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Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer, and while the game has made quite a splash in the samurai-action scene, it’s easy to forget this is the first entry in the series in 20 years. Yes, we received remasters of the first and second games in recent years, and Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (the fourth mainline game) is coming to PlayStation Plus’ Classics lineup next month, but Way of the Sword is the first new entry in two decades. That’s why, when it was time to interview the game’s director, Satoru Nihei, and one of its producers, Akihito Kadowaki, at Capcom’s Osaka, Japan, HQ for this cover story, my first question was: Why is 2026 the time to bring back Onimusha?
I half-suspected it was an issue of sales, considering the series has only sold 9 million copies, a far cry from Resident Evil’s 200 million, Monster Hunter’s 127 million, and even Street Fighter’s 59 million. The other half of me assumed Capcom had simply forgotten about Onimusha – after the first game, Onimusha: Warlords (which, after recently playing the remaster on Steam, I can confidently say still absolutely rips), launched in 2001, we received three sequels in the following five years. And that was it: Onimusha disappeared as fast as it arrived. Kadowaki tells me, however, that Onimusha’s departure from the action space wasn’t for lack of trying.
“[Whilst Onimusha] was always well-received, there were, at Capcom at the time, other major series like Monster Hunter, Resident Evil games, and Street Fighter, but there were also up-and-coming developing titles,” he says. “And as development became more difficult, needing more time and more people, with all those people focused on those titles, it was very difficult to get a team together to make a new Onimusha game, despite wanting to internally for a long time.”
Kadowaki says he personally wanted to have a hand in bringing the series back as a longtime fan of Onimusha. It took the RE Engine coming to fruition and a soft reset in 2020 for Capcom, as the publisher-developer looked at scheduling out the new/now-current generation of hardware and the games it intended to make for it, for Onimusha’s return. The team has been working on Way of the Sword for six years, and Kadowaki tells me that while Capcom paid attention to the action space and to what players expect of it, the team worked hard to ensure Way of the Sword retained everything that makes an Onimusha game an Onimusha game. He also specifically asked Nihei to direct Way of the Sword, aware that Nihei loved the games as a teen and wanted to make his mark on the series. Much to Nihei’s surprise, his opportunity to make a mark on Onimusha also became his first time as a director.
When I ask Nihei where one even starts when making a new game in a series that’s been dormant for 20 years, he responds with one word: Issen.
Present in every Onimusha game, the Issen is a powerful counterattack that players can perform by attacking just before an enemy attacks, often resulting in a critical hit. If you’re an Onimusha fan, it’s likely something you want to hear when it comes to this series’ return to the action space.
“[This] was one of the critical parts of that satisfaction and the feel of the period action, and the Oni Gauntlet, the tactical elements of it in terms of soul absorption, kind of weighing when to use those abilities and when not to, and then also the elements of the historical ties to the real history of Japan,” Nihei says. “Obviously, the previous titles were set in the Sengoku period, so the Warring States period, but just mixing those historical elements with dark fantasy elements is the core of Onimusha.”
This is just the first of many Onimusha: Way of the Sword articles I have planned for Game Informer’s month of coverage surrounding the game, and we’ll be publishing exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes videos (as well as a Rapid Fire Interview) on the Game Informer YouTube channel too. Keep the Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub bookmarked so you don’t miss any of it!
In the meantime, here’s some additional Onimusha: Way of the Sword reading for you:
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Cover RevealOnimusha: Way of the Sword Digital IssueOnimusha: Way of the Sword Summer Game Fest Hands-On PreviewOnimusha: Way of the Sword HubWhat do you want to know about Onimusha: Way of the Sword? Let me know in the comments below and I'll see what I can cook up for you!
Miyamoto Musashi is Japan's most famous samurai. Presumed to have been born around 1583 (though the history surrounding his origins are murky at best) Musashi is famous for an undefeated record of 62 duels, the birth of dual-wielding Japanese swords in the katana and wakizashi, and for being the legendary figure at the heart of various movies, manga, novels, and more. He is now also a protagonist in Capcom's Onimusha series, finally returning after a 20-year hiatus, with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, which is the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer.
Game Informer video editor Eric Van Allen and I flew to Osaka, Japan last month to visit Capcom's headquarters and learn more about how and why it was finally time for Onimusha to return. We played roughly three hours of the game, experiencing an extended demo of the "open-town" section of the game's Edo-period Kyoto, where we eventually faced off against the terrifying Rasho-gan, the Wish Warper, before heading deep into an underground lab where we fought back against the sinister Genma creations of the demented Dokyo. We also interviewed various leads behind the game, including director Satoru Nihei, producer Akihito Kadowaki, art directors Hiroyuki Nara and Hiroshi Yugen, and lead writer Hiroshi Yamashita. Fresh off a replay of Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, I also got the chance to discuss the game (and its recent remaster) with its director, Motohide Eshiro. Leaving no stone unturned, Eric and I also went to a local arcade to play Onimusha VR: Shadow Team and traveled to Kyoto by train to check out the real-life locations that appear in Way of the Sword.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, Japan
You can expect a lot of Musashi in our coverage hitting the site over the next few weeks, starting with your first look at the Onimusha: Way of the Sword cover featuring the man himself. In the art, Musashi is pictured armed with an Oni Gauntlet and determination in his eyes, ready to defeat the surrounding Genma as Kyoto burns around him.
Perhaps I'm biased, but this is one of my favorite issues we here at Game Informer have made in a minute. That's in part due to Onimusha: Way of the Sword being on the cover, yes, but also because the magazine is jam-packed with incredible writing. Contributors include JJ Bersch, who wrote an excellent retrospective on Kirby Super Star for its 30th birthday, Hayes Madsen, who chronicled the success of Capcom in recent years, and Luis Gutierrez, who went hands-on with The Blood of Dawnwalker and detailed why he's so excited for more after three hours. We also have a big roundup of upcoming games from small teams with big potential, and it's sure to make your wishlist grow three times as large. Plus, editor-in-chief Matt Miller went deep on Crowsworn, an upcoming action platformer you need to keep an eye on, and associate editor Charles Harte traveled all the way to Paris to play Castlevania: Belmont's Curse in a deconsecrated church.
That's not even half of the goodness you'll find in this issue, either. We have previews of exciting upcoming games like Orbitals, Signet City, Resident Evil Veronica, Erosion, Fable, Clutch, ILL, Gen Atlas, Echo Weaver, Crossfire, and more, as well as reviews of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, Star Fox, Rhythm Heaven Groove, and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. We tapped contributors Connor Trinske, Jay Guisao, and Danreb Victorio to review Gothic 1 Remake, EA Sports College Football 27, and NBA The Run, respectively, too.
All of this is to say this issue is an incredible one, and hey, guess what? You can read the digital edition right now! Physical versions will be arriving in your mailboxes mid-to-late August, just in time for some Onimusha reading before the game's September launch. You can find the issue in bookstores and newsstands globally around the same time, too. Be sure to subscribe today to receive 10 Game Informer magazines a year (physical and digital) and get the Onimusha: Way of the Sword magazine as your first issue.
Since we first learned about it, Echo Weaver has been an indie Metroid-inspired game we've been keeping our eyes on it. Thanks to its persistent time-loop mechanic and unique approach to the Metroidvania genre (which developer Moonlight Kids calls "Metroidbrainia"), we've been eagerly anticipating getting out hands on it. Not only did we get our hands on it (you can read our preview in the new issue of Game Informer), but Game Informer can exclusively reveal that Echo Weaver arrives on consoles and PC on October 8.
In Echo Weaver, you take control of the last Weaver in the ruins of a dead world. In true Metroidvania fashion, you traverse an ever-expanding 2D map, solving puzzles, battling enemies, and learning new abilities. The keyword there is "learning" when it comes to new abilities, as the gating in this game doesn't come down to unlocking new abilities, but rather you, the player, learning how to pull off certain mechanics. There are areas where it tutorializes the abilities, but if you stumble upon it before then, you aren't prevented from using that power. In the early hours, the puzzles, combat, and platforming all felt thoughtful and well-designed, leading us to continue carrying our enthusiasm for the latest game from Moonlight Kids.
If you're a subscriber to Game Informer, you can read the digital preview of Echo Weaver right now. And if Echo Weaver sounds up your alley, you can look forward to the full release on October 8, when it comes to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC.
In case you missed the announcement a few months ago – and there wasn't much fanfare, so I couldn't blame you – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a brand new expansion, over a decade after its release. Called Songs of the Past, we don't know much about it yet, other than the fact that it's being developed alongside Fools Theory, the team in charge of the Witcher 1 remake, and that it's coming out in 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. However, today CD Projekt Red shared that the game's first look will debut at this year's Opening Night Live showcase at Gamescom, which will occur next month on August 25.
Held in Cologne, Germany and hosted by Geoff Keighley, Opening Night Live is the games industry's third major showcase, alongside The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest. It's open to the public (though this year is already sold out) and livestreamed around the world. As the name suggests, it's presented at nighttime in Europe, but it occurs during the day in the US, at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CEST.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is widely regarded as one of the best games of the modern generation, with an elaborate open world, memorable side quests, and two major expansions that live up to the base game's standards. Developer CD Projekt Red seemingly moved on after the second expansion, going on to develop Cyberpunk 2077 (spending years patching it) and its Phantom Liberty expansion. We even know that the studio is working on The Witcher 4, starring Geralt's daughter Ciri, and while we don't know for sure, we wouldn't be surprised if Songs of the Past leads into the next mainline entry in some way.
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, one of the directors of The Witcher 3, has since left CD Projekt Red and is now behind The Blood of Dawnwalker, an upcoming vampiric action RPG that shares some DNA with The Witcher games. For more on that, you can check out our exclusive cover story hub for behind-the-scenes details and watch the video above about Tomaszkiewicz's transition from one series to the next.
Reviewed on: PC Platform: PC Publisher: Evil Trout Developer: William Rous, Evil Trout Release: July 14, 2026
A big part of me wants to forgo explaining what makes The Incident of Galley House great for fear of revealing too much; to just say “trust me, play it. It’s good.” Unraveling the truth behind the unsolved deaths of a group of people gathering at a mansion one stormy night in 1936 is engrossing and inventive, with a tale that keeps you guessing until its final moments. Although I didn’t get all of the answers I wanted, I was immensely impressed with the revelations I did uncover and the journey to find them.
The Incident of Galley House is a reimagined take on the 2025 horror text game, Type Help, by William Rous that has been remastered and expanded by Evil Trout, creators of The Roottrees Are Dead. Players control a researcher who visits the condemned Galley House where multiple dead bodies were discovered decades prior; the causes of their deaths are unknown. Using a machine capable of reconstructing scenes from the past to watch in the present, you piece together the conversations, actions, and whereabouts of each person during the ill-fated hours leading to their demise. The present-day premise was fascinating enough to draw me in, but the events of the past hooked me. A man is invited to Galley House by someone named Rupert Galley, but none of the residence’s many guests have heard of this supposed host. This begs many questions: Who is Rupert Galley, and why did he invite this man? Why have these visitors gathered this night? And, most importantly, why and how is everyone dying?
Like The Roottrees are Dead, The Incident at Galley House quickly becomes a fun, all-consuming exercise of gleaning context clues from conversations and physical evidence to uncover new information that gradually reveals the full events of a 26-segment timeline. Doing so requires engaging with an inventive system of correctly entering numerical codes that indicate the location, time, and people (who are only identified by a number until you discover their names) to find scenes matching those criteria. The experience of deducing who did what and where reminds me of Clue; I got a kick out of figuring out if, for example, two characters were in the living room during a specific time based on information I learned from a different, chronologically later scene I happened to unlock first.
I appreciate how much flexibility The Incident at Galley House allows for filling out the timeline. You can follow each character’s night one at a time, focus only on reaching the end of the timeline by advancing numerous character threads (and backfill missing scenes later), or do your best to learn every character's whereabouts chronologically before moving too far ahead. I enjoy the agency in how to approach the investigation, and the game is constructed to allow multiple paths to solving its problems. The story is an immaculately well-written web of clues and references that rewards you for paying attention to not only what’s being said (both at face value and the subtext) but also the visual elements of a scene and the layout of Galley House's many areas, which in themselves must first be discovered. Revisiting a curious line of dialogue with new perspectives on the person or situation to find information hidden in plain sight never stopped feeling satisfying or, in some cases, mind-blowing.
Since you follow 26 scenes for each of the game’s dozen or so characters, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of dialogue and information you have to keep track of. Thankfully, The Incident at Galley House offers many helpful tools to make sense of it all. The notepad from The Rootrees are Dead returns, letting you take in-game notes and save quotes directly from dialogue transcripts. Scenes can be paused so you can re-read and highlight key text before resuming them. A search engine surfaces conversations based on keywords, and you can even place markers on the timeline to indicate events, such as a character death, at a glance. The Incident of Galley House also communicates how many locked cinematics remain discoverable in each scene, which was one of my favorite time-saving features from The Rootrees are Dead. Though I didn’t need to use every tool often, if at all, I was happy to have them.
You don’t need to find every scene to solve the mystery, but I was so fascinated by not only the overarching story, but also the smaller questions surrounding Galley House’s cast that I obsessively played until I was sure I’d seen everything. The voice performances are generally good, save for some weirdly muted reactions whenever someone learned of another’s death that sometimes took me out of the moment. I enjoyed getting to know Galley Houses’ colorful visitors and grew to like some of them enough that I felt a growing existential dread knowing they wouldn’t make it out of the house alive. Speaking of dread, the game’s eerie vibes and presentation add a welcome layer of creepiness to the already dark subject matter – and the game taps into its unsettling atmosphere for some effective hair-raising moments.
The Incident at Galley House constantly made me reuate my theories and approach, and several big twists spurred my search for answers throughout many late-night sessions. Sadly, I found the conclusion to be a mixed bag. The story purposely withholds the biggest explanation I’d been searching for while still offering enough significant ancillary explanations to avoid falling completely flat. It’s an artistic choice that may resonate with some, but after so many hours of searching and concocting numerous wild theories, I wanted a more concrete answer than what the game provides. Still, I had a blast figuring out the fates of these doomed souls, and I’d wager any puzzle or adventure game fan will too.
Score:
8.75
Reviewed on: Switch 2 Platform: Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Release: July 23, 2026
Though known primarily for its competitive multiplayer gameplay, Splatoon’s single-player content has been engaging and creative since the 2015 debut entry. This side of the series offers obstacle courses, shooting galleries, puzzles, and boss battles with continually novel gimmicks. Splatoon Raiders amps up the combat part of that equation, delivering a multitude of intense encounters. The result is a more focused PvE, looter-shooter-inspired Splatoon game that sunk its hooks into me until long after the credits rolled.
Even though the competitive multiplayer element is absent from this package, Splatoon Raiders maintains the vibrant visuals and excellent gameplay feel that popularized the mainline titles. Gliding through a colorfully inked surface while you reload remains smooth and responsive, and the weapons and abilities – of which there are a ton – allow you to blast your way through each bite-sized encounter however you’d like. Though I struggled to find the same balance of weapon utility I typically discover in the multiplayer titles, I loved experimenting with how different character loadouts interact with the various challenges Splatoon Raiders threw my way.
Tinkering with my build quickly became a favorite activity between missions. Splatoon Raiders gives you upgradeable tanks, which serve as character classes. The Speed tank offers mobility options and ranged attacks, while the Power tank grants abilities centered on aggression. My personal favorite, the Tactical tank, lets me place turrets, ink vortexes, and trip-mines to help me even the odds. Each of these ability gadgets is upgradeable and customizable, and when you combine the vast number of modifications with the huge arsenal of weapons, not to mention the three selectable Ultimate abilities, I’m still tweaking my loadouts even hours after rolling credits. Thankfully, a rewarding post-game campaign ensures Raiders will remain in my rotation for the next several weeks.
The story is a silly and forgettable treasure-hunting tale, but it serves as an appropriate catalyst for the quick-hit raids you take on in rapid succession. Whether in single-player or cooperative play, you embark on missions involving multiple levels of timed battles, linear stages full of baddies, or open areas built for free-form traversal; though I appreciate the assortment of map layouts, by the end of the campaign, the repetition began to set in, both with the mission types and the disappointing soundtrack. But whether you’re talking Power Eggs to charge your Ultimate meter, enemy parts for crafting, Spirhalite Shards for currency, or new weapons and gadget parts to customize your loadout, you are constantly gathering items to boost your chances at success.
Crucially, the item collection process is smooth and doesn’t disrupt the intuitive weapon-use/reload-swim rhythm Splatoon has always delivered. And that’s a good thing, because the intense battles against the wide array of combatant creatures keep you on your toes. Whether you’re blasting Smallfry and Chum minions or one of the more than 10 unique Salmonid types that pop up, each raid combines similar ingredients to deliver unique experiences. And since each powered-up Salmonid poses unique threats and possesses distinct weaknesses, the enemy spawns help alleviate some of the mission-type fatigue.
Though I miss the more puzzle- and platforming-based excursions of other Splatoon PvE content (here, those are mostly relegated to side-mission tutorials involving specific gadgets), I can’t deny the tightening of my grip and leaning in my posture each time the Salmonids flooded the map and forced me to adjust my approach on the fly. That’s even more true for the more powerful variant enemies and the impressive set-piece boss battles. Splatoon 3’s bosses lacked the originality of other Splatoon PvE content, but Splatoon Raiders proves that was merely a minor hiccup.
If your firepower doesn’t prove to be enough to take on the Salmonids, you can invite other players to help your cause. Testing the multiplayer features on pre-release servers, I had a smooth experience partying up and taking on Splatoon Raiders’ missions alongside other players. The levels all feel appropriately designed and scaled for single-player play, but if you need any extra help, you can also send out a beacon for a random player to join your session for one mission, with special loot awarded upon completion.
Splatoon Raiders is the kind of game I struggle to put down. Most raids only take minutes to complete, and the steady feeling of upgrading your abilities constantly tempted me to play “just one more” to test out the latest tweaks I made. Though Splatoon’s single-player content has always been underappreciated, Splatoon Raiders makes it difficult to ignore, shining a bright light on the series’ oft-slept-on side.
Score:
8.75
Jennifer English, the award-winning voice actor of Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has stepped away from voicing protagonist Gwendolyn in the upcoming action game, Tides of Annihilation. The game’s development team, Eclipse Glow Games, states that this is due to personal health reasons.
The official Tides of Annihilation X account shared a lengthy post announcing the news, stating that in early June, English informed them she would be unable to continue providing the English-language voice of Gwendolyn. “While we were, of course, saddened by her decision, we completely understood and respected Jennifer in prioritizing her well-being,” reads the post. “We are also deeply grateful for the care and responsibility she showed throughout this process.”
English will continue to be involved in Tides of Annihilation’s production in an advisory role, according to the post. In fact, with English’s help and recommendation, Gwendolyn’s English-language voice performer has already been recast. The team does not reveal the new actor’s identity, only stating “Her recent work in video games left a strong impression on both Jennifer and our team—not only for the performance itself, but for the remarkable care and dedication she showed in understanding the character—and we're excited for players to experience her interpretation of Gwendolyn.”
The new voice actor has already recorded lines that will appear in Tides of Annihilation’s upcoming Gamescom demo next month, so attendees will be the first to hear the new performance. Eclipse Glow Games also confirms that it will announce Gwendolyn’s new actor during this period.
Tides of Annihilation was first revealed in February 2025 and is a stylish action-adventure game based on Arthurian legend. Gwendolyn is a warrior and the last surviving person in London after an invasion by otherworldly forces. She must defeat this threat using the power of 10 legendary, colossal knights she encounters along the way. Tides of Annihilation has no release window, but it’s slated to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
It's always a good time on gameinformer.com, and this week is no different. But, we did load up the end of the week with a quite a lot of stuff. And Bethesda shared that it is working on Fallout 5 in the wake of more than 3,000 people being laid off, or being in the process of being laid off by its parent company, Microsoft. We likely have quite a lot of time to go before we play a Fallout 5, and until then, and for this weekend, we have recommendations of what you can play right now. But first, some of that "quite a lot of stuff" I promised a few sentences ago.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Has 'No AI,' Developer Evil Empire SaysThe Unlikely Story Of How Konami Asked Evil Empire To Make Castlevania: Belmont's Curse The Mermaid Mask Review – Grimoire's GreatestDenshattack Review – Come On, Ride The TrainYou Might Be Able To Play From Software's The Duskbloods During A Network Test Next MonthBethesda Confirms Fallout 5 In Preproduction, Obsidian’s Fallout Game, Fallout 3 And New Vegas Remasters, And Updates On Elder Scrolls VI And StarfieldStardew Valley Is Coming To Magic: The Gathering Later This Month With A Limited Secret Lair Drop
The Mermaid Mask
Charles Harte
The Mermaid Mask, the latest entry in the Detective Grimoire series from SFB Games, tasks players with investigating the death of Magnus Mortuga, captain of a mysterious submarine. It combines point-and-click adventure mechanics with one-of-a-kind puzzles, but it mostly involves talking to a colorful cast of suspects and gathering evidence to track down the culprit. It's a game I'd recommend to just about anyone: its character art is charming and lovingly animated, its music is exciting and intricate, and the writing is stellar, from the larger plot beats to the moment-to-moment dialogue. While it's the third (or fourth, if you're a stickler) game in its timeline, connections to prior entries are minimal, so there's no need to get caught up. For my full thoughts, check out my review.
Denshattack
Kyle Hilliard
It was not specifically designed this way (unless Brian Shea was secretly masterminding this whole thing when he assigned me these reviews), but I reviewed Star Fox (2026), Rhythm Heaven Groove, and Denshattack back to back, which are all games where you play a level for about three to five minutes, and you need to make sure you do a bunch of things correctly in that short amount of time. It was an odd journey to play all those one after another, but perhaps the weirdest of the bunch is Denshattack, which is a high bar when you're competing with Rhythm Heaven Groove, a game where you have to hide from a sneezing moon.
In my review I wrote that Denshattack is "the best post-apocalyptic stunt train driving action sports simulator anime ever created," and I stand by that statement. I even approved it for use in a potential accolades trailer the game may want to use in the future. But the thing I am getting at is that even if it does take on a lot of influences and proudly display their appreciation and love for them, Denshattack feels truly unique. It's a bit like a heightened action sports game, like a Tony Hawk or an SSX, but you're driving a train. It's kind of insane, but also pretty great for that reason. You can read my full review right here.
The Incident At Galley House
Marcus Stewart
Based on the text adventure Type Help by William Rous and reimagined by Evil Trout, developer of one of my favorite 2025 games, The Roottrees Are Dead, comes this ingenious new mystery. You control an investigator trying to learn the truth behind the mysterious deaths of a group of people at a mansion called Galley House that occurred in 1936, using a machine that allows you to reconstruct and view scenes from the time of the incident. Like Roottrees, the game becomes an engrossing exercise of listening to conversations and using context clues to determine the identities and whereabouts of each ill-fated visitor to Galley House on that fateful night, a timeline divided into 26 segments. Using deductive skills to fill in the blanks of who was doing what and where, while learning characters’ intriguing relationships with each other, and discovering the truth of the unfortunate circumstance that befell them, is fascinating, cleverly constructed, and keeps you guessing with numerous surprises. Mixing the detective gameplay of Roottrees with elements of Clue makes The Incident at Galley House another worthwhile puzzle game to lose yourself in this weekend.
D-topia
Marcus Stewart
On the surface, this D-topia’s sterile yet charming art direction suggests a cozy experience, and that’s true to an extent. As the 18-year-old Shiro, you’re the latest arrival to a domed AI-controlled city called D-topia, a human paradise according to its blissful human citizens. Designated as a Facilitator, your job is to maintain the city by helping residents with any problems and repairing mechanical issues; going to work involves solving increasingly diverse math/number puzzles that the AI tells you have no practical application other than keeping you productive.
Each day you wake up, go to work, roam the city’s sleek and pristine districts to interact and bond with a colorful cast, and go to bed. But what makes D-topia intriguing is how much its residents enjoy living a life where machines do their thinking for them. D-topia’s AI feeds them, structures their daily routines, and even controls what they see using visual manipulation tech, all in the name of eliminating any form of discomfort, physical and emotional. Despite the apparent lack of struggle, confronting situations that challenge D-topia’s euphoria, such as deciding the fate of a citizen who harmlessly ate more than his allotted snacks or finding a cat whose existence violates the AI’s strict laws, adds a potentially sinister undertone I’m gradually trying to excavate. Chipping away at D-topia’s cheerful facade will hopefully yield fascinating truths about how the sausage is made in this Pleasantville-esque futuristic adventure.
Heave Ho 2
Charles Harte
There are a lot of privileges in this line of work, but reviewing Heave Ho 2 was one of my favorites so far, since it meant I got to spend the day on the couch playing games with my brother. Heave Ho 2 is perfect for that, with its silly physics and collaboration-focused gameplay. As heads with arms, each clasps the other's hand to form a long chain of limbs, clambering across eight worlds as hilarity ensues. I don't love every world (I'm looking at you, Chef's Orders), but it's a hard game to stay mad at, especially because you can play through the areas in any order. At just $10, it's also pretty cheap, and buying Heave Ho 2 during its launch week means you also get Heave Ho 1 for free, so it's a great time to jump in. For my full thoughts, check out my review.
Ascend To Zero
Wesley LeBlanc
You have 30 seconds before the world ends (again) in Ascend to Zero. A clock at the top of your screen in every run of this survivors-like roguelite will not let you forget that, either. Using a variety of avatars, you must enter the final corridors existing on the precipice of the world’s end and fight your way to its apocalyptic core. Your stats will grow with each run, using a variety of currencies, as will your arsenal of weapons, both melee and ranged, and the armor set and other game-changing equipment you bring into this dash to the end. While 30 seconds fly by, your unique time-stop ability pauses the clock, allowing you to inflict heavy damage on surrounding enemies when you’re ready for the seconds to start ticking by again, and using this move to defeat bosses and mobs is key to adding more time to the clock.
While it looks like an action game at first glance, because of its survivors-like combat, where you build upon an auto-attacking set of weapons while moving around to ensure they hit their targets, Ascend to Zero plays more like a management game – how you manage your time, the ways different chips and abilities affect the seconds you have left, and your combat levels, which are always on the rise as more and more difficult enemies await you in the next room, is the difference between success and the end of the world. It’s only $12 but is currently on sale on Steam for less than $10 and is well worth your time.
It's a hot one on The Game Informer Show this week, as Charles, Marcus, and Kyle gather to discuss the sheer smorgasbord of new games they've been playing to beat the summer heat. We lead off with the return of Castlevania from the makers of Dead Cells, as Charles has some impressions of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. From there, we've got Kyle's review of the blisteringly fast new indie that's been making waves, Denshattack!
After the break, we get into the co-op shenanigans of Heave Ho 2, and several puzzling mysteries in D-topia, The Incident at Galley House, and The Mermaid Mask. There's no shortage of new games to play, so if you're trying to stay inside and out of the heat, you've got plenty of options. Hear all about them on this week's episode!
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Watch or listen here: Listen to "Castlevania Returns With Belmont's Curse + Denshattack! Review" on Spreaker.Follow our hosts:Charles Harte (@chuckduck365)Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)Kyle Hilliard (@kylehilliard)Jump around using these timestamps:00:00 - Intro05:45 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse33:20 - Denshattack!46:57 - The Incident At Galley House1:04:29 - Heave Ho 21:17:48 - D-topia1:37:41 - The Mermaid Mask
Magic: The Gathering is starting to look ahead to 2027. While a handful of sets remain to launch this year, Wizards of the Coast used its stage time at MagicCon Amsterdam today to announce all of its in-universe sets for the coming year, as well as some travel plans for an expanded MagicCon lineup.
2027 will see Magic split between its in-universe and crossover Universes Beyond sets again, with three sets apiece. They'll swap back and forth through the year, alternating releases, so no back-to-back UB sets in 2027. And while we didn't see what the crossovers are, the in-universe sets look pretty fascinating. First up is a little trip under the sea, to Nauctis.
Nauctis: The Sunken Realm - February 5, 2027Set in the new realm of Nauctis, this is Magic's take on an undersea plane where merfolk and other aquatic creatures will, obviously, prevail. It's not just a merfolk set, though, as we also got glimpses of diver suits and other interesting twists on the submerged zone.
Nauctis will kick off a new "multi-year" story arc for Magic: The Gathering, following Reality Fracture's big conclusion this year. And after going underwater, we'll be heading to a familiar plane; in fact, we'll be seeing two of them.
Kamigawa: Titanbreach - June 4, 2027An Omenpath lights up the skies in Kamigawa, and through it, a mass of Ikoria comes plummeting through. The monsters of Ikoria get thrown into a chaotic fight with the denizens of Kamigawa, which lends itself well to both giant robots and kaiju.
I'm personally very excited for this one, as a longtime fan of both giant monsters and giant mechs. Kamigawa: Titanbreach will ring in the summer in June of next year, and then in October, we'll get our last of the in-universe Magic sets: the return of a familiar locale.
Zhalfir - October 1, 2027The kingdom of Zhalfir returns as its own plane, though not without some interesting changes thanks to everything that's been going on since it phased out. The influence of both New Phyrexia and Mirrodin will also be seen here, so this one might be great for the Magic lore fans.
Wizards also confirmed the time-bending Teferi Akosa will make a return in the mind-bending, afrofantasy-inspired Zhalfir set. With that, here's the calendar for 2027:
Wizards of the Coast
More MagicConsWizards of the Coast also confirmed today that it'll be hosting four MagicCons in 2027. Here's the list:
MagicCon: Detroit - February 26-28, 2027MagicCon: Tokyo (Japan) - May 14-16, 2027MagicCon: Las Vegas - August 27-29, 2027MagicCon: Amsterdam - December 3-5, 2027And as a bonus for those who love the Mystery Booster boxes you can pick up at events or through the online Festival In A Box line, there's a new Mystery Booster set, focused on Commander. Wizards of the Coast says there will be some familiar cards mixed in with some new ones, which even include some wild new mechanics. Here's a brief glimpse:
Reality Fracture looms
And while the big news of today's panel focused on 2027, there were still some reveals to be had for the upcoming Reality Fracture set, which will be Magic's last in-universe set for the year. The running theme is neat twists on familiar cards and characters, thanks to Jace's multiverse meddling, and you can see that in different variations of cards like Titanbones and Enlightened Confidant. Here's the gallery of what was shown today:
GALLERY
Reality Fracture will also get some Secret Lair attention through the Secret Lair Bundle, a new twist on the Magic Gift Bundle that includes two Collector Boosters, six Play Boosters, a set of basic lands, and two of 10 Secret Lair Bundle promo cards, all of which are reimagined from the main set with unique artist takes. If Final Fantasy's Chocobo Track cards are anything to go by, those will be in high demand.
There's still a lot more Magic on the way, including three unannounced Universes Beyond crossovers. We're likely to hear more about those at MagicCon Atlanta later this year, but until then, there's plenty of in-universe Magic to speculate on, and possibly some travel plans for anyone trying to go to the expanded MagicCon lineup. There won't be any shortage of cardboard to sling in 2027.
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated Taxi Cabbed war paintFixed mip settings on the stickersFixed using the incorrect wear textureUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated koth_dryfieldFixed the teleporter prison exploitFixed the broken geometry of the RED hut near the pointAttempt to fix a flying RED roof spotted from afarFixed the watercooler facing the wallImproved access to the balcony section to make jumping easierAdded many missing player clip
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed missing sound for Taunt: Circuit BreakerRenamed "Northern Nights" Summer 2026 Unusual effect to "Polar Prism"Updated the Floral Growth Unusual effect to fix orientation/position problemsUpdated the Bald SpotterAdjusted vertex normals and diffuse on headAdjusted normals and specular on head mirrorReduced mesh size slightly toward the front and back of the headFixed some facial flexesReduced texture size of lensUpdated the Surgical ShroudFixed vertex normal issue on coatAdjusted Phongfresnelranges on mirror to improve envmap effectReduced texture size of mirrorUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated koth_dusker to globally improve lighting in outdoor areas for better team recognitionUpdated cp_premudaFixed conflicting files leading to crashesFixed several spawn room errorsAdjusted respawn-times to make capping easierAdjusted sound timings and volumeBrightened up dark spaces and tunnelsSmaller changes all around the map to improve game flowMiscellaneous visual and clipping bugs fixed
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An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated the Beachcomber's Brim to fix an incorrect materialUpdated Taunt: The Circuit BreakerFixed incorrect team color on propFixed orphaned particlesUpdated the Inglorious PatriotAdjusted the normal map and refined the colorsImproved the weighting on the bottom pocketsUpdated the backpack iconUpdated pl_redwoodFixed various lighting issues Zipline dismount jump speed now ramps up from 1.1x base class speed to 1.8x Decreased delay before a player can dismount a zipline by jumping from 0.6s to 0.25sDecreased delay before a player can dismount a zipline by crouching from 0.3s to 0.1sFixed players who dismount a zipline in mid-air not receiving mini-crits from the Direct Hit and Reserve ShooterFixed the B.A.S.E. Jumper's parachute deploying while using a ziplineUpdated koth_camp_saxtonVastly improved optimization. Further investigation is ongoing.Tweaked log-and-netting walls along the central shore for clearer definitionFixed several instances of minor prop clippingFixed players getting stuck on the wood-carved SaxtonsImproved clipping throughout
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated the Beachcomber's Brim to add a second style that was originally missedUpdated the Northern Nights, Umbral Lights, and Solar Singed Unusual effects to fix a naming conflictUpdated the Blissful Butterflies and Wispful Wings Unusual effects to fix visibility issuesUpdated the Hard Hearing to fix truncated style namesUpdated backpack image for the Pyro's Overalls to fix the alpha channelUpdated the Sandwich Diner and Sideshow war paints to fix the alpha channelsUpdated the Team Union war paint to remove a few rogue pixels
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Summer 2026!Featuring 6 new community maps: Dryfield, Camp Saxton, Shorelight, Redwood, Premuda, and MojaveAdded the Summer 2026 Cosmetic CaseContains 24 new community-contributed itemsHas a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus itemAdded 4 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. StoreTaunt: The Circuit BreakerTaunt: Buffoon's BivouacTaunt: Faux-calizationTaunt: Friendly FireAdded 12 new community-created Unusual effects7 new effects for Unusual hats5 new effects for Unusual tauntsAdded the Summer 2026 War Paint CaseContains 10 new community-created War Paints that make-up the Summer 2026 CollectionHas a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus itemAll cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Summer 2026 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the Summer event. This does not include crates.The Summer event runs through September 15th, 2026GeneralSecurity and stability improvementsFixed bad alpha channel for The Creature's Grin, Rocket Operator, The Bountiful Bow, The Alternative Medicine Mann, and The Candyman's Cap (community fix from Chickenman456)Fixed the "Neo Tokyo" warpaint on the BLU team not matching the RED team because the alpha channel was incorrect (community fix from Whurrhurr)Fixed bad alpha channel for the Pile of End of the Line Key Gifts' backpack icon (community fix from Grampa Swood)Fixed Stat Clock model attaching incorrectly on dropped weapons (community fix from rabscootle)Fixed Stat Clock values always displaying '0' on world models (community fix from rabscootle)Fixed intel carrier glow disappearing when Spy cloaks (community fix from shockpast)Fixed bad alpha channel for Voodoo Juju's backpack icon (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed Silver Botkiller Mk.I having cubemapping in the wrong area due to a VMT error (community fix from Whurrhurr)Fixed misspelling on cp_well's BLU rocket clamp texture (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed wrong paths in soundscript events for some taunts (community fix from robbilookatme)Fixed Spy control point response rules lines playing when disguised/invisible (community fix from Churkinator)Fixed weapon Unusual effects (community fix from Cipherlock and rune)Fixed particles being orphaned after deathFixed the Energy Orb Unusual effect desyncing from the weapon when the player moves too sharplyFixed effects flooding the screen when spectating a dead teammate in first person with an unusual weapon (community fix from RGBACatlord)Fixed missing coin effect for HOUWAR's second style (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed outdated description for the Splendid Screen (community fix from Grampa Swood)Trimmed delay at the start of the sound file for the Panic Attack's shooting soundFixed the Engineer not being able to move for a few seconds after using Taunt: Cheers!Updated cp_powerhouse to fix collision problem with crates on final control pointsUpdated cp_fortezzaReworked interior of shack building next to Point ARebalanced ammo packs around Point AImproved visuals across the mapMade rotation for shortcut path shorterUpdated koth_blowoutPrevent sentry guns from being built inside a prop under the stairs in the maintenance roomVisual changes to improve clarity and consistency
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed crash related to wearables leaking when weapons are dropped (community fix from Sean McGeehan)
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed crash related to KeyValuesFixed Mk.II Botkiller eyes not glowing in the dark (community fix from Whurrhurr)Fixed Halloween spell attribute text being grayed out during full moons (community fix from FrozenDragon)Fixed attachments on dropped weapons having broken textures for certain war paints and skins (community fix from Piogre)Fixed automatic "Control Point Lost" lines not playing (community fix from robbilookatme)Fixed spacing issues for item descriptions (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed many cases where Spy disguises were broken (community fix from Sean McGeehan)Fixed The Fancy Spellbook's large backpack icon not matching the small versionUpdated VScript to allow set damage for force calc (community fix from doclic)Updated the Snow Merc to count as an assister in the death noticeUpdated the prop for Taunt: Dead Mann's Drink to fix a problem with LODsUpdated the Die Regime-Panzerung to add a 'No Bullets' styleUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated the Mann of the HourRestored missing rim maskMade shapekeys for a few problematic face flexesReplaced incorrect normal mapAltered hair mesh to ensure compatibility with Voodoo-Cursed Scout SoulUpdated backpack icon to represent above changesUpdated koth_demolitionFixed some lighting issues with the pipes next to the control pointReplaced some textures in the radio roomsAdded a clipbrush on the radio rooms to avoid players getting stuck when going in the air (thanks Big Wiggy)Reworked the nobuild on the crane platform to allow Engineers to build on the concrete area (thanks Uncle Dane)Fixed a leftover prop being inside a wallFixed a texture in the jumppad using the wrong cubemapMade the catwalk behind the office building a bit biggerAdded a clipbrush to the pipes on the furnace rooms so players can climb up to the barrelsUpdated plr_hacksaw and plr_hacksaw_eventRemoved attic balconies overlooking the capture zoneMoved a small pickup location into the atticFixed clipping errorsUpdated cp_process_finalFixed various collision issues across the mapMost of these involved changing existing collision from player_clip to bullet_block to prevent splash damage from getting caught on small pieces of level geometry Some of these involved closing off open areas where explosions could vanishSome of these involved making collision areas more clear by including new geometry to better indicate what would collide and what wouldn'tIncreased skybox height across the map to be consistent with other 5CP mapsChanged the small prop pipes at last to be nonsolid, but still block stickiesPlayers should be able to cleanly walk and jump along these pipes without getting stuckAdditionally, rockets and other explosions should collide cleanly through the pipes so they don't block splash damageStickies will adhere to the pipes as expected, rather than clipping through and being hidden by the pipe modelChanged the level geometry around the large pipes on the ground near the last control point. They are now enclosed in glass and have a layer of bullet block so that collision is correct.Increased the height of numerous doors across the entire map. Players should be able to jump normally through the door without hitting their heads. Removed some rocks near the angled ramp at 2nd and replaced them with cratesAdded angled player clipping underneath some of the large awnings at middle to prevent players from getting stuck under the awnings Made exterior fences more consistent with the bounding of the levelChanged some metal textures to better match the mirrored symmetry of the levelAdded some additional detail behind the starting spawn roomCleaned up the displacements in the middle and second to better handle splash damage, and reduced the amount of grass poking through concreteReplaced some small pipes at the 2nd spire to make a more consistent platformMade many existing light props nonsolid to prevent movement issuesMost were already nonsolid, but this should make most props consistentUpdated cp_metalworksFixed various collision issues across the mapMost of these involved changing existing collision from player_clip to bullet_block to prevent splash damage from getting caught on small pieces of level geometryChanged the level geometry at last to have more consistent collisionWhile there are small gaps and holes in the windows/doors of the new bunker and the stack of wood/chickenwire, they are covered with bullet block to prevent collision issuesChanged the way shadows work on certain walls throughout the map to prevent shadows leaking throughRedesigned the second forward spawn for both teams. The spawn has now moved back and into a larger hut structure in the yard before the second control point. Increased the door size of the first forward spawnThe various small door brushes throughout the map have been turned into func_brushes and have had collision turned off so they don't catch splashMade adjustments to the truck ramp at middle. The ramp is now a displacement, which should catch splash damage correctly and allow player to walk up to the wall cleanly. Changed the collision around the very tall light poles throughout the map. Players should no longer get caught on them while in midair (but they still can't land on top of them). Fixed a section of displacement where players could get stuck in the groundSlight visual tweaks throughout the level
An update has been released for Left 4 Dead:- Fixed several exploits that could be used to crash servers or remote players.
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed client crash related to material proxiesFixed Scout.NegativeVocalization04 sounds in Mann vs. Machine not playing because of a typo in the volume (community fix from That Hat Guy)Fixed The Spy-cicle not using its icicle lightwarp (community fix from BreavyTF2)Updated material for cp_coldfront to fix compression issueUpdated the prop for Taunt: Heartbreaker to fix a missing materialUpdated koth_demolitionFixed a player clip on the helipad allowing players to stand outside the playable area (thanks Midnite)Fixed some player clip pixel walks on some doorsFixed a blockbullets floating above BLU spawn (thanks True_Boredom)