As a big fan of Mass Effect and its various romanceable companions, I wanted to put the record straight on the ins and outs of Exodus’ sex scenes. After all, Exodus looks and feels a lot like Mass Effect. It’s even developed by some of the brains behind BioWare’s much-loved sci-fi RPG franchise. So, it feels reasonable to me to compare and contrast what goes on under the sheets in both games.
At gamescom, I interviewed game director Chris King, narrative director Drew Karpyshyn, and general manager Chad Robertson, about all things Exodus, and thought the part of our chat about the sex scenes would be worth closer inspection. I began by asking what to me felt like the most obvious starting point: can you have sex with the octopus?
What...
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Your first impression of Exodus was probably, "Oh, this looks like Mass Effect." And narrative director Drew Karpyshyn, who was a narrative lead on BioWare's legendary space opera RPG series, told me, "It's a perfectly fine way to wrap your head around it." He'd love for Exodus to be regarded in the same way, and it's easy to see why. Exodus has all the pieces you'd want from a spiritual successor sci-fi RPG: tough decisions to make about the fate of humanity in space, punchy action combat, and the tangled web of character relationships you influence.
After playing Exodus myself, I talked with Karpyshyn about building out a new universe with developer Archetype Entertainment and many of the philosophies driving its RPG elements. How...
Key Preview Takeaways:
Exodus’s space-opera vibes immediately reminded me of Mass Effect, and that seems to be on purpose.
Its Paladin/Immortal morality system reflects the Paragon/Renegade system, but it's going for something deeper than just good/evil and is centered around preserving humanity.
Combat feels like an evolution of Mass Effect, sharing many similartieis with shooting mechanics and controlling your allies' abilities.
When the team at Archetype Entertainment showed us the latest trailer for Exodus before the premiere at Opening Night Live, it seemed like they had understood the assignment – emotional, character-driven stories that felt natural for a space-opera RPG in the vein of Mass Effect. It was the reveal of the...
PUBG — the battle royale that popularized the genre — already has a number of spinoffs. But none is as love it or hate it as DED.NET.
Like PUBG, DED.NET is a multiplayer first-person shooter that revolves around outlasting your enemies, but there are a number of key differences. Chief among them is roguelite progression that persists across runs, and a heavy-handed 1990s aesthetic dubbed “Grunge House.” But there’s more. Matches — even if you make it to the end — will come in at around the 25-30 minute mark, which makes it a digestible experience relative to PUBG’s more intense, longer-lasting battle royale. And while PUBG is available on console, DED.NET is built from the ground up for consoles.
Set in Cascadia in 1996, a world...
The Blood of Dawnwalker already has a mod that largely defeats the purpose of the game.
In The Blood of Dawnwalker, a new RPG from ex-CD Projekt Red staff, the player fills the shoes of a man-turned-vampire who has 30 days to save his family. The game has a non-linear story with different approaches, allowing you to progress how you see fit, but there's a catch: Every mission you take on advances the game's 30-day clock. Some quests advance the clock more than others, forcing the player to be thoughtful about quests they accept. Character progression, such as using the skill tree, also advances the clock.
Naturally, some fans don't like the pressure this creates. The clock forces them to make tough decisions; it means you have to be...
There's something odd happening on the StarCraft website. While the content still features StarCraft Remastered, which launched back in 2017, the page now seems to be glitching out, with various elements, images, and text blocks flickering on-screen randomly. Could Blizzard be teasing a new StarCraft game?
That would make sense. A report earlier this year said that Blizzard had partnered with Korean gaming giant Nexon to develop a new StarCraft shooter. Blizzard declined to comment on the matter at the time, and the partnership remains unconfirmed, but a report yesterday from South Korean newspaper Chosun (via Wccftech) reaffirms that Nexon is seeking a license to develop a new StarCraft game.
Meanwhile, Blizzard may have been...
Minecraft Dungeons 2 is set to release for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 1/2, and PC on September 29. It sends players back into the dangerous dungeons, either solo or co-op. The game is available to preorder now (see it at Minecraft.net) in a couple of different editions. Below, you’ll find links to various retailers, along with info about what comes in each edition and preorder bonuses. Let’s dive in.
Minecraft Dungeons II (Digital)
Standard Edition - $29.99
Get it for PS5
Get it for Xbox
Get it for Switch 2 / Switch
Get it for PC (Steam)
If you want a digital copy of the game, you can grab one at the links above. The standard edition comes with the game and the preorder bonus (see below).
Deluxe Edition - $49.99
Get it for...
AdHoc Studio, the team behind Disptach, helped develop Until Dawn 2.
In a new PlayStation Blog post, Until Dawn 2 developer Firesprite confirmed that AdHoc helped craft the story of the new horror game. As a result, the team promises a much richer experience with tough choices that impact the branching narrative.
"We’ve partnered with our friends at AdHoc Studio – the brilliant minds behind the acclaimed Dispatch – so you can expect a deeply layered story packed with rich characters, razor-sharp dialogue, fraught relationships, tough decisions, and yes… more than a few gruesome deaths," reads the post. "Every choice, every interaction can ripple with dramatic consequences."
AdHoc has been around for nearly a decade, but only released...
Back in June, developer EXBO rebranded free-to-play open-world PvPvE extraction shooter STALCRAFT: X as STALZONE alongside a graphical upgrade, reworking of its starting missions and locations, PvP rebalancing, and other big changes. The overhaul was designed to allow new players smooth entry to a game that’s been going strong for years and is a unique combination of different genres.
While STALZONE is an extraction shooter, it doesn’t play like most other games in the genre. You don’t simply drop into one self-contained map for a session. It’s a persistent world where factions fight over territory and the balance of power can shift while you’re offline. And there are NPCs, quests, and dungeons like you’d find in an MMORPG.
It takes...
Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckmann says that neither he nor the studio are involved with the third season of the HBO TV adaptation of the beloved video game, but says that the developer "isn't done" with the franchise yet.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Druckmann said, "I wasn't involved in shaping this season's creative direction, and Naughty Dog did not have a creative role in the direction of this season. So I can't personally speak to how production is progressing." He then pretty clearly suggested that Naughty Dog will take on future projects in The Last of Us universe, though whether that's a proper The Last of Us Part 3, a resurrection of the canceled The Last of Us Online multiplayer project, or something else remains to be...
Final Fantasy VII Revelation is set to release April 8, 2027. It’s available for preorder now in a number of editions (see it at Best Buy). This is a follow-up to 2024’s Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and is the last game in the FF7 Remake trilogy, which started in 2020. It promises to offer an epic conclusion to a truly massive JRPG series. Let’s take a look at what comes in each edition.
Final Fantasy VII Revelation - Day One Edition (Physical)
PS5
Get it at Best Buy - $69.99
Get it at GameStop - $69.99
Get it at Square Enix Store - $69.99
Get it at PS Store (digital) - $69.99
Xbox Series X|S
Get it at Best Buy - $69.99
Get it at GameStop - $69.99
Get it at Square Enix Store - $69.99
Get it at Xbox Store (digital) - $69.99...
Takashi Iizuka, a key figure in Sega’s Sonic Franchise, told IGN’s Jeffrey Vega about the unique difficulty the company faced in giving the Blue Blur a playable skin in Fortnite.
While Shadow is somewhat famous for being an edgy, pistol-toting anti-hero, Sonic is a totally different character. The yang to Shadow’s yin, Sonic is an upbeat hedgehog who uses his extremely fast speed (and occasionally, the power of the Chaos Emeralds) to take down enemies.
That’s why Sega balked when it was first approached by Epic games with the idea of giving Shadow and Sonic their own Fortnite skins, according to Sonic Creative Officer Takashi Iizuka. Luckily, they were able to come up with a creative solution: Why not make a new Sonic variant?
“Epic...
A former Rockstar Games developer has revealed that the team thought GTA Online was going to fail before it launched.
In an interview with Eldorado, ex-Rockstar Games developer Matt Freedman looked back on the success of GTA 5 and attributed a lot of it to GTA Online. He noted that a lot of investors seek a GTA Online-level success nowadays, but said it was treated as an "afterthought" during its initial development.
"When we were working on GTA Online, it was an afterthought," said Freedman. "We were all positive it was going to fail. Everyone thought this thing was going to fail. I remember QA testers coming up to me [and saying], 'We’ve got four hours of content for online mode. To do everything in GTA Online, it’s four hours,' or...
For those who can't wait to sink their teeth into a new RPG (and one our 9/10 review called "one of this year’s best"), The Blood of Dawnwalker is officially out today. If you're hoping to play it on PC but haven't snagged a copy yet, we have good news: both Fanatical and Newegg are offering minor discounts on it right now, so you can save a little on a sweet new addition to your Steam library.
Fanatical has knocked 12% off its list price, dropping it down to $61.59, while Newegg has shaved off 10%, bringing it down to $62.99 (with promo code 'EPF5648' at checkout). They may not be massive discounts, but considering today is its first day out in the wild, it's a welcome one for those who can't wait to step into this world of vampires...
Sony's State of Play for September 2026 has now concluded without any sign of Naughty Dog's upcoming Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, as well as many other first-party PlayStation games that fans had hoped to see.
The showcase was notable for its string of other no-shows, including further updates on God of War: Laufey, Horizon Hunters Gathering, Fairgames, and any kind of update for what will happen to Bungie's Marathon.
The wait also continues for more news on what several other PlayStation Studios are working on, including Dreams maker Media Molecule and Days Gone studio Sony Bend. It has now been six years since Media Molecule last shipped a game, and seven since Bend first launched Days Gone.
Ahead of the showcase, hopes...
Crunchyroll’s Game Vault has officially crossed over 100 games.
The Game Vault originally launched back in 2023 with a limited number of titles, largely connected to various anime series and properties. The recent addition of three new games has brought the vault's total to 101, and now Crunchyroll is offering a look at what’s next for the anime-themed gaming service.
The Game Vault is exclusive to Mega and Ultimate Fan subscribers, who also get access to the service’s anime streaming library, the Crunchyroll Store, and the recently launched Crunchyroll Manga service. You can check out the full Game Vault library here.
The Crunchyroll Game Vault recently launched three new games that brought its full catalog into the triple digits...
Key Preview Takeaways:
The early game is a bit too hands-off since you have to hire employees to do most of what needs doing.
I really, really wished I could’ve built out on floors above and below rather than just across.
Once it picks up steam, Long Rest Tavern’s gameplay loop gets really enjoyable.
I'll be honest: if any of the D&D parties I've been involved in walked into my place of business, I'd call the militia immediately. That just isn't going to end well. But in the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons: Long Rest Tavern, I was able to serve drinks and offer a warm bed to some of the Forgotten Realms' more well-behaved adventuring bands. It ended up feeling like a pretty natural fit between world and mechanics. As a management game...
Key Preview Takeaways:
This might be the prettiest HD-2D game yet.
Visions are a fun gameplay mechanic that get fan-favorite characters from previous Final Fantasy games involved.
The soundtrack is on point based on what I’ve heard so far.
About two minutes into my demo, Final Fantasy Resonance hit me with a word that I’ve never seen before. That doesn’t happen much in a video game these days. The word? “Puissance.” So, like any good writer, the first thing I did was look it up. It’s Middle-English by way of Anglo-French, first used in the 15th century. It means “strength” or “power.” You see, I’d found my way into a strange, crystalline cave where the Vision of Noctis rested. I already had Noctis in my party, but entering the...
Square Enix has announced a release date for Final Fantasy 7: Revelation, concluding its acclaimed remake trilogy.
The third and final chapter in its Final Fantasy 7 remake saga will arrive on April 8, 2027, it was confirmed today. That date arrived during Sony's latest PlayStation State of Play broadcast and just mentioned the title's PS5 arrival — though we know the game will launch simultaneously for all platforms, meaning this is when you should also expect its Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S versions, as well as its PC launch via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Following that, two expansions will also be released over the following 12 months. Story DLC 1: Sephiroth and Story DLC 2: Vincent & the Turks are mentioned as part...
Crimson Desert's first expansion releases in October, and it's going to have a ton of game-changing content, including underwater gameplay.
During today's PlayStation State of Play, Pearl Abyss announced Crimson Desert: Chartering the Unknown, a brand new expansion for one of 2026's breakout titles. The new DLC will release on October 15 and add city building mechanics, underwater exploration, a ship that players can captain, and much more. The DLC takes place after the main story and continues the story of the game, so players should probably go back and finish the game if they haven't already to prepare for the new DLC.
As of right now, we're not sure how much this expansion will cost, but it certainly won't be free. Those who...
Double Fine has wasted no time in bringing its curious adventure game Keeper to PlayStation 5, just weeks after the studio was ditched by Xbox.
Keeper is a colorful and dreamy adventure starring a crumbling lighthouse and a mysterious bird. Despite being critically praised, the project failed to find a wide audience on Xbox Series X/S and PC where it debuted last year, and was Double Fine's penultimate project before Microsoft decided to cut ties with the company.
Its arrival on PlayStation isn't a huge surprise — Double Fine has brought other titles to PS5 as well during its now-concluded era of Xbox ownership — though its swift arrival is still notable. Likewise, the fact that this news was confirmed today in Sony's big State of...
Destiny fans are spamming Sony’s State of Play livestream chat with the hashtag #WeWantDestiny, as they continue to call for more from Bungie’s looter shooter franchise, including Destiny 3.
At the time of this article’s publication, with 15 minutes until today’s State of Play (check out our live blog here for all the announcements), chat across various livestreams was packed with #WeWantDestiny as well as calls for Destiny 3, as fans continue to push for a continuation of the series.
Bungie walked away from Destiny 2 earlier this year, with parent company Sony backing a focus on struggling extraction shooter Marathon instead. However, various Marathon updates have failed to kickstart the game, leading to ever louder calls for a...
It’s State of Play time, and IGN will be reporting live on all the gameplay reveals, trailers, and announcements as they happen right here in our live blog. The action kicks off on September 3 starting at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm UK / 3pm CEST / 10pm JST.
Sony has two State of Play broadcasts set for today airing back-to-back (IGN will be carrying the stream). The first is a new State of Play that features updates and announcements from PlayStation Studios and third-party partners. It concludes with an extended look at Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy ender, Revelation.
Right after that, we’ll get a new State of Play Japan, which focuses on games from studios in Japan and Asia. Expect new gameplay, announcements, and more from that one...
Following the backlash to Rideshare Stimulator’s use of generative AI, developer Saber Interactive has reassured Warhammer 40,000 fans that the technology is not in Space Marine 3 in any way.
Fans of Space Marine 2 had expressed concern about the hotly-anticipated Space Marine 3 and AI when Saber confirmed generative AI had been used to develop Rideshare Stimulator, including speech and text in its Free Ride mode.
Amid the controversy, Saber CEO Matthew Karch became embroiled in a public back-and-forth with former Rideshare Stimulator writer Stella Sacco, who stated that she had been "replaced" by ChatGPT after her departure from the project in 2023 — a claim Karch denied.
"My PR team is always terrified by even broaching the...
Frontier Developments, the studio behind Jurassic World Evolution, Planet Zoo, and Planet Coaster, has inked a deal with Disney to develop an upcoming game.
While details of the project remain thin on the ground for now, a press release sent to IGN stated that the game will "build upon the company's extensive experience and proven capabilities as a leader in the creative management simulation genre." In other words, expect a Disney sim game.
It's not a huge leap to expect something akin to a Disneyland park creator, especially as the studio is well versed in extending its expertise to licensed properties via its Jurassic World Evolution franchise. Indeed, Frontier made 2011's Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, which was eventually...
Capture Your Greatest Gaming Moments on Us with this 1-month FREE Medal TV Premium Offer
At Green Man Gaming, our mission has always been simple: get you into the best PC games at unbeatable prices. But saving on your game key is only half the fun. The real excitement starts when you land a high score, achieve a rare 0.1% achievement, or survive a boss fight with 1 HP remaining.
That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our official partnership with Medal.tv, the premier game-clipping and sharing platform for PC gamers!
To celebrate, we’re giving the Green Man Gaming community 1 FREE month of Medal Premium.
What is Medal TV?
Medal.tv is designed specifically for gamers who want high-performance background recording without losing a...
The Witcher and Cyberpunk developer CD Projekt Red is staffing up for its unannounced 'Project Hadar', as that team is currently over 30 people strong with plans "to hire more, up to 50 developers by the end of this year," CD Projekt Red vice president of investor relations Karolina Gnas said on the company latest earnings call on Wednesday. The Project Hadar news was first reported by GamesRadar.
"Right now, the team is mostly focused on testing different approaches, ideas, and, you know, prototyping some gameplay element, and this is it," Gnas added. "Hadar is still in the concept phase." CDPR also confirmed that the remake of The Witcher 1 is on hold in favor of putting more resources into The Witcher 4, which the studio is...
Ovee 30 minutes’ worth of unused voice lines from Resident Evil 4 Remake have surfaced online, one of which proves that Capcom wanted to make a connection to Village.
This leak comes from a notable community modder named Keff0, who uncovered both audio and subtitles for a whopping 671 lines on the game’s PlayStation 5 launch disc. These lines aren’t on the PC version of the game, and they’re fully recorded, featuring dialogue from Leon, Luis, Ashley, and the Merchant.
One of the Merchant’s unused lines is standing out to viewers, as he mentions a character that wasn’t even a blink in the RE Team’s mind when the game was first made back in the mid-2000s.
“Ah, I see you’re no stranger to villages. The Duke? Lad shows promise,” the...
The remake of The Witcher is currently on hold while the team focuses on The Witcher 4 and The Witcher 3's new expansion, according to CD Projekt Red.
Developer Fool's Theory is helping out on The Witcher 4 and developing The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past expansion, but it is also attached to remake the first Witcher game. Unfortunately, that remake is on the hold for the time being. The studio confirmed this in a statement to GameSpot, noting that part of the hold up is due to the fact that the remake is being built on the back of The Witcher 4. As a result, the development team working on the remake will have to wait until The Witcher 4 gets further into development so that the remake can utilize all of the assets and tools created...
Back to Hogwarts is celebrated every year on September 1. This is the day that prospective Witches and Wizards board the Hogwarts Express, arrive at school, and enjoy a welcome feast alongside the Sorting Ceremony. For those not going to Hogwarts this year, the celebration is mostly about announcements and discounts on popular Potter merch.
If you're in the market for the latter, there are a number of Harry Potter gifts on sale this week. I've gathered the best deals right here for you to check out for yourself.
Most of the deals I've listed here are related to LEGO. The LEGO Store is currently running a big Back to Hogwarts promotion that includes a discount on the popular Diagon Alley set. We have this build on our list of the best...