Coliseum

Elden Ring developer revealed during a June Nintendo Direct that its upcoming Switch 2 exclusive action game, The Duskbloods, would be getting a closed network test sometime this Summer. Now, the studio has revealed the test will take place next month, from August 21 through August 23. Applications to take part in the test will open up next week on July 22, and you will have until July 28 to complete the registration. 

A network test like this isn’t uncommon for From Software, which also held one for Elden Ring, and considering The Duskbloods is a PvPvE experience, it makes sense that the Tokyo-based studio wants to test online play and connectivity ahead of the game’s eventual launch. Speaking of launch, there’s still no release date for The Duskbloods, but it is set to launch sometime this year. 

From Software says the primary goals of this network test are as follows: 

• Game server load test: We will connect large numbers of players simultaneously to verify gameplay while putting a load on the game server.
• Multiplayer test: We will test for various problems that may occur when multiple people play together in different network environments, and various phenomena that may occur by having many users participate. 
• Game balance test: When real players test the game together, the developers can gather data about how well the game is balanced. 

From Software says this network test allows for “up to eight players to participate together in each of the multiplayer matches while the game is still in development,” and asks for understanding that bugs may occur during gameplay as a result. 

In order to take part in the test, you must apply next week, be accepted, have a Nintendo Switch, and have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. The application period starts on Wednesday, July 22, at 7 a.m. PT and lasts until Tuesday, July 28, at 6:59 a.m. PT. The selection announcement will happen on Friday, August 7, at 6 a.m. PT. The network test schedule is listed below: 

• Aug. 21, 2026 (Fri.) 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. PDT
• Aug. 21, 2026 (Fri.) 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. PDT
• Aug. 22, 2026 (Sat.) 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. PDT
• Aug. 23, 2026 (Sun.) 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. PDT
• Aug. 23, 2026 (Sun.) 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. PDT

For more about The Duskbloods, check out the latest trailer here, and then check out the reveal trailer for The Duskbloods. 

Good luck!

Infinity Ward has revealed a new competitive destination for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 called Kill Block. Described as an “adaptive multiplayer battleground”  the mode pits players against each other across modular, constantly shifting maps. 

In a blog post, Kill Block  is billed as “a modular multiplayer battleground that reconfigures every match, challenging players to rethink routes, sightlines, and combat spaces on the fly.” The name Kill Block is actually a codename for the West Bridge Advanced Military Training facility, an off-the-books location designed as a live-fire training environment. Kill Block consists of two sectional outer areas called End Slabs and a single central combat space called the Central Slab, which can be reconfigured into various positions to create “hundreds of unique layout combinations that reshape combat flow.”

Slabs are essentially sections of mocked-up environments modeled after a mix of classic Modern Warfare locations and entirely new ones, and they shift between multiplayer matches and between Gunfight rounds. As such, elements such as cover placement and line of sight routinely change. Infinity Ward touts that Kill Block will feature over 500 possible configurations when Modern Warfare 4 launches. 

Each match is fought across a selection of three connected Slabs, called a Combo (basically a map), which Infinity Ward states will have roughly the same footprint size as the Shoot House map from 2019’s Modern Warfare. The two End Slabs bookend the map, with teams spawning there and fighting their way towards the Central Slab in the middle, though players can freely explore all three Slabs. Additionally, Slabs will feature simulated weather conditions such as misting water or snow flurries that challenge visibility. 

Infinity Ward’s press release features some example Slabs:

• [ Ambush ] // Central Slab: A slice of the classic Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare map, this training facsimile features a convoy-clogged main road with blown-out pre-fab buildings either side, with plenty of elevated sniper nests that look across the adjacent End Slabs. 
• [ Blacksite ] // End Slab: Three prefabricated structures are positioned around the slab with open access between each of them, with mud and grass thoroughfare, a rusted van, open cargo container, and stacked military gabions as well as concrete barrier stacks to tactically maneuver between.
• [ Killhouse ] // End Slab: A section of the seminal Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare map, with a similar aesthetic, with gabions placed at corners of prefab walls, some with gaps to climb over, with a central kill box in the middle, and smaller scenic cover opportunities along the far edge of the Slab.
• [ ME-Town ] // Central Slab: A kill box dirt courtyard surrounded by four prefabricated structures, roughly in each corner, some with significant interior and roof top space available for long-range overwatch coverage. The main turquoise building is a warren of tight rooms and scramble points constructed with mobility training in mind.
• [ Snow Block ] // End Slab: A maze of stacked gabion walls of varying lengths, along with tactically positioned open cargo containers and other concrete blocks. Operators must weigh the benefits of overwatching from the top of these fortifications, as your line sights improve at the expense of cover.
• [ Trench ] // Central Slab: A no-man’s land of sunken mud walls and pill boxes with sandbags, tires, and wooden trusses keeping the dirt trenches from collapsing. The action is particularly fraught in the exposed middle with concrete barriers, and a burned tank offer a modicum of protection and sight lines.

Kill Block will also launch with new Gunfight options, both 3v3 and a new 10v10 mode. For Kill Block Gunfight matches, teams switch sides after the first round; at the end of the second round, the Slabs change to a new map configuration and players receive a new random loadout. The Slab combos will continue to change every two rounds until one team wins in six rounds. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC. To learn more about the game, read about its DMZ extraction shooter mode. 

Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5

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

Publisher:
Fireshine Games

Developer:
Undercoders

Release:
July 15, 2026

Rating:
Everyone 10+

Denshattack is the best post-apocalyptic stunt train driving action sports simulator anime ever created. I haven’t done the research to confirm the veracity of that statement because I am confident I don’t need to. Despite clear inspirations from games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and the Sega Dreamcast era, Denshattack is truly novel, and that is a rare superlative to apply to a video game in 2026. Developer Undercoders has taken what I believe is the universal childhood memory of grasping a handheld toy vehicle (a train in this case) and imagining it could fly, flip, grind, and race along walls without any regard for the laws of physics or gravity. That experience with objectives and a high score is basically what Denshattack is, and the result is a delightful, if sometimes intense, sprint through a joyful world.

In some ways, Denshattack feels like a rhythm game, but without a reliance on pressing buttons in time with music (though, side note – the soundtrack is great). Racing down the tracks and avoiding obstacles while leaping your train and using the right control stick to perform various tricks requires split-second decision-making, and I am impressed by how much trust developer Undercoders has in my reaction time. The game is not scared to throw lots of high-speed, unexpected obstacles at you in a way I appreciate. But it also meant I was never compelled to dive deeper into its trick system and learn its intricacies. I was happy just rotating the control stick a bunch and hoping for the best, which isn’t super rewarding.

I like Denshattack’s structure and challenge in that if you want to get a high score and achieve all of the game’s “Dares” (individual challenges customized to each level), then you can and will likely replay each level over and over, potentially to frustration. But checkpoints are generous, and restarts are quick. Perfection is not demanded, but is rewarded if you want to pursue it. If you just want to see all the frequent surprises and progress the bubbly story forward, it’s lots of fun just making it to the finish line of each level.

And “surprises” is a key word. Denshattack is longer than I expected, taking about 13 hours to see credits, but it does not feel overlong thanks to its impressive ability to constantly mix up the gameplay and present you with frequent absurd and unexpected scenarios all the way through the final level. Whether you’re chasing and fighting a giant robot through a collapsing city or pulling off tricks to rally a giant baseball back to sender, Denshattack is always making you do something crazy. Those two examples alone happen very early in the game. There are plenty of other moments like that throughout that I won’t spoil.

New train stunt abilities also appear often, and each new level is carefully designed to help you take advantage of those new mechanics. The levels often blur by in only a few minutes, but undeniable care has been taken to ensure every moment is bombastic, exciting, and importantly, weird.

The narrative is full of strange personalities and interesting character designs that pull heavily from anime tropes in a way that feels like acknowledgement rather than cliché. Rivals become advocates who join your team, and your motivation to become the best Denshattacker (even though you just learned what that is) energizes you to succeed. I was never particularly moved by the plot, nor can I even really identify a personal favorite character, but I like the world as a fun wrapping for why you’re stunt-driving a train through a Japan decimated by a colorful environmental apocalypse.

Denshattack is weird as hell, and it leans into its strange premise with earned confidence, constantly building and layering on its ideas throughout. It avoids any whiffs of boredom by ripping through environments at full speed, but that also didn’t give me much time to take it all in and immerse myself in the admittedly absurd world. When you’re too busy having fun by avoiding every potential crash along the way, though, maybe that proves stopping and smelling the roses is overrated.

For more on Denshattack, you can read about the game’s Dreamcast inspirations here.

Score:
8.5

About Game Informer’s review system

FX’s upcoming live-action Far Cry anthology series has cast Steve Buscemi. The actor joins an evolving cast that so far includes It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator Rob Mac (who also serves as co-showrunner) and Lizzy Caplan. 

Buscemi’s extensive credits range from roles in classic films such as Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, and The Big Lebowski to acclaimed TV shows such as Boardwalk Empire and Wednesday. You may also remember him from the greatest meme produced by 30 Rock. Buscemi’s role in Far Cry is unknown. 

Far Cry will be a limited series in which each episode features a new story, setting, and cast. However, it is unknown if any of these stories will be adapted from the video games or be entirely original.  The show is helmed by Rob Mac and Noah Hawley, creator of FX’s Fargo and Alien: Earth. 

Far Cry is set to premiere on FX and Hulu (as well as Disney+ internationally) at an unknown date. 

Techland launched Dying Light: The Beast last September for current consoles and PC, but had planned to bring the game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at a later date. Unfortunately for players on those platforms, those plans have been axed.

The developer/publisher posted on X stating that it will no longer bring Dying Light: The Beast to last-gen consoles due to technical issues getting the game to run well on older hardware.

“Dying Light: The Beast was built from the ground up to take full advantage of current-generation hardware,” Techland writes. “Its open world, advanced visuals, and fluid combat and traversal all depend on processing power and memory that previous-generation consoles simply cannot provide. As development progressed, it became clear that bringing the game to those platforms would require compromises that would prevent us from delivering the experience we set out to create.

This was not a matter of choosing to leave those platforms behind. Rather, it reflected the technical realities of development and our commitment to delivering the best possible experience.”

After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision that Dying Light: The Beast will no longer be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Dying Light: The Beast was built from the ground up to take full advantage of current-generation hardware. Its open world,…

— Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) July 14, 2026

Techland states that any players who had planned to play Dying Light: The Beast on PS4 or Xbox One are eligible for a refund.

Dying Light: The Beast was released on September 19, 2025, and sees the protagonist of the first game, Kyle Crane, return as the playable character after suffering genetic mutations granting him special powers. We scored the game an 8.5 out of 10 in our review. Techland recently released a new edition of the game called Restored Land that adds a new persistent survival mode alongside every piece of available content. 

A good puzzle is one of the best things in life. Some are relaxing time-killers, while others test our skills in critical problem solving or quick mental gymnastics; both can be incredibly satisfying. Video games can elevate these head-scratching problems to new heights and complexities by immersing you in a setting, messing with concepts like the tenants of time and space, or by simply giving you endless access to your favorite brainteasers. Here are some of our favorite modern puzzle games listed in no particular order, that you can play right now that will pleasantly twist your brain into knots.

Animal Well

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

Animal Well is a platformer, but its design philosophy is rooted in puzzle mechanics that require more lateral thinking than dexterity. Exploring the game’s surreal yet beautiful world, which teems with animals, of course, as a diminutive blob yields strange but deceptively useful items. The trick is knowing how to use them. Animal Well obscures the full breadth of capabilities for tools such as a slinky, bubble wand, or yo-yo, letting you discover what’s truly possible on your own. Fully uncovering the labyrinthine map requires examining your inventory and trying out-of-the-box ideas to see if an item lets you reach a higher ledge or bypass a deadly creature. Some items perform logical alternative functions, while others are a bit wackier (but still make sense). Overcoming obstacles is often more an exercise in problem-solving than jumping prowess, and the rich world is brimming with fascinating secrets for those clever enough to find them. | Our Review

Blue Prince

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

Plenty of genres have spilled over into the roguelite realm, but Dogubomb’s ever-shifting rogue-puzzler Blue Prince feels one-of-a-kind. Your player-character, Simon, is tasked with solving the constantly shifting Mt. Holly estate and exhuming its secrets to claim their inheritance. Every day, Mt. Holly resets, and each morning you must approach the front door and draft rooms with different effects, puzzling your way through dwindling resources as you try to venture further into this impossibly massive house. Uncovering the truth about Mt. Holly and its denizens is a spectacularly rewarding treasure box that’s certain to inspire more than a few hastily scribbled notes and feverish theories. It’s a big, big house worth getting lost in. | Our Review

Chants of Sennaar

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, iOS, Android

The people in Chants of Sennaar speak a language you do not, and to figure out what’s going on in the world, you need to become fluent. Armed with an in-game notebook and a sense of curiosity, you make your way through several cultures and learn their respective tongues using context clues. Each language has its own writing styles, grammatical rules, and key words, and it’s always satisfying to piece them together. We especially appreciate that it combines word puzzles, pattern recognition, and traditional adventure mechanics to create a truly unique gameplay loop. Even when you’re fluent in one language, you have to start fresh once you get to the next area. 

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

Switch 2, Switch, PC

Calling developer Simogo’s 2024 puzzle game “weird” doesn’t do the bizarre adventure justice, but the word “brilliant” certainly does. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes centers on a woman who visits a mysterious hotel to collaborate with its eccentric owner on a surreal art project. From there, you fall down a captivating rabbit hole of solving mind-bending riddles to unlock rooms and reach new areas of the hotel while learning more about your eager, enigmatic host. A notepad and calculator are your best friends in this complex adventure, and the epiphanies they help uncover routinely bowled us over. Lorelei’s reality-bending puzzles are superbly crafted, and the dopamine high of cracking a seemingly inscrutable problem is incredible. Lorelei’s immaculate vibes are another highlight, boasting a presentation and atmosphere as stylish as they are profoundly unsettling. | Our Review

Lumines Arise

PlayStation 5, PC

Tetsuya Mizuguchi wowed us all with 2018’s Tetris Effect (a game no longer on this list as it’s eight years old, but still absolutely worth your time today). Seven years later, he returned to his original puzzle creation, Lumines, and infused it with the humanity and impactful score of Tetris Effect, using the formula to create a dazzling new must-play block game. The puzzles of Lumines Arise are theoretically simple – rotate and use falling blocks to create larger matching blocks – but, like the best games of this genre, what begins as uncomplicated soon becomes an intricate, complex dance of rhythm, combos, and reflexes. Backed by trance-inducing visuals and a vibrant (sometimes corny), heartfelt soundtrack that work in harmony to create various stages full of falling blocks, Lumines Arise is yet another showcase of Mizuguchi and developer Enhance Games’ inspired understanding of the puzzle space. | Our Review

The Rise of the Golden Idol

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

The Rise of the Golden Idol is the sequel to 2022’s excellent The Case of the Golden Idol, and it picks up hundreds of years later, with the whereabouts of the titular Golden Idol unknown and various parties searching for it. Unlike its predecessor, which takes place in the 18th Century and is still absolutely worth your time, Rise puts players in the 1970s to solve the mystery behind several connected crimes and deaths. To do so, you must observe various disco-fueled scenes, corporate offices, and more to piece together a sequence of events, objects, and people involved in a scene that has already happened. The more you learn, the stranger things get, and the closer you come to solving the mystery of the dastardly Golden Idol once more. 

The Roottrees Are Dead

PC

While other puzzle games might have you find solutions to ancient mechanisms or match colored blocks, The Roottrees Are Dead uses a problem-solving skill set many of us use every day: searching in a web browser. Someone has hired you to piece together the Roottree family tree to nail down everyone’s identities, how they’re related, and reveal a hidden truth about the family, including a secret it’s spent decades hiding. The Roottrees Are Dead gamifies the act of going down a weird internet rabbit hole: by searching for key terms in a web browser, a periodical database, or even a library website, you’ll draw conclusions from the subtlest hints. It’s amazing how effective the game is at sucking you in to just search for one more term or follow one more lead, and having a wild guess confirmed as correct is supremely satisfying. | Our Review

The Séance of Blake Manor

PC

It’s 1897 in Ireland, and private investigator Declan Ward has been summoned to solve the disappearance of one Ms. Evelyn Deane from Blake Manor. That alone might make for an interesting premise, but the mystery unfolds during the gathering of an international group of occultists, scientists, and skeptics alike, as a massive séance is due to take place; one which, you fear, no one will survive. Steeped in regional folklore and layers of religious and occult influence, The Séance of Blake Manor sets a ticking clock for the player’s investigation, as they must uncover Deane’s disappearance, the motives and mysteries surrounding the other attendees, and ultimately try to stop the approaching horrors. Perfect if you want a little horror story mixed in with your Hercule Poirot.

The Talos Principle II

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

The Talos Principle II builds upon and expands its predecessor’s signature puzzle mechanic of guiding beams of light across obstacle courses in exciting ways. You can manipulate gravity, invert light colors, and create portals to divert beams through objects, to name a few, and the game cleverly layers these mechanics across hundreds of fantastically designed challenges. Roaming multiple large islands yields many environmental riddles, secrets, and philosophical questions for the sentient robotic protagonists to ponder as they embark on a captivating quest to learn the origins of a mysterious megastructure. Boasting a narrative that stimulates the mind as effectively as its gameplay, The Talos Principle II is the complete package for an experienced or aspiring smarty pants. | Our Review

Void Stranger

PC

Most are probably familiar with the “sokoban” style of box-pushing puzzle games. In its earliest floors, Void Stranger might seem like just another one of those. After a gorgeous opening, you descend deeper and deeper into a massive pit-dungeon, pushing blocks and solving puzzles along the way. But its mechanics run deeper. The little details – everything from a number or block position to the screen itself – start to take on deeper meanings. Solving Void Stranger’s deeper puzzles isn’t just about learning to play sokoban well, though it certainly helps. It’s about seeing the puzzles within the puzzle and finding ways to break the rules of a world that never really established too many of them to begin with. This is one for the meta-theory, red-string thinkers who love to stare at a screen and think, “Where have I seen this before?” And then, suddenly, blissfully, figuring it out.

For more genre-based lists of games to play right now, click on the banner below. There you’ll find our List of Lists with all kinds of rankings and recommendations for different topics in video games!

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launched last week, on July 9, and one of the various Ubisoft studios behind its development is facing impending layoffs, despite the remake’s early success. Ubisoft Barcelona, which is responsible for the game’s underwater exploration and tech, is set to lose 51 employees in the coming weeks as part of the layoffs. In response, the studio, represented by the Coordinadora Sindical del Videojuego union (CSVI), has begun a strike today that will last through Thursday, July 16, as reported by Video Games Chronicle.

During this strike, the CSVI union will be attempting to negotiate with Ubisoft over the proposed 51 layoffs. The strikers’ demands include the cancellation of the proposed layoffs, a return to the studio’s previous 60 percent remote working policy, the granting of previously promised promotions and raises, and stronger job security. 

Ubisoft Barcelona workers, supported by the CSVI union, previously went on strike in February of last year in response to more than 500 layoffs at Ubisoft studios worldwide, as well as the closure of three development studios. 

“Despite the game’s commercial success, 51 Ubisoft Barcelona workers will lose their jobs in the coming weeks,” a CSVI union statement on the strike reads. “After an intense production, the company claims a ‘strategic shift’ to justify these layoffs. After years of dedication to our team, the company has turned its back on us. We will never see the fruits of our labour, and the reward for our hard work will be the loss of our jobs.” 

Notably, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, a remake of the original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, sold 2 million copies in just one day after its launch, according to Ubisoft. It also ranked Top 1 on Twitch on July 9 – its launch day – and reached a peak of 99,451 concurrent players on Steam within 24 hours of launch, “making it the highest concurrent player count ever recorded for an Assassin’s Creed title on the platform,” Ubisoft writes in a celebratory statement released yesterday on July 13. 

Many Ubisoft developers and other members of the game development industry have spoken out about these layoffs, particularly as they come after the successful launch of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced; it gives further credence to the idea that layoffs in game development are inevitable – if your game struggles, layoffs, and if it succeeds, like in this remake’s case, you’re still not safe from layoffs.  

[Source: Video Games Chronicle] 

The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone who will be affected by these layoffs. 

Reviewed on:
PC

Platform:
PlayStation 5, Switch, PC

Publisher:
SFB Games

Developer:
SFB Games

Release:
July 16, 2026

The murder mystery genre clings tightly to a tried-and-true formula – a set toolbox and sequence of necessary events – that confines any story that adheres to its style. What’s so delightful about The Mermaid Mask is that it follows every rule and acknowledges every well-worn trope, but still stands with exciting and exceptional storytelling. With memorable puzzles, eye-catching animations, and a spirited voice cast, I admire the way the story was told just as much as the story itself.

Magnus Mortuga, captain of the Mortuga Submarine, has been killed, and it’s up to Detective Grimoire and his assistant Sally to solve the case. The ensuing investigation is compelling and exciting, and I’m pleased to say the conclusion is surprising and satisfying. I loved the previous title, Tangle Tower, but found its final moments to be its weakest; the culprit in The Mermaid Mask is superior, and the art and animation surrounding the investigation’s climax are perhaps my favorite in the whole game. SFB Games is also particularly skilled at writing funny, conversational exchanges between characters (which often work thanks to Grimoire and Sally’s respective line deliveries). 

The Mermaid Mask takes place entirely within the aforementioned submersible, combining point-and-click gameplay with puzzle-solving and lots of conversations with the vehicle’s inhabitants. Each room is eccentric, reflecting its inhabitants, and has a backdrop scattered with evidence (the game has about 50 pieces total) for you to investigate. The sheer volume of evidence can become overwhelming later in the game, when you’re hunting for that last clue or two to trigger a confrontation to move the story forward, but an optional hint system (free of cost and punishment) can nudge you in the right direction if you feel stuck.

The game is particularly dialogue-heavy, but there’s not a boring performance in the entire voice cast. Symmetry speaks with an almost Shakespearean meter; Zephyr’s low-pitched voice is mysterious and alluring; and Sinthia’s earnest enthusiasm is endearing. Combined with charming character designs and lovingly detailed animation, the whole crew of Mortuga’s submarine comes to life from the game’s earliest moments. After completing the game, there’s an extensive art gallery showcasing early concept art for each character, complete with artist commentary. I highly recommend checking it out.

The soundtrack enhances the whole experience. Music in a game like this has to set the tone while staying out of the way of the dialogue and story. Raphael Benjamin Meyer’s orchestral soundtrack is just exciting enough to catch my ear and specific enough to fit each occasion, but subtle enough that it never gets between me and the characters I’m speaking to. I was also impressed by how many unique tracks the game has – there’s a theme for every character, and various minigames get their own songs – especially since it could have scraped by with much less.

I particularly appreciate how The Mermaid Mask makes players earn their clues and conclusions. It’s not enough to present the right evidence at the right time – there’s also a fill-in-the-blank minigame (a series staple) that asks you to draw conclusions based on relevant information. The Mermaid Mask also includes many 3D puzzles to solve, typically used to open locked boxes or reveal hidden compartments. The puzzles are also all ideas I’ve never seen before, like twisting a pig’s expression to create certain numbers, arranging a grid of peculiar skulls, or cataloging mushroom species. The puzzles often appear inscrutable, but you can solve most of them just by analyzing them hard enough, which really helped me get into the detective mindset. If you can’t figure them out, Grimoire and Sally will give a few more details on each failed attempt.

The Mermaid Mask is the best Detective Grimoire adventure yet. Its art, music, voice cast, and puzzle design are all worthy of praise, but they’re held together by a great story and a fun script, complete with all the quips and twists I’ve come to expect from SFB’s mystery series. I spent my entire playthrough engrossed and engaged, and I hope the development team gets to make plenty more sequels.

Score:
9

About Game Informer’s review system

Kingdom Hearts will celebrate 25 years next year, as the first game in the RPG series, which began life as a crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy, launched in 2002. Disney will mark the occasion a bit early with a “Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts” panel during D23 this year. 

D23 is the official Disney fan club, and it celebrates with a convention called D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event every other year. This year is likely to feature our first official look at Avengers: Doomsday and other upcoming Disney movies, as well as confirmed retrospective panels on classics like Beauty and the Beast and more. While we’re a bit bummed there’s no word on appearances from in-development games like Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, the action game starring Captain America and Black Panther, or Motive Studio’s Iron Man, the schedule Disney released today confirms we’ll be seeing Kingdom Hearts during the event. 

“Join us for a journey through light and darkness as we commemorate 25 years of Kingdom Hearts,” the schedule listing reads. “Discover how this saga united Disney, Pixar, and Square Enix, with insights from the creative minds, character voices, and more behind the magic.” 

Admittedly, this reads as though the panel will focus on the entire series and its history, but there’s always a chance something from Kingdom Hearts IV will be shown. After all, the game recently surprised fans by appearing in a Nintendo Direct (of all places), confirming a simultaneous console and PC release, including Switch 2. Only time will tell, but we don’t have to wait long, as D23 takes place next month, from August 14 to August 16. 

In the meantime, check out the very first Kingdom Hearts IV trailer, and then read about how the full game will be made in Unreal Engine 5. After that, read Game Informer’s review of Kingdom Hearts III. 

What do you hope to learn from this Kingdom Hearts panel at D23? Let us know in the comments below!

Agent 64: Spies Never Die is a retro-inspired homage to Nintendo 64 shooters, namely Rare’s classics GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. First revealed as a prototype back in 2021, the shooter is finally launching on August 11.

Developed by Replicant D6, Agent 64’s story campaign stars secret agent John Walter, who must defeat his nemesis, Dominic Pulp, to save the world. Although the first-person shooting action and level design highly evoke GoldenEye and Perfect Dark, the action features modernized enemy AI. The 14-mission story campaign can also be played solo or alongside friends in 2-player local split-screen or 4-player online co-op. Each mission offers three difficulty levels that add more objectives and areas to uncover. You can also unlock and apply modifiers and cheats, such as “big head” mode, slow bullet speeds, disabling reload, and more.

Outside of the campaign, Agent 64 features 4-player competitive local splitscreen multiplayer and 8-player online multiplayer. You can also play against bots in these modes if you don’t have enough human players. Modes include Deathmatch, Briefcase (where players must capture and hold a briefcase as long as possible to score a point), Zone (capturing map zones to score points), and Challenges, special matches against bots tasking players with achieving a score under timed conditions.

Agent 64: Spies Never Die launches August 11 for PC via Steam. It also has a Steam demo to try ahead of its release.