The US Federal Reserve has announced new task forces for advancing monetary policy. Led by chairman Kevin Warsh, the list of advisors for each task force includes Xbox CEO Asha Sharma.
“The Federal Reserve’s commitment to price stability and maximum employment is unwavering. As is our resolve to pursue our mandate with rigor,” writes Chairman Kevin Warsh in a press release. “The U.S. economy has changed significantly over the last generation, and never more so than right now. Each task force will carefully consider whether policymakers’ means and methods, analytical tools and policy approaches can be improved upon. I am honored that the best minds from a range of disciplines have agreed to work with us to sharpen our performance as an institution. The goal is straightforward: to ensure the Fed is best positioned to achieve our objectives in this consequential time.”
The five task forces are Communications, Balance Sheet Policy, Data, Productivity and Jobs, and Inflation Frameworks. Each will be co-led by external advisors “with deep expertise in their fields.” Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been named as one of three advisors for the Productivity and Jobs task force, which aims to “assess the economic impact of new general-purpose technologies, including artificial intelligence, to inform the Federal Reserve’s policy judgments.”
Sharma was president of Microsoft’s CoreAI before becoming CEO of Xbox, which undoubtedly led to the role of providing expertise on the economic impact of AI. Notably, Sharma is also the only active CEO among the entire list of advisors, which largely includes professors and former business leaders/politicians.
Sharma was appointed Xbox CEO in February following the departures of former heads Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond. Among other moves, such as revealing new details of the next Xbox console, codename Project Helix, Sharma’s biggest initiative to date is a massive restructuring of Xbox that began this week, which will result in over 3,000 layoffs across each game division. The company has also divested from five development studios: Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, and Arkane Studios.
Every college football player knows their third year defines their career trajectory. That’s why one of EA Sports College Football 27’s (CFB27) cover athletes, Dante Moore, opted to return to Oregon rather than declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. The talented quarterback understood that another strong season would increase his already-impressive draft stock. Like Moore, CFB27 enters its junior year with high expectations. The previous two entries showcased bursts of potential, and EA Tiburon’s third effort brings strong tweaks and new mechanics to both sides of the ball while also reintroducing a well-liked arcade mode. Thankfully, these updates expand on the series’ highlight reel, even if some egregious lowlights threaten to tarnish its legacy.
College football is about extreme speed and physicality. CFB27 embraces that from the moment the ball is hiked. Pass catchers and blitzers attempt to jump the snap, finding holes in coverage and blocks, respectively. Defensive backs use their hands to jostle receivers at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary, disrupting routes. Desperate quarterbacks lunge over manpiles at the one-yard line. Success on CFB27’s gridiron, like in real life, is tied to split-second decision-making and timing. Throwing a dot through double coverage and making a risky time-based catch against human or computer-controlled opponents is always exciting. And flicking a stick to wrap up a beefy runner, rather than clicking a button, feels strikingly organic. Everything looks great and plays well, especially during inclement weather, and EA Tiburon finally included a detailed skills trainer in the main menu to help freshmen and seniors alike learn these new and improved interactions.
Most of the smart gameplay changes are best experienced in Road to Glory. The new edge, free safety, and tight end positions are welcome additions to the loop, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Edges see the most action per down, fighting through double teams, chip blocks, and tackle-avoidant ball carriers. Stat increases come easily when you’re that close to the quarterback, but the same can’t be said for the often deflating safety experience. I was usually too far back to stop the run, and unless the offense needed a deep pass, my zones were rarely targeted. Playing as a tight end, however, offered a more dynamic career. If I wasn’t one-handing catches between the hashes, I was pancaking rushers like the dynamic playmaker scouts projected me to be.
Sadly, my other responsibilities, balancing academics, leadership, health, fitness, and brand, are less interesting. Not much happens beyond weekly practices and matchups. Moreover, none of the micromanagement activities come close to feeling as impactful as my gameday performances. Occasionally, teammates, classmates, coaches, and sponsors spice up the monotony, offering extracurricular opportunities, like skipping class for a party, watching film, or starring in commercials, but beyond accepting or declining their invitations for temporary buffs/debuffs, the loop grew stale long before I hung up my cleats. And inconsistencies in presentation, like being berated by my coach even after scoring a flashy, game-winning touchdown, as well as context – the university newspaper interviewed me about being a quarterback even though I was a linebacker – were concerning.
Unfortunately, intrusive microtransactions have also been added to the mix. In Road to Glory, ability points can be purchased to sidestep the slow burn of player progression. That, in and of itself, is bad enough, but CFB27 takes this a step further by including similar predatory tactics in its beloved Dynasty mode. By removing options to accelerate coach progression, players are now forced to either gradually increase their level over a long 30-year career or spend money to unlock their favorite skills ASAP. Fast-tracking your player or coach’s development using the latter method is nowhere near as intrusive as the College Football Ultimate Team advertisements that litter the main menu. Even so, incentivizing players to disengage with Road to Glory and Dynasty’s deep progression systems is a massive step back, rendering CFB’s most popular game modes inconsistent at best and hollow at worst.
This shift is particularly alarming because Dynasty is otherwise in the best shape it’s ever been in. Dynamic athletic director expectations imbue each college with much-needed personality. The fans and wider administration of the University of Alabama expect playoff berths every year and won’t be too keen on keeping you around if losses start to mount. But the less prominent Kent State is more focused on rebuilding following a mass exodus of talent after a middling 2025 season, understanding that true success takes years to achieve. I loved playing within the confines of both extremes. Losing to hated rival Ohio State in my first year with Michigan was serious enough to land me on the hot seat, while signing my first three-star recruit after winning a bowl game with a small school practically transformed me into a community hero overnight.
Both outcomes felt deeply personalized and empowered me to invest dozens of hours in Dynasty’s best new feature, Blueprint, which gave me unprecedented control over how I built my football program. From dumping a fortune or a few pennies’ worth of Dynasty Points into equipment like ice baths, reducing the wear and tear of my players, to hiring support staff for a sports performance department that facilitated offseason training, CFB27’s newfound level of freedom in recruiting, developing, and retaining talent has never been more intuitive or satisfying. That’s not to say the mode is without flaws – I’ve witnessed major schools with truckloads of NIL money sign dozens of highly touted recruits, leaving the rest of the college football landscape in shambles. This might not be so far removed from the bleak realities of the sport, but seeing Georgia bring in a whopping 25 four-star and 9 five-star players each year is downright immersion-breaking and, quite frankly, ridiculous.
Ultimate Team is the same polarizing, heavily monetized mode as in previous games. Complete challenges, collect (or buy) currency, open card packs. Rinse and repeat. I can see how the allure of acquiring coveted players and maxing their overalls can be appealing to competitive football fans, but the deeper and more expansive Dynasty and Road to Glory campaigns will likely monopolize my time.
I’ll probably even jump into Mascot Mashup on occasion, too. A nice callback to the classic, zany quickplay mode from EA Sports’ NCAA Football franchise, Mascot Mashup pits over 100 teams of iconic mascots against each other. Unlocking them is as simple as winning a Play Now match with the college of your choice. Mascot Matchup serves as a nice break from some of the other, more intense offerings. There’s plenty of laughs to be had alone or with friends, especially after seeing an Indiana Hoosier side-flip-juke a Stanford tree and run 60 yards to daylight.
On the field, CFB27 dazzles. I never tired of running down The Hill in Clemson Memorial Stadium, the pyrotechnics lighting the night sky and a swarm of drones tracing a Tiger above a distant jumbotron. Sudden rain and snowstorms constantly made fourth-quarter bouts more epic. And celebrating with my guys after running back an interception was arguably more cathartic than watching the real thing. Nevertheless, the off-the-field issues, namely, shallow progression systems and the transformative inclusion of microtransactions in practically every mode, were disappointing. CFB27 made some fantastic key plays down the stretch in its junior season, but the team will need to make more improvements in the offseason if it wants to hoist that championship trophy next year.
Obsidian Entertainment is developing a new Fallout game, according to a report by Bloomberg. The report also states that the studio has canceled several in-development projects, including a planned sequel to its 2025 RPG, Avowed.
The ongoing layoffs across Xbox’s gaming division have reportedly impacted roughly 25% of Obsidian’s staff, including long-time art director Daniel Alpert. Bloomberg reports that, as part of Xbox’s new initiative to largely focus on its biggest existing franchises, Obsidian’s development pipeline has shifted toward developing a new Fallout game, with studio design director Josh Sawyer at the helm. Obsidian has worked in this universe before, having previously made 2010’s well-received Fallout: New Vegas.
Obsidian had been working on Avowed 2, which was said to be going well and on track to be announced within the next year. However, the sequel did not fit into Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s new company strategy. Although that project is effectively shelved, Bloomberg states that some employees will continue working on it as the new Fallout comes together in hopes of a potential revival.
Avowed was one of three games Obsidian released in 2025, alongside Grounded 2 (which launched in Early Access) and The Outer Worlds 2. Unfortunately, although Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 garnered generally positive reviews, both underperformed in sales. Despite pivoting to a new Fallout, Obsidian will also continue working on Grounded 2 and DLC for The Outer Worlds 2.
Bithell Games, creators of games such as Volume, John Wick Hex, and Tron: Catalyst, has announced a new immersive sim called Vampirium:1997. The game takes place in an England ruled by Dracula, with players controlling an assassin tasked with eliminating threats to his vampiric empire.
The minimalist point-and-click gameplay challenges players to infiltrate living areas to kill targets by whatever means they see fit. Vampirium: 1997 offers multiple methods for completing objectives, whether you prefer a stealthier approach that limits the body count or using weapons like a silver katana to massacre everyone in sight.
The living environments are designed to compel players to adapt to new conditions during missions. You can observe enemy patrol routes to effectively plan routes and access restricted areas, and manipulate environmental elements such as lights and other items to your advantage. Interacting with characters offers multiple responses to glean information or maintain your secrecy, including performing tasks for them. Or you can use the power of hypnotism to compel certain characters to do what you want. Missions are designed to be highly replayable since new tasks will unlock after you complete a level for the first time. Director Mike Bithell posted an 8-minute gameplay walkthrough that gives a better look at what Vampirium: 1997 has in store.
It’s nice to see Bithell Games bounce back with a new project after it was forced to lay off most of its staff last August due to funding issues. Vampirium: 1997 will launch into Steam Early Access at an unannounced date.
After well over a dozen mainline entries, Black Flag remains one of the most fondly remembered in the long canon of Assassin’s Creed entries. It’s little surprise that Ubisoft chose this installment for a robust reenvisioning. While not a fundamental remake of the original 2013 game, Resynced is also far more than the standard remaster some might expect, as it features expansive gameplay and narrative additions and tweaks, along with a complete visual overhaul. The result is an impressive and sizeable game that maintains both the charm and some of the rough edges that defined the original. After 13 years, there’s enough new here to delight returning fans, but it’s also notable for being modernized to a degree that new players should find a lot to enjoy.
Black Flag benefits tremendously from one of the great narrative maxims: pirates are fun. Across the series’ many historical time periods, few have featured such an inherently attractive setting and concept. Black Flag Resynced ably captures what works about the pirate fantasy. The revamped ship combat is approachable and explosive, if eventually a bit repetitive. The narrative dialogue is salty and rowdy. The sea shanties are jaunty. The many islands at the edge of the horizon are filled with secret chests, messages in bottles, and forgotten treasure caves. The sunsets across the West Indies are to die for. The game’s greatest success is its spot-on pirate experience, and that alone is worth a lot.
The story of Edward Kenway is one of my least favorite of the many Assassins we’ve met. He spends most of the tale obsessed with his own acquisition of wealth, and the plot fails to nail what works for me about the Assassin’s Creed formula. That hasn’t changed in Resynced, and the broader narrative can still sometimes feel disjointed and missing in some important transitional moments, especially in the later hours. However, re-recorded and expanded dialogue helps the storytelling feel modern and dramatic. And new content helps fill in some important gaps that previously felt barren. I especially like the new naval officer missions, which help your ship’s crew feel a bit more dynamic. I also like some of the expanded storytelling around historical pirates like Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. The modern-day story component from the original Black Flag is now absent. While that was never a high point, I still feel the series as a whole misses the boat by not tying these historical narratives together with a more meaningful twist on the modern-day Assassin/Templar conflict.
Virtually every element of gameplay has been retouched in some way, and it’s all for the better. Parkour feels smoother and more flexible. Combat has increased options for parries, takedowns, and tools. Poor tailing missions are scaled back. Stealth is easier to navigate. The Hideout in Great Inagua offers new options for expansion and growth, fostering a stronger sense of investment in the place. Explorable locations are fleshed out, with more secrets to uncover. Difficulty and accessibility settings dramatically expand the play customizability. Taken together, these improvements make a big difference and help Resynced feel fresh and up to date, and that extends to the visuals, too.
The Caribbean seas and islands of Black Flag Resynced make it an exceptionally beautiful game, adding to a clear allure in going off the beaten path and exploring. Beyond nailing the pirate aesthetic, it’s the sense of freeform discovery that is the game’s other undeniable success. There’s so much to do, and a lot of it is great fun. Dive for sunken treasure. Hunt animals. Build a pirate fleet. Hunt Templars. Fill your mansion with art. Track down legendary ships. Conquer forts. Follow treasure maps. Even when Black Flag Resynced flirts with feature bloat, there’s no denying its capacity to distract and offer more to do.
For me, a lot of the joy and excitement of Assassin’s Creed comes from visiting a new era in history and rediscovering the series’ conflict through the lens of that time and place. This return to a familiar locale lacks that, but it should still offer it for newer players who never experienced the game more than a decade ago. But even without that sense of newness, Black Flag Resynced is an impressive rework, setting a high bar for how to return to an older action game and make it relevant once more. I’d prefer to sail to new horizons, but I’m also happy to rediscover a journey that reminds me why I embraced the franchise in the first place.
Marvel Rivals introduced its newest season, The Mystery of Thebes, in a livestream earlier today, which will add the new characters Jubilee and The Hood into the game. The cinematic trailer was followed by the routine dev vision video where creative director Guangguang and lead combat designer Zhiyong go over balance changes and new team-up abilities, but this update was anything but routine. In addition to overhauling the Team-Up system (more on that later), they’ve almost completely reworked Black Widow’s mechanics.
In a game where most heroes have generally similar power levels, Black Widow has consistently been the least powerful character on the roster. As a sniper, she’s in a delicate position where the developers know that boosting her damage too high can quickly make her frustratingly overpowered. But since the rest of her ability kit is underwhelming, she’s never been a meta pick, and some players even get mad when you select her in a competitive game.
Now, she’s completely different. Her damage has been reduced, but her fire rate has been greatly increased, giving her gun a more of a mid-range, semi-automatic feel. Her old ultimate ability has become a standard ability on her toolbar, and her stamina costs for sprinting and super jumping have been eliminated. She has a new ability that launches her towards enemies and slams her gauntlets into the ground. She also has a new Ultimate, which allows her to aim down the scope of her rifle and temporarily transform it back into the sniper it used to be. The new sniper has increased damage, a larger hitbox, and can pierce enemies. While it won’t one-shot any foes, it requires much less skill to land a hit and lasts for 20 seconds or until you use all six of her shots.
Black Widow’s new ult in Marvel Rivals season 9.
While this is a major shift for Black Widow players, the next change is huge for everyone else: Team-Ups are changing entirely. It’s the mechanic that makes Marvel Rivals really stand out amongst its peers, adding new mechanics or buffs if two players on the same team play compatible characters. After a while, however, the developers admit it’s been “uninspired,” for a while, saying they were adding and subtracting team-ups just for the sake of checking boxes in a new update. Season 9 takes it much further, overhauling the system altogether.
“Now, every single hero will possess two completely independent Team-Up Ability loadouts,” Zhiyong says. “The abilities granted by these loadouts vary; some are entirely new abilities, some are entirely new standalone abilities, while others replace an existing base ability.”
These new Team-Ups can be swapped out whenever you swap your character out before matches, between rounds, or when you die and return to the spawn room. In an example clip, Black Panther chooses between Team-Ups with Magik and Storm. Each Team-Up also now has a base effect and an enhanced effect. The base effect gives each player the Team-Up’s core mechanic, but it is active regardless of whether the Team-Up partner is actually on your team. Going back to the above example, Black Panther can use his Team-Up ability with Magik regardless of whether she’s on the team. But if Magik is present, his ability gets its enhanced effect, granting it a significant boost in power, sometimes producing alternate effects entirely.
To exemplify further, the video shows off the Hulk’s new Team-Up effects. His new Team-Up ability with Captain America, Incredible Leap, allows him to jump up and slam into the ground to damage nearby enemies. It also reduces his cooldowns based on how depleted his health is. But if Cap is on the same team, the enhanced effect means Incredible Leap does more damage and adds a debuff that makes foes take more damage.
“We have been holding our tongue on this version update for so long, and we couldn’t be happier to finally talk about it,” Guangguang says. “We actually started planning our Team-Up overhaul just under a year ago. Over the last few seasons, we’ve been closely following the community’s discussions regarding Team-Ups, and honestly, the pressure has been immense.”
Zhiyong also says the development team will constantly be monitoring the interactions between all of the game’s new Team-Up abilities and be on standby to roll out rapid balance patches if needed – something the team doesn’t do often. It’s a pretty significant shake-up – here’s hoping the update doesn’t break the game.
Marvel Rivals, the comic book-themed hero shooter from Netease, aired a livestream today to reveal what’s coming to the game in its ninth season, which is set to start this Friday, July 10. The stream kicked off with a cinematic trailer briefly showing the two newest heroes – Jubilee and The Hood – but primarily focusing on X-Men antagonist Apocalypse. As he finishes a monologue about his quest for power, he’s suddenly impaled through the back with a sword from an unseen attacker. You can watch for yourself below.
Jubilee joins the game as a Strategist (the game’s healer-adjacent class) and can use her pyrotechnic energy blasts to heal foes as well as harm allies. She can also jump into the air and briefly hover to avoid damage and create healing bubbles for her teammates. Her Ultimate allows her to knock back many enemies at once, and her character reveal trailer shows her using it to push several opponents to their doom.
In the game’s lore, Jubilee is serving as one of Apocalypse’s horsemen – the Horseman of Famine – because her son Shogo has been trapped in his dragon form and she hoped Apocalypse would help.
“Ready to fight the world and be a shining beacon for her son, Jubilee generates bursts of pyrotechnic plasma as she shapes radiant energy into vibrant projectiles that shimmer with gleaming light,” the gameplay reveal trailer’s description reads. “Combined with her vampiric powers, every firework she releases is an invigorating celebration on the battlefield!”
In the wake of Xbox’s planned layoffs across its gaming division, which will impact 3,200 employees, with 1,600 of those workers immediately let go yesterday, Doom developer id Software has been hit particularly hard. A new report suggests the legendary studio has lost roughly half of its staff.
Game Developer reports that, per its sources, id’s headcount has been reduced by around 50 percent. An affected senior employee corroborated this figure in a LinkedIn post. The studio’s QA department was hit particularly hard, according to one of Game Developer’s sources. Most of id Software’s employees unionized last December, but it’s unclear how many of those employees were affected by the layoffs.
id’s most recent release is 2025’s Doom: The Dark Ages, which was released to positive reviews. It received a narrative expansion today called Revelations. The Texas-based studio, founded in 1991, is one of the most prolific in video games for innovating and popularizing the first-person shooter genre, dating back to Wolfenstein 3D and series such as Doom and Quake. id was acquired by ZeniMax in 2009; ZeniMax was then purchased by Xbox in 2021.
id co-founder John Romero shared his condolences on social media, writing, “I know what it feels like to leave id while id goes on. It’s a strange and painful thing to step away from a place that holds so much of your work, friendships and history. The people at id have done a great job moving that legacy forward. DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein are not easy names to carry on, especially in today’s industry. The last few games showed real care, skill and respect for what those worlds mean to people.”
I’m so sorry for everyone at id Software affected by these layoffs.
I know what it feels like to leave id while id goes on. It’s a strange and painful thing to step away from a place that holds so much of your work, friendships and history. 1/5
The layoffs from Xbox’s massive restructuring have impacted Bethesda/ZeniMax as a whole, from Bethesda proper to its subsidiary Arkane Studios being spun off from the company entirely. Xbox has also divested from Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Undead Labs, and Ninja Theory. Some have gone independent (Compulsion, Double Fine) while others have been sold to new owners (Ninja Theory, Undead Labs).
Game Informer has contacted Bethesda/ZeniMax for comment and will update this story should we receive one.
In January, Lego revealed its first-ever official Pokémon set, and that has evidently proven popular, because it then announced 12 additional sets coming in August. That’s not enough, apparently, because five more sets have been revealed, featuring new Pokémon and trainers.
The new sets launch either on August 1 or October 1, depending on the set, and are available for pre-order today at Lego’s website and the Pokémon Center. The sets will also launch at select retailers. Here are the details for each set, including their official descriptions and photo galleries:
Lego Pokémon Munchlax
“Lego Pokémon Munchlax recreates the adorable Normal-type Pokémon, Munchlax, in a 757-piece build experience. Measuring over 18-cm high, this build perfectly captures the charming, playful personality of Munchlax, with posable arms and head, and its insatiable appetite through delicious treats included within the set.”
Price: $69.99
Pieces: 757
Dimensions: 5 in. (13 cm) high, 4 in. (10 cm) wide and 4 in. (11 cm) deep
Launch Date: August 1
Lego Pokémon Up-Scaled Red Minifigure
“Supersize the fun with the Lego Pokémon Up-Scaled Red Minifigure. With over 930-pieces the set showcases the Trainer, Red, in his iconic red hat, blue trousers, backpack and red vest with a pin attached, and, a Poké Ball. The build has posable arms and legs, with a rotating head, maximising the possibilities for play and display.”
Price: $79.99
Pieces: 930
Dimensions: 10 in. (22 cm) high, 6 in. (17 cm) wide and 4 in. (12 cm) deep
Launch Date: October 1
Lego Pokémon Arcanine
“Lego Pokémon Arcanine recreates one of the magnificent fire-type Pokémon as a 1,190-piece, fully posable Lego-built display version. The impressive build captures Arcanine’s fiery spirit, powerful stance and signature fur – a faithful recreation of this Kanto region Pokémon.”
Price: $109.99
Pieces: 1,190
Dimensions: 6.7 in. (17cm) high, 3.5 in. (9cm) wide and 11.2 in. (28.6cm) deep
Launch Date: August 1
Lego Pokémon Rayquaza
“An impressive 1,083-piece set, Lego Pokémon Rayquaza brings one of the most recognizable Legendary Pokémon to life in brick form, packed with authentic details and perfect for display. This build faithfully recreates the iconic Sky Pillar scene from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and includes an exclusive minifigure of Lorekeeper Zinnia.”
Price: $129.99
Pieces: 1,083
Dimensions: 15 in. (38cm) high, 11 in. (28cm) wide and 10.6 in. (27cm) deep
Launch Date: August 1
Lego Pokémon Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball
“For Lego Pokémon Trainers looking for a new display piece, Lego Pokémon Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball offers a striking 2,368-piece build that is truly one-of-a-kind. The set includes a large brick-built Poké Ball that can open and close, containing key moments from a Pokémon Trainer’s journey. Inside fans can find a battle scene, Professor Oak’s laboratory and more, including three minifigures of Professor Oak, Picnicker and Red, as well as Pikachu and Eevee figures which elevate the set further.”
Price: $299.99
Pieces: 2,339
Dimensions: 9 in. (22cm) high, 9 in. (24cm) wide and 9 in. (22cm) deep
My time with The Blood of Dawnwalker begins idyllically, with protagonist Coen and his family preparing supper atop a hill. But as the sun sets, that peace quickly fades when his sister, Kunka, runs off into the woods.
Coen goes after his sister, Kunka, and when he catches up, she reveals she’s been turned into a vampire before betraying Coen and turning him. At the end of the sequence, Coen is in a room, forced to watch the rest of his family be eaten by the same vampires who turned his sister.
Thankfully, it is revealed to be a dream, and Coen wakes up in a haze. Nothing has changed, and a sense of peace returns. He does, however, still live in a world where vampires rule as a threatening aspect of daily life. How much Coen values his family is clear, though. With his mother suffering from an illness, Coen took on responsibilities to ensure his family had all the help they needed while his dad took care of his mom.
I take control of Coen and, in hopes of treating his mom, make my way towards a woman named Anca to buy medicine. The world opens up for exploration, so I go into town. But I am limited in what I can do because the second I start a quest, a timer starts.
I choose to help my siblings fish and get food for the day. During this quest, I talk to them about our mother’s illness, the reality of living in a world with vampires, and how I, Coen, might not be around forever. The conversation endears me to my family.
I also decide the fate of a runaway pig trying to avoid being cooked and find a lost brother trapped in a cave with an eldritch monster that needs defeating. Combat moves fast and is comparable to Ubisoft’s For Honor. While swinging and blocking, you have the option to position your sword to best defend/attack. If you spam the same area, the NPC will quickly learn and block that direction. But if they block all your attacks, you can grab them to break their defensive stance and get the upper hand.
But time is running out, so I go to Anca’s to get the medicine. Annca gives instructions for the medicine, but I unfortunately forget the proper dose and give what I think is best – a catastrophic mistake. While at a vampiric mass with the family, the illness is noticed by the ruling vampires, and my mother is killed in front of everyone.
This prompts Coen’s father to lead a revolt. To prepare for the fight, the townspeople began mining silver. But the vampires catch wind of the plans and kill everyone in the mines. As blood is spilling, the vampire leader opts to turn me into a vampire. With no clue about what has happened to my family or the town, the only thing to do is run.
Which is when my hunger begins to kick in. I am forced to eat rats and other monsters in the mines, but the hunger only grows deeper. If it isn’t controlled, it will consume me, forcing Coen to eat whoever is in front of him, friends included.
After a tutorial detailing newfound vampiric powers, I am face-to-face with the vampire who had just turned me. We fight, but I am quickly beaten. As a final insult, Coen is impaled on a wall and left to die in the rising sun.
Surprisingly, I wake up in Anca’s house, my vampiric abilities gone. The village has been destroyed, and Anca reveals she is a witch and teaches me how to use magic to defend myself and speak with the dead. She also reveals that my family is alive, but will only remain so for the next 30 days. Coen is galvanized to save his family and cripple the vampiric empire, however he sees fit. But before I can start my rebellion, my time is up.
Despite playing the game for roughly three hours, I still missed out on so much content in the opening act. I’m excited to see how differently the story will play out for me at the game’s full release.
