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In this episode of New Gameplay Today, we show off Haste, a blistering-fast action game that gives Sonic the Hedgehog a run for its money. Landfall, the developer behind Totally Accurate Battle Simulator and Stick Fight: The Game, shows off its physics-based game design chops yet again. Longtime fans may also compare this new release to Clustertruck, a first-person parkour title the studio launched in 2016, Haste offers polish and style not found in its predecessor.
See why Haste gives Sonic a run for its money:Executive Editor Kyle Hilliard and Associate Editor Charles Harte join me in the first New Gameplay Today episode since Game Informer returned from the grave two weeks ago. We're so glad to be back!
Since 2003, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (better known as BAFTA) has annually celebrated the world of video games in addition to its regular awards for TV and movies. This year's ceremony was held last night, on April 8, and highlighted some of the biggest games of 2024, along with a few surprises. Astro Bot, a game we also like a lot, won the most trophies, including Best Game. But its five wins were closely followed by three wins from Still Wakes the Deep, a psychological horror game largely unrepresented in other major awards shows.
The British Academy also took the ceremony as an opportunity to award the BAFTA Fellowship to Yoko Shimomura, the legendary composer known for her work on Street Fighter II and the Kingdom Hearts series. Meanwhile, the joker-poker roguelike Balatro won Best Debut Game. Developer LocalThunk is notoriously private, so actor Ben Starr, best known as Clive in Final Fantasy XVI, appeared in full clown attire to deliver the acceptance speech. After a few tongue-in-cheek jokes about how wealthy the developer has become, Starr urged the audience to play more indie games, specifically spotlighting Animal Well.
Here is a full list of the BAFTA Game Award winners.
Astro Bot took home five trophies at the 2025 BAFTA Game Awards.
Best Game
WINNER: Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Thank Goodness You're Here!
AnimationWINNER: Astro Bot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Lego Horizon Adventures
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Thank Goodness You're Here!
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Artistic AchievementWINNER: Neva
Astro Bot
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Black Myth: Wukong
Still Wakes the Deep
Harold Halibut
Audio AchievementWINNER: Astro Bot
Animal Well
Helldivers 2
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws
Still Wakes the Deep
Thank Goodness You're Here! won the British Game award.
British Game
WINNER: Thank Goodness You're Here!
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep
Paper Trail
A Highland Song
Lego Horizon Adventures
Debut GameWINNER: Balatro
Animal Well
Pacific Drive
The Plucky Squire
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Thank Goodness You're Here!
Evolving GameWINNER: Vampire Survivors
Diablo IV
Final Fantasy XIV Online
No Man's Sky
Sea of Thieves
World of Warcraft
FamilyWINNER: Astro Bot
Cat Quest III
Lego Horizon Adventures
Little Kitty, Big City
The Plucky Squire
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Game Beyond EntertainmentWINNER: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Botany Manor
Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop)
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Tetris Forever
Vampire Therapist
Representatives from Astro Bot's development team accept the Best Game award.
Game Design
WINNER: Astro Bot
Animal Well
Balatro
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Tactical Breach Wizards
MultiplayerWINNER: Helldivers 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Lego Horizon Adventures
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Tekken 8
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
MusicWINNER: Helldivers 2
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Senua's Saga: Hellbade II
Star Wars Outlaws
NarrativeWINNER: Metaphor: ReFantazio
Black Myth: Wukong
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep
Still Wakes the Deep won awards for New Intellectual Property, Performer in a Leading Role, and Performer in a Supporting Role.
New Intellectual Property
WINNER: Still Wakes the Deep
Animal Well
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Thank Goodness You're Here!
Performer in a Leading RoleWINNER: Alec Newman (as Cameron "Caz" McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep)
Humberly González (as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws)
Isabella Inchbald (as Indika in Indika)
Luke Roberts (as James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2)
Melina Juergens (as Senua in Senua's Saga: Hellblade II)
Y'lan Noel (as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6)
Performer in a Supporting RoleWINNER: Karen Dunbar (as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep)
Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen (as the Furies in Senua's Saga: Hellblade II)
Aldís Amah Hamilton (as Ástríðr in Senua's Saga: Hellblade II)
Jon Blyth (Thank Goodness You're Here)
Matt Berry (Thank Goodness You're Here)
Michael Abubakar (as Brodie in Still Wakes the Deep)
Technical AchievementWINNER: Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Tiny Glade
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Yoko Shimomura accepts the Fellowship award.
Fellowship
Yoko Shimomura
Disney Illusion Island launched exclusively to Switch in 2023 to positive reviews, and now other platform owners can indulge in Mickey & Co.’s platforming adventure this May. An expanded version of the title is coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
This new version is dubbed Disney Illusion Island Starring Mickey & Friends. Like the original version, one to four players team up as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy to traverse three biomes in Monoth, an original world created for this adventure. The non-violent platformer challenges players to topple bosses using their heads in puzzle-like encounters, and exploration can unearth plenty of collectibles.
New to this version is Cave Adventuring Scavenger Hunt, which lets players hunt for permanent upgrades with help from Scrooge McDuck and a new ability called Dig! C.A.S.H. The game also includes previously released post-launch updates such as Mystery in Monoth, a detective-style side story with new levels, and the time-trial mode Keeper Up.
We scored the original Disney Ilusion Island an 8.5 out of 10, with editor Wesley LeBlanc writing in his review, “I would have liked more challenge; this is a simple adventure that might not capture the interest of platformer enthusiasts with little to no preoccupation with Disney. But when met on its own terms, it’s hard to deny Illusion Island is a jubilant love letter to these characters and platforming.”
Disney Illusion Island Starring Mickey & Friends launches on May 30 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Microsoft’s annual summer Xbox Showcase has been set for June 8. As in previous years, it will be a double feature with a presentation dedicated to The Outer Worlds 2 airing immediately afterward.
The Xbox Showcase occurs during the week of Summer Game Fest and begins at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Like previous years, the event is a digital-only showcase, meaning it's pre-taped instead of being a live event.
As with the Starfield and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Directs the last two years, The Outer Worlds 2 Direct promises to reveal new gameplay and details about the upcoming RPG with an inside look at Obsidian Games and insights from its developers. The game was announced in 2021, but got its first gameplay reveal during The Game Awards last December.
The Outer Worlds 2
The 2024 Xbox Showcase revealed new titles like Gears of War: E-Day and Mixtape, provided updates and gameplay reveals for long-in-development titles like Perfect Dark, State of Decay 3, and Fable (which was recently delayed to 2026), and showcased third-party titles like Metal Gear Solid: Delta Snake Eater and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers.
There’s a good chance we could see some, if not most, of these titles make another appearance. Other titles that could appear include Ninja Gaiden 4 (which is being published by Xbox Game Studios), the noir action stealth deck-builder Sleight of Hand (an Xbox console exclusive), or the cozy survival game Winter Burrow. We’ll have to tune in on June 8 to find out.
What game(s) do you hope to see at the Xbox Showcase? Let us know in the comments.
Blizzard has unveiled its 2025 content roadmap for Diablo IV, detailing all of the planned changes and additions coming to the 2023 title. The studio also confirmed the game’s next expansion will arrive in 2026.
As for this year, though, the game will continue building off last year’s Vessel of Hatred expansion, with seasonal themes and quests building toward the next expansion. One of the most eyebrow-raising updates coming is two mysterious collaborations with IPs. Blizzard isn’t revealing what they are, only stating in a blog post, "...we’re extremely excited to meld the Diablo universe with universes that complement its dark themes.” Another noteworthy update is the addition of keyboard and mouse support for consoles, which arrives this summer.
Here’s the full rundown of the roadmap:
Click to enlarge
January - April: Witchcraft
Witchcraft Powers - Quests & Reputation Board
Headhunt’s Activity
Occult Gems
Earnable Raven Pet
New Armor (Permanent Addition)
Whispers QoL Update (Permanent Addition)
April - July: Belial’s Return
Boss Powers - Quests & Reputation Board
Apparition Incursion Activity
Earnable Feline Pet
New IP Collab
2 Year Anniversary
New Lair Bosses - Belial/Urivar/Harbinger (Permanent Addition)
Lair Bosses QoL (Permanent Addition)
Reliquaries (Permanent Addtion)
Season Journey Update
July - September: Sins of the Horadrim
Horadric Powers - Quests & Reputation Board
Dungeon Escalation
Earnable Pet
New Nighttime Dungeon Activities (Permanent Addition)
Console Keyboard & Mouse Support (Permanent Addition)
Unannounced permanent content
September - December: Infernal Chaos
Chaos Powers - Quests & Reputation Board
Infernal Hordes Update
Earnable Pet
New IP Collab
2026
New Expansion
New Ranking System
Leaderboards
You can read our review of Diablo IV here.
Whenever a Mario Kart entry arrives, it immediately becomes a must-have on its respective platform, thanks to its universal appeal to gamers of all experience and ability levels. That widespread appeal has translated to sales, as nearly every Mario Kart game ranks near the top of its platform's sales chart. But it goes beyond mainstream success; Mario Kart is fun whether you're spending the evening alone perfecting a drift around a corner or gathering your closest friends for a marathon session.
Sure, the rubberband A.I. and the randomization elements are enough to make us want to jump up and down in frustration, but it's never quite enough to deter us from driving up to the next starting line. Check out our ranking of the entire Mario Kart series below, and let us know how you would rank the series in the comments section!
11
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Switch, 2020
A novel idea from Velan Studios, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is far from a conventional Mario Kart title. Using a real-life remote-controlled go-kart and a track players must set up in their own physical space, Home Circuit requires a bit more creativity and time than your standard Mario Kart entry. Unfortunately, repetitive gameplay, stiff controls, and limitations involving surfaces and space requirements can't be overcome by the unique gimmick.
10
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Game Boy Advance, 2001
The notion of having a Mario Kart game on the go in 2001 was enticing, and while Super Circuit is far from a bad game, it didn't quite deliver the thrills we had grown accustomed to with the pre-existing console entries. The technical limitations of the Game Boy Advance didn't allow for as grand of an experience as, say, the Nintendo 64, and the controls are less precise than its console brethren. Still, this early handheld entry delivered plenty of thrills, particularly when you consider it's the first time Mario Kart was able to be played on the go.
9
Mario Kart Tour
iOS, Android, 2019
The sole mobile Mario Kart game, Mario Kart Tour had an uphill battle thanks to its unconventional structure, unsavory monetization methods, and imprecise touchscreen controls. However, thanks to the four years of live-service updates, Mario Kart Tour includes several nods to Mario and Mario Kart's past, plus an absolutely massive roster of racers and courses. Some of the courses in Mario Kart Tour are among the best the series has ever seen. Thankfully, for those turned away by Tour's mobile structure, several of the best race tracks from Tour eventually made their way to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe through the Booster Course Pass.
8
Super Mario Kart
SNES, 1992
Borne out of a desire for Nintendo to create a racing game where two characters could appear on the same screen simultaneously, Super Mario Kart began as a go-kart game without the Mario brand attached; it was only once someone suggested seeing what the racers looked like as Mario characters that the Mario Kart franchise was born. This initial entry laid the groundwork for the series, but by today's standards, it's rather barebones. But to this day, the soundtrack is still spectacular, the Battle Mode is a thrill, and some of the tracks remain essential classics in the franchise.
7
Mario Kart 64
Nintendo 64, 1997
While Mario Kart 64 falls short in many categories when compared to the rest of this list, it nails it in a few select areas. The tracks of Mario Kart 64 stand toe-to-toe with most other games in the series, and the series' first transition to full 3D graphics has aged better than many Nintendo 64 titles. But the place for which Mario Kart 64 is most important is in its innovation of doubling the number of players who can sit down and battle it out, thanks to the N64's four controller ports. To this day, Mario Kart 64's Versus and Battle Modes are a blast to play, even if your screen is relegated to a tiny quadrant of the TV, leading the N64 Mario Kart title to be considered one of the most nostalgic entries of the franchise.
6
Mario Kart Wii
Wii, 2008
While the accomplishments of the Wii entry of the Mario Kart series will always be overshadowed by the passable motion controls and the bundled plastic wheel that still lay dormant in many households to this day, Mario Kart Wii is a strong entry that introduced many gimmicks and conventions still going strong in the franchise to this day. Along with the introduction of bikes and stunts, plus a vastly improved online suite, Mario Kart Wii was a mainstay in millions upon millions of Wii libraries for good reason.
5
Mario Kart DS
DS, 2005
Mario Kart DS surprisingly goes down in history as the first title in the franchise to include online multiplayer. That's right; a handheld title featured online functionality before a console game. While it definitely faced its fair share of bumps in the road (and has since been discontinued), the influential second handheld title in the Mario Kart series laid the groundwork for future entries to improve upon the feature set. Add to that terrific single-player content, including the new Mission Mode, as well as the standard suite of multiplayer offerings, and Mario Kart DS lived up to the series pedigree in many ways.
4
Mario Kart 7
3DS, 2011
The final dedicated handheld Mario Kart title played it safe in a lot of ways. The formula of the franchise has always been its strong suit, but Mario Kart 7 perhaps relied too heavily on that, with the biggest innovations to the series coming in the forms of underutilized glider and underwater sections. Still, Mario Kart 7 improves on nearly every core element of the series, particularly with the multiplayer elements, where customizable rulesets allow for players to curate their own fun in this solid entry in the franchise.
3
Mario Kart 8
Wii U, 2014
The original form of Mario Kart 8 felt like the ultimate realization of the Mario Kart formula when it arrived in 2014 thanks to its eye-popping visuals, tight controls, excellent collection of courses, wide-ranging items library, and, of course, the terrific cast of characters. Add to that the gravity-defying mechanics and excellent online play, and it's a shoo-in for one of the best games in the beloved racing series. However, one major sticking point – the lackluster Battle Mode – prevents it from being the best of the best.
2
Mario Kart: Double Dash
GameCube, 2003
Mario Kart: Double Dash is noteworthy for many reasons, but the one that sticks out the most is right there in the name: two characters ride on the kart instead of the series-standard one. This mechanic, which lets you swap between characters mid-race, allows for incredible cooperative play where one drives and the other manages items, but the convention extends to the traditional Mario Kart modes as well. No matter the mode you play, the addition of character-specific special moves and some of the greatest tracks the series has ever seen make Double Dash one of the best GameCube games and easily one of the best entries in the storied Mario Kart franchise.
1
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Switch, 2017
What started as a mere port of the Wii U title with a slightly bigger roster of racers and vastly improved Battle Mode exploded in the subsequent years to become something far greater. While the inclusion of a proper Battle Mode and additional characters at launch made for a drastically more well-rounded experience than the already-stellar base game, the Booster Course Pass, which doubled the number of selectable courses across 2022 and 2023, and included even more characters from the Mushroom Kingdom, make Mario Kart 8 Deluxe easily the greatest game in the history of Nintendo's illustrious kart-racing franchise.
For more on the Mario Kart series, check out this episode of the All Things Nintendo podcast, where we run down the history of the franchise. For our ranking of the entire Super Mario series, head here.
Sonic Rumble, the multiplayer platformer that pits over two dozen players against each other, will be released on May 8. The title was first announced last summer and was slated for release that winter before a delay pushed it into 2025.
Up to 32 players take on the roles of different Sonic characters, taking the form of toy figurines, in a frantic race to the finish line. Players must collect rings and use power-ups to maintain an advantage while hindering opponents, with players gradually eliminated throughout the round. Each character can utilize skills to engender strategic play, and the launch will introduce crews allowing small groups of players to overcome obstacles as a team. Collected rings can then be spent unlocking new cosmetic items to customize characters.
Check out the game’s latest trailer below.
Sonic Rumble is a free-to-play title and will be available for PC, iOS, and Android. You can pre-register for the game now, and Sega has a pre-registration campaign that will reward players with free in-game goodies for every registration milestone reached.
You can check out our review of Sega’s most recent Sonic title, Sonic X Shadow Generations, here.
The Outlast Trials’ latest update goes live today, with the rogue Reagent Amelia Collier taking center stage. She has laid out the path of other prisoners to escape the Sinyala Facility, giving players a chance to make a break for it in the final update for Season 2 before Season 3 kicks off at the end of the month.
Red Barrels’ provides the following synopsis for Season 2.2 of Project Breach:
“Amelia has managed to trick the system, creating a brief means of escape for the victims of Dr. Easterman and his unethical experiments. Thanks to her carefully positioned Escape Plans and other tools, Reagants can now attempt their own getaway to try and free themselves from the horrors of the Sinyala Facility.
But Murkoff won’t let them go without a fight. Doubling down on the extreme surveillance already embedded throughout the facility, the risk of being exposed to the all-seeing eye is greater than ever before.”
Season 2.2 introduces the new gameplay event, The Escape, which tasks four players with fleeing the Sinyala Facility. Under Survellience Part II lets players resume their progress from Part 1, offering a more challenging romp as players must avoid being spotted while locating escape plans or watching Amelia’s message before Murkoff does.
Completing these trials earns Event Tokens that can be spent acquiring cosmetics from the new limited-time Amelia Catalog. The catalog will only be available until April 22; any unspent event tokens will be lost. Season 3 of The Outlast Trials begins on April 22, introducing new elements while closing off the Rebirth hallway for the foreseeable future. You can read the Season 2.2 changes here.
The Outlast Trials is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.
Over the weekend, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scored his 895th goal, surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. To celebrate this feat, EA Sports released a video congratulating Ovechkin and offering in-game rewards in NHL 25.
Starting today, players can log into Hockey Ultimate Team to receive a Milestones Ovechkin item. Ovechkin HUT Moments challenges will grant tokens to upgrade the item. Additionally, EA Sports is adding an "895 Ovechkin" HUT item that features special art and a 99 overall rating. Finally, NHL 25 is adding a commemorative "895" jersey in World of Chel and making it available to all players.
Alexander Ovechkin first appeared in an EA Sports NHL game in 2006 with NHL 07, where he also served as the cover athlete. Since then, he has appeared in every entry and was the cover athlete of NHL 21 and NHL 94 Rewind, making him one of only three players to be featured on the cover of EA Sports' NHL franchise multiple times. He was also the cover athlete of NHL 2K10 in the now-defunct NHL 2K series.
A whole new meaning to the term 'Greatest of All Time.' 🐐🏆#Gr8ness #NHL25 pic.twitter.com/CgyHvI36Io
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) April 6, 2025Alexander Ovechkin was selected first overall by the Washington Capitals in 2004. However, due to the 2004/2005 NHL lockout, Ovechkin didn't make his NHL debut until 2005. In the time since, Ovechkin has been elected to 13 All-Star teams, was named an All-Decade First-Team member for both the 2000s and 2010s, and won the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year in 2006, as well as three Hart Memorial Trophies for Most Valuable Player. In 2018, Ovechkin led the Capitals to the franchise's first and only Stanley Cup, where he also took home the Conn Smythe Trophy for the Stanley Cup Final's Most Valuable Player.
NHL 25 arrived on October 4, 2024, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S Platform: Xbox Series X/S, PC Publisher: Xbox Game Studios Developer: Compulsion Games Release: April 8, 2025 Rating: Mature
Western storytelling loves to use mythology as worldbuilding, but it fixates on Greek, Roman, and Norse myths so often that it's easy to forget other parts of the world, like the American South, have plenty of folklore as well. South of Midnight, the new action-platformer from Compulsion Games, uses this underrepresented roster of cryptids to great success, telling a heartfelt story centered around a girl and her mother. Its decent combat and platforming are elevated to great heights by stellar visual and musical presentation, resulting in a game I can't stop smiling about.
Hazel Flood.
South of Midnight stars Hazel Flood, a girl in her late teens trying to track her mom down in the aftermath of a hurricane. Along the way, she discovers she's a Weaver, a magical person who can use ethereal strands to fight, traverse, and glimpse visions of the past. Unlockable magical abilities are used for combat, traversal, and puzzle-solving, which is efficient from a gameplay perspective and a narrative one; every aspect of Hazel's life becomes strange and magical, and she has to learn how to handle it. On her journey, she encounters several mythic creatures from Southern folklore and learns the tragic backstories that led to their curses. I always enjoyed these flashbacks, as they flesh out the world in unique ways and seamlessly integrate myths into the main story. Still, the narrative remains grounded, thanks to Hazel's relationship with her mother, grandmother, and giant catfish companion. Aside from some pacing issues felt most heavily in the game's slow start and abrupt ending, it's a touching tale I'll remember fondly.
Cutscenes and combat are woven together by linear platforming sequences. Hazel can double jump, glide, grapple, and wall-run to traverse the world. You can also head off the beaten path to search for Floofs, the game's currency for ability upgrades, but I never found the exploration engaging. When you come to a crossroads, you can click the right stick to see the main objective's direction, so "exploring" boils down to spotting a side path when it appears, briefly heading down it to collect Floofs, and then turning around and getting back on the main path. Still, I was hungry enough for upgrades to search for Floofs whenever possible. Thankfully, a variety of movement techniques keep the experience from feeling too stale. Traversal ultimately feels less like an exciting mechanic in its own right and more like a means to move between beautiful environments, one of the game's highlights.
Hazel grapples using her Weaver magic.
The best elements of South of Midnight are its art and music. Characters are animated with purposefully skipped frames, creating an aesthetic that falls somewhere between Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and stop-motion animation. Despite these clear artistic inspirations, South of Midnight stands out with beautifully designed characters, monsters, and environments. It's visually impressive on a technical level as well, earning its spot on modern consoles and PCs. Whether it's the sunbeams streaming across the dirt at sundown or the haunting visuals of an intense boss battle, I was consistently impressed by South of Midnight's gorgeous visuals.
The sound design is just as strong, thanks to the inspiration it pulls from the story's setting. The South has a rich musical history, from bluegrass to jazz to folk, and an appropriately varied playlist of genres scores Hazel's journey. A twangy banjo, a rowdy trombone, and a dramatic swell of violins are all equally likely to appear in any given level's soundtrack.
Historically, these songs are also the way stories are passed across generations, and South of Midnight pays homage to this with its boss songs. These original tracks play in the background of climactic battles with lyrics pertaining to that moment in the plot, often from the perspective of one of the characters in the battle itself. "Cinematic" is an adjective used to describe games with grand setpieces or dramatic performances, but these soundtracks are cinematic in a different sense. Action sequences in movies are often underscored by relevant songs playing in the background, so every time I heard the lyrics come in to accompany the boss battle, it felt like I was sitting in a theater, watching popcorn-worthy fight choreography.
Hazel battles the intimidating Two-Toed Tom.
On that note, the combat in South of Midnight is not its strongest aspect, but it grows in complexity towards the end in ways that dramatically improve its quality. Initially, its straightforward third-person action feels derivative. While I didn't hate it, I never looked forward to it and didn't find it particularly satisfying. Its most unique element is the Unravel mechanic: When you defeat an enemy, you can pull apart its lingering spirit, slightly healing Hazel and shaving a few seconds off ability cooldowns. These abilities are unlocked through the story, including one that pushes foes, another that pulls them, and a third that afflicts them with a status called Weave, locking them in place and lowering their defenses. They're useful and should be employed as often as possible, but don't usually feel like game-changing powers.
This is not the case by the late game. As each ability is upgraded, it unlocks new conditions to afflict Weave and speed up cooldowns, sometimes erasing them entirely. For example, you can instantly reset the Push ability by hitting multiple enemies at once, making a move with a roughly 15-second timer become a part of your regular arsenal. Enhancements like this encourage players to consider positioning and add risk and reward to the powers. Once you add a second dash and exploding Unravels, fights are fast, frantic, and fun as you move quickly to maximize your abilities, refresh their cooldowns, and Unravel foes rapidly enough to get some health back. I wish this complexity was present earlier than the game's last five hours, but I was mainly glad it reached these heights at all.
Hazel stares down a Rougarou.
Thanks to its vibrant art, music, and storytelling, I had a wonderful time with South of Midnight. Its narrative goes to some surprisingly dark places, yet it still brims with whimsy, making it a fitting adaptation of the source mythology's similar tone. I couldn't have told you what a Rougarou was a few weeks ago, but thanks to this game, I've got a catchy melody of its name that plays on repeat in my head. It's fitting that, like the stories and songs it seeks to honor, South of Midnight has successfully passed Southern folklore on to a new, wider audience.
Score:
8.5
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Added missing files for Taunt: The Travel AgentAdded No Hat styles for the Cozy Cover-UpAdded VScript support for HIDEHUD_MATCH_STATUS flag to hide the Match Status panelAdded a borderless window option to video settingsAdded bicubic lightmaps (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)Added radial fog (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)Added support for Steam NetworkingMade the default server name for listen servers include the player's nameMade the game launch in native resolution by default instead of 640x480Client-side prediction fixes (these fix 'jank'/rollback in certain situations)Fixed a prediction bug where if the player was moved on the client, their input-based movement for that tick was not taken into account in non-player actionsImproved prediction for walking on props and other entitiesMade certain client-side entities only trigger local prediction errorse.g. If the viewmodel experiences a prediction error, the player will not experience a prediction errorFixed prediction of viewmodel swayFixed a prediction error regarding weapon idle animationsFixed certain breakable props not gibbing correctlyFixed an issue where certain variables like position would not be updated correctly to match the server in certain situationsFixed the player's base velocity (eg. conveyors, moving items etc.) getting subtly out of sync from client/serverFixed players being able to spam duel cancellation messages for a duel that doesn't existFixed not being able to join community servers via Steam invites or game infoFixed lighting position discrepancies for cosmetic items, weapons, and viewmodels (community fix from ficool2)Fixed Equipped label overlapping attribute icons in the loadout menu (community fix from Lindon)Fixed an issue with props and team colors when taunting with Australium weaponsFixed the Voices from Below effect not working when taunting with the Highland Hound set equippedFixed player voice commands being abruptly ended when the player enters shallow waterFixed incorrect number on the Geneva Contravention achievement iconFixed the Military Style for The Surgeon General to stay properly semi-visible at all anglesFixed some classes missing the BLU team material for That '70s ChapeauFixed the Spanish-Latin America option being displayed as English in the Settings menuFixed the MOTD dialog not working for Spanish-Latin AmericaUpdated attribute descriptions for The Scottish Resistance and the Stickybomb Jumper to use 'stickybomb' instead of 'pipebomb'Updated equip_region settings for The Little Bear, The Heavy-Weight Champ, The Grand Duchess Tutu, and the Combat Slacks to fix unnecessary conflictsUpdated the Spooky Night and Ominous Night Unusual taunt effects to fix a visual bug (Thanks Kiffy!)Updated koth_overcast_final to improve optimizationUpdated ctf_applejackAdded block bullets to some storesUnblocked a window at mid, allowing Snipers to shot across the middle hutRemoved the missing texture in BLU spawnGave a chicken a friend, because friendship is magicUpdated cp_fortezzaNew radio model for spawn roomsChanged sentry shack ammo pack on last to a mediumAdjusted health pickups throughout the mapChanged kill volume on cap A double doors to be more consistent with visualsImproved bot support (Thanks Star Bright)Detail passUpdated pl_patagonia[Stage 1]Fixed some RED bots stuck forever trying to make an impossible jump on the stairs outside spawnFixed the cart not capping the first point on extremely rare occasions[Stage 2]Improved optimizationFixed a nodraw floor near the first BLU spawn train bridge waterfallFixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2[Stage 3]Improved optimizationFixed wrap assassin baubles colliding with a solid func_brush bounding box outside BLU spawnRemoved the platform above the open choke of the last pointAdded an additional path to the window overlooking the open choke of the last pointFixed RED bots getting stuck on a solid fence outside the RED spawnFixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2
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An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed the Battle Balaclava's "No Gloves" style hiding the Heavy's handsFixed broken materials for The Westcoat's "Ugly" styleAdded smoke effect to The Checkered PastUpdate the Buck's Brim's "Bad" styleFixed broken materialsAdded smoke effectUpdated cp_fortezzaDetail improvementsImproved clippingUpdated koth_cachoeiraFixed players being able to get stuck in certain displacementsVarious clipping improvements throughout the mapVarious miscellaneous fixes (Thanks Midnite!) Improved bot navigation (Thanks Katsu!)
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated the Brain Cane to fix problems with the texture and phong valueUpdated The Battle MusicAdded missing Hat styleFixed the models due to clipping on Heavy's ears and misalignment on EngineerImproved and strengthen the Noise CancellationUpdated the materials to fix it not being shinyUpdated the backpack icon to reflect the materials changeUpdated cp_gravelpit_snowyFixed potential incompatibility with external VScript files (thanks Le Codex!)Re-implemented cubemap reflections in ice caveFixed perch spotsUpdated vsh_distillery, vsh_maul, vsh_nucleus, vsh_outburst, vsh_skirmish, and vsh_tinyrockRestored Hale's resistance to knockback back to 75%Reduced bonus flame damage against Hale from 50% to 25%Hale can now do 1 extra Brave Jump before the Jump Fatigue kicks in (thanks Wendy)Weighdown is no longer blocked by the Jump Fatigue (thanks Wendy)Removed area-of-effect of Hale's normal punches (thanks Wendy)Demoman shields now absorb 70% of Saxton Punch! damage (compared to normal 50%) to make the following launch into the stratosphere survivableFixed Hale taking mini-crits from Direct Hit and Reserve Shooter while underwater (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed airborne mini-crits of Direct Hit and Reserve Shooter applying against the wielder (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Hale being able to stomp while underwater (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Sweeping Charge not working against underwater opponentsFixed the bug that prevented Quick-Fix from mirroring a patient's wall climbing (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Hale's faulty ground detection (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Baby Face's Blaster's loss of boost not applying correctly (thanks Whurr and MilkMaster72)Fixed the voice lines refusing to play sometimesUpdated pl_patagoniaStage 1Fixed the cart going under the elevator in extremely rare occasions (Thanks Shocked) Fixed sometimes hearing outside soundscapes inside blue spawnFixed being able to build in a very high rooftop after point AFixed being able to build in blue spawnCart elevator is no longer the glitchiest thing in the universeFixed cart not rolling back after completing the elevator descent sequenceNow, if the cart is rolling into the elevator in overtime, the round timer will be set to 5 seconds left, to avoid unfair loses for blue. Timer will resume once the cart reaches the bottom (Thanks I. C. Wiener).Stage 2Removed rollback from the train container ramp in last point (Thanks b4nny)Gave blue more high ground for last pointAdded an additional dropdown for blue for last pointFixed being able to be teleported into red spawn as blue after capping point ARemoved long hill rollback before point CFixed bots getting stuck on the closed train doors after cap BFixed being able to leave stickies inside blue last spawnFixed being able to get stuck in the point C shortcut door for red. If you get trapped, it will kill you.Fixed a pop-in issue relating to areaportals below point BFixed being able to enter the last blue spawn as redBirdie (Thanks Explocivo808)Stage 3Added a fenced section for the long wood cover wall in last point (Thanks b4nny)Mirrored the window sniper spot in last point chokeFixed being able to build behind a displacement rock wall in last pointRemoved troll teleport spot in last point ending rampAll StagesSlightly lowered sun brightness and slightly raised skylight brightnessImproved skybox transitionsThe cart no longer tries to defy the law of physicsNinjaneers have more freedom to be ninjasThe bots have learned how to play the mapGave the cart another coronación de gloria
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated the Dapper Noel to fix an issue with the meshUpdated vsh_maulFixed broken areaportalsChanged some props in the upper area that could be mistaken for a large ammo pack
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Added missing No Gloves style for the Consigliere's CoverupAdded missing Versus Saxton Hale kill iconsAdded some tournament medalsFixed Taunt: Curtain Call voice lines overlapping with other Spy voice linesFixed the Playful Aurora and Frisky Morning Unusual effects not moving correctlyUpdated Aurora Skies Unusual effect to fix a timing issueUpdated the Necroprancer to fix an issue with the materialsUpdated the Dusk Duster to fix an issue with the materialsUpdated the Dapper NoelRemade normal map to be compatible with OpenGLRe-baked Diffuse & updated backpack icon to reflect above changesRemoved misplaced ambient occlusionFixed problematic face flexesFixed an issue where Engineer's beard was protruding from his gogglesFixed an issue with the jigglebones being disabledRigged Sniper's hat to be compatible with his melee tauntUpdated Scrooge McDocTransparent lenses are rigged to the correct bone (prp_glasses instead of bip_head) so it should now work correctly with taunts that move the glassesImproved scarf rigging and positioning to allow for better compatibility with shirt cosmeticsUpdated the backpack iconUpdated koth_overcast_finalFixed an issue with the models/materialsAdded back snow coverings (now using displacements) to some props that were missing themFixed misaligned textures in various placesFixed weird lighting bug on a wall in blue spawnFixed 'Hotel' sign not displaying properlyAdded back indicators under some health and ammo kits that were missing themUpdated cp_fortezzaRemoved sniper window leading into lastFixed Engineer being able to build in some doorsFixed some props being solidSlight art pass updateUpdated vsh_maulPlayers can no longer hide from Saxton in the darkFixed props inside other propsFixed z-fighting brushesFixed missing particle effects for the water featureFixed orientation of water feature particlesMinor lighting changes around the cinemaAdjusted LOD change distances for Cinema signUpdated VSH logicGrounded levitating propsAligned misaligned texturesFixed mis-textured wallsClipped upper metal beamsFixed clip brushes sticking out from walls that could be walked onPlayers will now be pushed off of the fire bellAdjusted cinema sign shadowUsed spell check on Saxton's Package signUpdated how music is activated and deactivatedFixed clipping on the hanging big ornaments
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Happy Smissmas 2024!All players who play TF2 during the event will receive a Stuffed Stocking as a gift! Stockings contain goodies for good little Mercenaries.Featuring 6 new community maps: Overcast, Fortezza, Penguin Peak, Patagonia, Cutter, and MaulAdded the Winter 2024 Cosmetic CaseContains 23 new community-contributed itemsThe Festivizer can be found as a bonus drop when opening the caseAdded 3 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. StoreTaunt: Fore-Head SliceTaunt: Peace!Taunt: Curtain CallAdded 18 new community-created Unusual effects9 new effects for Unusual hats9 new effects for Unusual tauntsAll cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Smissmas 2024 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the event. This does not include crates.Mann Co. Store winter sale!Smissmas runs through January 7th, 2025GeneralFixed a client crash when previewing imported items in the Workshop dialogFixed showing an error model when equipping the Scottish ResistanceFixed The Executioner not hiding the Scout's dog tagsUpdated the Mountebank's Masque to fix a problem with the materialsUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated vsh_distillery, vsh_nucleus, vsh_outburst, vsh_skirmish, and vsh_tinyrockGeneralAdded the gamemode intro movie (made by Lacry, thanks)Improved the delivery of VSH-related voice lines for Soldier, Engineer and SniperUpdated some VSH-related voice lines for Saxton, Soldier, Engineer and Sniper (thanks The Rat Man)Added Hale's kill iconsVisual improvements to Hale's Ability HUD (thanks Funicular)Added a visual cue signaling an upcoming Saxton Punch!Minor visual improvements to Saxton Hale and his particle effectsFixed the boss bar sometimes starting invisibleFixed a rare crash caused by seeing blood decals on Hale while playing on low graphics quality settingsFixed a rare bug when Hale's Ability HUD textures become missingBalance Changes - Saxton HaleAdded Brave Jump Fatigue. Each consecutive jump will be less powerful, requiring a short break to restore to full strengthWeightdown ability is disabled during Jump FatigueIncreased Hale's health by ~100HP per opponentAdjusted Hale's health formula against 24+ opponents - Hale now gains 2000HP for every opponent past 23 (thanks Megascatterbomb)Hale's resistance to knockback reduced from 75% to 35%Head Stomp damage now scales with Hale's downward speed, dealing between 64 and 193 damage (previously dealt flat 195 damage)Balance Changes - MercenariesExplosives and fire now deal 50% more damage against HaleThe 40% minigun damage penalty now applies to full crits onlyBroken Demoman shields now retain the charge abilityDemoman shields now absorb only 50% of the incoming damage upon breaking (a would-be-lethal blow will leave the Demo at 1HP)Greatly decreased sticky trap damage reductionRemoved Scottish Resistance's 20% damage penaltyBaby Face's Blaster now loses 20% of its boost upon Wall ClimbingUpdated vsh_tinyrock (additional changes)Improved performanceFixed odd clipping at one of the spawnsUpdated vsh_distillery (additional changes)Improved performanceUpdated vsh_nucleus (additional changes)Fixed setup time ending five seconds too earlyImproved detailing in some areasImproved clipping on staircasesIncreased control point capture time to 15 secondsRemoved collision on some lightsChanged damage model and damage amount of the toxic waste pit and puddlesUpdated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)Fixed setup time ending five seconds too earlyFixed an issue where Engineers could build in the crocodile pitFixed not being able to wall climb certain trees in the main arenaFixed some lighting issues on stalactites and other propsParts of Hale's intro sequence no longer play while waiting for playersImproved optimization and detailing in some areasImproved clipping on spiral stairs (Thanks Aar!)Updated security systemUpdated cp_brewThe shortcut from RED spawn to the "A" point now has a nobuild trigger Added floor indicator for the health kit in the "A" point wooden shackAdjusted "A" point wooden shack to allow more breathing roomFixed getting stuck on the "A" gate's frameFixed teletrap near "A" point ditch routeFixed being able to place buildings inside an out-of-bounds room outside "A" pointFixed some stuck spots near "B" pointFixed being able to shoot through a crack in the BLU forward spawnFixed floating props in the dinerFixed one way door not forcing itself closedCleaned up some collisions and clipping across the mapImproved lighting on all of the archwaysUpdated koth_krampusFixed missing trees in skyboxImproved look of waterfall texture near full health-kitFixed minor visual errorsMinor NPC clipping changesFed krampus some oatsUpdated pl_emergeSwitched on the cart lightFixed RED players being able to sit on the edge of an exit of BLU's starting spawnFixed some doors showing incorrect texturesFixed the final capture point displaying an incorrect stringFixed the map occasionally playing incorrect ambient soundsMinor visual and performance tweaksUpdated cp_carrierThe Carrier now has full crits rather than mini-critsThe Carrier now uses the robot voice linesImproved hearability of the Carrier's voice lines and footstepsFixed visual bugs with the boss barFixed the Carrier sometimes becoming invisible while tauntingFixed animation glitches when a Demoman Carrier holds a Stickybomb LauncherFixed occasional phasing through the elevator platform at BLU spawnDecreased size of the frog
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Improved matchmaking performanceImproved matchmaker behavior for users with less-than-ideal ping levels. The matchmaker should now be quicker to put you in the best available region.Improved matchmaker decision making for cross-region partiesAdded error messages when being ejected from the matchmaking queue due to connectivity or authentication failures, rather than the queue simply silently vanishingFixed the matchmaking settings dialog frequently failing to display any datacentersFixed multiple cases of in-progress casual matches abruptly terminating or failing to be assigned any new players if the game server ever loses connection to SteamUpdated the Mountebank's Masque, Courtier's Collar, and Harlequin's Hooves cosmetic items to fix issues with their paint regionsUpdated cp_gravelpit_snowyFixed a script issueImproved performanceImproved clipping
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed the Guano and Batbelt cosmetic items hiding the Scout's dog tagsFixed The Beacon from Beyond incorrectly hiding a bunch of bodygroupsFixed the Quoth cosmetic item hiding the Scout's headphonesFixed some broken materials for some props_farm gib modelsAdding "Hat" style for the Fuel InjectorUpdated the Clue Hairdo to fix broken smoke effectUpdated koth_synthetic_eventEdited nav mesh to minimize the Toastmaster running diving into the grinder/death pitUpdated pd_farmageddonRevoked scarecrow gym membership which lowered their health from 500 to 350Updated zi_atoll, zi_blazehattan, zi_devastation_final1, zi_murky, zi_sanitarium, and zi_woodsFixed an exploit allowing some players to respawn as a human or play as a human on the Zombie team
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Reverted BLU Scout pants fix because it conflicts with too many existing cosmeticsUpdated the Fleet Commander again to fix import problems from the previous updateUpdated the Phantom Plague and Haunting Haze Unusual effects to fix sometimes spawning away from the playerUpdated cp_freaky_fairFixed issues related to the gamemode logicReapplied check that was mistakenly removed to check if the player is actively buying upgrades in a station or notImplemented new custom system to refund upgrades to hopefully address inconsistencies both in-round and across roundsImplemented logic to handle mismatches in recorded vs actual currency values when leaving the upgrade trigger and having not accepted de-bought upgradesReverted code to do with Ghosts and Sentry busters to fix bugs related to their effects not de-applyingImplemented a way to force kill players to address edge cases where you could survive as the sentry buster past their explosion (Thanks MilkMaster!)Improved the logic which checks if you can apply a new potion effect to yourself to address bugs where effects can overlapFixed sniper and demo shields not having their upgrades clearedFixed canteens not having their values cleared when refunding whilst not equippedIncreased the height of the skyboxIncreased last point capture time from 6s to 7sChanged some clipping to stop giants from building on roofsSmoothed out a divot (Thanks Midnite!)Updated zi_atoll, zi_blazehattan, zi_devastation_final1, zi_murky, zi_sanitarium, and zi_woodsGeneralRe-encoded all Zombie Infection sound effects as .WAVThis fixes issues with sound effects not playing correctly and spewing errors in the consoleBug fixesFixed a bug that caused Sniper's Spit Pool to deal much more damage than intendedFixed a bug that caused team names to not display correctly when playing on mp_tournament modeFixed a bug where Engineer would sometimes scream like a charging Demoman while throwing an EMP GrenadeZombie ChangesSniper's Spit Pool damage vs Survivors no longer stacks when standing in multiple zonesZombie Heavy is no longer immune to Critical HitsZombie Heavy's max health raised to 525 (from 450)Zombie Pyro's max health raised to 250 (from 175)Zombie Pyro now drops a medium health kit on deathSurvivor ChangesCrossbow weapons no longer have a flat damage multiplier against ZombiesThe B.A.S.E Jumper can no longer be deployed if you are one of the last three survivorsJumper Weapons can no longer store reserve ammunitionUpdated zi_murky (additional changes)Added more respawn room triggers around the new spawn zones