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Nearly three years ago, when tech giant Microsoft announced that it was starting a pilot program to hire autistic workers, they received more than 700 resumes within a few weeks. German software maker SAP has instituted a program to bring people with autism into its workforce worldwide, and other companies are following suit. By all accounts, giving those on the spectrum an opportunity to use their talents productively has been a tremendous success. Lee Cowan looks at the changing face of workplace diversity. (Originally broadcast on February 11, 2018.)

A new co-op adventure is coming from Epic Games. Made by WiredFly and Kong Orange, Out of Words will offer a stop-motion-flavored platform adventure that's a little bit cozy and a little bit fantasy. The controllable humans have had their mouths stolen — that's why it's called Out of Words. It's a little On The Nose.

The cute figures and creatures have been crafted by hand, and cutscenes suggest they've been stop-motion animated alongside the gaming parts. Alongside the two humans you seemingly control, there's also a cute flying stingray. According to Epic Games, much of that whimsy originates from the mind of acclaimed poet Morten Søndergaard.

A core navigation dynamic will be the ability to invert gravity, allowing players to run upside-down alongside each other. There are other traversal powers, including monstrous arms that can grab and slingshot players across spaces.

Out of Words launches in 2026, and is coming to the Epic Games Store, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/out-of-words-is-a-cozy-stop-motion-co-op-adventure-from-epic-games-220803056.html?src=rss

Killer Inn is a little bit murder mystery and a little bit third-person action game, and combined, it looks like a lot of fun. Square Enix and developer Tactic Studios revealed Killer Inn during today's Summer Game Fest kickoff stream. A beta for the game is coming to Steam soon and it's available to wishlist now.

Killer Inn is a lot like the movie Clue, or the TV show The Traitors, or the social improv game Werewolf, or the video game Spy Party — it's all about uncovering players' true intentions and concealing your own, with a murderous twist. Each round includes 24 players, some of whom are wolves, while the rest are lambs. As a lamb, the players' goal is sniff out the wolves and survive their attacks, and the wolves are out to blend in with the herd, stealthily killing when they can. Each kill leaves behind a clue for other players to find. The game ends when one team has eliminated all members of the opposing group.

It isn't pure social strategy — there are various weapons, traps, poisons, bits of armor and masks to use, and a range of characters to choose from. Killer Inn is playable solo or with up to four players.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/killer-inn-turns-werewolf-into-a-multiplayer-action-game-220859571.html?src=rss

Known for his prolific and memorable comedic moments, playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon (who died on August 26, 2018) often used his own experiences for comic material, from "Biloxi Blues" to "Brighton Beach Memoirs." Writing gags for TV, especially Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows," would also inspire his play "Laughter on the 23rd Floor." He talked with correspondent Rita Braver about some of his many Broadway hits, including "Barefoot in the Park," "The Odd Couple" and "Sweet Charity," which were adapted for films and TV. She also talked with "Barefoot in the Park" star Robert Redford, and with Richard Dreyfuss, who would win an Oscar for starring in Simon's "The Goodbye Girl." (Originally broadcast on October 29, 2006.)

NPR's Scott Simon looks back at the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where violence on the streets reflected the division within the party during their nominating convention for president. Simon talks with Bill Daley, son of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley; Bill Jaconetti, who was a rookie police officer on the front lines during those tense days; Marilyn Katz, who was head of security for the protesting Students for a Democratic Society; and CBS News' Bob Schieffer, who was reporting from the convention floor.

Faith Salie reports on how LSD and "magic mushrooms" are being studied for their ability to help patients conquer anxiety and depression without the psychedelia long associated with mind-altering drugs. Salie talks with author Ayelet Waldman, who microdosed LSD and overcame a deep depression, and with NYU professor Tony Bossis, who conducted a clinical trial of cancer patients treated for depression with a one-time dose of the psychedelic Psilocybin. (Originally broadcast March 18, 2018.)

Dying Light: The Beast just received an official release date at Summer Game Fest.Revealed alongside a gameplay and story trailer showcasing first-person action, Dying Light: The Beast is set to launch on August 22 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.The game was initially being developed as downloadable content (DLC) for Dying Light 2: Stay Human, but developer Techland announced at Gamescom 2024 that the project had become a standalone title."Development of Dying Light: The Beast originally started as a story DLC for Dying Light 2: Stay Human," Techland said at the time. "But after two years of work, its size and scope has changed so much that it evolved into a standalone, self-contained experience."To show appreciation for the community who patiently waited for the DLC, Techland will be offering Dying Light: The Beast at no extra cost to all owners of the Dying Light 2: Stay Human Ultimate Edition, delivering a full standalone adventure instead of just a DLC."This story is developing.You might also like...Best PS5 games 2025 - top PlayStation 5 titles to play right nowNintendo Switch 2 review-in-progress live: my thoughts, reactions, and experience with the console and its gamesAtomic Heart 2 officially announced at Summer Game Fest, along with an Atomic Heart multiplayer spin-off, The Cube

It's been a few years since Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Shovel Knight, ran a successful Kickstarter campaign for the first entry in a new franchise, and now we know when that game will drop. The team announced at Summer Game Fest Live that Mina the Hollower will arrive on October 31 on PC. A demo is available on Steam until Steam Next Fest ends on June 13.

Mina the Hollower is a gothic horror-influenced, action-adventure platformer, so the Halloween release date is quite fitting. It's styled after the look and feel of Game Boy Color games — so much so that the game has no 3D assets and a limited color palette (but Yacht Club did make one concession by opting for a widescreen display ratio). As the inventor and mouse Mina, you'll have a whip as a weapon and the ability to burrow short distances to cross gaps and have a moment of invincibility.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mina-the-hollower-from-the-makers-of-shovel-knight-arrives-on-halloween-222539705.html?src=rss

Annapurna Interactive showed off a first like at Lego Voyagers at Summer Game Fest Live, the next game from Light Brick Studio, the developers of Lego Builder's Journey.

Lego Voyagers is co-op puzzle game where you and a friend will play as two Lego studs, traveling through a realistic, brick-based world solving puzzles. The trailer showed off several different locales your studs will journey through, including a Lego speedboat and rocket launch. To make your way through the game's various challenges, you'll move and build new structures by picking up bricks with your studs.

The game looks like it builds on the calming vibes of Builder's Journey, but with a focus on co-op gameplay. Light Brick's first game worked like a riff on Monument Valley, tasking you with building a path for your bricks through a minimalistic Lego world. Voyagers takes things in a Split Fiction-direction, just with a lot more chill.

Lego Voyagers is "coming soon" to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X / S, Nintendo Switch and PC. You'll be able to play with a friend using only one copy of the game thanks to a feature called Friend's Pass.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/lego-voyagers-is-a-co-op-puzzle-game-from-the-studio-behind-builders-journey-222331161.html?src=rss

Researchers think activities that occupy our hands, like folding laundry, doing yardwork or knitting, are actually making our brains happier. Tony Dokoupil talks with Dr. Kelly Lambert of the University of Richmond, and author Matthew Crawford ("Shop Class as Soulcraft"), who's never happier than when he is tinkering in the garage. Dokoupil also tests out the theory with artist Zaria Forman, who concocts vivid paintings without ever putting brush to canvas. (Originally broadcast March 18, 2018.)