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Wreaking Havoc In Deliver At All Costs, Raising Cows in Cattle Country, And More New Games We Played This Month

30 May 2025 - Marcus Stewart

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/fa901e9b/deliveratallcosts-2.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> Believe it or not, we play a lot of games here at Game Informer, but it isn’t always easy getting our hands on everything, let alone finishing them and writing a proper review. We’re always looking for more ways to point readers towards the most interesting games available – especially those that could easily slip through the cracks – so we’ve created Spotlight to highlight the cool games we’ve been dabbling with recently that we believe may be worth your time. We love chatting with each other about the games we check out each day, and we want to add you to the conversation. Here is a selection of noteworthy titles some of the editors have been sampling and want to shout out. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/a45c2222/to_a_t_class.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>To a T</h2>Release: May 28 - Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PCTo a T (pronounced ‘To-a-Tee”) is the goofy brainchild of Katamari creator Keita Takahashi. It stars a child whose arms are permanently extended sideways, giving him a T-pose. The crux of the story revolves around the challenges of living a normal life this way and attending public school for the first time.Many interactions are simple dexterity tests, such as holding down different button combinations while using the analog stick to independently control the protagonist’s arms to grip and move objects. Interactions range from inoffensive to mundane to tedious, and you’ll spend each day doing basic exercises like getting dressed and brushing your teeth to playing simple rhythm or Simon Says mimic games. These diversions are usually quick, but they’re not the most exciting offerings. The humor overall has been hit and miss, and the conversations range from charming to incomprehensible in an absurdist way.The game is presented as a TV show, divided into episodes bookended by the same beginning and end theme song, and the protagonist regularly addresses the player like they’re Dora the Explorer. I’m a few episodes in, but my biggest disappointment is that, thus far, it doesn’t seem like living life in a T-pose is all that difficult for the character. While it’s interesting to see how he writes with an extra long pencil and is occasionally picked on in school, they largely have life figured out. I hoped the fun of the game would be “how does this kid get through doors?”, but they’ve already solved these simple issues long before the game begins. I’d hoped for more interesting puzzles exploring that concept, but from what I’ve seen so far, you’re doing basic interactions with more inconvenient mechanics. I’ll stick with the game just for the weird vibes, but I’m lukewarm on it for now. – Marcus Stewart <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/125c578f/cattlecountry1.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>Cattle Country</h2>Release: May 27 - Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PCStardew Valley continues to be supported with new content, but if you’re looking for something with a similar vibe, Cattle Country from Castle Pixel (the studio behind the strong Zelda-like series Blossom Tales) might be up your alley. Your character escapes the hustle and bustle of city life to start a cattle ranch in the countryside. While early hours see you introducing yourself to your new neighbors and planting beginner crops, the story eventually opens up to include raising cattle, developing relationships with romanceable characters, diving deep into mines in search of precious minerals, casting your line in hopes of landing a big fish, hunting for food, and even fighting off bandits with your trusty pistol.There’s still so much for me to see in Cattle Country, so I’m hesitant to give it a whole-hearted recommendation, but I’m enjoying the fledgling experiences Castle Pixel has delivered to me in the first few gameplay sessions. My ranch may still be modest at this juncture, but I’m fully invested in seeing where this journey takes my character and his new town. – Brian Shea <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/db8a4b81/deliveratallcosts-1.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>Deliver At All Costs</h2>Release: May 22 - Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PCWith Grand Theft Auto VI on everyone’s mind, Deliver At All Costs feels like a modern throwback to that series’ early days, specifically GTA and GTA II. As a newly hired delivery driver in the late 1950s, you’re tasked with fulfilling absurd and dubious delivery requests. This includes transporting a live marlin that you must first paint white to give it a false albino appearance, or carrying fireworks that ignite as you drive, turning you into a mobile Fourth of July celebration. Driving controls feel great, and the overhead view provides a good look at the absolute carnage you’ll wreak.Deliver At All Costs shines most in its impressive destructibility. Everything in the city can be smashed to smithereens; I love leveling multi-story buildings by plowing through them in my truck, or sending the invincible ragdoll citizens flying into light poles and through fences. Driving around the open sandbox is dumb fun in its purest form. Collecting money, resources, and blueprints to craft upgrades to your car, like a crane to pick up objects, spices up the chaotic action. I have plenty left to play before giving it a full recommendation, but so far I’m reveling in my new gig as the world’s most destructive delivery boy – Marcus Stewart. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/45a02e5c/despelote-1.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>Despelote</h2>Release: May 1 - Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PCOne of the best things a game can do is expose me to places I previously had limited knowledge of. As someone largely unfamiliar with the culture of Ecuador, Despelote offers an enlightening slice-of-life look at the country in 2001 through the lens of soccer. As a young soccer-obsessed child, you’ll experience life during an exciting few months for Ecuador as its national soccer team makes a surprise run to qualify to compete in its first World Cup.As you explore your neighborhood in first-person, often kicking around a soccer ball, you’ll disobey your parents, goof off with friends, and annoy your teachers as your fantasies of becoming a star soccer player override your responsibilities. Seeing how the mere hope of a World Cup appearance uplifts an entire society is fascinating, even for someone like me who isn’t into sports at all. Although I enjoyed the narrative, the gameplay falls short due to vague objectives, making it tricky to know what to do next or how to proceed. But Despelote’s brevity (around 90 minutes) makes a breezy playthrough, and combined with the striking art direction, I’m glad I took the time to enjoy this interactive semi-autobiographical tale. - Marcus Stewart

Hell Is Us Hands-On Impressions – Show, Don't Tell

30 May 2025 - Marcus Stewart

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: Nacon Developer: Rogue Factor Release: <time datetime="2025-09-04T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">September 4, 2025</time> Rating: Mature

“Often people ask me, ‘How would you describe the game? What kind of game is it?’”, muses Rogue Factor creative and art director Jonathan Jacques Belletête. “It's just a good old adventure game like back in the days, you know? It's like [when] you booted up Zelda: Link to the Past. You didn't question it.”After playing a few hours of Hell is Us, in which I explored contemporary-looking European villages and countrysides laden with seemingly alien ancient temples and inhuman monstrosities, I think players will raise quite a few questions. And those mysteries are what make this upcoming action-adventure game so alluring. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/389b3bb5/hiu_presstour_2025_18.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> Hell is Us is the debut title from Rogue Factor, a small Montreal-based studio led by Jonathan Jacques Belletête, who previously spent years working at Ubisoft as the art director for the Deus Ex franchise. The game stars Rémi, a soldier born in Hadea, a fictional European nation torn apart by war. For years, the country has isolated itself from the world, meaning no one can enter, and its inhabitants can’t leave. However, Rémi’s parents managed to smuggle him out of the country as a baby, hoping he could live a better life abroad. Rémi is sent to Canada and grows up living in a variety of foster homes. While he’s had it objectively better than his people in Hadea, he’s grown up with a sense of abandonment without his family, which has plagued him with questions. Who were his parents? Where are they now? Are they even still alive?Fast forward to 1993, and this yearning for answers burns a hole in the now-adult Rémi large enough to spur him to accept a peacekeeping mission in a country neighboring Hadea. He uses this opportunity to go AWOL and sneak into his homeland. While he manages to get in, he jumps from the frying pan into the fire. First off, he has next to no information on his parents to go on, so tracking them down will be extremely difficult. Moreover, Hadea is in the grip of a brutal civil war that has raged for two years at this point. But the most unexpected and terrifying development is the presence of a powerful, otherworldly threat that has seemingly swept the nation. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/ff108951/hiu_presstour_2025_14.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> Rémi’s lack of information means he’ll need to glean details wherever he can find them. This search for answers represents the core of Hell is Us; handing players the reins to figure things out on their own. Belletête and his team grew up loving adventure games from the ‘90s, particularly in how they tended to trust players to solve problems without holding their hands too much. Belletête believes many modern triple-A games have become so obsessed with attracting a broad player base that they’ve become overly guided in their approach.Belletête calls this approach “silver plattering”, describing how modern games hand-deliver the answers with minimal effort from the player. As a result, he believes truly great level design is less emphasized; why bother when an omnipresent arrow tells players exactly where to go? “If you think about visuals in most games, they're there to be pretty and to support the themes, right?” says Belletête. “But they're not really there to tell you what you're supposed to do or how to decipher certain things.”With Hell is Us, Belletête wants to emphasize what he calls “player plattering”: trusting that players are smart and savvy enough to figure things out on their own. That means designing strong levels and puzzles that encourage careful observation, creating a greater sense of immersion in the space. Pushing players to rely more on their wits highlights Hell is Us’ primary mantra: Knowledge is power, but it has to be earned. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/6438f25e/hiu_presstour_2025_19.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>Searching For Answers</h2>My demo begins in Senedra Forest, one of Hadea’s several large open hubs. Hell is Us is not a true open-world game, but you’d be fooled into thinking so, looking at the map, which features many locations. There are no map markers, no quest journals telling you exactly what you should be doing. Rémi’s only tip is a keepsake pointing to a village called Jova, but he has no clue where that is. After taking a short stroll on a forest road, I locate a small house owned by an elderly farmer. I don’t know his name; he hasn’t told me that yet. I have to ask him for such details, highlighting one of the game’s most prominent elements: investigations.During conversations, you can ask characters questions about a specific investigation and more general inquiries, such as their insights on Hadea as a whole or the civil war. These answers may yield new information on these subjects, so it's worth getting their perspectives. Each investigation has a flow chart in the menu, which tracks various mysteries tied to it. Clues, whether a person, item, or event, have a section on the chart updated with new info as you learn more about them. A person, for example, has categories that gradually fill out, such as their location, a general description of them, a list of key facts, and the investigation they’re tied to.The old timer introduces himself as Ernest Caddell. I ask Ernest if he knows how to reach Jova, and he replies by stating it’s in Acasca Marshes, “quite a ways” from where we are. Ernest also mentions that I’ll need a vehicle to reach it. He doesn't have one, but a group of soldiers who recently arrived in an APC vehicle might. When I ask where the APC is parked, Ernest says it’s “just beyond the woods to the North”; I just need to follow the wind chimes, which lead the way through. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/5ac1eeac/hiu_presstour_2025_screenshot_13.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> In most games, this information would generate a map icon that I would simply follow. This would result in me staring at a waypoint on a minimap instead of observing my surroundings, which can detract from the immersion. The opposite is true in Hell is Us. Ernest’s directions are not flavor text trivialized by a magic arrow. You literally need to follow his instructions, meaning I have to determine which direction was north (Rémi thankfully has a compass) and head that way until I encounter the first wind chime, which I hear before I see. The subsequent chimes aren’t far apart, so it doesn’t take long to find my way to my destination. Even this simple exercise is far more engaging than watching my character icon inch closer to another dot on a minimap. It is a small example of how you can expect to explore Hadea.Gleaning information like this makes Hell is Us feel reminiscent of a classic point-and-click adventure game. For example, you collect clues and key items that, in addition to adding new information to your investigation flowcharts, can also be equipped to your hotkey item wheel for easy reference in-game. Speaking to NPCs is as much interrogation as conversation and becomes a lengthy affair as you wring as many leads out of them as possible. Belletête tells me the design similarities are intentional, as one of the primary inspirations for the investigative element is the 1997 Blade Runner adventure game by Westwood Studios, a game he describes as a “masterpiece.” That game features a complex system of following clues and leads, so Rogue Factor distilled that approach into a comparatively simplified format for Hell is Us to avoid the pitfalls of the adventure genre. Belletête may want players to flex their brains more, but he and Rogue Factor are conscious about ensuring the experience doesn’t become too obtuse or frustrating. While searching for leads, exploration can also uncover special items that trigger side quests called Good Deeds. One example is a gold watch I find that belongs to someone named Otis, whose name is engraved on the back. This adds a note to my log, though, like everything else, saying you’ll need to gather more intel to learn who and where Otis is, presenting another puzzle to chew on.Puzzle-solving is a significant element of Hell is Us. You can find puzzles all over the map, whether as smaller trials or more elaborate exercises, the latter of which I often encounter in the game’s dungeons. One optional riddle involves using a child’s message to locate a hidden stash of goodies by finding a path of landmarks that match the writer’s descriptions. A more involved exercise involves opening a door by rotating circular rings of symbols that are lined up in a specific order. Solving this conundrum requires studying carvings around my environment, with subtle clues pointing toward the appropriate sequence in which the rings must be organized. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/d060a1e1/hiu_presstour_2025_17.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> Belletête describes the puzzles on the main story path as manageable, except for two later game exercises he says “get pretty spicy.” Riddles off the beaten run the gamut of difficulty levels, which Belletête says are labeled internally as Very Easy, Normal, Very Hard, and “Reddit.” That last tier refers to puzzles so involved that they will likely require the player community to work out the solution together. Rogue Factor is still tuning and refining the difficulty of puzzles, but I’m curious to see just how demanding they can be.Exploring dungeons involves the standard fare of battling enemies, finding keys to open locked passages, and discovering critical and optional quest items. The dungeons I explore have an ancient alien vibe to their design; old, and very much not designed by human hands. Dungeons can be found all over the map, both big and small, and some require solving a riddle just to discover them. The reveal of one particular dungeon in an open marshland was especially impressive due to its cinematic nature and how its emergence transformed the surrounding environment. I can’t wait to poke around and find more hidden structures like these, sometimes right under players’ noses. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/c60bb398/hiu_presstour_2025_12.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>Combat Isn’t What It Looks Like</h2>Belletête describes Hell is Us as roughly an even split between exploration (which includes puzzle-solving) and combat. The third-person melee combat feels deliberate, with players using weapons such as a sword, polearm, or, my favorite, dual axes. Every swing forces you to commit to attack animations, meaning timing is key. Holding the attack button charges your weapon, unleashing a more powerful attack. The combat is solid but didn’t wow me initially, though unlocking skills allows you to perform fun special attacks, such as unleashing a whirlwind assault where Rémi spins frantically, mowing down everyone in his path. You can dodge or parry attacks, and actions are dictated by a stamina meter. Despite his average frame, Rémi feels like a tank; his weighty dodge rolls remind me of playing bulkier classes in a Souls game. Based on this description, you’d be forgiven for assuming Hell is Us is a Soulslike, especially when seeing it in action, but Belletête stresses this is not the case.“Making a third-person melee combat system nowadays, it's difficult to ignore certain vibes that From Software have brought to the table in the past 15 years,” says Belletête. “So there's some similarities there. Are we edging the line sometimes in some places? Maybe. But no, the intention is to be a lot more mid-core.” Combat can be tough, but a helpful assist can keep you in the fight. When attacking enemies, a glowing white ring will briefly appear around Rémi. Hitting a button when this happens allows you to regain a portion of lost health. Functionally, it works like an Active Reload in certain shooters (e.g., Gears of War), but instead of reloading ammo, you’re replenishing health, and the amount of which varies. Nioh 2 fans may recognize this as a take on the Ki Pulse stamina recovery system from that game, which Belletête confirms as a direct influence. It took a while to get accustomed to this system; in the heat of combat, I often forgot to use it and lost a lot of health I could have recovered. But it’s a helpful assist that adds another fun wrinkle to the often challenging melee duels.The primary enemies are otherworldly humanoid beings sporting milky white skin and gaping holes where a face or abdomen would be. They look like living abstract art sculptures. They come in various types, including one with giant wavy flaps on its back like it's wearing a fleshy wingsuit. Some also have the nasty habit of expelling bizarre kaleidoscopic entities of energy that double as standalone threats. These take many abstract shapes and sizes, often resembling living blown glass sculptures that vibrate as they emit spine-tingling shrieks and howls. They’re a stark contrast to their comparatively mundane-looking hosts.In my session, combat was generally more intimate, often pitting me against a single foe. Encounters become notably tougher when two or three threats enter the fray, so it helps that Rémi has a sidekick in the form of a drone. Although Hell is Us unfolds in the early ‘90s, drones exist in this alternate timeline, though this one does more than fly around. In combat, Rémi can command the drone to distract targeted foes, allowing players to flank them or to isolate them from a mob. This becomes extremely useful the further I venture in the game as I become increasingly ganged up on. Outside of battle, the drone aids exploration by acting as a flashlight in dark areas and scanning environmental elements for details, like deciphering mysterious wall symbols.  <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/6afcb7e8/hiu_presstour_2025_11.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> <h2>Keeping Players Engaged</h2>Hell is Us is a promising confluence of ideas. I enjoy the blend of Zelda-like dungeons, Elden Ring’s sense of discovery, and detective-style investigations and puzzle-solving. Despite the game’s emphasis on providing a less guided experience, I felt little friction figuring out where to go and what to do. I chalk that up to playing an earlier section of the roughly 20-hour main story path (thorough players can expect to spend around 40 hours overall), but it also speaks to how Rogue Factor has carefully shaved opaqueness from its intentionally challenging puzzle design. This makes even the simplest problem-solving feel more rewarding.After spending the last five years bringing Hell is Us to life, Belletête feels like he’s created the adventure of his dreams and is confident the team has at least a good game on its hands. Whether it’s a great game is up to players. But perhaps more than anything else, Belletête hopes Rogue Factor creates a consistently memorable and engaging experience.“It seems like it might be the type of game, and these are the ones that I really cherish, that once you're done with a session – not done with the game itself, just the session's finished – you turn off your console, you turn off your PC, it stays in your mind,” says Belletête. “...it seems that maybe it's a game that seems to have that aspect, that when people stop playing, it lingers with them a little bit. And if it really does that, to me, it's amazing.”Hell is Us launches on September 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.  <section class='type:slideshow'><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/8a0ce819/hiu_presstour_2025_16.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/6b2d58dc/hiu_presstour_2025_9.jpg'></figure></section>

I Don't Care About The Story Or Gameplay, Unless I Do

30 May 2025 - Wesley LeBlanc

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/09/39f11ffa/doom-thedarkages_art.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Doom: The Dark Ages gameplay story boring " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> Every single time someone who is not the Slayer appears on my screen in <a href="https://gameinformer.com/review/doom-the-dark-ages/believe-in-the-shield">Doom: The Dark Ages</a>, I feel ripped (and torn) out of the game. There are some Maykr alien guys, humans dressed like Viking warriors and sci-fi soldiers, and a whole lot of proper nouns about a heart and a prince from Hell not played by Adam Sandler. It’s not that any of it is inherently bad. As far as I can tell, the voice acting is solid, the cutscene cinematography is clean, and the art direction lines up with the rest of the game. I just can’t bring myself to care about the story at all, especially when it’s what paused my first-person demon-killing experience.That’s besides the point because I am still enjoying my time with id Software’s latest shooter. I’m enjoying the moment-to-moment gameplay so much that I truly don’t care about my thinking that the story is bad. Should I? If I were reviewing the game, perhaps it’s a point I mention, but even then, if it’s not affecting my enjoyment, does it matter? These are the ethereal questions spinning around in my brain as I play Doom: The Dark Ages. It has me thinking: I just simply don’t care about the story in a game, unless I do.To play devil’s advocate with myself, I thought about the flipside. A game whose story is so good that I don’t care about the gameplay. Unless I do. Until I did.<iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dLrLzuwWbCI" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>When I first started playing Citizen Sleeper back in 2022, I was immediately pulled in by its narrative premise. The idea of being a Sleeper, which is a synthetic body embedded with a consciousness of someone back on Earth that must work for a corporation, what that means in the context of this world, and what it means to be a Sleeper who is breaking out of the system it was meant to remain in, was fascinating to me. I was committed to hearing more of this tale, even if I found its gameplay confusing and boring at first. As I continued playing, though, the dice system began to click in my head, the relationship between the mechanics and the storytelling devices began to embrace each other, and before long, I was infatuated with the gameplay. It was like playing a great tabletop game, stress and randomness included. This packaged harmony emerged and ended with me giving the game a 9 out of 10 in my <a href="https://gameinformer.com/review/citizen-sleeper/a-sleeper-hit">review</a>. I didn’t care about the gameplay until I did.I’ve been thinking a lot about my Citizen Sleeper <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/citizen-sleeper-2-starward-vector/its-about-the-journey">review</a>, as I play through each chapter in Doom: The Dark Ages. I don’t think I’ll come around on the story, but I’m getting all the satisfaction of a great Doom game without it. Do I need (want) more? I don’t think so.There are plenty of other games I treat the same way. Just this year, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/monster-hunter-wilds/happy-hunting-playground">Monster Hunter Wilds</a> comes to mind. I love hunting monsters, collecting resources, and returning to camp to craft the next piece of my armor puzzle. I couldn’t tell you a name amongst the NPCs or what’s actually going on – no, my friends and I are too busy talking over chat for me to understand that. Of course, I could pull back from the conversation and take in the narrative Wilds is trying to deliver, but why? I’m getting the fun and satisfaction Capcom promised with Wilds without it.<iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHR-NtrgeNQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>Other notable inclusions include last year’s <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/dragons-dogma-2/on-the-shoulders-of-giants">Dragon’s Dogma 2</a>, the first Borderlands, <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/dying-light-2-stay-human/dying-light-2-stay-human-review-an-apocalyptic-renaissance">Dying Light 2</a>, and the <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/hitman-3/hitman-3-review-a-killer-conclusion">Hitman</a> games – admittedly, genre plays a major role. In Citizen Sleeper, my actions directly influence how the narrative unfolds. In Doom: The Dark Ages, the demons I shoot, the weapons I use, and the secrets I discover all lead to the same cutscene. How much does one aspect of a game matter over another? Is it a scale to 100 percent, perhaps? If 80 percent of my enjoyment is derived from the gameplay, does the story, music, visuals, and everything else only need to account for the remaining 20 percent, and vice versa?This line of thinking had me questioning so much about reviews and their purpose this past weekend as I shotgunned probably the thousandth demon in the face. What if someone who is more invested in the story of Doom: The Dark Ages reviewed the game and liked it considerably less? Their review could lead me to not giving this game a chance, and I’d be missing out on what has been, so far, a great FPS.I extrapolate further and ponder how many times I’ve missed a game because of a review where I took it on face value and didn’t consider how said reviewer arrived at their feelings, didn’t consider their “ratio,” as it were. I take another step, extrapolating even further, and question why I’m being so scientific about this thought experiment. It’s weird. I should stop.  Games are art. Sure, they’re commercial products meant to make business people happy, but ideally, a few select (or in a utopia, zero) people think about this so the rest of the team can focus on the art of it all. It doesn’t matter if the story is delivered poorly if it still works to wondrous results. FromSoftware takes the cake here. <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2024/05/21/826e990f/erdtreeheader.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> From Software's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree It doesn’t matter if a gameplay mechanic is poorly derived in-world if the mechanic feels good. Why are there so many things in the world of Doom: The Dark Ages meant to be hit by the Slayer’s shield? Why do my melee hits have ammo? Can Slayer not swing his arm a fourth time? I wrestle with these questions at times when thinking about a game, but I realize it’s often because the gameplay isn’t doing enough to put my mind at ease. I question why Slayer’s melee hits have a cooldown (and ammo pick-ups) because I don’t find the melee mechanic very satisfying. I don’t ask, however, where all the skulls for the new Pulverizer weapon, which shreds skulls into ammo, come from because I don’t care. The mechanic, the act of using the Pulverizer, is so great, so satisfying, that I don’t need the explanation. The fun outweighs the mystery behind its logic.I don’t care about a game’s story if the gameplay succeeds so much that I simply don’t need it to keep me moving forward. And I don’t care about the gameplay if the story is gripping enough that I’ll flip to the next page (or reach the next checkpoint, as it were) regardless of what it takes mechanically to do so.In other words, I don’t care about the story or the gameplay, unless I do. Until I do. I'd love to know what games you love that have a poor story but great gameplay or vice versa! Let me know in the comments below!

Elden Ring Nightreign Patch Coming Next Week To Make Solo Expeditions Easier

30 May 2025 - Wesley LeBlanc

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/335ebd71/er7.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> <a href="https://gameinformer.com/product/elden-ring-nightreign">Elden Ring Nightreign</a> launched today and in less than 24 hours, <a href="https://gameinformer.com/2025/05/30/elden-ring-nightreign-hits-2-million-players-in-just-one-day">the game already has 2 million players</a>. While it is designed as a three-player co-op roguelite experience, you can also play Nightreign solo… but it’s really, really hard. Fortunately, From Software is listening to players and releasing a patch next week to make solo expeditions easier.The studio announced this patch on the <a href="https://x.com/ELDENRING/status/1928436889293345246">official Elden Ring X account</a>, stating Patch 1.02 arrives next week and includes several bug fixes and improvements for solo expeditions. As for what to expect, From Software <a href="https://x.com/ELDENRING/status/1928436890924884471">says</a> the effect, “Automatic Revival Upon Defeat,” which allows revival once per night boss battle, will be added to solo expeditions, and the amount of runes gained will be increased.<iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pRhcXR-1SeY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>This should make the entire experience easier for solo players, as increased runes will allow them to level up faster. And having the ability to revive once per night boss battle will give players more of a fighting chance in Nightreign’s various fights. From Software says further details about Patch 1.02 will be provided next week.In the meantime, read <a href="https://gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring-nightreign/encapsulating-efficiency">Game Informer’s Elden Ring Nightreign review</a> and then check out <a href="https://gameinformer.com/tips-tricks/2025/05/29/elden-ring-nightreign-beginner-tips-and-tricks">Game Informer’s beginner tips and tricks for Elden Ring Nightreign</a>. After that, read about how an <a href="https://gameinformer.com/2025/05/23/elden-ring-live-action-movie-in-the-works-with-ex-machina-annihilation-director-alex">Elden Ring live-action movie</a> is in the works and is <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/05/29/alex-garlands-elden-ring-film-will-reportedly-star-heartstoppers-kit-connor">circling Heartstopper’s Kit Connor as the lead</a>.Have you tried a solo expedition in Elden Ring Nightreign? Let us know how you did in the comments below!

Elden Ring Nightreign Hits 2 Million Players In Just One Day

30 May 2025 - Wesley LeBlanc

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/e5a6dc8c/er1.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/product/elden-ring-nightreign">Elden Ring Nightreign</a> hasn't even been out for 24 hours, and it's already putting up some impressive player count numbers. According to a new <a href="https://x.com/BandaiNamcoUS/status/1928454864767463925">post</a> on X by publisher Bandai Namco, 2 million players jumped into Nightreign on its first day, which is technically today, although the game launched for some yesterday, depending on region.  <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/30/8153ca14/Elden%20Ring%20Nightreing%202%20Million%20Players.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" alt class="image-style-body-default"> That's an impressive feat for any game, but not all that surprising for a spin-off of the uber-popular <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/product/elden-ring">Elden Ring</a>, which <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/04/28/elden-ring-celebrates-30-million-copies-shipped">surpassed 30 million copies shipped</a> last month. Despite featuring "Elden Ring" in the title, Nightreign differs from its predecessor. Instead of a single-player action-RPG focused on exploration, mystery, and overcoming challenges, Nightreign is a three-player co-op roguelite spin on Elden Ring about min-maxing efficiency in each run. <iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pRhcXR-1SeY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>It's a great time, and you can read about why in <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring-nightreign/encapsulating-efficiency">Game Informer's Elden Ring Nightreign review</a>. After that, check out <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/tips-tricks/2025/05/29/elden-ring-nightreign-beginner-tips-and-tricks">Game Informer's beginner tips and tricks for Elden Ring Nightreign</a>, and then read about how <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/05/23/elden-ring-live-action-movie-in-the-works-with-ex-machina-annihilation-director-alex">an Elden Ring live-action movie is in the works</a> and is <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/05/29/alex-garlands-elden-ring-film-will-reportedly-star-heartstoppers-kit-connor">circling Heartstopper's Kit Connor as the lead</a>. Are you playing Elden Ring Nightreign? Let us know in the comments below!

A Special Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Live Event Will Feature Kojima, New Gameplay, And More

30 May 2025 - Wesley LeBlanc

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2024/01/31/16344733/ds2_09.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Death Stranding 2 On the Beach world tour stop los angeles june 8 livestream " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> Earlier this month, Kojima Productions announced that it is gearing up for a <a href="https://www.kojimaproductions.jp/en/death-stranding-world-strand-tour-2">global world tour</a> to celebrate the launch of <a href="https://gameinformer.com/product/death-stranding-2-on-the-beach">Death Stranding 2: On The Beach</a>, which launches on PlayStation 5 on June 26. The studio has revealed more <a href="https://www.kojimaproductions.jp/death-stranding-2-game-premiere">details</a> about what to expect, at least during the first tour stop on June 8 in Los Angeles, California.The Los Angeles event will be hosted by <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/05/26/the-2025-summer-showcase-schedule">Summer Games Fest</a> and Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley at the Orpheum Theater. Death Stranding 2 director Hideo Kojima will join Keighley live on stage to celebrate the game’s upcoming launch with “a panel discussion with special guests and an exclusive live demonstration” of Death Stranding 2.Limited tickets will be available for those wishing to attend in person, but the event will also be livestreamed, making it possible for anyone to watch. The show will begin at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on June 8 via the YouTube stream embedded below:<iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gOV2Rx-ncxM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>After the June 8 tour stop, Kojima Productions will visit other locations, such as Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, London, Seoul, and more, throughout June and through November.While waiting for the June 8 event, catch up on <a href="https://gameinformer.com/product/death-stranding-2-on-the-beach">Game Informer’s Death Stranding 2 coverage </a>after a recent hands-on preview with the game at Kojima Productions in Tokyo:<ul><li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/preview/2025/05/08/building-a-stronger-connection">Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Hands-On Preview: Building a Stronger Connection</a></li><li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/preview/2025/05/08/how-death-stranding-2s-interactive-encyclopedia-helps-players-make-sense-of-the">How Death Stranding 2's Interactive Encyclopedia Helps Players Make Sense of the Lord and Narrative</a></li><li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/preview/2025/05/08/death-stranding-2s-improved-combat-channels-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain">Death Stranding 2's Improved Combat Channels Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain in the Best Way</a></li><li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/preview/2025/05/08/death-stranding-2s-new-progression-systems-encourage-flexibility-and-reward">Death Stranding 2's New Progression Systems Encourage Flexibility and Reward Every Approach</a></li><li><a href="https://gameinformer.com/preview/2025/05/08/death-stranding-2-lets-you-create-monorails-and-transport-animals">Death Stranding 2 Lets You Create Monorails and Transport Animals</a></li></ul>Are you excited for Death Stranding 2: On The Beach? Let us know in the comments below!

Here Are The Things We Wish We Knew About Elden Ring Nightreign Before Playing

29 May 2025 - Wesley LeBlanc

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/8b9193e4/er9.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/product/elden-ring-nightreign">Elden Ring Nightreign</a> is almost here! It launches tomorrow, with new From Software-designed bosses and challenges to take on in The Lands Between. Though it retains the From Software action at its core, it’s a roguelite experience, meaning it plays unlike anything the studio has made before. As such, this game has lots of “new” to pick up on. Fortunately for you, my colleague Alex Van Aken and I (read my<a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring-nightreign/encapsulating-efficiency" target="_blank"> 8 out of 10 review here</a>) have put more than 60 hours into the game, and we’ve rounded up the best beginner tips and tricks for anyone jumping into Elden Ring Nightreign. <h2>Elden Ring Nightreign: Beginner Tips and Tricks</h2> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/66f8c3c7/Elden%20Ring%20Key%20Art.jpeg" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default"> <ul><li>All armament attributes and buffs affect your character, EVEN WHEN UNEQUIPPED<ul><li>Notice those caps? We can't emphasize this point enough. Every weapon you pick up features unique buffs and effects, ranging from things like increased ranged or holy damage to increased attack under specific circumstances. For the most part, these effects will be applied to your character as long as the armament is in one of your item slots.</li><li>The exception to this rule is any armament with a red hand symbol attached to an effect in its description. If you see this red hand, it means you must have it equipped and in use to receive the effect. You'll know it's working because you'll see a white hand symbol instead of the red hand when it's utilized.</li></ul></li><li>Get to Level 2 quickly – it makes a massive difference.<ul><li>When you land, you will pretty much always drop into Limveld by a small camp that's not marked on the map. Defeat all of the enemies here and head to the nearest Site of Grace to level up. Reaching Level 2 requires very few Runes, and the difference between Level 1 and Level 2 is massive – it's the difference you'll need to take on the points of interest actually marked on your map.</li></ul></li><li>If you can level up, a flashing light-blue arrow will appear next to the level indicator in the top left corner of your UI.<ul><li>It's also a great idea to memorize how many Runes are needed to go from Level X to Level Y so you can do the mental calculations on the fly.</li></ul></li><li>Use spectral trees to fly around the map quickly.<ul><li>On your map, you will see blue spectral trees with wind-like streams flowing out of them. The wind stream indicates the direction this tree will take you, and interacting with the tree in-world will cause a spectral eagle to pick you up and, if you don't touch anything, drop you off at the end of the wind stream path on the map. You can use the on-screen button prompts to either descend quickly with the eagle or have it drop you altogether.</li></ul></li></ul> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/e5a6dc8c/er1.jpg" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default"> <ul><li>When using the spectral tree eagles, don't touch your left stick.<ul><li>Doing so will throw the eagle off its flight path, leading to a quick end for your flight.  Don't press anything to travel the full distance.</li></ul></li><li>Another great way to traverse the map quickly is via Slipstream Jumps.<ul><li>On your map, these jumps look like blue flames, and when you reach them in-world, that's what they look like too. Hop into them and press the jump button to launch into the air. You can direct where you land using the analog sticks – these jumps are useful for climbing up cliffs quickly, reaching new areas, or pulling off u-turns mid-air to get somewhere else. You can also use them to cover distance quickly, which is especially useful for escaping the storm.</li></ul></li><li>Visit churches to increase your flask charge count.<ul><li>On your map, you will see orange-gold churches. Visit these to increase your flash count by one. After visiting a church, its symbol on your map will turn grey, indicating that you've already obtained the flask charge increase there.</li></ul></li><li>When you reach a church, your character will also be fully healed when accepting the additional flask.<ul><li>This is a great thing to keep in mind if you have to head into the storm to reach a church, as your health will be restored, giving you more of a fighting chance against the storm's damage.</li></ul></li><li>Use your Evergaol Keys on Day One.<ul><li>Using an Evergaol Key to open an Evergaol on the map will spawn a random boss to fight. If you do this on Day One, the boss will only have half of its health, which you'll notice when you see half of its health bar greyed out. If you open an Evergaol on Day Two, the boss will have two-thirds of its health, making it a tougher fight.</li></ul></li><li>Most points of interest have multiple entry points.<ul><li>Utilize these different entrances to take down points of interest quicker, like the basements of castles and forts.</li></ul></li></ul> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/404d57da/er5.jpg" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default"> <ul><li>If you see the merchant that looks like the Equillibrious Beast (colloquially known as Libra), speak to it.<ul><li>It offers bargains, such as giving you a "powerful weapon" at the cost of two levels (trust me: it isn't worth it because I received a grey weapon from this once and it was devastating) or boosting dexertity at the cost of limited FP (an excellent choice for the Ironeye, who has a Dexerity affinity and little use for FP).</li></ul></li><li>Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's worth it to complete the Shifting Earth events on the map.<ul><li>These will unlock as you beat more Nightlord bosses, and you won't have one on the map until you beat the first Nightlord boss. The first one you'll unlock is the volcano event, and it's one of the best to complete. Heading down into the volcanic area leads to a fight against a Magma Wyrm. Defeating this boss gives you an upgrade that takes any weapon of any rarity to Legendary (gold) status. The other events are great too, like the Scarlet Rot Forest, which features a blessing that yields an immunity to Scarlet Rot, increased HP, and activates a health mechanic similar to Bloodborne's Rally mechanic.</li></ul></li><li>Complete the Remembrances.<ul><li>These will unlock the longer you play each Nightfarer, and they are specialized quests for each character. Only one person in a trio can have one active. The earlier quests require you to beat a special boss on the map, but later Rememberances require beating the final boss, which is much tougher. Either way, completing Rememberances gives you excellent character-specific Relics to equip.</li></ul></li><li>Always seek out points of interest marked with the elemental damage type that's effective against the Expedition's Nightlord.<ul><li>When selecting an expedition, you'll see what elemental damage type the Nightlord boss is weak to, noted by a symbol of the element next to "effective." You can also read the Nightlord's description for another hint about the effectiveness of this elemental damage.</li></ul></li></ul> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/37e1c8a8/er6.jpg" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default"> <ul><li>If you see a red spectre on their knees in Limveld with the item marker on it, interact with it to receive a bunch of loot.<ul><li>These are the spectres of other players who have died, and you can see which character they were playing as, and you’ll notice their loot is themed around that as well.</li><li>If you find an Ironeye spectre, for example, you’ll see that their weapons are marked with “The Ironeye’s Grief” or “The Ironeye’s Revenge.” If you’re playing Ironeye, you should pick these up as they directly increase Ironeye’s scaled affinities like Dexerity.</li></ul></li><li>Check back in with the Jar Merchant in the Roundtable Hold periodically.<ul><li>His shop updates throughout your journey to include additional Relics, such as character-specific ones, and more.</li></ul></li><li>After beating two Nightlord bosses (or in other words, successfully completing two Expeditions), head to the new mirror icon on the Roundtable Hold map.<ul><li>Here, you can purchase additional outfits for your Nightfarers using Merk, the same currency used to purchase things from the Jar Merchant.</li></ul></li><li>Upgrade grey rarity weapons to blue using Smithing Stones.<ul><li>You can find these basic Smithing Stones out in the world or by purchasing them from merchants scattered about the map for 6500 Runes. The upgrade bench is always by the merchant.</li></ul></li><li>Upgrade blue rarity weapons to purple using upgraded Smithing Stones.<ul><li>To find these special Smithing Stones, head into the mines on your map and sprint through until you find the Golem miniboss. Defeat it to receive the type of Smithing Stone needed to upgrade your blue rarity weapons to purple rarity.</li></ul></li><li>You can quickly mark items and places on the ground by holding Triangle/Y and pressing R3/RS.<ul><li>The corresponding symbol and color will indicate who on your team made the mark.</li></ul></li><li>If you run into the Flame Chariot world bosses, you can dispatch them extremely fast by double jumping onto their head and pressing R1/RB.<ul><li>When you double jump onto the top of their heads or nearby, pressing R1/RB should activate a critical hit (the same move that allows you to stab enemies in the back). This critical hit instantly kills them, which is faster than the critical hit achievable by stabbing the chariot drivers in the back. </li></ul></li></ul>And that's all of our beginner tips and tricks for you before heading into <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/product/elden-ring-nightreign">Elden Ring Nightrein</a>. For more, read <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring-nightreign/encapsulating-efficiency">Game Informer's Elden Ring Nightreign review</a>, and then <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/05/29/elden-ring-nightreigns-launch-trailer-summons-the-power-of-evanescence">check out this Elden Ring Nightreign launch trailer</a> that summons the power of Evanescence. If you have any tips or tricks not listed here, drop them in the comments below for your fellow Nightfarers heading into The Lands Between!

Alex Garland's Elden Ring Film Will Reportedly Star Heartstopper's Kit Connor

29 May 2025 - Charles Harte

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/27/586ce129/er3.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Elden Ring Nightreign Game Informer Review 8 10 " typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> Elden Ring is one of the most critically successful games of all time, and with a <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/04/28/elden-ring-celebrates-30-million-copies-shipped">whopping 30 million copies sold as of this April</a>, it's no wonder a movie studio is interested in adapting it to the big screen. Late last week, we learned that the studio in question would be A24 (Hereditary, Everything Everywhere All At Once) and it already had a director attached – Alex Garland, who has directed several projects with the studio, including this year's Warfare and last year's Civil War. Today, <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/05/elden-ring-alex-garland-warfare-kit-connor-the-dish-1236412868/'">Deadline reported</a> that an actor in the former project is set to star in Garland's Elden Ring film.<iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pRhcXR-1SeY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>Kit Connor is in talks to play the lead in the From Software adaptation, but no formal deal has been offered yet, according to Deadline. Given that players in the video game play as silent custom characters known as the Tarnished, it's likely Connor portrays one of them, though it's unclear what exactly that will look like. While he's known best for his role as Nick Nelson in the Netflix series Heartstopper, Connor is not a total stranger to performing in video game stories, portraying Lucas in 2022's A Plague Tale: Requiem.A24 had no comment on the report, according to Deadline, which is unsurprising, given that any potential deal has yet to go through. Given that the movie is still in its earliest phases, we likely won't expect it to release any time soon, assuming it gets made at all. While this movie was announced second, it will be interesting to see whether it beats <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/04/07/death-stranding-movie-lands-the-director-of-a-quiet-place-day-one">the Death Stranding adaptation</a> to the box office.We, like most gaming outlets, adored Elden Ring at release, <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring/absolutely-astonishing-adventure">granting it the rare Game Informer 10/10</a>. We were also <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree/an-emphatic-exclamation-point">big fans of its huge DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree</a>, and to a lesser extent, <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring-nightreign/encapsulating-efficiency">enjoyed Elden Ring Nightreign, which will launch tomorrow</a>. For more Elden Ring, you can read about how one of our editors declared it <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://www.gameinformer.com/feature/2025/05/12/the-worst-games-to-play-with-a-newborn-at-home">one of the worst games to play with a newborn at home</a>.[Source: <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/05/elden-ring-alex-garland-warfare-kit-connor-the-dish-1236412868/">Deadline</a>]What do you want to see in an Elden Ring film? Let us know in the comments!

EA Reveals College Football 26 Gameplay Additions And Improvements Alongside First Trailer

29 May 2025 - Marcus Stewart

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/859ebc00/collegefootball26_2.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="EA Sports College Football 26 trailer" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> EA Sports College Football 26 steps onto the gridiron on July 10, and EA has shared the first gameplay details after <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/2025/05/27/ea-sports-college-football-26-cover-athletes-and-release-date-revealed">revealing the cover athletes</a> yesterday. Players can expect over 2,700 new plays, a fresh roster of collegiate players and coaches, and other tweaks to last year’s modes and features.This year’s edition features 300 real-world coaches, including Dan Lanning, Kirby Smart, and James Franklin. Player types and abilities have been expanded with 84 total abilities and 10 new archetypes. Player fatigue and injuries can be managed without pausing the action and customized to fit your playstyle. Enhanced AI, dynamic play-calling adjustments, and improved blocking and coverages bolster the core gameplay.<iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sMGIfmAcNwA" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true"> </iframe>In terms of presentation and immersion, College Football 26 features a revamped Stadium Pulse system that introduces new crowd challenges such as clock distortion, extreme screen shake, and rattled HUDs in rivalry and playoff games. Players will hear over 160 new school-specific chants, 10 new PA tracks (including Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”), and well-known visuals like Texas Tech’s Double T Saddle Monument and Coastal Carolina’s King of Turnovers. The commentary team includes Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer, Desmond Howard, and David Pollack.This year’s Dynasty mode features expanded College Football Playoffs with cross-play support for Online Dynasty. New Dynamic Dealbreakers allow you to avoid player transfers, and you can upload your program using advanced Team Builder customization tools. Road to Glory, which lets you guide a high school student from rookie prospect to Heisman winner, returns, and you can continue your player’s journey in Madden NFL 26. Road to the College Football Playoff features a new online progression format to ensure every win matters.  EA Sports College Football launches on July 10 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. You can read our review of last year’s game <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/ea-sports-college-football-25/hail-mary">here</a>.  <section class='type:slideshow'><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/e188b6b0/collegefootball26_1.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/61653046/collegefootball26_7.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/55456f03/collegefootball26_5.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/63ac259d/collegefootball26_6.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/859ebc00/collegefootball26_2.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/29/9495d39f/collegefootball26_4.jpg'></figure></section>

The Game Informer Magazine Archive Expands

29 May 2025 - Matt Miller

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/05/28/c56ec1f8/giarchives.jpg" width="800" height="534" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /> Today, we’re happy to reveal an expansion to an already exciting perk we provide to Game Informer account holders.Since Game Informer’s return in March, we’ve offered a backlog archive of all our magazine issues going back to 2012. With today’s expansion of that archive, we’re now growing that archive to include all Game Informer magazine issues, going all the way back to issue number 1, first published in 1991.The expanded archive was put together with help from the <a href="https://gamehistory.org/">Video Game History Foundation</a>, the preeminent organization chronicling, celebrating, and teaching about the history of the video game medium. In particular, special thanks are due to the website <a href="https://www.retromags.com/">Retromags</a>, and fan scanner “bogusfrank,” whose efforts to track down issues and preserve gaming magazine history now help us access our own company’s history and share it with all of you.If you’re a student, teacher, or just an enthusiast for the growing legacy of the video game medium, we encourage you to explore the <a href="https://gamehistory.org/">Video Game History Foundation’s</a> substantial library.For our part, you can now navigate and track down individual issues and articles from Game Informer’s history right here on gameinformer.com by navigating to the <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/magazine-archive">magazine archive</a>. Read early game reviews. Discover cover stories for games before they went in new creative directions. Read interviews and profiles of gaming luminaries.In the coming months, we plan to surface specific legacy articles we believe are worth exploring. In the meantime, enjoy this new level of free access to the rich history of gaming we’ve covered over the last 34 years, and thank you for signing up for an account. New print and digital magazine subscriptions are coming very soon, and a Game Informer account, opted in to receive our newsletter, is your best window into securing early bird pricing.

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