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🎮 Multi-platformSilent Hill: Townfall Dev Wants Players To Discuss Its Story Mysteries For Decades
One way to gauge the success of a game is by looking at how much talk it generates after launch, and in the case of Silent Hill Townfall(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/silent-hill-townfall-release-date-trailers-everything-we-know/1100-6538407/), game director Jon McKellan has an ambitious goal for the Scottish psychological-horror. According to McKellan, the team at Screen Burn is looking to give players just the right amount of story. By maintaining an air of mystery and ambiguity, it will create a launchpad for people to discuss the themes and plot beats of Silent Hill Townfall for years to come. "It's a hard--definitely a hard balance--and you won't know until you've released, you know? It's like, we can never unsee what we've seen and unknow what we know, so we think we've struck a balance of never being too explicit, never giving people the true canonical answer, like there's still enough ambiguity there to make people want to dig in," McKellan said to GameSpot. "Silent Hill 2 is a game that people are still theorizing about 20 years later. We want to be in that camp. And if we do that, if we're too explicit, we'll miss that, and if we don't do enough, no one will care. So, it's a hard line to walk, but, yeah, we just do the best we can to try and thread that needle." https://youtu.be/OLV6S7j8vZk So what makes Silent Hill 2 the subject of dissection, so many years after it was first released? It's been the subject of many essays over the years, with people unraveling its approach to psychological horror and how it uses the titular town of Silent Hill as a manifestation of the human psyche. Protagonist James Sunderland regularly encounters creatures that represent his guilt and grief; the iconic Pyramid Head represents Sunderland's subconscious desire to be punished, and the entire experience is a surreal trip that would make Twin Peaks creator David Lynch proud. The game was also a massive departure from other horror games of the time, delivering a deep and experimental approach to the genre. We'll have to wait until September 24 to see how successful this approach was, but for now, it's looking like it could be proof of a renaissance moment for the franchise(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/silent-hill-townfall-could-be-proof-of-the-franchises-renaissance-moment/). For more details on the game, you can check out why it's in first-person(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-why-silent-hill-townfall-is-a-first-person-game/) and just why Konami is pumping out(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/konami-wants-you-to-know-how-serious-it-is-about-silent-hill/) so many new Silent Hill games lately.
🎮 Multi-platformHere’s Why Silent Hill: Townfall Is A First-Person Game
Silent Hill: Townfall(https://www.gamespot.com/games/silent-hill-townfall/) makes some big changes from the usual Silent Hill experience that fans have come to expect, not only with its Scottish setting, but also with its first-person perspective. While this gameplay style is unusual for Silent Hill (we still remember you, PT), it turns out there was really no debate about whether it was right for Townfall. Speaking at a media roundtable event that GameSpot attended, director Jon McKellan said that from the very start, Silent Hill: Townfall was planned as a first-person game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm1Z1IFTtX4 "It was first-person from day one for us," McKellan said. "Our previous games were first-person, and the stuff I'd worked on before that was first-person, so it's something we felt we understood and knew pretty well." Yet developer Screen Burn's familiarity with first-person games wasn't the only factor that contributed to this decision. McKellan went on to explain that one of the game's central mechanics, Simon's handheld CRTV, also necessitated this perspective. As with previous Silent Hill titles' radios, Townfall's CRTV serves as a means for solving puzzles and finding threats in survival-horror game. However, the tool's visual nature meant utilizing the device outside of a first-person perspective felt "out of place." "You know, there is no way to hold that in front of the player in third-person without having to render it onto a UI, and that starts to feel like a mini-map, you know--something that feels really out of place for Silent Hill," McKellan added. "So for us, the combination of those features was like, 'This feels like the right way to go.'" Prior to its work on Silent Hill: Townfall, Screen Burn developed the games Stories Untold and Observation. McKellan was also an artist on Alien: Isolation, which certainly made the most of its first-person perspective. Silent Hill: Townfall releases for PS5 and PC on September 24.
🎮 Multi-platformSilent Hill: Townfall Devs Were Given The Freedom To Make Their Own Kind Of Horror
Glasgow-based developer Screen Burn has been around for over a decade, and Silent Hill: Townfall(https://www.gamespot.com/games/silent-hill-townfall/) is the studio's highest-profile game to date. The studio has produced a few cult-classics over the years like Stories Untold and Observation, but with its Silent Hill spin-off, the team has described being handed the keys to Konami's premier survival-horror franchise as a "confidence builder." Silent Hill Townfall was announced during Konami's dedicated 2022 livestream for the series, which also saw the announcement of the games Silent Hill f and Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 remake. According to Silent Hill Townfall game director Jon McKellan, Screen Burn was largely given free rein over the project, with oversight on it being focused on making certain that the game complemented its spooky brethren. https://youtu.be/OLV6S7j8vZk "We had our head down for the majority of this. Like, I think even from the first teaser in 2022 when all the games were kind of announced at the same time, you know, working with these guys, it's always been easy. It's always been kind of letting us cook, so to speak, like just we had talked through story, we talked through the vibes and the goals of the game that we had, and these guys were obviously making sure that nothing overlapped too much or that things would kind of like complement each other in a way." "We weren't kind of like connected to Silent Hill 2, to Silent Hill F--like we weren't getting involved in that or really aware of what was happening. We were just kind of like making sure that we were focused on our game and that we trusted these guys to raise anything if it was a concern, should the games not complement each other in some way or overlap too much. Overall, it felt like it gave us the creative freedom to do what we do, and knowing there's a little bit of oversight there to make sure we don't like accidentally make the same story as another one, given that we're all drawing from the same pool of reference." The release of Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill F has also been a "net positive" for Screen Burn, and while the studio knows that it's being expected to live up to the high standard set by those games, the warm reception to those titles has left the developer feeling confident. "I think just as Silent Hill 2 was coming out, like seeing what they'd done and being like--as a fan of the original--being blown away by what they did with the remake," McKellan said. "And then with Silent Hill F, the left turn that took is just great to see. It gave us confidence as well, seeing those games do really well, it gave us confidence that people were accepting of the new Silent Hill and that the fans were here for it. So, it's always been like a confidence builder for us. Now the spotlight's on us, so now we're terrified! But yeah, it's been overall a net positive, like we've enjoyed being part of the franchise, obviously, and happy to be the next installment." Unlike the previous games, Silent Hill Townfall is a first-person survival-horror. It does share one idea with Silent Hill f, moving the series out of the US and taking it to the fictional Scottish town of St. Amelia. For more on the game, you can read up on why Konami has published so many Silent Hill games lately(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/konami-wants-you-to-know-how-serious-it-is-about-silent-hill/), Screen Burn's ambition to make people talk about Townfall for the next 20 years(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/silent-hill-townfall-dev-wants-players-to-discuss-its-story-mysteries-for-decades/), and the decision to make it a first-person experience(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-why-silent-hill-townfall-is-a-first-person-game/).
🎮 Multi-platformBG3 third-person camera mod completely changes how you play Baldur's Gate 3
Modder Relysia has released a new way to explore Faerûn. A true over-the-shoulder camera angle means it's time to play Baldur's Gate 3 again!
🎮 Multi-platformHow to get a Dawntrail (Phantom) relic weapon in FFXIV
If you want to make Dawntrail’s Phantom relic weapon, you don’t necessary have to participate in the Occult Crescent. We explain how to make the weapon here.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformDouble Fine lays off 23 after leaving Xbox Game Studios
Psychonauts 2 and Keeper developer Double Fine has laid off developers following its split from Xbox, founder Tim Schafer confirms.
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformA Chance To Get Behind The Wheel Of Crazy Taxi: World Tour Is Coming Soon
Those itching to take Crazy Taxi: World Tour(https://www.gamespot.com/games/crazy-taxi-world-tour/) for a test drive can now sign up for their chance, as developer Sega has announced a multiplayer closed network test. Crazy Taxi: World Tour's closed network test will run September 11-13 in the US. Those interested will need to sign up on the game's website(https://www.sega.com/crazy-taxi/crazy-taxi-world-tour?tab=closed-network-test) by August 31. The test will be available on all of Crazy Taxi: World Tour's announced platforms (Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5), though Sega states on its website that certain platforms "may have limited participant capacity." The announcement of the network test comes alongside a new trailer highlighting the game's West Coast, a location that will look familiar to fans of Sega's manic driving franchise but will be just one of its playable locations. It is called "World Tour" after all, though Sega has not yet announced additional locales as of yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XordDIexPAQ Crazy Taxi: World Tour was announced as part of the Xbox Games Showcase(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-showcase-2026-all-the-biggest-announcements-so-far/) in June, with its debut trailer featuring a classic song(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-crazy-taxi-game-revealed-using-that-classic-offspring-song/) from the original Crazy Taxi that is most often associated with the series, The Offspring's 'All I Want.' However, Sega quickly found itself in hot water after it was revealed by the game's Steam page that Crazy Taxi: World Tour was made in part with generative AI(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crazy-taxi-world-tour-uses-generative-ai-sega-reveals/). A blurb on the Steam page states "We use generative AI as a support tool for developers, aiming to provide better content to our users and enable developers to focus on creative tasks." In a statement to Game Informer, Sega said it used gen AI to develop background assets. Franchise creator Kenji Kanno later defended the studio's use of AI(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crazy-taxi-world-tour-dev-defends-genai-use/) in an interview, stating that the team used gen AI to generate ideas and as a reference, but that actual in-game assets were being created by humans. World Tour will be the first mainline entry in the Crazy Taxi franchise since 2002's Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller, and is slated to release in 2027.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformDouble Fine Announces Layoffs Following Split From Xbox
!Game Informer News(https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/28/27750a01/double-fine-logo.jpg.webp) Psychonauts developer Double Fine Productions was among the five studios spun off from Xbox(https://gameinformer.com/2026/07/06/xbox-parts-ways-with-five-studios-over-3000-layoffs-announced) as part of its ongoing restructuring, and while it (thankfully) avoided closure, the divorce has forced the team to make cuts. Specifically, the studio has announced the departures of 23 staff members. In a post shared on social media(https://bsky.app/profile/doublefine.com/post/3mrq3vfqkf22s), Double Fine head/founder Tim Schafer writes, “As a small, tightly-knit team, these actions are not taken lightly. Only the survival of our studio would ever make us consider such a painful action. Our transition to becoming an independent company also means becoming a size that we can sustain.” Double Fine states it is working with affected staff “as best we can” during their transition. > image or embed(https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:glsdjfik6engaeolekhvhqfb/post/3mrq3vfqkf22s?refsrc=embed) > > — Double Fine (@doublefine.com(https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:glsdjfik6engaeolekhvhqfb?refsrc=embed)) July 28, 2026 at 3:01 PM(https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:glsdjfik6engaeolekhvhqfb/post/3mrq3vfqkf22s?refsrc=embed) Double Fine was granted independence from Xbox alongside South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games earlier this month; both studios retained their IP and game catalogs as part of the split. Xbox also spun off three other studios; Ninja Theory and Undead Labs were sold to unspecified buyers, and Arkane Studios' fate remains up in the air as it undergoes mandatory consultation in France. Double Fine's most recent release is the pottery-themed multiplayer party game Kiln(https://gameinformer.com/xbox-developer-direct/2026/01/22/double-fine-announces-online-multiplayer-pottery-brawler-kiln), which launched in April. Under Xbox's ownership, the team shipped Psychonauts 2(https://gameinformer.com/review/psychonauts-2/psychonauts-2-review-well-worth-the-wait) in 2021 and Keeper(https://gameinformer.com/review/keeper/surreal-wonder) in 2025.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox reveals Gamescom lineup including Fable, Alien Isolation 2
Microsoft is bringing quite a few heavy hitters to Gamescom 2026, including Xbox ggames Fable, Alien Isolation 2, and Stranger than Heaven.
🎮 Multi-platformStardew Valley's influence on cozy games is finally coming to an end
After 10 years of cozy farm games copying Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon-style character stories, we're starting to see a much-needed change
🎮 Multi-platformThere Are No Minigames In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword, But It Sounds Like The Phantom Realm Is Back
!Game Informer News(https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/15/766c7c28/380onimusha05.jpg.webp) Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer(https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/07/21/cover-reveal-onimusha-way-of-the-sword), and after traveling to Osaka, Japan, last month to visit Capcom’s HQ, play the game, and interview the team, I’m excited to bring you weeks of exclusive coverage. Subscribers can read my cover story right now(https://gameinformer.com/Onimusha), but you clicked on this link because you want to read about minigames. Minigames were more abundant in previous generations of games, and considering all four previously released Onimusha games launched between 2001 and 2006, it’s no surprise they featured these gameplay tangents. Onimusha: Warlords featured Oni Spirits; Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny featured the Puzzle Phantom Realm, The Man In Black, and Team Oni minigames; Players could play the Genma Puzzle Space, Oni Target Practice, and Adventures of Heihachi minigames in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege; and finally, Onimusha 4: Dawn of Dreams featured just one minigame in Arena. While these minigames might be relics of game development past, I was still curious if Onimusha: Way of the Sword would continue the lineage when it launches this September. Director Satoru Nihei quickly shattered my hopes and dreams, stating I won’t find any “minigames that you associate with” previous Onimusha games. “We really wanted to focus on the swordplay action there, so we didn’t put any extra time into minigames,” he says. Bummer, but, as any Onimusha fan knows, the Phantom Realm is a bit of a minigame itself in these games. As far back as Onimusha: Warlords, you start on a floor in the Phantom Realm and demons/Genma/Oni arrive to kill you – you must kill them all, collect the potential rewards that drop, and advance to the next floor. Reaching and completing the final floor comes with a powerful reward. When I ask Nihei if the Phantom Realm is in Onimusha: Way of the Sword in this capacity, he looks at producer Akihito Kadowaki beside him, they smile, and then he says, “Hmm, we’ll see.” !Game Informer News(https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/25/918a3338/onimushawotsssdohatsu.jpg.webp) While not confirmation, it’s exactly the kind of cheeky answer that tells me I might be onto something, so I’m choosing to let the copium flow through my veins. I’ll be diving deeper into Capcom’s return to Onimusha as part of Game Informer’s month of Way of the Sword coverage. We’ll be publishing exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes videos (including a Rapid-Fire Interview) on the Game Informer YouTube channel(https://www.youtube.com/@gameinformer) as well. Keep an eye on the Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub(https://gameinformer.com/Onimusha) so you don’t miss any of it. In the meantime, here’s some additional Onimusha: Way of the Sword reading for you: - Puzzle Boxes Are Gone In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword, But Bigger Environmental Puzzles Have Taken Their Place(https://gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2026/07/22/puzzle-boxes-are-gone-in-onimusha-way-of-the-sword-but-bigger) - Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Isn’t Connected To Previous Games, But There Are Homages(https://gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2026/07/22/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-isnt-connected-to-previous-games-but-there) - How Capcom Decided On Miyamoto Musashi For Its Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Protagonist(https://gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2026/07/22/how-capcom-decided-on-miyamoto-musashi-for-its-onimusha-way-of-the) - Why 2026 Was The Year To Bring Onimusha Back After A 20-Year Gap(https://gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2026/07/20/why-2026-was-the-year-to-bring-onimusha-back-after-a-20-year-gap) - Why Kyoto Was The Perfect Setting For Onimusha: Way Of The Sword(https://gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2026/07/20/why-kyoto-was-the-perfect-setting-for-onimusha-way-of-the-sword) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Cover Reveal(https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/07/16/cover-reveal-onimusha-way-of-the-sword) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Digital Issue(https://gameinformer.com/Onimusha) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Summer Game Fest Hands-On Preview(https://gameinformer.com/preview/2026/06/12/a-thrilling-boss-battle-makes-for-another-strong-showing) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Hub(https://gameinformer.com/product/onimusha-way-of-the-sword) What's your favorite minigame in the Onimusha series? Let us know in the comments below!
🖥 Nintendo Switch, PC, Multi-platformLogitech will pull a Nintendo — only European mice will come with replaceable batteries
In June, Nintendo announced a new version of the Switch 2 that should let you easily replace its battery pack - but only for Europe. Logitech will do much the same. User-replaceable batteries will be the law in Europe in February 2027, but instead of bringing them to the rest of the world, Logitech plans &8230;