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The Last of Us Part I is a worthy remake for newcomers

It’s difficult for me to believe The Last of Us was first released nine years ago, but here we are in 2022, and that is indeed the case.

Though The Last of Us Part I doesn’t really need to exist since the original still looks and plays great — and its subsequent PlayStation 4 remaster remains even more visually stunning — the graphical overhaul offered in Part I is impressive.

Thanks to the power of the PS5, everything from facial animations to environments and enemies has been reworked in the impressive visual style of The Last of Us Part II. That said, it’s worth noting that this improved fidelity makes some of the original game’s aging animation look slightly more robotic when compared to other modern titles. It’s a small issue that you need to look for to notice, but it can be jarring during some cinematics.

Still, Part I is a stunning remake. Whether you’re playing at 4K HDR 40fps or variable resolution with a 60fps locked framerate, The Last of Us Part I looks like a PlayStation 5 title. But if you expected the remake to be a director’s cut-style revision of the iconic game featuring content that didn’t make it into the original, you’ll be disappointed. For better or worse, The Last of Us Part I is a faithful remake of the PlayStation 3 classic that follows the same plot and features identical gameplay. For example, Ellie still can’t swim, and your AI companions remain invisible to enemies in most situations.

There are quality-of-life and accessibility improvements, however. While you can’t dive, dodge or crawl like in The Last of Us Part II, the workbench that allows you to upgrade your weapons now features animations similar to its sequel (there are a few other examples of extra animations throughout the game). You’ll also encounter additional detail in the environment that can sometimes add a bit more to the experience, though I won’t delve into details to avoid spoilers, alongside the DualSense gamepad glowing in different colours depending on the action at hand. Enemy AI has also been improved slightly, resulting in some encounters feeling more dynamic than they did in the original, but the difference isn’t substantial and doesn’t compare to the intelligence offered by foes in Part II.

All of these upgrades are welcome additions to what is still one of the best video games ever made, but they don’t fundamentally add much to the experience.

On the accessibility side, significant positive strides have been made in the same fashion as The Last of Us Part II, including cinematic descriptions, screen reader, enhanced listening mode, additional cues and more. A new speedrun mode that features an in-game timer that pauses during cinematic transitions has also been added.

Part of me couldn’t help but have expected more from The Last of Us Part I given Naughty Dog’s stellar reputation. It would be great to see content that didn’t make it into the original offered in this remake or other quality-of-life changes tied to combat controls and its environment, especially since Part I‘s still very brutal stealth-action gameplay can, unfortunately, feel limiting at times if you’ve recently played The Last of Us Part II.

For example, just like when it was first released, some of The Last of Us Part I’s environments are repetitive, making it easy to get turned around and lost. I spent far more time than I’d like to admit wandering around the title’s overgrown ruined city environments trying to find the next cue to push the story forward (thankfully, the built-in hint system saved me). Subtle solutions to issues like this could have gone a long way towards making the remake feel more substantial and worthwhile for those who played the original.

On the other hand, I also understand that part of the remake’s purpose is that it’s a promotional tool for 2023’s The Last of Us HBO TV show, so it was likely developed on a tight timeline and only so many new features could be added. With this in mind, for some, Part I could act as the perfect intro to the series’ Clicker-filled, Cordyceps-infected world.

It’s also worth noting that even with the above shortcomings, The Last of Us has aged remarkably well for a nine-year-old game and feels far more modern than I expected. This really speaks to how far ahead of its time the original title was. The Last of Us weaves a compelling, grounded story against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, especially as it delves into the moral ambiguity of Joel, Ellie, and their violent actions. Few games have attempted to tell a tale like The Last of Us because Naughty Dog’s narrative does it so well that it’s near impossible to match, let alone surpass.

If you haven’t yet played one of the finest video games ever made, The Last of Us Part I is undeniably the best way to do so. On the other hand, for those like myself that spent a lot of time with the 2013 original and its 2014 remaster, there’s not much to offer here beyond an impressive visual upgrade.

The Last of Us Part I releases on PlayStation 5 on September 2nd, 2022 for $89.99. The game will also make its way to PC at a later date. The Last of Us Factions multiplayer mode isn’t included in this remake, but a successor is on the way.

For more on The Last of Us Part I, check out our interview with the game’s directors.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

Image credit: Sony

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Warner Bros. trademarks ‘Big Chungus’ Bugs Bunny meme, suggesting he may join MultiVersus

It’s always weird when memes break free from the internet and emerge into reality.

In an interesting turn of events, the Bugs Bunny meme “Big Chungus” has been trademarked by Warner Bros.

The character is actually from an old Merrie Melodies episode in which Bug Bunny inflates himself in one of his Elmer Fudd trolling bits. However, the name comes from an unknown GameStop employee in 2018, according to the original meme.

The trademark was filed on August 26th with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, covering the use of “Big Chungus” in video games as well as motion pictures, toys and merch. Alongside Big Chungus, “Chungus Claus” and “Omega Chungus” were also trademarked.

Many believe that this could be an upcoming character in the Warner Bros. crossover fighter MultiVersus, which makes sense, given that developers behind the game obviously have a sense of humour. For example, a joke in the game involves Arya Stark saying to Shaggy, “next match, let’s pit your dog against my dog.” The lines for Bugs Bunny and Big Chungus have the potential to be just as hilarious.

It’s worth noting, though, that Big Chungus is also in the Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem game, so it’s possible that the trademark has something to do with that previous title.

Image credit: Warner Bros.

Source: @the_marmolade Via: IGN

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Logitech’s Android-powered Switch and Steam Deck-like competitor leaks

Following the recent announcement of a partnership announcement with Tencent, Logitech’s Android-powered, Switch and Steam Deck-like handheld gaming device has leaked.

While the leak has been pulled from Twitter (via a Logitech DMCA), Evan Blass posted several images of the Switch-like handheld. The standard-looking portables features left and right joysticks alongside ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘X,’ ‘Y’ buttons, a home button, shoulder buttons and Logitech’s ‘G’ logo.

Unlike its key competitors in the portable gaming space, Logitech’s handheld seems to be focused on streaming games from cloud services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now, rather than onboard hardware.

Since Android powers the device, it makes sense that it’s also compatible with games from the Google Play Store, Chrome, YouTube and more, though Steam also appears on the home screen alongside a user profile, messages, settings and power.

With this in mind, it seems like Logitech’s portable gaming device will be surprisingly capable and able to run both cloud-powered platforms, Android games and possibly even Steam titles. It’s unclear what hardware is featured in the device, but it could be part of Qualcomm’s G3x platform handheld gaming platform that features an Adreno GPU.

There’s currently no information on the release date or how much it will cost.

It’s likely that given how widespread this leak has become, Logitech will release more information about the mysterious portable soon. You can submit your email to this page to get more information about the device.

Image credit: @evleaks

Source: @evleaks Via: Engadget

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Here are 10 lesser-known late 2022 games to keep on your radar

The end of August is fast approaching, meaning there are, effectively, only four months left of 2022. Time flies, eh?

Naturally, this last third of the year is always a big one for entertainment, as companies plan all kinds of releases out in time for the holidays. In the world of gaming, specifically, we have such major upcoming 2022 titles as Splatoon 3 (September 9th), the Canadian-made Gotham Knights (October 21st), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (October 28th) Sonic Frontiers (November 8th), God of War: Ragnarök (November 9th) and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (November 18th).

But while those games are undoubtedly exciting, it’s safe to say most people already know about them. Instead, then, we want to highlight some other titles that are still on the way this year — those that you likely aren’t familiar with. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that any of these could, in theory, get delayed, but for now, here are 10 lesser-known games set to release in late 2022 that are worth keeping your eye on.

Atomic Heart

Platforms: PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (also on Xbox Game Pass day one)
Release date: TBA late 2022

While we’re still who-knows-how-many-years away from the next BioShock, developer Mundfish has a new action-RPG that should hopefully fill that void. Enter Atomic Heart, a retrofuturistic adventure set in an alternate USSR in 1955. In the game, players assume the role of a mentally unstable KGB agent who must investigate a facility overrun by robots and other freakish experiments. The appropriately creepy atmosphere gives off BioShock vibes, as does the first-person combat, which mixes traditional gunplay with a special glove that gives you the ability to shoot the likes of fire, lightning and ice.

The Chant

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Release date: November 3rd, 2022

Good horror games don’t seem to come by too often nowadays, but The Chant, the first game from Vancouver-based Brass Token, certainly looks promising. Jess Briars (The Quarry‘s Siobhan Williams) heads to an island for a spiritual retreat, only to discover a deadly cult and all kinds of cosmic horrors. To survive, Jess will have to explore the interconnected areas of Glory Island, manage resources for crafting and use both melee weapons and supernatural abilities. Oh, and Mike Skupa, the lead designer on fan-favourite games Bully and Sleeping Dogs, is the creative director and CEO at Brass Token, which just sweetens the deal.

Harvestella

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC
Release date: November 4th, 2022

Sims have become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to the likes of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and now, Square Enix is offering its own unique take on the genre. Notably, the game isn’t just about farming, although that’s certainly a key part of it. In addition to gathering crops, Harvestella has you venturing out to find resources, and you’ll occasionally battle enemies through an MMO-esque combat system. All told, it looks like Stardew Valley meets Final Fantasy, which certainly makes for an intriguing mix-up.

Immortality

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Mac, Android, iOS (also on Xbox Game Pass on day one)
Release date: August 30th, 2022

Sam Barlow (Her Story, Telling Lies) is back with a new interactive FMV game, which features screenwriters Allan Scott (The Queen’s Gambit), Amelia Gray (Mr. Robot) and Barry Gifford (Lost Highway). The game is about a missing film star named Marissa Marcel, who made three films that were never released. As the player, you’ll have to explore lost footage from each film, carve your own path in the mystery and, ultimately, discover what happened to Marcel.

Pentiment

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (also on Xbox Game Pass on day one)
Release date: November 15th, 2022

Josh Sawyer is a big name in gaming thanks to his work on Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity. Now, he’s leading a small team at Xbox-owned veteran studio Obsidian on a fascinating and unique adventure game, Pentiment. Set in 16th-century Bavaria, the game follows journeyman artist Andreas Maler as he investigates a prominent murder for which his friend has been accused. But instead of presenting any gameplay challenges, Sawyer is instead focusing on an open-ended narrative, wherein the game will never outright identify the murderer, but players will have to come to their own conclusions through branching dialogue. Throw in a striking painterly aesthetic that enhances the historical setting and Pentiment looks like a must-play for fans of narrative-driven games.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch (cloud only), PC (also on Xbox Game Pass on day one)
Release date: October 18th, 2022

A Plague Tale: Innocence was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2019, and soon, developer Asobo will put forth the sequel. Picking up after the first game, young siblings Amecia and Hugo must find a cure for the latter’s blood disease while fleeing from both French Inquisition soldiers and deadly plague rats. While there’s still a heavy emphasis on stealth, Amecia is a much more capable fighter this time around and can wield a knife and crossbow on top of her handy sling. The first game’s novel historical setting was gripping, and the sequel’s significant gameplay improvements should only make for an all-around tighter experience.

Tactics Ogre Reborn

Platforms: PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release date: November 11th, 2022

Although Yasumi Matsuno is best known for his “Ivalice” games (Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy XII), his original work on the Ogre Battle strategy series remains a cult favourite. Therefore, it’s exciting to now be getting a modern remaster of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, the PSP remake of Matsuno’s SNES classic of the same name. In particular, Reborn features enhancements like HD characters and backgrounds, an updated UI, improved sound, a new unit-by-unit levelling system and other quality-of-life tweaks. Not to mention the well-regarded politically-charged civil war story — branching paths and all — remains intact. Fans of Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem or, most recently, Triangle Strategy should pay attention to this one.

Scorn

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC (also day one on Xbox Game Pass)
Release date: October 21st, 2022

Ebb Software looks to be cooking up something delightfully twisted in Scorn. This first-person game has you controlling a skinless humanoid who must explore a nightmarish alien planet. Areas are interconnected but can be explored in a non-linear fashion, and you’ll need to use various biomechanical weapons in order to survive. However, Scorn isn’t a traditional shooter, so each and every encounter, even with a single enemy, is intended to be tense and challenging. The world itself is also quite mysterious with little context directly given to the player, so you’ll need to parse things together through environmental storytelling instead.

Session: Skate Sim

Platforms: PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Release date: September 22nd, 2022 (full release — has been in early access)

The next (Canadian-made) Skate game is still far out, so Montreal-based Crea-ture Studios has its own spiritual successor to the EA skateboarding series. Made by a team of self-described skaters, Session: Skate Sim features a dual-stick control scheme and real-life iconic skate spots to create an authentic experience. Customize your skater with gear from the top brands, rack up high scores and use a robust video editor to capture your best moments.

Somerville

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (also on Xbox Game Pass on day one)
Release date: TBA 2022

If you liked indie darling Playdead’s Limbo and Inside, this one’s definitely for you. Dino Patti, the co-founder of Playdead, has a new studio called Jumpship, and its debut work is an adventure game called Somerville. Like Playdead’s games, Somerville uses the world to tell its story — about a father, mother, son and their dog surviving the post-apocalypse — in place of dialogue. However, Playdead says the game isn’t strictly a 2D puzzle-platformer like those other games as some have believed and is instead focused more on exploration in a 3D space.

Which of these games are you looking forward to? Are there others you’re excited for? Let us know in the comments!

Image credit: 

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Here are the gaming attractions at Fan Expo Canada 2022

After a scaled-back show last fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fan Expo Canada is returning in full force this month.

From August 25th to 28th, Canada’s biggest pop-culture event will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, offering all kinds of nerd-friendly programming. Now, the final schedule for the show has just been released, so you can plan out your weekend accordingly.

This year, though, the show’s gaming-related programming looks a bit different. Traditionally, video game publishers have come to the show with booths featuring all kinds of playable demos, but those were completely missing during the smaller October 2021 event. Even now, amid loosened restrictions, the gaming attractions at the show aren’t quite what they used to be.

So far, it’s unclear if there will be any playable demos for upcoming games. Xbox Canada has confirmed to MobileSyrup that it will not be present at the show, while PlayStation and Nintendo’s respective national divisions told us they’re looking into what, if anything, they may have. We’ll update this story once responses have been received.

What that leaves us with, then, is still solid, albeit a bit of a hodgepodge.

Bell Esports Challenge

When it’s not unceremoniously laying off beloved Canadian journalist Lisa LaFlamme and numerous other employees across Canada, Bell has also been dipping its foot in the world of competitive gaming. This is a new initiative from the carrier, which it says is intended to help “develop the amateur Canadian esports scene.”

Fan Expo will be hosting the finals for each of the following three tournaments:

  • Rocket League — 3v3
  • Call of Duty — 4v4
  • Valorant — 5v5

Those who win will receive $30,000+ in cash prizes and a trip to any 2023 North American DreamHack Festival of their choice. The finals will also be streamed on Twitch.

Femme Gaming

Femme Gaming, a group that aims to promote an inclusive gaming community for women, will have a ‘Femme Gaming Free Play Lounge’ in which attendees can play some games for free.

Additionally, Femme Gaming will be hosting two panels:

  • Ladies Power Hour — Exploring the Fandom, Hosted by Camille Salazar Hadaway — Thursday, August 25th at 7:30pm (Room 717 – Theatre 5)
  • Online Gaming #Safety Tips for Parents and Kids — Sunday, August 8th from 2:15pm to 2:45pm

Gaming actors

Part of the appeal of shows like Fan Expo is getting to meet talent and get autographs and photos. For gaming, specific, Fan Expo has some pretty big names in the gaming space:

Chloe Hollings (Overwatch)
Canada’s own David Hayter (Metal Gear series)
Nolan North (Uncharted series)
Troy Baker (The Last of Us series)
Carolina Ravassa (Overwatch)
Giancarlo Esposito (Far Cry 6)

It’s worth noting that they’re all offering signings and photos at their respective tables. On top of that, they’re each taking part in panels:

  • Troy Baker — Friday, August 26th from 12pm to 12:45pm (Room 206 — Theatre A)
  • Chloe Hollings and Carolina Ravassa — Friday, August 26th from 1pm to 1:45pm (Room 206 — Theatre A)
  • Nolan North — Friday, August 26th from 3pm to 3:45pm (Room 206 — Theatre A)
  • David Hayter — Sunday, August 28th from 1pm to 1:45pm (Room 206 — Theatre A) [fun fact: both Hayter and this panel’s moderator, writer Sam Maggs, are Canadian!]
  • Giancarlo Esposito — Sunday, August 28th from 3pm to 3:40pm (Room 106 — Constitution Hall)

Meet the Canadian developers of Call of Duty*

via GIPHY

Developers from Quebec City-based Beenox and Sledgehammer Games’ Toronto studio will hold a panel to talk about what it’s like to work on the juggernaut Call of Duty franchise. They’ll also answer questions related to breaking into the gaming industry.

This panel will be held on Saturday, August 27th from 2pm to 2:45pm in Room 701B — Theatre 2.

Retro video game arcade

via GIPHY

On all four days of the show, you can pop by Room 803 to game on a bunch of original arcade cabinets. A live DJ will also be on-site to play retro music.

Ubisoft Canada

Ubisoft, one of Canada’s biggest game makers, is confirmed to have a booth. Specifically, the company says attendees will be able to:

  • Play Assassin’s Creed games on new-gen consoles (the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S)
  • Have a chance to win “exclusive collector’s items”
  • Take pictures with life-size statues of Assassins

That’s a round-up of all of the major gaming programming. Of course, there’s a bunch of other fandoms accounted for, such as sci-fi (several Stranger Things stars, including Vancouver’s Finn Wolfhard, and Star Wars actors like Esposito and Ashley Eckstein); fantasy (The Lord of the Rings‘ four main Hobbits); superhero (Superman & Lois‘ Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch); Clerks’ Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes and friends and comic creators (Batman‘s Greg Capullo and Tom King, Venom‘s Ryan Stegman).

The full list of who and what will be at Fan Expo Canada can be found here. Tickets, meanwhile, start at $37 CAD (single day).

Finally, you can download the free Fan Expo Canada mobile app on Android and iOS to create a custom schedule, browse the full guest list, view a map of the show floor and more.

*While people have unfortunately largely stopped talking about it, we’d be remiss not to mention the ongoing legal action and work culture issues faced by Call of Duty parent company Activision Blizzard. Specifically, the gaming giant was accused in a July 2021 lawsuit of fostering a toxic “frat boy” culture in which many employees, particularly women, dealt with harassment, gender discrimination, unequal pay and other forms of mistreatment. Bobby Kotick, the company’s CEO, has specifically come under fire for allegedly working to cover up these reports and has faced calls to resign, yet he still leads the company. Earlier this week, Axios also reported that Activision Blizzard has been hit with two setbacks related its legal battle with California over the workplace misconduct allegations. We’ve included this Call of Duty panel to promote the work of the Canadian developers who had nothing to do with these incidents. But beyond that, there appears to be much more to be done to improve matters at the company, and that shouldn’t be overlooked. 

Image credit: Fan Expo

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Evil West delayed to November 22

Wild West-themed vampire slaying action game Evil West has been delayed until November 22nd.

Flying Wild Hog, the developers of the title, have released an announcement explaining why the game was delayed.

The title, originally slated for September, was delayed as the developers want the game to be the best it can be at launch, and the company hopes to give it more polish as well.

Evil West first premiered at Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards back in 2020. This high-action game looked pretty cool, using both your fist, guns and (potentially) futuristic technology to take down swarms of vampires.

Many relate the game to Darkwatch, a first-person shooter from 2005 developed by High Moon Studios. Darkwatch was available for PS2 and Xbox and mixed the Western, horror, and steampunk genres.

Anywho the title launches on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and PC on November 22nd.

Source: Focus Entertainment 

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Wave Race 64 is coming to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion pack on August 19

Just when I started to regret upgrading my Switch Online subscription to the ‘Expansion Pack’ tier, one of my favourite Nintendo 64 (N64) games makes its way to the service.

Wave Race 64, one of the first titles released for the N64, is a pretty straightforward racing title, only instead of cars and asphalt tracks, it features jet skis and tropical locales (and several dolphins). The game will make its way to Switch Online’s Expansion Pack tier on August 19th and follows last month’s Pokémon Puzzle League.

In a sense, Wave Race 64 was almost like a tech demo for the N64 when it was first released in 1996, showing off the console’s impressive water and physics tech. Though the game is simplistic by modern standards, it’s still remarkable a title this good-looking was one of the first games to release on Nintendo’s 64-bit system back in the mid-90s.

It’s worth noting that unlike its Wii and Wii U virtual console re-release, this version of Wave Race 64 still features the original’s Kawasaki jet ski branding. The game features four modes: ‘Championship Mode,’ ‘Time Trails,’ ‘Student Mode’ and a two-player versus option.

Nintendo’s ‘Expansion Pack’ online tier costs $63.99 for a 12-month individual membership (one account) or $99.99 for a 12-month Family Membership (up to eight accounts).

Image credit: Nintendo

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Unreleased white Xbox Elite Series 2 controller leaks on YouTube

I have a love-hate relationship with Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad.

On one hand, it remains the most comfortable and highest quality feeling gamepad I’ve ever used, but on the other, it offers an unacceptable mess of quality control issues that make its steep $229 price tag not worth it.

I outline my ongoing saga of problems with the Series 2 in this story, but in short, its face buttons — ‘X,’ ‘Y,’ ‘B,’ ‘A’ — are sometimes unresponsive. Most recently, I also encountered problems with the Series 2’s left joystick, where it doesn’t click in anymore.

Back in 2020, Microsoft extended the gamepad’s warranty from 90 days to one year following reports of issues, but even repaired controllers still suffer from problems. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft’s first-gen Elite gamepad also suffered from problems.

With all of this in mind, a brief unboxing video, uploaded to YouTube by an account tied to the name Nicholas Lugo, shows off a white Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad. It’s unclear where the video’s creator purchased the gamepad beyond that it was bought in the U.S., but it seems to be legitimate.

The controller features black arm grips and a white centre. It also includes the standard paddles, joysticks and face buttons featured on the black Series 2 controller.

Hopefully, if this white Elite Series 2 does get released, Microsoft has solved its several quality issues. That said, a special edition Halo Infinite Elite Series 2 dropped a few months ago, and it still suffers from reliability issues.

Source: Nicholas Lugo (YouTube) Via: The Verge

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Warzone reveals coming September 15

Activision has confirmed that a special ‘Next’ event will be held on September 15th to provide more details on the next installments in its Call of Duty series.

The main highlight of the showcase will be the reveal of the multiplayer mode of this year’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Additionally, Activision announced that the early access beta will immediately follow on September 16th and 17th on PlayStation consoles and Xbox consoles and PC starting September 24th alongside cross-play support.

Further, the Next stream will offer a look at the “next Call of Duty: Warzone,” its free-to-play battle royale game. We’ve known about a sequel to 2020’s popular Call of Duty: Warzone for some time, an official reveal has yet to be made. The previously confirmed mobile version of Warzone is also set to be featured in the stream.

All eyes are on this next wave of Call of Duty titles after Vanguard, last year’s entry in the annualized franchise, underperformed. In its most recent earnings report, Activision Blizzard had 94 million monthly active users across all of its Call of Duty titles, down 28 percent from the 127 million in June 2021.

News of the Next stream also comes as Activision Blizzard is embroiled in its own controversies. Amid widespread allegations of a toxic “frat boy” work culture that CEO Bobby Kotick reportedly worked to cover up, employees and contractors have worked to unionize, only for the company to attempt to squash these efforts. Microsoft’s planned takeover of Activision Blizzard is also still undergoing regulatory approval worldwide.

Source: Activision

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Shoutout to all of the unique multiplayer games we’ve gotten recently

I played MultiVersus for the first time with two buddies over the weekend.

As a big Super Smash Bros. fan, I was worried this might be another Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl-style disappointment, but instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the inventive characters and neat team-based mechanics. It wasn’t all good, though. We quickly discovered that there wasn’t actually any option for all three of us to play. Instead, the game currently only supports two- or four-player matches, and there isn’t even an option to add a bot if you only have a three-person group like I did.

MultiVersus Tom & Jerry

It’s ironic that one of the official images on MultiVersus’ Steam page pictures three variations of Tom & Jerry, considering the game doesn’t support three-player matches. (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

To be sure, MultiVersus is technically in open beta, and developer Player First Games says it will eventually add more co-op options. But still, the fact that three-player support was seemingly completely overlooked was frustrating, and it got me thinking of how local multiplayer options seem to be an afterthought in recent years. Often, games that do have multiplayer seem to have only local or multiplayer options, like Halo Infinite, which, after several months, has only finally begun to roll out campaign co-op, but it doesn’t have online matchmaking. Conversely, Fall Guys, which celebrated its second anniversary this week, still doesn’t support local multiplayer.

It’s a shame to see games lack such options, especially because there are others on the market right now that are using both local- and online-supported multiplayer to wonderful effect. As I mentioned in my review, the recently released Xbox exclusive As Dusk Falls drives engagement in a fascinating, unique way: by letting you and the other players mess with each. Essentially, As Dusk Falls is an “interactive drama” game in which players can connect via a controller or mobile app to vote for decisions, and there’s even a limited-use option to override one another. It’s a brilliant way to get everyone involved, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

“Of course, I get that not every game warrants multiplayer, especially as someone who primarily plays narrative-driven single-player games.”

This is similar in concept to what Supermassive has done with its own branching narrative games, like The Dark Pictures Anthology and The Quarry, the latter of which I’m going through now. Every year, my friends and I play these games for our Extra Life charity streams, and it’s a highlight every time. In the Supermassive titles, each player can control one or more characters, passing the controller around when it’s your turn. Through this mechanic, we had a blast screwing with each other and, in some cases, even trying to kill characters one of us disliked. That’s to say nothing of the online support for these modes and extra Twitch-friendly features to involve those tuning into your stream.

As Dusk Falls overrides

As Dusk Falls’ co-op features are some of the most innovative I’ve ever seen. Image credit: Interior Night

And these are just “choose-your-own-adventure” games. Last year, the title that took home Game of the Year at the Game Awards was none other than It Takes Two, an experience that required two players to run through a wildly creative teamwork-focused campaign. This even drew the attention of my mum, who normally doesn’t play games, and she really enjoyed it. The same could be said the year prior for Sackboy: A Big Adventure, which we played splitscreen during the holiday lockdowns. And after that MultiVersus session with my friends, we moved on to Nidhogg 2, a clever 1v1 shared screen multiplayer duelling game.

If we’re looking at 2022 games, we also recently got the multiplatform puzzle game Escape Academy, which can be played alone but is made far enjoyable by letting friends team up to solve escape rooms. This year’s Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and the Canadian-made TMNT Shredder’s Revenge and Nobody Saves the World also offer some good ol’ tried-and-true, all-ages co-op fun. On the more punishing side of things, Elden Ring‘s drop-in, drop-out co-op — returning from other FromSoftware games — is a great way to get some help whenever you’re stuck.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge from Montreal’s Tribute Games is a loving throwback to classic arcade beat ’em ups. Image credit: Dotemu

 

Of course, I get that not every game warrants multiplayer, especially as someone who primarily plays narrative-driven single-player games. That said, I definitely enjoy multiplayer games once in a while, and I appreciate when developers put in the effort to offer fresh spins on the format.

Hopefully, titles like MultiVersus can follow suit, because multiplayer is one of many special and unique things about gaming. Now if you don’t mind, my friends and I are going to head back to The Quarry.

Image credit: 2K Games