Helldivers 2 Is Flailing, Barbarian Games Are Back, And More Of The Week's Takes

Illustration: JanduSoft, Image: Marvel, Arrowhead Game Studios / Sony, Midnight Munchies / Outersloth, Activision / WWE, AMC Theatres / Cinemark / Kotaku, Nerial / Devolver Digital, Bethesda Softworks, Screenshot: The Gentlebros / Kotaku

This week, we took the opportunity to gush over immersive sim classic Dishonored 2 after one of the founders of Arkane, the studio behind it, teased that his new studio’s next game is “Fallout meets Dishonored.” We also cheered on the renaissance of retro-style barbarian games happening right now, analyzed the current struggles of Helldivers 2, praised the charms of the unassuming but adorable new game Cat Quest 3, unearthed the mysteries of what really goes on on a reality TV set, and more.

Illustration: JanduSoft

In a time of legend long past, when video games were still emerging from the primordial mists and magic still flowed through all things, there were games of ultimate power. These games didn’t concern themselves with Italian plumbers or sad surrogate dads, but with fierce warriors who shirtlessly strode into battle, their muscles on glorious display, to cut down their foes with swords and prove themselves the strongest and manliest of all. I speak, of course, of barbarians. And though, in recent decades, games focused entirely on the heroic exploits of barbarians have been few and far between, we now find ourselves in the midst of a mini-renaissance of barbarian games! To quote the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian, “That is good. That is good.” - Carolyn Petit Read More

Image: Marvel

Marvel Rivals is currently prompting a lot of comparisons to Overwatch 2, but there’s a whole, expansive Marvel universe it can draw from as it builds its roster in the coming months and (hopefully) years to help it carve out its own identity. Sure, we’ll probably get some mainstays of the comic books like Cyclops or more of the Avengers, but we’ve put together a list of characters that includes some less conventional picks and kit ideas we’d like to see added to Marvel Rivals in the future. Call up the rest of your six stacks. Let’s assemble. - Kenneth Shepard Read More

Image: Arrowhead Game Studios / Sony

Six months along, I think the key takeaway from Helldivers 2 is that no good thing can reasonably last in this ecosystem. Its launch back in February was marked by a meteoric ascent to the top of the charts, but the past few months have been marred by controversy and upheaval that has hurt the game and the reputation of the the team behind it. As sad as it is to admit, things were always going to turn out this way, but it’s still tough seeing the place it’s landed compared to where it once was. - Moises Taveras Read More

Image: Midnight Munchies / Outersloth

Everything you need to know about the new bullet hell game One Btn Bosses is right there in the title. You press one button and you take on a series of bosses. It’s a simple premise that developer Midnight Munchies delivers on and then some. With just one button, you might think that the game would get boring quickly or lack depth—but it’s just the opposite. One Btn Bosses is an enthralling game that constantly adds new challenges to master. - Willa Rowe Read More

Image: AMC Theatres / Cinemark / Kotaku

As it turns out, the Dune: Part Two sandworm-shaped monstrosity that AMC passed off as a popcorn bucket wasn’t the only one of its kind. In fact, since 2019, AMC has apparently made a killing selling all kinds of collectible tie-in buckets for the year’s biggest blockbusters, from Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker to Taylor Swift: Eras Tour. This year, they’ve been making a killing by selling buckets themed after a bunch of blockbusters and family-centric movies, which tend to bring in huge audiences that live and die for this kind of stuff. It’s all a racket, I tells ya, but a racket that has spawned a bigger market than I was led to believe. Cinemark and other movie theater chains have also jumped on the train, and by now there are folks with a sizeable-enough bunch of these buckets at home to call it an honest-to-goodness collection, and their interest in them an obsession. - Moises Taveras Read More

Screenshot: The Gentlebros / Kotaku

Cat Quest 3 is the latest entry in the ever-adorable series of action RPGs starring a heroic kitten on a quest for glory and, this time in particular, treasure. Set in the “Purribean” with a whimsical piracy theme, Cat Quest 3 doesn’t just see you fighting on land and in dungeons and castles. You’ll also take to the sea in your very own ship, where enemy vessels will pose their own unique challenges. With a variety of fun sidequests, dungeons to explore, and the ultimate quest of finding the North Star Treasure, Cat Quest 3 provides a jovial and entertaining adventure that’s well worth your time if you enjoy light-hearted action-RPG shenanigans. - Claire Jackson Read More

Image: Nerial / Devolver Digital

“That’s a great wide shot,” Chris Daly, a reality TV producer for over 17 years, says generously. “That shot helps the cast not feel like they’re being watched, and the audience like it’s not a planned shot. It’s not a set scene, it feels more ‘real’.” I’m playing the demo for The Crush House, a reality-TV-inspired dating game developed by Nerial and published by Devolver Digital, and I’m trying to appease a specific kind of audience: voyeurs. Daly is watching me play via Discord stream, and chiming in with his expert knowledge as I attempt to craft a hit series. - Alyssa Mercante Read More

Image: Bethesda Softworks

WolfEye Studios, the developer of 2022’s Weird West founded by ex-Arkane devs, is working on something new. Raphael Colantonio, WolfEye’s creative director and founder of Arkane, revealed that the studio’s next game will harken back to the team’s immersive sim routes, saying that fans of Dishonored and Prey will feel at home with the new project. That’s some fantastic news, considering Arkane itself seems to be moving away from the immersive sim genre. While we wait for WolfEye’s new game, it’s the perfect time to revisit Dishonored 2 and remind yourself that it’s a masterpiece of immersive sim design. - Willa Rowe Read More