Category: Video Games

Dev Behind the Scenes: Optimizing Guidus Zero for Xbox

Dev Behind the Scenes: Optimizing Guidus Zero for Xbox

  • Kim Gyeongha, MP Business Team, Com2us

Guidus zero key art

Summary

  • Learn how player feedback shaped the gameplay mechanics.
  • What improvements have been implemented for the console release.
  • Guidus Zero is out now on Xbox.

When bringing Guidus Zero to Xbox, we didn’t want to simply port the PC version. Our goal was to craft an experience that feels perfectly at home on an Xbox controller.

In the early builds, movement and attack were bound together in a simple structure. But as combat speed increased, this caused hand fatigue during extended play. To solve this, we separated movement and attack into distinct inputs—a small change that smoothed the battle rhythm and became the foundation of an immediate, responsive control system designed for Xbox.

Our vision was clear: every dodge and every strike had to feel just as sharp and instantaneous as on PC. Xbox players can look forward to fluid movement, precise button mapping, and a combat rhythm tuned specifically for the controller.

Guidus zero screenshot

Balancing Keyboard and Controller

One of our biggest challenges was ensuring that no matter which input method you use, the experience feels equally satisfying. For months, we fine-tuned responsiveness, button mapping, and input sensitivity to achieve balance.

We knew they could never feel exactly the same—but balance, not uniformity, was the goal. Each input method should feel different yet equally fun, with its own rhythm. On Xbox, this philosophy came together in a combat system that rewards both precision and intuition.

Guidus zero screenshot

Controls Shaped by Player Feedback

Community feedback played a huge role in shaping the Xbox version. By listening closely, we introduced several key improvements:

* Super Cancel for seamless flow: You can now cancel into movement from any attack. This makes every action flow together, opening up dynamic plays that let you strike and reposition fluidly.

* Piercing dodge for strategic escapes: Based on feedback that dodges felt too restrictive, dodging now covers two tiles and ignores enemy collision, giving you a powerful survival tool when surrounded.

* Dedicated button for thrust attacks: The critical Thrust move no longer requires complex inputs. It now has its own button, allowing you to unleash it instantly when the moment is right.

With this feedback implemented, Xbox playtesters responded that out of dozens of roguelikes they’ve played, the build and combat variety in Guidus Zero keeps pulling them back. Every movement feels meaningful, and the grid-based combat feels natural on a controller.

Guidus zero screenshot

Action That Rewards Mastery: [Learn from Your Runs]

The real achievement in Guidus Zero isn’t just stat growth or Artifact buffs—it’s the combat instinct and judgment you sharpen through every fight.

Just like learning a fighting game, every victory and defeat builds muscle memory and intuition. Over time, your hands will respond faster, your dodges will grow tighter, and your combos and cancels will flow more naturally. You’ll read enemies more easily and find that single tile of safety you once missed.

Eventually, you’ll find yourself making bolder, faster, and sharper decisions in the same situations that once held you back. With community-driven updates and full Xbox optimization—there’s no better time to descend into the Scar.

Guidus Zero launches today. Sharpen your instincts and uncover the truth that lies hidden in the abyss.


Guidus Zero

Guidus Zero

Com2uS Holdings Corporation

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★


$14.99

$11.99
Get it now

The Mysterious Sinkhole “Scar”

Long ago, during an era of racial wars fought to control the continent, a massive sinkhole suddenly appeared at its center.
Born for unknown reasons, what secrets does this mysterious sinkhole hold?
Join the famous explorers of the continent and dive into the unknown to uncover the secrets of the Scar.

Real-Time Grid-Based Action

Guidus Zero is a real-time grid-based roguelike game where you navigate the field in four directions.
Pay close attention to the positions of enemies and their attack ranges.
Time your moves precisely to dodge all enemy attacks and aim for a no-hit clear.

Spirit Power and Treasure Chests

While exploring the Scar, you will come across relics imbued with mystical powers and receive blessings from spirits that aid you in combat. Forge strong bonds with them to unleash even greater power.

Enemies Corrupted by Dark Blood

A dark aura rises from the deepest parts of the Scar, bringing forth corrupted enemies.
Defeat various enemies and powerful bosses as you descend to the deepest floor of the Scar.
The secrets of the Scar and the source of the dark aura await you there.

The post Dev Behind the Scenes: Optimizing Guidus Zero for Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.

‘Think RuneScape’ — Arrowhead CEO Rules Out Helldivers 3, Will Keep Updating Helldivers 2 ‘For as Long as It Can Go’

Helldivers 3 is not in any plan developer Arrowhead has right now, the studio’s CEO has confirmed. Instead, it wants Helldivers 2 to keep going for years and years, like veteran MMO RuneScape.

Jagex’s fantasy MMO RuneScape began life as a browser game an incredible 25 years ago. It’s had over 300 million accounts since, and is still going strong today.

So, rather than follow Helldivers 2 with Helldivers 3, as the video game industry would perhaps expect, Arrowhead wants to follow RuneScape’s lead.

As spotted by GamesRadar, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani clarified the studio’s plans in a post on Discord. “We have no plans for HD3,” he said, “just HD2 for as long as it can go. Think RuneScape.”

The idea of a Helldivers 3 had come up recently when Jorjani said a social hub space like the Tower in Destiny was “on the feature list for the next one.” But he later clarified that he was talking about Arrowhead’s next game, not a Helldivers 2 sequel.

His latest comment is consistent with prior statements on the studio’s plans. Jorjani has in the past said Arrowhead hopes to build upon Helldivers 2 to such an extent that it basically becomes a Helldivers 3, but that was clearly figuratively speaking.

“Myself and the directors agree we would love this to be a forever game,” Jorjani added in another Discord post. “Assuming we get a grip on the performance and dev practices we can keep expanding it for a long time. PlayStation is super supportive.”

Jorjani’s comments shouldn’t come as a surprise. The studio has indicated it plans to support Helldivers 2 for years to come, and only recently launched the Sony-published game on Xbox Series X and S and the Into the Unjust update, which added Hive Worlds.

In April, Helldivers 2 production director Alex Bolle told IGN “we want it to be around for years and years and years to come.”

“And it’s almost like, how do we stay true to the Helldivers 2 fantasy, challenging enough that we keep making amazing new features and new systems and all that while we stay true to who we are?” he continued. “And I think it’s something that is so motivating for the years to come.

“The more we figure out how to thrive in a live environment, and we still have a way to go to figure out a lot of things around that, the more we can let creativity loose on new systems that we would’ve never thought about a year ago when we released. I’ve worked on live games before and it’s where you feel like you have something you can figure out: what if I would do this cool thing I’ve seen in other games and adapt it to our sauce, that still makes it true to ourselves? I’m looking forward to this moment.”

So, while Helldivers 3 isn’t happening, more Helldivers stuff very much is. In January, Sony announced that Helldivers 2 was being adapted into a film as part of a collaboration between Sony Productions and Sony Pictures. No other details were offered.

Helldivers 2 is the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game of all time with an incredible 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks. Check out IGN’s review of Helldivers 2 on Xbox Series X and S to see what we think of the game as it is today.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Command fleets or pilot mouthwatering starships in Nullspace, a strategy game with a “unique” take on the Fermi Paradox

Tasty-looking space games fill the atmosphere nowadays like satellite launch debris, but perhaps you’ll find room in your weirdly adapted magnetic fishing net for one more – Kaigan’s Nullspace. I came across it in yesterday’s Indie Fan Fest stream, and I quite like the cut of its torpedo bays.

Nullspace grabs me for a couple of reasons. One is its “retrofuturistic universe”, which strikes me as both sleek and cosy. It’s kind of chibi Homeworld. The kitbashed ships come alive with swivelling turrets and manoeuvring jets, but something about the way they’re proportioned, patterned and lit also makes me think of freshly piped cake icing. I also quite like the Star Fox-style jabbering heads of unit commanders in the bottom corner.

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Soulslike Boss Rush Game ‘NAMMO’ Announced for PC

The now-officially-announced NAMMO is a soulslike boss rush game that, according to developer Guild Studio, is “set during Korea’s Silla Dynasty, which spanned from 57 BC to AD 935 (nearly a millennium). It combines a dark fantasy world with a Soulslike boss-rush experience.”

NAMMO promises “tight 2D combat with brutal, mythology-inspired bosses and precision parries” in which you’ll “use ‘the Eye of Spirit’ to reveal hidden paths, boss weaknesses, and alternate storylines.” And it’s all rendered in handcrafted pixel art. Check out the official announcement trailer below.

The story is described as follows: “Born in an ancient Korean kingdom, Nammo grew up under the warm and loving care of Junjeong, who was like a sister to her. The two became beloved by their people, and blossomed into flower-like beauties. But fate twisted cruelly beneath the moonlight. With nothing but sorrow in her eyes, Junjeong struck, slashing Nammo’s eyes and leaving her blind. After waking up in an unfamiliar cave, Nammo starts on a journey to uncover the truth behind Junjeong’s betrayal.”

You can wishlist NAMMO on Steam if you’re interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

March 2026 would be a “fitting” Skyblivion release window, says former dev who called making 2025 “unachievable”

A former developer on massive Elder Scrolls mod project Skyblivion who called its current 2025 release goal “unachievable” has suggested March 2026 as a “fitting” release window for the task of remaking Oblivion in Skyrim‘s engine.

Around the time of the mod’s most recent showcase, ex-Skyblivion level and world designer Dee Keyes put out a tweet accusing its project lead and implementation lead of rushing the mod out the door to meet a 2025 release goal that Keyes dubbed “pointless and unachievable”. The modder also accused the pair of mismanaging the project by not keeping up communication between leads and other developers in terms of key decisions. Keyes’ claims and very public split from the Skyblivion team naturally led to questions being asked of the remaining Skyblivion devs, with the mod’s comms lead telling fans: “Our aim is that it will be by the end of the year, if we as a team decide that it isn’t we will be sure to share that.”

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‘Possibly the Dumbest Move Ever’ — Borderlands 4 Players Keep Making a Devastating Mistake With the Legendary Vending Machine Quest

Borderlands 4 has been out for two weeks now, which means players have come to understand much about how Gearbox’s looter shooter works. But there’s one quest in particular that I keep seeing cause fans trouble — through no fault of their own.

Warning! Spoilers for Borderlands 4 follow:

The quest in question is called Vend of the Line, which IGN has a helpful walkthrough for if you’re wondering how it all works. In brief, it involves a vending machine that, eventually, lets you pick one from a hefty lineup of Legendary-tier weapons, all priced just $1. You only get to pick one weapon, and once you do, the machine shuts down permanently.

The problem is, players are inadvertently locking themselves out of the legendary item reward by immediately selling all the junk in their inventory out of habit when they interact with the vending machine at the end of the quest. For some reason, the game considers this a transaction and the vending machine shuts down, leaving players who’d soldiered through the quest’s many steps empty handed.

I started noticing players complaining about the quest about a week ago, when threads on subreddits, posts in Discords and on social media expressed frustration and confusion about the situation. “Possibly the dumbest move ever,” declared redditor iwasagummybear. “So, I just finished the legendary vending machine quest for anybody who knows that one, and at the end you get one shot to buy something from it, yes? So what do I do? We’ll, I immediately sell all the junk in my inventory, and since it considers that a transaction the machine shuts down and I get absolutely nothing for my efforts. Please have a good laugh at my expense.”

There are many, many more reports of exactly the same thing happening to other unsuspecting Borderlands 4 players.

“PSA: Don’t press the ‘sell loot’ button on the legendary vending machine at the end of the Vend of the Line quest,” warned another player. “Doing so counts as your one use, and the machine will shut down, ending the quest. I definitely didn’t do that on instinct, and I absolutely did it for the sake of testing so that nobody will make a stupid mistake like that……..”

You can’t rollback saves in Borderlands 4, of course, so if you mess this one up there’s no going back. And making matters worse, Vend of the Line is a non-replayable mission. And, it’s worth noting that completing Vend of the Line in co-op will only allow one player to claim a legendary, and since the mission is non-replayable, the player who does not receive the weapon will be locked out of the quest entirely. Bummer!

The question is whether this is intended by Gearbox or a bug, and, if it’s the latter, whether it will be tweaked. Gearbox has said it’s keeping an eye on feedback so you’d like to think it’s aware of the situation with this quest in particular, and we know patches are on the way.

Indeed, it seems Borderlands 4 is filled with “unintended interactions.” Players have discovered overpowered builds that cause massive damage, even to the game’s toughest bosses on the hardest difficulties. The most infamous of these is ‘the knife,’ which Gearbox has said it’s aware of but won’t nerf just yet. But there’s another that causes bosses so much damage so quickly, it triggers a “Total Existence Failure.”

If you are delving into Borderlands 4, don’t go without an updated hourly SHiFT codes list. We’ve also got a huge interactive map ready to go and a badass Borderlands 4 planner tool courtesy of our buds at Maxroll. Plus check out our expert players’ choices for which character to choose (no one agreed).

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Civilization 7 dev explains how the revamped 4X map generator bolts together continents from Voronoi diagrams

Firaxis and 2K Games are working on a Civilization 7 update that revamps the game’s map generation, while adding a couple of city states and rounding out Napoleon’s skillset. It’s slated to land sometime in the week of September 29th. Why am I writing about it right now? Because senior graphics engineer Ken Pruiksma has just posted a little blog about the intricacies of strategy game map generation that caused Beethoven’s Ode To Joy to play tinnily in my head.

This is almost certainly a reflection of emotional diarrhea brought on by minor insomnia brought on by a nagging foot injury. Still, there’s something… uplifting about the motions of plate tectonics as approximated by computer code. Perhaps you, kind stranger, will be similarly moved.

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Review: Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac (Switch 2) – Short, Sweet, Prettified, And Not For Everyone

Waka Waka Waka 2: Much Prettier.

I admit it. When this review came along, my gaming patience was being tested to its limit by Silksong’s brutal difficulty. So I rolled pretty enthusiastically towards an alternative I hoped would be more relaxing. (I genuinely regret the hours I spent defeating The Last Judge.)

Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac seemed the ideal pellet-shaped breath mint to freshen things up. But while this ground-up remake will likely please fans of the 2002 original, it’s ironic that I found myself haunted by similar frustrations that I was experiencing elsewhere – including bosses that crossed the line from being challenging to becoming a bit of a chore. For newcomers more generally, you’ll have to decide whether the price point of £34.99 at launch fits your budget for what is, at its core, a six-to-seven-hour experience in a genre where there are so many other options.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

How Where Winds Meet’s Wuxia-inspired combat turns the umbrella into a weapon

Where Winds Meet is an ambitious free to play open-world ARPG that seeks not just to emulate but to embody the very soul of Wuxia.

Wuxia is a captivating genre typically found in fiction and cinema, featuring warriors from ancient China performing superhuman martial arts feats, think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers. The world of Wuxia is often mistakenly conflated with Kung Fu. But where traditional Kung Fu emphasizes the realistic, disciplined mastery of martial arts, Wuxia is a seamless blend of martial prowess, eastern philosophical depth, and aesthetic elegance. In this world, warriors glide across rooftops, inner energy defies gravity, and even everyday objects can become instruments of profound beauty and deadly precision.

How Where Winds Meet’s Wuxia-inspired combat turns the umbrella into a weapon

Central to this mission is its combat system, where weaponry is far more than a tool for violence – it is a demonstration of character, philosophy, and art. Weapons in Where Winds Meet are deeply integrated into the core gameplay of its Wuxia open world. Players can equip two weapons simultaneously and easily switch between them during combat. Weapons are a crucial component that determines the player’s fighting style; players can learn different weapons based on their interests and flexibly replace or match them. The combination of weapons with various Martial Arts and Internal Arts forms the core element of character build in the game.

Where Winds Meet features a wide arsenal of weapons: Spear, Sword, Dual Blades, Rope Dart, the enigmatic Mo blade, and more, each meticulously crafted with distinct weight, speed, and feel. Yet among these, one stands out as an embodiment of Wuxia’s spirit – a weapon that should be impractical, yet in this world becomes poetry in lethal motion – the umbrella.

The Umbrella: where poetry meets combat

In reality, an umbrella is merely a shelter in the rain, but in the Wuxia world of Where Winds Meet, it becomes a vessel for romance and lethality. It’s soft yet sharp, defensive yet aggressive. It’s light as a feather but can strike like a storm. When it opens, it can shield you. When it closes, it becomes a blade. We drew inspiration from classics – like the umbrella vs. pole blade fight in Zhang Yimou’s movie, “Shadow”- but we also wanted to add our own flavor.

A key priority for us was ensuring that even the most fantastical movements feel believable and impactful. To achieve this, we partnered with Action Director Wei Tung, a multi-award winner (Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Horse Awards) whose legendary filmography includes Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury, Kung Fu Killer, As Tears Go By, and Swordsman II.

Behind the scenes motion capture

Rather than relying solely on digital animation, Mr. Tung insisted on real martial artists performing every move. All actions, including solo techniques, were captured with at least two stunt actors interacting – this preserved the sense of impact, reaction, and spatial awareness.

We employed full-body simultaneous motion capture, requiring performers to execute every movement with perfect coordination. The result is a combat system that feels visceral, intentional, and cinematically expressive, whether you’re wielding a sword, a spear, or an umbrella.

Ranged Assault – delicate form, overwhelming force

The Floating State – a dance above the battlefield

Heavy Blow- returning strike with weight and impact

Solo Combat – a portable stronghold

Partnered Combat – the umbrella as a fighting companion

A living world: the seasonal journey ahead

We believe that a Wuxia world should continually grow and unfold. That’s why Where Winds Meet will be structured around a seasonal update model, with each season lasting approximately three months and introducing new map areas, gameplay and narrative to explore.

Our launching season will include two expansive regions – Qinghe and Kaifeng – each with its own story arc, allowing players to delve deeper into the game’s storyline and unravel their character’s past.

The seasonal updates will differ in focus. Some may advance the main plot through new regions and characters, others may introduce new gameplay and time-limited in-game activities, or enhance social features and character progression. Most importantly, we will continuously optimize and adjust the gaming experience based on feedback from the player community. It’s our way of building this world with our players, not just for them.

A shared wuxia dream for all

For us, Where Winds Meet is more than a game – it’s an invitation to experience Wuxia as we’ve always imagined it. We aim to take the romanticism, the philosophy, and the grounded-ness of Wuxia and weave them into a living, breathing, and endlessly evolving world. We can’t wait for you to enter this world with us!

Where Winds Meet will be free to play and will launch globally on November 14, 2025. The game is now available to wishlist on PlayStation Store. An exclusive pre-order bundle for PS5 is also available, including an outfit pack, a PS5-exclusive namecard background and more:

 The Where Winds Meet pre-order bundle includes the following in-game items: 10,000 common currency coins, 2 Lingering Melody draw items, 1 Astral Trail Player Name Card background, and 1 cosmetic outfit pack (choose from three outfits). Available November 14, 2025.