That point of view doesn’t even begin to cover the absolute mess surrounding the open-world title’s recent leaks. Occurring just days before the Extended Look on August 27th, they allegedly contain gameplay – the validity of which hasn’t been verified by Rockstar Games, though they’ve been subject to takedowns. Take-Two Interactive also subpoenaed both Microsoft and Discord for any information on whoever is behind the leak. Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet replying that it’s “working closely with Take-Two and Rockstar Games to support efforts to protect creative works and intellectual property” only adds further credence.

Before we proceed further, a quick note. This feature does not contain, reproduce, or direct viewers to any leaked GTA 6 material. We’re covering the news surrounding the leak, including the reported legal response, its impact on developers, and the wider issues it raises.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that Grand Theft Auto 6 has been hit. Or even the second. You’ll probably recall the massive leak in September 2022, when in-development footage was released by an “unauthorized third party.” And who can forget when the reveal trailer leaked in December 2023? It spread like wildfire to an extent that Rockstar changed plans and released the official version early. Several developers expressed excitement about fans finally getting to see what they’ve been working on for years, but noted how sad the circumstances were.

None of them probably anticipated that all of this would contribute to increased security measures at Rockstar that ultimately made their jobs – and lives – more difficult. Which is really what this all boils down to.

On the one hand, some fans have expressed their annoyance at the studio and Take-Two Interactive over the whole ordeal. You’ve probably seen that one tweet currently circulating that says their first gameplay impressions for Grand Theft Auto 6 have been “ruined” because “they chose to wait this long to show any gameplay” and “Their awful marketing strategy has backfired massively.” The same marketing strategy reportedly led to $260 million in pre-order sales within the first week they went live, but I digress.

Look, we get it – not knowing anything about a game that you’ve been eagerly waiting for can be frustrating. Given that this is one of the most anticipated games of all time, and easily the most hyped this year, any annoyance about the lack of details and gameplay is understandable. I mean, look no further than the insanity over whether Trailer 3 would drop after pre-orders went live. Multiple delays also certainly didn’t help.

Hundreds of millions of players have made the franchise into the multi-billion juggernaut that it is, and that’s not even factoring in the success of Grand Theft Auto Online. Rockstar probably wouldn’t invest this much time, resources and money into Grand Theft Auto 6 if there weren’t such massive expectations on it to surpass its previous work.

But besides trying to deliver something legendary for players, another once-in-a-console-generation release that will remain relevant for years to come, it’s also full of fans who love what they do. Look no further than those fired from the studio asking players not to boycott the release since they’ve put their blood, sweat, tears, and most importantly, their time into it.

Despite all the reasons that some may concoct about how these leaks are “justified,” at the end of the day, it’s Rockstar’s game and franchise. When Grand Theft Auto 6 should be showcased, to what extent, and in what context, is ultimately their call, irrespective of how long the wait has been. That’s a given simply by virtue of being the developers.

More importantly, from a marketing standpoint, the studio would always want to present the most up-to-date, polished version of the game. Any sort of a leak which is showcasing an outdated build, much less something that’s outright unfinished, it could be mistaken for the actual game. It seems ridiculous, but I still remember the sheer number of people who were quote-unquote unimpressed with the 2022 leak, even though it was an alpha build. It creates perception and that’s not something we can ignore.

Did that ultimately hurt Rockstar’s bottom line? Of course not, going by purported estimates and Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick’s own statement that pre-orders have exceeded expectations. But imagine a year-long delay, hundreds of millions spent, and even more work for the developers to ensure it looks the very best it can when it’s time to be revealed, and having to see a purportedly inferior version of their work being circulated. That too under dubious circumstances and without any context on the improvements, changes, and new features that they’ve spent so much time implementing.

I can understand hitting out at Take-Two and criticizing them for the whole Netflix arrangement. As ingenuous as it is to premiere the Extended Look first on a paid streaming service, it was always bound to ruffle feathers (even if it’s landing for everyone else several hours later). However, this leak isn’t suddenly going to make it – or really, any publisher, if they can swing the same deal – reconsider its approach.

Heck, it’s pretty much a given that Rockstar will implement even more stringent security measures for its developers, as it’s done in the past few years. If the last two leaks weren’t proof enough, there is no zero-sum game here, no scales being balanced in service of “justice.” The only ones who really suffer are those working on the game who want to ensure that it’s the very best it can be.

And beyond all that, I can’t imagine seeing something that you’ve wanted to share with the world for so long, watching them marvel at every little thing, being upstaged like this. Instead of celebrating a huge milestone en route to the game’s launch in November, it’s yet another unnecessary stress on top of everything else the team has endured through the many years of development. As if it didn’t already have enough on its plate ensuring that such a massive title is polished to near-perfection in time for launch, both for the fans who have waited more than a decade for the next Grand Theft Auto and those who will nitpick every little thing, for better and for worse.

Perhaps this is a classic case of hype overriding reason. The impact of Grand Theft Auto 6 on players as a whole – the frenzy for something, anything, new, even if it’s just a few months out from launch. The anger over locking some in-game stores behind the $100 Ultimate Edition, which didn’t stop it from topping pre-orders worldwide over the Standard Edition. It’s enough to make fans forget about those working on the title, even if they can still show empathy while criticizing the higher-ups responsible for the marketing strategy they do not appreciate. Either way, the Extended Look is still on, and whether it’s enough to satisfy the ravenous fanbase or not, it’s make-or-break for Rockstar.

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.

So what should you expect from the package, which retails for a whopping $79.99? Let’s dive into everything, starting with…

Includes the Base Game and Shadow of the Erdtree

For this price, you get both the base Elden Ring experience and its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. We’ll get into each of their content next, but even if they’re years old, these still represent the best open-world and Souls-like titles out there with tons of replay value.

Where the Journey Begins

Your journey will begin in the Lands Between, specifically Limgrave, as you venture to the Legacy Dungeons, defeat their bosses and claim the Great Runes, all in an effort to reforge the Elden Ring. And while things are a bit more complicated than that, especially when it comes to further opening up the world, you don’t have to follow a specific order. Heck, it’s possible to skip certain story bosses and still finish the game.

To The Land of Shadow

Shadow of the Erdtree, however, is a different beast entirely. Don’t let the “expansion” moniker fool you – it’s a sizable experience in its own right, set in the Land of Shadow. It’s highly vertical, which is both especially perilous and ripe with secrets, from challenging bosses to clues about the Queen Marika. Featuring some of the toughest bosses in the genre, it also has a separate progression track where collecting Scadutree Fragments can boost damage dealt and taken (which can be completely foregone if you seek more of a challenge).

Freedom of Exploration

Combining elements of Breath of the Wild with FromSoftware’s own Dark Souls series, the Lands Between and the Land of Shadow offer unprecedented freedom compared to most other open-world titles. I can’t really say it’s the ideal Souls-like for newcomers, but when you realize that exploration is essentially how you get stronger, every nook and cranny holds wondrous possibilities. Find hidden caves, tackle field bosses, open chests that teleport you to different places, interact with mysterious NPCs who call you maidenless, a giant Runebear that will make life hell – what more could you want?

Weapons, Spells, and Everything In Between

Of course, beyond earning Runes, which can increase your stats and overall level, you’ll discover a litany of weapons, spells, items, crafting recipes, and more to help on your journey. One of the best parts is the sheer build variety. Whether you’re looking to play a melee warrior who’s focused on super-heavy two-handers, a spellcaster who relies on magic, or even something in between, there are hundreds of choices available (and that’s before getting into armor sets, talismans, consumables, and so on).

Spirit Ashes

Another key element in all this is Spirit Ashes. While summoning has typically been used in past titles to bring in other players or NPCs, Spirit Ashes work differently. Think of them as AI companions that you can whip out at any time (provided you have enough FP) and which have their own playstyles, be it the blissful Spirit Jellyfish who can build up poison to the literal ender of Golden bloodlines, Black Knife Tiche.

Tons of Bosses

It wouldn’t be a FromSoft title without challenging boss fights, and many worthy adversaries await. Without going into spoilers, Elden Ring offers some of the most involved bosses ever created. They may throw you off with their speed and extensive combos, but the spectacle is unmatched, especially in Shadow of the Erdtree. Once again, not every boss is mandatory (and they aren’t all masterclasses in design), but in terms of sheer variety and breadth, the selection remains unmatched.

Co-op Support

Fortunately, there’s co-op, and it works pretty much as it does in FromSoftware’s other titles (Nightreign notwithstanding). You’ll need a Furlcalling Finger Remedy, which exposes various summoning signs in the world. Interact with them afterwards, and you can summon up to two other players to join you. If you’re facing a boss, its health scales in response, so keep that in mind. Those looking to play with friends will need to set up a multiplayer password and, upon entering it, follow the same process and interact with their summoning signs to bring them.

The Colosseum

While there’s also PvP through Invasions, whether you’re the one invading through the use of the Duelist’s Furled Finger or being invaded by someone else, FromSoftware actually added a dedicated PvP space in a post-launch update. The Colosseum is a first of sorts, offering three arenas where you can engage in 1v1s, 3v3s or a free-for-all with six players. No outside enemies to get involved, and different rules depending on the location (the Caelid Colosseum, for example, is the only one that allows Spirit Ashes).

Tarnished Edition’s New Starting Classes

Going back to the build variety of Elden Ring, the Tarnished Edition adds two new starting classes to mix things up. There’s the Heavy Knight who wields a massive schmitar and has 17 Endurance and 15 Strength while equipped with heavy armor. And on the other end is the Idus Knight who has an interesting stat spread, with Dexterity the highest at 15 (and seemingly wields a Light Greatsword, a weapon type introduced in Shadow of the Erdtree).

New Armor and Weapons

Aside from the two new armor sets and weapons available with the Heavy Knight and Idus Knight, there are others to look forward to in the Tarnished Edition, some from the Dark Souls series. The Lucatiel’s Set/Mirrah’s Set from Dark Souls 2 and 3 returns alongside the beloved Hollowslayer Greatsword. The jury is out on how much the latter has changed for the Lands Between, but it still looks fantastic.

New Torrent Skins

And in an almost comical twist, FromSoftware is adding horse armor. More specifically, there are customization skins for Torrent, the Spectral Steed who serves as your mount, including one that resembles the Night’s Cavalry. While Tarnished Edition players will get this and all of the other content for free, everyone else needs to buy the Tarnished Pack for $4.99.

Physical Release Contains Game Key Card

Amid the sobriety of PlayStation’s disc manufacturing shift in the coming years, it’s kind of nice that Elden Ring Tarnished Edition has a physical release…aanndd it’s a Game Key Card. The Nintendo UK listing indicates a 41 GB download, which could end up larger, but if you’re expecting to have the full game available on a cartridge, that’s unfortunately not the case.

Runs at 30 FPS and 1080p in Handheld Mode

The biggest reason for the Tarnished Edition’s delay on Nintendo Switch 2 is the performance. Hands-on impressions from last year’s Gamescom weren’t exactly glowing, to say the least. Fortunately, it seems that extra time has paid off, with RPG Site reporting 30 FPS in handheld mode and a 1080p resolution that’s described as “very sharp.” Even if the frame rate isn’t rock solid all the time, it’s noted to hit this target more often than not, which is good news.

Here Forever

As noted earlier, this is some of the best open-world and Souls-like content out there, and it will keep you busy. How long? HowLongToBeat has the base game at about 101 hours on average if you pursue the main quest and side content, while Shadow of the Erdtree takes 39 hours. If you’re a completionist, you can spend almost 190 hours in total, and that’s not even accounting for New Game Plus. Long story short, if this is your first time playing a FromSoft game on Switch 2, then Elden Ring hits like nothing else.

Obviously, this isn’t the final build, but the atmosphere and tension of the classic films were unmistakably out in full force and drew me into the trials of the UAS Endeavor’s Colonial Marines. It also offered a chance to try out the new systems and gameplay features, including the new Classes, ahead of launch. Here are ten new things you should know, starting with…

Meet the Crew

The UAS Endeavor is back, and this time, there’s a lot more back-and-forth in conversations with the crew. Starting with Raptor, our pilot, who ran comms during the Prologue mission, there’s Captain Ko, who you’ll often debrief with, and Shipp, the commanding officer from the previous game. Other characters abound, and multiple dialogue options will come up, though they’re often more for flavor and learning about them than narrative consequence (at least right now). But I quite liked each character, whether it’s Ko mixing seriousness with the odd smack talk here and there or Raptor’s unfunny yet charmingly positive demeanor. Seeing the protagonist, codenamed Hotshot, communicating back and forth while dropping cheesy one-liners just made my Aliens-loving heart swell all the more.

The Armory and Hundreds of Cosmetic Items

There’s also Wrench, who runs the Armory, selling weapons and attachments for Requisition Credits, which you’ll find in caches and as post-mission rewards. His selection is limited in the early going – Optics only became available after finishing the first campaign – but he’s also your source for cosmetics. That includes outfits, weapon colors, emotes, outfit patterns, decals, and more, all available for Credits. You’ll find more than a few references to the greater franchise, though once again, certain categories are locked behind mission completion. However, you can also find cosmetics throughout missions in special crates, and based on the Collections tab, there are hundreds of unlockables to earn through gameplay. No microtransactions.

Class Modifiers

Having seen all the different Classes, I was a little concerned about the number of Core abilities in each. Granted, Core Perks added some more variety, but I was hoping for something more. That is, until the Modifiers tab, which unfurls several options to further customize each Class. For instance, the Medic’s Guardian Kit Perk grants an ally you defend and yourself 20 temporary health (while they gain 20 percent damage resistance for three seconds). This can be supplemented by Ally Support, which grants them an additional 50 percent temporary health when you defend them. Not feeling particularly generous? Go for Self Support, which instead boosts your temporary health by 50 percent.

Keep in mind that this is only one Kit Perk and two modifiers in a sea of options, and that’s without factoring in how all of this can be mixed with the Specialist. More on that in a bit.

Swapping Weapon Traits

Weapon Traits return, and much like the original, they offer stat boosts for weapons with a one-star ranking (earned by using them more often). The Smartgun gets a 15 percent boost to aim assist; the M41A2 gets 10 percent less recoil; you get the idea. What’s interesting is that Weapon Traits can be swapped across different guns, even if they aren’t the same type. Fancy a lower spread on your shotgun? Use the M4 Service Pistol’s Trait on it. Looking for subtle boosts to handling and aim assist while slightly reducing spread and recoil? The Standard Issue Trait should help. All in all, this opens up weapon customization and encourages using each weapon enough to unlock Traits (though some are also available in the Armory to buy).

Respect the Combat Rating

In your character’s loadout, you’ll notice the Combat Rating. Missions recommend a certain amount, and the higher the difficulty, the greater your Combat Rating should be. Thankfully, like the original, this isn’t about Gear Score or finding the highest tier loot to equip on your Marine. Instead, you need to upgrade your weapons and equip them with more attachments, unlock their Augment slots, equip more Perks and modifiers, use minor items like grenades, and yes, even upgrade your pistol. All of this contributes to your Combat Rating, and its benefits can make a big difference, especially if you need more weakpoint damage, stacking damage buffs or survivability.

Fear the (Smarter) Xenomorphs

Even if you’re going into a mission on Standard difficulty, don’t underestimate the Xenomorphs. Throughout my time in the first campaign, I encountered returning types such as the Prowler, Spitter, Drone, and Runner, and to say they could prove overwhelming would be an understatement. While the Spitters hang back and pelt you from afar, Drones rush you as the Prowlers attempt to leap onto a single ally and pin them down. The Xenomorphs would also climb the walls and the ceiling, dodging left and right when taking fire and leaping over cover, making them that much trickier to fight, especially in more open spaces. Even more terrifying is that they have no qualms about flanking your squad from behind, so paying attention to the Motion Tracker is paramount.

Synth Madness

Then there are the Synths, challenging in their own right since they can utilize cover. Once again, all the classics return, from the grunts to the riot shield, baton-touting types that slowly close in. From afar, Synth Snipers attempt to gun you down while Synth Incinerators and Heavies soak up damage, raining firebombs and wielding miniguns, respectively. Aiming for their heads to quickly dispatch them is advised; anywhere else, and they’ll short-circuit before exploding in a short area, which can hurt you. As annoying as they can sometimes be, it’s not a bad idea to hang back and let them deal with any Xenomorphs in the area (and vice versa).

Lifetime Stats

If you want to track everything about your career thus far, then the Lifetime Stats is your guide. While Collection will highlight all the different attachments, weapons, items, and intel gathered thus far, Lifetime Stats outlines your favorite Class, total kills, damage dealt, and more (including how often you healed allies). You can also check stats by each loadout and the different enemy types encountered, including how much damage you received from them and your preferred weapon against them.

Specialist Impressions (and One Limitation)

I didn’t toy around too much with the Specialist, especially since a good chunk of the kit is tied into the progression of other Classes, but suffice to say that it’s very impressive. I opted for a shotgun and railgun as weapons, the Machinist’s Sentry turret for longer-range fire (which I stayed near to help it recover health courtesy of the Cross-Platform Synergy perk). My second ability was the Marauder’s Blast Cannon, a short-range wave that could kill smaller enemies and stagger larger opponents. Then I just added 30 more health – not the cleanest kit, I’ll admit, but the potential already looks limitless.

However, there are some caveats. Each Class has a first and second ability, right? Well, the Specialist can only equip their first abilities on the left of the Perk Grid and their second abilities on the right. This means the Specialist can’t equip the Machinist’s Bodyguard drone and the Marauder’s Blast Cannon at the same time, because they both occupy the right ability slot on the Grid. In the same vein, you can’t equip a Sentry Turret and Titan Rockets at the same time, because they’re both left-coded. This was probably done for the sake of balance, but even with this limitation, the Specialist is still the be-all, end-all class…once you’ve put some time into everything else.

Accessibility Options

In the original Fireteam Elite, there were options for Colorblind Mode, subtitle size, ADS mode, and so on, along with the ability to enable a center dot at all times, outline targets, enable the Motion Tracker, and various floaters for damage and kill confirmation. Besides bringing all those options to the sequel, Fireteam Elite 2 greatly expands on accessibility. You can enable outlines for interactables, friendlies, downed allies, and so on; toggle sprint and cover FOV adjustments; adjust the camera shake strength; and much more.

Classes were present in the original Aliens: Fireteam Elite, but their identities could take some time to fully emerge as more abilities were unlocked. How has Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 changed that early-game experience so that each class immediately feels distinct?

Brock Robin – Systems Design Lead: We started by trying to distill the class down to specific roles in combat. These were things such as is this class good at killing single high value targets, eliminating swarms, dealing crowd control, supporting and enhancing other classes or even controlling space. We then leaned into those when creating and modifying each class’s suite of abilities.

Then when designing each class’s progression, we looked at how a replacer or perk would improve or modify their identity or forge a slightly new one. I’ll provide a few examples:

Overclock is a beloved Aliens: Fireteam Elite ability that increases the fire rate and reload speed of weapons of everyone around you (including yourself). While it did enhance the damage dealing capabilities of the Gunner it felt like more a support ability suited to the Medic. The Medic starts off being more purely heal and support focused, but Overclock as a replacer for Combat Stims allows them to support their teammates in a way that makes them feel different.

A Hunter at their core is designed to disable high value targets. They do that through a combination of a high single-target damage beam and a slow effect that, with some skills, can be attached to those high-value targets. Through upgrades they can either lean further into being purely damage dealing or purely crowd control, but their role at disabling targets is still preserved.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 features several different enemy factions alongside different damage types and weaknesses. How aggressively will the game push squads to change their builds and tactics rather than settling on a single optimal loadout?

Ron Allen – Systems Director: In Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, we took a deeper look at the damage system and introduced specific damage types — electric, fire, cryo, and piercing — then built out a set of weaknesses and resistances for our enemies based on those types. From there, we tuned our weapons and abilities to lean into them, making the right loadout genuinely matter depending on what you’re up against.

On Casual and Standard you’ll still feel the difference, but resistances ramp up significantly at higher difficulties, giving you real incentive to bring the right tool for the job — or know when to switch on the fly. And while it might sound like you’re locked into whatever a weapon comes with, that’s not the case. As you progress, you’ll unlock a growing set of customization options that go well beyond what the first Aliens: Fireteam Elite offered. We’re not just talking attachments — you can change a weapon’s base damage type, alter how it fires, or swap out its trait entirely to behave differently in the field.

Robin: On Casual and Standard difficulty – not very much, it’s still very viable to take your favorite build in and enjoy destroying Xenos with your friends. On higher difficulties, however, you’re not going to be able to rely on a flamethrower to take out synthetic enemies without risking getting out-ranged and overwhelmed.

There are enough inputs for damage types across a player’s weapons, attachments, items, perks and abilities that let you distribute them more evenly. For example, if your favorite build relies on Phosphorus rockets to burn enemies but you’re facing synthetic opponents, you might want to bring an electric weapon or EMP grenades to augment it. Of course you can always coordinate with your friends, so in your capacity as the “incinerator” deal with threats that might be weak to that while your buddies handle other targets.

We are very excited to see how players engage with this system, but so far we’ve been able to show that a variety of builds and classes are capable of taking on our toughest challenges.

You’ve spoken about enemies being smarter and more aggressive this time around. What can the AI actually react to during combat – player positioning, repeated strategies, chokepoints, squad composition, or something else?

Allen: If you’ve played the first Aliens: Fireteam Elite, you’re going to feel the difference in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 pretty quickly. Enemies are faster, more aggressive, and will swarm you if you give them the chance — they enter the scene a lot closer to you now and almost never let up, so staying mobile is key. As you push into higher difficulties, you’ll also start seeing more special and elite enemies in the mix, which can lead to some genuinely tense moments. Standing still is a death sentence, and if you’re not keeping an eye on the motion tracker, you might not last long at all. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 rewards players who stay sharp and keep moving.

Chris Cross – Studio Design Director: A ton of work has gone into increasing situational awareness for all enemies and also the Companion Bots. A couple examples include adding evasion and dodge abilities to Xenos when you’re aiming at them head on, Companion Bots consider the Player and their environment constantly and will attempt to stay out of the Player’s line of fire, but some of my favorite behaviors we can’t discuss until after launch when all enemy types are known.

How will Horde mode’s progression work alongside the campaign? Will rewards, weapons and class progression carry between the two, or does Horde have systems that are exclusive to it?

Robin: Everything that you can earn and use in the regular campaign can be used in Horde Mode; there are no specific restrictions there. There are a handful of perks that you’ll unlock by playing Horde Mode that ONLY have an effect in Horde Mode. For example, one gives you escalating damage or max health for each wave you complete, allowing you to get stronger over time. Beyond that, Horde Mode does unlock some unique cosmetics like outfits.

Another example of this is that Challenge Cards in Aliens: Fireteam Elite often had mission specific restrictions (e.g. you can only play it on Mission Y). With the exception of a few cards that can only be played while solo, there are no such restrictions on other cards – allowing players to engage with the content wherever they like to.

With four players potentially entering a mission with very different skill levels and levels of progression, how do you balance encounters without either overwhelming newer players or making things too easy for veterans?

Robin: Adding a fourth player definitely forced a re-thinking of spaces and tuning values. We started by trying to address many of the common complaints with your allied bots to make them more useful and reliable to ensure that solo players could enjoy more success than Aliens: Fireteam Elite.

We added mechanics like crouch so that even within the claustrophobic spaces that the Aliens IP is known for, players could occupy a similar sized area but avoid shooting each other in the back.

Generally, I’d say that the standard difficulty, because of the bots’ increased effectiveness, while still challenging, is a bit easier than Aliens: Fireteam Elite. We wanted players to be able to get a taste for the game and hook them on all of our interesting and varied progression – only for them to graduate to higher difficulties as they get better.

Beyond that we also had to think of how balance should play out across different permutations of players and companion bots. For example, bots don’t have access to any of your high-powered abilities, so enemy health and damage actually increases a bit the more players you have – otherwise it was too easy.

Lastly, we have very granular and varied Challenge Cards which give players even more agency over the level of difficulty they experience.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 tells a self-contained story within the established Alien universe. How do you balance recognizable locations, creatures and lore from the films with the need to give players environments and threats they haven’t already seen before?

Nic Stohlman – Art Director: I like to ease players in with something familiar, then start to add new and strange things as the game progresses. It sets a recognizable tone for the game— that way we can add new elements to the story and have it harmonize with the Alien universe. We want to show you we can play the hits before we go into our new jams.

There is an inherent challenge in making Xenomorphs frightening when players may kill hundreds of them over the course of a shooter. What are you doing to ensure that individual Xenomorphs – or particular variants – can still make experienced players panic deep into the game?

Cross: Making sure the Xenomorphs and enemies in general stay scary and fun is definitely a challenge in a game with massive firepower like ours. Besides the visceral and visual differences in the many Xenomorphs in the game the solution is in how they are placed. Mainly we’re spacing out the enemy introductions, then staging the presentation of those moments and supporting them with set-piece lighting and audio.

With the Specialist eventually allowing players to combine abilities from different classes, how do you prevent that flexibility from making the five core classes feel less valuable in the endgame?

Robin: We felt it was more important to allow unparalleled flexibility and buildcraft than making all classes relevant in the endgame. The journey we wanted was for the player to experience what each class has to offer, while enriching their overall experience and options for the Specialist. This is something we’ve debated internally, and we’ll be monitoring on release, as we have some potential solutions depending on how the player base at large reacts to it.

What resolution and frame-rate modes are you targeting on PS5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X and Series S, and how difficult has it been to maintain those targets during the largest four-player battles with potentially huge numbers of enemies on screen?

Arnel Lim – Engineering Director:

• PS5: 1440p @60fps
• PS5 Pro: 4k @60fps
• Xbox Series X: 1440p @60fps
• Xbox Series S: 1080p @30 fps

Maintaining those targets during our largest four-player encounters has definitely been one of the challenges of development. We establish performance budgets for things like encounter complexity, environments, characters and effects, but as the game evolves and everything comes together, we’re constantly profiling real gameplay and making adjustments to stay within those targets.

Sometimes the biggest costs aren’t necessarily where you’d expect them. At different points in development, effects associated with things like cryo mines and flamethrowers had a significant performance impact when combined with large numbers of enemies.

Those are exactly the kinds of scenarios we’ve been profiling and optimizing—looking at everything from effects and rendering to what happens when weapons interact with large numbers of enemies simultaneously. It’s been an ongoing process of finding those hotspots and optimizing them while preserving the scale and intensity we’re aiming for.

With the Switch 2 version arriving later, what has been the biggest technical challenge in translating the game’s larger hordes and four-player encounters to the hardware? Are you aiming for complete gameplay and multiplayer parity with the other versions?

Lim: Yes, our goal is to preserve the same core gameplay and multiplayer experience on the Nintendo Switch 2, including the four-player co-op experience and the larger-scale encounters that are core to the game.

The biggest challenge is ensuring we can maintain that scale and intensity while delivering consistent performance on the hardware. A lot of the optimization work we’ve done for Switch 2 – particularly around how we manage and render larger encounters – also benefits the game across our other supported hardware configurations.

Beyond that, it’s largely about tuning the appropriate platform-specific settings to get the best balance of performance and visual quality without compromising the core gameplay experience.

The published PC requirements currently target 1080p at both the minimum and recommended tiers. How far does the PC version scale beyond that in terms of resolution, frame rate, enemy simulation and visual settings, and what upscaling or frame-generation technologies will be supported?

Lim: The PC version scales well beyond the 1080p targets listed in our minimum and recommended specifications. Resolution can scale up to the capabilities of your display, with a range of visual settings available to balance image quality and performance based on your hardware.

We also support NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR for upscaling and frame generation, giving players additional options for targeting higher resolutions and frame rates.

Enemy simulation and the core gameplay experience remain consistent rather than scaling based on the performance of your PC, so players aren’t getting a different gameplay experience simply because they’re running higher-end hardware.

More Than 110 Playable Characters

First off, Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters is going big with its roster, with more than 110 playable characters spread across 22 national teams and 5 club-level teams. This includes returning favourites amongst the Japanese National Team alongside previously unseen teams and characters from the manga. What’s more, the sequel also boasts more than 150 cutscenes showcasing the exaggerated moves performed by the game’s soccer stars. Each match, then, will be filled with larger-than-life animations and personalities; you know, defining features of the Captain Tsubasa anime and manga series.

New Stars Story Mode Follows the ‘World Youth’ Arc

Captain Tsubasa 2’s main story mode picks up where the first game left off, following football prodigy Tsubasa Ozora’s rise through the manga’s World Youth arc as the Japanese National Team prepares for their next international challenge. However, World Fighters isn’t just recreating an original storyline. No, expanded scenarios and fierce new rivals distinguish the narrative from its inspiration, with a thrilling story promised as international powerhouses compete for glory. Elsewhere, in the Legendary/Advanced story mode you can experience new storylines not found in the original manga.

You Can Experience the ‘World Youth’ Arc as a Customisable Star

You can also play alongside Tsubasa in New Stars mode as your own fully customisable soccer star. During creation, you can modify several features such as their appearance and physique, while you can also select their signature moves to distinguish them on the pitch, designing your ultimate player as they shoot for the world title as part of the Japanese National Team. As the story progresses, your custom player can establish bonds with their teammates too, with other members teaching you their techniques.

Rival Episodes are Character-Focused Side Stories

Away from the main story modes, Rival Episodes presents extra narrative content in the shape of character-focused side diversions. From official footage, this mode appears to flesh out surrounding events from different perspectives, following other players from the game’s enormous cast as they train to reach even greater heights.

There Are Multiplayer Options

If you want to test your footballing abilities against another human, then World Fighters has you covered with several multiplayer options. Versus Mode lets you challenge your friends in local and private matches, while online ranked matches provide a competitive edge if you’re looking for your own piece of international supremacy.

Match System Overhauls

World Fighters introduces a reworked match system built around the new Chain System, giving you more control over momentum-swinging moments and box-to-box domination. The Chain System maximises dribbles, combines pre-shot actions, and activates special moves, all to create scoring opportunities. Chaining moves together increases shot power and charge speed, wearing down goalkeeper stamina more quickly. The Chain, more than all the other new systems, is the most significant example of how all the game’s new and refined mechanics – stamina, dribbling, tackling, shooting, passing, and goalkeepers – all feed into one another.

Stamina Decides Who Wins Possession

One of the clearest ways to see how offensive and defensive actions have been improved in the sequel is the stamina meter. In possession, you can use your stamina gauge to execute dribbles, passes, and more, with well-timed dribble moves breaking defensive lines while using less stamina. On the defensive side, charging unleashes more powerful tackles from greater distances, with the best chance to win the ball occurring if the attacking player’s stamina has drained. In a way, dribbles and tackles, then, are battles of stamina, with well-timed Max Dribbles and Max Tackles intensifying these confrontations with even more powerful actions.

Super Moves Cover Every Position On The Pitch

Maximum power can be unleashed from every position on the pitch with Super Moves. Spectacular Super Shots remain a major fixture, of course, but now you have access to character-specific Super Moves, including Super Passes, Super Aerial Shots, Super Dribbles, Super Tackles, and Super Blocks. This means that special techniques and pivotal moments aren’t limited to attacking the penalty area, but can be used to surge through the middle of the field, acrobatically connect to looping crosses, or stop an attacker before they pull the trigger.

Miracle Actions are Decisive, Match-Changing Moments

Miracle Actions are the game’s rarest moments, giving you the opportunity to produce a dramatic set piece at decisive points, potentially turning the tide in a match that had all but slipped away. More than any mechanic, Miracle Actions capture the heightened spirit of the anime series, where seemingly doomed teams can still find a way back.

Goalkeeper Battles Now More Strategic

Goalkeepers have received significantly more attention in World Fighters, with new systems set to refine the battle between keeper and shooter. Now, goalkeepers can predict incoming shots across six directions, with stamina draining the least for correctly guessed dives. However, break mechanics give attackers ways to overcome even the sturdiest of keepers. When a shooter’s power exceeds a goalie’s remaining stamina, a portion of their stamina gauge permanently ‘breaks’ off. The result is strategic confrontations where a powerful shooter’s aim might be to wear down a formidable keeper rather than attempt to score every time.

Practice Mode Gives You Tools to Master Techniques

With all these new systems and mechanics, Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters looks anything but straightforward. Practice mode, therefore, is a useful feature, offering you chance to free practice with customisable settings alongside specific training drills. Hopefully the sequel’s practice mode is as robust as its fighting game contemporaries, as its various moves, abilities, tactical systems, and timing will likely take some getting used to.

You Can Build Your Dream Squad in Team Edit

A feature carried over from Rise of New Champions, Captain Tsubasa 2 brings the opportunity to create your own dream team in Team Edit mode. With more than 110 players to select, and thus plenty of scope for experimentation, you can choose starting positions, adjust strategies, and fine-tune player abilities, alongside introducing your own custom character into the lineup.

There’s an In-Game Shop for Cosmetics

World Fighters includes a shop where you can purchase cosmetic items for your chosen character. But, don’t worry, the game uses in-game currency earned through experience rather than real-world money, so you can focus on mastering your character’s signature moves through gameplay, with experience earned being invested on personalising their look.

A Gallery Contains Audiovisual Extras

Celebrating the long-standing legacy of its source material, Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters also includes a gallery, separate from gameplay. Inside, you’ll find artwork, music, and a host of movies and cutscenes, acting as a meaningful place to review all the audiovisual extras you’ll encounter during your time with the sequel. As always, galleries such as this are a simple inclusion, but fans of the series should find something to appreciate.

PC Requirements

To play Captain Tsubasa 2 on your PC, you’ll need a minimum Intel i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5-5600X CPU, and an Nvidia GTX 1650 Super 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB GPU. Recommended spec, however, details an Intel i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7-7800X3D CPU, and an Nvidia RTX 4060 8GB or AMD 5700 XT 8GB GPU. You’ll need at least 16GB RAM no matter your hardware, plus 22GB storage, and DirectX version 12.

Most Modes Require an Internet Connection

NBA 2K27 ships with a robust suite of returning and retooled game modes, with a consistent internet connection ensuring every mode is accessible. However, if you’re travelling, having router problems, or you’re permanently offline, you’ll still be able to play local, co-op, and split-screen exhibition games in Play Now, enjoy a single-player women’s career in The W, and manage a multi-year franchise in MyNBA, so long as you use base rosters or manually saved custom rosters. Unlike everything else you can do, these three modes aren’t reliant on 2K’s servers, nor do you need VC or in-game database updates, hence you’re good to go offline.

AI Defenders Contest Shots More Smartly

A frequently contentious point among the NBA 2K community is that AI-controlled teammates can be frustrating to play with when they’re defending, with them frequently losing control of their positions. Remedying this, AI defenders now contest shots more smartly, meaning they’ll bring more impact to the action at both ends of the court. Visual Concepts confirms they won’t be as affected by Triple-Threat Stepovers, either.

Dunk Attempts Need to be Timed Using a Fully Dynamic Dunk Meter

By Visual Concepts’ own admission, NBA 2K26’s Dunk Meter didn’t always reflect your take off to the hoop, leaving your skill and the likelihood you’ll slam misaligned. For NBA 2K27, the Dunk Meter is now fully dynamic, continuously re-evaluating defender positions in real-time to give attackers a fairer window to execute a throwdown. Every dunk attempt must be timed using the Dunk Meter, demanding you work for an opening then rewarding the space you create.

The City Switches to Nighttime

While the community were vocal on the areas they’d like reviewing before NBA 2K27, one thing they particularly liked last year was The City. According to Visual Concepts, feedback specifically cited its accessible and centralised layout, which connected players to games quickly. This year, the studio is leaving The City’s layout unchanged, but bringing a significant aesthetic overhaul instead. Yes, The City is shifting to nighttime – dim, neon, dramatic nighttime, where key points of interest are artificially lit.

MyPLAYER Builder Brings New Badges and Previewable Cap Breakers

Of NBA 2K26’s forty badges, six have been dropped while nineteen have been added to bring the total up to fifty-three. Returning badges have been updated for balance, too, with the system as a whole giving you greater scope to experiment and build a player to your own strengths. Elsewhere, cap breakers return with a community-led tweak enabling attribute changes to be previewed directly in the builder. Coupled with the expanded badge lineup, NBA 2K27’s MyPLAYER Builder looks to streamline creativity so you can maximise your playtime in The City.

MyNBA Adds Second-Apron Rules

MyNBA is bringing plenty of new additions, yet most still remain to be seen. Of what has been revealed, real-world CBA second-apron rules tighten how you manage your team. No longer can you horde a squad of elite players on exorbitant salaries. Instead, you’ll need to rely on strong drafting and player development to keep your salaries under cap. Elsewhere, you can now offer free agents a no-trade clause, giving you extra leverage to sign high calibre players.

Auction House Unifies Across Consoles

The Auction House’s community-listed cards are, for the first time, now unified across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The wider pool means you’ll have a higher chance of finding the cards you need to build in MyTEAM, with prices expected to feel fairer given wider availability. Furthermore, winning auctions no longer carry a verification delay, meaning cards will be delivered to you immediately.

All-New Rucker Park is the Location for a MyCAREER Prelude

New York’s legendary streetball court Rucker Park has been recreated for NBA 2K27, and it’s set to be the proving ground for an all-new MyCAREER prelude chapter. Titled ‘Fire & Concrete’, you’ll play with swagger and attitude to become the neighbourhood’s newest baller, knocking the Street Kings bosses off their perch in the process.

Standard, Deluxe, and Ultra Editions Available

With reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama on the cover, NBA 2K27’s Standard Edition is your gateway to the base game. If you opt for NBA 2K27’s digital only Deluxe Edition, with WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark on its cover, you’ll unlock plenty of extras: 100,000 VC, a range of MyTEAM cards including a Triple Threat Park Free Agent Pack, five ‘27 Series 1 Packs, a full ‘27 Series 1 Team Selection, and two-hour 2XP coin. You’ll also acquire skill boosts and Gatorade boosts, plus a Victor Wembanyama and Caitlin Clark jersey. The Ultra Edition includes everything in the Deluxe alongside a Season 1 Pro Pass and an NBA 2K27 Ultra Edition MyTeam Player Card pack, with a 98 OVR player guaranteed.

Pro and Hall of Fame Passes Bring Seasonal Monetisation

NBA 2K27 continues the series’ seasonal monetisation with Pro Passes and Hall of Fame Passes sitting alongside its free Season Rewards Ladder. You can progress toward level 40 by earning XP across MyTEAM and MyCAREER, while paying an optional $9.99 for the Pro Pass unlocks forty premium rewards and VC. The $19.99 Hall of Fame Pass adds a 15% XP boost, ten level skips, and 15,000 VC. Individual level skips can be purchased for $1.99.

There’s a 10% Loyalty Discount for NBA 2K26 Owners

Yes, if you already own NBA 2K26 and you’re keen to continue your basketball journey then you can access a 10% discount if you order NBA 2K27 Deluxe Edition. The only caveats are that you must order this year’s edition on the same platform as last year, and you need to do it before September 3rd.

Release Date, Platforms, and Prices

NBA 2K27 is scheduled for release on September 4th, with only current-gen platforms PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC confirmed. Last gen hardware has been dropped in favour of focusing on modern platforms. Pricewise, the Standard Edition is retailing for $69.99, the Deluxe for $99.99, and the Ultra for $149.99. Pre-ordering either the Deluxe or Ultra unlocks seven days early access beginning August 28th. And, another thing to note: the Nintendo Switch 2, currently, is only listing the Standard Edition.

Crossplay Limitations

Just a brief one: crossplay is enabled at launch but only between two platforms – PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. At present, PC and Switch 2 players are set to miss out.

PC Requirements

As per the game’s Steam page, NBA 2K27’s minimum system requirements include an Intel Core i5-9400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 CPU, a GeForce GTX 1060 5GB or Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB GPU, and 8GB RAM. Recommended settings detail an Intel Core i5-10600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X CPU, a GeForce RTX 2070 8GB or Radeon RX 5700 8GB GPU, and 16GB RAM. Whatever your setup, you’ll need an SSD, AVX2 processor support, DirectX 12-capable hardware, and 110GB storage.

XCOM Meets Mass Effect in the Star Wars Universe

At its core, Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based tactics game shaped around the familiar XCOM mould. You’ll carefully position your squad, form team-wide synergies, and make difficult decisions against insurmountable odds. However, this is Star Wars; developer Bit Reactor, as such, is putting greater emphasis on character relationships and cinematic storytelling, with a cast who fight together through an original Clone Wars-era story. Because of the high-drama, hands-on previews suggest Star Wars Zero Company shares DNA with Mass Effect, too.

Hawks Is Your Customisable Commander

Throughout the adventure, you’re in command of Hawks, a war-weary leader whose species you can customise alongside their first name, appearance, clothing, combat specialisations, and more. Hawks is one of seven so-called Operators – that is, pre-defined characters built specifically to drive the story – who each bring distinction through looks and unique talents alike. Hawks, however, is the only Operator required to complete every story mission.

The Infinite Coil Is Your Main Enemy

The main threat you’ll face in Zero Company is The Infinite Coil, a separatist paramilitary faction led by the mysterious Kundri Fathom. Under Fathom’s leadership, The Coil are a fanatical group pursuing the spread of the Shadow Plague, a disease said to grant unnatural and deadly abilities of which every member – Kundri included – is infected. And, just another note on The Coil’s leader: speculation suggests she wields the Force, but Bit Reactor is keeping tight-lipped. The true extent of Fathom’s power could be under wraps until the game’s August 27th launch.

The Shadow Plague Makes Skirmishes More Dangerous

The Coil’s unflinching loyalty to their commander is powerful enough, but among their greatest weapons is the Shadow Plague itself. See, they aren’t simply suffering from it. No, they’re deliberately spreading it through their ranks and the galaxy at large. This potentially gives Zero Company an unusual headache to overcome, whether infected opponents could prove significantly more dangerous than their non-infected counterparts. When facing an army made up of various abilities, you’ll need to think carefully about which targets to eliminate first.

The Infinite Coil Isn’t The Only Enemy

The Infinite Coil may be the narrative’s primary antagonist, but Zero Company will contend with the Separatist Alliance’s droid army and the Outlaws’ overwhelming numbers too, forcing you to mix up your outfit’s tactical approaches and equipment. There are a couple of notable enemy leaders announced alongside Fathom too: the formidable Vissier often leads the Coil into battle, and Super Tactical Droid Typhon can command entire armies and fleets for precision strikes against vulnerable targets.

‘The Den’ Is Your Base Between Battles

Between missions, you’ll return to The Den which functions as Zero Company’s base of operations. Here you’ll gather intel, upgrade equipment, recruit Operators, and interact with your crew. At the beginning, you’ll have space for seven Operators in your micro-army, but through the Den’s upgrades you can eventually reach twenty. Elsewhere, four non-combat personnel operate at The Den, functioning, it seems, as merchants: Republic Intelligence officer Bennic Halloren, operations specialist Runa Blask, armoury and black market operator Neesh Renark, and medbay droid M-3VO.

Two Different Mission Types

There are two different mission types in Star Wars Zero Company: Operations and Tactical Missions. Both assignment types can expire, although story-centric missions become mandatory after a set period of time. Operations take place in the galaxy map, yielding rewards, narrative additions, and yet more operations. Some will even present meaningful decisions which can affect the bonds between your outfit – more on this bonding system later. Tactical Missions, meanwhile, involve your squad completing set objectives, encompassing sabotage, combat, rescue, retrieval, and story-focused sequences centred around a specific member of your team.

You Command a Four-Person Squad During Battles

Whatever mission type you undertake, combat takes place with a standard squad of four Operators, although certain missions will allow you control of additional characters. Each Operator has three action points to spend during their turn, giving you significant freedom in how you approach an engagement, whether that’s taking cover, repositioning, flanking, or firing at will, each ability plays an important role in making it through each encounter.

Operators Can Die Permanently

Away from authored Operators, you can also create your own with customisable appearances, names, equipment, and specialisations. And, in true XCOM fashion, your Operators can die permanently. Permadeath is enabled by default, meaning you’ll need to look after your most trusted squadmates or else experience losing them forever. It can, however, be turned off in the game’s settings if you prefer. Given that the story’s conclusion is largely the same for every player, your choices and the Operators you lose will affect character bonds and story elements along the way. Hawks, also, is unique – if they die it’ll cause an automatic mission failure.

Eight Specialisations Define Your Operators

Most Operators can choose from eight standard specialisations, with each providing three abilities: an Ultimate, a Standard, and a Passive ability. Assault is built around close-range fighting, while Gunslingers specialise in fast, multi-target blaster strikes. The Heavy specialisation are heavily-armoured frontline combatants, Scouts are trained in recon, and Sharpshooters excel at ranged precision. Medics provide healing, Scoundrels are opportunistic and improvisational, and Soldiers – a mainstay of your offensive unit – bring a versatile arsenal to close and medium range combat.

Your Squad Needs To Get Along

One of Zero Company’s most defining features is its Bonds system, where Operators can grow closer through shared combat experiences and their relationships eventually yielding tangible benefits. Strong Bonds can unlock new support abilities and cross-training benefits, for instance, with bonded units sharing skills and stats to improve their effectiveness as a team. So, the overall strength of your outfit doesn’t just rest on four individual characters, but how well everyone works together.

There Are Four Exotic Classes

Beyond the eight specialisations, Star Wars Zero Company also includes four exotic classes designed around specific story characters. As such, only one can enter the battlefield at a time, although the Astromech is an exception. See, the droid archetype – created through the in-game droid builder – can make up your entire team if you wish. Elsewhere, a Jedi Padawan and a Madalorian Warrior – locked to Operators Tel-Rea Vokoss and Cly Kullervo respectively – bring more ways to strengthen your squad. There is an as-yet unannounced fourth exotic class too, with Bit Reactor potentially leaving the final reveal until after the game releases.

There Are Four Weapon Classes

Your Operators aren’t restricted to their Specialisations when it comes to equipment. In fact, Bit Reactor confirms that you’ll have access to a “deep well of equippable weapons and utilities” that you’ll be able to customise and experiment with. All in all, the studio confirms there are four weapon classes, plus four-to-six cosmetic models per class. The level of tactical freedom promised suggests you can build loadouts granularly around specific problems or objectives.

Advantage is a Shared Resource

And, another one of Star Wars Zero Company’s twists on the tactics genre is its Advantage Points system. Through its shared resource pool, each Operator can access the most powerful abilities, with you choosing when to use them and in what order. The idea here is to provide more tactical flexibility and strategic decision-making. You can choose to unleash the Squad’s shared abilities immediately, for example, or save them for when your back is against the wall.

PC Requirements

Star Wars Zero Company is a demanding game to run on PC, even at the game’s advertised minimum requirements, which are: an Intel Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 2600X CPU, GeForce GTX 1080 or Radeon RX 5600 XT GPU, and 16GB RAM. Recommended spec, as per the game’s Steam page, details an Intel Core i7-10700K or Ryzen 7 3700X CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 or Radeon RX 7800 XT GPU, and 32GB RAM.

If you’re thinking about taking this one on when Master Collection Vol. 2 comes along, whether it’s for nostalgia or curiosity, we’ve got a few things we believe you should know before you pick up a copy to play Guns of the Patriots. There’s a fair bit to unpack, so we’d best get started right away.

1. A Tale For The Ages

Things are quite intense in this one, which takes place five years after the Big Shell incident. Snake’s aging process has him on the back foot against Liquid Ocelot, who comes out of hiding to take on the Patriots, a cabal known to be operating behind the scenes to influence global events.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story threads that preceded Guns of the Patriots, you might want to brush up on your lore before you get started, as its story and setting are deeply rooted in the franchise’s history. Of course, you can expect twists, turns, and some very philosophical examinations of individual agency and armed conflict thanks to Kojima’s masterful storytelling. Although its extensive cutscenes can occasionally disrupt the pacing, the overall narrative is a thrilling ride.

2. A Sublime Blend Of Stealth and Action

You could finish the entire game without killing a soul if you’re so inclined, but Solid Snake’s as versatile as he’s ever been in this one. Stealth mechanics are among the finest the franchise has given us, while Snake’s proficiency at close-quarters combat makes him a deadly threat despite his age.

Of course, the world design is a huge part of the gameplay loop, and the Sons of the Patriots system- the SOP’s pervasive influence is going to be felt as you make your way through the story. It’s a great way to keep Snake on his toes considering his extensive experience as an operative, and it all works very well with other additions that are aimed at balancing out his deadly aptitude with the limitations of his body. All in all, this one’s as immersive as it can get, and that’s a very good thing indeed.

3. The OctoCamo System

If you decide that you’re going to try and take a quiet approach, Snake’s OctoCamo suit is going to be your bread and butter as it lets you blend into the surroundings with your enemies being none the wiser to your presence. It’s an invaluable addition to a sneaky strategy, although it is limited to having only one pattern equipped at a time.

Of course, there’s also FaceCamo, which you uncover later on, and that lets you take on the appearance of some important folks. When you pair it with OctoCamo, you’re going to find that nowhere is out of bounds if you’re smart about how you use your suit. It’s definitely one of the more innovative additions to the franchise formula and is something we’re pretty eager to use again after all these years.

4. The Solid Eye

A great thing to have alongside the OctoCamo suit was the Solid Eye, which doubled up as Snake’s way to stay one step ahead of any enemy troops in areas that needed him to thin out the herd. Letting you detect hostile presences along with their various states in a given area around you was good enough, but to also have it work as a pair of binoculars? That’s a versatile tool for an operative trying to stay on the down low.

That it looks like a nondescript eye patch while being as cutting edge as it is makes this one an accessory we’d certainly like to have, and we must say it lets Old Snake look quite dashing in the process. A solid blend of form and function, that one. You’re going to want to weave it into your playstyle to begin enjoying the game on your own terms.

5. Battlefield Factions To Navigate

Where do we even begin with this one? You’ve got various PMC groups operating under the global Patriot network, and they’re a nasty bunch with ID-tagged weapons that you’re going to have to launder through a local merchant before you get to use them. There are various local factions to befriend, either by helping them out in battle or otherwise, to make them treat you as an ally.

Of course, deadlier parties are in the fray, such as Ocelot’s elite group of bodyguards, or the Beauty and the Beast units that are going to give you trouble no matter how well you take them on. You’re not just navigating levels, but the many ways in which Snake can use these factions to his advantage as naturally as fighting comes to him. It’s a lot of fun, and we’re kind of jealous of you if this is your first time discovering how addictive it all can get.

6. Psyche and Stress Status

Of course, it isn’t all fun and games for a man on a clock, his age limiting his ability to his duty to a large extent. Every non-lethal kill you pull off comes with a price, as Snake’s Psyche takes a hit and you don’t want to be caught napping as far as that variable is concerned. There are penalties to it, such as Snake’s spine refusing to cooperate with him, his aim faltering from time to time, and even the chance of passing out if things go too badly for you.

Stressors in the world such as extreme heat, bad smells, and even being hunted by enemies are all factors that stress him out, wearing him down bit by bit. Even he can’t evade time, after all, and managing all of these in addition to the battlefield is a challenging and equally rewarding gameplay loop once you get settled in.

7. Make Your Guns Your Own

A variety of available attachments for each of the game’s weapon types meant you could lose track of time tailoring each weapon to suit your playstyle and tastes. Yeah, there are fairly elaborate customization systems around today, but when you consider the time of this one’s original release, it was quite fun and definitely came with a lot of depth.

That should be the case even now, and with all of the game’s balancing over the years, min-maxing your gear is definitely a very entertaining part of the experience on offer in Guns of the Patriot. We’re sure franchise veterans among you are already grinning at the thought of laying their hands on weapons that should feel very familiar very fast once the game is out.

8. Do A Thorough Recap

We weren’t kidding when we said that this one is quite heavy on the nostalgia, and there are just so many callbacks for long-term fans that might be lost on you if you don’t know what you’re looking at. It was all part of the game’s allure, and it’s something we wouldn’t want you to miss out on.

There are quite a few great recaps to get you up to speed (including our 8-hour look at the entire saga, which we have linked below in the description!), so setting aside a little time to get a working knowledge of what’s happened with Solid Snake since he first appeared on the scene so many years ago is a good idea. It’s going to make many moments big and small feel so much more engaging as a result if you’re approaching this as a total noob or perhaps as someone who’s only played Delta Snake Eater.

9. It’s Quite Big On Story Exposition

We’re sure you had already heard about this one’s cutscene length long before we brought it up earlier. It deserves its own entry on this list since this is a title that bets big on its story, and isn’t afraid to risk you wandering off to fix yourself a quick snack or drink while maintaining a passing focus on what’s unfolding on your screen.

This one’s made for fans, and you might find yourself looking up details more often than you think if you’re unfamiliar with the franchise’s lore and the complex relationships between the members of its cast. Again, doing your homework is going to pay dividends as far as this one’s concerned.

10. A 20-Hour Campaign With Great Replay Value

It’s only going to take you roughly twenty hours to beat the story, and that’s definitely something that we did back in the day given how eager we were to see where it took us. But rolling the credits isn’t the end of your time with the game, as a new playthrough is going to be a lot smoother given that you get to keep your gear and unique configurations.

You could also try to get your hands on the Stealth Camo, which requires that you beat the game with zero (and we mean zero) alerts, or the Ammo Bandana, which gives you infinite ammo on your firearms. That one needs 5,000,000 Drebin Points or a playthrough where you don’t kill a single hostile. And that includes the Beauty and the Beast bosses! How, you ask? Well, figuring it all out is part of the fun!

11. Metal Gear Online 2 Isn’t Returning

This one’s definitely a bummer, but the popular online part of this one isn’t on the table in Master Collection Vol. 2. It was certainly part of the fun that this one offered back in the day, and while we’re certain the multiplayer would have attracted a massive audience eager to jump back into the action, it seems we’re out of luck this time around.

However, we’re happy to tell you that the MGS4 Database is on board, and is actually a great place for you to do any brushing up on lore that you’re missing. Spoilers are automatically locked so you’re not at risk of ruining any story beats, and it could make for an interesting bit of reading thanks to how well it presents everything that’s relevant to you without too much fuss. The Screenplay Book and Master Book included in the Master Collection Vol. 2 package are definitely worth a look if you’re aiming for the most comprehensive Guns of the Patriots experience possible.

12. Pre-Order Bonuses and More

If you choose to pick up a copy ahead of release, you get the Cardboard Camouflage item as a bonus in-game. It’s a nifty little addition that you’re going to get a little kick out of using, and is definitely a part of the game’s eccentric charm.

Additionally, if you have a save from Master Collection Vol. 1 on your system, the Gold Camouflage is also going to be available to you as an in-game bonus item on MGS4. That’s great news for those of you looking to play the next couple of titles after the first few that came with that collection.

13. Resolutions and File Sizes

File sizes are expected to land around 25 to 26 GB across PC and consoles. The main exception is the Nintendo Switch, which requires a smaller 19 GB download for both TV and handheld play.

On the resolution front, consoles and PC builds aim for a crisp 4K output, though the Series S caps at 1440p; meanwhile, the Switch delivers 720p on the go and 1080p when docked. Upgrading to the Switch 2 bumps those numbers to 1080p and 4K, respectively. Performance-wise, the Switch is capped at 30fps, while all other hardware targets a fluid 60fps.

14. Potential Performance Drops

Getting to enjoy Guns of the Patriot in higher resolutions and better framerates is something we’re all understandably excited about. However, Konami has warned us of variations in frame rates and drops during intense scenes, so keep that in mind. This one does get quite busy, and we’re expecting lower-specced systems to have a little trouble with it, but it isn’t something we think you should be too worried about on consoles (or maybe we should be?).

Of course, you might be coming to it from Master Collection Vol. 1 before it was improved over time by Konami. In that case, we suspect you’re going to be a little cautious no matter how much you miss MGS4 before you dive in. The PC requirements listed could help you decide, though, so that’s where we’re going next.

15. PC Requirements

The minimum requirements outlined for the collection include a Intel Core i5-9600K, 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, with SSDs recommended. Windows 11 is a must, as is DirectX Version 12. The recommended specs take things up to an Intel Core i5-10500 and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, with everything else staying the same.

Considering how much the gaming landscape has evolved in the nearly twenty years since its original PS3 release, these system requirements remain remarkably accessible, much like the aging hero you command.

And that’s where we’re leaving you with this one. We can’t wait to join (or rejoin) Solid Snake in a story that pits him against arch-rival Liquid Ocelot. We hope you have as much fun with it as we’re going to once it’s in your hands, if you decide to dive into it.

But how does that come about? The answer is in Tarstones, a layer of customization that we believe lends the entire experience a very unique and addictive flavor. With only a limited selection of melee weapons and sidearms available to you, the variety has to come from somewhere if exploring a grim world where everything could send you packing to the nearest beacon has to be justified. Thankfully, there’s enough to Tarstones to make them a facet of the experience that constantly has you feeling like your next exciting discovery is just out of reach.

It makes experimentation and build crafting into an addictive part of your time in Fallgrim and brings exploration and combat full circle into one interconnected gameplay loop. That you keep coming back for more is simply an after-effect of the cohesion that Tarstones bring to anything your character decides to do. Here’s why we think that’s the case.

The Potential of Possibilities

For those of you who haven’t dived into the game, Tarstones essentially work similarly to Elden Ring’s Talismans, conferring specific buffs on your character. However, those effects are nuanced, often coming with upgradeable levels, with each tier expanding on the stone’s functionality. They could alter attacks, let you imbue elemental effects on your weapons, boost your survivability, improve your offensive potential via your weapon or sidearm, and so much more.

Their utility is such that finding one is going to have you diving into its description almost immediately, the curiosity to see what you could do with it overpowering enough to pull you out of a new and improved take on Fallgrim, and that’s saying something. Even one that doesn’t look too powerful at first might work well with one that you find later down the line. It helps that the UI itself is designed to help you identify ones that work well with what you’ve got equipped, as it makes each new discovery come with the same excitement.

It means that every optional dungeon, side path, world location or even a random point of interest could have a Tarstone that changes up the way you play, or even send you to the nearest Beacon to use it with another of your Shells to see how its effects can play out. With the way effects are presented, along with how each Shell’s specific strengths become evident as soon as you begin unlocking its tiered skill trees, experimenting with new Tarstones becomes an essential part of keeping your character powerful enough to take on a variety of situations.

It’s in testing out that potential where you begin to find that Fallgrim is on your mind even when you’re having a busy day at work, or in the middle of a workout. You begin to think about specific Tarstones, lining up what they can do with the rest of what you’ve discovered in-game to see if any of your Shells, weapons, or sidearms could benefit from having one equipped. Every failed experiment is simply a reason to try something else, as there’s always something that could use what you just found. The lack of that simply means that you’ve got more exploring and experimenting to do.

But it’s when your Tarstones begin to work together where a habit begins to emerge.

Steps Towards Synergies

While an individual Tarstone could certainly change things up enough to warrant experimenting with it, that potential for trial and error becomes exponentially increased when you consider potential synergies between ones you find. Multiple effects feeding into each other can mean that your character is an absolute wrecking ball once they begin working together, and seeing your build in action becomes a reward for meticulously putting it together.

It’s a real pleasure when you spend hours discovering seemingly unrelated effects on multiple Tarstones across the four available categories, only to find that they work together across your weapon, Shell, and sidearm to feed into a playstyle that has you feeling nigh on unstoppable until one enemy exposes a fatal flaw that has you back to the drawing board at the nearest Beacon. Perhaps you’re going to swap out one Tarstone for another. Perhaps you’re going to see how a different weapon, sidearm, infusion, or perhaps a different strategy can help. Perhaps you’re going to switch Shells and your entire loadout altogether.

We’re suckers for games that encourage putting builds together on this level, and it’s clear that it was an intended part of the experience on offer in Mortal Shell 2. Even the Beta had us using Tiel’s potential for striking from the Shadows to coat enemies with Poison stacks, each Shadow Strike generating resolve while Tiel’s own passives boosted my damage. The full release had us expanding on that build until I laid my hands on a couple of other late-game Shells that we know still have plenty of potential to uncover as we explore more of Fallgrim.

We know that all it’s going to take is one interesting Tarstone to have us reconsidering all of our plans for the rest of Fallgrim, a place that’s going to have us coming back to it even as other games vie for our attention over the rest of the year. That potential for discovery and constant rebuilding makes each weapon, sidearm, status effect, and Shell a part of a complex puzzle that Tarstones transform into a question that doesn’t really have any wrong answers.

It helps that every new build or idea is an excuse to go back into the world to track down more Tarstones, and become one with a loop that feeds into itself in your head as much as your hands. We found ourselves thinking about our Shells and builds even when we were away from our systems, an obsession that’s fuelled by the potential of one new change shaking the very foundations of our existing setups. That potential is an undercurrent that makes navigating the darkness and desolation of Fallgrim even more enjoyable, the positivity it brings being an intangible contrast to the melancholy that is displayed in its subdued hues and grotesque monsters.

But perhaps our favorite facet of how Tarstones shape the experience is in how they never let you settle into a playstyle even beyond your first playthrough. You only get enough Glimpses to fully upgrade a couple of Shells and perhaps dabble with another. Which means that there are entire skill trees of different effects just waiting for you to try out with your collection of Tarstones. Maintaining a tried and tested setup often clashes with the desire to just experiment with something else entirely.

It’s time to talk a little about how it all comes together in the game.

Building The Best Version Of You

A build you put together through painstaking exploration is so satisfying when it does what you thought it would do. It makes Tarstones an excellent layer of player progression that exists outside of the conventional upgrade system where you trade in Gloom for stats. The depth that exists within your Tarstones is a layer unto itself, as you earn Tarcores by leveling and tempering Tarstones, which you can then use to strengthen others.

That means getting the ones you want working requires using a few others you find alongside them, perhaps sacrificing on one aspect of your build to boost another until you’ve got everything you need in place. You earn your power in a way that makes it worthwhile, and for a reward that justifies all the effort sunk into procuring it. It’s a better approach than the endless loot of something like Nioh 3, an amazing Soulslike on its own with equally viable build potential, but with an approach that’s far more tedious.

There’s a cohesion to Mortal Shell 2’s gameplay loop that has Tarstones as a pillar that props the whole thing up. They’re how the combat, exploration, and Shells come together in a way that has you playing the game as it was intended. It’s what makes builds as fun as they are to use, while the constant expectation that your next big discovery is only a few steps away in any given direction makes the game one that’s very hard to put down.

Well, we know you’re inching ever closer to discovering that all we’ve said is true now that the year’s next big Soulslike is almost here. Now excuse us while we dip back into Fallgrim to investigate what could be our next way to have even more fun in an already enjoyable game.

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.

Now that Last Variable has launched and reviews are out, how closely has its reception matched your expectations for the expansion?

Marcin Łazowski: It exceeded my expectations, I am very happy about the reception!

Reviews have generally praised the expansion’s new management systems, but the overall critical reception has been more divided than it was for the base game. What do you think caused that difference?

Łazowski: We decided to modify our approach for the DLC. While the base game emphasized the story and it drove the experience forward, with the DLC we wanted to focus on the players who enjoyed the base building, economy and planet exploration gameplay most and wanted more of that.

Several critics felt that focusing exclusively on different versions of Jan Scientist resulted in a cast that lacked the emotional and professional variety of the original Alters. How do you respond to that criticism?

Łazowski: We found it was a great opportunity to increase the humour of the DLC’s story, but personally I believe that the Scientist’s alters are still complex, with different personalities and emotions. While on the surface the professional variety may seem lackluster (they are all men of science), in the game’s mechanics we actually introduced a double skill system so that there are more combinations of how to utilize your team.

Katarzyna Tybinka: The question I’d ask is: why would we want them to be more varied? Look at it this way: in the base game, Jan wanted to create Alters with completely different life choices in order to be able to revisit what he thought were his mistakes. In the DLC, the Scientist creates versions as close to his original self on purpose, in order to assemble a team of like-minded people who will only echo his own ideas. The paradox is that he ends up with a bunch of guys with a superiority complex who will constantly challenge him, precisely because they are like him. And it’s exactly this kind of mirror that he needs to see to learn more about himself and the reasons why he really stayed behind to study that planet.

Was creating a more intellectually driven and emotionally restrained group of Jans a deliberate narrative risk, even knowing that some players might find them less immediately relatable?

Tybinka: It simply felt like a natural choice given the protagonist’s personality. But it also opened up new narrative possibilities, such as a whole new theme of perfectionism. While base Jan struggled with his regrets, the Scientist has to face his ego and in that way his Alters are equally challenging to him. The fact that they don’t require constant attention doesn’t mean that they don’t offer deep, emotional stories allowing the player to access unexpected layers of the Scientist’s humanity.

The original game derived much of its tension from forcing together Jans with substantially different lives, skills and emotional baggage. What was the biggest challenge in recreating that tension between characters who are all variations of a scientist?

Tybinka: Actually, it was fun. I come from a family where a scientific career was quite prevalent and I always found it fascinating how different scientists can be: from pompous academics, introverted eccentrics, to whacky Peter Pans. Take that and add the signature “what if” Alters component and you’re imagining all sorts of ways in which a career can vary depending on the environment, people or even pure chance. As for the tension, it comes from a similar place as in the base game: the fact that despite their differences, they are the same man. The difference is that in the base game it was Jan’s insecurity that caused all the problems, in the DLC it is the Scientist’s ego. They all share it at the core, so tensions are inevitable. This time though, we wanted them to be a little more tongue in cheek.

Some critics praised Last Variable‘s narrative depth and ending, while others felt that its major revelations and final twist were not sufficiently supported by the preceding events. What did you want players to take away from the conclusion?

Tybinka: As in the base game, the goal was to make this experience as personal as possible for the player. Regardless of whether you identify with the Scientist’s perfectionism or not, you put a lot of effort into completing the game. The ending asks the player to give their own meaning to this effort and, truthfully, any other kind of struggle we willingly choose to go through in our lives – whether it is for the sake of achievement, personal satisfaction or idealistic reasons.

How has actual player behaviour compared to your expectations regarding Cryosleep? Are players carefully planning each cycle, or are they finding ways to bypass some of the pressure the mechanic was intended to create?

Łazowski: The Cryosleep mechanic’s goal was to give the control over the game’s pacing to the player. The original game had a strict time limit, but this time, as long as you can go to cryosleep, you can take as much time as you want or proceed to the next cycle. We’re finding that generally the players still feel pressure and want to squeeze as much as they can out of each day, at least in the early and mid game.

Terraforming has been one of the expansion’s most widely praised additions. Which part of that system underwent the most significant changes during development?

Łazowski: The general idea of terraforming didn’t change much during development, however after playtesting we were tweaking the details. I think the pipe connection system overall received the most changes, we were testing different UI and UX approaches. One big change was that at the beginning you were required to connect all the pipes to a placed down terraformer, but we iterated that because it caused much backtracking. Placing a pipeline along another pipeline going in the opposite direction just felt wrong, and instead of complicating the system more we decided to simplify it and add complexity elsewhere.