Beyond the Desert Lies Hidden Lands

Crimson Desert is already huge, but that isn’t stopping the developer from expanding Pywel significantly beyond its existing shorelines. In Charting the Unknown, your familiar trio of Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane will journey across oceans to entirely new areas previously unseen. Among the most dedicated devs working in the industry right now, the developer isn’t content with simply layering existing systems atop of new land. No, the DLC brings a slate of fresh mechanics, traversal options, and enemies, both on land and underwater. The expansion is far from more of the same; the extras incoming suggest it’s closer to an offshore sequel.

You Can Command Your Own Ship

While charting unknown waters comes via piloting your very own galleon, the developer hasn’t been too specific on how it’ll work. In the reveal trailer, we see Kliff at the helm, skirting alongside tropical beach heads; it’s a vision conjuring Black Flag, so the obvious question is: will there be naval combat? It’s difficult to see if Kliff’s ship is outfitted with any sort of firepower in the glimpses shown, but given the developer is the studio who seems to have thought of everything, we can’t rule anything out at this stage.

Underwater Exploration Leads to Countless Discoveries

Diving beneath the waves doesn’t appear to be contained to a select few areas, but something Charting the Unknown makes possible everywhere there is water. So, what subaquatic activities can you enjoy? Well, from what we know, hidden treasures, sunken ruins, and fresh mysteries await in the depths. You’ll be equipped with a diving suit, with propulsion systems and shark mounts speeding up underwater exploration. And, there’s another speculative possibility here: has the developer applied these new undersea traversal mechanics to the base game’s rivers, lakes, and coastlines? Again, nothing has been confirmed, but it might be worth taking a dip in Lake Amata come the DLC’s release.

New Islands Give More Places to Explore

Of course, Charting the Unknown wouldn’t be much of an island-hopping adventure if there weren’t plenty of islands to hop between. The DLC introduces a chain of islets and archipelagos scattered throughout the seas beyond Pywel, each with their own environments, landmarks, and secrets to uncover. If it’s anything like the base game, each new horizon will hide something worth investigating, whether you’re following the main story, searching for treasures, or simply taking your vessel for a sail across the next stretch of ocean.

New Threats Wait Across Land and Sea

And, all of these new locations aren’t just pretty places to get lost in. In Charting the Unknown, you’ll encounter numerous new threats, from a mechanical giant firing thick red lasers out of its head, to a subaquatic robot whose revolving mouth appears to pull Kliff into its grasp as he frantically tries to swim away. Also, on land, the reveal trailer shows Damiane furiously blocking an explosive warrior’s attacks. We’re sure there’ll be more, but from what’s been shown these boss-style encounters look to test your mettle in new ways.

You’ll Need to Adapt Your Combat Approach

While specific breakdowns of the DLC’s new enemies are still under wraps, the developer has confirmed that Charting the Unknown’s encounters will push you into some of the most challenging face-offs yet. This suggests you’ll need to re-adapt to the game’s real-time tactical combat, possibly through stricter timing, better spatial awareness, or mastery of new weapons and abilities. Now, new tools, skills, or armour haven’t yet been named, but given Crimson Desert’s update record it wouldn’t be surprising if there was something fresh to integrate into your existing combat flow.

Housing Has Been Upgraded

Away from maritime activities, Charting the Unknown is set to dramatically expand on the base game’s base-building. Now, it appears you can construct and customise your very own home, from its size and architectural style to internal layout. Additionally, the expansion appears to broaden your NPC relationships. It’s thought there could be a romance option – Kliff gets down on one knee, after all – but also during the reveal trailer we see an NPC cooking. This suggests there will be new ways to use your allies to streamline your household operations.

You Can Rent and Manage Properties

Owning land in Pywel might just be as expensive as real-life, but thankfully the expansion will give you ways to profit off your property. As confirmed by the developer, in Charting the Unknown you can rent and manage numerous facilities to “earn a fortune”; so, aside from naval pioneering, the upcoming expansion gives you the means to become a self-made business magnate, presumably expanding your sphere of influence across Pywel.

Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane’s Journeys Will Continue

While the expansion’s overarching story is largely unknown, what we do know is narrative beats for each of the game’s three main characters will continue. The developer has shared four intriguing story threads, which we’ll get into next, but it’s safe to say the strange ritual occurring deep in the desert which opens the DLC’s reveal could be the springboard for three diverging journeys for Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane.

There’s an Ominous Presence in the Desert

And here’s the first of the expansion’s four story threads: an ominous presence lurks deep in the desert. While info is currently light on this one, the aforementioned ritual gone wrong could well be linked to this new threat, as could the enveloping sandstorms Kliff struggles to navigate. What’s interesting with this narrative teaser is the expansion’s story doesn’t appear to be contained exclusively in the new locations, but applied to existing regions from the base game.

There’s a New Political Conflict

Again, we can’t say conclusively what this new political conflict entails, although the developer themselves has described the developing situation as dangerous. Damiane appears to be heavily involved, judging by the reveal trailer. There, we see her holding up some sort of proclamation to a gathering of townsfolk. Is she spearheading a new movement, or found herself the de-facto leader of an uprising? Only time will tell.

A “Journey Beyond Time”

The most wildly speculative story thread teased by the developer is this: that Charting the Unknown encompasses a “journey beyond time”. Does this mean the expansion delves into the past, or ventures beyond the present? A line in the trailer – of “finding our way back to our rightful time” – certainly suggests some era-swapping, but whether this means time travel, prequel events, or premonitions is anyone’s guess right now.

An Ancient Secret Lurks Underwater

Back to a more conventional story teaser, with the fourth and final thread shared by the developer detailing an ancient secret lurking beneath the waves. This one’s perhaps a little easier to parse, but how each of these four narrative directions intersect will be left to your discovery. What’s clear, though, is, like Pywel’s existing landscape, the expansion’s newest areas aren’t there merely for exploration but they form a significant part of the DLC’s overarching story.

Charting the Unknown is a Paid-For Expansion

Crimson Desert’s upcoming DLC is a paid-for expansion, and not part of the recently released Enhanced Edition. The latter is a free upgrade for existing owners, whereas Charting the Unknown is a separate entity which requires a copy of the original game to access. And, a further note: it’s unclear at what point in the original game’s story the DLC content becomes available.

Release Date, Platforms, and Price

Crimson Desert’s Charting the Unknown expansion launches on October 29th, with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store the playable platforms. Priced at $24.99, there’s currently a 10% discount available on the PS Store for anyone who already owns a copy of the original game.

Donnie Yen is Creative Consultant

Any doubt Phantom Blade Zero doesn’t have some serious martial arts pedigree behind it are quickly dispelled by legendary actor and filmmaker Donnie Yen, whom S-GAME has acquired as a Creative Consultant. Known for his roles in Ip Man, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and John Wick: Chapter 4, Yen has shaped Phantom Blade Zero’s kung fu style and action design. He also brings Mó Yuan to life through facial and motion capture, lending his likeness and physical performance to one of the game’s boss characters.

S-GAME Has Coined Its Own Genre: Kungfupunk

S-GAME describes Phantom Blade Zero’s distinctive aesthetic as Kungfupunk, blending traditional martial arts with steampunk machinery and body modification. It’s an unusual combination, and one we suspect came out of the game’s weapons and character designs, where the developer has clearly aimed to mix familiar kung fu influences with something more unconventional. With over fifty bosses reported, there’ll likely be plenty of martial arts masters wearing industrial upgrades to overcome.

Sha-Chi Is The Key to Combat

Underpinning Phantom Blade Zero’s combat is Sha-Chi, a resource combining stamina, posture, and a skill meter. Crucially, however, it’s shared between you and your enemies, meaning you’ll both need to manage it carefully. Heavy attacks and blocking consume Sha-Chi, with you being left vulnerable to being broken if it’s exhausted completely. Landing basic attacks, successful defensive manoeuvres, and well-timed counters can replenish it, making the moves you execute important for resource management and killing enemies alike.

There Are More Than 55 Weapons To Discover

By the campaign’s conclusion you’ll have amassed more than 30 primary weapons and 25 secondary weapons, the latter known as Phantom Edges. Each offers distinct ways to approach encounters, and can be combined with upgrades and accessories to tailor your build to the playstyle you want or the specific situation. Switching your primary blade, too, restores some or all of your Sha-Chi. And, despite this ability operating on a cooldown, you’re encouraged to alternate between your blades mid-fight, becoming a master of many weapons.

Enemy Attacks Are Colour-Coded

Phantom Blade Zero uses colour-coded enemy attacks to help you get a read on your opponent. Blue-flashing Brutal Moves can be blocked, but doing so will drain a significant amount of Sha-Chi. Perfect parrying, instead, is considerably the more favourable option, with it restoring two bars of Sha-Chi while accelerating its regeneration. Elsewhere, red-flashing Killer Moves cannot be blocked or parried, so you’ll need to dodge these instead.

Ghoststep Rewards Perfect Parry Timing

There’s another benefit to perfectly parrying those blue-flashing Brutal Moves: Ghostepping. Also executable via a precise Killer Blow dodge, Ghoststep allows your character Soul to reposition behind his opponent for a counterattack. Successfully Ghoststepping a Killer Move also grants a damage buff for your next hit, meaning that mastering the timing of that technique could prove decisive. One thing is for sure: practicing composure will be more rewarding than hammering the attack button.

Iron Fists and Hammers Can Break Tough Guards

As per deep dive coverage, you’ll encounter opponents throughout Phantom Blade Zero whose guard cannot be broken by your favourite bladed weapon. Iron Fists and Hammers, then, are particularly effective against enemies who prioritise defence, proving themselves as a reliable, blunt-force alternative. Experimenting with your loadout is already something that’s encouraged, but facing heavily guarded opposition suggests mixing up your arsenal is a surefire necessity.

You Can Fight With Cannons and Flamethrowers

Your arsenal spreads further beyond traditional martial arts weaponry too, with Phantom Edges containing some particularly unconventional options. Cannons and flamethrowers, for instance, are among the tools available, expanding close-range swordplay to mid-range, area-of-effect, high-damage dealing assaults. Given the variety of equipment on offer, there’s room to find some devastating combinations. And, there’s something decidedly evocative about a martial arts master who brings fire to a sword fight.

Skill Trees and Accessories Shape Your Build

Phantom Blade Zero contains a compendium of skill trees, with nodes which unlock additional skills, weapon forms, and techniques. Meanwhile, weapon upgrades and accessories let you fine-tune your build further. And, the customisation options don’t stop there; summons can also assist you in battle. Between them, your blades, your firepower, and expanding moveset, Phantom Blade Zero looks to offer a playstyle for absolutely every scenario. The interesting thing to observe, come the game’s release, is how S-GAME manages to balance all these different permutations.

Reforging Lets You Respec Your Customisations

With so many possible customisations, it’s likely that you’ll want to spend time mixing and matching your options. To ease any concerns that you’ll have to commit yourself to a particular path, S-GAME has incorporated a reforging system which allows you to recover the materials you’ve invested in your weapon upgrades to reinvest elsewhere. You’ll need the Reforging Talisman, but the flexibility it offers will be welcome in a game with such extensive customisation.

Phantom Edges Can Unlock New Areas

Phantom Edges, as well, aren’t just your secondary weapon. Certain examples also function as keys, opening up areas that were previously inaccessible. This gives you a practical reason to return to a location you’ve already cleared, as equipment you subsequently acquire may reveal routes or secrets that you couldn’t reach earlier. With multiple lock-and-key combinations showcased so far, keeping track of previously inaccessible paths could pay dividends later. Hopefully the game includes a option to mark points of interest on the map.

Four Difficulty Options Tweak The Challenge

Phantom Blade Zero ships with four difficulty options: Wayfarer, Pathbreaker, Hellwalker, and Sixty-Six Days, the latter the most punishing difficulty which ties into the game’s narrative. The entire range, though, is designed to accommodate different experience levels, beginning at the accessible Wayfarer. Difficulty doesn’t just scale damage numbers though; Hellwalker, for instance, offers tougher encounters through more advanced, adaptive enemy intelligence.

PS5 Version Utilises Hardware-Specific Features

Phantom Blade Zero’s PS5 version supports several of the console’s hardware-specific features, including 3D audio, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback. As shown in the gameplay deep dive, these capabilities give encounters a more tactile feel, with the sensation of drawing a bow and arrow, for exampl tied to the DualSense’s trigger resistance. S-GAME has also confirmed enhancements for the PS5 Pro, although the studio hasn’t detailed exactly what those improvements will include.

Release Date, Prices, and Pre-Order Bonuses

Phantom Blade Zero launches on October 29th, with pre-orders available for the Standard Edition at $59.99 and a Digital Deluxe Edition at $69.99. If you pre-order, you’ll unlock the Treasure Basin accessory and Legacy outfit, although both of these items can be earned through normal progression.

PC Requirements

As per the game’s Steam page, to play on PC you’ll need a minimum Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and a GeForce GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 5500 XT GPU. Recommended spec, meanwhile, details an Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti or Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU. Whatever your hardware setup, you’ll need 16GB RAM.

A Return to the genre’s Roots

Modern Warfare 4 2026’s multiplayer component is being pitched as a “boots-on-the-ground” with more realistic movement, hard-hitting weaponry, and a deliberate balance between speed and responsiveness designed to keep you immersed in the action. It’s a broad-strokes point to begin this feature with, sure, but it’s arguably the most important thing to consider if you’re still deciding whether this is going to be the game for you.

Movement is More Expansive and Versatile

Movement has been redesigned to minimise momentum-losing friction, while an expanded suite of manoeuvres creates unrestricted traversal opportunities. The basic idea is that you’re always in control, and your choices should feel deliberate whether you’re vaulting up a wall or hanging from a ledge. Some of the new movement mechanics include an overhauled mantle system – which we’ll explore in the next point – as well as pipe scaling, climbing jumps, hanging leans and shimmies, and a supine slide which sees you ending a slide on your back, providing an unconventional way to engage in tight spaces.

Mantling Has Been Overhauled

Instead of locking you into the transition animation, during mantling you can now steer left or right mid-mantle, pause to aim down sights, or even cancel the animation altogether to reassess your position. Further, mantles can now transition directly into a slide, while mantling momentum has been reworked to ensure there are no hard stops, allowing you to keep the pressure on your opponents. Through these changes, it seems Modern Warfare 4 wants to give you more control than ever in one of the game’s most frequently used manoeuvres.

Hipfire Bloom Has Been Removed

Looking to maximise skill-based accuracy, Modern Warfare 4 has removed hipfire bloom. Now, quite simply, shots should go where the weapon is pointed. With recoil, sway, and movement still influencing accuracy, hipfire’s removal pushes you to control your weapon rather than relying on randomised shot placement. It should change the dynamic of gunfights considerably, since the outcome of every shot is more directly tied to your input, and if you’re the sort of player who values mechanical precision, this could be one of the game’s most welcome changes.

Weapon Handling Has Been Rebuilt

Modern Warfare 4 2026 is also changing how weapons physically feel in your grip. At lower movement speeds, for instance, guns now have more pronounced physical motion, while sharp turns and direction changes affect how they settle. Weapons will also react to nearby walls, corners, and tight spaces, adjusting their position, retracting, or shifting stance in response to the environment. Tactical Sprint has been reworked to reflect stamina depletion, too, with your posture and stride changing as you become fatigued.

Visual Clarity Has Been Prioritised

Modern Warfare 4’s drive for realism isn’t coming at the cost of readability, with several changes incoming to visual clarity. Muzzle smoke, for one, now dynamically masks around your point of aim, while depth of field has been redesigned to keep your sight picture focused. These two things alone should ensure targets remain visible even during sustained fire. PC players also get an enhanced and rebalanced field-of-view system designed to maintain peripheral awareness while making sure enemies don’t appear disproportionately large or small.

Create-a-Class Integrates Operators and Killstreaks

Create-a-Class is being expanded, too. Now your loadout encompasses more than just your weapons, equipment, and Perks, with Operators and Killstreaks integrated directly into each class. What this means is that individual loadouts can be tailored towards specific roles more efficiently, matching how you want to play whether that’s with aggression, distance, or something between the two. The Create-a-Class menu layout has been fine-tuned, too, making comparisons and quick adjustments easier to execute.

There are 33 Weapons at Launch

Modern Warfare 4 is launching with 33 weapons: 24 primary weapons, eight secondaries, and one melee weapon. This should feel like a comprehensive cache already, but the game isn’t stopping there, with more than 500 standard attachments available, creating opportunities for highly specialised firepower. Together with the Create-a-Class expansions, the multiplayer offering could prove its most tactically diverse yet, although it’ll be interesting to see how Infinity Ward has balanced the sheer number of options into different combat roles.

Apex Attachments Modify Weapon Behaviour

Sitting above standard Gunsmith modifications are Apex Attachments, and these are capable of modifying weapon behaviour in significant ways. Unlocked and freely attached without consuming a slot once you’ve maxed out your weapon, these attachments can fundamentally reshape how your gun performs. Their effects could include a new tactical function – an aggressive close-range conversion or stealth-focused alteration, perhaps, or even something altogether more experimental.

Gunny Makes Weapon Building Easier

If you don’t fancy sifting through hundreds of attachments, then Gunny – short for Gunnery Sergeant – is here to help. This optional tool can automatically assemble useful weapon builds from the attachments you’ve already unlocked, with settings aimed at different roles such as close-range, balanced, or long-range combat. What’s more, your chosen Gunny build will continue to evolve as you unlock more attachments. It’s a shortcut to a capable build, sure, but you won’t need to spend hours experimenting in Gunsmith to get results.

Killstreaks Now Reward Objectives

If you’re the type of player who’d rather contribute to completing objectives than chasing kills, then Modern Warfare 4’s more accommodating Killstreaks have you covered. Smartstreaks now allow objective play to contribute towards your streak progression, and even though kills are still the system’s primary driver, you can now capture or defend objectives to work towards rewards.

Kill Block Changes its Layout

Encouraging you to adapt to ever-shifting layouts, Kill Block is a modular map which reconfigures between matches. This forces you to change routes, adjust sightlines, and find new spaces for cover. With more than 500 possible configurations, you’ll be consistently on your toes, even if some sections draw inspiration from already familiar games.

Combat Outpost Expands Ground War

Combat Outpost is a new large-scale, combined-arms experience coming to Ground War. It’s a mode which revolves around establishing Outposts, earning resources, and then using those resources to complete further objectives. These battles take place across enormous areas, with infantry and vehicles fighting beneath airborne Killstreaks.

6v6 Maps

Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer component launches with 6v6 maps, including an old Soviet coal processing facility, a South Korean shopping district, with these spaces influenced by the locations visited in the game’s single-player campaign.

There are Two Prestige Paths

Finally, Modern Warfare 4 is giving you a choice in how you’d like to approach Prestige. The Classic route resets your level unlocks and Create-a-Class progression in exchange for rewards and milestones. Regular Prestige, however, appears more forgiving, allowing you to return to Level 1 while maintaining your existing Create-a-Class unlocks. Both paths aim to support your progression preference while rewarding your time and commitment.

Omni-movement Has Been Removed

And, one of those reversals is omni-movement. First appearing in Black Ops 6, the system lets you jump, skid, and zip along in any direction, but it’s been removed entirely in favour of what the game describes as a more grounded system. Yet, the genre’s gameplay philosophies aren’t looking to introduce friction where there was none before. Modern Warfare 4 2026’s movement is fluid, responsive, and unrestricted, all about keeping momentum as you vault over obstacles, scramble up walls, or shimmy across ledges.

DMZ is a Core Mode

Modern Warfare 3 2023 released without DMZ. The extraction-based mode debuted during 2022’s Modern Warfare 2, with MW4 2026 now placing it among its core offerings from launch. The mode follows the extraction form guide – get in, collect loot, complete objectives, get out, lest you want to keep your spoils. Its inclusion gives Modern Warfare 4 2026’s multiplayer experience a different flavour compared to MW3 2023, especially if you’re the type of player who enjoys extraction’s high-stakes loop over round-based matches.

DMZ is No Longer Free to Play

DMZ originally appeared as a free-to-play beta alongside Modern Warfare 2 2022. But now, MW4 2026’s version will not be offered as a free standalone experience, with access to the mode tied to purchasing the complete game. On the one hand, this could mean a smaller pool of players than the original DMZ. However, the audience it does attract could be more committed to investing in the mode over a longer time.

No Dedicated PvE Mode at Launch

Whereas Modern Warfare 3 2023 brought Open Combat and Cinematic Missions as a co-operative mode, Modern Warfare 4 2026 will be launching without a dedicated PvE experience. Whether the game will add something later down the line remains to be seen, and given the favourable reception of MW3 2023’s PvE modes, adding a co-operative element to DMZ could prove fruitful.

Inflation is MW4 2026’s Headline Multiplayer Mode

Modern Warfare 3 2023 introduced Cutthroat as its headline competitive mode, with three teams of three pitted against one another. Modern Warfare 4 2026’s most noteworthy new mode is Inflation, where every kill drops a cash bounty. Quite simply, the team with the most cash at the end of the round wins the match. The rules sound basic at surface level, but the emphasis here falls on staying alive to keep your collected spoils out of enemy pockets just as much as killing.

More New Modes Come to the Multiplayer Lineup

Beyond Inflation, Modern Warfare 4 2026 adds new multiplayer modes Hijack, where squads fight for control over a Data Spike, the Search and Destroy echoing Collateral, and Frontline, where you’re encouraged to seek out kills from outside your base. Meanwhile, MW3 2023’s aforementioned Cutthroat appears to be absent from MW4 2026’s lineup. So, while the upcoming game changes the multiplayer selection in meaningful ways, the fast-paced, tactical, well-received 3v3v3 matchup will be strangely absent.

Weapon Progression Is Shared Across Your Arsenal

In Modern Warfare 3 2023, unlocking an attachment for one weapon didn’t necessarily mean you could freely use it on another. Progression, instead, had to be repeated across multiple guns. MW4 2026 changes this by making weapon attachments unlockable across your arsenal. With fewer redundant unlocks, this shift should make experimenting with different weapons less of a grind, with you able to focus on your loadout rather than repeating similar unlock paths.

Apex Attachments Replace Aftermarket Parts

Modern Warfare 3 2023’s Aftermarket Parts could transform your weapons, ranging from single attachments to full-on conversion kits, augmenting your firearm’s behaviour, fire rate, and general playstyle. Modern Warfare 4 2026, instead, offers Apex Attachments, and there are a handful of progressional shifts despite sharing the same gun-altering impact. They don’t occupy a standard attachment slot, for one, while Apex Attachments also serve as the reward for completing an individual weapon’s upgrade path rather than being tied to weekly challenges.

Camo Mastery Tracks Across Three Modes

MW3 2023 offered different camouflage challenges across its various modes, meaning you’d have to work through separate objectives to earn the mastery reward. Now, in Modern Warfare 4 2026, Multiplayer, DMZ, and Warzone tie Camo Mastery into one route, with three Mastery Camos to earn in each mode for a total of nine.

Smartstreaks Change Killstreak Progression

Modern Warfare 3 2023’s Killstreaks rewarded you for chaining eliminations without dying. Modern Warfare 4 2026 echoes this structure, but chucks objective completion into the mix too. What this change gives is the opportunity for you to play the mode rather than focus exclusively on eliminations, and it could soften the higher skill demand incoming via MW4 2026’s more deliberate weapon handling and hipfire bloom removal.

Perks Are Reworked Into a Pick 3 System

In Modern Warfare 3 2023, Perks were part of a gear-based system, with Vests, Gloves, Boots, and Gear determining the bonuses available to your loadout. Modern Warfare 4 2026 reworks this approach into a simpler Pick 3 structure, where you can equip a Perk into one of three slots. Its a cleaner setup, sure, moving away from the cumbersome interconnectedness of MW3 2023’s gear system into something more straight forward.

Field Upgrades Get Their Own Slot

MW3 2023’s Vest system influenced how Field Upgrades fitted into your loadout, meaning Vest choice significantly determined your build. Now, Modern Warfare 4 2026 has given Field Upgrades their own dedicated slot, decoupled from perk-granting vests and instead sitting alongside primary, secondary, and melee slots. What this means is your operator choice does not restrict which Field Upgrade you bring to battle.

MW4 2026 Drops Carry-Forward

One of Modern Warfare 3 2023’s major selling points was its carry-forward system, which allowed players to bring content from Modern Warfare 2 2022 into the new game. Due to Modern Warfare 4 2026 changing its ecosystem, you’re simply unable to bring the previous game’s weapon progression and unlocks over in the same way. Everyone starts from scratch, then.

Last-Gen Consoles Are Left Behind

Modern Warfare 3 2023 launched across both generations of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, whereas Modern Warfare 4 2026 leaves PS4 and Xbox One behind to focus entirely on current generation hardware. Also, the game will be launching on Switch 2 for the first time, compounding a significant change in platform support. Last-gen users are locked out unless they upgrade, while Switch 2 owners are finally able to access the franchise at launch.

Set in Medieval Paris

It’s 1499, twenty three years after Dracula was slain by the hand of legendary ‘Vampire Killer’ Trevor Belmont in Castlevania III. Yet, proving you can never keep a good vampire down, Dracula is back and planning a devastating resurrection. Setting his sights on Paris, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse begins with the city engulfed in flames, all while monsters swarm the streets. Is this the end of civilisation? Belmont’s swiftly on the scene, answering the call of a suspicious letter penned by the local bishop – and this time, his daughter is riding along.

You Play as New-to-the-Series Rose Belmont

Yes, in Belmont’s Curse, you won’t be taking command of Trevor. He’s leaving his daughter Rose in your capable hands as she investigates the burning city. She bears the mark of Dracula’s curse on her right arm, a glowing red affliction caused by exposure to the malice that lingered after Dracula’s defeat. The curse itself is significant narratively and mechanically, offering both a symbol of guilt tied to her mother’s death and a connection to dark magic, which she wields in interesting ways.

The Whip Returns

Yes, the whip returns, but this time it’s useful for more than giving monsters a good whack on the chops. Now, Rose can use it to grapple onto elevated points, swing across gaps, and slingshot herself toward enemies. You can even latch onto foes and zip toward them before unleashing a whip-cracking follow-up. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, then, is surprisingly acrobatic, with exploration and combat alike benefitting from the whip’s widened capabilities.

There Are Seven Weapon Categories

Including the whip, Belmont’s Curse is set to feature seven distinct weapon categories, with each offering its own moveset, range, and combat style. Cestus gauntlets mix power and speed for some close-quarters pummelling, while lances can strike enemies from safer distances. Longswords bring a balance between range and damage whereas greatswords are slower, heavier blades that can crush your enemies with demonic force. Rapiers and one-handed blades complement the whip’s mobility, suggesting there’s room to experiment combining weapon categories.

Weapons Have Their Own Perks

Weapons here aren’t split by damage numbers either. Actually, throughout Paris’ ravaged Rues you’ll be able to find multiple tiers of weapons, but weapons will also come with perks designed to push you toward a specific combat approach or manoeuvre too. The longsword, for example, can deal extra damage if you land a swing immediately after a backdash, while the cestus gauntlets scale their damage exponentially the more your fists connect to a creature’s cranium.

Relics Provide Passive Bonuses

And, beyond choosing weapons to suit your playstyle, you can find and equip up to three relics to further tailor Rose to your liking. They provide passive bonuses for both combat and exploration, with the Crypt Key, for example, restoring your health and mana whenever you open a chest. That one will prove useful if you’re prone to poking around suspicious corners of the map, and with numerous relics still unannounced it’ll be interesting to see what other tangible effects certain relic combinations will have on your approach to moving through Paris.

Classic Bosses Return Alongside Some New Additions

Belmont’s Curse brings back some familiar faces for its boss battles, including Castlevania mainstays Death, Medusa, and Carmilla. They’ll be joined by some less expected additions, including Joan of Arc, while the Fallen are also set to appear, with the former being a towering creature lurking somewhere in the Parisian sewers. From what’s been shown so far, these bosses look more involved than Castlevania’s usual fayre.

Defeated Bosses Become Part of Rose’s Arsenal

Alongside the occasional OP weapon drop, defeating a boss in Belmont’s Curse will also seal them into Rose’s tarot deck, transforming them into Arcana that grants her access to their unique spells, skills, and special actions. Meanwhile, the light ability allows you to travel through previously insurmountable obstacles while also providing a useful tool for deflecting enemy projectiles.

The Arcana System Can Be Upgraded

Adding an Arcana ability to your arsenal isn’t a one-and-done deal either, as each comes with up to three Works of Mercy; specific objectives challenging you to use its abilities in particular ways. Completing these tasks unlocks a ability that will offer a corresponding improvement, with additional Gifts giving another bonus once the Arcana is assigned. What this means is you can stick with your favourite Arcana, and it’ll grow increasingly powerful the more you use it.

Rose Has Some Familiar Family Connections

She may be a new face, but Rose is hardly an outsider to the Belmont legacy. She’s the daughter of Trevor – as we’ve already said – but also Sypha Belnades, too, making her the quippy, snarky, newest generation of the vampire hunting bloodline. Sypha, Rose’s deceased mother, is a returnee, of course, alongside the familiar presence of Count Dracula himself, after he was bested by Trevor and Sypha already – albeit at the cost of Sypha’s life. Anyway, Rose carries Sypha’s death like a scar, making for some potentially interesting character development depending on how active Sypha’s role is in the new game.

The Game Will Be Tough, But Reportedly Fair

In keeping with Castlevania tradition, Belmont’s Curse is set to be a challenge. Enemies will hit you hard, bosses will demand your patience, and any mistakes you make will be punished. However, there is a silver lining; as previews report, the difficulty never strays into feeling unfair. If you mess up, it’s on you. Also, another faithful nod to Castlevania’s history, the game features non-linear exploration. Tying this into difficulty, though, this means that you can always take a detour if the thing you’re trying to murder proves a little too troublesome.

You Need to Learn The Mechanics

That said, whether you try your luck elsewhere or not, enemies will require you to learn their attack patterns, their timing, and spacing, with Rose’s various movement options playing an equally significant role in combat. Given Evil Empire’s pedigree, it’s no surprise their take on a full Castlevania game appears to be more technical than anything the series has offered before.

Modifiers Allow You To Tweak The Difficulty

If the thought of an amped up take on Castlevania’s traditional difficulty makes you want to drive a stake through your own heart, Belmont’s Curse has you covered with a suite of built-in difficulty modifiers. Various settings let you adjust incoming damage, respawn behaviour, health flask capacity, and more, ultimately giving you control over how punishing the Parisian catacombs will be.

There’s a Demo, and Your Save Carries Over

If you’re still not sure if Belmont’s Curse is for you, you needn’t worry. A demo has been available across all platforms since October the 1st, giving you the chance to sample Rose’s adventure before committing to the full game. Better yet, your save data will carry over, which is pretty handy given the new direction the series has taken.

Release Date, Platforms, and Price

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is set for release on October 15th, with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. Pricewise, you’re looking at $29.99 for the base game, with the Midnight Edition retailing for $39.99.

But, a question looms: who is this collection for? Newcomers and Nintendo Switch players aside, the collection arguably doesn’t bring anything new. It’s a convenient way to experience the series, and as formative as Kingdom Hearts games are, if you’ve already spent countless hours travelling between Disneyfied worlds with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy, simple convenience might not be enough to sway you.

"But, a question looms: who is this collection for?"

And, after a week spent navigating the enormous retrospective, I thought of another problem. See, observing from a newcomer’s perspective, Collection [I-III] doesn’t explain which entries are essential, which are optional, and which are represented as movies. It expects you to know already. And, with a series-spanning story as famously convoluted as Kingdom Hearts, a clearer idea of which route to take would be appreciated.

Still, if you’ve never played a Kingdom Hearts game before – or, indeed if you fancy experiencing the saga again – you’re gonna start at the first game; where the magic begins. And, first thing to note with Kingdom Hearts I – or, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, to take the named version included in the collection – is this is very much a relic of its time. Awkward camera transitions, enemy lock-on problems, clunky movement, poor signposting.

The list of age-related roughness goes on, but even twenty-four years after its release this imperfection is counteracted by the game’s undeniable charm. It feels like a Disney game discovering it can be an RPG, rather than an RPG decorated with Disney characters, that’s quite an endearing thing.

If you were raised by 90s Disney movies and Final Fantasy, the nostalgia alone will draw you in. Traverse Town, one of the game’s earliest locations, mirrors Disneyland itself, where strolling by quaint shops, a hotel, and a bell tower feels like the Magic Kingdom. Yoko Shimomura’s accompanying score is whimsical, memorable, and uplifting too, and it’s totally appropriate for the setting. Music, in fact, is consistently excellent throughout the series, showcasing a timelessness befitting the game’s themes if not its mechanics.

Kingdom Hearts Final Mix introduces you to the series’ combat, slowly evolving its foundation across the game’s many hours. To start, bashing the bottom face button executes combos, while earned abilities unlock dodge rolls, mid-air recoveries, and more. Then, magic abilities arrive alongside summons, Keyblade upgrades, and resources for party development.

"Moving onto Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and those rough edges immediately feel better. "

Taking stock of the combat’s low skill floor at this stage is important as, if nothing else, playing through the entire retrospective illustrates how complex and kaleidoscopic the series’ fighting becomes, with a high ceiling to master. Still, the foundation remains the same. The brilliance of this basic combat is that it’s always accessible, with later entries showcasing considerably more depth.

Moving onto Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and those rough edges immediately feel better. Controls are more responsive, animations are snappier, and the camera is mostly fixed (aided by wider combat arenas). Meanwhile, numerous quality-of-life additions like objective tracking, auto-refillable items, and a mini-map further smoothen the first game’s friction. Deeper combat action arrives too, with more commands, more abilities, and a nifty reversal trick adding a sense of style and expression to the many bouts your party gets involved in.

The biggest problem is pacing. Those combat extras take too long to arrive, with magic power in particular coming surprisingly late. Long cutscenes drag the opening hours, with a story setup that feels deliberately disorientating. But, importantly, the narrative starts working after the prologue, and there’s a confidence here that wasn’t present earlier. The worlds you visit – Mulan’s Land of Dragons or the Beast’s castle – become self-contained Disney stories.

Jumping straight to KH2 means missing some of the supposedly essential connective tissue, but its evidence of good narrative design that the early disorientation never feels overwhelming. Visually, too, the game’s HD treatment makes the PS2-era graphics look bright, clean, and vibrant, with Mulan’s mix of green and terracotta giving the landscape a storybook quality, fitting Disney without looking like a film recreation.

Kingdom Hearts II, to me, is where the series felt less like an experiment, and more when the execution started matching its ambition.

"However, some of the Disney charm is lost, which is a feeling I experienced in Dream Drop Distance HD and the conceptually dense χ Back Cover movie."

Between I and II is deckbuilding curio Re:Chain of Memories and contextually relevant 358/2 Days, the latter presented here in cinematics only. Neither are perfect, with occasional stuttering and texture issues illustrating 358/2 Days’ DS heritage, while Re:Chain of Memories’ interesting ideas never coalesce into intuitive gameplay. Following II is Re:coded, another cutscene compilation, and Birth By Sleep Final Mix which introduces Ventus, Terra, and Aqua, characters who grow in significance toward the saga’s tail-end.

Bridging into Kingdom Hearts III is 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage – where the most expansive moveset yet for the series sees you double-jumping, aerial dashing, and generally defying gravity across noticeably more vertical world design pocketed with airborne enemies.

Rather than drip-feeding abilities, combat is immediately expressive, with blocks, combos, and magic present from the get-go. However, some of the Disney charm is lost, which is a feeling I experienced in Dream Drop Distance HD and the conceptually dense χ Back Cover movie. Kingdom Hearts III, though, is where the series’ characterful colour returns, and boy does everything explode.

KH3, and its Re Mind DLC, is the series’ transformation into cinematic blockbuster, with Pixar-like presentation, huge setpieces, and excellent character models making this the most spectacular entry yet. Combat is still the same foundation, but joining air mobility, magic, and auto combos are – deep breath – multi-target attacks, wall-running, links (like summons, only crazier), multiple extravagant Keyblade forms, fairground rides, and more.

In short: fighting becomes pure chaos. The series goes from Sora whacking a Heartless with a key, to a mushroom cloud of colour, sound, and movement. Yet, the underlying interaction remains approachable, which is testament to the original’s combat design devised all those years ago.

Pacing throughout is much improved too, with brisk dialogue and cutscenes understanding that momentum must be maintained away from gameplay. Initially, too, the complex lore doesn’t seem to matter. This begins as another compendium of Disney movie experiences, but narrative simplicity does give way to the series’ loftier concepts. While some might find the complexity off-putting, I still never found it to be too distracting.

"Pacing throughout is much improved too, with brisk dialogue and cutscenes understanding that momentum must be maintained away from gameplay."

Whether you’re a newcomer or not, assessing Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] as a mostly complete anthology, a bigger question emerges: do its themes still matter? See, back in the noughties, its themes of friendship, identity, and memory were ideals wrapped around Disney characters and RPG conventions, with the unyielding desire to help people driven by relentless optimism. Now, in 2026, in a world becoming increasingly disconnected, these themes arguably feel more relevant.

Through certain character arcs, Kingdom Hearts argues that identity isn’t fixed, and that people aren’t defined permanently either through their mistakes or otherwise. With technology continuing to increase the distance between physical interaction in the real-world, Kingdom Hearts shows us that friendship has universally enduring appeal.

So, yes, while Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] doesn’t bring anything new to the table, this remains a series rooted by a strong emotional core. And that’s why, despite the convoluted mythology, the dated mechanics of its early titles, the strange side stories, and occasionally absurd narrative directions, a remarkably sincere belief consistently shines. People matter, and you don’t need to know every piece of Kingdom Hearts lore to understand that.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

"MXGP 26 constantly asks you to wrestle your bike into submission, balancing throttle, steering, and body weight while the track shifts beneath you."

This is what makes MXGP 26 a different proposition to conventional circuit racers. It’s not about precision; more about managing instability. Jumps need to be measured and ruts need to be learned, yet the surface alters dramatically lap after lap. The result is a demanding racing game where simply staying upright can feel like an achievement.

And, keeping your rider seated takes more than simply memorising a circuit’s corners. MXGP 26 demands you learn how its jumps, ruts, and undulations interact with your bike. A jump, for instance, might look straightforward, but approach it with too much speed and you’ll overshoot the landing; too little and you’ll kill the momentum you need for the next obstacle. Ruts are equally important, capable of rotating the bike dramatically even if you’re travelling at modest speeds.

Loading into Time Trials at Foxhills, Loket, and Afyonkarahisar, I quickly realised that chasing the fastest lap wasn’t about outright speed. Each circuit required study, and I began remembering where the deepest ruts were, which jumps demanded a measured approach, and how to maintain momentum through a sequence of curves where simply braking, turning, and accelerating was ineffective. In other words, the fastest route isn’t always the smoothest. Sometimes, too, the track dictates your line, and threading the needle like you would with a superbike on the road gives way to attritional brute force.

In MXGP 26, you can’t impose the conventions of traditional circuit racing. The dirt is doing everything it can to disrupt you. The track is not your friend.

Moving onto Uddevalla in Sweden, this track, like the UK’s Foxhills, is a hard-packed soil surface, and it’s the standard surface type found in Motocross. Now, ‘standard’ is a loose description; the dirt still visibly shreds, with new trenches and ruts emerging during races. And, these changes affect future lines, jump approaches, corner speeds, the lot.

"In MXGP 26, you can’t impose the conventions of traditional circuit racing."

Switching to Latvia’s Kegums circuit, and increasing the Dynamic Deformation setting to maximum yielded an extreme amount of circuit disruption. Visibly, the deformation appears organically, with deeper ruts in single-file sections and new racing lines being chopped into the mud. Track evolution broadly reflects where riders are actually travelling, with the circuit becoming dramatically different over the course of a race. But, at max deformation, I began to question if the simulation became too unpredictable. See, while deep ruts can help you rotate through a corner, the track’s sheer shredded-ness can suddenly throw you off course too. At worst, the bike would be randomly flipped, but most often I was crawling through particularly destroyed sections. Crucially, I didn’t always feel like I’d made a meaningful mistake, or, likewise, if I’d carved round a bend with expert precision or whether my wheels fell into a groove through luck. At its most extreme, deformation felt haphazard, and reducing the setting back to default gave me a much more enjoyable experience.

I know what you’re thinking: “that’s Motocross.” And yeah, you’re right. But, while the developer deserves credit for translating hostile track surfaces into impactful gameplay, for me, extreme deformation turned races into acts of survival rather than opportunities to lean on my skills.

Kegums, by the way, is a sand-covered surface, and together with hard pack and clay they make the three surface types MXGP 26 divides its circuits between. Each supposedly demands a different approach, but having raced across all three I don’t believe the differences are as pronounced as the game would have you believe.

Hard pack, as I stated earlier, is the standard surface, and the easiest to establish a baseline. It’s relatively predictable to ride, although it’ll become scarred by other riders just as dramatically as the other two surface types.

Clay, meanwhile, is less convincing. The game describes it as unpredictable, warning that traction can disappear almost instantly, so I experimented with a shorter gear ratio and redistributed braking bias towards the rear while I acclimatised. While the bike felt marginally sharper on turn-in, I didn’t notice a meaningful change in how the surface itself behaved. After a race at Agueda, the clay didn’t feel sufficiently distinct from hard pack.

"I know what you’re thinking: “that’s Motocross.” And yeah, you’re right."

Sand, however, is a different story. Its constant little undulations make it more difficult to ride, with my bike frequently bouncing over the surface and lifting one or both wheels from the ground. Corner approaches were especially awkward, where the front tyre struggled to find enough bite. Moving the bike’s weight rearward is supposed to help maintain stability, although doing this too aggressively can result in an unwanted wheelie. Adjusting the setup to favour the rear made the back tyre more willing to step out, but on sand this proved useful. Of the three surfaces, sand therefore feels the most distinctive, changing how you manage the bike more significantly compared to the other two.

And, just a note on tinkering with your bike’s setup. If, like me, you’re not fluent in suspension tuning, the game explains the pros and cons of every adjustment. While my changes seldom felt dramatic, I did notice slightly more responsive handling with stiffer forks or marginally swifter acceleration with shorter gears. One oddity, though, is the option to ‘Apply Recommended Bike Setup’, which simply resets everything to the default medium setting rather than actually recommend a setup tuning for a specific track or surface.

Elsewhere, MXGP 26 gives you plenty of control over how demanding the riding experience actually is, with settings covering everything from brake assistance and slope steering to automatic rider weight distribution and the aforementioned track deformation. Slope steering proved particularly useful for me, allowing me to exploit the banking on the outside of corners without sacrificing as much speed. Reducing braking assistance, however, didn’t seem to have as strong an effect.

Yet, the biggest weak link I’ve found is with the game’s AI opponents. They frequently overshot jumps, miscalculated landings, spun out of ruts, missed corners, and generally behaved strangely, although these instances were usually concentrated at the start of races when the field was still racing closely. Yes, a rider launching himself into a hedge was occasionally funny, but more often it was distracting. For a game that works to make the act of riding so unpredictable, I didn’t expect the AI to introduce a different kind of unpredictability altogether.

"The biggest weak link I’ve found is with the game’s AI opponents."

Outside of the core racing, MXGP 26 doesn’t offer much that fundamentally changes the experience. Badges earned through time attacks and racing provide tickets for equipment, while also unlocking additional bikes. This progression loop largely functions as a reward layer sitting on top of the racing, while championship mode follows a similar pattern by stretching the grand prix weekend structure across an entire season. Ultimately, MXGP 26 is focused on the act of riding rather than what happens around it.

Presentation-wise, there are obvious areas for improvement. While mud accumulation, rider animations, and bike models are on point, weather, crowd, and paddock atmosphere underwhelm. Rain, in particular, covers the track in glistening mud and slick puddles, and while it certainly looks dangerous I never felt as though the bike handled any worse than on a dry surface. Engine sounds heard across bike manufacturers do a decent job of communicating the effort imposed on the bike, sounding suitably aggressive, particularly when you’re modulating the throttle. Different surfaces, speeds, trajectories, and wheelspins produce distinct auditory feedback, too, but overall the game’s sound lacks the character to make each machine memorable.

Yet, all that said, it’s in the bikes’ handling where MXGP 26 makes the strongest impression. They’re unstable in a way that makes keeping them upright a challenge, but though feathering the throttle, manipulating your weight, and reacting to shifting terrain, the racing does become more manageable. It’s rarely predictable, and track deformation can occasionally push a bike’s instability too far, but when everything clicks – a scrubbed jump landing on a decline or a clean rut-assisted rotation – the satisfaction in control is excellent.

And that, in essence, is where you’ll find MXGP 26’s best moments, where you adapt to a track being progressively torn apart to maintain fluid momentum. Yes, the AI can frustrate, some surfaces feel insufficiently distinct, and the modes on offer are decidedly barebones, but none of that changes the fact there’s a remarkably edifying riding model underneath it all. Once you stop trying to eliminate chaos, embracing imperfect lines to work with the dirt rather than against it, MXGP 26 becomes a demanding but rewarding Motocross experience.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Actually, that’s admittedly a hyperbolic statement given Steamdeck’s substantial userbase, plus the PS Portal’s, ASUS ROG, and Lenovo Legion Go alike. Rumours of Sony’s and Microsoft’s next-gen consoles adopting some form of complimentary handheld indicates, if true, that the market is moving closer to Nintendo’s original hybrid idea. The Switch 2, then, arrived during a resurging interest in handheld gaming, but the Switch’s follow-up was always meant to do more than ride the wave it had a part in starting. It was promising more powerful Nintendo hardware.

So, just over a year later the important question is whether developers – or, indeed, Nintendo themselves – have done anything meaningful with this extra power. Nintendo’s own games historically have never been especially power hungry, but browse the Switch 2’s library and you’ll come across numerous modern AAA games; games that were previously unthinkable on a Nintendo platform. Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Resident Evil Requiem sit alongside Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, and Pokémon Pokopia.

And, despite some pre-launch trepidation, the Switch 2’s gamut of AAA experiences perform reasonably well. Reason being, the Switch 2’s innards are built around a powerful custom Nvidia GPU that supports DLSS AI-upscaling and real-time ray tracing. For CD Projekt Red, this integrated hardware meant the studio could fully optimise Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion in-house. Elsewhere, Nintendo’s sophomore machine can pump out 4K visuals in TV mode, while its 7.9-inch native 1080p LCD screen supports VRR up to 120Hz, even in handheld.

Playing handheld isn’t without its caveats though. Sticking with Cyberpunk, the towering density of DLC location Dogtown reportedly suffers from stuttering performance issues, while shadow resolutions are scaled back all across Night City to preserve handheld mode’s 60fps. The point, however, is that the original Switch forced developers to compromise enormously to get ambitious games running. Now, despite softer shadow resolutions in this example, the Switch 2 has drastically reduced the compromises studios used to make.

And, if a game isn’t quite as demanding the developers can go all-in on harnessing the Switch 2’s potential, with games reaching 120fps at 1080p on the TV, and 60fps in the hand. Add faster load times, HDR support, and sharper cutscenes, and performance is demonstrably where the Switch 2 makes the strongest case for being a meaningful step up from other games.

The Switch 2’s upgrade ecosystem deserves the spotlight too, as Switch 2 editions are consistently more than simple remasters. Yes, you’ve got performance improvements, as in Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom operating at higher resolutions, improved frame rates, shorter load times, and HDR – all that was mentioned a moment ago – but Zelda’s Switch 2 editions also bring in extra camera functionality, JoyCon 2 mouse controls, and an interactive smartphone feature ZELDA NOTES, where your progress is tracked, your blueprints are shared, and navigation is assisted by real-time audio, right inside the Nintendo Switch app.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons expands multi-player servers from eight to twelve. Kirby and the Forgotten Land brought remixed stages, new Mouthful powers for the pink puff, harder boss fights, and fresh collectibles, all alongside a significant performance boost.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder isn’t the same game at 4K. It adds Meetup in Bellabel Park, new challenges, collectibles, characters, co-op features; the works.

While Switch 2 editions bolster the console’s lineup, games built specifically for the Switch 2 generation represent a surprisingly broad library too; although we won’t pretend every game is a winner.

Pokémon Pokopia, Splatoon Raiders nestle alongside the aforementioned heavy hitters Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Kirby Air Riders, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Star Fox make up some more, with the latter an interesting case of being a Switch 2-exclusive remake of the N64 classic. Whilst lists like these are, of course, subjective, we can say little more conclusively that Nintendo hasn’t simply thrown one killer game at the Switch 2 and called it a day. Its first year, instead, is defined by variety: sequels, remakes, spin-offs, enhanced editions, and new experiments.

But, the elephant in the room: no new 3D Mario game, yet. Is the Italian plumber’s absence conspicuous? Or should we remember that modern game development takes a long time, and be assured that Mario’s next adventure is in the (green) pipeline. The reality is that a new mainline 3D Mario game will arrive when it arrives, but it’s worth mentioning here as despite all the positives we’ve outlined already in this feature Nintendo are still keeping cards in their hand.

And look, we’re not saying 3D Mario’s absence is a drawback, but the Switch 2 does harbour a handful of compromises. Battery life, for instance, is barely improved, with Nintendo themselves advertising the Switch 2 as capable of reaching six-and-a-half hours, depending on use. Actually, on paper that’s worse than the original Switch’s up-to-nine hours, but the key word here is “depends”. But, if we’re viewing this as a negative we can only surmise that the Switch 2’s bigger battery capacity hasn’t solved the problem of powering more capable hardware.

Storage is another bone of contention, with 256GB the internal space you’ve got to fill. Compared to the Switch’s relatively paltry 32GB, this – again, on paper – is a meaningful jump, and if you favour indie games you’re probably happy. But, if you’re diving into the Switch 2’s AAA offerings then 256GB won’t last long at all. And, compounding frustration is the fact games can only be saved to next-gen MicroSD cards. Older, non-Express cards can only be used to copy screenshots and videos. And did we mention the 7.9-inch screen size? This thing is big; not a problem for everyone, of course, but it does realistically limit how portable the Switch 2 is given its sizeable profile.

Yet, the unit itself is sturdy enough. Not quite built like a brick but it makes the original Switch feel flimsy in comparison. And, that’s an important detail, as while the console’s outside won’t change, Nintendo hasn’t stopped working on how it functions on the inside. Firmware update 23.0.0 arrived September 10th, bringing improved GameChat functionality, better Virtual Game Card management, and VRR support in TV mode. The Switch 2, then, isn’t the exact same machine that shipped in June 2025. It’ll continue to be iterated upon, and the build quality should see it through the entire generation.

If you’ve never owned a Switch, it’ll soon be too late as Nintendo has confirmed the original version, plus the Switch Lite and Switch OLED will cease manufacture in early 2027. It isn’t being abandoned outright; not yet, anyway, but we’re on the cusp of a generational handover.

If you’re primarily a handheld player, mainly play Nintendo games, and even dip into the AAA space (or are looking forward to The Duskbloods and that remake), then a Switch 2 really is a no-brainer. If you already own a Switch, you’ll have to question how much you value improved performance, access to new games, and all the extra bonuses Switch 2 editions offer. Ultimately, the Switch 2 isn’t perfect (what is?!), but a year in it’s shown itself to be a worthwhile evolution of Nintendo’s hybrid formula.

It’s a First-Person Soulslike Set in a Plague-Ridden Napoleonic Europe

Awakening from the dead as William, a soldier of Napoleon’s Grande Armée, Valor Mortis plunges you into an alt-reality of 19th century Europe, where the continent has been twisted beyond recognition by a ravenous plague. Its high-concept dark-fantasy is surely distinct, yet mixing with first-person Soulslike design leaves Valor Mortis risking one-too-many gimmicks. However, there’s an engaging mystery here. Your dredges through cursed battlefields with Napoleon’s voice rattling through your skull shows potential for one of the most compellingly unique takes on the Soulslike formula yet.

Expect Familiar Soulslike Mechanics

If you’ve played a Soulslike before, the basic rhythm should feel familiar. Stamina management is crucial during combat, as is timing parries to break an opponent’s posture, leaving them vulnerable to a violent execution. Lanterns act as bonfire stand-ins, where resting replenishes healing vials whilst enemies respawn. Also, as is typical of the genre, you’ll get one shot to retrieve dropped resources after death, embodying the challenging risk-reward you expect.

Melee is Combat’s Main Focus

Although you’ll carry firearms such as pistols and muskets, Valor Mortis is fundamentally a melee-focused action game. Guns are useful tools, and together with cold steel and supernatural powers – the latter we’ll discuss shortly – a continuous flow emerges. Maintaining momentum during fights is key, but as ammunition is scarce it seems that your firepower isn’t designed to replace your swordplay. You’ll need to make every shot count, sure, but if it wasn’t clear by now Valor Mortis is anything but a conventional first-person shooter.

Aggressive Melee is Rewarded

Valor Mortis’ combat system encourages you to stay on the offensive. Immediate counterattacks, for instance, replenish spent health, giving you a reason to keep pushing an advantage instead of backing off when taking damage. With each blade possessing its own weight and purpose, your positioning will change. A health-restoring counterattack, then, offers you a chance to get to grips with each sword’s unique handling, encouraging you to remain aggressive even if the weapon is unfamiliar.

Perfect Parries and Dodges Are Essential

Defence is just as important as offence, with the already discussed perfect parries presenting opportunities for brutal takedowns. Dodging, too, is another manoeuvre you’ll use liberally, with it proving especially useful when you’re observing enemy attack patterns. Overall, timing your responses correctly is key to surviving encounters, especially as more powerful enemies start chaining attacks together. Combat – both offence and defence – is tuned around reading an opponent and reacting at just the right moment. And, with weighty sound design and visual distortion, there’s enough feedback to inform you how timely your moves are.

Nephtoglobin Adds a Supernatural Edge

William’s resurrection comes with more than a second chance at life. At some point after he’s risen he’s imbued with Nephtoglobin, a supernatural power that can be used for ranged attacks and crowd control, giving you another tool to approach combat. Notably, in gameplay footage we see flames bursting out of William’s palms, providing a useful contrast to combat’s melee-focused core. When taken together, each element of William’s arsenal brings the possibility of chain attacks with fluidity and awestriking power.

Parkour is Part of Traversal

One More Level has indeed swapped Ghostrunner’s cyberpunk streamlining for grim Napoleonic battlegrounds, but some of the DNA from the studio’s earlier title has made its way over. Yes, in Valor Mortis you won’t just be walking to your next encounter but drawing from a suite of parkour-style moves: leaping, sliding, wall-running, and vaulting are all a part of the game’s traversal mechanics, providing a more engaging way to move through the environment.

Nephtoglobin Can Help With Traversal Too

William’s supernatural power isn’t limited to combat either. Nephtoglobin can also assist with parkour traversal, allowing you to conjure temporary platforms and grapple points. Notably, in gameplay footage we see a cosmic blue string shoot out of William’s hand ala Spiderman, enabling him to swing over uncrossable terrain. Movement, then, should feel flexible throughout, with some areas likely needing you to combine your physical mobility with supernatural traversal to reach.

Exploration is Non-Linear

The world in Valor Mortis isn’t designed to be a straight line from one fight to the next. No, in true Soulsike fashion, exploration is non-linear, with Metroidvania-style gating meaning certain areas will only become accessible once you’ve gained new abilities or levelled up. Revisiting previously explored locations should therefore prove worthwhile, rather than being simply a case of retracing your steps.

There Are Separate Skill Trees For Character Progression and Weapons

Valor Mortis doesn’t feature standard RPG armour or gear upgrades. Instead, progression is handled through distinct skill trees for William and his weapons. By interacting with the lanterns, you can upgrade William’s core stats, with nodes covering stamina regeneration, parrying efficiency, health, and more. Elsewhere, each weapon has its own levelling tree, providing scope for honing your build around your favourite blade or firearm.

The Amber System Lets You Personalise Your Build

The Amber System is a passive ability mechanic that gives you further ways to tailor your character. Reaching certain milestones on your skill trees unlocks accessory slots which can be equipped with Ambers, bringing game-changing modifications that usually come with trade-offs such as vials which switch to refilling magic instead of health, or the ability to slow down time at the cost of stamina. You’ll need to think about what you’d like to gain and what you’re prepared to give up to get the best out of the system, but it’s a neat way to add build variety without every upgrade being a straightforward improvement.

There’s a Variety of Enemies

If there’s one concern highlighted in pre-release preview coverage it’s that enemies have shown little variety. Sure, countless soldiers each wear uniquely contorted bodies, but the core design remains unchanged. However, alongside the corrupted military types, in Valor Mortis you’ll face off against mutated creatures, hidden snipers, and more. Despite such refined combat mechanics, sufficient enemy variety will be crucial to keep encounters interesting.

Mini-Bosses Feature Throughout

Mini-bosses will feature throughout the game, with weak-point targeting and unblockable ‘red light’ attacks among the mechanics to watch out for. From what we’ve seen, these encounters look designed to scrutinise your capacity to read enemy behaviour rather than simply being tests of your evasion or ability to take higher damage. They should be a useful step up between the game’s regular enemies and its larger bosses.

Boss Battles Are Multi-Phase

Valor Mortis also features a range of multi-phase boss battles. General Lothaire, the Eagle Bearer features in the game’s playable demo, and his fight moves from brutal slashing attacks and minion summoning to devastating arena interactions. Boss fights which evolve as they progress are one of the major appeals of Soulslikes, where learning how a battle changes is often as satisfying as learning how it begins.

Release Date, Platforms, and PC Requirements

Valor Mortis is set to release on October 13th, with PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam the confirmed platforms. To play the game on your PC, you’ll need at a minimum an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel Core i7-11700 CPU, an AMD Radeon RX 6700 or Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super GPU, and 16GB RAM. Recommended hardware, as per the game’s Steam page, details an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 or Intel Core i7-13700 CPU, an AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE or Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, and 16GB RAM. Storage space required is 50GB alongside DirectX version 12 and an SSD.

Norgan is a Brand-New Endgame Region

Undoubtedly, Dark Arisen’s biggest addition is Norgan, an icy realm in the northern reaches of the Vermund Kingdom. While it’s purportedly around a quarter of the size of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s original map, Norgan is designed with more verticality, making its smaller map size feel denser in comparison. And, as for the region’s subzero climate, well, this is more than aesthetic. The cold itself implicates gameplay, with environmental hazards like whiteout blizzards and the new Chilled status effect – more on Chilled’s impact later.

New Companions Join the Adventure

Accompanying your investigation into an undying Fallen Dragon is a new companion named Eir, whom not much is known save for her unyielding desire to pursue the ruinous dragon. She, however, isn’t the only new companion. Freki is a direwolf that can be tamed to subsequently assist with a range of useful services, from locating hidden loot and retrieving items, to even acting as a guide. Together, the pair will give exploration a wholly different flavour from the base game’s Pawn-led expeditions.

The Expansion Brings Twelve High-Difficulty Dungeons

Dark Arisen introduces twelve challenging dungeons known as the Lost Rites. And, crucially, these aren’t all confined to Norgan. This means that you’ve reason to revisit areas of the original game, rather than focus all your efforts in the northernmost corner of the map. Even if you’ve already fully explored the Vermund Kingdom, Lost Rites should provide fresh challenges away from Norgan’s frigid temperatures.

Lost Rites Can Be Tackled Alongside Norgan’s Main Narrative

The Lost Rites aren’t intended to be a completely separate activity from the expansion’s main campaign. Instead, you’ll move between challenges, alternating the frozen region and the dungeons scattered across the world. Again, their challenge is said to be high, so you’ll want to grind out an appropriate level before taking one on. There’s also an extra incentive lurking within: elite enemies. Defeating these will guarantee a Relic drop, making Lost Rites an important part of the expansion’s progression loop.

Relics Contain Powerful New Equipment

Relics are another significant addition coming to Dark Arisen. Found throughout the expansion’s challenging content – defeating regional bosses, finding hidden locations, and so on – these mysterious items must be appraised to reveal powerful weapons, armour, and equipment. Also, you’ll note Relics are unidentifiable loot that are needed to be purified to become usable.

Relics Could Completely Change Buildcrafting

And not strictly for the better. Now, there is strong appeal in the new Relics system in that they won’t just yield more powerful versions of equipment you already have. No, Relic weapons, armour, and other items can introduce unique skills to significantly alter how particular builds function. However, their stats are randomised, adding potential for mass-grinding. Appraising Relics requires Rift Crystals, with collectable Giant Rift Crystals providing a new way to increase your RC supply alongside exchanging unwanted Relics. This could go either way: finally acquiring the perfect piece of gear might be a worthwhile reward for a lengthy pursuit, or it could lead to frustration as your inventory fills with unwanted items.

Weapon Build Slots Are Increased to Six

Dark Arisen is also set to increase the number of active weapon build slots from four to six, which should make accommodating the expansion’s new Relic equipment decidedly more viable. See, rather than constantly rebuilding your loadout, you can experiment with different loadouts that are influenced by your acquired Relic items before deciding if they’re for you or not. There is one important catch though: Relic equipment can’t be upgraded like conventional gear. You’ll need to find a higher-tier equivalent if you want to equip an improved version.

The Possibilities are Expanded Across Existing Vocations

Relic weapons can also augment the behaviour of core vocation skills, opening up previously impossible archetypes for familiar classes. What’s more, the range of vocations available are receiving upgraded skills in the expansion, and while there are too many individual additions to cover here, the broader point is that Dark Arisen won’t push you to abandon your favourite vocation for something new.

You Don’t Need to Finish the Main Campaign

To step into Dark Arisen, you won’t need to have finished Dragon’s Dogma 2’s main story. The expansion, it seems, can be accessed through Brandt in Vernworth relatively early in the game. That said, and as we’ve already alluded to, the expansion is aimed at experienced players, with level forty recommended before making the journey up north. In other words: the story requirement is relatively light, with the difficulty providing the truer barrier to entry.

Hard Mode is Coming After Launch

Despite all this talk of increased difficulty, Dark Arisen is still planning an additional hard mode, although this is expected as a post-DLC-launch update. Finer details on the mode’s implementation aren’t yet available, but it’s rumoured to be aimed at extremely high-level players. This could make it something meaningful for those who have already exhausted what the base game plus expansion has to offer without forcing them to re-tread the same experience from the beginning.

Norgan Gets Harder as You Progress

Interestingly, Norgan won’t be a region where every encounter has a fixed difficulty. Instead, the expansion is designed to progressively increase the challenge to counteract your advance, with danger escalating alongside your character. As we’ve already mentioned, the cold grows into a more persistent threat too. The Chilled status, for instance, gradually drains your stamina, making combat, exploration, and navigation alike more difficult.

New Customisation and Transmog Options

Dark Arisen will also give you more ways for your Arisen and Pawns to look. New hairstyles and additional customisations lead the additional ways to inject more personality to your characters. Elsewhere, transmog functionality allows you to attach the stats of one piece of equipment to a separate wardrobe item. Now, you’ll be able to customise your appearance without sacrificing the gameplay benefits.

PS5 and Xbox Series X Get a 60fps Mode

A 60fps performance mode is now available for PS5 and Xbox Series X players. Released in early September as part of the colossal Title Update 3.2, now even previously laggy combat encounters feel more responsive. If you’re playing on PS5 Pro, September’s patch unlocks extra performance via Sony’s PSSR upscaling tech. However, if you’re playing on Xbox Series S, you won’t be able to use the 60fps performance mode.

Urban Performance Has Been Improved

Technical additions aren’t limited to performance mode either, with engine-level optimisation improving how the game runs across the board. The devs, however, have focused heavily on fixing the experience in busier urban areas. See, bustling settlements in Dragon’s Dogma 2 are plagued by middling performance, so hopefully these improvements iron them out.

PC Requirements Have Been Updated

PC players should take note of the game’s updated system requirements as, because of the aforesaid engine optimisations, the developer has actually lowered the minimum requirements while raising performance targets from 30fps to 45-60fps. The new minimum specs include an Intel Core i5-8500 or AMD Ryzen 5 3500 CPU, downgraded from an i5-10600 and Ryzen 5 3600. GPU-wise, you’ll need an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT at a minimum, with an RTX 2070 Super or RX 6600 XT recommended. Previously, the developer advised you’d need an RTX 2080 or RX 6700.