The bigger takeaway for the industry is what it signals about Sony’s exclusive strategy. After years of debate over whether locking a marquee Marvel game to one console still makes sense, Insomniac has produced something polished enough to make that bet look smart — even if it never quite reaches the heights of the studio’s Spider-Man run.

Berserker Combat That Earns Its Rating

The claws are the whole point, and Insomniac clearly understood that. Combat is faster and nastier than the studio’s Spider-Man games, trading acrobatic web-slinging for close-quarters brutality. Encounters reward aggression, momentum, and knowing exactly when to unleash Logan’s berserker fury rather than mashing through crowds.

What impresses most is how the mature tone informs the mechanics instead of just decorating them. Finishing moves feel weighty, the healing factor turns Wolverine into a relentless bruiser who wades back into fights most heroes would flee, and the difficulty curve respects players who want to master its systems. It is the rare licensed action game where the fighting alone would carry a recommendation.

A Grounded Logan Story With Real Weight

Insomniac resists the urge to go cosmic. Instead of a world-ending villain, the narrative stays personal, digging into memory, identity, and the cost of a life spent fighting. Logan is written as tired and dangerous rather than quippy, and the performance sells every scar. That restraint gives the story more emotional pull than most superhero games manage.

Comic fans will find plenty to chew on, and the game sits comfortably alongside the best adaptations of Marvel characters. If you enjoy that intersection of games and comics, our roundup of the top video games based on comics is a natural companion read, and Marvel’s wider push into interactive entertainment is on display in projects like Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.

The Open-World Formula Shows Its Age

Where the game stumbles is structure. The open world is handsome and dense, but it is stitched together from the same checklist of towers, side objectives, and collectibles that has defined big-budget action games for a decade. None of it is bad. Very little of it feels new.

The result is a game that is excellent minute to minute yet occasionally repetitive hour to hour. Players hoping for a genre-redefining leap the way the first Spider-Man reset expectations may come away slightly underwhelmed. The new Wolverine is very good — but it is not, to borrow the character’s own line, the best there is at what it does.

The Verdict

Marvel’s Wolverine is a strong, bloody, well-acted action game that gives one of Marvel’s most popular characters the respect he deserves. The combat is a genuine highlight, the story lands harder than expected, and the presentation is exactly what you want from a flagship PS5 exclusive. It is held back only by an open-world design that plays it safe. For fans of the character or anyone hungry for a meaty single-player action game this fall, it is an easy recommendation — just not a revolution.

Related on BizzNerd

• The Top 10 Best Video Games Based On Comics
• Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Adds Blade, Loki, Deadpool
• September 2026 PC Games: A Stacked Fall Release Calendar

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Years of Updates Pay Off

The headline for PS5 players is polish. Starfield in 2026 is a meaningfully different experience from the one that divided critics at release, with refinements layered across exploration, combat, and quality-of-life systems. The Free Lanes update smooths traversal, while the Terran Armada expansion adds fresh content for players arriving late to the galaxy. For anyone who skipped Starfield the first time, this is the version that finally feels like the game Bethesda pitched, and the PS5 release lowers the barrier for a huge console audience that has been waiting on the sidelines.

Performance Modes and the Crash Problem

Bethesda gives players options, and that flexibility is welcome. Starfield on PS5 ships with multiple performance modes, including a sharp 4K/30fps target and a smoother 60fps option, letting players prioritize fidelity or responsiveness based on their setup. The trouble is stability. Crash issues persist on both the standard PS5 and the PS5 Pro, and for a game built around long, investment-heavy play sessions, an unexpected crash is more than an annoyance — it is a threat to player trust. A space epic asks for hours of commitment, and technical instability chips away at the goodwill those hours are supposed to build.

What the PS5 Launch Means for Bethesda

Strategically, the PS5 release is a notable moment. Bringing a former Xbox-aligned flagship to PlayStation reflects a broader shift toward platform-agnostic distribution, where reaching the largest possible audience outweighs old exclusivity playbooks. For Bethesda, it is a second shot at first impressions with millions of new players. That makes the lingering crashes especially costly: this audience is forming its opinion now, and word of mouth on a new platform compounds quickly. Nail the stability in follow-up patches and Starfield’s reputation could genuinely turn a corner.

The Verdict

Starfield on PS5 is the best the game has ever been — more polished, more complete, and more generous with content than at any point in its life. It is also still wrestling with the technical gremlins that have shadowed it from the start. For PS5 owners curious about Bethesda’s ambitious space saga, this is the right time to jump in, provided you can stomach the occasional crash while the studio keeps tightening the screws.

Related on BizzNerd

• 007 First Light Review Roundup — IO Interactive Saves James Bond
• Path of Exile 2 Redefines the Action RPG Loot Hunt
• Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Review

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The best part about Mortal Combat 1

Without a doubt, the strongest aspect of MK1 is the storyline. With this installment, it undergoes a dramatic reset, with Liu Kang assuming the mantle of Earthrealm’s guardian and guiding its champions into a seemingly less perilous Mortal Kombat tournament. However, the tranquility is short-lived as mysterious and malevolent forces disrupt the peace, plunging the realm into chaos once more. Liu Kang’s carefully cultivated utopia is threatened as these usurpers seek to transform it into a battleground soaked in blood and gore.

Returning to the roots of the franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 embraces the classic “kung-fu flick” aesthetics, shedding the modern military themes of its predecessors. Instead, the narrative weaves a thrilling tale of ninjas, sorcery, and treachery, punctuated by deadly alliances and unexpected twists. The story campaign unfolds with stellar cinematography, delivering authentic moments of drama and comedy. Also, it included a long-awaited return of characters such as Sindel, Reptile, Mileena, and Raiden.

Visuals and animation

Mortal Kombat 1 boasts stunning visuals that capture the essence of its dark and fantastical world. The game’s graphics are undeniably impressive, showcasing detailed character designs and richly rendered environments. Each fighter is meticulously crafted with distinct features, from the imposing stature of Goro to the agile movements of Liu Kang. Vibrant colors and dynamic lighting effects further enhance the visual spectacle, immersing players in the intense combat experience.

On the other hand, Mortal Kombat 1, as a recent release, features animations that we can definitely call lacking, to say the least, compared to its competition. The character movements appear stiff and unnatural, with animations that sometimes feel rigid and dated. Jumping animations, in particular, seem clunky and lacking in fluidity.

NetherRealm Studios’ strongest point

Mortal Kombat 1’s stage design stands as a testament to the game’s captivating atmosphere and immersive world-building. NetherRealm Studios meticulously crafted each arena to reflect the diverse settings of the Mortal Kombat universe, from ancient temples shrouded in mystery to eerie wastelands teeming with danger. The attention to detail is evident in every corner, with background elements that breathe life into the environment and enhance the sense of immersion. Whether it’s the haunting silhouette of Shang Tsung’s throne room or the perilous cliffs of the Pit, every stage serves as a dynamic backdrop to the intense battles that unfold within. The stage design not only adds visual depth but also contributes to the storytelling, offering glimpses into the lore and mythology of the Mortal Kombat world.

Soundtrack of Mortal Kombat 1

The soundtrack of Mortal Kombat 1 serves as a powerful nostalgia-inducing element, transporting players back to the golden era of arcade gaming. Composed by Dan Forden, the iconic tunes are instantly recognizable, evoking memories of intense battles and adrenaline-fueled victories.

And of course, the gameplay and fighting

Mortal Kombat 1 delivers a familiar fighting experience that reminds us of the 90’s with its’ trademark 5-button fighter mechanic. However, some frustrations arise, such as the lack of player position resets, which can disrupt the flow of combat. Despite these setbacks, the introduction of the Kameo mechanic brings a notable evolution to the gameplay, reminiscent of the classic Kings of Fighters Striker system. While Kameo combatants add variety, they often feel like empty avatars, lacking the depth and personality of the main roster. Nevertheless, as this mechanic evolves over time, it holds promise for making a significant impact on the competitive scene.

The introduction of the new invasion mode and the implementation of the battle-pass style system known as “Mastery” represent attempts to provide players with additional content and rewards. The invasion mode promises dynamic challenges and seasonal updates. It offers players opportunities to engage in fresh experiences and earn rewards for their favorite fighters. However, some players find this mode lacking compared to the beloved MK Deception. It has a feeling that it fails to fully capture the excitement and depth of previous iterations. Despite its potential, the invasion mode may need further refinement to fully satisfy the expectations of fans.

Final thoughts

Overall, Mortal Kombat 1 was neither a hit or a miss. It does have excellent parts like the storyline, the soundtrack, the visuals and stage design. However, in parts where it doesn’t excel, it really messes up. The training, tutorial and online parts feel not finished. Same thing with the Invasion mode and Kameo mechanic. Although, I cannot beat them up about it since it is freshly added and will need some time to perfect. All in all, those who have loved previous installments will probably enjoy this one. Despite the fact that some parts are looking increasingly dated. In my opinion, it is not worth the full-priced fighter tag that it has.

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Hogwarts Legacy is said to have received several favorable reviews before its release. Additionally, because of the rise in pre-orders, it has made onto the best-selling lists on online retailer websites like Amazon and Epic Store.

Hogwarts Legacy and transphobia

The author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, has faced widespread criticism for comments she made about transgender folks. It should be emphasized that despite not having contributed to the game’s development, the author will receive royalties from its sales.

I will not begrudge anyone their love of past works or thing they already own that they take comfort in. I own the first 9 movies and all 7 books myself. But any support of something like Hogwarts Legacy is harmful. – Jessie Earl on Twitter

Despite the embargo being lifted, a few well-known gaming review websites like Kotaku, Eurogamer, and Polygon have not yet posted a review of Hogwarts Legacy. Others are still criticizing JK Rowling for her remarks about the trans community.

The Hogwarts Legacy commercials on Twitch, which is owned by Amazon, have also drawn criticism from some streamers. Nikatine has also demanded a boycott of Twitch for hosting advertisements for the game.

Problems in the gameplay of Hogwarts legacy

There are many different kinds of magic in the Harry Potter universe. Fans are worried that it might not be as inventive as they thought when trailers appeared to confine combat to magically raising enemies and then shooting the same beam of light at them repeatedly. Video of higher-level gameplay with new crowd-control spells and the entertaining transfiguration ability have already addressed some of these worries. However, the combat is still dividing fans.

Conclusion

Hogwarts Legacy had such high expectations that it was never going to be able to satisfy everyone. Avalanche Software presumably anticipated some resistance to whatever kind of Harry Potter game it chose to create. It’s vital to keep in mind that there is more to the game than just combat for those who are concerned about it. The opportunity to tour the exquisitely detailed castle and its surroundings is a huge deal to a lot of people. Players who are worried about what they have seen so far are putting off purchasing the game until reviews are published. Also, it’s very important to keep in mind that purchasing the game will further promote the transphobic agenda of J.K. Rowling

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt marked a remarkable expansion of CD Projekt Red’s tale. The game is on a genuinely gigantic scale, but it nevertheless pays attention to even the smallest of details. Story, mechanics, art, music, action, and lore all appear to blend together into one stunning whole in this game, which sees its hero, Geralt of Rivia, completely shift from the sword-swinging Mr. Loverman of the first game into a mature, contemplative hero. It establishes a new standard for the genre as the best fantasy role-playing game of its kind since The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarök are just two of the incredibly high-caliber games that have been released in the past 12 months. Yet, The Witcher 3 in its finished form competes head-to-head with the top games of 2022. The Witcher 3 has aged elegantly, and this updated edition just confirms that.

Update notes

Developer CD Projekt Red has released patch notes for The Witcher 3’s next-generation update, confirming some of the aesthetic improvements and changes made to the title.

These next-gen patch notes, which have gone live on the 14th of December for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms, outline many of the changes. However, notes for last-gen versions won’t be available for some time.

Changes made to Witcher 3 next-gen update

There are many visual improvements to explore. Ray tracing, 4K upscaling, and a number of mods intended to “enhance visuals and overall game quality” are all included in the update. You can check the list of mods below:

• The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project by HalkHogan
• HD Monsters Reworked by Denroth
• Immersive Real-time Cutscenes by teiji25
• Nitpicker’s Patch by chuckcash
• World Map Fixes by Terg500

Along with these mods, they have also added Full Combat Rebalance 3 by Flash_in_the_flesh. However, they have changed the mod from its original form.

New and shiny things that you can wear in the Witcher next-gen update!

In terms of fresh material, CD Projekt Red has revealed a brand-new side quest called In The Eternal Fire’s Shadow. It is currently available in Velen and will reward players with items from the Netflix-exclusive Witcher series.

The Dandelion and the infamous Nilfgaardian armor sets, which were also influenced by Netflix’s The Witcher, now have alternate appearances thanks to the patch.

Along with these interesting additions, players also received multiple items that will improve their gameplay. They may be a bit boring but some of these will save your life eventually! The changes include rapid sign-casting, a better map filter, and more forgiving fall damage. The patch also resolves a number of problems that made it impossible to complete a few tasks.

Although the full patch notes provide a more thorough breakdown of the update, CD Projekt Red stated that the modifications described are “only the highlights,” which implies that there are additional adjustments that have not yet been made.

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Critics gave Modern Warfare 2 mainly positive reviews. Being the fastest Call of Duty game to earn $1 billion in sales, it was a commercial triumph and set multiple milestones for the series. So, is it really that good?

The premise of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

The game takes place in a realistic, contemporary environment, just like its predecessor. In order to find terrorist Hassan Zyani who is in possession of American-made ballistic missiles, Task Force 141 and Mexican Special Forces unit Los Vaqueros are being followed in the campaign.

Maps

Regarding the 6v6 maps, the sheer number of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 maps we have at rotation is actually quite impressive. The 2019 launch had significantly fewer, which is an essential factor that players insist on. Out of 10 maps that we had at launch, only one stood out as being really terrible and that is the border crossing map. However, the other nine aren’t all sunshine and rainbows, but every game has some that are simply not that bad. Overall, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has a nice variety when it comes to layouts, settings, and color pallets.

Also, another nice thing about the maps, which was present in the 2019 version as well, is that you can jump on almost anything. It makes the game feel fluid and satisfying. Not to mention, it adds to the tactical part of the game since you can use this ability to outsmart your enemies.

Guns inside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Another great part about this game is the guns. They feel and sound amazing. Some of the movement at times can feel a bit clunky and there’s an abundance of visual recoil. If we weren’t to nitpick, overall – the gunplay is pretty solid.

Another great thing regarding guns is that the balance is amazing for a COD launch. Of course, there is room for improvement but we believe that this is more than acceptable considering the game came out just recently.

Gameplay improvements

If you’re someone that likes to move around and be aggressive, we have some good news for you. The footsteps in this installation are a lot better than they used to be. Now, you can move around freely without worrying about an enemy hearing you from an ungodly distance.

Also, another great thing that they have added is swimming. If you’re underwater, you can only use pistols but full autos will be available to you once you’re on the surface. We are glad they didn’t go overboard with this option.

Missing features

Sadly, this game has a lot of missing features that we won’t see at all or they will come only in the later parts.

For example, the hardcore game modes won’t be with us until the release of the first season. There are no barracks with combat records and challenge lists, after-action reports, double XP countdown, camo pop-ups, weapon tuning, detailed weapon stats, and many more.

Closing thoughts

Even with all of the issues that are currently present, we are sure you will be able to have fun! There are still a lot of things that need fixing. It does feel like the developers pushed its launch too early and the game ended up feeling like it’s not quite finished. However, as everything’s fixed and we get a lot more features, this could be a really good COD game. So, we suggest you hold on to your money for now and jump on the bandwagon once the game is complete.

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It seems to have become a Blizzard’s tradition to ruin all of its creations. The promised story mode has been delayed till 2023. A lot of old and new features have been bugged out. Along with that, there have been problems with the servers and account transfers. Here’s everything we know.

New things brought to the new game

If you’re a seasoned player, the following significant gameplay changes in Overwatch 2 can be confusing to you:

• Up to 30% of your Ultimate charge is refunded if you switch to another Hero in the middle of a game.
• Instead of decreasing each hit by five damage as it did in the past, armor (seen as orange parts of a character’s health bar) now reduces instances of damage taken by 30%. All damage sources are equally affected by this damage reduction effect.
• Temporary Health, which is displayed on a player’s health bar as a bright green tint, has replaced Temporary Shields and Temporary Armor. Heroic abilities now offer Temporary Health rather than Temporary Armor or Shields, such as Lucio’s Sound Barrier Ultimate, Junker Queen’s Commanding Shout Ability, and Doomfist’s The Best Defense Passive. Players will receive an Ultimate Ability charge at half the normal pace if they damage adversaries with Temporary Health.
• To maintain all of their Hero unlocks and stats, returning players need to also make sure that Overwatch 2 cross-progression and account merging are turned on.

The reality of Overwatch 2

Let’s face it: Overwatch 2 had a terrible debut. When the servers went live on Tuesday, Overwatch 2 was plagued by two problems at once: a cyberattack and extremely long login queues due to high player interest.

The corporation was battling with Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, according to a tweet from Blizzard Entertainment President Mike Ybarra. The servers were no longer being disrupted after Tuesday’s launch. In gaming, “server difficulties” and “launch day” invariably go hand in hand, thus many players were prepared for delays and disruptions.

Bugged heroes

If you haven’t noticed any technical difficulties, it’s possible that you’ve encountered a different kind of problem. For example, a bug that caused Bastion to spread chaos around itself. It has been noted that Bastion’s ultimate attack can be extended if the player clicks multiple times in a row, with the right timing. The attack was becoming so devastating that Blizzard decided to remove Bastion from all mods. Of course – only temporarily until they solve that problem.

Another hero followed Bastion’s path – Torbjorn. It has been noted that his Overloaded skill can be used twice in a row. As a result, he was temporarily pulled from the roster as well. However, Torbjorn is still available in the Quick Play mode of the game – he only disappeared in the Ranked mode.

Blizzard and classism

The use of Blizzard’s SMS Protect function, which necessitates a mobile phone number to prevent cheaters and deter hackers from taking control of player accounts, was another problem that plagued the debut of Overwatch 2. Due to the SMS Protect protocol, users with prepaid cellular accounts cannot utilize those mobile numbers. A Blizzard spokesperson said that the company is “actively engaging with some service providers to explore if we can expand the program to cover more users while still protecting our players and game security.”

Blizzard announced late Wednesday that an update they will release on Friday would modify SMS Protect. Everyone who has logged into Overwatch after June 2021 can play without the need for a phone number. However, those who haven’t will have to use it to get their accounts. Blizzard has also been rolling out updates to reduce long login lines and unstable online performance. Additionally, users have complained about missing items and other data; according to Blizzard, half of these problems are the result of individuals failing to merge their accounts. For the rest, Blizzard has said that they haven’t erased or destroyed any data. They are also working to recover any goods that had gone missing.

Closing thoughts about Overwatch 2

So far, everything about Overwatch 2 has been a disaster. If the launch wasn’t this rushed maybe this could have turned out to be a decent game. But, right now it’s just not worth playing.

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Jedi: Survivor, created by the seasoned Respawn Entertainment team, will build on the exhilarating combat found in Jedi: Fallen Order as well as the legendary Star wars storylines, worlds, and characters.

Release date of Star wars Jedi: Survivor

The release date is somewhere in 2023. While Jedi: Survivor is progressing similarly to its predecessor, neither Respawn nor LucasFilm Games have officially announced a more precise release date. EA first unveiled Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order at Star Wars Celebration in 2018. It was then released in November 2019. It appears realistic to anticipate Jedi: Survivor 2, which the Apex Legend creator has been working on for three years, to release in Fall 2023.

The story 

The Star Wars Jedi: Survivor plot starts up five years after Jedi: Fallen Order. To remind you, it ended with Cal Kestis forgoing the opportunity to revive the Jedi Order in order to protect children who are Force-sensitive from the Empire. As one of the last remaining Jedi in the galaxy, Cal must “do everything it takes to stay alive” in Jedi: Survivor. Respawn promises it will have a darker tone. This may entail “creating friendships with people that, in other times, may be deemed unpleasant,” the game’s director Stig Asmussen teases, further portraying the gloomy circumstances in which Cal and his allies find themselves.

The gameplay

Respawn hasn’t yet made any gameplay footage available to the public, but the company has talked about how it handles progression and combat. Respawn is “leveraging new technology” of the PS5 and Xbox Series X to “create more dynamic Jedi combat,” according to game director Stig Asmussen. Including that “Jedi: Survivor will add new and creative approaches to the series’ dynamic combat. Cal needs to develop his use of the Force and acquire new skills in order to survive.”

Will Star Wars Jedi: Survivor be next-gen only?

The next-gen exclusive game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This means you cant use last-gen consoles, which is unfortunate for people who haven’t had the opportunity to upgrade yet. More and more next-gen-only games are appearing, such as Tekken 8 and Forspoken. Maybe it’s finally time to upgrade to a PC or console from the current generation.

Closing thoughts

Since there isn’t much information available about the game, it is hard to say anything. However, the way Cal’s story is going, we must say – it will certainly be very interesting. The only shame about this game is that it’s a next-gen exclusive which will make a lot of fans left out.

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Private Division will release this game on August 16 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Private Division is a company that has recently become a subsidiary of Tic To The Company. For that reason, I will draw your attention to the introduction trailer of this game.

Rollerdrome

The special visual effects and the smooth animation of the characters’ movements have made Rollerdrome attract the attention of many, and its shooter system also looks good and acceptable.

As the publisher of this game, Private Division is trying to market it in a better way. One of the goals of the new trailer is to reveal the features specific to the PlayStation 5 version. Rollerdrome supports haptic feedback and dual-sense adaptive triggers, as well as PlayStation 5 3D audio.

Rollerdrome: tips

To survive in Rollerdrome, you must know the tips of this game. For this reason, this game needs more explanation.

• In the Rollerdrome game, you have to move constantly. If you stand still you will be an easy target. Consequently, you will easily die. For this reason, be constantly on the move to escape from the enemies’ bullets.
• You have to zig-zag. When doing that your enemy will be confused and you can easily destroy them.
• By using the trick, you will be able to reload your ammo. Now, the more complicated this trick is, the more bullets you will get. The interesting thing is that the lower your bullet is, the lower the trigger resistance of the Duel Sense controller will be.

The game has many weapons. You can get different items as you progress. At first, all players are given a Dual Pistol. Then by playing more you get more points and you can get other weapons. Your precise movements are highly important in the game. While you have to dodge the bullets, you have to move just right to be in a good position to hit the enemy.

Super Reflex Feature

The Super Reflex feature allows you to experience the smoothness of the game. A few seconds later, if you use it correctly, the game will run in slow motion. This allows you to take advantage of this opportunity to target enemies.

Special features of the PlayStation 5 console will allow you to detect the location of enemies.

System Requirements

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system.
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit.
• CPU: Intel Core i5-2125 or AMD A12-9800
• RAM: 4 GB
• GPU: GeForce GT 630 (2 GB), Radeon HD 6770 (1 GB) or Intel Iris Pro 580

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Stray – Main Premise

Stray will take you on a post-apocalyptic journey, an adventure where one moment you are playing with your cat family, and sooner than you know it, you will be in a dark street whose gloom is only broken by the occasional neon advertisement. Alone and lost in that unfamiliar environment, you try to find your way to your family.

The gameplay

Our nameless hero is a very ordinary cat, but that’s what makes him a very interesting choice for the protagonist. You don’t have any special abilities other than running, jumping, and meowing. However, the meowing ability is really interesting. It has its own dedicated button and when you press it – the environment reacts to your meow. Sometimes it’s just a casual glance from a harmless passerby, while in certain situations the meow results in alarming all possible enemies around you.

Jumping is a bit clumsily because you can only jump to a certain place and that is when the jump button appears on the screen. So, you can’t really jump at whatever you want, even when it seems you should be able to. That being said, the struggle with camera alignment during jumps can be a little irritating, especially when you’re running away from enemies. Fortunately, the controls can be completely customized

Another problem with the jump is the animation. Sometimes it won’t seem as fluid as it should be. That is quite contradictory considering how well the entire game feels and looks.

Things that made Stray feel special

It is no secret that people love Stray and that is for a good reason! The game has added a lot of interesting details that make the game feel different. For example, you can sharpen your claws on carpets, walls, or doors! If you’re feeling a little more naughty you’ll be delighted to know that you can push and knock down almost anything in your path. As with any real cat, sleep is an integral part of life and Stray offers an achievement if you sleep enough during your gameplay!

Characters in the game

Stray is full of distinctive characters, from those more important to the main story to those completely secondary. The characters are robots, but they think, dress, speak and act like humans. Therefore, you will be able to find them slacking off at work due to a hangover, drinking in a nightclub, or knitting sweaters for other robots. You can expect good dialogue and wacky jokes, from those related to quests to those that you might not notice if you don’t explore the environment well.

You’re probably wondering how can an ordinary cat communicates with robots. This is where our protagonist’s sidekick, a tiny drone named B-12, enters the scene. While not hiding in the mitten on the cat’s back, B-12 will translate what other characters are saying, illuminate dark areas, or serve as a backpack. B-12 stands side by side with our cat and is almost as important in this story. One would not succeed without the other, but together they become something more than the heroes of this story.

The hidden story of Stray

In addition to the main premise, which is the return of a cat to its family, Stray also tells the story of the disappearance of humanity through the collection of memory fragments in the environment itself.

In the open areas of the city, you can explore, collect certain things, talk to other characters, etc. There, the emphasis is on vertical movement. Linear areas where you solve not-so-difficult puzzles or run away from enemies are more action-focused than casual sightseeing.

The graphics

As for the appearance itself, Stray looks wonderful. The level of detail that gives this world a note of uniqueness and charisma is visible at almost every step. The stunning design of narrow dark alleys and the colorful neon lights that flow through the smog are just some of the things that make Stray recognizable and special. The attention paid to the visual and character details of the characters is noticeable everywhere you turn.

Closing thoughts

This little kitty should entertain you for about 6 to 10 hours, it all depends on how thoroughly you dedicate yourself to exploring the world around you and how interested you are in collecting various things. This is a relatively short game, which in this case is a good thing: the developers didn’t draw out the story unnecessarily, nor cluttered it with boring or tedious content.

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The past of Playstation and Xbox

For many years Sony pretty much held the title of the “best” console following the launch of the first Playstation consoles and the subsequent update. However, when Microsoft introduced the first iteration of the Xbox a year after Sony launched the PlayStation 2, the world of console gaming would never be the same again.

Since then, it has been an endless game of one-upmanship between the two contenders. This is the case even though Sony seems to win consistently when looking solely at the market share. That said, the debate is always heated and consumers will always pit the two against each other. Because people are competitive by nature and we always want to be sure that we are getting the best for our money.

So when it comes to comparing consoles or any other competing products for that matter, it invariably leads to a comparison of their inner workings. The same goes for the Sony PS5 and the Xbox Series X.

PS5 v Xbox Series X, the titans go head to head

Looking at the technology that runs the PS5 and Xbox X, both competitors came ready to bruise and are quite evenly matched. Both companies chose to stay with chipmaker AMD on their latest offerings.

The PS5

The PS5 uses a third-generation variant of AMD’s Ryzen CPU, an 8 core chip that has been tailored to Sony’s exact desires.

The story is very much the same when it comes to the GPU. It is a tailored version of the Radeon Navi which supports ray-tracing and 3D audio simulation. When coupled with the PS5’s 16GB of GDDR6 RAM, players have up to 10.28 teraFLOPs at their disposal.

As for storage space, the PS5 ships with an 825 GB SSD (Solid State Drive) that runs at 5.5GB per second, which makes for some ultra-fast loading times.

Xbox Series X

Much like the competition, Microsoft’s work with partnership with AMD was an endeavor to customize components to suit the latest version of Xbox.

The Xbox also features an 8 core CPU, however, this version clocks higher at 3.8GHz – a tad higher than the Sony PS5’s 3.5GHz.

The GPU that Microsoft runs in the latest Xbox also leaves the PS5 wanting. More specifically Xbox Series X buyers have up to 12 teraFLOPs hidden “under the hood” that are paired with an exact match of 16GB GDDR6 RAM.

To top it off, the Xbox SX comes standard with an impressive 1TB SSD That runs at 2.4GB per second. If that is not enough for you, all you need to do is get your hands on an Xbox Series X Storage Expansion Card to get yourself another 1TB of storage.

Tallying up the score of PS5 vs Xbox X

When looking at the figures, the Xbox Series X has a clear hardware advantage over the Playstation 5. However, a closer inspection might reveal a few more important facts.

For one, the Xbox SX’s CPU figures only reach that high when the simultaneous multithreading feature is active, the gap between the two is otherwise a marginal one.

The GPU differences are another point worth paying a little extra attention to. Though Xbox Series X owners can boast about the higher teraFLOP figures, they might not really matter all that much beyond the platform’s exclusive titles like Gears of War.

That said, the asking price for the two competitors is similar – both with an MSRP of $500. So the question of which of the two is “better” is a very personal one, most probably determined by brand loyalty and which exclusive games one cannot go without playing.

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Sony’s beta program was launched in June and comes in as the company’s equivalent to the Xbox Insider program, which has been available for a number of years and gives PS5 owners early access to firmware updates for the purpose of testing and feedback.

For those selected few, this means that they will be “among the first to put new features to the test and provide essential feedback that will help guide [Sony’s] development.” As per Sony PlayStation blog post.

How to get started with the PS5 Beta Testing program

The exclusivity of it all is probably one of the biggest draws right? Whatever the case, there are a number of prerequisite standards that your PlayStation Network account needs to meet before you can even dream to start your journey to PS5 beta testing.

Besides actually owning the relevant console, interested parties need to be over 18 years. The second potential problem is that that program is limited to a select few countries. These are Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States – being anywhere else in the world means you’re out of luck.

Once you have all these in order, the first thing you need to do is navigate to the PS5 beta program’s official website, sign in and click register now. From there you’ll go through the usual of reading the terms of service before clicking on the “I Agree” option and submitting your application to the PS5 beta program.

Sign-up is fairly simple. However, one should always keep in mind that participants in the beta program are selected and a submitted application does not guarantee that you’ll get the email with further details on how to get started. This is a roll of the dice so to speak.

What happens if you get selected?

Should you get the lucky call, you’ll have the opportunity to try out new software features that Sony intends to implement – like the possibility of testing out SSD expansion, which saw a lot of hype in recent months.

After testing out the differences you might feel when you arrange your list of trophies vertically, your most important task would be giving Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) the feedback they need in the exact format as specified by them.

Theoretically, these untested features shouldn’t tamper with your gaming experience in any way and if they do, your job will be to report it to SIE. Beyond the bragging rights that come with exclusivity, the bigger benefit of beta testing is a very personal one. The feeling of knowing that you in some way helped to steer the direction of something like the PS5 is priceless to some.

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Announcements of termination and release of GTA 5 for Different Consols

This comes after Rockstar Games announced its plans to terminate GTA 5 Online for the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles on the 16th of December this year.

Rockstar Games had previously set the 11th of November as the release days for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S remaster. However, on the 9th of September, the company announced that fans who wanted to play the game on either of the consoles would have to wait until March 2022.

Rockstar did not give much in the way of explaining their reasons, only stating that “the game requires a few additional months for polishing and fine-tuning. We look forward to sharing more details about these expanded and enhanced versions soon,”.

However, Rockstar did make mention of a number of interesting new features – namely, a standalone variety of GTA Online that is set to hit the generation of Playstation and Xbox. Moreover, PS5 players will have the opportunity to claim GTA Online for free in the 3 months after launch.

In the meantime, waiting PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players can still enjoy the world of GTA through backward compatibility. Minus all the bells and whistles that would come with a version that is tailored to next-gen consoles of course.

Important points to make note of regarding GTA 5

There are two main effects that the addition of a PS5 and Xbox Series X/S could have. First of all, this move could help give GTA Online unchallenged continuity – even in the face of a GTA 6.

Secondly, it could open up more possibilities for multiplayer playing with a way of a marked reduction in the game’s storage demands. However, it is worth noting that these particular points are highly speculative at this point in time as the company has not yet confirmed this.

Closing thoughts

Grand Theft Auto 5 was a class act in gaming right from the very beginning and games with that much entertainment value are by no means a walk in the park to create. The gap between GTA 5 and its predecessor is proof of that.

Therefore, it would be a little unrealistic to expect a GTA6 any time soon – especially after Rockstar’s most recent big deal launch of Red Dead Redemption 2.

But then again, it’s not like they would be in a hurry. GTA Online boasts a massive following that keeps Rockstar’s war chest well. Stocked through the purchase of in-game currency, while the company still enjoys the seemingly endless buyers’ appetite for GTA5 – simply remastering for the next-gen just made more sense.

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Unlike it’s parent-title, the Yakuza spin-off cuts a darker, more broody undertone as one plays a former lawyer turned investigator, who must delve deeper into Tokyo’s underbelly to discover the mystery behind a recent spate of murders. Judgement offers just enough investigative activity to keep players enthralled, but does much of the decision making for the player. The title offers a fresh, more fast-paced take on the detective game genre. 

The Judgement narrative is told in chapters throughout the lengthy, yet engaging, title’s gameplay. As the main character – voiced by Japanese superstar, Takuya Kimura – players of the title will find that it has a combat mechanism similar to previous Yakuza titles, Yakuza 0, and Yakuza Kiwami. Aside from almost endless combat, the game I’ll have one employing the title’s Investigation Mode, to sniff out clues and witnesses. 

As previously mentioned, the story follows the investigative exploits of Takayuki Yagami. A complex character, and former lawyer, who – after discovering that he had helped keep a murderer from going to prison – quit his Forster father’s law firm, and set up a small private investigation firm with friend – and former crime family member – Masaharu Kaito.

Yagami wanders the criminal underworld of fictional Tokyo district, Kamurocho, investigating a murder mystery. Three crime bosses have been murdered in similar fashion, within the space of just three months. Yagami walks the same world that plays womb to the narrative as the rest of the Yakuza series, so players can expect the game to seem quite familiar in look, and feel. The biggest change, from original Yakuza titles, is the game’s pacing, and resolution – 60 frames per second.

Gotaku really threw on all the bells, and whistles to make sure it plays like a gripping investigative drama. Between fighting baddies, and gathering information from clues and witnesses, the player is gifted with brief – human – moments that make the game feel more like a movie who’s narrative involves the viewer. From simply having a cigarette in your own private corner, to mundane cat related mysteries. 

The game is not without it’s real-world influences, many of the brands found in-game, are real world brands. There’s a running joke about a ponzi scheme known as Kickstarter – get it? The game even features a pop culture spoof of a hit US detective series. 

Fans of the original Yakuza series will probably appreciate the fact that the game was not too extreme, a deviation, from the original title. Fans who will experience the series for the first time, through the spin-off, will be treated to a slower-paced, more cerebral, initiation into Kamurocho. The multiple layers to the game’s story, and cut scenes will really create the effect of being sucked into a detective flick.

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Firstly, the PS5 brings in a whole host of new technologies, while the PSVR – which it thankfully is compatible with – has really done its fair share of ageing, especially when pitted against rivals like the Oculus Quest 2.

Secondly, the Dualshock4 controller will work specifically on PS 4 supported games, and only the DualSense controls will be usable on PS5 games.

This backwards compatibility issue – the need to have a PS4 controller at hand to play last gen games – represents an added cost on those who might have sold their PS4 consoles, or simply never owned one. However, the added spend on the buyers side does not come as a surprise. The Story of previous PlayStation releases went a similar way – the DualShock 2 was not compatible with the PS3, with the narrative remaining unchanged for the release of the PS4.

All Eyes On VR

Another issue is VR, a budding gamer looking to enjoy their PSVR experience via the technologically superior PS needs more than just a headset and standard console. In this instance, one needs to be prepared to purchase the whole enchilada. That’s the PS Camera as well as the PS Camera adapter for PS5. Furthermore, many instances may require you to get your hands on a DualShock 4 controller, a pair of PS Move controllers, and possibly even the PS Aim controller.

In the meantime, PS5 owners will have to get around those sorts of hurdles to take advantage of the current PSVR – yes, there are whispers of a PSVR 2 going around the rumour mill.

However, not all prospects of the DualSense controller’s use in virtual reality gaming are bleak. There happens to be a hidden talent that the DualSense controller comes with – despite the DualSense’s lack of a light bar (used as a part of many game’s motion tracking mechanisms), it can still be used for titles that don’t employ controller tracking.

These are games like DirtRally, SkyrimVR (in gamepad mode as opposed to PS Move mode), and Resident Evil 7 VR – all of which utilise the camera for head tracking instead of controller tracking.

This one feature could go some way in relieving the frustration – for those who don’t have DualShock 4 – that may come from those titles that require the older controller. At least you’ll be able to play some of the titles in your collection.

Closing Notes

For the time being, this is what PlayStation 5 owners looking to get in on the virtual reality craze will have to deal with. This should only worsen with time as new release titles start to leave old technology behind, especially after Sony releases the much anticipated update to their PSVR platform.

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No Man’s Sky, developed by Hello Games (backed by Sony on the promotional and publishing font,) first saw public release in 2016, with critics heaping praise on the interactive work’s technical brilliance – in the game’s 18 quintillion procedurally generated environments – while others decrying the system as monotonous, and predictable.

Available on PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows PC, and Xbox series X and S – as well as VR – the game is an action-adventure/ survival based game that will keep players busy with surviving, exploring, combating, and trading their way through an overwhelmingly vast universe – in first, or third-person perspective.

Gameplay

The universe is one’s oyster, as a user takes control of a customisable character, referred to – throughout the game – as Traveler, who is a humanoid in a spacesuit one ought to pay attention to upgrading. The Traveler’s Odyssey through uncharted space begins at the screen of a crash site at the edge of the galaxy, that is where one is equipped with a spacesuit, jetpack, and, super-useful multitool (all the better to scan, collect, mine resources, as well as kill one’s enemies with, my dear.)

The Traveller also has a Spacecraft that he can climb in, and out of, repair, and must refuel in order to get to all the various destinations within the game. The player is free to carry out the base activities of the game in any way they like; Trader, Bandit, Explorer, or what have you? However getting-by means getting ‘units’ (in-game currency) which one can get through exploring, selling resources they mined, or stole, as well as, trading trading.

The planets one can explore, as well as discover, on-game are teaming with unique animal, plant life. Some are inhabited by sentient beings that the Traveller will find, either welcoming enough to collaborate, and trade with, or hostile enough to warrant the delivery of a space age smiting. A good number of the planets the traveller will land his exo-suited behind on will house atmospheres that are extremely dangerous, and could prove corrosive to the survival suit – detrimental to overall, staying alive. Keeping the Traveller from kicking the bucket requires continuous upgrades to the suit, that means running about the galaxy, collecting blueprints to craft said upgrades.

As previously mentioned, No Man’s Sky’s gameplay is pretty open ended, but there is a sentient being at the centre of the No Man’s Sky galaxy, which guides players here and there. The fact that one finds better resources towards the centre of the universe – where the entity known as Atlas can be found – suggests that there may be more to this being than meet the eye. It certainly seems central – in some obscure way – to the overall arch of the No Man’s Sky narrative.

No Man’s Sky On VR

No Man’s Sky delivers incredible graphics, and visuals on any screen, console, or PC, but the immersive experience of Virtual Reality is where this bugger really comes alive. While other headsets render the game’s graphics with high resolution graphics, the gameplay has been reported to suffer from Immersion Sickness inducing choppiness. PlayStation VR, on the other hand, seems to offer the smoothest experience, though the graphics are a tad grainier – while the Valve Index is said to offer the best of both.

The No Man’s Sky: Beyond VR patch, for Xbox, PlayStation VR, and PC (released 2019) made it possible for fans of the game to immerse themselves in the No Man’s Sky universe and experience it in a whole new way. The VR experience of the game gives one a full sense of just how immense a 18 quintillion procedurally rendered galaxy truly is. Just the scale of objects, from standing next to a spacecraft, to facing-off with a giant creature on a planet one has just landed on, to the sphere size of some of the rocks one sets foot on while playing this game, everything is just so amazingly almost-real.

The game offers a variety of movement options. Allowing one to, either walk around as normal, or zip about VR style – if one has the stomach for it. The Hello Games team clearly paid a lot of attention to detail, as the game controls very intuitively, though controls are very different to the screen version of the game. Sitting in your spacecraft’s cockpit, flying through space, or fending off marauders is where the VR experience of No Man’s Sky really shines, however.

The VR No Man’s Sky has the makings of a cult classic that informs the evolutionary direction of VR gaming. As the patch simply renders an, already, expansive title for VR gameplay. Future VR titles could become longer, and more elaborate. It certainly sets some standard, in terms of the intuitiveness of controls.

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“It’s a real generational leap in new features. Even though it doesn’t break things that came previously, Unreal Engine 5 will be a straightforward upgrade for anyone working with Unreal Engine 4,” Epic Games’ CEO, Tim Sweeney said to GamesBeat.com back in May, this year. “It’ll be like going through a few minor version updates. But it has major new graphical features targeted at a new generation of hardware, defined by PlayStation 5. These capabilities are also coming to PC and elsewhere.” he continued.

Epic Game’s Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) is set to go public in 2021 and the firm collaborated with gaming hardware manufacturer, Sony, on their PlayStation 5 in order to have the gaming engine “take full advantage of next-generation hardware”. UE5 will also be completely compatible with practically all other gaming hardware.

UE5 takes a lot of the hard work out of game development and comes with a host of features that simplify the process, and reduce the costs involved. All while translating games for different hardware, enabling them to run on console, PC, as well as mobile platforms.

Epics’ UE 5 will first release as the backbone for the gaming firm’s flagship title, Fortnite (currently over 350 million global players strong). Fortnite will make it’s Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 debut later this year – featuring a forward compatible version of Unreal Engine 4. Forward compatibility allowing it to migrate to UE5 in 2021. 

Keeping true to it’s open approach to industry advancement, Epic intends to keep the UE5 engine free to download, and harness for development, with a 5% royalty due after a title achieves a minimum of $1 million in sales.

“Our goal isn’t just to bring more features to developers — it’s to help solve the hardest problem in game development right now. Building high-quality content takes enormous time and cost. We want to make it productive for people to build games at this quality level.” – Tim Sweeney

What’s New?

Of All the bells and whistles showcased by Epic Games through a real-time demo called Lumen In The Land Of Nanite, running on a PlayStation 5, the standout additions to the Unreal gaming engines software are Lumen & Nanite.

Nanite

The system responsible for the near life-like graphics generated by UE5. Virtualized micropolygon geometry enables artists to create worlds with the finest geometric detail, bringing out film quality imagery. Up to billions of polygons are streamed and scaled in real-time, eliminating the need for polygon count, polygon memory, and drawcount budgets. 

Lumen

Lumen offers a dynamic global illumination system which reacts to scene, and lighting changes in real-time. Lumen renders light bounce, indirect specular reflections, and diffuse interreflection in detailed environments at varying scales. Both tools are geared toward making game development more cost effective and less time consuming.

Conclusion

It appears that, come next year, the gaming industry will leap to a new level of productivity and visual quality. UE5 marks a step into a more realistic gaming experience than ever – which come right in time for the explosion of VR gaming. Though it is, as yet, unclear whether or not Unreal Engine will support VR development. A likely scenario, seeing as many of the hallmark titles backboned by previous irritations of Unreal Engine are beginning to look into VR optimised titles.

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