This Week in Games - Catching Up with Sony and Nintendo
Welcome back, folks! I took advantage of this Laybuh Day weekend not to partake in hot dogs and fruity juice, but to try out that Final Fantasy Resonance demo. It's pretty beefy; I've seen folks get 10 hours of play out of that thing. It's definitely fun, but the lack of any proper upgrade path from the Switch 1 to Switch 2 versions really bites, as does the Game Key Card format for the Switch 2 version. Very cheap on Square Enix's behalf. Do I think it's fun? Sure, it's a great way to recycle the assets from a defunct mobile game and give folks a fun RPG to play. It's just a shame the cutscenes for the Visions' special attacks are so crunchy...
Catching up on the Sony State of Play
The recent State of Play came and went, and it wasn't a tremendous smash. I don't like buying into the notion of calling these showcases "disappointments" because we're getting games announced. That they're not games "people are looking forward to" feels weird. Hell, even if I don't like looter-shooters or crafting-survival games (which are also shooters), someone will play the crap out of it. But the real problem is that Sony's endemic issues continue unabated. Folks are still really mad about Sony's transition to an all-digital future; this transition is seemingly continuing unabated.
There was some excitement at the news that Sony was going to have two State of Play streams (one for Japanese games, and one for everything else). That gave folks some hope, since we've all been feeling the absence of Sony's Japan studio since Sony shut it down. But I don't think this was quite that; rather, Sony is siphoning off all the Japanese games onto another stream so that people who were just here for the "real" games could tune them out. To wit: Sony still mentioned a few Japanese properties in their main State of Play stream... but you'll note that those are the "cool" (read: mainstream) franchises that are "real hardcore games," like the upcoming Resident Evil film or the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance expansion. An honest-to-God Mobile Suit Gundam game is being discussed, but this one has desaturated colors so the folks aren't scared off by a teenager with blue hair. Also, it releases this March 2027. If nothing else, it looks like a competent Gundam game, and the customization looks neat (the trailer shows the Gundam done up like an ad-hoc Sazabi, for the Sickos™).
I'm not sure what to make of this. Part of this is Sony's own fault; they've engendered an audience that is extremely avoidant of anything outside of the extremely narrow purview of what constitutes a "AAA game." This is compounded by how few titles Sony actually publishes on their own hardware. Sony wouldn't be able to change this without completely changing their entire business scheme; even if they re-opened their Japanese studio tomorrow, the audience buying PlayStation 5s right now wouldn't be all that open to buying, say, a new Parappa the Rapper or Legend of Dragoon. At the risk of getting into boring internet slap-fests, this is why the whole "ball-and-gun" moniker exists. A lot of people who are into gaming really don't buy more than two games a year: a Call of Duty or their sports sim of choice (Madden, NBA 2K, FIFA 2K, take your pick). Some have tried making "sword-and-potion" a counter-moniker, but that just falls flat because even if you only play RPGs, you have a whole world to explore—The Witcher is a very different game from Baldur's Gate 3. That, and people who play RPGs are still more likely to pick up literally any other kind of game, like a rhythm game or a puzzle game or fighting games. And folks who've got these varied gaming diets have way better options for their gaming libraries than a PS5. Who's to say? Maybe Sony will make a huge change. Nintendo did with their Blue Ocean strategy with the Wii and DS. It was a huge shift for the entire industry, and it led to people labeling Nintendo as "the company for casuals" for years (I imagine the word they'd use these days is "tourists"). But the gamble worked for Nintendo.
Sony also revealed that a LEGO PlayStation set is in the works. Fair enough, we've been getting a lot of these, and they're genuinely neat bits of gaming history. (Better this than another US$1,000 Death Star...) As one of my readers pointed out in the comments last week, this set is a bit less well-thought-out than its peers. Not that the engineering isn't brilliant (I'm always amazed at how modern LEGO sets put in so much effort to hide exposed studs). Rather, this set represents the original 1994 PlayStation model. It has two hidden dioramas representing two classic PlayStation titles: Gran Turismo and Ape Escape. Note that this is the OG 1994 PlayStation—that controller doesn't have analog sticks. The PlayStation DualShock went through a revision that included analog control, which Ape Escape famously took advantage of. (That was also a big deal for Resident Evil, hence the existence of the "DualShock edition" after the Director's Cut was released.) As seen in Astro Bot, a lot of the classic PS1 titles were third-party, so LEGO was likely at a loss for relevant games to stick into a diorama. I'd have gone with Parappa myself...
Some new titles were announced. A new Manhunter is coming out — not to be confused with the 1987 film adaptation of Red Dragon; it's a sequel to a 2020 game where you play as a man-eating shark. Think 2006's Jaws Unleashed on PS2. We also have Hunter's Moon, a first-person folk-horror game due out this October. Much more interesting is Rhapsody in Scarlet, an action-RPG being made by Konami. Yes, Virginia: Konami is making RPGs again! Set in a fantasy version of the Roaring 20s, a magickal lounge singer and her straight-laced friend get caught up in a magical conspiracy involving a mob-affiliated magick-wielder. (Yes, this setting spells it as "magick," very 'Mage: The Ascension'.)The trailer implies that our heroines, Ellie and Ilya, will control magickal beasts. It makes me think of the PS3 Folklore crossed with Shadow Hearts: From the New World, which is an inspired concept. There's no release date yet, and more's the pity; Rhapsody in Scarlet looks amazing. (Man, wouldn't it suck if this game wound up being about preventing a wizard from preventing World War 2...? What a dumb story that would make.) Konami also revealed a bit more regarding the story in Rev.NOiR, their other upcoming RPG. But that one's not due out until a vague 2027.
A couple anime tie-ins got some new information. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is coming out. I'm not the first guy to say this, but can we appreciate that Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 has like a decade's worth of DLC? I don't know if Xenoverse 3 will get such support, but it's got a loyal fanbase. I know that transitioning from one long-lived service game to another can have a lot of pitfalls, so here's hoping Xenoverse 3 brings the goods for the Dragon Ball faithful. This comes out in 2027. Likewise, we had word on Fate/EXTRA Record's release date. We covered this last week real quick; it's due out in January 2027. There was a touch-and-go moment where it seemed it would get delayed a lot longer, but presumably it just needed a few finishing touches. And according to the trailers, we've got plenty of new costumes for Nero and Tamamo, and plenty of the old mechanics are intact—particularly Tamamo being very difficult to get close to. Who says visual novels don't have gameplay? The Eminence in Shadow: Phantom Echoes is also due out in 2027, an action-roguelite starring the elf-eared Alpha. Also, Echoes of Aincrad and Digimon Story: Time Stranger are both getting expansions. The former introduces Mito and the Genesis Maidens as well as a new weapon; the latter focuses on Yuuta, Inori's little brother. He'll meet 50 new Digimon, including BloomLordmon, voiced by Shūichi Ikeda in Japanese. (A shame that Michael Kopsa is no longer with us...)
A few other titles have release dates; Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World comes out on December 3. I'd love for people to pick it up, enjoy the characterizations of the future Heavenly Brides from Dragon Quest V, and maybe even enjoy the monster designs... but I know better. Cygames' Where the Seed Falls, a 3D vertical platformer, is due out this November 5. This one's short, but meant for repeat play: a time trial of scaling the World Tree. It looks fascinating, at least. 2D action game SlashZero finally has a demo out, after ages in open Beta, but don't expect the full game to release before Spring 2027.
Part of the reason I don't want to come off as too negative about these presentations is that sometimes we do see bits of brilliance. And Stupid Never Dies is one of them. Originally announced a few months back, this is an action-RPG about a hapless zombie named Davy who tries to earn the affection of a "cheerleader sniper" named Julia. He does this by eating the hearts of other monsters, allowing him to transform into them. The tone is extremely mid-2006 scene-core; this game might be 20 years out of date, but the pop-rock-inspired visuals are a breath of fresh air. My one major criticism: Julia has her letter jacket sleeves pulled over her hands, but it doesn't look like she's cut out thumbholes in the sleeves. People who grew up in the 'scene' era know how vital this is for the look. Stupid Never Dies is produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, a name you might recognize as the lead producer on Sengoku Basara. Stupid Never Dies' brand of outrageous action isn't quite up there with Sengoku Basara's, but the method to the madness is similar. I'm really gunning for this title, and I can't wait to play it on October 21. (Seriously, what a shame that The All-American Rejects or My Chemical Romance couldn't contribute a song for this one...)
We should also mention Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance. I struggle to talk about Monster Hunter, if only because it's hard to find stuff to say about a new Wyvern (or even an old one) being brought back. Ascension, at least, brings plenty more for people who've needed more to do (kill) in Monster Hunter. This includes a new skybound location, composed of a chain of floating islands. New monsters include a giant, lumbering dragon more akin to a large walking cliff (he seems very old as he lumbers around, like a living rock), a lightning-controlling dragon akin to a Chinese dragon, and some weird, creepy oily monsters with huge mouths that burst out of other monsters, Xenomorph-style. The expansion is due out in 2027.
Let's Talk About the Ocarina of Time Remake...
A sentiment I saw going around is that the 40th Anniversary Direct was a bit thin on content. You'd expect a Direct celebrating a franchise's 40th anniversary to have more, but most of it was dedicated to the Ocarina of Time remake. I wanted to point out that the Ocarina of Time LEGO set they announced of Link riding Epona looks really, really neat. And Epona and Link have joints, so they're basically construction figures built out of LEGO that you can pose. Neat stuff! Also, we're getting some action figures based on Link, Zelda, and Ganon. Not high-end Figmas, action figures. We need more low-end goodies.
Remember 2000 when Wind Waker was announced, and everyone reacted like Chicken Little over the sky falling because Link was a dinky little cartoon instead of Leonardo DiCaprio? This feels like that. There's been a massive knee-jerk reaction towards Ocarina of Time's new look. And I can sympathize, because the new look is extremely in-your-face with its design choices. Link's clothes are almost excessively detailed and embroidered, which looks oddly out of place compared to the less-detailed NPCs in the game. The controls have been redesigned, with Link now only equipping one item at a time (and being able to quickly swap between items with a Breath of the Wild-style hotbar). Also, instead of having an automatic jump, you have a dedicated "Jump" button. Everyone has a voice—except for Link, because he's a silent protagonist and always will be. At least until the movie comes out.
This is a topic that needs some finesse in discussing... which isn't really possible because language has been drastically flattened these days. People only talk in memes, so the only opinions from folks are that Link has been hit with the DLSS5 Beam or stuff to that effect. I don't mind if folks don't like the new look, because it's a departure for sure. Even considering that the original Ocarina of Time did look quite realistic by 1998 standards (and plenty of NPCs in that game are absolute freaks of nature), the new art style is extremely maximalist in ways that people aren't used to. That's valid. What upsets me is people thinking this is Nintendo "taking the easy route" and just Unreal Engine 5-ing everything. Because, my guy—the Zelda games have always been extremely deliberate in their artistic choices.
Ocarina of Time was, as many other games, heavily inspired by Myst when it came out. The few moments in-game where the camera is at a fixed angle with a pre-rendered 3D background aren't just there because of graphical limitations on the Nintendo 64—they're a deliberate choice meant to evoke a certain mood. The same way that the locales in Myst feel alien and sparse, the pre-rendered Temple of Time as a backdrop reflects how austere and mysterious the temple is as a location, even with a bustling castle town surrounding it. There are very few moments with pre-rendered backgrounds in Ocarina of Time, but the Temple of Time rising into the sky with Death Mountain in the background stands out. Wind Waker, similarly, was deliberately and intentionally designed with its heavily cel-shaded look courtesy of the 1963 film, The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon. The cartoonish design was intentional in allowing Link a wide range of emotions, in addition to details like letting him automatically look at people or objects of interest as they pass him by. Your big fight against Ganon also starts with him taking an odd puppet-like form, literally dangling from strings. (This will be important later.)
Skyward Sword also had a heavily saturated art style, inspired by the Impressionist movement of the 19th century, with Shigeru Miyamoto literally citing Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne as inspirations to the game's colorful world and skies. Similarly, Breath of the Wild was inspired by the Romanticist movement, with the game's cover art heavily inspired by Caspar David Friedrich's Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog. On a less hoity-toity level, the Link's Awakening remake played around with a toybox-esque aesthetic, with Link and friends looking like little toy dolls wandering a diorama. This look was later reused in Echoes of Wisdom. Players will note that Shigeru Miyamoto really likes puppet theater, with the radio chatter in Star Fox 64 being not only heavily inspired by supermarionation like Thunderbirds—but also an open bid on Miyamoto's behalf to drum up interest in a Thunderbirds reboot.
Coming back around to the Ocarina of Time remake, that deliberate decision-making is still there. Folks smarter than me have pointed out that the artistic decisions in Ocarina of Time evoke the Rococo movement, with a bit of inspiration from artists like the Brothers Hildebrandt or Brian Froud. The garishly textured outfits are distressingly detailed, and the facial features are exaggerated... but so were the Gelflings in The Dark Crystal. Link looks so shiny because he's meant to resemble a porcelain doll, an extension of the "toybox" look in the Link's Awakening remake and Echoes of Wisdom. Even former Nintendo artist Takaya Imamamura clocked the new art style as downstream of Miyamoto's love of puppet theater. (I've also seen someone point out that Link's tweed-looking tunic is possibly inspired by traditional Japanese mino. Wouldn't be the first time Japanese influences in a Zelda game go unnoticed—I hardly ever see anyone mention Tanabata masks when discussing Majora's Mask.)
All this art history isn't meant to force people into liking the new designs. But it is meant to underline that there's a method to this madness. And it's not a "recent" thing resulting from the "modern" desire to remake everything under the sun. This is an ongoing process that's deeply embedded in the Zelda series at large. And I'll go so far as to add that this is so jarring for folks because most people who follow games don't really have much literacy in other fields. People who make games (especially good games) are inspired by vastly diverse sources; a lot of people who play games are only familiar with other games. It's 2026, and most people still don't understand just how much of Pokémon is the result of its Ultraman inspirations. So flattening all of the decisions in Ocarina of Time as Nintendo "just" going the Unreal Engine 5 "hire this man" route feels incurious and dismissive of a legacy of work.
Quick reaction around the office here from the staffers at Doki Doki CRT studios on today's Ocarina Direct. Thank you for reading:— DOKI DOKI CRT PIXEL (@crtpixel.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 9:10 AM
There's a lot of resentment towards the recent trends in video game remakes. And I get where it's coming from. Older media, not just games, are made deliberately. Camera angles in a film are done with intent, because the director wants you to see this specific thing, this specific way. Kurt Cobain mumbling through his songs is intentional; it's meant to evoke the moodiness inherent to grunge. The tank controls in the original Resident Evil are meant to force you into choosing whether to escape a threat or attempt to engage it. Fighting monsters in Silent Hill 2 is meant to feel bad because you're just a wimpy dude with a lot of skeletons in his closet swinging a lead pipe at monstrosities. It is just as much a failure to look at older texts as opportunities to "improve" upon them as it is to fail to recognize the inspirations that went into them. Where I bristle is at the notion that remakes are inherent "replacements" to the older titles. Silent Hill 2 is a replacement, especially with the older game being so scarce. The Final Fantasy VII remakes, beleaguered as they are... come on, man. The original is on Steam for $12. Resident Evil 4 has been ported to almost every console under the Sun. Not every remake is a replacement; if you're so attached to the original Ocarina of Time, you can play it right now on the Nintendo Switch Online service. You can even play the Nintendo 3DS remake. But Nintendo wanted to try something different with the new Ocarina of Time. It's not claiming the older game was flawed; it's not a dismissal of the affection people had for the original (arguably, this is only happening because the original Ocarina of Time is so beloved). And remember, remakes are not a recent phenomenon. The original Super Mario Bros was completely remade with updated graphics on the Super Nintendo a mere 8 years after the original was released. King Kong is a classic—and we still got a King Kong remake just 33 years later in 1976. We'll survive one of the most-beloved Zelda games, to say nothing of one of the most celebrated games in history, getting a remake within the franchise's 40-year history where the characters look like living porcelain dolls.
... and the rest of the Nintendo Direct
Funny thing about the Nintendo Direct: the night before it aired, we had a tremendous leak on Steam. Folks were able to datamine achievements for upcoming games, both ones we'd already known about and games that haven't even been announced yet. So while we don't have any visual data, many of these games have effectively been spoiled. At this point, Nintendo seems pretty justified in using their dedicated Nintendo Today app for drip-feeding news on their stuff. Of course, this Direct was also allegedly swimming in leaks; we had some claims of a new Mario game (wishful thinking), a new Nintendogs (would be nice), a new Super Smash Bros. (please no, I'm not strong enough), even a new Metroid. Only one of those wound up being true...!
Metroid Ravenous picks up where Metroid Dread leaves off. Samus is being pursued across a planet by a team of very Zeiram-looking dudes—and she actually finds herself outnumbered, to say nothing of actually being voiced. This isn't the first time we've seen Samus talk; she had some exposition and dialogue in Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Other M had her back-and-forths with Adam and her musings about THE BABY, and Metroid Prime even had an unused introduction narrated by Samus herself (courtesy of Jennifer Hale). I maintain that silent protagonists are a good thing and people should probably stop caring about whether someone talks or not, because that's how you get Myles Mackenzie. Do you want more Myles Mackenzies? Because that's how you get Myles Mackenzies.
At any rate, Metroid Ravenous touches upon a plot point that I've enjoyed in Metroid for a bit: Samus' Metroid DNA. Longtime fans know that Samus already has some Chozo DNA in her, as part of her having been raised by the bird-aliens. After being attacked by an X parasite at the outset of Fusion, DNA from the baby Metroid from Super Metroid was used to immunize her against the parasites, also granting her the ability to absorb them for energy. Ravenous goes one step further. In addition to all the funky powers that MercurySteam has given Samus (including a parry and what looks to be a Rider Kick), Samus can now just... eat enemies. Like, just grab out with an energy hand and absorb them entirely, the same way Metroids could turn things to dust by just sucking out their energy. In a way, this makes Samus herself the titular "Metroid," and in a way, "the last Metroid in the galaxy" has been freed.
Metroid Prime 4 was a disappointment for a lot of folks, most likely as a result of its extended and troubled development. I'm confident Nintendo will try another Prime sooner or later. But in the meantime, Ravenous is looking good.
A few other first-party Nintendo games are getting much-needed updates. We finally know what's coming to Xenoblade Chronicles 3, for one: a new "bullet heaven"-esque mode, and a new hero: Shimmer, the last of Rex's missing children and daughter of Mythra! She's adorable, she's got a cute little jacket, and it'll rip my heart out to see her at those statues in the City. Star Fox is getting some co-op updates, and Star Fox Adventures is hitting the NSO+ service. Mario Kart World is finally getting an update, too (and only, what, two weeks after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?). New Amiibo are coming out for Kirby Air Riders, plus an in-game event. The Legend of Zelda: Age of Calamity is getting a Switch 2 update, but folks who have a Switch 1 copy can buy a copy of the Switch 2 version at a discount—so you're not really getting an update, it seems. We also have a Switch 2 port of Danganronpa 2x2 to look forward to, out this January 2027.
The second wave of Pokopia's expansion pass also releases later this year, with new accessories for your friends and a handful of new Pokémon (Doduo, Skitty, and Braixen). Pikmin 4 is also getting a Switch 2 version, with some additions: using the Switch's built-in microphone, you can give Oatchi vocal commands, Lifeline-style. But unlike Lifeline, the commands seem to work. The Switch 2 version will also include Dandori Academy, a series of timed challenges players can undertake. Dandori Academy will also feature weekly events where players can compete for the best times on certain missions.
Let's talk about turn-based RPGs! The Direct showed a few we already know about, like Persona 6 (an unfortunate victim of the Steam Achievements leak), the upcoming Persona 4 Revival, and Final Fantasy Resonance. We also had two new ones announced! First up was Eternal Anima, from Marvelous. Marvelous has been hard at work with this one for a while (and it'll be an actual game-on-cartridge, not a Game Key Card). This story of a soldier seeing through time to break the stagnant present looks like it'll be fun. We also have sight of a new SaGa remake: Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United. Much like its predecessor, this one allows you to choose one of eight heroes with unique stories on an adventure to stop the Sinistrals. Much like the other SaGa games, this one has some unique modes exclusive to certain characters, like an in-game system for trade or a nation-building mechanic.
RPG fans should also pay attention to the release of Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko's Mystery Dungeon Classic HD. This game is very important! It stars Torneko Taloon, the portly merchant best known as a party member from Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen. And, let's face it: Torneko's not the coolest party member, though he is a very good dad. This game is also a remake of what is the start of the Mystery Dungeon series. While the Mystery Dungeon games are better known through their various branded spin-offs like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon or Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon, and it even has its own "original" series in the form of Shiren the Wanderer, the whole thing started as a Dragon Quest spin-off starring Torneko Taloon. The rules are simple: you enter a randomized dungeon, where every action (moving, using an item, so on) is a "turn," with enemies taking their actions simultaneously. Players are expected to survive the randomized threats as they delve deeper, until treasure or disaster finds them. It's an addicting experience, unforgiving as it might be. This is also the first time the original Torneko Mystery Dungeon has ever been released in North America; its sequel, Torneko: The Last Hope, was released stateside in the wake of the Chocobo's Dungeon games. More importantly: the game has a streaming mode! Shiren the Wanderer: Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island featured one, too, making it easier for people streaming to immediately display their statistics to viewers (steps taken, dungeon depth, items on hand, etc). Torneko Mystery Dungeon also features a streamer mode, with a unique twist: it allows viewers to affect the game! This is the kind of thing most modern games have to be modded for! And being a Mystery Dungeon game, the shenanigans are positively devious. It's available now, definitely a title that merits your attention right now.
Hey, you know Level-5? You know how they've been working on a "new concept" for Yōkai Watch for the past few years called Holy Horror Mansion? You know how it's being developed using generative AI because that's what Level-5 is into these days, even though by every metric it isn't making the game's development any faster or more efficient? (A release date was announced for 2027--we'll see if that holds.) You know what else Level-5 decided to do? Bring back Yōkai Watch. Now, make no mistake: I like Yōkai Watch! People who genuinely thought it was going to be a superior Pokémon forever and ever were off their rocker, but Yōkai Watch had some good ideas. It was made back when Level-5 could actually make charming games and not have The Plagiarism Machine That Kills People™ vibe making for them. But also, Yōkai Watch died off. It happened just before they even bothered bringing the games to North America, even. It was a combination of Level-5 pushing the series too fast in Japan, plus them cutting themselves off at the ankles (they released a new version of the titular Yōkai Watch toy that wasn't fully compatible with older Yokai medals, leading to most kids dropping the series when their old medals were effectively worthless). And this is on top of Yōkai Watch as a series and a game having rather aggravated versions of Pokémon's problems: more dex-filler monsters (in Yōkai Watch's case, literal palette-swaps), easier mechanics, simpler writing... like I said, Yōkai Watch had charm and even challenged Pokémon for about fifteen minutes, but the franchise went out with a whimper. So of course, Level-5 plans to make a remake of the second Yōkai Watch game, compile them into a single version, and sell it to folks... years after the bloom is off Yōkai Watch's rose, while they're already working on its successor. They don't even have a release date for it. I apologize for sounding as cruel as I do towards Yōkai Watch, but this game didn't even have that many fans in the United States. And given the current state of things at Level-5, we'll very likely get that new Dragon Quest Monsters and Pokémon Wind/Waves long before this. Who knows, maybe Level-5 will pull this one off. But considering the delays that DECAPOLICE, Holy Horror Mansion, and other games have seen, it's a toss-up if this game will even release this decade.
On a rare occasion, we had some anime games announced—and they're not arena fighters! We so seldom get anything that's not an arena fighter. The choices are also pretty inspired. You'll see what I mean. First is an honest-to-god The Apothecary Diaries game, subtitled The False Imperial Brother. Maomao, the freckled and beloved apothecary, lady-in-waiting, and Imperial Plug to the Palace of Li, stars in what seems to be a mix between an Atelier game and a Phoenix Wright title. From Atelier, we get Maomao exploring the lands surrounding Li as she gathers mushrooms, herbs, and fish that she can use to make all manner of pharmaceuticals. And yes, she gets very excited at the goodies she can whip up. But—she's also called upon to investigate mysteries, where Maomao will use her intuition and deductive reasoning to find the truth. It's a unique premise, and it stars Aoi Yūki; sounds like a winner to me!
I've talked a lot about how my formative years with anime were spent watching anime dubbed into Spanish on Locomotion. I've also gone on record that my biggest faves from that era were Eat-Man, Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective, and Saber Marionette J. (I'm still waiting on that supposed news for Eat-Man: OverOrder!) One other anime that aired on Locomotion that I loved to bits was the 1999 Soul Hunter, better known by its Japanese title, Houshin Engi. This was a complicated series, a mix of Chinese history and esotericism, with a bit of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Warriors of the Marsh thrown in. The story tells the tale of the immortal Taikoubou, who's sent to manipulate a political battle engineered by the manipulative demonic vixen-empress, Dakki. Along his journeys, Taikoubou meets a variety of heroes like Hiko Ko, the handsome Yozen, the robotic Nataku (my boy!), and the bewinged Raishinshi. It's an imaginative story that goes places, but it never got very popular in the United States—not helped by the recent anime apparently not being very good. But anyway, it's getting a game: Houshin Engi Re:Surrection! And it's not an arena fighter; it's a rogue-lite. Hey, I'll take it! Players will take control of an original character designed by series creator Ryū Fujisaki as they mow through waves of enemies. Along the way, you'll meet plenty of old Houshin Engi favorites (please, let me meet Nataku; he's my boy). The story is said to take place after the end of the series—but of course, the game wouldn't be complete without fighting Dakki... Houshin Engi is a serious deep-cut; literally the only other person I've seen excited for this is vtuber Girl_DM. We'll probably never get an Eat-Man game; this'll do me fine!
In other anime news, we also saw anime tie-ins in the form of a new Yu-Gi-Oh! game—but this one is based on Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, and stars Jaden Yuki! Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force GX lets players team up with their favorite Duel Academy members like Alexis or The Chazz. It's even got Matthew Labyorteaux reprising his role as Jaden. Problem, though: according to the Steam page, the translation was made using generative AI. Now, the page also says that these translations were later checked by human translators, but at that point: why bother? You could've just had people translating those games by themselves. This is especially heinous considering Yu-Gi-Oh!'s rules as a card game are complicated enough to have to go to school to understand. This is a card game where one card can be completely incompatible within strategies because it lists a "Dark Magician monster" instead of a "Dark Magician." With so many standardized terms, rulings, and card effects, plus edge-case rulings like cards simply not working a certain way because Konami Says So™, why wasn't this just left to people? There are already people who translate this card game. Along those lines, City of the Wolves is getting another collab: it's Mikey from Tokyo Revengers. I covered Tokyo Revengers with our belated buddy Nick five years ago. Considering the limited comments for that column, I don't think people will come to City of the Wolves in droves...
And for the "one more thing," we got a new Kirby game—an open-world game: Kirby and the World Beyond. Folks seem pretty burnt out on open-world games in general, but Kirby and the Lost World did pretty well as a 3D Kirby game. Here, Kirby finds another mysterious character—as well as a crack in what seems to be a fake sky, Truman Show-style. What we know is that Kirby will travel to other worlds, where he'll explore them in 3D. Traversal seems pretty creative; having recently played Kirby: Return to Dream Land Deluxe, I was able to appreciate the sheer sophistication behind all of Kirby's copy abilities. Seriously, there's tech behind them; they're all effectively a Super Smash Bros. move list unto themselves. Similarly, Kirby's abilities all have unique applications for traversal in World Beyond: Kirby uses their Sword ability to scale a tree, their Bomb ability to roll around at high-speed (and get a nifty bomb-jump), and rides their cutter as a makeshift vehicle. It's also coming fairly soon, this Spring 2027. Loreheads are already itching in their seats (they've gone nuts looking for a certain butterfly in the trailer, and they're already suspicious of the new girl). But even if you don't have war flashbacks to the likes of Marx, this one looks fun...
Let's wrap up with some quick tidbits:
And that—hopefully—will be enough for this week. It's been a busy week... but man, when this many games are coming out, and so many of them are exciting, I look back at all this work with pride. Maybe it's a failing of mine that I try to cram in some commentary on every single game, but there really has been something for everyone lately. You'll find stuff to enjoy if you look for it. Be good to each other; I'll see you in seven.
This Week In Games! is written from idyllic Portland by Jean-Karlo Lemus. When not collaborating with Anime News Network, Jean-Karlo can be found playing Japanese RPGs, eating popcorn, watching VTuber content, and watching tokusatsu. You can keep up with him at @ventcard.bsky.social. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Anime News Network, its employees, owners, or sponsors. discuss this in the forum |
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.