Title: Stanley Parable Co-Designer Perfectly Explains Why People Play 1,600 Hours Of Dota 2 And Still Hate It Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:42:49 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/stanley-parable-co-designer-perfectly-explains-why-people-play-1600-hours-of-dota-2-and-still-hate-it-2000737905 This is exactly how I've felt

Title: TOEM 2: The Kotaku Review Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:56 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/toem-2-the-kotaku-review-2000737082 A pinhole camera from a world unknown/shows me all I want to know

Title: Pokémon Happy Meals Are Returning To McDonald’s, So Prepare To Wait In Line Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:30:31 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/pokemon-happy-meals-mcdonalds-celebrations-30th-anniversary-2000737883 The fast food chain's annual event is due to start in a couple of months

Title: Choreographer Shows Acrobatics Behind Resident Evil Film’s Weirdest Monster Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:47:07 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/choreographer-shows-acrobatics-behind-resident-evil-films-weirdest-monster-2000737438 While the practical effect didn’t pan out for Zach Cregger’s final product, there were humans behind the 'human tumbleweed' seen rolling through the movie

Title: Famed Rock Producer Blames Video Games For Giving Us Taylor Swift Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:57:59 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/famed-rock-producer-blames-video-games-for-giving-us-taylor-swift-2000737434 In a new pot stirring interview, rock n roll crank Todd Rundgren says men would have continued dominating the radio charts had they put down the controller

Title: Monopoly Go x The Simpsons crossover is almost here Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:41:21 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/monopoly-go-the-simpsons-crossover-details Monopoly Go players have been looking forward to a major crossover event for what felt like months, and though most of the details ended up leaking, nothing actually beats official information. Read more

Title: Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 will take us deeper into the World in Canvas and make Mortenax Blade playable Date: Fri, 22 May 2026 13:43:44 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/honkai-star-rail-version-4-3-all-details HoYoverse has today delivered full details on the next major update for Honkai: Star Rail. Version 4.3, dubbed The Lethe Below the Living, will be available for all players on June 1. The upcoming update adds a new chapter to the Planarcadia arc, and introduce a new playable character. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 explodes on Steam even before it's officially out Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:02 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-steam-numbers-big-launch Steam is abuzz this week with a couple of long-anticipated launches, but in Forza Horizon 6’s case, at least, the game isn’t even out for what will be most of its players. The anticipated sequel in the open-world driving game series doesn’t officially launch until May 19, but owners of its most expensive version - the Premium Edition - can play it right now. Read more

Title: Mystic Messenger's most loyal players are getting banned in droves for seemingly playing the game too much Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 10:02:10 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/mystic-messenger-ban-wave-thousands-of-hourglasses-anniversary Mystic Messenger, arguably one of the best dating sims around, has been dormant for about seven years. Despite not receiving new content or any meaningful updates in all that time, the game remains popular with its core fans, many of whom just woke up to some shocking news about their accounts. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 review - The driving game for everyone still can’t seem to escape its car-collecting legacy Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 12:00:03 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-review There is this idea that, for a long-running series to remain as consistently popular as Forza Horizon has been, it needs to diminish itself somewhat with each new entry, gradually losing more and more of its edge in a bid to appeal to the widest possible audience. Read more

Title: Minecraft Dungeons 2 Is More Ambitious, More Interesting, And More Flawed – Review Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/minecraft-dungeons-2-is-more-ambitious-more-interesting-and-more-flawed-review/ Mojang Studios and Double Eleven's sequel solves some issues from the first game, but picks up a few new ones too.

Title: Minecraft Dungeons 2 Is More Ambitious, More Interesting, And More Flawed Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/minecraft-dungeons-2-is-more-ambitious-more-interesting-and-more-flawed/ When Minecraft Dungeons launched in 2020, it was difficult to know exactly what to make of it, or where it stood in the franchise as a whole. One of the world's most popular games had been transformed into a Diablo-lite-style action-RPG, taking away the mining and crafting that give Minecraft its name. In its place was something far more straightforward: kill monsters, collect loot, and repeat. The simplicity of Minecraft Dungeons was both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. Its streamlined gear system made it easy to understand, while its enchantments gradually introduced more interesting build possibilities. But its combat could feel a bit too basic. Minecraft Dungeons 2 feels like developers Mojang and Double Eleven focused their efforts with those limitations in mind. The sequel is far more honed in on what happens between the battles, with expanded inventory systems, more customization options, more reasons to explore, and--perhaps most importantly--a world that actually feels connected to the larger Minecraft universe. Dungeons felt like it deliberately separated itself from the main game, and that was partly the point. Mojang wanted to create an experience that couldn't be found in vanilla Minecraft, while still using recognizable mobs, environments, and items to make it feel familiar.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD9GtlgU8_c Dungeons 2 takes a bold and unusual approach that not many other large franchises could pull off. Its story brings the Sift dimension, which was created for this game but is also coming to the vanilla game in 2027. The Sift is accessed via a portal--a mechanic that will feel familiar to anyone who's played Minecraft--and houses an ethereal dimension with all-new environments, friendly mobs, and enemies. The Sift's being added to the base Minecraft game makes the relationship between the two games feel far more deliberate than it did in the first installment. It also allows Dungeons 2 to feel like a bigger part of the Minecraft universe, rather than a smaller branch forging its own path. As a result of that, Dungeons 2 made me particularly invested in its new dimension. As a Minecraft fan and veteran player, I was also intrigued about whether any of the narrative elements would be carried over to the main game. I walked around the Sift feeling like I was intruding on an unreleased Minecraft build, eager to check out the biomes, friendly mobs, enemies, and potential materials that can be found in the first new Minecraft dimension in a decade and a half. The Sift is the first Minecraft dimension outside of the Overworld that doesn't feel immediately hostile. In Dungeons 2 it's under threat, so there are hostile mobs to deal with, but the pearlescent lakes, muted blue, pink, and purple color palette, and mobs that cheekily poke their tongue out by way of greeting all lead to a very serene world, one that I'm excited to explore in vanilla Minecraft in 2027.  By having multiple armor pieces, adding Enchantment Books, and having the ability to jump, Dungeons 2 is actually closer to the vanilla Minecraft experience than its predecessor. It feels almost unbelievable that the first Dungeons didn't include jumping, but Dungeons 2 does. This allows for a broader scope of exploration as you can hop up to hidden platforms to uncover chests, jump across gaps to reach previously inaccessible areas, and dutifully check behind waterfalls for hidden loot. It also adds the jump-attack combination, which allows for a more powerful attack that affects any enemies in range and provides another means of effectively dealing with groups of enemies. The storyline gives you something simple to care about. Your villager friends aren't just background characters wandering around and making "hmm" noises. They want to live peacefully, yet villains lurk around every corner determined to make that impossible. Every time they attempted to interfere with the villagers' attempts to live happily ever after, I found myself increasingly annoyed at them. It's not the deepest or most emotional narrative by any means, but Dungeons 2 understands that a straightforward story and likeable characters can work in tandem remarkably well. It's a notable improvement over the first game, where the story largely existed only to give you a reason to chase down the Arch-Illager.  That's not the only area where Dungeons 2 improves upon its predecessor. The original Dungeons had an awkward economy that felt almost meaningless. You collected emeralds constantly but were limited in ways to spend them, with many options feeling worthless. In Dungeons 2, upgrading your gear at the Blacksmith improves your existing gear's stats substantially, while rolling for new gear at the town merchant has the potential to give you more powerful items to complement your build--especially if you've used Echo Shards to upgrade the merchant so he can offer stronger gear.  Since the Blacksmith required rescuing in the original Dungeons, I somehow managed to miss his arrival in Dungeons 2. By the time I realized he was present in the sequel, I had already salvaged a considerable amount of gear that I probably would have kept had I known I could upgrade it. I'm undecided whether that's down to my campaign tunnel vision, or whether Mojang should have introduced him better. There is still a problem with this system, though. In placing a maximum cap of 9,999 emeralds, I regularly found myself losing them as I wasn't watching my balance when salvaging old items to exchange for more emeralds. Then, as it can often cost in excess of 1,000 emeralds to upgrade an item, I'd find myself struggling for the currency. A cap absolutely should exist, since it's so easy to get emeralds via exploration and salvage, and is part of what led to emeralds feeling worthless in the original game. But when that cap is making you regularly lose currency that you're actively trying to spend on upgrades, it shows that the economic balance isn't quite right. Where Dungeons 2 does excel hugely over its predecessor is in its willingness to allow you to establish a coherent build. Instead of one armor piece, you now equip a separate helmet, chest plate, leggings, and boots. This gives you more opportunities to shape your character around a particular playstyle, and I spent much of my playthrough experimenting with different combinations. I tried lightning-, poison-, and soul-focused builds, and each one changed the way I approached combat.  The soul system was probably my biggest stumbling block. The game doesn't do a particularly good job of explaining what souls are, how you acquire them, or why you might want to build around them. I eventually worked it out through experimentation, but I shouldn't have needed to poke around quite as much just to discover something that is fundamental to an entire build archetype. Once you understand the systems, experimentation is enjoyable, but Dungeons 2 occasionally assumes that you know more than the game has actually taught you.  A new type of equipment, Talismans, add another layer of build complexity. You can equip up to three at a time, and they grant you a passive ability--some summon other characters or creatures to fight alongside you, while others grant generous buffs to your health, attack power, ammo, and more. Amassing a decent collection of them relies on completing side quests and finding hidden loot, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it means players who rush through the main campaign are potentially missing some of the strongest tools they need to make more interesting builds. While the first game already had plenty of replay value through its difficulty levels, repeatable missions, hidden levels, and eventual DLC, Dungeons 2 expands upon that even further. There are side quests, dungeons, repeatable boss fights, and Soul Surge activities to complete beyond finishing the campaign. Soul Surge activities are time-limited events where stronger enemies spawn in an area, rewarding higher-tier loot that you can't get through normal gameplay. As a result, Dungeons 2 feels like an ongoing adventure rather than a campaign you complete and never return to.  It also adds a purpose to the loot system. If you're trying to perfect a poison build, getting another piece of equipment is no longer about increasing your power; it's about improving the synergy between your individual gear pieces. The hunt for the perfect item to slot into your build is pretty moreish, and Dungeons 2 gives plenty of opportunities to do that after the story ends. However, there's a significant problem with the enchantment system. Enchantment Books are scarce, and I spent most of the main story limited to two of them for my armor pieces. You can use each book an infinite number of times, but in terms of build synergy, it's oddly restrictive. My favorite builds came way beyond the main campaign, and I didn't get that moment of feeling true satisfaction as my poison spread from mob to mob until many hours after I finished. Given the mob density throughout the story and the powerful bosses you face, it would have been more satisfying to discover a few more Enchantment Books as part of the storyline's rewards, instead of seeking them out post-game. However, being forced to explore Dungeons 2's gorgeous environments seeking out better loot is far from a terrible experience. Unfortunately, that wasn't the biggest problem I faced. My roughly 15-hour playthrough of the main campaign was affected by a number of bugs and glitches, with one particularly persistent issue leaving a "Teleporting" label permanently stuck to my character. It wasn't merely a cosmetic annoyance either, as the bug affected traversal, at times preventing me from jumping or safely navigating the environment. Restarting my game could temporarily resolve some of those problems, but the Teleporting label itself never disappeared, meaning I completed about half of my playthrough with the intrusion.  For a game that places so much emphasis on exploration and movement through its expanded environments, having traversal occasionally break is a serious problem. It's particularly unfortunate because Dungeons 2's environments are beautiful, and being able to properly explore them is part of what separates this sequel from the more linear structure of the original. Hopefully these issues are addressed in a patch at launch, because they undermine what is otherwise a considerably more polished sequel.  Dungeons 2 isn't a radical reinvention, and rightly so. The first game was already an enjoyable, approachable dungeon crawler, even if it was deliberately lightweight. Dungeons 2 adds depth and connects its world to the wider Minecraft universe while adding a meaningful economy, a build system with considerably more freedom to experiment, and more post-campaign activities.  Even though the restrictive emerald cap, scarce Enchantment Books, and technical issues dampened my experience somewhat, the difference between the titles is clear. Where Minecraft Dungeons was a charming introduction to the dungeon-crawler genre, Dungeons 2 builds a deeper action-RPG within the same familiar, blocky framework. While it doesn't completely escape the limitations of its predecessor, Minecraft Dungeons 2 is a more ambitious sequel that finally gives its loot, builds, and world the depth that was missing, even if a few rough edges remain.

Title: How To Use Enchantments In Minecraft Dungeons 2 Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-to-use-enchantments-in-minecraft-dungeons-2/ While you're making your way through Minecraft Dungeons 2, you'll find Enchantment Books. Some of these have similar effects to the ones found in Minecraft, while some are new and exclusive to Dungeons and Dungeons 2. However, as you're playing you might find yourself with a few Enchantments with no idea how to actually use them. Fear not, we've got you covered. Enchantsmiths will appear on the map as soon as you unlock them in the story. Enchantments are unlocked in Minecraft Dungeons 2 as part of the story, right after the Training With the Enchantsmith quest. Without spoiling the events of the story, I was around level 15 when this happened, and I had done a fair amount of exploring, adventuring, and completing side quests. You might find that you're a lower level when this part of the story triggers if you're not doing those things. There are Enchantsmiths in most major areas, including right by the respawn teleporter in Brave Haven. To use your Enchantment Books, speak to the Enchantsmith. As you level up, you'll get more Enchantment Points, meaning you can apply more, and stronger, Enchantments to your gear. The Enchantsmith handles all of your enchanting needs. To enchant your gear, you'll consume Echo Shards and Enchantment Points. You'll combine those with Enchantment Books--that can be used unlimited times--to apply the effect to your gear. Different gear has different available enchantments. To level up the Enchantsmith and get the ability to upgrade your enchantments, you'll use Echo Shards. Enchantments can be upgraded to a maximum of level three, making their effects more potent. Upgrading the Enchantsmith's merchant level allows for stronger enchantments. You can acquire Echo Shards by defeating difficult soul-corrupted mobs that you encounter throughout the world. They have a few uses in the game, and redeeming them at the Enchantsmith is just one of them. Of course, Echo Shards are also found in Minecraft by traveling underground to the Deep Dark and avoiding the Warden. A very dangerous affair, indeed.

Title: God Of War Laufey Preorders Go Live September 29, Here’s What Each Edition Includes Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:31:44 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/god-of-war-laufey-preorders-go-live-september-29-heres-what-each-edition-includes/ Ahead of its release on February 16, 2027, Sony has announced that God of War Laufey preorders will go live on September 29. The Standard Edition will be available in both physical and digital formats, but the Deluxe Edition will be a digital exclusive. Pricing hasn't been revealed yet, but Sony typically charges $70 for a regular version of its game and $80 for a deluxe edition. We'll update this post as soon as the official prices are live. Here's a closer look at what you get with each one. God of War Laufey: Standard Edition Preorder bonuses for the Standard Edition include a spiffy new "Last Wish" armor set for Faye, an elegant collection of golden leaves for Phranque the Cube to wear, and a pack of resources to help you get some early upgrades in. Last Wish Armor Set Phranque Golden Leaves appearance (cosmetic)  In-game resource pack God of War Laufey: Digital Deluxe Edition The Digital Deluxe Edition includes all the aforementioned preorder bonuses, as well as an arsenal of "Dark Alchemy" weapon skins and a matching suit of armor for Faye to don. Additionally, you can check out the game's artwork and listen to its soundtrack. Dark Alchemy Armor set Dark Alchemy Blade Dark Alchemy Bow scales Dark Alchemy catalyst In-Game resource pack Digital mini-artbook  Official God of War Laufey digital soundtrack Developer Sony Santa Monica also revealed a new weapon that Faye can wield: the Serpent Bow. An enchanted weapon, it can unleash a volley of arrows quickly, or you can hold down the aim trigger to unleash a precision bolt that also strikes from a longer range. If an enemy is hit with one of these arrows, their movement or ability to strike will be impaired, and Faye can follow up with melee attacks. You can even choose between rapid-fire, explosive detonations and multi-target arrows, making the Serpent Bow a versatile tool in battle. God of War fans can expect even more from the franchise in the future, as a new Kratos-led game is coming after it and it will pick up where Laufey left off. A live-action TV series is also in development for Prime Video, and while actor Ryan Hurst is no longer playing the lead role due to an on-set injury, former WWE star Dave Bautista has stepped in to take over the part.

Title: The Best Xbox Series X Games In 2026 Date: Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:19:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-xbox-series-x-games/2900-3818/ These are the very best Xbox Series X|S games. The Xbox Series X|S is approaching six years old, and it's built a huge library of great games. With so much to choose from, we've curated a selection of the very best Xbox Series X|S games to play right now. We regularly review these choices to ensure we stand by them as the best the Xbox Series X|S has to offer, so this still stands as our highest recommendation for the console. As 2026 continues, this should serve as a starting point for finding the absolute cream of the crop. The future of Xbox is a more expansive brand than just a console, encompassing its suite of services like Xbox Game Pass. The subscription service has emerged as a major pillar for Microsoft, offering a vast rotating library of free games, including first-party releases. Whether you're looking for something new to play via the Game Pass subscription service or need buying advice for your next full game purchase, this list of games will steer you in the right direction. Most, but not all, of the games we've chosen are available on Xbox Game Pass. While the Series X boasts the best performance and visuals, the Series S also offers noticeable improvements and upscales to 4K. And lots can also be played on your Xbox One, either with Smart Delivery to optimize the experience or through Microsoft's cloud-streaming tech for games that outpace the last generation. If you'd rather catch up with some older, but still excellent games, be sure to read our picks for the best Xbox One games, or upgrade your gaming gear with our picks for the best Xbox controllers and best Xbox headsets. And while you're at it, check out our best PS5 games, best PS4 games, and best Nintendo Switch games too. 007 First Light IO Interactive being handed the keys to the James Bond franchise is what you'd call a match made in heaven. The studio has established itself as a powerhouse in open-world design and immersive gameplay, but with 007 First Light, IO proves that it knows how to tell a damn good story as well. Fusing its talent for creating intricate, elegantly designed levels with rock-solid fisticuffs and shooting gameplay, 007 First Light isn't just a fantastic James Bond game; it's the definitive origin story for the secret agent that we've been waiting decades for. Read our 007 First Light Review. Advertisement Alan Wake 2 Remedy's Alan Wake is a cult classic of the survival horror genre, and since then the studio has been building its own universe with story ties to other releases like Control. Alan Wake 2 is the sequel 13 years in the making, and it delivers. The story follows the author Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson through a mind-bending dual campaign. It leans more into horror than its predecessor and contains some truly unforgettable moments. Read our Alan Wake 2 review. Featured in this image Alan Wake II View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Arc Raiders One of the biggest hits of 2025, Arc Raiders isn't just a well-designed extraction shooter. It's also a game where the community has come together to craft stories and moments you won't find anywhere else. The threat of being sniped by an opportunistic player is always present, but more often than not, you'll find yourself engaged in missions and events that make for perfect chatter around the office cooler. It's those constant surprises, unseen betrayals, and scrappy adventuring in a NASA-punk world that have helped propel Arc Raiders into the spotlight. Read our Arc Raiders review. Advertisement The Blood of Dawnwalker Games that impose a time limit on you can be a hard sell, but in The Blood of Dawnwalker, developer Rebel Wolves has cleverly managed to ease that tension by selectively moving the clock forward only when it truly matters. Rich worldbuilding, a grim medieval atmosphere, and multi-layered side quests also make this a standout game. With time moving forward whenever you take specific narrative or exploratory actions, there's a sense of urgency that propels you forward while you also grapple with the consequences of your actions. Read our The Blood of Dawnwalker review. Advertisement Blue Prince Blue Prince is an incredible puzzle adventure game that is bound to stay with you for a long time. As the inheritor of the stately Mount Holly manor, you are tasked with reaching the mysterious Room 46 in order to keep your new property. But this is no ordinary mansion, as the layout of rooms shifts every day. Each time you open a door you determine which room will be "drafted" on the other side, letting you create your own pathway. But as you learn more about the house, and how the rooms and their systems interact, you'll learn there's much more to Mount Holly than meets the eye. Read our Blue Prince review. Featured in this image Blue Prince View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 The Call of Duty series has been among the top sellers for years, but some CoD games are clearly better than others. This year's iteration, Black Ops 6, is the best the series has been in some time. The campaign is a smart and varied action spectacle that keeps you on your toes as it explores paranoid thriller tropes set against global events in the 1990s. Meanwhile, the multiplayer's new omni-movement makes matches feel fast and fluid, especially with the addition of inventive new maps that let you explore the space in a variety of ways. A revision to the perks system helps you specialize in interesting ways. Call of Duty has earned its reputation for a reason, and this latest release shows why. This is also the first year that the newest Call of Duty has been available on Game Pass at launch, so if you're a subscriber to Xbox's signature service you can hop right in. Read our Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign review and multiplayer review. Featured in this image Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 There's a lot to love about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, from its exquisite art direction through to its elegant marriage of turn-based RPG and souls-like influences, but one of the factors that makes it so mesmerizing is that it's consistently satisfying to play. Whether you're pumping your fist in delight after you execute a perfect series of parries or you're reeling from the emotional rollercoaster of its story, Expedition 33 will keep your eyes glued to it whenever you boot it up to continue your journey across its beautiful world. Read our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review. Featured in this image Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Control Resonant Control Resonant could have easily been a retread of the linear corridor shootouts of its predecessor, but Remedy Entertainment took a big swing to create an ambitious, ability-driven action-RPG. That sense of freedom in exploring a version of Manhattan that has been turned upside down by a Hiss invasion is a big draw on its own, but the fast-paced melee combat and delightfully weird vibes seal the deal on one of Remedy's best games yet. Read our Control Resonant review. Advertisement Denshattack Few games are as capable of putting you in the zone--or making you scooch forward on your couch--like Denshattack is. It's a high-energy rollercoaster that turns an on-rails experience into an extreme sports spectacle as you master its fluid gameplay, sweaty palms and all. More than that, it's a throwback to classic Dreamcast and PS2-era titles like Jet Set Radio and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and each stage wastes no time in introducing new mechanics and hazards for you to brave along the way. Paired with a vibrant visual style and one of the best soundtracks of the year, it's no wonder that Denshattack is an instant classic. Advertisement Doom: The Dark Ages Doom: The Dark Ages is an intoxicating blast of unrelenting brutality. Once all the gears start meshing and you've built up an arsenal of weapons powerful enough to level the solar system, the game becomes an overpowerfantasy as you slam the metaphorical pedal to the death metal soundtrack and bulldoze your way through the worst that Hell can throw at you. The flow-state of combat keeps you perched forward on your couch--if you've fine-tuned the difficulty to nail the balance of power and challenge--and solid first-person action alongside mechanized warfare sweetens the over-the-top action you'll gleefully throw the Doom Slayer into. Read our Doom: The Dark Ages review. Featured in this image DOOM: The Dark Ages View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree From Software's Elden Ring is a masterpiece in open-world game design. With an absolutely massive world teeming with secrets, scenic vistas, and an almost overwhelming amount of activities to complete, Elden Ring was the defining game of 2022. Now the long-anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion has been released, and it is once again an arresting and incredible action experience with seemingly boundless freedom to explore its massive landscape. Both the lore and the suite of gameplay opportunities have been greatly expanded, giving players new story details to explore and weapons to master. The combat is once again a challenge that will test even the most-experienced Tarnish to hone their skills and explore The Lands Between. Read our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review. Featured in this image Elden Ring View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade It might have taken a while to finally land on Xbox, but the first chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is still worth checking out. While it does suffer from unnecessary padding, this new spin on the beloved Final Fantasy 7 franchise is still a bold and exciting rewrite of what came before, and it also offers exciting gameplay alongside killer visuals. Advertisement Forza Horizon 6 UK-based developer Playground Games has been one of Microsoft's best studios for over a decade now, and Forza Horizon 6 shows just how good the studio is at cracking out AAA system-sellers. Forza Horizon 6 doubles down on what makes the series stand out--hundreds of fast cars to collect, unique showdown races, and so much more--but this year's entry in the franchise also feels like a love letter to the arcade racing genre. It's a gorgeous tour across Japan and a celebration of car culture packed into an experience that constantly rewards you for putting the digital pedal to the metal. Read our Forza Horizon 6 review. See at Amazon Featured in this image Forza Horizon 5 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Grounded Obsidian has had a surprisingly quick output since being acquired by Microsoft, including dabbling in some unusual projects. Grounded isn't the most off the beaten track that the studio has ventured--for that, see Pentiment below--but it's also not exactly what we would have expected from the studio most famous for games like The Outer Worlds. This is a sandbox survival game that takes place entirely in a suburban backyard, a la Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. It spent some time in early access but has since launched as a full release, challenging players to build their miniature survival camp and take on massive spiders and other threats, all while unfurling a surprisingly rich narrative. While the studio has now released Grounded 2, sadly bugs and poor optimization prevent it from dethroning its predecessor. Read our Grounded review. Featured in this image Grounded View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Hades 2 The original Hades stood out from the pack with its polished gameplay and a narrative that organically tied into the overall experience of accumulating power across your underworld journey. Hades 2 does all that and more, polishing the unique gameplay systems of its predecessor to deliver an adventure full of breathtaking action and quirky Greek deities. At its core, Hades 2 still encapsulates everything that's brilliant about roguelike games, as each run brings you one step closer to finally overcoming impossible odds. That gameplay loop feels better than ever in Hades 2, and its sharp writing, secrets, and opportunities to move the story forward will keep you coming back for more. Read our Hades 2 review. Featured in this image Hades View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Halo: Campaign Evolved Halo: Campaign Evolved is proof that good design never goes out of style. Bungie's first chapter in the storied Halo franchise was the stuff of legend, a game that served as the perfect excuse to grab an Xbox back in 2001. Fast-forward 25 years later, and the combo of heavily upgraded graphics, smart tweaks under the hood, and that classic run-and-gun gameplay makes for a nostalgic--but fresh--return to the Forerunner ring-world. It's a time capsule of a game, but one that also feels surprisingly modern in all the right places. Read our Halo: Campaign Evolved review. Advertisement Halo: The Master Chief Collection Halo: The Master Chief Collection has been around since 2014, but Microsoft and 343 have slowly built it into a living monument to its most iconic franchise. Now not only does the MCC encompass the original three Halo games and a suite of multiplayer options that spans the entire series history, but also includes Halo 3 ODST, Halo 4, and the highly regarded Halo Reach. Altogether, it's an incredible homage to one of gaming's most storied franchises. Featured in this image Halo: The Master Chief Collection View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Hi-Fi Rush After making its name on spooky games like Ghostwire: Tokyo and The Evil Within, Tango Gameworks surprised players with this bright and colorful rhythm-action game. Hi-Fi Rush stars Chai, a lovable loser who accidentally gets his MP3 player embedded in his chest during a cybernetic surgery, which also granted him a robotic limb. What follows is a character action game in the model of a Devil May Cry, but set to catchy tunes. The animated art style is particularly a standout, taking a cel-shaded look to a whole new level and blurring the line between cinematics and gameplay. Read our Hi-Fi Rush review. Featured in this image Hi-Fi Rush View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Hitman: World of Assassination Given the prowess of IO Interactive's first two entries in the World of Assassination trilogy, it's not really a surprise that Hitman 3 was an exceedingly good conclusion to Agent 47's latest arc. That said, Hitman 3 expanded on the foundation of its predecessors in some surprising ways. The game has since rebranded as "World of Assassination," encompassing the full trilogy with added features. New spins on the loop, including a delightful murder mystery level, make Hitman: World of Assassination feel fresh and inventive, too. In addition to tremendous level design and choice-driven gameplay, Hitman 3 does a better job of focusing on its story and the many lively NPCs that inhabit the sandbox-style levels. This is Hitman at its finest, though you should definitely play the entirety of the World of Assassination trilogy. You can also import the levels from Hitman and Hitman 2 and play them in one place with enhancements. The latest addition, the roguelike mode Freelancer, makes an already excellent game even better. Read our Hitman 3 review. Featured in this image Hitman 3 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Hollow Knight: Silksong It feels weird to live in a world where Hollow Knight: Silksong is a tangible reality, but there it is. Team Cherry’s sequel to the infamous Hollow Knight, Silksong dials up the action, the visuals, and the brutality. Whether you enjoy that likely depends on whether you enjoyed the first entry, but there’s no denying this is platforming perfection. With a gorgeous 2D art style and deep colours that sink into the screen with a decent OLED, Silksong looks beautiful in every frame. Similarly, it runs buttery smooth on the Series X, placing you so close to the action you nearly feel every hit. Featured in this image Hollow Knight: Silksong View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Indiana Jones has had video game adaptations before, but MachineGames' new game is the definitive take on the famous relic hunter. The story is rich and engaging and fits right in with some of Indy's other great adventures. The character and worldbuilding help create a new original story set against the backdrop of Dr. Jones' other classic adventures. And in fitting with the character's improvisational style, the gameplay is a tightly designed clockwork of action, stealth, and immersive-sim elements. It's also available on Game Pass, so subscribers can don their stylish fedoras for free. Read our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review. Featured in this image Indiana Jones and the Great Circle View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Kiln If any studio could successfully pull off the idea of a pottery power fantasy, it would be Double Fine. The developer has been on a tear lately with recent releases like Psychonauts 2 and Keeper, and Kiln continues that trend with an imaginative brawler where you craft your very own ceramic warrior. Absurdly fun--and devastating when your newly glazed urn gets smashed--it's a multiplayer game that revels in being silly. To paraphrase Australian comedy group Aunty Donna, it's time to get in the Kiln, boys. Advertisement Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 The sequel to the surprise hit 2018 Kingdom Come: Deliverance expands upon the original in just about every way. Sporting an emphasis on actually playing a role, combat and dialogue systems are layered to allow you loads of flexibility. The combat has been made more fluid with some smart streamlining, but not at the expense of the original KCD's depth. And the quests are surprising stories in their own right, broadening the scope historical epic. Read our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review. Featured in this image Kingdom Come: Deliverance II View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess One of Capcom's newest games is also its newest franchise, a demon-slaying action game that blends tower-defense elements. You'll purge demons, rescue villagers, and build traps in a setting and story inspired by Japanese folklore. It's a combination of elements that can feel almost overwhelming, but learning how to manage the various demands at once, and how the systems feed into and enhance each other, makes a package that feels special. See our Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess review. Featured in this image Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight TT Games has built the best game since Rocksteady ended the Arkham saga in 2015, as Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight fully embraces the weird and wild world of the Caped Crusader. Sure, it's a goofy spin on the Dark Knight's greatest adventures, but it's done in a manner that feels reverential to the source material, resulting in an adventure that's easy to pick up and effortlessly charming. A victory lap for the world-famous vigilante, it's full of style, substance, and plenty of good-natured laughs. Read our Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight review. Advertisement Marathon In 2026, launching a live-service extraction shooter feels like a heck of a gamble, considering just how big the graveyard has gotten for ambitious forever games. So far, it looks like Bungie's return to its classic franchise has a strong future, as Marathon nails a risk-and-reward gameplay loop that feels consistently exciting. Since launch, the game has grown through new content and fine-tuning, with its high-level events being some of the best edge-of-your-seat content that Bungie has ever produced. It's an intense game with breathtaking visuals, and we can't wait to return to Tau Ceti IV for another run at fame and glory. Read our Marathon review. Advertisement Metaphor: ReFantazio Persona series director Katsura Hashino has returned with his first new game since 2016, and it's a fantastic one. Metaphor: ReFantazio is similar structurally to the Persona series, but it features a new original storyline set in a fantasy world, and a wide array of characters to find and classes to unlock. The turn-based RPG combat unfolds beautifully into deep layers of strategy, and the story is an affecting meditation on the power of storytelling. Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of the few games in our history to earn a 10/10 review. Read our Metaphor: ReFantazio review. Featured in this image Metaphor: ReFantazio View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Microsoft Flight Simulator Microsoft Flight Simulator might just be your next big obsession. A graphical powerhouse with an astonishing attention to detail, you can set off on flights anywhere in the world, and customize your journey exactly as you like. Whether you want to sit back in auto and watch the world go by or press every single button over an (actual) eight-hour flight, Microsoft Flight Sim has a wealth of options, aircraft, and every location you can imagine. Plus, it has some amazing Halo content if you fancy getting a bit silly with it. Featured in this image Microsoft Flight Simulator View Game Hub Follow Advertisement MIO: Memories In Orbit Nothing beats a good metroidvania, and MIO: Memories In Orbit is a great example of why this genre remains so popular in the modern age. A tight, artistically striking metroidvania, MIO: Memories In Orbit doesn't just look fantastic thanks to its hand-drawn visuals; it also feels brilliant to play. Fluid, grapple-centric traversal makes every movement feel dynamic, while top-notch audio design and boss fights that offer a fair challenge help deliver a thrilling sense of satisfaction when you finally triumph over seemingly impossible odds. Advertisement Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection The main Monster Hunter series has experienced some incredible highs over the last couple of years, but the spin-off Monster Hunter Stories is pretty great too! Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection elevates the formula of the previous games, polishing its turn-based combat and monster-taming to a mirror sheen while also introducing some new gameplay ideas to the mix. Flashy visuals, high-energy combat, and a compelling story make for one of the best Monster Hunter games yet. Read our Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection review. Advertisement Monster Hunter Wilds Monster Hunter Wilds is the next evolution of the classic action-RPG series. It streamlines numerous aspects of the game to remove or mitigate some areas of friction: Things like tracking monsters, eating meals, and traversal have been streamlined to varying degrees. Some of that may not sit well with Monster Hunter veterans, but the core gameplay loop of hunting monsters, crafting better gear, and then using that gear to hunt even more dangerous monsters remains as deeply satisfying as ever. A new approach to having a somewhat seamless open world removes some of the rigidity of the best for the better. It still may not be the friendliest game to newcomers, but what awaits those willing to invest the time is an experience that remains unrivaled. Featured in this image Monster Hunter Wilds View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Already one of the best fighting games in recent memory, Mortal Kombat 11 is even more impressive on the powerful Xbox Series X hardware. Featuring 4K resolution and new visual flourishes, the gruesome action on screen is rendered in a ridiculous amount of detail. The base game already had an ample amount of content, including multiple single-player modes and competitive multiplayer. The Ultimate edition tosses in the Aftermath story expansion and Kombat packs including 12 additional fighters. Mortal Kombat 11 is one of those rare fighting games that balances solo and multiplayer content well, and it's also the type of fighter that's appealing to both casual players and die-hard fans alike. Read our Mortal Kombat 11 review. Featured in this image Mortal Kombat 11 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement No Man's Sky No Man's Sky, much like Sea of Thieves, has improved mightily since launch. Over the years, developer Hello Games has released steady and substantial updates that have brought the space exploration game closer to its original, ambitious vision. No Man's Sky now features far more tangible activities, including base-building and even racing vehicles across tracks in multiplayer. No Man's Sky's next-gen update allows the game to run in 4K at 60fps. The performance enhancements also extend to lighting and shadows, which makes each of the randomly generated planets look even more detailed and alive. No Man's Sky is on Xbox Game Pass, so subscribers should absolutely check it out to see if they enjoy its loop. Read our No Man's Sky Next review. Featured in this image No Man’s Sky View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Octopath Traveler 0 In a year where the majority of high-profile RPGs were either remakes or remasters, Octopath Traveler 0 was a breath of fresh air. Granted, it is a console adaptation of the mobile game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, but there's more than enough new content and upgrades to make it stand apart from the free-to-play game. The excellent combat system, combined with the charming HD-2D visuals, episodic storytelling, and relaxing townbuilding, makes for a deep game that can keep you entertained for an absurd number of hours. Read our Octopath Traveler 0 review. Advertisement Onimusha: Way of the Sword Capcom's return to its long-dormant Onimusha franchise is a prime example of how not every game needs to be a soulslike. Sure, Onimusha: Way of the Sword borrows a few elements from its peers in that genre, but it uses them to enhance a rip-roaring clash of steel as you slash through demonic forces and intimidating bosses in feudal Japan. It's a game that wants you to feel like you really are dancing on the razor's edge, and thanks to its beautifully designed combat system, it successfully pulls off a brutal ballet of swords, parries, and last-minute counterattacks that make you feel like a true badass in the heat of battle. Read our Onimusha: Way of the Sword review. Advertisement Ori and the Will of the Wisps Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a gorgeous platformer from Moon Studios that truly benefits from the power of the Xbox Series X. The stirring sequel runs in 4K at 120fps and supports HDR. Since Ori and the Will of the Wisps is filled with evocative, colorful settings and fast-paced platforming sequences, the boost in performance makes the already stellar experience even better. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is more of an action-platformer than its predecessor and introduces a number of new moves to employ in combat against enemies both big and small. The sprawling map is deftly designed to force you to make full use of Ori's expanded arsenal, which creates a more dynamic and satisfying adventure. If you haven't played Ori and the Blind Forest, you should play that first to get the full emotional weight of the understated but profound tale. Both games are available in the Xbox Game Pass library. Read our Ori and the Will of the Wisps review. Featured in this image Ori and the Will of the Wisps View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Pentiment Like Grounded, Pentiment is another example of Obsidian exploring new ground, and this adventure game certainly isn't your typical big-budget blockbuster. You play as Andreas Maler, a 16th century illuminator who becomes caught up in the mystery of a murder at an Abby. The game unfolds over the course of decades as you see how layers of history are built on top of each other, building toward a stirring conclusion. It's unlike anything you've ever played before. Read our Pentiment review. Featured in this image Pentiment View Game Hub Follow Advertisement A Plague Tale: Requiem Escaping the Black Death doesn’t sound like a huge pile of fun, but A Plague Tale: Requiem manages to deliver a gripping narrative with dark themes and some truly grotesque mechanics. Expect rats. Lots of rats. However, whether it’s the engagingly tense stealth gameplay or the macabre world itself, there is something so riveting about this sequel. If you own an Xbox Series X, you can expect great performance, even with hordes of rodents doing your bidding. Featured in this image A Plague Tale: Requiem View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Pragmata Pragmata is one of this year's best surprises, a completely original IP that mixes rock-solid gameplay with earnest storytelling and gorgeous graphics. Not just a one-trick pony with its engaging hack-and-shoot gameplay, Capcom's new release is a heartfelt story that's short and sweet. The gameplay-first design and subtle metroidvania influences make for a special experience, with Hugh and Diana's relationship being the glue that holds it all together. Read our Pragmata review. Advertisement Psychonauts 2 Remarkably, Psychonauts 2 is even better than its predecessor. After suffering multiple delays, Psychonauts 2 released over the summer to critical acclaim. The return to the psychic camp for kids was long overdue, and Double Fine made the most of this sequel. It retains the humor and charming storytelling of the original while refining the platforming gameplay and upping the psychedelic nature of the levels. From a gameplay perspective, Psychonauts 2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor, both when traversing the levels and fighting baddies in combat. Where Psychonauts 2 really shines, however, is in its portrayal of its characters. Revolving around empathy and growth, Psychonauts 2 has an impactful message. It's easily one of Double Fine's best games, and you can play it on Xbox Game Pass. Read our Psychonauts 2 review. Featured in this image Psychonauts 2 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil 4 was already considered one of the greatest action horror games of all time, and as a result it had been ported to other platforms countless times since release. After successful remakes of the previous games, expectations were set high for an RE4 remake, and Capcom delivered. This isn't just the best Resident Evil 4 has ever looked, it's also a beautifully refined take on the modern classic. It revises just enough to modernize and smooth out any rough edges while remaining utterly recognizable, and then builds new challenges on top of that to test even the most experienced players. It's a true testament to the enduring quality of Resident Evil 4. Read our Resident Evil 4 review. Featured in this image Resident Evil 4 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Resident Evil Requiem A love letter to its survival-horror and survival-action eras, Resident Evil Requiem is the best of both worlds. One half of the game is pure fight-or-flight fun as you encounter a new breed of bioterrorism, the second is a beautifully balanced surge of adrenaline as you shoot, hack, and roundhouse kick your way to victory. With 2026 marking the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil, Requiem shines as a perfect tribute to Capcom's long-running franchise. Read our Resident Evil Requiem review. Advertisement Sea of Thieves Sea of Thieves has come a long way since launching in 2018. Rare has turned Sea of Thieves from a somewhat shallow pirate adventure into a swashbuckling success thanks to steady updates that have drastically overhauled the experience. Most importantly, Sea of Thieves now has an abundance of content, ranging from story missions to skeleton fleet hunts and much more. With better systems and more tangible rewards at stake, the core Sea of Thieves experience is more satisfying. On the next-gen consoles, Sea of Thieves runs at a smooth 60fps in 4K on Series X and in 1080p on Series S. The reduced load times on both consoles really help limit interruptions during your voyage, too. Sea of Thieves is well-worth diving into on Xbox Series X, and it's available on Game Pass. Read our Sea of Thieves review. Featured in this image Sea of Thieves View Game Hub Follow Advertisement South of Midnight The weakest part of South of Midnight is undoubtedly its passable gameplay, but fortunately, everything else about this Southern Gothic adventure helps to elevate the experience. With an emotional story at its core, fascinating folklore to explore, a strong art direction, and one of the best soundtracks of the year, it's a charming and atmospheric game to check out. Read our South of Midnight review. Featured in this image South of Midnight View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Split Fiction Split Fiction is Hazelight's first game since It Takes Two, and it carries itself with the same spirit of constant reinvention. As dual authors whose worlds get a high-tech merging, you have to navigate through smashed-up fantasy and sci-fi environments while constantly dealing with new challenges that will have you laughing alongside your co-op partner. Hazelight already gained its reputation as a premiere co-op studio and this just further cements it. Read our Split Fiction review. Featured in this image Split Fiction View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Star Wars: Jedi Survivor If you have already played Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, just know that Jedi: Survivor is a fantastic sequel that builds on every strength. Cal Kestis’ fight against the Empire is a blast, and lightsaber-swinging gameplay feels phenomenal. Here, the Star Wars universe also feels lived in and palpable. On Xbox Series X, an already gorgeous game looks and runs like a dream. A white knuckle ride steeped in Star Wars lore, the Force is definitely with Jedi: Survivor. Featured in this image Star Wars Jedi: Survivor View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Star Wars: Zero Company Star Wars games have been playing it safe for many years now, taking the form of mass appeal genres as new stories have been told in a galaxy far (far!) away. But Star Wars: Zero Company? It might be a game set in something of a niche turn-based tactical-RPG genre, but developer Bit Reactor knows how to get maximum enjoyment out of it. That ex-Firaxis pedigree shines on the flatscreen, as unlike your traditional tactical game, there's an emphasis on aggression, taking risks, and building momentum. The grounded perspective also makes this feel like a different Star Wars experience, while strong team dynamics and deep customization adds to its charm. Read our Star Wars: Zero Company review. Advertisement Tetris Effect: Connected Tetris Effect: Connected is magical on Xbox Series X. With 4K resolution and up to 120 fps, the particle effects that are so integral to Tetris Effect's presentation are even more detailed and stunning. Beyond the enhancements, Tetris Effect: Connected is just a delightfully inventive take on the best puzzle game ever made. It turns Tetris into an all-encompassing visual and audio experience thanks to an explosion of colors seen both in and outside the grid and the reactive tunes that will have you nodding along to the beat. In addition to an already great stable of modes, the Connected edition comes with great cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes to play locally or online. It's a relaxing experience, and one that's perfect to play for short spurts over the course of months (or even years). Read our Tetris Effect Connected review. Featured in this image Tetris Effect: Connected View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Vampire Crawlers "Just one more turn, one more run," you'll tell yourself as Vampire Crawlers puts your attention span in an iron grip. Just like Vampire Survivors, Vampire Crawlers is a masterclass in offering approachable gameplay--this time in the form of a roguelike deckbuilder--and then subtly adding new layers of complexity as you become more invested in it. But what really makes Vampire Crawlers the best excuse to stay up until 3 AM awash in the glow of your TV is how it makes every action feel satisfying. Once you master the art of combos and deckbuilding, you won't want to put this pixel-perfect dungeon-crawler down. Read our Vampire Crawlers review. Advertisement Wax Heads We mustn't dwell. No, not today…not on Wax Heads day! Papers, Please meets Empire Records, Wax Heads is a treat for any fan of music crafted by real human beings. Not just a cozy puzzle game that asks you to learn more about your customers, Wax Heads is also a statement against an entertainment industry that will cut any corner possible to make an extra buck, especially when it involves using AI to replace people with bland and soulless music. Advertisement

Title: 'God of War Laufey' Footage Officially Reveals New Gameplay, Physical Edition Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:54:58 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/god-of-war-laufey-preorder-release-date-physical-disc/ The more Santa Monica Studio shows God of War Laufey, the more it seems to be taking inspiration from the fun-first gameplay of earlier God of War entries. The latest snippet from Sony shows the game’s protagonist, Faye, pulling off Devil May Cry-style air combos as she chains double jumps, kicks, and sword slashes before whipping out her new weapon, the Serpent Bow. It looks rad as hell.

Title: The Witcher 3 Remastered Is Still An Unfinished Masterpiece Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:48:33 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/the-witcher-3-remastered-review-impressions/ In 1550, the Italian artist and biographer Giorgio Vasari used the expression “non finito” (unfinished) to describe some of the works of Michelangelo Buonarroti that presented elements of incompleteness. Over the centuries that followed, many fellow artists and critics came to appreciate that quirk as a fundamental component of Michelangelo’s genius: For example, French painter Eugène Delacroix wrote in 1853 that the unfinished parts made the finished ones more relevant.

Title: Minecraft Dungeons 2 Goes from Good Baby Diablo to Great Junior Diablo Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:15 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/minecraft-dungeons-2-review-impressions/ Building a sequel to a game like Minecraft Dungeons presents is a tricky balancing act. The rudimentary setup is crying out for new features and a deeper experience. But go too deep, and you risk muddling the purity and approachability that are the game's entire reason to exist.

Title: Toem 2 Is Somehow Even More Perfect Than Toem Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:15 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/toem-2-review/ Developer Something We Made struck gold with Toem: A Photo Adventurein 2021. There's something to be said for games that aren't too ambitious — developers who have one idea and stick to it rather than letting themselves get carried away during development. Like a restaurant with a limited menu, the chefs will be masters of that cuisine, and they're not going to waste their time serving food they're not as skilled at cooking.

Title: 'Futurama' Creator Officially Confirms the Sci-Fi Series' Surprising 2027 Plans Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:00:15 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/futurama-2027-specials-david-x-cohen-claudia-katz-interview/ Another day, another Futurama finale.

Title: Cute Critters Come to the Cloud: ‘Aniimo’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:00:55 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-aniimo/ A new creature-catching adventure is ready to stream from the cloud this week. Pawprint Studio’s Aniimo arrives on GeForce NOW at launch, inviting gamers to explore the vibrant continent of Idyll across supported devices. Also this week, 007 First Light receives a path-tracing update on GeForce NOW, alongside a smashing limited-time Deluxe Edition sale on Steam and Epic Games Store. Gaijin Network’s fractured-multiverse action game Active Matter and Annapurna Interactive’s acclaimed space mystery Outer Wilds are also among 11 new titles joining the cloud this week. Explore Idyll With the Cutest Companions The path to Idyll begins now. Aniimo is a free-to-play, open-world creature-catching role-playing game where every creature encountered can become a companion. Catch Aniimo with Aniipods, then Twine with them to take on their form and use unique skills to solve puzzles, win battles and overcome challenges. Glide, dive and burrow across Idyll, then return to a personal RV to build a warm, interactive Homeland alongside Aniimo companions. Stream Aniimo on a Steam Deck, in the newly supported Firefox browser and across any other supported devices — without waiting through its 45GB download or making room in local storage. There’s always room in the Homeland for one more Aniimo. Choose Your Path Licensed to render. In the critically acclaimed, multimillion-selling 007 First Light, follow James Bond as a young, resourceful and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover a reimagined origin story of the world’s most famous spy. Incorporating IO Interactive’s signature stealth gameplay with world-class Bond action, players can embark on missions in breathtaking locations around the globe, drive iconic vehicles and dive into a cinematic adventure in pursuit of a rogue agent who’s always one step ahead. Path tracing has now been added to 007 First Light, introducing extra-detailed lighting, shadows and reflections, making its levels and set pieces even more cinematic, immersive and realistic. And NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction ensures the fidelity, clarity and accuracy of these additions are at their absolute best. Ultimate members can stream with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance, with up to 5K high dynamic range and cinematic-quality streaming. DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution and Dynamic Frame Generation accelerate frame rates and enhance image quality. A limited-time opportunity awaits: the 007 First Light Deluxe Edition is on sale on Steam from Sept. 15-29 and on Epic Games Store from Sept. 3-18. The mission is on sale. The getaway car is in the cloud. Matter of Time Gaijin’s Active Matter, a realistic military shooter set in a fractured multiverse, has launched on GeForce NOW. As an operative stuck in a time loop, join dangerous raids for loot or intense player vs. player battles. Fight against rivals from other timelines, survive physics-breaking anomalies and try to stay alive. Harvest active matter, gather loot and extract to a safe place before the whole zone ceases to exist. Ultimate members can take on each raid with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, delivering high frame rates, advanced graphics features and low latency across supported devices. The zone won’t wait — and neither does the next loop. Let’s Get Loopy Every loop holds another secret. Outer Wilds joins the GeForce NOW library this week. As the newest recruit of Outer Wilds Ventures, search for answers across a strange, ever-changing solar system trapped in an endless time loop. Gamers can trace mysterious signals, decipher alien writing and discover hidden locations before an underground city is swallowed by sand or a planet crumbles beneath their feet. There’s even more to stream this week: Active Matter (New release on Steam and Gaijin, Sept. 15) Aniimo (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) RuneScape: Dragonwilds (New release on Xbox, Sept. 15, available on Game Pass) Train Sim World 7 (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) The Guild 1 Remake: Europa 1410 (New release on Steam, Sept. 17) The Blood of Dawnwalker (GOG.com) Mixtape (Steam) Neon White (Steam) Outer Wilds (Steam) Stray (Steam) What Remains of Edith Finch (Steam) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they’re released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates to announced titles. Ready to take this week’s new games for a spin? Start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Even better, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to level up with GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. What’s on the playlist this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Boots on the Ground: ‘WARDOGS’ Goes All Out on GeForce NOW at Early-Access Launch Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-wardogs/ Gear up: The latest PC games and major updates are ready to play on GeForce NOW this week. WARDOGS drops onto the cloud at early-access launch, alongside the Valheim 1.0 Deep North update and Bus Simulator 27 — part of nine new titles joining the cloud. The newest PC releases can demand serious hardware, storage space and upgrade budgets. GeForce NOW puts GeForce RTX-powered performance in the cloud, so members can jump into the newest titles across supported devices without needing expensive PC upgrades to keep up. From a 100-player tactical firefight to a frozen Viking frontier and a growing bus empire, every adventure is ready when members are — no downloads or storage management required. Who Let the ‘WARDOGS’ Out?   Take on the Control Zone: WARDOGS launches on GeForce NOW today, bringing BULKHEAD’s large-scale tactical first-person shooter to the cloud at early-access launch. Up to 100 players across three teams battle to control randomized zones in a large-scale military sandbox, where tactical gunplay, combined-arms combat, building and destruction can change the course of a match. There’s no single route to victory. Outfit a loadout, coordinate a squad, fortify a strategic position or take the fight to the enemy in vehicles. Every team play action earns cash, giving players more ways to invest in gear and vehicles that can turn the tide. Ultimate members can stream the fight with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud for a tactical advantage. Pick up the battle across supported devices without waiting on a huge game install or clearing local storage first. Ice, Ice in the Deep North, Baby Sharpen the axes and raise the shields – Valheim has left early access with its 1.0 update, letting members stream the final biome in Iron Gate’s Viking survival saga through Steam and Xbox Store.  Set sail for the Deep North, a frozen frontier filled with new enemies to face, weapons to craft and strongholds to build before the cold closes in. The 1.0 launch also arrives alongside new platform versions with full crossplay support, making it easier to rally the clan. Whether returning to a long-running world on a PC or Mac or beginning a fresh voyage on a Steam Deck or Amazon Fire TV Stick, members can head to the Deep North across supported devices without waiting for downloads. The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round in the Cloud The route to the top starts here. Hop into the driver’s seat. Bus Simulator 27 is now streaming from GeForce NOW.  Drive a fleet of more than 45 officially licensed buses from 13 manufacturers through Felicia Bay, a sunny region with two cities, 20 districts and a full day-and-night cycle. Build routes, manage timetables and grow a successful bus company in Story, Career or Sandbox mode. And there’s even more to stream from the GeForce NOW library this week: Bus Simulator 27 (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Halloween: The Game (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Honeycomb: The World Beyond (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Wanderburg (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Shroom and Gloom (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Train Sim World 7 – Advanced Access (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) WARDOGS (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Welcome to Elderfield (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Death Stranding Director’s Cut (Epic Games Store) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. One GFN community member recently returned after six years, saying NVIDIA DLSS 5 technology renewed their interest in GeForce NOW cloud gaming. Ready to try it out, too? Start with a day pass to test premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. For those who decide to keep playing, the cost can be applied toward their first monthly membership. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: ‘NBA 2K27’ With NVIDIA DLSS 5 Leads 28 New Games Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:00:35 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-september-2026-games-list/ September is here with 28 more games streaming on GeForce NOW this month, led by a slam dunk: NBA 2K27 with the NVIDIA DLSS 5 3D-Guided Neural Rendering feature. Through NVIDIA’s close collaboration with Visual Concepts and 2K, DLSS 5 brings a new level of lifelike lighting and material detail to the court — tuned by developers to support the game’s authentic broadcast-style presentation. Members can also walk the line between human and vampire in Rebel Wolves’ The Blood of Dawnwalker and step into genma-haunted Kyoto in Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword — part of the 10 games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Take the Court With DLSS 5 Showcase your moves. NVIDIA, Visual Concepts and 2K have brought DLSS 5 3D-Guided Neural Rendering to NBA 2K27, delivering a new level of sports realism for players streaming from the cloud at launch.  DLSS 5 enhances and tunes lighting and materials to make the action feel even more lifelike — from how light catches hair and skin to the detail preserved in the facial geometry of real-world athletes — achieving new levels of authenticity.  GeForce NOW Ultimate members in NVIDIA-operated regions can stream NBA 2K27 across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more. DLSS 5 is available when streaming from a GeForce RTX 5080-powered rig in the cloud. Tip off without waiting for downloads or managing storage, and experience NBA 2K27 from the cloud with the visual fidelity of DLSS 5. Walk the Line Between Day and Night Human by day. Vampire by night. Rebel Wolves’ newly launched The Blood of Dawnwalker is streaming from GeForce NOW. The open-world, dark-fantasy action role-playing game transports players to 14th-century Europe, where war, plague and rising vampire powers have reshaped history. Play as Coen, a young Dawnwalker fighting to save his family while caught between his humanity and cursed vampiric strength. His abilities — and the choices available to him — change between day and night, shaping how players explore, fight and uncover the secrets of the world around them. Sink teeth into the fresh adventure from nearly any supported device, with Ultimate members tapping into GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud. Skip the installs and let GeForce NOW handle the heavy lifting, leaving more time to take a bite out of everything Coen’s new world has to offer. Skip the Downloads and Sharpen the Sword Pick up the Oni Gauntlet. Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword arrives on GeForce NOW at launch, giving members a way to jump straight into the series’ return instantly from the cloud. Fight across a twisted vision of Edo-period Kyoto as a lone samurai wielding the mystical Oni Gauntlet. Master precise swordplay, unleash powerful abilities and absorb the souls of fallen enemies while battling relentless Genma beneath mysterious clouds of Malice. Ultimate members can stream every clash with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs, the newly supported Firefox browser and more. Cut to the chase by skipping any downloads and storage management and step into battle. In addition, members can look for the following titles streaming this week: Breathedge 2 (New release on Steam, Aug. 31) Serious Sam: Shatterverse (New release on Steam, Aug. 31) Crimson Moon (New release on Steam, Sept. 1) The Blood of Dawnwalker (New release on Steam, Sept. 2) NBA 2K27 (New release on Steam, Sept. 3) SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Sept. 3) Onimusha: Way of the Sword (New release on Steam, Sept. 4) How to Fish (Steam) Shelves and Sorcery: Tidy Up the Enchanted Shop (Steam) VHOLUME (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: Bus Simulator 27 (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Halloween: The Game (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Honeycomb: The World Beyond (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Wanderburg (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Shroom and Gloom (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) WARDOGS (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Welcome to Elderfield (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Active Matter (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) Aniimo (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) Train Sim World 7 (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) The Guild 1 Remake: Europa 1410 (New release on Steam, Sept. 17) CONTROL Resonant (New release on Steam, Sept. 24) Nivalis Nights (New release on Steam, Sept. 29) Mixtape (Steam)  Neon White (Steam)  Outer Wilds (Steam)  Stray (Steam) What Remains of Edith Finch (Steam) All the Extras From August In addition to the 26 games announced last month, 18 more joined the GeForce NOW library.  Cat Mail Co. (Steam) Monster Hunter Wilds Prologue Demo (Steam) Stars Reach (Steam) DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain (Steam) Escape the Backroom (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Hell Is Us (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Parcel Simulator (Steam) The Thaumaturge (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered (Epic Games Store) STAR WARS Zero Company (EA app and Steam) Baldur’s Gate 3 (GOG) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (GOG) Cold Fear (GOG) IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator (Steam) Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (GOG) Mount & Blade: Bannerlord II (GOG) No Man’s Sky (GOG) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (GOG) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. New to GeForce NOW? Start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: GeForce NOW Gives Gamers More Ways to Play at Gamescom 2026 Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:00:33 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-gamescom-2026/ NVIDIA’s Gamescom announcements are revealing what’s next for GeForce NOW, with new ways to play, more supported devices and platforms, and even more big PC games headed to the cloud. New NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 technology controls give members more ways to fine-tune gameplay, while expanded support for new Steam devices, GOG single sign-on, Firefox browser support and more Amazon Fire TV devices continue broadening where and how GeForce RTX-powered PC gaming can be enjoyed. Gamescom is also bringing a blockbuster lineup of PC games to GeForce NOW. CONTROL Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, The Blood of Dawnwalker and STAR WARS Zero Company are all coming to the cloud at launch.  For a limited time, members can also get CONTROL Resonant with the purchase of a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership. The Gamescom extras don’t stop there. To celebrate, GeForce NOW is giving away more than 40 prizes in our Community Giveaway — including gaming hardware and GeForce NOW Ultimate memberships. There’s even more fun to come. Check out the list of 13 games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Next-Level Cloud Gaming More ways to choose how to play. This fall, GeForce NOW is introducing new NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 controls in the cloud, giving Ultimate members more choice over how supported games look and perform, even without the latest hardware. Powered by NVIDIA RTX graphics, each control offers something different: DLSS Super Resolution sharpens image quality, while Dynamic Frame Generation delivers lower latency and stutter for smoother streaming, and Ray Reconstruction enhances ray-traced visuals. Together, these technologies make it easier to tune supported games for image quality, responsiveness or a preferred balance between the two.  Stay tuned to GFN Thursdays for details about best practices for enabling DLSS 4.5 overrides and how Dynamic Frame Generation can help Ultimate members enable more graphic settings while still getting smooth streaming. Stream full steam ahead with the Steam ecosystem. GeForce NOW is also adding community-requested support for Steam Machine with Steam Controller later this fall, and later for Windows and macOS, delivering more ways to play and making it even easier for longtime Steam players to jump into the cloud using familiar hardware. The additions build on existing Steam Deck support and expand compatibility across the Steam ecosystem. Get your GOG on with one click into the library. Launching GOG games just got even easier. With GOG single sign-on now available on GeForce NOW, members can securely link their account once, automatically sync supported games and launch them without having to sign in to GOG again — all with a single click. With fewer steps between opening the app, skipping any downloads and jumping into gameplay, it’s another way GeForce NOW continues streamlining access to PC gaming libraries, making it easier to play the GOG library of games on TV platforms since gamers are automatically logged into their GOG accounts. Find popular titles, like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, in the app in the dedicated GOG row. Or search and filter for GOG games, then jump into supported titles from almost anywhere — all streamed from the cloud. Check back on GFN Thursdays for the latest games joining the GeForce NOW library, including newly supported games streaming from GOG. Outfox nearly any device with GeForce RTX gaming. Plus, GeForce NOW is now officially supported on Firefox, expanding browser access across all major Windows browsers. Members can jump into supported PC games directly from Firefox without downloading a dedicated app. Ultimate members can enjoy GeForce RTX-powered gaming at up to 1440p and 120 frames per second. Simply download the latest version of Firefox and visit play.geforcenow.com to get started. The cloud handles downloads, installs and updates, keeping local storage free while games stay ready to play in the cloud.  Bring the fire to living rooms with GeForce NOW. GeForce NOW is expanding support to additional Amazon Fire TV devices. GeForce NOW first launched on Fire TV devices earlier this year, and will soon expand to the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, a 4K streaming stick that’s ready to game right out of the box. Streaming from the cloud means supported PC games are ready to play using a compatible controller, making it easy to enjoy GeForce NOW on the biggest screen in the house with even more options to play from the comfort of the couch.  And that’s not all the awesomeness from Amazon. Later this year, Fire TV users will be able to purchase GeForce NOW memberships directly through Amazon, creating a more seamless path from device setup to gameplay. These new features will arrive alongside some of the biggest games coming to the cloud throughout the year. Get Ready for Launch Five newly announced and highly anticipated games are coming to GeForce NOW at launch: CONTROL Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, The Blood of Dawnwalker and STAR WARS Zero Company.  Better yet, members can lock in one of them early: For a limited time, purchase a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership and receive CONTROL Resonant at launch at no additional cost, and be first to experience Faden’s next chapter. The offer is available Tuesday, Aug. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. Ultimate members can stream the full lineup with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, including NVIDIA DLSS 4, ray tracing, NVIDIA Reflex and Cinematic Quality Streaming technologies, with up to 5K high dynamic range on supported devices.  Whether diving into new worlds or returning to iconic franchises, GeForce NOW lets members skip expensive hardware upgrades, massive installs and storage management so they can jump straight into the action the moment each game launches. Here’s a closer look at what’s coming: Contain the chaos. Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation in Remedy’s CONTROL Resonant. Harness Dylan Faden’s extraordinary powers to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Emergence begins. Experience the horror and brutality of Emergence Day in the Coalition’s Gears of War: E-Day. Fourteen years before the original Gears of War, join Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in a gripping origin-story campaign as the Locust Horde first erupt from below, igniting a desperate fight for survival. Rally squads and fight on in multiplayer with a reimagination of Gears’ iconic PvE mode, Horde Siege, or go head to head with a refined versus PvP. Pick up the Oni Gauntlet. Fight across a twisted vision of Edo-period Kyoto in Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Wield the mystical Oni Gauntlet, master intense swordplay and battle relentless demonic Genma beneath mysterious clouds of Malice. Walk the line between day and night. Step into 14th-century Europe in Bandai Namco’s The Blood of Dawnwalker, where war, plague and rising vampire powers have reshaped history. Play as Coen, a young Dawnwalker torn between humanity and cursed strength, and shape his path while fighting to save his family. Command the galaxy’s finest. Lead an elite squad behind enemy lines in STAR WARS Zero Company, a single-player turn-based game set during the twilight of the Clone Wars. Command former Republic officer Hawks and Zero Company through tactical battles and high-stakes missions where strategy, squad composition and player choices shape the fate of the galaxy. More Ways to Win Gaming gear and Ultimate memberships are up for grabs. GeForce NOW is marking Gamescom with a community giveaway featuring more than 40 prizes. Gamers will have a chance to score a MacBook Neo, Steam Deck or Chromebook — each paired with a one-year GeForce NOW Ultimate membership — along with Amazon Fire TV Sticks and GeForce NOW Ultimate memberships ranging from one month to one year. Head over to the GeForce NOW community on Reddit for all the giveaway details and how to enter. The Hunt Is On Squad up and fight for survival in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, streaming on GeForce NOW this week at launch. Assemble a four-player fireteam of Colonial Marines and battle through swarms of Xenomorphs, deadly new threats and increasingly desperate encounters. With deeper squad mechanics, new and improved classes, smarter enemies and expanded customization, every mission puts teamwork — and nerves — to the test. Members can also look for the following games joining the cloud this week: Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 (New release on Steam, Aug. 25) Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (New release on Steam and Xbox, Aug. 27, available on Game Pass) STAR WARS Zero Company (New release on EA app and Steam, Aug. 27) Baldur’s Gate 3 (GOG) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 – Open Beta Weekend (Battle.net, Steam and Xbox available from Aug. 28 10am PDT  to Sep. 1 at 10am PDT. For more information please visit the Call of Duty website). Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (GOG) Cold Fear (GOG) IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator (Steam) Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (GOG) Mount & Blade: Bannerlord II (GOG) No Man’s Sky (GOG) Paradise Killer (Steam) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (GOG) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. To experience GeForce NOW, gamers can start with a GeForce NOW day pass and try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of a day pass can be applied toward a first membership purchase, making it even easier to level up when ready. Check back every GFN Thursday for new games, new features and even more ways to play on GeForce NOW. Which Gamescom announcement has you most excited? Let us know on X or in the comments below.  The future of PC gaming is on display with GeForce NOW. DLSS 4.5 controlsExpanded device support Upcoming AAA games More ways to play Community giveaway Firefox browser support… and more! #gamescom Details https://t.co/Rz6RnX0Pt4 pic.twitter.com/sShKRhzrD3 — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) August 25, 2026

Title: Leading Publishers Bring Blockbuster PC Games and Technology to NVIDIA RTX Spark Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:30:48 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/gamescom-rtx-spark-pc-games-technology/ NVIDIA is bringing the next wave of RTX gaming to the Gamescom conference running this week in Cologne, Germany, with support for new games, anti-cheat technologies and increased visual quality.  Electronic Arts, Embark and Ubisoft are among the latest game publishers and developers bringing their blockbuster titles to NVIDIA RTX Spark ahead of its launch this fall. They join the publishers that announced RTX Spark support at COMPUTEX in May, including KRAFTON, NetEase, Riot Games and XBOX.  NVIDIA is working closely with game developers and ecosystem partners to ensure today’s top PC games — including EA’s EA SPORTS F1 25 and Apex Legends, Ubisoft’s Anno 117: Pax Romana and Embark Studios’ ARC Raiders and THE FINALS — run seamlessly on RTX Spark devices. “We’re excited to bring Anno 117: Pax Romana to a new generation of RTX-powered PCs,” said Stéphane Jankowski, Ubisoft executive producer of Anno 117 : Pax Romana. “Our teams build the game to be seen wide: full districts, long sightlines, thousands of details at once. Seeing RTX Spark hold that level of fidelity from a single chip is genuinely impressive.” RTX Spark reinvents personal computing, bringing personal AI agents, advanced content creation and high-performance gaming together in a platform engineered from the ground up for the next wave of Windows PCs. For gamers, RTX Spark combines Windows devices with NVIDIA RTX technologies, including DLSS and Reflex.  Bringing Anti-Cheat to RTX Spark Supporting modern PC gaming goes beyond running the game itself. Many of today’s biggest online games rely on sophisticated anti-cheat technologies, to enable fair play across the multiple platforms these games run on.   NVIDIA has been working with EA to bring native EA Javelin Anticheat support to RTX Spark, including for EA’s biggest multiplayer games, such as EA SPORTS F1 25. RTX Spark launches this fall.  RTX Delivers Next-Generation Gaming RTX Spark is just one part of NVIDIA’s lineup of gaming announcements at Gamescom, including: DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction is available now, featuring NVIDIA’s latest second-generation transformer model to deliver even higher image quality in ray- and path-traced content. It replaces traditional denoisers with an NVIDIA supercomputer-trained AI network to reconstruct higher-quality pixels in the parts of a ray-traced frame where rays were not sampled. Path tracing comes to CONTROL Resonant and 007 First Light to deliver new levels of visual fidelity.  NVIDIA ACE technologies are coming to Aniimo in early 2027, letting players naturally interact with their creatures. Gears of War: E-Day includes RTX Mega Geometry integration, advancing image quality on GeForce RTX GPUs, alongside ray tracing and DLSS 4.5. RTX Remix keeps remastering PC classics, with a major Painkiller RTX mod update available now and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind RTX coming soon. GeForce NOW gives members more ways to play with new DLSS 4.5 controls, expanded support for Steam Machine and other devices and platforms, plus blockbuster PC games including CONTROL Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day and more coming to the cloud at launch. Find more on NVIDIA’s announcements at Gamescom in this GeForce article. 

Title: Suri: The Seventh Note launches Oct 30 on PS5 Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:06:18 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/28/suri-the-seventh-note-launches-oct-30-on-ps5/ After four years of development, we’re ecstatic to reveal that our debut game, Suri: The Seventh Note will finally be available from October 30, 2026 on PS5. Every environment, character, and animation has been meticulously illustrated to create a distinctive visual identity. The island itself draws inspiration from the rich artistic and architectural traditions of India, blending influences from Rajput forts, Theyyam Culture, Himalayan monasteries, and diverse regional cultures into a vibrant fantasy world that feels both familiar and original. Play Video Whether you’re chasing perfect runs, uncovering hidden paths, mastering every movement ability, or simply taking in the world around you, Suri brings together gameplay, music, and culture in a world built to be explored. While this would be obvious to some from the onset, there’s just as much thought (if not more) that’s gone into Suri’s music. Stay awhile and listen (to master) Instrumental in our journey was to make music not just something you heard, but something you mastered.  Eighty percent of the music you hear in the game has been recorded with original analogue instruments rather than something synthesised electronically. This is because we wanted to preserve the texture of the music. Through our trailers you’ll notice a layered medley of instruments in-line with what you’d expect from various regions of India. Indian music inspirations So when the player arrives in the southern part of the island of Suri, we’d use a veena instead of a sitar, for instance. And then when we go to the desert portions of the game, we look to Rajasthan and its musical traditions. Along with an intense focus on audio variety came an interesting constraint to solve. How do we adapt musical variety to the speed at which human thumbs can move on a controller?  This ended up being the craziest and most important concern that we had. And it was quite challenging too because we have to work around certain restrictions. For example, there needs to be a minimum time window for the player actions to happen. 480 milliseconds to slay the beat After a lot of trial and error, we found the sweet spot: for us, it’s around 480 milliseconds, so we need to maintain a gap of 480 milliseconds between the main beats of the game. When making a game like this, a major restriction is that we can’t follow any one pure genre in particular because it won’t always work with the gameplay. So we have to create a hybrid of genres and styles.  Why the world of Suri revolves around 480 milliseconds We chose 480 milliseconds between the main consecutive beats to create enough space for the player’s input response while still maintaining the game’s momentum. This timing allows us to accommodate the fail window around the player’s response without making the interaction feel slow or disconnected. A longer window could disrupt the spacing, rhythm, and overall mood of the experience, making the game feel less responsive. On the other hand, a shorter window may make the fail state too subtle or quick for the player to consciously or subconsciously recognize that they have fallen off rhythm. The 480 ms interval therefore provides a balance between responsiveness, rhythmic clarity, and gameplay momentum. Inventing our own music genre Take for example the Indian aesthetics; we can’t have very authentic Indian music in the game because of the sort of rhythms and timing required, but we can utilise it with the cutscenes and narration drawings. The music is very bouncy and not aggressive in nature. And also, we’ve decluttered a lot of the sounds and brought the essential and functional beats up top. Essentially we’ve taken a hip-hop-like structure and laid Indian textures (Indian percussion instruments) over it.  Pre-order now Suri: The Seventh Note launches on October 30, 2026, and you can pre-order the game now on PlayStation 5. Whether you want to experience Ajira’s journey with the base game or go all-in with exclusive content and early access, there are two editions to choose from. Standard Edition The Standard Edition includes: Suri: The Seventh Note — Base Game 20% pre-order discount (with PlayStation Plus membership) Digital Deluxe Edition The Digital Deluxe Edition includes: Suri: The Seventh Note — Base Game Exclusive Chandini Skin DLC 20% pre-order discount (with PlayStation Plus membership) 3 day early access to the full game Exclusive to the Digital Deluxe Edition The Chandini Skin and DLC will not be available for separate purchase. They can only be obtained as part of the Digital Deluxe Edition. If you decide to purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition after launch, you’ll still receive both the Exclusive Chandini Skin and DLC. Choose your edition, get ready to feel every beat, and be there when Ajira’s journey begins. Built with the PlayStation India Hero Project Suri: The Seventh Note is proud to be part of the PlayStation India Hero Project. Growing up, PlayStation games inspired us to dream bigger as developers. To now bring our own game to the platform is something we’re incredibly proud of. Working closely with the PlayStation team has helped us bring our vision to life, particularly while developing our Rhythm Haptics Engine and ensuring that Suri feels right at home on PS5. Their support throughout development has been invaluable, and we’re incredibly excited to finally share what we’ve been building with players around the world. The rhythm Is coming For years, we’ve been building the island of Suri. We’ve created its world, its music, its movement, and its rhythm. We’ve watched Ajira’s journey take shape from an idea into a game we can finally share with you. Now, we’re counting down to the moment you can experience it for yourself. Suri: The Seventh Note launches on PlayStation 5 on October 30, 2026. Choose your edition, get ready to feel every beat, and be there when Ajira’s journey begins. Pre-orders are live today.

Title: God of War Laufey pre-orders available starting September 29, editions detailed Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/28/god-of-war-laufey-pre-orders-available-starting-september-29-editions-detailed/ God of War Laufey is coming to PlayStation 5 consoles on February 16, 2027. We’re excited to announce that tomorrow, September 29 at 10:00am local time pre-orders officially go live. To get you ready, we’re breaking down what comes with the God of War Laufey pre-order bonus and Digital Deluxe Edition. After that, we’ve got some brand-new screenshots and footage of Faye’s combat to round us out! View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image God of War Laufey – Pre-order bonus**  When you purchase your copy of God of War Laufey before launch you will receive: Last Wish Armor Set* Phranque Golden Leaves Appearance* (cosmetic)  In-game resource pack View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image God of War Laufey – Digital Deluxe Edition  The God of War Laufey Digital Deluxe Edition contains:  Dark Alchemy Armor Set*  Dark Alchemy Blade*  Dark Alchemy Bow Scales* Dark Alchemy Catalyst* In-Game Resource Pack Digital Mini Artbook  Official God of War Laufey Digital Soundtrack View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Introducing Faye’s Serpent Bow An enchanted bow with the shifting form of a serpent, Faye’s new weapon in the Everywhen can go from dormant to notched at lightning speed, allowing her to weave deadly arrow strikes alongside her other attacks. Much like the deadly bite of its namesake, the Serpent Bow will tear through Faye’s enemies in both close-quarters and ranged combat.  Precision mode: Full-aim  By fully pressing down the aim trigger, Faye will have more precise aim and increased draw distance. By striking at certain points on an enemy’s body, Faye can impair their movement or ability to strike, giving her the perfect opening to follow-up with a melee hit.  While in this aim mode, Faye can charge up the bow and stack up to five arrows for a powerful volley – perfect for taking advantage of Phranque’s ability to launch enemies up into the sky. Hip-fire mode: Half-aim  With a half press of the aim trigger, Faye will enter a more mobile hip-fire stance. In this aim mode, she can unleash a cluster of arrows for devastating damage to enemies at close range. The Serpent Bow’s quick-fire style allows Faye to juggle airborne enemies and extend combos as she seamlessly swaps between weapons and abilities.  Select your shots  Alongside the two fire modes, Faye can utilize a variety of arrow types that deepen your preferred playstyle. Rapid fire, explosive detonations, multi-target – Faye’s bow is a versatile weapon that can create and capitalize on openings.  Serpent Scales  Shed one form and embrace another – the Serpent Bow can be equipped with different types of Scales that will change both the look of the weapon, as well as the type of playstyle it specializes in via a unique perk (such as the Dark Alchemy Bow Scales from the Digital Deluxe Edition).  In addition to the equipped Scales, the Serpent Bow also has unlockable skills which allow Faye to expand its capabilities even further.  Expressive power Faye is an expert warrior with the ability to harness a range of skills to command the flow of the battle. Her armor options will allow you to choose between a range of gameplay perks, stats, and unique looks. You can also customize her other gear to further enhance different playstyles: Blade: Customizable element of Faye’s sword   Scales: Customizable element of Faye’s Serpent Bow      Catalyst: Powerful artifacts capable of channeling the potent magic of the Everywhen, Faye will be able to choose from a variety of Catalysts with different effects  A glimpse of the Everywhen On behalf of everyone at Santa Monica Studio, thank you so much for all the interest and support shown for the game since our reveal in June.  We’ll be back before you know it with more news for God of War Laufey, but to tide you over in the meantime we’ll leave you with a few more peeks at what the afterlife of the gods has in store for you at launch on February 16, 2027.  View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image *Unlock in-game items via story progression. **Available via download code for physical Standard Edition. Internet connection and account for PlayStation required.

Title: Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 548: September Selects Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:20:35 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/25/official-playstation-podcast-episode-548-september-selects/ Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey, everybody! We’re back this week to talk through September’s big releases and other recent titles we’re still playing. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: Minecraft Dungeons II | PS5  Toem 2 | PS5  Way of the Hunter 2  | PS5  End of Abyss  | PS5  Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition Remastered | PS5 Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition | PS5  Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve | PS5 Silent Hill: Townfall hands-on  — Discover how the new claustrophobic perspective makes even mundane actions like checking emails and opening doors a terrifying experience, along with more inventive ways the latest entry in the franchise elevates gameplay. Experience it now for yourself.  Lisa DualSense collab — Lisa fans can pre-order the new Lisa Limited Edition DualSense on October 2. Designed with the help of the lady herself, this new controller will be a fun way to glam up your collection. Head to PlayStation Blog for the full details. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Hands-on  — Ahead of its October 2 launch, learn how the game uses first-person to tell a more intimate story full of compelling characters, giving players a reason to come out on top in every dogfight. The Cast View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Title: Share of the Week – Marvel’s Wolverine Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2026 16:00:47 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/25/share-of-the-week-marvels-wolverine/ Last week, we asked you to share ferocious moments from Marvel’s Wolverine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Here are this week’s highlights: adambomb2mk shares Wolverine’s claws illuminated in the shadows NickVPgamer shares a hairy and shirtless Wolverine crisg_art shares Wolverine lunging past a fiery backdrop RhodWulfLeon Wolverine taking on Omega Red scionjay96 shares Jean ready to attack lets_gaming.vp shares Wolverine crossing his claws to strike Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Marvel’s Wolverine – LoganSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 30, 2026 Next week, share heroic portraits of Logan in Marvel’s Wolverine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: How Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve uses first-person to tell a more personal story Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:00:34 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/25/how-ace-combat-8-wings-of-theve-uses-first-person-to-tell-a-more-personal-story/ The world of Strangereal, setting of the Ace Combat games, has developed a deep and storied history over the course of the series. But with Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, developer Project Aces has changed its approach to storytelling to create a more intimate and emotional tale than it has in the past. That approach brings you a lot closer to the desperate attempts of the Federation of Central Usea’s battered navy to fight off the invading Sotoans, and the many characters fighting that war. Play Video The biggest change is that, in Ace Combat 8, you play a fighter pilot silent protagonist who is, nevertheless, a major character throughout the story. The game opens with a cutscene in which you’re found floating in a life raft after a battle by the Endurance, one of the FCU’s last remaining aircraft carriers.  After you’re aboard, you’re sent up as navigator for fighter pilot Jan “Rex” Cope, whose job isn’t to engage in battles, but to serve as a propaganda tool. He’s known as the Wings of Theve, a legendary fight pilot ace named for the FCU’s capital, but you quickly find out that Cope isn’t the incredible ace he’s portrayed to be on social media. Instead, his instructions are to run from every fight, but when the two of you are shot down, Cope is killed in action.  But the Wings of Theve is too important to the struggling FCU to go out that way, so you inherit Cope’s call sign and secretly replace him. As the new Wings of Theve, you have a central role in the war effort, and your skills help bolster the propaganda — for better or worse. First-person cutscenes put you in the story Previous Ace Combat games have told their stories through detailed cutscenes, but in Ace Combat 8, those cutscenes are mostly presented from a first-person perspective, putting you in a room or on the deck with other characters. The story unfolds as if you’re living it both in and out of the cockpit, rather than having it narrated to you, and haptic feedback in the DualSense controller helps make those moments feel realistic and intense, especially in the heat of battle. While your character Rex, as in past games, is silent, you occasionally get the chance to answer yes-or-no questions by pressing left or right on the DualSense’s D-Pad, and to interact during cutscenes by looking around with the right analog stick or responding to prompts at key moments by hitting Triangle or Square. Through those minor interactions, you can do a bit to shape Rex as a person, and the other members of Joker Flight, your squadron, will respond to how you choose to lead them with your decisions. Becoming part of the squadron Ace Combat 8 puts a big emphasis on all its characters, especially the members of Joker Flight. You spend almost the whole game with them, whether it’s hanging out during cutscenes between missions that expand on the plot, sitting through briefings where they’ll chime in with comments or information, or listening to them over the radio while you’re taking down enemy aircraft.  That focus on characters makes the story of the FCU’s battle to repel Sotoa feel immediate, personal, and harrowing. You’re not just running a series of disjointed missions, you know the stories of the pilots who are being asked to risk their lives to complete them, and you know what’s at stake if you fail. You also get a lot of chances to make small decisions that give the sense that you’re influencing your squadron’s perception of you. In one early mission, you encounter an allied group of pilots who are also a famous rock band — and a member of your squadron, Coster, is a big fan. When he asks if he can briefly leave your formation to help them, the choice is up to you, but Coster appreciates it if you let him lend his guns and missiles to protect his heroes. Little moments like this help create a bond between you and the rest of Joker Flight. Those extra character moments also get you invested in your squad’s well-being. You can issue orders to them with the D-Pad, sending them out to engage targets on their own, calling them back in formation to attack your target, or asking them to cover you. Since your squad feels like a group of able pilots who you know personally, it helps push you to put their skills to use and to rely on them during the story, as well as to help them out when they get into trouble in the skies. A war effort full of individuals The radio is a huge part of Ace Combat 8’s storytelling. Throughout missions, you’ll communicate with your commanders and your squadmates via radio as they give you key information and comment about what’s happening. But the radio, and the sound design that accompanies it, also do a great job of selling what it feels like to take part in missions. When a mission to retake FCU territory turns into an ambush by Sotoan forces, you hear the struggle and fear of your ground forces as they all yell into their radios at once, reporting their situations or begging for help from the Wings of Theve. The radio also gives you chances to do a little to shape your story. If troops on the ground call for your aid and you respond, they acknowledge it — and often, those same characters might show up on later missions. The legend of the Wings of Theve affects more than just the number of likes on social media, and while the story doesn’t change based on your decisions, those small character moments with the people who fight alongside you make it feel like your contributions to the war effort are important ones. Through its approach to its Story Mode, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve pulls you into the struggle of the FCU in a way that’s deeply personal and often intense and emotional. You can fly the skies of Strangereal yourself when Ace Combat 8 takes off on October 2 on PlayStation 5.

Title: "We didn't want to demonise fetish or BDSM": People aren't dying in horror game Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival because of what they do in the bedroom Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:40:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/we-didnt-want-to-demonise-fetish-or-bdsm-people-arent-dying-in-horror-game-clive-barkers-hellraiser-revival-because-of-what-they-do-in-the-bedroom Early in horror game Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival, the character you play, Aidan, and his partner Sunny, are pushing the bounds of the sex they enjoy together. Already into BDSM, they discover a puzzle box that, when solved, will allow them to explore a new extreme of their fetish play. However, when they unlock the box it summons a set of torture demons called Cenobites and Sunny is torn to fleshy pieces and sent to hell. From that violent beginning, Aidan bargains with one of the demons of torture to find a way to bring Sunny back fo life and made whole. Not your average walk in the park – or, if it is, I am deeply sorry for you. My park is great. There is a duck pond – but a good starting point for a horror game vased on Clive Barker's horror series. Still, when I spoke to Hellraiser: Revival's developers I wanted to know if Sunny was being punished for enjoying her fetish. Read more

Title: This week in PC games: new Ace Combat, Transport Fever 3, and a System Shock-alike set on a disco space station Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:41:22 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/this-week-in-pc-games-new-ace-combat-transport-fever-3-and-a-system-shock-alike-set-on-a-disco-space-station Happy this week all! ...Ugh, you are all still here. When I went on holiday last week, I was hoping that I'd return to find that the whole "videogame journalism career" thing was just a fleeting delusion brought on by excess consumption of unripe pears. Perhaps I've actually been a wealthy gentleman gadabout this whole time, free of any need to keep the hellmouth topped up with layoff reports in order to stave off deprivation and disaster. The one consolation - other than EIC Julian's many encouraging facial expressions and hand gestures – is that people are still making new PC games, and a few of them are actually quite interesting! Here's the latest list of new releases. Read more

Title: "We clearly handled that responsibility poorly": Paradox ban Discord profile pics of historical figures born after 1800, after bust-up with Hearts of Iron 4 players over Atatürk banning Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:34:25 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/we-clearly-handled-that-responsibility-poorly-paradox-ban-discord-profile-pics-of-historical-figures-born-after-1800-after-bust-up-with-hearts-of-iron-4-players-over-ataturk-banning Hearts of Iron 4 developers Paradox Interactive have prohibited the use of Discord profile pictures of historical figures born after 1st January 1800, save for official in-game portraits, amid an uproar caused by a moderator banning somebody for using a photograph of Republic of Turkey founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Discord server members are still free to "use any official Hearts of Iron IV in-game portraits, including those from after 1800, with the exception of prominent leaders of Nazi Germany," according to a Discord post attributed to game director Laszlo "Batya" Pieper (copied to Reddit). In the same post, Pieper notes that "Paradox never aims to review history or take positions on political figures, and we clearly handled that responsibility poorly." Read more

Title: The Sunday Papers Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-sunday-papers-829 Sundays are for recovering from the friend-of-a-spouse’s wedding you attended on Saturday while suffering from an acute case of Old Person’s Back. Unfortunately, the time for recovery has in fact passed, as you have already moved to the more immediately satisfying phase of assigning blame. Possible suspects: your swivel chair, your mattress, the PC monitor you had to laboriously re-box for transit, your sofa, and that most connviving, spine-bending bastard of all, light walking. Spoiled for choice, you sit down in your untrustworthy chair and begin to read some of the week’s writing highlights instead. Read more

Title: TALON TOWERS is a Fumito Ueda-coded parkour platformer about hopping around massive structures while avoiding falling to your foggy doom Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2026 21:55:08 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/talon-towers-is-a-fumito-ueda-coded-parkour-platformer-about-hopping-around-massive-structures-while-avoiding-falling-to-your-foggy-doom If your game immediately makes me think of any of Fumito Ueda's in any sort of way, the likelihood is that I am to play it. There are only so many Ueda games (three, by my count) and there will only be so many (hopefully more that upcoming fourth one isn't the last), so when something rocks up that fits into that vibe like TALON TOWERS, a parkour platformer set on dilapidated structures that stand high above an infinitely stretching fog, I'm going to be pulled in. Read more