Endlessly tickled by the idea of Akira being a good shot but a shit gamer. I like to think its cause hes got incredible hand eye coordination and super steady ‘surgeon’ hands; hes very good with precise movements, but panics when he has to do brain melting inputs. His brain can keep up but its hard to make his hands follow suit. Its why u can have him be dogshit at arcade cabinets; panicking with the little joystick and button mashing like mad, while having him be a beast at things like darts and billiards.

The only arcade games he can play is house of the dead-esque shooting games (hes literally at the top of the leaderboards for MILES and he draws crowds whenever he plays) and DDR cabinets (hes just very light on his feet)(NOT to be confused with stepmania; he would die if he had to do arrow inputs with his HAND). Its kinda fun to watch him fumble with the other silly gimmick cabinets, but its more entertaining to watch him do what hes good at. If u take him to play darts, and if the darts are super cheap, he will absolutely try his best to split them down the middle each time. Doesnt always work, but its insane to know that he lands the bullseye literally 100% of the time.

Anthem, a review

(Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit unprofessional blog post written by an unprofessional blog poster. All purported facts and statement are little more than the subjective, biased opinion of said blog poster. In other words, don’t take anything I say too seriously.) Just the facts 'Cause you're in a Hurry! Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Bioware Platform Required: Origin Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP): 59.99 USD How much I paid: 14.99 USD for Origin Premiere Access, a subscription service for Electronic Arts Rated: Not Rated as of the writing of this review. Can I play offline: No. Anthem requires a constant online connection to play. Controller Support: Yes. It was compatible with my Rock-Candy Xbox 360 controller.  Keyboard and Mouse controls are also available. How long I played: 16 Hours to complete the main story mode on Easy mode while watching the (skippable) cutscenes. Microtransactions: An in-game Store to purchase skins, individual paint jobs or emotes for various Javelins, suits in the game. Purchases can cost up to 20 USD. What I played on: My PC. Performance Issues: I would use many words to describe Anthem, but "optimized" is not one of them. With V-Sync turned on, the Framerate dips wildly between 30-60 FPS. Several instances of clipping and pop-in textures. 3 Game crashes requiring me to restart the game. One instance of the game not loading the forge yet and me walking into the bottom pit while the forge spawed up ahead and I got stuck so I had to reset the game. But hey, the facial animations are pretty passable this time around. My Personal Biases: I am a Biodrone/Bioware apologist. I’ve played every Bioware game since Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. However, I’ve been having doubts on the company since the buggy release of Mass Effect: Andromeda. My Verdict: Less like a complete game and more like a prologue to hook early adopters in, Anthem feels like the first time in a long time that doesn't have Bioware's roleplaying there. With no romance options, very few conversations with side characters with limited choices and a ho-hum story, Anthem feels sorely lacking in several areas. Wait until Bioware puts in more content and a price cut before picking this one up. Anthem, a review

And so it's finally here. After years of Development, Bioware finally releases its new IP: Anthem. After the critical and financial flop that was Mass Effect: Andromeda from even hardcore Bioware fans, will the developer be able to get back into the good graces of their fanbase? Let's find out. This is a review of "Anthem". You are a Freelancer. Riding around in your mechanical jet suit, a Javelin, you adventure outside the world collecting artifacts of, what else, the remains of an ancient and mysterious race of creators that shaped the world through the Anthem. Alongside your friends, a veteran Javelin pilot Haluk and a Cypher (psychics who can listen and understand the Anthem), Faye, you adventure into the Heart of Rage, a dangerous location where even the most hardened of veterans fall. But when the expedition goes horribly wrong and most of the other Freelancers have been killed, you pull Haluk out of the Heart of Rage and retreat to Fort Tarsis. While I can safely say that Anthem isn't nearly the disaster Mass Effect: Andromeda was, it leaves a lot to be desired. It's less of a full game than it is a prologue to something else. Then again, in the age of the ongoing dumpster fire that is Fallout 76, I suppose a less than optimized game isn't nearly as terrible as a continuing PR disaster. Two years pass and you are finding any sort of work given to you. People have begun to lose faith in Freelancers and you and your new friend, Owen, try to make ends meet. However, Tassyn, an informant from the Capital, comes with you with a job offer. However, as you continue your adventure, you meet up with the enemy faction, the Dominion (those who believe they can control the Anthem and reshape the world) as well as its bloodthirsty leader, Monitor. In order to defeat the Monitor, you'll have to reunite with your estranged friends, Haluk and Faye, improve your Javelin, pass trials and re-enter the Heart of Rage. Can you finish the mission you ran away from two years ago? Anthem is a third-person shooter in which you complete quests to earn gear. As you level up and do more difficult missions, you'll receive better gear. This is where Anthem shines: the level of customizing your Javeline is immense and there's a lot of room for originality. There are 4 classes of Javelins: the Ranger, an all-around, versatile mech, the Interceptor, a light mech focusing on Melee attacks, the Storm, a mage type class that can fire elemental attacks and the Colossus, the tank class capable of soaking up damage. While each of the 4 Javelins can equip any weapon, specific Javelins are limited to certain parts. You'll gather and accumliate parts and salvage the parts to get components. You can use components to craft new parts ranging from Common to Uncommon to Rare to Legendary. If you earn a blueprint, you can craft some Legendary gear. Earning items can be done by playing story missions, doing side-quests, participating in Strongholds (this game's version of Dungeons) or going into Freeplay, an open world element in which you fly around the vast world and look for 'World Events' random missions that have specific objectives and reward a treasure chest full of loot. Flying around in the mech is a highlight. Being able to soar through the air and water while watching for overheating is probably the best we'll get to an Iron Man experience. Combat and mission objectives aren't quite as compelling. It's mostly doing the same thing over and over again: defeat waves of enemies, collect echos or fragments, wait until the Signal is decrypted, etc. And while the Javelins have different playstyles, abilities and Ultimate attacks, it does little to change defeating wave after wave of enemies for the umpteeth time. While Customizing your Javelin is vast, customizing your player avatar is sorely lacking. There's no character creator as the game only gives you preset faces to pick from. Worst yet, the majority of the game while in Fort Tarsis is set in first-person, meaning you'll almost never see your character for the majority of the game. The lack of roleplaying bleeds out into Fort Tarsis. Frankly, compared to the vast world to explore in Anthem, Fort Tarsis is claustrophobic. It makes Dragon Age 2's Kirkwall seem big by comparison. There's very little to explore and not helping matters is the snail's pace you're forced to walk while traveling around it. For Tarsis is filled up with NPC's in which you can have conversations. To advance certain conversations, you'll either have to do missions or enter freeplay. Unfortunately, your dialogue options are VERY limited. The infamous Bioware Dialogue Wheel is nowhere to be found and you'll be left with two choices to respond. Not helping matters is that most of these conversations go nowhere and do very little to define your character. (Though there are some exceptions. For example, I liked listening to Zoe talk about her son and why her motherly instincts lead her to take extra care of Javelins or helping an old woman who confuses you for her dead child). While the results may differ depending on what choices you choose, all the major stuff is being done off-screen. It's one thing to have a veteran Javelin pilot reminisce about the old days but when other characters are having adventures and bringing you up to speed on taking your advice, you can't help but feel a disconnect. The main story doesn't really help either. You don't even get to pick dialogue choices at all and you watch as your Player Character does all the acting. It truly feels like the first time the game is on-rails and you're not voicing any input at all on how to react. Worst yet, certain points in the main questline FORCES you to do tedious grinding to advance. When Faye asks you to do trials, they can only be accomplished by doing in-game achievements (i.e. Kill X enemies with a Melee Attack or Revive X players). It feels needlessly tedious and only bogs the game down. This is (and I'm speculating here) only there to extend the playtime so that gamers who payed for the 10 hour trial do not blitz through the main storyline.

After that, you need to craft the Dawn Sheild and must help either Matthias, an Archanist who might be seeing triple or Sentinel Dax, a princess turned guard who's recklessness might get you killed, in order to do so. Worst yet, even after helping one of them, the game insists you help the other one to lower the crafting cost of the shield. The main questline is short and full of cliches. Not helping matters is that the Monitor is a completely generic big bad with no real personality and idiotic reasons for wanting to access the Anthem. I know Bioware is hardly the arbiter of original characters, but the Monitor is woefully lacking after the specific threats that were Mass Effect's Saren and Dragon Age's Loghain. And after it's done, the game 'teases' you with an after-credits scene that only exists so that Bioware can state "Don't worry; we have more content coming soon". Even after you complete the story and unlock the two other Strongholds, there's a woeful lack of content. You can repeat missions and do quests on higher difficulty levels to gain better gear, but it quickly becomes repetitive. Who is the audience for this game? In a world where Warframe is free to play, Borderlands 2 has a healthy player population and Destiny 2 has had its price cut, Anthem feels like a latecomer to the genre. But, even loyal Bioware fans (i.e. the people who bought Mass Effect: Andromeda on the first day and still defend said purchase), aren’t feeling this game. In fact, one of the Youtube creators I follow quit the game after he received a bug in which after unlocking his second Javelin, he was unable to access the account.

Why would Bioware change its formula now? And it's not as if Anthem is a priority for Electronic Arts, either. With Apex Legends continuing to dominate Twitch ratings and Playerbase, Anthem will probably be pushed to the sidelines. The game requires constant online connection and has an in-game store. Fortunately, said microtransactions are purely cosmetic and do not feature loot boxes plaguing the industry. And while it isn't as rediculous and allows you, the player, to buy the items with in-game currency, it's still a bad precedent. But I could even forgive the game as a service model as long as I got to roleplay. For example, (and I’m aware this is a very subjective opinion that is not shared by other people), I really like Star Wars: The Old Republic. Even though many gamers criticized the game of being a World of Warcraft rip-off (and rightly so, I might add), there was a sense of roleplaying and seeing my character on screen. Plus, it was cool seeing how different the class stories differed from one another. I could tell you how my Twi'lek smuggler who romanced Akaavi differed from my Pureblood Sith Inquistor who romanced Ashara. If you asked me what differentiated my Male Javelin Pilot from my Female one, I couldn't possibly tell you. (I suspect that the game will inevitably follow the footsteps of Star Wars: The Old Republic, go free to play when the playerbase dwindles while walling off things such as Strongholds for subscribers). And it's very telling how developers and animators were pulled from Mass Effect: Andromeda to help work on Anthem. CAVEAT: As a developer, Bioware has always put things like inclusion and diversity first and foremost, even at the cost of things such as quality assurance or facial animations. "Strong Alone, Stronger Together," says Haluk. And for a lot of consumers, myself included, they feel conflicted on criticizing something they view as a positive force for the games industry. But whatever the consumer is, whomever they love, whatever the color of their skin or what they identify themselves as, Electronic Arts is pulling out scummy tactics to milk them out of their money. There’s still an ongoing debate of where things like representation, inclusion, exclusion, diversity and egalitarianism have in the industry. But wherever you find yourself on the culture war, the one thing we can agree on is that the last thing required are for giant publishers co-opting those social issues in order to scam its customers out of their money. Verdict: Wait for a sale or Rental.

Published by grimoireofhorror.com and The Banshee 16/06/21

With E3's first full online event coming to a close, we thought we would do a quick rundown of the treasure trove of horror games under development and set for release across the upcoming 2021/2022 period.

There were a plethora of horror themed videogames being advertised, from Triple A studios to small indie dev teams alike, coming up for release over the next year (bar any technical problems). Below we have more information about these upcoming horror releases.

Salt and Sacrifice

Salt and Sacrifice is the next game being produced and published by Ska Studios, it is somewhat of a follow-up to their previous 2016 cult hit Salt and Sanctuary (Without being called a sequel).

Salt and Sacrifice follows in a similar, souls-like style gameplay and an analogous art style. It focuses on on side scrolling action, heavy RPG elements and gigantic, terrifying monsters to battle against. Salt and Sacrifice is coming to PS5 and PS4 with a release window of 2022.

The Anacrusis

The Anacrusis is a four person co-op FPS developed by Stray Bombay, gameplay very much styled on Left 4 Dead's fast-paced zombie action.

Set on an alien spaceship, the game sees four players team up to blast through hordes of alien monstrosities in this '70s themed alien romp. The Anacrusis is set to be released 'later this year' on Xbox one, Xbox Series X/S and Windows.

Blood Hunt

Blood hunt is a new third-person battle royale game being developed by Shark Mob. The game takes place in Prague, Czech Republic and follows the Vampire: The Masquerade universe. The different underground vampire sects battle in the back alleys and rooftops for superiority whilst trying to avoid breaking the masquerade, calling in Entity strike teams.

With the use of firearms, melee weapons and special magical abilities, players will fight to see who is the strongest among them. This will hopefully breathe new life into the Battle Royale genre (especially with the promise of no pay-to-win services). Blood hunt will be released for free in late 2021 on Windows.

House of Ashes

House of Ashes is the third game in The Dark Pictures Anthology developed by Supermassive Games. House of Ashes is an interactive horror game similar to their previous titles Man of Medan and Little Hope. The story follows a small unit of soldiers as they discover a subterranean ruins and the horror they uncover.

The gameplay seems to follow the same formula as the others in the series, playing more as an interactive movie rather than a videogame. With the improvements in graphics, it will be interesting to see how this holds up to the previous games. House of Ashes has been given an October 2021 release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and Windows.

Back 4 Blood

Back 4 Blood is a four person co-op FPS being developed by Warner Bros and Turtle Rock. The game is being worked on by the same team as the legendary Left 4 Dead and is therefore a spiritual successor rather than a clone like so many others.

Back 4 Blood will have similar, horde killing action to its predecessor,  demonstrating an AI director who will control the difficulty level for a unique playthrough each time.  The game will be released October 2021 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and Windows.  

Evil Dead: The Game

Evil Dead: The Game is a 5v1 online co-op survival game under development by Boss Team Games and published by Sabre Interactive. The game seems to be a sequel to the hit TV series Ash vs Evil Dead.

The gameplay seems comparable to similar titles such as Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th, though from in-game footage, some new mechanics will be added and the visuals will be improved upon. Evil Dead: The Game is expected to be released some time this year for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 Xbox One and Windows.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring is the latest game from developer FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco. FromSofware are known for their popular Souls series and Bloodborne games.

Elden Ring will continue the developer legacy of combining frustratingly tough combat, beautiful gothic landscapes and intricate lore to weave an engrossing, in-depth story with the help of writer George R R Martin. First being revealed at E3 2019, the game had slipped into obscurity with developers releasing no information afterwards until now. Elden Ring is said to be released January 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and Windows.

Rainbow Six: Extraction

Rainbow Six: Extraction is the latest in Tom Clancy's round-based counter terrorism tactical FPS developed by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was first announced in 2019, where it has gone through a name change since then due to the pandemic.

The game takes its ultra-realistic combat and pits your squad against a range of vicious alien creatures instead of the standardly vague terrorist threat. Featuring previous operatives such as Hibana, Ash and Tachanka, hopefully more info on other characters will be released in the near future. Rainbow Six Extraction will be released in September on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and Windows and will feature cross-play between systems.

Broken Pieces

Broken Pieces is an action-packed investigative and adventure video game set in France. The game is developed by two person team Elseware Experience.

The game immerses players in the shoes of Elise, following an unexplained paranormal phenomenon, Elise is stuck, alone, in a time loop that inevitably forces her to relive the same day over and over. Broken Pieces has a very Silent Hill feel with a heavy emphasis on investigation and puzzle-solving. Broken Pieces is set to be released June 2022 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and Windows.

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is a rerelease of the classic psychological horror visual novel developed by Team Salvato. Featuring hundreds of new unlockable HD images, six brand new side stories and twelve new music tracks being added to the game, there should be enough for new and old fans alike to look into this new release.

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus will be available at the end of June for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows.

Signalis

Signalis is a fixed-perspective survival horror developed by two person team Rose Engine and published by Humble Bundle.

The game is heavily influenced by the early Resident Evil and Silent Hill games (including somewhat low-poly graphics), but with an anime visual style that doesn't distract from the horror. Although the game has been in development since 2014, the pair are still not comfortable setting a release date but have confirmed the game will be released to Windows.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Ghostwire: Tokyo is an action adventure horror game developed by Tango Softworks, known for their well renowned Evil Within series and published by Bethesda Entertainment.

The gameplay is very action orientated, exhibiting strong underlying horror element due to 99% of Tokyo’s population vanishing without a trace in just a single day. Those few that remained are then plagued by the “Visitors” who take the form of various Japanese yokai using first-person magic based combat. Ghostwire: Tokyo is set for release October 2021 to Playstation, release on other platforms is set for 2022.

Faith: The Unholy Trinity

Faith: The Unholy Trinity is a pixel horror game being developed by one man team Airdorf Games and released by New Blood Interactive.

Faith is a horrifying puzzle game inspired by MS-DOS and ZX Spectrum games. Including simple mechanics and very effective scares, this three chapter story, despite being short, will be a rush of nostalgia for old school gamers. Episodes one and two of Faith are available on Itch.io for Windows right now, Faith: The Unholy Trinity will be available on Steam soon.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is the latest to be released in the first person survival horror series developed by GSC Game World. The game returns the players to 'the zone', the area surrounding Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

The upgraded graphics have completely transformed the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. world from GSC's previous game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat released all the way back in 2009.  Continuing with an overall supernatural overtone,  S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl looks to be a great edition to the franchise. The game is to be released April 2022 to Xbox Series X and Windows with rumours of other platform released later on in the year. Eldest Souls

Eldest Souls is a pixel art, souls-like boss rush RPG developed by Fallen Flag Studios and published by United Label. The Old Gods have unleashed a great desolation upon the world, turning farmlands to desert and rivers to dust. You, a lone warrior, must explore the vast, forgotten Citadel in search of the Old Gods. Your quest? To slay them all.

Eldest Souls take focus on the most difficult parts of Souls-type games, the bosses. Each one having its own unique challenge to overcome, and suitable rewards depending on whether you are victorious. Eldest Souls is set for release July 2021 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows. Vampire The Masquerade: Swansong

Vampire The Masquerade: Swansong is a story-driven RPG set in modern-day Boston, during an era where vampires have gone from hunters to being hunted. The game is being developed by Big Bad Wolf and published by Nacon.

Swansong's gameplay has still not been released but it is believed to be closer to the original games style of gameplay as opposed to Bloodhunt's battle royale style. The trailer has revealed one of three playable characters, Leysha, who is a member of the Malkavian clan. Vampire The Masquerade: Swansong is due to be released late 2021 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows.

Project Warlock 2

Project Warlock 2 is a retro first person shooter with a heavy pixelated graphics being developed by indie studio Buckshot Software and published by Gaming Company.

The game is a sequel to the teams original 2018 title Project Warlock. Similar to their first title, the game is reminiscent of early 3D pc shooters of the 90's such as Quake and Unreal Tournament, but has a heavier emphasis on the bit-crushed low poly graphics. This looks like an incredibly fast paced action horror which shooter fans should get a kick out of playing. Project Warlock 2 will be released for Windows, early access will begin in July 2021 with a full release set for some time 2022.

Death Trash

Death Trash is a post-apocalyptic cosmic horror RPG being developed and published by Crafting Legends. Humans left the planet Earth in search of the cosmos and settled on a brand new planet: Nexus. It is a mysterious planet filled with eldritch abominations and a deep lore for the player to discover.

The game is a pixel art, top-down roleplaying game where your choices can either make or break the game, showcasing the ability to befriend these creatures rather than just battle everything you encounter. Death Trash will be available for Windows in early access from late July 2021.  

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a direct sequel to 2019's survival game A Plague Tale: Innocence both developed by Asobo Games and published by Focus Home Group.

The game will be a continuation of the prequel's story, following the struggles of Amicia and Hugo through rat-infested environments in search of a new home. A Plague Tale: Requiem will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows sometime in 2022.

Somerville

Somerville is an upcoming cell-shaded sci-fi horror puzzle/platform game developed by Jumpship .

Although the trailer didn't give too much away, the story seems to follow a family as they struggle to escape an unknown catastrophic event. The game looks incredibly akin to Limbo from the similarly oppressive landscapes and general feel. Somerville is set for release on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Windows sometime 2022.

Replaced

Replaced is a 2.5D dystopian sci-fi action platformer developed by Sad Cat Studios and published by Coatsink. You play as R.E.A.C.H, an AI trapped inside a human body against its will, in an alternate 1980s America.

Including a mix of extreme violence, slick visuals and stunningly detailed pixel art style, the game is a feast for the eyes. Despite not technically a horror game, I had to include it in this list. Replaced will definitely scratch an itch if games like Death Trash raised you hype levels. Replaced will be released on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Windows sometime 2022.

Pioner

Pioner is a first person survival MMORPG developed by Russian developers GFA Games. You act as a former operative who survives in a world after a technological disaster. A Soviet island isolated from the mainland by a large-scale technogenic anomaly. So, now you have two primary objectives: find (and rescue) your comrades while investigating the mystical MOGILNIK station.

The game seems like a fusion between the S.T.A.L.K.E.R series, the Metro series and DayZ. Players enter a huge open world environment, littered with supernatural creatures and disturbances. The game will have both PVP and PVE elements to gameplay as well as full character and weapon customisation. However, the trailer didn't specify a release date, it is hoped to be released around the start of 2022 for Windows (though this is liable to change).

Chernobylite

Chernobylite is a first person survival horror being developed by The Farm 51 and published by All In! Games. The game sees the player try and survive Chernobyl's harsh exclusion zone (sense a pattern here?), the new trailer has included a look at the heist it all builds up to—getting past an occupying military force to break into the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. You're there to find out what happened to your beloved Tatyana.

The game seems very similar to Bethesda's Fallout series in gameplay, setting and tone,  especially considering the inclusion of base building and furniture crafting for you and your crew to plan your heist in style and comfort. Chernobylite is available for PS4, Xbox One and Windows July 2021, With PS5 and Xbox Series X/S expected to be released later on in the year.

Red Solstice 2: Survivors

Red Solstice 2: Survivors is a real-time strategy survival game and the sequel to Red Solstice. The game is being developed by Ironward and Published by 505 Games. You control a squad of soldiers fighting STROL mutants on Mars, trying to help find a cure to save mankind and stop this virus in its tracks.

The gameplay is essentially a real-time XCOM game, mutants interchanged from alien invaders of earth. The game come with a single player and online 8 player co-op missions, allowing your friends to get deep in the tactical elements of the game. Red Solstice 2: Survivors will be available for Windows as soon as June 17th.

Mechajammer

Mechajammer is an isometric cyberpunk horror RPG being developed by Whalenought Studios and published by Modern Wolf.

The gameplay takes influence from classic 80's films such as Escape from New York and Robocop. Although there are strong similarities with other isometric RPG such as Fallout 1 & 2, that have their roots in TTRPGs. Mechajammer unfortunately lacked a release date in the trailer but will be released for Windows.  

Scorn

Scorn is a first person survival horror adventure developed by Belgrade and published by Ebb. The game is designed around the idea of ‘being thrown into the world’. You are isolated and lost inside this dream-like world based on the techno-sexual artwork of the amazing H.R Giger.

A 14 minute gameplay trailer was revealed during Microsoft/Bethesda showcase, displaying  foreboding, oppressive landscapes littered with highly detailed body horror and grotesque creatures. The game will require environmental puzzles to be solved to forward progression to the next horrifying area. Scorn is to be released on Xbox Series X/S and Windows some time this year.

RedFall

Redfall is an open-world first person shooter developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda. The quaint island town of Redfall, Massachusetts, is under siege by a legion of vampires who have blocked out the sun and cut the island off from the outside world.

The gameplay looks akin to Left 4 Dead, as well as a few other games being showcased this year, a mix of single player or four player co-op. What does differ is the special ability that each character has, from telekinesis to a robot companion to aid in the fight of the besieging vampire threat. Redfall is set to release mid 2022 for Xbox Series X/S and Windows.

Danganronpa: Decadence

Danganronpa is a series of horror visual novels developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by NIS America as early as 2010. The series is set around the affluent high school, Hope's Peak Academy. A group of lucky (or Unlucky) students are subject to a death game in order to graduate.

The games, originally released for the PSP and Vita, are now being released for the Nintendo Switch. Danganronpa: Decadence will bundle Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition, and Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp together as a physical copy or available separately on Nintendo's Estore set to release later this year.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a survival horror game developed by Koei Tecmo and published by Nintendo all the way back in 2014. Set in the fictional Hikami Mountain, a place infamous for suicides and spiritual happenings connected with local bodies of water. The story follows three different protagonists: Yuri Kozukata, who has the ability to bring people back from the shadow world into the real world; Ren Hojo, an author and friend of Yuri who goes to the mountain to research his new book; and Miu Hinasaki, the daughter of recurring Fatal Frame protagonist Miku Hinasaki.

The game is a remaster of the original game for modern and next-gen consoles with new costumes and photo modes that weren’t in the original, as well as updated visuals. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water will be released for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows.

After The Fall

After The Fall is a four person co-op VR horror shooter developed by Vertigo Games. The game sees you and up to four other players battle a Left 4 Dead style hoard of zombies with special infected in a post apocalyptic world.

The main aim of the dev team was to have the game be compatible for all VR headsets on the market, allowing for the difference in quality and movement sensitivity. After The Fall will be released on the Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR and PC VR headset.

Inscryption

Inscryption is a narrative focused, deck building psychological horror developed and published by Daniel Mullins Games, developer of Pony Island and Hex.

Unfortunately, not much of the story was revealed, but this game looks deeply terrifying. Your only defence are the cards in your possession, each obtained through terrible means. Inscryption will be available some time this year for Windows.

Despite the lack of actual game play for some of the bigger, more anticipated games, I believe that this years E3 has some pretty interesting releases for the next year.

I, for one, am very excited for some of the pixel horror games being released such as Mechajammer, Replaced and Death Trash (I'm incredibly hyped for Death Trash). Although, some of the bigger titles like Vampire the Masquerade: Swansong, Back 4 Blood and Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water have piqued my interests.

At least, in some way, the return of E3 is some return to normality whilst still in the height of the pandemic. I am positive by next year, the quality of these events will improve and we can return to the high quality showcase of gameplay E3 is known to provide.

When it comes to racing games, a select few annual or semi-annual series seem to dominate the genre these days, and, while that's not necessarily a bad thing, there are tons of underappreciated releases that have fallen by the wayside both recently and during previous console generations.

RELATED: 10 Video Game Adaptations Of Movies That Were Released Decades Later

Even with decades-old franchises, there are entries in these series that are unjustly overlooked. From games that thrust players into the driver’s seat on movie sets, have them blasting through apocalyptic cities, or even contending with cart racing elements, here are 10 titles that, for whatever eason, didn't receive the praise they deserved when they first debuted.

10 Stuntman

In Stuntman, each mission is a fictional movie in which players have to carry out the orders of the director, whether it’s in a car, on a bike, or even a tuc-tuc. The game has a clear reverence to car chases in classic movies, as many of the levels in Stuntman are resoundingly familiar to some of the best 70s and 80s action movies.

Each fictional movie in the game is based on a real movie, from a British gangster film based on the best Guy Ritchie movies to John Woo-type movie set in Bangkok, to a faux-Indiana Jones flick titled "The Scarab of Lost Souls."

9 MotorStorm: Apocalypse

Being one of the very first games released for the PS3, the first MotorStorm game was a big hit, as it was a unique twist on off-road racing. Players had a unique set of vehicles to choose from that weren’t just run-of-the-mill off-roaders such as trucks, big-rigs, and motorbikes. Each vehicle handles completely different to one another, and there’s an element of strategy to choosing what vehicle to use depending on the track.

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The series became less and less successful with each release, and the final game, Apocalypse, was the worst-received of the bunch, though it's one of the more entertaining releases. The series is notable for switching environmental themes with each release, whether it’s the desert in the first game, tropical islands in the second game, or snow-capped mountains in the third game. But, Apocalypse has a different concept, as it’s based in a dystopian fictional city with a huge amount of destructible objects, and the world crumbles as players race through the city.

8 Need For Speed Carbon

Once locked in competition with Rockstar's Midnight Club games, the Need For Speed series took the edge by getting annual releases, even if it did drop in quality. Carbon was seen as the first significant drop in the franchise by critics, as it followed the peak of the series, Need For Speed: Most Wanted, which incorporated police chases as well as retaining a vast open-world and in-depth customization choices.

But, Carbon features even deeper customization, as it allows players to mold their own body kits instead of just choosing them. The canyon setting of the game was also the most exciting open world of the series yet, as the downhill mountains added a level of danger that the games hadn’t seen before.

7 Split/Second

Though there are tons of Disney properties that deserve their own video-game, surprisingly enough, Split/Second is actually an original Disney property. However, though it might come as a shock, not everything Disney does is successful, and Split/Second received a tepid reception upon its release.

The game is similar to MotorStorm: Apocalypse in that it put a heavy emphasis on destruction. However, the gimmick here was that destruction could open up alternative paths and change the layout of the course as the race went on. It was a novel concept, and it's something we would love to see repeated at some point.

6 Blur

At a glance, Blur seems like a totally run-of-the-mill driving simulator, racing through bog-standard tracks against three or four opponents. However, the novelty of Blur is that vehicles can use weapons against each other, and it plays out like if Need For Speed: Underground were a kart racer.

Blur is really well presented, as there are so many detailed tracks to choose from and an enormous amount of licensed cars too. The biggest issue about the game is that, for what is ostensibly a highly-polished take on Mario Kart, it's pretty difficult, but, other than that, it’s one of the most fun driving games that doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

5 Driver: San Francisco

The tight, hilly streets of San Francisco may not seem ideal for a racer, but Driver: San Francisco pulls it off stupendously. The game was made by Reflections, which is the same developer behind Stuntman, so it's a given that the driving is incredible and feels so much better than any arcade racer.

There’s also a substantial narrative that’s surprisingly compelling, and it’s the first game in the series to feature licensed cars. Believe it or not, the Golden Gate Bridge doesn’t actually get destroyed, which always seems to happen in fictional media in which it is depicted.

4 Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights

Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights was a huge improvement over the original game. Of all the street racing games released at the time, Juiced 2 was the only one not based in an open world, and most of the tracks are closed in and not on the streets at all, which kind of defeats the purpose of street-racing.

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But, the locations are why the game is so underrated, as the game takes place in major cities all over the world, including Milan and Paris. But, more than anything, Juiced 2 is so great because it puts a major emphasis on do-or-die pink slip races, something which made the the street racing-themed Need For Speed games so enthralling.

3 Midnight Club II

Rockstar might be best known for the Grand Theft Auto series, but, before they put all their eggs in one basket by releasing one game every 5+ years, the developer released multiple open-world games every year, with some of the best of that era belonging to the Midnight Club series.

Midnight Club 2 isn’t for every racing game fanatic, as it’s more arcadey and almost the exact opposite of a game like Gran Turismo. The game features full open worlds of LA, Paris, and Tokyo, but it marries those realistic environments with wild stunts; players can drive up famous monuments, such as the Louvre, and jump over buildings. As pulling off a stunt like that is so hard to do, it’s massively rewarding when players pull it off.

2 Stuntman: Ignition

It’s unfortunate that Stuntman: Ignition didn’t sell well enough for fans to get a sequel, as it’s one of the most unique games in a market full of all-too-similar racing games, but, at the end of the day, fans were lucky they even got a sequel to the first one.

The series features such a niche concept, but Ignition does everything the original did, and it’s all so much bigger and better. It’s technically exceptional and offers a hilarious satirical take on Hollywood movie production that isn't often seen in the world of gaming.

1 Sled Storm

Though it's admittedly a bit unconventional, Sled Storm is definitely one of the most underappreciated racing games of all time. For such an old game, it has an incredible sense of speed that developers still struggle to emulate today.

There was a steep learning curve, as players had to hit ramps at the perfect time and pull off tricks while in air for less than a second, and it was mandatory to find shortcuts in order to win. In many ways, Sled Storm was almost like the blueprint for what would become the SSX series, and it’s a lost treasure.

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