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For many of us, headphones have become one of our everyday carry essentials, and we need to check them off the list before leaving home. After all, what would we do without our favorite music playlists and weekly podcasts? Whether it’s for your commute, a hard workout, or just a walk around your neighborhood, a great set of headphones is a must-have. But it can be hard to find a great set of headphones you love. Some don’t deliver the audio quality you need, and some can set you back hundreds of dollars.

Thankfully, there are options that bridge the gap between incredible quality and an incredible deal. The ComfoBuds Pro True Wireless Headphones offer just that, providing stellar quality and retailing for only $105. That’s a great price for the quality, but even better is that they’re currently on sale for only $89.99 (a savings of 14%).

These headphones boast a ton of great features that rival wireless headphones costing hundreds of dollars more. They offer proprietary technology called QuietMax, the driving force of their active noise canceling. Three separate microphones listen to you, your music, and the world around you, amplifying what you want to hear and eliminating what you don’t.

The noise cancellation can be set to eliminate all ambient noise so you can enjoy your tunes with no distractions, or it can be set to minimize ambient sounds so you can still remain alert. That ambient noise reduction also makes for crystal-clear phone calls, diminishing even the effects of the wind. The ComfoBuds Pro’s features and outstanding value even earned it a spot as a 2021 CES Innovation Awards Honoree.

Get the most out of your music and take your on-the-go tunes to the next level with a high-quality and high-tech set of headphones like the ComfoBuds Pro True Wireless Headphones for $89.99

Prices subject to change.

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Developer Platinum Games’ style is instantly recognizable–flashy, fast-paced action that oozes with personality and flair. World of Demons brings that signature style to Apple Arcade, giving you control of a samurai named Onimaru and thrusting you into, well, a world of demons. That successful Platinum formula translates well to iOS devices, with simple touch controls and quick action that looks and feels great on the smaller screen. There are some issues lying underneath–mostly in the camera system–but those problems aren’t enough to derail this otherwise solid action experience.

World of Demons follows Onimaru, a lone samurai fighting against an army of vicious demons called yokai. Our hero is building an army of his own, however, as every enemy he defeats will join him in the fight against the game’s main antagonist, the demon king Shuten Doji. Onimaru himself controls exactly like a Platinum Games protagonist, deftly running around stages while slashing with his massive katana. Consecutive presses on the attack button will result in stylish combos, with better rewards given for higher combos at the end of a skirmish. Holding down the button will slow attacks down, making strikes more powerful but making you vulnerable to enemy counterattacks.

The yokai Onimaru battle comes in all shapes and sizes, from small bean farmers to massive pink blobs, each with its own attack abilities. Each yokai is assigned a color (red, blue, or green), with each color having strengths and weaknesses over the other in a rock-paper-scissors system. Defeating a yokai adds it to your collection, and before each chapter you’ll be able to equip two yokai for the following mission. Other yokai defeated during the chapter are added to a “deck” and disappear after one use.

Allowing you to have two yokai you can always depend on, while also adding more throughout a mission, creates a dynamic battle system that really shines. Paying attention to each enemy’s health bar and attacking with corresponding yokai adds a layer of complexity to each battle that feels natural and fun, making the yokai more than just glorified summons. You’ll never know which yokai you’ll encounter in a mission, but the rock-paper-scissors element mitigates any detriments caused by that instability.

Mixing Onimaru’s sword attacks in with the supporting yokai gives you plenty of options in combat, encouraging strategizing before every enemy. Boss fights in particular require this approach, as you need to gauge when you can switch from quick sword strikes to the more powerful blows while also using yokai to inflict more damage. It’s fast and it’s frantic, but most importantly, it’s a lot of fun, emulating that signature Platinum Games style impressively well.

It’s not a perfect translation however, as I found one major annoyance during my run with the game: the camera. As World of Demons uses a touchscreen control scheme, character movement and camera movement are assigned to the screen itself. The left half of the screen controls character movement, while the right controls camera movement. The problem with this is the camera half of the screen is obstructed by the rest of the touch controls, giving you only half the amount of screen for camera movement that you have for moving Onimaru. This makes the camera awkward and confusing both in and out of battle. An auto-targeting system tries to counter this by zeroing in whichever enemy you’re attacking. This works to a point, but the camera is easily the most frustrating part of what is otherwise a solid game.

World of Demons looks wonderful, with every stage looking like it was taken straight from a ukiyo-e wood print (most reminiscent of a game like Okami). Each area jumps off the screen with color and beauty, and even darker stages feature personality, with blue waves crashing in the background or swelling dark clouds blocking your path in the distance.

You’ll have the opportunity to take in the sights, too, as the game encourages checking every nook and cranny for items and loot. Each map is divided into sections, with each section featuring a certain number of battles to fight and treasure to find. Once everything in a section is completed it will turn gold on your map with a red “Complete!” stamp, letting you know there’s nothing left to find.

This map format does lead to one minor complaint, however; missions can sometimes feel repetitive, with the game’s only variety being found in the yokai that appear during battles. When you start a mission, you’ll see a purple cloud marking your first battle point. You’ll approach the cloud, and a dramatic two-second pause occurs before yokai appear. You’ll fight the yokai and a statistics screen pops up to give you a grade for the battle. Once that goes away you can continue to the next point, and rinse and repeat until the final battle of the chapter. There’s some exploration thrown in, but the bulk of each chapter follows this exact same structure, and after a few extended gameplay sessions, it starts to feel a little stale.

One feature that I truly appreciate is the ease in which World of Demons allows you to get back into the game in between play sessions. Say you’re trying to explore an area but your attention is pulled elsewhere, forcing you to close the game and quit playing. When you load back up you’ll be in the exact spot where you left off, and the map will even pop onto the screen to remind you what you’ve explored so far. Being able to trust this game to take me right back where I left off is a huge relief, and something I wish more mobile games would do with such precision.

World of Demons proves that Platinum Games’ trademark action can flourish on small phone screens. The yokai mechanics are smartly implemented, while boss battles are intense and rife with adrenaline. The camera issues can be annoying, but they’re not enough to ruin the thrilling experience onscreen. A Platinum Games title working well on iOS sounds like a long shot, but World of Demons is not only a fun mobile action game, but a solid title regardless of what platform it’s on.

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We’ve once again entered E3 season–that magical time of the year when the industry’s biggest companies and developers unveil their latest games. While this year’s festivities consist of digital-only events, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some exciting news coming. As we await what’s in store, the GameSpot team compiled their biggest predictions and wishes for E3 2021 and all its surrounding events. Below you can find what we dearly hope will get announced at the show, whether it’s realistic or a complete pipedream.

For more about the upcoming festivities, be sure to check out our E3 2021 schedule feature, which details when it’s happening, where to watch all the streams, and who’s participating this year. And stay tuned all month long for Play For All, GameSpot’s event that will feature coverage of E3, other summer events, and a charity effort to raise money for AbleGamers.

From Software Finally Shows Elden Ring

I don’t think I need to remind any From Software fan reading this about how long it’s been since we last had major Elden Ring news. (Nearly two years since it was announced, but who’s counting?) Since then, we’ve had virtually no news about the game… and that’s okay. Personally, I would far prefer a game be given the time it needs to be the best experience possible, and have fewer game-breaking bugs. Between Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro, Hidetaka Miyazaki, at this point, has proven himself to be a true auteur of incredible gaming experiences–and that certainly deserves our patience and understanding. Well, from me, at least.

But as E3 2021 will mark two years since the first teaser trailer we saw, I feel like we can finally raise our hopes that we’ll actually hear something about this long-awaited game. And, personally, I couldn’t be more excited for that prospect. — Dave Klein, Video Producer

A Teaser For Spider-Man 2

Insomniac has built up some incredible momentum over the last few years. Jumping off the success of Marvel’s Spider-Man, it helped usher in the new generation with both a cross-gen Miles Morales spin-off and the upcoming PS5 exclusive Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. With the studio juggling so many projects, it’s probably too early to expect a full follow-up to the 2018 Spider-Man so soon, but now would be a great time to start teasing it.

The first game was too successful not to start production on a follow-up immediately, and the plot left enough lingering threads that I can’t wait to see what comes next. Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a nice way to revisit the world and establish Miles as his own hero who can fight alongside Peter Parker, but as a cross-gen game it could only push the limit so far. If what we’ve seen from Ratchet is any indication, Insomniac is capable of much more when dedicated to the new generation. Showing us a hint of what’s to come, even if not until holiday 2022, would be a big, bold move from Sony. — Steve Watts, Associate Editor

Confirmation Of An Indie-Packed Second Half Of 2021

2021 has seen some great indies so far–I’m currently obsessed with Knockout City, but games like Loop Hero, Good Lookin’ Home Cookin’, and Little Nightmares II have also stolen my heart. And I’m pretty sure these good times will keep on rollin’ since indie teams, given their traditionally small size and working-from-home setups, were able to weather the storm that was 2020 a little bit better than their AAA counterparts.

So throughout E3 2021, I predict that we’ll finally get some release dates for those upcoming indie games currently slated to come out “soon” or “2021.”

I’d love to finally see actual dates for 12 Minutes, Death’s Door, Dustborn, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder, Grime, Harold Halibut, Lake, Open Roads, The Outlast Trials, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, Road 96, Soup Pot, and Sifu (I could go on, but I’m being told these entries have a word limit).

Normally, I’d predict Hollow Knight: Silksong news, but Matthew Griffin (who handles marketing for Team Cherry) has already broken my heart by saying that Silksong will not be at E3. So yeah, E3, you can make this right by giving us more indie game release dates instead. — Jordan Ramée, Associate Editor

The Return Of Advance Wars

Advance Wars has been dormant for well over a decade now despite each entry on DS and GBA being a solid, well-received tactical strategy game. Aside from the references in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (which are nice but don’t count for much given how widely Nintendo cast that net), it’s been a rough period for fans of Intelligent Systems’ franchise.

At the time of this writing, we don’t yet know if Nintendo will even host an E3 press conference, but if it decides to make announcements in June, I’m hoping an Advance Wars revival is among them. A remastered collection of the existing games with online multiplayer would be nice, but I’m more interested in a brand-new entry that continues to build on the established framework. We’ve seen other games (like Wargroove) do a commendable job on this front in lieu of anything from Nintendo, but I’d welcome that Intelligent Systems touch–and a return of those catchy soundtracks. — Chris Pereira, Senior Editor

A New Splinter Cell Game That Doesn’t Use Every Ubisoft Trope

It has become something of a joke each E3–a sad, disheartening joke. I wait with bated breath as Ubisoft holds its yearly press conference, announcing new IP, the latest in series like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, and new expansions for long-running multiplayer games.

And no Splinter Cell.

2021 is the year that has to change. It has been nearly eight years since the last one, and though an Oculus-exclusive VR game is in the works, Ubisoft has to realize how much fans want a new, full-length Splinter Cell game. My only concern is that this game would fall victim to some of Ubisoft’s recent design tropes, including an exceedingly large world, needless RPG mechanics, and a focus on live-service or always-online elements. Sam Fisher doesn’t need to follow trends. He just needs to stay in the dark with his trusty trifocal goggles, karambit knife, and silenced Five-SeveN pistol. — Gabe Gurwin, Associate SEO Editor

Halo Infinite Brings The Goods

After a year-long delay, Halo Infinite is finally releasing this holiday, and E3 2021 should be a massive event for the game. Multiplayer is the bread and butter of Halo, and to date, we’ve seen precisely zero non-campaign gameplay footage. So I’m hoping to see 343 go big and offer a deep-dive look at Halo Infinite multiplayer across the standard, expected Slayer modes, as well as whatever exciting new innovations the studio no doubt has in the works. I’d also like to hear 343 talk about why Halo Infinite is going for free-to-play multiplayer this time and how the game will avoid becoming pay-to-win or bogged down by microtransactions.

On the campaign side, 343 needs to show everyone that last year’s poorly received campaign demo was a one-off. We need to see more of what makes the grappling hook exciting and new, and perhaps more notably, I’m hoping the game simply looks better to match those stunning PC screens that the studio shared earlier this year.

2021 is the 20th anniversary of Xbox and the Halo brand, and I’m hoping and expecting that Microsoft goes big to use E3 to showcase why the world should care about Halo once again. It’s never a good idea to bet against the Master Chief. — Eddie Makuch, Associate Editor

(Almost) Anything About Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2

After years of waiting, Final Fantasy VII Remake finally made its big appearance last year, and more than lived up to my expectations. Honestly, I was expecting to find a return to FF7 to be a cringey look back at my teen years as a devoted Squaresoft JRPG fan, but Remake did a phenomenal job of preserving what was great about FF7 and updating a lot of what wasn’t, and I wound up having a blast playing it. Now, however, we’re in the hangover fog of waiting for a huge game to slowly roll out in pieces, and it sucks. I’m excited for the upcoming Intergrade DLC, but let’s be honest–there’s no way that’ll do anything but remind me I’m stuck waiting for the next full part of FF7 Remake.

So it would be very nice if Square Enix would at least do the courtesy of dropping some new Remake information during E3. Like some screenshots. Or a video. Or a release date. It’d really be nice not to have to wait years to hear more about how the story will continue, and more importantly, when it’ll continue–although given Square Enix’s past track record in that regard, I’m not exactly holding my breath in anticipation of much new information. — Phil Hornshaw, Editor

Remedy’s Next Thing

Alan Wake lives. It was clear in the vanilla version of Control that Remedy Entertainment’s cult classic novelist protagonist was not only linked to that world but potentially on his way to a comeback–and the AWE expansion released after the game’s launch removed all doubt. Control is a game that lives in my brain, sprouting out of my subconscious like an unknowable and possibly sentient office building hiding in the middle of New York, and I’m never far from stray thoughts about the weird and fascinating world Remedy has built. The world of Alan Wake is one I’ve wanted to see more of since it was released way back in 2010, and I love Remedy’s take on psychological and supernatural horror. That the two things could be the same place, and their best elements mixed together, sounds like something aimed directly at me personally.

So I am extremely keyed up to hear what Remedy is working on next. We’re now nearly two years out from Control’s launch, which means it might be about time to find out what’s next for Remedy. The studio is one of my favorites, and it has set the table for an incredibly intriguing continuation of two favorites. Hopefully it’s time for an appetizer that’ll let us know what’s coming next. — Phil Hornshaw, Editor

An Appearance From Metal Gear Solid

Nothing has hurt more than being a Metal Gear Solid fan these past several years. It’s a franchise I’ve adored for decades that’s effectively dead at the moment–a reality that’s honestly depressing. Seriously, how is it that publisher Konami can allow such renowned IP to be absent for so long? It astounds me, but I can’t help but be optimistic that Konami is planning something big to redeem these years of general inactivity.

After the drama of MGS developer Hideo Kojima’s departure, Konami took some big hits to its public image and has undergone massive internal changes. But with the games industry continually growing, I can’t imagine the company is genuinely staying its hand from AAA game development, especially when it’s sitting on a franchise as big as MGS alongside several other historically relevant IPs that garner immense passion from the gaming community. That much has been clear from its recent behavior, initially announcing that it would participate at E3 2021 to showcase its latest projects before inevitably pulling out.

Despite not participating at E3 2021, I’m thinking Konami will still be using the occasion to let the world know its true intentions. In a bid to win back public approval and get back into making higher-profile games more consistently, I hope that Konami will announce that it’s bringing MGS back, but with the help of Sony. And my hope is that we’ll be told about this collaboration by Sony during its big summer PS5 press conference. Already there have been numerous rumors about a Metal Gear Solid 1 remake floating around, which seems like a perfect way for Konami to bring back the series while also getting fans back on its side. There have also been rumors that Konami could be working with Sony on reviving an old franchise, so what better than MGS to start with? All this is hearsay at the moment, but I won’t let that stop me from dreaming!

I have a strong feeling that Konami intends to collaborate with Sony because I doubt it’s in a position to spearhead such a project alone. Konami has made good on supporting re-releases of its old back catalog in recent years, but when it comes to the herculean effort required to bring back MGS, Sony seems like the most likely candidate to help it do that. — Matt Espineli, Editor

Shin Megami Tensei V Gameplay And Release Date

I love Shin Megami Tensei. The mainline series’ surreal style and bleak, post-apocalyptic settings have always stuck with me more than the interpersonal drama of Persona. So that’s why I’m especially hoping that Atlus will use whatever Direct presentation that Nintendo plans around E3 2021 to debut gameplay for Shin Megami Tensei V and announce a release date.

In the past, we’ve only gotten cryptic trailers with brief glimpses of its main protagonist and the demonic forces that are pulling them into the conflict at hand. But I want to see how this game actually plays and what it’s like to explore its various locales. I want to learn more about its supporting cast and what exactly I’m up against this time around. If I can get even a sliver of raw, uninterrupted gameplay with a bit of story details, I’ll be happy.

Please, Atlus. Show us more SMT V, and tell us when it’s coming out. You owe it to us now that you’ve re-exposed the world to the brilliance of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. Oh, and while you’re at it, please remaster the Raidou Kuzunoha Devil Summoner games! You know you want to! — Matt Espineli, Editor

A New Metroid Game For Switch

Although it doesn’t have the same mass-market appeal as the Legend of Zelda series, Metroid is also celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, and I’m hoping Nintendo will have some kind of Metroid-related announcement in store for E3 2021 to commemorate the occasion. After all, it’s been far too long since the company has released a new Metroid title; the last one to arrive was 2017’s Metroid: Samus Returns, and as excellent as that turned out to be, the fact that it was on 3DS rather than the more powerful Switch hardware was undoubtedly disappointing.

Of course, we know Metroid Prime 4 is on the way, but given that Nintendo completely restarted its development back in January 2019, that game is still likely quite a ways away from release. If Nintendo were to announce some other kind of Metroid game in the interim, such as a remaster of Metroid Prime Trilogy or a new 2D installment, it would make the wait for Metroid Prime 4 much more bearable. The signs are all there, so let’s make it happen, Nintendo! — Kevin Knezevic, Associate Editor

Nintendo Opens Up The N64 Vaults

As to whether or not Nintendo will do anything at E3–or its own separate Nintendo Direct–at this time is unknown. However, a manchild can dream, can’t he? And in my dreams, I imagine a world where Nintendo tells everyone to come on down and play some Nintendo 64 games. And what better place to bring them to than Nintendo Switch Online?

Whether people want to relive yelling “No Oddjob” at their friends during a game of GoldenEye or feeling the pure frustration of being hit by a car on Toad’s Turnpike in Mario 64, there’s been a demand to be able to replay N64 games for years. And now the time feels right–especially to boost what Nintendo Switch Online offers its subscribers. Recent additions to the NES and SNES collections have been less than ideal for some, and while it’s probably really out of the question in this dream scenario, I’d love to be able to replay the WCW and WWF THQ games again or even Shadows of the Empire. Those specific games, including GoldenEye, may be tough to bring to Switch Online because of rights but opening the door to N64 games for subscribers is something Switch owners are clamoring for. But mostly, give me those WCW/WWF games ASAP.– Mat Elfring, Entertainment News Editor

An Actual Good-Looking WWE Game

After the debacle known as WWE 2K20, 2K took a year off from the long-running series with a promise of coming back better than ever. Now, the marketing push for WWE 2K22 has begun. What we need, though, is concrete evidence that the new game will actually “hit different” like the teaser promised it would. Even 2K19, arguably the best wrestling title of the last decade, felt stale due to the franchise’s unwillingness to evolve.

Now, after a year off and upcoming competition from AEW, 2K needs to put its best foot forward, and there’s no better place to do it than E3. It’s time to start showing off some footage of a game that is genuinely a step forward for the franchise. Give fans who have lost confidence–like myself–the incentive to actually shell out money for yet another WWE title. It also wouldn’t hurt to announce it’ll be available on the current generation of consoles. — Chris E. Hayner, Entertainment Editor

Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 2.0 Update

It’s been more than a year since Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched, and while we’ve been getting a steady stream of updates in that time, the most recent one left much to be desired. Rather than ushering the game’s second year in with new events or features to keep the experience fresh, the 1.10 update merely made some slight tweaks to last year’s events, which felt very underwhelming for those of us who’ve been playing since the beginning.

Of course, the fact that update was named version 1.10 rather than version 2.0 suggests Nintendo still has bigger changes in store for the game, and that would be the perfect thing to highlight if the company airs a new Nintendo Direct for E3 2021. As for what the 2.0 update would entail, that’s up in the air, but New Horizons is still missing many staple Animal Crossing features and characters. Brewster’s cafe is still MIA, for example, and we haven’t seen any glimpse of Kap’n or Gracie or even the fortune teller Katrina. Any of these would make a welcome return, and I’m hoping we see some of them–plus whatever other new game features Nintendo is working on–next month. — Kevin Knezevic, Associate Editor

Memorial Day sales are in full swing for those in the US as we head into the long weekend, and Best Buy has jumped into the fray with a massive sale of its own. The Best Buy Memorial Day sale is live now through Monday, and it’s brought a ton of discounts on 4K TVs, PC gaming peripherals, and more. The Memorial Day sale also overlaps with Best Buy’s Days of Play promotions, which means you can find some great deals on PS5 and PS4 games right now, including Demon’s Souls, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, The Last of Us Part II, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Those looking for a new TV have some great deals to consider for Memorial Day, including LG’s 2020 lineup of OLED 4K TVs as well as cheaper options from Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba. Gaming laptops, SSDs, monitors, and peripherals are also on deep discount, so PC gamers looking to upgrade their setup have quite a bit to browse as well. We’ve rounded some of Best Buy’s top Memorial Day deals below, but you should browse the full sale because it’s jam-packed with discounts across multiple categories. Plus, check out GameStop and Walmart‘s Memorial Day sales happening this weekend as well.

Best Buy Memorial Day Sale: Best Game Deals

Pop star Rina Sawayama has joined the cast of John Wick: Chapter 4. The latest movie in the hit action series releases in May 2022.

As reported by Deadline, the Japanese-British singer will make her acting debut in the film. No details about her character have been released yet. In a statement, director Chad Stahelski said, “I’m so glad to have Rina on board to make her feature film debut in John Wick: Chapter 4. She’s an incredible talent who’ll bring so much to the film.” Sawayama’s acclaimed self-titled first album was released in April 2020.

John Wick: Chapter 4 hits theaters on May 27, 2022. The movie will star Keanu Reeves once more, and it starts production this summer, shooting on location in France, Germany, and Japan.

While Stahelski has directed or co-directed every movie in the series so far, franchise creator Derek Kolstad isn’t returning for Chapter 4. In March, Kolstad admitted it wasn’t his decision not to be involved with the movie, but stated, “I’m never going to talk s*** about John Wick. I want this thing to survive and thrive.”

In related news, details of the John Wick spin-off show The Continental were recently revealed. The Starz series will be a ’70s-set prequel focusing on the younger Winston, the enigmatic character played by Ian McShane in the movies.

Far Cry 6 is set to release on October 7th, 2021 and Ubisoft revealed some new details about the game’s extensive weapon and vehicle systems. In this video, you’ll learn about the new weapon categories including the Regular, Resolver, and Supremos. According to the devs, there are 49 guns in the game that range from leftover revolutionary weapons like the SKS and M16 to over-the-top homebrew varieties like a minigun built from motorcycle parts, and a CD launcher that that plays Macarena. Far Cry 6 also sees the return of pets, two of which are an aggressive alligator named Guapo and a cute Weiner dog named Chorizo, who is lethal in its own way.

The island of Yara itself has been isolated for fifty years and has a number of biomes like swamps, towns, jungles, and cities with skyscrapers and underground areas. To travel around players can expect a variety of options including guerilla trails, horses, Mad-Max-style technicals, and even a tank. Flying over the island will be limited until Anti Aircraft batteries are destroyed. Players can also expect many of Far Cry’s usual activities including taking over bases and engaging in side-activities with different characters.

As we approach E3 2021 and a new Ubisoft Forward event in June, we expect to learn a lot more about the plot of Far Cry 6, the motivation for its main villain Anton Castillo, who is played by actor Giancarlo Esposito. We also hope to learn a lot more about how his son Diego may or may not succumb to the dictator and his brutal tactics. Make sure to keep checking back in at GameSpot.com for our Play For All event as the gaming industry’s biggest trade show of the year, E3 2021, happens this June.

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Far Cry 6 is shaping up to be a return to the franchise’s exotic, tropical roots while also embracing the over-the-top nature of recent sequels. New footage shown during Ubisoft’s livestream focused on the cast of rebels you’ll partner with to liberate the island of Yara, along with the inventive weapons–like the minigun made from motorcycle parts–that you’ll get to use while fighting for the liberation of the secluded country.

Before the livestream, we got to check out an extended presentation showcasing the different aspects of Far Cry 6‘s open world and its action-oriented gameplay. Along with that, we also heard from developers at Ubisoft as they explained how they made a more vocal and present Far Cry protagonist, and how improvised weaponry offers the most diverse arsenal of tools that the franchise has seen yet.

Like most recent Far Cry games, at the center of its high-octane adventure across vast landscapes is the main villain. In Far Cry 6, Presidente Anton Castillo–played by Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito–has taken control of the isolated island country of Yara with the aim to bring the nation into a new golden age by any means necessary. While Far Cry 5 and its epilogue, New Dawn, featured custom characters that let their actions speak for them, the next game will see the return of a voiced protagonist. Far Cry 6 focuses on Dani Rojas, who can be either a male or female character. While most Far Cry games follow the “fish-out-of-water” conceit, Dani is a native of Yara, adding further stakes in their attempt to overthrow Castillo’s regime. The protagonist will also be present in the game’s cutscenes (a first since the original Far Cry), which will show off their personality and different outfits when interacting with other characters.

By and large, Far Cry 6 doesn’t deviate much from the loop and gameplay experience of recent Far Cry games. This loop focuses heavily on exploring your surroundings, engaging in side-missions, retaking outposts, and eliminating key members of Castillo’s military to destabilize their control of the island nation. It’s familiar and still looks to capture those same thrilling moments of open-world hijinks that you would expect from the series. However, Far Cry 6 presents a bit more flexibility with how you go about facing off against Castillo’s regime.

One of the more significant innovations in Far Cry 6 is the new weapon types, which now include three special categories of firearms and gear. The first type is the Regular variety, which includes standard pistols, assault rifles, and shotguns–a mix of recycled equipment passed down from the Cold War era along with modern weapons stolen from Castillo’s army. The second type is known as the Resolver: jury-rigged weapons made up of junk items and scrap. Along with the minigun mentioned earlier, there’s also a flamethrower and a disc launcher that fires burned CD copies of the ’90s hit song “Macarena,” which plays whenever you charge the weapon and fire it. The final weapon type is Supremos, specialized augmented backpacks that can unleash super moves–such as a back-mounted mortar launcher or rocket-powered jetpack.

Furthermore, all of these weapons across three categories are customizable, letting you turn a simple handgun into a machine pistol with a drum magazine. According to the developers, player and loadout customization has a deeper role in this game than in earlier entries. Along with the weapon augments, you can also customize your repurposed classic muscle or town cars with different decals and guns, and even deck out Dani with varying options of clothing that offer bonus perks, such as increased stealth and better weapons handling. It’s an unusual approach for a Far Cry game, which has been primarily focused on what sort of weapons you were carrying until now. Still, it adds an interesting twist that presents more variety and a greater sense of fun in the combat engagements.

Stealth is much more viable, as well. You can even holster your gun to hide in plain sight and bribe roaming guards to avoid engagements. In some regard, it does lean a bit further into becoming an RPG, putting it in line with New Dawn. However, lead game designer David Grivel tempered those expectations and stated that the expanded customization gives a stronger feeling of choice in exploring the island and coming up with your own solutions.

“So Far Cry has always mixed genres; there are bits of RPG-like elements and survival gameplay,” said Grivel. “While that is a standard throughout, it’s also a shooter first. In New Dawn, you would craft a weapon, but you cannot customize them once they are done, so this time around, you can not only acquire new weapons, but you can also craft and upgrade them as you go. We really ran with the do-it-yourself approach, which is a constant in the story and themes of the game. Some of the things that you will attach to your weapon, some scope, some silencers, they will look handmade because that’s the whole point of being a rebel, right? You have to make do with what you have. You can really customize the way you want. That’s the keyword for us: customize. We really tried to embrace that philosophy across the board.”

As mentioned before, Dani Rojas is more present in the main story than previous Far Cry protagonists. Instead of just being a hired gun who silently takes on assigned jobs, we get a clearer sense of Dani’s personality and motivation for taking part in the conflict. In some of the story scenes we saw during our presentation, Dani will interact and bond with different rebel army members as they take on bolder missions to cripple Castillo’s army. One character in particular we saw was Clara Garcia, who is among the guerrilla army’s most efficient leaders. These scenes show some interesting character moments and fill in many details on what life is like in Yara and how the culture has evolved following decades of isolation. Unfortunately, the devs couldn’t elaborate on if you will be able to make choices in how you interact with these characters in the main story, but I’m excited to see more of what’s in store for these characters and where they fit in on the island.

Like in Far Cry 5, you can also team up with other characters, including rebels and even animals. Known as Amigos, you’ll be able to call in aid to help out with missions or cause chaos in the open world. During the game’s debut last year, we got to see the pet dachshund Chorizo (yes, you can pet them too), who can help sniff out enemies and distract them while you sneak in for the kill. There’s also a pet alligator named Guapo who will chase down enemies and eat them up.

While the plot of Far Cry 6 does deal with some pretty heavy topics related to the occupying army and how that affects the citizens of Yara, the core game itself does keep things pretty light with its over-the-top action and absurd open-world antics. This recent look at the game showcases a lot of the raw thrills you can get, but it still left us with a lot of questions regarding the game’s scope, how the added element of choice and customization will influence the main plot, and even if co-op play will still be available in the game.

I would have liked to have seen more about Anton Castillo and the sort of activities you can do when exploring the open world, but that will have to wait till a later date. Still, as an admirer of the Far Cry series, Far Cry 6 looks to be shaping up as a solid follow-up that keeps up with the franchise’s fast pace and scope. It may not look to rock the boat or make big sweeping changes for the franchise, but that’s not necessarily a negative. The type of thrills that the Far Cry series offers are usually fun and bombasic and more of that is certainly welcome.

Far Cry 6 is scheduled for release on October 7, 2021, launching on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Google Stadia. For more on what’s to come with Ubisoft’s slate of games, be sure to check back with GameSpot’s Play For All coverage throughout June.