Square Enix announce Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, sequel to one of 2023’s best horror mystery games

Square Enix have announced Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, a summery sequel to horror mystery visual novel Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. The original game earned itself a double thumbs-up from former RPS reviews editor Rachel Watts, shortly before she vanished while gathering blood-stained stones one moonlit night. (I am just joshing with you – Rachel is alive and well over at Thinky Games. Remember, there’s no such thing as ghosts and there definitely isn’t one hovering behind you right now.)

The Mermaid’s Curse should be good, then. It trades the first game’s gloomy streets for the coast of Japan, where young pearl diver Yuza Minakuchi discovers another version of himself at the bottom of the ocean. I routinely discover other versions of myself at the bottom of a bottle of Tuppersmith’s Old Peculiar, but nobody’s making any dang visual novels about me. Anyway, here’s a trailer.

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‘Some Kind of Fancy Lawyer Lingo?’ — Marvel’s Wolverine Developer Just Dropped a Big Tease for Another Hero, Fans Believe

Insomniac Games, the developer behind PlayStation’s beloved Spider-Man games and the upcoming Wolverine, just dropped a teasing hint at another Marvel hero who fans now think is likely to appear.

In a post on Twitter/X, Insomniac Games shared an image of Wolverine extending his claws and turning to face… someone, alongside the caption: “‘Claws?’ What’s that, some kind of fancy lawyer lingo?”

The line is a fun pun on Wolverine’s blades, and the kind of clause a lawyer might include in a legal contract — but which lawyer? Well, Marvel fans will know there’s only one legal representative who’d likely seek out Wolverine when he’s in another one of his moods.

Of course, fans have immediately taken the tease to be a nod at the appearance of Daredevil, otherwise known as Matt Murdock, as played by Charlie Cox in the Daredevil TV series and a swathe of other projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fans have long been expecting Daredevil to make an appearance in one of Insomniac’s Marvel games, too, after numerous references to the character in the developer’s Spider-Man titles.

A sign outside Nelson & Murdock’s office appeared in Spider-Man 1, and was noted by fans as having been removed in Spider-Man 2 and replaced by an eviction notice. A post-launch Spider-Man 2 patch then re-added the Nelson & Murdock sign, hinting at some kind of story for the character being in the offing — something the game’s director Bryan Intihar even commented on in late 2023, teasing: “Stay tuned.”

Further references to the character have teased Murdock and Jennifer Walters apparently starting a legal firm together, and included other Daredevil-themed locations such as Josie’s Bar and Fogwell’s Gym. Clearly, the character has been on Insomniac’s mind for some time — perhaps Wolverine is where we’ll finally see him?

As you would expect, replies to Insomniac’s latest post have immediately picked up on the studio’s apparent Daredevil hint, and responded with numerous gifs of Charlie Cox in his iconic red suit. Well, why not.

Due for release this during the latter half of 2026, Marvel’s Wolverine remains somewhat under-wraps — though we finally got a decent look at the game during last September’s State of Play broadcast. In late 2023, leaked footage and other development details hit the internet following a high-profile hack of Insomniac data, which also included details of an array of future and canceled projects.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Razer BlackShark V3 gaming headset review

Like the Turtle Beach Vulcan II TKL keyboard – except as astute readers will notice, this is a headset – the BlackShark V3 Pro is something I’ve welcomed into my everyday PC kit for months, yet apparently needed the invention of a new review format in order for me to talk about it. Whoops. Still, the length of that happy headwearing should tell you something: I like it, a lot.

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The Disney Afternoon Collection Is Releasing on Nintendo Switch – Here’s Where to Preorder It

The Disney Afternoon Collection is getting its own physical version for Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 later this year. For eager fans who can’t wait to jump into it for a good nostalgia hit, preorders are now live for the collection on original Switch for $29.99 and on Switch 2 for $39.99. While there’s still a few months to go until its physical version is released – May 29 is when you’ll have to mark you calendars for – it looks like it’s well worth the wait.

Disney Afternoon Collection (Switch)

Nintendo Switch 1

This is quite the packed collection, and a welcome addition to the list of existing Disney games on Switch consoles. It comes with all six games from the original set that was released back in 2017 – DuckTales, DuckTales 2, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2, Darkwing Duck, and TaleSpin – alongside two bonus games: Bonkers and Goof Troop. That’s not all, though. It also comes with a nice variety of collectibles when you buy a physical copy of the game, which you can check out below.

Disney Afternoon Collection Bonus Items

Buying the physical version of Disney Afternoon Collection on Nintendo Switch also nets you two sticker sheets, three collectible cards, and eight retro milk caps. For fans, it looks like quite a delightful assortment to have alongside the game.

Games Included

Here’s a list of all the games included in this Switch and Switch 2 version of the collection:

  • DuckTales
  • DuckTales 2
  • Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers
  • Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2
  • Darkwing Duck
  • TaleSpin
  • Bonkers
  • Goof Troop

What Is The Disney Afternoon Collection?

The Disney Afternoon Collection originally released back in 2017 and included DuckTales, DuckTales 2, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2, Darkwing Duck, and TaleSpin. At the time, our review from IGN’s Samuel Claiborn said it “resurrects a few NES classics (and some not-so-classics) with a great rewind button.” This new release of the collection for both Nintendo Switch consoles adds in two bonus games alongside the original lineup: Bonkers and Goof Troop.

For the original games, it also includes some quality-of-life updates, and there are additional features included, such as a rewind feature. It also includes access to soundtracks, a behind-the-scenes gallery, along with boss rush and time attack modes.

Other Preorder Guides

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Splatoon 3’s New Job Scenarios Are Wrapping Up With The Next Eggstra Work Event

Future events will reuse old job scenarios.

Splatoon 3‘s “regular updates” came to a close back in September 2024, but the recurring Eggstra Work events have continued to land new job scenarios (the predetermined shift conditions) in the years since. That is until this month, when they, too, are wrapping up.

Shared in a post by the official @SplatoonJP X account (via @Oatmealdome on Bluesky), Nintendo confirmed that the next Eggstra Work will be the last to feature new job scenarios. While more Eggstra Work shifts will crop up in the future, they will use previous scenarios instead — which should make planning a little easier, at least.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 9 to 13

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 9 to 13

High on Life 2 screenshot

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!


Xbox Play Anywhere

Relooted

Nyamakop

Relooted – February 10
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

A crew. A job. A plan. Toss those ingredients together, and you’ve got yourself a classic heist — but with a few twists. Your crew members are everyday citizens (from different countries in Africa) with pretty normal careers. The job is to liberate African artifacts from Western museums. And the plan? Well, that’s up to you to create.


Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Deluxe Edition

SEGA

$74.99

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties

SEGA

$59.99

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties – February 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Continue the story of Kazuma Kiryu as he fights to protect those he cares about most in an extreme remake of Yakuza 3 that evolves every aspect of the beloved game. The bustling streets of Okinawa and Tokyo come to life in stunning detail with reimagined combat taking brutal brawling action to the next level. Added scenes deliver more depth and emotion to the beloved story with new and enhanced side experiences that immerse you in the world like never before, and more. In Dark Ties, experience the brand-new tale of Yoshitaka Mine from Yakuza 3 in an included separate game. Having once led a successful startup company, he plunged himself into the dark world of the yakuza by choice after losing everything. Left with an empty heart, the pursuit to find true bonds drives him forward once again in a dramatic journey colored by exhilarating boxing-based combat, and a variety of engaging side experiences.


Xbox Play Anywhere

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X

91Act

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X – February 12
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

A roguelite action game set in the BlazBlue universe, featuring striking 2D visuals, stylish, fast-paced combat, and precise, responsive controls. Command a lineup of unique characters from the renowned BlazBlue franchise and dive into an unparalleled action experience.


RIDE 6 – Ultimate Edition

Milestone S.r.l.

$99.99

RIDE 6 – Deluxe Edition

Milestone S.r.l.

$79.99

RIDE 6

Milestone S.r.l.

$59.99

Ride 6 – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Ride 6 isn’t just about riding – it’s about who you become on your bike. It’s where passion turns into identity, and every race becomes a statement. It’s time to prove what it really means to be a rider – to yourself and to the world. Collect and ride 250+ bikes from various categories, including Baggers and Enduro. Leave the asphalt behind and feel the thrill of the dirt on new off-road tracks for an even more complete riding experience. Race online in full cross-play, claim your spot at the top of the leaderboard, and show off your custom bikes, suits, and helmets.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Roadside Research (Game Preview)

Oro Interactive

Roadside Research (Game Preview) – February 12
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Aliens have landed on Earth… to run a gas station. Play solo or up to 4 players and do human tasks to blend in. People depend on you, it’s your job to make sure that the shelves have the correct items, refuel customers passing by, and provide food for travelers. But most importantly, you must conduct your research.


High On Life 2 Pre-order Bundle

Squanch Games, Inc.

$59.99

High on Life 2 – February 13
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

You’ve done it. You’ve taken down an intergalactic cartel, brought humanity back from the brink of extinction, and hunted dangerous bounties to the far corners of the galaxy. Bounty hunting has brought you fortune, fame and love; but when a mysterious figure from your past reappears and puts a price on your sister’s head, your cushy life gets thrown into chaos. Do you have what it takes to risk it all and bring down an intergalactic conspiracy that once again threatens your favorite species (humans)? High On Life returns as you and your beloved rag-tag team of alien misfits shoot, stab, and skate your way through gorgeous, dangerous worlds all across the galaxy to blow up the evil pharmaceutical conglomerate hell-bent on putting price tags on human life!


Xbox Play Anywhere

REANIMAL

THQ Nordic

$39.99

Reanimal – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

The original creators of Little Nightmares & Little Nightmares II have returned to take you on a more terrifying journey than ever before. In this co-op horror adventure game, you play as a brother & sister who go through hell to rescue their missing friends. Exploring by boat and on land, you must use your wits to survive, work together to escape the hellish island, and the dark secret that haunts you.


Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

XSEED Games / Marvelous USA, Inc.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Choose from one of two protagonists whose destinies are intertwined by mysterious forces. Use sacred treasures to fight against the Blight’s many forms to restore the people, and even gods, to their natural glory. Take farming further, as you’ll manage more than a plot, rebuilding entire villages and cultivating new allies and resources along the way. Explore seasonal-themed villages heavily inspired by traditional Japanese culture, each with brand-new festivals and revamped fan favorites, as well as charming romance candidates.


Monterey Jack

DangerousBob Studio LLC

Monterey Jack – February 9
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

You’re trapped in a cheese factory with a seven-foot-tall monster made of cheese. Good luck. Meet Monterey Jack: a wisecracking, seven-foot-tall cheese monster with a big grin and bigger appetite. He’ll joke while he hunts you. And if he catches you? You’re on the menu. You are Gordi, a high school kid hunting for your friend Mikey, last spotted sneaking into the abandoned Cheese Factory. Run. Hide. Outsmart the Cheese Man.


Crisol: Theater of Idols

Blumhouse Games

Crisol: Theater of Idols – February 10
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Crisol: Theater of Idols is a gripping first-person horror/action adventure set in the haunting world of Hispania, a nightmarish reimagining of Spain. Playing as Gabriel, a soldier who can use his own blood as a deadly weapon, you endeavor on a journey to fulfill a divine mission from the Sun God.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Sleeping Beauty: Hidden Object Game

Crisp App Studio


$6.99

$5.59

Sleeping Beauty: Hidden Object Game – February 10
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

We all know that Princess Aurora slept for years until true love’s kiss woke her — but have you ever wondered what she was dreaming about all that time? Now you can step into her dreams and explore a magical world full of colour, mystery, and surprises. Travel through beautiful, hand-painted locations, find hidden objects, and piece together the memories tucked away in her mind. As you explore, you’ll uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and slowly reveal the story behind her long sleep.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Cash Cleaner Simulator

Forklift Interactive Inc.

Cash Cleaner Simulator – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Cash Cleaner Simulator welcomes you into the life of a low-level criminal with a particular specialty. When your underworld contacts need dirty money to come back squeaky clean, they call you. Each delivery is different. Arriving in bags, boxes, or stuffed into mattresses, it’s your job to retrieve it all, identify any problems like dirt, blood, or counterfeit bills, and get to work. Your clients expect results! Do your job well, or do whatever it takes, and reap the rewards.


Centipede Gun

QUByte Interactive

Centipede Gun – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Centipede Gun is a creature-building roguelite inspired by games like SNKRX and FLERP, where you create unusual beings by combining different shapes, modules, and… weapons!? Try out insane combinations and try to break the game with the craziest creations! Each combination offers new possibilities to defeat enemies in increasingly challenging battles. After each round, use the money you earn to buy different units in the store and further strengthen your centipede of destruction. But be careful — as you evolve, enemies also become stronger, testing the limits of your creativity and strategy.


Disciples: Domination

Kalypso Media


$49.99

$44.99

Disciples: Domination – February 12

Rule through the chaos! Fifteen years after Avyanna freed Nevendaar from the tyrannical grip of the gods, Disciples: Domination returns you to a realm hanging in the balance. In this dark fantasy strategy RPG with turn-based combat, take your place on Queen Avyanna’s throne – and attempt to hold together a crumbling kingdom.


Down Among the Dead Men

Infinite Zone

$4.99
Xbox One X Enhanced

Down Among the Dead Men – February 12

Set sail on your very own epic pirate adventure. Choose your class, forge your legend, and navigate a sea of perilous choices in this immersive gamebook adventure. Every decision writes your unique tale. Become the hero of your own high-seas saga. In a world where the rival kingdoms of Sidonia and Glorianna teeter on the brink of war, you are caught in a deadly race for survival. Hunted by the sadistic Captain Skarvench and drifting across the sea, you hold a secret that could rewrite the fate of the world. The power to become a legend of the seas is in your hands, but the deck is stacked against you.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Heart of the Forest

Wales Interactive

Heart of the Forest – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

On an ill-fated hiking trip through the Black Forest, a mismatched group of students fall under the spell of a vengeful spirit trapped deep inside the woods. Now they must fight for their survival while trying to escape its corrupting influence. Haunted by fear, trauma, and secrets of the past, each character is pushed to their breaking point, and their survival depends on your choices in this interactive psychological horror story by Trapped Predator.


PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless

Ocean Media

PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless – February 12

Brew up some action in this coffee-powered musical shooter! PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless takes you on a thrilling new adventure where Agent Cooper McLaren of the Juncture Against Various Anomalies (JAVA) teams up with Akane 2.0, a reformed digital idol, to rescue Ria, the heroine of the first game, who has mysteriously vanished. As they navigate the bizarre Purple District, Cooper’s coffee-fueled weapons and Akane’s digital powers will be put to the test against the formidable Loveless Sisters and a variety of new enemies.


Sokobear Cave

Bad Minions, Little Giant

Sokobear Cave – February 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

The Bear’s job takes him deep into a huge cave, featuring 40 different environments. Inside the mine, he will find precious gems alongside cheap crystals and fragile rocks that break easily. To complete the Bear’s task, solve the puzzles and deliver the rare gems to their proper place!


Backrooms: Poolrooms

Ratalaika Games S.L.

Backrooms: Poolrooms – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Strange deaths are plaguing the Poolrooms, and now it’s your turn to investigate the horrifying mystery. Bodies have been found floating in the endless, dimly lit pools, their faces twisted in terror. The Poolrooms are no ordinary place – something dark and deadly has taken root, and it’s not alone. 


Xbox Play Anywhere

Cinemoji Collection

Gray Boss Game Studio

Cinemoji Collection – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Welcome to Cinemoji Collection, the ultimate trivia game for movie buffs, pop culture fans, and puzzle lovers! This isn’t just a game; it’s a massive anthology. We’ve packed 4 complete editions into a single bundle, offering hundreds of levels that range from timeless classics to the latest blockbusters.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Clue: Murder By Death

Dolores Entertainment

Clue: Murder By Death – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Clue: Murder by Death is a narrative-driven detective adventure inspired by classic British crime fiction and modern investigative games. Explore an imposing manor, examine evidence, interrogate suspects, and connect clues across multiple branching narrative paths. Every conversation, every alliance, and every accusation shapes the investigation and determines how the story ends.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Guess the Flag! – World Flags Quiz

Source Byte

Guess the Flag! – World Flags Quiz – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Test your knowledge of 255 countries, islands and international organizations in 6 addictive modes. Test your memory by matching the flag to the name of a country or play the reverse mode. If you are already an expert in flag knowledge, you can try the mode in which you have to write the name of the country yourself. Feel the thrill of matching locations to a country and, for a change, immerse yourself in the unpredictable random mode that combines all the challenges.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Revenge On Gold Diggers

NiuGamer

Revenge on Gold Diggers – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Brought to life by director Hu Yaohui and a team of film industry veterans. In this entirely fictional story, step into the role of a hunter of hearts and infiltrate a shadowy organization deep in emotional deceit. The game features 472 minutes of cinematic footage. Comes with both Standard and Master modes. One purchase gives you the full experience. You play as Wu Yulun, a man once shattered by betrayal, who deliberately turns himself into bait to strike back at a ruthless gold-digger ring. Step into the murky depths of love and deceit, navigating a perilous game against dazzling women, each one a force to be reckoned with.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Puzzle Book

QubicGames S.A.

Puzzle Book – February 13
Xbox Play Anywhere

Puzzle book offers 35 different puzzles to solve, divided into themes – from fantasy to dinosaurs. Art for this game was made by artists specialized in various styles. They are beautiful paintings of creatures and landscapes or simpler drawings for kids. There is something for everyone! Speaking of everyone, you can adjust the difficulty by selecting the number of fragments per puzzle – from 6 to as many as 150! It’s a great title for both children and adults. Add peaceful music that plays in the background and you’ve got a great, relaxing afternoon.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Real Cake Maker

QubicGames S.A.

Real Cake Maker – February 13
Xbox Play Anywhere

Become the best cake baker in town and create the yummiest cakes in this delicious cooking adventure! What kind of cake do you love? Whatever it is, you can bake it! From dreamy frosting to delightful decorations, design cakes that look as good as they taste. Show off your creations to friends, throw a fabulous cake party, or compete in exciting baking contests for the chance to be crowned the cake champ!


Zumba World – The Crazy Marble Dimension

EpiXR Games

$6.99

Zumba World – The Crazy Marble Dimension – February 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Zumba World – The Crazy Marble Dimension marries classic marble-shooter thrills with an explorable hub world! Dash your marble-loaded avatar across a vibrant central plaza dotted with portals to four zany realms. Discover hidden shortcuts, unlock bonus challenges, and collect special tokens that reveal the Crazy Marble Dimension’s secrets. With each realm offering unique marble colors, path shapes, moving obstacles, and escalating speeds, no two expeditions are the same!


The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for February 9 to 13 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.0 No Aha at Full Moon will go live on February 13

Dear Trailblazers, the Honkai: Star Rail development team sends their long-awaited regards! We are thrilled to announce that a brand-new world known as Planarcadia will officially be unveiled in Version 4.0 No Aha at Full Moon. This prosperous world, renowned for its entertainment culture, is currently celebrating its unique Phantasmoon Games.

This is not only Himeko’s homeland but also the starting point for the Astral Express to set sail once again. This story of The Elation will likewise span an entire year, and the stage will not be limited to Planarcadia—the IPC’s key stronghold, Astropolis, will also make its debut later. Let us witness the convergence of The Past and Future, and join new companions Yao Guang and Sparxie in the Euphoria party of The Elation.

An arcadia where clout is king and people are amusing themselves to death

Following the journey to Amphoreus, and at Himeko’s suggestion, the Express charted a course for Planarcadia, kingdom of the Elation, to resupply and explore. Planarcadia was once a 2D World in Canvas, but under the IPC’s management, it has been revived from the flatness of a painting to become a vital territory. It is now overseen by Pearl, one of the Ten Stonehearts of the Strategic Investment Department. Today, all manner of local entertainment products have sprung up like mushrooms, with their fame spreading across the entire cosmos.

For the first stop on their journey, the Express Crew will arrive at Duomension City, situated in the heart of the arcadia. Unlike the solemn elegance of the Amphorean city-states, Duomension City is a vibrant metropolis defined by its sleek, modern aesthetic. By day, the streets are teeming with people, dazzling the eye with ubiquitous electronic screens and memetic projections. As nightfall descends, the waters of Dovebrook reflect the neon spectacle and bustling nightlife under the bright moonlight. Somewhere within the Dovebrook District lies the fabled World’s End, a tavern that serves as a vital social hub for the Masked Fools, though its exact location remains elusive. 

Furthermore, you will encounter all manner of bizarre creatures and objects active throughout the streets and alleys. Don’t be surprised, these are the local residents known as imagenae, beings born from painting and imagination. Whether it’s the towering, cool mechatron, the Meowton Station Master handling ground crew duties, or the thundercoil perched atop high towers amplifying the city’s network signals, they have long since integrated into the city’s daily life, becoming companions who live side-by-side with humanity.

Speaking of Duomension City, one highlight you can’t miss is Interplanar Jump! There are mysterious entrances scattered all over the place—just dive in to reach the marvelous Duomension. Inside, the art style of people and imagenae changes, letting you pull off moves impossible in reality, like double-jumping or walking on water. Once you enter the Duomension, you’ll transform into different forms of Trailblazemon, free to explore all the unique and fun content hidden in every corner of the city.

In Planarcadia, all conflicts and struggles are resolved through games, the most sensational of which is the Phantasmoon Games. Rumor has it that Aha personally established these games. The victor not only wins an audience with them, but also gains the authority of the Aeon of Elation for one minute. However, the games have no fixed rules—whoever catches Aha’s eye takes the lead. Thus, victory depends entirely on the participants’ capabilities and wit. A mask serves as the entry ticket for all participants, but only eight exist. 

The ferocity of the competition can be imagined. Not only are the locals of the arcadia, the Xianzhou Alliance, the Masked Fools, and the IPC getting involved, but even the Stellaron Hunters have arrived with their own agenda. Silver Wolf and Blade seem to have already made their move… Are they here for the Phantasmoon Games too? Who will obtain this incredibly precious invitation? Under the facade of Elation, is there some hidden conspiracy? It’s up to you to explore and find the answers.

Get a Charming Partner in the form of Aha Instants

In Planarcadia, even combat falls under the gaze of The Laughter. When characters of The Elation Path join the team, or when fighting special enemies, you will accumulate Punchlines. As Punchlines stack up and Aha’s excitement peaks, they will personally take the stage, triggering an Aha Instant. During this phase, Aha will lead the team’s Elation characters to unleash Elation Skills one by one. The more Punchlines you have, the stronger the skill effects. After the Aha Instant concludes, all Elation Path characters will receive their unique Certified Banger buffs, adding layers of strategy to your combat.

In the new version, Trailblazers will welcome two powerful new 5-star characters to their roster. First up is the Seer Strategist of the Xianzhou Alliance’s Yuque ship: General Yao Guang. Previously a voice without a face in the storyline, she is finally making her official debut. As the senior soror to the familiar Master Diviner Fu Xuan, Yao Guang serves as a vital strategic advisor to the Alliance during dire straits. To the people of the Xianzhou, she is affectionately known as Madam Yao, a goddess of fortune capable of averting crises and divining weal through her calculations. 

As a Physical character following the Path of Elation, Yao Guang specializes in manipulating the tide of battle with Weal and Woe Lots. Drawing a Weal Lot boosts the team’s Elation and grants Punchline stacks when she uses her Skill. Conversely, during an Aha Instant, she casts a Woe Lot, increasing the DMG taken by enemies while recovering Skill Points for the team. 

Yao Guang’s Certified Banger buff allows teammates to deal additional Elation DMG with their attacks—and if those attacks consume Skill Points, the DMG is further increased. Furthermore, her Ultimate not only provides Punchline stacks to the team but also immediately triggers an extra Aha Instant, boosting All-Type RES PEN for all allies.

Another mysterious 5-star character following the Path of Elation is Sparxie. Bearing a striking resemblance to the Masked Fool players know as Sparkle, she’s the hottest streamer in Planarcadia. In the storyline, Sparxie and Sparkle will appear together to bring the Trailblazer a unique surprise. During combat, Sparxie taps into her streamer persona, opening a livestream room to engage in a PK upvote battle against enemies. 

Players can continuously consume Skill Points to send random Gifts to Sparxie, regenerating varying amounts of Skill Points or Punchlines for the team. The more Skill Points consumed, the more Punchlines the team gains, resulting in higher final DMG. During an Aha Instant, Sparxie initiates a chaotic lucky draw, dealing massive DMG to all enemies with multiple bounce attacks. Under the Certified Banger state, every time a Gift appears during the PK, Additional Elation DMG is dealt to a random single enemy target during settlement. Additionally, Sparxie’s Ultimate also deals extra Elation DMG.

It’s worth mentioning that the limited 5-star characters Black Swan, Evernight, and Hysilens will be featured in the Warp events during the first half of Version 4.0, while Sparkle, Cerydra, and Rappa will appear in the second half. Furthermore, the old partners Black Swan and Sparkle will be receiving buffs. They’ll continue to be your reliable allies in the upcoming journey to Planarcadia.

New events galore

Alongside the massive Main Story update, Version 4.0’s new events are just as hyped. When taking a break from exploring the arcadia, Trailblazers can invite friends to join the lighthearted Cosmicon Collective battle formidable foes through card duels and strive for the pinnacle of cosmic combat power! Another unmissable event is the operation of Furbobo Weekly.  In this event, you’ll experience the busy yet fun life of a magazine editor-in-chief and get a taste of a whole new walk of life. Furthermore, Currency Wars is expanding for the first time, adding new characters and mechanics. The Divergent Universe has also been updated — look forward to the extra fun they’ll bring.

​​

Gaming experience optimization

Finally, this update will optimize daily system functions for all Trailblazers: Assignments will no longer be restricted by fixed times or characters, allowing Trailblazers to claim rewards and dispatch characters at any time. Additionally, the Relic and Team Lineup systems will also be optimized and upgraded to provide a more convenient gaming experience.

After the version update, simply log in and check in to receive 20 Warps, plus claim a free new Outfit for Ruan Mei and a 5-star character of your choice! At the same time, Yao Guang’s Weal Sign event will bring everyone a bonus of 1600 Stellar Jades may the Blessings of Good Fortune be with every Trailblazer on their journey in the new version! In addition, new Trailblaze Attire including a new Outfit and headwear for the Trailblazer will also be unveiled, which is sure to make your journey even more spectacular. Stay tuned for more game details.

Mewgenics Review

There aren’t a ton of games that I’ve happily put more than 100 hours into as quickly as I have with Mewgenics. This feline-flavored, turn-based, roguelike tactical RPG takes place on a 10×10 grid, with mostly traditional classes like Fighter, Mage, Hunter, Tank, and Necromancer, among others. What sets it apart, aside from the cutesy macabre art style that slathers its creative zones with blood and poop, is that so many of the skills and attributes that your team will end up with are randomized and for the most part out of your control. That all but ensures no two runs will play out the same way, forcing you to improvise and play the hand you’re dealt. Combined with the absolute mountain of content here – so much that I’m still seeing entirely new enemies, skills, mutations, and loot pop up after more than 150 hours – it’s been able to draw me back in time and time again by dangling the possibility of an absolutely wild team coming together and bulldozing through the boss who turned my last party into kibble. I still haven’t seen the final ending after all that time (this game has several) but I can’t imagine I’ll be tired of it before I do.

Mewgenics is a game about cats, but it’s not necessarily going to appeal to people who passionately love them because it’s a dark comedy that treats them as meat to be put through a grinder. The name itself is a play on eugenics, a morally appalling practice of selective breeding that has historically led to things like forced sterilization to remove undesirable traits from the gene pool, so you know going in that it’s going to be a little spicy. If you’ve played any of Edmund McMillen’s previous work (here he’s collaborating once again with Tyler Glaiel), such as the infamously difficult Super Meat Boy or the infinitely replayable Binding of Isaac, you’ll have a sense of the type of humor to expect. It’s delightfully gross and endlessly weird at every turn.

It’s delightfully gross and endlessly weird at every turn.

Even knowing that, as a long-time cat owner myself, I was perhaps a bit too conservative with just how unsympathetic and detached you’re expected to be. I probably took longer than I should’ve to unlock crucial upgrades for my house because doing so requires shipping dozens of cats off to live with a set of goofy weirdo NPCs, never to be seen again. One of the most important and flamboyant, Tink, will only take newborn kittens, and in exchange he’ll give you tools that provide more information on how to breed more kittens – and he needs a lot, so you have to get accustomed to parting with them right away. Other characters want older cats, mutated cats, injured cats, or cats who’ve been on runs to specific places in order to improve stores or add new rooms to your house, among other things. Traditionally an RPG like this is about nurturing your characters and developing them until they become more powerful, but Mewgenics requires a different way of thinking: cats with low or unremarkable stats are lost causes who will weigh your squad down, so you’re best off spending them like currency and keeping only the picks of various litters.

Selectively breeding your cats takes place in the fairly simple house screen, a 2D side view where your cats chaotically mill around while you arrange furniture pieces that you find as loot or buy from a shop, inventory Tetris-style. The goal here is to improve stats like Stimulation and Comfort in order to get your cats in the mood to produce high-quality offspring and improve the chances they’ll come out with favorable mutations. Those can be things like a messed-up tail that makes their basic attacks inflict burning, or fur that gives them more health regen when they’re wet, or leech eyes, among tons and tons of others that are all represented visually on your increasingly weird-looking cats.

(You also have to clean up cat poop daily to keep your Health stat up by simply clicking on piles of various shapes and sizes. It’s a bit of a chore after a while, especially when it gets crowded and you have to move cats out of the way to get to it – somehow, of all the furniture items I’ve gathered, I’ve never seen a single litter box.)

When everything’s arranged to your liking, you hit the End Day button and your cats will choose their own mates based on who’s in a room with them, as well as their own genders, orientations (yup, there are gay and bisexual cats), and libedos. Then, out come the kittens after some bizarre cat humping and gooey birth animations that take obvious pleasure in being unsettling. (You can tone that down if you need it to be safe for work.) Optimizing this to produce the most powerful cats possible while also avoiding too much inbreeding (which, as Tink will tell you, isn’t cool even though it has the word “breeding” in it because it causes birth defects) is tricky – but you can’t really fail at this part because, even if you lose all your cats, you can just start again from scratch using the randomized strays who show up every day.

The real challenge is in finding the traits you want and ensuring they’re passed down to new generations without too many side effects, and that definitely takes some planning. Mewgenics doesn’t make it super easy, since there’s no way to view all your cats in a list or spreadsheet – you just have to tediously cycle through them one at a time. You do unlock some tools to label them (and view their gnarly family trees), but when you have 40 cats roaming around it can be a pain to find one with the stats and abilities you’re looking for when you go to put together a four-cat party (or fewer, if you want to live dangerously and level them up faster) for an adventure.

Building your team is another area where Mewgenics is unconventional and unpredictable because when you’re picking cats and assigning their classes you can’t see what all of their starting abilities will be. You’ll get their base stats, mutations, and basic attacks, and sometimes they’ll come with a spell or passive ability from one of their parents’ classes, but it’s not until you lock in their class that you’ll learn what you’re really working with and if they’ll synergize well. Considering that each of the 12 classes has 75 abilities that might pop up (even after all this time I’m still seeing new ones), I get the same thrill from this reveal that I do from picking up my hand in poker or seeing the modifiers on a daily run in Slay the Spire or Monster Train 2: sometimes it’s good news and I’m excited to see where it takes me, sometimes it’s not and I brace myself for a thrashing and hope for a surprise turnaround if I can survive long enough to level them up and unlock some better skills.

What’s inconvenient at this stage is that while you can see what items you have available in your house inventory before you set out on an adventure, and after you lock in your classes you’re taken to the equipping screen to deck your cats out with up to five pieces of potentially build-defining gear apiece, you cannot see those items when you’re actually picking your classes and your starting abilities are first revealed. That might be fine if you have a fantastic memory, but for the rest of us it’s frustrating to not be able to check if I have a good piece of gear to boost the stats of my summoned familiars at the exact moment I’m deciding if I should go with an animal-friend Druid or a robot-building Tinkerer, or if I should go with a Fighter or a Tank instead.

It’s tricky to keep track of what you have on hand because gear in Mewgenics doesn’t last forever. You can expect to get three, maybe four runs out of something before it breaks, and that’s assuming you don’t wipe and lose everything you took with you and picked up along the way (except for your choice of one item from several that a helpful weirdo saves for you after a failed attempt). If weapons breaking in recent Zeldas rubbed you the wrong way, you probably won’t enjoy that aspect of Mewgenics, but I actually do like the way it prevents me from relying too heavily on any one strategy. You can get something incredibly powerful and play with it more than once, without letting that item define every run you’ll do from that point on.

Taking gear on only two or three runs may not sound like much, but that’s more than the actual cats get. Another reason you can’t count on the tricks you used in the previous run working just as well on the next, even if you use the same classes and gear, is that each cat only gets one adventure in which to level up and develop their skills. (You’ll be able to use them in combat one or even two more times during special battles where major monsters attack your house.) That was tough to get my head around at first, because I’m accustomed to my RPG party members sticking around, at least until I get them killed.

Maybe this is why you’re not allowed to name your own cats, and instead they come pre-named from a pool of (I estimate) a billion different silly possibilities: Mewgenics doesn’t want us to get too attached. After a while I stopped paying much attention to their names except to chuckle at them, preferring to think of my squad members as their classes rather than individuals. Only the ones I ended up using as my primary breeding stock really stuck with me. (Man, talking about this game makes you say some weird stuff.)

When you head out to one of the three acts’ adventure maps, which are all drawn in a jerkily animated, charmingly childlike style, you start with a single path that then branches off into two, each of which has two completely different stages packed with their own unique sets of enemies – so many you definitely won’t see them all even after several runs. You’ll definitely want to mouse over them and read their descriptions before diving into battle, because some of them have some extremely nasty tricks up their sleeves – including a few that can instantly and permanently kill a cat or infect it with a parasite that takes up a gear slot. The stakes are already pretty high given your cats are permanently injured every time they get downed, and can be outright killed if their body is destroyed by attacks or eaten by zombies, so you don’t want to get surprised if you can help it.

Each zone is also stocked with multiple bosses that range from powered-up versions of your own classes to huge, nasty monsters with their own creative game-changing mechanics, and one that’s basically just an evil Kirby. Yes, a few of them are annoying (I avoid going to Act 1’s Boneyard unless a quest demands it because that boss is a total jerk), but on balance they’re excellent battles that often make me think differently about how to manage my team’s turn order and abilities.

One thing that stands out to me about the structure of Mewgenics’ runs – aside from how they can take as long as two hours once you’ve unlocked all the zones (and some secret ones) – is that unlike most roguelikes, you rarely get to make decisions about the path you take between battles. You mainly get to choose between the default path and a harder one with better loot and one more battle to level up a cat in, and then very occasionally between two types of rewards (usually an equipable item or a piece of furniture for your house). That makes the between-battle encounters feel a little less interesting than in a lot of similar games, especially when the random encounters turn out to be basically a coin flip where you’re picking between a red pill or a blue pill, or pushing a button vs pulling a lever without any indication of which will give you a bonus and which will give you a debuff.

There are, of course, some more in-depth, multi-stage encounters where you’re picking between a set of options in a choose-your-own-adventure story where your chances of success for each one are determined by a cat’s stats. However, since the cat whose stats you’re working with is chosen randomly, there are two layers of luck involved before you get a shot at a good outcome. It often feels completely random, but that’s alright because so much of Mewgenics is doing the best you can with circumstances beyond your control.

During combat, there are so many different things in play that the interactions between cat mutations, passives, spells, gear, environmental modifiers, and enemies can get crazy complex, and figuring out exactly what happened – or predicting what will happen – can be like investigating a crime scene (often with just as much blood splatter). Why did that enemy pingpong between two trash bags, with each bounce doing one point of damage, until it died? How did one of my cats just straight-up eat a boss without me even telling it to move? Or, why did that giant Daddy Shark get to take another move and insta-kill my Cleric when I’d carefully placed him just outside what should’ve been his projected attack range? (That one stung.) All of those answers are in there somewhere if you know where to look and study the rules carefully. In one of those cases, it was related to – you guessed it – poop. The map does get chaotic when there are a lot of enemies and fire or plants or ice on the screen, but thankfully there’s a tactical view that usually clears things up… mostly.

Most of the time, if you think something might work, it will. Water and ice spells and spells will put out fire, water will conduct electricity and zap everything standing in it, that sort of thing. However, sometimes its rules aren’t super logical: a couple I’ve noticed is that robots are susceptible to bleeding, poison, and parasite infestations, and the Butcher class’s innate meat hook weapon can’t actually hook meat unless you luck into the right upgrade for it. But again, most of the time it works like you’d expect it to.

I do love when a powerful team dynamic emerges as you earn new skills (your choice from a random selection of three) or raise one cat’s stats after every battle. Recently I had a squad with a Monk who could toss out meat pickups that typically just heal the team, but when combined with a Butcher who can turn all of those meats into minion fly familiars and a Druid who can boost those flys’ stats and turn them into killing machines, it became a way to raise an army in a single turn. On another run I had a Cleric whose health regeneration applied to the whole team and an item that let me continually boost that regen multiple times per turn, allowing my Necromancer to run wild with a high-damage attack that also drained half of his own health. There are countless examples like this, and while you won’t win the lottery with a great combo every run, they happen more than often enough to make me excited about what might be next.

While you won’t win the lottery with a great combo every run, they happen more than often enough to make me excited about what might be next.

What’s a little frustrating when I’m planning out my moves in a tough fight where every action matters is that there’s no way to access a cat’s full character sheet while you’re in a battle, so you can’t see their list of mutations or all of their equipment’s full effects when you need that information the most. It’s almost all represented visually on your cats, at least, but you have to remember, for example, what a cat having a second head growing on its butt means. When the rules are changing so dramatically from run to run, I would love to be able to reference all of them at any time.

As if all of those variables weren’t enough, Mewgenics throws yet another curveball at you when it sends you on one of its story or side quests. Those all revolve around a unique and powerful item that changes the rules in a big way and telling you to take it to a specific zone. One of the most memorable gives you a five-second time limit for every action – and if you don’t make a move, the AI will take over and move for you. (I was glad I wasn’t playing that one on my Steam Deck because the controls there are serviceable, but not nearly as quick as with a mouse and keyboard.) Another shook things up by giving my cats random selections of abilities from every class when they leveled up, creating powerful hybrids that are usually rare. There are tons of these available, though it’s kind of a bummer that if you fail a side quest you don’t get a second attempt at that unless it randomly comes up again once you’ve paid enough cats. The story itself is pretty silly and light – don’t expect any Hades-style epics here – but good for a few yuks as you do the bidding of an incompetent mad scientist.

Another area where Mewgenics is truly exceptional is in its sound and music, which are fantastic in both big and subtle ways. It comes with a collection of original and hilarious songs that accompany each level and culminate in major boss battles that are designed to loop for as long as a battle takes, and there are multiple variations on each that include instrumental versions – your cats will even meow along to them sometimes. (My favorite is probably “Where’s That Smell Coming From?”) And those meows come from a vast selection of different randomly selected voices, including some celebrity cameos.

One of the best touches, though, is the crowd sounds. Mainly you’ll hear this after beating a battle: there’s cheering and clapping with varying enthusiasm based on how quickly you pulled off your win. That’s fine, but the best part is the shocked gasps when one of your cats is killed in action. That gets me every time – and trust me, I’ve heard it a lot.

Lastly, Mewgenics has a fun and surprising approach to the practice of “save-scumming,” where you quit out of a battle you’ve messed up and restart it with knowledge of what not to do. I won’t spoil what happens, but there are consequences if you abuse it. Thankfully, you do get some flexibility in case of a power outage or spouse demanding you stop playing that game you’ve been playing for 150 hours and do the dishes, and it’s kind of implicit that you have permission to save-scum once per run – and yes, I use it regularly.

Mewgenics review – a roguelite where sacrificial arse maggots and frightful defecation are the keys to success

I can’t get Fish Sticks out of my head. Not the food, but the stray cat with a squished face and stubby legs that I wrangled into my shack in Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel’s new roguelite strategy game, Mewgenics. The shop, the pub, the dentist; no matter where I go, I see his beady peepers deep in my subconscious. It’s the loss.

I sent Fish Sticks to the pits of hell to face the armies of Satan. Even though he had a nasty case of gastritis. Even though he slurped green goo that made his eyeballs bulge from his face. And he would’ve made it home, too, if it weren’t for a particularly pissed-off frog. The amphibian dragged him kicking and screaming into the path of the vacuuming jaws of a floating demon. The bastard gobbled him up. Him and his ability to pluck maggots from his allies’ rectums and swallow their souls. As he vanished into the demon’s belly, so too did my chances of passing his rectal soul-sucking powers to a new generation of adventuring cats.

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Fans Think Nintendo Made Leon S. Kennedy Miss Every Shot to Keep the Latest Resident Evil Requiem Trailer Family Friendly

The latest trailer for Resident Evil Requiem shows experienced agent Leon S. Kennedy whiffing every one of his shots — and fans think Nintendo is to blame.

Yesterday’s Nintendo Partner Direct featured a fresh look at the highly-anticipated survival horror title, which features newbie agent Grace Ashcroft alongside veteran zombie fighter Leon S. Kennedy. But watch yesterday’s trailer and you’d think Leon was fresh out of the academy, as he is unable to land a single bullet.

The Nintendo showcase included new footage of Leon kicking zombies to the ground, but then firing over their shoulder. At one point he picks up a rifle, then fires at a tree. Leon’s even able to miss with a chainsaw, spinning at a zombie only to graze some furniture.

Online, Leon’s sudden lack of fighting prowess has not gone unnoticed, with Nintendo itself believed as being to blame.

“Nintendo making Leon miss every shot and attack to keep the show PG is so funny,” wrote nin10doland in a long thread on social media. “I can feel the frustration from the guy who was recording this game footage,” replied NikTek. “How many years of service does Leon have exactly?” added HuhShalien.

The Partner Direct broadcast was rated as being for an 18+/Mature audience, though some fans have suggested the footage used here was likely the same seen in the stream’s separate Japanese version. In Japan, Resident Evil games are frequently censored, and Nintendo may feel a particular need to keep gore and violence unseen.

Others, meanwhile, noted that this was nothing new for a Nintendo Direct.

“They did the same thing with The Great Circle during the boat action shot, where they were shooting the water in front of the enemy boat instead of the actual boat,” wrote Donnyboi.

“Reminds me of the Hitman trailer when they’d cut right before he’d kill anyone,” added RileyEatsGood.

“This is also why the initial reveal for The Duskbloods from FromSoftware looked super underwhelming,” concluded VBandit47. “They couldn’t show literally ANYTHING that is core to the Soulsborne experience cause they couldn’t show any blood. Watch it back, you’ll see what I mean lmao.”

But it wasn’t just Leon’s aim that came under fire during the Nintendo Direct. The beloved character’s new amiibo figurine also took flak for its facial design — “hot uncle” it is not.

“Honestly, they look like the hot chocolate chocolates you put in a cup of hot milk to dissolve,” wrote Iv0ry_Falcon on reddit in a thread dissecting the look of both Leon and Grace’s amiibo.

“This 20$ Leon is on 20$ shrooms judging by his look,” claimed PhysicalKick3812. “Grace looks good.”

Added High_Flyin_Bird: “Fake Temu Amiibo.”

Last month, Resident Evil Requiem’s director said that the game’s female staff members in particular had worked hard to ensure hero Leon S. Kennedy “would make anyone’s heart throb.” Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social