10 (Unintentionally) Terrifying Video Games
Video games can be plenty scary. I’ve thrown my controller in the air and screamed with unadulterated terror at survival-horror jump scares and felt my guts twist at the powerful manipulation of psychological terror in the hands of gaming’s storytelling masters. Games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and PT all contain the stuff nightmares are made of.
But sometimes, games are scary not so much by design as by accident. Here are 10 games from well outside the horror genre that succeed far more than they should at being deeply disturbing.
Assassin’s Creed: New Tech Could Allow Multiple Time Periods
Assassin's Creed is famous for sending players throughout time and around the world to visit everywhere from Ancient Egypt to Colonial America, but each game's open-world segments have been contained to a single time and place. That, however, could be set to change.
In an interview for the Ubisoft blog, Ubisoft Canada's executive vice president of creative Lionel Raynaud said future technologies could enable the developer to create an Assassin's Creed that drops in on different time periods. Other Ubisoft franchises could benefit from this too, with players potentially traveling to multiple countries in the same Far Cry or Watch Dog game.
What Did You Think of This Week’s Comics?
Even with it being Independence Day in the US, the comic book industry went all-out with new releases this week. DC delivered the long-awaited wedding issue in Batman #50, and then followed up that story with a new series for Catwoman. Marvel relaunched Captain America with a new creative team and celebrated its own milestone as Star Wars reached issue #50.
Check out our new reviews and thinkpieces for the week, and let us know your favorite books in the comments below.
Batman #50
Sea of Thieves: New Item Is a Lovely Banjo-Kazooie Reference
Sea of Thieves is celebrating Banjo-Kazooie's 20th anniversary with a new figurehead item.
As detailed in the game's latest patch notes, The Bird and Bear Figurehead is a subtle nod to the classic platforming franchise. It's a wood-carved brown bear along with an avian blue and red shield, and it costs 1,998 gold.
The figurehead will only be available in July, and you can purchase it from the shipwright at all outposts.
The Bird and Bear Figurehead, via Sea of Thieves website.
Todd Howard: Fallout 76 Doesn’t Indicate the Future of Bethesda Games
Bethesda Game Studios head, Todd Howard, recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz about the fear that the online-only Fallout 76 may indicate a shift away from the single-player games Bethesda is so beloved for.
"It doesn't mark the future," Howard begins. "Corporately we've done a mix; people forget sometimes. Elder Scrolls Online is one of the biggest online games in the world, we have Fallout Shelter which we keep updating and Elder Scrolls: Legends."
Fortnite: Search Between Movie Titles Location and Map – Week 10 Challenges
Amazon Prime Day Kicks off Early with 21 Free Twitch Games
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Battle Royale FPS Fear the Wolves Entering Steam Early Access July 18
The upcoming Battle Royale FPS Fear the Wolves will enter Steam Early Access on July 18.
Fear the Wolves is being developed by Vostok Games - developers of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series - and published by Focus Home Interactive. It combines last-man-standing gameplay in a radiation-ravaged Chernobyl with PVE elements like radiation, mutants, and a dynamic weather system, alongside unique endgame extraction mechanics and exploration possibilities thanks to special protective gear.
The Early Access build will feature the core gameplay and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. vibe, and Vostok is promising regular content patches to introduce a new map and mode, leaning and crawling, more weapons, items, mutants, and weather. A full plan of the update timeline will be available on the Steam page throughout development.
How the Persona Series Succeeds by Casting the Player as a Sympathetic Ear
Caution! Spoilers for Persona 5 ahoy!
One of the standout things about the Persona series is the way it celebrates the power of friendship.
Yes, each instalment has its own unique thematic thread. Persona 3, for example, dealt with kids confronting their mortality, while Persona 4 highlighted the importance of accepting who you are, even the bits you don't like and, more recently, Persona 5 asked if it was possible to redeem evil people by forcibly changing their hearts and whether it'd be ethically right to do so.
Yet, throughout of each these games, the protagonists explore these themes by forming unbreakable bonds with those around them.
Netflix’s ‘Ultra’ Plan Will Charge More for UHD Content
Netflix is testing out new subscriptions that will give consumers access to Ultra HD streams.
According to Variety, the Ultra plan will set buyers back USD $16.99 per month and will allow the consumer to view four Ultra HD streams. The consumers on the Ultra plan will also have access to high dynamic range (HDR) content.
Netflix will also be offering a USD $13.99 premium plan. The premium plan will allow viewers to have access to two Ultra HD streams.
Netflix is still in the testing phase, so only some customers will have the option to try out the new plans. The company may ultimately decide not to roll out the plan to all of its customers.