Fun Examples of SVG Shape Usage in Web Design

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) make for versatile design elements. They can be intricate or simplistic. You can combine them with animation and special effects. And they’re inherently responsive.

It’s no wonder that web designers have taken to the format. SVG adds a new level of flexibility compared to pixel-based images. They are a perfect match for modern design. Plus, browser support is universal.

As such, we went on a search for examples of SVG shapes. The goal was to find a diverse collection of implementations. Curious about what’s possible? Take a look at these eight fun examples of SVG shapes in action.


Simple CSS Waves by Goodkatz

Divider graphics are a natural fit for the SVG format. These images stay razor-sharp on every screen. The animated waves in this snippet add a touch of elegance. Even better, mobile users can enjoy the feature without a performance hit.

See the Pen Simple CSS Waves | Mobile &Full width by Goodkatz

SVG Image Unveiled by Silvia Gioia Florio

Here’s an example of what SVG masking effects can do. Watch as polygons fall from this tree to reveal a masked image. CSS and JavaScript are used to power the animation. This effect used to require the likes of Photoshop and Flash. No need for those heavy tools anymore.

See the Pen SVG Image Unveiled by Silvia Gioia Florio

SVG Shape Page Transitions by Pixelbuilders

We can use SVG to create compelling page transitions. Click the “hamburger” menu or scroll to unleash a drip effect. It’s as if the screen is melting right before our eyes. And it’s sure to grab a user’s attention.

See the Pen SVG Shape Page transitions by Pixelbuilders

Liquid UI Elements by Aaron Iker

Mundane elements like radio buttons and checkboxes also benefit from SVG. This snippet features common form elements dressed up with slick animations. It adds a highly-polished look that is miles ahead of the default.

See the Pen Liquid UI Elements by Aaron Iker

SVG Flowers Login Screen by Meg Wayne

SVG doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of an element. It can also flourish in a decorative role. Here, a single shape is repeated and styled via CSS. Each variation creates depth and beauty.

See the Pen SVG Flowers Login Screen by Meg Wayne

SVG Adaptive Gradient by Andros Guiradó

This snippet uses SVG filter effects to create a noisy gradient. The animated waves stretch across the viewport. It might be a neat addition to a footer area.

See the Pen SVG adaptive gradient by Andros Guiradó

Blend-Mode Sticky Navigation by Jalin Burton

There are a few implementations of SVG in this snippet. But our primary focus is the curved background. It’s a key element in the presentation. The added text and video combine to create a jaw-dropping effect.

See the Pen Blend-Mode Sticky Nav &Hero by Jalin Burton

SVG Animated Drum Kit by Josh

Let’s finish this collection with a bang. Don’t have a drum kit handy? You can always play this virtual set. SVG is used to power the graphics. Meanwhile, some spot-on sounds bring them to life. Here we go, Ringo!

See the Pen SVG Animated Drum Kit (Play Me!) by Josh

Adding Shape to Your Design

SVG has become a staple of web design. The format comes with plenty of advantages. And we can use it to create effects that used to require hacks.

All told SVG is among the most powerful tools we have. It adds a world of possibilities for design, movement, and interactivity. What’s not to love?

Check out our CodePen collection for even more examples of SVG shapes. You might find the perfect use case for your next project.

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15+ Free Display Fonts with a Creative Flair

Display fonts are a category of typefaces designed for use in large sizes, such as in headings, posters, billboards, and more. Their primary purpose is to stand out and make a statement.

With features that often include more exaggerated proportions, unique shapes, and distinctive styles, display fonts can add character and style to any project, helping to set the tone and support the design’s overall theme and purpose.

When selecting a display font, several criteria should be considered. The font must be clear and legible at various sizes and suitable for multiple projects and contexts. And uniqueness, as it ensures that your design is memorable and stands out.

This collection aims to introduce designers to top-quality display fonts that meet these criteria, all available for free.

Top Free Display Fonts for Creative Projects

From bold and impactful to elegant and refined, these free display fonts offer versatility and readability across various mediums. They all cater to diverse design needs, ensuring your work stands out with character and professionalism.


ColorTube Display Font (Free)

ColorTube is a vibrant and visually striking display font that stands out with its unique, colour-infused design, making it perfect for projects that need some creativity. Ideal for digital media, advertising, and bold headlines, ColorTube adds a dynamic and playful touch to any design.

ColorTube Display Font Free

Maengame Fun Display Font

Maengame is a display font that exudes fun and joy through its unique, bold, and bubble-filled design. Perfect for projects looking to convey a sense of playfulness and creativity, Maengame’s rounded, effervescent characters make it an ideal choice for children’s books, party invitations, and branding that seeks to stand out with a cheerful look and feel.

Maengame Fun Display Font

Gilbert Animated Typeface (Free)

Gilbert is an animated display font that stands as a symbol of support and unity for the LGBTQ community. It features bold, rainbow-coloured patterns that make any design pop with pride and inclusivity. Ideal for projects that aim to make a strong, positive statement.

Gilbert Animated Typeface Free

Bolden All-Caps Display Font (Free)

Bolden is an all-caps display font that captures attention with its strong, impactful design. Characterized by its thick lines and assertive shapes, it’s perfect for headlines, branding, and any project that requires a commanding presence. Its robust character ensures legibility and makes a bold statement in any creative work.

Bolden All-Caps Display Font Free

Ailey Retro Display Font

Ailey is a display font that beautifully captures the essence of retro charm and old-style aesthetics, drawing inspiration from the work of classic lettering artists. Its curvy, elegant design exudes a timeless beauty, making it perfectly suited for projects that require a touch of nostalgia or wish to pay homage to the past.

Ailey Retro Display Font

Fistura 80s Display Font (Free)

Fistura is a free display font that offers a mix of gentle curves and sharp angles, creating a striking visual balance. It’s designed to bring a retro, 1980s feel to any project, from editorial designs to bold advertising campaigns. With its unique style, Fistura will add an edgy touch to your typography.

Fistura 80s Display Font Free

Neon Display Font (Free)

Neon is a free display font that mimics the glowing allure of neon lights, ideal for bringing a luminous, eye-catching element to signage, nightlife promotions, and digital designs. Its unmistakable brightness and flair inject life into words, making them stand out with a retro yet futuristic vibe.

Neon Display Font Free

Blandit Display & Logo Font

Blandit is a versatile display font with clean, block characters that embodies a modern simplicity that makes it highly effective for creating striking, memorable brand identities and powerful visual statements. The font’s clarity and boldness ensure legibility across various applications, from digital platforms to print media.

Blandit Display Logo Font

Pikolo Block Aly Display Font (Free)

Pikolo Block Alt is a playful display font with a geometric structure that radiates creativity. Its rounded edges and stencil-style letters make it exceptionally suitable for logo design, apparel design, or anything needing a touch of style.

Pikolo Block Aly Display Font Free

Neo Tetra All-Caps Display Font (Free)

Neo Tetra is a free futuristic display font that blends geometric precision and avant-garde aesthetics. It offers a modern, cutting-edge look ideal for tech startups, digital media, or any project that aims to convey innovation and forward thinking. With its distinctive style, Neo Tetra will add a dynamic, contemporary edge to your typography.

Neo Tetra All-Caps Display Font Free

Agetta Vintage Display Font

Agetta masterfully combines vintage elegance with boldness. Its vintage-style serifs exude a classic charm, making it exceptionally suited for design projects that aim to capture a timeless aesthetic. The elegant contours and robust structure of Agetta lend it a distinguished presence, ideal for sophisticated branding and editorial work.

Agetta Vintage Display Font Free

Aemstel Layered Display Font (Free)

Aemstel is a free layered display font that offers versatility and depth to design projects. With its unique ability to create various effects through layering, it perfectly suits branding, packaging, and poster designs. Its robust and retro feel, combined with modern layering techniques, makes it ideal for projects that need a strong, yet nuanced visual impact.

Black Sansa Thin Display Font (Free)

Black Sansa is a retro-inspired display font that captures the essence of the past with a modern twist. Its elegant lines make it perfect for high-end branding, sophisticated editorial content, or any design work that demands a touch of vintage charm. This free font effortlessly blends nostalgia with modernity.

Black Sansa Thin Display Font Free

Balloon Display Font (Free)

This free display font is a fun and whimsical typeface that brings a playful and light-hearted feel to any design project. With its rounded, bubbly characters, it perfectly captures the joy and buoyancy of balloons. Ideal for party invitations, children’s books, and branding that aims to evoke a sense of happiness and fun.

Balloon Display Font Free

Scritus Futuristic Display Font (Free)

Scritus is a distinctive typeface that offers a blend of rounded edges and flowing curves, creating a dynamic and contemporary look. This free font stands out for its unique design that combines elements of traditional calligraphy with modern minimalism, making it versatile for a wide range of applications.

Scritus Futuristic Display Font Free

Newake Minimal Sans-Serif Display Font (Free)

Newake is a bold and modern display font that embodies energy and movement. Its thick, clean lines and subtly curved edges make it ideal for impactful headlines, brand identities, and promotional materials that require a strong visual presence. With a contemporary flair, Newake is designed to grab attention and convey messages with confidence.

Newake Minimal Sans-Serif Display Font Free

Invertor Decorator Display Font (Free)

Invertor Decorator is a free display font that stands out for its unique, inverted style, offering a fresh twist on traditional typography. With its attention-grabbing design, it is particularly suited for innovative advertising, distinctive branding, or any project aiming to make a bold statement.

Invertor Decorator Display Font Free

Better Hobby Layered Display Font (Free)

Better Hobby is a free display font that combines creativity with a touch of whimsy, making it perfect for various design projects. Its balanced mix of clean lines and playful curves lends itself well to everything from hobbyist blogs and DIY project branding to engaging social media content.

Better Hobby Layered Display Font Free

Alinsa Display Font (Free)

Alinsa is a display font distinguished by its bold yet uncomplicated shapes that combine thick and thin elements to create a striking visual impact. This free font is characterized by its fat, unambiguous letters that demand attention, making it an excellent choice for headlines, posters, or any project that requires a strong typographic presence.

Alinsa Display Font Free

Choosing the Best Free Display Fonts

Selecting the right display font for a project is a crucial decision. This choice goes beyond mere aesthetics; it involves a series of considerations that ensure the font aligns with the project’s goals and audience needs.

Here are the core aspects you should look for when choosing a display font for a particular project.

Readability: The Foundation of Communication

At the heart of any design lies its ability to communicate effectively. Readability is, therefore, a non-negotiable aspect of font selection. No matter how visually appealing, a display font must first and foremost be legible across different platforms and sizes.

This ensures that the message not only reaches the audience but is also easily understood. Whether viewed on a massive billboard or a small digital screen, the font should maintain clarity and ease of reading, making it accessible to a wide audience.

Versatility: A Multifaceted Tool for Designers

The true value of a display font lies in its versatility. The ability to adapt to various design projects, from print materials like posters and brochures to social media posts and website banners, is indispensable. 

This adaptability means a single font can serve multiple purposes, making it a cost-effective and efficient choice for designers. Versatility also extends to the font’s compatibility with other typefaces, ensuring it can blend seamlessly into diverse design environments without losing its impact.

Aesthetic Appeal: Standing Out in Style

What sets display fonts apart is their aesthetic appeal. These fonts carry unique qualities that make them stand out—be it through their design, style, or character.

It’s these distinct features that can transform a simple design into something memorable. The aesthetic appeal of a display font contributes to the project’s tone, emotion, and overall visual storytelling.

Therefore, selecting a font with a strong design personality that aligns with the project’s theme is essential in making a lasting impression.

Display Font FAQ

  • What is a display font?

    A display font is a typeface designed for use at large sizes, intended to attract attention and convey messages clearly in short bursts rather than extended texts.

  • How can I check the license details of a font?

    License details are typically available where you download the font, such as on the font’s webpage or within a readme file that comes with the download. It’s crucial to review these details to understand the scope of permissible use.

  • Can display fonts be used for body text?

    While display fonts are primarily designed for headings and large text, some can be used for body text with careful consideration of readability and spacing. However, it’s generally recommended to use fonts specifically designed for body text to ensure readability at smaller sizes.

  • How do I choose the right display font for my project?

    Consider your audience and the context of your design. The font should align with the project’s tone, be readable in its intended use, and have unique qualities that make your design stand out.

  • Can I modify a free display font for my project?

    This depends on the font’s license. Some licenses allow modifications, while others do not. Always check the license agreement before making any changes to a font.

  • How many display fonts should I use in a single design?

    To maintain clarity and cohesiveness in your design, it’s best to limit the number of different fonts. Using one or two display fonts along with a complementary body font is a good practice.

  • What makes a display font legible?

    Legibility in display fonts is influenced by factors such as the size of the type, letter spacing, and the contrast between the font and its background. Fonts with clear, distinguishable characters and appropriate spacing are more legible.

  • Can using a unique display font improve my brand identity?

    Absolutely. A unique display font can significantly contribute to your brand’s visual identity, making it more memorable and distinctive.

Conclusion

These free display fonts are not just a means for displaying text; they are an integral part of the design that demands attention, sets the tone, and communicates the core message effectively.

We encourage you to explore and experiment with these fonts across different types of projects. Whether it’s branding, advertising, web design, or print media, the right display font can transform a good design into a great one.

By carefully considering the project’s needs and the unique qualities of each font, you will be able to create compelling, visually appealing works that capture the audience’s attention and convey messages with clarity and style.


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Everything Announced At Today’s Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase

Today’s Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase has come and gone, and the presentation revealed a number of third-party announcements and several release dates for previously known games coming to Switch. If you don’t feel like sitting through the 25-minute presentation, here’s a quick summary of the event’s notable updates.

Grounded And Pentiment Come To Switch

Two of the four mysterious Xbox titles coming to other consoles were revealed, both from Obsidian Entertainment. Grounded comes to Switch on April 16, while Pentiment arrives tomorrow, February 22. 

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist – Summer 2024

Set within the world of Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knight, the game sees characters defeating and teaming with deadly homunculi to rescue a devastated world.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure – Summer 2024

Set in an interconnected puzzle world, you’ll navigate on a grid where everything moves when you move. You’ll take down monsters, help townfolk, and, of course, solve puzzles.

Unicorn Overlord Gets A Demo Today

We’ve seen a lot of VanillaWare’s beautiful turn-based strategy game, but now we can finally play it ahead of its March 8 release. 

Monster Hunter Stories – Summer 2024

The 2017 Nintendo 3DS RPG spin-off of Monster Hunter is heading to Switch (as well as PlayStation 4 and Steam). In addition to HD visuals, this port includes new voiceovers, a museum mode, and additional content previously only available in Japan. 

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed – 2024

2011’s Epic Mickey is getting touched up for a comeback on Switch. The enhanced remake includes updated graphics, new skills for Mickey, and other improvements. You can learn more here

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance – June 21

This definitive version of SMT V includes the base adventure along with a new storyline featuring new locations and demons. 

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection – March 14

The original Battlefront games have been remastered and updated with features such as new playable characters Kit Fisto  and Asajj Ventress and bonus maps Jabba’s Palace, Bespin: Cloud City, and Yavin 4: Arena. 

Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream – 2024

Either alone or with a friend in co-op, you’ll tackle a distorted version of Sword Art Online that includes battling in 20-player raids against powerful enemies. 

Gundam Breaker 4 – 2024

Build your own Gundam, blow up other mechs, take their parts for your own ,and repeat. For Gunpla fans, the real thrill is assembling your own suits with parts from 250 base kits to take into battle or show off to others. 

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble – June 25

Sega revealed a brand-new Super Monkey Ball game featuring 200 fresh courses, 16-player multiplayer, and new moves for AiAi and friends. You can learn more here

World of Goo 2 – May 23 console exclusive

The long-awaited sequel comes to Switch first as a console exclusive this May

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – October 10

The Fantasy Life series gets a new chapter in which you can assume 14 different roles called Lives to build a town in the present and explore an island in the past to solve mysteries. You can also play in four-player co-op. 

Another Crab’s Treasure – April 25

As a hermit crab who’s lost its shell, you’re on an adventure to reclaim it. This involves using any piece of trash in a polluted ocean as a temporary shell, each with different abilities, to defend or attack underwater threats.

Penny’s Big Breakaway – Out today!

This throwback 3D platformer from the makers of Sonic Mania is out now! You can learn more here

Suika Game Multiplayer Mode Expansion

The adorable (and hard to put down) fruit-matching game gets paid DLC that adds a local 2-player battle mode, and the eventual addition of online multiplayer. Time Limit and Attack modes join the base game’s offerings. 

Pepper Grinder – March 28, Demo Out Today

The drill-centric platformer looks great and, if you checked out its recent Steam Next Fest demo, plays just as good. It’s got a release date and a free demo for Switch players to enjoy. 

Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! – Out On Switch Today

The formerly iOS-exclusive sequel to Pocket Card Jockey is coming back home to a Nintendo console

Contra: Operation Galuga – March 12, Demo Out Now

This modern reimagining of the original NES Contra, which features six playable characters, now has a release date. 

Rare games on Switch Online

A bundle of classic Rare games come to Nintendo Switch Online: Snake Rattle ‘N’ Roll, R.C. Pro-Am, Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, Killer Instinct, and Blast Corps. Learn more here.

Endless Ocean Luminous – May 2

This new Endless Ocean title plunges players into an everchanging open ocean. You can dive alone or alongside up to 30 players online, where you’ll encounter 500 species of marine life, including extinct creatures. 

Additionally, here are some quick hits:

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley – March 7

Demon Slayer – Kimestsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board! – April 26

Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Royal Edition – March 15

Skull and Bones Review – Middle High Sea – Game Informer

Like a ship that has changed tack countless times and delayed its arrival at port, Skull and Bones has launched far later than expected and faced trouble along the way. Even so, this pirate adventure surprised me with the breadth of its world, the richness of its commerce simulation, and an approachable and rewarding naval combat system. As a living game built around seasonal content and a growing universe, it has a ways to go to be at its best, but the bones of a quality experience are here.

You are a treasure-hungry pirate eager for infamy as you set out across the Indian Ocean, tracking down treasure chests, plundering seaside towns, and, most prominently, battling other ships on the high seas. On-foot activity is reserved for social spaces and the most minimal of story development – the entirety of action unfolds on the water, where you develop an impressive array of ships and weaponry through your ill-gotten gains.

Launching where the maritime voyages of the Assassin’s Creed games left off, I enjoyed the deliberate pacing of sea exploration and movement, punctuated by the regular interruption of cannon fire and mortars. Especially in the early hours, I was often transfixed by the sights and sounds of moving across the water, listening to my crew’s sea shanties, watching for breaching whales, and using my spyglass to spot distant shipwrecks. It’s a big and beautifully crafted world of island-rich open waters and tricky narrow riverways.

Combat has just enough complexity to remain entertaining as you balance turning speed, facing, and aiming to maximize damage output while dodging or bracing against the worst attacks of your opponents. The real fun comes from building and tweaking your boat as an engine of destruction; the variety of ship builds and approaches to fighting kept me consistently interested in chasing that next upgrade. I appreciated the approach to tracking specific items and upgrades, with clear markings on the map for where to find what you want. Because of that, it becomes about whether you have enough money to buy something or a powerful enough ship to take it.

The bulk of play is PvE encounters against privateers, merchants, and corporation ships, played either solo or cooperatively. Even if the open servers allow for both structured and informal PvP, my anecdotal experience was that most players were focused on their own adventures. If they joined a battle, it was often to help out. Your mileage may vary, but I liked the mix of mostly campaign-style progression with the option to connect with other players when I wanted.

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Beyond ramming and blowing up other ships, Skull and Bones’ other core pillar is commerce. Ubisoft has built a robust trading system, the most lucrative of which involves illicit rum and opium shipments. I appreciated how the game allows players to choose how much they want to engage here. The selling of commodities gathered from sunken ships is the most superficial layer, but you can also run your own manufacturing and delivery contracts for higher sums. And as you round the corner into the endgame, an entire kingpin empire opens up, letting you take over lumberyards and other factories to generate income passively.

The pirate life eventually wears out its welcome; many of the game’s most significant problems only arise after many hours of play. While it’s fun in the early hours getting your bearings in an unfamiliar sea, later side and main missions become painfully repetitive. Long ocean voyages start to lose their charm, and a fast travel system that only works from port feels increasingly restrictive since you’re often eager to return to a mission giver to keep the action moving.

The freeform progression that was so welcome in the early hours also causes problems over time, as it’s too easy to be over- or under-leveled for certain content you might wish to confront, robbing many encounters of tension since the winning party is so evident from the outset.

The storytelling is incredibly sparse, led by very few core contacts, all of whose arcs are pretty one-note. And while it’s nice that you can customize the look of your pirate captain, their voiceless absence of personality feels especially ill-suited to the big personalities you expect in a classic pirate tale. 

Nonetheless, the combination of building a commerce empire, sea monster hunts, engaging in late-game PvE and PvP events, and the chance to continue tweaking and building your ideal pirate ship has appeal even after the core story missions wrap up, giving me hope that longterm endgame could be entertaining. And while it’s early days, I saw potential in the larger ship team-up activities I tried out, where each ship takes on specific roles like you might see in an MMO.

Despite its long and circuitous course to arrive at port, Skull and Bones is the type of game that may change significantly in the coming months. But to evaluate it as it stands, fellow pirate enthusiasts may discover what I did – a flawed but beautifully presented historical fantasy in which one can take to the water and make a fortune, even if absolutely everything about the pirate life isn’t always pretty.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review – Cracking The Planet Wide Open – Game Informer

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has quite the act to follow up – it must both live up to the sky-high expectations set by its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and synthesize and modernize perhaps the most crucial chapter in our heroes’ adventure across Gaia. While my 80 hours in Rebirth didn’t quite match the overall nirvana of Remake, it’s a game I struggled to put down. A few stumbling blocks, like a bloated and sometimes tedious open world and intermittently uneven pacing, threaten the highs of Rebirth. But an exciting and well-told story, with an awe-inspiring finale to boot, almost made me forget the lows. The final result is a flawed but deeply reverent love letter to one of gaming’s most beloved RPGs. 

Final Fantasy VII 7 Rebirth Game Informer Review

Finally out of Midgar, Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, and Red XIII embark on a continent-hopping journey to stop Sephiroth from executing his plan to destroy the planet, starting with a visit to the city of Kalm. Like Midgar before, Kalm is lovingly recreated from polygonal pathways into a fully realized town. Seeing such a familiar location through the lens of 2024 for the first time is a treat, and it’s a feeling carried throughout the entire game. Junon, Cosmo Canyon, Nibelheim – iconic locations burned into my brain deliver moments of awe with each visit, and the feeling never gets old. 

Sometimes, though, asset pop-in in larger areas and unnaturally harsh lighting changes when going from inside to outside distract from that awe. And the game’s performance mode, which seems to run at a stable 60 FPS, is so blurry that I stuck with the 30 FPS graphics mode. A recent patch mitigated these issues a bit, but they still persist. 

Surrounding each of these locations is a sprawling open area dotted with side quests, combat challenges, card game matches, treasure caches, intel towers, scavenger hunts, and more. While exciting at first, realizing that each open-world area in Rebirth consists of the same objectives grew more disappointing as time passed. Much of it is good fun, carried by excellent combat and strong connections to the world and lore of Final Fantasy VII, but more variety would have gone a long way to sprucing up my time outside of story content. 

Pockets of greatness, like the fantastic Queen’s Blood card game or special Summon Shrines that lead to new powerful materia, are still great even when repeated throughout the world map. And where the standard area objectives rarely stray from the formula established early on, the side quests, which range from fine and forgettable to great, sprinkled throughout each region, provide levity and a nice touch of weirdness to the world of Cloud and his friends. One even had me laughing out loud at my screen, reeling from a reality check delivered right to Red XIII. Traversing these lands can be tedious at times, especially in areas where specific Chocobo mechanics, like mushroom-hopping and wind gliding, are required, and my frustrations with Rebirth’s overfilled open world peaked in these moments. 

But old and new story beats, like Bugenhagen’s explanation of the lifestream and the return of familiar faces from Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core, pulled me out of those dumps. Some of my favorite original Final Fantasy VII moments are given new life with beautiful visuals and expanded exposition. Fighting new foes and classic bosses with Rebirth’s combat, which further builds on Remake’s real-time action-strategy system, is exhilarating. Additional party members, like Red XIII, Yuffie, and Cait Sith, inject new layers of defensiveness, speed, and whimsy, respectively, to the mix, and Rebirth smartly uses the weapon proficiency bonus system and story moments to ensure none are left sitting on the bench for too long. 

Square Enix nails almost every story beat, expanding on the lore in ways I didn’t know I wanted while remaining faithful to the original narrative, but falters a few times with needlessly overstuffed chapters. One, in particular, begins with the endorphin rush of the Gold Saucer and then dumps you into a literal dustbowl with a laundry list of boring quests to complete before allowing you to continue forward, bringing the fun to an excruciating halt.

If Remake is about showing how the capitalist, villainous Shinra Electric Power Company is destroying Midgar, Rebirth is about how this company is destroying the world. Square Enix uses the game’s various regions to demonstrate Shinra’s effects on the planet and its people up close and personal. The Gold Saucer shines bright at night, with nearly a dozen minigames – just a fraction of the total game’s shocking amount –  and collectible treasures for its patrons (and Cloud) to delight in. But the surrounding Corel region is in ruins, now a desert thanks to miniature reactors converting the region’s lifestream into the energy needed to power the nightlife resort. 

Cloud’s fight to catch and stop Sephiroth takes a backseat to this commentary throughout, giving them time to work through their emotions together as most are venturing beyond where they’ve ever been in this world. Those discussions and growing bonds weave in and out of combat, where new Synergy Abilities provide meaningful boosts to Rebirth’s action in various ways, like one that splits two Active Time Battle bars into three or another that massively increases an enemy’s stagger. These abilities and other skills directly improve Cloud’s standing with his party, opening opportunities for additional insight and raising a special relationship meter.

Sephiroth’s sparse screentime makes each appearance by the One-Winged Angel all the more terrifying, culminating in a final act that broke my mind in the best way, both as a test of my combat abilities and my understanding of Final Fantasy VII. Square Enix already made clear to players where this game comes to a close, but the finale, which best serves fans rather than first-time players, isn’t any less wondrous because of that. Rebirth’s score matches the heights of this closing act and the rest of the game, with gorgeous tear-inducing arrangements, jazz-fusion bops, and an eclectic mix of new songs and old favorites.  

This sequel went wide, and while that comes with benefits, like new ways to explore this beloved world and its various sights, it also comes with drawbacks. They aren’t unlike anything fans of the genre have experienced before, and playing as cherished characters certainly eases the pain, but the tedium and bloat of the open-world checklist can sometimes get in the way of where Rebirth truly shines. The best of Remake exists in Rebirth, but the various open-world areas surrounding it – the parts that make Rebirth unique from its predecessor – sometimes miss the mark.

Mortal Kombat 1: Check Out John Cena’s Peacemaker Debut In New Gameplay Trailer

Mortal Kombat 1 reset the fighting universe when it launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC last September. Now, it’s time for a new fighter from a different universe to join the roster. John Cena’s Peacemaker, the hero that first appeared in 2021’s The Suicide Squad and later in his epoynomous HBO Max series, joins the game next week on February 28. 

Ahead of his release, NetherRealm Studios has released the first look at Peacemaker’s gameplay in Mortal Kombat 1, and it features a lot of justice, a lot of peace, and, of course, a lot of blood. 

Check out the Peacemaker gameplay trailer for yourself below

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As you can see in the trailer above, Peacemaker is voiced by Cena himself and features moves inspired by the character’s live-action counterpart. That includes the fatality, which starts with Peacemaker ripping Quan-Chi in half by way of jet pack before sonic booming the rest of his body into bits. 

Peacemaker hits the Mortal Kombat 1 roster on February 28 for those who own the Premium Edition of the game or the Kombat Pack. Peacemaker goes live for individual purchase on March 6. 

Elsewhere in this trailer, we learn that Janet Cage is joining the game as a new Kameo fighter in March – she’s an alternate version of Johnny Cage from a different reality. We also learn that crossplay (or Krossplay as NetherRealm calls it) will go live on February 28, allowing PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store) players to fight against each other in-game. 

For more about the game, read Game Informer’s Mortal Kombat 1 review


Are you going to play as Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1 next week? Let us know in the comments below!

WWE 2K24’s Full Launch Roster Revealed

WWE 2K24’s full roster has been revealed. This year offers a staggering line-up of Superstars hailing from Raw, Smackdown and NXT, as well as numerous Legends. 

Over 200 playable superstars will be available at launch, along with 8 managers. Check them out below. 

Raw

  • Akira Tozawa
  • Alexa Bliss
  • Becky Lynch
  • Bianca Belair
  • Big E
  • Braun Strowman
  • Bronson Reed
  • Candice LeRae
  • Carmella
  • Cedric Alexander
  • Chad Gable
  • Chelsea Green
  • Cody Rhodes
  • Damian Priest
  • Dexter Lumis
  • Dominik Mysterio
  • Drew McIntyre
  • Erik
  • Finn Bálor
  • Giovanni Vinci
  • Gunther
  • Indi Hartwell
  • Ivar
  • JD McDonagh
  • Jey Uso
  • Johnny Gargano
  • Kofi Kingston
  • Liv Morgan
  • Ludwig Kaiser
  • Maxxine Dupri
  • Natalya
  • Nikki Cross
  • Otis
  • Piper Niven
  • Raquel Rodriguez
  • Rhea Ripley
  • Ricochet
  • R-Truth
  • Sami Zayn
  • Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Shayna Baszler
  • Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Sonya Deville
  • Tegan Nox
  • The Miz
  • Tommaso Ciampa
  • Valhalla
  • Xavier Woods
  • Zoey Stark

Smackdown

  • AJ Styles
  • Alba Fyre
  • Angelo Dawkins
  • Ashante “Thee” Adonis
  • Asuka
  • Austin Theory
  • Bayley
  • Bobby Lashley
  • Butch
  • Cameron Grimes
  • Charlotte Flair
  • Cruz Del Toro
  • Dakota Kai
  • Elton Prince
  • Grayson Waller
  • Isla Dawn
  • Iyo Sky
  • Jimmy Uso
  • Joaquin Wilde
  • Karl Anderson
  • Karrion Kross
  • Katana Chance
  • Kayden Carter
  • Kevin Owens
  • Kit Wilson
  • LA Knight
  • Logan Paul
  • Luke Gallows
  • Michin Mia Yim
  • Montez Ford
  • MVP
  • Omos
  • Randy Orton
  • Rey Mysterio
  • Ridge Holland
  • Robert Roode
  • Roman Reigns
  • Santos Escobar
  • Scarlett
  • Sheamus
  • Shotzi
  • Solo Sikoa
  • Tamina
  • Xia Li
  • Zelina Vega

NXT

  • Andre Chase
  • Angel Garza
  • Apollo Crews
  • Axiom
  • Baron Corbin
  • Blair Davenport
  • Bron Breakker
  • Brooks Jensen
  • Brutus Creed
  • Carmelo Hayes
  • Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo
  • Cora Jade
  • Damon Kemp
  • Dijak
  • Drew Gulak
  • Duke Hudson
  • Fallon Henley
  • Gigi Dolin
  • Humberto
  • Ilja Dragunov
  • Ivy Nile
  • Jacy Jayne
  • Jinder Mahal
  • Joe Coffey
  • Joe Gacy
  • Josh Briggs
  • Julius Creed
  • Nathan Frazer
  • Nikkita Lyons
  • Noam Dar
  • Roxanne Perez
  • Sanga
  • Scrypts
  • Thea Hail
  • Tiffany Stratton
  • Tony D’Angelo
  • Trick Williams
  • Tyler Bate
  • Veer Mahaan
  • Wendy Choo
  • Wes Lee
  • Wolfgang

Legends/Alumni

  • Andre The Giant
  • Bad Bunny
  • Batista
  • Beth Phoenix
  • Big Boss Man
  • Boogeyman
  • Booker T
  • Bray Wyatt
  • Bret “Hitman” Hart
  • British Bulldog
  • Bruno Sammartino
  • Cactus Jack
  • Chyna
  • Diesel
  • Doink The Clown
  • Dude Love
  • Dusty Rhodes (Part of the Nightmare Family Pack)
  • Eddie Guerrero
  • Eric Bischoff
  • Eve Torres
  • Faarooq
  • The Fiend
  • George “The Animal” Steele
  • Harley Race
  • Hollywood Hogan
  • Hulk Hogan
  • The Hurricane
  • Jake “The Snake” Roberts
  • JBL
  • Jerry “The King” Lawler
  • Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
  • John Cena
  • Kane
  • Ken Shamrock
  • Kevin Nash
  • Kurt Angle
  • Lita
  • “Macho Man” Randy Savage
  • Mankind
  • Maryse
  • Mighty Molly
  • Molly Holly
  • Muhammad Ali
  • “Ravishing” Rick Rude
  • Rick Steiner
  • Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
  • Rikishi
  • Rob Van Dam
  • The Rock
  • Ronda Rousey
  • “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
  • Scott Hall
  • Scott Steiner
  • Shane McMahon
  • Shawn Michaels
  • Stacy Keibler
  • Stephanie McMahon
  • Stardust (Part of the Nightmare Family Pack)
  • “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
  • “Superstar” Billy Graham (Part of the Nightmare Family Pack)
  • Syxx
  • Ted DiBiase
  • Triple H
  • Trish Stratus
  • Tyler Breeze
  • Ultimate Warrior
  • Umaga
  • Uncle Howdy
  • The Undertaker
  • Vader
  • Wade Barrett
  • William Regal
  • X-Pac
  • Yokozuna

Managers

  • B-Fab
  • Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
  • Cathy Kelley
  • Mick Foley
  • Miss Elizabeth
  • Paul Bearer
  • Paul Heyman
  • Theodore Long

WWE 2K24 launches on March 8 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You can read our in-deph hands-on preview here, watch us play a few matches in this episode of New Gameplay Today, or check out our gaming-focused interview with one of 2K24’s cover stars, Cody Rhodes

How cognition changes before dementia hits

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment, especially of the “amnestic subtype” (aMCI), are at increased risk for dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease relative to cognitively healthy older adults. Now, a study co-authored by researchers from MIT, Cornell University, and Massachusetts General Hospital has identified a key deficit in people with aMCI, which relates to producing complex language.

This deficit is independent of the memory deficit that characterizes this group and may provide an additional “cognitive biomarker” to aid in early detection — the time when treatments, as they continue to be developed, are likely to be most effective.

The researchers found that while individuals with aMCI could appreciate the basic structure of sentences (syntax) and their meaning (semantics), they struggled with processing certain ambiguous sentences in which pronouns alluded to people not referenced in the sentences themselves.

“These results are among the first to deal with complex syntax and really get at the abstract computation that’s involved in processing these linguistic structures,” says MIT linguistics scholar Suzanne Flynn, co-author of a paper detailing the results.

The focus on subtleties in language processing, in relation to aMCI and its potential transition to dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease is novel, the researchers say.

“Previous research has looked most often at single words and vocabulary,” says co-author Barbara Lust, a professor emerita at Cornell University. “We looked at a more complex level of language knowledge. When we process a sentence, we have to both grasp its syntax and construct a meaning. We found a breakdown at that higher level where you’re integrating form and meaning.”

The paper, “Disintegration at the syntax-semantics interface in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease: New evidence from complex sentence anaphora in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI),” appears in the Journal of Neurolinguistics.

The paper’s authors are Flynn, a professor in MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy; Lust, a professor emerita in the Department of Psychology at Cornell and a visiting scholar and research affiliate in the MIT Department of Linguistics and Philosophy; Janet Cohen Sherman, an associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and director of the MGH Psychology Assessment Center; and, posthumously, the scholars James Gair and Charles Henderson of Cornell University.

Anaphora and ambiguity

To conduct the study, the scholars ran experiments comparing the cognitive performance of aMCI patients to cognitively healthy individuals in separate younger and older control groups. The research involved 61 aMCI patients of Massachusetts General Hospital, with control group research conducted at Cornell and MIT.

The study pinpointed how well people process and reproduce sentences involving “anaphora.” In linguistics terms, this generally refers to the relation between a word and another form in the sentence, such the use of “his” in the sentence, “The electrician repaired his equipment.” (The term “anaphora” has another related use in the field of rhetoric, involving the repetition of terms.)

In the study, the researchers ran a variety of sentence constructions past aMCI patients and the control groups. For instance, in the sentence, “The electrician fixed the light switch when he visited the tenant,” it is not actually clear if “he” refers to the electrician, or somebody else entirely. The “he” could be a family member, friend, or landlord, among other possibilities.

On the other hand, in the sentence, “He visited the tenant when the electrician repaired the light switch,” “he” and the electrician cannot be the same person. Alternately, in the sentence, “The babysitter emptied the bottle and prepared the formula,” there is no reference at all to a person beyond the sentence.

Ultimately, aMCI patients performed significantly worse than the control groups when producing sentences with “anaphoric coreference,” the ones with ambiguity about the identity of the person referred to via a pronoun.

“It’s not that aMCI patients have lost the ability to process syntax or put complex sentences together, or lost words; it’s that they’re showing a deficit when the mind has to figure out whether to stay in the sentence or go outside it, to figure out who we’re talking about,” Lust explains. “When they didn’t have to go outside the sentence for context, sentence production was preserved in the individuals with aMCI whom we studied.”

Flynn notes: “This adds to our understanding of the deterioration that occurs in early stages of the dementia process. Deficits extend beyond memory loss. While the participants we studied have memory deficits, their memory difficulties do not explain our language findings, as evidenced by a lack of correlation in their performance on the language task and their performances on measures of memory. This suggests that in addition to the memory difficulties that individuals with aMCI experience, they are also struggling with this central aspect of language.”

Looking for a path to treatment

The current paper is part of an ongoing series of studies that Flynn, Lust, Sherman, and their colleagues have performed. The findings have implications for potentially steering neuroscience studies toward regions of the brain that process language, when investigating MCI and other forms  of dementia, such as primary progressive aphasia. The study may also help inform linguistics theory concerning various forms of anaphora.

Looking ahead, the scholars say they would like to increase the size of the studies as part of an effort to continue to define how it is that diseases progress and how language may be a predictor of that.

“Our data is a small population but very richly theoretically guided,” Lust says. “You need hypotheses that are linguistically informed to make advances in neurolinguistics. There’s so much interest in the years before Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed, to see if it can be caught and its progression stopped.”

As Flynn adds, “The more precise we can become about the neuronal locus of deterioration, that’s going to make a big difference in terms of developing treatment.”

Support for the research was provided by the Cornell University Podell Award, Shamitha Somashekar and Apple Corporation, Federal Formula Funds, Brad Hyman at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Cornell Bronfenbrenner Center for Life Course Development, the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging, the Cornell Institute for Social Science Research, and the Cornell Cognitive Science Program.

OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT memory to select users

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Amazon trains 980M parameter LLM with ’emergent abilities’

Researchers at Amazon have trained a new large language model (LLM) for text-to-speech that they claim exhibits “emergent” abilities.  The 980 million parameter model, called BASE TTS, is the largest text-to-speech model yet created. The researchers trained models of various sizes on up to 100,000 hours…