Hey Xbox Wire readers! I’m Yared from Whitethorn Games, and I’m here to share a little info about our latest release, The Forest Cathedral, which launched today on Xbox Series S|X!
While you may know us from the many cozy, heartwarming titles we’ve published, such as Calico and Lake, The Forest Cathedral takes a slightly darker direction. The game, while still adhering to tranquil, low-stress gameplay, evokes a more unsettling, eerie feeling that approaches the realm of horror. Players will embark on a mysterious, atmospheric psychological thriller based on the real-world ecological disasters caused by the pesticide DDT, or as developer Brian Wilson more accurately describes the genre: an environmental thriller. The game is played from the point of view of environmental scientist Rachel Carson, though the real star of the show is the haunting setting itself.
Methods of Research
The Forest Cathedral’s fully voiced, rich narrative is told through a combination of two gameplay styles. One is its first-person 3D exploration in which the player navigates Science Island, conducting research on its wildlife. Taking notes and utilizing a special scanner, the player investigates the remote island in search of answers to the mystery.
Along the way you can interact with computer terminals where The Forest Cathedral’s second gameplay style appears in the form of 2D platforming puzzles. On these terminals, the player controls a 2D character “Little Man,” traversing through the puzzles in order to operate mechanisms back in the 3D space. Both the 2D and 3D worlds interact with each other, unlocking new areas or progressing the story.
Art Imitates Life
The Forest Cathedral’s story is a dramatic reimagining of real-world scientist Rachel Carson’s environmental science book, Silent Spring, which documented her discovery of the harmful effects of DDT. Developer Brian Wilson drew inspiration from the attempted silencing of Carson and her findings to build his own artistic interpretation of events.
As Wilson explains, “the story of Rachel Carson is a David vs. Goliath story.” Throughout the game, you’ll become immersed in situations that evoke a feeling of struggling against overwhelming resistance. In this way, Wilson emulates what he believes Carson must have felt as she battled to share what was ultimately life-saving information that giant chemical companies did not want the public to know. The Forest Cathedral imparts the same uncertainty, fear, and confinement, leaving the player anxious to discover how the malicious plot develops.
The environment players will explore in The Forest Cathedral is based on Cook Forest State Park’s own Forest Cathedral, located in western Pennsylvania – near where both Wilson and Carson grew up. The vibrantly rendered surroundings paired with the atmospheric soundtrack – including several original pieces composed by Wilson – create a peaceful yet eerie setting for the story to unfold. From the dramatic height of the towering indigenous trees to the tranquil lake that hugs the shores of the island, intrigue surrounds you as you comb the island and unravel its mysteries. Though locally inspired, the game’s themes of social consciousness and our duty to our environment apply globally.
Ease of Access
Whitethorn Games wants to ensure that as many players as possible get the chance to enjoy our titles, and The Forest Cathedral implements many accessibility features with that goal in mind. A few of the adjustable settings include:
Full keyboard and mouse or gamepad controller support
Input rebinding for most actions
High-contrast sans-serif text/subtitles and Open Dyslexic typeface options
Visual effects toggles
Frequent checkpoints
“Turn Off Spikes” toggle, removing platforming section hazards
“Float Mode” toggle, reducing platforming section fall speed
Even more options, all available from the settings menu at any time
With these settings, players can customize their experience to best suit their playstyle and ability at any point in their playthrough.
We hope that you enjoy unearthing the mysteries of Science Island in The Forest Cathedral, available now in the Xbox store!
The Forest Cathedral is a first-person environmental thriller set on a remote island. Playing as scientist Rachel Carson, players will figure out why the island won’t let her leave. The game tells the reimagined story of the attempted silence of Rachel Carson leading up to her discoveries on the harmful pesticide known as DDT.
Slowly uncover the effects of DDT in this dramatic reimagining of the story of Rachel Carson. Use advanced environmental technology to solve 2D/3D connected puzzles.
Today, Citizen Sleeper studio Jump Over The Age announced Purge, the third and final narrative expansion to be added to the game on March 30th. This update brings an end to what creator Gareth Damian Martin calls a ‘half-sequel’ to the original release, but, as we found out in a discussion about Purge, this doesn’t seem to be the end of Citizen Sleeper’s universe as a whole.
For the uninitiated, Citizen Sleeper is a narrative RPG set on Erlin’s Eye, a ruined space station home to a community of interstellar misfits and outcasts desperately trying to build a life. You can read more about the base game over here, but for now, let’s focus on Episode 3, the last in a series of free updates that seek to bring a close to this era of Citizen Sleeper.
The previous two episodes, Flux and Refuge, both explored complex new tales featuring fresh and returning faces – Flux revolves a refugee flotilla that has arrived on Erlin’s Eye, and Refuge follows on from the events of Flux, allowing you to explore the refugee flotilla and encounter new characters. Although Martin is extremely cagey about what exactly will unfold in Purge (the pleasure of Citizen Sleeper is the story, after all) we do know that the expansion will bring this arc to a conclusion.
While Citizen Sleeper is a fully realised game with several branching narratives, it was merely a dip into the ocean of the universe that Damian Martin is aiming to create, and this trio of DLC instalments represents just the first step. We sat down with Damian Martin ahead of the launch of Episode 3 to look back on Citizen Sleeper as a whole, the choice to expand on certain story beats in DLC, and what’s next for this dynamic and captivating sci-fi universe they’ve created.
“I love universes that are big enough to contain different types of media, and it’s really exciting to be in this moment where I have this thing that people actually like,” they tell us. “There’s all these dangling teases and threads that I can pick up later, and a wealth of places that I can take the story. I’d love to see people two or three years down line going ‘oh, wait, these things are connected’.”
The plan to evolve Citizen Sleeper was always in motion, but Damian Martin used the ‘complete’ base game to essentially test drive the concept, and see how players found it:
“I wanted to make the most lightweight form of the game that could sell the idea and make sure people understood what I was trying to do, while being efficient with my time in case it didn’t work out,” Damian Martin tells us. “I was pleasantly surprised to find out how many people got on with it, because I thought it was a very niche game.”
Damian Martin explains that the plan to create this series of expansions stemmed from two things. One was to limit the scope of Citizen Sleeper in order to get people on board with the idea, and the other came from a strong, personal love of stories and worlds – like those in Mass Effect and Destiny 2 – that build even after the original story seems complete.
“After launch, I immediately greenlit the DLC in my head for two reasons — one, I love ongoing stories and serial narratives that allow the world to live with you for a bit. I wanted to see if I could bring this feeling of a story that progresses over time,” Damian Martin says.
“The second is that I wanted to give an indication that Citizen Sleeper is a long-term project. Some indie games, you play them for six or eight hours and they’re great, but that’s it, you never go back there. So these episodes felt like the best to keep momentum going, and see where we can go with it.”
Damian Martin tells us that this design choice is heavily inspired by tabletop games, which often allow players to branch off and explore different paths and uncover plots that pertain to a bigger overarching story.
“If you want anything to happen in a video game, you have to make a system for it. In tabletop games, you can improvise, characters you’ve invented suddenly become main characters, and I wanted to find a way to bring that energy and structure into a video game,” they tell us.
“What I love about tabletop RPG is that players can go to any place they want, and the [game master] has to comply to give them a story. I wanted to put that feeling in the game, so like, having a drink at Tyler’s bar stems into you building a relationship with Tyler, but it all stems from just going there for a drink.”
Citizen Sleeper is driven by the characters you meet and the conversations that take place, but Damian Martin says that making game-altering decisions in dialogue feels unusual to them. This is reflected in their experiences with tabletop RPGs — conversations are not huge focal points for players, but where to go, what to do, and who to do it with matters greatly.
“I think dialogue options are great as expressive choices, but the decisions I make that affect my life are usually about what I do with my time, what I turn up to do, the people that I help or respond to,” they explain. “So I was really interested in a system where decisions were almost made unconsciously by the player. There are lots of things available to you, but you have a limited amount of time. Players automatically prioritize in their head and make choices that feel natural to them, as opposed to contrived choices. I try to encourage players to just go with their gut and see where it puts them.”
Damian Martin describes some of the more visceral, personal experiences that inspired the narrative of Citizen Sleeper, like feeling out of place or exposed, and how they wanted to incorporate that into the characters and stories. You can tell that it’s these kinds of stories that will form a part of their thinking for the future of this nascent series.
“I really wanted to make a game that was about a lot of the things that I’ve been thinking about for the past 10 years, things that were really important to me, and things that I kind of intuited on some level, where important to people of my generation and our experiences,” Damian Martin explains.
“The idea of [rolling dice to choose actions], and randomness, and risk, and then the risk of precarity and existing in society in a minoritized position and trying to struggle to survive, those things kind of slipped together.”
While you can end up in some dicey (excuse the pun) situations in Citizen Sleeper due to low number rolls, the story still continues. Damian Martin stresses the importance of keeping the narrative rolling (sorry, that’s another pun) and avoiding ‘game over.’
“Something I learned as a game master is that you should never offer the player a choice where the bad outcome won’t be interesting or progress the story,” they explain. “I tried to set that rule for myself in Citizen Sleeper too. I wanted to feel like failing was still moving things forward, and in some cases, was more interesting than succeeding.”
Purge is the third and final instalment of post-launch DLC content heading to Citizen Sleeper, and it’ll be free to download for existing players. Flux and Refuge are also available for free, so be sure to get them squared away before heading into Purge and uncovering whatever mysterious ‘ending’ that Citizen Sleeper has in store.
However, if our conversation with Damian Martin unsheathed anything, it’s that their universe has many, many more stories to tell, this trilogy serving as a mini-sequel is just one tale unravelling in this complex, dystopian setting, and you may even be oblivious to some of the celestial breadcrumbs that your mischievous Game Master has left for you.
Purge is set to land on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows March 30th. Citizen Sleeper is available with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
ROLEPLAYING IN THE RUINS OF INTERPLANETARY CAPITALISM
From the developer of In Other Waters, and featuring the stunning character art of Guillaume Singelin, Citizen Sleeper is a narrative RPG set on Erlin’s Eye, a ruined space station that is home to thousands of people trying to survive on the edges of an interstellar capitalist society.
You are a sleeper, a digitised human consciousness in an artificial body, owned by a corporation that wants you back. Thrust amongst the unfamiliar and colourful inhabitants of the Eye, you need to build friendships, earn your keep, and navigate the factions of this strange metropolis, if you hope to survive to see the next cycle.
LIFE ON ERLIN’S EYE
An abandoned station on the edge of a system in crisis. Now it is held together by anarchic alliances, ramshackle factions and a shared desire to be free from corporate control.
DO THE WORK. GET PAID. SURVIVE.
Each cycle you choose what to do with your time. Make or break alliances, uncover truths and escape your hunters. Survive and ultimately thrive, one cycle at a time.
TURN UP FOR FRIENDS
The Eye plays host to characters from all walks of life. Salvagers, engineers, hackers and more – each has a history. You choose who to help, and together shape your future.
ACCESS THEIR SECRETS
Hack the station’s cloud to access data, new areas and secrets. This is your power, and it can change your future. Corporate secrets, rogue AIs and troves of lost data await.
YOU WERE MADE TO DIE
Essen-Arp: to them you are just another asset in their almost infinite portfolio. Escape your decaying body’s makers, and chart your own path in a richly imagined sci-fi world.
INSPIRED BY TABLETOP ROLEPLAYING GAMES
Citizen Sleeper uses dice, clocks and drives to create a player-led experience, where you choose your path in a rich and responsive world.
CITIZEN SLEEPER EPISODES
This free post-launch episodic content introduces new characters and locations in an expanded storyline. True to Citizen Sleeper’s TTRPG roots, these three episodes will offer an expansive campaign module that tells the longest and most complex story to be featured in the game to date.
In the first episode, FLUX, the first ships from a refugee flotilla arrive at Erlin’s Eye in response to pressures in the Helion system. Now, in REFUGE, a strange event sends ripples through the communities of the Eye. You will enter the flotilla to try to understand this new threat, and help the refugees stabilise their community.
The story of the flotilla, the FLUX event and your Sleeper will conclude in the third episode, arriving early 2023.
John Cena is one of the WWE’s most beloved Superstars, and WWE 2K23’s Showcase mode is an endearing love letter to one of sports entertainment’s biggest stars.
In WWE 2K22, Visual Concepts took players back in time to relive and recreate some of Rey Mysterio’s greatest matches as the Master of the 619 himself. This year, WWE 2K23 flips the script by pitting players against Cena in the ring, rather than having them don his iconic jean shorts. With 14 Historical Matches to choose from, players will challenge Cena and many of his career-defining moments on some of the WWE’s biggest stages. Prior to 2K23’s launch, members of the Visual Concepts team answered a few questions about the mode and what it was like taking this trip down memory lane.
Q: John Cena’s accomplished a lot during his WWE career. What makes his legacy an excellent focal point of WWE 2K23’s Showcase mode?
John Cena is the face of an era. He is a historic figure, an easy member of WWE’s Mount Rushmore. From his debut in 2002 until today, he has done nearly everything you can imagine as a member of the WWE roster.
In his career, he’s competed against—and defeated—an absolute gauntlet of certified legends, and has earned the love and respect of his peers in the process.
His accomplishments are well-documented. We liked being able to take an essential part of John—”Never Give Up”—and to show how it’s not just something he says to everybody else, but that it’s something he uses daily himself.
Looking at John’s career in this manner also allows us to look back at 20 years of WWE history, including some of the biggest stars of the time. Showcase is where WWE’s Legends clash once more, and John Cena is the ultimate modern-day legend.
Q: What led to the decision to pit players against Cena in the ring, rather than playing as him?
For me, there were two things that led to the approach. First off, we definitely heard some of the feedback that playing as the same WWE Superstar for 10-15 matches, no matter who it was, started to feel a little repetitive. So we had been thinking of ideas that would allow for a more diverse roster for players to control for a while.
Then, with this being the second Showcase that’s had John as a focus, I wanted to cover his career in a different manner than past Showcases, too. Brainstorming ideas, we really liked playing into his “Never Give Up” mentality, and decided that by showing his losses, we could really emphasize that whole concept, certainly with more gravity compared to showing him winning these matches.
So, it became a question of “Do players play as Cena and just lose every match?” Even if it’s through a cutscene loss, that just seemed like too much. “Well, what if we just make it so they control Cena’s opponents? You have to beat John Cena every time, he’s like a recurring boss battle!” Then that led to “You Can’t Beat Me” and that’s when it all came together for us.
Q: With so many matches to choose from, how did the team decide which matches to include?
Once we’d decided on the “You Can’t Beat Me” idea, where the player would control Cena’s various opponents, we had a smaller pool of matches from which to choose. So, we looked through the various WWE Superstars that have defeated John Cena, and tried to choose who between them warranted a spot –the idea being that these are the very best among the group of people to own a win over John.
Some people have multiple wins over Cena, while some may only have one. You’ll see Edge and Randy Orton, two of Cena’s biggest rivals throughout his career, as well as Rob Van Dam, whose victory at ECW One Night Stand in 2006 remains one of the most memorable matches in the career of either man.
In the end, we hope each match either holds historical significance, represents a legendary rivalry, or brings you back to a forgotten classic.
Q: Will players experience the same era-specific filters and visuals that were in 2K22?
Yes, we always do our best to match the in-game presentation to the classic footage. This can be through the use of filters, as well as different uses of our lighting system to get the “old school” matches feeling right!
Q: Do players earn anything special for defeating Cena?
Players can expect to earn unlockable rewards throughout the Showcase mode! Similar to WWE 2K22, there are two types of rewards:
Match Rewards: These are earned by simply earning a win in the match, whether you complete 0 match objectives, or all of them! These are typically reserved for Arenas, Championship Belts, and unlocking the next match!
Objective Rewards: These are earned by completing 100% of the objectives in the match. These are typically reserved for Superstar models/attires.
Q: Is there a variation in match strategy?
Showcase tends to change the match strategy simply with the in-match objectives. One might tend to be a player who uses a lot of combos or running attacks. Showcase instead asks you to try things you may not do all the time – specific grapples, submissions, causing amounts of damage. It is possible to play your style of match and win without completing any objectives, but then you lose out on the bigger rewards. To truly “beat” Showcase, players have to be capable of completing the objectives while also fending off an opponent looking to win at all times.
On top of that, players will now be using a new Superstar in nearly every match, meaning the ability to memorize certain moves aren’t there. One minute you’re Kurt Angle, and the next you’re Batista, and then you’re Triple H. We try to cater the objectives to best mesh with the Superstar’s approach (as well as matching up to historical beats), so someone like RVD will probably see you attempting dives and extreme offense, while a Randy Orton is going to be more methodical with his grapples.
Throughout his career, Cena has frequently reminded and inspired fans to never give up, and that’ll be more important than ever if you hope to defeat him in WWE 2K23. You can finally relive some of Cena’s biggest battles and challenge the 16-time world champion on March 17. Pre-order your copy of the Deluxe or Icon Edition today to earn three-day early access and exclusive rewards!
The WWE 2K23 Icon Edition, with cover art created by WWE artist-in-residence Rob Schamberger, gives you all of the bonus content from the Deluxe Edition PLUS throwback versions of some of WWE’s biggest Superstars from the Ruthless Aggression era!
The Icon Edition* includes:
• Pre-Order Bonus Pack
• Ruthless Aggression Pack: Includes throwback versions of John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista, and Brock Lesnar, along with the WrestleMania 22 arena and the John Cena Legacy Championship
• Season Pass: Includes all 5 post-launch DLC character packs, the MyRISE Mega-Boost pack, with 200 additional Attribute Points, and the Supercharger pack which unlocks all base-game WWE Legends and throwback arenas. Release timing of the DLC contents will be revealed at a future date.
• Deluxe Edition Bonus Pack: Includes a John Cena EVO card, Emerald-tier Bianca Belair, and Gold-tier Asuka and Edge cards, plus 3 Basic Day 1 MyFACTION card packs
• Icon Edition Bonus Pack: Includes a Paul Heyman Emerald tier Manager MyFACTION Card and 3 Deluxe Premium Launch MyFACTION Packs.
• 3-Day Early Access
The value of WWE 2K23 is Even Stronger with the Deluxe Edition*!
The Deluxe Edition includes:
• Pre-Order Bonus Pack
• Season Pass: Includes all 5 post-launch DLC character packs, the MyRISE Mega-Boost pack, with 200 additional Attribute Points, and the Supercharger pack which unlocks all base-game WWE Legends and throwback arenas. Release timing of the DLC contents will be revealed at a future date.
• Deluxe Edition Bonus Pack: Includes a John Cena EVO card, Emerald-tier Bianca Belair, and Gold-tier Asuka and Edge cards, plus 3 Basic Day 1 MyFACTION card packs
• 3-Day Early Access
Expanded features, gorgeous graphics, and the ultimate WWE experience. Hit the ring with a deep roster of WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and more!
2K SHOWCASE: INTERACTIVE SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
Play through the key moments and toughest opponents of John Cena’s storied 20-year WWE career. And in a franchise-first, take on the role of each marquee opponent – some of WWE’s greatest of all time – as you aim to take down Mr. Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect.
IT’S WARGAMES
The fan-favorite action-packed WarGames makes its debut in WWE 2K23 and delivers heart-pounding 3v3 and 4v4 multiplayer mayhem inside two side-by-side rings, surrounded by a double-steel cage!
YOUR SHOW, YOUR CHOICES
With MyGM, take the reins of a weekly show and compete against rival general managers for brand supremacy. Now featuring more GMs to choose from, additional show options, multiple seasons, expanded match cards, and more match types for up to 4 players.
YOU HOLD ALL THE CARDS
Collect and upgrade cards of WWE Superstars and Legends to build the ultimate faction and compete for global dominance in MyFACTION, now featuring online multiplayer!
DEFINE YOUR FUTURE IN MyRISE
Walk through the curtains for your WWE debut and shape your career as a WWE Superstar with the decisions you make along the way through distinct storylines – The Lock and The Legacy.
THE UNIVERSE IS ALL YOURS
WWE Universe Mode is the ultimate sandbox that puts you in charge of WWE, from Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and more!
We take a deep dive into the decisions behind Destiny 2’s second Darkness subclass
Gameplay Features Lead Eric Smith talks us through Strand design choices
Check out early concept art for Strand supers and abilities
Late February saw the highly anticipated release of Destiny 2: Lightfall, the new expansion that signals “the beginning of the end” to the Destiny’s Light and Darkness saga. The campaign takes Guardians to the hidden city of Neomuna, nestled inside Neptune and undisturbed until the forces of the Shadow Legion arrive. It’s up to you and Neomuna’s protectors, the Cloud Striders, to defend the city.
Our Guardians also discover a brand-new power: Strand. They learn to wield this suspicious, stringy substance throughout the Lightfall campaign, and it manifests itself into a whole new subclass for Destiny 2 players, the first to be introduced since Stasis in 2020.
We wanted to learn more about this new subclass, how Bungie arrived at its design and how all of its elements weave together, and to dig deeper in, we spoke to Gameplay Features Lead Eric Smith to uncover how the new Darkness power came to be.
Strand Titan Super concept art next to the final product
Like every subclass in Destiny 2, Strand gives each of the three player classes—Titan, Hunter and Warlock—different abilities and one powerful Super ability tailored to each class. Beefy Titans gain the Berserker ability, summoning two giant hand-blades to cut down enemies, the sleek Warlock sends wisps of Strand coursing through baddies that explode into fierce Threadling enemies, and slick Hunters can use the Silkstrike skill to summon a long rope dart and thwip through their foes.
A Helping Strand
Strand focuses on traversal in a way that has never been explored in Destiny 2. Every character gains a grapple, which allows you to latch onto a surface or area and swing through the air, perfect for getting around quickly or solving tricky jumping puzzles. Smith tells us that the grapple sits at the center of the Strand class, and that it was made possible by the team’s exploration of the skill.
“The theme of the Strand damage type is all ropes and strings, so it just felt like a natural fit to put a grappling hook in there,” Smith says. “We did a lot of exploration of how the grapple should work, did we want it to be a burst of acceleration, or zipping from point to point, and we ended up in this place where, as players learn Strand, it’ll read your mind a little bit.”
“You can zip to a certain point if you’re looking straight at it, but you can also swing under it, you can throttle left or right or swing around it. We ended up with a really dynamic grapple we’re all very proud of.”
The grapple ability replaces the grenade slot for players using Strand, so it also needed some sort of damage capability to make up for the loss of that slot. The result is, what if you are the grenade?
“As it takes that slot, we wanted to give it an offensive utility,” Smith explains. “One thing you can do is grapple punch, which does pretty big area-of-effect damage. You can use the grapple to get out of bad situations, but you can also use it like you would a grenade to clear multiple enemies. I think there’s a learning curve to Strand that I’m excited to see players master.”
Strand And Deliver
During combat, Strand users can create Tangles by defeating an enemy that has been debuffed by another Strand ability. For example, Hunters have the Ensnaring Slam ability, which allows them to suspend groups of enemies in the air by slamming the ground. Titans can also suspend enemies with the Drengr’s Lash skill.
This Tangle can then be shot to cause an explosion, picked up and thrown at another enemy, or into the air to be used as a grappling point. Smith tells us that the passive Tangle skill felt immediately at home in Strand’s roster.
“Once we got that system in there and we had different perks triggering the Tangles, it felt like we were doing something different than the other subclasses,” he says. “It happens passively, and once you create a Tangle, there’s a branching decision-making point where you can choose what to do with it.”
The Tangles are just one aspect of Strand that works to make it a more collaborative subclass for Guardians playing together. For example, because a Guardian’s grapple ability has no cooldown if it’s used on a grapple point, the Hunter can use their Widow’s Silk ability to create a grapple point that another teammate can use without expending their own grapple ability. Smith explains that as Strand develops, the team wants to create more opportunities for fireteam members to combine their unique skills.
“We wanted players to blaze a trail for their teammates, to help them with jumping puzzles, and that’s something we’re planning to double down on in the coming Seasons,” he says.
Guardians can use Tangles to swing around, or shoot them to cause an explosion
Release The Threadlings
The Strand subclasses introduce Threadlings—small creatures formed from Strand that will scurry off and attack whatever is in range. Smith tells us that this was one of the more difficult abilities to nail down, due to Destiny 2’s turbulent terrains and dynamic environments.
“The Threadlings are what we call ‘ground follows,’ because they’re restricted to crawling on the ground, and we have a lot of surfaces in Destiny 2 where it can be difficult for a player to use them effectively,” he explains. “They have a pretty long tracking range so they can follow an enemy and then stop and jump which gives them some verticality, but we’ll be tuning how they work as time goes on.”
The team also had to balance how much damage Threadlings can do and how often they’re active, not just in PvE modes like the campaign, but in online PvP, where the smallest amount of damage can dramatically change the game.
“Too many Threadlings in PvP would feel frustrating to play against, so it was a balancing act of letting players have maximum fun while not destabilizing PvP modes.”
Strand abilities release Threadlings (pictured) that can damage enemies
This balancing act was also important during the design of the three main class Super abilities, and Smith details the level of work and the spread of disciplines that must be involved in the creation of one.
“Anytime we make a new Super, we come up with a list of possible designs, and we trim that down to what’s realistic,” he explains. “But there are a lot of decisions, it’s animation, it’s VFX, design, engineering, audio—so many things have to come together, and then you have to balance the Super itself across so many game modes.”
You can check out some of the unused Super ideas in the images below, but Smith did tell us that the Warlock Super ability almost ended up with tentacles that sprout up and lash out at enemies. The actual Warlock Super, Needlestorm, which lets players unleash a barrage of spikes onto enemies, is still equally as cool.
Concept art of early Strand abilities
With Strand explored in detail, we were left with just one question: Why did the team choose green for the subclass color? Smith tells us that on the hunt for the perfect hex code, the team wanted to ensure every class is both immediately identifiable and aesthetically pleasing.
“We had a handful of options, but green felt the most distinct,” he tells us. “It just worked really well with the Strand theme. We kind of saw it as green ball of yarn, and wanted you to think of that every time you walk past yarn in a store.”
Lightfall players unlock Strand permanently at the end of the Lightfall campaign, and from there, can unlock Aspects and Fragments that allow them to really personalize the subclass to their playstyle, be it keeping distance or smashing straight into the action.
Last Friday also saw the release of Root of Nightmares, the brand-new raid packaged with Lightfall, so be sure to get swinging through Neomuna to unlock those Strand abilities and get equipped to confront the ancient threat growing at our doorstep.
Destiny 2: Lightfall is available now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Pre-order to instantly unlock a new Exotic Ghost and Legendary emblem.
Includes Lightfall, the new raid, and a Season Pass for Season 20.
Campaign
In a Neptunian city under siege, find strength in your fellow Guardians as the end to all things approaches—the Witness is here. Arm yourself with new rewards and unlock new Dark powers to triumph in Lightfall’s unforgettable Legendary mode.
Strand
Harness Darkness and pluck at the threads of reality with this new subclass. Flow through the city with newfound speed as you grapple from building to building. Every class can tap into this new element, but it’s up to you to create the perfect build.
New Destination
Travel to Neptune and discover a neon metropolis unlike any you’ve explored in Destiny 2. Meet the Cloud Striders, join the fight against the Shadow Legion, and prevent devastation in the technologically advanced secret city of Neomuna.
105 GB hard drive storage space required as of November 10, 2020. Subject to change. Requires broadband internet. After November 10, 2020 see www.destinythegame.com/size-requirements for current requirements prior to purchase.
Destiny 2 may contain flashing patterns and images that may produce adverse effects for a small percentage of people sensitive to them.
Bungie, Inc. makes no guarantee regarding the availability of online play or features and may modify or discontinue online services with reasonable notice at any time. Using the software constitutes acceptance of the Destiny Software License Agreement available at www.bungie.net/sla.
The new AI-powered Bing is now in preview, and you might be surprised at how much it knows about your favorite Xbox and PC games.
These are five starter queries to ask Bing which may help you get more out of your gaming experience.
If you like the answers you find with Bing, remember to follow-up with the source links for more info.
The new Bing is in preview, and we’re continuing to take feedback and apply those learnings to improve the experience over time.
Many of us have used a search engine at some point in our lives to find ways to get an edge in our favorite games. From trying to smite the first boss in Elden Ring, to finding all the Agility Orbs in classic games like Crackdown, or what the best Perks are for Modern Warfare II. But we’ve never had something quite as special as the new AI-powered Bing as our gaming co-pilot and its wealth of tips, trivia, and technical know-how. With the new Bing you get better search, more complete answers to your gaming questions, a new chat experience to explore deeper, and the ability to create content.
The new AI-powered Bing is designed to help you find the information you’re looking for by deciphering intricate questions, with clear answers, coupled with surprisingly in-depth responses. It also knows a hell of a lot about video games. So much so we wanted to really test its gaming knowledge with some hard-hitting questions to see what type of response we’d get. The results, as you can try out for yourself by signing up for the waitlist, were pretty dang impressive.
To help get you started interacting with this new and innovative tool, we’ve collected some effective ways for you to test out the new Bing to help you not only challenge its gaming credentials, but also find potential new ways for you to enjoy some of your favorite games. Remember to share your feedback so we can continue to improve the experience.
Useful Information to Get Started
Don’t worry about trying to be hyper-specific with your question. The new Bing won’t hesitate to offer some follow-up questions to help home in on the answer you’re looking for.
Related to that, don’t leave Bing hanging! It may have an ancillary topic related to the game you’re asking about.
Bing will always show you where it’s getting its information from, so if you like some of the answers you’re getting and want more details, don’t forget to check out the sources that Bing is pulling from. Your next favorite website may be just a click away!
See how creative you can get while talking about gaming with Bing — you may be surprised at some of the results!
There are so many unique games to experience on console and PC today. While there’s a lot of information available about which games are the best, sometimes our tastes and what we’re in the mood for might be a bit more specific. Bing can help you distill this down as well, either from the look of a game, who is featured in it, or how long it takes to finish. Here’s a few of the examples to try yourself:
“Tell me about the best cyberpunk-style role-playing games on Xbox.”
“Tell me about the best action games that are 10 hours or less to play.”
“Tell me about the best games with a female protagonist on Xbox.”
“What’s the best ______ for me?”
Strategies come in all shapes and sizes for games, and it’s not hard to find opinions on what the best gear loadouts, characters, and skill tree selections are. But are they the best choices for you? You can start with a basic question, but it’s the follow up interaction which will allow Bing to guide you towards the best choices on how to spec out, or even which games to check out.
Here’s what we asked:
“What loadout should I use in Warzone 2.0 multiplayer?”
“What is the best Overwatch character for me?
“What are the best perks to use in Cyberpunk 2077?”
“What Xbox Game Pass games might I enjoy?”
“Where can I find…?”
Bing can help you find a lot of things in your favorite games, like where every secret weapon location is in Fortnite, where the Tall Tales journals are in Sea of Thieves, and it can even help you find your car keys (sort of). But what if what you’re looking for isn’t immediately coming to mind. You know the type, like that one quest where there’s that guy who did that one thing with the fire sword that one time? To start drilling this down to help us find the right answer, we asked:
“Where can I find the blue alien lady in Mass Effect 3?”
“Where can I find a list of Fallout 3 quests that begin with the letter J?
“Where can I find that one quest where there’s that guy who did that one thing with the fire sword that one time?” (your follow up responses will be crucial on something like this!)
“Give me a recap…”
On top of their incredible worlds, games can have complex and evolving storylines that may seem a little hard to follow while playing them. Not to mention that we must put that controller down at some point and return to the action another day. Sometimes that day turns into months, maybe even years. So, wouldn’t it be nice to get a recap of how far along you are in a game without having to start over? The new Bing is here to help. Here’s a few examples we pulled from:
“Give me a recap of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch up to chapter 4.”
“Give me a recap of Witcher 3 after 20 hours.”
“Give me a recap of every campaign storyline in the Halo series.”
“How do I…?”
While Bing can certainly help us with learning how to defeat the baddest of bad guys in gaming (e.g. ‘How do I defeat Malenia in Elden Ring?’), we wanted to take this in a slightly different direction: What if it could help us learn how to create something tangible from our favorite games? Afterall, leaning how to do something new can be one of the most fun things to do in life, and if it comes from the world of our favorite games, even better! So, we took this to task with a few examples that you can try as well:
“How do I make a cake like the one that appears in Portal?”
“How do I make a toy sword based on a design found in Skyrim?”
“How do I prepare a meal based on the ramen recipes found in Yakuza: Like a Dragon?”
We hope these broad examples help you kickstart your own questions and interactions with this amazing new tool for everyday use (especially gaming). Don’t be afraid to get weird: What games would Marcus Fenix enjoy? Bing has an answer. You can even ask for your own, personalized music festival-style 3-day lineup… but with games coming out this year in place of musical artists.
Just remember to click through to the source of the information so you can discover new and interesting websites that you may have never visited before. If you don’t already have access to the new Bing, join the waitlist here. Happy searching!
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
Great New Games Spotlight has officially kicked off and we’re excited to bring you a ton of games every week for the next six weeks — more than 100+ new games will launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One between February 28 and April 10 – and if you spend $50 on eligible games and movies, you can receive 2,500 Microsoft Rewards points! Get more details here.
A first-person environmental thriller set on a remote island. Playing as scientist Rachel Carson, you must figure out why the island won’t let her leave. The game tells the reimagined story of the attempted silence of Rachel Carson leading up to her discoveries on the harmful pesticide known as DDT.
Now available on Xbox Series X|S! A brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players set in a procedurally generated world inspired by Norse mythology. Craft powerful weapons, construct longhouses, and slay mighty foes to prove yourself to Odin!
With the help of some abnormal martial prowess and an amnesiac automaton named Chervil, Vernal will need to make her way across a mysterious land if she wants to satisfy her need for revenge — and the truth – in this beautiful pixel art metroidvania.
At 36, Junon’s life is in pieces: her career has stalled, she’s emotionally numb, and her personal life is falling apart. Things come to a head when she’s called to the ER to find her estranged mother in a critical condition. This is the most important day of Junon’s life, and unless something changes, it might be her last. Relive the past, alter the present, and embrace the future in this 3D visual novel.
Welcome to the dawn of the Industrial Age in this city-building real-time strategy game. Experience one of the most exciting and fast-changing periods of all time as you discover new technologies, regions, and societies, implement your own strategy, and build a new world to your design. Play solo or use the online mode to play PvP or co-op modes: How the world remembers your name is up to you.
The islands are sinking… Chickenfolk can’t swim and fox bandits won’t miss an opportunity to gobble up a bird or two even on the verge of apocalypse… What a disaster! Fortunately, Big Chick is here to save the day! Use poultry magic to summon new patches of land from the ocean depths and micromanagement skills to lead your people to the safety of the sacred Big Barn.
Get blown into another dimension as you experience the gut-busting fun with Kung Fury: Street Rage – Ultimate Edition. Beat up Nazis and stop the evil Kung Fuhrer and uphold the law the only way you know how: with your fists!
Take the role of a slippery burglar as you hug the walls of each room and collect coins while outwitting the patrolling guards across dozens of top-down single-screen stages, presented in charmingly minimalistic 3D style as you navigate the brainteasing chambers of Tricky Thief!
Stephanie “Watts” Watson, an aspiring bassist, bounced from audition to audition, never finding music that really resonated with her, that is, until she discovered the magic of funk. Caught up in the groove, she recruits a group of hometown amateurs to take on art school darlings La Tormenta at the Battle of the Bands.
A roguelike tactics board combat combined with tower defense elements. Defeat the invading hordes to stay alive and save the land by deploying your heroes to outsmart the enemy. Enjoy more tactics than your average TD game, like being able to turn the tables on invaders with the aid of devastating spells. Can you overcome the odds and outsmart the enemy?
A jigsaw puzzle game to remember a beloved classic story. Contains illustrations created by Katia Numakura with inspiration from “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
New York City is calling and so are Paris, Australia, London, and a world tour of other fun places! You and your friend Peppa can make pizza in Italy, walk down Hollywood Boulevard, sail on a cruise ship together, and more. There are new characters to meet, exciting quests to try, and countless accessories to dress up with!
Expanded features, gorgeous graphics, and the ultimate WWE experience. Hit the ring with a deep roster of WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and more!
Today, the Capcom Spotlight livestream shone a light on some titles and updates heading our way in 2023, as well as trailers for previously announced games. Here’s a wrap-up of the Xbox new that was revealed earlier today.
Suit Up with Exoprimal on July 14
Firstly, we learned that upcoming action title Exoprimalhas a release date. Players will soon be able to suit up and take down ferocious dinosaurs when the game launches on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Cloud, and day one with Xbox Game Pass on July 14.
A trailer shown gave us a new look at the ten exosuits featured in the game, as well as a glimpse at Exoprimal’s Season 1: Premium Tier. Players can access either the free or premium battle pass tier, which will unlock new character cosmetics, weapon skins, and more.
An open beta for Exoprimalis also on the way later this month, where you’ll be able to hop in and face off against the dino hordes ahead of launch. The beta will be available from March 16 to March 19. Pre-download will be available on the Xbox Store starting March 15 at 6pm PT. You can learn more about what’s in store with our latest Exoprimal preview here on Xbox Wire.
Try Resident Evil 4 Today with New Chainsaw Demo for Xbox Series X|S
Fans of Resident Evil, rejoice! The Chainsaw demo for the awaited remake of Resident Evil 4launches today. Jump into the game’s opening moments as Leon S. Kennedy and get sucked into the horror ahead of the full release of the game.
Face Fearsome New Monsters Next Month in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
A brand-new expansion is heading to Monster Hunter Rise. Gear up and get ready to head to Elgado Outpost in Sunbreak, heading to Xbox consoles next month.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak takes place after the events of the main game and will introduce fearsome new monsters to battle, including the western horror-inspired Three Lords. The expansion also introduces fresh new locales, new characters, and brand-new actions, such as the Switch Skill Swap which makes changing abilities a breeze.
A Nintendo DS classic is heading to Xbox consoles in the summer. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the supernatural puzzler from Ace Attorney director Shu Takumi, casts you as a ghost tasked with uncovering the mystery of your own death.
The game has been updated to include high-resolution graphics, an increased frame rate, language support and an upgraded user interface. It also includes new arrangements of all 37 music tracks featured in the original game, as well as a brand-new original soundtrack from original composer Masakazu Sugimori.
This shiny new version of a spooky classic will launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on June 30.
Final Street Fighter 6 Commentator Announced
Capcom revealed that Japanese actress Hikaru Takahashi is the final color commentator heading to Street Fighter 6’s Real Time Commentary feature.
The feature provides real-time narrative over your in-game fights, and Takahashi’s addition brings the roster of commentators up to eight, four play-by-play commentators and four color commentators.
Zombie Derby: Pixel Survival is now available to purchase on Xbox and Windows
Survive a post-apocalyptic world by driving through hordes of zombies
The game also features a garage where players can purchase upgrades and more powerful vehicles
The latest part in the Zombie Derby series, Zombie Derby: Pixel Survival, is now available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows!
This is our first release of the game for Xbox. We approached it with great responsibility and were able to achieve stable gameplay at 4k and 120 fps on Xbox Series X|S, as well as implement various achievements and convenient gamepad controls.
The game combines simple controls with fun gameplay. The player has the ability to press the gas, shoot zombies, turn nitro to the maximum, and adjust the flight angle.
The player is invited to get behind the wheel of one of the available vehicles and go on a track full of various obstacles and a huge number of walking dead. While driving, the player must overcome hilly sections of tracks and crush the infected. The available transport includes cars and trucks, an armored personnel carrier, a school bus, and even a combine harvester. The distance the car travels depends on the driver’s decisions. The player has a machine gun with a limited amount of ammo, so it is important to save ammo and shoot only the most dangerous obstacles. There is a similar situation with nitro – the roads often have precipices and mined areas that can only be passed by using acceleration, so it is always necessary to have a small supply of nitro. In addition, the characteristics of the car itself are important.
The garage opens up another side of the game. To overcome all obstacles and get to the finish line, it is not enough to have the maximum life indicator. The road is set with traps that can be overcome with various abilities of your car. It is necessary to wisely install upgrades or purchase more powerful vehicles.
In addition to the single-player campaign, Zombie Derby: Pixel Survival also features a multiplayer mode where players can compete against each other in real-time races. The multiplayer mode features leaderboards and rankings, allowing players to compete for the top spot.
Zombie Derby: Pixel Survivalappeals to anyone who wants to relax their brains for a while, and enjoy pleasant gameplay, and beautiful pixel graphics. But don’t relax until the end, because there are zombies everywhere!
Get into the driver’s seat and put the pedal to the metal! The next part in the legendary Zombie Derby series is already here!
Smash your way through hordes of zombies and countless obstacles in a rip-roaring racing arcade. Experience the zombie apocalypse like you’ve never seen it before. Eradicating zombies has never been so colorful, exciting, and engaging before.
Attention Troopers! I am Morgan Lean of Epiphany Games and we’re thrilled to announce that our action-packed, twin-stick shooter, Tiny Troopers: Global Ops, launches today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Celebrating the return of the Tiny Troopers franchise, Global Ops is a modernizing sequel that has kept all of the elements which made the original games great, while introducing new features and upgrades for a modern audience. In an epic campaign with over 40 missions set across six theaters of war, we have prepared some important intel and mission objectives to aid your deployment. Get ready for some explosive action, where miniature warfare is seen on a global scale!
Mission Objective #1: Lock & Load
Starting off in Tiny Troopers: Global Ops, you will be armed with a pistol as your primary weapon, progressing throughout the story will soon allow you to unlock a lethal arsenal of weaponry from assault rifles to rocket launchers!
Completing a wide-range of objectives within each mission will help you to earn more XP and upgrade your troopers via the HQ. Be sure to frequently check back into the armoury to upgrade your weapons, rank and abilities. Some items are dependent on your trooper’s rank, so the more you rank up – the more items you can unlock!
Mission Objective #2: Adapt and Survive
In Tiny Troopers: Global Ops you will need to tackle lots of objectives such as VIP rescues, elimination missions, search & destroy and wave-based survival! Keep an eye out for hidden objectives throughout the battlefield, completing these will give you bonus XP and may even unlock new costumes from beach wear to chicken suits!
You can style your Trooper from head to toe in the barracks, with a wide range of clothing options from astronauts to clowns. Not sure where to start on unlocking new costumes? Try clicking on the arcade machine in the HQ for an “egg-citing” surprise.
Mission Objective #3: Join Forces in Co-Operative Multiplayer Action
Team-up in cooperative play with up to four players in online cross-pay or couch co-op. Compete in the global leaderboards where squads can combine specialist abilities such as airstrikes, drones, stim packs and reinforcements, making overwhelming the opposition that much easier!
Mission Objective #4: Disrupt Enemy Intel
Your supervillain enemies are causing chaos on a global level. They are well-equipped, organized and ready for a fight. Throughout your missions you will encounter the Troopers’ deadliest foes yet, but do not fear – if your teammates take too much damage on the battlefield, simply revive them. But be warned, if a Trooper is left behind during a mission – they will be gone for good!
Mission Objective #5: Most Importantly… Have Fun!
We are so proud to be releasing Tiny Troopers: Global Ops, a fast-paced, arcade twin stick shooter, taking players across the globe to take down hordes of unscrupulous enemies. Whether you are leading your elite squad of battle-hardened specialists through an epic campaign alone, or battling alongside a group of friends, we can’t wait to see you on the battlefield and ascending the leaderboards troopers!
Attention! The Tiny Troopers are BACK in Global Ops, a fast-paced arcade twin-stick shooter!
Your mission? Lead an elite squad of battle hardened specialists through an epic campaign of 40+ missions across 6 theatres of war!
Take your troopers into explosive battles through scorching deserts – dense, sweltering jungles and the coldest of frozen tundras!
Multiplayer Crossplay!
Join forces with up to four players online with full cross platform play! Whether you’re PC or console, you can battle solo or go online with 2 to 4 Unit Squads! Featuring global leaderboards, you’ll be able to combine your specialist abilities including airstrikes, drones, stim packs and reinforcements to overwhelm the opposition! If you’re not ready to deploy online, grab 2 to 4 friends in local co-op mode!
Lock & Load!
Gear up with a lethal arsenal of weaponry including rifles, rocket launchers, flamethrowers and assault shotguns, or get to the chopper and mount up on heavy machine guns to lay waste to your enemies!
Rank Up!
Complete objectives and earn XP to upgrade your troopers’ weapons, rank, and abilities in HQ. Customize their appearance with new uniforms, heads, skin tones and accessories, or increase their survivability and effectiveness in battle!
Enemy Intel
Your enemies are well equipped, organised and ready for a fight! Encounter the Troopers deadliest foes yet, with advanced AI controlling hordes of drones, insurgents and PMC’s – alongside intense boss battles!
Adapt and Survive
Troopers always answer the call of duty! Tackle a wide range of objectives including VIP rescues, elimination missions, search & destroy and wave based survival!
Adapt on the battlefield with additional side and hidden objectives to discover and complete!
