Culture

Even just a handful of years ago, the Yakuza series was viewed as a “big in Japan” IP that hadn’t quite crossed over into the rest of the world yet. Something about the contemporary Japanese setting, complex characters, and often wild storylines just didn’t work for the Western crowd. But (as we mentioned in our Yakuza: Like a Dragon feature last year) that’s all changed now. Audiences around the world have caught up to what Japanese fans have known since 2005 and now embrace the series — and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s related projects, like last month’s Lost Judgment. The sequel to 2019’s (or 2018’s, for Japan) Judgment, the latest title once again features private detective Takayuki Yagami doing what he does best by investigating a suspected criminal. As per usual, the tale takes some twists...

In the world of co-op zombie-killing games, Left 4 Dead pretty much set the standard in 2008 and never looked back. To this day, it’s still considered the peak of the genre by many, which is why a ton of folks are excited about the team at Turtle Rock Studios returning to the genre for the first time in a dozen years with Back 4 Blood. If you’ve somehow missed the thousands of commercials and advertisements across a multitude of platforms, Back 4 Blood is an intense, action-packed first-person shooter where you and three teammates face off against a seemingly endless horde of the “Ridden” — conventionally known as zombies and other undead monstrosities. It’s a post-apocalyptic bloodbath that requires teamwork, nerves of steel, and a whole lot of bullets. To provide the right type of atmosp...

When it comes to sandbox first-person shooters and open-world action-adventure video games where you can shoot, destroy, and/or blow up just about anything, few names top Far Cry. Ever since setting the bar for the genre in 2012 with Far Cry 3, the games have gone in a wide variety of directions — from the neon ‘80s movie of the Blood Dragon expansion to the prehistoric spinoff Primal to the rural midwestern slaughter of Far Cry 5. But no matter the setting, a few things are always true for Far Cry games. Players know they’re going to get dozens of hours worth of high-octane action, all while set in a beautiful surrounding and a surprisingly deep cast of characters. Each game is like an extremely violent location to a new locale, and you occasionally meet a questionable person that you’ll ...

In 2015, Techland set a new standard for zombie games with the release of Dying Light. Almost 7 years later, we’re finally nearing the release of the much-anticipated (and delayed) sequel that promises to expand on the undead-parkour gameplay that so many fans fell in love with on the first release. But as we inch closer to the February 4 launch date for Dying Light 2 Stay Human, we’ve got an exclusive first peek at the main theme for the game. Created by BAFTA-nominated French composer Olivier Derivière (A Plague Tale: Innocence, Vampyr, Greedfall), the “Run, Jump, Fight” sets the intense tone for the post-apocalyptic title. “Dying Light 2 is by far my most ambitious game music project to date,” Derivière says in a statement. “It has been an amazing journey working with Tec...

If you’ve ever played a title by Thunder Lotus Games, you know that there’s really nothing else like them. If you haven’t and you’re into surprisingly complex hand-drawn video games, you should. The Canadian indie studio’s third game, Spiritfarer, continues that unique trend that made Jotun and Sundered both cult favorites. Appropriately described as “a cozy management game about dying,” the player takes on the role of the ferrymaster of the dead — meaning that your job is to transport them to the afterlife and make sure they’re comfortable in the process. It’s a relatively chill and relaxed gig, all things considered, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get a little hectic at times. Of course, regardless of how happy or miserable your passengers are in Spiritfarer, the game looks and sounds li...