The Wu-Tang clan brought us some of the best music of the 90’s hip hop revolution. Their influence extended beyond just the music industry with Def Jam Vendetta, a wrestling game released for PlayStation 2 and GameCube in 2003. It combined the world of hip hop with EA’s excellent wrestling game engine. There hasn’t been another hip-hop/video game fusion until now.

According to Windows Central Xbox studio Brass Lion is developing project “Shaolin,” an action RPG featuring Hip Hop icons such as RZA, Ghostface Killah, and Method Man. Gameplay is rather unclear at the moment, but will supposedly feature 4 player co-op.

Brass Lion is a relatively new studio that specializes in “fictional universes that center on Black, Brown, and other traditionally marginalized characters, cultures, and stories.” Their first game, Corner Wolves revolves around a young Afro-Latina woman that travels through mid-1990’s Harlem attempting to find her father’s killer. The game touches on subjects such as the drug war’s impact on black and brown communities and other important topics. This studio is a perfect fit as it will ensure adequate representation in the new title.

The game is rumoured to last a couple of dozen hours and features some games-as-a-service aspects such as procedurally generated dungeons that grant players extra loot, similar to a timed raid on games such as Tom Clancy’s The Division series.

The game is confirmed to have the Wu-Tang Clan making its soundtrack. Fans of the music should be excited to see their favourite artists travel through a fantasy world as well as score it. Brass Lion along with Xbox’s resources are sure to do the artists justice, as well as create an exciting title for players who pick up the game regardless of the hip-hop icons’ appearances. The game’s release date is unknown at this time but could be quite a while as the studio tweeted that they were looking for a game designer for an unannounced project, insinuating that the game is in a very early state. Will you be picking the game up when it gets released? Does the inclusion of the Wu-Tang Clan motivate you to pick it up? Let us know in the comments below.

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VR has brought a kind of resurgence to the couch co-op, passing the controller around kind of multiplayer. Especially with Beat Saber, where you and a group of friends can compete to beat each other’s high score on a certain song. But what if your friends can’t make it over, particularly in this pandemic era?

Beat Saber has the solution for you. Online Multiplayer, just like any other game system. For those on PC and Oculus Quest/Rift multiplayer has been available since October 2020, but it’s only now coming to PSVR. There’s no particular reason specified for this year-long delay. Perhaps it was Sony needing to re-evaluate the quality of the game. Or some other kind of technical limitation regarding Sony’s take on VR. Maybe they just didn’t feel like it, we’ll never know.

Beat Saber’s multiplayer allows up to 5 players to compete on songs available in the game. All players must have the respective DLC packs should they want to play a DLC song. Players can choose to enter online matchmaking or create custom matches with their friends. The devs also added a sort of “badge” system. For example, if your slices are really on-point you’ll be rewarded with the “most precise slicer” award/badge.

The update also brings a new spooky song called “Spooky Beat” by Jaroslav Beck, ushering in the Halloween spirit for any VR fans. As of yet, PC/Quest players are not able to play with PSVR players but we hope that changes in the future. PC and Quest players are able to play together.

If you were looking for an excuse to pick up a PSVR kit, nows your chance. Beat Saber offers hours of single-player fun, and the online matchmaking will tack on another few hours. If your friends own a PSVR, you’ll be able to enjoy getting double their score and humiliating them over the internet!

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Bloodborne is widely considered one of the must-play titles of the PS4. Although it offers a slightly different combat loop to the Souls series of games, FromSoftware fans and newbies to the genre alike praise the game. With the PS5 remaster, proposed sequel and PC port on the horizon, it will be brought to a massive group of uninitiated gamers. Especially considering GeForce Now is available on Xbox theoretically allowing the game to be playable, Bloodborne is about to get a whole lot more popular.

Bloodborne is coming to most systems but is unavailable to one demographic in particular; retro gamers. Developer Lilith Walther looks to change this, however.

Bloodborne PSX is a demake of the 2015 title, complete with PlayStation 1 dithering and all. The game even features the iconic PlayStation startup sequence and sound effects. It’s incredible to see the opening of Bloodborne, as well as the character creator in essentially what looks like a low-poly mode. The animations are charmingly stuttery, yet cohesive.

The demake was made in Unreal engine, which is not as true to life as we’d want but it’s surprisingly close to what a render of the game would look like on official hardware. It might theoretically be possible to make a port that would run on official hardware, but the content would have to be cut even with the reduced textures and models, as the PlayStation 1 used CD-ROM which could only contain 650MB of data. The 2MB of RAM also means that the disk would have to read constantly, and even more data would have to be severely compressed or cut.

Despite essentially being a modern game in retro styling, Bloodborne PSX is still absolutely incredible and might be nostalgia-inducing for those who were fans of the system back in the day while allowing for an all-new Soulsborne experience.

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In recent years the distinction between video game platforms has been far more clear-cut. If you wanted to play Halo, get an Xbox. If you wanted to play Ratchet and Clank, get a PlayStation. Now, however, those lines are beginning to blur.

Additions such as crossplay and more cross-platform releases from companies famous for console exclusivity have caused the console wars to be less black and white. Now if you want to play Death Stranding, you could get a PlayStation or a PC. With the recent update to the Xbox Series’ built-in browser, Nvidia’s PC game streaming service is now available on the system. This means that titles that were previously unavailable with Xbox cross-buy can now be streamed, assuming you have the Steam copy of the game. Horizon: Zero Dawn could be streamed to your Xbox, removing all need for a PlayStation or PC.

Their latest client rolled out on the 21st of October, meaning you can go and try it for yourself now. Nvidia claims that their service can outperform an Xbox Series X, and will feature ultra-low latency indistinguishable from playing locally.

GeForce Now was previously blocked on Xbox but has since been unbanned, which is a strange move by Microsoft to allow their biggest competitor to Xbox Cloud Gaming to be played on their own system. We’re not complaining though, as it means anyone with an Xbox can access a huge title of games including some of Sony’s PC ports. The upcoming God of War port, as well as the Bloodborne remaster, could be enjoyed from the comfort of your mini-fridge-like console.

If you’ve been trying to decide on a new console, now your choice is even harder. If you’re looking for the latest first-party games from Sony, a PS5 is probably your best bet. If you’re looking forward to Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite, take a look at a PC or Xbox. A significant amount of Sony exclusives are coming to PC as well, albeit a couple of years late. Which will you be looking at? Will you be using GeForce Now on your Series? Let us know in the comments below!

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Computer programming can be incredibly daunting to get into in this day and age. Impossibly complex programs have become standard in the industry, and learning can be a frustrating, time-consuming and expensive commitment. Fortunately, there are alternative options.

Starting in 2013, Twilio released their gamified tutor TwilioQuest. Now releasing version 3.2, it’s easier than ever to learn programming in a fun but not dumbed-down way. TwilioQuest begins with an intro cinematic that explains the adventure you are yet to embark on and starts off teaching you JavaScript and Python. Each of these real-life languages features a fantastical premise behind them, such as the Pythonic Temple which is supposed to be the last surviving structure of the “Ancient City of Python.” Adding this mystical and playful element to programming undoubtedly increases motivation to learn to program. It’s the same as playing any other game, and the skills you pick up directly translate into a skill you can use for work or play.

The gameplay consists of Zelda-like RPG elements and simple yet charming graphics. The environments are pretty simple tile-based isometric locations but are all distinct. My favourite is the JavaScript Test Lab, which is a space station similar to that of 2017’s Prey. Every action in the game is carried out by a line of code. For example, you might encounter a door that is locked because of a code malfunction. To open the door, you have to write a line of code that allows the door to complete a mathematical operation. The problems get harder to solve as the game progresses, and you have to actually solve problems logically and combine all the programming knowledge you gained.

TwilioQuest is a brilliant idea that more people need to be exposed to. Learning to code in a fun and rewarding manner makes that information so much more meaningful. If you’re more interested in seeing what other people code, check this out! What do you think about TwilioQuest? Do you think it would be an effective way to learn? Have you heard of it before? Let us know in the comments below!

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After a disappointing release from Ninja Theory in early 2020 titled Bleeding Edge, they returned to the drawing board to take a new direction. Project Mara is shaping up to be possibly one of the most ambitious titles of this console generation, at least from a technical standpoint.

Detailed in the visual diary shown above, Ninja Theory demonstrates some of the mind-boggling technology and talent they’ve employed to capture a real-life apartment all the way down to the specs of dust and lint on the floor.

Focusing first on materials, the art team captured photos of the apartment in different lighting next to colour samples. For materials that they were able to take home (e.g leather from chairs,) they used a custom-built scanner that could capture extremely detailed photos of the samples in different lighting conditions. The team observed something unique about this approach. These typically 2D textures that game devs use for these very same materials, are actually 3D. To quote Tameem Antoniades, chief creative “ninja” at Ninja Theory, “.. a funny thing happens when you get that close to a material … things that seem flat from afar become 3D.” He speaks in reference to the wrinkles in the leather, and then the dust and lint that lies in these wrinkles, and turns what we perceive as flat into a 3-dimensional complex object.

The video is fascinating as the tools the team uses to place lint and dust isn’t done by hand, as that would take forever. Instead, these dust particles are rendered as physics objects and are bounced around the environment to simulate a natural distribution of debris.

Finally, the team needed to replicate the apartment’s layout to complete the virtual environment. This could not be done with a tape measure, according to Antoniades. Instead, they employed a company called Clear Angle who specializes in room capture technology. The result was a complex “point cloud” that could be brought in-engine to recreate the environment with all the materials that had been collected previously. The results are stunning.

There’s no news on a release date for Project Mara yet, but we’ll be waiting on the edge of our seats for a chance to experience this picture-perfect horror title. What do you think about this tech? Is it really necessary? Let us know in the comments below!

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Fans of punishing games should be ready for the adventure of their lives. Coming in Spring 2022, Retro Forge Games’ Souldiers fuses Soulslike gameplay with Metroidvania level exploration. With a focus on action, Souldiers allows players to pick from 3 classes. These classes include an archer, a spellcaster and a sword-wielding scout. These classes bring full upgrade paths, and 3 completely different playstyles allowing for easy replayability.

Similar to other Soulsborne games, there is a parry and dodge move. The Metroidvania elements come from the level design. There is a decent amount of platforming involved in the game and presumably involves a tiered exploration design. For example, players could be subjected to explore an area, with certain paths being unlocked by an ability that is only granted to the player later in the game.

As of now, we don’t have a lot of information surrounding the game which is worrying with such a close launch date. The 16-bit graphics look incredible, and we’re confident the game will be worth playing for that alone. Just be prepared to break your controller as historically, Souls and Metroidvania-style games are difficult. These factors combined, the game could possibly raise your blood pressure.

Fans of Soulsbourne games will have an amazing start to 2022, with the release of Elden Ring, as well as a potential Bloodborne remaster and PC release. Souldiers releases in the Spring of 2022 on PC and Switch. It is unclear yet whether we will be receiving ports to other consoles. PS4 and Xbox One releases are all that’s necessary, and next-gen releases would be an added bonus although aren’t necessary for such a title. Given enough time, the studio could do some interesting things such as haptic and trigger cues for dodge and parry on the PS5. We’ll keep you posted here on COG as more information is released.

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If you’re looking for a new handheld, your only option is Nintendo’s various Switch consoles. The 3DS is dead as far as new releases are concerned, and Sony’s PS Vita was discontinued almost as fast as it was released. As a result of low support from big companies, we’re starting to see small startups take a crack at handhelds.

Panic Inc, in collaboration with Teenage Engineering (the folks behind popular music devices such as the Pocket Operator series and the OP series), is releasing the Playdate. The company’s first handheld features a 1 bit 400 by 240-pixel screen, a 180 MHz Coretex M7 processor, Game Boy-Esque controls and strangest of all, a crank that we’ll get back to in a second. Those specs might not sound very impressive, but a lot can be done with it considering the 1-bit screen. The benefit is also a battery life of 8 hours and 14 days of standby time. The display isn’t particularly impressive, as pixels can be only on or off with no in-between, but it will definitely get the job done. The most important thing, however, is the software.

Promising 2 new games every week for 12 weeks as well as a developer studio for community builds, the Playdate has one more trick up its sleeve. Using the Playdate’s developer studio, James Daniel recreated the DSi’s Flipnote studio on the new handheld. Using that magical crank, you can scrub through each frame at a speed set by your cranking hand! Unfortunately, you must retrieve the files from a DSi as the Playdate doesn’t have a touchscreen but it’s possible Daniel releases some kind of compromise, be it either a desktop studio like the one he’s already created, or some kind of D-pad and crank etch-a-sketch style drawing studio on the Playdate itself.

Set to launch later this year, the Playdate can be had for $179. Are you interested in this device at all? Do any of the games look interesting? Let us know in the comments!

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The COVID-19 pandemic caused a seismic shift in the day-to-day operations of companies around the world. Working from home became standard for over a year, and many firms are offering their employees the option to continue from home should they prefer it.

Epic Games, the tech giant behind Fortnite and the Epic Games Store, introduced a policy that allowed staff to take every second Friday off. According to a report by Bloomberg, Epic repealed this policy earlier this week much to the chagrin of employees.

With the nature of game development relying on “crunch” time to push content out on time, Epic introduced this policy to make up for any overtime endured by staff members. Out of 581 employees, the policy had over a 90% approval rate with approximately the same amount of workers wanting to keep the policy moving forward.

Epic defended their decision by citing the other employee benefit options they have in place or that they are currently implementing. These benefits include a new “unstructured” Friday schedule, with a mandatory ban on meetings. They also referenced how Epic closes for four weeks out of the year to allow everyone time off without missing anything, in addition to the time staff are allotted to take off. The main two reasons behind the repeal were the policy inequality and the temporary intentions behind it. Epic states that some people had to work on their Friday regardless of the policy in order to meet deadlines, whereas others would take the time off regardless of work deadlines. As a result, some people were working harder while others enjoyed the policy. It was also intended to only be implemented for the duration of the pandemic. Although the pandemic is not over, Epic feels that the added stress from the pandemic has subsided so this time is not mandatory.

With companies such as Bugsnax developer Young Horses and Guardians of the Galaxy developer Eidos Montreal moving to a 4 day week, Epic isn’t making the most popular move. What do you think about the 4 day work week? Will it benefit everyone all around, or remove equilibrium from society?

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Ever wondered what it’s like to be a shapeshifting sheep? Wonder no longer as Top Hat Studios released Sheepo today on PlayStation 4 and 5, as well as Xbox One and Series X/S, fulfilling this fantasy. As an added bonus, it features cross-buy meaning one purchase grants you access to the next-gen version as well as the old version. Sheepo is about a shape-shifting sheep-alien zoologist of the same name who is required to explore the alien planet Cebron. Along the way, you’ll discover alien species that you are required to save. In order to save a species, players must collect an egg that is guarded by that species’s queen. The gameplay implication of this mechanic is that you can shape-shift into the species you collect, allowing you to explore previously inaccessible areas. For example, you may need to transform into the goose-looking animal featured in the trailer to fly to a high ledge that was previously a dead end.

The game features an undoubtedly unforgettable art style, with brilliant colours and adorable animal designs. Each animal you come across looks so innocent as it tries to kill you. The result is an amazing visual experience no matter what hardware you’re experiencing the game on. Couple that with the extremely smooth and responsive controls and animations, and you have the recipe for an invariably fulfilling platformer.

Sheepo was released on Steam on August 26th, 2020 to “Very Positive” reviews. It’s commonly described as a “pacifist Metroidvania” or “more casual Metroidvania” meaning the levels are meant to be explored and re-explored as more options become available to you. The “pacifist” or “casual” prefix comes from the decreased difficulty and lack of traditional combat. All in all, Sheepo’s unique set of gameplay mechanics, art style and non-linear level design promises fans of Metroidvania-style games and even those who haven’t touched the genre a whale of a time.

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2018’s God of War reboot introduced the franchise to a new generation of gamers. The emphasis on a cinematic and heartfelt experience differentiated the game from previous entries. Renowned for exploration and RPG elements as well, PlayStation owners were treated to a one-of-a-kind experience. Three years later, this experience exclusive to the PlayStation will be exclusive no longer.

Coming on the 14th of January, 2022, God of War will be arriving on Steam for PC gamers to purchase. This comes after a PC version was leaked in September, and follows Sony’s new trend of releasing previously exclusive games on PC. Sony has yet to release one of their new games on PC at the same time as their PlayStation releases. This could be to maximize sales on their native platforms before expanding to those who were not willing to get a system to play these games.

The PC version offers a significant upgrade to graphical fidelity. According to Sony Santa Monica’s Grace Orlady “You’ll be able to enjoy the full potential of our cinematic, no-cut camera as it follows Kratos and Atreus across the realms with the option of true 4K resolution, on supported devices, and unlocked frame rates.” Higher-resolution shadows, upgraded screen space reflection and improved ambient occlusion through GTAO and SSDO will be supported. A standout feature of this version is support for Nvidia’s DLSS technology. This will allow players to get significantly improved frame rates without sacrificing image quality, which is especially useful at high resolutions and with ray tracing.

Players will also be treated to some DLC content including Death’s Vow Armor Sets for Kratos and Atreus, Exile’s Guardian Shield Skin, Buckler of the Forge Shield Skin, Shining Elven Soul Shield Skin and Dökkenshieldr Shield Skin. Steam is reporting a file size of 80GB, and it is currently unclear whether Sony will be releasing the game on alternate storefronts, such as the Epic Game Store.

Finally, PC players are able to experience this landmark game. The only catch is they’ll have to wait potentially another 3 years or more for the sequel God of War: Ragnarok or shell out for a PS5.

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Industry behemoth Epic Games has been partnering with smaller studios left, right and center. Following their partnership with Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind the recent Alan Wake Remastered (and rumoured Alan Wake 2,) former indie developer Playdead who created Inside and Limbo, as well as genDESIGN who is headed by creator of Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and Last Guardian, Fumito Ueda, Epic announced 2 new partnerships this morning. Spry Fox, creators of Cozy Grove as well as Eyes Out which is the new studio founded by Spec Ops: The Line creative director Cory Davis and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck.

We have very little information on the new games from each of these studios, being restricted to only having a sentence description of each. Spry Fox is poised to build a “multiplatform nonviolent persistent multiplayer title.” Persistent multiplayer is an interesting concept that hasn’t been explored in the world of gaming as the most notable inclusion was in 2019’s Death Stranding, which used the persistent multiplayer design model to incorporate other players’ buildings into your game world. It will be interesting to see how the small studio incorporates it into their game. Given their last title Cozy Grove was a life-sim, we could theorize that they’ll incorporate a persistent world into a similar style of game. That being said, this is nothing more than speculation.

Eyes Out’s first game is rumoured to be a “single-player, immersive cosmic horror game.” Given Cory Davis’ hit game Spec Ops: The Line covered such dark and disturbing content so elegantly and Robin Finck is famous for his contributions to the eerie Quake soundtrack, this game should be one to remember. We’re looking forward to seeing what these studios have in store, given the massive resources Epic has to offer.

For now, keep an eye on COGconnected for more information on these new titles and studios as their projects develop.

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The PS5 is a device that has something to say with its design. The towering behemoth sports top-heavy curves and that signature “popped collar” look that makes the PS5 so distinct. That being said, it’s not for everyone. The biggest complaint was no option for a black model that might be a little more subdued for some. Enter; Dbrand.

Dbrand is a company famous for its excellent device wraps. Due to the unusual design of the PS5, wraps weren’t a practical option. However, people still wanted to customize their next-gen consoles. Dbrand saw the gap Sony was leaving in the market and sprung for it. The Dbrand Darkplates were born. Featuring the exact same design as the stock plates from Sony, the Darkplates only changed the colour from white to matte black. They even baited Sony to sue them due to the similarities with the stock plates.

Unsurprisingly, the tech giant issued a cease and desist. Dbrand complied and pulled the product, but not before making a huge deal over it.

Now only days later, Dbrand released their Darkplates 2.0. This new design does away with Sony’s signatures, leaving the collar in the dust. It also features a fan cut-out to theoretically improve the cooling performance of the console. These new plates are available in 3 different colours; black, white and the new “retro grey.”

According to Dbrand, the new design “neutralizes any future infringement claims from Sony.” They even go as far as to say “The difference this time is that we’ve created an original design for which they have no basis to allege infringement. If they want to try, they’d better be ready to pay our legal fees.” There has not yet been any word from Sony regarding the redesign, and it is unclear if or when there will be any. The original Darkplates were for sale for quite some time before they got pulled, so it’s possible a similar situation could occur here.

What do you think of the redesign? Are you going to try to find some original Darkplates, or spring for the new ones?  Will you be replacing your side panels at all? Let us know in the comments!

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Cross-play in most AAA games has disarmed many arguments in the console wars. It’s made it hard for many who don’t have previous console loyalties to choose a console or PC, excluding of course the Nintendo Switch that’s in a league of its own in terms of hardware and software.

For those massive Call of Duty fans out there, the choice may be a little clearer. According to Sony’s version of the Vanguard launch trailer, PlayStation exclusive content will be available until at least November 1st, 2022 before it is released to other platforms.

The exclusive content that PlayStation is receiving is unspecified as of yet. Leak accounts such as CharlieIntel report that PlayStation users will receive 2 extra load-outs in Create a Class. Whether this means premade load-outs or 2 extra slots remains unclear. This rumour has also yet to be confirmed by Activision, Treyarch or Sledgehammer.

The latest Vanguard trailers continue to state PlayStation will have exclusive benefits. All of the benefits not confirmed yet, but the one that’s known is 2 extra Custom Loadouts in Create a Class. pic.twitter.com/vBsx3r8hn4

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) October 17, 2021

Last year’s release received a decent addition of Zombie Onslaught, so it’s quite possible users are given access to another exclusive mode which would sweeten the deal more than extra load-outs.

Opinions on Vanguard are mixed so far. Around the office, indifference is the keyword. It could very well be the same basics as last year, with a fresh coat of paint. That being said, the content is promising and Activision is pulling out all the stops in terms of marketing even going as far as getting legendary musician Jack White to write an original song for at least the trailer. I’m expecting it to score a landmark battle in the game, as a 30-second trailer seems like a waste of such talent and resources. A Spotify and Apple Music release would really bolster opinions as well. Even if the game is horrible, we get a new Jack White track to jam out to.

Bottom line if you’re looking to get a next-gen console and Call of Duty is your main series, get a PlayStation 5. If you don’t really care about the small content discrepancy and are instead looking forward to Forza Horizon 5, get an Xbox or PC.

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The Nintendo Switch has been home to amazing first-party titles such as Super Mario Odyssey and Luigi’s Mansion 3 but severely lacks a Kirby entry. Kirby: Star Allies left something to be desired with many fans. 3 weeks ago, we were blessed with a Nintendo Direct revealing the next big Kirby adventure. Now the game is starting to pop up on retailers’ websites, available for pre-order.

The new title is expected to be released in Spring of 2022, which calls into question the Amazon Canada expected release date set as December 31st, 2022. It’s currently unclear whether this is a mistake or intentional. Perhaps the physical copy release will be later than the digital release, or Amazon is expecting a release delay.

From what we’ve seen so far, it’s shaping up to be an incredible Kirby 3D platformer. The pink donut-hole looks better than ever in a setting that looks like the first act of ‘The Last of Us’ was transported into the Kirby dimension. The dilapidated buildings clash so beautifully with the lush, perfectly round bushes that consume whatever they can. The colours are over-saturated to fit with the aesthetic of the Kirby universe.

In addition to the regular cast of ambiguous characters, there appear to be some stylized animals such as foxes, a buffalo and potentially an alligator boss battle. From this information, we can speculate that we could be looking at a storyline where the Kirby and human universes collide. Returning is the unique ability to copy an enemy’s power from previous games. For example, if Kirby consumes the blade knight, Kirby gains an original Link-like appearance and can hack and slash enemies.

If you’re looking to get the new Kirby game go ahead and pre-order now and keep your eye on COGconnected for more information on the Amazon date disparity.

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2015’s FromSoftware masterpiece ‘Bloodborne’ is a unique specimen as it somehow manages to reinvent the flow of combat from the Dark Souls series, yet retains so much of the magic that made those first 4 games special.

After 6 long years, it’s rumoured not only that ‘Bloodborne’ is getting a remaster, but also a sequel. To add a cherry on top of this controller-breaking cake, PC players will be able to experience the magical blend of challenge and rewarding combat that it has to offer.

The news comes from Nick at Xbox Era who has been able to confirm the information with moderators of the Gaming Leaks subreddit. Unfortunately, this proof has not been shared with the public.

Nick supposedly shared this information with the moderators before Colin Moriarty of the Sacred Symbols podcast also shared this news, so we can infer that Nick and Colin have separate sources improving the probability of this rumour.

Historically speaking, a PC port would not be out of character for Sony. With titles such as Horizon: Zero Dawn, Detroit: Become Human and Days Gone already available on PC and the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves releasing on PS5 and PC simultaneously next year, we can have a bit more faith in Nick and Colin.

A remaster of ‘Bloodborne’ is well overdue as its visuals have not aged well on the PS4. Only 30 frames-per-second and aggressive resolution scaling impede the impact of such immensely impressive visuals, and restrict the player’s appreciation of ‘Bloodborne’s’ unique art style. Jagged edges and low detail textures make ‘Bloodborne’ appear painfully last-gen on even the PS5, let alone the PS4 Pro.

We can probably expect more information after “Elden Ring’s” release early next year, as FromSoftware will have resources free to turn this rumour into reality. With only a few more months to go, we could be seeing these new releases fairly soon.

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Fans who have been following FromSoftware’s new IP “Elden Ring” from the start back in June 2019 have been craving some more details, let alone actual gameplay. Thanks to leakers, we finally have some tangible footage.

A build of the game that is a few weeks old is seen running on an Xbox One, posted by Jeff Grubb on Twitter.

The footage shows very little about the game, only revealing some of the character design, skybox and basic world design. We are treated to a teaser of a towering castle’s silhouette in the distance but are left to our imaginations when it comes to anything else. The player runs along a cliffside to disturb a pair of eagles, showcasing some more of the visuals. There appear to be ruins of some kind all over the area, with nature retaking the stone monuments. The center of the map appears to be taken up by some kind of fantastical tree, emanating a piercing yellow glow that could blind anyone with a good quality HDR display. For more information on the game world, check out this post.

Alleged Elden Ring footage from xbox One. pic.twitter.com/uaGbogXBrB

— Jeff Grubb (@JeffGrubb) October 16, 2021

In typical FromSoftware fashion, the world feels mystical and mysterious. The green and yellow colour palette evokes a connection to nature, while the castle in the background casts a sobering grey tone on the vivid natural world. This could turn out to be a bewilderingly beautiful treat for your eyes. Perhaps the eagles present a gameplay element similar to the fox in Ghost of Tsushima, where following them presents the player with a reward for their effort. It would, after all, fit with the theme and aesthetic.

We can assume that gameplay will be similar to that of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, as that’s what the studio is famous for. The story of the game is deliberated no further, but we have an article detailing all the lore we know so far. It is unclear on which version of Xbox One the game is running on but we can hope for buttery smooth performance on next-gen consoles, especially if the preview is running on the original Xbox One from 2013. Our guess would be an Xbox One X with how stable the framerate is.

For now, we are left to speculate on the game due to the silence from BANDAI NAMCO and FromSoftware. COGConnected will keep you updated as new information on the game is released. “Elden Ring” is set to release in January 2022 and will be available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

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Posted by Twitter account @TheLastofUsNews, footage has leaked of filming for the new HBO series based on the “The Last of Us.” Presumably following similar events to the first game, we see Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, and Anna Torv as Tess. Through a series of Tweets, we get a peek at the amazing costume design of the characters, as they look as if they’ve been pulled right out of the game. Moss covered rubble lines the streets of Edmonton, where shooting wrapped up last night.

Filming is rumored to continue in Calgary, emulating the adventure the characters took from Boston in the first game. From what we’ve seen, the set design is absolutely incredible. Replicating something that has sat for 20 years can be a monumental task, especially when you don’t have 20 years to spare.

For more info on “The Last of Us” HBO series, check here

Another angle from above. #TheLastofUspic.twitter.com/OVdtQq668c

— The Last of Us Updates (@TheLastofUsNews) October 14, 2021

Video game based movies have historically been disappointing to many, with infamous Uwe Boll making some questionable films based on titles such as Far Cry, House of the Dead, and Alone in the Dark. With “The Last of Us” series having HBO’s monstrous funding and Pedro Pascal’s skills behind the roll, the series has the best possible chance it can to succeed. The narrative-centric nature of Naughty Dog games should make for excellent adaptations.

Joel, Ellie and Tess. That’s it. That’s the tweet.pic.twitter.com/hEDGgSoq6n

— The Last of Us Updates (@TheLastofUsNews) October 16, 2021

Only time will tell if writers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann decide to follow the plot of the game, or take an alternate timeline approach to the series. They could decide to fill in the gaps of the game, where time passed in periods of months. The only downside of this approach is that those time periods were skipped for a reason, as no development occurred. This dilemma is the folly of video game movies and TV shows.

New video of Pedro Pascal (Joel), Bella Ramsey (Ellie) and Anna Torv (Tess) on the set of #TheLastofUs.pic.twitter.com/UPH2oKtfzZ

— The Last of Us Updates (@TheLastofUsNews) October 14, 2021

Here at COG, we’ll be watching closely as HBO’s “The Last of Us” nears its release sometime next year. For now we’ll be limited to guessing the timeline from filming leaks and hoping with HBOs expertise, “The Last of Us” blows away expectations of alternative video game media.

Check out this article for details on “The Last of Us 2” multiplayer

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