Latest news with #openworld
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mafia: The Old Country will be less of an open-world game than Mafia 3 as the devs agree it was too much and didn't fit the series
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Mafia 3 is the much-derided, misunderstood entry that many fans point to as the series abandoning its roots and becoming something it shouldn't – and it looks like the developers agree. That's why the prequel game Mafia: The Old Country is ditching the open world and going back to a more linear mission structure. Even though both Mafia 1 and 2 feature large worlds that you can freely roam, neither is really considered an open-world game. That's because the story missions take place in a set order and there isn't much in the way of side activities, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… Anyway, according to a new interview from IGN, the developers agree with players that a full open-world filled with distractions isn't a good fit for the Mafia series. The negative response to 3, combined with the positive one for the 2020 Mafia: Definitive Edition remake of the original 2002 game, led Hangar 13 to reconsider its approach – not every game can be GTA, after all. Mafia: The Old Country is launching on August 8, 2025, and it serves as a prequel to the original trilogy. As the name suggests, we'll be heading back to the heart of the mobster society: 1900s Sicily. It's an action-adventure game with a heavy focus on stealth. Even though it's not an open-world game in the more modern sense, it will likely benefit from GTA 6's delay. There are only so many crime simulators we can stomach in quick succession. While you wait, check out our list of the best adventure games that you can sink your teeth into.
Geek Culture
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Ghost of Yōtei' Reveals Open World & Multi-Weapon Combat, And Limited Edition PlayStation Consoles
Sony and Sucker Punch Productions have unveiled a proper first-look at the upcoming open-world action-adventure sequel, Ghost of Yōtei , during a dedicated State of Play showcase for the game, offering a deep dive into the title's revamped world design and combat. The 20-minute gameplay presentation, narrated by Sucker Punch creative directors Jason Connell and Nate Fox, took fans through how the game has evolved in design since the studios acclaimed 2020 samurai adventure, Ghost of Tsushima . The trailer covered three major aspects of the upcoming game: Exploration, combat, and new gameplay modes. Perhaps the biggest shake-up to Ghost of Yōtei's core gameplay design compared to its predecessor is with regard to how players will progress through its open world. Ghost of Tsushima already featured a game-changing exploration system that integrated nature instead of the usual game HUD elements, but this time, the sequel takes things one step further, and according to Sucker Punch, 'focuses on player freedom more than any game'. Apart from returning elements such as yellow birds that will guide players to shrines that unlock abilities, Ghost of Yōtei will introduce a Clue system to tie together its main narrative instead of the usual waypoints, which direct players towards new locations depending on how they choose to explore the world. Clues can not only be gathered naturally during exploration, but also via interrogating enemies, which gives players a choice of multiple clues, each offering a new path and unique rewards to unlock. In the trailer, for example, players could choose between asking about the Oni, which unlocks the Ishikari Plain region and the Yari weapon, or the Kitsune, which unlocks the Teshio Ridge and the Kusarigama weapon. At any point while exploring, players can now pull out a spyglass to manually mark points of interest they come across, with the trailer teasing both returning side activities like Bamboo Strikes and Hot Springs, alongside new ones like painting, and a mini-game involving flicking coins across a table. Players will also be able to set up camps, which not only allows them to rest, cook food and play music, but also meet up with allies, a system which replaces the traditional journal known as Atsu's Wolf Pack, a more natural way to progress the story and build relationships with the supporting characters. With the game centred around protagonist Atsu's quest for vengeance against the Yōtei Six, a gang of ruffians who massacred her family, combat unsurprisingly plays a huge part in the experience. Unlike Jin Sakai from the previous game, Atsu isn't a samurai trained in honourable combat, giving her the freedom to use whatever tool and trick at her disposal to dispatch her foes. This leads to the game's revamped combat system, which revolves around the use of multiple weapons instead of different stances. Atsu will have access to five different melee weapons, including a traditional Katana, dual swords, a spear, a huge odachi and the kusarigama chain blade, each featuring its own moveset, upgrades, and effectiveness against different types of foes. Combat seems to offer the same familiar feel as the first title, although it has received a few new additions, such as a disarming system, a timing-based deflection technique similar to a parry that can disarm an enemy when timed correctly, or if not, can lead to Astu being disarmed herself. Ranged combat has also seen a new addition in the form of a rifle, with the trailer also teasing a companion system, showing the example of a wolf that assists in combat Ghost of Yōtei will also see the return of the fan-favourite Kurosawa Mode, alongside two new ways to play: Miike Mode, inspired by 13 Assassins director Takashi Miike, which pulls the game's camera in closer during combat while ramping up blood and mud effects, and Watanabe Mode, which features the audio works of Samurai Champloo anime director Shinichirō Watanabe, offering original lo-fi tracks to accompany exploration and combat. In a final surprise reveal, Sucker Punch also announced a special edition Ghost of Yōtei PS5 console and unique DualSense controllers, both which will be available at launch, further confirming the studio's confidence for Ghost of Yōtei to be one of the biggest game launches this year when it releases on 2 October 2025 for the PS5. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Ghost of Yotei PlayStation Sony sucker punch productions
Geek Vibes Nation
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
Why Lag-Free Hosting Matters In Palworld's Open-World Survival
Lag and Its Impact on Survival Gameplay Key Causes of Lag in Open-World Environments Choosing the Right Hardware and Network Setup Reliable Hosting Solutions Ongoing Maintenance and Performance Tuning The Role of Community Support and Updates Best Practices for Smooth Multiplayer Experiences In the diverse world of Palworld, every millisecond counts when exploring, battling, or taming creatures. Lag is more than a minor annoyance; it disrupts combat timing, causes missed opportunities, and can frustrate shared objectives. In open-world survival, unpredictable delays can easily mean the difference between thriving and losing valuable progress. Seamless connectivity supports fair competition and creates an immersive environment where quick reactions and teamwork matter. Investing in suitable Palworld Server Hosting is the simplest way to remove technology as a barrier, letting skill and strategy be the deciding factors in every adventure. High-performance servers ensure stable frame rates and minimal latency, even during large-scale battles or busy multiplayer sessions. With the right hosting setup, players can focus fully on exploring Palworld's rich environments and forming meaningful alliances without technical distractions. Key Causes of Lag in Open-World Environments Open-world games like Palworld challenge both hardware and network infrastructure. Frequent lag is often a combination of overloaded CPUs, insufficient RAM, slow hard drives, and especially internet connections that can't handle simultaneous data transfers for many players. PC Gamer's exploration of open-world game networking highlights that immense map sizes and complex AI demands require stable performance. Distance to the server, background processes, or heavy mod usage can amplify delays further. Every weak point in the chain can degrade the shared survival experience, making a stable foundation essential. Choosing the Right Hardware and Network Setup Selecting proper equipment greatly reduces performance issues before they start. A modern multi-core processor, at least 8GB of RAM, and a solid-state drive will keep game processes running smoothly. However, strong server specs can't compensate for limited internet speed or unstable connections. Upload bandwidth is vital in multiplayer titles, ensuring players sync actions and events in real time. Those looking to grow their community or run large public sessions may benefit from referring to GamesRadar's server performance optimization guide to choose hardware that scales with growing player needs. Reliable Hosting Solutions High-quality hosting makes all the difference in Palworld's open-world survival. Unlike hobby servers at home, professional hosts provide dedicated resources, powerful connections, and consistent uptime. The structure of dedicated hosting is designed to withstand heavy usage, unexpected traffic bursts, and technical hiccups that often crash household networks. Providers specializing in game servers also offer essential support—troubleshooting, monitoring, and rapid fixes—so players aren't stranded during key moments. Opting for a dedicated provider ensures a stable experience and builds trust within the gaming community. Ongoing Maintenance and Performance Tuning Even the best setup needs regular oversight to stay lag-free. Scheduled restarts, timely software updates, and consistent backups keep worlds secure and responsive. Proactive monitoring tools can alert admins to bottlenecks long before they disrupt players. Game updates often address security vulnerabilities and add new features that require maintenance, so a routine plan is crucial. Unused mods, excessive logs, and cluttered worlds should be pruned regularly to free up valuable resources. Maintenance is an investment in a server's longevity and reliability. The Role of Community Support and Updates No server operates in isolation. Community support—whether in forums, Discord channels, or via official documentation—offers practical fixes and advice for unusual performance hiccups. Real-time feedback from players helps spot invisible issues, giving admins a direct line to the experience of regular users. In fast-moving titles like Palworld, staying up to date with developer news and patch notes is equally critical. This ensures compatibility, optimizes resources, and keeps everyone enjoying the latest content together. Best Practices for Smooth Multiplayer Experiences Balance, clarity, and consistency are the cornerstones of great multiplayer sessions. Select hardware that can scale, prioritize security and stability, and never underestimate the value of quality hosting. Keep communication lines open for fast troubleshooting and lean on community knowledge for ongoing improvement. Ultimately, lag-free play creates the freedom to fully immerse in Palworld's vast open world, letting every survival story unfold without technical limits holding players back.
Digital Trends
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
I wasn't a fan of Mario Kart World's free roam mode until I changed my perspective
Long before Mario Kart World was announced, I theorized what Nintendo's next spin on the franchise would be. Mario Kart 8 introduced anti-gravity, and Mario Kart 7 brought us hang gliders, so I was curious what angles were left to explore that would keep the core kart racing experience intact. As we know now, that turned out to be one giant interconnected map that players are free to explore with no boundaries or time limits. As interesting as that idea was on paper, I remained a little skeptical due to the lack of details Nintendo gave about what exactly I would be doing in this world. The last trailers showed off a few challenges and collectibles, but I wasn't convinced that was enough to justify the new open-world design. My first week with the game only reinforced that feeling. However, I realized my own expectations were at fault — not the game — and have come to appreciate Mario Kart World's world for what it is. Recommended Videos Exploring is its own reward Modern open-world games have trained me to expect a million things to do and some little reward hidden under every rock. Even though most of it amounts to busywork that may actually hurt the overall experience (and is a big reason why I have been training myself to be less of a completionist), it feels like a disappointment when a game like Mario Kart World launches with a world that is almost completely empty. It isn't fair to compare them, but I can't deny that Zelda's masterful take on open-world design didn't influence my expectations as well. Nintendo typically isn't a developer that does things in half measures. We have plenty of examples of franchises it is willing to leave dormant until it comes up with a way to evolve it. If it was going to transition Mario Kart World into a fully open-world game, it must have something there to justify it, right? I wanted to believe that Mario Kart World's world would be something it wasn't, which set me up for disappointment when I finally took my kart off-road to explore. Despite being told what to expect in all the footage and previews, I was still deflated to find only scattered challenges and some basic collectibles around the world that gave me lackluster rewards. After an hour or so puttering around, I abandoned the mode for the much more interesting Knockout Tour. A few days later I found myself reminiscing about older Mario Kart games and dusted off a fragment of a memory from decades ago. I never owned Mario Kart 64 but have a distinct memory of playing it at a friend's house. We were playing on Royal Raceway and noticed that one part of the track had us driving by Peach's Castle. The next lap, I broke off the main road and realized I could approach and explore the grounds around the castle just like in Mario 64. There's no way to get inside the castle (trust me, I tried), or anything to do at all here, but it still felt like I had discovered something special — like I found something the developers didn't expect me to. That memory made something click when I returned to Mario Kart World. Instead of treating the open-world as a delivery method for tasks and rewards, I started viewing it as a space for exploring. I started to find its laid-back approach to activities refreshing in an era where games constantly bombard me with checklists and dopamine loops. Instead of expecting some unlockable or collectible at the top of a hill and feeling like I wasted my time when there wasn't, I let myself appreciate the sense of discovery I was afforded. It brings me back to that time when I believed that if I could just get beyond that wall or over that cliff in a video game, there would be an entire world beyond waiting to be explored. I can understand why many may be disappointed with Mario Kart World's world — I certainly was. Once I started looking for intrinsic rewards rather than extrinsic, the very act of exploring became my motivation to drive up that mountain or across that body of water. I still don't see myself spending hours here now that I've been almost everywhere I felt compelled to explore, but just shifting my expectations allowed me to enjoy exploring for its own sake. Mario Kart World is out now on Nintendo Switch 2.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
15 years later, Red Dead Redemption's John Marston is playing the open-world cowboy game for the first time and reveals why "John is screaming at people for no reason" when riding a horse
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Rob Wiethoff, the man who plays John Marston in Red Dead Redemption, is finally playing the game for the first time ever, live streaming the PC version of the RPG for our entertainment. As part of that, he has revealed why John seems to be shouting every time he's riding with someone on horseback, even if they're right next to him. "We did performance capture for this game too, but during moments like this, when you're riding with someone, riding and talking, this was actually recorded in a sound booth," Wiethoff explains. Now, I know Weithoff is the actor for John, but it's uncanny how much he just naturally sounds like him. I always assumed he was putting on a voice when he was actually working on John, but now I think that's just how he talks. "What I have seen on here, which is so funny, is that John is screaming at people, for no reason sometimes [...] I remember them saying, 'You have to say your lines in a way that they would definitely be heard even if you are riding at a full gallop next to a freight train in a thunderstorm.' So just really scream them out loud because you definitely want the other person to hear you." As an open world game with dynamic weather and day and night cycles, there really could be times when that exact scenario was happening, so John would need to be shouting to be heard. But it doesn't make much sense for him to be screaming when you're trotting next to someone on a nice sunny day. "But that was before [Rockstar] had the technology they have now, where if you're within a certain distance, the game knows it somehow and it will use the quieter version," Wiethoff says. "So in the second game we recorded everything twice, in this game we just did it once. John Marston John Marstoning from r/reddeadredemption As well as regaling us with tales of how the game was made, it turns out Weitoff's a real-life cowboy, because he shoots a hat out of the air without dead eye in the tutorial level for the game's iconic mechanic. "Come on, throw it!" he shouts just before a character tosses their hat in the air. Then, without using dead eye like he's supposed to, he simply aims up and shoots the thing. "Oh ho hooooo, I thought I missed it," he shouts excitedly. Maybe the loudness in the first game isn't actually due to technical reasons after all. After that trip down memory lane, check out our list of the best retro games of all time.
