One such individual is the Gilded Lament, a new World Boss. Revealed in a trailer that mixes live-action with some brief gameplay, it showcases a ghostly individual who composes seemingly endless poetry. The line “One last verse for no one” is as cryptic as such teases go, but in combat, those prose-filled scrolls serve as her means to attack.

She can also turn into pure energy and crash to the ground, dealing area-of-effect damage before materialising. There isn’t much of her tactics showcased, but that could be Everstone Studio saving the best parts for players to experience firsthand.

Where Winds Meet’s The Imperial Palace expansion launches on May 28th for PS5, PC, iOS, and Android. Check out some more gameplay here. Of course, the development team has plenty more in store this Summer, including a new weapon type in the Gauntlets, the ability to customize your own homestead, animal companions, and even a new co-op mode for five players.

There’s the cat who seems like a master of his martial arts, whom we suspect might be the one to bestow the new Gauntlet weapon upon us after his defeat. We’re hoping it’s a friendly fight – it would be a shame to harm a creature so regal, after all.

We also get glimpses of a slap contest in action, as well as our protagonist getting in a bit of relaxing me time, fishing at a pond. Of course, that moment of respite is short-lived, and there are some formidable foes out to bring your journey through the palace to an abrupt end. They wield their weapons and arts with exceptional skill, but to those of you who have mastered the game’s combat, the challenge is likely to be the main draw (aside from the potential rewards).

We loved this short but exciting glimpse of what The Imperial Palace is set to offer when it launches on May 28th.

Average PC players per day in the past year reached 461,000 (with almost half on tModLoader), peaking at 1.4 million. Your average fan has put in 101 hours and 18 minutes on the platform, but mod enjoyers are just as enthusiastic, with 89 hours and 52 minutes on average.

While update 1.4.6 is on the way, Re-Logic seems well and truly done with proclaiming its next update as the last, with even more support to come. “How that will work and what those entail will be shared as we go along. You will want to stay tuned for that!” it said on Steam.

“Beyond that, we have other plans and ideas that we will share when the time is right, but suffice to say that the world of Terraria remains and will remain vibrant and alive for as long as we have anything to say about it! Here’s to 15 more years… and beyond!”

If you’re thinking about diving back in, or perhaps trying it out for the first time, you’ll be pleased to know that a physical 15th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is on the way, with pre-orders likely to open up in June and a release date next year. The included items remain to be properly revealed, but a model of the player’s heart and a figure of what could be the infamous Moon Lord are seemingly included.

So what can fans expect? Firstly, the titular Imperial Palace spans one million square meters. In fact, it’s “comparable in scale to the massive city of Kaifeng,” per the developer, with 3,000 NPCs. Some of its features include dual-season landscapes (with Spring and Winter showcased); palace chases with wall-running and rooftop parkour; and even slapping competitions.

A new weapon type, Gauntlets, is also being added this Summer alongside homesteads in Qinghe (late June) and animal companions. A new co-op-focused mode, Martial Path Domain, with multiple floors, designed for teams of five players, is also inbound. Meanwhile, the Perception Forest will receive a new map mode in the second half of 2026 focused on treasure hunting through “ruins and dark alleys.”

In the meantime, The Imperial Palace is looking like a massive new addition to the game, especially as players encounter various factions and attempt to unravel the conspiracies. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks, including the release date.

“Synonymous” is stretching it, though. After all, Wuthering Waves, Genshin Impact and even Hotta Studio’s own Tower of Fantasy – the proverbial three-headed dragon meme given shape – are known for packing their games with content. Sure, their themes still ring true, but far be it from the odd cooking, racing, hunting, rhythm, tower defense and whatnot to slip through in (mostly) noncanonical events.

That said, NTE: Neverness to Everness, for all its flippancy, does have a bent. Urban fantasy, but not post-apocalyptic like Zenless Zone Zero. Instead, it opts for a more paranormal/paranatural playground, where Anomalies run the gamut. It’s all the BAC’s CSU can do to ensure they things don’t end up FUBAR, and if the destruction is any more widespread (and foggy), it’d have to be called Hellsalem’s Lot. It’s a potent combination – one where nondescript, near futuristic tech can meet mystical abilities that defy expectation – but does it have staying power?

"For all these hiccups during the main story quest, however, I was surprised at the writing for the side activities, especially when investigating different Anomalies and how you can select different tones for your final report."

As someone who didn’t like pre-overhaul Tower of Fantasy (and outright laughed at hearing how the post-overhaul went), I have to credit NTE for hitting the ground running almost immediately. Summoned to the scene of a Class 7 Anomaly – which irreversibly transforms those who so much as sneak a glance – you immediately control three members of the CSU, getting a feel for the controls while unleashing all manner of destruction. However, the star of the show is you – or rather, the protagonist, Esper Zero – who suddenly shows up and helps to stabilize the Anomaly by looking at it. Things take a turn when another Anomaly shows up, seemingly hostile to our hero.

What happens ultimately forms the crux of the story because, Zero doesn’t remember anything aside from being at Ghroth Island, which is in charge of detention, before suddenly hanging off a building in the middle of this storm. With several weeks having passed, they accept a binding contract with the CSU to investigate in the hopes that it will lead to more answers. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement – one that sees them sent to Hethereau for some groundwork at an antiques store that serves as a front.

As far as premises go, it’s surprisingly intriguing, especially when you get a front row seat to containing a relatively low-level Anomaly. The writing, however, has left me a bit torn. On the one hand, it leans into the over-the-top antics and habits you’ve seen in ZZZ without going all the way (the plucky Mint is the most standout example). It’s packed with jargon from the get-go, but it doesn’t feel too overwhelming, steadily easing you into the world and balancing the seriousness with enough levity. The presentation also mostly helps, as it flows from cinematic cutscenes to in-game dialogue exchanges without skipping a beat, to say nothing of the jumps between paranatural spaces.

That said, some characters aren’t as interesting as others, and there’s one that tends to be fairly grating, bordering on an active detriment to the story as a whole. Certain conversations also feel like they’re lost in translation – like Zero revealing they never visited Hethereau before, leading to Mint…insulting the city? Even the MC seemed confused at that response. Overall, it won’t blow your mind, but the storytelling, quirks and all, complements the experience more than you would think.

For all these hiccups during the main story quest, however, I was surprised at the writing for the side activities, especially when investigating different Anomalies and how you can select different tones for your final report. The latter doesn’t really affect the gameplay in any meaningful way, but it’s a nice little detail to everything else.

"Wandering around a city and investigating these occurrences is fun, and the generous amount of stamina ensures that you can scale entire skyscrapers without too much trouble (even if the climbing animations could use some more polish and less awkwardness)."

Speaking of details, Hethereau is brimming with them, though you shouldn’t expect anything on the level of a Grand Theft Auto. Yes, you can requisition cars from citizens and stop crimes, not to mention visit restaurants, earn passive income through businesses, buy properties, and even acquire different vehicles to cruise around in. But it’s all filtered through the usual game progression. Whether you’re investigating Anomalies, completing side quests, or maintaining the peace, everything awards currency and upgrade materials. Resolving Commissions contributes to your Hunter level, which offers even more rewards and subsequently allows for breaking past a character’s level cap.

It’s all standard fare – even the Console that every character carries, despite the Tetris-like method for arranging pieces, still relies on the set bonus system that you’ve seen many times over. This isn’t to say that NTE doesn’t offer its own unique twists (and I’m not just talking about screwing up, going to prison, and discovering all the ways to escape). Because Anomalies form such a core part of the gameplay loop, they can lead to some very interesting scenarios. You might wander into a floating object and fight off several enemies before claiming its prize. Street graffiti could transform into an attacker before bursting out of the wall for round 2. A box will constantly keep unboxing, building an impromptu tower that you need to scale to contain it.

Wandering around a city and investigating these occurrences is fun, and the generous amount of stamina ensures that you can scale entire skyscrapers without too much trouble (even if the climbing animations could use some more polish and less awkwardness). However, the “structured” side quests don’t really offer much depth – you’re kind of just going through the motions for the sake of rewards. It’s also admittedly odd to see the anime aesthetic collide with more realistic elements like cars, so much so that the latter feels out of place at times. Not that this is the most offensive thing about the aesthetics, but we’ll get to that. All in all, the open world, despite how gorgeous it can be at times, feels like it could do with some more cohesion and interactivity – the sheer degree of random NPC conversations and occasional events helps, but it’s only a start.

Combat is another core pillar of NTE, and on the surface, it can seemingly offer too much style and not enough substance. Which isn’t entirely accurate but also not completely wrong. You have the standard attack and combos, coupled with a special ability, an Ultimate, and a dodge. Perfect dodging ensures windows for counterattacks that can further break down an enemy’s stamina, and once fully broken, you have a brief window to pile on the damage. Parrying is performed by timing your blows as soon as an enemy’s glowing red attack lands, but simply using an ability while the red ring is active or swapping to an ally offers way more leeway. It’s pretty easy, admittedly, even if you’re working around cooldowns, but dodging everything else is still paramount.

"As responsive as it feels, the skill ceiling for combat is nowhere near the level of Wuthering Waves or ZZZ (or as exciting). Nevertheless, it more than gets the job done while offering enough additional depth for those who care."

Further adding to this mechanic are the Elemental Reactions, which combine elements to trigger different effects. Damage-over-time, bursts, and increased damage taken from certain types over a period are some of the more straightforward reactions. However, you can also slow a target or activate a temporary mini-turret that fires seeking projectiles. You can even stack reactions to achieve effects like Charge or Discord, which can grant Ultimate energy and further break an enemy, respectively. And if that wasn’t enough, characters have unique passives to bolster certain reactions even if they’re not on the field.

Will much of this matter except in end-game content (which isn’t all that much of a focus in the grand scheme of things) or for min-maxers? Probably not, and as responsive as it feels, the skill ceiling for combat is nowhere near the level of Wuthering Waves or ZZZ (or as exciting). Nevertheless, it more than gets the job done while offering enough additional depth for those who care.

Duplicates (known as Awakenings) are perhaps more valuable in NTE because of Resonance Effects. Collect three and suddenly, Nanally’s skill levels increase by one; nab all six and that’s an extra 15 percent damage for her. While I kind of like how the system makes lower-ranked units more potent, it feels like a trap to entice players to spend more on duplicates. It may seem all nice now with the freebies and limited roster, but once the meta shifts, as it always does in these types of games, you’re suddenly dealing with the prospect of having to obtain multiple copies of a character instead of just one and their signature weapon.

"The setting is unique and lends to some interesting activities; the overall visual fidelity and music are good (even with some very occasional performance hiccups); and the combat is solid."

As always, time will tell if Hotta Studio decides to lean in that direction. But if it needed to change anything, it’s probably better to focus more on its alleged AI-generated art, with at least one controversial billboard that feels less “inspired” by Weathering With You than outright AI-filtered. Various assets that appeared AI-generated were discovered during the closed beta, and even if the developer said it never used the tech for “core assets and character portraits” but rather for “atmospheric renderings” and “trial and error,” recent evidence isn’t too flattering. Even if it’s not outright confirmed, there are other issues and inconsistencies with the presentation, be it the lip-syncing for the English voices (which seems better in Japanese) or the choreography in certain combat scenes.

Despite all this, Neverness to Everness is far from the worst addition to the free-to-play action RPG genre. The setting is unique and lends to some interesting activities; the overall visual fidelity and music are good (even with some very occasional performance hiccups); and the combat is solid, even if it’s far from the biggest highlight. Notwithstanding Taygedo and potential AI-generated art – truly the two biggest hurdles in the history of gaming – it’s at least worth a try..

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

You can thank the hype around Control Resonant, among other factors, but Remedy also feels that it’s an “easy entry-point” into the universe and “expands our addressable audiences.” Alongside PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, it’s now playable on iPad and iPhone.

Other notable titles include Alan Wake 2, which continues to earn royalties (no update on its total sales, unfortunately), and contributes to “normal back-catalogue sales” alongside other titles in the franchise.

FBC: Firebreak received a courtesy mention with Remedy noting that server upkeep, which allows it to remain playable after its last major update, should “not incur significant costs.” Could it pivot down the line if it’s not worth the expense? Probably, but for now, enjoy the co-op shooter while it lasts.

Control Resonant still doesn’t have a release window, but it’s scheduled to launch this year on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It’s set more than seven years later, with the Federal Bureau of Control failing to maintain its lockdown, bringing calamity to Manhattan. With Jesse Faden missing, her brother Dylan steps up to potentially save humanity. You can learn more about how it’s handling New Game Plus here, or about some of the new threats, including a bus, here.

To reach the new region, players will have to complete the “Dasan Pass” quest part of the Liangzhou campaign, reach level 14, and complete the Qinghe Main Chapter: By Lamplight quest. Qinchuan has been described as a zone with rolling hills, grass, trees, clouds, and mountains, which “weave a splendid tapestry.”

The new region will also feature a host of its own new quests, including Qinchuan Lost Chapter – To Friends, to the End, which was unlocked with another update. Players will also get to explore a submerged city, and take on brand new challenges, like fishing, and a new world boss encounter where players face off against a pair of siblings.

The update has unlocked Lv. 114 Clarity for Solo Mode Level, and the character level cap has been raised to 95. Gear of tier 91 has been made available, with Tier 86 “Arsenal” replacing the previous Tier 86 gear.

Those who prefer multiplayer challenges can take on the Serpent’s Fang Sword Trial, designed for 5 players, at level 91. At the same level, Bloodstained Sands: Supreme has also become available for groups of 10 players.

A Training Terrace has been made live under Wandering Paths – Arena, which allows players to host their own custom rooms for combat and spectating. Hosts of these rooms have access to plenty of battle parameters, and for now, only supports 1v1 combat. More game modes for private rooms are planned for future updates.

Players keen on battling each other in groups will be able to use the Arena – Group Strategy mode with 3, 4, and 5-player modes. All matches are best-of-3, and there is even a unified ranking system.

Those who are new to Where Winds Meet can now catch up more quickly thanks to the introduction of the new Trace Jade currency by dismantling low-level development materials. The currency can be used for development resources like Howling Ore, Coin, and low-level Ebon Iron, among other things, in the Season Shop.

Where Winds Meet is available on PC, PS5, iOS, and Android.

Ubisoft has announced that this free-to-play looter shooter RPG is now available for download via the Ubisoft Store, and is included with Ubisoft+ in case you’re a subscriber. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up with it, you join your fellow buddies as Agents looking to prevent a potent threat from taking over New York, and it features tactical cover-based shooting, some great customization options, and battles that get quite intense very quickly.

It’s been out for a month on mobile platforms, and the addition of PCs to its list of available devices is sure to bring more Agents into the fold, and more Agents means more chaos on the streets. Its list of required specs is fairly generous, so you should be able to run it on your system without any problems for the most part.

Sadly, there’s still no word on The Division 3, but you can be sure that we’re going to shout about that one from the rooftops of New York as soon as it gets a release window.

We had a lot of fun with this one thanks to its intriguing narrative, bizarre premise, and excellent gameplay. Remedy has done some good work with the idea of Altered World Events and paranatural phenomena, and you’re going to be quite entertained whether you’re on the go or the couch. The Ultimate Edition has all the goodies from the pre-order exclusive rewards, which mostly include a few outfits, and both DLC – The Foundation and AWE.

It’s probably the best time to dive in since Control Resonant continues the story when it launches later this year. Although its gameplay might be a departure and the action moves beyond the Oldest House, it’s a good idea to have a grip on events in the original game. Having the option to blaze through it when you’re away from your consoles is definitely an advantage on that front.

Remedy is pretty emphatic that it “renders beautifully,” so you should get an experience that’s pretty close to the original. It’s on the App Store and is priced at $4.99 if you’re thinking of diving in.

Of course, it’s a given that players will explore new areas, especially since the Hexi Expansion was touted as offering almost 20 new sub-regions. There’s been a hefty helping of new bosses, especially in Chapter 2: Liangzhou, but the Heng Blade, a weapon focused primarily on counter-attacks, proved a solid equalizer.

Stay tuned for more details on what Qinchuan has to offer, be it in new activities, story missions or limited-time events. With players saying goodbye to Hexi, you would think that the next big content release is Imperial Palace.

Due sometime this year, we know next to nothing about the expansion, save for it featuring tense getaways, a marionette-like character that might be a new boss, and the dagger as a new weapon type. Given that it was announced at The Game Awards last December, perhaps we’ll get a release date at Summer Game Fest on June 5th.