Note: This article includes only officially revealed information.

Here are 15 more things you should know about Marvel’s Wolverine before its September 15th launch on PS5, starting with…

An “Emotionally Deep” M-Rated Story

From the start, it was clear that Wolverine would be a much darker, bloodier story within the Insomniac Marvel-verse. And while the team has certainly pulled off an M-rated title (to say the least), creative director Marcus Smith says it’s also about telling “a more emotionally deep storyline.” “There will be twists and turns, and what he wants in the beginning might not always stay true. And by winning he loses and by losing he wins,” he told IGN. If that’s a little cryptic, well, you’re not wrong, but at least Smith promises “all of those things that you could expect from a Wolverine storyline.”

A Grounded World

We’ve also heard plenty about how this is the “ultimate Wolverine fantasy” (not to be confused with the fantasy of Ultimate Wolverine). However, Insomniac also aimed for a “grounded world with believable things that happen,” per game director Mike Daly. It’s avoiding going over the top, though you probably shouldn’t count out a few shocking surprises.

The Essex Institute

Case in point, at least on a lesser scale, is the Essex Institute. Nathaniel Essex, the once-and-future Mister Sinister, hasn’t entered his villain arc yet – in fact, he has to be saved by Wolverine and Team X at one point, based on the Story trailer. But his Institute is one of the locations players can traverse between missions, vaguely looking like another school for gifted mutants. You’ll likely meet others to converse with and probably discover some secrets; it’s the future implications that have us most intrigued.

More Adaptations Revealed

As you probably know by now, Adaptations function as passives that significantly alter your playstyle. Thanks to the new Game Features trailer, we’ve learned about a few more, like Enraged Recharge. It causes Rage to hasten the recharge rate on Special Techniques at Tier 2, with Tier 3 being more substantial. There’s also Parry Recharge, where successfully parrying an opponent will recharge a Technique mapped to L2 + X. You can even have Logan attempt to deflect bullets with his claws, adding some tankiness to the equation.

Abilities and Upgrades

Previews thus far have enlightened us on Logan’s Techniques, but the latest trailer showcased a few more, plus some upgrades. The Knee Breaker is a tool for staggering enemies and can interrupt all attacks – jury’s out on whether that applies to Sentinels. Of course, upgrading Tornado Spin increases its duration while also interrupting “most” attacks and breaking an opponent’s guard. Choose wisely though, because you can only equip four Techniques at a time.

New Game Plus Details

New Game Plus is available on day one – a great change from the Spider-Man titles which usually offered it post-launch. However, besides exclusive Adaptations, it also includes an increased level cap and exclusive Techniques. So not only is there an incentive to carve through enemies and take on optional challenges once more, but you can take on other abilities that couldn’t fit in the previous playthrough alongside the new additions.

Suits and Claws Revealed

As coy as it’s been about suits thus far, Insomniac finally opened up to reveal more. Old Man Logan, Ultimate Wolverine, Weapon X and Patch are some of the inspirations, but you can also go with a simple tank top and leather jacket, or engage in a different type of covert ops with the X Force suit. Claws can be customized separately and include everything from reflective and curved options to more natural bone claws.

Removing Cowls and Hats

Since Wolverine doesn’t have to protect his secret identity, you can remove cowls from certain suits. You can also ditch his hat in a few, and let his unkempt hair breathe free. It’s all for the sake of customization, but feels pretty much in line with what Logan would do anyway.

Collect Suits to Increase Max Health

Even if you don’t want to veer off the main story path and look for suit materials, you probably should. As you craft more suits, Logan’s health will be upgraded by a certain percentage – netting eight of them increases it by 150 percent. So even if you miss out on a few, it’s a good idea to abuse Mission Replay and head back in if you need a health boost.

Pop the Claws

Are you really a Wolverine fan if you haven’t attempted to pretend a bunch of pencils and pens are claws? Or tried to “pop the claws” out as he would? Well, good news, because you can do that by hitting L2 and R2 at any time. Here’s hoping there’s a secret where Logan breaks the fourth wall if you do it too much.

Nightmare Challenges

Insomniac said that Nightmare Doors offered a peek into Wolverine’s mind, presenting unique time-based parkour challenges with different ranks depending on your performance. However, there’s also the mind cabin (though it also pops up occasionally through the story, per GamesRadar). Here, you’ll also take on Nightmare Challenges, which are far more straightforward combat tasks that require eliminating hordes of enemies. And based on impressions, they’ll put your skills to the test.

Day 1 Patch Recommended But Not Mandatory

Unlike many physical releases that are either a download code in the box, or a coaster that requires a hefty download, Marvel’s Wolverine is playable from the disc on day one. Now, there is a day-one patch, and while Insomniac isn’t saying you must, downloading it will ensure players get extra polish and tweaks the team managed to squeeze out in the months leading up to launch.

Photo Mode

The day one patch also includes Photo Mode, and in typical PlayStation Studios fashion, it’s packed with features. Precision, tilt, hero and enemy visibility, visual effects, light types, filters, backgrounds – the list goes on. It’s very extensive – perfect for those who want to flex their digital photography skills.

Why the X-Men Don’t Exist

Besides keeping the focus on Logan, why don’t the X-Men exist at this point in the story? According to narrative director Walt Williams in an interview with IGN, it made sense to go back to his first-ever team in comics history – Team X. However, it’s also about reinforcing how “hard and scary” life is for mutants. “We wanted to bring players back to that mindset that these are characters who exist on the outside. They are not superheroes. They don’t have a safe space. They are people who are living in shadow,” said Williams. Having the X-Men would nullify that. This isn’t to say they won’t appear later, but for now, it’s on Logan, Team X and Jean to protect whoever they can.

Why Wolverine’s Suit Heals Itself

While Williams’ explanation is all well and good, one has to ask: Why does Wolverine’s suit regenerate when he heals? The answer, unsurprisingly, isn’t because of nanomachines. Head of technology Mike Fitzgerald said it was more about practicalities. “You can’t play through most of the game wearing just shredded rags on his body.” It’s a balance between reflecting combat damage and eventually restoring itself for the next encounter. Senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed added, “Early on you would be playing through missions and your clothes are shredded for way too long.” The result is feeling less powerful, but eventually, Insomniac found the “right balance.”

"The first hour of 1666: Amsterdam can be quite disorienting"

Unlike typical action-adventure games, 1666: Amsterdam has three interwoven timelines and perspectives, centred primarily on dual protagonists – the Collector Noa Brooklyn and Aaron. Along with Noa and her cat – a time-displaced art history teacher from 1999 – there’s Aaron’s daughter – Clio – who is essentially experiencing the entire game’s story through manuscripts left by her father that need magic to decipher.

The first hour of 1666: Amsterdam can be quite disorienting thanks to various characters discussing strange things in a matter-of-fact way without there being much in the way of an explanation for the player’s sake. Opening up in December 1665, with Noa slowly walking up to a magical tree surrounded by people and then choosing a cat that will serve as her companion for the rest of the game, the story quickly cuts to the present day. Clio has come to an old colleague of her father’s in the hopes of deciphering a letter seemingly left for her.

While it takes Clio a few leaps of logic to figure out how the letter can be read, she eventually gets there through a process that involves cutting her palm and bleeding on an old pendant her parents had left her. Through this, we’re able to see how, in December 1999, Aaron and Agnes are heading to a hotel in Amsterdam to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium. After spending some time in their room together, Aaron is quickly transported into the body of a black cat—the same one that Noa chose in 1665.

"The dichotomy between Aaron and Noa is also explored through the split in gameplay between day and night."

The two must now work together to accomplish their own distinct goals. Noa wants to identify and hunt down the Originals. At the same time, Aaron is simply trying to free Agnes from the spell affecting her. This story is often broken up with scenes of Clio coming to terms with her ancestry and the greater purpose her father has tasked her with, all while she also slowly learns to harness her own Collector-like abilities. Along the way, there’s also an aspect of Noa and Aaron coming across pages of a magical book named the Noxifer that seems to hold the secrets to many dangerous rituals. Deciphering these pages tends to be an aspect of Clio’s role in the narrative.

The dichotomy between Aaron and Noa is also explored through the split in gameplay between day and night. During the day, things are largely normal, and Noa and Aaron must together investigate various places throughout Amsterdam to figure out the clues for their next target. The night is more combat-oriented, with gameplay largely revolving around Noa’s prowess with her staff as well as a few magical spells at her disposal. While Aaron doesn’t tend to be too useful in times of direct conflict, the daytime focuses more on his cat form’s ability to climb into small spaces or jump up the side of buildings in order to open up doors and pathways for Noa.

While the parts of 1666: Amsterdam that revolve around exploration and conversations tend to be quite fun, the combat isn’t quite as enjoyable. Magic is quite unwieldy to use, since it requires you to find a target and hold down a button with precise timing. The fact that fights tend to be relatively fast-paced also doesn’t give you many chances to actually use the magic. As for melee combat, Noa’s moveset feels incredibly limiting, with a simple 3-hit combo serving as the majority of her arsenal.

Most of the combat encounters in 1666: Amsterdam revolve around Noa taking on hordes of typical soldiers armed with a variety of weapons, like pikes and clubs. Taking these enemies on is a simple affair, since their attacks are quite telegraphed and Noa is equipped with a quick-step-style dodge that can easily get her out of combos. However, many of these encounters also tend to take place in enclosed areas, which makes the camera feel quite unwieldy as you struggle to target the right enemy to finish them off. These fights also tend to involve waves of new enemies coming in, denoted by a “threat” bar at the top of the screen that both indicates the difficulty of a fight and acts as an overall health bar for the encounter.

"While the parts of 1666: Amsterdam that revolve around exploration and conversations tend to be quite fun, the combat isn’t quite as enjoyable."

1666: Amsterdam also tends to involve a few boss fights, and while the designs of these encounters tend to be great, many of the core issues that plague other fights still remain. Noa’s moveset is incredibly dull, and there are only so many times you can pull off a 3-hit combo without wishing that there was more to the fights. The boss fights also presented the first instance of major technical problems with the game; as soon as one began, my frame rate dropped sharply, going from over 60 FPS down to hovering between 20 and 40 FPS.

I played 1666: Amsterdam on a PC with an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, a Radeon RX 7800 XT GPU, and 32 GB of RAM, and aside from the boss encounters – which tended to feature many moving parts in the creature design department – I was quite happy with the game’s performance. Running it at maxed out visuals at 2560×1440 allowed me to experience the game at frame rates that tended to hover well above 60 FPS.

Outside of the technical performance, 1666: Amsterdam has a clear lack of polish. A prominent example of this is just how difficult the cat can be to control. While fine when running on flat surfaces, the cat seemingly doesn’t have any special animation for running up or down stairs. Rather, Aaron simply has his standard walking animation while tilted upwards or downwards, his legs floating right above the surface of the steps. Similarly, while the cat segments also tend to feature plenty of jumping around, the fact that it is a contextual action rather than something the cat can do at will also starts getting quite frustrating. You have to carefully scan your surroundings to figure out where you can and can’t jump, and places that would otherwise seem like obvious spots for a cat to go often have invisible walls to block your progress.

In its current state, 1666: Amsterdam is a difficult game to recommend. The lack of polish, along with the incredibly dull combat system gets in the way of what is otherwise an interesting story with some fun character dynamics. Conversations between Noa and Aaron tend to be quite entertaining. Noa knows only the world of her own era, while Aaron comes from 1999, so there is a certain joy in hearing the two compare their versions of Amsterdam. 1666: Amsterdam will likely be compelling once it exits Early Access. In the meantime, however, I’d recommend waiting.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Here’s 15 things you need to know before you buy.

Every NHL Arena Has Been Re-Built

NHL 27 is poised to make every single game feel like you’re actually sitting in the stands of the home arena. Every building, from the rink to the rafters, has been re-built to reflect each individual team’s energy, traditions, and identity, with authentic chants, goal celebrations, lighting, and presentation. EA states specifically that the development theme this year was “Hockey Tourism”, including authentic Jumbotron graphics, crowd goal songs, arena landmarks, and licensed hype songs that kick in during high-pressure moments for all 32 arenas.

Every Team Now Has Its Own Playbook

Every team in NHL 27 now has its own Team-Specific Playbook, with each one built using real-world NHL EDGE positional data. This means that teams should behave differently on a fundamental level, creating distinct tactical on-ice battles depending on how they operate. Some favour high-speed controlled zone carries, while others lean into dump-and-chase strategies. Defensive positioning, forecheck speed, puck support, and the way AI teammates position themselves can vary depending on which team you’re controlling, too. However, if your favourite team’s strategy doesn’t suit your playstyle, you can switch up their playbook in the menu.

All-New Cohesive AI Makes Teams Think Like a Unit

A significant AI change coming to NHL 27 is Cohesive AI, designed to make teams behave less like individual players and more like a well-honed unit. AI teammates and opponents now read, react, and adapt to one another, with dump-and-chase execution, for instance, seeing AI players retrieve the dumped puck as a unit – one player pressures the puck, while supporting skaters throw body checks on retrieval, with remaining teammates covering passing lanes. Defencemen hustle back into the neutral zone with urgency, they’ll ice the puck under pressure, or dump the puck deep to execute a line change. Unlike NHL 26, AI players aren’t following their own X-Factors and tendencies anymore, and the result should be stronger, smarter team-wide plays built on spatial and situational awareness.

AI Behaviour Now Scales Dynamically Depending on Difficulty

And, Cohesive AI isn’t a static system either. AI behaviour in NHL 27 will scale according to your chosen difficulty, with higher settings increasing the aggression, speed, and positional intelligence of your opponents. On Superstar, for example, EA confirms the AI uses faster double-teams and aggressive positioning to suffocate control. Rookie, meanwhile, leaves plenty of space for newcomers to get a handle on the game’s systems.

Goalies Get Smarter as Difficulty Rises

Goaltenders are also receiving the same difficulty-specific scaling as the skaters, with their intelligence and reaction profiles dynamically adjusting depending on the setting you’re playing. Rookie and Pro goalies are designed to give casual players a greater chance to score goals, while upgraded All-Star and Superstar netminders will anticipate developing plays more effectively and react faster. This means that familiar scoring exploits like cross-crease passes and slow shots should prove less reliable at higher difficulties. On Superstar, EA says you’ll need to properly construct scoring opportunities rather than leaning heavily on your elite shooters.

Goalie Fatigue is a Bigger Factor This Year

NHL 27 is placing more emphasis on goalie fatigue, with gameplay tuning ensuring you’ll need to pay attention to a goalie’s energy. A fresh, rested netminder will be extremely difficult to beat, particularly after getting a clean look at several shots. However, their effectiveness should gradually decline as their energy drains. In essence: tire the opposing netminder out and your chances of beating them will increase, although EA warns that elite goaltenders can still pull off spectacular desperation saves even when gassed out.

Goal Variety Has Been Expanded

NHL 27 is also widening the variety of ways you can find the back of the net. While X-Factor sniping remains potent, EA has adjusted gameplay balance so that overly-relying on howitzers shouldn’t be the only viable strategy. On the lower Rookie and Pro difficulties, your high-tier shooters will still be lethal, but even they won’t bail you out of a bad play on higher difficulty. You’ll need to play creatively, use your team-wide cohesion, and work the offensive zone to create meaningful openings.

Strategies Change During Games

In real ice hockey, teams won’t follow a rigid strategy from the opening face-off to the final buzzer. No, they’ll alter their approach depending on the score, remaining time, and momentum of a game. NHL 27 replicates these shifting mindsets via the all-new Contextual Strategy Shifts, meaning you’ll need to keep adapting to the on-ice action. Some examples: a team chasing a late deficit might shorten their bench, they might throw more pucks at the net, and crash the crease more readily. Meanwhile, a team protecting a lead might retreat into a more defensively solid structure, while AI coaches will call timeouts to restore stamina ahead of a late-game push.

Defending Now Emphasises Manual Precision

Defending in NHL 27 is being rebuilt with a focus on precision, authenticity, and reward when you turn possession over cleanly. Poke checks, for instance, are receiving improved stick-on-stick collision detection, making it feel more responsive when you align your defensive stick correctly against an opponent’s. Stick lifts benefit from enhanced stick-on-stick collision detection too, leading to cleaner attempts and fewer accidental penalties. Elsewhere, defensive AI is now more effective at reading passing lanes.

Skating and Movement Is More Deliberate

Skating in NHL 27 is designed to feel more fluid, deliberate, and physical. In particular, repeatedly pivoting now comes with a larger speed penalty, while continually relying on this manoeuvre will make you more vulnerable to poke checks and body checks. The movement itself should remain useful if used sparingly, with EA looking to ensure it cannot be spammed for an easy exploit. In other words: purposeful staking will be rewarded, while repeating the same movement will leave you exposed.

Hits Have More Varied Outcomes

Hits ordinarily result in spectacular crashes and knockdowns, but NHL 27 makes ice hockey’s physical side more subtle and varied by introducing instances of players stumbling, losing their balance, or being pushed down without necessarily being flattened. These more varied outcomes take the size and speed of players into account, meaning the physicality of individual collisions will better reflect what’s actually happening on the ice.

The Orchestrator Completely Reimagines Presentation

Back to presentation, a huge part of NHL 27’s updated broadcast package is what EA dubs The Orchestrator, or dynamic ‘virtual arena director’ designed to read what’s happening on the ice and adjust the presentation to match. Monitoring game state, momentum swings, desperation, score context, and crowd sentiment, The Orchestrator then directs arena reactions and broadcast elements. This includes syncing beats to arena lighting, showing bench reactions, slow-motion replays, and even mascot antics. Furthermore, EA promises more varied post-goal sequences, eschewing the same broadcast cuts of earlier NHL titles.

Connor McDavid Is The First 99 Club Member

Connor McDavid has been inaugurated as the first-ever member of the EA Sports NHL 99 Club, receiving the maximum possible overall rating of 99 in NHL 27. Describing 99 OVR, EA says it is the absolute ceiling of its rating system, reserved only for players who demonstrate elite ability across every aspect of the game. In terms of gameplay, McDavid’s rating translates to on-ice dominance, with explosive speed, elite vision, and exceptional puck control enabling him to create opportunities and weave through traffic at an unmatched level.

Connected Franchise Lets You Build Your Own League

Connected Franchise is a brand-new mode to create and manage your own league with your mates. Ranging from a three-team league, expanded all the way to 32 teams, Connected Franchise gives you options to customise structure, schedules, playoff formats, gameplay settings, salary cap rules, and more. Once your league is established, each member is responsible for shaping their team through trades, roster management, and lineups. It’s basically your own highly-tailorable hockey experience, with the rules determined by its participants.

Commissioner Tool Suite Controls League Organisation

EA thinks managing a multiplayer league shouldn’t be as difficult as winning the Stanley Cup, so they’ve built a dedicated Commissioner Tool Suite into the Connected Franchise. The nominated commissioner can manage users, advance league stages, handle trades, and adjust a wealth of other settings, ensuring whoever runs the league can do so smoothly and with control. Things, then, shouldn’t unravel a few rounds into the season, but there is an open Feedback Portal where you can tell EA what you think the mode needs to enhance it further.

The real question is: What should you be on the lookout for? Let’s dive into the 15 biggest new games of September 2026, starting with perhaps my most anticipated release…

Control Resonant

It’s not the fact that Remedy has taken inspiration from The X-Files, Roadside Picnic and the Southern Reach Trilogy, or that its impeccable art direction and music-making skills are on full display. Even the fact that it’s the long-awaited follow-up to Control, posing larger environments packed with quests and secrets to discover while digging much more into the action RPG build-crafting, really has me excited. It’s everything altogether – the vibe, the mystery, and the sense that something ominous, which no one could have possibly predicted, is set to take place. Control Resonant launches on September 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and right now, I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword

It shouldn’t have taken this long for Onimusha to make a comeback, but Way of the Sword feels worth the wait. Embodying a brand new protagonist, the vagabond Miyamoto Musashi, players embark on a dark odyssey of Genma-slaying, proving that he’s the very best swordsman that Edo has ever seen. With a unique parrying system, the return of Issen, and stellar production values, Onimusha: Way of the Sword isn’t just a triumphant return – it’s a promising new chapter in the series. It’s out on September 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Silent Hill: Townfall

Konami is fixated on a new Silent Hill title every year, and much like Silent Hill f, Townfall is unlike what we’ve seen before. Granted, Simon Ordell’s journey through the fog-shrouded St Amelia looks familiar on the surface, whether it’s piecing together exactly what he needs to put right or the terrifying creatures roaming about. But Screen Burn is keen on subverting expectations, starting with the immersive first-person perspective and the CRTV, which is as good at distracting enemies as it is at peering into the past. Out on September 24th, Silent Hill: Townfall could make for a hat trick of quality releases for the franchise.

Hot Wheels Infinite Rush

From the backyard and living room to an expansive world with four islands to explore, Milestone’s racing franchise has stepped up its game. Infinite Rush still offers multiple vehicle types to master with over 150 cars to collect in total, but it’s all about defeating the Rush Master on each island and standing tall over them all. If you’re feeling Forza Horizon 6 withdrawals, maybe Hot Wheels Infinite Rush could serve as a nice diversion when it launches on September 10th.

Minecraft Dungeons 2

As popular as the first game was with 25 million+ players, the lackluster depth, especially for a loot-driven action RPG, felt like a significant drawback. Well, Double Eleven and Moang have apparently heard those complaints, among others, loud and clear. Cue Minecraft Dungeons 2, which now features an interconnected world to explore at your leisure, new mechanics like jump attacks for more dynamic combat, and a complete overhaul to equipment, elevating the build-crafting to new heights. Out on September 29th for $30, it could be everything that we hoped for the original (and maybe more).

EA Sports FC 27

After last year, you would think EA would be content with the FC downslide. Thankfully, it’s taking some steps to make the player a more active participant, whether it’s prioritizing manual defending, more skill-based passing, and off-balance dribbling to incentivize more aggressive play. Will all of this work out? Your guess is as good as ours, but as far as trying to improve the core gameplay, they’re trying, at least. We’ll see if it works out when EA Sports FC 27 launches on September 25th.

Valheim 1.0

From its humble beginning as an early access survival crafting title that became a mega-hit to slow but consistent updates through the years, Valheim will finally receive the 1.0 update on September 9th (which also marks its launch on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2). Between the final biome – the fitting Deep North – and new enemies in the Elakingar, it feels like a fitting conclusion to a years-long journey. And if you’ve never hopped aboard, there truly will be no better time to start than with 1.0.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Insomniac Games steps beyond the bright skies of Spider-Man into the gory, twisted world that Logan calls home when Marvel’s Wolverine launches on September 15th for PS5. Besides emphasizing a linear adventure with the occasional open area to explore, it makes no bones about the sheer brutality of combat, as Logan lunges at enemies and systematically dismantles them. Sure, there’s a lot more to look forward to – sneaking sections, team-ups with Jean Grey and Sabertooth, and a complex story with plenty of optional side content as you piece together Logan’s memories. But as far as capturing the power fantasy, Marvel’s Wolverine is it.

The Blood of Dawnwalker

When Rebel Wolves first revealed The Blood of Dawnwalker, its Witcher 3 roots were abundantly clear. Since then, however, the team has unraveled the dark world of Vale Sangora in stark detail, whether it’s the impact of your choices, how time will influence Coen’s development, or how the world at large changes. It’s out on September 3rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and as far as dark horses go, this could be 2026’s most pleasant surprise yet.

NHL 27

I wish I could be somewhat hopeful for NHL 27 compared to FC 27, but hey, at least they’re bringing back Connected Franchise Mode so you can create your own league. That has to count for something, right? Launching on September 11th for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, it also promises a revamped presentation for sharper-looking games, a new commentary team, and 32 arenas.

Nivalis Nights

Speaking of games that took years to launch, there’s Nivalis Nights from ION LANDS. Unlike its predecessors, you’ll explore the city on ground level, managing a restaurant or venturing out to interact with dozens of fully voiced NPCs. Between activities like fishing, building friendships, mini-games, and much more, it’s a dream come true for cyberpunk fans when it launches on September 29th.

Crimson Moon

A third-person hack-and-slash action RPG for just $20? That begins to describe Crimson Moon, for sure, but it’s also a rogue-like where you can venture on missions alone or with a partner. Success and progression reward new modifiers, but you’ll also find gear that improves your stats, while Boons offer run-exclusive benefits that may be worth investing in. Given ProbablyMonsters’ pedigree, we’re intrigued by Crimson Moon, if nothing else. It’s out on September 1st for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

NBA 2K27

Yet another year of sports titles – such is the cycle of life, and you can’t possibly exclude Visual Concepts’ NBA 2K27. All the standard modes are here, from The City and MyCAREER to MyTEAM, but there are some notable gameplay improvements. It’s almost the opposite of what FC 27 is doing, with stronger AI defenders, but you can also expect all dunk shots to rely on the Dunk Meter, making it far more dynamic. That’s on top of new Badges, a cross-platform Auction House, and much more, all on September 4th.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter

Probably my second-most anticipated game of the month, which is also a remake of my favorite entry in the Trails series. Out on September 17th, it follows the same combat system, allowing you to swap between real-time action and turn-based commands, except you can now execute Brave Rush attacks for more damage. Battles against Ouroboros Enforcers will also feel more dramatic (and challenging) thanks to Enforcer Boost. But beyond all that, experiencing what’s arguably the finest story in the series, with all its emotional moments fully voice-acted, is an experience that any long-time fan shouldn’t miss.

WARDOGS (Early Access)

Tactical multiplayer shooters can be hit or miss, but there’s a certain charm to WARDOGS, especially off the back of its developer giving 10 reasons why you shouldn’t invest in early access. As a title that supports up to 100 players in a huge, realistic sandbox with vehicles, control zones, real-time destruction and even an economy, it offers an unprecedented amount of freedom with its chaos. It’s available on September 10th for PC.

We knew that the footage on display was from a PS5, but we couldn’t really believe it until the premiere drove the point home, the words flashing bold and proud to cap off an explosive look at a game that’s looking so darn good. It took us back to when we first saw GTA 5, and how far video games have come since then as far as graphics are concerned. Well, there is no better duo of titles to showcase that evolution than this pair of Rockstar’s finest.

Here are some of the biggest changes that GTA 6 is bringing to the table over its predecessor.

1. The Character Models

This is probably the first port of call for anybody looking to compare the graphics between a new behemoth and the one that ruled the scene before it. Franklin, Michael, and Trevor looked good for a trio of protagonists on the generation of gaming hardware that their adventure was staged with. Yes, their clothes were customizable, and there was a wide variety of authentic-looking stuff on offer. The facial animations were pretty good, although we now see how stiff they could be in comparison to what’s on offer today.

Jason and Lucia, on the other hand, are simply in a different class as far as how realistic they look goes. The seat glistens off either character’s brow in situations that demand a bit of tension, while the sun’s rays glance gently off their skin when they’re out and about in Leonidas. Their facial expressions are a mile ahead of what was a pretty solid benchmark before yesterday’s premiere, and this is an area where GTA 6 definitely feels like an evolution.

That goes for the NPCs as well, both the ones you interact with and the ones who populate the streets you roam when you’re in between missions. The people of Leonidas are a lively and very good-looking bunch.

2. Movement and Combat Animations

We’re going to wait until we test this all out for ourselves before we formulate a complete opinion, but we must admit that the movement both in and out of combat looks ever so smooth and refined. The opening firefight from the premiere was a great showcase of that, with the player being able to line up headshots ever so smoothly, while running, taking cover, aiming posture, weapon recoil, and how enemies react to gunfire are all looking quite authentic and polished.

That’s not to say that GTA 5 was a slouch in this area, but when you consider everything else that’s happening around you while you’re trading bullets with whatever new faction you happened to run afoul of, GTA 6 becomes a very impressive showcase of what a studio can do when it takes the time to realize its creative vision on its own terms. The animations for snapping to cover were especially nice to see in our opinion, and they seem to have ironed out the fairly mechanical ones from the previous game.

3. The Vehicles

This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering how other current-gen titles have brought a whole garage of vehicles to life across different genres of games. GTA 6’s cars and motorcycles were a prominent part of Leonida’s streets, and the new lighting and visual upgrades made them a highlight of the experience. Vehicles gather up a real sense of momentum, something that was quite evident in that early chase sequence, while the bodywork, paint, glass, and other materials on each car look and feel quite close to what you might see if you look outside at a busy street.

Rockstar has apparently had race car drivers help with crafting the controls on its cars, and we did see a few races in the reveal, so we’re expecting that the controls, and how they respond to your inputs on the road, are also going to be a step up from GTA 5. Once again, that’s not to diss what was on offer before, but you only have to see how a single crash has tangible effects on the cars involved to know what we’re talking about.

4. Lighting, Shadows, and Reflections

You’re probably not going to be surprised that ray tracing makes a world of difference in GTA 6 compared to the lack of it in the previous game. Leonidas is a bright, sunny, and aesthetically pleasing visual fiesta in the daylight where the sun shines brightly on everything you see, the shadows from its rays coming into contact with the city’s infrastructure falling oh so naturally onto the concrete where they move with precision alongside their sources.

Step into a building, and the interiors are already looking their best, with a seamless transition that’s clear to see thanks to how consistently it worked in the premiere. Of course, that might vary in the final game, but we’re erring on the side of optimism with this one.

People’s reflections, and those of things in the world around them, are constantly playing off reflective surfaces, making everything look very authentic and serving to embellish the art style that GTA 6 is going for. Its predecessor was certainly on the top of its game back in the day, but we have to say that as far as light and the way it interacts with the world is concerned, GTA 6 is an evolution of what the franchise has ever had to offer.

5. Water Physics and Rendering

We wish the premiere had shown off the waters around Leonidas a little more, but what was there to see is miles ahead of anything Rockstar has managed in GTA before it. The way the surface of the ocean ripples gently in the breeze, and the way waves interact so organically with the coast when they reach the end of their never-ceasing crescendo is spellbinding enough that we had to give the game’s water systems a section of their own.

GTA 5 might have been among the best games in the studio’s library of heavy hitters, but the crown has definitely been passed on to a worthy heir in this regard. The reflections we were talking about earlier are a major factor in making GTA 6’s water rendering look so authentic, and Leonidas is definitely a place where hitting the beach is going to be a regular part of our daily routine.

6. Volumetrics/Atmosphere

This one’s interesting, as GTA 6 does have an obvious edge, but there was so little to improve that the differences are merely owed to a more capable and modern platform in our opinion. The smoke from cigars rises up into the air before dissipating into the ether, while a fog settles over a dark alleyway that refuses to budge. Characters remained grounded in their environments, the world around them responding to their every move with a level of detail we’d call intricate.

It was a sight to behold and a true evolution of the strong presentation that was already on offer in GTA 5, where the city was always chugging along even as you caused mayhem within it. But GTA 6 is designed differently, with the world not just reacting, but remembering what you do in it, and to have such a level of authentic detail running alongside those complex systems is definitely an achievement, and perhaps the most important factor of comparison between the new heavyweight and the reigning franchise champion.

7. Environmental Detail and Density

Leonidas is a pretty place, with a lot of greenery around. You might think that every blade of grass, or every palm leaf, is a potential graphical hazard just waiting to introduce pop-in or poor textures, but that isn’t the case in GTA 6 from that glimpse we got of it. Materials such as metal surfaces, clothing, concrete, glass, and natural additions like plants and foliage are all presented so well, and with such detail that we were almost tempted to reach out and try touching them. The draw distance is great, and definitely ahead of anything the franchise has managed so far too.

This is probably a great place to mention the incredible hair rendering on display in the premiere, which was especially noticeable on a long-haired character who leans out of a window to fire at a pursuing vehicle. We’re quite curious to learn more about how the developers have managed to achieve what they have on that front.

We’d say that it’s a definite, and arguably very tangible, upgrade over GTA 5, which simply could not match what’s on offer here, hardware-related disadvantages aside. It’s also important to realize that the streets in GTA 6 are teeming with activity and are just dense, with signs, cables, stuff on the roads, buildings, and incidental objects making Leonidas feel packed to the brim with things to make it feel real, and make your time in it feel all the more memorable as a result.

8. Environmental Destruction

We watched Lucia hurl a molotov at a stolen vehicle to destroy evidence of her crimes, and kept a very sharp eye on the car itself as she walked away. We’re glad we did. The flames wrapped around it before going up in a blaze, pieces of glass and metal flying outward while the flames and smoke billowing from the scene danced around gently in the background.

Vehicle collisions came with tangible, authentic damage to both cars, their pristine looks somewhat marred by the laws of physics that GTA 6 seems to be taking quite seriously. We’re wondering how the game’s going to give us moments to make more of those Wasted gifs this time around, which was something GTA 5’s physics often felt very eager to provide. However, an improved level of authenticity in a game that’s supposed to feel like a life away from your real life never hurts now, does it?

9. World Interactivity

A world with a lot of stuff to see, but little to do isn’t going to cut it in a game like GTA 6, or any open world worth its salt for that matter, Thankfully, Leonidas is chick full of things to see, things to do, and activities to carry out, all of which tie in meaningfully to your characters and the story you’re building with them. Gyms, kayaking, scuba diving, basketball, races, and so much more are all on offer, each bringing interactions we see no reason to believe are not going to be as polished as what the premiere showcased.

Yeah, GTA 5 did have things to do as well, and a lot of variety, but Leonidas comes with a sort of energy that simply thrives on you going off the beaten path, emergent events just waiting to unfold in ways that you’re going to have to work hard to predict. Of course, we’re challenged to find a way it can manage to hold its own against its successor thanks to how the world’s constantly encouraging you to engage with it, and with the franchise’s signature chaos just waiting to unfold at the right moment.

10. Camera/Post-Processing

It might have been done for the premiere alone, but the motion blurring, depth of field, exposure changes, and camera responses to key moments felt like GTA 6 is going for a more cinematic style to presenting your adventure than the previous game. We’re hoping it’s the case in the entire game, and considering how consistent it was across the entire presentation, it’s likely that the new game is trying to get you way more involved in what’s unfolding than anything that’s come before it.

There seems to be an emphasis on cinematic angles in GTA 6 that favors closer angles and a more dynamic camera that’s not afraid to move around while letting the scene remain readable for players. Whether that’s going to be a part of the final game, and perhaps come with ways to customize things to our liking, remains to be seen, but it’s definitely an evolution of the camera work in GTA 5, which didn’t have that emphasis on presenting things like a movie.

GTA 5 did have its own tricks up its sleeve, but none of it was up to the standard of what the upcoming flagship title is apparently bringing to the table.

And that’s a wrap on some of the things that stood out to us as we were spellbound by the first good look at a game we’ve been talking about for years. Well, the reality’s beginning to sink in now, and we can’t wait for November and the day we join Jason and Lucia on an adventure for the ages.

Here are fifteen of the biggest.

A New Era, A New Kyoto

Beginning with the most visible change. Way of the Sword, instead of returning to the Sengoku period which defined the original games, moves into early Edo-period Kyoto. Using iconic, real-life locations such as Kiyomizu-dera, Mount Oe and Rokudo Chinno-ji – places known for their scenery, religious significance, or folkloric connection – gives the game a very different historical identity. Compared to Onimusha: Warlords’ chaotic conflict surrounding Inabayama Castle, Way of the Sword isn’t simply swapping one backdrop for another but weaving landmarks and legends from a different era into its dark fantasy.

A Standalone Story Instead of Continuing the Nobunaga Saga

If you’ve never played an Onimusha game before, you need not worry. Way of the Sword is deliberately designed to welcome newcomers, with the developer confirming the game takes place in a completely different world to the original games, free from narrative connection to previous titles or the Netflix series. In other words: you can experience a fresh story from the same starting point as everyone else; something which wasn’t possible with Onimusha 3, for example. Then, Samanosuke continued the conflict that began in Warlords and continued through Onimusha 2. If there’s a reason Way of the Sword isn’t called Onimusha 5, it’s this.

Miyamoto Musashi is a Different Kind of Hero

Musashi arrives in Kyoto with a simple ambition to prove he’s the ultimate swordsman. Crucially, however, he has no interest in the supernatural power offered by the Gauntlet, presenting an intriguing thematic contrast with Jubei Yagyu in Onimusha 2. Then, Jubei’s story revolved around revenge. For Musashi, his special skils are an intrusion on his own natural abilities.

The Camera Completely Changes How Onimusha Feels

Alongside the aforesaid switch to the early-Edo era, Way of the Sword embracing modern camera angles is another change you’ll notice immediately. The game follows Musashi from a third-person perspective, allowing you to see his surroundings as he moves through the world. This viewpoint sits in stark contrast to Onimusha: Warlords which inherited the fixed camera angles from the developer’s other survival-horror franchise. While not every original game used a fixed camera, Way of the Sword still marks a dramatic change in how combat is portrayed.

Sword Clashes Are Now The Foundation of Combat

For this upcoming reboot, the developer has emphasised blade-on-blade contact will be more impactful, with parries and deflections designed to make sword clashes feel physical. The studio has repeatedly talked about wanting you to feel the sensation of swords colliding. In comparison, Onimusha 2 was much simpler. Jubei could attack, block, counter, and perform the devastating Issen, where finding the perfect moment to strike provided the game’s skill ceiling. Way of the Sword, instead, layers more interaction into each exchange, bringing a more reactive duelling system than was seen previously.

Parry and Deflect Are Now Two Distinct Tactical Tools

Parry and Deflect show how Way of the Sword’s combat has become more granular. See, each action performs a different job: successful parries power up Musashi’s sword, while well-timed deflections damage an enemy’s stamina. Once that stamina is depleted, Musashi can trigger an Issen Break, thereby placing greater emphasis on defensive play than any of the game’s forbears. So, while Dawn of Dreams already had broader combat possibilities than Onimusha’s earliest games – blocking, evasion, and critical strikes included – Way of the Sword takes those manoeuvres and separates them into their own systems.

Issen Has Evolved From One Perfect Counter Into a Bigger System

Onimusha’s iconic Issen returns in Way of the Sword, and while the basic principle remains the same – attacking at the precise moment before an enemy attack lands – the technique has been reworked with surrounding systems. The new Issen Break, for instance, can be triggered by exhausting an enemy’s stamina, which is markedly different from Onimusha 2 where Issen was used as the perfect counter that could be chained between enemies. All in all, the developer has expanded the system’s potential, giving you more routes toward the same devastating damage.

Dodging Can Now Lead Directly Into Offense

Way of the Sword is poised to upgrade Onimusha’s dodging mechanics, too. Now, repeatedly evading enemy attacks fills the Reflex Dodge gauge, which can then unleash a powerful Reflex Combo when it is charged. Whereas Dawn of Dreams already featured evasive manoeuvres among its expansive toolkit, it did not treat dodges as a resource that can lead directly into offense. It’s just another example of how Way of the Sword places greater emphasis on defensive play, and rewards you for doing it well.

Damage and Executions Are More Physical

The Onimusha series has always excelled at making successful sword strikes feel decisive. Indeed, Onimusha 2’s Issen produced a gory and gratifying lethal critical strike. Way of the Sword takes this foundation and maximises its impact with a dynamic dismemberment system. Now, Genma can be severed according to the actual path your blade takes through their bodies, using modern hit technology to show blood and viscera in detail beyond what was previously possible.

Soul Absorption Now Fits Into Much Faster Combat

While Musashi’s Gauntlet still sucks the souls out of downed opponents, the difference now is that he can absorb souls while moving. This is something the developer has implemented, presumably, as combat in Way of the Sword runs at a quicker pace overall. What’s more, enemies such as Daidara can consume souls themselves, giving another reason to utilise the newfound hastiness in soul absorption.

Character Progression Is Broader Than Powering Up Weapons

In Way of the Sword, souls and treasures can be used to upgrade your equipment and unlock abilities, while Charms can be equipped to give Musashi extra effects. Now, RPG-like progression isn’t new to the series; Dawn of Dreams, for instance, pushed deep character customisation, while Onimusha 2’s coloured souls strengthened weapons, armour, health, magic, and so on. However, neither combined upgrades with an equipment-based system.

Special Abilities

Yes, Musashi’s abilities bring techniques for traversal as well as combat. His Strength ability, for example, can smash through defensive barriers, while Agility allows him to defy gravity and run along sheer walls, reaching otherwise inaccessible places. Dawn of Dreams previously, to solve these problems, gave different player-characters different abilities – Jubei could squeeze through tight spaces, Ohatsu used a grapple hook, and Roberto could move heavy objects.

Kyoto Opens Up Differently From Classic Onimusha Stages

While Way of the Sword isn’t open-world, the reboot does make individual areas more expansive alongside its more linear stage design. Tighter missions occasionally lead into larger sections, with Genma rifts, demonic structures, and toxic smog blocking parts of the city until their points of origin are cleared. In comparison, Dawn of Dreams was classically stage-driven, although the game encouraged you to revisit cleared locations with different characters and abilities.

The Base Serves a Different Purpose

In Way of the Sword, there is base of operations for Musashi’s campaign, giving you respite away from the dangerous city. This isn’t wholly unique as Onimusha 2’s Imasho gave Jubei an enemy-free place to rest too. However, both hubs serve different purposes: Imasho was tied to a relationship system whereby Jubei could build an affinity with four allies, influencing, ultimately, who assisted you in battle. Rokudo Chinno-ji, meanwhile, appears focused on becoming the quiet centre of Musashi’s journey.

Ranged Weapons Are More Integrated Into Exploration and Bosses

And finally, there’s the humble Bow, giving Musashi a ranged option for dealing with more than distant enemies. See, it can activate environmental mechanisms, trigger traps, and even sever bosses from their power source. Now, again, the presence of a bow isn’t what’s distinct here. Samanosuke in Onimusha 3 carried a bow with several arrow types, for instance. What’s different in Way of the Sword is how the game expands a familiar weapon with more layers.

Let’s delve into 25 insane details you probably missed from the Extended Look, and how they impact the gameplay in several notable ways, starting with…

Talking Heads

Whatever may happen between Lucia and Jason, you can’t deny that they’re a well-oiled machine when working together. During combat, Jason will call out for her to move up, and they’ll remain communicative throughout, even during what seem to be unscripted moments. It adds to their personalities and their overall dynamic in the best ways.

Environmental Destruction

Another great detail is how glass and furniture react during battles. Shards spray forth if an enemy shoots a window near you. Tables are overturned, and even desktop monitors fall over from the impact of bullets. It helps the environments feel more like actual living spaces rather than movie sets.

More Natural Cover Animations

The cover system remains as impeccable as ever, perhaps even more so than in Grand Theft Auto 5. Besides animations more cleanly distinguishing between different heights of cover, characters will position themselves behind pillars and boxes differently depending on the circumstances. The transitions are also very clean, further adding to the smoothness of gunplay.

Slow-Mo Kill Effect

Another noteworthy element that popped up more than once in gun fights – a slow-motion effect that triggers on killing enemies. It seemed to signify the end of a battle in the first mission, but we see it appear again when Jason is conducting a security sweep against a rival gang, even with hostiles remaining. Maybe it’s just a stylish flourish to emphasize the brutality of some shots.

Six Stars

The six-star Wanted system is back and better than ever, especially because of how the police act at higher levels. If you notice the icons beneath the gauge, they indicate details that they’ll look out for when searching for you, including the number of people they’re pursuing, their clothes and their vehicle. It’s a strong evolution of what we’ve seen before and makes sense considering the more grounded nature of GTA 6.

I’ll Shoot, You Drive

One of the more humorous sections sees Lucia and Jason meeting up with Raul…who just committed a robbery and needs them to act as getaway drivers. One of them at least; the other, in this case Jason, moves to the back of the car to take aim and dispatch pursuing cop cars. But it’s confirmation that the person doing the shooting doesn’t have to hang out in front.

Reversing the Roles

In the same vein, we see the player driving as Jason and seamlessly swapping to Lucia, who takes aim at pursuing vehicles. Essentially, driving and shooting isn’t tied to a single character, and each can watch the other’s back by any means necessary (assuming your skills are up to snuff, of course).

Backyard Wrestling

An underrated part of the Extended Look confirming what seemed unlikely but feels like a natural fit: Backyard wrestling, complete with a horrible, run-down ring. While I’m not sure that Rockstar would crib WWE 2K’s wrestling mechanics wholesale, it would be pretty cool if there were actual backyard matches, complete with meager crowds cheering on the madness.

Basketball

We’ve speculated that it was the case for a long time, and the Extended Look officially confirmed it: You can play basketball. Well, you can shoot some hoops at Jason’s crib, to be more specific. The real question is whether you can partake in some pickup games with other NPCs (and go guns-blazing if you lose)

Underwater Exploration

Besides operating an airboat through a swamp, a snippet of underwater exploration is shown. The player has scuba gear and an O2 meter in the top right. Manta rays and other fish serenely pass by, and the environment seems much more developed than GTA 5. What secrets could underwater locations hold? How extensive will they be? We probably won’t know without diving in head-first, but it’s enticing all the same.

Track Racing

Different kinds of races abound throughout Leonida, and while the street racing takes us through Vice City at night in style, what’s more interesting is that there are now proper tracks. Whether it’s in race cars or dirt bikes, these feel much more professional compared to the more chaotic barreling through streets.

Potential Honor System

Near the beginning of the pick-up mission, before things go sideways, Jason can interact with a dog in the hallway. There are options to pet, scold (if you’re a fiend) and study it. But if you pet it, an icon pops up on the right. Perhaps contributing to the new Criminal Profile system? Or maybe it’s a seal of approval from Lucia?

Jason’s Special Ability

During the closing parts of the Extended Look, we saw Jason getting his hands dirty to clear out a hostile crew. And at one point, it seemed to include activating a variation of Red Dead Redemption 2’s Dead Eye system. While kill zones were highlighted in red, areas that dealt non-lethal damage (which is indeed a thing) were highlighted in yellow. So on top of shooting an enemy in the knees or arms to incapacitate them, you can straight up shoot their hands to disarm them.

Stranger Danger

In this same mission, we see a unique example of the dual protagonist system and the expanded functionality of cellphones, when Lucia is texting Jason about the number of enemies. Naturally, it’s unnecessary, since he’s already begun to clean house and even radios the fools to let them know, but it could be just one instance of a character serving as recon while the other acts on that information as you switch back and forth.

One Mission, Two Types of Action

What’s also noteworthy about this is the different action tempos. While Jason is busy clearing out targets in the upper levels after things go awry, Lucia is attempting to escape and ends up in a desperate struggle (which culminates in a cliffhanger as she falls down an elevator shaft). It feels proper cinematic, and like they’re two distinct perspectives playing out.

Simultaneous Roles

Beyond this, there are several missions where Jason and Lucia have simultaneous roles. Robbing a diner is a great example, as is both pointing their guns at someone to steal his car. We can also see them robbing a convenience store, Lucia reloading her handgun while Jason slams someone’s head against the table.

Escape/Grapple Prompt When Knocked Down

In two separate instances, Lucia can be seen using a prompt to escape from a struggle. The first is more tugging back and forth, but the latter is far more desperate, as she plants a heel in her attacker’s face. Perhaps this is your bog-standard escape function in certain situations, but it is interesting to see the different contextual circumstances (and how they vary in terms of lethality).

The Weapon Wheel Returns

Blink, and you probably missed it, but at one point, the weapon wheel can briefly be seen. A dedicated slot for going unarmed, another for binoculars, but otherwise, it’s still the same eight slots that we’ve seen in GTA 5. Of course, you can also swap over to an items tab and equip different accessories, from a mask to hide your face to sunglasses and a cap for more face hiding.

More Detailed Minimap

Much like the Wanted system, you have to wonder just how much a game could improve on the minimap. On top of how GTA 6 is handling the former, it’s also made the latter feel far more layered with 3D-esque buildings and more clearly demarcated roads like freeways. Naturally, this ends up completely overshadowed by flashing blue and red when fleeing from the cops.

Shooting Police Car Tires

Fortunately, it seems disabling cop cars is much easier. When shooting their tires, they won’t just burst and stop the vehicle’s movement, but also cause it to lose control and overturn, flipping in the process. They may also swerve out of control, just like cars traveling at such high speeds in real life (sometimes). It should make challenging hordes of cops easier, though you probably shouldn’t get used to it.

Changing Vehicles to Fool the Cops

Remember that icon that denotes the vehicle that cops will be looking for if you’re wanted? As showcased in the gameplay, Lucia and Jason exit the car, set fire to it with a Molotov and then get inside a nondescript van to drive away. Just make sure not to leave anything (or anyone) inside.

Tuning In (and Maybe Fragging Out)

Just in case you thought Rockstar would abandon it in the transition from GTA 5 to 6, there’s an actual working television in Jason and Lucia’s apartment. You can sit down and watch for an extended period, but what also caught our attention is the familiar-looking controller to the bottom right of the screen, hinting at the ability to potentially play games within the game.

Brand-New Commercials

Of course, it wouldn’t be a new Grand Theft Auto without a new wave of commercials. From a “medicine” ad to another that seems to highlight the beauty of nature before taking a devious turn, they carry the series’ signature dark humor.

Weapon Icon Position Change

If you missed the placement of weapon icons during combat, good news – they’re now back in the top left, as last seen in Grand Theft Auto 4. Moving it away from where radio stations appear is a good move, and pretty much mirrors most third-person shooters from the past decade.

Stellar Motion Capture

In terms of attention to detail, what isn’t there to like about Grand Theft Auto 6? However, if there’s one thing that we had to pick, it would be the motion capture, which comes across so seamlessly that it might as well be real-life. You wouldn’t think that Rockstar could improve on what Red Dead Redemption 2 had to offer, but even outside of cutscenes and character interactions, the motion capture is top-notch.

Boasting several firsts from Insomniac, Marvel’s Wolverine offers an action-adventure unlike its previous titles. We’ve boiled down 15 different things you need to know about Logan’s brutal new tale, starting with the refreshing revelation that it’s…

Not an Origin Story and No Spider-Man Cameo

Whenever a superhero gets an adaptation, be it movies, TV shows, or video games, it’s usually common to begin with an origin story. Much like Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, Marvel’s Wolverine side-steps this, focusing on a world where mutants are discriminated against, and Logan is on a mission to stop Bolivar Trask from abducting them. And though Insomniac has confirmed this is set in the same universe as its version of Spider-Man, you shouldn’t expect the friendly neighbourhood web-crawler to appear anytime soon.

Not Open World

For that matter, don’t even expect a “friendly neighborhood” that Logan can hang around in. Instead of an open world, Marvel’s Wolverine opts for a linear adventure that spans multiple locations worldwide, from the Canadian wilderness to the streets of Tokyo and the back alleys of Madripoor. It fits Logan’s character to a tee – he never hangs around too long in a single place, though you will have brief stop-overs between missions to interact with other characters before resuming the hunt.

Only Logan

After much backlash to the MJ and non-powered Miles Morales sections in its previous games, Marvel’s Wolverine won’t feature any other playable characters. Which is hilarious considering the characters whose powers would make them worth controlling (imagine popping heads, Scanners-style, as Jean Grey). Insomniac clarified, however, that it’s less about addressing backlash and more about keeping the focus on Logan, which also explains the lack of X-Men.

Team-ups With Jean Grey, Sabertooth and More

But while you can’t control other characters directly, they’ll still lend a hand or claw from time to time. Besides the gameplay trailer, which saw Jean helping Logan by tossing Reavers hither and yon, we’ve seen clips of the latter teaming with Sabertooth to decimate enemies. It even becomes an impromptu competition of who can slay the most faster than the other – a typical bonding experience between frenemies with anger issues.

Logan’s Abilities and Parrying

Kicking fools off ledges and pouncing on them with Wolverine’s claws is one thing, but you also have unlockable Techniques like Tornado Spin to rip through surrounding enemies. Skills like Knee Breaker also come in handy for interrupting foes, and though parrying plays a big part in the overarching gameplay loop, many previews thus far have only scratched the surface of Logan’s capabilities.

Rage

Of course, you’ll learn how Rage works very quickly. In short, it builds up when you’re attacking and starts dropping when you’re not. There are three levels, and at level 2, Last Stand (not the movie, thankfully) becomes available. If Wolverine falls, then it essentially acts as a self-revive, restoring his vitality in the process. At level 3, you can execute critical strikes, some of the most devastating attacks in the game, to reduce enemies to puddles of their former selves.

Adaptations

Adaptations function like passives, which augment your playstyle in different ways. For example, Enraging Sprint causes ranged attacks from enemies while Logan is sprinting to generate Rage. Healing Dangerously restores health when successfully “reacting” to Power Attacks or Reckless Attacks, while Expanded Crit lets you perform the aforementioned critical strikes against enemies with higher health remaining. Your Adaptation Level and Strands determine how many can be equipped, but there’s seemingly something for everyone here – be it the defense-minded or those who want to lean into Rage.

Stealth Sections

As much as he’s known for his berserker combat style, Wolverine is skilled at tracking and infiltrating. Stealth sections will put those skills to the test, especially when you have to destroy inhibitors that restrict his healing, adding some much-needed tension to the equation. You probably shouldn’t expect Hitman-style sandbox levels with targets to assassinate, but Insomniac could very well surprise us.

Suits, Lots of Suits

What would a Marvel game be without an extensive collection of suits (and in Wolverine’s case, claws) to choose from? Besides the five suits and claws in the Digital Deluxe Edition, Logan dons a variety of outfits, from his more tactical Team X suit to a more casual fit and the Battle Reborn outfit – a twist on his signature apparel. Insomniac hasn’t outlined how many you can expect, but you can craft them by discovering upgrade materials throughout levels.

Mission Replay

What happens if you miss something or want to focus on the story? With how much you can collect and discover, it’s a good thing that Marvel’s Wolverine supports Mission Replay out of the box. You can return to pretty much any mission to mop up collectibles or try a higher difficulty.

Nightmare Doors

Explore enough, and you’ll also happen upon Nightmare Doors. Think different locations, but twisted within the confines of Logan’s mind, and turned into a time trial where speed is of the essence. Succeed, and you’ll get one step closer to learning more about his past, although there are different ranks and rewards to earn from the same.

Accessibility Options

An extensive list of accessibility options feels a given in any major PlayStation Studios title, and this is no different. From navigation, traversal and chase assists to separate options for tailoring enemy health, damage and stealth awareness; from options to toggle motion blur, film grain and chromatic aberration to extensive UI options – it’s all here. You can even toggle dismemberment, dynamic blood and violence presets, opting to turn off gore entirely if so desired.

60 FPS With Ray Tracing on Base PS5

Following the release of almost every title this generation, the development team has released new graphical modes and features, pushing the limits of the PS5. With Wolverine, it’s offering 60 frames per second and ray tracing support in Performance Mode at launch itself. Why the change? Well, as head of technology Mike Fitzgerald explained to IGN, it’s “important for the presentation.” “For this game from the start, we said, ‘You know what? We know we’re confident we can ship this now. This is going to be a 60 frames per second game with ray tracing as the PS5 should have. We’re going to build the game around this and towards this.’”

New Game Plus

Another first for Insomniac is including New Game Plus out of the box. After completing the story, you can go again while retaining your progression, including any abilities and suits. It also adds more variation with exclusive Adaptations. Further details have yet to be shared, but if you want a more challenging experience or to unleash Wolverine’s full potential, it may be worth jumping in.

PS5 Pro Support

For all the fanfare surrounding the PS5 version, Insomniac has been pretty quiet about PS5 Pro support. PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution support is confirmed and will deliver “exceptional image quality and frame rates,” but that’s it. Will it deliver dedicated Pro modes with full ray tracing like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2? Time will tell, and thankfully, it won’t be too long before we find out.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the ten biggest things you should know about the update, starting with…

Story Improvements and New Cutscenes

Perhaps the most anticipated overhaul to one of the most criticized aspects of Crimson Desert – the story – is finally here. Per the patch notes, Version 2.00.00 improves the main story and quests, including the narrative flow. Of course, it’s one thing to say and another to actually do, so I started a New Game to see for myself. While it seems like much of the same, the real big changes happen when Kliff enters the Abyss. A dream-like scenario where his allies pass on; Oongka blaming him for letting the Greymanes down; the temptation to embrace more power; and the memory of Jian steering Kliff towards the right path. There’s even some narration by White Crow and Alustin, two key figures, discussing why he’s the right choice (and hinting at the larger narrative relegated to lore before now). But wait, that’s not all – when we jump forward several months, as helpfully indicated by a new lower-thirds, we actually hear Kliff’s thoughts, as he ponders about the Abyss and why he was given a second chance.

Obviously this is only the beginning, and I can’t really recommend the revamped story without spending a lot more time. But overall, some welcome improvements from the get-go, even if the English lip-syncing is completely off at times.

Improved UI for Main Quests

Another significant change is the UI for main quests in the Journal. Previously, they would be laid out chapter-wise. Selecting one opened a separate menu, and then you would need to expand further to see the different quest steps. This time, they’re set across one page and two categories – Current Quests and Completed Quests. Hovering over one will recap the different steps, if completed, and what needs to be done next – there’s even a helpful thumbnail to denote them from the rest. You still need to click on them to see the different objectives and rewards offered, but at least they’re arranged into quest-chains now rather than forcing you to pour through multiple menus.

Knowledge, Memory Fragments and More for Bosses

The bosses also received some stronger narrative elements, and while conversations and dialogue lines are harder to judge right now, the update adds Knowledge, items and Memory Fragments related to them. If you want to learn more about Praevus the Ancient and why he’s hostile, or really any of the foes that you come across, head to the Knowledge tab in your Journal and check the Bosses section.

Abyss Links

Another big criticism, especially for a game that gives you three playable characters, is the lack of Abyss Artifacts to upgrade the others, especially if you’ve spent so much time with Kliff. While Abyss Artifacts are far more plentiful than at launch, the development team devised a better solution: Abyss Links. Whenever a character spends Artifacts to unlock a skill, an Abyss Link is earned. You can then use that Abyss Link for learning skills on other characters. It’s a simple yet ingenious change because progressing further with Kliff means you can unlock an equivalent number of skills for Damiane and Oongka.

Individually Resetting Characters’ Skills

Previously, resetting skills for one character meant resetting all of them. This was especially annoying, since you had to go back later and reassign everything for other characters. Truly a nightmare for those who liked to experiment with different builds in a game that offered so many potent combos to try out. Lo and behold, Version 2.00.00 now lets you individually reset character skills. It also refunds any Abyss Links spent without needing you to mess around with the Abyss Artifacts.

8 New Skills for Kliff

If you’ve progressed far enough into the main story, then Kliff will have obtained eight new Skills to use. These include Ascending Force Palm, which increases the jump height of the ability and enhances it; Descending Force Palm, allowing you to use Diving Force Palm after Aerial Force Palm; Enhance Flight for a quick fall while flying that pauses stamina consumption and doesn’t result in any damage when landing; and Finishing Rush, where pressing light attack after slaying a foe immediately teleports you to another enemy. Yes, we got Warp-Strike in Crimson Desert before Grand Theft Auto 6. But perhaps my favorite new addition is Water Stride. It’s an upgrade to Double Jump and allows Kliff to run on water surfaces. No more feebly swimming across a river – now it’s a mad dash, and it’s awesome.

Transferring Abyss Links and Currency to a New Save

New Game Plus is finally here – well, not really, but could you imagine? Instead, Version 2.00.00 has added a strange compromise. After completing all the main quests, you can begin a new journey that pulls from your save file and carries over any Abyss Links and currency from that playthrough, which enables a much faster start. While I suppose this is a good way for players who already finished the game to re-experience it with all the story improvements and not have to claw their way back up, not carrying over your resources, armor sets, weapons and more feels like a miss. But hey, maybe it’s a start to an honest-to-goodness implementation of New Game Plus. We shall see.

Flying Mount Controls

If you’ve long sought more control while flying a mount, a Flying Mount Controls option is available. Selecting Manual will cause the mount to ascend or descend based on regular button inputs. However, if you select the Camera option, it’ll fly based on the direction you’re looking in. This doesn’t allow a full range of motion – instead, the mount will only climb or dive depending on whether you’re looking up or down. It makes some sense, since you need to engage in flying combat on mounts and dodge attacks. Overall, another solid addition.

Early Double Jump

Aside from the new skills, combat hasn’t seen too many new additions or changes, but there’s still some great quality-of-life improvements. During the “Unexpected Gift” quest in Chapter 2, you’ll receive Double Jump as a reward, granting more mobility much earlier in the game for free. Characters that accompany the player take less damage, though I’ve yet to test whether this applies to Damiane and Oongka when they’re following you, and the rest are appreciated fixes, including for an issue preventing the Strongbow Gloves from ricocheting when using special arrows.

Golden Star’s Revenge

When I first played through Crimson Desert, my experience with the bosses ranged from mixed to overjoyed. Master Du, to this day, remains one of the best boss fights in gaming this year. However, Golden Star, the giant mechanical dragon, proved disappointing, especially after previews hyping it up because there was really only one phase. It seems someone on the development team felt the same way, since Version 2.00.00 now adds distinct phases to the battle, each with unique attack patterns, and I couldn’t be happier.

To that end, here are 15 gameplay details we want to see from the Extended Look, whether it’s a closer look at the interiors of various buildings, vehicle performance, the social media system, gunplay, and much more. For starters, however, we’d like to see…

How Jason and Lucia Switching Works

With how character switching panned out in Grand Theft Auto 5, it’s interesting how much more intertwined Rockstar wants the dynamic between Jason and Lucia to be. For example, you could be the former driving or the latter scrolling through social media on their phone, according to Dazed’s recent deep-dive story. You may also be motivated to swap between them during a car chase, whether it’s Lucia firing out the window or Jason swerving to avoid obstacles. The real question is if you can just stick to one character throughout such instances or if switching is mandatory, but it appears to be seamless all the same.

How Reactive NPCs Really Are

Dazed’s story also mentions how the world will react to the player walking down the street with a rifle, and I have a laundry list of things that I want to see happen. NPCs phoning 911, taking out cellphones to record (even if it’s from a safe distance), posting those videos online (which you can probably watch on your phone live at that moment), and of course, cowering in fear if you aim. Depending on the establishment, will someone politely ask you to leave, sweating up a river, or will they pull out a shotgun and demand it?

Weight, Exercise and Physical Transformation

San Andreas players, rejoice: You can finally eat a bunch of food and gain weight, altering your character’s shape. In that same vein, you can exercise and become fit, gaining muscles in the process, as confirmed by Dazed. But I’m more interested in seeing what it’s like to go without sleep for multiple days on the run – how your character’s appearance becomes more harried, and how they may even start nodding off on their feet.

Dynamic Events and Random Encounters

Grand Theft Auto 5 had its share of random events, but Red Dead Redemption 2 raised the bar so incredibly high that it was absurd. There’s the expectation that Rockstar will build on this further, though how remains to be seen. They could very well be larger in scale – like suddenly getting into a chase on airboats in the swamps – or more bizarre – like capturing an alligator that’s run rampant inside a convenience store – or really both. Either way, we’re interested to see if these characters will intertwine with the story, and to what extent, especially since retailer listings indicated that NPCs could generate “random organic events across the map.”

How the Social Media System Works

A clue may lie in the social media system, where you can follow different influencers and watch viral videos as they’re happening, per retailer listings. Dazed’s story indicated that rap duo Real Dimez’s ascent into the music business could be “traced” through “viral social media posts.” Maybe that’s just an indication that you can go back and read their Bleeter timelines to see how they made, hearting and bookmarking posts as if they were the real deal. I’m interested in whether interacting with recent posts could influence the characters’ current trajectory. NPC posting about a crime? What if you DMed them for a meet-up, only to beat them up and steal their cash? Could the level of interaction affect the so-called “secret missions” that become available, and will ignoring them cause a huge shift in a player’s fate? It all sounds very RPG-esque and, quite frankly, very enticing.

The Wanted and Police Systems

In Dazed’s story, Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson talked about looking back on previous titles and seeing “where we want to evolve based on what we didn’t do as well as we would have liked to” for various reasons. But given the general state of the Wanted system – if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it – what could be added on? The level of escalation reached a pretty big high in GTA 5 – maybe Rockstar will take a few cues from its Honor system from Red Dead Redemption 2. Perhaps you have an unofficial rap sheet of sorts, where even if you don’t get caught, NPCs rely on word of mouth and treat you accordingly. Maybe undercover cops will try to hunt you down. Adjusting all this depending on who you encounter from what walks of life would be an immense undertaking, but if the team could pull this off, it would be very exciting indeed.

Gunplay and Combat

From a gameplay perspective, Grand Theft Auto 5’s shooting has always been…fine. Not particularly impressive compared to the likes of Max Payne 3, but still. If it sounds like I want the sun and the moon from Grand Theft Auto 6’s gunplay, you’re absolutely right, whether it’s a more realistic tactile feel to firearms, improved sound effects or environments that crumble in minutely detailed ways. I want to see dismemberment as well – Rockstar has done it in Red Dead Redemption 2, and with the sheer amount of potential firearms in late 2020s Vice City, it would make firefights feel that much more visceral.

Driving Physics and Vehicle Handling

With everything that Rockstar has done in terms of world design, environmental details and whatnot, reading that it has real-life race car drivers to refine the vehicle handling makes perfect sense. Why not, right? Grand Theft Auto 5 was certainly no slouch for its time, but I have to wonder if the team is trying to push the boundaries of what it can achieve in terms of physics and the overall sensation of speed.

Weapon Carrying and Inventory Management

The general vibe from Dazed’s story is that Rockstar wants to focus on realism. Delivering a more grounded world. So does that mean a more realistic take on the number of weapons you can carry, or inventory management? I’m not expecting to be “encumbered” after picking up too much stuff, but is it really so far-fetched to think certain clothes will limit how much you can fit in your pockets? Or that a backpack and duffel bag are essential for going on rampages with various weapons? Again, a lot of different possibilities (especially with confirmation of weapon lockers in some garages), each changing the gameplay in significant ways if true.

Reactions to the Fit

With Vice City’s fashion playing a huge role, especially given the sheer amount of clothing options that we already know about, I’m curious to see how the world will react to the way you dress. Think Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, where dressing for the occasion could trigger different reactions and maybe open up some new options. It may be simple compliments, but I’d like to see various neighborhoods be more accepting or hostile depending on your clothing, even if it’s just in terms of vibes (which could then escalate into violence depending on your approach).

Stealth

Speaking of evolving things, there’s stealth. Mostly a rudimentary concept, but with the retailer listings noting how you can “directly influence the criminal ecosystem and the tactical intelligence of the missions,” why wouldn’t more stealth options be on the docket? It could take more than a few ideas from Hitman, where players use disguises, spot different opportunities to create distractions, and maybe even indulge in some hacking to get by. More sandboxy, less scripted and contrived.

Companion AI

Character switching was already a given, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Rockstar showcases more of what the companion AI is capable of. When taking either Lucia or Jason on missions, I’d like to see the other make small talk, maybe opening up some dialogue choices. Whether it’s reasonable to expect or not, the ability to issue commands in combat, even if it’s something as simple as cover fire, would be a very welcome addition. But at this point, I want to know if the other character behaves like the many realistic NPCs out there – following a routine – or adjusts their behavior based on what you’re doing.

Enterable Building Interiors

We’ve only seen images of some structures until now without a real feel for how massive or detailed they could really be. For that matter, how many buildings can you actually enter? Both GTA 5 and RDR2 were incredible in this aspect, but once again, you’d have to think the sheer amount would pale in comparison to Grand Theft Auto 6. More importantly, can players extensively decorate safehouses? Will the ability to purchase properties return?

Activities Outside the Main Story

Which ties in neatly with activities outside of the main story. With the weight and exercise systems returning, training in the gym seems a given, and we’ve seen plenty of indications for fishing. It also wouldn’t be a GTA title without a ton of sports (and I don’t just mean the previously confirmed kayaking). But I can see Rockstar taking some notes from GTA Online, especially with confirmation of secure locations to place stolen goods. Gun running, contraband, perhaps even a black market where you can buy low and sell high, and pawn shops would all add a lot to the open world, besides interacting with all the existing systems in incredible ways. And while flight school seems a given, I want to see San Andreas’s boating school return.

How Much the World Changes Without You

One of the best sandbox survival titles out there, Kenshi, is famous for its world simply going on, even if you do nothing. Combining everything that we know, including NPCs having their own routines, Vice City and Leonida would feel like a living, breathing world in almost every aspect. Does that mean other people would get involved in random events if you stand by and do nothing? Would a rival gang organically take over a neighborhood if you’re busy focusing on the story? Could Lucia or Jason (or both) become absolutely weathered through days of not sleeping and end up affecting their connections with other characters – maybe Raul deciding you’re not worth heisting with anymore, and closing off that section of activities until they clean up their act? It would be fascinating to see, for sure.