Helldivers 2 PSN account backtrack

Sony came within a hair’s breadth of tanking their runaway success of the year with the perplexing requirement for PC users to link a PSN account to Steam to play Helldivers 2. If you didn’t already own a PSN account it’d be mandatory to make one to carry on playing. Sony’s act of self-sabotage caused widespread discontent, of course, but was also set to lock players from the 177 countries without PSN access out of the game. Fortunately, Sony put their collective heads together and reversed the decision, review bombing was ceased with sales – now eclipsing 12 million – continuing. 

]]> 606227 https://gamingbolt.com/10-unwanted-moves-by-game-companies-only-for-them-to-change-their-minds Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:19:53 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=589125 Developers are people, and people – at the end of the day – make mistakes. Inspired by Helldivers 2 and it’s recent Sony-led controversy to attach a PSN account to PC players, we’re looking at 10 instances when developers simply got it wrong.

Helldivers 2 PSN account backtrack

Sony came within a hair’s breadth of tanking their runaway success of the year with the perplexing requirement for PC users to link a PSN account to Steam to play Helldivers 2. If you didn’t already own a PSN account it’d be mandatory to make one to carry on playing. Sony’s act of self-sabotage caused widespread discontent, of course, but was also set to lock players from the 177 countries without PSN access out of the game. Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead fronted by CEO Jordan Leithart have shown transparency on the situation, admitting to knowledge of the requirement 6 months prior to its announcement. Their honesty has quietened cynicism and, together with the policy’s reversal, review bombing has ceased with sales – now eclipsing 12 million – continuing.

It’s a lot to take in, but that’s one of the beauties of Inkbound. The complexity is the appeal, unraveling naturally and non-threateningly but pushing you to adapt and respond as the difficulty ramps further.

You start as a Needless, emerging from the sea of Ink with little more than a shape and even less of a purpose. After encountering the mysterious beings, Bin and Nib, you gain an Aspect, which serves as a class with unique abilities and defines your overall look. Defeating a Guardian of the Void brings you to the Atheneum, a massive junction of books and stories you can venture into. It turns out that the Blight is slowly engulfing and corrupting the worlds within the books, and the Inkbound, the so-called hero, has shut themselves in to find a solution.

Along with other Needless, it’s your job to venture into the stories and wipe out the Unravelled forming from the Blight, gathering the Ink necessary to keep the Bindery going. There are several questions to answer, like why the collected Ink doesn’t seem enough, why the Inkbound doesn’t venture outside of their study, and, of course, what is causing the Blight.

"Upon entering the void, you can choose from one of three books, each with a different world, characters, enemies and bosses to interact with…"

It’s all intriguing without getting too meta, and each character has an interesting story to tell, whether it’s the Counselor and how easily awkward she is with the Needless, or the happy-go-lucky Spooler and their brother, the serious Tinkerer (both mysteriously never in the same spot at the same time). You also have mysterious figures like the Carver, who left the Atheneum and now plies his trade selling Augments, Bindings and Vestiges. As you get to know them and fulfill their requests, their collective history is revealed – alongside unlocking new items and Aspects that can aid the player through runs.

The audio mixing of some characters can feel a bit low at times, but otherwise, the voice acting is good. Overall, the narrative is well-delivered, not quite having the same immediacy after the opening few hours, but picking up again as you bond with each character.

When starting in the Atheneum, you can choose between a regular run and Daily Challenges. Upon entering the void, you can choose from one of three books, each with a different world, characters, enemies and bosses to interact with (not to mention the unique mysteries and Aspects tied to them). They each look aesthetically pleasing, and the bright yet sickly purple of the Blight intertwines with them quite well. Performance is rock solid at almost all times, despite the odd stutter when hitting multiple enemies with a Binding and simultaneously afflicting them with status effects.

Depending on the routes taken, you could happen upon more challenging enemy encounters (which provide more rewards), rifts with multiple choices to bolster your run (like copying Vestiges or receiving Augments for your Bindings) and breaking down Vestiges for set bonuses. You have a choice at almost every turn and can opt to tone down the challenge if your health is low or you need globules for purchasing Augments and Bindings instead of the more common Kwillings.

"The Aspects themselves are all well-designed and facilitate different kinds of builds and play styles."

When combat starts, you can spend Will to activate different abilities. Orbs will also spawn, granting Will if scooped up while reducing ability cooldowns. After ending your turn, enemies execute their actions simultaneously and so on. The twist is that you can move around in a limited space on your turn, letting you effectively dodge some enemy attacks or reduce damage from those that hit the entire arena. It’s also necessary to avoid the Blight that creeps in from the outer edges, which deals damage if you step in it.

Orbs also grant some movement, but you must judge whether they’re worth collecting immediately to reduce the cooldown on some abilities or later for potential dodging. Though encounters start simply enough, more varied enemies – like those who will prioritize attacking players who hit them first or amplify their teammates – push you to change up some tactics, which further plays into the different Aspect roles.

For instance, maybe you want to get the attention of certain enemies and redirect their attacks towards you when playing as the Obelisk since it can gain Shields with its basic attack, stack Spikes to inflict damage back on enemies and so on.

The Aspects themselves are all well-designed and facilitate different kinds of builds and play styles. The Magma Miner can bonk enemies and leap around to deal damage in an area, building up Heat stacks for more damage, but must end turns with attacks, lest they lose all stacks. The Weaver attaches threads to enemies to gain shielding and Threaded for enhancing their abilities, and distribute damage to all connected foes or pull them towards a point.

"Further adding to this are the Vestiges, which grant passive abilities and bonuses, like gaining additional Will under certain circumstances or reducing the cooldown on your Bindings when picking up Orbs."

Of course, this is a rogue-like, which means you can upgrade Bindings with different Augments over a run, whether it’s inflicting Dazed to reduce an enemy’s damage or reducing their Will cost and cooldown. Bindings also have Ascensions, completely changing how they function and allowing you to specialise further in different play styles.

You can also acquire other Bindings outside the starting three for each Aspect, like Blink for teleporting or Afterimage, which grants a stack of Blur (thus reducing damage by 1 for that turn) and a Critical Charge for a random ability. There’s plenty of variety here, whether you’re playing as an Obelisk that goes all in on spikes and shielding or a Mosscloak that stacks status effects to further aid in burst damage with their shurikens. The opportunity for interplay with other Aspects in multiplayer is also pretty good, which we’ll get to. However, solo play is equally as enthralling, even if some Bindings and Augments are clearly the better options at higher difficulties.

Further adding to this are the Vestiges, which grant passive abilities and bonuses, like gaining additional Will under certain circumstances or reducing the cooldown on your Bindings when picking up Orbs. If you collect Vestiges of a specific set, you get set bonuses for added physical damage, extra health after battles and more. They can even avail additional effects, like spike damage inflicting Pincushion, causing enemies to take 10 percent more damage till the turn ends.

But wait, it gets better – by destroying a Vestige, you permanently gain the equivalent of two pieces in the set bonus. So while you won’t benefit from the damage resist and extra Spiked stacks from Swindler’s Getaway if it’s destroyed, you do get the two-piece set bonus for Pincushion and Warden for a permanent +5 Spiked damage and 10 Damage Resist.

"Once you’ve completed a run, gaining XP from quests and unlocking new Vestiges and cosmetics, you can attempt higher difficulties."

Knowing when to destroy a Vestige and gain its effects and strategically planning which ones to pick up for their set bonuses versus their passive effects can impact more challenging runs. Still, it can lead to some pretty broken effects, like gaining absurd amounts of shielding and Spiked damage to insta-gib enemies who hit you.

Further progressing through the story also unlocks Relics, which can be equipped before runs and provide different benefits, like permanently increasing Magic damage for every little bit of Physical damage dealt and vice versa. I wasn’t a fan of all of them – some provide a two-piece set bonus from the start, which is good but not always the most exciting proposition. Still, there is a decent amount of experimentation.

Guardians await at the end of locations, and they can get tough especially if you don’t kill them fast enough to avoid the encroaching pool of Blight. It’s the Villains who are the real challenge – each possesses even more unique mechanics, like having to defeat medium-sized enemies to cleanse the damage over time stacks that Cynder inflicts or taking out the tentacles of Argolath. Each is fun to fight in its own way, though I found the non-Guardian boss before them to be more challenging due to an excessive number of minions and the Blight.

Once you’ve completed a run, gaining XP from quests and unlocking new Vestiges and cosmetics, you can attempt higher difficulties. Each has a modifier that can make the overall run more challenging, and while they may not seem terrible on their own, they stack with previous tiers. There are also Book Modifiers which further add to the challenge, like causing enemies to heal or gain damage resist each turn.

"Perhaps the only downside is that environments are all fundamentally the same in terms of structure and layout."

While you do gain some rewards for opting into the challenge, these provide a slight edge rather than neutralizing any negative modifiers. While Difficulty 1 and 2 felt pretty good, Difficulty 3 felt slightly overtuned with the penultimate boss. Maybe further tuning is required, but it felt like such a baffling contrast, even on lower difficulties, compared to the final Villain.

This is probably where bringing in other players becomes necessary, and Inkbound allows for matchmaking with others pretty seamlessly. Multiplayer also brings a new dimension to combat since you’re considering your teammate’s Aspect and unconsciously coordinating with them but also looking to maximize your positioning and Orbs on the field (which are more in number). Enemies are tankier, which makes sense but makes you wonder how things will fare at higher difficulties. As it stands, Inkbound is a very enjoyable solo experience but shines all the more in multiplayer.

It does tend to get repetitive, which the overall genre can suffer from now and again, but it scratches that feeling of “one more run,” and multiplayer is a great facilitator in that regard. Perhaps the only downside is that environments are all fundamentally the same in terms of structure and layout. The overall flow of Garden’s Edge and Silent Promenade is pretty much the same despite their wildly different atmosphere and settings.

"Inkbound may not immediately grab you, even with its unique premise and gorgeous visuals. It’s when you dive into combat that things start to click."

Outside of meeting specific characters, they don’t have unique rooms or mechanics to consider when progressing. While it’s somewhat understandable to homogenize things, especially for multiplayer, I would have appreciated a little variety to make them stand out from the pack.

The overall progression is more focused on granting new Vestiges that appear in runs and Keys for unlocking new Relics than permanent power increases that persist between runs. Though it originally had monetization in early access, this has been removed in favor of Dust to purchase cosmetics from previous seasons. Character customization is decent – nothing too over-the-top initially, but you get some decent cosmetic pieces for free.

Inkbound may not immediately grab you, even with its unique premise and gorgeous visuals. It’s when you dive into combat that things start to click. There are extensive quests and challenges to complete and leaderboards to compete solo and with a group, so plenty will keep you busy. Despite some quibbles, its build variety and multiplayer make it one of the more solid turn-based rogue-likes available.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Among the many franchises that Konami has ignored through the years is Suikoden, and though it’s remastering the first two games, the potential next chapter is coming from a completely different studio. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a spiritual successor, produced and directed by Yoshitaka Murayama, the driving force behind the first three games (who recently passed away).

It features three core protagonists – Marisa, Seign and Nowa – in the fantasy world of Allraan, where rune-lenses have become a popular commodity. With the Galdean Empire using them to command and conquer, it’s up to the trio to assemble allies from across the land to fight back. Cue over 100 different allies with unique stories and abilities, from the magical girl Mellore and her crew to CJ, Isha and Garoo from Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising.

Combat is turn-based, but battles play out differently based on the environment. If there are cliffs or other elevated positions, they can prove advantageous for long-range party members. This also affects the presentation of battles, giving them a cinematic flair. Players can also unleash Hero Combos to team up and deal devastating damage. On top of this is War Mode, which offers real-time combat over a larger scale, and the Alliance Headquarters, with mini-games and different activities available.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes launches on April 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Phantom Fury

You’re forgiven for not remembering Bombshell, an isometric character action game with a whopping 43 Metascore. Phantom Fury is the follow-up, releasing on April 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch, but offers first-person shooter gameplay instead. It sees Shelly Harrison on a bombastic journey through the US, battling mutants, cyborgs and enemy soldiers to secure an artifact. While the standard handguns and shotguns are available, Phantom Fury has some unique options – like Bowling Balls and electric foam.

Weapons can be upgraded and modified, while Shelly can eventually unlock new abilities like a shield or punching enemy groups into a fine red mist. It may have some boomer shooter vibes, but with extensive interactivity (including playable arcade machines) and fast-paced combat, it may be a worthy FPS diversion.

Underspace

For many, Freelancer is the pinnacle of sandbox space combat titles, which very few have managed to compete with, much less surpass. While it’s too early to call Underspace a competitor, the prospect of a hand-crafted universe with cosmic horrors and Eldritch creatures to navigate (appropriately named Croft) is too enticing to ignore. Like Freelancer, you can pursue the main quest or be whatever you want, exploring the universe and solving puzzles, battling massive space serpents, interacting with more than 40 factions and venturing into the deepest reaches of space. And yes, you can engage in trade, shipping and piracy with co-op support.

There is a catch, though – Underspace launches on April 10th for PC in early access. The developer has clarified that extensive ship customization, several interiors and questlines, and even cockpit textures won’t be available. Multiplayer is also launching in a “very early state” without many key features. Early access will still offer plenty of campaign content, bosses, enemies, points of interest and more to explore, but further polish is still required. Even with all that in mind, we’re keen to try Underspace and embrace the void.

Sea of Thieves

Rare’s highly successful live service pirate title comes to PS5 as part of Microsoft’s new multi-platform approach. Since launching in March 2018 to a mixed reception, Sea of Thieves has undergone an exceptional transformation over the years, with new content, mechanics, cosmetics and even narrative-focused questlines with Tall Tales (which crossover with the likes of Monkey Island and Pirates of the Caribbean).

Don’t let its cartoony visuals fool you, as Sea of Thieves offers some realistic sailing to go with its combat and exploration. While it still doesn’t have a proper character creator, the new Safer Seas option allows players who don’t want to engage in PvP and explore the seas with their crew at their leisure, with some limitations. It’s out on April 30th for PS5, with Digital Deluxe owners receiving five days early access.

Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide

Final Fantasy 16 had a strong start when it launched last year and though its first DLC, Echoes of the Fallen, was pretty short, The Rising Tide looks to redeem it. Players explore a new region, Mysidia, with new locations, side quests and fresh enemies, including Tonberries. The focus of this DLC is on Leviathan, the forgotten Eikon, and along with a boss battle against it, Clive also gains new abilities, including one that has an Active Reload mechanic. An increased level cap is inbound, which should be helpful in the new end-game activity, Kairos’ Gate.

It’s a wave-based survival mode with increasingly tougher enemies and bosses, with new items and weapons as rewards. Beat all of the stages and a new secret boss becomes available. As a send-off to Final Fantasy 16, The Rising Tide is worth looking forward to when it launches on April 18th for PS5. Even for those who aren’t picking it up, a free update will go live, allowing you to create sets of Eikonic Skills, among other quality-of-life improvements.

Stellar Blade

Shift Up calls modern action games an inspiration for Stellar Blade which is pretty clear based on gameplay and the recent demo. Though sci-fi, the Earth is in ruins, and players explore linear levels and semi-open world segments alike, taking on requests while accompanied by a helpful drone.

For all its similarities, however, Stellar Blade offers high-fidelity visuals and detail with a crisp frame rate, and unique combat mechanics that mix Sekiro-like parrying with special attacks, perfect dodges and combos. The main campaign promises to last about 25 hours, with plenty of collectibles and unlockables to discover. Time will tell if Stellar Blade can rise further beyond its inspiration when it launches on April 26th for PS5, but so far, it’s looking good.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

From smaller titles from relatively lesser-known developers to triple-A level games like Immortals of Aveum and Wild Hearts, the EA Originals label has seemingly come full circle with Tales of Kenzera: ZAU. The story involves a boy reading a tale by his late father about Zau, who explores the land of Kenzera.

As a 2.5D Metroid-style game, there are some stunning visuals with beautifully realized environments to go with fast-paced combat. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU promises to be a perfect encapsulation of what grief is when it launches on April 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Dead Island 2: SoLA Expansion

2023’s excellent Dead Island 2 received an expansion back in November of last year. Now it’s all set to released another one in the form of SoLA. Releasing on April 17, this expansion will takes players to a music festival in the heart of LA. Apparently, this festival is turning everyone into zombies. The SoLA expansion promises an interesting setup, so we are intrigued to see how it pans when we go hands on with it later this month.

TopSpin 2K25

It’s been over 13 years since the last entry in the acclaimed Top Spin franchise, but the wait is nearly over as TopSpin 2K25 nears release. Legends like Roger Federer and Serena Williams headline the 24-player roster with true-to-life venues like La Caja Mágica, Pala Alpitour and Foro Italico, and online multiplayer with cross-platform support. Solo players can venture into MyCareer and fight to become Grand Slam Champion, with MyPlayer offering an extensive range of options to customize your appearance, gear and more. TopSpin 2K25 launches on April 26th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Gigantic: Rampage Edition

Launched in 2017, Motiga’s Gigantic is making an unexpected comeback with Gigantic: Rampage Edition. Developed by abstraction and published by Gearbox for $19.99, it features the same MOBA-style gameplay loop, with teams of five players working together to take out the opposing Guardian. However, all microtransactions are now removed, with cosmetics acquired through gameplay.

It also adds two new heroes and maps, a new game mode called Rush and cross-platform play. Ranked Mode and additional hero skins are coming in post-launch updates. Gigantic: Rampage Edition launches on April 9th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, and regardless of its long-term success, it’s good to see it return.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants

Playing like the Konami classics of old, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants features Turtle Power that builds upon defeating enemies and can unleash powerful screen-clearing attacks. Local co-op is supported for four players, on top of the original stages and boss fights, though Wrath of the Mutants adds three more stages and six new bosses. Launching on April 23rd, it could offer some fun for those who want more TMNT brawling action.

Freedom Planet 2

Following extensive acclaim with its PC version, Freedom Planet 2 is out now on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on April 4th. The action platformer offers a new threat with Merga, the water dragon, and four characters – Lilac, Carol and Milla from the first game, and the now-playable Neera. Adventure Mode offers a mix of story cutscenes and a world map to explore, while Classic Mode focuses on the stages alone.

Boss fights are even more over-the-top than the first game – with the new Battlesphere Arena offering an extensive range of optional challenges. Thankfully, new Potions, Amulets and Charms can provide some buffs for one’s character, while a revival system offers a risky second chance. If you enjoy 2D Sonic the Hedgehog titles or want a fun action platformer, Freedom Planet 2 is well worth the time.

Inkbound

Roguelike turn-based combat in a universe where books act as worlds to be explored by the creators of Monster Train? That’s Inkbound in a nutshell, but there’s more. The combat allows free movement from players, but during online play, you can coordinate and act simultaneously with up to three other players. There are also several character classes, abilities and upgrades, hundreds of items and more to make each run feel fresh. Inkbound is currently in early access, but version 1.0 is out on April 10th for PC, adding new cutscenes, cosmetics and other content.

Sand Land

As set in a desert world, players control Beelzebub in SAND LAND, who ventures with Thief and Sheriff Rao to discover the Legendary Spring.

Though it’s an action RPG, the focus is on vehicle design, as players cobble together tanks, bikes and jump-bots from various parts depending on the need. The sense of adventure and aesthetic, alongside the combat, set it apart from the crowd, and we’re curious to witness the Sand Land’s world when the game launches on April 26th for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Braid Anniversary Edition

The classic side-scrolling indie platformer from Thekla Inc. returns with updated visuals and gorgeous new backgrounds (with the old art style available to switch to at any time). However, there’s more to Braid Anniversary Edition than revamped sound effects, revised tracks, or the +15-hour developer commentary and interviews which discuss the design. It also features 35 new levels with new puzzles, though other additions remain to be revealed.

Hilariously, only four or five new levels were to be added before things got out of hand. Either way, Braid Anniversary Edition should satisfy long-time fans and draw in new ones when it launches on April 30th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC.