Kraven

I feel like I woke up in the Twilight Zone this morning. Konami is actually caring, and seemingly releasing promising games again? I don’t know what world I’m living in right now.

I’ve played about an hour but it’s good. I wouldn’t say it’s great just yet—I want to see how the game evolves over time. The combat does feel crunchy, and good. It has Metroidvania aspects which I’m excited about because you’ll obviously unlock new abilities as you go, and the way the maps are set up, I think they will be very interesting.

This was the highlight of the show for me. I’m so happy Konami hasn’t forgotten about Castlevania, because for a long time I thought they had. This will be a day one purchase, and I love the title for the game.

It looks so good. I trust Remedy in just about anything they create, so this is high on my most anticipated list for the year.

I was praying for a shadow drop, but at least there is a hopeful release date soon, perhaps April. I’ve been dying to play this, aside from the demo.

I bought it without an hesitation. I will definitely be playing this evening when I get home from work!

The first game is one of my all time favorites. It came out at an interesting time for me—just when I was a teenager, and finding things that really inspired me. That game, along with a few others, defined my PS2 era. I can’t wait for this remake.

Solid A for me! There were a ton of announcements, and surprises. 2D God of War is finally real, and I will definitely be playing it tonight! And of course, the highlight of the show for me is a new Castlevania! It looks incredible.

This was a huge surprise, and I think it looks awesome! The first one was really good.

Damn, this is awesome! Absolum was one of my favorite games last year, and this is a great reason to jump back in.

This sounds better and better, and maybe a “forever game” without the live service. I really, really hope this game delivers. It’s clear they are confident in their product due to the amount of footage released, so fingers crossed 🤞

I personally loved this game, and I thought despite its flaws, there were interesting aspects to it. Combat was awesome, and really versatile, and the Metroidvania aspects were well done. The only real problem was the map design—it was confusing. But I think this game is underrated; it’s the perfect 7/10 type of game.

Dang, that’s a huge get. I’m sure we will also get more announcements during the State of Play, so I’m excited to see the upgraded list.

Is the internet ever kind to games nowadays? It’s exhausting.

@Dragoon1994 It’s essentially a sure fire assumption it will come to PS5; every other Xbox game has and is coming to the console.

I’d love to try the game out again. When it first released, I was enamored with Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion, along with BG3. I never really gave the game a fair shake. Hopefully, a deep dive into the PS5 version will showcase new updates and additions to improve the overall gameplay experience.

Bummer about the review, but I’ll still pick it up on a deep sale.

I think we will get a second trailer for Intergalactic, a FF7 Part 3 teaser with the name shown, Santa Monica’s new game, and I hope we will get a shadow drop or a release date for Mina The Hollower.

This should be a banger—but I’ll keep my expectations in check. I, however, have no doubt there will be numerous games that are up my alley, though!

I can see the inspiration. I’ve defeated up to 10 bosses now, and some of them felt like muscle memory from when I was playing Lies of P. It’s been a brilliant, but grueling experience thus far.

I’ve kind of been in a funk, so I think I’m going to take a brief hiatus from gaming until Resident Evil Requiem releases, or perhaps Yakuza 3 Kiwami, if the reviews are solid. I sincerely haven’t gone longer than a singular day playing something for over five years, but I think it’ll be good to step away.

I have, however, been reading a lot more than usual — I do it often, but as of late I’m more ferociously. My wife convinced me to read the Fourth Wing series. I was skeptical because, as much as I love fantasy, the steamy romance scenes aren’t my cup of tea, so I went in expecting to dislike the book(s). Several days later, I finished all three books. They were quite incredible. I’m now reading The Will of the Many by James Islington, and it’s fantastic. The world building has been incredible, and the setting has my imagination running wild.

I’m cautiously optimistic. This game seems so ambitious that it feels impossible to meet expectations, but I hope it succeeds in every possible way. It looks incredible.

Absolute peak.

I don’t have much of an update from last weekend. I’m still playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake for the Switch 2. I’m approximately 65% through the story and absolutely enthralled despite beating the game multiple times on PS4/5. In fact, I may replay the game on PlayStation and get the platinum trophy since SqE essentially updated the game with “God mode” availability.

I have to say, though, after completing Rebirth and having more perspective on the story direction, it makes the first game even better.m due to its contextual gravity. You pick up subtle story beats, and character interaction and dialogue makes more sense. I think it is an impressive feat to have a sequel — Rebirth — that makes its predecessor —Remake — even better.

I can’t wait to see how Rebirth performs on the Switch 2. It’s remarkable how well optimized the Remake is, and how smooth the gameplay feels even though the frame-rate dips in a few cinematics. I’m not sure how it’s going to be pulled off considering how much larger it will be.

All of that said, these games feel tailored made for handheld and portability. I can’t imagine playing it any other way. It draws out a sense nostalgia, being a kid, staying up late when school was canceled because of snow and ice, and being a foot away from the television, my eyes glued to the screen. It’s the same reason why I have an affinity with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the GBA. It feels personal; intimate, and that’s when a franchise is elevated to GOAT status.

There is so much ambition in this game that I’m afraid there will be something that is lacking. I’m hoping it’s not a culmination of all things - story, gameplay, and open world design - where on the surface it is amazing, but it’s not great in any given department. With that said, the game looks absolutely amazing. I really hope the developers pull this off because this could be a monumental achievement.

I’m glad people are giving this game praise. I strongly dislike a lot of gaming culture, where they hate on a game before it’s even released, and for no real reason, mind you, and attempt to sabotage work a developer worked hard on. It’s really disheartening. While the game isn’t for me, I happy to see it being good. I hope it finds an audience.

I picked up MIO: Memories In Orbit since it has been getting great reviews. I have to say, the reviews are in the mark — this game is awesome, but hard as hell.

I find the game to be quite excellent. There is a feeling of minimalism in a gorgeous, cell-shaded world. There are some moments with the soundtrack that brings me back to how I felt playing Death Stranding 1 & 2 because of how quiet it can be. That is an odd comparison, but very fitting.

The environments are all unique, although very similar to Hollow Knight and the Ori games. While it is familiar, it provides its own spin on how to traverse the world, and the dangers it presents. Speaking of, the platforming can be demanding, but the satisfaction you obtain by completing an obstacle is so rewarding. Just be prepared for a lot of trial and error.

The sense of progression is paced very well. There is always a stream of new abilities, with a plethora of combat modifiers and enhancements that can help during tough situations. Some of the unmissable abilities do seem useless, particularly the dodge mechanic. It essentially turns you invisible for a short period of time, but since most enemies are robotic in nature, there attacks are delayed and will hit you once you finish the dodge.

There are two issues I have with the game. Save points are very sparse, and the idea of backtracking can be really frustrating. You can easily die in two hits, and you’re going to because you’ll encounter new enemies with unique skill sets that you’re unlikely to know at the start. It’s basically trial by fire. You’ll eventually unlock shortcuts and abilities - a trope with the genre - but even then it can be a hassle.

The other quibble I have, albeit minor, are the boss fights and enemies. They are challenging, but not too demanding. However, they do tend to be repetitive in their aesthetic design. The fights themselves are varied, but when they tend to look the same they all feel disjointed. There are some enemies and bosses that have a big difficult spike — I’m looking at you Atmos — and it can be irritating where they spawn.

With that said, the accessibility options are fantastic. I’ve yet to use them, but they do assimilate problems where people struggle during difficult games such as Silksong. For example, there is an assist option that allows you to regain one health node when standing still. These won’t stack, so it’s a little reprieve from automatic death. Eroded Bosses will make boss fights weaker upon each failed attempt. If you combine that with some of the combat modifiers, it will help immensely.

Overall, I find MIO: Memories In Orbit to be a standout indie for the beginning of 2026.

I’m also playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake for the Switch 2. I’ve beaten this game three times for the PS4 & PS5, but I couldn’t resist the option for portability. I have been playing the game exclusively in handheld, and the game looks and runs silky smooth, with frame rate only dipping periodically in cutscenes. It feels like a dream to have a game like this I can take on the go.

I don’t care much for mini-games in video games, but I was so addicted to this. I would love a standalone title, or as someone else mentioned, a mobile game.

It looks cool, but also like many other games in its genre. Honestly, not much stood out for me. I’m still interested, and I’ll more than likely play it, but unfortunately this trailer didn’t do much to get me hyped. Also, out of a personal preference, I kind of like the more cartoony look of the original games.

@SleepyNick MIO is pretty awesome. I’ve put in about 7 hours so far. I highly recommend it.

@MrPeanutbutterz I’m not discounting the fact that there are games exclusively tied to PS5 that aren’t on PS4. My argument is that the console hasn’t reached its potential because it has been held back, not only a large market of PS4 players (probably live service, most of them), but Covid, and increased development time for games.

It would have been nice to get Horizon Forbidden West—one of my favorite games of all time, actually—as a PS5 exclusive. It was on PS4 as well, same goes for God of War Ragnarok. There are maybe a handful of AAA games on the PS5 that show the consoles potential. We haven’t even seen a new property Naughty Dog game other than remakes. We haven’t seen Santa Monica other than a release on both PS4 and PS5, and the list continues. In fact, whatever new games they are working on may be launch titles for the PS6.

I know development time is much harder and longer to previous generations. My personal problem is that this console generation feels like it has barely started, and then we are going to get a PS6. In my opinion, I wish the new PS console wouldn’t release until at least 2028-2029 at the earliest, instead of the rumored 2027.

This is just a personal opinion of mine. My view can be completely different than everyone else’s, and mine might even be completely wrong. I do appreciate the games we have that are for PS5 only, but there should be more. If it wasn’t for Sucker Punch or Insomniac I don’t know if this generation would have been worth it, if you’re looking for specifically buying a new console for the exclusives. The third party support has been incredible for this generation, though. It reminds me a lot of the PS2 era.

Are we finally going to get the ultimate transition, and have games be made solely for PS5 rather than both consoles? I’m ready to see what this generation of consoles can truly do. We have had glimpses of its ability, but nothing close to its full potential.

I’m playing Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. I’m in the beginning stages in Chapter 3. It’s been a while since a video game has had me really plan and strategize—no pun intended—with party composition and classes.

The gameplay loop is very addicting, but not entirely overwhelming. It introduces new mechanics at a steady pace, and eases your understanding of transitioning into different classes. Once you grasp how the systems work, you’ll begin to appreciate the multi-layered depth the game offers.

As of now, my main character is classed as a Geomancer/Archer, paired with a Ninja Dragoon Knight that has martial arts abilities and a Black Mage Chemist Orator. We are annihilating enemies with ease. The seems to be a limitless amount of options to suit your preferred play-style.

The story is also compelling, and seems shockingly relevant (kidnapping a princess?). It’s one of these tales that isn’t gloom and doom for the sake of shock value—it has a purpose behind its brutality. With its excellent voice acting immersing you into its conflicts, to the motivations of its characters, you feel part of its strife.

The setting may be fictional, but there are many current commonalities. Life was difficult back in that time period, but hasn’t changed hundreds of years later. Friends can become enemies; motivations for your actions can be environmental; money, materialism, and social status is often more important than a person’s heart; and politics can cloud a person’s rationale.

All of this perturbation translates itself to the video game itself. It’s a reflection of life: strategizing and planning. It will often be difficult. Similar to the various maps—which are beautiful, cardboard cutout sceneries—there will be bumps in the road. You can and sometimes will permanently lose members close to you, but you will also grow stronger by sticking together.

Maybe I’m reading too much into things, and creating analogies where there aren’t none. In the last four months, my personal life has had some turbulence-from breaking my back, my mother-in-law passing, and my own mother getting diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. In the midst of all this, I’ve had to change “classes” by being who I truly am at home to masking it all whilst at my job. My wife and I have grown stronger from all of this, creating an even sturdier unbreakable bond. And compatible to my marriage, Final Fantasy Tactics is going to be an all-timer for me.

@somnambulance Yes, Mina the Hollower is actually my most anticipated game of the year. I hope we get some new info soon.

The Eternal Life of Goldman is a game I’ve had my eye on for a while. I hope it turns out well!

I finished all of the prominent side quests and companion missions that I want to in Divinity Original Sin 2, so now I’m focusing on beating the game. I’m hoping to have it wrapped up in a couple of days—and I’m sure I’ll somehow get distracted by another side quest(s) despite saying I am fulfilled.

I did start Donkey Kong Bananza finally. I can acknowledge how great the game is, and its overall delightfulness, but it’s not for me. I find it to be too dense in its content. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an incredible achievement to have a game be tailored toward absolute destruction, yet at its core still be a platforming experience. That’s hard to do, and it’s done immaculately, with an ample amount of secrets, and provides an organic sense of player freedom and expression, it’s ultimately detrimental to my enjoyment.

Sometimes, there is simply too much content. I shouldn’t feel overwhelmed by a 3D platformer. Granted, a lot of my feelings could be remedied if I focused primarily on getting to point A to point B, but that’s not how I play video games. As a result, I feel completely disconnected. That’s okay, though; not every game is meant for everyone regardless of how critically acclaimed it may be.

My goal is to earnestly start Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. It has sat on my cross media bar for months, tempting me regularly, only to be too intimidated to start since I’ve been playing meaty RPGs as of late. Interestingly enough, I’ve never played this game; my time was spent with the Gameboy Advance version, and I have fond memories of it. I’m looking forward to seeing why this game is hailed as one of the best in its genre, if not the greatest.

This is one of the few Dragon Quest games I haven’t played. I own it in my 3DS, but have always been intimidated by how long the game seemingly is. I think I will finally jump in when the game releases; more than likely on the Switch 2 since I prefer RPGs in handheld.

I finally reached Act 3 in Divinity Original Sin 2. I’m still utterly blown away by the depth this game has to offer, not only from a gameplay perspective, but also its quests and companions.

But in terms of combat, I’ve usually always play as a barbarian or rogue assassin/archer, yet I’ve grown to be enamored with the sorcerer class. It’s been a blast — quite literally — and it’s incredibly OP if you can use the right talents, and have equipment that provides elemental buffs. This may just be my “go-to” class for future games, or even existing ones such as Baldur’s Gate 3.

And then there are the quests, main and side that continue for multiple chapters. I love how open-ended they can be, and really matter depending on your choices. I’m seeing ramifications for my actions in Act 1 as I venture into the final act. Oh, I’m also befriending members of the Black Ring and then betraying them in the utmost satisfying ways.

I’m really curious to see how much Larian continues to evolve with their new Divinity game. I personally believe Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of, if not the best game ever made on different levels, so to expand on their expertise is going to be very interesting.

I think now, I feel comfortable dipping my toes into another game to play in between sessions in Divinity; Cronos The New Dawn has been tempting me for months.

Claire Obscur is the best choice in my opinion. It’s a soundtrack I listen to on a regular basis, and that’s rare for me. With that said, I’m glad Silksong is on the list. I thought it had a very good score, particularly during its final boss fights.

I hope one of these announcements will be Metaphor heading to the Switch 2, unless they are keeping it strictly Personal related.

@MrStark He could have worded his thoughts better, but he himself also commented saying he agreed with my interpretation. Regardless of how it was written, his thoughts coincide with mine and that’s not something that can be debated—again, despite how it was phrased.

@MrStark I think you might be misinterpreting it. I think (and I could be wrong) he was implying that the game was so good, and as the majority of other people, it was their GOTY, so his answer was obvious. I don’t think he wished it to be different, rather he couldn’t give a different answer because of how good the game is.

@awp69 I agree. I don’t understand why people have to comment about another game that’s relatively unrelated to what the article is about. It’s similar to Nintendo forums where all people do is talk about Game Key Cards even though the topic is completely different.

Ghost of Yotei is a great game—I even got the platinum for it. However, a week or two after completing it, I started to realize something: I might be getting burned out on the Sony formula for first party games. As much as I love the brand, trophies, and games, it is starting to feel as if I’m playing the same first party game with every new release; they are all blending in together as one. It’s one of the main reasons why I haven’t felt compelled to play other games I bought due to that reason. All of that ranting is to say that I don’t believe it should be that high on the list, but I can understand why it is as well.

This weekend has snuck up on me. I’ve yet to prepare throughout the week about what game(s) I’ve been playing. The tl;dr version is Divinity Original Sin 2. I’m in Act 2 now, and let me just state for the record - the opening hour left me devastated. I truly wasn’t expecting the implications of my choices to play such a pivotal role fairly early in the game, but I was wrong. But hey, I can talk to ghosts now, so that’s cool.

Silksong for me. I didn’t like the original Hollow Knight, but its sequel is one of my all time favorite games. It’s crazy how drastic the difference is for me personally. With that said, Absolum and Ball x Pitt are exceptional as well.

BG3 is one of the greatest games ever made. Up until now, nobody had a clue that AI was used in some of their work. So, the question is, why is it a big deal all of a sudden? Does it somehow make the game lesser than? No. The same goes with Clair Obscur. I’m not saying I am for AI — I am definitely not — but I’m wise enough to know that it will make some lives easier regarding game development, and if the recent articles leaking out about BG3 and Clair Obscur were never brought to the light then everyone would still be praising the games, none the wiser. TL;DR - get over it.

This weekend I am playing Divinity Original Sin 2 for the first time. I’m unsure why it took me so long to sample it considering BG3 is one of my all time favorite games. My assumption was that Baldur’s Gate 3 was a culmination of the Divinity franchise, so am I really missing anything? The answer is a resounding yes.

I had the day off work Tuesday and zero obligations for the day, so I decided why not. What I thought would be an hour of time wasted before returning back to Night City turned out to be eight hours—my wife’s entire work shift—and I’ve just now left Fort Joy.

I’m already attached to the party members I have. Their questlines have started off significantly strong, and with the brief quests I’ve tackled in the first area, I can see how my decisions will more than likely have long-lasting implications.

What I find impressive is how rich and alive the world feels. There is an abundant amount of options to approach each quest. This level of player freedom provides an immense level of independence that results in reactionary results from NPCs and the game world. The world is your oyster, and it’s up to you on how it turns out.

With that said, I hope there is an option to respec your character. More often than not I struggle in RPGs with making particular builds—whether that’s from equipment, what stats and attributes to give each character, and party composition. I could remedy this by watching YouTube tutorials but it dampens my experience with discovering things myself.

My only complaints are the mission structure, but that’s becoming easier to navigate and understand; and the controls. It’s a bit archaic in terms of managing party members and equipment - it is clearly meant for PC (I’m playing on the Nintendo Switch 2) so I can’t fault it entirely. Nonetheless, those grievances are minuscule compared to the overall product.

I don’t understand how Larian does it, but they are masters of their craft. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them, but I can presume it will turn out incredible.

@AndyKazama It probably will since Ball x Pitt has more content planned for next year. If not, you are right: they should.

BG3 is one of my favorite games of all time, so I can only imagine how good (potentially) their next project will be. I have never played Divinity - Original Sin 2 and others - but I did purchase it yesterday once it got a Switch 2 upgrade. I’ll be trying it out sometime this evening.