The Stone of Madness Announced – a Real-Time Tactical Stealth Game
Merge Games has revealed The Stone of Madness, a "hardcore, real-time tactics and stealth game" coming to PC, Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X in spring 2021.
Revealed on IGN's Gamescom Studio show, the game features an art style based on the paintings of Francisco de Goya, and sees you guide characters out of an 18th-century monastery 'madhouse'.
Check out a reveal trailer below:
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Played from an isometric viewpoint, the game begins by having you choose an escape plan (each with different requirements and difficulty levels) and sets you in a procedurally generated monastery with a full day-night cycle.
You'll guide a selection of characters, each who begins with traumas and phobias which can either become better or worse due to your actions - although a press release makes very clear that this is primarily "negative character progression", designed to make for a hardcore experience. You can see more on the Stone of Madness steam page.
There's much, much more to come from gamescom 2020 on IGN - check out our full gamescom schedule to find out what else is on the way and our roundup of gamescom 2020 highlights.
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Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Genshin Impact Coming to PS4, PC, and Mobile in September
Genshin Impact will arrive globally on PlayStation 4, as well as PC, iOS and Android, on September 28.
Revealed at Gamescom today, the free-to-play open-world action-RPG (which bears a striking resemblance to Zelda: Breath of the Wild) finally revealed its console launch date. While we'd previously known the same date for other platforms, PS4 has only just been confirmed.
Check out a story trailer below:
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The PS4 version, which is now available for preorder on PSN, will also include exclusive items like the Sword of Descension and Wings of Descension.
Genshin Impact is set in the world of Teyvat, a land in which seven Archons of various elements live among people. Players star as the "Traveler," who sets out to find their missing sibling as well as deeper mysteries.
Studio miHoYo also spoke to the development of the cross-platform game in the latest look at Genshin Impact, which is the studio's first PS4 game:
"We will keep taking feedbacks from our players, further enhance performance and stability on PlayStation 4, and bring better experiences in both single and co-op mode.” said Zhenzhong Yi, technical director for Genshin Impact. “More new functions are in development, and we will have an extensive improvement on rendering and visual effects in future updates."
Right now, pre-register to play the game on the miHoYo website and follow the Genshin Impact social channels for more information.
There's much, much more to come from gamescom 2020 on IGN - check out our full gamescom schedule to find out what else is on the way and our roundup of gamescom 2020 highlights.
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Geoff Keighley Wants E3 to Evolve
Geoff Keighley wants E3 to evolve and adapt to changing industry trends, and that's part of the reason he "broke up" with the show earlier this year.
Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Keighley to discuss a wide range of topics in the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, including his friendship with Hideo Kojima, Keighley's storied history with awards shows, the Xbox Series X and PS5, what the 2020 Game Awards will be like, and much, much more.
When asked if he wanted E3 to come back following the cancellation of the 2020 event, Keighley said, "I love E3. I've been to every E3 and it really broke my heart when I decided not to do it this year, before it got canceled. My whole thing with E3 is that it really needs to evolve as a concept.
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"You'll find no bigger fan of what E3 represents than me, and part of the reason I kind of broke up with what E3 was going to do this year is I did not believe that it was going to represent the industry in the right way, and in the... progressive way that it needed to be. That was hard for me, but I kind of had to take a stand for that.
"E3 really matters to me. I'm hopeful that E3 finds a way to evolve and... I haven't really talked a lot about this, but I put a lot of ideas in front of the ESA, [the Entertainment Software Association, which owns and operates E3] on how I wanted to see E3 evolve, and a lot of [my ideas were] very digital-focused and global-focused. It just didn't seem like they were ready to take that leap, and I understand, because it's a legacy business of a trade show that has to evolve into something new."
Keighley said some have asked whether he left E3 to do Summer Game Fest, but he said it came about as "a response to not having an E3." Keighley continued, "I left E3 thinking that E3 was going to go on, and I just wasn't going to be part of it, and as the cards fell I ended up doing the Summer Game Fest thing so we had something."
For more interviews with the best, brightest, most fascinating minds in the games industry, check out be sure to check out every episode of IGN Unfiltered, which includes talks with industry leaders like 343's Bonnie Ross, Valve's Robin Walker & Chris Remo, id's Marty Stratton & Hugo Martin, and many, many more.
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Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Will Offer 4K 30 FPS and 60 FPS Resolution Modes
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will offer two resolution modes, 4K at 30 FPS and 60 FPS at lower resolutions.
That's according to a Famitsu interview featuring Marcus Smith and Mike Daly of Insomniac Games, as spotted by Nibel on Twitter.
In the interview, Famitsu asks about the "supported frame rates and resolutions" for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, with Daly responding that the game will offer two separate modes for players to pick from to balance comfortable gameplay with beautiful graphics. "One is 30 FPS at 4K resolution and the other is lower resolution at 60 FPS," the translation reads.
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Later in the same interview, the interpreter mentions that the Ratchet and Clank series ditched the 60 FPS benchmark set by the PS2 games in favour of 30 FPS and better graphics for PS3 and PS4 players. With the PS5 release, it appears that they're now giving players the choice between these two different styles.
During Opening Night Live, Rift Apart was confirmed to be a "launch window" game for the PS5, and we got a better look at gameplay from the forthcoming action-adventure title. Back in June, it was confirmed that Rift Apart's female Lombax character will be playable.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Scheduled for Release in 2021
NBC revealed that Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 has been pushed back to 2021, as the network announced its Fall 2020 TV schedule.
The official Brooklyn Nine-Nine Twitter account shared the updated release window for the show's Season 8 premiere in a tweet that also featured NBC's 2020 TV line-up for September through to November, which includes new seasons Law & Order: SVU and The Blacklist, together with One Chicago.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine was originally expected to debut this fall, however, the finished episodes of the new season were officially scrapped in June, as showrunner Dan Goor announced that they had to "start over" after having some deep conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/08/peacock-streaming-service-review"] Terry Crews, who plays Lieutenant Terry Jeffords on the show, explained that the writing team had decided to return to the scripting stage in an effort to amplify themes coming out of the movement, though he didn't elaborate on the storylines of the episodes that won't make it to air. "We've had a lot of somber talks about it and deep conversations and we hope through this we're going to make something that will be truly groundbreaking this year. We have an opportunity and we plan to use it in the best way possible," Crews said. "Right now we don't know which direction it's going to go in." Barring any future casting changes, we're expecting the full regular cast to return for Season 8, which includes Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Joel McKinnon Miller and Dirk Blocker. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-to-watch-on-peacock&captions=true"] Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 will be released in 2021 on NBC and NBC's streaming platform Peacock. Find out more about how streaming is saving your favourite shows from cancellation. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.*Capt. Holt voice* We're in a state of total euphoria. #Brooklyn99 returns in 2021 on @NBC, streaming on @PeacockTV. pic.twitter.com/1sXKIE0Nr9
— Brooklyn Nine-Nine (@nbcbrooklyn99) August 27, 2020
Windbound Review – Against The Wind
Windbound is an excellent island. It's just a shame that it's a poor archipelago.
For my first few hours with the new roguelike survival game from Five Lives Studios, I walked a knife's edge--blissful relaxation on one side, speedily encroaching anxiety on the other. You would be forgiven for being lulled into a false sense of security. The sunny skies and gorgeous ocean are inviting. The art style charmingly stakes out a familiar middle ground: cartoonish gloss, realistic proportions. The monsters are memorably designed, and even the most imposing are at least a little cute. But as welcoming as it can look, the red and yellow gauges at the top of the screen are a constant reminder that this world isn't friendly.
You'll stumble around early on, unable to do much of anything. Okay, you have grass, but what can you do with grass? Okay, you crafted a grass rope, but what can you do with a grass rope? You may try to wade into the water in hopes of swimming to the closest island, but your stamina gauge will quickly dash those hopes. Deplete it and you'll wake up on the beach, back where you started. Eventually you'll find a shrine on the island where you'll receive an oar, which is, in some way, legendarily significant. Locating this artifact will unlock some new crafting recipes. Turns out you can craft a grass boat with enough rope and some elbow grease.
Continue Reading at GameSpotWindbound Review – Against The Wind
Windbound is an excellent island. It's just a shame that it's a poor archipelago.
For my first few hours with the new roguelike survival game from Five Lives Studios, I walked a knife's edge--blissful relaxation on one side, speedily encroaching anxiety on the other. You would be forgiven for being lulled into a false sense of security. The sunny skies and gorgeous ocean are inviting. The art style charmingly stakes out a familiar middle ground: cartoonish gloss, realistic proportions. The monsters are memorably designed, and even the most imposing are at least a little cute. But as welcoming as it can look, the red and yellow gauges at the top of the screen are a constant reminder that this world isn't friendly.
You'll stumble around early on, unable to do much of anything. Okay, you have grass, but what can you do with grass? Okay, you crafted a grass rope, but what can you do with a grass rope? You may try to wade into the water in hopes of swimming to the closest island, but your stamina gauge will quickly dash those hopes. Deplete it and you'll wake up on the beach, back where you started. Eventually you'll find a shrine on the island where you'll receive an oar, which is, in some way, legendarily significant. Locating this artifact will unlock some new crafting recipes. Turns out you can craft a grass boat with enough rope and some elbow grease.
Continue Reading at GameSpotHitman 3 Release Date And Free Next-Gen Upgrade Revealed
Hitman 3's January 20 release date has been revealed alongside a free next-gen upgrade.
A blog post from IO Interactive notes that Hitman 3 will launch early next year on January 20, 2021 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Stadia and PC via the Epic Games Store.
Players who purchase a digital edition of Hitman 3 on current generation platforms will be eligible for a next-gen upgrade free of charge if they decide to jump to the PS5 or the Xbox Series X in the future. This means if you buy the PS4 version of Hitman 3 on the PlayStation Store, you'll also be able to download the PS5 version at no extra cost.
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Alongside the release date and upgrade system, IO Interactive has detailed the game's pre-order bonus content and special editions. Those who pre-order the game ahead of launch will be able to access the Trinity Pack, which includes 9 items homaging all three games in the World of Assassination trilogy, including coloured suits, weapons and equipment.
A Deluxe Edition of Hitman 3 is also available to purchase, which adds deluxe suits and items, deluxe escalations, a digital artbook, digital soundtracks and a special director's commentary that will introduce players to the game's missions. Pre-orders are now open, so fans can pick up Hitman 3 - Standard Edition for £54.99/$59.99 or the Hitman 3 - Deluxe Edition for £74.99/ $79.99.
In other Hitman 3 news, check out this trailer which reveals The Thornbridge Mystery, a new Hitman 3 mission set in Dartmoor, England.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
HBO’s His Dark Materials Season 2: New Trailer Announces November Premiere
HBO has released a thrilling new trailer for His Dark Materials Season 2, offering fans a closer look at the great war that is on the horizon.
The official His Dark Materials Twitter account shared the trailer for the second season, announcing that it is coming to HBO in November of this year. The footage provides an extended glimpse at the seven-episode series, which is adapting the events of The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman's second novel in the His Dark Materials trilogy.
The Subtle Knife follows the adventures of Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, who work together to investigate the mysterious Dust phenomenon in the eerie disquiet of an abandoned city called Cittàgazze. In this crossroads between worlds, Lyra and Will discover that their destinies are tied to reuniting Will with his father, but their quest is challenged when a war breaks out around them. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/08/his-dark-materials-dust-daemons-and-other-terms-you-should-know"] His Dark Materials Season 2 is returning with all of its main cast members, including Dafne Keen as Lyra, Amir Wilson as Will, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby, Ruth Wilson as Mrs Coulter, Ariyon Bakare as Lord Boreal, and James McAvoy as Lord Asriel. Newcomers include Andrew Scott as Colonel John Parry, Terence Stamp as Giacomo Paradisi, Jade Anouka as Ruta Skadi, and Simone Kirby as Dr Mary Malone. In our review of His Dark Materials Season 1, we praised the series for being an "exciting fantasy adventure, full of weighty threats to its lead characters and stakes that reverberate through its multiple worlds," even though we noted that "there are times when the scope of the story slightly exceeds the bounds of what its budget is capable of." For more on the fantasy series, catch up on everything you need to know about His Dark Materials before Season 2 premieres this November on HBO. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=his-dark-materials-season-1&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.Worlds are changing…#HisDarkMaterials Season 2 premieres this November on @HBO. pic.twitter.com/CnW2uOfKPS
— His Dark Materials (@daemonsanddust) August 28, 2020
Epic Games Explains What Fortnite’s Google Play Ban Means For Players
Fortnite has been blocked on the Google Play Store, meaning some players are now unable to update the game and play Chapter 2 Season 4, but Epic is making clear to players that its own app and the Samsung Galaxy Store will allow Android players to keep playing.
Epic Games is sending an email to those who have downloaded the game on Android, which notes that Android users can still play the new season via the Epic Games App for Android (accessed via Fortnite.com/Android) or the Samsung Galaxy Store. However, the most traditional download method has now been rendered obsolete due to Epic's ongoing legal proceedings with Google.
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Epic added that Fortnite users who already own the game on Google Play can continue to play the current update, but given that the Season 3 Battle Pass wrapped up on August 27, players will not be able to progress any further - they also will not be able to access new cosmetics, gifts or challenges. The Battle Lab, Duos and Limited-Time game modes have also been rendered inaccessible for Google Play users.
Here's a primer on everything that has happened so far in Epic Games' legal battle with Google and Apple over app store policy. Apple players are now completely unable to play the newest season of Fortnite following the game's removal from the App Store.
In other Fortnite news, check out our explainer of the Nexus War update that has brought a number of Marvel superheroes to the game.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.