All articles tagged with #game design
Former Assassin's Creed director Alexandre Amancio argues that the future of AAA game design lies in smaller, core teams rather than bloated headcounts, criticizing the idea that problems are solved by throwing more people at them and drawing comparisons to the film industry’s temporary, project-based crews.
The article discusses the increasing realism in video games like GTA 6, highlighting both the technological advancements and the potential drawbacks, such as diminishing escapism and ethical concerns about violence. It emphasizes that while graphics are improving rapidly, the core of gaming remains in creative design and experience, with a growing appreciation for diverse art styles and indie games that prioritize fun and innovation over hyper-realism.
Nintendo explained that the inclusion of Galactic Federation troopers in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was intended to create a sense of protection and conflict for players, aiming to evoke a more realistic and emotionally engaging experience by influencing NPC behavior and game themes.
The article reviews Carolyn Petit's top five games of 2025, highlighting a mix of mainstream and indie titles, with a focus on their unique qualities, design philosophies, and personal significance, emphasizing the importance of integrity and imagination in gaming.
Atari CEO Wade Rosen highlights the 2011 game Pushmo as his top game of 2025, praising its pure joy and non-dopamine loop gameplay, emphasizing the need for more games like it, despite its age and the closure of its original platforms.
Ethan Gach's top games of 2025 include a diverse mix of genres such as strategy, sci-fi, RPG, platformer, and action-adventure, highlighting standout titles like 9 Kings Sad Socket, Arc Raiders, Citizen Sleeper 2, Clair Obscur, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, each praised for their innovative gameplay, storytelling, and craftsmanship.
The article reviews the innovative and boundary-pushing video game Dispatch, highlighting its unexpected humor, provocative content, and engaging gameplay that combines narrative wit with strategic elements, making it a standout example of modern interactive entertainment.
Dispatch is an episodic superhero game from AdHoc Studio that offers a TV-like experience with each episode designed for a single gaming session, providing a satisfying and well-calibrated narrative that respects players' time, contrasting with the endless grind of live-service games.
BioShock 4 has faced a prolonged development process with limited official details, but recent leaks reveal potential locations like a casino and Antarctic environment, character hints including a possible return of the ADAM substance and new villains, and a protagonist that resembles classic series archetypes, all amidst ongoing narrative rewrites and delays.
The Outer Worlds 2 enhances role-playing by removing the respec option, forcing players to work with their initial skill choices, which makes important decisions more impactful and aligned with their character's story, though it may challenge players with diverse playstyles.
Nintendo explained that Metroid Prime 4 will not be open-world but will feature a hub-based design inspired by older Zelda games, emphasizing exploration through unlocking areas rather than open-world freedom, and chose to stick to their original vision despite changing player preferences and industry trends.
Sega's Virtua Fighter producer Riichiro Yamada aims to rebrand the series as more accessible and less complex, addressing the common perception that it is difficult, while maintaining depth for core players, in the upcoming project.
The article discusses internal conflicts at Sega during its transition from hardware to third-party publisher, highlighting Yuji Naka's strong opposition to creating mature and adult-themed games, preferring family-friendly titles, and the industry's shift towards longer, narrative-driven, multiplayer, and adult-themed games. Despite resistance, some of the recommended approaches, like Nagoshi's Yakuza series, eventually proved successful.
The upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign DLC, The Forsaken Hollows, is designed to be slightly more challenging than the main game, with a focus on balancing difficulty for both new and veteran players, influenced subtly by previous DLCs like Shadow of the Erdtree, and introduces new areas and enemies, launching on December 4th.
Metroid Prime 4 is a visually impressive game with advanced graphics on the Nintendo Switch 2, but its gameplay is hampered by poor design choices, excessive action focus, annoying side characters, and a lack of exploration, making it one of the weaker entries in the series despite its technical achievements.