After the huge release of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord early access recently, the developers have been working hard to fix some of the issues that have arisen post launch. Since the early access launch, the developers have released three patches, with bug fixes as the main focus of each one.
Players have been reporting losing their save files and encountering various bugs in the game since launch, but the developers are confident that they will be able to work their way through each thread and find a solution for these problems.
Mount & Blade II is a realistic medieval RPG, where players lead a small army of soldiers to complete quests and fight against other small armies, growing renown with each fight until they eventually become a lord or even king. Bannerlord takes place 210 years after the events of Warband, the DLC pack from 2008, with the focus shifting to the historical Migration Period, a period of time that place not long after the fall of the Roman Empire.
While it is only an early access release, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlords has plenty to offer. With Custom Battles and Campaign modes available in single player, there are countless hours of battles for players to experience. The campaign mode is a new addition to the series, with a storyline and key events being woven into the sandbox gameplay, giving players clear goals and objectives to complete while forging their way across the enormous game map.
The multiplayer mode has even more options, with four different game modes to play: Skirmish, Captain, Team Deathmatch, and Seige. According to TeamWorlds, the developers and publishers of the Mount & Blade series, have stated that they will continue to introduce more features, game modes, and additional content to the multiplayer as the early access goes on.
Asus has revealed its latest ultra-powerful gaming laptop, but this one is a little more interesting than just a folding PC with a beefy graphics card in it. The ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is a dual-screen laptop, designed to give both gamers and creators more screen real estate in a portable package.
The Zephyrus Duo 15’s approach to dual screen is a neat party trick; as you lift the laptop’s lid, a slim second screen rises up above the keyboard, with its final resting spot sitting at a shallow angle above the top row of keys and below the ‘chin’ of the main display.
This non-glare 14.09” screen – dubbed the ROG ScreenPad+ – is UHD resolution (3840×1100) at 60hz, with touch and stylus support. It’s not as tall as the main monitor panel, and so sort of works as a miniature ultrawide. The narrowness of the screen means this second panel is best suited to tools such as the Photoshop colour wheel or OBS, rather than playing games on.
While Windows recognises the ScreenPad+ as a second monitor and you can drag items to it as you’d expect, the touch panel also has its own software. This allows you to assign various apps or windows to it and create presets, with up to three windows open across the width of it. During a hands-on session I played the Quake RTX demo while also having Steam and a browser displaying IGN open on the second screen. This is a simple way of showing its base capabilities, but it’s easy to imagine playing Escape from Tarkov and having an all-important map open in one panel of the second screen, and Discord in another.
Aside from its obvious uses for creatives reliant on Adobe software – Asus is partnering with Adobe and other companies to create specific content for the ScreenPad – the laptop could be useful for streamers on the go. Being able to broadcast from a laptop that offers a dedicated screen to monitor chat and provide touch-pad streaming tools seems quite useful.
The main display is a 15.6” panel available in two variants; a UHD 60Hz Adobe, Pantone Color Calibrated option, or a 1080p version that runs at 300Hz with 3ms response time. The former is suited to creative work, while the speed of the latter is designed for game performance.
Talking of performance, the Zephyrus Duo 15 is powered by an Intel 10th generation CPU – either an i7 or an i9 – and Nvidia’s RTX series of graphics cards, with a choice of the 2070 Super or the 2080 Super. As for memory and storage, you can opt for up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of NVMe SSD storage in RAID 0.
Additionally, the laptop comes with a 90Wh battery that can be powered through the Thunderbolt port, and a liquid metal thermal compound on the CPU allows for an apparently 10% performance increase. The lifting action of the second screen also opens up an additional air intake to aid in further cooling of the components.
All of this does, naturally, come at a hefty price tag. Asus is pricing the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 from $2,999/£2,999 for the entry model, with the beefier version sporting the 2080 Super coming in at $3,999/£3,999. It goes on sale in July this year.
If this isn’t the desktop replacement for you, check our our suggestions of the best gaming laptops.
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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.
In a rare double header, both Intel and Nvidia today introduced new components for gaming laptops. For Intel, that’s 10th Generation H-Series processors, while Nvidia announced Max-Q versions of its RTX Super line.
We’ll start with the latter announcement of the brand new Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q and 2070 Super Max-Q for gaming laptops. Going from the RTX 2080 Max-Q to its new Super variant, Nvidia has bumped up the CUDA core count from 2,944 to 3,072 while also increasing the boost clock speed from 1,230MHz to 1,560MHz.
It’s almost the same story for the RTX 2070 Super Max-Q, which has seen the addition of 220 more CUDA cores, but interestingly a reduction in maximum frequency by 75MHz.
Aside differences in CUDA core counts and boost clock speeds, there’s not much different on the surface specs of these two new laptop GPUs. However, there have been plenty of under the hood improvements including low-voltage DDR6 memory and a next-generation regulator to reduce power usage.
Yes, this is a dual-screen gaming laptop
To the Max
These two new parts also bring a boat load of new Max-Q features. Most importantly these second generation mobile Max-Q graphics chips have been granted Advanced Optimus Technology, which finally allows gaming laptops to switch between integrated and discrete graphics while also supporting G-Sync at the same time. Previously, any gaming laptop outfitted with G-Sync support could not switch back to integrated graphics in order to improve battery life, as its display was essentially hard wired to Nvida’s GPU.
Aside from being able to save on battery life thanks to the graphics switching software, G-Sync itself has also seen an upgrade to support 4K 120Hz displays—though there has yet to be a single gaming laptop that features both of these screen specs.
The other important Max-Q technology here is Dynamic Boost, which basically shifts power between the CPU and GPU. This isn’t a simple boost to both processing power and graphical horsepower, rather the software will reduce power going to the CPU to GPU to squeeze a little more FPS while playing graphically demanding games like Doom Eternal.
Nvidia says that all these new features, including the low-voltage DDR6 memory and next-generation regulator, will come to all new Max-Q GPUs across the company’s entire range of RTX and GTX chips. However, the company doesn’t have any plans to clearly mark which laptops will feature all these new Max-Q chips, so we’re hoping the individual manufacturers will place a box sticker or other clear indication on its products.
At the very least we can expect the price of Nvidia-powered gaming laptops to decrease soon. The company confirmed that this April we’ll start seeing GTX 1650-equipped machines starting at $699 while gaming laptops with an RTX 2060 will start at $999.
Octa-core power
On the Intel side of things, the Santa Clara-based company has introduced 10th Generation H-series processors. Before you get too excited about the notion of gaming-grade Ice Lake processors, we’re sad to inform you that this is yet another lineup of 14nm chips.
The good news is this new line of CPUs finally brings eight-core, 16-thread processors to gaming laptops at long last. What’s more, all of these new Intel Core i7 and i9 processors are able to hit a maximum (single-core) clock speed of 5.0GHz or higher. Core i5 processors aren’t far behind either with the lowest Turbo frequency sitting around 4.5GHz.
Intel has also added the Intel Speed Optimizer as a feature inside the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility for simple one-click overclocking. This new automated feature will scan your system for its available power and thermal overhead and set an appropriate multi-core overclock on your gaming laptop.
Otherwise, these new processors bring integrated Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) and boost DDR4 memory speeds up to 2,933MHz—though we’ve seen a few Asus machines up the ante to 3,200MHz.
This is one of the biggest component refreshes we’ve seen in gaming laptops for some time and as such manufacturers are already pulling all the stops with new models. Below in our slideshow we’ve featured just a few of the latest models including the insane dual-screen laptop we teased earlier so click on.
MSI has revealed its upcoming slate of gaming laptops, which all come equipped with 10th-gen Intel Core processors and Nvidia RTX Super graphics cards. The new laptops include the GS66 Stealth, GE66 Raider, and Creator 17. The company states that these laptops were made with gamers and content creators in mind, with specs that can easily handle tasks like gaming and rendering high-quality video.
The GS66 Stealth is available now for pre-order, while the GE66 Raider and Creator 17 laptops will launch online on April 15. Each laptop comes with a TN display with the option to switch out for an IPS-level panel, which provides brighter and better colours.
GS66 Stealth gaming laptop
Starting at $1,599; Available for pre-order now
The GS66 Stealth has a discrete look with an all-black chassis, making it more low-key than most gaming laptops. It can boast up to an i9-10980HK processor with an RTX Super graphics card. Whichever specs you choose, you’ll get a 15.6-inch, 1080p display with a 300Hz refresh rate. Pairing an i9-10980HK with an RTX 2080 Super should produce some impressive results on that 300Hz display. It also comes with two NVMe SSD slots and a per-key RGB-lit gaming keyboard by SteelSeries as well as a Cooler Boost Trinity+ cooling system and a 99.9Whr battery.
GE66 Raider gaming laptop
Starting at $1,799 on April 15
The GE66 Raider looks more like a gaming laptop than the GS66 Stealth, though it doesn’t stand out as particularly garish. It features the same range of specs as the GS66 Stealth as well, including up to an i9-10980HK processor and RTX 2080 Super as well as the 15.6-inch, 1080p display with the 300Hz refresh rate. It’s all supported by the same 99.9Whr battery and same RGB-lit keyboard. It also boasts an RGB light display on the front of the laptop’s base.
Creator 17 gaming laptop
Starts at $1,799 on April 15
MSI’s Creator 17 laptop is more focused on being a great workstation machine for video editors and producers–though it’s also capable of gaming. You can pair it with up to an i7-10875H processor and an RTX Super series graphics card. It features a 17.3-inch, 4K display that’s MiniLED-lit and HDR 1000-capable. It also comes with a white backlit keyboard.
Former Xbox console marketing director Albert Penello has shared his thoughts on the hot topic of AA batteries versus internal recharegable cells for controllers. His comments came in the wake of the news that the Xbox Series X will continue to use AA batteries.
Writing on Twitter, Penello–who now works at Amazon–said the tradeoff between AA batteries and internal cells is “more complex than people think.”
“It’s a debate that’s raged for years, and there are good points on both sides. The toughest part is that it’s a binary decision–choosing one alienates the other,” he said.
Penello said he found in his customer research that AA batteries were the favored choice. Core gamers and technology enthusiasts generally wanted internal cells, but AA batteries won out in terms of public opinion overall, Penello said.
He went on to speak about some of the benefits of AA batteries specifically. “AA have very little draw when not in use, so a controller with AA can sit for longer periods of time. AA can be replaced easily mid-game when batteries die. AA can use disposable OR rechargeable cells,” Penello said. “There is no battery maintenance required with AA and batteries don’t degrade.”
Internal cells have their own benefits, too, Penello said, including convenience and cost (as you don’t need to keep buying AA batteries again and again even if the cells themselves are more expensive for manufacturers to produce). People who stay on top of keeping their controllers charged or don’t play for extended periods of time are rarely inconvenienced, he said.
In terms of the environmental impact of AA batteries versus internal cells for controllers, Penello said it’s a wash. He said he personally prefers AA batteries because it gives him the most options, but Penello said he understands the situation is “complex and there isn’t a simple way to satisfy both sides.”
For its part, Microsoft’s Jason Ronald says the Xbox Series X is sticking with AA batteries because it gives players a choice because they can use AA batteries or a rechargeable battery pack. “What it comes down to is when actually talking to gamers, it’s kind of polarizing and there is a strong camp that really want AAs,” Ronald said. “So just giving flexibility is the way to please both [sets of] people… You can use a rechargeable battery pack and it works just like it does on the Elite, [but] it is a separate thing.”
Albert Penello’s Comments On AA Versus Internal Batteries:
The tradeoff between AA Batteries and internal rechargeables in controllers is more complex than people think. It’s a debate that’s raged for years, and there are good points on both sides. The toughest part is that it’s a binary decision – choosing one alienates the other.
One thing worth mentioning is that when I did broad customer research (among all types of gamers around the world) AA batteries were favored. Core gamers and tech enthusiasts lean heavily towards internal, but AA actually has benefits.
AA have very little draw when not in use, so a controller with AA can sit for longer periods of time. AA can be replaced easily mid-game when batteries die. AA can use disposable OR rechargeable cells. There is no battery maintenance required with AA and batteries don’t degrade
Of course internal has benefits such as convenience and cost, and I hear a lot of comments about making the product “seem more modern”. If you stay diligent on keeping them charged or don’t play for long sessions your play sessions aren’t interrupted.
I think the environmental impact is a wash for each. Personally, I favor AA since it gives players the most amount of options and research tells me that more people prefer it. In the end, it turns out to be more complex and there isn’t a simple way to satisfy both sides.
Like the March 31 patch, the April 1 patch for Bannerlord addresses a bunch of bugs that have been causing the game to crash. The patch doesn’t focus on any one quest though–instead it addresses several problems associated with both Bannerlord’s single-player campaign and multiplayer modes. The full patch notes are listed below.
“We know that many of you are experiencing issues that are preventing you from enjoying the game right now, for which we are very sorry,” TaleWorld wrote in a blog post. “With the help of you, our community, we are finding and fixing these issues and pushing updates out as soon as we can. Unfortunately, as was the case with [the March 31] patch, this [April 1 patch] may result in previous save files becoming unplayable for some people. We will always try to ensure that your save game remains compatible with each update, however, sometimes this will not be possible.”
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord April 1 Update Patch Notes
Some of the crashes from older saves are fixed and these saves can be used again. (especially caused by fencing stolen goods & rival gang leader quests).
Enabled Steam cloud saves.
A bug that was preventing some players (especially Windows 7 users) from logging into the multiplayer lobby has been fixed. There may be further issues in this regard. We are investigating the matter.
Fixed a crash that occurred when entering a custom battle.
Various localisation fixes. Some texts are only in English due to lacking localisation tags. Now they can be updated by translators and will be added to the game soon.
Some variable texts were not shown correctly. Some of them are fixed, more will be fixed in upcoming patches.
Some Turkish translation corrections and typo fixes.
Fixed an AI-related issue that crashed the game.
Fixed an AI calculation error on aiming ranged weapons against mounted enemies.
Fixed launcher not being visible for some users.
Fixed errors and crashes after changing language in multiplayer.
Fixed encyclopedia faction “Part of” crash on creating player faction.
Hero crafting stamina is now saved. Loading does not restore stamina.
Localized text manager does not crash on invalid source file.
Fixed a crash that occurs in some towns when we try to take a walk.
Fixed a crash that occurs during a conversation with various characters.
Fixed a crash that occurred after activating the “Fencing Stolen Goods” quest.
Fixed a crash when creating a new hero. Mainly happened when opening a new campaign or having a baby.
Fixed a crash that occurred when “Headman Needs Grain” issue time out.
Fixed a crash that occurred when the player clan gained renown while the player character is a prisoner.
Fixed a crash that occurred when a quest time out in Quest Manager.
A crash caused by initiating peace barter with heroes that do not have parties has been fixed.
Fixed a crash that occurred when the player has created their own kingdom and the conspiracy progress quest starts.
Added notifications to certain parts of the Main Storyline.
Fixed a bug where using the ransom all prisoners button didn’t give roguery XP.
Removed ransoming prisoners’ trade skill gain.
Decreased ransoming prisoners’ roguery skill gain by 40%
An issue with the 3rd banner piece fixed.
Party initialization in Radagos’ Hideout is changed to a more stable version.
Fixed a crash that occurred when selecting “You’re breaking the law.” option when the “Family Feud” quest is active.
Fixed quest NPC remains in the player’s clan at the end of the Family Feud quest bug.
Fixed quest NPC remains in the player’s clan at the end of the Lord Needs Tutor quest bug.
Fixed getting Family Feud quest NPC as a companion and progressing in Rebuild Your Clan quest bug.
Fixed a crash that occurred when Lord Wants Rival Captured Issue Quest Quest Giver becomes a prisoner.
Fixed a crash that occurred when trying to force village notables to give supplies/recruits.
Fixed a crash that occurred when a game that is saved during the Extortion By Deserters quest is loaded.
Fixes a possible crash that might occur if the player loads a game that was saved during the following quests: Merchant Needs Help With Looters, Escort Merchant Caravan, Locate And Rescue Traveller (tutorial quest), Travel To Village (tutorial quest), Istianas Banner Piece, Arzagos Banner Piece.
Players that are at war with minor factions will now be able to join kingdoms even if the kingdom is not at war with that minor faction.
Fixed the bug where war state with factions that have been destroyed was not being cleared.
A crash related to successfully making peace through barter has been fixed.
Changed Strong Smith perk description to Controlled Smith
Fixed a charm skill exploit which happens in marriage barter.
Fixed a bug where companions were unable to be used after sending them to fix an issue.
If you have some troops outside of the hideout, you are no longer taken as a prisoner anymore when you lose an encounter.
Fixed a crash that occurs sometimes after a siege battle (after dying in siege battle, after go to defend in a siege, after trying to exit from a siege etc.)
Fixed a crash that occurred when the player tried to select & sell prisoners.
200 cap removed from workshops.
Exploit at smithy and wood workshop is fixed.
Defection amounts of clans decreased.
Sally out probability decreased.
+1 base daily militia for villages removed.
Starving effect is halved for garrisons at fortifications.
Doom and Doom II, which were launched on PS4, Switch, and Xbox One last year (alongside Doom 3), have received another substantial update. The new update adds the No End In Sight expansion to both games, which provides another 30 levels for your Doom Marine to shoot, rip, and tear their way through.
This update is coming to the mobile and PC versions of the game, too. Doom I and II’s relaunch came with invasive DRM originally, but it has since been removed, and the games have received several free expansions. No End In Sight is generally well-regarded as a challenging, deep expansion on Doom, so players who feel like they have mastered these classics will be able to truly prove themselves by beating it.
The 1.0.6 update, announced by Bethesda, adds various other fixes and changes to the game. Here’s the full list of everything in the update.
Audio Updates
The Audio has been overhauled, and positional audio should now work in all cases.
Sound distance falloff is now accurately using the same volume ranges from the original DOS release.
Objects that make consecutive sounds (such as the Chaingunner’s gun firing) will now correctly interrupt each other.
Add-On Specific Updates
Chainsaw firing in Add-ons has been fixed to its original optimal buzz.
Sounds at 22khz (such as the Double Barrel Shotgun) now play correctly in Add-ons.
In the Add-on “No Rest for the Living”, Hell levels now use the correct hell sky texture.
Add-ons that are made up of multiple episodes can now be selected correctly.
Fixes
Fixed stalls that may occur when quick loading the game several times in a row when Add-ons are active.
Changes
Quick Load and Save can now be bound from Customize Controls and will work without pausing the game.
Automap colors have been changed. It will now clearly mark doors, and keyed doors using red, yellow, blue, or white lines, making it quicker to find parts of the map that are unexplored.
Automap is drawn with pixel doubling to increase visibility and fix issues with lines disappearing.
Kills, items, and secrets are now shown on the automap during gameplay.
Performance Optimization
Quick Load now loads quicker by skipping the screen wipe animation when loading a game.
Minor rendering optimizations.
The latest Doom game, Doom Eternal, is available now for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia. A Nintendo Switch version is being worked on.
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Xbox boss Phil Spencer has commented broadly and non-specifically about the price of the Xbox Series X. Speaking to IGN, Spencer said he feels confident about the price point, adding that he believes Microsoft has a “winning plan” for the next-generation console as it competes with the PlayStation 5.
“I feel good about the price we’re going to be able to get to,” Spencer said. “I feel good about the price and the performance capabilities that we have for Series X. I feel incredibly strong about the overall package.”
The Xbox Series X price isn’t set yet, it seems. Spencer said he is “eyes wide open” in regards to the final price of the console, adding that Microsoft will be looking at what Sony does in terms of pricing for the PlayStation 5. No matter what, however, Spencer said Microsoft believes it has a “winning plan” for the console.
“I believe we have a plan that can win; now we have to go execute,” he said.
Spencer went on to say that the overall goal with the Xbox Series X price is to “stay agile” and set a price that meets or surpasses the expectations of fans. He added that the value of the Xbox Series X is beyond the console alone, also factoring in the appeal of services like Xbox Game Pass and backwards compatibility. He also mentioned that the “Smart Delivery” feature is an offering that players might find value in to help them feel comfortable buying into the Xbox platform.
For comparison, the Xbox One and Xbox One X each launched at a $500 USD price point, before being discounted later in their lifecycles. The Xbox Series X is the fastest, most powerful Xbox console ever made, so it will presumably carry a premium price tag. Another interesting factor at play here is how Xbox Series X might not be the only next-gen console that Microsoft releases. The company is also rumored to release a less expensive, less powerful next-gen console, too.
Spencer has repeatedly said that he does not like the idea of console wars, but of course, Microsoft wants to do better for the upcoming console generation after the PS4 outsold the Xbox One by a large margin.
The full interview with Spencer is incredibly in-depth and fascinating, as Spencer speaks candidly about a number of high-profile topics, including the impact of COVID-19 on Microsoft’s next-gen plans.
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Xbox boss Phil Spencer has commented extensively for the first time on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the planned launch of Xbox Series X later this year and more. Speaking to IGN, Spencer said he wants people to know that first and foremost, the safety and security of its teams is what is most important to him during this time of crisis.
“The thing I’m going to put front and center is the safety and security of the team,” Spencer said. “There is no decision that I will make, or frankly anybody at Microsoft would even ask me to make, that would compromise the safety and security of the teams for a near-term financial or product gain. The teams are the most important thing.”
Pragmatically, Spencer said he has observed that the supply chains in China have “started to come back,” which would enable the parts to be assembled for Xbox Series X for launch this holiday.
Right now, Xbox Series X remains on track to launch on schedule this holiday period, but Spencer stressed time and again that this is a fluid situation and nothing is set in stone right now.
Also in the interview, Spencer said the game development teams are coming to terms–not always easily–as they shift to a work-from-home setup. “Building a video game from home–a large, distributed team of hundreds of people–is not easy. Video games are big, and there are massive asset bases that each one of these games have,” Spencer said.
Some of the Xbox Game Studios titles that have already been delayed due to COVID-19 have included Wasteland 3 and Minecraft Dungeons. Many are wondering if Halo Infinite, which is a launch title for Xbox Series X, might also be delayed, but Spencer said nothing is decided yet. Right now, Halo Infinite is still on track to launch this holiday with the next-gen console.
“Things right now aren’t easy. Things are stretched. I can feel it in the teams–they are stretched,” Spencer said. “We have nothing right now that says we’re not going to make the dates that we’ve been planning, but I’ll also say this is real-time stuff. I’m gonna put the safety and security of our teams at the top, along with a quality product. I don’t want to rush a product out if it’s not ready.”
Overall, Spencer said he is “feeling good” about where Xbox stands today with regards to preparing to launch the Xbox Series X on schedule this holiday. “Feeling good, but also being eyes wide open,” he said.
Spencer confirmed that Microsoft has no “plan B” in place right now for what could happen if COVID-19 crisis continues for an extended period of time. That being said, Spencer said he does not want to launch the Xbox Series X on a staggered basis as it did with the Xbox One. In Japan, for example, the Xbox One launched a full nine months after the system arrived in other parts of the world. Spencer said he wants the Xbox Series X to have a global simultaneous rollout.
This brings up an interesting scenario with Halo Infinite. Spencer said Microsoft “won’t hold the launch of the platform for any individual game.” Based on this comment, it sounds like Microsoft will ship the Xbox Series X this holiday even if Halo Infinite–or any other marquee first-party game–is delayed. No matter what happens, Spencer said Microsoft plans to be “very transparent” with people about their plans.
Halo Infinite being delayed would be a big loss for the Xbox Series X, as Microsoft hasn’t launched a new Xbox console with Halo as a launch title since the original Xbox back in 2011. For its part, Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has said the COVID-19 crisis “may get worse before it gets better.”
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Final Fantasy VII Remake is nearly upon us, and the latest installment of the Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake video series is here to prime us for the game’s battles. While episode 1 was a general introduction and episode 2 focused on story, the third episode of this documentary series, embedded below, dives deep into the new combat system for the remake.
The reworked combat system came about because action is “the mainstream style right now,” according to director and concept designer Tetsuya Nomura. However, the numbers and stats that fly off enemies during combat were maintained because “they make Final Fantasy what it is.”
The battle system has been designed with the thought that this is how it would work if it was designed for the first time today, but the developers report that it was difficult to decide just how action-focused it would be, and whether things like reflexes would be important. Classic Mode, which automates a lot of the fighting and lets players focus on making choices through menus, was included because a lot of fans online were worried about not being able to play because they are not good at more action-heavy games.
Materia will play a bigger part in this game compared to the original, and the developers are hoping that players who die in boss fights will change their Materia before trying again to see what will work. Speaking of bosses, they’ve been overhauled pretty substantially, as this video shows. They’re all phase based now, moving between different stages punctuated by cutscenes, and follow the principles of Jo-Ha-Kyu–that is, a slow start, a swift break, and then a rapid end.
There’s also a Chocobo stampede attack shown off, which is a real treat.
The story is discussed further in the video too, and it’s said that in the second half of the game the characters will experience a lot of growth. Subquests have been moved around to better suit the pace of the remake’s storytelling, and minigames are designed to fit in with the rest of the plot. The game is said to be “story-driven” moreso than “open world”.
Depending on where you live, you might already have your hands on Final Fantasy VII Remake–it has shipped early in some places. The game, which covers the Midgar portion of the original, will be greatly expanded compared to the PlayStation 1 classic.
