Two Point Museum feels different right from the start. While it retains the core Two Point gameplay loop of building and managing a museum, it introduces a fresh twist with expeditions. These expeditions allow you to venture out to find new artifacts, which can then be displayed in the museum to boost its appeal and value. What makes this exciting is that expeditions aren’t limited to a single location—new areas are gradually unlocked as you complete more missions. Each expedition comes with its own rewards and risks, such as staff injuries or even permanent losses. Some fossils and artifacts require multiple expeditions to fully uncover, which adds a layer of depth and progression to the gameplay.

At its core, the game is about managing a museum—making it an attractive destination for visitors, keeping staff and budgets in check, and acquiring unique artifacts or building attractions to boost revenue. There are numerous systems tied to this, like training staff, crafting new attractions in the workshop, and decorating the museum to increase the “Buzz” around each exhibit. Visually, the game carries the same charming, quirky style as previous Two Point titles, and while there’s some asset reuse, it still feels fresh and engaging. It’s easy to lose track of time as you work through objectives, constantly striving to improve and expand your museum.

The game features a variety of museums to manage, starting with a prehistoric museum and expanding into unique settings like a supernatural haunted hotel, a science center, and even an aquarium. This variety keeps the experience fresh as you progress, addressing a common issue I had with Two Point Hospital, where opening a new hospital often felt like repeating the same basics. The progression system has also been revamped—instead of a three-star rating, it’s now essentially endless, with shared objectives across museums that encourage players to keep building and improving.

True to Two Point Studios’ style, Two Point Museum is filled with funny and quirky humor. Watching the public interact with exhibits is endlessly entertaining, thanks to the variety of animations based on their reactions. The interface is clean and intuitive, even when using a controller, making the game accessible without needing a mouse and keyboard. There are also plenty of quality-of-life improvements, like sorting staff by their satisfication levels or breaking down monthly expenses to better manage profits.

The main goal is, of course, to make money, and there are multiple ways to do this. Ticket sales are the primary source of income, but you can also place donation boxes near exhibits, set up gift shops, and install food stalls or attractions to encourage visitors to spend more. All this revenue goes toward paying staff salaries, expanding the museum, and funding expeditions to uncover new artifacts. It’s a satisfying loop that keeps you engaged as you balance creativity, management, and strategy.

Most of my playtime with Two Point Museum was on the Steam Deck, where the game runs surprisingly well. I did notice that performance can dip below 60 FPS when the museum is packed with visitors and buzzing with activity, but it never dropped to a level that affected gameplay. Since the gameplay mainly involves managing the museum, placing or moving items, and navigating menus, the experience remains smooth as long as the performance stays above the 30 FPS threshold. The game also includes a fast-forward feature to speed things up, but with so many tasks to juggle in each museum, I found myself rarely using it. The variety of activities keeps you busy enough that time flies by on its own.

Two Point Museum Game Information

• Price: $29.99
• Publisher: Sega
• Developer: Two Point Studios
• Platform: PC (Reviewed)
• Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher

The post Two Point Museum Review – Where History Meets Hilarity appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

According to Team Ninja, players running the game on the “Ultra” preset may experience significant frame rate drops, slow performance, and rendering issues, regardless of their PC specifications. To mitigate these issues, they recommend lowering the preset to “High” or “Standard” for better stability. Another issue affects gameplay speed, causing the game to run in slow motion when the “FPS Limit” is set to 120. As a temporary fix, the developers advise setting the FPS limit to 60.

While a permanent solution is in development, Team Ninja assured players that a patch is being prepared and will be released soon. They apologized for the inconvenience and thanked the community for their patience as they work toward resolving these problems.

Rise of the Ronin is an action role-playing game developed by Team Ninja and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 5, with Koei Tecmo handling the PC release. The game takes players to 19th-century Japan, allowing them to experience an open-world adventure in a historically rich setting. It marks the third collaboration between Sony and Koei Tecmo, following the Nioh series.

The PC version of Rise of the Ronin was released on March 11, 2025. It has received mixed reviews from players, primarily due to performance issues. For more information about the PC version, you can read our review.

The post Rise of the Ronin Performance Issues and Slow Motion Gameplay Receive Temporary Fix appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

The game’s name, Split Fiction, ties directly to its core concept: a world divided into two realities—Science-Fiction and Fantasy. The levels alternate between these two distinct settings, creating a dynamic and visually striking experience. The story follows two aspiring writers, Mio Hudson and Zoe Festor, who are seeking a breakthrough in their careers. They’re invited to participate in an experimental simulation for a device called “The Machine” by a company named Rader Publishing. The experiment promises to let users experience their submitted stories as immersive simulations. However, after an accident traps Mio and Zoe in a shared simulation bubble, their fictional worlds begin to glitch and merge, revealing that Rader Publishing’s intentions are far from what they initially seemed.

Split Fiction is primarily a split-screen experience, even when playing online. Two players control the two leads, Mio and Zoe, who offer entirely different gameplay experiences. The developers have given each character a distinct color scheme, which is especially noticeable in the science-fiction levels—Mio sports a pink palette, while Zoe has a green one. These colors aren’t just cosmetic; they also guide players through the levels. For example, Mio can use her sword to cut through plugs and wires, while Zoe uses her green-coded beam to lift and throw objects. When the setting shifts to the Fantasy world, the characters gain new powers, often unique to specific levels. This keeps the gameplay fresh and ensures that each level feels distinct. To fully experience everything the game has to offer, two playthroughs are essential, as each character’s perspective adds depth to the story.

The story, true to Hazelight’s style, is deeply engaging and uses the game’s concept to explore the personal histories of the characters. Zoe reflects on her past, crafting stories that are more upbeat and cheerful, while Mio comes across as more reserved and distant, dealing with her own inner struggles. These struggles are woven into the narrative, like Mio’s financial difficulties and her landlord’s constant demands for rent. These moments feel genuine and help players connect emotionally with the characters. It’s a hallmark of Josef Fares’ games—creating relatable, human characters and putting them through real-life challenges that resonate with players. This emotional depth is what makes Split Fiction stand out, just like Hazelight’s previous titles.

The gameplay in Split Fiction fully embraces Hazelight Studios’ philosophy of continuous reinvention, ensuring players never settle into a predictable routine. Each chapter introduces new mechanics, fresh challenges, and entirely distinct settings, making every hour feel like a whirlwind of unique adventures.

Mio and Zoe seamlessly transition between cyberpunk cityscapes, desolate alien worlds, enchanted medieval towns, and lush forests. The level design is consistently impressive, featuring gravity-defying platforming, fast-paced vehicle chases, shape-shifting puzzles, and physics-based interactions. At its core, the game is about fostering cooperative synergy, demanding flawless coordination between both players. While the duo shares basic moves like double jumping, dashing, and swinging, their individual abilities change dramatically depending on the level. For instance, in one level, Mio might wield a cybernetic katana to slice through obstacles, while Zoe uses a whip to manipulate objects. In another, they transform into different animals, each with unique traversal mechanics. This constant evolution keeps the gameplay exciting and ensures no two moments feel the same.

While Split Fiction demands a high level of coordination and precision, it remains accessible for the most part. Frequent checkpoints help minimize frustration, and a range of accessibility features—like key remapping, camera assistance, and optional difficulty adjustments—ensure that a wider audience can enjoy the game.

Hazelight’s mastery of pacing shines throughout Split Fiction. Intense action sequences, such as escaping a supernova explosion or engaging in a high-speed motorcycle chase, are balanced by quieter moments of exploration and puzzle-solving. Boss fights cap off each chapter, requiring quick reflexes and strategic teamwork to overcome. The game also experiments with different perspectives, seamlessly shifting between 3D and 2.5D viewpoints, which adds even more variety to the experience.

Scattered throughout the adventure are twelve side stories—self-contained mini-adventures that introduce bizarre and inventive scenarios. These moments are some of the most memorable in the game, like transforming into pigs only to be turned into sausages or competing in a surreal game show with bombs. While these diversions don’t impact the main story, they add extra layers of humor and creativity, making the world of Split Fiction feel even more vibrant and unpredictable.

Split Fiction runs on Unreal Engine 5, though it doesn’t fully utilize the engine’s key graphical features like Lumen and Nanite. Despite not being a technical showcase, the game’s visuals still manage to deliver impactful and chaotic action sequences. The surreal art style beautifully captures both sci-fi and fantasy elements, whether it’s a neon-lit metropolis filled with flying cars or a mystical woodland alive with ancient magic.

The game’s audio design further enhances the experience, featuring a dynamic soundtrack that adapts to each setting. While there’s no single standout theme, the music effectively complements the action and exploration. Voice acting is another strong point, with Mio and Zoe delivering natural, engaging performances that highlight their evolving partnership throughout the story. That said, the dialogue can occasionally feel a bit cheesy.

Overall, Split Fiction solidifies Hazelight Studios’ reputation for innovative cooperative gameplay. Its relentless creativity, constant reinvention of mechanics, and seamless blend of action, puzzles, and humor make for an exhilarating experience. Whether navigating intricate platforming sections, tackling chaotic boss battles, or diving into the absurdity of its side stories, co-op fans are in for an unforgettable ride.

Split Fiction Game Information

• Price: $49.99
• Publisher: EA Originals
• Developer: Hazelight Studios
• Platform: PC/PS5 (Reviewed)
• Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher

The post Split Fiction Review – A Co-op Gem That Pushes Boundaries appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

The ESRB rating summary describes Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as an action-adventure title where players assume the role of the iconic archaeologist, Indiana Jones. The game is played primarily from a first-person perspective, with players exploring ancient ruins, catacombs, and tombs while solving puzzles and battling enemies. The gameplay includes hand-to-hand combat, stealth takedowns, and the use of a whip as both a weapon and a traversal tool. Players also have access to rifles, machine guns, and environmental objects such as shovels and brooms to dispatch enemies. The rating summary further mentions sequences of graphic violence, including a severed arm on the ground and a corpse impaled on a spike trap, as well as brief references to drug use through in-game text. Additionally, strong language such as “a*s,” “bastard,” and “p*ss” appears in dialogue.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle originally launched for Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 9, 2024. Developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks, the game features an original story set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The narrative follows Indiana Jones in 1937 as he attempts to uncover the mystery of the Great Circle, a series of ancient sites that align perfectly on a global map, while fending off various factions seeking to exploit its power. The game’s adventure takes players across real-world locations, including Vatican City, Thailand, Egypt, and China.

The PlayStation 5 version is set to launch in early 2025, but an exact release date has yet to be announced.

The post Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Rated for PS5 by ESRB appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

The studio made the announcement via its official X/Twitter account, stating that the event will focus on reflecting on the past two decades of the franchise. The statement reads:

“Pantheons collide! We’re so excited to bring a selection of the Greek and Norse cast for this God of War 20th Anniversary panel where we’ll be reflecting on the past two decades of the series.

With such a stellar lineup and all the anticipation we’ve seen around the anniversary, we do want to be clear that there are no planned announcements for this event.

If you’re able to snag a ticket, we’d love to see you at Gallery Nucleus to join the celebration on March 22nd!”

This news comes as a disappointment to many fans, especially following recent rumors suggesting that a God of War remastered collection could be in development. Industry insider Jeff Grubb previously hinted that an announcement related to a remaster might take place around the 20th-anniversary celebrations. He commented on BlueSky that the rumors about a remaster “jumped the gun a little bit” but suggested that something related could still happen in the near future.

Additionally, another report from the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast claimed that Sony was exploring a return to Kratos’ Greek mythology era, with speculation of a potential prequel or soft reboot. Chinese leaker Lunatic Ignus further fueled speculation by stating that Nixxes Software is working on a full remaster of the God of War Greek Saga, which would include God of War, God of War II, God of War III, Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta, and Ascension. According to Ignus, this remastered collection was expected to be unveiled in March 2025.

With no official announcements planned for the anniversary event, fans will have to wait for further confirmation from Sony regarding any potential God of War remasters or new projects. For now, the 20th-anniversary panel will serve as a retrospective celebration rather than a showcase for the franchise’s future.

The post God of War Fans Receive Disappointing News Ahead of 20th Anniversary Event appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

The game’s time period is an interesting choice. Set in mid-19th century Japan during the Bakumatsu period, leading up to the Boshin War, it immerses players in a turbulent historical era. Instead of a fixed protagonist, the game uses a character creation system, letting you control the Blade Twins—siblings seeking vengeance after their family is murdered by the Shogunate. They join a resistance group called the Veiled Edge and embark on a quest for revenge. The story also incorporates historical figures like Ryoma Sakamoto and delves into the political chaos of the time.

Rise of the Ronin’s combat is flashy and dynamic, with a heavy emphasis on parrying to counter and overpower enemies. Mastering this skill is crucial to winning most fights, and the tutorial does a good job of teaching it. There’s a variety of weapons to choose from, each with its own unique set of attacks. The game also features multiple choices during key scenarios, which can lead to different endings. Combined with its choice-driven narrative and engaging gameplay, Rise of the Ronin offers solid replay value.

The game offers multiple difficulty levels at the start, making it accessible for players who might not be as skilled in action games. You can explore various cities, including Yokohama, Kyoto, and Edo, along with their surrounding countryside areas. These locations are fully open for exploration, whether you’re riding a horse, using a grappling hook, or gliding through the air. The weapons are another highlight, featuring unique designs that go beyond just katanas—Boshin War-era firearms are also available, reflecting the Western influence on Japan during that time.

However, like many open-world games, Rise of the Ronin struggles with its side content. While you can liberate towns and clear bandit camps, these activities start to feel repetitive after a while. Completing these tasks can unlock additional sidequests from NPCs in the area, but they don’t always feel fresh or engaging. The story, while decent, leans heavily on the overused theme of revenge, and the cast of characters doesn’t stand out as particularly memorable. Since the main character is a player-created persona, there’s only so much depth they can have, which limits their development. Additionally, with so many games already set in this historical period, Rise of the Ronin can sometimes feel like it’s retreading familiar ground, giving a sense of “been there, done that.”

The PC port of Rise of the Ronin feels quite demanding, and the visuals don’t fully justify the hardware requirements. Even when testing it on two different setups—one with an RTX 4070 and another with an RTX 3080—I struggled to achieve stable performance. Tweaking settings was necessary to get the desired results, but maxing out the settings didn’t deliver the visual polish I had hoped for. While it does look better than the PS5 version and performs more smoothly depending on your hardware, the visual upgrade isn’t a huge leap forward. The game includes a ray-tracing toggle, but it doesn’t seem to be anything groundbreaking, likely limited to shadows and occasional reflections rather than advanced features like ray-traced global illumination.

On the positive side, the game supports ultra-widescreen displays right from the start and includes frame generation. However, players with high refresh rate monitors will be limited by the 120 FPS cap currently in place. While this is an improvement over the PS5 version, the game still suffers from stutters that can affect gameplay. In the pre-release version I tested, frame generation felt a bit buggy. DLSS didn’t provide much of a performance boost, while FSR Frame Generation felt smoother but had a noticeable bug where the UI was cut off when enabled. These issues are expected to be addressed in patches around the game’s official launch on March 11.

Rise of the Ronin Game Information

• Price: $59.99
• Publisher: Koei Tecmo
• Developer: Koei Tecmo
• Platform: PC (Reviewed)
• Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher

The post Rise of the Ronin Review – A Mixed Blade of Potential appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

Developed by Neople and published by Nexon, The First Berserker: Khazan follows the story of General Khazan, a warrior falsely accused of treason and forced into exile. Determined to exact revenge, he embarks on a brutal journey to uncover the truth behind his downfall. Set in a dark fantasy world, the game features a fast-paced combat system reminiscent of Souls-like RPGs, where players must battle various enemies using melee weapons and special abilities.

According to IMDA’s classification, the game contains intense melee combat with notable blood effects, including large sprays that stain the environment. Defeated enemies and bloodstains eventually disappear, while some areas in the game world feature bloodied settings and corpses. However, the violence remains within the Advisory 16 guidelines, which permit realistic but non-excessively graphic depictions of violence. Additionally, the game includes strong language, with expletives such as “f**k,” “bastard,” “bitch,” and “asshole” appearing in dialogue.

Recently, the system requirements for the game have been shared on Steam. The game requires a 64-bit processor and operating system, specifically Windows 10 64-bit version 22H2. The minimum processor requirement is an Intel Core i3-6300 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, coupled with 12 GB of RAM. For the graphics card, you will need at least a GeForce GTX 970, Radeon RX 580, or Arc A580, all of which must support DirectX 11.

Additionally, you must have 70 GB of available storage space, and the game must be installed on an SSD to achieve 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second with low graphics settings.

For recommended settings, a more powerful setup is suggested, including Windows 11 version 21H2, an Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a GeForce RTX 2070, Radeon RX 5700XT, or Arc A750 graphics card that supports DirectX 12. The storage requirement remains at 70 GB on an SSD, but this configuration aims for 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second with high graphics options.

Set for release on March 27, 2025, The First Berserker: Khazan will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The post The First Berserker: Khazan Rating Reveals Its Mature Content appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

Industry insider Jeff Grubb addressed the cancellation on BlueSky, stating, “This wasn’t a Titanfall game. It was that FPS Star Wars team that had shifted to something else.” Grubb later elaborated on his Game Mess podcast, explaining that the original Star Wars FPS had been canceled before the team transitioned to a new project. However, this subsequent project was also scrapped. While the details of what the team was working on remain unclear, Grubb confirmed that it was entirely separate from Titanfall.

Despite the cancellation, Respawn is still engaged in multiple projects. According to Grubb, Steve Fukuda has been leading a new initiative, though it is still in the prototyping phase. He emphasized that this approach aligns with Respawn’s development strategy, where projects undergo extensive experimentation before full production begins. While it is uncertain if this prototype will result in a full game, it has not been canceled at this stage.

Currently, Respawn’s primary focus remains on Star Wars Jedi 3, the next installment in the Jedi series, and ongoing support for Apex Legends. The studio is also collaborating with Bit Reactor on a tactical Star Wars game, which, as of now, has not been officially canceled. However, Grubb noted that EA’s current approach favors a “fewer, bigger” strategy, suggesting that the publisher may be scaling back on experimental projects.

This news follows an earlier report that surfaced on LinkedIn, where former Respawn Executive Assistant and Production Coordinator Emilee Evans revealed that an unannounced multiplayer FPS had been canceled. Evans, who had been working on the project for the past year, is now seeking new opportunities in the gaming industry, along with other developers affected by the cancellation.

The post Respawn’s Canceled FPS Was Unrelated to Titanfall, but Titanfall 1 Director Is Prototyping a New Project appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

In a recent interview with Variety discussing HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, Druckmann was asked about the long-rumored The Last of Us Part 3. His response was notably cautious:

“I was waiting for this question,” he said with a sigh. “I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of Last of Us. This could be it.”

Recent comments suggest that although speculation around a third game in The Last of Us series is prevalent, it is far from certain. Naughty Dog is currently focused on developing a new IP titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which is expected to launch on PS5.

The Last of Us franchise has been one of PlayStation’s most critically and commercially successful series, beginning with the original game in 2013. This was followed by The Last of Us Part II in 2020, which expanded on Ellie’s story and delivered an ambitious, emotionally charged narrative. Despite some polarizing reactions to its story choices, the sequel received widespread critical acclaim and multiple Game of the Year awards.

However, Neil Druckmann’s recent statement indicates that The Last of Us Part 3 is not guaranteed, and the future of the franchise remains uncertain. It appears that Naughty Dog is fully committed to their new IP, Intergalactic. The cancellation of The Last of Us Online means that fans of the franchise have limited options for new games and may have to look forward to the upcoming second season of the critically acclaimed HBO series, which will explore the events of the second game.

The post Neil Druckmann Hints That The Last of Us Part 3 May Not Happen appeared first on TwistedVoxel.

According to the reviews, the RTX 5070 appears to be a barebones upgrade, especially without its AI features. In terms of raw performance alone, it lags behind several cards and doesn’t come close to matching the RTX 4090, as Nvidia initially suggested.

While Nvidia cleverly mentioned that the RTX 5070 could theoretically match the RTX 4090’s performance using AI and frame generation, this isn’t the case in practice. The RTX 50 series introduces a new feature called Multi Frame Generation with DLSS 4, which allows the GPU to use AI to nearly double or triple the frame rate. This builds on a similar feature, Super Resolution, introduced with the RTX 40 series. However, the RTX 50 series’ MFG promises up to 4x the performance boost, but with a significant caveat.

Benchmarks reveal that while the RTX 5070 can artificially inflate frame rates using AI, the issue of latency remains severe. For example, in Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5070 struggles to run the game at more than 30 FPS in RT Overdrive mode due to its lower VRAM. Even with 4x Multi Frame Generation, the latency is much higher compared to the RTX 4090. In Alan Wake 2, which supports Path Tracing like Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 4090 maintains a latency of around 60ms, while the RTX 5070’s latency jumps to 130-140ms with MFG enabled. This results in an almost unplayable controller response.

The bottom line is that Nvidia’s claims about the RTX 5070 matching the RTX 4090’s performance were misleading. There’s a significant gap in raw performance, and even AI features like Multi Frame Generation can’t bridge it. While MFG might create the illusion of higher frame rates, the increased latency undermines the overall experience, making the RTX 5070 a disappointing offering compared to its predecessor.

Nvidia’s RTX 5070 is being sold at a retail price of $549. Next in line is the RTX 5070ti, priced at $749, followed by the RTX 5080 at $999. However, finding these graphics cards at their suggested retail prices is nearly impossible due to low stock levels and scalping of the available units.

The post Nvidia RTX 5070 Fails to Match RTX 4090 Performance Claims appeared first on TwistedVoxel.