Skybound Entertainment and Broken Mirror Games have announced that I Hate This Place, the adaptation of the comic series from writer Kyle Starks and artist Artyom Topilin, will launch on the Switch on 7th November 2025.
The new trailer also gives us a further glimpse at the craft-based survival horror gameplay, with an isometric viewpoint and cool, stylised visuals paying homage to the comic itself. Developer Broken Mirror Games was founded in 2024 and sits under the larger Bloober Team, which itself is shortly launching Cronos: The New Dawn on the Switch 2. These folks are all about the horror!
We go hands-on with the upcoming High On Life 2 at gamesco 2025.
Ralph Ineson joins the cast of High On Life 2 alongside the returning actors Betsy Sodaro, J.B. Smoove, and Richard Kind.
High On Life 2 launches for Xbox Series X|S on February 13, 2026, and will be available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate.
How do you follow one of the most hilarious first-person shooters ever created? Turns out: give us a skateboard and tell us to get nuts. During a recent hands-on opportunity with an early build of High On Life 2, I could instantly recognize many returning hallmarks from the original, most notably the return of the talking weaponry, Gatlians, but also the ability to use Knifey’s grapple to pull me onto ledges, and tons of sharply written dialog that blend this wild universe together. But it was skateboarding that really caught my attention.
Picking up some time after the end of High On Life, the hands-on preview kicked off with me skydiving into the world of ConCon (Convention Convention), which is a planet full of floating platforms housing (you guessed it) conventions. A bounty has led us here, targeting senator Muppy Doo, a politician who is in league with the evil executives at Rhea Pharmaceuticals who are intent on turning humankind into… prescription pills.
My mission? Make my way through multiple conventions to find him. First up is ParkingCon, a collection of crashed cars piled on top of each other with dozens of aliens fighting over the few remaining parking spaces – one space was even being “held” by a plastic chair – and we need to free one up to give returning character Gene’s flying Winnebago a chance to park by any means necessary (e.g. shooting aliens). At first, I came to this with the approach of a standard first-person shooter, focusing on enemy groups one at a time, trying to clear these parking spaces, and cycling between my two available Gatlians: Sweezy (laser pistol) and Gus (shotgun). Then I hopped on the skateboard and everything changed.
High On Life Pro Skater Edition
The skateboard effectively replaces your sprint button, but it’s the speed and agility that comes with it that makes it such a game changer. The more I moved around the level on the board, the more objects I found to grind on by pressing the LB button, like handrails and concrete dividers. I even found some sections that resembled quarter pipes and noticed that certain cars were positioned just right to give the impression they were ramps to jump off. That’s when it dawned on me that this entire level was basically a skatepark! This is going to be great.
The speed of battle really picked up the more I became comfortable finding areas to grind, while cutting down enemies left and right with Sweezy and Gus. I could even “throw” my skateboard at enemies for a one-hit kill and found it hugely helpful that the same button tied to grinding was also Knifey’s head-latching ability, which would smartly pull me to rails or grindable objects if I was going to be coming up short. It means you can get into a real flow, even in a game where you wouldn’t expect it.
If you recall from the first game, traversal with Knifey’s grapple was a big component, unlocking a variety of environmental and platform puzzles. Now with the inclusion of the skateboard, the platforming aspects are all amplified and it wasn’t long until the demo started showcasing what else I could do.
Continuing to the next floating zone involved grinding on floating buses, bouncing on giant inflatable balloons, and then wall riding to safely cross a chasm of clouds, where I reached PoliCon (a politics convention). The skatepark motif continued here as well, with plenty of handrails and other objects to grind swiftly across this new zone, moving through to my next objective. And that’s when our personal assistant Suit-O stepped in.
So, What Else Can You Do?
For our demo, Suit-O was ever vigilant in popping up at the bottom of the screen and making sure we stayed on schedule for our 30-minute preview – intentionally fast-forwarding us through highlights of the demo, and “accidentally” leading us to the conclusion of a boss battle with one of the game’s new characters, Sheath, voiced by the amazing Ralph Ineson. What followed was a hilarious (and bloody) dissection of his alien bounty hunter character – whose head is then transformed into a new Gatlian. Yep, a boss voiced by a famous actor is also a gun in this game.
Sheath complimented Sweezy and Gus nicely with the feel of a battle rifle – Halo fans might find the familiar “punch” here — and his alt-attack is an Impaling Spike that can be used to string together subsequent targets and to create Spike ziplines, which I later use to cross over to the next convention, MurderCon (it’s exactly what you might think it is). I love that these Metroidvania-like components are still present from the previous game, opening areas formerly unreachable once you have acquired the specific tool to do the job.
Shoot, Shoot, Shoot!
Once we’ve stepped through the gates into MurderCon, the demo’s narrative shifted slightly to focus on Knifey who, as returning players may recall, loves to get bloody. He was predictably overjoyed to attend a convention that’s all about one of his favorite subject matters. Before I knew it, we were neck deep in a battle royale, surrounded by a laser tag arena aesthetic with lots of neon strewn about. And, yes, tons of enemies to shoot at. The speedy traversal elements took a backseat here, as the demo showcased more of a traditional multiplayer-like shooter layout, allowing us to lean more into our Gatlians and their abilities.
Sheath feels great with that perfect battle rifle punch, and using his Impaling Spike to tie groups of enemies together was incredibly fun. Sweezy is still a solid laser pistol with an alt-attack that creates a slowdown bubble that surrounds a group of enemies. And Gus’ shotgun and disc shot abilities are great at clearing crowds of enemies. All this fighting culminated in a boss battle with a large, ogre-like character named Brutus, who had a giant pyramid-like helmet fused to his head. It wasn’t long after that me and my Gatlians made short work of him and were crowned winners of MurderCon.
Finally, I was whisked forward once again by Suit-O to face off with Muppy Doo. At first, the encounter was your standard fare of dodging incoming attacks and unleashing some hurt with my Gatlians. But it was the next phase of the battle that I wasn’t quite ready for – and was unlike anything I’ve played. The final boss battle took place… in the menu screen.
See, Muppy Doo has a shrinking ability and was able to get so small that he snuck into my suit’s mainframe and tied up Suit-O. After freeing Suit-O by “clicking” on him, he became my mouse cursor as I clicked through my menu screen, trying to uncover the mini Muppy Doo who was trashing my sub systems.
Muppy would pop his head out from behind an icon, or start destroying menu items, and we’d punch him, forcing him to duck into another sub-menu. After a bit of this click-tag, it became worse for my character, forcing a full system reboot and deleting my save game… which rebooted into an entirely different game – Bible Adventures. No, really. Eventually, things continued to escalate to the point where the only solution was to have Knifey stab me to death – which he was more than willing to oblige. And thus, we wrapped up our time with High On Life 2.
A few games under their belt now, I like that Squanch Games is really starting to settle into a mindset of, “Wouldn’t it be funny if…” and find ways to go through with it, while making it incredible fun (and incredibly funny) in the process. Finding that balance is not an easy thing to do – kind of like trying to ride a skateboard while blasting aliens in the face. Of which we’re very excited to try more of once High On Life 2 launches for Xbox Series X|S on February 13, 2026, available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate.
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!
Greetings, brave adventurers and budding swordsmiths! We’re thrilled to announce that Where Winds Meet—our epic Wuxia open-world action-adventure RPG game – will be launching on November 14, 2025. After five years of dedication, we’re finally ready to let you loose in a world filled with legend, danger, and endless adventure. But first, we have some exciting news to share about the game and a special pre-order bundle for PS5. Let’s dive in!
In our latest trailer, we give you a taste of the story and setting, offering a sneak peek into the heart of this chaotic world. Please see the video below. Set in 10th century China, a time rife with dynastic battles and unrelenting war, Where Winds Meet places you at the crossroads of history during one of the most turbulent eras. In the chaos, all kinds of legendary figures rise to fame, their stories shaping the very course of history.
You’ll step into the boots of a young swordsman or swordswoman who, raised in the tranquility of a quiet village, who is inspired by stories of martial arts heroes and the excitement of the Jianghu (the martial arts world). However, everything changes when tragedy strikes. After a series of unforeseen events – betrayals, attacks, and the collapse of everything you once knew – you are forced to leave the only home you’ve ever known.
This painful departure marks the beginning of a journey into the unknown, where you must confront both personal loss and the brutal realities of a world in turmoil. In such a troubled time, a warrior has only one sword, but there are tens of millions of people in the world. You decide the path you will travel and as you make these decisions, so the story unfolds. With your step into the Jianghu, it’s no longer just about seeking adventure; it’s about survival, truth, and ultimately discovering who you truly are in a world that’s as fractured as your past.
However, there’s more to this world than meets the eye. While the main quest will draw you into the heart of the action, the world is brimming with smaller, hidden tales that will reveal themselves as you journey deeper. The more you explore, the more pieces of the puzzle you’ll discover, and it’s up to you to put it all together. (Don’t worry, we won’t spoil it for you here—we want you to experience the excitement firsthand in the game!)
Along your journey, you’ll encounter legendary figures, battle with them, and uncover the secrets that lie beneath the surface. As you explore freely, you’ll learn new Chinese martial arts (Kung fu) skills, join powerful factions, and choose your path in this sprawling world. Want to follow the way of a wandering swordsman, or do you dream of forging alliances with the mysterious figures that roam the land? In Where Winds Meet, it’s all about creating your own story.
We’ve crafted this game with care, pouring our hearts into every detail over the past five years, and we’re beyond excited to share it with the world.
And now, the PS5 pre-order bundle is available right now, and here’s what you’ll get:
In-game Appearance Set: Appearance Customization Pack (choose from Red Dust Book, Ink Deep Dan Zhu, or Penglai Feather) x1
In-game Player Name Card: Astral Trail Name Card Background x1
We have tried our best to create an immersive martial arts world in this game. We can’t wait for you to explore, battle, and experience the life of a warrior in this unforgettable adventure. The official release on November 14, 2025 is just around the corner, and until then, may the winds guide you!
You see, while the base version of Bloodlines 2 offers four vampire clans with different playstyles for you to get behind the fangs of, Paradox have opted to stick a further two behind paid day-one DLC.
I’d entirely forgotten about Battlestar Galactica. I wouldn’t say hearing the show’s melancholy singsong theme during last night’s Open Night Live gave me Proustian nostalgia pangs, but it did fill me with a vague desire to look up Gunstar mods for Homeworld.
The game announcement in question was for Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, a new tactical roguelite from the developers of Crying Suns. Published by Dotemu, it gives you quasi-isometric control of the human armada racing to escape the sinister Cylon fleet. You’ll divide your time between managing tensions aboard your ships via branching story beats, assigning limited upgrade resources, flushing out new vessels from the planets you visit, and fending off the perfidious toasters in real-time space combat. Here’s a trailer.
As a general rule, any first-person game where you’re walking around derelict areas and pointing a camera at things is probably going to be super creepy, and upcoming asymmetrical shooter Project Spectrum certainly seems like it will reinforce this tried-and-true guideline. The brief eight-minute hands-off demo of this suspenseful shooter left me with as many questions as I got answers, with lots left unexplained about how exactly this weird idea will work, but it also showed signs of a fairly new take on the asymmetrical multiplayer genre that’s become one of my favorite pastimes in recent years. Taking a page out of fellow supernaturally inclined monster slaying game Hunt: Showdown 1896, you and your friends explore the map and take down dangerous creatures as you hunt the boss in each area for a final confrontation – in this case, using your camera to track the source of the reality-warping ghostly corruption that plagues the world. But instead of competing against rival crews, you’re being hunted yourself by player-controlled, bizarre looking monstrosities with frightening abilities, adding a bit of Evolve-like flavor to the mix.
From the few bits of story I was able to glean, Project Spectrum has you playing as special paranormal hunters entering areas affected by a supernatural entity called Ember Zones where you’ll track down the source of the corruption and kill them dead. Mixing horror elements, like zombies rushing at you and spooky investigation sequences where you’re looking over your shoulder while snapping a photo of some strange anomaly, with more traditional FPS gameplay where you’re shooting humans in a rundown mansion and crafting improvised trip mines to keep would-be interlopers at bay, will hopefully make for a nice pairing of action-packed combat and tense creepy sections that could be a match made in heaven, even if I didn’t get the impression that story was a major focus (though it’s hard to tell from such a short demo).
There was also a pretty clever crafting system where you could do things like scavenge a soda pop can from the ground and convert it into a silencer for your pistol with a bit of good ol’ survival game ingenuity. I still have a lot of questions about how crafting works, since at one point they crafted a trip mine using a grenade and wire that they got seemingly out of nowhere, but it was still a nice touch.
The most interesting part of the demo, though, came when a powerful multi-armed creature suddenly popped out of nowhere and started hunting the players, and it was revealed to be controlled by another human.
The most interesting part of the demo, though, came when a powerful multi-armed creature suddenly popped out of nowhere and started hunting the players, and it was revealed to be controlled by another human. As a freaky-looking ball of smoke with dangerously flailing limbs, this player hopped on top of the mansion the human players were exploring and hunted them down one-by-one, leaping from place to place when they were separated from one another to pick them off. I wasn’t able to get a sense of what the creature’s abilities might be, or what it might feel like to play as them, but seeing it crawl on top of buildings, stalking unaware players down below definitely sounds like my idea of a good time.
There are some pretty big things I’m still not entirely clear on, like what the meta progression looks like, for example. The developer didn’t say if Project Spectrum will have a traditional story-driven campaign, or will be limited to one-off matches on a preset map where you’re making progress in some other way. Since it’s a free-to-play game with a multiplayer focus that has a lot in common with Hunt: Showdown, my guess is it’ll be the latter, but with a lot of focus on worldbuilding, it’s a bit hard to say for sure.
And although there were some neat ideas, like the crafting system and the ability to play as a creepy monster hunting players, there’s a bit too many unanswered questions for me to get excited just yet. For example, the gunplay looked a bit basic, with generic pistols and assault rifles that seemed a tad boring in a game about hunting ghosts, and melee gameplay looked a bit sloppy as well. Also, there was one part where a character revived another player, and the animation for doing so was grabbing a whole med kit and rotating it around their own arm like they were applying gauze, which broke my brain for a minute. It seems pretty likely to me that this is a very early look at a game that is likely to change quite a bit before we’re able to understand how it’s taking shape.
I’ll need to see more (and hopefully get my hands on it) before I get my hopes up, but a new IP with some interesting new ideas and the chance to scare the pants off my friends as an interdimensional monster certainly is welcome news. Here’s hoping we get the chance to take a closer look at Project Spectrum in the coming months.
Kirby has the ability to put everyone in a good mood, right? I mean, I’ve been in a lovely mood thanks to the pink puffball (and Nintendo), as I was lucky enough to go hands-on with the upcoming racer Kirby Air Riders for the Nintendo Switch 2 at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany.
As a surprising sequel to Kirby Air Ride on the GameCube, it’s a really fascinating game, and it does, as director Masahiro Sakurai said in yesterday’s Nintendo Direct, feel very different to Mario Kart World. So let me run you through what I got to play during my behind-closed-doors session.
Hollow Knight: Silksong – Yes, We’ve Finally Played It
The sheer weight of anticipation, expectation and, yes, a lot of memes, gives Hollow Knight: Silksong a pretty unique challenge to overcome as it makes a first impression. Six years since its announcement, and eight years since the original game arrived, it needs to demonstrate two things: that it’s familiar and that it’s different. Not the easiest thing to balance.
As paradoxical as it sounds, I’m delighted to say that having played a new public hands-on demo at Gamescom 2025, Team Cherry has managed just that. If you, like me, have been part of the baying millions waiting to see what a Hollow Knight successor could possibly be, I’m pretty confident you’re going to be pleased.
The trick is in how the developers have chosen to introduce this new game – as I turn on the demo for the first time, I’m given a choice of two locations to enter: Moss Grotto and Deep Docks. The first shows how returning players are getting more of what they want, but the second shows we’re getting the new ideas a sequel needs.
Moss Grotto
Beginning with a cutscene showing a captured Hornet (the NPC/boss from the first game, who is now our playable character) escaping into the mysterious new world of Pharloom, the verdant Moss Grotto is an immediate reminder of the key pleasures of the original Hollow Knight.
Even with this much distance from the first game, the first minutes of Silksong feel blissfully familiar – and reveal how right Team Cherry got things the first time around. This is still an immaculately drawn and animated world – its weaponized insects shudder gorgeously through lush environments, always darkened and inviting at the corners.
It still offers a maze of tunnels, beckoning you to explore in new directions, few of them truly signposted. And, crucially, it still feels unerringly good at reacting to exactly what you want to do – every button press rewarded with snappy, precisely judged reactions, from platforming to combat.
But, having returned to the original game to prepare for this demo, Moss Grotto also gives us a hint of what Hornet offers as a main character that the first game’s silent protagonist did not – namely, speed. Hornet attacks more precisely, can mantle obstacles, and even uses a new Bind ability to instantly regain health. But don’t take this as a notoriously difficult game getting easier for its second outing – Deep Docks disavowed me of that notion very quickly.
Deep Docks
Set further into the game, this second area is clearly designed to challenge you. More labyrinthine, and often verydark, this warren of an area immediately pits me against flying enemies able to pelt me with magma, enemies who block, and a boss who mercilessly takes me down, time and time again (more on her later).
It serves as a reminder of quite how challenging Hollow Knight could be, but also an introduction to the ways this game will enliven that. Yes, Hornet is a swifter fighter than the original protagonist – so Team Cherry has simply applied to the same logic to her enemies. The result is a combat system that feels less like a slugfest and more like a swordfight – you’ll need to evade, attack, and parry with more purpose. And when you get into the flow, it feels superb.
Also introduced in the Deep Docks are your Tools – perhaps the biggest change to how Silksong works compared to Hollow Knight. As part of a new crafting system, Hornet can equip Tools to add abilities to her repertoire. I’m able to use the Straight Pin – a ranged attack that functions like a throwing knife – and Silkspear, a much more powerful attack that only recharges through combat, forcing me into the fray in order to activate it. Even with a limited number on offer, it’s clear how much my choice of Tools will affect how I play through the full game.
And that’s clearest when I meet Lace, the boss guarding the end of the demo. Another swordfighter, she’s as fast – perhaps faster – than Hornet, able to parry, and with shifting attack patterns that feel as though they’re responding to how I’m choosing to fight. It’s here that I realise quite how far Team Cherry is pushing speed as a defining factor in Silksong –after many, many failed attempts, it’s only by using my own maneuvrability (and some well-thrown Tools) that I’m able to take her down. I’m not simply learning attack patterns, or spamming moves, I’m reacting. It might look like Hollow Knight, but it feels like I’m playing on some hidden Turbo Mode at times.
And Beyond…
There’s much still to be discovered, only hinted at in the demo. I’m able to collect both currency (called Rosaries) and crafting materials (called Shell Shards) in the demo, but I’m unable to spend either. Entire fundamental abilities – like wall grabbing – aren’t shown as part of my playthrough, either. And, beyond a brief chat with Lace, I don’t see much of Hornet’s own character – lest we forget, she can speak, unlike our original hero – meaning the story is still fairly unknown. Like any good demo, it leaves me excited to see more, rather than a feeling of knowing everything there is to know.
But what is on show here is a clear message – the core of this game is about fast, muscular, precise platforming and combat, taking what Hollow Knight achieved, but augmented with years more experience, years more thought, and years more confidence for Team Cherry as developers. I feel pretty good about saying, yes, this is the game you’ve hoped for during all those years.
Ascend to the peak of a vast, haunted kingdom in Hollow Knight: Silksong! The sequel to the award-winning action-adventure, Hollow Knight. Explore, fight and survive as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, as she discovers a land ruled by silk and song.
After zipping around in Kirby Air Riders for maybe an hour, I rushed back to my apartment to get in a round of Mario Kart World just to see. In the game’s Direct earlier this week, director Masahiro Sakurai said (even if he was just being cheeky) his unlikely GameCube sequel was “basically Mario Kart.” And yeah, if you compare the two on the level of “a bunch of guys from decades of Nintendo games race around and/or duke it out” then sure, I guess.
In every other way, Kirby Air Riders is so extremely not just a Mario Kart redux that riding around 150cc matches at home felt practically quaint. Wall rides and bar grinds? That’s cute. In Kirby Air Riders, I’m drifting corners so screamin’ fast that I barely had time to blink. Whirlpool traps and gentle river runs? How serene. Air Riders’ Waveflow Waters race course has violent vortexes and corridors of walls made of water to punch through. Oh, and brace yourself for a gigantic meteor shower of fireballs that reign down during City Trials too!
In the time I spent with Air Riders, I got through a good chunk of tutorials, raced through two Air Rider courses (Floria Fields and Waveflow Waters, both of which were featured in the Direct), and crushed three rounds of City Trials, the topographical brawler and power-up collection zone that ends in a challenge of your choosing. Getting through the checklist of lessons to get a handle on maneuvering, as patronizing as they may seem for a game that now relies on two whole buttons (up from one!), was actually quite nice. Because once an Air Ride or City Trial started, it was buckle-up time and not as easy as it might seem on paper.
As for the expanded cast of characters, I only got to mess around with a few, but Bandana Waddle Dee with his spear flurry is my early frontrunner for favorite.
Part of that boils down to each of the many machines having distinct characteristics that aren’t just a matter of alleged differences in weight and handling that a chart claims when I’m picking it. The way, say, a tank drives, which is heavy and super directionally flexible, is wildly different from Meta Knight’s soaring shadow glider, and I think a lot of the fun will be in the trial-and-error of those. As for the expanded cast of characters, I only got to mess around with a few, but Bandana Waddle Dee with his spear flurry is my early frontrunner for favorite. (I wanted to love Starman, but I need some more time for him to grow on me.)
Like my NVC host colleagues have already called out about Kirby Air Ride (2003), City Trials is still the standout game. It’s also the most derived from Sakurai’s Super Smash Bros. directorial sensibilities, from its brawler nature down to the selection screen and slow-mo KO animations. It is, however, utter pandemonium, like the aforementioned meteors that you’ll need to avoid or sudden calls to zoom over to a highlighted area to fight in a dust-up, if you so choose. The five-minute countdown breezed by as I attempted to manhandle my gliders to collect power-ups, food items that were practically copy-pasted from the real world into the dreamy palette of Kirby Air Riders, and also wreck some other players. Was I excelling at any of this? Not really, but the game didn’t make winning feel like it was the priority (which I guess is quite different from Smash Bros., where loser characters look onto the winner with existential anguish). It was more important to simply have fun, and it’s easy to imagine anyone from grade schoolers to college kids and cool adults (ahem) turn Kirby Air Riders into a shouty party game.
The maximalism of Kirby Air Riders is its core charm; it feels brewed from impish, chaotic-neutral alchemy. Even Nintendo is calling this a “vehicle action game,” not a kart racer, which honestly seems apt – a silly genre distinction for a purposefully unserious game. It might not have been the sequel the people were clamoring for, but I’m glad that it exists.
Harvest Moon is returning to the Switch next month with two 3DS games, but it looks like there could be even more on the way.
According to a new rating that’s popped up in Taiwan, the mobile game Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home is making its way across to the Switch and PlayStation 5. As mentioned by Gematsu, this game originally made its debut on iOS and Android devices in August 2024.
