Bigmode
When we think of the best PS5 games, best Xbox series X games, or best Switch games, we tend to go to the big blockbuster titles. These experiences take teams of dozens — or perhaps hundreds — of developers years to craft. As great as those are, and there are plenty of upcoming video games that fit that description, there are also solo developers who manage to build their own passion projects all on their own. These indie games tend to be smaller in scale but pack in more unique mechanics, experimental art and writing, and a level of personality and charm that is only possible when one person is in complete control. Making a game by yourself is incredibly hard, and yet we’ve seen more and more people release amazing games with little to no outside help. Here are our picks for the best games made by just one person.
Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…
Half-Life 3 speculation surges once more following cryptic tweet
Half-Life 3 is easily one of the most highlyanticipated games of all time, if only by virtue of never actually releasing. Fans of the franchise spent years analyzing every scrap of news after Half-Life 2, but Valve has given no hints about what to expect. Now the original voice actor for G-Man has posted on X — his first one since the release of Half-Life: Alyx — promising an “unexpected surprise” for 2025.
Oh, and did we mention he delivered the message as a video post using the G-Man voice? His message says, “Another year already. Good to see and hear from so many of you. May the next quarter century deliver as many unexpected surprises as did the millenium’s first. Then again, time is fluid like music. See you in the new year!”
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Microsoft’s recent Windows 11 update is breaking games
Until now, players have been able to enjoy Assassin’s Creed: Origins on PC with few problems, but the most recent Windows 11 update has thrown a wrench into things. Now players are review bombing Assassin’s Creed: Origins with complaints of crashes, blue screens, freezing, and a lot more. There’s one thing to keep in mind, though: the Windows update is to blame, not the game itself. Origins isn’t the only game affected by the update, either.
A user named The Hidden One — appropriate for a subject like Assassin’s Creed — shared the news on X. Recent reviews have a mixed rating, and the bar graph shows a distinct spike in negative reviews since the update. Of course, it’s understandable why fans reacted that way; Ubisoft doesn’t have the best track record with PC ports. Then again, that’s not just a Ubisoft problem.
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One of 2022’s best beat ’em ups is free today on the Epic Games Store
As Epic Games’ holiday giveaway winds down, the second-to-last game has finally been announced. Sifu, the 2022 hit beat ’em up game, is free to download until 11 a.m. tomorrow morning, Jnauary 1. Sifu blends smooth, cinematic martial arts combat with the consistent try-again mentality of roguelikes, but every death comes with a price: the terrible, inexorable rampage of time.
That might have been a bit dramatic. Each time you die, your magical amulet brings you back to life, but you’ve aged a little. With each death, your character will visibly age and take more damage from hits, but your blows also pack a little more oomph. Some skills may become unavailable as your character ages, and age can essentially turn you into a fragile weapon. You might deal massive damage, but a single hit is all it takes to end your run.
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