Summary Astro Bot’s director Nicolas Doucet told all about Team Asobi’s 2024 Game of the Year winner at GDC, including what the rest of the industry might be able to glean from making smaller, more focused games. Doucet also revealed that the game’s ending was originally going to be considerably more upsetting than the one Asobi went with. Spoilers ahead for the ending of Astro Bot, but come on, you should have finished it by now....

Avowedisn’t the game I expected it to be. I’ve been watching it from afar ever since its initial reveal several years ago. Many have painted it as a competitor toSkyrimandBaldur’s Gate 3with its incredibly large open world and complicated RPG mechanics. I’ve only just made it past the introduction, so it could well take on those characteristics eventually, but right now it feels more focused, dense, and considered in its execution....

Summary There’s always something new to be discovered inBaldur’s Gate 3, which will likely remain true for many more years to come. This latest discovery comes courtesy ofSaphyreDark, who completedLarian Studios' epic without recruiting any party members or non-party allies. Since the player character doesn’t have any allies, the epilogue feast is more or less devoid of participants. Some ‘default’ characters could still appear, such as Volo, Scratch and the Owlbear, but their presence doesn’t affect the triggering of Withers' ‘lone wolf’ dialogue....

Comics are known for their characters. Thankfully,Marvel Rivalsdelivers. The excellent characterization of each hero and villain ensures they feel familiar to fans. How they look, act, and speak perfectly fits their comic heritages, especially when talking to each other. Dozens of voice lines and chatter between characters bring comic references, in-game lore, or just a funny punchline. Out of the many humorous interactions, some stand out more than others. The conversations between villains and their foils are a great example, everyone throwing sarcasm or judgment at each other as they team up against a multiversal threat....

Quick Links Acquiring every fishing rod inRoblox’s Fischrequires a staggering investment of over two and a half million dollars, making it an unrealistic goal for most players. Instead of attempting to collect them all, it’s far more efficient to focus on obtaining the best rods available, as these will provide the greatest return on investment. The right fishing rod can save players both time and money, allowing them to catch more fish faster and maximize their earnings....

There are a lot of massive games coming out in 2025. We’re almostthrough the juggernaut of February, but March isn’t slowing down withSplit FictionandAssassin’s Creed Shadows, while we knowXbox is building momentum(admittedlyoften through cross platform games on Game Pass), PlayStation hasa triple-A double header,Nintendo is launching a new consolewith what is likelya bumper catalogue, and there’s the small matter ofGTA 6(andHalf-Life 3andHollow Knight: Silksongand maybe evenBloodborne Remastered right?!). But through all of this, the most interesting game of the year is, I would argue,Borderlands4....

Summary Video games are inherently a product of their time, andfew are more emblematic of the time period they were released in than the Borderlands series. The first title relied heavily on toilet humor, while Borderlands 2 leaned into the memes of its time.When Borderlands 3 dropped, its main protagonists were a pair of streamers. Last year’s film adaptation of the game can’t be categorized as anything but a box office bomb, withthe movie reportedly only making $30 million back on a $150 million budget....

Summary If it feels like every competitive match you’ve joined inMarvel Rivalshas aCloak and Daggermain, you’re not alone. The duo are by far the most picked characters this season, beating other popular picks such as Doctor Strange and Luna Snow. Their win rate, however, leaves a little to be desired. Right now, they rank 22nd, suggesting that not everyone who instalocks Cloak and Dagger is using them that effectively. As for the highest win rate, thatgoes to Storm, who recently received a bunch of buffs, but still has a relatively low pick rate....

Summary After three years of sitting on the sidelines, legendary Argentinian soccer star Diego Maradona will make his return toEA’s EA Sports FC series. The announcement, which was made on Monday, will see Maradona, a one-time FIFA World Cup winner, return to the franchise beginning on February 14. The superstar first joined the EA Sports-helmed soccer game beginning with its 2018 edition, when it was still partnered with FIFA. From there,Maradona served as a permanent fixture of the annual game, including multiple Ultimate Team cardsin 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022,before he was unceremoniously removed from the game following a legal dispute....

Quick Links Just like every single-player game,Avowedalso has a ton of options for you when you’re starting your playthrough to make sure all the settings are handled beforehand and you can fully immerse yourself once you begin your journey. A lot of these options include various accessibility features. However, one of the most important settings you’ll see during this will be difficulty. The game doesn’t have an extensive system to customize your difficulty, but you can select the best one out of the options you get....

Summary TheFalloutTV series is taking us back to New Vegas after 15 long years. While we don’t know what ending will be canon, if any, or whether the Tunnelers simply overran the Mojave, we do know that Novac is still standing. Last year, set photos showedwhat appeared to be the Novac signin a rundown, post-apocalyptic motel. However, one key staple was missing: Dinky the T-Rex. Legend has it that Cliff Briscoe is still trying desperately to pawn his enormous supply of souvenirs....

Summary Fallout: Nuevo Mexico,an incredibly promising expansion mod for Fallout: New Vegas, wascancelled earlier this week. Speaking in the project’s discord, lead developer Zapshock said that work on the mod wasn’t “sustainable” for themself and the team, and they instead needed to prioritise their mental health. Since then, viral social media posts have claimed that the “real” reason the mod was cancelled is because Zapshock was reported to ICE by others in the Fallout community....

Summary God Of War’s 20th anniversary came and went without the reveal of a remastered trilogy that some of you were hoping for. That doesn’t mean you can’t relive the first three games and everything that has come since to celebrate 20 years of God Of War though as Santa Monica celebrated the milestone by putting music from every single game in the series all in one place. It has done that via an impressive vinyl box set created in collaboration with Laced Records....