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Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Lies of P: Overture is a massive expansion for one of my favorite PS5 games — and it's absolutely brutal
2023 was considered a pretty phenomenal year for video games. The likes of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Resident Evil 4 remake, Baldur's Gate 3 and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 all duked it out for the majority of GOTY awards (Spidey ultimately won ours). While I thoroughly enjoyed all of those titles, my personal pick for the best game of the year was Lies of P. And after all this time, I stand by it. This action-Souls-like shamelessly cribs from the works of genre-originator FromSoftware, and feels a lot like the Bloodborne sequel we all want, but Sony frustratingly refuses to actually give us (Please, Sony, even a remaster will do). I loved almost every moment of my 60 hours spent with Lies of P across two playthroughs (one on PS5, the other on Steam Deck OLED), and that playtime just increased thanks to its meaty new DLC expansion. Called Lies of P: Overture, it offers you the chance to return to the gothic city of Krat and square off against a new range of tough bosses that will do their very best to cut you down. In a nutshell, Overture is more of the brilliant Lies of P experience I love, but with the difficulty ramped up to 11. Lies of P: Overture: $29 @ PlayStation StoreLies of: Overture is the new DLC expansion for 2023's critically acclaimed action-Soulslike Lies of P. Adding around 15 hours of new content, you explore a past version of the city of Krat, and take on very challenging bosses. To help you fight back against the numerous tricky foes, you get access to a suite of new weapons and powerful abilities. Additional platforms: $29 @ Steam | $29 @ Xbox Store In Lies of P: Overture, you once again play as Geppetto's deadly puppet and are tasked with exploring the nightmare city of Krat. The wrinkle is that this time, you've stepped into the past to experience the striking location before the events of the base game. But it's certainly no more welcoming in this period. The Puppet Frenzy massacre, the aftermath of which you encounter in the base game, is currently ongoing, dropping you into the thick of a city in complete turmoil with chaotic scenes of violence and blue blood all around. So, where do you go first? The Zoo, of course. Overture's opening takes you to Krat Zoo, and it might just be my favorite level in all of Lies of P. Fighting back against deformed animals from aggressive ages, to a truly twisted type of kangaroo, sees the body-horror, which was already a strong theme in Lies of P, ramped up to new grotesque levels. And the first major boss fight, an oversized crocodile, is an absolutely doozy. Later DLC locations like an underground facility and a cavernous mine are less visually dynamic, but the final two of Overture's five chapters do occur in more visually distinctive settings (which I won't spoil here). So, the DLC starts and ends strong, with a slightly mundane middle. The core game's fast-paced combat is maintained, which is a very good thing, because outside of the works of FromSoftware, Lies of P offers the best Soulslike gameplay I've ever played. Though, for the record, I still suck at parrying, so the dodge button remains my best friend. Perhaps the DLC's biggest addition is its numerous lore implications and revelations. I'm far from a Lies of P scholar, but I was constantly finding hidden notes that had me rethinking what I thought I knew about the Lies of P universe and the characters within it. If you enjoyed the well-told story of the base game, you're going to love what you learn here. Alongside the new levels to explore, there's also a bunch of useful new weapons to pick up, new gear to wear and powerful legion arms, including my personal favorite, which lets you shoot spinning sawblades from your wrist. Adding around 10-15 hours of new content, Lies of P: Overture is solid value for money at its $29 price. But fair warning, prepare for a tough time. If I have one substantial criticism of Lies of P: Overture, it's that developer Neowiz has gone a little too far in its efforts to make this DLC the hardest content in the game to date. As part of the Soulslike subgenre, Lies of P was always a tough game by design. And that's part of the reason I loved it so much. Few feelings are better in gaming than slaying a testing boss after dozens of attempts. And some of the base game bosses rank as my favorite ever in the genre. In fact, it's not Overture's bosses where the overtuned difficulty can be felt. Aside from one late-game dud, these named DLC combatants are mostly brilliant. The last boss in particular gives Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree a run for its money. Finally bringing them down had me leaping from my chair in satisfaction after they had torn my face off for almost an hour. The problem arises in the various open spaces, corridors and choke points between bosses. Regular enemy mobs have had their health pools and damage-dealing abilities seriously beefed up, and even my max-level weapons often felt like merely smacking a raging puppet with a pool noodle. Overture also appears to have taken cues from the divisive Dark Souls 2, as not only are standard enemies extremely overpowered, they're also thrown at you in sometimes ludicrous quantities. I'm taking crammed rooms that contain an enemy count in the double digits. This leads to numerous sections that are a complete slog to play as you regularly find yourself swarmed by enemies that can send you to an early grave in just a few hits, and that take a practically silly amount of damage to be defeated. These moments see Lies of P: Overture fall on the wrong side of the fine line between frustration and fun. To somewhat counteract this issue, Lies of P: Overture's launch has coincided with a major free upgrade that adds two new difficulty options to the game. One is marked as essentially easy, the other very easy. Of course, for dedicated Souls players, dropping the difficulty is antithetical to why the genre appeals; the struggle is supposed to be part of the experience. I should warn any new players hoping these new difficulty settings might allow them to breeze through the game, and enjoy the excellent world-building and rich lore, even on the simplest setting, Lies of P: Overture still puts up a real fight. You will need some skill, whatever level you play on. Overall, Lies of P: Overture has given me the perfect excuse to return to one of my favorite games of this current gaming generation. It's a largely well-crafted expansion with some intriguing new locations to explore, and some tough but tantalizing new bosses to overcome. I just wish the supposedly "regular" enemies didn't always hit with the force of a turbocharged monster truck. However, after rolling credits on Overture, my itch for more Lies of P remains burning, which is perhaps its biggest accomplishment. I was already desperate for the already-confirmed full sequel, and after experiencing Lies of P: Overture, that wait is going to feel just a little bit longer.
Geek Culture
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword' Performs Thrilling Dance Of Steel, Blood, And Refreshed Tradition
Looking back at the 24-year-and-counting legacy of Onimusha , it's easy to forget that the series' origins date back to the very first Resident Evil game. The evolution of an idea exploring a ninja counterpart to Capcom's survival horror franchise, it has grown into its own identity, establishing a foothold in hack-and-slash gameplay, supernatural elements, and historical influence – so much so that Resident Evil 4 came full circle by taking inspiration from 2004's Onimusha 3: Demon Siege . Resurfacing after nearly two decades of absence is Onimusha: Way of the Sword , set to be a highly anticipated return to feudal Japan, with new protagonist Miyamoto Musashi taking centre stage. The title wastes little time in cementing its devotion to samurai authenticity, which features the likeness of Mifune Toshiro – the renowned Japanese actor best known for starring in Akira Kurosawa films like Seven Samurai , The Hidden Fortress , and Yojimbo – as the face model for the swordsman. It's a neat, even poetic, reference to his role as Musashi in Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy movies in the 1950s, while honouring the motion capture tradition that started with Japanese-Taiwanese star Takeshi Kaneshiro for the original game. Yusaku Matsuda contributed to the sequel, and Jean Reno, in the third instalment, all portraying historic figures who have shaped Japan's history. The franchise's latest frontman is no different, inspired by his real-world counterpart known for his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated 62-match streak. A silver of that might was the focus of an exclusive hands-off preview held for select media, showcasing combat gameplay, story premise, and revamped visuals. Taking place in a stage set at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the 20-minute demonstration points to a strong, hopeful revival in the form of punchy, blood-soaked action, vast demon variety, and a modern twist on traditional gameplay. The overall narrative beats are established in the opening moments: Musashi is on a quest to become the greatest swordsman in the world, battling anyone and everyone in his path. However, he receives the Oni Gauntlet against his will, wanting to be rid of it as he strives to become the master of the sword through his own power. Onimusha: Way of the Sword brings him to the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which has been afflicted with Malice, generated by the Genma, or demons, accumulating in the area. As exposed individuals who will soon perish, Musashi infiltrates the locale to vanquish the Genma. Coming in three generations after the previous entry in the series, the visual facelift is immediately prominent. Particle effects, such as swirling red-tinted clouds in the skies – a result of the Malice – and fog, add more realism, while enhanced textures make the world look better than ever before. There's also an emphasis on cinematic storytelling, with close-up shots of Musashi revealing articulate facial expressions and subtle detailing, right down to the tendons and veins in his arms. Entering battle yields a familiar yet fresh experience. Like its predecessors, the upcoming slash fest marks the return of soul absorption, in which killing enemies rewards players with different types of souls: blue powers skills, yellow regenerates health, and red provides experience points. Souls disappear after some time, so knowing when to absorb them feeds into gameplay strategy, and veterans should feel right at home getting back into the swing (no pun intended) of things. The Onimusha enjoyment isn't complete without Issen, though. Mastering the way of the sword requires the series' signature ability to perform a fast evade and counterattack, and preview lifts the curtain on three out of the five that have been introduced across all of its titles: the basic manoeuvre, Haijiki Issen / Deflect Issen, or Issen Dance / Chain Issen. Working the same way as before, the first mechanic triggers a critical hit when the attack button is pressed at the right time during an enemy's blow. Similarly, Deflect Issen sees players sending enemy projectiles back and deflecting frontal attacks if they block just an attack that's about to land, with Chain Issen kicking the action into overdrive by stringing a successful Issen after another, before it ends on a leaping slash. The hands-off nature of the preview makes it difficult to gauge how the sensation will feel during actual gameplay, particularly when it comes to haptic feedback on the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. According to Capcom, Issen execution promises 'a very satisfying feeling of cutting through enemies', and it does look like such. A crisp metallic sound rings through the air whenever Musashi locks blades with others, and there's weight behind each blow – a visceral touch accentuated through Break Issen, allowing players to target different parts of the body to disable attacks. The nifty mechanic is hardly the only tweak to the swordplay formula. Guarding now provides cover from all directions (Musashi's posture can still be broken after multiple hits), and the use of the surroundings is put into focus through parrying, which redirects hostile targets into a wall or the immediate environment. Spicing up gameplay beyond the usual dice-and-slice fare, it unlocks more ways to wreak destruction, such as redirecting enemies into a torch and setting them on fire, or lifting a table to block an arrow, then slamming it into them. Deflect enough blows, and Musashi will enter a powered-up state that deals more damage against foes. Attacking in this state creates more blue souls, allowing for quicker, more regular activation of his skills, including one which swaps out the katana for two swords – a nice little ode to the historical figure's dual-bladed tendencies – that land faster strikes and spits out health-regenerating yellow souls upon successful attacks. As per tradition, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to introduce new Genma types, each with their own characteristics and abilities. The Hitotsume Gasa, for instance, wields swords, a bow, and shields, and attacks in groups, while the Kubi Akari, a floating soul-sucking variant, is capable of grabbing players before self-destructing. Elsewhere, a ninja-like species uses doppelganger projections to evade strikes. The boss fights are the highlight, however, and the hands-off preview shifts its focus to Sasaki Ganryu, a rival swordsman who also wields an Oni Gauntlet, and a gargantuan, tanky Genma called Byakue. Unlike common foes, these hard hitters have a second gauge under their health bar that decreases with every deflected attack and staggers the enemy when fully depleted, opening the window for a Break Issen. Both opponents ooze a distinctive design – the former, shown in a trailer unveiled during Summer Game Fest 2025, is a bloodthirsty, deranged blur of speed, while the latter becomes stronger the more it's soaked in its own blood. Another welcome cultural nod comes in the form of the paper talisman, or ofuda, covering Byakue's body, said to ward off evil spirits and misfortune, alongside the addition of the Japanese flute to the battle music, which, by the way, is a head-bopper that adds to the adrenaline rush. The varied attacking patterns and styles keep players on their toes, requiring different strategies to handle the threat. Pressing the dodge button in time and before the final blast triggers a grab reversal against Kubi Akari, and deflecting the Byakue's axe attacks takes out all enemies in the vicinity. From the look of things, swordplay is shaping up to be a thrilling, high-octane time, with flying enemies potentially being one of the more annoying forces to defeat, even when locked on. Just a small gripe, but it'd be great if enemy lines could have more variety, especially since Ganryu seems to have mastered the art of trash-talking. Outside of swordplay, Onimusha: Way of the Sword introduces Oni Vision for a puzzle-solving element to progression. This new feature can detect and reveal hidden objects, including invisible Genma blocking the entrance to a location; defeating them opens up the path forward. Dark Mass comes in as the other new flourish, described as the embodiment of the resentment and negative energy of those who have been killed nearby. A narrative device, it relives memories related to the Malice when absorbed, allowing Musashi to witness events that occurred in the past, such as a scene of a father forced to throw his child off the temple. It sets up a gritty tone for storytelling, especially with the parallel to a real anecdote, steeped in mystical intrigue through the manifestation of the Oni Gauntlet as a mysterious female voice, also hinted at in the latest trailer. 19 years is a long time to be away, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword appears to be steadily slashing its way to an encouraging leap into a new generation. While there were some slight stumbles and hiccups in the hands-off preview, the sneak peek at a parry-heavy spectacle and visual polish proved scintillating, if brief, serving as the evolution of an honoured tradition. Now, the wait to play as Musashi awaits. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will be released sometime in 2026 . Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Capcom Geek Preview Onimusha Onimusha: Way of the Sword
The Verge
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Resident Evil Requiem is coming next year
After a very convincing tease that suggested news was in fact not incoming, Capcom just officially announced Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth mainline entry in the franchise. It launches on February 27th, 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox. The announcement came via a lengthy trailer that took quite a while before revealing itself to indeed be the next Resident Evil, focused instead on an office space. But then, naturally, things got pretty creepy. Capcom says the new game will indeed be survival horror, but didn't provide much other info, explaining only that players will 'escape death in a heart-stopping experience that will chill you to your core.' The game is a follow-up to Resident Evil Village in 2021, which followed a reinvigorating return to survival horror in the seventh entry. At the same time, Capcom has kept the franchise alive through a series of big-budget remakes of older titles, most recently with Resident Evil 4 in 2023.
Tom's Guide
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
PlayStation's epic Memorial Day sale has PS5 games from $5 — these are the 11 best deals I'd buy
The long Memorial Day weekend is the perfect excuse to dive into some excellent PS5 games, and the PlayStation Store is giving you the perfect excuse with its new sales event called "Multiverse of Games". This sale runs until June 5, and packs more than 2,000 deals across PS5 and PS4 games (as well as a selection of DLC content and in-game currencies). There are plenty of epic titles in this sale, including our pick for the best PS5 game you can play, God of War Ragnarök, which is now just $39 (was $69). At the same time, Amazon and Best Buy are also offering rival deals, so whether you prefer a digital download or a physical game disc, here are the PS5 deals that I've got my eyes on ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. After more than a decade of waiting, EA has returned to the world of NCAA football in the appropriately titled College Football 25. And this simulation of college football was worth the weight. Offering a slightly more arcade-style pace than its Madden sibling, and letting you play as the biggest schools in the country, it lived up to all those years of anticipation. Return to a galaxy far, far away in the biggest Lego Star Wars game to date. Experience the entirety of The Skywalker Saga in plastic-brick form and collect more than 300 playable characters as you smash everything in sight. From The Phantom Menace through The Rise of Skywalker, this is the ultimate retelling of the greatest sci-fi sagas ever told. Dead Island 2 offers players a sun-soaked playground crawling with the undead. Using just about any weapon you can get your hands on, it's your job to slay your throughway Hell-A from the mansions of Beverly Hills to the boardwalk of Venice Beach. Fully playable in co-op, Dead Island 2 is a rip-roaring open-world game full of zombies to slaughter, survivors to assist and loot to collect. One of the most acclaimed and influential games of all time, Resident Evil 4 has been reborn in this full-scale remake. You play Leon S. Kennedy on a mission to rescue the President's kidnapped daughter in a spooky European village overrun with gruesome enemies. Featuring modernized gameplay and overhauled visuals, this is Resident Evil 4 as you've never seen it before. Dragon's Dogma 2 is an absorbing fantasy RPG that doesn't pull its punches. Set in a rich mythical universe, you set out on quests that get increasingly complex and challenging. The focus on exploration and deep combat will keep you hooked across its lengthy adventure. Plus, it looks stunning on PS5. Sonic X Shadow Generations combines a remaster of 2011's Sonic Generations, a love letter to the Blue Blur that remains a fan-favorite to this day, with a new Shadow-focused campaign. It's a strong package, and it was perfectly timed to coincide with the latest Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie. Following this year's dramatic Masters tournament, now is the time to step out onto the links and prove yourself a golfing whiz. PGA Tour 2K25 is the latest entry in the annual sports sim series, and boasts the level of authenticity you'd expect from a 2K game. The anticipated second part of the Final Fantasy VII remake series, FFVII Rebirth is one of the most beautiful RPGs ever made. This game is absolutely packed with content, providing hundreds of hours of activities. At this lower price, now is a great time to give Final Fantasy VII Rebirth a shot. We loved how the side quests and minigames provided a huge amount of depth to the gameplay, and we considered it a must-own PS5 title in our Final Fantasy VII Rebirth review. Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest entry in the long-running series, and sees you venture into new terrortiy teeming with fearsome creatures to craft. Sticking closely to the series' well-established formula, it combines thrilling battles with deep crafting and customization. And also boats a highly cinematic main story campaign that can be played in full four-player co-op. Civilization VII makes some of the biggest changes yet to the established formula, and while not all of these additions are necessarily for the best, it remains one of the deepest strategy games on the market. This is a game you can play for literally thousands of hours.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Behold, the Monster Hunter Wilds effect: Capcom's old Monster Hunter games sold even better in the past year despite 10 million copies of Wilds eating the fandom's time and money
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Capcom has released its latest financial earnings, and it seems nothing can stop Monster Hunter - not even Monster Hunter. Old entries in the venerable series are selling even better than they did the year before, collectively outstripping the sales of Monster Hunter Wilds itself. Monster Hunter Wilds sold an impressive 10.1 million units at launch, according to Capcom's FY24 earnings report. The financial year covers April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025, which only encompasses the first month of Wilds' release, making the figure even more impressive. Five of Capcom's top six sellers for the year were Monster Hunter titles, broken up only by Resident Evil 4. Between World, Iceborne, Rise, and Sunbreak, the old MonHun games and expansions sold a collective 10.4 million units, just barely outdoing Wilds itself. It seems clear that anticipation for Wilds drove some of those sales. In FY23, the series sold a collective 9.4 million units, so this year's numbers are showing a pretty substantial bump. "Cumulative sales of the series overall surpassed 100 million units worldwide, helping to enhance the brand value of Monster Hunter," Capcom said in its report. Between Wilds and the rest of the series, Capcom's reporting 20.5 million Monster Hunter titles sold for FY24, and that led to what the publisher calls an "all-time high" of 51.9 million games sold across its entire catalog in the year. Fully 39% of Capcom's video game sales are now Monster Hunter-shaped, and I for one welcome our new Rathalos overlords. Check out our guide to the best Monster Hunter Wilds weapons.
