Author: Zach Barbieri

With the recent announcement of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, I have been taking a walk down memory lane. Remember what it felt like the first time. I understand that people have a connection to the combat system, but to be mean for a second, that’s such a simplistic understanding of what made classic RPGs so memorable. There is the moment you arrive in a town, and everything is so new and mesmerizing, offering a unique moment you don’t realize will play back in your head again years later with such luster. The same goes for the bosses; one day you…

Damn, you know, I really didn’t see myself sitting here writing THIS review when I started Starsand Island, or at least I didn’t want to. It makes a well enough case for itself if we are being honest, at least in those opening minutes. Hell, even the opening hours were mostly fun, with some annoying grinding mixed in because, you know, this is a cozy sim; why not? If you aren’t paying attention, though, you are going straight over the cliff unprepared, and there is no worse feeling than that. Let me start by making the comparison to another game…

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a weird game to get a handle on, at least for me. I remember when the first A Plague Tale was released, and it was already on my radar. That kind of special AA game that lacks the polish of its bigger competition but makes up for it by just being a great game. I mean, my only complaint about the first game was your FREAKING BROTHER HUGO WHO NEVER DOES WHAT YOU TELL HIM TO!!! Sorry, just having flashbacks to all the mice attacks he made harder than they needed to be. Look…

Nintendo has announced two Nintendo Direct events that will be held next week, with one being a dedicated broadcast in honor of The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary. This comes right before the Tokyo Game Show is about to begin, with that event being held between September 17 and September 21, 2026. With Nintendo typically present there, we could learn more about what they plan to showcase during the event. https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/2095874823662567914?s=20 The Legend of Zelda broadcast is set to be held on Tuesday, September 8th at 7 am Pacific / 10 am Eastern / 3 pm UK time and will…

Developer Dragami Games has announced that a sequel to Lollipop Chainsaw will be announced at the Tokyo Game Show, held later this month. Mr. Nasu of Dragami Games will be leading the development as director, with key figures from the original title, such as director Suda51, Tomo Ikeda, or writer James Gunn (yes, that was a thing that really happened), not set to return. https://twitter.com/Dragami_Games/status/2095316092822704601?s=20 According to the company’s official post via social media, players in attendance can “Be among the first to play the new game at its world premiere at the SEGA/ATLUS booth,” and that “A life-size chainsaw…

One thing that Square Enix has gotten exceptionally good at over the years is building hype for their upcoming games with good demos. With Final Fantasy Resonance, the first Final Fantasy in the HD-2D style of Octopath Traveler, releasing in October, it was announced today during Sony’s State of Play that a Demo for the game will be made available today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJl6QvjFpsA Similar to previous Square Enix demos, this one will feature the entire first chapter of Final Fantasy Resonance, which can take players 3 to 5 hours to complete. Once you beat the demo, all progress made can be…

At one point, it seemed Konami would completely exit game development to focus on live-service mobile titles and Pachinko Machines. Since their return to development, it has been impressive to see their partnerships and game development bring about a satisfying roster of titles. While we wait the last few weeks before the release of Silent Hill: Townfall, Konami announced a new title called Rhapsody in Scarlet, an action-adventure game, during today’s Sony State of Play event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JsUMh29Hf0 Rhapsody in Scarlet is set in 1920s New York, with a jazz-influenced soundtrack. Players take the role of Ellie Myers, a young woman…

With Marvel’s Wolverine only a few weeks away from release, a few releases are coming next year that Sony is starting to shift focus to. One of those games is Until Dawn 2, the sequel to the 2015 narrative-choice horror game, being developed by Firesprite. During the State of Play today, not only did we get a new trailer for the game, but we also learned that the title will actually be releasing early next year on January 28, 2027. Preorders for the title will open up on September 10, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wjhso38sAY Interestingly enough, the trailer for Until Dawn 2…

Closing out the first of two State of Play events held today, Square Enix showcased another lengthy trailer, complete with a deep look at the gameplay, for Final Fantasy VII Revelation. Before the gameplay was showcased, however, we got an answer to the most burning question concerning the game: when we will be playing it. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is officially set to release on April 8, 2027. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YHP48v7vyg The final act of the remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Revelation builds on the world introduced across both previous chapters. Players will get access to the Highwind fairly early into the…

There are some games that are just a horrible experience to review. This isn’t because they are bad, mind you, but because they are impossible to find the words for. It would be simpler if you hated the game because then, even as you struggle, the pen goes to paper, and you end up with something at the very least. If you actually enjoyed the game, as was the case with 1000xResist, struggling to put your feelings into perspective feels like limbo. Like wandering through a long hallway with no doors or obvious exits, a comparable feeling to the game…