“There was a test screening for Resident Evil. I hear it’s great,” he wrote on social media platform X. While this may come as welcome news for some, others have taken to social media to discuss how this could also potentially mean that, while it’s a good movie on its own, it might not be a faithful adaptation. However, just about everyone involved with the project has been tight-lipped about it, so no real details about its characters or plot have been revealed, at least for now.

Cregger had spoken in the past about how his Resident Evil movie would remain faithful to the core tenets of the franchise while still telling an original story. He also wants to make sure that the movie ends up being a love letter to the storied gaming franchise.

“Let me say this: this is not breaking the rules of the games,” Cregger said. “I am the biggest worshiper of the games, so I’m telling a story that is a love letter to the games and follows the rules of the games. It is obedient to the lore of the games, it’s just a different story. I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games. [Fans] already have that.”

He acknowledged that there might be some Resident Evil fans who want to see a faithful adaptation of one of the games’ stories. To them, however, he said, “They can play the game.” This might indicate that we might not get to see iconic characters like Leon S. Kennedy or Jill Valentine grace the big screen in the film, unfortunately.

As for the freedom Cregger has with the movie’s plot, the CEO of Resident Evil film rights holder Constantin Film, Oliver Berben, had spoken about it back in February.

“With Resident Evil, we have had an incredible journey with one of the most successful international IPs of more than a billion dollars in box office for many years and now we are creating something new, not just a new story idea, but to allow a new generation to take the IP into their own hands and form something different,” said Berben. To achieve this, Cregger has been given “the carte blanche to do whatever he wanted to do with that IP,” he explained.

The Resident Evil movie is being produced by PlayStation Productions alongside Constantin Film. The story is being co-written by Shay Hatten of John Wick: Chapter 4 and Army of the Dead fame, along with Zach Cregger, known for Barbarian, who is also the film’s director. Rather than being a new entry in the long-running Resident Evil movie franchise, however, Cregger’s film will be a reboot.

A new teaser trailer for the character showcases her meeting with the player in a reality-bending scene, complete with adorable Monoids, in World Tour. She summarily shatters the world around him, although her reasons for doing so remain a mystery at this point. It’s going to be interesting to see how her powers come into play, but she’s generally been a mid to close-range fighter with some excellent counter-offensive options, various mix-ups to keep her opponents on their toes, and strong zoning potential for some high-damaging juggle combos.

Her motivations for being part of the game remain unknown at this time, but it’s clear that she’s got some business with the player (aside from serving as a new Master in World Tour). How that plays out is anyone’s guess, but we’re curious to find out more.

She joins Alex, who arrived last month, and is sure to bring some interesting mechanics to the table in what’s going to be her first mainline appearance in the franchise.

The first Resident Evil is a banger, putting you in control of Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield as they try to make sense of a nasty situation that leaves their STARS team decimated. Resident Evil 2 marks the debut of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield in Raccoon City in an adventure with implications that have stayed with him all his life, coming to a head in Requiem as he learns the truth about Raccoon City’s bombing. Resident Evil 3 Nemesis brings it all back to Jill, and her desperate effort to escape the city as the effects of Umbrella’s underhanded dealings unfold on its streets.

They’re quite impressive titles, even prompting a couple of remakes that were quite successful in their own right. However, we can tell you that the OG versions hit different, and at this price, they’re a steal. You could choose to pick one over the others if you’re interested in a specific story. Either way, it’s nice to go back to where it all began, a sentiment that Requiem made good use of in its main narrative.

And if those don’t suit your taste, then there’s Breath of Fire 4, one of the best role-playing games ever made. Unfortunately, all four titles come with the Enigma Protector DRM. It isn’t present in the GOG releases and seems to have broken performance on Steam Deck, so keep that in mind when diving in.

Unfolding throughout a lunar research station full of robots that have turned bloodthirsty after a mysterious quake, players primarily control Hugh. While armed with shotguns, pistols and even tools to incapacitate certain threats, he’s unable to damage them. This is where the human-like android Diana helps out by hacking enemies to expose their weak points.

The result is a third-person shooter where you’re dodging attacks and firing with Hugh while simultaneously completing maze-like puzzles as Diana. Different hacking modules provide unique benefits, including increased damage, and you can visit the Shelter for further upgrades.

Pragmata is available on April 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. There’s a free standalone demo, which has already been downloaded two million times, to try out.

Though initially slated for April 24th, Capcom preponed the release date, likely because development has been progressing so well. Check out our feature for everything you should know and why we think it may end up as one of the more unique games of 2026.

If you haven’t been keeping up, this is another turn-based addition to the Stories sub-series under the Monster Hunter franchise. However, it has proven to be quite an improvement over its predecessors, bringing meaningful changes that we found quite impressive in our own review of the game on the Switch 2, despite a few annoying technical issues.

Well, it seems like a lot of other players agree with us, and the new accolades trailer shows off some awesome gameplay clips interspersed with good things that critics have said about the title. It’s quite tempting to pick up a copy for yourself, especially given the more mature storytelling and new features like Habitat Restoration.

If you’re still on the fence, there’s a playable demo of the game to try out across platforms (with progress carrying over to the game). There’s also the allure of some new Royal monsters coming along this Summer. Capcom is also working on new story DLC focusing on Rudy that could launch sooner than expected since development is going well.

At first glance, Pragmata’s brand of action resembles the sort of cinematic science-fiction adventure that has become increasingly common in big-budget gaming over the last decade. But the deeper you dig into what the developer has shown so far,  it becomes apparent that Pragmata’s merits might just lie in its ability to combine familiar ideas rather than discarding them entirely. It doesn’t reinvent sci-fi from scratch, but remixes mechanics and character dynamics in a way that feels surprisingly rare in the current AAA landscape.

Many contemporary sci-fi games lean heavily into the element of grand spectacle with expansive futuristic cities, massive space structures, and sweeping cosmic skies dominating the genre. Games like Mass Effect, Cyberpunk 2077, and Starfield treat the player with enormous universes filled with lore and cinematic storytelling. Combat exists, of course, but it frequently serves the role of reinforcing the spectacle rather than fundamentally defining the experience. It works in their case because they lean more towards open-world exploration, so having a convincing world that’s filled with interesting scenery is an important aspect of the experience.

Pragmata, on the other hand, appears to take a different approach. From what has been revealed, the core hook centres on controlling two characters simultaneously: astronaut Hugh Williams and the mysterious, android-like girl Diana. Rather than allowing the player to simply walk through beautifully rendered environments while absorbing story beats, the focus is on constant mechanical engagement, where survival and progress depend on juggling multiple systems at once.

And that distinction matters, because most cinematic sci-fi adventures require players to spend significant stretches moving through spaces that are designed primarily for visual storytelling. Exploration often involves absorbing environmental details, listening to dialogue, and active elements of the experience, such as combat or player creativity, play second fiddle to these exploratory affairs. Pragmata’s early demonstrations suggest a rhythm that could feel much more interactive. Hacking isn’t merely an optional mechanic – it appears to be fundamental to both traversal and combat. Diana’s hacking interface overlays enemies with puzzle-like grids that must be manipulated quickly in order to weaken defenses or disable threats. Instead of separating narrative exploration from mechanical engagement, the game seems to blur those boundaries which should give the name a strong sense of ludonarrative resonance.

The combat design also hints at a different philosophy than that of straightforward action games. Most modern action titles are built around the fantasy of achieving total mastery, be it the stylish combos of in action games or the relentless aggression of first person shooters. Most games usually place the player in control of a single powerful avatar whose abilities grow stronger over time, and the challenge lies in learning that character’s tools and eventually dominating every encounter through speed, skill, or precision. Pragmata seems to pursue a more layered form of decision-making. Hugh provides mobility and conventional firepower, navigating the environment and fending off hostile machines. Diana, meanwhile, manipulates enemy systems through hacking mechanics that function almost like quick tactical puzzles layered on top of combat.

The resulting experience is where power doesn’t just come from raw aggression but rather coordination. Players won’t simply be reacting with reflexes; they’ll be splitting attention between movement, targeting, and system manipulation. That dual-character structure encounters are about juggling responsibilities rather than perfecting a single attack pattern. It’s the difference between controlling a lone warrior and orchestrating a partnership. In a genre where many games chase increasingly elaborate combat combos, that emphasis on layered coordination makes Pragmata stand out from the crowd.

The relationship between Hugh and Diana also sets the game apart from the way companion dynamics typically function in modern games. Companion characters are extremely common across contemporaries, but they often exist primarily to support the main protagonist as opposed to complementing or completing them. In The Last of Us, for example, Ellie enhances the emotional narrative while contributing occasional combat. Whereas other games, the companion provides little combat support and puzzle hints but the main characters remains the one who’s just slashing and thumping through monsters. These relationships are powerful storytelling devices, sure – but that companion rarely defines the structure of gameplay itself.

Pragmata appears to fix those criticisms with its approach to combat synergy. Diana isn’t simply there for narrative texture or occasional assistance, but her abilities form the backbone of how the game functions. Without her hacking capabilities, Hugh would struggle to bypass enemy defenses or manipulate the environment effectively. That makes the partnership feel less like a protagonist with a junior helper and more like two halves of a single system. The emotional bond between the characters could still play a major role in the story, but mechanically speaking – Diana may be just as essential as Hugh.

Another intriguing aspect of Pragmata’s design lies in how it might fuse puzzle mechanics with action. Many games keep these elements separate for the sake of clarity. A player might spend one section fighting enemies, then enter a quiet room where the challenge shifts to solving environmental puzzles. This structure works well because it provides a clear distinction – moments of high-intensity tension followed by moments of low-intensity reflection. However, it can also make puzzle-solving feel like a break from the core gameplay rather than an extension of it.

Pragmata seems to take a more integrated approach here as well. The hacking interface shown in trailers appears directly during combat encounters, forcing players to think strategically even as they deal with incoming threats. Instead of pausing the action to solve a puzzle, players must quickly manipulate hacking nodes while maintaining awareness of their surroundings. That creates a hybrid rhythm where success not only depends on just aim and timing but also on how quickly players can interpret patterns and choose the right hacking route which sounds rather fresh in a sea of homogenized combo-based combat systems.

The tone of the game also distinguishes it from many other mysterious sci-fi projects. Science fiction games often lean toward philosophical abstraction, presenting complex themes through cryptic storytelling or dense lore. Titles like Death Stranding or Control embrace ambiguity and metaphor as central pillars of their narratives, and they can often flood the player with oodles of codex entries and explanatory cutscenes (looking at you Hideo Kojima) to make some sense out of this world.

Pragmata certainly appears mysterious, but its core narrative hook feels more immediate and grounded. You see, our protagonists, Hugh and Diana, find themselves stranded in a lunar research facility after an apparent catastrophe, and their goal is simple: make it back to Earth. That urgency provides a clear goal, where the characters are navigating an unfolding crisis that demands action instead of exploring an abstract mystery for hours on end. The mystery of what happened on the Moon still looms large, but it obviously plays second fiddle to the immediate objective of getting out alive.

And having that streamlined focus on not overtly stretching out the world and forcing lore upon the player is great because of two primary reasons. The first is obviously because the combat is the star of the show, so everything apart from that should obviously just exist to enable that mechanic. And secondly,  the developer that’s exactly known to do well in lore-heavy situations. It’s best titles Resident Evil or Street Fighter do have long and complex lore, but ask most fans and they would probably not be all that fond of those stories due to corny dialogues and stretched out character arcs.

It’s also important to note that there’s also a lot of risk involved in launching a new IP of this scale – especially when business sense suggests relying on recognisable formulas, but Pragmata appears to resist that instinct. Its central mechanic – balancing action combat with real-time hacking puzzles while controlling two characters doesn’t neatly align with any single genre template. Instead, it sits somewhere between action, puzzle solving, and narrative adventure. That hybrid identity is inviting to fans, and that’s an important factor that could help Pragmata carve out a unique space for itself in the market.

Of course, uniqueness alone doesn’t guarantee success. For Pragmata’s design to resonate with players, its systems must feel intuitive and satisfying rather than overwhelming. Balancing dual-character mechanics while maintaining the fast pace of an action game is no small challenge. The hacking interface must remain readable even in chaotic encounters, and the relationship between Hugh’s mobility and Diana’s hacking abilities must feel natural rather than cumbersome. It’s a careful balancing act, but if the developer manages to strike that balance – this could be a huge breakout hit.

What ultimately makes Pragmata so intriguing is that it doesn’t rely on a single gimmick to stand out. Its potential is all about how multiple ideas intersect. Each of these supposedly unique elements might exist individually in other games, but their combination creates something that feels rather fresh and showcasing that strong sense of ludonarrative resonance is an extremely rare occurence in the current AAA landscape.

If Pragmata ultimately delivers on the promise suggested by its early footage, it could become one of the most distinctive science fiction experiences in recent years. And in a market crowded with sequels and predictable formulas, that willingness to experiment may be exactly what allows Pragmata to stand apart and hopefully end up being one of the year’s biggest hits.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

As outlined by producer Ryozo Tsujimoto in a new Developer Message video, these are “extremely powerful versions of monsters” that will appear in the field, providing “even more challenging battles.” You should only tackle them at Rider level 90 or higher and bring the “strongest Monsties and strategies to defeat them. We hope this will push your skills to the limit! This free update is planned for release this Summer.”

Those hungering for even more content can also look forward to a “potential earlier release date” for the Additional Side Story: Rudy DLC. Development is “progressing well”, and Capcom plans to “share additional info” in the future.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. It focuses on a new protagonist in a world where a condition known as the Crystal Encroachment threatens to destroy Azuria and Vermeil, two kingdoms at odds. Alongside new monsters like Ibushi, Narwa, Ajaraka, Malzeno, and Arkveld, it features a new system where players can restore habitats and raise mutant variations of monsters.

While sales figures haven’t been shared yet, the role-playing game has resonated well with critics as the PlayStation 5 version has an 86 Metascore based on 57 reviews. You can check out our opinions here – we gave it an eight out of ten, praising the narrative, world design and exploration.

The PC version of Resident Evil Requiem got some extra love in the update, with it bringing in fixes for crashes and visual glitches that could occur when players were running on a machine with certain GPU driver versions. All versions also got fixes for bugs that could block player progression in certain scenarios.

Resident Evil Requiem was released just last month, and since then, has gone on to see incredible success. Capcom announced earlier this month that it had already sold more than 6 million copies across all platforms. Launch day was also a hit for the PC release, with a peak concurrent player count of over 340,000, shattering the previous record holder, Resident Evil 4 Remake, which saw 168,191 concurrent players on launch.

A sales report from earlier this week, courtesy of Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, has revealed that Resident Evil Requiem has become the best-selling game in the US for 2026. In his report, Piscatella noted that its launch-week dollar sales were 60 percent higher than the previous mainline entry—Resident Evil Village.

Resident Evil Requiem revolves around the stories of two protagonists—Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy. Grace, an FBI agent, is sent to investigate a hotel where a series of gruesome murders happened. She runs into Victor Gideon, however, and gets embroiled in a larger plot involving the legacy of the Umbrella Corporation and its founder. Leon, on the other hand, is suffering from a mysterious infection following 1998’s Raccoon City Incident, and is investigating similar murders for answers.

Gameplay in Resident Evil Requiem revolves around offering two contrasting styles—horror-oriented exploration and puzzle solving for Grace, and fast-paced action for Leon. Players get to play both characters over the course of the story, with appropriate moments giving us the chance to see what the other has been doing. In our review, we gave Resident Evil Requiem a score of 9 out of 10 thanks to its success in blending two distinct styles of gameplay and excellent level design, while criticising some narrative stumbles in its final hours.

As for the future, Capcom has already confirmed that a story expansion in the works, along with a mini-game. While the company didn’t offer too many details, the mini-game is expected to be similar to the franchise’s traditional The Mercenaries mode. “We’re hard at work on it now,” said the company. “It will take some time, so we ask for your patience and hope you’ll look forward to it.”

Rumors, on the other hand, have indicated that the story DLC might revolve around Leon, and might also bring in Ada Wong.

Devil May Cry 5 getting a Switch 2 release wouldn’t be too surprising, since the company has been bringing its games to Nintendo’s relatively new console for some time now. Its recent releases on the platform include Resident Evil Requiem and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. The upcoming Pragmata is also coming to the Switch 2. Its rating was spotted by Gematsu on the website for the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee. However, at the time of writing, the page seems to have been taken down. Devil May Cry 5 was originally released on PC, PS4 and Xbox One back in 2019, followed by a Special Edition release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2020. Capcom had also confirmed, as of May 2025, that Devil May Cry 5 had sold more than 10 million copies.

The ratings for Hell Is Us and Blood West were spotted on the website for the US-based Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Both titles have gotten a Mature 17+ rating. The page for Hell Is Us cites blood, drug references, strong language, suggestive themes and violence. The one for Blood West, on the other hand, cites blood and gore, partial nudity, use of alcohol and tobacco, and violence. While both games may have been rated for release, it is still unknown when they will actually come out on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Of the three titles, Hell Is Us is the most recent release, having come out just last year. In our review, we described it as part “Souls-like, mostly action-adventure” that melds the horrors of war with supernatural horrors thanks to an event known as the Calamity. We gave the launch version of the title a score of 7 out of 10 thanks to its realistic depiction of a civil war with uncomfortable sights and well-designed dungeons paired with fast-paced and responsive combat. Our main criticisms revolved around a lack of variety in enemy types, as well as a lack of interesting boss fights.

Blood West was released back in 2023, and melds in elements of the weird west sub-genre of horror with gameplay closer to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. We gave the title a score of 8 out of 10 in our review thanks to its atmosphere, core gameplay, and the variety offered by its progression systems. Our major criticisms revolved around its levels feeling too similar to each other, along with a steep difficulty curve that starts off much harder than it should have. Ultimately, we recommended it for fans of the stealth genre as well as the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise.

“For Pragmata, we set the premise as ‘a fake New York generated by AI,’” said Cho (via machine translation). “When familiar locations appear, players can relate more easily. On top of that, to make it clear that this isn’t the real New York, we wanted something slightly distorted.” It is worth noting that the environment was made by human developers.

“It mirrors reality, but its unique appeal comes from the setting errors and how they feel out of place, such as taxis sinking into floors, or buses sprouting from walls. Although the premise is that it generated by AI, actually, our human developers painstakingly worked to incorporate mechanisms that express this AI-like uncanny feel,” explained Oyama.

Cho went on to reveal how much effort went into the “AI errors”, since developers would have to manually create them while also making sure to strike a balance between being visually interesting and not distracting for players. “Distortion is when something takes a shape that people have never seen before, and things unseen before are considered unique. But if the shapes are too unusual, players might think they’re related to puzzles or that the terrain has some hidden meaning. Balancing distortion to be both unique and merely background was difficult,” he said.

Cho has previously spoken about the development of Pragmata, and how difficult it was for the studio to design android companion Diana.

“When creating a game, you are faced with various regulations, so there are certain barriers that somewhat restrict your expression,” he said. “We really wanted to pack Diana’s character with many different expressions that would only be possible precisely because she is an android and not a living, breathing human. But we ended up going through a lot of struggles, even when it comes to her visual design.”

He brought up the manga character Arale from the late Akira Toriyama’s gag series Dr. Slump as an example of a typical depiction of an android character. However, Pragmata‘s Diana couldn’t do any of the things that Arale was capable of, like detaching her head from her body to carry it around. “It’s really difficult to pull off more straightforward expressions like, for example, how Arale-chan from Dr. Slump literally carries her head off her body,” he said.

Pragmata is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2 on April 17th. A free demo for the game is available on all platforms. A recent report has indicated that there is plenty of excitement for the title, with 2 million players having wishlisted it. The demo has also been quite successful, having been downloaded 2 million times.