Category: Video Games

Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game Review

I love it when passions of mind mix together into something awesome. So as someone who loves board games and books from epic fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson (specifically the Cosmere series), Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game really hits that sweet spot. With Era 1 characters Marsh, Shan, Vin, and Kelsier, each depicted with beautiful art alongside more than 100 cards showcasing people, places, and events from the books, Mistborn is a treat for fans like myself. And thankfully, it has some solid gameplay backing it up.

What’s in the box:

  • 1 Rulebook
  • 4 character cards
  • 4 sets of 8 metal tokens
  • 4 health dials with 4 matching colored cubes
  • 8 mission cards
  • 4 starter decks
  • 82 market cards
  • 36 Lord Ruler challenge cards
  • 1 Lord Ruler card
  • 1 dominance track card
  • 16 Atium tokens
  • 14 boxing tokens
  • 1 target standee
  • Lord Ruler dial with 8 tracking cubes

Designed by John D. Clair and published by Brotherwise Games, Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game, as its name suggests, is a deckbuilding board game and features many of the staple mechanics of the genre. Players begin the game with a weaker small deck of cards, which they will slowly add to throughout the course of the game by purchasing new cards from a shared shop that strengthens their deck with new abilities and better resources. Just because it adopts many of the traditional systems of a deck builder doesn’t mean Mistborn doesn’t offer up anything new, though!

Pulling from the source material, the big additional element here is the idea of burning and flaring metal—the signature trait of the Allomancers from the world of Scadriel. On your turn, the cards you can play require you to burn one of eight possible metals in order to use the card. As the game progresses you become a better-trained Allomancer. You are able to burn more metals per turn, but at the start, you can only do this once, which is where flaring a metal and playing cards as a resource comes into play.

Flaring lets you use one of your metals, not counting towards your turn burn limit; however, you will not regain this metal until you take a special “refresh” action on a future turn, discarding a card from your hand that matches that metal. Additionally, you can spend a card from your hand as another required metal cost that matches the type as shown in a small vial at the bottom of the cards, making every card you put into your deck not only a potential action but also a resource. I am a big fan of board games that incorporate risk-versus-reward into the gameplay and the fact that played cards have multiple use cases adds that extra little dash of a strategic element to the economy that I just devoured.

Before each game starts, three missions are selected that players will be able to progress on, earning them bonuses and, once completed, permanent buffs. These can allow you to draw extra cards during your turn, provide a static attack bonus each turn, or even a one-time-use heal among other possibilities. With eight possible mission cards to pick from, this helps keep games feeling a bit fresh after multiple playthroughs, and I’ve never been one to shy away from games with more replayability options.

In my experience, games that try to allow their game to be played both competitively and cooperatively tend to end up being more skewed towards one or the other, with the one option coming off feeling like an afterthought add-on and doesn’t provide the same level of depth or enjoyment in its gameplay. Thankfully Mistborn manages to avoid this by offering strong options for both audiences that want to wail on one another and those that want to team-up, in this case against the immortal Lord Ruler himself.

Competitive play is pretty straightforward with everyone trying to be the last person standing as they beat up on each other with one small change—only one person, the target, can be attacked at any given time. Once that person is attacked, they are able to pass on the target token to anyone of their choice or keep holding onto it if they so choose, allowing them to attack anyone they wish. I thought this was a really interesting idea, and at first thought would be incredibly unfair to the person that is targeted. But the fact that once they get attacked, are able to make someone else the target has led to some really interesting negotiations during my games where people try to wheel-and-deal so that they won’t become the target. I sort of dig it.

As fun as the competitive ruleset was, I found myself enjoying the cooperative one even more. Teaming up against the Lord Ruler felt more on-brand with the books than everyone fighting one another, and it actually was pretty challenging too! The Lord Ruler comes with his own deck of cards full of minions and edicts, special cards that have nasty effects like dishing out tons of damage, killing your allies (persistent cards that are out in front of players that trigger various effects when certain metals are burned) or fully healing the Lord Ruler. While this is my preferred way to play Mistborn, I do find that it is more engaging of an experience at lower player counts. With four players, I felt the Lord Ruler couldn’t quite provide the same challenge, so I would advise maybe opting for cooperative at lower player counts. Playing solo, the Lord Ruler is SCARY, and as someone who historically isn’t much for solo board games, I think Mistborn is a great solo game.

My issues with Mistborn have less to do with the mechanics of the game and more with the fact that I wish that the game went a bit further with what it includes. The four characters are nice, but I would have loved a couple more options so when playing four players, the roster wasn’t always the same. While Allomancy is represented well, the more I played, the more I kept wishing that there was some sort of representation of Feruchemy and Hemalurgy, and why aren’t there rules to allow someone to actually play as the Lord Ruler? The more I have played Mistborn the more my mind wandered and brainstormed how all of those things would work in the system that Brotherwise has built. I can only hope that Mistborn did well enough that we will get an expansion at some point, maybe roping in crew from Wax and Wayne’s Era 2, that will introduce some of those features, or better yet, the idea of Twinborns that can do both Allomancy AND Feruchemy. Oh man, my brain is already thinking up ideas.

Go read the books if you haven’t already

Hollow Knight: Silksong – The Story Behind the Insanely Long Wait For a Game We Demoed in 2019

It’s become the new normal, unfortunately, to wait years for a follow-up to our favorite games. While the realities of modern game development mean studios are working harder than ever to meet ever-higher standards, that hasn’t stopped projects like Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 6, Valve’s Half-Life 3, and especially Team Cherry’s Silksong from becoming the unwitting faces of the industry’s lengthening timelines. That last one is surprising because when it was first announced, it didn’t seem like the sequel to Hollow Knight was all that far away.

Months turned into years, and until very recently, it felt like we were no closer to Silksong than we were in 2019, back when we played a hands-on demo of the mystical sequel. In the years since, Silksong has achieved meme status, where fans don clown makeup and wigs after each new Nintendo Direct or Xbox Developer Showcase fails to bring them closer to the promised sequel. How did we get here? And just how much closer are we to the fabled Silksong release?

Silksong Was Originally Supposed to Be DLC

Australian-based studio Team Cherry first launched Hollow Knight on Kickstarter back in 2014, hoping to secure enough funding to turn its 2D Soulslike+Metroidvania fusion game jam prototype into a full-fledged game. After meeting its initial funding target, Team Cherry revealed additional stretch goals that promised new quests, bosses, and, eventually, a second playable character named Hornet. Those funding targets were met, and so development began on expanding Hollow Knight.

As promised, Hollow Knight’s 2017 launch was followed by a series of DLC drops. The Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, and Gods and Glory added new boss fights, quest lines, fast travel mechanics, and more to the base game. But what about the second playable character? Where was Hornet?

Then, on February 14, 2019, Hollow Knight: Silksong was officially announced. In a blog post and developer diary, Team Cherry explained how plans for Hornet had quickly evolved. Initially, the developers debated whether to add her as a second protagonist that players could switch to during the main campaign or to make her the star of a standalone chapter. Eventually, the ideas for Hornet grew so big that Team Cherry decided to spin the DLC off into a full sequel.

The plan was now to tell a brand new Hornet-focused story in an entirely new kingdom. She would have a very different playstyle – much more nimble and acrobatic than The Knight, who is slower and heavier in comparison. She would need all her speed and dexterity when going up against Silksong’s over 150 new enemies and bosses.

Fans of Hollow Knight rejoiced, and Team Cherry capitalized on the excitement for Silksong quickly…

We Even Played It

Even though Team Cherry never announced a release date, none of us expected Silksong’s unveiling would be the start of a six-year-plus wait to get to the sequel. The same year as the announcement, Team Cherry was all-in on promoting Silksong, revealing a cast of NPC characters via an anniversary blog post in March 2019, before showcasing a playable demo at E3 2019.

Not only did we at IGN see the demo ourselves at E3 that year, but our very own Tom Marks played it. In his preview, he wrote, “Hollow Knight is one of my favorite games ever, but I think Silksong has the potential to be even better.”

The demo was roughly 20 minutes long and took place in a new, fiery area filled with several new enemies and two boss fights. I caught up with Marks for this story to ask him if, at the time, the Silksong demo seemed like a game that would be ready in a few years, or if it felt far from finished.

“It didn’t feel six years away,” Marks tells me. “You [could] tell it wasn’t the final version, but based on the vertical slice I played, it felt really polished.”

This demo would later be taken to PAX Australia 2019 and shared with attendees there as well. Generally when a game shows up with a playable build at multiple events, things are closing in on the finish line, and so we were all completely unaware of the reality that awaited.

As the publicity campaign progressed into 2020, Team Cherry marketing and publishing lead Matthew “Leth” Griffin began revealing new NPCs on the official Hollow Knight Discord server as a reward for fans solving a variety of riddles. And in that December, there was a full-on cover story in Edge Magazine issue #354 with new details, screenshots, and an enlightening interview with Team Cherry co-directors Ari Gibson and William Pellen that discussed deeper, more intricate levels and offered a glimpse into Hornet’s mysterious story.

Silksong Goes Into Hiding

The frenzy of Silksong news in the immediate aftermath of the sequel’s announcement would soon give way to a long winter. Team Cherry went radio silent throughout 2021, and fans spent the year waiting for any sign of a release date. A 2020-2021 release window was anticipated, thanks to a few accidental messaging blips that sent the rumor mill turning.

In September 2019, for instance, the official Silksong Steam page was suddenly updated with a June 12, 2020, release date. Later, Team Cherry would confirm it was just an accidental placeholder date. Just a couple of months later, on August 20, the Silksong logo appeared in an official Nintendo UK tweet that read, “Take a look at some upcoming games headed to Nintendo Switch this year and beyond.” It wasn’t immediately clear that Silksong belonged firmly in the “beyond” category – we’d yet to learn that expecting it anytime soon was folly.

“Will there be Silksong at the new Nintendo Partner Direct?” fans dare to ask.
“Absolutely not, you clown,” the universe responds.

“Everything Shown Today Will Be Playable in the Next 12 Months”

It wouldn’t be until almost another two years had passed that we would see Silksong again. On June 12, 2022, Xbox aired its annual summer Games Showcase, which premiered, among other things, a brand new, minute-long trailer for Silksong. But while it revealed new gameplay, areas, and bosses, the trailer didn’t include a release date. It did, however, announce that Silksong will be playable day one on Xbox Game Pass.

This might have been enough for fans if it weren’t for an unfortunate follow-up message from Xbox.

After the showcase, the official Xbox Twitter account posted, “Everything you’re seeing today is playable over the next 12 months.” Given Silksong was one of the games present in the showcase, this was rightfully taken as a release window for the game.

“So you’re telling me SIlksong is out within the next 12 months?” asked one user on Twitter. “That’s exactly what we said,” Xbox answered.

Oh boy.

Silksong Gets an Official Delay, Without Ever Getting a Release Date

To be fair, it did seem like Team Cherry’s plan was to release Silksong within 12 months of the Xbox Games Showcase. This much was confirmed by Team Cherry’s Matthew Griffin, who shared on Twitter in May 2023 that Silksong was planned to be released in the “1st half of 2023.”

However, Griffin added that unfortunately, “development is still continuing. We’re excited by how the game is shaping up, and it’s gotten quite big, so we want to take the time to make the game as good as we can. Expect more details from us once we get closer to release.”

So, without ever announcing a release date, Silksong received an official delay from Team Cherry.

Silksong Becomes a Meme

In the years since Silksong was first announced, a lot has changed in the games industry. The COVID-19 pandemic meant that in-person events were temporarily paused, with some events like E3 now seemingly gone for good. In place of those traditional events, various digital showcases from the likes of Geoff Keighley, Xbox, PlayStation, and even yours truly here at IGN, as well as countless others, were created to fill the void of E3.

This meant there were now dozens of potential new showcases where Team Cherry could share more information about Silksong. Every new indie game showcase, Nintendo Direct, or any number of other shows had the potential to reveal a new Silksong trailer, preferably one with a release date. And with each new showcase that failed to deliver the goods, fans began to treat Silksong’s absence as a running joke.

Anyone who follows the games industry on social media will likely recognize the most popular Silksong meme: Anytime a company posts about an upcoming game showcase, there will be at least one picture of the Knight from Hollow Knight or Hornet from Silksong in a clown wig and make-up, indicating that the poster is ready to feel like a fool when Silksong inevitably fails to appear.

Fan art of the Knight or Hornet in clown regalia is now ubiquitous. It signifies the folly of wanting to learn more about Silksong. The rainbow-colored wig and clown nose have become the unofficial uniform for Silksong fans after years of suffering. “Will there be Silksong at the new Nintendo Partner Direct?” fans dare to ask. “Absolutely not, you clown,” the universe responds.

And just to prove the universe is also in on the joke, the first time Silksong received an official listing on the Xbox store was on April 1, 2024. April Fool’s Day.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Team Cherry confirmed multiple times throughout 2024 that Silksong would not be appearing at any of that year’s biggest shows. It was not present in any of 2024’s E3-replacement Summer Showcases, and Geoff Keighley confirmed that Silksong would not appear as part of Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2024. Team Cherry also skipped back-to-back Nintendo Directs that year, both the August 2024 Indie Direct and the Third-Party Partner Direct.

However, 2025 has been a different story. The year began with a fan posting on the official Hollow Knight subreddit that they ran into Silksong co-director Ari Gibson. According to the fan, Gibson joked about there not being a sequel yet, but that there would be more to share “soon.”

That was no bluff. On March 19, 2025, Xbox published a new ID@Xbox blog highlighting its ongoing commitments to release great indie games, including Silksong. And a few weeks later, during the April 2 Nintendo Direct, Silksong re-emerged in the show’s sizzle reel with a 2025 release window.

Silksong made another appearance during the announcement for the upcoming ROG Ally X handheld, where the game was seen briefly running on the Xbox-branded device. Team Cherry’s Matthew Griffin later confirmed in the official Hollow Knight Discord server that Silksong’s release is not tied to any particular console and the sequel is still slated to be released “before holiday [2025].” And now we know that Silksong will be playable at the Xbox booth at Gamescom. This will be the first playable demo for the game since 2019.

While Silksong was a no-show at the most recent Nintendo Partner Direct — cue the clown memes — it does feel like we’re finally going to get the elusive Silksong, six long, painful years after it was announced that the DLC character, Hornet, will be starring in her own game. Maybe we can start removing the clown makeup from our faces once and for all.

Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.

Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (2nd August)

Another weekend with the King of Swing.

Welcome to August, folks! Let’s kick things off right with a fresh edition of What Are You Playing.

It was Direct week over in Nintendo Land, with a Partner Showcase delivering us 25 minutes of… meh. There were some big hitters that we’re pleased to see (Persona 3 Reload, Octopath Traveler 0, The Adventures of Elliot), but we were hoping to be a little more excited by the whole affair.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

‘Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact’ Brings 3v3 Anime Fighting To Switch

Update: Official Season Pass trailer released.

Arc System Works Europe has just announced that the ever-so-slightly-delayed 2D fighter, Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact, releases today on Nintendo Switch.

Developed by Bushiroad Games and Eighting, this one has got some pedigree in that Eighting has given us some well-known fighters in the past, including Naruto: Clash of the Ninja. With Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact, you get down and dirty in 3v3 tag-team-styled action, which is detailed in the official press release thusly:

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans Of The Tide Brings A Ghostly Adventure To Switch 2 This November

Are you ready, kids?

Following a recent rumour, THQ Nordic and Purple Lamp have now officially lifted the lid on the latest SpongeBob SquarePants game.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide will make its debut across multiple platforms including the Switch 2 later this year on 18th November 2025, with pre-orders now live for €39.99 / $39.99.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

The Best Movie Poster Puzzles From Fan Favorite Franchises

When it comes to buying a puzzle, there are a few things to think about: How big do you want said puzzle to be? Do you want to tackle a 2D puzzle, or attempt a 3D model? And, most importantly, what kind of design are you looking to piece together? There’s an overwhelming amount of options to choose from in regard, from beautiful works of art to shots plucked from the world of TV and movies, that it can feel tricky to find the best pick for your interests. But if you’re a cinephile looking for puzzles that capture movie posters from some of your favorite films, we’re here to help.

Whether it’s a collage of multiple movie posters brought together as a single big puzzle or something focused around a classic one sheet, we’ve gathered up some of the coolest movie poster puzzles we believe are worth your time and money. Have a look through our picks for the best movie poster puzzles to buy in 2025 below.

The Best Movie Poster Puzzles To Buy in 2025

Aquarius Lord of the Rings Triptych Puzzle (1,000 Pieces)

Why piece just one poster together when you can have three iconic posters in one puzzle? Starting off strong, this Lord of the Rings triptych puzzle from Aquarius comes to 1,000 pieces and features posters for all of the Lord of the Rings movies. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King are placed against a map of Middle-earth and split into 1,000 pieces. If you’re a fan of Tolkien’s books or Peter Jackson’s films, it’s a jigsaw puzzle you’ll want to frame after finishing it.

Clementoni Ghostbusters Puzzle (500 Pieces)

Who ya gonna call? This Ghostbusters movie poster puzzle from Clementoni features the trio of Venkman, Stantz, and Spengler in front of their classic logo, coming in at 500 pieces. What really makes this puzzle stand out, though, is the awesome case that it comes in. To add to the ’80s nostalgia, everything comes packaged in a VHS-style case, which is sure to look incredibly cool when placed on your shelf.

Spin Master Games Jaws Puzzle (500 Pieces)

This year marks 50 years since the release of Steven Spielberg’s unforgettable blockbuster, Jaws. And if you’re looking to celebrate the occasion, why not do it with this Jaws movie poster puzzle from Spin Master Games? It features the iconic image of “Bruce” the shark sneaking up on a swimmer with the film’s title across the top. Similar to the Ghostbusters puzzle, it’s 500 pieces and even comes packaged in a VHS-style case, only this time straight from the shelves of Blockbuster. A truly excellent package for movie fans.

Aquarius Harry Potter Movie Posters Collage Puzzle (1,000 Pieces)

Much like with the Lord of the Rings triptych, it’s sometimes too hard to pick just one poster from a series of films. So why settle for just one when you can have everything all together? This Harry Potter puzzle from Aquarius, which comes to 1,000 pieces, is perfect for fans who want to make sure every movie poster from the franchise is accounted for. It features all eight Harry Potter movies as posters across the top and bottom, with Ron, Harry, and Hermione in the middle.

Aquarius The Goonies Puzzle (500 Pieces)

This is another movie poster puzzle from Aquarius, but this time only covering one movie poster rather than multiple from a franchise. For fans of the ’80s classic The Goonies, this puzzle comes to 500 pieces and captures the film’s one sheet in a truly frame-worthy final product. By the time you’re finished, you’ll be itching to watch it and experience the adventure all over again.

Ceaco Disney/Pixar Movie Posters Puzzle (2,000 Pieces)

Much like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, there are simply too many good Pixar movie posters to focus on just one. Thankfully, this 2,000 piece puzzle from Ceaco features a big collage of several different posters from the company, from Finding Nemo to The Incredibles to Toy Story to Coco. If you’re a Pixar fan, this massive puzzle is an excellent project to take on. By the time you finally finish this puzzle, you’ll likely want to watch all of the Pixar movies in order.

Should You Buy a Puzzle or a Poster for Your Wall?

This depends on what you’re looking for. Paper movie posters can really capture that traditional feeling of walking into a movie theater when they’re in a frame, but puzzle movie posters like the ones above add a fun pop of personality to a room. Since they come in different sizes and styles – especially if you choose to go with one of the collage-style puzzles listed above – and you pieced them together yourself, they can add a nice personal touch to your wall. But again, it all depends on your personal preference of what sort of poster design you’d rather have up.

If you’re leaning towards framing the movie poster puzzles listed above, we can help with that, too. You can check out some of our favorite frames for puzzles in our puzzle gift guide and this RoseArt Jigsaw Puzzle Glue will help you keep your favorite pieces together.

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

Anime Shadow 2 Codes (August 2025)

Need codes for Anime Shadow 2? We’ve got all the latest active codes so you can earn rewards like boxes, Trait Shards, and more. You’ll especially want to redeem the codes with Gold Boxes so you can get gems for gamepasses!

Working Anime Shadow 2 Codes (August 2025)

Here are all the current active codes you can redeem in Anime Shadow 2, as well as the rewards you’ll get from them:

  • SORRYGUYS – 2 Luck Potions, 2 Damage Potions, 2 Coins Potions, 10 Small Boxes, 3 Mystery Boxes, Gold Boxes (NEW)
  • AVATARS – 2 Luck Potions, 2 Damage Potions, 2 Coins Potions, 10 Small Boxes, 3 Mystery Boxes, Gold Boxes (NEW)
  • UPDATE2 – 2 Luck Potions, 2 Damage Potions, 2 Coins Potions, 10 Small Boxes, 2 Mystery Boxes, Gold Boxes
  • Release – 1 Luck Potion, 1 Damage Potion, 1 Coins Potion, 7 Small Boxes, 1 Like Box
  • 200KLIKES – 7 Small Boxes, 1 Mystery Box, 1 Gold Box
  • 20MVISITS – 7 Small Boxes, 1 Mystery Box, 1 Like Box
  • ContentCreator – Code exclusive to content creators given the role by the developer.
  • 100HOURS – Requires having 100 hours in Anime Shadow 1.

Expired Anime Shadow 2 Codes (August 2025)

The below codes have unfortunately expired and will no longer work. We’ve included them here so you know not to bother trying to redeem them:

  • GRIMOIREUPDATE
  • VIPCRATEFIX
  • DIVINES
  • SRRY4HUGEDELAY
  • SUB-TRAITS
  • UPDATE1
  • AUTOROLLFIXED
  • SRRYFORBUGS
  • Tomorrow/Amanhã
  • Beta1.5
  • 15MVISITS
  • 5MVISITS
  • 100KLIKES
  • NINJA
  • SUMMER
  • FIX
  • SUMMERQOL
  • TOWER
  • TOONRISE
  • ICHIGU
  • GEAR7
  • OFFLINEFARMING
  • UPDATE0.7
  • FORGIVENESS
  • UPDATE0.5
  • UPDATE0.4
  • LimitedCode
  • UPDATE0.3
  • UPDATE0.2
  • UPDATE0

How to Redeem Anime Shadow 2 Codes (August 2025)

Knowing how to redeem codes in Anime Shadow 2 isn’t too hard but just in case you’re not sure where to look, we’ve put together this section. Follow these simple steps to start getting those rewards:

  1. Launch Anime Shadow 2 on Roblox
  2. Press the red Shop button on the left side of your screen.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom of the shop.
  4. Then, enter your code into the “Enter Code” box and click Redeem when you’re ready.

Why Isn’t My Anime Shadow 2 Code Working?

If you’re having trouble redeeming a code, there are two common reasons why it may not be working:

  • The code is expired
  • The code has been entered incorrectly

If a code has been entered incorrectly or has expired, you’ll see a message that says, “[CODES] Invalid/Expired Code”. In order to avoid this, we recommend copying and pasting the code directly from this article. As long as you don’t accidentally get an extra space in there when copying it, it should work if it’s active. We make sure to check and test every Anime Shadow 2 code before we add them to this article.

Where to Find More Anime Shadow 2 Codes

One of the best ways to get new codes is coming back to this page as we frequently update it with new and active codes. Otherwise, you can search for codes on your own by checking out the dedicated Discord server for Anime Shadow 2.

What is Anime Shadow 2 in Roblox?

Anime Shadow 2 is a sequel to the original where you collect characters heavily inspired by different anime to fight for you. As you defeat enemies, you’ll gain gold that you can then use to summon even more characters to build out your team. Eventually you’ll move onto different worlds inspired by Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and more.

Jeffrey Lerman is a freelance game journalist for IGN who has been covering games for over a decade. You can follow him on Bluesky.

THQ Nordic’s annual showcase event recap

THQ Nordic’s 2025 Showcase just wrapped, debuting new details on Tides of Tomorrow, Spongebob Squarepants: Titans of the Tide, Gothic 1 Remake, and more.

Here is a breakdown of the upcoming titles. 

​​

The team at Tarsier, creators of Little Nightmares I & II, are creating an all-new horror adventure -Reanimal. The showcase gameplay trailer features a first look at new gameplay environments and characters, including new monsters and friends of the orphaned siblings. Their relentless journey to survive a hellish gamescape features a rich narrative and online and couch co-op multiplayer so players can share the scare.

​​

In more light-hearted gaming updates, the pre-order program for SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is now live. Confirmed for release on PS5 on November 18 of this year, this all-new adventure through Bikini Bottom allows players to play as both Patrick and SpongeBob to the song-stylings of the one and only David Hasselhoff. 

The ability to switch from SpongeBob to Patrick and back again has been a long-time request from SpongeBob gamers. Preorder any edition and receive the Natural Costume DLC free. The Ghostly Digital Edition includes the Tidal Season pass, also available separately.

For the SpongeBob Collector, get all SpongeBob games and DLC in the digital Bikini Bottom Bundle or head to your favorite retailer for the Ghostly Edition featuring an exclusive Steelbook, collectible patch, keychain & lenticular prints.

One genre we simply cannot get enough of at THQ Nordic is role-playing. Remaking the classic RPG Gothic is a true passion project for our Alkimia Interactive. Gothic 1 Remake is built for today’s most discerning RPG enthusiasts, including thoughtful expansions architected with Gothic veterans in mind. 

Starting today, gamers everywhere can return to the Valley of the Mines in the Gothic 1 Remake demo. Dive into the Nyras Prologue to experience the thrill of entering the Colony for the very first time — without encountering any spoilers. This demo will not be included in the final game. THQ Nordic will also release the Gothic Classics, 1, 2, and 3 for PS5 in 2026. 

Our all-new gameplay trailer for Eternal Life of Goldman reveals at least one life shattered by our protagonist Goldman. The vibrant yet dark platformer demands precision while encouraging exploration and a sense of discovery throughout the game world. Complex scenes and rich characters create The Eternal Life of Goldman’s layered story that is perfectly balanced to platform-style play.

Tides of Tomorrow developer Digixart, the team behind Route 96, revealed new insights on the all-new asynchronous gameplay feature as part of today’s Showcase event. Tides of Tomorrow combines rich story-telling and collaborative gameplay for a first-of-its-kind experience. The colorful, post-apocalyptic universe is in the player’s hands as decision-making will determine the fate of the game world and all its inhabitants.  

The Wreckfest franchise is one of my favorite stress relievers. BugBear Entertainment is working on a long-awaited sequel to the high-octane, no-rules demolition derby and racing game. Made famous for its realistic damage model and unique blend of arcade and simulation style, the Wreckfest franchise requires that every driver drive hard to die last. Wreckfest 2 is racing to PS5 in 2026.

We’re working on a sequel to another celebrated role-playing game – Titan Quest II. The ARPG best known for combining hack-n-slash combat, loot-based progression, and deep character customization in a rich, mythological setting is coming to PS5 in 2026. With a class-less character system, players can choose two masteries from a variety of options and freely combine them to create their own hero inspired by ancient mythology. Explore the realms of ancient Greece, visit places where no mortal has ever ventured, and face legendary creatures — and even gods themselves. Titan Quest II promises an adventure worthy of its own myth. 

The Burnout series was a favorite for PlayStation gamers for more than a decade. The team behind that racer have combined arcade racing with a toolbox full of customization options in a giant open world with Wreckreation. Players can choose from 60 different vehicles and use the Game DJ to change in-game parameters like music, vehicles, weather, time of day, traffic, and game world. 

And the best part? Players can instantly switch to the live mix building mode in real-time, constructing their own highways — complete with crazy jumps, loops, and hundreds of objects placed anywhere in the game world. Ever wanted to race your car over a dinosaur’s head? Wreckreation has got you covered. The new gameplay trailer shows off in-game racing and stunt challenges that can be created and shared with friends. Wreckreation is coming to PS5 later this year.

We like to think we have something fun for just about every PlayStation gamer and can’t wait to give players a chance to play many of the games we previewed today at Gamescom in a few weeks.

Darksiders 4 Announced With Teaser Trailer, Continues Where the Original Darksiders Game Left Off

Darksiders 4 is coming from developer Gunfire Games. We have a teaser trailer, below, revealed as part of publisher THQ Nordic’s 2025 showcase event, as well as some high level gameplay details.

Darksiders 4, like the previous entries in the series, is a third-person action adventure game featuring combat, traversal, and puzzle solving in a “lore rich” post-apocalyptic world.

You play as one of the legendary Horsemen, each with their own unique weapons and combat styles. The “cinematic” combat is described as “fast-paced, visceral action blending melee, fluid traversal, and supernatural abilities.”

The only story detail we have is that Darksiders 4 continues the saga of the Four Horsemen and picks up where the original Darksiders game left off. According to store listings, there’s online co-op for 2-4 players as well as single-player and split screen.

Darksiders began life in 2010 with the Vigil Games-developed original. It revolves around the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who attempt to bring balance to the universe while fighting on a post-apocalyptic Earth.

A sequel, Darksiders 2, followed in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2018 that Darksiders 3, from Gunfire Games, came out, with Airship Syndicate’s top-down action game Darksiders Genesis following in 2019. The series had remained dormant since then, with Gunfire releasing the successful Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2 games either side of Chronos: Before the Ashes.

There’s no release window for Darksiders 4 yet, but THQ Nordic did open wishlists today.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.