Review: Lords of the Fallen

Developer – HEXWORKS, Defiant Studios, Deck13 Publisher – CI Games Platforms – PC, PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series Lords of the Fallen is a souls-like game that takes the aesthetics of Warhammer 40K and Lord of the Rings and fuses it with the gameplay of Demons Souls. You can create your own custom character with a robust character generation creator and there are several classes that you can choose from such as the Dark Crusader, Cultist, or Stalker just to name a few. Each class is equipped with a variety of weapons, spells, and armor styles that offer unique gameplay for beginners and advanced players alike. The combat in Lords of the Fallen is smooth and responsive. The movement felt so fast-paced almost to the point where it felt too “floaty” which may be a turn off to some. Not only that, Lord of the Fallen offers plenty of platforming which can be an issue at times since the movement is a bit too quick. If you are not careful, there were times where I died more to falling, than to the enemies. I guess in that sense, it lives up to its name, because I definitely fell enough. The world is varied, with a few different areas that make up the world such as a swamp, mines, and castles. At any time you can also enter an alternate dimension called the Umbral. This is a hidden world that you can view with a special lamp, while using this lamp you are able to see secrets and hidden monsters that are invisible to the naked eye. In this alternate dimension, the longer you spend in the realm, the harder it gets. Eventually, after a certain amount of time has passed, you will be chased by a very dangerous Death-like enemy, that will kill you with ease.  One aspect that I love about Lord of the Fallen is the variety of weapons. There are halberds, short swords, long swords, great swords, spears, daggers, crossbows, and a variety of spells that allow you to complete your arsenal. There is also a wide variety of different armor styles that all look amazing from dirty prisoners to powerful wizards, and even a knight in shining armor. You can truly make the character how you want. The starting class that I chose was the Dark Crusader. The class features a mix of holy powers and melee combat. I decided to level up my spellcasting abilities so that I could augment my melee abilities with holy damage and also be able to drop a healing aura. If you were a fan of the Lord of the Rings, you would be right at home with Lords of the Fallen.  Boss, fights, and design are fairly decently done. There’s everything from Seraphim to knights with fire-imbued swords and a giant demon that spits fire and floods the arena with lava. Each boss has a unique weakness that requires creativity and observation to take advantage of. I had a great time with most of the boss fights that I encountered so far after about 20 hours. As you play through the game and defeat enemies, you collect currency that you can use to level up your character in several different stats, such as strength, agility, endurance, and radiance. These are the stereotypical stats that you would find in any other soul-like game, and if you have knowledge of the systems, it will be easy to pick up in this game. You can also upgrade weapons with crafting materials which will increase the damage of your weapon. At higher levels, this will also add rune slots to your weapons. These runes will allow you to increase the capabilities of your weapon, such as scaling better damage with your preferred stat or increasing your base stats. This is a layer that is often missing in soul-like games that I quite enjoy. If you have played Lies of P, you will be familiar with this system as it is similar to how you could modify your weapon handles to change the weapon’s stats scaling.  I can’t remember the last Souls-like game that I loved the aesthetics of the world. As you progress to the game, you will encounter a wide variety of different locals, such as swamps mines, and castles. This really scratched the itch that I have for this type of world. In terms of difficulty, Lords of the Fallen can be quite difficult at times. Not only the bosses, but even common enemies can do quite a lot of damage in a short amount of time. To make the game easier there are plenty of rest points that you can make use of throughout your travels. One difference between this game and other souls-likes, is that you can use an item in certain locations throughout the world to create your own rest points. This comes in handy when reaching difficult-to-pass areas, so you aren’t resorting to treading through massive amounts of the game every time you die. They are very charitable with the amount of flowerbeds that you can plant the seeds which I really appreciated. I think more Souls-likes should implement the system, as it provides players who aren’t as good with these sorts of games an easier time without forcing it on players who like to challenge themselves.  Lords of the Fallen is an example of a lower-budget game that takes risks and tries unique concepts that work in its favor. While it stays true to its roots, it doesn’t shy away from these new concepts which is just commendable. I really enjoyed how deep the detail of the world is. The references the game draws from are used to create a unique world that is fun to explore. However, the pathfinding or ability to navigate this world can be very confusing and maze-like. There were a few times when I spent the better part of an hour just retreading previous areas to find where to go

The new voice of Wario has fans concerned

Since Charles Martinet stepped down from doing the voices of Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi, Nintendo got new voice actors to take the role. It was revealed that Kevin Afghani is the new voice of Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder and out of nowhere it was announced that Giselle Fernandez is the new voice of Daisy after Deanna Mustard was known to do that character. It has become clear that Kevin Afghani will not be fully replacing Charles Martinet as Wario has a new voice behind him and it’s very noticeable. In recent commercials promoting WarioWare: Move It, the voice of Wario is featured talking about what the game is about for a few seconds and it’s clear many hardcore fans are not happy with it. Oh dear Yeah I’ll be honest this doesn’t sound good at all pic.twitter.com/kIl4InXuYl — MrPiggmin14 (@mrpiggmin) October 23, 2023 A YouTube clip from Angelo YouTuber compares both the new and old voices of Wario: The voice actor behind Wario has yet to come out of the woodworks, but this has us wondering what Waluigi will sound like next.

Xbox Partner Preview gives first in-engine look at Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater

Microsoft hosted their Xbox Partner Preview Showcase that featured many upcoming third-party games including Alan Wake 2 and Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater. During the Partner Preview event, we got to see the first in-engine look at the Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater remake. Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater is powered by Unreal Engine 5 and the video showed off a variety of highly detailed animals and environments. Additional information about the game was not provided besides the stunning new video to watch on repeat until the remake officially comes to Xbox Series XlS, PC, and PlayStation 5.

A Rocket League Racing mode is reportedly coming to Fortnite

Earlier this month Psyonix announced that Rocket League will no longer have player-to-player trading come December 5, 2023. When they shared that they also stated “This opens up future plans for some Rocket League vehicles to come to other Epic games over time”. Known Fortnite leaker, HYPEX on Twitter shared that a Rocket League Racing mode will be coming to Fortnite in Chapter 5. They say you’ll be able to port your vehicles from Rocket League into Fortnite and customize them in a garage. UPCOMING "Rocket League Racing" FORTNITE MODE ‼️ Fortnite is dropping a "Rocket League Racing" mode in Chapter 5, and you'll be able to port your Rocket League vehicles into Fortnite and customize them in an upcoming Garage. [VIA @NotJulesDev] pic.twitter.com/nFlgGNyeQE — HYPEX (@HYPEX) October 25, 2023 If this is just the start of what’s to come with Rocket League crossovers, what will be next?  

Microsoft CEO Says It’s “Doubling Down” On Games Now Past The Activision Deal

When exploring what Microsoft can do now after the Activision Blizzard King deal has processed, the possibilities find no end thanks to the vault of IPs its purchased and already owned now. One of the biggest developments thus far is the departure for publisher CEO Bobby Kotick who agreed with Phil Spencer to step down from his position at the start of 2024 next year. Even industry insiders are questioning what is possible. The most certainty is what PlayStation does. In a piece from gamesindustry.biz, Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto told that Sony Interactive Entertainment will surely face pressure to respond to the deal – even after the previous acquisition for Bungie last year. Now entering the honeymoon phase for the Activision Blizzard King deal, Microsoft is prepared to engage in its focus on games. One report told that it is exploring a revival for Guitar Hero already. Additionally, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told Business Insider that the firm is aiming to double-down its investment on games moving forward. For us, there are a few things that go all the way back for us as a company. Gaming is one, right? When I think about Microsoft, I think of perhaps developer tools, proprietary software, and gaming. Those are three things that we’ve done from the very beginning. And so, to us, gaming is the one place where we think we have a real contribution to make in consumer markets. If I look at it, the amount of time people allocate to gaming is going up and Gen Z is going to do more of that. The way games are made, the way the games are delivered, is changing radically. Whether it’s mobile, or consoles, or PCs, or even the cloud. So, we’re looking forward to really doubling down both as a game producer and a publisher. Now we’ll be one of the largest game publishers and also as a company that’s building platforms for it. Noted, this is not the first time Nadella has spoke on further pursuing this effort for Xbox. Already adamant on the future of the platform following the launch of Xbox Series X|S, he expressed the firm is “all-in” on the endeavor. He elaborated that the combined forces of cloud, Game Pass, and creator-first emphasis could truly lead to “democratizing gaming.” Similarly, Spencer also backs the developer-first effort recently as well. Furthermore, Nadella shares other sentiments with Spencer when it comes to unique releases. In the past, the CEO told he’d prefer doing away with exclusive titles. Following in a separate interview with Game Watch, Spencer expressed that there is no room for such titles on Xbox Game Pass. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you behind Nadella on his recent statement? Source: Business Insider

Blizzard In New ‘Blood Harvest’ Blood Drive For Diablo IV Offers In-Game Items & Blood-infused Sweepstakes For Donating

Back in June, Blizzard Entertainment rolled out Diablo IV. The newest entry in the series swiftly picked up traction for the developer as it was recorded the fastest-selling release ever for the game studio. And despite the success of the game and the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, the pair are not planned to hit Xbox Game Pass as part of current post-deal plans between Microsoft & Activision Blizzard King. In our review for Diablo IV, we wrote: “I am so pleased with how Diablo IV has turned out. It embraces its roots, taking some gameplay advances of Diablo 3 and features of Immortal to give us a proper next-generation entry to the series. I can’t wait to see the seasonal content and add to the game over time, as this will usher a new generation of action RPGs into the modern era.” This week, Blizzard Entertainment as part of the ongoing Blood Harvest for Diablo IV has now extended this event into real life with a blood drive tied to the game. In that, donating will reward players with in-game items and even enters you into a sweepstakes for a custom PC. More eye-opening is that this build is infused with real human blood, Blizzard writes in the FAQ. “Yep, REAL human blood. This PC is powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, an Intel Core i9-13900K, 64 GB of DDR5 RAM, 3 TB Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD storage, and comes in a signature Diablo red/black color palette with custom Season of Blood graphics,” the description reads. The items includes are Dagger – Bloodpetal Anlace, Axe – Bloodpetal Sever, Necro Offhand – Bloodpetal Heart, Sword – Bloodpetal Blade, and Druid Staff – Bloodpetal Bludgeon for Tier 1 weapons. Tier 2 offers ‘The Loch Raeth Maor Barbarian armor set’ and Tier 3 gives ‘Vermilion Eye Piebald mount’. Upon 666 quarts of blood donated, the sweepstakes for the blood-infused PC will be unlocked. As of writing, the tracker progress only teeters over Tier 1 – at 42 percent.Noted, while progression is tied to unlocking tiers, items are not exclusive to those choosing to visit a blood drive.  “All players that own Diablo IV will receive the in-game rewards once the tiered milestones are reached, though we highly encourage you to donate if you are able to in order to ensure you, along with the broader Diablo IV community, yield the rewards.” It adds, “Donors are free to donate to wherever is convenient for them at a clinic of their choice in the United States. […] Participants can submit any proof of donation such as a confirmation email given to them by their chosen donation site.” Are you interested in donating blood for the Diablo IV Blood Harvest? Diablo IV is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Blizzard Entertainment

Phil Spencer Presses Xbox Game Pass Exclusives Are Not Part Of Its Service Approach

Grasping on the avenues Microsoft is taking for Xbox Game Pass, it is understood that the service and its acquisitions is to bring more users to its subscription. Subsequently, doing so is offering unique experiences only through Xbox Game Pass as we’ve seen with the new Starfield already. Even more, it is considered to be a long-term goal even back indie teams like Studio  Zevere as reported previously. Another element backing this claim is its emphasis on cloud gaming. With Xbox Cloud Gaming a new front to welcome fresh players, exclusive content is understood to offer what the competition is missing, right. It already formed a publishing group solely for the xCloud initiative before. Even more, its first major project involved Hideo Kojima’s team that is on the way. Well, an interview with Phil Spencer says otherwise in terms of exclusive content from Xbox Game Pass. Speaking to Game Watch previously, the Microsoft Gaming CEO told that is not the plan at all. In fact, the act to do so would only withhold these games ultimately. Spencer shares that Game Pass is merely an option for the industry, not a requirement.  “No. It’s not. What we want to offer is choice. Xbox isn’t just about Xbox Game Pass. The real success of Xbox is that more users will play Xbox, not just on Xbox consoles, but on PCs, in the cloud, or on other consoles. We want to expand the Xbox community to play. I’m not going to do anything to hinder that,” Spencer’s statement reads through an auto-translator. In the same interview, Spencer did elaborate on other plans on behalf of Microsoft. In that, he told the Japanese publication that more AAA titles is to come out of Japan to Xbox in the coming future. You can read the full report by heading here. What surprises you most about Spencer’s comment on exclusive games for Xbox Game Pass? Source: Game Watch

Five Nights At Freddy’s Film Confirms PG-13 Rating Solely, No R-Rated Cut

The wait is nearing its conclusion as Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions’ Five Nights at Freddy’s hits theaters this Friday. Roughly half a decade and the live-action adaptation is one players have been painfully patient to see release. It was early in 2023 that the production officially kicked off filming with new director Emma Tammi. Additionally, many were excited to learn the casting would also be supported with Josh Hutchinson (The Beekeeper, Hunger Games) and Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby-Doo) as they play large roles in the video game adaptation film. What left many to question was how much is the film to reveal for the kills of the picture. Understanding that animatronics are responsible for the murders could lead to some gruesome scenes. Well, that isn’t the case for this movie. According to Forbes, an interview with Emma Tammi reveals there is no R-Rated cut to go full-psycho revealing the kills in the film. The Five Nights at Freddy’s film has and always been intended for its PF-13 rating. We knew that some of the fan base would want an R-rated version of this film. On the one level, we wanted to be inclusive of the younger audiences and knew we were going to hit the PG 13 rating, but for the audience that also wanted that level of violence, if you will, or at least insinuation of violence, we really wanted to still include elements that felt dark. Of course, there are a lot of dark elements to see in the lore, but in terms of some of the kills and everything, it was just all execution dependent. We really wanted to ensure that we were showing the right amount and doing creative things to insinuate what was happening or show what was happening without fully seeing it to still fit in that PG-13 category. “I would say not to expect an R-rated version on this one. We’re really happy with how the PG-13 tone landed; it felt like the right fit for this particular film. We’re sticking by it.” Even more, Tammi speaking to Inverse also elaborated on the effort to push the PG-13 rating to fit some of the scenes and experiment with the restrictions. “We were trying to push it as far as we could while still retaining that PG-13 rating. That meant the kills needed to be executed in a certain way. “And while it is so fun in many slasher films to see all the guts and the gore, it is also really fun to figure out creative ways to show these moments without showing all the details. In some cases, we leaned into shadows and silhouettes and sound design to really feel the moment in an impactful way without showing any gore. So that is something that I had a lot of fun doing, and actually really appreciated that we were taking the PG-13 approach for this because there’s such a younger audience for FNAF, and we didn’t want to exclude them.” What surprises you most about Five Nights at Freddy’s embracing its PG-13 rating? Five Nights at Freddy’s arrives to theaters on October 27, 2023. Source: Forbes, Inverse

Nintendo President Shares Relationship With Microsoft Remains Strong After Docs Reveal Acquisition Plans Previously

As many are aware earlier in October, Microsoft is officially the new owner for Activision Blizzard King. Roughly two years since the announcement of the purchase, the Xbox firm is now responsible for the publisher conglomerate. Additionally, it was clarified in a press release that CEO Bobby Kotick is to remain at his position until the end of 2023, he shared in an agreement with Phil Spencer. Of course, Activision was not the only considered party for acquisition by Microsoft. A document shared online revealed that roughly 100 developers & publishers were candidates for potential purchase for Xbox. One of the biggest companies revealed to be considered is Nintendo. This was part of a newer document shared nearing the deal closing back in September. However, despite the press that was gained by ambition on behalf of Microsoft, Nintendo of America Doug Bowser shares there is no bad blood. In fact, when speaking to Inverse, he said the two remain cordial and in a good relationship. We have a great relationship with Microsoft. We consider them to be partners in many, many ways, and you only have to look at Nintendo Switch to see that partnership. Obviously, Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and we brought Banjo Kazooie to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So, we’re looking forward to that partnership continuing. Speaking on Minecraft, the same is now expected to he handled for Call of Duty when regarding Nintendo. For roughly a decade, the series has been absent from Nintendo consoles. But in an effort to lessen the pushback of the Activision acquisition, Spencer previously shared that the handling for the first-person war shooter will be catered to Nintendo Switch similar to how Minecraft was already offered. Similarly, Sega offered a similar response as Nintendo. While reports of acquisition was reported in the past, the Japanese publisher told that it fosters a strong bond with the Xbox firm and is looking forward to future partnerships with Microsoft. You can read the full report by heading here. What are your thoughts on Bowser’s response? Source: Inverse

Marvel’s Spider-Man Voice Actor Speaks On Wolverine Crossover, Shares Hopes For Deadpool

Thus far, Marvel’s Spider-Man has only scratched the surface of what is possible with the Marvel Comics universe. More notably, the characters that could cross paths in future experiences. In the past, many were hoping that Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers would bridge with Marvel’s Spider-Man – especially with the webhead being unique to the PlayStation version of the game. But, Marvel did confirm there is no link to properly collaborate. Instead, the first major connection with Marvel’s Spider-Man was in 2020 with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. This, of course, expanded into the recent sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Additionally, there is room to speculate that this is to continue forward with Insomniac Games-made projects with Marvel’s Wolverine on the way now. When speaking to The Movie Dweeb in a YouTube interview, Spider-Man voice actor Yuri Lowenthal elaborated on Spider-Man & Wolverine meeting in the future. You can watch the segment of the interview in the video below: “I will say this, while that is news to me and while, you know, the Spider-Man Wolverine crossover would be terribly exciting, I would- there’s one character that I would opt for even more strongly than Wolverine and it would be Deadpool,” Lowenthal says. The Spider-Man Deadpool relationship in comics is one of the most delightful out there.” He elaborates that aside from his love of Moon Knight as a close second, Deadpool is one he personally brought up to Insomniac. “If I’ve just spoiled it for Spider-Man 3 then, you know, I would just like to believe that they got the idea from me anyway.” Of course, there is room to potentially expand on this as post-launch does bring in more characters as it did in the first game. Recently, it was shared in an interview that Insomniac Games is to keep its ear to the ground for chatter in demand for a Venom spin-off. Senior narrative director Jon Paquette told Insider that fans response is what dictates the decision. This could even branch to more characters like Carnage and Riot. You can read the full report by heading here. What is your dream crossover for the Marvel’s Spider-Man universe?