There’s been lots of excitement over the presence of a Hollow Knight: Silksong game demo on the show floor at Gamescom this year, in both the Xbox and Nintendo booths. And by all accounts, the demo seems pretty great. Our own previewer said it’s “a piece of playable art that is as fun to wield as it is to watch.” But some Silksong superfans hoping for new story, new bosses, or new content to reveal themselves in this demo might be a little disappointed, because the Gamescom demo is the same demo from six years ago at E3 2019. But shinier.
We first noticed this when reading through our previews of the demo from today alongside our preview from 2019. It’s more discernable when looking at 2019’s video footage, but both demos cover the same two areas – the early game Moss Grotto, and the later Deep Docks. They cover the same encounters and bosses as well. We’ve been able to comb over some other footage posted by other individuals from Gamescom and yup, looks like an updated version of the same demo.
To be clear, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it shows how far the game has come in six years. Looking at similar clips from both demos, and there are very clear signs of polish. Lighting and backgrounds have been adjusted, platforms have been moved around slightly. Fans have even spotted the teensiest, tiniest dialogue change between the two demos. It’s also not surprising that neither area has undergone massive content changes in six years. If these two levels were ready for prime time in 2019, they were likely the closest to “done” at the time that Team Cherry had ready, and thus wouldn’t need developers to spend years tweaking them infinitely. And for what it’s worth, this is also the first time we’ve seen the game on both an Xbox Series console, and the Nintendo Switch 2, as the E3 2019 demo was only on Nintendo Switch 1.
Hollow Knight: Silksong 2025 Screenshots
The only real disappointment to be had here is that we’re not actually seeing any new content after such a long wait – no new bosses or enemies or characters or stories. So anyone looking to scour this new demo for clues as to what Silksong will be when it finally releases is probably not going to come up with much that we don’t already know.
Still, that probably won’t be necessary either. Team Cherry has announced an announcement of some sort for tomorrow, and after a rash of teases around Gamescom and the demo finally re-emerging after a six year cocoon, it seems likely that a release date is imminent. (Silk)soon, we won’t need to scour tidbits of footage for a crumb of new Silksong info. We’ll just be able to, finally, play the long-anticipated sequel to Hollow Knight for ourselves.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Elden Ringis one of the most exciting third-party games coming to Nintendo Switch 2. Who among us doesn’t want to get our shit rocked on the go? Well, according to folks who have played FromSoftware’s action RPG at Gamescom in Cologne, the system is apparently struggling to run the game in handheld mode, and to make matters more worrisome, Bandai Namco is reportedly not letting people record footage of it.
Nintendo Lifeposted a video on its YouTube channel discussing the port and said that while they only played the Switch 2 port for about 15 minutes, the game looks pretty good visually, but leaves a lot to be desired in terms of performance. The tutorial ran pretty well at a locked 30fps. Once they reached the open world, everything changed.
“It’s really bad, and I understand why they don’t want you to see this, because wowie zowie, it is terrible,” Nintendo Life video producer Felix Sanchez said. “Of course, you’re never going to see the light of this—maybe it will just release in that state, but I can’t imagine they will do that—It was like playing Ocarina of Time. It was like 20 frames per second, sometimes I was like, ‘This has dropped [to] 15 frames per second.’”
Sanchez says that in the Switch 2’s handheld mode, the game was “incredibly unstable” in the open-world segments, even in surprisingly static areas where few enemies were on screen at once. You can hear his full impressions below:
So if you’re wondering why Elden Ring footage is conspicuously absent from the internet’s Gamescom coverage, now you know that Bandai Namco has prohibited it. The game is supposed to launch on the Switch 2 this year, but it doesn’t have a release date at the moment. It’s entirely possible the game could be delayed into 2026 to fix things up, or that things could turn around by the time it finally comes out. Whatever the case, it sounds like Elden Ring on Switch 2 has not made the best first impression.
Resident Evil Requiem protagonist Grace Ashcroft is “an introverted and fearful character, which is unusual for this series,” said producer Masato Kumazawa (translated from Japanese) during a segment in the Future Games Show’s Gamescom showcase.
To be fair to Grace, she’s being chased through a derelict hotel by an enormous monster, using a Zippo to light her way. I would also be fearful.
In fact, I would probably be a lot more fearful. At one point Grace touches the face of an infected corpse. I’m not doing that.
“I think players will be scared along with her,” said Kumazawa. Accurate.
The point, of course, is that Grace is not a badass zombie hunter, and if you play in third-person, you can see her tripping and stumbling as she scrambles away from her pursuer.
Resident Evil Requiem will also be playable in first-person, and which to choose might be a tough call. I do like the Amnesia: The Dark Descent ‘immersive horror’ experience, but I’m not sure I’d want to miss Capcom’s characterful animations here, and I think it’s possible to inhabit a character’s fear through either perspective.
Being an introverted and fearful character myself, I’ll probably end up switching back and forth, never satisfied that I’ve made the right choice.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
The iBuyPower model in question’s specs are impressive even at that full list price, but they feel a bit mad with the price cut.
There’s an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X Processor with a max boost clock of 5.6GHz, as well as the company’s RX 9070XT 16GB GPU.
There’s a 2TB NVMe SSD for storage and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, all wrapped up in a pretty sleek-looking case (it looks better than mine, if I’m being honest).
A 4K rig for under $1,500? This feels like a great way to get started, and it even includes a mouse and keyboard if you’re starting from scratch.
We could see fresh deals around Black Friday, so I wouldn’t blame you for waiting, but if you’re looking for a ‘starter pack’ for a new PC gamer, or something for the new school year, this could be a great pick.
Immersive single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard comes to EA Play on August 28.
Select from different races and combat classes, customize your appearance, choose your character’s backstory, and begin your journey as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero.
Face larger-than-life foes as you traverse diverse environments in this dramatic campaign.
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.
Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
Play Dragon Age: The Veilguard on The Play List. EA Play makes your games more rewarding, with access to great player benefits including a library of top titles, monthly member rewards, a 10% discount on purchases of EA digital content, and more.
August Rewards
EA Play is bringing great membership rewards across some of EA’s hottest titles. From Welcome Packs, XP boosts, to Weapon Charms, it’s the ultimate touchdown for fans.
Apex LegendsLet it rip with the Apex Legends Gold Barrelman Buddy Weapon Charm
Available now through Sep 1
Battlefield 2042Put boots on the ground with these Battlefield 2042 skins
LCAA Hovercraft Skin: Rising Wave available now through Aug 24
BSV-M Weapon Skin: Blue Flash available Aug 25 – Sep 29
EA Sports College Football 26Lead your program to glory with the Loyalist Ultimate Team Pack
Available now through Aug 31
EA Sports F1 25Take off through Podium Pass tiers with 5,000 XP
Available now through Aug 31
EA Sports Madden NFL 26Get your team ready for big gameday moments with the EA Play Welcome Pack
Available now through Sep 11
EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Build your lineup in Madden NFL 25 Ultimate Team with this month’s Pack
Available now through Aug 31
EA Sports FC 25 Tackle the season in style with the Festival of Football Purple Sunglasses and Clubs Coins
Available now through Sep 18
EA Sports FC 25Invest in your club’s future with this month’s Token
Available now through Sep 14
EA Sports NHL 25Show out on the ice with WOC Battle Pass XP Modifier & CHEL Coins
Available now through Sep 11
Membership to EA Play is included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions at no extra cost. Experience unlimited access to a collection of top EA titles, trials of select new games, member rewards, and a 10% discount on EA digital purchases.
Stay up to date with the latest news and member benefits at the EA Play page or follow on X (Twitter) and Instagram @eaplay.
Rev your engines, racers, there’s new Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds news that just dropped at Gamescom. Over the past few days, Sonic has dominated the newsfeeds with not one, but two trailer drops, featuring huge reveals.
The first was a crossover no one saw coming – two iconic retro gaming heroes coming together in a universe-shattering collaboration: Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man playable in each other’s upcoming games. Sonic joins Pac-Man in Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac for an explosive birthday celebration, featuring Sonic-inspired levels, costumes, and more.
Then, Pac-Man and Team Ghost put their racing skills to the test in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as part of the growing roster of guest characters included in the Season Pass. Players can venture through Pac-Village, eat up Pac-Dots, & escape the iconic Maze in the Pac-Man Mobile.
The all-new Competition Trailer showcased even more Sonic Racing action and detailed the various game modes players can look forward to experiencing once the game is released. In Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, there are tons of ways to compete:
Grand Prix – Compete solo or with friends in local splitscreen co-op for first place in one of 7 cups (comprised of 4 races each). Racers are awarded points based on their placements at the end of races, and the racer with the most points at the end wins.
World Match – Test your skills and compete online against 11 other players. Earn Rank Points, increase your World Rank, and aim for the top.
Friend Match – Play with up to 11 other players online in custom lobbies where you can control all aspects of a race such as Speed, Team Size, Course/CrossWorlds, AI Difficulty, Frenzy Gates, Items, and Rule Sets.
Race Park – Change up the rules and teams online and offline in this party mode that features six unique race formats.
Time Trial – Compete for the best time on individual courses and aim for the top of the Leaderboard Rankings.
Custom Match – Play with up to 4 players offline split-screen where you can control all aspects of a race such as Speed, Team Size, Courses/CrossWorlds, AI Difficulty, Frenzy Gates, Items, and Rule Sets.
Eagle-eyed fans will also notice that the trailer revealed a few new tracks based on Sonic’s most recent adventures. Kronos Island from Sonic Frontiers makes its debut, featuring iconic ancient architecture strewn across the open fields. Northstar Island from Sonic Superstars arrives colorfully on the scene, with many nods to stage obstacles, local fauna, and even a… giant mechanical dinosaur whale? And Shadow fans, rejoice. The White Space from Shadow Generations has been recreated in glorious detail, down to the Doom’s Eye looming menacingly overhead.
On the racetrack, there’s no shortage of competitive trash talk. Just as Sonic, Shadow, Espio and Jet are shown jockeying for first place and taking their rivalries to the next level, players can look forward to over a thousand voice lines and interactions between their favorite Sonic characters. Ever wonder what a race between Amy and Big the Cat would sound like? You may find out.
On top of all that, it was announced that fans can get their hands on Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds a little sooner than expected during the Open Network Test. This free, limited-time event will take place from August 29 to September 1. Players on PS5 will be able to race online with 12 iconic Sonic characters, compete on 16 courses (9 main courses & 7 CrossWorlds), and mix and match 42 gadgets to create the ultimate racing machine. Put your driving skills to the test against players worldwide. There might even be a couple of surprises in store…
Come Race on our level when Sonic Racing CrossWorlds zooms onto PS5 and PS4 on September 25!
Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment. As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on August 21.
The updated recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. are as follows:
PlayStation 5 – $549.99
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – $499.99
PlayStation 5 Pro – $749.99
The recommended retail prices for PlayStation 5 accessories remain unchanged, and we have no other price changes to announce for additional markets.
There’s a primal human pleasure in simply finding out what something does. It’s the reason you’d still want to push a button that says “do not touch”, or wonder what’s behind a locked door. Keeper thrives on that idea, building out a game of discoveries and experiments around it.
Seeing extended gameplay for the first time at gamescom, Keeper’s key trick – of telling its story in a never-before-seen world, all without words – means that almost everything you do is less about completing an objective you’re told to follow, and more about finding out what the objective is.
Shine Your Light
First revealed at Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, Keeper is a dreamy, otherworldly adventure that puts you in the misshapen body of a suddenly sentient walking lighthouse – but there’s no narrator, nor talking sidekick to explain where you are, what’s going on, and what you should be doing. Working these things out is the game.
“A key tenet of this game is the unexpected,” Creative Director Lee Petty tells me. “We wanted players to be able to relax a bit, chill out a bit, and embrace the unexpected. So to that end, there’s some experimentation, but there’s nothing the player can do to die in this game. They can’t mess up the experience. We sort of get the player on board early so that, when something unexpected is thrown at them, it’s not a moment of panic that they don’t know how to get through.”
In three portions taken from early sections, I see how Keeper slowly introduces new ideas in subtle ways. With only the ability to walk, shine a beacon, and the help of a bird companion called Twig, the player needs to work out what they should be doing through context clues.
“The lighthouse beam has two main modes,” explains Petty. “It has an unfocused and a focused mode. The unfocused mode is for exploring – as you shine it around, you might see little subtle shimmers or reactions in the world. Bigger transformations occur when the player focuses that bigger, brighter beam on things, and that’s often used to solve puzzles as well.
“Twig rides along on the lighthouse and can do things that the lighthouse can’t. The lighthouse doesn’t have arms, only legs. Twig however, can directly manipulate things in the world. So what the player can do, for example, to solve a puzzle is use a combination of that light ability and Twig’s ability to pick up and collect things.”
I see this early on, as the lighthouse comes across a lumpen… thing blocking its path. Under the unfocused beam, the creature bristles slightly, enough to show you that it’s reacting – and, focusing the beam, it puts a claw in front of its eyes. This produces a shimmer, which attracts Twig, who flies to grab the claw, and an option to “tug” appears on the screen. Twig pulls at the creature, who flops to one side, revealing a seed that Twig stows away for a future puzzle.
It’s a sequence of purely organic discovery – the game doesn’t tell you what you need to be doing, and the weirdness of it all means you don’t come in with a preconceived idea of what you should be doing, other than trying things out. And this is repeated throughout. I see the lighthouse effectively organising a dance of creatures attracted to its light to smash through a sheet of ice, a gorgeous discovery that touching a certain spore-like plant will allow the lighthouse to subvert gravity itself, and even a wild sequence in which it becomes apparent that the beam can control the flow of time on objects it touches in a certain area.
The real ace in the hole here is that Keeper’s world is unlike any other – its bucolic landscapes inhabited by scuttling, alien-like creatures, trees with faces, and flora with unusual effects. It means that, even once you do work out where to go, or what to look at, the effects of your interaction remain a surprise. Crucially, Double Fine never want that feeling to go away:
“We wanted the entire game to have this sort of organic, almost handmade, bespoke feel,” Petty adds. “It’s not a game of repeating actions as much as a game of wandering among unique areas and set pieces that change.”
In just 15 minutes of gameplay, I see – by my count – 11 different puzzles (not to mention smaller interactions as you prod and poke at the world around you). It’s clear that the aim here is to keep surprising the player with what they realize they’re being asked to do. Not all of this is ‘mission-critical’, either – the more you explore, the more you’ll find:
“There’s a lot of stuff for the player to discover along the experience,” adds Petty. “Some of those come in the form of environmental storytelling, some of those things are in the form of hidden interactions with the various creatures, and a lot of it is also just about the players’ interpretation of the games events, and finding meaning in the experience.”
Crucially, though, this is all done with the same small pool of button presses. It might have been complex for the developers to find so many ways to play with these toys, but they didn’t want the player to be bogged down by an unwieldy control scheme:
“We wanted Keeper to be an experience that wasn’t especially difficult to play,” says Petty. “It’s not a game about control, mastery or incredibly hard challenges, because we wanted this sort of unique, weird-but-chill experience for players to go on. We don’t have a need for all those buttons on the controller.
“And we also just have a really big set of accessibility features where people can map the controls to what they want. If they prefer to play with keyboard and mouse, or they play on a controller, we support both of them.”
For a game this overtly strange, it’s a way of easing you in – in all ways, Keeper has been designed as a welcoming experience, not an alienating one. You’re discovering this world, not being repelled by it – and it seems there’s a great deal to discover. What I’ve seen is from its earliest stages, and a literal cliffhanger at the end of the demo – in which the lighthouse tumbles into an abyss caused by a bridge, well, ceasing to exist under its feet – promises that there are far more surprises to come.
Keeper arrives for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, and Steam on October 17, priced at $29.99 USD. It will be an Xbox Play Anywhere title, and available day one with Game Pass.
Keeper
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a beautiful and surreal otherworldly adventure, and a story told without words.
On an island in a long-lost sea, a forgotten lighthouse stands dormant in the shadow of a distant mountain peak. As withering tendrils spread and coalesce, it awakens. Taken with a mysterious sense of purpose and joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship, an odyssey of mystifying metamorphosis, and an unexpected journey towards the center of the island, into realms beyond understanding.
This week, dozens of Microsoft employees occupied the company’s east campus in Redmond, Washington in protest against the use of Azure and generative AI technologies by the Israeli military, during their on-going assault on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Relax, meditate, and watch the seasons change in the most peaceful simulator ever. Become an unflinching stone in a serene, ever-changing world. Survive centuries of seasons, weather, and absurdly mundane adventures. Grow moss, collect bird poop, and question your existence—Stone Simulator is the Zen meditation you never knew you needed… or the most boring game ever. You decide! Stone Simulator is a whimsical, meditative experience where you embrace the thrilling life of a literal rock. Observe the world passively as decades fly by, seasons shift, and nature (or chaos) unfolds around you. Zen Mode: Chill with calming ambient sounds and minimalist visuals. Damned 2
Meme Fuel: Perfect for streamers craving irony or players who enjoy “so bad it’s good” humor. Zero Skill Required: Your only job? Exist. (Seriously, you can’t even move.) After Battlefield 6, this is exactly the opposite and something I needed so badly in my life. I didn’t expect it to be that good. The stone interactions, ray tracing lumen and DLSS support, the beautiful environment, the crazy things that can happen and the ability, even for a bit, to heal some of my inside suffering and control the internal dialogue was good enough for me to spend time in this game. It’s a keep, every day, log in for some time and chill.
Features and System Requirements:
Seasons & Weather: Survive blizzards, summer heatwaves, autumn and spring rains.
Time Flies: Watch days, years, and centuries pass
Absurd Achievements Unlock meme-worthy trophies like “Existential Crisis” (do nothing for 3 years) and many other.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Recommended
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows®10 (64-bit Required)/Windows®11 (64-bit Required)
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-10400 or Intel® Core™ i3-12100 or AMD Ryzen™ 5 3600
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon 5700 XT or higher
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 10 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game onSteam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
The only game IGN has awarded a 10 in 2025 has been discounted only a few weeks after it launched on Nintendo Switch 2. Donkey Kong Bananza is down to $62.99 at Amazon right now, $7 off its original list price, and a 10% saving for those counting.
$7 savings isn't much, all things considered, but it's still a tidy discount for anyone who was holding off until the game got cheaper after shelling out big for that shiny new Switch 2.
Plus, it's mighty rare for Nintendo games to get any kind of discount so soon after release, so we shall take what we can get!
As far as I'm aware, Costco had this discount first for members, but it seems like sites like Amazon and Best Buy might finally be getting around to price matching.
Should I Wait For Black Friday Before Buying?
Maybe? Donkey Kong Bananza has received what can only be described as a super duper rare discount sale offer. 10% off isn't game changing, but it is a nice saving for those who aren't just yet ready to pay $70 for a video game.
Black Fridaymight offer better deals, but at this stage, it's incredibly hard to tell how Nintendo will bestoy its gifts of discounts this year (if there even are any, with major price rises potentially even looming as well).
My advice? Go with your gut. If you want to gift yourself the truely valuable (but not actual currency) gift of time, and end your summer playing one of the best games of the year, then go for it! If $63 is still a little too pricey for you, hold off and stick with us on IGN as we cross our fingers and hope the game gets another discount a few of months down the line, and near the close of 2025.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
Grab free Fans instantly with Umamusume Game codes!
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Published: Aug 20, 2025 09:13 am
Updated: August 20, 2025
We found new codes!
When it comes to cute anime girls (who are also race horses) giving their all on the track, getting more fans is the name of the game, and Umamusume Game codes will help you get just that! Grab these freebies and dive into the world of Uma racing!
All Umamusume Game Codes List
Active Umamusume Game Codes
CODES_R_HERE: 500 Fans
SRRY4DATA_LOSS:(:1k Fans
Expired Umamusume Game Codes
There are currently no expired Umamusume Game codes.
If you want to find out more about the various Umas in this game or the game modes that you can participate in, you can use the official Umamusume Game Trello board. All of the details you’re looking for will be right there!
For more free rewards, go ahead and browse our Roblox codes section!
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Very much right on schedule, Krafton has released Island Getaway, the long-teased DLC pack for life sim game inZOI. The first time we got solid details of the add-on was back in July, when the developer confirmed it would be revealed at gamescom.
Later, an official release date was announced, and it turned out that you won’t actually have to be attending gamescom in person to play the DLC, because its release date is August 20. Well, that day has now arrived.
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Island Getaway launched earlier today, free to all owners of inZOI. The DLC is part of a larger patch, version 0.3.0, which brings several quality of life tweaks and other updates across the board. This also means that inZOI is now available on Mac OS.
Island Getaway adds an entirely new map to the game. It’s called Cahaya, and it’s split into two islands. The whole thing is inspired by Southeast Asian locales, and that’s what the new activities and outfits are themed after.
Lifestyle activities (farming, fishing, mining) are among the core features of this update. There’s also the arrival of vehicles to look forward to, which let you travel around faster and more easily. There’s plenty in the patch notes that inZOI players will appreciate.
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If you’re thinking of joining them, there’s a nicely-timed 20% off sale, live now on Steam. The discount is good until September 2, so there’s plenty of time to decide. If you know your PC won’t be able to handle the game, you’re probably better off waiting until inZOI comes to PS5 next year.
High on Life 2 was originally scheduled to launch in Winter 2025, but that release date has now shifted to February 13, 2026. First announced at the Xbox Games Showcase in June, the Rick and Morty-esque sci-fi first-person shooter from Squanch Games once again features a talkative arsenal that you’ll use to blast your way through aliens who view humans as nothing more than ingredients for pharmaceutical drugs.
The idea for the original High on Life was conceived by Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, and it was first released in 2022. Available as a day-one release through Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft reported that it was the biggest third-party launch of all time on Game Pass back then, and the biggest single-player game launch on Game Pass in its history. The third-party record stood firm until 2024, when Palworld took it from High on Life. High on Life 2 will be a day-one Game Pass release for PC and Xbox Series X|S, and it’ll also launch for PS5.
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It’s unclear if Roiland is involved in the development of High on Life 2, as he left Squanch Games in 2023 after a former employee sued the studio over accusations of sexual harassment and wrongful termination. The case was eventually settled after Roiland’s exit. Recently, it was announced that a High on Life animated series is in development.
One of the big changes in the sequel (via Xbox Wire) is that players can move around levels with a skateboard instead of a standard sprint option. This new component offers more than just a speedy way to move about, as players will be able to perform tricks and turn levels into skateparks, or use the board as a makeshift weapon in fights.
February is typically a big month for new game releases, and as the new year draws closer, we’re seeing more titles announced for that month. February 2026 isn’t too busy–for now–but High on Life 2 will be competing with Resident Evil Requiem, the next chapter in Capcom’s popular survival-horror series.
I’m Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, Creative Director at Rebel Wolves, working on The Blood of Dawnwalker — a story-driven, open-world RPG set in 14th-century Europe. We recently showcased a closer look at the gameplay at gamescom and wanted to share some of the exciting new details with you.
Entering the narrative sandbox
You play as Coen, the game’s protagonist and the titular Dawnwalker. While the exact circumstances remain a mystery, an attempt to turn Coen into a vampire fails. As a result, he exists between two worlds — human during the day, vampire at night. This duality sits at the heart of the gameplay, with each form offering distinct skills and abilities. Most quests can be approached during either day or night, creating significantly different experiences.
One of the key mechanics is what we call the “narrative sandbox.” Once the prologue concludes, you have 30 days and nights to rescue Coen’s family from Brencis, a centuries-old vampire and former Roman senator, and his inner circle. Only major actions move the clock forward, and you’re always informed how much time an activity will consume. Roaming the open world does not advance time, giving you the freedom to explore without pressure. Time works more like a currency than a countdown.
What truly defines the narrative sandbox is the freedom it gives you to shape the story on your own terms. Quests can be completed in any order, skipped entirely, or even never discovered at all depending on your choices. Many characters can be killed, with their absence reshaping events and relationships. There are often multiple paths to achieve the same goal, and even inaction is a choice — one the world around Coen will recognize and respond to. The result is a deeply reactive narrative structure that encourages experimentation and makes every playthrough unique.
Human by day. Vampire by night.
The newly revealed quest takes place on day eight of Coen’s journey. By then, several quests have been completed and Coen is visibly more powerful. We first see him at night, navigating the capital city of Svartrau and using vampiric abilities like Shadowstep — a short-range teleport that lets him instantly reposition. It’s invaluable not only in combat, allowing him to flank enemies or close the gap on patrolling guards, but also for exploration and stealth.
With Shadowstep, Coen can reach scaffolding high on the cathedral’s walls, leap between rooftops, or slip into otherwise inaccessible balconies and ledges, opening up new routes and opportunities to approach objectives. Combat remains fluid and dynamic, blending physical strength with supernatural powers. His vampire form isn’t overpowered, but it adds a distinct tactical layer.
The quest involves infiltrating the city’s cathedral, where Coen encounters Xanthe — an ancient Greek vampire and Brencis’ most powerful ally.
To show how time of day affects gameplay, we then reload a save to experience a daytime version of the quest. This time, the goal is to locate the legendary sword of Saint Mihai, the cathedral’s patron. In his human form, Coen leans more on swordplay and dark human magic, unavailable as a vampire. Combat is fast and responsive, with directional attacks and flexible blocking. You can block easily with a single button or use directional input for more precision and control, accommodating both story-focused players and those seeking a challenge.
Fighting the living, the dead, and everything In between
Once the enemies are defeated, Coen enters Svartrau during the day. The streets are bustling with life — townsfolk fill the squares, merchants trade goods, and ambient conversations hint at the uneasy coexistence under vampire rule. After roaming the vibrant streets, Coen goes to the cathedral.
Inside, we witness a chilling ritual called the Blood Baptism, one of Brencis’ ways of twisting existing traditions to maintain control.
After a tense dialogue sequence that nearly exposes Coen, the sword quest resumes. This leads to a battle with Muron, a creature born from a failed vampire transformation. Unlike Coen, Muron does not become a Dawnwalker but a wild, unstable monster with unpredictable powers.
Another hex in Coen’s arsenal – Compel Soul – allows Coen to speak with the dead, helping him uncover clues and eventually locate a hidden crypt believed to hold the sword. What he finds is far more disturbing: Saint Mihai, once revered, had been entombed alive after villagers discovered he was also a Dawnwalker. Starved during the day and regenerating at night, Mihai slowly lost his sanity. When freed, he attacks Coen using the full range of Dawnwalker abilities.
If you find him at night instead, Mihai appears in his vampire form, offering an entirely different encounter.
The nearly 50-minute demo offers an extended look at The Blood of Dawnwalker’s design — from its dual gameplay loop and time-based structure to its focus on player agency and narrative depth. There is no single path through this story, and every decision, including inaction, shapes the journey. Slated for release in 2026, The Blood of Dawnwalker aims to deliver rich storytelling, immersive combat, and an open world where narrative truly takes the lead.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2026; wishlist it now to stay updated and be among the first to step into Coen’s journey!
The big Black Ops 7 media blowout has officially begun, kicking off, of course with last night’s gamescom Opening Night Live reveal. The trailer coincided with the release of plenty of new information covering many aspects of the game, with the promise of more to come.
There are, however, several new and returning features well worth diving into.
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For one, Carry Forward, the feature that allows you to bring some of the content from last year’s game into the new one, is coming back. Just like with Modern Warfare 2 to Modern Warfare 3 in 2023 – when the feature was first introduced, Black Ops 7 is doing the same with Black Ops 6’s content.
Weapons, operators, XP tokens, GobbleGums (Zombies), skins and other cosmetic items from last year’s game will be usable in Black Ops 7’s multiplayer, as well as Warzone. This will kick off a few weeks post launch, with the start of Season One.
There are, of course, some exceptions. You won’t be able to use skins for equipment and Scorestreaks that don’t exist, or work differently, in the new game. Weapon camos will carry forward, but they’re only going to apply to BO6 weapons, not BO7’s.
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But Treyarch is also introducing a new concept called Global Progression, which is something I am surprised took Call of Duty this long to implement. While we’ve been enjoying cross progression between multiplayer, co-op (Zombies etc.), and Warzone for years now, the campaign has always been left out of that.
In Black Ops 7, you earn XP as you play the campaign. What this means in practice is that you’ll be levelling up your weapon (even unlocking camos), and unlocking other challenges that transfer over to multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone.
In a blog post, Treyarch specifically named weapon Prestige (which is also coming back with BO7), standard weapon progression, camos, Calling Cards, daily challenges and much of the progression side of things.
Further building on that ethos of connected progression, Black Ops 7 is introducing the ability to share your Gunsmith weapon builds. These can be saved and sent directly to friends, but you can even generate a code for your build so anyone else can immediately use it without having to replicate it piece-by-piece.
More on the multiplayer side of things will be revealed on September 30 at Call of Duty: Next. The game’s beta will begin shortly after, running October 2-8. The full game arrives November 14 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Today’s showcase was a lot more detailed, offering a look at gameplay that went beyond just a simple teaser of the game’s setting.
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First things first, the leaked November release date turned out to be accurate. Black Ops 7 is set for launch on November 14. As for today’s reveal, its focus was mainly on the larger systems, features, and new mechanics arriving with the game. As previously announced, the co-op campaign (four-player) returns, but Treyarch is adding a pretty unusual twist to that.
The campaign’s final mission is what the developer calls Endgame, and it’s essentially a replayable, open-world section with some RPG and extraction elements. You get to customise your loadout and take on missions and other challenges within runs, where you can also level up and earn new abilities.
We also got a look at some of the futuristic weaponry we’ll be able to wield, and a few of the locations we’re going to be visiting. There’s a big emphasis on movement in Black Ops 7, which builds on Black Ops 6’s Omnimovement system with new possibilities, including the return of wallrunning.
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Round-based Zombies is a core feature of the game, of course. This year, you can look forward to vehicle-based gameplay, as well as the return of Survival maps. Multiplayer was touched on, but the full reveal won’t arrive until Call of Duty: Next on September 30. There’s going to be a beta following that, too, taking place October 2-8.
Black Ops 7’s story takes place in the near future, a decade after the events of Black Ops 2. The game is the first consecutive Black Ops release in Call of Duty history, following last year’s Black Ops 6.
As beloved as the Black Ops name is, however, this year’s game faces tough competition in the form of Battlefield 6, a game whose beta has been breaking records throughout the month, overtaking even the most popular Call of Duty release on Steam.
There’s still a lot yet to be revealed for Black Ops 7, but community sentiment so far has been a lot more in favour of Battlefield 6 over it. Call of Duty rarely misses, though, and even with it does, it still manages to be the best-selling game in the year of its release.
We were promised a new look at Ghost of Yotei at this year’s gamescom, and Opening Night Live indeed kept that promise. The Geoff Keighley-hosted show was full of updated looks at previously-announced games, as well as some fresh game reveals.
Sucker Punch was among the developers in attendance, and the team brought something special for fans of the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima sequel.
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Today’s trailer was actually one of Yotei’s best so far, blending quick cuts of the game’s action combat with a couple of menacing moments with the game’s villains. Nothing too unexpected here – except, of course, for that tease at the end.
Legends, the online co-op mode that came to Tsushima in a free update, will return in Yotei. It won’t be available at launch, however, and will instead arrive in a free update in 2026. Legends will feature new story missions for two players, alongside four-player survival matches.
There’s going to be four playable character classes, and some of the bosses you’ll come up against will be fantastical, demonic versions of the game’s Yotei Six gang of outlaws. We didn’t get to see much from Legends in today’s reveal, but the news will definitely make a lot of people happy.
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For a game coming out in about six weeks, we actually haven’t seen all that much of Ghost of Yotei. Gameplay was kept under wraps practically since the moment Yotei was initially announced. It wasn’t until July that the game got its own, dedicated State of Play presentation from Sony.
Today’s showcase certainly helped keep that hype train chugging, even if we still like to see more of the open-world action RPG. That said, it continues to appear as a fairly straightforward sequel, so there may – understandably – be not much more to show.
Resident Evil Requiem has reminded everyone why it’s one of 2026’s most-anticipated games, having just reemerged to deliver something new for us to admire. That, of course, was a new trailer, broadcast live on the Opening Night Live stage.
Requiem has always seemed like a bit of an unusual Resident Evil, and though today’s look doesn’t change any of that, it signaled that it may not be the standard sequel some of us thought we’d be getting.
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The new trailer really is full of family drama. The game’s protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, is seemingly stuck with her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, in a house where something bad is about to happen.
There’s some gameplay in this, but most of it is spooky, slow-walky stuff with flashlights pointed at things in almost complete darkness. It still looks pretty good, but I wish there was more going on in the footage.
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Requiem was announced in early June, following what felt like years of leaks. Unlike what most of us expected, however, it is not the open-world, Far Cry-inspired game those leaks made us expect. Instead, it’s a linear horror title with some action elements that takes place in the future of the Resident Evil universe.
Requiem stars the – seemingly easily frightened – Grace Ashcroft, who will be revisiting a devastated Raccoon City. The game is playable entirely in first and third-person. Requiem is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S and is set for release February 27, 2026.
Damned 2 is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game where four survivors must explore cursed locations, solve puzzles, and escape alive — while a fifth player takes on the role of a deadly creature hunting them down. Each match is unpredictable and filled with tension. To escape, survivors must search for items, unlock doors, and complete puzzles scattered across the map. Every match reshuffles key elements, requiring players to adapt quickly. Teamwork, awareness, and a steady hand are essential. Take control of a terrifying creature with unique abilities. Each monster offers a different playstyle — some stalk in silence, others create chaos and confusion. Master their skills and turn every match into a psychological horror experience. Watchmen: The End Is Nigh
Immersive Audio Visual experience: Damned 2 uses Unreal Engine 5 to bring graphics and audio immersion to a new level of horror. Immersive VOIP: Our built in VOIP system simulates echos, reverberation and the environment around you. But be aware, monsters can hear you when they are hunting! Be the Monster!: Choose from a variety of different monsters to play and scare your friends, each monster has a set of abilities for you to hunt and eliminate the trespassers. The monster can also be controlled by an AI. Co-operate: Play together with your friends with up to 5 players where teamwork is key for fast puzzle solving and exploration.
Features and System Requirements:
Every match rearranges puzzle layouts, keys, and objectives, ensuring high replayability and unpredictability.
Players can choose from a roster including Lurker, Mary, and Blight—each with unique powers and strategies.
Includes 8–9 maps (depending on the source), 8 puzzles, 4 survivor characters, and 3 playable monster.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Recommended
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/Windows 11
Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent or above
Memory: 4 GB RAM
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 10 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Published: Aug 20, 2025 09:13 am