Developer Stress Level Zero is no stranger to making VR games. They were in on the tech early, having developed Hover Junkers back in 2016, then iterated on some of their VR techniques with Duck Season the following year. The company's latest game, Boneworks, looks to be their most ambitious game yet, seemingly taking inspiration from a couple of Valve games and throwing in what looks like a fairly sophisticated implementation of VR to seal the deal.

Taking place inside of a mysterious experimental facility called Monogon, Boneworks has you fighting a number of small, spider-like drones as you mess around a series of Portal-like test rooms, interspersed with more traditional industrial areas akin to some of the indoor segments in Half-Life 2. The hook here is the fidelity of the physics-based combat; in the trailer, a crowbar is used to grab onto a series of poles jutting out from a wall, a spear piercing a drone, and some careful maneuvering around a ledge, all of which look fairly natural compared to most games.

On its Steam page, Stress Level Zero cautions that Boneworks "demonstrates advanced VR mechanics and concepts," and so "players are recommended to have previous VR experience and understanding of common VR gameplay principles before proceeding." So you may want to brush up on your VR spear-twirling skills before the game releases on both Steam VR and Oculus sometime this year.

The final, spoilerific trailer for Devil May Cry 5 also included an original song to go with it. If you're interested in hearing that song but don't want to get spoiled, you can do that exclusively on this very web page!

The song, titled "Legacy," is the main theme for Devil May Cry 5, composed by Kota Suzuki (a longtime Capcom composer) and sung by Ali Edwards, who, along with having done the vocals on the DMC5 song "Devil Trigger," has also done vocals for songs from Killer Instinct and the recent Doom reboot. You can listen to the official short version of the song in its entirety below.

Devil May Cry is out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC March 8.

Collectible statue-maker First 4 Figures has announced its latest high-value product, and it's a little surprising they haven't gotten around to them by now.

The company announced that pre-orders for the company's latest statue, which features Mario riding Yoshi (Mushroom Kingdom background likely not included) will launch next Friday, March 8, after the conclusion of a Q&A stream going over the details of the figure, which has been apparently been in the works as far back as 2015.

The company only has one other Mario series statue in its catalog, a large and lovingly detailed rendition of Bowser, that retails for about $700. Considering the First 4 Figures is hyping up the figure as a collectible to top that particular figure as "the unofficial ultimate F4F showpiece," you can probably expect it to sell for a similarly heft price.

If you've ever wanted a faster, more efficient way of exploring the world of some of your favorite games, there's a website for that now.

Noclip.website is a model viewer for the iconic locations of some of the most popular games out there, created by Jasper St. Pierre as an open-source Github project. You of course can't play any of the games on the site, but if you're the kind of person who likes to spend hours pouring over some of your favorite video game locales, it's probably the best, simplest way to do that right now. The models are identical to their in-game ones (though the lighting is different on a few of them), and you can hop around different locations pretty quickly. While in-game characters are missing in some scenes, the ones who are there animate, making this more than a simple still-shot of these locations.

The site also lets you move around in 3D by using the WASD keys and holding your mouse button down, and you can alter the speed of the camera to suit your needs. This lets you get a look at places like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker's Outset Island in detail, or get an at-a-glance view of all of Dark Souls' Lordran. You can also create, modify, and load save states on the site (so you don't lose your place if you happen to be using the locations for reference on, say, a piece of fan art), or change the field of view. The site does require some computer resources to use and will run better on more powerful hardware, but I was able run it just fine on a laptop, though the framerate was lower.

Most the areas you can explore come from major Nintendo games (specifically from the Gamecube era through the 3DS era), but there are few non-Nintendo products in there as well. Some more modern titles, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, are also part of the site's "experimental" tab, which means they're still a work in progress. Either way, this is an outstanding project from St. Pierre, and we hope to see more locations added soon.

It looks like Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3 and its expansions, is now the design director for Cyberpunk 2077 and has also become developer CD Projekt Red's vice president of game development, according to a recent LinkedIn profile update.

Tomaszkiewicz looks to have updated his LinkedIn profile to say that, as of February of this year, he is "CD Projekt Red’s Vice President of Game Development / Design Director - Cyberpunk 2077." Previously, he was simply listed as the game director for The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine expansion.

The update comes in the wake of news that the game's former creative director, Sebastian Stępień, has seemingly left the company to work at Blizzard instead.  Considering the technical difference in titles involved it's hard know for sure how this will impact the development of the game, this could point toward whatever changes took place internally after Stępień left now being official.

[Source: LinkedIn via Reddit]

Humble Monthly Bundle, which offers curated games each month for a low price, has revealed its headlining games for April.

With a subscription of $12 per month, you can play April's games, some of which include Absolver, Northgard, and Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. 

Absolver is a stylish multiplayer fighter, but our reviewer Dan Tack found it had some shortcomings. "Sloclap’s first foray shows glimmers of brilliance in the combat and the somewhat intriguing aesthetic of masked martial artists going at it in strange lands," he writes. "Even so, Absolver feels like a collection of little pieces from something larger that just never happens."

Northgard wasn't reviewed by us, but it looks to be an interesting viking RTS. 

Finally, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, is probably the biggest steal in this bundle as it currently costs $34.99 on Steam. This turn-based strategy game carves out its own identity with distinctive humor and an emphasis on stealth. Our reviewer Jeff Marchiafava gave it a 7.5 and wrote, "From a gameplay perspective, Mutant Year Zero is a bold but brief experiment in the turn-based genre that largely pays off."

Click here to be transported to Humble Bundle's official website, where you can purchase a subscription to the service.

Since its release, Crackdown 3 has maybe… failed to set the world on fire. Despite all of its flaws (and the fact that it feels like a game plucked out of 2007) several of us around the office have still been drawn to its chaotic action and its impossibly violent idea of criminal justice. Kyle Hilliard, Leo Vader, and Nathan Anstadt discuss what keeps them coming back for more.

Nathan Anstadt: I’d like to start out by saying that everything Jeff Cork said in his review is completely accurate. The graphics look a bit dated, the action isn’t the most inspired, and the story is slight, but in spite of these gripes, I’ve had an absolute blast with the game so far. It’s as fun as ever to jump twenty feet in the air and hunt down agility orbs. What have your impressions to the game been so far? You’re enjoying it?

Leo Vader: I just beat it this past weekend, I had a really great time with it! I don’t feel like I even have to make excuses for it. The bad parts are bad, but the combat and traversal are both really fun. Locking instant headshots, telekinetically grabbing a car and throwing it at a mech, and then slamming into enemies on the ground all in one jump feels great. The power growth also feels so quick and rewarding in an age where so many titles try to draw out progression as much as possible for maximum hours (or money) put into their game.

Kyle Hilliard: I would firstly like to take this opportunity to publicly apologize for enjoying Crackdown 3 as much as I have been. We posted our Sick Stunts video on the game a few days ago, and the commenters have been calling us out for enjoying the game even though we’re not supposed to because it looks kind of old. And for that, I am sorry. I will do my best to not smile when driving a car up the side of a building, and then jumping off of it when I reach the top – but I can’t make any promises.

All that being said, I understand the backlash to the game to a certain degree. This is an experience being sold for $60 (if you’re not a Game Pass subscriber), and it does often feel like a dated experience. It does not live up to modern gaming open world standards and it is underwhelming as a console-exclusive, especially when you compare it to Sony’s library, but it doesn’t change the fact that it nails some key elements that are just fun, like mobility and explosions.

Leo Vader: Let’s not gloss over the price though. Game Pass was $2 for a month the week of release, which is more than enough time to 100% the game. In a world without it, I’d definitely be more upset about what Crackdown is, and its, frankly, busted multiplayer. Co-op is locked at 30 FPS on PC, which feels super jarring because of how smooth it runs in single player. Wrecking Crew was a cute try at something. I think. Maybe.

Nathan Anstadt: Kyle, you don’t need to apologize for liking Crackdown. It’s the first game in a while that I devoured in a weekend; I couldn’t put it down. I’m just caught between two beliefs about the game: On one hand, I understand the complaints, but on the other hand, I only need like 400 more agility orbs, so…

And it really is the perfect game for Game Pass. I’ve now played this game, like Leo said, all the way through for $2. It’s the only open world game I’ve played where I legitimately enjoyed the street races. Every activity was just a good excuse to see what Terry Crews sees in his day-to-day.

Leo Vader: The agility races are super fun too, thanks to the extra jumps, dashes and launch pad gadget. Moving around is a constant joy. It’s easy to write this off as a re-release of the original Crackdown, but core changes like these genuinely improve the experience I was blown away by back in 2007.

Nathan Anstadt: I was a little disappointed that the destruction they initially pitched for the game was only relegated to the multiplayer, but I honestly don’t know what a more modern Crackdown should even look like in 2019. I don’t really need a more robust story, I just want a good excuse to fly around an island and drive a spider car through floating rings.

Kyle Hilliard: Ultimately, it’s not really our responsibility to consider what a 2019 Crackdown should look like. That’s up to Microsoft and Sumo. I am confident that this isn’t it, but I am with you in the sense that what is here is enjoyable. The car’s second form, for example, really changes the car-based navigation in a fun way.

Leo Vader: Can we talk about that spider car? There was an SUV that could similarly climb up walls for a few seconds at a time in the original, and it took a lot of skill to scale buildings with it. In Crackdown 3 they let the spider car stick to surfaces permanently, and it is so much fun to speed to the top of buildings and jump into crazy stunt rings for driving orbs. Additionally I think the leap from three Agency vehicles in Crackdown to one transforming summonable whip was a really smart change.

Nathan Anstadt: Some of the most fun I had in the game was figuring out how I was going to get that car somewhere with a stunt ring. I could drive up the wall of a building or just pick the car up over my head and jump up there. There is an achievement for driving your car to the top of the game’s tallest building, and if anything should sell someone on Crackdown 3, that’s it. It was amazing.

Kyle Hilliard: In Crackdown 1 I eventually gave up on trying to hit most of those rings just because it wasn’t fun to find the ramps leading to them, but the combination of the spider car and being able to carry cars more easily is making me stop whatever I’m doing in order to jump through those, and they’re rewarding.

Leo Vader: In so many ways it’s a confusing skeleton of a game that I can’t believe took so many years to develop, but the bones are fun throughout the whole experience. Gaining health back with orbs makes zipping around in combat and balancing smaller foes with bigger ones really engaging, and I got more out of the game the more I focused on what I was doing in combat. Plus the open-ended nature of the design (letting you take on any boss from the start if you want) which carries over from the first game, really shows you how ahead of it’s time that game was. Crackdown 3 isn’t some groundbreaking experience, but what it is plays great and I think deserves more credit than it’s getting.

Nathan Anstadt: Absolutely. Especially if you have Game Pass. I never felt bored tracking down side activities to complete, and at least for the price of a month of Game Pass, it’s completely worth checking out.

If you’re still on the fence about Crackdown 3, you can watch the New Gameplay Today or you can watch us perform some sick stunts!

If for whatever reason you wanted to replace Resident Evil 2's insidious Mr. X with er, Thomas the Tank Engine, now you can. 

With his never-ending smile, I'd say Thomas is nearly as creepy as Mr. X, but he's also pretty funny. It's ridiculous to see a bulky locomotive swing through doors and move towards you with murderous intent. Thomas' theme song plays in the background, too, adding to the ludicrous atmosphere.

You may be surprised to know that this isn't the first time Thomas the Tank Engine has invaded a popular game. Back in 2013, someone transformed a dragon from Skyrim into Thomas as well, making him a fire-breathing terror.

Watch some examples of Thomas the Tank Engine in Resident Evil 2 below.

There's now a Mr. X mod in Resident Evil 2 Remake that replaces him with Thomas The Tank Engine.

I live for this kind of shit pic.twitter.com/x3qwc2rvZ3

— Pixelbuster (@Nitomatta) March 2, 2019

For more, read Kyle Hilliard's piece on why Mr. X is both the best and worst part of Resident Evil 2 by heading here. You can also read our review of the game here.

Developer Pixelated Milk recently revealed Warsaw, a tactical RPG set during World War 2. With beautiful hand-painted artwork and turn-based combat, it has a strong Darkest Dungeon vibe both aesthetically and gameplay-wise. 

Warsaw tasks you with recruiting a ragtag group of heroes so you can build an army. Each party member has a certain class, like medic, and unique skills that they can put to use in combat. You can also send them out for patrols, to scavenge for supplies, and more. As you explore, you may come across other soldiers willing to join your fight. 

Check out the reveal trailer below.

Warsaw releases for Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC later this year. Take a peek at the gallery below for screenshots.

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

Gaming trends come and go, and this fascinating data visualizer, which is presented in a GIF below, gives you an idea of what Steam's most-played games were over the last four years.

The sped-up graph shows the top 15 games on the platform by daily player count. PUBG dethrones Dota 2 when the battle royale game released in 2017, but Dota 2 begins to steadily climb back up in late 2018. Grand Theft Auto V, Counter-Strike, and Garry's Mod all jump around in rank, but they are a few that remarkably stay on the list.

Monster Hunter: World, Skyrim, Rocket League, and certain football managers make notable appearances too. Check it out for yourself below.

Left Alive has been out in Japan for a few days now, but it's been having a rocky debut, leaving fans worried about its Western launch.

According to Siliconera, Japan-based players were able to stream everything outside of Left Alive's cutscenes when it released on February 28. Now, streaming has been disabled on PS4. Left Alive is also selling for nearly half-off on Amazon Japan, and has an average rating of 1.8 out of 5 stars on the retailer website. User reviews reflect issues relating to everything from graphics to controls.

Left Alive is a spiritual successor to the Front Mission series, but changes things up by focusing more action rather than tactics. 

Left Alive releases in North America on March 5 for PlayStation 4 and PC.

[Source: Siliconera] 

The SteamWorld universe is ever-expanding. The series’ first entry, SteamWorld Tower Defense, displayed real-time strategy mechanics, while SteamWorld Heist explored turned-based strategy from a side-scroller perspective, and the SteamWorld Dig series combined mining/crafting with Metroid-like exploration. Image & Form Games’ latest title, SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, fuses card-collecting and turn-based RPG elements to create comprehensive deck-building combat experiences set against the backdrop of fantastical steampunk-inspired vignettes. 

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

Based on my time with an early preview build, you play as Armilly, Copernica, and Galleo (including other unrevealed party members) – as they traverse various landscapes to clash against robotic adversaries and mythical creatures. These meticulous, hand-drawn environments feature dense forests with fungi-themed monsters, ravaged settlements engulfed in flames, and dark cobblestone dungeons among other locales that haven’t been unveiled. 

Navigation through each setting is simple and linear, depending on whether you decide to travel off the beaten path. Basic exploration, however, is rewarded: currency and materials hide behind secret doorways as well as within smashable crates. But most areas are littered with automaton sprites eager to assault your squad. You can initiate a preemptive strike with the push of a well-timed button. This enables instant advantages in battle: you can attack first, and enemies start fights with fewer health points. This mechanic is two-fold, since foes can attempt to engage with a preemptive strike of their own, so watch out! 

SteamWorld Quest’s core gameplay relies on carefully planned card strategies. At the beginning of combat, players draw up to six “punch cards,” but they can only play three each turn. Card abilities fall under specific categories: physical hits (strikes), healing or buff magics (upgrades), and charge-up attacks (skills). Relative to these different abilities, strikes and upgrades contribute to a steam pressure (SP) gauge. SP can then be spent to activate skill cards. Armilly, your knight, possesses high-damage sword slashes that require a modicum of SP, while Copernica can unleash skills based in elemental magics. 

Sometimes, you may not have enough SP, so skill cards can’t be placed. If this happens, you can redraw to replace individual cards in your hand. This mechanic, however, can only be used twice per turn. Between fights, I rebuilt my deck, equipping more strikes and upgrades and removing several skill cards that felt like dead weight. I appreciated this trial-and-error depth of combat; some enemy bosses are punishing in early chapters of the game if you haven’t properly formatted your card collection. 

Combos – called heroic chains – provide your heroes with the strongest bonuses. Companions have eight-card personal decks that are shuffled into a main deck at the start of battle. When three cards that belong to a single party member are placed in the same turn, you are awarded a finisher. These finishers are additional cards that imbue your team with powerful abilities. For instance, Galleo, the brawler-healer hybrid of the group, has a three-card combo that restores a modicum of the party’s health. I found heroic chains crucial during boss fights, as it gave me time to chip away at larger, intimidating health bars. 

Other than engaging the enemy, you can use your time outside of combat to purchase and equip weapons, armor, and accessories. Like most RPGs, your attire can apply buffs and bolster your party’s primary stats. Restoration items are bought from shopkeepers or looted after battles, and hero statues can be accessed to fully restore health and save progress. 

While the new deck-building elements are a departure from other Image & Form Games titles, fans of the SteamWorld universe will still be in for a treat. The quirkiness and humor in previous entries makes a return, and the latest cast of protagonists will be endearing to old and new players alike. 

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech drops first on Nintendo Switch later this year and will be available for other consoles further down the road. In the meantime, head here, to browse our list of the most anticipated RPGs of this year. 

After a festive holiday season, Game Informer's annual 12.31 Super Replay usually brings suffering. In years past, this day has kicked off complete playthroughs of stinkers like Overblood, Overblood 2, Blue Stinger, Illbleed, Raw Danger,Martian Gothic: Unification, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Vampire Hunter D.

Figuring out which game will be honored with this spot is a stressful decision that usually takes a full year to figure out. That wasn't the case this year. The community figured it out for us. We had the somewhat official I Watched the Entire Overblood Super Replay group vote for a Super Replay earlier this year. With hundreds of votes cast, the poll ended in a tie between Killer 7 and God Hand. Rather than just flipping a coin to see which one we would do, I decided to record both of them. We knocked out Killer 7 earlier this year, and almost rolled right into God Hand, but couldn't find a window to get it done in a productive way. I shelved the Super Replay until 12.31. It was one of the games I was considering years ago for this spot anyway.

Now it's here, and I think the community made the right choice. This game is absolutely bonkers and is a sheer delight to take in. God Hand was created by Clover Studio for Capcom and released in America on October 10, 2006 exclusively for PlayStation 2. Enjoy the Super Replay. I know it was a long time coming. We haven't produced as many as we have in the past, but it isn't because we are slacking off. The recording of the Game Informer Show takes up considerable studio and editor time, and we just haven't had the window to crank the out like we used to. I'd like to say we'll try to do more in the future, but I'm always thinking that, and the stars just haven't aligned.

You can watch the latest episode up above, or click the arrows along the side of the video to see the rest of the series!

Today is your lucky day! Grab your wand and enter below for your chance to win one of 20 digital copies of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald as a digital download. 

From the studio:
Newt Scamander is enlisted by Hogwarts Professor Albus Dumbledore to defy Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, whose plan to rule over non-magical beings threatens to divide the wizarding world.

Click to see more! bit.ly/FBGrindelwald_MovieWBHE

If you love the wizarding world as I do, you can't miss out on this exciting sequel! Offer valid to US residents 13 years of age and older. Minors will need parents permission to accept prize. Enter below for your chance to win!

MUST REDEEM DIGITAL MOVIE OFFER BY 3/31/2020. Consumer must reside in the U.S. and register for a digital service provider account (go to wb.com/RedeemMovie for a list of digital service providers (e.g., Movies Anywhere). May only include HD main feature.  NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ALL DEVICES. SOME DISPLAY RESOLUTIONS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING OR DOWNLOAD ON ALL DEVICES FROM ALL DIGITAL SERVICES. Consult your digital service provider for compatible devices, available display resolutions, streaming and download capability and Terms of Service.  Ultimate display resolution on playback is dependent upon connection and device characteristics, including screen resolution.  High-speed Internet connection required. Go to wb.com/RedeemMovie for additional details, requirements and technical support.  Neither Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. nor any affiliate is responsible for maintaining any digital service. THIS DIGITAL MOVIE OFFER MAY NOT BE RESOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED.

The year is 1987 and the United Kingdom is in the midst of political unrest. Mobs take to the streets to protest overbearing economic conditions, as well as an upcoming piece of legislation called The Union Act, which is focused on keeping immigrants out of the country. A bomb has just gone off, killing a crowd of civilians and leaving an obvious suspect ready to take the blame for it all. But things are a little too clear cut. That’s where you come in in this tale set in an alternate timeline from ours. As a journalist with a national paper, your job is to investigate a government office to uncover the truth of who’s behind this bombing and why. But the clock is ticking. The Occupation’s setup has the potential for greatness, promising a political tale where your choices shape the fate of an entire country, but only a few shreds of that promise survive due to uneven execution.

The Occupation’s main hook is how it plays out in real time. You arrive at the governmental office in the early afternoon, and you have four hours to solve the mystery by investigating the building and avoiding security patrols. This first-person stealth adventure is split up into several chapters, with each one ending with a segment where you interview a subject with the evidence you’ve found. You have an hour for most chapters to get what you need, with the most important clues being turned into vital questions you can ask during these interviews that contradict whatever account or information your interviewee is presenting. Missing out on vital questions can radically change the ending of the game.

During the hour of prep, you’re combing through various sections of the building, avoiding guard patrols and searching computers, waste bins, safes, and file cabinets for anything that will ultimately lead to an interview question. Multiple paths exist to the various bits of intel you need to collect. For example, to get into a restricted area to obtain a floppy disk, you can steal a keycard from someone’s mail, or simply use the building’s ventilation shaft to get there. Unfortunately, the ventilation shaft navigation towers over all the more impressive solutions due to the time limit, which discourages you from exploring options when you have such an easy path to progression in front of you.

Every significant clue you discover is added to your dossier, with incremental bits of evidence helping you get the whole picture of the conspiracy at hand. The actual investigation aspect is compelling; I loved combing through my notes, listening to recorded tapes of suspects, and poking holes in alibies as the clock ticked down. However, all of that takes a backseat to stealth-centric gameplay. Though I appreciate the open-ended navigation, the other aspects of sneaking around are a bummer.

You don’t have much to help you evade the guards except hiding and hoping for the best. You have no weapons, and no useful tools in your inventory to distract your foes. More often than not, the only real choice is to scamper down into a ventilation shaft or hide under something. If caught, you lose around 15 minutes of time as a punishment. While I loved digging through files and ransacking offices for the next thread in this mystery, I detested every time I had to hide under a table for several precious minutes while someone looked around with their flashlight. It’s just so boring.

A host of technical issues makes the experience even more frustrating. Guards were often capable of inexplicably seeing me through walls or window blinds I had closed moments before. One guard glitched across an entire floor in a matter of seconds, making avoiding him impossible. Another one became stuck in a doorway, forever investigating a single office and essentially giving me free reign of the building for the rest of the chapter.

The dull, broken nature of sneaking about is also disappointing because it weighs down the few genuinely compelling mechanics, like using pneumatic tubes throughout the building to get floppy disks by data-wiping gates. However, the sheer monotony of diving beneath a desk or peeking from corners for minutes at a time makes the novelty of these ideas dry up fast.

Something special lies at the heart of The Occupation, but the gameplay and technical issues get in the way of its most interesting qualities. The storytelling happening beneath all the clunky stealth is great. I grew to care for the characters I was reading about in dossiers or interrogating in intense interviews; the conflicted, guilt-ridden government employee Scarlett is a standout among a cast of morally complicated individuals. The bleak resolution that I reached, which took me to task for my failure to uncover all the clues, was a powerful conclusion to a story. I just wish it wasn’t such a chore to get to that point. The Occupation’s technical issues and consistent dullness will likely keep me from playing through again to see just how many consequences exist for your failures and successes, and that’s a shame.

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

Score: 6.75

Summary: A fantastic story is buried too deep within The Occupation's dull stealth gameplay and technical issues.

Concept: Uncover a political conspiracy with clandestine reporting and determine the fate of an entire nation

Graphics: The painterly outlines of The Occupation’s otherwise realistic world and people make it stand out visually

Sound: A fantastic soundtrack comprised of convincing ‘80s punk tracks created just for the game makes sub-par voice acting easier to deal with

Playability: The Occupation’s stealth is bad and its controls are clunky, hampering what could be a great interactive political thriller

Entertainment: If you’re willing to push past a large number of technical issues and poor stealth gameplay, there’s a fantastic story buried deep in The Occupation’s heart

Replay: Moderate

Click to Purchase

In 2010, Kirby's Epic Yarn was released on the Wii and I was personally confused by the lavish praise it received. It looked amazing, but the level design was boring to the point where I often felt like I was doing nothing more than moving left to right with no challenge whatsoever. I enjoy easy games and appreciate Kirby's efforts to be a game made with younger players in mind, but Epic Yarn was just bland. Outside of its visuals, it lacked the creativity of past Kirbys, and especially future Kirbys like Triple Deluxe and Planet Robobot, which are among my favorites.

For the 3DS re-release, Extra Epic Yarn, a new hard Devilish Mode has been added, and while it doesn't make the level designs more interesting, it does add some much-needed danger to the experience. You can choose Devilish Mode at the start of each level and it gives Kirby health (which he doesn't have on the standard mode) and makes a demonic little yarn monster follow Kirby around and drop bombs on him, fire arrows at him, or just try to hit him with a quick dash. It reminds me of the Angry Sun from Super Mario Bros. 3 acting like a persistent threat that can kill you any time, forcing you restart the level. Devilish Mode makes boss fights especially difficult by giving the confrontations some urgency, which makes them more engaging.

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

Beating levels on Devilish Mode also gives you additional pieces to decorate your home, which is a nice bonus. In order to get every unlockable offered by Devilish Mode, you must beat each level with full health, which makes relplaying the more difficult levels worthwhile. It functions similarly to trying to beat levels in Yoshi's Island with all 30 seconds in your pocket.

Despite loving the yarn aesthetic, I still look back on Epic Yarn as one of the weaker Kirby games in his library, but Devilish Mode does improve the experience. The level design still bores me, but with Devilish Mode I at least have to pay more attention to what I am doing in order to get to the finish line.

Another week, another victory lap for Respawn Entertainment. In the month since Apex Legend's launch, the game's audience has grown by leaps and bounds.

As this handy chart points out,  Apex Legends' audience growth has already reached 50 million players within the span of a month. It took Fortnite four months to reach 45 million players. While some of this growth difference is obviously the result of the proliferation of the battle-royale genre among a mainstream audience since Fortnite Battle Royale's release, it still shows that Respawn's stab at battle royale has cemented its place in the field.

Thank you to the 50 million players that have shown up in the first month since Apex Legends launched! You have all made this something special and there's much more to come! pic.twitter.com/EoDcjF5q9E

— Vince Zampella (@VinceZampella) March 4, 2019

For more on Apex Legends, check out our review and tips for the game.

Some fans didn't take to Trine 3 because of its length and attempt at 3D gameplay, but developer Frozenbyte says that Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince returns the series to the 2.5D gameplay that made it famous.

The game also reunites fans with the franchise's three heroes, tasking them with defeating the evil unleashed by Prince Selius' waking nightmares, via a new combat system as well as physics-based environmental puzzles. The Nightmare Prince also includes four-player co-op (local and online), new skills, and more.

In other Trine news, Frozenbyte has announced Trine: Ultimate Collection, featuring all the games in the series and extras such as a physical map of the world, a code for a digital artbook, a reversible cover sheet, and a soundtrack download code.

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

If you're wondering what games are coming up in 2019, we've put them all in one convenient location. This list will be continually updated to act as a living, breathing schedule as new dates are announced, titles are delayed, and big reveals happen. This should help you plan out your next several months in gaming and beyond.

New additions or changes to the list will be in bold.

As the gaming calendar is constantly changing, we highly recommend you bookmark this page. You'll likely find yourself coming back to this to find out the most recent release schedule for the most anticipated games across PC, consoles, handhelds, and mobile devices. If you notice that we've missed something, feel free to let us know! Please note that games will not get assigned to a month until they have confirmed release dates.

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

January

• Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (3DS) – January 11
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Switch) – January 11
• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – January 11
• Onimusha: Warlords (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – January 15
• The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3, Broken Toys (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – January 15
• YIIK: A Postmodern RPG (PS4, Switch, PC) – January 17
• Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PS4, Xbox One) – January 18
• Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes (Switch) – January 18
• At the Gates (PC) – January 23
• Life is Strange 2 Episode 2: Rules (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – January 24
• Resident Evil 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – January 25
• Genesis Alpha One (PS4, Xbox One, PC ) – January 29
• Kingdom Hearts III (PS4, Xbox One) – January 29
• Penguin Wars (PS4) – January 29
• Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy (Switch) – January 29

Metro Exodus

February

• Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PC) – February 1
• Wargroove (Switch) – February 1
• Etrian Odyssey: Nexus (3DS) – February 5
• The Occupation (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – February 5
• BlazBlue: Central Fiction (Switch) – February 7
• God Eater 3 (PS4, PC) – February 8
• Monster Energy Supercross 2 (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – February 8
• The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince(PS4, Switch) – February 12
• Trials Rising (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – February 12
• Tetris 99 (Switch) – February 13
• Final Fantasy IX (Xbox One, Switch) – February 13
• Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (PC) – February 14
• Crackdown 3 (Xbox One, PC) – February 15
• Metro Exodus (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – February 15
• Far Cry: New Dawn (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – February 15
• Jump Force (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – February 15
• Yakuza Kiwami (PC) – February 19
• Anthem (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – February 22
• Dirt Rally 2.0 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – February 26
• The Lego Movie 2 (PS4, Switch, Xbox One ) – February 26
• Stellaris: Console Edition (PS4, Xbox One) – February 26
• Deltarune (PS4, Switch) – February 28

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

March

• Awesome Pea (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Vita) – March 1
• Creepy Road (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – March 1
• Dawn of Man (PC) – March 1
• Dead or Alive 6 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 1
• ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – March 1
• Treasure Stack (Xbox One, Switch) – March 1
• Black Desert (Xbox One) – March 4
• Doom & Destiny (PS4) – March 4
• Beat Cop (Switch) – March 5
• Left Alive (PS4, PC) – March 5
• The Occupation (PS4, Xbox One) – March 5
• Pillar (Switch) – March 5
• RBI Baseball 19 (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – March 5
• Unknown Fate (Switch) – March 5
• Total War: Three Kingdoms (PC) – March 7
• Valley (Switch) – March 7
• Devil May Cry 5  (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 8
• Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn (3DS) – March 8
• Monument Builders Rushmore (Switch) – March 8
• The Caligula Effect: Overdose (PS4, Switch, PC) - March 12
• The Legend of Heroes: Trials of Cold Steel – Decisive Edition (PS4) – March 12
• Lego Marvel Collection (PS4, Xbox One) – March 12
• MX Vs ATV All Out: Anniversary Edition (PS4, Xbox One) – March 12
• Truberbrook (PC, Mac) – March 12
• RICO (Switch) – March 14
• Blood Waves (Switch) – March 15
• The Division 2  (PS4, Xbox One, PC) –  March 15
• One Piece: World Seeker (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 15
• American Ninja Warrior Challenge (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – March 19
• Fate Extella Link (PS4, Switch) – March 19
• SNK 40th Anniversary Collection (PS4, Switch) – March 19
• Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy (PS4, Switch) – March 20
• Peasant Knight (Switch) – March 22
• Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 22
• Unravel 2 (Switch) – March 22
• Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland (PS4, Switch) – March 26
• Danganronpa Trilogy (PS4) – March 26
• Dragon: Marked for Death (Switch) – March 26
• Final Fantasy VII (Xbox One, Switch) – March 26
• Generation Zero (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 26
• MLB The Show 19 (PS4) – March 26
• Nelke & The LEgendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World (PS4, Switch) – March 26
• The Princess Guide (PS4, Switch) – March 26
• The Walking Dead: The Final Season: Episode 4 (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – March 26
• Yoshi's Crafted World (Switch) – March 29
• Tropico 6 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 29
• Assassin's Creed III Remastered/Liberation Remastered (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – March 29
• American Ninja Warrior (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – March 31

Days Gone

April

• Bomber Crew: Complete Edition (PS4, Switch) – April 2
• Darksiders: Warmastered Edition (Switch) – April 2
• Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission (Switch, PC) – April 5)
• Dangerous Driving (PS4, Xbox One) – April 9
• Neo Atlas 1469 (Switch) – April 9
• Shovel Knight Showdown (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Mac) – April 9
• Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain (PS4) – April 11
• Anno 1800 (PC) – April 16
• Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (Xbox One, Switch) – April 16
• Tanks Meet Zombies (Switch) – April 16
• Wasteland 2 (Switch) – April 16
• Truberbrook (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – April 17
• Our World Is Ended (PS4) – April 19
• Mortal Kombat 11 (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – April 23
• Days Gone (PS4) – April 26
• BoxBoy + BoxGirl (Switch) – April 26
• Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (Xbox One, Switch) – April 30

Team Sonic Racing

May

• The Legend of Heroes: Trials of Cold Steel II (PS4) – May 7
• A Plague Tale: Innocence (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – May 14
• Rage 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – May 14
• Steven Universe: Save the Light & OK K.O.! Bundle (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – May 17
• Team Sonic Racing (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC ) – May 21
• Assassin's Creed III Remastered/Liberation Remastered (Switch) – May 21
• Labis x Labyrinth XL Limited Edition (PS4, Switch) – May 31

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

June

• The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – June 4
• Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth (3DS) – June 4
• Warhammer: Chaosbane (PS4, Xbox One, PC) – June 4
• Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (PS4, Xbox One, Switch) – June 21

July

• Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers (PS4, PC) – July 2
• Dragon Quest Builders 2 (PS4, Switch) – July 12
• Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch) – July 26

Shenmue III

August

• Shenmue III (PS4, PC) – August 27
• Astral Chains (Switch) – August 30

September

• Catherine: Full Body (PS4) – September 3

Gears 5

2019 Without Confirmed Dates

• Ace Attorney Trilogy (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
• Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Animal Crossing (Switch)
• Babylon's Fall (PS4, PC)
• Battletoads (Xbox One, PC)
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
• Code Vein (PS4, Xbox One)
• Concrete Genie (PS4)
• Control (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Daemon x Machina (Switch)
• Dangerous Driving (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Digimon Survive (PS4, Switch)
• Dragon Quest XI S (Switch)
• Dreams (PS4)
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered (PS4, Switch)
• Gears 5 (Xbox One, PC)
• Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (Switch)
• Indivisible (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
• Judgment (PS4)
• Journey to the Savage Planet (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Lapis x Labyrinth (PS4, Switch)
• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch)
• Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)
• Man of Medan (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Mario Kart Tour (iOS, Android)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (Switch)
• MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (PC)
• MediEvil (PS4)
• Minecraft: Dungeons (PC)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox One, PC)
• The Outer Wilds (PC)
• Outer Worlds (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Pokémon (Switch)
• Psychonauts 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• RPG Maker MV (PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
• Samurai Shodown (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Skull & Bones (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order (Unknown)
• Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)
• The Surge 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Town (Switch)
• Twin Mirror (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
• Two Worlds III (Unknown)
• Untitled Goose Game (Switch, PC)
• Wolfenstein: Young Blood (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
• Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (PS4)

One of Devil May Cry V's stranger features is one that will be included with the Deluxe Version of the game. In the menus, there is a setting that will let you replace all the game's cutscenes with the pre-visualization versions. It's part cosplay, part mo-cap, part cheap cardboard minuatures, and all weird. You can get a taste of what it will look like in the video above.

Devil May Cry V is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on March 8.