When Epic first revealed and launched Fortnite's popular new Blitz Royale mode on June 17, it came with an expiration date of July 15. But it didn't take long for the company to deliver an extension.. Blitz Royale has consistently been Fortnite's most popular mode in the week since it launched, and on Wednesday, Epic updated the Fortnite API with four additional weeks of Blitz Royale. The new end date is apparently August 12.

Leakers believe they already know the themes Epic will give to each of the additional weeks: Jujutsu Kaisen, Mortal Kombat, and Dragon Ball. Blitz Royale is currently having Avatar Week, which will be followed by Boss Week next Tuesday, and then TMNT Week after that. Each of these weeks will feature weapons and items related to the theme--for the current Avatar week, for example, the loot pool is full of the bending scrolls that were in standard Battle Royale during Chapter 5 Season 2, and TMNT week will bring back each of the turtles' melee weapons from Chapter 5 Season 1.

Blitz Royale is a quicker and smaller version of Fortnite's battle royale, with 32 players on a tiny map, and rounds that last under five minutes. It's a faster and furiouser version of Fortnite, and it caught on immediately. If Blitz Royale continues pulling in tons of players, it's very likely that Epic will make it a permanent mode eventually. This initial launch period may be about seeing how Blitz Royale affects the overall Fortnite ecosystem. Since all seems to be going well on that front, we expect it won't stay away long if it actually does leave on August 12.

As it is, Blitz Royale will definitely need some overhauls. For one thing, the initial storm circle is the same in every round, always cutting off the northern part of the island. Secondly, Blitz Royale deserves its own fresh map, because the current Blitz map is just a smaller version of the Reload Venture island, and that in turn was just a smaller version of the Chapter 1 OG island. We've already wasted enough of our lives fighting over Pleasant Park and Retail Row, thank you very much.

View the full article

It's a big year for Dying Light; the open-world zombie series is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and developer Techland is marking the occasion with a variety of projects. That includes a newly detailed audio and visual refresh for the series' debut instalment, which arrives in a free update - titled Dying Light: Retouched - this Thursday, 26th June.

Read more

View the full article

<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2024/03/05/8a279086/hades_netflix_release_date_header.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Hades Supergiant Games Netflix Release Date March" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>As spotted by <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-is-removing-over-20-games-including-hades-and-monument-valley-123023128.html"><em>Engadget</em></a>, Netflix is removing over 20 games from its mobile library next month. The list of titles on the chopping block includes heavy hitters like <a href="https://gameinformer.com/review/hades/hades-review-the-highs-and-lows-of-repetition">Hades</a>, the Monument Valley series, and <a href="https://gameinformer.com/review/deaths-door/deaths-door-review-reaping-the-rewards">Death’s Door</a>.</p><p>On July 15, 22 titles, which require a Netflix subscription to play, will exit the service. Some games, such as Hades, were only available on mobile devices through Netflix, so it’s unclear if they’ll become available on other mobile storefronts. Although July 15 is the removal date, some titles will disappear before then (such as Hades, exiting on July 1). Here’s the full list of games making their exit:</p><p>Battleship<br>Braid, Anniversary Edition<br>Carmen Sandiego<br>CoComelon: Play with JJ<br>Death’s Door<br>Diner Out: Merge Cafe<br>Dumb Ways to Die<br>Ghost Detective<br>Hades (available only on iOS)<br>Katana Zero<br>LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed<br>Ludo King<br>Monument Valley<br>Monument Valley 2<br>Monument Valley 3<br>Rainbow Six: SMOL<br>Raji: An Ancient Epic<br>SpongeBob: Bubble Pop F.U.N.<br>TED Tumblewords<br>The Case of the Golden Idol<br>The Rise of the Golden Idol<br>Vineyard Valley</p><p>Netflix’s entire mobile library consists of 114 games, which means roughly 20 percent of its library is disappearing. While this isn't the first time games have been delisted from the mobile library, these removals come as some question Netflix Games' long-term future.</p><p>Last October, Netflix <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-has-closed-its-aaa-gaming-studio-133014946.html">shut down its triple-A game development studio</a> in Southern California, leading to the departures of several high-profile talents only a few months after the company <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/netflix-games-engagement-tripled-in-the-last-year-in-part-thanks-to-gta">expressed optimism</a> about its games division. In January, the company <a href="https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-abandons-release-plans-for-6-games-including-tales-of-the-shire-dont-starve-together-and-compass-point-west/">canceled plans </a>to bring previously announced titles to the service, including Thirsty Suitors, Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, and Don't Starve Together. In February, &nbsp;Netflix <a href="https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/netflix-has-laid-off-staff-at-oxenfree-developer-night-school-studio">laid off staff</a> at Oxenfree developer Night School Studio, which it acquired in 2021. The streaming giant has even <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/663933/netflix-black-mirror-bandersnatch-kimmy-schmidt-removal">scaled back on interactive programming</a>, removing shows such as <em>Black Mirror: Bandersnatch</em>. &nbsp;</p>

View the full article

This fall, visitors at the Nintendo Museum in Japan are going to get an opportunity to catch a glimpse of history from Nintendo's five decades in the video game industry. Nintendo Museum has announced that an art gallery will be opening on September 3 featuring "a wide range of game artwork, including character illustrations and concept art."

The announcement was light on details about what kind of artwork will be presented in the gallery, or how far back it will go. Although Nintendo became widely known in the early '80s for arcade hits like Donkey Kong, the company's first foray into gaming came in the early '70s with lightgun games. Since the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985, Nintendo has remained a major player in gaming.

The Nintendo Museum already has exhibits that celebrate the history of Nintendo's video games, as well as a selection of minigames that visitors are allowed to play. During GameSpot's two-day visit to the museum in 2024, Dan Ryckert noted that it "is light on text, descriptions, placards, and other traditional elements of a museum." He added that the room with fully-functional giant controllers from the Famicom, SNES, N64, and Wii Remotes was his favorite.

Nintendo Museum also has a large selection of exclusive merchandise. In response to demand from around the world, Nintendo Museum added limits to the merch that visitors can buy in order to discourage scalpers. The museum still requires visitors to register for tickets, and Nintendo also noted that anyone who wishes to change their reservation for September should cancel their old reservation and reapply by the end of June.

View the full article

Call of Duty Mobile Season 6: Gundams Arrive launches next month. This new season of mobile Call of Duty features Gundam-themed operators, weapons, and rewards. A new multiplayer mode also lets players battle in Gundam mech suits.

Season 6 start date details

Season 6: Gundams Arrive starts on July 2 at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET. This new season includes a brand-new battle pass with both free and premium items. The Season 6 battle pass features sci-fi themed operators and weapon blueprints.

Battle pass details

The main highlight of the free battle-pass tiers is Season 6's new 3-Line Rifle, which is a new bolt-action marksman rifle. For the premium tiers, players can unlock futuristic operator skins for Misty, Atlas, and Rock Hound. Weapon blueprints are included for the PDW-57 submachine gun, BY15 shotgun, and the new 3-Line Rifle marksman rifle.

New events

Gundam events

Activision teases there will be several Gundam-themed events offering free seasonal rewards, including login events and check-ins. These rewards include camos, legendary blueprints, emotes, and more.

U.S. Independence Day

Call of Duty will be celebrating July 4 with an event running from July 4-9, and this awards Independence Day-themed calling cards, charms, and weapon blueprints. These are available to earn for players who login and play multiplayer and battle royale matches throughout the event duration.

4v4 Gundam duels

Gundam multiplayer LTM

Season 6 adds the Gundam Team Deathmatch limited-time multiplayer mode. This is a variant of team deathmatch where players spawn in as operators themed around Gundam suits. Gundam Team Deathmatch is played in third-person as a 4v4 mode with mech vs mech Gundam duels. Operators can use the mech suits to dodge, sprint, and activate vertical jets. Instead of normal loadout weapons, each Gundam comes with its own special abilities and weapons.

Gundam bundles

Additionally, the in-game shop will feature Gundam-themed operators and weapon blueprints in the series draws. Each Gundam operator skin comes with its own finishing move plus a unique lobby screen and animation. Gundams can also be displayed in a player's personal safe house.

In other news, Call of Duty Season 4 Reloaded is arriving soon to Black Ops 6 and Warzone. The big update will include more DLC weapons, multiplayer maps, and Resurgence Ranked Play for Warzone.

View the full article

It's taken a while to get it sorted, but developer GSC Game World has finally managed to fix Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl's wonky A-Life system as part of the post-apocalyptic shooter's latest massive update - meaning players can now expect a bit more life to their wasteland adventure as NPCs live their simulated lives and pursue their own goals. Oh, and official modding tools are here too, but you'll need to clear some considerable space to install them.

Read more

View the full article

• Category: ID@Xbox

June 25, 2025

What is I Am Your Beast, You Ask? Let’s Ask the Developers

• Chris Slight – Head of Creative Marketing, Strange Scaffold.

Summary

• I Am Your Beast is out now on Xbox Series X|S.
• Lightning-fast FPS with superhuman tree climbing and head explosions.
• Find out what the creators think of their game.

“Dear Diary… Did I tell you I saw a bird? It had brown feathers and a red chest – it gleamed against the sky…Then I heard the gun shot…Seeing the way they treated this innocent, beautiful thing. I snapped…I’m what the COI made me. And I’m not going back.”

This is an abridged version of the first words you’ll hear playing I Am Your Beast, spoken by the main character, Alphonse Harding. Harding is a retired Covert Operations Initiative (COI) agent, burnt out after years of “one more job” too many. So, when the COI surrounds his home in the forest and offers him another “one last job”, Harding decides to hand in his notice. That notice comes in the form of kicking a COI agent in the face, grabbing their gun in mid-air and moving forwards.

Fast-Paced, Revenge Thriller FPS

Turn the tables on the military-industrial complex who are hunting you down with lightning fast, tree climbing, kick delivering, knife throwing, gun catching FPS action. From guns, to bear traps, to beehives, there are plenty of ways to use your environment to get to the end of the level. At that end, you’ll find a score and rank, so if you’re into speedrunning, or just getting the best times you can, you’ll probably end up going back to these levels a few times!

I Am Your Beast  comes complete with all the free extra content we released. This includes the story expansion Support Group, where a group of COI Agents sit and retell the fantastical sounding tale of what happened to them in the main game at the hands of a seemingly superhuman Harding. The second, Cold Sweat is a no     story, all challenge, all weird set of challenges. It’s our love letter to the speedrunners who have latched on to I Am Your Beast.

Tyrants Better Run

If you’re looking to speedrun, enjoy the fully voice acted, funny, intense, touching and slick story or enjoy an FPS that can be played in short bursts over more than 20      levels, I Am Your Beast is for you. Oh and I nearly forgot the soundtrack! Let me tell you, the soundtrack is, to borrow a term from the internet, “a banger”. If it was in the Eurovision Song Contest, I’d give it 12 points. (That’s the most points you can give one song, it’s not important to know that for the game, but it’s good to learn new things.)

“I want players to come away feeling cool” says Dan Pearce, Lead Developer on I Am Your Beast. “The experience we really wanted to create, and having a structure of short levels with timers running helps create this, is that we really wanted to push the player to a place where high skill play always results in you having this action sequence. You’re throwing a gun, you’re catching a gun, you’re stomping…” and all of this leads to a sense that you’ve just been through one of the best action scenes you’ve seen, and you didn’t just watch it, you created it!

“The feeling of discovery…is a large part of what makes games like this so interesting. You’re not just playing it once and forgetting, we added a lot of elements for replay ability” says Jim Brown, Level Designer on the game. “Players finding the secret things we have in the world, creating their own challenges and discovering their own ways to play” are something they take a lot of pride in. “The fun part is playing around and figuring it out.” I Am Your Beast features a score system, and you get a rank at the end of each mini-sandbox level. Getting an S Rank will mean finding all the paths and different ways you can take out enemies.

I asked both to describe I Am Your Beast in one word.      Jim went with “Dynamic. The ways you move around this environment is not static, it’s not set in stone. You should feel dynamic as you move and play it the way you want to play it.”

Dan, who pointed out that this is a nightmare question as they worked on this game for eight months      settled on “Visceral. When you’re getting a good run down, it makes you feel like a dog tearing apart      someone’s homework. Visceral is the closest word I can find to that experience. The homework is the military industrial complex, and you are the dog!”    

This game is a labor of love from all of us here at Strange Scaffold, and a game we’re very proud to present to you. We’re a small, remote first, collective of games people and we hope you enjoy this one as much as we do.

I Am Your Beast is available on Xbox right now.

I Am Your Beast

Strange Scaffold

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99 $17.99

Get it now

Hunt the military-industrial complex across stylish comic book micro-sandboxes in this fast-paced covert revenge thriller FPS from the developers of El Paso, Elsewhere.

The post What is I Am Your Beast, You Ask? Let’s Ask the Developers appeared first on Xbox Wire.

View the full article

<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/06/25/81011b45/senuassagaenhanced1.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Senua&#039;s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced key art" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>Last month, it was <a href="https://gameinformer.com/2025/05/21/senuas-saga-hellblade-2-enhanced-comes-to-playstation-this-summer">announced</a> that an enhanced version of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was making its debut on PlayStation 5 alongside Xbox and PC. We now know this updated edition arrives on August 12, and a new trailer details the improvements for the first time.</p><p>Formally dubbed Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced, the game boasts a new 60 frames per second Performance Mode (unavailable on Series S), an enhanced Photo Mode, developer commentary, and the return of the Dark Rot Challenge Mode from the first Hellblade. You can read more about each feature in this Xbox Wire post. Additionally, the game will become Steam Deck verified at launch.</p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bOSjv1Nb1-E" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true">&nbsp;</iframe><p>Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced will arrive as a free update for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, and Steam. The Standard Edition of the PS5 version can be purchased for $49.99.</p><p>There will also be a Deluxe Edition for $69.99 that includes a PS5-optimized version of the first game, <a href="https://gameinformer.com/games/hellblade/b/playstation4/archive/2017/08/08/hellblade-senuas-sacrifice-game-informer-review.aspx">Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice</a>, along with its original soundtrack. Those who own the PS4 version of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice can upgrade to the PS5 version for free.</p><p>For more on Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, you can read our original review <a href="https://gameinformer.com/review/senuas-saga-hellblade-ii/conquering-old-demons">here</a>.</p>

View the full article

The second DLC for WWE 2K25, the Dunk & Destruction Pack, is out today, and it's bringing three NBA superstars into the game: Shaquille O'Neal, the Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton, and New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson.

O'Neal's connection to wrestling goes back three decades to a handful of guest appearances in WCW, as well as a one-time appearance backstage at TNA. Shaq also participated in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32 and he had a tag-team match against Cody Rhodes during the latter's stint in AEW.

Neither Haliburton nor Brunson have had wrestling matches in WWE, but they did have a confrontation with each other on WWE Smackdown. Haliburton also had a breakout performance in this year's NBA playoffs before he suffered an Achilles rupture in game seven of the NBA Finals.

The other two additions in the Dunk & Destruction Pack are TNA legend Abyss--who is currently working backstage as a producer for WWE--and WWE hall of fame member The Great Khali. WWE 2K25 is also adding new MyFACTION content including the Amethyst Token Market and a new Bloodline card pack that will debut on June 26. A robotic version of Cody Rhodes, Firefly Funhouse Alexa Bliss, Alexa's Lily Doll, and Nikki Cross '23 will be added for players who bought either the WrestleMania 41 Pack or The Bloodline Edition.

According to the WWE 2K25 season pass roadmap, there are three more DLC packs to be released. The Fearless pack will arrive next month with ECW legend New Jack, NXT's Jordynne Grace, Penta, Bull Nakano, and an unannounced celebrity guest. An Attitude Era Superstars pack will follow in September with D’Lo Brown, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, Victoria, and Mark Henry. The final WWE 2K25 release will be the Saturday Night's Main Event pack in November, with '80s legends Jesse Ventura, Mr. Wonderful, Tito Santana, Junk Yard Dog, and Sid Justice.

View the full article

Actor Jack Black had a role in 2020's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, and he's coming back in Pro Skater 3 + 4 to reprise that character and pull double duty by voicing another one as well.

Black will play Officer "Dick and Dick's UK-born twin, Constable Richard. Both characters are villains, of sorts, meant to represent "the man" trying to ruin everyone's fun by enforcing rules.

Richard Ennvee (see what they did there?) was mocked in his childhood for being a "poser," so he vowed to get revenge by becoming "the long arm of the law," according to Activision.

Game director Kurt Tillmanns told Variety that Activision wanted to carry the character forward to Pro Skater 3 + 4 and "tell a little bit more" of his story, while also expanding things to tell the story of his UK twin. For Constable Richard, Black does a British accent and appears in the London level. Check out the trailer below to get a closer look at Black's two characters.

In other news, Tony Hawk himself has partnered with Taco Bell to create his own special luxe box that includes DLC codes for Pro Skater 3 + 4 in-game items.

Pro Skater 3 + 4 releases on July 11, and as an Activision game, it's coming to Xbox Game Pass at launch. The game can also be purchased outright on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, and Switch 2.

View the full article

Rematch is quickly becoming one of my favorite games of 2025, despite it still feeling a smidge like it's in early access. The choice to transform the fantasy of playing football (soccer for the American folks!) from the traditionally tactical experience seen in most other football games into more of a high-action, mechanically complex throwdown with an emphasis on pulling off acrobatic plays and heroic saves is very cool. It's led to incredibly rewarding moments and crushing defeats, and riding the wave of those two extremes is a big reason why I enjoy games like Rocket League or Apex Legends. It's also why I love Blue Lock, a manga/anime often cited in comparison to Rematch.

"We did see A LOT of players referencing Blue Lock, more than we expected, actually!" Rematch creative director Pierre Tarno told me via email. "We didn't really know it was so popular--it wasn't a major inspiration for the game, though internally some of us do enjoy both manga and anime!"

For the unfamiliar, Blue Lock is about 300 Japanese high school football players getting locked away in a black site training facility overseen by the mysterious mastermind Jinpachi Ego. Ego tells the group they'll be put through a series of trials, all in hopes of honing one of them into the world's best striker--someone so egotistical that they'd sacrifice Japan's irresponsible emphasis on teamwork to selfishly score goals no matter what and lead the Japan national team to victory. The other 299 failures will never be allowed to play on any Japan team again, ending their football careers in the country.

When Rematch was first announced, I remember immediately thinking it looked like Blue Lock.

A lot (and I do mean, a lot) of what you can do in Rematch is similar to what characters do in Blue Lock (who themselves are written to emulate the flashiest, most well-remembered traits of famous football players, turned up to 11). Like Meguru Bachira, you can master dribbling and fast step-overs to cut through the defense single-handed, only passing the ball to teammates who challenge your imagination of what you can do. Like Seishirō Nagi, you can pull off skillful ball takedowns and utilize misdirection, ball control, and acrobatic flair to become a goal-scoring genius. And like Shōei Barō, you can intercept passes meant for teammates (or outright take the ball from them while they're trying to dribble), scoring the goal yourself to steal the show as the match's heel. The opening cinematic of Rematch might highlight the opposite values, but the mechanics of the game allow you to play with ego.

Even the rules and setting of Rematch emulate Blue Lock--one of the earliest (and fan-favorite) arcs focuses on 3v3, 4v4, and 5v5 match-ups where every player is trying to score, there are no off-sides, and the high-tech facility that all the players are contained in verges on futuristic.

Pass? When the goal is right there? I don't think so.

A quick search for "Rematch Blue Lock" will reveal a ton of clips on TikTok and YouTube of people emulating the manga/anime by doing something really cool solo and not passing the ball to their teammates, even when the entire defense collapses upon them. And I can't count the number of times I've been up against or playing alongside someone who has used the character creator to make their player incredibly pale-skinned with short, stark-white hair and a black uniform sporting number 11 (like Nagi), or to give their tan-skinned player dark, medium-length hair with dyed yellow tips and a blue uniform with number 8 (like Bachira).

Obviously, not every person playing Rematch is doing so because they like Blue Lock. I'm sure most of them are like Richard Wakeling, who reviewed Rematch for GameSpot, and came to Rematch because they loved playing the sport in real life (or are just fans of Sloclap's work!). But there is clearly a not-insignificant portion of the playerbase that is jumping into Rematch to embrace their egotistical Blue Lock fantasies and play the hero of the match who scores all the cool goals or pulls off clip-worthy dribbling.

A lot of people in Rematch think they're Nagi.

And yet, despite all those clear parallels, Rematch is not developer Sloclap's attempt to emulate Blue Lock. It's not the team's attempt to emulate really any singular story centered around football.

"The setting and art direction really came from the pillars of the game, rather than from specific pieces of media," Tarno said. "Rematch is a game about the joy of playing football with your friends, about how individual talent is necessary but never sufficient, and at the end of the day, it’s the collective that matters. The focus on teamplay and positive sportsmanship is what drove our choices on setting and art direction: a colorful, positive vision of the future."

Sloclap is hoping Rematch has a positive future itself, and the team is already working on updates to the game beyond the soon-to-come cross-play.

"Emergent strategies and mechanics started appearing [during the beta], but they consolidated during launch week," Tarno said. "Most of them are valid and should not be removed, but one exploit we'll be removing is the 'dolphin jump,' in which players exploit the outfield dive to move faster even when they've run out of stamina. We're considering advanced ways that could be used to optimize movement speed and stamina usage, but this one looks really weird and will be removed!"

The goalkeeper deserves more options to stop the multitude of shots that strikers can take.

Much like other online multiplayer games that came before it, Rematch is evolving as more players jump in, and Sloclap has noted that its vision of Rematch may change to match players' expectations. That probably doesn't mean a Blue Lock crossover is coming (but we live in a post-Fortnite world, so who knows), but other aspects of the game are changing to reflect a shift in focus--such as the way 5v5 has ceased to be the "standard" mode, despite Sloclap setting it up to be the default way to play ranked matches.

"The initial vision we had for the game was a 5v5 experience, which features more tactical configurations, more challenge in making precise passes, and [more development of] your vision of the game dynamics," Tarno said. "The 3v3 game mode is very popular, however, and we're seeing a lot of players requesting a 3v3 ranked queue, so it's really a matter of taste for players."

On that, I agree with the herd. I know Sloclap wants 5v5 to be the experience for Rematch, but the game feels a lot more tactical and strategic when played on the tighter 3v3 and 4v4 fields, and it's easier for the player who's keeper/sweeper to call out the action, stay engaged, and feel useful on the smaller field.

Maybe just give the keeper the ability to pull off a last-ditch shachihoko fish kick to save the ball like Blue Lock's Gin Gagamaru? That would be cool!

View the full article

After getting hit with a delay that bumped its launch out of 2024, Little Nightmares 3 finally has an official release date: October 10. The standard edition has been available to preorder since 2023, but now fans have four editions to choose from, including the Amazon-exclusive Mirror Edition. The $110 edition of Little Nightmares 3 is bound to be a popular pick, as it comes with an assortment of collectibles that are likely to appeal to franchise's dedicated fanbase. Amazon-exclusive editions of games tend to be hot commodities in general, and this one looks pretty awesome and reasonably priced. Little Nightmares 3 will be available on Switch 2, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC at launch.

Physical editions are only available in the US on Switch 2, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X. That said, Little Nightmares 3 has a compelling preorder promotion that's only available to those who buy the digital edition.

---

Little Nightmares 3 Preorder Bonuses

If you preorder a digital copy of Little Nightmares 3 for PlayStation, Xbox, or PC, you’ll get instant early access to Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition ahead of its October release. This offer isn't available on Switch or Switch 2. PS4 and Xbox One players can take advantage of this offer, but since the Enhanced Edition is only available on current-gen consoles, you won't be able to play it until you upgrade to PS5 or Series X|S.

It's worth noting that you won't necessarily miss out on the free Enhanced Edition if you preorder a physical copy. Bandai Namco is offering the Enhanced Edition as a free upgrade to owners of the original when it launches alongside Little Nightmares 3 on October 10. So you'll be missing out on early access, not the game itself.

All physical and digital edition preorders come with the Dark Six Costumes Set to customize the appearance of the game's two protagonists.

Little Nightmares 3: Mirror Edition

There’s one last edition up for grabs, though it’s exclusive to the Bandai Namco Store. The Spiral Premium Edition costs $140, but it gets you everything from the Mirror Edition plus the following:

• Nome controller holder
• Music base
• Collectible coin

The large controller holder is the highlight here, though the double-sided collectible coin would make for a cool knick-knack to toss on your desk. Additionally, the Little Nightmares 3 Diorama is still available, and it’s worth a look if you’re a longtime fan. It's quite small at around 6 inches tall and 3 inches wide, but the collectible is limited to just 1,999 units.

Want to catch up on the action ahead of October 10? Preowned versions of Little Nightmares 2 are available for cheap at GameStop, though you’ll also find copies at Amazon. You don’t necessarily need to have played the first two games before diving into the third, though you’ll likely catch small details you’d otherwise miss--and since they both earned solid reviews, they’re certainly worth a quick playthrough.

View the full article

• Category: Mobile Gaming

Introducing Call of Duty: Mobile Season 6 — Gundams Arrive

The post Introducing Call of Duty: Mobile Season 6 — Gundams Arrive appeared first on Xbox Wire.

View the full article

It's come to light that the Xbox 360--a console originally released in 2005--has just received a new system update. Reddit user trackwalker said they booted up their Xbox 360 to find that the dashboard was updated.

What's new? That's not exactly clear, but replies to trackwalker's post on Reddit mention game thumbnail images no longer appearing stretched out. Others are pointing out that the dashboard now prominently displays ads for the Xbox Series X|S consoles, encouraging people to "experience next-gen performance" by upgrading to a new system.

The Xbox 360 store officially closed in July 2024, at which point hundreds of games and content for them vanished. TrueAchievements reported that also at this time, a number of tiles related to the store got dumped as well, making the dashboard overall look pretty lackluster.

Any backward-compatible Xbox 360 (and original Xbox) games remain available for purchase on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox.com. Online multiplayer support, meanwhile, depends on publishers and developers for Xbox 360 games and wasn't affected by the store's shuttering.

The Xbox 360 generation was a high point for Xbox, with more than 80 million units sold. The Xbox One, released in 2013, reportedly sold worse and the Xbox Series X|S is understood to have underperformed the Xbox 360 as well. Microsoft is now developing a new home console with AMD, in addition to pursuing new branded handhelds like the upcoming Xbox ROG Ally. Microsoft also partnered with Meta for an Xbox-branded VR headset.

View the full article

Like the first game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has several Easter eggs waiting to be discovered, and one of the best is tied to your birthday. If you happen to be celebrating another spin around the sun, the game will pick up on this and the next time you decide to take a break, you'll be greeted with a heartwarming scene that features the main cast. Just don't get too excited about the birthday cake, as it's about to suffer a terrible fate in this short celebration. At least Higgs is here to save the day--for once.

This is a fun treat for players because you can say that Norman Reedus, Lea Seydoux, and several other famous Hollywood faces personally wished you a happy birthday. Sure, they're playing characters inside of a video game, but it still technically counts. It shouldn't be too surprising to see an Easter egg like this in Death Stranding 2, and with the game out this week, players will likely be unearthing a few more secrets in the weeks to come.

Death Stranding had its fair share of them, with some of the highlights being references to game director Hideo Kojima's work on the Metal Gear Solid series, nods to classic literature, and plenty of cameos. If you're looking to catch up on the events of the first game before hopping into the sequel, you can check out our digestible read on the timeline of Death Stranding. Death Stranding 2 is available to play in early access for people who bought the deluxe and collector's editions, and the standard version of it will go live starting June 26.

"Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is fixated on revisiting past ideas, which limits its impact to being a good but not great sequel," Diego Nicolás Argüello wrote in GameSpot's Death Stranding 2 review.

View the full article

<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/06/25/73579fb0/per-coda-keyart.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Per Coda key art" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>Pera Coda is a newly announced narrative adventure game blending time-looping puzzle solving with psychological storytelling. Set in Istanbul, Turkey, it stars a man trying to solve a mystery while trapped in purgatory.</p><p>Protagonist Deniz is an attorney trapped in a looping plane of existence between life and death. Unable to live or die, he must escape by confronting his traumatic memories to find hidden truths, engage in choice-driven branching dialogue exchanges, and solve various mysteries of the world to make emotional breakthroughs and break the cycle. The isometric point-and-click adventure promotes complex interactions through accessible mechanics, and draws inspiration from acclaimed titles like Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds. &nbsp;Check out the teaser trailer below.&nbsp;</p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uhONOEfReXQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true">&nbsp;</iframe><p>“This is both a love letter to our city and a universal human story about guilt, regret, and the search for peace,” says art director Ahmet Kazanci in a press release. He adds that Pera Coda is “rooted in a surreal reimagining of Istanbul, real locations, rich with local nuance and emotional texture that are rarely seen in games. Istanbul becomes both a stage and a mirror, where East meets West, chaos meets calm, and each district reflects a piece of your fragmented self.”</p><p>Pera Coda is being developed by Turkish indie studio Falan, itself an internal developer within indie studio/publisher Elyzio. Pera Coda does not have a release window, but it’s slated to launch for PC via Steam. You can check out a batch of screenshots in the gallery below. &nbsp;</p><p class="inline-rich-content-placeholder">&nbsp;</p> <section class='type:slideshow'><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/e9b117e6/per-coda-9.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/7d0b2736/per-coda-2.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/6fe880c2/per-coda-6.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/6aa7b1ce/per-coda-5.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/793cb8a7/per-coda-4.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/5801463e/per-coda-1.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/886a62a4/per-coda-3.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/429046c6/per-coda-7.jpg'></figure><figure><img src='https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/entity_browser_thumbnail/public/2025/06/25/0f1ccc06/per-coda-8.jpg'></figure></section>

View the full article

Sony is sticking to its guns, and won't be releasing its first party games day one on its PlayStation Plus subscription service.

Read more

View the full article

Palworld's latest major update is live, featuring a crossover with Terraria. Tides of Terraria brings several new features and mechanics to the game. Palworld is also on sale for various platforms, making this a great time for new players to jump in.

Palworld: Tides of Terraria is packed with new content. The game adds a fishing mechanic, and players can now craft fishing rods and bait to catch all-new Pal types. The map continues to expand with three more island types to explore: Tropical, Iceberg, and Shipwreck.

As for the Terraria-specific content, players can tackle the game's Moon Lord as Palworld's latest raid boss. Terraria's Eye of Cthulhu is featured in the promotional art for the update, and this looks to be a Pal-type monster that players can fight and potentially catch. Six new weapons and seven armor pieces from Terraria have been added as well.

Additionally, the update includes the addition of treasure maps, a new NPC mission system, more Pal skills, and several new items to craft for bases. There are also bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements.

For those who have not experienced Palworld yet, this is a great time to jump into the game and explore the Tides of Terraria update. Palworld is currently on sale for 25% off its full price on Steam, Xbox, and the PlayStation Store.

View the full article

Star Wars fans can now explore the franchise's far (far!) away galaxy in detail, as Disney has revealed the official map for the franchise. It includes hundreds of planets--ranging from iconic locations like Coruscant and Naboo to recent additions like Ghorman and Exegol--and the official Star Wars site says that it plans to periodically update the map.

Outside of some very select media, the Star Wars galaxy has been the primary setting for the films, TV series, and spin-offs. Things have been somewhat murky since George Lucas sold the franchise to Disney in 2012, as several of the stories--and by extension, their locations--have been consigned to the non-canonical Star Wars Legends expanded universe, while Disney has forged ahead with establishing its own continuity across the sequel trilogy, the High Republic era, and other transmedia projects. If you're looking for a specific planet on the map, there's a full list of them to explore.

The updated Star Wars map.

Looking over the map--which is based on a 2009 version created for Star Wars: The Essential Atlas--there are several major planets here referencing films like The Phantom Menace, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi. Eagle-eyed cartographers can spot a few planets seen or referenced in video games like Star Wars Outlaws and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Tanalorr can be found in the Varada sector, and given just how important that planet is to Star Wars lore, it's going to be interesting to see what Respawn Entertainment does with it in the upcoming Star Wars Jedi sequel.

Several other Star Wars games are also in development currently, and one of them that we've seen more of lately is Star Wars: Zero Company, a turn-based tactics game set during the final days of the Clone Wars. On the big screen, fans can also expect to see The Mandalorian & Grogu next year and Star Wars: Starfighter in 2027.

View the full article

Palworld: Tides of Terraria is out now, an expansion blending the third-person survival game and the popular sandbox.

Read more

View the full article

Switch 2 owners who purchased Dbrand's Killswitch have been reporting that their Joy-Con 2s detach from the console relatively easily once their controllers have been wrapped in the protective cover. Several users have claimed that the magnetic connection is weakened by the Killswitch case, but Dbrand is preparing to address this as it says anyone suffering from the "manufacturing tolerance issue" can reach out to the company and get a free set of replacement Joy-Con 2 Grips.

Dbrand originally acknowledged this issue in a Reddit post that wasn't too well-received, as it acknowledged an air gap that's crucial in creating resistance between console and controller was filled when the Killswitch was added. Because the lip on the Killswitch eliminated the buffer that was designed to absorb movement between the console and controller--which is needed to create a fulcrum point when you remove the Joy-Con 2s--several users had begun reporting that their console detached from the controllers far too easily.

"When holding the Switch 2 in a specific way, detachment between the Joy-Con 2s and [the] remainder of the console can occur," Dbrand explained. "Some experience this issue. Some do not. This discrepancy is due to a manufacturing tolerance issue on the retaining lip that keeps the Joy-Con Grip attached to the Joy-Con. Anyone who suffers from the manufacturing tolerance issue can reach out and we'll get them better Joy-Con Grips in July. One nuanced point that got a bit lost in the prior update was that there is an alternative to the retaining lip. It's been tested and is already in-market on a few Switch 2 cases. It's adhesive. The problem with adhesive is that, given enough time or the wrong kind of stress, it will ultimately fail."

In our own testing, we did manage to replicate the issue with the Killswitch that several Switch 2 owners have experienced. The catch here is that this did require us to have our Switch 2 held at very specific angles to properly replicate, and we needed to apply some considerable force to the console as well.

While this appears to be an issue that some people are experiencing, the updated version will still be worth grabbing, as the Killswitch does offer some of the best ergonomic support, thanks to its design when compared to competitors like Satisfye and JSAUX. The Killswitch offers ridges for your fingers to rest in, resulting in a comfortable and natural grip.

Check out our previous story on the Killswitch for more details about the grip, including the unique dock adapter, optional travel cover, and bundle options.

View the full article

<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/06/25/88c2ae7c/dreamsofanother1.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="Dreams of Another ferris wheel screenshot" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>PixelJunk developer Q-Games’ next title is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAdoJXfLzgE">Dreams of Another</a>, a surrealist shooter in which players use guns to create the world around them rather than destroy it. After unveiling the game’s standard PlayStation 5 gameplay during a State of Play in February, today the studio revealed footage of how the game’s unique mechanics translate to PlayStation VR2.</p><p>Dreams of Another is a third-person shooter and the brainchild of PixelJunk Eden director, Baiyon. The experience revolves around the theme of “No Creation Without Destruction”, with players following two characters, “The Man in Pajamas” and the “Wandering Soldier,” exploring a dream-like world made from particles. Both utilize standard weapons, including an assault rifle, grenades, and even an RPG, that cause new objects to materialize in the world; shooting can create new walls, trees, or doorways, for example. As players explore the imaginations of both characters, they’ll witness their memories to learn about their interwoven stories while interacting with a strange cast of characters.</p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gE5Wfc99voE" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="true">&nbsp;</iframe><p>The PlayStation VR2 version allows players to switch between first-person and the standard third-person perspective. The VR version takes advantage of eye-tracking to let players shoot something simply by looking at it. A <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2025/06/24/dreams-of-another-ps-vr2-gameplay-revealed/">PlayStation Blog post</a> by Q-Games recommended using the DualSense controller while playing in third-person and the PS VR2 Sense controllers for first-person play.</p><p>Dreams of Another is launching sometime this year for PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR2, and PC.&nbsp;</p>

View the full article

• Category: ID@Xbox

June 25, 2025

The Indie Game Summer Cookout is Here: Indie Selects for June 2025

• Raymond Estrada, Steven Allen, Oscar Polanco, Deron MannID@Xbox Grillmasters

Break out the beach blankets, dust off the ice chest, and unfold those camping chairs because summer is here. The barbecue grill is out and the ID@Xbox team is serving up our hottest indie game picks. It wasn’t easy putting together these Monthly Selects as everyone on the team wanted something different for this cookout.

Being the considerate cook, I made sure to ask everyone the important questions, “How do you like your stakes: cozy or world-ending? Who wants puzzles in their game? I can add RPGs, but let me know if you want skill tree leveling or just upgrades? How many would like some terraforming? How many birds should I throw on? Who brought the duck?” When it was all said and done, our handpicked indie games for June turned out to be quite the spread.

Here’s what we’ve got for you this month (in no particular order):

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is what happens when a life sim and an RPG collide with a dash of time travel for good measure. Developed by Level-5, this sequel to the beloved Fantasy Life lets players take on one (or all) of 14 different Lives, from combat-oriented classes like Mercenary or Paladin to creative paths like Woodcutter, Cook, or Alchemist. The twist? You’re not just leveling up, you’re also building and rebuilding an island across two timelines.

What keeps me coming back is its sheer sense of freedom. Want to fish all day? You can. Want to dive into dungeons? Absolutely. Feel like forging armor in the morning and baking cakes at night? Go for it. Each “Life” (class) feels rewarding and distinct, and the ability to switch between them whenever you like means no playstyle ever feels locked in.

As someone who loves optimizing systems and exploring interconnected mechanics, I was drawn in and captivated. Every Life has its own skill tree, equipment, and crafting systems, and they all feed into each other in clever ways. For example, leveling up as a Miner means you can gather rare ore to use as a Blacksmith, which you can then sell as a Merchant. It’s a gameplay loop that rewards multitasking without being overwhelming.

I’ve found great satisfaction building out my village, experimenting with classes, and diving into both timelines, and it’s the kind of game that scratches multiple itches. Want a bit of combat? Explore a dungeon. Want to relax? Go fishing or furnish your home. The pacing is gentle but steady, with just enough story to keep you curious.

If you’re a fan of games like Dragon Quest Builders, My Time at Portia, or even Stardew Valley, this offers a similarly satisfying sense of progression and control. While the tone is lighthearted and accessible, the depth is there for anyone willing to explore it. Fantasy Life i is more than just charming, it’s cleverly designed and genuinely rewarding. – Steven Allen

FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time

LEVEL5 Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 136

★★★★★

$59.99

Get it now

Step into this Slow-Life RPG where you can freely switch between 14 unique jobs, so called "Lives," and enjoy a carefree life in a fantasy world. Fish, cook, shape the island to your liking, or team up with friends to battle monsters across the vast world. It's up to you to choose what kind of Life you'll live! ■A Dragon Guides You to a Mysterious Island You are an adventurer who sets sail with the archaeologist Edward and his team. Following the light emanating from a dragon's fossil, you discover an uncharted, deserted island. A vast abyss, a dragon made of bone, and a girl's message that begs you to save the world… Travel between the island that thrived 1,000 years ago and the present-day island to unravel the mystery of its downfall! ■14 Unique Lives to Make Yours Brighter In this world, a "Life" is the equivalent of a job. Each has its own characteristics and provides various ways to enjoy yourself. Collect ingredients or materials with Gathering Lives, create weapons or cook dishes with Crafting Lives, or fight monsters with Combat Lives. You can switch between any Life at any time, creating a life that's uniquely yours. ■Shape the Island! Create Your Town! Use Lives to gather materials and restore the island to its former glory! Not only can you place houses and objects, but you can also alter the landscape and draw rivers and roads to create a truly unique island. Expand your house, place some furniture, and decorate the interior however you like! ■Embark on an Open-World Adventure! Freely explore the largest continent in the series! Climb ledges, swim across rivers and lakes, or ride on mounts – With these new actions you can explore the world without limits! ■Endless Fun with Multiplayer! Enjoy multiplayer with up to 4 players! Invite friends to your island, explore dungeons, or find your own ways to have fun together! If you have two controllers, you can also use the 2 Player Family Co-op feature where one player can join the adventure as your travel companion without needing to connect online!

30 Birds

Part 2D-ish narrative puzzle adventure, part creative mythmaking, 30 Birds is a journey through a super fantastical world built based on Persian art and music, asking you to find all the birds to help a world restore their goddess to her rightful throne. If you need something a little more chill, look no further than this quasi-psychedelic, diorama-style adventure that puts you smack dab in the middle of a teeming, incredibly beautiful world as Zig, an intrepid explorer and kind-of-detective.

You’ll navigate a rotating set of panels meant to artfully represent a visually dense metropolis populated by all manner of trippy citizens while attempting to rescue the goddess, Simurgh, from the clutches of a mysterious captor called The Scientist. Is this some parable about Science vs. Art? Possibly, but with its five hour-ish run time, I was more captivated by all the sights and sounds of the ongoing festival that the wildly inventive 30 Birds is stuffed with.

There are puzzles to solve (failure isn’t punitive in this game, you can try as much as you want to solve any given puzzle) and curious creatures/people to meet. You’ll fiddle with musical instruments, collect dropped feathers and paintings, and complete quests in order to restore Simurgh to her rightfully dreamy place in the game’s equally dreamy world. The pace is sedate – all the better to lull you into this game’s imaginative clutches. If you’re looking for a short narrative experience, with some extremely creative design and surprisingly funny, well-written dialogue, then 30 Birds needs to be on your itinerary.

30 Birds

ARTE France

☆☆☆☆☆ 2

★★★★★

$17.99

Get it now

A court of feathers In 30 Birds, you play as Zig, a young detective sent to bustling Lantern City to track down The Scientist. Alongside Hoop, a talented hoopoe stand-up comedian, you'll encounter a whole madhouse of feathered friends and quirky characters as you explore dazzling Lantern City from top to bottom. Solve a variety of puzzles to foil the plans of the obnoxious Scientist behind the kidnapping to save the bird Goddess Simurgh. A dazzling burst of art Experience a seamless blend of 2D and 3D in this mesmerizing narrative adventure, with hand-drawn visuals inspired by Persian miniatures. Wander through the gorgeous neighborhoods of Lantern City while enjoying a ska – dub – reggae inspired soundtrack and help Zig gather thirty charismatic and chatty birds to save Simurgh! But beware, you might come across puzzling challenges on your way… A mind-spinning adventure Discover a gorgeous universe laid out on the surface of rotating lanterns. Wander through a beautiful city inspired by Middle Eastern ****legends, meeting the local goofs, quirky djinns, and regular weirdos along the way. Solve puzzles and interesting challenges to help Zig rescue Simurgh! Key features – Meet riotous and (not-so) charming birds, collect your new feathered friends' contacts on your phone. Thwart diabolical and (not-so) powerful foes and find the fabulous Goddess, Simurgh. – Explore a mythical, colorful, and beautifully hand-drawn world inspired by Persian art! Uncover Lantern City's stunning sights and fantastic characters. – Take on all kinds of thrilling challenges to advance the story! Solve intriguing and fun puzzles, wander around bars and cafes, create funky music using synthesizers, and play cards to gather clues and bring light to Simurgh’s kidnapping. – Vibe out to the energetic ska – dub – reggae soundtrack, sprinkled with unexpected twists, as you stroll down the bright streets of Lantern City. History 30 Birds is developed by Ram Ram Games, a Belgium-based studio whose founders, Coline and Laurent, went through many ideas before this video game came to fruition: "The project started 10 years ago after a trip to Istanbul. Originally, we were making an interactive travel diary using a Persian miniatures-inspired art style to tell people about our journey. But our concept evolved towards a whole new interactive experience of this art through gaming." "Persian miniatures are vertical pictures used as book illustrations, and we came up with the idea of connecting them through a cube layout. By doing so, we connected and expanded the miniatures, introducing a third dimension of depth to the setting at the same time. Halfway between a kamishibai—a Japanese paper theater—and a projection lantern, we created a magic 3D city ready to be explored." "From the lively city of Istanbul to the mystery novel 'My name is Red' by Turkish author Orhan Pamuk, our inspirations are many. The character of Simurgh, a giant god-like bird, comes directly from Persian and various Middle Eastern mythologies. Even, the title of the game—30 Birds—is a play on words with the name "Simurgh", which means “thirty birds” in Farsi. This title is also echoed in the mystical poem, "The Conference of the Birds", by Attar of Nishapur. The poem tells the story of a group of birds led by a hoopoe who go on a journey to meet their god, Simurgh. Thirty of them make it to the ultimate valley only to find a big lake in which they can see their own reflections…" "30 Birds takes inspiration from mythological and philosophical aspects of Middle Eastern and ancient Persian cultures to create Lantern City, and invites players from all over the world to experience the city's mesmerizing atmosphere."

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping

Eugene McQuacklin is back in this sequel to the acclaimed Duck Detective: The Secret Salami. In this narrative detective adventure, you’ll need to interview a cast of animal suspects, thoroughly inspect every piece of evidence, and quack this case. And yes, there are more duck puns in this game. If you haven’t played the first game – which was a previous Monthly Select – just go do it. You don’t need to play the first in order to enjoy or understand this standalone sequel, but it’s just a great series.

These games are bite-sized, super fun, wholesome, and silly. It has all the great film noir detective tropes you could ever ask for, funny writing, great animation, and solid voiceover work. I got through the game over the course of a weekend in around 3 hours, and it’s an experience I absolutely loved.

In this sequel, you’ll explore a glamping site (glamorous camping for the uninitiated), talking to various characters and interacting with the environment in order to solve a set of cases. Using your magnifying glass, you can hover over objects and characters to unlock words that can be used when you’re ready to solve a case. There’s a hint system and the game also lets you know how many words you have wrong, so the game leans more into being entertaining than frustrating. You’ll also find other puzzles you’ll have to figure out like passwords and lock combinations. The gameplay is identical to the first game though a bit more refined, with the big difference being that you now have a sidekick who adds some new puzzles to work through.

Duck Detective is a series I would love to see more of every year. The games are so charming, self-aware, and light-hearted, that you just want to tell everyone to play these games for a long afternoon. If you need something cozy, short, and fun, this fits… the bill (pause for applause). – Raymond Estrada

Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping

Happy Broccoli Games

☆☆☆☆☆ 13

★★★★★

$9.99 $8.99

Get it now

BREAD RED REDEMPTION This campsite might have ghosts, but the real thing haunting Eugene McQuacklin is his failed marriage and bread addiction. Can he escape the shadows of his past? EVERY DETECTIVE NEEDS A SIDEKICK To the annoyance of the Duck Detective, he is joined by a new partner in (solving) crime. Work together to unravel the truth and nibble on the crumbs of justice! THE DETECTIVE RETURNS The Duck Detective is back! Get ready to interview suspects, inspect evidence, and deduce the truth in another stand-alone mystery!

Preserve

Preserve is an eco-terraforming puzzle game that invites you to slow down and build beautiful biomes. It’s a peaceful, meditative experience that rewards curiosity and care. The core gameplay revolves around creating biomes on a map, but it’s far from rigid. You have cards representing terrain, flora, fauna, and even structures and objects, how you place them determines how your biomes evolve. Grouping three of the same kind forms a habitat, which lets you introduce species and earn harmony points. As your harmony points increase new cards are added to your deck and the map expands.

There are two main ways to play: Puzzle Mode and Classic Mode, the latter of which lets you gradually expand your map and unlock new cards by reaching harmony point milestones. I started with the tutorial and was surprised to realize I’d quickly spent hours building, adjusting, and just enjoying the moment before I even started the main game. There’s also a Creative Mode letting you build your perfect ecosystem.

Preserve offers four major environments: Continental, Marine, Savanna and, my personal favorite, Jurassic. The visuals are beautiful without being overwhelming, and the music soft, ambient, and spa-like. Camera controls can feel tricky at first, but it quickly becomes natural. The game trusts you to learn naturally – for example bees are placed in open and flowery fields, not forest or rocky terrains.

Preserve is more than a strategy game, it’s an open invitation to slow down, listen to nature, and create something beautiful. If you’re looking for a thoughtful escape with stunning visuals and a deeply calming atmosphere, Preserve brings harmony, one biome and habitat at a time. – Oscar Polanco

Preserve

Grindstone

☆☆☆☆☆ 4

★★★★★

$14.99

Get it now

Preserve is a puzzle nature-building game that takes players on a journey into a harmonious ecosystem. The objective is to foster and sustain a thriving and diverse biomes, where each component coexists in a symbiotic harmony. By utilizing strategic thinking and a keen eye for balance, players are granted the power to position a wide array of plants and animals, curating an environment that caters to their preferences and aspirations. Vertical map expansion – In Preserve, you can expand the map not only horizontally, but you also posses an ability to stack layers of nature, forming a vertical network of interconnected habitats. Diverse biome habitats – From alpine forests and savannas to carribean reefs, each biome will have its own unique set of plants, animals, and environmental challenges to discover and overcome. Multiple Game Modes – Besides regular harmony and puzzle game modes, creative mode lets you build the land without limitations and photo mode allows you to capture and share your creations at the end of each session. Natural Wonders – Nothing can beautify your map more than natural wonders like the snowy Alps, lavender fields or redwood forests, which you can acquire thanks to a unique card upcycle system.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 is the finale of a series of tactical, dramatic RPGs that began on Xbox back in 2021. The series has received critical and audience praise, so if you have some room on your backlog, we’d recommend picking up the Fuga: Melodies of Steel 1 & 2 Double Pack. However, if you’re like me and struggle with way too many games to play and too little time, it’s not necessary to play the first two games, as the game does a great job of trying to catch you up with a summary of both games.

The main plot revolves around a group of anthropomorphic children that discover Taranis, a giant super-tank, after their village and families had been attacked by an evil empire. They use the tank to take down the empire along with some dark gods and other formidable foes. This game immediately picks up after the 2nd game’s true ending, where our main character is kidnapped and the remaining children must rescue him and prevent a new war.

The game is split into 12 chapters, with each chapter seeing our group of a dozen or so kids hitting major plot twists, mysteries, and character moments along the way. You take control of the Taranis in turn-based combat –  the tank has three gun slots, each controlled by two characters. Depending on who you have slotted will determine the type of gun (machine gun, cannon, grenade launcher) and the gun’s passive boost. The enemies have different weaknesses based on one of those three gun types. You can swap characters at any time, but there is a cool down period, so you have to be careful not to do so at inopportune time.

There’s also a combo system that rewards you with bonus damage each time you attack enemy weak points. Between missions you will hit intermission periods for a chance to regroup and interact with all the characters to build affinities between characters. You can also take the opportunity to unlock new skills and upgrade your tank.

The most unique and dark aspect of the gameplay I found was the Soul Cannon ability, which will allow you to win any fight of the game, but you have to sacrifice the life of one of the characters (yeah, dark). Even worse, if you’re under half health, the longer a fight goes on, the more likely the game will force you to pull the trigger in order to escape the loss. Here’s the real kicker: the game instantly saves once you use the Soul Cannon in order to prevent you from redoing the fight. When this finally happened for me, it felt truly tough, but the game really pushes you to press on even with the loss. This gameplay aspect created a very distinctive set of stakes that I don’t think I’ve experienced before.

Visually and musically the game is very appealing, with fantastic character designs and a score that always seems to match the tone. Turn-based RPG fans with a love for dramatic narratives need to jump into this series, but if you’re already a fan of the series, this is the conclusion you’ve been waiting for –  it’s a no-brainer to pick up. – Raymond Estrada

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3

CyberConnect2

☆☆☆☆☆ 7

★★★★★

Get it now

Pre-Order Bonus: Receive this bonus content by pre-ordering Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 – Standard Edition ・Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 – 10000 In-Game Currency ・Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 – Early Game Upgrade Materials Unveil the Source of the World's Despair! Malt has vanished without a trace! The children are led by a mysterious voice into the forbidden cave, where they discover the Taranis—the powerful tank thought lost in the sea of clouds. Determined to save Malt, the children reboard the Taranis and set off on a daring mission to infiltrate the heart of the Berman Empire. However, the Crimson Knights stand in their way, strongest of the Berman! Brand-New Battle System The battle system has undergone substantial changes. Weakness combos allow you to exploit enemy weaknesses and deal escalating damage with every hit, and assist attacks allow erstwhile enemies and a legendary warrior from past games to join forces and turn the tide of battle! Upgraded Intermission Intermission now features an upgraded system to evolve the Taranis to its ultimate form! Unlock its hidden powers with the Omega Terminal and master new Taranis Skills to aid your journey! Strategic Route Progression and Event Battles Explore new strategic features like Power Spots to unlock the Taranis's hidden abilities and Assist Transmissions that allow you to interact with supporting characters. Discover secret events through the Akasha Panel, which lets you navigate a timeline to change your fate! Step beyond despair, anger, and tragedy in Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3, where heart-wrenching decisions lead to the series' most emotional and shocking story yet! *It's not necessary to play Fuga: Melodies of Steel or Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 to enjoy Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3.

The Sinking City Remastered

The Sinking City Remastered is a 3rd person, eerie, investigative horror game that blends survival elements with a heavy dose of Lovecraftian weirdness. You play as Charles Reed, a private investigator whose string of disturbing visions lead him to the partially submerged city of Oakmont, Massachusetts. As soon as you arrive, you can tell something is off with Oakmont. Beyond the obvious, “our city was destroyed, and our economy has been whittled down to bullets, cigs and booze” energy displayed by all the characters, the atmosphere always gives off the impression that there’s something else going on behind the scenes.

At its core, The Sinking City is an open-world detective game. Investigations are central to the experience, and the game leans into that with mechanics like the Mind’s Eye and Mind Palace – Mind’s Eye lets you uncover hidden clues in the environment, while the Mind Palace allows you to connect evidence and draw conclusions. These systems work well together and make clue-gathering feel like a real part of the gameplay loop—not just a checklist.

Combat is available, but limited by design. Ammo is scarce and resources need to be crafted, meaning you’ll spend just as much time avoiding conflict as you will confronting it. This engaged me with the core work of investigation, allowing me to dive deeper into the exploration aspects rather than running through guns blazing. You’re eventually introduced to the Infested Zones which are high-risk areas full of enemies and rewards, forcing you to weigh every decision before stepping inside. The first time I entered one, I saw a chest, looted it, and dipped. I’m the type that will survive the horror movie – but, of course, I eventually became curious as to what really lurked in them.

What I love most about the game is the atmosphere. The city is layered with tension – political, supernatural, and social. The flood didn’t just reshape the geography; it reshaped how people live, interact, and treat outsiders. It’s a small and often overlooked detail in most games, but it adds weight to the worldbuilding and left me wanting more as the story developed.

If you’re into slow-burn mysteries, survival horror, and games that prioritize investigation over action, The Sinking City is one worth exploring. Just be prepared, Oakmont doesn’t hand out answers easily. – Deron Mann

The Sinking City Remastered

Frogwares

☆☆☆☆☆ 80

★★★★★

$49.99 $24.99

Get it now

Experience the Lovecraftian horror of The Sinking City in a whole new light. This Unreal Engine 5 remaster brings the game's eerie atmosphere to life with stunning visuals and enhanced features. Dive into Oakmont's mysteries and unravel the city's descent into madness. Remaster Highlights: – Lumen Global Illumination and ray tracing – 4K textures and extra environmental details – Performance (prioritizes frame rate) and Quality (prioritizes visual fidelity) modes – Photo mode – Improvements to controls, combat, game balance, crowds, and tutorials Game Description: The Sinking City is an adventure and investigation game set in an open world inspired by the universe of H.P. Lovecraft, the master of Horror. The half-submerged city of Oakmont is gripped by supernatural forces. You're a private investigator, and you have to uncover the truth of what has possessed the city… and the minds of its inhabitants. Game Pillars: – An oppressive atmosphere and story inspired by the universe of H.P. Lovecraft. – A vast open world that can be explored on foot, by boat, in a diving suit… – High replay value thanks to an open investigation system: each case can be solved in a number of ways, with different possible endings depending on your actions. – An arsenal of weapons from the 1920s with which to take on nightmarish creatures. – Manage your mental health to untangle the truth behind the madness.

The post The Indie Game Summer Cookout is Here: Indie Selects for June 2025 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

View the full article

Taco Bell has announced a crossover promotion with Tony Hawk to help promote the launch of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 in July. Taco Bell is rolling out a new Build Your Own Luxe Cravings Box starting July 11, and it includes in-game DLC for Pro Skater 3 + 4.

Hawk's BYOLCB includes food inspired by what the man himself ate when he was younger and on a budget, including a cheese quesadilla, crunchy taco, chips and nacho cheese sauce, and a Lipton iced tea. Hawk said, "Taco Bell was my fuel in the early days... it kept me going while I was chasing dream."

Eat like Hawk.

Additionally, Taco Bell and Uber Eats are partnering to create the Pro Skater Bundle. Available now exclusively in the Uber Eats app, the bundle includes everything in the Tony Hawk luxe cravings box for around $7 USD. It also comes with a demo code for Pro Skater 3 + 4.

Then on July 11, people can buy Hawk's BYOLCB to get new in-game items each week. The schedule can be seen below.

• 7/11–7/17: Salsa Verde Skateboard
• 7/18–7/24: Taco Bell Hoodie
• 7/25–7/31: Taco Bell Sweatpants
• 8/1–8/7: Verde Grip Tape
• 8/8–8/13: Taco Bell Puffer Vest

You don't have to buy any tacos to have Taco Bell thrown in your face for Pro Skater 3 + 4, as Taco Bell restaurants will appear in the background of "select" maps in the game.

Pro Skater 3 + 4 releases on July 11, and as an Activision game, it's coming to Xbox Game Pass at launch.

View the full article

Strange Scaffold's I Am Your Beast was one of GameSpot's picks for the best PC-exclusive games of 2024. In the developer's follow-up to El Paso, Elsewhere, PC players stepped into the role of former secret agent Alphonse Harding. Now, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S owners are getting their chance to play I Am Your Beast.

On June 25, I Am Your Beast will officially go live on PSN and Xbox Live. In the game’s story, Harding has left his life of espionage and action behind him, even when his former employers at the Covert Operations Initiative try to entice him back for one final mission. When Harding turns down COI, it responds by sending countless agents to put him in an early grave. As you might expect, Harding takes that personally, and he's the wrong guy to mess with.

The newly released ports include I Am Your Beast's free expansion, which was released last November. Nine new levels were added to the game, as well as an epilogue that gave players even more ridiculously over-the-top action. The epilogue is taken from the accounts of the few COI agents who managed to survive Harding's wrath, and in their retelling he has superhuman abilities that break the laws of reason and physics.

I Am Your Beast was ported to iOS earlier this year without the added features that were included in the expansion. However, the mobile version of the game is also receiving a major update that will make it "feature-complete" with all of the material included with its PC and console ports. But on any platform, it's one of the best shooters to play in 2025.

View the full article