Having not had a chance to actually play Pentiment yet, I can’t speak to the quality of Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming mystery-driven adventure game. That said, I really like what I’ve seen of the game, and beyond that, I love that something like it exists. Games like Pentiment are what I’ve always wanted to get out of a service like Xbox Game Pass–experiences that are interesting and also afford a major studio the chance to be a little bit more experimental.

In Pentiment, you play as journeyman artist Andreas Maler in a story that spans 25 years during early 16th century Germany. Andreas finds himself staying in a Benedictine abbey in the midst of a journey to see all of Europe, taking on part-time work where he can find it to pay for his travels. While at the abbey, a murder takes place, and Andreas’s mentor is accused of the crime. With no one willing to investigate any other possible explanations, Andreas steps up.

The entire game is presented as if it were written in the pages of a manuscript or book of the time period, with the text emulating written scripts and early block typing and the character models, buildings, and backgrounds drawn to appear as if the line weight and color are the results of a brush. The act of moving between locations occurs as the pages of Andreas’ story turn. It’s not like anything Obsidian has done before.

The art style isn’t the only thing that’s new. As Pentiment game director Josh Sawyer reminded us during a preview event, a small narrative adventure game isn’t what most folks expect to see from a studio like Obsidian, which is most well known for its big-budget RPGs like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and The Outer Worlds. Its next major projects, Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, are also both RPGs.

“[Pentiment] is a unique thing for Obsidian,” Sawyer said. “It is a historical narrative adventure game with light role-playing game elements. We use a lot of references from late medieval manuscript illumination as well as early modern woodcuts–because in the early 16th century, woodcuts were becoming more popular–to create our unique art style.”

“Art history had a huge impact on the creation of this game–in part because it is a history game and we’re trying to reference that setting and that time period as accurately as possible, but also because, at its core, this is a story about the experience of working artists at the time,” Pentiment art director Hannah Kennedy said. “So there was a lot to learn from art history to inform that character and how they exist within this world, but also inform how the space looks.”

“Making a narrative adventure game is something that Obsidian has never done before,” Sawyer added. “This is our approach to it. Much of your gameplay is really spent exploring the world and talking to characters and forming relationships with them.”

Although Pentiment is not an RPG, it does contain roleplaying elements. During the preview, Sawyer showed that you get to pick Andreas’ background, such as where he’s been, what sort of lifestyle he leads, and what subject he studied in university. These choices color how Andreas speaks to other characters and how he is able to relate to their troubles, opening up different avenues for how you might solve mysteries or complete various tasks. These RPG elements just aren’t the main crux of the game. For example, you could have Andreas have a background as an Orator, boosting his abilities to teach, persuade, and talk in front of a crowd. Or maybe you prefer he spends his time in university studying the occult, resulting in increased knowledge when it comes to astrology, necromancy, and ancient magical rites. Either way, Andreas is a learned man who attended university–however, one version of him better fits the mainstream crowd while the other can better speaks to those on the fringes of society.

Now, I’m not saying that I only like what I’ve seen of Pentiment so far because it’s different from what I expect of Obsidian. The game manages to look really cool all on its own. I enjoy games that allow you to be a detective by finding clues, speaking to witnesses, and making your own deductions. Intriguingly, Pentiment has been designed where there’s no right answer to any of its mysteries, just different outcomes. That means you could figure out who most likely is responsible for a crime but still point out someone else, whether for vengeance or to ensure a good person isn’t wrongly punished. It’s an interesting consideration for a mystery-driven game to take on, and further separates Pentiment from the binary morality of a lot of RPGs, where dialogue choices are oftentimes reduced to general vibes of good and evil.

Given that Pentiment will span a period of 25 years, there’s ample time for your choices to have more than one consequence as well. Shifting the blame may solve a problem for you in the short term, but who knows what’s going to happen 10 years down the line? As time passes, kids will grow up, leaders will pass the torch to new generations, and the landscape of society will change. There’s a lot of compelling potential in a story like that. So many choice-driven games focus on snippets of time, like a few months or a year. It’s rare to see a game deal with choices that could have such far-reaching consequences.

However, beyond Pentiment looking interesting, I think there’s just something incredibly cool about how Obsidian is making a game like this at all, and that Xbox Game Pass had a hand in making it possible. “I’ve wanted to make a historical game for a long time,” Sawyer said. “And I can’t remember the exact moment where I was like, ‘Wait, what if I made a historical game that was a narrative adventure game that was very small?’ but I will say that it wasn’t until Microsoft was going to acquire Obsidian that I thought, ‘I think we can do this now for two reasons. One, Game Pass as a platform seems very appropriate for it. And two, I think that Microsoft would just be more willing to allow us to try something unusual and experimental.'”

Sawyer doesn’t believe his pitch for Pentiment would have worked through traditional publisher methods. In his mind, Xbox Game Pass is a “clear platform” for something as experimental as Pentiment coming from a big-name studio like Obsidian. And although making Pentiment was not intended to be a learning experience for Sawyer, Kennedy, and the rest of their team, it has been.

“This is the first game I’ve worked on personally where there’s a single central character in the narrative and ultimately there’s choice and consequence, but it’s about a predefined character and their particular…story arc,” Sawyer said. “It’s been really a lot of fun writing for a character that’s much more defined, but it still feels like you can make a ton of choices in dialogue and attitude, and you can choose to be a lot of different types of Andreas Maler and that feels really cool. And personally, I would like to work on more games that are like that. I don’t think that means that’s the only thing that I have to do, but I found it rather liberating in a lot of very cool ways, personally.”

“Prior to this, I was working on The Outer Worlds, which was a very different scale of project and I had a very different role in it,” Kennedy added. And I think that a team of this size is really appropriate for a game like [Pentiment] because it is such an unusual sort of genre and appeal for this game and the ability to be really liquid and really flexible around our resourcing and who’s going to do what, who wants to experiment and try whatnot has been really useful to push this to the degree of strangeness in a good way that makes it land, hopefully. It’s been really fun to work with a small group of people that are extremely passionate and comfortable enough. We have a lot of pretty veteran people on this team comfortable enough to take some unusual risks and experiment, to try new things out and feel comfortable iterating, and to do a lot of experimentation that I think comes across with a lot of the how far we are able to push the art style, how strange we’re able to make some of the 3D [to] 2D space transitions and things like that.”

In a lot of ways, Pentiment reminds me of something like Child of Light, a fabulous 2D platformer turn-based RPG made by Ubisoft Montreal, a far cry from the 3D action games the studio is most well-known for. And it’s the small but noteworthy praise that these games can achieve that speaks to my desire for AAA developers to explore genres, storylines, and gameplay models outside their established wheelhouse.

I know why it doesn’t happen more often. Large studios have to turn a profit with their new games and exploring smaller, creative ideas outside larger, mainstream ones could ultimately prove to be a wasted effort. Why allow any of the developers working on Battlefield the option to try making a parkour-focused platformer or story-driven roguelike when big-budget first-person shooters are an easier sell and Battlefield has been a big name in that space? It’s the safer bet to only stick to what you know will sell.

Each of the Xbox Games Studios can kind of get around that expectation with Xbox Game Pass, though. A subscription service is only as strong as the library it offers and the regularity at which it’s curated. It pays to have a cadence of new titles rotated into the subscription’s library (or, at the very least, meaningful updates to included live-service games), especially if some of those games can’t be found on other platforms. That’s a trickier ask if the only exclusives you’re pulling from are the giant AAA experiences that take huge teams and piles of money and resources to create. We’re already seeing how well that can work–Xbox Game Pass doesn’t get brand-new AAA exclusives all that often. Most of the exclusives on its platform are indie or AA games, many of which make their way to non-Xbox consoles eventually.

And so with that in mind, it pays Xbox to support segments of its AAA studios who want to work on smaller projects that can be produced more quickly. These smaller games don’t have to be critical or commercial successes (looking at you, Grounded), as they’re instead contributing to the overall worth of Xbox Game Pass.

So I’m excited for Pentiment. The game looks fun to play and I’m excited at the prospect of how the consequences of its choice-driven narrative may play out over the course of a storyline that encapsulates 25 years. But I’m also just happy to see Xbox and Obsidian giving the go-ahead for a small segment of its team to work on a game like Pentiment. It gives me hope that Xbox Game Pass might allow some of Microsoft’s other first-party game studios that have traditionally been making one specific style of game, like the Halo-focused 343 Industries or largely immersive sim-focused Arkane Studios, the chance to make smaller, more experimental games outside their traditional wheelhouse.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Destiny 2’s Season of Plunder has brought with it a new seasonal activity, one that leans heavily into the pirate adventure theme that you’ll be engaging in for the next three months. Ketchcrash is naval warfare but with a Destiny twist, as you’ll be exploring the Reef on your very own Eliksni spaceship.

Like other seasonal activities, Ketchcrash is an excellent way to farm for gear and earn the new swashbuckler-themed loot that has been introduced to the game. It’s not complex to dive into and it’s a fun diversion for a fireteam of six Guardians to hone their new Arc 3.0 skills in. The activity also rewards you with Map Fragments, which can be used to make Treasure Maps and earn even better loot in Expeditions.

For more Destiny 2 guides, check out the Season of Plunder gear roundup, the weekly Seasonal Challenges, and how to earn Map Fragments.

How to start Ketchcrash

Like several other activities in Destiny 2, all you have to do is open your Destinations tab, select the HELM, and then select Ketchcrash on the left side of the menu. Completing three Ketchcrash activities every week will also reward you with a Powerful Gear engram, so grab a few rounds before weekly resets so that you can slowly improve your Guardian power level.

How to play Ketchcrash

Protect your Ketch before boarding the enemy spaceship.

Once you’re in a fireteam, it’s time to go pick a fight with the pirate captains working under Eramis. You’ll start this round on your Ketch as it comes into the bombardment range of an enemy vessel. From here, the goal is to quickly head to the top deck, repel any pirates, and align the cannon accelerators.

These are four plates that you’ll have to step into, similar to the ones used in a Vex public activity. Enemies can also occupy these plates to stop the cannons from firing, so the fireteam will need to split up to cover all of its bases. One Guardian per plate, with the other two Guardians running between them to provide covering fire will be a good strategy here. Once all four plates have been secured, you’ll weaken the enemy Ketch and you can prepare to board it by entering a nearby launcher.

Go below decks

Poop deck awaits.

Once you’ve boarded the enemy Ketch, start eliminating enemies and work your way to the bottom decks. From here, there’ll be two small missions that you can play to progress the activity. So far, we’ve discovered three variants:

Destroy the Security Optic

In this section, you’ll face Fallen enemies and a massive Security Optic servitor that needs to be taken out. Wipe out the enemies, destroy regular Servitors to expose open plates, and stand in them so that the Security Optic can be exposed. Once you’ve captured a few plates, wait for the shields to fall on the Security Optic and unleash all your firepower on it to progress. Be careful of the security turrets guarding the Security Optic though, as they’re tough and they can shred your armor in seconds. Find some cover before you start firing at them, and you’ll be able to finish this boss off easily.

Destroy the Walkers

In this section, you’ll face two Walker tanks. They’re not too tough, but they will be protected by shields that you need to bypass. To do this, go after the Fallen Scorch captain in the room, defeat it, and take the Scorch cannon. Use that to destroy the shield generators (as indicated by the purple stream of energy being directed from the generators to the Walker) and the Walker tanks will be left vulnerable. Once both Walker tanks are eliminated, you can move on.

Destroy the storage tanks

For a little bit of breaking-and-entering action, this room will task you with causing some wanton destruction on the Ketch ship. You’ll spot several Ether storage tanks in this hangar, each one standing out thanks to a purple hue. Hunt down Heavy Shanks–or Gunnery Mates as they’re called in this activity–destroy them and collect the explosive charges that they drop. While it is tempting to use them as makeshift grenades against enemies, lob these charges at the storage tanks instead to take them out of action.

Once all the storage tanks are destroyed, it’s time to move on.

Ketchcrash boss fight

Each Ketch is guarded by a dangerous pirate lord.

If Ketchcrash is anything like Blind Well or Nightmare Containment, expect a new boss to rotate into action after every day. For this week’s debut of Ketchcrash, you’ll be doing battle against a heavily-armed Shanks privateer called Aye-1. This boss fight isn’t too challenging, as you’ll be battling Aye-I and its minions across the top deck of its Ketch. Once you’ve done enough damage, Aye-I will call in Servitor reinforcements and activate its shields.

Take out the Servitors, wait for Aye-I to teleport back onto the top deck, and wipe its remaining health out with whatever you choose. You’ll also find flags that you can activate (if you’ve unlocked the right node on the Star Chart) and call in reinforcements from Spider’s gang to help you out in the fight.

Once Aye-I is eliminated, you’ll earn some new loot and some banter from the main characters in Season of Plunder.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Burnout and boredom are feelings many players eventually experience when coming back to a live-service game day after day, month after month. It’s been over a year since HoYoverse brought us to the shores of Inazuma to breathe new life into Genshin Impact, and now, the jungles of Sumeru are calling in version 3.0. But are the change of scenery and new characters enough to pull even the most tired longtime fans back into the game? We got a chance to go hands-on with the Genshin Impact 3.0 update, and came away thinking that newcomers and casual regulars will be more than happy with what Sumeru brings to the table. On the other hand, high-level players who have reached the end of the line, so to speak, may be left feeling unsatisfied after the main quests get completed and exploration loses its charm.

Sumeru manages to evoke the same sense of excitement and curiosity Inazuma did, and it starts out even better. Unlike Inazuma, you’ll be able to explore nearly the entire map from the get-go without customs officers and paperwork holding you back. Those who wish to take in the story and get a proper introduction to the region simply have to follow the main questline to meet important characters like Tighnari and Collei before reaching Sumeru City. The Archon Quests deliver plenty of engaging lore, with the initial goal here being to find Lesser Lord Kusanali, the current Dendro Archon. However, it’s the wealth of new gameplay-related updates that’ll have you coming back to Sumeru often.

The biggest game-changer in 3.0 is the addition of the Dendro element. This new, plant-based element creates powerful reactions when it comes in contact with Hydro, Electro, and Pyro. Dendro plus Hydro creates Bloom, which spawns Dendro Cores (small, green seeds) that can then be infused with Electro or Pyro; hitting a core with Electro causes Hyperbloom, sending homing Dendro projectiles at enemies, and hitting a core with Pyro causes Burgeon, which triggers an AOE Dendro explosion.

What’s interesting about these reactions, is that Hydro is needed in order to cause Bloom in the first place. If Bloom isn’t triggered, Pyro will simply burn Dendro-affected targets to do damage over time. Electro, on the other hand, triggers Quicken or Catalyze, then Aggravate to deal bonus damage on Dendro-affected targets. The potential damage increase from that Electro and Dendro synergy is what most players should be aiming for if they want to see numbers go up.

These reactions allow for so many more options when it comes to team building, even giving characters who are usually seen as weak, like Lisa, the opportunity to shine when paired with Dendro users. Sticking with that example, Lisa is able to constantly apply Electro at a rapid rate to continuously trigger Quicken, Catalyze, and Aggravate reactions. The same goes for any character who can reliably apply Electro, like Fischl–although, she’s been widely considered a great character for some time now.

Certain Hydro users are also amazing choices on Dendro teams thanks to the Bloom reaction. For instance, Kokomi should see her pick rate rise thanks to how easily and consistently she can apply the element, which is likely why she’s getting a rerun in version 3.0. And speaking of Hydro, the team resonance buff has changed, making it far more useful than it ever was. In 3.0, Hydro Resonance no longer has anything to do with healing, but instead, characters are affected by Pyro for 40% less time, and the party’s max HP increases by 25%. This is a huge deal for characters like Hu Tao, Kokomi, Xingqiu, or Zhongli who have powerful abilities that scale off of HP.

Tighnari using his Elemental Burst

As for who can use Dendro itself, Tighnari and Collei are both bow users with Dendro Visions, making them the only currently playable characters who can use the element. Tighnari can taunt enemies and easily apply Dendro in an AOE using his Elemental Skill, and Collei’s Burst is essentially a green version of Amber’s Baron Bunny that deals AOE Dendro damage–another relatively simple way to apply the element. HoYoverse recently showcased both Tighnari and Collei’s abilities in separate character trailers as part of the Sumeru rollout.

Lastly, Dendro Resonance is all about increasing the party’s Elemental Mastery. This resonance will raise the stat by 50, then again by an extra 20 or 30 depending on which Dendro-related reactions are triggered in battle.

Those who are looking to explore Sumeru’s sights and sounds outside of combat are in for a treat, as well. The region has a lot to offer, with giant forests, plentiful greenery, and underground pathways containing environmental puzzles and movement mechanics that’ll keep you exploring for days. Four-Leaf Sigils are the most notable new mechanic, as they allow players to quickly zip across long distances to skip potentially mind-numbing climbing and gliding. Even without the teased, time-gated desert zones, exploring Sumeru feels much like when Inazuma first went live and had us all traversing its islands in wonder. This is especially true if you pace yourself instead of rushing to 100% every area on day one. Take the time to stroll around Sumeru City, Port Ormos, the Ruins of Dahri, and everything in between. You won’t regret it.

Inside Sumeru City

However, even with all of these positives HoYoverse still hasn’t added much worthwhile endgame content for longtime players who will inevitably grow tired of finding new, creative ways to use the only two Dendro characters in the Abyss. I love seeing damage numbers go up as much as the next guy, but after a certain point, grinding for the Abyss is the only meaningful gameplay for some. Even those who care less about the Abyss will eventually get sick of hunting down chests and Dendro-themed collectibles. It’s true there’s plenty to do upon entering Sumeru, but how long will it be until players begin to log in just to complete their dailies again? As it stands, there’s still not a lot to look forward to outside of each new update, even for the most dedicated of fans.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Madden NFL 23’s Ultimate Team is back. The popular online mode is still all about pack pulls and odds that make Genshin Impact look like a Dave & Buster’s crane game, but it’s not impossible to build a dream squad that plays well above its overall without microtransactions. This year’s edition of MUT features a number of updated tools for sets, re-rolls, and power-ups, and newer additions like the Field Pass add value to new program cards and XP grinds on the weekend.

The first season in Ultimate Team is “All-Madden,” a September-long celebration of the G.O.A.T. that includes kick-off programs such as Headliners, Legends, Team Affinity, and Campus Heroes. The Season 1 Field Pass also adds 60 different tiers of free rewards and bundles packs and team uniforms with exclusive player items like 85 OVR Zach Cunningham, 87 OVR CeeDee Lamb, 89 OVR Stephon Gilmore, and a rare 91 OVR Dave “The Ghost” Casper.

Being “no money spent” in Madden is a “serenity now” moment in itself, so we have put together a cheat sheet on how to counter paywalls and H2H goons with your own creative spin on MUT 23.

For more tips, drills, and spirals, read our Madden NFL 23 review.

Do your daily missions

Dailies are often neglected because Twitch Drops are right there, but similar to Skills Trainer rewards, they’re mini accomplishments that take no time at all. Season 1’s objectives require MUT players to “Complete A Set”, “Purchase A Pack”, and “Record 200 Offensive Yards”, and crossing each one off unlocks one Random Strategy Item and one Daily Coin Quicksell. They don’t hold a lot of value, but either item can be sold for up to 25,000 coins (on a good day) and stacking daily objectives over time unlocks additional Season 1 XP–including 25,000 XP at 10 Days and 45,000 XP at 30 Days.

Level up with Field Passes

Field Passes are MUT 23’s answer to NBA 2K’s Seasons and MLB The Show’s Featured Programs–reward track systems that are leveled by playing Madden NFL 23 and used to unlock exclusive packs, coaches, and player items. There are three different types (Season, Competitive, Program) and each one complements the others with shared XP and stat-based missions that apply to new challenges, themed programs, and MUT Champions. They’re entirely optional, but they’re worth the time as they provide direction, an easier to-do list, and Field Pass LTDs like 86 OVR Headliners Derrick Brown.

Grind solos with Moss, Alstott, and Montana.

Get those challenges done

Solo Challenges are still the wave as they can be used as mid-snap tryouts for new legends, position upgrades, and QB cards that deserve second chances. For offline duos, it’s an easy way to get coins and Season XP for Field Passes, and for free-to-play veterans, it’s a daily ritual with Team Captains and rewards like 86 OVR All-Madden Team Randy Moss (OOP). It turns into a Binder Filler Generator at some point, but maxing out stars with each new set of challenges will farm additional XP for the current Season and its correlating Program Field Passes (i.e. Headliners, Campus Heroes).

Build your own dream team

There’s Headliners Donald Parham Jr., Nickel 3-3 Blitzes, TikTok builds, and an eBook metaverse that no one really knows about, but Ultimate Team is still about finding your niche. There is nothing that prevents you from adopting Run And Gun, West Coast, or 3-4 Under strategies to develop your own hybrid schemes–whether it’s Power Backs Only, TE Options All Day, or an Air It Out 2.0 with Team Affinity Joe Burrow slinging absolute darts to a themed-out, all-Bengals squad. MUT 23 is a lot more flexible than past versions of the mode ever were, and Week 1 matchups haven’t even kicked off yet.

There are methods to the MUT Auction House.

Find your way with auctions

Don’t let the price of 89 OVR Team Affinity Carlton Davis III fool you; there’s a lot to love about the MUT Auction House. Quick snipes on new releases? Check. Need items for set re-rolls? Bet. Trading low golds for new training upgrades? 100%, even though that’s what Twitch Drops are for. There are multiple ways to approach auctions instead of going the traditional buy/sell route and figuring out what works for your team build can help you maximize coin gains and theme team chemistries.

Grind Solos, H2Hs & MUT Champs

Madden 23 is still very much a grind, but in a better way this year. Playing Solo Battles, H2H Seasons, and MUT Champions can stack up XP and bragging rights, but it also counts toward progress in new reward tracks like the Competitive Field Pass. Competitive Points (CP) are used to level up and earn coins and additional Season XP, and if MUT Champs Entry Tokens aren’t your thing, there’s still a long list of free packs (Touchdown, Rookie Premiere) and limited player items like 88 OVR Trevor Lawrence. Competitive Passes refresh every other Monday and if all else fails, there’s still House Rules mode, which plays like Superstar KO but with a twist.

For more on Madden 23, don’t miss our complete guide to rosters and ratings for all 32 teams, our Madden 23 tips if you’re starting out, and our own list of all the game’s X-Factors and Superstars.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Announced during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, an “ambitious ” survival MMO set in the Dune universe is on its way. Dune: Awakening is the latest game from Conan Exiles developer Funcom and “takes inspiration from both Frank Herbert’s novels and Denis Villeneuve’s Academy Award-winning film while exploring exciting new possibilities in the franchise.” The game is set to release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

According to its press release, Dune: Awakening “combines the grittiness and creativity of survival games with the social interactivity of large-scale, persistent multiplayer games to create a unique and ambitious open-world survival MMO.” Player will get the chance to “head into unmapped sectors and be the first to discover secrets and riches before the coriolis storms once again shift the sands and alter the landscape, narrowly escape colossal sandworms, build your home from shelter to mighty base, and traverse the dunes in iconic vehicles from the universe.”

When not exploring Arrakis on foot, players can deploy their harvester and protect it from rival factions in “fast-paced, deadly combat that shifts seamlessly from armored groundcars to ornithopters in the sky.” The press release also mentions a sort of ranking within the game, which players can rise in through careful plotting and building influence.

“Dune: Awakening truly promises to bring the world of Dune to life in an exciting new way,” VP of Interactive Media at Legendary Entertainment Sam Rappaport said. “We are thrilled to be creating this with a partner like Funcom, who is so adept at capturing the rich detail and wonder of cinematic worlds for the gaming audience.”

Dune: Awakening is slated to come to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The game is currently available to wishlist on Steam, and Beta sign-ups are now live over on its official website.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News