Mass Effect Andromeda

Mass Effect Andromeda tried to do a lot. It tried to tell a new story with a brand new cast, with the team behind Mass Effect 3’s stellar multiplayer in charge. It also opted for much larger play spaces and more build diversity. However, from the very outset, there were issues, whether it was the plan to have randomly generated planets, Frostbite being a mess, high-level departures, etc. Despite being decent in several ways, Andromeda flopped hard enough that publisher EA reportedly cancelled DLC and put the franchise on ice for a few years.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

While some story elements didn’t quite go over well, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain does a great job presenting a large stealth sandbox with emergent gameplay. Missions can be tackled at different times, presenting varying challenges but the Revenge system ensured that enemies reacted to your tactics and took appropriate counter-measures. You could sneak through bases using cardboard boxes and tranqs, but on the other hand, rocket punches. Coordinate with companions to efficiently wipe out camps, or just FULTON anything and everything back to Mother Base.

Last year saw the release of Pathologic 2. It was a survival game with some strong horror undertones that was a fascinating title about a doctor trapped in a village filled with disease and terrible doings. Somewhere between both a remake and sequel to the original Pathologic, it also got noted attention for its extreme and obtuse difficulty, which made it hard for it to find an audience. While it’s hard to say if the game will ever get its proper due, it will at least be available to more people soon.

The game originally first launched last year on PC, then eventually on Xbox One. Now Sony players are getting their chance to try and conquer the brutal mountain of Pathologic 2, and soon at that. In fact, those on PS4 will be able to get the game by the end of the week. So, you won’t have to wait long if you are curious to try it out.

Pathologic 2 is available now on Xbox One and PC, and is on Game Pass on both. It will launch on PlayStation 4 on March 6th.

#Pathologic 2, the ground breaking open world horror RPG, is finally coming to PlayStation 4 next week, on March 6th! pic.twitter.com/FqhbBSOWKa

— tinyBuild (@tinyBuild) February 29, 2020

Pathologic 2 came out earlier in the year, and it was something that was somewhat hard to pin down. Somewhere between a full sequel to the original and a remake of it, the game included a very grueling difficulty curve that many people couldn’t take to. It seems it failed to really find its proper audience, but hopefully it’ll get a second chance with a console release and Game Pass.

It was announced that next month the game will finally come to the Xbox One. That version of the game was announced but hadn’t been talked about since the PC release. Not only will the game finally hit the Xbox, it’s also coming to both the Xbox One and PC Game Pass on that same date, meaning you can try the game out for a pretty low bar of entry now.

Pathologic 2 is available now for PC and will launch on Xbox One and Game Pass on December 12th.

Amnesia Collection

Frictional Games was no stranger to the horror gaming scene thanks to the Penumbra series. However, Amnesia: The Dark Descent completely blew away expectations. Its tale of confusion and mystery, highlighted by the protagonist’s amnesia, clashed with the oppressive shadow that constantly sought out players. Amnesia: The Dark Descent delivered a compelling psychological horror experience that was simple but still wholly terrifying. The Amnesia Collection features the first game, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (developed by The Chinese Room) and Amnesia: Justine. While the latter two range from above average to good, the entire collection is a steal for the amount of scares it provides.

Microsoft recently hosted a new ID@Xbox Game Pass Showcase, unveiling some of the indie titles that would coming to the Game Pass service. With Xbox Game Pass for PC now available, what can PC players expect in terms of game selection? To start with, Undertale, Yoku’s Island Express and My Time At Portia have been confirmed.

Undertale will actually be exclusive to Xbox Games Pass on PC. Other exclusives include Timespinner, Unavowed, Machinarium and For The King, each an incredibly solid release in their own right. Of course, there’s plenty more coming in the future.

Bloober Team’s Blair Witch is bound for Xbox Game Pass while tinyBuild will bring Pathologic 2 and Secret Neighbor to the service as well. Thunder Lotus’s Spiritfarer is also due for the service along with titles like Raw Fury’s Night Call. If that weren’t enough, you can expect Worms W.M.D., GoNNER and The Banner Saga 3 on there as well. Check out the showcase below for more information.

Ice-Pick Lodge’s Pathologic 2 – or at least the first part – is out now on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The story sees players traveling to a rural town that’s besieged by a plague. It’s up to you as a healer to try and save as many people as possible. Check out the newest trailer below to get a glimpse of some of the creepiness inherent.

Pathologic 2 isn’t quite a sequel to the original. Instead, it’s more of a remake that pushes the player to interact with NPCs, choose who to trust, and survive by any means necessary. The kicker is that not everyone can be trusted, and sometimes, key characters can die.

You have 12 days to manage the ordeal, and during that time, it’s possible to idle by and watch the town fall into ruin. There’s a larger narrative at play, especially concerning the local children, but you’ll need to explore the game world and uncover secrets to find out. Stay tuned for more information on the other parts of Pathologic 2 as they release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2fAbqT5GWg

Ever since Ice-Pick Lodge’s Pathologic 2 was showcased at Gearbox’s PAX 2019 panel (which also saw the announcement of Borderlands 3), its creepiness left quite the impression. As a remake of sorts of the first game, Pathologic 2 sees you entering a town infected by a deadly plague. People are dying, and you’re stuck in the middle of this mess.

In a new gameplay overview trailer, the developer outlines how that will work. You can interact with a variety of different NPCs, even if all of them aren’t friendly. Not that you need to be either – sometimes, you can enter an NPC’s houses and loot their belongings, or even harvest their organs when they die.

Within 12 days, you can try to save as many people as possible, or let events play out and witness the town’s demise. There is a deeper story under the surface, particularly involving the local kids, but you won’t learn anything without digging around. Pathologic 2 is out on May 23rd for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

The first part of Pathologic 2 is out later this month, and today we got a trailer to highlight what to expect from the game’s tone and world- and it’s quite strange. We don’t get a lot of insight into the actual plot, but the narration, coupled with the imagery, paints a strange picture of what to expect later in May.

The game is an odd one, sitting somewhere between a sequel and remake, according to the game’s producer. It’s a follow up to 2005’s Pathologic, but takes a more narrative-driven approach than that game, as you play a doctor who has returned to his home town as it’s been ravaged by a mysterious plague. As you can see from the trailer below, titled “Theater of Gorkhon,” hospital orderlies, who seem to run the town, wear eerie theater costumes on the order of a “big city bachelor,” as the town’s facilities have seemingly been shut down.

The game will be released in three parts, with the first part of Pathologic 2 coming May 23^rd for PC, with an Xbox One version slated for later in the year.

RAGE 2

Easily the biggest release of May – and one of the more anticipated titles of the year – RAGE 2 is a direct sequel to id Software’s original open world shooter. This one is co-developed with Avalanche Studios and sees players taking on the role of Walker, the last ranger, as he runs afoul of the Authority and other enemy factions. Employing a more DOOM-like approach to its shooting, RAGE 2 features a variety of powers to rip foes apart, an Overdrive meter for added damage and healing, and interesting weapons like the Grav-Dart Launcher to send enemies flying. That’s of course not including the vehicular gameplay. RAGE 2 is out on May 14^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. And yes, despite being published by Bethesda, it’s coming to Steam.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

A smaller yet intriguing title that’s garnered attention over the past few months is A Plague Tale: Innocence, developed by Asobo Studio. It’s set during the Hundred Years War with the Black Death taking over Europe and follows the siblings Amicia and Hugo. The two are on the run and attempting to survive, dealing with guards from the Inquisition while avoiding the ravenous rats. There aren’t just a handful of rats either – the game is teeming with the little critters, though you can fend them off with fire and have them devour your foes instead. A Plague Tale: Innocence looks good – let’s just hope it plays as well when it launches on May 14^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PC)

A remake of one of the greatest PS2 games ever made and arguably the best game in the series, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is coming to PC on May 9th. Along with all the improvements, additional content, a standalone adventure for Goro Majima and stunning visuals, the PC port will have its fair share of options. These include customizable controls, support for 4K resolution, unlocked framerates and much more. If you care even the least bit about a solid action adventure with excellent side quests and story-telling, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is highly recommended.

Life Is Strange 2 – Episode 3: Wastelands

The emotional tale of Sean and Daniel Diaz continues as they head further south to their father’s hometown in Life Strange 2. In Episode 2, the brothers had a brief stopover in Oregon where they meet Chris Eriksen aka the protagonist of The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit. As for what’s next, you can expect the same difficult choices with varying consequences as the brothers struggle to survive. Life is Strange 2 – Episode 3: Wastelands is out on May 9^th for PC, Xbox One and PS4.

Team Sonic Racing

Sumo Digital’s latest entry in the kart racing franchise seems to tick all the right boxes. It has 21 tracks based on classic zones, Grand Prix mode for earning points and Team Adventure mode to embark on an epic campaign. There’s a decent amount of customization, 12 player online support and co-op support in Team Adventure. However, it seems like a step down from Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed with no guest characters or transformations, instead focusing on coordination as teams rack up points together. We’ll see how it pans out when the game launches on May 21^st for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Total War: Three Kingdoms

Total War: Three Kingdoms is the next big title in Creative Assembly’s series, exploring a brand new era and introducing a bevy of new mechanics. The turn-based management and real-time battles are still very much intact as players choose from one of 12 factions in their quest for dominance. Some of the new mechanics include generals dueling each other and “guanxi” which requires you to meet their demands to maintain happiness lest they defect. If that weren’t enough, the game offers two modes – Romance, which makes the generals a lot stronger in keeping with the Romance of the Three Kingdoms fantasy; and Records which is a more historically accurate experience and prevents generals from being controlled separately. Total War: Three Kingdoms arrives on May 23^rd for PC.

Blood & Truth

As a follow-up to The London Heist, one of the few major VR experiences for PlayStation VR, Blood and Truth is pretty much more of the same. It features a dedicated campaign where players control a former SAS soldier on a rampage and lets you tactfully select cover during firefights. Gameplay-wise, it might seem a bit dated but Blood and Truth should be worth checking out when it releases on May 28^th for PlayStation VR.

Observation

From the team that brought us Stories Untold, Observation has a rather unique premise. It sees Dr. Emma Fisher investigating the fate of her crew in a space station with the help of an AI called S.A.M. The twist is that players control S.A.M, guiding Fisher through various cameras and controls in the stations while also investigating its own quirks. Observation is out on May 21^st for PS4 and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Close to the Sun

Perhaps it’s the historical period that feels more old-timey as players explore the Helios, a mysterious ship created by Nikola Tesla. Perhaps it’s the environments that are a shadow of their former brilliance, completely ruined by human excess. Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to survive and solve the mystery of the Helios. Close to the Sun releases on May 2^nd for PC via the Epic Games Store – it will arrive later this year for Xbox One and PS4.

Pathologic 2

A re-imagining of the first game, Pathologic 2 is actually split into three parts with the first releasing on May 23^rd for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Players head to the Town-on-Gorkhon as Artemy Burakh and must deal with accusations of murder while unraveling other strange incidents. The previous game dealt with a plague unfolding over 12 days as players struggled to survive and either influence events or let the town fall into ruin. With two additional protagonists and their stories to experience, it should be interesting to see where Pathologic 2 takes us.