Believe it or not, we play a lot of games here at Game Informer, but it isn’t always easy getting our hands on everything, let alone finishing them and writing a proper review. We’re always looking for more ways to point readers towards the most interesting games available – especially those that could easily slip through the cracks – so we’ve created Spotlight to highlight the cool games we’ve been dabbling with recently that we believe may be worth your time. We love chatting with each other about the games we check out each day, and we want to add you to the conversation. Here is a selection of noteworthy titles some of the editors have been sampling and want to shout out.
Shotgun Cop Man
Platforms: Switch, PC – Release: May 1
DeadToast Entertainment’s previous 2D gun-blasting physics side-scroller, My Friend Pedro, didn’t totally click with me, but it had neat ideas. Shotgun Cop Man feels like an ultra-refined follow-up. As a shotgun-wielding cop (and perhaps the strangest-looking game protagonist ever), you’re on a mission to arrest Satan himself. This means blasting through dozens of short levels where you can only propel yourself using firearms like pistols, automatic weapons, and, of course, shotguns.
Shotgun Cop Man’s unique spin on Super Meat Boy-esque precision platforming is a blast. Shooting to send the cop flying in different directions while simultaneously peppering enemies (often in mid-air) works extremely well. Levels are designed to encourage speedrunning and split-second thinking as you manage limited bullets (which replenish when you touch the floor) to evade traps and other obstacles while trying to fulfill optional objectives like killing every enemy, taking no damage, or finishing within a time limit. The thrill of flying through a stage within seconds while taking out everyone in front of me is powerful, and I’m having an awesome time trying to bring Satan to justice. – Marcus Stewart
Blades of Fire
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC – Release May 22
Blades of Fire is the new game from MercurySteam, the developers behind Metroid Dread, Metroid: Samus Returns, and, perhaps most relevant, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Blades of Fire is not a sequel to Lords of Shadow. It’s not even that similar to Lords of Shadow in the most important ways, but I can’t help but feel like the game might be a spiritual successor to the 2010 Castlevania action game.
The game follows protagonist Aran de Lira, who, from my recent hands-on time with the game, seems like a wrong-place-right-time blacksmith who lives by himself in the woods and gets pulled into an adventure. I have only played the first hour or two of a preview build, but I like Aran’s performance (he reminds me of Robert Carlyle’s Gabriel Belmont), and his young partner, Adso, reminds me of Atreus from God of War in a complimentary way.
The combat is also interesting, with the four face buttons dictating the directions Aran swings his weapons. The unique fighting system makes it feel different in a way that leaves a positive first impression. There is also a dedicated minigame for smithing all your weapons, which I’m curious to play with more.
Blades of Fire is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on May 22. You can also watch Marcus Stewart and me play the game in the recent New Gameplay Today episode above. – Kyle Hilliard
MotoGP 25
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC – Release: April 30
Motorcycle racing games are a distinct niche in a broader genre, and the unique physics and gameplay certainly aren’t a fit for everyone. But developer Milestone has put forward an impressive offering in this year’s installment of the MotoGP franchise, and it’s worth a close look if you’re ready for a new driving challenge.
The game is awash in new features, including a new arcade-style physics system that joins the existing simulation-style experience. New Unreal Engine 5 visuals, a revised approach to career play, and a more robust approach to developing your bike’s tech all add levels of depth and verisimilitude, even as the game takes clear steps to cater to both its established player base while also welcoming newcomers. If your video game racing career has mostly been about fast cars, MotoGP 25 gives you a new line to master. – Matt Miller
Promise Mascot Agency
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One – Release: April 10
Developer Kaizen Game Works released Paradise Killer in 2020 to a strong reception. It’s a bizarre game about gods and immortality, and though its follow-up, Promise Mascot Agency, is very different, it retains that engaging strangeness that has become the developer’s calling card.
Promise Mascot Agency imagines a world where humans co-exist with mascots. They look like what we would think of as mascots in our world – a person in a giant costume – but instead, they’re basically a type of creature that talks and feels like a typical human. In the game, you are a disgraced Yakuza forced to earn money for your syndicate by managing an agency that recruits and sends mascots to various events. And you did this by driving a car around an open world, playing an occasional card game, and engaging with various characters.
I’ve only spent a few hours with the game, but it pulled me into its strange, comedic world quickly. Also, the driving, which makes up the majority of gameplay, makes me recall fond memories of exploring Liberty City in Grand Theft Auto III. I have not made it to credits yet, but I am eager to keep playing in the strange universe Kaizen Game Works has created. – Kyle Hilliard