Games

Just a month after its launch, ARC Raiders added the Stella Montis map. This research facility, built into a mountainside in a post-apocalyptic Italy, features a complex layout of winding hallways and tight spaces, making it a hotspot for player-versus-player combat. To add to the challenge, Stella Montis also introduced the Shredder, a dangerous new enemy unique to this map—though the developers at Embark Studios suggest it might appear on other maps in the future.

Queen’s Blood is a collectible card game within Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth played on a board with three rows and five columns. Players build 15-card decks and strategically place cards to control spaces and score points in each row. Each card has a strength and specific placement rules. Players take turns trying to capture tiles, strengthen their own rows, and hinder their opponent. Winning a row means adding those points to your score, and some cards also have special abilities that can help you or hurt your opponent. You earn new cards and improve your rank by defeating other players in the game throughout Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, making it a deep and satisfying mini-game. While it already feels incredibly polished, the developer, Hamaguchi, promises even further improvements in the next installment.

Players were excited when Highguard, a new free-to-play shooter from the creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall, was revealed at The Game Awards 2025. Since then, there’s been very little news about the game. It looks like we’re finally getting some updates, but they might come very close to the game’s release date.

Just a few months after its release in October 2025, Pokemon Legends: Z-A quickly became a top-selling game for the Switch 2. In Japan, over one million physical copies of Pokemon Legends: Z-A: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition were sold, putting it alongside other popular games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. While the original Switch version of Pokemon Legends: Z-A has sold over 1.5 million copies in Japan since its release, the new version made Pokemon Legends: Z-A the second best-selling Nintendo game in late December 2025, only behind Mario Kart World.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting a series focused on Maul ever since he appeared in Clone Wars, and now it’s finally happening thanks to Dave Filoni. While the first trailer for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord was short on details, longtime fans have already seen enough to build excitement.

The movie Return to Silent Hill was promoted as a close adaptation of Silent Hill 2. However, as a long-time fan of the series, I found significant changes in the film that altered the story’s original meaning. It’s perhaps more accurate to say the movie captures the spirit of the Silent Hill series as a whole, drawing inspiration from various games, including the original 2001 game and the recent 2024 remake. It clearly incorporates elements from across the entire series.

Even without knowing the game’s backstory, Beast of Reincarnation looks promising. It’s an action RPG starring a woman named Emma and her dog, Koo, and it feels like a fast and exciting fantasy adventure. They’re on a journey to save a futuristic world from destruction. While there are many games like this, Beast of Reincarnation might stand out. Early signs suggest its gameplay could be as innovative and impactful as the game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Only time will tell if that proves to be true.

Luffy is a fantastic and compelling main character, often considered a perfect protagonist. However, several other anime leads are just as strong, and some might even be better. Here’s a look at those characters who rival or surpass Monkey D. Luffy.

Fans have definitely noticed that the Pokémon TCG developers, Creatures Inc. and DeNA, are listening to player feedback. The release schedule for new Pokémon sets has slowed down since the game’s first anniversary, and the recent Deluxe ex set was a welcome addition. Now, the new Set B2, called Fantastical Parade, is here to keep the fun going!

Embark Studios quickly made a name for itself after launching in 2018, especially with the release of The Finals in 2023. Composed of experienced game developers, the studio became one to watch in the shooting game world. They followed up in October with ARC Raiders, a new third-person shooter where players battle both each other (PvP) and the environment (PvE). Despite launching between two major titles, Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, ARC Raiders has become a huge success, selling over 12 million copies and attracting hundreds of thousands of players daily. To keep players engaged, Embark has now shared some of their plans for the game’s future, extending into 2026.