Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the newest installment in the Final Fantasy VII remake project and one of 2024's most-anticipated games, tells the tale of main protagonist Cloud Strife and his loyal companions who explore a massive world outside Midgar, the city of Mako, as they pursue Sephiroth, one of the most iconic antagonists in video game history.

Ahead of the full game's release on February 29, the demo releasing today allows you to not only take control of the protagonist, Cloud, but take full control of the legendary swordsman Sephiroth in battle. You will be able to play as Sephiroth as part of the extended flashback section, as Cloud recalls an earlier mission in his career as a Soldier - the Nibelheim incident. Taking place several years before the events of the game, this will set the stage for several important moments within Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. What's more, we're planning to release an update later this month that will allow you to explore part of the Junon region before the release of the full game on February 29. We hope you'll take this opportunity to venture into the world of Final Fantasy VII!

In dev diary #1, Alex Skidmore, Project Creative Director at The Chinese Room (TCR) wrote about the first game pillar "Feel like a Vampire," which sets the player fantasy as a guiding light for creative decisions. We've shown a lot of combat so far to give you a taste of the power and flow. What you've seen is influenced by the second game pillar: "Visceral, Immersive Combat" which directs the action gameplay. Today, Alex is back to share his thoughts on this important part of the Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2.

When designing Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 combat the goal was to create an action experience that can compete with modern titles. We think of it in three main gameplay styles we want to offer to you all - existing Bloodlines fans, and players who are new to the World of Darkness. The 1st playstyle we at TCR call the Strategic Stalker: as the name reflects, fans of more strategic combat experiences where staying hidden and using the element of surprise is key will get their vampire predator fantasy. Did you enjoy the Dishonored series, or playing stealth-focused builds in Fallout or Elder Scrolls games? Me too! It gives you time to prepare what Discipline power you'd like to use and when. Once your plan is ready, summoning the powers of the blood, sneaking up on an enemy, distracting them, feeding on them before a fight breaks out or hit and run tactics are options for people who love to play this way.

As we enter the last week of the year, as well as the Christmas and New Years period, we also have the slowest week of new game releases of the entire year. That said, there are still some new games being released, whether they're worth your Christmas money or not, is an entirely different story. Here's looking forward to many new, great game releases in 2024.

Sealed Gate / Monday 25 December
Sealed Gate is a medieval fantasy game where players are immersed in a huge and interesting world full of dangers and mysteries. The game has various systems such as combat system, crafting, professions, magic system, resource extraction system and much more. The combat system is based on dynamic real-time battles where players can choose between different fighting styles using weapons and magic in combination with each other. Crafting allows players to create various items using resources found during the exploration of the world, such as weapons, armor and tools.

As we enter the second to last week of the year, we're entering one of the slowest periods of the year when it comes to new game releases. This week's major release is an Unreal Engine 5 first person shooter, of sorts. As for what else is coming out this month, there's a truly eclectic mix of games, ranging from being an engineer to building a penguin empire (yes, you read that correctly). Then we have yet another zombie survival game, a game where you get to play dictator and finally you have the chance to dive down the abyss old school style.

Railbreak / This week's major release / Friday 22 December
How do our heroes detox after a stressful week of surviving a zombie apocalypse? The stars of Dead Drop Studios' upcoming Outbreak: Shades of Horror, Lydia and Hank, enjoy an entertaining night out to test a hot new arcade game! What's better than slaughtering zombies day in and day out? Laying waste to bright pink ones with heavy artillery, of course!

As it's getting darker in the northern hemisphere, we're seeing a continuing stream of new game releases and this week's AAA title appears to involve hammers and ruins of some kind. The rest of this week's releases includes tiny civilizations, rhythms, faith, flashbacks and a Japanese game. Take a gander below to see if there's something for you or maybe you're suffering from new game release overload already?

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin / This week's AAA title / Friday 17 November
Wage a campaign of brutal conquest in this realm-shattering real-time strategy game set in the Warhammer Age of Sigmar universe. Explore the nature of war from the perspectives of righteous champions and villainous warlords. Battle for survival and dominance across a campaign featuring four major factions, including Stormcast Eternals, Orruk Kruleboyz, Nighthaunt and the Disciples of Tzeentch! Experience a cinematic plot, penned in conjunction with acclaimed Black Library author, Gavin Thorpe.

Hello everyone! We—11 bit studios—are excited to share with you the latest trailer. Have a first look at the gameplay and meet the game's protagonist(s)! The Alters is a base-building survival game driven by life-defining choices and exploring the diverse paths one could take. The inhospitable planet where Jan crash-landed is turning toward a massive sun, causing radiation levels to soar; in this desperate race against time, Jan must harness local Rapidium crystals to create his many versions: the "alters".

Set within an ever-moving mobile base, both teamwork and building a wide range of expertise are indispensable for survival. By selecting diverging paths for the other Jans during the alteration process, they acquire distinct skill sets. They become invaluable, not only for maintaining the base, but also for tasks like cooking, crafting tools for surface exploration, and gathering essential resources.

The Crew Motorfest is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC, and is included with a Ubisoft+ subscription. At launch, the game has over 600 available vehicles, 15 themed Playlists, and four PvP game modes for players to participate in, and it all takes place on the Hawai'ian island of O'ahu. Get ready to speed down the streets of Honolulu, soar above volcanoes in a plane, cruise along the beach in boats, customize your vehicles, and so much more in a game designed to be a car-culture celebration. With everything The Crew Motorfest has to offer, here are our top five ideas for what to check out first:

Experience Motorfest
Motorfest is a car-culture festival, and its grounds will serve as the heart of your experience. At the festival, you'll be able to see massive decorations, murals, inflatables and lot more, designed to honor O'ahu and car culture; show off your car collection; kick off the game's themed campaigns, called Playlists; and participate in online game modes including the Grand Race, Demolition Royale, Summit Contest, and Custom Show. As you explore Motorfest, you'll also see other players driving by, showing off their custom rides as they take part in the festivities as well, and deepening the sense of car-culture community.

If you've ever dreamed of launching into space and exploring new worlds, a much-anticipated new video game can take you there in rich detail and immersive storytelling. With Starfield, the first new universe from Bethesda Game Studios in 25 years, your role-playing journey can lead to more than 1,000 planets. It's available day one on Xbox Game Pass on Sept. 6, and on Xbox Series X|S consoles, Windows PCs and Steam.

"We love the idea of exploring space and always wanted to turn it into a game. People love to get lost in games we build, and we do as well," says Todd Howard, game director and executive producer of Bethesda Game Studios, which Microsoft acquired through parent company ZeniMax Media in 2021. "This one is easily the most ambitious one we've built. It's something we've really poured ourselves into over a long period of time."

Get your climbing gear ready - Jusant launches on October 31st 2023 on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Play it day one on Xbox Game Pass too! In Jusant, you'll experience a meditative journey to reach the top of an immeasurably tall tower and uncover clues. Challenge yourself at your own pace, explore different paths, and unravel the secrets left behind from a bygone civilization with the help of a mysterious companion made entirely out of water.

The reception to Jusant has been fantastic since its initial announcement and it's really been wonderful for us to see your excitement and to hear your thoughts and feedback on the demo. In celebration, we're putting the demo back up on Steam so as many as people as possible who want to play, can. So whether you missed it the first time, or simply wanna play again, it's available to play right now!

Hey Everyone! We're delighted to reveal Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, based on the off-road experience with the most advanced physics by the creators of the critically acclaimed SnowRunner! Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive partner once again to bring a new game in the MudRunner franchise. After gathering more than 15 million players with MudRunner and SnowRunner, the studio returns with Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, a new entry in the series that will push the boundaries of the franchise's iconic off road experiences.

With Expeditions, you'll recognize elements that define the MudRunner experience - untamed lands, difficult terrains, and unprecedented vehicle-driving physics - while pushing the formula even further. As shown in last week's Gamescom reveal trailer, Expeditions is a real call to adventure, where you'll utilize newly gadget-packed vehicles and an expert crew to explore uncharted gorgeous landscapes and discover breathtaking landmarks.

Hello, it's unbelievable to me that it has been SEVEN years since No Man's Sky was released, and to celebrate today we are releasing our largest update of the year - No Man's Sky ECHOES. Our aim with ECHOES has been to breathe new life into the universe, with a new robotic race, our first race introduced since launch in 2016. We have also overhauled space combat with a focus on creating truly epic space battles, introducing freighter-to-freighter battles for the first time.

In ECHOES Travellers will discover a never seen before, long-hidden race of robots with rich new story content. Engage in robot assignments and rituals to earn a huge array of mechanical parts to create your own robotic avatar. New pirate freighters bring huge space battles to the universe. Defend fleets from pirates. Fly through enemy trenches to sabotage their shields, and destroy them!

Lords of the Fallen beckons with an all-new 18-minute Extended Gameplay Presentation. Witness exhilarating combat in vast sprawling lands, calamitous boss fights that call for the utmost of nerves, and the ever-looming threat that spills darkness into this world. Set your gaze below..."The team at Hexworks is thrilled to finally share an extended gameplay presentation and reveal numerous new details of our dark fantasy action-RPG," said Saul Gascon, Head of Studio. "We have passionately carved our own path in this increasingly popular genre, and we are particularly excited to see how players will approach the game's unique dual-world mechanic when it releases this October."

Explore two, vast interconnected worlds
Mournstead stands ever parallel, luring all would-be adventurers who seek righteous glory. This vast and sprawling world of Lords of the Fallen beckons for exploration, from the ascending cliff face of Pilgrim's Perch, to the ever-burning city of Calrath. As you venture into the rich world of Lords of the Fallen, you will uncover that each major environment is interconnected with at least two others, offering freedom to forge your own path, that aligns with your story. Be warned As the lamp-bearer, take great caution when you embark on your journey, for it will be perilous, fraught with unspeakable dangers, however, those who bargain with their life can uncover a realm teeming with untold treasures.

Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update XIV: Central Eastern Europe captures the majesty, charm and allure of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The region bristles with history, architectural wonders, and stunning scenery. The Central Eastern Europe countries beckon exploration from above with never-before-seen fidelity.

Microsoft Flight Simulator assembled fresh, full-coverage aerial imagery, digital elevation data and more from our partners at Bing Maps and Maxar to create this update. World Update XIV includes 103 points of interest (POIs): 18 in Czechia, 15 in Slovakia, 19 in Hungary, 15 in Slovenia, 23 in Croatia, and 13 in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Castles, towers, and churches, among other sights, all brilliantly reproduced and awaiting discovery from the air in this update.

Sabotage was founded with a clear goal: presenting our own definitive editions of the game genres we grew up playing. By combining retro aesthetics and modern design, we shoot for experiences that capture what we love about games of old while leaving behind the elements we feel might hold them back today. We knew from the beginning that out-of-combat controls would be an important aspect to tackle for our modernized take on classic turn-based RPGs, and one of the pillars of Sea of Stars.

Sea of Stars will be available as a PlayStation Plus Game Catalog title on launch day
We're extremely excited to confirm that Sea of Stars will be joining the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog catalog (available for all Extra and Premium members) on launch day, August 29. It's incredible for us to imagine how many more players worldwide will experience Sea of Stars and join the conversation around our project. After working on this game that is so dear to us for five years, we're now only a few weeks away from release, and we're happy to share this moment with the PlayStation community.

Hello, Crusaders! Less than a week to the release of Tours & Tournaments! On May 11, you will be able to travel through your realm to check on your vassals. Attend royal weddings to demonstrate your loyalty to a distant lord. Or, if you are brave enough, enter competitions of body or mind in tournaments. As always, there are no guarantees, and danger still lurks around every corner. But with great risk, comes great renown...

Life is a journey of chivalric adventure, so why don't you embrace yours, ruler?
Create your very own epic story with the major expansion, Crusader Kings III: Tours & Tournaments. Be awed by the sights and events that await you, from bold, mock combat in the jousting area to adventuring perilous wilds with your royal entourage.

INTERCEPTOR: INTRODUCING UPDATE 4.2 - Venture to forsaken Sentinel worlds in update 4.2, INTERCEPTOR! Explore corrupted planets, fight a legion of challenging new robotic guardians, hijack their technology, steal their ships, harvest their resources, destroy their freighters, and much, much more! It's been lovely to watch our players enjoying what Fractal (our first No Man's Sky update of 2023) had to offer and it's been thrilling to watch you all cruising around in your shiny new Utopia Speeders and filling up your Wonders Catalogues with your latest discoveries.

Barely six weeks later and we are delighted to launch another major update for No Man's Sky, and it's one of our largest in recent memory. We're calling Interceptor, with a brand new class of incredibly varied Starship, a bunch of new gameplay features, new world variants and a ton of new content! The ever-present tyrants of universe enforcement, the Sentinels, have become prey to a corruption that is spreading through their factions. Only the bravest Travellers will dare venture to forsaken Sentinel worlds to investigate. Those that do, however, will find abandoned encampments to explore, intriguing crystals to harvest and, for the most persistent, the blueprints for a hitherto undiscovered Sentinel Interceptor starship which come in a huge variety of models.