As innocuous as this seems, it leads to fighting pirates on an asteroid – an excellent showcase of the game’s zero-gravity environments. Cover crumbles naturally with rubble floating into space, but it’s not just the gunplay. Even exploration is notably different, as the team carefully navigates walkways.

If that wasn’t enough, a companion, Polly, awaits at this location. What would have happened if you didn’t take on the request? It’s hard to say, but for now, things worked out (though one has to wonder if decisions during the quest can affect that).

Owlcat Games also announced some of the actors behind its characters. Alice Himora (Honkai: Star Rail) plays the Captain and J. María Dupláa (Plum) plays Elian, Kerem Erdinc (Overwatch, Ready or Not) voices Zafar, and Leonie Schliesing (Cyberpunk 2077) brings Polly to life. The developer also confirmed that in addition to English, German, French, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Spanish, Osiris Reborn supports Brazilian Portuguese subtitles.

The sci-fi RPG is out in Spring 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Stay tuned for a proper release date announcement in the coming months.

For starters, there’s no Hollow Point or Armor Piercing ammo. Level 3 and 4 armor are also out. Attack vehicles, anti-tank mines, Drill Rigs, MG Nests, Stingrays and CIWS are also banned. The best part is that you’ll still earn money and progress your roles. And thanks to the new Multi-Track Unlocks, certain items unlock by playing any role.

There are still benefits to prioritizing certain roles, like Recon receiving AP ammo or Assault getting armor earlier. However, this isn’t a permanent change, as Bulkhead is working on new “intel-based progression” for next year. And for everyone who’s playing Grand Theft Auto 6 next week, you can look forward to XP catch-up bonuses and vendor discounts starting next week.

The season also lasts about three months, so progression will be slower overall. On the bright side, the Infrared Range Finder has been removed, so it should be less obnoxious to deal with those who can seemingly see you everywhere. Check out the full patch notes here for more details.

PS5 still allegedly dominates the sales breakdown at 75 percent (7.73 million), while Xbox apparently makes up 25 percent (2.58 million). What’s interesting is that reported PlayStation revenue alone has already equaled last week’s overall estimate. If GTA 6 stopped selling right now, Rockstar would have made an additional $250 million in revenue from Xbox alone.

Of course, it bears remembering these are just estimates, and not the final figures. Officially, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said that pre-orders were running “far in excess” of the company’s expectations. The wait is on to see how the numbers pan out on launch day. However, with PlayStation and Xbox proclaiming it the most pre-ordered title on their storefronts ever, it looks to be a smash hit.

Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Rockstar recently confirmed it runs at 30 FPS on all platforms, though PS5 Pro benefits from PSSR for improved image clarity and ray-traced shadows.

Let’s take a look at 15 things you can do after finishing Phantom Blade Zero, starting with…

Find All Memory Flowers, Sha-Chi Amber and Banyan Hearts

This should be a given, especially because of the max health and Sha-Chi increases, but you should collect all the Memory Flowers, Amber and Banyan Hearts. Besides the intriguing lore between the Flowers, some are mandatory to unlock certain optional fights (which we’ll get to). Perhaps more importantly, these resources help you unlock Soul’s Talents, including those that further increase your max health, damage and more.

Locate Quick Hand Zhang’s Treasures

In the Crimson Forest, you’ll happen upon one Quick Hand Zhang. Rescue and then meet up with him near the thieves’ encampment, and he’ll sell upgrade materials. More importantly, he’ll provide a list of treasures to collect in each region. Trade them in to receive a new Phantom Edge. But there’s a reason he’s “one” Quick Hand Zhang – there are four more to discover in subsequent regions, each with their own treasures to collect. They’ll also offer higher-level upgrade materials and Banyan Hearts, which are the key to fully unlocking all your Talents.

Restore the Illusory Pipa

The Illusory Pipa played a significant role in the events leading up to Phantom Blade Zero, and without going into too many spoilers, repairing it is essential for full completion. It opens several new areas, including the Mountain of Imprisonment (which we’ll get to) and also serves as a ranged Phantom Edge that can temporarily turn enemies to your side.

Conquer the Hidden Bosses

Sometimes, venturing off the beaten path is enough to unearth hidden bosses, like Hua in the Weeping Valley Creek. They’re not all easy to find, however, and while not mandatory for completing the story, you should go out of your way to fight them. Besides posing unique challenges and awarding Remnant Dust, they also award great weapons and Phantom Edges. Defeating certain foes, like Dusk, is necessary to start the quest to restore the Illusory Pipa, while Zhu Yuan awards Scorching Flames, one of two materials used in a mid-to-late-game process known as…

Soul Temper Weapons

As you progress through the game, it becomes clear that some weapons offer better damage than others within the same category. But lest you think this is restrictive, the option to Soul Temper weapons becomes available in Pangzhen. This lets you further upgrade a weapon and bestow some sick new effects. And since both primaries and Phantom Edges can be Soul Tempered, you’ll be busy enough trying to collect them all.

Complete the 5 Long Pillars

Whether you liked the Ip Man movies or not, Donnie Yen as Mo Yuan takes absolutely no prisoners. He’s fought through the Long Pillars scattered around the world, and each fight further contextualises his connection to Soul. Thankfully, they also offer some great rewards, whether it’s the Counterstrike Bracers that increase damage after a successful parry or Soul Temper items for the three Sanguine weapons, so it’s well worth seeking him out.

Help the Friendly Shadow Warden

The Friendly Shadow Warden, later known as Spectral-Blade, is a quest that involves recovering Primal Stones from the Sha-Chi Towers dotting the world. They may not seem worthwhile, but aside from discovering more optional bosses, you’ll also get even more Soul Temper materials. Besides, Blade himself is charming enough in his own way. Why wouldn’t you help him?

Find the Four Acolyte Masks

If the Wulin wasn’t dangerous enough, you’ll discover ominous scarecrows with hidden bosses that will absolutely test your elemental resistances. Defeating each Acolyte awards a Mask that’s important later on. Even if you’re not interested in some fresh fights, the quest is absolutely worth pursuing to Soul Temper the Hunter’s Chain Sickle – the same Phantom Edge from The Hunt.

Mountain of Imprisonment

Once you have the Illusory Pipa, returning to the barrier at Meigu Lake opens the path to a completely new region – the Mountain of Imprisonment. Aside from new NPCs and quests, obtaining the Crystal Puppet Eye in this region is ultimately what allows for accessing Crimson Manor, and getting one step closer to the true ending.

Collect All Accessories

Of course, at this point it’s worth noting that you should really collect all the accessories. Clearing out all the side content and bosses, optional and otherwise, should fill out the collection, but don’t forget about Quick Hand Zhang’s stock as well. Anyway, that aside, it’s time to…

Unlock the True Ending

Many of the so-called optional activities across the Wulin are more than just ways to get stronger or obtain more rewards – they’re also the key to the True Ending. Granted, even if you restore the Illusory Pipa and access the Mountain of Imprisonment, obtain both Crystal Puppet Eyes and all four Acolyte Masks, defeat Mo Yuan across all five Long Pillars, and even retrieve all of Quick Hand Zhang’s treasures, there are still other tasks to complete – like all of the quests with a purple icon – before you’re worthy. Nevertheless, it’s still worth it.

Hellwalker Difficulty

At pretty much any point in your playthrough, you can change the difficulty to Hellwalker, but I would recommend starting a fresh run with it. As the toughest of the three available, it causes enemies to adapt to your tactics. This is particularly horrifying during boss fights, since they’ll switch up patterns frequently, keeping you guessing (and dying). Still, if you’re confident in your skills, it’s the next step.

New Game Plus

Of course, no one said you couldn’t effectively cheat on higher difficulties, and the best way to do that is by starting a New Game Plus playthrough. All your weapons, accessories and collectables carry over, making Soul extremely strong from the outset. Weapons can also be further upgraded, though you need to find them first (which is especially annoying with the late-game options). Whether you want to push your build to the extreme or not, New Game Plus is highly recommended.

66 Days Mode

What can I say about 66 Days Mode, unlocked after clearing the game on Pathbreaker or Hellwalker, that hasn’t already been said? 66 lives, each death ticking one down, and when they’re gone, game over. No manual saving, and the same adaptive enemy behavior is active. Sure, you can walk into this with a New Game Plus build, but it really merits a fresh run.

Complete the Game with Wooden Sanguine

So you’ve done everything Phantom Blade Zero has to offer on every single difficulty. Only one challenge remains: Completing the game with Wooden Sanguine. That’s the wooden training sword from Soul’s youth, and it’s available from the start. Its base damage is nothing impressive, and it can’t be Soul Tempered, so it’s ideal for a challenge run. Then again, it makes up for the lack of over-the-top skills by catering to those who have mastered the fundamentals.

We’re thinking about what it’s going to feel like when we engage with Rockstar’s latest game without an agenda or an objective, letting the world just draw us into whatever it has in store for us. Can GTA 6 give us evenings spent doing nothing in its world that still have us coming away with many fond memories?

Judging by what Rockstar has revealed, we think the groundwork’s all there. Here’s why.

And oh, before we move ahead, this feature draws on published previews, interviews, and official footage to explore how the game’s systems could come together. We’ve also included a few hypothetical scenarios and wishlist ideas, so keep in mind that those are speculation rather than confirmed features.

A Relaxing Start To Exciting Adventures

Let’s take a hypothetical scenario: how you will likely begin a new day in Leonida, which is important because official information about the game showcases the potential for simply lazing around at home. You could enjoy a cup of coffee that you’ve made from scratch, and then simply hang around and see what your partner in crime is up to if you’re not inclined to step out of the house.

The act itself seems simple enough, but we’re thinking about the potential to set up a routine, and how that can make our safe houses feel like a space that’s actually lived in. If things are detailed enough, the scope to spend an entire day just observing whatever the other person gets up to can be an interesting way to spend your time in Leonida while whatever the campaign wants you to do stays in the background.

It’s a sign that this is a world where taking your time to savor its minute details is encouraged, and that’s something we’ve all seen Rockstar pull off with style in the past. When you think about the sheer scale and ambition of its latest flagship, it’s hard not to see ourselves choosing to just enjoy every interaction instead of seeing it as something to optimize.

Of course, we can’t stay at home forever, lest we run the risk of what’s happening outside our safe spaces passing us by. Leonida’s crowded beaches from the very first trailer immediately come to mind, as do its street gatherings and the increased amount of NPC interactions that the game is bringing.

The range and scale are already evident, with people sporting varied appearances and gestures, and a variety of ways they can respond to your presence in any given place. Rob Nelson’s guided preview of the game from a short while ago to EDGE highlighted an NPC taking offense at Jason staring at him for too long. We wonder how many other such interactions could unfold as we free roam around Leonida, and about all the hours we could spend just trying to uncover as many as we can.

Of course, that isn’t the extent of how the open world could encourage ignoring what you have to do to indulge in stuff you want to do.

Taking In The Sights and Sounds

The game’s approach to the radio is another facet of the experience we’d like to call attention to thanks to reports of some very popular names at the helm of the many radio stations we can tune into, not just from our car, like in GTA 6’s predecessor, but via our phones if we decide to take a walk through a new neighborhood.

We’re not sure about you, but many of us are the kind of listener who’s more than happy to just find a nearby bench and engage with a new song or podcast until it’s complete. Given that it’s something we do so often in our daily lives, combined with Rockstar’s penchant for great playlists and a whole lot of punch, simply turning on the radio could mean hours spent just vibing to whatever beats are being broadcast over the airwaves.

It’s an excuse to take the long way around when you’re trying to get to a mission, and with the game’s penchant for unscripted events factored in, forgetting what you meant to do seems like it could be a lot more organic than it was in the past – a hallmark of an open world that truly lets you loose to wander its bounds without a goal in mind.

That ties in well with the already astounding biome variety on display in Leonida and its surroundings, and we can’t wait to just drive and walk around with our music blaring at full volume, oblivious to the world around us. Vice City, Leonida Keys, the National Park, and so many other places have already caught our attention, and it’s evident that they’re only a slice of what’s to come.

From the many official screenshots and footage, it’s clear: the city’s architecture and unique vibe seem well-placed to make wanderlust a pillar of the experience instead of something players force themselves into for the sole reason that they are playing an open-world game. It could make wanting a change of pace and scenery a very natural thing, and make getting what we want feel so easy that it would be illogical not to do so.

The Beauty In The Mundane

Let’s not forget that the game also requires you to take care of Jason and Lucia, lest they become unfit to face the dangers that await them. As per Famitsu’s preview, Hitting the gym is already a part of the officially confirmed additions to the game, and the fact that there are effects on the gameplay stemming from your fitness levels showcases how detailed the world really is.

Of course, that variety extends to the things you get to do while you’re lifting weights, with interactive mechanics, stamina management, and other potential additions making even working out a very immersive part of your time in Leonida. That something as mundane as working out becomes an interactive activity that you’re going to want to engage with in exchange for tangible rewards is telling, as it is evidence that choosing to just exist in Leonida while your criminal activities are on hold is not just a possibility, but something you should actively pursue.

The same could possibly extend to your safehouses, as it’s on you to keep your stocks topped off, and we’re guessing that there could be more that you can do to ensure the place’s upkeep. Might we find a leaky pipe that we have to fix and need to step out and find a store to get the right tools and supplies for the job? Could painting our walls a different color become a fun little activity for Jason and Lucia to spend a whole day on before grabbing dinner at one of Leonida’s finest establishments?

The possibilities seem so infinite, and that’s another reason we’re almost convinced that having no goal in mind could be among the most entertaining facets of what Leonida is bringing to the table.

Breaking Patterns

When you bring all of what we’ve talked about together, and what they have developed in the past, specifically GTA 4, GTA 5, and Red Dead Redemption 2, and then attempt to consider the sheer scale of what Rockstar is trying to achieve in its latest game, it’s easy to see how life in Leonida could be more than just crimes and staying away from law enforcement. I still can’t believe all the stuff they pulled off in Red Dead Redemption 2’s world, and that was eight years ago!

Of course, all of that seems to be on the table, and we are hopeful it will be a big part of the experience, but it’s in how domestic routines, the city and its people, its mood, and the lives of its people could make indulging our curiosity something as thrilling as getting into gunfights and getting away in style.

Our past experiences with Rockstar titles, something we feel it’s safe to say most of us have shared, are a factor to consider. We know how dense, unpredictable, and alive an open world from the studio can be. Leonida, being the culmination of years of effort and constant iterations, has us believing that there are several ways to enjoy the open world outside of just the story and side content.

The sense of freedom that such a world could bring is something we think is going to make even ordinary moments extraordinary, and the potential to spend a significant amount of time in the game without committing a crime in case we’re so inclined seems vast enough to have us very curious to see if our predictions are true.

We could go around chasing something fun to see, or perhaps set out to do something with a specific goal in mind, or, you know, just walking across the road on a rainy evening, only to be distracted by an NPC interaction, a song on the radio, or an interesting place that merits further exploration. Some of the finest open worlds out there are built on that foundation, after all, and guess what? Those finest open-world games came from the same house: Rockstar Games.

GTA 6 looks more than ready to set a new benchmark in that regard, and we can’t help but get hyped about the many sessions of play where doing nothing in the game becomes the reason we can’t really put it down and spend weekends away from the real world as a result.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Story-wise, there isn’t too much to unpack. You’re a test subject, 1473, inside of a simulation run by a hostile AI named Idris. But you’re not the first, just the latest on the chopping block for iterations. To what end is initially unknown, but another iteration who survived travels with you in each run, looking for vulnerabilities in the system to engineer some kind of escape.

Of course, that’s only the first half of the story and the roguelite structure. After crossing that threshold (via an intriguing twist), you’re on a quest to confront Idris and defeat it, once and for all.

"Each weapon has a different grid to slot modules into, whether it’s different ammo types or straight-up damage increases. Some modules significantly change the behavior of certain weapons, often boosting weapon damage and fire rate while reducing bullet velocity."

While the plot isn’t the most original, whether from a “dangers of AI” or robot apocalypse perspective, the voice acting is solid. I also didn’t mind the lore, as it delved into the weird-looking structures cropping up throughout the world, the machines’ origins, and ordinary people’s accounts. I wish there were more over subsequent runs, because these emails start repeating before long.

Stop me if this gameplay loop sounds familiar: Enter a location with enemies, clear them out, obtain an upgrade, and proceed, sometimes choosing a path with differing rewards. If that sounds like every rogue-lite ever made, well, that won’t change anytime soon. What matters is what a game does with it, and VOID/BREAKER isn’t too shabby.

After selecting a weapon (others unlock by collecting Decoders), you learn to do more than just dash, slide, grind rails and eventually, grapple and wall run. A tether allows for grabbing and throwing objects, whether it’s explosives, a car door or an office chair. Bonk an enemy enough, and they’ll become staggered – kill them in this state, and they’ll drop ammo and health.

This initially lends a more methodical feel to combat, especially when you need to recover, but that’s not all. Buildings and other structures can be destroyed, which can fall on enemies and stagger them. It also affects your footing and overall protection – a building teeming with objects to throw at any pursuers is quickly shredded, exposing you to oncoming projectiles.

Then there’s the Inventory system. Each weapon has a different grid to slot modules into, whether it’s different ammo types or straight-up damage increases. Some modules significantly change the behavior of certain weapons, often boosting weapon damage and fire rate while reducing bullet velocity. Others will make projectiles rain from the sky, or debris from destroyed structures deal more damage, or thrown objects inflict electricity and other status effects. But what makes it intriguing is that several of the slots are locked and require separate items to open.

"Elites start appearing more, though you’ll face other enemy types with more stamina. Where you tactfully launched an explosive before, it’s now about spamming grenades and objects to break them before they gang up on you."

You also have Repeaters, which effectively stack a module, unlocking new effects, though some require disabling two slots in the process. Coupled with Corrupted and Legendary modules that offer even more options, not to mention gun-exclusive modules, it’s some pretty impressive customisation with enough freedom to tailor every aspect. Of course, the shooting itself feels nice, and as long as you’re on relatively even surfaces, the movement feels responsive enough. For a time, this combination of staggering enemies and slaying them to refill special ammo, whether it’s ice bullets or rockets in a spread, lends to a pretty enjoyable gameplay loop.

Unfortunately, the problems begin in Act 4 onwards, starting with stability and optimisation. Factoring in all the projectiles, destruction, enemies, explosions, and more, VOID/BREAKER starts to chug before crashing. In places where it doesn’t, my GPU went into overdrive, almost begging to be adopted by a data centre, and this is after lowering several settings. The first half of the game was fairly smooth sailing with DLAA, 120 FPS, High settings, and more, but alas, the second half needs more work.

Then there’s the environmental design. Area 4 favors far more verticality and fast-paced traversal, and even if it takes some practice, it’s not difficult to wall-run or grapple while holding an explosive canister and unleashing it on a random enemy. Unless it doesn’t explode and simply bounces off their head, but that’s a different issue. My question is: Why does wall-running immediately break glass? That negates a majority of the possible parkour routes and makes me want to stick to the ground with the odd grapple rather than be adventurous.

Area 5 is annoying because of the narrower environments and structural design, which makes it easy to get caught. Enemies that freeze and EMP at the drop of a hat don’t help either. If you’ve ever played Destiny 2 post-Beyond Light and hated how Stasis required mashing the “break free” button, then welcome home. Area 6 is better than both, returning to cleaner structures, though the destructibility makes things feel too haphazard – a problem that becomes more pronounced when sorting through rubble to kill tougher targets after they’ve been staggered.

And this is where the gameplay gets shaky. Elites start appearing more, though you’ll face other enemy types with more stamina. Where you tactfully launched an explosive before, it’s now about spamming grenades and objects to break them before they gang up on you. Except the Rangers, who are somehow prescient and can sometimes shoot in locations you will be.

"VOID/BREAKER isn’t a complete write-off – there’s certainly enough to like – but it needs serious attention to reach its full potential."

It’s a shame because as much as I like creating an SMG that fires explosive projectiles with orbiting auras that deal damage while also igniting, electrocuting and freezing, the performance takes a dive, and it feels like the only real way to deal with these clumps of enemies. At least the bosses are more palatable, though the final fight can occasionally frustrate as it really exposes how limited a first-person perspective can be in a bullet-hell game. Don’t even get me started on the bugs, including one that softlocks you after you take a shortcut in Area 4, preventing you from progressing and requiring a forfeit. Or self-destruction, provided you can reload enough times to get laser traps that will kill you.

VOID/BREAKER as a whole feels like a well-oiled machine at some points, and a questionable assemblage of components that threaten to (and often do) break at others. There is a lot to appreciate, whether it’s those random rooms with different scenarios (including one that Doctor Who fans will instantly recognise) or watching an entire building collapse on top of enemies.

Even the endgame isn’t too shabby, though it only exposes the many problems of its gameplay and optimisation. I also wasn’t too impressed with the first “Exotic” weapon you can purchase – the Revolver – and the prospect of unlocking the Flamethrower feels further and further away, given how the modifiers are balanced. Whatever you do, don’t enable increased Elite spawns and Hard mode. You’ll have a horrific time, especially if the module RNG isn’t in your favor.

At this point, if you want a top-tier rogue-lite, especially in first-person, on PC, you might want to wait for more patches and improvements (and maybe some more room variety) before taking the plunge. VOID/BREAKER isn’t a complete write-off – there’s certainly enough to like – but it needs serious attention to reach its full potential.

This game was reviewed on PC.

However, if you’re new to Hyrule, you should be keeping your eyes and ears peeled for unique ways to interact with the world and its people. But that’s vague advice in a world that’s as rich and detailed as this one, brought to life with renewed charm thanks to the remake’s visual touches. We’re here to point you in the direction of some of our favorites and give you an idea of just how much this one hides away.

1. King Zora’s Secret Reward

Here is an amusing little gem that the remake has added to King Zora’s list of interactions. You might be having fun figuring out how he responds to different masks, but did you know that simply forcing him to turn around and look at you prompts amusing responses from the monarch?

He’s going to try to encourage you to use the royal dais in front of him before commenting on the familiarity of your behavior. Approach him from the side again, and he’s going to resign himself to this new arrangement and officially declare you a friend. You’re still going to put in the work to earn Biggoron’s sword despite this newfound friendship, though.

2. The Mask Of Truth

Not to be confused with a certain Lasso of Truth, this one lets Link go back to the people he’s already met along the way on his adventure to uncover hidden truths about them. Indeed, King Zora himself is an example, as he reveals some of his worries that are hidden away behind his personality.

The Dancing Couple’s illusion of romance is another one that you should experience for yourself, if only to bear witness to that heady blend of hilarity and horror that the mask brings to their story. Hyrule can be a nasty place sometimes!

3. Look For Familiar Faces In Kokiri Forest

If you’re familiar with other Zelda games but are here for the first time in Hyrule, you might think that the magical debris floating around in Kokiri Forest looks quite like the Koroks. Well, that’s an intentional secrets that aims to bridge the remake with the titles that follow it via the intelligent use of its visuals.

It doesn’t mean that the Koroks actually live here at the time of this story, though, as the Great Flood was yet to hit the region.

4. Links To The Past

It’s interesting to see Link hold on to the Fairy Ocarina he gets from Saria before he leaves the Kokiri Forest for good as a child. It’s a nice little keepsake that the remake makes room for in comparison to the original release, which sees the Ocarina of Time completely replace Saria’s wooden instrument as Link’s primary musical option.

The Ocarina of Time is still the one he uses, but it’s nice to know he still carries that important link to his past and hasn’t forgotten his dear friend in the remake.

5. Malon And Talon Are Mario Fans

The remake’s visuals make this one even more pronounced than it was in the original. While the portraits of Mario and Luigi might be gone in the remake, you might notice Malon and Talon, whom you’re going to meet in your quest for Epona, both sport clasps that are reminiscent of Bowser quite evidently.

That’s interesting, and a nice little nod to another classic that’s very welcome.

6. An Appropriate Response To Vandalism

We’ve spoken about Deku Seeds being a potent way to turn a fight in your favor before, but they’re also a way to witness an amusing interaction that made its way to the remake from the original version.

Throw one into the left window of the courtyard where you first meet Zelda to have a guard retaliate with a bomb, a fitting response to what could be construed as an act of serious treason in most kingdoms!

7.  Mess With Those Gossip Stones

You’re probably already using the mask of Truth to get these Gossip Stones to spill some very useful tea about the world around you, but we encourage you to try setting off a bomb in their vicinity or simply using the Megaton Hammer on one.

It’s going to be okay, we promise, and you get some truly amusing animations for your efforts.

8. Zelda’s Lullaby Has A Unique Use

If you happen to break a wooden sign apart when you’re swinging your sword around, which could happen quite easily when you’re out and about in Hyrule, use your Ocarina to play Zelda’s Lullaby to watch the sign get rebuilt right in front of you.

It’s another returning addition to the original and is a great showcase of how the game encourages you to experiment with nearly every tool at your disposal to uncover interesting little details.

9. Navi’s New Glow-Up

An interesting touch that the remake has brought to the table is that Navi’s glow is a lot fuzzier and more natural this time around, letting her light up the world around Link a lot better.

There’s a more intricate pattern on her wings in comparison to the original to see, too, which is indicative of a lot of thought going into making the remake look and feel like an upgrade to a very familiar experience.

10. Young Link’s Clothes Come With A Story

Nintendo UK’s coverage of the game features a conversation with the developers about how the new hardware at their disposal allowed them to chase a level of detail hitherto impossible for the game.

The example they showcase is how they attempted to go as far as to create their own fabric, and even consulted with samples from museums, to give a hand-woven feel to Young Link’s clothes that would feel close to something made by children of the forest. That’s commitment, and it certainly shows in this one.

11. Link Actually Plays The Songs

A lovely detail that’s immediately noticeable in the remake is that Link’s actually playing the tunes you learn during your adventure this time around.

That was a static detail in the original version, and it can be quite addictive watching Link’s fingers move across the instrument’s holes as he guides the music in the direction he wants it to go.

12. The Ocarina’s Acoustic Range

Nintendo UK pointed out that the Ocarina’s resonance is going to vary based on where you’re playing it, which is a very nice addition to the remake.

It also pointed out that what you’re hearing is a performance that features the real breath of an ocarina, which adds a layer of authenticity to the tunes you teach Link as you explore and engage with Hyrule.

13. Kaepora Gaebora Likes A Practical Joke

Ride with the sagely yet talkative owl to Lake Hylia, and he’s going to dunk you quite deliberately into the water along the way. It’s a little bit of comedy from a character who’s known for quirky interactions that belie a deeper history and role.

Look out for this one, though. It’s one of our favorites, but you could miss it if you get distracted.

14. New NPC Routines Make Things Very Immersive

Places like the Marketplace were quite static in the original release, but the remake gives them a visual upgrade alongside systems that now govern how NPCs behave at different times of the day.

You can see vendors calling out to you and other potential customers during the day, while they wind things down as the hours go by before packing things up and heading home for the night. We’ve even seen a few folks enjoying as we passed by, all of which makes the world feel quite alive in the remake.

15. Scaling Tricks In Hyrule’s Skyline

The developers have directly presented important landmarks such as Hyrule Castle or the Windmill as larger in scale than the world around them to emphasize that they are points of interest worth exploring.

Conversely, areas that you aren’t going to make much headway in thanks to what you’ve got at your disposal are going to see reductions in their visual details, making it quite tangible that the game intends you to wait for the right time before paying them a visit.

And that’s about it for this one. You’re going to have plenty more of these little details to find as you go around Hyrule (look for Biggoron’s Sword if you want a challenge), but these are all ones that we’re still chuckling about.

This is a remake that has truly lived up to the game that inspired it, while bringing fresh new touches that are very welcome to the table.

Happy adventuring!

That doesn’t lock in a release date, though, and with a very healthy 127 million active users, and quarterly PS4/PS5 games reaching 88.2 million, we can’t help but wonder what the PS6 is going to have to do if we’re to be convinced to upgrade to a pricier machine instead of just running with the solid one we already have.

The PS5’s success, then, does give Sony a huge potential audience to carry it into a new generation of consoles, but it’s got to give all those players reasons that are convincing enough to justify an upgrade. What could those features look like? What would games for the PS6 need to do to ensure players have enough FOMO to make the transition?

We’ve thought long and hard about these questions. Here’s what we’ve got to say.

A Generation Of Great Games

Let’s begin by taking stock of what the PS5 has managed over the time it’s been in play. Has the current-gen console managed to deliver enough experiences to define a rather significant generation for Sony and the PlayStation brand?

Let’s look at a few exclusive titles for the console. Astro’s Playroom immediately comes to mind thanks to how it came preloaded with our shiny new unit, and it did a great job of dazzling us with its next-gen visuals while the gameplay made excellent use of what the DualSense was capable of. As a sort of introduction to the console’s best features, this one certainly deserves time in the spotlight, and that’s without factoring in Astro Bot.

That one was quite a hit, and for good reason. It was Sony’s way of looking back at a long history in the gaming space, with nostalgia and an entertaining gameplay loop blending very well to make for an experience that made full use of the PS5’s considerable capabilities.

Returnal and Saros were impressive additions to that lineup of exclusives, each bringing a very good implementation of improved visuals, better framerates, ray tracing, and a gameplay loop that certainly had us hooked from the very beginning of each experience. They’re both marks of how innovative ideas could be brought to life on Sony’s hardware with a level of quality that stood out.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine were obvious heavy hitters with a lot of mass appeal behind them, each of them using the PS5’s tech to present very immersive and engaging worlds, great stories courtesy of Insomniac, and addictive combat loops that worked very well to allow us to indulge our superhero fantasies.

Horizon Forbidden West is among our favorites, given how it raised the bar for Aloy’s story while setting up a sequel that should be very interesting to see, thanks to the game being very likely to make its debut on the PS6 (more on that in a bit).

Each of these games has one common thread between them: they made good use of the PS5 to bring us experiences that continue to stay with us long after we’ve rolled the credits on them. It’s easy to forget that gaming is ultimately about the memories you create with your choice of platform, and the PS5 has given us that in spades.

That brings us to our examination of what it still has to offer in what could potentially be its final year at the top of Sony’s food chain.

Entertaining Across Generations

Sony talking about healthy PS4/PS5 game sales is a detail we’d like to look into next, as it’s evidence that a current-gen console can exist alongside a new one. It’s already been done, and the pandemic certainly helped the PS4 gain an extended lease on its lifespan.

And while Sony has acknowledged a slowdown in hardware sales, we don’t think that’s a bad thing in and of itself, considering that the PlayStation platform itself is seeing steady growth. It’s just a sign of a console generation that has reached maturity, and we’re not discounting the possibility that there are gamers who want to wait and see what the PS6 is bringing before they decide whether to go next-gen or not.

Either way, it would make sense for Sony to sustain the PS5 just as it did for the PS4, with the console still being able to run new games, but with obvious differences in what’s on offer in comparison to the PS6. It’s an approach that worked quite well to keep us all happy and playing the latest games, with some compromises on older consoles.

With that being said, we’re also cognizant of the fact that the PS5 was certainly an upgrade from the PS4, and the decision to upgrade felt like a no-brainer at the time, thanks to 60 fps and ray tracing making such a huge difference to how games looked and felt. Yes, being forced to choose between visual fidelity and performance was an annoyance, but the PS5 Pro has done well to alleviate that frustration as a mid-gen upgrade for those who wanted it.

There’s also the addition of QSSR and PSSR to the PS5 and PS5 Pro, respectively, which has introduced upscaling into the mix. We’ve spoken about how that could be a major distinction between the PS6 and Project Helix before, and we think it could be quite the differentiator between the PS5 and its younger sibling whenever that one makes its way to the shelves of stores.

But will whatever the PS6 brings to the fray manage to justify a price tag that’s likely to be hefty? Is upscaling going to be enough of a differentiator, especially when the PS5 has brought the technology to its own offering? We’d say no, and the new console must also bring more ambitious simulations, increasingly interactive environments, better performance, and, last but not least, games that make good use of all those bells and whistles to make the PS6 an attractive if expensive option to consider.

Sony’s proven track record is a factor, but we believe it’s going to have to earn its keep this time around, given how the PS5 continues to be a very solid offering in a market that’s increasingly price-conscious in a world where manufacturers are forced to pass on the higher cost of components onto potential buyers.

The PS6 needs to change the way we play just as well as the PS5 managed to achieve at the beginning of its life cycle, and do it in such a way that makes its price tag feel like we’re paying a premium for an upgrade that makes sense to us. The transition is certainly a fine line for Sony to walk, but it isn’t too hard to be cautiously optimistic about the PS6’s chances when it finally steps into the light.

The games themselves are going to play their part in its success, and developers are going to have to create experiences that work well with older hardware while doing enough to make playing them on a new machine worth it. Once again, though, Sony’s lineup of first-party studios is more than capable of achieving that, but we’d still advise waiting to see if they can do enough to justify an upgrade.

The Creation and Communication Of Value

We don’t think an expensive console is going to be written off just because of its price, and with the PlayStation brand being as strong as it’s been over the last six to seven years, the PS6 is going to enter a very competitive space backed by a lot of goodwill from the gaming community.

But we’re all quite aware of how fickle fame can be. We certainly want to play whatever exclusives come up. The sequel to Forbidden West is a great example, thanks to the cliffhanger that was set up and the potential to create a new take on Aloy’s world that could potentially be the best one yet.

Apply that sentiment across all of Sony’s first-party exclusives, and it’s easy to see why a lot of us aren’t even going to hesitate before picking up a shiny new console. But there are some of us who might be considering sticking with our existing machines until the PS6 Pro eventually comes along.

The PS6’s feature list, spec sheet, price tag, and potential exclusive offerings are all factors that Sony must already be looking to balance out in a way that makes its new offering one we can’t refuse when it comes along. But can the PlayStation brand afford to leave some of us who’d like to wait behind?

We think not. It isn’t going to be as easy to justify the PS6 as it was with the PS5, but if anyone can pull it off in a way that creates value across the new console’s supply chain, Sony is certainly among the brands we’d say is capable of achieving the feat.

There’s still a long time to go before we learn if everything we’ve said turns out to be an accurate summation of its potential. But we’re quite eager to see how the next generation of PlayStation charts a course into the future of gaming for both Sony and for us.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

We’re happy to see the game coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S next month, which means many more players can partake in its aerial combat at long last (alongside all the improvements). This one’s world is no slouch either, and you’ll spend lots of time uncovering its secrets and lore if you choose to step into the role of a Falconeer and witness the campaign from a variety of perspectives. The oceanic world you’ll explore is another plus, bringing depth and much to track down. We’re quite eager to get back to this one after a while, all things considered.

It’s pretty interesting stuff, and the combat has you taking to the skies often enough for it all to be an exhilarating title to take on, and a treat to see in action on current-gen hardware. The trailer’s below in case you want a closer look at what to expect. You can also read our review for the original, from way back in the day, here.

Discussing the subject of developing games for consoles, Harada said that he wished that “hardware like Xbox Series S wouldn’t be released.” Noting that a senior Xbox official was also in attendance, Harada then asked Sasko whether he was “upset inside” due to the weaker console. After a laugh, Sasko responded by saying, “It constantly throws challenges at us and forces us to optimize our code very cleanly.”

Harada went on to criticize the console, asking Sasko if he “just used a very polite and elegant way to say ‘Xbox Series S sucks,’ right?” Among his biggest complaints about the console is the fact that it is similar to the Xbox Series X, but has several constraints like low memory, leading to performance issues that the development teams then have to optimize for. He doesn’t have similar issues with the Nintendo Switch 2 since it is a distinct platform.

“Low memory is an issue, but the hardest part is that it’s a device so similar to Series X while having awkwardly lower performance. When porting to Switch 2, developers can shift their mindset to ‘Switch 2 is a distinct device for Nintendo fans!’ But with Xbox, after delivering your absolute best output, it feels like having to do extra work for a slightly weaker child.

“Furthermore, in markets like the US, there are more Series S users than Series X users, so we can’t just cut corners. Yet after launch, Series S users direct their complaints at us developers rather than Microsoft, asking ‘Why is texture resolution lower only on Series S?’”

Offering some defense of the Xbox Series S, Sasko pointed out that developers working hard to optimize for the console has led to every other platform also benefiting from performance boosts. Bringing up Cyberpunk 2077 as an example, he noted that the work done on its Nintendo Switch 2 port was then applied to all other versions of the game “to great effect”.

“Director Paweł packaged Series S so gracefully that the Microsoft representative in the audience keeps nodding along,” responded Harada. “I’m worried they’ll feel reassured and release a successor like ‘Helix S’ for the next-gen Xbox as well (laughs).”

Harada isn’t the only person from the games industry to have faced issues with the Xbox Series S. Larian famously had to delay the Xbox port of Baldur’s Gate 3 since the team wanted to ensure that the platform didn’t miss out on features like split-screen multiplayer. However, due to Microsoft’s mandate that the Xbox Series X and Series S versions of games should have feature parity, the studio couldn’t simply skip including local multiplayer for the Xbox Series S version.