Coliseum

Attack on Titan 3, the latest video game adaptation of the popular manga/anime, is coming on December 10. The game was first revealed during this year’s Summer Game Fest.

This new action game boasts improvements to its omnidirectional mobility, letting players soar through the air with greater precision. Titans are said to be more unpredictable in their movements, engendering more challenging encounters against the massive threats. Attack on Titan 3 also features new Special Exterior Missions that let players take on challenging quests beyond the city’s walls. 

Attack on Titan 3 is billed as the culmination of the Attack on Titan saga, depicting the entire story up to its big finale. As such, those who are currently reading or watching Attack on Titan may want to steer clear of this game, but if you’re caught up and looking to relive the story’s climactic events, check out the new trailer below.

Attack on Titan 3 will launch on December 10 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC.

A Nintendo Direct focused on Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is airing tomorrow, August 4. The event will share 20 minutes of new details about the game.

The Direct begins at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is scheduled to launch on September 17 for Switch 2, and centers on four playable protagonists competing in a combat tournament called the Heroic Games. The four characters, Cai, Theodora, Leda, and Dietrich, all have personal reasons for wanting to win the tournament and have their wish granted by the world’s ruler. 

The Heroic Games are approaching! Tune in on Aug 4 at 7am PT for the Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct, featuring roughly 20 minutes of new information about the game. #NintendoDirect

Watch here: ninten.do/6013a8Sxz

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— Nintendo of America [Twitter/X Mirror] (@nintendousa.bsky.social) August 3, 2026 at 10:02 AM

Like previous Fire Emblem games, Fortune’s Weave is a turn-based strategy game and features the now-staple free time structure that allows you to recruit, train, and bond with units.  To see the game ahead of tomorrow’s Direct, check out the latest trailer announcing the game’s release date. 

In this week’s episode of The Game Informer Show, the crew highlights the best indie games of 2026 so far. No, this isn’t an exhaustive list, but after listening, you’ll likely have several new video game recommendations to play. Highlights include The Mermaid Mask, Into The Grid, Super Battle Golf, and Helix: Descent N Ascent. Are there a couple of games that are technically not indie on this list? Yes, but they embody the spirit of small games made by smaller teams.  The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine! 

Watch or Listen to The Game Informer Show: 

Listen to “The Game Informer Show” on Spreaker.

Follow our hosts online:

• Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken)
• Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)
• Wesley LeBlanc (@WesleyLeBlanc)

Jump ahead using these timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro
• 03:15 – Best Indie Games of 2026
• 54:35 – Small Teams, Big Potential (Upcoming Indie Games)
• 58:18 – Ad Break
• 58:19 – Scarlet Deer Inn (Adventure Game Made of Embroidery)
• 01:06:00 – Helix: Descent N Ascent (Monochrome 2D Puzzler)
• 01:11:00 – Listener Questions

Welcome to the weekend! It’s a good one for going to the theatres with a new Spider-Man movie that I liked (see my full spoiler-free review here) and a new Christopher Nolan movie that I liked even more and am ready to probably go see it again before I am never able to watch it on a gigantic screen ever again. I’m talking about The Odyssey if that wasn’t clear.

But this is a video game website! We have some weekend video game recommendin’ below, but before then here, here are some big stories from the week.

• Here’s How The Late Japanese Actor Toshirō Mifune Became The Face Of Musashi In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword
• Everything D&D Announced At Gen Con, Including A Huge World of Warcraft Collab, Star Wars Crossover, And The New Psion Class
• Top 10 RPGs To Play Right Now
• Super Mario Sunshine Joins Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Library Next Month
• There Are No Minigames In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword, But It Sounds Like The Phantom Realm Is Back
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Update Add Brand New Day And Marvel Tōkon Suits Today

Truck-kun Is Supporting Me From Another World?!

Kyle Hilliard

If you are even casually familiar with anime broadly, then you know about isekai, which is a genre where a typically contemporary person gets transported to an alternate, typically magical world. The actual getting transported part doesn’t matter as the bulk of the story is about coming to terms with being in a fantasy setting and all that entails technically and emotionally. The recurring, noncommittal hand-wave explanation for why a person ends up in a new world, for some inexplicable reason, is usually related to getting hit by a delivery truck. There are probably research papers about why this is a recurring story trope that can explain the exact moment its repetition became a parody, but I am not familiar with why, and similar to the plot reason for why someone gets isekai-ed (to use it as a verb), it really doesn’t matter.

What does matter is the well-titled video game, Truck-kun is Supporting me From Another World?!, is out this week, and in it you play as the rarely, if ever, characterized truck driver who isekais a young woman into another world right before she is set to get a big raise. She can still communicate with you, though (and is mad) and tasks you with isekai-ing as many people as possible with your truck to help her in the alternate world and eventually get her home.

It’s a great premise ripe for jokes, and the gameplay’s closest comparison is Crazy Taxi. You have a short period of time to drive around a small city, deliver packages, and hit as many people with your truck as possible. It’s arcade-y, bombastic, and funny. I wish it ran a little better (I am playing it on Steam Machine, so maybe it just needs a few performance updates to sync with Valve’s new platform), but I am finding the whole experience pretty dang charming.

The game is also available on Xbox.

Scarlet Deer Inn

Marcus Stewart

This surprising adventure game caught my eye for the same reason it likely will yours: its embroidered art direction. As in, each frame of the game’s characters was literally stitched into fabric and animated, lending Scarlet Deer Inn a unique (and painstakingly created) aesthetic. As Elise, you’re the widowed owner of a medieval village inn, but your two young children go missing. Her search uncovers a shocking secret I won’t spoil, but it tips the game’s surprisingly dark hand. While exploring the town can be confusing and tedious, and the platforming and combat are simple at best, getting to the bottom of what terror befell Elise’s children has me hooked. Here’s hoping the story can stick – or, better yet, stitch – the landing.

Town To City

Matt Miller

I’m sad to say I missed out on the 1.0 launch of Town to City a few weeks back, but it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a cozy town-development simulation. Players take on the role of the mayor of a small burgeoning town in the countryside, helping to gradually build it from hamlet to teeming (but still beautiful) metropolis. More than many simulation games within the genre, Town to City focuses on crafting beautiful spaces filled with flowers and trees, keeping your citizens happy by responding to their requests, and more broadly, a low-stress experience of gradual and satisfying growth. The game features a particularly attractive voxel art style, and a winsome, welcoming original game soundtrack that feels like it might be at home in a gentle romantic comedy set in the French countryside. It’s a lovely, relaxing gaming experience that you can take at your own pace – the perfect panacea if you’re coming off some frantic or tense action or shooter game.

Tabletop Pick – Junk Art Revolution

Matt Miller

This revision and update of one of my favorite dexterity games is a wonderful way to bring the family together, with simple rules but tons of replayability. Junk Art Revolution challenges players to stack and arrange wooden pieces that come in a variety of unusual shapes, creating artistic displays that target specific objectives for that session.

You might build for height, or in a different game mode, work on a shared sculpture with the other players. The variety of play and the tactile nature of the colorful pieces is the winning element here – not some incredible strategic depth (of which there is little). Junk Art Revolution is a triumph of delivering tabletop fun to virtually any player who sits down to give it a try, and it’s always nice to have a few titles like that in your board game collection.

If you’re playing an RPG, you’re in it for the long haul and want an experience that’s going to immerse you and keep you entertained the whole way through. A genre that is both familiar and constantly evolving, RPGs are often tasked with having the total package. The best ones contain all the key ingredients, masterfully combining exciting combat, memorable characters, larger-than-life bosses, and a gripping storyline. 

If you’re looking for RPGs that excel in those aspects, look no further than this list. The following games all share common elements but carve out their own unique path in the genre and promise a narrative-focused adventure full of thrilling encounters around every bend. Listed in alphabetical order, here are 10 stellar modern RPGs worth the time and effort. This is an evolving list that we’ll periodically update with exceptional titles as they release. 

Baldur’s Gate 3

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Every RPG in video games owes a debt to Dungeons & Dragons, and Baldur’s Gate 3 captures the spirit, mechanics, and thrilling unpredictability of the tabletop game more faithfully than any title before it. Player agency has never felt more meaningful or impactful. Multiple routes to success – or failure – exist, from the daring to the ridiculous, and the game seemingly accounts for nearly every possibility. This staggering sense of freedom and possibility makes guiding the memorable band of (maybe) heroes feel like a truly personalized adventure. This also makes replaying new campaigns a fresh and exciting proposition. Tack on the stellar writing and characterizations along with great co-op, and Baldur’s Gate 3 is a shining new benchmark for the role-playing genre. | Our Review

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Game Informer’s 2025 Game of the Year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 somehow managed to strip the frustrations we often hold against turn-based RPGs out of the experience and leave behind wholly satisfying combat and exploration with an emotional and genuinely unique story about the nature of reality and how family can be really difficult sometimes. In Clair Obscur’s world, the enigmatic Paintress decides at what age everyone dies, and the number is getting smaller and smaller. Expeditions are sent to confront her, and you happen to follow one of those journeys. Its additional themes of sacrifice and appreciating the world around you are relevant and fulfilling; its characters are easy to fall in love with; and its soundtrack is fantastic. The combat is also flashy and rewarding and is totally okay with you exploiting its systems to create a broken build. You know what’s fun? Feeling like you’re smarter than the game you’re playing. | Our Review

Cyberpunk 2077

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Cyberpunk 2077 didn’t crack this list when we first conceived it due to its famously poor launch state, but the improvements CD Projekt Red has implemented in the years since have paid off. From the literal game-changing 2.0 update to a fantastic expansion in Phantom Liberty, Cyberpunk 2077 is finally where it should have been in 2020. Now that players can enjoy V’s journey with fewer caveats, the entertaining dystopian adventure that always existed can shine much brighter. Night City is home to plenty of great world-building, customization, characters, action, and style. If you’ve been holding out, it’s finally the time to explore this seedy metropolis. | Our Reviews (Phantom Liberty/Current-Gen/Last-Gen)

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

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

Coming off the transformative Final Fantasy VII Remake (which used to occupy this very spot on the list), Square Enix’s team continued to renovate one of the most iconic role-playing games of all time with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Whereas Remake tells an extended tale of Cloud and the party within the walls of Midgar, Rebirth brings fans up to the famous Aerith scene, reimagining one of the most well-known moments from ‘90s gaming. In addition to continuing the story and expanding the universe, Rebirth also shifts to a much more open-world format, with various biomes full of exploration, side quests, and, of course, minigames. While admittedly a drastically divergent experience from the original Final Fantasy VII, Remake and Rebirth have given us a new appreciation of the characters, world, story, and gameplay that many of us grew up with. Now, we can’t wait to see how Square Enix pulls it all together with Final Fantasy VII: Revelation in 2027. | Our Review

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Not only does Kingdom Come: Deliverance II improve on its predecessor in impressive ways, it’s also one of the most immersive RPGs ever made. On its surface, and thanks to its cinematic setpieces, you might assume this is a more traditional Western RPG adventure, but KCDII is more of an immersive sim than anything else. Breaching into LARP territory with its devotion to 15th-century Bohemia, developer Warhorse Studios wields its prowess confidently throughout the game’s 65-hour runtime. 

Though you don’t get to create your own protagonist, a trademark of many RPGs, your Henry will differ vastly from anyone else’s, and how so is completely based on your actions. Use swords if you want to be a better swordsman; brew potions if you want to be a better alchemist; if you want to be the best blacksmith across the lands, get comfortable at the anvil. This role-playing extends beyond mechanics, too, letting you shape your Henry into the knight you want to be, whether that’s a ruthless killer, a charismatic charmer, or the kingdom’s most unlucky soldier – it’s all up to you. An excellent story, endless systems and mechanics to engage with, and a land brought to life with painterly visuals and unforgettable characters create one of the best role-playing experiences this generation. | Our Review

Metaphor: ReFantazio

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Developer Studio Zero makes Persona games, which will be abundantly clear to anyone who spends a little time with the excellent Metaphor: ReFantazio. You’re not a student in contemporary Japan trying to navigate school and friendships, but you are building a party of memorable characters while carefully managing your daily schedule to achieve as much as possible while the narrative counts down to an intimidating conclusion. Metaphor’s combat is deep and challenging, and despite taking place in a medieval world with missing kings and monstrous threats (often inspired by 1500s Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch), its story is shockingly relevant to today’s political climate. The music is also fantastic. | Our Review

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Switch 2, Switch

When Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launched on Switch in 2022, they were not ready. Game Freak clearly had a compelling vision for where the franchise was heading with its newly implemented open world, but technical and performance issues held back an otherwise strong mainline Pokémon entry. In 2025, the developer released a free Nintendo Switch 2 update that made it the game Pokémon fans hoped it would be. While many Pokémon fans are hoping the series will further evolve with Pokémon Winds and Waves, if you have a Switch 2, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are now well worth a look. | Our Review

Sea of Stars

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch PC

This loving homage to Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG puts its own entertaining spin on the tag-team moves and timed-button press attacks of its inspirations, creating some of the most strategically satisfying and dynamic battle systems in recent memory. Exploring Sea of Stars’ beautiful, retro-inspired series of islands is engaging thanks to fun traversal mechanics such as a grappling hook which lets you fling yourself to distant platforms. Where the combat and exploration got us in the door, a compelling and charming narrative filled with surprising twists made us stay. Well, that and Garl. He’s just the best.

And in 2025, developer Sabotage added a free expansion to the game, Throes of the Watchmaker, which adds a substantial side story that is designed with lapsed players in mind. It makes it very easy to jump back into the game even if you haven’t played Sea of Stars in some time. | Our Review

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Switch

Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade series quickly became one of Nintendo’s premier RPG series, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 might be one of its best jumping-on points. In it, the world of Aionios is torn between two warring factions, Agnes and Keves. Soldiers are born to fight for the entirety of their 10-year lifespans, engaging in massive conflicts to feed their respective Flame Clocks.

Two bands of fighters find themselves entwined by fate on a dangerous mission, and are forced to band together as they’re hunted by both their respective authorities and the mysterious Consuls. Drama, death, despair, and heartache abound, as do heartwarming moments around campfires and hope for a brighter future beyond their woefully finite existences. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a grand journey with tons to explore, a combat system to sink your teeth into, and a memorable crew that you won’t want to leave behind anytime soon. It’s hard to think of many better RPG options on either the Switch or Switch 2. | Our Review

Zero Parades: For Dead Spies

PC

Life is not easy for Hershel Wilk, codename CASCADE. After a big job gone bad scattered the spy’s crew and put her on ice, she’s back in the field for one last shot to prove she’s not the screw-up her agency believes her to be. Except, well, her counterpart is catatonic and she has no idea what the mission is. This is the chaos you’re dropped into with Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, the Disco Elysium-esque RPG from the studio named ZA/UM.

Though it carries the baggage of Disco Elysium’s post-launch fallout and tensions between those involved, the team that remained at ZA/UM built something remarkable with Zero Parades: a dark thriller about redemption and rediscovery, in the midst of cultural cold wars and dead drops, where every alley could hold either a fresh clue or a knife in your back. It’s tense, moody, witty, and full of vibrant characters and expressive moments of spying, where every success of Hershel’s feels like your own. Some may have issues with the way it came about, or even with how the team has been treated in the wake of its launch, all of which are valid; it still remains that this crew built something worth the time, attention, and discussion for those who adore a dialogue-laden role-playing thriller.

What games on this list do you enjoy? What games would you add that aren’t listed? Let us know in the comments! If you enjoyed this list, be sure to check out our other recent genre lists by clicking on our list hub below.

With Spider-Man: Brand New Day hitting theaters this week, we’re revisiting a well-liked but oft-forgotten entry in Spidey’s video game catalog: 2005’s Ultimate Spider-Man. 

Developed by Treyarch and released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube (as well as handheld devices),  Ultimate Spider-Man served as the first video game adaptation of the critically acclaimed comic series of the same name. First launched in 2000, Marvel’s Ultimate comic universe was a then-modern reboot of its characters, with Spider-Man, penned by writer Brian Michael Bendis, considered arguably the best of the bunch. The game boasts Bendis himself as a director, a cel-shaded presentation that accurately captured the comic art style, and the revolutionary web-swinging introduced a year prior in Spider-Man 2. Story-wise, Ultimate Spider-Man takes place months after the comic’s Venom saga, and players switch between controlling Spider-Man and Venom, who each possess unique abilities and gameplay sections. 

Join editors Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard as they revisit Ultimate Spider-Man live on Twitch and YouTube starting at 12 p.m. ET/3 p.m. ET. 

Super Mario Sunshine is the next classic GameCube title joining Nintendo Switch Online’s classic game catalog. The 2002 platformer arrives on August 13.

Super Mario Sunshine sees Mario and friends travel to the tropical Delfino Island, where an imposter known as Shadow Mario vandalizes the destination with graffiti and abducts Princess Peach. Mario teams up with a talking water hose/jetpack named F.L.U.D.D. to clean up the island and rescue Peach. Sunshine’s jetpack-centric twist on 3D platforming, combined with blasting enemies and levels using F.L.U.D.D., made it both a celebrated and polarizing entry in the franchise. Sunshine is also notable for featuring the debut of Bowser Jr.

Dark days loom over Isle Delfino!

Clean up a polluted island with FLUDD at your side in Super Mario Sunshine, coming to Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics on Nintendo Switch 2 for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members on Aug 13! pic.twitter.com/8j5iWvjnJz

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 31, 2026

As a reminder, GameCube titles are only available on Switch 2 and require a subscription to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Super Mario Sunshine joins the small but slowly expanding roster of GameCube titles, which include Luigi’s Mansion, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, among others.

You can see where Super Mario Sunshine ranks against other Mario games in our complete ranking of the Mario series. You can also watch former Game Informer editors play the game in this classic episode of Replay. Lastly, you can keep up with every game available on Nintendo Switch Online by visiting our database. 

Dungeons and Dragons has a lot planned for the coming year. Following the 2024 release of its revised fifth edition ruleset (which the developers have come around to calling “5.5e” after initially resisting), the D&D team has crafted a seasonal content structure reminiscent of a live-service video game like Overwatch or Fortnite. At today’s Gen Con presentation, we got a decent look at all the expansions, collaborations, and tie-in products on the horizon for the coming year. It’s a lot, so here’s a rundown of what to expect in chronological order.

Season of Magic: July – September 2026

Arcana Unleashed

The first (and technically ongoing) season brings a pair of Arcana Unleashed books, themed around magical subclasses, items, and an adventure that pits players against the Red Wizards of Thay (a faction you might recognize from the 2023 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie).

Arcana Unleashed is the gameplay expansion, which includes eight subclasses, 33 spells, 10 backgrounds, 29 feats, 47 magic items, and more. It also concludes with a short adventure for first-level characters to test out the new arcane additions. Meanwhile, Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall is a “magical espionage campaign” that has you face off against Szass Tam, the dreaded lich. It’s designed to bring players from level 11 up to level 20. Both Arcana Unleashed books drop September 15.

DnDBeyond.com/LFG

Next, Dungeons & Dragons is adding a new game-finding feature to D&D Beyond, and you can check it out at dndbeyond.com/lfg. This page has three functions. First, you can use it to find in-person games near you. Second, D&D is partnering with startplaying.games to give players a discount when using the service, which connects people to for-hire Dungeon Masters online. Specifically, it makes the first game cost just 99 cents. Finally, there will also be a server to connect players with players through Discord.

Season of Champions: October – December 2026

Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft

The next season is headlined by Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft, one of the TTRPG’s more ambitious crossovers. Not only does it bring Azeroth to the world of D&D, but the designers are boasting that it’s a very thorough crossover. With 11 new species and 9 subclasses, the team says you can play as any World of Warcraft race and class combination that you could play in the game. It also includes seven World of Warcraft dungeons, 30 dungeon boss stat blocks, over 60 new spells, over 50 new monsters, and bespoke mechanics for professions, mounts, companion creatures, and faction rewards.

Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft, alongside a new DM screen, a pack of Icecrown Citadel maps (with an included adventure), and two packs of miniatures, launch on November 17. Like with all D&D products, you can also access them two weeks early if you purchase them from a local game store or pay for the D&D Beyond subscription Master Tier. The whole suite of products is available for pre-order today.

D&D: Universes Beyond

This is the first collaboration in a new initiative called Universes Beyond, which seeks to partner D&D content and mechanics with compatible crossover universes. While this is the first and only example we’ve seen so far, it’s not hard to imagine that the D&D team will take some guidance from the numerous crossover collections seen in Magic: The Gathering in recent years.

Season of Survival: February – July 2027

Dark Sun

Dark Sun returns next year, kicking 2027 off with a bloody bang. It’s set in Athas, a brutal world of city-states ruled by sorcerer kings, and with intense violence and sexual themes, the setting is pretty mature for D&D standards. The art is graphic, but so are some of the rules – in a private briefing of the news, we heard designers tease an optional decapitation mechanic, for example.  It’s actually extreme enough that it comes with a content warning, and copies in stores will have to be shrink-wrapped on shelves so sensitive audiences don’t accidentally view its graphic art. The news was accompanied by a particularly gruesome animated trailer, complete with cartoon dismemberment, to set the tone.

That trailer also has footage of a person fighting foes with psychic powers, because this book will finally re-introduce the Psion class to the D&D world. While it initially appeared in some playtesting material early in fifth edition’s lifespan, Wizards of the Coast ultimately chose to add psychic-themed subclasses to its existing classes instead, saving the new rules for another time. Last year, it was released again as Unearthed Arcana, and it seems that this time, the design team was able to make enough progress to move it on the path towards publication.

The content release includes two main books: Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion is a setting expansion, while Dark Sun: Blood and Power is a gameplay expansion. The drop will also include a map pack, a Dark Sun DM Screen, and a limited edition 5.5e Player’s Handbook with Dark Sun cover art.

Season of Sword & Sorcery: September – October 2027

Greyhawk: Crown of the Witch Queen

The last announced season, scheduled for late 2027, will bring a new Greyhawk campaign setting, returning players to one of D&D’s earliest original worlds. Greyhawk: Crown of the Witch Queen will be a 160-page hardcover book that is villain-focused, centering on Drelzna, the vampire daughter of Iggwilv (who is also known as Tasha). It’s over a year out, so details are limited, but we know the book will be accompanied by a Greyhawk DM screen and a map pack.

Other Announcements

Finally, here’s a rundown of everything else mentioned in the presentation that don’t have a specific date tied to them.

D&D Icons

D&D Icons is a new collaboration campaign to bring storied creators to work with the current design team on upcoming D&D content. Joe Manganiello (who I played HeroQuest with last year) will be the program’s chief creative officer, and the program will launch with collaborations with Luke Gygax (who will work on Greyhawk materials), Margaret Wies and Tracy Hickman (who will work on Dragonlance materials), and R. A. Salvatore (from The Legend of Drizzt). D&D says this group of cohorts is just the start of the Icons program, and hopes to work with more creators in the future.

D&D Beyond Improvements

Next, the presenters announced an overhaul to the D&D Beyond app, which is intended to make it a more helpful mobile companion for use at the table, not just for online play. It looks streamlined, with more intuitive menus and a cleaner interface. A version is scheduled to drop in 2027, but the developers stressed it will be a “very early version” and that they’ll be relying on player feedback to shape the final product.

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons

We also learned more about Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, the upcoming third-person action-adventure game. Every warlock needs a patron, and today we learned the patron in this story will be Tasha, the Witch Queen. We also learned she’ll be voiced by Maggie Robertson (best known for playing Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village), and that we’ll get our first glimpse of gameplay at Gamescom next month.

Annual Setting Support

We also learned that D&D is teaming up with third-party TTRPG designers to create a more regular cadence of releases in its existing campaign settings. Ghostfire Gaming is developing a Ravenloft adventure for next year, Visionary Productions is developing an Eberron adventure featuring the Lord of Blades for 2028, and Kobold Press is working on future content set in the Forgotten Realms. 

D&D/Star Wars Crossover

Details are scarce, but Wizards of the Coast also used its showcase to reveal upcoming plans for a “Season of Rebellion” related to some kind of Star Wars crossover. Wizards of the Coast published one of the main iterations of the Star Wars TTRPG starting way back in 2007, but a more recent Star Wars RPG (with different rules) has been published by Fantasy Flight in more recent years. We’ll have to wait to learn precisely what this new crossover might involve.

It’s becoming increasingly common to see deceased actors, musicians, and the like recreated digitally for hologram concerts, movies, video games, and more. There is a wide range of ways studios and creators approach doing so. Using generative AI (for image and voice) is absolutely the worst way to go about it, as it’s a disgrace to both the deceased and the living; there are also digital recreations made by artists, which is less disgraceful, I guess, but still murky waters – look no further than Ryu Ga Gotaku Studio’s use of deceased West Coast hip hop artist Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven. 

I’m always surprised when any creator or studio decides to resurrect the dead for a project. Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Capcom’s upcoming return to the samurai action series after a 20-year hiatus and the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer, is using the likeness of late actor Toshirō Mifune for its protagonist Miyamoto Musashi. 

Toshirō Mifune

Fortunately, Capcom isn’t using generative AI to do so, nor is it attempting to create a Musashi that moves, acts, and talks like Mifune – it’s strictly using Mifune’s visual likeness for the character, and according to Way of the Sword director Satoru Nihei, that was the plan from the jump. 

“[Using Mifune’s likeness] was something we felt very strongly about from the beginning,” Nihei tells me. “Wanting to have this very iconic samurai image, the first name that came to mind was Mifune. Once we decided on that, I approached the producer to ask if we could do this [and it went from there].”

As for why Mifune was the first name that came to Nihei’s mind, it’s because Mifune famously portrayed the historic Musashi in various films. 

Born in 1920, Mifune performed various iconic roles throughout his life before his death in 1997. He’s likely most famous to many for his leading parts in Akira Kurosawa films, including some that put him in the armor of a samurai, but Mifune also portrayed Musashi in director Hiroshi Inagaki’s 1950’s Samurai Trilogy, which consists of Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954), Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955), and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956). 

Pundits argue that Inagaki’s trilogy and Mifune’s portrayal of the iconic samurai, alongside other seminal Japanese works like Eiji Yoshikawa’s newspaper serial-turned-novel-epic Musashi, solidified Miyamoto Musashi as the most legendary swordsman in Japanese history. That’s why Mifune’s likeness for Way of the Sword’s Musashi was part of the original pitch for the game. 

During our discussion, Nihei correctly points out that Onimusha has always used celebrity likenesses: Onimusha: Warlords’ protagonist, Samanosuke Akechi, is played by Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, for example, while late actor Yūsaku Matsuda was the model for Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny’s protagonist, Jubei Yagyu. Even Onimusha 3: Demon Siege did this, featuring French actor Jean Reno as Jacques Blanc in the time-traveling threequel. In that sense, Mifune’s likeness being used for Way of the Sword’s Musashi falls in line with the series. But, as someone generally in favor of allowing the dead to stay dead, I still press Capcom on how such a resurrection works. 

Producer Akihito Kadowaki tells me it all began with Mifune’s family. Capcom first requested permission to use Mifune’s likeness. Then, the artists got to work digitally recreating the late actor in the RE Engine, ensuring that drafts and associated materials were passed along to the family throughout the process for approval (and tips, pointers, and suggestions, too). Kadowaki says the family was impressed with Capcom’s recreation, though he’s quick to note that Way of the Sword’s Musashi is unique to Onimusha, despite the visual likeness. 

Toshirō Mifune as Miyamoto Musashi in the Samurai Trilogy

“[We were not] necessarily looking to recreate and feature Toshirō Mifune as the face of the series; it’s more of a case that we wanted to create our own particular unique Miyamoto Musashi […] and we felt that Mifune-san was a really good match, just because a lot of his characteristics, his performance, and his expressions were a good match for elevating that vision we had for Musashi,” Kadowaki explains. The team tells me this Musashi, in his 20s, hasn’t yet discovered his dual-wielding technique, which is why his only weapon will be his one katana (and the Oni Armaments, but those are separately equipped from the sword). It’s also why he’s more brash, arrogant in his abilities, and selfish in his values and ways – he hasn’t yet learned all that the Musashi learned across his 40-plus years of samurai life.

Animation team lead Hiroshi Yugen says he and the rest of the team behind Way of the Sword’s combat took some inspiration from Mifune’s movies and other entries in the samurai-action genre, taking special care to capture the human element of this feudal combat. Yamashita adds that seeing Mifune come to life as Musashi’s likeness was one of his favorite things about Way of the Sword, especially as a fan of Mifune’s breadth of work. “I’m quite proud of what we’ve managed to achieve,” he says.

Art director Hiroyuki Nara says using Mifune’s likeness for Musashi made the artistic process easier for his team. It’s much easier to have that base to follow than a blank canvas, he explains, before noting that it wasn’t a concern having to check in with Mifune’s estate, but rather an exciting and helpful part of the process.

Though I’m ultimately team let-the-dead-stay-dead, after talking with Capcom, I ultimately feel far more comfortable playing Onimusha: Way of the Sword with its Mifune-likeness recreated onto Musashi than, say, Stranger Than Heaven, with its posthumous use of Tupac. If there is such a way to do this respectfully, it seems like Capcom has attempted to pursue that path. 

I’ll be diving deeper into Capcom’s return to Onimusha as part of Game Informer’s month of Way of the Sword coverage. We’ll be publishing exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes videos (including a Rapid-Fire Interview) on the Game Informer YouTube channel as well. Keep an eye on the Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub so you don’t miss any of it. 

In the meantime, here’s some additional Onimusha: Way of the Sword reading for you:

• Capcom Says Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Success Being The ‘Pinnacle Of Swordplay Action Games’ Is What Success Looks Like After A 20-Year Gap
• There Are No Minigames In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword, But It Sounds Like The Phantom Realm Is Back
• Puzzle Boxes Are Gone In Onimusha: Way Of The Sword, But Bigger Environmental Puzzles Have Taken Their Place
• Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Isn’t Connected To Previous Games, But There Are Homages
• How Capcom Decided On Miyamoto Musashi For Its Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Protagonist
• Why 2026 Was The Year To Bring Onimusha Back After A 20-Year Gap
• Why Kyoto Was The Perfect Setting For Onimusha: Way Of The Sword
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword Cover Reveal
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword Digital Issue
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword Summer Game Fest Hands-On Preview
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword Hub

How do you feel about the deceased appearing in video games? Let us know in the comments below!

Stupid Never Dies, an upcoming pop-punk action RPG by a team of former Capcom veterans, has a release date. Look for the wacky supernatural adventure on October 21. 

First revealed last December during The Game Awards 2025, Stupid Never Dies is a single-player, third-person action game starring Davy, an extremely weak and timid zombie on the bottom rung of the monster hierarchy. After falling in love with a human college girl named Julia, who was frozen to death during a war, he embarks on a quest to revive her by defeating KOM, the King of Monsters, and gaining his power. 

To save Julia and recover humanity’s lost knowledge, Davy must repeatedly battle through monster-ridden dungeons in a run-based, roguelike fashion. Although very weak in his base zombie form, Davy can wield his enemy’s powers by defeating them and devouring their cores. The roster of supernatural creatures he can mimic includes vampires, werewolves, harpies, merfolk, and a cyclops. Davy’s body parts can also be replaced with gear called Overtech to boost his stats and unlock active and passive skills, allowing for multiple build combinations. 

Stupid Never Dies’ progression systems promote expedited growth, as Davy gains increased experience points in each run. This means he levels up a little faster and becomes stronger more quickly every subsequent dungeon run.  

Stupid Never Dies comes from GPTRACK50, which includes action game veterans of series such as Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, and Dragon’s Dogma. It will launch on PlayStation 5 and PC on October 21. You can read our extended, hands-off preview of the game here.