s easy to blame the executives in charge at the top, you have to remember that Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced was reportedly meant for March before facing a delay. How that extra time would have helped the remake is anyone’s guess, but based on relatively positive impressions from both fans and media outlets, we’ll default to it being the correct choice.

But this is this, and that is that. One Creative House won’t necessarily operate like the others, and that goes double for its studios. It is the same as handling Splinter Cell and The Division, however – the former waffling about with its remake while the latter has yet to provide updates on The Division 3 for almost three years. Aside from executive producer Julian Gerighty, who had a key role in both titles, leaving the company, of course.

As for Ghost Recon, really, what can you say at this point? As much as this new studio structure ensures that projects actually get going rather than end up mired, it feels like the company as a whole has no clue what it wants to do with the franchise. When Wildlands embraced the open-world approach, there was significant blowback from long-time fans, and its launch state didn’t help matters either. Nevertheless, after strong sales, the company stuck with it, improving and introducing significant new features while showcasing how much fun it could be. It may not have been the true blue Ghost Recon that the hardcore fan wanted, but it was certainly getting there.

Then Breakpoint stripped most of that away, including AI squadmates and introduced a poorly implemented survival theme. The real goal? Taking Wildlands formula and trying to create a looter shooter, complete with a social hub. As noted earlier, this went down horribly and even with massive overhauls, it’s far from the ideal experience.

So what was the plan after that? Of all things, Ghost Recon Frontline, a first-person shooter battle royale that looked to embrace the Fortnite style of building walls. Except you were actually air-dropping them in with a laser pointer. The reception to this was so bad that the publisher ultimately just scrapped it months later. Good riddance.

By comparison, Ovr looked like it was going back to what made the series great while leaning into more grounded, realistic tactical play. Yet again, however, we don’t know where it fell short as to warrant so many changes. Was the squad management terrible? Did the gunplay disappoint? If there’s an open world, did it not have enough checklists of activities? We don’t know, but whatever its problems, the publisher isn’t keen to sit on the sidelines and wait for the development team to suddenly strike gold. And it’s not going to be lenient on them either, even with reduced manpower.

While it’s nice to hope that everything will work out, the past decade or so hasn’t been kind to Ghost Recon. And at this point, wistfully hoping that those in charge just “get it” and deliver an experience that will satisfy both the hardcore and the more contemporary fans feels like a pipe dream.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

The tale of Edward Kenway, seemingly lost to time (or at least 2013), is reborn at long last. Launching on July 9th, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a remake of the original, maintaining the same story and characters while expanding on everything else. Overhauled visuals, a denser world map, faster combat, expanded naval battles, a deeper end-game – the list goes on and on. Sure, some parts like the modern-day Abstergo segments and equipping the Hidden Blade in combat are absent (alongside the DLC and multiplayer). But it’s otherwise a faithful retelling of our favorite assassin/pirate’s legend with so much more to offer.

EA Sports College Football 27

College Football’s resurgence and success means a new yearly sports franchise for EA, for better or worse. But at least College Football 27 is trying a few new things when it launches on July 9th, starting with a PC debut for the series. Long-time fans can expect Dynasty improvements, new customization options in Road to Glory, and more. Perhaps the most intriguing new addition is Mascot Mashup, where teams of mascots can clash in games.

Echoes of Aincrad

Somehow, Sword Art Online returned, but instead of playing as well-known characters like Kirito or Asuna, you’ll experience the first season’s death game as an original character. Customize their appearance, learn unique skills, venture through dungeons, and try not to die. But for those who want that authentic experience, there’s Death Game Mode, where your save is deleted upon death. Echoes of Aincrad looks the part visually, so we’ll give it a shot, but a revamp of the tutorial certainly wouldn’t hurt before its July 10th launch.

Palworld 1.0

Pocketpair’s creature-collecting, open-world, survival crafting title exploded when early access debuted in 2024, and it’s come a long way since. While storming the World Tree is the end-game, 1.0 is going all out in terms of new gameplay features. A Wing Pack for flying around on your lonesome; a Pal that transforms into a two-handed sword with a unique move-set; and those mysterious floating islands that developers seem to be fans of. Touted as the biggest update for Palworld yet, we can’t wait to see how 1.0 changes the game when it goes live on July 10th.

The Alters: Last Variable

Remember when you left Jan Scientist behind at the end of The Alters? If the answer is, “I didn’t play The Alters,” well…don’t worry about it. All you need to know is that cloning yourself is back on the menu, as you explore new regions, expand a new base underground and learn the truth about something called the Oasis. With cryo-sleep enabling longer-term consequences, Last Variable could feed into the survival drama that helped the base game thrive when it launches on July 13th.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic

PlayStation VR titles have been less common over the years, but thankfully, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2 players will have a chance to experience Polyarc’s Moss series without the need for a headset. Alongside both games and DLC, it promises a new Smart Follow camera and the option to skip combat. There are also new cutscenes to go with the improved performance. So if you’ve never experienced the journey of Quill, a mouse who ventures through the ruins of a kingdom, there’s no better day than July 16th when Moss: The Forgotten Relic launches.

Gothic Classic (PlayStation and Xbox)

With how well-received Gothic 1 Remake has been, PlayStation and Xbox players will finally get the chance to experience the 2001 original on July 28th. And it’s about as untainted as you’d expect, preserving the unforgiving challenge and janky gameplay that made the original such a treat.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game

A good Avatar video game is about as rare as an enjoyable live-action adaptation, but Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game could fill those shoes. It’s 1v1, featuring hand-drawn animation and packs 12 playable characters, from Aang and Korra to Azula and Kyoshi. Along with Training and Spectator modes, you have the requisite Versus with rollback netcode and cross-play support. Best of all, single-player fans have Story Mode, which offers an original tale, and Arcade Mode. Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game lands on July 23rd for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC.

Splatoon Raiders

Instead of competitive modes like its predecessors, Splatoon Raiders leans fully into single-player but with a fresh gameplay loop. As the Mechanic, you’ll explore the Spirhalite Islands with Deep Cut, unearthing relics and fighting the Salmonids. By mining Spirhalite Shards, you can develop Gadgets for additional combat options. With optional local and online co-op, it looks intriguing, if nothing else, and arrives on July 23rd for Nintendo Switch 2.

Halo: Campaign Evolved

The campaign that started it all, but evolved. Halo Studios may not have the most sterling reputation, but we have to admit that its remake of Halo 1 has looked good in recent showings, whether it’s the visuals or revamping levels to facilitate four-player co-op. The prospect of over 40 Skulls, including one that adds a third-person perspective, and a Campaign Remix option means heaps of replay value. Just try not to focus too much on the lack of Theater Mode or post-launch content plans when Halo: Campaign Evolved arrives on July 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Mistfall Hunter

We’ve already seen a Souls-like battle royale-style game in Nightreign, so why not an extraction title in the same vein? Announced in October 2024, Mistfall Hunter will finally launch this month on Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, offering six playable Gyldhunters who venture into the titular mist to take on various monstrosities. And while there’s a very “end of the world” style scenario, it’s still all about finding loot, either solo or in teams of three, and surviving against enemies and other players long enough to extract it. Enjoyable or tedious? We’ll find out on July 29th.

The Relic: First Guardian

Of course, if we’re talking about Souls-likes that have been a long time coming, The Relic: First Guardian is out on July 31st for PS5 and PC after first being announced five years ago. Suffice to say that the setting and prospect of venturing into the ruined world of Arsiltus to help save it is enticing. The fact that you don’t lose stamina from attacking also means a more aggressive playstyle, and while we’ll need to wait and see how the bosses pan out, The Relic could make for a nice diversion.

The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu

If you’re not in the Souls-like mood and just want a more co-op-focused experience with plenty of the same oppression, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu may be worth playing. The premise is simple – you and up to three other players venture into a jungle in the hopes of finding the Mound. However, there’s the Madness system, similar to the Sanity system from Eternal Darkness, which can mess with your senses in a variety of ways, from making allies appear hostile to creating truly horrific sights. In other words, a fun ol’ time with friends when it launches on July 15th.

Backyard Baseball

The original Backyard Baseball is a classic in many ways, but for those who wanted a more contemporary version, there’s good news. Mega Cat Studios is reimagining it for consoles and PC with completely revamped visuals. The Backyard roster returns in full force with 30 choices, and you can duke it out across 11 stadiums and six modes. With a range of options for both casual and competitive players, it promises to capture the magic of the original – with some modern quality of life – when it launches on July 9th.

Dinoblade

So there’s one more game to look forward to in July, and yes, it’s another Souls-like. The twist? Dinosaurs. In a post-cataclysm, you take up a Great Sword as a Spinosaurus and embark on a journey for…something, taking on all kinds of hostile dinos. These include Alphas who may have their own weapons and skills. As ridiculous as it sounds, there’s no denying how cool it looks. Dinoblade launches on July 23rd for PC.

The characters seemingly include a heavily modified assassin-style character who can scale walls and balance on wires; a spiky-haired individual who may be in way over his head; a mature man who’s seemingly on the verge of cyber-psychosis; and a child who’s filming so many different things. To what end?

We’ll have to wait and find out, but between hacked cars crashing into each other, explosions and bloody shootouts, Edgerunners 2 could one-up the original in terms of chaos. The theme “You Can’t Run From Me” by Rico Nasty is also a certified banger.

Thankfully, it seems Netflix isn’t messing with a winning formula, with Edgerunners director Kai Ikarashi and lead designer Kanno Ichio returning. Showrunner and writer Bartosz Sztybor is also back to make the whole world sad once more, and we can’t wait. And in case you want more, a first look is confirmed for Anime Expo 2026 on July 3rd, so stay tuned.

There are three modes to choose from: Performance, Fidelity and Balanced (which requires a display that supports 120/240 Hz). Performance delivers 60 frames per second with Standard ray tracing, which encompasses global illumination for diffuse lighting. Fidelity and Balanced have Extensive ray tracing that includes reflective surfaces. However, the former runs at 30 FPS while the latter offers 40 FPS. All three modes output at an upscaled 2160p resolution.

So what makes PS5 Pro so special? While offering the same modes and frame rates as the base PS5, Extended ray tracing is on across the board. Upscaled 2160p is also enabled throughout, courtesy of the upgraded PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution. You can also expect improved hair with individual strands rendered and reacting realistically.

It does vary, though – for instance, Edward has it in all modes during gameplay, but Fidelity mode will bestow the same to nearby NPCs. At least every mode displays strand-based hair for all characters in the cinematics, so even those who prefer a higher frame rate can bask in the detail.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is available on July 9th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Ubisoft hasn’t explicitly stated whether the PS5 frame rates and resolutions apply to Xbox Series X, but you can likely expect the same. Xbox Series S is anyone’s guess, though, so stay tuned for more details.

But if that isn’t enough, there’s good news. It’s followed immediately by the return of Nintendo Treehouse: Live, which will showcase 30 minutes of additional gameplay. It should provide the most accurate representation of its performance and general gameplay loop, not to mention four-player co-op.

If you haven’t kept up with the franchise and are confused by the lack of competitive PvP, Splatoon Raiders is a story-focused title. It follows the Mechanic, a new character, who teams up with Deep Cut from Splatoon 3 to explore the Spirhalite Islands.

Whatever secrets may await, there are tons of Salmonids standing in your way. Taking them out requires using familiar Ink weapons and new gadgets, which you can customise to increase your chances of survival. And despite the single-player premise, Deep Cut members will assist in their own ways.

Even if it’s far from the first dedicated single-player offering from the series, exploring the islands and harvesting materials to empower your tools is an intriguing twist. We’ll find out for ourselves when Splatoon Raiders launches on July 23rd for Nintendo Switch 2.

Henrysson revealed the news on LinkedIn, stating he had a “fantastic time” and that his time at the studio saw “revenue and profit triple.” “As the CEO of Supermassive Games, I was honoured to guide the studio through intense industry change, broadening its client base and establishing a culture of consistent quality across all aspects of the game development process.

“Leading a studio is never a one-man job — it is the entire team’s effort. Our commitment to continuous improvement was, and continues to be, central to everything we do.” He expressed his gratefulness to the developer, calling it the “greatest storytelling game studio on Earth” and revealed plans to take a vacation (and manage his “own small portfolio of investments”).

While there’s no correlation between Directive 8020’s sales performance and Henrysson stepping down, his tenure has seen its share of ups and downs. He was appointed in the aftermath of co-founders Pete and Joe Samuels departing from Supermassive. A few weeks later, significant layoffs were announced, with about 90 employees reportedly affected. Supermassive would also allegedly cancel an unannounced Blade Runner title called Time to Live. Directive 8020 was also hit by a significant delay months after, coupled with more layoffs.

It’s unknown who will take over for Henrysson, but the studio is forging ahead with its next game. Teased in Directive 8020 if you followed these exact steps, it showcases a heavy dose of the supernatural and may be The Craven Man or Intercession – two other IPs trademarked alongside the sci-fi horror back in 2022. Supermassive has yet to confirm which, much less a release date, so stay tuned for updates in the future.

Which is a shame because few games really make me want to go back and experience them in their prime like Titanfall 1 and 2. The Smart Pistol arguments. Riding on the back of a fellow Titan, or calling down one on top of an enemy. Steamrolling an entire match with Titans as your opponents struggled to fight back, and in the same vein, coming back against overwhelming odds, no matter how many Grunts required farming in Attrition

And yet, there’s a reason why we haven’t seen similar movement-based shooters: They don’t last. The high skill floor and ceiling can make for a massive struggle if you don’t master the art of hanging out in the sky box and shooting your hapless enemies below. But that hasn’t stopped other developers, like 1047 Games of Splitgate fame (and Splitgate 2 infamy) from trying.

Enter EMPULSE, a game that unabashedly borrows Titanfall’s fundamentals and really didn’t spend the time on cultivating an identity. Sure, you have the wall-running, sliding, grappling and even the mechs, but the approach is equal parts intriguing and eyebrow-raising rather than a true successor, much less the next big multiplayer shooter.

"Non-descript buildings and characters, uninspired environments – it fails to really get you raring and willing to dive into the action. It’s like futuristic dystopia-lite that’s not really sure if it wants to commit to the Mirror’s Edge aesthetic."

Because while EMPULSE certainly apes many of Titanfall’s core essentials, it lacks the finer points and nuance. I’ve seen people call this a Splitgate title repurposed into a movement-based shooter, and it’s very hard to unsee. And while this is early access, one of the biggest reasons for its lack of identity is the absolutely lackluster narrative. Or context. Or really anything to explain what’s going on, or why you’re doing what you’re doing.

You’re thrust into Freehold, competing across urban maps of varying degrees of verticality, and tasked with completing objectives (or simply gunning down the opposition). Now I’m not expecting anything even close to Titanfall 1’s “campaign”, which drew considerable flak at the time, but there really is nothing to guide you in. Are you playing as vigilante graffiti artists, fighting against The Man (who presumably manufactures these giant mechs)? Is the opposing team akin to a corpo force of graffiti taggers?

Again, not saying I need anywhere near the lore surrounding the IMC or Frontier Militia, which wasn’t much to begin with, but something, anything is desperately required instead of simply tossing players in with a goodbye and good luck (and they don’t recall wishing you good luck).

Then there’s the presentation. For what it’s worth, EMPULSE’s performance is pretty solid, and the fidelity is good even at Medium settings. The art direction is a completely different story. Non-descript buildings and characters, uninspired environments – it fails to really get you raring and willing to dive into the action. It’s like futuristic dystopia-lite that’s not really sure if it wants to commit to the Mirror’s Edge aesthetic. The less said about the generic rock music in the main menu, the better.

That isn’t to say the layouts are all completely terrible, which brings us to the gameplay front. As with Titanfall, you can wall-run, jump, hover, grapple, and slide. Chaining these together can result in some pretty slick momentum while making you much harder to hit. And to EMPULSE’s credit, some of the levels have extensive verticality to leverage that. Crossing is perhaps the most visually notable – it’s two buildings with a sky bridge in between with multiple avenues for flanking.

"Imitation is the best form of flattery, but it still feels pretty bare-bones, perhaps because of the lack of a signature ability. On the plus side, at least the perks offer some decent variety…"

Running straight down the middle often feels like a death sentence, but wall-running on the sides? Or navigating away from a jump pad’s trajectory to access the boost pads near the arena’s edges? Those offer some more creative routes. Meanwhile, something like Plaza or Elevation will reward you more for scaling higher and higher, locating hapless fools on the ground to then pounce on them. Even if these locations don’t feel nearly as organic or memorable as their inspiration, at least they’re designed to lean into all the movement possibilities.

Of course, 1047 Games adds its own movement mechanic into the mix with P.A.I.N.T. These are essentially paint bombs which grant different benefits, like boosting your speed or recovering health when you pass them. Or like straight-up bombs that explode. Initially, I was a bit mixed on these since the Speed P.A.I.N.T. felt like the best option overall in the demo. The early access version has toned down its overall effectiveness, and now I’m unsure whether that was the right call because it still feels essential – just not as good as before.

Otherwise, EMPULSE delivers on its promise of verticality and relatively high-speed movement, even if it doesn’t feel as polished or crisp as Titanfall. The grapple seems especially weird at times. For all those moments where you’ll smoothly swing around behind an opponent, there are more than a few others where you won’t seamlessly transition into a wall-run from a grapple. Instead, your momentum halts, killing the flow before it even gets going.

When it comes to loadouts, 1047 Games doesn’t stray far from the tried-and-true formula. Limited slots for attachments. Three perk slots (and you can only equip options within that slot instead of mixing and matching across the entire pool). A single grenade, or rather P.A.I.N.T. type. Imitation is the best form of flattery, but it still feels pretty bare-bones, perhaps because of the lack of a signature ability. On the plus side, at least the perks offer some decent variety, whether it’s restoring health and obtaining a speed boost with kills, extending your grapple range, refueling your jetpack faster, and so on.

The weapon variety is also pretty solid overall – between the assault rifles, SMGs, shotguns and rifles, there’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but they get the job done, and gunplay feels responsive enough. Some balance adjustments are still sorely needed, especially for the DMR-like Resonance, and progression feels somewhat slow when trying to unlock attachments. I’m also not a fan of the ADS view since it feels more like Splitgate’s magnified zoom rather than actually aiming down sights (unless you have a scope, of course).

"And that’s really the core issue with EMPULSE. All its little gimmicks like P.A.I.N.T. and mech camping aside, it’s not Titanfall, nor does it approach the highs that it provided."

Last but not least, there are the mechs. With how easy it is to steamroll in Titanfall with a Titan, I was curious how EMPULSE would approach this. Instead of awarding mechs to each player, two will spawn on the map at timed intervals. In theory, this would mean both teams have equal opportunity to obtain their own. In practice, an enemy mech will immediately camp the other, preventing opponents from evening the odds.

But that shouldn’t be too much of a problem because the mechs themselves are surprisingly easy to kill. Leaving aside how difficult it is to hit opponents with its mini-gun, it feels very fragile – even more so when the entire team is focus-firing on it. There’s only one dedicated anti-mech weapon, and a sledgehammer that feels incredibly awkward, and leads to moments where an enemy is simply smacking your toes, and you can’t get a bead on them. No, you can’t crush players underfoot, much less run over them, or self-destruct or even climb on a mech’s back. Even ejecting sees you hopping out rather than soaring sky high.

And that’s really the core issue with EMPULSE. All its little gimmicks like P.A.I.N.T. and mech camping aside, it’s not Titanfall, nor does it approach the highs that it provided. There are plenty of ways for 1047 Games to improve the experience, whether it’s providing some actual data on the weapons that killed me, adding more mechs with different abilities, or expanding on the map pool. For now, it’s what everyone pretty much expected – a no-frills movement-based shooter with mechs to scratch but never fully satisfy that Titanfall itch. Nothing more and nothing less, for now.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Cielo and Pai Chan pursue him, but when the latter enters a pitched battle and knocks away his mask, she’s shocked at his identity. While we don’t get a look at his face, the fighting style does all the talking, employing Wushu for some high-impact strikes. At one point, he even slams Pai into the ground without mercy before showcasing what seem to be Fu Jow Pai techniques.

Some speculate that he may be Lau Chan, which would be impossible given the character’s age. Others believe this is Lei Fei harnessing similar moves, but seemingly falling into darkness. Perhaps the Bakunawa Killer is just a brand new character with ties to both. Time will tell, but he’s playable in Versus Mode as well.

Virtua Fighter Crossroads launches next year, and thus far, this kind of storytelling really leans into producer Riichiro Yamada’s description of an “open sandbox RPG.” Besides Cielo’s journey, players will control other characters, each with their own respective tales. Of course, fighters from previous titles also figure, especially in the side content, which is touted as more grounded than, say, Yakuza. Head here for more details.