PLAY

(OK, maybe not you, Rise Of The Robots)

“Ah, it’s not about what it looks like

Virtual humanity

How Epic is upgrading 3D character creation

Made in Iraq

As western military shooters reduce their homeland to a backdrop, we talk to the Iraqi developers challenging preconceptions

Model pro

Hironobu Sakaguchi reveals the painstaking work behind Mistwalker’s new hand-crafted RPG

Viking invasion

How unexpected smash hit Valheim went from one developer to five million players

PARCEL UP

Making special deliveries in a stealth-led dystopian satire

Soundbytes

Game commentary in snack-sized mouthfuls

THIS MONTH ON EDGE

When we weren’t doing everything else, we were thinking about stuff like this

DISPATCHES MAY

Issue 356 Dialogue Send your views, using ‘Dialogue’

Trigger Happy

Shoot first, ask questions later

Unreliable Narrator

Exploring stories in games and the art of telling tales

Playing your part

When you think about it, every game is

SIFU

Absolver’s developer returns with a kung fu revenge fantasy

MASK OF THE ROSE

Failbetter finds love in Fallen London

SUBNAUTICA: BELOW ZERO

A change of temperature but not of tune

BOOK OF TRAVELS

A serene adventure for wayfinders and wanderers

SATURNALIA

A Sardinian survival horror to lose yourself in

CARD SHARK

Wario Ware meets Barry Lyndon in a card game like no other

SPLATOON 3

Developer/publisher- Nintendo (EPD) F ormat- Switch

SOLAR ASH

Developer- Heart Machine Publisher- Annapurna Format- PC,

THE ETERNAL CYLINDER

Developer- Ace Team Publisher- Good Shepherd Entertainment Format-

SONG IN THE SMOKE

Developer/publisher- 17-Bit Format- PSVR, Quest, Rift

SONG OF IRON

Developer/publisher- Escape LLC Format- PC, Xbox One, Xbox

BREAKING OUT

With Deathloop, Arkane is reinventing the wheel it spent two decades perfecting

OVER AND OVER AND OVER

Creators at the forefront of the Roguelike genre chart a course for a bright future

PRESS PLAY

As the world locked down, videogames allowed it to open up via virtual concerts. We talk to the artists, developers and organisers responsible

SIGNS OF THE SOJOURNER

How Echodog Games played its cards right to produce a spellbinding debut

ONION GAMES

Life is just dandy for this daringly individual Japanese micro-studio

Splinter Cell: Conviction

Ubisoft’s controversial stealth sequel forms the backbone of its games today

Puzzle & Dragons

A progress report on the games we just can’t quit

Monster Hunter Rise

Developer/publisher- Capcom Format- Switch Release- March 26 Any

Post Script

Discussing Wirebugs, wyverns and world design with director Yasunori Ichinose

Bravely Default 2

Developer- Claytechworks Publisher- Nintendo Format- Switch Release- Out

Post Script

Is the JRPG in danger of leaning too far into its niche?

Genesis Noir

Developer- Feral Cat Den Publisher- Fellow Traveller Format-

Maquette

Developer- Graceful Decay Publisher- Annapurna Interactive Format- PC,

Mundaun

Developer- Hidden Fields Publisher- MWM Interactive Format- PC

PixelJunk Raiders

Publisher/developer- Q-Games Format- Stadia Release- Out now With

Loop Hero

Developer- Four Quarters Publisher- Devolver Digital Format- PC

Narita Boy

Developer- Studio Koba Publisher- Team 17 Format- PC