Well, you should be grateful because originally, it was quite a bit more restricted, per game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz to Eurogamer, “where it was harder to beat the game. But, after all of those voices, before release even, we knew that it could be a problem, and we rebalanced it this way to give the buffer for the people to not fear this.”

The Prologue, where we first experience the tragic circumstances that befall Coen and his family, remained unchanged, but the main game saw adjustments. “We were afraid that people would complain too much that it’s too restricted.”

How restricted is “too restricted,” though? “You needed to think about everything even more carefully. But we started to speak with Mateusz [Tomaszkiewicz, creative director] and the rest of the team about what we wanted to achieve, and we figured out that we don’t want to create a mini-game from it. We wanted to give the player the proper feeling and proper emotions in the main story.”

Because at the end of the day, the timer is serving The Blood of Dawnwalker’s narrative, not completely overtaking it. “This is the purpose of the main story, not to create a challenge for it,” said Tomaszkiewicz. And even if mods were created to remove the timer entirely as soon as the game launched, the general consensus among critics and players is that it doesn’t feel oppressive at all.

Since launching for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, The Blood of Dawnwalker has received bug fixes and performance improvements. However, there’s more to come – its first major post-launch update will bring a new, easier difficulty option tailored for those only interested in the story. Rebel Wolves is also working on the ever-popular New Game Plus, though there’s currently no ETA.

Based on Chinese mythology, it has massive fangs measuring 60 to 72 inches each and fights super-aggressively. This is where Insight Skills come into play. While you can still deflect attacks normally, you can combine this with Insight to retaliate immediately. You can even slam bosses into walls to stun them, creating new opportunities depending on the environment.

There’s also Divine Beast Manifestation. Instead of simply summoning one for elemental damage, the player’s form is enhanced for a limited time, allowing them to unleash powerful attacks. If this sounds similar to Nioh, then that’s probably intentional. After all, the world design takes inspiration from Nioh 3, while the traversal clearly cribs notes from Ninja Gaiden.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember launches on March 4th, 2027, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. If it follows the pattern of previous releases, there should be another demo before launch, so stay tuned for updates.

But when you think of a big budget, does $400 million come to mind? That was the figure that Chris Dring of The Game Business originally claimed, but there’s since been some pushback. On ResetEra, Schreier said he was “hesitant to get into exact numbers without seeing documentation or corroborating them with multiple firsthand sources, as always.” However, even with all the numbers flying around, he claimed, “Someone at Xbox with firsthand knowledge of the deal told me that they signed Physint for significantly less than this.”

Windows Central’s Jez Corden echoed this sentiment, noting that “first-hand sources with direct knowledge of the contracts that the figure for Physint is far lower than what is being reported here. It has been suggested to me that the ‘$400 million’ figure is potentially what Sony and PlayStation might’ve been on the hook for until they cancelled the deal.”

By comparison, the current figure for Xbox and Kojima Productions is reportedly a “fraction” of that, and that along with movie and TV licenses for the tactical espionage title, the deal seemingly included “enhanced terms” for horror title OD. What those could be remains unknown, but it’s certainly not surprising given how strongly the relationship between both companies has developed.

For now, neither Physint nor OD have a release date, and Kojima isn’t even sure whether the former will launch on PlayStation or continue using Guerrilla’s proprietary Decima Engine. However, the studio insists that its relationship with the publisher remains strong. Never say never.

And while mixed impressions abound about, well, everything, one person is feeling confident about the whole situation: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. On Alex Heath’s Sources Podcast, Nadella said he feels “fantastic about the IP we have right now. If I look at the studios, the IP portfolio we have, and our ability to then take that and produce great games going forward, I feel fantastic.”

Regarding Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s resetting of the division, he remarked, “There’s some amount of streamlining the team is doing, and Asha is doing, which is great to see.” The next step is to “invent the right sustainable business model that allows us to deliver gaming to more and more people,” which has seemingly “always been the goal.”

“We want to be a great publisher and a great platform provider for games, across both PCs and Xboxes. That is sort of our goal, and I think Asha and team have said that Xbox is gonna get back to growth this next fiscal year, and that’s the plan they’re executing on, and in that process do a bang-up job of producing some great games.”

Which all sounds good in theory, but in practice, Xbox is still battling against declining hardware revenue, memory shortages (which seem all but likely to affect Project Helix), and price hikes. A return to exclusives, as seen with Gears of War: E-Day this October and Clockwork Revolution in 2027, is certainly daring, but given the former’s large budget, there’s more pressure than ever to surpass expectations.

In the meantime, Xbox is probably content to hedge its bets on the likes of Call of Duty, especially with Modern Warfare 4 coming up and looking far better than past entries. It’s out on October 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and, for the first time in the series, Nintendo Switch 2.

As a first-person shooter and military sim, WARDOGS sees 100 players separated into three PMCs competing for territory. While certain realistic aspects will appeal to ARMA players, the action is closer to Battlefield. The real appeal is the sandbox. There aren’t any classes – instead, you’ll gain access to more advanced weapons, vehicles, and so on by performing specific role actions.

Spotting and sniping enemies will level up Recon; piloting an attack helicopter or ferrying soldiers to the battlefield levels up the Aircraft role; and so on. Of course, you also earn money for each action, which persists between matches and is your main means to access the higher-tier equipment.

That doesn’t even get into the base-building aspect of WARDOGS, which is a whole other rigmarole. Things will likely change on October 15th when Season 2 rolls out. Bulkhead hasn’t revealed many details, but its short teaser indicates that rainy weather will be a major factor. Stay tuned for more details and check out our early access review.

The delay is due to “logistical and distribution issues that are out of our control” for the Switch 2 version, said Rogue Factor on Twitter. And because it wants all players to have “the same experience at the same time,” it moved the major update to the same day. On the bright side, it’s very pleased with the Nintendo Switch 2 port and assured that there’s no last-minute work or “technical issues.”

Released last year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, Hell is Us has seen 1.5 million players on all platforms, doubtless buoyed by its availability on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium. The action-adventure title made waves last year with its old-school approach to exploration with no maps or waypoints, where players had to piece together clues and puzzle solutions from in-game documents.

While that approach certainly worked, other aspects like the narrative and combat, especially the lack of enemy variety, fell short. Fortunately, the upcoming update will address the latter, adding ten new Hollow Walkers to fight. They look appropriately interesting, including one that mimics a human wielding a bladed weapon. Stay tuned for more details when it goes live, and check out our review for the base game.

It’s a bittersweet occasion, especially with the franchise’s 20th anniversary happening in November. But even if it follows 2019’s Gears 5, the development team is going back to the series’ horror roots, with the narrative kicking off on Emergence Day. As Marcus Fenix and Bravo Squad, players must venture through Kalona to fight back against the Locust. However, as the 14-hour campaign rolls on, the severity of the conflict becomes quickly apparent.

In terms of gameplay, Gears of War: E-Day is making some of the biggest changes yet. Along with sliding and hopping over gaps to flank opponents, it introduces Weapon Mods and new Active Reload mechanics, while removing the iconic wall-bouncing. Versus fans can look forward to new modes like Demolition and Crucible, and Horde gets the brand-new Siege mode, where 12 players team up over large maps to complete objectives.

Check out our feature for all the latest details or learn more about the PC requirements. However, be warned: Only GPUs capable of hardware ray tracing will work.

GamesRadar posed this question to game director Naoki Hamaguchi and, long story short, it’s complicated. He notes (via interpreter) that existing fans “aren’t mistaken at all” for recommending the classic since “the storyline of the original Final Fantasy 7 is very much enshrined within the story [and] the narrative of the Remake series as a thing in the world.”

Of course, the trilogy is also notable for subverting expectations and changing certain plot points – something that will hit those who played the original hardest. “If you know what that original storyline is and you can pick up on what’s changing or looking like it’s going to change, you’re going to have more fun. And you’re going to get more out of it.”

That said, it’s also “designed very much so that even someone who’s not played the original can jump in on any of them [and] still have a really great experience.” He even believes that you could “actually look at it the other way around, too, and maybe say that it’s better to start with the Remake series for a different reason.” That being the “graphical splendor” which may make it “easier to have that emotional impact maybe than the original did.”

“So, in that sense, you could argue coming into Final Fantasy 7 without any prior knowledge [is better]. You’re experiencing it for the first time in this modern graphical splendor. That might also be a better way of doing it. So I guess really it’s down to people’s preferences. It’s not as clear-cut as one way or the other.” Again, complicated.

Regardless, Hamaguchi isn’t wrong, and whether you’re approaching the story as an homage to the original presented in a brand-new way, or find the gameplay more involving, the Remake trilogy has something for everyone. That’s especially so with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation.

While the combat hasn’t changed too much, the addition of FITS lends an old-school Final Fantasy feel to battles since it functions as a Job system of sorts. Vincent and Cid bring compelling new playstyles to the forefront, and you can either focus on the story, automatically leveling up along the way, or explore the entire world and take on every side activity.

Of course, the real question is whether the ending will live up to everyone’s expectations. We’ll find out when Final Fantasy 7 Revelation launches on April 8th, 2027, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Granted, we don’t know much about the next Halo, though rumors indicate it will be a “mainline fully-featured instalment.” A remake appears to be out of the question, despite what Campaign Evolved teased, but Activision could be going beyond a simple sequel. On the recent Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, Tom Henderson said, “From what I understand, the Halo franchise is being rebooted.”

Further details remain elusive; it may even be too early to know if this ends up happening. Some fans may feel incredulous about a reboot, especially considering the extensive lore and world-building beyond the games. However, there’s no denying that the story has taken several disappointing turns since Halo 5: Guardians.

Maybe what’s needed is a complete reinvention, though Activision president Rob Kostich is all about “staying true to what made players love it in the first place.” So maybe don’t expect it to stray too far from its first-person shooter roots, or even feature a protagonist that isn’t Master Chief. Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, check out our thoughts on Xbox’s latest moves.

Makoto has this unique ability to pick up sounds and seamlessly mix them into compositions. Eventually, he becomes a showman – the one responsible for organizing performances. It’s more than just setting up posters and drawing customers. He can also act as a producer, adjusting different instruments to alter a track’s entire mood.

Once you’ve found the right version of a song, you’ll need to scout out talent, including singers and musicians. You can even add different effects like confetti and smoke to hype up the audience. However, this is a business, so while putting on a stellar show is all well and good, you need to turn a profit.

Believe it or not, there’s even more, since Makoto won’t serve as a passive observer in the audience. Check out the in-depth look video below for more details. Stranger Than Heaven launches on January 15th, 2027, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.