The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64 is a game full of Easter Eggs, secrets, and hidden mechanics (did you know if a butterfly lands on your Deku Stick, it summons a fairy?). Now in its second remake, not every secret has made its way forward through the previous iterations, but many have. Below you will learn about a few of the secrets that made the cut, and others that didn’t.
No More Nintendo Character Portraits Near Zelda
In the courtyard where Link first meets Zelda, there is arguably the most fourth-wall-breaking Easter Egg in the whole game. If you don’t rush to Zelda and instead pause and enter first-person to look around, you will see portraits of other Nintendo characters through the windows, like Mario and Yoshi. In the 3DS remake, the portraits are replaced by an image of a Mario stage.
For the 2026 remake, there are no references to other Nintendo characters. Instead, the tapestry you build over the course of the game is on display. Removing the reference to Nintendo characters outside of the Zelda universe is understandable, but it is a little odd that art representing the full adventure of the game – an adventure that has not yet concluded – is on the wall.
There Is Still A Guard You Can Annoy
As stated above, the Nintendo character portraits are gone, but there is still a guard you can annoy. If you fire a Deku Seed into the left window, a guard will pop out, yell at you, and then throw a bomb at you. You can’t pick up the bomb. In fact, at this point in the game, you haven’t even seen a bomb.
Malon And Talon Still Sport Bowser Clasps
The Hyrule Castle portrait references to Yoshi and Mario are gone (though Mario and Luigi are still kind of in the game in a way), but Bowser gets a pass for some reason. Both Malon and her dad, Talon, are still wearing Bowser pins on their clothes. And unlike the N64 game where the detail was a little vague, there is no mistaking it here.
The Gossip Stones Are Still Weird
Gossip Stones are all over Ocarina of Time and it takes a while to understand what they do. If you hit them with a sword, they tell you the time, and if you play Zelda’s Lullaby near them, they refill your magic. If you do the Happy Mask Salesman’s side quest, interacting with them while wearing the Mask of Truth offers little hints and details about the world. But then there are interactions that are just odd for no reason. Blowing up a bomb near a Gossip Stone still makes it take off like a rocket ship, and using the Megaton Hammer still flattens them for a moment like a Looney Tunes.
Zelda’s Lullaby Still Fixes Signs
And speaking of playing Zelda’s Lullaby for inanimate objects, if you slash a sign to pieces with your sword and regret your words and deeds, you can play the iconic tune to make the signs reform and become readable again.
No More Skyward Sword Art
This detail was exclusive to the 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time, and surprising no one, it has been removed. Ocarina of Time launched in June 2011 and Nintendo released Skyward Sword about five months later in November. For… marketing purposes, I guess, Skyward Sword art could be found in Lonlon Ranch, the Bombchu Shop in Hyrule Castle Town, and the Gerudo Fortress. It was a fun Easter Egg to discover back in 2011, especially since Skyward Sword was still months away, but these days it’s a bit of an odd inclusion.
The “Mario And Luigi” Ghosts Are Unchanged
Though never explicit, the composer ghosts guarding the Sun’s Song (and Link’s first ReDead encounter) have always been assumed to be inspired by Mario and Luigi. They are brothers; Flat is short, squat, and red; Sharp is lanky and green. They still appear in Ocarina of Time this way, which isn’t surprising, since they are important characters you must meet to get a very useful song. Fans have also speculated that Talon and Ingo are Mario and Luigi-inspired for similar reasons, but it’s worth noting that they are not brothers.
No More Inappropriate Hookshotting
In the Spirit Temple there is a large statue of a woman and for reasons that have never been explained, Link could attach his hookshot to her breasts. It served no purpose. It didn’t help solve a puzzle. If anything, it was confusing. But we all tried it and there is no shame in admitting it! That was removed for the 3DS remake, and it remains removed in 2026.
Koroks In The Lost Woods (Kind Of)
This is a very subtle reference to Wind Waker/Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom and is potentially the only addition to the remake that looks toward the future of the Zelda franchise. Obviously, plenty of characters in Ocarina later appear in Majora’s Mask (another remake of that is hopefully being considered), but it would be inaccurate to call those intentional Easter Eggs.
However, in Kokiri Forest and in the neighboring Lost Woods, the magical debris floating in the air often resembles a Korok as it would later appear in the series. It makes sense, too, because the Koroks are meant to be what the Kokiri transformed into following The Great Flood.
Today marks the release of the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2. You can read my full, positive review here. Ahead of the game’s release, but after having played the game to completion (well… 99% as you will learn below), I traveled to New York to speak with Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma (whose work on the original Ocarina of Time marked his first involvement with the series) and Ocarina of Time remake producer Hidemaro Fujibayashi (director of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom among other Zelda titles).
Topics include how the team approached remaking Ocarina of Time, what needed changing and what needed to stay the same, their thoughts on the Easter Eggs from the original game, the fate and marital status of the Bombchu Bowling girl, and more.
The discussion covers a fairly faithful remake of Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64, which launched nearly 30 years ago, but I have spoiler-marked certain questions and answers that might be considered sensitive if you want to maintain surprise when playing the remake yourself.
Mr. Fujibayashi, what is your relationship to Ocarina of Time?
Hidemaro Fujibayashi
Fujibayashi: Regarding the original Ocarina of Time, at the time I was working for a different company, so it was mainly me as an end user trying to looking forward to the experience of what a 3D Zelda is going to look like. So, really, I was just waiting in anticipation for that.
How long has the remake been in development?
Aonuma: It’s actually kind of hard to say exactly when development began because the earliest thought process was us thinking about the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda approaching, and so we started to have this conversation, “Oh, what should we make to mark this occasion?” And then at that point, we decided on Ocarina of Time, and so a lot of time elapsed from the beginning of that conversation about the anniversary until we got to Ocarina. So it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the development itself began.
Was this a more relaxing game to develop after making Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom back-to-back?
Eiji Aonuma
Aonuma: Was it relaxing? That’s kind of a hard question to ask. I would say it’s more a different style of development. So, if we looked at Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild, these were created as new games with a very different kind of development cycle. Whereas for a remake like this one, we decided to take an interesting approach, which is to bring in this new younger staff and find out what they would bring to this project in terms of their own experience, their own interpretation as newer staff.
And so my role here was really advising them on this, and it’s not always like the development cycle of a new game. But in one sense, the producer has to be careful not to advise too much, to say that you must do it like this. You don’t want to prescribe the approach that anyone is going to take. You want to make sure that there’s enough space for these younger staff members to have their own interpretation, their own approach to it.
Do you have remake philosophies or rules, like what needs to stay the same and what should change?
Fujibayashi: So, in fact, there were pretty clear kind of rules or guidelines, as you said. First, is because you know, as Mr. Aonuma had mentioned, where he wanted to, the development team was centered around the young directors that took part in this development. And when we first started discussing what kind of game and what kind of approach you wanted to take. One thing that really came through and we clarified was, as you mentioned, what are we going to change and what are we going to keep the same.
And I’ll start with what we wanted to change, and that was really to make sure that – because we have the ability to use the latest technology through the Nintendo Switch 2 – there’s a lot we can change and improve upon, such as you know obviously things like controls, graphics. We also have a new controller, so that allows for the new camera controls. And we’re really able to fine tune and polish the feel of the game and the there was excitement for all the ways of expression we can provide the player.
But on the other hand, thinking about what we didn’t want to change, we were thinking about the creators of the original Ocarina of Time, and what they wanted to convey, the experience that they wanted to provide for users and players through this title. That’s something that we wanted to keep intact and that spirit to carry across. And we wanted to make sure that this new game is able to deliver that in the way that we
Aonuma: So speaking as someone who worked on the original Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64, you always have those moments looking back of, “Oh, you know, I really wanted to do more of this,” or, “I wanted to be able to express this in a different way,” but you’re faced with certainly the tech limitations of the time. And I went on from Ocarina of Time to work on other Zelda franchise titles, as well. And with each new title, you’re always looking for a new way to express something that may not have been available to you previously. But you always have to keep in mind is what makes a Zelda game special, and how do we protect that? How do we keep that in store for the players, as well. So, on this project in particular, I had to think of that through the lens of how do we protect the things that make it the Zelda Ocarina experience, but also how do I give the freedom to the staff to find their own expression of these ideas? And I think between those two things, we found a really good balance. So I’m very happy about that.
When we interviewed you, Mr. Aonuma, for Game Informer’s Breath of the Wild cover story, Shigeru Miyamoto was present, and he made a joke about the challenge of the water temple. Are you happy with where the Water Temple is now in the remake?
Aonuma: Certainly, looking back on the challenge level of the Water Temple, I think it was hard, but some of that came from the system that we were presenting to players. So, for example, if you look at the way that players used to have to switch to the heavy iron boots so that they could sink in the water, you had to go to a different screen and press the button. But now that we’re able to give players a shortcut, single button on the gameplay screen, I think they can get to that more quickly. It’s a better experience because they can focus on solving the puzzle rather than having to navigate menus and thinking about that and interrupting the flow of their thought each time.
Another consideration compared to the original is that you couldn’t move the camera angle in the original game, and so if you were looking for a certain room in this 3D space relative to where you are now, it was much more difficult to orient yourself and think about the space where that room might exist. So I think those two together, you know, also with the heavy boots being one button press, I think this, for me, is the best version of the Water Temple.
Is the canon of the Zelda timeline considered at all during development? Did you think about adding in Easter eggs that made references to things that would have happened later in the Zelda story? Like Wind Waker taking place after Ocarina of Time, for example.
Aonuma: It’s funny because the staff would sometimes ask me about the possibility of including nods to the timeline or references to the other game, and I actually, at the time, would say, “No, let’s focus on this game. Let’s make this the best version of Ocarina of Time that we can.” So, the timeline was in the back of our mind, but we didn’t consider taking an approach to this game where we actually, explicitly included references like that.
When testing the game, was it challenging to find people who had never played Ocarina of Time?
Aonuma: As it turns out, both on our staff and in the testing teams, there’s a lot of young people, and many of them had never played the original. So it wasn’t a challenge to find them.
Who do you primarily consider this remake to be for? New people who have never played Ocarina? Or fans like myself who consider it to be, frankly, their favorite game. Who is the important audience?
Fujibayashi: The answer is both. Our response to those fans who have fond memories of this title is really what I mentioned earlier: being able to provide the experience of what it was like to play Ocarina of Time back to them, and that was our response to them. And when it comes to the players that are experiencing this for the first time, whether it’s the graphics, or the controls, or the ability to shift and move the camera; those are all changes and fine-tuning that we’ve made to make sure that people who are used to modern gaming are able to enter this experience with as little friction as possible. So again, to answer your question? It’s really both.
Aonuma: Certainly, when you look at the original The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, there is so much hidden in the world that people spend a lot of time looking for things. And your first time playing through, you may not find all of it in one go. People in that kind of situation would refer to strategy books and information that they can find.
For example, when you’re looking for the like last Skulltala and you already have 99, our job is to think about how to give the player an approach to that sort of a problem. What kind of information can we give them to help out. To make it a fun, but still challenging experience, because we want even new players to come in and to be able to fully experience this world that we’ve created for them, even though old fans are going to come in with a little bit of an advantage in the form of a lot of prior game knowledge.
I’m not kidding about needing some help with that final Skulltala. I’m going to hand you my Switch 2 after this so you can show me where it is because it’s been driving me crazy. I’ve been having dreams about where the final Skulltala might be.
Aonuma: [Laughs]
Fujibayashi: [Laughs]
The end of the game in the remake made me emotional in a way I wasn’t expecting. It made me cry, just the whole ending of the experience overall. Were you expecting that kind of reaction from players?
Fujibayashi: So first, I want to say I’m very, very happy and excited to hear you say that because, as you mentioned, that cutscene – cutscenes in general – but that cutscene specifically is something that we, as a dev team, heavily discussed. Because of the limitations of the technology back in the day, there might have been things that we weren’t able to convey fully, whether it’s because of the tempo of the game… whatever it is. And so, when we approached this remake, we wanted to make sure that we captured that moment in the way that we wanted to express it. So that the right kinds of emotions are evoked, and that we can convey the emotion and the story that we wanted to at that moment. And now that hearing you say that and kind of having that reaction really struck a chord? I’m really relieved to hear that because that’s exactly what we wanted to do.
You’re relieved that you made me cry?
Fujibayashi: [Laughs]
The ReDeads, the Shadow Temple, the Dead Hand miniboss, Wall Masters – these enemies traumatized a whole generation of kids. I’m curious if that was always the intention and how did you approach making sure that those elements still remained scary? Was there a line that was too scary?
Aonuma: Certainly, at the time, we had this intent to make sure that we allow the players to find the enemies a little bit scary. They have to be, right? We want to express that sort of thing. But more than anything, they are part of this Fantasy world, which has both light and dark portions, and so we’re trying to bring that feeling across. It’s not that we’re trying to scare people outright as the entire intent, but rather show that you know Link is part of a brighter part of the world where people are friendly, and Ganon is a part of the darker part of the world where there’s a lot of scary things. And we kept that in mind in the remake as well.
We wanted to make sure we were bringing that out, but the tools that we have available to us now for expression are so capable that if we really tried, of course, we could make something that was very, very scary. But this is supposed to be for all kinds of players. We didn’t want to hit the scary notes so strongly that we were putting off new players or younger players, and so we want to have that tuning very carefully in mind as we’re making those adjustments in terms of presenting that final expression in the game.
I shudder to visualize what the scarier versions of the ReDeads might look like.
Aonuma: What was your experience of them this time?
Oh, terrifying! That noise. The noise they make. That scream. I feel it in my chest. It just recalls that scariness of my childhood in a way that I admit is very entertaining, and I like. Do you remember recording that sound effect? How did you do that? Did you have someone scream?
Aonuma: Sorry, I don’t recall [laughs].
For the remake, a lot has been rewritten. The meaning hasn’t been changed dramatically, but pretty much everything has been rewritten. What was the goal with the rewriting overall?
Fujibayashi: Yes, it’s as you said. We did a lot of rewriting of the text. When it comes to the original Ocarina of Time, there’s the idea that because it was 28 years ago – it’s a long time ago – there’s the turn of phrase, or the way it’s been written, is sometimes not clear or doesn’t work in the modern day, given the context of the modern day. And so that’s why we wanted to make sure that it makes sense and it’s easier to understand for people who are familiar with playing modern games, and also that it works better here.
And when you think about… obviously the graphics have been improved significantly. Before we had to do things like… “That blue ocarina that is the size that you could fit on a hand,” something like that, to make sure that the idea gets across to the player. But now, because the graphics are improved, it’s very clear what the size it is. It’s very clear that it’s a blue ocarina. So with the new graphics, if you go through the wordy explanation of what it is, the player is going to be like, “Yeah, I can see it.” So in order to make sure that we remove those kind of slight hurdles and really make sure that we can present the game and improve not only the expression but also the pacing of the game? That’s something that we really took into consideration as we were rewriting the game.
I wanted to ask about some specific changes for the remake. You get five bottles now. Why?
Aonuma: Because bottles are so important to the way the player plays the game, like looking for strategies to deal with different kinds of situations, even at the time of development of the original title, I thought, “Oh, you know, I could do with even just one more bottle.” I think certainly when you collect all four in the original, you feel great about that at time. But I was still thinking like one more would be okay, right?
So, all this time that was in the back of my mind. But when the new younger staff were familiarizing themselves with the old game and thinking about what they might want to change in this version, one thing that I suggested was that the player could get their first bottle earlier, and this would actually be really useful in terms of reinforcing for the player how helpful bottles were and motivating them on their quest to find the next bottle. It strengthens that whole sequence through the game by changing the order just a little bit there. But yeah, certainly, once you have a certain number of bottles, you’re going to feel a little bit more confident and more comfortable. But reinforcing that feeling early on, I think, was important for us in the development of this one.
In the original, there were Nintendo character portraits in Zelda’s courtyard of Mario, Yoshi, and more, but those have been removed. I was curious as to why.
Aonuma: Certainly, at the time, when we put those there, I don’t think anybody thought it was too big a deal. Maybe there was a more carefree or comfortable approach to that sort of thing. But looking at it now, like if a player is coming through that area, and given the overall way that we’re, you know, creating this world and giving the player that form of expression, if they look up and they think, “Why is Yoshi there?” We don’t want that moment to interrupt their experience of the world in that way. So we’re feeling a little bit differently about it this time.
However, you will remember that there is one design element on Talon with Bowser on it, and that’s part of the original design of the character. So we didn’t change that. That stays as is.
I have some short-answer questions. The woman who runs the Bombchu Bowling game. What happened to her after seven years. And is she single?
Aonuma: That’s something we’re not going to touch, and I’ll leave it to your imagination.
One of the Skulltala rewards is Bombchus, which I found disappointing when I was young, and I found disappointing as an adult. Why does he give you Bombchus?
Aonuma: So that feeling you had when you got, as a reward for a certain number of Skulltalas, the Bombchus, and you thought, “Wait, that’s it?” That’s also part of the original experience of the 64 version. So there, there’s an approach that we take where we try to keep all of the different notes that people felt in the original game in place. You know, sometimes it’s really remarkable, fun things, and other times it’s slight moments of disappointment. Even that could be memorable in that way. It’s important to maintain that.
The Great Fairies. What do they need rupees for?
Fujibayashi: You know, it’s really about a feeling. It’s like in Japan sometimes, like donations to a temple or something similar like that. It’s to express your reverence for the great fairies.
The 3DS remake had Skyward Sword art hidden in a couple of places, but you removed it for this remake. You didn’t want to keep the Skyward Sword art?
Aonuma: [Laughs] I do remember at the time the designers on the 3DS version were really interested in placing Easter Eggs like that throughout the game, and the timing of the release of Skyward Sword was such that it was perfect to go ahead and include that. So I said, “Okay, sure.” But like earlier when we were talking about in the courtyard sequence with the Yoshi portrait. You know, you don’t want to interrupt the player’s experience by seeing something that’s unrelated to what they’re currently doing in the game. So for that reason, we decided not to go that way.
Mr. Fujibayashi, you directed Skyward Sword. Were you sad to see that reference removed?
Fujibayashi: [Laughs] No, it’s really as Mr. Aonuma said. There was an underlying concept in what we were going for, so no hard feelings there.
I think the biggest cutscene change in the game is when Link transitions from child to adult. It is now a much more involved sequence. Why did that scene need such a drastic change?
Aonuma: So I think that’s really connected to the way we were thinking about expressing things in the original. We couldn’t do everything. We couldn’t express everything that we’d like to, and I think in that moment where you have Ganondorf having this reaction to Link becoming older, that cutscene in the original, it was very low on explanation.
So, you have these thoughts in the player’s mind like, “Oh wait, why is he there? What’s the relation to this process?” So, you want something that explains his presence, that explains his reaction to make a bigger impression on the player overall, and that’s something that you can use to connect the motivation to want to face Ganondorf in the final fight. Something that I think comes across better now.
[I pulled out my Switch 2 and showed them how I was missing one Skulltala in Hyrule Field]
Aonuma: [Laughs]
Fujibayashi: [Laughs]
You can see here I have 99 out of 100 and am missing two out of three in Hyrule Field. Can you point to a general location to give me an idea of where to look?
PlayStation first-party developer Santa Monica Studio has delayed its upcoming action game, God of War Laufey, to May. More specifically, the PlayStation 5-exclusive title will now launch on May 20, representing a roughly two-month delay from the original February 16 release date.
“Since the reveal of God of War Laufey in June, we’ve been deeply grateful to see so much excitement for Faye’s journey through the Everywhen,” a statement from the studio reads. “We don’t take for granted the trusted place in the studio to make an extraordinary experience worthy of the passion and dedication of our fans. With this in mind, we’ve made the decision to delay God of War Laufey’s release to May 20, 2027. We will make the most of each moment until then by putting in the finishing touches and pushing the game to its fullest potential. On behalf of everyone on the team, we appreciate your patience and we’ll be back to share more updates soon.”
God of War Laufey stars Faye, Kratos’ deceased wife from his Norse adventures, after she ends up in the mysterious realm known as the Everywhen following her death. There, she will fight monsters and creatures from various mythologies alongside a talking gelatinous cube and a talking sword sash. We’ll have to wait a bit longer than expected now to see what her adventure entails.
The Pokémon Company has revealed that part 2 of the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, Dazzling Decorations, will go live on Nintendo Switch 2 next month. More specifically, the Dazzling Decorations expansion will launch on December 9, bringing all kinds of accessories to dress up your Ditto and match other Pokémon.
To play the Dazzling Decorations DLC, your version of Pokémon Pokopia must be running the free 3.0.0 software update, and you must have completed the important requests, “Raise the environment level!” and “Rebuild the Pokémon Center!” in Withered Wasteland. You must also have completed Drifloon’s request, “Find a doll!”
“Look your best by wearing accessories with your Pokémon friends,” the expansion’s details read. “Meet new friends and add some flair to your surroundings with new furniture and more Pokémon. No new town will be introduced in Part 2.”
Dazzling Decorations follows the Bubbly Basin expansion, which went live over the Summer, and precedes the unannounced Part 3 of the Expansion Pass, set to go live sometime in 2027. The Pokémon Company says Part 3 will bring a new town to explore and rebuild to Pokémon Pokopia.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64 is the most important video game ever made… to me. My byline would not appear in the pages of Game Informer without my original experience playing that game. But it is nearly 30 years old, and despite establishing many important staples of 3D gaming, its age is becoming more apparent. Ocarina of Time was due for a re-examination, and its remake is a wonderful recreation of the 1998 experience with improvements on basically every element: visuals, storytelling, timeless design, and more. It is, however, a remake, and the coloring (though expertly done) is firmly inside the lines.
Ocarina of Time is gorgeous. That the game is less than 25 GB is an engineering marvel. I never quite came around to the odd looks of child Link or Zelda, but every other character, environment, enemy, item, and boss looks incredible. I eagerly looked forward to meeting every weirdo in Hyrule to see their new look, and was never disappointed. The ReDeads and Stalchildren are more traumatic than ever, and every NPC childhood crush I thought I had moved on from was reignited. Watching the sun rise and set over Hyrule feels as magical as it did in the past.
The same accolades can be awarded to the soundtrack. The new orchestrations are incredible, and watching Link’s 4K fingers play the proper notes on his ocarina is mesmerizing. Nintendo continues to fumble voice acting with stiff performances, but thankfully the vast majority of dialogue – one of the primary changes in this remake – is not spoken. Characters don’t necessarily have more to say, but what they say is more impactful, and there are a handful of small but exciting expansions to character and story details. Nothing is groundbreaking or changes how you look at familiar elements, but it manages to be simultaneously nostalgic and improved.
And that’s the closest I got to what I would debatably call a problem: It all looks new, but doesn’t feel particularly new. Ocarina’s overall design holds up. The time travel element is surprising and creates great opportunities to see the world change and evolve; puzzles and their solutions are rewarding; the basics of combat, though simple, are thrilling. All those elements have been adjusted, but not overhauled. Dungeons and their puzzles have been tweaked to remove annoyances (such as fewer keys in the Water Temple), and the new swordplay effects make connecting your blade to monsters feel incredible. But they’re all ultimately small changes that don’t cast Ocarina in a new light or consider its history. It’s a straightforward recreation. But an admittedly very good one.
The biggest, most impactful changes are the new full camera control and active jumping. Swinging the camera around to take a closer look at the upgraded environments is genuinely stirring, especially in the locations that used to be pre-rendered. There is an undefined and exclusive-to-video games emotion I experienced often while trekking locations I thought I knew so well, only to realize I have never seen or looked at it in this way, and I chased and captured that feeling all over Hyrule. Jumping may seem small, but it made me a more active participant in exploration. It also has the benefit of making some encounters feel somewhat trivial (turns out being able to jump over Blade Traps really diminishes their threat), and I was just fine with that.
The beautiful 2026 version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time does not study the legacy or impact of the landmark game on the video game medium. Instead, it is a meticulous and incredibly impressive recreation of one of the best games ever made. I was rarely surprised during my playthrough, but I was incredibly excited to see old friends and I happily share without embarrassment that playing through its final hour made me cry. For many like me, the original Ocarina of Time is an impactful adventure that arrived at a time in their lives when magic still felt real. Playing the game again 28 years later and appreciating the care taken to maintain and improve that original vision was the ultimate surprise of the whole experience: I didn’t expect to be so moved.
Many games tout impressive destruction systems under the hood, but few implement it as well as Void/Breaker. The ruin is visually spectacular, sure – who doesn’t love to watch buildings crumble because of your grenade or gravity-thrown explosives? But importantly, it’s a critical aspect of Void/Breaker’s roguelite design. Enemies caught beneath falling rubble become instantly staggered, and that’s your moment to kill. Grenades do this too, as do most items you throw at the hostile AI machinery trying to end your run, creating a vortex of shifting priorities as you dash, jump, and shoot at sequential staggered enemies in your sightlines. Countless weapon mods and permutations make fewer than a dozen weapons feel like hundreds in your arsenal, adding even more blissful chaos to the mix. Though it can be difficult at times, if you can see through the literal remains of your destruction, one of the year’s most engaging shooters awaits.
Void/Breaker wastes no time getting a gun in your hand. An AI voice in your head wants your help escaping a simulation where thousands of runners attempt to reach the end of multi-arena stages to defeat a boss. He asks that you simply follow the simulation’s commands; meanwhile, he uses the data you collect along the way to find new exits for you and him. The storytelling style is very reminiscent of Valve’s Portal. Something much larger is at play here, but it’s worth discovering for yourself.
This narrative framework supports the game’s roguelite structure. Mechanically, however, you enter various themed digital stages, from liminal spaces to beaches to snow-capped cliffs and more, and attempt to survive. Most arenas consist of a couple of starkly white structures that your grenades and thrown explosives can topple (ideally onto waves of enemies below). Learning the language of Void/Breaker means constantly scanning your field of view for explosives and structures practically begging to come down, and then eyeing neon-green bars above enemies that tell you they’re staggered and ready for a quick kill. Developer Stubby Games throws plenty of wrenches into this formula, like armored foes and electrostatic enemies you must melee first, and elite bots that will have you on the back foot, but for the most part, Void/Breaker’s formula is “Break stuff, then kill.”
The game emphasizes explosives and bringing buildings down, but your guns do most of the killing; you can only select one weapon per run. You choose from a pistol, shotgun, machine gun, sniper, and more, and each has its perks (though once I unlocked the SMG, I rarely picked anything else). There’s no sense overthinking your weapon, though, because the dozens of mods you pick up each run determine its effectiveness. As you pick up more schematics, the pool of mods you find in chests or drop from enemies expands, and soon your gun fires corrosive acid, electricity, fire, projectile missiles, and more. Not to mention, mods change how the gun fires, how much damage certain bullets do, recoil, accuracy, and just about any other stat you associate with firing a video game gun. Wild combinations are easy to create, and a unique mod-stacking mechanic that can double or triple effectiveness adds a light touch of puzzle design to this otherwise straight shooter.
Stubby Games smartly emphasizes player expression, never getting in the way of the zanier combinations available to players. The SMG I used to beat the final boss featured mods that made each bullet electric, shot missiles with each shot, covered each bullet in a destructive orb, and featured a ricochet perk that made each bullet bounce off walls and split into even more bullets. I’m thankful for mid-run saves because this SMG permutation, paired with an ability mod that let me throw infinite grenades for a limited time, filled my screen with so much destruction that the entire game crashed. I’d usually bemoan such a thing, but I couldn’t help but laugh. I pushed my PC to its limit with my on-screen chaos.
Boss fights leave a little to be desired – I rarely died because of their simple bullet-hell arenas. Instead, most runs ended because, after bringing down every structure around me, I’d get so lost in the chaos that I wouldn’t realize I was stuck in debris while enemies swarmed my location. As stunning as it is to see so much happening on screen, it can be hard to understand what is going on during the most chaotic moments.
Between enemy-filled arenas en route to a stage’s end boss, you might find a shop to buy more mods, ominous obelisks with risk-reward propositions (gain a lot of health or lose half your health, for example), optional trials, and strange phenomena that transport you to different locations. These moments are quick breaks in between bouts of adrenaline-fueled shooter action that I always welcomed – enemies can be relentless, especially as new types are introduced in each stage.
The rest of the Void/Breaker package offers few genre surprises. You can upgrade various traits between runs, research new mod schematics to add to the random pool, purchase new weapons, and discover fun secrets. You can unlock shortcuts, glean in-world information from computer terminals, and hear intriguing dialogue barks from the AI partner who needs your help. It’s all standard stuff for the rogue genre, but if anything, its simplicity pushes you back to the meat and potatoes of this shooter.
Void/Breaker’s shorter runtime – I rolled credits at 12 hours – ensures nothing gets too repetitive in its roguelite structure, but an expansive endgame promises even more to engage with, like different run modifications you can enable to make an already chaotic shooter even more anarchic. I’ll certainly be running it back (again and again) to see what other disruptions I can bring to this AI-simulated adventure. It’s hard not to when destruction feels this good.
Game Informer’s next cover story is Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, the upcoming reimagining of the original 1996 Tomb Raider arriving on February 12. Since that game celebrates the franchise’s 30th anniversary this year, we’re doing the same with a double-whammy of Tomb Raider features.
We visited Crystal Dynamics’ office to play Legacy of Atlantis for several hours, including an exclusive tour of the Greece section. For our 12-page cover story, we spoke to key team members at Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog to learn why it’s tackling Lara Croft’s seminal adventure once again (having already remade the game once in Tomb Raider: Anniversary), how this version of the game differs from previous incarnations and why, discuss the teams’ controversial use of AI development tools, and how Legacy of Atlantis plants seeds for the upcoming Tomb Raider: Catalyst.
The issue also includes a six-page retrospective of Tomb Raider’s 30-year history, with insights from Crystal Dynamics. This celebration is reflected in our cover art, designed by Tomb Raider franchise art director Brenoch Adams, which showcases every version of Lara Croft from the Core Design, Legend, Survivor, and current eras.
The December issue also marks the return of our annual (and very large) holiday buyers guide, featuring curated gift suggestions for the gamers in your life ahead of the winter holidays. Furthermore, we’ve created a list of family-friendly games to enjoy with younger relatives during upcoming holiday gatherings. Guest contributor Veerender Singh Jubbal writes about India’s emerging game development scene and how its community is helping elevate local titles to an international stage. Ahead of the launch of Ryu Ga Gatoku’s Stranger Than Heaven, executive editor Brian Shea played a new section of the era-spanning Yakuza/Like a Dragon prequel while picking the brains of its lead designers for details on the game’s plot, themes, and time periods. Senior associate editor Wesley LeBlanc shares his glowing impressions of Murals, the colorful, fairy-tale-inspired adventure from Disney Illusion Island developer Dlala Studios, whom he spoke with about the game’s conception.
We also have plenty of previews for upcoming games including Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, Muramasa: Revenant Blades, Fate/Extra Record, Tiny Metal 2, Mr. Records, and Eternal Anima. We also have reviews for Gears of War: E-Day, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, Control Resonant, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Silent Hill: Downfall, and many more.
Subscribe to Game Informer today to get the Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis cover as your first issue. A subscription includes 10 issues a year – physical and digital – delivered in the U.S. and internationally in over 50 countries. You can read the digital version right now, while the print version will reach subscribers’ mailboxes and arrive in bookstores/newstands in the coming weeks. Our Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis issue will only be available for a limited time, so don’t wait; subscribe to secure your copy today!
With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, it’s time to think about the gaming fans in your life and find the ideal present to brighten their day. And if you’re the gamer in the family, we always encourage you to circle relevant items in the coming pages and leave your magazine open in hard-to-miss locations around the house. We’ve scoured dozens of tech products, tabletop games, collectibles, and more to select and highlight some of the coolest items we found this year.
The Board
We recommended the Board shortly after its launch, but with its expanded game library and lower price than first-adopter rates, this holiday season is an ideal time to make the leap. This family-friendly platform features original games that sit comfortably between the digital and physical divide. The horizontally placed screen shows the backdrop of one of the several included games, or the sold-separately add-on games that have popped in since launch. Each game has its own real physical play pieces that interact with the action onscreen, often in innovative and charming ways. Think of it as the best of both worlds between board games and video games, and you’ll get what they’re shooting for here. $399
Few additions to the latest Dungeons & Dragons rules pack as much punch and value as this new expansion, focusing on ways to develop further and evolve the use of magic across your tabletop gaming sessions. New subclasses, spells, creatures, magical items, and factions add thoughtful, intriguing options for both players looking to play someone new and DMs hunting for new story hooks and challenges. $50
If you’re as excited as we are about this month’s celebration of the Tomb Raider legacy (see p. 40), this centerpiece statue is an ideal fit for your collection. Standing roughly nine inches in height, Lara is poised for exploration in her original classic garb. The sculpt strikes a perfect balance between crisp detail and stylistic presentation, in line with that early version of the character; the metallic blue motorcycle paint is especially striking. $250
For players longing for the glory days of stand-up arcade games, it’s hard to beat Arcade 1Up’s approach. The team’s sturdy cabinets look and sound great as a marquee feature of your game room. The new Outrun machine features much of the original display art, a bright 19-inch screen, and responsive gas and brake pedals as you steer around those tight corners. Sega has packed in OutRun, Turbo OutRun, OutRunners, and Power Drift. If old-school racing isn’t your thing, look for cabinets that run the gamut from Pac-Man to Joust to Claw Machines. $629.99
The long-running Nendoroid figures continue to be an attractive but still affordable choice for building collections across numerous fan-favorite series. There are somewhere around 2000 characters at this point! New entries like the Genshin Impact collection make a strong case for the line. The look is chibi, the quality is excellent, poseability is high, and customizable face and accessory parts let you change up your display over time. $46
We’ve previously sung the praises of Libernovo’s versatile approach to an ergonomic gaming chair, which includes a lumbar stretch functionality, a steady recline option for comfortable pushback without sudden shifts, and dynamically adjusting parts as you move through your day. The Maxis line does all that, but addresses one of the fundamental problems for at least some users with the original – it wasn’t big enough. With features like a wider base and longer headrest reach, the Maxis aims to provide the same comfort to the players who are tall or wide enough to need the extra breathing room. $1119
Privacy around smart glasses has been a major point of contention as wearable tech continues to expand. Even G2s have a clear answer to that issue by consciously leaving out a camera. Instead, these glasses focus on productivity and specific tasks, like real-time translation into 35 languages, in-lens teleprompters for presentations, and calendar notifications – all presented in a readable display that is largely invisible from the outside. $600
If you’re the player on your team who likes to have easy access to soundboards and real-time voice changing, the Key Pocket could be just the ticket. This small device straps onto your phone for mobile play, but it’s also compatible with consoles, Discord, Twitch, or just about any place you want to tweak audio on the fly. A free tier gives you access to some voice-changing and sounds, while a separate subscription opens up hundreds of thousands of additional options. But be warned: we can’t help you after your friends abandon you for that baby voice you won’t stop using. $99
The question of the best bang for your buck in modern consoles has become extraordinarily complicated, especially as tech prices have soared in recent years. There’s no right answer, but Sony’s high-end machine walks the line of offering extremely high-tier performance without escalating to even higher-priced gaming PCs. Higher and more consistent frame rates than on standard PS5, advanced ray tracing, and an increasing number of games that feature enhanced PSSR image options all add up to a better gaming experience, if you’re ready to make the significant price jump. $900
If the gamer in your life is looking for a stylish, understated way to express their love of the hobby, Anicorn’s designer watch collaboration with PlayStation could be a standout option. Available in black and a slick silver/white combo, the minimalist timepiece includes the familiar face buttons of Sony’s controller encased in an oil-injection display so they slowly and freely float across the watch as you move. $250
It’s a safe bet you’ve at least seen the popular Shashibo puzzle cubes by this point. We’ve been fans of their brain-teasing, fidgety fun for some time. Battle Shapes takes the core concept – reshaping the box into various distinct magnetically-locked shapes – and extends it into a timed game experience, playable solo or head-to-head. By targeting specific shapes, you significantly improve your speed with the toy, and scannable QR codes on the cards offer clear tutorials for each shape so you can prep for competition. $50
While the vast majority of gamers looking for good personal audio are going to be okay with a larger set of cans over their ears, We know more than a few players for whom that’s a definite no – for comfort, awareness of surrounding sounds, or other reasons. The Arc 5 earbuds aim to solve for that, with an over-ear design that feels extremely comfortable. And because they sit on the ear, you can still hear what’s going on around you. While that limits some aspects of the final sound quality, the inclusion of THX certification, Dolby Atmos optimization, and Dynamic Bass Enhancement helps to ensure audio is still very strong. $230
Across Lego’s many recent themes, Tolkien’s legendarium has offered some stellar sets. The largest yet is the capital of Gondor, with an astonishing 8,278 pieces and a height of roughly two feet. The castle/city build is impressive, featuring tons of interesting angles and turns. The finished product aims to offer the best of both worlds in presentation – a microscale representation of the front façade and a reverse minifigure-scale Hall of Kings. We especially like the inclusion of Denethor’s cherry tomatoes. $650
The original Azul is often cited as a foundational entry in modern board gaming. The “Kids” versions of celebrated titles aren’t always a sure bet, but this one holds up to scrutiny. Azul Kids lowers the complexity threshold but keeps the foundational strategic thinking. Players lay out uniquely shaped tiles into mosaic frameworks in colorful, appealing patterns; the basic concept of the original inspiration is clear, and kids as young as five can grasp and enjoy the fun. $25
Many corners of the collecting world have embraced the fun (and frequent despair) of blind boxes, where you never know exactly who you’ll get in a given series. Funism has a strong track record for quality, offering adorable smaller figures like their latest line of Evangelion collectibles. Each figure stands nearly four inches and features both human characters and mecha. You can buy singles and roll the dice, or purchase larger sets with a no-duplicates guarantee, which can save a lot of heartache if you’re trying to line your whole shelf. $21
If you’re going to spring for a high-end keyboard for PC gaming, it’s important that you like the feel of the keys. The slightly smaller overall 75% size profile of this Blackwidow has no impact on the great feel of typing – a clear highlight for the unit. The customizable, colored backlights are also a big selling point, as is the side command dial and built-in OLED display, which can be tweaked to show PC performance, GIFs, lighting brightness, and more. It’s a strong contender in a crowded field, and justifies its price with both comfort and customizability. $300
Beautiful, vibrant art and a refreshing take on the classic area-control board game genre are the two strongest reasons to take a close look at Wroth. Players control one of five races vying for supremacy across a conflict-ridden peninsula. Factions are asymmetric, so everyone has unique capabilities, and that adds significant replayability. Players roll and draft dice, allowing distinct actions that move the game forward. And move it does; unlike many games of this ilk, Wroth can be learned quickly and played to completion in a little over an hour. $65
Console and computer hardware prices are skyrocketing with no sign of slowing, and perhaps as a result, retro gaming handhelds are gaining popularity. Many quality devices are available, but what sets the Evercade Nexus apart is its officially licensed game cartridges. Imagine the nostalgic joy of a Game Boy, but with a cartridge that includes both Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie. The cartridge boxes even include manuals. For fans of physical media, Evercade Nexus is a great option. $199
This tiny USB-C plug-in (with included USB-A adapter) solves a bunch of audio challenges in one uniform device. It offers high-resolution Bluetooth transmission on iPhone, high-bitrate audio transmission to compatible LDAC headphones, enables high-quality Bluetooth output from your PC, and even low-latency Bluetooth audio on PS5 and Switch. In short, it takes a huge number of products with a USB port and ensures a dynamic Bluetooth audio connection with relative ease. $99
The original MV6 is a familiar sight on streams thanks to its clear voice reproduction and overall ease of use. Shure has built on that success with the Gen 2, offering an excellent standalone mic that doesn’t break the bank. Available in black or white, the Gen 2 features a handy auto-level mode that keeps volume even as you adjust your own amplitude, an adjustable denoiser for your space, a longer cable for out-of-the-box convenience, and three presets for plug-and-play use. In short, it’s an excellent choice if you want great performance without needing an audio engineering degree. $169
XR Glasses are still fighting for awareness, but once you try them, it’s easy to see why the concept is on the rise. Viture’s Pro 2 makes an impressive case for adoption, with a competitive price point, comfortable wear, and a giant 146-inch screen that floats in front of your face for gaming or work on your PC or phone. The display is crisp, bright, and impressive, even as the glasses are light and easy to use. With a mobile dock mini (sold separately), you can even snap onto a Switch 2 with ease and start playing instantly. $299
Role-playing gamers have several excellent universal systems to pick between when considering a story or campaign idea that might fall outside traditional genre staples. Among many good options, Cypher stands out as one of the very best. The system uses a rules-light, narrative-focused approach that prioritizes player-driven storytelling across everything from hard sci-fi to superheroes to intrigue- driven espionage. This is the corebook that’s needed to run and play the full system; additional books only add options. $50
As gamers have continually migrated toward personal audio that can rock amazing sound without disturbing the whole house, high-end premium headphones have become a dangerously competitive space. Turtle Beach meets that challenge head-on, with a robust option that sounds beautiful in use. The Stealth Pro II boasts the slick ability to wirelessly switch between different devices, which is awesome if you’re one of those players who regularly jumps between platforms to play your favorite titles. Like the whole category, it’s a lot to spend on a headset, but Dolby Atmos, active noise cancellation, and 60mm dual drivers all add up to a powerful argument. $300
With an increasing number of top-tier console and PC games like Resident Evil Village, No Man’s Sky, and Dead Cells now available on iOS, not to mention the consistent quality of Apple Arcade, Apple phones remain the best mobile platform for gaming. The 18 Pro Max phone has implemented a number of tweaks that strengthen the platform, including higher memory, much faster graphics processing, impressive HDR performance, and notably improved battery life, all adding up to a gaming experience that is working hard to justify your playtime when away from home. Starting at $1299
SteelSeries is best known for its strong audio line-up, but its push into premium-tier controllers exhibits a similar flair for quality and usability. The new Aeon Pro has a lot to recommend it as your go-to Xbox, PC, or mobile choice. The two included batteries (one of which can always be charging in the dock) ensure essentially unlimited playtime. The full-pull or hair triggers and buttons are clicky and satisfying, and the Hall Effect thumbsticks are built to minimize any drift. Textured handgrips and overall heft are ideal. And an onboard OLED lets you adjust profiles and button assignments, switch between platforms, and check battery at a glance. $260
Valve’s pricey VR headset isn’t a revolution in the medium, but the company has been invested in the technology since its inception. As a result, the Steam Frame is a very good, very comfortable headset. Like its competition, the Quest, its best use is playing games locally on the headset, and Steam’s library is vast and interesting. Wireless connected play to a powerful PC is also well done, but currently the included Wireless Adapter is not fully compatible with the Steam Machine – a baffling limitation we were shocked to confirm. VR is an expensive sub-hobby within video games, but Steam Frame is among the best ways to explore and enjoy it. $1059
Many of the coolest “gaming lights” focus on the flexibility and fun of bright RGB customization. While we’re fans of that aesthetic, it leaves others out in the cold who might want something a bit more natural. The Elements hex panels feature a natural wood-inspired panel, customizable “scenes” like a campfire glow, and can react to both music and touch, with adjustable ambient white light to keep the vibe relaxed. $200
We interviewed game director Mike Daly after the launch of Insomniac’s recent Wolverine game to get his take on what makes Wolverine and Spidey different to work on, his thoughts on breadcrumb trails, and why Logan can’t ever seem to get the girl.
Insomniac had extensive experience working on well-known superhero characters before starting on Wolverine. Early on, what traits or qualities of Logan as a story character and playable avatar did you know you wanted to focus on, distinct from the Spider-Man games and character?
From a story perspective, we wanted Logan to be a man with centuries of experiences that he can’t remember, creating a mix of being worn, wizened, and cynical. His resilience makes him fearless, which comes through in his candid manner, and he can’t ignore his sense of justice, as much as he would like to.
For gameplay, it was important that players felt the difference made by his healing factor, claws, berserker rage, animalistic strength, enhanced senses, his adamantium skeleton, and corresponding weight.
In both story and gameplay, emotionally and physically, Wolverine is a hero who gets hurt and feels that pain deeply but always gets back up again and presses on. This dogged resilience was really important to us and a central theme of story and gameplay.
Wolverine is more of a linear adventure than the open-world exploration of a big city seen in Spidey. In my playthrough, that added to the sense of relentless pacing that characterizes Wolverine as a fictional lead. Was that part of the thinking behind why the game was built that way, or was the more linear path there for other reasons?
Ultimately, we made a game suited for a Wolverine story that had comic book pacing – action and meaningful story development on every page.
We experimented with different structures and stories, evaluating from the perspective of: “Is this the best way to do Wolverine justice?” As the various things we tried didn’t feel right, we had to challenge our assumptions and look to our favorite Wolverine stories for inspiration, which led us to where we ended up – a story with momentum in which every beat felt authentic to the character.
Scenes and gameplay sequences that might have been fine in other games but didn’t strongly evoke Wolverine undermined the consistency of the fantasy we were trying to create, so we tried to keep things very focused.
After the game’s release, there was an active online conversation about some of the breadcrumb-trail guidance the game offers to lead you to pickups, or to mark the continued golden path of progression. What was the thinking internally about that design decision, and your take on the debate after the game launched?
Our thinking was that it was essential to make the player feel like they were empowered by Logan’s enhanced senses, a canonical mutant ability, enabling players to do things they could not with other characters. We wanted to weave that power into as many parts of the game as we could, so that if Logan could smell or hear something relevant, the player could see it too.
For collectibles, we wanted players to enjoy seeking out and spotting senses cues, enabling you to find things that would have been obscure to other characters. Using the cues, players can cover a lot of ground without feeling the need to scour, maintaining story and action momentum.
After the game launched, we saw feedback from players that interpreted senses as abstract designer guidance, along with a desire for options in how they approached exploration and discovery. Fortunately, we have been able to incorporate this feedback from players in our post-launch patches. One aspect we’ve improved is the scent trail’s organic presentation, so they give a stronger impression that they belong in the world rather than being an abstraction. For players that want to do more manual exploration, we’ve added options to remove the sense cues for optional collectibles, and one to make scent trails dimmer until the player requests a hint.
Ultimately, enhanced senses are still essential to creating an authentic Wolverine, and that’s still reflected in the cinematic and environmental storytelling of the game. I think it’s great that on top of that, players now have more flexibility in how they experience them.
As a longtime comics fan, I found Logan’s combat system especially exciting, particularly for the relentless forward momentum it provided. What do you think were some of the keys to nailing that dynamic, as distinct from other high-quality third-person action games?
There were a few key elements we wanted to get right – Logan’s resilience, rage, claw feel, and overall lethality.
For resilience, Logan’s healing factor needed to feel important for survival – a prominent element of the system. A natural starting point there was to try continual regeneration so you could outlast enemies, but that quickly fell apart as it incentivized the player to slow the pace of combat or even retreat for maximum advantage. Even though it was incredibly effective at enabling survival, it was also hard to notice by the player so it didn’t feel prominent.
The key to solving this problem was making a connection between rage and healing factor. The Last Stand mechanic is a healing surge that can happen when you lose all your health, themed as using adrenaline to keep Logan’s heart beating. This incentivized aggression and made a space for an up-close look at visceral healing.
Speaking of rage, it’s the backbone of the combat system where being an indicator of momentum is key. At the low end of rage, you don’t have the safety net of Last Stand, so your decision-making naturally biases towards survival; ensuring you prioritize threat assessment and defense. As you climb into the middle tier, you have the leeway to push your luck for longer combos or barrages that let you build up rage and get kills faster. Finally, you get to rage tier 3, where the quick decay of rage makes your rate of kills the top priority, so you might prefer to attack groups over ranged stragglers just for the improved kill density. Beyond the mechanics, we change the presentation of combat, especially through Logan’s animations and exertion to reflect his state of mind. The presentation and systemic incentives drive the player into a frenzy, just like Wolverine.
We invested a lot in the details of claw feel to make sure it was distinct from general game attacks. Claws shred, so we added locational body damage to our enemies to reflect that, along with a dynamic blood system where it globs together as it is spilled, splatters on contact with characters or the environment, drips down the walls, diffuses in the water, and other details. Many kills throughout combat are punctuated with custom animations with cinematic camera work that pushes in and frames the puncturing of claws into the body for a strong impression of the connection and weight of the puncture. Severing limbs on these attacks is an occasional reminder of how sharp Logan’s adamantium claws are. Reinforcing this is top-notch sound and haptics design, so each hit registers.
The last aspect I’ll touch on is lethality, the rate at which Wolverine is able to dispatch enemies and vice versa. We found that fights where enemies were more technical and could survive a lot undermined what players expected to experience as Wolverine, which was aggressively and lethally tearing through a lot of enemies. On the other hand, combat was less exciting if the enemies didn’t feel like a serious and deadly threat, and you didn’t feel like Wolverine if a little bit of caution could enable you to defend perfectly and avoid all damage.
These aspects led us towards encounters where you confronted large groups of enemies that were highly aggressive, to the point of feeling unfair. Enemies can’t believably go toe-to-toe with Wolverine alone, even world-class mercenaries, so their strategy is in group coordination, which creates a counterweight to Wolverine’s own rage-based momentum.
Marvel’s Wolverine draws in a number of characters from across the X-Men comic mythology, but notably makes no mention of some foundational figures of that fiction – Professor Xavier and Magneto. That, in turn, leads to dramatically different lives for characters like Jean Grey or Logan. Is the narrative you crafted an intentional exploration of a world where those figures weren’t present in the early days of mutant emergence?
I would say it was more of an exploration of the character than the world. We wanted a story where Logan is pulled into conflict not because he’s a crusader, but because there’s no other option. There are no X-Men to help. His growth as a person should be a challenging journey, which could go unearned if he was surrounded by wise, supportive, heroic characters pushing him in the right direction. In contrast, his dynamic with the members of Team X evokes his struggle. The adversity to personal growth is what makes it interesting.
Jean does end up being the person that pushes him in the right direction, and that works because they can relate to each other, having had similar struggles.
In several versions of Marvel storytelling, Jean and Logan share a special bond, but Jean ultimately chooses Scott Summers as a partner. But even without that barrier in your story, Logan still hits some roadblocks to love. Is Wolverine fundamentally a better character when he just can’t get the girl?
The way I would put it is that a Wolverine story is fundamentally better when you empathize with Logan’s pain and admire him for pressing on despite it. That goes for his emotional pain as much as physical. He’s a tragic character in this regard – all he wants is to be at peace but can never find it for long.
Wolverine gets to take on a lot of the “heavy hitters” of his comic mythology in different boss fights throughout the game. When you began development, do you recall who the very first character was that you decided he simply had to fight in your game?
Sabretooth. No character is a better foil for Logan. His inner turmoil and chaotic behavior helps illustrate Logan’s own inner beast and his struggle to resist it. Sabretooth’s strength and mutant powers also provide a mirror to Logan in combat, and his savagery creates shocking moments that leave an impression. We knew an epic confrontation with Sabretooth was going to be a thing from the start.
More specifically, preloading on Xbox Series X/S will begin Tuesday, November 10, at 12 a.m. GMT (4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET on November 9), and on PS5 at midnight local time in your time zone. Although Rockstar isn’t producing physical discs of GTA VI, you can still buy a physical box at retail, which includes a download code for the game. The studio says, “Code-in-box versions for both consoles should be available from retailers beginning November 12.”
The preload file will require 212 GB on your device, so make sure you have the space before you start the download. You can find more details about this process here.
Elsewhere in today’s GTA VI news, Rockstar has revealed that on November 19, it will add an official printable GTA VI cover art poster and a map of Leonida as a free digital download to the game’s official site. However, a double-sided physical version of this poster will be made available shortly after the launch of GTA VI from the Rockstar Store. It will only cost $0.99 on its own, or come free with any other purchase from the store.
GTA VI launches November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
