Final Fantasy VI One would think, as video game technology grows more advanced, that it should be easier to emotionally connect a player to what is happening within a virtual world. The more realistic everything looks (and sounds), the more relatable the experience, right? As a handful of older games prove, this is most definitely not the case. Not only were some past generation games remarkably beautiful, they someone managed to transcend the original function of a video game (mainly to mindlessly entertain) and produce some genuinely iconic moments that still hold up after all these years....

Backward compatibility to follow November is flying by me. It’s nearly time for the new Xbox One dashboard update, and you know what that means: backward compatibility! The initial list ofsupported Xbox 360 gamesfalls short of my expectations, but it’ll improve with time, and I am jazzed to play someDoom IIwith an Xbox One controller. There are some things to know about the update, however. The current plan is tobeginthe rollout at 3:01am Eastern / 12:01am Pacific on November 12....

…and it will be all yours for free! Are you a hugeMetal Gearfan? Itching to get your hands on the game for one more run-through for old time’s sake? What if I told you a group of independent modders had Konami’s blessing to reboot the very firstMetal Geargame from 1987 and release it completely free to the public? Brace yourself, ’cause I’m telling you now. It’s happening. And you can be a part of it!...

The James Cameron joint, not the other one Ubisoft is taking another crack at theAvataruniverse with an upcoming PC and console game in production atThe Divisionmaker Massive Entertainment. You might recall 2009’s licensed tie-inJames Cameron’s Avatar: The Game, which was a “waste of time” and a “squandered opportunity,” as Jim Sterling called it in histhree-out-of-ten reviewfor Destructoid at the time. Details are light on this new project, but it will useThe Division‘s Snowdrop Engine, and according to Ubisoft, “It was after seeing a Snowdrop-run game prototype, in fact, thatAvatarcreator James Cameron and Lightstorm [Entertainment] agreed to the partnership....

In its recent Devstream, Digital Extremes revealed their upcoming Abyss of Dagath update forWarcraftwill be released on October 18. Alongside the new DagathWarframe, Grendel Prime, and a few other additions, a big change is coming as well. The Shield Gating mechanic inWarframeis getting a complete rework, which has left some players worried. Thankfully, the changes seem to be positive overall. Below we have explained theWarframeShield Gating rework in detail so you know what to expect on October 18....

from Triple-As to mystery box If you were told exactly what 30 games you would get in the GMG Loot Box, would it be as alluring? Nay, the mystery box draws one towards it like a deer in the headlights. This weekend GMG has Loot Boxes back in stock and with a20% offcoupon. The best value from the group of mystery loot boxes are 30 random games for the price of $15....

I wonder how this will turn out I’m very interested in seeing howSuper Mario Makerwill turn out when it debuts on Wii U later this year. While there have been a lot of people vocally supporting the project, I see a lot of indifference towards it. In fact, if I wasn’t set to review it come September, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if it weren’t for the fact that my wife is really into it, and I generally buyMariogames day one....

Wuthering Waves has officially confirmed that Zani will be released in the first phase of version 2.3. The developers have also revealed all the 4-star characters and weapons banner for this half. If you plan to pull for Zani, you’re able to find all the banner info in this article, including Zani’s banner release date, featured 4-stars, and weapons. Zani banner 4-star characters and weapons in Wuwa 2.3 Here’s a list of all the characters in the first phase banners ofWuthering Waves2....

Digital Direct As digital distribution rose to prominence, that’s the direction console bundles went. Cheaper than manufacturing a physical product, buying a new Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch often means one or more codes to redeem for games. In the grand scheme, it’s fine; taking 30 seconds to punch in a string of random digits is a little clumsy but it gets the job done. Xbox has a solution that’s far more elegant....

Long-awaited RPG coming to the land of ROCK FLAG AND EAGLE XSEED has announced that it plans to bringPandora’s Towerto North American Wiis in Spring 2013. The game was one of the three Wii RPGs Nintendo of America refused to localize, alongsideThe Last StoryandXenoblade. “It’s fantastic to be bringing such a highly-anticipated title likePandora’s Towerto such a vocal fan base,” said XSEED boss-guy Shinichi Suzuki, President. “North American gamers have been very patient in waiting for this game to be released, and we’re confident they will be pleased when they get their hands on the title....

As you may have already read this morning, the saga of former Infinity Ward honchos Vince Zampella and and Jason West versus Activision took yet another turn today with the announcement of the duo’s new development company, Respawn Entertainment. Oh, and the company’s partnership with Activision’s chief rival, Electronic Arts. In response to the news, a representative of Activision had the following to say to Destructoid: “This agreement comes as no surprise to Activision given the myriad of improper activities detailed in the cross-complaint filed on Friday against Jason West and Vince Zampella....

In the run-up to the end of October, many horror studios are getting some content ready for this most spookiest of seasons. One such example comes fromAmnesia: The Bunkerdeveloper Frictional Games, and a new video outlines the custom settings coming in a soon-to-be-released update. Over on the Frictional YouTube channel, creative lead Fredrik Olsson showcases the new “Custom Settings” mode that’s coming to the latestAmnesiagame. As you’ll see in the footage, there are a series of parameters that can be played with so you can set the game’s difficulty however you want....

You can keep those airports open again Animal Crossingplayers have been at it, designing homes,farming, and opening coffee shops. Meanwhile, Nintendo has confirmed it’s squashed one peskyAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsbug it had previously warned players to avoid. On Nov. 5,Nintendo tweeted outthat players who owned theHappy Home ParadiseDLC forAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsmight experience gameplay bugs if they ask to remodel a resident’s home while their airport gate is open. As long as the gates were closed, remodeling should have been fine....