Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties hands-on report

Set to launch on February 12, 2026, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 bundles two titles into one: Yakuza Kiwami 3, a remake of the original Yakuza 3 released in 2009, and the all-new Dark Ties, which stars Yoshitaka Mine, Kiryu’s adversary.

I recently had the opportunity to go hands-on with the game at a press event, which covered various sections from both the remaster Yakuza Kiwami 3 and the all-new Dark Ties, a brand-new tale featuring Yoshitaka Mine from Yakuza 3. Read on for my initial thoughts and impressions.

At the same event, Sega announced a playable demo will be available for the title, more news of which will be shared in the future.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 hands-on

Yakuza Kiwami 3 follows Kazuma Kiryu as he settles in Okinawa to run the Morning Glory Orphanage, only to find himself entangled in a web of sinister conspiracy.

In the demo, I was embroiled in Kiryu’s clash with the Ryudo Family, an Okinawan yakuza syndicate scheming to seize the Morning Glory Orphanage’s land, where I faced off against the Ryudo patriarch Shigeru Nakahara and family captain Rikiya Shimabukuro.

A standout moment showed Rikiya — initially hostile towards Kiryu — shifting his perspective after watching him bravely risk everything alone to save the head of the local shopping district. This entirely new scene, missing from the original Yakuza 3, masterfully captures Rikiya’s growing respect for Kiryu through nuanced facial expressions.

Master weapons and enjoy the thrill of “Ryukyu Style” combat

City streets spark spontaneous fights where Kiryu can switch fluidly between his Dragon of Dojima: Kiwami Style and Ryukyu Style.

Ryukyu Style maps weapons to different buttons for easy, diverse attacks. Weapons switch automatically based on the button pressed, so even simple button mashing feels satisfying.

Players can expect a variety of Heat Actions, as well as the Dragon Boost, which activates by maxing out Kiryu’s gauge. The Dragon Finisher delivers a final devastating blow, complete with a backdrop of a roaring dragon.

Life at Morning Glory: deepening ties with the children

Life at Morning Glory is a side-adventure where Kiryu nurtures bonds with children at the orphanage through cooking, sewing, helping with homework, and heartfelt chats. Kiryu’s “Daddy Rank” increases as trust grows, reflecting his growth as a father figure. Earning enough trust unlocks each child’s unique Family Time Event.

I became quite emotionally invested while I was playing, especially when thinking it was all for the children. The interactions perfectly echo Kiryu’s challenges as a novice parent striving to do his best, and transform minigames from mundane tasks into heartfelt moments of caring for the kids.

Bad Boy Dragon: Join the small-time Haisai Girls gang and protect Okinawa

In the new team battle content, Bad Boy Dragon, Kiryu is unexpectedly appointed to head up a struggling Okinawan girls’ gang, Haisai Girls. Together, they stand up to protect Okinawa from the formidable Tokyo Night Terrors.

You can engage in either Total Annihilation, where up to 20 allies clash against over 100 enemies, or Turf Wars, where teams split up to capture and take down enemy bases.

Dark Ties hands-on: revealing an unexpected side of Mine’s cool facade

Dark Ties centers on Yoshitaka Mine, the chilling antagonist who stands in Kiryu’s path, and he stole the spotlight in the preview. Unlike the fiery, heartfelt Kiryu and Ichiban, Mine is cold and detached, dismissing even Daigo’s “family” talk as empty rhetoric. It is rare for the series to convey a character’s thoughts through raw inner monologues.

Fast-paced combat based on shoot boxing

Rooted in shoot boxing (a martial art originating in Japan), Mine delivers swift, stylish, agile attacks.

Filling the Shackled Heart gauge triggers Dark Awakening mode, swapping Mine’s refined shoot boxing style for raw brutality — head grabs, ground drags, and ferocious strikes — mirroring his duality of a cool exterior and inner darkness.

Kanda Damage Control: turning Kanda into a lovable charmer

In Kanda Damage Control, Mine tackles various missions like street rescues on behalf of Kanda, the Nishikiyama Family patriarch, and Tojo Clan lieutenant. Completing them will boost Kanda’s public perception and gradually transform him into a charismatic figure.

Leveling up Kanda’s Charisma Rank unlocks Drink Links, where you’ll deepen your bond with Kanda and witness his hopelessly goofy flaws. His candid rants made me envy how much he enjoys life to the fullest, and I can’t wait to see his dynamic with Mine evolve.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launches on PS5 and PS4 on February 12.

Limited Edition Resident Evil Requiem Watches Launch Next Month

“I’ll buy it at a high price!”.

If you’re really, really excited for Resident Evil Requiem next month, then you might want to keep an eye out for two limited edition watches from manufacturer Hamilton.

Launching alongside the game on 27th February 2026, the two models are featured in the game itself and are (conveniently) worn by both protagonists: Grace Ashcroft and Leon Kennedy. They also cost enough to make RE4’s merchant break out in a cold sweat.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Resident Evil Showcase January 2026: 5 Things We Learned

Today, Capcom is holding a Resident Evil Showcase event set to feature “brand new gameplay and news” for Resident Evil Requiem, among other things.

The showcase is taking place at 2pm PT, 5pm ET, and 10pm UK, with a post-show discussion stream to follow, though it’s unclear exactly what that will be about.

Now that the showcase itself is over, it turns out it was actually…pretty thin as far as new information. It was entirely related to Resident Evil: Requiem, and almost fully focused on stuff you can buy in connection with the game. Here’s a quick rundown of the five big takeaways from the showcase today:

Resident Evil: Requiem’s Difficulty Settings

Resident Evil: Requiem will have at least three different difficulty settings, and one in particular seems pretty cool. There’s a Casual mode for those who just want to focus on the story, and it comes with an aim assist. And there’s a Standard mode, which is just what it sounds like.

But the really neat one is Standard (Classic) difficulty, which is the Standard difficulty but with an added challenge, where Grace will need to collect ink ribbons for typewriters in order to save her game.

Bloody It Up

A new game mechanic was revealed today related to the crafting system. In RE: Requiem, a number of items are only craftable using infected blood, which is obtained by killing zombies. Though Grace isn’t much of a fighter, she does have a gun on her (appropriately called Requiem) that she uses to get out of tight jams, and she’ll need to use it to take down zombies so she can get their blood and craft more useful survival tools.

There’s a Lot of Stuff You Can Buy, If You Want

A surprising amount of today’s showcase was dedicated to stuff you can buy in real-life that ties in with the game. There’s a watch collaboration with Hamilton for two different watches, one for Grace and one for Leon, that they’ll wear in-game, and only 2,000 of each watch are being made for sale. There’s the amiibo, which we already knew about, and a special Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller themed around Requiem. There are special Resident Evil orchestra concerts coming, and obviously, the Deluxe Edition of the game and all its bonus content. And Capcom is releasing figurines of both Grace and Leon. If you’re interested in buying any of that stuff, it’s all easy enough to find, but this section of the video really did feel a bit shopping channel given the circumstances.

These Zombies Are…Different

There’s something different about the zombies in Resident Evil: Requiem. Rather than just violent and lurching, some of them seem to have other personality traits, and have carried over characteristics from their lives before. For instance, one custodian zombie continues to clean the building even after being turned. There’s another man frantically pushing elevator buttons. And at the end of the trailer, there’s one that straight up talks to Grace. Like, seems to be holding a normal, smooth, human conversation. What’s going on here? Is this a different virus than the usual one? Mysteries!

Elpis

What? Pipis? No, you said Elpis? Okay, sure. At the end of the showcase, there was a mention of some sort of “secret” Leon is carrying, referencing something called “elpis.” We have…no idea what that is! We know now that it’s potentially related to the murder of Grace’s mother, Alyssa, and we can maybe guess that it’s connected in some way to that zombie bite mark fans keep seeing on Leon in trailers. But this is another mystery that will need further investigation. Or, as Leon S. Kennedy put it in the trailer, a second opinion.

Resident Evil: Requiem is coming to Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27, 2026.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Resident Evil Showcase January 2026: Everything Announced

Today, Capcom is holding a Resident Evil Showcase event set to feature “brand new gameplay and news” for Resident Evil Requiem, among other things.

The showcase is taking place at 2pm PT, 5pm ET, and 10pm UK, with a post-show discussion stream to follow, though it’s unclear exactly what that will be about.

Resident Evil: Reqiuem is just a few weeks away, and we’ve already seen quite a bit of it, including the long-awaited reveal of Leon S. Kennedy, who is apparently going to be playable as well, and what seems to be a tease of an open world…or at least a pretty big shift in how the series has historically treated its settings. What new surprises could possibly still be waiting at this point? Is Requiem the only game that will be shown, or is there more we should be expecting?

We’ll be keeping track of everything announced at the showcase today right here, so stick with us and watch along on Twitch or YouTube.

Sonic The Hedgehog Kicks Off 35th Anniversary Celebrations In Style

“Forever fast”.

Believe it or not, Sonic the Hedgehog is celebrating his 35th anniversary in 2026, and Sega is clearly planning something as it dropped a nostalgia blast of a trailer celebrating the blue blur’s life and times.

The trailer highlights the range of Sonic over the franchise’s storied history, from his pixel perfect start on the Mega Drive with Sonic the Hedgehog, to blockbuster movies in Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Ultimate General: Civil War is coming to Xbox on March 4

Category: ID@Xbox

January 15, 2026

Ultimate General: Civil War is coming to Xbox on March 4

Anton Vinogradov, Founder, Samustai

Summary

Launching on Xbox consoles and XPA.
A playable demo will be released February 9, 2026.
Intuitive control scheme designed specifically for controllers.

I am incredibly excited to announce that Ultimate General: Civil War is officially coming to Xbox consoles on March 4. For the first time, console players can experience the tactical depth of this acclaimed strategy game from the comfort of their living room.

You won’t have to wait long to take command and test your skills. We are preparing a playable demo targeting February 9, 2026, giving you a chance to experience the game’s mechanics firsthand.

Ultimate General: Civil War is a tactical real-time strategy game where you oversee a massive historical campaign from 1861 to 1865. The game is designed to be a simulator where every decision matters—from the positioning of your artillery to the morale of your infantry brigades.

On Xbox and XPA, you will fight through an extensive campaign featuring dozens of battles, ranging from smaller skirmishes to massive conflicts that span several days. You aren’t just watching from above; you are managing army composition, weapon supplies, and officer progression. Your units learn and grow stronger with every engagement, carrying their experience throughout the entire campaign.

Optimized for Xbox Controllers

Bringing a precise RTS to consoles was a significant challenge. Our goal was to ensure the game feels native to the gamepad, rather than just emulating a mouse.

In Ultimate General: Civil War, you control your units by drawing their movement paths directly onto the terrain. This mechanic feels incredibly natural on the Xbox Wireless Controller. You can draw flanking manoeuvres through forests or set up defensive perimeters on high ground with simple analog stick movements. We have adapted the experience to ensure that commanding a massive army feels intuitive and responsive on the console.

Prepare for Battle

The upcoming demo will be the perfect opportunity to learn how to manage cover, utilize terrain advantages, and break the enemy line using these optimized controls.

We can’t wait for you to try the demo February 9 and see how you rewrite history when the full game arrives on March 4, and you can add it to your wishlist now!

Ultimate General: Civil War

Samustai LTD

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

——-THE FOLLOWING GAME WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR XBOX SERIES CONSOLES ONLY!——-

«Ultimate General: Civil War» is a tactical real time strategy war game.

Fight in the American Civil War campaign (1861-1865) – from small engagements to massive battles that can last several days over hundreds of square miles of terrain. Based on your successes and reputation you might get access to more corps, divisions and brigades. Keep your soldiers alive and they will learn to fight better, turning from green rookies to crack veterans. The Officers rank up based on their units’ performance, but it’s war and they can be wounded or even get killed in action. There is a huge variety of Civil War weaponry from mass produced Enfield pattern rifles to rare Whitworths. Certain weapons can only be captured by raiding supplies or taken from the enemy on the battlefield. Detach skirmishers to send them to scout those hills ahead. Or merge several brigades into one bigger division if it’s needed. Dismount the cavalry to become less visible to the enemy or mount for fast flanking charges and supply raids.

Use every opportunity to overthrow your enemy and win the battle.

The post Ultimate General: Civil War is coming to Xbox on March 4 appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Amazon Releases Two New Magic Puzzle Company Jigsaw Puzzles for 2026

The Magic Puzzle Company is one of my favorite jigsaw puzzle brands on the market right now. Each puzzle is made up of 1,000 unique pieces and filled with fun little easter eggs throughout. Best of all, when you finally complete the puzzle you are treated to a secret ending that is different for each one. I personally love these puzzles because every image has some serious ‘Where’s Waldo’ vibes and utilizes different artwork from popular artists I would have otherwise never known about.

If you aren’t already familiar with the earlier Magic Puzzle Company Puzzles, I’d recommend checking out Series One to get started. However, if you’re a seasoned veteran you’ll be happy to know that Amazon has just released two new Series Five puzzles for 2026 and they look quite delightful.

New Series Five Magic Puzzle Company Puzzles

Series Five is the latest series in the Magic Puzzle Company lineup, and these two new puzzles are likely the last entries we’ll see until Series Six. Each series has been comprised of three total puzzles, and the first puzzle in this series was actually released back in August 2025. The first option is called The Drippy Trip and features artwork from one of the original Adventure Time artists. I own this puzzle and can confirm that it is an absolute delight to put together—especially as a big Adventure Time fan

As for the two new puzzles, the Golden Goose has sort of an early civilization vibe. The artwork is by Anine Bösenberg, who cultivates a wonderful illustration style that does a great job of feeling cozy and alive without too much heavy detail. This puzzle is already available on Amazon, but in limited quantities. If stock runs out, however, you can purchase the Series Five bundle to get the full set later in February.

The second new puzzle is called The Coveted Comet and looks to feature a colony of aliens inhabiting some sort of moon. The overall design is reminiscent of those cross-section books that show you everything going on within a single building, but with a more organic feel. The artwork comes from Samuel Hayward, who appears to have a knack for creating adorable prints. This puzzle isn’t available until February 15, but you can currently preorder it on Amazon ahead of its release date.

More Magic Puzzle Company Puzzles

If you’re looking for more puzzles from this brand, you can check out some of the more popular options from previous releases right here:

Deadhaus Sonata, From Eternal Darkness Creator Denis Dyack, Returns With New Trailer, Eyes Early 2026 Early Access Release

Deadhaus Sonata, the indie-developed action-RPG from Legacy of Kain, Eternal Darkness, and Too Human creator Denis Dyack that IGN first revealed in 2018, has “reawakened” with a new trailer and a targeted Early Access release window of early 2026 for PC, with console versions to follow. Watch the trailer above and check out new screenshots in the gallery below.

Now powered by Unreal Engine 5, Deadhaus Sonata promises multiple player classes in the final version, with the first being the Vampire. It also touts a living world, with “enemies, events, and opportunities [changing] as the world progresses, making the realm feel alive and reactive.” It’s also co-op enabled. “Explore a land shattered by divine war and corruption,” the team at Apocalypse Studios says. “Malorum is filled with haunted fortresses, forgotten kingdoms, and ruins shaped by ancient history. Every discovery reveals new layers of lore where nothing is ever as it first appears.”

Progression features a tarot card-based skill system that let you customize your build, whether you prefer a tank or a caster. The team also says, “Loot in Deadhaus Sonata is earned through feats that track your actions, history, and performance, not random drops. Every item is shaped by what you do. Gear, artifacts, legendary items, and tarot cards all tie into Malorum’s supernatural and political history. Playing is crafting, and your past becomes a resource that influences your future.”

Dyack has had quite a career in gaming, and not without his controversies. He discussed his career in a 2019 appearance on our IGN Unfiltered interview show. And if you’re interested in Deadhaus Sonata, you can wishlist it on Steam.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our old interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The dice are as deadly as the pixelart is lush in dungeon RPG The Fortress

Alas and alack for Lickity Split, knight hero of The Fortress, prisoner of a villainous Sorceror King. ‘Twas I who named him (I wanted a pun on “Lich” and I’m fairly sure we’ve done “Lich My Balls” several times before) and ‘twas I who led him to his death a whole six rooms away from his cell… and ‘twas I who then resurrected him as a wizard and got him killed again, a mere five minutes later.

Super Nintendo World Is Celebrating Its Fifth Anniversary In Style

Anyone for cake?

Believe it or not, Universal Studios Japan is hosting Super Nintendo World’s fifth anniversary this year, and it’s marking the occasion in a way that only Nintendo can: a buttload of decorations and some exclusive merch.

The Mario-themed park will be getting a celebratory birthday makeover from 18th March, featuring a giant superstar cake at the entrance and a special ‘Star Hunt’ activity within. Yoshi will also be joining the meet-and-greet circuit in the park itself, marking the first time that the beloved dino has been available for photo ops with the public.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com