When asked about the company’s plans for the Mega Man franchise going forward, the company noted that, while it can’t provide any additional information at this time, it still sees great value in the classic side-scrolling series. It did, however, confirm that it is looking at ways to further develop it.

“The Mega Man series is one of our most important IPs, and we are continuously considering ways to develop it further,” said the company when asked about its plans for the IP. “However, we do not have any additional information we can share at this time.”

In answering another question, Capcom also noted that it has seen quite a few inquiries when it came to merchandise related to Mega Man, especially in overseas markets outside of Japan. “While we do not disclose individual sales figures by IP, we receive a particularly high volume of inquiries about the Mega Man series from overseas markets,” the company explained. “We will continue to focus on expanding this business further.”

Mega Man is largely considered to be a dormant franchise because the last mainline entry was Mega Man 11 in 2018. Since then, the company’s efforts surrounding the franchise have largely revolved around making the back catalogue of Mega Man games playable on modern systems through remasters.

Interestingly, the company had spoken about Mega Man being an important IP for it last year as well in a similar way. In a shareholders meeting from July 2024, the company had similarly stated that “Mega Man is one of our highly-valued IPs and we are considering how to create games for it on an ongoing basis.”

It is worth noting, however, that the Mega Man franchise has still remained largely dormant. The most recent release was a remaster compilation of the Mega Man Battle Network series. So far, the company has seemed unsure of how to modernize the side-scroller for today’s audiences.

Back in 2023, the company had spoken about how it was still looking into how it can develop new games in the franchise. Along with gameplay, the company was also seemingly looking at new concepts, ideas, and other aspects.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, which came out back in 2023, has proven to be quite successful for the company in the meantime. It was confirmed in April 2023 that the collection had already sold more than 1 million copies. For more details, check out our review, where we gave it a score of 7 out of 10.

Tsuchiya isn’t just instrumental in Capcom’s latest fighting game. He was also the series producer for Mega Man following Keiji Inafune’s departure, working on all of the Legacy Collections and Mega Man 11. His most recent release is Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, which sold over one million units in less than two weeks.

Where the series goes from here, especially the live-service title Mega Man X DiVE, remains to be seen. It’s been some time since Capcom’s last major mainline title, so hopefully, there will be something announced. Stay tuned for more details and updates in the meantime.

Crucible Knight Ordovis – Elden Ring

The Crucible Knights are some of the most deceptively tough bosses in Elden Ring. They seem like your usual armored enemies and suddenly unleash ground stomps, sprout wings to rush you, and even attack with tails. So how annoying would it be to fight two at the same time? As it turns, very.

Crucible Knight Ordovis is tough enough on his own, and it doesn’t help that there’s a regular Crucible Knight with a spear that can deal immense damage even with basic attacks. It even has a grab that can chunk half your health. It’s hard to find an opening, and even when you defeat the regular Crucible Knight, Ordovis still deals tons of damage and will relentlessly unleash skills as his health dwindles.

Earlier this month, Capcom launched an enhanced and expanded compilation of all games in the tactical RPG series Mega Man Battle Network with Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, and it’s already sold impressive numbers. Taking to Twitter, the company announced that the collection has already sold over a million units across all platforms. That combines sales for both of the collection’s volumes.

In our review of the collection, we gave it a score of 7/10, saying, “Without question, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is the definitive way to play these beloved games. However, with that said, the worth of this compilation to you will come down to how much you value these games themselves.” Read the full review through here.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is available on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

『ロックマンエグゼ アドバンスドコレクション』Vol.1とVol.2を合わせた全世界での累計販売本数が100万本を突破しました！
皆さま応援ありがとうございます！
ゴールデンウィークは10タイトルを収録した「アドコレ」をたっぷり楽しんでください！
https://t.co/IWhiix3R3H #エグゼアドコレ pic.twitter.com/2Vo96QgzoI

— ロックマンシリーズ公式 (@ROCKMAN_UNITY) April 28, 2023

Like some Legacy Collections, it’s available in two Volumes, the first containing Mega Man Battle Network 1, 2 and 3 Blue/White. The second offers Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun/Blue Moon, Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Protoman/Team Colonel and Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar/Cybeast Falzar. You can also get both volumes in a bundle at a reduced price.

In terms of new features, there are online battles and chip trading, the new Buster Max Mode, which cranks up the Mega Buster’s damage, and the 499 Patch Cards previously exclusive to Japan from the fourth game onwards. You can also toggle a filter for the visuals, listen to all the music from the series and view over 1,000 art pieces in the Gallery. Check out our review here for more details.

That last one is what Mega Man Battle Network was. Yet another sub-series reinterpreting the mythos of Mega Man through a role playing lens, Battle Network was created in the wake of Pokemon’s explosive success, even though in terms of actual moment to moment gameplay, the two series end up diverging a fair bit.

"What chips you get in battle depend on which ones you found in the world (either by exploring, or by beating enemies) and equipped to your character."

Like Pokemon, however, Mega Man Battle Network was created for Nintendo handhelds – the GBA at the time. Like Pokemon, the releases came in dual, split versions (well, the later ones anyway; the first two were singular releases each); like Pokemon, the series involved a significant collection element. However, the similarities end there, and the actual structure and gameplay of the two IPs is much more different than a lot of impressions would have you believe.

The chief difference was, of course, in the battle system, which plays like a simplified tactical RPG, and mixes in some real-time elements into the mix as well. In battles, you have a specific, limited range of movement, as do your enemies, and other than a basic, weak attack always available to you, your abilities and powers are dictated by the chips you have on hand. You get to change your load out every turn (itself governed by a meter that fills up in real time), and depending on the chips you use, you can end up with buffs, debuffs, damage dealing attacks, heals, support moves, or some combination and variation of those. Multiple rules govern what kinds of chips you can use, and when – for example, ordinarily you can only use one chip per turn, but you can stack multiple chips together in the same turn if they are compatible (denoted by them having the same letter rating), or if you forego equipping any chips for a turn.

What chips you get in battle depend on which ones you found in the world (either by exploring, or by beating enemies) and equipped to your character. It sounds like a lot to keep track of (particularly for a kid friendly version of an already kid friendly franchise) but the games all come with an excellent (if, unfortunately, unskippable each time, no matter your past experience with the franchise) tutorial to make sure you’re fully caught up on what’s going on.

"All of these were, at a bare minimum, good games – there is no obviously weak link in the package here, unlike, for example, the classic Mega Man series, or the Mega Man X games, and while there are some games that are definitely less beloved than others, all six of these are solid, satisfying, and fun RPGs. "

There is also very little variation in the battle system across the six games (and the dual versions of the latter four), meaning you only really have to play some of one of them, and you’re set in all six. Oh, sure, there are some differences – the ability to run from battles without using a specific chip didn’t exist until the second game, for some reason, and later games try to add some wrinkles to the mix, such as a synchronicity meter for critical hits and a charge beam for your basic attack; but by and large, these games all play the same.

Which contributed to the sense of sameness that originally did these games in to begin with. Between 2001 and 2005, Capcom released six of these games, and all of them shared their battle system, the same characters, the same locations, and even a lot of the same plot beats and themes. All of these were, at a bare minimum, good games – there is no obviously weak link in the package here, unlike, for example, the classic Mega Man series, or the Mega Man X games, and while there are some games that are definitely less beloved than others (the original and the last game are both considered weaker than, for example, the third game, which is a fan favorite), all six of these are solid, satisfying, and fun RPGs (albeit ones that should really not be played back to back). Their strong 16-bit art style and aesthetic, their strong soundtrack, their aforementioned unique battle system, and even their surprisingly prescient stories foreseeing the rise of smartphones and a constantly connected society (as well as the accompanying cybercrime that comes with that territory) all make playing at least one of them very much worth it for RPG or Mega Man fans.

It helps that the Legacy Collection itself seems to be a pretty good compilation of these games too. All the original games are emulated extremely well, with players also getting the option to play them through a high res filter that smooths out the look (why you would do that, I don’t know, but you can), the option to change the borders when you are playing, an optional “Max Buster” mode that greatly increases your damage and can be turned on or off at any time (except for during online battles, where it remains off), an art gallery, a music player, all the special tie-in and event cards that the original games had, and both versions of each game. In quite literally every way possible, this compilation is the definite way to play these games (unless you really prefer playing your games on original hardware, in which case good luck hunting down a GBA and a copy of all ten games included in here, I guess). 

"In quite literally every way possible, this compilation is the definite way to play these games."

Which means it comes down to the quality of the ten games (well, six, with four variations) included here; as mentioned, these are all, at bare minimum, good, and at their best, very good games. They are, however, very similar, and even though you get all of them in one go, you really would be advised to treat this as a multi-month, if not multi-year, long project. Not because the games are long (usually they take 15-30 hours to finish, meaning even the longest one would be on the shorter side for an RPG today), but because playing them without a break is the easiest and most effective way I can think of to get yourself to hate these games. And/or yourself.

These games aren’t great. They don’t hit the purity of design that Mega Man classic has, the fluidity and exciting kinetic dynamism that Mega Man X has, or the sheer highs that Mega Man Legends has. They are the Saturday morning adaptation equivalent (of a property that was already like a Saturday morning cartoon to begin with). You will like them, but they’re a bit like strongly scented vanilla ice cream. It makes an impression, but not nearly enough for you to try and parse the nuances to its flavour. 

But they are good – and this collection is the best way to play them, and a loving and reverential homage to them, adding a whole bunch of cool concessions and goodies without diluting the spirit of the original games. If you like Mega Man, get this collection. If you like RPGs, get this collection and play at least one of these games (preferably 3). You’re not going to fall in love, but you’re going to have a good time – and if you end up playing all the games over time, you’ll have a lot of it for a very low price of entry as well.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

Everspace 2

In early access since January 2021, Everspace 2 is finally getting its full release for PC. Taking an open-world space combat approach compared to the original, it sees protagonist Adam Roslin returning to explore Cluster 34. It can get pretty chaotic due to rival factions and gangs, and new high-risk, high-reward areas encourage more dangerous tasks for that sweet loot.

Everspace 2 was already pretty big when early access began, but it’s grown significantly with new ships, loot, systems, missions, activities and story missions. More enemies, bosses, equipment, customisation, and the final star system, Khione, are also coming. Story-focused players dabbling in the side quests will take roughly 30 hours, but if you explore everywhere, rack up reputation bonuses and do everything, that’s about 90 hours of gameplay to look forward to. With how well received the early access version has been, we can’t wait to see how the full release performs.

EA Sports PGA Tour

Suffering a slight delay for the sake of polish, EA Sports PGA Tour is out on April 7th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Offering 30 courses and playable golfers like Im Sung-jae, Cameron Champ and Lexi Thompson, there are 20 shot types to master, backed by features like Pure Strike, with golf swings mirroring real life. Course Dynamics ensure various environmental factors influence ball behavior and that no two courses are the same.

This is all in addition to the Career Mode, where you create a character and work up to the pro level. Will it be enough to counter the addition of John Cena to rival PGA Tour 2K23? Time will tell, but as the first PGA Tour game from EA Sports since 2015, it has much to live up to.

Minecraft Legends

What if you took Minecraft’s crafting, world design and memorable mobs, fused them with action strategy gameplay and added a story about world-ending threats? That’s Minecraft Legends, developed by Mojang and Blackbird Interactive of Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak fame. As the hero, players explore the Overworld and rally other mobs like zombies, wolves, Creepers and whatnot to fight for them against the Nether’s piglins.

Along with running around and fighting, you can issue commands to your units to attack, build structures and much more. The aesthetic and unique mob designs will appeal to long-time fans, and there looks to be a strong amount of replay value thanks to co-op and competitive multiplayer. Minecraft Legends arrives on April 18th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, and will also be playable on day one on Game Pass.

Dead Island 2

Dead Island 2 releases on April 21st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, something we wouldn’t have believed a year ago. Stuck in development hell for the better part of its lifespan, the first-person action RPG focuses on six Slayers struggling to survive and escape from post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. There are famous landmarks to visit and hordes of zombies to fight, but you can craft and modify weapons to gain an edge.

What sets the sequel apart is the lack of an open world, the new Skill Deck for customizing and swapping out different builds on the fly, and the new FLESH System. Now you can slaughter zombies in ways that look and feel natural, whether it’s breaking jaws or melting skin. Even with a 20-hour or so playtime, three-player co-op, collectibles, and side quests provide enough incentive to return.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

A lot has changed in the five years for Cal Kestis. Now a full-fledged Jedi Knight, he’s fighting against the Empire at every turn with little hope of winning. However, things are taking a turn as a mysterious new Jedi emerges, an Imperial Senator seeks a “dangerous deal,” and new allies emerge. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a bigger game than Fallen Order in almost every way.

New enemies are available, from Separatist Droids to massive creatures. Five Lightsaber Stances with new abilities and new Force Powers are also available. If you enjoyed the first game even a bit, then Star Wars Jedi: Survivor should be on your radar when it releases on April 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Road 96: Mile 0

Some will probably remember Road 96 as a procedurally generated adventure game with alternating routes against the backdrop of unrest in Petria. Road 96: Mile 0 is a prequel that takes a more hand-crafted narrative approach, focusing on the relationship between Zoe and Kaito. Alternating back and forth between the two, players learn how they met, and their vastly different circumstances as Petria’s more harrowing side is revealed.

The biggest new feature is the musical segments, as we explore the inner worlds of both characters, dodging obstacles and traveling down a surreal path while making choices. Road 96: Mile 0 is out on April 4th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened

A remake of Frogwares’ 2007 adventure game, Sherlock Holmes The Awakened sees the famed detective and his cohort John Watson versus the Cthulhu Mythos. While investigating mysterious disappearances, the duo will venture to locations like Switzerland, the wetlands of Louisiana and much more to discover the truth. The visuals and animations are vastly improved thanks to Unreal Engine, and there are new side missions, storyline content and much more to experience.

However, the most intriguing aspect will be how Sherlock’s sanity is affected by the events and the impact on investigations as the storyline proceeds. We’ll find out when Sherlock Holmes The Awakened arrives on April 11th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores

Like Horizon Zero Dawn and The Frozen Wilds, Forbidden West is getting a paid expansion with Burning Shores. It takes place in an archipelago formed in the ruins of Los Angeles, where volcanic eruptions and tremors are commonplace. Aloy must investigate a new threat, with trailers confirming an encounter with an awakened Metal Devil.

Almost no gameplay has been showcased for the $20 expansion, which is out exclusively for PS5 on April 19th (due to the PS4 being unable to handle it). However, Guerrilla Games has promised new stories, characters and Machines to fight along with “highly detailed” environments. You’ll need to finish the base game’s story first, so get that out of the way before jumping in.

Stray Blade

505 Games’ Stray Blade doesn’t have tons of hype behind it, which is crazy given how smooth the combat and art-style look. The action-adventure game is set in Acrea, the Lost Valley, and how you find it, die and are somehow resurrected. Now trapped, you must explore the region and overcome powerful enemies while learning more about its mysteries.

By honing skills, unlocking new talents and gaining abilities from the entities that ruled Acrea, players can expand their combat options. Of course, you’ll discover new weapons, materials and recipes while exploring, as your choices can affect the world. Stray Blade arrives on April 20th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Bramble: The Mountain King

Inspired by Nordic folklore and fables, Bramble: The Mountain King is about Olle, who embarks on a quest to save his sister. The task is easier said than done as various entities roam the land, many hostile and larger than Olle. A special fragment called the Spark of Courage can help even the odds, but “courage without kindness” is implied to lead to a “dark path.” Bramble: The Mountain King is out on April 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

Fans of the underrated Mega Man Battle Network series – the time has finally come, as it gets the Legacy Collection treatment. Releasing on April 14th for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection consists of two volumes. The first contains Mega Man Battle Network 1, 2 and 3 (with Blue and White being separate versions). The second offers Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun and Blue Moon, Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Protoman and Team Colonel, and Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar and Cybeast Falzar.

You can pick up both volumes as part of a package deal, but that’s not all. It also includes all 499 patch cards previously exclusive to Japan, 15 chips available from events, an art gallery with over 1000 items to view, 188 songs from the series to listen to in the music player, and even a 3D MegaMan for menu navigation. That’s not including online NetBattles and Trade, a High-Resolution Filter, and Buster Max Mode, which increases the power of Buster Shots.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox

If you’re interested in a different kind of Lovecraftian mystery, The Last Case of Benedict Fox may be worth checking out. The Metroidvania title sees detective Benedict Fox and his demon companion venturing into a mansion to investigate a couple’s murder and the fate of their missing child. Fox can venture into the minds of the deceased, exploring vivid areas formed by memories and emotions, to obtain testimonies.

However, the mansion also has its share of secrets to uncover. As you explore areas, there will be plenty of monsters, human and non-human, to fight with firearms, melee weapons and demonic powers. With a gorgeous art style and accompanying jazz score, The Last Case of Benedict Fox looks to be an intriguingly dark adventure. It’s out on April 27th for PC and Xbox Series X/S, along with Game Pass.

TRON: Identity

Bithell Games’ latest visual novel-style narrative adventure is set in the TRON universe, more specifically in a brand new Grid where a strange crime has occurred. Something has been taken, and as a detective program Query, it’s your job to find out who’s responsible. Speak to different programs to learn more about them, defrag Identity Discs to complete puzzles and learn the truth, and make decisions that could lead to various endings. Who you choose to doubt, trust or derezz is all up to you when TRON: Identity launches on April 11th for PC and Nintendo Switch.

Ghostwire: Tokyo (Xbox Series X/S)

Tango Gameworks has found success with Hi-Fi Rush on Xbox Series X/S, and on April 12th, it brings first-person action-adventure Ghostwire: Tokyo to the platform. Also available for Game Pass at launch, it’s set in Tokyo, which has undergone a supernatural transformation rendering most of its population into Spirits. As Akito, possessed by the spirit K.K., players must take down the hostile Visitors and stop the mysterious Hanya.

A new big update, The Spider’s Thread, is out on the same day for all platforms. It adds a new rogue-lite mode, tasking players with fighting through a 30-stage gauntlet. There are also new areas, quests and story scenes, along with new Visitors to battle and new skills, like dodging and Charged Strike.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

As someone with a love-hate relationship with Monster Hunter, Sunbreak is essential for any fan of Monster Hunter Rise. It’s out on April 28th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5, and features tons of new content, as players venture to a new region and Elgado Outpost to investigate The Three Lords.

The expansion introduces Master Rank Quests, providing even tougher challenges and rewards like higher rarity armor and stronger skills. Along with brand new monsters like Malzeno, an Elder Dragon, there are returning monsters from previous games like Espinas, Seregios, Astalos, Gore Magala and Shagaru Magala. New Follower quests allow solo hunters to battle alongside NPCs and unlock some cool armor and weapons.

More than anything, the end-game is significantly expanded thanks to Anomaly Investigations. Add the extensive post-launch support, including the addition of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’s Velkhana, and there’s more than enough to keep Xbox and PlayStation players happy (or raging) until the next Title Update.

Capcom also released the new Buster Max Mode for the game, for those looking for a more bombastic and easy-going experience. It essentially makes your Buster weapons a hundred times more powerful than their ordinary level. Meanwhile, it’s also been confirmed that the collection will also feature 499 Patch Cards, which were previously only available in Japan. From Mega Man Battle Network 4 onward, these cards will be usable in every game.

Other features have also been confirmed, such as a toggle for higher resolution visuals, an in-game music player that will feature over 180 music tracks from all Battle Network games, and over a thousand art pieces to peruse in the art gallery.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection launches on April 14 for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

Resident Evil 4 could see the announcement and release of the “special demo,” providing a look at the remake ahead of release. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection may see new gameplay and a possible demo, while Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak’s next Title Update could be announced. It’s also possible that the expansion gets a release date for Xbox and PlayStation players.

The re-release of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective should receive more details on its new features. Finally, we should get the latest information on Exoprimal, potentially for the open beta which recently leaked via the PlayStation Network. Stay tuned for further updates.

The trailer reveals the much-awaited online multiplayer for Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection—namely Private Match and Public Match. As their names would imply, Private Match allows players to play Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection online with their friends. Public Match, on the other hand, allows for ranked matches, complete with rankings and progression.

The trade feature is also shown off, allowing for three options: Chip Trade, Style Trade, and Program Trade. Chip Trade lets players trade their Battle Chips among each other. Style Trade allows for players to exchange cosmetic items. Program Trade allows for players to get their hands on passive bonuses that make Mega Man stronger.

Finally, the trailer shows off the Compare options, featuring Compare Libraries and Compare Records. The names are fairly self-explanatory, with Compare Library allowing players to show off their Battle Chips to each other, and Compare Records allowing players to compare their boss deletion times with other players.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection has kicked off pre-orders, and will be coming to PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch on April 14.