Skip to content
  1. Xbox Wire80

    Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Review: How Whip, Tarot, and Relic Systems Carry the Series Legacy

    Castlevania: Belmont's Curse launches October 15 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, developed by KONAMI with Dead Cells studios Evil Empire and Motion Twin, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. In hands-on play, the author finds the game builds on Dead Cells' art and action while adding seven weapon types, a parry, and a whip that doubles as a grappling hook. Defeated bosses are sealed into tarot Arcana that grant spells, upgraded through the Works of Mercy achievement system, and weapons, spells, and three relic slots can be swapped anytime while paused.

    Why this: The author draws on hands-on play to break down the whip, tarot, and relic systems of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse and its lineage from Dead Cells.

  2. Game Informer78

    The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Preview: Visuals, Voice Acting, and Control Changes

    Game Informer's Brian Shea played over an hour of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, covering both Young Link and Adult Link sections. He describes it as a full remake with new visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, and additions like a jump button, sprint out of a roll, and a freely controlled camera. He also saw a new Threads of Time system that recaps the story on a tapestry and offers hints; the game launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5.

    Why this: The author played the Ocarina of Time remake early and reports first-hand on visuals, voice acting, and control changes, helping readers gauge how extensive the remake is.

  1. Kotaku76

    Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Review: The Norgan Tundra and 12 New Dungeons

    Kotaku's review calls Norgan, a snowy region north of the original map, the centerpiece of Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, with one settlement, buried ruins, and environmental hazards like cracking ice and blizzards. The expansion also adds 12 new dungeons to the existing world, which the reviewer found unremarkable on a New Game+ character around level 70 but likely fine for first-time players. Most monsters are variants of base-game foes, such as ice-casting saurians and yeti-like ogres, alongside a few new bosses; the reviewer says the DLC does not dramatically change the game but stays true to it.

    Why this: Based on roughly 20 hours with the expansion, the reviewer weighs the Norgan region, 12 new dungeons, and monster variants to help readers judge whether the DLC is worth returning for.

  1. Reddit · r/Games78

    Gears of War: E-Day Review Roundup: 88 Average on OpenCritic, 91% Recommended

    The Gears of War: E-Day review roundup shows an 88 average and 91% recommended across 56 reviews on OpenCritic. Critics praise the return to the series' roots, improved movement and shooting, and visuals, while some note pacing drops in the later campaign, enemy AI and repetition issues, and limited focus on Marcus. Set fourteen years before the original Gears of War on Emergence Day, the game follows Marcus and Dom against the first Locust wave, with the PC version dated October 6, 2026.

    Why this: It gathers scores and quotes from 56 outlets, showing where critics split on this prequel's combat, story, and pacing.

  2. IGN78

    Gears of War: E-Day Review: The Prequel Campaign and Horde Siege Multiplayer

    IGN reviewed Gears of War: E-Day, with the author finishing the campaign in 15 to 18 hours and finding that the prequel still carries emotional weight even though players already know Marcus and Dom survive. The campaign adds a Weapon Mod and Tactical Gear system with four mod slots per weapon, unlocked through yellow Hard Cases and secondary objectives. The author notes ally AI sometimes fails to revive downed players, occasional framerate hitches on Xbox Series X Performance Mode, and that Horde Siege stands out in multiplayer while private matches are absent.

    Why this: Based on a 15 to 18 hour playthrough, this review covers the campaign pacing, weapon mod system, and how Horde Siege plays.

  1. PlayStation Blog62

    How Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve uses first-person to tell a more personal story

    Developer Project Aces has changed its storytelling approach for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, presenting most cutscenes in first person so players experience the war between the Federation of Central Usea and the invading Sotoans as a silent protagonist. Players inherit the call sign of ace pilot Jan "Rex" Cope and fight alongside Joker Flight, using the DualSense controller's D-Pad, right stick and buttons for small interactions and to issue squad orders. The game launches October 2 on PlayStation 5.

End of the list