Blight: Survival has reemerged with a new gameplay trailer — and its developers are promising big news in 2026 after a whopping 1.5 million Steam wishlists.
In a new development update, publisher Behaviour Interactive, of Dead by Daylight fame, and developer Haenir Studio, announced small scape playtests to help shape the game’s future.
Blight: Survival is a medieval co-op action horror game whose 2022 announcement trailer — an early look at gameplay — has seen 3.9 million views on IGN’s YouTube channel alone. The new trailer, below, shows new in-engine footage showcasing combat finishers.
After the trailer went viral and those Steam Wishlists piled up, Ulrik Langvandsbråten, creative director and cofounder at Haenir Studio, partnered with Behaviour and set about rebuilding Blight’s core systems from the ground up.
In an interview with IGN, Ashley Pannell, senior creative director on Blight: Survival at Behaviour Interactive, acknowledged the pressure the team is now under following its viral success and the weight of so many Steam Wishlists, but said the pressure will result in a better game.
“We understand the heightened expectations of what we are being asked to deliver upon here,” he said. “What I personally really love about this is somehow the zombie trope is so powerful that it’s such an all- encompassing thing that we just have to deliver on those expectations to the best of our ability. And that’s really our goal every day, is to try and reach that benchmark to work towards those goals. And yeah, it absolutely is a big responsibility for us to do that. But one of the things that we have as a result of this, is that we have a community with us, and we have a group of people who are on this journey with us. We’re not alone here. It wasn’t just comments from three years ago. And even now, we are doing small scale play tests with members of the community, with the team, to really try and fulfill those expectations and make sure that we deliver on the game that A, they thought it was going to be, and B, that we believe that it can be at the same time.
“So we’re on a journey together. We may have not been loud to the world, but we’ve been very active with our community, talking to our community, making sure that we get their feedback whenever we can. And like I said, even through actual small scale playtesting already, which we’re doing regularly.”
2022 feels like a long time ago now, and gamers have been burnt before by Steam games that have either failed to meet expectations, failed to even come out, or scammed customers outright. People are more sceptical now of flashy, ‘too good to be true’ gameplay reveal trailers from unknown developers than they perhaps were just a few years ago. And this is something Pannell said the team is well aware of.
“From a dev team perspective, we obviously know that we’re building a real game every day, every moment,” Pannell said. “So on a day-to-day basis, as a creator, I tend not to think too much about it. But it’s true. It’s absolutely true and correct that obviously people have been burned by things that have been released. Our goal is to ultimately, as we move forward, prove that we are making a real game, that it is awesome. We’re focusing on the fun, we’re focusing on the things that really matter to making a good quality, fun game that fulfills these expectations.
“We do talk about it. We do think about it. It does, like anything, that worries us. But then 10 years before that it was, did you have a loopbox in your game? 10 years before that it was something else. There’s always something to worry about. And I guess our goal is to manage the expectations and make sure that as we move forward and develop, that we release what we think is right. What is good, what is right and what is fun? And how can we deliver this message in a way that is meaningful to people and especially our community that if anyone is primed for a fall, it’s the people who started coming along for the ride in the first place. So yeah, it’s a thing we think about, but I wouldn’t say it dominates our thoughts. I mean, certainly, before we had this meeting, we had like, this could come up. It’s a thing that is real in the world right now and it’s important to be able to tackle.”
So, what is Blight: Survival? It’s an action horror co-op game set in a brutal medieval world. “It is a game where tension beats at the heart of the whole experience,” Pannell explained. “So I’m not going to land directly on any obvious genres here other than that overall thing. So as a player, every combat you enter will have a risk and reward. And risk reward is a key element of the overall driving part of many features in the game. So whatever you do, you always have to weigh up your decisions really carefully because every fight might be your last, every investigation might be your last, or it might bring you great reward. It’s not just a traditional action horror, it’s not a hack and slash, but it definitely is beating at the heart of this tension that is driven by risk and reward wherever we can find it in the situation we have.
“So it borrows from a number of different genres, but I think our closest landing point is action horror. It is a combat driven game with elements of exploration, with extraction light elements that are in there, and other elements also from games of that genre that help us drive the internal tension and the risk the players take whenever they’re in a given space.”
As for those extraction elements, don’t expect a clone of Arc Raiders or Marathon. “We have loss in our game, and the decision whether to bank that or keep it at some point in the game will become a key choice the player makes,” Pannell teased. “The decision to take more risk at the consequence of, for want of a description, call it extracting early to bank your reward will or is currently in the game as we would expect and a core component of how the game plays. So we have extraction elements, but it’s not driven exclusively as the extraction genre. And we’re also taking extraction influence from other types of games, like for example, Helldivers or Deep Rock Galactic, that have extraction components as a core part of the phase of the game.
“Again, not a direct analog, but we have both elements of what we normally consider a round-based game with extraction, plus a pure extraction game too. We have both those elements in our game, and they work in harmony with each other over the course of your playtime.
“The core game loop is you go in, you try and amass what you can, and you can always push for more, but you could always back out when you feel like you’ve got something that is meaningful.”
Don’t expect a release in 2026, but things are certainly ramping up. There are 45,000 people in the Blight discord, where playtesters will be plucked from. And the developers will then respond to feedback.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The devs behind Moonlighter are already back with something new. While they’re still tinkering away with the early access release of Moonlighter 2, at the Future Games Show Spring Showcase they revealed another roguelike entirely: ReVamp, a tower defence spin on the genre that pits you as Dracula himself protecting his castle.
Developer Mintrocket has confirmed that Dave the Diver‘s next major DLC, ‘Into the Jungle’, will launch on Switch and Switch 2 on 18th June 2026.
The expansion will feature entirely new locations, with additional NPCs, quests, and more. To put it simply, if you’re a fan of the base game, then chances are you’re going to love this one.
A New Glimpse at Dave the Diver’s Upcoming DLC, Launching June 18
Jaeho Hwang , CEO of Mintrocket
Summary
Dave The Diver: In the Jungle DLC is scheduled to launch June 18 on Xbox on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and handheld.
The newly released trailer teases details about Dave’s next adventure.
With a new village, new NPCs, and unique underwater experiences, the DLC aims to offer something fresh and distinct from the Dave the Diver experience you know.
It’s been a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to finally share the launch date for our upcoming Dave the Diver DLC called In the Jungle. Dave takes on this whole new adventure as of June 18, 2026!
The news about this expansion has been out for a little while now, so the time for being koi… (ahem, fish pun) is over! Today, we’re excited to share more about what to expect in this new DLC that gives Dave a whole new flavor while remaining true to its roots.
Let’s start with today’s new trailer. We saw a lot this time, and perhaps most notably the giant freshwater dinosaur washed ashore in the village. Fans of Dave know that there’s a whole story waiting to be uncovered there, and frankly, there are many surprises in store that we can’t wait to tease more of later. Oh, and you probably noticed one of the characters in that scene is not like the others…that’s Muna, Dr. Bacon’s assistant. We’ll learn more about her, too.
There’s also lots of sneak peeks into other new elements in this DLC, ranging from the new locations, puzzles, minigames, boss fights, and jungle creatures you’ll meet. But the true star of the show this time is the new campaign and the way our players will interact with new characters and the environment, as well as the implications a jungle setting has on Bancho’s choice of cuisine.
The new trailer showcases Dave and his friends’ next big adventure featuring an all-new jungle eco-system to explore, a fantastic new restaurant for Bancho to demonstrate his culinary skills and lots of surprises! Check out the trailer below:
[TRAILER EMBED]
A New Campaign, A New Jungle, Same Old Dave (Mostly)
When we started building In the Jungle, one thing was non-negotiable: it still had to feel like Dave the Diver, full of the same humor, wit, and orchestrated chaos that our fans know and love.
This time, Dave trades the Blue Hole for an entirely new biome, a lush jungle packed with new opportunities, exotic ingredients, loads of wildlife, and a bustling lakeside village called Utara. It’s alive, it’s vibrant, and it’s filled with new characters to meet, along with a few familiar faces who couldn’t resist tagging along for the adventure.
But make no mistake. This is no simple change of scenery for the gang. There’s a robust new life to be lived here, complete with danger, mystery, and lots of amazing food.
And of course, Dave is still Dave. Slightly overwhelmed, surprisingly capable, and somehow at the center of it all.
Jungle Gameplay: New Waters
Even in a whole new biome and trading the wetsuit for stained khakis, we’ve preserved Dave’s signature offbeat humor, stylised pixelated cutscenes, and the fulfilling blend of exploration and management that makes Dave tick. But of course, the jungle changes things.
This time around, Dave is traversing not only the surrounding jungle and village, but the massive lake in Utara where he meets many new fish species, discovers new ingredients, and other ecosystem-specific surprises, including the way the fish and other underwater animals interact with Dave. Freshwater fish have new movement patterns, new attack behaviors, and new environmental interactions that shift the rhythm of dives in ways that should feel both familiar and refreshingly different.
There’s also the villagers. As much as the ecosystem in the jungle lake beats with life, the village of Utara operates within its own unique system, one that Dave will need to learn and master. With some earned trust, a stroke of luck, and that undeniable Dave charm, the villagers can be welcomed to Bancho’s restaurant as guests. This new dynamic propels much of the storyline in this DLC, and it of course means new friends along the way.
Beyond the bird-hunting sequence from the trailer, we’re introducing several additional minigames that build on what players loved in the base game. As ever, they’re woven naturally into the story and the world, adding even more variety to Dave’s routine.
Bancho’s Grill: No Sushi, No Problem
Another area where In the Jungle departs from the base game is the introduction of Bancho Grill. This freshwater twist on Bancho’s restaurant features a fully-cooked jungle-themed menu – time to grill and chill!
This time, Dave isn’t stuck serving along a single horizontal plane. He can now move freely throughout the Grill, serving customers across multiple areas. And as I mentioned before, one of the most exciting aspects of the new restaurant is the interaction with the villagers themselves. As Dave interacts with local inhabitants, his bonds with them grow, and they’ll begin visiting Bancho’s Grill as diners, making the restaurant a key hub between Dave and the village community.
You’ll also be able to customize Bancho’s Grill, giving it a personality that fits your jungle journey. Meanwhile, Bancho will be hard at work transforming newly caught freshwater fish and locally gathered ingredients into entirely new dishes. After all, the jungle might be unfamiliar territory, but great food is universal!
The Jungle Calls
We have lots more to share about Dave the Diver: In the Jungle before launch on June 18. If you haven’t already, we welcome everyone to begin their underwater adventures in Dave the Diver today on Xbox, and check out all of the other DLC options — there’s something there for everyone! For more news about Dave the Diver and In The Jungle as it approaches launch, be sure to join the official Dave the DiverDiscord channel.
・An adventure, RPG, management hybrid
Explore and unravel the mysteries in the depths of the Blue Hole by day and run a successful exotic sushi restaurant by night.
It’s easy to get hooked on the satisfying gameplay loop!
・Casual combat and gathering gameplay with rogue-like elements
Dive into the ever-changing Blue Hole and use a harpoon and other weapons to catch fish and various creatures.
Upgrade and forge equipment with collected resources and sushi restaurant profits to prepare for the dangers that lurk in the unknown.
Running out of oxygen means leaving collected items and fish behind!
・Eccentric characters with a lighthearted narrative
Quirky but lovable characters and a story full of in-jokes, spoofs, and other humorous scenes provide an approachable and enjoyable gameplay experience.
・A beautiful sea environment with attractive 2D/3D Art
A combination of pixel and 3D graphics provides a stunning art style that showcases breathtaking underwater scenery. This oceanic adventure is set in the real marine environment of a Blue Hole filled with over 200 kinds of sea creatures.
・Ample additional content to complement the main gameplay loop
Minigames, side quests, and multiple storylines provide many hours of entertainment and varied gameplay.
The newest game in the Little Nightmares franchise, Altered Echoes, has just been announced. Soon, you’ll be able to enter the Nowhere in first person and touch the Transmission with your own two hands.
Deep within this errant signal, you’ll play as Dark Six as you search for a way to reunite with Six and become whole once more. Let’s explore how this dangerous journey connects with both Little Nightmares 1 and 2 and catch up with some familiar faces.
The Transmission
A dimension of sight and sound where even the strange rules of the Nowhere are twisted and warped. Gravity is optional and the rules of reality are melting into an endless loop of identical staircases and doors.
But somewhere a familiar song is beckoning, leading you through these recursive passages and puzzles as you dodge dangerous traps and even more dangerous Residents. It should come as no surprise that the Thin Man stalks these unending halls, at one with the static and the noise. If he catches you, not even a remnant will remain.
The Music Box
At the heart of Dark Six’s experience of the Transmission is the inescapable Music Box. It guides Dark Six and pushes away the writhing shadows that hunt her. Even so, under the malignant influence of the Transmission, its simple melody seems to exert an uncanny power over Six that you must try to untangle. Here within the signal, the music box’s song is both the path and the unknown destination.
Follow its song. To do otherwise is to lose yourself to the noise.
The School
The music leads you through your past, through the School where Six was captured by Bullies. Here in the Transmission, the Bullies are gone, and only the Teacher remains.
In this childless classroom, the Teacher seems to have somewhat lost the plot and is building endless pillars of books, acting as both the inventor and the minotaur of a maddening labyrinth you must navigate to stay on course.
Is this the genuine fate of the Teacher or merely a malicious fantasy given form within the Transmission by the imagination of a resentful Six? The lesson plan is unclear. Survive the maze and maybe you’ll find out.
The Train Station
Next, the song guides you through the present where dozens and dozens of Guests are traveling towards their final destination. Throughout the cars they slumber, saturated by dreams of future feasts and skittering morsels waiting to be snatched. Their keeper, the terrifying Conductor, prowls the aisles, ready to permanently eject anyone without the proper papers.
This is the first time the Guests have been seen outside of the Maw and the questions their presence raises are unavoidable. Where are they going? Are there other eating establishments awaiting their business or is this another misleading distortion from the Transmission?
You’ll have to survive if you ever want a chance to work it out for yourself.
The Connections
The Transmission distorts everything it touches, and yet, an echo of the truth seems to remain. As you struggle to return to Six and find whatever piece of yourself remains intact, the connections you discover between the past, present and possible future may guide or mislead you.
Only you can discover what still rings true. Little Nightmares: Altered Echoes will be available on April 24, 2026 for PS VR2.
There’s something endlessly endearing about a good-natured dummy. Just a happy, optimistic doofus that can barely scrape two brain cells together to form a thought. You can take your dark and brooding Kratos, or your wisecracking Spider-Man. Give me Dunk from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, or Guybrush Threepwood from The Secret of Monkey Island, heck, even the dog from Up, any day of the week. And soon, give me Davy, the undead nobody, from Stupid Never Dies, the upcoming action-RPG and debut release from the Devil May Cry and Resident Evil veterans at GPTRACK50.
IGN recently met with the team behind Stupid Never Dies for a first look at Davy’s wild adventure. With blazing-fast action, a slick approach to changing combat styles, and a naive goofball of a hero that might just be in over his head, this has the makings of a damned good time. And, like many of the best, most foolish adventures, it starts with a bit of romance.
Romance is (un)dead
Davy is dead. Not figuratively, or metaphorically, he’s literally dead, and risen again as a zombie. The world has gone to hell (again, not a metaphor), and monsters now roam the world, in total control. As a lowly zombie, Davy sits firmly at the bottom rung of monster society. Weak and powerless, he wanders an abandoned shopping mall, his un-life devoid of meaning or purpose, until he “meets” Julia.
Julia, like Davy, is dead. Though in her case being dead stuck. Instead of a zombie roaming around the end of the world, she met her end in a freezer inside of the mall, and has stayed a human popsicle for who knows how long. When Davy shambles upon her one day, it’s love at first sight, and he makes it his mission to bring Julia back to life, and ask her out.
His bite allows him to rip through other monsters, and by sinking his teeth into their core, he activates Style Eat, and that’s when the fun really begins.
It’s not exactly the sort of meet-cute you’d see in a Hallmark movie, but it’s enough to send Davy delving deep into creature-filled dungeons in hopes of taking on the King of Monsters (or KOM), stealing his powers, and saving Julia. Davy isn’t usually a fighter, but with Julia’s life on the line, he’s willing to make an exception.
This not-even-remotely-thought-out mission might seem doomed before it starts, but, thanks to some dumb luck, Davy finds a strange egg, and, feeling a bit hungry, decides to make a meal of it. While eating random mystery eggs is not typically a good idea, in Davy’s case it works out beautifully. That snack turns out to be a phoenix egg, and eating it has awakened Davy’s dormant zombie power, and granted him an incredible new ability called Style Eat.
Funky Zombie Action
The KOM rules over monsters from deep within his dungeon, and Davy will need to fight through his armies to reach him. The miasma that permeates the dungeon directly affects Davy. Unlike the surface, where he moves with the classic slow undead shuffly, the miasma turbo charges Davy, allowing him to run, jump, and attack freely. His bite allows him to rip through other monsters, and by sinking his teeth into their core, he activates Style Eat, and that’s when the fun really begins.
Style Eat allows Davy to take on the characteristics and abilities of his enemies. Think Mega Man, or even Kameo, but with more gnawing. Snack on a werewolf, for example, and you’ll gain claws, fur, and beastlike agility, allowing you to rapidly tear through monsters and opening up new traversal options. Or chomp on a Lich to gain the ability to raise an army of skeletons from the enemies you kill. There are 11 styles total, and you can switch between them at the touch of a button – though limited slots mean you won’t be able to equip all of them at once. You can, however, combo the ones you do have. One example given was flying above enemies using the Harpy Style, then transforming into a heavy monster made of rock using the Golem Style, and crashing down on top of enemies.
The other trick up Davy’s infected sleeves is Body Hack, which allows you to customize his arms, head, and legs with special gear to add special effects. We only saw a small selection of the arm modifications, but seeing a missile pod strapped to Davy’s arm, and him unleashing ghoulish hell on a group of monsters was a pretty clear tone-setter. These also persist with the Style Eat transformations, so if you want to go into a fight as a Werewolf with a giant sword for an arm, you’re in luck.
While Stupid Never Dies isn’t necessarily a roguelike, it does have some of that DNA in its approach to progression. Each venture into the dungeon has a time limit, and Davy won’t be able to make it all the way to the KOM right away. You keep any loot you collect, but each fresh run resets Davy’s level back down to zero. However, as you progress further you will build an XP multiplier, allowing you to level up faster, and make it deeper on the next attempt.
With enough persistence, Davy may yet be able to slay KOM and Julia, though it remains to be seen if our lovable, undead-doofus of a protagonist will get the girls in the end. Fortunately, we won’t need to wait too long to sink our teeth into some monsters and find out. Stupid Never Dies on PC and PlayStation 5 later this year.
Video games are such funny things, because I think if you were to tell someone unfamiliar with them that there is genuine enjoyment to be had in pushing some blocks around in a virtual space they’d look at you as if you’d told them there’s genuine enjoyment to be hand in pushing some blocks around in a virtual space. And yet it’s true! It’s one of the classic puzzle game genres, going way back to 1982 with Sokoban. And here we are now, many years later, with a new entry to the genre in the form of Hazard Pay, a dystopian take that sees you cleaning up mysterious messes in secret labs.
Accessory manufacturer Anbernic is perhaps best known for its work in the retro handheld space, pumping out new emulation devices at a rate I’ve frankly struggled to keep up with. Rarely does it branch out into the realm of controllers, but when it does, it’s safe to say that the results are about as mixed as you can get.
Its first controller, the RG P01, has been described by some as a knock-off of 8BitDo’s budget-friendly pads, and it’s easy to see why. With the new RG G01, however, no one can make the claim that Anbernic has been copying 8BitDo’s homework (though Manba might have a few words to say). But is it actually any good? Well… it’s fine, it’s functional, but it’s perhaps not the controller I’d immediately recommend if you’re after something new for your Switch or Switch 2.
This remake is updated with enhanced graphics, immersive sound, and a new, unfixed third-person camera.
Both the demo and full game are now available on Xbox Series X|S
Originally released back in 2003, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly has long been lauded as one of the most terrifying Japanese horror games to ever created. Game directors Hidehiko Nakajima and Makoto Shibata, recently sat down to discuss the new project, the keys to designing horror games, and the real-life inspirations behind the hauntings.
Why did Team Ninja decide to select Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly for a full remake among the many past titles?
Shibata: In recent years, we released remastered versions of the Fatal Frame series, and they received positive feedback from players who had never experienced the series before. Around that time, as Team Ninja was planning several new projects, the Fatal Frame series came up for discussion. Among them, Crimson Butterfly was the most frequently requested title from players, which led to this decision.
Nakajima: It is very popular among long-time fans of the series, and at the same time, it has strong name recognition even among players who have never played it.
Shibata: While the series has a long history, it also inevitably carried issues such as heavy controls and dated game design, which were pointed out even in the two most recent remasters.
Nakajima: We knew that developing a horror game would be challenging since it was not a genre Team Ninja had experience with. However, both Shibata, the series director, and myself, along with other staff who had worked on past Fatal Frame titles, believed we could overcome this by leveraging the development environment and know-how cultivated through Team Ninja’s action games.
Shibata: By fully remaking the game—reworking the action and revisiting every element—we felt we could eliminate any outdated impressions of the series and make it enjoyable for modern players who play a wide variety of horror games today. Given that it has been a long time since the last new Fatal Frame title, we decided that a remake was the right approach.
What kinds of discussions and alignment were most important between the action and story teams during development?
Shibata: Broadly speaking, I handled the story and setting, while Nakajima focused on the action. However, since horror games are driven by experience, it was difficult to strictly divide roles. We progressed by constantly checking and discussing things with each other.
Nakajima: The key focus was how the horror experience would change in this remake, and what we needed to do to achieve that.
Shibata: In the original, the game’s camera switched between fixed, third-person angles and first-person when using the Camera Obscura. This time, we adopted a standard third-person view for navigation, meaning players are more consistently rooted in Mio’s perspective. If we tried to recreate the original staging exactly, it would require forcibly turning the camera in the opposite direction from where the player was looking.
Nakajima: Forcing the player’s view like that works in horror films, but in an interactive horror game, it breaks immersion. This was a challenging point, so Shibata approached it from the perspective of story, horror presentation, and the original intent, while I focused on how to realize that within a 3D action-game space. We had different perspectives so refined it through discussion.
Shibata: To make players feel the fear of Japanese horror with this control scheme and camera, we redesigned the staging, environmental layouts, and the flow of gameplay.
Nakajima: Unlike previous Team Ninja titles, this game does not prioritize action-driven exhilaration. While improving the controls’ responsiveness and feel is necessary, Mio is just an ordinary human with normal abilities. Simply increasing responsiveness would feel unnatural. From a horror perspective, her movements needed to feel human, while from an action perspective, controls needed to remain stress-free. We adjusted the game carefully from both sides.
How did you redefine “fear” for modern players?
Shibata: The core concept of “fear that stimulates imagination” remains unchanged from the original. However, the way fear is delivered has changed. With the new controls and camera, fear shifts from something the player is “shown” to something they “end up seeing.” Fear now comes from realizing that you have looked at something terrifying as a result of your own actions.
Nakajima: The previous approach had its own unique charm, but in terms of fear, we shifted from adventure-game techniques to action-game techniques. For example, by allowing natural character movement and aligning the player’s viewpoint closely with the character’s, players feel as if they themselves are looking around the village. By increasing immersion, guiding attention, and adjusting movement routes, players naturally “end up seeing” something frightening. That said, combat using the Camera Obscura remains unchanged—you still need to face and look directly at terrifying entities to fight them.
With increased technical capabilities, what elements did you intentionally prioritize or preserve from the original?
Shibata: If the visuals look too clear, the atmosphere is lost. In the original, visual noise was constantly applied to the screen to convey unease and the damp atmosphere of Minakami Village. In this remake, we layered subtle visual noise on the screen, which intensifies when wraiths are nearby. While clearer visuals show off the detailed CG, we intentionally roughened the image to preserve the atmosphere. We also preserved the contrast in visual style—realistic environments and wraiths paired with a charming protagonist. Although this approach originally worked well with low-polygon models, it is also part of the series’ identity. While we improved skin translucency and clothing textures, we maintained that contrast.
What was the most difficult decision when balancing original fans and new players?
Shibata: This wasn’t particularly difficult. We kept the original world and story intact while adopting modern controls and camera work for accessibility. We focused on how players interact with the world of Crimson Butterfly, and enjoyed developing features like Camera Obscura filters and the hand-holding mechanic.
Nakajima: The fear and story we wanted to express already existed. Our challenge was figuring out how to make that experience accessible and easier to play for new players.
How did you leverage Team Ninja’s strengths, and where did you intentionally restrain them?
Nakajima: Our strength lies in balancing natural movement with responsive controls. This is a horror game, and the protagonist is an ordinary human. Striking a balance between Team Ninja’s signature responsiveness and natural movement was both our strength and something we consciously restrained. For example, while inputs respond quickly, the character’s motion emphasizes natural actions over speed. We fine-tuned elements like startup weight and walking versus running speed so that movement feels natural without causing control stress, allowing players to focus solely on the fear. Of course, when it comes to the movement of wraiths, we fully utilized Team Ninja’s expertise.
What did Team Ninja learn from developing a horror game?
Nakajima: Level design and pacing of presentation. Horror games rely less on action derived from terrain and enemy placement, and more on the player’s emotions and awareness. For example, revisiting a familiar location can evoke new fear. These insights can also be applied to action games.
What was uniquely challenging or rewarding about developing a remake?
Nakajima: Because there was an original, we couldn’t drastically change or remove stages or wraiths. Revisiting every element from scratch was challenging.
Shibata: Being able to add stages and actions that couldn’t be implemented in the original was very rewarding. The action of holding Mayu’s hand is one such feature—something we ambitiously included because Team Ninja excels at action design.
How would you like players to approach this game?
Shibata: For those who played the original, we want them to enjoy seeing how much it has evolved. Since the original was released in 2003, memories may be idealized, but we believe this remake lives up to those memories.
Nakajima: For new players, we hope they enjoy it simply as a new horror game. Among many horror titles today, this one offers an accessible way to experience Japanese horror.
Shibata: Each Fatal Frame title tells a complete story, making this a great entry point for newcomers.
How do you view this remake within the overall Fatal Frame series?
Shibata: Although labeled a remake, we rebuilt every element from scratch using Koei Tecmo’s latest engine. I see it as a reboot of the Japanese horror series.
Nakajima: With this title, we feel we have established a solid system for expressing Japanese horror, and we’d like to further develop it.
Could you share inspiration drawn from personal experiences?
Shibata: I seem to perceive ghosts more through sound than sight. Ghosts emit unique sounds from their location—those sounds rise and fall but remain distinct to each ghost. Sensing their presence through sound is something we incorporated into the Fatal Frame series.
Which wraiths left the strongest impression on you?
Shibata: Chitose Tachibana’s ghost. While most wraiths are terrifying, she looks cute, and once you learn her background, defeating her feels tragic. She was important in adding variety to the wraiths.
Nakajima: All wraiths left an impression due to their backgrounds, but in this remake, Miyako Sudo stands out. As the first wraith players encounter, she was the one we spent the most time refining in terms of representation and combat.
Have you ever tried photographing a spirit in real life?
Shibata: Even if a ghost appeared, I’d be too startled to react in time. I’ve made games about instantly photographing ghosts for years, but in reality, it’s extremely difficult.
If you could choose a weapon to fight a ghost in the real world, what would it be?
Shibata: You can’t win in real life—it’s better to run. Ideally after taking a photo!
Nakajima: I actually carry salt in my bag, so I’d probably throw that. But since I’m bad with horror, if I really encountered one, I’d probably freeze in fear.
Notes:
– Bonuses may become available at a later date either for free or as a separate purchase.
– The effects assigned to Pre-order Bonus charms may also be obtainable through normal gameplay progression.
Notes:
– Early Purchase Bonuses will be included with orders made by March 25, 2026.
– Bonuses may become available at a later date for free or to purchase separately.
– The effects assigned to Early Purchase Bonus charms may also be obtainable through normal gameplay progression.
Together, always.
FATAL FRAME II : Crimson Butterfly Beautifully Remade
The graphics, sound, and controls have all been rebuilt from the ground up. Character textures, including skin and clothing, have been refined to the highest detail, and Minakami Village has been meticulously recreated with a focus on light and shadow, bringing its dark and ominous atmosphere to life with stunning realism.
With 3D sound, you can feel the presence of spirits more vividly and closely. Immerse yourself in the chilling experience of exploring a haunted village.
Side stories and new areas have been added, offering players a deeper and more immersive experience in the world of FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly.
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE Digital Deluxe Edition Contents
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE Full Game
Digital Art Book
Digital Soundtrack
– These contents cannot be downloaded as separate files (PDF, MP3, etc.).
– Some of the materials featured in the content are closely tied to important story elements. Please keep that in mind before viewing the content.
Digital Deluxe Bonuses
– Accessories
Lace Gloves (White)
Lace Gloves (Black)
– Costumes
Japanese Gothic Dress (Left Wing)
Japanese Gothic Dress (Right Wing)
– Other
Deluxe Charm
Notes:
– The effects assigned to Digital Deluxe charms may also be obtainable through normal gameplay progression.
– This item includes the same content as the FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE Digital Deluxe Upgrade. Please be careful to avoid making a redundant purchase.
– The standard edition of FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is also available. Please be careful to avoid duplicate purchases.
For more information, visit the official website: https://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/fatalframe/crimson-re/us/
– Screens are taken from an in-development build. Final product may differ from actual shown footage.
Notes:
– Bonuses may become available at a later date either for free or as a separate purchase.
– The effects assigned to Pre-order Bonus charms may also be obtainable through normal gameplay progression.
Notes:
– Early Purchase Bonuses will be included with orders made by March 25, 2026.
– Bonuses may become available at a later date for free or to purchase separately.
– The effects assigned to Early Purchase Bonus charms may also be obtainable through normal gameplay progression.
Together, always.
About FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE
The full remake of the second installment in the FATAL FRAME series titled FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly. This Japanese-style horror adventure game follows twin sisters who become lost in an abandoned village haunted by vengeful spirits. Using the Camera Obscura—a device that can capture and seal away the impossible—they fight ghosts as the story unfolds.
This title has undergone a complete overhaul, with improvements to everything from visuals and audio to the core gameplay systems and controls. The signature Camera Obscura mechanic, used to capture and fend off spirits, remains a key feature, now offering richer and more engaging gameplay in both exploration and combat. In addition, the new “Holding Hands with Mayu” mechanic adds a heartfelt touch, letting you experience the deep bond between the sisters like never before.
FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly Beautifully Remade
The graphics, sound, and controls have all been rebuilt from the ground up. Character textures, including skin and clothing, have been refined to the highest detail, and Minakami Village has been meticulously recreated with a focus on light and shadow, bringing its dark and ominous atmosphere to life with stunning realism.
With 3D sound, you can feel the presence of spirits more vividly and closely. Immerse yourself in the chilling experience of exploring a haunted village.
Side stories and new areas have been added, offering players a deeper and more immersive experience in the world of FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly.
Enhanced Camera Obscura Battles
The iconic gameplay of repelling spirits using the Camera Obscura remains intact, while introducing new features such as Focus, Zoom, and Filter Switching.
Filters offer unique functionalities for both combat and exploration, allowing players to adapt to attacking spirits and uncover the mysteries of the cursed village.
A Digital Deluxe edition of FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is also available. Please be careful to avoid duplicate purchases.
For more information, visit the official website: https://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/fatalframe/crimson-re/us/
Note: Screens are taken from an in-development build. Final product may differ from actual shown footage.
If you’re in the process of building a new gaming PC, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D should be your top CPU pick, especially with the new sale going at Amazon. For a limited time, this CPU has dropped to $429.95 with free shipping, which is the lowest price I’ve seen since its launch. Even better, it comes with a free voucher code for the highly anticipated Crimson Desert game, which will be released on March 19. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is widely considered to be one of the best gaming processors on the market and outperforms even pricier AMD and Intel CPUs.
The Gamer’s Choice: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU for $430
Includes Crimson Desert
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D boasts a max boost clock of 5.2GHz with 8 cores, 16 threads, and 104MB of L2-L3 cache. What really makes it excel in games, however, is the 3D-V-Cache technology that’s only found in AMD’s X3D lineup. Despite being the least expensive processor in this stack, the 9800X3D performs nearly identically in games compared to its more expensive siblings. It has the fewest number of cores, but that doesn’t matter for gaming. On Passmark, the 9800X3D has the second highest gaming score, trailing a mere 300 points behind the considerably pricier 9900X3D.
Note that there’s a new 9850X3D that’s now available. We reviewed it and, short answer, you’re not missing out.
Crimson Desert is an upcoming open-world RPG for the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X platforms that will be released on March 19. The studio, Pearl Abyss, also created the popular MMORPG Black Desert. Whereas Black Desert was a free-to-play game with microtransactions and gacha elements, Crimson Desert will be a primarily offline single-player experience with a retail price of $69.99. Getting it for free with your CPU upgrade, then, is a great perk.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
