Coliseum

Summer has arrived, ushering in the busiest and most exciting time of the year for the video game industry and its fans. Summer Game Fest, along with a bevy of video game showcases representing multiple genres and demographics, will reveal new titles, provide updates on known projects, and perhaps even a few surprises. If you’re looking for a show that caters to your specific gaming tastes or prefer to absorb every bit of news across multiple presentations, we have you covered. 

To keep up with every broadcast airing during the season, here is a list of showcases taking place this summer. You can use the tabs on the left to quickly jump to a specific day’s events. We’ll regularly update this list as new livestreams are announced. 

 May 21

May 21

Six One Indie Showcase

Start Time: 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube

What It Is: If you ask how many indie games the Six One Indie Showcase will have, the answer is “yes.” 61 games will be featured in just over 90 minutes, which should satisfy even the most passionate indie game enthusiasts. 

 May 27

May 27

AG French Direct

Start Time:  9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Over 40 French-developed and French-speaking games will be spotlighted, including world premiere trailers and exclusive gameplay footage. Expect to see titles from publishers such as Dear Villagers, Nacon, The Game Bakers, and Devolver Digital, among others.  Games set to appear include Heave Ho 2, Fading Echo, Nocturnal 2, and Silent Planet – Elegy of a Dying World. 

 May 28

May 28

Thinky Direct

Start Time: 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Puzzle game fans can enjoy this 2nd-annual broadcast that focuses squarely on “cerebral and problem-solving games,”, as described by the event’s organizers. Expect to see a batch of over 40 puzzle games, including world premieres, launch dates, and updates for known titles. 

Indie Quest 

Start Time: 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube

What It Is: If you love indie JRPGs, this is the showcase for you. This year, expect to see over 30 trailers with guest appearances from popular creators sprinkled about. 

 June 1

June 1

Midsummer Nights Scream

Start Time: 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube

What It Is: The Horror Game Awards will present its summer showcase for new and exciting horror titles on the horizon. The over 2-hour presentation promises a staggering 100+ games, half of which will have world premiere trailers. 

 June 4

June 4

Latin American Games Showcase

Start Time: 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: This year’s showcase features 15 titles – including 9 world premieres – with confirmed looks at games such as Shade Protocol, Kernel Hearts, Colorbound, Sigils of Nightfall, The War in Chiapas, and Tenebris Somnia.

Women-Led Games Showcase 

Start Time: 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The annual celebration of majority-women studios and creators will boast five world premieres and announcements for games like Soulframe, We Were Here Tomorrow, and Come to My Party. 

 June 5

June 5

Summer Game Fest

Start Time: 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The flagship showcase of the summer returns, hosted by Geoff Keighley and GameSpot‘s Lucy James. If it’s anything like previous years (it will be), expect two hours of world premieres, surprise announcements, and long-awaited updates. 

Day of the Devs

Start Time: 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: If Summer Game Fest is the flagship stage for AAA titles, Day of the Devs is the indie game equivalent. Viewers will get to see some of the biggest and most exciting indie projects, both anticipated and newly revealed. 

June 6

June 6

Southeast Asian Games Showcase 

Start Time: 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The Southeast Asian game development scene gathers to share exclusive reveals, trailers, and updates. 

Wholesome Games Direct

Start Time: 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The show for cozy game lovers returns to share over 50 games as well as updates for Wholesome Games Presents titles Is This Seat Taken?, Usagi Shima, and Miki Delivery. 

Story-Rich Showcase

Start Time: 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Fellow Traveler is best known for publishing games like 1000xResist and Citizen Sleeper, but it’s hosting its first digital showcase specifically to highlight narrative-focused titles. The 1-hour presentation will feature new game reveals and release date announcements for 26 games, including those from developers SFB Games (Tangle Tower, Crow Country), Happy Broccoli Games (Duck Detective), and Rusty Lake (Servant of the Lake). 

Future Games Show Summer Showcase

Start Time: 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: Hosted by voice actors Alix Wilton Regan and Troy Baker, this double feature will be front-loaded by the Future Games Show, which will feature world premieres, exclusive trailers, and more. Immediately following the broadcast is an extended gameplay reveal for the upcoming sci-fi RPG Exodus. 

June 7

June 7

Xbox Games Showcase + Gears of War: E-Day Direct

Start Time: 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch, Facebook

What It Is: Xbox’s big annual broadcast will, as it always does, prop up titles from its first-party studios and third-party partners. The only game we know for sure will appear is Gears of War: E-Day, which is getting its own deep-dive presentation after the Xbox show ends that will feature new gameplay and project insights. 

PC Gaming Show

Start Time: 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: PC Gamer‘s annual showcase will feature numerous trailers for games targeting PC, if not exclusive to it. 

 June 8

June 8

Frosty Games Fest

Start Time: 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: For the second year, the Frosty Games Fest provides a stage to show off over 50 games created in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. 

 June 9

June 9

Access-Ability Summer Showcase

Start Time: 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It is: Host Laura Kate Dale’s annual broadcast shines a much-needed light on accessibility features and design choices in upcoming games.

 June 12

June 12

The UploadVR Showcase

Start Time: 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET
How to Watch: YouTube

What It Is: Those who enjoy gaming in virtual reality can tune in for updates on and exclusive looks at upcoming VR titles. 

 TBA

TBA

The MIX Summer Game Online Showcase

Start Time: TBA
How to Watch: YouTube, Twitch

What It Is: The MIX Showcase always excels at raising awareness for small developers and titles, and we expect the 2026 edition to be no different. Expect plenty of new game announcements, trailers, gameplay, and more. 

The wait is over: this week, Lego Batman finally returns in Legacy of the Dark Knight, and according to our review (which I wrote!), it’s a worthy addition to the Caped Crusader’s gaming history. If you’re jumping in blind, however, you might miss some simple mechanics that let you get ahead in the game, so we’ve compiled this list of tips to help you put your best Lego foot forward.

The Difficulty

When starting the game, players will have the option between three different difficulty levels: Classic, Caped Crusader, and Dark Knight. If you have experience with action games, we recommend starting with Dark Knight. In our experience, even this level of challenge is easier than every Batman: Arkham game’s standard difficulty, and it arguably gets easier as you unlock skills and upgrades to boost health and damage.

That said, you can change the difficulty at any time, and there’s no achievement for completing the game on the higher difficulty levels, so feel free to adjust as you see fit. The accessibility tab in the menu also has tools to cater your experience even more precisely, with options to decrease game speed, retain studs when you die, autocomplete QTEs, and more.

Waynetech Chips

Waynetech chips are Legacy of the Dark Knight’s upgrade currency used to improve gadgets. You spend them at Gadget Work Benches that become unlocked during the Spelunking mission, which follows the Iceberg Lounge sequence in Chapter One.

While you’ll get Waynetech Chips from caches in each level and around Gotham City, the game makes it less obvious that you also get them as rewards for some other side content. For example, finding lost zoo animals, unlocking fast travel points, completing quests for The Case of Waylon Jones, and many other activities can each reward two Waynetech Chips each, though sometimes you’d unlock cosmetics instead.

Click the image to enlarge. You can also find Waynetech Chips in the Batcave.

Gadget Work Benches

You can only upgrade your gadgets at Gadget Work Benches, which are available between missions in the open world. Some are marked on the map, and there are some in the Batcave, but if you don’t want to travel quite that far, there are also workbenches available in all of Bat-Mite’s stores. Since every store has an identical layout, you just need to enter and turn to the left – it leans against the same wall as the door.

Replaying Missions

If you don’t find all the collectibles on your first go, don’t worry; you can replay missions from the batcomputer at any time. Checkpoints conveniently break them up, too, so you likely won’t have to replay the entire level just to get one last Waynetech Cache.

Moving Quickly In The Open World

While it’s fun to use the Batmobile and other land vehicles in the open world, a lack of a minimap or GPS function makes them a little difficult to rely on, especially since many quests and collectibles are on top of buildings. The city’s road structure also means it’s typically faster to travel as the crow (or bat) flies by grappling into the air and gliding between rooftops.

The two biggest tips here are grapple launching and fast gliding. You can grapple launch by holding the jump button (that’s X on PlayStation or A on Xbox) as the grappling hook pulls you towards a ledge. You’ll know it’s worked if you hear an extra whirring sound as you move through the air, and if you pull it off, your character will launch straight into the sky past the ledge, preserving your momentum.

Once you’re in the air, you can click the sprint button to glide even faster. The game’s gliding is very generous, and gravity affects you relatively slowly, so you can even speed-glide between Gotham’s huge islands without worrying about hitting the water.

Of course, keep in mind that this only applies once you unlock both gliding and the grappling hook. You’ll have both at the end of the Waynetech R&D mission near the end of Chapter One.

Skill Bricks

Golden skill bricks are unlocked at the end of each main level and allow you to unlock skills from the skill menu. While gadget upgrades are character-specific, the main skill unlocks apply to everyone, so it’s a good idea to spend the bricks as soon as you get them. It’s worth noting that this is not organized as a skill tree, so you’re free to skip upgrades you’re not interested in and save your bricks for the best ones.

Crucially, some open-world events also reward you with skill bricks, typically when you complete a certain task. There are plenty of skill bricks only unlocked this way, so try to prioritize open-world activities if you’re nearing the end of Chapter Five and want to unlock more skills before completing the game.

Locked Open World Activities

Plenty of open-world activities will spawn in before you’re able to complete them, typically because you haven’t unlocked certain characters yet. The easiest way to tell is by checking the map. If there’s a padlock next to the icon, it’s unavailable to you at that moment. You’ll also be able to tell if you click the right stick to use the Detect ability and notice a question mark over an element in the environment. Typically, this image is the portrait of the character needed to solve that puzzle, so if it’s a question mark, you haven’t unlocked them yet. 

Click the image to enlarge. The circled icons can’t be completed until I unlock more characters.

Activity Towers

Once you unlock Batgirl in Chapter Four, you can use her hacking batarangs to hack into red and white radio towers across the map. There’s one in each district (so potentially multiple on one island, depending on the island), and after activating it, you’ll reveal every map icon for that district. If you want to find individual encounters yourself, you don’t have to activate them, but it makes a completionist playthrough much easier.

Quickfiring Gadgets

Every gadget can be quickly activated in combat by tapping the right trigger. While it seems like an obvious move with something like a Batarang or Catwoman’s whip, even Batgirl’s drone or Robin’s cable launcher are great combat tools to fire off on a whim. It’s typically an easy way to deal with crowds of enemies if you’re being overwhelmed, especially if one or more of them have weapons. Additionally, your gadgets will usually interrupt an enemy winding up for a big attack, so a quick gadget can stun foes with guns or swords before making big attacks.

The Best Skills To Get

You’ll unlock different skills in the skill menu, though many will be locked until you reach certain points in the story. Here are the ones you should prioritize:

Hyper Combo – Increase the maximum stud combo multiplier

This is available multiple times in the Exploration side of the upgrade window, and it’s wise to unlock as early as possible if you’re interested in cosmetics. Studs are used to unlock new suits and vehicles for every character, and the earlier your multiplier is increased, the more studs you’ll amass as the game goes on.

At this point in the game, I have the top three tiers unlocked, but the bottom abilities (which includes some of the skills listed below) won’t be available until later.

Full Power – Collect Hearts while at full health to deal extra damage for a few seconds

This skill is one of the last available, but it allows you to deal more damage and generate more focus when you pick up hearts. This is especially useful because using a focus takedown is guaranteed to drop a heart, so you can create a powerful loop by using takedowns to generate hearts, then using those hearts to build focus to quickly perform another takedown.

Extra Focus – Add an extra bar of focus

This option is available several times, and it’s always worth it. If your focus bar is full, any damage you do won’t gain any more focus, so it’s nice to be able to store up more while waiting for the right opportunity to do a takedown.

Combat Focus – Increased rate of Focus generated by basic attacks.

This upgrade is in the second tier of combat upgrades. Focus powers most of your strongest moves, so it’s always good to generate as much of it as possible.

Nintendo has revealed Pictonico, a new mobile game launching next week. The party game takes existing photos from your phone or tablet and turns them into WarioWare-esque minigames. 

The reveal trailer shows examples such as turning a portrait into a corn-eating minigame where you move the subject’s mouth to chomp on food, or pulling down crabs pinching someone’s face. “Rediscover old photos of loved ones and see them in a whole new light as they navigate everything from zombie attacks, quirky costume changes, carnival challenges and more,” reads Nintendo’s press release. Pictonico also offers a Score Attack mode, a board-game-style stage-clearing challenge, and even a fortune-telling feature. 

The game features 80 minigames and is “free-to-start”, Nintendo’s terminology for free-to-play. This means you can download and play Pictonico for free, but a disclaimer notes that “Purchase of a game volume is required for gameplay, but you can play a demo of some minigames for free.” According to the game’s FAQ,  the “free” version is actually a demo with access to only three games. Players must purchase “game volumes”, basically packs that include an unknown number of minigames, to gain full access to content. Nintendo has yet to confirm how much a game volume will cost or how many will be for sale. 

Pictonico launches on May 28 for iOS and Android, and players can pre-register starting today. 

Reviewed on:
Switch 2

Platform:

Publisher:
Nintendo

Developer:
Nintendo

Release:
May 21, 2026

Rating:
Everyone

I adore the 1995 Super Nintendo game, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, but I am mature enough to admit that each new Yoshi game is worth examining on its own terms. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has no obligation to be a new retread of that 30-year-old game and it isn’t. I admire the willingness to try something different. This adventure plays more like a unique puzzle game with Yoshi aesthetics, and the result is a largely rewarding experience that rarely challenged me, but didn’t have a problem delivering the charm.

You’re still eating creatures and throwing eggs as we have been for three decades, but The Mysterious Book doesn’t fight against you. Yoshi really can’t take damage, and the closest thing to a traditional video game death is falling down an endless pit that immediately transports you back to safety. I would almost be comfortable calling it a cozy game, an admittedly fuzzy genre qualifier, but it does mechanically play like a smooth, classic Nintendo 2D platformer.

4K resolution looks good on Yoshi, and exploring the pages of Mr. E with Yoshi’s stilted movement gives it a stop-motion style that is inviting to look at. The designs of all the creatures, both familiar to the world of Yoshi and completely new, look great, but it’s their various animations that stand out. You don’t spend much time in the “real world” where Yoshi is just a boring old shiny dinosaur who uses every single animation frame, and I was always eager to be back in the pages to embrace the paper visuals.

The reward for progress isn’t overcoming jumping and combat challenges, but rather figuring out and acknowledging every little potential interaction possible in each level. That process can be joyful when you accidentally activate unexpected interplay, like getting mud all over a flower character riding your back and washing them off by running through some water. When the game points that out, marks it down in the book, and says, “Isn’t that neat?” I am inclined to agree.

 

It is less fun, however, when the key to completing a level or puzzle is something vague like, “You should probably look for a cave somewhere,” or the solution is arbitrary, like eating all the butterflies. Thankfully, few puzzles create impassable barriers, and you can purchase hints too, but it also means there isn’t much incentive to find everything and chase forward progress beyond seeing what’s new.

As is the case with many recent comparably structured Nintendo games, you will see credits and experience the paper-thin narrative conclusion at what is ostensibly the halfway point of the game. I like this setup, and without spoiling specifics, the tools, nostalgic references, and levels after the credits are a highlight. They don’t address my inconsistent feeling of reward for solving puzzles, but I appreciate how the game opens up at that point.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is, by design, an inviting game with little challenge – a pleasant vacation where all the animals want to be friends and the soundtrack sounds like colorful bubbles bursting in front of a double rainbow. I admit I pined for the stress I associate with Yoshi taking care of a helpless baby, but this low-stakes adventure (potentially Yoshi’s lowest) does take care in making you feel acknowledged and generally rewarded in its attempt at a new style of puzzle-platformer.

Score:
7.75

About Game Informer’s review system

Update, May 18:

Back in March, Bloomberg reported that then-upcoming PlayStation 5 games like Saros and Ghost of Yōtei would not be released on PC while Sony charted a return to console exclusivity. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who wrote the aforementioned report, has now revealed on Bluesky that PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst told staff in a company town hall meeting this morning that all future PlayStation single-player games will, in fact, be exclusive. 

Schreier writes on Bluesky, “SCOOP: PlayStation Studio business CEO Hermen Hulst told staff in a town hall Monday morning that the company’s narrative single-player games will now be PlayStation exclusive, confirming Bloomberg’s reporting from earlier this year.” 

That “single-player” callout is a big distinction, as PlayStation recently launched Marathon, Bungie’s excellent first-person extraction shooter, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and upcoming PlayStation console-exclusives like Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls (releasing in August), which is a multiplayer title, are planned for PC too. But Uncharted and The Last of Us maker Naughty Dog’s upcoming single-player sci-fi game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, will be a PS5 exclusive (if we’re following the logic of Hulst’s town hall announcement). 

The original story continues below…

Original Story, March 4:

After releasing first-party games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarök, and The Last of Us Part II on PC over the past six years, PlayStation is returning to console exclusivity going forward. That’s according to a new report from Bloomberg, which also says single-player games like last year’s Ghost of Yōtei and the upcoming bullet-hell shooter Saros will not be released on PC.

This is part of a wider shift in release strategy, which will see PlayStation still launch multiplayer games like this week’s Marathon and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls (releasing in August) on other platforms like PC and even Xbox, while single-player releases are expected to remain exclusive to PlayStation 5. 

Bloomberg cites sources familiar with PlayStation’s plans for this strategy, adding that reasons for the shift include PlayStation games not selling as well on PC, concerns that PC releases could hurt the console brand (and sales), and a lack of consistency in release quality and schedules. The report says PlayStation is now returning to console exclusives, which is a notable shift away from its biggest rival, Xbox, which now releases most of its titles on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. This year’s Forza Horizon 6 and Fable are launching on PS5, for example. 

According to Bloomberg, there were plans to bring Ghost of Yōtei to PC, but those plans were scrapped in recent weeks alongside other planned PlayStation PC releases. That said, previously announced games like the aforementioned Marathon and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls are safe and still coming to PC, as are others like Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Kena: Scars of Kosmora. 

The report ends with notice that some executives at PlayStation may not be happy that games like God of War Ragnarök, a beloved sequel in a series that has only ever appeared on PlayStation consoles and handhelds (okay, and on mobile phones that one time), will likely be playable on an Xbox in the future, if the anticipated next-gen console from Xbox is capable of playing PC games as rumored. 

Though players have seen PlayStation games come to PC over the past six years, it seems those days are over, prompting a returning question: Do you buy a PlayStation 5 to play the company’s next big release, or do you skip it altogether? It seems PlayStation is betting on players to do the former. 

[Source: Bloomberg]

Do you think this is the right decision for PlayStation? Let us know in the comments below!

Roughly a month and a half after Sony announced price increases for the PlayStation 5, the company will raise the prices of PlayStation Plus Essential (the cheapest tier). Both 1-month and 3-month subscriptions will increase starting May 20 due to “ongoing market conditions,” according to the announcement. 

Starting May 20, the price of a 1-month subscription will increase to $10.99, up from $9.99, while the 3-month subscription will increase to $27.99, up from $24.99; basically, the 1-month subscription will increase by $1, and the 3-month subscription will increase by $3. 

Sony notes that this price change will not apply to current subscribers (except those in Turkey and India) unless your existing subscription changes or lapses. As for the ongoing market conditions, Sony keeps it vague, but it’s likely alluding to rising memory costs due to AI buy-up, existing economic and market struggles, and tariffs implemented by the U.S. President. 

This PlayStation Plus Essential price jump comes after Sony raised the price of a base PS5 to $649.99 (up from $549.99), the PS5 Digital Edition to $599.99 (up from $499.99), and the PS5 Pro to $899.99 (up from $749.99) back in March. It also raised the price of the cloud- and remote-streaming PlayStation Portal device to $249.99 (up from $199.99).  This is also the first PS Plus price adjustment since Sony raised the price of its 12-month subscriptions back in August 2023. 

Speaking of PlayStation Plus, Sony revealed last week that Star Wars Outlaws, Red Dead Redemption, and Time Crisis headline this month’s Plus offerings. 

How do you feel about this price jump? Let us know in the comments below!

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is sailing into port soon, launching on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on July 9. I recently attended a preview event for the game – and I’ll have more to share about that soon, including my impressions after playing the game and interviewing key devs behind the remake – and there, I got the chance to speak to Edward Kenway voice actor Matt Ryan. And surprise: he’s a joy to talk to, and someone who genuinely loves this character as much as the Assassin’s Creed community (and it was also great to finally tell him that his Constantine kicks ass). 

To keep things simple, I’ll list my questions below, along with Ryan’s answers – enjoy!

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: Matt Ryan Q/A

Game Informer’s Wesley LeBlanc and Edward Kenway voice actor Matt Ryan

Game Informer’s Wesley LeBlanc: How did you originally get involved with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag? 

Edward Kenway voice actor Matt Ryan: Well, originally, it was pitched as a pirate TV show because it was all top secret, so I did the first audition and I thought that the scenes – they didn’t give me a script – but the scenes that were given were great, and the description of the character was great. And when they invited me back, they said it was an Assassin’s Creed game, and I’d already played the first ones, so I was like, “Great, yeah!” But yeah, it was all in the writing.

Why do you think Edward is so beloved? 

For me, personally, I think it’s about his arc, the journey he goes on. He starts off as just a normal kind of guy who’s trying to get a better life for himself and his wife, but he’s also ruthless and he’ll do whatever he can to take it. And he thinks he can get to that place where, you know, he can provide for his family and have a better life. He thinks it’s fame and glory and riches, and it’s not; he really goes on this journey to get those things, but even though he doesn’t get what he needs and what he wants, through the way that he’s going about it, it does eventually lead him to something worthwhile.

What was the original direction they gave you for Edward?
What’s funny is that when I did the audition, Edward was based in the north of England with a completely different accent. So my audition was in a different accent, and it wasn’t until I went over to Montreal to start filming that they went, “Oh, you sound different.” And I was like, “Yeah, well, this is my real voice.” And they said, “Where are you from?” And I said, “I’m from a place called Swansea in Wales.” They asked me if it was on the sea, and it is, so then they were like, “Maybe we can use that.” So they made the character where I’m from, which I thought was great, because nobody knows where Swansea is in Wales, and it adds to the character – this guy coming from a small town, with no money growing up, and then wanting to change that. The other similarity, which is funny, is that I left Wales at 19; I left Swansea at 19 to go to Bristol, to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, to become an actor, and Edward actually left Swansea to go to Bristol too. It’s a really cool parallel.  

What was it like coming back to Edward? 

It was a strange and wonderful and nostalgic and beautiful experience, man. It’s like an old friend. The funny thing is, when I did the original game, you didn’t quite know what it would be. You want to do the best job you can; you do your research, you do your preparation, and you give it your all. Coming back to something that you know has been very successful and that [Assassin’s Creed fans] like, and you’re like, “Oh shit, where is he? How do I realign to him?” But he was there, man, and it was kind of easy to slip into. My voice has changed slightly; it is slightly lower now, but I trained as an actor for this. But yeah, what a joy to come back and after all this, all this time, doing new scenes. [These] new scenes just jumped off the page, and they really add to the character – they add depth to the character and the story. They’re not just there for the sake of filling it out. 

What are you most excited about? 

I’m excited for the fans, old and new, to discover this great character in this astoundingly beautiful, ruthless, cruel, wonderful world and go on a journey with [Edward Kenway]. And I think that all the people who’ve been on that journey with him before, I’m excited for them to go on it again, and for them to feel the depth that has been brought to the character through the new stuff that we’ve done and the physics engine that they’re using in the game, and how the game looks and feels. 

We’ll have plenty more about Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced from the recent preview event I attended, so keep an eye on Game Informer so you don’t miss it. In the meantime, read about all of the changes and updates made to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced as a remake, and then check out the Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced PC specs and requirements. After that, read about how Ubisoft has launched a real-life $500,000 treasure hunt to celebrate the remake. 

At Game Informer, writing game reviews is one of our primary functions. As such, we cover hundreds of titles each and every year, hoping to turn you on to your next favorite game. However, within that field, a select few rise to the top as the games we most highly recommend. While you’re always welcome to peruse our reviews page for the latest and greatest (and sometimes worst) games on the market, we’ve gathered our highest-scoring reviews of 2026 right here. 

Be sure to bookmark this page and check back frequently, as we’ll continue to update it as more titles earn review scores on the top end of our review scale.

9.75

Resident Evil Requiem

A masterclass in refinement and a tour de force of gameplay, Requiem is Resident Evil at its finest. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC

Release Date:
February 27, 2026

9.25

Cairn

Cairn is more than a remarkably gripping mountain-climbing game. It’s also a deeply affecting narrative of anguish, loss, and the steep cost of obsession. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC

Release Date:
January 29, 2026

Forza Horizon 6

Even for a series built on delivering approachable racing action that appeals to both newcomers and hardcore players, Forza Horizon 6 impresses at each turn, delivering one of the greatest racing games of this generation. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date:

May 19, 2026 (Xbox Series X/S, PC), 2026 (PlayStation 5)

Marathon

Bungie’s excellent audio design and gunplay, paired with increasingly complicated level design borrowing from over a decade of expertise designing Destiny raids coalesce into something special. Marathon is proof Bungie is still at the top of its game. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date:
March 5, 2026

Saros

Moving, shooting, improving (both in stats and skill), winning, and even losing is an unequivocal joy, and I only wish I could write this final sentence faster so I can hurry up and get back to planet Carcosa and attempt another run. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5

Release Date:
April 30, 2026

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park

Super Mario Bros. Wonder was a joy to play through in 2023, and now, a few years later, it’s even better. Read review

Platforms: Switch 2

Release Date:
March 26, 2026

9

Deadzone: Rogue

Thanks to superb gunplay, a compelling mystery, and terrific use of the roguelite formula, Deadzone: Rogue avoids getting lost in the crowded sci-fi shooter genre. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC

Release Date:

August 11, 2025 (PC), September 3, 2025 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), March 17, 2026 (Switch 2)

Mixtape

Mixtape’s stellar writing, concise runtime, and inspired use of its licensed soundtrack make it an instant classic and a heartfelt trip down memory lane. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC

Release Date:
May 7, 2026

Nioh 3

Nioh 3’s consistently rewarding approach to open-world design, combined with its entertaining Ninja gameplay style, cements it as the best entry in the franchise. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC

Release Date:
February 6, 2026

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is a brilliant modern adventure game, filled with mysteries, delightful characters, and gorgeous art. Read review

Platforms: Switch 2, Switch, PC, iOS, Android

Release Date:
February 19, 2026

Pokémon Pokopia

Despite minor complaints, Pokémon Pokopia sticks out as one of the best examples of a third-party developer using the Pokémon license to the fullest extent possible. Read review

Platforms: Switch 2

Release Date:
March 5, 2026

World of Warcraft: Midnight

Now more than ever, Azeroth feels like a home away from home. Read review

Platforms: PC, Mac

Release Date:
March 2, 2026

8.75

Death Howl

Death Howl is a cohesive and well-crafted fusion of deckbuilders and Soulslikes. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC

Release Date:

December 9, 2025 (PC), February 19, 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)

High On Life 2

High on Life 2 is the kind of game that you can put on, laugh at for a while, and forget what’s troubling you, even though reminders might slip in through the pointed social commentary. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date:
February 13, 2026

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

Even with my dissatisfaction with stealth and some minor glitches, the latest Lego Batman is a rain-slicked success. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC

Release Date:

May 22, 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC), 2026 (Switch 2)

MIO: Memories in Orbit

Taking cues from the likes of Hollow Knight and Ori, this punishing platforming and exploration game is well worth your time if you’re up for a big challenge. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC

Release Date:
January 20, 2026

8.5

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred

Lord of Hatred is an exceptional cherry on top of Diablo IV, further cementing the entire package as among the best action RPGs of the generation. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Date:
April 28, 2026

Fur Squadron Phoenix

Nintendo may not know what to do with the Star Fox franchise, but Fur Squadron Phoenix makes a great case that the genre can still flourish in 2026. Read review

Platforms: Switch, PC

Release Date:

February 18, 2026 (PC), February 25, 2026 (Switch)

Invincible VS

With a solid foundation built upon approachability and personality, Invincible VS is easy to recommend to both seasoned fighting games fans and Invincible enthusiasts. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date:
April 30, 2026

For more of our top reviews from recent years, head to the links below.

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Marvel Cosmic Invasion’s first two DLC characters are now available for purchase, introducing a new X-Man and the game’s first Fantastic Four member: Cyclops and The Thing.

Cyclops, rocking a pretty sweet jacket, can fire his optic beams to keep foes at bay while pummeling them in hand-to-hand combat. The Thing is, as you would expect, a powerhouse who pummels foes using his rocky fists, living up to his catchphrase “It’s clobberin’ time!” Both characters can be purchased together for $3.99. Check them out in action in the trailer below.

Developer Tribute Games also teases that DLC 2 arrives this fall, though we’ll have to wait a few months to see which characters it will include. In the meantime, be sure to check out our review of Marvel Cosmic Invasion here. 

Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5

Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Publisher:
Warner Bros. Games

Developer:
TT Games

Release:
May 22, 2026
(PlayStation 5,
Xbox Series X/S,
PC), 2026 (Switch 2)

Rating:
Everyone 10+

As a lifelong Lego Batman fan, Legacy of the Dark Knight is nothing short of a dream come true. While I will praise the revamped combat, detailed open world, and charming story, it’s the design philosophy they’re spawned from that makes the game so successful. Legacy of the Dark Knight leaves no meat on the bone, with no corner of Batman’s mythology left unturned as it depicts every version of the Caped Crusader fans have come to love. Even with my dissatisfaction with stealth and some minor glitches, the latest Lego Batman is a rain-slicked success. As I played, I heard developer TT Games’ thesis ringing through, loud and clear: People love Batman; here are all the reasons why.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Review:

Story mode takes players across decades of Bruce Wayne’s life, from young child to rookie vigilante to greying patriarch of the Bat Family. To do so, TT Games pulls sequences from most of Batman’s live-action appearances, remixing them into a single narrative. Despite recognizing every reference, I never got tired of seeing Batman’s highlights in goofy, brick-based form, and I was always curious to learn how TT Games would transition from one movie villain to the next. Ultimately, however, Legacy of the Dark Knight combines these pieces into a new story, which I appreciated. The ending and final boss fight are particularly exciting, as they alter expected twists to tell an original conclusion.

Each chapter also introduces a new companion for Batman. You train alongside Talia al Ghul at the League of Shadows, take on Carmine Falcone with Jim Gordon, battle Mr. Freeze with Batgirl, and even get to see Dick Grayson’s journey from Robin to Nightwing. That said, I was left wishing Nightwing felt more distinct from his younger self, as both wield escrima sticks and their gadgets are nearly identical. Catwoman is also present, and while I enjoyed playing as her early on, she feels cast aside by the story’s conclusion compared to the rest of the cast.

Players inhabit these characters to use the game’s overhauled mechanics, which are the most complex a Lego game has ever had, while remaining comprehensible to younger audiences. Plenty of prior Lego games were specifically designed for children, but with skill trees, gadget upgrades, great level design, and a new combat system, Legacy of the Dark Knight is truly meant for all ages.

The aforementioned combat system is lifted almost verbatim from the Arkham games, with counter-based gameplay and familiar enemy variants. While there are also three included difficulty levels (a first for the Lego franchise), the highest level was only mildly challenging. It’s likely my prior Arkham playthroughs altered my experience, but I played the whole game without upgrading my health and never lost all three of my lives. However, it’s certainly engaging enough to hold my interest, and I still had lots of fun punching henchmen.

Meanwhile, stealth is Legacy of the Dark Knight’s least consistent element. It’s an option in many story encounters, but it’s either far too simple, with enemies lined up with their backs to you, or simply intended as an entrance move, with enemies so clustered up that you can only take out one or two before being seen. Luckily, it’s also not very punishing, as a failed stealth approach just turns into normal combat, but I wish more thought had been put into this side of the Dark Knight’s skillset.

You’ll spend time between story missions in open-world Gotham City, which is easily one of the game’s most successful features. Across its four islands, it’s dynamic and organic, full of diverse architecture, pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and just about every Batman-related landmark you could hope for. There’s plenty to discover just by driving the city’s roads, but it’s also built with Batman’s verticality in mind, with puzzles and collectibles scattered across the skyline. There’s no shortage of things to do here, with hundreds of puzzles and short sidequests appearing on the map as you progress through the campaign. It will take me hours and hours to scour the city in the quest to reach 100-percent completion, and I plan to enjoy every second of it.

I should also note that I encountered some scarce bugs across my roughly 15-hour playthrough, usually because of the game’s physics. I’d grapple to a ledge but fail to hold on, characters would oddly vibrate on uneven surfaces, and a few times my camera clipped out of bounds. No issues were game-breaking, but all were distracting, even though they only happened about a dozen times.

Still, I am utterly delighted by Legacy of the Dark Knight. Its story is charming and effective, its combat is engaging, and its open world is top-notch. It’s a no-holds-barred approach to the revered character, and though there are spots where the execution could have been better, TT Games included everything I could have asked for in one wholly entertaining package. The Dark Knight has a storied legacy, and this adventure does it justice.

Score:
8.75

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